Epaper_26-03-20 ISB

Rising cost pushes Amazon, other retailers to revisit ‘free’ shipping

Marriyum asks Imran to tell nation about ‘destruction’ caused by ‘his four years’ misrule’

PM Shehbaz on forefront to enSure free flour to needy PerSonS

g REvIEWS PROCESS OF FREE DISTRIBuTION DuRING vISIT TO THREE SARGODHA CENTERS

LAHORE staff report

PRIMEMinister Shehbaz Sharif

Saturday said provision of free flour to the needy should be ensured with the aim to lessen difficulties of people in the month of Ramazan.

PM Shehbaz Sharif was chairing a review meeting here for the provision of free flour to the people of Islamabad capital territory.

He said the government was taking all possible measures to reduce the difficulties of poor people in Ramazan.

“After my visits to Lahore, Kasur and Sargodha, I will visit other cities to oversee the process for supply of free flour and to ensure quality.”

The PM instructed that those eligible persons who were not registered with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and could not get free flour, should be immediately registered.

He directed that counters of National Database and Registration Au-

SAyS FIRST TIME IN COuNTRy’S HISTORy, EACH FAMILy GETTING FREE BAGS

people coming to obtain flour.

Federal Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, former members of National Assembly Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Anjum Aqeel and officers concerned attended the meeting. ‘Visiting different cities after mismanagement complaints’

Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday visited three centers established in Sargodha to distribute free flour bags to deserving people and reviewed the distribution process.

During the course of his visit, the prime minister interacted with the people, inquired about their issues, and also issued directives for their immediate resolution.

Russians ‘reluctantly’ embrace Chinese cars after Western brands depart

Miftah says IMF’s concerns ‘valid’ over fuel subsidy

thority (NADRA) and BISP should be immediately opened at the flour distribution points.

He further directed that any needy person who comes to the free flour distribution center, should be given flour and in this regard all relevant departments should take steps.

The meeting was told that the provision of free flour was continuing in Punjab, Khyer Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad and a large number of families were benefitting from the scheme.

It was told that the number of free flour distribution centers were being increased in Islamabad to facilitate

PM Shehbaz participated in the distribution process and handed over bags to the people standing in queues, besides inspected all the facilities and quality of flour.

The premier directed the relevant authorities to take prompt steps for further facilitation of the deserving and poor people.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Pakistan removes advance payment condition for imports of hundreds of items

g

PROfit KaraCHI

Pakistan has removed restrictions on the import of 826 items that were imposed between 2017 and 2022.

This move includes removing the condition of depositing up to 100% payment in advance for the import of hundreds of items. Major items that have been freed from import restrictions in-

IMPORTS

uisite condition for the IMF.

clude raw material for cement and steel, vehicle parts, confectioneries, chocolate, mineral water, cigarette paper, electrical and electronic goods, and some machinery and parts.

The State Bank of Pakistan has issued a circular stating that the cash margin requirement on import of items has been withdrawn. This decision is viewed as a step towards reviving the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, which was a pre-req-

Experts have stated that the decision to remove restrictions on imports is positive for the country. The lifting of import restrictions comes after Pakistan’s current account deficit narrowed to a two-year low in February 2023 due to import control measures.

However, the risk of default on foreign debt repayment remains, and limited foreign exchange reserves are a concern.

PTI holds strong power show in Lahore despite ‘threat alert’

Earlier in the day, the local administration of Lahore placed containers to block the routes leading to Minar-e-Pakistan. Containers have also been placed in other areas of Lahore, including GT Road, Cup Store and Du Maurya Bridge.

The administration and police have taken the step to block PTI supporters from other towns and cities in Punjab from reaching the rally venue.

The PTI leadership has alleged that the police have detained the party’s leaders and workers, saying that raids on the houses of PTI workers and leaders have been ongoing for five consecutive days.

However, they said that despite the “tactics of the police and administration”, the rally will definitely take place today.

LAHORE

saleem Jadoon

Despite a threat alert issued by the interim Punjab government, the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) is flexing its political muscles at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday night.

According to a warning issued by Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Mukarram Khurasani has planned a terrorist attack on Minar-e-Pakistan rally.

The terrorist group can target PTI’s gatherings, rallies, and the Minar-e-Pakistan public rally to create chaos in the country, it added.

The department stated that Khurasani devised the plan after consultation with terrorist Abdul Wali Khan, adding that the terrorists have planned attacks using “25 suicide bombers”.

It further said that Abdul Wali Khan has been involved in multiple bombings in Lahore in the past.

The authorities have been urged to increase security measures, as terrorists may also target important installations and officers in uniforms.

The former foreign minister said that despite the Lahore High Court’s order allowing a political gathering, the caretaker government had blocked all roads leading to the rally venue by placing containers and barricades to create hurdles for PTI workers, supporters, and the general public.

Police raided the residence of PTI leaders Hammad Khan Niazi and Bajash Khan Niazi in the Manawan area but could not arrest the two leaders as they were not present at home at the time of the raid.

Hammad vowed that the rally in Lahore today will be a historical one. “We will not be intimidated by such measures [raids by police]” and said that they would stand by Imran Khan till their last breath.

Police launch crackdown, block roads ahead of PTI Lahore rally

Lahore: In anticipation of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) public gathering at Minari-Pakistan tonight, the police launched a crackdown against members of the opposition party and blocked routes leading to the venue in Greater Iqbal Park on the outskirts of the Walled City. The road heading from Data Darbar towards Minar-i-Pakistan has been closed off from both sides, while some roads leading to the location have also been blocked. Some truck drivers at the scene have reported not being compensated for the use of their vehicles to block the roads. According to the drivers, they were directed by officials at Shafiqabad police station near Old Ravi Bridge who said it was a government order and that the police had the keys to the trucks. Some students who were scheduled to appear for the Institute of Chartered Accountant exams were also affected by the road blockades. It has been reported that they were unable to reach the exam venue due to the blocked roads. staff report

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iSLAMABAD staff report

Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that the concerns raised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the coalition government’s plan to provide “petrol subsidy” to the people of Pakistan are “valid”. Miftah, while speaking in a Tv talk show, said that while the IMF’s concerns are “valid”, but Pakistan, too, has the answer to their query on fuel subsidy. Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the government’s plans for fuel pricing last week. While economists fear the decision could hinder a crucial IMF payout needed to prevent economic collapse, the government said that it was a scheme, not a subsidy. Pakistan’s $350 billion economy continues to dwindle amid financial woes and the authorities struggle to strike a staff-level agreement with the Washington-based lender. The former finance minister said matters with the global lender seem to have come to a standstill. “The government did everything it could to keep up with the IMF,” he said, adding that there is no plan B other than the IMF in his view. Miftah, when commenting on securing funds from friendly nations, said that Pakistan must conduct high-level diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and the united Arab Emirates (uAE). “At the moment, Pakistan is in dire need of Rs56 billion,” he added.

Maryam Nawaz to expose Imran’s ‘handlers’ at Kasur public rally on Monday

Roadblocks, cRackdown, aRRests of PtI woRkeRs vIolatIon of lHc oRdeRs: QuResHI

LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

PAkISTAnTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood

Qureshi on Saturday accused the government of a worst crackdown and arresting party workers ahead of Minar-e-Pakistan public rally scheduled for late Saturday night.

Speaking to the media ahead of the PTI’s rally, the former foreign minister said that despite the Lahore High Court’s order

allowing a political gathering, the caretaker government had blocked all roads leading to the rally venue by placing containers and barricades to create hurdles for PTI workers, supporters, and the general public.

Qureshi claimed that police were conducting raids and arresting PTI leaders, saying as many as 1,800 workers had been arrested so far. He urged them not to arm themselves with sticks or other weapons, refrain from violence, and advised them not to take the law into their own hands.

Qureshi emphasised that holding the

Punjab okays free 20kg flour bag for poor under Ramzan package

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

During the 11th meeting of the provincial cabinet in Lahore, chaired by interim Chief Minister Mohsin naqvi, it was announced that each poor family in Punjab will receive a free 20 kilogrammes flour bag under the Ramadan relief package. The decision was made to save citizens from the hassle of repeatedly visiting flour distribution centres. Consumers in parts of Pakistan are facing a shortage of wheat flour due to slowed production and delivery in the market. Flour millers in Sindh have suspended production, citing inadequate supplies of wheat and low flour rates. The provincial government has accused mill owners of hoarding subsidised wheat and is sealing some factories. The millers have raised rates by almost a quarter to Rs130 a kilogramme, blaming surging wheat prices. Previous flour crises in Pakistan have been attributed to bureaucratic incompetence and market mismanagement, leading citizens to queue for hours and fight for subsidised flour. The meeting also reviewed proposals for simplifying the registration process and formed a committee to present its final recommendations. The cabinet expressed satisfaction with the process of providing flour, as over seven million bags have been distributed so far. The meeting also approved appointments and established a state-of-the-art autism centre for special children.

Rasheed claims shehbaz could be held in contempt of court for election delay

RAWALPINDI Staff RepoRt

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed

Ahmed has accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of potentially facing contempt of court due to a delay in elections. Ahmed claimed that the government had postponed the elections due to the rising popularity of former prime minister Imran khan, and that inflation had reached 50 percent, which he believed would lead to the collapse of the coalition government. Ahmed also criticised the government’s response to international concerns, and suggested that the judiciary would have to take responsibility for addressing the situation. Finally, he accused the authorities of blocking roads and arresting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers in advance of a planned rally.

1,800

LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

The Punjab police on Saturday raided Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Farrukh Habib’s in-laws house in an attempt to arrest the former state minister.

According to police sources and the PTI leaders, a massive police operation was underway for the past two days, especially in central Punjab and Islamabad to arrest the PTI leaders ahead of the party’s Minar-ePakistan Rally on Saturday.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) released a statement, stating that the police officials harassed Farrukh Habib’s family members after they failed to arrest him from his in-laws’ residence.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the party workers are being arrested ahead of Minar-ePakistan Rally.

public rally was the party’s constitutional right and expressed confidence that a large number of people would participate in the political gathering.

He appealed to the people of Lahore to show their support for former prime minister Imran khan by coming out of their homes to participate in the rally.

Qureshi claimed that police had closed all entry and exit points of the city to bar PTI leaders, workers, and supporters from other cities from reaching tonight’s rally.

Meanwhile, PTI Senior Vice President

Fawad Chaudhry slammed the crackdown on their party leaders and workers, saying the action was aimed to sabotage the political gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan.

He urged the international community, especially Islamic countries, to condemn abductions and killings of political workers during the holy month of Ramzan. He also called for the government to be declared “persona non grata” for its “fascist tactics.”

The authorities had blocked various roads, including entry and exit points in

the provincial capital, to thwart the PTI political gathering. The Lahore district administration used dozens of shipping containers and trucks to block off major roads. These measures have caused hurdles for commuters heading to their jobs and other routine activities.

Former attorney general Elahi denies resignation request rumours

ISLAMABAD

MonitoRing RepoRt

Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi has denied reports claiming he was asked to step down as attorney general of Pakistan (AGP), following his resignation from the top law office on Friday. In a statement on Saturday, Elahi, grandson of Fazal Elahi Chaudhry who served as the nation’s president between 1973 and 1978, confirmed his resignation to Dawn but refuted the suggestion that he was asked by the prime minister to step down.

Elahi resigned a little over a month

after his appointment and just before a potential legal battle over delayed elections in Punjab and khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Supreme Court. The timing of his resignation had raised questions about its potential impact on the case taken up by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Following the news of Elahi’s departure, Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with legal experts in Model Town to discuss their strategy for the delayed elections. Law Minister Azam nazeer Tarar and Attaullah Tarar and Malik Ahmad khan, both special assistants to Sharif, were also present at

the meeting. notably, Elahi was absent.

Elahi told Dawn he had signed the resignation letter on Friday.

“It is absolutely incorrect that I was asked to resign. In fact, when I communicated my intention to resign to senior members of the government, I was requested to defer sending the resignation to the president and at their request, I handed the original resignation over to a senior minister,” he said. “The government may send it to the president at their convenience.”

He said that “unfortunately some facts were selectively leaked in media

yesterday” and while he avoided engaging with the journalists and newsTV stations who contacted him repeatedly, a “distorted narrative is being created which is why I am now constrained to send this clarification”. Elahi is a corporate lawyer at the prestigious law firm Cornelius, Lane, and Mufti, and boasts a wealth of experience in commercial, tax and banking law, as well as civil, commercial, corporate, and constitutional litigation.

The circumstances surrounding his resignation and its impact on the upcoming legal battle remain to be seen.

Income

tax officer ‘seeks PM’s nod for corrupt practices’

compensation from government to lessen his situation, he was honestly left with no option but to look for illicit means to be able to make his ends meet, no matter how much he may not agree with this in principal.

“I am getting Rs122,922 pay per month including Rs35898 house hiring whereas my unavoidable expenditures are Rs110, 500 per month,” the IRS officer mentioned in his letter.

IRS officer in its letter claimed that he is in debt of more than Rs78,000 and his father also helps him with money every month to survive as “white collar” CSP Officer.

ISLAMABAD

Staff RepoRt

In a letter written to Prime Minister, an Inland Revenue Officer has reportedly formally sought the permission of the Premier for carrying out corrupt practices as he could not make his twoend’s meet.

In an unconfirmed letter circulating on social media with the subject “formal intimation regarding starting corruption”, one IRS officer informed the PM of Pakistan that he is planning and fully convinced that he must engage in corruption to earn illicit but highly essential money from April 1, 2023.

“I am very much aware of the perilous economic situation of our beloved country right now and that your government is not leaving any stone unturned to stabilize the economy,” he said. He claimed that he has never committed a single rupee corruption in his four year’s tenure but owing to current high inflation and no

british-Pakistani diplomat makes history as first Muslim woman to head uk post

ISLAMABAD MonitoRing RepoRt

The letter states that the PM office has announced Executive Allowance in the month of February 2023 to all groups but again the only exception made was for FBR officers.

“I have not been able to perform my duties to the best of my ability because of the simple and plain reason that I am preoccupied with financial stress and also I have been more interested in setting up a side business or a passive income option,” he added.

The IRS officer requested the PM of Pakistan to help FBR monetarily so that the officials do not just perform to meet the budgetary targets assigned to them but work with more vigour and ownership to help the government stabilize the economy and bring this country out of the shackles of IMF and the likes.

He also requested to de-freeze “performance allowance of FBR” as per current basis or grant “Executive Allowance” to FBR and its field formations just as it has been granted to all other departments.

Court denies bail to PTI leaders over non-appearance in vandalism case

LAHORE Staff RepoRt

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has rejected the interim bail petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI) leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, and Farrukh Habib in connection to a vandalism case registered against them during a rally. The petitions were heard on Saturday by Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar, who denied the bail of the petitioners due to their non-appearance in court and their failure to submit their surety bonds.

On the other hand, Ijaz Chaudhry and Mian

Addressing media persons in Lahore, the PTI leader said that despite the Lahore High Court orders to hold political gatherings the government has placed containers in different parts of the city to create hurdles for PTI workers.

He stated that the police were conducting raids and arresting PTI leaders and claimed so far 1,800 PTI workers had been arrested, urging workers to avoid taking law into their hands in the face worst state oppression.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Punjab police conducting raids to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and local leaders.

Punjab police conducted a raid at PTI senior leader – a candidate from PP-158 – Mehtab Hussain’s residence in Lahore but he was not present at home.

In Multan, the police arrested the son of former MPA Javed Akhtar Ansari in a raid and arrested PTI workers across the district.

Mahmood ur-Rashid’s interim bail was extended till April 4 since both of them appeared before the court.

The Race Course police have registered cases against the PTI leaders under 12 different sections including terrorism, murder, attempt to murder, fighting, and creating obstruction in the performance of official duties. In a related development, the same judge also issued release documents of 93 PTI workers who were arrested on charges of vandalism and terrorism during the police operation in Zaman Park.

The PTI workers submitted Rs50,000 surety bonds each against their release, and the court accepted their bail petitions on Friday.

Fouzia Younis, a Pakistan-origin British diplomat in Islamabad, has been appointed as the first British Muslim woman to head a Uk diplomatic post, she confirmed on Twitter. Younis has been named as British Consul General to northwestern Toronto city of Canada, while currently serving as director of communications at the British high commission in Islamabad. According to her profile, she has extensive experience in building international relationships in the Middle East and South Asia, as well as managing, coaching and developing multicultural and diverse teams. She was the co-chair of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic network (BAME) until March 2020, leading a global network of over 250 staff. In a tweet, Younis expressed gratitude to her father, a first-generation British Pakistani, for dropping her at the coach station at 4:00 am for job interviews, and to her late mother, who supported her decision to attend university and walked her home through dark streets. She also paid tribute to her mother as a strong advocate of girls’ education who raised four successful children. In a message to girls, Younis urged them not to let anyone dim their power. Her appointment is a significant milestone for British Muslim women and a testament to the achievements of women of diverse backgrounds in the Uk.

Islamic giving plays increasing role in helping forcibly displaced: unHcR official

NEW YORK anadolu agency

Imran Khan message: PTI Chairman Imran khan on Saturday called on supporters to “assert their right as people of a free nation” by attending his party’s rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan today, where he intends to outline his “vision of Haqeeqi Azadi”.

In a tweet today, the PTI chief said his party would be holding its sixth public gathering at Minar-iPakistan, which he felt would “break all records”.

“My heart tells me it will break all records. I am inviting everyone in Lahore to attend after Tarawih prayers. I will give my vision of Haqeeqi Azadi and how we will pull Pakistan out of the mess cabal of crooks have put our country in,” Imran said.

Islamic giving plays an increasing role in helping forcibly displaced people, a Un refugee agency official said. At the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, khaled khalifa, a senior advisor to the High Commissioner and UnHCR representative to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, launched the fifth Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report, “which shows the power and growing potential of Islamic giving to save lives and build better futures for the forcibly displaced globally.” According to the report, 6 million people, who have been forcefully displaced and living in 26 countries, have benefited from the zakat (obligatory almsgiving in Islam) and sadaqah (voluntary charity) funds since the UnHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund was piloted in 2017. Through the Refugee Zakat Fund, UnHCR received more than $21.3 million in zakat contributions last year and more than $16.7 million in Sadaqah donations. “While this is a small proportion of UnHCR’s global expenditure, its importance and impact on the displaced is growing, contributing to progress in several Sustainable Development Goals, notably around ending poverty and hunger while improving education and well-being,” khalifa said. In 2022, the Refugee Zakat Fund enabled UnHCR to improve the lives of more than 1.5 million people in 21 countries, with zakat and sadaqah funds. Last year, zakat contributions were distributed through zakat-compliant cash assistance and direct provision of goods. Cash assistance was provided to refugees in Algeria, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Pakistan, and Tunisia, as well as to internally displaced people (IDPs) in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen, the report said, adding that goods, such as hygiene and shelter kits, medicines, and livelihood kits were provided to refugees in Bangladesh, India, and Iran, and IDPs in nigeria.

workers arrested: Farrukh escapes arrest as police raid in-laws’ house

afgHan envoy, busInessMen agRee to collectIve effoRts foR PRoMotIon of Pak - afgHan tRade

HAFIZMohibullah Shakir, Acting Afghan Consul General in Peshawar and businessmen from khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday agreed to initiating collective efforts for removal of obstacles to Pak-Afghan bilateral and transit trade. The agreement was reached during a meeting of local businessmen with the

Acting Afghan Consul General, said a press release issued here on Saturday.

The businessmen were led by Director Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Ziaul Haq Sarhadi.

Second Secretary Consulate General, Mufti noorullah Hotak, Commercial Attache Waheedullah Himat and Protocol Officer Shahid Ullah Zaheer were also present on the occasion.

Rising cost pushes amazon, other retailers to revisit ‘free’ shipping

CONTINuED fROM BACK PAgE

While retailers like Amazon and fashion purveyor

Asos Plc have raised thresholds for fast shipping, others are dropping free shipping altogether or taking product prices up again. Einstein Pets in Atlanta was caught “between a rock and a hard place” according to owner kelly Ison. She moved to protect profit by ending free shipping in mid-2022 on purchases of Einstein’s speciality dog treats, including flavours like PB’n Jelly Time and Pumpkin Time.

“We can’t compete with Amazon,” she told Reuters. Ison switched to flat-rate shipping of $8 to help defray fast-rising delivery costs and avoid price increases that would hurt her competitiveness. She lost some customers but remains profitable.

Toronto-based United Filter Co raised prices on its furnace filters so it could keep offering free shipping for sales through Amazon, Walmart and eBay and it has never offered across-the-board free returns because they are too “cost-prohibitive,” owner Darrin Landau told Reuters. The company split the difference, he said. “People are just addicted to free shipping.”

Russians ‘reluctantly’ embrace chinese cars after western brands depart

CONTINuED fROM BACK PAgE

Chinese brands’ market share reached 37.15% in January-February, up from 9.48% a year earlier, Autostat and PPk data showed. Sales of departing European, Japanese and korean brands were down to 22.6% from 70%. The sharp swing comes, however, amid plummeting sales of new cars, which slumped 58.8% in 2022 as lower living standards and a desire for Western-made vehicles caused people to reduce their spending and purchase more used cars. In a sign of growing cooperation China’s Haval is now producing cars locally, while in Moscow, the revived Soviet-era Moskvich is using engine parts, design and engineering from China’s JAC.

But another gripe for consumers is the price. Even Medvedev said the Moskvich’s price looked a little high. The model 3 costs around 2 million roubles ($26,195). Prices for the Lada Granta, Russia’s most widely sold car, start at around 680,000 roubles.

“(The Chinese) are bringing in a lot of cars but if we talk about price, not quality, there are no cheap cars at all,” said Maxim kadakov, editor in chief of the “Behind the Wheel” magazine.

Man kills mother, brothers, other over property dispute

PAKPATTAN Staff RepoRt

A man killed seven members of his family, including mother, two brothers, sister-in-law, two minor nephews and a niece over property dispute here in the suburbs of Pakpattan in the wee hours of Saturday. According to police, the incident occurred at Bari Rakh village of Pakpattan where the man, aided by his friends, forced entry into his brother’s house at Sehari time where he killed his mother, two brothersm, a sister-in-law and their three children including a minor girl. The deceased include mother, brother – Sherbaz and Iftikhar, his wife, their two sons and a daughter. Upon getting information about the shocking incident, a heavy contingent of police along with a forensic team reached the crime scene. The police shifted the bodies to a hospital for medico-legal formalities. Meanwhile, Punjab Inspector General of Punjab Dr Usman Anwar took notice of the grisly murder of seven people and sought a report from the Sahiwal RPO about the incident. The IGP also ordered the Pakpattan DPO to constitute a special team to arrest the culprits. He said the culprits must be brought to justice and punished.

turkey Pakistan kardeshiz: singer dedicates his song to earthquake victims

LAHORE anadolu agency

A singer from Pakistan released a song dedicated to the victims of the twin earthquake in Turkey to show the fraternal bond between the two nations. Asad Qureshi, a young artist, composed and sang the song Turkey Pakistan kardeshiz, which is in Turkish. “I came up with the idea of this song while I was observing the fundraising for earthquake victims in Turkey,” the 25year-old artist from Lahore told Anadolu Agency. “I also participated in and organized a number of fundraising camps,” he added. The official video for the song includes English subtitles, which translate the song to “Turkey and Pakistan are brothers,” as well as visuals from the relief work provided by Islamabad to Ankara. Through its lyrics, the song elaborated on the friendship and brotherly relations between both nations.

Ziaul Haq Sarhadi who is also former Senior Vice President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) apprised the participants of the problems being faced by businessmen, engaged in Pak-Afghan trade.

The issues raised by Sarhdi included restoration of the Afghan document Ilm o khabar document, constitution of a liaison committee between the two countries, problems faced by exporters, importers, industrialists and others.

On this occasion, the Afghan Consulate officials also informed the businessmen about their suggestions and some reservations on unnecessary and unregistered checking points at Torkham border, non-implementation of decision regarding cross-stuffing of Afghan transit containers into local containers, inflicting losses on Afghan businessmen under the head of detention charges. They also expressed reservation

over delay in checking of Afghan transit goods at karachi sea port, causing delay in reaching of consignment. Speaking on the occasion, Zia Sarhadi said it is the need of the hour to take steps by governments of both the countries for removal of hindrances in trade between the two countries. He said bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is very essential for bringing prosperity in the region and this goal can be achieved through launching sincere efforts.

Interior Ministry bars GB police from accompanying CM, Governor to other provinces

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Federal Interior Ministry has banned the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) police from accompanying its Chief Minister (CM) and Governor to other provinces. Through a letter sent to IGs and chief secretaries of all four provinces, GB and Azad kashmir, the Interior Ministry stated that the province concerned where the CM and Governor Gilgit Baltistan will visit that province will provide security to them.

The ministry also directed the IG and chief commissioner Islamabad to provide security to the GB CM and Governor during their visit.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that Gilgit Baltistan force used against Punjab police in PTI chairman Imran khan’s possible arrest from his Zaman park Lahore residence. Later the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government rejected the allegations levelled by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb about the use of territory’s force against Punjab police in the latter’s attempt to arrest PTI chief Imran khan from his Zaman Park residence. Zaman parK operatIon: It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad police team on Tuesday reached Lahore

to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran khan after a district and sessions court issued his non-

bailable arrest warrants for failing to attend the hearing in Toshakhana reference.

Police launch crackdown, block roads ahead of PTI Lahore rally

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The drivers have been directed to keep their trucks blocking the roads until 12 pm tomorrow. The police crackdown is ongoing as authorities aim to maintain law and order during the PTI public gathering. Meanwhile, Imran khan, the chairman of the party, urged his supporters in Lahore to attend the jalsa after Taraweeh prayers at 9:00 pm. The former prime minister expressed confidence that the event would “break all [previous attendance] records”. khan, who was removed from his post as prime minister in April of last

year through a contentious vote of noconfidence, said he will present his vision for “Haqeeqi Azadi” during the gathering. He also aims to discuss how the country can overcome the challenges that he claims were created by a “cabal of crooks”, a reference to the government of Shahbaz Sharif, who he believes has led the nation into a state of turmoil. While khan expects the government to erect barriers that could prevent his followers from attending the event, he has stressed it is their fundamental right to participate in a jalsa. He also encouraged everyone to

exercise their right as citizens of a free nation and join him at the venue.

Seperetely, speaking to journalists before leaving to attend court, khan said police in Lahore and elsewhere across Punjab have arrested 1,600 workers of his party to “fail the rally.”

“I urge everyone to join me at Minar Pakistan tonight following Taraweeh prayer and witness with your own eyes the historic size of this rally — the largest in Lahore’s history,” he told the press.

“It appears as though our freedom has been stripped away […] reminiscent of the occupation of kashmir or Palestine.” khan was scheduled to hold a

PM Shehbaz on forefront to ensure free flour to needy persons

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Talking to journalists, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that he had visited three centers set up in Sargodha where free atta bags were being distributed in an organized manner. He said that for the first time in the country’s 75 years history, each poor family was getting three flour bags free of cost. “The government, relevant authorities and administration has been working to provide relief to the people,” he added.

The prime minister appreciated the provincial and district administration and informed that he would be chairing a meeting today to review the steps for further facilitation of the process. He also urged the people to provide proper information.

After receiving complaints about mismanagement over flour distribution process, the prime minister had started visiting different cities

including Lahore and kasur.

These free flour distribution points have been established as part of Prime Minister’s Ramzan relief package for deserving families.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif announced a special Ramazan package providing free flour to ‘underprivileged masses’.

However, incidents of mismanagement were reported in different cities. In Faisalabad, stampede at a flour distribution point claimed the life of a citizen.

An incident was reported from Faisalabad where an elderly citizen died in a stampede who came to collect flour from a distribution point.

He was taken to the General Hospital Samanabad where he took his last breath. During the stampede and mismanagement at the flour distribution point, many citizens sustained injuries.

China-Pakistan strengthen relations through traditional Chinese medicine cooperation

ISLAMABAD app

China and Pakistan are strengthening their bilateral relations through cooperation in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The health authorities of Sindh have initiated a program in which China will assist the country in training young doctors proficient in TCM.

The Sino-Pakistan Cooperation Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (SPCCTCM) in the southern Hunan province of China will train the first batch of ten young doctors in TCM theory and clinical practice. Upon completion of their training, they will return to their hometowns in Pakistan to carry out TCM diagnosis and treatment.

The SPCCTCM, jointly established by the Hunan University of Medicine and the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences of the University of karachi in Pakistan in 2020, aims to build an international cooperation centre integrating healthcare, TCM education and training, scientific research, and industrial cooperation. This training project, with support from both the Chinese and Pakistani governments, will unite TCM colleges and hospitals to train talents with a certain level of TCM theory and clinical practice skills for Pakistan.

The cooperation between China and Pakistan in TCM is not only an academic exchange but also a cultural exchange, which will help further enhance the friendship between the two countries. Recently, an event was held in Islamabad to mark the return of

Pakistani plant seeds from the Chinese space station.

Chinese and Pakistani researchers at the SPCCTCM will use these seeds to carry out breeding research and study the differences between planting on Earth and in space.

The acceptance of TCM in Pakistan has been increasing in recent years. Last year, a proprietary Chinese medicine, Jinhua Qinggan Granule, had a significant effect on treating Covid-19 patients in Pakistan. The Chinese side is also in communication with the Pakistani side to promote the registration process of another Chinese medicine in Pakistan. The aim is to promote the entry of TCM into Pakistan and other countries along the Belt and Road (BRI) so that Chinese medicine can serve more people in the world.

rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on March 19, but the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the party to reschedule the event and have a dialogue with the caretaker administration of Mohsin naqvi. Subsequently, the court disposed of a PTI petition seeking permission to hold the rally after the party and the city administration reached an agreement.

The rally, scheduled to begin at 10:00 pm on March 25, was agreed to by the Lahore president of PTI, Imtiaz Mahmood, who submitted an affidavit accepting the terms and conditions. The rally had previously been postponed due to a ban on public gatherings and a high-security risk.

Pakistan, Iran linked together in bonds of Islamic fraternity: envoy

QuETTA Staff RepoRt

Dr Abul Hasan Meri, Director General (DG), khana-eFarhang of Iran in Quetta, has said that Iran and Pakistan have been linked together in the bonds of Islamic fraternity with similarity of culture and civilisation. These views were expressed by him while talking to Hammad khan kakar, President, Organisation of Islamic Youth (OIY) who called on him in his office here on Saturday. He said that Iran was the first country which extended recognition to Pakistan after independence, adding that in order to bring both the countries closer to each other, youth exchange programs was essential to be launched between Pakistan and Iran, enabling youth of both the countries to observe culture, traditions and historical sites of their respective countries. He said that the government of Islamic Republic of Iran would host delegation of OIY during their visit to Iran. Speaking on the occasion, Hammad khan kakar, President, Organization of Islamic Youth said that OIY was supposed to arrange Pak-Iran Youth friendship conference on Alquds day in Quetta city of Pakistan, to be held on the last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, to express support to the just cause of oppressed Palestinians and oppose Israel. Hammad khan kakar proposed to hold “Second Islamic Youth General Assembly” in Iran under the auspices of Islamic Republic of Iran.

PaRc in collaboration with koPIa to establish 35 aeroponic green house

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan Agriculture Research Council in collaboration with korean Program on International Agriculture (kOPIA) would establish 35 aeroponic greenhouses to produce 4 million tons of first-generation seed potato tubers for large-scale cultivation to produce virus-free potato seed. Currently, Pakistan and the Republic of korea are working jointly on seed potato production through aeroponics technology and more than 30% of potato seed requirements could be met from the tissue culture labs at nARC and 2nd crop is ready to harvest at PARC-national Agricultural Research Centre Islamabad. PARC and kOPIA are collaborating on a project for Aeroponic Potato Seed Production System, with the goal of achieving higher productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, promoting farm-level processing, developing human resources, and creating significant job opportunities. Potato is one of the major cash crops of the country and during 2022 it was cultivated in an area of 313,000 ha with a total production of 7937,000 tonnes. Potato seed in Pakistan is mainly imported from Holland, which is not only expensive but also of the fifth generation or above.

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

COMMENT

Dealing with the IMF

ThEgovernment has got something of a credibility problem, because its Finance Minister keeps on saying that a deal on the release of the next tranche of the current iMF programme is around the corner, but some new deal-breaker turns up. The latest stutter is being caused by the failure of certain friendly countries to provide clarity about their lending. These are the countries Pakistan had said were waiting for the iMF tov give clearance to open the floodgates of funds. The failure of these countries to make clear what funds they will make available and how, is what is apparently holding back the iMF.

That is not the only example of the iMF being blamed for something it never did. The iMF, for example, says it has not raised the issue of the missile programme. This gives rise to the suspicion that when the Finance Minister said it had done so, he had merely been casting about for an explanation of why the iMF was not coming through on the programme resumption even though the government had taken the difficult steps it wanted. The iMF has also strongly denied that it has vetoed the Punjab and KP elections, saying that the money for them could be raised by such means as extra taxation. in short, it is not willing to be used as an excuse for the postponement of elections, which the government wants, and the opposition strongly opposes. it would seem that there is a lesson to be drawn from all this. The government must not expect the iMF to pull its chestnuts out of the fire. it should also not expect statements by the Finance Minister (of which there have been plenty, probably already too many), that the iMF agreement is around the corner, to be believed. now that the iMF has confirmed that there are third, even fourth, parties who can veto the deal, there does not seem much chance of it going through. it was enough of a problem when there were only two parties, the iMF and Pakistan, but now it means extra efforts and hard work by those who are going to be lending Pakistan money. Under such circumstances, the canny businessman will have no choice but to assume that the deal is not going through. This may have calamitous consequences for Pakistan, but that does not concern the iMF more deeply than Pakistan's missile programme or its holding provincial elections.

to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M. A. Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

The Dark Side of Education

The Plight of Students at the Hands of Unjust Teachers

teaching, as he blindly regurgitated information from a guidebook without any effort to prepare for his lessons. The role of a teacher goes far beyond mere transmission of knowledge; it is a sacred duty to impart wisdom and guidance to students, so that they can attain their full potential. i strongly believe that the lessons we learn in our formative years stay with us for a lifetime, which makes it all the more critical for educators to be meticulous in their preparation.

TEachErs are the architects of a nation's destiny, entrusted with the formidable task of shaping and guiding the next generation. Since time immemorial, the act of teaching has been revered as a sacred calling, a beacon of light that illuminates the path towards knowledge and wisdom. in islam, the exalted status of teachers is enshrined in their rights and privileges, as expressed by the wise words of hazrat ali (ra): "Whoever teaches me a single word, becomes my master for life." Let us celebrate the noble profession of teaching, for it is through the selfless dedication of teachers that our future shines bright.When teachers are the architects of a nation’s destiny, it is unfathomable to think that they could bring misery to their students. Yet, sadly, this can occur. as the foundation of our future, teachers hold an immense responsibility to instill a love for learning and provide the tools for success. any action that deviates from this sacred duty is a betrayal of the trust placed in them by both students and society. as i delved into a poem, seeking to unveil its intricate rhyme scheme, my thoughts were drawn back to my high school English teacher. it grieved me to remember his lackadaisical approach to

Choking on Our Plates

The Surprising Link Between Food and Air Pollution

To address these issues, the hotel industry in Karachi needs to adopt eco-friendly scientific solutions that reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices.

Sadly, there were numerous instances when this teacher failed to live up to this noble calling. in one such incident, he delivered a lecture on the bird “swallow,” where he erroneously equated it to a pigeon without taking the time to look up the facts or spare a minutes to consult a dictionary.Such a casual approach to teaching is nothing short of an insult to the intelligence and potential of the students. i do not mean to implicate all teachers in this deplorable behavior, but it is a sad reality that some see their students as a burden rather than a precious opportunity to shape the future. The reason behind such behaviour exhibited by teachers could stem from a myriad of causes. as we all are familiar With unemployment on the rise in Kashmir,the sole beacon of hope in a barren private sector is the teaching profession. Yet, only the most zealous and dedicated can excel in this exalted profession. and as you delve deeper into the art of teaching, remember that with great power comes great responsibility– a teacher’s bond with the students must be nurtured with unwavering care and utmost devotion.

Etched indelibly in my mind is the fierce competition among teachers in the same department to enroll students in their private coaching centres during my higher secondary education. regrettably, students were often left to suffer the consequences of this cut-throat rivalry, bearing the brunt of a system driven by self-interest rather than the noble pursuit of education. Seared into my memory is the

SEPa has implemented a number of initiatives to promote eco-friendly practices in the hotel industry. For instance, the agency has established air quality monitoring stations to assess the level of air pollution in different areas of the city. This information is used to identify the sources of pollution and to take appropriate measures to reduce it.

recollection of practical exams, where students were compelled to face an unjust interrogation if their tutor was not the examiner. The sheer audacity of such a practice, where students were subjected to an arbitrary barrage of questions, left a sour taste in the mouths of those who sought a fair and just evaluation. i, myself, have experienced such incidents, and there may be countless others who have encountered similar situations.

The predicament that students face in such instances is the fear and trepidation of lodging a complaint against a teacher. During the tumultuous teenage years, the very idea of challenging a teacher’s authority is often met with hesitancy and uncertainty. This allows unscrupulous teachers to reign with impunity, leaving their students helpless and vulnerable.i harbor no animosity towards educators, for there are those among them who exhibit commendable dedication.

as an erudite being, i am well-acquainted with the noble breed of instructors who extend assistance to indigent pupils, be it in the form of pecuniary aid, literary provisions or even affording them their precious time.While my admiration for my educators runs deep, it is paramount that we institute amendments to facilitate redressal of grievances by pupils.

To this end, a judicious committee must be established to scrutinize and expeditiously investigate any charges brought against instructors, and to mete out appropriate retributive measures upon substantiation of guilt. it behooves the learned and revered cadre of instructors to discharge their duties with utmost probity, and to meticulously craft and rehearse their pedagogical presentations before delivering them.

The writer tweets @peermohdamir and can be reached at ehsaanamy133@gmail.com

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Freelancers’ woes

Karachi,the largest city in Pakistan, is facing a major environmental issue of air pollution, with the hotel industry being a major contributor. in recent years, there has been an increased awareness and emphasis on eco-friendly practices in the hospitality industry, including the reduction of air pollution. This article will explore the issues of air pollution faced by the hotel industry in Karachi and suggest eco-friendly scientific solutions for these challenges. according to the World health Organization, air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide every year. in Karachi, the hotel industry is a significant contributor to air pollution, generating particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides.

The food industry is an essential part of the economy in Karachi, with thousands of restaurants and food processing plants spread across the city. however, these facilities are often located in areas with poor air quality standards, leading to increased emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. The primary sources of food-related air pollution include cooking fumes, transport of food, and the disposal of food waste.

The use of traditional cooking methods, such as wood, charcoal, and dung, increases the amount of particulate matter and carbon monoxide generated. These pollutants can have harmful effects on human health, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and can also lead to climate change.

The hotel industry in Karachi also generates nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to human health and the environment. These pollutants are formed when nitrogen in the air reacts with oxygen during the combustion process. The use of traditional cooking methods, such as wood and charcoal, increases the amount of nitrogen oxides generated.

One solution is to switch to clean energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to generate electricity and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. renewable energy sources produce fewer emissions and are a sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. Efficient ventilation systems, such as exhaust hoods and fans, can also be installed to remove harmful emissions generated during cooking. These systems can help reduce the concentration of pollutants in the air and improve indoor air quality.

another solution is to switch to eco-friendly cooking equipment, such as induction cookers or electric stoves, which produce fewer emissions compared to traditional cooking methods. Ecofriendly cooking equipment uses less energy and produces less waste, making it a sustainable alternative.

hotels in Karachi should also implement recycling and waste reduction programs to reduce their environmental impact.

The hotel industry in Karachi is a major contributor to air pollution in the city. By implementing eco-friendly scientific solutions, hotels can significantly reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. Clean energy sources, efficient ventilation systems, ecofriendly cooking equipment, recycling and waste reduction programes, and green buildings are all viable solutions that can lead to a significant reduction in air pollution levels in Karachi.

These programs can help reduce the amount of waste generated and promote sustainable practices. Finally, hotels in Karachi should consider building or retrofitting their properties to meet green building standards. Green buildings are designed to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable practices, leading to a reduction in emissions and a lower environmental impact.

SEPa has also introduced a certification program for hotels that meet specific environmental standards. The program encourages hotels to adopt ecofriendly practices and recognizes their efforts in reducing their environmental impact. hotels that achieve the certification are allowed to use a green label, which is a sign of their commitment to environmental protection. SEPa has also worked with the hotel industry to establish waste reduction and recycling programmes. These programmes help reduce the amount of waste generated by hotels and promote sustainable waste management practices.

The hotel industry has a crucial role to play in promoting sustainable tourism and protecting the environment for future generations.

The hotel industry in Karachi is a major contributor to air pollution in the city. By implementing eco-friendly scientific solutions, hotels can significantly reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. clean energy sources, efficient ventilation systems, ecofriendly cooking equipment, recycling and waste reduction programes, and green buildings are all viable solutions that can lead to a significant reduction in air pollution levels in Karachi. The hotel industry has a crucial role to play in promoting sustainable tourism and protecting the environment for future generations. By adopting eco-friendly practices, hotels can lead the way towards a more sustainable future.

SEPa, the regulatory body responsible for environmental protection in the Sindh province, plays a crucial role in ensuring that the hotel industry follows eco-friendly scientific solutions to reduce air pollution.

The writer can be reached at fayyazsalih@gmail.com and tweets

PaKiSTan’Sfreelancers are facing the serious challenge in terms of foreign remittances. While countries like Sri Lanka and Somalia are getting the facilities of PayPal, a global payment service provider, it is still nowhere in sight for Pakistani freelancers. Despite being fourth on the list of busiest freelance destination globally, Pakistan has not been able to attract PayPal to even get placed in the queue awaiting registration. ironically, the matter slips into oblivion after its customary 15 minutes of fame every time someone writes about it in mainstream or social media. in the current crisis where the state is confronted with economic turmoil and political vengeance, freelancing is the only source of bringing dollars into the country. it appears that the Ministry of information Technology has gone into hibernation after the arrival of some big names in Pakistan.Where the progress in iT sector is necessary, the revival of global organisations is no less important. Succinctly, the authorities concerned should wake up to the reality of life in the modern world. Let us do it for the sake as much of freelancers’ bread and butter as of the national exchequer which is getting dried up all the time.

MOHSIN MUMTAZ CHINIOT

Peace, not polls

Winston churchill famously said, “Britain will win the war if our courts are delivering justice to the people”. it is time for us to keep reminding ourselves of those golden words. What is the big hurry in the apex courts for elections in two of the provinces? There have been other occasions when a way out of one constitutional rigmarole or the other has been found. it makes one wonder why it is not possible this time. For instance, the constitution requires holding of census in the country at an interval of every 10 years to ensure fair representation of people in the legislature. That has not happened many a time. and nobody has been framed for constitutional violation. The nation wants to know where have all domestic and foreign borrowed loans gone, or have they vanished into thin air?

We need to worry about the misery being unleashed through international Monetary Fund (iMF) agreements that have been signed since 2019 by both ‘selected’ and ‘imported’ governments. The 1970 elections held in the chaotic conditions that were prevailing in the erstwhile East Pakistan led to an outcome that cannot be described as favourable to the country. Do we want to go down that road again in 2023? Surely not. absolutely not. Transparency and accountability should be the hallmark of every pillar of the state. Therefore, we should allow the Election commission of Pakistan (EcP) to play its due role. Things need to be stable before they make any move in any direction. We are no different. Let us be stable before moving ahead towards general elections. ALI ASHRAF KHAN KARACHI

New Metro stations

ThEMetro bus service from Peshawar Mor to the new islamabad international airport (iia) was inaugurated in april last year, which was a great relief for the people who earlier had no option but to pay heavy fares charged by private cabs. however, there is a genuine problem that needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned. The distance between Golra station to the airport is 17.6 kilometres, and there is no Metro bus station along the entire stretch. Due to this reason, a lot of people are unable to use the service. initially, there were two stations, namely, Top city-1 and Top city-2, in 2017. now that the city has expanded, there is a dire need to build at least one station. Many prominent housing societies have sprung up in the surroundings, and the residents have been facing serious issues with respect to their commute needs.

Blaming the IMF for what it hasn’t done won’t work

To this end, a judicious committee must be established to scrutinize and expeditiously investigate any charges brought against instructors, and to mete out appropriate retributive measures upon substantiation of guilt. It behooves the learned and revered cadre of instructors to discharge their duties with utmost probity, and to meticulously craft and rehearse their pedagogical presentations before delivering them

Peer MohaMMad aMir QureShi

Dedicated

Fayyaz Salih huSSain

Road to nowhere

American role seems to work behind the lines

REPEaTEDstatements by american US politicians about the political situation in Pakistan; specifically veteran strategist Zalmay Khalilzad, have reinforced a perception on the street; that words from the americans work. Despite the fact that both the warring sides in the Pakistani political divide seem to follow the ‘now or never’ attitude for the other party; all strangely; the ultra-radicals included seem to agree on what is expressed in the USa. During the last week or so, such statements have emanated on two separate occasions.

The concern about Pakistan political situation and especially about the safety of PTi chairman imran Khan; his likely being disqualified for life and so on; seem to strongly indicate that the PTi lobbying in Washington has been effective. at the same time, it also reinforces the street perception that Pakistan is being debated and discussed by the international stakeholders. The recent talk of shunting imran Khan completely out of the political horizon, can be decisions not taken in absence of the international stakeholders.

a chronology of the political games being played in Pakistan since its inception demonstrates that the US role has been sought after by the political parties or families with the singular aim of reaching the seat of power in islamabad. a run through the strategy followed by the late Benazir Bhutto during her days in political wilderness from the 1990s until 2007 shows that she always made it a point to curry the american support for the purpose of making things easy at home in Pakistan.

Every veteran journalist might know that the two weeks from 17 november 1988 to 2 December 1988 were spent striking out power sharing details between the army and the PPP through the good offices of the americans; in the shape of richard armitage and other State Department officials. Once the deal was done; the late leader was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The biggest manifestation of US influence then

was BB’s compliant attitude towards the army, which still had the afghan project in hand. That intervention was first visible when the PPP government supported the abortive coup by General Tanai, then the equally unsuccessful Jalalabad offensive to please the power brokers. Likewise, despite having cultivated the anti-US faction in the party during the struggle years, she was quick to isolate and discourage the radical element and give way to ‘electables’; whose very political composition called for the maintaining of the status quo at all costs.

The late leader clung to that formula when again planning a return to power in 2007. at that point, she even tried to curry favour with the israeli entities for being acceptable in the corridors of power. The biggest mistake the late leader made then was to seek a similar role for herself, which the then military dictator Pervez Musharraf was performing; a commitment to continue the War on Terror; the legacy of 9/11. The resulting scenario was that she was warned and assassinated in questionable circumstances; the clues to which are still deliberately shrouded in mystery.

when it exploited the military pressure to retaliate over 11 May 1998 indian nuclear explosions to its advantage; projecting PML(n) leadership as hawks in foreign policy.

parallel dialogue taking place between the US and Pakistani services cadres towards a new defence paradigm; all indicate that the likely form that battered Pakistan is going to take is to be influenced by the international stakeholders.

The democratic movement, if any, in the form of PTI agitation is a minority dissidence. The vote bank of PPP and PML(N) are more concerned about reaping the exploits in connivance with the established order. Practically, it is back to the Zia era with a more confusing political landscape. That snapshot reinforces the hard perception on the street that the USA might not want anyone to be victimized; but seems to be ready ‘to work with’ the current version of

The other political group; the PML(n) and its other factions could never graduate upward from being establishment hangers on; and consequently, the international players never felt the need to reach out to them and communicate with them. as a matter of fact, the PML(n) during all its tenures sheepishly followed the establishment dictates; save Kargil, where it was found to be the sleeping partner and during the 1998 nuclear explosions;

The US-Saudi relationship: What’s love got to do with it?

WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO DAMAGE RELATIONS WITH THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES AND THEREBY UPSET 2 BILLION MUSLIMS? AND WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD RISK DISRUPTING ENERGY MARKETS IN A DISPUTE WITH THE WORLD’S LEADING OIL EXPORTER?

ington remain ironclad and the US is a priority.

So what went wrong? That would require a series of columns to answer in full. But in summary, there has been mistrust on the Saudi side, and miscalculation on the US side.

The Saudi mistrust is well placed; this is an administration hostile to our leadership from the get-go. it placed Saudi civilian lives at risk when it revoked the designation of the houthis as terrorists, and withdrew Patriot missile batteries from the Kingdom when the iran-backed militia were deliberately targeting Saudi cities.

Likewise, the military leadership too have depended upon the US nod to unleash its abuse of human rights; prominent among them late generals Zia-ul haq and Pervez Musharraf. That blank cheque for the military dictatorships has been issued by the international stakeholders under the pretext of ‘fighting communism through afghan war’ or ‘waging a war on terror’. The Pakistani society is still recovering from the aftereffects of people kidnapped by the law enforcement agencies local and foreign under the influence of false or weak intelligence leads, in the process playing havoc with ordinary lives. The crux of the matter; the american statements apparently looking like taking a neutral line for all the political groups in Pakistan; even at the cost of embarrassing the opposition; are subtle signals to the local establishment to sort things out. The ease with which the constitutional hotchpotch was allowed to lapse in the favor of the sitting government; speaks of ominous shadows which still seem to dictate how the major decision-making mechanisms in Pakistan are likely to be managed to keep the ‘project going’. here it might not be forgotten that Pakistan's incumbent government has made SOS contacts with friendly governments, including the US administration, over what it seeks, influencing the decision-making process in the iMF towards the advantage of Pakistan. Furthermore; a

Pakistan looks like a new ‘sick man of south asia’, the title was last used for caliphal Turkey; for whom the western powers coined the term ’sick man of Europe’. Towards that end; iMF will sooner or later decide the path Pakistan will be required to take. The iMF grip on every decision can be gauged from the PM’s halfhearted bid to bail out the bikers’ having hit snags over iMF objections. as discussed earlier; the aftereffects of the china diplomatic coup in helping mend fences between iran and Saudi arabia had caught the USa and israel off guard. in an unusual act of retaliation, the azerbaijani front has been ignited to keep the ‘islamic republic’ busy. here it may be noted that Pakistani defence forces took part in military exercises in Baku, back in 2021; when the PTi government then, part of the hybrid arrangement, was in power. israel was also one of the prominent participants of that event. These relations under the developing circumstances can be further enhanced to make Pakistan a credible participant in the new schemes of things. here it may be noted that the geopolitical positioning of a nation state decides the favors it can get in the international scene. For a Pakistan, literally on the edge; there are many spoken and unspoken vulnerabilities. in the backdrop of these vulnerabilities, coupled with uncertainty about the scheduled electoral process on the back of an uncertain economic position, there is a general feeling amongst the civil society bastions that the ‘regimented society’ is slowly spreading its reach, where people feel the constitution is being held in abeyance. That feeling has prompted the iMF to clarify that its proposed programs do not interfere with democratic process in any recipient country.

The scenario is replete with uncertainties still. The democratic movement, if any, in the form of PTi agitation is a minority dissidence. The vote bank of PPP and PML(n) are more concerned about reaping the exploits in connivance with the established order. Practically, it is back to the Zia era with a more confusing political landscape. That snapshot reinforces the hard perception on the street that the USa might not want anyone to be victimized; but seems to be ready ‘to work with’ the current version of ‘hybrid arrangement’ in place.

The writer is a freelance columnist

In an interview with arab news last Sunday, american financier and former White house official anthony Scaramucci described the 78-year-old US-Saudi relationship as a “catholic marriage.” Urging leaders in both countries to think long term, he said: “Our economies, our governments, our intelligence communities, our defense departments are very much intertwined.”

Scaramucci was speaking in abu Dhabi, which was hosting SaLT — his thought-leadership summit — for the second time. he revealed plans to bring a version of SaLT to Saudi arabia, which he applauded for its ongoing reforms with its best years ahead of it.

not far from the UaE capital, another thought-leadership forum was taking place in the historic Saudi city of alUla. its focus was a candid discussion of the status of Saudi-US relations. it was sponsored by ThinK — an affiliate of SrMG, which publishes this newspaper — at the Maraya hall, where the alUla Declaration was signed two years ago. as with the US-Saudi relationship, the alUla signatories (Saudi arabia, the UaE, Bahrain, Egypt and Qatar) demonstrated that they share unbreakable bonds. The declaration ended a 43-month boycott and one of the most dramatic periods in recent Gulf history.

now, had i not known that our interview with Scaramucci was recorded before the alUla forum, i would have said he was either psychic or had been eavesdropping on its discussions. The marriage metaphor was so repeatedly — and humorously — used that the forum began to sound like a couples therapy session (that those attending were sitting in a large circle might have contributed to that).

Scaramucci has hit the nail on the head: the US-Saudi relationship is indeed like a catholic marriage. anyone who argues otherwise is either misinformed or delusional. readers may need reminding that, whatever the armchair Middle East experts in Dc say, even at the lowest points of Saudi ties with the current US administration, President Joe Biden’s team was determined not to “rupture the relationship.”

after all, who in their right mind would want to damage relations with the custodian of the Two holy Mosques and thereby upset 2 billion Muslims? and who in their right mind would risk disrupting energy markets in a dispute with the world’s leading oil exporter? Equally, Saudi officials have repeatedly said that ties to Wash-

The US miscalculation took many forms. The Biden administration underestimated the popularity of crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, hailed by a vast majority of Saudis as a liberator. it also was slow in understanding that it is dealing with a new, progressive and different Saudi leadership. The Saudi view is simple:

Treat us as true partners, not lackeys.

it also is evident that Washington has miscalculated its own interests with its constant characterization of riyadh’s relationships with china and russia as a betrayal.

american retailers in the early 20th century created the concept that “the customer is always right.” how, then, does the US think Saudi arabia should deal with china, its biggest oil customer, purchaser of 1.75 million barrels per day in 2022? china is also a leading global economy and manufacturing hub that is happy to sell its premium and much-needed products without any drama. if the US cannot offer an alternative, what should the Kingdom do? not upgrade its communications networks, or risk the lives of its citizens? indeed america itself is so reliant on china that not doing business with it hurts its own interests. china holds $867 billion in US debt, second only to Japan. it also tops the list of US trading partners, with american exports to china supporting a million jobs in 2021.

as for russia, riyadh’s relationship with Moscow is the subject of constant US misrepresentation. The Kingdom condemned the russian invasion at the Un last year; Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky thanked Saudi arabia for its support; november’s OPEc+ production cut led to reduced oil prices, the US aim all along — but despite all that, Washington labeled the Kingdom pro-russian! The US ignores the benefits of the trust riyadh has built with Moscow over the years, which materialized in last year’s prisoner swap with Ukraine and the release of US citizens. it is now emerging that this same trust might, just might, result in a serious discussion to end the war — a war for which, apart from the ghastly loss of life, the world and the US economy are paying a hefty price. The bottom line? as the alUla declaration demonstrated, mutual benefits are all that matters; and there are many from which both riyadh and Washington can benefit, beyond the outdated “oil for security” trope which is no longer valid. as Winston churchill put it: “We have no lasting friends, no lasting enemies, only lasting interests.” Or if the US would prefer something more american, as Tina Turner sang: “What’s love got to do with it?”

Financial times

John Burn-MurdoCh

SOMEThinG is going very wrong for teenagers. Between 1994 and 2010, the share of British teens who do not consider themselves likeable fell slightly from 6 per cent to 4 per cent; since 2010 it has more than doubled. The share who think of themselves as a failure, who worry a lot and who are dissatisfied with their lives also kicked up sharply.

The same trends are visible across the atlantic. The number of US high school students who say their life often feels meaningless has rocketed in the past 12 years. and it’s not just the anglosphere. in France, rates of depression among 15- to 24-year-olds have quadrupled in the past decade. Wherever you look, youth mental health is collapsing, and the inflection point is ominously consistent: 2010 give or take a year or two — when smartphones went from luxury to ubiquity.

The theory that having social media and other digital delights within arm’s reach 24/7 may be having a harmful effect on mental health is not new. its leading advocate is Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of dozens of pioneering studies on the topic.

But it is still far from universally accepted. The work of Twenge and her regular co-author Jonathan haidt has at times been criticised for simply surfing the wave of popular opposition to big tech. Yet as evidence for their arguments mounts, many are now wondering why it has taken us so long to accept what was right in front of us. The signs are everywhere. First, digital socialising has displaced in-person gatherings. The share of US teens who meet up in-person with friends less than once a month stood at 3 per cent between 1990 and 2010, but reached 10 per cent by 2019, meanwhile the share who say they are “constantly online” has now reached 46 per cent. Some counter that it can’t just be that apps are crowding

How much money buys happiness?

Money can buy some happiness, but only up to a point Big Picture

Ilove the idea of convergence — those rare times when multiple stories about very different issues seem to all land on the same “Grand Truth,” albeit from very different perspectives. Yesterday brought just such a convergence into focus. it’s about money and happiness, which is very much the intersection of where i spend much of my time: capital Markets, and Behavioral Finance. consider the issue: Does money make you happier, and if so, why? More specifically, does each additional dollar you acquire add to your joy, and by how much? Where is the ceiling? Does everyone experience this the same way?

out real life — after all, the people who are busiest on instagram are often the busiest in the real world, too. But that misses a key dynamic: these trends operate at the generational level, not the individual. as screen-time has surged, everyone hangs out less. But the individual-level dynamics are striking, too. Studies show that the more time teens spend on social media, the worse their mental health is. The gradient is steepest for girls, who also spend much more time on social media than boys, explaining the sharper deterioration among girls’ mental health than boys’.

it’s a similar story with the higher rates of depression among liberal teens than conservatives. if you suspect liberal kids are more depressed due to growing up in a culture that valorises concern for injustice, i would advise caution. First, Twenge’s research points to a likelier explanation: liberal youths simply spend more time online than conservatives. Second, we see the same rising trend among conservatives — it’s just lagging. Some suggest that modern society is more open about discussing mental health, so what we’re seeing is just a rise in reporting, not prevalence. But British teens who spend five or more hours a day on social media are at two to three times greater risk of self-harm than their less-online peers. it’s a similar story in the US with suicidal ideation. Grimmest of all, the now-familiar hockey stick trend is also clear in rates of suicide deaths among British and american teens.

Others point out that correlation is not causation. indeed. But we now have a growing body of research showing that reducing time on social media improves mental health.

So, what can we do? The most common response is “educate kids and parents”. But as the cases of obesity and smoking show, public information campaigns are notoriously ineffective in the face of addiction.

another option would be to build on the evidence that when people are encouraged to take an extended break from social media, some disconnect for good. and then there’s regulation — why not increase the age limit for social apps and punish companies that don’t enforce them? Ultimately, though, i’m not optimistic. combating obesity has been so hard because you can’t stop people eating food. and fighting social media addiction is hard because you can’t stop people using smartphones and apps. Until someone invents the equivalent of a weight-loss drug for instagram, the future looks ominous.

the wrong thing. Like so much else in the finance world, it requires context and a little nuance. Obviously, if you were hungry, lacking security, health care, a roof over your head, and other basic needs, you would not be especially happy. at least, not in society as we know it today.

Perhaps a better question is framed as “What is the value of money beyond its basic utility for survival? Where do the laws of diminishing returns kick in? Where is the line where each additional $X dollars creates little or no increase in happiness or life satisfaction?”

Bloomberg reports on research that found “contentedness does increase steadily in line with incomes and even accelerates as pay rises beyond $100,000 a year — as long as the person enjoys a certain baseline level of happiness to begin with.”

That is only part of the twist revealed by the latest research: “There is a plateau, but only among the unhappiest 20% of people, and only then when they start earning over $100,000.” (emphasis added) This suggests that your outlook and personality are perhaps more determinative of your individual happiness levels than we may have previously believed. The research (which Danny Kahneman collaborated with) contradicts a 2010 paper by Danny Kahneman and economist angus Deaton, which found happiness “plateaus” between $60,000 and $90,000 a year. So money can buy some happiness, but only up to a point around $500k, unless you are one of those unlucky unhappy people that peak around $100k. all of which suggests it’s nowhere near as clean or simple as we previously imagined.

