Tuesday, 21 July, 2020 I 29 Dhū al-Qa‘dah, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 23 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
NAB lAw BeINg used to ‘Arm-twIst, pressurIse’ polItIcAl oppoNeNts, sc rules g
87-PAGE RUlING SAyS ACCOUNTABIlITy lAwS USEd FOR SPlINTERING, FRACTURING POlITICAl PARTIES ISLAMABAD
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staff report
N a scathing judgement on Monday, the Supreme Court (SC) criticised the accountability laws of the country, saying these laws were being used as a tool to ‘arm-twist and pressurise’ political opponents into submission and ‘fracturing political parties’. The remarks were made in a case pertaining to the bail application of Pakistan Muslim leagueNawaz (PMl-N) lawmaker Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique against his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in
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ORdER SAyS ‘PyGMIES SElECTEd, NURTUREd, PROMOTEd, ANd BROUGHT TO PROMINENCE ANd POwER’
the Paragon Housing Society corruption reference. In the detailed 87-page ruling, penned by Justice Maqbool Baqar, the court highlighted the definition and purpose of bail as well as due process in criminal cases. “In bail applications, generally, it has been laid down from the earliest times that the object of bail is to secure the appearance of the accused person at trail by reasonable amount of bail. The object of bail is neither punitive nor preventative. deprivation of liberty must be considered a punishment, unless it can be required to ensure that an accused person will stand his trial when called upon. “The courts owe more than verbal respect to
Justice Isa seeks review of SC verdict, challenges FBR proceedings ISLAMABAD staff report
Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Monday move a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a review of its June 19 order requiring the verification of three offshore properties in his wife and children’s name by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Filed through Advocate Munir A. Malik, the petition argued that the SC’s short order had “material errors of facts and jurisdiction”. It added that many of these were in respect to matters with regard to which neither Justice Isa nor his family were heard. It also contended that the FBR had initiated proceedings against Justice Isa and his family members without waiting for the top court’s detailed order. The majority order by seven judges had quashed the presidential reference against Jus tice Isa but ordered the FBR chairman to furnish a report under his signatures to the secretary of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), containing details of the proceedings conducted by the commissioner inland revenue after seeking an explanation from the wife and children of Justice Isa about the nature and source of the funds used to purchase three properties in the United Kingdom. On the receipt of the report, the SJC will determine whether
to initiate any action/proceedings for the purposes of Article 209 of the Constitution, in its suo motu jurisdiction, the judgement had explained. “After the reference against the petitioner was quashed, there was no justification to direct initiation of FBR proceedings against his wife and children, give guidance and free licence to the acts of an executive which had admittedly acted unlawfully against the petitioner.” The petition also stated that subsequent to the passing of the order, the FBR chairman was “unlawfully” changed, referring to the posting of Muhammad Javed Ghani — the fourth appointment made to the position
since the ruling PTI took office. “The only reason to act in this manner is to get the desired results from the FBR, which further demonstrates extreme malice.” The petition also criticised the FBR’s move to paste notices outside Justice Isa’s residence when an arrest warrant had not been issued and the petitioner had not been declared an absconder. “The only object that this novelty served was to ridicule and humiliate the petitioner and his wife further and before every staff and resident of the Judge’s Enclave.” It added that the contesting respondents had apparently prevailed upon the FBR to proceed against Justice Isa’s family without waiting for the detailed reasons of the “impugned order” to be issued. “The objective thereof appears to be to make the constitutional right of review redundant.” The petition contended that Justice Isa had filed the petition as the time limit for doing so was expiring, even though the detailed order had not been released. “However, the petitioner reserves his rights to submit further, additional and other grounds once the detailed reasons are issued.” The petition urged the apex court to review and “excise” its directives and to stop action on the court’s directives till the review petition is decided.
more inside
Opp decides to hold APC after Eid to discuss anti-govt campaign STORY ON PAGE 02
IHC asks govt to respond to plea challenging PM’s advisers having dual nationality STORY ON PAGE 03
Gold price surges to record Rs111,250 per tola STORY ON PAGE 09
Two coronavirus vaccines ‘produce immune response’ STORY ON BACK PAGE
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SAyS NAB FAIlEd TO PROvE CORRUPTION CHARGES AGAINST SAAd RAFIQUE ANd HIS BROTHER SAlMAN RAFIQUE
the principle that punishment begins after conviction, and that every man is deemed to be innocent until duly tried and duly found guilty. From the earliest times, it was appreciated that detention in custody pending completion of trial could be a cause of great hardship. “From time to time, necessity demands that some un-convicted persons should be held in custody pending trial to secure their attendance at the trial but in such cases, ‘necessity’ is the operative test. “In this country, it would be quite contrary to the concept of personal liberty enshrined in the Constitution that any person should be punished in respect of any matter, upon which, he has not been
convicted or that in any circumstances, he should be deprived of his liberty upon only the belief that he will tamper with the witnesses if left at liberty, save in the most extraordinary circumstances. “Apart from the question of prevention being the object of a refusal of bail, one must not lose sight of the fact that any imprisonment before conviction has a substantial punitive content and it would be improper for any Court to refuse bail as a mark of disapproval of former conduct whether the accused has been convicted for it or not or to refuse bail to an unconvicted person for the purpose of giving him a taste of imprisonment as a lesson,” the ruling read.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
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Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
NEWS
Opp decides TO hOld Apc AfTer eid TO discuss AnTi-gOvT cAmpAign LAHORE
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STAFF REPORT
HE Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Monday announced to hold an ‘All Parties Conference’ (APC) after Eidul Azha in order to discuss strategies to “get rid of this government”. Addressing a joint press conference, PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira and PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal said that a coordination committee meeting will be held this week to discuss the APC agenda. The presser was held after a meeting between PPP Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari and a three-member PML-N delegation at Bilawal House, Lahore. The PML-N delegation included Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Ayaz Sadiq, while PPP’s Kaira, Chaudhry Manzoor and Hasan Murtaza also attended the meeting. Addressing reporters, Kaira said that opposition parties will “complete our homework” before Eidul Azha and discuss strategies to oust the government in the APC. “The opposition feels that Pakistan will face several external and internal dan-
PML-N AND PPP LEADERS SAY INCUMBENT GOVT PUTTING PAKISTAN’S SURVIVAL AT RISK
gers [if] this government remains in power,” Iqbal said. “[Considering] what is happening in our region, we need internal unity but this government only has a vengeful agenda with which it is disintegrating the country. “In this situation, the country’s two biggest opposition parties agree that to
'gi Act to provide legal protection to local products, enhance exports' ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The Geographical Indications (GI) Law will help protect Pakistani products like Peshawari chappals, Multani pottery, Hunza apricots, Hala ajrak, Kasuri methi, Chaman grapes and Turbat dates etc. This was stated by Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood during a briefing to commerce ministry officials following the meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Commerce. Talking about the objectives of GI Law, Razak Dawood said the law would ensure that indigenous products of Pakistan get a premium price in the international market. "Under this act, a wide range of products, including basmati rice and mangoes, will be introduced in the international market as national brands of Pakistan." The adviser noted that a lot of companies in the past used to sell Pakistani-origin products without mentioning the country. Pakistan had enacted Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, which was pending for over 14 years, in March 2020. "The GI Act, 2020, will also encourage Small and Medium Enterprises to expand their business worldwide. The protection of geographical indications will boost exports and will be helpful in supporting rural development in the country, enhancing the livelihood of agriculture producers and skilled craftsmen," the adviser stated. "In addition, the marketing of GI products will enhance the secondary economic activities in the GI region, which will boost regional economic development." At the end of the session, the advisor directed the ministry officials to continuously follow up on the implementation of the GI Act and resolve any issues in this regard so that the intended objectives could be achieved with maximum benefits to the SMEs and local communities across the country.
get rid of this incompetent government will be representative of this country’s 220 million people.” Ahsan also criticised the government for trying to introduce a law that is “twice as bad” as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in order to put an end to terror financing and comply with Finan-
cial Action Task Force’s (FATF) guidelines. The law, he said, would allow authorities to arrest a suspect for 90 days without getting a remand and the detention can be extended without allowing the suspect to obtain a bail. “FATF members are not telling Pakistan to turn the country into a fascist state through legislation [to stop terror financing],” the PML-N MNA said and added that the move was “defaming FATF, the international community and the United Nations”. He said that while the opposition was in favour of compliance with FATF guidelines, it would not allow the government to curb individual rights and freedom. He accused the government of making people’s lives difficult by pushing them into poverty, throttling the media and isolating the country in the international community. In response to a question regarding Maryam Nawaz’s participation in the upcoming meetings, Iqbal said that “no one has played as huge a role in public mobilisation than” the former premier’s daughter. He added that she will play her role when it came to public mobilisation.
Qureshi defends dual nationalities of SAPMs ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that every government needs technical expertise and the inclusion of technocrats with their elected counterparts strikes “a healthy balance”. “One must admit that this practice [of declaring assets and nationality details of cabinet members] is an unprecedented one,” said the foreign minister while speaking to a private media house on Monday. Qureshi said that previous regime did not ensure an open government. He credited Prime Minister Imran Khan for the move and said that it would help in transparency and holding them accountable. The foreign minister observed that the constitution made it clear that dual nationality holders cannot become members of the parliament. “They can neither become members of the Senate nor the National Assembly,” he said, adding: “It is clear in the constitution. However, they are not prohibited from assuming any other office.” Responding to a question about the potential conflict
of interest, Qureshi said that his party’s policy was clear on the issue. “It is binding on everyone not to do anything that gives the perception that an individual used his office for personal gains or financial growth,” he clarified. In response to a question as to whether the law should be the same for elected and non-elected members on holding dual nationalities, the foreign minister said that both were needed in government “to strike a healthy balance”. “Elected members have [their own] value. They are representatives of the people but every elected government needs expertise,” he said. “The constitution gives space to the prime minister to nominate four advisors who have technocratic expertise.” Qureshi said that past governments have used the same relaxation. “You have to have a balance,” he said, adding that the prime minister had set an unprecedented example by asking his Cabinet members to declare their assets and whether they held dual nationalities or not. In response to a question on whether the prime minister will ask cabinet members to let go of their foreign nationalities, Qureshi said that a cabinet meeting will be held on Tuesday where the prime minister will address the dual nationalities issue.
SC seeks details of constructions along GT Road ISLAMABAD APP
The Supreme Court has sought a detailed report on all the constructions along the GT Road. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed on Monday wondered how did the National Highway Authority (NHA) lease out a portion of the state-owned land when it does not even own it. The NHA, according to its constitution, is only responsible for the construction and fixation of the roads, observed Justice Ijazul Ahsan. Subsequently, the apex court summoned a detailed report to understand when and why was the road leased out. It also summoned the NHA chairperson in the next hearing.
pml-n's Asif suspects foul play in govt's privatisation policy ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Asif on Monday lambasted the government’s privatisation policy regarding national institutions. Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Asif accused the government of having deliberately “ruined” the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) after publicly raising the issue of ‘dubious’ pilot licences. The government made the plan of leasing out the PIA-owned Roosevelt Hotel at a time when 73 hotels in New York had closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Asif alleged. “We are justified in suspecting that there is a method in this madness. Something smells fishy; somebody is being obliged,” he said, advising the government to pursue the privatisation process with the right approach. Asif alleged that the government was obliging its “cronies” and “ATMs” by doling out state assets to them. Referring to government functionaries, he questioned how cabinet members could be allowed to hold dual nationalities when members of the parliament were barred from the same. He said the federal cabinet is an offshoot and an “integral part” of the parliament, and asked how dual nationals could sit in the former. “Is it only because they are the favourites of somebody? Because they are somebody’s ATMs? This cannot happen. We will resist these moves on every front,” he added. STAFF REPORT
ihc asks govt to respond to plea challenging pOl price hike
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued a notice to the federal government asking it to respond to a petition challenging a recent hike in prices of petroleum products. A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Gul Hassan heard the case. The petitioner, Advocate Rao Abdul Raheem, contended before the bench that the government increased the prices of petroleum products in violation of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) rules. To which, Justice Farooq wondered if the Finance Division had acted on its own. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Khawaja Imtiaz sought time to submit the government’s response in the next hearing. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until next week. APP
Pharma industry protests govt’s refusal to increase drug prices LAHORE STAFF REPORT
The Ministry of National Health Service Regulations and Coordination on Monday announced that there will be no immediate increase in drug prices prompting criticism from the pharmaceutical industry which said that such decisions would further contract the industry. The pharmaceutical industry was expecting the finalisation of a 10 per cent price increase in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation under the Drug Pricing Policy 2018 compensating it for utilities and input cost increase. The Drug Pricing Policy 2018 grants
pharmaceutical manufacturers the right to automatically increase prices by 10 per cent annually without the intervention of the government. However, the government revised the Drug Pricing Policy 2018 to bring it in line with the Drug Act 1976. In doing so, the government has created a step-in clause in Drug Pricing Policy whereby the government can exclude any category of drugs from the annual increase in prices. Drug Regulatory Authority Of Pakistan (DRAP) had recently notified the amendments made by the government to Drug Pricing Policy 2018. The government has not approved any
increase in the price of essential drugs. All this was done in the backdrop of assurance given by the pharmaceutical industry that it will not apply for an annual raise of drug prices at least till September 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The freeze in prices did not go well with the pharmaceutical industry as the sector contracted by 5.38 per cent this year, putting a major portion of Pakistan’s nonagriculture workforce engaged with it under pressure. “The government is backtracking on its own given policy. Drug pricing has been made a political issue,” said a local manufacturer. He added that the politicisation of the
pricing issue was hurting the industry, employment and investment. “The companies need profits to invest and spend on Research and Development. The policy makers should also understand that the input cost of the companies has increased manifold in just one year,” reasoned the manufacturer. The US dollar has appreciated by 13.5 per cent in one year against the Pakistani rupee. Besides, as per Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, large-scale manufacturing sector in the country contracted by 7.78 per cent in the previous months. During the pandemic, the major decline has been observed in textile (-2.57 per cent), food, beverage and tobacco (-2.33 per cent),
coke and petroleum products (-17.46 per cent), pharmaceuticals (-5.38 per cent), chemicals (-2.30 per cent), automobiles (36.50 per cent), iron and steel products (7.96 per cent), electronics (-13.54 per cent), engineering products (-7.05 per cent) and wood products (-22.11 per cent). “The estimated size of informal employment in the non-agriculture sector is around 27 million so such decisions by the government will severely affect these employees,” said the manufacturer. “The government needs to support the pharmaceutical industry of the country which will benefit both the national economy and informal employment in the country,” suggested the manufacturer.
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
NEWS
ihc Asks gOvT TO respOnd TO pleA chAllenging pm's Advisers hAving duAl nATiOnAliTy ISLAMABAD
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STAFF REPORT
HE Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought reply from the federal government on a petition pertaining to the appointments of advisers holding dual nationality. During the court proceedings, petitioner PML-N MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha submitted that according to the law, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advisers cannot be part of the federal cabinet whereas they were attending the meetings. In his remarks, Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mahmood said that the advisers could not be part of the cabinet but all can be part of the sub-committee. After brief arguments, the court ad-
journed the hearing and sought a reply from the federal government within two weeks. Talking to media after hearing, Ranjha said that it was not acceptable for unelected people to make decisions for Pakistan. He alleged that PM Imran had once again taken a U-turn from his stance. He said that sensitive issues come under discussion in the federal cabinet, adding that they wanted the court to make decisions in accordance with the constitution and law. On Saturday, PM Imran’s 20 advisers and special assistants declared their assets and nationalities. At least six special advisers stated that they have dual nationalities as others announced self-declaration of their movable and immovable assets worth millions of rupees.
non-elected people cannot make decisions under parliamentary system: fawad ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Federal Minister for Science and Technology on Monday said that under a parliamentary system of governance, non-elected individuals cannot participate in the decision-making process of the country. Talking to reporters here, Fawad noted that only elected lawmakers can partake in decision-making and under the constitution, dual nationals are barred from becoming the member of the assembly.”How can dual nationals be part of the cabinet then,” he asked. The reaction from the minister came after it emerged that four special assistants of the prime minister hold dual nationalities. Fawad went on to add that currently the problems faced by the government are created by its own members, however, people of the country have pinned high hopes and expectations from the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) government. Members of the ruling PTI and opposition continued to snipe at each other after the government disclosed details of the assets and nationalities of advisers and special assistants to the prime minister. On Saturday night, Minister for Information Shibli Faraz had announced that the information is now available for public viewing, in a bid by the government bid to “boost transparency”. He had said that the details have been shared on the Cabinet Division website as instructed by the premier. It was revealed that four aides — Nadeem Babar, Tania Aidrus, Zulfi Bukhari and Shahzad Syed Qasim — have other nationalities. Taking a jibe at opposition parties, Fawad said, “PML-N does not even know who is going to lead them, whereas, for PPP, Asif Zardari has worked hard to make it ‘Sindh’s party’ and now Bilawal Bhutto is trying hard to make it an only ‘interior’ Sindh’s party”. While talking about Pakistan Television Network (PTV), the minister said that the national broadcaster has no business plan, but has increased fees. “I have expressed my concerns in the cabinet,” he added.
Many Pakistanis hailed the decision saying the declaration demonstrates PM Khan’s commitment towards accountability and has set new standards of transparency by the government. However, the move led to strong criticism by opposition leaders over dual nationalities of the advisers. PPP MNA Nafeesa Shah said that the information about assets and dual nationalities of advisers and special assistants to the premier had opened a “Pandora’s box”. She said that giving Moeed Yousaf, an American citizen, access to sensitive issues, including national security, is a matter of grave concern, adding that Nadeem Babar’s shares in petroleum companies is a conflict of interest. “The selected prime minister has been exposed,” she said.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that Imran Khan has repeatedly said in the past that he stands against government aides, advisers, ministers who swear an oath of allegiance to another country. She questioned whether dual nationals were building “Naya Pakistan”, adding that if PM Imran did not know, it is a matter of further concern. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Marriyum Aurangzeb also demanded resignations of PTI government’s ministers and advisers holding dual nationality. The PML-N spokesperson stated that PM Imran Khan had said that those having dual nationality cannot take decisions for the country. She further asked why those possessing foreign passports have been allowed to sit in the cabinet.
Centre asks Sindh to announce wheat release policy to stabilise prices ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR
The federal government on Monday urged Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to immediately announce its wheat release policy to help stabilise wheat flour prices and curb inter-provincial smuggling of the commodity. In a letter written by Federal Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam to CM Murad, the minister referred to his previous letter dated July 15, 2020, and Economic Coordination Council’s (ECC) decision dated June 22, 2020, wherein it was decided that provincial governments should immediately announce their wheat release policy 2020-21, in order to stabilise wheat demand and supply situation at affordable prices. “Government of the Punjab announced its wheat release policy on July 2, 2020, and started to release wheat to its flour mills, consequently resulting in stabilisation of prices in Punjab. During the meeting held on July 14, 2020, with the prime minister in chair, the chief secretary, Sindh was apprised that price differential, with open borders, is making the wheat gravitate towards Sindh due to higher floor price thereby putting pressure on the stock position in Punjab which may cause increase in prices in Punjab too, ” the letter stated. Fakhar said that the same phenomenon was also
observed last year when the government of Sindh decided not to procure any wheat. “Thus, it was directed that government of Sindh shall finalise its wheat release policy to help stabilise the wheat prices. However, it has observed that the price diffential still exists and is exerting pressure on wheat prices in Punjab, in addition to forcing poor people of Sindh to pay substantially extra and exorbitant rates for flour,” the letter added. Fakhar said that the welfare of the people of Sindh shall always remain a top priority of its elected leaders and beyond politics. “It is apprehended that any delay on the part of province, to announce its wheat release policy, would accelerate wheat prices further. During the aforementioned meeting, it was also observed that such significant price differential between the provinces, in the absence of any restrictions on inter-provincial movement of wheatflour points to hoarding and/smuggling. Such price differences cannot be explained by transportation costs alone, ” observed the minister. “In view of the above and in the national interest, I would request and urge you again to take immediate and effective steps to curb the hoarding and smuggling and announce wheat release policy 2020-21 for your province to help stabilise the prices in Sindh and consequent stabilisation in other provinces especially Punjab, ” he concluded.
Aamir Liaquat says PM Imran has rejected his resignation NEWS DESK Television anchor and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA from Karachi, Aamir Liaquat Hussain on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan has rejected his resignation letter. “After a long meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan my four-page resignation was rejected. I opened my heart told the prime minister everything. The prime minister hailed my efforts for raising my voice for Karachi’s issues and said thinking about the public was the role of an elected leader,” he said on Twitter. Earlier in the day, Hussain had posted on social
media that he was on his way to the Prime Minister’s House to submit his resignation. Hussain who won on a PTI ticket from NA-245 in the 2018 general elections, had earlier hinted at resigning in a post on Twitter, citing reasons that he could not offer his constituents any respite from Karachi’s frequent power outages. “I confess that I am a helpless MNA of Karachi. I am unable to provide electricity to the people of my city. I cannot see the people of my city suffer. I will ask the prime minister for time and submit my resignation,” the former MQM member had said. This is not the first time that the PTI MNA has been in the news for being upset at his party.
private education institutes say will reopen on Aug 15 ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the federal government’s decision to reopen educational institutes in September, the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA) on Monday announced that they would reopen their institutes from August 15 across the country. In a joint press conference, the association observed that students have had to suffer an educational loss as schools and colleges have been closed for the past six to eight months. They asserted that they would open educational institutes from August 15 across the country. APPSCA President Hidayat Khan said that the virus has slowed down and that cases are also on a decline, adding that the association had tried to negotiate with the government but it did not listen. “If the government tries to stop us, we will organise a ‘million march’,” Khan warned. “We will open schools in line with the SOPs,” he said. “Madrassas have been opened, and they have even conducted examinations,” he further stated. On July 9, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood announced the government’s decision to reopen educational institutions from September 15, with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs). During a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said the federal government will formulate SOPs and share them with the provincial governments, adding that provinces have the authority to close institutions which fail to observe government protocol. Mahmood said the government will review the situation and implementation of SOPs in the first week of September, adding that educational institutions can open their administrative offices and call teachers before officially reopening schools. STAFF REPORT
former ihc cJ sardar Aslam passes away due to covid-19 ISLAMABAD: Former chief justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Sardar Muhammad Aslam passed away due to coronavirus on Monday. The late judge was undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Rawalpindi where he had been kept on a ventilator for the past few days. His funeral prayers were offered in Kahuta. On May 7, IHC Chief Justice Ather Minallah’s secretary had tested positive for coronavirus. On April 14, a member of Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed’s staff had also tested positive for Covid-19. The CJP and his family were also later tested for the virus and the result was negative. STAFF REPORT
senate approves increase in seats in Balochistan Assembly ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday approved a bill seeking an increase in the seats of the provincial assembly of Balochistan with a majority vote. The bill obtained the support of 71 senators in the House of 104 members. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan supported the bill and said that it is now time to address the sense of deprivation of the people of Balochistan and erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). “Prime Minister Imran Khan will perform this duty that was not done in the past,” he said and announced complete support from the government on the bill. On June 28, Prime Minister Imran had said that ridding Balochistan of its feeling of being marginalized was a top priority of the government. INP
Polio immunisation drive kicked off amid Covid-19 threat KARACHI AGENCIES
Wearing face masks and gloves, vaccinators on Monday resumed an anti-polio drive that had been halted since March due to the coronavirus outbreak, seeking to reach at least 800,000 children in five days. The disruption of the drive has raised fears of a spike in polio cases in Pakistan, which, along with neighbouring
Afghanistan is just one of two countries in the world where the disease remains endemic, officials said. According to official figures, 60 polio cases have been reported in 2020 thus far in Pakistan. Cases fell to eight in 2017 and 12 in 2018, but then spiked up to 147 in 2019, according to the World Health Organisation. “The drive will target specific high-risk areas in all four provinces,” Rana Muham-
mad Safdar, Pakistan’s top polio official told Reuters, adding that vaccinators have been fully equipped with protective gear to guard against the coronavirus to ensure field workers do not spread Covid-19. Pakistan has thus far registered 265,082 cases of novel coronavirus infection and 5,599 deaths. Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho told media that field staff had been given extensive training to ensure child
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safety. Vaccinators have been instructed to minimise contact and ask parents to hold children for oral polio drops, the Emergency Operations Centre for Polio in Sindh province said in a statement. UNICEF warned in April that disruptions in vaccination drives could create pathways to disastrous outbreaks in 2020 and beyond. While the Covid-19 poses the greatest
threat this year, vaccination drives in Pakistan have previously faced numerous challenges. Last year, hard-liners in Peshawar spread rumours of children falling sick due to the vaccine, triggering backlash in the conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where most of polio cases have been detected. Mobs burned a village health centre, blocked a highway and pelted cars with stones. Medical workers were harassed and threatened. A woman vaccinator and two policemen escorting the polio team were also shot dead in separate incidents last year.
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Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
NEWS
POliO-FRee PuNjAB iS gOvT’S miSSiON: BuzdAR CM direCts for ensuring availability of flour at fixed rates LAHORE
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TLTP
HIEF Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has reiterated that polio-free Punjab is a mission of government and no leniency will be tolerated in this regard. The chief minister said this while presiding over a meeting of anti-polio task force here at his office on Monday. He said that importance of the antipolio campaign has been increased due to the coronavirus pandemic and deputy commissioners should monitor the anti-polio campaigns in their respective districts as
the government wants Punjab to be totally free from polio disease. He said that warnings have been issued to DCs of some districts for failing to hold meetings about the eradication of polio in their districts and action will be initiated against the CEO (Health) if the polio case has surfaced in the district. The concerned DC will also be held accountable while good performing DCs will be encouraged, he added. The chief minister maintained the situation is better in Punjab than other provinces but the administration should burn the midnight oil for the success of this campaign. The IG Police will arrange complete security for polio workers and SOPs
Transporters continue protest against inter-city service ban KARACHI: Transporters on Monday announced to continue their protest against the ban imposed on inter-city bus services in Karachi. According to the details, the transporters blocked Super Highway and staged a protest demonstration. Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) lawmaker and ‘FixIt’ founder Alamgir Khan was also present in the demonstration. On the occasion, the transporters announced to continue their protest till acceptance of their demands. They were of the view that due to the prolonged lockdown, transporters and workers have been facing starvation. Earlier on April 30, Sindh Transport Minister Syed Awais Shah had said that the provincial government would not lift the ban on public transport in Sindh until the countrywide lockdown ended. Talking to the media in Karachi, the Sindh transport minister had said that the government was implementing the smart lockdown strategy and had allowed some industries to resume their operations. Shah had said that transporters cooperated with the government during the lockdown in the province and the government would not leave them alone in these difficult times. TLTP
Over 2bn mangroves planted in coastal areas: Nasir KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Forests, Information and Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that more than 2 billion mangroves have been planted in different coastal areas of Sindh. He further said that plantation of mangroves has been computerized for the first time in the history of the country while planting of mangroves and computerization of them is in progress. He expressed these views while having a meeting with various delegations here on Monday after visiting the coastal areas of Thatta district including Kati Bandar. The minister said that large scale mangrove tree planting is an important initiative of the government which would generate more than Rs10 billion in revenue which would be spent on the welfare of the concerned local people and population. Shah said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has also said that the production of mangroves in Sindh has almost been doubled since 2008 and Sindh has set three world records of maximum tree planting. He said that as a result of continuous guidance and instructions of Bilawal and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, the task of planting mangroves on such a large scale was made possible and completed while planting urban forests in different cities of the province will be continued. TLTP
for safety from coronavirus will be followed during this campaign, he added. The chief minister directed to ensure effective monitoring of the anti-polio campaign as saving the children from this disease is a collective obligation. He further directed to launch a vigorous awareness campaign, adding that the health department’s teams should ensure to administer anti-polio drops to every child. The meeting decided to take effective measures for complete eradication of polio from the province. The meeting decided to exempt polio workers of more than 50 years age from field duty and they will also be screened before going to the field. Earlier, secretary P&SHE briefed about the details of the anti-polio campaign. Provincial Ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Murad Raas and Fayyazul Hassan
Chohan, chief secretary, administrative secretaries, WHO officials attended the meeting while commissioners, RPOs and coordinator NPP participated through video-link. Separately in a statement, CM Buzdar directed the provincial price control committee, food department and administration to ensure availability of flour bags at fixed rates in the markets. The CM made it clear that no hurdle will be tolerated in the availability of flour bags at the government rates. Every possible step be taken in this regard and a report be submitted to the CM Office along with indiscriminate action against hoarders, he added. He reiterated that hoarders will not be allowed to exploit the people and directed the food department and administrative officers to go to the field to monitor the markets' situation.
Development in tribal districts in full swing: Bangash PESHAWAR TLTP
Journey of development in tribal districts is in full swing and various projects are being implemented under the Accelerated Development Programme to alleviate the 72year-old deprivation of the area. Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Information and Local Government Kamran Bangash said this while talking to media persons on Monday. While congratulating the tribal people and elected representatives on the completion of one year of elections in the merged districts, he said that on July 20, 2019, for the first time in history, 21 tribal members were elected in the merged districts and they had been given representation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in which 16 members were elected through elections while four women and one minority member also became part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on reserved seats. MPAs Shafiq Afridi, Ayesha Bano and Anita Mehsud were also present on the occasion. Bangash said that for the first time, the tribal people have been given the right to appeal, argue and the facility to have a lawyer. Similarly through Sehat Sahulat Card, free treatment facility has been provided to every family in the merged districts, he said adding that work is also in progress to provide employment opportunities to the youth of the
merged districts, adding 1,404 posts have been created in the village and neighborhood councils under the local government system while 25 TMAs have been notified in the districts, besides 50 arm roll trucks and 600 containers have been provided to the tribal districts for cleaning and removal of garbage. Bangash went on saying that 1,297 posts have been created in the health sector while 4,495 posts have been created in the education sector. The special assistant said that the scope of Rescue 1122 has been extended to the tribal districts where 21 rescue stations are under construction while 4 stations are fully operational. In addition, 1861 posts have been created in the rescue out of which 1193 posts are in the merged districts on which domicile holders have been recruited while the remaining posts will also be filled soon, he maintained. Under Insaf Rozgar Scheme, 4118 persons have been provided interest free loans of Rs945 million while Khyber Pass Economic Corridor has been approved at a cost of Rs.66 billion, he added. Bangash further said that apart from this, faster development under the program, projects worth Rs. 24 billion have been completed in the merged districts during the year 2019-20, while a significant amount of Rs. 49 billion has been allocated for the financial year 202021. He said that the projects approved in the annual budget for the tribal districts would continue separately.
Wheat flour available in abundance at controlled rate: aleem LAHORE TLTP
Punjab Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that flour is available in abundance in all areas at controlled rate and sale of 20-kg flour bags at Rs860 and 10-kg bags at Rs430 is being ensured. Similarly, flour is being supplied at government rates in all the districts of the province, added the senior minister in a statement on Monday. He said that a large number of flour bags are being supplied in the market by the flour mills on a daily basis while the Food Department and local administration are closely monitoring the situation and strict action is being taken against profiteers and hoarders across the province, vowing the government will not allow illicit profiteering at any cost. Aleem Khan said, “Regarding wheat and flour prices in the province we are also planning for long-term stabilization and for the next few years, government procurement of wheat, quotas for flour mills and other mech-
anisms will be changed in such a way as to increase the competitiveness in the market and flour mills to work along with banks to ensure the supply of wheat and flour to the citizens.” Separately, Khan said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has promoted positive trends in the country’s politics and for the first time in the country’s history, advisers have placed their assets before the nation. In his tweet, Abdul Aleem Khan said that in the past coming into government meant creating wealth and increasing personal assets and no one had the moral courage to hold the rulers accountable for their wealth and possessions. Khan said that every aspect of the present national leadership is like an open book. Imran Khan has set a new trend in Pakistan’s political history with his 22-year struggle. Khan said that the opposition should openly praise the good deeds of the present government. If all this had happened earlier, the corruption graph would not have reached this point nor would these circumstances be in the country, he concluded.
Project initiated to curtail Covid-19 spread in Sindh’s prisons PRESS RELEASE A historic initiative for ‘Covid-19 Seroprevalence Survey, Training & Medical Camps across 24 Prisons of Sind was organized by the Legal Aid Society headed by Justice Aslam Zahid & the IG Sindh Prisons Mr. Kazi Nazir Ahmed in collaboration with Nawan Laboratories & Advanced Lab along with French Epidemic Control & Statistical Expert, Z&Z Consultants from 13th to 15th July , 2020 in Karachi. The project has been initiated by LAS Executive Director Barrister Haya Zahid to assist Sindh Prisons with managing and curtailing the spread of Covid-19 in Sindh Prisons and gauge Immunity developed among the prison population. The first phase of the project has commenced with a Donation Drive to provide Personal Protective Equipment including Hand Sanitizers, Thermal Scanners, Soaps, Masks, Gloves for prisons in Karachi. The second phase in-
cludes covering prisons in Sukkur and Hyderabad divisions. The Legal Aid Society (LAS), a not-for-profit organization, works exclusively with marginalized and vulnerable populations across the province and has been assisting in various legal empowerment initiatives for prisoners. A first of its kind; Seroprevalence Survey has been launched by LAS & IG Sindh Prisons due to his pragmatic and progressive views on improving prison facilities and safeguarding the wellbeing of prisoners. Barrister Haya Zahid of LAS emphasized on the need for developing sustainable and localized solutions within the corrections context that would equip the Prison Administration with the equipment, training and skill set necessary to tackle this virus and future waves. The donation drive is supplemented by robust training camps conducted by NAWAN and Advanced LAB which will enhance the capacity of Medical Officers deputed inside 24 prisons.
3 FACTORieS guTTed AS lANdhi FiRe exTiNguiShed AFTeR 20 hOuRS KARACHI: Firefighters in Karachi were able to finally extinguish after 20 hours an inferno that had gripped three factories in the port city's Landhi area. According to fire brigade officials, initial investigations suggest that the fire had occurred due to a short circuit. They said that 15 fire tenders, 10 water bowsers, and one snorkel took part in the extinguishing process. The officials stated that rescue workers have started the cooling process at the scene after extinguishing the blaze, adding that the process will end tonight. The fire brigade officials stated that the blaze completely destroyed two factories and one factory was damaged at least 60 percent. The also shared that two buildings affected by the fire have also been declared as damaged. Earlier, spokesperson of Landhi Export Processing Zone, Malik Abdul Aziz, had said that the fire had been stopped from progressing further to cause more damage to the surrounding factories and buildings. Aziz said that initial information suggested that the fire started due to a short-circuit in one of the factories. "We suffered a financial loss but our lives got saved," he said. The spokesman told that the fire has engulfed three factories, adding that the fire engulfed the cardboard factory then extended to the other two – which manufactured garments and plastic. TLTP
Banned outfits restricted from collecting hides in KP PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Monday issued a code of conduct for the collection of sacrificial hides and funds on the forthcoming Eidul Azha. The provincial government has released a notification in this regard, stating that the banned organisations will be barred to collect sacrificial hides by using their own or other names. Moreover, the welfare organisations could submit their applications in the deputy commissioners’ offices to get the registration certificate, NOC and affidavit. The KP authorities ordered deputy commissioners to decide over the applications within five days after submission. The usage of loudspeakers for collecting sacrificial hides and donations will also be banned across the province. The government warned strict action in accordance with the law against the violators of the code of conduct. TLTP
Billion trees project to start soon in tribal districts: Amin PESHAWAR: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said that plantation under Billion Trees Tsunami project will be started soon in all tribal districts. During a meeting with Pakistan Red Crescent Society for Tribal Districts Chairman Asif Khan Mehsud and Secretary Saeed Kamal, the advisor said that the Red Crescent Society has rendered invaluable services for the welfare of the people in the tribal districts and in the current situation the organization is active for the welfare of the people. During the meeting, Amin Aslam said that tree plantation will be done by local people and Red Crescent volunteers. During the meeting, Red Crescent Chairman Asif Khan Mehsud informed the adviser, “Our intention and volunteers are always ready to take part in it.” He said that terrorism has not only ruined the livelihood of the people but the agriculture and trees as well. TLTP
Flour prices increase by up to Rs3 per kg in Sindh KARACHI: The flour mills in Sindh on Monday hiked prices of flour after claiming an increase in prices of wheat in the province. The mill owners raised the prices of flour number 2.5 by Rs3 per kilogram (kg), fine flour by Rs1.5 per kg, and Chakki flour by Rs2 per kg. After the increase in prices, the 10-kilogram bag of 2.5 number flour is being sold out at Rs 570. The flour mills have raised the prices on the basic food commodity by Rs 9 in the past week. The decision was taken after the wheat prices moved up to Rs5,100 per 100 kg bag. The flour mills association has also summoned a meeting to further raise flour prices in the province and blamed the Sindh government for not providing wheat to the mills in the last week. In May, it emerged that Sindh had reportedly bought 40 percent less wheat from its required quota. The Sindh government, already embroiled in a Rs15 billion wheat theft scandal, bought less wheat than the allocated budget but the documents showed that the entire budget allocation for the purchase has been consumed. TLTP
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
NEWS
DGPC, exPloration ComPanies askeD to aCCePt finDinGs of tHirD-Party Consultants ISLAMABAD
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AHMAD AHMADANI
HE Petroleum Division has taken a policy decision to make Director General Petroleum Concession (DGPC) and Exploration and Production (E&P) companies bound to accept the recommendations/certification of independent 3rd party consultants regarding E&P of oil and gas in the country. Following the prime minister and National Accountability Beaurue's notice regarding the delay in the inclusion of cheap gas of Badin IV South gas fields into the main system, a seven-member committee, led by Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar, has taken this policy decision in the light of Marginal Gas Pricing Guidelines 2013.
With this decision, this committee has cancelled the policy decision of former DGPC Imran Ahmed, as it was causing a delay in the inclusion of cheap gas of Badin IV South Gas Fields into the main gas system. According to documents, the SAPMled committee has decided that findings/recommendations/certification by the independent 3rd party consultants will be final and binding in full conformity with the E&P companies and DGPC. “All such cases where decisions are currently pending in this regard with DGPC should be put up in conformity with the recommendation/finding of independent 3rd party consultants.” According to sources, the committee, with this decision, has stopped DGPC from the misuse of special powers, adding that the Petroleum Division would present a summary in the cabinet committee on en-
ergy (CCOE) to resolve the problems of E&P companies. They said the committee has decided that the bidding round for issuing new licences of oil and gas would be undertaken in the first quarter of current FY21. The committee has also decided that the hiring process of consultants required by DGPC through training fund and regular recruitment through FPSC must be expedited, said sources. A copy of documents available with Profit disclosed that the NAB had earlier initiated an inquiry against former DGPC Imran Ahmed for causing delay in adding 30MMCFD gas of Badin IV South Gas Fields into the national transmission system which resulted in $50 million loss to the national kitty. The Bureau had also asked the Petroleum Division to provide details regarding Badin IV South gas
fields, along with reasons behind delay in the inclusion of Badin gas in the system. Sources said that former DGPC Imran Ahmed had rejected the reports of 3rd party consultants regarding the nature of gas at Badin IV fields and that it caused delay in the injection of 30MMCFD gas into the system. They, however, said DGPC had paved the way for the import of expensive LNG to the country by declining to inject cheap gas of Badin gas fields into the country’s main gas system. They said third party who was earlier nominated by DGPC to examine the fields repeatedly informed that the gas fields were marginal in nature and recommended that price of gas for Badin IV South Gas Fields should be set in accordance with Marginal/Standard Gas Fields-Gas Pricing Criteria and Guidelines, 2013.
NAB law being used to ‘arm-twist, pressurise’ political opponents, SC rules ContInueD on pAge 01 Justice Baqar further underlined that “all civilized societies recognise the principle that punishment comes only after conviction, and the presumption of innocence subsist with the accused, till he is handed down punishment after trial”. “It hardly needs any reiteration that the detention either pre-trial or during trial causes great hardship,” the judgement added. coNsTiTUTioNAL riGHTs BeiNG TrAmpLeD UpoN: According to the judge, it was unfortunate that “even after 72 years since the creation of our country, and despite 47 years since the adoption of the Constitution, we have not been able to realize the spirit and essence of the ideals set out therein”. “To the contrary, we have even failed to adhere to some of its most basic commands and prescriptions. The people of this country are frequently denied their constitutionally guaranteed rights. Principles of equality, fairness, tolerance and respect for democratic norms are flouted with impunity. “Dogmatism, intolerance, nepotism, cronyism, incompetence, regression, deception, false pretence, self-projection, misplaced sense of superiority, different biases, and prejudices, and corruption have seeped into our society and have now inundated it. “Efforts, whenever made for the supremacy of the constitution, and the rule of law have been thwarted with full force. The principle of trichotomy of power and the concept of devolution have been trampled with contempt. “Arrogance, self-righteousness and apathy are ruling the roost. We have come to this unfortunate pass, in most
part, because of the repeated direct unconstitutional interventions, and manipulations by undemocratic forces. “Lust of power, desire to capture, and rule, and pursuit of self-aggrandization, have resulted in violation of the prescribed jurisdictional limits and ceding of political space in governance. “Aggravating this is the denial of grass root representation of the people in the local government, which again is against our constitutional ethos, and violates the true essence and spirit of democracy. Public welfare and poverty alleviation are at the lowest rung of our priorities. sUppressioN of DisseNT: “The wide spread suppression of dissent is another anathema to our democracy. An egalitarian order remains a distant dream,” the judge wrote in his verdict. Justice Baqar went on to say that the present case was “a classic example of trampling fundamental rights, unlawful deprivation of freedom, and liberty and the complete disregard for human dignity as guaranteed by the Constitution”. The top judge slammed NAB, over various actions and processes, saying its “conduct throughout this case is a clear manifestation of their utter disregard for law, fair play, equity and propriety”. “Indeed, curbing loot, plunder and combating corruption is a noble cause. Nonetheless, the means, process and mechanism employed therefor should be within the parameters as prescribed and mandated by the law and not in derogation thereof. “As per the preamble of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 (“NAO”) the bureau has been set up to eradicate corruption and corrupt practices and hold ac-
countable all those persons, accused of such practices and matters ancillary thereto,” the ruling added further. It explained what the laws led to as opposed to what they were enacted for. “Rather than doing any good to the country or our bodypolitic and cleansing the fountainheads of governance, these laws and the manner in which they were enforced, caused further degeneration and created chaos, since the same were framed and applied with an oblique motive of arm twisting and pressurizing political opponents into submission, subjugation and compliance, or remove them from the electoral scene at least temporarily,” it read. “These laws were successfully employed as tools to change political loyalties, for splintering and fracturing political parties. “Pygmies were selected, nurtured, promoted, and brought to prominence and power. People with notorious backgrounds and criminal credentials were thrust to rule us in various capacities with predictable results. “Similarly, those, who caused death, destruction and mayhem in our society were trained, financed, protected, promoted and eulogized, thus, turning them into Frankensteins. “Meanwhile corruption, misconduct and malpractice in governance kept growing at exponential rates and became all pervading. None of the state institutions whichsoever remained free from this morass,” the SC ruling stated. Conclusively, it underlined: “In any event. despite having all the required information and details, NAB has failed to place before us any material to show, or to otherwise persuade us to believe that the exchange was unfair and/or that the petitioners have through the said transaction illegally enriched themselves at the cost of the company.
05
Horticulture exporters accuse DPP of hampering mango exports ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS
While the role of Department of Plant Protection (DPP), an attached wing of the Ministry of Food Security and Research (MFS&R), is to facilitate the export of horticulture products, the exporters have come forward with an accusation that the department, instead of facilitating them, is creating hurdles through various means. In a detailed letter along with records, the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) has informed the ministry that the enormous export potential of Pakistani mangoes to Iran could not be fully tapped due to the biased approach of the DPP. As per the letter sent to the ministry on July 9, the association has accused the DPP of working against the government policy of boosting exports, saying that instead of extending support for the export of mangoes to Iran, the department was deliberately creating hurdles by using delaying tactics at a time when prompt approvals were needed for additional six hot water treatment plants. In the letter, a copy of which is available with this scribe, PVFA Chairman Abdul Malik stated that Iran was a promising international market for export of Pakistani mangoes, as Pakistan in 2019 had earned a foreign exchange of $21 million by sending 30,000 metric tonnes of mangoes to Iran. By reducing the cost of production, Pakistan could increase the volume of export by at least 30pc. "The main hurdle in the way of mango exports is the negative role of the PPD, which is facilitating the hot water treatment plants in Sindh, taking full ‘financial advantage’ of the situation, and keeping the six proposed HWT plants inoperative.” All mangoes exported to Iran must have to pass through the hot water treatment process. Malik said the association is striving hard to increase the number of approved HWT plants so as to bring down the cost of treatment and fully exploit the lucrative mango market. Much before the start of the mango season, the plant protection department, on the instance of the association, had invited Iranian quarantine team to visit Pakistan and inspect additional HWT plants so that the consignments of mangoes could cross the Iranian border without delays, while the cost of treatment could be reduced to half. The Iranian team visited Pakistan in September and October and inspected 19 HWT plant facilities in various cities.
Of selected verse and a travelogue SyeD AfSAr SAjID Title: AasmaaN Tah-e-Aab Author: Tauseef Tabassum Publisher: Fazlee Book Super Market, 507/3, Temple Road, Urdu Bazaar, Karachi Pages: 378 - Price: Rs.1500/Title: Aey Arz-e-Lebanon Author: Dr. Jaffar Hassan Mubarak Publisher: Misal Publishers, Rahim Centre, Aminpur Bazaar, Faisalabad Pages: 272 – Price: Rs.500/-
Tauseef Tabassum, an eminent educationist and poet of Urdu, has recently brought out the second edition of his prized verse selection AasmaaN Tah-e-Aab comprising a miscellany of his devotional poetry, nazm, and ghazal. Jaffar Hassan Mubarak, an insurance executive with a distinctive literary background as a poet and travelogue writer, has lately launched his fourth travelogue viz. Aey Arz-e-Lebanon comprising his group travel to Lebanon, a strategically important Arab country of Western Asia. The two publications are being jointly reviewed here. AasmaaN Tah-e-Aab It is a beautifully printed book with a symbolic dust cover and a neatly versified foreword testifying to the perfectionist in its author. The flaps as well as the back cover of the book display the opinions/views of eminent literary writers and poets like Ahmad Nadim Qasmi, Dr. Khurshid Rizvi, Zakauddin ShayaN, Aftab Iqbal Shamim, Dr. Arshad Abdul Hamid, and Dr. Najiba Arifa, on its credentials. The book is divided into three parts viz. devotional poetry, nazm, and ghazal. A marked freshness of accent, lucidity of expression and immensity of meaning, charac-
terize its formal and contextual fabric. Ostensibly though the poet (Tauseef Tabassum) follows the classical tradition in its quintessence in terms of diction, structure, metaphysics of conception, and technique of versification, yet the distinctive trait of his art as a versifier is his originality seeking strength from the romantic ideals of beauty and truth, and love too. Instead of emulating the idiom of his predecessors or peers, he uses a language which is struggling to digest and express new objects, ideas, feelings, and aspects. He seems to have a keen ear for music whence the sonority of his verse. Empathy is the pre-dominant spirit of literature. Oscar Wilde once said, ‘Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell the truth.’ This objectification may not be solely ideological or even factual but its impact broadly depends on presentation. Style and technique
supply half the pleasure because they make us see farther than our own senses can perceive. Viewed in this perspective, Tauseef Tabassum’s verse qualifies to be rated as ‘a thing of beauty’ that affords a lasting ‘joy’, to echo Keats. And, now the opinion of his critics and admirers! Ahmad Nadim Qasmi appreciated the classical format of Tauseef Tabassum’s ghazal which is grounded in contemporaneity. It might trace its inspiration to the poetics of Meer, Ghalib, Nasir or Shakeb, but its tone, tenor and treatment are essentially modernistic in consonance with the spirit of the age he lives in. Aftab Iqbal Shamim thinks that the progression of Tauseef Tabassum’s ghazal from meaning to ‘beyond’ meaning lends it a distinct artistic property which has in some ways positively affected the ‘new’ ghazal. The poetic vision and experience emanating from his creativity tend to procreate, as it were, a new tradition in what he terms as Pakistani ghazal. Dr. Najeeba Arif extols the poetic aura of Tauseef Tabassum’s verse which generates a transcendence, liquescency, and flow that open new vistas in the vast expanse of artistic creativity. Self-awareness and an intuitive personal cognition, she would seem to believe, tend to dilute the intensity and frequency of the melancholic strain of the poet’s accent in his ghazal and nazm. Here Are A few specimeNs from His work: Usko aankhoN may chupaogay, batao kab tak/Kya karogay jo wohi daikhnay wala hoga Aik hi mauj-e fana lay ga’i sab kuch aur hum/Is takalluf may rahay kaun akaila doobay Phir wohi raat aa ga’i, neend palak palak dharay/Aur bhi aik shahr hai, qirya-e khwab say paray Ajab seemya hai!/Kisi aankh par din ka lipta hu’a aks khulta nahiN hai-/Magar aik aansu
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mri aankh may hai/Keh ek naqsh-e mahtab hai paaniyoN may/Jo bahta chala ja raha hai! Aey Arz-e-Lebabnon This is Jaffar Hassan Mubarak’s fourth travelogue, the first three belonging to Dubai, Austria, and Turkey. He is a seasoned traveller now, well versed in the modes and mechanics of international travelling. The instant travelogue contains an absorbing account of his group travel to Lebanon. The entourage of the intending travellers (85) comprised his colleagues in the insurance company from all parts of the country, and their families. It was a homely togetherness meant to avail a healthy breather (in a country like Lebanon) in their otherwise hectic routine of life. Lebanon is an exotic land with an enviable archaeological heritage, a chequered primeval history, enormous cultural variety, and last but not least, a rich mythical folklore. It is geographically located in the Western Asia, with a 225 km long Mediterranean coastline to the west, bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. The author gives a graphic picture of his entourage’s embarkation on this adventurous journey by air, their arrival in Beirut via Dubai, and a detailed account of their excursions in the country of destination. It is an interesting as well as educative description covering the whole gamut of Lebanon’s social, political and economic life besides a recap of the ominous devastation caused by the civil wars of 1860 and 1975-90, and the country’s subsequent renaissance as a nation state. The style of the writer combines the subjective with the objective. The narrartive is interspersed with intermittent allusions to poetry alongwith some select poets which serves to enhance its literary worth. Gibran Khalil Gibran (1883-1931) is a widely celebrated Lebanese writer, poet and visual artist
(also considered a philosopher although he himself declined the title) who with his family immigrated to America in 1895 where he led an eventful life winning global recognition for his intellectual-cum-artistic pursuits culminating into books like The Prophet, The Madman, and Broken Wings and numerous paintings and pieces of artwork expressing his personal vision, incorporating spiritual and mythical symbolism, partly influenced by Nietzsche and partly by Blake. His body was transferred to his native village of Bsharri in Lebanon, for burial. The author of the travelogue has copiously mentioned him in its content. Mehmood Sham (journalist), Muhammad Hameed Shahid (literary writer), and Dr. Sohail Abbas Baloch (academic) have commended the author of the travelogue for its intrinsic qualities of graphic narration and photographic imaging.
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
06 COMMENT
Easy there, Nostradamus!
Opposition politics Does an APC really mean anything at this point?
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hAIRMAN PPP Bilawal Bhutto has been berating the PTI over its failure to deliver on promises made and alleged corruption, for over a month now, while trying to unify opposition parties against the government as well. Perhaps the biggest hurdle in achieving this consensus was the PML-N as its president and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, remained elusive. It seemed as though Shehbaz Sharif was weighing his options before openly supporting the PPP in any fresh putsch against the ruling party. It is a well-known fact that the younger Sharif, unlike his elder brother, has always maintained good relations with the ubiquitous establishment, keeping all channels of communication open so that whenever a political opportunity presents itself, he is aware of it and can avail it fully. After ducking Bilawal’s phone calls, Shehbaz has finally come around, having a fourth conversation with the latter within two weeks and also green lighting a delegation of PML-N leaders to visit Bilawal at his Lahore residence yesterday, to iron out details of an All Parties Conference (APC) that the PPP is looking to co-host with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman soon. Rehman has been itching to hold a multi-party conference against the PTI for a while, especially since his 2019 ‘dharna’ ended up achieving nothing, abruptly ending after finding no support from the powers that allow and enable such processions to continue for longer than they really should. The PPP and PML-N reluctantly supported the JUI-F’s sit-in for a day or two, sending a clear message that they were not out to topple the government, which was the advertised goal of Fazlur Rehman’s efforts. Given this troubled history between major opposition parties, with each facing its own set of troubles, NAB cases abound and what not, self-preservation will remain a dominant feature meaning that any alliance, however strong it may seem, will actually be quite weak. The PTI meanwhile, with Covid-19 now apparently under control and chatter of an in-house change having died down, has a new lease on life. Prime Minister Imran Khan has also somehow saved CM Buzdar in Punjab and disgruntled allies are making less noise than they were a month ago. The PPP and PML-N can continue with their politics in the limited space allotted to them, but they do not pose any immediate threat to the ruling party so long as it has the support that the opposition also craves.
Or, how not to make a jackass of oneself
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
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he number of analysts who feel that they must predict the future to establish their credentials was never higher. Some of them have become compulsive forecasters because they believe (with some justification) that unless they foretell something dramatic, nobody will pay them any heed. While the sensible types still don’t listen to them (unless it is for entertainment purposes), they manage to attract an audience even if it consists only of the crowd that is happy merely contemplating the outcome predicted by them. This demographic is not insignificant in number, so it is a smart strategy, provided you have the talents of a Shahid Masood, an Orya Maqbool Jan or a Javed Chaudhry. That is a tough ask, which drastically limits the number of successful practitioners of the art. Unfortunately, this has been lost on our aspiring writers, more and more of whom are thinking it a good idea to constantly play Nostradamus. The Urdu part of the media is especially affected – every third political article in newspapers, and every second one on popular websites publishing opinion pieces, belongs to the ‘forecasting’ category. It would make an exciting PhD thesis for some energetic youth aspiring to a career as a shopkeeper to sift the hundreds of predictions made, say in 2015, coming up with the one or two that came true. It is not that forecasting is not a part of political analysis – it most certainly is. The point is: it is a difficult science. Lesser souls, for the sake of their own legacies, are advised caution and restraint. Not becoming the butt of all your friends’ jokes is a plus too. here, I may be accused of being too tough on those who are brave enough to go out on a ledge and stick their necks out. I am not. I firmly believe that with the notable exception of wives, it is impossible for anybody to be always right on everything. So, nobody is demanding 100% accuracy from anybody. It is only that you must learn to ration your predictions if none of them ever come true. This political forecasting business is a free-forall, no-holds-barred, unregulated mess. No industry can survive without rules and regulations, for in the
Bangladesh, Indian hegemony and Pakistan Need for diplomacy with finesse
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hIS is the most appropriate time to repair Pakistan’s relations with Bangladesh. An opportunity has been created, not on account of any diplomatic tour de force by the PTI government but due to a combination of circumstances to facilitate the improvement of Pakistan’s ties with Bangladesh. The relations between the two countries nosedived in 2016 when Pakistan reacted angrily to the execution of Motiur Rahman Nizami, the chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. Subsequently, under Indian pressure, Bangladesh pulled out from the SAARC summit due in Islamabad. A little later Dhaka observed ‘genocide day’ to mark the tragic events of 1971. India’s relations with each of its neighbors are in shambles on account of its hegemonic policies. In 2015 the BJP government imposed a disastrous blockade on Nepal to punish it for ratifying a new constitution without consulting it. This forced the landlocked Nepal to seek China’s help. India has also lost considerable ground in Sri Lanka and the Maldives who are rapidly drifting away from it into China’s orbit of influence. India’s relations with Bangladesh suffered a major blow when the Modi government passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The law triggered massive protests in Bangladesh and in March, Modi had to cancel his visit because of the growing anti-India sentiment. A widespread perception exists in Bangladesh that the relations between the two countries have become unequal and that Bangladesh had given more to India than it had received. In the middle of this, China has made inroads in Bangladesh by offering economic partnership. Dhaka is already a part of BRI. Recently, Beijing allowed Bangladesh to export goods to China with zero tariffs. Similarly, China has been assisting Bangladesh in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Bangladesh surprisingly kept quiet over the recent military standoff between India and China After a twenty month long hiatus, caused by Bangladeshi objections, there is finally a Pakistani high Commissioner in Dhaka. earlier this month, Pakistan’s envoy held a rare meeting with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister. Pakistan has to learn from past mistakes, move cautiously, paying attention to Bangladesh’s sensitivities to restore friendly ties. Pakistan-Bangladesh relations must be based on mutual respect, cooperation and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.
Has the Coronavirus shown us the way to a cleaner future? It depends on how you look at things ZuBAir KHAliq
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F you look at the hospital ICUs, BBC and CNN news and especially our local news channels and look at the pictures of those who are barely hanging on to life, then Corona is a deadly virus which plays havoc with the human body. But if you look at the air-quality index of the once dirtiest cities of the world, if you look at the clean skies over the Atlantic and the Pacific, if you look at the return of bird life in once extremely over populated areas then Corona seems to be a magic cure launched by mother nature…Not for long though. humans have not been able to rule this planet as a matter of a fluke. We will fight back, find a cure and defeat it and then we will start our cruises and fracking and flying and driving once again… I grew up in Lahore, Pakistan. It is now one of the dirtiest cities in the world. The PM 2.5 particulate matter in the air quality index regularly exceeds 250ug/m3 regularly, the normal value of which, for human outdoor activity should be less than 50ug/m3. There are days when it is so high that the database seems to run out of adjectives such as dangerous, hazardous, and extremely harmful and simply advises people not go outdoor and breathe. When we were growing up in Lahore in the eighties, things were quite different. Our evenings, especially in summers, were all outdoors. After school, we changed, finished our homework and went out to play in our lawn or out on the street. After dusk a water sprinkle was done on the back terrace and we would play outdoors for another hour and the parents would also sit there and have their evening tea. At night one of the activities was to go up on the roof and look at the stars and find out about the location of the “great bear” and the “pole star” and other constellations. My dad was always very keen for us to find out about these and he explained details while we looked up to the sky. For the last 15 years, there are no stars in the skies of Lahore. Come summer or winter, the city is so pol-
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long run they are in its own self-interest. I realize that bols, and by giving those symbols my preferred most of the professionals are beyond reform. I am meanings I can easily make a 16th century Sufi-poet more concerned about the amateur: the occasional to ‘predict’ that Jaaneman will tank at the box-office. writer and the drawing-room analyst who has taken There is another popular mode of prediction that it upon himself to be constantly gazing into the crys- I refer to as the ‘If… Then’ type (a variant is the ‘Untal ball, so to speak. Consider one such specimen: less…’ type). ‘After all the errors he has committed, Oft-times he is merely parroting the prediction he it is certainly going to be the end of politician A unheard on TV last night and is hoping that others did less he plays all his remaining cards exceptionally not watch the program (which they did, lazy slugs well’ is an example. Like a tautology, this sort of ‘prethat they are). Sometimes he has successfully con- diction’ is always true. The cynical thought process vinced himself that what he has heard from so many behind it is that the downfall, if it happens, has sucquarters so many times is his own analysis, which cessfully been predicted; but if it doesn’t happen, one points to only one conclucan always say that the resion: the one he thinks he is maining cards were played putting forward. exceptionally well (this proWhich brings us to our viso was there all along). I first point: somebody else’s hope you are better than Ambiguous statements with predictions are not your prethis, although all bets are fancy catchphrases cannot be off. dictions. It is not only immoral to steal somebody Some analysts, wary of accepted as predictions else’s prediction but is usutheir predictions never comally prudent too. Judging by ing true, have another trick either. For example: system the quality of pundits here, up their sleeve. They resort the chances are that he will to the ‘safer’ technique of tabah, game over, Inna lillah make a fool of himself. Why announcing how history (or type things. Do not compound the proverbial historian) will throw in your lot with his? Secondly, a ‘prediction’ judge this or that politician. ignorance with ambiguity. If without a time frame is no All that can be said about prediction at all. I can prethis is that history will you insist on predicting the dict (with confidence) that hardly need their input befuture, you should have more fore judging their favourite Saru, the monkey at the local zoo will die, but that is not a politician (and the one that courage than having to hedge they prediction. We are all going detest). Also, nobody to die, except Bhutto of among us will be alive when your bets. Better still, recall course. Recall the ‘pundits’ the proverbial historian will that discretion is the better who used to predict the predecide to sit down and write mature end of the Zardari era history. The person who part of valour. every week without fail, and comes up with such statehow their perseverance bore ments predicts nothing. The fruit as they were finally vinonly thing he does is sound dicated when Zardari had to rather foolish. leave the President’s house at the end of his term. Do All things considered, foretelling the future is a not be the ‘uncle’ who used to send the telegram: ‘To- temptation best resisted. Stick to the present or, even morrow station’ making the nephew to wait all day at better, the past. It is much easier to predict the past the station wondering which train it was going to be. correctly. In case even that proves a handful, and you That old man was being charged by the letter; you do it as a pastime anyway, let me suggest other avohave no such problem. Provide a timeline. Better yet, cations. Take up Croquet, for example. One hears it desist altogether. is an excellent sport that is in equal parts exercise and Ambiguous statements with fancy catchphrases social interaction. The more disciplined souls have cannot be accepted as predictions either. For exam- even been observed reading books while in the midple: system tabah, game over, Inna lillah type things. dle of a championship final. You can play it till you Do not compound ignorance with ambiguity. If you are ninety or dead, whichever comes first. I am not insist on predicting the future, you should have more predicting which. courage than having to hedge your bets. Better still; recall that discretion is the better part of valour. Hasan Aftab Saeed is a connoisseur of music, Another big no-no is the prediction based on po- literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be etry done hundreds of years ago. Poetry uses sym- reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed
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That leaves us with a large and by large I mean a luted that a perpetual layer of smoke and dust engulfs Lahore. My daughter, who is growing up in Lahore huge quantity of motorcycles and rickshaws. Alhas only seen stars in her nursery rhymes books. She though most of the motorcycles are now equipped looks up towards the sky at night and all she sees is with four stroke engines but their engines are very basic and are not equipped with any sort of catalytic darkness; until March 2020. The swarms of bikes and cars plundering the converter (a device that effectively cleans the exhaust gasses). streets of this city stayed at I acquired data of fuel their homes for a few weeks sales from a large petrol staand miraculously the city retion in Johar Town and about covered. Like a charm, the 70 percent of the fuel sales air quality index was compaUntil a few years ago, most are made to two and three rable to that of edinburgh Chinese cities were also wheelers. Only 30 percent to and Zurich. People started cars, jeeps, busses, generariding bicycles again. Alextremely polluted due to a tors and tractors combined. though, I have no documenUntil a few years ago, tation of this but I am sure similar scenario, but now most Chinese cities were that while the Coronavirus cities like Shenzhen are one also extremely polluted due was killing people, the to a similar scenario, but deaths and illnesses due to of the cleanest in the world. now cities like Shenzhen are other pulmonary diseases one of the cleanest in the may have gone down signifThey did this by converting world. They did this by conicantly. verting all the public transThe most significant fact all the public transport port (busses and taxis) and is that automobiles including (busses and taxis) and all all the two and three wheeltwo and three wheelers with ers into electric. By law any internal combustion engines the two and three wheelers bike with petrol engine is are the most noteworthy polluters. We tend to blame into Electric. By law any bike not allowed within the city limits in these cities. crop burning and cross borwith petrol engine is not Just like how we got rid der crop burning (we love of polluting two stroke rickconspiracy theories) but the allowed within the city limits shaws from our cities and fact is that farmers in Punjab made it mandatory for all of have been doing this for in these cities. these two and three wheelers decades, if not centuries. It is to be four stroke, we can do not a good thing and defithe next step. nitely contributes to the alAll bikes and all public ready dire situation but is transport within city limits should be converted to definitely not the main contributor. Most new cars have clean burning engines and eVs. The air will clean up sooner than we think. The are generally equipped with catalytic converters virus has given us an undeniable proof. which make the exhaust quite clean. even the newer Zubair Khaliq is an Electrical Engineer and a Suzuki pick-ups and many Chinese vehicles now offer engines that follow european standards of emis- Lahore-based businessman. Can be reached at zubair.khaliq@gmail.com sion.
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Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Movement for justice? The two different parameters of justice that’ve been endured in Pakistan has always lead to unfairness and made things unfortunate. Where these distinctive parameters made the course of life difficult for the already poverty-stricken individuals, it has also intensified the sense of denial for equal opportunities and eradicated any hopes for justice within a number of groups. In such circumstances, hearing someone promising a justly treatment became irresistible for the masses. hence they had no other recourse but to pin their trusts in what was being pledged to them. Unfortunately a political organization that named itself a ‘movement for justice’ party, aiming for reforms in law and judicial sectors turned out to be obscure from the apprehensions of justice. It might be both absurd and underwhelming to acknowledge the fact that the ‘movement for justice’ party do not have a suitable and separate law and justice minister since approximately over a month now and the federal ministry is headed currently by PM Imran khan. The former minister for law resigned from his office to defend a presidential reference against Justice Qazi Isa which was later quashed by the honorable Supreme Court. however, it isn’t the first time the federal minister resigned from the cabinet only to be reappointed later, similar is expected this time as well. historically, Pakistan’s preceding governments were always accused of continuously making attempts to exert influence over the higher judiciary through unprincipled ways, but unfortunately those who were claimers of change couldn’t also really change this. What message does this presidential reference indict about their proclivity for justice? Malik MaShhood lahorE
Making the region stumble
Aviation issues
The combination of the RSS, the BJP and Narendra Modi NADir KHilji
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he ideology of a political party gives direction to its policies. The BJP, originating in the RSS, has nurtured policies based on hindutva, giving direction to the current Indian Government and its supporters. As the BJP extracts ever more strength from it domestically, it finds itself getting aloof regionally. That this is dragging down the region, the BJP does not fathom. With the hindu population 80 percent, the BJP took hindutva as its election theme. All minorities started feeling alienated. The BJP attempted to rationalize its strategy by saying hindutva represented hindu culture and society. Apparently plausible, when disseminated among the masses, it evolves down to callous conduct.Wherever the masses find space, they show no mercy. Results are beatings, killings and lynchings. This extended from intra-country to intra-region. Waves of caution are thus felt across South Asia. The selective aroach nurtured resistance among the smaller neighbours. Attempts of subjugation and coercion became seeds of discomfort, dissension and suspicion. hindutva has put India into a catch-22 situation. Nepal, a small, landlocked country, is India’s only neighbor with a hindu majority. For decades Nepal had cordial relations. Being landlocked, almost all of its trade was through its borders with India. The souring of relations started with India letting Nepalese opposition parties use Indian soil to launch agitations against their governments. In 1989, the Congress Government put Nepal under total economic blockade. Nepal was punished for continuing the dispute on trade and transit treaties. Distrust of India aggravated in September 2015. Nepal adapted a new constitution.Some groups that felt left out of the new constitution, mainly Madheshis, resisted. With the backing of Indians, Madheshis started agitations at the border. This ended in the second blockade, this time by the Modi Government. Insult was added to injury in 2019. India reprinted her official map. It showed Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, all disuted areas, in India. Further, on May 9, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the newly built 80kilometer-long road connecting India’s Dharchula to Tibet through the disputed Lipulekh Pass. India was building a road through a disputed area, without any consultation with Nepal. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry condemned India’s “unilateral act”, and called it against the understanding between the two to solve boundary issues through negotiations. On June 18 th Nepalese Parliament reacted by passing their own map showing the disputed areas in Nepal. A snowball effect started. On June 13, Nepalese Armed Police Force fired on a crowd of Bihar villagers, killing one, one of those rare moments when a shot was fired at the border. On June 20, Nepal laid claim over Bihar land, preventing Indian officials from fortifying an embankment on Lal Bakey River in east Chamaparn district in Bihar. Lately, the Communist Party of Nepal urged the Prime Minister to stop allowing Gurkha citizens from being part of the Indian military. The Indian Army has more than 80,000 Nepali Gurkhas. The Communist Party believes they
will be posted in Ladakh, against China. The vacuum created by such disputes is getting filled by China. President Xi Jinping visited Nepal last year. The landlocked country is getting an outlet through railroads connecting Nepal and Tibet. Nepal has realized, with Chinese backing, it can no longer be bullied. On July 12, Nepal unilaterally blocked transmission of all Indian news channels except Doordarshan. Bhutan, another small, landlocked Indian neighbour, is getting increasingly wary. The country has a small army of 8000. It depended on India for territorial sovereignty. In 2017, China intruded into its Doklam valley. This intrusion was met with Indian resistance. Surprisingly, it was retaken by China. There was a mutually agreed disengagement after a 73-day standoff. China re-entered, building permanent military structures. This India opted to overlook. A stunned Bhutan felt vulnerable. Many in India already believe that Bhutan is in some undeclared understanding with China. A recent incident showed its changed behavior, like stopping irrigation water to Assam farmers. The Bhutanese government denied any such deliberate act. As for Bangladesh, in the 1983 Assam massacre 2191 Muslims died. (Unofficial figures of the dead run to as high as 10,000). These were immigrants from Bangladesh. The dispute was on the voting rights given to Muslim immigrants by the Congress Government. hindus retaliated by the massacre. In 2003, the Vajpayee Government introduced the National Register of Citizens. home Minister and BJP President Amit Shah said the NRC was part of the BJP’s manifesto. The purpose was to document all the legal citizens of India so that illegal (Muslim) migrants could be identified and deported. It has been implemented for Assam starting 2013–2014. It was a major blow for Bangladeshi immigrants as it means their eviction from Assam. One third of Assam’s population is still Muslim, mostly immigrants. Amit Shah called Bangladeshi migrants “illegal infiltrators”. he said they had entered the country like “termites” and should be “uprooted”. A human Rights Watch sokesman called this “disturbing”. he stated that the path to genocide is paved by powerful politicians using dehumanizing language: “termites”, “cockroaches” or “vermin”. In haseena Wajid’s Government, India had a close friend. That is now doubtful. Afghanistan, where India invested more than $2.5 billion on various development projects, has no place for India any more. Their ignoring the Pushtoon majority meant that, with the increasing role of the Taliban, ethnically Pushtoons, India’s future in Afghanistan has almost ended. India has been barred from the intra-Afghan dialogue. With Sri Lanka, India has been at odds ever since the rise of LTTe (Liberation Tigers of Tamil eelam). In 1987 India sent the Indian Peace Keeping Force to fight LTTe. It failed, and the operation stopped in 1990. In 2005, Mahinda Rajapaksa became President. he got the help of Pakistan Army, and in 2009 LTTe was eliminated. President Rajapaksa was seen by India as pro-Pakistan and pro-China. his efforts for Chinese investment were seen with suspicion. A scuffle arose, resulting in the expulsion of the Colombo station chief of India’s spy agency in the run-up to his presidential election, for al-
legedly helping the opposition. The new President, Maithripala Sirisena, also could not get along well with India. In October 2018, he alleged RAW was plotting his assassination. The current President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, under financial squeeze looked towards India. Sri Lanka’s request to India for a postponement of its debt repayment amidst the economic crisis consistently got ignored. This was despite personal involvement of Sri Lanka’s PM. Sri Lanka finally moved towards China, which immediately lent $500 million. Sri Lanka is now reportedly reviewing the MOUs for transferring minority shares to India of the Colombo Port and the Rajapaksa Airport. Iran historically had good relations with India. More than $2.5 billion dollars were committed by India to Iran’s Chahbahar Port, and the adjacent roads and railroads. Due to passive Indian movement Iran started feeling uneasy. China moved in fast. Iran has made a 25year strategic trade deal with China. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, put his full support behind the deal, which may also include control of Chahbahar Port going into Chinese hands. An end of the Iran-India strategic relationship is now visible. All India’s neighbours are losing confidence in it. Indian policymakers somehow seem prone to shallowness. The Government’s approach seems regime-centric, rather than state-centric. A long term policy of mutual benefit is lacking. Why is India losing one neighbor after the other? The origins lie deep in the BJ’s ideology. RSS, the parent Party of BJP, was founded by Dr hedgewar, in 1925. he was influenced by the writings of Savarkar. his doctrine was of hindu racial supremacy. he hated Muslims. There was no place for them in hindu society. Savarkar’s dream was of rebuilding a great hindu empire from the himalayas to Cape Comorin. BJP MP Dr Subraminian Swamy, in a recent interview, insisted that wherever the Muslim population was over 30 percent they become a problem. Politics of Supremacism is being religiously adorned. A display of imperialistic imprints is visible in regional affairs. There is an eminence of arrogance and coercion. In a democratic world this mindset is more of a fantasy. Vajpayee wanted to move along with the minorities. After the Gujarat massacre of 2002, he wanted Narendra Modi to resign. he shared his thoughts with BJP resident and home Minister L K Advani. Yashwant Sinha, senior BJP leader and the then external Affairs Minister, claimed Vajpayee was set to dismiss Modi, but Advani had threatened to resign if Modi had to resign. That was an opportunity lost. That was the turning point. BJP office bearers witnessed that killing Muslims was not punishable. This hindutva mindset needs to change. With vibrant social media, bullying is fatal. Governments are more exposed to immediate criticism, irrespective of being aggressor or victim. No entity can afford to drift under the shadow of a powerful neighbour. India needs to come up and face the new realities, that China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives, all have major trust deficits with it. The BJP leadership needs to do some soul searching. They need to get out of the current ethos. The sooner they realize this, the better. Nadir Khilji can khilji.nadir@gmail.com
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TheRe are a plethora of issues which plague Pakistan CAA and airlines regulated by it, especially PIA, which like regulator is an SOe, run by mediocrity, with nepotism, political and bureaucratic interference, incompetence and allegations of financial and administrative indiscipline contributing to their decline. Damage has been done, the least would be to utilize this opportunity to cleanse the rot within. Issues of lack of authenticity of Licences issued by regulator have been there for decades. CAA and those at helm are more to blame than pilots involved in irregularities. After all if CAA officials had performed their regulatory role as per ICAO rules, there would have been no issue of alleged fraudulence involved in Licences issued by them. As for PIA, irregularities in recruitment started in 1995 and between 2008 to 2014, they became a pandemic. Why has PIA not terminated services of all such employees who submitted fake degrees at time of initial induction, although Administration Rules clearly call for such punitive measures? Vacancies were created in an already surplus organization by successive CeO/MD to benefit their next of kin or those related to political elite and retired officers from services. PIA was forced to establish Flying Academies so that their children could complete flight training requirements for CPL at the cost of airline. In one instance an MD got his three sons inducted as pilots. The irony is PIA has been used as jumping plank to get them Aircraft Type Ratings and then abandon it to join foreign airlines. There was PIA MD, who simultaneously was DG CAA. Let some good come out of this. G ZaMan PEShawar
Polio vaccine NOWADAYS, the government has initiated a polio vaccination program to Prevent the spread of it in children mostly infants. In past decades it has affected thousands of children every year. According to WhO most commonly it is found in children under age of 5 resulting in paralysed peripheries. Government is providing with free vaccines in the government hospitals and they made teams which are divided for different areas to spread awareness and each and every child under the age of 5 to have polio drops.They also organized many seminar on polio awareness.But sometimes it noticed that rather then listening to their concern they were being attacked. I request the parents to understand the importance of it and have their child vaccinated from time to time to save their future. otherwise due to carelessness it is going to destroy the many innocent lives. This act of concern of the government towards its youth in the way of vaccination should be appreciated. MoiZ ahMEd Siddiqui karachi
Our diplomatic approach IN modern context, diplomacy is no less than a double edged sword, nations are to overhaul soft interactions and take perfect postures. It is a question of the hour that why Pakistan as a nation that has exercised itself out of Gordian knot is being faced with international criticism, derision and isolation? Why do the South Asian states look at Pakistan with pity and disgust? In Pakistan our policymakers and power blessed people are busy in pursuing their own vested interests, our country’s position in international politics is not beyond that appraisal, yet it has tackled with its proficiency. This is an age of competition where countries are stitching alliances, on the other hand Pakistan lacks in an assertive direction of its foreign policy it is running along with its perplexed one. Although Pakistan must ameliorate its foreign ministry in order to vie, discourse and review its stance and must get busy itself in making new diplomatic ties to engage with the global community. While on the external front, our relation with our eastern neighbor is very hostile. We need to have a consistent approach and policy towards India and to assume that India will bring some change in its behavior is not meeting eyes in the near future. Pakistan has a military as well as diplomatic option and international leverage to decide a path and follow the toes of it. If the relations are glanced through the contour of diplomacy, it is time to fortify our diplomats with the inexorable skills and power. To sum up, we should go through our internal and external policies making them stronger with the changing need of regional and global politics and stop the country from getting into regional isolation. Shafi ahMEd khowaja jati Sujawal
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
08 WORLD VIEW
From Putin to trumP: why Political strongmen keeP winning “IF LIBERALS CLAIM POOR PEOPLE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD TO SURVIVE, THEN WHERE ARE ALL THE CORPSES?”
new StateSman
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JOHN CONNELLY
NNE Applebaum’s reflections on the anti-democratic pandemic sweeping our world offer an extraordinary mix of personal witness and dispassionate historical analysis. A respected conservative author, Applebaum used to enjoy long dinner parties with some of our age’s most gifted right-leaning intellectuals, from Washington to Warsaw; now many of them serve illiberal strongmen and she cringes when she catches sight of them, elated when they cross the street first. But Applebaum also endeavours to figure out what drove these smart people to serve leaders who crush the freedoms that should be a requirement for intellectual labour. For their part, readers will ask whether Applebaum’s former friends help us understand our predicament: that citizens from Poland to California line up to vote men into office who detest the democratic way of life. Applebaum got interested in dictatorship as an undergraduate at Yale in the early 1980s, inspired by the charismatic political scientist and former communist Wolfgang Leonhard. During college, Applebaum studied Russian in Leningrad and afterwards took up residence in Poland, occasionally smuggling in underground literature, but also filing news reports on what turned out to be communism’s twilight. November 1989 found her in Berlin and in love with Radek Sikorski, an Oxford-educated conservative writer; the two spent long nights in conversation on the suddenly defunct Wall. Then she acted as an editor at the Economist and the Spectator, while Sikorski climbed the rungs of Polish politics (eventually becoming foreign minister). With two young children in tow, the couple fixed up a manor house in western Poland and invited friends to celebrate the new millennium on 31 December 1999. Almost half the revellers later went on to outdo each other in spreading lies and half-truths for the Jarosław Kaczynski government, for example the idea that Kaczynski’s twin brother died in 2010 as the result of a Russian plot. What happened, she asks. “Were some of our friends always authoritarian-minded?” **** It’s unlikely that anyone will ever give us more sensitive or revealing insights on this question than Applebaum. She tells of how Jacek Kurski, a former director of Polish state television, once a courageous anti-communist, became a conformist; and we hear of the author’s teeth-pulling interview with Mária Schmidt, a gifted historian who, according to Applebaum, acts to deaden intellectual inquiry as director of Hungary’s most important historical museum and two institutes. In fascinating, intimate portraits, we encounter careerism, sibling rivalry and cynicism, but also desperate messianic commitment. Personal challenges appear to have led the Fox News host Laura Ingraham to a very conservative Catholicism; like many on the right she seems to believe support of Trump is superior to the dangers of secularism. Applebaum’s husband belonged to the same club at Oxford as Boris Johnson, allowing her to cull insights from the coterie who gave us Brexit: men nostalgic for British power and admiring of Mrs Thatcher because she would “go out in the world and make things happen”. The New York Times called Applebaum a “glamorous globe-trotting intellectual”, but she’s really a global citizen, possessing literal and figurative passports to numerous places. In this book’s six chapters she also poses her urgent question (“How could they?”) to interlocutors from France, Greece, Spain and Venezuela. This boundary crossing lends her writing not only authority but independence, and that’s in evidence, too, in the works she consults to get a deeper perspective on democracy’s sunset: for example the late historian Fritz Stern’s reflections on German proto-fascists, whom the complexities of modern politics drove to cultural despair, or on the hysteria that divided France during the Dreyfus affair.
For more systematic answers she consults the work of the behavioural economist Karen Stenner, who found that a third of any population have an “authoritarian predisposition”: they hate complexity and are suspicious of people with different ideas. Opportunity brings their latent authoritarian predisposition to the surface. But are these human types: do certain people have an innate antipathy to democratic politics? My own experience with east European supporters of Kaczynski, Vladimir Putin or Viktor Orbán suggests something more prosaic: they come from nationalist households, households that impose a ferocious sense of loyalty. In other words, democracy’s twilight comes to us from the political right. Applebaum’s use of the word “authoritarian” obscures this fact. There are authoritarians of various shades, she writes, left and right. She makes Lenin a precursor for today’s illiberals and says Trotsky would have been proud of Donald Trump’s idea, voiced in 2014, that urban riots can make a country great. Those leftward glimpses are distractions. Lenin seized power in a society ravaged by war with few democratic traditions, but in our day citizens of “model” democracies select men who use hatred to obliterate checks and balances. Applebaum rules out economic problems as an explanation, citing the growth registered since the 2008 recession. In her view, democracies come and go, and no one can say when and why. Yet the economic recovery of the past decade has been patchy, and unemployment remains high in areas that support Orbán and Kaczynski. Jobs created in the US tend to be low-paying and without benefits, especially in regions where Trump performed well in the 2016 election. Orbán and Trump have used persistent social inequalities to argue that governing elites have failed “ordinary” Hungarians and Americans. By making the nation “great” they promise to restore dignity to people elites have forgotten. History sheds light on our predicament, but to see it we need a word only glancingly referred to in Applebaum’s analysis: populism. Ever since liberal democracy took root, right-wing populists have been trying to undo it. The finest account we have of the early challenges is Carl Schorske’s 1979 work Fin de Siècle Vienna: Politics and Culture. In the early 1880s, Austrian liberalism was confronting two crises: long-term economic depression, and alarm among German speakers over threats to their status posed by immigrants from elsewhere in the multinational monarchy. Rebels rose in the liberal ranks, claiming the party elite had lost touch with the “people”, and in 1882 they drafted a programme in which we glimpse populism’s mixing of left and right: on the one hand, demands for jobs and social insurance; on the other, protection for native culture. Populism finds adherents among people who feel their lifestyle is threatened. Then it was ethnic German workers in Habsburg Bohemia; now it is struggling workers in provincial Poland, the north of England, or the US Midwest. Over the decades, populists divided: those emphasising workers’ dignity became socialists; those concerned with ethnicity gravitated toward nationalism. In the middle were Christian Socialists. In 1903 a party later calling itself the German National Socialist Workers’ Party formed in Habsburg Bohemia, promising salvation for ethnic German workers against Jews and Czechs. In the aftermath of the First World War, the socialist left and Christian centre right cooperated, writing democratic constitutions and stabilising republics in central Europe. Yet after 1930, the democrats quarrelled, opening spaces on the right for a second populist surge: as unemployment skyrocketed, fascists said the democratic system had failed the “people”. Upon taking power, Hitler’s party preached national unity, but also fostered job creation, pension reform and health insurance. For the first time German workers took yearly holidays for granted. After the Second World War, Germany’s centre and
left drew lessons from that fiasco: they built the social welfare state while arguing that national interests were best realised through cooperation with other nations. In today’s Germany, left and centre still work to keep the far right on the margins, but in Poland and Hungary, historical memories run differently. The right says the interwar nationalists were patriotic, and accuses those calling them fascist of reciting a Soviet script brutally enforced by Moscow. But the success of populism in these countries is traceable to the shortcomings of democratic elites. Weak social policy has left millions fearing that their children might not live lives of dignity. Orbán and Kaczynski are ethnic nationalists who claim to defend Hungary or Poland against decadent Westerners, but they also support job creation and cash payments to families. **** All of which makes the US a riddle. Trump says his predecessors betrayed working-class white people, yet after taking office, he has sought to tear apart an already ragged social safety net, most egregiously in healthcare. His employment policy amounts to salvaging unsalvageable industries, and his legislative “achievement” was the 2017 tax bill making the hyper-rich even richer. No populist has done less to reward constituents, and that may explain why Trump’s hate-filled rhetoric is reaching historic heights: he has nothing else to offer. Trump’s incompetence and incivility horrify Applebaum, and she appeals for a return to the US’s ideals of civic nationhood, where ethnic or racial origins don’t matter, harkening back to better times when his party was led by men of character such as John McCain and Ronald Reagan. It is true that Reagan now seems decent and genial. But did he, too, not promise to make America great again? Why should a nation need to be made great “again” in two successive generations by the same party? The answer is ironic and tragic and involves a much bleaker portrait of Reagan than Applebaum’s. Trump is a populist who exploits his predecessor’s failures. Reagan strengthened the US military, but he failed workingclass supporters. Their incomes flattened, towns emptied and a generation later their children rallied to Trump. Yet Trump has continued the Reagan approach to government: to reduce it as much as possible, above all by starving it of tax money. The two men share a political culture strong on emotions and weak on facts, and both have attracted white voters by stirring racism into pots of anger and fear. But the deeper ideology uniting them goes back to the 1950s, when a coterie of true believers emerged, led by William F Buckley Jr, claiming Dwight Eisenhower had disgraced conservatism by accepting FDR’s New Deal. In their analysis, government became the enemy of human freedom. I once heard Buckley speak on the evils of taxes used for social policy; he asked, “If liberals claim poor people don’t have enough food to survive, then where are all the corpses?” Reagan became the movement’s standard-bearer. He got white workers to support his promise to annihilate government by portraying state welfare programmes as serving black people. Reagan slashed the percentage of tax paid by top earners from 70 to 28 per cent. Social spending shrank while the military grew, creating huge deficits, yet there could be no tax increases on individual income. From the late 1980s Republican legislators have had to pledge to oppose taxation, a process that rooted out moderates. American democracy has become an object of derision, even pity. Applebaum’s response is to make appeals to character, evoking the “decency” of lonely dissenters to injustice such as John McCain. She urges us to seek like-minded people who might form coalitions to resist authoritarianism. However, appeals to character are not enough. Take McCain, who withstood torture while a prisoner of war, and made no secret of his animosity for
Trump. Yet in moments of truth, he fell in line, voting for the 2017 tax bill, to applause from big business, and supporting the Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal to hold hearings for Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee in 2016, an act that eroded democracy. Civil courage, even that of a hero, means little if that person becomes captive to ideology, a “specious way of relating to the world”, as Vaclav Havel defined it, permitting people to have an illusion of high morality while serving power. **** McCain was a symptom of our predicament. The cause lies in the conditions that permitted the tools of democracy – free elections – to be used against democracy. Applebaum focuses on her former friends because she believes well-educated opinion-makers are indispensable in giving voice to voters’ grievances and manipulating their discontent. In my view she overstates their power. Working people who supported Trump and Orbán were interpreting the world for themselves. They heard an elite invoking high ideals of unity while availing itself of schools and medical care working people cannot dream of. Should the Democrats come to power in January 2021, they would do well to attend to an issue central to democracy that, as Applebaum rightly comments, the left has failed to address: who is the demos, the nation? People on the left abhor nationalism as a realm of dangerous emotions, but when Democrats boldly implement a New Deal everyone will wonder what kind of community justifies the necessary sacrifices. In their response, Democrats should take a page out of the populist playbook. In democracy, nationalism and socialism are co-equal because national and social questions are inseparable. Any politician who thinks workers don’t need healthcare or paid sick leave is not just a charlatan but a disaster as an American. If the right leverages social grievances to splinter peoples by ethnicity or race – Christian versus Jew, black versus white – for the left everyone who is a citizen must belong equally to the nation. It is bad nationalism to say otherwise. Applebaum pivots between historic pessimism and the fervent conviction of the enlightener. She says no solutions are permanent, democracies rise and fall, and authoritarians are always with us, yet she urges us to identify with people who have risked their lives for democracy. Hope glimmers at the end of her account when she returns to her family’s life in Poland. The optimism comes from an odd yet predictable place: a crisis of historic proportions. The coronavirus pandemic reveals that little is certain beyond one global constant: without deep and constant government intervention, not only would a quarter of the workforce be destitute, but many hundreds of thousands more would die. Perhaps we are back in 1989, when ideas taken for granted suddenly seem absurd. Republican anti-statism is as unworkable and unrealistic as communist statism. The two are opposites along the same intellectual axis. Leninism held that government should control everything, and the anti-ideology holds that government should control nothing. Both are distortions and have no place in liberal society. If the US elections in November remove Republicans from power, they can begin a serious process of reflection and perhaps rediscover an earlier way: a time, as in Eisenhower’s presidency, when government had legitimate tasks in society. “Liberal” is the word that Eisenhower’s detractors used to defame him, and it’s a word that Applebaum proudly uses to describe her own unpredictable position. In Europe, after all, the word signals a commitment to freedom. Many on the left wonder where the passage is that will lead us out of our political hell. A glance at history says it’s somewhere in the centre. John Connelly teaches the history of east and central Europe at the University of California, Berkeley. His latest book is “From Peoples Into Nations: A History of Eastern Europe” (Princeton University Press) Twilight of Democracy: The Failure of Politics and the Parting of Friends by Anne Applebaum, Allen Lane, 224pp, £16.99
On India losing Chabahar project Hindu Right from the beginning of its tenure, the government has underlined the geostrategic importance it attaches to the Chabahar port project. The project, signed in 2003, has been a symbol of traditionally important India-Iran ties. Connected by sea lanes to ports on India’s west coast, Chabahar would form the fulcrum of India’s outreach to Russia and Central Asia, enhancing connectivity, energy supplies and trade. Given that Pakistan had blocked Indian aid to Afghanistan and all trade over land, Chabahar provided India an alternative. As a result, the government fasttracked plans for the project, and in 2016,
INDIA’S LOSS IN FAILING TO DEVELOP THE CHABAHAR PORT PROJECT IN IRAN MIGHT BE CHINA’S GAIN Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Tehran to sign a trilateral trade and transit agreement with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani. According to the MoUs, India would be granted a 10-year lease to develop and operate two terminals and five berths, access to the Chabahar free trade zone, and the opportunity to build the 628 km rail line from Chabahar to Zahedan, just across the border from Afghanistan.
The government acted quickly to develop Chabahar port facilities, sent exports to Afghanistan in 2018, and has moved over half-a-million tonnes of cargo, including grains and food supplies, for Afghanistan again, through the port. However, the rail line has never taken off for a number of reasons despite a commitment from state-owned IRCON, to undertake its construction at an estimated $1.6 billion. While contract changes by the Iranian side and delayed responses from
the Indian side were part of the problem, the main hurdle has been the fear of American penalties. Even though India was able to negotiate a sanctions waiver for the Chabahar port and rail line from the U.S., few international construction and equipment partners were willing to sign on to the project; New Delhi has also dragged its feet on the matter. After appeals to India, including one issued by its Foreign Minister Javad Zarif when he visited Delhi in January this year, Iran decided to go on its own, by beginning to lay tracks for the line connecting Chabahar to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, last week. Regardless of the reasons for India’s inability to join the railway project, the
decision can only be seen as an opportunity lost. The impression that India wavered due to U.S. pressure, especially after India cancelled oil imports from Iran, also questions New Delhi’s commitment to strategic autonomy. While Iran claims it will fund the railway using its own resources, it seems to have embarked on the Chabahar-Zahedan project with a confidence borne from an imminent deal with China for a 25-year, $400 billion strategic partnership on infrastructure, connectivity and energy projects. In a world where connectivity is seen as the new currency, India’s loss could well become China’s gain, and New Delhi must watch this space, created by its exit, closely.
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
BUSINESS 09
CORPORATE CORNER Dawlance introduces hybrid cooling technology in new refrigerator series KARACHI: Dawlance has further enriched its latest series of refrigerators, with the advanced ‘Hybrid Cooling Technology’ that promises to provide longest cooling retention for up to 6 days. This helps to extend the life of frozen food items and as result provides longevity of life to food items; especially with the Eidul Adha season approaching it will be able to provide additional value to our consumers. Since food preservation has now become a necessity, as the lifestyle in households have become much busier there is awareness among the consumers about the concept of food-security, as socio-economic pressures have increased. Every family must take conscious measures to reduce food wastage. Fortunately, modern technology of Dawlance has provided this solution to meet the evolving needs of the society which aids in reducing food wastage & curb food scarcity on a bigger scale. PRESS RElEASE
Jazz partners with Knowledge Platform to facilitate e-Learning ISLAMABAD: Jazz has partnered with Knowledge Platform (Pvt) Limited to facilitate e-Learning amid the ongoing pandemic. As per the collaboration, Jazz has introduced a special data bundle providing 10 GB in just Rs150 whereby over 270,000 students in 100 cities can access Knowledge Platform’s e-Leaning portal and mobile applications for the entire month. “Providing fast 4G services has been our forte, now we seek to transform how we learn by introducing cutting-edge technology to our e-learning platform too,” said Syed Ali Naseer, Chief Business Officer at Jazz. PRESS RElEASE
Mobile phones imports rise 81pc to $1.37bn in FY20 ISLAMABAD: The import of mobile phones into the country has witnessed an increase of 81.32pc during the fiscal year (2019-20) as compared to the corresponding period of last year. Pakistan imported mobile phones worth $1.37 billion in FY20 as compared to the imports of $755.548 million last year, according to data issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). On a year-on year basis, the import of mobile phones witnessed an increase of 300.62pc in June 2020, as compared to the same month of last year. Mobile phone imports were recorded at $231.303 million in June 2020, as against the imports of $57.736 million in June 2019. Meanwhile, on a month-on-month basis, the imports of mobile phones also surged by 108.27pc in June 2020, as compared to the imports of $111.059 million in May 2020. It is pertinent to mention that the country's trade deficit witnessed a significant reduction during FY20, declining by 27.12pc as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The country's exports decreased by 6.81pc to $21.394 billion, as against the exports of $22.958 billion in the same period of last year. On the other hand, the country's imports witnessed a significant decrease of 18.61pc, from $54.763 billion in FY19 to $44.574 billion. APP
Govt to formulate long-term LPG policy: SAPM ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Nadeem Babar Monday said on Monday that the government would design a long-term Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) policy aimed at increasing the commodity production, stabilising its price and ensuring uninterrupted supply across the country, especially during the peak winter season. He expressed these views during a meeting with a joint delegation of LPG Industry Association that called on him here, according to a Petroleum Division statement. The delegation included the chairmen of LPG Distributor Association and LPG Marketing Companies Association, spokesperson of LPG Association of Pakistan and representatives of LPG importers. During the meeting, the SAPM apprised the delegation that the government would formulate such LPG pricing formula that would help eliminate the disparity between locally produced and imported LPG for marketing companies and distributors. APP
RuPee SKiDS to ALL-tiMe Low AGAinSt uS DoLLAR LAHORE MOHAMMAD FAROOQ AND ARIBA SHAHID
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HE Pakistani rupee declined to an all-time low of Rs168.3 against the US dollar in the interbank market on Monday, falling by 0.6 percent from its close of Rs167.3310 on Friday. According to Bloomberg, the Pakistani rupee has declined by 8pc this year, making it the biggest decliner in Asia. In June, the local currency had exhibited volatility against the greenback and remained under constant pressure before the downward slide was reversed courtesy of timely financial inflows of around $3 billion received by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Consequently, it helped the currency to stabilize and had traded around Rs166-167 levels against the greenback since then. Speaking to Profit, Malik Bostan Forex Association of Pakistan President said, “There is pressure even though reserves and remittances are improving.” He explained that the trade gap has improved but it is not in surplus territory yet. According to Bostan, Pakistan was importing COVID related goods and has seen a surge in the import of furnace oil. Regarding monetary policy expec-
tation, Bostan said when there is a cut in interest rates, the rupee should strengthen, however, due to the fear of outflows it tends to weaken in our case. “While travel has not fully opened, there is inter market demand for dollars when people are travelling along with a rise in air fares of international airlines making up for PIA’s ban,” he shared. According to Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Securities Managing Director Arsalan Soomro, it could be the pent-up demand from imports as the economy opens and inventory gets replenished. “Secondly, the IMF review talks haven't been moving at great pace either. Prompting the currency to find equilibrium. The balance of payment is not in the red zone at all,” he added. Maha Jafer Butt, Director Research Capital Stake told Profit, “The rupee
has continued to remain under pressure as foreigners continue to divest. According to SBP's figures, a net outflow of US$ 49mn has been recorded in equities and US$ 26.67mn in T-bills during the month until July 17. Furthermore, the rise in demand of petroleum products has increased the import bill.” However, Adnan Sheikh a senior market analyst said that it was smack on the face of people who were getting happy over the ten to twenty paisa daily appreciation. He shared that this shows the situation is still fragile, pressure on the rupee is more than the recent support. “Despite debt relief and net inflow of around $2 billion over the past few weeks, there is still pressure on the rupee,” he added.
“With lower discount rate and resumption of imports along with higher oil prices there will be more pressure to come,” he concluded. In a report last week, Fitch Solutions predicted that the value of Pakistani Rupee will remain at an average of Rs163 against the greenback in 2020. “However, the Pakistani rupee will be weakened to an average of Rs171.15 in 2021 and this is because the demand for Pakistani assets is low," according to its analysis. During the recently concluded fiscal year (FY) 2019-20, the rupee depreciated 4.8pc year-on-year (YoY) against the 24pc experienced in FY19. Since 2001, the rupee has on average depreciated 5.4 percent YoY and since July 2017 it has cumulatively depreciated by around 58pc against the greenback.
GOLD PRICE SURGES TO RECORD RS111,250 PER TOLA ISLAMABAD: In line with the global trend, the price of 24-karat gold in Pakistan increased by Rs1,600 to a record Rs111,250 on Monday, as against its previous closing at Rs109,650, Karachi Sarafa Association (KSA) reported. This was the fourth consecutive session where gold registered a hike in price. According to KSA, the price of 10-gram gold witnessed a decrease of Rs1,371 to Rs95,379, as against its sale at Rs94,007. However, the price of per-tola silver remained stable at Rs1,100 whereas that of 10-gram silver also remained constant at 943.07. Gold prices in the international market increased by $7 to $1,813 on Monday, as against its sale at $1,806 a day before. Previously, there was a greater lag between the movement in local and international prices. Analysts had expected it to be synchronized as time went on. As local demand has propped up owing to better purchasing power after easing of the lockdown, along with wedding season to go on with isolation, the price of gold is rising locally in line with international prices. APP
MARKET DAILY
Stocks add 319 points as volume hits year-high KARACHI STAFF REPORT
Maintaining its positive momentum from last week, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained in the green throughout the session on Monday, with volumes crossing 500 million for the first time since December 2019. "The benchmark index witnessed record volumes today, thanks to a surge in activity in cement and power stocks," said a report issued by AHL Research. "Also, expectations of a further rate cut by the State Bank of Pakistan, a meeting for which is likely to be held in the last week of this month, kept the momentum going at the PSX." MARKET SUMMARY: In line with the recent trend, the KSE-100 Index remained in the green throughout the day, registering its intraday high at 37,741.15 after accumulating 410.30 points. It settled higher by 319.72 points at 37,650.57. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index surged 530.75 points to close 60,795.53, while the KSE All Share Index gathered 144.75 points, ending at 26,885.96. Of the traded scrips, 233 advanced and 120 declined. Sectors that painted the benchmark index green included power generation & distribution (+72.88 points), cement (+47.85 points) and oil & gas exploration (+28.10 points). Among the companies, Hub Power Company Ltd (HUBC +56.09 points), Fauji Cement Company Ltd (FCCL +24.54 points) and TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG +19.18 points) remained
the contributors. The overall trading volumes jumped from 466 million shares in the previous session to 553.71 million shares, the highest level recorded since December 2019. Average traded value also increased by 23pc, from $94.1 million to $116 million. Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL -0.57pc), TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG +5.37pc) and Maple Leaf Cement Factory Ltd (MLCF +1.76pc) topped the volume chart, exchanging 32.52 million, 27.55 million and 22.10 million shares, respectively. Adding 5.41pc to its cumulative market capitalisation, the refinery sector once again remained the top gainer of the session, with Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited (BYCO +3.92pc), Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL +7.27pc), Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL +7.44pc) and National Refinery Limited (NRL +7.49pc) posting decent gains.
'Govt, financial institutions striving to revive struggling businesses' FAISALABAD STAFF REPORT
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Executive Director (ED) Syed Irfan Ali on Monday said that financial institutions and the government are making serious efforts to revive the sick industrial units. The SBP executive director while addressing an online meeting at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) with owners of sick industrial units said that the government and all financial institutions are working towards reviving the economy and creating maximum employment opportunities. “One possible solution is to arrange an individual meeting of the owners of the sick units with the bank they have taken a loan from. Secondly, this issue can also be taken up collectively in the jurisdiction of Faisalabad,” he suggested. He requested FCCI President Rana Sikandar Azam Khan to provide details of sick units so that proper action can be taken. SBP Director Banking Policy and Regulation Javaid Akhtar informed that ten banks have constituted a Corporate Restructuring Company (CRC) with a mandate to revive sick units. He further informed that an online meeting with the CRC chief executive will be held on July 23 in this regard. President FCCI said that most of the sick units are victims of unfavorable and harsh circumstances due to Covid-19 and that banks should not treat them as willful defaulters. He further said that such units in the past had played a key role in contributing to Pakistan’s national exports in addition to providing much-needed jobs. However, due to the global recession, non-availability of gas, uncompetitive gas and electricity tariffs and high interest rates these units have been forced to close down. He said that he had previously also pleaded the case of these sick units in a meeting with the SBP governor who assured to chair a special meeting on this issue on Monday. He urged owners of sick units to clearly identify issues relating to other departments so that such problems can also be resolved simultaneously.The FCCI president said that he is making efforts to set up a meeting with the Advisor to the PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, to further supplement the revival efforts.
Senate body expresses satisfaction over CPEC's progress ISLAMABAD APP
The Senate Special Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on Monday expressed its satisfaction over the progress on CPEC saying that the mega project is moving ahead in the right direction. The chairperson of the committee Senator Sherry Rehman said that the development of CPEC will lead to prosperity especially in the Balochistan province. Briefing the committee on the project, CPEC Authority chairman and Special Assistant to Prime Minister (PM) on Information and Broadcasting Asim Saleem Bajwa said
SHERRY REHMAN SAYS DEVELOPMENT OF GWADAR CRUCIAL FOR CORRIDOR’S SUCCESS that work on several CPEC projects, including Mansehra-Thahkot motorway is underway. He informed that the Mansehra-Thahkot motorway would be inaugurated soon. Sherry Rehman said that CPEC is important for the whole country and all political parties are on the same page regarding the project. She stressed that work on the mega project should continue, adding that the participation of the provinces in CPEC is very important. Sherry Rehman also stressed on the need
for speedy development of Gwadar port city adding that the success of CPEC hinges on its development. Meanwhile Senator Dr Asad Ashraf raised questions regarding the delay in the inauguration of the Orange Line Metro train in Lahore. He said that the project has not been inaugurated despite claims that 99 per cent work on the project has been completed. He also raised questions regarding any political or technical reasons due to which the government has delayed the inauguration
CMYK
of the Orange line Metro train in Lahore. Answering his questions, Asim Bajwa responded that some civil work on the project is still pending and the train would be opened for public as soon as it is completed. Senator Kabeer Shahi said that ground water level in Balochistan has gone down from 60 feet to 1,000 feet. However, he added that Balochistan received sufficient rains due to which all dams have been filled and that Gwadar’s water needs are being met. He also questioned why the government has not established coal power plants and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Gwadar. Asim Bajwa informed that the Gwadar port has become operational and the city is
now receiving 1.2 million gallons of water supply daily. He further informed that the Rashakai SEZ would be inaugurated soon while applications are also being received for investment in the Faisalabad SEZ. He added that additional land is also being procured for the Hub Industrial Zone. He also informed that China has expressed interest in investing in the Dahbeji SEZ. Senators Siraj ul Haq, Nuzhat Sadiq, Sitara Ayaz, Muhammad Ali Shah, Mir Kabeer Ahmed, Ateeq Sheikh, Usman Kakar, Muhammad Akram, Ghous Muhammad Khan, and Dr Asad Ashraf also participated in the meeting.
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
10 FOREIGN NEWS
BrItaIn SecUreS 90 MIllIon doSeS of potentIal coronavIrUS vaccIneS LONDON
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AGENCIES
K government said Monday it has secured access to 90 million doses of potential coronavirus vaccines in deals with biotech firms BioNTech, Pfizer and Valneva. Business Secretary Alok Sharma said Britain would now have access to three different types of vaccines being developed domestically and around the world, and it had also launched a website for volunteers to sign up for vaccine studies. “The hunt to find a vaccine is a truly global endeavour and we are doing everything we can to ensure the British public get access to a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible,” said Sharma. The deals involve 30 million doses of a vaccine being developed by BioNTech and German firm Pfizer, and 60 million doses of another created by France’s Valneva. The government has already said it would purchase 100 million doses of a vaccine currently being trialed by Oxford University in partnership with AstraZeneca. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “hopeful” of a vaccine, “but to say that I’m 100% confident that we will get a vaccine this year or indeed next year is, alas, just an exaggeration.” “It may be that the vaccine is going to come riding over the hill like the cavalry, but we just can’t count on it
KUALA LUMPUR AGENCIES
right now,” he said in a televised interview. Britain has been one of the worst affected countries in the world since the outbreak began, suffering more than 45,000 deaths. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said an effective vaccine was “our best hope of defeating coron-
avirus and returning to life as normal. “I urge everyone who can to back the national effort and sign up to the NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry to help find a vaccine as soon as possible.” order between the two countries and attacking its personnel.
UAE’s Amal spacecraft rockets towards Mars in Arab world 1st
DUBAI AGENCIES
A United Arab Emirates spacecraft rocketed into blue skies from a Japanese launch centre on Monday at the start of a seven-month journey to Mars on the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission. The liftoff of the Mars orbiter named Amal, or Hope, starts a rush to fly to Earth’s neighbour that is scheduled to be followed in the next few days by China and the United States. At the space centre in Dubai, people watching were transfixed by the liftoff, then cheered and clapped, with one woman offering a celebratory cry common for weddings. Amal blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center aboard a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ H-IIA rocket on time at 6:58am (2158 GMT Sunday) after being delayed five days by bad weather. Mitsubishi later said the probe successfully separated from the rocket and was now on its solo journey to Mars. The probe was sending signals that would be analysed later but everything appeared good for now, Omran Sharaf, the UAE Mars mission director told journalists in
Malaysia mulling over making face masks compulsory in public
Dubai about an hour and a half after liftoff. Amal is set to reach Mars in February 2021, the year the UAE celebrates 50 years since the country’s formation. In September that year, Amal will start transmitting Martian atmospheric data, which will be made available to the international scientific community, Sharaf said. “The UAE is now a member of the club and we will learn more and we will engage more and we’ll continue developing our space exploration programme,” UAE Space Agency chief Mohammed Al Ahbabi told a joint online news conference from Tanegashima. At Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai, Emirati men in their traditional white kandora robes and women in their black abayas watched the liftoff. As its stages separated, a cheer went out from men seated on the floor. They began clapping, one using his face mask, worn due to the coronavirus pandemic, to wipe away a tear. “It was great to see everything going according to schedule today. It looks like things are all on track. It’s a huge step in terms of space exploration to have a nation like the UAE taking that giant leap to send a spacecraft to Mars,” said Fred Watson, Australia’s astronomer-at-large. “Being on route to a planet like Mars is an exceptional achievement.”
A newcomer in space development, the UAE has successfully put three Earth observation satellites into orbit. Two were developed by South Korea and launched by Russia, and a third — its own — was launched by Japan. A successful mission to Mars would be a major step for the oil-dependent economy seeking a future in space, coming less than a year after the launch of the first UAE astronaut, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori. He spent over a week at the International Space Station last fall. The UAE has set a goal to build a human colony on Mars by 2117. “It sends a very strong message to the Arab youth that if the UAE is able to reach Mars in less than 50 years, they could do much more,” Sharaf told The Associated Press on Sunday as his colleagues prepared for the launch. The Emiratis also acknowledged it represented a step forward for the Arab world, the home of mathematicians and scientists for centuries before the wars and chaos that have gripped wide swathes of it in recent times. “So the region has been going through tough times in the past decades, if not centuries,” Sharaf said. “Now we have the case of the UAE, a country that’s moving forward with its plans, looking at the future and the future of region also.” For its first Mars mission, the UAE chose partners instead of doing it all on its own. “Developing a spacecraft is not easy even if there is ample funding,” said Junya Terazono, an astronomer at Aizu University. Emirati scientists worked with researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, University of California, Berkeley, and Arizona State University. The spacecraft was assembled at Boulder and transported to Japan as the two countries looked to expand their ties with the rich and politically stable Middle Eastern nation. The Amal spacecraft, along with its launch, cost $200 million, according to Sharaf. Operation costs at Mars have yet to be divulged. Amal, about the size of a small car, carries three instruments to study the upper atmosphere and monitor climate change while circling the red planet for at least two years. It is set to follow up on Nasa’s Maven orbiter sent to Mars in 2014 to study how the planet went from a warm, wet world that may have harboured microbial life during its first billion years, to the cold, barren place of today. Hope also plans to send back images of weather changes.
The Malaysian government is considering making wearing face masks mandatory in public places, after the discovery of 13 new coronavirus clusters this month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said. Malaysian health authorities recorded 21 new coronavirus cases on Monday, lifting the total since the outbreak began to 8,800 cases and 123 deaths. Monday’s was the second straight daily double-digit rise in infections, after Malaysia managed to broadly hold daily growth to single digits since the lockdown was eased on June 10. The number of positive cases climbed by 15 on Sunday, and by 18 two days prior. Muhyiddin said the string of double-digit daily increases, coupled with the new clusters detected in several states across the country, has led the government to think that it may be necessary to make wearing face masks in public compulsory. “The details will be announced once the relevant regulations are finalised by the government,” Muhyiddin said in an address broadcast on national television. Malaysia was among the earlier countries in the region to impose strict curbs on public activity, closing borders, barring mass movement, and ordering all but key sectors to shut operations in March as it fought to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Iran executes man accused of spying for US, Israel TEHRAN AGENCIES
An Iranian accused of spying for U.S. and Israeli intelligence was executed on Monday, according to Iran’s official IRIB news agency. Last month, the judiciary said Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, who was arrested in 2018, had spied on former Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani, adding however that the case was not connected to Soleimani’s killing earlier this year. On Jan 3, a US drone strike in Iraq killed Soleimani, leader of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. Washington had accused Soleimani of masterminding attacks by Iran-aligned militias on US forces in the region. The execution comes at a time when millions of Iranians have taken to social media to protest against the death sentences awarded to three men accused of participating in anti-government protests last November. Their executions have been suspended, one of their attorneys, Babak Paknia, said on Sunday. Rights activists said the sentences for the three men were aimed at intimidating future protesters. Witnesses said security forces fired tear gas last Thursday to disperse demonstrators in the southwestern city of Behbahan who were protesting against economic problems but also the death sentences against the three men.
Saudi King Salman admitted to hospital for medical checkup RIYADH AGENCIES
Saudi Arabia’s 84-year-old ruler, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, has been admitted to hospital in the capital Riyadh, suffering from inflammation of the gall bladder, state news agency SPA said on Monday. The king, who has ruled the world’s largest oil exporter and close US ally since 2015, is undergoing medical checks, the agency added, without giving details. After the news, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi postponed a visit scheduled to Saudi Arabia, said Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said. King Salman, the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, spent more than 2.5 years as the Saudi crown prince and deputy premier from June 2012 before becoming king. He also served as governor of the Riyadh region for
more than 50 years. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply concerned” about the king’s health. Deeply concerned about the health of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The people and the leadership of Saudi Arabia have special place in our hearts. I pray for his speedy recovery and complete health! The people and the leadership of Saudi Arabia have [a] special place in our hearts. I pray for his speedy recovery and complete health! he tweeted. The de facto ruler and next in line to the throne is the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, widely referred to as MBS, who has launched reforms to transform the kingdom’s economy and end its “addiction” to oil. The 34-year-old prince, who is popular
among many young Saudis, has won praise at home for easing social restrictions in the conservative Muslim kingdom, giving more rights to women and pledging to diversify the economy. To the king’s supporters, this boldness at home and abroad was a welcome change after decades of caution, stagnation and dithering. But state control of the media and a crackdown on dissent in the kingdom make it difficult to gauge the extent of domestic enthusiasm. The crown prince’s reforms have been accompanied by a purge of top royals and businessmen on charges of corruption, and a costly war in Yemen, which have all unnerved some Western allies and investors. His prestige also suffered a blow after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 at the hands of Saudi security personnel seen as close to him.
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
MOHaMMad aMiR available tO JOin Pakistan squad in england lahore
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Agencies
AST bowler will join the Pakistan squad in the UK after all, having initially made himself unavailable for it. When the Pakistan squad was originally announced, Amir had pulled out because the dates clashed with the birth of his second child and he was concerned about travelling in that period. But an earlier than expected birth means he is now available for Pakistan’s T20Is against England. He is expected to now join the squad but will need to test negative for Covid-19 twice before departing for England. He was tested on Monday, and will be tested again in two days’ time. The first T20I is scheduled for August 28 in Manchester. Amir announced the birth of his child on July 17 on social media, allowing chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq to recall him in place of . Rauf had undergone six Covid19 tests the last month, out of which five have returned positive. He was due to fly to the UK on Wednesday after this fifth test was found to be negative, only for his sixth test - each
player needs two negative results before flying out of Pakistan - to turn out positive. He is asymptomatic and has been advised to self-quarantine for another 10 days before undergoing yet another test. An additional wicket-keeper, Rohail Nazir, will return home, leaving Mohammad Rizwan and Sarfaraz Ahmed as the
primary options ahead of the Test and T20 series. Rohail, elevated from the Under 19 circuit, was with the squad as cover when Rizwan tested positive in the initial round of tests last month. Rizwan was later cleared to travel after returning two negative tests. The PCB will also send an additional masseur Mohammad Imran to ease
the workload of the team’s regular masseur Malang Ali who, also tested positive twice before finally being cleared to travel earlier this month. Shoaib Malik, who was scheduled to join the side later this week, has now seen that date pushed back to the second week of August. Malik, who is only available for the T20I leg, was allowed to join up late after being given special dispensation to spend time with his family in the UAE. However, that reunion has been delayed because his wife, Sania Mirza, is currently in India. India has extended a ban on international flights put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic to July 31, meaning Mirza will not be able to leave until after that date. The Pakistan players and the support staff arrived in England on June 28, several weeks before the start of the first match to be able to train in the country, as well as complete the mandatory quarantine period for all foreigners travelling to the UK. The touring party is living in a “bubble” where they will not interact with anyone outside of the group, and regular tests for Covid19 will be conducted on the tour. The three Tests and three T20Is will all be played behind closed doors.
Unwell Boult stays away as NZ men, women train at Bay Oval WellingTon Agencies
Trent Boult did not train on day two of New Zealand’s camp in Mount Maunganui; Boult, it is understood, was feeling unwell and stayed away as precaution. said he was hopeful the pacer would be fit to go on the third day of the camp, which is at Bay Oval with cricketers from the national men’s and women’s teams based in the North Island. “I think he’s just tired from his eight overs bowling at us yesterday,” Taylor joked, adding, “Obviously, with what’s going around, you’ve got to be a bit smart around things like that. Hopefully he’s fine and raring to go tomorrow.” Taylor and Boult were two of eight men’s players to attend the first half of the North camp, alongside Colin de Grandhomme, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner. The second half of the sixday camp will have Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Jimmy Neesham, Will Somerville and Will Young taking part. The camp will give the two groups of men’s players, as well as seven women’s players - Anna Peterson, Katie Perkins, Lauren Down, Holly Huddleston, , Rosemary Mair and Natalie Dodd - the chance to get a feel of the turf again, even while being protected from the elements in the New Zealand winter. A marquee tent has been set up at Bay Oval, over the outdoor nets, meaning the players could train despite it raining on Monday.
New Zealand’s bowling coach , who is part of the support staff present at the camp, explained the men’s camp had been split in two to limit the number of players present. “Geographically, with the way things are set out, we’ve got more [players training] on the North Island. We split this camp into two for that reason,” he said. “For now
it’s a temporary [tented] structure, we’ve got two nets. The bigger structure will come in next year. “We want to make sure we maximise our time with the guys, give them every opportunity over three days, and then we have the second group coming in later in the week.” Jurgensen, who was part of the camp in Lincoln for players from the South Island last week as well, said that from a skills point of view, work has begun on tweaking bowling plans and habits to meet the new playing conditions - such as the ban on saliva to polish the ball - in the era of Covid-19. “We’re trying to adjust to potential new rules, in my department, with the bowling,” Jurgensen said. “We’ve got to look after the ball in a different way now, we’ve got to come up with some new deliveries. So this week’s been a good starting point.” Rowe, the seamer, said it was good to get back on turf, and to pick the brains of the men’s players. “We’ve all been training indoors. It’s really good to get that opportunity to get back on grass. If we didn’t have the marquee up here, we’d be back indoors [due to the rain],” she said. “Also, to share facilities and obviously to learn off [the men’s players] as well... I know the girls down South [Lincoln] had really good conversations with the boys regarding different ways to play the game, so, yeah, it’s awesome to be able to share that with them.” In all, New Zealand have six national camps scheduled this winter, three each in the north and south islands, in their bid to shake off the effects of the pandemic-induced lockdown.
SPORTS 11
Olympics: Human Rights Watch report documents abuse of child athletes in Japan Tokyo Agencies
A Human Rights Watch report has found child athletes in Japan often suffer physical and verbal abuse and sometimes sexual abuse during training after documenting the experiences of over 800 athletes in 50 sports. The 67-page report released on Monday titled “I Was Hit So Many Times I Can’t Count” looks at Japan’s history of physical punishment in sport and includes first-hand accounts from athletes. The report comes in the week that would have marked the start of the Tokyo Olympics had it not been for the global coronavirus pandemic. The Games have now been delayed a year. “The specific abuses we documented include punching, slapping, kicking or striking with objects (and) excessive or insufficient food and water,” Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch (HRW), told a news conference. In 2013, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) promised to take steps to wipe out violence among its sports federations after an internal survey revealed more than 10% of its athletes had been victims of bullying or harassment. It also cut funding to its judo federation for a time after coaches were found to have physically abused female athletes. HRW said not enough had been done since then and demanded organisations such as the Japan Sports Council and the JOC use the upcoming Olympics as a catalyst for change. It noted child abuse in sport is a global problem and that the systems for reporting abuse are opaque, unresponsive, and inadequate. “Human Rights Watch is calling on Japan to take decisive action and to lead in tackling this global crisis,” Worden said. The JOC did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. The report was based on interviews with more than 50 current and former athletes, an online survey that drew 757 responses and meetings with eight Japanese sports organisations. Of the 381 survey respondents aged 24 or younger, 19% indicated they had been hit, punched, slapped, kicked, knocked to the ground or beaten with an object while participating in sports. “The coach told me I was not serious enough with the running, so we were all called to the coach and I was hit in the face in front of everyone. I was bleeding, but he did not stop hitting me,” the report quoted a professional athlete given the pseudonym of Daiki A. as saying.
Hazlewood braced for challenge of England tour, IPL and quarantine Sydney Agencies
Josh Hazlewood is among Australia’s multiformat players who could face a difficult balancing act over the next few months as they negotiate the various challenges of touring in the current Covid-19 climate and how it may impact their preparation for the home international season. With the limited-overs tour of England looking increasingly likely to take place in September there is then the of the soon-tobe-postponed T20 World Cup which will overlap significantly with the start of the Australian summer. Under the current border restrictions players returning or coming to Australia would need to quarantine for two weeks. The Test summer is currently due to start with the one-off match against Afghanistan on November 21 in Perth, which would appear an unworkable time frame for any players involved until the latter stages of the IPL’s proposed period, ahead of the series against India from December 3. Hazlewood, who is part of the enlarged that was named last week, has an IPL deal with Chennai Super Kings and will also be expected to be part of the Test attack. CA has previously recalled players from the IPL to prepare for international duty and among Pat Cummins, Steven Smith and David Warner would also be Test certainties. Ha-
zlewood is confident that he would be ready for Test cricket with as little as one Sheffield Shield outing, but said it would be vital for players, especially fast bowlers, to be able to train while undergoing quarantine. “As long as we can train during that period it will be okay, it’s if we come back and we can’t train during that two-week period,” he said. “We’ve built these loads up as fast bowlers then two weeks really hurts us coming into a summer of Test cricket. “As far as red-ball ball cricket goes I feel I only need one, maximum two games, to get ready for a Test. There have been summers where we’ve come from a white-ball tour and only played one [red-ball game] and it’s been fine. Everyone is a bit different, some guys need a bit more bowling and some less but we’ll try to get that balance right.” Hazlewood admitted the prospect of the IPL taking place creates some “tough” decisions for those with deals, but believes the benefits of the tournament outweigh the negatives of missing domestic cricket in Australia. “There are a few things to fall into place yet but the IPL is such a huge part of the year for a lot of players and probably the strongest T20 competition in the world, up there with the Big Bash, and you learn a lot about how to play your T20 cricket and how to play in those conditions,” he said. “You’ve seen guys come out of it much better players so there’s a lot of positives to it, so if that takes a few games off us playing for New
South Wales in the build-up to the international summer that’s a tough call, [and] probably comes back to the individual.” Hazlewood has been back bowling at New South Wales’ pre-season for about five weeks and believes the enforced break has been a benefit for the quicks. With the England tour now on the cards he expects more restrictions to be placed on what players can do ahead of the trip to reduce the risk of catching Covid-19. Melbourne is currently under another lockdown, although Victoriabased players can still train, while cases are rising in New South Wales. The current England-West Indies series has provided the template for what biosecure cricket will look like, with the made by showing how seriously protocols are being taken. “Jofra is one example and there’s been examples in the AFL and NRL, just by hugging a mate in the crowd you miss a week,” Hazlewood said. “Got to keep those strict lines in place to have the sport go ahead so we’ll learn from that mistake.” There was also the less serious of Dom Sibley accidentally applying saliva to the ball during the fourth day’s play at Old Trafford in contravention of the new playing conditions. It led to the umpires cleaning the ball with a disinfectant wipe before play could continue. Hazlewood has been trying to train himself for the new processes but said it takes time to break habits.
CMYK
“It’s a pretty natural habit... it’s just such a reaction to see a spot on the ball that needs fixing and you go and put some saliva on.
You’ve been doing it since five years old so it will take a while to break the habit but obviously conscious of it on the field.”
Tuesday, 21 July, 2020
NEWS
Two CoronAvIruS vACCInES 'produCE ImmunE rESponSE' LONDON
T
AGENCIES
WO Covid-19 vaccine candidates have proven safe for humans and produced strong immune reactions among patients involved in two separate clinical trials, doctors said on Monday. The first trial among more than a thousand adults in Britain found that the vaccine induced ‘strong antibody and T cell immune responses’ against the novel coronavirus. A separate trial in China involving more than 500 people showed most had developed widespread antibody immune response. The studies, published in The Lancet
medical journal, constitute a major step on the road towards a Covid-19 vaccine that is effective and safe for widespread use. The authors of the studies said they encountered few adverse side effects from the vaccine candidates. They did, however, caution that more research was needed, particularly among older adults, who are disproportionately at risk of dying of Covid19. Co-author Sarah Gilbert from the University of Oxford said the results “hold promise”. “If our vaccine is effective it is a promising option as these types of vaccine can be manufactured at large scale.” The pandemic has seen an unprecedented mobilisation of funding and research to rush through a vaccine that can protect bil-
India violates LoC ceasefire yet again, injures youth
lions of people worldwide. Both studies were phase-2 trials, which test whether the vaccine provokes an immune response and can be well tolerated by patients. For its trial, the team at Oxford used a genetically modified strain of the common cold virus that infects chimpanzees. They manipulated the virus to train cells to recognise the viral spike protein, which helps teach the immune system to recognise Covid-19. As well as developing antibodies in their blood, patients given the vaccine were found to have developed a robust T cell response — helping their body identify and neutralise the virus. “The immune system has two ways of finding and attacking pathogens — antibody and T cell responses,” said Andrew Pollard, a
Covid-19 shows a downward trend in Pakistan
PAKISTAN SUMMONS INDIAN DIPLOMAT TO LODGE PROTEST OVER CFVS ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting the civilian population in Baghsar sector, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday. According to ISPR, a 20-year-old-youth Moin Akhtar received critical injuries in the cross-border firing from Indian troops. The youth was evacuated to a nearby hospital to receive medical attention. On Friday, two women were left injured after Indian Army resorted to unprovoked firing in Rakhchikri and Baroh sectors along the LoC. The Indian Army has committed ceasefire violations at least 1,697 times in 2020 alone, the ISPR added. Earlier last week, an elderly woman was wounded after Indian forces opened unprovoked fire across the LoC, the military’s media wing said. Later in the day, the Foreign Office (FO) summoned a senior Indian diplomat to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to register its protest over the ceasefire violations along the LoC. The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 1,732 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 14 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 134 innocent civilians. Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct, read the FO communiqué. “These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).” Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions, the statement said.
member of the Oxford team. “This vaccine is intended to induce both, so it can attack the virus when it’s circulating in the body, as well as attacking infected cells.” The Oxford team found that among the 500 or so patients given the vaccine, their immune response peaked around 14 days and decreased slightly by day 56 — the end of the study period. The other 500 patients were instead given the meningitis vaccine as a placebo. MORE THAN ONE DOSE? The second trial, led by China’s Jiangsu Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, used a weakened human cold virus modified to deliver genetic material that teaches cells to
ISLAMABAD AGENCIES
The spread of the novel coronavirus has lately been showing a downward trend in Pakistan, which is the main reason for a marked drop in daily testing, a top government official said on Monday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended Pakistan increase daily testing to above 50,000, but after peaking at 31,000 tests exactly a
month ago, the South Asian nation tested less than 20,000 people on Sunday. “There is no magic number that you have to achieve, what you have to do is a good contact tracing that you are able to find the maximum numbers of exposed persons,” Faisal Sultan, the key person on Covid-19 for Prime Minister Imran Khan, told Reuters. “The downward trend of the epidemic is the primary reason for the reduced demand in tests.” Pakistan has registered 265,082 in-
fections and 5,599 deaths. On July 1, a total of 4,339 people tested positive, and the number dropped to 1,587 on Sunday with an average of 118 deaths a day in late June falling to 47 last week. On Sunday, 31 deaths were reported. Zubair Faisal Abbasi whose Impact Research International is studying health systems in South Asia during the Covid-19 outbreak says people were preferring to quarantine without testing. “The reservoir (of the disease) is there and it can jump back,” he warned. Sultan termed it “unmistakeable signs of a drop” to “prepare ourselves for any future changes or challenges.” Two big challenges lie ahead. Eidul Azha, a festival for Muslims to kill animals to please God later this month has led to thousands of people thronging animal markets across the country. During Ashura, a 10-day period of mourning starting later in August, tens of thousands of Shia Muslims march to commemorate the 7th-century death of the Prophet Mohammad s grandson Hussain. Sultan warned people against violating public health measures. “We can have spikes of cases and deaths.”
recognise the novel coronavirus. Two groups of patients were given either a high or low dose of the vaccine. More than 90 per cent of people in both groups showed either antibody or T cell immune responses between 14-28 days postvaccine. Side effects in both trials were moderate but authors of the Chinese study said they needed to test the vaccine safety on older patients. “Elderly people … are an important target population for a Covid-19 vaccine,” said Wei Chen, from the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology. “It is possible that an additional dose may be needed in order to induce a stronger immune response in the elderly population.”
Saudi Arabia to celebrate Eidul Azha on July 31 RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will celebrate Eidul Azha on July 31, Friday, the Kingdom’s Supreme Court announced Monday. The court said that Tuesday would mark the 30th of Ziqad, and Wednesday, July 22, would be the first day of Zil Hajj. According to these calculations, July 31, will mark the first day of Eidul Azha. The announcement came after moon-sighting committees — formed to determine the month of the Islamic calendar year — confirmed that the moon had not been sighted and that it would be visible tomorrow. “This means that Wednesday, July 22, will be the first of Zil Hajj that marks the start of this year’s Hajj season, which will be limited to only 10,000 pilgrims from within the Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic,” the publication reported. Earlier, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had said that Eidul Azha would be celebrated on July 31 in Pakistan “as per calendar of the Ministry of Science and Technology”. Taking to Twitter, Chaudhry said that the moon for the month of Zilhajj will be seen in Karachi and its surrounding areas on July 21. He added that the moon could be sighted with the help of binoculars and in some areas, with the naked eye as well. Chaudhry added that the “exact location” of the moon can also be determined through the Ruet App. AGENCIES
Trump-Afghan deal passes key deadline, but peace elusive WASHINGTON AGENCIES
The Trump administration’s agreement with the Taliban has passed its first major deadline, but hopes for peace in Afghanistan remain as dim as ever. The US-Taliban deal this past week hit the 135-day mark, the point by which the US military needed to draw down to 8,600 troops and withdraw from five bases. Both objectives were met, the Pentagon said. At the same time, the firestorm over whether Russia offered bounties to the Taliban to kill US troops, and a brazen Taliban attack on an intelligence complex in northern Afghanistan, dropped already low expectations for ending America’s longest war even lower. A day after the 135-day market was met, the top US general in the region painted a grim picture of prospects for further progress. “We expected to see a reduction in violence,” Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, told Voice of America this past week. “And while the Taliban have been scrupulous about not attacking the US or coalition forces, in fact, the violence against the Afghans is higher than it’s been in quite a while. It’s one of the highest, most violent periods of the war that we’ve seen today.” The agreement between the US and the Taliban was meant to precede talks be-
tween the Taliban and Afghan government, seen as essential for true peace in Afghanistan. The document specified a March 10 start date for talks. But months later, those talks have yet to begin amid a halting prisoner exchange and stepped-up Taliban attacks on Afghan forces. In Monday’s high-profile attack, the Taliban detonated a car bomb outside an Afghan intelligence complex in the city of Aybak and then battled Afghan forces inside the compound for hours, killing 11 and wounding more than 60 others. “The current level of violence – driven especially by Taliban attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, remains unacceptably high, causing instability and undermining confidence in the peace process,” NATO’s North At-
lantic Council said in a statement this past week. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated the deal with the Taliban, condemned Monday’s attack even as he hailed the “key milestone” of the deal reaching 135 days. “There has been major progress, albeit slow, on prisoner releases,” he tweeted. “The Taliban & the Islamic Republic negotiating teams have made progress on logistics for intra-Afghan talks. No American has lost his/her life in Afghanistan to Taliban violence. Regional relations have improved.” “But more progress is needed on counter-terrorism,” he added. “And violence has been high, especially in recent days & weeks. Afghans continue to die in large numbers for no reason.”
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
The US-Taliban deal also called for a full US withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban fulfills its commitments to prevent terrorists from using the country to launch attacks against the West. But in addition to heightened levels of violence, McKenzie also cast doubt on the Taliban fulfilling the counterterrorism commitments. “The biggest conditions, of course, are that we need to be assured that ISIS and al Qaeda do not have the opportunity to be hosted in Afghanistan and develop attacks against the West,” he told Voice of America. “Right now, it is simply unclear to me that the Taliban has taken any positive steps in those areas. They still may get to it, and time is not out. But I just haven’t seen that actually develop yet. So I think we’re coming up on a pretty important time in this process.” President Trump, who campaigned in 2016 on a promise to end America’s socalled endless wars, has indicated he wants US troops out of Afghanistan by the 2020 election in November regardless of the status of the Taliban deal. But he’s facing additional pressure not to withdraw following revelations that US intelligence indicated a Russian military intelligence unit offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan. Critics argue it’s another piece of evidence the Taliban can’t be trusted.