Epaper – October 10 ISB 2020

Saturday, 10 October, 2020 I 21 Safar, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 101 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Opp frustrated Over its failure tO ‘cOntrOl isi’, imran says

NAB requests cancellation of Nawaz’s passport, CNIC news desk

IsLAMABAd staff report

t

AKINg on Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in response to its call for the resignation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said the “real issue” of the opposition alliance with the military was the former’s failure to control the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), like it manipulated other state institutions after the agency “found out” about their alleged corruption.

Addressing a ceremony organised by the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) in Islamabad, he said that the deposed prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif “fought with every army chief” because he wanted to turn the military into Punjab police.

The premier said if he too “started laun-

dering money” out of the country, the ISI would find out about it before anyone else “because it is the world’s top agency”.

“They (opposition parties) control all the institutions whose job it is to keep checks and balances, except one. They know the ISI is aware of all their theft. They try to control it and that’s where the conflict starts,” he added.

PM Imran also ridiculed Nawaz’s claim that the former ISI chief Zaheerul Islam had asked him to step down from his post. The premier added that if the Pakistani Army was weakened, the country would see similar turbulence as in other Muslim countries such as Libya, Syria and Yemen.

Furthermore, the prime minister said that the opposition is “going around with India’s agenda”. He also sent a warning to the PDM. “The moment you break the law, you will go straight to jail — and not to a VIP

cOrOnavirus in

pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

317,595

LAST UPDATED AT 7:26 AM ON OCTOBER 9, 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

8

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

661

DEATHS:

302,708 6,552 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

139,571

100,330

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

38,219

15,480

2,980/3,893 17,122

jail, but where the poor are sent,” he said.

The premier said that all the “employed” opposition politicians had united on one platform because “they consider themselves above the law” and “unanswerable”.

PM Imran said that the PDM was the latest attempt by the opposition to obtain an NRO-like agreement. He drew parallels between the PDM and the opposition’s attempts to “blackmail” the government over the passage of legislation concerning the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

“The day they get an NRO would be the downfall of Pakistan,” he added.

Referring to the opposition’s allegation of the vote having been stolen in the 2018 elections, the premier said he had gotten “the most votes in Pakistan and won from five constituencies.”

“I am democracy,” he declared.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has placed a request with the Ministry of Interior for the cancellation of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s passport and national identity card.

NAB Rawalpindi issued a notice to the NAB headquarters in Islamabad and it stated, “During the course of proceedings, the said accused deliberately absented himself from the court and after due process, he has been declared proclaimed offender vide order dated 9-9-2020, therefore, his perpetual non-bailable warrant of arrest has been issued by the trial court on 1-10-2020 with the direction that whenever accused is arrested, he be produced before the court.”

“In view thereof, copies of the said court order and perpetual non-bailable warrant of arrest are

Islamabad reminds New Delhi of its ‘defence limitations’ after two-front war claim IsLAMABAd staff report

Responding to a statement of Indian air chief about his country being ready for a “two-front war” with China and Pakistan, Islamabad on Friday reminded New Delhi of its “defence limitations” should such a scenario arises.

Indian Air Chief Air Marshal R K S Bhadauria, while speaking at a press conference earlier this week, had claimed that India was fully prepared for a two-front war against his two regional adversaries — China and Pakistan.

“We are ready and very well-positioned to take on China and there is no scenario where they can get the better of us,” he was quoted as saying

by The Hindu.

Referring to a “collusive threat” on India’s northern and western borders, Bhadauria said his country was fully prepared to meet all contingencies, including a simultaneous twofront war scenario.

“We are aware they are cooperating closely. There is [a] significant threat. But so far

there is no such indication that they are colluding for a twofront war,” he said.

Responding to these claims during a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said: “Such provocative statements are a true reflection of [the] RSSBJP mindset, a dangerous mix of extremist ideology and hegemonic designs.”

He said it was “ironic” that

certain senior Indian political and military leaders continued to “make a career out of issuing provocative statements against Pakistan” at the cost of putting regional peace as well as India’s own security at risk.

“While making such braggadocio, the Indian air force chief must not forget India’s defence limitations, so embarrassingly exposed to the world, first during its misadventure in Balakot and more recently in Ladakh,” he said, referring to India’s monthslong stand-off with China along its northern frontier which resulted in the killing of some 20 Indian soldiers.

Chaudhri asked India not to underestimate the resolve of the Pakistani nation and the preparedness of its armed forces against any “ill-conceived misadventure by India”.

“In the interest of peace and prosperity in South Asia, India must abandon its third century ‘Chanakya Doctrine’ and adopt the 21st century model of regional peace and development,” the FO spokesman added.

forwarded for processing of blacklisting/cancellation of the passport and blockage / impounding of CNIC of the accused through the Ministry of Interior,” the HQ replied.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft body has also recommended approaching Interpol for the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz, who is refusing to receive his arrest warrants while staying in London.

Nawaz was declared a proclaimed offender by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on September 9 due to continued absence in the hearings of the Toshkhana case and perpetual non-bailable arrest warrants were issued on October 1, rendering him vulnerable to arrest as soon as steps foot in Pakistan.

He has also been summoned by the court in the Avenfield reference.

more inside

Govt fine-tunes strategy to deal with PDM rallies STORY ON PAGE 02

Bilawal accuses PM of corruption, ‘undemocratic attitude’ STORY ON PAGE 02

PTA blocks TikTok for ‘immoral and indecent’ content STORY ON PAGE 09

UN calls for ‘urgent ceasefire’ in Karabakh STORY ON BACK PAGE

02

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

NEWS

GovT FINe-TuNeS STrATeGy To deAL wITh PdM rALLIeS ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

As tension mounts between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led federal government and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the former has fine-tuned its strategy to deal with the upcoming rallies of the opposition alliance.

Sources privy to the development said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would take people into confidence against the opposition’s plans which wanted to disrupt the government’s process of development and economic stability in the country.

A special focus has been put on thwarting the Sharif family and the noose is being tightened against them, however, it has been decided to give a free hand to Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leadership, including party leader Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal BhuttoZardari, they added.

NOOSE TO BE TIGHTENED AGAINST SHARIF FAMILY BIGWIGS; PPP TO BE GIVEN A FREE HAND A joint investigation team has been formed by Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) to probe the case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of PML-N in the sedition case.

A four-member team led by the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) SP Asim Iftikhar will investigate the matter. DSP Muhammad Ghias, Inspector Tariq Ilyas Kayani and Sub-Inspector Shabbir Awan are also in the team. No arrest has been made yet. The sources said that the federal cabinet has approved the inclusion of ten people, including Shehbaz Sharif’s wife and two daughters, in the Exit Control List (ECL). Apart from Shehbaz's immediate

Shehbaz bought four flats in London for over £1.3m, reveals NAB LAHORE

family, the names of seven other people who have made transactions with Shehbaz accounts will also be included in the ECL. Following the move, the concerned persons will not be able to travel abroad following the conclusion of the case. Sources also said that the name of the opposition leader has already been included in the ECL. According to a NAB investigation report, the chief financial officer of the businesses owned by the Sharif family, Muhammad Usman, laundered money on behalf of his employer.

Usman, according to INP, started working at Ramzan Sugar Mills in 2005 for Rs90,000 a month pay. The following year,

KARACHI

INP

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday revealed that Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif bought four flats in London’s upscale neighbourhoods while being in exile. According to details of the PML-N president’s London properties, released by the corruption watchdog, he purchased four flats for over £1.3 million and borrowed the amount from Barkley Bank, businessmen, and niece Asma Dar. He purchased a flat in London’s Upper Barkley Street area for £235,000 in 2005, the bureau disclosed. He borrowed £75,000 from a businessman and got a £160,000 loan from Barkley Bank to cover the cost of the flat.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto took shots at both Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its “undemocratic attitude” and said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should investigate the premier.

“If he [Imran] is not involved in corruption, then why is there no NAB investigation on BRT Peshawar? The buses of the project, which was inaugurated by Imran Khan himself, are catching fire. Of their own accord,” he remarked during a press conference on Friday.

Bilawal lambasted the incumbent government and issued a warning, saying, “those who were not afraid of dictators will not be afraid of a cricketer”.

He added, “Through such immature acts of a cricketer, the federation is damaged.”

His accusations included both Imran and members of the PTI. “Jahangir Tareen is enjoying in London, there is no answer on how Aleema Khan [was able to] build huge buildings by selling sewing machines. This means you are corrupt. Transparency International said that this government is the most corrupt in history […] Buzdar govern-

mobilise the public against the PTI government.

The decision was taken at a PML-N meeting in Lahore chaired by PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah.

The party has set up a committee for the rallies and this mobilisation would act as a preparatory gathering for the upcoming rallies for the PDM. The PML-N Punjab has decided to hold demonstrations in Rawalpindi, Multan, DG Khan and Bahawalpur. PML-N General Secretary Sardar Awais Khan Leghari has been tasked to mobilise people in Southern Punjab while Rana Sanaullah would lead the rallies in central Punjab. The meeting also reviewed the preparations for the Gujranwala meeting.

PML-N President Punjab will visit the venue in Gujranwala on Saturday.

The PML-N meeting also expressed reservations over the retaliation of Shehbaz and Hamza Shehbaz.

JIT formed to investigate sedition case against PML-N leaders

Bilawal accuses PM of corruption, ‘undemocratic attitude’ STAFF REPORT

Strong foreign policy linked with stable economy: FM Qureshi

the family of deposed prime minister Nawaz acquired Hudaibiya Engineering Company from the Shehbaz family.

In 2007, the Shehbaz family registered more companies, including the Sharif Feed Mill, to expand their business.

The bank accounts of Shehbaz’s wife, Nusrat Shehbaz, and his sons were used for foreign remittances and loans. On the direction of Suleman Shahbaz, a trading agency, Waqar Trading Company, made fake foreign remittances in the region of Rs600 million.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered by a citizen, Badr Rashid, against 42 PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, in which the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and three former generals have also been nominated.

MASS RALLIES ACROSS PUNJAB: On the other hand, the PML-N Punjab chapter has decided to hold rallies in several cities of Punjab on the eve of October 12 to help

ment is robbing Punjab with both hands, money is changing hands on each posting. ‘Corrupt nahi hain’ (we are not corrupt), stop making these jokes,” Bilawal said.

Similarly, the PPP chief retorted to the premier’s comment about the army. “The army’s job is not to detect corruption,” he said, adding that it was the NAB to root out corruption. “We do not have real democracy because a lot of our institutions, not just one, not only perform their own duties but are also assigned other jobs by the government,” he said and added: “The state is suffering and all institutions are being defamed.”

He commented on the Supreme Court (SC) going outside of its purview to build dams as well, as former chief justice Saqib Nisar had made efforts to collect donations for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. “All institutions should do their own work. It’s a good thing that such deployment is not seen for Gilgit-Baltistan elections,” said Bilawal.

Bilawal said that PM Imran uses the state institutions as “political props”, when in fact they cannot belong to a single party. “He keeps saying ‘this institution is with me, that institution is with me’ everywhere. These institutions do not belong to a political party, they are Pakistan’s institutions,” the PPP chief said.

ISLAMABAD: A four-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Friday has been formed to probe sedition case against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif along with other party leaders. The joint team headed by CIA superintendent of police has formally launched inquiry into the matter. Sources told that all the nominated PML-N leaders will be included in the investigation. A sedition case was registered against Nawaz in Shahdara police station over provocative speeches. Names of party’s Vice President Maryam Nawaz and other senior leaders, including Ayaz Sadiq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pervaiz Rashid, Khawaja Asif, Rana Sanaullah and Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, were also included in the case. The FIR stated that Nawaz is a convict and the law of Pakistan does not allow him to carry out such kind of speeches. Badar Rasheed Khan, who filed sedition case against Nawaz Sharif, turned out to be the worker of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) government. Badar was an active president of PTI Youth Wing in Ravi Town and used to attend different meetings with Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar. INP

ISLAMABAD INP

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said that a stable economy was inevitable for strong foreign policy for which Pakistan would have to enhance its trade and export volume with other countries. Chairing the second high-level meeting on economic diplomacy at the foreign ministry, he said that economic diplomacy was practically initiated to exercise Prime Minister Imran Khan's vision and promote Pakistan's economic and trade linkages at global level. The meeting was attended through video-link by envoys of Pakistan at 13 different missions including in Washington, Tokyo, The Hague, Tanzania, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul, Pretoria, Oslo, Paris, Nairobi, Mexico, Los Angles and Kuala Lumpur, said a foreign ministry press release.

The envoys briefed the foreign minister on their efforts to achieve targets under economic diplomacy initiative. The foreign minister said considering its importance, an Economic Diplomacy Division had been created at the foreign ministry under Additional Secretary Nabeel Muneer. He said that it was pleasing that Pakistan's missions were exploring new avenues for promotion of economic cooperation and bilateral trade which was also bringing about positive outcomes. The foreign minister told the participants that in collaboration with the commerce ministry, the foreign ministry held an "Engage Africa Conference" last year to strengthen Pak-Africa economic and trade cooperation. Similarly, first Pak-Africa Trade Development Conference was held in Nairobi in January this year, he added. He said it required more hard work to cope with the global economic impacts of the Covid-19 and achieve economic stability. The foreign minister also expressed satisfaction over the efforts being made by the participants to achieve the targets set under economic diplomacy initiative.

Weddings limited to two hours under Covid rules NEWS DESK Due to the rising positivity ratio of coronavirus cases, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday issued new rules for marriage halls across the country, where the halls must restrict the number of guests time allotments, and enforce a 10 pm curfew.

New rules for marriage halls?

Events can only last for as long as 2 hours All events must end by 10 pm Indoor events can have a maximum of 300 guests Outdoor events can have a maximum of 500 guests After a meeting with health experts earlier this

week, the NCOC conducted a detailed survey regarding Covid and pointed out public gatherings, such as those in marriage halls, as one of the primary hotspots for the spread of the virus.

Penalties for not following rules Closure of marriage hall after 2 weeks of violation A heavy fine will be imposed Marriage hall owners to return the full amount of booking fee to families The statement was issued after “in-depth deliberations”, and informed the marriage halls that there will be strict fines and hall closures for those halls that violate the standard operating procedures (SOPs). The two

weeks’ notice is to allow people “sufficient time” to find other venues.

The NCOC discouraged “large-scale public gatherings”, saying they have the “potential to cause exponential increase” in the coronavirus. It also said that such gatherings will also “jeopardise the success achieved” against coronavirus and should “ideally be avoided”.

“If some public gatherings are unavoidable, then these must be organised with strict compliance of the SOPs, for which deliberations are currently underway and will subsequently be decided at the NCOC,” said the statement.

Cabinet refuses to regularise Muhammad Zareen as NJHPC chief ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

The federal cabinet has refused to grant ex-post-facto approval to the appointment of Engineer Brigadier (r) Muhammad Zareen as the chief executive officer of 969MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Company (NJHPC).

Sources informed this scribe that the Water Resources Division had earlier requested the cabinet to regularise the appointment of the incumbent NJHPC chief, however, the cabinet refused and directed the division to revisit the proposal in light of the law minister’s advice.

In a meeting of the federal cabinet, Law Minister Senator Dr Muhammad Farogh Naseem pointed out that

the Supreme Court’s (SC) judgement in the Mustafa Impex case had banned ex-post-facto approvals by the federal government.

The post of NJHP CEO became vacant on September 2, 2016, due to the resignation of Lieutenant General (r) Muhammad Zubair, leading to the Board of Directors assigning the post to the then adviser of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Zareen.

Later, the board, in its 33rd meeting, recommended Zareen’s name for the post of CEO to salvage the power project. Temporary approval was subsequently granted by the prime minister on a summary submitted by the Ministry of Water and Power on November 9, 2016.

Meanwhile, WAPDA continued with headhunting through multiple means, including publishing advertisement for the post in the international and national press,

but no viable candidate could be found.

As Zareen’s appointment was made well after August 18, 2016, and that too without the approval of the federal government, it needed to be regularized ex-postfacto from the date of assuming charge. As summary in this regard was forwarded to the Establishment Division for comments, and the latter too supported the regularisation of the period of assignment of temporary charge, recommending its change to that of the incumbent CEO. However, the Establishment Division opposed the proposal of his reappointment for another year.

Later, the Ministry of Water Resources requested the cabinet to regularise Zareen’s posting as the CEO from the date of his assumption of charge till June 30, 2020, with age relaxation as recommended by the board in its 51st board meeting held on June 2, 2020.

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

NEWS

JudGeS, MILITAry PerSoNNeL NoT eNTITLed To LANd ALLoTMeNTS, JuSTIce ISA SAyS

S

NEWS DESK

UPREME Court (SC) Judge, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, has said that rules and regulations governing judges and armed forces do not entitle them to receive plots or pieces of land.

The apex court judge made the observation in an additional note while setting aside a 2018 Islamabad High Court (IHC) judgement scrapping the federal government’s housing scheme in sectors F-14 and F-15 in Islamabad.

A four-member bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam, on Thursday scrapped the scheme undertaken by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) on land acquired from locals. The beneficiaries of the scheme in upscale sectors, F-14 and F-15, of Islamabad included civil servants, judges and members of the armed forces.

The apex court, which had reserved its verdict on January 14, scrapped a 2017 IHC ruling on the issue, declaring the procedure to acquire the land for the project was legal. The high court, in its verdict, had ordered the CDA to take over the development work and judiciously dispense the plots after in the two sectors after the completion of work.

Subsequently, a division bench of the high court dismissed an appeal filed by FGEHA against the verdict after which

the federal authority approached the apex court against the order.

In his note, Justice Isa said: “If residential plots, commercial plots and agricultural land are given to only one category in the service, that is to members of the armed forces, and the civilians in the service of Pakistan are disregarded, it constitutes discrimination and offends the fundamental right of equality.”

The judge noticed the presence of serving or retired officers and employees of federal ministries, divisions, attached departments, judges of the SC, all high courts, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Supreme Court and the Chief Court and Supreme Appellate Court of GilgitBaltistan, as well as the Federal Shariat Court in the list of beneficiaries.

The judge explained that the Constitution and the law (presidential orders) did not entitle chief justices and judges of the superior courts to receive plots or piece of land. Likewise, he highlighted, the manual of “pay, pension” compiled the presidential orders, rules and notifications regarding the pay, pension and privileges of judges, but the manual also did not contain anything entitling chief justices and judges of the superior courts to plots of land.

“It is trite, but needs restating that judges are not empowered to make law; they simply interpret it and if a law offends the Constitution they must strike it down,” he observed.

Safdar gets bail in sedition case GUJRANWALA

“The independence of the judiciary is a necessary concomitant to ensure its respect and credibility in the eyes of the people, but the executive giving plots to judges constitutes a favour,” he said.

He further observed that the Constitution determined the terms and conditions of service of superior court judges and nothing could be subtracted there from or added thereto, adding that since the stipulated terms and conditions did not entitle judges to receive plots, they were not entitled to receive plots from the foundation or out of any compulsorily acquired land.

Justice Isa explained that no one could be given, nor could they receive, more than a single plot, adding that the foundation, government, or any organisation controlled by the government could not provide a second or additional plot.

Moreover, he said, without specific legal sanction, no one, including the prime minister, had the discretion to grant land, a house, or an apartment to anyone. The judge explained that different laws governed those employed in the armed forces and these laws also did not provide that they be given residential plots, commercial plots or agricultural land nor permitted them to receive the same.

“Nevertheless, senior members of the armed forces get plots and agricultural lands and continue to be given additional plots and agricultural lands as they rise up the ranks,” he regretted and recalled that in his book — Crossed

Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within — the author Shuja Nawaz, the brother of former army chief Gen Asif Nawaz, brought privileged, personal and scholarly insight into the armed forces.

Justice Isa observed that both civil service and armed forces personnel were in the service of Pakistan and the Constitution created no distinction between them.

“The laws governing civil and armed forces personnel do not entitle them to receive residential plots, commercial plots or agricultural land. If lands are given to only one category like the members of the armed forces and the civilians in the service of Pakistan are disregarded, it constitutes discrimination and offends the fundamental right of equality,” he emphasised.

He observed that the amount to be spent in the financial year 2020-21 on pensions was Rs470 billion, of which Rs111bn would be spent on retired civilians and Rs359bn on retired personnel of the armed forces. The annual cost of pension payments is almost equal to the cost of ‘running of civil government’, which is Rs476bn and the people of the country pay these pensions despite having very little themselves.

“In addition to receiving pensions, public lands are taken which is eminently unfair,” Justice Isa regretted, adding that Pakistan was heavily indebted and the people paid astronomical amounts to service the accumulated debt.

‘The children have been brainwashed’: PHC gathers information on smuggled children

STAFF REPORT

NEWS DESK

A district and sessions court in Gujranwala on Friday granted interim bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar Awan in a sedition case against him. Awan appeared before Additional District and Sessions Judge Arshad Mahmood who approved his bail request and directed him to furnish surety bonds worth Rs50,000. Last week, Safdar was nominated for sedition in a first information report lodged in Gujranwala for “inciting hate […] against the army” and threatening to forcefully obtain permission for a public meeting on October 16. According to the FIR, Safdar, in a meeting at the residence of PML-N MPA Usman Khalid Butt, allegedly talked about “toppling the provincial and federal government through forceful protests”.

Butt has also been nominated in the FIR. The FIR further alleged that Safdar, who is also the husband of party vice president Maryam Nawaz, “defamed and incited hate” against the armed forces with an “aim […] to disturb public peace”.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) learned details of the illegally-immigrated Afghan children who were brought into the country under the guise of obtaining religious education.

An Afghan refugee had brought ten children in from Afghanistan's Taliban-controlled Badakhshan province, according to Abdul Hameed Jalili, Afghan consulate's office-bearer. The applicant explained to the bench, headed

by PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, that these children were his relatives and that they had come to be enrolled in a seminary for religious education. However, the man could not explain how the children had come into the country without documents.

"Children were brought here from Afghanistan and no one knows about this. What are the agencies doing?"

Justice Seth asked. He told police to investigate how and why the children were brought to Pakistan without agencies being alerted.

During the hearing, a translator had to be brought in, as the children spoke neither Pashto nor Urdu. The translator reported that "it seemed as if the children have been brainwashed. They answer each question together."

When the children were asked for their reasons to be in Pakistan, they all offered the same reply: to get a religious education. The children were taken from the applicant, who had been keeping them in a refugee camp in the Akora Khattak town in Nowshera.

The bench placed the man under arrest and directed the authorities to give the custody of the children – who were all 10-years-old or younger – to the Afghan consulate. It must be ensured that they are reunited with their parents, the bench added.

India behind false flag operations across world: minister

MINor FouNd hANGING FroM Tree AFTer ALLeGed rAPe NEWS DESK The body of a deceased eight-year-old was found hanging from a tree in what appears to be another rape and murder case. The boy had gone missing from a seminary on Wednesday and a search was launched.

The body was found in Balochistan’s Kali Davian area in the Killa Abdullah district. According to the local assistant commissioner, Jahanzeb Sheikh, the boy had been raped and then strangled to death by the so-far unknown assailants. He added that the evidence of sexual abuse was found during the post-mortem. After the discovery of the body, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Wednesday against unidentified assailants and a search operation is underway. The reports of this incident emerged on Friday, but the timeline suggests this occurred a day after the rape and murder of a missing minor girl in the Jaba Korona area in Peshawar. The Prang and Daudzai police recovered the body and shifted it to the Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar for postmortem. As a result, the hashtags #JusticeforZainab and #AnotherZaina are trending on Twitter as the country laments the death and abuse of another child. The incident is being compared to rape and murder of 8-year-old Zainab Amin in Kasur by the netizens. Zainab Amin had gone missing on January 4, 2018, and five days later, a police constable deputed to trace the girl recovered her body from a heap of trash near the Shahbaz Khan Road.

Being the 12th such incident to occur within a 10-kilometre radius in Kasur in one year, Zainab’s rape and murder had sparked outrage and protests across the country. In March, a report by the Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Sahil, revealed that the violence has continued, and an estimated eight children per day have been abused in the first half of 2020. A total of 2,846 child abuse cases were reported from across the country in 2019, with data showing that more than eight children suffered some form of abuse every day in Pakistan in the first half of 2020.

FM urges NAM to address challenges for peace, security ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) must resolve to address existing and emerging challenges for peace and security. Speaking at a virtual ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement on Friday, the foreign minister said that the forum should also look into root causes of conflicts, foreign occupation and military intervention and denial of fundamental rights, including right to selfdetermination. He stressed on strict adherence to principles and objectives of UN and NAM Charter, including refraining from acts or threats of aggression; respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; and non-interference in internal affairs of others. The minister said that Pakistan reiterates its concern at the continued denial of this cardinal right to people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), guaranteed to them in several UN Security Council resolutions. The legitimate freedom struggle of people of Jammu and Kashmir is being brutally suppressed and the same is the case with Palestine. He urged NAM and the international community to strengthen calls for a just, peaceful and expeditious resolution of these conflicts, in accordance with the aspirations of the people. He said that it is central to ensuring durable peace in South Asia and the Middle East. He said a strong and coordinated response is needed to help developing countries recover effectively from the Covid-19 crisis and "build back better".

Pakistan seeks return of developing countries’ stolen assets

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Responding to an opinion published in an American publication, Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan on Friday said that India was on top of the list of states having linkages with terrorist groups. The opinion published in Foreign Policy — while citing the attack on a prison in Jalalabad, Afghanistan in August which killed some 29 people — revealed the involvement of Indian militants in the so-called ISKP, the central Asian arm of ISIL, who later claimed the attack. The article said while Indian militants have been traditionally involved in carrying out terror attacks inside Pakistan, they now have found a new sanctuary in the shape of ISIL. According to the author, the trend can be understood in the context of a radical political environment, which he says is the result of Hindutva policies aggressively pursued by farright Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Commenting on the article, Chohan said it supports Islamabad’s position against New Delhi that the latter has been involved in organising militant operations across the globe.

03

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan meets investors for the enrgy sector. PID

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan, Malaysia agree to take strategic pact to new level ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan is committed to promoting strategic partnership with Malaysia in various fields of mutual interest including economy, trade, education, science and technology.

He was talking to his Malaysian counterpart Dato' Seri Hishammuddin during a telephonic conversation on Friday. The two foreign ministers expressed satisfaction over the bilateral relations between Pakistan and

Malaysia and appreciated the exemplary bilateral cooperation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Qureshi thanked his Malaysian counterpart for taking special care of Pakistani community in Malaysia during the coronavirus pandemic.

The foreign minister extended good wishes for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit to be held in Malaysia in December this year.

The two foreign ministers agreed to continue mutual consultations for the development of bilateral relations and ties.

Pakistan has called for creating a robust mechanism for the return of stolen assets of developing countries that illicitly flow to haven nations. Speaking at a debate on global economic issues, Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN Aamir Khan told the General Assembly's Second Committee, that these flows stifle economic growth in the developing countries and condemn their poor population to a life of inequality and indignity. He called the findings shocking in last month's report of the Panel on Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity that billions of dollars annually go out of the developing countries in illicit financial flows. He said this exploitation of the poorer countries must stop. He said the bodies monitoring illicit financial flows should not be used for financial or political coercion of developing countries.

04

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

NEWS

SeveRe ShoRtAge of floUR And SUgAR In lAhoRe LAHORE

t

SHAHAB OMER

HERE is a severe shortage of flour in the provincial capital and a 20 kg bag of flour has gone up to Rs1,500 in the open market while sugar has also started selling at more than Rs100 per kg.

A survey conducted by Profit found that flour mills had stopped the supply of flour when the price of wheat reached Rs2,450 per 40 Kg in the open market, due to which a 20 kg bag of flour – previously Rs880 – was being sold at Rs 1,500 and sugar – previously Rs70 per kg –was being

sold at Rs105 per kg.

Citizens are outraged by the increase in prices. Faisal Adnan, a resident of Delhi Gate, while speaking to Profit said, “Flour is nowhere to be found and even if it is available, a lot of money is demanded. Similarly, sugar has become extinct and where it is available, the price is very high.”

Muhammad Ali, a shopkeeper of Akbari Mandi, said, “Only when the supply of flour and sugar improves will we be able to provide these items to the people at affordable prices. We are compelled because there is no supply in the market from flour mills and the price of sugar is also high.”

The owners of Aata Chakki Associa-

tion has also increased the price of flour from Rs80 to Rs85 per kg due to rising prices of wheat.

It is pertinent to mention here that last week, the prices of flour, vegetables and medicines had skyrocketed across the country while the supply of flour bags of 20 and 15 kg flour was also stopped by flour millers in Lahore and now it is being sold at Rs80 to Rs85 per kg.

Furthermore, the prices of vegetables have gotten out of control in the provincial capital, while the price of garlic has gone up to Rs700, onion and potato to Rs70 per kg and tomato to Rs120.

It is pertinent to mention here that the

Attock man strangles wife to death: police ATTOCK government had increased the prices of 94 medicines including life-saving medicines by 262 per cent, while according to the weekly report of the Federal Bureau of Statistics, inflation has increased by 0.37 per cent in one week after which the inflation rate has reached the level of 9.04 per cent.

According to the report, a 20 kg bag of flour has gone up by Rs15, live chicken by Rs22 and mutton by Rs6.5 per kg in a week. The prices of 22 items including pulses have also gone up. Meanwhile, six items became cheaper and 23 items remained stable. According to the report, prices of garments, including petroleum products and electricity, remained stable.

INP

A man, identified as Rashid Imran, strangled his wife to death while she was sleeping in Attock, the police confirmed on Friday. The suspect staged the crime to look that the woman had died by suicide. After the murder, he tried to bury the body but the police reached the site and arrested him. They have shifted the body to a hospital for a post-mortem examination. “We were informed by the woman’s brother after which we reached the site,” a police officer said, adding that Imran confessed to his crime in custody. An FIR has been registered and further investigations are under way.

Man attacks cousin with knife, pushes her out of car for refusing marriage proposal LAHORE INP

A man in Lahore allegedly attacked his cousin with a knife and pushed her out of his car in injured condition after she rejected his marriage proposal. According to the police, a First Information Report (FIR) of the incident has been lodged against accused Ali Ahmed for pushing the woman out of his car after injuring her with a knife in the Kahna area of the provincial capital. The police said that the FIR was registered on the statement of the victim woman. The accused is her cousin. The Model Town superintendent of police (SP) said that the police will soon apprehend the accused. The accused desired to marry the woman and upon her refusal to accept the proposal, he attacked her with a knife, and then pushed her out of his car in injured condition before speeding away, the police official said.

LAHORE: Citizens protest outside the Lahore Press Club for the acceptance of their demands. STAFF PHOTO

Six teenagers get bail in KU-IBA harassment case KARACHI INP

A Karachi court on Friday granted bail to six teenagers in a case pertaining to the alleged harassment of a student of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) at the Karachi University. The District West judicial magistrate directed the suspects, Faizan, Hammad Ali, Zawar, Abdul Rehman, Umair, and Zakir, to pay surety bonds of Rs20,000 each to secure the bail until October 21. Police produced them before the magistrate and requested their custody on physical remand for investigation. However, the court turned down the request and ordered their release on bail. On Thursday, an FIR was registered on the complaint of an IBA student, Shaheer Ali. He said that he dropped off one of his female friends at the university hostel and was leaving the premises when some 10 persons on motorcycles intercepted them and tried to stop his vehicle. “They chased us on motorcycles and harassed the girl,” the IBA student alleged claiming that if he would have not left the place on time, it would have led to an incident similar to one that happened at Lahore motorway.

Class A drugs worth Rs1bn seized during Karachi island raid ISLAMABAD APP

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has seized a huge haul of drugs with a street value of more than Rs1 billion from a fishing boat during a raid on an island off Karachi’s coast, it emerged on Friday. According to APP, a raid was conducted by the agency’s intelligence wing late on Thursday night. On seeing the ANF personnel, suspected smugglers opened fire.

However, no casualties were reported. The smugglers managed to flee the scene, leaving the 426 kilogrammes of heroin and 57 kilogrammes of hash behind. The value of the drugs is estimated to be more than Rs1 billion.

SHC rejects bail petition of former STDC chief KARACHI APP

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday rejected bail petitions of former managing director of the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) Roshan Ali Kanasro and seven other accused in a case pertaining to alleged corruption worth Rs175 million.

The reference against Kanasro was filed in November last year.

The SHC also summoned the complete record of the reference from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

According to the anti-graft agency, the STDC had invited tenders for the award of contracts to private contractors for the purchase of furniture, repair of vehicles, event management, and printing/publication, etc.

It said that tenders were published in dummy newspapers on July 31, 2017, and most of the participating

companies were fake and had been formed only to get these tenders.

It further mentioned that the record showed that an advertisement appeared on Aug 31, 2017, in less-known daily newspapers regarding the award of the contracts/tenders to five firms including M/s Sameer Enterprises, M/s Fahad Enterprises, M/s RMA Sahita Brothers, M/s Burraq Business and M/s Total Computing Technology.

However, NAB claimed that the amount awarded for the tenders was largely embezzled, adding that apparently the jobs/work had been distributed among the bidding companies through a ring by the chairman of the tender committee.

It added that the rates quoted by the firms concerned also appeared to be exorbitant while most of the work had only been done on paper and no inventory details had been prepared by the responsible officials.

PA speaker issues production orders for Hamza Shehbaz LAHORE APP

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi issued production orders for Opposition Leader in the Provincial Assembly Hamza Shahbaz for a session.

The session was convened by the opposition parties to discuss inflation and law and order situation in the province.

Hamza has been in the National Accountability Bureau’s custody since June last year.

The bureau is investigating two different cases against Hamza regarding money laundering and holding assets beyond means.

According to the agency, in 2003, Hamza’s assets were worth Rs22.5 million, adding that from 2005-2007, the PML-N leader had not stated his assets. In 2009, his assets rose to Rs210 million, as per an investigating officer.

According to a NAB report regarding the grounds for his arrest, Hamza’s assets increased beyond his known means of income from 2003 till 2017.

He is accused of causing a loss of over Rs210 million to the national treasury in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. As per the report, Hamza had purchased many commercial and residential properties from 2012 to 2015.

Hamza contracted Covid-19 during his incarceration in September, his father and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had said.

3 brothers shot dead over monetary dispute in Charsadda CHARSADDA INP

Three brothers were killed and the fourth one was seriously injured when rivals opened fire over a monetary dispute at them in the Garhi Hamid Gul Mian area of Charsadda, on Friday.

The attackers targeted the victims when they were standing outside their home and managed to flee the scene. Jamal, Yasir and Zubair died on the spot after receiving multiple bullets wounds while Jan Alam was first rushed to the DHQ Hospital Charsadda and then transferred to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar due to his critical condition. In his statement, Jan Alam nominated the killers and told police that Arsalan, Hamza, Tanveer, Luqman and their father Ibrahim opened indiscriminate at them. Jan Alam has served as local government representative and was a former naib nazim of Neighbourhood Council Garhi Hamid Gul.

favourable environment necessary for youngster’s role in national development: PM ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that the creation of a favourable atmosphere for youngsters in modern fields was a must to make them contribute to the national development. Chairing a meeting to discuss the promotion of information technology (IT) in the country, the prime minister said that the youngsters and educated people had immense potential to excel in the IT sector. Punjab Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun, National Information Technology Board Chairman Syed Shabahat Ali Shah, Information Technology University (ITU) Vice Chancellor Dr Sarfaraz Khurshid, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Azfar Manzoor, Amir Hashmi and Shabahat Rafiq attended the meeting. The meeting discussed the promotion of IT sector, particularly the measures to utilise the youngster’s capabilities in the global chip design industry. The prime minister, in his remarks, said that the IT sector faced neglect in the past but despite that the country’s youth made distinction. However, he said, the incumbent government was resolved to assist every sector. APP

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

NEWS

PM hails Facebook's investMents, PrograMMes in Pakistan ISLAMABAD

P

STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan has welcomed social media platform Facebook’s investment and programmes in the country and asked the company to increase its footprint in Pakistan.

The PM invited the social media giant for investments in a virtual meeting

with Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg on Friday.

The two discussed Facebook's investments in Pakistan, the company's support for digital literacy initiatives in the country and its work around Covid-19.

During the meeting, the prime minister acknowledged the immense potential digital platforms such as Facebook provide, and the role they can play in giving “global opportunities to Pakistani youth and entre-

President alvi for enhanced Paknigerian trade, defence ties ISLAMABAD TLTP

President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday stressed the need for increased cooperation between Pakistan and Nigeria in the areas of trade, economy and defence. In a meeting with outgoing Nigerian High Commissioner Maj Gen (r) Ashimiyu A Olaniyi who made a farewell call on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said Pakistan attaches great importance to its ties with Nigeria. He said that Pakistan desires to further strengthen and diversify the existing bilateral relations to the mutual benefit of the two countries. The president said both the countries needed to promote high level contacts and visits, which would further cement bilateral relations. Highlighting the atrocities of India security forces on the Muslims of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and urged the international community to play its role for peaceful resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute and protection of the Muslim minority in India. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the current level of cooperation and emphasized the need to further strengthen defence, trade and political relations. The president appreciated the efforts made by the outgoing high commissioner for enhancing bilateral relations between Pakistan and Nigeria.

preneurs and how the opportunities they create can lift people out of poverty”.

The PM also raised concerns around the global rise in hate and extremism and acknowledged the immense challenge of fighting hate speech online.

The two also discussed Facebook's connectivity investments and research grants that were awarded this year to Pakistan-based academics.

Other topics that were discussed in-

cluded Facebook's blood donations product, which saw more than 5 million people sign up since its launch, as well as Facebook's support for the government's goal of a polio-free Pakistan.

The PM and Sandberg also spoke about Facebook's SheMeansBusiness Program which is training some 6,700 women across Pakistan. Sandberg and PM Imran Khan last met in Davos, Switzerland, in January this year.

Sindh govt to procure electric buses for Karachi’s Green Line: CM Murad KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the provincial government was interested in procuring electric buses for the Green Line project.

The chief minister said this while presiding over the second Provincial Coordination and Implementation Committee (PCIC) meeting on Friday.

The meeting discussed ongoing development projects in the metropolis, besides mulling ways to purchase electric buses for the Green Line project. It was decided that the buses will be operated by a private company.

The meeting set a timeline for the completion of development projects, including the repair of 106

existing roads by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

It also decided to launch a waste to electricity project for which necessary measures would be taken at the earliest.

Matters pertaining to lifting of garbage came under discussion during the meeting, wherein it was highlighted that out of 15 Garbage Transfer Stations (GTS), only six were operational, therefore revival or reconstruction of six other GTS was agreed upon.

Meanwhile, the meeting was informed that the survey of five nullas has been completed. Gujjar Nalla has a length of 1.3km with 210 feet width, 5,961 households, 41,581 individuals and 2,412 commercial units established along its embankments. Orangi Nulla has 12.5km length, 100 to 150 feet width, 4,480

households, 27,000 individual settlements and 380 factories established along its embankments.

Similarly, Mahmoodabad Nulla has a 4.1km length, 100-200 feet width, 1,049 households, 5,900 individual settlements and 156 commercial settlements along its embankments.

The CM said that an ideal crosssection would be proposed for each drain based on terrain and flow models for current and future improvements, adding that best management plans for drainage network should be prepared to mitigate the risk of urban flooding.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Nasir Shah and Awais Qadir Shah, Karachi Corps Commander Humayun Aziz, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah and Karachi GOC Major General Aqeel.

FBR’s intelligence wing unearths another tax evasion scam ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) intelligence wing has unearthed another tax evasion scam.

According to credible information available with this scribe, the owner of SS Corporation – a commercial importer -- had evaded taxes of over Rs10 million in violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. It was found that the company had sold goods at higher rates than declared in the receipts provided to the tax department.

During the fiscal year 2017, the company declared sale of Rs1.6 billion, whereas the company’s bank accounts showed the number to be much higher – Rs4.6 billion. In FY2018, the declared sales were Rs682 million, whereas Rs4.8 billion were credited to the company’s account. Moreover, in FY2019, it declared a sale of Rs194 million, in contrast with the credited amount of Rs5.3 billion. The inquiry conducted by the tax department’s intelligence wing unearthed 16 bank accounts in which the total amount deposited from July 2016 to June 2019 was Rs14.7 billion, whereas

the company declared 10 bank accounts with Rs6.09 billion as the credited amount in its income tax returns and wealth statements.

During the course of inquiry, it was revealed that from FY17 to FY19, Rs14.783 billion was routed to several other accounts of the coaccused in the case. The information raised eyebrows when the department noticed that the co-accused does not have any source of income other than the amount deposited by the accused or the prize money from prize bonds.

The department also found that co-accused father had knowingly and fraudulently declared himself to

be the proprietor of the same business in a bank account maintained with the Habib Metropolitan Bank, while in all legality, he cannot do so because the SS Corporation is registered with the FBR with a distinct National Tax Number (NTN) 2340992. Moreover, the investigative team also learned that the accused had gifted Rs650,000,000 to her family members.

Sources told this scribe that the court has issued bailable arrest warrants for both accused and has also ordered attaching of bank accounts used for tax evasion. Further investigation in the case is currently underway.

05

UsPbc briefed on investment opportunities in Pakistan’s energy sector ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

US-Pakistan Business Council (USPBC) on Friday hosted a virtual event titled "Explore Pakistan: A USPBC Virtual Series on Business Opportunities in Pakistan's Energy Sector" to brief US business community regarding Pakistan's efforts to mitigate the ever-growing energy demand of domestic consumers and industry, its recent policy developments in the energy sector, reforms in the oil & gas sector and incentives for investment in the energy-related projects. Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan and Special Assistant to Prime Minster on Petroleum Nadeem Babar had been invited by USPBC to brief the adudience in this regard. The event was chaired by US-Pakistan Business Council Chairman and Excelerate Energy Managing Director Steven Kobos, who welcomed the dignitaries and underlined that the virtual series has been initiated

by USPBC to reinvigorate the development of USPakistan business portfolio, especially in the energy sector. Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan on the occasion complimented the USPBC for the virtual series initiative and said that the US is an important business partner for Pakistan. He acknowledged the strong footprint of US companies in Pakistan’s energy sector, saying that US companies in the energy are familiar with the Pakistani market.

Addressing the USPBC members on opportunities for investment in the power sector, the minister underscored the government policy initiatives to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix. He noted that the government is going into a competitive market for power distribution and has developed an Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan to align the country’s demand and supply parameters and investment decisions accordingly. The minister noted that a specific policy for small hydropower projects has been developed to ensure that the benefits of renewable and cheap electricity are available to consumers.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar spoke on the business climate in Pakistan’s oil & gas sector and shared an overview of the pro-business policies being pursued by the government. He noted that the refining sector in Pakistan is in need of an overhaul. “With a large middle income population and growing energy needs, the current capacity of refineries is extinct,” he said, encouraging US companies to invest in the sector. He gave an overview of the specific incentives provided by the government for brownfield and greenfield oil refinery investments.

The SAPM said that Pakistan was equal to the challenge of globally exploring investment for its upstream sector and had last week advertised ten blocks for grant of Petroleum Exploration Rights (Exploration License). He invited the US companies to bid for this. Embassy of Pakistan Deputy Chief of Mission Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani and US Embassy Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Snelsire also spoke on the occasion and underscored the importance of furthering US-Pakistan trade and investment relations. Memebrs of the US Department of Commerce along with representatives of Board of Investment, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, chambers of commerce, OGDCL, Mari Petroleum also participated in the virtual conference.

Oil prices head for 10pc weekly jump on North America, Norway outages LONDON AgEnCiES

Oil prices fell on Friday, erasing an earlier rise but still leaving both benchmarks on track for their biggest weekly gains since early June on the back of supply cuts caused by a storm in the Gulf of Mexico and a strike of offshore workers in Norway.

Brent was down 31 cents at $43.03 a barrel by 1219 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 34 cents to $40.85.

Both contracts are on track for weekly

gains of about 10% this week, the first rise in three weeks.

Brent’s six-month contango, a market structure where the front-month Brent futures are trading at a discount to later contracts implying current oversupply, has shrunk to around $1.90 a barrel from $3.24 less than a month ago.

Norwegian oil company and labour officials said they would meet with a state-appointed mediator on Friday in an attempt to bring an end to a strike.

An escalation could almost triple the

CMYK

existing outage if no solution is reached

by Oct 14, taking the total capacity cut to about 934,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day.

“It goes without saying that a resolution to the conflict would pull the rug from under bulls’ feet,” PVM analysts said in a note.

In the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Delta has shut 1.67 million barrels per day, or 92pc of the Gulf’s oil output, the most since 2005 during Hurricane Katrina. Producers have also halted nearly

62pc of the region’s natural gas output, or 1.675 billion cubic feet per day.

“We believe we are soon in for an oil price correction when the Norway strike is resolved and when the hurricane in the US goes away… These $40+ price levels are as fragile as glass,” Rystad’s Head of Oil Markets, Bjornar Tonhaugen, said.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said on Thursday world oil demand will plateau in the late 2030s and could by then have begun to decline.

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

06 COMMENT

Is India a fascist rogue state?

Bureaucracy under PTI Civil servants as rolling stones

P

OLITICALLY motivated postings and transfers of bureaucrats have taken place under the previous governments also. however, what the previous two governments did in 10 years, the PTI has managed to do in two. In Punjab, district-level administrators and police officers who insisted on acting according to the book were replaced with those who were expected to accommodate the ruling alliance’s MPAs and MNAs and thus help them strengthen their hold over their constituencies.

The provincial bureaucracy is required to carry out the political agenda of the provincial government, which includes cooking up cases against opposition leaders and helping the PTI government win the local government elections whenever they take place. This explains why the Punjab government has replaced three chief secretaries and five IGPs within two years.

The way NAB treated bureaucrats who were close to the PML(N) government made civil servants feel insecure. A perception was created that they too might be hauled up for decisions made in good faith gone wrong. A demoralized bureaucracy decided to go slow, resulting in inefficiency on the part of the government.

Secretaries and other officers working at the federal level were also required to help the ruling party and reduce the influence of the opposition. More courageous civil servants who had the temerity to tell the PM that what he wanted them to do was illegal or against the national interest were made OSDs, the most prominent case being that of a federal finance secretary who was seen to be tough in negotiations with the IMF and was therefore told not to attend the last few meetings of the mission representatives. A DG FIA was transferred to an inconsequential department because allegedly he refused to get terrorism cases filed against members of Ms Maryam Nawaz’s social media team for lack of any solid evidence. For similar reasons he declined to oblige when told to file cases against PML(N) President Mian Shahbaz Sharif and his family members. Both Grade 22 officers resigned.

By making the bureaucrats rolling stones, the PTI government has violated the Supreme Court injunctions laid down in Anita Turab’s case. The case of the Lahore CCPO indicates the type of public servants it likes, irrespective of the social consequences of their acts of omission and commission.

Amjed jAAved

I

NDIA’S Prime Minister Narendra Modi, like so many other Bharatya Janata Party stalwarts, makes no bones about having been a member of the rSS. The rSS is ubiquitous in all states and Union territories. Without its consent, noone can get a party ticket. : The rSS is a conglomerate of disguised terrorists.

The Indian media dare not focus on its violent activities But it is sometimes exposed by viral images of violence by rSS workers. Images show the rSS participating in Delhi riots, lynching suspected beef eaters, or Muslim prayergoers. rSS militants get identified while chanting religious slogans. Gandhi’s assassin, Nathuram Godse, was an rSS member. It was the rSS which spearheaded demolition of the Babri mosque on December 6, 1992, The present-day advocates (pracharak) of the rSS claim that their organization is pacifist. however, an ideologue, M.S. Golwalkar, referred to Christians and Muslims as “internal threats”. he praised Nazi Germany as an example of “race pride” from which India could learn. Satish Misra, a political analyst at the Observer research Foundation in New Delhi says, [Indian prime minister] “Modi is the most loved child of the rSS.” Neerja Chowdhury, a political commentator and columnist reported, ‘The party advocates that to be a true Indian one has to be a hindu. It describes other religious minorities, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, as part of India, because their faiths originated there. They believe that even India’s Muslims are actually hindu because their hindu ancestors were forced to convert to Islam’.

The anti-conversion laws in states, ban on cow slaughter, annexation of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir State, and now the combined civil code on the anvil are the rSS’s demands. The rSS wants to convert nonhindus to hinduism under its homecoming (ghar wapsi) policy. C.P. Bhishikar’s biography of hedgewar, Keshav Sanghnirmata, tells how rSS founder equated Muslims to yavana (snakes). rSS spurns the Indian Constitution and believes India is a place for the hindu nation (rashtra), to live in exclusively.

The rSS has been busy re-imaging itself in media as a `cultural, not a genocidal movement’, Sunil Ambekar, secretary of the rSS’s student wing (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) launched a book ‘The rSS: roadmaps For The 21st Century’. As a prelude to the book launch, the rSS hosted an inhouse closed-door briefing for foreign journalists based in India. earlier, it held an all-India enclave in which ‘intellectuals’ from all over India, including the rSS’s puppet Muslim Munch also participated.

The rSS’s genocidal role is a caricature of Indian

Electricity tariff hike Yet again, the consumer has to pay for official neglect

F

UeL Adjustment Charges are routinely passed on to the consumer by the National electric Power regulatory Authority (NePrA). however, its approval of an 84-paisa hike for October saw a dissenting vote cast, and an account of the increase showed that the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) was apparently asleep on the job, buying power produced by plants burning residual fuel oil or high-speed diesel, when it could have acquired power from plant using coal or liquefied natural gas. As if to add insult to injury, when plants are operated in violation of the merit order, the CPPA i s supposed to provide NePrA with an estimate of how much extra the consumer has to pay.

This is an issue separate from that of circular debt, for which the government, under pressure from the IMF, may have a surcharge added to the tariff, but it is an example of how the government passes the cost of its own inefficiencies on to the consumer. The commercial and industrial consumer has the option of passing on the additional cost, though at the cost of choking off demand, but the private consumer has to find that money from his own resources.

It is not as if the economy is booming, and incomes are rising. Power tariffs join wheat, sugar, medicine and other prices, in making the consumer pay for the mistakes of faceless officials, whose costly mistakes are erased by those who should be watching out for the ordinary man.

People are being pushed dangerously close to a refusal to pay because they need the money for food (which itself is being pushed out of the reach of the common man). The government should realize that its job is to prevent the sort of mistakes that caused the power tariff hike. There was nothing inevitable about it, but this government will pretend it didn’t happen, and refrain from holding to account those responsible, thus playing its role in making sure that it happens again. And again. Until the consumer snaps. And then the great and powerful will cry out for order to be restored.

Defeat the enemy from within ZUHA TIWANA

T

here has been an increase in the national and international campaign against the Pakistan’s military, regarding the politicization of the military, by different political forces, state actors and other non-state actors, and mainly social media. The unusual campaign attempts to malign the sovereignty of the prestigious institution and its supreme intelligence force. The agenda of such hype in the media is not without a filthy motive indeed.

The saddest part is the internal forces are acting in such an absurd manner just to gain some personal and political benefits against the government and anti-Army propaganda. The foes are trying to defeat the enemy (the military in this case) from within. The politicization of the military is a strong part of that anti-Pakistan agenda that is not only to be seen within the domestic forces but also some external forums are taking advantage of the weakened internal confidence levels among institutions in Pakistan. The vicious planners, using an indirect strategy, leave no stone unturned in the defamation. They are on the task of negatively agitating the sentiments of the masses and creating abhorrence against the institution of military across the country.

The love, confidence and complete support of the people for the military can’t be trodden down so easily.

The masses have full faith in the military that is playing a very crucial role in not only defence, but many other forums of the state. To quote an example, is the recent combat against terrorism in Pakistan. The people trusted the military with every decision, and the military under a perfect command won the battle against the internationally inflicted terrorism in the state. Anticipating the sponsored terror in Pakistan and the effects it had, the world assumed the fate of the Islamic republic to be like the fate of Iraq, Libya and Syria.

Nevertheless, the armed forces of Pakistan crushed these terrorists and their backers and abettors. This actually annoyed the planners and compelled them to diversify their strategies against Pakistan. The

Arif Nizami Editor Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

Youth constitutes almost 65 percent of population, which India intends to target to spread ideological discontentment to destabilize Pakistan. The targeted popinternational spying network has now adopted an in- ulation is trapped through the social media platforms, direct strategy to weaken the Pakistani military on all Facebook pages, short films, telefilms, lectures and forums. They assume that, after weakening the military YouTube videos. Through these mediums, an effort they can destabilize Pakistan at its core, which is cor- has been made to defame Pakistan’s armed forces, crerect in a way because Pakistan depends on its military ate hatred in the hearts and minds of the young generfor much more than what we call security and defence. ation. The historic events are maligned and edited per historically, defamation has been used as a strategy requirements without any check and balance on them.

This article is meant to be a contribution in supof war, as mentioned by Carl von Clausewitz and Sun port of our prestigious inTzu as a military theory and stitution. We owe so much strategy. According to to our military. I aim to Clausewitz, “War is not an make the reader aware of independent phenomenon, In the line of their duties, they the foreign-sponsored but the continuation of politics by different means”. never compromise their loyalty, agenda and propaganda against our armed forces Sun Tzu was of the view sacrifice and intentions for their and intelligence agencies.

“The height of strategy is to work for nothing but attack the opponent’s stratbeloved homeland and no month They securing the national interegy.” Defeating the eneests. The theme of this armies from within have goes by when we don’t see any ticle lies in not allowing many elucidations; creating martyr from the institution. We the defamation and politifault lines, causing split, cization of Pakistan’s mildefamation and humiliaitary forces. For we can’t tion, hatching plots and owe a lot to them, indeed. So, let’s imagine the hardships and conspiracies, politicization our to tribute and homage pay challenges the armed perof key institutions and sonnel and their families causing hatred against instibrave men and stop every go through while fulfilling tutions of national security. domestic and international force their duties against the Moreover, 2021 marks conventional, non-conven50 years of 1971 Indo- exploiting our supreme institution tional, counter insurgency, Pakistan war, a war that media warfare, and threats was lost by Pakistan. The of hybrid warfare. inefficiency of politicians, In the line of their dubureaucracy, establishment and society at large was at full display in the crisis of ties, they never compromise their loyalty, sacrifice 1971. The external forces downsized Pakistan on all and intentions for their beloved homeland and no fronts. Indian involvement in the whole saga clearly month goes by when we don’t see any martyr from highlighted that India was, and will continue to remain, the institution. We owe a lot to them, indeed. So, let’s a foe and would leave no stone unturned to undo Pak- pay homage and tribute to our brave men and stop istan. The phenomenon of hybrid warfare has added a every domestic and international force exploiting our new dimension to the traditional concept of war and supreme institution. media has become a significant tool in reshaping pubZuha Tiwana is a psychologist and can be lic opinion. The defaming and maligning of the most respected institution of Pakistan is in no way justified. reached at zuhatiwana@gmail.com

Attempts to malign the military are foreign conspiracies

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

role model it aspires to be. It is high time for India to translate words into action. In this context, I also wish to call on the eU to address these concerns within the constitution, visualizing a `sovereign socialist secular eU-India human rights Dialogue.”

Pointing out that the rule of law is the very cornerdemocratic republic ‘and its Article prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex stone of the eU’s relationship with India, Arena referred or place of birth. The Indian CDS’s outburst about to the Amnesty International India report on human overrunning nuclear Pakistan or exercising military rights violations committed by Delhi police during the options on China is in keeping with the hindutva riots in the capital in February. “Marginalised commumentality. his statement caricatures the Indian prime nities, religious minorities, particularly Muslims, a minister’s assurance at all-parties’ conference China vocal and vibrant civil society and critics of government policies have been under increasing pressure for did not trespass an inch of Indian territory.

The hindu civil and military leadership is nostal- a long time. Widespread protests over the proposed citgic about ancient India’s prosperity during the Maurya izenship verification process and the discriminatory citand the Gupta periods achieved through total-war tac- izenship law amendments have resulted in arbitrary tics (Major General rajendra Nath, Military Leader- detentions and an unnecessary loss of life. Journalists ship in India: Vedic Period to Indo-Pak Wars). The and other peaceful critics continue to be arrested under draconian counter-terrorism Indian Army is wedded to and sedition laws, while a keynote of Krishna’s human rights defenders are strategy: `The end justifies the means. The truth In a statement, Arena, the Chair of unceasingly and severely targeted by the authorities,” may often have to be sacthe European Parliament’s human Arena noted. rificed in pursuit of vicShe also expressed tory (Karma Parva)’. rights panel, reminded India that concern over Amnesty InBrihaspati and Kautilya ternational India being (Arthashastra) stress as a sitting member of the UN forced to halt its work in koota yuddha (no-holdsthe country “due to govbarred war) or maya yudHuman Rights Council, the ernment reprisals”. dha (war by deception) country had pledged to “continue In a background note against the non-hindu. circulated along with the A state that flouts into foster the genuine participation statement, it was pointed ternational treaties and conventions is a rogue and effective involvement of civil out that the 2004 eU-India Strategic Partnership is state. India reneged on its society in the promotion and based on shared values of commitment to hold a democracy, the rule of law plebiscite in illegally occuprotection of human rights”. and respect for human pied Jammu and Kashmir rights. Further, it was State. It expresses disdain pointed out that both counfor the UN resolutions tries had endorsed the “eUpointing out human rights violations in India. A recent case in point is India’s out- India Strategic Partnership: A roadmap to 2025” rage on the international outcry at the molestation of during the 5th european Union-India Summit on July women in India, including at hathras (Uttar Pradesh). 15, reaffirming commitment to promoting the shared Not only the UN but also the european Union ex- values of human rights and fundamental freedoms. earlier in January, six different political grouppressed profound sadness and concern ‘at the the continuing cases of sexual violence against women and ings in the european Parliament moved separate resgirls in India’. Maria Arena, the Chair of the european olutions against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Parliament’s Subcommittee on human rights, listed a Together, the resolutions had the backing of 626 litany of areas of concern in India with a reminder: “It members of the 751-member european Parliament.

Indian diplomats had to work overtime to defer the is high time for India to translate words into action.”

In a statement, Arena, the Chair of the european vote to March, by which time the pandemic bailed Parliament’s human rights panel, reminded India that India out of the tight spot. as a sitting member of the UN human rights Council, Amjed Jaaved is a freelance journalist, has the country had pledged to “continue to foster the genuine participation and effective involvement of civil served in the Pakistan government for 39 years and society in the promotion and protection of human holds degrees in economics, business administration, law.

He can be reached at rights”. “Therefore, I call on the Indian government and to meet this pledge, in a manner worthy of the global amjedjaaved@gmail.com.

The RSS ideology’s triumph is a nightmare

I

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

I

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

I

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

I

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Saturday, 10 October, 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

Remdesiver, vaccine of Covid-19 reMDeSIVer and the steroid dexamethasone are the only drugs authorised in europe to treat Covid-19. Meanwhile, In July, the 27 european Union countries and Britain, with a combined population of 500 million, secured doses to treat about 30,000 patients. As it is vital that such vaccine should be recommended to each country which are the victims of Covid-19 and especially World health Organisation (WhO) has to provide such vaccine to the poorest country so that they must similarly defeat Covid-19 easily and make themselves free from this pandemic virus.

MEhr Baloch Sajidi awaran

Child labour

The more it changes, the more it’s the same From ancient times to modern, women have been denied rights AlI SAjId lASHArI

W

OeFULLY speaking, it’s not tragedy of today but for many centuries, women have been subjected to inhumane treatment, they had and have suffered a great deal of pain from brutes who are in the guise of human beings. The cruelties and barbaric behaviour with the female gender dates back to ancient civilizations such as the Babylonian, the Greek, the roman, the Persian, the Indian, the Chinese, in Judaism, Christianity and the Arab civilization before Islam, and is still in progress.

There is no denying the fact that the human is the best creature of God but, unfortunately, women, in Babylon civilization, were treated like the worst of animals and were considered the scum of the earth. They had no right to ask for their due rights. It is very heart-wrenching that it was the law of land that if any husband would murder any person, his wife was sentenced to death rather him.

Women, in roman civilization could not get more rights than in the Greek. roman law deprived them of their civil rights, and their legal personality was not acknowledged at all. It also counted woman as cause of all evils, similar to the Greek view. When roman civilization reached its peak , a man was given so much freedom that he could assassinate his wife. Further, nudity was common among them and women were used for prostitution. In addition, if any woman got married , she and her property passed into the power of her husband, and she was lie the purchased property of her husband too. She was not free to hold any office, to be a witness, surety, tutor , or guardian and could not adopt or be adopted .

The life of a woman had zero importance in Persian civilization and man was held in high esteem owing to his physical strength because the Persian nation was basically a military one, so a woman was given no importance due to her physical weakness. her lot was to suffer and die merely.

In the Indian civilization woman had status equal to that of a slave. She was the property of man wherever he would like to lose, he could and she was often lost in gambling. She was recognized as worse than bad air, death, hell, poison, snakes and fire, et-cetera. hence, the law was introduced that a woman could do nothing of her own will. Besides, in Indian civilization, it was obligatory upon the woman to treat her husband like God because he was regarded as the representative of theAlmihty. regrettably speaking, a wife was burnt alive with her husband’s corpse if he died before her.

Whenever a father in the Chinese civiliza- dislodged on behalf of wives, sisters are being tion got the news of female baby, he used to forced to wed against their will, with brothers take her to the market to sell. If no one bought selling them for akhs and wives are tortured her there, he used to leave her in a deserted physically and divorced on petty issues.

It is very unfortunate that, despite being area, or strangled her to death, or threw her in water, or buried her alive. Sometimes, the cruel well-educated and aware of women rights enfather left his angel-like daughter in an unin- shrined in the constitution, we are following in habited field so that the cold frost could kill her the footsteps of our ancestors who disregarded females because of illiteracy. We use them for or predators eat her.

Chinese people recognized woman as a fool our personal and domestic needs but don’t proand miserable creature, who had no right to de- vide them with love, kindness and care.

It’s an undeniable fact that flower-like immand anything, and as soon as she married they called her ‘Fu or obedient: she had to obey hus- mature female kids are deflowered, and young girls, grown women and very old women are band’s every demand whether fair or foul.

The adherents of Judaism paid no respect to raped every day in this world. Women are prowoman and held her solely responsible for evict- hibited from acquiring education , women are not permitted to do ing Adam from paraany job and those dise. They said that who do , they get the first thing that lower salaries than provoked the human their male colbeing and ejected Eyes tear up and the heart leagues, eventhough him from heaven was wrenches while witnessing such they dothe same she. It is penned in work. We have lessthe Old Testament barbaric behavior towards female ened job opportunithat ,”woman introfor women in duced the sin in the gender on the part of men. Now, ties private and governworld and she is ment sectors and it is cause of our destrucwe will have to ponder over our very disgusting, we tion”. have also few seats Furthermore, deeds that we have left no stone in national and woman was the posprovincial assemsession of the father unturned in demeaning and blies, judiciary and before marriage and degrading woman whereas she other institutions alhe had the right to located for females sell her before she has nourished us as a mother , in comparison with was fully mature if men, and those he did not have enough money to loved us as a sister and served us women who succeed in getting jobs, are sustain his family in selflessly as a wifeharassed by their colJewish society. Unleagues. Is it not anfortunately, she was injustice with them? not married but sold It is gut-wrenchout: dowry was given to the father or brother, then she became the ing that sexual and physical violence against the property of the husband and he was the absolute female gender like rapes, early marriages, trafficking, family partner violence and female genowner of her life.

Christianity, in its early era, moved heaven ital mutilation is spiking with each passing day and earth for the betterment of females and re- .In accordance with global estimates published warded them prizes so that they could be saved by the WhO, about one in three (35 percent) of from being defamed, but faced failure. They women worldwide have experienced either sexcould not be protected from man’s atrocities. ual or physically intimate partner violence or The priests called woman the root cause of all non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. eyes tear up and the heart wrenches while evils and Christians considered better being unmarried than married. Saul said in this connec- witnessing such barbaric behavior towards fetion, “One who gets is daughter married, does male gender on the part of men. Now, we will a wonderful job, and one who does not get his have to ponder over our deeds that we have left no stone unturned in demeaning and degrading daughter married, does a far better job”.

If the condition of women in the aformen- woman whereas she has nourished us as a tioned civilzations is compared with this present mother , loved us as a sister and served us selfage, there is not an iota of difference. They are lessly as a wife. suffering from the same conditions their sisters Ali Sajid Lashari is a freelance columnist and foremothers coped with. Mothers are being

PAKISTAN is the country where children hold tools in their hands instead of books. It’s a country where at morning the children go to their working places inplace of schools. however, child labour has been influencing our nation rapidly. There are millions of children who suffer from child labour and are deprived from reading and learning. According to the latest world report of International Labour Organization States on child labour 2013, around 265 million in the world are working ,almost 17 percent of world wide child population. More than 12.5 million children are involved in child labour in Pakistan. Similarly, a report by reuters Pakistan’s Labour Force Survey 2014-15 elicts that those children who are aged between 10 to 14, are active in child labour. If the process goes with the same flow than generation after generation will have to suffer from child labour.

Farahnaz Farooq ahMEd TurBaT

Losing courage IT is not only an issue for the students, but also for all age people that they lose their courage when either called on an stage or asked to deliver something in front of some strangers.Being a student, I experienced this.Courage comes from self-belief if a person believes in himself, he can be courageous to go on stages and face any kind of people, however, selfdoubt is something that creates obstacles in the way of one’s success by making him uncourageous as it is rightly said, “Self-doubt is a thief of your soul, talent and opportunities in life”.That’s why, I request everyone to come out of the trap of self-doubt in order to avail the opportunities in life.

SaTTar SaMad TurBaT

Covid second-wave?

UNTIL there is a vaccine for Coronavirus, the only way to protect ourselves and to stop the spread of the disease is through preventive measures. research shows that as of today the best defense against this deadly virus is to wear masks and observe social distancing. In the absence of any vaccine, the only way to restrict the spread of COVID-19 is to wear face masks and adopt other preventive measures. When the federal and provincial governments imposed strict lockdown, the Coronavirus declined, and Pakistan was able to flatten the curve. however, the virus did not disappear and still poses a grave danger. With the onset of winter and resurgence of the second wave of COVID-19 across the globe, we must be extremely cautious before it gets out of hands. however, our leaders seem oblivious to this fact.

Political leadership acts as role models for society, which in our country is failing us. Instead of being good role models in following the SOPs, our politicians from the government as well as the opposition are exhibiting reckless behaviors in public with total disregard for precautionary measures.

They are not wearing masks and if a few do they do not do it properly.

People are not maintaining any distance and shaking hands in their rallies, corner meetings, and social gatherings. This I am afraid is setting us up for a disaster in near future. Our leaders who enjoy the riches they extracted from this poor nation are not only well protected but also well served with worldclass healthcare if they ever get sick. Unfortunately, their followers, who follow their role models are becoming careless in following necessary precautions are in grave danger on two counts. First, they are more likely to get sick because of the unsanitary and poor conditions they dwell in. Second, if they get sick, they are at the mercy of a system that is unable to provide them with even an iota of decent healthcare services. Perhaps, they deserve it for being the followers of a self-serving lot. I appeal to our leadership from the government and the opposition to have mercy on the people of this poor country. We already have enough problems such as excruciating inflation and ever-increasing unemployment than to face a second wave of the deadly virus. If not for themselves, they should try to follow the SOPs to set an example for their followers. Working to gain power is all but natural, but they must realize that it would only be good if the country is able to survive.

What good would it be to make marginal gains in personal power at the cost of a huge national catastrophe? It is time we all work together to strictly enforce preventive measures or be prepared to face another crisis. raja ShaFaTullah iSlaMaBad

Justice for Ahmadi community IN Peshawar a professor was shot dead by attackers in the wazir bagh area of the city on Monday “World Teachers Day.” Dr Naeemuddin Khattak was a zoology professor at superior science college in Peshawar. he was going home in regi area from the college where he was opened fire by unidentified bikers at Doura road. The police has investigated that he was killed because of an argument over religion a day earlier. This was the third case of Ahmadi community since 29 July.Tahir naseem, an American national was shot dead by a teenager in a court. On Aug 12, Meraj Ahmed, an Ahmadi trader, was shot dead by attackers in the gulbahar area. It is requested to the government of Pakistan to give justice to all of Ahmadi community and those all professors who are builders of the students and provide us knowledge and makes our nation proud.The killers should be hanged.

ShayzanTh juMMah TurBaT

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

When are troops leaving afghanistan?

DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK

Politico LaRa SeLiGMan and COnnOR O’bRien

p

RESIDENT Donald Trump made a surprise announcement on Wednesday night, just 90 minutes before the vice presidential debate, that the remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan "should" be home by Christmas. In doing so, he called for drastically accelerating the timeline for withdrawal and managed to undercut his own national security adviser, who just hours earlier said the U.S. planned to draw down to 2,500 troops by early next year. "We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!" Trump tweeted.

The president has repeatedly promised to end America's "endless wars" and has touted his administration's moves to bring

home hundreds of U.S. service members from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and even Germany. And his Afghanistan tweet came as he sought to boost his own foreign policy achievements ahead of a major political event watched by millions of Americans.

Robert O'Brien, the national security adviser, had provided the most detailed timeline to date on the administration's plans to wind down America's commitment there when he made his comments on Wednesday.

Under a deal between the U.S. and the Taliban announced in February, Washington agreed to leave Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for a set of guarantees from the Taliban, including disavowing terrorist groups and negotiating a permanent ceasefire and power-sharing agreement with the Afghan government.

During O'Brien's remarks at the University of Nevada, he stressed that Taliban and Afghan negotiators, who opened long-delayed peace talks last month, must work out their differences. "It’s going to be slow progress, it’s going to be hard progress, but we think it’s a necessary step — we think Americans need to come home,” O’Brien said.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined to

comment. A senior administration official, asked about the conflicting timelines, noted on Thursday that “POTUS really laid down a marker yesterday." "He’s the commander in chief and we all follow his lead," said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. But the commander of U.S. forces there, Army Gen. Austin Miller, sounded a less optimistic note late last month, telling reporters that violence in the country remained “too high.” “Taliban violence has to slow down — it has to stop.

What it’s driving is an increase in violence across the country,” he said. “Their violence has to come down. The world is watching.

We have an opportunity for peace, which is what the people of Afghanistan are looking for.” Meanwhile, a recent watchdog report found that the Taliban maintains "close" ties to al Qaeda. O'Brien's remarks come just weeks after Gen. Frank McKenzie, the top U.S. general in the Middle East, announced that the U.S. plans to cut the number of troops in Afghanistan from 8.600 to 4,500 by late October.

Pentagon officials have said that further troop withdrawals will be based on the security condition in the country. During a hear-

ing before the House Oversight National Security Subcommittee in September, Trump's special envoy for Afghan peace talks and the Pentagon's top Indo-Pacific policy official stressed that point to skeptical lawmakers.

"We are on the path to reduce troop levels to between 4,000 and 5,000 by this fall and further withdrawals will be determined based on conditions on the ground and delivery by the Taliban on their commitments," said Zalmay Khalilzad, the administration's special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation.

David Helvey, the interim assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, noted that Defense Secretary Mark Esper hadn’t yet given any instructions to withdraw more troops, though the Pentagon had begun mapping out a potential complete pullout. "I'd like to make clear that the secretary has not issued orders to reduce military personnel below this 4,000 to 5,000 level in Afghanistan, although we are conducting prudent planning to withdraw to zero service members by May 2021 if conditions warrant, per the U.S.-Taliban agreement," Helvey testified.

Asked about Trump’s tweet, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said as part of the peace effort NATO has reduced its presence in Afghanistan to roughly 12,000 troops who train, advise and assist Afghan security forces. He stressed that the interna-

tional coalition will make decisions about future presence “based on the conditions on the ground.” “We decided to go into Afghanistan together; we will make decisions on future adjustments together and when the time is right, we will leave together,” he said.

In the House, Democrats and Republicans have sought to stymie Trump's withdrawal plans as part of annual defense policy legislation. The House Armed Services Committee over the summer approved a provision in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act that would block Trump from reducing U.S. forces in Afghanistan below two key levels — 8,000 and 4,000 — unless the Pentagon certifies that doing so won't put U.S. personnel at risk, hurt counterterrorism operations or risk giving terrorists greater havens, among other details.

The measure, which was pushed by Democrat Jason Crow of Colorado and Republican Liz Cheney of Wyoming, passed the Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly in July. The Senate didn't seek to block an Afghanistan drawdown in its defense bill, and lawmakers will have to hammer out that and other differences when they return after the election. But Trump's drawdown order has undercut Congress, which likely won't send him a final defense bill until sometime in December.

India works to boost influence in Iran Right-wing terrorists will not INDIA IS SEEKING TO REMAIN INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AT IRAN'S PORTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE CHABAHAR PORT HELPS INDIA GAIN ACCESS TO AN IMPORTANT GEOPOLITICAL REGION

Al-Monitor Sabena Siddiqui

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar both visited Tehran last month, on separate occasions but within the same week. Though the purpose of the meetings — according to official statements — was aimed at “strengthening bilateral cooperation” and discussing some “important regional issues,” the agenda likely included the handling of Chabahar Port in Iran. New Delhi has been working closely with Tehran on initiatives to help make the port an economic success. Chabahar, located less than 900 miles from Mumbai, will serve as an important gateway for India into Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Unscheduled, these brief stopovers by senior Indian ministers denote a growing uneasiness in India ever since the drafting of a prospective 25-year strategic partnership between Iran and China was leaked.

During a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tehran in 2016, Iran, India and Afghanistan had signed a trilateral agreement named the International Transport and Transit Corridor to facilitate the transfer of Indian goods to Afghanistan via Chabahar Port. Since the draft mentioned large-scale Chinese investments in Iranian ports, Indian involvement in various projects could get affected and having an important role in developing a terminal at Chabahar Port, New Delhi is bound to be concerned. Even though Tehran’s deal with Beijing is not final, New Delhi would like to consolidate its interests in Iran.

Notably, Singh became the first Indian defense minister to visit Iran in two decades. After having a positive round of talks with his Iranian counterpart, Singh tweeted, “Had a very fruitful meeting with Iranian defense minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami in Tehran. We discussed regional security issues including Afghanistan and the issues of bilateral cooperation.” Two days later, the Indian foreign minister arrived in Tehran for a short visit on his way to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Or-

ganization Summit in Moscow. According to reports, both the visiting Indian ministers had sought assurances from the Iranian side that New Delhi would remain involved in port handling and other projects, and the situation would remain unchanged if China and Iran do finalize the strategic partnership.

New Delhi’s concerns are not unfounded as India was dropped from the Chabahar-Zahedan rail project citing concerns over delays and funding in July. At that time, Farhad Montaser, the deputy to Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, had even stated that Iran had no agreement on building the railway line.

According to The Hindu news daily, Iranian Railways had decided to complete the project itself, using $400 million from its own National Development Fund. Losing one more project, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs had disclosed that India’s ONGC Videsh Ltd. had been “cut out of the development of an Iranian gas field project, Farzad-B, though talks had been in process since 2009.”

However, Iranian officials had denied reports suggesting that Chabahar Port would be leased to China even though speculations were rife about a "$400 billion" strategic partnership between Beijing and Tehran at that time, and the general perception was that India had received a permanent setback. Describing the implications for New Delhi, former Indian envoy to Iran KC Singh had said, “[The Iran-China deal] impinges on India’s ‘strategic ties’ with Iran and the use of Chabahar port. Jask lies to the west of Chabahar and right before the Strait of Hormuz. China would thus extend its control along the PakistanIran coast.” However, the recent talks have been successful. Nearly two weeks after the visits by both the ministers, New Delhi has asserted that it remains engaged with Tehran.

Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, the Indian parliament, Minister of External Affairs V. Muraleedharan stated that India and Iran continue to cooperate on developmental projects in Iran and that even the Chabahar-Zahedan railway project worth around $1.6 billion is back on track. In reply to another query, Muraleedharan also announced that India will be participating in the first phase of development of the Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar. Having

taken over the port operations in December 2018, India Ports Global Ltd. have been handling the cargo. If Tehran and New Delhi are planning to implement Chabahar and other projects under Indian supervision once again, it would be a significant move. First, India wishes to balance Chinese influence in the region and if New Delhi manages to regain its footing in Tehran, it has some symbolic value.

Manoj Joshi, a foreign policy expert from the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, said, “Iran is also important in the sense that China has been dominating the region, and New Delhi doesn’t want to give a free run to Beijing."

Second, the timing of the IndoIranian reengagement is particularly interesting as the Indo-China border has remained volatile since last year and some serious frictions have taken place lately. Moreover, Iran and India also have a strategic defense pact known as the New Delhi Declaration since 2003. Third, Chabahar in the Sistan-Baluchistan province can be New Delhi’s gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia since it is denied land routes via Pakistan by Islamabad. Situated about 900 miles from the Indian port city and commercial capital of Mumbai, Chabahar helps India gain access to an important geopolitical region. Finally, Chabahar strengthens trade links between Tehran and New Delhi. Before Iran got sanctioned by the United States, it had strong commercial and cultural ties with India and New Delhi and imported $12.11 billion worth of crude oil in 2018-19. After suspending oil purchases, bilateral trade was left to just around $4.77 billion and Indian influence also decreased in Iran.

In the days ahead, the Indo-Iranian strategic relationship will depend a lot on the closeness between Beijing and Tehran, and if a 25-year strategic partnership finally kicks off, India’s relations with Iran can cool off once again. Likewise, the IndoUS economic and strategic relationship has also had an impact on trade ties with Tehran, as New Delhi reduced its oil imports after the imposition of sanctions. Meanwhile, negotiations between China and Iran continue at a snail’s pace and it is possible that an agreement will be inked in the months ahead.

stand back - and Australia should not stand by

Sydney Morning HerAld eLLiOtt bRennan

The foiled plot by right-wing domestic terrorists to kidnap one of the United States’ most prominent governors should sound an alert for Australia.

After months of crises, the tearing apart of America's social fabric is heaving the nation to a dangerous moment. With the arrests of plotters in Michigan, we caught a glimpse of just how emboldened some of these extremists have become.

They would gleefully lead the US into civil war.

A pre-eminent expert in the field, Australia's David Kilcullen, points out that the US has met many of the thresholds for an “incipient insurgency”. That is a term usually reserved for discussions about countries outside the world’s leading economies. And Australia is not immune. As its domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, recently reported, far-right domestic terrorism threats comprise as much as 40 per cent of its case load.

But first to Michigan and the Wolverine Watchmen, a militia group linked to the kidnapping plot.

It contains members pining for a much larger insurgency. Some within the fold believe Michigan and the United States have strayed so far from the sacred path charted by the American constitution that they must exercise their Second Amendment rights to bear arms and organise and maintain militias - and inspire others to follow them.

This was the alleged plan: kidnap Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer from her holiday home, set off bombs across the county to confuse the response of authorities, imply a breakdown in government and the Michigan legislature, and watch as groups in other states followed suit and sent the country into a civil war.

Why Whitmer? Because she had become the poster child for what they saw as overly harsh lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic. This was not an isolated plot and these groups have already been emboldened. The so-called “Boogaloo” movement, defined by military-grade weapons in the hands of Hawaiian shirt-clad civil war preppers, has used the pandemic to aggressively recruit online. Critically, groups like the Wolverine Watchmen have been afforded an immense amount of power in Michigan already this year.

In late April, as citizens bristled early in the pandemic, armed militia members and a pastiche of conspiracy theorists and genuinely outraged

first-time protesters pushed their way past police outside the Michigan State Capitol building and occupied it while the legislature debated stay-athome orders. The morning after that action, President Donald Trump tweeted that the protesters were “very good people” and that Whitmer should negotiate with them.

A fortnight later, the Michigan legislature cancelled a sitting in the face of another planned occupation. From the perspective of the militia groups, this was a remarkable victory. They had the implied political cover of the President, and they had shut down the government. While Trump’s office should put him at odds with anti-government extremists and conspiracy theorists, his outsider status has primed a perception of him as their ally inside the citadel.

When he should have been condemning the dangerous QAnon conspiracy theorists and the scourge of white supremacy, Trump has at every turn hedged and preserved this perception of himself while maintaining plausible deniability. Notably, when asked to condemn white supremacists, Trump told them to “stand back and stand by”. In short, he has not created these forces, but he leans into them, and amplifies them, when they challenge his political enemies.

When federal marshals shot a man alleged to have killed a member of a right-wing group, Trump celebrated the shooting, and said ‘‘there has to be retribution’’. When his political allies, such as Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, have broken the law, he and his Attorney-General have rewarded their loyalty by commuting the sentence or dropping the charges. This is a terrifying philosophy of justice from the supposed leader of the free world. When it comes to radicalised extremists and conspiracy theorists, these are not trivial developments. Indeed, Trump's actions imply impunity in exchange for loyalty and retribution for disloyalty.

The net effect is validation of the “silent majority” that is a volatile ingredient in the cocktail of extremism and conspiracy theory. An exemplar acts, others follow. This was the hope of the shooter in the massacre at the Christchurch mosques, an Australian radicalised online.

While clearly not as dangerous, conspiracy theorists have also been mobilised. They sincerely hoped they would change the course of Australian history when they marched in Melbourne against Premier Daniel Andrews and his lockdown. Preemptive arrests and the shakedown of protests by a militarised police force merely affirmed their assessment of an overbearing government.

While the situation in the US differs, it would be irresponsible for legislators in Australia to see the plot against Whitmer and these events at home as totally distinct. As ASIO has pointed out, there are more sinister right-wing actors in Australia. As malicious actors see the breakdown of social cohesion in countries such as the US and Australia, they seek opportunities to bolster their ranks.The onset of the pandemic, declining trust in institutions, the dramatic increase in internet usage and malicious disinformation campaigns have created an environment ripe for these forces to grow in Australia.

Elliott Brennan is a research associate at the United States Studies Centre.

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

BUSINESS 09 MARKET DAILY

Bull-run continues at PSX; index gains another 444 points KARACHI: Bulls extended their control on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday, with the benchmark index accumulating gains all day long ahead of earnings season. Global equity markets also showed a positive trend, whereas crude oil prices dipped lower from the previous close; WTI crude price declining 1.00pc to $40.78 while Brent crude falling 0.81pc to $43.00. "After dropping 46 points earlier in the day, the index rebounded with the same vigor as observed in the last two sessions. Overall, the index has posted an increase of 2,230 points since the bottom touched on October 6, 2020," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. "Banking and exploration & production sectors performed well on the back of quarterly earnings as well as an increase in international crude oil prices yesterday." The KSE-100 Index remained in the green for almost the entire session, registering its intraday high at 40,830.22 after gaining 476.60 points. It settled higher by 444.81 points at 40,798.43. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index accumulated 553.00 points to close at 65,270.65, while the KSE All Share Index added 240.79 points, ending at 28,874.05. The overall market volumes fell from 476.73 million shares in the previous session to 358.60 million shares (-25pc). Average traded value also declined by 24pc, from $96.2 million to $72.8 million.

Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL -5.06pc), Unity Foods Ltd (UNITY +4.10pc) and TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG +5.65pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 53.94 million, 34.99 million and 21.44 million shares, respectively. Sectors that drove the benchmark index north included banking (+148.16 points), oil & gas exploration (+75.08 points) and power generation & distribution (+44.13 points). Among other companies, Habib Bank Ltd (HBL +63.52 points), Hub Power Company Ltd (HUBC +47.08 points) and Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDC +30.93 points) remained the top contributors.

Adding 3.16pc to its cumulative market capitalization, the automobile assembling sector ended as the top performer, with Indus Motor Company Ltd (INDU +1.64pc), Atlas Honda Ltd (ATLH +5.26pc) and Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Ltd (HCAR +3.53pc) posting decent gains.

Meawhile, Sazgar Engineering Works Ltd (SAZEW +7.5pc) announced its production and sales data for September 2020. A total of 1,271 units were produced while 1,561 units were sold. STAFF REPORT

Weekly inflation rises 1.24pc due to increase in food prices ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the combined group in the period ended on October 8 increased by 1.24pc on the back of an uptick in prices of essential food items, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Friday. For the lowest income group earning below Rs17,732 per month, the SPI increased by 1.56pc, while the same for the highest-earning group i.e. those earning above Rs44,175, recorded an increase of 1.08pc. The PBS calculates the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) based on the prices of 51 essential items from 50 markets across 17 cities of the country. Items that witnessed a price increase during the week included tomatoes (16.39pc); onions (12.78pc); eggs (10.78pc); chicken (5.34pc); wheat flour bag (2.78pc); potatoes (2.64pc); moong pulse (1.21pc); and sugar (1.03pc). Meanwhile, the prices of non-food items remained unchanged over the week. Items whose prices declined during the week included bananas (2.17pc); mash pulse (0.19pc); and gur (0.04pc). It is worth mentioning that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation during the month of September accelerated by 9.04pc — above expectations — on the back of an increase in food inflation. Arif Habib Ltd (AHL), in its analysis on the September inflation, had noted that the uptick in food prices was likely to be short-lived due to an expected reversal in volatile food prices — staple goods mainly — on improving supply post-monsoon season and resumption of logistics following the easing of the coronavirus lockdown. STAFF REPORT

HorTiculTure eXPorTerS decry 800Pc Surge in PHyToSAniTAry cerTificATe fee ISLAMABAD

H

GHULAM ABBAS

ORTICULTURE exporters have termed the government’s decision to increase the fee of phytosantiray certificates by around 800pc “a major barrier in increasing or maintaining the existing volume of exports”.

Without giving any justification, the Federal Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFS&R) had recently enhanced the fee for the issuance of phyto certificates for export consignments.

The new fee, as per the exporters, is many times higher than the same in neighboring countries like India.

Following the exorbitant increase, implemented from September 2020, the exporters are now paying Rs2,500 to get a certificate instead of the previous Rs300.

"This sudden increase in the fee without any con-

sultation with the relevant trade body would further multiply the cost of export consignments, making it very difficult to compete in international markets," said All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers & Merchants Association (PFVA) head Waheed Ahmed in a letter to concerned ministries.

"While the government is striving hard to enhance exports of fruits and vegetables, the MNFS&R has increased the fee of phyto certificate by about 800pc, which indicates serious discrepancy in desire and action on part of the government institutions," the letter stated. "This disproportionate increase in fee is unrealistic and will seriously affect exports by air."

Comparing the phyto certificate fee with other countries, Waheed informed that the maximum fee of the said certificate in India is $1.36 (Rs228), while the same in Sri Lanka is $0.87 (Rs140) and $0.24 in Bangladesh (Rs40). "Pakistan was already charging Rs300 for the certificate -- highest in the region -- and now that been further enhanced to Rs2,500," the PFVA

‘ECC likely to approve reduction in duties for chemical, mineral sectors’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood said on Friday the National Tariff Policy (NTP) Board has decided to reduce additional customs duties (ACD) and regulatory duties (RD) on another 150 tariff lines.

“The National Tariff Policy (NTP) Board met yesterday in which the next round of reduction in ACDs and RDs on another 150 lines of items, in the chemicals and minerals sector, was proposed,” the adviser said on his official twitter account.

He added that the commerce ministry is hopeful that this second round of reduction, since July 2020, will be approved by

the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) in the month of October 2020.

“After this [approval by ECC], the sectors of engineering and food processing will be examined and any areas with glaring anomalies, where raw materials have been wrongly classified, will be reviewed,” the adviser said, adding that the

board [during the meeting] also looked at the complete tax chain of the plastic sector. He requested all plastic-related businesses to come forward with their suggestions, as “this is a very important line for our 3-year roadmap of tariff rationalization”.

Dawood said that in pursuance of the objectives of National Tariff Policy 2019-24, meetings of the TPB are being held on a regular basis. Prior to this policy, proposals regarding tariff rationalizations were mostly discussed at the time of budget exercise, he added.

He further stated that as per the vision of the prime minister, tariffs are being used as instruments of trade policy so that the manufacturing sector in Pakistan could be strengthened.

KP traders demand withdrawal of recent hike in power tariff PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has rejected up to Rs0.83 per unit increase in electricity tariff, the terming NEPRA's decision "a grave injustice" with the people, especially the business community, of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

"Despite producing low-cost electricity, KP is purchasing electricity on exorbitant rates, which is completely unfair and unjust with the people of this province,” said SCCI President Sherbaz Bilour stated while talking to a delegation of traders at the chamber house on Friday.

He said that gradual increase in the price of electricity has not only damaged industrial productivity, but has also caused food inflation, which directly affects the poor masses.

Bilour assured the traders that a special committee at the chamber level would be constituted soon to identify issues pertaining to electricity, gas,

wedding halls, restaurants and other businesses affected by the outbreak of Covid-19.

The SCCI chief maintained that the recent hike in electricity tariff from October 1 would adversely affect the national economy, especially the manufacturing sector, as the country's industrial process would come to a halt.

"The government is increasing the prices of electricity, but the industries are still facing supply issues. Problems of power tripping, low voltage and load shedding are badly affecting industrial productivity.”

Bilour president demanded the federal government to immediately withdraw the recent hike in electricity tariff and to ensure uninterrupted power supply to industries across the province.

The delegation members included All Pakistan Hotels and Restaurants Association President Khalid Ayub, SCCI Senior Vice President Engineer Mazoor Elahi, Shafi Market-Peshawar President Akbar Ali and other prominent trade leaders of KP.

chief lamented.

He explained that a phyto certificate is mandatory for an export consignment with multiple containers.

As the fee is paid for each container separately, one can well imagine the high cost of such export consignments, he added.

"After Covid-19 outbreak, the export of fruits & vegetables by air has been encountering great difficulties due to exorbitant increase in cost of air freight by the airlines, while the undesirable increase in issuance fee of phyto certificates has added fuel to the fire.

Hence, the possibility of complete discontinuation of by-air exports cannot be ruled out since the cost of python certificate is far much higher than the profit earned on an item."

The PFVA head appealed before the MNFS&R to reconsider the recent abnormal increase in the issuance fee of phyto certificates. Keeping in view the national and international situation, the fee shall be brought down to a reasonable level, in line with other countries.

PTA blocks TikTok for 'immoral and indecent' content ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

Pakistan’s telecom regulator blocked TikTok on Friday for failing to filter out “immoral and indecent” content, another blow to the social media app that has come under increasing scrutiny as its popularity has surged across the globe. The ban comes in view of “complaints from different segments of the society against immoral and indecent content on the video sharing application,” said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PTA said it would review its ban, subject to a satisfactory mechanism by TikTok to moderate unlawful content. TikTok said it was “committed to following the law in markets where the app is offered. “We have been in regular communication with the PTA and continue to work with them. We are hopeful to reach a conclusion that helps us continue to serve the country’s vibrant and creative online community,” it said. TikTok, owned

by China-based ByteDance, has become hugely popular in a short period of time, by encouraging young users to post brief videos. Its quick rise has caught it in a firestorm, with a number of countries raising security and privacy concerns over its links to China. In June, it was blocked in India - then its largest market by users - which cited national security concerns at a time of a border dispute with China. Separately, it faces the threat of being barred in the United States, and scrutiny in other countries including Australia. TikTok has long denied that its links to China pose a security concern in other countries. Three Pakistani officials had told Reuters earlier on Friday that a ban on the app in Pakistan was imminent. “We have been asking them repeatedly to put in place an effective mechanism for blocking immoral and indecent content,” one of the top officials directly involved in the decision told Reuters. “The platform, however, hasn’t been able to fully satisfy Pakistani authorities.” Muslimmajority Pakistan has media regulations that adhere to conservative social customs. In July, the telecommunications regulator issued a “final warning” to TikTok over provocative content. The decision was taken after Prime Minister Imran Khan took a keen interest in the issue, said a second Pakistani official, adding that Khan has directed the telecoms authorities to make all efforts to block vulgar content. Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, a Pakistani group advocating for the rights of internet users, said the decision undermined the government’s dreams of a digital Pakistan.

Telenor retains Ogilvy as its creative agency in Pakistan BABAR KHAN JAVED Telenor Pakistan has named Ogilvy as its creative agency in Pakistan, following a lengthy creative review that started in April 2020. As reported by Profit, by August 2020 the creative review had shortlisted Adcom Leo Burnett and IAL Saatchi & Saatchi to potentially take over its communication design, interactive design, and concepts.

Ogilvy first won Telenor Pakistan as a client in 2017 after it had been under Adcom Leo Burnett for nearly a decade.

“We feel proud, more than happy, that we have achieved and won, with God's will, another opportunity to work, learn, and grow with Telenor Pakistan,” said Asim Naqvi, CEO of Ogilvy in Pakistan, in a statement to Profit.

THE WPP-OWNED CREATIVE AGENCY HAS RETAINED THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW Sources at Telenor told Profit that Ogilvy will be expected to help the Norwegian multinational telecommunications company maintain the leadership position in Pakistan while strengthening the current positioning even further and building deeper connections with end consumers.

Telenor Pakistan also named IAL Saatchi & Saatchi as its boutique agency for undertaking a share of the creative scope of work pertaining to smaller-scale projects.

“We are feeling blue and we couldn’t be happier’, said Imtisal Abbasi, managing partner at IAL Saatchi & Saatchi. “And we

are ready to hit the ground running.”

Sources told Profit that Telenor held a boutique agency pitch that ran parallel to the creative review, which Ogilvy did not participate in. As the boutique agency, IAL Saatchi & Saatchi will be expected to help Telenor with smaller projects that are outside the scope of Ogilvy.

“This is a big win for us and we are excited to start working with the incredibly dynamic marketing team at Telenor who have chosen us to partner with them on the journey ahead,” said Nida Haider, partner at IAL Saatchi & Saatchi.

CMYK

She told Profit that Telenor has appointed IAL Saatchi & Saatchi as one of the strategic and creative partners for their corporate, commercial, and strategic challenges, adding that agency services will be utilized at their discretion as with any other client.

Ogilvy has been serving Telenor for three years to date and was named the most effective agency network in the Asia Pacific region according to the 2020 Effie Index from Effie Worldwide. WPP, the parent company of Ogilvy, was named the most effective worldwide marketer for the fourth year in a row.

In Pakistan, Ogilvy won 12 awards at the Effie Pakistan awards, for its work across Nestle, Shan Foods, Bank Alfalah, Telenor Pakistan, and Coca-Cola Pakistan, to name a few. It was also named agency of the year

while Telenor Pakistan was named marketer of the year.

As the winning creative agency, Ogilvy will continue to work with brand & media teams at Telenor Pakistan along with Brainchild Communications Pakistan (BCP), the media agency of record. A subsidiary of Z2C Limited, BCP is better known for being the media agency that helped PTI win the 2018 elections.

The mobile data and digital services provider reportedly took a hit on the back of the C19 outbreak, with an 11pc decrease in subscriptions and traffic revenues for the second quarter of 2020. As reported by Profit, the company’s quarterly revenues stood at Rs24.2 billion, as compared to Rs26.2 billion during the same period last year.

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS russia says poland’s nord stream 2 fine is a move to please us MOSCOW AGENCIES

Trump says he’s ready for rallies buT deTails slim on healTh WASHINGTON

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday that a decision by Poland to impose a hefty fine on Gazprom GAZP.MM for its part in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project was taken to please Washington, Interfax news agency reported. Poland on Wednesday fined the Russian gas giant more than 29 billion zlotys ($7.6 billion) for building the pipeline without Warsaw’s approval. Russia’s energy projects have become increasingly politicised since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russia accounts for around a third of natural gas supply to Europe. The criticism against the ongoing Nord Stream 2 project, which critics say will increase Europe’s reliance on Russian gas, has intensified following the alleged poisoning of a prominent Kremlin critic in August. A spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the decision to fine Gazprom was driven by an intention to “implement the idea of setting up a gas hub for re-sale of American gas to eastern European countries”, in order “to please Washington”. The United States has raised its exports of seaborne liquefied natural gas to Europe in recent years. The spokeswoman also said the fine undermined European energy security, Interfax reported. Poland’s government and foreign ministry were not immediately available for comment. The Polish anti-monopoly office said it rejected any attempts to discredit it. “The procedure was carried out in a meticulous and thorough manner…

We operate fully independently, on the basis of the law and within the law, ensuring fair competition,” the office said in a statement e-mailed to Reuters. It added that its decision to fine Gazprom “was based on evidence confirming that the entrepreneurs deliberately violated the anti-monopoly law applicable in Poland”.

Construction of the 1,230-kilometre Nord Stream 2 pipeline is complete barring a roughly 120 km final stretch in Danish waters. Work stopped in December after pipe-laying company Swiss-Dutch Allseas suspended operations because of U.S. sanctions targeting companies providing vessels.

eu members discuss proposals for migration pact BRUSSELS

p

AGENCIES

RESIDENT Donald Trump insisted Thursday that he is ready to resume campaign rallies and feels “perfect” one week after his diagnosis with the coronavirus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans, as his doctor said the president had ”completed his course of therapy” for the disease.

The president has not been seen in public — other than in White House-produced videos — since his Monday return from the military hospital where he received experimental treatments for the virus. On Thursday, his physician, Navy Commander Sean Conley, said in a memo that Trump would be able to safely “return to public engagements” on Saturday, as the president tries to shift his focus to the election that’s less than four weeks away, with millions of Americans already casting ballots.

While Trump said he believes he’s no longer contagious, concerns about infection appeared to scuttle plans for next week’s presidential debate.

“I’m feeling good. Really good. I think perfect,” Trump said during a telephone interview with Fox Business, his first since he was released from a threeday hospital stay Monday. “I think I’m better to the point where I’d love to do a rally tonight,” Trump said. He added, “I don’t think I’m contagious at all.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says individuals can discontinue isolation 10 days after the onset of symptoms, which for Trump was Oct 1, according to his doctors. Conley said that meant Trump, who has been surrounded by minimal staffing as he works out of the White House residence and the Oval Office, could return to holding events on Saturday.

He added that Trump was showing no evidence of his illness progressing or adverse reactions to the aggressive course of therapy prescribed by his doctors.

Earlier this week, the president’s doctors suggested they would work closely with military medical research facilities and other laboratories on “advanced diagnostic testing” to determine when the president was no longer contagious but did not elaborate.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said two negative PCR lab tests 24 hours apart are a key factor in determining whether someone is still contagious.

“So, if the president goes 10 days without symptoms, and they do the tests that we were talking about, then you could make the assumption, based on good science, that he is not infected,” Fauci said Thursday on MSNBC. While reports of reinfection are rare, the CDC recommends that even people who recover from Covid-19 continue to wear a mask, stay distanced and follow other precautions. It was unclear if Trump, who eschewed mask-wearing in most settings, would abide by that guidance.

The White House, meanwhile, continued to decline to share when Trump last tested negative for the virus — which would help pinpoint when he was infected. Strategic communications director Alyssa Farah said that information was Trump’s “private medical history.”

Trump’s campaign and the White House were already drawing up plans for Trump to resume campaigning, eyeing a visit to Pennsylvania on Monday and Michigan on Tuesday ahead of what was to have been next Thursday’s debate.

But the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that event would be held “virtually” in order to “protect the health and safety of all involved.”

Trump swiftly rejected that offer, and his campaign later called on the commission to delay the final two debates by a week to alleviate concerns about an inperson contest.

Over the objections of some aides, Trump returned to the Oval Office on Thursday, even though a workspace had been set up in the residential section of the

Kyrgyzstan president says ready to resign once new cabinet appointed

AGENCIES

ALMATY

Home affairs ministers of the European Union (EU) member states had their first discussion about the recent European Commission proposals for a pact on migration and asylum to address the need for coherence and solidarity on migration policies. The discussion focused on three key aspects: procedure before entering the EU, preventing abuse of the asylum system and solidarity.

The ministers sought solutions including engaging with the Western Balkans to improve coordination on the migration route and with North African countries to prevent human smuggling. An envisaged European police partnership was also discussed. "We need a better way to manage migration together in the European Union, and that means that we need a more European migration policy," European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said at a press conference following the video meeting. She called for solidarity and compromises from the member states. Despite the differences, she said she was optimistic that an agreement could be reached. "The devil is in the details," she said, adding that "also the possibility lies in the details." German Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer said the aim is to achieve a political agreement by the end of this year, under the Germany presidency of the EU. Southern European countries like Italy and Greece have been crying for support from the rest of the EU on shouldering the responsibility of receiving migrants. Also on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a videoconference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. A joint statement said they agreed that Europe needs a predictable, fair and resilient migration management system, with the "right balance between responsibility sharing and solidarity." The Greek side stressed the need for the New Pact to adequately address the pressures imposed to front line states.

Recalling the significant joint efforts in the last nine months to alleviate overcrowding and improve the conditions on the islands, they acknowledged that more work is needed. They committed to support the work of the Task Force created by the commission to put in place a joint pilot to manage migration and asylum processes, including by setting up appropriate new facilities on the overwhelmed island of Lesvos.

AGENCIES

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said on Friday he was ready to resign once a new cabinet was appointed to end the power vacuum in the Central Asian nation gripped by unrest since opposition supporters seized government buildings on Tuesday.

While his offer, made in a statement, could facilitate the transfer of power later, it may do little to resolve the political impasse, which prompted regional power Russia to describe Kyrgyzstan’s situation as chaos.

After forcing the cabinet to resign and the election commission to annul the results of Sunday’s parliamentary election that triggered the protests, opposition groups have so far failed to agree on who would lead a provisional government.

The former Soviet republic’s outgoing parliament has also not convened or appointed one of at least three interim premier candidates, with some MPs saying they feared for their safety.

Two political parties close to Jeenbekov swept Sunday’s parliamentary vote, but at least 11 other

parties refused to accept the results and Western observers said the election was marred by credible allegations of vote-buying.

The nation of 6.5 million which borders China and hosts a Russian military airbase and a large Canadian-owned mining operation. Despite the state of uncertainty, with no legitimate leadership, veteran officials appeared to be in control of its security forces.

The State National Security Committee said on Friday neighbouring Uzbekistan had handed over to it three people who illegally crossed the border on Oct. 6, when the previous government fell.

One of them was district mayor Tilek Matraimov, a member of the influential Matraimov family, which also includes his brothers Raimbek Matraimov, a former deputy head of customs, and Iskender Matraimov, a member of parliament.

Iskender Matraimov sought reelection on the ticket of Mekenim Kyrgyzstan, one of the parties that dominated the now-annulled election.

The state security committee said Tilek Matraimov and the two other men handed over by the Uzbek side were held while being investigated for illegal border-crossing.

Turkish, Greek FMs agree to set dates for talks ANKARA

AGENCIES

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he met with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias and agreed to set dates for the start of a new round of exploratory talks of confidence-building between Ankara and Athens.

"We will determine dates of Exploratory Talks and meetings for Confidence Building Measures in the coming days," he tweeted after a brief meeting with Greek minister, which was

the first after months of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The meeting came on the sidelines of a security forum in Slovakia's capital Bratislava. "I told him that we should continue the dialogue even in the most difficult days," Cavusoglu later told reporters in Bratislava.

Ties between Turkey and Greece were strained over territorial claims in the Eastern Mediterranean where Turkey sent drillships to survey hydrocarbon reserves. Parties later have taken steps to calm down the tension.

China joins COVAX coronavirus vaccine alliance TAIPEI AGENCIES

China, which has four coronavirus vaccine candidates in stage 3 clinical trials, said Friday it is joining the Covid-19 vaccine alliance known as COVAX. The country signed an agreement

White House. Aides were discussing a potential photo opportunity with the president at the White House either Thursday or Friday but plans had not been finalized, according to two White House officials not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations.

Only a few senior aides, medical staff and security personnel have laid eyes on the president since he returned to the White House on Monday afternoon.

Trump also released a video Thursday morning, filmed a day earlier, directly addressing the nation’s seniors — a critical demographic for his campaign that is also at greatest risk of poor outcomes from the virus — saying, “I want you to get the same care that I got.”

On Thursday, Trump continued to credit an experimental drug for the seemingly quick pace of his recovery. He called his diagnosis a “blessing in disguise” in the nation’s battle against the pandemic.

Seemingly sensitive to the fact that his treatment course has been far more comprehensive than the care received by average Americans, he promised to swiftly get the drug approved for broader use — and distribute it for free — even though he does not have the power to order that himself.

Trump received an experimental antibody drug made by Regeneron through a “compassionate use” exemption, a recognition of the above-and-beyond standard of care he receives as president. The safety and effectiveness of the drug have not yet been proven.

And there is no way for the president or his doctors to know that the drug had any effect. Most people recover from Covid-19. “I had tremendous luck with this Regeneron,” Trump said during the interview.

Dr. Sean Conley, the White House physician, said in a memo Wednesday that Trump had been symptom-free for over 24 hours, and that his oxygen saturation level and respiratory rate were normal.

Trump speculated that he caught the virus either at the Sept 26 Rose Garden event announcing his new Supreme Court nominee or at a meeting with military families the following day.

with GAVI, the co-leader of the alliance, on Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Initially, China did not agree to join the alliance, missing the global deadline to join in September.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement that “we are

taking this concrete step to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, especially to developing countries, and hope more capable countries will also join and support COVAX.” It is not yet clear the exact terms of the agreement and how China will contribute.

The country’s leader Xi Jinping previously said that China would make the vaccine a global public good.

The alliance is designed so that richer countries agree to buy into potential vaccines and help finance access for poorer ones. The Trump administration in the US had declined to join the alliance.

Thai army denies Twitter disinformation campaign after takedowns BANGKOK AGENCIES

Thailand’s army on Friday denied using nearly a thousand Twitter accounts blocked by the social media company, which said they were linked to the army and had targeted the political opposition. In its first such move against Thailand-based accounts, Twitter said it had “permanently suspended” 926 accounts linked to the Royal Thai Army (RTA) for violating its manipulation policies. “These accounts were engaging in amplifying pro-RTA and progovernment content, as well as engaging in behaviour targeting prominent political opposition figures,” it said in a statement. In response, Deputy Army Spokeswoman Sirichan Ngathong said the accounts were anonymous and did not belong to the army – which had only its official account. “The issue of information operations is a misunderstanding. We don’t do this. It’s not one of our objectives for using Twitter,” she told reporters. Thailand’s army ruled from a 2014 coup until elections last year when junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha stayed on as prime minister – rejecting the complaints of critics that the ballot was a facade to keep the military’s hands-on power. The army had previously dismissed opposition accusations it was carrying out information operations through social media – which has been a powerful rallying force for anti-government protesters over the past three months. The blocked accounts appeared to have had limited influence. Data from Twitter showed that more than two-thirds of them had no followers. A study by Stanford Internet Observatory, a research group at Stanford University, said more than half of the accounts never tweeted and most of the tweets had no engagement. “This was a coordinated but lowimpact operation,” it said in an analysis. Twitter also took down accounts it said were linked to the governments of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, and Russia.

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

NAtIONAL t20 CuP: BABAr, FAHeeM COMeBACk HeLPs CeNtrAL PuNjAB stuN NOrtHerN

B

NEWS DESK

OLSTERED by the arrival of their superstar batsman and captain Babar Azam, laggards Central Punjab on Friday caused the biggest upset of the National T20 Cup, defeating the previously unbeaten Northern by eight wickets in the first match of the Rawalpindi leg of the tournament.

Having won the toss and elected to bat first, Northern’s innings got off to a bad start for once as neither of their top-four really got going. Lahore Qalandars captain Sohail Akhtar, drafted in place of Haider Ali, was playing his first match of the tournament and his rustiness showed as he only scored 17 off 16 balls.

For the Punjab side, all-rounder Fa-

heem Ashraf (4-18) was the star as he picked three of those four top-order wickets. Northern captain Shadab Khan (39) and Asif Ali (67) did strike a decent 87-run partnership for the fifth wicket but legspinner Usman Qadir dismissed both on back-to-back 16th over deliveries, after which the tail did not do much, eventually finishing with 165-9.

The target was just too little to bother Central Punjab, whose new opening pairing of Kamran Akmal and Azam provided a 54-run stand. The young Abdullah Shafique, another one of Multan leg’s standouts, suffered a rare failure, contributing just three off five balls.

Ashraf, the hero with the ball in the first half, walked in. He and Azam put on a show, helping Central Punjab canter to the finish line.

Azam finished with a 52-ball 86 in what was his first match of the tournament, whereas Ashraf made his presence felt with a 26-ball 52, which only embellished his work done with the ball earlier.

MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF: Following the match, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted that he was much relieved after performing with both bat and ball in his comeback match in National T20 Cup in Rawalpindi.

It was Ashraf’s first T20 since the Pakistan Super League 2020. Since then, he had appeared in only two games - both warm-ups during Pakistan’s tour to England. Since then, form and injury issues had kept him out of action.

He also missed the first part of the National T20 Cup due to fitness issues but made a comeback on Friday to mark

his comeback in stylish all-rounder performance.

Talking after the match, Ashraf admitted that he was struggling with the bat and that it was good to be back scoring some runs.

“I know I was struggling with my batting and it was a concern. I worked with Shahid Aslam during the England tour and also at the NCA for my rehabilitation, Mohammad Yousuf also helped me a lot by giving me some useful guidance,” Ashraf said in the postmatch interview.

“Bowling was also good, when you’re playing after a long time and bowling well then each wicket makes you feel special,” he said, adding that Zeeshan Malik’s wicket during the match against Northern was an important one for his side.

Formula One working on back-up plans to beat German weather NUERBURGRING AGENCIES

Ibrahimovic 'cured' of coronavirus: AC Milan ROME AGENCIES

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been given the all-clear to end his quarantine period and return to action after testing negative for coronavirus, the Serie A club announced on Friday. Milan confirmed in a statement that the Swedish striker had "tested negative" twice in a row, as stipulated in the protocol to be able to lift the quarantine procedure. Ibrahimovic, 39, sounded a more triumphal note on his social media: "You are cured! The health authority says the quarantine is over, you can go out!", he wrote on Twitter. The announcement comes a day after Milan said Ibrahimovic had tested positive a second time for Covid19, putting in doubt his participation in the Milan derby on October 17. Ibrahimovic first tested positive on September 24. The derby remains in doubt with two other Milan players and five from currently in self-quarantine. In spite of his absence, Milan have made a decent start to the season, having climbed to second in Serie A after winning all three of their games and reaching the group stages of the Europa League.

Formula One’s governing body is working on back-up plans to safeguard the Eifel Grand Prix after bad weather prevented any track action at the Nuerburgring on Friday, race director Michael Masi said.

Both practice sessions for the race at the rural German track were scrapped after the medical helicopter that must be able to fly to a nearby hospital in an emergency was grounded by fog. The circuit is too far from a hospital by road to meet a maximum 20-minute transfer requirement.

“The forecast looks better (for Saturday) but we’re also working on some back-up plans should we have a similar situation to be able to try to work around,” Masi told reporters, without giving details. With no Friday practice, teams now have only one session before Saturday’s qualifying and that should make for a busy morning.

Formula One last raced at the Nuerburgring in 2013 and

teams will have plenty of work to do on car setup.

It also effectively makes it a two day race weekend -something Formula One has already planned for Italy’s Imola circuit next month although the Saturday session there will be longer.

“It’s kind of like a practice run for Imola,” said Racing Point team boss Otmar Szafnauer. “It just puts pressure on everybody to get up to speed even more quickly.”

Six times world champion Lewis Hamilton, 44 points clear of team mate Valtteri Bottas at the top of the standings, said that even if the helicopter had been able to fly, teams would probably have done few laps.

“I’d have loved to have just done an installation lap.

Everyone is in the same boat though,” said the Mercedes driver who can equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 career wins on Sunday.

Hamilton said he had spent the time messing around with his bulldog Roscoe and watching old onboard footage of previous races in the rain.

Liverpool great Fowler takes charge of Indian Super League side East Bengal AGENCIES Former England and Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has been appointed head coach of SC East Bengal on a two-year contract, the Indian Super League (ISL) club said on Friday.

The 45-year-old last managed A-League side Brisbane Roar and guided them to fourth place before the season was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Australian club announced his exit in late June.

Fowler also has coaching experience in Thailand, when he was player-coach Muangthong United in the 2011-12 season, and worked at Liverpool’s academy after hanging up his boots.

“Shree Cement East Bengal Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of... Fowler as the head coach for

its first team which will take part in the 2020-21 Hero ISL season,” the club said in a statement.

The ISL confirmed the 100-year-old club from the eastern city of Kolkata as its 11th team last month following Shree Cement’s acquisition of a majority stake.

“Robbie comes in with a wealth of experience having played with and against the best,” Shree Cement managing director H.M. Bangur said. “... We hope to have a long, fruitful and trophy-laden collaboration.”

The club said they had also appointed former Everton and Manchester City midfielder Tony Grant as Fowler’s assistant as part of a team of seven overseas coaches.

Fowler scored 183 goals in 369 matches for Liverpool in two spells. He also played for Manchester City and Leeds United and was capped 26 times by England.

SPORTS 11

PCB moves Zimbabwe ODI series from Multan to Lahore NEWS DESK The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly replaced Multan with Lahore as one of the two venues for the upcoming home series against Zimbabwe due to a payment disagreement with Multan’s district government. According to media reports, Zimbabwe’s tour of Pakistan was originally planned to be split between Multan and Rawalpindi, with the ODI series to be staged in the former and the T20I in latter. However, sources within the board have revealed that the PCB was asked to pay up Rs200 million by Multan’s district government as "administrative expenses", at which the PCB balked and has now decided to move the ODI series to Lahore. The Gaddafi Stadium now appears set to not only host the ODI series against the Africans but also the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League 2020. Sources further said that Zimbabwe, whose delegation is expected to visit Pakistan next week, have been informed of the switch.

The PCB has so far refused to officially comment on the development.

Haider Ali aspires to represent Pakistan across all formats NEWS DESK Hard-hitting batsman Haider Ali has aimed to represent the Pakistan cricket team across all three formats following his remarkable T20I debut last month in England. "I want to represent Pakistan in all three formats, Tests, ODIs and T20Is," Haider said in an interview with Geo Super. The 20-year-old, who became the first Pakistani to score a half-century on his debut, said that he is looking to continue in the same momentum. "I am satisfied with the way I have started my career," he said."My firstclass career started off well. I did well in the Pakistan Super League and then scored a halfcentury on my T20I debut. I am happy with this and I will try to carry on with this form in the coming days," he said. Haider scored 99 on his first-class debut for Northern last year.

In the ongoing National T20 Cup, the young batsman scored 156 runs in four innings. The precociously talented batsman believes that playing first-class cricket is important for a cricketer to play during their formative years.

"Playing domestic cricket and especially firstclass cricket always plays an important role in their development,” he said. “I am happy that I got the chance to play first-class cricket earlier in my career and when I got this opportunity, I gave my best,” he said. The whiz-kid lauded his coach Mohammad Wasim and said that his support was instrumental to him. "I am glad to have such coaches around me," he said.

Nadal sweeps into 13th French Open final PARIS AGENCIES

Twelve-time champion Rafael Nadal reached his 13th French Open final on Friday with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/0) win over Argentina's Diego Schwartzman, setting up a potential blockbuster title clash against Novak Djokovic.

For 34-year-old Nadal, it was a 99th win at Roland Garros since his 2005 debut and put him just one victory away from equalling Roger Federer's all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles.

He is also into his 28th final at the majors and has not dropped a set in the tournament this year.

Djokovic, the 2016 champion in Paris and chasing an 18th Grand Slam title, takes

on Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second semi-final.

The world number one has his own date with destiny should he make Sunday's final as he bids to become the first man in half a century to win all four Slams twice.

"It's always incredible to play here and this is a very special moment," said Nadal after a 10th win in 11 matches against Schwartzman who had shocked him in Rome last month.

"I played a couple of bad points in the third set but Diego is a very tough player. He probably makes more breaks on the tour than others. "It was difficult until the end but it was a positive match for me."

Nadal fought off two break points in a marathon 14-minute opening game.

The world number two then broke for 2-

0 but Schwartzman retrieved it immediately.

It was a brief respite for the 5ft 6in (1.68m) player affectionately known as "El Peque" ("shorty"), as the 28-year-old was broken again in the fourth game.

The Argentine saved a couple of set points but dumped the third one in the net and the opener was Nadal's after 65 minutes on court. Nadal was comfortably the stronger, breaking in the third and ninth games for a two sets lead.

With the match and his spirit seemingly drifting away, Schwartzman dropped serve again to go 3-1 down in the third.

But he rallied as Nadal slipped into passivity and by the 11th game he was on back on serve although he remonstrated with himself for squandering three break points that would have left him serving for the set.

CMYK

That was his last chance as Nadal stormed through the tiebreaker.

The Argentine was left to regret his 48 unforced errors and converting just three of his 12 break points. "It's different playing against Djokovic, Federer, Rafa, these guys.

Is not easy playing them five sets because you have to play your best tennis maybe for three, four hours, five hours. Physically it's very hard," he admitted.

DJOKOVIC INJURY WORRY? Djokovic has four titles in 2020, carved out from 36 wins and just one loss - his now infamous default at the US Open.

However, is the pressure beginning to tell? He dropped his first set of the tournament in his win over Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals and required treatment on his neck and shoulder.

Djokovic, 33, is bidding to make the Paris final for the fifth time and a 27th at the Slams. Tsitsipas, 22 and playing in his second semi-final at the majors having reached the last four at the 2019 Australian Open, has got stronger as the tournament has progressed. After dropping the first two sets of his opener against Jaume Munar, he has swept the next 15.

Tsitsipas is bidding to become the youngest man to reach the Roland Garros final since 2008 when Nadal won the title and youngest to reach a Grand Slam championship match since the 2009 US Open, when Juan Martin del Potro triumphed, 10 days short of his 21st birthday.

The Greek has only met Djokovic once on clay, a straight sets loss in the 2019 Madrid final.

Saturday, 10 October, 2020

PrAyEr TImINGS

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:45

11:55

4:01

6:08

5:41

7:04

UN CAllS for 'UrgeNt CeASefire' iN KArAbAKh

t

AGENCIES

HE United Nations rights chief voiced alarm Friday at civilian suffering in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region after nearly two weeks of clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, calling for an “urgent ceasefire”. In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said it was “deeply worrying that in recent days we have seen populated areas reportedly targeted and shelled with heavy weaponry in and around the conflict area.” There was a need for “an urgent ceasefire due to the impact on civilians,” the statement said.

Her comment came as Armenia and Azerbaijan’s foreign ministers were due to meet in Moscow on Friday amid hopes they could broker a halt to the renewed hostilities.

The fresh fighting over Karabakh — an ethnic Armenian region of Azerbaijan that broke from Baku’s control in what prompted a devastating war in the early 1990s — erupted late last month.

Both sides blame the other for the biggest outbreak in violence since a 1994 ceasefire.

Bachelet’s office said it had received reports that it had not yet been able to verify that some 53 civilians, in-

Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia, Azerbaijan to attend Moscow talks MOSCOW AGENCIES

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have confirmed they will send delegations for talks in Moscow in a bid to reach a ceasefire in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Friday morning.

“Baku and Yerevan have confirmed their participation in the consultations in Moscow. Active preparations are underway,” Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier invited the foreign ministers of bitter rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks in Moscow on October 9. He called for cluding children, had been killed in the fighting since September 27. Some 400 lives have so far been lost including military casualties, and thousands of people have

a ceasefire and a prisoner swap.

The heavy fighting in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh – an Armenian-populated enclave internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan – resumed on September 27. The hostilities involved shelling of the region’s capital by Azerbaijani forces, as well as the shelling of Azerbaijani towns outside Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia. There have been multiple military and civilian casualties.

Russia, France, and the US, who are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mediation group on NagornoKarabakh, have urged both sides to end hostilities and start negotiations. fled their homes. “I remind all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure,”

Bachelet said.

‘MUTUALLY DEHUMANISING’: All sides in the conflict have an obligation to avoid “the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas,” she added.

Bachelet also appealed to countries “with influence over parties to the conflict … to do everything within their power to ensure respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.”

Bachelet voiced particular outrage over reports that cluster munitions had been used in the conflict area.

“Cluster munitions scatter small, often bright or colourful bomblets over wide areas, many of which fail to explode immediately but can then kill and maim for years afterwards,” she pointed out.

“The use of such munitions should stop immediately.” The UN rights chief also called on all sides to refrain from using “inflammatory, pejorative or discriminatory language to stoke divisions.”

“Hate speech leads nowhere but to a mutually dehumanising and destructive hatred that, as we tragically see now, periodically erupts into conflict and loss of life,” she said.

And she warned that the violence could hamper efforts to rein in the spread of Covid-19 in the region.

UN's World Food Programme wins Nobel Peace Prize OSLO AGENCIES

The United Nations food agency, the World Food Programme (WFP), won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace in areas affected by conflict.

The Rome-based organisation says it helps some 97 million people in about 88 countries each year, and that one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat.

“The need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more conspicuous than ever,” Berit ReissAndersen, chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, told a news conference.

The WFP is a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict, and the Covid19 pandemic, which the WFP says could double hunger worldwide, has made it even more relevant, she said.

UNSC returns to chamber for meeting after 7 months

“The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in the number of victims of hunger in the world,” the Nobel committee said in its citation.

“Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos “There is an estimate within the World Food Programme that […] there will be 265 million starving people within a year, so of course, this is also a call to the international community not to underfund the World Food Programme.”

‘OVER AND ABOVE THE CALL OF DUTY’: WFP responded by tweeting its thanks for “recognition of the work of WFP staff who put their lives on the line every day to bring food and assistance to more than 100 million hungry children, women and men across the world”.

At a briefing in Geneva, WFP spokesman Tomson Phiri told reporters: “For WFP this year we have gone over and above the call of duty.”

“Everything went into shutdown following nationwide

China expects to meet poverty alleviation goal; sustainability the next test LIANGSHAN

NEW YORK

and global restrictions following Covid-19. The WFP stepped up to the plate, we were able to connect communities. At one point, we were the biggest airline in the world when most if not all commercial airlines had ground to halt.”

Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said the Norwegian Nobel Committee had wanted to send a message of both hope and “support for international cooperation”.

“Hunger, like climate change, the pandemic and other issues, is a world problem that can only be properly addressed through cooperation. The World Food Programme is an institution of global cooperation,” he told Reuters.

“Unfortunately in too many quarters, especially among the great powers, there is a declining appetite for cooperation,” he said, adding that world hunger was increasing again, having declining for several decades until 2016.

The prize is worth 10 million Swedish crowns, or around $1.1 million, and will be presented in Oslo on Dec 10.

AGENCIES

AGENCIES

The Security Council has returned to its own chamber for an in-person meeting, the first time in almost seven months after a lockdown from the coronavirus.

At the beginning of the meeting on Mali, Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who chaired the meeting as president of the Security Council for the month of October, thanked council members for agreeing to return to the venue. The last meeting held in the Security Council Chamber was on March 12 during China's council presidency. Since then, all meetings went remote for four months before the council began to hold sporadic in-person meetings in the larger Economic and Social Council Chamber during Germany's council presidency. As a precautionary measure, partitions were installed between the seats of the delegations in the Security Council Chamber. All participants were asked to wear masks. During Thursday's meeting, only one representative for each delegation was sitting at the horseshoe-shaped table, leaving the two rows of blue seats behind them empty.

The only exception was the presidency spot, where two seats were taken. Several representatives kept their masks on even when they were making statements. Several speakers thanked the Russian delegation for bringing the council back to its chamber.

President Xi Jinping beamed down benevolently from a poster in the new flat of unemployed Jigu Gatie, provided by the Chinese government as part of efforts to tackle poverty nationwide.

The posters urging residents to listen, follow and “be grateful” to China’s ruling Communist Party were common in the homes of the new state housing project visited by Reuters in September during a government-organised trip to the southwestern Sichuan province.

China vowed in 2013 to eradicate extreme rural poverty by the end of this year, and spent 524 billion yuan ($77.17 billion) between 2016 and 2020 to that end, official data showed. China’s economy was hit by the coronavirus pandemic early this year but has since seen a steady recovery.

“Thanks to the party, thanks to the government, thanks to General Secretary Xi,” said Jigu, a member of the

generally poor Yi ethnic minority. “I’m very satisfied.”

With over 90 million rural people lifted from extreme poverty over the past seven years, the government says it is on track to achieve its 2020 goal.

But the success could falter if authorities shift priorities after declaring victory on rural poverty, analysts say.

“Once poverty alleviation is no longer a political priority, if funding from the government and state-owned enterprises dries up, many will fall back into poverty,” said Alfred Wu, associate professor at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.

The government has said China will continue anti-poverty policies after 2020 but has yet to make an announcement. A State Council official said the government was “rushing to come up with transitional policies.”

POLITICAL PRESSURE: Jigu, in his 60s, moved into his new flat in the Liangshan region last year. A message reading “gifted by the Sichuanese party and government” on the chairs and wardrobe of his apartment remind him

to be grateful each day.

The Sichuan government has invested 77.5 billion yuan to move 1.36 million villagers into new homes within the province, a policy replicated around China.

Under the scheme in Sichuan, each household in the province pays 2,500 yuan per person to secure a new concrete apartment or house, complete with hot showers and cooking gas – an upgrade from the leaky and windowless shacks many of them came from.

China’s poverty alleviation programmes heavily rely on fiscal funding and civil servants for implementation, analysts say, raising questions about their sustainability.

“With the political pressure of meeting the poverty target no longer hanging over them, and with other pressing needs to pay for social programmes that would benefit the wider community, local governments would be hard-pressed to devote already-tight budgets to the absolute poor post2020,” said Wang Jun, chief economist at lender Zhongyuan Bank.

Trump unchained? Afghan troop surprise shows pre-election impulse to upend policy WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Less than a month before the election, U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt vow to bring home troops from Afghanistan by year-end is a sign of how he may feel increasingly unchained to push through a foreign policy “wish list” he hopes could appeal to voters, current and former officials say.

Trump, a former businessman from New York who boasts about his deal-making skills, has made finishing up what he has called “ridiculous endless wars” a corner-

stone of his foreign policy.

But the Republican, trailing Democratic candidate Joe Biden in opinion polls, still has thousands of troops in Iraq, Syria and the site of America’s longest war, Afghanistan.

Trump, confined to the White House where he is being treated for Covid-19, on Wednesday tweeted that all U.S. troops in Afghanistan should be “home by Christmas,” just hours after his national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, said Washington would reduce its forces in Afghanistan to 2,500 by early next year.

Trump’s tweet caught the National Se-

curity Council, State Department and Pentagon by surprise, according to three U.S. officials, and they fear that it could reduce the limited leverage the Afghan government has in talks with the Taliban.

“A lot of different scenarios have been discussed, but we weren’t expecting this,” one of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

A second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump’s remarks often underscore his desires and broad intentions, instead of any actual plans. He made a similar surprise announcement on with-

drawal from Syria two years ago, yet hundreds of U.S. troops remain.

Yet U.S. officials say they are concerned that Trump, in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election, may make moves to score political points that could alienate allies, undermine his own administration’s efforts and upend assumptions about America’s national security agenda. Officials said that no formal orders had been given based on Trump’s tweet and they would be surprised if any moves would be made before the election.

The military will almost certainly balk at being pushed too quickly to carry out a com-

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

Nearly three million migrants stranded by Covid-19: UN report GENEVA AGENCIES

Coronavirus border closures and restrictions have stranded nearly 3 million migrants around the world who want to return home but cannot, the U.N. migration agency said on Friday, adding some had been “warehoused” in unhygenic settings. The International Organization for Migration report is the most comprehensive to date on the issue, covering more than 100 countries. It includes only migrants who want to return but are unable to do so because of the Covid-19 restrictions — such as seafarers stuck on decommissioned ships, miners or construction workers. “It should be clear that migrants can be returned home in a safe and dignified manner despite the constraints imposed by Covid-19,” said Director General, António Vitorino in a statement, urging dialogue between countries. Some stranded migrants have been confined in unclean quarters and where social distancing was impossible, placing them at risk of disease.

Others face abuse, exploitation and neglect, the report said. The worst region by far is the Middle East and North Africa which accounts for 1.275 million of the total of 2.75 million in the IOM tally. The second was Asia with nearly a million. IOM spokesman Paul Dillon said that 648,000 stranded migrants were in the United Arab Emirates and were often construction labourers from East Africa and Asia, while 280,000 were stuck in Saudi Arabia. Others are stuck onboard idle cruise ships, often not even granted the opportunity to go above deck. “It’s a very dire situation to be trapped below deck for 6 months,” he said, urging better treatment.

“Migrants are key, they are central, to a robust global economy.” The IOM praised recent successes, however, such as an agreement to allow 3,400 Mozambiquan miners cross back into South Africa after medical screenings, and a deal between the UAE and India on migrant workers. plete withdrawal, given the need to remove or destroy sensitive equipment, shutter bases and safely exit where it once had more than 100,000 troops. Still, a complete withdrawal is on the horizon. A landmark deal between the United States and the Taliban in February said foreign forces would leave Afghanistan

by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which agreed to negotiate a permanent ceasefire and a power-sharing formula with the Afghan government. But Trump and other officials had previously said the United States would go down to between 4,000 and 5,000 troops in Afghanistan around November and a reduction beyond that would depend on conditions in the country – wording that reflects deep U.S. national concerns over al Qaeda and Islamic State elements there. The Taliban cheered Trump’s tweet, calling it “a positive step” toward fulfilling U.S. pledges.