‘hybrid arrangement’ in place.

Smartphones and social media are destroying children’s mental health

EVIDENCE OF THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS OF INCREASED SCREEN-TIME IS NOW OVERWHELMING

BIden warnS Iran after ‘tIt-for-tat’ StrIKeS In SyrIa

NEW york Agencies

PRESIDENTJoe Biden on Friday warned Iran that the United States would “act forcefully” to protect Americans, after the U.S. military carried out air strikes against Iran-backed forces in retaliation for an attack in Syria.

Later, officials said that another U.S. service member was wounded on Friday in the latest tit-for-tat strike between Iranbacked forces and U.S. personnel in Syria.

That comes on top of seven casualties on Thursday, which Washington blamed on a drone of Iranian origin, and included an American contractor being killed and five U.S. troops and another contractor being wounded.

Suspected U.S. rocket fire on Friday targeted new areas in eastern Syria, ac-

cording to two local sources, with no casualties reported. Pro-Iranian forces in Syria said in an online statement late Friday that they have a “long arm” to respond to further U.S. strikes on their positions.

The violence could further aggravate already strained relations between Washington and Tehran, as attempts to revive a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers stalled, and Iranian drones being used by Russia against Ukraine

Although U.S. forces stationed in Syria have been attacked with drones before, deaths are rare.

“Make no mistake: the United States does not … seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people,” Biden told reporters during a visit to Canada.

Asked whether there should be a higher cost for Iran, Biden replied: “We’re not going to stop.”

The Pentagon had said U.S. F-15 jets on Thursday attacked two facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said the U.S. strikes had killed eight proIranian fighters. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the toll.

Iran’s state Press TV said no Iranians had been killed and quoted local sources as saying the target was not an Iranaligned military post, but that a rural development center and a grain center near a military airport had been hit.

Drone strike

The U.S. strikes were a response to a drone attack earlier on Thursday on a base near Hasakah in northeast Syria operated by a U.S.-led coalition battling the remnants of Islamic State.

Three service members and a con-

India’s Gandhi vows to keep fighting after removal from parliament

NEW DELHI

AFP

tractor required medical evacuation to Iraq, while two wounded American troops were treated at the base. On Friday, the Pentagon said the injured personnel were in stable condition.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it appeared that the defensive system on the base had failed.

The Pentagon said the U.S. military had a complete site picture in terms of radar, though one official told Reuters troops on the ground did not appear to have had enough time to react to the drone.

A U.S. base at the Al-Omar oil field in Syria was attacked on Friday morning, according to the Lebanese pro-Iranian TV channel Al Mayadeen and a security source. It is not uncommon for Iranianbacked groups to fire missiles at U.S. bases in Syria after they are hit with air strikes.

Chinese Embassy in Canada opposes Biden, Trudeau’s ‘smear campaign’

ISLAMABAD Agencies

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canada on Friday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent remarks on China-related issues. With regard to the claim that China poses a long-term challenge to the international order and acts destructively, the spokesperson noted that China insists on peaceful development, advocates openness and tolerance, practices win-win cooperation, and has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a de-

fender of the international order.

A few Western countries such as Canada and the U.S. cling to the Cold War mentality, insist on ideological bias, engage in “bloc politics” based on small-circle interests, and arbitrarily undermine the sovereignty of other countries, causing great damage to international peace, security and development, the spokesperson said, adding that this is the serious, long-term and greatest threat to the international order.

Regarding the so-called Chinese interference in the internal affairs of Canada, the spokesperson said China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The spokesperson said China’s consular agencies

have always performed their duties in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the bilateral consular agreement between China and Canada, and their relevant practices are in line with international law and international practice.

The spokesperson urged the Canadian side to abandon its ideological bias, immediately stop stigmatizing Chinese institutions and personnel in the normal performance of their duties, and immediately stop smearing and attacking China.

Regarding the cases of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, the spokesperson said China is a country governed by the rule of law and the relevant authorities handled the cases in accordance with the law.

Top Indian opposition figure Rahul Gandhi said Saturday he would keep fighting for democracy after blaming his expulsion from parliament on his demands for a probe into a key business ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi, 52, was stripped of his parliamentary seat on Friday, a day after he was convicted of defamation in Modi’s home state of Gujarat for a 2019 campaign trail remark seen as an insult to the premier.

Modi’s government has been widely accused by political opponents and rights groups of using the law to target and silence critics, but Gandhi said he would not bow to intimidation. “I will do whatever I have to do to defend the democratic nature of this country,” he told reporters.

“They are used to everybody being scared of them,” he said, in reference to the ruling party. “I am not scared of them.” The removal from the parliament of Modi’s chief opponent comes at a time when the prime minister’s relationship with Gautam Adani, one of India’s most powerful industrialists, has been under scrutiny.

Modi has been a close associate of Adani for decades but the latter’s business empire has been the subject of renewed attention this year after a US investment firm accused it of “brazen” corporate fraud.

Gandhi’s opposition Congress party has for weeks demanded a proper investigation by the parliament of the allegations. “I have been disqualified because the prime minister… is scared of the next speech that is going to come on Adani,” Gandhi told reporters.

“I will continue to ask the question — what is the prime minister’s relationship with Mr. Adani?” Congress supporters held small protests in several cities around the country on Saturday to protest against Gandhi’s removal as a lawmaker.

‘Due judicial process’

Gandhi is the leading face of Congress, once the dominant force of Indian politics but now a shadow of its former self. He is the scion of India’s most famous political dynasty and the son, grandson and greatgrandson of former prime ministers, beginning with independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

But he has struggled to challenge the electoral juggernaut of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its nationalist appeals to the country’s Hindu majority. The lower house of parliament ruled him ineligible to continue sitting as an MP on Friday, a day after his conviction in the defamation case.

The prosecution stemmed from a remark made during the 2019 election campaign in which Gandhi had asked why “all thieves have Modi as (their) common surname”.

His comments were seen as a slur against the prime minister, who went on to win the election in a landslide.

Members of the government also said the remark was a smear against all those sharing the Modi surname, which is associated with the lower rungs of India’s traditional caste hierarchy.

Gandhi was sentenced to two years imprisonment on Thursday but walked free on bail after his lawyers vowed to appeal.

A BJP spokesman said Thursday that the court acted with “due judicial process” in arriving at its judgement. ‘Emasculation of democratic institutions’ But legal action has been widely deployed against opposition party figures and institutions seen as critical of the Modi government in recent years.

SBK staff union urges Governor Balochistan to take action against VC for ‘witch-hunt’ of employees

QUETTA stAFF rePort

Employees Welfare Association of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta, has staged a protest against the witch-hunt of staff union and employees by Vice Chancellor (VC) Sajida Noureen and demanded of Governor Balochistan to take action against the vice chancellor.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, President of Employees Welfare Association (EWA) Sadaf Khan and other office bearers of the EWA urged Governor Balochistan to launch an enquiry and investigate the matter fairly and pay heed to the charter of demands of EWA, failing which the protest movement would be intensified.

Issuing a charge sheet against the Vice Chancellor, President of EWA Sadaf Khan said that the VC was involved in illegal appointment of 125 employees on daily wages without completing codal formalities while she had also hurled threats to university officials and targeted those officials who refuse to indulge in her corrupt practices and had also dismissed dozens of employees from services illegally through fake enquiries.

She said that academic staff of employees of SBK university had been on strike against the unjust decisions of Sajida Noureen, Vice Chancellor, SBK, but the authorities were paying no heed to address the legitimate demands of Employees Welfare Association, SBK, adding that instead of inviting representatives of EWA for talks to address the issues of faculty members and other staff of the university, Vice Chancellor Sajida Noureen was involved in targeting the university staff.

Demanding the authorities to consider the promotion cases of all legible faculty members and other employees, the EWA officials called for withdrawing the notification whereby senior and junior staff had been dismissed from service illegally and junior faculty members and staff had been posted against senior positions in violation of rules and seniority lists; cancel contract appointments made without seeking approval of the competent authority; grant medical allowance to all employees of SBK.

Sadaf Khan said if the genuine demands of the Employees Welfare Association Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta were not entertained, protest movement would be intensified.

corporate corner

Ramzan Kareem: Eid bonus distribution ceremony at Hotel Mehran

KARAcHI: As the Holy month of Ramadan is approaching us and the Management of Hotel Mehran wants to take a moment to acknowledge and express their gratitude to our hardworking Mehan family members. The past many years during Covid-19 were very challenging time for all of us and we are truly grateful for our Mehran family members for their dedication and commitment to ensuring that our guests received the best services possible. To show the appreciation, the management comprised on General Manager Mr. Yasir Ahmed and Executive Committee is pleased to distribute Ramadan Kareem/Eid Bonus today to all Mehran family members. This bonus is a token of appreciation for their hardworking and the positive impact that they have made during the last many years to our guests. Pr

Etihad Group organizes live balloting, early possession ceremony of Etihad Town Phase-2

LAHORE: Recently, Etihad Group organized a live balloting event for its new housing project, Etihad Town - Phase 2. The event was open to all customers that had previously acquired plot files in the project — with possession of plots expected within 6 to 8 months. Pr

The City School Satellite Town Campus celebrates successful Sports Day

The day started with an opening ceremony, which included a march past by the various houses in the school. The students looked resplendent in their house colors, and the atmosphere was electric. The principal of the school, “Saba Quadri” declared the event open, and the games began.There were several events on the day, including sprints, hurdle race, ninja, hula hoop, karate and aerobics. The students participated with great enthusiasm and displayed excellent sportsmanship. The crowd and parents cheered them on, and the participants gave their best performance in each event. The day also saw the participation of parents, who came in large numbers to support their children. They provided a great boost to the participants, and their encouragement was much appreciated. The sports day ended with a closing ceremony, where the principal gave away the prizes to the winners of each event. The winners received medals and certificates, which they proudly wore around their necks. The event concluded with the singing of the national anthem. Speaking on the occasion, the principal said, "I am proud of our students' performance on the field today. They displayed excellent sportsmanship and gave their best in each event. I would also like to thank the parents for their support and encouragement. It was a great day, and we look forward to the next sports day with renewed enthusiasm." Pr

Saudi labour attaché, ILO country director discuss ways to improve cooperation

ISLAMABAD:Saudi Labor Attaché Majid Bakr bin Idris Bakr on Saturday held an inclusive meeting with International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Director Geir T. Tonstol to further improve cooperation and coordination in the labour sector. ILO Senior Programme Officer Syed Saghir Bukhari was also present on the occasion, said a statement. Both the dignitaries also exchanged their views on the challenges being faced in this particular sector. Majid Bakr thanked the Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki for his support, interest and follow-up and also thanked the leaders of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development who supported the labour attachés to a great extent. It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia has been a valid member of the ILO Governing Body since 2021. APP

Police promotion committee meeting held

LAHORE:After receiving the permission of the Election Commission of Pakistan, a departmental promotion committee meeting was held at the Central Police Office on the instructions of the IG Punjab, in which the AIG Admin and Security, gave approval for promotion of 64 senior clerks and 49 junior clerks to next posts. The senior clerks who have been promoted to the posts of Assistant include Shafqat Ali, Khadim Hussain, Adeel Hussain, Zafar Abbas and Sajjad Hussain, Muhammad Saleem, Mahmood Sultan and Mubasher Hussain Hashmi among others. According to seniority, they were promoted from senior clerk to assistant positions. APP

NOT-BY- PROFIT

Public cloud services increasingly imPortant for businesses in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD

NEWS DESK

inan interview with The Express Tribune, Umair Azam, Founder and CEO of Integration Xperts explains that public cloud services are becoming increasingly vital for businesses in Asia and Pakistan due to their numerous benefits, including cost savings, scalability, agility, and flexibility.

Azam suggests that the shift towards cloud computing requires a change in mindset from traditional IT infrastructure to cloud-based solutions that enable organizations to adapt to changing business needs.

IDC reports that public cloud spending in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of

CLOUD COMPUTING MARKET IN PAKISTAN PREDICTED TO REACH $1.5B BY 2023

25.5% from 2019 to 2024, reaching $124.5 billion in 2024. Similarly, Gartner predicts that the public cloud services market in the Asia-Pacific region will grow by 23.7% in 2021, reaching $124.6 billion. In Pakistan, the adoption of public cloud services is also increasing. Allied Market Research predicts that the cloud computing market in Pakistan will reach $1.5 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 19.1% from 2017 to 2023.

Azam believes that these numbers highlight the increasing importance of public cloud for businesses in Asia and Pakistan, as they seek to leverage the benefits of cloud computing to enhance their competitiveness and drive growth.

Cloud computing provides organizations with the ability to rapidly scale re-

sources up or down, allowing them to handle changes in demand more effectively. According to an IDC study, organizations that use cloud computing are able to handle 2.5 times more application workloads than those that rely on traditional IT infrastructure.

Azam acknowledges concerns about the security of public cloud, but cites a Forrester Research report indicating that 80% of security breaches involving public cloud infrastructure are caused by customer misconfiguration or mistakes. He emphasizes that while cloud providers have strong security measures in place, organizations also have a responsibility to ensure their data is secure in the cloud.

Overall, the importance of public cloud services for businesses in Asia and

Pakistan cannot be overstated, as it provides them with the ability to innovate, collaborate, and scale with ease while reducing costs and improving security and reliability. Public cloud offers a payas-you-go model and the ability to scale resources up or down, as needed, which makes it easier for organizations to handle fluctuating workloads without having to invest in additional hardware or infrastructure. In contrast, private cloud requires organizations to invest in and maintain their own infrastructure, which can be costly. Private cloud offers more control over data and infrastructure, which can be beneficial for organizations with strict security requirements.

To read the full article visit www.tribune.com.pk

81 candidates file nomination papers to contest HMC elections

HYDERABAD APP

As many as 81 candidates have submitted their nomination papers to contest elections on the seats of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen as well as the ward councilors of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) on which elections could not be conducted on January 15.

According to the details shared with the media here on Saturday, the Returning officers received the forms of 48 candidates for the 5 seats of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Union Committees (UCs) and 33 forms for the 9 seats of ward councilors for April 18 elections.

The elections were not held on

those seats because of the deaths of the candidates and vacancy of the nominations.

Some nine candidates submitted their nominations to contest for the seat of Chairman and Vice Chairman in UC 5 while 5 candidates submitted their forms for the same seats in UC 17, 12 candidates in UC 118, 16 candidates in UC 119 and 6 candidates in UC 137.

Among the candidates, 13 are from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and 12 from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have filed the forms for all the five UCs.

Meanwhile, 4 candidates of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have submitted forms for as many UCs, 3 of Muttahida Qaumi Move-

ment-Pakistan (MQM-P) for 2 UCs, 2 of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) for as many UCs and one each of Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) and Jamaat-eIslami (JI) for one UC each.

Separately, the returning officers have also received nominations from 13 independent candidates who are running from all the UCs.

Likewise, only one candidate has submitted form to contest the polls in ward number 4 of UC 18, 6 candidates in ward number 2 of UC 30, 8 candidates in ward number 4 of UC 58, 3 candidates in ward number 2 of UC 85, 5 candidates in ward number 3 of UC 89, 3 candidates in ward number 1 of UC 94 and 7 candidates in ward number 4 of UC 119. The returning officer did

not receive any nomination for the ward numbers 1 and 2 of UC 62.

According to the notification issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on March 17, the process of scrutiny would be completed by March 28 while the candidates could file appeals against rejection of their nomination by March 31. The appellate tribunals will give their decisions against the appeals by April 4 and the revised list of the candidates will be published on April 5. The candidates can withdraw from the contest by April 6 while the ECP will allot the election symbols on April 7. The polling date has been scheduled for April 18 and the ECP will issue the consolidated results on April 20.

LCCI welcomes removal of cash margin restriction supply of edibles on subsidized rates ensured at ramzan bazaars in aJk

LAHORE APP

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Saturday welcomed the removal of cash margin requirement on import of goods and termed it a step in the right direction by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

LCCI President Kashif Anwar, Senior Vice President Zafar Mahmood Chaudhry and Vice President Adnan Khalid Butt told media here that due to measures taken to minimize imports, the industry was facing shortage of raw materials, machinery and other inputs which was affecting all the sectors. They said that the blockage of funds was arising due to the condition of 100 percent cash margin but now the situation would take a positive turn around.

They said that the removal of cash margin would support the ease of doing business in Pakistan as a number of companies were facing shortage of raw materials due to imposition of cash margin restriction. They said, the SBP had taken a wise decision by removing the cash margin restriction. They said that the government should also eliminate regulatory duty, customs duty and additional customs duty on essential raw materials. Apart from this, the issues of pending refunds and multiple audits should also be resolved besides reducing the rate of withholding tax for businesses.

The LCCI office-bearers said that the industry was also facing problems like policy rate which had reached to 20 percent and high

energy cost due to which the business cost had also increased. Business community always insisted on increasing the tax base, and suggested the government to immediately announce the declaration scheme so that undeclared foreign reserves could become part of the economy, they added.

They mentioned that there were some issues regarding taxation as currently, taxpayers had to undergo multiple audits of income tax and sales tax. They appeal to the authorities concerned that the number of these audits should be reduced, citing that existing taxpayers had to bear all the audits, penalties, surcharges, bank attachments, inquiries, statements, returns, withholding of registered persons, penalty for late filing of statements/income tax returns and many other problems.

The current situation demands that the rate of penalties and surcharges should be reduced for taxpayers. They said that as income tax audit was conducted after every four years, sales tax audit should be conducted as income tax audit.

There was also dire need to simplify the tax system, and keeping in view the economic situation of the country, Lahore Chamber had also informed the leaders of almost all major political parties through letters that LCCI had formulated some important proposals to fix the current economic situation of the country. LCCI also requested them to share their economic manifesto with business community so that they could help create a Charter of Economy that expressed the position of all political parties.

Coalition govt to lead country out of crisis, says Agha Hassan Baloch

ISLAMABAD APP

Federal Minister of Science and Technology,

Agha Hassan Baloch Saturday said the incumbent coalition government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead the country out of the economic crisis and ensure provision of a better quality of life to the people.

In a statement, the federal minister, who is also Central Information Secretary of Balochistan national Party (BnP), held Imran Khan responsible for the current political and economic

crisis. He said that Imran Khan pushed the country into crisis by dissolving provincial assemblies out of his stubbornness and false ego. The minister stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan is an independent constitutional body that has postponed the elections of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa considering the current situation and economic difficulties. Agha Hassan Baloch hoped that the Supreme Court will take into account the overall political, economic and security situation of the current country.

ICT admin reviews arrangements at ‘Sasta Ramzan Bazaars’

ISLAMABAD APP

Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration on Saturday reviewed the arrangements, facilities, supply and quality of essential items at ‘Ramadan Sasta Bazaars’.

The administration has directed the H-9 market committee to finalize the arrangements to set up poultry stalls to provide affordable eatables in the bazaar. The poultry stall would be installed in collaboration

with ICT agriculture department, said a press release.

During the review visit to sasta bazar, the Assistant Commissioner Industrial area arrested two profiteers for overcharging and warned the violators of stick action. He directed the market staff committee and the ICT teams to create awareness regarding the government initiative of affordable bazaars, so the citizens can access essential items and edibles at affordable prices.

Meanwhile, AC city inspected G-6 sasta bazaar, reviewed arrangements and directed the official to im-

prove arrangements to facilitate citizens.

MIRPUR (AJK) APP

The AJK State authorities are ensuring special Ramazan Bazars in various major cities and towns with the provision of an adequate supply of edibles to the general consumers at subsidized rates during the Holy month of Ramazan. On the special directives of the state government to all district administration of the state, the administration has launched special Ramazan Bazars in various parts of the district including one in front of MUST University's city campus at central Allama Iqbal Road. Deputy Commissioner Ch. Amjad Iqbal told APP, here on Saturday, that in Mirpur city, the main Ramazan Bazars had been set up at Allama Iqbal Road and central nàngi area where all quality edibles would be available at inexpensive rates as compared to the general market, fixed by the district price control committee. The vendors at Ramazan bazaars will be bound to display the rate lists of the commodities, determined by the authorities, at a visible place at their sale points from 8.30am in the morning, he said. When questioned that what preventive steps were being taken by the administration to take punitive action against the profiteers and hoarders, the deputy commissioner stated that an extensive drive has already been kicked off across the district to overcome the artificial price-hike on the part of the shopkeepers involved in overcharging besides creating artificial scarcity and hoarding. Mobile teams headed by magistrates have yet been constituted to conduct surprise checking of the prices and the shopkeepers – both wholesalers and retailers, involved in charging exorbitant rates would be booked. Besides, general shopkeepers, wholesalers and owners of the main shopping malls have also been warned to maintain the prices of the items of daily use – fixed by the administration - during and even after the Holy month of Ramadan. “The violators would be taken to task under the law”, he warned. Meanwhile, a senior AJK government official told that all the district administrations in AJK had been directed to take stringent measures to discourage illegal profiteering, hoarding and artificial scarcity of edible items during and after the Holy month of Ramazan. He declared that those involved in such an unlawful exercise will be booked. “The sanctity of this Holy month will be maintained in all circumstances,"the official declared. “The government is determined to ensure the availability of edibles including mutton, beef, chicken, sugar, vegetables, fruit, flour, rice, pulses and other items at inexpensive rates at Ramzan bazaars as fixed by the concerned district administrations”, the official pointed out.

AC secretariat reviewed arrangements at flour distribution points in Barakahu, inspected flour quality and directed the staff member to maintain discipline and supply of flour at distribution points.

During the inspection, the teams also sealed two shops for overcharging and arrested the accused shopkeepers, while taking action against other violators.

Furthermore, Director Agriculture Extension Services ICT, inspected hygiene, cleanliness and arrangements to facilitate citizens, during the holy month.

Rising cost pushes AmAzon, otheR RetAileRs to Revisit ‘fRee’ shipping

pROfit reuters

tHEREis no such thing as free shipping. Even so, Amazon and other online retailers who use so-called free delivery to cultivate customer loyalty are scrambling to keep it from draining profits as costs climb and e-commerce contracts.

They are adding fees for faster service, raising minimum purchase requirements and making other changes that shift more costs to consumers who are struggling with financial issues of their own.

“The days of free delivery are numbered,” Ken Morris, managing partner at Cambridge Retail Advisors, said of the fast-changing retail marketing tool.

Retailers are beginning to look more like some airlines, which charge for better seating, transporting luggage and also restrict use of frequent flyer points, Morris said. It is an open secret that most retailers raise product prices to subsidise free shipping. Still, product inflation and soaring shipping costs are making the service unsustainable as the prospect of recession threatens to wallop already-flagging online spending.

Amazon marketed free shipping as a differentiator and used pricey prime subscriptions and fat profits from other businesses to underwrite its package delivery costs — forcing other retailers to follow, even if they lacked Amazon’s advantages.

With retail margins shrinking and shipping rates for United Parcel Service, FedEx and the US Postal Service hitting record levels, the industry where nearly three-quarters of e-commerce companies offer some sort of free shipping is rethinking the financial cost of habituating shoppers to free shipping.

Retailers’ top priority is lowering shipping costs, with speed a close second, said Lee Spratt, CEO of DHL ecommerce solutions America, which provides logistics services.

Retailers from Amazon to dog treat seller Einstein Pets and ubiquitous apparel chains like Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch and Foot Locker are drawing the line at losing money on a service consumers have come to expect.

That is translating into shipping cost reduction goals of up to 25%, said Mingshu Bates, chief analytics officer at consultancy AFS Logistics.

After forcing both free and fast ship-

pti moves sc against postponement of polls in punjab, Kp

iSLAMABAD staff report

The PTI has challenged the election commission’s decision to change the date for elections to the Punjab and KP assemblies and filed a contempt of court petition in Supreme Court. The speakers of both the Punjab and KP assemblies – Sibtain Khan and Mushtaq Ghani have filed a joint constitutional petition on behalf of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf in the Supreme Court.

