Epaper – April 22 LHR 2021

Thursday, 22 April, 2021 I 9 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 294 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

COVID-19 THIRD WAVE

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Minister warns of stricter restrictions if situation worsens IsLAMABAD

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Staff report

He National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday suggested more restrictions to control the worsening Covid-19 situation in the country.

“We will have to increase the restrictions. If we do not contain the rapid spread of the pandemic, we will have no option but to impose a complete lockdown in the big cities,” Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said after chairing a meeting of NCOC. He said that they would present their recommendations to the National Coordination Com-

Asad Umar says govt will have no option but to impose complete lockdown in cities

mittee on Friday, which would make the final decision. The minister warned that it was the last chance that the people should take the pandemic serious as they did in the first wave last year, otherwise they would have to suffer from strict restrictions.

He regretted that neither the people nor the administration was showing their responsibility to ensure full compliance with the precautions and anti-Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government.

He requested the provincial chief ministers to

show leadership in this regard.

“All possible assistance [from the federal government] is at their disposal, but they have to show leadership on the ground as the people will follow their message,” he added.

Asad again warned that the country was only a few days away from the complete lockdown so the people must follow the SOPs to stem the surge of Covid-19. The number of active coronavirus patients, he said, had now risen to over 83,000 from merely a few thousand a few weeks ago.

The minister said that Covid-19 positivity ratio was alarmingly increasing as evident from 33 per cent in Mardan, 26 per cent in Peshawar, 20 per cent in Noshehra, 38 per cent in Bahawalpur, 25 per cent in Faisalabad, 27 per cent in Lahore, 21 per cent in Multan and 28 per cent in Rawalpindi.

The positivity ratio in Sindh, however, was low, but it was also increasing gradually as it was recorded at 13 per cent in Karachi and 14 per cent in Hyderabad, he added.

The minister said that the number of coronavirus patients being admitted to hospitals had also increased to over 600 per day from 100 to 150 earlier. He said that in June last year when the pandemic was on peak in the first wave, the maximum number of patients on oxygen was around 3,400, which had now increased to 4,500. Asad said that the current week would be the worst in term of the number of deaths as the highest ever number of Covid-19 patients were losing their lives to the disease.

A week earlier, not more than 26 patients were dying of Covid-19, but their number crossed 137 per day, he added.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Govt’s affordable housing projects to benefit weaker segments: PM g

At least four killed, over a dozen injured in Quetta blast

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coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

772,381

LAST UPDATED AT 8:20 AM ON APRIL 21, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

148

5,499

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

672,619 16,600 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

274,196

276,535

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

108,462 AJK/GB: 15,873 / 5,204

21,127 ISLAMABAD:

70,984

Pakistan, Iran discuss common resolve against xenophobia

NOwsHeRA Staff report

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

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MORE INSIDE

Imran urges banks to streamline loan disbursement procedure

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday termed the provision of shelter to the common man as a basic responsibility of the state and said that the government’s low-cost housing projects would particularly benefit the weaker segment of society. Addressing the foundation-stone laying ceremony of Jalozai Apartments for low-income groups, the prime minister said that the project was aimed at providing shelter to the underprivileged segment of society, particularly the working class and labourers. He said that the government would provide a Rs300,000 subsidy on each house while the buyer would pay easy mortgage instalments to get the ownership rights. He also said that with the government’s efforts, a long-delayed foreclosure law was settled that resulted in an agreement with banks on mortgage financing, which was the key factor in the materialisation of the project. He urged the banks to further streamline their loan disbursement procedure, including training of the staff to facilitate the aspirants. The prime minister mentioned that the Jalozai Apartments to be built on 9,800 kanal land would be given to the registered persons through balloting.

PM Imran stressed that caring for the poor and ensuring rule of law was in line with Islam’s first welfare State of Medina where Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) brought a revolution for mankind. He maintained that no nation could prosper if it neglected its weaker segments and failed to ensure rule of law. The rule of law, he said, was the main component of a strong society. On the other hand, a banana republic protects its powerful people only, he added.

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STORY ON PAGE 03

News Desk At least four people were killed and over a dozen injured in a powerful explosion in the parking lot of Serena Hotel in Quetta, Balochistan, on late on Wednesday night.

According to reports, security forces, including police and fire brigade personnel, reached the site to investigate the nature of the blast.

Meanwhile, the injured were shifted to a local hospital where the condition of two was said to be critical, confirmed Quetta Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Arbab Kamran Kasi. He also confirmed the number of the dead and injured. Balochistan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tahir Rai informed a local news outlet that the blast took place in the parking lot of the hotel and that the area had been cordoned off. He added that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has been deployed to investigate the incident.

Serena Hotel is located on the Shahrah-e-Zarghun Road of the provincial capital. Balochistan Chief Minister

Jam Kamal Khan condemned the incident and sought a report from police officials. He stressed that no one would be allowed to disturb law and order in the province, adding that the “entire nation is united to eradicate the scourge of terrorism”. The CM directed the security forces to ensure foolproof security arrangements within the province and urged health authorities to give the best medical facilities to the injured.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed also condemned the incident and sought a report from the provincial chief secretary.

He also expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the blast.

Newly-appointed Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Twitter that the Interior Ministry is in close contact with the Balochistan government and an investigation is underway. “The government will issue a statement as soon as the nature of the blast and the damage is determined,” he said on the microblogging site.

Pakistan gets membership of three UN bodies STORY ON BACK PAGE

A judge cannot do whatever he wants to, SC chides Justice Isa STORY ON PAGE 03

Rizwan shines for Pakistan in first T20 victory over Zimbabwe STORY ON PAGE 11

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Thursday, 22 April, 2021

LAHORE

NEWS

FORMeR PM AsKed tO APOlOgise AFteR clAsh with NA sPeAKeR

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NewS DeSK

HE National Assembly (NA) Secretariat issued a letter to the former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to apologise to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser after the two clashed during Tuesday’s emergency session of the lower house.

“The Honourable Speaker has taken a very serious note of your continuous misbehaviour and disregard of Chair and accepted parliamentary norms and especially on the occasion when a very important business was about to transact before the House on 20th April 2021,” the letter sent to Abbasi and released by the NA media directorate stated.

The letter maintained that the former premier’s actions had “eroded” the authority of the NA speaker and hindered the smooth running of the assembly session.

Furthermore, it asked Abbasi to explain his position within seven days of receiving the letter “as to why action in terms of rule 21 … shall not be taken against [him]”.

Rule 21 refers to the power of the NA speaker, wherein Qaiser would have the power to suspend Abbasi’s membership for the entire session.

Rule 21 states: “The Speaker may, if he deems it necessary, name a member who disregards the authority of the Speaker or abuses these rules by consistently and willfully obstructing the business of the Assembly. (2) If a member is so named by the Speaker, he shall forthwith put the question that the member (naming him) be

Pakistan to continue efforts for Afghan peace: FO

suspended from the service of the Assembly for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session: Provided that the Assembly may, at any time, on a motion made, resolve that such suspension be terminated.”

“If reply is not received within such time, it will be presumed that you have no explanation to offer,” the letter stated.

Meanwhlie, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Sadaqat Abbasi on Wednesday demanded that Khaqan Abbasi apologise to Qaiser.

The PTI leader held a press conference, along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill, and said that Khaqan Abbasi’s act was immoral and undemocratic which has hurt PTI. The PML-N leader’s threat to NA speaker disgraced the house, he added.

ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

Staff rePort

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed on Wednesday said that the first information reports (FIR) against Saad Hussain Rizvi and 209 other Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) supporters will go through court.

In a press conference, he said that TLP chief Rizvi’s case includes sections 78A (Acts done pursuant to the judgment or order of Court) and 302 (Punishment for murder).

Rasheed said that the ban on the party is not being reversed. The members can send an appeal against it to the Interior Ministry within 30 days. “If this happens, a committee will be formed to decide over the case.”

Around 1:45 pm, 669 TLP supporters arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order were released from jail.

Most of them were from South Punjab and Faisalabad.

According to Rasheed, the agreement signed between the ministry and the religious party includes that decisions pertaining to all international matters will be taken by the government and no religious or political party will be allowed to pressurise them.

The minister said that a martyrs package will be given to the police officers killed during the TLP protests. C1 and C2 certificates and Rs4 billion will be distributed to the officers injured during the sit-ins and protests.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan will himself take Western countries into confidence and prepare a strategy of common interests for Muslims across the world.”

The government has decided that western countries will be sensitized to the issue of blasphemy, and Islamic countries urged to take a stance against blasphemous

Bilawal demands PM’s resignation over rising inflation in Ramadan KARACHI inP

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has strongly criticised the government for skyrocketing inflation during the holy month of Ramadan and has demanded that Prime Minister Imran Khan should have mercy on the public and resign from office. In a statement on Wednesday, the PPP chairman said that the selected government has spared no effort to pin the public against the wall, adding that record increase in the prices of food items has broken the public’s back during Ramadan.

Bilawal said that the present government is incapable of solving the country’s problems. The sudden increase in prices of 16 items, including ghee and flour, at the start of Ramadan shows the government’s incompetence, he added. Bilawal said that inflation rising after the government’s announcement of monitoring prices during Ramadan was a matter of concern. “The Ramadan package announced by the prime minister is nowhere to be seen,” he said. The PPP chairman said that subsidising utility stores during Ramadan did not absolve the government of its responsibility, adding that inflation in the open market was skyrocketing, where the common man cannot even buy vegetables and fruits for his family.

He said that merely changing finance ministers will not alleviate the suffering of the people. Real relief will come when the incompetent rulers responsible for the inflation go home, he added.

Pakistan once again urges UK to repatriate Nawaz to Pakistan

Saad Rizvi’s case will undergo legal proceedings: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD Pakistan has said that it will continue to work towards achieving a lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. In a statement on Thursday, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that the parties to the Afghan conflict should not miss the opportunity to work out an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. “Pakistan has been consistently supporting and facilitating the efforts for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he further said in reference to the postponement of the Afghan peace process conference due to be held in Turkey. Turkey had announced on Tuesday that an international peace conference on Afghanistan scheduled for April 24 in Istanbul has been postponed until mid-May. “We have always maintained that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan,” said the spokesperson.

The postponement comes after the US administration of President Joe Biden last week announced the withdrawal of all American forces from Afghanistan before this year’s 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Turkey had first announced the conference, co-sponsored by the United Nations and Qatar, to run from April 24 to May 4. Ankara said the talks would be between representatives of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban. The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan attaches great value to Turkey’s efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan. “We believe that the meeting of Afghan leadership in Turkey, on the new dates once finalised, would be an important opportunity for the Afghans to make progress towards a negotiated political settlement.”

The PTI leader said that Khaqan Abbasi told Qaiser to hit him with his shoe. The erstwhile premier runs behind people on roads to kick them and talks about swearing at others, Sadaqat Abbasi said, while adding that the presence of such people in the parliament will promote the culture of intolerance.

Similarly, PTI’s Leader of Opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh said that during his tenure as prime minister, Khaqan Abbasi had visited the United States and was strip-searched.

Addressing a press conference in Sindh Assembly on Wednesday, he strongly condemned the behaviour of Khaqan Abbasi in the NA. He said that the PML-N has forgotten the principles of morality and ethics. He maintained that these are corrupt politicians.

content, he stated.

The interior ministry is planning to bring a policy against hate speech, terrorism, and religious extremism to prevent any such breach in the law and order situation, Rasheed concluded.

TLP workers called off their sit-in outside Lahore’s Rehmatul Lil Alameen Mosque on Tuesday night after over a week.

The TLP and government negotiations began after protracted protests from the political party and its supporters across Pakistan starting last week. The protests began over the publication of blasphemous caricatures in a French magazine.

The TLP had been agitating from November and had been in talks with the government. However, when its chief Rizvi planned to march on Islamabad, he was taken into custody. Protests broke out after that, especially in Lahore and Karachi.

Sindh governor, CM discuss Covid-19 situation KARACHI Staff rePort

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah met with Governor Sindh Imran Ismail at Governor House on Wednesday.

During the meeting, both leaders discussed issues of mutual interests among the obtaining law and order situation, development projects and matters to further improve the mutual relations, said a statement.

They reviewed the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curtail the spread of Covid-19 in the province.

Adil added that Khaqan Abbasi was defeated by Sadaqat Abbasi and later he became a member of parliament from Lahore.

He said that the nation should recognise these corrupt and useless leaders who are hatching conspiracies to topple Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

Adil regretted thinking that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was not positive with Covid-19. He further said that Fazl had poured diesel over the fire.

The PTI leader said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal BhuttoZardari cleaned the mess after the statement of Salman Taseer, and that this mess could have been avoided.

He pointed out that the PTI fulfilled its promise and tabled a resolution in assembly. He lambasted Bilawal for not attending the session even to read a written speech. He maintained that Bilawal did not have the same courage as Prime Minister Imran.

Adil said that the objective of PTI and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is the same but they have different methodology.

He stressed that no Muslim could tolerate blasphemy.

The governor, chief minister also held discussions with a focus on special training measures for the professionalism of the police and the transformation of the police into a public service force.

Keeping in view the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the province, the Sindh government on Monday formally requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone by-election for National Assembly constituency NA-249 Karachi.

In a letter to the ECP, the Sindh government urged the election body to postpone the scheduled by-poll in the concurrency until the coronavirus pandemic was brought under control.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday urged the United Kingdom to repatriate former premier and leader of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif, who is wanted in many cases by the country’s top courts. An informed source told Pakistan Today that the repatriation of Nawaz has become a source of controversy between the two countries, as British authorities have a history of ignoring Pakistani requests in such matters. “The British Home Secretary Priti Patel has been conveyed that it is his responsibility to repatriate Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan, but the UK has not yet cooperated with the Pakistani government in sending Nawaz Sharif back,” the source said.

The source said that British Home Secretary Priti has written a letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Accountability Advisor Shehzad Akbar, in which she has said that the British government would consider the request to repatriate Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan in accordance with the international law.

Earlier, Priti confirmed that if a formal request was received from Pakistan to send Nawaz Sharif back to Pakistan, the British government would pay full attention to it in accordance with British law. Furthermore, the British home secretary also stressed that the British government is bound by international law and it could not do anything contrary to legal provisions. Pakistan, the source said, in its request sent through the British High Commissioner, asked that Nawaz be sent back to Pakistan, but the letter sent to Pakistan by the Home minister shows that the UK will not consider deporting the PML-N supreme leader.

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed told media persons that during his meeting with British High Commissioner Christian Turner, he had raised the issue of deportation of Nawaz Sharif. To this, Turner said that Pakistan may submit a formal application for deporting Sharif. During the meeting, the interior minister expressed grief on the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and offered his condolences to the royal family. The meeting between the two also reviewed the progress on extradition agreements and the issue of red listing of passengers travelling from Pakistan to the UK due to the pandemic. Rasheed said that Pakistan has an age-old relationship with the UK which it values very highly, but it was concerned about being put on the UK’s red list. This has caused anxiety among Pakistanis living in the UK and with the virus spreading faster in neighbouring countries, this treatment of Pakistan is discriminatory, he added. Mian abrar

Reforms process started in MoIB in 2018 being resumed: Fawad ISLAMABAD aPP

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Wednesday said that the process of reforms started in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) in 2018 was being resumed.

The minister, in a series of tweets, said that the PTV News had been given a deadline of June 1 to complete the HD project pending since 2019.

From June 1, the PTV News would be converted to full HD, and PTV Sports would also become an HD channel this year, he added.

Similarly, Fawad said that foundation of a new English channel would be laid this year.

He said that the Pakistan Television (PTV) studios in Karachi and Lahore would be renovated on Public Private Partnership mode. Moreover, he added, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) would be made a digital news agency.

He further said that steps have been taken to make the Press Information Department (PID) and advertising system completely paperless. The External Publicity Wing would also be completely revamped, he added.

Fawad said the revival of film and drama was the first priority of the government.

Work had started on world class production (of

documentaries) on the lives of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Tipu Sultan, he added.

The Kamyab Jawan programme, he said, would provide loans of up to Rs50 million to the young drama and film makers.

Under the Prime Minister's Housing Project, houses and Sehat Insaf Cards would be provided to journalists associated with print and electronic media, the minister said. He said that legislation was being made for mandatory payment of salaries to overcome the problem of delay in the media industry.

It would also be his policy to provide facilities to the press clubs, while full support would be given to the digital media, he added.

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

LAHORE

NEWS

03

PAKistAN, iRAN discUss cOMMON ResOlve AgAiNst xeNOPhOBiA ISLAMABAD

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Mian abrar

AKISTAN and Iran on Wednesday held a discussion on showing a common resolve against xenophobia, intolerance and incitement to violence on the basis of religion or belief.

The discussion took place during a meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani in Tehran.

“While discussing rising Islamophobia, Foreign Minister Qureshi appreciated convergence between Pakistan and Iran to show a common resolve against xenophobia, intolerance and incitement to violence on the basis of religion or belief,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The foreign minister conveyed warm greetings on behalf of Pakistani leadership to Dr Rouhani and best wishes for the fraternal Iranian people. Foreign Minister Qureshi lauded President Rouhani’s role in leading the nation during his tenure.

Foreign Minister Qureshi discussed with

FOREIGN MINISTER QURESHI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT ROUHANI DISCUSS WAYS AND MEANS TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL RELATIONS President Rouhani the ways and means to strengthen close bilateral relations, rooted in shared history, culture, faith and language.

He underlined Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to strengthen ties with Iran in diverse field with emphasis on expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation and development.

The foreign minister thanked the Iranian president for support to the prime minister’s initiative to establish border markets, which would benefit people in the border region. The opening of international border crossing point at Mand-Pishin would facilitate pedestrian movement and enhance bilateral trade.

Qureshi expressed gratitude for Iran’s consistent support to the Kashmiri people, especially from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Rouhani expressed happiness over Prime Minister Imran’s

recovery from Covid-19. He reiterated Iran’s desire to enhance bilateral relations in diverse fields.

Separately, Foreign Minister Qureshi also called on Speaker of Iranian Parliament Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf. During the

meeting, the foreign minister highlighted excellent Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations, and reiterated commitment to further strengthen fraternal ties.

Referring to the parliamentary cooperation, Qureshi emphasized frequent

exchanges to develop common understanding on various issues. He also underlined for the need to enhance coordination at international parliamentary fora. The foreign minister apprised the Speaker about the grave human rights violations in IOK and appreciated the support of the Iranian leadership to the Kashmiri people.

Highlighting the rise of Islamophobia, Foreign Minister Qureshi remarked that such cases imperil future prospects of peace and harmony among civilisations. The foreign minister appreciated Iran’s support to Pakistan’s initiative to counter Islamophobia.

It was agreed to move jointly on the issue of Islamophobia and preserving the respect of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

The foreign minister reiterated National Assembly speaker’s invitation to his Iranian counterpart for a visit to Pakistan and expressed hope that the visit will further strengthen parliamentary cooperation between Pakistan and Iran.

The chairman of Pakistan Iran Friendship Group received the foreign minister upon arrival at the parliament.

A judge cannot do whatever he wants to, SC chides Justice Isa ISLAMABAD aPP

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday rebuked Justice Qazi Faez Isa and reminded him that the job security of being a judge of the apex court did not mean that a judge could do whatever he wants.

A 10-member larger SC bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Aminuddin Khan heard the review petitions seeking removal of paragraphs 2 to 11 of the June 19, 2020, verdict.

On June 19, 2020, seven judges of a 10judge bench quashed a presidential reference against Justice Isa but also ordered the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to conduct an inquiry into the judge’s family members’ foreign assets and submit a report to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

During the course of proceedings, Justice Isa said that he would submit a written response over three questions asked by the court during the previous hearing on Tuesday. A judge is not a government employee, he added.

Upon this, Justice Bandial said that the apex court had ruled that the judges were also part of the service of Pakistan. He asked whether corruption was not a problem for the judges. Job security does not mean that a judge could do whatever he wanted, and fortunately, it is not a case of corruption, he added.

Justice Isa said that the lawyers of bar

councils had submitted their written arguments.

Justice Bandial said that he was not sensible enough to be satisfied with the written arguments. The court’s attitude should be the same with every litigant, he added.

Hamid Khan, a lawyer for the bar councils, argued that the SJC became inactive with the revocation of reference. He said that the matter should not have been referred to the FBR as the decision in that regard was wrong.

He argued that it was clear that the presidential reference was annulled. When the reference was annulled, the matter was also settled in the SJC and no further action could be taken, he added.

Sindh Assembly unanimously adopts resolution against blasphemous caricatures KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the publication of blasphemous caricatures in France, while Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded the removal of Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed. In the Sindh Assembly session, a resolution was moved by Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah against the blasphemous caricatures and in the honor of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), which was unanimously passed by the House. Introducing the resolution, Shah said, “We will scarify our lives for the honor of the Holy Prophet (PBUH),” adding that this sensitive issue should have been resolved amicably. JI member Syed Abdul Rashid demanded the removal of Interior Minister Rasheed and said that the agreements reached regarding the honor of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) should be implemented.

Mufti Qasim Fakhri of the banned Tehreek-eLabbaik Pakistan (TLP) said that an agreement had been reached between the federal government and TLP in November last year. inP

Justice Muneeb Akhtar said that there was no mention of revocation of reference in the court’s decision, which stated that the SJC would review the FBR’s content.

The decision further stated that the matter should be placed before the SJC, which could take further action using its suo moto jurisdiction, he added. Justice Bandial said that the information could be provided as long as the council was active.

Hamid said that the children and family were neither parties in the SJC nor in the SC. They were not made parties in any case and on any platform, he added.

Addressing Hamid, Justice Bandial said that he wanted to say that the judge’s code of conduct did not include his children and family. There was a court decision in that

regard and a judge should also be very careful about his family and children, he said. The issue of assets beyond means was very important, he added.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah questioned whether a decision could be given without hearing a person.

Hamid asked that if Justice Isa’s family was not a party here, how could action be taken against them. They could not be made a party under Article 209, nor did the Code of Conduct for Judges mention anything about it, he added.

Justice Bandial said that the apex court had made observations regarding the families of judges. The case for assets beyond means was not limited to public officials, he reiterated.

Hamid replied that if the wife and children were not dependent (on a judge) then the case could not be filed. The SJC is not a permanent body, it could only be formed if there is a reference, he added.

To this, the justice said that the SJC was permanent and he was a part of it but he separated himself from its proceedings.

Hamid said that taking a suo motu notice was at the SJC’s discretion, which, however, could not be directed to do so.

Justice Bandial said that the FBR report had not been reviewed by the SJC till date.

The registrar had the material to present to the council, he added.

Hamid, the lawyer for the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Bar Council and Balochistan Bar Council, completed his arguments, which were adopted by Rashid Rizvi, the lawyer for the Sindh Bar Council and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

When Additional Attorney General

Buzdar inaugurates e-abiana billing system in Punjab LAHORe tLtP

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Wednesday inaugurated the e-abiana billing system and handed over e-abiana bills to the farmers.

The chief minister said computerised bills will be issued to farmers, adding that the latest system will save the water users from the discrepancies of the previous practice of issuing abiana on a ‘parchi.’ Rather, they will be issued a detailed bill containing details of the farmer and agricultural land.

This bill will be payable through nearest banks, Easypaisa, ATMs, JazzCash or e-Pay Punjab, he continued. The new facility will help the farmers along with timely recovery of abiana dues. It will also assist in maintaining the colossal irrigation system by improving recoveries, he further said.

This system was initially introduced in Khanwah, Layyah, Kasur and Sheikhupura canal divisions to substitute the 100-year-old archaic abiana system. It is designed in collaboration with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to be gradually enforced in the

whole of the province.

Federal Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, provincial ministers Mohsin Leghari and Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, secretaries of irrigation and information departments and others attended the ceremony.

Separately, Chief Minister Buzdar, in principle, approved the proposal of setting up a special children’s village at 104 kanals of land retrieved from the squatters in Sharaqpur. He directed to finalise the proposal adding that the latest technology be used to decrease construction cost while ensuring early completion of the project.

While chairing a meeting at his office, the CM said physically challenged children will be provided sports therapy and other facilities while sports ground will be utilised for multiple purposes. He expressed the satisfaction that a provincial special education policy has been chalked out along with the introduction of an etransfer policy for teachers of special education institutions.

Meanwhile, a special education mobile app has also been launched to help parents to register their differentlyabled child in a nearby institution, he added.

(AAG) Amir Rehman started giving arguments on behalf of the federal government, he was directed by Justice Bandial to provide his written submissions to the court.

Aamir said that Sarina Isa did not get a chance to be heard. She had testified in the court and presented documents, he said, adding the review petitions could only address errors in the decision.

The government’s lawyer said that Sarina was heard without being a party.

There should be no restrictions on the right to a fair trial, he added. He further said that the court did not rule against Sarina.

He argued that the court decision directed the review of statements in accordance with the law. Even if the apex court had not taken the notice, the FBR could took notice on its own, he added.

Justice Yahya Afridi asked under which law instructions had been given to the tax authorities. It was a very sensitive case so the court gave a deadline and giving a deadline to the FBR was not an illegal order, he added.

The AAG said that Sarina was given a full opportunity of a formal hearing. Justice Bandial said that according to Justice Isa and his wife, the FBR did not take notice.

On this, Justice Isa remarked that he never raised that point and his lawyer had stated it.

Aamir said that according to the FBR, Sarina could not explain the sources of income. The points raised had been discussed in the court decision, he added.

Justice Bandial said that the FBR reviewed the matter only under the tax laws.

The SC adjourned the hearing of review petitions in the case till Thursday.

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Thursday, 22 April, 2021

NEWS

Three youth die in Lahore road crash LAHORE INP

Three youth died while one injured in Lahore on Wednesday after their car skidded off the road and hit the footpath. According to reports, the car caught fire soon after hitting the footpath in Gulberg area of the provincial capital. The Rescue officials soon reached the site of the accident and shifted the four injured, residents of WAPDA Town, to Jinnah Hospital, where three, Suleman, Ismael and Ghulam Muhayyuddin, succumbed to their injuries while the fourth, Abdur Rahim, was still under treatment. The local police told media that the incident happened as the driver had failed to keep control due to fast speed of the car.

According to the local police, the dead and the injured were aged between 16 and 23 years.

LAHORE

UK vArIANT of CovId-19 deTeCTed IN SINdh: PeChUho KARACHI TLTP

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho has said that the recent cases of Covid-19 in the province have been found to be linked with the United Kingdom variant of the virus.

The minister said on Wednesday that a genomic study conducted in Karachi has 50 samples confirming the variant of

the virus.

Pechuho said that the UK variant is more lethal and spreads much more rapidly. She observed that the variant has already taken many lives in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The provincial health minister further said that there are fears that the number of cases in the province will increase due to crowded markets before Eid. "It is important [for the masses] to be cautious

during the rush hours and adhere to the precautionary SOPs." The minister informed that designated vaccination centres will remain open after Iftar. She urged those above the age of 50 years to get registered and vaccinated so they can remain safe from the virus.

On April 16, the Sindh Home Department had issued a notification for further extension in the coronavirus restrictions.

The two safe days for keeping the business activities suspended in Sindh were rescheduled.

According to the communique, business activities will remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays across the province.

The restrictions will not apply to compulsory services, including clinics, pharmacies, milk shops, bakeries, law enforcement agencies, media outlets and newspaper vendors.

National poet Iqbal remembered on 83rd death anniversary ISLAMABAD TLTP

The 83rd death anniversary of great philosopher, thinker, and poet of East, Allama Dr Mohammad Iqbal, was observed on Wednesday to pay homage to his services for the Muslims of the subcontinent. Allama Iqbal was a great visionary poet, who conceived the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent, which was ultimately materialized in the shape of Pakistan. Various functions were arranged to pay tributes to the great philosopher, who played a pivotal role through his thoughts and poetry in motivating and mobilising Muslims of subcontinent for the creation of a separate homeland. Born in Sialkot in British India on November 9, 1877, the great Muslim philosopher is known for his poetic work. His famous collections of poetry include Zarb-e-Kalim, Bang-e-Dara and Bal-e-Jibril.

Iqbal was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of the Islamic civilisation across the world, but specifically in South Asia. He is also considered one of the most important figures in literature with literary works in both Urdu and Persian languages. Being a member of All India Muslim League, Iqbal strongly supported Jinnah and had great faith in his leadership. Iqbal was quoted in a book by Sayyid Nazir Niazi as saying “Muslim League can succeed only on account of Jinnah.

Now, none but Jinnah is capable of leading the Muslims.” Iqbal, during his last days, suffered from a throat disease and passed away in Lahore on April 21, 1938.

Met department forecasts heatwave in Karachi from April 23 to 25 NEWS DESK The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) Heatwave Centre has predicted a heatwave in Karachi and its suburbs from April 23 to 25. According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the maximum temperature is projected to range between 38 to 40 degrees Celsius. The weather in the provincial capital would remain "extremely hot" from Friday to Sunday, according the Met department. "The maximum temperature can rise between 38 to 40°C. The sea breeze will remain suspended during the day while it is expected that it will resume in the evening." The weather in Karachi on Thursday (today) is expected to be hot and humid with the maximum temperature projected to be between 36 to 38°C. This temperature rise will mark the second heatwave of the season. Last month, Sindh and Balochistan experienced high temperatures, with Karachi recording a maximum temperature of 40.2°C on March 31. In 2015, Karachi experienced the deadliest heatwave Pakistan had seen in over 50 years. Starting June 19 that year, the coastal city witnessed sweltering heat that continued for more than five days and in its wake left over 1,200 people dead and 40,000 suffering from heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

ISLAMABAD: An aerial view of Faisal Avenue as motorists are on their way during sunny weather in the federal capital. ONLINe

11 die in coach-van collision in Khairpur KHAIRPUR INP

Eleven people died and 30 others injured in a horrific collision between a passenger coach and a van near Khairpur National Highway on Wednesday. Rescue teams shifted the dead and the injured to a nearby hospital.

The passenger coach was coming from Multan for

Karachi while the van was going from Kodheji area to Khairpur.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep sorrow and grief over the traffic accident near Khairpur and said the loss of precious lives in the tragic accident is shocking.

Bilawal also directed authorities to ensure better treatment of the accident victims.

NTDC transmission network disrupted due to kite flying LAHORE PR

The National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) spokesman has said that number of incidents of tripping at 500 KV and 220 KV transmission lines have been reported due to kite flying in areas of Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Gujranwala and Kasur.

He said that due to frequent tripping of the transmission lines resulted in substantial loss in terms of revenue and equipment damages of the NTDC. Kite flying is also posing threat to human lives in the said areas. While revealing the details, the spokesman said that the undue tripping of transmission line has been noted in Lahore areas of Kot Lakhpat, Faisal Town, Johar Town, BOR Society, Iqbal Town, Awan Town, Sabzazar, Shahdara Village, Rana Town, Gujjar Pura, Shalamar, Collar Wala

Village, Bhoolay Androon Village, Chugian Sayalan Village, Zahid Town and Kot Abdul Malik. Many incidents of tripping were noted in Faisalabad areas of Sitara Gold Colony, Kehkashan Colony, Yousafabad, Garden Block, Kashmir Pul, Malikpur, Tech Town, Malkhanwala, Chak No 225RB, Chak No 215RB, Chak No 202RB, Shamsabad, Charchak, Islampura, Faisal Garden, Lateef Garden, Makuana, Millat Road, Canal Garden, Abdullah Garden. Attock City and Fateh Jang.

Other than Lahore, Faisalabad, tripping incidents were also noted in different areas of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Kasur. The spokesman further said that the NTDC authorities have taken up the matter with district administration of respective areas for stringent action against the kite flyers and the people involved in kite selling business to avoid tripping of NTDC transmission system.

Two minor girls die of measles, dozens of children affected in Kandhkot KANDHKOT INP

Two minor girls died of measles on Wednesday while dozen others affected of the disease were under treatment at various hospitals of tehsil Kandhkot of district Kashmore. The non-availability of the anti-measles vaccine at hospitals was creating issues for countering the disease.

According to details, two minor girls, including four-year-old Asifa, daughter of Bashir Ahmed Gunior, and one-year-old Hifza, daughter of Shabir Ahmed Gunio, hailing from Eidgah Mohallah, were diagnosed with measles around one week ago and were under treatment. However, due to non-availability of the anti-measles vaccine, the two girls expired as they could not be treated appropriately. Meanwhile, dozens of other children affected of measles were admitted at various hospitals. The non-availability of the anti-measles vaccine was adding to the problem. The local people have urged the district administration and health authorities to send health teams to affected areas and ensure availability of anti-measles vaccine at hospitals to save the precious lives. Last week, two children, five-year-old Abdullah and four-year-old Fatima, had fallen prey to measles but no action was taken afterwards to save precious lives.

Punjab govt resumes Metro, Speedo bus services in Lahore NEWS DESK Punjab’s Primary and Secondary Health Department has notified the resumption of Metro and Speedo bus services in Lahore after 22 days.

However, no decision regarding the resumption of

Orange Line Train service in the city was taken.

The provincial government had suspended the Orange Line Train, Metro and Speedo bus services in the start of April in a bid to control spread of the third wave of coronavirus in the province.

Due to smart lockdowns, 17 routes of Speedo buses

were suspended, 200 Speedo buses remained parked at relevant bus stands while Metro buses remained parked at their depot.

The Punjab Masstransit Authority suffered a loss of over 120 million rupees in 22 days due to suspension of the services.

Thursday, 22 april, 2021

lahore

‘Petrol SMuggling coSting national exchequer rS240bn loSS annually’ iSLamaBad

P

STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN is bearing an annual loss of Rs240 billion due to the smuggling of Petroleum products, according to the Petroleum Commission’s report which was made public on Tuesday after the federal cabinet’s approval.

Petroleum products, especially motor spirit (MS) and high speed diesel (HSD), are smuggled into Pakistan from the western border of Taftan, Iran.

The tax department during the year 2019-20 seized 27,911,746 litre petrol and 997,037,434 litres smuggled diesel. The report states that the net loss of revenue on the seied product is around Rs48bn in one year as the government is collecting Rs36.27 sales tax, petroleum levy as well as customs duty on one litre MS and Rs47.22 on HSD.

However, the commission is of the opinion that the seized quantity is only 20 per cent of the actual smuggled amount.

The report also mentioned that there is an unusual rise in MS and HSD consumption in the month of June 2020 as statistics show that the MS, as well as HSD sales, surged to 117,005 and 289,099 metric tonnes in June 2020 comparable to June 2019.

SMUGGLING BY SEA: Another avenue that has come forth is the smuggling of petroleum products by sea. In this regard, the report alleged that a private refinery BYCO is involved in this business.

Since BYCO has its own refinery in Hub, a far off and secluded place, there is hardly any check on its imports and what it can smuggle in.

The inquiry report claims that this is possible since BYCO does not have a pier and berth at the refinery.

Rather, it uses another method of decanting ships called

Single Point Mooring (SPM).

In this method, a platform has been established nearly 18 km in the open sea and the floating platform gets connected to the anchored ship in the open sea. The decanting is done through a submerged pipeline extended on the sea bed from the refinery to the floating platform. The report also mentioned BYCO Petroleum Pakistan Ltd two specific cases of smuggling through ships. M.T. Rhea spotted on the tip-off from an international intelligence agency, carried Iranian oil to SPM of BYCO. The second ship, again of BYCO, M.T. ELSA was sent back without being subjected to any laboratory confirmation.

The report claimed that BYCO Refinery imported cheap Iranian crude oil with malafide intentions through fake and forged documents. This was also in contravention of sanctions imposed on Iran. The possibility that the importer company had transferred foreign exchange

LaHORE The organised retail sector has requested the government to change working hours for markets and malls from 2 pm to 12 am, excluding two hours between 6 pm and 8 pm for Iftar in order to maintain domestic commerce during the holy month of Ramadan.

In this regard, the representative body of Chainstore Association of Pakistan (CAP) on Tuesday requested the government to review timings of markets and malls to salvaging pre-Eid season.

CAP Chairman Tariq Mehboob stated that the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and restrictions on unnecessary movement of the general public is necessary and the efforts of the authorities to balance safety and eco-

nomic activity are commendable; however, at the same time, it is crucial that input of the business community be included to ensure that intentions and onground strategy are aligned.

“Limited business hours till 6 pm on weekdays and complete closure on Saturday and Sunday has drastically reduced business activity to less than half of normal across the country,” the official said, adding that the retail sector is facing a number of issues and is on the brink of collapse.

He pointed out that during Ramadan, the majority of people do not step out after opening their fast and not during the day and elaborated that many citizens have jobs and household duties during daytime hours and early closure deprives them of the opportunity to visit markets and shopping malls for Eid

shopping. Retail businesses have invested billions of rupees in stocks for the Eid season and also need to sell inventory stuck from the last year due to lockdowns.

“Payments against supplies may not be possible and can affect liquidity of over 70 allied sectors including, domestic manufacturing, cottage industries, wholesale and dozens of other upstream businesses; fixed expenses of retail businesses such as rents, salaries and overheads might not be sustainable and a domino effect of defaults may take place in the whole country and tax revenues may drop sharply,” he added.

The CAP official suggested that if business hours and days cannot be enhanced in the short term, then they should be revised in Ramadan.

“Outdoor dining has been allowed

AGENCIES

TikTok, the wildly popular video app, and its Chinese parent ByteDance could face a damages claim worth billions of pounds (dollars) in London’s High Court over allegations they illegally harvested the private data of millions of European children.

Anne Longfield, the former Children’s Commissioner for England and so-called “litigation friend”, or public face, of an anoynmous 12-year-old girl leading the class action, said on Wednesday that affected chil-

dren could receive thousands of pounds each if the claim is successful. Longfield alleged that every child that has used TikTok since May 25, 2018, may have had private personal information illegally collected by ByteDance through TikTok for the benefit of unknown third parties.

“Parents and children have a right to know that private information, including phone numbers, physical location, and videos of their children are being illegally collected,” she said, as a website to detail the case goes live.

A TikTok representative said privacy and safety were the company’s top priorities and that it had robust policies, processes and technologies in place to help pro-

of Pakistan to Iran through some illegal means, thereby indulging in money laundering, is a matter of further inquiry. The report states that the matter is pending in Sindh High court as BYCO has challenged the test report of HDIP. In an interview with Profit last week, Byco management had denied these allegations and also shared documents to support their case.

According to Profit’s own research, there are multiple companies in the petroleum supply chain that are involved in smuggling and dumping of Iranian oil, and some of this smuggled oil also ends up at the state-owned PSO retail outlets. The petroleum commission report stated that the business of smuggled product is thriving as it offers a far handsome profit as compared to the margins allowed under the official pricing mechanism.

The commission revealed that 486 filling stations were identified across Pakistan and some of them had monthly MS purchases as high as 600,000 litres but no purchase of HSD. It can safely be deduced that HSD is being smuggled inside Pakistan in a larger quantity than MS based on the figures provided by the FBR authorities. The assessment of loss to the government exchequer and the economic impact through this mode of smuggling is difficult to assess; however, the Commission would strongly recommend a deeper probe with respect to the dubious functioning of BYCO Refinery, the document concluded.

mONitORiNg REpORt

from iftar to midnight so retail timings should be aligned as well. The organised retail sector which comprises retail chains and shopping malls have proven to be the most effective at ensuring the compliance of health and safety SOPs issued by the NCOC and continue to set the best example for other businesses across the nation,” he said.

He warned that if the current situation continues for another week, the prolonged reduction in business activity during the peak season may drive many businesses towards permanent closure which can lead to mass unemployment and contraction of the industry.

“We appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan and NCOC Chief Asad Umar to take our suggestions and keep the wheel of the economy turning during this crucial time,” Mehboob concluded.

TikTok sued for billions over use of children’s data NEW YORK

05

Sindh meat sellers move court for increasing prices

Retail sector requests govt to revise business hours during Ramadan STAFF REPORT

news

tect all users, especially teenage users.

“We believe the claims lack merit and intend to vigorously defend the action,” the representative said.

TikTok is one of the world’s most popular apps — especially among youngsters — and has around 100 million users in Europe alone. The Covid-19 pandemic, which shut many children up at home, has helped cement its success. But the claimants, advised by law firm Scott & Scott, allege TikTok violated UK and European Union data protection laws by processing youngsters’ data without adequate security measures, transparency, the consent of guardians or legitimate interest.

The Meat Merchant Association (MMA) on Wednesday approached the Sindh High Court (SHC) seeking an increase in the rates of beef and mutton during the month of Ramzan. Local media reports state that the association, in its petition, has said that they can’t sell meat at old rates, suggesting that the price of veal meat be pushed up to Rs600 per kilogramme while that of mutton to Rs1,100 per kg. It may be mentioned here that the district administration is imposing heavy fines on meat sellers in addition to seizing stock and carrying out arrests at times.

Minister warns of stricter restrictions if situation worsens CONtiNuEd fROm pagE 01 The minister said that the number of oxygen beds in hospitals was being increased and the situation at the moment was under control, however, it might go out of control if the Covid-19 cases kept on rising. He said that the country had limited oxygen production capacity. The supply of oxygen had almost reached 90 per cent of the total capacity, he added. In regard to the region, the minister said that in Iran, the daily number of cases had increased to 25,000 and 395 deaths per day. Similarly in India, about 14,000 new cases and 90 deaths per day were being reported earlier, but yesterday the number increased to over 275000 cases and 1,761 deaths, he added. “The whole region was in the grip of a very dangerous Covid wave,” the minister said, adding a new variant of the coronavirus was spreading rapidly in India and that was why Pakistan had decided to ban travel to and from the neighbouring country.

Govt’s affordable housing projects to benefit weaker segments: PM CONtiNuEd fROm pagE 01 The prime minister mentioned that the powerful elite in the country desire preferential treatment. Whether it be the alliance of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) or the sugar mafia, they want to evade the rule of law, the premier underscored.

“The nation does not become poor due to lack of resources, but where the rule of law could not be ensured,” he said.

PM Imran regretted that no government in the past gave attention to providing basic amenities to the common man including shelter.

He said that his government had enrolled people for low-cost housing units after conducting a proper survey.

The prime minister lauded the efforts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan for replicating the low-cost housing scheme earlier been launched by the federal government.

He said that KP became the first province of the country for providing health insurance facility of up to Rs1 million to every citizen.

PM Imran said that the government

would provide land to hospitals at cheaper rates to encourage them to expand the scope of medical treatment to the larger population.

He mentioned that shelter homes (Panahgahs) and mobile soup kitchens titled under project ‘Koi Bhooka Na Soye’ (Nobody should sleep hungry) were in line with the vision of the welfare State of Medina.

He directed the CM for demarcating the areas populated with labourers and workers for setting up such free shelter and food points.

KP Chief Minister Mahmood on the occasion said that the provincial government was vigorously pursuing the vision of Prime Minister Imran to provide low-cost and quality housing facilities to poor segment of the society.

The chief minister said that a total of 1,230 houses flat units would be constructed each having a cost of Rs.2.5 million on 150 Kanal lands in 18 months.

He said that these quality houses would be provided to poor people having a monthly income of 40,000 or below through draw.

The chief minister said that the KP government has started scores of housing projects and high-rise flats in different districts

in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swat, Hangu and Mardan districts where three Marlas, five and seven marla houses would be constructed for the poor segment of the society.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed for the construction of affordable and low costing housing units in these projects besides starting a housing scheme at Surizai Peshawar, he added.

He said that Peshawar Model Town was a mega housing project where affordable houses would be provided to low-income groups.

REVOLUTION IN TOURISM: Meanwhile, addressing the inauguration ceremony of Peshawar-Dara Adam Khel road and the groundbreaking of ChitralShindur road, the prime minister said that proper infrastructure and roads would make the connecting areas a hub of tourism.

He said that Pakistan had immense potential in tourism, which if properly explored could greatly boost both foreign and local tourism.

He also said that the Peshawar-Dara Adam Khel road would connect up to western side and would facilitate travel through Peshawar and adjoining areas while the Chi-

tral-Shindur road, which would later be linked to Gilgit would open up a new world of unexplored tourist places.

“The road will ensure easy access to the valleys, not only in trekking in summers but also skiing in winters, thus offering an amazing treat for the tourists,” he added.

He said that the country was blessed with serene natural beauty particularly its northern areas, however regretted that previous rulers spent their vacations in Europe and ignored the local tourist spots.

PM Imran said that properly worked-out road infrastructure and launch of telecommunication services would bring an economic boom to these areas.

He also said that the next step was development of resorts to cater to the influx of tourists.

He stressed carrying out geographical zoning of the tourist areas and ensuring proper bylaws by limiting the construction area of hotels and preserving the green pastures and prairies.

The premier said that Switzerland, the world’s top tourist destination with $80 billion earning from tourism, was half the size of Pakistan’s northern areas and even did not

match its breathtaking natural beauty.

He said that Pakistan’s Malam Jabba was attracting tourist influx in winters and there were many more such places in the vicinity yet to be explored.

He called upon the masses to continue use of mask at public places to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

He recalled that after he had posted pictures of Kumrat valley, around 0.1 million people thronged the area in two weeks.

However, he mentioned that due to lack of infrastructure, the beautiful area was littered.

He urged the involvement of local people in preservation of forests and maintaining cleanliness.

On agriculture, he said that a revolution would be witnessed with focus on plantation particularly the vegetation of olives and saffron, which would not only contribute to food security but also help earn revenue.

The prime minister said that he had issued directives to promote growing avocados in Islamabad for its land being quite fertile for the fruit.

He lauded KP CM Mahmood for the proper mapping of areas and demarcation of tourist spots.

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

06 COMMENT

Renaming the Government of Pakistan the Employee Welfare Society

A small step between militant extremism and terrorism And the TLP’s potent narrative

t

He tLp’s latest resort to violent protests has caused a lot of human suffering besides loss of public and private property. the photos of 11 policemen who had been taken hostage by the tLp reveal they were badly tortured for performing their duties. initial reports tell of hundreds of people arrested, three mortal casualties among the protesters, four among policemen, hundreds injured and 40 police vehicles burnt. the economic costs of the three-day long mayhem are yet to be worked out. the tLp came under focus in 2017 when it made its entry into politics by holding a sit-in at Faizabad and stopping all traffic between Rawalpindi and islamabad for nearly three weeks. there was a widespread perception that the network could not have done this without the backing of those who matter. the way the protesters were persuaded to call off the strike strengthened the perception.

Over the period the tLp has built a potent narrative around namoos-e-Risalat, or the sanctity of the Holy prophet (pBUH). it has taken up volatile issues like Khatm-e-nubuwat, opposition to Asia Bibi’s acquittal, the Dutch cartoons and French president Macron’s remarks in support of freedom to make cartoons. the tLp’s highly emotional narrative appeals to a large number of people, especially those belonging to lower income groups, who are led to believe that sinful activities like blasphemy are somehow or other responsible for their miseries. the narrative has been further supported by remarks by the pM who says he wants to bring together Muslim rulers to join his struggle against islamophobia. the tLp’s narrative brings together militant extremists ready to do anything to implement the network’s programme. terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, ttp, and Daesh are keen to stage another 9/11 in europe which has a large number of expatriates from Muslim countries. the terrorist outfits are short of recruits. the hand of friendship extended by the ttp to the tLp is ominous. these terrorist networks look towards the tLp which has created a frenzy all over pakistan. in case these networks are successful pakistan will suffer a lot as a result of international backlash. it is time those looking after pakistan’s security take rational decisions.

What is the purpose of govt?

Dr FariD a Malik

C

OnsiDeRinG the almost zero output of the Government of pakistan (GOp) it will be prudent to rename it the employee Welfare society (eWs). the focus of the entire administrative set-up remains only on inputs with total disregard to any meaningful service to the suffering masses. their callousness is mindboggling, most of them operate in vacuum with total disregard of their obligations.

From top to bottom the story is the same. such a one-sided arrangement can at best be called a ‘Welfare society’, not a Government. even harsher terms like usurpers, rulers, colonists, Brown sahibs, exploiters, tormentors, shirkers, dodgers can be attributed but i have decided on ‘Welfare seekers’ for the time being. i am reminded of a very interesting event in my professional career when i was involved with the saindak Copper-Gold project in the 1990s. As a consultant when i could not steer this vital mining project in the right direction, i decided to write about it in the newspaper. it was a factual account of the happenings with my forecast of the impending scenario. the then Managing Director of saindak Metals Limited (sML) arranged a face-to-face meeting in Lahore. He stopped here on his way back to Quetta to let me know that if i continued to reveal the facts, i would not be able to get another assignment with sML. My fears came true, the mine was handed over to the Chinese contractor on a paltry lease. instead of pakistan, China was be the main beneficiary of this valuable resource, as the concentrate produced was shipped out without analysis of its value.

After 20 years now, i hear that the lease is being extended for the welfare of our neighbours. the Federal Ministers, secretaries, Director Generals,

Borrowing like there’s no tomorrow The UAE rollover shouldn’t cause complacency

t

HAt the UAe has rolled over the remaining $2 billion of the $3 billion deposit with the state Bank of pakistan, having rolled over $1 billion in January, seems one of the more positive results of Foreign Minister shah Mehmood Qureshi’s visits there, but it hardly seems fair to expect him to visit pakistan’s other major creditors, which include France, Germany and China in order to continue lending. there is still the conundrum of what is to be done about the international financial institutions (iFis) which are the country’s biggest lenders. the pti government has followed its predecessors in borrowing heavily, having borrowed $3.119 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, from the commercial markets. Multilateral creditors, or iFis, have disbursed $3.19 billion over the same period.

Bilateral creditors have disbursed $358.25 million.

All have their disadvantages. Going to the money market means paying commercial interest rates. Bilateral creditors want borrowers to toe their diplomatic line. the UAe recently openly spoke about mediating between pakistan and india. it would be unnatural if it did not use the deposit rollover to further its objectives, while speaking about the recent on-off trade reopening that pakistan botched with india. Borrowing bilaterally means a corresponding abridgement of national sovereignty. iFis not only impose a political agenda which corresponds to their largest contributor, but as our experience with both the iMF and World Bank have shown, they also impose a punitive economic agenda, forcing the government to take steps that will harm it politically. the pti’s claim that this was all the result of the misdeeds and corruption of its predecessors will seem a little thin now that it is past the halfway mark of its fiveyear term. there should have been some movement towards an improvement of government finances. instead, it seems, they are only getting worse. the pti, it seems, is not bringing about any improvement in the situation.

The team cannot be settled on

atia Munawer

D

espite high-profile claims of all the pti government’s achievements, the federal cabinet has once again been largely overthrown; especially the appointment of the third finance minister and the appointment of a fourth just 18 days later show that matters have not yet come under the control of the government, with only two years left in the constitutional term of its rule. the federal cabinet has been reshuffled at least four times during this period, yet the new Minister for information and Broadcasting has insinuated that another reshuffle is expected in the coming days, leading to more new faces likely to be added to the cabinet. the opposition has termed the recent cabinet reshuffle as old wine in a new bottle. Whatever changes the government is making or will make in the coming days should be aimed at the welfare of

Arif Nizami Editor Managing Editor

Joint Editor

Umar Aziz Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

abling them to mend the system. Let them live and die with the common folks who pay for their welfare, not the other way around. education also stands in total disarray. there was a time when government schools produced the brains to run the country. even today there is a huge establishment and workforce, but very little education.

Here also the wards of the welfare society should be debarred from attending private schools from the next school year. GWs members will then have two choices either to give up their welfare grants or improve the education system of the country where the bulk of the population goes. the teachers and the staff in the department are all well paid yet they don take their obligations seriously. there is no one left to check them. in my school days, i remember the visit of the inspector of schools was taken very seriously. the inspectors went around the classrooms, questioned the students to check their comprehension, and followed with a detailed visit report. For the overall welfare of the society members, i don’t think any such report has been prepared in the last three decades; if there is please publish it for our knowledge. the Government Officers Residences (GOR) exist in most important cities, they should also be renamed as ‘Welfare Officers Residences.’ there officers on welfare reside who do not even show up for work on time. this again is a colonial legacy where the British Officers resided similar to the ARAMCO Compounds in saudi Arabia where foreigners live in comfort and safety. some get so used to this lifestyle that they prefer to stretch their stay. At one time the Chief Minister and his cabinet, together with senior officers, all went to the Civil secretariat during normal working hours. not any more, they can now work from the comfort of their offices at home to make it ‘Welfare plus’. i don’t think anyone has seen or evaluated the expenses involved in these multiple office locations again with no output, only wasted motion by the welfare society members.

How long can the nation sustain these welfare societies whose pension bills run into trillions now. the debt balloon is about the burst. While most politicians have been asked to provide money trails for their assets, the welfare seekers should also be asked to give money trail of the welfare amounts that have been spent on them in the last 40 years. every new government that comes in asks the same question, “Where has all this loan money gone?” the answer is simple: welfare of the officers and plunder of the politicians. now that shylock wants his pound of flesh, the public is being pushed to the altar while the welfare and plunder continues. in the words of iqbal; ‘the world is waiting for the day of judgement’.

The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.

People waiting to see a prosperous Pakistan

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Yousaf Nizami Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Managing Directors etc that i interacted with all seemed to be on a personal welfare mission. A similar debacle took place at Reko-Diq but this time it was carried too far with dire consequences, but i hear that finally a negotiated settlement has been reached for the work to resume.

Different approaches have been adopted to ensure delivery. A few years back the employees of tata Corporation in india complained about dirty employee toilets. Rattan tata sought explanation from the management. He was informed that the toilets were well maintained. On this feedback he issued a simple order to swap the officers toilets with that of the employees. the problem was permanently solved, fearing swap, all the toilets were then kept clean.

During my first week at the pakistan science Foundation (psF), i took a round of the building. the drinking water coolers were located inside the toilets.

On inquiry i was informed by the Admin Officer that it was due to easy availability of water there. On the spot i issued orders for the moving out of the coolers out together with installation of filters. Later on i came to know that no one ever noticed this inhumane behaviour as it did not directly affect them. some vital sectors of common use have fallen beyond redemption. Lahore had a functional public transport system which everyone used. the Lahore Omnibus service (LOs) was designed on the lines of the city of London’s buses. Almost the entire metropolis was covered. Both buses and doubledeckers were in use. then someone got uncomfortable with the subsidy that was granted for the public good. While officers were given cars and petrol allowance for their welfare, the entire set-up was dismantled. their assets were usurped and properties taken over for personal use. A huge plaza was designed for one of the depots located on Ferozepur Road near Garden town which was then stopped by the change of government. the public transport system can be restored using the ‘ tata Formula :, withdraw all individual transport assigned to officers, thereby forcing them to build an effective, affordable public transport system that once existed in the city for the common man. the health sector is another victim of this abuse for the welfare of the few. i was born in a government hospital, my father breathed his last in the Cardiac Centre of the Mayo Hospital. in 1963 my life was saved in this very facility that had the best doctors and equipment.

GWs wanted special treatment so they decided to neglect the facilities built for the common good. treatment in private facilities was allowed by bending the rules as a result that state health network collapsed in utter neglect. even treatment abroad was made available for the welfare of the society members. Restoration of the health system is the need of the hour. treatment in private hospitals at state expense should be stopped with a six-month notice, en-

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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the country and the well-being of the people. the measures will then be popular and will also improve the image of the government among the people. there is no doubt that prime Minister imran Khan reshuffles the federal cabinet to improve the conditions of the country and the people, but the results of the changes so far have not been very encouraging. Repeated changes in the cabinet indicate a state of uncertainty. the ministries that have been changed this time include the Ministries of information and Broadcasting, Finance, energy, economic Affairs, industries and production, and science and technology. Most of the ministries have been returned under the federal cabinet reshuffle.

Fawad Chaudhry has been transferred from the Ministry of science and technology to the Ministry of information and Broadcasting, while the ministry he left has been handed over to shibli Faraz. the Ministry of Finance has been handed over from Hammad Azhar to shaukat tarin, who had earlier been the Federal Minister of Finance under the ppp.

Omar Ayub has been removed from the Ministry of energy and made the Federal Minister for economic Affairs and the Ministry of energy has been handed over to Hammad Azhar. similarly, Khusro Bakhtiar has been given the portfolio of industries and production instead of the Ministry of economic Affairs. such day-to-day changes in the federal cabinet not only provide an opportunity for critics of the government to criticize, but it is also disturbing for those who are sympathetic to it. the pti claimed before the election that it had a vast network of people far better than other political parties in terms of education, experience and qualifications. Rejecting the economic strategies of previous governments, assurances were given of measures that would transform the country in days and weeks, not years, but even after half a term of government has passed, no encouraging change has been brought about except for a change in the federal ministries. those ministers who are adulated by the govern-

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ment are supplanted later. Hafeez sheikh’s claims of achievements in the field of economy were made till a day before his departure. even the few days of Hammad Azhar’s ministry were not without Dad-otehseen while a couple of days before the appointment of the fourth Finance Minister in the form of shaukat tarin, the Governor sBp’s statement came that the vehicle of the economy was moving in the right direction. the rhetoric stunned the public. On the one hand, the Governor sBp, whose powers are expected to increase exponentially after the enactment of legislation for the full autonomy of his institution, guaranteed that the economic direction and performance would be fully satisfactory. On the other hand, before becoming the finance minister, shaukat tarin said that “he did not know the direction of the economy. We have not fixed our house in two and a half years, there was a mistake in negotiations with the iMF, just raising tariffs increases corruption, raising exchange rates and interest rates have drowned the economy’’, now it remains to be seen how these two economists, who hold key positions in economic strategy, will go hand in hand. the people do not mind how many times the prime Minister changes the cabinet, but the positive effects of these changes should be seen. if not a single member of the 400-plus members of parliament is qualified to run the Finance Ministry and for that from outside people have to be brought in, then it may be a failure of the system.

But instead of blaming the system, the pti should accept responsibility for the situation that convinced the public of the preparation and availability of a team of the best men from all walks of life to run the government during the two decades of struggle. the people are waiting to see a new prosperous pakistan, but they do not see a new prosperous pakistan with changing ministries.

The writer tweets @AttiyaMunawer

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to pakistan today exclusively

Hate crimes and their impact on gun laws

When covid-19 combines with diabetes Covid-19 can be beaten

Dr Faisal ali

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MOnG the miseries of our planet, the mortalities and morbidities caused by the combination of covid-19 and diabetes mellitus are considered the most tragic. since the beginning of the 21st century, nidovirales order viruses have affected humanity thrice: sARs-CoV in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012 and sARs-CoV-2 in 2019-2020. Coronaviruses are large, enveloped and positivestranded RnA viruses the sARs-CoV-2 consists of an envelope which is made of spike, Membrane and envelope glycoproteins. inside the envelope, there is the nucleocapsid that is formed from multiple copies of the n proteins. the nucleocapsids are perennially attached with the RnA of the virus. the spike (s) protein is implicated in binding to the ACe2 receptors that are located on the cell surfaces of the human respiratory tract. the pinioning of the viral envelope and the human cell membrane is followed by the release of the viral genome into the target cell. the clinical symptoms are fever, dry cough, malaise, diarrhea, dyspnea and pneumonia. Lab findings include lymphopenia and bilateral ground glass opacity or consolidation that is observed in Chest Ct-scans.Covid-19 can be confirmed by real time Rt-pCR and igM plus igG antibody tests.

As a doctor, i made some observations regarding diabetes mellitus and unintentional childhood injuries. Diabetes mellitus is a group of common metabolic disorders sharing the phenotype of hyperglycemia. Factors for hyperglycemia are reduced insulin secretion, decreased glucose utilization and increased glucose production. Type 1 DM is a subtype which occurs due to an autoimmune beta cell destructive process mediated by t- lymphocytes. it can transpire at any age but it frequently manifests itself before 30. it is estimated that between 5 and 10 percent of individuals who develop DM after the age of 30 have type 1 DM. Fulminant Diabetes is another form of type 1 Diabetes which is usually noted in Japan. its etiology is related to the viral infections of islets. Another subtype of Diabetes Mellitus is called Maturity–Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) that is characterized by autosomal dominant inheritance, early onset of hyperglycemia (usually under 25 years) and impairment in insulin secretion. MODY is further divided into MODY 1, MODY 2, MODY 3, MODY 4, MODY 5 and MODY 6 and so on. Other subtypes of DM are Gestational Diabetes and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is characterized by impaired

insulin secretion, insulin resistance, excessive hepatic glucose production and abnormal fat metabolism. the acute complications of DM are diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHs). the microvascular complications of DM are retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy. the macrovascular complications are coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease. Other complications include diabetic foots and ulcers. in the light of all the aforementioned complications of DM, simultaneous covid-19 disease can lead to dreadful effects. this group of patients needs our sympathy.

Another point of interest are the unintentional injuries of children at home especially under the age of five. these injuries mostly occur due to burns, drowning, poisoning and fals,l and are responsible for the mortality of round about 7 percent among about 875000 deaths of children each year. According to a report of the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, in the UsA, more children between the ages of one and four die annually from unintentional injuries than from all childhood diseases combined.

Furthermore, for every childhood death caused by injury, there are approximately 18 hospitalizations, 233 emergency department visits, many more visits to medical facilities, and a much larger number of home-treated injuries. the factors associated with unintentional injuries at home are physical, biological and social environments. During the coronavirus pandemic, there is a dire need to minimize such types of injuries to reduce hospital admissions and stays which are create a greater risk of covid-19 contamination in third World countries. to beat the extremes of agoraphobia and purgatorial scenes around the world, philanthropists and scientists must come forward with a pragmatic screenplay of active and passive immunity against sARs-CoV-2. While several vaccines have arrived, the rollout shows more needs to be done.

Research should be carried out to discover a meaningful vaccine and synthetic immunoglobulins. though several vaccineshave been discovered, still much more endeavours are required from brains and brawn of humanity. Antivirals are already approved for elimination of this menace in some countries but the pharmacists and biotechnologists should find a true antiviral that should eradicate the disease once and for all. Furthermore, the inhabitants of the globe should come forward to voice their apprehensions regarding any possibility of biological warfare in the New Cold War era that has already exhibited and manifested itself since the beginning of the 21st century. in order to bring a flicker of amusement in the eyes of diabetic patients who also suffer from covid-19 infection, the whole health community

should devise plans to search and research selective tGF-β inhibitors. studies should also be carried out on inhibition of inflammatory signalling pathways such as the nuclear factor kB (nF-kB) pathway.10 similarly, gene therapy by viral vector or by non-viral transduction and stem cells curing techniques should be explored worldwide for the best results.

VeGF-A inhibition therapy in retinopathic cases should be provided at nearby primary health care centres by a covid-19-free health care professional if possible. incretin analogues may also be supplied to deserving patients. the depression and anxiety of these patients need to be reduced and for this purpose, the psychiatrists and psychologists are advised to play their lead role. though Duloxetine is the drug of choice for curtailment of neuropathic pain but the clinicians and policy makers should ponder over the scenario as an organic whole that also includes factors like poverty, environment and trust capital. Vitamin B12 (Cobalmin) should be proffered free of cost to the diabetic patients. Antibiotics that can act against MRSA should be included in the essential drugs list of hospitals during the pandemic. policies should be shaped to bring into existence a safe environment within abodes for children during the pandemic and an awareness session must be arranged via media to educate the parents with more emphasis on keeping dangerous objects out of the reach of children.

Another way of bringing a new dawn of hope and blessings to humanity during the pandemic is by introducing electronic Government in every nook and corner of this world. electronic governance comprises electronic administration, electronic services, electronic democracy and electronic business. the sowing of seeds of a biometric voting system in elections and transformation of the revenue system by replacing conventional means should be spearheaded without any delay all over the world during the pandemic. Furthermore, the social security laws and system all over the world should be made more employee-friendly so that the poor victims of unemployment in private sector institutions during this pandemic can fill their mouths and stomachs. states all over the world may initiate debtfree and interest-free currencies for a short period of time to bear the expenses during this pandemic. the humanity can emulate the Bradbury pound initiative or Constitutional Monetary system of Lincoln for a period of two or three months. similarly, the single-person tourism should be encouraged to beat the dreads of anxiety and depression.

States all over the world may initiate debt-free and interest-free currencies for a short period of time to bear the expenses during this pandemic. The humanity can emulate the Bradbury Pound initiative or Constitutional Monetary System of Lincoln for a period of two or three months. Similarly, the single-person tourism should be encouraged to beat the dreads of anxiety and depression

The writer did postgraduation from Khyber Medical University in Community Child Health and is currently medical officer at Type-D hospital, Tehsil Banda Daud Shah, District Karak, and can be reached at drfaisalali88@gmail.com.

HAte crimes have been for long known to be the most severe way of targeted harassment. A hate crime can be any violent action against a person or community, based on their race, color, gender identity, or nationality. But today, its known to be a bit more than violent activity.

Gun ownership, not only in the United states, but around the world have been an area of great questioning, in terms of ethics, morality, and especially safety. Last week, the attack on the AApi community (Asian American and pacific islander) in Atlanta, was a recognition of how deeprooted such hatred can be. But the most devastating thing, perhaps, was the realization of many around the world of just how easy it is to kill someone you don`t like. Under law, “a law-abiding person shall be granted a permit to carry concealed firearms”. the laws allowing the use are more strict than any potential punishment given to those who carry irresponsibly.

Crimes are to be indicted under this country`s laws too, however not as severely as others. Countries like Japan and Australia strictly forbid the ownership without proper process, which in itself a lifetime to complete. in America, there are some local, state and city laws, which prohibit the ownership and use of a specific weapons, including guns. But not nationwide which makes it easier to purchase and hold a gun. every time, a gun is used for the wrong purpose, a national reckoning on gun brutality is expected but never ceases to be expected. Major problems are usually important basics. Family devastation and workplace harassment, contributes to motives for such events. the amount of money that goes into firearm production is almost a million times more than social help, to help combat devastation. Research released by amnesty international , charts a case of destruction and chaos with firearm harm. it is estimated that more than 500 people die every day due to brutality committed by guns. A staggering statistic showed that between a five term period, from 2012 to 2016, there were 1.4 million deaths globally only committed by the irresponsible use of prominent and generally available guns such as the AR-15. now, arguably it is a large business, with 8 million new small arms produced every year and is estimated at $9 billion a year. And nRA`s influence over gun rights and second amendment opinions is very convincing.

But is all that trade money worth thousands of lives every day? now, many reforms have been introduced to help combat such issues, but only few have gone so far. in the Us, we have seen many laws aimed at background checking, and hindering of police availability to guns and firearms.

Juan abbaS LahorE

Crisis of Leadership siR, pakistan today faces a serious crisis of leadership in all cadres, further aggravated by conflicts of interest of those who are employed by the state for specific purposes, but are involved in commercial profitable ventures. As long as Writ of Law and the Constitution does not prevail, this decadence cannot be arrested. this deterioration has impacted our political leadership and also the uniformed security services, the bureaucracy and with few exceptions also our judiciary. How can a paid employee of state, while simultaneously getting salaries from tax payer, be a beneficiary of commercial projects? it is not just this, but most of them, while being beneficiaries of lucrative government jobs, or traders who benefitted the most from vast opportunities and subsidies, have shifted their families and assets to foreign countries. Just to quote an example, although all our commercial civil airports have been declared insecure, yet the AsF, employed by the state to secure them, are involved in commercial housing projects, offering plots for sale to the general public. the Father of nation gave us a blueprint for a modern democratic welfare state and the importance of a constitution, but after his death, all those who have been at helm, democratically or otherwise, have embarked on a plan to do the reverse of what Quaid stated. Quaid’s sister was subjected to harassment and even dubbed a traitor. Although our salvation and survival hinges on adopting MAJ’s vision, the insatiable greed of few, has held hostage the future of 220 Million citizens of pakistan. the irony is that a country created through a constitutional democratic struggle has been ruled for decades by dictators, where religious extremists would hold hostage citizens, dare to dictate our foreign policy, while our territorial sovereignty is compromised by giving sanctuary to extremists.

MaLik Tariq aLi LahorE

Important cabinet meeting tHe cabinet, in order to ensure effective implementation of the United nations security Council Resolution 1540 about control on the export of goods, technology and instruments related to nuclear and biological weapons, and ensuring more effective implementation of the Government of pakistan’s commitment to check the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), approved the delegation of some powers to the strategic export Control Division (seCDiV) so as to enable it make timely decisions in that regard. For bringing about administrative improvement in the Federal Medical teaching institutes and allied teaching hospitals, Federal Medical teaching institute Ordinance 2020 promulgated by the president had already been implemented in various institutions. these included Jinnah postgraduate Medical Center, national institute of Child Health Karachi, national institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Karachi and pakistan institute of Medical sciences (piMs). the federal cabinet in that respect approved the appointment of Board of Governors in the above mentioned institutes. Members of the Board of Governors for national institute of Child Health Karachi included Dr Ahsan Rabbani, prof Dr Waseem Qazi and Amir A Allahwana. Members of the Board of Governors for national institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Karachi included Dr Hasnat Muhammad sharif, Justice sarmad J Usmani and Hassan Aziz Bilgarami. Members of the Board of Governors for Jinnah postgraduate Medical Center Karachi included Dr imtiaz A Hashmi and prof s tipu sultan. Muzammail Rasheed was appointed as Member of the Board of Governor for piMs islamabad. the cabinet, while keeping in view the requests made by the United nations Assistance Mission (UnMA) in Afghanistan and United nations Children’s Fund (UniCeF), allowed the transportation of few containers from Karachi to Kabul.

SohaiL aLi khan iSLaMabad

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

LeBanon: Is war comIng? FAILING TO SOLVE LEBANON’S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CRISIS ALONG SOCIALLY JUST TERMS WILL LEAD TO INCREASED FORMS OF VIOLENCE THE RECOLLECTION OF PAST VIOLENCE AND ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE VIOLENCE HAS BEEN A MAINSTAY IN THE LIVES OF ORDINARY LEBANESE

middle east eye

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hiCham safieddine

VeRY year on 13 april, the outbreak of Lebanon’s longest civil war (1975-1990) is commemorated with a flurry of writings, pronouncements, and the occasional public event. at worst, worn-out cliches, like the need to preserve “civil peace” and the magic formula of “no victor and no vanquished”, are invoked as a guarantor of coexistence. at best, apolitical accounts of the devastation of war are cited as a warning of its horrors lest it be repeated. In both cases, the structural causes, political consequences and historical contingencies of war are obscured.

This year, commemorations were muffled. The country is facing unprecedented economic collapse and political paralysis. Social conflict is at an all-time high and regional wars and geopolitical tensions are simmering. This combination has historically been a recipe for war in Lebanon, so is war coming?

GEOPOLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS: So far, the prospects of an all-out armed conflict on the scale of what took place in 1975 are low. But civil wars don’t have to be copy cats of their predecessors. New conditions generate new forms of conflict.

In today’s context, prolonged political instability and wide-scale impoverishment will offer a fertile ground for violent confrontation if regional and international factors become favourable.

Unlike 1975, there is no organised political movement carrying a progressive project of radical political and economic reform. So any confrontation will not hold the prospects of positive change. On the contrary, material need and social fragmentation divorced from class consciousness and political unity will fuel the cooptation of large social segments of the population for destructive ends. With inflows of capital further drying up, finance for war may become a welcome alternative. In short, geopolitical considerations will trump domestic demands.

In Lebanon, geopolitical considerations are at present determined by foreign actors agitating for instability. These are the US, Israel, and Saudi arabia. None

are concerned about reforming Lebanon’s political economy or system, except in as much as it impacts the only item on their agenda: Hezbollah’s armed resistance to Israel and its regional interventions in Syria and Yemen against their axis.

Riding the wave of blaming Hezbollah for all the financial and political ills of Lebanon, aside from being false, is either naive, superficial, or a sinister attempt to instrumentalise the just demands for change in order to fuel regional confrontation and bring it to bear more directly on the Lebanese front.

The scope and shape of this confrontation on this front will be determined by the military balance of power and the rising role of diplomatic and economic warfare.

MILITARY CONFRONTATION LIMITS: Hezbollah is the most powerful armed group in Lebanon. It is the most highly organised, equipped, disciplined, sophisticated, and tried fighting force. Its interest in preserving the status quo has kept any large-scale fighting at bay.

However, Hezbollah’s ability to monopolise the start and outcome of a civil war is as exaggerated as its role in the current crisis.

Firstly, all factions in Lebanon harbour weapons, and if foreign funding is offered, they can quickly restock.

To compensate for Hezbollah’s strength, a head-on confrontation may be replaced by undercover bombings or a street war of attrition, where Hezbollah’s experience is not as effective.

The Lebanese army’s role will also be crucial. The western media’s obsession with, and antagonism towards, Hezbollah and Iran has meant that there is little coverage of US funding and support of the Lebanese army.

Since 2006, the US has provided over $1.7bn to the Lebanese army. In order to protect Israel, this aid is designed for internal security and its ideology is being altered to emphasise terrorism rather than Israel as the main threat. In other words, it’s being fitted more for civil strife than foreign defence.

Despite these efforts, the army remains a lesser military foe. But military dominance is not sufficient to win a war. This brings us to the second, and perhaps more important factor limiting Hezbollah’s role. Hezbollah may have the gun power to swiftly defeat internal para-

military groups and opponents in the army, but holding ground is another business. Sectarian logic will prevent it from securing territory outside its current strongholds without willing allies among other sects.

If the army intervenes, it will not retain full loyalty to its leadership and will split along sectarian lines. Militarily, this is to Hezbollah’s advantage. But internal divisions along sectarian lines will increase, not decrease, security threats. and american financial aid can buy officer loyalty and is already seeking to alter the ideology of the army by emphasising terrorism rather than Israel as the main threat.

Last but not least, all intense episodes of the Lebanese civil war involved direct foreign military intervention. Today, the main party capable - and willing is Israel. However, the costs of ground intervention are much higher than in the past, thanks to a long history of resistance culminating with its most advanced incarnation, Hezbollah.

In an ironic twist of history, other arab countries, like Iraq and Syria, have become more susceptible as sites for settling scores between US-led axis and its opponents than Lebanon. The uncertainties, or riskiness, of these military scenarios in Lebanon, has fuelled war by other means, namely diplomatic and financial.

DIPLOMATIC AND FINANCIAL WARFARE: International diplomacy has been a persistent tool of undermining Hezbollah, particularly since the 2005 assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The kangaroo court set up to investigate his killing and blame Hezbollah is a case in point. currently, efforts to internationalise the crisis are spearheaded by the Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, a defender of the political and financial system.

He is calling for “active neutralism”.

US banking sanctions, aimed at drying Hezbollah funding, have harmed US traditional allies through collective punishment Traditionally, this was the discourse of the rightwing forces. It has always meant preservation of western hegemony and dissociation from the struggle with Israel.

But in the melee of today’s devastating and confusing regional wars, and due to Hezbollah’s overzealous de-

fence of Lebanon’s political system against the uprising, and a growing regional push for further normalisation with Israel, this right-wing discourse has gained wider currency.

Local Lebanese and arab media, as well as segments of civil society, have played a part in propping up al-Rai’s proposal, partly. Many were driven by the agenda of their western and Gulf funders, which is a reminder of the pernicious - yet largely implicit - role of finance in the ongoing battle, including the other side of US aid; sanctions. contrary to claims by many supporters of Hezbollah and their allies, US sanctions on the banking sector are not the root cause of the current banking crisis. But they should not be ignored either. US banking sanctions, aimed at drying up the funding of Hezbollah, have exacerbated an already fragile system.

If anything, they have harmed US traditional allies through collective punishment, a grim reminder of the unreliability of the US as an ally. But these sanctions can also sow the seeds of future mayhem, or in imperialist terms, creative destruction. The impact of these sanctions is amplified by two factors: the refusal of Gulf states to pump any of their trillion-dollar worth of their surplus capital, and the sabotage, through local allies, of attempts to turn eastward or even seek economic support from other arab countries like Iraq.

JUST DEMANDS: None of the above absolves Hezbollah, and more so its two allies, namely the amal movement and the Free Patriotic movement, from their complicity in Lebanon’s current debacle.

Nor does it relieve social forces who genuinely believe in radical change from forming a solid front with clear objectives and a trustworthy leadership capable of protecting the just demands of the uprising from being hijacked by local and international counter forces.

But all of the above reaffirms the regional dimension of Lebanese politics. Local actors seeking change ignore it at their own peril. With or without a civil war, failing to solve the crisis along socially just terms will lead to increased forms of violence, ranging from petty crime to organised mafia-style management of scarce resources under sectarian protection. Until a resolution or a rupture occurs, war will remain, as anthropologist Sami Hermez put it, a “structural force of social life”. after all, as Hermez adds, the recollection of past violence and anticipation of future violence has been a mainstay in the lives of ordinary people.

Hicham Safieddine is a lecturer in the History of the Modern Middle East at King’s College London. He is author of Banking on the State: The Financial Foundations of Lebanon (Stanford University Press, 2019).

The CIA used to infiltrate the media NOW THE CIA IS THE MEDIA. THIS ISN’T OPERATION MOCKINGBIRD. IT’S MUCH WORSE

CaitlinJohnstone.Com

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Caitlin Johnstone

ack in the good old days, when things were more innocent and simple, the psychopathic central Intelligence agency had to covertly infiltrate the news media to manipulate the information americans were consuming about their nation and the world. Nowadays, there is no meaningful separation between the news media and the cIa at all.

Journalist Glenn Greenwald just highlighted an interesting point about the reporting by The New York Times on the so-called Bountygate story the outlet broke in June of last year about the Russian government trying to pay Taliban-linked fighters to attack U.S. soldiers in afghanistan.

“One of the NYT reporters who originally broke the Russia bounty story (originally attributed to unnamed ‘intelligence officials’) say today that it was a cIa claim,” Greenwald tweeted. “So media outlets – again – repeated cIa stories with no questioning: congrats to all.”

Indeed, the NYT’s original story made no mention of cIa involvement in the narrative, citing only “officials,” yet this latest article speaks as though it had been informing its readers of the story’s roots in the lying, torturing, drug-running, warmongering central Intelligence agency from the very beginning. The author even writes “The New York Times first reported last summer the existence of the c.I.a.’s assessment,” with the hyperlink leading to the initial article which made no mention of the cIa. It

IN TOTALITARIAN DICTATORSHIPS, THE GOVERNMENT SPY AGENCY TELLS THE NEWS MEDIA WHAT STORIES TO RUN, AND THE NEWS MEDIA UNQUESTIONINGLY PUBLISH IT. IN FREE DEMOCRACIES, THE GOVERNMENT SPY AGENCY SAYS “HOO BUDDY, HAVE I GOT A SCOOP FOR YOU!” AND THE NEWS MEDIA UNQUESTIONINGLY PUBLISH IT wasn’t until later that The New York Times began reporting that the cIa was looking into the Russian bounties allegations at all.

This would be the same “Russian bounties” narrative which was discredited all the way back in September when the top U.S. military official in afghanistan said no satisfactory evidence had surfaced for the allegations, which was further discredited with a new article by The Daily Beast titled “U.S. Intel Walks Back claim Russians Put Bounties on american Troops.’’

The Daily Beast, which has itself uncritically published many articles promoting the cIa “Bountygate” narrative, reports the following: “It was a blockbuster story about Russia’s return to the imperial “Great Game” in afghanistan. The kremlin had spread money around the longtime central asian battlefield for militants to kill remaining U.S. forces. It sparked a massive outcry from Democrats and their #resistance amplifiers about the treasonous Russian puppet in the White House whose admiration for Vladimir Putin had endangered american troops.

But on Thursday, the Biden administration announced that U.S. intelligence only had “low to moderate” confidence in the story after all. Translated from the jargon of spyworld, that means the intelligence agencies have found the story is, at best, unproven—and possibly untrue.”

So the mass media aggressively promoted a cIa narrative that none of them ever saw proof of, because there was no proof, because it was an entirely unfounded claim

from the very beginning. They quite literally ran a cIa press release and disguised it as a news story.

This allowed the cIa to throw shade and inertia on Trump’s proposed troop withdrawals from afghanistan and Germany, and to continue ramping up anti-Russia sentiments on the world stage, and may well have contributed to the fact that the agency will officially be among those who are exempt from Biden’s performative afghanistan “withdrawal.”

In totalitarian dictatorships, the government spy agency tells the news media what stories to run, and the news media unquestioningly publish it. In free democracies, the government spy agency says “Hoo buddy, have I got a scoop for you!” and the news media unquestioningly publish it.

In 1977 carl Bernstein published an article titled “The cIa and the Media” reporting that the cIa had covertly infiltrated america’s most influential news outlets and had over 400 reporters who it considered assets in a program known as Operation Mockingbird. It was a major scandal, and rightly so. The news media is meant to report truthfully about what happens in the world, not manipulate public perception to suit the agendas of spooks and warmongers.

Nowadays the cIa collaboration happens right out in the open, and people are too propagandized to even recognize this as scandalous. Immensely influential outlets like The New York Times uncritically pass on cIa disinfo which is then spun as fact by cable news pundits. The sole owner of The Washington

Post is a cIa contractor, and WaPo has never once disclosed this conflict of interest when reporting on U.S. intelligence agencies per standard journalistic protocol.

Mass media outlets now openly employ intelligence agency veterans such as John Brennan, James clapper, chuck Rosenberg, Michael Hayden, Frank Figliuzzi, Fran Townsend, Stephen Hall, Samantha Vinograd, andrew Mccabe, Josh campbell, asha Rangappa, Phil Mudd, James Gagliano, Jeremy Bash, Susan Hennessey, Ned Price and Rick Francona, as are known cIa assets like NBc’s ken Dilanian, as are cIa interns like anderson cooper and cIa applicants like Tucker carlson.

This isn’t Operation Mockingbird. It’s so much worse. Operation Mockingbird was the cIa doing something to the media. What we are seeing now is the cIa openly acting as the media. any separation between the cIa and the news media, indeed even any pretence of separation, has been dropped.

This is bad. This is very, very bad.

Democracy has no meaningful existence if people’s votes are cast without a clear understanding of what’s happening in their nation and their world. When their understanding is being shaped to suit the agendas of the very government they’re meant to be influencing with their votes, what you have is the most powerful military and economic force in the history of civilization with no accountability to the electorate whatsoever. It’s just an immense globe-spanning power structure, doing whatever it wants to whoever it wants.

MASS MEDIA AGGRESSIVELY PROMOTED A CIA NARRATIVE THAT NONE OF THEM EVER SAW PROOF OF, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PROOF, BECAUSE IT WAS AN ENTIRELY UNFOUNDED CLAIM FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. THEY QUITE LITERALLY RAN A CIA PRESS RELEASE AND DISGUISED IT AS A NEWS STORY a totalitarian dictatorship in disguise. and the cIa is the very worst institution that could possibly be spearheading the movements of that dictatorship. a little research into the many, many horrific things the cIa has done over the years will quickly show you that this is true; hell, just a glance at what the cIa was up to with the Phoenix Program in Vietnam will.

There’s a common delusion in our society that depraved government agencies who are known to have done evil things in the past have simply stopped doing evil things for some reason. This belief is backed by zero evidence, and is contradicted by mountains of evidence to the contrary. It’s believed because it is comfortable, and for literally no other reason.

The cIa should not exist at all, let alone control the news media, much less the movements of the US empire. May we one day know a humanity that is entirely free from the rule of psychopaths, from our total planetary behavior as a collective, all the way down to the thoughts we think in our own heads.

May we extract their horrible fingers from every aspect of our being.

Caitlin Johnstone is a rogue journalist, poet, and utopia prepper who publishes regularly at Medium.

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

BUSINESS 09

LAHORE CORPORATE CORNER

Third PAk-irAn BordEr CroSSing PiShin-MAnd oPEnEd To EnhAnCE TrAdE KECH

LAHORE: Founders of LUMS including founding Pro Chancellor Syed Babar Ali, Pro Chancellor Abdul Razaq Dawood, member of LUMS Governing Body Dr Parvez Hassan, Rector Shahid Hussain and Vice Chancellor Dr Arshad Ahmad during the online Alumni Homecoming 2021 event.

SECP guides investors on convertible debt securities

P

TLTP

AKISTAN and Iran on Wednesday opened the third cross-border point PishinMand, adjacent to Kech district in Balochistan, to enhance trade exchanges.

Minister for Defence Production, Zubaida Jalal Khan, and Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mohammad Eslami, attended the opening ceremony.

Addressing the event, Zubaida Jalal said that it is a historic step for Pakistan and Iran and for the people of Balochistan in particular. She said that the relations between the both countries are

being strengthened under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

She said the border crossing will prove to be a milestone in providing employment and trade benefits to the residents of the area. These border crossings will not only help boost bilateral trade between the two Muslim neighbouring countries, but also promote tourism in the area, she added..

Speaking on the occasion, Eslami praised the two countries’ efforts for the expansion of trade ties and said: “In order to develop our relations and exchanges with our friend and neighbour Pakistan, we pursued some serious measures in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first of which was the inauguration of the sec-

ond border crossing between the two countries last year and this year too we are witnessing the opening of the third official border with this country.”

“This will completely change the level and nature of trade exchanges and commutes between the two countries,” Eslami stressed. “Adding two official trading terminals as well as six border markets will help us move towards good trade conditions with Pakistan,” he added.

It should be noted that "Pishin" border crossing is the third official crossing between Iran and Pakistan for transit between the two countries after two crossings Mirjavah and Rimdan. Trade exchanges and commutes between the two countries are currently carried out

via Mirjaveh and Rimdan borders.

Iranian and Pakistani officials inaugurated the Rimdan-Gabad border crossing in December last year, providing the shortest land route linking the Pakistani port of Gwadar to westward corridors. The crossings will boost the import and export of goods between both countries, as well as the passage of Pakistani travellers towards Iran.

So far $6.6 million have been invested for the construction of the Pishin-Mand crossing which has expanded over 13 hectares of land.

Iran and Pakistan share 950-kilometer of borders and the two countries have created several markets across the border unilaterally; however establishing a joint market is also on the agenda.

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued a guidance paper detailing mechanics and elements for issuance of convertible debt securities (CDS). According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the SECP has published the guidance paper in order to promote capital formation and educate potential issuers and investors about different modes of financing and investment avenues. The said paper is available on SECP’s website and can be freely accessed. A convertible debt security is a hybrid instrument having both debt and equity features. Initially, it is a fixed-income security that yields interest payments and subsequently can be converted into a specified number of equity shares. The conversion from debt security to shares can be done at certain times during the instrument’s life and is usually at the discretion of the security holder/investor. Investors in CDS can benefit from a steady income stream (payment of coupon/profit rate) and repayment of principal at maturity while retaining the option to share in potentially higher equity values i.e. if the conversion option is exercised. There is a global surge in the issuance of CDS due to the low-cost involved. Approximately $92 billion of convertible securities have been issued in the first half of the calendar year 2020. However, Pakistan has not witnessed CDS issues by the public listed companies barring few banks that used these instruments for meeting their tier I and tier II capital requirements.

Tarin lauds SBP’s steps for small, medium businesses amid pandemic ISLAMABAD TLTP

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin has appreciated the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for taking steps to shield small and medium businesses against insolvency and joblessness amid Covid-19 pandemic. According to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, the minister was talking to Governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr Reza Baqir, who called on him here and updated him on different policy initiatives taken to support businesses amid coronavirus pandemic. Shaukat Tarin lauded the ‘Roshan Digital Accounts’ initiative, which facilitated non-resident Pakistanis to mobilize their savings by making investment in Pakistan through online banking.

Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Hussain also called on the federal minister and briefed him on the progress made on various aspects of Civil Service reforms. The finance minister underscored the importance of the reforms, with a key focus on efficient and effective public service delivery to the masses, as envisaged by the prime minister.

Amazon to let shoppers pay with swipe of their palm SEATTLE AGENCIES

Amazon.com said it is rolling out biometric technology at its Whole Foods stores around Seattle starting on Wednesday, letting shoppers pay for items with a scan of their palm. The move shows how Amazon is bringing some of the technology already in use at its namesake brick-and-mortar Go and Books stores to the grocery chain it acquired in 2017. The system, called Amazon One, lets customers associate a credit card with their palm print. It offers a contact-less alternative to cash and card payments, Amazon said. The deployment stops short of introducing Amazon’s cashier-less technology at Whole Foods, which critics have said would result in job cuts. Amazon One still requires scanning items at checkout, and the company said it will not impact jobs at Whole Foods.

FBR automates cargo scanning system LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Pakistan Customs Wing has introduced a new automated process in its WeBOC system for scanning containerised consignments of industrial raw materials for quick clearance at ports.

The introduction of Non-Intrusive Inspection System (NIIS) is aimed at replacing physical inspection of cargo and reducing the dwell time at ports by using the latest scanning technology in

line with international best practices, the FBR said in a statement. in this connection, the Karachi Port and Port Qasim have been provided with Customs scanning facilities installed with the assistance of the Japanese government under JICA programme in addition to scanners for terminal operators. Similarly, the Blue channel will be part of the Risk Management System (RMS) through which Customs will be able to select the consignments of containerised cargo based on RMS by using a computer programme targeting

the suspected shipments.

The system shall operate without human intervention which is designed to be based on the risk profiling and risk parameters. The scheme is envisaged to reduce physical examination of goods which is time consuming and costlier besides causing port congestion.

The programme has been implemented initially at KICT, SAPT terminals of Karachi port and at QICT, Port Qasim with effect from April 19 for industrial raw materials and drastic reduction in clearance time of such

consignments has been observed.

“The World Customs Organisation (WCO) recommends the scanning of suspected cargo at ports and border stations for security of supply chain under its (SAFE) Security and Facilitation Framework and Kyoto Convention. By implementing the Blue channel, Pakistan Customs will not only be able to ensure security of supply chain but also ensure correct declaration of goods and secure legitimate payment of duty and taxes by the importers,” the tax department said.

Chinese bank reviewing $6bn loan request for ML-1 railway project MONITORING REPORT The Chinese government has sent Pakistan’s first modern railways’ infrastructure project — Main Line-1 (ML-1) — to the Exim Bank of China for approval of a $6 billion loan after all technical, administrative and other issues have finally been resolved, paving the way for launching civil work on this scheme within this year.

According to a report by a local media outlet, the construction of ML-1 project in three phases had been approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) in its meeting held in August last year. The actual cost of the project was initially $9bn, including equity amount of the government of Pakistan but was later reduced to $6.8bn.

Following the approval of the loan needed for the project, it will be sent to respective Chinese ministries dealing with the railways and planning and development related matters. This whole process would take a couple of months, after which the ministry would be able to initiate the international bidding process.

The project would have upgrade of ML-1 from

Karachi to Peshawar and Taxila to Havelian (1,872km), laying of new track with improved sub grade for 160km/per hour, rehabilitation and construction of bridges, provision of modern signalling and telecom systems, conversion of level crossings into

underpasses, flyovers, fencing of track, establishment of dry port near Havelian and upgrading Walton Training Academy, Lahore.

The train will reduce travel time from Karachi to Lahore from 18 to 10 hours.

China tech stampede into electric cars sparks auto sector buzz SHANGHAI AGENCIES

Thought Big Tech was taking over your life through smartphones? It may be coming for your car next as Chinese firms lead a stampede into auto manufacturing in their battle for more consumers.

Cars are the next major prize in the battle for digital territory, industry insiders say, and the deep pockets and data muscle of big Chinese tech firms will fuel even faster growth in “smartelectric” vehicles — and possibly hasten the arrival of autonomous cars.

In recent weeks, Chinese smartphone giants Huawei and Xiaomi, e-commerce leader Alibaba, and even DJI, the world’s top drone manufacturer, have thrown their hats into the ring.

“This sort of competition is a good

thing and will greatly accelerate innovation,” William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producer NIO, told AFP in an interview just ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show as it opens to the public on Wednesday.

The first major auto industry gathering of the year opens to the public with the global sector looking to China — the world’s biggest and most rapidly electrifying auto market — to lead the way into a post-pandemic future.

Sales in China contracted two per cent to 25.1 million vehicles last year — nearly one-third of the global total — but are rapidly recovering thanks to the expanding popularity of electric cars. Just a tiny fraction of Chinese sales until recently, EVs accounted for around 9 per cent in March, according to official figures.

China’s government expects new-

energy vehicles, which integrate the most advanced driving technology, to comprise 25pc of car sales by 2025, and recent announcements appear to bode well. Xiaomi, which has rapidly become one of the world’s biggest smartphone suppliers, plans to invest $10 billion over the next decade in a smart EV subsidiary, and Huawei will invest $1bn this year.

Alibaba-linked autonomous driving unit AutoX has partnered with Japan’s Honda to ramp up testing on Chinese roads. Tech giant Baidu earlier on Monday said its Apollo autonomous navigation system would be installed on one million vehicles over the next three to five years.

The moves will focus fresh attention on Apple’s secretive project to develop a self-driving vehicle.

Cars represent a fresh opportunity for companies like Huawei that is now

rushing to develop its own tech ecosystem after the US sanctions banned it from using Google’s Android.

Huawei has realised its current “market limitations”, said Chen Yusheng, chief technology officer for procurement analysis firm Shanghai Autodatas Co. “(Huawei) will enter a new track in the future, and with its own advantages, including combining software and hardware, will help promote lightningfast development of smart cars and autonomous driving,” Chen said.

Even potential competitors seem intrigued.

“This is very reassuring. (Tech companies) see there is an opportunity in this industry, which means that this industry still has a very bright future,” said Antoine Barthes, managing director of the automaking joint venture Dongfeng Nissan.

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

LAHORE

Disruption in oxygen supply kills 22 in inDian hospital NEw DElhi

a

Agencies

local administrator in western India said on Wednesday that 22 patients died in a hospital when their oxygen supply was interrupted by leakage in a supply tank.

SurajMandhar, the district collector, said the oxygen supply has since been resumed to other patients.

Fire officer Sanjay Bairagi said the leakage was plugged by the fire service within 15 minutes, but there was supply disruption in the Zakir Hussain Hospital in Nashik, a city in Maharashtra state that is the worst-hit by the latest surge in coronavirus cases in the country.

Television images showed white fumes spreading in the hospital area, causing panic.

More than 170 patients were on oxygen in the hospital, according to local media.

COUNTRY'S COVID SURGE HITS

NEW RECORD: Meanwhile, India's brutal new Covid outbreak set records on Wednesday with more than 2,000 deaths in 24 hours as hospitals in New Delhi ran perilously low on oxygen.

India has been in the grips of a second wave of infections blamed on lax government rules and a new “double mutant” virus variant, adding almost 3.5 million new cases this month alone.

Health ministry data on Wednesday showed a record 2,023 fatalities and 295,000 new cases in 24 hours, among the world's biggest daily case totals and on a par with numbers seen in the United States during a deadly surge in January.

In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country of 1.3 billion people was “once again fighting a big fight”.

“The situation was under control till a few weeks back, and then this second corona wave came like a storm,” he said.

How a WHO push for global vaccines needled Europe aGENCiES Last April, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added Europe to a global effort to ensure equitable access to a vaccine, which she said would be deployed “to every single corner of the world.”

But despite pledging billions of dollars for the scheme set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) and publicly endorsing it, European Union officials and member states repeatedly made choices that undermined the campaign, internal documents seen by Reuters and interviews with EU officials and diplomats show.

A year after its launch, Europe and the rest of the world have yet to donate a single dose through the vaccine scheme, which is part of an unprecedented effort to distribute vaccines, tests and drugs to fight the pandemic.

Diplomats say Europe's ambivalence stemmed partly from short supplies and a slack start to the global campaign, but also from concerns that the EU's efforts would go unnoticed in a vaccine diplomacy war where highly publicised promises from China and Russia were winning ground, even in its own backyard.

The programme, co-led by international agencies and the Global Alliance for Vac-

cines and Immunization (GAVI), is a bulkbuying platform to share doses worldwide.

But with the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump having turned its back on the WHO, the plan, called COVAX, was slow to win support and focused on using funds from rich countries to buy doses for less-developed ones.

Von der Leyen presented Europe's support for the COVAX campaign as a gesture of international unity. EU officials privately cast the bloc's vaccine aims in a less altruistic light.

"It's also about visibility," that is, public relations, Ilze Juhansone, Secretary-General of the EU Commission and the Commission's top civil servant, told ambassadors at a meeting in Brussels in February, according to a diplomatic note seen by Reuters.

Juhansone declined to comment.

A senior diplomat said many of those at that meeting felt Europe, which is by far the largest exporter of vaccines in the West, had goals that would be better served by plastering "more blue flags with yellow stars" on vaccine parcels and sending them out itself, rather than through COVAX. Brussels, which is coordinating vaccine deals with its members, has reserved a huge surplus - 2.6 billion doses for a population of 450 million so far. It has promised nearly 2.5 billion euros ($3 billion) in support to

Three years after Dubai princess' failed escape attempt, Frenchman who helped her recounts ordeal Dubai Agencies

Three years after Christian Elombo took part in a doomed bid to help the daughter of Dubai's ruler flee the UAE, the Frenchman still thinks he did the right thing despite spending months in jail in the Gulf and Europe as a consequence. In March 2018, Princess Latifa, the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, attempted to flee the UAE on a boat that was intercepted by commandos off the coast of India.

Her fate remains a mystery and a cause of international concern, with the UN urging the United Arab Emirates to provide proof she is alive, after the BBC broadcast a video where Latifa said she was being held captive.

One of those who helped Latifa in her failed bid to flee her home country was Elombo, 43, a martial arts coach who was a friend and is now based in London. “I was arrested like a big criminal, accused of kidnapping just because I helped Latifa,” he told AFP in an interview that broke three years of silence over his involvement.

He described his involvement in the bid as “unreal” but “right”. While the endeavour reads like the plot of a film, the consequences were all too real for Elombo, who found himself jailed in Oman and then — more unexpectedly — in Luxembourg. Latifa slipped out of the UAE on February 24, 2018, along with TiinaJauhiainen, her Finnish capoeira coach, under a plan hatched by Franco-American, HerveJaubert. It was in Oman that they joined up with Elombo, a friend of Jauhiainen who was living in the sultanate.

COVAX. That made the EU the biggest funder until the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden pledged $4 billion this year to the plan, which aims to distribute 2 billion doses by the end of the year.

But supplies for Europe's own population are behind schedule, and despite giving funds, the EU and its 27 governments have also hampered COVAX in several ways.

Like other rich countries, EU nations decided not to buy their own vaccines through COVAX, and competed with it to buy shots when supplies were tight. All except Germany offered the overall programme less cash than requested.

More than this, Europe promoted a parallel vaccine donation system that it would run itself, to raise the EU's profile.

"There is huge frustration because there is a feeling that right now the race is on but we're not really out of the starting blocks," a senior diplomat told Reuters.

"We're spending money on COVAX and the return in terms of political visibility is nil."

Russia says it wants to supply vaccines to countries directly. China has pledged support to COVAX. But both Moscow and Beijing have separate deals to deliver more than 1 billion doses to Africa, Latin America, and to EU partners such as Turkey, Egypt, Morocco and Balkan states that are candidates to join the bloc.

TENDER NOTICE (Hiring of Services of Staff)

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

SPORTS 11

LAHORE

Rizwan ShinES foR PakiStan in fiRSt t20 victoRy ovER zimbabwE HARARE

m

AGENCIES

OHAMMAD Rizwan hit a fighting 82 while leg-spinner Usman Qadir grabbed three wickets as Pakistan edged out Zimbabwe by 11 runs in the first Twenty20 international in Harare on Wednesday.

Pakistan managed 149-7 in their 20 overs with their in-form wicketkeeper batsman Rizwan anchoring the innings after they were sent in to bat.

Zimbabwe looked threatening at 772 in the tenth over but Qadir (3-29) and pacer Mohammad Hasnain (2-27) kept them to 138-7 in the allotted 20 overs.

Zimbabwe needed 20 off the last over but fast bowler Haris Rauf kept tight length to concede just eight to pull off a hard earned win, helping Pakistan to 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The second and third match will also be played in Harare on Friday and Sunday. Luke Jongwe top-scored with a 23-

over, playing a casual shot into the hands of cover fielder for just two.

Rizwan added two solid stands of 34 each with Fakhar Zaman (13) and debutant Danish Aziz (15) but senior batsman Mohammad Hafeez (five) and Haider Ali (five) failed. Zimbabwe could have had more wickets had they not dropped four catches, the most costly was of Rizwan when on just 13.

Rizwan, who cracked ten boundaries and a six off 61 balls, smashed 20 off the final Richard Ngarava over to take Pakistan to a fighting total. Part-tim spinner Wesley Madhevere (2-11) and seamer Jongwe (2-24) were Zimbabwe's successful bowlers.

PAKISTAN 149 FOR 7 (RIZWAN 82 NOT OUT, MADHEVERE 2-11, JONWE 224) BEAT ZIMBABWE 138 FOR 7 (ERVINE 34, QADIR 3-29, HASNAIN 2-27) BY 11 RUNS ball 30 not out which included three boundaries and a six while opener Tinashe Kamunhukamwe scored 29.

Pakistan started the innings on the wrong foot when their world famous batsman Babar Azam fell in the second

Bangladesh post 302-2 in 1st Test against Sri Lanka BANGLADESH 302 FOR 2 (SHANTO 126 NOT OUT, TAMIM 90, MOMINUL 64 NOT OUT, VISHWA 2-61) VS SRI LANKA

PALLEKELE AGENCIES

Bangladesh batsman Najmul Shanto posted his first Test hundred Wednesday and helped his team reach 302-2 at stumps on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Shanto finished the day unbeaten at 126 after Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first at Pallekele International Stadium. He and captain Mominul Haque (64) put on an unbroken 150-run partnership for the third wicket.

Shanto, who came into the game under pressure after a string of low scores in the home series against the West Indies, was dropped on 28 by Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. He made the most of the

reprieve by batting through the day after coming into the match in the third over. During his six-hour knock, Shanto faced 288 deliveries and hit 14 fours and one six. “I just wanted to watch and be patient,” Shanto said. “If the ball was in my strength areas, I wanted to play my shots. Wasn’t thinking of doing nothing, just doing the basics right.”

The 22-year-old Shanto represented his country in two ICC Under-19 World Cups and posted his maiden first class hundred at the age of 17.

Tamim Iqbal gave Bangladesh the early advantage as he attacked from the start without letting Sri Lanka’s seamers settle in. He hit 90 off 101 balls but got out by pushing one to slips to give Vishwa Fernando his second wicket in the innings. Fernando was the only successful bowler for Sri Lanka on Day 1.

Tamim was picking up boundaries at will, finding the gaps easily as Sri Lanka quickly went into a defensive mindset spreading the field.

After Tamim’s dismissal, Mominul was patient and made the most of the loose balls.

Although Suranga Lakmal did not take a wicket, he was the most impressive among the Sri Lankan bowlers. Lahiru Kumara was the quickest of the four seamers but was wayward and didn’t pose much of a threat. Sri Lanka took the second new ball after the 80th over but the seamers failed to break the stand. “There was a tiny bit of moisture in the morning. I don’t think we hit our lengths as well as we could have,” Sri Lanka batting coach Grant Flower said. “If we can get them out under 500, we have done well. However, two quick wickets early in the morning may help us.”

European Super League shelved as more football clubs withdraw London AGENCIES

The European Super League can no longer proceed, Juventus boss Andrea Agnelli confirmed on Wednesday, as Spain’s Atletico Madrid, Italy’s Inter Milan, and six English teams abandoned the breakaway competition after intense criticism. Twelve of Europe's leading football clubs from England, Italy and Spain announced a breakaway league on Sunday but after 48 hours of massive pressure from fans, politicians and even British royals, the six English clubs backed out on Tuesday. Agnelli said he still believed in the merits of the Super League despite the overwhelming criticism and had no regrets about how the breakaway had been conducted. "I remain convinced of the beauty of that project," Agnelli told Reuters, saying it would have been the best competition in the world. "But admittedly [...] I mean, I don't think that that project is now still up and running." Atletico Madrid joined Inter Milan on Wednesday in pulling out of the project. A source close to Inter Milan had earlier confirmed to Reuters they were no longer interested in the project “in light of the latest developments”. The founding members of the league were English clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, Italy's Juventus, Inter and AC Milan, and Spain's Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico. Agnelli's Juventus, AC Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid are the four clubs yet to announce their withdrawal but that position is expected to change within hours. Liverpool's principal owner John Henry apologised in a video on the club's website and social media on Wednesday. "It goes without saying but should be said that the project put forward was never going to stand without the support of the fans," he said. "I alone am responsible for the unnecessary negativity brought forward over the past couple of days. It's something I won't forget. And shows the power the fans have today and will rightly continue to have." Having triggered an enormous backlash from players, fans and football authorities, the Super League had said late on Tuesday it would reconsider and look to “reshape” the project, while stopping short of throwing in the towel.

'BEAUTIFUL DAY': The Super League had argued that it would increase revenue for the top clubs and allow them to distribute more money to the rest of the game. However, the sport's governing bodies, other teams and fan organisations said the breakaway would only boost the power and wealth of the elite clubs, and that the partially closed structure went against European football's long-standing model.

Players, fans and pundits celebrated the U-turns of the English teams. "This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. "I welcome last night’s announcement." "What a beautiful day for football. Let's keep playing, let's keep fighting, let's keep dreaming," said Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy. The news dominated the front page of Wednesday's newspapers in Britain.

"Defeat of Greed", declared the Daily Mail's front page headline while the i paper summed up the withdrawal as "Own Goal". The Daily Telegraph proclaimed a "victory for fans" while the Times said the clubs involved had bowed to "fan fury". A top official from the Council of Europe termed the project an unfortunate initiative and called on an intergovernmental sports coordination body to urgently discuss the ramifications of the proposed breakaway.

Amid celebrations over the collapse of the project, anger remained. Some pundits said the owners of the English teams would never be forgiven.

"They were going to sell the souls of our major football institutions," said Liverpool great Graeme Souness. “I don’t know how these clubs will manage to get back on-side.”

Chelsea back in top four but Brighton draw overshadowed by Super League drama London AGENCIES

Chelsea moved into the Premier League’s top four after a 0-0 draw against Brighton on Tuesday, but the result was completely overshadowed by the club’s role in derailing the controversial European Super League.

Just before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, it was widely reported that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had decided to withdraw from the controversial breakaway plan.

While there was no official confirmation from the club, the Blues are understood to be preparing documents to formally quit the tournament.

Manchester City became the first team to officially pull out, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham also confirming their exits. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC

Milan and Inter Milan are the only remaining members of a Super League that crumbled before a match was ever played. Against that dramatic backdrop, Chelsea produced a flat performance, although the draw saw Thomas Tuchel’s side move into fourth place above West Ham on goal difference.

“We talk of nothing else but Super League before the match. I was affected so I think the players were affected,” Tuchel said.

“The situation was not clear. I was informed like you were informed. You have to accept the distraction. We tried to create an atmosphere to win the game but could not.

We looked mentally tired.”

Chelsea visit West Ham on Saturday in a crucial clash in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Just hours before kick-off, it seems Chelsea would not have to worry about qualifying for Europe thanks to their invitation

to the closed-door Super League. But after resounding condemnation from across the political and sporting spectrum, Chelsea are set to walk away.

Abramovich and chairman Bruce Buck reportedly feared staying in the Super League would seriously damage Chelsea’s reputation, therefore undermining their antiSemitism campaigning and community work. While Stamford Bridge remained empty due to the coronavirus pandemic, around 1,000 fans had staged an angry protest before news of the Super League meltdown broke. The cheers when Chelsea’s imminent exit became public knowledge were as loud as any that greeted goals from the Blues when they fans were last allowed into the stadium.

‘THE FANS HAVE WON’: Chelsea supporter Dan Silver said: “I’m absolutely delighted that common sense has prevailed.

CMYK

The fans being at Stamford Bridge had an impact I believe.

“This is by far the best decision for the future of the beautiful game. No one should ever underestimate football fans again.”

Another unnamed supporter shouted: “The fans have won.”

Chelsea were believed to have initially agreed to sign up after fearing they would be left behind financially. But they have backtracked following furious criticism that culminated in the protest on their own doorstep.

Chelsea fans had unfurled banners reading: “RIP Football 1863 - 2021”, “Created by the poor, stolen by the rich”, “We want our cold nights in Stoke” and “Roman do the right thing” Blue smoke bombs were let off and fans staged a sit-down protest in the road while police attempted to control the crowds.

Former Chelsea keeper Petr Cech, now the club’s technical advisor, called on

demonstrators to clear the roads to allow the team bus to reach the stadium, shouting “give us time” before being drowned out by angry fans. By the time the players walked onto the pitch, the news had broken that the Super League scheme was in tatters.

“It felt like a monopoly trying to control the competition for profit and not the supporters. It was universal in how everyone got behind the issue. Hopefully we can move forward,” Brighton boss Graham Potter said.

Tuchel’s concern that his team would lose focus amid the Super League drama proved spot on in a tepid encounter.

It was Brighton who almost snatched the points in the 80th minute when Danny Welbeck’s curler smacked off the far post.

Brighton had Ben White sent off for a second booking in stoppage-time, but they held on to move seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Thursday, 22 April, 2021

PrAyer Timings

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:00

12:01

4:42

5:27

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PakIStan getS memberShIP of three Un bodIeS UniTeD nATiOns inP

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AKISTAN has been elected as a member of three United Nations (UN) bodies, reflecting the international community’s recognition of the country’s positive role at the forum. The bodies include the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the Commission on Population and Development (CPD). This is the sixth time that Pakistan got elected to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ).

The elections took place on Tuesday at a session of the 54-member Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the economic arm of the United Nations.

FO TERMS ELECTION AS REFLECTION OF INT'L COMMUNITY'S CONFIDENCE IN PAKISTAN'S CONTRIBUTIONS AT UN As a Commission member, Pakistan has been engaged in fostering international cooperation between the UN and its member states to combat national and transnational crime, including organised crime, money laundering promoting the role of criminal law in protecting the environment and improving the efficiency and fairness of criminal justice administration systems.

Pakistan triumphed with 50 out of 53 votes in the election for the membership of the Commission on Status of Women (CSW). Also elected were China, Iran,

Japan, and Lebanon. In addition, Pakistan was elected to the Commission on the Population and Development (CPD) which conducts demographic research, supports intergovernmental processes in the area of populations and development, and assists countries in developing their capacity to produce and analyze population data and information. Other elected included to the panel Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and China.

Pakistan will assume the membership of three Commission on January 1, 2022.

Ex-policeman in US found guilty of George Floyd’s murder WAsHingTOn

THE 19-YEAR VETERAN OF THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE FORCE, WAS SEEN ON VIDEO KNEELING ON THE NECK OF FLOYD FOR MORE THAN NINE MINUTES AS HE LAY FACEDOWN AND HANDCUFFED ON THE GROUND SAYING REPEATEDLY ‘I CAN'T BREATHE’

Agencies

Derek Chauvin, a white former Minneapolis police officer, was convicted on Tuesday of murdering African-American George Floyd after a racially charged trial seen as a pivotal test of police accountability in the United States. The jury deliberated less than 11 hours before finding 45-year-old Chauvin guilty of all three charges against him: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.

A crowd gathered outside the heavily guarded downtown Minneapolis courtroom erupted in cheers, and some wept tears of relief, when the verdicts were announced after a three-week trial that had an entire nation on edge.

Chauvin, who had been free on bail, was put in handcuffs after Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill read out the unanimous verdicts reached by the racially diverse, seven-woman five-man jury.

Wearing a facemask and displaying no visible emotion, Chauvin was escorted out of the courtroom by a deputy as one of Floyd’s brothers, Philonise Floyd, embraced prosecutors.

Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison on the most serious charge — second-degree murder. Sentencing will be at a later date.

The 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis police force, was seen on video kneeling on the neck of Floyd for more than nine minutes as he lay facedown and handcuffed on the ground saying repeatedly “I can’t breathe”.

The 46-year-old Floyd’s death during his May 25, 2020 arrest for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality around the world.

Ahead of the verdict, cities across the United States had been braced for potential unrest and National Guard troops

have been deployed in Minneapolis.

George Floyd’s brother Rodney told AFP that Black people in America had been victims of deadly injustice at the hands of the authorities for hundreds of years.

“We needed a victory in this case, it’s very important, and we got it and hey, we might actually breathe a little bit better now,” he added.

US President Joe Biden called members of the Floyd family to say he was “relieved” by the verdicts, then later he and Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the nation in televised remarks.

“This can be a giant step forward in the march towards justice in America,” Biden said, as he called on citizens to “unite” against racism and violence. Harris, America’s first female and first Black vice president, told the family it was “a day of justice in America,” and that “history will look back at this moment”.

‘TURNING POINT’: Floyd family

lawyer Ben Crump hailed the conviction as a landmark victory for civil rights and a springboard to legislation currently before Congress to reform police forces in their dealings with minorities.

“This verdict is a turning point in history and sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement,” Crump tweeted. “Justice for Black America is justice for all of America!”

Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president, said “a jury did the right thing” but “true justice requires much more”. Three other former police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are to go on trial later this year.

Minneapolis has been tense awaiting the Chauvin verdict and the city has seen nightly protests since Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot dead in a suburb of the Minnesota city on April 11 by a white policewoman.

In Washington, the National Guard said some 250 troops were being de-

ployed “to support local law enforcement” in response to potential demonstrations.

Prosecutors, in closing arguments on Monday, showed excerpts from the harrowing bystander video of Floyd’s death that was seen by millions around the world. “This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first, when you saw that video,” prosecutor Steve Schleicher told the jury.

“You can believe your eyes,” Schleicher said. “It’s exactly what you knew, it’s what you felt in your gut, it’s what you now know in your heart.

“This wasn’t policing, this was murder,” Schleicher added. “Nine minutes and 29 seconds of shocking abuse of authority.”

Much of the evidence phase of the trial involved testimony from medical experts about Floyd’s cause of death. A retired forensic pathologist called by the defence said Floyd died of cardiac arrest brought on by heart disease and the illegal drugs fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Medical experts for the prosecution said Floyd died from a lack of oxygen from Chauvin’s knee on his neck and that drugs were not a factor.

Among the 38 witnesses who testified for the prosecution were some of the bystanders who watched Floyd’s arrest and pleaded with Chauvin to get off him.

Darnella Frazier, the teenager who took the video that went viral, said Floyd was “scared” and “begging for his life”.

“It wasn’t right. He was suffering,” Frazier said. US Senator Tim Scott, one of just three Black Republicans in Congress, said there was “no question” that the jury rendered the right decision.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that Pakistan’s simultaneous election to the three important commissions is a reflection of the international community’s confidence in Pakistan’s active role and constructive contributions at the UN. “These commissions play a pivotal role in enhancing international cooperation on various social and economic issues,” the FO spokesperson said. He said that Pakistan will continue to foster international cooperation for combating transnational organised crime and improving efficiency and fairness of the criminal justice administration system, promote gender equality and women empowerment and support initiatives aimed at assisting countries in developing their capacity to produce and analyze population data and information.

US commission says religious freedom in India deteriorating further Agencies A US commission on Wednesday recommended for the second year in a row that India be placed on a blacklist for religious freedom, saying treatment of minorities had deteriorated further. The Indian government last year responded angrily to the call by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and there remains little chance that the State Department will take its advice and condemn India, an increasingly close US ally. The commission, which offers recommendations but does not set US policy, said in its annual report that “religious freedom conditions in India continued their negative trajectory.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government “promoted Hindu nationalist policies resulting in systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom”, it said. It pointed to allegations of police complicity in violence against Muslims during deadly riots last year in New Delhi and continued concerns over a citizenship law championed by Modi that critics say defines Muslims as non-Indian. It also said the Indian government has been stifling dissent and voiced concern over the rise of restrictions on inter-faith marriages including in India’s largest state Uttar Pradesh. The commission recommended that the State Department designate India as a “country of particular concern”, a blacklist that includes China, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Other nations already on the State Department’s blacklist — which paves the way for sanctions if they do not improve their records — are Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The recommendation on India drew a dissent from one commissioner, Johnnie Moore, an appointee of former president Donald Trump. Moore in a statement said India was “at a crossroads” but noted that it was the world’s largest democracy with constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. “Of all the countries in the world, India should not be a ‘country of particular concern’,” he said. “It is diversity personified and its religious life has been its greatest historic blessing.”

In addition to India, the commission called on the State Department to add Russia, Syria and Vietnam to the blacklist.

WB expects to fund $4bn worth of Covid-19 jabs for 50 nations WAsHingTOn Agencies

The World Bank expects to support 50 poorest nations with $4 billion of financing by the middle of this year to fund the purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and strengthen their healthcare systems.

The Washington-based multilateral lender has approved $2bn in financing for 17 countries, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

Funding packages to developing countries, reeling from the economic shock of the pandemic, are being disbursed on “grant or

highly concessional terms”.

“Access to vaccines is key to altering the course of the pandemic and helping countries move toward a resilient recovery,” David Malpass, World Bank president, said.

“Our programmes are helping developing countries respond to the health emergency and have financing available for vaccines.”

The financing is part of the World Bank’s $12bn funding envelope over 24 months to help the developing countries acquire and distribute vaccines.

The World Bank’s vaccine finance package is designed to be flexible and can be used by countries to procure doses through

Covax – the vaccine pillar of global collaboration to accelerate the development, production and access to Covid-19 tests and treatments – or through other sources.

The funding can also be used to strengthen health systems, including buying medical supplies, personal protective equipment, vaccine cold-chains, training health workers, outreach campaigns to key stakeholders which are key to ensure vaccination acceptance, the lender said.

The $2bn approved so far has supported mass inoculation programmes in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini,

Ethiopia, the Gambia, Honduras, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Tajikistan and Tunisia.

“As the world attempts to carry out the largest vaccination effort in history, we have stressed the need for countries with excess vaccine supplies to release them as soon as possible, and for financing commitments to Covax to be encashed,” Malpass said.

Although the outlook of the world economy has brightened on the back of a fasterthan-expected bounce back in some developed economies and mass inoculation programmes, the recovery is uneven and less pronounced in the developing world.

Finances of debt-laden poor nations are already stretched, leaving them little room to rebuild their economies or strengthen their crumbling healthcare systems.

Both the IMF and the World Bank have extended concessional loans and grants to these countries to help them deal with the pandemic.

The World Bank said its private sector development arm, the International Finance Corporation, is also deploying $4bn through its health platform to increase the supply and local production of essential PPE in developing countries and unlock bottlenecks in emerging markets, particularly in medical

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk