Epaper_29-03-20 KHI

Bill To ‘cliP’ cJP’S SUo moTo PowerS l anDS in na afTer caBineT’S aPProval

ISLAMABAD s Ta f f r e P o r T

The federal government tabled a legis ative bill in the national Assembly on Tuesday seeking to curtail the d scretionar y powers of the Chief Just ce of Pak stan leav ng the decision of taking up any suo moto case to the three senior-most judges of the apex court Federal Law Minister Azam nazeer

Tarar introduced The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 after the federal cabinet approved it earlier n the evening nA Speaker Ra a Per vez Ashraf subsequently referred the tabled bi l to the nA s Standing Committee on Law and Justice for ts approval

On the other hand a meeting of the standing committee has been summoned on Wednesday (today) at 10pm to take up the matter The committee s expected to swiftly approve the jud cial reforms bil , after which it will be sent back to Par iament

Seeking to curtail the discret onar y powers of the ch ef justice the judic a reforms bill states: ever y cause appeal or matter before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by the Comm ttee compr sing the Chief Justice of Pakistan and two senior most judges in order of sen or ty

The dec sions of such a commit-

tee shall be by ma ority t adds

Regarding suo moto powers the bil seeks to ensure that any matter nvoking exercise of original urisdic-

tion under Article 184 (3) sha l be first placed before the committee of three senior-most judges

If the Comm ttee is of the view that a question of publ c mportance with reference to enforcement of any of the fundamental rights conferred by Chapter I of Part II of the Constitution is nvolved it shall constitute a bench comprising not less than three judges of the Supreme Court of Pak stan which may also include the members of the Committee for adjud cation of the matter it adds

The legislation also allows appeals within 30 days of a verdict being issued on a suo motu case and enforces that a bench be constituted to hear such an appeal within 14 days

SC has absolute power to amend its r ules: Pir zada

iSl amabad: While commenting on the recent draft of leg slation seeking amendment to Supreme Court Ru es 1980, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court Safdar Shaheen Pirzada termed the proposed bill aga nst the basic structure of Article 191 of the Constitut on saying it may be set aside if assailed before the top court Talk ng to TLTP Pirzada said the Supreme Court was formed under the Constitution of Pak stan instead of any Act of the Parl ament adding the Act of Parliament is subordinate to the Constitution of Pakistan as the Constitution is the supreme egislation Pirzada further said under the Constitution of Pakistan the SC is authorized to make its rules subject to the assent of the President of Pakistan The SC has inferred the power of Suo Moto under Supreme Court Ru es instead of any Act of the Parliament Under the Const tut on of Pakistan Ru es can only be framed by the Supreme Court to run its helm of affairs As the proposed legislat on seems to be in conflict w th Artic e 191 of the Constitution which the top court may strike down” Pirzada added “If the proposed bill becomes Act of the Par iament – it wou d be considered against the basic structure of the Constitutiona prov sion ( Art cle 191) – on this s ng e ground this amendment sha l be set aside if someone chal enges it before the top court Pirzada concluded T LT P

Pakistan excuses itself from attending US Democracy Summit

ISLAMABAD

M i a n a b r a r

Pakistan on Tuesday chose to sk p the US convened Democracy Summ t taking place in Washington this week saying that Pakistan would engage with the US on a bilateral bas s to encourage democratic values The v rtual summ t has been co-sponsored by the US Department of State and USAID on the theme of G obal

Declaration of Mayors for Democracy

Perhaps major issues for Pakistan was that virtual summit was given a politica colour as the US inv ted Taiwan to the summ t violating ts own comm tment to the One China po icy If th s was not enough tyhe US chose not to invite China and Turkiye to the summit The issue of Pakistan s participat on in the Second Summit for Democracy in the US had been under discussion for some t me particularly because t s part cipation could potentia ly upset its all-weather fr endsh p with Ch na Like the first democracy summit in 2021, both India and Pakistan were nvited to the summit th s time India attended the ast meet ng and may do so th s year as wel Pak stan had opted out of the first summ t due to ts same princip ed stance In a statement issued on Tuesday the Fore gn Office said Pak stan values ts friendship with the United States Under the Biden Administration, this relationship has widened and expanded substant ally We remain committed to further solidifying this re ationship for peace stabi ity and prosper ty in the region the statement said

imF wants exter nal financing commitments fulfilled to release funds, Pm says

g FUnD WAnTS ISLAMABAD TO exPLAIn FUeL SCheMe BeFORe PROGReSSInG FURTheR

The Internat ona Monetar y Fund (IMF) wants external financing commitments fulfi led from friendly countries before it releases bai out funds, Pakistan s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sa d on Tuesday The lender has been negotiating with Islamabad since early Februar y to resume $1 1 billion n funding held since november which is part of a $6 5 bi lion bailout agreed in 2019

The funding s ver y critical for Pakistan to unlock other external f nancing avenues to avert a defau t on its obligations with its central bank reser ves fal ing to as low as to cover hardly four weeks of imports now we are being told that the commitments from friendly countries be fu fil ed and God willing we w ll ” Sharif to d parliament n a ive telecast speech

Severa friendly countries such as Saudi Arabia China and the United Arab emirates have made commitments to he p Pakistan fund its balance of payments

An agreement would be signed once a few rema ning points including a proposed fuel pricing scheme are settled an IMF off cial

said on Friday Sharif had earlier announced the government s plan to charge aff uent consumers more for fuel, w th the money ra sed used to subsidise prices for the poor who have been hard-hit by nflation In Februar y it was running at its highest in 50 years

The IMF s res dent representat ve in Pakistan esther Perez Ru z said ear ier that the government had not consulted the fund about the scheme

The lender wants Is amabad to explain the fuel scheme before any loan deal

The IMF has not responded to Reuters request for a comment on the fue pricing scheme Severa friendly countries such as Saudi Arabia Ch na and the Un ted Arab emirates have made commitments to he p Pakistan fund its ba ance of payments

An agreement would be s gned once a few remaining points ncluding a proposed fuel pric ng scheme are settled an IMF official said on Friday Sharif had earlier announced the government s plan to charge aff uent consumers more for fuel w th the money ra sed used to subsidise prices for the poor, who have been hard-hit by nflation In Februar y it was running at its highest in 50 years

o r e s e h r: 4:34 a M i f t a r: 6:22 P M

Slogans, counter slogans as r uckus mars joint session’s proceedings

ISLAMABAD s Ta f f r e P o r T

The Parl ament on Tuesday reverberated with slogans of watch th ef and diese diesel and the Pak stan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which ended its ong boycott and participated in the joint session slammed the federal government over ts unlawful action against its leaders and workers nationa Assembly (nA) Speaker Raja Per vaiz Ashraf chaired proceedings of the jo nt session of the parl ament

Opposition Leader in the Senate Shahzad Waseem lambasted both the government and the e ection Commiss on of Pakistan (eCP) over their tactics to de ay elect ons to KP and Punjab e ections

Members from both the treasur y and opposition benches chanted slogans aga nst each other s leaders ignoring the instructions of the speaker

The PTI s senator while speaking during the jo nt session on other important issues including law and order, sa d that whi e the nat on was busy ooking for the crescent of the holy Ramzan the eCP s moon came out in the middle of the night which brought darkness to the nation

The opposition eader said that the election Commission in its m dnight decision going against the decision of the Supreme Court refused to hold the elect on on the date given by it and gave a new date

The funct on of the Supreme Court (SC) is to del ver justice and not to inter fere and whi e the apex court s authorised to nterpret the Constitution t is not a lowed to write it ” he added Dur ng the joint session journalists protested against the police torture of express news journalist Saqib Bashir and terrorism cases against a pr vate TV channel ’s journalist staging a walkout from the press galler y Jamiat U ema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) ch ef Mau ana Fazlur Rehman targeted the PTI and udiciar y saying that if parliament could call the army chief the judges should also be cal ed At the beginning of the meet ng, PTI awmakers raised slogans against the government while participating in the meeting after a ong boycott

The opposition n the upper house said that the e ection Commiss on gave an excuse n ts decision that the International Monetar y Fund (IMF) was not a lowing release of funds for the e ection while t was a different matter that the nternat onal lender mmediately clar fied that it was Pakistan s decision and there was no such restrict on from it he added that the elect on Commission gave another excuse that the security situation was not good but the speaker was aware of the difficult s tuat on the countr y was going through

bandial questions ECP authority to extend election date

ISLAMABAD

s Ta f f r e P o r T

Presiding over a hearing concerning the poss bil ty of extending the election date the chief justice of Pakistan on Tuesday said the issue at hand was straightforward, questioning whether the election Commission of Pakistan (eCP) had the authority to delay the vote in Punjab scheduled for April 30 until October 8

The remarks by Umar Ata Bandial came as Supreme Court resumed hearing the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) petition requesting that the tribuna be directed to hold the elections on the previously scheduled date of April 30 It contends that the decision to de ay the po ls violated the Constitution and amounted to amending and subverting it Justice Band al emphasised that rule of aw was essential for democracy to

function and expressed concern that political tens ons cou d cause problems for the countr y

As the hear ng began Farooq h naek the counsel for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claimed there was anarchy and fasc sm n the countr y

The attorney genera pointed out that two Supreme Court judges had issued dissenting notes regarding the judgement on March 1 which cast doubt on the ch ef ust ce s power to restructure benches without the consent of the respective judges

A day ear ier justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Jama Khan Mandokhail raised concerns about the suo motu judgement on the issue claiming that the proceedings were dism ssed by a majority of 4-3 They contended that the ch ef justice should not have the power to restructure benches without the con-

sent of the respect ve judges however Justice Bandia asserted the focus of the hearing was not the prev ous verd ct but the tribunal s power

The attorney general contended that the petition was based on the eCP s v olation of the court orders At th s Justice Bandial emphasized that the matter at hand concerned the delay of the e ection date rather than setting a new one he urged all parties involved to prioritise the welfare of the people and to respect nat onal institutions while working within their constitutional lim ts The hearing emphasized the importance of uphold ng democracy and the rule of law n Pak stan ONE maN S dECiSiON : At the outset of the hearing, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail questioned whether the assemblies should be dissolved on the whim of one person and who has the author-

ty to extend elect ons beyond 90 days he further inquired whether ho d ng e ections within the st pulated time of 90 days was not a constitutional requirement and whether the eCP could delay the date for polls The chief justice thanked Justice Mandokhail for clearng the matter Justice Mandokha l also expressed h i s d i s a p p o i n t m e n t t h a t t h e C o n s t i t ution was not being taken seriously in the c o u n t r y p o i n t n g o u t t h a t t h e 9 0 - d a y p e r i o d f o r h o d i n g e e c t i o n s h a d a lready e apsed The udge raised concerns about who would be authorized to extend the date for polls beyond the prescr bed period and whether one person could dissolve the assemblies on a whim Barr ster Zafar argued that both the prime m nister and chief m nister were e ected representatives however Jus-

tice Mandokhail h ghlighted that the assembly cou d still be dissolved if the prime minister s political party sought a vote of no-confidence Barr ster Zafar acknowledged th s point

The judge also questioned whether the issue should be debated in parliament In response, the PTI s counsel acknowledged that parl ament could indeed discuss the powers of the prime m nister and chief m nister Re g a r d l e s s t h e q u e s t i o n r e m a i n s a s t o w h o h a s t h e a u t h o r i t y t o d i s s o l v e t h e a s s e m b l i e s a n d e x t e n d t h e e e ct i o n p e r o d Justice Bandial stressed the mportance of respecting al nat onal nst tutions but also noted that each institution must work within its constitutional limits Syed Ali Zafar the counsel for PTI warned that the crisis would esca ate if the elections were delayed

Faw a d s ay s n o c h a n c e o F ‘ m i n u s i m r a n ’

c e n a r i o i n Pa k i s ta n

“Imran Khan’s position may be strengthened but there is no chance of his removal in any scenario ” Chaudhry went on to say that his party w i l l n o t a c c e p t a n y f o r m u l a t h a t s e e k s t o r e m o v e I m r a n K h a n f r o m p o w e r a s i t w o u l d b e t a n t a m o u n t t o d e f e a t f o r t h e Pakistani nation Chaudhry also expressed suspicion that the current government will not hold

shock as documents reveal 26 cases filed against imran in islamabad

ISLAMABAD S ta

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) revealed on Tuesday that former prime minister Imran Khan has been the subject of 29 complaints registered in the capital Khan filed a petition seeking details of the cases filed against him, with Faisal Chaudhry representing him in the case

