Tuesday, 11 August, 2020 I 20 Dhul-Hijjah, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 42 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
PM Meets unGa President-eleCt, urGes un to resolve kashMir disPute g
BoZkir says kashmir disPute resolution key to sustainaBle Peace in south asia
ISLAMABAD staff report
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rime minister imran khan on monday met united nations general assembly (unga) president-elect volkan Bozkir, who called on him at his office during his visit to Pakistan, and stressed that the united nations (un) must play its rightful role in addressing the grave situation in indian occupied kashmir (iok) and ensuring that kashmiris exercise their right to self-determination promised to them in the relevant united nations security council (unsc) resolutions. the premier highlighted the dire human rights and humanitarian situation in iok since august 5, 2019, as well as the ongoing gross and systematic violations of human rights of the kashmiri people and the attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory. he apprised the president-elect of his government’s initiatives to mitigate and suppress the socioeconomic impacts of covid-19 pandemic, focused on saving lives, securing livelihoods, and stimulating the economy. Pm imran said that his government deployed an $8 billion stimulus package for
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
284,660
15
NEW CASES:
516
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
SINDH:
PUNJAB:
260,764 6,097
123,849
94,477
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
34,692
fm Qureshi tells visiting dignitary that he wants unga to discuss kashmir
the poor and the needy, which was the highest social security coverage by any government in the history of Pakistan. he further highlighted his call for ‘global initiative on debt relief’ and stressed the need to provide greater fiscal space to the developing countries to overcome deleterious socioeconomic impacts of coronavirus pandemic. he also highlighted the high importance he attached to addressing climate change, countering islamophobia, and combating illicit financial flows from developing countries. the premier extended warm felicitations to Bozkir on his election as the president of the historic 75th session of the unga. later, the unga president-elect, while addressing a news conference along with foreign minister shah mahmood Qureshi, stressed that resolution of Jammu and kashmir dispute is key to sustainable peace in south asia. Bozkir said that regional security should be maintained through political and diplomatic means. he said that difficult challenges can be resolved peacefully through meaningful mutual engagements. he said that fm Qureshi and Pm imran khan presented their approach to the issue
Coronavirus in
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
g
11,906
2,141/2,334 15,261
during talks. “if my assistance is requested by the parties, i will be ready to provide contributions within his mandate,” he said. fm Qureshi said that the unsc has deliberated on the lingering dispute three times in a year which is unprecedented and Pakistan is grateful to it. he said that Pakistan desires that the discussion on the dispute is also held in the unga as it is the pulse of the world that highlights the views of the comity of nations. the foreign minister said that the people of iok are concerned over the demographic change taking place there. he said that if the kashmir issue is not resolved, peace in the region will remain disturbed, and its implications will even go beyond the region. he added that kashmir has become a flashpoint, and the un must act now on the issue. responding to a question about the un military observer group in Pakistan and india, fm Qureshi said that Pakistan has given freedom to the un observers and they share their reports, while on the other, he said, india has obstructed the working of the un observers. he called upon the un to play a role in this regard. the minister said the number of ceasefire violations along the line of control (loc) had been very high last year, and this year so far, india has committed 1,845 ceasefire violations, targeting innocent civilians. Bozkir said that Pakistan is a key country at the united nations which makes extensive and substantial contributions to the world body’s work including the peace operations. he said that the un looks forward to close cooperation with Pakistan. referring to his meeting with Pm imran, the president elect of the unga said that imran is a well-known political figure in the world who has a vision for the region and the world peace and security as well as also other important issues faced by the world including climate change and problems of least developed countries.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
Amid decline in cases, provinces revert to pre-pandemic routine LAHORE/KARACHI staff report
with coronavirus infections observing a steep decline across the country, provincial governments announced easing of total restrictions, which were imposed in march this year to curtail the pandemic, allowing the businesses to follow their pre-crisis routine but directed them to adhere to standard operating procedures (soPs) to avoid a second wave. all business activities have resumed across the country with strict enforcement of standard operating procedures (soPs). Business hours and weekly holidays have been reverted back to pre-covid19 routine. the Punjab and Balochistan government lifted the lockdown on monday, allowing all sectors except marriage halls and educational institutes to operate under safety measures outlined by the government. the Punjab Primary and secondary healthcare department issued a notification following the decisions made in the august 6 meeting of the national coordination committee (ncc) wherein it was decided to lift the restrictions on all sectors on august 10 and resume educational activities from september 15.
Zardari indicted in Park lane reference g
Bilawal, Bakhtawar and aseefa say their father has Been framed on ‘Bogus charges’ ISLAMABAD staff report
an accountability court in islamabad on monday indicted former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman asif ali Zardari in the Park lane estate reference through video-link. Zardari, who had joined the hearing though video-link from Bilawal house in karachi, pleaded not guilty. he informed the court that his counsel, farooq h naek, was at the supreme court (sc) and he could not be indicted in his absence. however, dismissing his stance, the court ordered for Zardari to be indicted and marked his legal team absent. other accused in the case including omni group chief anwar majeed were also indicted. all the accused pleaded not guilty. Zardari has been facing trial for being involved in obtaining loans and its misappropriation by m/s Parthenon Private limited, m/s Park lane estate Private limited and others. his counsel earlier argued before the court that Zardari was a director of m/s Park lane, but
“all sectors except marriage halls/marquees and educational institutions are hereby allowed to operate from 10th august 2020 subject to adoption of soPs/ guidelines,” read the notification. religious congregations will be allowed after approval of authorities concerned under health guidelines. Business hours and weekly holidays have been reverted back to pre-covid-19 routine. all kinds of public transport have also been allowed to operate under soPs. the sindh government also allowed restaurants and other businesses to remain open till 9 pm throughout the week. the government also gave permission to hold events for non-contact sports. all air, train and road transport is being resumed. it is pertinent to mention here that all restaurants, shopping malls and shops were closed following the lockdown imposed in the country in march to curb the spread of the coronavirus. on august 6, Planning and development minister asad umar had announced that the government has decided to reopen dine-in restaurants, cafes, cinemas, parks and gyms from august 10 after a nearly fivemonth closure due to the covid19 pandemic.
more inside
Flash floods kills nine in Balochistan; 142 houses destroyed STORY ON PAGE 02
6 killed, 20 injured as bomb rips through chaman he resigned from the company in 2008 before assuming the office of president of Pakistan in 2008. he said the board of directors of the company accepted the resignation of Zardari though it could not communicate the matter to the securities and exchange commission of Pakistan (secP) in time. ’BOGUS CHARGES’: PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari retweeted a post of his sister Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari while reacting on the indictment of their father Zardari, that stated, “Bogus charges framed on President asif ali Zardari without his lawyer present (in sc today which takes precedence).” Bakhtawar, in that tweet, said, “media tipped over weekend already. Judge did not care
for proceeding without lawyer. deprived of constitutional right to legal counsel. all charges denied but why the rush.” Bakhtawar, in another tweet, said, “when he is already on the exit control list (since selections 2018), already did 6 months in jail and more than 1 year after his arrest courts are scrambling to frame an actual charge. will fight all. nothing to hide. Persecuted for democracy and 18th amendment. going nowhere.” aseefa wrote, “charges framed against my father today without his legal counsel present in court. he has spent 6 months in jail already and has been on ecl for 2 years now. injustice prevails as judge rushed through indictment, trampling on his constitutional and legal rights.”
STORY ON BACK PAGE
NCOC warns of spike in Covid-19 cases if guidelines ignored STORY ON PAGE 03
sc orders removal of billboards from karachi STORY ON PAGE 02
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Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
NEWS
flaSh floodS KillS nine in BaloChiStan; 142 hoUSeS deStroyed QUETTA
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T least nine people died in Balochistan after heavy rains wreaked havoc in most parts of the province on Monday. According to a report released by Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) regarding the casualties and damages in rain-related incidents, nine
people, including women and children, have died in Balochistan after heavy rains wreaked havoc in large parts of the province, causing flash flooding in Mastung, Khuzdar, Harnai, Noshki, Loralai, Kohlu, Dhadar, and Dera Bugti. According to PDMA Balochistan, 142 houses and three bridges have been completely destroyed during the fresh spell of monsoon rains in Balochistan. The fresh spell of monsoon rainfall caused damages to three houses in Kechi,
two each in Dera Bugti and Khuzdar, 135 in Jhal Magis and five houses were damaged in Harnai. On the Makran Coastal Highway to Gwadar, Badok Bridge was destroyed by floods, suspending the traffic between Gwadar to Lasbela and Karachi. Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Monday visited the flood-affected areas of Harnai district. The chief minister on the occasion assured all possible support
to the flood affectees to minimise their sufferings. The Met Office has forecast rain/windthundershowers in Kashmir, Islamabad, upper/central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), northeast Balochistan, coastal belt of Sindh and Balochistan during the next 12 hours. Heavy falls are also likely to occur at a few places in Islamabad, Kashmir, upper Punjab and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the period.
SC orders removal of billboards from Karachi SINDH GOVT, LOCAL BODIES HAVE ENMITY WITH THE CITY, REMARKS CJP TOP JUDGE ORDERS RESTORATION OF KARACHI CIRCULAR RAILWAY THIS YEAR KARACHI TLTP
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday ordered the removal of all advertising billboards from all over the port city. An apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, heard a case pertaining to the illegal installation of billboards on public and private properties as well as roads across the metropolis. The hearing comes days after a video clip went viral showing two motorcyclists hit and injured by a billboard during heavy rainfall in the city. Taking notice of the incident, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ali Shalwani had ordered the immediate removal of billboards. During Monday’s hearing, the CJP took the commissioner to task over the mushrooming of billboards across the city. Billboards have been put up everywhere in the city, he remarked. “See buildings on Shahrah-e-Faisal, there are unending advertisements,” he said, wondering how people will be living in these buildings. The commissioner said that people have been exploiting public properties in the city and claimed there is a mafia behind all this. The bench directed Shalwani to take action against all those behind the installation of billboards in violation of laws.
CJP Gulzar said it is up to the government to ensure the implementation of building plans and lamented that there is no such thing as government and law in the province. He slammed the Sindh government and local bodies for what he described as “enmity” against Karachi over various instances of misgovernance. “The Sindh government has enmity with this city, as do the local bodies,” remarked the CJP. The CJP remarked that if Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar claims that he does not have the powers to work, “he should go home”. He also asked the mayor when his tenure would be ending. The mayor responded saying his tenure was ending on August 28, to which the CJP said he should “go” so the city can “be rid of him”. “Everyone is ruining Karachi,” observed CJP Gulzar. He added that it seems everyone was a “mafia” in the city. The top judge then turned his ire towards the city’s power supply company. He said that every day, “ten to eight” people were being “electrocuted” in the city. “K-Electric has earned in the billions. K-Electric directors should be arrested and sent to jail,” remarked the CJP. He added that the power supply company has “used” Karachi to pay off its foreign loans. The CJP also remarked that a case should be registered against the K-Electric
Sindh refuses to hand over Zia’s services to Centre KARACHI
BillBoardS to Be removed from KaraChi: Shah KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Local Government, Information, Forests and Religious Affairs Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Monday said that billboards will be removed from Karachi. In a statement, Shah said that in the light of the directives given by the Supreme Court (SC), billboards would not be allowed to be hung anywhere and protection of human lives and property would be ensured in any case. He said that the Sindh government sincerely respects the court decisions and it is the principled position of the provincial government that no effort should be spared in the service of the people. Despite the stormy situation in the recent rains, the diligence with which the Sindh ministers have been busy helping the people on the streets has made it clear which party has the most pain in its heart for the people. Shah said that the vision of Sindh government is nothing but public welfare and the implementation of rain emergency will continue till the rainy and monsoon season ends. The provincial minister said that the final decision to end encroachments on drains was taken in the last meeting which has been implemented and in the light of the feasibility report, illegal constructions from all drains will be phased out. He said that the restrictions under the lockdown imposed in the province to protect human lives have been lifted after five months. He further said that marriage halls, trade centers, expo halls, all educational institutions, including training institutes, will be opened from September 15, while the Home Department has also issued a formal notification in this regard. He said that restrictions have been lifted on beauty parlors, playgrounds and shrines. Shah said that the Sindh government has decided to end the lockdown in the province. He further said that the date of September 15 has also been given for the opening of schools and wedding halls before which any adventure or haste must be avoided. TLTP
chief executive officer and all the management of the company should be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL). He said that the court would issue written orders regarding the matter. RESTORE KARACHI CIRCULAR RAILWAY THIS YEAR: Separately, while hearing a case pertaining to the restoration of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) at the apex court’s Karachi registry, CJP Gulzar directed for making the masstransit system functional this year. The top judge rejected the statement of the secretary transport regarding the reha-
bilitation of the KCR track in the city and also reprimanded the secretary railways. “[The] time we had given you for the restoration of the circular railway is running out and we would take contempt action against you,” the CJP remarked. The secretary transport informed the court that there are 24 crossings on the track and that underpasses and overhead bridges need to be constructed at 10 intersections. He added that from these 10 crossings more than 2,000 vehicles pass through daily while the remaining 14 intersections have no traffic.
lhC approves petition against appointments of SaPms for hearing LAHORE INP
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has approved the petition against appointments of advisers and special assistants to Prime Minister Imran Khan for hearing. Accepting the petition for the hearing, LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan has sent notices to all advisers. The court has inquired about qualifications and appointment procedure of the aides along with their asset details and services for the country. The LHC CJ remarked that it is unfortunate that people fill their briefcases and leave. It may be noted that last month, two Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Dr Zafar Mirza and Tania Airdus had resigned from their posts over dual nationality issue. Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had released a written order that stated there was no restriction of appointing persons having dual nationality as special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs). The ruling was issued by the IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah while hearing a plea filed against the appointment of SAPMs and sought their disqualification for having dual nationality.
draP seeks explanation from UhS over Covid-19 vaccine trials LAHORE TLTP
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has sought an explanation from the University of Health Sciences (UHS) vice chancellor for going ahead with clinical trials of a potential coronavirus vaccine without seeking any prior approval. The drug regulator issued a show-cause notice to Professor Dr. Javed Akram to explain his position in this regard within three days’ time or else unilateral action will be taken against him. The UHS VC did not apply to the DRAP’s Clinical Committee to conduct clinical trials of the vaccine, it added. The DRAP made it clear that it has not approved any clinical trials and that clinical study without its approval breach Clinical Trial Bio-Study Rules 2017. It asked the UHS to immediately stop the clinical study of vaccines and explain as to why the university started clinical trials without seeking approval from the drug regulator. Earlier, the Punjab government had sought an explanation from the UHS on clinical trials.
Traders hail govt’s ‘pro-business’ smart lockdown strategy ISLAMABAD
TLTP
APP
The Sindh government on Monday refused to hand over the services of Ziaur Rehman, brother of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to the federal government. Ziaur Rehman is directed by the provincial authorities to continue to serve as the deputy commissioner of the district central in Karachi. It is pertinent to mention here that the appointment of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s brother stirred controversy on July 24 after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) highlighted the issue and demanded to immediately remove him, terming the move to acquire services of an official from other provinces as illegal and unconstitutional. After a blame game between both federal and the provincial governments accusing each other of seeking the transfer, it was reported on July 27 that the Sindh government has handed over services of Ziaur Rehman to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government. The report said that the KP government had requested to transfer services of the brother of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to the KP, owing shortage of cadre officers. The Establishment Division has issued a notification in this regard and Ziaur Rehman has been directed by the federal government to report to KP province. However, on Monday, it emerged that Ziaur Rehman is yet to be transferred after the Sindh government refused to release him from the province. It may be noted that appointments from other provinces on deputation are banned according to the apex court verdict.
The business community and traders on Monday hailed the government’s smart lockdown strategy adopted during Covid-19, saying that it benefited the local businesses, especially export and construction sectors. Islamabad Chamber Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, addressing a press conference, said, “The government provided good incentives to the local industrial sector, especially export-oriented businesses besides offering huge relief package to the constitution sector.” He said that the government came up with a comprehensive strategy that helped mitigate the losses the businesses community might have faced due to the coronavirus spread. The ICCI president particularly mentioned the timely payment of sales and income tax refunds which bolstered the businesses. Additionally, he said, the decision to reduce interest rate by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) was made in a timely manner, during the most challenging times, and urged the commercial banks to offers credit to businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He termed the report by Moody’s as an encouraging sign as it would pro-
mote the country’s image and help the government attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). The ICCI president stressed on the need for proper utilization of the economic package provided by the government and also highlighted the need for modernising the industrial sector to increase exports. Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Saboor Malik said that as compared to other regional economies, Pakistan’s government has adopted a balanced approach to deal with Covid 19 challenges. “We adopted a good approach and protected the local business from
the negative impact of Covid- 19 challenge,” he remarked. He said that during the Covid 19 the government announced packages for local businesses, released refunds besides providing relief in utility bills, which he said gave a huge relief to the local industry. He added that the government’s economic package, especially for the construction and export sector would help generate economic activities and boost the local industrial sector. The RCCI president said that PM Imran emerged as a visionary leader as the smart lockdown strategy was appreciated across the world and various
economies followed this course of action. He expressed hope that the positive ranking by Moody’s would have a positive impact on Pakistan’s economy. He said that there was a huge need for coordination between all stakeholders to come on one page for resolving the issues of the business community. Meanwhile, Pakistan Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Senior Vice President Qaisar Khan Daudzai also appreciated the government’s strategy of a smart lockdown for Covid 19 and said that the business community admired the package provided by the government especially for exports and construction industry. He admired the overall leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan during Covid 19 situation and said that as compared to the other countries, the government had adopted a very good strategy for lowering the impact of the pandemic on the local business. Tanzeem-e-Tajiran Pakistan Central President Kashif Chaudhry also lauded the government’s strategy during the pandemic. He proposed the government to provide more incentives for six million small traders and retailers of the country by providing them with business credit on lower interest rates to promote businesses.
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
NEWS
nCoC warnS of SPiKe in Covid-19 CaSeS if gUidelineS ignored ISLAMABAD
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HE National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) session warned of a potential spike in coronavirus cases if health guidelines and code of conduct for Muharram-ul-Haram processions are not followed. The NCOC held a meeting on Monday to discuss the coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) ahead of the Muharram-ul-Haram. A review meeting of the forum was held here with Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar in the chair. The forum deliberated upon upcoming Muharram-ul-Haram processions and measures to ensure public
health and safety. Speaking on the occasion, Asad said that various sectors were shut down due to pandemic, but now the government has opened several sectors, particularly tourism after virus cases declined in the country. “There is a need to trace, track and test those people who are linked with various sectors,” he added. The provinces apprised the NCOC of their plan of action to meet challenges during post-opening up of various sectors. It is pertinent to mention here that coronavirus cases have witnessed a massive decline in Pakistan in recent days and the government today has lifted almost all restrictions. Businesses have reopened across the
country, with their working hours and weekly holidays reverted back to preCovid-19 routine. Active coronavirus
cases in the country stand at 17,799, while 6,097 people have died from the disease so far.
Punjab back to pre-coronavirus position: Buzdar LAHORE TLTP
CoaS visits iSi hQs, given detailed update on internal, external security situation RAWALPINDI APP
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the headquarters of InterServices Intelligence (ISI) on Monday and was given a detailed update on the internal and external security situation of the country. The COAS appreciated the measures to optimise the performance of ISI, ensuring that the country responds effectively to threats across the spectrum, said an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release. Earlier on arrival, COAS was received by ISI Director General Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid.
Balochistan reports 16th polio case of 2020 QUETTA: Another polio case was reported in Balochistan on Monday, taking the provincial tally to 16 in the current year. The case was reported in Quetta, where a 20-month-old boy was confirmed with the virus. The samples were collected on July 25 and 26. The child infected with the crippling disease had never been administered the anti-polio vaccine. Last month, a police case was reported in Chaman, where a 17-monthold girl was confirmed with the virus. It is pertinent to mention here that the government of Pakistan resumed polio vaccination activities on July 20 with a campaign in selected districts after a four-month suspension of all vaccination activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Districts covered in the first round were Faisalabad, Attock, South Waziristan, and parts of Karachi and Quetta. Almost 800,000 children under the age of five vaccinated during the campaign. It was learnt that the first polio immunisation campaign in the country during Covid-19 pandemic has achieved desired results as 94 per cent of the targeted children were administered polio drops during the drive. The campaign came to an end in a peaceful manner without witnessing any violent incident as law enforcement authorities provided adequate security to the volunteers during the immunisation process. TLTP
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has claimed that the province has regained the pre-coronavirus position which is a very good piece of news. The chief minister said this while talking to the media at PSCA on Monday. He said that timely anti-coronavirus steps were taken and the administration worked day and night to yield positive results. “We have remained safe from the expected coronavirus-related losses and all activities have been restored today except educational institutions and holding of big congregations. The routine life has been restored to normal and I pay tribute to those who played their role in overcoming this virus,” he said. The chief minister expressed the satisfaction that the Punjab government made wonderful cleanliness arrangements on Eid ul Azha and everyone has acknowledged it. Such cleanliness arrangements were not made in the past, he added. “Similarly, the Punjab government has taken the most effective steps to deal with the locust attack and this has been appreciated at every level. Everyone said the Punjab government performed better,” he stated. He said that all other challenges have also been wellhandled by the government. The administration has been directed to go into the field to provide relief to the people as its monsoon season and people should not face any difficulty, he emphasised. The situation in Punjab is much better than other provinces, he maintained. “I have presided over a meeting of the cabinet committee on law order to review
Muharram-ul-Haram arrangements and all stakeholders have been consulted in this regard. Best arrangements of Muharram-ul-Haram will be made this year and the cabinet committee on law and order will keep an eye on preparations by holding regular meetings,” he said. He further said that he will also visit every divisional headquarters to monitor the arrangements, adding Army and Rangers are being requisitioned in Muharram-ulHaram. In reply to a question, Buzdar remarked that he has issued directions to provincial food minister and provincial industries minister to take up essential steps to bring stability in the prices of flour and sugar. He disclosed that the Punjab government has purchased 4.1 million tonnes of wheat during this year which is an even better record than the previous year and added that a 20kg flour bag is available at Rs860 in the province. The Federal Statistics Department has also acknowledged that the situation in Punjab is quite better as compared to other provinces, he added. He emphasised that the government is taking stern action with regard to checking artificial price hikes and is also undertaking legal action against those found involved in this practice. He highlighted that price control will be monitored on a daily basis and he himself reviews steps taken for price control. He appealed to the masses to refrain from going to public gatherings and must wear masks along with maintaining social distance. In reply to another question, Buzdar outlined that Punjab Safe City is a state-of-the-art project and no such project exists in Pakistan. “With the blessings of Allah Almighty our government will launch a safe city project in Rawalpindi and in other cities,” he added.
Inheritance, education, job rights of transgender community to be protected, NA told ISLAMABAD TLTP
The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Monday that the government is committed to protecting the inheritance, education, and employment rights of the transgender community. Speaking at the floor of the house, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said that a series of steps have been taken for the protection of rights of the transgender community and they have been made part of the Ehsaas Programme. He said that a task force has been constituted on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to look into the issues related to the transgender community. He added that according to legislation, their quotas at different places are also being fixed. Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Lal Chand said that the inheritance, education, and employment rights of transgender have been protected in the law. Responding to the points of Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamFazl (JUI-F) leader Asad Mahmood, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that regardless of political differences, the political parties have time and again proved to be united on issues of national
interests. He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf waged a hectic and long struggle of 22 years to come to power. He said this government wants to build Pakistan on the golden principles of the State of Medina. He said that PM Imran Khan has given the instructions to make Seeratun-Nabi (Peace Be Upon Him) as part of the syllabus at the school level. JUI-F leader Asad Mahmood in his remarks said his party will support the government in the legislation that is in the interest of the country. The NA also adopted two resolutions extending the Covid-19 (Prevention of Smuggling) Ordinance and Financial Institutions (Secured Transactions) Amendment Ordinance for a further period of 122 days. The resolutions were moved by Awan. Responding to another calling attention notice, the minister of state for parliamentary affairs clarified that the PTV license fee has not been enhanced. He said the cabinet has not approved the increase in the license fee. The minister said that PTV and Radio Pakistan are the state broadcasters that always raise voice in the national interests including projecting the plight of the oppressed people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). The NA also passed a resolution in connection with the 73rd anniversary of the House which was observed on Monday.
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Bill gates lauds Pakistan’s ‘unmatched’ success against coronavirus WASHINGTON: Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is appreciative of Pakistan’s efforts to combat the coronavirus, saying the way the pandemic was controlled in the country had no match in the world. In an interview to CNN, he said that Pakistan fought the pandemic successfully when compared with India and Europe. “One would admit that Pakistan achieved this success thanks to its excellent expertise,” noted Bill Gates. The remarks came as the coronavirus in Pakistan continued to remain under control as the country reported only 539 new cases Monday in the past 24 hours (Sunday), the latest data from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) shows. The total coronavirus cases now stand at 284, 649 with 516 more people recovered from the coronavirus during the last 24 hours. This has taken the total number of recovered people to 260,764. According to the portal, the number of critical patients has been reduced to 776. There are only 17,799 active cases in the country. It means 91.6 per cent of patients who contracted coronavirus have fully recovered so far. The country also recorded 15 more fatalities over the last 24 hours, taking the overall death tally to 6,097. The death ratio in the country stands at 2.1pc. INP
reference against hamza in final phase, naB tells court LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Monday extended the judicial remand of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz until August 17 in a money laundering and assets case against the Sharif family. Prison authorities did not present the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president before the court due to the coronavirus situation. To a question about the filing of a final reference, a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor told the court that the reference is in the final phase and will soon be filed. He said some co-accused in the case were still being investigated due to which the bureau was unable to file the reference at earliest and needed some time to complete the investigation. The bureau has accused Hamza of accumulating assets through unjustified means and money laundering. APP
Pm, maldives president discuss Covid-19, regional cooperation ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has reaffirmed Pakistan's desire to work with Maldives to strengthen beneficial cooperation in the region. The premier, in a telephonic conversation with Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday, shared Pakistan's perspective on the peace and security situation in South Asia. PM Imran also underlined that the region needs peace and cooperation so that South Asian nations could realise their true economic potential. The two leaders exchanged views in detail on the challenges posed by Covid-19. PM Imran commended the efforts made by Maldives to contain the spread of the pandemic and efforts to revive the economy, including the tourism sector. The prime minister briefed the Maldivian president about the latest situation in Pakistan and the steps taken by the government to contain Covid-19, with a focus on saving lives, securing livelihoods, and stimulating the economy. He added that the ‘smart lockdown’ strategy has worked successfully and that major sectors of the economy are being gradually opened up. He also apprised the Maldivian president about his global initiative on debt relief for developing countries to mitigate the severe socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. TLTP
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Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
NEWS
Punjab slashes school curriculum by 50Pc LAHORE
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INP
HE Punjab government has decided to cut down 50 per cent of its school curriculum from grades one to 10. The province’s education department announced that it will turn the curriculum “smart” by reducing more than half of it. It said that the decision was taken in light of the time lost by students during the coronavirus pandemic. All schools in the province have been instructed to reduce subjects from their syllabuses after taking advice from teachers and textbook experts. The experts have been asked to give a critical perspective on the new syllabuses and submit a report to the government. The smart syllabus will be sent to the managements of all private and public schools in Punjab. It will also be avail-
able online. “The syllabuses will only include those chapters or topics that are important for students while others will be removed,” the department said, adding that it is working on a list of the topics to be removed.
two women killed, five injured as car overturns near Ghotki GHOTKI
The new syllabus will be easily completed during the educational year September 2020 to February 2021. Examinations will be taken on the basis of these chapters. In July, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board banned the sale and
printing of 100 textbooks on Thursday for having anti-Pakistan and anti-Islamic content. According to the board, the banned books contained ‘blasphemous’ and ‘antiIslamic’ content against the caliphs. The birth dates of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal in the books were incorrect and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was shown as a part of India in the maps. The Punjab Assembly also recently passed the Punjab Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-eIslam Act, 2020. It states that Lahore’s director -general of public relations will have the power to visit and inspect any printing press, publication house, book store and confiscate any books before or after printing. Publishers have been obliged to provide four copies of their books published to the authorised officer the day they are published.
accused shot dead by opponents in premises of session court LAHORE APP
An accused was shot dead by opponents in the premises of the session court, Islampura, on Monday. The police said the accused, Muhammad Nawaz, was nominated in a murder case of Javed registered in Police Station Shahdara. Today, the accused came to the session court for interim bail when his opponent opened firing on him. As a result, he died on the spot and his body was shifted to a dead house for autopsy while the killer fled. Meanwhile, CCPO Zulfiqar Hameed reached the session court and inspected the incident area. He was accompanied by SP City Operation and DSP Islampura. The CCPO directed the SP city operations to complete an inquiry of the incident and sent him the report at the earliest.
Police officer of special branch gunned down in tank TANK INP
A senior Police officer of Special Branch was shot dead in line of duty near Allah Jan Market in the jurisdiction of City Police station, police said. Tank Special Branch Assistant Group Officer (AGO) ASI Mir Azam Shah was on his duty in the night between Sunday and Monday when two armed motorcyclists intercepted his way on main city Bazar near Allah Jan Market at around 8:00 pm and opened pistol fire at him. The senior police officer suffered bullet wounds in his head and succumbed to injuries on the spot while the culprit managed to escape from the scene. The dead body of the martyred police officer was shifted to DHQ Hospital, Tank, for postmortem. Soon after the incident a huge contingent of police reached the crime scene and initiated search operation in the various parts of the city and its out skirts to trace the murderers however no arrest could be made. A First Information Report (FIR) of the incident was registered in Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Police Station Dera Ismail under 3027ATA/No 26. The funeral prayer of the martyred police officer was offered at Police Station Shaheed Mureed Akbar (SMA) which was attended by SP Special Branch South region, DPO Tank, DSP Special Branch Dera Ismail Khan, Military Officers, leaders of political parties and civilians. Later, the martyred AGO Special Branch was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard Langerbai in Tank city.
SAHIWAL TLTP
At least five passengers were killed and 30 others got injured when their bus turned turtle due to over-speeding near Sahiwal on Monday. The accident occurred near ArifwalaSahiwal Road. According to eyewitnesses, the passenger bus overturned due to over-speeding, leaving five people dead and 30 injured. Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot after the accident and shifted the injured to District Headquarter Teaching Hospital. The police have registered a case and launched investigations into the accident. Earlier on July 14, a passenger bus turned upside down in a horrific accident in Bahawalpur, leaving at least three dead and 30 wounded.
Bilal Saeed apologises for shooting music video at Wazir Khan Mosque LAHORE INP
PPI
A speeding car overturned near Ghotki on Monday, killing two women and injuring five others. A fastmoving car was on its way to Lahore from Karachi when it overturned near Ghotki city. As a result, two women identified as Tahmina and Rimsha were killed while five other people, including the driver, were injured. The bodies and injured were rushed to a local hospital for medico-legal formalities and treatment, respectively. The victims belonged to Lahore. Police said that the car overturned after going out of driver's control. Further investigation into the incident was underway, they added.
Five die, 30 injured as bus turns turtle
Singer Bilal Saeed has finally stepped forward on the ongoing ‘Qubool Hai’ controversy and released a new apology video for each Muslim whose feelings have been hurt by seeing them shoot the song video at the mosque. The Baari singer clarified in the video that he also belongs to a Muslim family and that he can never do anything against Islam. “I swear upon Almighty Allah that we [Saba Qamar and him] did not play any song in the mosque neither did we dance,” said Bilal. He further adds, “We are humans just like you all. We did not perform any dance steps in the mosque. But yes, we do agree we
had committed a mistake unintentionally. I know, your emotions have also been hurt by the clip, but we did not do anything intentionally.” “As every Muslim’s emotions have been hurt, I have decided to edit
out the Wazir Khan Mosque’s scene from the video,” he said. He concluded by apologizing again and expressed his guilt by asking forgiveness from everyone. However, protests have erupted across Lahore, with people demanding action and punishment against the stars. The company behind the music video shooting, on the other hand, said it had requested prior permission, which was granted against payment of Rs30,000. Earlier, Saba responded to the criticism in a series of tweets, saying the clip was a "prologue to the music video featuring a Nikah scene". "It was neither shot with any sort of playback music nor has it been edited to the music track," she said on Twitter.
Pak-China friendship green park in Gwadar completed ISLAMABAD INP
Construction and development work of Pak-China friendship green park in Gwadar has been completely. According to a report published by Gwadar Pro on Monday, with its completion, a grassy plantation surrounding Gwadar Port stands out with thousands of trees waving to the tune of wind, stretching their leaves and casting a shade along the road. Named after Pak-China friendship green park, this plantation was completed under the cooperation of the sister cities Gwadar and Puyang in Henan Province, China, as well as China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC). It is located on the south side of China-Pakistan Friendship Road leading to the port and laid under Hill Koh-e-Batil, covering an area of 60 acres. Gwadar has a hot desert climate, characterized by little precipitation and high variation between summer and winter temperatures. Serious soil salinization has led to a low survival rate of plants. Faced with these difficulties, COPHC has made great efforts to transform the ecological environment of Gwadar by improving the coverage of plantation in this area, and it has successfully planted hundreds of tropical economic tree species that can adapt to high temperature, salt and alkali, wind and sand, and draught. Besides, COPHC has adopted area-based planning for the Pak-China friendship green park. The main areas are distributed into a tropical arbor planting belt, a tropical flower
planting area, and a ring hedge flower gallery. A tour road has been laid in the park to facilitate visitors. A memorial space has also been reserved for the dignitaries of the Chinese and Pakistani governments to plant trees when visiting Gwadar Port. To ensure the survival of plants, drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation systems have been built in the park. As per the introduction of Zheng Xuedong, the incharge of the planting plan, irrigation facilities are equipped with a plant nutrient solution distribution system, which is the most advanced irrigation technology in the world. They have not only built an exclusive water supply pipeline linking the seawater desalination plant in Gwadar Free Zone with the park but also built a water supply network system of nearly 10,000 meters in the park, and repaired a water storage cellar with a volume of 3,000 cubic meters. The system has run well so far. Up to now, nearly 100,000 trees, shrubs, and flowers have been planted in the Pak-China friendship green park. Meanwhile, site cleaning, construction waste removal, and soil replacement have also been completed. The once garbage dump with blowing sand and no grass has been transformed into a beautiful landscape with green trees, flowers, and a pleasant environment. "We will gradually build the Pak-China friendship green park into the most distinctive cultural landscape in this area," COPHC Chairman Zhang Baozhong told the reporter of Gwadar Pro.
sindh rangers headquarters in shikarpur attacked with cracker SHIKARPUR INP
Sindh Rangers District Headquarters in Shikarpur was attacked with a cracker on Monday. As per details, unknown men traveling on a motorbike, thrown a cracker over Sindh Rangers Headquarters in Shikarpur, and fled away. No human loss was reported, meanwhile, the Rangers have cordoned off the area and initiated search operation.
anti-polio drive in KP to start on thursday PESHAWAR TLTP
A polio vaccination campaign will be carried out in different cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province from August 13 to 16, according to the Polio Emergency Operation Center. According to details, the campaign will be launched in 21 districts of KP and it will be the biggest polio vaccination drive in the province after the Covid-19 pandemic. Around 609 teams have been formed for the drive while 14,335 mobile teams will also take part in the anti-polio campaign. Covid-19 SOPs will be strictly implemented during the campaign. Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), hand gloves and surgical masks will be provided to the polio team for vaccination drive. It is pertinent to mention here that the government of Pakistan resumed polio vaccination activities on July 20 with a campaign in selected districts after a four-month suspension of all vaccination activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 27,000 govt employees bearing brunt of rented residences ISLAMABAD APP
More than 27,000 government employees of the federal capital are waiting for their turn to get official residences, as per their entitlement, for the past several years and compelled to pay extra charges on rented accommodation. They have submitted their applications for allotment of official residences, through proper channel, with the Estate Office of the Ministry of Housing and Works, but facing inordinate delay. The government officials, residing in the rented apartments, have been bearing the brunt of the chronic shortage of offi-
cial accommodations, faced by the Ministry of Housing and Works (MoHW) at the moment. “At present, 29,000 federal government employees have been residing in the government residences,” an official source said, confirming the shortage of facility. The waiting list has been growing gradually due to increase in number of new applicants, he added. He informed APP that concerted efforts were being made at the government level since the country had been facing a shortfall of approximately 9-10 million housing units. The official pointed out that no government houses had been built since 1995
as a ban was imposed on the construction of new facility by the then federal cabinet. Sharing the ministry’s endeavours for streamlining the allotment process, he said the MoHW had completed the data entry of all allotments of government accommodations (category wise) at the website of Estate Office to ensure transparency in the allotment process. The status of allotment as well as name of allottees and their departments had now been available on the site and could be checked anytime, he added. The official said the personal data including Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) and date of birth have been excluded from the data entered on the
website in order to ensure security of personal data. Regarding the repair and maintenance of the houses and flats in federal capital, he said the federal government had allocated funds amounting to Rs2.5 million for repair maintenance of 2,163 houses and flats (Cat-I to VI) for the current financial year. Out of which, he said Rs0.940 million had been released by the end of 2019. The funds to the tune of Rs0.750 million of 3rd quarter were expected to release for coming two months. He said the ministry was entrusted to carryout repair and maintenance of houses and flats located in various sectors of the federal capital. The official said the minor works were being carried out through inquiry office, where as the work would be completed within 15-days through contract, in the anticipation of arrangement of funds.
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
NEWS
Govt liKEly to APPoiNt 'blUE-EyED officiAl' AS PARco MANAGiNG DiREctoR iSLAMABAd
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AHMAD AHMADANI
HE federal cabinet, in its upcoming meeting, is likely to approve the appointment of Pak Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO) managing director, it was learnt on Monday. According to sources, the federal cabinet will take up the Petroleum Ministry's summaries with regard to fortnightly revision in per-litre prices of POL products as well as the appointment of PARCO chief executive officer. They said that the division has allegedly paved the way for the appointment of a "blue-eyed official" to the top position of PARCO. The Petroleum Division, in an apparent bid to declare favourite candidates suitable for the important position, had also constituted a four-member committee, they added. The Establishment Division had opposed this action of the Petroleum Division when the Prime Minister’s Office sought opinion on the matter, sources said. "Ahsan Khan, a favourite candidate for the PARCO top slot, has relations with a federal minister and the Petroleum Division is going all out to ensure his appointment as next PARCO MD," said an official source on the con-
land acquisition rules framed for the first time in KP PESHAWAR: Board of Revenue Senior Member Sayed Zafar Ali Shah on Monday issued a statement which said that land acquisition rules were framed for the first time in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) by amending the Land Acquisition Act 1894. He termed these rules as part of ongoing reforms in the land and revenue department. He added that only guidelines were present before, but they have lesser legal status than rules. He explained that these rules are being implemented after their approval by the provincial cabinet. “Timely completion of developmental projects across the province to be benefited from these rules. These rules are also implemented in newly merged districts, which will pave the way for completing developmental projects worth billions” he said. Shah maintained that through these rules, the delegation of power was made possible, and now commissioners can acquire land worth more than thirty million. He further said that introducing these rules in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) will help in settling land issues as rules allow the jirga to decide land acquisition and ownership matters according to tribal customs and traditions. He announced that land would be acquired for any developmental schemes across the province within six months to expedite the implementation of developmental schemes. AZIZ BUNERI
fbR fires three, suspends 45 on corruption charges KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has dismissed three officers and suspended 45 staffers during the last one month on corruption charges. According to a spokesman of the FBR, the revenue authority has launched a crackdown in the department since last month and 26 officers and 19 other staffers were suspended for their alleged role in corruption and other irregularities. “Three FBR officials have been dismissed from the services since the previous month,” he added. He said the FBR has decided to take strict action against two of its top officials after Prime Minister Imran Khan gave a go-ahead to the revenue collection body. He added that the premier has also given green-light to them to take action against two top officials of the FBR. TLTP
dition of anonymity. Sources said a consultancy firm, Sidat Hyder Morshed Associates (Pvt) Limited, had earlier placed the names of Ahsan Khan and two others in the "not considered suitable" category as per their own method for shortlisting candidates. However, they added, the Petroleum Division constituted a high-powered interview committee (HPIC), comprising Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan as chairman and Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum as its member, to do the needful in this regard. This committee was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting interviews of the shortlisted candidates and to recommend a panel of at least three individuals for the position of MD/CEO PARCO. The HPIC conducted the preliminary interviews of the 14 shortlisted candidates on 26th and 27th March 2020, and resultantly, five candidates were shortlisted who were re-interviewed on 3rd April. HPIC had recommended five candidates, namely Ahsan Khan, Shahid Mahmood Khan, Yacoob Suttar, Akbar Ali Khan and Syed Zawar Haider, for the appointment as the MD/CEO PARCO for a period of three years. According to sources, although practical measures have been taken to end adhocism in state-owned compa-
nies on the advice of the prime minister, the Petroleum Division has been striving hard to secure "blue-eyed appointments" in companies in order to extract maximum benefits. Tariq Rizvi has been running PARCO from the year 2012 despite reaching the age of 72 years, sources informed, alleging that he enjoyed cordial relations with the Petroleum Division high ups which was why his term was extended for no particular reason. PARCO is a public sector company registered under the Companies Act, 2017. The company was established as a joint venture between the Government of Pakistan (GoP) and Abu Dhabi Petroleum Investment Company (ADPIC) at a ratio of 60:40, respectively. PARCO is a special company whose affairs and operations are governed by a series of agreements between the GoP and Emirates of Abu Dhabi (EoAD). According to documents, in terms of Article V2 of the participant agreements entered between GoP and EoAD, the Chief Executive Officer of the company shall be nominated by the GoP. The advertisement for the post of CEO/MD was advertised on 27th October 2019 by a headhunter firm, Sidat Hyder Morshed Associates (Pvt) Limited (Consultants). Thereafter, the consultant received a total of 127 applications, out of which 14 profiles were shortlisted.
PTI to set up online complaint cell against Tiger Force LAHORE SHAHAB OMER
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will set up an online cell to deal with complaints of extortion, bribery, or nepotism against the Tiger Force, and work has already been started on this project at the government level, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday. A survey conducted by Pakistan Today revealed that in the days of lockdown, some Tiger Force personnel continued to receive extortion and bribes from traders and shopkeepers. Tanveer Mukhtar, a shopkeeper in Shah Alam Market, revealed that he kept giving money to three Tiger Force personnel for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs). “After the government eased the lockdown, the businesses were allowed to open with SOPs. By then, some Tiger Force personnel had started patrolling the markets and collecting money from small shopkeepers in the name of violating SOPs. Since we reopened the businesses after a long time, we did not understand whether they were government officials or a volunteer force. We did not even know whom to complain. However, they demanded a very small amount of money, which was a few hundred rupees, so we did not bother much.” Haji Mumtaz, a shopkeeper in the township, said he was in the business of selling tuff tiles and was disturbed by the behavior of the Tiger Force in the days of the lockdown. “Interestingly, the Tiger Force personnel are locals and they also have workers who roamed the markets all day to see which shopkeepers did not close their shops on time or did secret business or are not implementing SOPs. Later, these people raided the shops in groups and forced the shopkeeper to pay extortion. People did not even complain because they had to do business.” Shafiq Baba, a wholesaler in Akbari Mandi, said that Tiger Force was very active in their markets during the lockdown. “Since wholesalers do business in our market and the government is also running a campaign against hoarders. Under the guise of the same campaign, a local businessman was also black-
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PM meets UNGA president-elect, urges UN to resolve Kashmir dispute cOntinuEd On PAgE 01 He said that he was impressed by the premier. “Pakistan has been a good example to the world with its policies related to the global pandemic. It has performed better than any other country in dealing with global pandemic and I am happy to observe it also with my own eyes,” Bozkir said. He stressed the UN role must also be more towards the countries that are in need. Bozkir said the world is currently faced with many challenges including humanitarian and deadly conflicts. He said that the unprecedented health challenge of Covid-19 is a threat with social political and economic consequences. Extending condolences to Pakistan over the loss of lives it faced due to Covid-19, Bozkir said that Pakistan has been a good example for the world to deal with the pandemic through its policies. He said that Pakistan has done better than other countries. FM Qureshi said he also briefed the president-elect of the UNGA about the role played by Pakistan in pushing forward the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, the challenges that lie ahead and the recent positive developments.
AkzoNobel voluntarily delists from Pakistan Stock Exchange KARAcHi ARIBA SHAHID
mailed. It is very easy to accuse wholesalers of hoarding because they have stock. As a result of disobeying the Tiger Force personnel, the price control magistrates kept checking our warehouses. The theme of this force is very good but the government should also create a system to keep a check on them.” All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran General SecretaryNaeem Mir informed this scribe that no trader has yet complained to him regarding giving bribes to the Tiger Force. “In the markets, Tiger Force spies on traders and sends complaints against them to the district administration. As a result, officials also impose fines on shopkeepers. If the government wanted to supervise the traders through this force, they would have taken us in the loop, and we would have helped them in this. Unfortunately, it feels like the current government is campaigning against traders. Never in the past has such a force been created by a political or dictatorial government. As it is a force formed by a political party, its ambitions are also political and the present government wants to show by launching a campaign against the traders that the business community is exploiting the people even though it is not at all.” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab spokesperson Uzma Bukhari said the government should have been ashamed to celebrate Tiger Force Day. “The force has been seen taking bribes under the guise of coronavirus lockdown. Three incidents of
bribery by Tiger Force personnel have come to light in Lahore alone. A resolution has also been submitted to the Punjab Assembly after receiving complaints of solicitation of bribe against Tiger Force,” she said. On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab spokesperson Musarat Jamshed Cheema, while speaking to this scribe, said that those who wanted to volunteer became members of the Tiger Force through online registration. She clarified that the registration was not only for PTI workers but for all Pakistanis. “During the lockdown, it was also pointed out that some PML-N workers were misbehaving with people wearing Tiger Force shirts. The grievances of the people cannot be ignored. We do not know what level of people have registered them in this registration. People involved in corruption in the force will soon be exposed. We will also conduct social media and media campaigns to make people aware of such people. The Tiger Force does not have the power, it can only provide services.” “To address people’s grievances, we are going to create an online complaint cell in which the identities of such people will be published and their membership will be canceled. Similarly, legal punishment according to the nature of the crime will also be given to such people. We are also working on it and everything regarding complaint cell will come out in a few weeks,” she added.
AkzoNobel has increased its investment in Akzo Nobel Pakistan Limited to greater than 96pc, according to a statement issued by the company on Monday. More than 80pc of the minority shares have been acquired and the process of delisting from the Pakistan Stock Exchange has been completed, it added. This move further strengthens AkzoNobel’s presence in South Asia and helps consolidate its position as a leader in the Pakistan paints and coatings market. The company will continue to provide customers in Pakistan with world class products, solutions and services. The share purchase process is ongoing and minority shareholders will be able to tender their shares until June 18, 2021. As per analysts, it has been acquired at a premium to the prevailing market prices when the decision was announced. This is a show of confidence by the parent in the local business prospects. AkzoNobel is a paint manufacturing company headquartered in the Netherlands. It’s Pakistani subsidiary is among the leading manufacturers of paint in the country. This is not the first time that the local subsidiary of a multinational corporation has decided to delist itself from the local stock exchange. Unilever delisted itself in 2013, and Colgate Palmolive Pakistan is currently in the process of doing the same.
Neelum-Jhelum plant generates Rs120bn revenue: WAPDA ISLAMABAD: The 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Plant has achieved another landmark by contributing a gross 10-billion units of electricity to the national grid and generating a revenue of over Rs120 billion. According to a spokesman for WAPDA, the Neelum Jhelum Power Plant during fiscal year 2019-20 generated 4,843 million units of hydel electricity against the target of 4,660 million units despite Covid-19 hiccups. TLTP
Traders demand withdrawal of whopping increase in rents of district govt properties PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI
Local traders on Monday have expressed concern over an unprecedented increase in rents of district government properties, issuance of illegal notices to them, raids in bazaars, and arresting of colleagues on the pretext of violating standard operation procedure (SOPs). The reservations were raised by a delegation of Al-Khidmat Traders District Peshawar, which met with the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz at the
chamber house. Besides, SCCI Senior Vice President and Vice President Shahid Hussain and Abdul Jalil, Al-Khidmat Traders District Peshawar Patron in Chief and Khyber Bazaar Anjuman-e-Tajaran President Khalid Mehmood, Al-Khidmat Tajraan Peshawar President Khalid Gul Mohmand, General Secretary Irfan Paracha, Deputy General Secretary Mushtaq Ahmad Khalil, Vice President Haji Saifullah, Anjuman e Tajraan Khyber Bazaar General Secretary Bashir Zada, Al-Khidmat City Tajraan General Secretary Gul Muhammad Safi, and Al-Khidmat Tajraan Peshawar Vice Presidents Amirzada and Zahir Shah
were present in the meeting. Khalid Mehmood informed the meeting regarding traders’ issues as a result of government anti-business policies and discriminatory attitudes carried out with the business community during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown in the city. The traders’ leader asked the government to take back its decision regarding a whopping increase in rents of district government properties, stop issuance of illegal notices, harassing and arresting of his colleagues on the pretext of violation of SOPs. Maqsood Pervaiz, while speaking in the meeting, said that they have always
CMYK
raised the genuine demands and issues of traders before the relevant authorities and departments and resolved them on a priority basis. He assured the traders that the chamber will take up their problems and grievances with the department concerned to address them amicably. The SCCI chief demanded the provincial government to immediately take back its decision regarding an unprecedented increase in rents of district government properties and also withdraw the notices issued to traders in this regard. Furthermore, he asked to waive off the last three months property rents of traders,
which have adversely affected by the corona lockdown. He maintained that the traders should be harassed and arrested while conducting raids on shops and markets by officials of district administration, meant to enforce SOPs. The chamber president demanded the federal government to defer implementation of the Point of Sale (POS) System and condition of CNIC for the next three years. Shahid Hussain and Abdul Jalil Jan also spoke during the meeting and stressed the need for unity among traders’ association and unions so that issues faced by the business community are immediately resolved.
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Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
06 COMMENT
The R-word
Ending the lockdown And the need to be vigilant
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HE government has announced the opening of virtually every closed enterprise, marriage halls and schools excluded. PM Imran Khan has found another use for his Coronavirus tigers Force that had kept a stand-at-ease posture ever since its creation. After designating August 9 as the Force’s Day it was told to join the tree plantation campaign. the government has been cautioned, among others by doctors, against being over-optimistic as coronavirus has displayed a tendency to re-emerge when everybody is celebrating its disappearance. the government has to remain vigilant, ensure that those who move out of their homes wear masks and observe the SoPs and that government leaders avoid saying or doing anything that creates the perception that all’s well now. the government faces two challenges in days to come. two years of economic slowdown caused by a blind implementation of IMF’s policies and the four months long near shutdown due to the pandemic have taken toll of the national economy, increased the number the unemployed, and pushed millions below the poverty line. Businesses have been lost, some forever. the industry will take years and not months to improve the common man’s plight. People facing hunger and having no jobs may not wait for the trickle down. Unless the government develops adequate support measures for those in dire need, extremist forces may exploit the unrest to their benefit. the PtI government continues to lose its turf on account of incompetence. It is not the PM who has played a role in resolving crucial issues with China, the Gulf States and Afghanistan. While dealing with coronavirus, the government ministers only played second fiddle to establishment in National Command and operation Centre (NCoC) and National Co¬ordination Committee (NCC). In matters like controlling the mafia comprising hoarders and smugglers, where the help of those who matter was not available, the government’s performance was absolutely zilch. It’s time the PM improves his relations with the opposition who wants it to complete its tenure. the PM should attend NA sessions, make use of parliamentary committees to prepare bills through consensus and further improve these through parliamentary debate. this will strengthen his administration’s hands, help control the extremist tendencies and extend the civilian government’s turf.
A fate worse than death?
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
N
ot everywhere is retirement the dreaded word that it is in the Islamic Republic. In fact , the Americans talk very fondly about an early retirement. Not that they necessarily get it but that is the ideal at any rate. Life as a never-ending rat race makes very little sense, platitudes about the dignity of work, notwithstanding. When I first visited the USA back in early 2008, the officer at the immigration desk had asked about my father. I told him he was a former Army officer. He said he was too. He asked what he was doing now. I said he was living a retired life. the officer said that he was almost the same age and he still had to work. I thought the interview had started on an unfortunate note. I was soon proved right. It was more than three hours later that I was able to claim my luggage and get out of the airport. of course, my nationality and my name (a very common one) had much to do with it and the officer was only doing his job; but I could sense that inadvertently I had touched a raw nerve somewhere. It was a good thing I had not volunteered the information that my father was happily retired for fifteen years then. the story in Pakistan is completely different. People avoid retired life like it is the plague. A retiring government official, for example, would go to
Tree plantation drive
any length to get an extension or an employment elsewhere. He would do most anything to hang on to a job – any job – till at all possible. Musharraf, after being the all-powerful president of the country for so long, preferred being an MNA to retirement! of course, the high-profile cases make the news, but things are not very different in the case of lower public servants. Very few have enough interests outside their work not to appear like prisoners of war after retirement. this prospect alone is frightening enough for most. So it is that way too many people have this ‘till death do us part’ relationship with their jobs. those who manage to secure re-employment offer charming reasons for continuing to work. to cite a few: staying ‘active’, using their expertise to serve the public, giving back to the country, being useful till the end, and dying with their boots on. Yeah, right! on the other hand, sitting for any length of time with retired people usually is a very depressing experience because they are extremely nostalgic about their former jobs and seem to have been stuck inside a time bubble. of course, there are those government servants who are notoriously apt to obliging others or exploiting their nuisance value to their own benefit. In their case retirement is an understandable loss of power. What about decent human beings however, who one hopes are in a majority? Why is retirement so problematic for these gentler souls? Financial constraints could justify it but what about the many cases where no such considerations are there? the trouble is that in intersubjective reality and people’s shared imagination a retired person is somehow less than a working one.
It is hard not to fear that people will think less of us after we are retired when we ourselves think less of retired folks. the thought of not being in a ‘respectable’ position anymore is unbearable. these things are self-perpetuating in that they are their own cause and effect at the very same time. It is the same with gossip. those who like to talk about other people unfavourably behind their backs are the ones most scared of others doing the same. those who do not have this pastime are less sensitive to the thought of people badmouthing them. Many of them are outright indifferent to it. Like root canals, retirement is an unavoidable fact of life. Like root canals it reminds us of our decline and mortality. Like root canals we find it hard to welcome it when it comes. And like root canals it remains a touchy subject for most. But it need not be, provided one has enough to have a decent life. Work is such an important aspect of most people’s lives that once it is gone, there is precious little left, making them feel empty and incomplete. this leads to an acute identity crisis. the discussion on self-esteem and identity is a complex one for another day. Suffice it to say here that it is important to remind oneself occasionally that work, while important, is a poor purpose of life, unless of course you are an Edhi or an RD Burman. that is why it is so important to have a balanced life with multiple genuine pursuits outside work.
Like root canals, retirement is an unavoidable fact of life. Like root canals it reminds us of our decline and mortality. Like root canals we find it hard to welcome it when it comes. And like root canals it remains a touchy subject for most. But it need not be, provided one has enough to have a decent life.
Hasan Aftab Saeed is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed
Nothing groundbreaking about it
Future of Muslims in India
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RIME Minister Imran Khan launched another tree plantation drive under his leadership on Sunday, the original one being the ‘Billion tree tsunami Project’ that began in 2014 in KP, which was the only province the PtI won in the 2013 general elections. While the cause is noble, it is hardly a groundbreaking original idea. Almost every PM before Mr. Khan has done it, with a photo op to boot. Mian Nawaz Sharif launched a ‘National Green Day’ in 2017 aimed at planting 100 million trees while Yousaf Raza Gilani went for a more modest 50 million saplings when he was prime minister. the primary motivation behind such campaigns is to gain political mileage given the nobility of the cause and how it positively affects the environment. But one needs to be wary about the claims that are made about how many trees are actually planted. Planting a sapling and distributing seeds being counted as a tree coming to fruition, something that has been widely done under the Billion tree tsunami Project is misleading. By its own admission, the KP government has counted the natural regeneration of trees, which accounts for 60% of the supposed billion trees, as its own achievement. It is also quite difficult to accurately quantify the success of these plantation drives making it near impossible to give full credit to the efforts of one particular government. the National Accountability Bureau opening an inquiry into KP’s billion tree project after detecting losses of Rs 462 million through embezzlement and misappropriation of funds raises questions about the credibility and effectiveness of the campaign that being said, one has to appreciate that PM Imran Khan, leveraging his following of the youth, has motivated a lot of volunteers to contribute to the latest plantation drive. If the savagery of the ongoing summer rainy season is any indication, climate change is a very real threat that is bound to get worse each passing year. Afforestation has the potential to reverse global warming and climate change, improve air quality and generate employment opportunities. By limiting soil erosion, trees have the capacity to indirectly reduce the impact of flooding thereby protecting crops and limiting loss of life. there is nothing wrong with having tree plantation drives so long as they are executed responsibly with transparency and oversight to generate tangible results.
Construction of Ram Temple advances Modi’s anti-Muslim Hindutva agenda Ali SukHANvEr
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t last the BJP succeeded in alarming the Muslims of India that they must move to some other place as India is meant only for the Hindus. Recently when the work of construction of the Ram temple was planned to be inaugurated, Prime Minister Modi himself reached Ayodhya to attend the ground-breaking ceremony. Addressing the people present at the occasion he said, “Many people made sacrifices for the Ram temple. I pay my respects to all of them.” He further said, “Social harmony was the core principle of Lord Ram’s governance. the construction of the Ram temple is an instrument to unite the country. Despite efforts to eradicate Lord Ram’s existence, he lives in our hearts and is the basis of our culture. It would lift the economy of the entire region.” Mr. Modi is no doubt a ‘heart-capturing’ type of orator. He knows well what to speak and when to speak it, but while giving his statement on construction of the Ram temple he simply forgot that the legal trial in the Babri demolition case is yet to be completed. Aljazeera reporting on the construction of the Ram temple commented, “Justice has eluded those who suffered the loss of life and properties in the nationwide violence that ensued in the wake of the destruction of the mosque - often dubbed the darkest chapter of modern India.” Moreover, the date chosen for this ‘epoch-making’ ceremony has its own significance. It went on to say, “the date chosen for the ceremony also coincides with the first anniversary of the abrogation of the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir, India's only Muslim majority region that has been the theatre of a bloody armed rebellion for more than 30 years.” Certainly this action of the BJP government would widen the distances between the two majority communities of India. the Muslims there are already in a state of suppression leading to depression. Mr. Modi says that his party is trying to promote communal harmony and inter-religion brotherhood but practically it is very much obvious that his political party is doing its utmost to construct a China-Wall of distrust between the Muslims and the Hindus.
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Unfortunately, the Indian Muslims expressed no reaction on the construction of the Ram temple; they remained silent over this injustice as per tradition. If the Muslims in India were vibrant in this particular context, the situation could have been far different. It seems they are in a state of fear and fright that their reaction would add a lot of miseries to their already troubled life. However, there are a few who expressed their resentment over this issue. Bollywood writer-lyricist Hussain Haidry is one of them. In his recent message on his facebook page he expressed his strong disapproval over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said that “progressive people” of the Indian society must step forward and form a movement against the construction of the said temple. As far as the date chosen for the ground-breaking ceremony is concerned, he said that ‘August 5 was chosen well in advance to humiliate Kashmir’. on August 5 2019, the Indian government had abrogated Article 370 and paved the way for the greater integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India. In the Guardian, on 6th August 2020, Siddhartha Deb penned down an article with the title, ‘Modi's acolytes have reminded India's Muslims just what he thinks of them’. the writer said, “Since 5 August also happened to be the one-year anniversary of the BJP’s unilateral suspension of the special status of Kashmir, a move that led to Kashmiris being subjected to suspension of all civil liberties, this brazen celebration will also serve to remind Muslims in India of their subjugated
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status in every way, a reminder that nothing is available to them in Modi’s India, neither history nor geography.” In the days to come the Muslims of India are apprehending more atrocities of the same kind. there would be more restrictions on Muslims, more slaughtering of Muslims and more construction of temples after demolishing different mosques by the BJP extremists. According to the latest media reports the BJP is trying to get approval of demolition of over 3000 mosques including the Jamia Masjid Delhi. BJP extremists claim that the pointed out mosques were built after demolishing the Hindu temples. MP Sakshi Maharaj got particularly emotional that he offered to be hanged if idols were not found underneath the staircases of Jamia Masjid. Be it a temple, a mosque, a Buddhist monastery or a Church; construction of any place of worship is not a crime. All places of worship are sacred but converting a mosque into a temple or a Church into a Buddhist monastery by using force is however a crime. Everywhere in the world, it is the foremost duty of the government to provide safety and security to all places of worship and in most of the cases, governments fulfill their duty but what to do if someone like Modi is playing a leading-role in a government.
Certainly this action of the BJP government would widen the distances between the two majority communities of India. The Muslims there are already in a state of suppression leading to depression. Mr. Modi says that his party is trying to promote communal harmony and inter-religion brotherhood but practically it is very much obvious that his political party is doing its utmost to construct a China-Wall of distrust between the Muslims and the Hindus.
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Shah Nawaz Mohal is a law graduate, feature writer and columnist. At present he is studying world literature at University of Potsdam, Germany. He can be reached at mshahnawazmohal@gmail.com
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Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
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
Progress at what cost?
MY name is Syed Mustafa and I’m a LUMS MBA alumnus. I have some agricultural land in the vicinity of the proposed “River Ravi Front - Urban development project. the farmers/land owners of the area are extremely worried about whether or not their land will be acquired for this project and at what price. Staple food growing land and miles of age old fruit orchards stand at a perilous risk of elimination. only Livelihood of thousands of families is at stake. People of the area are completely unaware of their fate. Whose land will be acquired and assurance of fair market price are the question marks. this project may or may not see light of the day but the people of the area will lose their ancestral land and livelihood in the process. Even if the project is so significant and unavoidable, the compensation to farmers should be significantly over the prevailing market price in order to cover farmer’s cost of relocation. Sir! I appeal to you to become the voice of these people who are facing an impending doom. We shall be forever grateful. SyEd MUStAFA SArFrAz LAHorE
Loadshedding and online classes
In support of justice Search and seizure laws must not be misused
SAlmAN muNir
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YoUNG girl, then aged 12 years and a student at a local school, had just finished dinner with her family on a hot and humid August night in 2016. Her aunts, cousins, sister and mother were still having dinner in the courtyard of their home in District Faisalabad. It was an all female gathering with no male family member present. All of a sudden, a large number of male policemen in uniform climbed through the outer walls of the house and trespassed into the house. they were armed with weapons and sticks. As soon as they entered they fired in the air and started beating all of them with sticks. A policeman who was carrying a torch shown light on the little girl’s face and slapped her and pushed her on the ground. During this ordeal the police kept asking them about the whereabouts of the males of the family. As there was no male present in the house at that time, they gathered all household effects and burned them in the courtyard of the house. Not satisfied with this brutality, the policemen dragged all eight of them out of the house and stuffed them like goats in the police van. outside the house, neighbors stood by and watched without anyone daring to intervene to stop the police from beating and dragging them. they were taken to a police station and locked up. She was lucky to have been produced before a judicial officer the next day and was released on bail. the other women were not so lucky and stayed in the lock up for one more day before bail could be granted. Until today, the little girl cannot sleep at night and suffers from the lasting trauma of that fateful night. the neighbors still shun the family and look at them as if they were criminals, such is the social stigma attached to the police entering your house and dragging you out to lock you up in a police station. Her crime: born in poverty in rural Pakistan. this is not an isolated incident. While volunteering for a few months in 2018 with Justice Project Pakistan (JPP), a non-profit human rights law firm established in 2009 in Lahore, I came across some 1867 cases of torture and destruction of rights by police in Faisalabad district alone. Although most victims were men, police did not spare women and even children. Many of the police atrocities have been documented in reports prepared by students of the Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School and JPP, published in June 2014. While going through those cases, especially where the police entered homes without search warrants and violated the basic principles enshrined in our own Constitution (Article 14) and
the Criminal Procedure Code, I was stunned again and again. Whatever happened to the higher ideal taught by my law professors quoting William Pitt “the poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail—it’s roof may shake— the wind may blow through it—the storm may enter—the rain may enter--but the king of England cannot enter.” From the above English tradition expressed in 1763 there is a special appreciation for the sanctity of home. It is common to hear the phrase “a man’s house is his castle.” And it is not possible for police under the English law to search a house without a warrant of search issued by a judicial magistrate. the reason to take away the discretionary power of the police to enter premises to search or seize is to create checks and balances. Lord Mansfield in Money v. Leach describes this principle “It is not fit, that the necessary or judging of the information should be left to the discretion of the officer. the magistrate ought to judge; and should give certain directions to the officer.” the colonists, thus, inherited the principle of the sanctity of the home from the English. Both in the United States (Fourth Amendment) and in Pakistan (privacy of home, Article 14 of the Constitution) a warrant is also seen as a protection against governmental invasion of privacy. In the United States the applicability of the Fourth Amendment was initially governed by property concepts and considered as a trespass. But as the jurisprudence on the Fourth Amendment developed the property law concepts turned into invasion of privacy. In fact, the first ten amendments to the United States’ Constitution, also known as the Bill of Rights were primarily enacted to protect individuals from the Government. the Fifth Amendment Self- Incrimination Clause guarantees that no person shall be compelled by the government in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. the case Miranda v. Arizona (U.S.1966) guarantees that defendants in police custody must be informed of the following: a) the right to remain silent; b) the right to an attorney and to have the attorney present during questioning; c) the right to court-appointed counsel if he is indigent; and d) that anything the defendants say can or will be used against them in court. Cases are routinely thrown out by the courts where these minimum standards are not applied. And this is in a country where literacy is not an issue. Still the laws ensure their rights to such an extent. this is something we really need in Pakistan where literacy is low to dismal, understanding of the law and individual’s rights under the constitution is almost zero, police is still living
in the last century, and the quality of lawyers available to the defendants in rural Pakistan is abysmally low. In addition to the Constitutional protection provided in Pakistan not only to the sanctity of home but also against torture for the purpose of extracting evidence, Pakistan is a signatory to the Convention Against and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading treatment or Punishment and also to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. these treaties require Pakistan to act affirmatively to prevent torture and punish perpetrators. How could then the judges before whom such hapless victims were produced not question the police about the place of the arrest? How could they overlook the torture meted out to the victims? How could they not get to the bottom of the truth by asking some fundamental questions both to the police and the victims of this highhandedness? And how could they not defend their fundamental right to freedom as stated in the Constitution? What action, if any, did they take against such rogue police officers? the Supreme Court has been taking concrete steps to bring justice to people by introducing speedy trials, declining adjournments to even the most senior lawyers, training of judges and police officials, establishing e-courts, introducing Artificial Intelligence-supported data base, and warning “All those who have given false testimonies, beware.” In addition, we should also look at some compensation for people who have been incarcerated for years in prisons because of false testimonies and incompetence of the criminal justice system resulting in wrongful convictions, especially murder convictions. In California, early last year, Simi Valley reached a 21 million USD settlement with Craig Coley who spent more than 38 years wrongfully in jail for the 1978 murders of a woman and her four years old son. the Supreme Court’s journey towards truth coincides with the journey of this little girl towards justice. they are on the same train. the lower judiciary while issuing search and seizure warrants must make sure that the warrant is really needed and must deeply look at the reputation and intentions of the officer asking for a warrant. Whether the purpose for the warrant is specific enough. And when the prisoners are produced before him/her, right questions are asked to ascertain the exact location from where they have been arrested. If the arresting officer is found to be at fault, departmental action is recommended against him. that, the lower judiciary is not deviating from the higher ideal of the superior judiciary and that it is also on the same train.
In addition to the Constitutional protection provided in Pakistan not only to the sanctity of home but also against torture for the purpose of extracting evidence, Pakistan is a signatory to The Convention Against and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and also to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Salman Munir is a management consultant and innocence lawyer. He can be reached at as1236m@gmail.com
StUDENtS are very worried about untimely load shedding and its recurrence because it has interfered with our daily activities - this sudden power outage plays a big role in ruining most of our work. And now it's not just about business and home issues, but now this untimely load shedding has also bothered us because of the recent virus and the lockdown that has been put in place to prevent it. While it has interfered with business life, it has also created problems for students. As a result, where the education system completely suspended, but now online classes in universities such as higher education and the electronic devices used in them are in dire need of electricity and the way online classes. the concept of online classes can not be applied without the Internet and signals. Similarly, in the absence of electricity, it is unthinkable - so the problems that students are facing due to this sudden load shedding are worth considering. While this untimely and constant load shedding disrupts online classes, they are also having great difficulty in preparing their assignments. We request the government to stop the damage caused by this low shedding and save us from it so that we can focus on our education and play our best role for our better future and our country’s development. SHEHzAdi HASAN ALi, KArAcHi
Rooting out extremism IN these times Extremism is a huge challenge being squared up by different political, social and cultural organisations right across the world. this phenomena of extremism or fanaticism has curbed the ways of development and progress for the human race in different parts of the world. It is not a brand new sensation for us but it has played havoc in different ages of human history. When a mind denies to accept the idea or thought of another mind this is how extremism emerges. Basically we call it conflict of ideas but actually it is conflict of interests which transforms into extremism. Extremism has unleashed innumerable and unbearable destruction and the whole world is full of its examples. Modi who is pitched as the Prime Minister of india to let out facist agenda of RSS which is to subject muslims and other minorities to brutality and bigotry. Human Sufferings in Kashmir is blatant example of modi,s loyalty towards his masters that even in the days of malady he has managed bligirance with sheer consistency. tenacious massacre in palestine launched by Israel on behest of its masters seems to have no end. Massive explosion in Beirut was an intrigue or an incident nobody knows!, It can be said that the right to Life liberty is like a soulless body and UNo doesn't seem interested in activating this right then what should be done? Humans on this earth have tolerated a lot on account of fanatic approach and extremism. the pluralistic approach of government towards each other and finding the ways for pacific settlement of dispute can revive the peace of this planet KAMrAN KHAMiSo KHowAJA HUSSAiN AbAd
Deadly monsoons tHE fourth monsoon spell of the season is leaving Karachi and heading to Balochistan and other parts of Sindh. But the rain left havoc in its wake.twenty-two people died in three days of rain in the city. on Saturday seven people were killed, including three children.two people were killed in a roof collapse in Pak Colony, while a seven-year-old boy drowned in Banaras Colony.In North Karachi six-year-old Abdul Rahman was electrocuted, while a man identified as Mansad was electrocuted in Soldier Bazaar. Electrocution deaths were also reported in Ittehad town and Baldia town’s Shanti Nagar.the victim of the Shanti Nagar electrocution has been identified as Shehzad. His father said the 18-year-old left their house that morning to find work and grabbed a gas pipe to avoid falling in the mud when he was electrocuted. In FC Area, six-year-old Jawad grabbed an electric wire and died on the spot.Friday’s rain claimed 10 lives as four people drowned while six others were electrocuted. two people were injured on thursday after a billboard crashed onto them near Metropole. Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani has ordered the removal of all signboard and billboards in the city.Light rain was forecast in Karachi on Sunday. the monsoon spell headed towards other parts of Sindh as rain was reported in Mithi, Islamkot, Diplo and Nagarparkar. Several areas in Karachi flooded because of the rain. Nagan Chowrangi’s situation was particularly bad, as the area flooded and drains overflowed. Several cars stopped working and had to be abandoned in the water. other areas also reported flooding, such as Power House Chowrangi in North Karachi, Ayesha Manzil, Karsaz Road, II Chundrigar Road, Sharae Faisal, MA Jinnah Road, Water Pump, Ranchore Lines, the area around the Karachi Zoo and Urdu Bazaar. SHAFiq Ur rEHMAN, KArAcHi
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
08 WORLD VIEW
The US may loSe in TrUmp’S TikTok war THE APP IS EXTREMELY POPULAR (SOME MIGHT SAY ADDICTIVE), ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE. IT WAS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST DOWNLOADED SOCIAL-MEDIA APPS IN BOTH 2018 AND 2019
project syndIcate
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sHang-Jin Wei
OLLOWING US President Donald Trump’s vow to block US access to TikTok, the popular short-video app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has been in frantic talks with Microsoft, presumably to sell its subsidiary quickly before the ban goes into effect. Of course, it is possible, even likely, that Trump’s real intent is not so much to ban TikTok as to force a fire sale to a US buyer. Trump has said that he wants the buyer to be “very American”, and has even mused that the acquiring company should pay the US government a fee for driving the price down with its threatened ban. Although Trump’s actions could yield a short-term gain for the United States, they have introduced severe potential risks to US interests, not to mention to international and domestic rules of commerce. After all, what would happen to business confidence if gov-
ernments assumed that they could extort private enterprises at will? ByteDance was founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming, 29 years old at the time and a self-made success story in the mold of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla’s Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs. Zhang is a serial entrepreneur who has had a hand in founding several other Internet companies, including 99fang.com, an online real-estate search and transaction platform. ByteDance has a number of popular digital products in China, including the Chinese-language news aggregator Toutiao, which is similar to Google News. But its best-known product in the US, India, and more than 140 other countries is TikTok, which allows users to create, edit, and post short videos quickly and easily. The app is extremely popular (some might say addictive), especially among young people. It was one of the world’s most downloaded socialmedia apps in both 2018 and 2019, and it has also been adopted for educational purposes. In both China and India, it is host to popular tutorial programmes to teach English and American culture. With an efficient video-recommendation algorithm and a feature that allows users to tip content creators, the app has given rise to
a new class of self-employed digital entrepreneurs within a very short period of time. Many people now earn a living creating TikTok comedies, dances, language tutorials and fashion tips. In short order, TikTok has emerged as a rival to WeChat in China, and to YouTube and Facebook in the US and elsewhere. Anticipating US sensitivities about a Chinese digital product, ByteDance has taken several steps to make TikTok a separate entity. Among other things, it stores all US user data on US-based servers, albeit with a backup copy in Singapore, and it has hired Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive, as its CEO. The Trump administration regards these measures as insufficient, arguing that US user data are being or will be sent to the Chinese government. But the US has yet to present evidence for this claim. Forcing TikTok to be sold cheaply to a “very American” buyer will endanger many US firms in the Chinese market. More US companies operate in China than vice versa. In 2019 alone, new US investment in China totalled $14 billion, an increase of $1 billion from 2018, compared to less than $6 billion in Chinese investment in the US. By 2018, cumulative US investment in China had grown to about $269 billion, almost twice the $145 billion in Chinese investment in the US.
Pakistani women on Tinder break dating taboos
deutsche Welle seHyR miRza
Faiqa is a 32-year-old entrepreneur in Islamabad, and like many young, single women around the world, she uses dating apps to connect with men. Although casual dating for women is still frowned upon in socially conservative and heavily patriarchal Pakistan, attitudes are rapidly changing in the country's cities. Faiqa has been using the dating app Tinder for two years, and she said although the experience has been "liberating," many Pakistani men are not used to the idea of women taking control of their sexuality and dating lives. Pakistani women are often expected to preserve a family's "honor." "I've met some men on Tinder who describe themselves as 'open minded feminists,' yet still ask me: 'Why is a decent and educated girl like you on a dating app?'" Faiqa told DW. ONLINE DATING GROWS IN SOUTH ASIA India leads South Asia's online dating market, and Pakistan is slowly catching on. A study by the Indonesian Journal of Communication Studies found that most of Pakistan's Tinder users come from major cities including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi and are usually between 18 and 40 years old. Other dating apps are also growing in popularity. MuzMatch caters exclusively to Muslims looking for a date. Bumble, despite being relatively new to the online dating market, is a favorite
Shang-Jin Wei, a former chief economist at the Asian Development Bank, is professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia Business School and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
What happens to TikTok matters to the world economy
CAUSAL DATING FOR WOMEN IS OFTEN FROWNED UPON IN PAKISTAN'S MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETY. HOWEVER, DATING APPS LIKE TINDER ARE CHALLENGING NORMS AND ALLOWING WOMEN TO TAKE MORE CONTROL OVER THEIR SEXUALITY among many Pakistani feminists, as women initiate the first conversation. "There are fewer men on Bumble, therefore it somehow feels safer to use. Tinder is well-known and someone you know could see you, making it uncomfortable," said Nimra, a student from Lahore. However, many young women in Pakistan use apps because it makes dating more private. "With a dating app, a woman can choose if she wants a discreet one night stand, a fling, a long-term relationship etc. It is hard for women to do this openly in our culture, which is why dating apps give them an opportunity they won't find elsewhere," said Nabiha Meher Shaikh, a feminist activist from Lahore. EXPLORING SEXUALITY IN A CONSERVATIVE SOCIETY Sophia, a 26-year old researcher from Lahore, told DW she uses Tinder to explore her "sexuality without constraints." "I don't care if people judge me. Society will always judge you, so why bother trying to please them?" she said. However, not all female Tinder users are as open as Sophia. Most Tinder profiles of Pakistani women do not disclose their full identity, with photographs showing only cropped faces, close-up shots of hands or feet, faces covered with hair or only painted fingernails. "If we put up our real names or photographs, most men tend to stalk us. If we don't respond, they find us on social media and send weird messages," said 25-year-old Alishba from Lahore. She also
Moreover, US manufacturing giants such as General Motors, General Electric, DuPont, Merck, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boeing, Nike, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and major service firms such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, Starbucks, KFC, and McDonald’s all maintain sizable China operations. Their business in China may account for as much as 30 per cent of their global profits. If China were to mimic Trump’s gambit, alleging, without providing evidence, that some US multinationals are potential national-security threats, it could force them to sell their operations to “very Chinese” buyers. Although the Chinese government has not yet done so, the risk has become higher now. A second major risk is that the US could lose support for other causes within China. When successive US administrations make demands with respect to human rights, the rule of law, intellectual-property rights, information flow and climate change, plenty of Chinese entrepreneurs, academics and others would echo the sentiment. Many Chinese are eager to learn from Americans, so that they can advance these objectives in China. But when the US attacks TikTok and other Chinese private-sector firms, it elicits a very different reaction in China. Trump’s actions look like an assault on Chinese en-
trepreneurship itself, and will weaken the position of those in China who advocate a more market-oriented economic model. Why bother with international norms when the supposed exponent of rule-based governance operates by the law of the jungle? If the US did have legitimate concerns about TikTok posing a threat to privacy or national security, it could have handled matters very differently. For example, the US government could have notified ByteDance that storing US user data in the US was not sufficient, and then provided sufficient lead time for the company’s owner to sell the US operation in an open market, rather than forcing a handoff to a “very American” buyer. A British, Australian, Canadian, French, Singaporean, or Japanese firm should be considered equally acceptable. And for the sake of all future business, the company deserves a chance to receive a fair price. This alternative approach would have avoided the blatant expropriation, and the attendant risks, that now seems likely. Trump is essentially doing what the US has long accused China of doing: disrespecting private property, presuming guilt without evidence, eroding foreign firms’ legitimate rights without compensation, and using arbitrary, opaque rules to block them from operating in the country. There is still time for the Trump administration to change course and avoid damaging US interests. But the clock is running, tick tock
pointed out dating double standards, explaining that married men on Tinder often use their "broken" marriage as an excuse to date other women. Fariha, a 28year old blogger, used Tinder for one year. "I always chose to meet men in public places until I felt safe. But one guy kept inviting me to his place. Men often assume that women will engage sexually if they keep asking," she told DW. NO MORE 'SHAMING AND LABELING' The introduction of dating apps in Pakistan has also challenged taboos sparked debates over women's sexuality, consent and safe sex. For some, the rising popularity of dating apps reveals the extent of the state's control over women's bodies and people's personal choices. Secretary General Ameer ul Azeem of the Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami told DW that "the girls and boys using these apps meet up secretly because they also have a realization that it's wrong." "In the West, strict laws protect women from harassment. Women can't be protected during such secretive meetings in Pakistan if there is harassment, because these laws are absent." Zarish, a Lahore-based artist, told DW women should "no longer be controlled by shaming and labeling." She said Pakistan has much "bigger issues" that are in need of urgent attention and therefore should stop obsessing over "what regular people do in their private lives." "My individual choices and desires represent me as a person, not my family or society's honour," Zarish said.
Independent HamisH mcRae
What happens to TikTok has become, improbably, one of the great stories of our time – one that will help us understand how the world economy is likely to develop over the next 30 years. This is about global rivalry between the US and China of course, but it is also about American politics, about international finance, about the interaction between technology and human behaviour, about the battle between the high-tech giants of the American West Coast, and in the light of TikTok’s parent company planning to move its HQ to London, about the walk-on role that the UK may have in the great game. Improbable? Well, yes for heaven’s sake, for this is just a smart-Alec lip-synching video thing that has become the fad of the year, with two-thirds of its users under the age of 30. But it is massively important and here are half-a-dozen reasons why. One, TikTok is the first truly innovative social network from China. Up to now Chinese platforms have, put bluntly, been clones of US ones. This is different, showing that the country can compete with the US in a way that, for example, Europe cannot. Two, this gets China into the Indian market, with the growth of Indian subscribers driving its total downloads past the two billion mark. India will soon be the world’s most populous country, passing China. But up to now India has looked to the US rather than China for social and economic leadership. It still will, but this is the first example of Chinese “soft power” reaching one of the countries that matters most to the future of the world. Three, Donald Trump is angry. Whatever your view of the man, he intuitively understands social media in a way that hardly any US politicians over the age of 30 truly do. He understands that for China to control such an important social media platform will inevitably give it influence in US politics, whoever happens to be in the White House or in Congress. Four, if Microsoft does get control of the US side of TikTok, that brings the great old lady of high-tech America into direct rivalry with its newer rivals, especially Facebook and Google. This is good news for people who believe that the best way to preserve diversity of both information and opinion in a fractured world is to have diversity of media platforms. Put another way, if you are going
THE LIP-SYNCHING VIDEO APP HAS BECOME THE FAD OF THE YEAR, WITH TWO-THIRDS OF ITS USERS UNDER THE AGE OF 30. BUT IT IS MASSIVELY IMPORTANT AND HERE ARE HALF-A-DOZEN REASONS WHY to have an oligopoly – and I am afraid the nature of social media is that oligopoly is inevitable – better to have five or six giant players rather than two or three. Five, reputation matters. For all its faults, and Microsoft has been an aggressive exploiter of its software dominance for many years, it carries respect. If it is indeed able to take charge of TikTok in America it will be thanks to that body of respect it has built up over many years. It can also afford to buy it, not an inconsequential matter. The financial power of the West Coast high-tech sector is utterly stunning, but those members of the club that are perceived to behave well have more leeway to deploy that power than the ones in the doghouse. Finally, there is this matter of a possible move of the headquarters of the parent company ByteDance to London. There has been a lot of comment about this in geopolitical terms. Might such a move upset Donald Trump since he is trying to ban the thing in the US? Does it signal a truce between China and the UK in its current spats over Hong Kong and Huawei? What does it say about the role of the UK in the world post-Brexit? I can understand these sorts of questions but I suggest that on a long view they don’t matter much. What matters is that the relationship between China and the US is managed in a measured and orderly way. These will be the great powers of the next 30 years, and within about 10 years China will become the larger economy. China is already probably larger than the EU now the UK has left. The US and China have to get along. The rest of us are important insofar as we can help them do so. If TikTok’s parents want to base themselves in London they should be encouraged to do so because that is helpful in the longer term. We are not the US. We make our own decisions. We will have and will continue to have substantial differences of opinion. But we have for many cooperated on mutual security, including through the Five Eyes security network, and we will continue to do so. My own view is that the US will eventually emerge as the clear global leader, even with China as a somewhat larger economy for a while. But meanwhile this strange little thing you download on your phone is a clear sign that China will be a doughty competitor, and that is good too. We all need competition – as long it is orderly, fair and open to scrutiny.
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
BUSINESS 09 CORPORATE CORNER JS Bank Named Pakistan’s Best SME Bank KARACHI: JS Bank has been declared as Pakistan’s Best SME Bank at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards, 2020. This is the second time in a row that the bank has received this accolade. The awards bring together banks from across Asia to recognize banks that stand out with groundbreaking products and services. “For us, SMEs are the heart of economic growth. By building this sector, we are working towards building Pakistan’s future. said Basir Shamsie, President and CEO, JS Bank. “We are humbled by the appreciation and thank our valued clients for their continued support and patronage, without whom none of this would have been possible.” PreSS releASe
NBP wins big at ABF Corporate & Investment Banking Awards KARACHI: The Asian Banking & Finance Magazine (ABF) has awarded its prestigious ‘Corporate Client Initiative of the Year – Pakistan’ and ‘the Innovative Deal of the Year – Pakistan’ awards to the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) during the Corporate & Investment Banking Awards 2020. On winning the award, Syed Jamal Baquar, SEVP/Group Chief, CIBG said, “the recognition of NBP for these awards highlights the fact that NBP endeavors to be a preferred and trusted long-term partner of its clients in the long term by providing a full array of financial products and solutions which continue to exceed service expectations. We undertake to continue offering our very best to our clients and are confident that this mindset will lead to many more milestones and achievements in times to come.” PreSS releASe
Coca-Cola supports small shopkeepers as govt opens economy LAHORE: The National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Covid-19 has decided to lift restrictions on various business sectors. One of the hardest hit communities during the long periods of lockdown were the small shopkeepers. As the economy readies itself for reopening, Coca-Cola’s Open Like Never Before (OLNB) programme is ramping up to support small retailers open up with pride and with the right SOPs in place. Speaking about this innovative program, Fahad Ashraf, GM CocaCola Pakistan stated, “Our OLNB campaign is a great example of how companies can adapt their CSR through fairly simple but high impact actions, to support those most at risk in our value-chain. The health and economic impact of Covid-19 is truly humbling, and even the smallest acts of kindness can create a big impact in people’s lives.” PreSS releASe
Oladoc launches ‘e-wallet’ with grand promotional offer LAHORE: Pakistan’s leading doctor booking & videoconsultations platform has launched its e-wallet in oladoc app. As part of this service, users will now be able to make payments for doctor appointments directly through their oladoc wallets, store credit and get discounts. The digital wallet will also come in handy in cases where reimbursements are required. As a promotional offer, the digital wallet will have Rs200 for all new users on signing up via oladoc app. While talking about the new feature, AbidZuberi, the CEO of oladoc said, “The launch of oladoc wallet will enable our users to avail healthcare services in a seamless manner without having to put their health at risk. In addition, this will help us digitize the largely unstructured healthcare sector by enabling users to pay via digital channels.” PreSS releASe
SBP ENhANCES lOAN lIMItS, ExPANdS rElIEF MEASurES FOr MICrOFINANCE BOrrOwErS KARACHI
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STAFF rePOrT
HE State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced on Monday sweeping increases in the limit for housing microenterprise loans, as well as income eligibility, in a bid to promote low-cost housing in the country. The limit for housing finance and microenterprise loans has been increased to Rs3 million, according to a statement released by the central bank. Previously, the existing limit for borrowings from the microfinance banks was Rs1 million. In addition, the maximum size of general loans has been increased from Rs150,000 to Rs350,000. To accommodate enhanced loan sizes, the annual income eligibility for general loans has been increased to up to
Limit foR houSing financE and micRoEntERpRiSE LoanS haS bEEn incREaSEd fRom RS1m to RS3m Rs1.2 million, while for housing loans has been increased to up to Rs1.5 million. However, the central bank said that the aggregate exposure against the microenterprise loans shall not exceed 40pc of the microfinance bank’s gross loan portfolio. The limit for lending against gold collateral to meet borrowers’ immediate domestic or emergency needs has also been enhanced, though this restriction expires after one year. The aggregate loan exposure of a microfinance bank against the security of gold shall not exceed 50pc of its gross loan portfolio. In making this decision, the central bank said the increases had been made in view of the fact that the existing loan
limit was insufficient to promote lowcost housing finance through microfinance banks. Similarly, limits for lending to microenterprises needed to be enhanced considering the large unmet demand from micro and small enterprises (MSEs). “These initiatives would further support the micro borrowers and enterprises and an early revival of economic activities in the current challenging times,” the SBP said. However, in order to ensure sustainability, the enhanced loans sizes for housing and microenterprises would be allowed to those microfinance banks which are on a sound footing and have
K-Electric raises Rs25bn in Sukuk offering BUSINESS DESK K-Electric on Monday announced the successful closure of its Rs25 billion Sukuk, which is the largest Sukuk issue in the private sector of Pakistan. With oversubscription of IPO portion of Sukuk by almost 2.5 times, the power utility was able to close the Sukuk subscription on 3rd August 2020, more than two weeks ahead of schedule. "This is a testament to continued investor confidence in KElectric's robust investment plan under which $2 billion will be spent across Karachi's energy value chain over the next three years; including the establish-
ment of a 900MW state-of-theart RLNG-fired power plant and downstream transmission and distribution upgrades," said a statement issued by KE. "Supported by timely regulatory and governmental approvals, these investments will shift Karachi into a power surplus position through the addition of close to 2,100MW additional power supply by 2023." Out of the targeted Rs25 billion, KE had earlier raised Rs23.7 billion via a pre-IPO (Initial Public Offering). The remaining amount (Rs1.3 billion) was offered through IPO to the general public, with a minimum subscription of Rs5,000 per
certificate. With a seven-year tenor, inclusive of a two-year grace period and a AA+ accreditation from the VIS Credit Rating Company Limited, the issue offers a lucrative return to its investors. Listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, the Sukuk will provide a trading platform for investors during the life of the instrument, with Arif Habib Limited acting as the market maker and consultant to the issue. The structure of the Sukuk has been approved by an independent Shariah Advisory Board. Habib Bank Limited and National Bank of Pakistan are the structuring agents for the Issue.
Indus Motor’s profit plunges 63pc in FY20 LAHORE HASSAN NAQVI
The Board of Directors of Indus Motor Company Limited (INDU) met on Monday to review the company's performance and announce its financial results for the year ended June 30, 2020. The company announced a final cash dividend of Rs7 per share i.e. 70pc for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, taking the cumulative payout for FY20 to Rs30 per share. As per financial results, the leading car manufacturer posted a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs5.082 billion as compared to a PAT of Rs13.715 billion last year, showing a decline of 62.9pc. INDU announced earnings of Rs99 million for the fourth quarter of FY20 (EPS Rs1.26, down 97pc YoY), taking FY20 earnings to Rs5.082billion (EPS: Rs64.67, down by 63pc YoY). Hammad Akram, a research analyst at Topline
Securities Limited, informed that the company’s revenues declined by 45pc YoY in FY20, mainly attributable to 57pc YoY fall in unit sales. "The demand for new cars remained depressed throughout the outgoing year amid high car prices and negative impact of Covid-19 on consumer buying," Akram opined. He further informed that in 4QFY20, INDU's revenues declined by 78pc YoY and 69pc QoQ, mainly due to the Covid-related lockdowns imposed throughout the country during the period, where unit sales dropped by 81pc YoY and 72pc QoQ. The company had 55-60 non-production days during the quarter. According to Akram, the lower unit sales also resulted in a gross loss of Rs324 million in 4QFY20, given the high fixed cost/unit. The company's "other income" of Rs11.04 per share in 4QFY20, however, supported its bottom line. But on a QoQ basis, it also declined by 22pc amid monetary easing by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) which resulted in lower interest rates.
Faheem Haider appointed Mari Petroleum CEO
KARACHI: Joining in to combat the current health and economic crisis in the country, LOTTE Pakistan Foundation donated a package of Rs39 million to different government organisations in order to help the country fight coronavirus. PreSS releASe
BUSINESS DESK: Faheem Haider has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) on Monday, the company said in a filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange. The statement read, “We would like to inform that the board in its meeting held today has approved the appointment of Faheem Haider as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mari Petroleum Company Limited with effect from August 12, 2020”. Faheem Haider would be replacing Lt Gen (r) Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad as the chief executive. Haider is an alumnus of Oxford University, UK; Imperial College, London; and University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. He is a Petroleum Engineer and possesses more than 27 years of professional experience. Apart from handling core E&P operations in different parts of the world, he has hands-on experience of JV management, business development, strategy and growth delivery, operational efficiency, cost leadership, and stakeholders’ management.
the capacity to successfully cater the higher loan sizes. In addition, the SBP Relief Package for microfinance banks, which included deferment of principal and restructuring of microfinance loans to deal with the adverse implications of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, has now been expanded with three measures. First, the relief measures that were earlier available from Feb 15, 2020, have now been allowed to borrowers from December 31, 2019. This will allow more borrowers to avail the regulatory relief who were previously not eligible. Second, to facilitate microfinance banks, the provisioning requirements have been extended by two months. Third, a client’s consent through recorded lines has been allowed to facilitate the customers to avail the relief package.
MarkEt daIlY Stocks lose 114 points in range-bound session KARACHI STAFF rePOrT
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) moved within a narrow range on Monday, with the benchmark KSE100 Index succumbing to selling pressure amid lack of triggers. Global equity markets also witnessed a lacklustre start to the trading week, whereas Crude oil prices witnessed a surge overnight; WTI crude price appreciating 1.33pc to $41.77 and Brent crude price rising 0.90pc to $44.80. "The stock market remained under pressure for the most part of the day, mainly on the back of selling activity in cement, steel, exploration & production and banking sectors," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. "The performance of oil & gas marketing and refinery sectors remained positive today, whereas tech stocks took a breather from what seemed like a never-ending rally." MARKET SUMMARY: The benchmark KSE-100 Index started the day on a positive note, registering its intraday high at 40,195.22 after gaining 165.53 points. The index, however, failed to sustain gains and slipped to intraday low at 39,828.91 (-200.78 points). It finally settled lower by 114.93 points at 39,914.76. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index lost 164.28 points to end at 63,896.15, while the KSE All Share Index dropped 49.56 points, closing at 27,993.36. The overall market volumes dropped from 728.8 million shares in the previous session to 576.5 million shares (-21pc). Average traded value also declined by 24pc, from $136.6 million to $104.2 million. Unity Foods Limited Right Shares (UNITYR2 +3.40pc), Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL 6.82pc) and Worldcall Telecom (WTL 9.46pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 81.62 million, 65.30 million and 35.84 million shares, respectively. Sectors that dragged the benchmark the index south included technology & communications (48.42 points), cement (44.52 points) and oil & gas exploration (39.72 points). Among the companies, TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG 41.33 points), MCB Bank Ltd (MCB 18.77 points) and Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Ltd (HCAR -7.41pc) dented the index the most. Shedding 3.44pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the technology and communication sector turned out to be the session's top loser, with Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTC 2.41pc), Hum Network Ltd (HUMNL -2.88pc) and NetSol Technologies (NETSOL -2.15pc) closing in the red. Meanwhile, Indus Motor Company Ltd (INDU +1.76pc) declared its financial performance for FY20. The company's sales fell 45pc YoY to Rs86.17 billion, while profit contracted from Rs13.71 billion last year to Rs5.08 billion. INDU's earnings per share contracted from Rs174.49 to Rs64.66, whereas dividend yield fell from 9.55pc to 3.02pc. Also, TPL Trakker Limited (TPLT -5.50pc) got listed at the PSX on Monday. The stock closed at a price of Rs 11.34 after commencing trading at Rs12 per share.
33pc farm households in Punjab suffered losses during Covid-19 lockdowns: adB ISLAMABAD APP
A survey conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) revealed on Monday that about one-third (33.3pc) of farm households in Punjab experienced losses in wages and non-farm earnings due to the Covid-related lockdowns. Some 22.6pc reported that at least one family member had returned home from
urban and other areas, while 11.2pc reported reduced non-food expenditures, and 9.8pc reported lower food consumption. For the ADB survey, titled "Covid-19, impact on farm households in Punjab", more than 400 farmers in Punjab province were asked about the impact of the nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic and locust attacks. The survey of farmers in Punjab revealed that wheat harvesting and marketing was
spared the negative effects of the restricted movement of goods imposed because of Covid-19, except in the southern districts. Most respondents (97.3 pc) reported having completed harvesting their wheat — for the majority, the harvesting period started in the last week of April and ended in the second week of May. Of those who had completed their harvest at the time of the survey, 74.6pc reported that they were able to market their
CMYK
wheat without difficulty. Most of those who did not sell wheat kept the produce for self-consumption. Only a few respondents had difficulty selling their wheat. However, restrictions on the movement of goods had upset the marketing of highly perishables, such as vegetables, fruits, and milk as they are difficult to store, unlike grains. Unlike the wheat farmers, large proportions of vegetable and fruit farmers reported difficulties in marketing their produce.
Around 24pc of vegetable and fruit growers found the offered prices too low, 23.4pc could not visit markets, and 8pc could not find traders to sell their produce. Most of these respondents stated Covid-19 as the main reason for these problems. Disruptions in the food supply chain result directly in income losses for producers and increased food prices, and therefore need to be kept at a minimum under the Covid-induced movement restrictions.
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
10 FOREIGN NEWS Gunmen kill six French aid workers among 8 in Niger NIGER TLTP
Gunmen have killed six French aid workers, a Nigerien guide and a driver in a wildlife park in Niger, according to officials in the West African country. The group was attacked on Sunday in a giraffe reserve near Koure, a town about 65km (40 miles) from the capital, Niamey. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. "They were intercepted and killed," Tidjani Ibrahim Katiella, the governor of Tillaberi region said. The six worked for an international aid group, Niger's Defence Minister Issoufou Katambe said. ACTED, an aid group, confirmed its staff members were targeted in the attack. Officials had earlier described the French nationals as tourists. The reserve is a popular attraction in Niger. In a statement, the Association of Koure Giraffe Reserve Guides described the attackers as a "unit of terrorists" and said the dead included its president, Kadri Abdou. France's TF1 television channel, meanwhile, broadcast images that it said were taken from the scene showing the burnt-out remains of a 4x4 vehicle with bullet holes in the side. French President Emmanuel Macron's office earlier confirmed French nationals had been killed in Niger, without providing any additional details. It said Macron spoke on the phone with Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou. Fighters with links to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group have increasingly mounted attacks across West Africa's Sahel region in recent years despite the presence of thousands of regional and foreign troops. The violence has hit Mali and Burkina Faso the hardest, rendering large swaths of those countries ungovernable, but it has also spilled into Niger, which shares long and porous borders with its two neighbours. France, a former colonial power in the region, has deployed thousands of troops in the arid region south of the Sahara desert since 2013 but violence has been on the rise.
11 of a family drown in Panama flood PANAMA CITY TLTP
Eleven people from one family were killed during a flood in Panama, according to the country's civil protection authorities. The Bejuco River in Veraguas province west of Panama City flooded after heavy rains that swept away the family's house during their sleep in the coastal town of Calovebora, the officials said. Nine of the victims were minors. Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo expressed his condolences on Twitter. Authorities continued to search for more people, as there had initially been reports of 13 missing. The civil protection service Sunday warned of heavy storms with lightning in much of the country.
US oFFiCial oFFerS TaiwaN 'STroNG' SUPPorT iN laNdmark viSiT TAIPEI
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CHINA SLAMS US HEALTH SECRETARY'S TAIPEI VISIT
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S Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the most senior official to visit Taiwan in 40 years, met the island's President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday, praising her government's response to the coronavirus pandemic and offering US President Donald Trump's strong support. China, which claims the democratically ruled island as its own, has condemned Azar's trip as a threat to "peace and stability" and promised unspecified retaliation. Washington broke off official ties with Taipei in 1979 in favour of Beijing. The Trump administration has made strengthening its support for the island a priority, and has also boosted arms sales. "It's a true honour to be here to convey a message of strong support and friendship from President Trump to Taiwan," Azar told Tsai in the Presidential
Office, standing in front of two Taiwanese flags. Azar is visiting to strengthen economic and public-health cooperation with Taiwan and support Taiwan's international role in fighting the pandemic, but the visit is taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the United States and China over issues not only relating to the pandemic, but also trade, Hong Kong and the crackdown in Xinjiang. "Taiwan's response to Covid-19 has been among the most successful in the world, and that is a tribute to the open, transparent, democratic nature of Taiwan's society and culture," he told Tsai. Douglas Paal, a former head of the American Institute in Taiwan, Washington's de facto embassy, said the Trump administration was still paying heed to
China's red line - that no US official handling national security visited Taiwan but the timing of the visit was key. "Sending him to Taiwan shows respect for the old framework while putting a finger in China's eye at the same time," said Paal. "The fact that they didn't choose to send a national security adviser or someone else suggests they are trying to come as close as possible to China's red line but don't want to cross it." The US, which has had more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country, has repeatedly clashed with China over the pandemic, accusing Beijing of lacking transparency. Taiwan's early and effective steps to fight Covid-19 have kept its case numbers far lower than those of its neighbours, with 480 infections, including seven
US court issues summons for Saudi crown prince WASHINGTON TLTP
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been issued a summons by a US court for a lawsuit by a former top Saudi intelligence agent who was reportedly targeted in a foiled assassination attempt. The US District Court for the District of Columbia issued the summons, a day after Saad al-Jabri filed the lawsuit accusing Prince Mohammed of sending a hit squad to Canada to try and kill him. A summons is an official notice of a lawsuit, given to the person or persons being sued. Al-Jabri, who lives in Canada, reportedly under increased protection by police and private security guards, claimed that his close ties with the US intelligence community and deep knowledge of the prince's activities had rendered him one of the aspiring
monarch's key targets. "Few places hold more sensitive, humiliating and damning information about Defendant bin-Salman than the mind and memory of Dr. Saad - except perhaps the recordings Dr. Saad made in anticipation of his killing," the lawsuit read. Saudi Arabia, which has issued Interpol red notices seeking al-Jabri's return - which have since been dismissed by the agency as political - has urged other countries to send al-Jabri back to the kingdom, accusing the former senior intelligence officer of corruption. The summons, which named 12 people in addition to Prince Mohammed, added: "If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint". The suit asserts that MBS had ordered the detention of two of al-Jabri's children, who have gone missing from their home in the capital Riyadh in
mid-March, and that other relatives have also been arrested and tortured "all in an effort to bait Dr. Saad back to Saudi Arabia to be killed". The claims in the lawsuit are allegations which have not been proven. "MBS will now vigorously lobby President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to issue what is called a letter of suggestion immunity," Bruce Fein, a former US associate deputy attorney general said. "It is rather an odd realm of law, but it asks the court to dismiss the case because it will interfere with the foreign relations of the US and relations with a head of state or highlevel officials. "But that means November [US elections] will be critical for Saudi Arabia. I can guarantee you right now that Saudi Arabia and the crown prince are talking with Pompeo and Trump asking them to get him out of this."
Beirut explosion: Lebanese justice minister becomes third to resign BEIRUT TLTP
Lebanese Justice Minister Marie Claude Najm resigned on Monday becoming the third minister to quit in the wake of the catastrophic explosion at the port of Beirut. She follows information minister Manal Abdel Samad and environment minister Damianos Kattar who both walked out on Sunday. Najm's exit was anticipated as she has been a vocal supporter of protesters demanding change in last year's uprising.
She was accosted on the street of Beirut last week by volunteers cleaning up from the disaster who chanted "revolution" and demanded her resignation. Anger in the wake of the blast has brought people back to the streets of Beirut. months after a nationwide uprising in October. Lebanese police used teargas to try to disperse rockthrowing protesters blocking a road near parliament in Beirut on Sunday in the second day of anti-government demonstrations. Tuesday's explosion of more than 2,000 tonnes of am-
monium nitrate killed 158 people and injured more than 6,000, compounding months of political and economic collapse and prompting furious calls for the government to quit. A number of members of parliament have also quit and the country's top Christian Maronite cleric, Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai, said the cabinet should resign as it cannot "change the way it governs". "The resignation of an MP or a minister is not enough. The whole government should resign as it is unable to help the country recover," he said in his Sunday sermon.
deaths. Most cases have been imported. Tsai told Azar his visit represented "a huge step forward in anti-pandemic collaborations between our countries", mentioning areas of cooperation including vaccine and drug research and production. Azar's visit will last three days and will also include talks with his health counterpart Chen Shih-chung and Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The last US cabinet minister to visit Taiwan was in 2014 when the then-head of the Environmental Protection Agency led a delegation. Meanwhile, China's Foreign Ministry on Monday slammed the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's ongoing visit to Taiwan, urging the U.S. side to stop official interactions and contact of all kinds, as well as the upgrading of substantive relations with the island. The remarks were made by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian when responding to a query about Azar's ongoing visit at a press briefing held in Beijing.
China slaps sanctions on two senators among 11 US citizens CHINA SLAPS US WITH SANCTIONS ON SENATORS TED CRUZ, MARCO RUBIO & OTHERS IN RETALIATION FOR HONG KONG POLICY BEIJING TLTP
Beijing has announced retaliatory sanctions against the US which will target Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, among others. The tit-fortat move comes after Washington unveiled sanctions over Hong Kong. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the restrictions on 11 US citizens will be put into effect starting on Monday. They include several officials as well as heads of political and human rights organizations. The retaliatory measures follow US sanctions against 11 officials, who it accuses of suppressing Hong Kong political freedoms. The sanctions, which included Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the city’s police chief, Chris Tang, were denounced by the Hong Kong government as “blatant and barbaric interference” in their internal affairs, adding that they wouldn’t be “intimidated” by such measures. Washington has openly supported anti-Beijing protests in the semi-autonomous city, which began last year and often descended into vandalism and clashes with police. Tensions between Beijing and Washington are on the rise. Last week, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that in 45 days would prohibit Americans from doing business with Chinese-owned firms ByteDance and Tencent, which operate TikTok and WeChat. Washington claims the apps are used to spy on US citizens, a claim that China stringently denies, while TikTok is reportedly preparing to file a lawsuit against the decisionb.
Protesters call for end to Spanish monarchy after former king's exit BARCELONA AGENCIES
Protesters on Sunday called for an end to the Spanish monarchy after the sudden departure of the former king Juan Carlos from the country this week amid a corruption scandal. Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son Felipe, abruptly announced his decision to leave on Monday but there has been no official confirmation of where he went, setting off an international guessing game. “We have to clean up the system of corruption and we should start with the crown,” said Jose Emilio Martin, a bus driver, who was among about a hundred protesters in Madrid on Sunday. Protests against the royal family have spread across Spain since the ex-monarch’s dramatic exit, with about 100 republicans demonstrating in Valencia on Sunday and more protests planned in Mallorca this week during King Felipe VI’s visit to the island.
A poll by SigmaDos published on Sunday in the conservative newspaper El Mundo found 63.3 percent of those questioned felt it was a bad idea for the 82-year-old exmonarch to have left, while 27.2 percent
agreed with his departure. Some 80.3 percent said they thought Juan Carlos should face any potential legal proceedings. The poll, carried out between Aug 4-6 after he left, found 12.4 percent said
he had nothing to answer for and 7.3 percent did not voice an opinion. Despite the disapproval, reflecting Juan Carlos’ sinking popularity in recent years, some 69.2 percent of those questioned in Sunday’s poll said he played an important role in the transition from dictatorship to democracy after the death of Francisco Franco in 1975, while 24.4 percent said he played “little or no” role. In June, Spain’s Supreme Court opened a preliminary investigation into Juan Carlos’ involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia, after Switzerland’s La Tribune de Geneve newspaper reported he had received $100 million from the late Saudi king. Switzerland has also opened an investigation. The former monarch is not formally under investigation and has repeatedly declined to comment on the allegations. Juan Carlos’s lawyer said on Monday his client was at the Spanish prosecutor’s disposal despite his decision to leave.
The pro-monarchist newspaper ABC reported on Friday that Juan Carlos had travelled by private plane from Spain to the United Arab Emirates on Monday. Other media have said he is in the Dominican Republic or in Portugal. Officials there have said they have no knowledge of him arriving. A Spanish government spokeswoman declined on Sunday to comment on his whereabouts. His lawyer and the royal palace have all this week declined to say where Juan Carlos is. News website Niusdiario.es posted a photograph on Saturday that it said showed him walking down the steps of a plane at an airport in Abu Dhabi. If confirmed, it would be the first image published of the ex-king since his departure. United Arab Emirates (UAE) officials and the Emirates Palace Hotel did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday.
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
SPORTS 11
MorIkAwA serves notIce wItH PGA cHAMPIonsHIP trIuMPH SAN FRANCISCO
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AGENCIES
OLLIN Morikawa made a stunning late eagle after the drive of his life to pull away from a jam-packed leaderboard and secure a two-shot victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday in only the second major start of his career. The 23-year-old American, who began the day at Harding Park two shots back of overnight leader Dustin Johnson, shot a bogeyfree six-under-par 64 to reach 13 under for the tournament. Former world number one Johnson (68) and English Ryder Cup veteran Paul Casey (66) finished in a share of second place, while the wheels came off Brooks Koepka’s (74) bid for a third straight PGA Championship title early on. Morikawa, whose only mistake of the day came when the lid fell off the Wanamaker Trophy as he lifted it up on the 18th green, said he was on “cloud nine” after the win. “It’s hard to think about what this championship means, and obviously it’s a major, and this is what guys go for, especially at the end of their career, and we’re just starting,” he added. The first major of the Covid-19 era, played without fans on a cypress-lined municipal course, looked headed for a playoff as the day began with 11 players within three shots of Johnson, and at one point late in the round seven players shared the lead. Morikawa got his nose in front at the parfour 14th where he chipped in from 54 feet for birdie. Then, after narrowly missing a birdie at 15, Morikawa hit the shot of the tournament as his drive at the 294-yard par-four 16th settled seven feet from the cup to leave him with a putt for eagle. “We were just hoping for a really good bounce, and we got it, hit a really good putt, and now we’re here,” said Morikawa, who collected the third win of his career and the sec-
Azhar Ali's captaincy could have been better: Inzamamul Haq LAHORE STAFF REPORT
ond since the PGA Tour resumed in June. With the win, Morikawa joins Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as the only players since World War Two to win the PGA Championship at age 23 or younger. ‘WASN’T MEANT TO BE’: Koepka began the day two shots off the lead but slid out of contention after going four over on the front nine, a stretch that included three consecutive bogeys going into the turn as he struggled with the thick rough and green speeds. “You know ... wasn’t meant to be,” said Koepka. “Three in a row, you’re not really supposed to do two in a row looking at history, but that’s all right. Got two more (majors) the rest of the season and we’ll figure it out from there.” Koepka finished on three under for the tournament, tied for 29th. Johnson, who was in a share of the lead
late in the day, suffered a bogey at 14 shortly after Morikawa made his move. He is the first player to finish runner-up at the PGA Championship in consecutive years since Nicklaus (1964, 1965). Casey was tied for the lead when he reached the 17th but his hopes of a maiden major championship suddenly slipped away as Morikawa, one group behind, hit the tee shot that led to an eagle and a two-stroke cushion. “I played phenomenal golf and there’s nothing I would change,” Casey said after his best finish in a major. “The glorious shots Collin hit like on 16 to make eagle, you have to tip your cap ... He’s already sort of proved it but he’s really stamped his authority of how good he is today.” Woods, who said he would skip next week’s PGA Tour event, finished with a threeunder 67 for a share of 37th place.
Former Pakistan skipper Inzamamul Haq criticised Azhar Ali's captaincy in the first Test against England and said that the Pakistan side missed a few tricks in defending a score of 277. His remark came as England chased down a total of 277 against Pakistan after being reduced to 117/5. Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes put up a 139-run stand for the sixth wicket. Woakes remained unbeaten on 84 while Buttler was dismissed after playing a knock of 75."England snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. All the credit goes to Buttler and Woakes. Both of them started playing strokes and they did not play defensive cricket. Pakistan fought hard in the match, I believe England should have been bowled out under 200," Inzamam said on his official YouTube channel. "Captaincy could have been better, when Buttler and Woakes were batting, short balls could have been tried out, everyone knows that both these batsmen do not play short ball that well, I did not see any variation in Pakistan's bowling," he added. However, the former Pakistan skipper said that the Pakistan side is better than England, and said that the visitors can still win the three-match series. "I think the Pakistan team is better than England and we should have won the first Test. I still believe Pakistan can still win the series. When you are going through a tough phase, the team's body language should not change. This was clearly the case in the first Test because Pakistan players seemed under pressure after the second innings batting collapse on the third day," Inzamam said. "The role of the team management is vital after such a defeat because the players' morale will be down. They need to talk about the positives, like scoring 300 plus runs and the first innings lead, rather than focusing on the negatives," he added. In the first innings, Pakistan had managed to gain a 107run lead, but the side was bowled out cheaply in the second innings for just 169 runs. The second Test between England and Pakistan will be played at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton from August 13-17.
Man Utd, Inter favourites for Europa League in unique German finale PARIS AGENCIES
Manchester United, Inter Milan and Sevilla headline a quintet of former champions travelling to Germany for a remodelled eight-team straight knockout tournament that will crown the winner of a Europa League campaign heavily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. All games from the quarter-finals onwards in this season's competition will be played behind closed doors as one-off ties across four venues -- Cologne, Duisburg, Dusseldorf and Gelsenkirchen -- following a five-month interruption. While a Champions League berth still awaits the victor of the final in Cologne on August 21, much has changed since the Covid-19 outbreak that brought European football to a standstill in March. "There are rules and regulations on the bubble that's going to travel. We've got to stick together, stay together
in and around the hotel and the training ground," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of the strict health protocols clubs must respect. Players and staff will undergo virus testing before departing for Germany and again on the eve of a match once arriving, a process repeated for each subsequent game in the final tournament. UEFA has advised teams to travel on charter flights and minimise contact with the general public, strongly recommending the use of exclusive hotels -- to which players will largely be confined -- in order to avoid potential cross-contamination. Masks will not be required for substitutes and coaching staff but they must maintain social distancing when seated, with players instructed to limit contact as much as possible when warming up. Match balls will be disinfected before kick-off and at half-time. United, the 2017 winners, face FC Copenhagen in Monday's quarter-final in Cologne while Serie A runners-up Inter take on Bayer Leverkusen in a clash of for-
mer UEFA Cup champions at Dusseldorf Arena. PREMIER LEAGUE COLLISION COURSE: England forward Jesse Lingard, who played in United's 2-0 win over Ajax in the final three years ago, is confident the team can capture the title for a second time. "We can't wait to get there and play this game now. 100 per cent I want to win it again," Lingard told MUTV. "Lifting a trophy is a special feeling you can't really explain and winning it before you take that confidence forward. We have got a mixture of youth and experience in the squad and for the young lads to win their first trophy, it will be perfect for them." Should United advance to the last four they would face either Sevilla -- who have won the Europa League and its precursor, the UEFA Cup, a record five times -or Premier League rivals Wolves in Cologne on August 16. Wolves are through to a first European quarter-final since 1972 but were punished by UEFA in midweek after failing to comply with Financial Fair Play requirements.
They take on Sevilla in Duisburg on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Inter beat Getafe 2-0 in a single-leg last16 tie Wednesday in Gelsenkirchen, and Antonio Conte's men harbour hopes of adding to the three UEFA Cups won in the 1990s. "This is an important competition. It doesn't matter where and under what conditions you're playing, you should only be focused on the upcoming match," midfielder Christian Eriksen told Inter TV. "It's certainly not as fun playing without fans, the atmosphere isn't there. We'll try to excite them while they're watching on TV, and we're hoping that we'll be able to embrace our supporters again soon." Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk, winners of the 2009 edition, play Swiss outfit Basel in the other quarter-final in Gelsenkirchen. This year's Europa League final was initially due to be played in the Polish city of Gdansk in late May before the health crisis forced a change of plans. Gdansk will host next year's final instead.
Could new Champions League format lead to new name on trophy despite virus worry? LISBON AGENCIES
With just two former winners left in the competition, no Cristiano Ronaldo and no fans, the Champions League moves to Lisbon this week for the start of the 'Final Eight' with the intriguing prospect that a new format could lead to a new name on the trophy. However, the shadow of the coronavirus looms large after it was announced on Sunday two individuals from Atletico Madrid, one of the teams involved in Portugal, have tested positive. "On Saturday, all members of the first team and the club's party to Lisbon underwent tests as required by UEFA protocols," said a club statement. "Among the results known today, two positives have appeared and they are self-isolating in their respective homes." It was not revealed whether the two positive cases involved players or backroom staff. Barcelona and Bayern Munich, with five European Cups each, are in contention for the title but only one will reach the semifinals -- they meet each other in the quarterfinals at the Estadio da Luz on Friday. With Barca desperate for more European
success before Lionel Messi, who turned 33 in June, moves on, and Bayern looking a fearsome proposition led by Robert Lewandowski, that promises to be a thrilling tie despite the lack of supporters. But maybe this time the glory will go to someone new altogether, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain both having reason to believe this will be the year they are rewarded for a decade of decadence fuelled by the immense wealth of their owners in the Gulf. "The big clubs lift the titles," was how City boss Pep Guardiola put it after his team knocked out Real Madrid on Friday. Perhaps Atletico, back where they lost the 2014 final to Real, will at last go the extra step under Diego Simeone, or perhaps there will be a shock winner in RB Leipzig, Atalanta or even Lyon. At this level, Atalanta are the minnows and it would be a remarkable story if they won the trophy in their first appearance in the Champions League after the terrible suffering of their hometown Bergamo during the coronavirus pandemic. It is as a direct result of Covid-19 that UEFA have taken the Champions League to
the Portuguese capital for the latter stages. The competition restarted on Friday after five months in hibernation because of the pandemic. The final was initially due to be played in Istanbul in late May before being postponed. Travel restrictions and a lack of time to get the season finished meant playing all games in the same place and doing away with two-legged ties in the quarter-finals and semi-finals was the only solution. That scenario, however, became a little more complicated on Sunday after Atletico's announcement. They will test all their squad and backroom staff again, meaning that they will likely have to delay their planned Monday departure. Atletico are due to face Leipzig in Lisbon on Thursday. The final will be played at Benfica's Estadio da Luz on August 23. The 'Final Eight' will start at the same ground on Wednesday when Atalanta face PSG. Whoever wins that will meet Leipzig or Atletico for a place in the final, while City or Lyon will meet Bayern or Barcelona in the other semi-final.
CMYK
The most unusual Champions League has already seen Real -- winners of four of the last six editions -- go out in the last 16 along with holders Liverpool and Juventus, who were eliminated by Lyon on Friday despite the best efforts of Ronaldo. Now 35, the competition's all-time record goal-scorer would have loved to triumph again in the final in Lisbon, where his
career started with Sporting. At least it won't have harmed his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, with the award for the best player on the planet called off this year by organisers France Football because of the pandemic. But from Messi, Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe to Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne, some of the finest talent around will be on display in Lisbon. It is just a shame the champions will be crowned in an empty stadium. Football fans have become used in recent months to watching on television as games go ahead behind closed doors. The alternative, after all, is no football at all, as Europe continues to struggle with the pandemic and cases rise again across the continent after a short period of relative respite. "I'm an optimistic person, and my great hope is that spectators will be able to return to our matches as soon as possible," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently. In the meantime, there are strict health guidelines in place, with teams subject to a strict testing regime and social distancing rules, and the number of people allowed inside grounds kept to a minimum.
Tuesday, 11 August, 2020
NEWS
6 kILLed, 20 Injured as boMb rIPs through ChaMan CHAMAN
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STAFF REPORT
BOMB targeting the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) ripped through the Chaman’s Mall Road on Monday, killing at least six people and wounding 20 others, police and hospital officials said. The explosion took place when an improvised bomb planted in a motorcycle went off in Chaman, a bordering town near Afghanistan.
A vehicle carrying ANF personnel was believed to be the target, senior police official Razzaq Cheema said. Mohammad Ali, a local police official, said that some of the wounded were in critical condition. Security forces and police cordoned off the area, where residents said several shops and vehicles were damaged. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Baloch separatists demanding greater autonomy have been waging a rebellion for years.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a statement, has strongly condemned the Chaman blast and expressed grief over the loss of lives. He prayed for the early recovery of those injured. Interior Minister Brigadier (r) Ijaz Shah said in a statement that “such attacks are aimed at spreading fear among the people”. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan also condemned the attack and directed authorities concerned to leave no stone unturned in providing
Lebanese PM announces resignation of entire govt amid protests BEIRUT
the best healthcare facilities to the injured. He said that terrorists want to create a law and order situation in Chaman but they will not succeed in their nefarious designs. Earlier on July 21, at least one person was killed and seven others sustained injuries as a bomb blast ripped through a market in Turbat, Balochistan. According to the Police, an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted in a motorcycle parked outside a shop in Turbat Bazaar.
FBR asked to clear income tax refunds of up to Rs50m within one week ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been advised to pay income tax refunds up to Rs50 million each within one week. A meeting was held in the Federal Board of Revenue, Islamabad, to take stock of the issuance of refunds under the Inland Revenue Courts i.e. income tax, sales tax and federal excise duty. Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh presided over the meeting, which was also attended by Industries and Production Minister Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan Swati, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, MNA Faizullah Kanika, Finance Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch and FBR Chairman Muhammad Javed Ghani. Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed, Member (IR-Operaions) on the occasion made a presentation on the issue of refunds. The meeting was informed that a total of Rs142 billion of sales tax refunds were pending and Rs90 billion of income tax refunds were due for payment. The member also informed that the export sector had
saudi aramco still eyes $15bn stake in India’s reliance RIYADH
been prioritized and an unprecedented amount of Rs106 billion had been released to them. It was also explained that during 2020, fresh inflows and refund claims had matched the outflows and a total amount of refund released under the head sales tax was Rs154 billion. In order to further facilitate the business community and to resolve their day to day issues on priority, it was advised that a technical committee having representatives of the business community be formed to examine and resolve faster refund related issues. It was also decided that there will be facilitation committees at field office level so that businessmen are able to have their issues resolved at the local level. It was also decided that a complaint cell be constituted where businessmen lodge their complaints and the complaint cell may pursue the complaints about resolution. FBR was also advised to increase its public outreach and hold frequent meetings/media conferences and video conferences with trade associations to hear their viewpoint and issues relating to tax matters. It was noted that the withholding tax regime increased the cost of doing business and FBR was advised to examine reducing the regime in the coming budget. Similarly, the legal provi-
sions relating to capping input tax adjustment at 90pc of payable tax in terms of section 8B of the Sales Tax Act were also proposed to be examined in the forthcoming budget exercise. Discussing the tax refunds, FBR was advised to focus on pending refunds of both export and non-export sectors to give a business stimulus and easy cash flows in the post Covid scenario. Further enhancing the stimulus package, FBR was advised to pay Income Tax refunds up to Rs. 50 million each within one week for which FBR will be provided funds by the Finance Division. In order to ensure steady disbursement of refunds, it was also proposed that FBR may examine creating a refund fund from where Income Tax refunds relating to previous years may be paid in routine without hurting collection till the time all the pending refunds are liquidated. In juxtaposition to speedy regular disbursal of refunds with faster running in automated mode, the importance of post refund audit to counter menace of flying invoices was proposed. FBR’s efforts on zero tolerance against corruption were appreciated and FBR was advised to highlight its good initiatives including fight against corruption on media as well as on its websites.
Govt shortlists HSBC UK employee for FBR's CIO position ISLAMABAD SHAHAD PARACHA
TLTP
Saudi Aramco said it is still working on a deal to buy a $15 billion stake in Reliance Industries' refining and chemicals business, even as lower oil prices force it to slash investment spending. Reliance’s shares fell in mid-July after chairman Mukesh Ambani said a transaction had been delayed “due to unforeseen circumstances in the energy market and the Covid-19 situation”. A deal with Reliance would help the world’s biggest crude exporter join the ranks of the top oil refiners and chemical makers. State-owned Aramco is already a major supplier of crude to India, while Reliance sells petroleum products, including gasoline, to the kingdom. “We are still in discussion with Reliance,” Aramco chief executive Amin Nasser said on a call with reporters on Sunday. “The work is still on. We will update our shareholders in due course about the Reliance deal.” Aramco reported on Sunday that second-quarter net income was down almost 75 per cent from a year earlier. It has been affected by the roughly 33 per cent drop in oil prices in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic halted travel and business, slashing demand for crude and fuel. Ambani, the world’s fourth-richest person, said last year that Aramco was set to buy a 20 per cent stake in his company’s refining and petrochemicals business, valuing it at $75bn. The Reliance transaction would help Aramco reach its goal of more than doubling refining capacity to between 8 million and 10 million barrels per day. The Saudi firm had a refining capacity of 3.6m bpd at the end of last year, including wholly-owned plants and stakes in joint ventures. The gross capacity of facilities in which Aramco has stakes was 6.4m barrels daily. The company is working to start the 400,000 bpd Jazan refinery on Saudi Arabia’s southern Red Sea coast this year. It also owns the biggest refinery in the US as well as plants in countries such as South Korea and Japan. It is planning several Chinese ventures. Reliance’s need for a cash infusion has eased in recent months.
The Federal government has shortlisted a UK-based Pakistani for the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), it was learnt on Monday. Sources said that Adviser to Prime Minister on Austerity and Institutional Reforms Dr Isharat Hussain and his team, after conducting interviews of candidates for the position of FBR CIO, has shortlisted a candidate who is currently working in HSBC UK, overseeing its technology department. As per sources, the government would hire him for three years and he would be given the task to automate FBR's income tax and customs system. Presently, there is a massive revenue leakage in the FBR system, especially on the customs side, and the government is seriously considering to fill this gap, sources said, adding that the green channel facility also failed to stop billions of rupees leakage. Besides, sources said, the World Bank has also committed the government in ‘Pakistan Raises Revenue’ programme that they will give $80million out of $400million for automation in FBR. Sources said that the
shortlisted candidate has complete command over technology, but in the FBR system, a person cannot be successful until or unless he has an understanding of the board's complex tax structure. Former FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi knew all the nitty-gritty of the tax system but he was not technologically apt, which was why he could not succeed in removing the bottlenecks. Sources said the UK-based candidate might also be given the additional charge of CEO Pakistan Revenue Automation (Pvt) Ltd. The FBR chairman did not respond to Profit's queries in this regard.
TLTP
Lebanese PM Hassan Diab has officially announced the resignation of his entire government following days of protests sparked by the catastrophic explosion which levelled parts of Beirut last week. Earlier, Health Minister Hamad Hassan confirmed to reporters that the resignation would be imminent. Addressing the nation on Monday evening, Diab said he was with the people calling for responsibility for the "crime." Diab said the explosion was the result of endemic corruption. He said the government ministers gave the job "their all" because they care about the country. The resignation comes as demonstrators take to the streets of Beirut for the third night in a row demanding swift change and accountability for the blast which devastated vast swathes of the port city last Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Health Minister Hamad Hassan said that Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab is due to address the nation and is expected to officially announce his resignation. Hamad Hassan told reporters after a cabinet session on Monday that the country's embattled government has already resigned. Tensions have been boiling over in the country following a massive explosion that on Tuesday tore through the capital, Beirut, killing some 200 people and wounding 6,000 others. Earlier on Monday, Justice Minister Marie Claude Najem was the latest minister to announce her resignation while Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni arrived at the cabinet session with his resignation letter but held on to it until after the session. Information Minster Manal Abdel Samad and Environment and Administrative Development Minister Damianos Kattar - Diab's closest confidant in the cabinet - resigned on Sunday, citing the explosion and the government's inability to reform. Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti had announced his resignation a day before the explosion. Lebanon's constitution says that a cabinet is considered resigned if more twothirds of its original members resign. The youth and sports, telecoms and displaced affairs ministers have said they will announce their resignations from Diab's 20-minister cabinet if he does not formally announce it.
Pakistan records 3.13pc trade surplus with Italy ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's goods and services trade with Italy witnessed a surplus of 3.13pc during the fiscal year 2019-20, as compared to the previous fiscal year. The country's trade surplus with Italy was recorded at $228.848 million during the period under review, as against $221.898 million last year, according to data issued by the State Bank of Pakistan. As per details, Pakistan's exports to Italy were recorded at $750.917 million in FY20 as against the export of $805.399 million in FY19, showing a fall of 6.76pc. On a year-on-year basis, exports to Italy decreased by 14.07pc in June 2020, from $70.468 million in June 2019 to $60.552 million. However, on a month-on-month basis, exports to Italy witnessed a growth of 24.20pc in June 2020, as compared to the exports of $48.752 million in May 2020. Pakistan's overall exports [to all countries] declined by 7.22pc in FY20, from $24.256 billion last year to $22.504 billion. Meanwhile, on the import side, Pakistan imported from Italy goods worth $522.069 million in FY20 as against $583.501 million last year, depicting a decrease of 10.52pc. APP
E-commerce marketplace Bazaar looks to raise $15 million in seed round LAHORE TAIMOOR HASSAN
B2B e-commerce marketplace Bazaar is reportedly raising $15 million in seed funding, only two months after it raised a serious $1.3 million in a pre-seed round to scale its operations. Informed sources told Profit that the startup has already raised some amount out of the $15 million from a consortium of investors, with further funds committed by investors. The details of the round, including names of investors, are not known and, as sources say, the round, even if successful, will remain undisclosed for a few months. In communication with this scribe, the
Bazaar management neither confirmed nor denied that the startup had successfully raised or is in the process of raising the said investment. With $15 million in new funding, the total raised by the startup would add up to $16.3 million, making Bazaar one of the most well-funded startups in Pakistan and bringing it in the major league of startups in the country. The size of the funding is particularly phenomenal for a startup as young as Bazaar. Co-founded by Hamza Jawaid and Saad Jangda in April 2020, Bazaar aspires to digitise the fragmented retail supply chain to empower an estimated 600,000 - 700,000 retailers by providing app-based solutions for transparent pric-
ing, broad assortment options and timely deliveries for optimum inventory management. The startup did a closed pilot in Karachi during extreme lockdown conditions due to Covid-19. "We saw great potential to digitise this market and give more power to small businesses. During the lockdown we noticed that due to shorter operating hours, the problems for retailers became even more severe, it was an added impetus for us to launch even sooner," Hamza had earlier said. Bazaar’s pre-seed round of $1.3 million was announced on June 1, 2020. On the same day, Bazaar’s competitor Jugnu, another startup digitising the supply chain that was started in August 2019 by retail
technology company Salesflo, helmed by ex-Unilever employees Yasir Memon and Sharoon Saleem, raised $500,000 in a preseed round. Jugnu management had also kept the round undisclosed. Only a few days later, another startup digitising the supply chain, Tajir, cofounded by brothers Ismail and Babar Khan in 2018, announced raising $1.8 million in their latest financing round led by Fatima Gobi Ventures. Tajir competes in the same space as Bazaar, though it has the advantage of having been part of the 2020 incubator class of YCombinator, arguably the world’s most famous incubator, which produced the likes of companies like Airbnb, Stripe, Instacart, Doordash, etc. Taajir currently serves over 50,000 users whereas Bazaar only has over 1,000 users on its platform, according to numbers available on Google’s Play Store. Jugnu, meanwhile, has over 10,000 users on its B2B platform.
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