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Abdul Rehman have been among the joint petitioners. The federation, Punjab and KPK have been made respondents along with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Law and the cabinet in the PTI’s petition. On the other hand, a contempt of court petition has filed in Supreme Court against postponement of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The prime minister, chief ministers, the KP Governor and Chief Election Commissioner have been made party in the contempt petition filed by Advocate GM Chaudhry, a resident of Islamabad.

“The Supreme Court had ordered the Election Commission and federal government for holding elections in Punjab and KP,” the petition read. “All state institutions are bound to enforce the supreme court’s orders and noncompliance will be contempt of the court under Article 204 of the constitution,” according to the petition. “The government is spending funds on projects that could not be preferred over elections. The government misinterpreting the supreme court’s March 1st order and intends to escape from the elections,” the petition read. The petitioner pleads with the court to initiate contempt of the court proceedings against the government under the constitution. The court ordered the respondents to hold elections as per the ruling of the court, petitioner said.

Quetta court approves bail for imran’s nephew

QUEttA staff report

Hassaan Khan Niazi, the legal affairs focal person of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Saturday granted bail by a district and sessions court in Quetta in a case related to misbehaving with police. Niazi was charged with inciting violence and interfering with police affairs at the provincial capital’s airport police station on March 18, based on a complaint by subinspector Abdul Elahi.

Although not named in the complaint by the Quetta police, Niazi was handed over to the police on a one-day transit remand by an Islamabad district and sessions court earlier this week, before being presented before a judicial magistrate in Quetta.

The first information report (FIR) says that PTI leader Inayatullah Kakar and others were inciting people and raising slogans to protest against the possible arrest of Khan, while the protestors blocked the Quetta-Chaman Road. This incident occurred last week after the police raided Khan’s residence in Lahore to arrest him in the Toshakhana case. The court cancelled Khan’s nonbailable arrest warrants and adjourned the hearing till March 30, with orders for the former prime minister to ensure his presence.

ping on the e-commerce industry it dominates, Amazon’s latest moves are instructive.

The online retailer, which recently hiked the annual Prime subscription price by $20 to $139, is now offering

“free” same-day shipping for Prime members in at least a dozen US cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia. There are strings attached, however, as the service is free only on orders of at least $25, and costs $2.99 when orders fall below that.

At the start of March, Amazon also raised the minimum threshold for free prime shipping from its struggling online grocery business to $150 from $35 and added charges of $3.95 to $9.95 for orders below the new limit.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy in February said the company is streamlining costs across the business and that shipping speed would not be a casualty of its efficiency push. A spokesperson on Thursday added that prime delivery speeds got faster from 2021 to 2022 and are improving further this year.

What are we paying for?

Meanwhile, some consultants and customers are noticing service changes.

“Getting things to people same-day or within a certain number of hours doesn’t seem to be first and foremost anymore” at Amazon, e-commerce consultant Chris McCabe said.

Dozens of Prime subscribers, including upstate New York middleschool teacher Bryan Fabiano, have taken to social media to question the value of their Prime subscriptions due to late package deliveries, particularly during the holidays. “My wife and I are prime customers because of the shipping [benefits]. If they’re not going to deliver on that, then what are we paying for?” Fabiano, 48, told Reuters.

Indeed, shoppers who do not subscribe to prime get free standard shipping on Amazon orders over $25. Walmart and Target, which have delivery subscriptions of about $100 per year, offer free shipping on orders above $35 for non-members. Nearly three-quarters of the top 1,000 US retailers offered free shipping on at least some orders, with 45% requiring a minimum purchase for that perk, according to August 2022 survey results from industry research firm Digital Commerce 360.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Marriyum asks Imran to tell nation about ‘destruction’ caused by ‘his four years’ misrule’

iSLAMABAD

staff report

Taking a dig at Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Imran Khan should tell the participants of the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan tonight about his “forbidden foreign funding, Toshakhana gifts theft and Tyrian White “. Using her twitter handle, the minister said Imran should tell the nation about his four years of misrule which plunged the country into unprecedented inflation, unemployment and destruction.

The minister said that a person who looted the country and pushed it into the mire of destruction and division, cannot salvage it as “he is only a fraud

maryam nawaz to expose imran’s ‘handlers’ at Kasur public rally on monday

LAHORE staff report

PML-N Senior Vice President and chief organiser Maryam Nawaz has vowed to expose identities of the local as well as international handlers of PTI Chairman Imran Khan during her a rally scheduled to be held in Kasur on Monday. According to sources in the PML-N, the ruling party has planned raising awareness among the people about the facts at the agenda of Imran Khan at organisational conventions and gatherings.

and a terrorist.” She said the “real freedom” narrative which started from the [taunts] of neutral animals, the indefinite extension offer to the then Army Chief General (r) Bajwa came all the way came to implicate Shehbaz Sharif and Mohsin Naqvi’s role in his

[Imran] ouster, and finally concluded at seeking pardons from the United States. She said the narrative of real freedom “has been buried and its funeral will be held tonight”. The time has come for the nation to get real freedom from the “instigator terrorist”, she maintained.

It is fact the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), now and then accuses Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan of support from within and outside the country and has prepared a strategy to expose the former prime minister’s false narrative. In the recent past, during her speech Maryam Nawaz had alleged that the PTI chief was being supported by the judiciary, saying that the country needed honest judges, and not “Imran loyalists” (Imrandaar judges) for treating all political leaders without discrimination. Earlier, addressing a PML-N workers’ convention in Rawalpindi, the PML-N chief organizer had said that Imran Khan was still being supported as he was not appearing before the courts and hearings in cases against him were being delayed. She said she was not talking about honest judges but those part of the Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid legacy. Imran Khan, the country’s former prime minister — whose government was ousted after a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly in April last year — is facing several legal cases and had been called by the courts to appear before them. Mocking Khan, the PMLN senior vice-president said that while he could go to Rawalpindi for his party’s gathering with his injured leg, he “cannot appear before the court”. The politician added that if fingers were raised at the judiciary, it would have to conduct its accountability. Speaking about the way Khan was facilitated to form a government in the past, Maryam said: “MPs of our party and those from others were made to switch loyalties to create his party. Those who did not support him were selectively disqualified.” She alleged that earlier Khan reached the power corridors with the support of the establishment, and now he was attempting to use the shoulders of the judiciary to gain power once again.

In another public gathering, the PML-N vice president had said that claimed that the “facilitators” still wanted to save a person [Imran Khan] who had “already drowned”. “I want to ask the facilitators why they want to save a person because of whom the country’s fate has sunk.

Public will respond to ‘atrocities’ against PTI: Imran

LAHORE staff report

PTI Chairman Imran Khan reached the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore on Saturday to secure interim bail in three terrorism cases, where he told reporters that public will respond to “the atrocities against the PTI” at the party’s Minar-iPakistan rally, asking supporters not to back off “under any circumstance”.

Talking to the media outside the ATC from his vehicle, Imran said the public “reaction would come today to whatever method they (the government) will use”.

“We will not back off under any circumstance,” the former premier vowed. He further asserted, “I am saying today, that they (the government) will see the largest rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in the country’s history.”

The PTI chief went on to claim, “1,800 workers of ours have been taken away only because they want to make the Minar-e-Pakistan rally today a success.”

Comparing the “current atrocities against PTI” to those committed in India

Illegally-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine, Imran castigated the government for “using every method to crush the PTI” and for “torturing and picking up people”.

He further said, “Atrocities are being committed but this is a fight and

a jihad for haqeeqi azaadi (real freedom) [so] sacrifices will need to be given. I am also ready for this and my entire team is ready as well.”

ATC grants bail in three cases

Earlier, the Lahore ATC granted interim bail till April 4 to Imran Khan in three cases registered at the Lahore Race Course police station —on March 14 and 15 — pertaining to the clashes that took place between PTI supporters and the police outside the PTI chief’s Zaman Park residence.

ATC judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar heard the plea while Barrister Salman Safdar appeared in the court as Imran’s

counsel. During hearing, Imran said, “I want to be included in the investigation. There is a risk of [my] arrest.” He also filed a separate plea seeking permission for his car to be allowed within the court premises.

Containers placed in Lahore ahead of PTI rally

Shipping containers have been placed at various locations in Lahore ahead of the PTI’s rally at the Minar-iPakistan tonight, where party chairman Imran Khan intends to outline his “vision of Haqeeqi Azadi”.

In what appeared to be an attempt to block routes leading to the PTI’s power

show venue, Dawn.com’s correspondent saw containers placed at entry and exit routes of the city, including those from Shahdara to Ravi bridge.

The road heading from Data Darbar towards Minar-i-Pakistan has been closed off from both sides as well. One of the truck drivers present at the scene told Dawn.com that he had not been compensated in return for using his truck to block the roads.

He further said he was directed by the Shafiqabad police station officials who had told him that it was the “government’s [order]” and that the trucks’ keys were in the possession of the same police.

“When we entered [the city] last night, the police forcibly made us park the vehicles at different locations.”

The driver added that he has been directed to have their trucks block the roads till 12pm tomorrow.

There were also reports that students who were supposed to appear for the Institute of Chartered Accountant exams could not do so due to road blockades.

Hayyan Imran, a student, said he had been sitting on the bus for hours but the bus could not reach the exam venue on time, due to which he got late for his exam.

“Now, the examiners are not letting me go in. They’re saying that I have arrived late and the attendance has been taken,” he lamented.

Russians ‘reluctantly’ embrace Chinese cars after Western brands depart

pROfit reuters

As the exodus of Western carmakers narrows options for Russian consumers, Chinese automakers are filling the gap, forcing Russians to overcome their reluctance to embrace Chinese brands and stomach higher prices.

Chinese brands such as Haval (601633.SS), Chery and Geely (0175.HK) now account for almost 40% of Russia’s new car sales, data from analytical agency Autostat and consulting company PPK showed, up from less than 10% in JanuaryFebruary of 2022, pouncing on the opportunity left by the exit of firms such as Renault (RENA.PA), Nissan (7201.T) and Mercedes (MBGn.DE).

But there are teething problems.

Reuters spoke to several Russian car buyers – individuals and dealerships – who perceived the quality of some Chinese cars to be lower than Western rivals and industry experts said Chinese manufacturers needed to enhance their reputation even as their market share soars.

Stepan, 28, who has increasingly driven Chinese cars when using carsharing services, is among those that need convincing. Among his complaints was the smoothness of the drive.

“I managed to buy a Skoda in 2022. If you want my honest opinion, the difference (with Chinese cars) is massive,” he told Reuters at Moscow’s Favorit Motors dealership.

Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, part of Volkswagen Group (VOWG_p.DE) and

one of several Western automakers that had local car production, is in the final stages of a deal to sell its Russian assets in the wake of Western sanctions after Moscow despatched troops to Ukraine last February.

When buying his new Chinese car, Alexander, 74, looked for one which encompassed Swedish technology.

“I believe that in time the reliability will improve,” he said. “For example, I know that (Geely) Tugella has a Volvo engine. This sold this car for me.”

Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday after a visit to China in December that cooperation with Chinese manufacturers was good and consumers’ perceptions were out of date.

“We used to laugh at some of their designs, but I went for a ride in a local car and

looked at others,” he said. “I’ll say bluntly: the car I drove was certainly no worse than a Mercedes.”

COMPETITION DRIES UP

Most Western automakers, who have fought with domestic carmakers for market share since they began building factories in Russia in the early 2000s, ceased operations last spring.

“We’ve lived our whole lives focused on European, Japanese, American brands and did not especially take the Chinese market into account, which…has developed at an incredible rate,” said Vladimir Shestak, general director of Altair-Auto in Vladivostok, whose dealership specialises in the Mercedes-Benz and Geely brands.

Though the majority of foreign firms have exited Russia or are in the process of

leaving, lingering stocks and parallel imports mean some companies’ cars remain on sale for now.

Domestic producer Avtovaz’s Lada brand is Russia’s most popular. Renault, through its former controlling stake in Avtovaz, had the highest market share among foreign producers before Russia began what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

While Chinese cars are increasingly filling the gap, the lack of reputation remains an issue, said auto industry expert Sergey Aslanyan.

“Yes, they have almost no competitors here anymore,” he said. “But that does not mean that people will change their opinion quickly.”