Epaper – February 19 KHI 2021

Friday, 19 February, 2021 I 6 Rajab, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 232 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

PPP, PML-N goiNg agaiNst Charter of DeMoCraCy by oPPosiNg oPeN baLLotiNg: CJP g

SECrECY IN THE PoLLS IS ABSoLuTE IN vIEw of CoNSTITuTIoN, SC ToLd

islamabad stAff RepoRt

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HIEf Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmad on Thursday said that the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were going against the Charter of democracy by opposing open balloting in Senate elections.

Sindh Advocate General (AG) Salman Talibuddin argued before the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday that the presidential reference must be dismissed as it is not maintainable and that secrecy in the polls is absolute in view of the Article 226 of the Constitution.

He said that accepting the reference would be akin to a constitutional amendment, adding that allegations of corruption in the Senate elections are hearsay as there is no evidence. “we can not say whether open balloting will eliminate horse-trading but it is disappointing that the PPP and the PML-N

have gone back on their earlier agreement,” responded CJP Gulzar, expressing his disappointment over the PPP and the PML-N going against the Charter of democracy, which calls for an end to secret balloting in Senate elections.

To this, Justice umar Ata Bandial remarked that the best evidence of corruption is a traceable ballot of a voter and as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) cannot currently access the paper ballot, then Article 225 of the Constitution stands redundant.

“If prima facie, there is [a] material of corruption, then a tribunal can order the examining of the ballot,” he maintained.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan said on the occasion that “you can not shut [the] door to the opening of ballots.”

In his arguments, Punjab AG Ahmad Awais agreed with Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Jawed Khan’s perspective that parliamentarians were bound by their party’s code of discipline and in case of any violation, action can

CoroNavirus iN

PakistaN

CONFIRMED CASES:

567,261

LAST UPDATED AT 8:15 AM ON FEBRUARY 18, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

52

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

1,272 DEATHS:

530,597 12,488 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

254,678

165,716

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

70,306

18,958

9,629/4,945 43,029

be taken against them.

He said, in response to a question, that a lawmaker can be held liable for selling or buying votes, but not for voting his party’s interests.

The advocate generals of Islamabad, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab all supported the arguments presented by the AGP. Justice Gulzar said that Article 63-A does not apply to the Senate elections whereas Article 59 does not mention secret balloting.

The hearing was postponed till friday.

A day earlier, during the hearing, Justice Ahsan had inquired how ECP would maintain proportional representation and if the votes could ever truly be secret. referring to electronic voting, he had pointed out that anything on the Internet could be traced. regarding proportionate representation, he had said that the ECP itself would be responsible if the party “does not get [a number of seats] in relation to its seats in the provincial assemblies”.

The ECP in a response submitted to the SC on wednesday had maintained that the Senate elections should always be held through a secret ballot. The ECP’s counsel, citing Article 226 of the Constitution, had said that votes for the Senate elections would “always remain secret” and the votes that were cast could “not be shown to anyone”.

The chief justice, on the occasion, had asked what steps the ECP would take to rectify a lack of proportional representation if it comes to pass, and if the election results should then be declared illegal. “vote-selling will result in tatters of proportional representation,” Justice Ahsan had remarked. “If any party gets seats [not in accordance] with its representation, the system will be destroyed,” he had added.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Ali Sadpara, fellow missing mountaineers declared dead on K2 islamabad stAff RepoRt

Missing mountaineers Pakistan’s Ali Sadpara, 45, Iceland’s John Snorri, 47, and Chile’s Juan Pablo Mohr, 34, who were trying to return from their K2 climb, have been declared dead by the family and the government.

After having been missing for more than 10 days, Ali Sadpara’s son, Sajid Sadpara, during a press conference in Skardu said that there was no hope of his father returning at this point.

“Pakistan has lost a great mountaineer, my father and two other climbers are no more with us,” Sajid Ali Sadpara said.

“To all the climbers who appreciate Ali Sadpara’s achievements and look up to him, I promise that I will carry on his dreams and missions and will continue to walk in his footsteps,” Sajid added.

He also thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the courageous pilots of the Askari Aviation for conducting a thorough search and rescue operation amid the harsh weather for his father.

It is pertinent here to mention that the first search and rescue operation was launched on february 6, hours after the mountaineers

Karachi by-polls: Bilawal says govt worried; PTI levels accusations lahore Akif RAshid

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is worried after the unofficial results were announced for the PS-88 byelections, while the PTI claims that the PPP used the police force to remove their candidate.

Addressing a gathering in Karachi to celebrate Yousuf Murtaza Baloch’s victory in the PS-88 Malir by-election Bilawal said that the ruling party has gone against its own members by filing the presidential reference for open polls in the Senate, and now those members of National Assembly (MNAs) from the PTI were “happily coming to PPP” and switching their affiliation.

He further said that the losers of by-elections are worried about the elections of the upper house of the parliament and the government is using the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to the unofficial results, PPP’s Baloch secured 24,251 votes while the runner-up Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Syed Kashif Ali Shah who got 6,090 votes. PTI’s Jan Sher Junejo bagged 4,870 votes and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pak-

were officially declared missing, however, rescue efforts had to be suspended multiple times owing to bad weather conditions. during the conference, GilgitBaltistan (GB) Tourism Minister raja Nasir Ali Khan said that, whilst considering the weather conditions at K2, Pakistan Army, government and family of the mountaineer have reached the conclusion that Ali Sadpara and his comrades have expired.

The minister said, “Government pays tribute to the services of national hero Ali Sadpara, and he will be given civil award along with his son Sajid Sadpara. A mountaineering school will be established in the name of Ali Sadpara.”

Sadpara’s son also broke the news on Twitter. Sajid tweeted, “My father Ali Sadpara and other climbers are no more in this world.”

Sadpara, Snorri and Pablo Mohr had departed for their journey on february 3 after Sadpara’s birthday, asking fans and admirers to “keep us in your prayers”.

The trio was attempting to reach the 8,611-meter (28,251 foot) Korakarum-2 summit, commonly known as K2, without supplemental oxygen to make history. They, however, lost contact with the base camp when they were only 411 meters away from the snow-capped top.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

Negotiated political settlement only way forward for Afghanistan: PM STORY ON PAGE 03

istan’s (MQM-P) Sajid Ahmed received 2,635, respectively.

“PM Imran Khan has basically told his party workers that he doesn’t trust them,” Bilawal said on the occasion, claiming that the PTI workers were willing to give all their votes to the PPP in exchange for the chance to get tickets and become PPP candidates in the future.

“The members of the PTI were approaching the PPP as they can see the government will be sent packing,” he said. Calling this move “an admission of no-confidence” by PTI’s own members, Bilawal questioned by the ruling party had to make “backdoor deals” to ensure victory if it was so confident of its majority in the Senate.

He added that not only the secrecy of votes of MPAs was

being taken away but also their right to vote according to their choice, which he called “an attack on democracy”.

Bilawal claimed that the incumbent government was using pressure tactics to “fire a gun” on the Supreme Court (SC) and the ECP. He accused the government of making “every state institution controversial”.

“Sometimes it is the Election Commission, at others the Supreme Court,” he said.

The PPP chairman boasted that whether open ballot or secret ballot, his party is ready for Senate elections but the rulers should prepare themselves as they will not allow anyone to rig the Senate polls.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Next Covid vaccination phase to begin in March: SAPM STORY ON BACK PAGE

Senator Mushahidullah Khan passes away STORY ON PAGE 02

CAA to seek cabinet's nod to outsource pilots licencing exams to uK STORY ON BACK PAGE

02

Friday, 19 February, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

GovT wIll uTIlISE ForEIGn rEmITTanCES To booST EConomIC GrowTh: Pm ISLAMABAD

P

APP

RIME Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Thursday said that the government was committed to facilitating overseas Pakistanis in translating their financial contribution into the country’s economic growth.

He said that Roshan Digital Accounts, introduced for overseas Pakistanis to send money to Pakistan with ease, would help stabilise the local currency.

Addressing at an event by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to mark Roshan Digital Accounts crossing $500 million in foreign remittances, the prime minister said that the

government’s strategy to involve the banking sector had yielded successful results in increasing foreign remittances.

The ceremony held at PM House was attended by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, PM’s Adviser on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Commerce Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood, along with brand ambassadors of banks including squash legend Jahangir Khan, and former cricketers Rameez Raja and Waqar Younis.

It may be noted here that overseas Pakistanis from 97 countries have opened over 80,000 Roshan Digital Accounts and sent $500 million to the country in the last five months.

The premier asked the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to maintain constant contact

ECP rejects PTI objection over Gillani’s papers for Senate polls ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday rejected the objection raised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the nomination of former prime minister and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Yousaf Raza Gillani for Senate and accepted his papers for the March 3 elections. Returning Officer (RO) Zafar Iqbal announced the verdict reserved earlier after both sides completed their arguments. The verdict observed while Gillani was convicted -- in 2012 -- under Article 63(1)(g) of the Constitution and “a period of five years has elapsed since his conviction”, he “stands qualified” for contesting election to the Senate from Islamabad. “All the cases against the candidate are pending adjudication and in the absence of conviction, the candidate cannot be barred from contesting the election,” it read. "Keeping these facts in view, the nomination papers Gillani are hereby accepted," it added. 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. On Tuesday, Fareed Rehman, a PTI Senate hopeful from Islamabad, 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. STAFF REPORT

ECP refuses to issue production orders for PTI leader KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday refused to issue production orders for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Sindh Assembly Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh in connection with March 3 Senate elections. Karachi police arrested Sheikh on Tuesday on charges of violating the ECP rules during a by-election to a provincial assembly seat in Malir the same day. The following day, an antiterrorism court (ATC) remanded him and four others in police custody for two days. The matter of production orders for Sheikh was forwarded to the electoral body by its Sindh chapter after a petition was submitted to Sindh Assembly secretariat. The ECP after reviewing the matter decided against issuing production orders. However, it appointed a regional election officer who will meet Sheikh and confirm his position as an endorser for the party's Senate candidate. INP

Former senator jailed for submitting fake degree KARACHI: A district and sessions court in Badin sent Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Yasmin Shah to prison for two-years and imposed on her a penalty of Rs50,000 for submitting a fake degree to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The verdict was announced on a petition of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Fehmida Mirza who went to the court and election tribunal against the former parliamentarian, claiming she had submitted a fake degree prior to the 2003 Senate elections. In 2007, Sindh High Court (SHC) had ordered the appellate tribunal to conduct an inquiry into degrees of Shah and her husband, Syed Ali Bux Shah, to ascertain if they were genuine. However, despite an ECP restraining order, Shah and her husband had contested general elections in 2008 and 2013 on Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) -- and lost. In 2017, the ECP ordered her to reimburse the salary and allowances she was paid during her time as a member of the Senate. INP

with Pakistani community abroad and set up a round-the-clock facilitation cell to help them with opening an account and related queries, further stressing over the need for a more focused and innovative advertisement campaign for marketing Roshan Digital Accounts on electronic media across the world.

He also urged banks to also focus on two more sectors, including the Naya Pakistan Housing project and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). “Both of these areas are important in improving the lives of the common man.”

The prime minister said that all of the country’s economic indicators were witnessing positive trends despite the coronavirus pandemic, adding that the

volume of Pakistan’s exports crossed its competitors in the sub-continent, including India and Bangladesh.

Speaking on the occasion, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir said overseas Pakistanis could open their accounts with Pakistani banks from their computers at homes, without going to embassies, adding that deposited money was directly repatriable to the bank-account holder, which was not possible earlier without the central bank’s permission.

He also announced that the transfer fee on transactions would be reduced over many requests by overseas Pakistanis. A transfer fee of only $5-9 would now be charged, irrespective of how large the amount is.

Furthermore, the prime minister

awarded banks for their performance towards Roshan Digital Accounts, including UBL for opening the highest number of accounts, Meezan Bank for receiving the highest amount in Roshan Digital as well as the highest amount for Islamic Naya Pakistan certificates, HBL for the highest amount received in conventional Naya Pakistan certificates and Bank Alfalah in appreciation of its marketing efforts.

Moreover, overseas Pakistanis from the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, who were participating via video-link, lauded the prime minister’s initiative for its high interest rate and suggested proposals to include local currency conversion and ensure information privacy.

Senator Mushahidullah Khan passes away NEWS DESK Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Senator Mushahidullah Khan, 68, died in Islamabad on Wednesday night, party spokesman Muhammad Zubair confirmed.

The cause of death was not immediately clear. Mushahidullah was one of the five who had been awarded a ticket to contest the upcoming Senate elections on a general seat.

Mushahidullah used to come to the Senate sessions with great determination and courage, Zubair said, adding that the senator was a fearless man and stood firm against dictatorships.

Khan had been a member of the Senate since March 2018 and previously served as minister for climate change.

"Senator Mushahidullah Khan, MNS’s loyal and exceptional companion left us. I am shattered to hear the sad news," PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said on Twitter.

"[We] Will never be able to forget his fatherly affection & love. Huge huge loss. May Allah SWT shower upon him every blessing that HE has reserved for the afterlife. Ameen," she added.

Foreign Minister and key leader of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed grief over the death of the Mushahidullah. He said Khan was a seasoned politician and a good human being. He also prayed for the departed soul.

Senator Faisal Javed Khan of the ruling PTI also expressed grief over the death of Senator Mushahidullah and said that he will miss him dearly.

Ahsan Iqbal said that PML-N had lost a "very brave, loyal and shrewd parliamentarian". Iqbal also offered prayers for the deceased.

"Deeply saddened to know about the death of Senator Mushahidullah Khan sb, it’s a huge loss. Our heartfelt condolences goes with his family and all PMLN workers, may his soul rest in peace," MNA Moshin Dawar said on the popular micro-blogging site.

The senior PML-N leader was the chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation and a member of the Council of Chairpersons and various others standing committees.

He was also part of the parliamentary committees on Appointment of Chief Election

Commissioner and Members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Kashmir, and National Security.

Khan was born in 1953 in Rawalpindi. He did his early education at Islamia High School in Rawalpindi and completed graduation from Gordon College in Rawalpindi. He received LLB degree from Urdu Law College, the University of Karachi in 1997.

He joined the PML-N in 1990.

1999, Khan was once beaten up at Karachi's Regal Chowk while holding a press conference against the military coup by General (r) Pervez Musharraf.

His clothes had been torn and he was moved to the Central Jail and then Landhi Jail for more than a month.

Khan was a trusted aide of Nawaz Sharif ever since the PML-N supreme leader was forced into exile. First appointed party information secretary and later made a senator in 2009, he also served as the party spokesperson for many years.

Khan's funeral prayers of will be offered in 11-H Islamabad after Zuhr prayer.

Court extends detention of Asif for two weeks LAHORE INP

An accountability court in Lahore on Thursday extended the judicial remand (detention) of Pakistan Mus¬lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif for two more weeks.

In December, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Asif from outside the Islamabad residence of another PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal on charges of being in possession of assets beyond his declared sources of income.

During the hearing on Thursday, the

court directed police to produce Asif again on March 2.

Last Tuesday, he was shifted from Kot Lakhpat prison to Mayo Hospital after he complained of vision problems.

According to a detailed charge sheet, NAB was carrying out investigations against Asif under Clause 4 of the NAB Ordinance, 1999 and Section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering

Act, 2010.

“Before assuming the public office in 1991, the total worth of Khawaja Asif’s assets was Rs5.1 million which increased to Rs221m in 2018 after serving on different posts that do not match with his known sources of income,” said the statement.

“Accused Khawaja Asif claimed to

have received Rs130 million from a UAE firm M/s IMECO, but during the course of the investigation, he failed to present any solid evidence of receiving this amount as a salary,” it said. “This clearly shows that the accused tried to prove his income through fake sources.”

Moreover, NAB alleged that Asif was also running a company, Tariq Mir and Company -- registered in the name of his staffer -- through his frontmen. It said that an amount of Rs400 million was deposited in the account of Tariq Mir and no sources of this huge amount were disclosed.

ECP rejects 'defaulter' Rashid's nomination papers for Senate elections ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday rejected the nomination of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Pervaiz Rashid for Senate. On Wednesday, a petition submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Zainab Umair to the governing body, contending that Rashid was a defaulter of the Punjab House, Islamabad, and owed in excess of Rs7 million to the Punjab government.

Later in the day, a returning officer informed Rashid his nomination would be accepted only after he cleared the dues.

However, when he failed to make the payment

within a time frame, the returning officer on Thursday accepted the objection to his nomination.

In December 2018, the Punjab government had released a list of 76 politicians, bureaucrats and others for defaulting on the payment for their stay and meals at Punjab House during the tenure of the PML-N government.

Per the list, Rashid owed Rs7.05 million, including Rs0.69 million charges for his stay between January and August 2011 and Rs6.4 million from June 2013 to May 2018. His daughter, Poonam Rashid, also owed Rs2.7 million.

RASHID CRIES FOUL: Speaking to the media in Lahore, the former minister claimed the move was an "engineered attempt" to keep him from contesting

Senate elections.

"A so-called demand was created about which I was not informed. When I tried to make the payment, all government officials disappeared from their seats and offices," he claimed.

"They are not giving their bank account number nor are they taking cash," he said.

He further claimed Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the concerned officials to not accept the payment so that he [Rashid] could be stopped from contesting the polls.

He maintained that it was his legal right to appeal the ECP's decision. "You can close the doors of parliament for me but you cannot silence my voice," he said.

Friday, 19 February, 2021

KARACHI

negotiated politiCal settlement only way Forward For aFghanistan: pm ISLAMABAD

p

APP

RIME Minister Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his conviction that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and a negotiated political settlement was the only way forward.

After Afghanistan, Pakistan was the most desirous of restoration of peace in that country as it was deeply affected by the conflict, he added.

The prime minister was talking to Ahmad Wali Massoud, head of Massoud Foundation, Afghanistan, who called on

him, a press release issued by the PM Media Wing said.

He extended warm welcome to Ahmad Wali Massoud and stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan were bound by a fraternal relationship, rooted deep in shared history and commonalities of faith, culture and traditions.

The prime minister recalled the historic contribution of late Ahmed Shah Massoud, a key Mujahideen leader, during the Afghan resistance movement.

In the context of Afghan peace process, he highlighted that Pakistan had extended full support to facilitate the USTaliban peace agreement and the initiation of intra-Afghan negotiations.

PM Imran stressed that the intraAfghan negotiations provided a historic opportunity, which must be seized by the Afghan leadership to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

He added that Pakistan had been emphasising all sides to work together constructively, take steps for reduction of violence leading to ceasefire, and secure a political solution for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

The prime minister underscored that the return of peace in Afghanistan would have lasting benefits for the region and beyond, through economic development, regional trade, and improved

connectivity.

He further highlighted the range of steps, including introduction of a liberal visa regime, and increased facilitation in bilateral and transit trade to further strengthen fraternal ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s assistance for Afghanistan’s development efforts and human resource capacity-building would continue apace, he added. The visit of Ahmad Wali Massoud and his delegation is in continuation of Pakistan’s policy to reach out to the Afghan leaders to further strengthen bilateral ties and enhance mutual convergence on the Afghan peace process.

Controversy ensues as PM Imran's maiden address in Sri Lanka cancelled NEWS DESK Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was to address the Sri Lankan parliament during his upcoming visit to the island country, will no longer be able to do so as the foreign government has cancelled the event, citing coronavirus restrictions as the reason behind the decision. Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage told the Daily Express that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena asked the government to cancel the address as he could not ensure full attendance because of the pandemic.

However, another form of speculation emerged, wherein it was rumoured that the Sri Lankan government was concerned about PM Imran speaking about the rights of Muslims in Sri Lanka, who have faced abuses at the hands of Buddhist majority, rising anti-Muslim sentiments, and biased government actions.

In regard to Covid-19, it is important to mention that the compulsory cremation rule issued by the island government for the affectees of the disease had been imposed on Muslims as well.

Earlier, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had assured his Parliament that the burials victims would be allowed after a persisting campaign from Sri Lanka’s Muslim community.

To this, the premier had welcomed Rajapaksa’s statement. “We welcome Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa’s assurance given in Sri Lankan Parliament today allowing Muslims to bury those who died from Covid-19,” he had said.

However, over a week since the announcement, no

reversal of the cremation law has been seen.

On the other hand, Shan Wijetunge, the parliament’s head of communications, told Arab News on Wednesday that the address has been cancelled because of the visiting premier’s demanding schedule.

To make the matter even more controversial, the Hindustan Times reported that the island government had to re-think its invite to Khan to speak in Parliament during a two-day visit as officials discussed implications of the Pakistan premier bringing up the sensitive issue of Kashmir, and how this may upset Dehli. It is pertinent here to mention that the last foreign leader to address Sri Lanka’s Parliament was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. Only two Pakistani leaders — President Ayub Khan (1963) and Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1975) — had addressed the Sri Lankan Parliament before.

Prime Minister Imran would have been the first world leader to visit the island nation ever since the pandemic hit last year. The plot thicked as the Pakistani High Commission in Colombo, when contacted by an Indian publication, told The Hindu: “The PM’s address in [Sri Lankan] parliament was not confirmed in the first place, it was being discussed.”

However, Sri Lanka Speaker Abeywardena had told a party leaders’ meeting earlier this month that PM Imran would be addressing the house.

To this effect, the Department of Government Information in an itinerary dated February 16, 2021, had listed “arrival at Parliament” on February 24, along with PM Imran’s scheduled participation in a ‘Trade and Investment Conference’, and the inauguration of a

Sports Institute the same day.

The premier was also expected to meet with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Rajapaska is familiar with Pakistan where he attended courses in military training institutions.

Both countries for decades have enjoyed a broadbased relationship on trade, commerce, culture and defence matters. Pakistan armed forces in 2009 had supported Sri Lanka by providing high tech military equipment and intelligence support in its fight against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Meanwhile, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri on Thursday said that Prime Minister Imran was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka later this month at the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart.

“The visit is likely to take place later this month,” he told media replying to a question. The spokesperson added that the two sides were currently working on the elements of the programme of the prime minister’s visit, keeping in view the Covid-19 related health safety protocols. He said that the prime minister would be the first head of government to visit Sri Lanka after President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Rajapaksa assumed office last year, which is reflective of the importance both countries attached to this important relationship.

The spokesperson maintained that Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoyed close cooperative relations, which were deep-rooted in history and the high-level exchanges from both sides were a hallmark of this friendly relationship.

Twitter account, claiming to be Taliban militant, threatens Malala ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT/AGENCIES

A Taliban militant who nine years ago is claimed to have wounded Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai has threatened a second attempt on her life, tweeting that next time, “there would be no mistake.”

Ehsanullah Ehsan, a former spokesperson for Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), urged Yousafzai to “come back home because we have a score to settle with you and your father.”

The tweet added that “this time there will be no mistake.”

The threat prompted Yousafzai to tweet herself, asking both the military and Prime Minister Imran Khan to explain how her alleged shooter, Ehsanullah Ehsan, had escaped from government custody.

“This is the ex-spokesperson of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan who claims the attack on me and many innocent people. He is now threatening people on social media,” she said. “How did he escape?”

Responding to Yousafzai, the prime minister's

focal person on digital media, Arslan Khalid, said the account was "fake". He also informed her that Twitter and telecommunication authorities had been notified "as such miscreants using fake accounts and spreading hate shouldn't be allowed on any social media platform". "There is zero tolerance for extremism in Pakistan," Khalid said.

Ehsan was arrested in 2017 but escaped in January 2020 from a so-called safe house where he was being held by security agencies. The circumstances of both his arrest and escape have been shrouded in mystery and controversy.

Since his escape, Ehsan has been interviewed and has communicated with journalists, including those from Pakistan, via a Twitter account.

The Associated Press reported the militant has had more than one Twitter account, all of which have been suspended.

The government is investigating the threat and had immediately asked Twitter to shut down the account, said Rauf Hassan, an adviser to the prime minister.

The charges against Ehsan include the horrific

2014 attack on Army Public School in Peshawar that killed 134 — mostly children, some as young as five years old.

He also claimed responsibility for the 2012 shooting of Yousafzai in Swat Valley. In the attack, the gunman walked up to Yousafzai on a school bus in which she was travelling, asked for her by name and then fired three bullets. She was just 15 years old at the time and had enraged the Taliban with her campaign for girls education.

Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, a teacher, ran a school in Swat Valley for boys and girls. In 2007 when the Taliban took control of the area, they forced girls out of schools and ruled with a brutal hand until 2009, when they were driven out by the army.

During his years in custody, Ehsan was never charged. Authorities also later never explained how he left the country and traveled to Turkey, where he is believed to be living these days.

Twitter on Wednesday permanently suspended the account with the post. Pakistan Today was unable to verify if the account belonged to the militant.

NEWS

03

FC soldier martyred, another injured in Quetta blast QUETTA INP

At least one FC soldier was martyred and another was injured in a blast near Quetta’s Western Bypass Thursday, the police said. The area was cordoned off and a team of Bomb Disposal Squad was sweeping it. The blast targeted an FC vehicle in Jabal-e-Noor area, according to the police. The explosives were planted on a motorcycle, they said.

nomination papers of all ppp senate candidates accepted KARACHI INP

Sindh chapter of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday approved the nomination of all 22 candidates of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) from Sindh for the Senate elections. The commission will now scrutinise the papers of the candidates submitted for 11 Senate seats of the general category as well as the seats under the technocrat and women categories.

Seperately, the authority has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Grand Democratic Alliance's (GDA) Syed Sadaruddin Rashidi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) Amir Khan and other senate hopefuls. The PPP has issued tickets to Taj Haider, Shahadat Awan, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, incumbent Senate deputy chair Salim Mandviwalla and Sherry Rehman for Sindh’s general seats. For the technocrat seats, tickets were awarded to Farooq H. Naek, Karim Ahmed Khawaja and Shahadat Awan, while for the women’s seat, Palwasha Khan, Khairunisa Mughal and Rukhsana Shah have been fielded. A total of 48 Senators will be elected this time including 12 each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, eleven each from Sindh and Punjab, and two from Islamabad.

pti to emerge as largest party in senate after elections, says Fawad ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry Thursday said that Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) will become the single largest party in the Senate by securing "28 to 30 seats" in the March 3 elections. In a tweet, the minister said: "The adolescent leadership of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will realise their worth in the election." "After public meetings, statements, and resignations, the [proposed] long march [to Islamabad] will be only a short walk." He expressed hope that the members of these parties will now bring new political leadership.

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 Adminis¬tered 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 per cent of the senators due to retire belong to the opposition parties.

Pressure grows on govt to end archaic two-finger test for rape survivors KARACHI AGENCIES

It is two months since Shazia underwent a so-called virginity test during a rape examination at a Karachi hospital, but the Pakistani teenager is still visibly traumatised.

She winces as she describes how the doctor carried out the “two-finger test” (TFT), in which a doctor inserts fingers into the vagina, ostensibly to determine if a woman or girl is sexually active.

“She put her finger and then something else inside me. I screamed loudly as it hurt a lot and told her to stop,

but she continued and said angrily that I will just have to bear it,” said Shazia, whose real name Reuters has withheld.

Women’s rights campaigners in Pakistan have long fought for virginity testing to be banned, arguing it is degrading, and that a woman’s sexual history has no bearing on whether she has suffered rape.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a 2018 report the tests had “no scientific merit” and were painful and humiliating, and called for a global ban.

In Pakistan, a series of legal rulings has raised hopes of an end to the practice, most recently in January when the Lahore High Court (LHC) declared the test illegal,

upholding a challenge by a group of campaigners.

It is over a decade since Supreme Court (SC) ruled that a rape complaint cannot be dismissed on the basis of a virginity test.

But women working in the judicial system said the tests were still widely used, blaming a lack of resources as well as deep-seated misconceptions about sexual violence.

Summaiya Syed Tariq is a police surgeon who has been working with assault survivors in Pakistan’s Sindh province since 1999, carrying out rape examinations, conducting autopsies and presenting evidence in court.

She stopped carrying out two-finger tests in 2006

after becoming aware of the damage they can do, and has been working to raise awareness ever since.

But with just 11 female medical workers available to carry out rape exams in the whole of Karachi, Tariq said the two-finger test was often regarded as a “quick fix”.

“The issue of virginity, or how ‘habitual’ a woman may be to the ‘act’, should never be a consideration for the examiners,” she said in comments on WhatsApp. “Commercial sex workers can be raped too. The charge of rape, per se, should be enough to carry out examination and investigation and past sexual history should not be taken into consideration.”

04

Friday, 19 February, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

ILLICIt sexuAL ReLAtIons not onLy ReAson foR spReAd of HIV: p&sHd LAHORE

p

SHAHAB OMER

UNJAB Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) Secretary Capt (r) Usman has said there is a need to eradicate the perception that the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are transmitted only through illicit sexual relations.

“Because of this impression, many infected people hide themselves and do not let it be known that they are infected.

There are many other reasons for the spread of HIV in Pakistan, for which there is still a lot of work to be done,” he said.

Addressing at an interactive training session on the role of media in countering HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), held jointly by

the Punjab AIDS Control Programme and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), the secretary said, “If the virus is found in minors in Sindh, it does not mean that it is due to sexual misconduct. Instead, we need to find out what factors are contributing to the spread of the virus. Repeated use of syringes and drug addiction are among other factors that are causing the spread of the virus.”

UNAIDS Community Support Advisor Fahmida Iqbal emphasised on the importance of positive reporting and words that need to be avoided while reporting about HIV and AIDS. However, in the training session, the journalists also gave their suggestions regarding coverage of HIV and AIDS, and it was jointly decided that the media would play its role responsibly in the prevention of HIV and AIDS.

LHC imposes Rs500,000 fine on petitioner for filing 'unnecessary' plea LAHORE TLTP

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on a petitioner, challenging the fixation of prices of various items in decimals. Justice Faisal Zaman Khan issued the written order on the petition of Shahzana Kazmi, who had challenged the fixation of prices of various items in decimals. The written order maintained that the petitioner was not an aggrieved party and she did not inform any violation of fundamental human rights. The decision further read that such unnecessary requests can lead to 'chaos in institutions'. The high court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on the petitioner for wasting the time of the court and others. The court directed to recover the amount through land revenue, if the petitioner fails to pay the fine within seven days. The LHC had imposed a similar fine last year. Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan had fined a trader for 'wasting court's time' after he had filed a petition seeking coronavirus relief fund for traders during the lockdown due to Covid-19. Naeem Mir, the general secretary of Anjuman-e-Tajran, had filed a petition seeking directives to the authorities concerned for giving coronavirus relief funds to traders during the lockdown.

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

NFC forms seven sub-groups to sort out thorny issues ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

The National Finance Commission (NFC) on Thursday formed seven working groups to thrash out several thorny issues, including amendment in revenue sharing formula, rising burden of pension payments, and share for Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) after its merger.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the inaugural meeting of the 10th NFC. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra, Balochistan Finance Minister Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, members Tariq Bajwa (Punjab), Musharraf Rasool Cyan (KP), Dr Kaiser Bengali (Balochistan) and Dr Asad Sayeed (Sindh), and relevant senior officials of the provinces participated in the meeting.

The meeting remained peaceful as the members of the

commission decided to form sub groups to prepare workable recommendations for future meetings of the commission. The meeting agreed to form seven sub groups with specific tasks on the basis of Terms of Reference (TORs) of the commission. According to an official, two sub groups would be headed by the finance secretary while a sub group of each province would be headed by the respective finance minister or secretary.

One sub group will determine the fiscal share of FATA, one will work on facilitating the business community to address the business related issues, another will examine straight transfers and horizontal distribution of resources while a separate group will see vertical distribution of resources. The names and formation of the sub groups would be notified within a couple of days, the official said. Earlier in the meeting, the finance secretary outlined the commission’s TORs and main tasks, which includes developing of a sustainable macroeconomic framework for the 10th NFC Award, vertical revenue sharing, selection of indicators for

horizontal distribution formula, simplification of taxes to facilitate businesses and bringing erstwhile FATA at par with the rest of the country.

The finance minister called upon all the members to do their best to come up with focussed and workable recommendations to make the 10th NFC Award successful.

He welcomed all the participants and said that the NFC has been mandated by the Constitution to recommend for amicable distribution of financial resources between the federation and the provinces. “The NFC is a forum to develop harmony between the federation and the provinces and to work out a sustainable resource sharing formula with mutual consensus,” he added.

It merits mentioning here that it was the first meeting of 10th NFC after its formation almost nine months ago as the composition of the commission remained disputed among the federation and the provinces. The Sindh government and some political parties had objected to the composition of commission when it was notified in the mid of last year.

Bus-trailer collision leave 5 dead, 25 injured in Attock ATTOCK TLTP

A collision between a bus and a trailer in Attock district on Thursday left five people dead and 25 others injured. According to details, the accident occurred when the overspeeding trailer collided with the passenger bus coming from the opposite direction on Fateh Jang Khorr Road, resulting in the death of five people and wounds to 25 others. The rescue teams reached the spot and moved the bodies and injured to the hospital. Several people of the injured were in critical condition. Police said the deadly crash was due to overspeeding and negligence of the trailer’s driver, adding that an investigation was launched into the accident. On Wednesday last, at least seven people died and nine others got injured when a mini-truck rammed into a passenger coach due to dense fog on the Quaidabad-Khushab Road near Mianwali.

The end of an era: The fall of Pakistan hockey YEARS OF NEGLIGENCE CANNOT BE RECTIFIED WITHOUT YEARS OF CONSISTENT IMPROVEMENT IN EACH AND EVERY ASPECT OF THE SYSTEM

MuHAMMAD MujTABA IqBAL As the Pakistani hockey team fails to qualify for its second successive Olympics, one cannot help but think of a time when things were brighter.

For those who grew up before its de-

cline, Pakistan was a name to be reckoned with in the world of field hockey. For the lack of words, statistics sum up its worldwide fame: three Olympic gold medals, four world cups, eight gold medals at the Asian Games and three champions trophies.

To gauge the full extent of how dominant Pakistan was on the world stage, let us look at the Olympics. Starting a new era with a silver at Melbourne in 1956, it won a gold at Rome in 1960, another silver at Tokyo in 1964, another gold at Mexico City in 1968, a third silver at Munich in 1972, a bronze at Montreal in 1976, another gold at Los Angeles in 1984, and a bronze at Barcelona in 1988. Excluding the 1980 Olympics, which Pakistan had boycotted in collaboration with

the United States, Pakistan managed to win medals at seven consecutive Olympics over 28 years.

Yet the higher they rose, the harder they fell. Currently, the team is ranked among the lowest in the world at 17th. In the past, hockey legends such as Samiullah Khan saw thousands of fans greeting them as they brought home trophies, with crowds filling the streets. At present, the sport is played in under-filled stadiums, and its title as the official national sport of a cricket-obsessed nation comes as a surprise to some. Where once facing Pakistan meant definite defeat, now it has become a synonym for mediocrity and inconsistency.

Instead of medal after medal at the

Olympics, Pakistan has failed to qualify for the event in Tokyo–a stark contrast to the silver, it won there 57 years ago.

The decline of Pakistan hockey has coincided with the introduction of artificial turf in the hockey world. The new pitches overturned the dynamic of the game, and especially the dribble and dodge tactics that Pakistan had perfected. It also demands much greater fitness and standards that Pakistan has not been able to maintain.

Crucially, changes to the game over the decades have meant that hockey now is a game different from the one that Pakistanis mastered in their prime time. Where others adapted, Pakistan failed.

However, Pakistan itself is not faultless.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation has been unable to give its players the international exposure and facilities, they once did. This is owed to both a lack of funds and the inefficiency in using what is provided. The ever increasing glamour of cricket does not help hockey either as both the corporate sector and the government are attracted towards more lucrative opportunities in cricket.

The decline of domestic tournaments, which act as a key source of talent, has also been damaging. If things are to change, we need improvements at every level.

The truth is that building a team, which lives up to its legacy, is not an overnight process. Years of negligence cannot be rectified without years of consistent improvement in each and every aspect of the system. Starting at the grassroots is an excellent first step, because the one thing Pakistan has never lacked is a young generation full of talent and passion, ready to help it rise to even greater heights.

Friday, 19 February, 2021

KARACHI ali sadpara, fellow missing mountaineers declared dead on K2 continued from page 01 Sajid Sadpara, who had initially been on the climb with them, returned to the base camp after he was sent back from an altitude of 8,200 meters owing to a malfunction in his oxygen regulator. They had started their attempt for the final summit in the early hours of February 5, hoping to accomplish the difficult feat by afternoon. On the same day, at approximately 12:30 pm, the GPS with the mountaineers had stopped working. They were declared missing the next day. “All three were strong mountaineers — willing, able and with the courage to make history by standing on top of K2 in winter conditions. Based on the last known contact by John Snorri’s telephone, we are confident that all three men made it to the top of K2 and something happened on the descent,” a representative from their management had said earlier, reading a statement on behalf of the families of foreign climbers. Sophisticated satellite technology had also been used in the search operation. “For the first time ever, this team is working with the Iceland Space Agency to review the SAR technology – that has never been used before for searching and rescuing – not the SAT technology, to cover every inch of the higher elevations of the mountain despite bad weather conditions,” read a statement issued from Skardu last week. The search camp had been established by Rao Ahmad, Ali Sadpara’s long-time friend and his son Sajid Sadpara, along with British-American climber Vanessa O’Brien, also Pakistan’s Goodwill Ambassador who has previously summited the K2 with John Snorri. The team had the support of the ICEYE – a global leader in small satellite synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) technology that produces high-resolution imagery collected even through clouds and darkness, according to information available on its website. Unfortunately, the technology seems not to have proven fruitful in this case. Born in 1976 in a remote Sadpara village in Skurdu district of the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, which borders neighbouring China, Sadpara was the only Pakistani to have scaled eight peaks measuring above 8,000 meters – five in Pakistan and three in Nepal.

hBl’s 2020 profit doubles to rs31bn, with a focus on digitalisation, financial inclusion iSLamaBad stAff report

HBL on Wednesday declared a consolidated profit after tax of Rs30.9 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, double that for the same period last year. The bank’s earnings per share increased to Rs21.06 compared to Rs10.45 for 2019. Profit before tax recorded a growth of 84% over 2019 to Rs53.0 billion.

Along with the results, the Board declared a final Cash Dividend for the year ended December 31, 2020, at Rs3/- per share i.e. 30%. This is in addition to the Interim Dividend already paid at Rs1.25/- per share i.e.

12.5%. HBL grew its domestic deposits by a phenomenal Rs. 400 billion, with market share increasing to over 14%. An increase of over Rs. 100 billion in current and more than over Rs. 200 billion in savings accounts resulted in strong CA and CASA ratios of 35.0% and 86.6% respectively; HBL’s total deposits increased to Rs. 2.8 trillion. Domestic advances crossed a landmark of Rs. 1.0 trillion and the Consumer lending portfolio, in particular, showed excellent performance, crossing Rs. 75 billion. Helped by the strong balance sheet growth, HBL’s total revenue set a new record, crossing Rs. 160 billion. The Bank improved its cost to income ratio from 73.5% in 2019 to 58.5% in 2020 and the infection ratio improved to an all-time low of 6.3%.

HBL’s CAR, which now stands at 17.2%, is well above regulatory requirements. Commenting on the Bank’s performance, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO, HBL said, “The Bank had a stellar year in which all key indicators remained on an upward trajectory, and the domestic franchise delivered record profits. The international business has also shown signs of a turnaround in Q4’20 with revenues trending upward.

Moreover, HBL is actively working on financial inclusion initiatives through significant investments in technology and digitalization efforts. During 2020, HBL remained conscious of its responsibility to support its customers and the broader economy, especially during these testing times.” The bank’s journey towards becoming a “Technology Company with a Banking License,” has accelerated as it witnessed an increase in its digital transaction volume. There was a 93% increase in HBL Mobile and Internet Banking transactions volume and a 157% uptake in Konnect by HBL, the Bank’s branchless banking platform. Through ‘HBL Pay’ all onboarding and payment solutions for businesses were consolidated under a single platform.

Collectively, HBL managed a throughput of Rs. 7 trillion in 2020, a growth of over 34% vs 2019.

Financial inclusion is at the core of HBL’s business philosophy, to work towards reducing poverty and achieve inclusive economic growth. HBL joined forces with Government of Pakistan to enable the delivery of the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program disbursing approximately Rs175 billion to an estimated 12 million families over a period of two months.

NEWS

MInIsTrIes, dIvIsIons asKed To reMove BoTTlenecKs haMPerIng cPec Progress iSLamaBad

a

AHMAD AHMADANI

MID slow progress on projects related to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), all concerned ministries/divisions have been directed to immediately submit before the Cabinet Committee on CPEC proposals regarding resolution of problems confronted in their respective projects.

According to sources, around 17 different CPEC projects (worth $13 billion) related to infrastructure, energy and socio-economic development of Gwadar had been completed so far; work on 21 projects (worth $12 billion) was under process; while 26 projects (worth $28 billion) were in the pipeline.

Although preparations to start 26 new projects were in final stages, some important projects, including the Gwadar Free Zone, continue to face unnecessary delays, sources claimed.

Sharing the status of CPEC projects, sources said that projects that were in pipelines included KarachiPeshawar Main Line-I (1,733km), 1,124MW Kohala Hydropower plant, 1,320MW Thar (Oracle) Coal Plant, 700.7MW Azad Pattan HPP, Sukkur-Hyderabad M-6 (306km), DI Khan-Zhob (4-lane highway,

210km), Zhob-Quetta Road (331km), Optical Fiber Cable PhaseII (Rawalpindi-Karachi & Gwadar), Karachi Circular Railway (43km), Mirpur-Mangla-MuzaffarabadMansehra Road (200km), NokundiMashkhel-Panjgur Road (290lm), KKH Phase-I (Thakot-Raikot Section), Greater Peshawar Region Mass Transit, Quetta Mass Transit, KKH Alternative Route (GilgatShandor-Chitral, 349km), ICT Model Industrial Zone, Industrial Park Pakistan Steel Mills Port Qasim, Mirpur Industrial Zone, Mohmand Marble City and Moqpandass Special Economic Zone.

Similarly, ongoing CPEC projects included 720MW Karot HPP, HVDC 660kV Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line, Hoshab-Awaran M-8 (146km), Khuzdar-Basima Road (110km), 870MW Suki Kinari HPP, 1,320ME Shanghai Electric (TCB-I), Hakla-DI Khan Motorway, Rashakai Special Economic Zone, New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), 300MW Gwadar Coal Project, 330MW HUBCO Thar Power, 330MW ThalNova Thar Power, Eastbay Expressway, Pak-China Friendship Hospital in Gwadar, Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, 600MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, Allama Iqbal Industrial City Special Economic City, and Bostan Special Economic Zone.

Meanwhile, projects that have been completed included MultanSukkur Motorway M-5 (392km), 1,320MW Sahiwal Coal Power, 1,320MW Port Qasim Power Plant, 1,320MW China-Hub Coal Power, Orange Line Metro Train project (27km), KKH Phase-II HavelianThakot Section (120km), 660MW Engro Thar Power & Mine, 400MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, Gwadar Port & Free Zone, 50MW Sachal Wind Farm, 50MW Hydro China Dawood Wind, cross border optical fiber cable (820km) and Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan.

As per the sources, the government has so far issued approximately 42 licences to various investors for starting business activities in Gwadar Port Free Zone. However, same could not happen due to various reasons, including non-availability of power, evacuation of land for Free Zone Phase-II from Pakistan Coastal Guards & Pakistan Navy, exemption of Gwadar port from provincial taxes as per concession agreement, delay in construction of breakwater & capital dredging of berthing area, diversion of Afghanistan transit trade, import of LNG and other commodities through warehousing/commercialization in free zone etc., and non issuance of different NOCs from GDA/environmental protection agency.

PPP, PML-N going against Charter of Democracy by opposing open balloting: CJP continued from page 01 Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said the government was fully striving to ensure that the senators were elected on the basis of competency, capability and merit through a transparent electoral process.

The prime minister said this during a meeting with Leader of the House in Senate Dr Shehzad Waseem, who called on him in the federal capital, wherein political matters and Senate elections were discussed in the meeting.

Similarly, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said on Thursday that open balloting is the only way for transparent senate elections.

Talking to media outside Election Commission’s Peshawar office, he said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-

Insaf (PTI) is upholding the narrative of transparent elections while the opposition parties are stepping back from the same.

It is pertinent here to mention the ECP on Thursday decided to take affidavits from the candidates to ensure transparency in the Senate elections.

The commission will take a pledge from the contesting candidates not to take bribe over party tickets. ECP will be informed if anyone approaches any nominee for horse-trading. The candidates have to submit a written assurance, mentioning that they will not carry out any corrupt practice, violation of the constitution or law and avoid taking or giving bribe during the polls in the upper house of the parliament.

On the other hand, ECP has continued scrutiny of the nomination papers of candidates for Senate

elections. A total of 170 candidates had filed their nomination papers in the ECP for the elections on 48 seats in the upper house of the Parliament. 29 candidates from Punjab, 39 from Sindh, 51 from KP, 41 from Balochistan and 10 from the federal capital Islamabad had submitted their details.

As per schedule, the candidates can file appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers on February 20 and the last date for disposing of these appeals is February 23.

The revised list of candidates will be published on February 24.

The candidates can withdraw their nomination papers on February 25.

Polling on 48 seats will be held on the 3rd of next month at the Parliament House in Islamabad and the four provincial assemblies. With additional input from APP and PPI

05

Karachi by-polls: Bilawal says govt worried; PTI levels accusations continued from page 01 Bilawal further boasted that the ruling party had hoped that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) would have made things easier for them by boycotting the elections He also said: “PDM will also attack this government in Senate elections not only from Sindh, Punjab but also Islamabad.” On the occasion, the PPP chief reiterated that the long march would take place in March. “We are fighting and defeating this government on every front,” he said, claiming the results, albeit unofficial, had exposed the government’s worries. He said that the lead the PPP gained that worried the “selectors” and further claimed that the PTI was losing in a similar fashion in all by-elections. On the other hand, regarding the PS-88 elections, PTI leader and Sindh Assembly Member Khurram Sher Zaman led a delegation to register a case against firing on opposition leader Haleem Adil Sheikh and assaulting PTI workers during the aforementioned by-election. Khurram Sher Zaman, while talking to media, stated the the people to be held accountable should be Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah or Bilawal, a PTI press release said.

He asserted that the provincial police should be answerable to the people, not the rulers. “We request the chief justice to take notice of the retaliatory actions of the PPP,” he said to media persons. Zaman further said that CM Murad was running the government on the strength of force. The PTI leader added that they too could carry out acts of revenge in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the federation, but they have never targeted anyone for political revenge. “No one is being allowed to meet Haleem Adil Sheikh. If anything happens to Haleem Adil Sheikh or any worker, Murad Ali Shah and Bilawal Zardari will be responsible for it,” he maintained. “We ask Prime Minister Imran Khan how long the people of Sindh will be left at the mercy of PPP. Now it is the time for the people of Sindh to get rid of PPP,” Zaman asserted. While the opposition leader’s status is on par with a provincial minister, Zaman claimed that PPP “thugs” tried to torture Haleem Adil Sheikh and opened fire on his car. He lamented that the police had acted impartially throughout the incident and that the arrests of PTI workers and officials from Sindh had been going on since yesterday. The PTI leader stated that superintendent (SP) Rao Aslam has refused to register a case, terming the move an “utter injustice”. “We have been seeing for many years that PPP has always used the police to win elections. The PPP has done the same in the Malir election,” he said on the occasion. “It is a shame for the PPP to use them for political purposes.”

“We respect the courts and are optimistic about them. We are sure that the bail of Sindh Assembly Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh will be granted on Friday,” he added. The delegation included members of Sindh Assembly Saeed Afridi, Shehzad Qureshi, Malik Shehzad Awan, PTI leader Janshir Junejo, Faraz Lakhani, Anwar Kamal and a team of lawyers. The PTI delegation met SP Rao Aslam at Memon Goth police station. It is interesting to note that these claims of police interference and party switching are arising merely a week after the PPP chairman vowed to use only “democratic and constitutional ways” to dislodge the government.

Bilawal had said in a press conference in Islamabad last week that the government cannot amend the constitution by bringing an ordinance to allow open balloting in Senate elections, further alleging that “attempts are now being made to rig the Senate elections by making the institutions controversial like in the 2018 elections”.

Digital transformation of Pakistan

aLi aShar Jaffri Accurate, real-time, and consolidated data leads to beneficial decisions which is key to good governance and primary objective of a country’s public sector. Information Technology has acted as a key enabler in the digital transformation of all areas of a country’s economy but this global digital revolution has faced greater obstacles in the public sector as opposed to private organisations. Public sector digital transformation can be hindered by the extremely large amount of unconsolidated data, several complicated processes existing in digitally unconnected departments, resistance to status-

quo from stakeholders, lack of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, high cost, and low ICT literacy.

A similar situation has been witnessed in the case of the digital transformation of Pakistan’s public sector organisations. The country’s public sector has embarked on the journey of digitalisation since the last decade but the transformation has not been smooth. In Pakistan, modern technology adoption hardly exists in public sector organisations. This anxiety causes the non-techsavy people to start resisting its adaption and implementation. The fear stems from people feeling that their power will be replaced with technology. The success of public sector digitalisation mainly depends on handling the issues of stakeholder awareness and the adoption anxiety. This can be accomplished through the development of public and private sector partnerships to implement this digital transformation.

The private sector may have greater knowledge, expertise, and experience with the adaption of modern technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, robotics, automation, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and mobility. The services of digital nomads can also be availed to ensure effective and efficient provision of various digital solutions.

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Another main concern in this journey of digital transformation is the issue of data security. For the public sector the issue of cyber-security is a major challenge and obstacle towards digital transformation. Pakistan has experienced a number of cyber-attacks from various internal and external agents that have severely impeded the stakeholder trust on various digital solutions. Effective digitalisation requires the data to be safeguarded with multi-layer support-backup through a security contingency plan.

The journey of digital transformation has progressed substantially in the present environment due to the unprecedented situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Pakistan, the banking industry is one of the front runners to adapt to the digitalisation of business processes. The launch of RAAST, an application that is Pakistan’s first instant payment system, is an important step in this direction. Similarly, Punjab digital policy that has been developed by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) focusing on the digitalisation of the various public sector organisations and augment the development of the country’s IT industry is yet another step in this direction. Various government initiatives like the E-Pay, Baldia Online, Qeemat Punjab, Police Khidmat Markaz, E-Khidmat Center, etc. are also

included in this list.

Digitalisation of public sector organizations can foster the development of flawless and corruption-free record of data and enable processes with a entralised control mechanism. Digital connectivity is the cornerstone for enabling the formation of a sustainable economy, enhancing transparency in government services, and improving service delivery to citizens. Digitalisation of the public sector can provide enormous opportunities for the development of Pakistan’s economic, social, and environmental sustainability. It should be integrated in the heart of the country’s national development strategy. To fully exploit the opportunity that digitisation offers, key stakeholders on this journey including the government, civil society organisations and the private sector need to collaborate in order to accelerate the impact of digital transformation on the socioeconomic progress in Pakistan.

About the Author: - Ali Ashar Jaffri is the Group Head – Administration & IT at Bank AL Habib Limited, Pakistan. He has more than 22 years of managerial experience in a number of reputed national and international organisations.

Email: ali.ashar@bankalhabib.com LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliashar-jaffri-a1790a1a

Friday, 19 February, 2021

06 COMMENT

Horsetrading secrets

Sri Lankan twist A foreign policy embarrassment

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rI lANKA is a small country in a region where two heavyweights, China and India, are vying for influence while Pakistan is also keen to develop good relations with the fellow SAArC member. Sri lanka is keen to cooperate with all the three countries without taking sides in their mutual disputes. The policy of strict neutrality has helped the country in maintaining internal security, boosting national defence and developing its economy. Whenever national interest required Colombo asserted its independence, like canceling the 2019 agreement with India and Japan to build the east Container Terminal at the Colombo Port, deciding to build it itself in disregard of India’s protestation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s planned speech in Sri lankan Parliament has surprisingly been cancelled. Mr Khan is scheduled to travel to Colombo on a two-day trip from February 22. Different explanations have been offered for the cancellation. Senior Sri lankan officials have cited covid-19 constraints for the decision. Others claim that Colombo suspected that Mr Khan might raise the Kashmir issue in his speech, further annoying India which is already incensed by the cancellation of the Terminal contract. A spokesperson at the Pakistani high Commission in Colombo reportedly told media that the PM’s address was not confirmed but was only being discussed. . The cancellation is also being viewed in the context of Sri lankan Prime Minister Mahinda rajapaksa’s assurance to Parliament that the burial of covid-19 victims would be allowed, amid a persisting campaign from Sri lanka’s Muslim community, seeking burial rights. Mr Khan had welcomed Mr rajapaksa’s statement in a tweet soon after. There is however still resistance to burials from important circles with the result that dead bodies of covid-19 victims continue to be cremated.

Irrespective of whether the address was only being discussed or was dropped after initial agreement it has come as a diplomatic embarrassment. There was a need on the part of the Foreign Office to weigh the issue in the light of Sri lanka’s foreign policy sensitivities before asking Colombo to arrange the address. relations had continued to prosper between the two countries without any Pakistani Prime Minister after ZA Bhutto having addressed Sri lankan Parliament. What was the need to ask for the address now?

The government wrong-footed itself At Penpoint M A NIAZI

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here is an unfortunate impression of the government having painted itself into a corner with the sudden demand for open-ballot Senate elections, with both a reference to the Supreme Court being heard, and an ordinance promulgated for an open-ballot, provided that the reference is decided in the government’s favour.

Meanwhile, the election Commission of Pakistani has issued an election schedule for March 8, with the first step being the filing of nomination papers, as well as the award of party tickets to those who will almost surely be elected.

It was not intended that those filing nominations would not know for sure whether the elections would be by open ballot or secret, but that is the situation that has transpired. The secrecy of the ballot is to be dispensed of in writing, with it being made obligatory for MPAs to sign their ballot papers, so that there is a written trail of anyone violating the party line. It is also perhaps the only way of preserving the single transferable vote system that ensures that Senate seats go to parties according to their strengths in proportion to their strengths in provincial assemblies.

The present tangle has been created because of the KP Assembly, where the PTI not only has to mince there with 95 out of 145 seats. Though there has been some change because primarily of the merger of FATA into KP, but even now, KP MPAs have fewer votes than, but elect the same number of Senators as, the other provinces. It is a little surprising that the addiction to selling votes did not emerge in Balochistan, which has the smallest number of MPAs, but is only in KP that Senate vote selling has become a perk of office. The reason might be that anyone attempting to buy a Senate seat would need a large sum of cash available. That was possible only for drug lords, who found that an independent seat in the Senate helped them in business.

Before the merger of FATA with KP, the FATA MNAs, of whom there were 12, elected eight Senators. As they were elected at three-yearly intervals, it

The stamp of severance

Not having the money PIA VSS goes badly wrong

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How the 1765 Stamp Act protest matters to today’s Pakistan

N principle, PIA’s Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) was meant to provide a win-win situation. The government would be able to offer the national flag carrier for restructuring after trimming it of excess employees, PIA would shed employees and thus cut costs, reducing losses at a time when the covid-19 pandemic had wreaked destruction on all airlines, while employees would get a lump sum so that they could make a fresh start. Only there was one problem. PIA didn’t have the money. That put it in the embarrassing position of having promised to pay employees large sums, but failing to do so, as the file has gone to the Finance Ministry, and apparently got lost there. The VSS went up to December 31, which means that more almost seven weeks have passed, but no payment has been released, even though January 31 was supposed to be the last date for the payment to the 2000 employees who had opted for the VSS. A reason given for the delay is that the Auditorgeneral of Pakistan was carrying out a special audit of the payment process.

The restiveness among affected employees is reaching the point where they are thinking of taking to the Islamabad streets to protest for their money. They may well have taken encouragement from the success of Pak Secretariat employees, whose protest was dispersed by tear gas, but who got a promised pay raise. That example made the devious treatment of the PIA employees, part of a pattern, whereby the government promises people money, and then welshes on its promises. The government apparently likes the buzz from promising money, but when it is time to pay up, it has to display austerity to the IMF, which has recently returned to its current IMF. rather than take a huge amount of flak later on, the government would find it would be better served by biting the bullet, and not making promises it cannot honor. If nothing else, it should be careful about playing with the sentiments of those who may be depending on the payment that has been promised. A government’s promise should be a certainty, not an expression of hope.

MoNeeb AhMAd bArlAs

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eeMINgly little events of apparently no wider consequences can sometimes just turn out to be the complete opposite of what they’re thought to be.

In 1765 British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, a law imposing a direct tax on paper documents in the British colonies in America. The underlying reason for enacting this law was to help Britain recuperate from the immense financial costs incurred as a result of the French and Indian War, a conflict between British colonies in North America and New France.

Part of the money raised through the tax was also to be used for stationing British soldiers in the colonies.

The supporters of the Stamp Act argued that the American colonies needed to shoulder more responsibility for their own defense. evidently, they saw no problem with raising revenues from the colonies through taxation. however, the tax was not well-received within the colonies.

The colonists vigorously opposed the Stamp Act, questioning the authority of Britain’s Parliament to tax them against their will. For them, it was not only a matter of sovereignty but also a question of taxation without representation. They argued that only their own representative assemblies could tax them. The British Parliament did not represent their aspirations. groups such as the Sons of liberty obstructed tax officials from implementing the Stamp Act. Due to the strong resistance, Britain repealed the

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meant that 12 people elected four. As the heroin business had made significant inroads in FATA, the seats were up for sale. The idea then spread among KP MPAs, who realized that there was a market for their votes. FATA MNAs did not come under the radar because they were elected on a restricted franchise and did not belong to any party. They were supposed to have been elected as independents, but always supported the largest party. Similarly, the Senators they elected also always supported the government. Indeed, the FATA MNAs and Senators acted more as ambassadors of FATA to Pakistan than as members of the legislature. Members of a legislature might find themselves in opposition on occasion, but ambassadors always deal with the government of the day, even if it has changed overnight.

KP has by and large respected the PTI mandate, and in 2018, allowed it to get its ticket-holders elected. That is expected to happen this election as well, but in the meanwhile, Imran Khan has gone down the open-ballot path, and taken his party with him. One of the problems is that the voting system is complicated enough for there to be genuine mistakes

by MPAs. It is not enough to exercise all of one’s choices, but MPAs must be careful only to vote for one candidate, the one they have been allocated to.

The problem seems to be that Imran Khan has not got the control he thought he should have got as a result of the 2018 election. The sentiment he has been expressing, that the tenure of five years is insufficient, neglects the fact that he only got a chance to contest because of that five-year limit. If there was an unlimited tenure, Mian Nawaz Sharif, elected in 1990, would still be in power today. As a matter of fact, he would probably not have had a chance, for Benazir Bhutto, elected in 1988, would have definitely held office till her assassination in 2008. It could even be argued that she was killed because she was campaigning after having been out of office. Under Imran’s idea, she would still be in office, and not campaigning, which would have made that assassination moot.

It should be remembered that Imran is speaking now of tampering with the mandate’s duration, even though it is such a basic component of democracy, only because he has seen that democracy’s fundamentals can be argued away. This seems to be an un-

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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Stamp Act in 1766 but also passed the Declaratory Act that reiterated its supremacy over the colonies and its right to pass laws for them as the lawful authority. however, this authority was soon to be challenged by the colonists in a wider struggle for political independence.

The Stamp Act, and several other laws that preceded as well as followed it, not only signify an important epoch in American history but also shed light on the fundamental issue of federalism: the balance of power between a central authority and its various constituents.

This balance in distribution of internal powers often evades most states. The failure to strike the balance stems from several factors. yet, the fundamental problem that warrants close examination is the way policy processes are designed and implemented.

The formulation of public policy ought to be an inclusive process involving wider stakeholder consultation and encouraging a heathy debate on all contentious issues. Not only does it matter to listen to everyone being affected by a certain policy but it is also imperative to address their concerns and grievances.

Decisions that are taken without consulting all the stakeholders and accounting for all possible implications, though easiest to conceive, are hardest to implement. Inevitably, they result in exacerbating grievances on either side.

These grievances when left unaddressed become festering wounds threatening the very foundation of a state.

For parliamentarians in Britain, the Stamp Act may have been an inevitable necessity for defending the colonies against foreign rivals, and also a justified act requiring the colonies to contribute for their own defense.

But for the colonists the Stamp Act represented economic exploitation in its worst forms. It was not

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derstanding that the secrecy of the ballot is one such principle.

This may be behind the confusion visible in the government seeking two legal remedies at the same time, by moving the reference, and by promulgating the ordinance. True, the ordinance is conditional on the reference, but that means that the Supreme Court must give judgment in the reference, so that the ordinance can either be implemented or not. There is also the danger of circularity. Any ordinance, or even act, is subject to being struck down by the Supreme Court for being against the Constitution, so the proviso does not really mean anything.

Then there is the basic structures doctrine, which has been used in India by the Supreme Court to strike down constitutional amendments by Parliament, on the ground that there are certain basic features of the Constitution, which even a duly passed constitutional amendment cannot change. In India, the application was that fundamental rights cannot be abridged. In Pakistan, democracy is one of the parts of the basic structure that has been identified by the Supreme Court in the 2015 judgment of the full Supreme Court in challenge against the 21st and 22nd Amendments, which provided for a parliamentary judicial commission to oversee judicial appointments, and the setting up of military courts. The features identified included democracy, the federal parliamentary form of government and the independence of the judiciary. So far, no constitutional provision has been struck down in Pakistan, but it is worth noting that so far, it has been mentioned in connection with judicial independence.

Whether the issue of the secrecy of the ballot would be seen as an attack on the fundamental of democracy or not, has not been adjudicated, but there is a strong case for it being considered as such.

Democracy has evolved over the centuries. Pakistan’s basic problem is that it was introduced in Pakistan full-blown, so it might be that something for which there was a huge struggle, should not be valued, and its fundamental nature not seen. The secret ballot is one such component of democracy. Secrecy of the ballot has been ended or weakened by totalitarian regimes, and it was introduced to prevent vote-buying. That secrecy should be considered a means to trading indicates that the journey down the slippery slope is not over.

The exception in the Constitution, for PM and CM elections, was meant to prevent any PM or CM being put in the invidious position of including in his or her Cabinet someone who had voted against him. however, no parallel danger exists for Senate elections. The convenience of the government, in finding seats for Senators, does not outweigh the benefits to democracy.

The writer is a member of staff.

only deemed an encroachment upon the autonomy of the colonies but also a perverse means through which the elite in london wanted to augment its coffers at the expense of the colonists.

A series of misunderstandings on these fundamental issues, coupled with vested interests on both sides, triggered hostilities that culminated in a political divorce between Britain and its American colonies. The birth of the United States of America marked the death of British suzerainty over these colonies.

Fundamentally, federalism in the 21st century confronts the same challenges as it did in the 18th and arguably the results of such confrontation are not so different.

Underlying the governance crises in Iraq and Syria, the Kurdish quest for freedom and autonomy in the Middle east, as well as the tribal and ethnic conflicts in Afghanistan; underlying all of these is a question of legitimate authority arising out of a trust deficit between the federation and its constituents. even in our own country central authority and provincial autonomy have always been pitted against each other with each side claiming more power.

Nonetheless, wiser states will always encourage greater participation and transparency in the policy process. Any decision arrived at through such consultation will be durable and untainted by misunderstandings that are an inevitable consequence of decisions taken behind closed doors.

This is not to say that stakeholder consultation is an easy process. In fact, the process itself can often be extremely grueling, and reconciling differences as well as competing interests can sometimes be a herculean task (and occasionally impossible). however, the mere enormity of the task should not restrain us from taking the right approach to tackle problems that have no simple solutions after all. had the British Parliament followed a more inclusive process before making laws such as the Stamp Act, perhaps history would have charted a course different than the Treaty of Paris in 1783 which formally ended British control over the colonies and recognized the independence of USA.

Nonetheless, wiser states will always encourage greater participation and transparency in the policy process. Any decision arrived at through such consultation will be durable and untainted by misunderstandings that are an inevitable consequence of decisions taken behind closed doors

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is a civil servant and can be reached at moneeb.barlas@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Friday, 19 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

Child marriage in Pakistan CHilD marriage is defined as a marriage of a girl or a boy before the age of 18.The issue of child marriage in Pakistan is just because of lack of awareness among people to understand the mental and physical impacts of it. The negative impacts of child marriage on a society are a lot such as growing population, lack of food, education and etc.

However, the rate of child marriage is increasing constantly in Pakistan where more than 50 percent of marriages are solemnised before the age of 18,are mostly of girls. according to a research, in Pakistan 70 percent of girls marriages are being fixed before the age of 16, which is one of the most common reasons in the increase of death rate in women during the delivery. Moreover, in few rural and tribal areas of country such as, Balochistan and inner Sindh, children are forced to marry early and even without their consent. it’s humble request to the parents of children and government to make seminars, programs and welfare organisations to guide people to stop child marrige in early eges.

Imran marrI Hub

Failed-Trump administration

The beginning of atomic power

Dr rajkumar Singh

D

aily we see a great variety of things in nature– the sun, moon, and stars, mountains and seas, forests and animals– but we cannot answer the question who was the first person to think about atoms, or later on nuclear theory. Men and women who had studied the nature in depth, concluded long ago that everything is made of small particles. at the same time, perhaps the first simplifications were provided by the chemists who were able, by processes of destruction and analysis, to recognise certain specific substances which are the basic building materials of our world.

These are called elements. an element is defined as a substance which cannot be further splitup or refined by chemical analysis. it is equally wonderful that all the many hundred thousand different kinds of matter that man has found in this world, have turned out to consist of just over 90 substances or elements. in the chemical method, all matter on the earth is divided into two main groups: chemical compounds and elements, However, before this knowledge of chemistry man had been speculating on the nature of matter for hundreds of years on how the various kinds of matter are built up. in common, they had found it quite probable that each kind of matter was built up from its own absolutely identical particles, which could be further split up. For these particles, the old Greek philosophers used the name atoms.

Further, the atomic theories assumed more closely defined forms, a distinction being made between the smallest particles, of the chemical compounds, which were given the name of molecules and the smallest particles of the elements for which the name atoms was reserved. it also showed that even the smallest parts of a chemical compound must contain all those elements that make-up the compound. like this, the fundamental fact was derived that the atoms of any given element have all exactly the same weight.

This fact helped in finding the relation between the weights of the different atoms, and also of determining the precise number of atoms making up the molecules of a given compound.

Historically, ancient Greece is the birthplace of the word ‘atom’, made up of the Greek word atomos, which means ‘indivisible’. among the philosophers was took up the idea, Democritus, who belonged to ancient Greece some 2400 years ago, said that everything was made of tiny particles, or corpuscles, so small that no one could see them. The particles themselves could never change and they could not be broken down into smaller particles. He was of the view that atoms

were the smallest particles that could exist. ‘let us look at a substance like water. We may take a very small amount of it, a single drop, and with some care we may divide this drop into two tiny droplets. if it were possible to get the proper tools and equipment, we might be able to go on making tinier and tinier droplets, but could we go on forever?’ Democritus, like other philosophers believed that at a certain point, we would obtain a droplet that could not be cut into smaller parts.

The smallest parts into which water could be cut were the atoms. after him, for centuries people hardly believed that atoms really existed and more people thought it as the fruit of Democritus’s imagination till the early 17th century when the italian scientist Galileo and the English chemist Robert Boyle indicated some further scientific facts. While Galileo said that he could explain odours and tastes by supposing that some substances dissolve into small corpuscles and these corpuscles might hit sensitive spots in our tongues and nostrils, and create the familiar sensation, Robert Boyle (1627-1691), held that air, and all other gases behaved as if they were made of corpuscles.

Gradually, more and more facts were being explained by admitting that atoms existed. although Robert Boyle primarily studied the expansion and compression of air, with chemistry students still studying his law on gas behavior, with him atomism entered a new phase, from mere reasoning to experimental observations.

The atom-related facts were further developed by John Dalton who first expressed a scientific atomic theory.

Before his birth, chemists had come to recognise the fact that while they could separate some substances into simpler substances, there were others they could never separate. it divided the substance into chemical elements and chemical compounds. Such substances as water, salt and sugar which are made of more than one element, were called chemical compounds, while the simple substances, such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, chlorine, and sodium were given the name chemical elements. in chemistry, Dalton had observed that compound substances like water were made up of simple substances in proportions which remained invariable. No matter how small a quantity of a compound was considered, the components were always present in the same fixed proportion by weight. Dalton assumed that finally the fundamental components, in spite of their being imperceptible, must retain their characteristics in relative proportions. He called the basic units ‘atoms’ and made the further assump-

tion that atoms of one element are all identical in mass, while different elements have atoms of different mass. The determination of the proportions of the weight of the different elements in every possible chemical compound gave the chemist a means of finding the relation between the weights of the different atoms and also of determining the precise number of atoms making up the molecules of a given compound.

Dalton’s atomic theory was really a hypothesis, but it proved very useful in summarising a large number of quantitative data which had been obtained as the result of chemical experiments. although Dalton’s theory was correct on the whole, yet like Democritus he continued to say that atoms are the smallest particles into which matter divides– that atoms are indivisible. a little later the work of several physicists proved that atoms can break down into smaller pieces. in the sphere of atoms a breakthrough came in early 1896 in Paris, when the French physicist Henri Becquerel in course of testing a number of phosphorescent substances found by accident, that when a phosphorescent uranium salt is glowing, it gives off not only light but also another radiation. a few days later he discovered that the uranium salt could give off the more penetrating radiation even if it is not exposed to sunlight. The experiment encouraged the scientist to test many other substances containing uranium.

Then he concluded that uranium was the element that gave off radiation spontaneously.

The further work on radiation was done

by Poland-born French lady scientist Madame Marie Curie, who discovered other elements that behaved like uranium.

Madame Curie did her hard work on radiation and searched several other elements —thorium, polonium and ultimately radium, that gave off spontaneous radiation. While working she found that a uranium ore called pitchblende contained even stronger radiation than thorium and uranium. She called the element causing this radium. isolating it was a major scientific achievement, for which Madame Curie was awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, to go with her earlier one in Physics. it proved to be extremely useful both in research, for the study of the nature of atoms, and in medicine for the treatment of cancers also.

While working she found that a uranium ore called pitchblende contained even stronger radiation than thorium and uranium. She called the element causing this radium. Isolating it was a major scientific achievement, for which Madame Curie was awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry, to go with her earlier one in Physics. It proved to be extremely useful both in research, for the study of the nature of atoms, and in medicine for the treatment of cancers also.

The writer is head of the political science department of the B.N.Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India and can be reached at rajkumarsinghpg@gmail.com

BaCk in the day, the world was a pond filled with blood along with sinking and drowning corpses. all the grievances, and the supplicates made by people waxed into disparity when Donald John Trump took-over the leash of World’s most powerful country (United States of america) from 2017-2021. at the initiation of Trump administration, the genocide, civil wars, economic, religious including firing up the hate-crimes, racism, raising islamophobia and religious indifferences, gender inequality and many more dissonances which steeped up as Trump incited sitting in the White House. Furthermore, Trump had an absurd demeanor towards womenfolk, and he was charged multiple times for sexual misconducts. as under Trump’s jurisdiction, the americans for the first time had undergone a tyrant whose governance caused millions of deaths globally.

The biggest illustration of Trump’s emaciated policy was not giving a conclusion to kashmir issue when he had the chance. During Trump’s realm the enhancement of the militarization from both side skyrocketed especially in Jammu kashmir. The civilian mortality rate accelerated within Jammu kashmir due to blatant dealings of indian soldiers. Pak-US had suitable bilateral ties but Trump came under the spell of indian mockery and stubbornness of indian officials. Simultaneously, the rising of the Corona-Virus pandemic barely let kashmiris to get international Media and Organizational attentions but kashmiris were suppressed and executed who rioted against indian army. The second conflict which came to its extreme during Trump rule was Nagorno-karabakh (armenia-azharbaijan) war. according to the report of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) hat more than 2,783 soldiers of azharbaijan died during the fight including nearly 100 are still missing. approximately 2,425 armenian personals lost their lives, and more approximately 143 civilians too diced. as a result, the war entirely costed over 5,000 deaths. For the sack of peace, nearly 2,000 Russian peacemakers were deployed. So, the armenian forces withdrew on 25 November, and the areas were recaptured by azharbaijan. However, these both countries have been nurturing themselves harmoniously since 1988 but during Trump’s regime the conflict became the fountainhead producing a war, because the USa intelligence could have sniffed the war’s scent from a very huge distance and could have ceased it even before its inception but he did not bother to stop it.

Trump also gave birth to racism. While on May 25, the Minneapolis police detained George Floyed (a hip-hop artist) who was beaten and murdered under police custody by the police officials. The incident enraged the sentiments of black residents, and they started a riot including a campaign (Black lives Matter) which consisted of more than 20 to 26 million people. Owing to the protest, the government implemented curfew in more than 30 states of the United States. according to a research of Pew Research Center that over 67% of american expressed the support for black civilians and for the safeguard of the black people. according to an estimation in recent five years there has been a rapid accentuation in hate-crimes and the religious indifferences especially islamophobia within the States. Such irrationalities have made the survival of the Muslims in the Western countries, very miserable even in some places they are beaten and lead to death. Such trends are inspired by some anti-islamic foundations including misinformation experts, validators, grassroots organizations, and even some anti-islamic politician who leave no stone unturned in bothering Muslims. mEHraj altaf HErronk

Renaming K2 aS a tribute to Pakistan’s best known mountaineer, who died on the k2, returning from the summit after conquering it, we should rename the k2, which is a silly name for a mountain as “Mount Sadpara” The GB assembly needs to listen to public acclamation of ali Sadpara and pass a resolution to this effect. moHIb aSad ISlamabad

Teen depression THROUGH the column of your newspaper i would like to express my view on the problem of depression among teenagers. Teen depression is becoming a very serious social health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest and disappointments in the activities of life. it affects how teenagers think, feel, and behave, it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. although depression is becoming very common in every teenager, the level of depression can increase in teenagers due to different things like over expectations, academic problems, peer problems, family background,and the concept of class difference can also be the reason for depression among teenagers. We need to inform people about this problem through different means of communication like print and electronic media and try to find the way that how we can overcome the level of depression among teenagers. naIla WazIr baltIStan

Friday, 19 February, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

Facebook is well wiThin iTs righTs To ban news conTenT IT SEEMS FACEBOOK THINKS IT’S BIGGER AND MIGHTIER THAN THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

independent

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Chris stokel-Walker

funny thing happened in Australia: millions of people were cut off from vital sources of information.

According to Facebook, only around four per cent of all content viewed on the site’s news feed by Australians is journalism. But for many who are staying away from shops or have shunned physical newspapers, the morning scroll through Facebook was their main way of keeping up to date with the news. Globally, around one in four inbound visitors to news websites come through social media platforms like Facebook.

The ban on news content was put into force by Facebook after testy, months-long bickering with politicians in Australia over a planned levy on linking to journalism.

Politicians, having seen the free press routed by the rise of online advertising, which takes a vital funding source away from newspapers, decided it was time for the two biggest offenders – Facebook and Google – to pay something back.

The law, as proposed, would require sites like Facebook and Google to enter negotiations with news publishers about compensating them for using their content in their search results, and as fodder for their news feed. Politicians didn’t cap the amount publishers could theoretically ask for.

Google folded, but Facebook followed through on its threat to pull the plug on news content in Australia.

What the mass media blackout – which is being subverted by Australians posting screenshots to news stories they want to talk about on the platform, rather than linking out to them – has done is expose the challenges inherent in tech: the rise of too-big-to-fail, too-big-to-bring-to-heel platforms.

Australia’s tech law is objectively bad, even if you think that Facebook is the worst thing in the world and Mark Zuckerberg is a money-hoovering devil trying to eke out as much ad revenue as possible from discerning our tastes by scouring the family photographs we post to his platform. It’s drawn so badly as to give Facebook a semi-rational excuse to have banned vital pages, including

the health department of Queensland state.

“As the law does not provide clear guidance on the definition of news content, we have taken a broad definition in order to respect the law as drafted,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. “however, we will reverse any pages that are inadvertently impacted.” It’s an augur of what could come elsewhere. Australia is just the farthest along in drafting and implementing its legislation designed to throttle the power of the social media giants, years after it would have been any use. The UK has its online harms legislation curdling into a messy miasma of overregulation drawn up by people who have little understanding of how these things work. The european Union keeps brandishing the stick of legislation, while the United States’ recent antitrust hearings were designed to skewer Facebook and others.

The last two decades of the world wide web – the rise of hate speech, the election of Donald Trump, the increase in political polarisation, fuelled by the platforms we use every day – have shown us that platforms cannot police themselves. But currently,

Iran drops the fig leaf of its nuclear fatwa ALAVI’S COMMENTS SUGGEST THE REGIME IS TESTING OUT A NEW RATIONALE FOR ITS NUCLEAR POLICY

BlooMBerG

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BoBBY Ghosh

S red herrings go, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s “fatwa,” or religious ruling, against nukes has grown funky with age. But that hasn’t stopped officials in Tehran from airing it when convenient, or kept their counterparts in Washington from breathing it in.

First floated in 2003, the fatwa surfaced again this week when Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said Iran would develop a nuclear weapon if the U.S. and other Western nations kept up economic and political pressure on the regime. “The supreme leader clearly said in his fatwa that producing nuclear weapons is against religious law and the Islamic Republic will not pursue it and considers it forbidden,” Alavi said on state TV. “But [if] they push Iran in that direction, it would not be Iran’s fault but the fault of those who pushed Iran.”

This is only the latest of Tehran’s attempts to pressure the Biden administration into lifting the sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump. It comes amid speculation about how long it would take Iran to build a nuclear weapon — a matter of weeks, six months or up to two years, depending on who’s speculating.

The Biden administration has, rightly, expressed alarm at the intelligence minister’s comments. Alavi’s threat represents a significant escalation in Iran’s rhetoric around its nuclear program. But he may also have done the U.S. a service by dispensing with the fiction that the program was governed by religious decree.

Until now, the regime has maintained it could not and would not pursue nukes because Khamenei has declared them un-Islamic. The supreme leader himself has repeated that assertion, invoking the Arabic word “haram,” or religiously forbidden. In turn, American officials have taken comfort in Khamenei’s fatwa, arguing that the religious decree demonstrated his real attitude toward nuclear weapons. It was cited by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry in the lead up to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers. Administration officials briefing journalists at the time suggested the fatwa would allow the government of President hassan Rouhani to sell

the deal to hard-liners in the regime, who wanted Iran to build nuclear weapons.

But the Obama team imbued the fatwa with far more import than it merited. The decree was always more political than religious – designed to provide cover for whatever nuclear course was expedient for Tehran at any given time.

Khamenei only issued the decree after Iran was caught in the act: Its clandestine nuclearweapons program, developed with Russian assistance, was exposed in 2002. The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq the following year brought home to Tehran the risk of pursuing weapons of mass destruction. Rather than admit he was backing down in fear, Khamenei used the fatwa as a fig leaf — a post facto justification for suspending the program. Since then, the fatwa has been deployed by Iranian officials to allay Western suspicions that the program may have been revived.

But not all religious decrees are carved in stone, and Iran’s supreme leaders have a history of making 180-degree turns on what is or isn’t un-Islamic. Sometimes, this is to the good: The Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, dropped his objections to women’s suffrage after the 1979 revolution.

At other times, the volte-face leads to tragedy.

Khomeini frequently fulminated against WMDs and especially chemical weapons — the kind that killed thousands of Iranians during the 1980-1988 war with Iraq. But Iran continued to develop its own chemical weapons capability, even after it ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. And it helped Syria’s dictator, Bashar alAssad, to develop the chemical weapons he unleashed on his own people. The nuclear-weapons fatwa is similarly fungible. If religious considerations didn’t prevent Iran from seeking a nuclear arsenal before 2003, they do not now and will not in the future. In this as in so much else, Iran’s behavior has been guided by how far it can go until international pressure becomes unbearable.

Alavi’s comments suggest the regime is testing out a new rationale for its nuclear policy: The U.S. and its allies are forcing us to build the Bomb. This is risible, of course, but no more so than the idea that the Islamic Republic has until now been restrained by Islam. As it prepares to reengage Iran in diplomacy, the Biden team should cast off the Obama administration’s credulity on this score. It can be grateful to the intelligence minister for dropping the fatwa fig leaf.

Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist.

politicians can’t police them effectively, either.

More worryingly, Facebook, Twitter and their ilk have found themselves in an odd, unenviable position: the overwhelming majority of people who use these platforms, including the media outlets that have repeatedly overhauled their business models, firing and rehiring journalists in a variety of specialisms to please the sites’ algorithms, believe they are public spaces. Yet they’re not. They’re privately owned.

It’s akin to finding out Speaker’s Corner is gone from hyde Park because the expanse isn’t a public space, but has in fact been owned by a giant development company that doesn’t like the tone of your complaints about the litter, no longer likes what you say, and doesn’t want to host you anymore.

Platforms like Facebook are technically well within their rights to boot publishers who refuse to play ball from their servers, though in doing so they perpetuate the lie that they’re still small, independent businesses, rather than hulking monoliths that have grown to take on a quasi-official role

in our lives. But it is an ugly example of brinksmanship in the messy squabble over what role social media platforms play in our society that has been ongoing for years.

What will be particularly interesting to see play out in the coming weeks and months is where the balance of power really lies.

Doom-mongering journalists like me, worried about the overreach and overreliance on platforms like Facebook, have long warned that they are becoming more powerful than governments. They hold the strings, and the politicians dance like puppets to secure their jobs. Politicians have long professed they’re in charge, and they can bring platforms to heel.

Facebook seems not to think so.

With this move, it seems Facebook thinks it’s bigger and mightier than the Australian government. Whether it’d be so cavalier in calling the bluff of the American president, or a european community of 450 million people, is a hypothetical question that could become a real one sooner rather than later.

Regulation as currently drawn isn’t working, and big tech is preemptively trying to tank it. But it’s desperately needed. The challenge – and the concern – is that the current crop of politicians who will finally tame big tech are among the least digitally literate we could possibly have.

Rivalry heats up between IDF, Mossad chiefs STATEMENTS ON IRAN IN RECENT WEEKS HAVE LAID BARE AN INTENSIFYING RIVALRY BETWEEN IDF CHIEF OF STAFF AVIV KOCHAVI AND MOSSAD CHIEF YOSSI COHEN

Al-Monitor

T

Mazal MualeM

he tense relationship between Israel’s top soldier and its top spy is well known in senior security circles. The head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, and Mossad director Yossi Cohen disagree professionally from time to time and many believe they are undeclared rivals for the prime minister’s job down the line.

On Jan. 26, Kochavi leveled an unusually harsh broadside at the new US administration’s possible return to the nuclear deal with Iran. At the annual conference of the Institute for National Strategic Studies, a prestigious platform for defense-related issues, he also revealed that he had instructed the military to prepare several operational blueprints in addition to existing ones to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “The government will of course be the one to decide if they should be used. But these plans must be on the table, in existence and trained for,” he added.

Kochavi’s comments spread like wildfire, the news leading all the news broadcasts and websites that the IDF chief had attacked a declared White house policy a mere week after a new administration took office and against the backdrop of the tense relations between the new president and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In leftist political circles, Kochavi was accused of politicizing the army and trying to curry favor with Netanyahu by adopting his hawkish position on the issue. Kochavi was suddenly a player in the turbulent political arena.

One unattributed reaction stood out in the media storm, criticizing Kochavi for his attack at such a sensitive time in US-Israel relations. The identity of the unnamed security source was an open secret — none other than the head of the Mossad. Cohen is the security figure closest to Netanyahu, serving as his foreign policy arm, quasi-foreign minister and envoy on Iran. Cohen is known to hold hawkish views on Iran, just like his boss. Why, then, did he blast Kochavi?

The one-word answer is turf. Cohen apparently disliked Kochavi making the headlines and usurping his top position on Iran and undermining him. he struck back with a personal attack that went far beyond professional criticism that could have been voiced behind closed doors. If anyone was going to talk about Iran publicly, it would be him; Kochavi’s remarks were a challenge to his political ambitions. Cohen, with five years as Israel’s top spymaster under his belt, makes no bones about his own dreams of stepping into Netanyahu’s shoes one day. Asked by a reporter covering the September 2020 signing of the Abraham Accords at the White house about his plans, Cohen replied, “I have not decided yet. There is still time.”

The emerging rivalry between Cohen and Kochavi takes on special meaning against the backdrop of a severe political crisis is Israel. The Kochavi-Cohen tiff provided substantial fodder for defense and political pundits. Cohen is believed to hold right-wing views, while Kochavi is thought to lean to the center-left. however, both men are still in office and the law imposes a three-year cooling off period before they can seek high office.

This period could be shortened should Israel hold more than one election during those three years.

Of the two, Kochavi is the milder and less publicly known. he is considered an introverted but also target-oriented and ambitious figure who set his sights on the IDF’s leadership as a young officer. he is an amateur painter and the first-ever vegetarian IDF head. his conduct is solid, a fact that makes some people wonder whether he has the required “killer instinct” to fight for the leadership of the government. Cohen has all the necessary qualities in spades. he is well aware of the

media’s impact and is skilled at using it, he enjoys the limelight and does not seem perturbed by being labeled “the model” for his good looks and elegant attire.

In an unusual leaked comment a few years ago, Netanyahu mentioned Cohen as one of two potential successors, the other being his ambassador in Washington at the time, Ron Dermer. Cohen’s relations with Netanyahu are very close. he is privy to Netanyahu’s diplomatic and security plans, serving as his envoy to the Gulf states and as his man in Washington under new President Joe Biden. he is Netanyahu’s most trusted aide. he was instrumental in Israel’s acquiescence to the US F-35 sales to the emirates, as well as in Netanyahu’s recent secret meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israel’s normalization agreements with Muslim and Arab states. Whereas Cohen had a seat at almost every table, Kochavi was excluded from the room, along with his boss, Netanyahu’s political foe Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Cohen displays natural political abilities, an easy charm and people skills, all important attributes for a politician. he is also one of Netanyahu’s best students. he has seen up close how the master politician extricates himself from impossible political and diplomatic situations, politically eliminates rivals and sees into the future. Cohen is highly sophisticated, familiar with Netanyahu’s weaknesses and realizes that any overly independent move on his part could be viewed as a challenge and result in exile.

According to a political source who has working contacts with Cohen and spoke on condition of anonymity, “he has seen Netanyahu land an ax so many times on anyone who dared raise their heads and challenge him politically. he knows that in this arena, Netanyahu is the best in the game. Being a natural born politician, he will bide his time and avoid any move that could be interpreted as disloyal.”

Kochavi displayed confidence and courage in his comments on Iran. he projects power with both his uniform and his understated charisma. Cohen seems to have learned from Netanyahu how to strike at potential rivals as soon as they pop up.

Friday, 19 February, 2021

BUSINESS 09

KARACHI corporate corner Indus motor launches ‘toyota Smart Purchase’ portal KARACHI: A A Indus Motor Company (IMC) has introduced the Toyota Smart Purchase portal that allows customers the experience of making an on-line purchase from the company’s diverse product line up, sans a dealership visit. IMC CEO Ali Asghar Jamali observed, “The one-stop Toyota Smart Purchase promises to take shopping to a whole new level. Customers now have the luxury of shopping for their favourite Toyota from the safety and comfort of their homes or workplaces, placing their order in four easy steps. Keeping customers convenience foremost, is fundamental to Toyota’s Customer First principle. The Covid-19 outbreak has completely altered the way we think and creating the new normal through kaizen and smart use of technology is the need of the hour.” PRESS RELEASE

Jazz further strengthens market leadership, continues to drive digital ecosystem KARACHI: A A Jazz has further strengthened its market leadership and continues to drive the digital ecosystem in Pakistan. In the 4th quarter of 2020, Jazz’s overall subscriber base grew by 9.8pc year-over-year (YoY) to 66.4 million, 4G customer base grew by 61pc to 25 million, whereas the overall data users grew by 13.4pc to 44 million. Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, said, “Our performance this quarter is reflective of the trust our customers have in us. Growth in 4G users and rising data demands show that Pakistan is digital-ready; however, we need to do more in connecting the underserved to fast, reliable 4G and equip them with the digital tools necessary for a robust and inclusive digital ecosystem.” PRESS RELEASE

KARACHI: A A Decagon Pakistan Pvt Ltd (Golootlo) has entered into an agreement with BankIslami, which will allow the bank’s PayPak debit card customers to seamlessly access Golootlo discounts nationwide as part of the PayPak Loyalty Program. PR

KARACHI: A A With a resolute vision set ahead to promote Proton – the Malaysian automobile manufacturer in Pakistan, Alhaj Automotive Private Limited, recently roped in flamboyant all-rounder and former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, Shahid Khan Afridi, as its corporate brand ambassador. PR

After GI tAG for BASmAtI, PAkIStAn Set to reGISter PInk SAlt AS locAl Product ISLAMABAD

A

GHULAM ABBAS

FTER the registration of Geographical Indications (GI) for Basmati rice, Pakistan has now decided to register pink salt as its GI product in order to stop India from registering the same as Himalayan salt.

As Pakistan is already fighting a case regarding the GI tagging of Basmati rice against India in the European Union, Islamabad fears that Delhi may register pink salt as its GI product the same way it did regarding Basmati rice.

According to details, officials of the Ministry of Commerce held a meeting with the office bearers of Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO)-Pakistan on Thursday; wherein it was decided that government will register pink salt under the Geographical Indications Act, 2020. The meeting, chaired by Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Razak Dawood, also had IPO Chairman Mujeeb Ahmed Khan

in attendance.

During the meeting, the officials deliberated upon potential products for GI registration so as to curb the unauthorised use of Pakistani products by other countries.

“After the registration of rice, we have decided that pink salt from the salt range mountains of Pakistan will be registered as GI,” the adviser stated following the meeting, adding that this move will encourage and motivate local producers to expand their business at a global level.

“For this purpose, a registrant will be designated with the approval of the federal cabinet,” he said. “At the same time, other products [for GI registration] will be pursued on a priority basis.”

He urged the business community to identify products that could be registered as GI in order to protect them from global exploitation.

Reiterating the importance of GI registration of various products, Dawood said that the registration of GI products will serve as a potential economic tool to

ECC likely to abolish Neelum-Jhelum surcharge from electricity bills The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet is likely to accord approval for the abolishment of the 10-paisa per unit Neelum-Jhelum surcharge from electricity bills, after 13 years.

In this regard, the ECC would meet under the chair of Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Friday to mull over an eight-point agenda.

According to local media reports, the surcharge was added in the electricity bills for the construction of the Neelum Jhelum Hydro Power Plant in 2008 and was being charged even after the completion of the hydropower project in 2018.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Parliament’s sub-committee on energy had already recommended abolishing the surcharge.

The surcharge was imposed in 2007 for part financing of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project with a sunset clause of Dec 31, 2015 — the completion target of the project started at the time with an estimated cost of Rs130bn. It was envisaged that half of

the financing would be generated through this surcharge on every unit of electricity sold to consumers in eight years.

The cost of the 969-megawatt run of the river project in Azad Kashmir, however, kept on increasing and was completed in 2018 at about Rs500bn.

The 10-paisa per unit surcharge was extended for one year and another 18 months until July 1, 2018, but has continued until now.

Additionally, the meeting would also approve a supplementary grant for the Special Communications Organisation (SCO) on the recommendation of the Ministry for IT and Telecom whereas the issue of paying dues owed by Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) to a German company is likely to be solved with the payments likely to be approved. Moreover, the ECC would also mull over approval of communication support for the Ehsaas Programme and the formation of a committee to solve matters relating to excessive taxation in the telecom sector. NEWS DESK

Textile exports jump 10.8pc in January ISLAMABAD: The export of textile commodities increased 10.79pc year-on-year to $1,323.324 million during the month of January 2021, as against $1,194.463 million in the same month of last year.

On a month-on-month basis, however, exports from the country decreased 5.54pc in January 2021 when compared with $1,400.269 million in December 2020, data issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics revealed.

Overall, the export of textile commodities increased 8.23pc during the first seven months (July-Jan) of the current fiscal year (FY21) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.

Textile exports were recorded at $8,765.739 million in 7MFY21

against the exports of $8,099.095 million in 7MFY20.

Among top performing commodities, knitwear exports increased 18.74pc (from $1,831.758 million last year to $2,175.021 million); yarn exports (other than cotton yarn) inched up 4.63pc (from $16.286 million to $17.040 million); bed wear exports rose 16.38pc (from $1392.020 to $1,613.509), while towel exports increased 19.91pc (from $444.685 million to $533.207 million).

Similarly, the export of tents, canvas and trapline grew 48.95pc (from $49.611 million to $73.897 million); readymade garments 5.48pc (from $1,680.897 million to $1,773.054 million); art, silk and synthetic textile 0.45pc (from $199.790 million to

$200.687 million); while export of made up articles (excluding towels and bed wear) increased 18.01pc (from $378.680 million to $446.878 million).

On the other hand, commodities that witnessed a negative export trend included raw cotton, exports of which declined 96.27pc (from $15.885 million to $0.593 million).Likewise, cotton yarn exports decreased 23.97pc (from $639.770 to $486.426), whereas cotton cloth exports dropped 8.63pc (from $1,188.990 million to $1,086.333).

It is pertinent to mention that the country's merchandize exports increased 5.53pc during the first seven months of FY21 as compared to the corresponding period of last year. APP

promote and enhance national and international trade of Pakistan.

In Pakistan, GI law can protect products including Hunza apricots, Charsadda (Peshawari) chappal, Multani halwa, Hala’s Ajrak, Sargodha’s kinnow, Kasuri methi, Sindhri mango, Dir knives, Swat wild mushrooms, Nili-Ravi buffalo, Chaman grapes, dates from Dera Ismail Khan, Turbat and Khairpur, Pashmina shawls, etc.

According to documents available with this scribe, geographical indication is a broad term that includes indications of source and appellations of origin.

An indication of source means any expression or sign used to indicate that a product or service originates in a country, region, or location where the product originated, such as ‘Made in Pakistan’.

The terms of registration for an authorised user of a geographical indication will be for a period of 10 years from the date of filing of an application for registration. This exclusive right over the use of GI will be extendable for another 10 years.

SBP reserves drop $59m to $12.8bn The foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) fell 0.45pc on a weekly basis, according to data released by the central bank on Thursday. On February 12, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $12,889.7 million, down $59 million compared with $12,949.1 million in the previous week. The central bank attributed the decrease to external debt repayments. Overall, liquid foreign currency reserves held by the country, including net reserves held by banks other than the SBP, stood at $20,058.6 million. Net reserves held by banks amounted to $7,168.9 million. NEWS DESK

South African envoy eyes $1bn trade with Pakistan RAWALPINDI: South Africa's High Commissioner Methuthuzeli Madikiza has said that his country considers Pakistan an important market for trade cooperation and is keen to further enhance the volume of bilateral trade. The high commissioner expressed these views during his visit to the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) on Thursday. He was accompanied by Deputy head of Mission and Political Consular Christo Janse Van Noordwyk. RCCI President Muhammad Nasir Mirza, Senior Vice President Usman Ashraf, Vice President Shahraiz A Malik and members of the executive committee were also present on the occasion. The high commissioner said that Pakistan is the 14th biggest exporter to South Africa, which calls for the need to further strengthen trade relations between the two countries. He said that the volume of bilateral trade could increase to $1 billion in the next few years if cooperation and joint ventures can be initiated in including tourism, agriculture, services and pharmaceutical sectors. The high commissioner offered RCCI to organise its annual achievements awards in Cape Town and also accepted the invitation to participate in Build Expo 2021 being organized by the chamber. Earlier, Nasir Mirza briefed the high commissioner about the ongoing activities and future programmes of the chamber. TLTP

MARKET DAILY

PSX bleeds 625 points amid selling pressure KARACHI STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: A A A Pakistan Japan Business Forum (PJBF) Chairman Kalim Farooqui recently held a dinner reception at his residence to mark 20 years of PJBF’s formation, where Japanese Ambassador Kuninori Matsuda and President Dr Arif Alvi were also present. PR

KARACHI: A A Greenstar Social Marketing (GSM) has signed a strategic collaboration with Muller & Phipps (M&P) Pakistan, one of the leading international distributing house, to continue to serve as logistics partner. PR

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a bearish trend on Thursday amid heavy selling, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding 625.40 points (-1.34pc) to close at 46,142.74 points.

The KSE-100 Index traded in a range of 696.91 points, registering its intraday high at 46,817.51 and a low of 46,120.6. It finally settled at 46,142.74 points.

Among other indices, the KSE All Share Index lost 288.86 points (-0.9pc) to close at 31,759.82 points, while All Share Islamic Index dropped 222.1 (0.95pc), ending at 23,052.28 points.

A total of 412 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, of which shares of 140 closed up, 250 closed down while those of 22 companies re-

mained unchanged. All share volume decreased by 123.81 million shares to 577.95 million shares, while market capitalisation decreased by Rs75.98 billion. Total trades decreased by 33,278 to 171,629, while value traded dropped

by Rs5.30 billion to Rs23.20 billion.

Among scrips, DSL topped the volumes with 58.6 million shares, followed by TELE (34.3 million) and KEL (29.3 million).

Sector wise, the index was let down by commercial banks with 247 points, cement with 83 points, fertilizer with 74 points, oil & gas exploration companies with 68 points and oil & gas marketing companies with 55 points. The most points taken off the index was by HBL which stripped the index of 91 points followed by ENGRO with 58 points, PSO with 52 points, LUCK with 44 points and MCB with 41 points.

CMYK

Sectors propping up the index were refinery with 6 points, glass & ceramics with 5 points, insurance with 3 points, automobile parts & accessories with 2 points and cable & electrical goods with one point. The most points added to the index was by ANL which contributed 10 points followed by GHGL with 5 points, AICL with 4 points, THALL with 3 points and KTML with 3 points.

Analysts at Arif Habib Limited said that the market saw aggressive selling during the day after a spate of financial result announcements which had consistent earnings but declared lesser dividends than anticipated.

Banking sector saw major attrition; however, profit booking was also observed in cement, O&GMCs and E&P sectors. Market on close saw intense selling in the banking sector. Important results announced during the session in-

cluded ENGRO, PSO, MEBL, but ended the session at a low ebb due to the general disappointment.

According to other analysts, major despair in the trading floor was caused by the performance of the banking sector, especially after Meezan Bank and Faysal Bank announced their results.

The trading activity was also influenced by the financial results of ENGRO, PSO, and MARI, all of which were announced during the day.

Another major highlight for the session was Dost Steels Limited, as it topped the volumes with 58.6 million shares after Crescent Star Insurance Limited addressed different queries, particularly by the members of DSL, to clarify that it is not in possession of any material information, and nor is aware of any ongoing restructuring/acquisition deals as rumoured.

Friday, 19 February, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

KARACHI

FAceBooK BlocKS AUStrAlIAnS From AcceSSInG newS on plAtForm CANBERRA

F

AGENCIES

ACEBOOK announced Thursday it has blocked Australians from viewing and sharing news on the platform because of proposed laws in the country to make digital giants pay for journalism.

Australian publishers can continue to publish news content on Facebook, but links and posts cannot be viewed or shared by Australian audiences, the US-based company said in a statement.

Australian users cannot share Australian or international news.

International users outside Australia also cannot share Australian news.

“The proposed law fundamentally mis-

understands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” Facebook regional managing director William Easton said.

“It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia.

With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter,” Easton added.

The announcement comes a day after Treasurer Josh Frydenberg described as “very promising” negotiations between Facebook and Google with Australian media companies.

Frydenberg said after weekend talks with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and SundarPichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google, he was con-

India to test travellers from Brazil, South Africa, UK after detecting new virus strains NEW DELHI

vinced that the platforms “do want to enter into these commercial arrangements.”

Frydenberg said he had had a “constructive discussion” with Zuckerberg after Facebook blocked Australian news.

“He raised a few remaining issues with the Government’s news media bargaining code and we agreed to continue our conversation to try to find a pathway forward,” Frydenberg tweeted.

But communications Minister Paul Fletcher said the government would not back down on its legislative agenda.

“This announcement from Facebook, if they were to maintain this position, of course, would call into question the credibility of the platform in terms of the news on it,” Fletcher told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

“Effectively Facebook is saying to Australians information that you see on our platforms does not come from organisations that have editorial policies or fact-checking processes or journalists who are paid to do the work they do,” Fletcher added.

The Australian Parliament is debating proposed laws that would make the two platforms strike deals to pay for Australian news.

The Senate will consider the draft laws after they were passed by the House of Representatives late Wednesday.

Both platforms have condemned the proposed laws as unworkable. Google has also threatened to remove its search engine from the country.

But Google is striking pay deals with Australian news media companies under its

own News Showcase model.

Seven West Media on Monday became the largest Australian news media business to strike a deal with Google to pay for journalism.

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. has since announced a wide-ranging deal.

Rival Nine Entertainment is reportedly close to its own pact and ABC is also in negotiations. News plays a larger part in Google’s business model than it does in Facebook’s. Easton said the public would ask why the platforms were responding differently to the proposed law that would create an arbitration panel to set a price for news in cases where the platforms and news businesses failed to agree.

“The answer is because our platforms have fundamentally different relationships with news,” Easton said.

Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute’s Centre for Responsible Technology think tank, said Facebook’s decision “will make it a weaker social network.”

“Facebook actions mean the company’s failures in privacy, disinformation, and data protection will require a bigger push for stronger government regulation,” Lewis said. “Without fact-based news to anchor it, Facebook will become little more than cute cats and conspiracy theories.”

Protesters out again in Myanmar, police use water cannon in capital NAYPYITAW

AGENCIES

AGENCIES

India will make Covid-19 molecular tests mandatory for people arriving directly or indirectly from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil in a bid to contain the spread of more infectious virus variants found in those countries.

India, which has reported the highest number of overall Covid-19 cases after the United States, detected the South African variant in four people last month and the Brazilian one in one person this month. The government has said the South African and Brazilian strains can more easily infect a person’s lungs than the UK mutation. India has so far reported 187 cases of infection with the UK variant. The government late on Wednesday said airlines would be required from next week to segregate inbound travellers from those countries. India does not have direct flights with Brazil and South Africa, and most people travelling from these countries generally transit through Middle Eastern airports. “All the travellers arriving from/transiting through flights originating in United Kingdom, Europe or the Middle East shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival,” India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement. All flyers will also have to carry a recent Covid-negative report before boarding any flight to India, except in extraordinary circumstances like a death in a family. India has so far reported about 11 million coronavirus cases and more than 155,000 deaths.

Cases have come down sharply since a mid-September peak of nearly 100,000 a day. A government serological survey released this month, however, said nearly 300 million of India’s 1.35 billion people may already have been infected by the virus.

Protesters demonstrated across Myanmar again on Thursday to denounce the February 1 military coup and arrest of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and police forcefully dispersed crowds, using water cannon in the capital and catapults in a northern town.

The daily protests and strikes that have paralysed many government offices show no sign of easing even though the junta has promised a new election and appealed for civil servants to return to work, threatening action if they do not.

“I don’t want to wake up in a dictatorship. We don’t want to live the rest of our lives in fear,” said KoSoe Min, who was out in the main city of Yangon where tens of thousands took to the streets a day after some of the biggest protests yet.

Big crowds returned to Yangon’s central Sule Pagoda while many young people also massed at another favourite protest site, at an intersection near the main university campus, spilling into the streets as police tried to move them on.

The marches have been more peaceful than the bloodily suppressed demonstrations seen during an earlier half century of army rule, but they and the civil disobedience movement have had a crippling effect on much official business.

Many motorists in Yangon drove at a snail’s pace in a show of opposition to the coup, a day after many pretended to be broken down to block police and army vehicles.

In the second-biggest city, Mandalay, protesters

rallied to demand the release of two officials arrested in the coup. Police fired water cannon in the capital, Naypyitaw, to scatter a crowd approaching police lines. The northern town of Myitkyina was tense after police and soldiers used catapults to break up a protest, a resident said. Pictures on social media showed soldiers and rows of police trucks.

“They’re not acting in line with the constitution nor rule of law. They are acting like terrorists,” said activist Sut Seng Htoi. Police were not available for comment.

In the old capital of Bagan, people with banners and flags marched in colourful processions against a backdrop of ancient temples. Some protesters stopped at a temple to put a curse on dictators, a witness said.

TRYING TO END CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: Putting an end to the civil disobedience campaign appears to be the military government’s priority.

Late on Wednesday, the junta issued arrest warrants against six celebrities, including film directors, actors and a singer, under an anti-incitement law, for encouraging civil servants to join the protest.

The charges can carry a two-year prison sentence.

“It’s amazing to see the unity of our people. People’s power must return to the people,” actor Lu Min, who was on the junta’s ‘wanted list’, posted on his Facebook page.

The military says a majority of people back its actions. The takeover and arrests have drawn strong Western criticism with the United States and Britain among countries that have announced or threatened sanctions.

China has taken a softer line while neighbours

Singapore and Indonesia have proposed regional dialogue. Singapore also urged that violence not be used against civilians.

“In particular, live rounds should not be fired on unarmed civilians under any circumstances,” Singapore’s foreign ministry cited its minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, as saying. Police have fired rubber bullets several times. One protester was shot in the head in Naypyitaw last week and is being kept on life support, but doctors say she is not expected to survive.

The army says that one policeman died of injuries sustained in a protest.

The army said on its Facebook page forces were providing security across the country to “make sure people have tranquillity and sound sleep”.

Halting Myanmar’s tentative transition towards democracy, the army took power after the electoral commission rejected its accusations of fraud in a November 8 election won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. Opponents of the coup are deeply sceptical of junta promises to hand over power after a new election, for which no date has yet been set.

Suu Kyi, detained since the coup, faces a charge of violating a Natural Disaster Management Law as well as charges of illegally importing six walkie talkie radios. Her next court appearance has been set for March 1. Suu Kyi, 75, spent nearly 15 years under house arrest for her efforts to bring democracy and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her struggle.

The number of people known to have been detained since the coup had reached 495 by Wednesday, of whom 460 were still being held, Myanmar’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said.

EU to impose sanctions on Russians over Navalny by March summit, diplomats say BRUSSELS AGENCIES

The European Union is set to impose travel bans and asset freezes on allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, possibly in the run-up to an EU summit, after a meeting of envoys gave approval for punitive measures, diplomats said.

Reuters reported on February 11 that the sanctions, in response to the jailing of Putin’s main domestic critic Alexei Navalny, could be the first to be imposed under a new EU framework that was enacted in December and allows the bloc to take measures against human rights violators worldwide.

“I expect additional sanctions to be in place before the EU summit in March,” said a senior EU diplomat, referring to the March 2526 gathering of the bloc’s 27 leaders in Brussels. EU foreign ministers meet on March 22.

A meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday showed broad support for sanctions, with countries including Sweden, Germany, France, Poland and Baltic countries all calling for the travel bans and asset freezes.

There was no discussion of halting the huge Nord Stream II gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, however, despite calls from some EU members for it to be targeted with sanctions. It was not immediately clear if powerful

business elites, known as oligarchs, would be targeted, as Navalny’s supporters want.

Pressure for sanctions has grown since Moscow infuriated European countries on February 5 by expelling German, Polish and Swedish diplomats without telling the EU’s foreign policy chief, who was in Moscow for a visit. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the EU an “unreliable partner” during a news conference, which EU lawmakers say aimed to humiliate Brussels.

“Sanctions need to be soon, otherwise their impact is weakened,” a second senior EU diplomat said.

Some countries have put forward names of those they think should be subject to sanctions, but declined to give details out of concern potential targets could move assets out of European banks. The EU already imposed economic sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Last year it imposed travel bans and asset freezes on six Russian officials close to Putin over Navalny’s poisoning in August.

Moscow has denied blame for Navalny’s illness and says it has seen no proof he was poisoned. Navalny was detained after returning to Russia from Germany last month and jailed on February 2 for violating the parole terms on what he says was a politically motivated charge.

Georgia's prime minister resigns, opposition calls for early election MOSCOW AGENCIES

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced his resignation on Thursday, prompting celebrations from the opposition, which called for an early election.

Gakharia, who had held the post since 2019, said he was stepping down because of a disagreement with his own team over the detention of NikaMelia, a prominent opposition politician. “I believe that confrontation and rivalry within the country endanger the future of Georgia’s democratic and economic development,” Gakharia wrote on Twitter. “Therefore, I have announced my resignation in the hope of reducing polarisation and de-escalating the situation.” Gakharia had said that Melia’s detention was unacceptable if it threatened to fuel political divisions in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people. Melia, chairman of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party, had been accused of inciting violence at street protests in June 2019, a charge he has dismissed as politically motivated.

Friday, 19 February, 2021

SPORTS 11

KARACHI

australian oPen: dJokovic ends qualifier karatsev’s dream run to reach ninth final MELBOURNE

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aGeNCIeS

ORLD No 1 Novak Djokovic ended the dream run of Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev in the Australian Open semifinals Thursday to maintain his bid for a record-extending ninth title.

The 33-year-old Serb, showing no ill-effects from an abdomen injury sustained in the third round, overwhelmed the 114thranked Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to reach his 28th Grand Slam final.

Djokovic, 34, remains on course for his 18th Grand Slam trophy, nipping at the heels of rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who are on 20. Djokovic, who hasn’t been practising between matches because of his injury, said he hoped to train before the final.

“Probably more likely (to train) on Saturday,” he said. “Recovery is priority right now. I’m feeling the ball well and playing well.”

BUTTERFLY BATTLE: Moving sharper than he has since he was injured while playing Taylor Fritz, Djokovic lifted his intensity in his best performance of the tournament.

Karatsev, however, was not disgraced after becoming the first man in the Open era to reach a semi-final on his Grand Slam

debut, and just the second qualifier to do so at the Australian Open after Bob Giltinan in 1977. His magical run included wins over eighth seed Diego Schwartzmann, 20th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov, but came up short against the ultimate test. A wary Djokovic had predicted Karatsev would come out aggressively and he proved right with the underdog undaunted in a free-wheeling approach. Aside from being briefly menaced by a butterfly as he prepared to serve, Djokovic was not rattled and his defensive mastery suffocated Karatsev in the eighth game. He subsequently clinched the first set with an ace and then put the foot down to break to love.

Karatsev would not go away, almost wiping away Djokovic’s advantage before the eight-time champion held serve in a seesawing 10th game and celebrated with gusto.

Despite some service struggles, Djokovic continued was not to be denied to record his first straight-sets victory since an opening-round romp against Jeremy Chardy.

Journeyman Karatsev, who spent a chunk of his youth in Israel, Germany and Spain, and had failed on nine previous occasions to qualify for a Grand Slam tournament, is set to rocket to 42 on the ATP rankings.

Brady reaches first Grand slam final with win over muchova MELBOURNE aGeNCIeS American Jennifer Brady edged Karolina Muchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a tense Australian Open semi-final on Thursday to set up a title match with Naomi Osaka.

The big-serving 22nd seed secured her first Grand Slam final appearance on her fifth match point against the Czech 25th seed in front of thousands of fans allowed back on Rod Laver Arena after a snap five-day lockdown in Melbourne was lifted.

She will play Osaka in Saturday’s final after the world number three earlier ended Serena Williams’ bid for a record-equalling 24th major title 6-3, 6-4. Brady, 25, is the last player standing among those forced into a hard 14-day quarantine after arriving in Australia. Brady set up a rematch of last year’s epic US Open semi-final, where Japan’s Osaka prevailed in three sets.

“We had a tough match in the US Open, where she said it was one of her top two matches,” said Brady, who sports a 1-2 winloss record against Osaka. “I’ll be nervous but I’m going to be super-excited.” Compared to the blockbuster first semi-final, this was a surprise contest between first time Slam semi-finalist

Man City go 10 points clear with 3-1 win over Everton

Champions League: Dortmund come from behind to beat Sevilla MADRID aGeNCIeS

Erling Braut Haaland produced another deadly display of finishing with a firsthalf brace as Borussia Dortmund came from behind to beat Sevilla 3-2 in Spain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Suso’s deflected strike gave last season’s Europa League winners an early lead behind closed doors at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, but Mahmoud Dahoud soon equalised before Haaland took over.

The Norway phenomenon put Dortmund in front in the 27th minute and then scored again two minutes before half-time, the goals taking him to 25 in 24 appearances this season in all competitions. Still aged just 20, he has scored 18 times in just 13 Champions League appearances since the start of last season. Substitute Luuk de Jong’s late reply gave Sevilla cause for hope heading into the return leg on March 9, but Dortmund remain favourites to progress to the quarter-finals. Haaland, who also set up Dahoud’s equaliser, produced a performance, in the first half

Porto Punish sloPPy Juventus PORTO: Cristiano Ronaldo’s first game for Juventus in his native Portugal ended in 2-1 defeat as FC Porto out-played the Italians for much of Wednesday’s Champions League last-16, first leg tie. Such was Juve’s lacklustre performance that coach Andrea Pirlo claimed his team handed victory to their hosts on “a silver platter”. Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi put Porto ahead after just a minute at Estadio do Dragao following a Rodrigo Bentancur error. And Mali striker Moussa Marega added a second straight after the break. But Federico Chiesa pulled a goal back with eight minutes to go to keep Juventus afloat with the second leg in Turin on March 9. It was a below-par performance by Juventus, chasing their third Champions League title and first in 25 years. Record Champions League goal scorer Ronaldo, 36, drew a blank against a side captained by his Portuguese international teammate Pepe, as the visitors struggled to recover from their early blunder.

It was a shocking start for Juventus, with Wojciech Szczesny sending the ball out to Bentancur, who passed back to the Polish goalkeeper despite Taremi being just on front of goal. The Iranian quickly pounced to prod past Szczesny for his first Champions League goal. Porto pressed forward with Juventus almost conceding a second on 23 minutes as Szczesny cleared straight to Sergio Oliveira whose shot was deflected away from goal. To add to Andrea Pirlo’s woes captain Giorgio Chiellini limped off 10 minutes later with defender Merih Demiral coming off the bench. Pirlo had juggled Juve’s defence with Leonardo Bonucci out injured with Alex Sandro returning, playing alongside veteran Chiellini, Matthijs de Ligt and Danilo. Juve had to wait until four minutes before the break for their first shot on goal with an Adrien Rabiot overhead kick cleared by Porto ‘keeper Agustin Marchesin, but the offside flag had already been raised. The Italians suffered another terrible start to the second half with Marega picking up a Wilson Manafa cross to finish low past Szczęsny. Ronaldo had to wait until five minutes after the break to have a shot on goal. Weston McKennie nodded the ball into the path of the Portuguese star, whose weak effort was blocked. However, Chiesa pulled Juventus back into the tie following a Rabiot run down the right with a pull back for the Italian to finish off into the corner of the net. It was the first goal conceded by Porto in the competition at home this season for the former two-time winners. Ronaldo had penalty appeals waved away after going down under a Sanusi Zaidu challenge late as the hosts held on for their first win over Juventus in five meetings. aGeNCIeS

Muchova and Brady. The warm conditions were expected to suit Brady and she started fast with an early break, but Muchova settled her nerves and clawed back into the contest.

But a loose service game in the 10th game punctuated by a double fault handed Brady the first set. Having been in a similar predicament during her remarkable comeback quarter-final victory Wednesday over world number one Ashleigh Barty, a calm Muchova broke Brady to open the second set.

Muchova’s consistency and occasional charge to the net rattled an error-strewn Brady, who lost rhythm and relinquished her advantage. The momentum shifted again when Brady broke in the third game of the final set. Brady relied on her trusted serve to inch closer and on her second match point believed she had clinched victory, only to sink to her knees when her backhand was revealed to be long by just a couple of millimetres. A nervous Brady was forced to fend off three break points before finally booking a spot in her maiden Grand Slam final on her fifth match point, falling to the ground in euphoria.

Muchova’s previous best Grand Slam result was the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2019, the only time she had reached the second week of a Slam from eight attempts.

LONDON aGeNCIeS

at least, which showcased his remarkable strength, hold-up play and pace as well as his brilliant finishing.

NINE-GAME WINNING RUN ENDED: It was too much for a Sevilla side who had come into this tie with high hopes, having only been beaten by La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, away, in their previous 19 outings.

Lopetegui’s team had won their previous nine matches on the bounce and had kept seven straight clean sheets before the arrival of Dortmund and Haaland. Sevilla have won the Europa League or its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, an incredible six times since 2005, but only once have they got past the last 16 of the Champions League, when they beat Manchester United in 2018 before losing to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. The quality of Haaland was the difference here as Dortmund, having sunk to sixth in the Bundesliga on a poor run of form, came to life on their return to the Champions League.

Yet the game had started well for Sevilla, with Suso opening the scoring in the seventh minute, his shot deflecting in off Mats Hummels.

Dortmund drew level in the 19th minute as Haaland showed terrific strength to hold the ball up on the right before coming infield and feeding Dahoud, who worked his way into position to fire a superb shot high into net from just outside the area. It was the first goal Sevilla had conceded in more than 12 hours of football. And eight minutes later, they conceded again.

Haaland dropped deep, collecting possession near the halfway line, and then turned and charged towards goal, playing a pass to Jadon Sancho on the edge of the box and then continuing on to place the return ball past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. He struck again two minutes before half-time, slotting home first-time after Marco Reus had stolen the ball from the feet of Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez before bearing down on goal.

However, Sevilla dominated the second half as Dortmund sat back, and the hosts got a potentially crucial second goal six minutes from the end.

Oscar Rodriguez’s high, hanging free-kick was turned into the net by De Jong, giving them something to cling to.

CMYK

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said he expects Manchester City to cruise to the Premier League title after Pep Guardiola’s men opened up a 10point lead at the top of the table with a 3-1 win at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Riyad Mahrez scored the pick of the goals in between Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva’s strikes as City extended their English top-flight record winning run to 17 games.

Richarlison’s first-half equaliser was little consolation for seventh-placed Everton, who have now won just one of their last six league games to fall five points behind in the battle for a top-four finish.

This fixture was rearranged from late December due to a coronavirus outbreak affecting multiple players at City that threatened to derail their title challenge. Guardiola’s side were eighth in the table at the time, but have not dropped a point in their 10 league games since to streak clear of the chasing pack. The visitors were without the in-form Ilkay Gundogan due to a groin injury, while Kevin De Bruyne was fit to return from a hamstring problem but only for a late cameo appearance off the bench.

Sergio Aguero was also among the substitutes, but Gabriel Jesus has failed to make the most of his chance to shine in the absence of the

Argentine for most of the season and the Brazilian had another off night in front of goal as he blazed over an early chance.

When the deadlock was broken there was a hint of fortune to it as Foden’s shot deflected off Seamus Coleman to leave the helpless Jordan Pickford wrong-footed.

Ancelotti’s men had shown no attacking intent until conceding, but were immediately rewarded for pushing forward after falling behind as Lucas Digne’s shot came back off the post and ricocheted in off Richarlison.

A moment of the highest quality saw City restore their lead just after the hour mark.

Silva’s cushioned pass teed up Mahrez on the edge of the box and his sumptuous curling effort clipped the inside of the far post on its way into the net. The roles were reversed for the visitors’ third 13 minutes from time as Mahrez and Jesus picked out Silva on the edge of the box and his shot had too much power for Pickford..

At the other end of the table, Fulham missed the opportunity to close to within four points of survival as Burnley came back from a goal down to salvage a 1-1 draw. Both sides struck early in the second-half of a largely uneventful game as Ashley Barnes cancelled out Ola Aina’s opener for Fulham. A point for Fulham takes Newcastle’s advantage over the bottom three to six points, while Burnley remain eight points clear of the drop zone and edge up to 15th.

NCOC announces Covid-19 guidelines for HBL PSL matches ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has issued guidelines for spectators of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021, which starts from Saturday (tomorrow).

“The purpose of these guidelines is to outline the procedures and protocols in place at the proposed venues of HBL PSL 6 for 20 per cent spectators in attendance,” NCOC said in a statement.

“There will be basic health [symptoms] and temperature checks in place for spectators at every entry point. Should any person display symptoms while at the stadium, they will be directed toward the stadium hospital immediately and may be refused entry to the stadium,” it added.

The forum said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had built a five-bed temporary hospital, with doctors and paramedics, at both venues of the matches.

Tickets would be sold online and could be printed at home. People would sit two seats apart, wear masks and groups had to be members of the

same family. On February 4, the government allowed spectators inside cricket stadiums for the first time in the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the PCB confirmed it received permission from the government to allow 20 perc ent capacity crowds. “The decision means around 7,500 ticketed spectators will be allowed access inside the National Stadium (in Karachi) per match day, while around 5,500 will be able to attend each match day at the Gaddafi Stadium (in Lahore),” the statement said.

Last March, when the pandemic was shutting down global sports, four PSL matches were held in closed stadiums and the playoffs in Lahore postponed to November in an empty National Stadium in Karachi. The sixth PSL begins on Saturday (tomorrow) with Karachi hosting the first 20 games before the T20 competition moves to Lahore, which hosts the remaining 14 matches, including the final on March 22.

“These are baby steps and, considering that most sports events are being played in empty stadiums, this is a positive achievement,” PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said.

Friday, 19 February, 2021

prayer timings

NEWS

Next COvid vACCiNAtiON phASe tO begiN iN MArCh: SApM ISLAMABAD

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staff report

PECIAL Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has said that the country would begin its next vaccination phase in March upon the arrival of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine through the COVAX facility.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said: “According to our information, 2.8m doses will reach around March 2. This is very good news because we will be able to start the next phase [of the vaccination programme].”

The prime minister’s aide said that people above 65 years of age would be given the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.

He said that the government had announced on February 15 that people above 65 years of age should start registering themselves for the vaccine.

It is pertinent here to mention that doctors and public health officials pleaded with the German government today to take up AstraZeneca vaccines against the coronavirus after muddled communication about the efficacy of the British-made jabs hit demand. Despite a raging debate about a sluggish EU rollout of vaccines, German healthcare facilities have reported several hundred thousand AstraZeneca vials sitting unused and rampant noshows at scheduled appointments.

Officials in Italy, Austria and Bulgaria were also starting to signal some public resistance to the British vaccine, and France Health Minister Oliver Veran

got the jab live on television to drum up support. “If you are given the choice between AstraZeneca now or another vaccine in a few months, you should definitely take AstraZeneca now,” implored Carsten Watzl, general secretary of the German Society for Immunology.

During the above-mentioned presser, the SAPM said that a 52,000 frontline healthcare workers have been vaccinated so far. However, it emerged that a total of 200 out of 2500 healthcare providers have been vaccinated Covid vaccination in a facility centre in Sukkur on Thursday, according to Medical Superintendent (MS) Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital’s Dr Tasleem Akhtar Khamisani also confirmed that a total of 200 healthcare providers, including the staff from the Khairpur district hospital, Sukkur hospital and the teaching hospital were vaccinated on day two. He said that the majority of these doctors were infected while they performed their duties in the Quarantine Center, established by Sindh Government in Sukkur.

Moreover, the United States Government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), inaugurated a state-of-the-art command and control centre for the Sindh Health Department to respond to Covid-19 cases across the province. Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and the Sindh and Balochistan USAID Director James Parys participated in the semi-virtual ceremony, said a statement on Thursday.

USAID partnered with Pakistan’s

federal and provincial health department to establish these control centres at health secretariats across four provinces and two regions to reinforce Pakistan’s response to Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.

The Sindh Command and Control Centre will lead to high-level monitoring and decision making on the pandemic at present, as well as other public health threats in the future. “The Command and Control Centre will provide strategic and policy level guidance to help in the prevention, detection and notification of infectious diseases,” said James Parys.

He said: “Our collaboration on the response to Covid-19 builds upon the legacy of partnership and our shared goal to save lives through the delivery of basic, essential health services in the province.

The national tally on Thursday of total active cases was recorded at 24,176 with 1,272 more people tested positive for the deadly virus and 2,052 people recovered from the disease during the last 24 hours.

52 coronavirus patients have died during past 24 hours, 48 of them were under treatment in hospital and four in their respective quarantines and homes on Wednesday, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

During the last 24 hours, most of the deaths had occurred in Punjab followed

by Sindh. The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas including Multan 21 per cent, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) 32 per cent, Peshawar 26 per cent and Lahore 36 per cent.

The maximum oxygen beds was also

occupied in Four major areas of Gujrat 61 per cent, Peshawar 40 per cent, Multan 32 per cent, and Lahore 23 per cent.

Around 240 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in the country while no affected person was on a ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan.

Some 36,543 tests were conducted across the country on Wednesday, including 10,691 in Sindh, 12,269 in Punjab, 7,175 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 4,783 in ICT, 596 in Balochistan, 355 in GB, and 674 in AJK. Around 530,597 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90 per cent recovery ratio of the affected patients.

Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 567,261 cases were detected that also included the perished, recovered and under treatment Covid-19 patients so far, including AJK 9,629, Balochistan 18,958, GB 4,945, ICT 43,029, KP 70,306, Punjab 165,716 and Sindh 254,678.

About 12,488 deaths were recorded in the country since the eruption of the contagion. Around 5,138 perished in Sindh among 24 of them died during the past 24 hours. 22 of them died in the hospital and two out of the hospital.

5,114 in Punjab had died with 30 deaths in past 24 hours. 29 of them died in the hospital and one out of the hospital on Tuesday. 2,015 in KP, where eight of them died in hospital on Wednesday, 487 in ICT among one of them in the hospital on Wednesday, 199 in Balochistan, 102 in GB and 284 in AJK succumbed to the deadly virus.

Qureshi, Shoukry discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties

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COAS thanks Chinese envoy for Covid-19 vaccine assistance, unwavering support RAWALPINDI staff report

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Thursday thanked the Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong for China’s assistance in the provision of Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan. General Bajwa appreciated unwavering Chinese support at multiple international fora and capacity enhancement in defence and security domains. Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong called on the army chief at the General Headquarters (GHQ), said the military’s media wing in a statement. Matters of mutual interest including regional security issues were discussed during the meeting. The COAS also said that successful completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring more benefits and prosperity to the people of both countries. The visiting dignitary acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan’s contributions to regional peace and stability.

Country to get rid of the selected rulers soon: provincial minister

cAIRO/ISLAMABAD staff report

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Hassan Shoukry, on Wednesday agreed to further strengthen ties between Islamabad and Cairo through increased cooperation in trade and other sectors.

Both foreign ministers discussed matters of mutual interest in a meeting in Cairo, where Qureshi had arrived on Tuesday on a two-day maiden official visit. The purpose of the visit to the brotherly country is to hold indepth discussions with Shoukry on bilateral relations.

Upon arrival in Egypt, Qureshi was received at Cairo International Airport by Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt Tariq Al-Wasmi, Charge d’Affaires at Pakistan Embassy in Cairo Shah Nazar Khan and senior officials.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Qureshi told Shoukry that Pakistan considered Egypt an important country of the Arab world, adding that both countries enjoyed “historic religious, cultural and brotherly relations”, APP reported.

He also informed Shoukry of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policy to enrich economic relations with African countries.

Shoukry also lauded Islamabad’s efforts for peace in Afghanistan, while Qureshi told him about India’s hostile activities against Pakistan which the latter said were a “danger for peace and stability of the region”.

Qureshi thanked Shoukry for the warm welcome he received in Egypt. The foreign minister also extended

FAJR SUNRISE 5:36

kARAchI staff report

an invitation to Shoukry to visit Pakistan, which the latter accepted.

The visit further strengthened 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.

In a tweet issued Wednesday night, Qureshi said that it was a “pleasure” to meet Shoukry and added:

“[I] look forward to hosting FM Shoukry in Pakistan”.

“The relationship between Pakistan and Egypt is one of mutual trust and cooperation,” Qureshi said.

“FM Shoukry and I discussed ways to grow our ties, with greater people-to-people contact, trade and sustained engagement.” Qureshi also met Egyptian President Sisi on Wednesday and discussed Pakistan’s shifting emphasis from geo-politics to geo-economics.

The foreign minister also met Egyptian investors and businessmen during his trip and assured them of Islamabad’s every possible cooperation and facilitation in their profit-oriented business and investment activities in Pakistan.

With additional input from APP

Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that, under the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the country will soon get rid of the selected rulers. He added that the people of the Sindh province have given their verdict that the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was not acceptable anymore. The provincial information minister expressed these views in a statement issued on Thursday. He claimed that the PTI’s own people were fed up with Prime Minister Imran Khan and had expressed their anger on the policies and selection of parachuters and investors for Senate tickets. He maintained that the victory of PPP in the by-elections was a sign of public confidence in the party’s people-friendly policies and its referendum against the PTI. Shah stated that the people of Malir and Sanghar have expressed full confidence in the leadership of Chairman Bilawal, leading to the victories of the PPP candidates with big margins. The minister said that Malir was a district of democrats and PPP loyalists.

Chairman Bilawal himself reached the constituency to thank the people of PS-88, he added. “This is the difference between PPP’s leadership and puppets,” the minister further said. HE said that the results of byelections were the success of PDM rallies and a warning message for PM Imran Khan’s “ATMs”. He stressed that the people of Malir and Sanghar voted in favour of PPP on the basis of performance of Sindh government.

CAA to seek cabinet's nod to outsource pilots licencing exams to UK kARAchI staff report

A meeting of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Thursday decided to place a summary, seeking to outsource the process of holding licencing exams to the British Civil Aviation Authority , before the cabinet

for its approval.

The PCAA suspended all licensing examinations in July after Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan had what aviation officials and experts said was incorrect claimed as many as 262 pilots possessed fake licences.

In January, at an online public meeting aired live on CAA’s Facebook page, many

concerned asked CAA chief Khaqan Murtaza about the resumption of licensing exams. To which he said: “This will, God willing, begin in the end of March or April start.”

“We [CAA] are going to outsource these exams and all the written exams will be conducted through the UK CAA,” he had said.

A damage control measure, the outsourc-

ing of the process to UK CAA will help Pakistan address the concerns of the international air travel agencies including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) which had suspended the country’s Third Country Operation Authorisation in the aftermath of Khan’s statement.

According to CAA, the’ examination

and the subsequent licensing process will be linked to National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

Latterly, CAA Deputy Director General (Regulations) Shafi Dar held virtual sessions with his British counterparts wherein, sources suggest, the regulator was assured complete assistance.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 021-35381208-9. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk