Issuu

Friday, 16 October, 2020 I 27 Safar, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 107 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

20 security personnel martyred in two terrorist attacks Opp gets conditional permission to hold Gujranwala rally LAHORE

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0 security personnel were martyred in two terrorist attacks in southwestern Pakistan and North Waziristan on Thursday. In the first incident, a convoy for the Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDCL) was attacked by a militant group on the Makran Coastal highway. According to the reports, the militants opened fire, resulting in the death of at least 14 people, including seven soldiers of Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan and seven security guards that were guarding the convoy. The vehicles were travelling to Karachi from the port town of Gwadar when they were ambushed near the small town of Ormara, about 250km west of their destination. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the area has been cordoned to aid the investigation. “Such cowardly acts by inimical elements to sabotage peace, stability and economic development in Balochistan shall never be allowed to succeed,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in

a statement. “These acts can not subdue [the] resolve of our forces which are determined to defend [the] motherland, even at the cost of their lives.” Subedar Abid hussain, Naik Muhammad Anwar, Lance Naik Iftikhar Ahmed, Sepoy Muhammad Naveed, Lance Naik Abdul Latif, Sepoy Muhammad Waris and Sepoy Imran Khan were identified as the martyred FC soldiers. Additionally, the guards who lost their lives during the attack were identified as havaldar (retired) Samandar Khan, Muhammad Fawadullah, Attaullah, Waris Khan, Abdul Nafay, Shakirullah and Abid hussain. The bodies of those killed were shifted to a nearby naval base, reports said. It is pertinent to mention here that the incident was similar to previous assaults by armed ethnic Baloch separatist groups on convoys on the same stretch of highway. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack on OGDCL and extended his condolences to the families of the victims, reported Radio Pakistan. Furthermore, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani said in a tweet that this was “a clear sign the enemy does not

coronavirus in

pakistan

want Balochistan and its people to prosper”. Separately, another six personnel were killed in a bomb attack near Razmak area of North Waziristan. The attacked used an improvised explosive device (IeD) and resulted in the deaths of one officer and five soldiers, the military’s media wing said. The ISPR said that Captain Umar Farooq, 24 years; Naib Subedar Riaz Ahmed, 37; Naib Subedar Shakeel Azad, 44; havaldar Younas Khan, 36; Naik Muhammad Nadeem, 37; and Lance Naik Asmat Ullah, 30, were martyred in the attack. The number of clashes between the army and terrorists has increased as of late. Security forces have killed several suspected hardcore terrorists in recent clashes. Violence in the northwestern districts of North Waziristan and South Waziristan, once home to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has been on the rise this year, with a series of gun attacks and bombings targeting security forces. The area was once virtually ruled by the TTP but a large scale Pakistani military operation launched in 2014 killed thousands of fighters and displaced the TTP’s leadership.

staff report

he Punjab government has granted conditional permission to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the anti-government alliance of the 11 opposition parties, for the holding of a rally in Gujranwala. A notification issued by the office of Gujranwala deputy dommissioner on Thursday listed terms and conditions that participants would have to follow. According to the list, no participant would be allowed to enter the site of the rally without a mask and everyone would be seated at a distance of three to six feet from each other. The directive comes a day after Punjab police booked some 400 activists and workers of the opposition parties, mainly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), in different parts of the province for flouting the coronavirus guidelines. In its response, the PML-N claimed the government made the move to “sabotage the rally”. The notification further states that police can check any vehicle parked at the rally for security purposes. “The organisers will ensure discipline at the venue and cooperate with law enforcement agencies for

Former spy chief denies asking for Sharif’s resignation during 2014 sit-in

CONFIRMED CASES:

321,218

the maintenance of public order.” The notification also said no person belonging to a proscribed organisation, or who has been convicted, would be allowed to participate in the rally or address the public. The decision to hold the rally in Gujranwala was taken last week. The PDM had initially planned to begin its movement from Quetta. however, last Monday, it announced to formally launch its campaign from Punjab. It later emerged that deposed prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif will also address the rally from his residence in London where has been staying since November last year on the pretext of medical treatment. The news was confirmed by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif today through a tweet. “@NawazSharifMNS will address Gujranwala jalsa, Insha’Allah! Arrangements being made. What a moment it would be!” she tweeted. The government has also strictly prohibited “anti-state/objectionable/offensive slogans” at the event in addition to speeches against constitutional offices, armed forces and judiciary.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

more inside

Uptick in positivity rate 'unmistakable sign' of second wave, says minister STORY ON PAGE 02

India's aggressive posture threatens world peace: UN envoy

LAST UPDATED AT 6:49 AM ON OCTOBER 14, 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

756

DEATHS:

305,395 6,614 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

140,997

101,237

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

38,464

15,599

3,258/3,982 17,681

STORY ON PAGE 03 IsLAmAbAd staff report

Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen (r) Zaheerul Islam has clarified he never asked for the resignation of former premier and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif in 2014. “I never sent anyone to convey any such message to [Nawaz], this is absolutely wrong,” he said while speaking to a newspaper. Instead, Islam insisted that at every stage of the 2014 sit-in, he had advised the PML-N government to engage politically

with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to end the protest. Islam, however, was reluctant to talk further on the subject, according to the report. The former spy chief’s comments come days after Nawaz claimed that during his last stint as premier, at a time when PTI Chairman Imran Khan was leading the prolonged 2014 Islamabad sit-in, the former ISI chief conveyed a message in the middle of the night, asking for Sharif’s resignation or else the consequences could include a martial law imposed in the country.

“I was told to step down and go home. I said whatever you want to do, do it […] I will not resign [from the office of the prime minister],” Sharif said, referring to Islam’s alleged message, during his September 30 virtual address to his party. Mocking Sharif’s claim, Prime Minister Imran, in an interview with a local news outlet, said, “You were the prime minister, [how] does he have the courage to say that to you?” “If someone tells that to me, I will demand his resignation. I am the democratically elected prime minister; who can dare tell me to step down?”

Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire marred by aid delay, accusations of new attacks STORY ON BACK PAGE

China ‘preparing for war’: President Xi tells troops to maintain state of high alert STORY ON BACK PAGE

Friday, 16 October, 2020

NEWS

Uptick in positivity rate 'Unmistakable sign' of second wave, says minister ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

INISTER for Planning and Development Asad Umar once again urged the nation to observe the government-devised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curtail the spread of coronavirus, after an uptick in fresh infections alarmed fears of a second wave. In a tweet posted Thursday, the minister said: “National positivity of Covid cases was 2.37 per cent. This is the highest

positivity rate in more than 50 days. The last time this level was seen was on August 23.” Asad also highlighted an increase in virus deaths. “The average number of Covid deaths during the first four days of this week was 11 per day, the highest since the week of August 10. Unmistakable signs of the rise of corona.” The minister said that virus positivity was “extremely high” in Muzaffarabad, “remained high” in Karachi, and is “rising” in Lahore and Islamabad. “Time for all of us to take Covid

SOPs seriously again. Otherwise, we may have to take restrictive actions which have negative effects on people’s livelihoods.” In the last 24 hours, 13 people died of coronavirus-related complications in the country, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,614, according to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) numbers. According to the NCOC, 755 fresh infections surfaced when 28,022 samples were tested during this period, lifting the national tally of cases to 321,218.

Around 305,395 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan with the addition of 315 recoveries recorded over the last 24 hours. There are 9,209 active cases in the country. Of the total, 518 are said to be in critical condition. 3,943,734 tests have been conducted so far. So far, Sindh has reported 140,997 cases, Punjab 101,237, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 38,464, Balochistan 15,599, Islamabad 17,681, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 3,258, and GilgitBaltistan (GB) has reported 3,982 cases.

PM's aide shares details of Sharif family's alleged money-laundering LAHORE APP

Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar Thursday disclosed that Rs15 billion had been deposited in fake accounts of 12 lower grade employees of the Sharif Group from 2008 to 2018, and Rs7 billion were deposited in six fake companies’ accounts. Addressing a press conference at 90 Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, he said that during these years, a high turnover of Rs15 billion was found in the bank accounts of 12 low salaried workers of Ramzan and AlArabia sugar mills. The details of these account-holders and deposited money is as under: During 2016-17, in a bank account of Malik Maqsood, a tea boy/peon of the Sharif Group Managing Director Suleman Shahbaz, Rs3.7 billion had been deposited and the person escaped to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2018 when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) started investigation against Suleman Shahbaz. From 2014 to 2017, Rs2.3 billion had been deposited in the bank account of

Muhammad Aslam, a peon of the Ramzan Sugar Mills; from 2011 to 2014, Rs1.67 billion were deposited in bank account of Azhar Abbas, a clerk of Ramzan Sugar Mills; from 2012 to 2014, Rs1.57 billion were deposited in the account of Ghulam Shabbar, another clerk of Ramzan Sugar Mill; from 2010 to 2014, Rs1.42 billion were deposited in the account of yet another clerk, Khizar Hayat Nazar of Ramzan Sugar Mills; from 2012 to 2015, Rs1.18 billion were deposited in the account of Iqrar Hussain, a clerk of Ramzan Sugar Mills, from 2011 to 2015, Rs880 million deposited in account of Muhammad Anwar, another clerk of Ramzan Sugar Mills, Rs562 million were deposited in the bank account of Tauqeeruddin, manager sales of Ramzan and Al-Arabia sugar mills, from 2012-13, Rs512 million were deposited in account of Tanveerul Haq, a Sharif Group data entry operator; Rs461 million were deposited in account of Kashif Majeed, accounts clerk of Ramzan Sugar mills, from 2012 to 2017, Rs425 million were deposited in account of the late Gulzar Ahmad Khan, a peon of Ramzan Sugar Mills. Akbar said that even after the death of

pml-n moves lHc against arrests ahead of pdm rally LAHORE STAFF REPORT

A day after Punjab police booked some 400 workers and activists of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the anti-government alliance of the 11 opposition parties, from across the province for flouting the Covid-19 guidelines, the party on Thursday approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the crackdown. The police had also arrested scores of PML-N and PDM workers ahead of the movement’s first public show on Friday in Gujranwala. In its response, the PML-N claimed the government made the move to “sabotage the rally”. The petition filed with the high court suggested the arrests were made in the violation of Article-15 of the constitution, urging the court to release the detainees. The petitioner, Nasir Chohan, also sought court intervention against the blocking of roads through the placement of containers and barricades. Chohan claimed the PTI government in the province had directed the police to stop the opposition leaders and workers from reaching the venue. He maintained every citizen of the country enjoys the constitutional right to protest. Earlier, reacting to the reports of arrests, PML-N Secretary General Ahsa Iqbal declared the “rejected Niazi” will have to go, adding his party was not afraid of arrests. Similarly, PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan, during a conversation with newsmen in Lahore, claimed the government had no policy except that of persecution and registration of fake cases were being registered against the opponents.

Gulzar Ahmad Khan in February 7, 2015, a trust worthy cashier of Sharif Group kept on operating his account. From 2009 to 2011, Rs230 million were deposited in the account of Masroor Anwar, a trustworthy cash boy of the Sharif family. Sharif Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Muhammad Usman opened these accounts for personal transactions of Suleman Shahbaz Sharif, he added. He said that Rs22 billion was not of business or sugar related money, adding that forensic of these accounts had been carried out. Perhaps only Rs3 billion might be linked with sugar related business and the rest amount was not linked with any business, he added. He said that the big portion of the money was taken from contractors, businessmen, politician or as patronage extortion. He also said that parallel banking was practised in certain bank branches in connection with money-laundering. About fake companies, he revealed that from 2010 to 2018, Rs7 billion had been deposited in six fake companies. the PM’s aide said that proprietors of these companies were lower salary people of the

Sharif Group or have fake identities. These companies were not registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). For opening of these bank accounts, fake letter heads of the fake companies were used and banks failed to carry out proper inspection while opening the accounts.An account in the name of Al-Fakhri Traders was opened, in which Rs2.8 billion were deposited during 2008-10; from 2011 to 2013, Rs1.32 billion were deposited in account of Waris Traders; from 2010 to 2018, Rs1.24 billion were deposited in account of Akbar Traders, from 2010 to 2014, Rs998 million were deposited in account of Rashid Traders, Rs558 million were deposited in the account of Jami Enterprises, and from 2008 to 2016, Rs145 million were deposited in the account of T&A traders. Akbar said that systematic money laundering was done to avoid cash transaction report (CTR). He said that Shehbaz Sharif was facing mental unrest. He put three questions before Shehbaz. Does Shehbaz not know Masroor Anwar and Shoaib Qamar, he asked.

LHC looks into 174 Pakistanis currently detained in Iran NEWS DESK There are currently 174 Pakistanis detained in Iran, 75 per cent of which are incarcerated for drug trafficking, and the Lahore High Court (LHC) has now opened an inquiry into these cases. The LHC directed the Foreign Office (FO) to produce a list of all the imprisoned Pakistanis by the next hearing. LHC Judge Justice Shahid Waheed said, “These are Pakistani citizens and the information about them cannot be withheld.” Barrister Sarah Belal informed the court that, according to a change Irani law, those convicted in narcotics cases had their sentences commuted from capital punishment to life imprisonment. “It is the Pakistani government’s duty under the Constitution to protect its citizens wherever in the world they may be,” Barrister Sarah said. Pakistanis in foreign jurisdictions might not be able to file reviews on their own. Despite the urgent need to submit reviews, the Pakistani Embassy in Tehran has not yet provided any updates on the procedure for facilitating the Pak-

istani prisoners. Earlier this year in June, the Iranian government had offered to extradite 44 prisoners back to Pakistani due to the Covid-19 pandemic but had not heard back from the local government. Also, in June of this year, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan had ruled that smuggling of petrol from Iran into Pakistan is a serious charge. “This is not short of a shocking disclosure that one of the basic requirements of a country, directly connected with our security, was being completed through an illegal mean i.e. smuggling,” the chief justice observed in a written order. “Apart from the fact that such an illegal act is being conducted, it is very well in the knowledge of the authorities, still allowing such illegal activity to continue. It is a serious charge against all the concerned sitting on helms of affairs,” said the order. In 2018, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had stated that the issue of Pakistanis on Iran’s death row was discussed in detail with Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during his two-day visit to Pakistan.

PTI put country on path of stability: PM ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government has put Pakistan on the path of stability. Speaking with his Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, who called on him at the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier said that state institutions are dear to the nation. He said that the incumbent government revamped

the national economy that had been destroyed by money launderers. “Those who siphoned off national wealth are just looking for NRO,” he maintained. Awan said that the narrative against institutions is neither in the interest of the country nor the nation in any way. The public stands by state institutions, he said, vowing to fully defend them. He further said that the government is heading in the right direction with better economic measures put in place.

ppp leader rashid rabbani dies of coronavirus KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister on Political Affairs Rashid Rabbani passed away on Thursday after suffering from Covid-19. The family of the PPP leader confirmed that Rashid Rabbani had died of coronavirus. He was on a ventilator for the past few days after suffering from severe symptoms of the virus. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed grief over the sad demise of his provincial cabinet member and said that he was among the close aides of the slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto. “His services for the democracy will be remembered forever,” the chief minister said while paying a tribute to Rabbani. It is pertinent to mention here that another member of the Sindh cabinet, Sindh Minister for Human Settlement Ghulam Murtaza Baloch on June 2, died of coronavirus after being admitted to a hospital in Karachi. STAFF REPORT

pm directs for best services at shelter homes ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed for providing best and quality services to deserving people staying at shelter homes across Pakistan. Visiting a Panahgah (shelter home) here at Peshawar Mor on Thursday, the prime minister especially advised to take care of the people residing there. He also interacted with the people at the Panahgah and inquired about facilities being provided to them at the shelter homes. He then visited the kitchen of the Shelter Home to inspect the quality of services. The premier also ate the food, being provided to the people. STAFF REPORT

pakistan to welcome Us investment in advanced technology: faraz ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Syed Shibli Faraz has said that Pakistan will welcome investment by American companies in different fields and desires that they bring in advanced technology. Talking to US Charge d'affaires Angela Aggeler on Thursday, he said that Pakistan desires to further strengthen the all-round cooperative partnership for mutual benefit. The US Charge d’ Affaires on the occasion appreciated Pakistan’s effective handling of the Covid-19 pandemic challenge. The minister agreed with the charge d'affaires’ view that while the coronavirus pandemic affected conventional means of communication, it also promoted new modes including digital communication. STAFF REPORT

training remains army’s hallmark to meet future challenges: coas RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that training is a vital part of every soldier's professional development and it must remain Pakistan Army’s hallmark to meet the challenges of future battlefield. General Qamar Javed Bajwa said this during his visit to Bahawalpur on Thursday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The army chief was briefed on operational, training and administrative matters of Bahawalpur Corps. He also witnessed snipers’ training of soldiers who demonstrated successfully shooting targets at long ranges as far as 1,500 meters. Interacting with officers and men, the COAS appreciated their professional prowess and high morale. The COAS appreciated shooters on their commendable marksmanship skills. He particularly also appreciated trainers for optimum utilisation of extreme longrange facility developed to train high quality marksmen and snipers who are proving decisive in today’s battlefield environment. STAFF REPORT

Friday, 16 October, 2020

NEWS

indian aggressive postUre tHreatens world peace: Un envoy NEW YORK CITY

STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN has warned the international community India’s aggressive policies and military posture posed an “immediate and pervasive threat” to world peace and security. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Munir Akram, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) First Committee on Disarmament and International Security, said that instead of bringing humanity together, the pandemic had revealed old fault lines and accentuated existing and emerging threats to international peace and security. “Strategic competition between big powers, the pursuit of military domi-

nance by some states and the unilateral use of force have gravely jeopardised international peace and security,” the ambassador said. His address comes days after Dr Moeed Yusuf, special adviser to the prime minister on national security and strategic affairs, told Indian journalist Karan Thapar, during a virtual, all-encompassing interview, laid out conditions for the resumption of bilateral dialogue — the requests for which he said the government received in the past year — and asked India to stop statesponsorship of terrorist groups that carry out attacks on Pakistan soil. Referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in India, Akram said: “In our region, the aggressive policies and military posture of the largest state in South Asia — which is now ruled

Nawaz’s proclamation to be published in two UK papers The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has received a petition from the federal government regarding the publishing of proclamations in British newspapers on the proclaimed offender and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif. The petition stated that the “applicant (federal government) seeks indulgence of the IHC for permission to publish the proclamation of Nawaz Sharif in Daily Telegraph (London) and Daily Guardian (London) for the proper administration of justice for fulfilling the requirements of the law as a convict (Nawaz Sharif) is currently residing at Avenfield apartments Mayfair properties London UK”. It is necessary that publication be made in these newspapers for effective service, the petition added, stating that the federal government would take care of the related charges. NEWS DESK

Crackdown continues: LHC looks into YouTube monitoring LAHORE: After banning TikTok, the government is now looking into the popular videosharing platform, YouTube, and the Lahore High Court (LHC) inquired on who is monitoring the site. LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan inquired into the manner in which YouTube channels are launched across the country while presiding over a hearing on the circulation of offensive content on social media. “Under which law are YouTube channels running and who monitors the content?” the judge inquired, adding that the use of offensive language on the platform was against the rules of the judiciary. The chief justice asked if the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had made any arrests regarding the circulation of offensive or illegal content on YouTube. When he told that most arrests are made based on complaints, the justice expressed his displeasure. “Will the judges of the judiciary now lodge complaints with the FIA?” asked the chief justice angrily. The LHC chief justice critiqued the FIA for not taking more initiative in this matter and remarked that the agency should be closed down. SHAHAB OMER

by a neo-fascist regime — pose an immediate and pervasive threat to international peace and security.” During his speech, he also highlighted the aerial combat between the two countries in February 2019. “India committed blatant aggression against Pakistan with its infructuous aerial incursion. In subsequent exchanges, it lost two of its aircraft.” “As a goodwill gesture, Prime Minister Imran Khan returned the captured Indian pilot. Unfortunately, this was misconstrued as weakness and India’s posture only grow more aggressive,” he recalled. The diplomat also commented on India’s annexation of occupied Kashmir and the induction of additional troops in August 2019. “India has since imposed a military siege in occupied Jammu and Kashmir

Pakistan lodges protest with India over ceasefire violations ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with India over its recent ceasefire violations along the line of control which resulted in the serious injuries to two innocent civilians. A senior diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to register the protest. Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security, it was said. Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez, in

ISLAMABAD A week after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) banned the video-sharing application TikTok, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday served notices to the telecom regulator and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, asking them to explain their position on the issue. The regulator banned the platform on October 9, saying the company failed to remove “immoral” and “indecent” content from the application. By then, TikTok had been installed 43 million times in Pakistan, ac-

ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

The upcoming Executive Board Meeting (EBM) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is likely to grant approval to file 11 corruption references against two former prime ministers, ex-chief ministers, and others. According to sources, the corruption cases are against former premiers Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, opposition leaders Shehbaz Sharif, Ahsan Iqbal, Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani, Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamFazl’s (JUI-F) Balochistan Chapter chief Maulana Abdul Wasay, and Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Iqbal Ahmed. The NAB offices in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Balochistan have drafted corruption references against these individuals and the next EBM is likely to give the green light for the filing of the references in the accountability court. The reference against Nawaz, Abbasi and two officials of BPS-22 is regarding the 33 bulletproof luxury vehicles case. They said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had procured 33 high-security vehicles for the use of foreign dignitaries during the 19th summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), adding that even after the cancellation of the summit, these vehicles

cording to the analytics firm Sensor Tower, making it the app’s 12th largest market in terms of installs. A petition was filed in the high court a day earlier seeking a court order to lift the ban. The petitioner, a Lahore-based mixed martial artist, contended he has been using the platform to showcase his skills to earn a living. He maintained his income was “substantially affected” because of the ban on the app. Taking up the petition, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked PTA to explain the reasons for the move. Pointing to the reasons provided including the objectionable nature of the content offered, Justice Minallah said: “In this way, the entire internet will have to be shut down.”

NAB issues arrest warrant for Zardari in fake accounts case: report ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Cochairperson Asif Ali Zardari in a case pertaining to suspicious transactions to the tune of Rs8 billion in

a statement, said that the Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 2530 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 19 martyrdoms and serious injuries to 197 innocent civilians, he added. The spokesperson said that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). The Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

NAB likely to file 11 corruption references against opposition leaders

PTA, IT Ministry served notice over TikTok ban STAFF REPORT

with a design to annex the occupied territory, change its democracy through illegal immigration and deny its people their right to self-determination as prescribed and upheld by the resolutions of the Security Council.” He added that Indian forces continue to resort to artillery and small arms fire every day along the Line of Control (LoC) targeting innocent civilians on Pakistan’s side. “There were over 3,000 ceasefire violations in 2019 and over 2,400 this year so far. “Such daily military provocations are accompanied by repeated threats of aggression by India’s political and military leaders. Pakistan has acted with restraint to these provocations and threats, but as we demonstrated in February 2019, Pakistan will respond decisively to any Indian aggression with the full force of our capabilities.” Akram said India’s aggressive posture and actions are accompanied by “one of the world’s largest military acquisitions and development programmes with over $70 billion spent last year on new conventional and non-conventional weapons systems on land, sea, air and space”.

the fake accounts reference. Reports suggest NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal has signed the arrest warrants. Meanwhile, a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), presided by Justice Aamer Farooq, will hear Zardari’s interimbail plea later today. The court had sought arguments

from Zardari’s counsel and NAB. The anti-graft body had filed a written reply in IHC which stated that the former premier is required for investigation. In September, an accountability court in Islamabad indicted the former president, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused in the mega-money laundering reference pertaining to the fake accounts case. Zardari is facing multiple corruption cases that had stemmed from a mega-money laundering scandal.

were used by the PML-N. Sources added that NAB, after conducting an investigation into the matter, has prepared a reference against two former premiers and other government officials. NAB Rawalpindi has also sought approval the references against PML-N senior leader Iqbal and others for causing heavy loss to the national exchequer and misuse of power. Similarly, NAB Lahore has asked EBM to allow filing reference in accountability court against former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz and others for their alleged involvement in Saaf Pani Scandal. Furthermore, NAB Karachi has sought approval regarding a supplementary reference against Associated Group (AG) Chairman and JJVL CEO Iqbal Ahmed for billions of rupees in suspicious transactions. NAB has also sought EBM’s go-ahead for filing references against former Balochistan CM Raisani, former Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman Farkhand Iqbal, JUI-F’s Balochistan Chapter chief Molvi Wasay, former Balochistan planning and development minister Rizwan Ali Sherdil, and ex-advisor to chairman of the now defunct KASB Bank, Nasir Ali Shah Bukhari, for causing loss to the national exchequer and misuse of powers.

opp gets conditional permission to hold gujranwala rally CONTINuED fROM pAgE 01 “In case of violation of any of the terms and conditions, the organisers shall be liable to face legal proceedings and NOC/permission shall be liable to be cancelled immediately,” the notice read. Meanwhile, Nawaz urged the police to “not comply” with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “unlawful orders” to arrest the PML-N/PDM workers. “Police must NOT comply with Imran Niazi’s unlawful orders to arrest PMLN/PDM’s workers, raid their homes or hinder their travel to Gujranwala,” he tweeted. The PDM’s Gujranwala rally is set to be the first of many in cities across the country as the opposition steps up efforts to oust the government. Leaders of major political parties, including PML-N’s Maryam, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman will participate in the rally. Maryam will be leading her party caravan scheduled to reach Gujranwala. However, PML-N leaders say the placing of containers in Raiwind forced the party to revisit its strategy regarding her departure. “Seeing the government’s intentions, we are reviewing Maryam’s departure plan to Gujranwala from her Jati Umra, Raiwind, residence,” a senior PML-N leader said. On the other hand, PDM president Fazl will leave for Gujranwala in a rally from Jamia Ashrafia at Ferozepur Road, Lahore on Friday.

indian High commission ignores Jadhav while seeking release of spies NEWS DESK The Islamabad High Court (IHC) received a petition from the Indian High Commission for the release of Indian spies in Pakistan, even though the Commission has yet to appoint legal representation to Kulbhushan Jadhav. The petition was filed by Barrister Malik Shah Nawaz Noon and asked for the release of four spies who have completed their sentences: Bircho, Bang Kumar, Satish Bhag and Sonu Singh. However, the Indian government has repeatedly ignored IHC’s invitation to appoint a legal representative to Kulbhushan Jadhav, a convicted spy. The second deadline for such an appointment expired on October 6. Last week, Attorney-General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed had informed the IHC that the Indian reply had indicated that it was not serious about the implementation of International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s decision pertaining to its spy. The India reply, the AGP said, had shown that it did not want to be part of court proceedings in Pakistan about its spy and engage in only giving controversial statements to politicise the matter. “They asked for a convener council practising in London to represent Jadhav,” said the attorney general. “It seems as if India is not interested in Jadhav’s future, it is only pursuing the matter for political reasons.” The ICJ, in its July 2019 ruling, had asked Pakistan to grant consular access to India and called for effective review and reconsideration of the Jadhav case. Section 2 of the ICJ Review and Reconsideration Ordinance, 2020, empowers country’s high court to review and reconsider any decision where the ICJ has decided in relation to a foreign national in respect of rights under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations of April 24, 1963, or a foreign national was aggrieved in respect of the rights available under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations of April 24, 1963.

Friday, 16 October, 2020

NEWS

ECC APPRovES iMPoRt of 340,000Mt whEAt ISLAMABAD

SHAHZAD PARACHA

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Thursday granted approval for the import of 340,000 metric tonnes of wheat. Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the meeting of the ECC through a video link from Lahore. The ECC considered the summary moved by the Ministry of National Food

Security and Research on the ‘Status of Wheat Import through Trade Corporation of Pakistan’. The committee was briefed that the fifth tender for the procurement of wheat was issued on 9th October 2020. It was opened on 14th Oct and according to TCP, six parties participated in the bidding process. Keeping in view the offers received, the MNFS&R requested the ECC to approve the lowest bid offered by GTCS for the import of 340,000MT wheat as well as permission to distribute the imported quan-

21,000 Roshan Digital Accounts opened; $24m received: PM ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that around 21,000 non-resident Pakistanis opened Roshan Digital Account remotely and sent $24 million with the number still growing. “Glad to see Overseas Pakistanis taking advantage of Roshan Digital Account initiative of State Bank of Pakistan. To date more than 21 thousand digital accounts have been opened remotely & $24 mln received,” the prime minister said on Twitter. He said the number of accounts and amounts were growing every day. Roshan Digital Account is an opportunity for overseas Pakistanis allowing them to remotely open an account in Pakistan through an entirely digital and online process without any need to visit a bank branch. These accounts provide innovative banking solutions to those seeking to undertake banking, payment and investment activities in Pakistan. APP

Karachi considers introducing fines for not wearing face mask Karachi administrator Iftikhar Shallwani on Thursday said that he has reissued an application to the Sindh government to introduce an Rs1,000 fine for those who do not wear face masks in public. This application was originally considered in March when the coronavirus was first emerging in the country. However, as the cases have begun to rise again, Shallwani has again forwarded the proposal in an attempt to prevent or diminish a second wave of the novel virus. “Covid-19 cases have started rising in the country, especially in Karachi, so in order to contain the infectious disease, we have once again proposed an Rs1,000 fine for all those would don’t wear a mask in public places,” said Shallwani. Similarly, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat had said earlier this week, “People should act responsibly and should not shun precautionary measures”.

tities equally among three recipient agencies, namely PASSCO, Punjab and KP. They also requested the committee to grant an in-principle approval to the procurement of additional quantities from Russia by TCP. The ECC granted approval for the import of 340,000MT wheat and decided that the imported quantities shall be distributed among PASSCO, Punjab and KP in proportion to what they have ordered/demanded. The committee also approved in-principle the import of wheat from Russia by

TCP, for which a detailed summary regarding the fresh offer from the Russian government along with quantities would be presented before the ECC for approval. The MNFS&R briefed the committee that so far, the ministry has in stock 0.57 million tonnes of imported wheat. It further informed that the TCP has provided a schedule of 29 vessels that will arrive till January 2021, bringing the total to 1.5 million MT of wheat in the country. The ministry assured the forum that they have been making their best efforts to overcome any future shortage of wheat in the country. The meeting was attended by National Food Security Minister Syed Fakhar Imam, Industries & Production Minister Hammad Azhar, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, Special Assistant to PM on Revenue Dr Waqar Masood Khan, SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and Privatization Minister Mohammadmian Soomro.

Planning ministry reviews arrangements for next JCC meeting on CPEC ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar on Thursday chaired a consultative meeting to review the preparations for the upcoming 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting on CPEC. All the conveners of the respective Joint Working Groups (JWGs) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework, including the secretaries of planning communications and foreign affairs ministries, CPEC Authority chairman, officials from line ministries and representatives from all relevant departments attended the meeting. The conveners of the JWGs and their representatives briefed the minister on the agenda and proposed deliverables for the 10th JCC. The minister expressed satisfaction over the preparations and suggested deliverables for the JCC. Under the JWG on Transport and Infrastructure, Asad Umar agreed to take up D I Khan–Zhob highway project with the Chinese side for funding in the meeting of the respective JWG. The chair also agreed that new projects will be considered in the next JCC after approval of the PC-Is including Swat ExpressWay Phase–II and Peshawar-D I

Khan Motorway. Greater Peshawar Mass Transit was also discussed and it was decided that the project will be taken up with the Chinese side after the completion of feasibility study. Progress on prioritized CPEC SEZs including Rashakai, Dhabeji, Allama Iqbal Industrial City (M3) was reviewed, while discussions were also held on progress in the industrial cooperation sector under CPEC. Asad Umar stressed the need to take immediate actions to encourage the Chinese investors to invest in SEZs. He emphasized to enhance business-to-business linkages between China and Pakistan, facilitate increased investment from Chinese enterprises and enhance industrial competitiveness of business in Pakistan through technology transfer, world class managerial and industrial practices and skills transfer. The minister directed the Ministry of National Food Security & Research to select need based specific projects for agriculture to take up with Chinese counterparts and FMD free zone for Balochistan should also be the part of upcoming JCC. Asad Umar would convene follow-up meetings on industrial cooperation, agriculture, Gwadar and socio-economic development sector in the coming week to further refine the deliverables for the 10th JCC.

PM for making NOCs’ issuance to construction industry easy, transparent ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the authorities concerned to make the process of issuance of no-objection certificate (NOC) in the construction sector transparent, easy and quick to facilitate the investors. The PM said this while chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development here on Thursday. He was informed that 112 companies and individuals have so far been registered with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which would start work on

123 housing and construction projects. The weekly meeting was briefed by the FBR chairman regarding the online registration system and awareness seminars. The meeting was told that awareness seminars [about the housing and construction projects] have already been organized in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The Sindh chief secretary told the meeting that a one-window portal for investors was in place under which 19 projects for the province have been approved, while NOCs for 75 projects have been issued. It was further told that for monitoring of the projects, a committee that also included private sector representatives has already been notified.

woMAn AllEgEDly RAPED AftER RoBBERy in MultAn MULTAN: A woman was allegedly raped by a mugger during a robbery on Thursday. The incident took place in Basti Darkhana Wali, Multan, where a mugger raped the woman after snatching livestock and gold ornaments from her, said the police. The woman was moved to Nishtar Hospital for a medical report. The police said that the case of the incident would be registered in the light of the medical report. Initial statement of the woman was recorded. The incidents of rape and sexual assault against women have been reported time and again amid calls of strict action against the culprits. On September 9, the woman along with her children was waiting for help on the LahoreSialkot motorway after her car ran out of fuel when she was forcefully brought out of the car at gunpoint and gang-raped in Gujjarpura area on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Lahore. TLTP

Zainab Alert app launched for recovery of missing children ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Human Rights, together with Prime Minister's Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU), on Thursday launched the Zainab Alert app for citizens to timely report any child that goes missing. A ceremony to mark the momentous occasion was held in Islamabad and attended by Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari and Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar. Amin Ansari, the father of late Zainab Ansari, a little girl who was raped and murdered, pressed the button and launched the app at the event. Mazari said that the past government had already begun work on an alert, which was named "mera bacha" (my child) on the prime minister's portal but it was never completed. She said the Zainab Alert app has been integrated with district police officers throughout the country. In Punjab, it is linked to 36, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 33, and in Sindh to 50 district police officers. The human rights minister said that complaints registered with the app will prompt the police to launch an immediate probe into the matter. She said that the app has been designed in a manner that making a fake alert is not possible. Mazari said that soon a national directory will be formulated which will work with Edhi and other charities to develop a safety mechanism for children. She added that the ministry of human rights' existing helpline 1099 will also continue to be available. TLTP

Dollar slips to Rs162.86 in interbank market KARACHI: Pakistani Rupee continued gaining strength against the US dollar in the interbank market and gained 62 paisas on Thursday. According to a tweet of the State Bank of Pakistan, the US dollar opened at Rs163.48 and closed at Rs162.86. The rupee has gained Re0.98 against the US dollar in the last four days. The devaluation of the dollar would ease pressure of debt payment of Pakistan by Rs575 billion. Meanwhile, the liquid foreign exchange reserves of the country have declined by $336 million to $19.015 billion during week ending on October 9, 2020, the SBP said on Thursday. The foreign exchange reserves of the country were recorded at $19.351 billion as on October 2, 2020. The official reserves of SBP fell by $357 million to $11.798 billion as against $7.196 billion a week ago. TLTP

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar holds a meeting with Law Minister Raja Basharat.

Tractor production up 17pc in three months ISLAMABAD APP

The production of farm tractors in the country increased by 17.16pc to 11,235 units in the first three months (JulySeptember) of current financial year (2020-21), as against the production of 9,589 units in same period of last year. The production of trucks, however, witnessed a decline of 5.87pc, from 817 units in July-Sept FY20 to 769 units in July-Sept FY21, according to latest data issued by the Pakistan Automobile Manufacturing Association

(PAMA). Similarly, the output of buses plunged to 125 units during the period under review from 157 units last year, showing a decrease of 20.38pc, while that of pickups decreased by 32.50pc to 3,708 units from 5,494 units last year. As many as 1,655 units of light commercial vehicles, vans, and jeeps were manufactured during the first three months of FY21 compared to 867 units in the same months of last year, showing a massive increase of 190.88pc. On the other hand, the production of passenger cars posted a record decline of 29.34pc, plunging to 25,574 units from 36,198 units last year.

SBP reserves plunge $356m to $11.79bn The foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank declined 2.9pc on a weekly basis, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday. On October 9, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $11,798.4 million, down $356 million compared with $12,154.7 million in the previous week. According to a central bank statement, “The SBP made external debt repayment of $507 million during the week. After accounting for official inflows, SBP reserves decreased $356 million.” NEWS DESK

Friday, 16 October, 2020

CCOE sEEks COmprEhEnsivE plan tO mEEt EnErGy DEmanD this wintEr ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

HE Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) on Thursday reviewed the requirement of furnace oil for winter months and directed the Ministry of Energy to prepare a comprehensive plan to meet the industrial and residential demand in the upcoming without any curtailment of load. The directions came during a meeting of the CCoE held under the chairmanship of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar. The meeting was attended by Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan, Information

& Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and SAPM on Mineral Resources Shahzad Qasim. The meeting was held to review the implementation status of the North-South Gas Pipeline (NSGP) project as well as to gauge the high sulphur furnace oil (HSFO) and low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) demand for power plants. The committee directed the energy ministry to ensure the complete utilisation of all fuel sources, including renewable and coal, before the assessment of furnace oil requirement. It was decided that an evaluation of

domestic refining capacity would also be conducted so as to keep the requirement to import at a minimum. Further, the Petroleum Division presented the natural gas demand-supply situation for the winter, including LNG import requirements. The CCoE directed the ministry to ensure that there is no gas load curtailment for industries and that all efforts are made to meet the remaining system demand. Gas allocation priority criteria will be adhered to by the ministry during the winter season. The committee also took serious notice of the non-completion of a 17km gas pipeline extension at Port Qasim by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), which

was hindering the utilisation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal capacity. Stressing on the complete utilisation of excess LNG to make the additional gas available in the system, the committee requested Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan to personally follow up with the Sindh government to ensure that a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is issued for the construction of the pipeline and that it is completed by December. Regarding the implementation status of NSGP, the committee directed to expedite the process of land acquisition and present a detailed project implementation schedule along with the transaction structure and formulation by February 2021.

Finance Division rebuﬀs media report on ‘depleting forex reserves’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Finance Division has rebuffed a news report claiming that Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are depleting and that it would not be possible to float bonds unless the stalled IMF programme is revived Terming the report “completely fallacious and misleading on all three counts”, the Finance Division stated,

“First, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are stable and certainly not depleting. The marginal fall in reserves referred to in the news item is because of the outflows of loans taken from commercial banks. The Ministry of Finance has already completed the process for refinancing of these loans and the funds are expected to flow back in during the next two to three weeks. More so, the stability in our foreign exchange reserves is reflected in the improving exchange value of the rupee.

“Second, the IMF programme has not stalled. The government, including the MoF and the State Bank of Pakistan as well as all ministries concerned, are in constant consultation with the IMF regarding the different policy initiatives and interventions currently being undertaken. As a trusted development partner and economic adviser, the IMF is consistently guiding and steadfastly supporting the government during these unprecedentedly difficult times created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Grow, Sustain, Nourish. TOGETHER! NAwAL TArIq Since the time we are ensnared with the crisis of pandemic the course of life has been drastically changed. Despite of lift of ban and lockdown, things still have not been restored to normal. Abnormal is a new normal. Irrespective of the damage this pandemic has posed on social, political and economic dynamics of states, on a brighter side it also has given us a chance to stop, think and ponder on things that were otherwise ignored. We now have better understanding of things, we have identified the loopholes that needs to be filled. This pandemic has marked a deep realization that we must recover system, together in a better way. We must take care of the unprivileged and vulnerable members of society together. As world is now strategizing and moving towards recovery, the revival must be done in a better form specifically food system strategies needs to be revised. As per one guesstimate the annual production of food is more than enough to feed the whole population of world but still there are millions of people who sleep on empty stomach every night. Human life whirls around one thing and that one thing is sustenance; food. What does a man not do to achieve the provision of sustenance? He struggles fervently through a day for food to satisfy his and his family’s hunger but if still he and his family are sleeping on an empty stomach then its one harsh reality of life which needs to be reverted on emergency grounds. Constant increase in hunger since 2014 together with mounting obesity, clearly indicates the need to accelerate and

scale up actions to improve food systems and ensure the right and balanced provision of safe food to people. As per one report posted by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, COVID -19 has induced hunger toll, almost 690 million people are hungry and the pandemic could have added 83-132 million people in the given figure in view of economic crisis scenario. We must find a balance in food provision system. This year on 16th of October, World Food Day, the concerned stake holders are calling for global concurrence to work in this regard. We must work together to improve food system specially to ensure the right provision of safe food to all the people specifically after pandemic crisis. We must strengthen our food system in a way that it provides affordable, quality and sustainable healthy diet for public also bring reasonable earning for people who deal in food business. For this new reform needs to be introduced in agricultural practices, distribution policies need to revised and better preservation and production methods should be adapted. Any step which can ensure the right preservation and provision of food should be adapted to make a world a better place. This year the commemoration of world food day will be in a unique way, campaigns that necessitates massive gatherings will be avoided however the message will echo in air using modern digitalized manner worldwide. The observance of World Food Day is not confined to International level but is also celebrated nationally specifically in Punjab. Punjab Food Authority the most concerned regulatory authority functional in Punjab is enthusiasti-

cally working in this regard. Since the outbreak of pandemic, Chairman Punjab Food Authority Umer tanveer butt and Director General Punjab Food Authority, Irfan Nawaz Memon, upon the special instructions of Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, already is proselytizing the idea of better recovery. Now a days authority he along with his concerned teams are working in this regard more devotedly. The concerned department is also running an aggressive campaign in this regard just to ensure provision of safe food to all people without any kind of discrimination but we must realize that it is not the responsibility of regulatory authorities only it’s a collective responsibility of producers, government and consumers. This year on World Food Day, resolute to ensure the consumption of safe food not only for your own families alone but for others’ too. As once quoted “In crucial things, unity. In important things, diversity. In ALL things, generosity.” Prosperity of nations lies in togetherness. For a prosperous and healthy future, we must take care of others around us too. As endorsed by FAO: “TIME TO BUILD BACK TOGETHER” We must grow back together. Take your selves out of individualistic means and nourish nation only then we can come out this economic and food crisis. If a single person sleeps on an empty stomach then its our collective failure the responsibility comes on our shoulders, we must resolute to work in this together and build a better future together.

NEWS

Govt, auto sector to review vehicle prices in December ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

Keeping in view the customers' concerns regarding the rising prices of locally-assembled and manufactured vehicles, the government and auto sector may review the prices of vehicles in December before negotiating a new auto policy. Talking to a group of journalists in Islamabad, Indus Motor Company (IMC) Chief Executive Officer Ali Asghar Jamali said since the major impact on prices of vehicles was from taxes imposed by the government, any relief in taxes would ultimately result in a reduction of prices. "We have submitted our proposals to the government for tax rationalization in the auto sector. Removal of federal excise and additional custom duties can help the industry reduce prices," he said. According to Jamali, the concerned ministries have agreed to review the taxes in December, when the government and auto industry would be renegotiating the Auto Policy 2016-21, which expires on June 30, 2021. Replying to a query, Jamali said, "We have submitted various proposals to control black marketing or premium money on sales of new vehicles. However, since sales tax is subject to the provincial government's approval, the consensus between the Centre and provinces has been an issue." Sharing the impacts of market slowdown and closure of industry following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the entire auto sector had plunged into a deep crisis during the nationwide lockdown. He added that all auto manufacturers incurred huge losses while not a single vehicle was produced by the three main original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in April. “However, not a single employee was laid off and we even provided interest-free loans to our vendors; we stayed committed to our core value of promoting local engineering base in Pakistan," he stated. The IMC chief said that the momentum started picking up in July and due to overwhelming demand, the company went for doubleshift production, which would help meet demand and reduce delivery lead time. "IMC has been striving to meet the expectations of its customers and one of them is the offering earliest delivery to them. We are happy that double-shift production will fulfil our commitment to them," he added. It is to be noted that Toyota’s production was well in place at the start of this calendar year as total production was over 4,000 units in the month of January with a month-on-month (MoM) increase of around 90pc. However, owing to the lockdown, production came to a virtual halt until May 19; the situation got better in September with the production of over 4,300 units. The IMC CEO requested the government to support the biggest manufacturing sector of Pakistan which employs 3 million direct and indirect labour and promote the ‘Made in Pakistan’ policy by encouraging industrialisation. “The auto sector foresees a promising future and becoming the biggest contributor to the government's macroeconomic goals, provided a predictable and long-term auto policy is in place,” he concluded.

Oil prices to remain unchanged for rest of October ISLAMABAD: The prices of petroleum products in Pakistan will remain unchanged for the remaining days of October, said the finance ministry on Thursday. The existing prices of petroleum products will remain the same until October 31. Petrol will continue to cost Rs103.97 per litre, diesel Rs104.6 per litre, kerosene oil Rs65.29 per litre, and light diesel oil Rs62.88 per litre. The government is currently collecting Rs30/litre petroleum levy on diesel and Rs27.32/litre on petrol. On the other hand, the amount of petroleum levy on kerosene oil imposed is Rs11.43. TLTP

Review: William Dalrymple’s Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan

By KABIr ALTAf Early in Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan (Bloomsbury 2013), William Dalrymple quotes Mehrab Khan’s (the Khan of Kalat) remark to the British diplomat and adventurer Alexander Burnes: “You have brought an army into [Afghanistan] but how do you propose to take it out again?” (Dalrymple 161). As the British and subsequent foreign pow-

ers would find out, it is extremely difficult to successfully withdraw from Afghanistan. It has now been nearly two decades since the current US-led invasion began in 2001 and President Trump is promising to extensively draw down the presence of US troops, after having signed a deal with the Taliban--the regime that the US went to war to remove. In such a context, Dalrymple’s account of the First Anglo-Afghan War remains extremely relevant. Return of a King takes its title from the attempt of the British to put Shah Shuja-- the grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the founder of modern Afghanistan -- back on the throne after an exile of over thirty years in British India. This attempt took place in the context of the Great Game--the British-Russian rivalry for control over Central Asia. The British feared that Dost Mohammad Khan, who had usurped power from Shah Shuja, was pro-Russian and hence decided that he needed to be replaced with Shuja, whom they would use as a puppet leader. While they succeeded in removing Dost Mohammad and giving the crown to Shuja, they could

not have anticipated the resistance that they would face. The bulk of the book describes the war in an extremely detailed fashion. Dalrymple’s style is novelistic and makes the reader feel that they are actually a witness to events as they occur. For example, here is the description of the only survivor of the disastrous retreat from Kabul to Jalalabad: That night lamps were raised on the gates of Jalalabad and bugles blown to guide in any last stragglers, but none limped in. ‘ A strong wind was blowing from the south, which sent the sound of the bugles all over the town,’ remembered Captain Thomas Seaton, ‘The terrible wailing sound of those bugles I will never forget. It was a dirge for our slaughtered soldiers and, heard all through the night, it had an inexpressibly mournful and depressing effect. Dr Brydon’s tale struck horror into the hearts of all who heard it… The whole army had been destroyed, one man alone escaping to tell the fearful tale ( 387). The retreat from Kabul was followed by an Army of Retribution

CMYK

which set out to punish the Afghans. After retaking Kabul, this army burned large parts of the city. Dalrymple writes: ... as well as destroying the empty shops and houses of their supposed enemies, the marauding British troops also committed what today would be classified as war crimes against their Qizilbash and Hindu allies. Indeed the peaceable Kabul Hindu trading community that had for centuries survived arbitrary arrests and torture by a whole variety of Afghan rulers bent on extorting their money was wiped out in just forty-eight hours by the depredations of the British, as an official inquiry later acknowledged (460) As for Shah Shuja, he not only lost his throne but ended up assassinated, not for any fault of his own but due to his loyalty to the British. Dalrymple writes: Shuja was always unusual for his honourable loyalty to his allies and his faithfulness to his agreements, in a region not known for either… He saw himself as the true heir to a highly cultured Persianspeaking Safavid and Timurid civil-

isation, and as well as writing fine verse and prose himself was a generous patron to poets and scholars… His vision of his kingdom was one which saw it not as an isolated and mountainous backwater but instead as tied by alliances to a wider world, and which through the common Persianate civilisation was diplomatically, culturally and economically integrated with the other countries of the region. It was sadly not a vision that shows much sign, even today, of being realised, though the idea has never completely died (422-23). The First Anglo-Afghan War ended with Dost Mohammad -- the very ruler that the British had gone to war to depose -- back on the throne. His descendents would continue to rule Afghanistan until the end of the monarchy in the 1970s. The war thus serves as a striking example of colonial hubris. In his “Author’s Note”, Dalrymple explicitly compares this British Occupation to the current American one: Nevertheless due to the continuities of the region’s topography, economy, religious aspirations and social fabric, the failures of 170

years ago do still hold important warnings for us today. It is still not too late to learn some lessons from the mistakes of the British in 1842. Otherwise, the west’s fourth war in the country looks certain to end with as few political gains as the first three, and like them to terminate in an embarrassing withdrawal after a humiliating defeat, with Afghanistan yet again left in tribal chaos and quite possibly ruled by the same government which the war was originally fought to overthrow (493). In 2020, as the US withdraws after making a deal with the Taliban and intra-Afghan negotiations are occurring on a new power-sharing arrangement which may herald a significant role for the Taliban, Dalrymple’s account of the First AngloAfghan War continues to hold important lessons for those of us in the region as well as for the wider international community. It is a deeply engaging and important work of historical research. Kabir Altaf has a MA in Ethnomusicology from SOAS, University of London, and a BA in Dramatic Literature from George Washington University.

Friday, 16 October, 2020

06 COMMENT

Personifying democracy

The opposition rally And government’s terms and conditions

ELATioNS between the government and the opposition are becoming tense by the day. The opposition maintains that it is within its right to protest against government policies. The PdM has accused the government of using the administrative machinery to stop it from exercising its constitutional right. it has further charged that by imposing opposition-specific restrictions on its rally, the government is paving way for use of force on peaceful protesters. The government tried to foil the joint opposition rally in Gujranwala using several tricks suggested by its shortsighted advisors, blocking permission to hold the rally at Gujranwala’s Jinnah Stadium being one. When the opposition announced it would direct its processions coming from different cities to stage sit-ins wherever they were stopped, thus blocking Punjab’s major intercity arteries, the government agreed to allow the rally to be held at the premises in Gujranwala albeit with terms and conditions that may not be acceptable to the opposition. These include not allowing any participant to enter the site of the rally without a mask and requiring everyone to be seated at a distance of three to six feet from each other. The opposition maintains this was not done when Prime Minister imran Khan addressed a gathering of insaf Lawyers Forum in islamabad, attended by hundreds of PTi supporters. Any attempt to enforce the condition when large crowds try to enter the stadium is bound to lead to ugly incidents. The administration has disallowed any convicted person from addressing the gathering after PML(N) announced that former PM Nawaz Sharif would address the rally via video link from London. The government has also strictly prohibited "objectionable/offensive slogans" at the event. What is objectionable and offensive to one side may not be so to the other. To please the government, Punjab police is going by its playbook, blocking roads at selected spots, raiding the houses of the opposition’s activists and directing the transporters not to provide buses to the opposition. This has led to a sudden rise in political temperature. The government would do well to let the opposition leaders hold their rally without interruption and file cases if they break any law. Confrontation during the rally should be avoided.

Reviving memories of the Sun-King at Penpoint M a niaZi

hEN he said “i am democracy”, imran Khan sounded like an eerie echo of Louis Xiv’s reputed saying, ‘L’état, c’est moi’ (the state, it is me). Louis Xiv is not one of his heroes; at least he did not carry out a U-turn like those of Napoleon or hitler, which imran used to justify some of his own. Louis was the Roi-Soleil (Sun-King), whose statement represents the arrogance of the absolute monarch. The really interesting thing is that Louis may never have said it, and it was an ascription to him in the late-18th century, along with such other sayings as ‘the King can do no wrong’. however, more accurately, when he was on his deathbed, he is recorded as saying, Je m'en vais, mais l'État demeurera toujours. (i am going away, but the State will always remain). That is an astonishingly perceptive view after a reign of 72 years, by an old man who had seen his son and one grandson die, and though he had been the most powerful monarch in Europe, had engaged in a final war to get a grandson inherit the Spanish throne, and apart from the domestic losses, had spent his last years in fear that the last Army of France would be broken in the field. imran has not shown that realisation. in fact, his seeing himself as democracy because he won four seats and his party got the most votes in the 2018 election shows that he did not absorb the lessons on offer to him at oxford, where he read PPE (philosophy, political science and economics), perhaps preferring to focus on his performances for the oxford cricket team, of which he was a member. The essence of democracy is that it does not rest in any single person. it is thus unlike a monarchy, especially in the absolutist model developed under Louis Xiv. The models that have been followed here have been monarchical, because they have been presidential, with even prime ministers imitating that style. When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto became Prime Minister under the 1973 Constitution, he no longer remained President, but he ensured that he would retain all the perks of the position. he ensured that the Prime Minister enjoyed no fewer privileges than the President. When Muhammad Khan Junejo took office in 1985, after the revival of the office, he took over the protocol that had existed for Bhutto, and this has remained unchanged. With the President not losing anything of the perks he enjoyed under a presidential system, and the PM replicating them under the prime ministerial, the protocol for the latter was more suited to a head of state rather than a mere head of government. Bhutto wanted to keep the prime ministerial office very obviously that of the first person of the state. After all, he was succeeding two highly autocratic and powerful presidents, so it made sense of sorts to make the office of PM powerful, not just in terms of actual powers, but of protocol. The presidential protocol had

IMF sees hard times ahead for Pakistan Low growth predicted

FTER the World Bank’s prediction of a one percent contraction of GdP in 2020-2021, the iMF’s prediction, in its Economic Monitor, of one percent growth, is probably welcome. it is certainly closer to the government’s own target of 2.3 percent, but it is even more anemic than it. Accompanying that low growth it has also predicted relatively higher inflation, at 10.2 percent, while it has also predicted that unemployment would reach 5.1 percent. That indicates that the iMF thinks Pakistan is experiencing stagflation. This cannot be ascribed to the covid-19-caused depression. Such a worldwide contraction should also be accompanied by a tumbling of prices. That has been the case with petroleum prices, but before the pandemic struck, the iMF itself had forced a massive devaluation of the currency, with the result that imports became much more expensive. As palm oil is directly imported, and as fuel is such an important input in agricultural production and marketing, food is bound to grow more expensive. The situation confronting the government is a dire one. Getting Pakistan onto an iMF programme is no solution. That the PML(N) government left office after posting a healthier growth rate begs the question of what exactly the PTi intended to achieve by its opposition. it exploited popular dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the economy. however, with food prices rising and jobs being lost steadily, the government might face the conversion of the dissatisfaction it exploited into rage it cannot control. The Pakistan democratic Movement hopes to convert that public dissatisfaction into protests. one of the problems the government faces is the impression that its economic management is feckless. its main election plank, that corruption caused poor performance, has remained unproven on both counts: neither has there been any end to corruption or any punishment not seen as political victimisation, nor has the PTi government managed the economy better. The government’s attempts to talk up the economy have not yielded results, mainly because people know only too well the pain they are suffering. The government must pay careful attention to these predictions, because it needs to understand what the iMF wants when it negotiates the stalled programme.

Post-pandemic digitalization New ways of doing business Zainab naZir

ovid-19 has accelerated the digitalization journey of businesses all over the world. Stay-at-home orders, work-fromhome decorum and social distancing have pushed companies to adopt new ways of doing things such as business techniques which mainly include digital tools to communicate, collaborate, work and track overall processes and progress. We cannot ignore the catastrophe that covid-19 has caused, but what is more important is that we do not lose sight of the digital metamorphosis and computerization spurting across the world because of it. With more people staying at home and getting almost everything they need online, firms and seasoned companies are investing their money where the eyeballs are. With every new phase of this pandemic, companies are changing their focus from earning more to protecting their business to retooling. Pre-pandemic transmutations were mostly driven by customer-based needs and a desire for more efficient and transparent processes, but the post-pandemic digitalization journeys are different. Global health and safety, increased communication and collaboration, social distancing, and a higher degree of adaptability and pliancy are all now the determining factors for the new digital transformation. The coronavirus pandemic is battering global markets. The global crisis is hurting businesses, but

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nazir Bhutto). While heads of government naturally object to being assassinated, the trauma inflicted on the nation is great. While buffaloes might not be a followed that of the viceroy under the Raj. it should good idea, bulletproof vehicles are. imran should realize that anyone winning more be noted that while the original president, that of the USA, was elected, and the viceroy selected, both were than one seat is merely putting the country to the exmonarchs. The USA had decided to elect its monarch, pense of a by-election. The confusion between popwho enjoyed the powers that the British monarch had ularity, reflected in the ability to win seats and garner back in 1787. The president being head of both state votes, should not be confused with democracy, which and government reflects the position back then: the involves such concepts as tolerance and free speech, PM was not yet legally head of government, and the neither of which have had much traction under imran. King still had that position. The viceroy of india was Tolerance has been sacrificed for the opposition, with appointed by the monarch (after 1858, when the NAB acting as a sort of enforcer for the government. British took over from the East india Company), on it is not the sole agency being used, but it still seems the PM’s binding advice. however, he was head of to be the agency of choice. he should also realize both government and state, that by naming the iSi as and enjoyed a lifestyle the agency the opposition which was both monarchiwants to control, he may cal and colonial. That be revealing more about lifestyle was taken over by anyone that realize should Imran himself than about the opGovernor General, Presiposition. There is less the dent or Prime Minister. winning more than one seat is righteous anger of the cruMian Nawaz Sharif is merely putting the country to the sader against corruption, accused of following the than the pettishness of the example of the Mughal expense of a by-election. The current favourite fearing Emperors. That might replacement by old well be true, but it does confusion between popularity, favourites he has supnot seem that the PM’s protocol has been much reflected in the ability to win seats planted. The freedom of exrevised to reflect the pression in democracy reswitch to democracy perand garner votes, should not be quires a free press, and an sonified. The PM’s daily trip from his Bani Gala confused with democracy, which acceptance of the criticism of the government’s perresidence to PM house, formance. if criticism is involves such concepts as by helicopter, reflects met by suppression, not that, as well as the reason: security. The PM tolerance and free speech, neither only is this undemocratic, it also results in the does not get that protocol of which have had much traction but government being debecause of his rarefied prived of red flags about status, but because of the under Imran. Tolerance has been its flaws, but to a chorus high risk of attack. Two ‘all is well’ and ‘all hail’ of the societies which sacrificed for the opposition, with of that may give instant gratimran has expressed admiration for, Sweden and NAB acting as a sort of enforcer ification, but that will disappear in growing public the Riasat-i-Madina, have for the government. It is not the protests. had very democratic dictatorship has heads of government, but have not had very good sole agency being used, but it still many virtues, but it should not be confused records against assassins. Sweden’s PM olaf Palme seems to be the agency of choice. with democracy. it might even give the government was assassinated while strength enough to dicbicycling to work. he tate election results. That was the only Swedish PM may be why imran calls to be assassinated, but the Riasat-i-Madina saw the last three of its four himself not just democratic, but democracy itself. Caliphs killed. Actually, only Ali ibn Abi Talib he has been accused of being backed by the estab(RA) was assassinated by a political opponent; lishment. in fact, that is one of the main planks on Umra ibn Al-Khattab (RA) was assassinated by a which the Pakistan democratic Movement intends slave with a personal grievance, and osman ibn to campaign. imran might find that concentrating Affan (RA) was killed by a crowd of rebels, who on doing democratic things might be more effective than merely saying he is more democratic. instead had first besieged his house. The distancing of the people from the PM might of echoing Louis Xiv’s apocryphal quote, maybe keep him aloof from the public, but it also keeps as- imran would do better to think about his deathbed sassins away. Pakistan has gone through the trauma statement. of losing one PM to assassination (Liaquat Ali Khan), The writer is a member of staff. as well as an ex-PM campaigning for re-election (Be-

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not all companies are losing money. Businessmen and industrialists are reframing their business tactics and preparing their businesses to survive the lockdown strategies. due to this, digital transformation, communication, collaboration and working at home are all becoming the new normal. This is influencing business activities and models, and is enabling new forms of cooperation between different companies. Whether we take a look at the Tv-based political debate shows or news headlines, these examples show how the covid-19 pandemic has developed from a designless stress test into a bombing catalyst for the digital transformation of our society. Furthermore, be it in schools, industries or medical care units; the last months have shown that in the fight against the contagion, digital acceleration and computerization has gained considerable momentum in all areas of our lives. Across the globe, digitally predominant countries face new and dynamic competitions every day. For example, in 2003, the confinement of SARS in China catapulted digital habits such as adoption of e-commerce and mobile telephony. Today 33 percent of retail transactions in China are online, when most of the countries barely reach 10 percent. in this post-pandemic world, three drivers will push an unprecedented wave of digitalization around the business world: first, consumer habits; second, state regulation; and third, public and private investment. Quarantine has consolidated some digital behaviours, introduced new habits and extended some to other population segments like online shopping or video calls. Some behaviours will

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be circumstantial, but others will become structural. The second driver will be state regulations around data and privacy, starting with the mobile applications to trace infected people, to safety and hygiene in public spaces like parks, airports, stadiums and finally environmental regulations that could affect our daily commute, as many of us are working remotely and the air of our cities is supposed to be cleaner. The third and the final driver will be public and private investment. Public investment will come first, as private capital reduces investment to manage risks. Entrepreneurs, pushed by unemployment, will create new digital startups. This would include corporate investment searching, more digital marketing, more online events and corporate ventures. Nevertheless, venture capital reduces at the beginning, but then increases investment in all digital things. Covid-19 will bring bothwinners and losers. Those businesses or companies who want to win should be ready to remove old stoppers and become much more digital. Starting into the post pandemic new normal with courage; what do these experiences of the last months show us? Being hopeless is not favourable in uncertain times and instead, a direct and positive initiative is needed to overcome a crisis like the current one. one thing that is particularly encouraging is that we are all experiencing and embracing the positive power of digitalization. We had and continue to have the opportunity to recognize that digitalization enables our companies and institutions, our society as a whole and each and every one of us to make a positive new start into the future. Zainab Nazir is a freelance columnist

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Friday, 16 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

Food Safety

Kashmir and UN’s Responsibility to Protect Why does this not apply to India? Saad naveed

ovEREiGN states are expected to act as guardians of their citizen’s security, but what happens if states behave as criminals towards their own people, treating sovereignty as a license to kill? Should tyrannical states be recognized as legitimate members of international society and accorded the protection afforded by the non-intervention principle? Non-intervention has been the norm in international society since the1648 Peace of Westphalia, but should military intervention be permissible when governments massively violate the human rights of their own citizens, are unable to prevent such violations, or if states have collapsed into civil war and anarchy? The answer is Responsibility to Protect. The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a concept that has emerged recently in international law in response to the humanitarian crises of the world after the Cold War. First proposed by a commission in 2001, it was then approved in the UN’s 2005 World Summit outcome, and through UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. it is the doctrine of the UN, according to which it has assured responsibility to ensure peace throughout the world under international humanitarian and human rights law.R2P is invoked when there is a threat of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. it confers a responsibility on the international community to prevent mass atrocities. R2P is fulfilled by first warning a state that displays unwillingness to prevent such crimes or apathy in dealing with them, and can result in a military intervention if deemed necessary. in the context of R2P, the biggest concern in South Asia since 1947 is the Kashmir issue. The valley is under the shadow of anarchy, where there is chaos, insecurity, disorder and uncertainty. it is an internationally recognized disputed territory between india and Pakistan, distributed into two parts, each controlled by one state. it has also been the bone of contention between them since their inception. They have fought three full-fledged wars, numerous low intensity conflicts and continue border skirmishes. in this matter, the UN has adopted UN Security Council Resolution 47on 21 April 1948. According to it, a plebiscite should be conducted in the region and to let the people decide whether they wanted to join Pakistan or india. Under international law, Kashmir is neither part of india nor Pakistan. But both states have firm national interests there. The recent constitutional changes in india on 5 August 2019 worsened the situation and put the Kashmiri people on the edge of a humanitarian emergency. The revoked special status had provided Kashmir a certain amount of autonomy. in his address to the 74th UN General Assembly, Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad said: “Now, despite the UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the country has been invaded and occupied.” india did this by deploying around 700,000 army personnel in Kashmir over the

population of eight million. After five months of curfew since August, india recently changed the status of the valley of Jammu and Kashmir into two different federally administrated unions. The decision was made when most of the political leaders of the valley are under house-arrests and valley is under the siege. The international community in general and the UN specifically has to take certain measures as india committed three violations. First, it decided the remove the special status of Kashmir (unilaterally) that is recognized as disputed territory. Second, this was against the will of the Kashmiri people, as it was done forcefully. Third, india is committing crimes against humanity in the valley. Starting from political repression and suppression of freedom of expression to killings, sexual abuse and forced disappearances, all can be categorized as crimes against humanity. These have been highlighted by many news agencies. As writer Arundhati Roy said: ‘india’s moral position on Kashmir has never, ever been a moral position. it is a kind of moral corrosion that has corroded all of us. And now, now the world is looking at it’. According to ex-Pakistani permanent representative to the UN, Maleha Lodhi, ‘’how can this body command the respect it deserves if its own laws are broken?” UN memberss need some self-examination as to why the Security Council is “reluctant” to refer legal disputes to the international Court of Justice. And if we have no credible answers to these questions except the imperatives of realpolitik, “the world at large will view the United Nations as little more than a political tool in the hand of the powerful few”, if it remains silent on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir despite the promises made to the people of Kashmir through numerous resolutions of this body. This impression would hardly inspire “trust,” dr Lodhi rightly argued. hence, the UN doctrine R2P demands international attention and rapid response in Kashmir. however, the doctrine of R2P is complex in its own principles, application and it is wrapped in power politics. R2P comes under the umbrella of soft law, whichmeans it is non-binding and represents the wish of the international community with a view to further development in the specific law. The UN still faces challenges regarding the uniformity of its laws in terms of dispute settlement, exclusively in the Kashmir case. it is the issue of ‘’Sovereignty versus hypocrisy’’. Under the notion of R2P,this can be associated with two types of sovereignty, the territorial sovereignty of weak states and the decisionmaking sovereignty of powerful state. india will never allow the international community to intervene, especially when it claims Kashmir as a bilateral issue with bordering Pakistan. The world powers feel unequipped to intervene in Kashmir, because one country involved is too powerful and does not follow any ethics. R2P is embedded in the tools of national interests, and can apply to Libya or Syria but not Kashmir. india versus Kashmir is a large country bullying a small nation into submission in violation of not only itsright to sovereignty but international agreements and UN resolutions giving its people the right to determine their own political

fate. The purpose of so many troops stationed in this small country has to be obvious oppression. The indian stance of being a secular state has been shattered due to forceful occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. Their presence makes Kashmir the largest army concentration anywhere in the world, itself a major threat to international peace. Nawaz Sharif articulated Pakistan’s policy on 26 September 2014 during his speech at the United Nations: “The core issue of Jammu and Kashmir has to be resolved. This is the responsibility of the international community. We cannot draw a veil on the issue of Kashmir until it is addressed in accordance with the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”. his words focused on the responsibility of international society and highlighted the urgency of humanitarian assistance. during the UNGA’s 74th session, imran Khan delivered a historic speech that showed the real face of india’s atrocities in Kashmir. Pakistan’s stance is morally and primarily directed towards the freedom of Kashmir based on peace rather than war. Military confrontation by Pakistan is always the reaction of the indian drama in Kashmir. Today both states have nuclear weapons and the international community believes Kashmir will be the first place on earth to see nuclear war. in future if situation escalate it will no longer be the issue of humanitarian assistance or intervention but global nuclear security issue. india wants to acquire allof Kashmir, but this military acquisition will not be ignored by the world’s states. Moreover, the UN secretary general can bring the situation in Kashmir to the attention of the Security Council under Article 99 of the United Nations Charter. it authorizes the secretary general to ‘bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security’. Kashmir is no longer a bilateral issue, and the mass violence and insecurity among the Kashmiris is giving birth to the new version of hobbesian anarchy in the occupied territory which will ultimately effect global peace, stability and security. Although, R2P is not binding and carries a normative status, the significance of norms and precedents and customary law cannot be ignored in the continuously changing international system, where human rights have become central to state affairs. india is the sole perpetrator of mass killing in Kashmir and the world know this. Sooner or later, this political tussle will bow down towards humanity and the abusive conditions will end, or it will be another failure of the UNSC. Protection from violence and mass suffering is the core principle of the UN. it is acting as custodians and guardians of states as well as individuals everywhere in this world. But why is it silent on Kashmir? how long will it take for Kashmiris to attain independence? is there even a final solution? Was Kashmir, like Palestine, a blunder of British colonizers? has india backed down on its promises on Kashmir? is Kashmir an integral part of india? Will there ever be a fair democratic election? Will Kashmiris ever practice the right to self-determination? Saad Naveed is a freelance columnist

Food safety, Everyone’s business. This is the theme selected for the world food day to be held on 16th of october 2002. The reason behind calling it everyone’s business is that without the participation of each and every individual on the face of the earth, it is impossible to ensure food safety for the consumer. There are an estimated 200 food borne diseases directly related to consumption of contaminated food. From production, harvesting, packaging, transportation and retailing, all these processes involve different people at different stages of food processing. This is the main reason everyone has to act responsibly and do their bit in making sure that the food remains safe for consumption. People of Pakistan should also play their part in making sure that the food borne illnesses are eradicated from the country. it is not only going to help improve the health of general population at large but will also take off the loaf from health sector improving the country’s economy. Through social media i came to know that the department of Punjab Food Authority is working vigorously in order to remove adulteration from the society. Recently Punjab Food Authority also launched a much needed project of “mobile milk testing labs” in Lahore. in the first phase of this project six mobile milk testing labs will be stationed at entry points of Lahore, their job is to check every vehicle containing milk entering the city. if the milk is not pure it will be discarded at the spot. This will greatly reduce the amount of contaminated milk being sold in the city. Awareness in the people and more projects like this one are needed in order to make sure availability of safe food for everyone. SyEd M. Shahryar haSSaN

October heatwave? ThE Pakistan Meteorological department warned that the unusual heatwave waves may prevail in different parts of Sindh including Karachi over a week, a smart high alert was imposed at all the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) run hospitals due to in the rise of a heatwave after forecast of (PMd). Actually, a high pressure area over central Asia, rised the temperature to 40-42 centigrade which causes a heavy warm and dry weather in the city. According to official sources the all of KMC's medical and health services were asked to pay strict attentions on their duties round the clock. People were warned too to avoid stepping out from 9am to 5pm if no emergency or urgent. An United Nation office on disaster Risk Reduction (UNdRT) warned that high temperature resulted 13pc of all disaster death worldwide and the majority caused heatwave waves with 91pc death between 2000 and 2019. Apart from it, the May and June heatwave waves of 2015 caused 1,229 death in Pakistan. Similarly, over 72,000 European were killed in heatwave in 2003, and Russia was also faced heatwave waves in 2010 which resulted more than 55,000 deaths. Currently, two more heatwave waves caused over 1,400 death in France in 2019. The medical and health services department are requested to alert the people to take precautionary measures to avoid irresponsibility going out. Shadri akbar kEch

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ThE longer we delay, the more we will pay. Parents have high expectations for their Graduate children regarding their future. Annually 530,000 students completed their Graduation degree from different universities in Pakistan. Although public service commission exacerbate delaying in their recruitment process. First and foremost, Federal public service commission takes two to three years in final allocation. A cogent example worth mentioning in this regard, Advertisement case No-150/2018 comes in my mind this recruitment is still under process onward from 2018 and the interview list could not be finalized yet. Moreover, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa public service commission is sleeping like a log. A primary example worth mentioning in this regard is Advertisement 4/2018. Recruitment of Assistant sub inspectors in Police department is Still under process and did not conduct the descriptive test yet. Moreover, the KPPSC announced Provincial Management Services in 2017 and completed in 2020, took three years to complete the selection process. Whereas, Punjab Public Service Commission and Sindh public service Commission took competitive exams every year. Similarly, Sindh public service commission has also included in this Sluggish race. Previously, SPSC conducted competitive exams after five years. however after 2018, they started to take exams after every year. SPSC announced competitive exams for 2019 in July 2018 and took exams in April 2019 but did not announce result yet. Many aspirants are waiting for result to move ahead. Whereas SPSC is delaying result and playing with future of youth generation. Moving on, Balochistan Public service commission is in dire straits. Every hour thousands of candidates visit website and expecting some things new, which could turn their future. Still there is n sign from BPSC to conduct or announce competitive exam however, on the other side bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Punjab public service commission, which burns the candle at both ends. Providing rapid process to their candidates for recruitment, in term of saving their time and money. A cogent example worth mentioning in this regard is PMS-2020 comes to my mind. Everyone was thinking that conducting a PMS exam was bumpy ride in a situation like Covid-19 but PPSC was as right as rain. Following SoPs and taking other measures in to account, PMS was conducted in the month of August. Similarly an interesting point is that PPCS finalized their other recruitment process in two to three months. A primary example of recruitment in Police department 2019 was finalized in just 3 months. This warrants immediate attention for the policy makers to revise their polices. otherwise we will pay more, although we are paying. Recently on 12-october, Senate standing committee asked the FPSC representatives regarding delay in written examinations and results. The secretary FPSC told to the senate body that the authority received a large number of applications for the post and it took time to shortlist the candidates. Therefore it can be stated that there should be a proper uniform process in all other public service commission’s like Punjab public service commission. They should re-schedule their recruitment process through proper channel, to utilize skilful youth in the structure. otherwise a situation like BRAiNdRAiN will strike Pakistan. ZOhaib JaMir kaka khEL NOWShEra

Friday, 16 October, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

Controversial ‘spy powers bill’ is not fit for purpose THE COVERT HUMAN INTELLIGENCE SOURCES BILL WILL GIVE AGENTS A ‘LICENCE TO KILL’ IN THE INTEREST OF ECONOMIC WELLBEING

independent

alistair CarmiChaEl

PS vote on a bill that would enable the government to authorise undercover agents to commit crimes – up to and including murder, torture and sexual assault – right here, in the UK.

The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill gives vast powers not only to the security agencies but also to a questionable collection of public bodies. There are no real limits, weak safeguards and inadequate oversight. The Bill has no limits on the types of crime that could be authorised. Murder, torture – it is all on the table as written. Nor is there any independent approval of a decision to authorise a crime – or even a requirement for police or prosecutors to be informed about it at all. It is concerning that the Bill allows crimes to be authorised not only in the interests of national security, but also on the disconcertingly vague grounds that they are “in the interests of the economic wellbeing of the United Kingdom”. Perhaps I am just too liberal about these things but I don’t think we should allow this

government to authorise acts of torture in the hope an extra fraction of economic growth. What is the value in sterling required for us to crack out the thumbscrews? Still worse the Bill grants these powers not only to the police and MI5, but also the Food Standards Agency, the Gambling Commission and the Environment Agency, as well as three government departments. There are times when powers like these are necessary to allow undercover agents to commit crimes as part of protecting our country. An MI5 agent infiltrating a terrorist group would be breaking the law by joining it – and risking their life in the process. We owe them an enormous debt for the work they do to keep us safe. It is right that we give them the tools and support they need to carry it out.

With the greatest respect to the staff of the Food Standards Agency, however, if we are allowing meat inspectors to commit murder than something has gone seriously awry. This may all seem like a wild exaggeration of the powers held within the Bill. The legislation is written so broadly, however, that there is little way to prevent such extreme abuses once enacted. The government has brought this Bill not by choice but because it has been breaking the law for years and is now being forced by the courts to put it on a legal basis. It does not speak to good faith on their part. That is why my party is working with the human rights group Reprieve, as well as MPs from other parties, to cut away the Bill’s excesses. Conservative MP David Davis and I

have tabled an amendment that would limit the powers in the Bill, so they cannot be used to sanction murder, torture or sexual violence by a government agent. We would require vital independent oversight and ensure that innocent victims can seek civil redress, for example, if they lose out financially as a result of a statesanctioned crime. We would place strict safeguards on the use of these powers, and limit their use to the police, the intelligence services, the National Crime Agency and the Serious Fraud Office. It is essential that there is a clear legal basis for the actions of government agents. It has been lacking for far too long. This Bill, however, is not fit for purpose. Parliament must stand up to this disturbing government overreach, and anyone who cares about the rule of law must oppose this Bill as it stands. Alistair Carmichael is the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, its chief whip and the party's MP for Orkney and Shetland.

Gag on social media Bangladesh is about to get past India economically AS A MUSLIM MAJORITY COUNTRY, THIS BELIES THE RIGHT WING MYTH THAT an erosion of our MUSLIMS (IN GENERAL) REPRODUCE FASTER THAN HINDUS (IN GENERAL) constitutional rights timeS of india

OBSTRUCTING FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS AN AFFRONT TO DEMOCRACY Star, BangladeSh Editorial

The statement from the home ministry forbidding people from spreading "false, fabricated, confusing, and inciting statements" on social media about government, military, police officials and members of other law enforcement agencies is yet another worrying development in the erosion of freedom of speech in Bangladesh. The statement condemns "false and baseless news about the security forces, which is threatening to ruin the peace in the country, and spreading fear, concern and confusion among the general public." It adds: "the government has observed the activities of such people with patience, and has come to the conclusion that it is necessary to take legal action against such people to maintain stability, domestic security and public well-being." One might be forgiven for thinking that perhaps what is truly spreading fear, concern and confusion among the general public is the continued silencing of dissenting voices, even as violence against women, widespread corruption and enforced disappearances continue—all of which have been the subjects of heated debates on social media platforms over the past few weeks. Even when you can get past the sheer absurdity of trying to police public online platforms, something that tech giants like Facebook and Twitter are failing to do, the questions that come up are numerous. In this "post-truth", modern world, what counts as "false, fabricated, confusing and inciting statements"? Based on what legal guidelines or written codes can the government decide what kind of statements are ruining the peace or harming public well-being? What sort of "legal action" will be taken in these scenarios—does this simply give way to greater use of the draconian Digital Security Act? Will this give more scope to cover up abuses of power and hide inconvenient truths? This is not the first time we have seen the government respond to criticism and widespread debate and discussion on a certain issue, especially on social media, by simply shutting it down. In the wake of the coronavirus crisis in Bangladesh, when the public health sector was facing severe scrutiny and the health ministry was widely criticised for mishandling the pandemic, the health minister ordered all health officials to stop talking to the media, and the public administration ministry asked all secretaries to ensure that no public servant can talk to or write in the media without prior approval. This month, the Department of Secondary and Higher Education issued a circular forbidding students and teachers from writing, sharing or even "liking" anything that "ruins the image of the government or the state", or "disrespects any important person, institution or profession" on social media. Now, it is the general public who have been told to watch what they say or write. The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees the right of every citizen to freedom of speech and expression. Regulating what ordinary citizens can post, share or even "like" on social media is not the symptom of a democratic nation but rather an Orwellian society. We urge the authorities to immediately rescind this unconstitutional statement, which is an attack on our fundamental right to free speech.

In India’s overheated political rhetoric, references to Bangladesh are mostly negative. The salient characterisation is that it’s an economic basket case, forcing desperate job seekers to cross illegally into India. Current evidence, however, indicates otherwise. IMF forecasts that Bangladesh will edge past India this year in per capita GDP. Bangladesh’s economic progress has been consistent, signifying that its gains are durable. Over the last eight years, its economy expanded for a while by over 6%, then 7% before it hit 8.2% in 2019. In a world undermined by the pandemic, Bangladesh’s export oriented economy is forecast to expand 3.8% this year. India’s trajectory is a marked contrast. Its growth rate has been uneven and this year IMF projects a contrac-

tion of 10.3%. If there was a moment of divergence, it has to be 2017. Following the ill-conceived demonetisation India’s growth rate sputtered, while Bangladesh’s expansion only got faster. Per capita GDP weaves in another measure that is the stuff of hope – and trope. Bangladesh’s fertility rate has fallen faster than India, and at 2 it’s below the replacement rate. As a Muslim majority country, this belies the right wing myth that Muslims (in general) reproduce faster than Hindus (in general). As an outlier in economic performance, Bangladesh holds lessons for

us. The springboard for its growth has been a tighter integration into global value chains for textiles. India, however, has reverted to its old import substitution approach by using tariffs to protect domestic industry. An export-oriented approach remains the best bet to revive India’s economic performance. The government must also expand economic cooperation and connectivity with Bangladesh, one of our best friends in the neighbourhood. Beijing is courting Dhaka as well, and if we diss Bangladesh for petty reasons of domestic politics we will lose the economic as well as the strategic game.

Social media must contain the 'infodemic' ACCORDING TO SARAH EVANEGA, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CORNELL ALLIANCE FOR SCIENCE AND THE STUDY'S LEAD AUTHOR, THE PRESIDENT IS "THE SINGLE LARGEST DRIVER OF MISINFORMATION" REGARDING THE VIRUS

Cgtn BradlEy BlankEnship

The White House is now the center of a major coronavirus outbreak, which can undeniably be tied to a total lack of regard for basic hygienic guidelines. Cases tied to the administration and within the Republican Party continue to mount – even as they had access to the world's most elite medical experts. Choose as they might to endanger themselves, the White House outbreak is a perfect example of the consequences that come with the exact behaviors modeled by U.S. President Donald Trump. It turns out that the president is responsible for a lot of the spin tied to information regarding the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent study by researchers at Cornell University. Analyzing 38 million articles in English-language media around the world, Trump made up nearly 38 percent of the overall "misinformation conversation," which makes the White House not only a major center of the pandemic, but the actual epicenter of the "infodemic." According to Sarah Evanega, the director of the Cornell Alliance for Science and the study's lead author, the president is "the single largest driver of misinformation" regarding the virus. To anyone following the president's Twitter, this is not a surprise – he has amplified, retweeted, or even just made subtle mentions of conspiracy theories that have little or no connection to reality. The most talked-about misinformation topic was "miracle cures," and many of these were tied to

Trump, such as his promotion of anti-malarial drugs, ultraviolet light and disinfectants to treat COVID-19. "I see the disinfectant that knocks it (the coronavirus) out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning?" Trump said in April during a press conference, the famous "bleach injection" moment. As comical as some of these suggestions were, they had identifiable realworld consequences. For example, on March 23, after Trump had touted the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, it was reported that a man died and his wife was in critical care after ingesting chloroquine phosphate under the false assumption that it would protect them from becoming infected with coronavirus. The woman told NBC News that she and her husband got the idea after watching a Trump press conference. She was clearly not alone as bottles of chloroquine phosphate – a fish tank cleaning agent – blew up in price on eBay to hundreds of dollars and were reportedly being sold out of aquarium stores at the time. Other prevalent conspiracy theories cited by Cornell have been played up by the president and his supporters, such as those that alleged wrongdoing by infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci or that the virus is a hoax spread by Democrats. The dangers associated with these are obvious – they created deep distrust of medical experts and made the entire pandemic and its ensuing restriction measures partisan saber-rattling. But so deep is Trump's disconnection from reality that his family is actually worried about his mental state after his recent antics after testing positive for COVID-19, according to Vanity Fair's Gabriel Sherman, citing a source close to Donald Trump Jr. "Don Jr. thinks Trump is acting crazy," a source told Sherman, noting that the president's oldest child is trying to stage an intervention for the president. While the family is split on how to manage the

president's behavior, they are apparently unanimous on getting him to stop tweeting. "They're all worried. They've tried to get him to stop tweeting," Sherman's source said. But why should we be hedging our bets on the goodwill of the Trump family to end this nonsense? As I wrote for CGTN in late April, the media have a unique responsibility to deplatform the president when he says blatantly false things about the virus. Some legacy outlets did great work in pulling broadcasts when his press conferences went too far into conspiracy land, but the fact that he was able to become the misinformation force is a major failing. Most of this can be attributed to social media. It's an open secret that social media not only profits from, but actually engenders, political polarization – while also being the main source of news for a majority of American adults. While Twitter, the president's favorite social media, began to flag some of Trump's tweets, they never went nearly far enough; instead, Trump has maintained a direct pipeline to the world to spread his misinformation, and we see the consequences. They must censor him and other dangerous rightwing misinformation agents that amplify his falsehoods in the interest of public health. This conversation could not be more relevant. When announcing that he would leave the hospital on Monday evening, President Trump tweeted, "Don't be afraid of COVID. Don't let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!" If he keeps up this line to his followers, that may just be a wrap for already-existing and further virusrelated restrictions this autumn and winter. This would doubtless mean tens of thousands of otherwise avoidable deaths. Bradley Blankenship is a Prague-based American journalist, political analyst and freelance reporter.

Friday, 16 October, 2020

BUSINESS 09 corporate corner Sarsabz Fertilizer sensitizes 400 farmers on upcoming Rabi season LAHORE: Sarsabz Fertilizer recently hosted one of the largest advisory sessions in Swabi in Khyber PakhtunKhuwa (KP), inviting up to 400 progressive farmers from the areas of Swabi and Mardan to learn about technical advisory information on how to maximize crop yield of wheat during the upcoming Rabi season. This event was part of Sarsabz’s Salam Kissan, Sarsabz Pakistan initiative under the wheat campaign 2020, aimed at supporting the Pakistani farmers towards progress and prosperity. The event was graced by high profile dignitaries and officials from federal and provincial governments, including National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Special Assistant KP Chief Minister on Industries Abdul Karim Khan, Director General Agriculture Extension KPK, Mr. Abid Kamal, Director General Agriculture Research KPK, Dr. Masood Jan, Chief National Fertilizer Development Center Islamabad, Mr. Abdul Jalil Marwat, as well as other notable opinion makers from the agriculture sector. PRESS RElEASE

HabibMetro lights up its flagship building for breast cancer awareness KARACHI: October is internationally known as the breast cancer awareness month, or Pinktober. In Pakistan, 40,000 women succumb to the disease every year. The aim is to spread awareness regarding breast cancer and educate people regarding the symptoms of the cancer to enable early detection; which can greatly reduce the fatalities from this cancer. To increase awareness of the deadly disease and to equip those at risk to fight it better, HabibMetro lit up its flagship building (called the HBZ Plaza) which is located at the entrance of Pakistan's financial street (I.I.Chundrigar Road), in pink color. It was a spectacle for the onlookers and passersby as the elegant HBZ glass tower glistened with the pink lights, spreading the message of this noble cause. PRESS RElEASE

ISLAMABAD: Collaboration between Western Union, a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, and Allied Bank, one of Pakistan’s leading banks, has expanded Western Union’s network, with more than 1,350 Allied Bank locations now ready to serve across Pakistan. PRESS RElEASE

PakIStan, WoRld Bank SIgn $1.15Bn accoRdS FoR clean eneRgy PRojectS In kP ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN and the World Bank on Thursday signed two agreements related to renewable energy and hydropower projects, worth $1,150 million, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The first project was the $450 million KP Hydropower & Renewable Energy Development. This project will support construction of 88MW GabralKalam Hydropower Project and 157MW Madyan Hydropower Project. The initiative would help unlock the vast renewable energy potential of KP and increase the production of renewable energy in the country. The second project was the $700 million Evacuation of Power from DASU Hydropower (Phase-I). Under this project, the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) will construct a 765kV double circuit transmission line from DASU Hydropower Project to Islamabad via Mansehra. The transmission line will be used to evacuate power from 2,160MW Dasu HPP (Phase-I) and transmit the elec-

tricity to respective DISCOs. This would significantly enhance the transmission capacity, reduce line losses and provide stability in the existing electricity network. The financing agreements were signed by WB Country Director Najy Benhassine and Economic Affairs Secretary Noor Ahmed, whereas representatives of the KP government and NTDC signed the project agreements with the World Bank. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Economic Affairs Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar and KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. Speaking on the occasion, the PM said that hydropower generation is one of the major sources of clean and cheap energy which is in line with his government’s priorities. These two KP hydropower projects will generate 245MW electricity which will help the country decrease its dependence on expensive thermal power generation, he added. “This environmental-friendly power generation will not only support our efforts for clean and green Pakistan but also diminish the impacts of global

warming,” the PM stated. He appreciated the World Bank’s concessional financing for the renewable energy sector, particularly in KP, and for tapping the vast hydropower potential of the province. The WB country director reiterated his commitment to support Pakistan and appreciated the government’s measures to successfully fight the Covid-19 pandemic. He also recognized the government’s efforts to introduce long-awaited structural reforms and simplification of the project management cycle. Economic Affairs Minister Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, while thanking the World Bank for its continued support, said that the government is committed to structural reforms in the country. He also appreciated the WB for committing $200 million for desert locust control and development of agriculture sector development. "The Ministry of National Food Security & Research would utilize this financing to control the locust attack, increase farm productivity, improve crop reporting mechanism and strengthen national food security monitoring & management system in Pakistan," he added.

AHL’s first-quarter profit surges 497pc to Rs739m BUSINESS DESK The Board of Directors of Arif Habib Ltd on Thursday announced the company’s financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2020. During the period under review, the company performed exceptionally well and achieved strong profitability. A strong rebound in the KSE-100 Index prompted by substantial reduction in monetary policy rate and partial economic turnaround has helped AHL post highest ever quarterly profits during this quarter. The company has posted an

after-tax-profit of Rs739 million, which is 497pc higher than the corresponding period last year and translates into earnings per share of Rs12.44. AHL has embarked upon expanding its footprint by establishing presence in other cities and increasing its client base both within Pakistan and abroad, which is expected to reap dividends by its shareholders in the future. The company is pioneering the efforts of opening Roshan Digital Accounts for overseas Pakistanis that is bound to help Pakistan increase foreign investment flows. The board recognized the out-

standing performance of management team and appreciated the confidence reposed by AHL shareholders in the company. It also thanked all the stakeholders, especially SECP and PSX, for providing a conducive and enabling environment for market participantsThe board recognized the outstanding performance of management team and appreciated the confidence reposed by AHL shareholders in the company. It also thanked all the stakeholders, especially SECP and PSX, for providing a conducive and enabling environment for market participants.

KP wedding halls lose Rs7bn due to coronavirus lockdowns PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI LAHORE: The Bank of Punjab (BOP) President Zafar Masud poses for a group photo with Lahore Chmaber of Commerce & Industry officials and BOP senior management after inaugurating a ‘facilitation booth’ at the LCCI Facilitation Centre. PRESS RElEASE

KARACHI: Karachi Administrator Iftikhar Ali Shallwani inaugurated the Beach Luxury Hotel Seafood Festival at the Beach Luxury Hotel. The week-long seafood festival will be attended by diplomats, corporate clients, elites of the city and members of the media. PRESS RElEASE

Wedding halls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have cumulatively lost Rs7 billion in the last six months due to the imposition of coronavirus lockdowns across the province, hall owners claimed on Thursday. “Although the halls could not function due to lockdowns, huge electricity and gas bills were still handed out to the hall owners, who already had to pay millions in rents,” said KP Hotel and Wedding Hall Association (KPHWHA) President Khalid Ayub while talking to Profit. It may be mentioned that the government also lost Rs172 million in terms of taxes owing to closure of marriage halls in the province. Ayub said that the government had promised that closed marriage halls would be given a relief in rent, electricity, and gas bills; however, no such promise was fulfilled. Now, he said, the government has assured them of a three-year tax break after multiple protests in the federal capital. “The government promised up to Rs30 million relief in taxes, in addition to interest-free loans of up to

Rs500,000 for hall employees, but these commitments have not yet been implemented.” He pointed out that among 400 marriage halls in the province, only 2pc owners paid 20pc rent while 40pc got a 50pc discount in rent. “We demand that the government provide immediate relief in electricity and gas bills as promised so that the employment of millions of people in the marriage halls industry can be protected,” Ayub maintained. Meanwhile, KPHWHA Information Secretary Rahat Akbar Mughal told this scribe that the industry provides jobs to 30,000 direct and 50,000 indirect to people in the province. He said that the average minimum wage of direct employees working in marriage halls is Rs2.8 billion, adding that they have to take loans from the banks to run their business. He warned that the industry would go bankrupt if timely relief is not extended by the government. He said that those most affected by the industry at the moment included traders dealing in meat, beef, poultry, fish, milk, cereals, vegetables and fruits, oil and ghee, tissue, cutlery, and crockery.

Italy reopens seasonal work visas for Pakistan ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

In the latest announcement of its annual schedule of work visas called 'DecretoFlussi', the Italian government has allowed Pakistani nationals to avail seasonal and non-seasonal work visas for the year 202021. Over 30,000 work visas would be issued by the Italian government to the nationals from a few non-EU countries, including Pakistan. Pakistani workers in agriculture, tourism, construction and Freight forwarding sectors can avail this opportunity. "Pakistan has been included in this category of visas after the lag of two years as a result of sustained efforts by the Pakistan Embassy in Rome," according to a statement issued on Thursday. In his media talk, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem informed that Italy hosts the largest Pakistani diaspora in the EU following Brexit; the diaspora had sent over $142 million in remittances in 2019-2020. He shared that the Pakistani community in Italy had been demanding Pakistan’s reinclusion in the list of countries eligible for seasonal workers visas ever since the facility was withdrawn two years ago. "The demand for Pakistani workers in the Italian market is on the rise consistently, especially in the agricultural sector. It is expected that under the current scheme, hundreds of Pakistani workers would get employment in Italy." Earlier, the Pakistani Embassy also facilitated thousands of undocumented Pakistani workers in Italy to seek legal status through a scheme launched by the Italian government in June 2020 to regularise the undocumented foreign workers. Over 18,000 Pakistanis applied for regularization under that scheme. "Despite the second wave of ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen a record number of fresh cases in recent days, the Pakistan Embassy has kept its consular section, both in Rome and Milan, fully functional so as to facilitate the community in benefiting from the growing employment opportunities in Italy," the statement read.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks drop 75 points in volatile trade KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed another round of volatile activity on Thursday, with the indices swaying both ways in search of a clear direction before closing in the red. Global equity markets also showed a negative trend, whereas crude oil prices continued to slip lower from the previous close; WTI crude price declining 2.24pc to $40.13 while Brent crude price falling 2.10pc to $42.44. "The market opened on a positive note but concerns over political uncertainty, especially with regard to opposition's alliance for demonstration and protest against the government, brought the index down at the end," said a re-

'THE MARKET OPENED ON A POSITIVE NOTE BUT CONCERNS OVER POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO OPPOSITION'S ALLIANCE AGAINST GOVT, BROUGHT THE INDEX DOWN AT THE END' port issued by AHL Ltd. "Exploration & production and chemical sectors posted gains on back of the recent increase in international crude prices as well as expectation of positive data by listed chemical companies." The benchmark KSE-100 Index remained in the green for most part of the session, touching its intraday high at 40,533.67 after gaining 389.38 points. However, the index failed to sustain the positivity and lost control towards the end, falling 137.83

points to record its intraday low at 40,006.46 losing. It finally settled lower by 75.80 points at 40,068.49. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index lost 160.78 points to end at 63,767.86, while the KSE All Share Index dropped 16.64 points, closing at 28,457.25. The overall market volumes increased from 232.79 million shares in the previous session to 324.75 million shares (+39pc). Average traded value also increased by 29pc, from $52.5 million to $67.7 million. Hascol

CMYK

Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL -1.59pc), Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd (PIBTL +2.45pc) and Unity Foods Ltd (UNTIY 1.76pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 30.64 million, 17.70 million shares and 17.47 million shares, respectively. Sectors that dragged the benchmark index lower included cement (-27.40 points), banking (-25.34 points) and oil & gas marketing (-14.42 pts). Among the companies, Habib Bank Ltd (HBL -33.88 points), TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG -16.79 points) and MCB Bank Ltd (MCB -14.18 points) dented the index the most. Shedding 1.56pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the refinery sector ended as the session’s top loser, with Attock Refinery Ltd (ATRL -1.46pc), Pakistan Refinery Ltd

(PRL -1.89pc), National Refinery Ltd (NRL 1.71pc) and Byco Petroleum Pakistan Ltd (BYCO -1.47pc) posting significant losses. Meanwhile, Engro Polymer and Chemicals Ltd (EPCL +7.48pc) declared its financials for the third quarter of FY20. The company’s sales appreciated 72.91pc YoY to Rs10.06 billion, while cost of sales fell by 3.14pc. With a 14pc decline in admin cost, the company posted earnings per share of Rs2.06 in 3QFY20 (Rs1.43 last year). The company further informed that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Engro Peroxide (Pvt) Ltd, will be resuming work on earlier announced hydrogen peroxide project in last quarter of 2020 and as per revised timeline, the project is expected to achieve commercialization by the end of 2022.

Friday, 16 October, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS PowEr vacuuM in KyrgyzsTan as PrEsidEnT rEsigns aFTEr unrEsT BISHKEK

agencies

YRGYz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned on Thursday, leaving a power vacuum after days of unrest following a disputed election. Jeenbekov, who said he wanted to prevent clashes between security forces and protesters who have demanded his removal, became the third president of the small Central Asian nation since 2005 to be toppled in a popular uprising. It was not immediately clear who would

take control of the country, a Russian ally that borders on China. Constitutional rules say the parliament speaker, Kanatbek Isayev, should assume the presidential powers. But some opposition groups want Isayev to step aside as well, putting control in the hands of Sadyr Japarov, a nationalist who was named prime minister after his supporters freed him from jail last week. Isayev said parliament would accept Jeenbekov’s resignation on Friday, but did not make his own full intentions clear. He was quoted by local news website 24.kg as saying he had “no moral right” to the presi-

dency because of the lame duck status of the parliament, which faces a rerun of the disputed election. Japarov’s spokesman declined to say whether the prime minister would now press for Isayev to step aside. NO BLOODSHED: Kyrgyzstan has been in turmoil since the Oct. 4 vote, which the opposition rejected after Jeenbekov’s allies were declared the winners. In a statement announcing his resignation, Jeenbekov said he feared violence might break out if protesters carried out a threat to march on his compound.

“The military and security forces will be obliged to use their weapons to protect the state residence. Blood will be inevitably shed,” he said. “I do not want to go down in Kyrgyzstan’s history as a president who shed blood and shot at his own citizens.” Since the election, opposition supporters have taken to the streets and seized government buildings, prompting the authorities to annul the vote. Jeenbekov announced last week that he planned to resign, but did not say when. Earlier this week, he said he would stay in office until a new election was held. But Japarov’s

‘Things will get worse’: London goes into stricter lockdown LONDON agencies

London, the world’s international financial capital, will enter a tighter Covid-19 lockdown from midnight on Friday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson seeks to tackle a swiftly accelerating second coronavirus wave. The respiratory pandemic, which emerged in China last year and has killed over a million people worldwide, is spreading in most parts of Britain, whose official death toll of 43,155 is the highest in Europe. Anger, though, is rising over the economic, social and health costs of the biggest curtailment of freedoms since wartime. One former government adviser warned some people would have trouble clothing their children soon. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said London, which has a population of 9 million, as well as the adjacent, heavily populated county of Essex, would be put on “high” alert level, up from “medium”, at one minute past midnight (2301 GMT Friday). The main impact of the move to “high” is that people cannot meet other households socially indoors in any setting, for example at home or in a restaurant. Travel should be reduced where possible, Hancock said. “Things will get worse before they get better,” Hancock said. “But I know that there are brighter skies and calmer seas ahead – that the ingenuity of science will find a way through and until then we must come together.” Britain’s move to halt socialising in its capital means that London and Paris – Europe’s two richest cities – are shortly to be living under the shadow of state-imposed restrictions as the second wave of the outbreak spreads through Europe. President Emmanuel Macron announced night curfews for four weeks from Saturday in Paris and other major cities.

London, the world’s centre for international banking and foreign exchange trading, is only rivalled by New York when it comes to financial clout. The worst-hit London areas are Richmond, Hackney, the City of London, Ealing, Redbridge and Harrow. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I must warn Londoners: We’ve got a difficult winter ahead.” ‘PEOPLE NOT COPING’: Manchester, in the north of England and one of Britain’s largest cities, had been tipped to be moved to “very high” alert from “high”, but Hancock said talks with local leaders were continuing so no decision had yet been made. Johnson, who scored a landslide election victory in December, says his government is fighting a war against the virus and that some sacrifices are necessary to save lives. But opponents say his Conservative government was too slow to act when the virus first struck, failed to protect the elderly in care homes, and bungled the testing system. In areas put on the high alert level, socialising outside households or support bubbles is not allowed indoors, though work can continue and schools continue to operate. The “very high” alert level forbids socialising, forces certain spaces to close and prohibits travel outside the area. The government’s former homelessness adviser, Louise Casey, said Britain faces a “period of destitution” in which some families “can’t put shoes on” children. “Are we actually asking people in places like Liverpool to go out and prostitute themselves, so that they could put food on the table?” Casey told the BBC. Liverpool in England’s northwest is already in the highest-risk tier. “There’s this sense from Downing Street and from Westminster that people will make do,” Casey added, referring to the national government’s headquarters. “Well, they weren’t coping before Covid.”

‘Exhausted’ French healthcare workers tell Macron to hire more medics NICE: French healthcare workers protested against exhausting working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday and demanded the government hire more personnel. In the Riviera city of Nice, doctors and nurses gathered in front of a post office to send postcards detailing their grievances to President Emmanuel Macron, part of a day of nationwide protests planned by trade unions. Marching through the streets, some in scrubs and surgical masks, the healthcare workers called for an end to hospital closures, more staff for emergency rooms and nursing homes, and better pay. In a direct message to Macron, who announced nightly curfews in virus hotspots on Wednesday, the protesters wrote on one banner: “Hire more. Train more. We’re exhausted.” agencies

supporters rejected the delay and pressed him to resign immediately. “The president couldn’t hold out. He’s very weak. No spirit,” Dastan Bekeshev, a lawmaker who supports neither Jeenbekov nor Japarov, told Reuters. “It’s not clear what happens next, nobody can tell what is going to happen.” Hundreds of Japarov’s supporters were rallying on Thursday some 700 metres away from the presidential residence. As news of Jeenbekov’s resignation reached them, they started chanting “Parliament must go!” and “Isayev must go!”.

Trump cites teenaged son’s bout with virus in calling for schools to reopen DES MOINES agencies

Under siege over his handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday cited what he said was his son’s mild bout of the virus as a reason why American schools should reopen as soon as possible. Republican Trump made the comment about his son, Barron, while at a rally at the Des Moines, Iowa, airport on a mission to shore up support in battleground states that he won in 2016 but is in danger of losing to Democratic candidate Joe Biden barely three weeks before the election. Biden announced via Twitter that his campaign raised $383 million in September, adding to a campaign war chest that is already dwarfing the Trump campaign. Biden has $432 million cash on hand, the campaign said. Melania Trump said in a statement earlier in the day that the virus that struck both her and her husband had also infected their 14-year-old son. “I don’t even think he knew he had it,” he said of Barron, “because they’re young and their immune systems are strong and they fight it off. 99.9 percent and Barron is beautiful. And he’s free.” “Barron’s tested positive. Within, like, two seconds it was Barron is just fine now. He’s tested negative, right? Because it happens. People have it and it goes. Get the kids back to school, we’ve got to get the kids back to school.” Trump has sought to convince states to reopen schools and return to normal, but teachers’ unions have fought the move, arguing that teachers could be infected by their students. Funding for protective measures at schools has been caught up in a partisan fight in Washington. Trump’s Iowa stop is part of a barnstorming tour across states critical to deciding who will win the Nov 3 election. He is trailing Biden in national and some battleground state opinion polls. “Twenty days from today, we’re going to win this state,” Trump said on a windy night in Des Moines, where many in the crowd were not wearing masks to guard against the virus that has killed nearly 216,000 Americans. On Thursday he will be in North Carolina and Florida, on Friday he will campaign in Florida and Georgia and on Saturday he will speak in Michigan and Wisconsin. All of these are states he won in 2016 but are in danger of going to Biden this year, potentially denying Trump a second term. He is expected to spend Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada, and then swing through western states. Trump repeated a vow to bring most US troops home from Afghanistan soon as part of his bid to halt “endless wars.” The promise has raised concerns within the Afghan government that a US pullout could leave the country more vulnerable to the Taliban.

Twitter, Facebook restrict users’ dissemination of New York Post story on Biden SAN FRANCISCO agencies

Facebook and Twitter cast doubt on a New York Post story that made claims about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son, taking proactive steps to restrict the dissemination of the story in the hours after it was published on Wednesday. The story contained alleged details of Hunter Biden’s business dealings with a Ukrainian energy company and said that the former vice president had met with an adviser of the company. The story, which Reuters did not independently confirm, sourced details to emails that it said were given to the lawyer of Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney. Robert Costello, the lawyer for Giuliani cited in the Post story, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Twitter prohibited its users from posting

links to the Post story, while Facebook reduced how often the story shows up in users’ news feeds and elsewhere on the Facebook platform. Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement that Republican-led Senate committees have previously concluded that Biden engaged in no wrongdoing related to Ukraine. “The New York Post never asked the Biden campaign about the critical elements of this story,” Bates said. “We have reviewed Joe Biden’s official schedules from the time and no meeting, as alleged by the New York Post, ever took place,” he added. Trump, who has been trailing Biden in national polls ahead of the Nov 3 election, said it was “terrible” that Twitter and Facebook “took down the story of ‘Smoking Gun’ emails related to Sleepy Joe Biden and his son, Hunter” and vaguely alluded to a threat of regulatory action. The New York Post, in an editorial re-

sponding to the companies’ actions, said: “Censor first, ask questions later: It’s an outrageous attitude for two of the most powerful platforms in the United States to take.” The newspaper did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Facebook, the world’s biggest social network, limited dissemination of the Post story within hours of its publication on Wednesday, according to a tweet by spokesman Andy Stone. Stone cited a policy saying that Facebook can temporarily take action against content pending review by news organisations and others in its third-party fact-checking program “if we have signals that a piece of content is false.” Facebook took the same action at least once previously, in response to false claims – also involving the New York Post – that Biden wore an earpiece at last month’s debate. A review by Reuters found that the mark on Biden’s shirt was likely a shirt crease.

Friday, 16 October, 2020

CRiCKeTeR aPPRoaChed By SuSPeCTed BooKmaKeR duRing naTional T20 CuP: PCB LAHORE

The player was unnamed, and the board said in a statement that its anti-corruption unit investigated and shared details with government authorities. The approach was reported by the player to PCB's Anti-Corruption and Security Director Asif Mahmood. "As we cannot jeopardise an ongoing investigation, it will be inappropriate for us to

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player in the domestic National Twenty20 competition has been approached by a suspected bookmaker in Rawalpindi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday.

Veteran sports journalist Kishore Bhimani dies at 81 MUMBAI AGENCIES

Veteran Indian sports journalist and commentator Kishore Bhimani died on Thursday in Kolkata. Bhimani was admitted to Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital on Sept 14 and was suffering from a number of health complications. According to a media release by the hospital, Bhimani died at 6:25 am following sudden cardiac death. Bhimani is famously remembered for being on air and calling the 1986 tied Test match between India and Australia in Chennai (then Madras). Renowned cricket journalist Harsha Bhogle took to Twitter to pay tribute to Kishore Bhimani. "So many memories of #KishoreBhimani but the common thread running through is of a great joie-de-vivre. Fine writer with zest beyond his sport. One of the great figures of Kolkata, not just its sport. Been a privilege to know the family and be friends with Rita and Gautam," Bhogle tweeted. Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi also paid tribute to Kishore Bhimani on Twitter. "RIP Kishore Bhimani..he was one of the good Old Fashioned Crkt writer who took Crkt writings like a player who takes to playing...Condolences to his Spouse Rita & Son Gautam.. GodBless All Always.. Fondly," Bishan Singh Bedi wrote on Twitter. His son Gautam Bhimani, who is also a cricket commentator, is in Mumbai and is expected to reach Kolkata tomorrow for the last rites.

Ronaldo-less Portugal down Sweden NETHERLANDS

share any specifics of the approach. However, the PCB — as a responsible member of the International Cricket Council — will continue to keep the game’s administrative body abreast of the progress in investigations as part of our information sharing approach," Mahmood said. The official also thanked the player for following the board's anti-corruption

Narine working closely with Crowe after suspect bowling action incident, says report DUBAI AGENCIES

Englishman Carl Crowe was the go-toman for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner Sunil Narine after being called for a suspect action in 2014. And now with on-field umpires reporting him, Narine has again fallen back on Crowe to help rework his action for the remaining games of the on-going edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said that Narine and Crowe have been working non-stop over the last couple of days to ensure that the mystery spinner can return to the bowling crease at the earliest. "Crowe was the man Narine went to after being called for suspect action back in 2014-2015 and with him in the unit, it was but obvious that the two would try to correct his action to ensure that the spinner can return to bowling after being called in the game against Kings XI Punjab. They have been

working overtime be it at the nets or while analysing angles with data analysts," the source explained. Crowe is Narine's only resort as the spinner cannot go for a biomechanical analysis of his action at the ICC and BCCI accredited Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre (SRASSC) in Chennai as that would mean fresh quarantine period applying and would ultimately see Narine missing the remaining tournament. The spinner already sat out the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sharjah on Monday. Narine was reported for bowling with a suspected illegal bowling action during his side's match against Punjab last Saturday. The IPL release said: "The report was made by the on-field umpires according to the IPL's Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy. Narine will be placed on the warning list and is permitted to continue to bowl in the tournament. Another report will result in

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Portugal made light of Cristiano Ronaldo's absence due to a positive coronavirus test to see off Sweden 3-0 on Wednesday and stay top of their Nations League group. A Diogo Jota brace and another strike from Bernardo Silva were enough to stay level on 10 points with France and hold onto first place in League A Group 3. Ronaldo, who was pictured watching the match on television wearing a Portugal top, was forced to leave the national team camp after returning a positive test for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The Juventus forward returned to Italy on Wednesday to continue his self-isolation.

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South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje has set the stage on fire in what is his debut IPL season. The tear-away quick made headlines when he bowled the fastest delivery in IPL history on Wednesday in Delhi Capitals' match against Rajasthan Royals, which the Capitals won by 13 runs. Nortje clocked an incredible 156.22 kmph or 97 mph to shatter the previous record. Off the very next ball, he took Jos Buttler's wicket. This delivery was

clocked at 155.1 kmph. With this, Nortje broke compatriot Dale Steyn's record of the fastest delivery in IPL history of 154.40 kmph. What is absolutely incredible, though, is that in the list of the top 10 fastest deliveries bowled in IPL history, Nortje has five entries himself. The top three fastest deliveries bowled in IPL history are all credited to Nortje. The 26-year-old Nortje was roped in by the Delhi Capitals this season as a replacement for English all-rounder Chris Woakes and he has proved to be an extremely effective player for the

Nations League: Maguire sent oﬀ as Denmark hand England first defeat in a year AGENCIES

Harry Maguire's wretched season hit a new low as the England defender was sent off before Christian Eriksen's contentious penalty gave Denmark a 1-0 win in the Nations League on Wednesday. Eriksen's goal came just minutes after Maguire's dismissal for two needless first half bookings and condemned Gareth Southgate's side to their first defeat in 12 months. Maguire was the third England player to be sent off at Wembley after Paul Scholes in 1999 and Steven Gerrard in 2012. And adding to Southgate's mounting discipline problems, Reece James was shown a red card after confronting the referee following the final whistle. It was the latest blow in a troubled start to the campaign for Maguire, who has been in woeful form for Manchester United since his involvement in a brawl on the Greek island of Mykonos in August.

Narine being suspended from bowling in the IPL 2020 until cleared by the BCCI Suspect Bowling Action Committee." KKR issued a statement saying they were surprised by the incident. "This came as a surprise to the franchise and Narine, considering he has played over 115 games in the IPL since 2012 and as many as 68 games since 2015, when he was last reported during the IPL season for a suspect action before being subsequently cleared completely by SRASSC, an ICC accredited facility," KKR said. "Furthermore, he was playing his 6th game this season, with no concerns expressed formally or informally by the match officials so far. Having said this, we are respectful of the process that the IPL has put in place to have his action reviewed, and are working closely with the IPL in this matter. We are hopeful that there would be an appropriate resolution quickly. We appreciate the cooperation being extended by the IPL in expediting this matter," it added.

Nortje dominates the list of fastest deliveries in IPL history

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code and reporting the approach. “This is a testament of our regular anticorruption education sessions as well as the player’s clear understanding of the code and his obligations under such a situation. This also reflects the trust and confidence the players have in the PCB Anti-Corruption Unit, which is very satisfying and encouraging for us."

Maguire was given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after being found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult. The conviction was nullified after he appealed, but the 27-year-old had only returned to the England squad for the current internationals after being dropped for their previous games following the incident. Maguire might not be the only one who loses his place in Southgate's team after this lacklustre performance. England came from behind to hand top ranked Belgium their first defeat since 2018 on Sunday, building on last week's friendly win against Wales. But Southgate had urged his team to show they can maintain the consistency required of elite teams and this was an underwhelming response. England are now third in Nations League Group A2, behind both Belgium and Denmark. Southgate was accused of being two

conservative with his tactics after England were held to a dreary 0-0 draw by Denmark in Copenhagen last month. Once again, Southgate picked two holding midfielders and three centre-backs and left out Jack Grealish despite calls for the in-form Aston Villa winger to start. Maguire's disastrous evening offered a ready-made excuse for England's limp performance, but the cautious formation played a role in their first loss since the Czech Republic beat them in October 2019. Foreshadowing his impending dismissal, Maguire was fortunate to escape with only a booking for a nasty foul on Yussuf Poulsen in the opening moments. Eriksen nearly set up an early goal for Denmark when his near-post corner was poked just wide by Kasper Dolberg. Maguire appeared to strain a hamstring when he slipped awkwardly while making a challenge and although he played on his match came to a premature conclusion in the 32nd minute.

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Capitals who are eyeing their maiden IPL title. The Nortje-Rabada fast-bowling partnership has been a crucial contributor to Delhi's success this season. The two have taken a combined 28 wickets so far in IPL 2020. Nortje, who has so far taken 10 wickets in 8 matches at an economy rate of 7.34 was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2019, but missed that season due to an injury. Nortje has so far played 6 Tests, 7 ODIs and 3 T20 internationals for South Africa, taking a total of 35 wickets. Sliding into a needless challenge on Dolberg, Maguire got a touch on the ball but his tackle sent the Dane flying and referee Jesus Gil immediately showed him a second yellow card. England suffered another blow two minutes later when Kyle Walker made a hash of dealing with a ball into the penalty area. Distracted by keeper Jordan Pickford rushing off his line in a misguided attempt to help, Walker tugged at Thomas Delaney just enough to persuade Gil to award a soft penalty that Eriksen converted with ease. It was the perfect way for Inter Milan midfielder Eriksen to celebrate his 100th cap for Denmark. England captain Harry Kane started after coming off the bench against Belgium despite dealing with what Southgate described as "muscle fatigue". Kane's inclusion risked angering Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho and there was a definite lack of sharpness about the striker. Mason Mount had England's best chance to equalise when his header was brilliantly pushed away by Kasper Schmeichel. James, making his first England start, drew a fine save from Schmeichel with a second half free-kick. But the Chelsea right-back tarnished his lively performance when he was sent off in a tawdry coda to a frustrating evening.

SPORTS 11 Mahmood added: "We are all aware that the game is at risk due to a small number of corrupters who try to entice cricketers for their personal gains and benefit. But there is also no doubt that we can collectively defeat such elements if players strictly abide by anti-corruption protocols and continue to report approaches." Leading internationals such as Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Hafeez are playing in the National Twenty20 Cup. The PCB has already suggested severe sanctions in a draft paper to the government on legislation to criminalise corruption in sports.

australia coach Justin langer opposed to Test and T20 schedule clash CANBERRA AGENCIES

Australia coach Justin Langer says he is opposed to the prospect of playing a Test series and Twenty20 series concurrently in early 2021. Australia are scheduled to play five T20s in New Zealand from February 22 to March 7, which would clash with the proposed Test tour of South Africa. Langer said he had raised his concerns with governing body Cricket Australia. “The chairman knows this, the CEO knows this really clearly - my personal opinion is I don’t like it at all,” Langer told local radio station SEN. “I don’t ever want to have two Australian teams in one place. That’s my personal opinion. In this year, with what’s happening with Covid, I understand there’s complexities to it. We’re one country, aren’t we? We’re not two countries. And we’re one sport.” While the schedule clash could deplete the quality of both Test and T20 squads, Langer said he was also concerned about the domestic Sheffield Shield. “Let’s say we’ve got to take 18 players to New Zealand, we’ve got to take 18 players to South Africa, that’s 36 players out of the backend of the Sheffield Shield competition,” he said. “And that’s before any injuries that will inevitably happen every year. They’re the sort of things that worry me with this.” As for all international sport, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused huge schedule disruptions and forced cricket boards to make compromises to organise competitions. Cricket Australia interim Chief Executive Nick Hockley said last month all playing nations needed to “play (their) part in helping international cricket back to a healthy position.” “This is a unique set of circumstances brought on by the pandemic and is not something we envisage replicating regularly in future,” he said of the schedule.

Top seed Fognini out of Sardinia Tennis with coronavirus MILAN AGENCIES

Top-seeded Italian Fabio Fognini was forced to pull out of the ATP Sardegna Open on Wednesday after testing positive for coronavirus. "Guys, I have to tell you that this morning I tested positive for Covid-19," the 33-year-old said on Instagram. "The symptoms are very mild, a little cough and fever, headache ... but unfortunately this bad news has arrived. "I'm already in isolation and I'm convinced that I will recover very soon. I hug you all." Fognini, 33, had a first-round bye and was set to open in the second round against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena in the tournament played on clay on the Italian island of Sardinia. The world number 16 was replaced by Croatian Danilo Petrovic. Fognini and doubles partner Lorenzo Musetti lost their last-16 tie to fellow Italians Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori on Tuesday, following a 15-13 third-set tiebreak in a match lasting more than two hours. "All the people with whom Fognini was in direct contact were placed in preventive isolation and subjected to new swabs," the Italian tennis federation said in a statement. Fognini, who won the Monte Carlo Masters last year, was out for six months this year following surgery to both ankles.

Friday, 16 October, 2020

PrAyEr TImINGS

NEWS

NaGorNo-KarabaKh ceasefIre marred by aId delay, accusatIoNs of New attacKs BAKU

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RMENIA accused Turkey on Thursday of blocking flights carrying emergency aid from using its airspace, and new fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave threatened to pitch the region into a humanitarian crisis. Azerbaijan and Armenia accused each other of violating a ceasefire brokered less than a week ago to enable the sides to swap detainees and the bodies of those killed in the clashes, which erupted on Sept ember 27. The flare-up is the deadliest since the 1990s, when 30,000 people were killed in a war over Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory that is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but governed by ethnic Armenians. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said on Twitter Armenia should “halt attempts to capture liberated territories back,” and warned of “new victims and new bloodshed”. Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said its army had retained an “operational advantage” along the line of contact with Nagorno-Karabakh, but that the situation in the Aghdere-Aghdam and Fizuli-Hadrut-

Jabrail directions remained tense. The Azeri prosecutor’s office said two civilians were wounded by shelling in Aghdam. Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan accused the Azeri armed forces of artillery fire from the north and south-east, but said NagornoKarabakh’s forces were taking “appropriate countermeasures against the attacks”. The Armenian prosecutor-general’s office said Azeri drones had killed two soldiers in the Armenian region of Vardenis on Wednesday, raising the military death toll since September 27 to five. The personnel were not involved in military action, it said. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. HUMANITARIAN AID: International organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, have warned that the conflict, coming on top of the Covid-19 pandemic, could leave tens of thousands of people in need of aid over coming months. Zareh Sinanyan, Armenian High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, said the delivery of 100 tonnes of aid from the United States was being delayed as Turkey had prohibited Armenia-bound humanitarian aid flights over its airspace. Armenia’s civil aviation committee was told on Wednesday the Qatar Airways flight from Los An-

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G30 calls for urgent, concerted efforts to tackle debt crisis WASHINGTON AGENCIES

geles was cancelled but gave no reasons, its head, Tatevik Revazyan, told Reuters. “We have grounds to claim that Turkey closed the air route deliberately,” Revazyan said, adding that Armenia was seeking an alternative route over Russia or Georgia. Turkey’s foreign ministry, which handles airspace issues, was not immediately available to comment.Aside from humanitarian concerns, fears are growing of Russia and Turkey being sucked in. Turkey’s military exports to its Azeri ally have risen six-fold this year, data shows, and Armenia has a defence pact with Russia. In a phone call on Wednesday with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Russian leader Vladimir Putin expressed concerns about the participation of Middle East fighters in the NagornoKarabakh conflict, though Turkey and Azerbaijan deny the presence of such fighters. The fighting is not far from Azeri pipelines which carry natural gas and oil to international markets. Aliyev accused Armenia on Wednesday of trying to attack the pipelines, a charge that Armenia denied..Nagorno-Karabakh authorities say 604 defence personnel have been killed since September 27. Azerbaijan said on Wednesday 43 civilians had been killed but has not disclosed military casualties.

The Group of Thirty (G30) has said that rising debts had threatened funding for development priorities such as public health among the most vulnerable countries, calling for urgent policy response to support the poorer. "A lost decade of growth in large parts of the world remains a plausible prospect absent urgent, concerted, and sustained policy response," according to a newly released preliminary report titled Sovereign Debt and Financing for Recovery After the Covid-19 Shock. The G30, established in 1978, is an independent global body comprising economic and financial leaders from the public and private sectors and academia. The international response to COVID-19 in middle- and low-income countries pales by comparison to the domestic policy response in advanced economies, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, co-chair of the working group's steering committee, said in a webinar. Summers, who is a professor at and past president of Harvard University, noted that new creditors -- bond holders, China's policy banks, hybrid and commercial actors -- represent the bulk of debt payments from low-income countries in the wake of the pandemic shock. Adapting the international financial architecture to these and other new stakeholders will take time, but urgent responses to the pandemic cannot wait for this process to run its course, according to the report, which called on the international community to adapt the system to ensure proper role for China and other new creditors.

China ‘preparing for war’: President Xi tells troops to maintain state of high alert AGENCIES Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the country’s troops to “put all (their) minds and energy on preparing for war”, he said during a visit to a military base in Guandong on Thursday. Xi called on Chinese troops to “maintain a state of high alert” during his visit to the People’s Liberation Army Marine Corps in Chaozhou City and urged Chinese troops to stay “absolutely loyal, absolutely pure, and absolutely reliable.” The purpose of his visit was to deliver a speech to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, which was established in 1980 to attract foreign capital. The SEZ helped play a pivotal role in helping propel China to become the secondlargest economic power in the world. President Jinping’s visit comes in the backdrop of worsening relations between China and the US,

with the two powers trading barbs over Washington’s relations with Taiwan and the coronavirus pandemic. China is vexed at Washington over its recent arms sales to Taiwan. The US aims to continue its sale of three advanced weapon systems to Taiwan, according to a congressional aide, including the advanced High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). CHINA WARNS US AGAINST SELLING ARMS TO TAIWAN: “Immediately cancel any arms sales plans to Taiwan” and cut all “US-Taiwan military ties,” warned Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian. China has never controlled Taiwan but Chinese leaders have insisted that the island-country is an integral part of its territory. China’s President Jinping has not ruled out the option of using force against the island. Relations between the two sides further deteriorated when the US sent its health chief to Taiwan,

China threatens response to new US sanctions over Hong Kong AGENCIES China on Thursday said new US sanctions on officials responsible for Hong Kong security are an attempt to undermine the city’s stability and threatened unspecified countermeasures. Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China “firmly opposes and strongly condemns” the US Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which requires the secretary of state to report to Congress on people seen to be impeding civil rights in the territory. 10 Chinese central government and Hong Kong officials were included in this year’s report, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Police Commissioner Chris Tang. The report “grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs”, further exposing Washington’s “sinister intentions to undermine Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability and contain China’s development”, Zhao said. “If the US insists on going its own way, China will take resolute countermeasures to safeguard national sovereignty and security inter-

ests, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and related personnel,” Zhao said. The sanctions include visa restrictions and potentially bar dealings between the named individuals and US financial institutions. The same officials were sanctioned under an executive order in August, shortly after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the former British colony. “Through the imposition of the National Security Law, the [Communist Party of China] has crippled democratic institutions, human rights, judicial independence, and individual freedoms in Hong Kong,” State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a statement accompanying the sanctions announcement. Ortagus cited the arrests of peaceful protestors, the stationing of Chinese security agents in the territory and the “politically motivated delay” of September elections for the local assembly as evidence of the deterioration of rights promised to Hong Kong by Beijing at the time of its 1997 handover to Chinese control.

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

which marked the visit of the most high-profile government official to visit the country in almost four decades. In August, when U.S. health chief Alex Azar visited Taiwan to offer US President Donald Trump’s support, Chinese air force jets briefly crossed the mid-line of the Taiwan Strait and were tracked by Taiwanese missiles. China, which had promised unspecified retaliation to the trip, flew J-11 and J-10 fighter aircraft briefly onto Taiwan’s side of the sensitive and narrow strait that separates it from its giant neighbour, at around 9 am (0100 GMT), shortly before Azar met Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen, Taiwan’s air force had said. The aircraft were tracked by land-based Taiwanese anti-aircraft missiles and were “driven out” by patrolling Taiwanese aircraft, the air force said in a statement released by the defence ministry. China’s defence ministry did not immediately comment.

‘Palestinian courts to look into cases against Israeli settlers’ RAMALLAH: A senior Palestinian official announced on Wednesday that the Palestinian courts would soon begin looking into cases filed by Palestinians against Israeli settlers. Palestinian Justice Minister Mohammed al-Shalaldeh told the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) that his ministry will cooperate with other government's offices and civil society institutions "to facilitate this mission." "Under the basic Palestinian law, the Palestinian citizens have the right to drop cases at the Palestinian courts against those who violate their rights," al-Shalaldeh said, referring to the settlers. Israeli media reported that it would be the first time since the Palestinian Authority was established in 1994 that Palestinian courts look into cases against Israeli citizens. AGENCIES