Epaper – June 12 KHI 2020

CMYK

Friday, 12 June, 2020 I 20 Shawwal-ul-Mubarak, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol X No 343 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Govt unveils economic survey, misses key tarGets g

ecOnOMy tO Shrink the MOSt in decadeS while fiScal deficit likely tO widen tO 9.4Pc Of GdP in fy20

g

aGriculture SectOr GrOwS 2.67Pc, whereaS induStrial and ServiceS SectOrS Shrink -2.64Pc and -3.4Pc, reSPectively

ISLAMABAD

P

Shahzad Paracha

akiStan’s economy will shrink the most in decades while its fiscal deficit will likely widen to 9.4pc of gross domestic product by the end of the fy20, according to the Pakistan economic Survey 2019-20. “the country’s provisional gross domestic product (GdP) growth rate for fy20 will likely contract 0.4pc instead of growing 3.3pc as previously forecast,” adviser to PM on finance abdul hafeez Shaikh told a news conference while unveiling the budget on thursday. this contraction would be the deepest in decades. “the economic contraction depicts the challenges that the Pakistan tehreeke-insaf (Pti) government faced in its second year in power and the miseries caused by the covid-19 that started battering the world in december 2019.” the iMf and world Bank had earlier projected that the economy will shrink by up to 2.6pc. the adviser said the iMf and world Bank were making bleaker assumptions keeping in view the severity and duration of the coronavirus pandemic. “in my view, we will have a better estimation when this year ends on June 30.” he highlighted the government’s swift and decisive policy actions since the start of the current fiscal year, including resource mobilisation, completion of the international Monetary fund (iMf) programme, austerity measures, and monetary policies helping stabilise the economy. the adviser stated that these measures helped the economy to reverse large external and internal imbalances. he said that significant improvement in external accounts was made as the current ac-

PM says those who violate SOPs will be locked up g

PakiStan cOnductS 26,573 teStS in 24 hOurS; ncOc SayS 61Pc ventilatOrS are vacant acrOSS cOuntry ISLAMABAD STaFF rEPOrT

count and trade deficit witnessed a substantial contraction. “foreign reserves steadily improved. there was an increase in foreign direct investment (fdi). the credit rating profile also improved. fiscal performance remained strong during the first three quarters of the outgoing fiscal year, on the back of consolidation efforts and targeted reforms.” the adviser said the covid-19 has pushed the global economies towards a recession. Pakistan has also been affected by the unprecedented health and economic shocks caused by the outbreak of coronavirus. during the current fiscal year, Pakistan’s economy has undergone a sharp contraction as growth is recorded at negative 0.4pc. “to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the pandemic, the government announced a stimulus package of rs1.24 trillion, and offered further relief measures

through the State Bank of Pakistan. the policy rate was also cut by 5.25pc to 8.0pc,” he said. “the monetary and fiscal policy interventions have been made to restore the economic activity in this difficult time and to reduce negative effects on poverty and unemployment.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

Govt presents taxfree budget today STORY ON PAGE 09

Govt adds Rs2.5tr to public debt in nine months STORY ON PAGE 03

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Prime Minister imran khan on thursday said that he would personally review the country’s situation with regard to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and those who violate the government’s safety protocols against coronavirus would be locked up. “i have reports from Punjab and Sindh about adherence to SOPs. i know about mosques, courts, public offices, parks, industries, shopping malls, shops, local transport and inter-city travel and private transport,” he said. “i will get a daily report.” he added, issuing a stark warning to those flouting the rules. the premier said it is a national duty to abide by the safety rules, with a view to saving lives.

PM imran spoke at great length about india where a complete curfew was imposed and how the economy is now reeling from the after-effects. “today a survey has been released by experts of university of Pennsylvania, university of chicago and an organisation cMi which has been monitoring the indian economy,” he said.

he also said that owing to a sudden sweeping curfew there, the survey has revealed that 84% households were impacted.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

123,493

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

101

RECOVERED:

38,391 SINDH:

46,828

DEATHS:

2,409 PUNJAB:

45,463

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

15,787 488/1018

7,673

6,236

02

Friday, 12 June, 2020

NEWS

shehbaz sharif tests positive for Covid-19 PMl-n says naB and PM will Be resPonsiBle if soMethinG haPPens to shehBaz Gen Bajwa, PPP chief telePhone PMl-n President, wish hiM sPeedy recovery LAHORE

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STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) member of Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman on Thursday confirmed to have coronavirus.

According to PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, Sharif, 68, has isolated himself at home.

Another party leader Ataullah Tarar said that Sharif’s “life had been endangered in this situation by National Accountability Bu-

reau’s (NAB) summoning of him”.

“NAB was informed multiple times in writing that Shehbaz Sharif has suffered from cancer and compared to other people, his immunity system is weak,” Tarar said and added that Sharif had only left home to appear before the anti-graft agency.

Interestingly, Shehbaz, who has used the pandemic as an excuse to skip NAB hearings, did not stop party workers and leaders from turning up in large numbers outside the Lahore High Court where he had appeared on Wednesday to secure prearrest bail in the money laundering and assets beyond means cases.

Court issues non-bailable arrest warrant for nawaz in toshakhana case ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a reference related to receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from Toshakhana. Nawaz along with former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and former president Asif Ali Zardari was directed by the court to attend the hearing.

During the hearing, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi appealed to the court to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant for Nawaz, maintaining since he was abroad, arrest warrants against the PML-N supremo can be published in foreign publications. The prosecutor further informed the court that Omni Group chief Anwar Majeed, another suspect in the case, was incarcerated in Karachi’s Malir jail for his alleged involvement in the fake bank accounts case. The hearing was attended by Gillani and suspect Abdul Majid Ghani as Zardari’s petition requestion exemption from appearance was accepted.

The court, while exempting Zardari from attending proceedings today, ordered that another notice for appearance be sent to the residence of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairperson.

THE REFERENCE: According to the reference, Gillani had been accused of illegally allotting cars to Zardari and Nawaz. Khawaja Anwar Majeed and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, owners of the Omni Group, were also nominated as accused in the reference. The reference states that Zardari and Sharif obtained cars from Toshakhana by paying 15 per cent of the price of the cars. The bureau further alleged that Gillani facilitated Zardari and Nawaz in this regard. He dishonestly and illegally relaxed the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts, issued by the government of Pakistan vide Cabinet Division’s Memorandum No.9/8/2004-TK dated June 25, 2007, which expressly stipulates that vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the central pool of care of the Cabinet Division. STAFF REPORT

mou signed for development of electro-medical devices ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Health Thursday signed an agreement for the development of electro-medical devices locally.

A ceremony in this regard was held here at the National Command and Operation Center. Ministers for Science and Technology, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza, chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and chief executive officer Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) were present on the occasion. The framework under this mechanism would spark off innovation and local engineering solutions in this field and will improve healthcare facilities. This initiative will open the way forward for the innovators to invest multiple electro-medical types of equipment in Pakistan.

Currently, electro-medical devices are being regulated by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and 15 ventilators are in various phases of trials. Machine trials of 4 ventilators by PEC will be completed by the end of the current week. Speaking on the occasion, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said Pakistan is in a position to export personal protective equipment (PPE). He said currently, exports orders worth $10 million are pending. He said that his ministry will also enhance cooperation with local surgical goods manufacturing companies. STAFF REPORT

Court postpones indiCtment of shehbaz, hamza

The party leadership present on the occasion included former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, 61, and party’s Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, both tested positive for the disease this week. “[Prime Minister] Imran Niazi and NAB will be responsible if something happens to Shehbaz Sharif,” Tarar said.

Later in the day, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari called the PML-N president and inquire after his health. Both Bajwa and Bilawal expressed well wishes for the NA opposition leader and wished him early recovery.

He said that he and his father Asif Ali Zardari was also worried about Shahbaz Sharif’s health. He said that Zardari has also inquired about his health and is hoping and praying for his early recovery.

Bilawal also inquired about the health of the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is in England for treatment and said that he and his father both pray to Almighty Allah for his early recovery.

ZAMAN TESTS POSITIVE: PTI Karachi chapter president Khurram Sher Zaman has

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday delayed indictment of Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, in supplementary reference of Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The court delayed the indictment due to the nonappearance of Shehbaz Sharif after he tested positive for Covid-19.

Accountability Court Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry conducted the proceedings of the case, wherein jail authorities produced Hamza Shehbaz. Shehbaz Sharif’s counsel argued before the court that his client had been tested positive for Covid-19 and he had quarantined himself. He further stated that Shehbaz’s test report had already been submitted in the court. He pleaded with the court to adjourn the matter for three weeks. At this, the court questioned whether the Covid-19 patient was quarantined for three weeks. The counsel submitted that after 14-days quarantine period, the patient would be tested again. Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till July 1. The court had summoned Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz for indictment in the supplementary reference filed by National Accountability Bureau in Ramzan Sugar Mills case. As per reference, NAB has accused Shehbaz Sharif of misuse of authority,saying he allegedly approved an amount of Rs210 million for the construction of the drain to benefit the mills. Hamza has been charged in the case for being the chief executive of the Ramzan Sugar Mills. STAFF REPORT

also tested positive for Covid-19, he said through a tweet.

Zaman has been vocal about his opposition to a lockdown in Sindh to curb the spread of the disease and had criticised the

Pakistan ready to share Ehsaas project for help, PM tells India ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday offered India the sharing of his government’s cash transfer programme that successfully dealt with the negative fallout of Covid-19 on vulnerable communities.

“I am ready to offer help and share our successful cash transfer programme, lauded internationally for its reach and transparency, with India,” the prime minister said in a tweet while sharing a report that 34 percent households across India will not be able to survive for more than a week without assistance.

The prime minister said his government successfully transferred Rs120 billion in nine weeks to over 10 million families in a transparent manner to deal with the economic fallout of the virus.

A study titled “How are Indian households coping under the Covid-19 lockdown? Eight key findings”, carried out by experts at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago and the Mumbai-based Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE) reveals that nearly 84 per cent of Indian households is seeing decreases in income since the lockdown began. Nearly a third of all households will not be able to survive beyond a week without additional assistance.

“Direct and immediate transfers of food and cash are very high priority,” said Heather Schofield, assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at the Perelman School of Medicine and a Wharton professor of business economics and public policy.

When a nationwide lockdown began in late March, India’s Ministry of Labour and Employment asked private and public organisations not

SBP reserves drop $266m to $10.1bn KARACHI MEIRYUM ALI

The net foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) decreased $266 million to $10.096 billion, during the week ending June 5, 2020, according to data released by the central bank on Thursday. Net foreign reserves held by commercial banks increased slightly, from $6.55 billion to $6.609 billion.

The total liquid foreign reserves held by the country fell significantly from $16.92 billion in the week ending May 29, to $16.71 billion during the week under review.

The SBP stated that the decrease could be attributed to the government’s external debt repayments of $301 million. Reserves have been steadily falling since the week ending April 30, mostly on account of external debt repayments, though none as large as the repayment of the week ending May 29. That week saw a plunge of $1.712 billion in SBP reserves, which was the largest-ever weekly drop recorded in a decade, according to some reports. It also brought the SBP net reserves down to $10.362 billion, or levels last seen in the week ending December 6, 2019.

According to SBP data, SBP net

to terminate jobs on the pretext of prevailing conditions. But these pleas hardly made any difference and largescale retrenchments that took place as cope with the contagion.

However, the study found a “sharp and broad negative impact on household income” as the pandemic diminished their staying capacity, adding that the unemployment rate in the country had crossed 27 percent in early May, up nearly four-fold from levels in January-February.

The fall in incomes affected people in the lower and middle segments of the income distribution most severely, the study found. “Households in the lowest of the five income groups had average monthly per-capital earnings of less than Rs3,800 (about $50), while those at the high end made between Rs. 12,374 and upwards of Rs1 lakh ($167 to $1,370 and more).” reserves hovered between the $7 billion and $8 billion region between April and October 2019.

However, starting in November 2019, SBP reserves crossed the $9 billion mark. Reserves were also helped by a $1.3 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in December 2019. Reserves then steadily increased to a peak of $12.8 billion in the first week of March 2020. But beginning mid-March, reserves began to decline. SBP reserves fell from $12.8 billion to $10.8 billion between March 13 and April 17.

However, in the week ending April 24, SBP reserves got some significant help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), jumping from $10.889 billion to $12.070 billion.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for insisting on imposing one. Last month, the MPA had said that the PTI will “stand against” the PPP government if it decides to further extend the lockdown in Sindh’s urban areas.

oGra imposes rs40m penalty on six omCs ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has imposed a penalty amounting to a total of Rs40 million on six Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in relation to the current oil shortage in the country.

According to reports, the regulatory body has imposed a penalty of Rs10 million each on Shell and Total Parco and Rs5 million each on Puma Energy, Go, Hascol and Attock. The six OMC’s are bound to pay the penalty within the next 30 days and have the right to file a review appeal after paying 50 percent of the fine. The regulatory body also made it clear that more penalties can be imposed if violation by the OMCs continues. “You are also directed to improve the supplies to your retail outlets immediately otherwise further fines may also be imposed on continued contravention of rules,” OGRA warned OMCs in a letter issued on June 11. The regulatory body also issued show cause notices to three new OMCs namely BE Energy, Byco and Askar for violation of license conditions seeking explanation from them within 24 hours.

Earlier, on June 3, OGRA had issued a show cause notice to the six OMCs and asked them to explain their position in writing within 24 hours (later extended for further 24 hours) or by making a personal appearance. The current penalty was imposed when the regulatory body found the response submitted by the OMCs as unsatisfactory. OMC’s in the country are obligated under Pakistan Oil Rules, 2016, not to abandon any regulated activity, as a part or whole, resulting in discontinuation of supply of petroleum products or its sale in any area without the prior written consent of OGRA.

‘Misconduct’ isn’t defined in constitution, centre’s lawyer tells court NEWS DESK As the 10-member full bench of the Supreme Court (SC) heard Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s petition against the federal government’s reference against him, the Dr Farogh Naseem, the Centre’s counsel, informed the court that the word “misconduct” is not defined in the Constitution of Pakistan or relevant documents, but a decades-old apex court ruling stated that if there was any violation of the law by a judge then it would be considered misconduct.

The apex court is seized with nine petitions moved by Justice Isa, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Abid Hasan Minto, Abdul Basit, who heads the High Court Bar Association, Quetta,

Muhammad Asif Reki, the President of Quetta Bar Association, the Sindh High Court Bar Association, the Balochistan Bar Council and the Sindh Bar Council.

Final arguments are being presented in the case, with the federal government’s attorney facing a tough time in the court. It remains to be seen whether the case is resolved before the court breaks for summer vacation. Justice Isa is currently facing a misconduct reference filed by the president against him in the Supreme Judicial Council. During the hearing on Thursday, Dr Naseem cited the example of the Indian apex court, which, he said, had declared the office of the judge is one of public trust. He added that in Pakistan, the office of the judge is of sacred trust in light of Islamic jurisprudence.

The federal government’s counsel ar-

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gued that Justice Isa’s entire defence based on his spouse and children being independents, that he was not bound to disclose their properties, and that it is not misconduct. He said the relationship of the wife was one of close proximity as she is a partner and therefore the judge is bound to disclose the properties of his wife. The widow of a judge receives pension even when she is financially independent, he added. Dr Naseem said that it was at the discretion of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to state what is misconduct and what is not.

He brought up the example of the Panama case wherein, he said, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had given the argument that his children were independents and they should be asked about the purchase of Avenfield properties. Both the

judges and their wives cannot avail the tax amnesty scheme 2018, said Dr Naseem.

The bench noted that in this case nobody has asked the wife about her properties. Even in cases of the National Accountability Bureau it is the owner of the property who is first asked to explain the source of income, remarked Justice Sajjid Ali Shah. However, Naseem said that when disciplinary proceedings are initiated then it is the judge who should be asked about the undeclared property first. He also referred to Articles 224, 205 and 63 wherein it can be inferred, he said, that the judge is accountable for the act of independent wife.

However, Justice Bandial noted that judges have a constitutional code of conduct, asking how the statutory laws were relevant for judges.

Friday, 12 June, 2020

ihC stays aCtion on suGar inquiry report for 10 days ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HILE hearing a petition against the much-debated inquiry report on the recent sugar crisis, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday barred the government from acting on the recommendations of the inquiry commission, which accused key politicians of misuse of public money and cartelisation leading to massive price hike of the commodity in the country, for a period of 10 days.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued the directive after representatives of the sugar industry agreed to sell the commodity at Rs70 a kilogram during this time.

The next hearing was fixed for June 21.

The sugar inquiry commission, led

by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

chief Wajid Zia, had implicated former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen, Minister for Economic Affairs Division Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MP Moonis Elahi and Salman Shehbaz, the son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif.

Yesterday, an appeal was filed by the entire sugar industry, including family members of the accused and the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) against the inquiry commission. The petitioners claimed that the probe report “exceeds the constitutional mandate and limitations of a Federal Commission of Inquiry constituted under the 2017 Act, as it trespasses into matters within the exclusive legislative and executive domains of provinces”.

During the hearing, the legal representative of the sugar industry,

Govt unveils economic survey, misses key targets CONtINuED fROM pAgE 01 The agriculture sector recorded a growth of 2.67pc against the target of 3.5pc, however, the industrial and services sectors witnessed negative growth rates of -2.64pc and -3.4pc, respectively, pulling the overall growth rate down, the adviser stated. Sheikh said manufacturing contracted by 22.9pc year-on-year in March 2020 but added that “fiscal deficit was still manageable from July-March 2020 at 4pc of the GDP while last year it was 5.1pc of the GDP” in the same period. “The government has taken loans to tackle the burden of the debt left by previous governments,” said Shaikh. “Pakistan returned Rs5,000 billion in debt – the loans of past years.” “Tax collection target for FY20 was ambitious and the government doesn’t want to collect it aggressively in a Covid hit economy.

When the economy recovers, we hope tax collection will rise due to economic recovery.”

Shaikh said the PTI government did not greenlight any additional grants for any government department for a year. “We have entered the area of primary surplus. We controlled government expenditure. Our primary expenditure was less than our revenue which may be a first in the country’s history.” The finance adviser reiterated that PM Imran’s vision was that every decision benefits the general public. “A large amount was allocated to benefit the lower class. Rs152 billlion were set aside for the merged areas.” For the upcoming fiscal year, the government has approved a low-economic growth plan, suggesting that the country will not be out of economic wounds in the next fiscal year too. The following graphs highlight the economic trajectory of key indicators in the preceding fiscal years.

Makhdoom Ali Khan, informed the court that in its 324-page report, the commission has stated that even though sugar was available in large amounts, a situation was created to suggest that there would be a shortage. He also raised questions over the use of executive authority.

The chief justice inquired about the commission’s findings regarding the price hike to which the Khan responded: “The commission mentioned a lot of reasons in its 324-page report.”

The plaintiff also recalled that the commission had recommended that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), FIA, and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should take action against those implicated.

IHC chief justice asked mill owners how much of their produce is sold to the public. To which, the plaintiff responded: “It’s a simple thing […] 30 per cent of

NEWS the sugar should be sold to the public.

“Sugar is a need of a layman [and] the government should also take steps in this regard,” Justice Minallah remarked, adding: “Commission did not give any finding regarding the convenience of the layman. The purpose for which the commission was formed was not addressed.”

The judge further said: “This court does not usually interfere in the matters of the executive but sugar is a requirement of a labourer. They [government] are giving subsidies on Coca Cola, why aren’t they providing basic rights to the public?”

In response to a question, the industry’s counsel informed the court that in November 2018, sugar price was Rs53 a kilogram, to which the chief justice remarked it had increased to Rs85 per kilogram in a span of just two years. The counsel did not comment on this.

Justice Minallah said the court will issue a stay order if mill owners agree to sell the commodity at Rs70 per kilogram until the next hearing, to which their counsel agreed. The judge also asked Additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Khokhar if the federal government would oppose the court’s option, to which Khokhar responded in the negative.

PM says those who violate SOPs will be locked up CONtINuED fROM pAgE 01 “But that is not the worst of it all. 34 per cent households today are in a state where if they are not helped out, they will not be able to sustain themselves for two more weeks,” he added. Meanwhile, Pakistan conducted 26,573 Covid-19 tests in the last 24 hours, which is the highest single day of tests in the country since the start of the pandemic. Providing statistics, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that a total of 25,730 beds have been allocated for Covid-19 across the country. At least 5,433 oxygenated beds are earmarked only for Covid -19 patients and 368 out of 1400 ventilators are occupied as of today, it added.

The forum also said that that 25 portable ventilators were despatched to Karachi by NDMA during last 48 hours whereas more than 61 per cent ventilators were allocated for Covid-19 patients are available.

“NCOC has complete visibility of the evolving situation and is geared up to deal with any contingency,” the forum said. “These ventilators are only for Covid- 19 patients. Additional ventilators are also available which would be used on need basis. 1000 additional oxygenated beds would also be procured and rolled out by the end of June.” At least 250 additional ventilators have been received by provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Islamabad Capital Territory In AJK, 379 beds have been allocated along with 43

ventilators. No patient is on a ventilator. In Balochistan 2,148 beds have been allocated along with 36 ventilators.

No patient is on a ventilator. In GB, 151 beds have been allocated along with 28 ventilators. No patient is on a ventilator. In ICT, 524 beds have been allocated along with 90 ventilators. Eight ventilators are in use. In KP, 5,110 have been allocated along with 313 ventilators. 76 ventilators are in use. In Punjab, 9,276 beds have been allocated along with 387 ventilators. There are 207 patients on a ventilator.

In Sindh, 8,142 beds have been allocated along with 334 ventilators. There are 77 patients on a ventilator.

Of the total ventilators available for emergency use, 602 are available in Karachi, 21 in Hyderabad, 139 in Rawalpindi, 113 in Multan, 366 in Lahore, 56 in Faisalabad, 71 in Peshawar, 12 in Abbottabad, 138 in Islamabad, 21 in G-B, 35 in Quetta. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding indigenous development of ‘Electro Medical’ devices was signed between Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Health on Thursday. Ministers for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza, Pakistan Engineering Council chairman and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) chief executive officer (CEO) were present on the occasion. “Pakistan is in a position to export personal protective equipment,” Fawad said. “Currently, exports orders worth 10 million dollars are pending. This ministry will also enhance cooperation with local surgical goods manufacturing companies.”

FBR waives off over Rs1tr in taxes in FY19-20 ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has given Rs1,149billion tax exemption to influential sectors during the second year of its government. According to Economic Survey 2019-20, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has given Rs1,149billion tax exemptions in income, sales tax, and Customs.

According to details, FBR waived off Rs378bn in income taxes: Rs36bn in allowances, Rs104bn in credit, Rs212bn from

total income, Rs128m in the reduction of tax rates, Rs2.9bn in liabilities, Rs2.97bn in specific provisions and Rs 18.9bn in other government income. Similarly in sales tax, Rs13.6bn was exempted under expansion in Zero-Rating under Fifth Schedule, Rs255bn in Exemption on import, Rs74bn in Reduced Rates Under Eighth Schedule (2%), Rs8.6bn in Reduced Rates Under Eighth Schedule (5%), Rs35bn in Reduced Rates Under Eighth Schedule (10%), Rs53bn in Other Reduced Rates and Rs23bn in Sales Tax on mobile phones under Ninth Schedule.

PM directs completing Pakistan Railways' restructuring ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said ML-1 (Main Line One) was an important project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and directed to complete the restructuring of Pakistan Railways keeping the ML1 project in view so as to create maximum opportunities for private sector partnership.

The prime minister stated this while chairing a review meeting regarding progress on the restructuring of Pakistan Railways. The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Information Minister Senator Sibli Faraz, Special Assistant to the PM on

Information (SAPM) Lieutenant General (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa, SAPM on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, secretary railways and senior officials.

The secretary railways briefed the prime minister about restructuring of the Pakistan Railways, automation and digitalisation, better management of the Railways’ assets, progress on the ML-1 project, participation of private sector and various projects of the Pakistan Railways.

About facility of electronic ticketing, the premier directed to make arrangements for ensuring maximum provision of tickets to the passengers at their doorsteps. He said that it was priority of the government to steer the

Pakistan Railways out of losses and make it a profitable entity. The railway, he added, provided a secure and cheap mode of transportation to the people.

PM Imran said that the process of real change and restructuring of the Railways would be completed at that time when the people themselves would realize the change and would get benefit from it.

He was informed that keeping in view the coronavirus situation, the Pakistan Railways had introduced train hospitals and special attention had been given to fully implement the standard operating procedures (SOPs) at the railway stations and in trains to avoid Covid-19.

03

Govt to spend rs20bn to control locusts, na told ISLAMABAD: Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday said the government has planned to spend Rs 20 billion in a year to tackle the threat of locust attacks. Speaking in the National Assembly, he said it was proposed for the budget that the federal government will spend Rs 9.7 billion and provincial governments will contribute Rs 10.2 billion to counter the locust threat. He said according to the latest report, the locust was present in all the 33 districts of Balochistan.

The locust had also attacked districts of Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Khanewal and many other districts, he added. The teams on the ground were sent out at night to spray and destroy locust when it rested, he told the lawmakers. He said according to one-day figures from Balochistan, a ground operation against locust was carried out over 8500 hectares by teams and two helicopters were used for the spray of over 500 hectares. The minister said new swarms of locust will enter Pakistan from Iran and Afghanistan in two weeks. STAFF REPORT

27,000 coronavirus tests being conducted every day, govt tells na ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Secretary for Health Services Dr Nousheen Hamid on Thursday said Pakistan was conducting 27,000 coronavirus tests every day while its 107 laboratories had the capacity to undertake 46,000 tests per day. It may be noted here Pakistan is gradually boosting its testing capacity with every passing day. In the last 24 hours, the authorities conducted 26,573 tests. Speaking in the National Assembly, she said the government would enhance the testing capacity to 50,000 tests as recommended by the World Health Organization. She said the prime minister was leading from the front as he was regularly chairing meetings of the National Coordination Committee comprising chief ministers of all provinces. She said a national action plan had been developed in consultation with the provinces to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. She said the federal government was ensuring the provision of personal protective equipment and Pakistan was in a position to manufacture N95 masks. STAFF REPORT

ecP suspends all hearings for one month ISLAMABAD: In view of rapid growth in the number of coronavirus patients in the country, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday suspended the hearing of all the cases for one month. According to the details, the ECP has taken the decision owing to the worsening coronavirus situation in the country. The ECP will not hear the pending cases until further orders. Meanwhile, the ECP exempted 50 per cent of its employees from exemption from personal attendance and declared wearing face masks mandatory in the premises. It also stopped the women employees from visiting the office. Earlier on March 22, Sindh High Court (SHC) had decided to suspend hearing of the civil cases at high court and district courts of the province till the next order. STAFF REPORT

04 KARACHI

Friday, 12 June, 2020

WEATHER UPDATES FRIDAY

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Prayer TImINgs FAJR SUNRISE

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NEWS DESK

HE government of Sindh, according to various local media reports, is considering re-imposing a lockdown as cases of the novel coronavirus do not seem to be showing any sign of ceasing in the province.

In this regard, the provincial government hinted at implementing recommendations made in a World Health Organisation (WHO) report sent to the Punjab authorities on Tuesday. The global health body had expressed concern over easing of a lockdown in Pakistan's biggest province without fulfilling six conditions to do so.

It may be mentioned here that the country has so far recorded more than 122,000 cases of Covid-19, and registered almost 2,400 deaths while the premier, earlier this week, said that the worst has yet to come as the disease is expected to peak in July and August. So far, the number of infections according to officially released figures remain more or less at par with each other with Sindh housing 46,828 infected persons and Punjab 45,463 by Thursday night.

Local media reports state that Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah was consulting with his party leadership over the WHO's suggestions and recommendations and taking advice from senior members of the provincial cabinet as well as health experts. A final decision on the proposed twoweek lockdown and other restrictions was expected to be made in consultation with the

federal government, the sources in the Sindh government noted. The provincial leadership had also decided to get in touch with Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Punjab.

The current situation of the coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan required that the recommendations of the World Health Organization be strictly followed, the sources said.

Large-scale testing to identify and diagnose cases of the respiratory disease could be carried out on predetermined days once a lockdown was in place, according to members of the provincial cabinet.

1,712 CHILDREN INFECTED: Various ministers in Sindh suggested that while the spread of the virus could not be stopped, it was, however, possible to isolate coronavirus patients through contact tracing.

Earlier today, the government of Sindh reported the highest single-day surge in cases of the coronavirus after carrying out more than 10,000 tests.

According to CM Shah, 3,038 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours and the nationwide death toll rose to 2,394 after 38 new deaths were reported in Sindh, taking the provincial tally to 776.

Further, Sindh government spokesperson Senator Murtaza Wahab said 1,712 children were infected with COVID-19 in the province.

"Unfortunately, 4 such children have passed away. Our carelessness has exposed our dearest children," Wahab wrote on Twitter. "Please, it's not too late to change, please stay home for your children and elders."

SSF providing excellent services in health, education sectors: Sattar KARACHI: Renowned politician Dr Muhammad Farooq Sattar has said that the Social Students Forum (SSF) has been providing excellent services in the field of health & education for the last 34 years. He stated this while speaking as chief guest during a ceremony held at Darul Sukoon on Thursday. On the occasion, he distributed gifts among the special people. Farooq Sattar said that the member of the SSF always visit the organization at the time of Eid where nobody else giving attention. While applauding the works of the members of the forum, he said that we are always with you.

Speaking on the occasion, Engr Waseem Ahmed Farooqi said that he feels proud to be a part and guide of the Forum and it is an honor for him. We all are doing a fine job, he added. Chairman SSF Nafees Ahmed Khan, Senior Vice Chairman Masood Ahmed Wasi, Dr Rafi Ahmed, Kaiser Jamal Additional Secretary and other staff was also present on the occasion. INP

3,038 new infections detected, 38 more patients dead, says CM

KARACHI PPI

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that coronavirus had hit new highs on Thursday when 3,038 new cases were detected while 38 more patients lost their lives, raising the the virus death toll to 776 since the outbreak of the disease in February 26.

In a statement issued from the CM House, he said that 10,088 tests were conducted against which 3,038 new virus cases were detected that

constituted 30 percent result. “This is the highest number of tests conducted so far and the result is itself the highest since February 26 when the first case was diagnosed as positive,” he said and added that the situation was going from bad to worse and every one had to understand the severity of the situation.

Shah said that so far, 25,6705 tests had been conducted which produced 46,828 cases that constituted an overall 18 percent positive result.

He said that 38 patients died overnight and now the number of pa-

tients died due to infection had reached 776 that constituted 1.6 percent of the total patients.

The CM said that at present, 24,005 patients were under treatment, while 636 were in critical condition whereas 79 patients had been shifted on ventilators.

Quoting the figures, Shah said that out of 3,038 new cases, Karachi had produced the highest number of 2,145 cases, including 650 in South, 569 East, 307 Central, 284 Malir, 201 Korangi and 134 West.

He said that Hyderabad had 88 cases, Larkana 77, Ghotki 67, Nawabshah 26, Shikarpur and Jacobabad 23 each, Jamshoro and Khairpur 22 each, Dadu 19, Badin 13, Sujawal 11, Matiari 10, Thatta eight, Mirpurkhas and Naushehro Feoze seven each, Tando Mohammad Khan five, Tando Allahyar three and Kambar-Shahdadkot one case.

The chief minister said that the experts, keeping in view the present spike in the cases, had projected to exceed 300,000 cases and 5,000 deaths by June 30, if SOPs were not followed in letter and spirit.

He urged people of Sindh to be careful and save themselves and others from being infected by the virus.

Rally in Naseerabad against load-shedding, inflated bills NASEERABAD: Citizens took out a rally against SEPCO Naseerabad for carrying prolonged load-shedding in the town and sending inflated bills. The protesters, holding banners and placards, started the rally from Eidgah and reached local press club. The participants raised slogans against the authorities for not changing burnt transformer and ending loadshedding. Speaking on the occasion, leaders Mansoor Soomro and Ali Gul Kandhro said SEPCO was carrying out unannounced and prolonged power outages despite the citizens are paying timely electricity bills. They said that authorities could not change burnt transformer for many days which was a matter of great concern. PPI

Fire breaks out in factory A fire broke out in a factory located in Karachi’s Site Area on Thursday. Getting the information, a number of fire tenders reached the spot to control over the fire. The firefighters are facing difficulties due to huge clouds of smoke. The cause of the fire is unknown, whereas, the rescue teams have labeled the incident as a case of 3rd degree blaze. The huge clouds of smoke were visible from far flung areas of the city.

Earlier this year, at least 100 huts were gutted when a fire broke out in slums located in Teen Hatti area of Karachi. News Desk

Defaulters ordered to deposit taxes and dues before June 30 KARACHI PPI

Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation and Narcotics Control & Parliamentary Affairs Mukesh Kumar Chawla has said that the Sindh Excise Department had introduced an online queue management system in view of the Sindh government's health advisory to facilitate taxpayers.

Tax defaulters should deposit their taxes and dues before June 30, as all the offices of the Sindh Excise Department are open as per the routine with one-third of the staff. He said in a statement issued here on Thursday that in the current financial year till May, Rs 4602.548 million from Karachi, Rs 372.033 million from Hyderabad, Rs 231.850 million from Sukkur, Rs 80.380 million from Shaheed Benazirabad, Rs83.467 million from Larkana and Rs46.629 million from Mirpurkhas were received in terms of Motor Vehicle Tax.

Chawla further said that in terms of professional tax, Rs419.515 million from Karachi, Rs25.020 million from Hyderabad, Rs25.723 million from Sukkur, Rs11.511 million from Shaheed Benazirabad, Rs23.960 million from Larkana and Rs7.041 million from Mirpurkhas were received.

Giving the details of property tax collection, Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation and Narcotics Control & Parliamentary Affairs Mukesh Kumar Chawla said that Rs1,678.884 million from Karachi, Rs69.532 million from Hyderabad, Rs33.102 million from Sukkur and Rs9.186 million from Shaheed Benazirabad, Rs22.137 million from Larkana and Rs9.778 million from Mirpurkhas were recovered.

He said that the offices of Sindh Excise Department were open for collection of all taxes including professional tax and property tax. He requested the taxpayers to get their challans and deposit their taxes and take advantage of the 25 per cent exemption in their taxes.

Friday, 12 June, 2020

NEWS

05

Govt to Act AGAINst those oBstructING petroleuM relIeF to people, NA told ISLAMABAD

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APP

DvISER to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan on Thursday assured the National Assembly (NA) that the elements involved in creating hurdles in passing the benefit of reduced prices of petroleum products to masses would be brought to book.

Winding up discussion on a motion to express gratitude to the president on his address to both houses of the parliament, he said, “There is no sympathy in the government for the elements involved in creating hurdles in passing the benefit of reduced prices of petroleum products to masses.” Whoever did not allow this relief to reach the people would be held accountable, he added.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had given the biggest relief in Asia to the people in terms of decreasing

40 NAB, FIA oFFIcIAls test posItIve For covId-19 ISLAMABAD: As many as 40 National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials have tested positive for Covid-19 as the infection continues to take a toll on government officials. According to details, at least 30 employees at NAB Headquarters and Rawalpindi office have tested positive for the virus. The sources said that 10 employees of the FIA Islamabad zone including an assistant director and an inspector have also contracted Covid-19. Keeping in view the current situation, the agency has also suspended public dealing at the FIA Lahore office while also limiting the staff presence. STAFF REPORT

Imran condoles death of dr Ijaz Ahsan ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday expressed grief over the death of renowned physician Dr Ijaz Ahsan, one of the founding members of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI), who passed away last month.

“Saddened to learn, only today, of the passing of Dr Ijaz Ahsan. He […] stood by us during the difficult days when our party was being mocked by the status quo,” the prime minister tweeted.

“My prayers and condolences go to his family,” he added. Ahsan, who was the brother of PPP leader Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, died on May 23.

Ahsan, a graduate of the KEMU, had an accomplished career as a physician. He became was the first principal of Allama Iqbal Medical College in late ’70s, principal of his alma matter, KEMU, in the ’90s. He also served as the president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan. He authored a textbook of surgery and a second book on politics that was near completion when he suddenly passed away. STAFF REPORT

cynthia sends legal notice to Gilani Cynthia Ritchie, a US citizen based in Islamabad, sent a legal notice of Rs120mn former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, wherein she warned of legal action unless the ex-PM tendered an apology for levelling baseless allegations against her. Ritchie sent the notice through her counsel Nasir Azeem Khan Advocate, in which she stated that Gilani had harassed her and damaged her reputation by making false accusations. She alleged that the former prime minister had harassed her “in connivance” with ex-interior minister Rehman Malik 2011. The legal notice accused the PPP media cell of harassing Ritchie on social media as well. Saying that she was defamed locally and internationally, the blogger called on Gilani to apologise to her. Ritchie warned that in case the PPP leader did not apologise for levelling allegations against her within 14 days, she would initiate legal action against him. Ritchie made headlines when she accused former interior minister Rehman Malik of raping her in 2011, during a video broadcast live on Facebook. She also accused then health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of “manhandling” her, saying that Gilani had given her an “awkward hug”, stating that the incidents occurred in 2011 when the PPP was in power. NEWS DESK

price of petroleum products. He added that the licences of companies involved in wrongdoing would be revoked. He also said that institutions in the country could be strengthened through legislation not with speeches. He added that the government started reforms in the institutions but status quo started working against it.

The adviser said that the prime minister had given the directions to immediately formulate a law for prevention of conflict of interest.

The adviser assured that the privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other institutions would be completed in the most transparent manner and as per the law. He said that resources generated would be spent on the welfare of the people.

He said that the issue of Covid-19 should not have been politicized, but unfortunately opposition did politics on the deadly disease.

Responding to a point raised by Khawaja Asif, Awan

assured the house that he would personally inquire about the issue that hospitals in federal capital were admitting sick people while keeping in view their age. He said that treatment could not be linked with age limit. He added that the country’s health system had ability to entertain aged and senior citizens. He said that credit went to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and PM Imran for exposing the sugar mafia despite the threat of instability of the government.

He said that exposing the mafia involved in the sugar crisis was not the against the country’s interest and for the first time the government went after the status quo.

All the big families were involved in the business of sugar, he added.

The adviser said that sugar was being sold on simple receipts at the end of the crushing season. A total of Rs 29 billion of subsidies had been given to sugar mills owners, he added.

Pakistan’s literacy rate grows by 2pc ISLAMABAD APP

Pakistan recorded a 60 per cent literacy rate in 2018-19 with an increase of 2 per cent as compared to the 58 per cent in 2015-16 among the population of 10-year-olds and older.

According to the economic survey issued on Thursday, the literacy rate is higher in urban areas with 74 per cent as compared to the rural areas with 51 per cent. The survey was conducted by the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) during 2018-19. The survey showed that province wise analysis suggests that

Punjab has the highest literacy rate, with 64 per cent followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) (excluding merged areas) with 57 percent, KP (including merged areas) with 55 per cent and Balochistan with 40 per cent.

Gross Enrolment Rates (GER) at the primary level excluding katchi (prep) for the age group 6-10 years at the national level during 2018-19 remained at 87 per cent when compared to 2015-16.

Province wise data suggests that Punjab showed improvement from 93 per cent in 2015-16 to 95 per cent in 2018-19, Sindh remained stable with primary level GER at 78 per cent, KP

(excluding merged areas) improved to 89 per cent in 2018-2019 as compared to 88 per cent in 2015-16, while Balochistan witnessed a decline from 59 per cent in 2015-16 to 57 per cent in 2018-19.

The survey furthered that Net Enrolment Rates (NER) slightly improved at the national level from 65 per cent in 2015-16 to 66 per cent in 2018-19.

Province wise comparison reveals that Punjab witnessed an improvement of 73 per cent in 2018-19 as compared to 71 per cent in 2015-16. Sindh showed an improvement of 58 per cent in 2018-19 as compared to 56 per cent in 2015-16.

Ministry of Human Rights commemorates World Day against Child Labour ISLAMABAD PRESS RELEASE

On the World Day against Child Labour, in memory of Zohra Shah and all other children who have been victims of abuse and exploitation, we must reaffirm our collective commitment to protect our children and ensure that each child is given the opportunity to realize their potential, said Federal Minister of Human Rights Shireen Mazari in a statement issued on Thursday.

Every year, the international community commemorates the World Day against Child Labour on June 12th. This year, as the world confronts an unprecedented pandemic, children face an increased risk of child labour, child marriages and other forms of exploitation. The Covid-19 public health emergency has disrupted the right to education for children across the world. In Pakistan, where there is already an estimated 22.8 million children out-of-school, this is likely to adversely affect learning outcomes & exacerbate existing inequalities in educational attainment such as high female dropout rates.

Projections estimate an alarming 5 fold increase in drop-out rates due to the crisis.

Child labour causes children physical, psychological, moral and social harm. There are an estimated 152 million children in child labour around the world, 72 million of which are in hazardous work. According to the International

Labour Organisation (ILO), there are an estimated 8.5 million child workers in Pakistan. Child labour is most rampant in agriculture (76 %) followed by the service (14.6 %) and manufacturing (6.7 %) industries, where children work long hours and are often exposed to hazardous substances and poor living conditions.

In a recent tragic incident in Rawalpindi, eight-year-old Zohra Shah was allegedly ruthlessly killed by her employer for accidentally releasing some expensive parrots from their cage. Child domestic workers are often victims of torture, rape, murder, and other forms of abuse. Zohra’s case has prompted the Ministry of Human Rights to propose a significant amendment to classify child domestic labour as a ‘hazardous occupation’ under Schedule 1 of the Employment of Children Act 1991, in an effort to strengthen legislation pertaining to the issue.

“MoHR works on reviewing and strengthening laws and institutional mechanisms to protect child rights in Pakistan.

Laws at the federal and provincial level set bans on hazardous work for children and minimum age limits for labour.

Moreover, Pakistan has ratified the UN Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC); its Optional Protocols; and ILO Conventions related to Child Labour,” said Minister Shireen Mazari in her press statement. She also urged the general public to report cases on Child Labour on the Ministry’s helpline 1099.

pakistan to give befitting response to any Indian misadventure: FM ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan will give an immediate befitting response to India if it carries out any misadventure against it.

In a statement on Thursday, the foreign minister said that Pakistan is quite capable to defend itself. He said that Indian rulers consider Pakistan as a soft target, but Pakistan is not a soft target. He said India’s continuous ceasefire violations on the Line of Control are part of its planned strategy aimed at diverting people’s attention from its failures. Qureshi said if India believes that Pakistan will withdraw its support to Kashmiris due to its threats, it is mistaken.

He said Pakistan wants resolution of the Kashmir issue and it will continue raising voice over India’s barbarism against Kashmiris. He said that Pakistan holds a principled stance and the international environment supports Pakistan’s stance. He said the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation strengthen Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir. STAFF REPORT

Atc adjourns judge's video leak case ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) here Thursday adjourned the hearing of a case pertaining to the controversial video leak of accountability court judge Arshad Malik till June 29. The hearing was adjourned by the court of ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan whereas it was revealed before the court that the main accused Tariq Mehmood had been granted bail by the Islamabad High Court in the matter. It was also revealed that he could not attend the court proceedings as Multan Police had arrested him in two other cases and was in Multan jail. The court ordered to produce Mian Tariq in the next hearing and adjourned till June 29. The proceedings in the plea under section 23 ATA for removing Terrorism clauses from the case filed by another accused in the matter was also adjourned till date. APP

Pakistan plans to turn locusts into chicken feed to save its crops LAHORE: AGENCIES

Chickens in Pakistan have been feasting on captured locusts under an initiative to combat swarms of the insects that are threatening food supplies in the impoverished country.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has endorsed plans to expand a pilot project in the bread-basket province of Punjab, where villagers earned cash to gather locusts that were then dried out, shredded and added into poultry feed.

Farmers are struggling as the worst locust plague in 25 years wipes out entire harvests in Pakistan’s agricultural heartlands, leaving people scrambling for income.

Muhammad Khurshid from Pakistan’s food ministry and biotechnologist Johar Ali set up the programme, drawing on efforts in war-ravaged Yemen, where authorities have encouraged people to eat the protein-rich locusts amid famine. The pair chose Punjab’s Okara district, where farmers had not used any pesticides that would make locusts unsuitable for consumption.

“We first had to learn, and then teach the locals how to catch the locusts. Nets are useless against them,” Khurshid told AFP. At night the creatures cluster on trees and

plants, making them easy to scoop up as they lie motionless in the cooler temperatures until the sun begins to rise.

For a reward of 20 rupees (12 cents) per kilogram of locusts, locals worked all night to collect them.

One farmer who lost all her crops to the insects said she and her son earned 1,600 rupees ($10) during a single locust-gathering outing, helping to offset the financial damage. Organisers struggled at first to convince farmers to join the hunt, but by the third night word had spread and hundreds joined in — turning up with their own bags to stuff full. With 20 tonnes of captured locusts, authorities ran out of money to pay the collectors and the programme was paused. The ministry, which recently announced the results of February’s pilot, is now preparing to expand the project to other locations.

MuLtIpLyIng In MonSoon: The harvested locusts went to Hi-Tech Feeds — Pakistan’s largest animalfeed producer — which substituted 10% of the soybean in its chicken food with the insects.

“There was no issue with the feed, the locusts have a good potential for use in poultry feed,” general manager Muhammad Athar said, after trying the modified product on 500 broiler hens.

While the project is not a solution to the devastation caused to crops, it can provide hard-hit farmers with a fresh revenue stream and relieve pressure on authorities struggling to distribute locust-beating pesticides.

Locust swarms have gnawed their way through crops across East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and parts of India this year, and experts fear their numbers will explode as monsoon rains arrive this month.

The crisis is so severe that the government has declared a nationwide emergency and appealed for help from the international community.

Bananas, mangoes, vegetables and other crops are all vulnerable — raising fears of food shortages — as are the wheat and cotton harvests that provide Pakistan with vital revenue.

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, Pakistan could suffer about $5 billion in losses if 25% of its crops are damaged.

A reduced harvest could also push prices up and risks worsening food insecurity.

About 20% of the population are already undernourished, with almost half of all children under five stunted, according to the World Food Programme.

Friday, 12 June, 2020

06 COMMENT

The bull is always in the china shop

No room for credit Debt installments’ deferral was already on cards

The USA was at risk of a coup

I

N May 2011 a WB report confirmed pakistan’s graduation to the ranks of middle-income countries on the basis of its per capita gross national income (GNI). Later, the pML(N) government hoped to advance the country from a lower middle income country to a high middle income state by 2025. Within less than two years of the pTI rule, pakistan was bracketed by the paris Club with Chad, ethiopia and the republic of Congo, which symbolized the country’s tragic comedown. One shudders to think of the shape of things inside the country and its ranking in the world by the time prime Minister Imran Khan completes his tenure. ’ With the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on the global economy, there was a widespread perception that poorer countries will be hardest hit by the virus while simultaneously they would also face a debt crisis. public debt in low- and middle-income countries totaled 51 percent of their GDp in 2018— up 5 points since 2013.

With the encouragement of the WBG, IMF and others, G20 economies decided to allow the world’s poorest countries to suspend repayment of their official bilateral credit. This was more out of necessity than benevolence as otherwise there would have been no option for these countries other than refusing to pay back the instalments, thus administering a jolt to the world economic system,.

The paris Club had in fact agreed in april to freeze debt payments of the 77 poorest countries to free up cash to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

It was later on May 20 that Mr Khan thought of seeking credit by trying to get something more than had already been planned by the G-20. he urged the international forum of the rich countries to ‘do more’ in debt relief amid Covid-19 pandemic. If the idea was to get the debt cancelled, Mr Khan’s appeal fell flat. The pakistan government then formally requested members of G-20 nations for debt relief. What Mr Khan has managed to get after his appeal to the G-20 is no more than an already agreed breather for 13 months from June 2022 to July 2023 and no light at the end of the tunnel.

At Penpoint M A NIAZI

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erhaps the strongest reason why martial law cannot be imposed in the Usa was in the reaction to the clearing of protesters in Washington, DC. The condemnation of this action is one of the key moments of the current spate of protests against the killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd by policemen, not just by opposition politicians but also by retired officers.

The serving Defence secretary, Mike esper, was not so forthright in his disagreement with the president he was supposed to serve, but he did say that active duty troops should not be used to maintain order. esper was doubly significant, as he was not just the head of the military, and thus key to any takeover, but was himself a retired officer.

One of those who reminded his juniors of their duty to the Constitution was Gen (retd) Colin powell, an ex-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff Committee and later secretary of state. another former Chairman, adm (retd) Mike Mullen, also spoke out. perhaps more damaging for Trump were Gen (retd) James Mattis and Gen (retd) John Kelly. Mattis had been Trump’s secretary of Defence before resigning and Kelly successively his secretary of homeland security and Chief of staff.

It almost seemed as if the Usa was getting a taste of its own medicine. The Usa had favoured military dictatorships in south america after World War II, and had used military rulers in pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia and Thailand to get them to participate in CeNTO and seaTO. after decades of a certain racism, in which ‘lesser breeds without the law’ were denied the benefits of democracy, it seemed that the Usa itself was about to be subjected to military rule. apart from the concern with the Constitution, there seems to be an objection to be anybody’s tool, to prop up the regime of anyone trying to use the military though he did not have a popular mandate.

It must not be forgotten that the Us president is the Commander-in-Chief. Though so is the pakistani, as he acts only on pM’s advice, it is the latter who exercises the power. however, there are significant differences. The Us president makes promotions to senior ranks. There have been attempts do so by pakistani pMs, but they have been fiercely resented.

The only time the pakistan military was used extensively as a law-enforcing agency, in 1977, ended badly. When the Chief of army staff, and the rest of the armed forces, developed the perception that Zulfiqar ali Bhutto was using the military to stay in power, the COas took over as CMLa. If the military

As if the pandemic wasn’t enough The FATF decision looms

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ITh 109 new deaths in the 24 hours of Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, it seems as if the penalty is being paid for the premature easing of the lockdown before eid. Though the country experienced a wild and indiscriminate violation of social distancing sOps, there does appear to have been the expected bounce in the economy due to eid shopping, even the price in lives has probably not been fully paid.

The government’s pooh-poohing of the World health Organization’s recommendations for the re-imposition of the lockdown contrasts with its earlier touting of its praise for its earlier measures. This denigration of the WhO reflects badly on the country’s pointman for the crisis, sapM Dr Zafar Mirza, who was picked up for his present assignment because he is a former WhO official.

With the lives of its citizens at stake, pakistan does not need more trouble with the Financial action Task Force, which is where it seems to be headed, if the report

by Interior Minister Brig (retd) Ijaz shah is anything to go by. his report on his Ministry’s performance, given to the prime Minister on Wednesday, said that the Ministry had implemented a majority of the FaTF’s recommendations.

The failure to implement its recommendations might have dire consequences. pakistan does not want to face the conversion of its greylist status into full-fledged blacklisting at this point, when the covid-19 pandemic has made access to global financial markets so much more important.

It should not be thought that risk of blacklisting is low. pakistan has had an uneasy relationship with FaTF ever since it was given 15 months back in June 2018 to implement a certain number of steps which would prevent terror financing. There have been extensions, and now pakistan has until the end of this month to complete the action on the 15-point action plan. Brigadier shah indicates that that implementation has been mostly done.

If so, the little time left must be used fully, so that the country is not plunged into a crisis at this juncture. There should be no assumptions of immunity made just because there is a pandemic on.

‘Kemalism’ as the ultimate response SAAd SAttI

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midst a National health catastrophe it is hard to believe that the closure of mosques could ignite incessant debates every night on national television. self-styled muftis and allamas are wreaking havoc on an illiterate population, as there are in pakistan, by using religion as a commodity. This stark reality marginalizes our attention towards the question; Was pakistan meant to be a secular or an Islamic state?

Contrastingly, Turkey was fortunate enough to answer this question through the reformist agenda put forward by Mustafa Kemal ataturk, which paved way for the tolerant and pluralistic Turkish masses. The rise of Turkey from the disintegration of the Ottoman empire is largely owed to ‘Kemalism’ with secularism at the heart of this reformist agenda.

Coming back to pakistan, the death of Jinnah right after independence obscurely varnished the answer to the aforementioned question. This haziness has not only resulted in a confused national mindset but it has also allowed rulers such as Zia and Musharraf to play the religion card in the shape of their respective “Islamization” and “Moderate enlightenment” agendas to fool the masses for personal gains. This augmented the over all power and stature of the religious clergy in the pakistani society. rationality is usually chucked in the bin as charismatic clerics constantly seek to defend their endangered position in the social hierarchy. The opposition to introduction of scientific methods to sight the moon is but only a reflection of the narrow mindedness of the ‘celebrity clerics’ who claim to be the champions of a dynamic religion like Islam that promises to evolve with time through Ijtihad.

Traditionalism is often linked to Islam because that is what helps the ‘maulvi sahib’ to generate legitimacy for his so called holy journey. The criminal silence of the clerics on issues pertaining to economic, social and ethical responsibilities is a depiction of the question that was left unanswered by our freedom fighters.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

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had to keep anyone in power, why not one of its own? joined the police. This is not case in pakistan.

One big difference was that the Us armed forces The immediate Us problem would be who would benefit. The Chairman Joint Chiefs, the COas or one were based on conscription, while pakistan had almost of the Command commanders-in-chief? Whereas all entirely career soldiers. pakistani military men believe three of pakistan’s armed forces are responsible only that conscripts make poor soldiers, but a French to their chiefs, Us armed forces do not report to them. brigadier once said to this writer that, “You can’t carry Instead, the troops are assigned to one of the dozen out a coup with conscripts.” he meant that conscripts Commands, which have a commander-in-chief report- were less likely to follow orders blindly. For a coning to the president through the Chairman and the De- script, military life was a blip in a largely civilian life, fence secretary, bypassing the service chief. To take not his career. Career soldiers are likelier to follow an an example, the Commander-in-Chief of the pacific order from a duly constituted superior without quesCommand (always a four-star admiral) has in addition tioning its legality. however, now the Us armed forces are all-volunteer. a coup to the naval forces comwould thus be easier. mander, the land force and One safeguard air force commanders reagainst a coup was that porting to him for all opthe issue of Floyd’s erational matters. The last The USA’s best defence against a killing also resonated in time pakistan had a joint coup is that it is unacceptable to the Us military, which command was in 1971, has many people from when the GOC-in-C eastthe people, while there is some ethnic minorities. Genern Command had the eral powell reflected that naval and paF forces subacceptability in Pakistani society. as the first black Chairordinated to him. That enThose who have no other route to man. service is also a terprise did not end well. path to citizenship. It is The Usa does not power favour it Unfortunately for favoured by some hishave as dominant a service as pakistan, whose army Americans, a class is growing that panics. however, racism was part of the military, dwarfs the others. ruling sees no way of keeping the liberals especially in the officer the country would require corps. While it would be a mixture, something like out of power. They might develop wrong to say that it has what has happened in white supremacists, the Nigeria, where naval and into a support group for a military military attracts recruits air force officers have been provincial governors. coup. The danger is that the current from the Deep south, where white supremacy That is another issue President is one of them and neo—Nazism find a Us coup-maker would their best recruits. have. It would not be The Usa’s best deenough to take over the fence against a coup is capital. actually, it isn’t in pakistan either, but four corps are headquartered in that it is unacceptable to the people, while there is the provincial headquarters, and there is a centralised some acceptability in pakistani society. Those who provincial bureaucracy in each which controls the have no other route to power favour it. Unfortunately whole province. In the Usa, not every state has a mil- for americans, a class is growing that sees no way of itary base, and taking over the state capital would not keeping the liberals out of power. They might debring a controlling bureaucracy. so many functions velop into a support group for a military coup. The of government are devolved to county and municipal- danger is that the current president is one of them.

The precedent is old, but should not be ignored. ity levels that they would need to be taken over, thus Napoleon Bonaparte, a nephew of the famous emrendering the task that much difficult. another reason for needing control over them is that peror, was elected the first ever president of France is where the police forces are directed. There is no in 1848 for a single term. he carried out a coup in higher direction, as in pakistan, where there are four 1852 and became emperor as Napoleon III. But provincial police forces. The police is an armed force Trump should remember that Napoleon III got 73 not under the control of the military, and thus if the civil- percent of the vote in 1848. however, Trump has ian government was to turn to other forces after military shown that he is continuing on the path of underminaction, the police is a logical contender. Then there are ing Us democracy, a path which led rome from demthe National Guards, state militias under the governors, ocratic city-state to autocratic empire. which have no pakistani equivalent. One advantage the Us military has is that former military personnel have The writer is a member of staff.

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This makes one realize that the pakistani society has become subservient to the myopic vision of the religious clergy. Why is that only a bearded man is capable of telling us what ‘real’ religion means? The moral policing by pakistanis of esra Bilgic, more commonly known as halime sultan from the famous Turkish serial is an apt example of the judgmental mindset that exists. however, Quaid’s speeches after independence indicate a different story altogether. “You may belong to any religion or caste or creed…that has nothing to do with the business of the state… We are all citizens of a state… in the course of the time, hindus would cease to be hindus, and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense, as citizens of the state.” These excerpts from Quaid’s historic speech, three days before independence, are one of the clearest expositions of a secular state. Unfortunately, the Quaid could not live long to actualize this dream, leaving the country in a state marred by a strict Islamic ideology.

On the contrary, Mustafa Kemal ataturk ensured that secularism was a dominant feature of the Turkish society. From the ban on traditional Turkish hats to the adoption of modern scientific methods, Kemalism changed the very fabric of the Turkish society. Kemalist secularism did not merely mean detachment of state and religion but also the latters separation from educational, cultural and legal affairs. The Kemalist revolution guaranteed protection from traditionalism and practice in the name of religion that was earlier used to hamper a nation’s individual or collective way of life.

Kemalism, often stamped as a pro-western ideology, is in reality the adoption of a basic principle stated in the holy Quran- that there is no compulsion in religion- which illuminates the idea of the individual and his or her own spiritual self in the approach to God. spiritual individualism reaffirms the idea that no institution, not even the state should come in between the individual and his or her God. This is the secularism offered by Kemalism in a nutshell.

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of two co-existent realities of Turkey. I point my fingers not towards the segregated borders of europe and asia but towards the existence of spectacularly breathtaking mosques on one side and the dense population of nightlife establishments on the other. It is left upon the citizens of Turkey to either opt for a “night out” or be enchanted by spiritual cleansing. One could argue that secular Turkey is far more Islamic in spirit than the Islamic republic of pakistan as the average Turk understands that whether you are a good Muslim or bad, it is none of his business! pakistan must learn from its Muslim brothers and adopt a more secular approach. If this happens, pakistan, like Turkey, will not only be better positioned within the Muslim world, it will also not lose its Muslim identity. had Jinnah lived longer, he might have succeeded in emulating Kemalism in pakistan, way back in the 1950s—an ideology which one might be terming today as ‘Jinnahism’. religious tolerance and liberal thinking must be ensured in order for the state to thrive. The unchecked role of the religious clergy must be checked through increased scrutiny of fatwas. Furthermore, Traditionalism must be delinked with Islam by adopting modern scientific methods in rural and urban areas, as suggested by sir syed ahmed Khan, more than hundred years ago. When the Constitution of pakistan highlights the fact that “sovereignty belongs to allah”, then why does the average pakistani submit to the pressure and hidden agendas of the orthodox clergy?

If Jinnah were to visit his country today, would he be pleased to see the present role of religious clergy in the state of politics and society- or utterly disappointed?

Saad Satti is a lawyer based in Islamabad.

Email: saad-satti@hotmail.com HIGHLIGHTED PART: “One could argue that secular Turkey is far more Islamic in spirit than the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as the average Turk understands that whether you are a good Muslim or bad, it is none of his business!”

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Friday, 12 June, 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

Petrol pumps unleashed as consumers across the country face difficulties due to petrol shortage, the government is currently contemplating completely deregulating pricing and marketing of petrol. according to a report published in Dawn, the government is considering doing away with uniform pricing of petrol and deregulating it in line with other petroleum products like hOBC which are already deregulated. recently OMC’s have come under severe criticism for their alleged collusive behavior that has seen the price of hi-octane blending component (hOBC), to increase to rs148-160 per litre.

While the government slashed petrol prices to rs74 per litre in line with the decrease in international oil prices, no such reduction was seen in the price of hOBC. according to the report, the government has also decided to deregulate the Inland Freight equalisation Margin (IFeM) that currently ensures uniform prices throughout the country. as a result, consumers that are close to ports and refineries will be able to buy petroleum products at a cheaper price that may differ anywhere from rs1 to rs5 depending on the transportation cost. earlier, on June 4, the Competition Commission of pakistan (CCp) had taken notice of public concerns and complaints about the shortage of petroleum products in the country and had initiated an inquiry to see whether such a shortage is the result of any anti-competitive activity. The CCp’s inquiry will determine the possibility of the existence of any anti-competitive practices causing the shortage of fuel in the country and the undertakings involved in it.

ASFAndyAr KHAn Islamabad

Impact of Covid-19 on Pakistan economy All sectors are affected

FAlAk Sher khAN

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NITIaLLY in pakistan, recorded covid19 cases were few but now they are mounting and we are not prepared for a situation like spain or Italy. It has spread to all developing countries and their health-care arrangements are in no position to handle this crisis. Many such countries cannot contain pre-existing infectious diseases; Dengue and polio are such examples in pakistan. as per reports, health spending per head in pakistan is 1:200th the level of the Usa. The government has requested the masses to avoid social contact and wear mask but seldom are any sOps observed. The virus is spreading and a potential vaccine is expected in 12 to 18 months. according to data analysts 30 to 60 percent of the population will be infected without strict measures. hospitals, doctors and health workers still lack proper equipment in pakistan. Data collected from the health Ministry shows that 21 medical professionals have passed away of covid-19 till date. More than 1904 medical practitioners were tested positive, which includes 1035 doctors, 299 nurses and 570 other healthcare staff. an alarming situation for a country which has a ratio of 38 physicians to 10,000 people and a meagre 120 hospital beds per 10,000. according to special assistant to pM on health, coronavirus local transmission level is 92 percent. The stress of staying house-bound is also taking its toll on the mental health of families.

Increased cases of depression and panic attacks have been reported in the past one month than ever before. With more than 100 coronavirus vaccines under research, scientists are positive that at least one will be successful. still even if a vaccine is developed it will not be an easy task to make it widely available. “The requirement to scale up to the kinds of numbers we’re talking about within the short time-frame that we’re

This pandemic is disturbing the economy in speaking about would be an extraordinary effort,” says emilio emini, who has been working multiple ways. From interrupted supply lines, on vaccines for decades at the Bill & Melinda multiple business closures to halted manufacturGates Foundation. providing billions of doses of ing plants, every industry has felt its impact. vaccine to every corner of the world is easier Major affected categories include small restausaid than done. We will need special equipment rant and marri age halls, with which multiple occupations such as bioreactor, a huge tank that allows microorganisms to grow in a cultivated environ- are also affiliated. schools, colleges and private ment. Then there is matter of availability of academies also come under this category as their medical-grade glass and sterile vials in sufficient being closed, means that professionals affiliated quantities. When we are discussing billion of with education are facing severe financial imdoses to be delivered around the world in a short pact with many being laid off from their jobs. span with limited fund allocations, it creates a Tourism industry which accounts for 8 percent of global services trade is now at a halt. accordkind of bottleneck situation.

Covid-19 has shown its effect on the econ- ing to the World Tourism and Travel Council’s omy also. Nations now face several predicaments annual report, the pakistan travel and tourism inthat are tangled with each other which include a dustry was estimated to rise more than 5.9 permedical crisis as well as economic instability and cent, crossing rs 986 billion in 2018, unstable commodity prices. The World eco- contributing rs. 2,489 billion (7.4 percent) to the nomic Outlook has projected global growth in GDp, creating around four million jobs and at2020 to fall to -3 percent. There has been a major tracting capital investment of more than rs 410 downgrade of 6.3 percentage points from Janu- billion. Leisure travel spending in 2018 was around rs ary 2020. This makes the 1,252 billion, current lockdown recesalluring around sion even worse than the 1.2 million Great Depression and far Ease in lockdown and opening tourists in pakworse than the Global Fibut now nancial Crisis of 2009. markets have increased the spread istan due to lockaccording to the Finanve Ministry’s pre-budget tenfold, and according to pandemic down implementation we economic report, the curexperts there is the possibility that will observe an rent account deficit has decline, been reduced by 71 percovid-19 will keep on spreading for overall including in the cent to Us $3.3 billion, and which is 1.5 percent of next 18 to 24 months until 60 to 70 tourism aviation industhe Gross Domestic product during Julypercent of the population has been try. The World Bank approved april FY 2020 against infected. With hospitals a $500 million Us $11.4 billion last to year, or 4.8 percent of the overcrowded and a sharp rise in the programme help pakistan GDp. exports declined improve its by 2.4 percent to $19.6 number of cases and deaths, healthcare and billion against $20.1 bilPakistan’s frail health system is education, back lion last year. Imports deeconomic clined by 16.9 percent to bracing for an unthinkable jolt. prospects for $36.1 billion from $43.3 women and billion last year. Consestrengthen soquently, the trade deficit cial safety as declined by 29.5 percent to $16.4 billion. Foreign investors have pulled the country readies itself from the impact of the $83billion from developing markets since the coronavirus on its economy. ease in lockdown and opening markets have start of the crisis, the largest capital depletion ever logged according to the Institute of Interna- increased the spread tenfold, and according to pandemic experts there is the possibility that tional Finance.

With the possibility of the recession lasting covid-19 will keep on spreading for next 18 to more than a year and individuals depending on 24 months until 60 to 70 percent of the populatheir limited savings, things will become more tion has been infected. With hospitals overtense in times to come. Nations with poor crowded and a sharp rise in the number of cases economies face a downfall in government rev- and deaths, pakistan’s frail health system is bracenues and profits. In addition to keeping track ing for an unthinkable jolt. of balance of payments, required now for healthFalak Sher Khan is an entrepreneur and related expenditure, governments have to make a decision between saving lives and saving contributes to different periodicals. He can be reached at: falaksherkhan1@gmail.com. livelihoods.

Pakistani lives should matter There is an uproar in Usa “Black Lives Matter” over brutal torture following police officer’s knee chokehold resulting in death of George Floyd.

I wonder what more will it take for authorities in pakistan, to realize that lives of ordinary citizens should matter and transparent meaningful investigations following air crashes involving commercial airlines in pakistan, or burning alive of 79 citizens in train fire, or massacre involving 279 citizens burned in Baldia Factory, or 4 members of a family brutally killed near sahiwal etc deserve thorough investigation and justice, not cover ups.

The most recent incident is pIa a320 crash near Karachi on Jumatul Wida, in which over 100 have perished and controversial composition of 4 member accident Investigation team, with three members junior in rank of pIa CeO and Caa aTC officer to investigate crash in which Caa negligence may have aggravated accident. The a320 has capability to execute a Go around as low as 15 Feet above ground, although Decision height is higher. It has capability for auto approach and Go around. The leak of an edited audio clip of conversation between pilot and control tower, within hours is intriguing followed by release next day, of video showing runway scratched by two engine pods.

Based on video and audio clips, what is missing is action taken by aTC after they witnessed engine pods impact runway, and instructions they gave to pilots and preparations made for subsequent crash landing, such as laying foam and placing fire tenders and activating relevant departments, involved in possible rescue. emergency and abnormal procedures are evolved by manufacturers in consultation with ICaO, to cater for average pilots and human errors and technical faults. Obstacle height restrictions around 15 KM periphery of active civil airports exist to cater for such abnormalities and emergencies.

Bhoja air had its Operators License cancelled in 2000 for gross safety violations and financial problems but was allowed to resume operations after 12 years, only for the first flight to crash on 20 april 2020, killing 121 souls. The fate of shaheen air started by paF shaheen Foundation should awaken many from deep slumber.

MALIK TArIq ALI Lahore

Illicit cigarette IT makes sense that higher taxation rate on cigarette manufacturers may persuade smokers to switch to low-priced, tax-evading products if they are freely available, which they indeed are. hence, higher taxes may encourage and create a heavier burden on the public-health expenditure.

Civil society should realize that the tobacco industry in pakistan is among the highest taxpayers in pakistan, while a much larger number of unregistered cigarette producers are not paying any taxes and selling their product at lower prices than the minimum rates set by the government.

One holds no brief for cigarette manufacturers but while we should look at raising taxes on the few companies that pay, the smarter thing would be for government and civil society to also take effective measures against those that are undermining the whole purpose of taxing cigarette makers to begin with. We hope that a stop will be put soon to illegal trade of cigarettes.

SIrAJ MunIr Karachi

Child marriages ChILD marriages have been one of the serious issues, especially in developing countries. pakistan also facing this problem, children under eighteen are forcefully contracted into marriage by their family elders in rural areas. especially girls are going through this issue. The girls of the extremely poverty-ridden families in the slums of the towns and cities of villages are found to be married before 15. according to research every year at least 12 million girls marry before the age of 18. It’s due to poverty and illiteracy. The parents of their families can’t afford to send their girls to high schools and can’t provide them with a job. This later causes different types of health issues such as obstetric fistula, cervical cancer and many other sexually transmitted infectious diseases like hIV. There is a high chance of death during childbirth. human rights and many other organizations are working against child marriages by doing awareness programs, sessions, etc, But still, there are no such fruitful results. Child marriage is still in practice and the situation is becoming worst day by day. The government should make strong laws against child marriages, and also develop educational institutes in backward areas because of illiteracy and poverty is the main reason for child marriage SAEEd AnwAr Islamabad

Friday, 12 June, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

The pandemic and poliTical order THE LINK BETWEEN TECHNOCRATIC EXPERTISE AND PUBLIC POLICY IS WEAKER TODAY THAN IN THE PAST, WHEN ELITES HELD MORE POWER

Foreign AFFAirs

m

Francis Fukuyama

ajor crises have major consequences, usually unforeseen.

The Great Depression spurred isolationism, nationalism, fascism, and World War II—but also led to the New Deal, the rise of the United States as a global superpower, and eventually decolonization. The 9/11 attacks produced two failed american interventions, the rise of Iran, and new forms of Islamic radicalism. The 2008 financial crisis generated a surge in antiestablishment populism that replaced leaders across the globe. Future historians will trace comparably large effects to the current coronavirus pandemic; the challenge is figuring them out ahead of time.

It is already clear why some countries have done better than others in dealing with the crisis so far, and there is every reason to think those trends will continue. It is not a matter of regime type. Some democracies have performed well, but others have not, and the same is true for autocracies. The factors responsible for successful pandemic responses have been state capacity, social trust, and leadership. Countries with all three—a competent state apparatus, a government that citizens trust and listen to, and effective leaders—have performed impressively, limiting the damage they have suffered. Countries with dysfunctional states, polarized societies, or poor leadership have done badly, leaving their citizens and economies exposed and vulnerable.

The more that is learned about CoVID19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the more it seems the crisis will be protracted, measured in years rather than quarters. The virus appears less deadly than feared, but very contagious and often transmitted asymptomatically. Ebola is highly lethal but hard to catch; victims die quickly, before they can pass it on. CoVID-19 is the opposite, which means that people tend not to take it as seriously as they should, and so it has, and will continue to, spread widely across the globe, causing vast numbers of deaths. There will be no moment when countries will be able to declare victory over the disease; rather, economies will open up slowly and tentatively, with progress slowed by subsequent waves of infections. Hopes for a V-shaped recovery appear wildly optimistic.

More likely is an L with a long tail curving upward or a series of Ws. The world economy will not go back to anything like its preCoVID state anytime soon.

Economically, a protracted crisis will mean more business failures and devastation for industries such as shopping malls, retail chains, and travel. Levels of market concentration in the U.S. economy had been rising steadily for decades, and the pandemic will push the trend still further. only large companies with deep pockets will be able to ride out the storm, with the technology giants gaining most of all, as digital interactions become ever more important.

The political consequences could be even more significant. Populations can be summoned to heroic acts of collective self-sacrifice for a while, but not forever. a lingering epidemic combined with deep job losses, a prolonged recession, and an unprecedented debt burden will inevitably create tensions that turn into a political backlash—but against whom is as yet unclear.

The global distribution of power will continue to shift eastward, since East asia has done better at managing the situation than Europe or the United States. Even though the pandemic originated in China and Beijing initially covered it up and allowed it to spread, China will benefit from the crisis, at least in relative terms. as it happened, other governments at first performed poorly and tried to cover it up, too, more visibly and with even deadlier consequences for their citizens. and at least Beijing has been able to regain control of the situation and is moving on to the next challenge, getting its economy back up to speed quickly and sustainably.

The United States, in contrast, has bungled its response badly and seen its prestige slip enormously. The country has vast potential state capacity and had built an impressive track record over previous epidemiological crises, but its current highly polarized society and incompetent leader blocked the state from functioning effectively. The president stoked division rather than promoting unity, politicized the distribution of aid, pushed respon-

mestic political distractions, or they may be tempted by the weakness or preoccupation of their opponents and take advantage of the pandemic to destabilize favorite targets or create new facts on the ground. Still, given the continued stabilizing force of nuclear weapons and the common challenges facing all major players, international turbulence is less likely than domestic turbulence.

Poor countries with crowded cities and weak public health systems will be hit hard.

Not just social distancing but even simple hygiene such as hand washing is extremely difficult in countries where many citizens have no regular access to clean water. and governments have often made matters worse rather than better—whether by design, by inciting communal tensions and undermining social cohesion, or by simple incompetence. India, for example, increased its vulnerability by declaring a sudden nationwide shutdown without thinking through the consequences for the tens of millions of migrant laborers who crowd into every large city. Many went to their rural homes, spreading the disease

sibility onto governors for making key decisions while encouraging protests against them for protecting public health, and attacked international institutions rather than galvanizing them. The world can watch TV, too, and has stood by in amazement, with China quick to make the comparison clear. over the years to come, the pandemic could lead to the United States’ relative decline, the continued erosion of the liberal international order, and a resurgence of fascism around the globe. It could also lead to a rebirth of liberal democracy, a system that has confounded skeptics many times, showing remarkable powers of resilience and renewal.

Elements of both visions will emerge, in different places. Unfortunately, unless current trends change dramatically, the general forecast is gloomy.

RISING FASCISM? Pessimistic outcomes are easy to imagine.

Nationalism, isolationism, xenophobia, and attacks on the liberal world order have been increasing for years, and that trend will only be accelerated by the pandemic. Governments in Hungary and the Philippines have used the crisis to give themselves emergency powers, moving them still further away from democracy. Many other countries, including China, El Salvador, and Uganda, have taken similar measures. Barriers to the movement of people have appeared everywhere, including within the heart of Europe; rather than cooperate constructively for their common benefit, countries have turned inward, bickered with one another, and made their rivals political scapegoats for their own failures.

The rise of nationalism will increase the possibility of international conflict. Leaders may see fights with foreigners as useful do-

throughout the country; once the government reversed its position and began to restrict movement, a large number found themselves trapped in cities without work, shelter, or care.

Displacement caused by climate change was already a slow-moving crisis brewing in the global South. The pandemic will compound its effects, bringing large populations in developing countries ever closer to the edge of subsistence. and the crisis has crushed the hopes of hundreds of millions of people in poor countries who have been the beneficiaries of two decades of sustained economic growth. Popular outrage will grow, and dashing citizens’ rising expectations is ultimately a classic recipe for revolution. The desperate will seek to migrate, demagogic leaders will exploit the situation to seize power, corrupt politicians will take the opportunity to steal what they can, and many governments will clamp down or collapse. a new wave of attempted migration from the global South to the North, meanwhile, would be met with even less sympathy and more resistance this time around, since migrants could be accused more credibly now of bringing disease and chaos.

Finally, the appearances of so-called black swans are by definition unpredictable but increasingly likely the further out one looks. Past pandemics have fostered apocalyptic visions, cults, and new religions growing up around the extreme anxieties caused by prolonged hardship. Fascism, in fact, could be seen as one such cult, emerging from the violence and dislocation engendered by World War I and its aftermath. Conspiracy theories used to flourish in places such as the Middle East, where ordinary people were disempowered and felt they lacked agency.

No more lockdown please: They only induce institutional sloth Times oF indiA With cases rising after the lifting of the lockdown, some state governments are again considering the reimposition of restrictions. rajasthan has seen a surge of cases since june 1 and ordered sealing of borders for a week. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned of a lockdown again if overcrowding and social distancing measures are violated. Delhi government is now reviewing its decision to open malls, eateries and religious places.

Given the huge hit the economy has taken, returning to quasi-lockdowns, this time under the auspices of state govern-

ments is not feasible. Social distancing is really difficult in India’s cramped living and working quarters, especially for the urban working class. Imposing a lockdown is easier for the government because this creates the perception that it ushers in social distancing as people are not free to move and thus cannot spread the infection.

It spares the government from the more intricate, labour and capital intensive tasks required to maintain a new normal like testing, contact tracing, containment zoning, more beds and doctors. Many people are yet to receive or internalise the message that masks can prevent the spread of infection to a significant extent. Instead

of running public transport at full capacity, partial services have been run in many cities spawning artificial overcrowding.

Tracing and containment zoning efforts have been porous and perfunctory.

Lockdowns induce complacency and a false sense of safety. It grounds both essential and non-essential services with service providers unable to move about.

Learning to work with the new normal and devising strategies and implementing them on the ground is the real governance challenge. Governments that shy away from this paradigm shift will pay huge economic and healthcare costs at the end of this pandemic.

Today, they have spread widely throughout rich countries, as well, thanks in part to a fractured media environment caused by the Internet and social media, and sustained suffering is likely to provide rich material for populist demagogues to exploit.

OR RESILIENT DEMOCRACY? Nevertheless, just as the Great Depression not only produced fascism but also reinvigorated liberal democracy, so the pandemic may produce some positive political outcomes, too. It has often taken just such a huge external shock to break sclerotic political systems out of their stasis and create the conditions for long-overdue structural reform, and that pattern is likely to play out again, at least in some places.

The practical realities of handling the pandemic favor professionalism and expertise; demagoguery and incompetence are readily exposed. This should ultimately create a beneficial selection effect, rewarding politicians and governments that do well and penalizing those that do poorly. Brazil’s jair Bolsonaro, who has steadily hollowed out his country’s democratic institutions in recent years, tried to bluff his way through the crisis and is now floundering and presiding over a health disaster. russia’s Vladimir Putin tried to play down the importance of the pandemic at first, then claimed that russia had it under control, and will have to change his tune yet again as CoVID-19 spreads throughout the country. Putin’s legitimacy was already weakening before the crisis, and that process may have accelerated.

The pandemic has shone a bright light on existing institutions everywhere, revealing their inadequacies and weaknesses. The gap between the rich and the poor, both people and countries, has been deepened by the crisis and will increase further during a prolonged economic stagnation. But along with the problems, the crisis has also revealed government’s ability to provide solutions, drawing on collective resources in the process. a lingering sense of “alone together” could boost social solidarity and drive the development of more generous social protections down the road, just as the common national sufferings of World War I and the Depression stimulated the growth of welfare states in the 1920s and 1930s.

This might put to rest the extreme forms of neoliberalism, the free-market ideology pioneered by University of Chicago economists such as Gary Becker, Milton Friedman, and George Stigler. During the 1980s, the Chicago school provided intellectual justification for the policies of U.S. President ronald reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who considered large, intrusive government to be an obstacle to economic growth and human progress. at the time, there were good reasons to cut back many forms of government ownership and regulation. But the arguments hardened into a libertarian religion, embedding hostility to state action in a generation of conservative intellectuals, particularly in the United States.

Given the importance of strong state action to slow the pandemic, it will be hard to argue, as reagan did in his first inaugural address, that “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

Nor will anybody be able to make a plausible case that the private sector and philanthropy can substitute for a competent state during a national emergency. In april, jack Dorsey, the CEo of Twitter, announced that he would contribute $1 billion to CoVID-19 relief, an extraordinary act of charity. That same month, the U.S. Congress appropriated $2.3 trillion to sustain businesses and individuals hurt by the pandemic. antistatism may linger among the lockdown protesters, but polls suggest that a large majority of americans trust the advice of government medical experts in dealing with the crisis. This could increase support for government interventions to address other major social problems. and the crisis may ultimately spur renewed international cooperation. While national leaders play the blame game, scientists

and public health officials around the world are deepening their networks and connections. If the breakdown of international cooperation leads to disaster and is judged a failure, the era after that could see a renewed commitment to working multilaterally to advance common interests.

DON’T GET YOUR HOPES UP: The pandemic has been a global political stress test.

Countries with capable, legitimate governments will come through relatively well and may embrace reforms that make them even stronger and more resilient, thus facilitating their future outperformance. Countries with weak state capacity or poor leadership will be in trouble, set for stagnation, if not impoverishment and instability. The problem is that the second group greatly outnumbers the first.

Unfortunately, the stress test has been so hard that very few are likely to pass. To handle the initial stages of the crisis successfully, countries needed not only capable states and adequate resources but also a great deal of social consensus and competent leaders who inspired trust. This need was met by South Korea, which delegated management of the epidemic to a professional health bureaucracy, and by angela Merkel’s Germany. Far more common have been governments that have fallen short in one way or another. and since the rest of the crisis will also be hard to manage, these national trends are likely to continue, making broader optimism difficult. another reason for pessimism is that the positive scenarios assume some sort of rational public discourse and social learning.

Yet the link between technocratic expertise and public policy is weaker today than in the past, when elites held more power. The democratization of authority spurred by the digital revolution has flattened cognitive hierarchies along with other hierarchies, and political decision-making is now driven by often weaponized babble. That is hardly an ideal environment for constructive, collective self-examination, and some polities may remain irrational longer than they can remain solvent.

The biggest variable is the United States.

It was the country’s singular misfortune to have the most incompetent and divisive leader in its modern history at the helm when the crisis hit, and his mode of governance did not change under pressure. Having spent his term at war with the state he heads, he was unable to deploy it effectively when the situation demanded. Having judged that his political fortunes were best served by confrontation and rancor rather than national unity, he has used the crisis to pick fights and increase social cleavages. american underperformance during the pandemic has several causes, but the most significant has been a national leader who has failed to lead.

If the president is given a second term in November, the chances for a broader resurgence of democracy or of the liberal international order will drop. Whatever the election result, however, the United States’ deep polarization is likely to remain. Holding an election during a pandemic will be tough, and there will be incentives for the disgruntled losers to challenge its legitimacy. Even should the Democrats take the White House and both houses of Congress, they would inherit a country on its knees.

Demands for action will meet mountains of debt and die-hard resistance from a rump opposition. National and international institutions will be weak and reeling after years of abuse, and it will take years to rebuild them—if it is still possible at all.

With the most urgent and tragic phase of the crisis past, the world is moving into a long, depressing slog. It will come out of it eventually, some parts faster than others. Violent global convulsions are unlikely, and democracy, capitalism, and the United States have all proved capable of transformation and adaptation before. But they will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat once again.

FRANCIS FUKUYAMA is Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University and the author of Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment.

Friday, 12 June, 2020

BUSINESS 09

Govt aDDS RS2.5tR to puBlIc DeBt In nIne monthS

CORPORATE CORNER

PAKISTAN'S EXTERNAL DEBT REACHED $110BN BY END-MARCH ISLAMABAD: Jazz continues to play a leading role in supporting the government authorities in the fight against the spread of coronavirus. In a recent development, the mobile operator has provided ten patient monitors along with personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, helping more than 3,000 patients daily. PReSS ReleASe

Dubai Islamic Bank successfully closes $1bn Sukuk DUBAI: Dubai Islamic Bank has successfully closed a $1 billion long 5-year Sukuk with a profit rate of 2.95pc per annum, which is equivalent to 245bps over the equivalent tenor Mid Swap Rate. DIB’s $1 billion Sukuk is a landmark transaction as it is the first public benchmark Sukuk from a regional financial institution after the Covid-19 market disruption with the last Sukuk issuance from GCC being in February 2020. DIB Chief Executive Officer Dr Adnan Chilwan commented, “Despite the challenging global environment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are grateful for the positive response from the global investor community. With the issuance being subscribed nearly 4.5 times, DIB continues to remain an attractive credit in the capital market space. This transaction is a clear testament to the confidence the global markets place in the bank’s robust fundamentals, as well as investor comfort in the broader Dubai and UAE economy.” PReSS ReleASe

oil prices hit by record uS crude inventories, bearish Fed LONDON AGeNCIeS

Oil prices fell on Thursday, hit by another record build-up in US crude inventories and the US Federal Reserve’s projections that the world’s biggest economy would shrink 6.5pc this year. Brent crude LCOc1 futures erased Wednesday’s gains, falling 4pc, or $1.65, to $40.08 a barrel by 1156 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 dropped 4.7pc, or $1.87, to $37.73 a barrel. Both benchmarks are set for their worst daily drop in two weeks.

"Prices are once again under pressure as concerns over the pace of the demand recovery intensified," said Rystad Energy’s oil markets analyst Paola Rodriguez Masiu. US crude inventories rose unexpectedly by 5.7 million barrels in the week to June 5 to 538.1 million barrels - a record - as imports were boosted by the arrival of supplies bought by refiners when Saudi Arabia flooded the market in March and April, Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed. It also showed gasoline stockpiles grew more than expected to 258.7 million barrels. Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 1.6 million barrels, although the increase was smaller than in previous weeks. Adding to the pressure on prices, the US Federal Reserve said US unemployment was set to reach 9.3pc at the end of 2020 and it would take years to fall back, while interest rates were expected to stay near zero at least through next year. Total US coronavirus cases topped 2 million on Wednesday, with new infections rising slightly after five weeks of declines, according to a Reuters analysis.

"No significant price relief is anticipated in 2020 but next year promises to become tighter due to improving consumption," said PVM oil analyst Tmas Varga. "For this forecast to prove accurate, however, assistance is required from the world’s swing producers. OPEC+ needs to stick to the April deal and keep its agreed 5.8 mbpd output restraints below the October 2018 baseline all through next year."

INTEREST SERVICING CONSUMED 40PC OF THE REVENUE COLLECTED IN 9MFY20 ISLAMABAD GHUlAM ABBAS

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LTHOUGH the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has been criticising the previous governments for taking exorbitant amounts of loans, the incumbent government has added at least Rs2.5 trillion to the public debt during the first nine months (July-March) of FY20.

According to the Economic Survey 2019-20 released on Thursday, Pakistan's total public debt stood at Rs35.207 trillion at end of March 2020, as compared to Rs32.708 trillion at the end of June 2019, registering an increase of Rs2.499 trillion. The federal government's borrowing to finance its deficit remained at Rs2.080 trillion during the said period.

As per the survey, the major reasons behind the surge in public debt included depreciation of Pak Rupee against US Dollar, increase in the government's cash balances and the difference between debt and budgetary receipt of Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) issued during the period under review.

Contrary to last year, most of the net domestic debt during the first nine months of FY20 was raised through medium-to-long-term government securities (PIBs) and National Saving Schemes (NSS). Even within short-term floating debt, the government borrowed mostly via 12-month Treasury Bills (T-bills).

Resultantly, the share of 3-months T-bills in the total T-bills portfolio reduced to around 28pc at the end of March 2020, when compared with around 100pc at the end of June 2019.

Meanwhile, on the external front, all the net external debt during the first nine months of FY20 was raised from multilateral and bilateral sources. Accordingly, the share of multilateral and bilateral debt inched up in the external public debt portfolio while the share of debt obtained from commercial sources (loans from foreign commercial banks and Eurobonds) declined marginally.

The Debt-to-GDP ratio was earlier expected to decline by the end of 2019-20 on the back of fiscal consolidation efforts by the government. However, the Covid-19 shock is expected to result in higher than anticipated Debt-to-GDP ratio mainly due to the sharp decline growth and the increase in the budget deficit.

The steep rise in domestic interest rate and depreciation of Pak Rupee along with the already constrained revenue growth had increased the debt-servicing requirements during FY19; interest payments had consumed almost 43pc of total government revenue. However, during the first nine months of FY20, interest expenditures consumed 40pc of the total revenue.

Interest servicing was recorded at Rs1.9 trillion during the first nine months of FY20 against the annual budgeted estimate of Rs2.9 trillion. Domestic interest payments clocked in at Rs1.646 trillion (around 88pc of the total) mainly due to the higher volume of the total public debt portfolio.

Interest expense is expected to remain significantly less than the budgeted amount in 2019-20 owing to re-profiling of short-term debt into longterm debt and a sharp decline in the cost of borrowing in longer tenor.

EXTERNAL DEBT AND LIABILITIES: According to the survey, Pakistan’s External Debt and Liabilities (EDL) reached $110 billion by the end of March 2020, registering an increase of $3.6 billion from last year. The main components of this increase included the external public debt stock, which increased by $3 billion. This was due to a $2.3 billion increase in debt from multilateral and bilateral sources. The stock of commercial loans/Eurobonds registered a decrease of $0.7 billion, whereas non-res-

CNG sector seeks tax relaxation in upcoming budget ISLAMABAD APP

The All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association (APCNGA) has urged the government to rescue the CNG sector, which is currently faced with severe liquidity constraints due to coronavirus-led economic slowdown.

In a statement issued on Thursday, APCNGA Central Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah informed that despite operating during the lockdown period to provide services to the vehicles

performing emergency duties, the CNG stations couldn't even meet their operational expenses due to low sales and limited movement of both private and public transport.

"Unfortunately, the CNG sector was given no concession on account of power and gas utility bills," he lamented, adding that the recent plunge in petroleum prices also affected the sector's sales.

Paracha informed that the association had held many talks with different departments and ministries in the past, "but each time it failed to get any relief".

In its budgetary proposals for 2020-21, he said, the association had requested the government to bring down income tax on local gas from 4pc to 2pc; reduce general sales tax from 17pc to 10pc; decrease customs duty on CNG kits & cylinders, and abolish 5pc duty on RLNG import. He hoped that the government would sympathetically consider the association's proposals and would help revive the CNG sector. He maintained that CNG was a cost-effective and environment-friendly fuel in comparison to other petroleum products.

Govt to unveil federal budget today ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is all set to present its second federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 in the parliament today (Friday). According to sources, the government is likely to set the revenue collection target at Rs5.1 trillion for FY21. Sources also claimed that the government will not be introducing any new taxes, however, it will introduce measures for bringing improvements in the system of tax collection, broadening the tax base, and facilitation of taxpayers. The budget comes at a time when the country is battling the Covid-19 virus and almost all economic indicators have been adversely affected by the pandemic. According to reports, the budget has been formulated considering the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and to give relief to the citizens.In addition to fiscal management policies focusing on revenue mobilisation, measures for economic stabilisation and growth, reduction in non-development expenditures and increase in exports will feature in the budget. APP

KP govt to seek Rs24bn more in agri loans from World Bank PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNeRI

The provincial government has decided to take an additional loan of Rs24 billion from the World Bank to irrigate 790,000 acres of barren land in the province.

This was decided during a meeting held under the chairmanship of KP Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mohibullah Khan. Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Dr Muhammad Israr, Farm Water Management Director General Javed Iqbal, Director Headquarters Naseebur Rehman Khattak and Agriculture CPO

Syed Murtaza Shah were also present on the occasion. It was decided that the total cost of the project would be Rs30 billion, of which the provincial government would spend Rs6 billion.

"Under the project, the KP government will modernise and expand its irrigation system so as to increase agricultural production in the province," said Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mohib Ullah Khan.

As many 14,260 irrigation canals would be repaired in the next six years under the project, Khan said while sharing the details of the project. In addition, he

added, 5,000 metric tonnes of water storage ponds would be constructed for irrigation purposes, while a new irrigation system would be installed on 11,650 acres of land.

"It [the new system] will provide water to 66,000 acres of land, including 25,000 acres of barren land."

Meanwhile, sources in KP's Finance Department informed this scribe that since 2013, the provincial government has taken record loans from international institutions, including $350 million from the Asian Development Bank for the Bus Rapid Transit Project (BRT).

"But despite multiple cost revisions

and repeated government assurances that the project will be completed within the stipulated deadlines, the BRT project is still to see the light of day," an insider said.

As per the sources, KP's total debt at the end of the last fiscal year (FY19) was Rs193.70 billion. They expect the volume of debt to multiple this year as well since the government has secured more loans.

Besides, the devaluation of PKR would also have an adverse impact on the overall debt.

KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Chief Minister's Information Adviser Ajmal Khan didn’t respond to a request for a comment.

ident investment in government securities was recorded at $1.4 billion.

Pakistan’s external debt is derived from four key sources, with around 48pc coming from multilateral loans, 32pc from bilateral loans, 7pc from Eurobonds/Sukuk and 14pc from commercial loans. Although borrowing from commercial sources has relatively increased during the last few years, multilateral and bilateral sources still cumulatively constitute 79pc of external public debt portfolio as of end-March 2020. Private sector debt and liabilities increased by $1.7 billion during 9MFY20. Regarding the inflows and outflows of EDL, the economic survey showed that gross external loan disbursements were recorded $8.017 billion during the period under review, which included disbursements from multilateral sources (including IMF) amounting to $4.839 billion (accounting for 60pc of the total disbursements).

The survey also revealed that the disbursements from IMF were part of the ongoing EFF programme, while inflows from ADB and other International Financial Institutions were largely targeted towards energy, finance and infrastructure development. The disbursements from bilateral sources stood at $1.305 billion. Out of this total, disbursements from Saudi Arabia and China were $720 million and $460 million, respectively.

Commercial loans, which were primarily obtained for balance of payments support, contributed $1,873 million in external public debt disbursements.

In order to counter the negative impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy, Pakistan had secured $1.386 billion under IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) facility. The amount was disbursed in April 2020, while further corona-based external inflows are expected from the World Bank and ADB during the fourth quarter of FY20.

Apart from the received loans, the external public debt repayments were recorded at $5.537 billion during 9MFY20 as compared with $4.138 billion last year. Repayment of Eurobonds and higher repayments to IMF mainly contributed towards this increase in repayments.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks stay in green on pre-budget optimism KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

Indices of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) moved in a narrow range on Thursday, as the investors adopted a cautious approach ahead of the government’s economic survey announcement.

"Cement, steel and textile stocks performed well today on back of positive expectations from the upcoming budget. However, the banking and exploration & production sectors remained under selling pressure throughout the day,” said a report issued by Arif Habib Ltd. The benchmark KSE-100 Index remained in the green zone for most of the session, registering its intraday high at 35,253.50 after gaining 188.42 points. However, it failed to maintain its flight and slipped 69.66 points to mark its intraday low at 34,995.42 by midday. The index finally settled flat (+63.50 points) at 35,128.58.

Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index gathered 306.41 points to close at 56,021.11, while the KSE All Share Index added 12.89 points, ending at 25,010.53. Of the total traded shares, 188 advanced and 121 declined. The overall market volumes appreciated from 218.37 million shares in the previous session to 269.30 million shares (+24pc).

Average traded value also increased by 9pc, from $48.3 million to $52.6 million. Power Cement Limited (POWER +4.61pc), TRG Pakistan Limited (TRG -0.49pc) and Unity Foods Limited (UNITY +1.17pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 19.23 million, 14.55 million and 10.80 million shares, respectively. Sectors that contributed positively to the KSE-100 Index included fertilizer (+60.26 points), cement (+44.33 points) and investment banking (+24.06 points). Among the companies, Dawood Hercules Corporation Limited (DAWH +26.84 points), Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC +24.73 points) and Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK +24.61 points) helped the index close in green. The cement sector added 1.43pc to its total market capitalization, with Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK +1.83pc), DG Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC +1.42pc) and Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF +1.99pc) accumulating decent gains.

Friday, 12 June, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Covid-19 PAndeMiC: ProseCutors to question itAliAn PM over hAndling of virus ROME

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AGENCIES

TALIAN Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and the health and interior ministers will be questioned over the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The prosecutors from Bergamo, the city in the northern Lombardy region worst hit by the virus, have launched an investigation into the crisis, which has killed over 34,000 people in Italy.

They are looking in particular at why a red zone was not enforced in February around the towns of Nembro and Alzano.

Regional officials and the government blame each other for the failure.

Italy was the first European country to be ravaged by the virus. The government imposed the country’s first red zone, around the town of Codogno, 24 hours after doctors discovered a patient positive for COVID-19.

It went on to shut down 10 other towns, and then large areas of the north, before imposing a nationwide lockdown.

Conte, Health Minister Roberto Speranza and Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese will be called on by prosecutors in Rome later Wednesday, the Corriere della Seraand Sole 24 Ore dailies reported.

BLAME GAME: The team, lead by chief prosecutor Maria Cristina Rota, has already questioned Lombardy region’s head Attilio Fontana and its health minister Giulio Gallera. They insist it was up to Rome to de-

Australia won't be 'intimidated' amid China economic threats: PM CANBERRA: Australia warned Thursday it would not be intimidated by attempts at economic “coercion” after China threatened to undermine the multi-billion-dollar flow of Chinese tourists and students to the country. Beijing has issued warnings in recent days that the Chinese should avoid Australia due to concerns about racist incidents targeting ethnic Asians during the coronavirus pandemic. The comments were the latest salvo in a long-brewing diplomatic dispute between Australia and its largest trading partner. Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed on Thursday allegations of the racist treatment of Chinese as “rubbish”. “It’s a ridiculous assertion and it’s rejected,” he said during a radio interview. “We have an important trading relationship with China and I’d like to see that continue,” Morrison said. But he warned his government would “never be intimidated by threats” or “trade our values in response to coercion from wherever it comes”. During the pandemic racism toward Asians has reportedly increased, according to the New South Wales anti-discrimination commission. Tensions have grown steadily in recent years between the two governments as Australia has moved to counter Chinese moves to build its influence both domestically and across the Pacific region. More recently Canberra angered Beijing by leading calls for an international probe into the origin and handling of the coronavirus pandemic in central China.

China has since taken several steps targeting trade with Australia, including the attempts to discourage Chinese travellers, who represent the biggest groups of foreign tourists, and overseas students. The effect of Beijing’s travel advice will only be known once Australia’s borders — closed to all non-essential inbound and outbound travellers due to the pandemic — reopen.

Education is Australia’s fourth-largest export with more than 500,000 international students enrolled last year, bringing about Aus$37 billion into the economy. AGENCIES

cide whether certain areas should be shut.

Codogno was closed on February 21.

Lombardy and 14 provinces in the neighbouring regions of Veneto, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna followed on March 8, and the whole of Italy shut down two days later.

Gallera has said it was clear from February 23 that there were a lot of cases in the areas around Nembro and Alzano, towns in the Bergamo province, but the government had failed to act. Conte replied that “if Lombardy had wanted to, it could have made Alzano and Nembro red zones”. But a scientific committee advising the government and the national health institute had warned in early March 3 that the towns should be locked down, according to the Corriere della Sera.

The Bergamo prosecutors will also speak

to the head of Italy’s national health institute (ISS) Silvio Brusaferro, and the World Health Organization’s Italian government adviser Walter Ricciardi, the reports said.

LIES: Fifty relatives of coronavirus victims — members of the “Noi Denunceremo” (We Will Denounce) committee — filed complaints with the Bergamo prosecutors earlier Wednesday over the handling of the pandemic. It is the first such legal group action in Italy. “If it hadn’t been so disorganised, if (the province of) Bergamo had been made into a red zone earlier, perhaps the hospitals would not have been driven to collapse,” said Monica Plazzoli, whose husband Armando died of the virus. Far-right opposition leader Matteo Salvini, head of the League party which governs Lombardy, on Wednes-

Christopher Columbus statue beheaded in Boston BOSTON AGENCIES

A statue of Christopher Columbus in Boston has been beheaded, police said Wednesday, as calls to remove sculptures commemorating colonizers and slavers sweep America on the back of antiracism protests.

A Columbus statue was also vandalized in Richmond, Virginia, this week, according to local reports.

The incidents come as pressure builds in the United States to rid the country of monuments associated with racism following massive demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis last month.

Italian explorer Columbus, long hailed by school textbooks as the discoverer of “The New World,” is considered by many to have spurred years of genocide against indigenous groups in the Americas.

He is regularly denounced in a similar way to Civil War generals of the pro-slavery south.

The statue—which stands on a plinth in the heart of Boston—has been controversial for years, like other Columbus statues across the US, and has been vandalized in the past.

Boston police were alerted to the damage shortly after midnight on Tues-

day, a spokesman told AFP. An investigation is under way but no one has been arrested, he added.

A jogger running past the statue Wednesday said she approved of the decapitation.

“Coming out of the Black Lives Matter protests, I think it’s a good thing to capitalize on this momentum,” she told AFP, without giving her name.

“Just like black people in this country, indigenous people have also been

wronged. I think this movement is pretty powerful and this is very symbolic,” she added.

Dozens of American cities have over the years replaced “Columbus Day” in October—which became a federal holiday in 1937 — with a day of tribute to “indigenous peoples.”

But not Boston or New York, which have large Italian-origin communities.

Boston’s mayor, Marty Walsh, condemned the beheading but added that the

‘Stop the pain,’ George Floyd’s brother pleads with Congress WASHINGTON AGENCIES

George Floyd’s brother challenged Congress on Thursday to “stop the pain” as lawmakers consider a sweeping law enforcement overhaul, so the man he looked up to won’t become just “another name” on a growing list of black Americans killed during interactions with police.

Philonise Floyd’s appearance before a House hearing came a day after funeral services for his older brother, the 46-year-old African American whose death has become a worldwide symbol in demonstrations calling for changes to police practices and an end to racial prejudice.

“I’m here today to ask you to make it stop. Stop the pain,” Philonise Floyd told the silenced hearing room.

Choking back tears, he said he wants to make sure that his brother, whom he called “Perry,” is “more than another face on a Tshirt, more than another name on a list that won’t stop growing.” Floyd challenged lawmakers to be leaders: “Our country, this world needs the right thing.”

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler gaveled in the session, with many lawmakers and witnesses masked during the COVID-19 outbreak, as Democrats review the Justice in Policing Act, a far-ranging package of proposals amid a national debate on policing and racial inequality.

Repercussions after the weeks of protest continued nationwide.

President Donald Trump ruled out

day welcomed the investigation.

“After so many lies and shameful attacks, justice has been done: those who have made mistakes must pay,” he said.

Andrea Orlando of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), part of the government coalition, rebuked Salvini for using “a painful situation for propaganda”. It was normal procedure for prosecutors to speak with institutional representatives, he said.

changing the names of Army bases named for Confederate Army officers, NASCAR announced it is banning the Confederate flag from its races and venues, and Amazon said it will suspend police use of its facial recognition technology for a year.

In Washington, lawmakers also heard testimony from civil rights and law enforcement leaders as Congress considers changes to police practices and accountability after Floyd’s death in police custody in Minnesota and the mass protests that followed.

“Today we answer their call,” Nadler said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi watched from the audience, and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy also joined.

Republicans are criticizing activists who want to “defund the police” — a catch-all

term for shifting law enforcement resources — though the Democratic bill does not call for that. Trump and allies have seized on the phrase to portray Democrats as extreme as GOP lawmakers rush to come up with their own proposals.

“The American people understand that it’s time for a real discussion,” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the ranking Republican on the panel. But he said they also understand “it is pure insanity to defund the police.”

For hours, witnesses described what happened to Floyd on May 25 — one called it a “lynching.” Others placed his death alongside those of other African Americans, an ever-increasing tally that has become difficult for lawmakers in Congress to ignore.

Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., the chairman

CMYK

of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is leading the legislative effort, said the proposed changes reflect a nation coming to grips with a history of racial injustice.

“This is about the kind of America we all want to see,” said Bass.

The Democrats’ legislation would create a national database of police misconduct, ban police chokeholds and loosen “qualified immunity” to make it easier for those injured to seek damages in lawsuits, among other changes. The proposals don’t go as far as some activists want to defund police departments for other community services. They do, however, make available grant money for states to reimagine ways of policing.

Republicans as well as Democrats have called for a national registry of use-of-force incidents, so police officers cannot transfer between departments without public awareness of their records.

Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said the “depravity” he said he saw in the video of Floyd’s death “burned in my soul.” He welcomed a new database and called for police chiefs to get rid of “bad apples.”

There is also growing bipartisan support for increasing the use of police body cameras, ending no-knock warrants — police used one to enter the home of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in Louisville, Kentucky — and making other changes to police practices and oversight.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday that Trump was still looking at different options. She said the administration was making “final edits” on

statue would be removed on Wednesday pending a decision about its future, local media reported.

In Virginia, protesters used ropes to pull down the eight-foot (2.44-meter) statue and then dumped it in a nearby lake, the Richmond Times-Dispatch said.

It echoed an incident in Bristol, England, on Sunday when demonstrators toppled a statue of a slave trader and dumped it in a harbor during antiracism protests.

a proposal for release “in the coming days.”

Philonise Floyd’s testimony captivated the room as he recounted what he saw in the widely viewed video as an officer pressed a knee into George Floyd’s neck while other police stood by. The one officer, Derek Chauvin, who is white, is now charged with murder, and three others also face charges.

“He called all of the officers ‘sir,‘” said Philonise Floyd. “He still called them ‘sir’ as he begged for his life.”

“His life mattered,” the brother said. He broke down at one point over the images. At another, he said he wonders every day if he will be “next.”

Within the wrenching testimony were many of the core issues being debated as part of the police overhaul. Those include questions about whether it’s appropriate to have police officers respond to minor offenses — Floyd was accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a neighborhood market — and the use of force to detain suspects.

“I am asking you, is that what a black man’s life is worth? Twenty dollars?”

Philonise Floyd asked.

Asked if he could think of any reason for the incident, Floyd told Nadler his brother and Chauvin both worked at the same place.

“I think it was personal,” Philonise Floyd testified.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Wednesday investigators are looking into a report from CBS News that the men had “bumped heads” working at the El Nuevo Rodeo nightclub in Minneapolis.

Rev. Darrell Scott, who is part of Trump’s national diversity coalition, blasted activists’ push to dismantle police departments as “one of the most unwise, irresponsible proposals” ever.

Friday, 12 June, 2020

SPORTS 11

faNs welcome as djokovic eveNt helPs teNNis emerge from coroNavirUs LONDON

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AGENCIES

FTER being suspended for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, top-level international tennis returns this weekend in Belgrade with a charity tournament hosted by world number one Novak Djokovic and where fans will be welcome.

The Adria Tour will be held until July 5 in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia.

On the tournament’s first stop, on Saturday and Sunday, the Serbian star will be joined by world number three Dominic Thiem. Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, ranked seventh and 19th in the world respectively, are also set to take part.

The ATP and WTA Tours have been suspended since March due to the pandemic and will not resume at least

until the end of July.

The French Open was postponed until September and Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II. The four tennis stars will play under regulations allowing up to 1,000 people to attend open-air sports events, which were introduced in Serbia on Monday. The matches will be played at Novak Tennis Centre, financed by Djokovic’s family, with a view of the Danube river. Tickets sold out in seven minutes after they were put on sale online last Wednesday. The event will be broadcast live in more than 100 countries, its director Djordje Djokovic, Novak’s younger brother, said.

“Every spectator will get a mask at the entrance, disinfectants will be placed throughout the complex,” Djordje Djokovic said. Also, the entire centre will be disinfected after every match. “We are professionals in this sport and we want to play,” said the 33-year-old Djokovic.

However, two tennis giants — Roger Federer, out for

the rest of the year following knee surgery, and Rafael Nadal, who recently resumed training — will be absent.

“Taking the situation into account, I didn’t have the nerve to call and invite them,” said Djokovic. Both Djokovic and Thiem were training during the lockdown.

“I had a tennis court so I could train every day,” said Djokovic referring to his period of confinement in Spain, where he was staying with his family at a home in Marbella. Thiem said he was the best-prepared player in Belgrade since he has played matches in Austria behind closed doors. After the Serbian capital, the tournament will move to Zadar, on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, where Djokovic and his peers will be joined by two Croatian tennis stars — former US Open champion Marin Cilic and Borna Coric. After Montenegro, the event will end on July 5 with an exhibition match between Bosnian number one Damir Dzumhur and Djokovic.

“In Sarajevo and Bosnia, people really love

Djokovic […] it will be an exceptional event for them, an ideal opportunity to see Novak up close,” world number 107 Dzumhur said. All the matches will be played on clay. The money raised will be donated to various regional charities. Balkan countries coped with the coronavirus pandemic with relative success.

The region of some 22 million people registered fewer than 24,000 infections and around 700 deaths.

Indian cricket still hopes to salvage IPL season MUMBAI AGENCIES

Nickkyrgios blasts ‘selfish’ atP for Us oPeN drive SYDNEY: Nick Kyrgios slammed the ATP as “selfish” Thursday for pressing ahead with plans for the US Open despite the country dealing with a coronavirus pandemic and widespread anti-racism protests. The temperamental Australian suggested it was too early for the Flushing Meadow Grand Slam, joining other players in expressing reservations, including world number one Novak Djokovic. “The ATP is trying to make the US Open go ahead. Selfish with everything going on at the moment,” Kyrgios, ranked just 40 but a showman who is popular with fans, said on Twitter.

“Obviously Covid, but also with the riots.

Together we need to overcome these challenges before tennis returns in my opinion.” The tennis season has been on hold since mid-March because of the pandemic, with the French Open postponed and Wimbledon cancelled. The US Open is still scheduled to go ahead, with the main draw starting on August 31 despite New York being the epicentre of the outbreak in the US. Authorities and organisers have drawn up a list of hygiene rules, including a 14-day quarantine period for players arriving in the United States while restricting their entourage to one person. Djokovic suggested on Wednesday that he may skip the North America swing and restart his season on clay in Europe in early September, complaining about the “very severe” measures being put in place at the US Open. “Most of the players I’ve talked to so far have a rather negative view of the possibility of going,” said the Serb. World number two and reigning US Open champion Rafael Nadal has expressed similar reservations, while top-ranked woman Ashleigh Barty has also voiced caution about resuming tennis too soon. AGENCIES

Indian cricket chiefs are sticking with plans to salvage the cash-rich IPL tournament this year even if it means playing in empty stadiums, the country’s board president Sourav Ganguly said Thursday.

The world’s richest Twenty20 tournament is heading for the first wipeout of its 12-year history after being repeatedly postponed because of the coronavirus. Despite the worsening epidemic caseload in India, Ganguly — president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) — said in an email to state associations that every effort was being made to hold the Indian Premier League in some form.

“The BCCI is working on all possible options to ensure that we are able to stage the IPL this year, even if it means playing the tournament in empty stadiums,” Ganguly wrote in a letter seen by

AFP. “The fans, franchisees, players, broadcasters, sponsors and all other stakeholders are keenly looking forward to the possibility of IPL being hosted this year.”

Players from India and abroad have “have also shown their keenness on being a part of this year’s IPL”, he added. “We are optimistic and the

BCCI will shortly decide on the future course of action on this.”

According to local media reports, the BCCI’s planning has been hit by the International Cricket Council on Wednesday deferring a decision on the fate of the T20 World Cup, originally scheduled for Australia in October.

If the T20 showpiece does go ahead, there would be little room for even a shortened IPL. BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told AFP the board would suffer losses of more than half a billion dollars if the IPL season is scrapped.

The league is a huge revenue earner for BCCI and estimated to generate more than $11 billion for the Indian economy.

Foreign stars including Australia’s Steve Smith, Pat Cummins and England allrounder Ben Stokes have been pushing for an IPL start at some stage.

Cummins was to be the most expensive overseas star this year with Kolkata Knight Riders agreeing a $2.17 million fee for him.

Is this the end of the road for Federer?

PARIS AGENCIES

Roger Federer is talking optimistically about returning to his “highest level” after knee surgery, but does tennis have to start adjusting to a future without the Swiss star?

The 20-time Grand Slam winner announced on Wednesday that he would be sidelined until 2021 after his second operation in a matter of months.

Federer remains upbeat, tweeting: “I plan to take the necessary time to be 100 percent ready to play at my highest level.” In some ways 2020 is a good season to miss after the coronavirus ravaged the tennis schedule.

Writing Federer off in the past has proved dangerous. He returned from a six-month injury lay-off to claim the Australian Open in 2017, winning his eighth Wimbledon crown later that year. But he will be 40 in 2021 and is now heading into uncharted territory.

Despite his groaning trophy cabinet, there are two factors that will motivate Federer to keep going — the risk of losing his grip on the men’s Grand Slam title record and a missing Olympics singles gold medal. Rafael Nadal has 19 majors, just one shy of Federer’s mark and Djokovic has 17.

Spain’s Nadal will be fancied to draw level with Federer at the French Open, rescheduled for September, while few would bet against Djokovic winning in New York weeks earlier.

In April, Federer said he was “devastated” when Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II. Last year he fell agonisingly short at the All England Club, failing to convert two championship points on his own serve against Djokovic.

The Wimbledon grass probably remains his best chance of adding to his

Grand Slam collection — he has not won the US Open since 2008 and his only title at Roland Garros came in 2009. Even though Federer has slipped from the very pinnacle of the game, he is still a major threat to Nadal and Djokovic.

GOLDEN AMBITIONS: Last year, the world number four had a 53-10 winloss record and he reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January in his only tournament this year.

Federer, who is still six ATP titles short of Jimmy Connors’ all-time record of 109, has one glaring omission from his CV — the Olympic title.

The Swiss won doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 with compatriot Stan Wawrinka but lost in the singles final to Andy Murray in London four years later. The postponed Tokyo Games will almost certainly be Federer’s last opportunity to complete a career “golden” Grand Slam — he will turn 40 on the day of the closing ceremony next year.

Tennis will feel the loss of the ele-

CMYK

gant Federer keenly when he walks off the court for the last time.

Djokovic and Nadal have been the dominant forces in recent years but the Swiss remains the biggest draw and last month topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-earning athletes.

His last appearance on court was in front of nearly 52,000 fans — touted by organisers as a world record for tennis — at a charity match against Nadal in Cape Town in February.

Federer is nearly always the crowd favourite wherever he plays and has proved a perfect ambassador for the sport since he won his first Grand Slam title in 2003. He certainly expects to be back and competitive next year.

“I will be missing my fans and the tour dearly but I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season,” he tweeted.

The avalanche of support from his adoring fans showed they would miss him too, but they will have to get used to a time when he is gone for good.

ramiz asks Pcb to focus on new pack of bowlers for england tour ISLAMABAD: Former captain Ramiz Raja has asked Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee to focus on a new pack of bowlers for England tour, who have the ability to scalp wickets by consistently bowling at the same place. Pakistan are likely to visit England to play three Tests and as many Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in August and September. The tour will be a tough test for bowlers as International Cricket Council (ICC) has recently confirmed interim changes to its playing regulations, which also include a ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball.“This (ban on saliva) will have impact upon bowling. Test cricket is an attractive format because in it balance is maintained between the bat and ball.

In this format, the bowling side makes a comeback through reverse swing after a flat session.“But now it will be very difficult to get reverse swing as there will be no saliva. We will not be able to see this great bowling art (reverse swing) for some time now. The boredom will prevail as nobody will like to see every session for the batsmen,” Ramiz said in a video on his YouTube channel ‘RamizSpeaks’.“So there is a problem for cricket as the bowlers will have to rediscover themselves and this has become a very tough task for them,” he added. The cricketer-turned commentator said that it would be difficult for the national selection committee to pick up players, particularly bowlers for the England trip. “But as they say: ‘courses for horses’; they will have to decide in accordance with the situation. “If I were in selection committee, I would have selected a new pack of bowlers who can control and win the sessions not through reverse swing or sideway movements [of the ball] but through a command on their line and length. I will go for the bowlers, who have the ability to bowl consistently at the same place,” Ramiz added while laying out his preliminary selection mindset for the Test team. He said keeping in view the new regulations, he would opt for such bowlers who could prove a great success in one-day and T20 cricket. “If you look at Pakistan circuit (for such bowlers), then your eyes should straightaway go to Dilbar Hussain or Haris Rauf. Both have speed and can bowl upto 146-147 kilometre per hour. They also don’t need saliva in much quantity as they have change of pace, slower balls and yorkers.

“They bowl in different periods. Sometime you find them bowling in the beginning, sometimes in the middle and then sometimes at the end.

So, they don’t need a premade ball.” APP

Friday, 12 June, 2020

NEWS

‘NEarLy 100 MPS iNfECtEd by Covid-19’ ISLAMABAD

P

AGENCIES

OLITICIANS and members of the Parliament (MPs) are facing a huge increase of coronavirus cases in their ranks as about 100 parliamentarians have contracted the virus in recent days, a report published by Anadolu Agency said.

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said one-third of the 342-member parliament tested positive.

But when Anadolu Agency contacted Hussain to confirm his comment, he said: “Yeah, it’s serious. Not exactly one-third but we are quite close to that.”

He said: “I asked for a virtual session. Opposition never agreed and now almost whole leadership of PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] is C+ve.”

Five senior MPs, including PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and party’s vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, tested positive for the virus recently.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid

Ahmed and former Punjab health minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq tested positive on Monday.

Other high-profile politicians infected include Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and former senior minis-

Justice Seth moves SC against out-of-turn promotion of LHC judges Peshwar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth on Thursday moved the Supreme Court against the elevation of three Lahore High Court (LHC) judges to the apex court, pleading the judges were appointed at the top court in violation of the principle of seniority.

The petition challenging the elevation of former LHC judges Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi has been filed by senior counsel Hamid Khan on behalf of Justice Seth. Besides the three SC judges, the petition names the federation, Judicial Commission of Pakistan and Parliamentary Committee on appointment of judges as respondents. The petition, filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan, states that Justice Seth was elevated to the PHC as an additional judge on August 2, 2011, and later took oath as chief justice of the PHC on June 28, 2018. The petition further said Justice Seth has ” a legitimate expectancy to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on the basis of his seniority, suitability and merit” in the light of well-established constitutional conventions. “But he (Justice Seth) has been ignored and superseded thrice without affording him an opportunity of being heard,” the application says, adding that the appointments of the judges from the LHC have been made in violation of the principle of seniority. Justice Seth through his petition has requested the top court to set aside the appointment notifications of the three judges and “the appointment to the vacancies thus created be made from the inter-se seniority of the chief justices of the high courts”. On May 29, the Sindh Bar Council (SBC) wrote a letter to the judicial commission, questioning the elevation of judges to the Supreme Court in complete disregard of the seniority list. In its three-page letter, the SBC had asked that of the last five judges elevated to SC, four were not on top of the seniority list even in their own high courts. The judges who were promoted out-of-turn included Justice Munib Akhtar of the Sindh High Court, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed of the Lahore High Court, who was 26th on the LHC seniority list; Justice Aminuddin Khan of the LHC and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi. ONLINE

ter of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Inayatullah Khan, among others.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Pakistan the country at most risk to the pandemic after Afghanistan.

In a letter to the government on Tuesday, the UN health agency suggested a two-week strict lockdown to contain the surging outbreak.

Responding to the WHO’s suggestion, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza said his country made the best sovereign decisions in the best interest of the people.

“We have to make tough policy choices to strike a balance between lives and livelihoods,” he said.

Health experts see the ever-rising caseload a result of the lifting of a prolonged lockdown late last month, warning that an already weak health care system could soon crash if the tally continues to surge at the current pace.

Pakistan has reported 122,574 cases, already surpassing China and Saudi Arabia, putting it at number 15 worldwide in terms of the number of cases, according to the Health Ministry.

At least 2,394 people have died from the virus and 39,437 patients have successfully recovered.

India denies visas to US panel on religious freedom NEW DELHI AGENCIES

India has turned down a travel request for members of a US government panel seeking to review its religious freedom, declaring foreign agencies had no standing to assess the constitutional rights of citizens.

The visa snub to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Wednesday came as the US Congress released its own religious freedom report while a top Trump administration official said he was “very concerned” about the country’s situation, Al Jazeera reported.

India’s External Affairs Minis-

ter Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the government firmly repudiated the surveys of the USCIRF, which had little knowledge of the rights of Indian citizens, describing it as “biased” and “prejudiced”.

“We have also denied visas to USCIRF teams that have sought to visit India in connection with issues related to religious freedom,” he told a legislator from Modi’s farright governing party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in a June 1 letter.

“The step was taken because the government saw no grounds for a foreign entity such as the USCIRF to pronounce on the state of Indian citizens’ constitutionally protected rights,” he said, adding

that India would not accept any foreign interference or judgment on matters related to its sovereignty.

Reuters said it has reviewed a copy of the letter to Nishikant Dubey, an MP who had raised the issue of the panel’s report in parliament.

The US embassy in New Delhi referred all queries to the commission — based in Washington, D.C. — which was not immediately available to respond. Since taking power in 2014, the Indian government has faced harsh criticism for violent attacks on Muslims, its largest minority, and the panel has called for the world’s secondlargest population to be designated a “country of particular concern”.

Exports fall 4pc to $18.4bn in 10 months APRIL EXPORTS PLUNGE 47PC TO $957M ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

The coronavirus-related demand and supply shocks had a severe impact on Pakistan's external trade, with the country witnessing a massive dip in exports during the last two months. According to the Economic Survey 2019-20, which was released on Thursday, the country's exports during the first eight months (July-Feb) of FY20 were better than most of its competitors despite a challenging external environment. During July-Feb FY20, exports were recorded at $15.6 billion as against the $15.1 billion in the same period last year. However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, exports declined by 15pc MoM in March 2020 and by 47pc MoM in April 2020.

The exports in April 2020 were recorded at a mere $957 million. On a cumulative basis, the country's exports during July-April FY20 clocked in at $18.4 billion, as compared to $19.2 billion during the same period last year, showing a decline of 3.9pc. On the other hand, total imports during the period under review decreased by 16.2pc, from $45.4 billion last year to $38 billion.

This was due to the imposition of 60pc regulatory duties on 570 luxury and non-essential imported goods to curtail the rising imports, depressed industrial demand, and lower prices of international commodities, particularly crude oil, LNG, coal, and metals. The Economic Survey 2019-20 attributed the decline in exports to currency overvaluation, domestic energy crises, global market contraction, declining international commodity prices and competition crisis, especially between Pakistan and major export competitors. Regarding the future economic outlook, the survey stated, "In the worst-case scenario, there will be a prolonged and severe phase of weak demand in Pakistan’s major exports, while remittances may fall significantly due to layoffs of our workers abroad." The survey further stated that global lockdown would lead the world to the worst economic recession. As quarantines and social distancing have been adopted to contain the spread of coronavirus, sectors like travel, hospitality, entertainment and tourism would remain under threat. “With the anticipation that the pandemic would fade in the second half of 2020, the global economy is projected to grow by 5.8pc in 2021.”

Large-scale manufacturing contracts 5.4pc in nine months ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

Norway court jails mosque gunman Manshaus for 21 years OSLO AGENCIES

A Norwegian court has sentenced a gunman to 21 years in prison – with a minimum term of 14 years – for killing his teenage step-sister and opening fire at a mosque.

Philip Manshaus, 22, opened fire at the al-Noor Islamic Centre in Baerum, west of the capital Oslo, last August.

Several shots were fired in the mosque but nobody was seriously hurt. Manshaus was overpowered before police arrived.

It was treated as an act of far-right racist terror.

Police found evidence that Manshaus was inspired

by Brenton Tarrant, accused of deadly attacks on two

mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch in March 2019. Tarrant has pleaded guilty to 51 charges of murder in New Zealand.

The 14-year minimum sentence for Manshaus is more than the minimum 10 years in the case of Anders Behring Breivik, the right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011. Norway increased the minimum sentences for such cases in 2015.

Manshaus was heavily armed when he stormed into the mosque last August, but he was overpowered by a 65-year-old retired Pakistani air force officer, Mohammad Rafiq. He pinned Manshaus down and managed to disarm him.

Shortly after the attack, the body of the gunman’s 17-year-old Chinese-born stepsister Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen was found at a house in Baerum.

Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) recorded negative growth of 5.4pc during the first nine months of the current fiscal years, compared to a negative growth of 2.34pc in the previous fiscal year. According to the Economic Survey 2019-20, except for fertilisers, almost all other sectors witnessed a decline during July to March period of FY20. Negative growth was experienced by the textile, food, beverages, tobacco, petroleum, automobile, iron and steel sectors which dampened the overall growth of LSM. Currently, the LSM sector provides employment opportunities to about 16.1pc of the total labour force in the country while its share in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is around 13 to 14pc. The FY20 started on a positive note for LSM as the sector posted 2.11pc growth in July 2019, however, growth dampened to -2.42pc in August. Thereafter, the pace picked up and growth was recorded at 2.76pc in September 2019, followed by another sharp increase of 5.4pc in October 2019.

Afghanistan war crimes case: Trump authorises sanctions against ICC WASHINGTON AGENCIES

President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order authorising US sanctions against International Criminal Court employees involved in an investigation into whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

A senior Trump administration official, without providing details, said the investigation is “being pushed forward by an organisation of dubious integrity” – referring to the Hague-based ICC – and accused Russia of having a role.

The order authorises Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in consultation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to block assets in the United States of ICC employees involved in the probe, according to a letter sent by Trump to US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi accompanying the order.

It also authorizes Pompeo to block entry into the United States of these individuals.

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wants to investigate possible crimes committed between 2003 and 2014 including alleged mass

killings of civilians by the Taliban, as well as the alleged torture of prisoners by Afghan authorities and, to a lesser extent, by US forces and the CIA. Trump has assailed the ICC, which was established in 2002 by the international community to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. It has jurisdiction only if a member state is unable or unwilling to prosecute atrocities itself.

The US action is the latest under Trump taking aim at an international body. Trump, who has promoted an “America First” policy during his presidency, last month said he would end the US relationship with the World Health Organization.

Afghanistan is a member of the ICC, though Kabul has argued that any war crimes should be prosecuted locally. The US government has never been a member of the court. The Trump administration imposed travel restrictions and other sanctions against ICC employees a year ago.

“The International Criminal Court’s actions are an attack on the rights of the American people and threaten to infringe upon our national sovereignty,” said White House Press

Secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a statement.

“The International Criminal Court was established to provide accountability for war crimes, but in practice it has been an unaccountable and ineffective international bureaucracy that targets and threatens United States personnel as well as personnel of our allies and partners,” McEnany added.

The ICC decided to investigate after a preliminary examination by prosecutors in 2017 found reasonable grounds to believe war crimes were committed in Afghanistan and that the ICC has jurisdiction.

The senior Trump administration official, describing the order to a group of reporters on a conference call, said the directive authorizes sanctions against any individual directly engaged in any effort by the ICC to investigate US personnel without American consent.

The official said that while the ICC was established to provide accountability, “in practice the court is an unaccountable, ineffective and out-of-control international bureaucracy that threatens American service members and intelligence officers and those of our allies.”

“We have reason to believe there is corruption and misconduct at the highest levels of the ICC’s office of prosecutor, calling into question the integrity of this investigation

into American personnel. We are concerned that Russia may be manipulating the ICC by encouraging these allegations into US personnel,” the US official said.

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