Epaper – February 17 ISB 2021

Front Page 17-02-2021_Layout 1 2/17/2021 1:40 AM Page 1

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021 I 4 Rajab, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 230 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

IMF resuMes extended Fund FacIlIty For PakIstan; $500M tranche on the cards ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

a

N International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Ernesto Ramirez Rigo, concluded virtual discussions with the Pakistani authorities and reached a stafflevel agreement on the second to fifth reviews of the authorities’ reform programme supported by the IMF’s 39month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for the amount of SDR 4,268 million (about $6 billion).

“This agreement is subject to the approval of the IMF’s Executive Board. The reviews’ completion would release around $500 million,” a statement issued by the IMF on Tuesday read.

At the end of the discussions, Ramirez Rigo stated, “The policies and reforms implemented by Pakistani authorities prior to Covid-19 shock had started to reduce economic imbalances and set the conditions for improving economic performance. Most of the targets under the EFF-supported programme were on track

to be met. However, the pandemic disrupted these improvements and required a shift in authorities’ priorities towards saving lives and supporting households and businesses. To a large extent, the authorities’ response was enabled by the fiscal and monetary policy gains attained in the first nine months of FY2020. Aside from health containment measures, this included a temporary fiscal stimulus, a large expansion of the social safety net, monetary policy support and targeted financial initiatives. These were supported by sizeable emergency financing from the international community, including from the Fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI).”

He noted that as a result of the authorities’ actions, the Covid-19 first wave started to abate over the 2020 summer and the impact on the economy was significantly reduced. “External current account improved due to stronger-than-expected remittances, import compression, and a mild export recovery. High-frequency economic data also started to point to a recovery. Considering these improvements, the economy

is projected to expand by 1.5pc in FY2021 from the -0.4pc in FY2020. Still, with the Covid-19 second wave still unfolding around the world, the outlook is subject to a high level of uncertainty and downside risks.”

He continued, “The Covid-19 shock has required a careful recalibration of the macroeconomic policy mix, the reforms calendar, and the EFF review schedule.

Against this background, the authorities have formulated a package of measures that strikes an appropriate balance between supporting the economy, ensuring debt sustainability, and advancing structural reforms. The fiscal strategy remains anchored by the sustainable primary deficit of FY2021 budget and allows for higher-than-expected Covid-related and social spending to minimize the short-term impact on growth and the most vulnerable. The targets are supported by careful spending management and revenue measures, including reforms of corporate taxation to make it fairer and more transparent. The power sector’s strategy aims at financial viability, through management improvements, cost reductions, and adjustments in tariffs and subsidies calibrated to attenuate social and sectoral impacts.

“The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)’s monetary and exchange rate policies have served Pakistan well and were critical in helping to navigate the Covid-19 shock. The strengthened international reserves’ position since the start of the program—with gross reserves almost doubling to $13 billion until January 2021 and net international reserves (NIR) increasing by over $9 billion until December 2020—and the shock absorption displayed by the market-based exchange rate, allowed the SBP’s to preemptively proceed to a large easing of monetary policy, and a sizeable expansion of refinancing facilities.

ECP duty-bound to ensure transparent polls: CJP g

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Hearing the presidential reference on the Senate election on Tuesday, the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction over the report submitted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and observed that it is ECP’s constitutional duty to ensure transparent polls.

The chief election commissioner (CEC) and the ECP members appeared before the court in the hearing.

A five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, was hearing the presidential reference seeking the court’s advice over the open ballot in the upcoming Senate election.

“The Election Commission should not keep silence over the matter and submit its report after reviewing all aspects of the mat-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

coronavIrus In

PakIstan

CONFIRMED CASES:

564,824

CEC opposes use of identifiable ballot papers in electoral process

Govt refuses to renew Nawaz’s passport but ready to facilitate his return g

Rasheed says an ETD can be issued to former premier, if he wants to return ISLAMABAD

LAST UPDATED AT 10:25 AM ON FEBRUARY 16, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

47

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

958

DEATHS:

527,061 12,380 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

254,016 164,696 KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

69,885

18,946

9,532/4,941 42,808

Staff RepoRt

As the passport of deposed prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif expired on Tuesday, the government has refused to renew it but said it will issue a special certificate to enable his return if he so desires.

In December, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had announced to cancel Sharif’s passport once it expired at midnight on February 16.

After spending a year in prison, Sharif, 71, secured a conditional bail in November 2019 to travel to London on the pretext of medical treatment and has since refused to return.

His party insists that despite being summoned by the courts that declared him a proclaimed offender in separate corruption probes, the former premier will only return after the completion of his medical treatment.

ter”, the CJP said. “The election commissioner should tell us how he plans to stop corrupt practices in the Senate elections,” asked the chief justice.

Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan observed that the Election Act does not mention corrupt practices specifically. “The word ‘guard’ has been used for political interference before and after elections, as well as corrupt practices,” noted the judge. Justice Ahsan said that guarding against corrupt practices in this context would mean that precautionary measures ought to be taken before the elections so that they are held in a transparent manner.

“Money and political interference are used in elections,” noted Justice Ahsan. “The election commission should tell us how it plans on stopping such practices.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

MORE INSIDE

PTI to emerge victorious in Senate polls: PM STORY ON BACK PAGE

Pakistan Navy’s Aman 2021 exercise concludes with ‘graceful’ international fleet review STORY ON BACK PAGE

Karachi police arrest PTI leader after ECP orders removal from constituency “The names of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz are on the Exit Control List (ECL) since August 20, 2018,” Ahmed said during a press briefing in Islamabad.

“Those who have their names in the no-fly list are not issued passports, neither are they renewed.”

Ahmed observed it was Islamabad High Court (IHC) that ordered Sharif to return to the

country. Separately, he told Arab News that the deposed premier did not wish to return to Pakistan of his own choice, not because of an issue with his passport. “If he [Sharif] wants to return, we can issue an emergency travel document (ETD) to him,” he said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

STORY ON PAGE 02

US firm discovers Indian spyware targeting Pakistan army STORY ON BACK PAGE

02

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

ISLAMABAD

NEWS

KaraCHI polICe arrest ptI leader after eCp orders removal from ConstItuenCy KARACHI

K

StAff RePoRt

ARACHI police on Tuesday arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Sindh Assembly Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh on charges of violating the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) rules during a by-election to a provincial assembly seat in Malir.

The ECP ordered his expulsion from Karachi’s constituency of PS-88 Malir, where by-polls were taking place for a seat of the Sindh Assembly.

A spokesperson for Sheikh confirmed the MP had been detained by police officials in Darsano Chano neighbourhood of Malir district.

The constituency saw an aggressive election campaign from all political parties, especially the main contestants — the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the PTI. In 2018 elections, Ghulam Murtaza Baloch of PPP had won the seat by bagging more than 22,000 votes against Muhammad Rizwan Khan of the PTI who got 16,386 votes.

The seat fell vacant after Baloch died of Covid-19 in June last.

For the by-election, the PPP had given the ticket to Baloch’s son, Yousuf Murtaza Baloch.

Some 108 polling stations were set up in the constituency, out of which 36 were declared “sensitive” and another 33 “highly sensitive”.

Meanwhile, PTI Parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Bilal Ghafar condemned the arrest of Adil.

He said firing on a vehicle of Adil was

an apparent defeat of the PPP. He added that the negative political training of PPP was evident from the actions of Jiyalas.

Bilal said they would not tolerate bullying from PPP in the by-elections.

He said the PPP `Jiyalas’ were resorting to unrest for rigging in the by-elections, adding that every PTI worker stood by Adil.

Similarly, PTI Karachi President and Member Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman in a press release said that what happened in PS-88 had been highlighted by the entire media. The real face of the PPP has come out in front of everyone, he said, adding that PPP tries to intimidate the opponents through fake first information reports (FIRs) and bullying threats.

He claimed that PPP cadres rigged polling stations in rural areas and that the women of the PTI party had been harassed.

PPP thugs took our polling agents hostage, he added. When rigging started in rural areas, we went there to take care of our workers, he maintained.

Janshir Junejo, Sindh Assembly members Saeed Afridi, Shehzad Qureshi, Rabistan Khan, Karim Bakhsh Gabol, National Assembly member Saima Nadeem, PTI leader Sameer Mir Sheikh and other leaders and workers were present.

Khurram Sherzaman further said that not once during the whole ordeal did they see law enforcement agencies in action.

“Nowhere did we see the Election Commission taking notice. The Election Commission has failed to hold transparent elections,” he lambasted He further said that the PTI condemned the incident that took place with opposition leader of Sindh Haleem Adil Sheikh. People with them are also in danger, he added.

IHC orders demolition of illegal lawyers’ chambers SLAMABAD

PPP is threatened by the city of Karachi and PTI, Sherzaman added, claiming that the PPP has looted the entire province. He accused the Sindh chief minister of being incompetent and alleged that Murad Ali Shah had rigged PS-88 through superintendents (SSPs) and station house officers (SHOs).

He added that Haleem Adil Sheikh speaks against corruption so he is being targeted for revenge. The election has become controversial even before the election result, Sherzaman said.

“Today’s election is completely nontransparent, not in words but all the parties participating in the election are saying this,” he asserted. “The people of Sindh know that this is not Benazir’s party.”

“Today there is destruction in the province. We will announce our strategy. All the ministers were present in the campaign.

We will not forgive them. We will protest all over the city,” Sherzaman continued.

Later on, PTI candidate from PS-88 Jansher Junejo said that the spectacle put on

by PPP showed that the party did not hesitate to use the government machinery in the constituency relentlessly.

“This is an attack on the mandate of the people,” he asserted, “Opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh and our workers have been attacked.”

“We have lodged complaints with the Election Commission several times but no action has been taken. We will always fight for the rights of the people,” he concluded.

Earlier today, the PPP wrote a letter to the ECP and urged it to take notice of the alleged rule violations by Sheikh.

“Sheikh, being a member of the Sindh Assembly, is not permitted under the law to

enter the constituency and that too with armed persons. He has been reported to have entered with armed persons in polling stations 20 and 22 of Bhitai Abad.

“Voters are being taken to the PTI office situated in the area and being given parchis on the promise of being paid Rs12,000 under the Ehsaas programme if they vote for the PTI candidate,” read the letter by Taj Haider, the in charge of the PPP’s Central Election Cell (CEC).

The PPP urged the ECP to expel the provincial lawmaker and his armed guards from the constituency and to take further suitable action.

Separately, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi on Tuesday said the PTI government awarded the Senate tickets to loyal, ideological and credible workers to help bring about effective legislation and to contribute their services for the best national interest.

“We are committed to hold the upcoming Senate elections through show of hands to end the politics of horse trading to ensure transparency in it,” he said while talking to PTV. He saluted Prime Minister Imran Khan who had awarded the party tickets to honest and credible leaders by reviewing their political services for the country and masses.

Both PPP and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) had introduced the dirty politics of horse-trading, he said, terming the parties as champions of corruption. He added that the action would be taken against those who had found involved in this practice during Senate elections 2018.

The chairman asked the opposition parties to come into the Parliament which

was the best forum to discuss or make a reform on the electoral process to ensure more transparency in the system.

He assured that people would reject the anti-state narrative of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the forthcoming Senate elections while PTI would clinch majority seats in that regards.

BY-POLLS HELD: Polling took place on Tuesday in the by-elections for vacant Sindh and Balochistan Assembly seats — PS-43 Sanghar III, PS-88 Malir II and PB-20 Pishin III. All three seats fell vacant, last year after the lawmakers elected from the seats passed away due to the coronavirus.

As of the time of filing, counting is underway.

At least seven candidates are competing for the vacant Sindh Assembly seat from PS43, wherein many observers have so far reported a close contest between PPP’s Jam Shabbir Ali and PTI’s Mushtaq Junejo.

In PS-88, 20 candidates are vying for the Sindh Assembly seat PS-88, that fell vacant after the death of Sindh’s Minister for Human Settlement Ghulam Murtaza Baloch.

The PPP has fielded Muhammad Yousuf Baloch as its candidate, PTI has named Jansher Junejo, Muttahida Qaumi Movement has named former MPA Sajid Ahmed and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s has fielded Syed Kashif Ali. In PB-20, votes are choosing between 27 candidates, wherein experts believe that Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) Asmatullah Tareen, PDM’s joint candidate Azizullah Agha and three independent candidates Amardeen Agha, Sajid Noor Khan and Aismatullah are the favourites to win the by-poll.

Opponents of open ballot want corrupt system: Shibli Faraz

StAff RePoRt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to demolish the “illegal” chambers built for lawyers on a sports ground in Sector F-8 of the capital. In 2013, the lawyers had planned to build their offices on the football ground and obtained a judicial order from a civil judge.

However, after resistance by local traders, the CDA demolished some 30 under-construction chambers. But failed to retrieve almost half of the land occupied by lawyers. Later in 2017, lawyers from the Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) resumed construction before being stopped. The following year, construction resumed once again but came to a halt following a suo motu notice taken by then-Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

Tuesday’s verdict was announced by a four-judge bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

In the written order, authored by Justice Minallah, the high court said lawyers and advocates who had allowed the building of the chambers “forcefully [took] the law in their hands.” “The facts of this case are disturbing because the conduct of a few enrolled lawyers has caused reputational damage to the entire legal fraternity.” The court observed the encroachment on the ground had begun in 2013 and due to a restraining order passed by district courts as well as an injunction, the civic body’s efforts to demolish the structures were halted. Furthermore, office-bearers of the Islamabad District Bar Association (IDBA) had allotted plots to some lawyers for the construction of private chambers without any authorisation from concerned authorities.

The high court expressed hope that members of the IDBA will clear the ground and “restore the playground for public use”. The court further said that the federal government and the CDA would be bound to clear the ground before March 23 if the lawyers fail to do so. In addition, the government will also hold a football match between students on the ground on March 23, the verdict said. The court also directed the government to “commence and complete the construction of the state of the art complex of district courts without unnecessary delay.” Meanwhile, the IDBA will be able to submit its proposal to the CDA for “approval in relation to the Lawyers Plot, i.e., five-acre plot separately allotted by the federal government for the use of the lawyers.” “We expect that the federal government will ensure that the state-of-the-art judicial complex is made functional before the next Pakistan Day, i.e., 23rd of March, 2022.”

ISLAMABAD APP

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Tuesday said Prime Minister Imran Khan had always stressed that the Senate elections should be held in a transparent and fair manner.

He said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had a clear stance that politics of money should end and capability and merit should be promoted.

In a statement, he said issues related to Senate elections were discussed during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The minister said members who were trustees of the vote of the electorate in provinces should not cast their vote in a flawed and wrong manner. The governments in the past did promote the culture of money in politics, he added.

He said the final list of candidates of PTI for the Senate elections would be completed today.

The minister said during a public meeting Maryam Nawaz affirmed that the future of Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) was dark and now she expressed her desire to go abroad. He was referring to the incident in which Maryam said, before her Wazirabad rally, that she needed to go abroad for a minor surgery.

He remarked that he could not understand why the Sharif family was afflicted with diseases which could not be treated in Pakistan. Maryam Nawaz was giving

a message to specific circles to clear the way for her travel abroad, he added.

Shibli said the government will not allow Maryam Nawaz to go abroad added Nawaz Sharif also went abroad for his medical treatment but he started his political moves.

The minister said instead of issuing a passport, Nawaz Sharif would be given travel documents so he could return to the country.

The passport could not be given to a person who was wanted by the law, he said, adding that the government could not facilitate Nawaz Sharif so that he should go away somewhere else.

Earlier today, Faraz said on Twitter that people opposing open ballot in Senate elections wanted a continuation of the corrupt system against which Prime Minister Imran Khan declared a war.

The information minister made his remarks on Twitter where he further said that Pakistan was at an important juncture of history where a decision has to be made whether the public representatives reach the parliament on the basis of merit and capability or via “sale and purchase” of votes.

Earlier, the minister stressed that “sale and purchase” of votes and horse-trading cannot serve the Constitution and democracy.

In a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle on February 8, the federal minister urged political parties and parliamentarians to support transparency in

the election process.

He said that this would strengthen democracy and enhance the prestige of parliament.

He said that those who become members of the upper house by “investing money” would put the protection of personal interest before the people.

Shibli said that the mission of Prime Minister Imran Khan is to eradicate corruption from the country and ensure transparency. “The PTI will not back down in its struggle to achieve that goal.”

The statement came at a time when President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday signed the Election Amendment Ordinance 2021 under which the upcoming Senate elections can be held through an open ballot, triggering a debate in the country.

The opposition parties have raised their concern over the issue, saying that the government of PM Imran is trying to make the Senate elections controversial.

However, the opposition’s hopes were dampened on Monday when Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed — while hearing the Jamiat Ulema-eIslam’s (JUI-F) petition filed against the Election Amendment Ordinance — observed that no one can stop the government from promulgating the ordinance.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, during a press conference in Karachi earlier today, said that his party would participate in the elections despite it being an open ballot one but would challenge it in the court.

Maryam criticised for teaching constitution to SC ISLAMABAD APP

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior and Accountability Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar on Tuesday severely criticised Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz.

Mirza tweeted that Maryam attempted to teach a lesson on the constitution to Supreme Court despite being a “convict” a and “drop out” from college, and having a history of attacking SC during the stint of the PML-N in government.

Responding to a tweet of Maryam, he said the family traditions of the Sharifs are dark as the unruly party workers of PML-N had stormed into the Supreme Court in 1997, forcing then Chief Justice Sajjad Ali

Shah to remove the finding of contempt case against Nawaz Sharif.

“Look at her audacity! a convict and college drop out, living off her family wealth (very basis of which are in dispute as being proceed of crime) is teaching Constitution to Supreme Court,” he tweeted.

He urged the PML-N VP to go through the history of the theory of necessity as the political birth of her father Nawaz Sharif and his party PML-N took place in the lap of the ancestor of the theory of necessity.

“Your yeast includes the politics of buying and purchasing which was initiated in Changa Manga by Nawaz Sharif,” he said adding Prime Minister Imran Khan will end such malpractices.

Similarly, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill

on Tuesday said Maryam Nawaz is not politically groomed as she is always against the merit.

Talking to a private news channel, he said she issued an irresponsible and disputed statement against the Supreme judiciary of the country.

The SAPM requested the SC to take notice of her statement, as she has committed contempt of the court, he said, further wondering how she could imagine one in her post could dictate the supreme judiciary. He said Maryam Nawaz had been trying to remove her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) for a long time, but the government made it clear that it would not allow any type of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to anyone.

Shahbaz Gill said she was the production of the Sicilian mafia as her father had been previously declared as Sicilian mafia by the court in a case.

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

ISLAMABAD

NEWS

03

KaShmIr commITTee grIllS TwITTer regIoNal head For SIleNcINg KaShmIrI VoIceS uNder INdIaN INFlueNce ISLAMABAD

T

MIaN aBRaR

HE Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir on Tuesday grilled the regional head of social media platform, Twitter, for silencing voices of thousands of Kashmiri and Pakistani activists projecting the plight of people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

In a special hearing held at the Parliament House, Committee Chairman Shehryar Khan Afridi led the questioning of George Salama, who heads the Twitter regional office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Afridi questioned Salama about the Twitter policy regarding human rights and freedom of speech and whether Twitter regulations did not conform to the United Nations charter on freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

Salama, who attended the meeting through Zoom, said that Twitter has a specific policy and discourages hate speech and upholds freedom of expression.

He said that Twitter authorities would ensure freedom of speech to all and voices of minorities would never be silenced.

Responding to a question by Shehryar Afridi about the misuse of Twitter regulations by Indian activists as exposed by EU DisinfoLab, Salama said that Twitter management always ensures freedom of speech on social media.

He maintained that Kashmiri activists are free to raise their voice with legitimate accounts. He offered to organise workshops in Pakistan along with Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) for awareness of Pakistani and Kashmiri social media activists on Twitter regulations.

Shehryar Afridi said that when he was the federal minister for interior two years ago, Indian social media activists impersonating Pakistanis were generating 80 tweets per minute from Indian cities to incite violence in Pakistan over the blasphemy issue.

Shehryar Afridi said Twitter, unfortunately, had double standards as no action was taken against Indian agents posting tweets aimed at inciting hate and violence in Pakistan.

He said over 8 million people of IIOJK are being silenced under influence of Indian employees of Twitter.

The regional head stressed that Twitter has zero-tolerance against hate speech and violence. He said Twitter discourages posting misleading content through fake accounts once reported.

He said overlapping and duplicate content-posting are also discouraged by Twitter management.

Shehryar Afridi raised the misuse of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) black law by Indian occupational authorities and silencing of voices of Kashmiris.

Responding to Shehryar Afridi, the Twitter representative said that Twitter’s official position would remain equal for all parties of the conflict zone. “We are working closely with PTA to ensure equal opportunities to social media users,” Salama said.

Shehryar Afridi urged the committee members to come forward and show interest to head various advisory boards so as subcommittees could be formed. In this regard, Special Secretary Lodhi briefed that, till date, the Kashmir Committee did not have its rules of procedures.

He also laid before the committee a set of draft rules for approval which could be

published.

Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Shaheera Shahid and other senior officials also attended the meeting.

Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif was nominated as convener of the subcommittee on Advisory Board on Lawfare for Kashmir.

PTA chairman briefed the committee on the suspension of social media accounts under influence of Indian operators since August 5, 2019.

He said that PTA raised the suspension of accounts of Pakistani users under influence of a certain country and Twitter management responded that users are free to accept or deny Twitter rules.

He said the federal cabinet passed social media rules under which social media companies are bound to keep a physical presence in Pakistan. He maintained that once PTA reports any account, Twitter will have to comply within 24 hours.

Dr Farogh Naseem briefed the Committee on the local and international laws on freedom of speech and freedom of information for the 8 million Kashmiris.

“We have already won our case of sovereignty on Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations and Jammu Kashmir dispute must be resolved according to the international law,” the law minister said.

He added that the Modi regime was unleashing worst human rights violations to keep its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman briefed the Committee that private and public television channels have been contributing hugely to raise awareness on the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.

When asked by Shehryar Afridi whether

the private channels were also focusing on developing films and dramas on the plight of caged people of Kashmir, the PEMRA chairman said that this year on February 5 regarding Kashmir Solidarity Day, some channels did not turn their logos back and the authority was going to issue show cause notices to those TV channels.

Shehryar Afridi said that under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), private television channels and media houses are bound to project Kashmir dispute and India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and plight of the Kashmiris.

The PEMRA chairman sought time to present a report on telefilms and dramas on Kashmir dispute.

Shehryar Afridi inquired why PEMRA was silent on the content of private channels’ dramas about the sensitive relations, to which the body’s chairman replied that the institution had banned three dramas of private channels but the court had struck down the decision.

He added that all Indian content had been banned by PEMRA. He said that private TV channels were not developing any content on Kashmir and only content generated by public institutions was being run by private media.

The committee chairman expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the PEMRA regarding highlighting Kashmir cause at private TV channels.

A Pakistan Television (PTV) representative briefed the committee on the projection of Kashmir dispute on state television.

Kashmir Committee Chairman Shehryar Khan Afridi directed the PEMRA chairman and the managing director of PTV to present a detailed briefing on the performance of both the state institutions to

Pakistan reports less than 1,000 coronavirus cases ISLAMABAD tLtp

Pakistan has recorded three-digit single-day coronavirus cases for the first time during the last three and a half months, as last time cases below 1,000 were reported on October 30.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said on Tuesday that the country recorded 958 fresh infections during the last twenty-four hours. 47 more coronavirus-related deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, surging the overall death toll to 12,380.

According to the NCOC, with fresh inclusion of the infections in the country, the national tally of cases

Nisar among nine lawmakers unable to cast votes in Senate polls ISLAMABAD

reached to 564,824. The total count of active cases is 25,383 and the positivity rate stands at 3 per cent. Some 1,648 patients were stated to be in critical condition.

In the past 24 hours, as many as 1,064 patients recovered from the virus while 527,061 people have recovered from the deadly disease so far.

A total of 31,905 tests were conducted across the country during the period, while 8,498,022 samples have been tested so far.

At least 428 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Punjab during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 164,696. According to Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Department, at least 33 more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the tally reached 5,084.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday gave the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine emergency approval, widening access to the low-cost inoculation in the developing world.

The WHO's review found that the vaccine met the criteria for safety, and its efficacy benefits outweighed its risks. The vaccine has been praised because it is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals, including Pfizer/BioNTech's, which was listed for emergency use by the WHO late in December.

"We now have all the pieces in place for the rapid distribution of vaccines. But we still need to scale up production," said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

PTI leader challenges Gilllani’s papers for Senate polls ISLAMABAD

tLtp

Staff RepoRt

Nine legislators, including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, will not be permitted to cast their votes in the Senate polls due to non-submission of the details of their assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). These nine lawmakers include one from the National Assembly and eight others from the provincial assemblies. From PP-19, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has neither taken oath in the Punjab Assembly nor submitted his assets details to the ECP, whereas Sayed Basit Ahmad Sultan from NA-185 was also among the lawmakers who are barred to cast their votes. The other candidates include Khawaja Muhammad Waseem from PP-50 Narowal, Khurram Ijaz from PP-136 Sheikhupura, Zehra Batool from PP-172 Muzaffargarh, Husnain Ali Mirza from PS-72 Badin, Iqbal Mian from PK109 Kurram and Muhammad Iqbal Khan from PK-111 North Waziristan. The ECP had suspended the membership of the nine lawmakers over failing to submit asset details.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday challenged the nomination of former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Yousaf Raza Gillani for Senate.

The PPP has fielded Gillani, originally from Multan, from Islamabad as a joint candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the 10-party opposition alliance seeking to oust the government.

Fareed Rehman, a PTI Senate hopeful from Islamabad, has accused Gillani of concealing the facts in the papers. Gillani, he said, failed to mention his conviction in a contempt of court case back in 2012.

His petition noted that Gillani doesn’t fulfill the requirements of Article-62 of the Constitution.

Embroiled in controversy over the presidential ordinance on open voting, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to hold elections on March 3.

A total of 52 senators in the House of 104 are set to retire on March 11 on completion of their six-year term.

The number includes four of the eight senators from the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

As the seats representing FATA will not be filled due to the merger of the tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in May 2018, the Senate strength will shrink to 100.

Polling will, therefore, be held to elect 48 members: 12 each from KP and Balochistan, 11 each from Punjab and Sindh, and two from Islamabad.

The legislators will also vote to elect seven members on general seats including two women and two technocrats in the four provinces. Besides, the election on one minority seat each in KP and Balochistan will also be conducted.

More than 65 percent of the senators due to retire belong to the opposition parties.

A total of 170 candidates have filed nomination papers all over the country for 48 seats, according to the data released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). As many as 70 candidates, including 44 from the PTI, filed their nomination papers on Monday which was the last date for submission of the papers.

raise awareness on Kashmir dispute.

Last week, PTA had said that 280 valid handles had been suspended, alleging that “under Indian influence, the social media platform is not only depriving Pakistani users of their fundamental rights but also violating its own community guidelines”.

This was not the first time Pakistan had contacted Twitter over the suspension of users’ accounts. A similar response was sought from the tech giant in September 2019, days after New Delhi stripped Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status.

In November 2020, the federal government had notified the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules, 2020,” which have been framed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) to counter the flow of illegal, blasphemous, obscene or defamatory content on social media.

Separately, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Tuesday strongly condemned Indian media for accusing him of spreading disinformation regarding farmer’s protest.

In a tweet, the federal minister said, “Indian leadership and media is run by jokers accusing me of running an international disinformation campaign against India is absurd.”

“Let me assure you with leadership like Narendra Modi no one needs to plan anything as he himself is enough to destroy India,” he remarked.

The Twitter based response came after Indian media accused American journalist Pieter Friedrich of running a disinformation campaign against Indian government on the directives of the federal minister, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain.

PTI sticks to its guns with Faisal Vawda nomination NewS DeSk The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary board has said it will stick with its decision of nominating MNA Faisal Vawda as its candidate for the upcoming Senate elections from Sindh. Reportedly, this decision was taken during a meeting of the parliamentary board chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, wherein the premier said that Vawda has rendered services for the party. Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had handed out a fine of Rs50,000 on Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda for repeatedly seeking adjournment of disqualification proceedings against him. The commission had also directed him to appear inperson in the next hearing. The ECP has been since January 2020 hearing the claim against Vawda seeking his disqualification for purportedly holding dual nationality at the time of filing of nomination papers for the 2018 general elections.

Presiding over the proceedings, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja had said that the case has already been delayed, reprimanding the defence counsel for indulging in delaying practices. As the hearing resumed Tuesday, assistant defence counsel, Hasnain Ali Chohan, had sought an adjournment due to the engagement of Vawda’s counsel, Muhammad bin Mohsin, in a Lahore court. While the party has been facing backlash over its fielded candidates in the upcoming Senate elections, this controversy has now been underscored when the friend of First Lady Bushra Bibi submitted her nomination papers for the Senate election, it emerged.

According to a report by a local news outlet, Farhat Shahzadi alias Farah Khan submitted nomination papers for the reserved seat for women. Moreover, her papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were submitted at the last minute through her lawyer instead of being submitted in person. The ruling PTI has additionally issued its official ticket to Dr Zarqa for the ladies’ seat from Punjab. Farhat is the wife of former district council chairman Ahsan Iqbal Jamil and daughter-in-law of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Chaudhry Iqbal.

The ECP has announced the schedule for the holding of elections for the upper house of the parliament on March 3. Monday was the last day for candidates to submit their nomination papers.

04

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

ISLAMABAD

NEWS

PTI ‘guARdIAn of fARmeRs’ RIghTs’: sAPCm fIRdous

s

NEWS DESK

PeCIAL Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Tuesday that the ruling party is a guardian for the rights of farmers.

During a presser, she said: “It’s not just the water running through rivers but also the blood of our farmers and smallholders that run Pakistan’s economy and provide it oxygen through agricultural output”, adding that the provincial irrigation minister had taken astounding measures to improve the lives and livelihoods of farmers.

The special aide pointed out that previous governments had not focused on the development of the agriculture sector within Pakistan. In particular, she held the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government responsible, stating that the “royal family made Jati Umrah its centre of attention”.

The government would provide prosperity to the farmers, ensure water supply to the final stage, and turn barren farmlands into fertile ones for the oppressed farmers under Punjab Irrigation Minister Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari’s leadership and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar’s direction

and vision–which is its “goal, obligation, and responsibility”, she added.

Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal said that a network of 32 model bazaars were providing important relief to the buyers in different cities of the province wherein the farmers were allowed to directly sell their produce in model bazaars as free stalls were provided to them by the government.

While addressing a gathering of party workers at his camp office, the minister expressed the satisfaction that hundreds of thousands of people benefit from the facility of model bazaars while thousands of petty shopkeepers were also earning their livelihood.

A model bazaar would also be established in every tehsil of the province as the chief minister had given in-principle approval to expand the scope of the model bazaars, the minister disclosed.

The provincial minister said that 309 Ramadan bazaars would start functioning from Shaban 25 to provide essential items at subsidized rates. The public interest would be protected as the welfare of the masses was very dear to the government, he vowed.

On a separate occasion, Firdous, while

talking to the media in Lahore, said that Punjab cabinet has accorded approval to build thirty-five thousand apartments for low-income under the supervision of LDA. She said that in the first phase, 4000 apartments will be constructed in Lahore city, reported Radio Pakistan.

She said that a twenty per cent quota for provincial employees and for LDA employees and a ten per cent quota will be available for federal employees in this regard.

Firdous said that under the direction of the CM, apartments will be given to journalists and lawyers also under the special quota.

She said that a mother and child care hospital will be built in Multan to facilitate people and new two cement plants will be established in Punjab.

She said that a special allowance will be given to doctors of the Punjab Population Welfare Department.

A day earlier in Sialkot, she had said that

the Punjab government is working for the development of backward districts, adding that the development projects are being completed keeping in view the needs of the backward areas of South Punjab.

Firdous had said the government is promoting tourism to highlight the culture and soft image of Pakistan to the entire world.

The successful holding of jeep rally in Cholistan will promote cultural and economic activities and will start new era of progress and prosperity in the region, she said.

She had maintained the inauguration of a double-decker tourist bus in Bahawalpur is an important step towards the promotion of tourism in the region. Firdous said the incumbent government considers inflation as an important issue and in order to resolve it, the government is bringing the alternative system of market committees.

On the occasion, she had pointed out that the old system used to benefit only a few and a handful of people have not only exploited the farmers but also harmed the people, therefore, the PTI government is introducing an alternative system of market committees, which will help control pricehike and inflation.

Kyrgyzstan to take benefit from Pakistan’s new curriculum: Beishenaliev ISLAMABAD APP

Kyrgyzstan will take benefit from the new National Single Curriculum (SNC) of Pakistan in the up-gradation process of its education system, said Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of education and Science Almazbek Beishenaliev on Tuesday.

During his visit, he met, along with a delegation, the Minister for Federal education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood, and in the meeting, both the education ministers discussed in detail the issues of mutual interests and bilateral cooperation. Talking to the delegation, education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said that both the countries had brotherly and historical relations. Pakistani students go to Kyrgyzstan for getting an education, while the Pakistani educationist were investing in the education sector of Kyrgyzstan, Shafqat informed.

He further said that the Kyrgyz students often came to Pakistan to get religious education in Madaris.

Shafqat Mahmood also briefed the Kyrgyz education Minister about the steps being taken by the education Ministry in vocational training, stating that for the first time the training was being given in two hundred high-end trades, including courses on robotics and artificial intelligence. He said that we were going to establish a National Accreditation Council (NAC) for the grading of vocational institutes.

Kyrgyz education minister lauded the efforts of his Pakistani counterpart for the

KARACHI: A view of traffic jam on a busy road in the provincial capital. PPI

Amendment in Right to Information Act is unconstitutional: TI ISLAMABAD: As the amendment in the Right of Access to Information would spare the parliament and attached departments from public access to information, the Transparency International’s (TI) Pakistan office has termed the Amendment Act, 2021, as unconstitutional, saying it would target the very essence of access to information. The TI, in a letter to the Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, has claimed that it has received a complaint pertaining to the move by some senators, particularly regarding the clause which excluded the Parliament from the definition of public bodies. It is pertinent to mention here that public bodies are bound to provide information to citizens, before the Senate. This move is unconstitutional, it argued, stating that the act is against Article 19-A, and is similar to the Sections 4,5 and 7 of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) issued on 5 October 2007, during the rule of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) government. The previous effort had been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on December 16, 2009, and if the current act is approved and promulgated, it will find itself facing the same fate as 2007 NRO, TI Pakistan says. GHULAM ABBAS

uplift of the education sector.

“We were in process for the up-gradation of our education system, therefore it will be a great pleasure for us to take benefit from the new single national curriculum of Pakistan,” he remarked.

Kyrgyz education minister also expressed his hopes of enhancing further cooperation in the field of education, adding that the country would take benefit from Pakistani vocational training institutions for their students.

Federal education Minister Shafqat Mahmood also informed him about the latest update of SNC and its goals. Mahmood briefed him about the measures taken during the epidemic, including online education, distance education programmes, and use of technology in education. He added that technology was bringing changing and new invention in the education sector. “We were making sure the provision of stable internet in the less developed areas of Pakistan. We would also ensure to provide quality education with the help of technology in far-flung areas of the country” Shafqat remarked.

Both the dignitaries expressed their resolve to enhance further relations in the education sector between the two countries. The meeting was also attended among others Parliamentary Secretary for Federal education and Professional Training Wajiha Akram, Federal Secretary education Farah Hamid, Additional Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani and other senior officials, while in the delegation the senior Kyrgyz Universities Rectors were also present.

GPKSC urges Pak-Kashmir community to apprise EU delegation with IOK situation MIRPUR APP

Global Pakistan-Kashmir Supreme Council (GPKSC), a United Kingdombased organisation, on Tuesday called upon the Pakistani-Kashmiri community to apprise european (eU) delegation with the real picture of human rights atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK).

The eU Parliamentary delegation is due to visit the IOK on Wednesday (today), reportedly on the invitation of the Indian government.

Talking to journalists, GPKSC Chairman Raja Sikander Khan, currently on an official visit to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), said: “India is spearheading the fake picture of the bleeding vale of Kashmir against the reality to mislead the world of the current Kashmir situation in disputed IOK territory”.

He continued that New Delhi was trying to befool the international community through the false assertion that they have lifted the lockdown from the Mus-

lim-majority occupied valley, which he termed as the largest prison in the world.

Khan underlined that the IOK was giving the picture of an open prison since the lockdown began on August 5, 2019, and has been carrying on for a seemingly indefinite period.

“Kashmiris blood-riddled hands of the occupational armed forces of India will receive the eU Parliamentary delegates with their prevailing sinister approach of misguiding them of the true Kashmir situation where the people of the State were struggling for their just cause”, Sikander said.

A 20-member european delegation is scheduled to reach Srinagar on a two-day visit to IOK on Wednesday (today) to assess the current situation in the strife-torn disputed Indian occupied state, says a report from across the Line of Control.

The envoys represent over 20 countries, including France, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Italy and the Netherlands. earlier, AJK President Sardar Ma-

sood Khan had said that the residents of Jammu and Kashmir expect United States President Joe Biden to play the role of a true world leader and help resolve the Kashmir conflict.

Addressing the “Meet the Press” programme of the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, he had said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were willing to accept any offer of third-party mediation for a peaceful and just solution for the Kashmir issue, provided the Kashmiris are included in the mediation process as the largest party in the dispute.

“We hope that the Biden government will ask India to stop the massacre in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to restore the human rights of the Kashmiris, including their right to self-determination which is obligatory by the United Nations,” he had said.

The president of the AJK, while responding to several questions from journalists, had said that the state of Pakistan will not compromise on the Kashmir issue as the hearts of 220 million people

in Pakistan beat with their Kashmiri sisters and brothers.

“We also firmly believe that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of the international situation and whatever India does, will continue their struggle to gain their freedom and liberty,” he had added.

The AJK president had underscored that the Kashmir people got rid of the slavery of the Maharaja government and now they have been fighting India for the past 73 years and shed their blood for freedom. No power on earth can stop them from seeking freedom and liberty, he had said.

On the situation of the occupied Kashmir, the state president had said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only waged a war against the Kashmir people but also imported hundreds of thousands of Hindus from all over India to settle in Kashmir.

Modi planned to add six to seven million Hindus to the existing 14 million Kashmir population to turn the Muslim majority into a minority, he had added.

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

ISLAMABAD

NEWS

05

FBR to shaRE REal-tIME data wIth FEdERal, PRovINCIal dEPaRtMENts

Commerce adviser updates PM on trade prospects with Uzbekistan

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

SHAHZAD PARACHA

APP

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood called on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan here on Tuesday and briefed him about the trade potential existing between Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The commerce adviser apprised the prime minister about his recent visit to the Central Asian state and briefed him about the prospects of bilateral trade. Earlier on February 2, the two countries agreed to enhance bilateral trade relations by entering into a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). The two sides discussed enhancing banking cooperation, working on rail and road connectivity matters and establishment of off-dock terminals. They also resolved to cooperate in shipping, textile, engineering and IT sectors. It is pertinent to mention here that the Uzbeks have invited Pakistan business delegations to organise a joint exhibition in Tashkent in June this year. On February 1, Dawood had met with Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan President Adkham Ikramov to discuss cooperation in textile, leather and engineering sectors.

IMF resumes Extended Fund Facility for Pakistan; $500m tranche on the cards

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to share real-time data, including videos and images, with other federal and provincial government departments.

Sources said that government has amended the Sales Tax Act 1990 by introducing Section 56A with regard to an agreement for the exchange of information.

The FBR has been given the power to share data or information, including real-time data videos and images, received under the exchange of information agreement with

any other ministry or division of the federal or provincial governments, they added. It is pertinent to mention that Section 56 empowers the federal government to enter into bilateral or multilateral agreements with provincial governments or with governments of foreign countries for the exchange of information, including electronic, with respect to the sales tax imposed under this act or any other law of Pakistan. Presently, the government is sharing data with 40 countries under the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) agreement.

Similarly, the government has also exempted Islamic Naya Pakistan Certificates Company, Limited (INPCCL)

Oil prices close to 13-month highs, supported by Texas cold snap LonDon AGENCIES

Oil prices hovered near 13-month highs on Tuesday, supported by a US cold snap that shut wells in the oilproducing state of Texas, though gains were capped by a Norwegian wage deal that averted supply disruptions in Europe.

The global rollout of coronavirus vaccinations, fuelling expectations of a recovery in the global economy and oil demand, has also kept prices buoyant. Keenly watched US oil inventory data from the API industry association and Energy Information Administration (EIA) will be released this week on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, each delayed by a day

after U.S. markets were closed for a public holiday on Monday.

Benchmark Brent crude slipped 37 cents, or 0.5pc, to $62.93 a barrel by 1434 GMT but remained 13month peak reached in the previous session. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 45 cents, or 0.8pc, to $59.92 after touching their highest since early January last year.

Swiss bank UBS increased its Brent price forecast, saying it expects the benchmark to reach $68 a barrel in the second half of the year and $70

by March 2022, with WTI trading at a $3 discount.

Cold weather in the United States halted operations at Texas oil wells and refineries on Monday and forced restrictions on natural gas

and crude pipeline operators. Texas produces about 4.6 million barrels per day of oil and is home to 31 refineries, the most of any US state and including some of the country’s largest, EIA data shows.

Middle East supply concerns also rose after the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen said on Monday that it had destroyed an explosive-laden drone fired by the Houthis at the kingdom, the world’s biggest oil exporter.

But in a move that helped to cap prices, Norway’s oil industry employers struck a wage deal with the Safe labour union on Tuesday, preventing a strike at the Mongstad crude terminal, which could have forced major offshore oil and gas fields to shut.

ContInueD froM pAge 01 The banking system remains healthy, but it will be important for the SBP to continue to remain vigilant and prevent possible financial stability stress as the temporary support is phased out. International reserves are set to improve further reflecting current account developments, the EFF resumption, and international partners’ support.

“The authorities are moving steadfastly on a number of other important reforms, including on strengthening regulatory agencies’ legal frameworks (NEPRA and OGRA Acts), consolidating SBP’s autonomy (SBP Act), and improving state owned enterprises (SOE) management (SOE Law). In addition, they have conducted a triage of SOE, and are moving forward with the audits of contracts awarded for Covid-19 related spending. They continue to enhance the effectiveness of their antimonetary laundering/counter financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework and progress in completing their action plan with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). “The IMF team would like to thank the Pakistani authorities for the constructive and candid discussions.”

ECP duty-bound to ensure transparent polls: CJP ContInueD froM pAge 01 The chief election commissioner responded by saying that the ECP does all it can under its jurisdiction to ensure that corrupt practices are thwarted. “Action is taken before and after elections, on grievances and complaints,” said the election commissioner.

The chief election commissioner opposed the use of the identifiable ballot papers in the electoral process. While opposing serial numbers on ballot papers, the election commission chief said that the amendment to the Constitution will be required for the identifiable ballot papers in the election.

“The court is not suggesting amending any law. The Election Commission knows well what is happening,” the top judge said.

“The Supreme Court had declared any mark on the ballot paper as unlawful in the past. An identifiable ballot paper has no place in the law,” the CEC further said. “The

Election Commission has summoned a meeting to review the video recently surfaced. The Commission will decide if a forensic test of the video is necessary,” the election commissioner said. “The Election Commission has come to know about the 2018 video now,” Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan remarked.

“The Election Commission is not interested in ending corruption from the electoral process,” the Chief Justice said. Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed submitted his recommendations to the ECP to ensure transparency in the election.

Senator Raza Rabbani said that the recommendations from the AG will be deemed proposals from the PTI. He urged for taking all the stakeholders into confidence over the matter.

The court summoned the chief election commissioner and the members of the election commission on Wednesday with effective recommendations and adjourned further hearing of the presidential reference till Wednesday.

from withholding taxes.

Meanwhile, FBR will not collect the tax on the goods temporally imported into Pakistan by international athletes.

The exemption has been granted to goods temporally imported into Pakistan by international athletes which would be subsequently taken back by themwithin 120 days of temporary import, sources added.

On the other hand, the government has also given an exemption to National Telecommunication Authority from withholding tax u/s 153(1)(b) on services including ancillary services specified in Section 41 of Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996.

Govt refuses to renew Nawaz’s passport but ready to facilitate his return ContInueD froM pAge 01 In October, Islamabad asked “duty-bound” London to deport Sharif to serve out his seven-year sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference.

The letter cited England’s immigration laws of 1974 under which any person sentenced to imprisonment of more than four years had to be deported to the country of their origin. PTI TO DOMINATE POST-POLL SENATE: He also expressed confidence that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, would emerge victorious in the upcoming Senate elections, scheduled to be held on March 3.

Talking to media persons in the federal capital, he said: “the PTI will emerge victorious in the upcoming Senate elections under the leadership of Imran Khan. All members of national and provincial assemblies will vote as per the party decision.” He disagreed with the impression that there would be any surprise in the Senate polls for the PTI. Moreover, he expressed the hope that PTI candidate Hafeez Sheikh would secure victory in the senate elections. The minister said the capital police would be provided 100 power bikes and 20 cars for security purpose in the city, adding that 300 check posts in the city had been removed while remaining would also be removed soon. He said there will be political stability and a reduction in rumour-mongering after the polls.

He further said the country will move forward in terms of finance under the able leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The minister said the network of NADRA offices will be expanded at the tehsil level. He said the agency will issue 100,000 CNICs a day. He said the fee for ten-year passports has also been reduced. He urged motorcyclists to observe their lane on the roads as it would help save them from any undue incident. “The Islamabad city will be the most peaceful and organized city in the country,” the minister said. About Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) long march, he said the government would not create any hurdle in their way till they followed law of the land.

Car production up 4.9pc in 7MFY21 ISLAMABAD APP

Pakistan to cross Rs100bn e-commerce trade in 2021 neWS DeSK Extreme Commerce Pakistan’s first EdTech company specializing in e-commerce and digital trade education and practices will train Pakistani youth to sell on Daraz platform. Extreme Commerce and Daraz signed a memorandum to improve eCommerce and digital trade literacy in the country.

Although the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) are working to introduce a platform that will facilitate Pakistani traders to export their products seamlessly on global platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, and eBay, the local traders are looking for an opportunity to explore the global markets enthusiastically.

As per the latest e-commerce numbers released by the State Bank of Pakistan(SBP), the e-commerce market size for the year upto Q3 2020 was Rs96bn (assuming a 60pc COD volume), prepayment was Rs39bn over the same period.

There are now 2,164 merchants who ac-

PARTNERSHIP SIGNED TO CREATE NEW ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES FOR E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL TRADE IN PAKISTAN cept prepayment methods which is a large jump from the previous quarter.

There are now 43,000 orders a day via prepayment method (in Q3 2020) on Pakistani merchants, which is up from 24,000 and 13,000 in the same quarter in 2019 and 2018.

The partnership between Extreme Commerce and Daraz, will be imparting knowledge skills on how to sell on the Daraz platform more efficiently with maximum customer satisfaction and potential to grow. The arrangement will facilitate the sellers to expand their enterprise further and improve their online selling skills, including formation of businesses, creating stores, product branding and marketing.

The Extreme Commerce’s Video

Boot Camp (VBC) is a collection of 100+ ECommerce and digital money-making skills in the world. VBC covers an extensive range of skills that builds and empower witheCommerce and digital trade skill sets to earn money by offering services to clients across the globe and setting up own businesses and stores on national and international eCommerce platforms.

Through this MOU, thesellers and traders on Daraz will also benefit from the rich knowledge resource available on the VBC platform as well. The partnership will be catalytic for the eCommerce market to cross the Rs100 billion e-commerce trade barrier in2021.

Sunny Ali, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Extreme Commerce shared his views on the partnership and

said, “Our first step is to start building capacity of the sellers on Daraz Through our training and our state-of-the-art Video Boot Camp (VBC). Educating everyone with eCommerce dynamism on Daraz. We will be the bridge between Darazsellers and Daraz with the Extreme Commerce’s knowledge repository as the learning platform. We can quickly relay issues, challenges and find solutions together. As this will help the sellers in the country to explore the eCommerce phenomenon as a knowledge-based economic growth model.

“Extreme Commerce’s vision to make Pakistan a global e-commerce back-office hub has been acknowledged by international institutions as well. Extreme Commerce aims at developing a national e-commerce ecosystem through inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs.

Being Pakistan’s largest e-commerce knowledge sharing and capacity building platform, Extreme Commerce has a community of more than half a million people nationwide.”

The production of cars in the country witnessed an increase of 4.87 per cent during the last seven months of the current financial year 2020-21 (7MFY21) as compared to the corresponding period last year. During the period from July-January, as many as 75,867 cars were manufactured against the production of 72,337 units in FY20, according to Pakistan Automobile Manufacturing Association (PAMA). According to details, the production of Honda cars went up by 66.10pc from 8,232 units to 13,674 units during the months under review whereas the production of Suzuki Swift also rose by 21.86pc from 997 units to 1,215 units in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

06 COMMENT

The senate trial of Donald J Trump

A shock for Imran Khan Dissenters go public

A

number of PTI legislators publicly challenged the nomination of some of the party candidates for the Senate elections. It was maintained by the critics that these nominations were made in violation of merit. Federal minister Faisal Vawda was issued a party ticket for fear that he might be disqualified as mNA by the court for lying about his nationality while submitting nomination papers for 2018 polls. This was clearly a case of moral turpitude that a party claiming high moral ground could not condone. The two moneybags who had recently joined the party were also awarded tickets. This amounted to preferring money over merit. Bitter opposition from the Balochistan chapter of the PTI led to the replacement of business tycoon Abdul Qadir by mr Zahoor Agha soon after the announcement. The party however retained all others till the time for nominations was over on monday.

There was opposition in the PTI’s KP chapter against the nomination of Najibullah Khattak and Faisal Saleem on the ground that they lacked competence and had a bad reputation. A delegation of outspoken PTI mNAs had also called upon the Pm. In Sindh two mNAs went public, one against mr Vawda and the other against Federal Finance minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, confirming that they would in no case vote for them. In Sindh party units threatened not to cooperate in local government elections if mr Vawda’s name was not dropped.

In the PTI’s parliamentary board meeting on Tuesday.

Prime minister Imran Khan stood by Federal minister Vawda, maintaining that he had rendered services for the party. The board consequently made just one change, replacing mr Najibullah Khattak with former Senator Liaquat Tarakai, retaining all other nominees. me Khan hopes to pacify the party’s Sindh leadership by taking them into confidence over the board’s decisions via video link. Only the election results would show whether interaction with the Pm had pacified the dissidents. mr Khan opposed the secret ballot for he thought this would encourage party dissenters to vote against his nominees while keeping their identity secret. Little did he expect that some of the party’s legislators would publicly take a stand against his nominees. He would be shooting himself in the foot if he accuses the dissenters of selling their votes.

Washington Watch Dr James J Zogby

I

’m writing this column in the midst of the Senate trial of Donald J. Trump. On January 13, mr Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for having incited the January 6 violent insurrection resulting in a mob breaking into the US Capitol Building and committing acts of murder and mayhem. They did so in an effort to stop the certification of Joseph Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. It is now up to the Senate to determine whether the former president is guilty of the charges against him.

The first day of the proceedings was dedicated to a motion made by mr. Trump’s attorneys arguing that the trial itself was unconstitutional since Trump was no longer in office. After the Senate voted 56-44 that it was constitutional, the trial continued.

During the second and third days, the Democratic House members presented their impeachment case against mr Trump. It featured graphic footage of the violent break-in of the Capitol and excerpts from Trump’s speeches and Twitter comments, which the Democrats argued incited the protesters to march to the Capitol and “stop the steal” of the election. The videos were har-

War is shifting to cyberspace

Pakistan will be asked to ‘do more’ yet again

I

T was almost certain that once the Biden Administration took over, it would review many of the foreign policy decisions made by the outgoing Trump Administration. The Afghan peace deal is such an agreement that the Biden White House wants to take another look at. Signed a year ago, it set out a US troop withdrawal in 14 months if the Taliban upheld its promises. Although there had been some initial reduction in violence with the Taliban not attacking international forces, it continued targeting the Afghan government. more recently, especially after the change in the White House, violent attacks and targeted killings have increased. With only a few weeks to go before the USA has to begin ending its 20-year military deployment in Afghanistan, it seems unlikely that it will completely pull out at a time when the security situation is so volatile. The Taliban are understandably furious over the Biden Administration signaling a revision in the agreed upon withdrawal schedule, with veteran leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar going as far as to warn that the presidential palace would be surrounded if the deal is violated and their demands are not met.

It is clear that the Biden Administration has no good option with regards to Afghanistan. On the one hand it has to ensure that there is a manageable level of peace in the country before it leaves in order to avoid another Iraq-like situation where ISIS emerged and wreaked havoc in the country and region as a whole for years before being taken out. The Taliban will certainly dial up its attacks against the Afghan government which is still unable to protect itself owing to an undertrained and under equipped security apparatus. No easy or early exit-routes therefore exist at the moment for the USA. In this backdrop, Pakistan’s strategic position becomes all the more important as it will be looked upon by the USA to placate the Taliban on the likely event that the deal falls through.

Pakistan will be asked to ‘do more’ and help clean up the USA’s mess across the Western border yet again.

amJeD JaaveD

A

cyber attack is no less lethal than a nuclear attack. It could cripple financial systems, stock markets, navigation systems of ships at sea or airplanes in air, and shut down industrial or nuclear plants.

Cyber-warfare is, relatively, a new phenomenon.

Though the FBI had already been exploring cyberspace in respect of domestic intelligence, the NSA awoke after the aerial attack on the New-York Twin Towers. It was a bit hard for the NSA to convince President Bush that a cyberforce was the need of the hour. The USA accuses China of having penetrated defence contractors’ computers to get information about the $737 billion F-35. China points to Huawei penetration and Snowden’s leaks about hacking of Chinese universities computers.

Bush, engrossed in his War on Terror kept aloof from the Internet/Google. Shane Harris, in his book @War: The Rise of Cyberwarfare writes: “This was the man who had once said he used “the Google” only occasionally to look at satellite images of his ranch in Texas. It would be difficult to explain in technical terms how someone sitting at a keyboard could wreak havoc from thousands of miles away, using a machine with which the president was largely unfamiliar.” Like nuclear weapons, releasing cyber weapons required presidential assent.

A long last, the president sanctioned an ambitious cyber-warfare and espionage programme with required funding. During the Iraq War, the neophyte cyber warriors fought well in locating insurgents’ networks. In a way, the cost of the programme was repaid with dividends. Since then the USA has fortified its cyber-capability to meet not only external but also internal threats.

“During US military operations in Libya in 2011, which led to the ouster of muammar Gaddafi, the NSA worked with the Navy’s cyber warriors to track

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vict mr. Trump. But even if they do not, a marker has been laid and a message sent.

It was also important that the words and actions before and during January 6 are now recorded and preserved for posterity. There will be no forgetting or rewriting of history. The violence, the hateful chants, the death threats, and mr. Trump’s incendiary rhetoric will not be forgotten or refashioned into something other than what they were.

And finally, while the trial was ongoing, my daughter and I discussed how much a relief it was to be able to listen to the proceedings without the fear of waking up each morning to a barrage of angry or hateful tweets from mr. Trump. The absence of his Twitter rants, since he was banned from that social media platform, has been refreshing. We only remembered just how unsettling they were when we the House team played parts of the ex-president’s rally speeches or showed some of his tweets during their presentation.

This doesn’t mean that 17 Republicans will vote to convict mr. Trump. No matter how compelling the case against him and the fact that his voice is now muted on social media– many Republican Senators are still afraid of what they call “Trump’s base.” With more than two-thirds of Republicans believing that mr. Trump won the November election, Republican elected officials are loathe to cross them. Even those Senators who ran against Trump in 2016 (Lindsay Graham, Ted Cruz, marco Rubio) and called him a liar, a charlatan, and a threat to the Republican Party, have since cowered in the face the fear of retribution from Trump supporters. They know he is a problem but are still afraid of him.

That said, win or lose, this week was historic and will be remembered as playing an important role in preserving our Democracy.

(Mr Trump was acquitted, 43 votes to 57, ten Senators short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict, on February 13: Ed) The writer is President of the Arab American Institute The writeris President of the Arab-American Institute

The looming threat of Cyber warfare

Afghan peace deal in jeopardy

Yousaf Nizami Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

rowing reminders of the extreme violence of that day.

And the excerpts from Trump’s speeches were reminders of the former president’s incitement.

The Democrats closed their case with the summary argument that Trump had, during his time in office, courted and cultivated far-right extremist militia elements. Both before and after the 2020 election, he used his speeches and tweets to mobilize these elements. In the days leading up to January 6, he incited his followers to come to DC for a “Stop the Steal” rally and did nothing when social media chatter around the event hinted at possible violence. And finally on the 6th, even after it became clear that the Capitol had been breached, mr. Trump acted late, and hesitantly, to call on his supporters to leave the building, while telling them he loved them and praised their patriotism.

On the fourth day (which is today as I am writing this column), mr. Trump’s attorneys began their defense. It consists of four key elements: that the impeachment is based on nothing more than the Democrats’ long-standing hatred of Donald Trump; that the Democratic case presented misleading evidence in which Trump’s speeches were edited to produce a false impression of his intent; that the Democrats are using a double-standard because members of their party have used language as incendiary as Trump’s; and that the use of mr. Trump’s words are a violation of his right to free speech.

At this point, we do not know whether the Senate will be able to convict mr. Trump. Because it will require two-thirds of the Senate (67 votes) for a guilty verdict, it’s not certain that 17 Republicans will break ranks with the former president and join with the 50 Democrats to find mr. Trump guilty of the charges against him. But that doesn’t mean that the week was a loss or the effort has been in vain, for three reasons.

It was important that mr. Trump was called to account for his behavior and his words. Accountability is essential for democracy. If Congress were to simply have let pass what happened on January 6 or the words mr. Trump said leading up to and during the insurrection, then such violence very well might happen again. Of course, the best guarantee that it will not be repeated would be for the Senate to con-

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targets in Libya and help create “strike packages”.

Not only the NSA but also the FBI and CIA have cyber forces of their own. The FBI is however engaged in domestic cyber-espionage.

US defence production is closely allied with a host of defence contractors. For instance, Lockheed martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE System were the sub-contractors in the $337 billion Joint-Strike fighter project. The USA surmised China had hacked contractors’ or sub-contractors’ computer systems.

The NSA thoroughly checked the computer systems to make them foolproof. In so doing, they had to rewrite the software, resulting in delay. The USA’s nightmare was that if China happened to know the vulnerabilities of the F-35 then it could exploit them in jet-to-jet combat.

It is difficult to sift propaganda from the truth in the USA’s allegation. Before the collapse of the USSR, several books portrayed it as a potent threat to the USA. But it collapsed like a house of cards. maybe, the China bogey, also, was a hoax.

When an employee opened an email of a defence contractor from a “trusted source”, the incoming mail inserted a digital backdoor to allow China to monitor every keystroke the employee typed, besides every website visited and every file, created, uploaded, or downloaded.

China even captured all the passwords that the contractors used for logging in to web forums. The NSA claims to have tracked “threat signatures” and communicated them to defence contractors.

The USA regards Huawei as a Chinese militaryintelligence proxy. As such, it successfully penetrated it besides Beijing’s Tsinghua university. Snowden showed documents to journalists that revealed “the NSA had penetrated at least sixty-three [Chinese] universities’ computers or servers”.

Success in use of cyber-weapons stimulated the USA to create a robust cyber-force. Rigorous aptitude tests were developed by the US military to recruit the best warriors. It is already mandatory for all entrants to the US Air Force to undergo basic cyber-security training. Five military academies now include cyber-warfare as a field of study. The NSA sponsors a war game among all the services to choose the best hackers.

Shortlisted USAF cyber specialists are trained at Keesler Air Force Base, on the Gulf Coast of mississippi, just like pilots. The would-be cyber warriors have to run a gauntlet before being qualified to wear the cyberspace badge, a pair of silver wings crossed by a lightning bolt centred on a globe.

There were 12,600 USAF cyber-force warriors (2013 estimate). The majority guarded networks, plugged vulnerabilities, and updated networks. Only

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one percent were assigned the”exquisite” work of penetrating enemy computer systems. We know Stuxnet crawled into Iranian nuclear systems and destroyed one-fifth of fast-spinning Iranian centrifuges.

Stuxnet is a cyber weapon built jointly by the USA and Israel in a collaborative effort known as the “Olympic Games” during 2005 -10. Stuxnet reportedly ruined almost one-fifth of Iran’s nuclear centrifuges. It caused the fast-spinning centrifuges to tear themselves apart. It could paralyse factory assembly-lines or power plants, most of which are in Europe, Japan, and the USA. Stuxnet functions by targeting machines using the microsoft Windows operating system and networks, then seeking out Siemens Step7 software.

Shane writes that Bush was incredulous about claims made in briefings about capability of cyberpenetration. “Bush wanted to know: was the White House at risk? Bush pointed to the secure phone on his desk that he used to talk to cabinet officials and foreign leaders. “Could someone get into that?” he asked. mcConnell realized that until this moment, the President had never been told just how weak the government’s own electronic defenses were, or the country’s. “mr. President, “mcConnell said, “if the capability to exploit a communication device exists, we have to assume that our enemies either have it or are trying to develop it.”

It is a myth that standalone computers (not connected to the Internet) can’t be penetrated. Even they are vulnerable, perhaps more vulnerable as everybody in an organisation knows their importance.

The age of bipolar cold-war is over. We now live in an unpredictable age where “speed” is the most important element of power. Armistead E. Leigh, in his book Information Operation: Warfare and the Hard Reality of Soft Power says, `What the future holds for military forces, and the national security establishment is unclear”. The age we live in is unpredictable.

COVID19 turned it topsy-turvy.

Incredible advances in technology will change our lifestyle. Electric car and bots to recharge electric batteries may outnumber gasoline filling stations and gas-guzzling cars. Online education and online commerce may become a permanent feature of everyday life with concomitant threats. Card cloners may outnumber pickpockets.

Pakistan too should do its best to adjust with the changing world of information power.

Incredible advances in technology will change our lifestyle. Electric car and bots to recharge electric batteries may outnumber gasoline filling stations and gas-guzzling cars.

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is a freelance journalist, has served in the Pakistan government for 39 years and holds degrees in economics, business administration, and law. He can be reached at amjedjaaved@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

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

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

Cultural imperialism through Media

Political brinkmanship The opposition must not avoid accountability

malik muhammaD ashraf

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ITH both the government and the opposition alliance sticking to their guns, the country seems to be heading towards chaos and political instability which it cannot afford in view of the grave challenges it is confronted with. The situation needs to be defused by politicians on either sides of the isle. Street agitations and disruptive antics invariably lead to chaos and disorder, harming the cause that the proponents of such actions claim to serve. The history of agitations in this country proves it beyond any iota of doubt. The country surely needs a break from the vicious circle of political brinkmanship and the irresistible propensity to pull down an elected government before the end of its mandated tenure.

The developing situation, therefore, requires an evaluation of the legitimacy or otherwise of the objectives of PDm on which its movement against the government is premised. The PDm contends that the present government lacks legitimacy as it was installed through rigged elections. Their second claim is that the process of accountability was nothing but a witch-hunt against the political opponents and the third one is that the government has made the lives of the people miserable due to its failure to control inflation and its inability to address the woes afflicting the economy. The last and much hyped is that they are striving for the restoration of true democracy in the country.

As far as rigging in general elections 2018 is concerned, most of the international observers and watchdogs within the country have not pointed out any wrongdoing in the elections to the extent the opposition parties are claiming. The very fact that the opposition parties have made it a cause for challenging the legitimacy of the incumbent government after two and half hears, without exhausting the constitutional and legal avenues available to have the complaints about the alleged electoral fraud evaluated and judged, makes it abundantly clear that they actually had no proof or credible evidence available to approach the constitutional bodies, including the ECP, immediately after the election results were announced. It exposes the hollowness of their claims.

Accountability is one of the pivotal pillars of democracy. Political leaders or parties claiming democratic credentials would never feel shy of clearing their position through the judicial process. They would not try to sabotage the process of accountability through political agi-

tation designed to put pressure on the government to abandon it.

The scams in regards to money laundering, fake bank accounts and benami properties held by the politicians who have been ruling the country in the past, and their associates, are mind boggling. The government would be failing in its duty if it does not initiate processes to bring to book the people who took this nation for a ride.

The opposition parties and its leaders would be well advised to adopt the legal course to prove their innocence.

The process of accountability also provides them the chance to clear their names once and for all. Their resort to agitation on this issue also constitutes mistrust of the judicial system of the country. It hardly justifies converting this criminal issue into a political one and launching a movement to pull down the government.

Democracy can be best served and strengthened through following the universally established democratic norms.

The government has been mandated to rule the country for five years and it must be allowed to complete its tenure.

Democracy is about letting the people make their judgment at the end of the tenure of a sitting government. If the government fails to come up to the expectations of the people, they would give their verdict in the ensuring election. Alleged poor performance of a government does not by any democratic norm give the opposition the excuse to dislodge it through street agitation.

It is a negation of democracy in view of the fact that there are other legal options available to express lack of confidence in the government.

The opposition parties must realize that maintaining peace and tranquility in the country is also their national obligation. Creating political crisis and chaos in the country is not condonable legally, morally and politically. The situation demands that they should abandon their agitation and engage the government in a dialogue for reforming the system to plug the avenues of rigging and political engineering which becomes a rhetoric after every general elections.

The government has repeatedly expressed its willingness for a dialogue except on the issue of accountability. Let there be a national consensus

and appropriate action in this regard to ensure transparency in the future elections, while the process of accountability takes its logical course.

The failure of the PDm to take that course would do more harm to it than the sitting government.

PDm Chairman maulana Fazlur Rehman has declared the movement against government a ‘Jihad’. Probably he thinks that the people of Pakistan can be fooled through such declarations. Literal meaning of Jihad is to strive or make a determined effort. In the Islamic context it means fighting in the way of God or an evil which vitiates against the tenets of Islam. None of the objectives of their coming together really call for a jihad, specially seeking reprieve against the alleged criminal acts. It is actually a movement for creating a strife (fitna) and promoting dissensions within the society; an act which is forbidden in Islam. In view of the foregoing discussion there is absolutely no reason to give a religious hue to a movement ostensibly initiated to stall the process of accountability. That surely is not, and must not be, stopped.

The PDm is almost through its schedule of public rallies and protests. However in spite of the fact that it is a conglomeration of 11 political parties, including two major political forces, the PmL(N) and the PPP, it has failed to attract the expected attendance in them.

Those who attended were diehard supporters of the parties and not the people from a cross-section of society.

It constitutes a rebuke to them and exhibits the lack of confidence of the masses in the legitimacy of their cause as well as mistrust in their democratic credentials.

The opposition therefore needs serious rethinking, particularly by the PmL(N) and PPP, which should refuse to follow the dictates of the maulana to stoke the movement into a religious issue with frightful consequences.

They must use the forum of Parliament to resolve the national issues like the electoral reforms and systemic changes in governance, which is their prime duty. That is the way the country can be winched out of the political quagmire it has become stuck in. We have a Constitution and institutions to exercise the will of the people. Any deviation from that course loses moral, political and constitutional justification.

The opposition therefore needs serious rethinking, particularly by the PML(N) and PPP, which should refuse to follow the dictates of the Maulana to stoke the movement into a religious issue with frightful consequences. They must use the forum of Parliament to resolve the national issues like the electoral reforms and systemic changes in governance, which is their prime duty.

That is the way the country can be winched out of the political quagmire it has become stuck in. We have a Constitution and institutions to exercise the will of the people. Any deviation from that course loses moral, political and constitutional justification

Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic.

He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com.

BACK a few days ago, I was sitting with my mother and she was viewing a cooking show on an international station which was suggesting an idea of having a delicious way to cook a smoked chicken with a style of that station country. After a few days, my mother cooked the chicken in a same custom at one of the family events. The thing to be pondered here is that how the idea of cooking a chicken according to the cooking tradition of that particular country has been travelled through the media into my house. This is how media works in order to depict a culture of certain countries into other countries. media in the past few decades has become a tool for many countries to epitomize their culture on different levels and has been very effective to imperialise their culture in different hosts around the world especially base countries, thus by making them vulnerable. Edward Said in his book ‘‘Culture and Imperialism’’ explained cultural imperialism in the 18th, 19th and 20th century, by analysing the function of empire through cultural objects. He explained that the business of an empire depends on the idea of an empire. Inside a society, all sorts of arrangements are made for it then, in turn, imperialism acquires a kind of coherence, a series of memories, and a presence within the culture of ruler and ruler alike. Culture is one of the soft and very effective tools in order to project the thoughts and brainwash the minds across different regions of the world without even letting the adversary know about the agenda. media in this normalization have played a very vital role, especially with their entertainment industries, through print media advertisement, through social networking etc. This is how media normalize the culture in any country.

Entertainment industry from the last few decades has been a tool of cultural imperialists in order to gain their interests. In obscure ways, the transmission of culture functions through different media outlets. For Example, Netflix, Amazon Prime etc. Hollywood definitely does not currently have a master plan to export the American way of life across the globe and displace local culture, as American music may not inherently be a progenitor of democratic government and economic cooperation. Instead, local cultures respond to the outside culture of the U.S. media and democracy in many distinct ways. Art has been another factor that paved a way for the cultural imperialists for their goals. Today social media is surrounded by meme culture, and memes are considered to be the source of ideas expressed in a very friendly manner. It is such an idea that even an idea is presented and people do not consider it offensive. For many people around Pakistan, it is a source of entertainment, but in reality, every meme has a certain meaning and idea and through this soft tool idea is projected indirectly into the minds of the people. meme culture on today’s social media platforms has become a source of looking modern and convincing that you are going with the modern world trends.

AdnAn KhAn LAhorE

Remembering an extraordinary film BOL is a film directed by Shoaib manzoor which was released on June, 24, 2011. It has been 10 years since the release of this Pakistani masterpiece film but still today it influences thousands of minds positively with its realistic story. Not one but this film consists several messages and moves around some critical topics of our society like poverty, the hatred for transgenders, patriarchy and religion. The leading actress and the protagonist of the film Humaima malik has given a matchless performance in this movie. This is starts by leading actress telling her story before being hanged as her last wish. She starts with explaining about her that he was a physician and was poor. He was obsessed with male child but could not get one. Only due to the obsession of male child the mother gave birth to many female children due to which mother got week physically but yet she was not allowed to skip giving birth due to some religious beliefs. Because of being poor they could not feed the children very well. Her mother gave birth to a transgender who was later raped by a man at working place. Having this belief that the raped transgender child can bring dishonor he was killed by the father. There are numerous tiny ups and downs in the film. For getting money the father sleeps with a lady who later gives birth to his daughter. One day the lady leaves this daughter also at physician’s home.

Thinking that the baby girl can dishonor for him, he tires to kill her. Here the protagonist resists to save the baby but mistakenly kills her father and gets the capital punishment. Before getting hanged the actress leaves a question that if killing is a crime why is not giving birth a crime?

FArAhnAz TurbAT

China’s rapid growth CHINA is among the best friend of Pakistan. In 1949 China got independence. China was entirely devastated after the civil war, but because of its citizens drudgery China was built again. China is manifested as the second powerful country in the world. China’s technology entity is matchless among all countries in the world. China’s soldiers are very much energetic and brave. Advancement of China is just because of the chinese citizens. Chinese government is very much effective in granting justice. The prescription are same for every poor and rich. They are honest and not corrupt. Pakistan shares border with china and even though they are close friends. In 1998 when Pakistan was getting sanction China vetoed it in security council and supported Pakistan. There is a big gap between Pakistan and China augmentation.

Though Pakistan got independence before china,but still pakistan did not got up growth. In Pakistan there is no any justice, There is no any strict rules. China is known for his excellency in technology and education.

China is reached on the competition level with America though many of us believe to have china has to be upcoming super power country. Our Pakistani Citizen should learn a lesson from chinese. Everyone is astonished of China’s rapid growth or rapid development. China is among the most known country.

Erum ASAduLLAh TurbAT

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

The TaLiban cLose in on afghan ciTies, pushing The counTry To The brink THE TALIBAN HAVE POSITIONED THEMSELVES AROUND SEVERAL MAJOR POPULATION CENTRES, INCLUDING THE CAPITAL OF KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WEIGHS WHETHER TO WITHDRAW OR TO STAY

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HE Taliban have been encroaching on key cities around afghanistan for months, threatening to drive the country to its breaking point and push the biden administration into a nowin situation just as the United States’ longest war is supposed to be coming to an end. around the northern city of Kunduz, despite the winter’s fierce cold, the Taliban have taken outposts and military bases, using small armed drones to terrorize afghan troops. in neighboring Pul-i-Khumri, they have seized important highways in a stranglehold of the city, threatening main lifelines to Kabul, the country’s capital. and in the city of Kandahar, a bedrock of historic and political importance and an economic hub for the country’s south, Taliban fighters have pummeled the surrounding districts, and moved closer to taking the provincial capital than they have in more than a decade.

The Taliban’s brazen offensive has put the biden administration into a dangerous political bind. Under the deal struck by President Donald J. Trump with the Taliban last year, all foreign troops — including the remaining 2,500 american service members who support afghanistan’s beleaguered army and security forces — are scheduled to withdraw by May 1, leaving the country in an especially precarious state. if the biden administration honors the withdrawal date, officials and analysts fear the Taliban could overwhelm what’s left of the afghan security forces and take control of major cities like Kandahar in a push for a complete military victory or a broad surrender by the afghan government in the ongoing peace negotiations. but if the United States delays its withdrawal deadline, as a congressionally appointed panel recommended on Feb. 3, the Taliban would most likely consider the 2020 deal with the United States void, which could lead to renewed attacks on american and NaTO troops, and potentially draw the United States deeper into the war to defend afghan forces, whom the Taliban could still retaliate vigorously against.

“The threat of Taliban military victories, especially in an area as symbolic and strategic as Kandahar, makes it difficult for the biden administration to swallow the risks of finalizing a troop withdrawal,” said andrew

Watkins, a senior analyst on afghanistan for the international Crisis Group, a brussels-based conflict resolution organization. “Pulling out might be politically impossible if Kandahar was on the nightly news.” in Panjwai, a district that neighbors Kandahar city, the low thud of artillery punctuated a recent warm winter afternoon, signaling the Taliban’s proximity to its populated center. at the edge of the district, a lone police outpost sandbagged into the rock overlooked what was now Taliban territory. One officer’s head was bandaged from a roadside bomb blast, another wore a gauze sling under his uniform, propping up a shoulder wounded from a sniper’s bullet.

“They are still working here; we can’t replace them, because we don’t have enough forces,” said Safiullah Khan, the police officer in charge. “Our commanders steal from our fuel, food and our supply.”

During an offensive in the fall, the Taliban took swaths of territory and then mostly held their ground despite attempts by the afghan security forces and U.S. airstrikes to dislodge them.

Taliban commanders told tribal officials in the district that the insurgent group deliberately stopped short of taking Panjwai, said Haji Mahmood Noor, the district’s mayor, because they were told to wait and see how the next phase of peace negotiations played out. “When the trees turn green the situation will get worse,” Mr. Noor said, referring to the spring, when the Taliban can move more at ease under the cover of blooming foliage.

Panjwai’s near collapse and the growing threat to Kandahar city are partially the consequence of the death in 2018 of Gen. abdul Raziq, who had been the province’s police chief since 2011. Known for settling disputes with threats and bloody retribution, and accused of many human-rights abuses, General Raziq also used his close relationship with the U.S. military, to keep Kandahar Province mostly secure for years. after General Raziq’s death at the hands of a Taliban infiltrator, his brother, Gen. Tadeen Khan, was made a general overnight and took over as police chief, but his lack of military experience meant he was largely disconnected and absent from his duties. as his officers taxed and abused their residents with little oversight, the Taliban forged alliances with local tribal leadership and paid low-level police officers to abandon their posts before their fall offensive, local and provincial officials said.

When the Taliban pushed into the districts around Kandahar, the police put up very little fight. Many outposts were already barely staffed, Mr. Noor and other local officials said. Some afghan government officials disputed that accusation, saying they retreated in fear.

Others said they didn’t know why they retreated at all.

General Tadeen rejected any accusations of corruption and abuse and denied that his police forces were withering around Kandahar. “The Taliban do not have more power,” he said, from his well-guarded compound in Kandahar city. “The afghan forces can defend themselves.” The deteriorating situation in Kandahar is a broader reflection of security around the country. The Taliban have spent the past months capturing military bases and police outposts and installing highway checkpoints near capital cities in provinces such as Helmand and Uruzgan in the south, and Kunduz and baghlan in the north. Though Taliban tactics vary from region to region, the outcomes are usually the same: increased taxation on highways, plummeting morale among the afghan security forces with dwindling U.S. support and growing fear among those living in once-secure areas.

The Taliban’s aim is to force the afghan government into complying with their terms of peace. in Qatar, Taliban leaders have demanded the release of around 7,000 more prisoners and the establishment of an interim government, two requests that ashraf Ghani, afghanistan’s president, has so far refused.

“The Taliban seem to believe that applying this pressure, staging their fighters to potentially strike Kandahar and other urban centers, will pressure the U.S. to withdraw, or else,” Mr. Watkins said. “The strategic logic might have the opposite effect.”

To prepare for a possible multipronged attack should the United States stay beyond the May 1 deadline, the Pentagon has requested additional military options — including an increase of U.S. troops or a commitment of more air support from U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East and afghanistan, according to two U.S. officials. Whether these requests will be granted depends on the biden administration’s next move, which is expected to be announced in coming weeks upon completing a review of the current agreement in place with the Taliban. The unrest has already delayed the handover of Kandahar airfield, a sprawling american base east of the capital, to afghan forces in re-

cent months. For now, a small detachment of U.S. and NaTO troops remain to support the struggling afghan forces, according to a U.S. military official.

With the police force mostly in ruin, the afghan army and commandos have moved into Kandahar, beginning operations in November to retake territory that was then retaken by the Taliban. Commando officers said their forces had been exhausted by frequent orders to fill in for their police counterparts. in nearby arghandab District, the site of the Taliban’s northern offensive on Kandahar city, army leaders and police officers say they’re severely understaffed and their pleas for support have gone unheeded by officials in Kabul.

One outpost was using two armored vehicles likely left over from the 1980s Soviet invasion to defend against Taliban positions on the river banks below. in December, nearly 200 checkpoints in Kandahar were abandoned by the afghan army, according to a U.S. government watchdog report released Feb. 1. The collapse of some military bases in the fall afforded the Taliban troves of military equipment and ammunition, including several pieces of heavy artillery. afghan security forces are also contending with portions of a populace that have more faith in the Taliban than in the government. in capturing new territory, the Taliban installed their own administrative services, explained Lal Mohammad, 23, a wheat and grape farmer who now lives behind the Taliban’s front line in Panjwai. insurgent fighters have smashed smartphones and banned music, imposed a curfew, dug defensive tunnels between people’s homes and used empty rooms in them as fighting positions. Roadside bombs are everywhere, he said. but land disputes and petty crime are well managed, compared to the afghan government’s corrupt bureaucracy, said Mr. Mohammad. “People like it,” Mr. Mohammad said, adding that he just wants someone to take over Kandahar so people can get back to their lives.

These sentiments are common in more rural areas of afghanistan. but the afghan government’s incompetence and widespread corruption have brought that attitude to the doorstep of one of the country’s most populated cities.

“The government,” Mr. Mohammad said, “has failed.”

Fahim Abed contributed reporting from Panjwai and Najim Rahim from Kabul, Afghanistan. Eric Schmitt contributed reporting from Washington.

Winners and losers in Libya’s political deal A MAJOR POLITICAL SETTLEMENT IN LIBYA HAS RECENTLY BEEN AGREED TO AFTER LENGTHY COMPLICATED NEGOTIATIONS. BUT UNLESS THE OUTCOME IS VIEWED AS A WIN-WIN GAME, IT COULD END UP BEING JUST ANOTHER ROUND OF EMPTY TALKS Al-Monitor

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Mustafa fetouri

ibya finally has a prime minister and Presidential Council. Whether this will bring unity and peace to the divided, war-torn country is another matter.

Credit for this positive development goes to Stephanie Williams, acting United Nations envoy and head of its Support Mission in Libya (UNSMiL).

During the marathon session in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 5, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) voted 39 to 34 to appoint abdul Hamid Dbeibah, a businessman turned politician, to be prime minister while appointing little-known diplomat Mohamed younis Menfi as head of the three-member Presidential Council, replacing the outgoing, dysfunctional ninemember council headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, who has been at the helm since 2015.

Dbeibah has three weeks to form his government before submitting it to the Tobruk-based parliament for approval. The Presidential Council, on the other hand, has fewer executive powers, and Menfi is likely to act as a ceremonial head of state in the interim period that should end, if all goes according to plan, with national elections envisioned for Dec. 24.

Dbeibah now has two main tasks: On the one hand, he will have to prepare for and organize general parliamentary and presidential elections. On the other hand, he must unify the country’s divided institutions.

Since the war began in august 2014, Libya has had two competing governments: the Government of National accord (GNa) based in Tripoli and recognized by the UN as the only legitimate government, and the Libyan government based in al-bayda in the east, but unrecognized by other countries. Consequently, all government institutions in Tripoli have their counterparts in al-bayda, including the Central bank, the National auditing bureau, the army, police and ministries.

The conflict in Libya, which erupted after late leader Moammar Gadhafi’s government was toppled in October 2011 with NaTO help, has been difficult to settle thanks to foreign inference and quarreling domestic politicians.

However, since October 2020, UNSMiL has been leading incrementally successful rounds of negotiations. it started with the cease-fire across Libya that was signed on Oct. 23 in Geneva by a 10-member military commission, equally representing the GNa and its rival, the Libyan National army (LNa) commanded by Khalifa Hifter.

Williams has been successfully building on that breakthrough by pushing for political dialogue and creating the LPDF back in October, before launching negotiations in November. if successful, the current executive setup is a winwin for Libya and its people after 10 years of perpetual war, chaos and division — but not everybody is happy.

Some local politicians, political parties and their foreign power backers see this development as a zero-sum game in which there are winners and losers. This being said, the biggest winners and losers in Libya are not solemnly locals, but reach beyond the North african country.

Foreign losers include Turkey, a long-time strong supporter of the GNa, supplying it with mercenary fighters, army trainers and weapons, and launching hundreds of drone strikes against LNa forces throughout 2019 up to June 2020. at one point, the LNa’s codenamed “Decisive battle” offensive was a few kilometers away from the center of Tripoli. but thanks to Turkish support, they were repelled by the GNa. Speaking to al-Monitor on condition of anonymity for security reasons, an LPDF member said, “Turkey has always been a serious problem.” according to him, if ankara is unhappy with the new executive setup, it could have the GNa and its supporting militias withdraw from the agreement, destroying it altogether. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed in a phone call to the new leaders on Feb. 7 the development, promising help for a “democratic and peaceful” Libya. according to the source, to ease Turkey’s worries about the new executive, the roadmap — adopted by the 75 delegates of the LPDF — bans any changes to Libya’s foreign relations without naming any country. The roadmap’s Paragraph 10 of article 6 says “the executive authority shall not consider any new or previous agreements” that could harm Libya’s foreign relations — implicitly referring to Turkey since it is the only country that has signed a controversial, long-term agreement with the GNa. On Nov. 23, 2019, ankara signed a sea boundary demarcation agreement with the GNa despite objections

from Egypt, France and the European Union among others. in reaction to the agreement, Greece went as far as expelling the GNa’s ambassador to athens, Menfi, who is now the new head of the Presidential Council.

That particular agreement is vital for Turkey’s strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean. Having Libya, a country with a long Mediterranean coastline, recognize Turkey’s claims is crucial. ankara would reject any new executive authority in Libya if it sensed such a new government might annul its security memorandum and maritime deals that were previously signed with the GNa. based on its own calculations, Egypt, which backs the LNa, perceives that the new government in Tripoli will not be as hostile as its predecessor was to Cairo. This belief has been emphasized by Menfi’s visit to benghazi on Feb. 11 and his meeting with Hifter, Cairo’s ally. Cairo has recently been reaching out to Tripoli. On Dec. 28, 2020, an Egyptian consular and security delegation held talks with GNa officials aimed at normalizing ties and reopening Egypt’s embassy in Tripoli, which has been closed since 2014. indeed, some in Cairo — particularly top Foreign Ministry officials who lately supported aguila Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based parliament, alienating Hifter in the process — might feel at a loss since Saleh lost his bid for the Presidential Council presidency. However, Menfi appears reconciliatory toward both Saleh and Hifter, winning Cairo’s sympathy too. a former Egyptian diplomat in Libya who did not want to be identified told al-Monitor, “any new executive [authority] in Libya will be welcomed by Egypt. both sides are better together than apart.” The diplomat added, “Egypt, if not a winner … is certainly not a loser in new Libya.” but Russia, the United arab Emirates and France, having aligned themselves with Hifter, are obvious winners at the expense of Cairo. Hifter will become closer to Moscow and abu Dhabi than Cairo. but he will not bypass it in any major moves he might be contemplating. He will always need Cairo’s “support given its proximity to eastern Libya where he is in control,” the Egyptian diplomat concluded.

Once the voting ended, abdalla Othmane, a prominent LPDF member and university professor, warned the new executive body against relying on an international legitimacy instead of a domestic one.

Othmane is referring to the fact that the 75-member forum was not elected but was handpicked by UNSMiL

and Williams, making it similar to the outgoing Presidential Council headed by Sarraj, which never got the vote of confidence by parliament as required by the Libyan Political agreement of 2015. in fact, it ended up in power only because of the UN Security Council endorsement manifested in Resolution 2259, which recognized it (the Presidential Council) as the only legitimate government. but its political and legal legitimacy inside Libya was and still is questioned.

When it comes to domestic losers, there are a few. but they hardly represent any serious obstacles. The array of militias in western Libya in general, and Tripoli in particular, have generally welcomed the new executive body, not necessarily out of love but just because their No. 1 enemy, outgoing Minister of interior Fathi bashaga, lost his bid for prime minister. They also are not hostile to Menfi, who has no record of being anti-militia.

Hailing from eastern Libya, Menfi is seen in Tripoli as a GNa loyalist and as being “militia-friendly,” according to aboubaker agnona, who is closely associated with the Tripoli brigade, one of the top militias in Tripoli. Unlike outgoing bashaga, Menfi has never been openly hostile to armed groups in the capital and has never been on the record supporting the LNa, considered to be first and foremost an enemy to the armed groups in western Libya.

The biggest winner so far could turn out to be the Libyan Muslim brotherhood that’s well-rooted in western Libya, particularly in Misrata, Dbeibah’s hometown.

The Muslim brotherhood is the most sophisticated and shrewd political organization in the country, with a special talent for deal-making. Realizing they might lose the final stage of elections in Geneva, they withdrew their top nominee, chairman of the High Council of State Khaled al-Mishri. by doing so, they stayed amiable to all others. This will help their jockeying for influence in the formation of a new government, especially with Dbeibah hailing from Misrata, the brotherhood’s stronghold in Libya. also, different local actors would now consider the Muslim brotherhood as “nice guys trying to help Libya,” agnona said.

Unless both foreign powers and their domestic proxies view the LPDF’s outcome as a win-win situation, little is expected from the new interim executive authority, under pressure even before it takes office, by the looming Dec. 24 elections deadline.

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

BUSINESS 09

ISLAMABAD

DIAMER-BAShA CoNSUltANtS thREAtEN to StoP WoRK oVER DElAy IN PAyMENtS

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO HBL (standing second from right), Muhammad Afaq Khan, Head Islamic Banking – HBL (standing first from left), along with customers and other representatives of the bank at the inauguration of the HBL Islamic Banking Commercial Centre, Trade Hub and Branch, on I.I Chundrigar Road.

NEPRA chairman launches KE Roshni Baji Women Ambassadors Programme KARACHI: NEPRA Chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi on Tuesday launched K-Electric’s women ambassador programme “Roshni Baji” at a ceremony at the Tipu Sultan Customer Care Centre of the company. This is a first-ofits-kind programme in which the selected women will become ambassadors for safety and aiming to promote awareness for efficient usage of electricity along with conversion from hook connections within their communities. Saif Ullah Chattha, Honourable Vice Chairman & Member - Punjab, Rafique Ahmad Shaikh, Honourable Member - Sindh, Rehmatullah Baloch, Honourable Member - Balochistan, Engr. Bahadur Shah, Honourable Member - KPK and Huma Zafar, Head CSR from NEPRA joined the ceremony with Moonis Abdullah Alvi, CEO K-Electric, Aamir Ghaziani, Chief Financial Officer, Amer Zia, Chief Distribution Officer, Sadia Dada, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer and other members of the KE Leadership. PR

Shell Pakistan celebrates 5 years of V-Power in Pakistan KARACHI: Shell V-Power is the premium fuel offered by Shell Pakistan. It comes with technology that reduces engine dirt and friction. With over 100 years of experience in fuels research and development, Shell’s scientists are behind the creation of Shell V-Power with Dynaflex Technology. Shell V-Power has a formulation that has powerful cleaning agents to prevent engine dirt.

The fuel is especially designed to help reduce wasted energy through its friction reducing molecules. The fuel was introduced in the Pakistani market in 2016, and this year marks its 5th anniversary in Pakistan. In the last 5 years, Shell has expanded its premium fuel network and as of now, 198 Shell retail stations across Pakistan have Shell V-Power available for customers. PR

Ufone launches first-ever eSIM ISLAMABAD: Ufone has now eliminated the need for physical installation of SIMs with the introduction of eSIM for its customers. The Pakistani telecom operator has partnered with Giesecke+Devrient Mobile Security (G+D) to launch these SIMs across the country. Speaking on this occasion, Ufone’s Spokesperson said, “Our customers are now readily adopting an environment-friendly way of living thus it is important for us to provide them with innovative solutions for day to day operations. By using Ufone’s eSIM, customers can experience seamless services in a sustainable manner and avoid the use of plastic SIMs. At Ufone, customer satisfaction and ease is the utmost priority. Therefore, every possible step is being taken to ensure its convenience.” PR

F

AHMAD AHMADANI

ACED with financial constraints, a consortium of consultants engaged in the construction of Diamer-Basha Dam has warned that it would stop work and claim all kinds of damages if overdue payment of Rs103,799,245 was not made immediately.

According to details, National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK), Associated Consulting Engineers (ACE) and MM Pakistan Pvt Ltd (MMP) -local joint venture partners for the project, had last month written a letter to CEO/General Manager/Project Director of the Diamer-Basha Development

Company (DBDC), demanding clearance of overdue payment of Rs103.79 million in accordance with terms of the agreement. "If payments to local JV firms and associates is not made within seven days from receipt of this letter, then consultants will be compelled to show the pace or even stop work in view of clause 6.7 of the Consultancy Service Agreement," the letter read. "Moreover, as a result of non-payment, the consultants reserve the right to claim all kinds of damages, including, but not limited to, interest on delayed payments, extension of time and extended cost without prejudice to any other entitlements, and remedies we may have under provisions of the contract and law of the country."

The local JV firms complained that

due to non-payments by client, project cash flows have dried up and they were under severe financial constraints to continue their operations.

"Though foreign JV partners have been paid their invoices (that too with delays much beyond the 30-day limit), the payments of local JV partners i.e.

NESPAK, ACE, MMP and associates are still awaited," the letter stated.

The local consultancy firms attributed the delay in payments to "unjustified demands from DBDC" on account of verification of billing rates of local consultants. The local JV have fulfilled all reasonable demands of DBDC and provided documents verifying their billing rates, which were normally required and have proven sufficient for all

previous WAPDA projects, they added.

"Dozens of meetings have taken place over the last few months to satisfy WAPDA/DBDC for verification of rates.

However, the demands from WAPDA/DBDC for other documentation have gone beyond limit," the letter read. "They have their own convoluted interpretation of the phrase 'verification of rates', one which is illogical and never applied in the history of WAPDA." As per the letter, WAPDA/DBDC has "assumed the role of an investigative agency" which was not their domain and their ever changing demands were not justified and unacceptable to the local JV partners. A WAPDA spokesman did not immediately respond to the queries from Profit.

Dubai Islamic Bank reports 34pc drop in profit NEWS DESK Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has reported a 34pc drop in its full-year net profit as impairment charges and operating expenses rose amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Net profit attributable to owners of the bank for the period ending December 31, 2020 declined to Dh3.29 billion ($895 million). Impairment charges more than doubled to Dh4.5 billion as the lender took a “prudent approach” to its loan book to protect against unforeseen scenarios, the lender said in a statement to the Dubai Financial Market, where its shares trade. Operating expenses climbed 16pc to Dh2.7 billion.

“The DIB franchise is capable of weathering challenging situations and possesses the ability to come out as a winner, as it has done in similar situations in the past,” Mohammed Al Shaibani, director-general of the Ruler’s Court of Dubai and

chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank, said. “The confidence shown by investors, stakeholders and customers alike towards the DIB Group is testament to the trust and dependability that it owns.”

Customer deposits, as well as total assets of the bank, grew 25pc year-on-year to Dh205.9bn and Dh289.6bn, respectively. Net financing and sukuk investments rose 26pc to Dh232bn.

“Our deliberate shift in strategy at the height of the pandemic and strong relationships enabled us to tap into lower-risk sectors, primarily on governmentrelated lending,” Adnan Chilwan, Dubai Islamic Bank’s group chief executive, said.

“This allowed us to grow our balance sheet … and also ensured quality returns in the succeeding quarters with minimal use of our capital whilst maintaining strong margins and healthy liquidity.”

The lender’s capital adequacy ratio increased by 200 basis points to 18.5pc despite significant growth in financing assets.

PM thanks overseas Pakistanis for sending $500m through RDA NEWS DESK Prime Minister Imran Khan has thanked overseas Pakistanis for responding positively to the State Bank of Pakistan’s Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) by sending $500 million in just five months.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the prime minister said that 87,833 accounts were opened from 97 countries around the world and “the momentum continues to rise with $243 million coming in the last six weeks alone”. Earlier on Friday, SBP Governor Dr Reza

Baqir said that accounts under RDA initiative were opened in 97 countries while most of the inflows were recorded in Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPCs).

“Over $300m has been invested in NPCs,” said the governor, adding that the country is not only attracting investments from Pakistani expatriates, but these RDAs will also become a more consistent, reliable and long-term source of foreign exchange. He said together with the government, the SBP is working on initiatives to provide attractive avenues of investment and savings to overseas Pakistanis.

NBP launches PayPak Debit Cards NEWS DESK National Bank of Pakistan on Tuesday held a launch event for NBP PayPak Debit Cards and Spend & Win Campaign, organised in collaboration with Decagon Pakistan Pvt Ltd (Golootlo). NBP Customers with PayPak debit cards issued by NBP will now be able to swipe their cards at any of Golootlo’s 18,000 merchants and avail sizeable discounts as well as win fabulous prizes through lucky draws including cars, motorcycles, gold coins and smart phones. The launching ceremony was attended by NBP President & CEO Arif Usmani, NBP Strategy and Business Analytics Group Chief Faisal Ahmed, SBP Executive Director Payment Systems Suhail Javaad, 1 LINK CEO Najeeb Agrawalla, Decagon Pakistan Pvt Ltd Chairman Majid Bashir and Decagon CEO Fahad Mehmood. Speaking on the occasion, Arif Usmani, President & CEO NBP, stated, “NBP has made large strides in providing state of the art digital products for their customers and launching PayPak EMV Debit Cards would further provide customers with the Domestic Payment Scheme.” Decogon Chairman Majid Bashir stated Golootlo is keen in bringing massive discounts to an increasingly broader audience and to create a unified ecosystem, and extending the same with National Bank, Pakistan’s largest public sector commercial bank is a major step in that endeavour.

SECP launches portal to expedite account opening process for firms ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

In pursuit of its agenda to promote ease of doing business and digitalisation, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has launched a portal for expeditious bank account opening of newly registered companies.

The online portal provides banks real

time access to statutory records of companies, thus enabling them to open corporate accounts without seeking physically certified copies of statutory documents, said a press statement issued on Tuesday.

Through this portal, the banks can access and verify company information directly from SECP’s records. The online availability of statutory records will re-

duce the turn-around-time for opening of a corporate bank account or for availing other banking services. On the other hand, it will facilitate banks in carrying out due diligence of their corporate customers, for account opening and other services.

Any bank can access the portal by applying to the SECP for creating their user accounts. Initially, this facility is being launched for private limited, pub-

lic limited and companies formed for not-for-profit objects. In due course, data of foreign companies and limited liability partnerships will also be linked and made available.

The SECP is planning to discontinue issuance of certified true copies in physical form and consequently, banks will only be able to access SECP’s records through this portal.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks extend rally with 492-point gain KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued to head north on Tuesday, with the indices accumulating gains all day long amid positive sentiments.

"Cement, steel and technology sectors led the market rally today, with cement sector witnessing brisk buying for the third consecutive session. Among banks, HBL posted significant gains in anticipation of

its annual results that are scheduled to be announced tomorrow," a report issued by Arif Habib Ltd read.

Reminiscent of yesterday, the benchmark KSE-100 Index remained in the green throughout the day, marking its intraday high at 46,884.53 after gaining 508.94 points. It settled higher by 492.36 points at 46,867.95.

Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index accumulated 1,058.51 points to close at 77,752.13, while the KSE All

Share Index gathered 250.03 points, ending at 32,141.83.

The overall market volumes increased from 486.34 million shares in the previous session to 514.04 million shares (+6pc).

Average traded value also inched up 2pc, from $155.6 million to $158.9 million.

Hum Network Ltd (HUMNL +16.37pc), Telecard Ltd (TELE +15.08pc) Maple Leaf Cement Factory Ltd (MLCF +2.40pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 55.47 million, 55.45 million and 36.18 million

shares, respectively.

Sectors that drove the benchmark index north included cement (+158.00 points), banking (+128.01 points) and fertilizer (+57.16 points). Among the companies, Lucky Cement Ltd (LUCK +114.93 points), Habib Bank Ltd (HBL +51.49 points) and MCB Bank Ltd (MCB +45.72 points) remained the top contributors.

Adding 2.70pc to its total market capitalization, the technology & communication sector ended as the session's top

performer, with NetSol Technologies Ltd (NETSOL +3.39pc), Avanceon Ltd (AVN +1.19pc) and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTC +2.50pc) posting decent gains.

Meanwhile, Interloop Ltd (ILP 1.00pc) announced its financial performance for the second quarter of FY21. The company's sales appreciated 35pc YoY, resulting in 43pc increase in gross profit.

ILP's earnings per share improved from Rs1.05 in 2QFY20 to Rs1.75.

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

ISLAMABAD

Iraq rocket attack kIlls contractor, wounds us servIce memBer: us coalItIon ERBIL

a

AGENCIES

rocket attack at a US-led military base in Kurdish northern Iraq on Monday killed a civilian contractor and wounded five other people, including a US service member, according to initial reports, the US coalition in Iraq said.

It was the most deadly attack to hit USled forces in almost a year in Iraq, where tensions have escalated between US forces, their Iraqi and Kurdish allies on one side and militias on the other.

A coalition spokesman said on Twitter the attack hit coalition forces in the Kurdish regional capital of Erbil, and that more details would follow.

Kurdish security sources said at least

three rockets landed near Erbil International Airport in the autonomous region late at night. Reuters’ reporters heard several loud explosions and saw a fire break out near the airport.

US troops occupy a military base adjacent to the civilian airport.

A statement from the Kurdish interior ministry said a number of rockets were fired towards Erbil and its outskirts around 9:30 pm local time and some people were wounded, but it offered no further details.

A group calling itself SarayaAwliya alDam claimed responsibility for the attack on the US-led base, saying it targeted the “American occupation” in Iraq. It provided no evidence for its claim.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said late Monday the United States was “outraged” by the attack.

Israel hints it may not engage Biden on Iran nuclear strategy TEL AVIV

In a statement, Blinken said he had reached out to Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister MasrourBarzani “to discuss the incident and to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible.”

Groups that some Iraqi officials say have links with Iran have claimed a series of rocket and roadside bomb attacks against coalition forces, contractors working for the coalition, and US installations — including the embassy in Baghdad — in recent months. The last deadly attack to target the coalition killed one British and two American personnel in March last year. The tension between the United States and Iran sent the Middle East to the edge of a full-scale confrontation in January 2020 after a US drone strike killed Iranian military mastermind QassemSoleimani in Baghdad.

Myanmar military guarantees new election; protesters block train services NAYPYITAW

AGENCIES

Israel held out the possibility on Tuesday that it would not engage with US President Joe Biden on strategy regarding the Iranian nuclear programme, urging tougher sanctions and a “credible military threat” against its arch-enemy. The remarks by Israel’s envoy to Washington came at a touchy juncture for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Up for reelection next month, he has revived his hard line on Iran while not yet having any direct communication with Biden.

The new administration has said it wants a US return to a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran — which former President Donald Trump quit, restoring sanctions — if the Iranians recommit to their own obligations. Washington has also said it wants to confer with allies in the Middle East about such moves. “We will not be able to be part of such a process if the new administration returns to that deal,” Ambassador Gilad Erdan told Israel’s Army Radio. Netanyahu aides have privately questioned whether engaging with US counterparts might backfire, for Israel, by falsely signalling its consent for any new deal that it still opposes. Israel was not a party to the 2015 deal. It has powerful advocates within the US Congress, however, and Netanyahu’s threats to take unilateral military action on Iran if he deems diplomacy a dead end also figure into big-power planning. “We think that if the United States returns to the same accord that it already withdrew from, all its leverage will be lost,” Erdan said. “It would appear that only crippling sanctions — keeping the current sanctions and even adding new sanctions — combined with a credible military threat — that Iran fears — might bring Iran to real negotiations with Western countries that might ultimately produce a deal truly capable of preventing it breaking ahead (to nuclear arms).” The Biden administration has said it wants to strengthen and lengthen constraints on Iran, which denies seeking the bomb.

AGENCIES

Myanmar’s military junta guaranteed on Tuesday that it would hold an election and hand over power, denied its ouster of an elected government was a coup or that its leaders were detained, and accused protesters of violence and intimidation.

The junta’s defence of its February 1 seizure of power and arrest of government leader Aug San Suu Kyi and others came as protesters again took to the streets and as China dismissed rumours spreading on social media that it had helped with the coup.

“Our objective is to hold an election and hand power to the winning party,” Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the ruling council, told the junta’s first news conference since overthrowing Suu Kyi’s government.

The military has not given a date for a new election but has imposed a state of emergency for one year. Zaw Min Tun said the military would not hold power for long.

“We guarantee ... that the election will be held,” he told the nearly twohour news conference, which the military broadcast from the capital, Naypyitaw, live over Facebook, a platform it has banned.

Asked about the detention of Nobel

prize winner Suu Kyi and the president, Zaw Min Tun dismissed the suggestion they were in detention, saying they were in their homes for their security while the law took its course.

He also said Myanmar’s foreign policy would not change, it remained open for business and deals would be upheld.

The military will be hoping its reassurances will dampen the campaign of daily opposition to its rule and to the ousting Suu Kyi and her government.

As well as the demonstrations in towns and cities across the ethnically diverse country, a civil disobedience movement has brought strikes that are crippling many functions of government. The unrest has revived memories of bloody outbreaks of opposition to almost half a century of direct army rule that ended in 2011 when the military began a process of withdrawing from politics.

While violence has been limited this time, police have opened fire several times, mostly with rubber bullets, to disperse protesters. Six people were wounded in the central town of Maungmya on Tuesday when police fired rubber bullets to break up a protest over an arrested teacher, a witness said.

A woman who was shot in the head in Naypyitaw last week is not expected

to survive. Zaw Min Tun said a policeman had died of injuries sustained during a protest.

He said the protesters were starting violence while the campaign of civil disobedience amounted to the illegal intimidation of civil servants.

“We will wait patiently. After that, we will take action according to the law,” Zaw Min Tun said.

The army has given itself extensive search and detention powers and has made penal code amendments aimed at stifling dissent with tough prison terms.

TRAIN BLOCKED: Protesters milled onto a sun-baked stretch of railway track earlier in the day waving placards in support of the disobedience movement and blocking trains between Yangon and the southern city of Mawlamyine.

“Release our leaders immediately,” and “People’s power, give it back,” the crowd chanted in live images broadcast by media.

Crowds also gathered in the main city of Yangon, including at the central bank, where protesters called for staff to join the civil disobedience movement.

The army took power alleging that its complaints of fraud in a November 8 general election, in which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party had won a landslide, were being ig-

nored. The electoral commission had dismissed the army’s complaints.

Suu Kyi, 75, spent nearly 15 years under house arrest for her efforts to end military rule.

She faces charges of illegally importing six walkie-talkie radios and is being held on remand. Her lawyer said on Tuesday police had filed a second charge of violating a Natural Disaster Management Law. The coup has prompted an angry response from Western countries and the United States has set some sanctions against the generals.

But China has taken a softer approach, arguing stability should be the priority in its neighbour, where it has close contacts with the military.

China did, however, join other UN Security Council members in calling for the release of Suu Kyi. On Tuesday, its ambassador, Chen Hai, said the situation was “absolutely not what China wants to see” and dismissed rumours of Chinese involvement in the coup as “completely nonsense”.

Chen, in an interview with media posted on the embassy Facebook page, said China maintained friendly relations with both the army and the former government and had not been “informed in advance of the political change”.

Students in New Delhi protest against environmentalist’s detention NEW DELHI AGENCIES

Students chanted slogans outside the Delhi police headquarters on Tuesday demanding the release of a 22-year-old environmentalist accused of sedition for an online document in support of farmers’ protests.

Police say Disha Ravi, a leader of the local arm of climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg’s advocacy group, created and shared a “toolkit” or an action plan that was used to foment violence in Delhi last month during the protests.

Her supporters have denied she did anything illegal and said the toolkit was an information pack about the protests, which erupted late last year to demand a rollback of three new agricultural laws, and was not designed to incite violence.

“The way the police took her away is illegal,” said Prasenajit Kumar, a leader of the student group which tried to march to the front gates of the police headquarters.

Riot police were on standby and the protesters were pushed back.

Her arrest in her hometown of Bengaluru on Sunday has stoked outrage and comes at a time when Prime Minister Naren-

dra Modi’s government faces allegations it is suppressing dissent.

The government denies the charge and says people are free to protest if it is done peacefully. Police said her detention was part of the investigation into the violence that took place on January 26, Republic Day, when thousands of farmers tore down barricades and reached the historic Red Fort and raised Khalistan flags there.

“As far as Disha’s arrest is concerned, it was done as per the procedures. Law doesn’t differentiate between a 22-year-old and a 50year-old,” Delhi police commissioner S.N. Srivastava said. A lawyer for Ravi has declined to comment. Thunberg said on Monday that she had no comment on Ravi’s arrest. Police also have arrest warrants for two of Ravi’s two associates, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk.

Jacob, a Mumbai-based lawyer, has petitioned a court, seeking to block her arrest.

She said in her petition that she was trying to raise awareness about the plight of farmers protesting against the deregulation of the produce market. There was no question of inciting violence, she said.

Muluk could not be immediately reached for comment.

Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

SPORTS 11

ISLAMABAD

AxAr BAgS fIve-for on deBuT AS KoHLI’S men LeveL SerIeS wITH 317-run wIn CHENNAI

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AGENCIES

OCAL hero Ashwin Ravichandran starred with ball and bat as India thrashed England by 317 runs in the second Test in Chennai to level the series at 1-1 on Tuesday.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel claimed a five-wicket haul on his Test debut as England were out for 164 while chasing an unlikely 482 on day four.