The documents submitted in court showed that the former premier has faced 28 cases filed against him by various police stations in Islamabad with an additional case filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

The documents revealed that Khan was booked in 15 cases in a single day on May 26 following his party s long march against the coalition government Cases registered at the Tarnol police station have been disposed of but Khan s trials in other cases are still pending in courts The documents also showed that Khan was booked in two cases in 2014, and 26 cases in 2022 and 2023 During the hearing, Chaudhry expressed shock over the number of cases filed against his client, stating that they were asked to join the investigation in the case, but no one was answering their calls The judge directed the Islamabad police’s representative to remain in contact with Chaudhry and concluded the hearing

Pakistan to achieve climate resilience via effective adoption strategy: minister

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan is committed to a long-term effective adoption strategy to achieve climate resilience

Through multi-sectoral strategies the government of Pakistan is rebuilding and prioritizing long-term climate resilience the minister said while addressing the 10th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development He said that though Pakistan has less than one percent contribution to the total global greenhouse emissions it is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts Highlighting key situations affecting Pakistan s economic condition including inflation and severe climate disasters, Iqbal said that the climateinduced floods in the country last year inflicted more than $30 billion in damages and economic losses In the wake of the floods he said Pakistan has taken several measures including the Post-Flood 2022 Resilient Recovery Rehabilitation and Reconstruction strategic policy aimed at restoring the lives and livelihoods of the affected people especially the most vulnerable ones The government has also provided emergency relief and initiated a youth internship program to provide marketable skills while establishing a flood protection plan as part of its post-flood recovery measures, he added

ihc bars police from arresting ali amin Gandapur

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t T h e I s l a m a b a d H i g h C o u r t ( I H C ) Tu e s d a y b a r r e d p o l i c e f r o m a r r e s t i n g P a k i s t a n Te h r e e k - e - I n s a f l e a d e r a n d f o r m e r f e d e r a l m i n i s t e r A l i A m i n G a n d a p u r, A RY N e w s r e p o r t e d I H C J u s t i c e A r b a b M u h a m m a d Ta h i r t o o k u p t h e p l e a o f G a n d a p u r s e e k i n g d e t a i l s o f c a s e s r e g i s t e r e d a g a i n s t h i m R a j a Z a h o o r u l H a s s a n a d v o c a t e a p p e a r e d b e f o r e t h e I H C t o r e p r e s e n t t h e f o r m e r m i n i s t e r T h e p l a i n t i ff ’s l a w y e r s t a t e d t h a t t h e r e a r e a n u m b e r o f c a s e s r e g i s t e r e d a g a i n s t h i s c l i e n t s a t v a r i o u s p o l i c e s t a t i o n s i n I s l a m a b a d b u t t h e y d o n ’t h a v e d e t a i l s a b o u t t h e m H e p l e a d e d w i t h t h e c o u r t t o o r d e r p o l i c e t o s u b m i s s i o n o f c a s e s r e c o r d a g a i n s t A l i A m i n G a n d a p u r T h e I H C w h i l e b a r r i n g p o l i c e f r o m a r r e s t i n g t h e P T I s t a l w a r t s o u g h t d e t a i l s f r o m t h e r e s p o n d e n t s a f t e r i s s u i n g n o t i c e s t o t h e m f o r M a r c h 3 1

elections in October as planned “The scheduled elections in October are just a pretext for dissolving the government on August 18 Will this government really relinquish power in August he asked Chaudhry further accus ed the current r u l e r s o f u s i n g a l l p o s s i b l e t a c t i c s t o p r e v e n t t h e o rg a n i z a t i o n o f f a i r e l e c t i o n s in the country Responding to a question, Chaudhry

said that whether or not Pakistan signs an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the country is likely to face difficult times in the future He criticised the government for having no strategy other than suppressing opposition voices after damaging the national economy through their misguided decisions H e a d d e d : T h e r e i s n o d i ff e r e n c e between the strategies of the PTI and the

P M L - N , e x c e p t t h a t M a r y a m N a w a z i s now devising the party’s strategies instead of her father Nawaz Sharif ” W h e n a s k e d a b o u t t h e r o l e o f t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t C h a u d h r y s a i d t h a t t h e c o u r t i s o b l i g a t e d t o i s s u e i t s v e r d i c t s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n H e emphasized that the people of Pakistan are well aware of how to implement the court orders

Power

hike of Rs6 per unit likely for KE consumers

PR OfIt REPORt i S l a m a b a d

Consumers of Karachi-Electric (KE) who are already struggling with inflation may soon face higher bills due to a potential increase of Rs6 per unit in power tariffs The federal government has requested the increase from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) in relation to two quarterly fuel cost adjustments (FCA) NEPRA will review the application on April 3, and if approved, the increased amount will be charged to consumers from April to June 2023 This increase could further exacerbate the cost of living crisis in Pakistan which is already affecting millions of people The country is facing a multitude of crises including economic and political and citizens have been

Free flour distribution to begin at 6am as two dead, 45 injured in S ahiwal stampede

SAHIWAL/LAHORE

Two women dead and 45 other persons sustained injuries in a stamped during free flour distribution at centre here on Tuesday

According to rescuers 19 injured persons were shifted to DHQ Teaching Hospital Sahiwal for medical assistance The rescuers informed that the incident took place due to mismanagement and flawed arrangements for free wheat flour distribution to under-privileged persons

Police and district management officials rushed to the spot after report of the incident It is pertinent to mention here that free of cost wheat flour being distributed to people under Special Ramzan Package announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Be the first of its kind the package has been designed to facilitate the poor segment of the society in the holy month of Ramzan

Earlier last week an elderly man had died who came to get free flour from a distribution point in Faisalabad Rescue sources said that Muhammad Kaleem was found unconscious at the Park s main gate He was taken to General Hospital Samanabad where he breathed his last

In another incident elsewhere a woman died during the stampede at free flour distribution point, while scores of others reported injured

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Hassaan Niazi was taken into custody by Karachi police on Tuesday on charges of threatening the state This comes after Punjab police had also taken him into custody earlier Niazi, who is former prime minister Imran Khan s nephew and his focal person on legal affairs, is facing multiple cases including inciting violence, interfering in police affairs, and the Zill-i-Shah murder case According to the first information report (FIR), Niazi and his associates incited the public through a s o c i a l m e d i a v i d e o w h e r e h e h u r l e d t h r e a t s against defence institutions while addressing them s a y i n g t h a t n o o n e w i l l b e s p a r e d i f K h a n i s arrested T h e c a s e o f i n c i t i n g h a t r e d a g a i n s t t h e s t a t e among the public was registered on Monday on the r e p o r t o f M u h a m m a d I q b a l a t t h e J a m s h e d Quarters police station in Karachi Karachi police a u t h o r i t i e s c o n f i r m e d t a k i n g N i a z i i n t o c u s t o d y, a n d a f o u r- m e m b e r t e a m , i n c l u d i n g a s e n i o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n o ff i c e r ( S I O ) a n d t h r e e c o p s , t o o k him into custody N i a z i w i l l b e p r e s e n t e d b e f o r e a c o u r t i n

‘

C a r e ta k e r C M ta k e s n o t i

C e o f

d e at h s’: Meanwhile, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi took notice of the Sahiwal incident and decided to open free flour distribution centres across Punjab from 6am in the morning

Chairing a meeting held to review the flour situation CM Mohsin Naqvi fixed opening time of the free flour distribution centres at 6am The ministers secretaries will perform duties in various districts for three days They will visit flour distribution centres to monitor the situation Mohsin Naqvi said

The DPOs and deputy commissioners will also be present at centres in the morning, he said The Caretaker CM also directed for deployment of additional police force at flour distribution centres to avoid untoward incidents

Naqvi expressed resentment over stampede and hustling incidents at flour centres in Sahiwal and other cities of the province He directed authorities for better management of crowds at Atta centres

The people should be guided and advised through public announcements to stand in queues caretaker CM said The meeting was briefed that around 13 2 million flour sacks have been distributed across Punjab so far Today 2 1 million flour sacks have been distributed, which is maximum in a short span of time, the session informed

protesting regularly Inflation is currently at a 48-year high, and the nation’s foreign currency reserves cover less than a month of imports

Additionally Pakistan is anticipating intense heatwaves during the summer season which could lead to electricity shortages and extended load shedding

It s worth noting that earlier this month NEPRA permitted power distribution companies (Discos) and K-Electric to recover deferred fuel adjustment surcharges with the entire amount to be collected from consumers from March to October 2023 Discos will recover Rs10 34 to Rs14 24 per unit, depending on the consumer s electricity usage, while K-Electric will recover Rs9 97 to Rs13 87 per unit

khalilzad urges Pm shehbaz to disassociate from sanaullah’s threats to imran

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

Former U S Ambassador to Afghanistan Iraq & the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad again took to social media blogging site Twitter on Tuesday to express his shock over the recent threatening statement of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah against former premier Imran Khan #Pakistan Interior Minister s statement that either Imran Khan exists or we do is shocking and should be rejected by all God fearing and law abiding Pakistanis It is an incitement to violence against a major political leader,” said Khalilzad, urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to publicly disassociate himself from his minister ’s comments “This mindset is a big reason for Pakistan’s dysfunctionality If that does not change the country will continue to be mired in crisis he added Interestingly the US State Department has disassociated itself from Khalilzad s statements on Pakistan s deteriorating law and order situation making it clear that former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad did not represent the nation s foreign policy and was not speaking for the administration of President of Joe Biden Vedant Patel, a spokesperson of the State Department, made the statement in response to a query posed during a press briefing on Monday regarding Khalilzad’s recent comments on the volatile political situation in Pakistan Khalilzad, who previously served as the special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation under both the Donald Trump and Biden administrations had recently made a series of statements asserting that Pakistan was lagging behind arch-rival India and underperforming

cour t denies interim bail to habib in Lahore vandalism case

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

The interim bail request of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Farrukh Habib in a vandalism case was denied by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday The charges were filed against PTI leaders Yasmeen Rashid, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Asad Umar, and Farrukh Habib, among others, by Shahdaman police station in Lahore While Rashid, Iqbal, and other leaders appeared in court, Habib failed to attend The ATC granted interim bail extensions to those present but rejected Habib’s plea due to his continuous absence from court hearings The court reserved its verdict on the plea of Umar seeking exemption from the court appearance In a recent incident Punjab police raided Habib s inlaw s residence in an attempt to arrest the former state minister before the PTI s rally in Lahore According to a statement released by PTI police officials harassed Habib s family members after failing to apprehend him The situation remains ongoing, and further updates are awaited

Pti announces election rallies in south Punjab

LAHORE

S ta f f R e p o R t

persons

and

be

Registration Authority (NADRA) and the district administrations To s a v e t i m e a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n c o s t s d u r i n g Ramadan, each family can receive three bags of flour a t o n c e O v e r o n e m i l l i o n p e o p l e a r e e x p e c t e d t o benefit from the PM’s free flour program across the country, including in KP T h e t r i b a l p e o p l e e x p r e s s e d t h e i r g r a t i t u d e t o P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f f o r t h i s p r o - p e o p l e project and hoped that it would continue even after Ramadan in KP

After a successful power show at Minare-Pakistan in Lahore, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to speed up its election campaign and announced to hold rallies in South Punjab, ARY News reported on Tuesday citing sources Sources privy to the development told ARY News that PTI has decided to move its election campaign to South Punjab despite an ongoing case in the apex court regarding delay in Punjab KP elections After Lahore PTI chairman Imran Khan would address party’s second rally in Lodhran they say adding that the date for Lodhran public gathering would be announced soon PTI leader Mussarat Jamsheed Cheema said that schedule for upcoming PTI rallies in South Punjab will be unveiled soon Former prime minister Imran Khan gave an economic roadmap for the country s prosperity during a historic jalsa at Lahore s Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday night

na Passes resoLution demandinG simuLtaneous eLections across country

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t

tH E National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution demanding conduct of general elections simultaneously to all assemblies across the country to ensure political stability Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb tabled the resolution, stating that this house considered an unnecessary “intrusion of the

judiciary as the reason behind political instability”

She continued that the House also endorsed the decision of four judges of the apex court in the suo moto case relating to holding elections and supported their opinion whereas it hoped that the “Supreme Court would abstain from meddling into the political and administrative matters of the country

She read out loud the motion before the house stating Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is an independent institution

china-led aiiB to suppor t Pakistan and other most vulnerable countries: Jin Liqun

The AIIB President Jin Liqun on Tuesday said that China-led AIIB will support Pakistan and other most vulnerable countries

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) stands ready to support the world s most vulnerable countries and we have increased our multilateral assistance to countries including Pakistan said Liqun In addition we are considering post-earthquake support for Turkey said AIIB President Jin Liqun, according to a report published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Tuesday

During the China Development Forum 2023, Jin said that the international community is confronted with multiple risks and challenges Prolonged high inflation, tight Labour markets and spillover effects from high commodity prices are likely to keep central banks tightening monetary policy all over the world “At the same time supportive policies during the pandemic have led to higher government debt with bond yields rising and bond prices falling globally said Jin Risks to financial stability have increased At a time of higher debt levels the situation may be even more troubling for some developing countries and low-income countries with high levels of debt said Jin adding that risks also exist in the banking sector in some advanced economies

For those developing countries, higher uncertainty means a change in investors risk tolerance Jin believes that amid such pessimism, more investment is needed, especially in infrastructure The development bank will continue to firmly support developing economies in building the conditions for long-term economic growth Jin said At present we need to reform the governance system so that developing countries can get more involved and reach more consensus under the multilateral framework Jin added

iGP provides modern hearing aids to impaired kids of police employees

LAHORE S ta f f R e p o R t

On behalf of the Punjab Inspector General of Police

Dr Usman Anwar, priority measures are being taken under the Hamaray Phool project to provide treatment and facilities to special children of police employees suffering from various mental and physical disorders In this regard, the IG Police provided modern hearing aids to hearing-impaired children of police employees while audio therapy has also been started for these children with the help best doctors The IGP gave modern hearing aids to children of Police employees Traffic Police and Dolphin Force of Lahore and Narowal and other districts and blessed them with love compassion and affection He said that Rs180 million has been approved for the purchase of cochlear implants for the treatment of hearing-impaired children which will benefit these children Dr Usman Anwar said that today is a very happy day for the Punjab Police that the special children of employees have become able to hear, adding these children of the police employees will hear in a normal way and will become useful citizens of the society by getting higher education

The IG Police said that when the “Hamaray Phool” project was started only 4 children were registered and now the number has increased to 2 100

and is bound to hold free and fair elections under Article 218 of the Constitution No infringement to be made to the constitutional rights of the ECP and the Commission should be allowed to hold elections as per its prerogative under favourable conditions”

“This House also declared that political consistency is necessary to ensure economic stability It also believes that in order to hold free and fair elections Article 224 should be implemented in its true letter and spirit as per the Article 218 of the Constitution she added T h e r e f o r e t h e g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n s

LAHORE m o n i to R i n g R e p o R t

The caretaker government of Mohsin Naqvi in Punjab has issued a clarification regarding the allocation of 45,000 acres of agricultural land to the military for a corporate farming project following criticism

Citing a government official The News reported the land would remain under the ownership of the Punjab government and that the Pakistan Army was only providing a management structure for the project

The official argued that institutional support was needed to make the uncultivated lands productive and t h a t t h e a r m y a l o n g w i t h t h e c o r p o r a t e s e c t o r a n d l o c a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n v e s t o r s w o u l d b e a r t h e project s cost T h e p r o j e c t w o u l d b e e x e c u t e d b y l o c a l

f a r m e r s , a n d t h e o ff i c i a l c i t e d C h i n a s s u c c e s s i n e n h a n c i n g a g r i c u l t u r a l p r o d u c t i v i t y t h r o u g h t h e c u l t i v a t i o n o f b a r r e n l a n d a s a m o d e l f o r P a k i s t a n t o f o l l o w

COntInuED fROM PAgE 01

An appeal shall lie within thirty days from a final order of a bench of the Supreme Court who exercised jurisdiction under clause (3) of Article 184 of the Constitution to a larger bench of the Supreme Court and such appeal shall for hearing be fixed within a period not exceeding fourteen days read the draft The development comes amid a growing debate in the country over the discretionary powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to constitute benches, ‘fix’ cases, and initiate public interest proceedings under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution “Voices from within judiciary a new ray of hope”: Earlier in the day Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the National Assembly to legislate on reducing the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan stating that the voices from within the judiciary were a new ray of hope The premier said that history would not forgive the National Assembly if it did not pass the legislation

Addressing the NA session the prime minister read out a dissenting order issued by Supreme Court judges Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah on a suo motu case over the delay of elections to the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies On Monday, the two dissenting judges of the apex court had issued a 27-page order, stating

should be held simultaneously across the country so that real political stability can be further promoted The resolution also demanded that the

constitutional matters that required collective wisdom the Supreme Court s full bench will hold the proceedings on that matter she concluded

“ T h e C h i n e s e m o d e l o f c u l t i v a t i n g b a r r e n l a n d f o r f o o d s e c u r i t y i n v o l v e s a c o m b i n a t i o n o f g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c i e s p r i v a t e i n v e s t m e n t s a n d t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n s ” t h e o ff i c i a l s a i d A k e y s t r a t e g y a d o p t e d b y C h i n a i n c u l t i v a t i n g b a r r e n l a n d w a s t h e u s e o f m o d e r n t e c h n o l o g y i n c l u d i n g t h e u s e o f i r r i g a t i o n s y s t e m s m e c h a n i s e d f a r m i n g e q u i p m e n t a n d h i g h - y i e l d c r o p v a r i e t i e s T h e s e t e c h n o l o g i e s h a v e h e l p e d i n c r e a s e

that the suo motu case regarding the Punjab and KP elections date announcement had been dismissed by a majority of four judges out of seven The 27page ‘order of the court’ by the two dissenting judges was in stark contrast to the Supreme Court’s earlier order which had ruled in a 3-2 verdict that polls in K-P and Punjab be held within 90 days “ n o o n e h o l d i n g t h e fav o u r i t e a C C o u n ta b l e : During his address Shehbaz Sharif slammed the favourite – referring to PTI chairman Imran Khan stating that the nation was confused and divided due to the ongoing political crisis and no one was holding Imran accountable

The incumbent premier continued that Imran did not appear before any courts and received exemptions, declaring that enough was enough He stated that the law would take its course and Imran would not be allowed to “play with Pakistan ” PM Shehbaz said the entire political leadership came together in 1973, forgot their differences and made the constitution

He furthered that last year the current government was in opposition benches when different political parties decided to table the no-confidence motion as per the constitution The premier further said that the political parties in the current government have put their politics at stake to save the state which was a lesson for the entire nation

17 years of inac tivity, oil company seeks another licence extension

Smuggled/Counter feit Drugs: Produc ts of collapsing pharmaceutical industr y

Abdul Samad an office-bearer of the Pakistan Chemist and Drugs Association informed Anadolu Most of the importers are nowadays importing a minimum quantity of dozens of essential and nonessential medicines just to keep their licenses intact Otherwise, it s no longer a profitable

l h e a lt h e M e r g e n C y

As the government fails to make inflationary adjustments in medicine prices importers have stopped or drastically reduced the imports of about 100 crucial medicines related to general anesthesia plasma-derived products, vaccines, oncology products, and biological products, causing a dearth of medicines across the country

a g r i c u l t u r a l p r o d u c t i v i t y a n d m a k e i t p o s s i b l e t o g r o w c r o p s o n p r e v i o u s l y b a r ren land

The Chinese government also encouraged private investment in agriculture particularly in the development of barren land This includes tax incentives, subsidies, and support for smallholder farmers Through these policies, the government has created a favourable environment for private investment, which has contributed to the development of barren land and increased agricultural productivity,” he explained

According to the official China’s success in enhancing agricultural productivity through barren land cultivation has been attributed to its focus on sustainable agriculture practices The Chinese government has encouraged the use of organic farming practices and sustainable farming systems to promote soil conservation and biodiversity he observed This approach has minimised the environmental impact of agricultural activities and ensured the longterm viability of barren land cultivation, he said

Pakistan excuses itself from attending us democracy summit

COntInuED fROM PAgE 01

Responding to media queries regarding the invitation by the U S to attend the Second Summit for Democracy the Foreign Office Spokesperson said Pakistan has not been part of the Summit process which commenced in 2021 and required countries to make certain national commitments The Summit process is now at an advanced stage and therefore Pakistan would engage bilaterally with the United States and co-hosts of the Summit to promote and strengthen democratic principles and values and work towards advancing human rights and the fight against corruption, Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra said She said, “We are thankful to the United States and the co-host countries for inviting Pakistan to attend the Second Summit for Democracy being held on 29-30 March 2023 ” “As a vibrant democracy the people of Pakistan are deeply committed to democratic values and generations of Pakistanis time after time have upheld their faith in democracy human rights and fundamental freedoms the spokesperson added We value our friendship with the United States Under this Biden Administration this relationship has widened and expanded substantially she said The event will showcase the role of cities and subnational governments in the affirmation of democratic values and the renewal of democracy worldwide From March 29-30, the US will co-host the second ‘Summit for Democracy’ with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Zambia The FO spokesperson said this month the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Constitution which is the fountain of a democratic polity in Pakistan

mQm-P rejects ongoing first-ever digital census

StAff REPORt

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Farooq Sattar has rejected the ongoing first-ever digital census which is the 7th national census in the country being conducted by the Sindh government employees The development came after the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) chief statistician Dr Naeem Uz Zafar on Sunday said that it is not necessary that Karachi’s population will show as 30 million” after the census Addressing a press conference on Tuesday the MQM-P leader expressed fears that a plan has been devised to show less population than the actual headcount of urban areas of Sindh “46% of the population in Karachi has been counted he said adding that it seemed that the total population of the metropolis would be shown around 20 million in the census The MQM-P leader also demanded a fresh census conducted by an impartial and private sector company He also asked for access to the census data Referring to the press conference by the head of the statistics department a day earlier Sattar said that the statistics shared by the department indicated that their doubts are true The MQM-P leader is of the view that the population of urban areas is being shown less and in rural areas, it is being shown more than the actual figures by the census authorities Sattar feared that Karachi s population would be shown 66% less than its actual count The provincial government is committing rigging in the census by their “own enumerators”, he added J i d e M a n d s t r a n s pa r e n C y: The Jamaat-eIslami (JI) who made a comeback in the recent local body elections and become one of the most popular parties in Karachi also demanded the provincial government and the relevant authorities to bring transparency in the process of the census enumeration Addressing a press conference JI Karachi chapter Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that there should a mechanism to check the registration of people and statistics on the block code level

Pu n j a b s ays a r my to o n l y p rov i d e m a n a g e m e n t

s t r u c t u re fo r a g r i c u l t u r a l p ro j e c t

The office of C JP should not be all power ful

TW O ‘brother judges’ of the apex court terming the current CJP s role a one-man power show displays immense disharmony within the Supreme Court The 28-page order, authored by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail not only casts doubt over the validity of the 3-2 judgment by the Supreme Court ordering timely elections in Punjab and KP but also calls for rationalising unbridled powers of the CJP At the core of this order, that seemingly had no effect on ongoing proceedings over the delay in elections announced by the eCP is the matter of the CJP’s limitless prerogative to take suo motu notices While Justice Bandial pales in comparison to his predecessors in terms of abusing the absolute powers of the position of the CJP, he has not shied away from taking a leaf or two from their books The ability for a CJP to take a suo motu is an assumed right dating back to the early 90s; it is not envisaged in the constitution The country s top judicial official s unquestionable prerogative to begin proceedings on a matter only he, without any stipulation of consultation or approval deems of the utmost importance cannot possibly be free of persuasion by personal interest, motivation and bias The federal cabinet yesterday approving a bill aiming to curb this power is therefore a welcome step as it is necessary to finally introduce some oversight, restriction and sanity in such matters

Formation of SC benches, another contentious matter, is also an operative part of the judgment in question Justice Qazi Faez Isa the next CJP has perhaps been the most vocal on this matter, and rightly so The CJP s sweeping powers in this regard too are unjust and must be reined in In the absence of, at minimum, a random system or perhaps expertise-based selection of judges on particular benches the prevailing narrative that one can ‘predict the judgment from a bench just by looking at its members will not go away And this is a dangerous territory to be in if the goal is to dispense timely, fair and noncontroversial justice that is not adulterated by influence from external forces and temporarily institutionalized biases

It remains to be seen what changes Monday s order brings Going by the damp and hollow history of judicial reform lead by those in positions of power reserved optimism is the best approach

Increasing infighting and a continued penetration into the executive and parliament’s constitutionally allocated space is likely to persist and further diminish the credibility and reliability of the SC

10 years after Iraq

sion was to begin), they went along

During the months leading up to the start of the war, my wife and I were in North Carolina where I was teaching at Davidson College At one point, I flew back to Washington to debate a resolution I had submitted to the Democratic National Committee urging the party to oppose sending our young people into a war without knowing its costs terms of engagement and consequences in a country whose history and culture we did not know The party leaders allowed me to present it but wouldn t permit a vote As one said We don t want to appear weak

he s fighting to make the world freer I feared for these young soldiers and their families and in my heart I damned those who had taken advantage of their goodness (and lack of understanding) putting these young people at risk to fulfill their own blind ideology

What remains distressing is that two decades later we ve largely forgotten the lies, and no one has ever been held accountable even our British allies convened the Chilcot Inquiry, which despite its limited mandate did examine aspects of the war and its aftermath Nothing of the sort happened here

When President Barack Obama released the Bush era torture memos that had been commissioned to provide a “legal” justification for and define allowable methods that could be used to torture prisoners captured in Afghanistan and Iraq I had hoped that some of those involved would be called to account for their war crimes The memos were horrifyingly graphic in describing permissible torture practices But after releasing the memos Obama announced that we wouldn t look backwards and sought to bury the matter

IT S tragic and deeply distressing that 20 years after the USA launched its disastrous invasion of Iraq that the ignorance, lies, and cruelty of that war have never been acknowledged The neocons in the Bush Administration desperately wanted this war Believing that we had been attacked on 9/11 because our enemies perceived us as weak they postulated that a quick and decisive victory would demonstrate US strength and resolve This would ensure that the USA would remain the world hegemon for decades to come

I had served on a think-tank sponsored task force with many of the leading proponents of this worldview and was astounded by their hubris born of ignorance They did not know or even consider it important to know Iraq Not unlike their Christian evangelical allies, they were guided by a one-size-fitsall Manichean ideology: forces of good and evil were in combat across the globe; a clash between them was inevitable; and in that confrontation good would ultimately prevail That was all they knew and all they felt it was necessary to know Those who issued cautions were demeaned as weak and lacking resolve

To make their case these experts took to the airwaves preying on a still shell-shocked public that knew even less about Iraq or the broader Middle east In testimonies before Congress and on television talk shows the war s proponents not only embellished their good versus evil portrait, but also deliberately misinformed the Congress and public about the impending war itself

The “big lie” about Iraq wasn’t about the regime’s possession of weapons of mass destruction, but a preposterous deceit about the war ’s costs and terms of engagement leading Administration spokespersons actually testified that: the war would be over in a few weeks; US forces would be greeted as liberators; it would cost no more than $1 or $2 billion; and in the end a new democracy in Iraq would be a beacon for the new Middle east

Journalists and commentators echoed these factfree claims making it the dominant narrative Most politicians cowered and because the overwhelming majority of the public couldn t find Iraq on a map (according to a survey conducted days before the inva-

At the time I was hosting a weekly live television call-in programme on Abu Dhabi Tv and Direct Tv in the USA ADTv arranged two live satellite shows connecting students at Davidson with students at Baghdad University While the exchange exposed the Iraqi students to the debate about the war taking place on campus my students had their eyes opened to Iraqi history culture and sensitivities

Precisely because

After the programme one of the Davidson students told me that it was so hard to be speaking with the Iraqis knowing that we were going to be bombing them Because North Carolina is also home to military bases that were staging areas for US troops being sent to Iraq it was especially painful to watch local news programmes interviewing family members about their loved ones heading to the war Because of the lies they had been told in interview after interview they tearfully repeated lines like he s a hero fighting to keep our country safe or

India’s Cyber Prowess: A strategic challenge for Pakistan’s securit y

digital payment systems has helped bring the internet to many and disseminate India s message globally Additionally India s civil society comprising NGOs think tanks and other organizations shaping public discourse has contributed to the promotion of India s perspective in cyberspace around the world

In contrast, Pakistan s limited user base of just over 100 million internet users out of a population of approximately 220 million has hampered the reach of its narrative compared to India’s larger audience Consequently, Pakistan’s digital capabilities have not been as effective as India’s in promoting its narrative globally

To effectively address the challenges posed by the prevailing Indian narrative in cyberspace Pakistan must adopt a comprehensive digital strategy that includes the following policy options:

D e v e l o p a S t r at e g i c N a r r at i v e: Pakistan should create a strategic narrative that counters negative stereotypes propagated by India and highlights Pakistan s contributions to regional peace and stability By leveraging its diverse population, vibrant arts scene, and rich cultural heritage, Pakistan can generate a compelling narrative that resonates globally

And so here we are, two decades after the war with no accountability for the lies that left thousands of young Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead It is sickening to see the same neocon hawks still considered experts now on the airwaves peddling their Manichean nonsense about other conflicts and enemies And it is deeply troubling that the American public remains uninformed not only about Iraq, and what we did there, but also about the entire Middle east and its history and culture Precisely because of the lack of accountability and understanding of our own history and that of other peoples who we have impacted we continue to operate blind in a world that grows increasingly wary of our role The truth is that accountability wouldn t make us weaker It would make us smart stronger and more respected

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l

S e n d y o u r l e t t e r s t o : L e t t e r s t o E d i t o r Pakistan Today, 4 - S h a a re y F a t i m a J i n n a h L a h o re P a k i s t a n E - m a i l : l e t t e r s @ p a k i s t a n t o d a y c o m p k L e t t e r s s h o u l d b e a d d re s s e d t o Pakistan Today e x c l u s i v e l y

Economic divide

S e v e r A l factors have driven Pakistan to the verge of economic collapse

One of them is inflation which refers to a continuous increase in the price of goods and services From creeping inflation to strato-inflation we have now reached the stage of hyper-inflation

During the last few years there has been an abnormal increase in prices which has created a chaos in the country Inflation has become a deadly disease to our already ailing economy Once a country is caught in the vicious cycle of inflation, it becomes seriously difficult to get out of the tight spot

Shafiq KhattaK

Th e emergence of the internet and the digital age has brought about a paradigm shift in communication information accessibility and social interaction With cyberspace becoming a pivotal platform for individuals and nations to share their ideas connect with people worldwide, and influence public discourse, its significance cannot be overstated India, with its burgeoning economy and sizable population, has adeptly harnessed the power of cyberspace to disseminate its narrative on a global scale In contrast, Pakistan has lagged behind in terms of digital capabilities resulting in a less effective and slower spread of its message

India’s demographic advantage with a population of over 1 3 billion and more than 600 million internet users presents an enormous opportunity for digital content creators and services This tech-savvy audience is highly engaged on social media and other digital platforms providing Indian users with the opportunity to amplify their voices and attain global reach examples of this effectiveness include campaigns such as #BoycottPakistan and #SayNoToPakistaniArtists, which targeted Pakistani products and artists

India’s government has backed the digital economy via Digital India and National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) boosting internet access Investment in broadband networks and

The Indian narrative currently holds sway over the digital realm creating a risk of biased depictions of events and further entrenching existing power structures This dominance is most evident in critical areas such as the Kashmir issue the China-Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) Pakistan s relations with other countries Pakistan s nuclear programme, and strategic alignment India s narrative on the Kashmir issue misrepresents the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination as terrorism and separatism, shaping global perceptions of the issue and gaining international support for India’s stance Similarly, India’s portrayal of the CPeC as a debt trap and a security threat to India could undermine Pakistan’s strategic interests in the region

Furthermore India s narrative in cyberspace shapes the international view of Pakistan s relations with other countries portraying Pakistan s close alliance with China as a threat to India s sovereignty and security which has led to tensions between India and China This portrayal could also weaken Pakistan s strategic importance in the region India s narrative on Pakistan s nuclear programme presents it as a danger to regional stability and a source of global terrorism, influencing the global perception of the issue and gaining international support for India’s stance

Additionally India’s strategic alignment with other major powers to counter China’s growing influence in the region is reflected in its narrative in cyberspace which portrays Pakistan as a pawn of China and a threat to regional stability potentially further marginalizing Pakistan and undermining its strategic importance

By adopting a comprehensive digital strategy, Pakistan can effectively challenge the prevailing Indian narrative in cyberspace and promote a more balanced and accurate understanding of the region and its conflicts

U t i l i z e D i g i ta l D i p l o m a c y: Pakistan should utilize digital diplomacy to engage with audiences worldwide and project its narrative on critical issues This includes developing a comprehensive social media strategy engaging with influential voices in cyberspace and utilizing digital tools to amplify Pakistan s message

e N g a g e y o U t h: Pakistan s youth population is proficient in using digital technologies and can be harnessed to promote a national narrative that challenges the Indian narrative in cyberspace By engaging youth in promoting this narrative Pakistan can foster a positive global image and provide a balanced portrayal of the region and its conflicts p r o m o t e N at i o N a l N a r r at i v e: A strong national narrative that unifies all Pakistanis around shared goals and values is essential in promoting Pakistan s interests and values globally This includes showcasing Pakistan s cultural heritage, contributions to regional peace and stability, and commitment to an inclusive and equitable global order hence, by adopting a comprehensive digital strategy, Pakistan can effectively challenge the prevailing Indian narrative in cyberspace and promote a more balanced and accurate understanding of the region and its conflicts This can help to foster greater regional stability promote economic development and enhance Pakistan s global standing

The writer can be reached at skhattak792@gmail com

There are various factors that contribute to the rise in prices Some are natural factors, like unfavourable weather conditions which affect the food production and lead to shortage of commodities in the market Besides, there are man-made problems, like hoarding which contribute to the rapid increase in prices The trading community predicts the supply and demand of certain essential commodities and then resorts to large-scale hoarding The traders release the hoarded products after increase in the prices and make a neat margin over their investment These traders charge a lot of money from the customers to maximise their profits This inequality has divided the people into two classes: those who get richer day by day and those who become poorer day by day The government needs to control hoarding to bring commodities within the reach of the common man AYESHA

Power struggle

l A h O r e the second largest city of Pakistan has been facing excessive loadshedding even on holidays and specifically on weekends Saturdays and Sundays are traditionally considered rest days for both working parents and students who have busy schedules during the weekdays The frequent loadshedding has made it just about impossible for the families to enjoy their much-needed downtime, and has negatively impacted their quality of life

One of the main reasons for load-shedding in lahore and Pakistan is high demand and inadequate supply The impact of continued loadshedding can be disastrous on people, specially on students, as it affects their studies during weekdays Frequent and prolonged load-shedding on weekends disturbs the leisure time of students hinders the learning process and affects their ability to retain information Along with countless students I am all too familiar with this struggle It has been rightly said repeatedly by many that loadshedding is a painful reminder that our dependence on nonrenewable energy has reached a breaking point and it is time to explore alternative sources that can provide a reliable and sustainable source of electricity The government and all its relevant agencies and bodies should find alternatives to handle the situation

Mushrooming eateries

A C C O r D I N G to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Pakistan is the country with the third highest number of diabetics Currently 33 million people are living with this disease Indeed scientific research has proven that dietary habits and diabetes do have a direct correlation After much deliberation, the Sindh government had enacted the Sindh Food Authority Act in 2017 which paved the way for the establishment of the Sindh Food Authority (SFA) But after five years of the establishment of the authority, things have not changed one bit Substandard eateries have seen an abrupt increase in these years rather than being regulated and prevented by the said authority The SFA should start doing what it was established to do

of the lack of accountability and understanding of our own histor y and that of other peoples who we have impacted, we continue to operate blind in a world that grows increasingly

Transforming the workforce and redefining the future

o f A I a l s o p r e s e n t s s i g n i f i c a n t c h a l l e n g e s a n d r i s k s

IN this digital age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) the adoption of smart data-driven technologies in enterprise applications is happening at an unprecedented rate, which is disrupting traditional workplace strategies and transforming the business landscape like never before Services and solutions leveraging AI, such as virtual assistants, chatbots, facial recognition systems, voice search, and self-driving vehicles, are no longer science fiction stories of yesterday They are now a reality affecting every aspect of the modern world

At the forefront of all disruptive technologies is \AI and its subset Machine learning (Ml) Both are the key drivers of the Industry 4 0 revolution AI has taken over numerous industries and transformed them beyond recognition From self-driving cars to virtual assistants AI has become an integral part of our daily lives however this progress has also sparked debates and raised concerns about the impact of AI on society While some hail it as the solution to all our problems, others fear that it may bring about our downfall

On one hand, AI has the potential to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems It can help us tackle climate change by optimizing energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions It can also revolutionize healthcare by aiding doctors to make more a c c u r a t e d i a g n o s e s a n d d e v e l o p p e r s o n a l i z e d t r e a tments In addition AI can boost productivity and eff i c i e n c y i n v a r i o u s i n d u s t r i e s l e a d i n g t o e c o n o m i c growth and job creation On the other hand the rise

One major concern is the impact on employment, as AI has the potential to automate many jobs currently performed by humans This could lead to widespread j o b d i s p l a c e m e n t a n d e c o n o m i c i n e q u a l i t y a s t h o s e without the necessary skills to work with AI will be left behind Furthermore there are concerns about the ethical implications of AI particularly with regards to privacy and security As AI systems become more advanced they may be able to access and use sensitive personal data leading to potential abuses Another risk of AI is the potential for unintended consequences As AI systems become more complex, it becomes increasingly difficult to predict their behaviour and the outcomes of their actions This raises concerns about the possibility of unintended consequences, such as bias in dec i s i o n - m a k i n g o r u n i n t e n d e d h a r m t o h u m a n s I n addition, the use of AI in warfare and other military applications raises ethical concerns about the potential for autonomous weapons and the loss of human control over decision-making

The first instance of AI can be traced back to ancient Greece where philosopher Aristotle discussed the concept of syllogism a form of deductive reasoning used to draw conclusions from two given statements

I n a nu t s h e l l , w h i l e A I p r e s e n t s m a ny o p p o r t u n i t i e s fo r p ro g r e s s a n d i n n ova t i o n , i t a l s o p o s e s s i g n i f i c a n t r i s k s a n d ch a l l e n g e s I t i s i m p o r t a n t fo r s o c i e t y t o c a r e f u l ly c o n s i d e r t h e p o t e n t i a l i m p a c t o f A I a n d t o t a k e s t e p s t o e n s u r e t h a t i t i s u s e d i n a r e s p o n s i bl e a n d e t h i c a l m a n n e r

WhIsTlEblOWErs MusT nOT bE sACrIfICEd On ThE AlTAr Of l AW

Whistleblowers should be protec ted, not prosecuted. When they reveal errant governments and businesses, they can help make Australia a better place

Sydney Morning Herald e D to r a l

Commonwealth shield laws supposed to protect whistleblowers have utterly failed to stop the prosecution of a public servant who risked all to reveal the rapaciousness of the Australian Tax Office and now Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus must stop him being sacrificed on a seemingly unalterable altar of law richard Boyle worked in the ATO’s debt recovery division in Adelaide and made headlines in 2018 when he blew the whistle on aggressive debt recovery tactics used by the Tax Office revealed in a joint media investigation by The Sydney Morning herald The Age and the ABC s Four Corners he was charged in 2019 and faces 24 charges including of recording private phone calls and taking photographs of taxpayer details he applied for immunity on 23 of the charges under the Public Interest Disclosure Act the Commonwealth whistleblowing shield law for public servants, enacted by Mark Dreyfus during his first stint as attorney-general in 2013 But on Monday, South Australia s District Court rejected Boyle s application for immunity he is due to go to trial in October with a life sentence possible if convicted

Depending on one’s point of view, whistleblowers share the same hero/villain persona captured by the slogan one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter After the September 11 attacks governments became more secretive across a number of fronts In Australia several whistleblowers such as Boyle emerged to reveal nefarious conduct at what has turned out to be great personal cost

The most famous/infamous is Wikileaks founder Julian Assange various Australian governments have been wringing their hands since the US launched a criminal investigation into his activities and he fled to asylum in 2012 Nothing has come of whatever behind the scenes efforts have been mounted by labor and Coalition federal governments Assange remains in an english jail

Closer to home, former military lawyer David McBride is facing a jury trial on five charges, including the unauthorised disclosure of information theft of commonwealth property and breaching the Defence Act he shone a light on allegations of Australian special forces committing war crimes in Afghanistan disclosing classified documents to the media throughout the middle of the last decade The resulting Brereton report into the allegations found credible evidence of war crimes by Australian special forces including 39 murders executions and allegations of torture

In 2013 the offices of Canberra lawyer Bernard Collaery were raided by government security officers who seized files relating to a witness in a case brought by the Timor-leste government against the Australian government over the bugging of the Timor-leste cabinet offices during negotiations for a petroleum and gas treaty in 2004 Collaery was subsequently charged with conspiring to release classified information about an alleged spying operation in east Timor less than two months after labor won the federal election Dreyfus ordered the Commonwealth to drop Collaery’s prosecution Dreyfus has come under pressure to halt the prosecutions of Boyle and McBride but has so far declined Secrecy offences play an important role in preventing the unauthorised disclosure of information and Dreyfus flagged the start of public consultations as part of a review of Commonwealth secrecy offences however multiple reviews have raised concerns about the number, inconsistency, appropriateness and complexity of Commonwealth secrecy offences, he said

The cases of Boyle and McBride most surely do raise concerns about the inconsistency and appropriateness of secrecy laws The court’s decision that the PID Act did not cover Boyle’s ATO whistleblowing reveals the law as utterly broken Whistleblowers should be protected not prosecuted When they reveal errant governments and businesses they can help make Australia a better place Our laws need to reflect that and Dreyfus needs to intervene to drop both cases just as he dropped the Collaery case

The human brain has about 100 billion neurons, while the largest AI models developed so far have only about 175 billion parameters This means that AI is still far from replicating the complexity and flexibility of the human brain But it is being claimed that GPT-4 will have been trained on 100 trillion parameters versus GPT-3 s 175 billion parameters which would make GPT-4 500 times more powerful

Some AI systems have developed their own language to communicate with each other In 2017 researchers at Facebook had to shut down an AI system they were developing because it had created its own language that humans could not understand

Moreover, AI has been used to create music and art In 2018, an AI-generated portrait sold at an auction for $432,500, which was 45 times its estimated price AI is being used to develop new materials for v a r i o u s i n d u s t r i e s , i n c l u d i n g a v i a t i o n , c o n s t r u c t i o n , and healthcare For example, AI has been used to dev e l o p s t r o n g e r a n d m o r e l i g h t w e i g h t m a t e r i a l s f o r aeroplane parts which can help reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions

In Japan there is a hotel staffed almost entirely by robots The henn-na hotel which means Strange hotel uses robots for tasks such as check-in room service and cleaning AI is also being used to help preserve endangered species For example researchers are using AI to analyze camera trap images to identify and track individual animals, which can help with conservation efforts

A c c o r d i n g t o a s t u d y b y C r e a t i v e S t r a t e g i e s , 9 6 p e r c e n t o f A n d r o i d c o n s u m e r s a n d 9 8 p e r c e n t o f iPhone consumers use Google and Apple’s AI-based digital assistants - ‘OK Google’ and ‘Siri’ The study f u r t h e r h i g h l i g h t s t h a t 5 1 p e r c e n t o f c o n s u m e r s u s e digital assistants in cars 39 percent in homes 6 percent in public places and 1 3 percent at work AI techn o l o g y i s u b i q u i t o u s w i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y 7 7 % o f d e v i c e s t o d a y u t i l i z i n g A I i n s o m e c a p a c i t y T h e growth of AI startups has increased 14-fold since 2000 and this trend is expected to continue According to C-level executives AI is a powerful tool for driving growth, with 84 percent of them believing that adopting and leveraging AI is essential to meet growth objectives The global AI market is thriving, with a projected market size of $190 61 billion by 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 36 62% By 2030, AI is expected to contribute $15 7 trillion to the world’s GDP boosting it by 14% The

n u m b e r o f A I a s s i s t a n t s i s p r o j e c t e d t o s u r p a s s t h e global population, with forecasts indicating that there will be 8 4 billion AI-powered digital voice assistant units in the world by 2024 A s p e r t h e F u t u r e o f J o b s r e p o r t 2 0 2 0 b y t h e Wo r l d e c o n o m i c F o r u m t h e p e r v a s i v e a d o p t i o n o f technology is poised to trigger a significant metamorphosis in the nature of jobs tasks and skill requirem e n t s w i t h f a r- r e a c h i n g i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r t h e g l o b a l

workforce The report highlights a disquieting statistic revealing that nearly half of all businesses constituting a staggering 43 percent, are poised to undertake personnel reduction measures in response to the impending wave of technology integrations Furthermore, the r e p o r t a l s o p r o g n o s t i c a t e s t h a t w i t h i n t h e n e x t f i v e y e a r s , e m p l o y e r s w i l l i n i t i a t e a p a r a d i g m s h i f t b y equally apportioning tasks between human employees and automated systems, leading to the displacement of over 85 million jobs

In a nutshell while AI presents many opportunities for progress and innovation it also poses significant risks and challenges It is important for society to carefully consider the potential impact of AI and to take steps to ensure that it is used in a responsible and ethical manner This includes investing in education and training to prepare people for the changing job market, as well as implementing regulations and safeguards to protect against potential harms Ultimately, the success of AI will depend on our ability to strike a balance between innovation and responsibility Therefore, in this age of disruption, upskilling is mandatory for survival

The writer is a freelance columnist

le T S play connect the dots Drawing lines between recent events reveals worrying developments and an increasingly salient threat, one we re not prepared to address Start with TikTok Since its launch in 2016, it has become one of the world s most popular social-media platforms By 2019, there were more than 1 5 billion downloads and more than 1 billion active users in 2021 In the United States, there are at least 150 million active users In Japan about 25% of the population used the app in 2021 more than twice the number in 2018 Of those more than 62% of teenagers were users the highest among all age groups TikTok has been in the headlines a lot lately last week it was a punching bag for the U S Congress as both parties spent more than five hours hammering CeO Shou Chew, insisting that his company posed a national security threat

Some of the more interesting and thoughtful charges go deep Jess hwang, writing for Gary Kasparov’s renew Democracy Initiative, warns that Tiktok’s design “undermines civic participation a cornerstone of democratic life” by encouraging “users toward superficial material and shallow distractions rather than deep informative content A seemingly bottomless supply of short engaging videos served up to viewers one after another the product of seductively simple d e s i g n a n d u s e r- f r i e n d l i n e s s d i s c o u r a g e s u s e r s f r o m c r i t i c a l l y e x p l o r i n g t h e i n f o r m a t i o n b o mbarding them

Canadian commentator Samar Balkiss Bensakeur agrees, arguing that Tiktok s algorithmic model is designed to present information in a way that maximizes the user ’s comfort, satisfaction and entertainment at the expense of meaningful political relationships and dialogue ” Tiktok caters “to whims rather than curating wisdom, dividing rather than uniting ” It insulates viewers rather than exposing them to opposing views dulling critical facilities and encouraging polarization It is writes Justin Grandinetti an assistant professor in the School of Data Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte a political outrage machine

That kind of thinking is too abstract for most politicians Instead, last week s hearings focused on two basic allegations First, the charge that Tiktok collects a user s personal data and information Second, the fear that TikTok warps a viewer ’s information environment, using censorship, disinformation and propaganda to shape perceptions of key issues, cause social disruption or influence election campaigns

Both charges stem from the fact that Tiktok’s parent is ByteDance a Chinese company and the assertion that it is therefore an instrument of China s ruling Communist Party Cathy McMorris rodgers chair of the committee that held the hearing was blunt: TikTok is a weapon by the Chinese Communist Party to spy on you manipulate what you see and exploit for future generations

While there is some validity to both charges,

it isn’t black and white TikTok collects user data, but no more than any other social media app, a claim supported by independent researchers Cynics add that China has already collected personal information on an estimated 80% of the U S population making app data superfluous although it could offer confirmation or additional information China can demand access to that data and companies are legally obliged to provide it but so can every other government with effective law enforcement The real charge is the degree to which the Chinese government is legally restrained or not in those demands Chew countered that risks are hypothetical and theoretical and added that the company is not based in China, operates in the U S and he has “seen no evidence that the Chinese government has access to that data; they have never asked us we have not provided it ”

The second allegation about shaping the information environment is more compelling Considerable research shows that TikTok s algorithms recommend videos to teens that create and worsen feelings of emotional distress including videos that promoted suicide self-harm and eating disorders especially among teenage females l e s s d a n g e r o u s , b u t a l s o o b j e c t i o n a b l e a r e v i d e o s t h a t s h o w c u s t o m e r s l i c k i n g s o y s a u c e bottles or spitting on sushi at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants They encouraged copycats and triggered disgust and outrage in Japan as well as a 5% drop in the share price of one of the restaurant chains That’s just a harmful prank and the stock price recovered so you might think it was no big deal

But another headline exposes such complacency as dangerous: the collapse of Silicon valley Bank

A key factor behind its collapse was the social media frenzy that followed reports of the bank s difficulties The largest bank collapse in U S history Washington Mutual in 2008 took eight months; SvB went down in two days Social media fanned the flames A prominent Silicon valley venture capital firm told customers to get their money out of the bank and they did withdrawing $40 billion, 20% of the bank’s deposits, in hours That was, said one analyst, “a bank sprint, not a bank run ” Our third headline concerns the progress of artificial intelligence AI and a Washington Post weekend report about AI s ability to generate believable-looking hands hands were thought to be too hard for AI and a reliable indicator of a deep fake or an alarmingly lifelike picture No more CNN reported on AI-generated audio a reminder that every sense is subject to trickery or deceit earlier this month, a fake TikTok video purported to have audio of U S President Joe Biden discussing the collapse of SvB, demonstrating both his seeming incompetence and the severity of the crisis, encouraging the bank sprint U S Sen Mark r Warner has warned that “we’re now at a point where these tools are widely available and incredibly capable ” Which brings me to the fourth headline: news that eliot higgins founder of the open-source investigator Bellingcat used an AI art generator to create a picture of Donald Trump being arrested after the former president announced that his arrest was imminent (We re still waiting ) higgins thought he was just mucking about but within two days the posts had generated nearly 5 million views his addendum that the photo wasn t real was largely ignored

Which takes us back to TikTok When an estimated 30% of people under the age of thirty get their news from the app the potential for influence or disruption is huge One survey showed 2 0 % o f Ti k To k v i d e o s a b o u t k e y n e w s e v e n t s c o n t a i n m i s i n f o r m a t i o n a n d 9 0 % o f a d s w i t h election misinformation are approved by TikTok Combine those numbers with an algorithm that p u s h e s c o n t e n t w h i l e d i s c o u r a g i n g a n a l y s i s o r criticism and the risk of making or worsening a crisis is real Imagine the impact of an incendiary video Biden saying the Senkakus weren t important in a behind-the-scenes moment or a farr i g h t a c t i v i s t t w e e t i n g v i d e o o f B i d e n a n n o u n c i n g a m i l i t a r y d r a f t t o r e s p o n d t o r u ssia’s invasion of Ukraine; oh wait, one just did that during a crisis Japan likes to believe that it is shielded from the most pernicious disinformation campaigns an immunity that stems from the relatively low use of social networking services and the high level of trust in traditional media writes Maiko Ichihara a professor of law at hitotsubashi University in a Brookings Institution report

There is considerable evidence that isn t true for tweets, with examples ranging from fake accounts one impersonated former Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and tweeted criticism of Ukraine to false claims that Zainichi (Korean residents of Japan) were responsible for the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe e v e n g o o d i n t e n t i o n s c a n c r e a t e p r o b l e m s l a s t f a l l a p a w n s h o p o w n e r p o s t e d a Ti k To k video that purported to show previously unseen photos of the Nanjing Massacre; the photos were in fact from Shanghai The poster called the pict u r e s o f e x t r e m e h i s t o r i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e b u t after being informed of the mistake conceded that he was driven by a lot of emotion speaking without thinking

Imagine that tool the ability to craft fake videos and distribute them with maximum effect in the hands of actors who want to hurt us and increase social divisions, say, during an election campaign D e f e n s e i s t o u g h , i f n o t i m p o s s i b l e T h e sheer volume of fakes and the speed with which they disseminate can outpace any moderation dev i c e a n d t e c h c o m p a n i e s a r e c u t t i n g b a c k o n s t a ff M o s t g o v e r n m e n t s h a v e s o m e a g e n c y t o fight disinformation Japan doesn t but the government announced that it will launch this year a n A I - p o w e r e d s y s t e m t o c o l l e c t a n d a n a l y z e fake information on social media and other platforms even if viewers are trained to be skeptical, the erosion of faith in any media who can t e l l t r u t h f r o m f i c t i o n , r e a l i t y f r o m A I ? i s a win for the bad guys

As I send this to the editors, a fake picture of Pope Francis in a puffer coat, courtesy of AI, is circulating on the internet TikTok is an easy target but it’s not the only or perhaps even the main cause of this problem Connecting the dots is only the first step in what has to be a fundamental overhaul in how we engage with media and the news It s hard to be optimistic

Brad Glosserman is deputy director of and visiting professor at the Center for Rule-Making Strategies at Tama University as well as senior adviser (nonresident) at Pacific Forum He is the author of Peak Japan: The End of Great Ambitions (Georgetown University Press 2019)

Artificial intelligence and social media are a dangerous combination

China spent $240b bailing out ‘bRi CountRies’ inCluding pakistan: RepoRt

of William & Mary in the United States

China s government hit back at the criticism, saying its overseas investments operated on “the principle of openness and transparency China acts in accordance with market laws and international rules, respects the will of relevant countries has never forced any party to borrow money has never forced any country to pay, will not attach any political conditions to loan agreements and does not seek any political self-interest, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao ning said at a news conference on Tuesday

n korea’s kim calls for ramping up production of ‘weapon-grade nuclear material’

SEOUL

A F p

north Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for his country to expand production of weapon-grade nuclear materials and build more powerful weapons, state media reported Tuesday

Kim’s latest threat a doubling-down on an earlier promise to exponentially ramp up nuke production came as a US navy carrier strike group arrived in South Korea on Tuesday Kim was briefed by officials from the country’s nuclear weapons institute the official Korean Central news Agency reported, and said north Korea should prepare to use the weapons “anytime and anywhere”

pay the expected financial dividends

Beijing is ultimately trying to rescue its own banks

That s why it has gotten into the risky business of international bailout lending ” said Carmen Reinhart a former World Bank chief economist and

one of the study s authors Chinese loans to countries in debt distress soared from less than 5% of its overseas lending portfolio in 2010 to 60% in 2022, the study found Argentina received the most with $111 8 billion followed by Pakistan with $48 5 billion and Egypt with $15 6 billion nine countries received less than $1 billion

The People s Bank of China s (PBOC) swap lines accounted for $170 billion of the financing, including in

Mushahid: Chinese modernisation shares progress with world communit y

BEIJING

X i n h uA

Chinese path to modernisation features globalisation, multilateralism, inclusivity and shared common security, a senator said

The more China develops the more it shares with the international community, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the chairman of the Senate Defence Committee and founder chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute told Xinhua on the sidelines of an international forum on Chinese path to modernisation and global community of share future held in Beijing

Mushahid explained that Chinese modernisation is based on connectivity among cultures, countries and continents, adding that “while some people in the West are talking about conflict confrontation and containment China is uniting and building bridges like it has done with Iran and Saudi Arabia China has risen peacefully without invading occupying or attacking any other countries he noted Mushahid stressed that in the 21st century, what we need to do is work together and build a community with a shared future for mankind whether it’s the Belt and Road Initiative or the Global Development Initiative or the Global Security Initiative, or the Global Civilisation Initiative Among the essential requirements of Chinese modernisation are building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a new form of human advancement, according to the Report to the 20th national Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)

From Mushahid s perspective Chinese modernisation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind go together If China is developing and China is becoming more prosperous because of the development China is sharing its prosperity with other countries through trade, investment, people-to-people exchanges,” he noted In today’s world, he said, 193 countries are members of the Un and most of the members have maintained trade with China indicating that China is very active in commercial interaction

For example Mushahid said quite many Pakistani students are now studying in China and China has invested heavily in Pakistan under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative A lot of Pakistanis have gotten jobs under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor he added

Suriname, Sri Lanka and Egypt Bridge loans or balance of payments support by Chinese state-owned banks and companies was $70 billion Rollovers of both kinds of loans were $140 billion

The study was critical of some central banks potentially using the PBOC swap lines to artificially pump up their foreign exchange reserve figures

China’s rescue lending is “opaque and uncoordinated said Brad Parks one of the report s authors, and director of AidData, a research lab at The College

The bailout loans are mainly concentrated in the middle income countries that make up four-fifths of its lending due to the risk they pose to Chinese banks balance sheets whereas low income countries are offered grace periods and maturity extensions the report said China is negotiating debt restructurings with countries including Zambia, Ghana and Sri Lanka and has been criticised for holding up the processes In response, it has called on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to also offer debt relief

C hina issues repor t on US human rights violations in 2022

ISLAMABAD

s tA F F r e p o r t

China s State Council Information Office on Tuesday issued a report to expose the truth about human rights abuses in the United States Titled The Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2022 ” the report said the year of 2022 witnessed a landmark setback for U S human rights Click here for the full text of the report In the United States a country labeling itself a human rights defender ” chronic diseases such as money politics racial discrimination, gun and police violence, as well as wealth polarization are rampant it said

Human rights legislation and justice have seen an extreme retrogression, further undermining

the basic rights and freedoms of the American people, it added noting nearly half of U S states have relaxed gun restrictions the report said the United States leads the world in gun ownership, gun homicide and mass shootings with more than 80 000 people killed or injured by gun violence in 2022 The past year marked the third consecutive year on record that the U S experienced more than 600 mass shootings

Citing the example of overcrowded prisons where forced labor and sexual exploitation are commonplace, the report said the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and prison conditions are terrible

The report also noticed the election costs have soared since donation limits were lifted in 2010 and again in 2014

Political donations create an oligarchy U S politics has been kidnapped by capital and there is a stable “money-return” relationship according to the report The Un Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said in the concluding observations on the combined tenth to twelfth reports of the United States of America released on September 21 2022 that the lingering legacies of colonialism and slavery continue to fuel racism and racial discrimination around the country noting the increasing hate crimes and hate speech incidents in the United States in recent years the report said racial discrimination is widespread, adding that racial inferiority and superiority complexes are deeply embedded in U S systems and have become inextricable

State Department: Khalilzad’s views on Pakistan not representative of US polic y

WASHINGTON

M o n i to r i n g r e p o r t

The State Department said that former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, did not represent the nation’s foreign policy and was not speaking for the administration of President of Joe Biden Vedant Patel a spokesperson of the State Department made the statement in response to a query posed during a press briefing on Monday regarding Khalilzad s recent comments on the volatile political situation in Pakistan

K h a l i l z a d w h o p r e v i o u s l y s e r v e d a s t h e s p e c i a l e n v o y f o r

A f g h a n i s t a n r e c o n c i l i a t i o n u n d e r b o t h t h e D o n a l d Tr u m p a n d B i d e n administrations had recently made a series of statements asserting that P a k i s t a n w a s l a g g i n g b e h i n d a r c hr i v a l I n d i a a n d u n d e r p e r f o r m i n g Pakistan faces a triple crisis: political, economic, and security Despite

great potential, it is underperforming and falling far behind its archrival India It is time for serious soulsearching, bold thinking, and strategising ” he had tweeted Khalilzad had criticised Pakistan for jailing political leaders and suggested “two steps” to address the country’s challenges The first step he proposed is to set a date for general elections in early June to prevent a potential meltdown He specifically hinted at desperate attempts of the government of Shehbaz Sharif to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan

Commenting on the matter in the press briefing, Patel said that Khalilzad was a private citizen of the US, and “any social media activity or comments or tweets that you might reference, those are done in his private capacity, does not represent US foreign policy and he does not speak for this administration

Alvi urges international communit y to combat Islamophobia

President Dr Arif Alvi has called upon the international community to combat the increasing trend of Islamophobia by discouraging extremist elements He emphasized the importance of promoting inter-faith harmony and dialogue among various religions to eliminate negative perceptions about Islam The President condemned the recent incidents of the desecration of the Holy Quran in Denmark and The netherlands, stating that hate speech against religions cannot be considered as freedom of expression He strongly believes that the blasphemous incidents rooted in Islamophobia are deeply offensive to Muslims worldwide and are contrary to the internationally defined principles of freedom of expression

He called on officials to expand the production of weapon-grade nuclear materials needed for an exponential increase in the country’s arsenal

Kim also “put spurs to continuing to produce powerful nuclear weapons that he said would strike fear into the country s enemies, KCnA added Photos carried by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim surrounded by uniformed officers inspecting a row of purported tactical nuclear warheads identified as the Hwasan-31 which means volcano in Korean

The compact green warheads can be mounted onto different types of missiles, according to diagrams seen on the wall in the background north Korea last year declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power and Kim recently called for an exponential increase in weapons production, including tactical nukes Seventh nuclear test?

north Korean state media released a flurry of nuclearrelated reports Tuesday, an indication the country was building up to a seventh nuclear test according to analysts north Korea unveiled a significantly miniaturised tactical nuclear warhead this time, and many are questioning whether it can really explode, said Cheong Seong-chang a researcher at the Sejong Institute

The possibility that north Korea will carry out a seventh nuclear test with these tactical nuclear warheads as a next step has increased,” he told AFP

Pyongyang has got into a pattern of “tit for tat” missile launches and tests to counter US and South Korean military exercises, which represents a huge and unsustainable financial outlay for the impoverished country one expert said

north Korea warned of overwhelming response against each South Korea-US joint training, but looking at the number of missiles fired they can’t continue this forever Park Won-gon a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, told AFP

“If so, the seventh nuclear test will mark some kind of an end they will declare themselves a nuclear power and they will turn to negotiating with the United States he said The north Korean military also conducted a firing drill on Monday simulating a nuclear attack using tactical ballistic missiles KCnA said in a separate report, part of a record-breaking streak of tests north Korea is sending a very coherent message They are fighting for recognition as a perfect nuclear power ” Park added

Qazi Chief Medical officer also present on the occasion PR 07 Business-29 MARCH_Layout 1 3/28/2023 11:12 PM Page 1

NOT-BY- PROFIT

Pakistan faces dilemma as ma jor allies join hands in emerging crude bloc

A N E W ' C R U D E ' B LO C I N V O LV I N G R U S S I A , S AU D I A R A B I A , I R A N , A N D C H I N A E M E R G E S

N E W S D E S K

R I T I N G for Dawn, author Syed Rashid Husain points out that the announcement of a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia brokered by China on March

W

According to the author this unexpected development not only has significant geopolitical implications but it also carries important economic cons e q u e n c e s p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r t h e c r u d e oil market

Faysal Bank,

Naheed Pakistan par tner to bring grocer y on installments to all Faysal Islami Noor Card c ustomers K a r a c h i: Faysal Bank and Naheed Pakistan have announced a partnership to bring Grocery on Installments facility to all Faysal Islami Noor Card customers at a 0% profit rate This collaboration marks the first time in Pakistan that customers can avail installment financing on grocery shopping in a shariah compliant way providing greater convenience and ease in their lives Customers can avail financing on a minimum spend of Rs 25000/with Naheed The partnership aims to improve payment cycles for

IIUI ranked among 51-100 universities globally in subjec t

Based Q s rankings

i s l a m a b a d: International Islamic University Islamabad has been named as one of the world s top universities and placed among 51-100 in the subjects of Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies and first time is placed at 351-400 in Mathematics across the world in the latest edition of the world s most consulted university rankings QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) by subject Earlier International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) was ranked on 241 position in QS Asia University Rankings 2023 as well as IIUI was placed at 48th position in QS Southern Asia University Rankings 2023 by QS The recent positive results generated by IIUI are outcome of continued reforms and initiatives introduced by the university management that includes preparation of university’s new strategic plan that also helped in gleaning an exact view of the university accomplishments on scientific basis The university leadership believes that upcoming ranking will be much positive as new reforms and initiatives have entered into the mature stages through various steps taken such as implementation of the university s strategic plan and academic audits The university is now all set and in better position to submit its accomplishments and achievements with an approach of quantifiable analysis that will lead to improved and realistic university rankings in future The university leadership has appreciated the hard work of the team specially the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Development (QAD) for its untiring efforts to make it possible in a proper manner to this global ranking P R

Iesco power suspension schedule for today

The animosity between the two major oil-producing countries has disrupted the cohesion and smooth functioning of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the past Despite both countries acknowledging the importance of OPEC for their respective interests their differences often resulted in heated arguments behind closed doors during OPEC meetings However the new deal between Riyadh and Tehran along with their alliance with Russia and China could potentially result in a more potent and united OPEC

10th took the world by surpriseThe Saudi-Russian alliance on crude oil continues to flourish, with the two countries understanding the importance of close liaison to promote stability in the crude oil markets Recently, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak met with Saudi Arabia s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman to discuss "oil markets and efforts of the OPEC+ group to promote market balance and stability The leaders of the two largest oil-producing countries also reiterated their commitment to the OPEC+ decision to reduce output by two million barrels a day until the end of 2023 despite falling oil prices in recent weeks

In addition to their commitment to controlling output, the Saudi energy minister has also made it clear that the kingdom would not sell crude to any country that imposes a price ceiling on its oil exports This posturing against potential oil price ceilings followed consultations between Russia and Saudi Arabia Furthermore Saudi Arabia has warned that it would reduce its oil production and halt supplies to countries that adopt a price cap on crude imports from Saudi Arabia Prince Salman bin

Abdulaziz also indicated that he would not be surprised if other oil exporters do the same," sending a clear warning to western stakeholders against the policy of price caps on oil

Interestingly, despite having more than enough of its own, Saudi Arabia imported almost 2 5 million barrels of diesel-type fuel from Russia in the first 10 days of March according to Kepler data compiled by Bloomberg The move appeared to provide a significant financial cushion to Russia at a time when western powers were attempting to dry up the earnings of Russia from its crude and fuel products exports Saudi Arabia was importing Russian fuel products and, at the same time, selling considerable amounts of fuel to Europe, showing how the global energy trade is being rerouted in the wake of sanctions on Russian supplies

The emerging crude bloc consisting of Russia Saudi Arabia Iran and China is apparently at a cost to the US and the West This new alliance carries ramifications for Pakistan too The mending of fences between Riyadh and Tehran and their crude alliance with Russia and

China could also mean higher oil import bills for Pakistan, which is already facing a precarious economic condition

On the geopolitical front, as well, Pakistan could soon be faced with a dilemma With Beijing, Riyadh, and Tehran, along with Moscow, joining hands it may be challenging for Pakistan to neglect and stay away from this emerging bloc For Islamabad a decision time could be approaching

In summary the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia brokered by China indicates a new global order is taking shape

The emerging crude bloc consisting of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China has significant economic and geopolitical implications, potentially leading to higher oil import bills for some countries and forcing them to make difficult decisions

Meanwhile, the commitment of the world's two major oil producers to keep a tight leash on global oil output signals that the OPEC+ is determined to keep a floor under crude oil prices despite falling prices in recent weeks

To read the full article visit www dawn com

seals jeweller ’s shop

and start spending right away The ICC is an end-to-end digital experience t h a t e l i m i n a t e s t h e n e e d f o r p h y s i c a l v i s i t s t o bank branches or any physcial documentation C u s t o m e r s c a n s t a r t t h e p r o c e s s b y e n t e r i n g t h e i r d e t a i l s a n d s e l e c t i n g t h e c a r d t y p e a n d credit limit of their choice The screening team and credit bureau checks are completed autom a t i c a l l y, a n d c u s t o m e r s r e c e i v e a p p r o v a l w i t h i n m i n u t e s T h e I C C i s a v a i l a b l e t o a l l Bank Alfalah customers, making it easier than ever to apply for a credit card " We a r e e x c i t e d t o i n t r o d u c e t h e I n s t a n t C r e d i t C a r d t o o u r c u s t o m e r s s a i d M u h a mm a d Ya h y a K h a n G r o u p H e a d D i g i t a l B a n ki n g G r o u p a t B a n k A l f a l a h T h i s n e w s e r v i c e i s a t e s t a m e n t t o o u r c o m m i t m e n t t o p r o v i d i n g f a s t e r a n d m o r e c o n v e n i e n t b a n ki n g e x p e r i e n c e s t o o u r c u s t o m e r s w h i l e c r ea t i n g a d i g i t a l l y i n c l u s i v e w o r l d T h i s i s a n e a s y a n d h a s s l e - f r e e p r o c e s s f o r o u r c u st o m e r s t o a p p l y f o r a c r e d i t c a r d , a n d w e a r e c o n f i d e n t t h a t i t w i l l b e a g a m e - c h a n g e r i n t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y " U p o n a p p r o v a l , c u s t o m e r s c a n a c t i v a t e

In pursuance of directions of Ms Tehmina Aamer, Chief Commissioner RTO Rawalpindi, a dedicated team of City Zone on the directions of Mr Mazhar Iqbal CIR City zone on on Tuesday sealed the business premises (outlet) of M/s New Patiala Jewellers Murree Road Rawalpindi for non-integration of its POS with FBR The team of RTO Rawalpindi faced resistance from the owner in the form of protest and not allowing the officers to seal the outlet After hectic efforts and involvement of police at the highest level the team successfully sealed the outlet at about 7 pm The team was led by Mr Hayat

Khan ADCIR and ably assisted by Mr Kamranullah ADCIR,

Saleem IRO

AD P R FFC

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Pa ki s t a n m a ki n g a l l - o u t e ffo r t s to f a c i l i t ate c ro s s - b o rd e r m ove m e n t o f m o n t h l y 3 8 5 , 0 0 0 Afg h a n p e o p l e Pakistan c an earn billions of dollars through expor t of pink salt: ICCI Karachi: Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori in a group photo with members of a CPNE delegation at Governor s House PR K a r a c h i: Sindh Health Commission CEO Ahsan Qavi Siddiqui presents a regular license to Prof Dr Mohammad Altamash Chairman of Altamash Group at Altamash General Hospital in Clinton Dr Munir Ahmed, administrator, Dr Imad Altamash, Dr Murad Altamash directors and Dr

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani authorities are making

efforts to facilitate the movement of around 385 000 Afghan people a month through the PakAfghan border crossing points by introducing the Integrated Border Management System exclusive counters

and other measures According to an official source around

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Maintenance/Development Work is in process Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 29th March 2023, From 07:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Rawalpindi Cantt Circle, Chahan, Chauntra, Rajjar, Chakri, SPD, SPF Feeders, Rawalpindi City Circle, Zeshan Colony, Nust Road Feeders From: 06:00 AM to 10:00 AM, F-17/1, F17/2, Nogazi Feeders and surrounding areas will remain closed IESCO management apologizes to its esteemed customers for the power outage If the work is completed ahead of time the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled time P R CHAMAN A P P

000

a day through the Pak-Afghan crossing points including pedestrians patients, traders, tourists, and transporters

Currently, Pakistan has five crossing points opera-

45th

general meeting Fa u j i Fe r t i l i ze r C o m p a ny ( F F C ) h e l d i t s 4 5 t h A n n u a l G e n e ra l M e e t i n g o n M a r c h 2 8 t h 2 0 2 3 t h u s e s t a b l i s h i n g a q u o r u m o f 5 8 9 8 p e r c e n t w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i o n e i t h e r i n p e r s o n o r t h r o u g h V i d e o C o n f e r e n c i n g a n d p r ox i e s I n d i v i d u a l s h a r e h o l d e r s a s w e l l a s a l l m a j o r e q u i ty h o l d e r s i n c l u d i n g Fa u j i Fo u n d a t i o n S t a t e L i f e I n s u ra n c e C o r p o ra t i o n C i t i B a n k D e u t s c h e B a n k S t a n d a r d C h a r t e r e d B a n k N A FA N I T A P F At l a s a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i ve s f r o m va r i o u s o t h e r C o r p o ra t e b o d i e s a n d i n s t i t u t i o n s a t t e n d e d t h e m e e t i n g B r i g A s ra t M a h m o o d S I ( M ) ( Re t d ) C o m p a ny S e c r e t a r y F F C o p e n e d t h e h o u s e T h e C h a i r m a n F F C B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s , M r Wa q a r A h m e d M a l i k w e l c o m e d t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s o f t h e m e e t i n g M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r a n d C h i e f E xe c u t i ve O f f i c e r F F C , M r S a r f a ra z A h m e d Re h m a n a p p r i s e d t h e s h a r e h o l d e r s a b o u t p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e C o m p a ny d u r i n g t h e ye a r 2 0 2 2 M r S a r f a ra z A h m e d Re h m a n w h i l e r e s p o n d i n g t o va r i o u s q u e r i e s f r o m s h a r e h o l d e r s , i n f o r m e d t h e h o u s e a b o u t g o a l s a n d f u t u r e s t ra t e g y o f t h e C o m p a ny H e f u r t h e r a s s u r e d F F C s c o m m i t m e n t t o a c h i e ve h i g h e r s t a n d a r d s o f p e r f o r m a n c e a n d t o p r ov i d e s u s t a i n e d e a r n i n g s t o t h e va l u e d s h a r e h o l d e r s d e s p i t e t h e c h a l l e n g i n g e c o n o m i c c i r c u m s t a n c e s P R

tional with Afghanistan which include Chaman Torkhum, Kharlachi, Ghulam Khan and Angoor Ada

The official, rubbishing the propaganda by Afghan and Indian media against Pakistan by reporting incidents of perceived mistreatment of Afghans by Pakistani authorities at the crossing points, said despite limited resources and strength, Pakistan was manning over 100 counters at the crossing points to ensure smooth processing of a heavy inflow of cross-border movement

No other bordering country has such an exodus at their border crossings he said About 79 counters have been placed at Chaman and Torkham the busiest crossing points Pakistan has Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) in place at main crossings which supports One Document Regime (valid visa/ passport) However to facilitate their Afghan brethren Pakistan also allows a large number of Afghans especially patients, journalists,

women and traders to cross the border on Tazkera (nonvalid) document on humanitarian grounds Exclusive counters at crossing points have been made operational for Afghan patients and women only

The Afghan nationals entering into Pakistan either on valid or invalid documents are allowed to extend/renew their status to stay in Pakistan

S t o f a C i l i t at e e n e r G y e f f i C i e n t a P P l i a n C e S

iSLAMABAD

G h u l a M a b b a s

tH E g o v e r n m e n t h a s d e c i d e d to remove duties on import of s i l i c o n s t e e l s h e e t s w h i c h i s u s e d f o r m a n u f a c t u r i n g o f electric fans motors washing m a c h i n e s , t r a n s f o r m e r s t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f e n e rg y e ff i c i e n t home appliances

T h e d e c i s i o n c o m e s i n l i n e a f t e r the government banned the manufact u r i n g p r o d u c t i o n o f t r a d i t i o n a l f a n s and bulbs from July 1 2023 as it consumes higher energy

According to documents available, after due deliberation and consultation with relevant stakeholders a summary of amendment in SRO No 565 has been moved to the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) The MoC is subsequently going to submit a case to the National Tariff Policy for revision of SRO No 565(I), 2006 to extend the exemptions to all manufacturers and vendors of electrical

appliances and get approval of the federal cabinet through Economic Coordination Committee

Earlier the issues of bulb and fan industry were discussed in a committee constituted by Prime Minister Several meetings were conducted with Ministry Science and Technology (MoST) Ministry of Industries and Production Engineering Development Board (EDB), Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) MoC and National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) As per details the fan industry is using Non-Grain Oriented Electrical Steel Sheet (NGOESS) and labelled under Pakistan Customs Tariffs (PCT) headings of 7225 1900 and 7226 1900 for manufacturing of fan stators and rotors The

has 5% Regulatory

and 2% Additional Custom

whereas electrical steel

Duty under the existing SRO According to documents the finan-

cial impact of the duty exemptions to these two products is likely to be over Rs 200 million because more than 20 000 metric ton were imported till March 7 2023 of the current fiscal year paying Rs 180 million duty Banning traditional appliances As per sources there are approximately 41 million fans installed in houses and other buildings across the country The ministry of energy will collaborate with power companies (DISCOs) to ensure installation of at least one new highly energy efficient fan in the premise of every consumer under an installment plan of its cost

As per the approved plan,

Smuggled/Counter feit Drugs: Products of collapsing pharmaceutical industr y

pr ofit

b a K h t n o o R

Critical medicine has fallen short in the market due to pricing disputes between the pharmaceutical industry and the Health Ministry leading patients to resort to smuggled and potentially counterfeit drugs at exorbitant costs

A Background Previously the COVID-19 pandemic caused an exponential increase in the prices of pharmaceutical ingredients including the raw materials used in drug manufacturing in the international markets This conflated with skyrocketing inflation and rupee devaluation Consequently, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 27 6% in January 2023 as compared to its amount in the same period in 2022 In recent months the rupee hit an all-time low at 286 rupees against $1, which made it one of Asia’s weakest currencies According to sources “80% of the raw material for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals is imported

The persistent exchange rate fluctuations has created a situation wherein the pharmaceutical companies can t sustain their operations in Pakistan This is compounded with the imposition of duties and tariffs on imported raw material

“Inflationary Adjustments” in Medical Prices

Earlier in February 70 pharmaceutical companies wrote a letter urging the government to increase the prices of medicines in Pakistan due to the rising inflation and significant rupee depreciation in the country The letters were addressed to the federal minister and secretary of Ministry of Health Services Regulation and Coordination and CEO of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)

Packages Limited (PKGS), one of Pakistan s most well-known conglomerates, posted a 50% increase in its total consolidated revenue for the year ended December 2022 However rising cost of goods sold and finance cost led the company to post a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 6 979 million a slight 2% decline year on year The company posted its financials for 2022 on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) at the start of this week

The company earned a record total revenue of Rs 121 8 billion in 2022 But an increase of over 50% in cost of sales and services to Rs 96 5 billion led to a gross profit of Rs 25 3 billion still up 52% over the preceding year Control over the expenses by the company resulted in operating profit of Rs 19 billion up 56% compared to 2021 However ever-rising interest rates caused a massive 180% increase in finance cost to Rs 7 25 billion This, coupled with Rs 4 9 billion tax led to a PAT for the company of Rs 6 98 billion in 2022 compared to Rs 7 15 billion in the preceding year

ferred its manufacturing and packaging business to its wholly owned subsidiary ( Packages Convertors Limited’) The purpose of this arrangement was to develop operating synergies across businesses managing operations in a focused manner and streamlining the ownership structure

This meant that the performance of Packages Limited was dependent on the functioning of its subsidiaries, Packages Convertors, Bulleh Shah Packaging (Private) Limited, DIC Pakistan Limited, and Packages Real Estate (Private) Limited etc

Packages has been at the forefront of innovation and leading business in the country ever since it started operation in 1956 Founded by Syed Babar Ali one of the sons of legendary colonial era Lahori merchant Syed Maratib Ali, the multinational packaging company based in Lahore began as a joint venture between the Wazir Ali Group and two Swedish companies named Akerlund and Rausing

The group now owns a number of companies that include the Coca Cola Bottling plant in Lahore, Packages Mall Milkpak IGI General Insurance Treet Corporation, Tullo Cooking Oil, amongst many more

According to the letter, the medicinal companies called the government to adjust the maximum retail prices of medicines according to inflation They also indicated that failure to make such adjustments could lead to the collapse of the domestic pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan

The Chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association defended the demand for an inflationary price adjustment, as he perceived this as necessary given the increasing inflation and dollar-rupee disparity

The (local) pharmaceutical industry is on the verge of collapse because of no corresponding adjustment in pricing despite a 60pc increase in the materials’ cost in recent years he added When we demanded a 38pc raise, a dollar was Rs235 And now it’s Rs286, which means even this 38pc increase will not be enough ” said Bukhari “However we are still open to any government offer in this regard

If the government does not bow to the manufacturers

“logical” demand he warned pharmaceutical companies would be compelled to shut down their units, risking more than 1 million jobs

We have only one month (left) to make a decision as currently we are using the raw material which we have in the pipeline to produce medicines, he said

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) posted Syed Shakeel Shah a 20 grade officer to Director General Intelligence and Investigation, a rank generally taken by a 21 grade officer

According to FBR former DG Intelligence and Investigation, Faiz Ahmad, will work as DG, Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (Enforcement) and will be replaced by Shah of Pakistan Customs Service Shah hails from Haripur and served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister Office from 2015 to 2018 He also reportedly worked with the chief organizer of PML-N in the PM youth loan scheme In his new role, Shah will expedite anti-smuggling activities to curb the rising problem as there are reports that even basic necessity items such as sugar are being smuggled to Afghanistan

Customs Intelligence under the outgoing DG customs Ahmad confiscated 3 600 laptops in Karachi along with confiscation of smuggled petroleum products and non-duty paid cigarettes

Other postings

Moreover Muhammad Sadiq Director General

Directorate General of IPR (Enforcement) has been transferred and posted as Deputy Director General, Directorate General of National Nuclear Detection Architecture (NNDA) Islamabad

Muhammad Junaid Jalil Khan, Deputy Director General, Directorate General of National Nuclear Detection Architecture (NNDA) has been assigned to work as Director General Directorate General of Reforms & Automation (Customs), Islamabad

The conglomerate also announced a 275% cash dividend which translates into Rs 27 50 dividend per share This is the second highest dividend payout by the company in its history Company profile Packages Ltd underwent internal restructuring in 2020 and became a holding company It trans-

The principle activity of the company is to manage investments in its subsidiary companies associated companies and joint ventures engaged in various businesses including manufacturing of packaging materials, tissue, consumer products, industrial inks paper paperboard products and corrugated boxes biaxially oriented polypropylene ( BOPP ) and cast polypropylene ( CPP ) films, ground calcium carbonate products, insurance, power generation and real estate

Alibaba to split into six units, explore IPOs

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R e u t e R s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (9988 HK) is planning to split its business into six main units covering ecommerce, media and the cloud, the company said on Tuesday adding that each of the units will explore fundraising or initial public offerings

U S -listed shares of Alibaba rose 3 5% in trading before the bell

The six units will include Cloud Intelligence Group Taobao Tmall Commerce Group Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group

Each of the six will be managed by its own CEO and board of directors

Daniel Zhang will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group which will follow a holding company management model, the company said in a statement Zhang will also serve as CEO of Cloud Intelligence Group as previously announced

North Exploration License It is relevant to note here that the Zamzama North exploration licence expired in December, 2010, after which further extension was not granted due to the fact that the company was unable to fulfil the minimum work commitment within stipulated time frame as required by the industry laws Subsequently the company was served a notice followed by a Show Cause Notice to remedy the default Finally, the company was also given the opportunity of “Personal Hearing” over the said licence and the notice was withdrawn while a conditional consent was granted that HOGL shall be entitled for grant of extension for a period

According to Bukhari, a total of 1300 local brands communicated to the government that it was impossible for them to continue their business at the existing cost mechanism

“There is a 200pc increase in the prices of flour oil vegetables and other essential items But the government is not ready to accept our legitimate demand just to gain political mileage, he exclaimed Based on the amalgamation of these factors the pharmaceutical industry now demands a 38% increase However, the government has rejected the demand As a result, pharmaceutical companies are either halting their manufacturing or turning to limited-scale production of scores of essential and non-essential medicines

What Should the Government Do?

Sajid Shah the Health Ministry spokesperson said that the government is fully cognisant of the situation and will make decisions keeping in mind the interests of the masses and the pharmaceutical industry

He told Anadolu The ministry and the regulatory authorities understand the problems the pharmaceutical industry is facing due to the current economic situation especially the dollar ’s appreciation But simultaneously we have to protest the interests of 220 million [people] as well

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) a nationwide body of health professionals is against the idea of inflating prices However, it acknowledged the problems that the pharmaceutical industry faces “Some of their points are valid and we fully acknowledge them But the PMA is a patient-friendly body, and it cannot support an increase in the prices of the drugs, considering the ongoing economic conditions of the masses ” PMA

President Dr Usman Mako told Anadolu

C o n t i n u e d o n pa g e 03

of two years with effect from issuance date of extension letter by the government subject to compliance of certain conditions Raising concerns over the withdrawal of the Show Cause Notice, the sources also claimed that the notice cannot be withdrawn on the Block without approval of the Cabinet – this has been done illegally because all of the cases for revival have been approved by Cabinet Further alleging that Heritage Oil has not fulfilled the provisions given in the conditional extension while extension and assignment cannot be granted in Zamzama North Block unilaterally as the same process of approval of ECC and Cabinet was not carried out for withdrawal of show cause notice The Block needs to fall under revocation and can only be revived after clearance approval from Cabinet The proposed as-

signee in this case along with the proposed operator is Al-Haj Al-Haj has allegedly been part of a dubious transaction wherein it took over Premier Oil s assets in Pakistan – this approval of transfer of assets and interests was not given by either Secretary, Minister ECC or Cabinet as the approval was allegedly done at the level of the then Additional Secretary Sher Afghan which is strictly against the law, said sources Sources further said that in 2019 11 Exploration Licences were revoked on account of non-performance and were issued Revocation Licences However the then Director General Petroleum Concessions Qazi Muhammad Saleem Siddiqui excluded Zamzama North Block from this list even though the Block was awarded in 2006-07 and no work has been done in the Block while now this Block is currently being assessed by DGPC for extension and regularisation