Epaper – January 31 ISB 2021

CMYK

31 January, 2021 I 17 Jumadi-ul-Sani, 1442 I rs 25.00 I vol XI no 213 I 36 Pages I Islamabad edition

Pakistan to receive 17m vaccine doses from covaX by June: asad g

‘oF the total, six million doses will be received by march'

ISLAMABAD tltp

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ederal minister for planning and head of national command and operation centre (ncoc) asad Umar on saturday broke a good news that covax has indicated a supply of up to 17 million doses of the astraZeneca coronavirus vaccine in the first half of 2021 to pakistan. “good news on covid-19 vaccine front. received a letter from covax of indicative supply of up to 17 million doses of astraZeneca in 1st half 2021,” Umar wrote on twitter. according to the planning minister, six million of the total 17 million doses will be received by march with delivery starting in February. he did not specify any dates. “we signed with covax nearly eight months back to ensure availability,” he added. meanwhile, special assistant to prime minister (sapm) on health dr Faisal sultan said he was “happy to share” that in addition to the 500,000 doses of the sinopharm vaccine, almost seven million doses of the astraZeneca vaccine will be made available and given to the public free of cost.

“pakistan’s vaccine drive starts next week, beginning with frontline healthcare workers,” he said. “we remain confident that we will meet our plan of large-scale immunisation over the coming months this year,” a press release shared by sultan on twitter said. of the 190 participating economies, pakistan is among the 92 that qualify for the world health organization’s (who) covax initiative that ensures rapid and equitable access to covid-19 vaccines for all countries, regardless of income level.

PlAne TO fly TO ChInA TODAy fOr fIrST TrAnChe Of vACCIneS: earlier today, the ncoc was informed that all necessary measures were in place for vaccine storage. last week, the chinese government announced to “gift” pakistan half a million doses of state-owned sinopharm’s covid-19 vaccine by January 31 (sunday). during saturday’s session, the forum deliberated about measures for effective vaccine administration. the meeting also discussed the airlifting of the first tranche of shots through a special pakistan international airlines (pia) air-

coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

543,214

LAST UPDATED AT 9:25 AM ON JANUARY 30, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

65

2,179

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

498,152 11,623 SINDH:

245,663 KP:

66,679

PUNJAB:

156,928 BALOCHISTAN:

18,809

AJK/GB: ISLAMABAD: 8,972/4,908 41,255

craft expected to fly to beijing early sunday today morning.

Furthermore, the vaccine would be transported to the provinces of sindh and balochistan through the air. on January 18, the drug regulatory authority of pakistan (drap) approved the sinopharm vaccine for emergency use — a couple weeks after china approved the drug, which is also in use in several countries, including bahrain and the United arab emirates (Uae). drap last week also authorised the use of astraZeneca’s vaccine co-developed with University of oxford. in a press conference, Foreign minister shah mahmood Qureshi said his chinese counterpart wang yi has also promised to make another 1.1 million doses of the sinopharm vaccine available for pakistan by the end of February to meet the country’s additional urgent requirements. pakistan is also conducting a phase three trial of another chinese vaccine from cansino biologics inc. according to state minister for health dr.

Faisal sultan the trial was near completion and that 17,500 people participated in it. he said the vaccine’s “interim analysis” was currently underway, and the initial results are expected to be available by early February. with 65 more coronavirus-related deaths and 2,173 new infections in the past 24 hours, the country has recorded more than 543,213 cases of coronavirus, and 11,623 deaths from the contagious disease so far. in the past 24 hours, as many as 1,407 patients have recovered from the virus and 2,111 patients are still in critical condition. the government plans to inoculate at least 70 percent of the 220 million strong population free of cost. in addition to the oxfordastraZeneca and the sinopharm vaccines, the drap has given emergency use approval for the russian-developed sputnik v. the government has plans to source doses from all over the world, including through the world health organisation (who) or its ambitious scheme, covax, that works towards the development, purchase and delivery of vaccines to more than 180 countries.

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Opposition to oppose amendment for changing Senate voting system ISLAMABAD staff report

the leaders of opposition parties, including pakistan peoples party (ppp), pakistani muslim league-nawaz (pmln) and Jamiat Ulema-e islam-Fazl (JUi-F), on saturday decided to oppose the constitutional amendment being introduced by the ruling pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (pti) to change the voting procedure of the senate. according to local media reports, leaders of the said parties, after mulling over the matter, would finalise a strategy on monday before the national assembly session. reports state that both the pml-n and ppp have strongly rejected the idea of an open ballot. earlier in the month, prime minister (pm) imran Khan had approved the proposal to legislate on the issue to bring “transparency in the electoral process”. on thursday, adviser to the prime minister on parliamentary affairs babar awan had said that a bill comprising three amendments to the

SC to take up review petition in Pearl case tomorrow g

Federal government decides to become party in the case

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more inside

China launches second Type 054A/P frigate for Pakistan STORY ON BACK PAGE

ISLAMABAD inp

the supreme court (sc) on saturday fixed a hearing in the review petition filed by the sindh government against the acquittal of ahmed omar saeed sheikh, the principal suspect in the 2002 murder of wall street Journal reporter daniel pearl. a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Umar atta bandial, will hear the petition on monday tomorrow. Justice sajjad ali shah and Justice muneeb akhtar are the other members of the bench. meanwhile, the federal government decided to become a party in the abduction and murder case. a spokesman at the attorney general’s office, while confirming the report, said that the federal government will file an application in the sc to become a party in the case. he maintained that the government will plead with the apex court to form a larger bench for hearing of the review petition filed by the sindh government in the case.

constitution of pakistan would be presented in the parliament next week ahead of the upcoming senate elections. addressing a press conference at the press information department (pid) in islamabad, babar awan had said the constitutional amendment bill proposes allowing “voting not to be hidden”. “to date, no one ever talked about legislation to make the senate elections fair,” the pm’s aide had underscored. “For the first time in pakistan’s history, a constitutional package for reforms has been prepared. “it was agreed in the charter of democracy that the vote should be open and recognisable. in order to stop horse trading, the opposition parties should unite and consider the amendment as a national agenda,” he had stressed. “governments do not go as a result of bad prayers but through a no-confidence motion under a constitutional procedure,” he had said. “the transparency report is another proof of the pml-n’s corruption.”

railways losing rs30m daily due to crashed reservation system STORY ON PAGE 03

the sindh government on Friday through its prosecutor general had moved the petition in the apex court, pleading with it to review its decision of acquitting the main accused. headed by Justice mushir alam, a three-judge bench that also comprised Justice sardar tariq masood and Justice yahya afridi, ordered that sheikh, Fahad naseem ahmed, syed salman and sheikh muhammad adil be released forthwith, if not required to be detained in connection

with any other case. the convicts had moved the sindh high court (shc) in 2002 challenging their convictions handed down by an anti-terrorism court (atc) of hyderabad after finding them guilty of abducting the journalist. the high court overturned the verdict of the atc and acquitted convicts in april last. subsequently, the sindh government filed an appeal in the sc challenging their acquittal.

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Internet services suspended near Delhi as hundreds of farmers begin hunger strike STORY ON BACK PAGE in today’s issue

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Contact: 0307-7338168 irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Sunday, 31 January, 2021

NEWS

SOmE uNiFOrmity iN BidEN AdmiNiStrAtiON, Pm imrAN’S PriOritiES: QurEShi

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NEWS DESK

OREIgN Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said that there a few areas in which the Biden administration and Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s prioriteis alligned.

He was speaking to the media in Multan, a day after his telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss bilateral ties, the Afghan peace process and the Daniel Pearl murder case. On such area, Qureshi said, was climate change. “Imran Khan has previously said on several occasions that Pakistan is among the countries most affected by climate change,” he said.

Speaking about the phone call, Qureshi

Educational institutions to reopen from tomorrow: minister ISLAMABAD: Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood on Saturday while observing coronavirus pandemic affected the students said schools and universities across the country will reopen from Monday (tomorrow). Under a government plan, the remaining educational institutes will resume on-campus classes from Monday (tomorrow).

Last week, a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) was held to finalise the strategy for the resumption of classes at the primary, middle and university levels. The forum decided that students in Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Peshawar will attend classes with 50 percent strength on alternative days. Speaking to reporters in Sukkur, Mehmood said the country is suffering from corruption, preference of personal interests and looting of past governments. “Now there is a prime minister who is honest and no one can accuse him of any wrongdoing,” he added.

Responding to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement about the province, the minister said Sindh is a province [of Pakistan] and the premier meant Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party is not in government in the province. He further said the history and heritage of Sindh is worth seeing. In November, the government shut schools and universities and postponed exams to try to curb new coronavirus infections and a rise in the number of people in hospital with Covid-19. “All efforts will be made to make sure that education continues from home,” Mahmood said at the time, announcing the closure of schools. Staff RepoRt

said the US had also highlighted the priority of battling corruption and money laundering which was also “in line with the premier’s thinking”.

Referring to the Pearl murder case, Qureshi said he told the US state secretary that Pakistan was aware of its responsibility regarding all legal options within the ambit of the law. He reaffirmed that it was the wish of the Pakistan government as well that “the family of Daniel Pearl should be given justice” but it should be “within the limits of the law”.

The foreign minister said he had a “good conversation” with Blinken and hoped that interaction and engagement between the two administrations would continue on key aspects of the bilateral relationship.

Senate election participation bid to dispose ‘incompetent’ candidates, says Fazl NEWS DESK Jamiat Ulema-e Islam – Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the reason behind the opposition parties’ participation in the upcoming Senate elections is so that they can stop ‘incompetent candidates’ from filling the upper house of parliament. Fazl had earlier announced that opposition lawmakers would step down from all legislative assemblies of the country in a bid to break the Senate electoral college to stop it from taking place. However, speaking to the media in Peshawar on Saturday, he clarified that the opposition’s movement is against the PTI-led government and not against the establishment. “However, the PDM alliance wants the establishment to stop meddling in political affairs,” he added. Fazl said if opposition parties did not take part in the Senate elections “then it [Senate] would be filled by the incompetent people”. He said the next government will abolish the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and warned its officials to stay within the limits of the law and refrain from developing personal animosity with opposition leaders. “The country has suffered a huge loss due to the government’s mishandling of Broadsheet scandal and Transparency International’s recent report has exposed the corruption of the incumbent rulers,” he added.

Saeed notified as Broadsheet probe committee head ISLAMABAD INp

Despite criticism from the opposition quarters, the government on Saturday notified the appointment of retired Justice Azmat Saeed as the head of one-man commission formed to investigate the Broadsheet episode. Copies of the notification were sent to the office of the attorney general, secretaries to the president and the prime minister.

The government on January 21 appointed Saeed as head of the committee. In a subsequent meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary committee, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the commission would also investigate the acquisition of Surrey Palace and Swiss courts cases involving the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) including the party’s co-chairperson Asif Zardari. According to the agreed-on terms of

reference (TORs) of the commission, the body will probe not only the Broadsheet case but also all mega corruption cases which have surfaced since 1999.

Reports citing sources suggest the commission had been empowered to investigate corruption scandals that had taken place since 1999, the year of establishment of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The commission will also find out the reasons behind the anti-graft agency’s termination of the tripartite agreement between the government of Pakistan, Broadsheet LLC, and International Fraud and Asset Recovery in 2003. The commission has also been tasked with digging out the reasons for the payments made by the state of Pakistan to Broadsheet in 2008, and whether these payments were legal. It will also identify the individuals operating behind the scenes to ensure the payment of $1.5 million in 2008.

Properties of Malik Riaz’s son-in-law to be attached in Bahria Town land case NEWS DESK A Karachi accountability court has ordered the authories concerned to attach properties of Zain Malik, a builder and the son-in-law of Malik Riaz, in a case pertaining to the illegal amalgamation of commercial land for a multistoreyed building in Karachi.

According to local media reports, the issue was presented before the accountability court-III judge Sher Bano Karim on Saturday, who noted that Malik was missing. It may be mentioned here that NAB claims that Malik is absconding since the present reference was filed in June 2019 whereas Former Karachi mayor and Pak

Sarzameen Party chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal, former Karachi district coordination officer Fazlur Rehman, former executive district officer Iftikhar Qaimkhani are also among those nominated in the case.

During the hearing today, the investigating officer of the case filed a compliance report regarding the completion of the process of Malik’s proclamation under Section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), as ordered by the court in a previous hearing.

The judge directed the IO to initiate the process of attachment of properties of the suspect, as required under the Section 88 of the CrPC and submit a compliance report on the next date.

Shahbaz’s daughter, son-in-law declared PO in NAB case LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore on Saturday declared the daughter and son-inlaw of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif proclaimed offenders in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company corruption case. Rabia Imran and her husband Ali Imran were declared PO over their prolonged absence in the case. During the hearing, the judge directed the investigation officer to paste the advertisement announcing the suspects as POs on the walls of the court.

Imran, his wife and other members of the Sharif family are accused of renting out a stateowned building linked to the initiative, causing a loss of Rs24.7 million to the national exchequer. A former Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) MPA Raja Qamarul Islam and a civil servant, Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, are the prime suspects in the reference.

Chaudhry is the former chief executive officer (CEO) of the initiative, while Islam was its chairman. In 2017, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched a thorough probe into the affairs of the 56 public-sector companies formed by Shahbaz Sharif administration in Punjab for their claimed involvement in corruption. These companies are accused of certain irregularities, recruitment in violation of procurement rules and merit, nepotism, and non-completion of various projects in time. Staff RepoRt

Osama Bin Laden supported, funded Nawaz Sharif: Abida Hussain ISLAMABAD app

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States Abida Hussain Saturday revealed that Osama Bin Laden had supported and funded former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Yes, he (Osama Bin Laden) supported Nawaz Sharif at one time. However, that is a complicated story.

He (Osama) used to extend financial assistance (to Nawaz Sharif),” she said in an interview with a private television channel.

Abida, also an ex-cabinet member of Nawaz’s government, recalled that at one time Osama was popular and liked by everyone, including the Americans, but at later stage, he was treated as a stranger.

She said she was appointed as an ambassador during the first premiership of Nawaz, after she lost the election.

She said during her stint as an envoy to the US, most of her communication used to be with former President ghulam Ishaq Khan and Ishaq had tasked her to keep the Americans engaged in talks till Pakistan completes its nuclear program in 18 months.

She said the US administration, including the

diplomats, senators and congressmen, used to advise Pakistan against the execution of nuclear programme.

To a question, she said though she used to be spied in the US, she had no such suspicious activity which could be used against her by the intelligence agencies.

When asked about the source of communication between her and Ishaq in the absence of modern tools, she said during those 18 months, she visited Pakistan for five times for briefing from Ishaq.

However, she used to avoid using phone, knowing that it could be tapped.

As the nuclear programme was under the purview of

the president, she said, most of her conversation used to be with him and not the prime minister. This is also because Ishaq did not trust anyone.

Asked whether being a prime minister, Nawaz did not felt bad for bypassing him and directly communicating with the president, she said, “He never expressed it.”

Abida Hussain said though Pakistan had started its nuclear programme in 1983 during former President Ziaul-Haq’s regime but it was completed in 1992. She also revealed that she was made ambassador on the president’s recommendation.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

NEWS

rAilwAyS lOSiNg rS30m dAily duE tO crAShEd rESErvAtiON SyStEm LAHORE

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AKISTAN Railways (PR) is facing a daily loss of over Rs30 million as its IT department has failed to fully restore the nationwide crashed reservation system even after four days, it was learnt on Saturday.

No online ticket bookings have been

entertained since Tuesday last, while the counter bookings also remain suspended.

The passengers are suffering due to the incompetence of the PR department.

The e-ticketing system and rail communication could not be revived fully, while the internet connectivity of the Railway headquarters also remains suspended. It was reported on Tuesday that the passengers face problems as the ticket reservation system of the PR

crashed across the country.

The passengers willing to travel through the PR are facing hardships in getting their reservations.

Earlier on January 23, Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati had assured citizens that the government is taking effective steps to make Pakistan Railways into a profitable entity.

Swati had asked the workers’ union to work for the development of railways

and avoid blackmailing the officers for personal gains. “Hopefully, the workers will get more facilities, such as buildings, hospitals, and educational institutions, in the near future,” he had added.

He had said that it is the government’s topmost priority to provide suitable working facilities to the employees of the railways’ department.

Swati had also vowed that Railways’ assets would not be sold.

Mandviwalla vows to help resolve issues of business community KARACHI tLtp

Pm expresses condolence over hafiz Salman Butt’s death NEWS DESK Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed condolence over the death of former member of the National Assembly and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Hafiz Salman Butt.

Expressing grief over the demise in a tweet on Saturday, the prime minister prayed for the bereaved family. Hafiz Salman Butt had passed away on Thursday after suffering a heart attack. The deceased was 65 years of age. Butt was undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital after suffering from the heart attack.

He had diabetes for a long time.

iran rejects new participants, any talks on nuclear deal DUBAI ageNcIeS

Iran’s foreign ministry on Saturday rejected any new negotiations or changes to the participants of Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, after French President Emmanuel Macron said any new talks should include Saudi Arabia. “The nuclear accord is a multilateral international agreement ratified

by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which is non-negotiable and parties to it are clear and unchangeable,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted by state media as saying.

Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla has advised the business community of Karachi to give presentations about all their issues so that these could be taken up with relevant ministers for redressal.

During his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) on Saturday, Mandviwalla said that the business community will have to play the lead role by participating in all the affairs of the government as the businessmen and industrialists know the ground realities and face all types of issues.

Chairman Businessmen group Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMg Anjum Nisar, general Sectary BMg AQ Khalil, President KCCI Shariq Vohra, Senior Vice President Saqib goodluck, Vice President Shamsul Islam Khan, Chairman SITE Association of Industry Abdul Hadi, former presidents and KCCI managing committee members were also present at the meeting.

Responding to concerns expressed on dilapidated infrastructure of SITE area, Mandviwalla said that various steps have been taken from time to time to improve the infrastructure of Karachi but the situation was not 100 per cent. Therefore, the business community should join hands with the Sindh government under public-private partnership to improve the infrastructure of not only SITE area but also of other industrial zones which will not be opposed by any minister.

Replying to the problems being faced due to Sales Tax on services, he assured to summon chairman FBR and chairman SRB in his office to discuss and resolve this matter. “I am ready to fully cooperate with the business community and available in my office to listen to the grievances and go out of way to resolve the same”, he

added.

He said that chambers around the world have been playing an important role in government affairs but unfortunately in Pakistan, no governmental role has been given to chambers which is unfortunate.

The activities of chambers must not remain confined to budget proposals and economic policies only but they must also participate in all the meetings and even the political activities as nobody knows the ground realities better than the business community and it was these businessmen who go through all kinds of troubles due to poor policies.

Zubair Motiwala said, “To improve the infrastructure of SITE area, PC-1 has already been approved and an amount of Rs1 billion was allocated for construction of 23 roads but to date, the development work has not commenced”. He requested the deputy chairman Senate to pay a visit to the SITE area and also to the office of Site Limited so that he could personally gauge the ground realities and see what was happening at Site Limited.

While appreciating the release of refund claims through the FASTER system, he said that no matter how efficient the system was, refunds of Rs170 billion would remain stuck up, creating severe liquidity crunch for the exporters.

Anjum Nisar underscored the need to ensure ease of doing business and adopt business friendly policies, implemented in countries like Vietnam where the exports for a single month have risen by US $37 billion, while abrupt changes in policies must be strictly avoided so that the business community could focus on their work instead of staying tangled throughout the year to get the numerous taxation-related and other policy matters resolved.

Iran imposes mandatory quarantine for travellers from Europe TEHRAN ageNcIeS

Travellers to Iran from Europe will be required to selfquarantine for two weeks after testing negative upon arrival, a health official said on Saturday.

Travellers from other regions, including neighbouring countries, will have to have tested negative before arrival in the country, Alireza Raisi, spokesman for the national coronavirus task force, said on state TV. Raisi said travellers arriving from Europe should be holding negative test results, will be tested again and will have to self-quarantine even if their test is negative, state media reported.

Previously, people coming from Europe were only required to test negative.

He did not say when exactly the new measures will go into effect, saying only “from now on.”

Meanwhile, health officials said the Iranianmanufactured Barekat vaccine was found effective against the highly contagious coronavirus variant that emerged in Britain.

“Tests conducted on the blood plasma of three volunteers of ‘COVIran Barekat’ vaccine completely neutralized the mutated coronavirus,” Hassan Jalili, who is in charge of the team that produces the local vaccine, told state TV. Iran launched human trials of its first domestic vaccine candidate late last month, saying this could help it defeat the pandemic despite U.S. sanctions that affect its ability to import vaccines.

It has also approved Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine and plans to both import it and produce it.

The country has recorded more than 1.4 million cases and over 57,800 deaths, according to government data, but there has been a decline in new infections in recent weeks.

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veteran actress Neelo Begum dies of cancer LAHORE NeWS DeSK

Renowned Pakistani film actress and mother of Shan Shahid, Neelo Begum died on Saturday.

Taking to Twitter, film star Shan Shahid confirmed that his mother has died of cancer. He said, “It is with the saddest of heart I share the departure of my mother as she has gone to her creator. May Allah bless her.” Born on 30 June, 1940 in Bhera, Sargodha, Neelo at the age of 16 appeared in Bhowani Junction (1956), a Hollywood film shot in and around Lahore. She got her big breakthrough from the film Saat Lakh (1957) as she performed at the song “Aaye mausam rangeele suhanay”, a song by the renowned music director Rasheed Attre.

Neelo won the Best Actress Nigar Award for the film Zarqa (1969), produced and directed by Riaz Shahid. She was born into a Catholic family and her birth name was Cynthia Alexander Fernandes.

Neelo embraced Islam and was married to film screenwriter and film director Riaz Shahi. She adopted the name Abida Riaz and Neelo was her screen name. The iconic Lollywood actress has more than 136 films to her credit in her five decades-long acting career in the Pakistani film industry. Her notable films other than Zarqa includes 1961: Do Raste, 1962: ghunghat, 1966: Badnaam, 1975: Sultana Daku, 1977: Sadqay Teri Mout Tun, 1979: general Bakht Khan, 1990: Bulandi, 2013: Waar.

release of poisonous water in Sutlej by india kills fish PAKPATTAN tLtp

A large number of fish have died and several fish seeds at pond areas have been damaged due to poisonous water release from India in the Sutlej River. The release of poisonous water in the Sutlej River is damaging fish and livestock sectors. The outbreak of skin diseases is being feared in the area due to the supply of dead fish in the market.

Meanwhile, the officials have informed high-ups about the losses being caused by the untreated water. India has been releasing untreated and floodwaters into Pakistani rivers frequently. On July 29, 2019, dozens of villages, including Qazi Paharang, Makhanpur, Daulatpur, Sikandarpur, Dharewal, Kotli Khawaja, Kaluwali Syedan, Roopo Wali, Wahga, Kaluwali Khurd, Rasoolpur and Bhikki, were submerged after India had released floodwater in Nullah Dek. Standing crops on hundreds of acres were also drowned.

Bomb blast kills at least five people in northern Syrian town of Afrin ISTANBUL ageNcIeS

At least five people were killed and scores wounded when a car bomb detonated in the northern Syrian town of Afrin on Saturday, the Turkish defence ministry and local civil defence said. The ministry said in a statement the bomb attack took place in an industrial site at the center of the town and wounded 22 people, blaming the attack on the Syrian Kurdish YPg militia. There was no immediate comment from the YPg. Turkey regards the YPg as a terrorist group tied to the PKK inside its own borders, and has staged incursions into Syria in support of Syrian rebels to push it from the Turkish frontier. Ankara now retains a large military presence in the area deploying thousands of troops in the last rebel enclave. The local civil defence said the death toll due to the bomb stood at six, including children.

Inclusion of vulnerable migrant women in NSER stressed ISLAMABAD tLtp

Vulnerable migrant women must be included in the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) to enable them to receive support through national and local level social protection schemes such as BISP and Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.

The speakers highlighted this need during a workshop titled ‘Climate induced migration in Pakistan’, held by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)

on Saturday. The purpose of the workshop was to create awareness among journalists reporting on climate change. A group of journalists based in Islamabad attended the workshop.

While highlighting the importance of NSFR, Executive Director SDPI Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said that the females that are forced to migrate (internal displacement) due to climate change, face several issues ranging from a lack of access to health and education, insufficient availability of food and evacuation to bonded labour etc.

“Provision of safe shelters, medicines, food and

water during disasters should be the top priority of the government,” Dr Suleri added with a particular reference to vulnerable migrant women.

Maryam Shabbir Abbasi, an environmentalist at SDPI, earlier stressed the need for a gender-responsive policy for climate induced female migration. She added that women face issues of harassment and rape during disasters and these should be controlled by taking measures at a higher level.

She also highlighted the plight of pregnant women during the disaster and trauma they go through due to

lack of access to healthcare services.

The participants of the workshop highlighted several pertinent issues regarding the topic and presented a way forward based on the research recently conducted by SDPI in collaboration with Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), as part of the South Asia Migration and Climate (SAMAC) project.

The project ‘Improving Migration Management in the Silk Routes Countries,’ is funded by the European Union through the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

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Sunday, 31 January, 2021

NEWS

DeveloPMent of bAckwArD AreAs toP Priority: buzDAr LAHORE

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uNJAB Chief Minister Sardar usman Buzdar has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is focusing on development of backward areas of the province.

He stated this while talking to the elected representative of Punjab Assembly on Saturday. The chief minister said, “We will make education and health facilities better in remote areas as well as cities.” He said that no one will be allowed to interfere in the legitimate work of elected representatives. He said that he will continue to consult with public representatives for solutions to people's problems.

The chief minister assured the MPAs that their constituency-related issues will be resolved, adding that full attention is being paid on the development of back-

ward areas.

Buzdar said that he personally takes interest in resolving the problems of public representatives and considers assembly members as his companions.

The priority of elected representatives will be considered in the development projects of their constituencies. The agenda of development and prosperity will be implemented with the consultation of elected representatives, Buzdar assured. “We all have to serve the people of the province as a team,” he mentioned.

Buzdar said that the chief ministership is not merely a portfolio but a major responsibility. “The PTI government is trying to correct the mistakes and shortcomings of the previous era. The wrong policies of the former ruler took the country in the wrong direction as national resources were ruthlessly utilised on the projects launched for self-projection. The former rulers overlooked the

basic issues of the people,” he added.

He said that the incumbent government is focused to resolve the peoples’ problems as PTI believes in composite development. “The time of oral submission has passed and now the government is delivering as we believe in hard work,” he further said.

The members of the provincial assembly apprised him of the issues of their respective constituencies. Those who met with the chief minister included provincial Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Advisor Muhammad Hanif Patafi, Shahabuddin Khan, Muhammad Shafi, Javed Akhtar, Alamdar Qureshi, Abdul Hai Dasti, Sardar Farooq Dareshak, Sardar Ahmad Ali Khan Dareshak, Ahmad Shah Khagha, Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara, Sarfraz Hussain and Muhammad Atif.

They thanked the CM for his interest in resolving their issues.

Separately, Buzdar directed to complete ongoing development projects in the province, including Sahiwal, in a stipulated time frame in the light of the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said that development is the destiny of those cities like Sahiwal, which were badly ignored in the past. He said that requirements of the population and consultation of public representatives are being ensured in preparation of development projects.

He added that the installation of the latest treatment plant in Sahiwal will provide potable water to more than 550,000 citizens. “Years old and dilapidated sewerage pipelines are being replaced with a new sewerage system in Sahiwal. Provision of clean drinking water and a new sewerage system will not only uplift the living standard of the people but also protect them from many diseases as well,” he concluded.

AJK businessmen call for withdrawal of recent FBR amendments in tax laws NEWS DESK The business community of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday sought immediate relief from the Pakistan government for the survival of local industrial sector by calling for withdrawal of recent amendments made by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the tax laws for AJK. The business fraternity feared complete collapse of business and industrial sector in the tax-exempted territory of AJK following the promulgation of a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) by the FBR, imposing sales tax on the supplies of taxable goods brought

from tax-exempted areas into taxable areas, including the AJK. The businessmen said that the SRO will undermine the industrial progress and socioeconomic growth in the state.

With the SRO, issued on January 26, the FBR had added “Chapter X-A Supply From Tax Exempt Areas Application” in the Sales Tax Rules, 2006 and said that the provisions of the chapter shall apply to the supplies of taxable goods brought from tax-exempted areas into taxable areas.

Talking to reporters, the local business community leaders said that the AJK

state is already lacking industries and required infrastructure in the industrial areas due to its particular geographical layout and lack of resources. “We strongly condemn this step and request the government of Pakistan to immediately intervene and withdraw the amendment in the tax laws,” they said.

“After investments in the industrial sector, the AJK government has developed Industrial estates in various places, particularly in Mirpur and Bhimbher, offering incentives, including tax exemptions, for newly-established industries with prime focus to boost the industrial

activity. These industrial units have not only provided the employment opportunities for the skilled and unskilled manpower but also attractively contributed to the government exchequer in the form of due taxes.” They further said that since the FBR has notified the SRO, mechanism to establish check posts and imposition of taxes as in other areas, all vehicles, carrying goods and entering Pakistan territory, will be checked for tax papers. As a result, the locally produced goods could not be entered into the territory of Pakistan and would be confiscated by the authorities due to the SRO.

Annual examinations in May, June: Punjab govt LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Schools and colleges in Punjab will take annual exams in May and June respectively, reports said Saturday. According to a notification from Punjab School Education Department, all educational institutions will reopen on Monday (tomorrow) with a 50 per cent attendance on alternative days. All the schools are required to take all necessary precautionary measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus. “All the concerned shall ensure strict implementations of SOPs [standard operating procedures] already communicated time to time by the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department and School Education Department, Punjab to prevent Corona Pandemic,” read the notification.

SINDH TO TAKE EXAMS IN JULY: Meanwhile, the Sindh government announced to take annual examinations for matric and intermediate in July. According to provincial Minister for Education Saeed Ghani, matric exams will be held between July 1 and 15, while assessments for intermediate students will be held from July 28 to August 16. Exams for students enrolled in pre-primary classes to eight standard will be conducted in June. The Sindh education department has also decided to reduce the time from three hours to two hours, the provincial minister said, adding that practicals will be held before exams in June. The steering committee meeting of the education department was chaired by the Sindh education minister.

The committee, in line with the decision of the NCOC, decided to reopen schools in Sindh from Monday. Strict standard operating procedures will be implemented to limit the spread of coronavirus, Ghani said.

Court releases students arrested for ‘vandalism’ outside varsity building LAHORE INp

Days after Lahore police arrested four student leaders on charges of vandalism and arson during a protest outside a university, the authorities released the accused on Saturday after a judicial magistrate dropped the charges against them.

Haris Ahmed, Zubair Siddiqui, Sanaullah and Ali Ashraf were released following the orders. Prior to their releases, the police, on completion of the remand period, presented them in the court.

During the hearing, the students denied the charges levelled against

them. “Police arrested us unfairly,” they said. Part of a series of nationwide protests seeking online assessments instead of on-campus exams due to the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of students enrolled in a private university had staged a demonstration outside the premises earlier this week when the security baton-charged the participants, injuring many.

Subsequently, a contingent of the police arrived on the scene and arrested as many as 35 students.

During the hearing, the students reiterated their demand for online assessments instead of on-campus exams, arguing since they attended

online classes throughout the last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, they should be examined under virtual conditions also. Countrywide student bodies protested for a week seeking to be examined under virtual conditions.

They had also claimed universities had not completed the syllabi of different courses but now the institute’s administrations were pressing for exams.

The protesting students also called for a reduction in tuition fees since they did not attend classes in person and said that boarding schools should not be charging for lodging or meals.

Lahore, Karachi among cities ranked worst for air pollution KARACHI INp

Country’s busiest metropolises Lahore and Karachi ranked fourth and tenth respectively on the latest global Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday. Bahawalpur was measured to have 327 hazardous particulate matter. Lahore recorded a reading of 194, Rawalpindi 189, Raiwind 170, Karachi 167, and Multan 165, according to the index.

AQI between 151 and 200 is considered unhealthy, between 201 and 300 harmful and over 300 is hazardous and may prompt emergency condition alerts. “Air pollution […] claims tens of thousands of lives, devastates the health of millions,

and denies other rights, like the right to education, when children cannot go to school,” said Omar Waraich, South Asia campaigns director for Amnesty International. “This is a human rights crisis,” he said. According to experts, the air becomes heavier in the winter as compared to summer, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the atmosphere polluted.

As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers the city.

The smoke produced by factories and by burning coal, garbage, oil, or tyres enters the atmosphere and the effects of this appear at the onset of winter and remain till the season’s

end, experts said. Thus, air pollution reaches extremely dangerous levels in cold weather, severely compromising air quality. Although southwestern winds blowing from the sea in Karachi may work as a filter for the air, these winds remain mostly suspended during winter, according to experts.

They noted that winds blowing from the northeast increase the concentration of hidden polluted particles, and a healthy atmosphere in such a situation is subject to rainfall, which washes off all polluted particles. The AQI is calculated based on five categories of pollution: groundlevel ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

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Opposition to oppose amendment for changing Senate voting system continued from page 01 A meeting of the opposition parties’ alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is also expected to consider the proposed constitutional amendment bill.

Meanwhile, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, is hearing a presidential reference seeking opinion on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections. The bench, also comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi, will conduct the next hearing of the reference on February 2. The reference was submitted

by Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan after getting approved by President Dr Arif Alvi under Article 186 of the Constitution.

SC to take up review petition in Pearl case tomorrow continued from page 01 Pearl was abducted on January 23, 2002, in Karachi and beheaded the next month, reportedly by AlQaeda. Omar Sheikh had been convicted of helping lure Pearl to a meeting in Karachi in which he was kidnapped. Prior to his kidnapping, the journalist had been investigating the link between reportedly Pakistan-based militants and Richard Reid, the notorious “Shoe Bomber” who attempted to blow up a flight from Paris to Miami with explosives hidden in his shoes. In July 2002, following the hearings, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Hyderabad had sentenced to death Omar Sheikh and life term to other co-accused. However, all four convicts had moved the SHC in 2002 challenging their convictions. In his autobiography, In the Line of Fire: A Memoir, former president Pervaiz Musharraf had claimed that Sheikh, a British national and a student at the London School of Economics (reports suggest he did not graduate), was hired by MI6 to engage in “jihadi operations”, adding that “at some point, he probably became a rogue or a double agent”.

Pakistan to receive 17m vaccine doses from COVAX by June: Asad continued from page 01 The government has also allowed the private sector to import and distribute the shots. However, so far, permission has been given only to one company, Sindh Medical Stores, to import the AstraZeneca vaccine for private sale. The company, reports suggest, is “one of the biggest importers of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products in Pakistan.” It says it is likely to charge $13 a dose, which they expect to be made available at large nongovernmental hospitals. However, the company says it still has no timeframe on when it will be able to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine for sale because of stiff global competition on orders.

05

FBR SuRPASSeS JAnuARy tAX tARget By RS24Bn iSLmaaBad

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SHAHZAD PARACHA

HE Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has collected a net revenue of Rs2,570 billion in the first seven months (July-January) of the current fiscal year (FY2020-21), as against the target of Rs2,550 billion.

According to officials, FBR's provisional revenue collection of Rs2,570 billion during the Jul-Jan FY21 period was 6.4pc higher compared with Rs2,416 billion collected during the same period of FY20.

OVERALL, THE REVENUE BOARD HAS COLLECTED RS2.57TR IN JULY-JAN FY21, AS AGAINST THE TARGET OF RS2.55TR The net collection for the month of January was recorded at Rs364 billion against the target of Rs340 billion; representing an increase of 12.3pc over last January. This is the first double-digit monthly growth witnessed in the current fiscal year.

Meanwhile, refund payments clocked in Rs129 billion during 7MFY21 compared to Rs69 billion last year, showing an increase of 87pc. This is reflective

of FBR’s resolve to fast-track refunds to prevent liquidity issues of the industry.

Officials attributed improved collection figures to growing economic activities in the country despite challenges imposed by the second wave of Covid19. Going forward, it is expected that this performance would be strengthened further with economic recovery gaining more momentum, they added.

According to FBR, the board is ex-

pending serious efforts to broaden the tax base in the country.

As on 30st Jan 2021, the number of income tax returns (filed) stood at 2.52 million compared to 2.31 million last year, showing an increase of 9pc, while tax deposited with returns clocked in at Rs48.3 billion compared to only Rs29.6 billion last year, depicting an increase of 63pc.

Besides, FBR has issued notices to nearly 1.4 million taxpayers, who were supposed to file returns or filed nil return or misdeclared their assets. Those who are not complying will be pursued diligently until compliance is achieved, the FBR stated.

ICCI seeks new policy measures to promote documented economy iSLamaBad APP

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has urged the government to take new policy measures aimed at promoting the documented economy that would help improve the tax revenue collection and achieving sustainable growth.

“The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected Pakistan’s GDP growth rate at 1.5 per cent for the current fiscal year 2020-21, but this forecast was based on the formal economy, which was almost half of the total economy,” said ICCI President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan.

He said that the informal economy in Pakistan accounted for 35-50pc of the total economy, therefore, the real GDP growth of the country could be enhanced sig-

nificantly by bringing informal sectors in the formal economy.

On the other hand, he said, IMF’s World Economic Outlook 2021 has projected the global economy to grow at 5.5pc, emerging economies 8.3pc, India 11.5pc, China 8.1pc, Malaysia 7pc, Turkey 6pc, France 5.5pc, USA 5.1pc, Mexico 4.3pc. “Pakistan’s growth projection is quite low than its actual potential because the undocumented economy was not being considered”.

“Lack of education about the tax system also holds back many potential taxpayers from coming into the system,” he added, urging the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to organise awareness sessions at chambers of commerce and industry in major cities to educate maximum traders about the benefits of filing taxes.

The SCCI president lamented that FBR was withdrawing cash from bank accounts of the business com-

munity through scrutiny and urged the government to stop this practice, saying that it will create trust issues and force people to remain in the informal economy to avoid unnecessary troubles.

He emphasised that Pakistan was confronted with many economic challenges including, rising debt burden, fiscal deficit, low tax revenue collection, which is why the best way to overcome these challenges was to focus on promoting documentation of the economy.

He concluded by saying that the government is obligated to ensure that the benefits of development and other steps aimed at public welfare were equitably accessible to all citizens. However, this objective can not be achieved without getting rid of foreign loans and generating enough indigenous resources for which proper documentation of the economy and increasing the size of the formal economy was imperative.

Saudi firms sue former spymaster now in Canada, allege $3bn fraud ottaWa AGENCIES

Saudi state-owned companies have sued the country's former intelligence czar in a Canadian court, alleging he stole billions of dollars, according to documents obtained by AFP. The 10 subsidiaries of Tahakom Investment Co -- which is owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund - said in the civil suit filed in Ontario Superior Court that Saad Aljabri committed a "massive fraud" totaling at least $3.47 billion.

Aljabri, exiled in Canada, was a top aide to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who was deposed as heir to the throne by

Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a 2017 palace coup.

A campaign advocating for Aljabri said in a statement he and his family will "fight the recycled corruption allegations vigorously and are confident they will succeed in dismissing them."

Prince Mohammed bin Nayef remains in detention in Riyadh.

The Ontario court has ordered a freeze of Aljabri's assets worldwide.

The lawsuit describes estates in Saudi Arabia, luxury condominiums in Boston and several properties in Canada as ill-gotten gains.

It accuses Aljabri of having funneled money from companies funded by Saudi Arabia for counterterrorism activ-

ities -- including buying security equipment, flying agents around the world and paying informants -- to himself, his family and friends.

"Although the investigation is ongoing, it is clear that from at least 2008 to 2017, Aljabri masterminded and oversaw a conspiracy incorporating at least 21 conspirators across at least 13 jurisdictions to misappropriate" the funds, according to the lawsuit.

His supporters say the lawsuit is an attempt to distract from "the brutality" of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS. Aljabri last August filed a lawsuit in the United States alleging that MBS had sent a "hit squad" to Canada

in 2018 to try to kill and dismember him in the same way that Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul in October that year.

But the plot was allegedly detected and disrupted by Canadian police before they could act.

The murder of Khashoggi sparked an international outcry and tarnished the reputation of the oil-rich kingdom and the crown prince.

Aljabri said MBS wants him dead because he is close to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, and because he has intimate information on the de facto Saudi ruler that would sour the close relationship between Washington and Riyadh.

FBR mulls penalty on sugar mills over noncompliance with VAS iSLamaBad STAFF REPORT

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is mulling to issue penalty notices to sugar mills that have failed to install video analytic system (VAS).

The FBR directed Chief Commissioners of LTO, MTO, CTO of Karachi, Lahore and RTO Peshawar to issue penalty notices to non-compliant sugar mills which have not followed FBR guidelines.

“The FBR will take action by imposing heavy penalties on non-compliant sugar mills and non-compliant vendors if they fail to install the video analytic equipment at their factory premises by January 31, 2021,” according to a notice sent to vendors of VAS. The notice has been sent to all the pre-qualified vendors, including: M/s AJCL (Pvt) Ltd, M/s TPL Trekker, M/s CNS Engineering & Technology, M/s. NRTC and GCS, M/s COMMTEL, M/s DWP Technologies

and M/s Focus Technology Pvt Ltd. The FBR said that it has authorised seven vendors through its report on November 20, 2020 for VAS and a copy was shared with Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and all pre-qualified vendors to initiate the process.

In order to ensure the implementation of VAS, the FBR issued a letter on December 02, 2020 directing the PSMA to provide mill wise update status of deployment of VAS by December 31, 2020, which was further extended up to January 31, 2021.

“In response to the letters only a few sugar mills have issued final quotations to the vendors for installation of the system. However, a large number of sugar mills are not willing to implement the system as they have either issued provisional quotations or not issued any quotation at all the process of VAS.” The FBR observed that the pre-qualified vendors had failed to install the video analytics equipment on the sugar mills, which

had issued final quotations to the pre-qualified vendors for the system.

Earlier, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has given a deadline to sugar mills for installing video cameras till January 15 in

cmYK

order to ensure real-time monitoring of sugar production.

However, the government’s plan to pilot online surveillance of sugar production confronted a technical barrier as real-time video

connection with the tax system couldn’t be built with crushing reaching the middle point. Monitoring cameras have initially failed to capture manufacturing activities at the sugar mills.

The sources at Large Taxpayers Office (LTO) Karachi said at least two sugar mills have so far implemented the VAS from designated vendors, but the gadgets couldn’t synchronise the records of production lines with the main database of the FBR. The LTO Karachi has jurisdictions over 29 sugar mills.

In order to resolve the issues between sugar mills and vendors, a meeting was scheduled on January 13 at FBR headquarters.

The sources said the implementation of VAS at sugar mills would not be possible in the current crushing season. The sugar crushing season runs through November to March. The FBR has deputed its officials at sugar mills as a stopgap measure until it develops real-time video links with crushing and production processes.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

06 COMMENT

What does the future hold for us?

As the veneer peels off One discovers the real Imran Khan

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Apart from education to make us think, population growth must be controlled

ith the passage of time the veneer of idealism is peeling off. What reveals itself underneath is the real Prime Minister imran Khan as yet another practitioner of realpolitik.

Mr Khan enjoyed the suffering that the opposition leaders were made to undergo in the name of accountability. Fully supported as he was by those who maintain files on the shenanigans of politicians belonging to all parties, Mr Khan had access to damaging information about the Pti’s ministers who had freely indulged in corruption and misused authority. Some of those in the Pti who were still under the spell of Mr Khan’s slogans must have provided him evidence against the mafias inside the party. however, Mr Khan ensured that no action was taken against those who remained loyal to the party. the charge of corruption was meant only to defame and penalize the opposition rather than punish the bad eggs among the Pti loyalists Mr Khan has called the selling and buying of votes in the Senate elections an act of treason. Mr Khan therefore wants an open ballot system, with every ballot paper carrying the signature of the voter. it is widely known that big money plays a crucial role in every Senate election.

Why didn’t imran Khan then demand an open ballot in the election for the Senate chairman in March 2018?

Simply because he was assured by those who matter that the candidate being supported jointly by the Pti chief and former President Zardari would easily win under the prevalent system. Why didn’t Mr Khan demand an open ballot when the opposition brought a no-confidence motion against Mr Sanjrani in August 2019? Simply because Mr Khan’s man had no chance of winning in an open ballot.

Several Pti legislators and even ministers resent the unelected advisors and special assistants who play a key role in formulating unpopular policies that the elected lawmakers are required to defend. they know that the PM wants some of these to be elected Senators, paving the way for their appointment as ministers, and are unlikely to support them. the PM fears that the lot might lose if the secret ballot is not replaced by an open ballot. their failure would show that the PM is losing moral authority in the Pti. Sheer political exigency rather than any principle has led PM Khan to demand an open ballot.

rabia aHmed

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F astronauts were taught nothing about gravity and atmosphere, and nothing about how to cope with variations in both, they would not survive a day in space. Much like students schooled in a system that stresses learning by memorizing dates and formulae, one that pays no attention to the skills crucial to life and the adaptability required in different situations. Such a system was never a good thing, but its lack of wisdom is more and more obvious with time. now when it has been observed that very shortly man is going to make himself redundant, that his role in life will be taken over by an intelligence which was created by man himself and perfected to the extent that anything man can do Artificial intelligence (Ai) can do better, a population that has no idea of how to deal with this change has little chance of surviving. the process is already under way. One sees it in medicine where chips inserted into the body, monitor and control its various responses. Self-driving cars are in the market although for now the driver’s role remains in making important decisions. Completely self-driving vehicles are still about a decade away, but ten years is not much at all, and for those who are already too far behind it is as bad as having no time at all to catch up.

Startling allegations

Repercussions of Arab Spring

Asad Durrani episode severely damages the office he once held

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AKiStAn has an unfortunate history of prominent civilian political figures being labeled ‘traitors’ and ‘security risks’ by the establishment. Prime Ministers, ambassadors and even the founder of the nation’s late sister Fatima Jinnah have been targets of this kneejerk reaction to fair critical commentary. that the same treatment is being meted out to former DG iSi Lt Gen(retd) Asad Durrani is however unprecedented. General Durrani has been on the exit control list (ECL) since 2018 after a book titled the Spy Chronicles: RAW, iSi and the illusion of Peace that he coauthored with former RAW chief Amarjit Singh Dulat, was published. his request for removal from the ECL has been denied on the basis that he has been “interacting with hostile elements” including india’s premier intelligence agency RAW since 2008. it makes little sense as to why such perceivably severe and baseless allegations had to be made against a person who had held the office he done, just in order to keep him on the ECL, when there were plenty of other legal arguments with less far reaching implications that could have been made to achieve the same. While the government will be able to retain General Durrani’s name on the ECL for longer, it has perhaps unintentionally provided RAW an opportunity to boast about its ability to turn a former Pakistani spymaster. the incident also gives rise to some valid questions as well. have other former DGs of the iSi been involved in similar activities? if General Durrani had been collaborating with RAW for more than 12 years, why wasn’t he stopped or caught by any of the officers who succeeded him? if the purpose of keeping him on the ECL at the cost of ravaging the credibility and reputation of the iSi and armed forces is to stop his future books and articles from being published, then this is a horrifically ill-conceived censorship strategy as that content will still see the light of day one way or another. it is high time that this high sensitivity to criticism that has seen so many leave the country to express their opinions openly is dialed down and rationalized.

A 10-year retrospective

Humera malik

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En years ago, what has been called the Arab Spring, started. it began in tunisia with huge protests which spread across the region. they brought down autocrats which led to a war-like situation. it probably makes sense that on the 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring, we should look at how an act of extreme desperation started it all. it started in tunisia in December 2010. Muhammad Bouazizi sold fruits in the street. he was 26 years old, supporting his whole family and hardly earned his livelihood. One day the police tried to confiscate his cart. According to the police, he didn’t have a permit but that allegation was rejected by Bouazizi outright. in fact, he claimed, the police wanted to be bribed. A policewoman even slapped him. When he tried to complain to local officials, he was ignored. So he set himself on fire outside a government building. Muhammad died a few weeks later.

Within weeks, a huge backlash erupted which led to mass protests in tunisia. Muhammad’s plight resonated with so many people because they were also suffering from some of the frustrations. According to Al-Jazeera, “the most powerful man of the country (President of tunisia) brought down by one of the most powerless”.

People across the Middle East and north Africa felt inspired to demand change in their countries too. they demanded the fall of the autocratic regimes. they were calling on these governments to be held accountable for the social injustices that they had

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

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Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

When the industrial Revolution arrived, it carried either side? there is little point also in knowing the its initiators with it, England, the USA, Germany and exact equation for the special theory of relativity so on. Other countries such as india (and Pakistan), without understanding what mass, gravity and force te Middle Eastern countries and Africa were left far are, what they can be applied to and why the knowlbehind. For now these countries continue to hold edge is important to us.

Yuval noah harari, an intellectual and a histosome value because they are able to provide what factories and their expensive workers belonging to those rian, says that education needs to teach us to reinvent ourselves. in a world that with every change threatens industrialised countries cannot: cheap labour. our professions, our means But now that Ai can lift, of livelihood, in such a world clean, plant, click and fix requires people to be ever stuff, something that was the more ingenious in finding a province of that cheap labour, different path when the one and it can fly, diagnose and On an individual level no life they are on is taken up by operate as well…what now?

Where do the countries prois without a purpose, but how someone else. the second thing that viding cheap labour go? far can a society sustain must be done, and this is as On an individual level no important as the education, is life is without a purpose, but itself if it consists mostly of to bring down the uncontrolled how far can a society sustain rate of population growth in itself if it consists mostly of people who cannot read, or our country. Education might people who cannot read, or even if they can, they read improve but to make it acceseven if they can, they read sible to such a great number of without much understanding. without much understanding. persons is perhaps an impossiWill our segment of the world still have any validity when Will our segment of the world ble task, and the numbers grow each day. What started everything is fully handed still have any validity when out as a country of 33,700,000 over to Ai? (West Pakistan) in 1947 beit is true that most people everything is fully handed came in the year 2020 a counin every country are individtry with a mind-boggling uals without a great deal of over to AI? population of more than education and a limited un220,892,340 persons. derstanding. Much of this can Both these measures will be laid at the door of personal provide us with at least a economics, of the need to provide in the face of the odds that life is so good at fighting chance of survival, although to survive with throwing at us. the situation around us today in the any measure of peace will require a lot more than this.

At present there is no sign that anything, anything midst of covid-19 is a tragic but apt example. What must be done about this, so that the future holds at all is being done to address either of these matters. the system provides only a small number of persons something better for us than annihilation? with real knowledge. And to control the population there are two things that must be done. the first is to overhaul the system of education is taken as an insult to religion. the only activity on so that the stress is on understanding rather than rote the national scene appears to be political, relating to learning, on a system that focuses on problem solving who stays in power and who is kicked out. rather than producing a list of facts. how far can a Rabia Ahmed is a freelance columnist. Read person go knowing the exact date of the fourth AngloMysore war without analysing the forces involved on more by her at http://rabia-ahmed.blogspot.com

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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been subjected to for decades. no doubt, that was the revolutionary moment on such a scale as we had not really observed since the struggles for independence from colonial rule. A quick recap will help to understand the effects of tunisian revolution on the other parts of the world. in tunisia, the president had been in power for 23 years but his rule was overturned after just a month of protests. Over in Egypt, it took just 18 days to get rid of hosni Mubarak after 30 years rule. Egypt then got its first democratically elected President Mohammad Morsi, but his rule was overthrown by the military. it’s axiomatic to admit that military is still pretty much in charge. in Libya President Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed after 42 years in power. that particular situation created a power vacuum which led to a civil war that is still going on. Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, was also pushed out after 33 years in power. But since then the country has been more divided than ever. the fight between the rebel houthis and the Saudi-led military coalition has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. On the other hand, Syria is sort of exception because Bashar al-Assad hasn’t gone away. What started as peaceful protests there became one of the worst conflict of our times. With Assad’s government, groups including iSiL and foreign powers all fighting for control.

Other countries had uprisings too, the most serious being in Bahrain. But Saudi Arabia sent troops across the border to save the monarchy there. So in most countries the Arab Spring didn’t lead to what many protesters wanted. Some would even say things went backwards. they believe that renewed authoritarianism took place which exacerbated the oppression even worse than it was before the Arab Spring in some of those cases. in the dark shadows of turmoil in Arab world, there is one country that appears to have got some things right. As a young democracy, tunisia has a lot going for it. it got a new constitution, holding several

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

elections. the media is considered free and people can protest too. tunisia was able to undergo a relatively peaceful political transition. tunisia has also done something remarkable by establishing the truth and Dignity Commission. it was set up to investigate things like human rights abuses and corruption under the former regime. there were more than 62,000 complaints from victims. Some of the hearings were even televised. they are seeking accountability or reparations. it’s not out of place to say that the very process is an inherently controversial and political process, because it really digs deep into the roots of the ugliness of authoritarian rule and oppression. Little wonder then that there has been resistance, and politicians from the old regime are back in power. they are accused of trying to stop the commission’s work. they even passed a law that grants amnesty to officials accused of corruption during Bin Ali’s time. there have also been security problems. Fighters have been crossing over from Libya and civilians have been attacked. the economy has struggled too. international lenders like iMF offered bailouts, but the spending cuts they demanded were unpopular. People haven’t been able to buy the basics. hence, it’s tough to label tunisia a success but also hard to ignore that it’s done better than the others.

10 years is not a long time to transform a country let alone a whole region. in the last couple of years, there have been more protests in places like Sudan, Algeria and Lebanon. the fear barrier that was broken, 10 years ago, has emboldened so many to continue to call out their governments. the Arab Spring is in many ways not over. tunisia is far from a perfect example but people there do have the freedom to elect who leads them to demand change. the voices of hundreds of innocent people are heard. that’s what Muhammad Bouazizi wanted. it’s what millions of people wanted, when they rose up 10 years ago.

In the last couple of years, there have been more protests in places like Sudan, Algeria and Lebanon. The fear barrier that was broken, 10 years ago, has emboldened so many to continue to call out their governments. The Arab Spring is in many ways not over

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer can be reached at Humeramalik753@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Sunday, 31 January, 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

A coming challenge it is estimated that our country adds approximately 4.4 million people to its population each year. it is believed that the country's population has increased in the last 29 years ( since 1991), and it is estimated by the Un tjat that there will be 403m inhabitants by 2050, keeping pakistan at fifth place in the world by population. So population will be one of the biggest problems in coming years which will add multiple problems to people like unemployment, poverty, and more which will put people in hot water. People will be in danger if government does not take this issue seriously.

Sameer aSlam awaran

Video game addiction

Bursting of the bubble Divisions and distortions in a march into wilderness

Candid Corner raoof Hasan “The majority see the obstacles, the few see the objectives. History records the successes of the latter while oblivion is the reward to the former.”

–alfred armand montapert

T

hE launch of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), not too long ago, was studded with much fanfare and grandiose proclamations. But, within a short span of time, it appears to have wilted under myriad pressures from within to be reduced to a shadow of the self that it was purported to be. What are those factors which have impacted it to an extent that people are now forced to refer to it as of the past rather than of the future?

At best, the PDM was an amalgamation of conflicting interests. its components were not brought together by any threat looming over the institution of democracy in the country. they joined hands because their brand of politics was under threat which is built around the absolute ascendance of family oligarchies where the mantle of leadership passes from the father to the son or daughter and from one brother to the other. in the process, the one who assumes the top office ensures that the rest of the family members and the principal benefactors are accommodated at all key positions in the corridors of power encompassing the offices of the chief ministers, governors, ministers, advisors, et al. it is thus that the process of illicit accumulation begins, with nothing spared from the insatiable greed of these monsters.

Although the parties are managed through imposition and practice of strict discipline, some voices of discontent keep emanating from various quarters, thus forcing the leaders to letting the scourge of corruption filter down the hierarchical order. it is then that the mafias take shape within the governmental echelons which are all empowered to gratify their latent instincts at the cost of the state. So, we have a vast beneficiary elite standing out by their opulence fed on a spree of loot and plunder with the state and its marginalised multitudes languishing on the fringes of life. it is a tragedy of no small proportions that this country has been held hostage by succeeding oligarchies which were hoisted to the seats of power. While their assets grew exponentially, the very chances of survival of the impoverished diminished with the passage of time. So huge is the disparity between the rulers and the ruled

that one’s head is bowed in eternal shame. the parties of the PDM banded together because their infatuation with accruing benefits for advancing their myopic and self-centred agendas, was under threat from someone who wanted to change it all for the larger good of the state and the people. By exerting pressure earlier on, they thought that, like a string of them in the past, imran Khan, too, would wilt under and give them reprieve from multifaceted crimes they had committed through their tenures in power. it is not just the pelf they had accumulated over time that they wanted to save, but also their avowed celestial right to come back to rule the country again. they felt threatened that not only their assets would be taken away by the incumbent, their brand of politics, too, would be buried six feet under. So, true to the Prime Minister’s prophesy, all these bandits have got together in a desperate bid to save their skins.

But every partnership has its own dynamics. it would work if there is a general consensus among the constituents with regard to the objectives of the coalition as well as the strategies to be adopted to get to their goal. it appeared in the beginning that the parties had gathered around a common agenda of agitation with a sinister game plan regarding how to wage it. the one factor they had all taken for granted was the support of the people. they thought that since the life of the poor had become difficult because of inflation, they would come out readily. this assumption proved fallacious as their rallies were scantily attended. the presence of people kept shrinking further till it was reduced to a trickle. there was another kind of pressure growing from within their ranks. this came in the shape of venomous speeches by nawaz Sharif and his cohorts who attacked the institutions of the state, most notably the military, for having sponsored the new government. they not only held it responsible collectively, they also attacked some key individuals by name. this did not go down well with the security institution which was forced to come out with its own version. in the process, the PDM lost any possible support that it could garner from these quarters and which it had been trying to secure by holding clandestine meetings with them. these were later made public. this increased the pressure on the constituent parties. As little public support dashed their hopes of marching on islamabad, their options seemed to be narrowing. it is then that the PPP started drifting away. First it disagreed with the proposal of tendering resignations from the assemblies. it is understandable also as PPP is the only political party with real-time stakes in

the shape of their government in a province. then they disengaged from the attacks on the military. Later, they put forth the idea of trying to remove the incumbent government by moving a vote of no-confidence. this was publicly rubbished by the PML(n and JUi(F) who asked Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to show his hand. So far, the PPP has refused to budge. the idea of building the protest to a deafening crescendo, resigning from the assemblies and leading a mammoth march on the citadel of power having all crashed one after the other, the PDM is back to the drawing board as its leaders meet in islamabad on February 4 to chalk out a new strategy to move hence. With divisions within growing, the chances of a consensus appear slim. Will this lead to a break-up of the coalition?

Well, in a way, it already has. the vile merchant of religion, who is now also accused of having accumulated assets beyond his known means, has been threatening of late that if all decisions are to be taken

by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maryam nawaz, he would rather quit the leadership of the coalition. i reckon that it would be the top agenda item when they meet this coming thursday. the chances of the PPP agreeing with Maulana Fazalur Rehman’s agenda are virtually negligible. they all have their own compulsions. the PPP is unwilling to sacrifice its power factor. they are also inclined to going soft on the security apparatus of the country. the PML(n) is rent asunder through internal divisions, mostly coming from Shahbaz Sharif’s family and their support base. there are also serious reservations among a vast segment in the party about the poisonous nawaz Sharif narrative. they have expressed their inability to extend support to a chronicle of division. the JUi(F) has similar issues, with some of its founding stalwarts having quit the party, accusing the leader of accepting financial aid from some foreign countries. the forthcoming show in islamabad would be worth watching– not for any bold and decisive move on way to dislodging the incumbent government, but to see whether the constituent parties are able to tide over their increasing differences. By all indications, the bubble has already burst as the government looks forward to gaining a majority in the Senate to unfurl its agenda of reform and change in earnest.

The forthcoming show in Islamabad would be worth watching– not for any bold and decisive move on way to dislodging the incumbent government, but to see whether the constituent parties are able to tide over their increasing differences.

By all indications, the bubble has already burst as the government looks forward to gaining a majority in the Senate to unfurl its agenda of reform and change in earnest

The writer is a political and security strategist, and heads the Regional Peace Institute – an Islamabad-based think tank. Email: raoofhasan@hotmail.com.

Twitter: @RaoofHasan

ViDEO game addiction has begun to become a problem all over the world.

Many parents are afraid of their children becoming so dependent on video games, they will develop an addiction to them. these frightened parents are looking for advice on how to keep their children from becoming so dependent on gaming. to prevent these addictions from occurring, parents should be paying close attention to the games their children are playing. Parents should make sure their children have plenty of other activities to take up some of their time so they will not have to spend as much time on games.

Monitoring the amount of time a child spends on gaming is crucial. Always be sure to set up limits on the amount of time spent playing video games.

After taking all of these precautions, the only thing left to do is pay attention to the kids to see if their attitude begins to change or if they begin to slack on responsibilities like their school work. if children begin to show attitudinal changes, you will need to make them stop playing their video games until they are not dependent on them. Preventing this addiction can be a difficult task, but if you put forth effort and be diligent about it, the addiction will not develop. mehreen munir roShin TurbaT

Money business in private institutions PRiVAtE institutions are now days earning alot for education. Even in vacation times they don't forgive the fees of poor children. But very cruelly they will accept their own wills for the reaction against children. the question arises, do the principles in the schools do this for earning alot and never think of making decrease the fees. i myself is studying in a private schools which fee is Rs 1700. it's not fair at all. there are many people their family is poor and can't afford such high fees. And the principles are very happy that our institutions are good. i have experienced that reading in a private school is no more beneficial. Just people can learn how to learn English. there are no any well trained teachers. therefore students fail every examinations and can't read. they even complain that in a private school you can't see good facilities. no any clean and pure water. So there is no difference between a private school and a governmental school.

Especially the private schools education is just considered as business and making people educated is just their greed. Listening this, people will feel bad . But it's true. now the main thing to be attentive is regarding reopening of educational institutions which were shut down due to covid-19 virus. Yesterday the Education Minister has decided to open schools according to lines sections but listening this,many of the private schools in turbat city are arguing to open schools on 18th January and there will be reading for all classes. this statement in social media made my very irritated. that's why i wanted to share it. now you guys are known it is the dangerous time of covid-19. So the Education Minister has decided good for you guys. At first 9th to 12th open then the next classes for the effective measures of the virus protection. the terrible private schools just think of money not the children's lives. in my point, the private schools just take decisions themselves since some of the schools are not yet registered by the government. they always make themselves the head of the association.

Believe me, the time there was the fear of closing the institutions. And a warning that if they remain open they will be sealed. So many of them have open secretly. So what does this condition shows? it is the condition of worst response not following the government's appeal. it is not fair at all. they should run according to the law agendas of the association not being free. it is right now Covid-19 , do don't be in search of a large money think of your children who are the future of our developed nations.

People are focusing on online education or classes daily. they are in homes getting rests and knowledge very well. But there are many problems they are facing. the biggest problem is they can't recover the things fast as they have done physically in classes and many different problems they are facing as well. Otherwise, it is very beneficial to get education through internet. there are many of the works we will be enjoying online reading till the institutions open. this should not be the attitude of private schools otherwise they will be warned very badly. Do you know every laws need to be accepted. While the institutions were getting closed even these irresponsible private schools have not accepted and they forcefully opened their institutions and not caring our health. the authorities should look up to this serious matter in every areas of Pakistan and visit the those schools who make their own wills that can be very bad for the students. barkaTullah TurbaT

Street crime is on the rise OUR country faces many problems and one of them is street crime. But the issue is being ignored as Pakistani media outlets are busy discussing the issue of hania Amir and Asim Azhar's divorce or Sarah Khan and Falak Shabbir's wedding ceremony. to feel sorry for someone or to feel happy and send them good wishes is a good thing but to make it a habit all the time, and to set aside the most important matters, is not good at all. in fact, we have so many problems that we can highlight through the use of social media to create awareness for more people. Street crime such as cell phone hijacking, car theft, gold jewelry, etc., is very common in Pakistan, especially in Karachi. in cities like Karachi, you will not find one person who has never seen a street crime.

Many Karachi residents have been arrested at gunpoint, or they have friends or family members who are experiencing this nightmare. We have lost many lives due to non-compliance with cell phones or wallets. kaShif khan iSlamabad

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

IDF chIeF warns Us noT To rejoIn Iran Deal IDF CHIEF AVIV KOCHAVI APPARENTLY DID NOT CONSULT WITH HIS SUPERIORS BEFORE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE UNITED STATES RETURNING TO THE NUCLEAR DEAL WITH IRAN

al-Monitor

o

BEN CAsPit

N Jan. 26, the day Al-Monitor ran an article describing hints of a military option against Iran that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was directing at the new US administration, the chief of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, delivered his annual address at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies. his remarks shocked Israel’s political-defense establishment and likely reverberated in Washington and Tehran.

Contrary to the position taken by two of Kochavi’s predecessors, Lt. Gen. (res.)

Benny Gantz and Lt. Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi, who currently serve as Israel’s ministers of defense and foreign affairs, respectively, Kochavi launched a direct attack on the Barack Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and delivered thinly veiled hints to the new Democratic administration.

“If the 2015 nuclear deal had [remained

in place], Iran would have gotten itself a bomb," Israel’s top soldier said. “A return to the 2015 nuclear agreement, or even if it is a similar accord with several improvements, is bad and wrong from an operational and strategic point of view. Operationally, because it would enable Iran to enrich quantities of uranium, develop centrifuges to the point of a nuclear breakout. Strategically, it will drag the Middle east into a nuclear race,” Kochavi warned. “Anything similar to the current agreement is bad and must not be allowed. Today’s Iran is not the Iran of 2015. Today’s Iran is under tremendous pressure, economic pressures. … Decisive action is required to deprive Iran of any breakout capability." he went on, "I have instructed the IDF to prepare a number of operational plans in addition to those already in place. We are focused on preparing these plans in the coming year. It will be up to the political leadership, of course, to decide on implementation, but these plans need to be on the table.”

The timing of his remarks could not have been more sensitive, two days before the first working visit to Israel by US CeNTCOM Commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie and just one week after the Joe Biden administration took office. Kochavi did not give the Americans the usual 100 days of grace and did not leave the messaging to the politicians. Instead of an intimate dialogue behind closed doors, he fired off alarmist rhetoric

and barely veiled hints in the style of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. he surprised everyone — his direct boss, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, was furious — the top IDF brass and all the way to the prime minister's office.

Did he coordinate his remarks in advance with Netanyahu? It seems unlikely.

Netanyahu, too, appeared taken by surprise, though he did not condemn the military chief, confirming off the record that Kochavi’s remarks reflect his own position.

Nonetheless, Netanyahu associates were quick to issue a clarification, as diplomatic affairs analyst Barak Ravid reported immediately following Kochavi’s appearance, emphasizing that the prime minister is not interested at this stage in a confrontation with the US administration and is in fact seeking to develop an intimate dialogue with the Americans allowing him to present his position. Netanyahu is pleased that unlike during the Obama administration era, senior US officials are declaring their intention to consult with US allies, including Israel, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at his Senate confirmation hearing. “Netanyahu intends to exhaust this option,” a source close to the prime minister told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.

Associates of Gantz and Ashkenazi were less laid back. Both spoke with their American counterparts shortly afterward, Ashke-

nazi with Blinken and Gantz with incoming Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Al-Monitor has learned that both ministers assuaged their counterparts’ concerns, explaining that Kochavi was not expressing an official Israeli position and that Israel seeks a productive, professional dialogue with the administration to bridge the gaps between them and ensure the closest coordination possible.

These clarifications notwithstanding, the military chief has not retracted his remarks, nor did not claim he had been misunderstood. he even disseminated the full text of his speech to all the top IDF brass the following day. his relations with Gantz continue to deteriorate. Kochavi’s position collides head on with the understandings that Gantz, Ashkenazi and probably Netanyahu are trying to develop along the WashingtonJerusalem axis.

What is Kochavi up to? he is one of the most experienced and talented commanders the IDF has had in modern times. When he assumed his position two years ago, he was more prepared than almost all his predecessors. he is sensitive to the delicate fabric of relations between the military and political echelons, especially in the international arena. his address was not cleared with his superiors, the security cabinet or the government. As head of military intelligence, Kochavi was among those who argued that the agreement taking shape between Iran and

Biden is running out of time to save the Iran nuclear deal BUT NEITHER COUNTRY IS IN A HURRY TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE

Slate

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FRED KAPLAN

ReSIDeNT Joe Biden has long said that he wants to restore the Iran nuclear deal, which President Barack Obama and five other world leaders signed in 2015 and which President Donald Trump scuttled three years later. however, in their confirmation hearings, Antony Blinken and Avril haines—who are now secretary of state and director of national intelligence—said this isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.

Was their testimony a sign of disagreement within the new administration, a case of diplomatic positioning, or the result of something new and contentious in the West’s relations with Iran? And what are the prospects for a return to the deal, which, before Trump withdrew from it, was successfully shutting down Iran’s nuclear program?

Something new has happened in recent months. The Iranians have substantially exceeded the deal’s limits on how much uranium they’re allowed to enrich, and they have started to produce faster centrifuges, the paddles that enrich nuclear fuel, which the deal had prohibited. This is the main reason for Blinken and haines’ pessimism. however, it’s worth noting—and the two officials are well aware of this—that Iran violated the deal only after Trump pulled out of it. The deal was in essence an exchange: Iran dismantled its nuclear program; the U.S. lifted the economic sanctions that it had imposed on Iran for developing a nuclear program. When Trump withdrew from the deal, he reimposed the sanctions. he also levied “secondary sanctions” against all countries, including the deal’s co-signatories, that continued doing business with Iran.

Paragraph 36 of the 159-page accord—formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—states that a signatory would have “grounds to cease performing its commitments” if some other signatories ceased performing theirs. The U.S. reimposed sanctions, violating its side of the

bargain, so Iran resumed enriching uranium and building advanced centrifuges. In this sense, Iranian officials have argued that they are still in compliance with the deal. If the U.S. once again lifts sanctions, they say, Iran will once again stop enriching, get rid of the uranium, and destroy the centrifuges.

Blinken, haines, and others state the conditions in reverse chronology: If Iran stops enriching uranium and so forth, the U.S. will lift the sanctions.

So there’s the conundrum: Which side goes first? Most Americans, including those who want to restore the nuclear deal, don’t trust Iran’s leaders. (This has historical roots, going back to 1979, when the revolutionary regime took U.S. diplomats hostage.) Most Iranians don’t trust America’s leaders. (This goes back to 1953, when the CIA helped overthrow Iran’s democratic government.)

All the major players in the Biden administration firmly believe that the Iran nuclear deal was a monumental achievement worth preserving. Biden himself was involved, though peripherally, in its negotiation and its selling to the public. Blinken was Obama’s deputy national security adviser at the time. Biden’s nominee for deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman, and his special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, were the deal’s chief negotiators. Philip Gordon, who is Vice President Kamala harris’ national security adviser, was White house coordinator for Middle eastern affairs during the negotiation and signing of the deal. Colin Kahl, the nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy, was Vice President Biden’s national security adviser at the time.

In short, there is no intramural dispute on this issue. however, for reasons of trust and politics, the question—who goes first?—is a stumbling block.

Robert Malley has already spoken with British, French, and German officials about how best to revive the deal, and will reportedly consult with Middle eastern officials as well. (A few anti-Iran critics recently wrote an open letter urging Biden to retract Malley’s appointment, attacking him as soft on Iran and too eager to make concessions.

Many of Malley’s colleagues issued a statement rebutting the charge. In any case, it’s irrelevant, as a presidential envoy is just that: he doesn’t make policy; he conveys it.)

Critics have also long complained that the deal put limits only on Iran’s nuclear program, not on its ballistic missiles or its support for terrorist groups. This is true, but, as Obama and many of his aides (who are now Biden’s aides) pointed out at the time, there was no practical way to squeeze

all of these issues into a single accord—and, for the moment, heading off Iran’s nuclear ambitions seemed most urgent. This is still the case—in fact, even more so, as, thanks to Trump’s withdrawal from the deal, Iran is closer than ever to developing a nuclear weapon.

Besides, when Obama lifted sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program, he retained the sanctions that had been imposed to punish Iran for precisely those other concerns—its ballistic missiles and its support of terrorist groups. This would still be the case if the accord is resumed.

One could imagine a refurbished nuclear deal with a new prologue or annex, stating that the U.S. and the other original signatories—Britain, France, Russia, China, Germany, and the european Union—are reentering the accord on the understanding that new negotiations will soon follow, dealing with a wider range of topics, including Iran’s ballistic missiles and its support of terrorist groups, as well as (perhaps for balance) expanded trade and diplomatic relations.

If it’s too delicate for U.S. diplomats to work out these terms, as well as the timing of the resumption (the who-goes-first puzzle), maybe the eU or one of the other parties could take the lead.

Maybe Malley will discuss these issues in his meetings; maybe, to some extent, he already has.

Whatever the intentions of all the players, this game can’t be stretched out for very long. Iran has started enriching uranium to 20 percent purity. (It takes 90 percent to build a bomb, but once the 20 percent threshold is crossed, the rest is fairly easy.

The nuclear deal restricted enrichment to 3 percent.) Iran also faces presidential elections in June.

Trump’s withdrawal from the accord, as well as his resumption of sanctions, has politically strengthened Iran’s most hard-line factions, who never supported the deal to begin with. It would be in our interests if talks could be resumed well before the balloting.) Some formula can probably be worked out, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be. In the early 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were negotiating a treaty to ban the testing of nuclear weapons. The talks hit a bump over the issue of how many times a year each side could inspect the other’s test sites. The Soviets wanted no more than three tests; the Americans wanted seven.

Clearly, it seemed, they would compromise on five. But they didn’t; neither side budged. In the end, it didn’t matter, as scientists proved that they could monitor underground tests with seismometers. Still, it’s a cautionary tale about the limits of compromise: No matter how logical it seems to split the difference, sometimes the splitting just doesn’t happen.

world powers was the “the lesser of two evils,” opposed an Israeli strike on Iran and understood the many advantages of the agreement as well as its drawbacks.

Kochavi’s position runs counter to that of most senior Israeli defense and intelligence officials (except for Mossad director Yossi Cohen, whose views are equally militant), who contend that the absence of a nuclear agreement with Iran is more of a threat to Israel than the deal from which the United States withdrew in 2018. Kochavi’s associates claim he changed his mind on the issue over a year ago. But was the shift professional or shaped by political considerations?

Kochavi’s abilities and charisma make him a natural candidate for Israel’s leadership after the Netanyahu era. In trying to depict himself as more Netanyahu than Netanyahu, he could be signaling that such is indeed his goal, trying to curry favor with the prime minister and score points ahead of Gantz and Netanyahu's decision on whether to extend his three-year term by a year, as has been the norm with almost all IDF chiefs.

Kochavi is an officer, but he is also a political being and knows full well which way the wind is blowing. he is building himself up as a defense hawk, a position that has been Netanyahu’s winning card for years. he may also be trying to emulate Cohen, another talented security hawk.

“What we saw this week could have been a tactical move to prepare for the future struggle on the day after Netanyahu between these two talented men,” a senior political source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “The first shot but not the last in the future race for Israel’s premiership between Yossi Cohen and Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi.” Kochavi’s first shot, however, was not his personal best. he will surely learn his lesson and improve his aim next time.

In search of malice: On FIRs against journalists FIRS AGAINST JOURNALISTS FOR INCORRECT ACCOUNTS ARE ABUSE OF LAW, WITH INTENT TO INTIMIDATE

T

Hindu

he registration of cases against some senior journalists and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for their “misleading” social media posts on the Republic Day violence during the farmers’ protests in Delhi, by the U.P. and M.P. police is an instance of fishing for malice where there is none. The Gautama Buddha Nagar police have clearly gone overboard in their response to tweets that reflected an early, and factually incorrect, piece of information that a farmer who had died during the tractor rally in Delhi had fallen to a police bullet. Later reports said he had died when a tractor overturned during the protests.

The police have invoked the offences of sedition, conspiracy, promotion of enmity between different sections, and breach of harmony between groups. Besides, they have sought to portray it as a threat to national security and an attempt to instigate violence. A similar FIR has been filed on the basis of a complaint in Bhopal, but it invokes only sections relating to promotion of enmity and ill-will. It is apparent, and also strange, that the complainants and the police have sought to link the violence on January 26 with the circulation of a piece of misleading information for a short period. For one thing, the clashes between some of the protesters and the police had already started when the lone death among the protesters occurred; and, second, the position was clarified in a short while. As the editors’ Guild of India has pointed out, it was natural for journalists to report emerging details on a day of protest and action at a time when several reports were coming from eyewitnesses on the ground and the police. It is a matter of concern that there is an attempt to portray these early versions as intentionally malicious. There is little surprise in the attempt by the police to invoke Section 124A of the IPC (sedition) at the slightest pretext. It is part of the now-familiar practice of weaving a narrative of an imagined threat to national security whenever some sections of the police get an opportunity to slap criminal cases against journalists and dissenters seen as critical of the current establishment. The violence that marred the protests that day provided them with the opportune backdrop necessary to file a sedition case. An exasperating part of this narrative is that all those who had put out similar information through their social media handles have been deemed to be acting in concert, and even participating in the same conspiracy. hence, the inclusion of Section 120B, the conspiracy provision in the penal code. There is little doubt that the registration of cases in two States different from the place where the farmer-protester’s death occurred indicates an attempt to build a narrative that media misreporting led to some of the violence that day. It also shows a tendency not to miss an opportunity to harass and intimidate journalists.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

BUSINESS 09

SBP rEBukES BankS For dEliBEraTE aTTEmPTS To BloCk PayPak CardS

corporate corner

LAHORE

T LAHORE: Mobile phone accessories demand and usage have been increasing drastically over the years. With the increasing technology awareness and the growing purchasing capacity, Pakistan as a market has shown a potential for growth of the technology sector. Driven by constant innovation, Riversong has developed a creative product portfolio ranging from basic smart gadgets to AI innovation. PR

SECP holds awareness session on Exchange Traded Funds

TAIMOOR HASSAN

HE State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has rebuked banks for their deliberate attempts to prevent customers from getting domestic payment scheme (DPS) PayPak cards.

In an email sent to heads of financial institutions late Friday, the SBP said, “It has been noted with serious concern that card-issuing institutions are deliberately flouting SBP instructions and are forcing customers to adopt international payment scheme cards (IPS) even in cases when a customer does not express a genuine need or a specific request for an international payment scheme card.”

The message further reads, “Therefore, it is reiterated that card issuing banks shall immediately refrain from circumventing SBP instructions by promoting international payment scheme cards and forcing customers into opting

CENTRAL BANK REITERATES ORDER TO OFFER PAYPAK AS PRIORITY CARD; WARNS OF ACTION AGAINST DELINQUENT BANKS for such cards.”

In a report published last week, Profit highlighted the deliberate attempts of commercial banks to keep their customers from getting PayPak debit cards despite the regulator’s directives to promote DPS card as the priority debit card. According to the report, bank representatives actively engage in keeping customers from getting PayPak cards and promote IPS cards Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay as priority cards.

Profit’s report had further highlighted that commercial banks had increased charges on PayPak cards, in addition to keeping features like ATM withdrawal limits lower for PayPak cards and higher for IPS cards.

Higher charges on PayPak cards are

also against SBP’s fair pricing policy.

PayPak was introduced as the domestic scheme card in April 2016, as a low cost alternative to IPS cards. DPS serves the central bank’s objectives of banking the unbanked population of the country and erecting Pakistan’s payment ecosystem on a local scheme instead of relying on IPS in case of any external contingency that leads to IPS cards stopping to work in Pakistan.

Since its inception, banks did not actively push PayPak cards into the market and offered it only to low-tier accounts.

On January 31, 2020, the SBP directed card issuing institutions, among other things, to offer PayPak as the default card at the time of issuance or renewal of debit cards for all accounts. Accordingly,

the central bank directed that any card requesting customers shall be offered either an exclusive PayPak card or a domestic scheme card co-badged with an international payment scheme.

The SBP had directed that an exclusive IPS card like Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay card, should be given upon written request of the customer.

The central bank reiterated again that card-issuing banks shall offer domestic payment scheme card as the priority debit card and an IPS card should be furnished to the customer upon his written request.

Moreover, the SBP has directed financial institutions to inform customers about the risks of international schemes’ card usage and benefits of the domestic scheme.

“SBP will keep monitoring compliance of the above instructions, in letter and spirit, and shall initiate regulatory enforcement actions against delinquent banks,” the email sent to financial institutions further read.

PM’s aide urges exporters to aggressively pursue African market ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Saturday organised a webinar to increase awareness on Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), a new investment product launched recently in Pakistan's capital market. ETFs are index tracking funds, which because of their passive investment nature offer lower cost to the investors along with increased flexibility in entry and exit, as ETF units can be bought and sold on the stock exchange.

The session, held in collaboration with Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and asset management companies (AMCs), is part of a string of webinars planned by the regulator over the coming months to address the awareness gap in the ETF arena by engaging all stakeholders; brokerage houses, asset managers and institutional investors. In his keynote address, SECP Commissioner Farrukh Sabzwari stated that the diversified and low cost ETFs promise exciting space for investors. He revealed that a number of excellent theme-based ETFs are in the pipeline. Sabzwari pointed out that ETFs are very popular internationally and that the global market size of ETFs is close to $7 trillion – which represents more than 20pc of Global Equity AUMs. He appreciated the four AMCs namely NIT Limited, UBL Fund Managers Limited, Al Meezan Investment Management Limited and NBP Fund Management Limited, for introducing their respective ETFs at PSX. The CIOs of each of these four AMCs also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the distinctive characteristics and features of their respective ETFs. A record number of participants attended the session through online streaming via zoom and social media platforms.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has urged the country's exporters to aggressively explore African markets amid Pakistan’s success at the International Trade Fair which concluded recently in Khartoum, Sudan.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Dawood informed that orders worth $2 million were received and deals worth $3 million are under process after Pakistan successfully participated in the International Trade Fair in Khartoum (Sudan) during January 21-28, 2021.

"The deals under process shall very soon be matured between the Pakistani exporters and Sudanese buyers," he said, adding that new exporters from PVC, corona-related personal protection equipment (PPE) and cosmetic sectors also received encouraging response [in the fair].

"Although numbers are small, the products and direction are right. I congratulate our exporters and encourage them to aggressively market exports in Africa to get an increased share of the market," the advisor tweeted.

He informed that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) had participated in the exhibition, despite difficulties created by Covid-19, as a part of the Ministry of Commerce’s Look Africa Policy launched in 2017.

This participation has opened up new avenues for trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and Sudan, he maintained.

"I congratulate Universal Motors which received an order for 280 motor-

'ORDERS WORTH $2M WERE RECEIVED AND DEALS WORTH $3M ARE UNDER PROCESS AFTER PAKISTAN SUCCESSFULLY PARTICIPATED IN INT'L TRADE FAIR IN SUDAN'

cycles. Besides, agro-machinery, pharmaceutical, glass, and fruit sectors also received a very good response."

It is pertinent to mention that the adviser on Friday had visited TDAP headquarters in Karachi to hold a consultative meeting with the authority's officials on trade promotion measures being taken under the Look Africa Policy.

He was briefed that the TDAP had arranged extensive business-to-business and networking sessions between Pakistani and Sudanese businessmen during the event.

In addition, representatives of Pakistani companies visited local markets and superstores for networking and business linkages.

The advisor was further informed that TDAP and the Embassy of Pak-

istan facilitated local visits and meetings for the Pakistani companies.

About half a dozen companies from Pakistan were able to select new distributors and partners for registration of products and their local distribution in the Sudanese market.

A business forum was also held on 25th January where the Sudanese Businessmen and Employers’ Federation invited Pakistani companies to give a detailed briefing on the export potential of Pakistan to the audience. Salient features of the Look Africa Policy were explained, wherein the forum was apprised of Pakistan's great potential to cater to import needs of Sudan and that the country is looking for economic and trade relations with all regions of Africa, including Sudan.

Moreover, TDAP had also arranged a networking dinner for Pakistani companies and leading Sudanese business houses and government officials.

Dawood appreciated the role played by TDAP in export promotion and appreciated the fact that despite logistical difficulties created by the coronavirus pandemic, TDAP was able to successfully participate in the Sudan Trade Fair. He said that being the marketing arm of the Ministry of Commerce, the role of TDAP in implementation of the Look Africa Policy initiative of the Ministry of Commerce is crucial.

He was of the view that Africa has immense potential for engineering and pharmaceutical products, and advised TDAP to strive even harder to promote exports of Pakistan in new geographies like Africa so that the geographic basket of markets for Pakistan is diversified.

Frequent hike in energy rates to adversely impact industrial production: FPCCI KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The ruling group of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) has resented the frequent increase in electricity tariff and fuel prices, which according to the chamber were announced by the government "on behest of the International Monetary Fund as well as to appease the Independent Power Producers".

FPCCI Businessmen Panel Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar stated on Saturday the constant inrcrease in energy rates would not only make Pakistani products uncompetitive in the international market, but would also dent the prime minister's vision regarding lowering the cost of industrial production.

Talking to a trade delegation at his office, Nisar rejected the government's recent move of raising power cost by more than 15pc, besides increasing rates of petroleum products twice a month to qualify for the revival of the

‘THE GOVT'S RECENT DECISION TO INCREASE POWER TARIFF WAS MADE ON THE BEHEST OF IMF AS WELL AS TO APPEASE IPPS' stalled $6-billion IMF loan programme.

"The authorities, instead of impeachment and forensic audit of IPPs, have lifted the base power tariff, thus prioritising the IPPs and setting aside public as well as overall trade and industry's interests," he lamented.

Nisar said that the regular attempts of economic managers to increase oil prices along with power and gas tariffs would ultimately nullify the government's step for reduction in production cost, including industrial power tariff for SMEs and reduction in markup rate to 7pc by the SBP. He said the incumbent as well as previous governments have always been forced for exorbitant hike in energy tariffs only due to excessive capacity payment to IPPs in dol-

lars, leading to further addition in public debt.

"The major reason behind the growing circular debt is sovereign guarantees on rate of return to IPPs in terms of dollars not rupees, while continued depreciation of local currency against dollar in the past also amounted to losses in trillions," he explained.

Nisar said it was imperative for the government to make power and gas tariffs for domestic as well as export sectors compatible to tariffs being applied in neighboring countries. "The industry is presently paying more than double the power price as compared to regional tariff of about 7.5 cents per unit in neighbouring countries."

He said the country could improve its

CMYK

economic growth and job creation by overcoming inefficiencies in its power sector through focus on eliminating waste and shifting towards cleaner energy, besides attracting private investments.

He noted that the total circular debt increased by Rs538 billion during the fiscal year 2019-20 at a rate of about Rs45 billion per month. During the Jul-Nov 2019-20 period, circular debt increased by Rs179 billion at a rate of Rs36 billion per month. “It should be recalled that it was in July 2013 that the previous government had cleared the circular debt of Rs480 billion.”

Now, after an agreement has been finalized with the IPPs, power sector reforms should be a top priority for a quick yield of economic gains, Anjum Nisar said, adding that reforms that focus solely on rising energy prices had already led to an excessively high cost of electricity because of inefficiencies in the system.

The FPCCI's ruling group chief further

noted the overall line losses of distribution companies in the public sector remained unchanged at 18pc for the last several years while the current Unaccounted for Gas (UfG) losses of gas companies were causing a loss of more than Rs50 billion to the end consumers, burdening the industry with billions of rupees cost additionally.

"The government will have to get rid of expansive thermal power generation, as hydropower's share of installed generation capacity fell from around 67pc in 1985 to 27pc in 2021. The dramatic increase in oil prices in the 2000s (reaching a high of $147 per barrel in 2008) caused Pakistan’s power generation costs to skyrocket. Pakistan’s reliance on fuel oil for power generation contributed to the liquidity crisis in the country’s power sector."

He opined that increase in tariffs alone could solve the fiscal problems in the shortterm, but it cannot address the energy sector issues on a long-term basis.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

10 fOreign neWS

BaNgladesh seNds moRe RohINgya ReFugees To RemoTe IslaNd despITe cRITIcIsm DHAKA

m

AGENCIES

ORE than 1,400 Rohingya Muslim refugees were relocated to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday, despite opposition from human rights groups concerned about the site’s vulnerability to storms and flooding.

Including a similar sized group who were moved on Friday, it brings to around 6,700 the number of Rohingya refugees that

Bangladesh has moved to the island of Bhasan Char since December.

Bangladesh says the relocation is voluntary, but some of the first group of refugees who were relocated spoke of being coerced.

The government also says overcrowding in refugee camps in the Cox’s Bazar district fuels crime.

“This time we have received a total 3,242 Rohingya in two days. Everyone is happy with the arrangements here,” Navy Commodore Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury, the officer in charge of the island, told

Russia and Turkey open monitoring centre for Nagorno-Karabakh BAKU: Russia and Turkey opened a joint centre on Saturday to observe a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh that was agreed following a flare-up in the conflict in the region last year, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said on Saturday. The centre, which both countries agreed to set up in November, was officially opened in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan. It will be staffed by up to 60 servicemen each from Turkey and from Russia, the defence ministry said in a statement.

After six weeks of fighting, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered ceasefire for the enclave, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but mainly populated by ethnic Armenians. Turkey said on Friday that one Turkish general and 38 personnel will work at the centre.

The Russian Defence Ministry, quoted by Interfax, said that “monitoring will be carried out through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles as well as the evaluation of data received from other sources”. Turkey backs Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, and has criticised the co-chairs of the OSCE’s so-called Minsk Group for not resolving the longrunning conflict in decades of mediation. The Minsk Group is led by the United States, France and Russia. AGENCIES

Iran expects first batch of Russian vaccine by Feb 4 TEHRAN: Iran's ambassador to Russia said Saturday that Tehran expects to receive the first batch of Moscow's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine by February 4, state news agency IRNA reported. The news comes just days after Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced the vaccine had been approved by the Islamic republic. "A contract for the purchase and joint production was signed yesterday between Iran and Russia," envoy Kazem Jalali said, quoted

by IRNA. Two more batches are to be delivered by February 18 and 28, he added, without specifying quantities.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier this month banned the use of vaccines made by the United States and Britain, calling them "completely untrustworthy".

Iran is fighting the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of Covid-19 with more than 57,800 dead out of over 1.4 million cases. AGENCIES

Reuters by telephone.

Five ships moved 1,466 Rohingya and their belongings on Saturday after they were transferred from the camps to Chittagong, he said.

The Rohingya, a minority group who fled violence in neighbouring Buddhist-majority Myanmar, are not allowed to move off the island, which is several hours’ journey away from the southern port.

The Dhaka government wants to move 10 percent of the 1 million refugees living in ramshackle border camps.

Two Rohingya refugees who moved on Friday with their families told Reuters that frequent violence in the camps had forced the decision to relocate.

“We have been living in fear... In recent times almost everyday there is an exchange of fire and attacks centering on the domination of the armed Rohingya groups,” said a 28-year-old refugee, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.

“Murder, kidnapping, rape, drugs and other crimes have gone up these day,” said a 42-year-old refugee, who moved along with

his wife and six children.

Two other Rohingya men told Reuters they moved to their new home voluntarily in “hope of a better life.”

The government has dismissed safety concerns over the island, citing the building of flood defences as well as housing for 100,000 people, hospitals and cyclone centres. Bangladesh has drawn criticism for a reluctance to consult with the United Nations refugee agency and other aid bodies over the transfers.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says the agency has not been allowed to evaluate the safety and sustainability of life on the island.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momen told Reuters last month the U.N. should first assess and verify how conducive the environment in Myanmar’s Rakhine state was for repatriating the refugees, before carrying out an assessment of Bhasan Char.

New protests in France over security law PARIS AGENCIES

Fresh protests were held Saturday against a French security bill which critics say will restrict the filming of police and posting images to social media, notably to document cases of police brutality.

A broad cross-section of protesters turned out in dozens of French cities, including activists from the anti-government "yellow vest" movement and others calling to protect the cultural sector.

"I have two reasons for coming today -- the comprehensive security law and also to support culture," said Kim, a 24-year-old civil service intern.

"Lots of stores are open, the metro is packed, yet cultural sites are closed, even though we can apply protective measures" against the coronavirus,

she said.

Also among the protesters were young people calling for the right to hold rave parties such as one in Brittany that attracted 2,400 at the start of the year.

The demonstrators are protesting draft legislation that would ban filming police activities, which the ruling LREM party of President Emmanuel Macron has said it would rewrite.

But people are also protesting the use of surveillance tools such as drones and pedestrian cameras.

Footage of white police beating up an unarmed black music producer in his Paris studio on November 21 has fuelled anger over the legislation, condemned by many as signalling a swing to the right

by Macron.

The number of protesters who turned out Saturday was limited by bad weather and Covid-19 re-

strictions.

France has recorded 75,000 deaths from coronavirus since the outbreak began and the country is bracing for another possible lockdown.

In Paris, the large Place de la Republique was half full, AFP journalists reported, while around 3,000 people had gathered in Montpellier, southern France.

Hundreds turned out for similar rallies in other cities. The government argues that the proposed law is needed because police officers have become targets of attacks and calls for violence against them on social media.

The proposed security law, which has already been approved by the National Assembly, is to be examined by the Senate, France's upper parliamentary chamber, in March.

Ireland says given no forewarning about triggering of Brexit clause DUBLIN AGENCIES

Ireland was not consulted by the European Commission before it briefly sought to restrict some exports of COVID-19 vaccines by invoking an emergency Brexit clause related to Northern Ireland, Ireland’s European Affairs Minister said on Saturday.

The EU abruptly reversed the plan to use the Article 16 clause to restrict exports of COVID-19 vaccines from crossing the Irish border into the United Kingdom within a matter of hours on Friday after it sent shockwaves through Northern Ireland, London and Dublin.

The initial decision to use the Brexit clause - part of wider EU plans to control the exports of vaccines - illustrated how the carefully tuned Northern Ireland Brexit protocol can go awry, as well as showing the

panic over vaccine availability.

“This type of provision is standard in trade agreements but in the Northern Ireland situation, it obviously has a different political resonance and it’s perhaps the case that this wasn’t fully appreciated by the drafters,” Ireland’s Europe Minister Thomas Byrne told Newstalk radio.

“Clearly a mistake was made,” Byrne said. “It’s too early for me to say (how it happened) ... It’s clear the implications of Article 16 weren’t fully thought through, that’s a pity, but it’s a lesson to us all at this point.” Asked if Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin was given any forewarning of the planned triggering of the provision, devised as a last resort to alleviate serious disruption to trade in Northern Ireland after Brexit, Byrne said he was not.

Three senior EU diplomats said member states were neither consulted on, or informed of, the Com-

mission’s decision.

“It seems the Commission took this decision unilaterally,” an EU official said.

The official said it appeared the Commission’s intention was to include Northern Ireland in the vaccines export control regime, but that this effectively created a land border on the island of Ireland, and it had to row back when it realised the implications.

Preserving the 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland, without allowing the UK to become a back door into the EU’s markets through the UK-Irish land border, led to the inclusion of the protocol in Britain’s divorce deal. The protocol achieved this by keeping Northern Ireland both in the EU’s single market for goods, and the UK’s customs territory, and “is not something to be tampered with lightly,” Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney warned on Friday.

WHO team visits Wuhan hospital that took in first Covid-19 patients WUHAN AGENCIES

The team of World Health Organization experts investigating the origins of the coronavirus met staff Saturday at the Wuhan hospital which received the first confirmed Covid-19 cases, on day two of fieldwork on their highly scrutinised visit to China. The group was driven to the Jinyintan Hospital, the first hospital to receive officially-diagnosed Covid-19 patients in late 2019, as the horrors of the virus emerged in the central Chinese city.

Details of the trip have been scant so far, with the media kept at arm's length and information on the itinerary dribbling out via tweets from the WHO experts instead of China's communist authorities.

In a tweet, team member Peter Daszak welcomed the hospital visit as an "Important opportunity to talk directly w/ medics who were on the ground at that critical time fighting COVID!" The mission comes with heavy political baggage.

It has been beset by delays, with China refusing access until mid-January, while there are question marks over what the experts can hope to find a year after the virus first emerged. On Friday, the WHO's emergencies director Micheal Ryan sought to manage expectations. Success "is not measured necessarily in absolutely finding a source on the first mission", he told a news conference in Geneva.

"This is a complicated business, but what we need to do is gather all of the data... and come to an assessment as to how much more we know about the origins of the disease and what further studies may be needed to elucidate that."

Last week China warned the United States against "political interference" during the trip, after the White House demanded a "robust and clear" investigation.

The WHO insists the probe will stick tightly to the science behind how the virus jumped from animals -- believed to be bats -- to humans.

The team is expected to visit the Huanan market believed to have been the

first major cluster of infections, the Wuhan Institute of Virology and other labs, in what the WHO's Ryan described as a "very busy, busy schedule".

Beijing is desperate to defang criticism of its handling of the chaotic early stages of the outbreak. It has refocused attention at home -- and abroad -- on its handling of and recovery from the outbreak.

Since seeping beyond China's borders, the pandemic has ripped across the world killing more than two million people and wrecking economies. China, with a relatively low reported death toll of 4,636, has bounced back. It has swiftly locked down areas where any cases are found, tested millions and restricted travel to snuff out the crisis.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

‘FIrST 20-30 BAllS CruCIAl In SuB-ConTInenT CondITIonS’, SAyS SA oPener MArkrAM

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NEWS DESK

OUTH Africa opening batsman Aiden Markram has said that the first 20-30 balls are crucial for every batsman while playing in the sub-continent conditions. The batter also said that he is not a finished product and he is still looking for ways to improve his game.

His remarks come as Pakistan defeated South Africa by seven wickets in the first Test at the National Stadium.

“By no means am I all of a sudden a finished product. It’s a small step in the right direction. That’s how I am trying

to see it. There’s still a lot of learning and growing in conditions like these.

From a satisfaction thing, there is a bit I can take from this knock, a little bit of confidence. I would have loved to kick on,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Markram as saying.

“It’s generally very difficult for a new batter to get in. It’s something we’ve highlighted on previous tours to the subcontinent and on this tour. So (as a batsman) your first 20-30 balls are vital. It’s generally tough to get in against a spinning ball,” he added.

In the second innings of the first Test, Markram managed to score 74

runs and he was also involved in a 127-run stand with Rassie van der Dussen, but as soon as both these batsmen got dismissed, the Proteas innings collapsed, and the side was able to set a target of just 88 in front of the hosts.

“The longer you batted, the lower it got which posed its own challenge, putting spin aside. It was a slightly different innings for me. It was quite a challenge to accept spending time and not worrying about scoring,” Markram said.

“On the mental side of things, there are times in South Africa in seamerfriendly conditions where you have to

be brave and try something different.

It’s the same here. And we had the chance to learn from how Pakistan played and saw that we need to have the ability to back defence even in conditions that start to turn. It’s important that we don’t make the same mistakes we’ve made in previous tours,” he said.

“The thing that helped me was spending time in the middle and feeling like you can find a way to score,” he added.

Pakistan and South Africa will now lock horns in the second Test of the twomatch series, beginning February 4 at Rawalpindi.

SPORTS 11

LAHORE: Airlink Communication CEO Muzzaffar Hayat Piracha has signed a memorandum of understanding with Peshawar Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi for PSL 2021. PR

PCB decides to give players relief from Covid-19 bubble

Buttler backs England rotation in India CHENNAI AGENCIES

England star Jos Buttler on Saturday defended his country's player rotation on their Asian tour, insisting that players could not put up with pandemic bubbles to appear in every game.

As he sat out quarantine in Chennai ahead of England's first Test in India next Friday, the wicketkeeper-batsman said it was hard to complain about playing when so many people have had "their worlds turned upside down" by the pandemic.

But it was "challenging" for the squad, Buttler told a virtual press conference, backing the England board's use of rest periods that saw Ben Stokes

and Jofra Archer miss the Sri Lanka Tests this month.

"Spending time away from your family, being in quarantine, locked up in hotels, can be tough and the ECB have been really forward thinking I feel for us as an England group to rotate players in and out of this series," Buttler, who will go home after first of the four Tests in India, said.

England coach Chris Silverwood has already given strong support to the policy. "I am sure at times there are frustrations because you want to see all the best players on show all the time," said Buttler.

"But it's just not possible with the amount of cricket and the amount of time spent in bubbles to keep people

healthy." Players also have to "look after ourselves as best we can", Buttler added, meaning that few were looking beyond the India series.

"When you look ahead there is so much uncertainty, I certainly find it tough knowing there is no real certainty at the moment in most of the things we are doing."

While they will face an India side boosted by their sensational series upset in Australia and the return of captain Virat Kohli, Buttler said England were confident after their 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka.

The match also helped younger players acclimatise to South Asian conditions before their first taste of Tests in India's intense conditions, Buttler said.

Up to 30,000 a day allowed into Australian Open MELBOURNE AGENCIES

Daily crowds of between 25,000 and 30,000 will be allowed to watch the Australian Open, organisers said Saturday in a big boost to the season's opening Grand Slam.

Aggressive restrictions on incoming travel have helped keep the coronavirus largely at bay in Australia, making it one of the few places in the world where fans can still attend sports events in significant numbers. Victoria state's Sports Minister Martin Pakula said it equated to some 390,000 spectators across the two-week spectacle -- around half the attendance of last year. The event's Covid-safe plan allows a daily crowd of 30,000 for the first eight days of the Slam, then 25,000 from the start of the quarter-finals.

"That means on Rod Laver Arena, as we get to the end of the tournament, we'll have an incredible atmosphere, not that

different to the atmosphere we've seen in all the Opens in years past," he said.

"It will not be the same as the last few years, but it will be the most significant international event with crowds that the world has seen for many, many months."

Victoria has now gone 24 days without any new locally acquired cases of the virus and all players who arrived in Australia had to undergo a mandatory 14 days of quarantine. Eight positive cases were detected from the more than 1,000 players, coaches and officials who flew in on 17 charter flights. Players are gradually emerging from their lockdown with the first of six ATP and WTA tournaments due to begin at Melbourne Park on Sunday ahead of the Australian Open starting on February 8.

Tournament chief Craig Tiley said it had been a huge logistical exercise.

"We hope to have set the stage and the example for the rest of the world about the possibility of being able to do this," he said.

"Spending time in India you start to understand the magnitude of the game here and coming up against some of the best players in the world," he said.

"It is a huge challenge for us as England players coming to play India in India, but that is why we play the game.

These are the guys we want to test ourselves against."

The last time India lost a series at home was against England in 2012-13.

Buttler said this squad may not be at the same level but they were "trending in that way".

"It is an exciting time for us to take on this challenge. It is such a tough challenge because you are playing against the best team in the world in their own conditions."

Milan ready to defend Ibrahimovic against racism MILAN

NEWS DESK Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approached different companies to buy Covid-19 vaccines for players and officials. According to details, PCB has been planning to give players relief from the bio-secure bubbles following the Covid-19 pandemic. The vaccine will be injected into all players and officials after which they will get free from the bio-secure bubbles. PCB’s CEO, Wasim Khan has also confirmed that they have contacted different companies to buy Covid-19 vaccines. It must be noted here that Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was the first sports body to buy Covid-19 vaccines for players and officials.

Pakistan to announce T20I squad against SA today

AGENCIES

NEWS DESK

AC Milan will defend Zlatan Ibrahimovic if he faces disciplinary action for racism after the Swede clashed with Inter's Romelu Lukaku during an Italian Cup match this week, team technical director Paolo Maldini said Saturday. "We are ready to defend Ibrahimovic in any way possible if racism should be brought up, which has nothing to do with him," said Maldini. "It happens to argue, it's an ugly episode to watch, but it ends there. "(Ibrahimovic) was sorry for having left the team with 10 (players), he defended his teammates against Lukaku's unprovoked attacks." The heated altercation between the former Manchester United teammates began before the half-time whistle of the quarter-final match which Inter won in the San Siro. Ibrahimovic taunted Lukaku by evoking voodooism before the pair went head-tohead, trading insults with a furious Lukaku restrained by his teammates. Ibrahimovic spoke out against racism on Wednesday, writing on Twitter: "In ZLATAN's world there is no place for RACISM. "We are all the same race - we are all equal!! We are all PLAYERS some better then others." Both players were booked over the incident and Ibrahimovic was subsequently sent off in the second half after picking up a second yellow. They will both be suspended for their team's next Italian Cup game, with Lukaku picking up a yellow card in the previous game. The Belgian will miss next Tuesday's Italian Cup semifinal, first leg tie against Juventus.

Pakistan cricket chief selector Mohammad Wasim will announce the national squad for the three-match Twenty20 International series against South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Sunday. While confirming the news in a press release, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that live coverage of the event will be available on its YouTube channel. According to reports, the national selection committee is "seriously considering" picking Sharjeel Khan, Azam Khan, Zeeshan Malik and leg-spinner Zahid Khan for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. The quartet is in contention for the places that could fall vacant as it looks difficult for Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed and Abdullah Shafique to retain their positions. Earlier last week, Proteas named an 18member T20I squad against Pakistan under the leadership of wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen. Only four members from the current 21-man Test squad present in the country are named in the shortest format while the bulk of it would return back to South Africa after the second Test ends on February 8. The two teams will play three T20Is on February 11, 13 and 14 in Lahore.

International badminton competition in Japan cancelled over virus

Bangladesh call up new faces for West Indies Tests CHITTAGONG AGENCIES

TOKYO AGENCIES

An international badminton competition due to take place this spring in Japan has been cancelled, organisers said Saturday, the latest sporting event to be hit by virus travel restrictions just six months before the Tokyo Olympics.

The Yonex Osaka International Challenge for young players was called off "because it is difficult to host foreign players" under current immigration rules, the Nippon Badminton Association said.

An association spokesman told AFP that he was concerned about the fate of other badminton competitions used as qualifiers for the Olympics.

"We are worried about whether competitions scheduled for March onwards --

which will be used as part of the selection process for Olympic athletes -- will be held as scheduled," he said on condition of anonymity.

The cancelled competition had been scheduled to take place from March 31 to April 4. Large parts of Japan including Tokyo and the western city of Osaka are under a state of emergency to tackle a spike in coronavirus cases, with borders closed to almost all foreigners with no exception for athletes.

The first Tokyo Olympics test event of 2021, an artistic swimming competition scheduled for March, was postponed on Thursday for two months -- also because of travel restrictions.

On the same day, it was announced that the Japanese team had withdrawn from a women's four-nation football tournament in

Florida next month because of the surge in Covid-19 infections in Japan.

The Tokyo Olympics -- initially set to take place last year but postponed due to the virus -- are set to start on July 23.

Despite growing concern over the event's feasibility, organisers and the IOC insist it can be held safely.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed Friday that the Olympics would be held this summer "as a symbol of global unity" to "bring hope and courage to the world". The state of emergency, which requests restaurants and bars close early, will remain in place in affected areas until at least February 7.

While Japan has seen a smaller coronavirus outbreak than many other countries, with around 5,400 deaths overall, doctors warn hospitals are at risk of collapse.

Bangladesh on Saturday named uncapped fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and batsman Yasir Ali to the country's 18-man squad for two Tests against West Indies starting on Wednesday. Hasan played his first T20 for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe last year and his 50 over international debut in the series against West Indies this month, while Yasir is yet to represent the country in any format.

Also included in the squad was star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who had limped off the field during the third ODI with a groin injury. A subsequent medical scan did not reveal a major problem, paving the way for a comeback to the Test side. "He batted in the net today and looked okay. We will observe him again when he bowls in the nets. We will not rush him in the first Test if he is not fully fit," said chief selector Minhajul Abdein. Shakib was previously suspended for one year up until October for failing to report corruption. Pacer Taskin Ahmed, who last played a Test in September 2017, was also recalled to the team. The first Test will be played in Chittagong while the second starts in Dhaka on February 11.

BANGLADESH SQUAD: Mominul Haque (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Saif Hassan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shadman Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.

Sunday, 31 January, 2021

pRAyER tImINGS

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

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12:14

3:07

7:01

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ChINA lAuNCheS SeCoND TyPe 054A/P frIgATe for PAkISTAN BEIJING/ISLAMABAD

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StAff REpoRt

HINA has launched the second Type 054A/P frigate for Pakistan in Shanghai as the Pakistan Navy’s chief naval overseer, Commodore Azfar Humayun, has highlighted at the launching ceremony that induction of the warships will significantly enhance the country’s maritime defence and deterrence capabilities, it was learnt on Saturday.

The Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China’s most advanced frigate. Compared with previous frigates, the new version, equipped with an improved radar system and a larger amount of mis-

siles with a longer range, has improved air defence capability. In addition, the frigate also features a worldclass stealth capability.

The launch of the second frigate was held at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai on Friday, read a statement the Pakistan Navy sent to the Global Times.

The occasion coincides with the completion of 70 years of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations built upon historic bonds of friendship and mutual trust, the statement said.

The Pakistan Navy has contracted the construction of four Type 054A/P frigates from China since 2017, with the first ship launching in August last.

All the ships are being delivered as per the planned schedule, the Pakistan Navy statement said.

These will be some of the most technologically advanced platforms of the Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet, equipped with a modern surface, subsurface and antiair weapons, sensors and combat management systems, Naval Chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi told the Global Times in a recent interview.

“These ships will boost [the] potency of our fleet and significantly contribute in maintaining peace and security in the region,” he had said.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Commodore Humayun said he acknowledges the commitment and hard work of China Shipbuilding Trading Company and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard to keep this important program on track in the difficult times of the ongoing global pandemic.

Pakistan rejects Indian claim on occupied Kashmir

Israeli embassy in Delhi was on high alert before bomb blast: Ambassador NEW DELHI

NEW YORK CITY

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New PIA travel advisory for Saudi Arabia passengers KARACHI StAff REpoRt

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Saturday issued a fresh travel advisory for passengers from Saudi Arabia, directing the travellers to fill the new health declaration form in the wake of the new coronavirus variants found in the United Kingdom and South Africa. A notification was issued by the airline’s flight services department, stating the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) updated its health disclaimer form for all airlines operating in Saudi Arabia. The national flag-carrier directed its flights’ crew to distribute the health declaration form to all passengers travelling to the Kingdom. Following the instructions, the Riyadh-bound passengers flying PIA have been asked by its administration to fill the declaration at the airport’s health control centres. The measure comes days after the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) extended travel restrictions on category-C countries till February 28. The countries in the category include South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, Portugal and the Netherlands. Subject to National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) approval, travellers from these countries can still arrive in Pakistan. The PCAA also reduced the PCR test requirement for the countries categorised as B and C from 96 to 72 hours. The travel-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the PCAA in December and January have also been extended till February 28.

Pakistan has once again rejected the false Indian claim of occupied Jammu and Kashmir being its integral part.

Second secretary Jawad Ali was responding to India’s first secretary Vidisha Maitra’s reaction to Pakistan Ambassador to UN Munir Akram who had exposed grave human rights abuses in the Indian-occupied region.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Ali said like all occupiers and colonisers of the past, India is attempting to physically, politically and psychologically crush the indigenous Kashmiri struggle for the right of self-determination.

He added India of today has become a nightmare for the minorities living in the country, with the hardline Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sacrificing “every trapping of secularism”.

A day UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the arch-rivals to “come together and seriously discuss their problems” and reminded the two nucleararmed countries that any military confrontation between them would be “a disaster of unmitigated proportions”.

At his first news briefing of 2021, Guterres also emphasised the need to “fully respect” human rights in the held region.

“Now, things have not moved in the right direction.

Our good offices are always available, and we will insist within it on finding peaceful solutions for problems that have no military solution,” Guterres had said.

“It is clear, when seeing Pakistan and India, any military confrontation between the two would be a disaster of unmitigated proportions for both countries and for the whole world,” he had warned.

UAE okays amendment to grant citizenship to investors, other professionals DUBAI AGENCIES

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has adopted amendments that would allow the Gulf state to grant citizenship to investors and other professionals including scientists, doctors and their families, the government said on Saturday.

“The UAE cabinet, local Emiri courts and executive councils will nominate those eligible for the citizenship under clear criteria set for each category,” Dubai’s ruler and UAE vice president Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said in a Twitter post.

“The law allows receivers of the UAE passport to keep their existing citizenship,” Sheikh Mohammed added.

It was unclear if new passport holders would ben-

efit from the public welfare system. The UAE spends billions of dollars each year on free education, healthcare, housing loans and grants for its estimated 1.4 million citizens.

Foreigners in the UAE usually have renewable visas valid for only a few years tied to employment.

The government in recent has made its visa policy more flexible, offering longer residencies for certain types of investors, students and professionals.

Last year, the government extended its “golden” visa system — which grants 10-year residency in the Gulf state — to certain professionals, specialised degree-holders and others.

An oil and gas producer, the UAE’s economy has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, prompting tens of thousands of expatriates to leave.

The Israeli embassy in New Delhi was on high alert because of “threats” it had received, even before a small bomb went off outside the mission, its ambassador said on Saturday. The envoy, Ron Malka, said he was not surprised by Friday's attack, which caused no injuries but blew the windows out of three cars. The road outside the embassy remained sealed off on Saturday as forensic experts sought clues as to who was responsible for what Israeli officials in Jerusalem have said was terrorism. Indian police have so far only described it as “a mischievous attempt to create a sensation”. “This could have ended differently in other circumstances, so we were fortunate,” Malka said in a telephone interview. “We are always prepared. Especially these last days, we raised the level of alert due to some threats,” he added, without giving further details. “We are not surprised.” Indian media reports said investigators had found an envelope with a letter addressed to the Israeli ambassador in the street. The Indian Express newspaper reported that the letter described the low-intensity explosion as a “trailer” and made references to “Iranian martyrs” Qasem Soleimani and Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

Soleimani, considered Iran's most powerful military commander, was killed in a US drone strike in January 2020. Fakhrizadeh, one of the country's top nuclear scientists, was killed in November — an assassination for which Iran blamed Israel. In 2012, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran for a bomb attack on an Israeli diplomatic car in Delhi that injured at least three people. Asked whether there was an Iranian link this time, Malka said: “Those non-state actors that are striving for destabilisation in the region and the world do not like what is happening between Israel and India, who are striving for stability and peace. “It might be a threat for them.” The device exploded as India and Israel marked the 29th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, and Malka said the timing was part of the investigation. India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi after the incident. “We take this very seriously,” Jaishankar said. “No effort will be spared to find the culprits.” The national security advisors of both countries have also held discussions. Since establishing relations, India and Israel have become close and India is now one of the biggest buyers of Israeli weapons and defence equipment. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel in 2017, and Netanyahu made a return visit a year later.

Internet services suspended near Delhi as hundreds of farmers begin hunger strike NEW DELHI AGENCIES

India blocked mobile internet services in several areas around New Delhi on Saturday as protesting farmers began a one-day hunger strike after a week of clashes with authorities that left one dead and hundreds injured.

Angry at what they see as laws benefiting large private buyers at the expense of producers, tens of thousands of farmers have been camped at protest sites on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi for over two months.

At the main protest site near the village of Singhu on the northern outskirts of the city, there was a heightened police presence on Saturday as hundreds of tractors arrived from Haryana, one of two states at the centre of the protests.

“Many farmers’ groups have joined the protest site since last night,” said Mahesh

Singh, a 65-year-old farmer from Haryana.

“They have come to show their support and more farmers are expected to come in the next two days.”

India’s interior ministry said on Saturday internet services at three locations on the outskirts of New Delhi where protests are occurring had been suspended until 11pm (1730 GMT) on Sunday to “maintain public safety”.

Indian authorities often block local internet services when they believe there will be unrest, although the move is unusual in the capital.

Farm leaders said Saturday’s hunger strike — which coincides with the death anniversary of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi — would show Indians that the protesters were overwhelmingly peaceful.

“The farmers’ movement was peaceful and will be peaceful,” said Darshan Pal, a leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha group

of farm unions organising the protests.

A planned tractor parade on Tuesday’s Republic Day turned violent when some protesters deviated from pre-agreed routes, tore down barricades and clashed with police, who used tear gas to try and restrain them.

Sporadic clashes between protesters, police and groups shouting anti-farmer slogans have broken out on multiple occasions since then.

Agriculture employs about half of India’s population of 1.3 billion, and unrest among an estimated 150 million landowning farmers is one of the biggest challenges to the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since first coming to power in 2014.

Eleven rounds of talks between farm unions and the government have failed to break the deadlock. The government has offered to put the laws on hold for 18 months, but farmers say they will not end their protests for anything less than a full repeal.

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