Ashwin claimed eight wickets in the match and hit 106 with the bat as India bounced back from their crushing opening loss in the four-match series.

England, struggling since the opening day, kept losing wickets after resuming on 53-3. Skipper Joe Root departed for 33 soon INDIA 329 (ROHIT after lunch, falling to RAHANE 67, PANT 58 161, Patel. of the match.

NOT OUT, MOEEN 4-128) AND Left-arm wrist spinAshwin’s five ner Kuldeep Yadav wickets to help bowl 286 (ASHWIN 106, KOHLI 62, joined in to finish off out England for 134 MOEEN 4-98, LEACH 4-100) BEAT the innings, taking in the first innings in Moeen Ali after he response to India’s ENGLAND 134 (FOAKES 42 NOT smashed 43 off 18 balls.

329 set the tone for OUT, ASHWIN 5-43) AND 164 The last wicket partthe host’s dominance.

(MOEEN 43, AXAR 5-60) nership of 38 between Ali England conceded a and Stuart Broad, unbeaten lead of 195 and then strugBY 317 RUNS on five, was England’s highest gled on a pitch that offered

turn from day one and was criticised by some pundits.

Opener Rohit Sharma hit an attacking 161 to set up India’s big innings after they won the toss and elected to bat first.

Sharma’s seventh Test ton and first against England raised the pitch of the returning Indian crowd – present in a stadium for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.

Virat Kohli played a part with his 62 in

SA captain Quinton de Kock takes 'mental health' break from cricket CAPE TOWN AGENCIES

South Africa captain Quinton de Kock will take a ‘mental health’ break and skip a forthcoming domestic Twenty20 tournament on medical advice.

Andrew Breetzke, chief executive of the SA Cricketers’ Association, told ESPNcricinfo De Kock would take time off from the game “for a few weeks”.

“SACA and Cricket South Africa will continue to support him through this process,” said Breetzke.

De Kock, South Africa’s cricketer of the

year in 2020, returned from Pakistan last week after leading South Africa in two losing Test matches during which he struggled as a batsman and was criticised for his captaincy. De Kock, South Africa’s regular white-ball captain, agreed to skipper the Test side in a temporary capacity during the current season.

He acknowledged last month he was feeling the strain of living in bio-secure bubbles which are a reality for international cricketers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking after captaining South Africa to a home Test series win against Sri Lanka, De Kock questioned the sustainability of

‘bubble’ life which he described as “unsettling”. He said then that he had mixed feelings about touring Pakistan because of the frustrations of being confined to a bio-secure environment.

South Africa’s director of cricket Graeme Smith said earlier on Monday that all of the country’s contracted players would play in the T20 tournament, as well as the remaining matches in a four-day competition. But it later emerged that De Kock and Faf du Plessis were not in the squads announced by the country’s six franchises. The reasons for Du Plessis’ absence was not known.

All the T20 matches will be played in Durban between February 19 and 29, with players staying in a bio-secure environment.

Although the country’s Test players have had a week off since returning from Pakistan, the national T20 squad would have to go straight into the ‘bubble’ after arriving from a series which ended on Sunday.

“We are trying to manage these bubble lives that the players are spending time in, the mental health and welfare of players,” said Smith. “But we need to do get our (national) players playing. We’ve got a lot of growth to happen in our men’s game and for players to step up.”

Werner ends goal drought as Chelsea jump to fourth with win over Newcastle LONDON AGENCIES

Timo Werner ended his Premier League goal drought as the Chelsea forward sealed a 2-0 win against Newcastle that lifted the Blues into fourth place on Monday.

Werner netted late in the first half at Stamford Bridge after setting up Olivier Giroud’s opener for Thomas Tuchel’s revitalised team. It was a cathartic moment for Werner, who had gone 14 league games without a goal since scoring against Sheffield United in November.

The 24-year-old’s only goal in his previous 19 matches in all competitions had come against minnows Morecambe in the FA Cup. Werner was heralded as one of the best young strikers in Europe after his £50 million ($69 million) move from Leipzig in the close-season.

That hype has seemed misplaced during a difficult first season in England, but his 10th goal for Chelsea capped a lively performance that hinted at better things to come. “As a striker you always want to score. The last month was hard.

I was not happy. Glad I scored today,” said Werner, who praised his compatriot Tuchel’s role in his performance.

“It’s helped me that someone can scream at me in German! He’s a really good guy and has a good idea of the football we want to play.” Tuchel added: “Timo was decisive with an assist and goal. I’m very happy with that and he was working hard in the last few matches.”

Tuchel is yet to lose in six games since replacing the sacked Frank Lampard in January, with five successive victories in all competitions suggesting the former Paris SaintGermain boss could prove a shrewd appointment. Chelsea are back in the Champions League places – the minimum requirement for a Blues boss – after climbing above West Ham on goal difference.

Tuchel is also two points above his fellow German Jurgen Klopp, whose troubled champions Liverpool are languishing in sixth place. “Top four is the target and stays the target, there are many team behind us chasing,” Tuchel said.

“We had many points to recover and it stays a big challenge because many games are coming. We are going to play teams from the top and bottom, every game is difficult and we will keep fighting.” Cesar Azpilicueta went close early on as his header beat Newcastle keeper Darlow but

the first innings and put on a key 96-run seventh-wicket partnership with Ashwin on day three. The skipper failed to score in the first innings.

Returning England spinner Ali claimed eight wickets in the match. Jack Leach took six with his left-arm spin.

The third Test–a day-night match–will begin in Ahmedabad on February 24. It is not clear if fans will be allowed into the game.

Two ICC elite panel umpires to officiate in HBL PSL KARACHI STAFF REPORT

International Cricket Council (ICC) elite panel umpires Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth will officiate in the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), starting from February 20.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Aleem Dar and the British duo of Gough and Illingworth from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires will join seven domestic umpires in the league.

Foreign players representing the six franchises in the PSL have already started to arrive in Karachi, which will host the first leg of the matches. The seven local umpires include Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Khan Afridi, Imran Jawed, Rashid Riaz, Shozab Raza and Zameer Haider. The board has also hired a former member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, Roshan Mahanama, to officiate in the 34-match tournament along with PCB’s Ali Naqvi, Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Anees and Mohammad Javed Malik. The tournament opener between defending champions Karachi Kings and 2019 winners Quetta Gladiators at the National Stadium will be umpired by Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza, while Rashid Riaz and Asif Yaqoob will be the third and fourth umpires respectively. Roshan Mahanama will be the match referee.

Sale of tickets for HBL PSL starts today NEWS DESK was nodded off the line by Dwight Gayle.

WERNER RELIEF: Abraham was replaced by Giroud after suffering an ankle injury in a challenge with Jamaal Lascelles. Werner was inches away from scoring when he stretched to reach Alonso’s header, but the German’s toepoked effort drifted just wide. Showing signs of emerging from his slump, Werner provided the assist for Giroud’s 31st minute opener.

Moments after needing treatment for a cut lip, Werner whizzed past Emil Krafth with a clever shimmy and sent a low cross into the Newcastle area.

Darlow could only push it out to Giroud and the French striker lashed home from 10 yards for his first goal in six games. With Chelsea well on top, Werner finally got back on the scoresheet in the 39th minute.

Mason Mount’s corner was flicked onto the far post and

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Werner just about scrambled it into the net from closerange, with his wait to celebrate delayed just a few seconds longer while VAR ruled there was no handball by Giroud before the goal. After exactly 1000 minutes and 31 shots, Werner had a smile on his face at last.

Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was preferred to Edouard Mendy as the much-maligned Spaniard made only his fourth league start this season and his first since October. Kepa repaid Tuchel’s faith with a good stop from Jonjo Shelvey’s free-kick in the second half. Despite their revival under Tuchel, Chelsea are not the finished article and Newcastle exposed a few flaws in their defence, only to find the error-prone Kepa in unusually obdurate form.

Joe Willock flicked just wide from close-range, then drew a fine save from Kepa, who dived to his left to keep out the on-loan Arsenal midfielder’s header.

The sale of online tickets for the upcoming HBL Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) sixth edition will start on Wednesday (today), according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday. The cricketing body fixed the prices for 30 of the 34 matches while the rates for tickets of remaining four matches will be announced later. Fans will be able to book tickets by visiting www.bookme.pk or calling its helpline at 03137786888. The prices of tickets will be starting from as low as Rs500. According to the guidelines of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), fans up to 20 per cent of stadium capacity will be allowed for each match.

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PTI To EmErgE vIcTorIous IN sENATE Polls: Pm ISLAMABAD

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RIME Minister Imran Khan has expressed hope that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would emerge as a victorious party in the Senate elections, scheduled to be held on March 3. The premier said this while chairing a meeting of the government spokespersons.

The meeting discussed the current political situation and the Senate elections while the spokespersons were briefed on the government’s decisions.

The meeting also discussed the matter pertaining to the issuance of the

ticket to Yousuf Raza Gilani, the joint candidate of the opposition alliance.

Speaking on the occasion, the premier said the ruling party will easily win the Senate elections as the party has given tickets to the best candidates.

“The PTI will easily win the Senate elections. The party has broken the tradition of giving Senate tickets to billionaires,” he added.

The PM further said that the expenditure of the Prime Minister Office (PMO) has been reduced from Rs506 million to Rs243 million during the PTI government’s tenure, adding that parliamentarians are standing with the party despite their reservations.

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Qureshi arrives in Egypt on two-day visit ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has arrived in Cario for a two-day visit to Egypt after leaving on Tuesday morning upon an invitation by his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry. The purpose of the two-day visit to the brotherly country is to hold in-depth discussions with his Shoukry on bilateral relations. Upon arrival in Egypt, he was warmly received at Cairo airport by Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt Tariq Al-Wasmi, Charge d’Affaires at Pakistan’s Embassy in Cairo Shah Nazar Khan and senior officials. Besides holding discussions with the Egyptian Foreign Minister and other senior officials for the promotion of bilateral relations and cooperation in diverse areas, Foreign Minister Qureshi will also hold a special meeting with the business community in Cairo. During the visit, he will also visit the Headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo and hold a meeting with the secretary-general (SG) of the Arab League.

The visit of Foreign Minister is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between Pakistan and Egypt. According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the visit comes on the back of the meetings held between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The visit will include detailed consultations with Egyptian counterpart officials and with leading Egyptian businessmen and members of the Pakistani community, it had said earlier.

Democratic Movement’s (PDM) proposed long march, the prime minister went onto say that the long march of the PDM would also fail like its public rallies.

While the premier is quite optimistic, internal bickering and criticism by the leaders of the PTI had forced Prime Minister Imran Khan a day earlier to once again review the party tickets awarded for the upcoming Senate elections.

A meeting of the Parliamentary Board of PTI was held under the chairmanship of the premier on Monday, wherein sources in the ruling party had told Pakistan Today that the party leaders had conveyed to the prime minister

reservations of the party’s lawmakers and the allied parties over wrong selection of the party’s candidates for March 3 elections.

Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan today expressed his gratitude to the overseas Pakistanis for responding so strongly to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Roshan Digital Accounts and sending $500 million to the country in just five months.

“Momentum continues to rise with $243 million coming in last six weeks alone,” Imran Khan said in a tweet posted on his social media account. The prime minister in his tweet also mentioned the opening of 87,883 Roshan Digital Accounts from 97 countries.

PPP moves SC against Senate open vote reference ISLAMABAD INp

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday filed a petition with the Supreme Court (SC) against the presidential reference seeking the apex court’s opinion on the open vote for the Upper House in the forthcoming elections.

The petition requested the apex court to return the reference as the Senate elections are to be held under Article 226 of the Constitution.

“A proposal [bill] of 26th Constitutional Amendment has been pending in the National Assembly,” the petition said. According to the petition, the government has changed its stance after failing in its attempt to amend the Constitution.

“The government has filed the presidential reference [in the SC] to achieve its political objectives,” the petition insisted.

The petition was moved by PPP leader Farhatullah Babar.

The reference was filed in the court by Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan, under Article 186 of the Constitution, invoking the court’s advisory jurisdiction. The reference sought

an interpretation of Article 226 that stated that all elections under the Constitution, other than those of the prime minister and chief ministers, shall be held through a secret ballot.

Article 186 of the Constitution states that “If, at any time, the President considers that it is desirable to

obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court on any question of law which he considers of public importance, he may refer the question to the Supreme Court for consideration.

“The Supreme Court shall consider a question so referred and report its opinion on the question to the President,” the article further stated.

Two malware programs on an Android-based platform with ties to the Indian military have been spying on Pakistan Army, a US-based cybersecurity company said.

In a report, dated February 10, Lookout Inc., a California-based provider of mobile security solutions, said it has discovered the two malware — Hornbill and SunBird — which are used by a cyber group named Confucius that first appeared in 2013 as “a state-sponsored, pro-India actor primarily pursuing Pakistani and other South Asian targets.”

“Targets of these tools include personnel linked to Pakistan’s military, nuclear authorities, and Indian election officials in Kashmir,” the statement said.

“Hornbill and SunBird have sophisticated capabilities to exfiltrate SMS, encrypted messaging app content, and geolocation, among other types of sensitive information,” it added.

Confucius had created in the past malware for Windows operating systems, but the group has been known developing mobile malware since 2017 when the spying app ChatSpy was created.

While SunBird has a remote access function that can execute commands on a device by an attacker, Hornbill is a surveillance tool that can ex-

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Pakistan Navy’s Aman 2021 exercise concludes with ‘graceful’ international fleet review

NEWS DESK The Pakistan Navy’s Multinational Maritime Exercise Aman-21 concluded on Tuesday with a “graceful conduct” of the International Fleet Review (IFR), a press release by the military’s media wing said. President Arif Alvi attended the event as the chief guest and was received by Chief of the Naval Staff (CONS) Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi. Other officials present on the occasion included Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi as well as Minister for Defence Production Zobaida Jalal, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, among others. Military officials, ambassadors, high commissioners, defence and naval attaches of various countries also attended the event. Several operational manoeuvres and drills were held during the IFR, which also features an “impressive fly past” by the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force as well as participating foreign aircraft, followed by man and cheer-ship by participating ships. The exercise came to an end with ships of Pakistan Navy and participating countries forming the traditional Aman formation “to signify unity and collective resolve”. President Alvi congratulated the Navy on hosting another successful Aman event, reaffirming the country’s “resolve for promoting peace and security”. He also thanked the participating naval forces for “displaying their commitment to collaborative maritime security despite Covid-19 pandemic”. He expressed the hope that the Aman exercise will pave the way to regional peace and security “with combined efforts by all stakeholders”.

US firm discovers Indian spyware targeting Pakistan army AGENCIES

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tract data from users.

“SunBird has been disguised as applications that include Security services, such as the fictional Google Security Framework, Apps tied to specific locations (Kashmir News) or activities (Falconry Connect and Mania Soccer), Islam-related applications (Quran Majeed),” the report said.

The majority of applications appear to target Muslim individuals, the report added.

Both malware, which is circulated as fake Android apps, can access users’ call logs, contacts, images, browser history, and they take screenshots and photos with the device camera.

Some major targets included an ”individual who applied for a position at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, individuals with numerous contacts in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), as well as officers responsible for electoral rolls (Booth Level Officers) located in the Pulwama district of Kashmir”, the analysis found.

“The data included information on victims in Europe and the United States, some of which appear to be targets of spouse ware or stalker were. It also included data on Pakistan nationals in Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that we believe may be targeted by Confucius APT campaigns between 2018 and 2019,” the detailed report added.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk