Epaper – October 4 ISB 2020

CMYK

4 October, 2020 I 15 Safar, 1442 I Rs 25.00 I Vol XI No 95 I 36 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Fazl appointed pdM chieF g

deciSion taken in virtual meeting of joint oppoSition’S Steering committee

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

J

amiat ulema-e-islam-fazl (jui-f) chief maulana fazlur rehman has been appointed as head of pakistan democratic movement (pdm) – a multiparty alliance of the opposition parties. the decision was made in a virtual meeting of the alliance's steering committee held on Saturday and announced by pml-n secretary-general ahsan iqbal.

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"nawaz Sharif recommended fazlur rehman's name and bilawal bhutto Zardari endorsed it," iqbal said. meanwhile, sources within the opposition parties revealed the senior vice president of pdm would be from pakistan peoples’ party (ppp), while pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pml-n) and other political parties would be given posts of deputy secretary generals. iqbal said the leader of pdm will change on a rotation basis, adding that the duration of appointment will be determined soon.

coronavirus in

pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

313,984

LAST UPDATED AT 7:50 AM ON OCTOBER 3 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

8

553

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

SINDH:

PUNJAB:

298,593 6,507 137,783 KP:

37,908

99,665 BALOCHISTAN:

15,323

AJK/GB: ISLAMABAD: 2,776/3,816 16,713

Senior vice preSident will be from ppp, while pml-n and other partieS will be given poStS of deputy Secretary generalS "pdm has expressed great confidence in the leadership of fazlur rehman," said the pml-n stalwart. "pdm's struggle is to ensure that the constitution and the supremacy of law are upheld and the people's economic rights are protected.” the movement's goal is to achieve that form of government that was the vision of Quaid-e-azam, he said. at the apc on September 20, the opposition parties upped the ante against the ptiled federal government as they demanded the immediate resignation of prime minister imran khan and announced the formation of the pdm to begin a countrywide protest campaign. during the ppp-hosted confab, the opposition also ratcheted up its narrative against alleged rigging in the july 2018 general election and demanded that the powerful military establishment should not only refrain itself from interfering in politics but also confine to its role as defined in the constitution. through a 26-point resolution and a sevenpoint action plan issued after the apc, the opposition put forward its demands, including free, fair, transparent elections without having any role of the armed forces and agencies. meanwhile, reacting to the decision, Science and technology minister fawad chaudhry termed fazl’s appointment as pdm head a “sad day” for pakistan, saying: “an extremist mullah [cleric] considered close to terrorist groups of afghanistan is selected to lead opposition movement against the government”. taking to twitter, he further added that unlike india where “extremists” are in the government, people of pakistan have never allowed them to come into power or mainstream politics.

pml-n in a fix over strategy to stop rebellion within ranks ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

pakistan muslim leaguenawaz (pml-n) leadership is in a fix over its decision to expel its five members of provincial assembly (mpas) of punjab who had recently met with the chief minister usman buzdar "in violation of the party discipline". though party’s secretarygeneral, ahsan iqbal, is yet to formally send references against the five rebel lawmakers, party insiders say that the strict action had been taken only to stop more defections within the party cadres as the ruling pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (pti) leaders were contacting more lawmakers of the party, encouraging them to part ways from the opposition benches. the party leadership is in a fix to deal with the five rebel lawmakers who are likely to be issued show cause notices only, while no reference is likely to be sent to the election commission of pakistan (ecp) due to lack of evidence. pml-n’s legal team has informed the party leadership that defection clause cannot be invoked against rebels as they didn’t cross

India opens tunnel route to tense China border NEW DELHI AGENCIES

india’s prime minister narendra modi on Saturday opened a himalayan tunnel that will drastically reduce the time needed to rush troops to the country’s remote chinese border as tensions grow between the asian neighbours. the tunnel traverses india’s northern himachal pradesh state and lies on one of two main routes for troops headed to border areas in ladakh.

20 indian troops were killed in june during a deadly clash in ladakh, which shares a disputed boundary with china’s restive Xinjiang and tibet regions. the two nuclear-armed countries have since rushed tens of thousands of additional troops and weapons to the area, and have been locked in a tense stand-off for months. the $400-million, nine-kilometre (six miles) tunnel will cut the journey by about 50 kilometres (30 miles) and four hours, enabling travellers to bypass a tricky route across a landslide-prone himalayan pass. the tunnel, at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), has been hailed as a feat

floor by meeting cm buzdar. a source in the biggest opposition party told pakistan today that the party was reviewing its options over its earlier decision to expel its five mpas from the party as meeting the chief minister did not fall under the defection clause invoked against the rebel mpas. “you know there was a group of around 15 lawmakers of punjab assembly who had also met the cm few months back. we fear another similar attempt as there are potential deserters among us. So, the party leadership has taken a strong stance to help stop the rebellion,” the source said. the source added that the challenge posed to the pml-n was even bigger as this attempt is now being made by not only the ruling party but other influential players may also be active to split the party. “pml-Q is active as well and chaudhrys of gujrat are trying their best to lure our party lawmakers. Since central punjab is our stronghold, we fear desertions in northern and southern punjab,” the source said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

At least 15 killed in east Afghanistan car bomb attack STORY ON BACK PAGE

pml-n slams ‘revengeful’ tactics of pti govt in lahore power show STORY ON PAGE 03

of engineering. a decade in the making, freezing temperatures and the challenging terrain meant construction work could only be carried out for about six months each year. the project is part of new delhi’s push to catch up with chinese infrastructure development on the other side of the border. in the last six years, modi’s government has expedited several frontier projects including roads, bridges and high-altitude airstrips. “we have put our entire energy in developing our border infrastructure. the country hasn’t

seen roads, bridges and tunnels built at this scale,” the prime minister said after inaugurating the tunnel Saturday. “besides locals, this (infrastructure) will also hugely benefit the men and women in our army,” modi added. new delhi hopes such projects will promote tourism and spur economic activity.

Sanjay kundu, the police chief of himachal pradesh — which shares a long border with tibet — recently proposed better roads and mobile connectivity as well as even arms training for the state’s border villages.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Fresh ArmeniaAzerbaijan fighting dashes ceasefire efforts STORY ON BACK PAGE in today’s issue

attention Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy. Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint.

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

02

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

NEWS

VIrus claIms eIght more lIVes In PaKIstan; death tolls rIses to 6,507 KARACHI

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TLTP

HE coronavirus disease has claimed eight more lives during the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll from the disease to 6,507, said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday.

According to the NCOC, as many as 35,071 samples were tested during this period, out of which 553 turned out to be positive. The number of Covid-19 cases across the country has reached 313,984 with the addition of the new cases. There are 8,884 active Covid-19 cases as 298,593 patients have recovered from

the infection.

More than 3.6 million tests have been conducted in the country. 511 of the patients under treatment at various hospitals across the country are said to be in critical condition.

So far, Sindh has reported 137,783 cases of the coronavirus, Punjab 99,665, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 37,908, Balochistan 15,323, Islamabad 16,713, GilgitBaltistan 3,816, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir has reported 2,776 cases.

A total of 717 patients are admitted in different hospitals while 735 hospitals have been established for Covid-19 patients across the country. There are no patients on ventilators in AJK & Balochistan. A total of 104 ventilators

Fo says in contact with Beijing to help students return to china ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has said the government is in contact with China to help thousands of Pakistanis studying there return to their colleges and universities despite coronavirus travel restrictions imposed by Beijing. China suspended the entry of foreign nationals in March to curtail the pandemic.

Students who had returned to Pakistan by then are now unable to return and fear a loss of education and time.

“We are constantly in touch with the Chinese authorities on the issue, and trying to resolve it as soon as possible,” FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri told Arab News. He said that a dedicated FO team was pursuing the matter, saying the problem was not specific to Pakistan and Beijing had a uniform policy for all international students. About 28,000 Pakistani students are enrolled in Chinese educational institutions and about 5,000 are stuck in Pakistan. Students say they have written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese embassy in Islamabad to seek help, but have yet to receive a response. “No government official and even the Chinese embassy in Islamabad are responding to our emails for visa extensions and updates on our courses,” a student told Arab News. He said some Chinese universities had engaged students in online classes, but that was not feasible for Pakistani students due to the time difference and poor internet connectivity in many areas. “I was planning to publish a paper by the end of this year on the basis of my research work in the university laboratory to complete my degree,” another student said, “but for now that all stands upended.” STAFF REPORT

lhc closes bank default probe against chaudhry brothers LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday closed a 20-year old bank default inquiry by NAB against Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. The high court issued its ruling over the bank default probe by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Chaudhry brothers. A division bench of LHC headed by Justice Raja Shahid Mehmood issued a written order of the court. The court said that the NAB had submitted a statement and said that it has closed inquiry against Chaudhry brothers for wilful default from banks. “The bench is dismissing the plea of Chaudhry brothers on the basis of its withdrawal by them,” the court said. The NAB had submitted a report to the court as counsel of the anti-graft watchdog said that the inquiry has been closed because of lack of evidence. The NAB had launched an inquiry against Chaudhry Shujaat and Pervaiz Elahi about bank default on April 12, 2000.

The accountability watchdog is still working on two inquiries on assets beyond means and illegal appointments against them. Chaudhry brothers had approached the high court with a petition against chairman NAB over three inquiries launched by the accountability bureau. TLTP

are occupied across Pakistan out of 1,912 ventilators allocated for Covid-19 patients.

Meanwhile, authorities in Karachi have sealed scores of restaurants and other places, and imposed fines over non-compliance with the novel coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs). Commissioner Karachi in a statement said that no one will be allowed to violate Covid-19 standard operating procedures.

The officials inspected seven marriage halls in Karachi and sealed two halls over violation of the SOPs, enforced by the government to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. City officials also warned five wedding halls

India remains undecided about reopening Kartarpur corridor NEWS DESK

to strictly follow the SOPs. The city authorities also sealed 41 restaurants and eateries over violation of the rules. Moreover, 67 restaurants were issued warnings and imposed fines over two lac rupees. According to reports, two marriage halls and four restaurants were imposed fines, while three eateries were sealed in the Central District of Karachi.

Two shops and one superstore were sealed in Karachi’s South District.

Two wedding halls and nine restaurants were sealed in Korangi district of the city. Moreover, heavy fines were imposed on 10 restaurants over violation of coronavirus SOPs. In District East, 14 eateries were sealed and 10 were slapped fines of over Rs30,000.

UK refuses to help Pakistan on Nawaz Sharif’s arrest warrants NEWS DESK The Pakistan High Commission has failed in getting the non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif executed at the Avenfield House nearly a month after the warrants were received – and the British government has informed Pakistani officials they will not get involved in the matter.

According to media reports, five attempts have been made so far to get the arrest warrants signed and delivered at the Avenfield flats, but there has been neither success as neither Nawaz Sharif nor any member of the Sharif family has signed the official papers.

Sources in the high commission said that its staff members have made visits to the property’s reception but were unable to meet any member of the family.

The latest visit was made on Thursday afternoon by two officials who stayed on Dunraven Street for about ten minutes and left without even approaching the reception.

The former prime minister was speaking to his party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting just about five minutes away, from Hasan

Nawaz’s office.

Pakistani diplomats also asked the British government through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to help execute the arrest warrants but the British government plainly refused, informing Pakistan officials that the UK govt will not interfere in the country's internal political matters.

The sources said that the UK has informed the Pakistani officials that getting the arrest warrants executed was not its job and it didn’t have the mandate to enforce warrants. The options for Pakistan High Commission are limited. It can do nothing beyond using the services of Royal Mail and courier services for the “signed and acknowledged” service or get its own staff to get the papers signed. The recipient of the post, in this case, is Nawaz Sharif and it’s entirely up to him to either voluntarily accept or sign the correspondence or not. His staff and family members can also sign and acknowledge the correspondence on his behalf, but that can be done only in a volunteer capacity and they cannot be forced to sign and acknowledge. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed last week that the former prime minister has “refused” to receive non-bailable arrest warrants at his residence in the United Kingdom.

India remained undecided on whether or not it would allow pilgrims to use the Kartarpur Corridor, even though Pakistan has already announced that it will welcome Sikh pilgrims looking visiting their holy sites in the country.

According reports in the Indian media, an official in India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the corridor had not been opened because of the coronavirus, which has spread quickly in India, making it the second worst affected country in the world. Because of this, the movement of pilgrims through this corridor is considered high risk. “We remain in touch with all concerned authorities, including ministries of home affairs and health and family welfare. A decision on reopening of the corridor would be taken in accordance with the Covid-19 protocol and easing of restrictions,” MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

He also asked Islamabad to complete the construction of a bridge on its side of the border.

Pakistan, which has seen a recent downturn the upsurge of coronavirus cases, however, has said pilgrims are welcome. A notification issued by the Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs on Friday had stated that after reviewing an overall improvement in the Covid-19 situation in Pakistan, it had been decided to reopen the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib Corridor with immediate effect. Indian visitors are welcome to visit daily from dawn to dusk as per a bilateral agreement made in 2019 between India and Pakistan. They have, however, been requested to comply with precautionary measures for Covid-19. Local visitors will also be able to visit from dawn to dusk every day, subject to the observance of Covid-19 safety protocols. The reopening of the corridor is a significant step, both diplomatically and in the scale back from the pandemic lockdown, since Pakistan had closed Kartarpur and the Gurdwara to foreign visitors way back in March, when the country first began reporting coronavirus cases. It was reopened briefly in June to commemorate Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary, but India rejected Pakistan’s offer and refused to open the corridor on its side. Kartarpur is one of the holiest sites in the Sikh tradition. The first Guru of Sikhism, Baba Guru Nanak Sahib, had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur, a town located in Punjab province’s Narowal district. For millions of Sikhs around the world, it is one of their holiest places. When Pakistan was carved out of colonial India at independence from Britain in 1947, Kartarpur ended up on the western side of the border — though most of the region’s Sikhs remained on the other side.

Pakistan urges WB to expand priority areas of cooperation ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

Economic Affairs Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar informed the World Bank (WB) on Saturday that the Pakistan government would be able to complete three different development policy credits in due time, provided they are able to approve economic reforms proposed by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) intended to simplify the execution of development projects.

The minister gave this briefing during a meeting with WB Country Director for Pakistan Najy Benhassine and shared Prime Minister Imran Khan’s direction to expedite the economic reforms in coordination with global donors.

Bakhtyar urged the World Bank official to expand the priority areas of cooperation with Pakistan in the field of energy, tourism, low-cost housing schemes, and the availability of a Covid-19 vaccine.

He also thanked and appreciated the World Bank for extending a $200 million package to help Pakistan take effective and timely action to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. He further appreciated the World Bank support for locust emergency control project worth $200

million to mitigate the adverse impact of parasite attack on the food basket of the country.

The World Bank country director thanked the minister for WB portfolio review exercise, and appreciated the government’s resolve to expedite the implementation of bank-funded projects. He assured that the World Bank would consider the recommendations to strengthen its portfolio in Pakistan.

The three DPC series projects are: Securing Human Investments to Foster Transformation (SHIFT); Resilient Institutions for Sustainable Economy (RISE); and Programme for Affordable and Clean Energy (PACE).

The World Bank Group has approved $250 million for the SHIFT project, prepared as part of a package aimed at supporting medium-term structural reforms over the next three years focusing on fiscal management, growth and competitiveness, and human capital outcomes for productivity gains.

The project will strengthen CRVS, health and education systems essential for human capital accumulation; improve the contribution of women and girls to economic productivity; and improve federal safety nets to respond to shocks in a more efficient manner. Currently, Pakistan is not investing enough in its people to accelerate better human capital outcomes. Pakistan

scores low in the World Bank Human Capital Index.

In June, the World Bank board of executive directors approved $500 million in financing for the Resilient Institutions for Sustainable Economy programme (RISE) to help Pakistan strengthen fiscal management, promote transparency and private sector growth, and undertake foundational reforms in the energy sector to transition to low-carbon energy. These reforms are critical to build fiscal resilience and stimulate recovery from impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The programme supports reforms to broaden the tax base and reduce distortions in tax policy, strengthen debt management and transparency, and implement urgently needed reforms to achieve financial viability of the power sector. In tandem, reforms to lower barriers to the formalization of firms, increase the use of digital payments, and better regulate real estate developments will help create an enabling environment to attract private investment.

The third DPC series project is the Programme for Affordable and Clean Energy (PACE), which will tackle power sector reforms. PACE, which will include critical power sector reforms needed to put the country on sustainable fiscal path, will precede the second programmes, RISE and SHIFT.

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

Pml-n slams ‘reVengeFul’ tactIcs oF PtI goVt In lahore PoWer shoW RANA SANAULLAH SAYS GOVT WON’T FIND ANYTHING AGAINST SHEHBAZ ‘EVEN IF THEY INVESTIGATE FOR 10 YEARS’

SAAD RAFIQUE SAYS PML-N SUPREMO DID ‘NOTHING WRONG BY DEMANDING RULE OF DEMOCRACY AND SUPREMACY OF CONSTITUTION’

LAHORE

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STAFF REPORT

HE Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N), in a power show in the provincial capital on Saturday, heavily criticised the federal government for its "revenge" policy against the opposition.

“The government had only taken revenge from the opposition after coming into power,” said PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah while addressing a rally held in solidarity with Shehbaz Sharif.

"Instead of providing shelter to the people, it [government] has made them homeless," he said, adding that the huge attendance by people in the demonstration was evidence that Lahore "had woken up".

"Shehbaz served Punjab with honesty for 10 years," he said. “The government had earlier filed two cases against him, but no headway was made.”

"Even if they [investigate] Shehbaz for 10 years, they won't find anything on him," Sanaullah maintained.

Meanwhile, former railway's minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif wants the rule of democracy, and for the

constitution and law to be upheld in the country.

"What wrong has Nawaz Sharif done? He only demands that the Constitution reign supreme. He asks that people work within the limitations of the consti-

Woman allegedly gang-raped by colleagues at lahore hotel A girl has been allegedly gang-raped in the vicinity of the Naulakha police station inside a hotel by her colleagues. According to details, the girl was lured to the hotel by her colleagues – Hassan and Irfan – who took her to the hotel after promising her that they would give her a better job if she went with them there. However, at the hotel, the men first assaulted her before fleeing the scene, leaving her in the hotel. Police sources have verified that a case has been registered against the perpetrators, who remain at larger, and that the area police have begun investigating their whereabouts. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also taken notice of the incident, and has sought a report from the Capital City Police Officer about the case. Directing for the immediate arrest of the accused besides ensuring justice to the affected girl by all means, the chief minister said that people involved in this heinous crime do not deserve any leniency.

The incident is among many rape cases that are receiving attention these days after the horrific motorway gang-rape case that had recently shaken the entire nation. CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh, who was in the middle of controversy during the initial days of that investigation, has not spoken about this case yet. The main culprit in the motorway case, Abid Ali, also remains at large even after 23 days have passed. NEWS DESK

tution," he said, adding: "Is this revolting against the state? Is this betrayal?"

Denouncing the incumbent prime minister, Rafique said that 11 parties of the opposition term Imran Khan as "selected".

The PML-N leader, talking about the creation of the Pakistan Democratic Movement, said that it was made after the government failed to control inflation and resolve the problems people faced.

"They haven't jailed Shehbaz Sharif, they have incarcerated the lion of Punjab," he said, adding that when they were out of options, the opposition opted for PDM. The PML-N leader said that the nation and the PML-N had tolerated the government for two years now, but the PTI only made shallow promises to the people.

"Shehbaz laid the foundation of a modern Punjab and Nawaz did the same for Pakistan [...] the incumbent government has ruined Pakistan's economy," he said. The former railway's minister said that in the last two years, the government had not introduced any scheme for the welfare of the people.

"The government is not only hurting us, but it is dealing damage to the country," he said, adding that today, there was chaos and bitterness in the entire country.

Right before Rafique's address to the rally, the main stage of the demonstration collapsed, however, no injuries were reported.

PM shouldn’t have allowed airing of Nawaz Sharif’s speeches: Sheikh Rashid LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had made a mistake by allowing the speeches of former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to be aired on national television.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, the minister came down hard on the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), saying that they were speaking up now only because they had been unable to get a ‘deal’ over the past year.

Saying that the PML-N had been bargaining for one for nearly the past two years, with senior leaders allegedly involved in the bargaining, Sheikh Rashid warned the PML-N to prepare now that their efforts had failed. “They even tried to use their contacts in brotherly Islamic countries for leverage but failed in their attempts,” he said.

“Make preparations, you will have to be answerable to the courts,” Rashid warned, addressing the PML-N leadership. “Nawaz Sharif will go straight to jail once he returns home. His own house is not in order. I stand by my statement that an “S” group from within the PML-N will break away from the party.”

He went on to say that Nawaz Sharif was trying to fight and malign the armed forces which had fought much greater opponents such as terrorism and sectarianism.

“The PML-N is only reacting this way because they are

afraid and agitated. They know Imran Khan will win the upcoming Senate elections,” he said.

“This agitation is false. No true member of the ‘Muslim League’ could be against the Pakistan army,” he said.

He also alleged that the opposition had been using Jamiat Ulamae Islam Fazal (JUI-F) chief, Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, for their own purposes. “I would advise the Maulana not to get used by these people again, they are only using him for their own purposes.”

“If the opposition is in a fighting mood, then they should vacate their seats in the National Assembly and let us hold elections for the empty seats.”

Nehal Hashmi, sons get bail in police assault case NEWS DESK Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leader Nehal Hashmi and his sons were granted bail by a Karachi court in a case related to Hashmi and his sons getting into a physical altercation with and beating up police officials.

The bail has been granted by the Judicial Magistrate East against bonds of Rs20,000 each. According to details, Hashmi and his sons had gotten involved in the altercation on Friday night in the city’s Malir Town area, with the former PML-N senator’s son accusing police officials of attacking him and his mother.

The police had detained Hashmi and one of his sons, Naseer Hashmi, following the incident. A case was reg-

istered against the PML-N leader and his sons at the Saudabad Police Station on behalf of Saudabad SHO Rana Haseeb for abusing, scuffling with and beating cops.

The fight took place near Malir’s busy Saudabad area, with the police saying that Nehal Hashmi’s family had been involved in an altercation with another party when it intervened. The police version is that when the officials tried to break up the fight, the Senator’s family responded by attacking the police and tearing their uniforms.

In a video of the incident, Hashmi can seemingly be heard saying, “You are beating him, you are beating my son. Who are you?” Meanwhile, his son says “The police tried to come near my family. When I tried to stop

them, they broke my phone. They attacked my sister and mother.”

In a video statement issued late in the night, the PML-N leader’s daughter, Ayesha Hashmi, said, “We were dragged into someone else’s matter.

They misbehaved with me and my mother.”

She said policemen in plainclothes subjected her brother, Naseer Hashmi, to torture and humiliated her family.

“Police tortured my 17-year-old brother also,” she said. Terming the incident a private matter for the Hashmi family, PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair said the party has nothing to do with it.

The former Sindh governor said it would be premature to say anything until Nehal Hashmi and his family stated their viewpoint on the issue.

NEWS

03

two terrorists gunned down, one held in north Waziristan: IsPr RAWALPINDI TLTP

The security forces foiled a major terrorist activity as they gunned down two hardcore terrorists, including an improvised explosive device (IED) specialist, and arrested the third one during an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations at late Friday night, "Two hardcore terrorists including an IED specialist [were] killed, while one terrorist [was] apprehended." The security forces conducted the intelligence-based operation at the terrorist hideout in Boya area of North Waziristan. The terrorists were involved in killing innocent locals, extortion, and planning and executing more than 25 terrorist attacks on security forces, said the ISPR.

lhc bench formed as ex-judge arshad malik challenges sacking LAHORE TLTP

Former Islamabad accountability court judge Arshad Malik has challenged his dismissal in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday. On July 23 last, a seven-member administrative committee headed by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan had sacked him after completion of an inquiry against him over his alleged involvement in a video scandal. In his appeal, former judge Arshad Malik, who handed the verdict against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference, argued that the relevant rules were not followed for his dismissal. He said the LHC registrar issued a notification regarding his dismissal on August 6 after the administrative committee approved his sacking on the basis of an inquiry report without taking into consideration his standpoint in violation of the laws. The appellant pleaded that the decision regarding his dismissal be declared void. Meanwhile, the LHC chief justice has constituted a three-member service tribunal to be led by Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi to hear and decide the appeal of the former judge. The other members of the tribunal will be Justice Masood Abid Naqvi and Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi. Last year in July, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had removed judge Arshad Malik from his post and surrendered his services back to the LHC. Addressing a press conference alongside top PML-N leadership on July 6, 2019, Maryam Nawaz had shown reporters a video in which Arshad Malik can be heard saying that there was “no proof of corruption against the deposed premier” in the Al-Azizia reference. Arshad Malik had denied Maryam Nawaz’s allegations that the judge was blackmailed into convicting Nawaz without any evidence.

Passengers protest as PIa flight leaves luggage in sharjah ISLAMABAD TLTP

Over 50 passengers got angry upon arrival at Islamabad International Airport when they came to know that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight that brought them to Islamabad from Sharjah had forgotten to bring their luggage. The PIA flight, PK-182, arrived at Islamabad airport from Sharjah without the luggage of more than 50 passengers. Upon learning about their baggage left behind at the Sharjah airport, the passengers got angry and slammed the national flag carrier’s unprofessional conduct. However, PIA officials tried to pacify them, assuring that their luggage will be brought back via the airline’s next flight from Sharjah. Meanwhile, a passenger was precluded from boarding a Karachi-bound flight after a pistol and bullets were seized from his possession at Islamabad International Airport on Saturday. Sources said flyer Dr Masroor Ali was found to be carrying a 9mm pistol, three magazines, and 32 bullets in a hand carry during checking at the airport. He had an expired licence of the seized gun. The passenger was to board a private airline’s flight, PA-207. He was handed over to police for further interrogation.

On September 23, the Airport Security Force (ASF) had arrested a man at Islamabad airport for carrying a 30-bore pistol and 25 bullets in his luggage while departing for the United Kingdom (UK) en route Abu Dhabi.

04

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

NEWS

Centre, SInDh agree to trIal launCh loCal traInS Before revIvIng KCr KARACHI

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APP

HE Sindh government and the federal government have agreed to start trial runs of local trains within 12kms during the next two months and then plan how to sync it with the modern circular railway system in the next phase.

This decision was taken in a meeting between Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Planning & Development Asad Umer. They both were supported by their respective teams.

The federal minister was assisted by Federal P&D Secretary Mathar Niaz, Railways Secretary Habibur Rehman, P&D Additional Secretary Rafiq Chandna, Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Project Director Ameer Mohammad, Railways Planning DG Imran Mishal and Karachi DC Arshad Salam Khatak.

The chief minister was assisted by Minister Transport Awais Qadir Shah, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah,

Advocate General Sindh Salman Talibuddin, P&D Chairman M Wasem, Karachi Administrator Iftikhar Shahalwalni, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Karachi Commissioner Sohail Rajput, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi and Transport Secretary Sharik and Additional Secretary to CM Badaruddin Shaikh.

The meeting was held to chalk out a strategy in respect of launching KCR projects as was decided in the CCI meeting and to implement the supreme court directives to start local train projects in the city of Karachi.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the KCR was commissioned in 1964 and remained effective till 1984. It was halted in 1999; as it lost its operational efficiency. He added that the Sindh government approved initial Feasibility/ PC-I for KCR revival in 2006 to be undertaken through JICA and revised Feasibility & PC1 was prepared by JICA which was approved

by ECNEC in 2012 for $2.6 billion.

The JICA remained engaged on the project from

2006 to 2012; but unfortunately, the earlier agreed financing arrangement could not materialise. Murad Ali Shah said that given the stalemate on JICA financing; he took up the matter with the then prime minister on December 3, 2016, and requested him for the inclusion of KCR under CPEC framework, Issuance of Sovereign Guarantee for the KCR Revitalization, handing over of KUTC to the Sindh government for construction and management of KCR, handing Over Right Of Way (ROW) to KUTC-Sindh govt.

He added that the Prime Minister approved all of his requests and for handing over ROW a committee was formed to seek options on the issue.

The KCR loop has an overlapping section of 12kms with Pakistan Railways project ML-1 launched under CPEC framework. Shah said that he followed up the matter with the federal government throughout 2017 and 2018. “I personally followed up at every stage and has written a dozen letters to the federal government on the matter,” he said and added the ECNEC approved the

project on Oct 6, 2017, for Rs207.6 billion ($1.97 billion) through Chinese Loan and the Administrative Approval of the project was issued by Sindh Transport & Mass Transit Dept on Nov 8, 2017.

The chief minister said that when KCR was brought under the CPEC framework it was approved at a cost of $1.971 billion (Rs300bn) and was supposed to be completed within 36 months. It may be noted that the length of the KCR project was 43.13 km, including 14.95 km on the ground and 28.18 km elevated.

It would have 24 stations and its per day ridership would be around 550,000. Shah said that the KCR project was agreed in CPEC related JCC meeting on December 29, 2016. On November 22, 2017, the JCC confirmed that the KCR project is technically qualified and mature for implementation, he said and added on December 20, 2018, the importance of KCR was recognized and on Nov 5, 2019. It was decided that Pakistan would submit a financing request to the Chinese government.

Police to set up anti-harassment unit in Karachi KARACHI TLTP

The Sindh police announced on Saturday to set up an anti-harassment unit (AHU) to check rising cases of sexual assault on women and children. The announcement came during a meeting presided over by Sindh Home Secretary Dr Usman Chachar. AIG Hyderabad Dr Jameel, DIG Operations Maqsood Memon, senior female police officers and others attended the meeting. During the meeting, Memon announced to set up the AHU at the police facilitation centre at Korangi Road. He said it will help check cases of sexual assault and torture on women and children in the province and will improve the access of victims of such offences to legal aid. The meeting further decided to launch a campaign to curb the incidences of sexual abuse. Dr Jameel said the proposed campaign on social media will help control sexual abuse cases and foster harmony between the police and the public.

Seven more Covid cases surface in Islamabad, Balochistan schools ISLAMABAD: A total of seven more cases of the coronavirus were detected at educational institutions in Islamabad and Balochistan on Saturday. According to details, two cases of Covid-19 have been reported at Islamabad College for Boys, G-6/3. Two teachers including the vice principal of the college have been reported positive for coronavirus. The authorities are likely to seal the college after the emergence of confirmed cases of coronavirus, sources said. Meanwhile, five more cases of the coronavirus have been detected at educational institutions in Balochistan, health officials said on Saturday. According to the health department, the number of Covid-19 cases thus far diagnosed at educational institutions has soared to 550. It said the provincial tally of infections has reached 15,323 after new cases surfaced during the last 24 hours. Earlier, an educational institute in Islamabad was sealed after the emergence of novel coronavirus cases last month. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the institution was sealed after surfacing 16 coronavirus cases.

Meanwhile, the contact tracing was started after the cases, to contain the spread of the deadly virus. TLTP

CPWB launches crackdown on professional begging LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

The Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB) has launched a crackdown on begging children across Punjab, whereas rescue operations were also conducted in different districts of Punjab, including Lahore, in connection with the anti-begging drive. According to details, rescue operations in different areas of Lahore were conducted by CPWB Chairperson Sara Ahmed along with Provincial Human Rights Minister Ejaz Alam Augustine, CPWB Director General Shuja Bhatti and others. About 100 begging children were taken into custody from areas including Muslim Town Mor, Kalma Chowk, Barkat Market, Mall Road, Defense, Main Market Gulberg, Liberty Market, Karim Block Market, Johar Town, Shaukat Khanum Chowk, H Block Defense Market and Bhatta Chowk.

KARACHI: Residents of Defence Housing Auhtority (DHA) hold a protest demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club for acceptance of their demands. PPI

IAMS developed for online collection, processing, issuance of ads PESHAWAR TLTP

Information and Public Relations Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has developed a computerised Integrated Advertisement Management System (IAMS) for online collection, processing and issuance of advertisements to bring the government advertising system in line with modern day requirements.

According to a statement issued on Saturday, the system will be implemented on a trial basis from next Monday. The introduction of this system will make it easier for government departments to place advertisements, and will also enable timely delivery and imme-

diate publication of government advertisements to newspapers and media outlets, as per the vision of the present government and the Prime Minister of Pakistan. It will also be an important step towards the goal of e-governance and transparency.

It is worth mentioning here that this web-based software system for release of government advertisements has been developed by the IT department of the Information and Public Relations Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with its own expertise and resources and no additional expenditure was incurred from the public exchequer on this. All matter from the issuance of advertisements through IAMS to later billing and

payment, all will be completed online, which will save the government financial expenditures as well as time and the people will have help better access to government advertisements and all advertisement records will be stored in an automated and computerized format.

An important component of IAMS will be that client departments and newspapers will be given limited access to the system so that they can send and receive their advertisements in a timely manner as well as be aware of their advertisements and billing.

According to sources in the Information Department, the launch of the system will be formally inaugurated soon after the success of the trial process.

KP govt defines rules to preserve tourist spots PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has envisaged regulations for Kumrat and Kalam development authorities to preserve the scenic beauty of tourist spots.

The spokesperson of the KP tourism department said on Saturday that rules have been defined for Kumrat and Kalam development authorities for protecting the natural beauty of the tourist destinations.

Under the new rules, the authorities will impose fines over the violations of rules defined by the provincial tourism department.

A fine of Rs2 million or three-year

jail will be imposed for the construction of illegal housing societies, whereas Rs0.5 million fine will be imposed over illegal water supply connection prior to getting permission from the relevant authority. A fine of Rs50,000 will be imposed over the destruction of metres and equipment for water supply and sewerage lines and Rs25,000 fine for damaging roads, streets and nullahs.

A fine of Rs20,000 will be imposed over the illegal construction of speed breakers, lack of cleanliness on public spots and improper disposal of the debris of construction material. A fine of Rs12,000 will be imposed for slaughtering animals on random places instead of

slaughterhouses and Rs10,000 for illegal excavation and removal of stones.

Earlier, over 2.6 million people visited the tourist sites in KP after the government allowed all major tourist spots to open after the coronavirus closure, in the month of August. According to figures released by KP’s Tourism Department, as many as 2,681,000 tourists visited KP from August 13 up to date.

More than 762,000 tourists resided in various districts of the province.

Abbottabad received the highest number of visitors as more than 17,18000 tourists visited the area. More than 6,64000 visitors reached Swat to refresh themselves.

Drug racket busted in capital; woman among seven arrested ISLAMABAD TLTP

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has busted a gang involved in supplying drugs to government officials and private individuals in Islamabad. According to details, an operation was carried out in the F-7, F-10, F-11, and G-12 neighbourhoods of the federal capital, during which seven people, including a woman and a foreigner, were arrested. More than Rs300 million worth of drugs, including ice, heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as arms and ammunition were seized from the possession of the arrested gang members. A foreign national part of the gang, believed to be smuggling drugs into the country from abroad, was also nabbed. The gang was involved in supplying drugs to educational institutions and important personalities, including government officials and private individuals, the sources said and added their names are being kept under wraps. They said the ANF has retrieved important data from the arrested drug pedlars’ mobile phones. One of them also confessed to supplying drugs to policemen, the sources disclosed. Earlier this week, the government decided to launch a joint operation against drug lords to purge the country of narcotics. Sources had said the decision came at a high-level meeting jointly presided over by Minister for Anti-Narcotics Azam Swati and InterServices Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hameed.

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

BaNkS, INveStorS PIvot towardS BIdeN wIN after truMP teStS PoSItIve for CovId nEW YORK

G

AGENCIES

LOBAL banks and investors said they were stepping up their preparations for a victory

by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden after his rival Republican President Donald Trump revealed he had tested positive for Covid-19.

The development was the latest dramatic twist in an extraordinary election year that had many banks and investors planning for no clear winner on Nov. 3 with a global market panic expected to ensue, Reuters reported Wednesday.

By Friday, they were quickly shifting gears on the basis that Trump’s positive result would deal a blow to his campaign and lessen the overall chances of a contested election outcome.

“Trump contracting the coronavirus will elevate institutional money’s preparation for a Democratic White House and all the tax, trade and budget implications that go along with it,” James McDonald, CEO of Los Angeles-based fund manager Hercules Investments wrote in a note.

“We expect institutional investors to start de-risking portfolios and increasing hedges in preparation for market volatility.”

Oil prices dropped on the news and stocks saw an initial selloff in a volatile morning trading session.

Major banks have been running simulations to ensure they can cope with a spike in market, liquidity and credit risks in case of a contested election or even a constitutional crisis.

One senior capital markets banker said on Friday that their institution was still stress testing for all scenarios, but that it had tilted the focus of the simulations more towards a clear Biden victory and what that would entail in terms of volatility and hedging strategies.

“This increases Biden’s chances and

India opens tunnel route to tense China border cOntinuEd On pAgE 01 India’s Border Roads Organisation, which implements most of these strategic projects, says it has built more in the last four years than in the previous decade. Its head, Lt Gen Harpal Singh, told AFP they were pressing ahead with “long-term plans based on their strategic calculations to develop these regions”.

Nawaz Sharif's ideology changes like weather: Shibli ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has said that Nawaz Sharif is still to answer the two questions as to how he made assets and how he transferred money abroad. In a tweet on Saturday, the information minister said that Nawaz Sharif's ideology changes like weather. The minister said that Nawaz Sharif becomes a revolutionary while being out of power; whereas when he is in power, he is the biggest dictator. He said Nawaz Sharif should not take revenge from Pakistan for being out of power. TLTP

Naval chief pays farewell call on CJCSC RAWALPINDI: Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi paid a farewell call on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza here on Saturday. According to InterServices Public Relations (ISPR), the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee thanked Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi for his services to the nation during a long and illustrious career. It is pertinent to mention here that Vice Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi will replace Admiral Zaffar Abbasi who retires on October 6. Zafar has been serving as naval chief since October 2017. Vice Admiral Amjad Khan will take charge as a new Naval chief on October 6. TLTP

PM striving hard to stabilise economy: Gill LAHORE: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill has said that the government has taken solid steps for progress and development of the country. Talking to newsmen here on Saturday, he said when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf came into power, the country’s economy was in shambles and Prime Minister Imran Khan strived hard to stabilize the national economy. He said Nawaz Sharif is playing a dangerous game by levelling allegations against the army. Shabaz Gill said the Pakistan Army always helps the nation in difficult situations. TLTP

reduces the chance of lawsuits and recriminations,” said another banker.

The bankers declined to be identified because the internal plans are private.

Biden, who tested negative for Covid-19 on Friday, has a nine-point lead over Trump following their combative first debate on Tuesday, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published Thursday.

The White House said on Friday that the president was displaying mild symptoms and was self-isolating with first lady Melania Trump who also tested pos-

itive. His campaign said it was rescheduling or postponing several planned events. It was unclear if the next television election debate scheduled on Oct 15 would still go ahead.

One of the bankers added that Trump's predicament would shift the election focus back towards the pandemic and away from the US economy, a signature policy for Trump on which he had led Biden in approval ratings. In a further blow for the president, US employment growth slowed more than expected in September, Friday data showed here.

“He’ll be losing valuable time to campaign and it brings the issue that he’s dismissed right back front and center,” said another major investor. “He has been trying to put the Covid topic in the rear view mirror and now it comes right back as topic number one.”

Even with the risk of a contested election abating, some investors said they were still planning for heightened volatility.

“I don’t think volatility suddenly disappears right after the election,” wrote Jason Brady, President and CEO at Thornburg Investment Management, a New Mexico-based asset manager with $41 billion in client assets.

“Up and down markets will be with us into December and January as second order effects from the transfer of power with a new administration – or tweaks to an existing one – get priced in.”

Bakhtyar seeks WB cooperation in energy, tourism, housing sectors iSLAMABAd TLTP

Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar has urged the World Bank to expand the priority areas of cooperation with Pakistan in fields of energy, tourism, low-cost housing scheme and availability of Covid-19 vaccine.

The minister for economic affairs was talking to the County Director of the World Bank in Pakistan Najy Benhassine, who called on him here on Saturday, said a press statement.

He thanked and appreciated the World Bank for extending a $200 million package to help Pakistan take effective and timely action to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The minister also appreciated the support of the World Bank for locust emergency control project, worth $200 million, to mitigate the

adverse impact of parasite attack on the food basket of the country.

Bakhtyar apprised the visiting dignitary of approval of economic reforms proposed by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank to simplify the execution of development projects. He also shared the Prime Minister's direction to expedite the economic reforms in coordination with global donors. He said that the process would enable the government to complete three DPCs with WB (SHIFT, RISE and PACE) in due course of time.

Th e Wo r ld Ban k Cou ntr y D ir ector thanked the minister for the WB portfolio review exercise. He also appreciated the gover nment' s r es olve to exp edite the implementation of WB-funded projects . H e assured that WB would consider the recommen datio ns of th e M inis ter to s tr en gthen WB's portfolio in Pakistan.

FBR clarifies levy on refurbished vehicles ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has clarified that levy imposed on refurbished second hand vehicles is restricted to 17pc of value addition and this relief is available to only registered persons in sales tax. The FBR on Saturday issued a clarification regarding levying of 17pc sales tax on resale of used and refurbished vehicles. The FBR clarified that the existing law charged sales tax on full sale value which was harsh and excessive. On the request of the business community and after seeking support of major chambers of commerce of the country, a clause was added in the Finance Act to provide relief and to encourage refurbishing of second hand vehicles. According to the statement, this relief is available to only registered persons in sales tax and is restricted to 17pc of value addition made by such players. No unregistered person can deduct or demand such sales tax from a buyer. It is further clarified that rules have been finalized now, said the statement. TLTP

NEWS

05

PML-N in a fix over strategy to stop rebellion within ranks cOntinuEd On pAgE 01 The source said that though the strong statements have been made in media against the five lawmakers of the party, there is a little meat with the party on legal ground to get these rebel lawmakers sent packing under the defection clause. “We are in touch with our legal team who say there is no evidence with the party to send references to the Election Commission against the rebel lawmakers who had claimed that they had met with the chief minister for resolving issues of their constituencies. So, it is a bid to help stop the rebellion,” the source said. Another PML-N leader told this scribe that the party did not expel the rebel lawmakers and only show because notices were sent to the five MPAs. “But I fear even the show because notices have no legal and constitutional status. The secretary general has got himself into a trouble by giving show cause notices to the MPAs who met the CM,” the source added.

The source said that the PML-N leadership, after consulting legal aides, has decided to keep the matter to issuing show cause notices only considering the constitutional situation.

WHAT DEFECTION CLAUSE SAYS: According to Article 63-A, disqualification on grounds of defection can take place if a member of a parliamentary party resigns from membership or joins another parliamentary party; or votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party to which he belongs, in relation to (i) election of the prime minister or the chief minister; or (ii) a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or(iii) a Money Bill or a Constitution (Amendment) Bill; provided that before making the declaration, the party head shall provide such member with an opportunity to show cause as to why such declaration may not be made against him. Former ECP secretary Kunwar Dilshad Ahmed also said that the lawmakers cannot be disqualified on meeting with the chief minister. “Even the [show-cause] notices published in media are also vague and the questions raised have no legal point. The MPAs are members of a house and they may have met with the leader of the house. But they have not crossed the floor,” he told Pakistan Today. “The PML-N secretary-general may send references to the Election Commission of Pakistan against the MPAs as it is the statutory body to decide the matter. I wonder how the PML-N leaders have issued notices without even reading the relevant defection law. If expelled, the affected MPAs may move high court if they want to. I do not see any legal point in this case. Only charge sheet should have been issued in my view,” he concluded.

PM's economic outreach initiative kicks off iSLAMABAd TLTP

Prime Minister Imran Khan's Economic Outreach Initiative kicked off on Saturday. Special Assistant on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf chaired the first meeting of the Economic Outreach Coordination Group. The National Security Division has created an economic outreach roadmap for economic diplomacy, which will now be processed through the ministries and the assessment of economic potential of ministries. Ministries are to finish the external mapping exercise within three weeks. The first task of the group will be to map Pakistan's comparative advantage in priority countries. The PM's economic outreach initiative is expected to be a game changer as it reflects a coordinated proactive approach for economic outreach that has not been institutionalised since the conception of Pakistan.

Shafqat Mehmood denounces politics at cost of national integrity LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood has said that all the state institutions are working in coherence for the development of the country.

Addressing a ceremony here on Saturday, the education minister said that politics should not be done at the cost of national integrity. He said that the pivot of the politics of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

The minister said that armed forces of the country have rendered splendid services for establishing peace in the country and in war on terror.

Later, talking to the newsmen, he said that the rejected political elements want to protect their corruption through negative politics. He said that PML-N wanted the government to give NRO to Nawaz Sharif. He said that the incumbent government has no threat from the opposition parties.

CMYK

While commenting over the political situation of the country, the federal minister said that the armed forces played a leading role while fighting the war against extremism for 15 years besides getting remarkable victories. He said that the role of armed forces of Pakistan should be appreciated and supported instead of running

propaganda against it.

The education minister highlighted that the coordinated efforts of all national institutions have brought stability in Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He urged for respecting all national institutions rather than collecting political benefits after putting the country at stake.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Saturday, Shafqat Mahmood said that the government is working on a comprehensive plan for restoring activities of students in an academic environment; however, it cannot be favoured to convert educational institutions into a battleground of politics. He said that restoration of student unions is an important issue and he is in favour of lifting the ban on student unions; however, educational institutions should not be converted into a political battleground.

He said that he had witnessed the positive aspects of student unions which later took over by political parties. Mahmood said that the government will soon envisage a comprehensive strategy for restoring the activities of the students in an academic environment.

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

06 COMMENT

Shrinking space for dissent

Limiting the media space Are we out to make Pakistan another North Korea?

While the people suffer

O

n Thursday PEMRA banned broadcasts of PML(n) leader nawaz Sharif’s speeches and interviews and prohibited the transmission of any commentary, opinion or suggestion about the potential fate of any sub judice matter. The next day it stopped TV channels from airing coverage of the motorway gangrape case. Among the reasons given was that since the offence is related to sex, hence media coverage concerning the victim and her family would be a cause of discomfort and disgrace for her. This is amazing as so far the identity of the victim and her family has not been made public. What’s more, it is not the media but the CCPO Lahore who has repeatedly blamed the victim for what happened to her that is disgraceful and then apologized only to continue in the same vein again. This leads one to conclude that PEMRA is in fact trying to suppress any content that raises questions about the government’s bad performance.

The motorway gangrape case got wide publicity because of peculiar circumstances including the victim’s upper class background, the presence of her children at the site of the crime and the vicinity where the tragic incident happened. The graph of crimes against women and children in the PTI-ruled Punjab has in fact continued to rise. According to a report in a national daily, in the first 60 days of 2020 alone, as many as 73 incidents of rape have been reported in the province, including five gangrape cases. With the Punjab government having changed five IGPs within the two years of its tenure, law and order in the province has suffered. The Punjab government’s critics claim that as it is fixated on winning the next local government elections, it has paid little attention to the rising graph of crimes against women. This has encouraged criminals. As long as police transfers and appointments remain politically motivated crime rate will not come down despite harsh punishments.

The media helps the government rectify its mistakes by reporting things the government departments would like to hide from it. By limiting the media space the government simply closes its eyes and blocks its ears. This makes it accident-prone. Meanwhile the media, which has won independence through a decades-long struggle, will not give it up easily.

aRif Nizami

P

RIME Minister Imran khan, in a recent television interview with a local channel, summed up his world view about the historically troubled civ-mil relations of the past. He blamed the previous civilian regimes, specifically the thrice elected nawaz government for the uneasy civ-mil relations since the inception of the country. khan, in the same interview, has blamed Sharif for maligning the army at India’s behest. This is not the first time that the thrice ousted prime minister has been declared guilty as charged. neither will it be the last.

One of the most famous ‘traitors’ was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. In the eyes of his many detractors from the former West Pakistan, he is credited or discredited for the eventual break-up of a united Pakistan through a diplomatic coup of sorts by holding the historical Islamic summit in Lahore in February 1974. The summit was used as a precursor to recognize Bangladesh, carved out of Pakistan as a result of a protracted civil war for an independent nation. Held in the presence of the Islamic leadership of the time, including king Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Libya’s strongman colonel Gaddafi and the Shah of Iran, only to name a few, Bhutto facilitated the creation of Bangladesh.

To put it bluntly, manufacturing of ghaddars (traitor) in Pakistan has been a sad and sordid part of our chequered political history ever since the country's inception. Pakistan’s first military dictator general Ayub khan, the shameless strongman, had no qualms

The second wave?

Fresh spike in Covid-19 cases requires attention

P

AkISTAn has somehow managed to avoid becoming one of the many countries that have been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic and there are various unproven theories that attempt to explain why and how a country, whose initial efforts to contain the virus were pathetically inadequate, has managed this. One such explanation credits the combination of the government’s ‘smart lockdown’ and a younger population that allowed much of the country to remain operational, thereby allowing the virus to infect enough people who then recovered from it to create some form of herd immunity. According to official figures there have been 314,000 confirmed cases and close to 300,000 people have recovered. Confirmed cases and number of deaths peaked in June when virtually all public and private hospitals were working at full capacity but those numbers quickly reduced over the following two months and the country more or less went back to normal as businesses and schools were allowed to open with SOPs in place that have, for the most, part been grossly violated. There is now a spike in the number of confirmed cases, particularly in karachi that reported 365 new cases a few days ago out of a total of 747 cases countrywide. The city has now locked down certain areas while a number of eateries have been shut down for violation of SOPs. While it would be premature to categorise this rise as a second wave as it is not similar to what the Uk and other European countries are presently going through and imposing lockdowns yet again, the government would do well to err on the side of caution and not delay any necessary action to restrict a resurgence of the virus.

Unfortunately there first need to be a realignment of priorities as the government is now too preoccupied with countering the newly formed PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) that consists of major opposition parties and exercising ‘all legal options’ to bring nawaz Sharif back’. Prime Minister Imran khan recently formed a committee for this purpose which includes, among others, Asad Umar, who also happens to chair the national Command and Operations Centre (nCOC) to deal with the COVID-19. The government must realise that nawaz Sharif is much less harmful sitting in London than the coronavirus, which is evidently making a comeback across the country. Strict implementation of SOPs and action against violators should be implemented across the country while virus hotspots should be locked down immediately.

Diversionary tactics?

Why did Trump test positive now

Rabia ahmed

A

T the 2020 Presidential Debate on September29th in Cleveland the President of the USA said about his adversary Joe Biden: “I don’t wear a mask like him. Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”

At the time of writing this it is not known which way Mr Biden has tested for the corona virus, but the vice President Mike Pence who seems as averse to masks as the President has tested negative. On the other hand, the President and his wife Melania have tested positive for corona yesterday. It is now just a month prior to the elections. It’s an interesting scenario. Given that the President is male (men are at greater risk than women), is 74 years old and the fact that he is clinically (and visually) obese, the prognosis is a bit iffy for him, despite the fact that as POTUS he has the best healthcare in the world.

It is unclear what is to happen now. While Mr Trump is still President, Mike Pence obviously takes over his job and is the acting President until Mr Trump returns to the Oval Office. But should Mr Trump fail to return will Mike Pence take his place in the elections? Does the Republican nomination devolve upon him by default?

Apparently it does. Which means that whether or

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

While the various corruption cases against oppoin declaring Ms Fatima Jinnah a ghaddar in order to sition leaders get wall to wall coverage, there are cerwin a heavily rigged indirect election.

More recently nawaz Sharif was yet again labelled tain similar cases that are completely ignored by the a traitor after being accused of having a soft corner for media. Only this past Friday, PEMRA was directed by Indian spy kalbhushan Yadav and being in cahoots the government to disallow news channels to report on with the Indian Prime Minister narendra Modi to pro- the mortorway rape case on the flimsy basis that “the mote his personal business intrests. Since his ouster victim and his family will be disgraced” and that such however, there has hardly been any talk of the former coverage would hamper the ongoing investigation.

As is the wont in misogynistic societies, the prime minister's so-called soft corner for India.

But the hate mongers are back in business. Com- CCPO Lahore, on multiple occasions, has shamelessly blamed the victim for ing from Shibli Faraz it sounds what happened to her, which is a bit ironical. Ahmed Faraz's disgraceful enough but no acpoetry, essentially anti-estabtion has and will be taken lishment, is full of speaking against him. As for the investiagainst such narratives in the To put it bluntly, gation, the police are clueless garb of pseudo patriotism. about the whereabouts of the While battle lines are being manufacturing of ghaddars main accused. The purpose of drawn for a showdown between the government and the (traitor) in Pakistan has been this latest gag order is therefore to hide the governopposition, for the first time, a sad and sordid part of our simply ment’s incompetence rather since it came to power, the PTI government is showing signs of chequered political history than supporting the police in their investigation. nervousness. Initially, khan ever since the country's It is increasingly becoming nonchalantly claimed that the clear as day that gag orders on people of Pakistan will not be inception. Pakistan’s first the media are being used too swayed by the jaundiced rhetoric of the opposition, hence let military dictator general Ayub frequently and with impunity to hide unpalatable facts. Apart the people decide what nawaz Khan, the shameless from the dismal law and order Sharif has on offer.

Vetoing his media advisors, strongman, had no qualms in situation the economy is going south according to the latest he allowed the PML-n supremo’s first few speeches to declaring Ms Fatima Jinnah a figures. With joblessness on the be broadcast live with certain ghaddar in order win a heavily rise and economic activity at an all-time low, September’s inflasections censored. But those tion figure rising to 9 percent is ruling the roost, after three rigged indirect election. only going to add to the woes hard-hitting and acerbic of the common man. This speeches, could not take it anyseems to be an enabling envimore. So, the government reronment for those who want to versed course and directed PEMRA to place a blanket ban on all TV channels create chaos. But khan seems to be oblivious to these from covering nawaz Sharif’s future speeches, ground realities. Wallowing on his ego-driven polithereby demonstrating that there are limits to the gov- cies, the prime minister seems to be hellbent on to quash all sort of dissent. Admittedly, the opposition ernment’s tolerance for free speech.

Banning coverage of the opposition’s activities be- are no saints and most of them, including the Sharifs, trays a certain lack of sure footedness on behalf of the looted the country but the question that remains obgovernment regarding its own narrative. It is clear that stinately unanswered is why the people of Pakistan, the voice of dissent is surely shrinking. The manifesta- despite being promised the world, are worse off than tion of this recent phenomenon is visible in many forms. they were two years ago.

Last year Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s media talk was Arif Nizami is Editor, Pakistan Today. He can be banned. Similarly, an interview of former President Asif Ali Zardari was taken off-air while being broadcast live contacted at arifn51@hotmail.com http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk on one of the most watched news channel of the country.

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not Mr Trump survives (and one wishes no one ill), holds the highest elected office in the country. Many the debates and the elections are likely to go on as people felt that a diversion would be created that would take the focus off that report and ease the presplanned. The scenario does not have a precedent.

You wonder how a change in candidates will be sure on Mr Trump and his modus operandi. And that diversion had to arrive soon because the elections received.

Mr Trump may have wide support within the were looming and– well here it is.

The Chicago Tribune reported some years ago country, but support for the Democrats is larger at present, although the way the US elections are with that Mr Trump is a master at diversionary tactics, the electoral college system, it does not necessarily something that is surely common knowledge by now. indicate a win for Joe Biden. Still, Mr Trump is one It reports that: ‘Apart from starting the Obamacare of those persons who generate a strong reaction. Fol- rollback and withdrawing from the TTP, he (Trump) lowing the first debate reaction was not complimen- has frozen a reduction of mortgage insurance premitary to either candidate. Mr Trump’s constant ums, allowed the keystone pipeline to go ahead and interruptions while the other person spoke and is prepared to sign an executive order to begin conBiden’s subsequent frustrated response led to a struction of a border wall.’‘ It reports that he knew that these actions chaotic shouting match, something that can hardly be would (and should) cause incalled a debate. dignation and protest, so he According to Wikipedia on tweeted– as he does, that ‘I the subject: will be asking for a major inCnn called it a mess, a fire vestigation into voter fraud, ininside a dumpster and a train wreck. They also called it a ‘dis- A positive test means that Mr cluding those registered to vote in two states, those who are ilgrace” and a “shitshow” and the Pence who probably has a legal and even those registered worst Presidential debate. ABC compared the debate to ‘mudbetter hold on himself takes to vote who are dead.’

He got what he wanted. The wrestling’ and called it the worst presidential debate ever. They over the debates and puts up Chicago Tribune reports that the hared off after that story also said that Mr Trump “came a better show. Probably. Most public ‘with news about the border wall across as a bully.”

Fox criticised Mr Trump for people would. And then the coming a distant second.’

So, the positive test. Everynot condemning the white supremacist, all male neo-nazi baton goes back to Mr Trump, one goes haywire talking about him not wearing a mask and see group the ‘Proud Boys.” who seems certain that he what happens? Versus someone Others have called it a diselse did wear a mask and still got grace and an uncivilized and will recover.

Remember the it. Meantime seeing that Mr disorderly discussion, and the Trump’s debating skills are lowest point in American tax evasion anyone? somewhat flawed. A positive test Democracy. means that Mr Pence who probSo, will Pence be seen as a ably has a better hold on himself welcome replacement for Mr takes over the debates and puts Trump should the need arise? up a better show. Probably. Most You can’t help thinking of something: given the dreadful reception that the ‘de- people would. And then the baton goes back to Mr bate’ received, was the Covid-19 test engineered? Trump, who seems certain that he will recover. ReBecause really, something like this appeared on the member the tax evasion anyone?

All this however is just conjecture. Let’s wait for cards ever since The new York Times disclosed the the elections to see what really happens. May God details of ten years of Mr Trump’s tax returns.

That report came out a bit more than a month be- have mercy on His people. fore the elections and was basically a revelation of Rabia Ahmed is a freelance columnist. Read more years of tax avoidance by the man who loves to boast of his success as a businessman, the man who now by her at http://rabia-ahmed.blogspot.com

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Sunday, 4 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

Happy teacher’s day TEACHER, a gem who needs no introduction to be introduce.He is the one who builds nations by shaping creative minds in the form of students.The profession of the teacher is what makes other professions.Without teachers, we couldn’t be able to acquire any other profession in span of life.Teachers are the one behind every Doctor, Engineer,Pilot, Politician, Cricketer, and more many.Apart from it, a teacher also plays an incredible role in a student’s life.He not only makes a student to learn, he encourages him to follow his dreams, goals, and guides him until he stands his own. The contribution of a teacher can not be disregarded in any way.Today, wherever the world is standing, it is because of the immense efforts of our teachers.On this special day, i just want to thanks my all respectful teachers for being what they are and making me what i am.May you always shine like a star to lighten up our lives forever.

HAPPY TEACHER‘S DAY! BAkHTAWAR RAkHSHANI Hub

Wheat shortage

The Tomahawk gambit Not a mere faux pas, but a calculated attempt to sabotage the state

Candid Corner Raoof hasaN “It is standard practice for corrupt leaders who are seeking a certain political outcome to hype or manipulate a terror threat or a threat of violent domestic subversion. While sometimes the threat is manufactured, frequently the hyped threat is based on a real danger.”

–Naomi Wolf

S

O, convict-absconder nawaz Sharif is back to his favourite pastime: trashing the state now that he finds himself up a blind alley because of a sordid and prolonged history of misdemeanours.

But this latest upsurge of protest comes laden with a heavy dose of venom, castigating the military for interfering in the elections and facilitating the advent in power of Prime Minister Imran khan. It is no less than an attempt of an open and vituperative subversion, targeting every institution which refuses to see things the way he would like them to.

One has seen miniature reflections of this in the past also, but he was always able to sneak his way back through the porous armoury of the state. This time around, frustration has piled up because he does not see any prospect of reprieve, be it from the state institutions, or the establishment (read military). Even if some elements would be inclined to engaging him, it is well-nigh impossible in the presence of a plethora of irrefutable evidence narrating the gory story of his crimes and sickening indulgences in efforts to skin and destabilise the state.

It is this aspect which is critical for him in branding a strategy of vicious confrontation with the national institutions. This thing about reverse-engineering the Tomahawk missile is no mere faux pas. It is part of an orchestrated attempt at sabotaging the state, propelled jointly by his domestic cronies and foreign handlers.

I have learnt on authority that there is no truth in his claim that he masterminded the reverse-engineering of the missile. The incident dates back to 1998. The navy was conducting an exercise when it discovered that the presence of a US fleet was way too close for comfort. The commander of the CEnTCOM naval forces was informed to keep their ships away from the exercise area. In spite of that, the needful was not done. Instead, they requested for pinpointing the exact location of our ships so that appropriate measures could be undertaken to stay away from the specific exercise area.

This was quite contrary to normal practice

and raised a few eyebrows. It became obvious state in their vicious grip.

Dismantling the military is part of an old that the ongoing operation was not a local initiative, but was being controlled from Washington. agenda of the convict-absconder Sharif. In the Upon further evaluation, it was concluded by the aftermath of the takeover by General Musharraf, naval authorities that a sea-borne attack from the I can vividly remember him saying words to the US fleet was likely to take place that would be effect that he would not let it (military) remain aimed at Afghanistan, probably in an attempt to in a position to do this to him again. He said so, or expressed similar sentiments and intentions, eliminate Osama bin Laden.

The matter was duly communicated to the on a number of occasions. He did not just want naval high command. The navy was later in- to do that. He was virtually consumed with this formed that there were some parts of the Toma- desire and would not let an opportunity slip by hawk missile which had fallen in Baluchistan. to belittle the institution and its deeds. DawnThese were collected and handed over to the rel- Leaks was a classic case. There were many who evant institutions. Whatever may or may not would clap his bravado, most of whom are still have happened later had absolutely nothing to part of his kitchen cabinet. But he also had this do with convict-absconder Sharif as, by then, he knack to artfully camouflage his sentiments was out of the country, enjoying the Saudi hos- when he needed to. It is only now that he has come out with blood dripping from his fangs. pitality in Saroor palace.

In order to understand the actual nature and But it is not the stated credit that convict-absconder Sharif was seeking by talking about this extent of the nefarious plan, one must look at the incident in public. Instead, it was a calculated at- changes occurring in the region. The prospect of peace in Afghanistan is tempt to embarrass the becoming a reality, state, more particularly owing much to the key the military, in order to role that Pakistan has augment the pressure on Pakistan’s close collabConvict-absconder Sharif is played. This is not acceptable to certain poworation with China enleading a marauding mafia ers. Consequently, they compassing CPEC and are out to frustrate the other security matters. which is out to weaken efforts. The news of a He has engaged in siminew militia being raised lar activities in the past Pakistan to a position of in Afghanistan, on the whenever he was out of power and favour but, subservience to their ravenous lines of the former northern Alliance, is this time around, the inand rapacious appetite for worrisome as it can potensity and the poison offset the plans contained in his speech corruption and crime. There is tentially for ending the war. make him stand out, reThe emergence of a flecting his loss of hope a method to this vile and new power bloc stretchfor staging another wicked onslaught which has to ing from China to Ruscomeback. encompassing key On the one hand, be blunted. The forces which sia, countries of the region, this raises serious and the role that Pakqueries about the charare orchestrating foreignistan is likely to play in acter and competence of inspired and locally-assisted strengthening this to besuch-like people who come a credible and efsneaked their way into agendas must be confronted fective voice of the the power echelons and, developing world, is on the other hand, it with full might and writ of the also being looked upon gives an insight into the extent of damage that state. They must atone for their with suspicion, even anger. Pakistan should they may have done to myriad ghastly crimes be wary of these presthe interests of the state. sures, but should not The blame for this must allow them to derail its rest on the shoulders of emergence as a voice of the system that makes substance in the region such travesties possible as well as its principal manipulators who facili- and the world. The recent changes in the Middle tate it. The IHC judge was spot-on in observing East are also indicative of the direction things that “the accused knows that he went abroad are likely to take in the foreseeable future.

Convict-absconder Sharif is leading a maafter defeating the system. He must be laughing while sitting abroad. It’s shameful conduct by rauding mafia which is out to weaken Pakistan to a position of subservience to their ravenous the accused”. not only that but he, the others like him and and rapacious appetite for corruption and crime. their cohorts, have kept the system hostage to There is a method to this vile and wicked oncater to their insatiable lust for prolonging their slaught which has to be blunted. The forces stint in power and enjoying all its attenuating which are orchestrating foreign-inspired and lobenefits. This is part of a larger plan to rebrand cally-assisted agendas must be confronted with the system so as to defang it of its effectiveness full might and writ of the state. They must atone and reduce it to a mere instrument to be used by for their myriad ghastly crimes. these mafias to advance their personal interests The writer is a political and security strateby all means foul. The adoption of the 18th Amendment was a major step in that direction gist, and heads the Regional Peace Institute – where the powers of the federation were diluted an Islamabad-based think tank. Email: Twitter: and devolved to these bands of criminals who raoofhasan@hotmail.com. used the same voraciously to strangulate the @RaoofHasan

PAkISTAn could face a massive shortage on wheat by the end of December.

The warning has came from national assembly standing committee on commerce which has said that due to mismanagement of authorities, shortage of wheat is being faced in Pakistan. The price of flour is increasing continuously and now the question raises, how a poor person can survive in such inflation?

Although private sector imported 300,000 tonnes, but TCP is yet to place its first order.It is requested to the government of Pakistan to take serious action on wheat crises so that the prices should be low and poor can afford.

SHAYzANTH JummAH TuRBAT

No justice for the opposition?

IT is very surprising to say the PMLn leader Shehbaz Sharif was arrested due to money laundering case and then he refocused to play in the hands of those who wanted to use his brother ( Former Premier nawaz Sharif ) according to Maryam nawaz . And she added he was arrested in the middle of the conference which she called this accident a very sad day . Beside Shehbaz, we can see complete oposition appealing for his help adding that he didn't do corruption or accountability . Even his son Hamza is in jail and has contact with the virus of corona. The compete nation had been handcuffed but unfortunately nAB keep it's own laws of justice . And nawaz Sharif even said the arrest was unjustifiable and unacceptable. And here the debate of Imran khan . People's Party Chairman Bilawal said Imran khan should stop nAB for political revenge. This is even a political issue I don't keep any idea but it is true people with corruption cases should not be left . Therefore I need to condemned that nAB should flow through the laws of justice for Shehbaz BARkATuLLAH TuRBAT

Honouring a teacher MR. Mehraj khalid is a senior teacher in Bolan Grammar School and Bolan English language center Turbat. He is an ordinary teacher but his work is extraordinary. During his service, he has been always honest to his responsibilities as a teacher. He shows some particular punctuality towards his work. He has an remarkable way of teaching. Furthermore, he is like a father to his students who motivates and guides them. He contains all the qualities that are required in a teacher. As being a teacher he pays much attention to his students. He creates new techniques of teaching so that the students can learn well. Besides, he deals with every student according to their psychology. Motivating the students and making them able for achieving more is his fashion. If every institution contain teachers like Mehraj khalid then no one can stop the students to progress in their lives.

Mr.Mehraj khalid and his work is an inspiration for rest of the teachers.

FARAHNAz FARooq AHmED TuRBAT

PCB broadcasting deal ACCORDInG to Chief Executive of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Wasim khan,the new domestic cricket model and Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) recent deal with PTV of worth 200 million dollars in the upcoming three years of broadcasting would promote a lot of domestic players.Zimbabwe is about to tour Pakistan in September of the ongoing year and some of the top teams like new Zealand and South Africa , including some other are going to be hosted in coming two years.The money would surely be helpful to promote regional players to come up and show their talent to the world.Moreover,the fans would be too excited to watch matches in their home country like they watched PSL.I hope the amount would be spent in right ways to promote the youths in higher level and cricket would be revived in Pakistan alike previously.

HAmmAL NAEEm TuRBAT

Alzheimer’s disease ALZHEIMER’S disease is a serious ‘Brain Disorder’-commonly affects older people at the age of 40 to 50 which prevents the brain from functioning normally and causes loss of memory and loss of ability to speak or deal with the tasks clearly. And Alzheimer’s disease is the most common disease ‘dementia’ which is caused by brain disease or injury.According to the experts, 50 million people in the world have been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and the number is estimated to reach over 150million by 2050. The disease had been found in 1960, and in each passing minute a patient was diagnosed. Shockingly, growing older is the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease, and 4.3 percent of the population of Pakistan is over 60 years. Because of the number of dementia patients in Pakistan either keeps. Recently, researches have emphasized some more symptoms like depression, hypertension, alcohol, and the use of air pollution. Experts on Saturday organized an online meeting session about updating Alzheimer’s disease and its treatment. The neurologists from different countries spoke at the event. Also updated that there is no proper cure for dementia patients but patients’ family members; who should care for the patients by developing social connectivity and preventing them from alcohol use or smoking.

SHADRI A. A TuRBAT

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

Two conspiracies and a cremaTion UTTAR PRADESH CHIEF MINISTER YOGI ADITYANATH IS, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, BEING GROOMED TO REPLACE NARENDRA MODI AS PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEAR FUTURE IT APPEARS THAT NOBODY DEMOLISHED THE BABRI MASJID. AT LEAST NOT LEGALLY. PERHAPS THE MOSQUE DEMOLISHED ITSELF

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ArundhAti roy

s Diwali approaches and Hindus prepare to celebrate the triumphant return of Lord Ram to his Kingdom (and the spanking new temple that is being built for him in Ayodhya), the rest of us must be content to celebrate this season of serial triumphs for Indian Democracy. Between the breaking news of a disturbing cremation, the laying to rest of one great conspiracy and the inauguration of another, how can we not be proud of ourselves, our cultural and civilisational values, both ancient and modern?

In mid-september, reports came in of a 19-year old Dalit girl who was gang-raped, mutilated and left for dead by dominant caste men in her village in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. Her family was one of 15 Dalit families in a village where a majority of the 600 households were Brahmin and Thakur – the same caste as Ajay singh Bisht, the saffron-robed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister who calls himself Yogi Adityanath. (He is, by all accounts, being groomed to replace Narendra Modi as Prime Minister in the near future.)

The girl had been stalked and terrorised by her assailants for a while. she had nobody to turn to for help. Nobody to protect her. so, she stayed at home and rarely went out. she and her family were aware of what was in store for them. But awareness didn’t help. Her mother found her daughter’s bleeding body in the field where she took her cows to graze. Her tongue had been almost severed, her spine broken, leaving her paralysed.

The girl survived for two weeks, first in a hospital in Aligarh and then, as her condition worsened, in a hospital in Delhi. On the night of september 29, she died. The Uttar Pradesh police, best known for pulling off 400 custodial killings last year – almost a fourth of the all-India total of nearly 1,700 – whisked the girl’s body away in the dead of night and drove all the way back to the outskirts of her village.

They locked up the traumatised family, denying the girl’s mother a final farewell, a chance to gaze upon her daughter’s face, and denying the community the dignity of performing the last rites for a beloved who has departed this world. Denying them even the definite knowledge that it was indeed their daughter’s body that was cremated.

The murdered girl’s broken body was laid on a hurriedly put together pyre, and the smoke rose into the night sky from behind a wall of khaki police uniforms. The girl’s family huddled together, clearly terrified by the blaze of media attention. Terrified because they knew very well that when the lights faded, they would be punished for that attention, too.

If they manage to survive, they will go back to the lives they have grown used to – victims of medieval cruelty and indignity meted out to them in their medieval casteridden village where they are considered untouchable and sub-human.

A day after the cremation, confident that the body had been safely dispatched, the police have announced that the girl had not been raped. she had only been murdered. Only. This marks the beginning of the standard operating procedure in which the caste angle is quickly excised from caste atrocities. Courts, hospital records and the mainstream media can all be expected to cooperate in this process of gradually turning a hate-fueled caste atrocity into just another unfortunate but ordinary crime.

In other words, absolving our society, letting our culture and social practices off the hook. We have seen it time and time again, most graphically in the 2006 massacre and brutalisation of surekhaBhotmange and her two children in Khairlanji.

As part of our effort to return our country to her glorious past as the Bharatiya

IT COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER SET OF WHATSAPP CONVERSATIONS BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES KATTAR HINDU EKTA OR HARDLINE HINDU UNITY, IN WHICH THEY ACTUALLY BOAST ABOUT KILLING MUSLIMS AND OPENLY PRAISE BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY LEADERS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAID THAT THE DELHI POLICE ARE GUILTY OF BEATING AND TORTURING PROTESTORS AND ACTING WITH THE MOB. SINCE THEN AMNESTY HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES AND ITS BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN FROZEN Janata Party promises it will do, in the next election, if you can, please don’t forget to vote for Ajay singh Bisht. If not him, then for the nearest Muslim-baiting, Dalit-hating politician, whoever he or she may be. Remember to “like” the next lynching video that’s uploaded, and to keep watching your favourite, venom-spewing TV anchor, because he or she is the Keeper of our collective conscience.

Also, please don’t forget to be grateful that we can still vote, that we live in the world’s largest democracy and that unlike what we like to call the “failed states” in our neighborhood, in India we have neutral courts that administer the Rule of Law. Only a few hours after that shameful, horrifying cremation outside the village in Hathras, on the morning of september 30, a Central Bureau of Investigation special court gave us a robust demonstration of just such neutrality and probity.

After 28 years of careful deliberation it acquitted all the 32 people who had been accused of conspiring to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992, an event that changed the course of the history of Modern India. The acquitted included a former Home Minister, a former Cabinet Minister and a former Chief Minister. In effect, it appears that nobody demolished the Babri Masjid. At least not legally. Perhaps the mosque demolished itself. Perhaps all those years ago, it picked that day, December 6, BabasahebAmbedkar’s death anniversary, to hammer itself into dust, to crumble under the collective willpower of the saffron-scarfed thugs who called themselves devotees that had gathered there that day.

It turns out that the videos and photographs we all saw of the men hammering down the old mosque’s domes, the witness testimonies that we read and heard, the news reports that filled the media in the months that followed were figments of our imagination. LK Advani’sRathYatra, when he travelled the length and breadth of India in an open truck, addressing huge crowds, shutting down city roads, exhorting true Hindus to converge on Ayodhya and participate in building a Ram temple at the exact spot where the mosque stood – all of that never really happened.

Neither did the death and destruction that his Yatra left in its wake. Nobody chanted Ekdhakkaaur do, Babri Masjid tod do. We were experiencing a collective, nation-wide hallucination. What were we all smoking? Why aren’t we being summoned by the Narcotics Control Bureau? Why are only Bollywood folks being summoned?

Are we not all equal in the eyes of the law?

The special Court judge has written a detailed 2,300-page judgement about how there was no plan to destroy the mosque.

That’s a feat, you have to admit – 2,300 pages about the absence of a plan. He describes how there is absolutely no evidence to say that the accused had met “in a room” to plan the demolition. Perhaps that’s because it happened outside a room, on our streets, at public meetings, on our TV screens for all of us to watch and participate in? Or heck – is it just that “maal” again, giving us these ideas?

Anyway, the Babri Masjid conspiracy is out for now. But there’s another one that’s “in” and “trending”. The conspiracy of the 2020 Delhi massacre in which 53 people (40 of them Muslim) were killed

and 581 injured in the working-class neighborhoods of North East Delhi. Mosques, graveyards and madrassas were specifically targeted. Homes, shops and businesses, for the most part Muslim, were firebombed and razed to the ground.

In the case of this conspiracy, the Delhi Police chargesheet which runs into thousands of pages, even has a photograph of a few people sitting around a table – Yes! in a room, a sort of office basement – plotting. You can clearly tell by their expressions that they’re plotting. What’s more, there are accusing arrows pointing at them, identifying them, telling us their names. It’s devastating.

Far more alarming than those men with sledge-hammers on the dome of the Babri Masjid. some of the people sitting around the table are already in jail. The rest probably soon will be. The arrests took just a few months. The acquittals could take years – if the Babri judgement is anything to go by, then maybe 28 years, who knows.

Under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act), with which they have been charged, almost everything is a crime including thinking anti-national thoughts.

The onus is on you to prove your innocence. The more I read about it and the modus operandi the police adopt around it, the more it sounds like asking a sane person to establish her sanity before a committee of lunatics.

The Delhi conspiracy, we are asked to believe, was hatched by Muslim students and activists, Gandhians, “Urban Naxals” and “Leftists” who were all protesting against the implementation of the National Population Register, the National Register of Citizenship and the Citizenship Amendment Act, which they believed combine together to cut the very ground from under the feet of the Muslim community and India’s poor who do not have “legacy papers”. I believe that, too. And I believe that if the government decides to push ahead with that project, the protests will start again. As they should.

According to the police, the idea behind the Delhi conspiracy was to embarrass the Indian government by inciting violence and creating a bloody, communal conflagration during Us President Donald Trump’s state visit to India in February. The non-Muslims who are named in the chargesheet are accused of conspiring to give the protests a “secular color”. The thousands of Muslim women who were leading the sit-ins and protests are accused of being “brought in” to give the protests “gender cover”.

All the flag-waving and public readings of the preamble to the Indian Constitution, and the outpouring of poetry and music and love that marked these protests, are dismissed as some sort of insincere fakery designed to disguise malign intent.

In other words, the core of the protest is jihadi (and male) – the rest is just garnishing and decoration.

The young scholar, Dr Umar Khalid, who I know well, and who has been persecuted, hounded and fake-newsed by the media for years, is, according to the police, one of the chief conspirators. The evidence they have collected against him the police say, runs into more than one million pages.

(This is the same government that declared it had no data on the 10 million workers who had to walk hundreds – and some

thousands – of kilometres home to their villages in March after Modi announced the world’s most cruel Covid-19 lockdown – no idea of how many died, how many starved, how many fell sick.)

Not included in the one million pages of evidence against Umar Khalid is the CCTV footage of the Jafrabad Metro station – the site of his supposedly egregious plotting and provocation – which activists appealed to the Delhi High Court to preserve, as early as on February 25, even as the violence was raging. It has been inexplicably erased.

Umar Khalid is now in jail along with hundreds of other Muslims who have been recently arrested, charged under the UAPA as well as with murder, attempt to murder and rioting. How many lifetimes will it take for courts and lawyers to wade through one million pages of “evidence”? similar to the way in which the Babri Masjid appears to have decided to demolish itself, in the police version of the 2020 Delhi massacre, Muslims conspired to murder themselves, burn their own mosques, destroy their own homes, orphan their own children, all in order to show Donald Trump what a terrible time they’re having in India.

To bolster their case, the police have annexed to their chargesheet, hundreds of pages of WhatsApp conversations between students and activists and activist support groups that are trying to support and coordinate between the scores of sites of protests and peaceful sit-ins that had sprung up in Delhi. It could not be more different from another set of WhatsApp conversations by a group of people who call themselves Kattar Hindu Ekta or Hardline Hindu Unity, in which they actually boast about killing Muslims and openly praise Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. That is part of a separate chargesheet.

The student-activist conversations are, for the most part, full of spirit and purpose as young people, buoyed by a sense of righteous anger, go about their business.

Reading them is energising and returns you to those heady pre-Covid days and the excitement of watching a new generation come into its own. Time and again, more experienced activists intervene to caution them about the need to stay peaceful and calm. They also argue and bicker in petty ways as activists tend to – that’s part of the business of being democratic.

The main bone of contention in the conversations, unsurprisingly, is whether or not to try and replicate the stunning success of the protest by the thousands of women of shaheenBagh who had, for weeks together, braving the bitter winter cold, squatted on a main road, blocking traffic, creating chaos, but drawing a huge amount of attention to themselves and their cause.

BilkisBano, the Dadi (Granny) of shaheenBagh, has made it to Time magazine’s most influential people of 2020. (Don’t confuse her with the other BilkisBano, the 19year-old who survived 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat when Narendra Modi was chief minister of that state. she witnessed the Best Bakery massacre in which 14 members of her family including her three-year-old daughter were killed by a rampaging mob of Hindu vigilantes. she was pregnant and gang-raped. Only.)

The Delhi activists’ WhatsApp chatter

has people divided over whether to go for a “chakka jam” – a road block – in North East Delhi or not. There’s nothing new about planning a chakka jam – farmers have done it time and again. They are doing it right now, in Punjab and Haryana, to protest the recently passed farm bills that corporatise Indian agriculture threaten to deliver small farmers into an existential crisis.

In the case of the Delhi protests, some activists on the chat groups argued that blocking roads would be counterproductive.

Given the climate of open threats by BJP leaders in the area that was fueled by their rage at having been humiliated in the Delhi elections just weeks ago, some local activists feared that blocking roads would incite anger and direct the ensuing violence towards their communities. They knew that farmers or Gujjars or even Dalits doing it is one thing. Muslims doing it is quite another.

That’s the reality in India today.

Others argued that unless roads were blocked and the city was forced to pay attention, the protestors would just be sidelined and ignored. As it turned out, in some protest sites, roads were blocked. As predicted, it gave Hindu vigilante mobs armed with weapons and murderous chants the opportunity they were looking for.

Over the next few days they unleashed a kind of brutality that took our breath away.

Videos showed them being openly backed and supported by the police. Muslims fought back. Lives and property were lost on both sides. But entirely unequally. No equivalence can be made here. The violence was allowed to swell and spread. We watched in disbelief the spectacle of grievously injured young Muslim men lying on a road surrounded by police who forced them to sing the National Anthem. One of them, Faizan, died soon after.

Hundreds of distress calls were ignored by the police. When the arson and slaughter cooled down, and the hundreds of complaints were finally entertained, victims claimed that the police forced them to remove the names and identities of their attackers and the communal slogans raised by the gun- and sword-wielding mobs. specific complaints were turned into generic ones designed to be inconclusive and protect the guilty. (Hate was excised from hate-crimes.)

On one of the WhatsApp chats, one particular Muslim activist who lived in North East Delhi and had repeatedly warned the others about the perils of a chakka jam, exited the group after posting a final bitter, recriminatory message. It is this message the police and the media have seized and built upon to spin their sordid web and tar the whole group –among them India’s most respected activists, teachers and filmmakers – as a set of violent conspirators with murderous intent. Can there be anything more ridiculous?

But it could take years for innocence to be established. Until then they could be in jail, their lives completely ruined while the real murderers and provocateurs roam free and win elections. The process is intended to be the punishment.

Meanwhile several independent media reports, citizens’ fact-finding reports and human rights organisations have held the Delhi police complicit in the violence that took place in North East Delhi. In an August 2020 report, after having had some of the disturbingly violent videos that we all saw, forensically examined, Amnesty International said that the Delhi police are guilty of beating and torturing protestors and acting with the mob. since then Amnesty has been accused of financial irregularities and its bank accounts have been frozen. It has had to close its India offices and let go of all 150 of its staff in India.

When things begin to get dire, the first to leave or be forced to leave, are international observers. In which countries have we seen this pattern before? Think. Or Google.

India wants a permanent place on the United Nations security Council, a say in world affairs. But it also wants to be one of the five countries in the world that will not ratify the international covenant against torture. It wants to be a one-party democracy (an oxymoron) with zero accountability.

The real purpose of the absurd policemanufactured 2020 Delhi conspiracy, and equally absurd 2018 Bhima-Koregaon conspiracy (the absurdity is part of the threat and the humiliation) is to imprison and pin down activists, students, lawyers, writers, poets, professors, trade-unionists and noncompliant NGOs. It has to do not just with erasing the horrors of the past and present, but also with clearing the decks for what is still to come.

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

BUSINESS 09

POlIce exOnerAte PAkIstAnI fIntech ceO GhAzAnfAr khAn Accused Of $1.9m frAud LAHORE

Garment manufacturers demand structural reforms to enhance exports LAHORE INP

The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has stressed the need for amending rules, simplifying tax laws and automating business processes to bring transparency in the system so that the SME sector of the value-added textile industry could be facilitated and exports could be enhanced. Adeeb Iqbal Sheikh, PRGMEA north zone chairman, expressed these views in a meeting with the Input Output Coefficient Organization (IOCO) additional director in Lahore. The meeting was held to evaluate rates of duty drawbacks on exported goods of garment industry. He called for implementing the vision of the PM Imran Khan to simplify the export scheme, providing new incentives for the business community to help export industry keep abreast of latest developments and trends in the technology. PRGMEA industry leader also pointed out the severe cash flow crunch that has squeezed productivity resulting in reduced exports as billions of rupees are blocked and demanded of the government to release all stuck-up claims of exporters immediately. Adeeb Iqbal said that almost half of the exporters find it hard to comply with trade-related regulations or procedures in the country and abroad. He stated that better integration with the global value chain and increased exports are important for Pakistan's economic development through job creation, especially for youth and women. PRGMEA regional chief observed that billions of untapped export potential is at risk, due to market frictions such as lack of transparency and related non-tariff measures, especially for small businesses. He said that trade regulations and processes must be streamlined to facilitate exports. A policy rethink is needed on advance payment restrictions on raw material imports and processes involving the duty drawback scheme. Export inspection processes at the customs also should be improved. Supporting small businesses to achieve export success also requires a clear understanding of the challenges they face. He continued to cite the high costs of doing business, saying that the industry has been competing in the global market without the support or a proper plan while major competitors like India and China had been utilizing all channels and resources. The Additional Director, on this occasion, pointed out that the Federal Board of Revenue had established the Directorate General Input Output Coefficient Organization (IOCO) some two years back with a view to look after evaluation of rates of duty drawbacks on exported goods and rates of input output of goods in liaison with the private sector. The Pakistan Customs has revised upwards rates of Duty Drawback for various sectors. The rates have been revised in accordance with the factual determination by IOCO after revision in valuations of input items under the government vision of "Make in Pakistan" in view of increasing the global competitiveness of our products and contribute towards export-led growth.

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TAIMOOR HASSAN

HE Punjab Police on Friday quashed a First Information Report (FIR) against Zing Digicom CEO, Ghazanfar Ali Khan, who had been accused by his business partner, Aurangzeb Khan, of defrauding him.

Officials at the Central Police Office (CPO) Lahore confirmed to Profit that the said report had been dismissed, with Investigation Incharge Sajjad Rasheed from Liaquatabad Police Station saying that the FIR had been dismissed because the accusing party failed to substantiate allegations against Ghazanfar.

“The FIR was incorrectly registered and had no merits,” Ghazanfar Khan told Profit. “The authorities rightly dismissed this complaint which was based on patent mala fide and ulterior motives when they learned of the actual facts of the case,” Rasheed said speaking to Profit.

In the FIR filed on August 27, Aurangzeb Khan had claimed that in mid-2017 Ghazanfar secured an Rs50 million investment from China and an additional Rs150 million investment – worth a total of $1.9 million at the time – to create a branchless banking service. With a banking and telecommunications

background across, Ghazanfar Ali Khan was granted sweat equity to handle the top-line growth.

Aurangzeb went on to allege that to date he has not seen a profit despite the business seemingly winning large contracts. According to the FIR filed by Aurangzeb Khan, Ghazanfar Ali Khan created his own similarly named businesses and routed closed deals to his own entity, duping customers and defrauding not only the principal partner but also investors.

Now, with the FIR quashed, Aurangzeb Khan, has said that he will challenge the dismissal of the report in a competent court of law. Zing Digicom is headquartered at the prestigious Arfa Karim Tower in Lahore and provides Fintech solutions to the banking industry, developed in collaboration with its Chinese technology partner (Shanghai F-Road).

The FIR, citing the SECP database, read that Zing Digicom was founded by Ghazanfar Ali Khan and Aurangzeb Khan, with an equity split of 34% and 66% respectively.

Zing Technologies, originally incorporated under a different name in 2016 that was changed to Zing Technologies in January 2019, was founded by Ghazanfar Ali Khan. Besides Zing Digicom and Zing Technologies, Ghazanfar also owns Zing Solutions and Zing Logistics, all carrying the same prefix.

Cement despatches surge to record 5.21m tonnes in Sept LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The cement sector has achieved the highest ever despatches in September 2020, as the total despatches during the month were recorded at 5.213 million tones, as against the despatches of 4.273 million tonnes in September 2019.

The local uptake of cement in September 2020 increased by 17.65pc to 4.089 million tonnes from 3.475 million tonnes in September 2019, while exports registered an increase of 40.95pc, increasing to 1.124 million tonnes from 0.797 million tonnes in the same month last year.

In the north region, domestic cement despatches increased by 16.30pc to 3.523 million tonnes in September 2020, from 3.029 million tonnes in September 2019.

Exports from the north increased by 9.27pc to 0.287 million tonnes in September 2020, from 0.263 million tonnes in September 2019. There was a positive growth in the southern region as well where the domestic cement despatches increased by 26.84pc to 565,236 tonnes from 445,629 tonnes in September 2019. Exports from the south continued to grow, increasing by 56.53pc to 837,033 tonnes in September this year from 534,751 tonnes last year.

Total cement despatches during the

July-Sept quarter increased by 21.88pc to 13.573 million tonnes from 11.136 million tonnes in July-Sep 2019. Domestic despatches registered a healthy increase of 18.84pc, increasing from 9.120 million tonnes to 10.837 million tonnes. Exports also showed encouraging growth, increasing by 35.67pc, from 2.016 million tonnes to 2.735 million tonnes.

According to APCMA, the cement industry in Pakistan has made huge investments in new plants and machinery during the last few years, which has helped the consumer the availability of cement at very competitive rates compared to other countries in the region. Cement, which is a basic commodity required to play an important role in the development of the country, is subject to very high taxes including Federal Excise Duty of Rs1,500 per tonne equivalent to Rs75 per bag.

The recent construction package announced by the Prime Minister Imran Khan has helped the industry in terms of growth and is fully aligned to support the government in its efforts to restart the development and reindustrialization.

“Although the cement industry faced huge losses during the financial year 20192020, the recent raid by Competition Commission of Pakistan was a demoralizing action against industry,” it added.

Both parties had earlier approached Model Town Police for the same case, which was, allegedly, dismissed by the Model Town Police for not having merit. The police, according to Ghazanfar, said that the case fell under the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) instead of the police. However, the FIR, after some time, was registered at Liaquatabad Police Station.

Furthermore, Aurangzeb Khan had claimed that the deception has impacted his reputation in China and his subsequent credibility in bringing CPEC related projects to Pakistan. On the contrary, Ghazanfar had claimed that Aurangzeb was misrepresenting the public and the police by calling himself an investor in CPEC, and the verification in this regard was provided by the Government of Pakistan.

“Our Board of Directors is taking appropriate actions to ensure that this devious effort to defame our name is not unattended and fully answered with defamation lawsuit proceedings,” Ghazanfar said, urging the relevant quarters of the Government of Pakistan to take legal action against people like Aurangzeb Khan on the fraudulent misrepresentations, which are not only bringing bad name to the CPEC project but were also a threat to the brotherly relations of Pakistan and China.

Airbnb aims to raise roughly $3bn in IPO Home rental company Airbnb Inc is aiming to raise around $3 billion in its upcoming initial public offering (IPO), people familiar with the matter said on Friday, taking advantage of the unexpectedly sharp recovery in its business after the Covid-19 pandemic roiled the travel industry. Airbnb will be one of the largest and most anticipated U.S. stock market listings of 2020 which has already been a blockbuster year for IPOs, featuring the likes of record label Warner Music Group WMG.O, data analytics firm Palantir Technologies PLTR.N and data warehouse company Snowflake Inc SNOW.N. Airbnb said in August it had filed confidentially for an IPO with US regulators. The company’s current plan is to make its filing publicly available in November after the US presidential election and is targeting an IPO sometime in December, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the plans are private. The sources cautioned that the timing is subject to change and market conditions, in particular volatility that could come from the election. A spokesman for Airbnb declined to comment. The company could achieve a valuation of more than $30 billion in the IPO, the sources added, again cautioning this was subject to market conditions. This would be substantially higher than the $18 billion Airbnb was valued at in April when it raised $2 billion in debt from investors. Airbnb’s most recent independent appraisal of the fair market value of its stock pegged its worth at around $21 billion. The push to go public and the growth in its potential valuation underscores Airbnb’s dramatic recovery from earlier this year when it secured emergency funding from investors and the outlook for the travel industry was uncertain. Since then, San Francisco-based Airbnb has benefited as travelers shy away from larger hotels and instead prefer to drive to local vacation rentals. The company said in July that customers had booked more than 1 million nights in a single day for the first time since March 3. Shares of US online travel agency Booking Holdings Inc, which some Airbnb investors use as a conservative public market proxy for its own stock, have rebounded more than 35pc in the past six months. Reuters reported last month that billionaire investor William Ackman had approached Airbnb about going public through a reverse merger with his blank-check company but that Airbnb was prioritizing going public through a traditional IPO. AGENCIES

Business community seeks long-term strategy to cope with debt servicing challenge KARACHI STAFF REPORT

As the country's debt repayment capacity has been waning due to sole dependence on foreign loans, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has sought a long-term strategy to cope with the challenge of debt servicing amidst huge domestic and foreign loans, which have increased to Rs36.3 trillion or 87pc the GDP. In a statement issued on Saturday, FPCCI President Mian Anjum Nisar opposed the excessive borrowing policy of previous governments, as the present government has also added an additional Rs11.35 trillion in the total public debt during the first two years in power, which is more than the total debt the previous government has taken in its five-year term.

Quoting the figures, he observed that over 40 percent of the additional debt in the past two years is only because of debt servicing expenditures whileabout 30 percent due to rupee devaluation, which was depreciated almost 47percent during this period.

He flayed the economic managers for keeping theinterest rate artificially high at 13.25 percent during this period, besides devaluing the rupee more than the requirements, contributing most to lift the public debt.

Amidst consistently rising markup rate,

Pakistan's total debt and liabilities skyrocketed to around Rs36.3 trillion, which were rising at a high speed in the wake of a soaring budget deficit, he added.

There was no rationalization for making changes in the policy rate because it would further increase the debt servicing cost, as the policy rate had gone up by 600 basis points during this period.

Mian Anjum Nisar stated further that

Pakistan's fiscal policy continued to focus primarily on macroeconomic stabilization, in response to the financial crisis, instead of putting more emphasis on reforms to foster longterm growth through industrialization by adopting advanced technology. He sought growth-friendly policies, upgraded tax and social spending, and active industrial strategies in close consultation with real stakeholders to achieve sustainable development goals.

CMYK

The FPCCI President lamented that if nation today decides to retire all its public debt, it would have to give up almost 87 percent of its gross domestic product, which is presently standing at Rs41.7 trillion, also indicating that government has violated the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act, which calls for limiting the debt to below 60 percent of the GDP. The external debt has increased by 54 percent to Rs13 trillion in the last two fiscal years, which were about Rs8.5 trillion at the end of the previous govt tenure, witnessing a net increase of Rs4.6 trillion in the external debt, mainly owing to currency depreciation and current account deficit financing. This external debt doesn't include loans of $5 billion obtained from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in this period, as these loans are the responsibility of the central bank.

The government total domestic debt increased to over Rs23 trillion, up by 41.4pc or Rs6.8 trillion in the last two fiscal years from domestic debt of Rs16.4 trillion reported in 2018.

The accumulation of debt is a direct result of the gap between expenditures and revenues, which is widening due to the inelasticity of debt servicing and the FBR failure to enhance revenue collection. Steep currency depreciation also contributed to the central government's debt. The FBRsuffered

a record shortfall of around Rs1.55 trillion in tax revenues in the last fiscal year but the government did not hold anybody accountable. In just two years, the total public debt surged to 87 percent of the GDP from almost 72 percent of the GDP, which is very shaky, carrying huge risks for the economy and the country's foreign policy.

The FPCCI President called on the authorities to strengthen fiscaldiscipline through additional revenue measures especially of exports, besides efforts to contain current expenditure while protecting propoor spending.

He said that exports of goods and services are an injection into the circular flow of income leading to a rise in aggregate demand and an expansion of output, helping raise per capita incomes and reduce extreme poverty especially in developing economies like Pakistan.

Mian Anjum Nisar said that consistent borrowing by developing economies to shore up its reserves in desperate times, has been leading towards a debt trap. He said that borrowing from friendly countries should only be seen as a short-term solution to prevent reserves depletion and consequent further depreciation of the currency.

He reiterated its demand of focusing on exports promotions, besides making domestic industry more competitive for real economic growth.

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

IndIa's CoronavIrus death toll passes 100,000 wIth no sIgn oF an end NEW DELHI

Macron outlines plan to ‘fight Islamist separatism’ in France PARIS AGENCIES

Far-right French President Emmanuel Macron Friday said his government will unveil a proposed law to “fight Islamist separatism” later this year, a particularly sensitive issue in a country strongly attached to secularism. In a keenly-awaited speech in the Paris region, the French president detailed plans for a law to fight what he identifies as the favouring of religious laws over France’s republican, secular values – a stance he calls “separatism”. Macron described Islam as “a religion that is in crisis all over the world today” as he focused his keynote address on the battle against religious extremism in France. The French president claimed Islam was in crisis due to “an extreme hardening” of positions. He announced the government would present a draft law in December aimed at strengthening secularism in France, against what he described as “Islamist separatism” in the country. “Islam in France must be freed from foreign influence,” he said, promising improved oversight of the financing of mosques.

Macron’s speech in Les Mureaux, northwest of Paris, comes seven months after he announced that his government would seek to combat “foreign interference” in the practice of Islam by ending a programme that allowed countries to send imams and teachers to France. “A problem arises when, in the name of religion, some want to separate themselves from the Republic and therefore not respect its laws,” Macron said in a Feb 18 speech in the eastern French city of Mulhouse. France has in recent years been forced to take a hard look at its core republican values, perceived by many to be threatened by Islam in the wake of a string of terror attacks targeting secular liberties such as freedom of expression. Friday’s speech comes while a trial is underway in Paris over the deadly January 2015 attacks on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly best known for vulgar irreverence, and a kosher supermarket by French-born extremists. Last week, a Pakistan-origin man stabbed two people near Charlie Hebdo’s former offices in anger over its republication of blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In January, a renewed debate about freedom of expression erupted when a teenager received death threats for attacking Islam in an expletiveladen Instagram rant. And earlier this month, divisions were highlighted when MPs walked out when a university student entered parliament wearing a headscarf.

sudan govt, rebel groups sign landmark peace deal JUBA AGENCIES

Sudan's government and rebel groups on Saturday inked a landmark peace deal aimed at ending decades of war in which hundreds of thousands died. Representatives from transition government and rebel groups, as well as guarantors of the deal from Chad, Qatar, Egypt, the African Union and United Nations, all signed the deal at a ceremony in the South Sudanese capital Juba, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.

AGENCIES

I

NDIA’s death toll from the novel coronavirus rose past 100,000 on Saturday, only the third country in the world to reach that bleak milestone, after the United States and Brazil, and its epidemic shows no sign of abating.

Total deaths rose to 100,842, the health ministry said, while the tally of infections climbed to 6.47 million after a daily increase in cases of 79,476. India now has the highest rate of daily increase in infections in the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, faced with a collapsing economy after imposing a tough lockdown to try to stem the spread of the virus in late March, is pushing ahead with a full opening of the country.

Cinemas were allowed to re-open at half capacity this week and authorities can decide to re-open schools from the middle of this month.

Heading into winter and the holiday season, including the Hindu festival of Diwali next month, the world’s second most populous country could see a jump in cases, health experts said.

“We have seen some recent slowdown of the virus curve but this may be a local peak, there may

be another coming,” said Bhramar Mukherjee, a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Michigan. She said data showed a little over 7pc of the population of 1.3 billion had been exposed to the virus, meaning India was still far from any sort of herd immunity.

The number of cases could rise to 12.2 million by the end of the year but the rate of spread would depend on how effective measures such as social distancing were, she said.

“So it will continue like a slow burning coil, that is my hope, and we have to play the long game to stop it from being a wildfire.”

DATA QUESTIONED: The United States, Brazil and India together account for nearly 45pc of all Covid-19 deaths globally.

Death rates in India, however, have been significantly lower than in those other two countries, raising questions about the accuracy of its data.

India has, on average, less than one death from the disease for every 10,000 people while the United States and Brazil have seen six deaths per 10,000.

US President Donald Trump, defending his administration’s handling of the pandemic in this week’s presidential debate, said countries such as India were under-reporting deaths.

Germany urges EU to impose sanctions against Russia over Navalny case

BERLIN AGENCIES

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has called for new European Union sanctions against Russia over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with an internationally banned nerve agent.

Navalny emerged in recent weeks from a coma after suddenly falling ill during a flight in Siberia and being air-lifted to Berlin for treatment. German doctors say he was poisoned with Novichok, a Russian nerve agent.

Germany, France and other Western countries have demanded an explanation from the Kremlin for Navalny’s illness. Russia says it has seen no firm evidence he was poisoned and denies involve-

ment in any attack on him.

“I am convinced that there will be no longer any way around sanctions,” Maas told news portal t-online in an interview on Saturday.

“Sanctions must always be targeted and proportionate. But such a grave violation of the International Chemical Weapons Convention cannot be left unanswered. On this, we’re united in Europe,” Maas added.

Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27member bloc. EU leaders will discuss their reaction and possible sanctions against Russia at their next summit on Oct. 15-16.

“If the result of the German, Swedish and French laboratories is confirmed, there will be a clear response from the EU. I’m sure about that,” Maas said.

The Navalny case has worsened relations between Moscow and a number of Western countries. Germany has faced calls to halt the nearly-completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is meant to bring more Russian gas directly to Germany.

Asked if European sanctions against Russia should include Nord Stream 2, Maas said there were more than 100 European companies involved in the project, half of them in Germany.

“So many European workers would suffer from a construction freeze,” Maas said. Nord Stream 2 is led by Russia’s state gas giant Gazprom, with half of the funding provided by Germany’s Uniper and BASF’s Wintershall unit, Anglo-Dutch company Shell, Austria’s OMV and France’s Engie.

Shashank Tripathi, of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, acknowledged there could be problems with the data though India’s young population might help explain the lower death rate.

“In India, even without a pandemic, all deaths are not properly registered,” Tripathi said.

“I’m not very confident that the mortality rates reflect the right numbers, though the younger demographic has given us some advantage.”

Representatives of the health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research did not immediately respond to calls or emails for comment.

Health experts said there could be greater immunity in India because of the high incidence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. Nearly 1,200 people in India die of TB every day, roughly the same as deaths from Covid-19.

Kamakshi Bhate, professor emeritus of community medicine at the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, said she didn’t expect India’s death toll to surge dramatically even as the virus spreads into dense population clusters and across the countryside.

“People were expecting that entire slums would get wiped out but it didn’t happen that way. We have our own resistance,” she said.

Fines and business closures among new Iran Covid-19 restrictions Concealing one’s Covid-19 infection should carry the severest penalty, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday in announcing new measures to stem a rapid rise in cases. “Anyone who feels ill and it’s clear to them that they are ill, must not hide their illness,” Rouhani said in televised remarks. Otherwise, he added, they will be committing “the highest offense” that will demand “the highest punishment”. Those who do not wear masks in public will be fined, said Rouhani, adding the amount of fines and other penalties will be determined at the next meeting of the government-run Coronavirus Taskforce.

Government employees who fail to observe regulations face measures ranging from warnings to their one-year suspension from their posts. And government offices where people go for services cannot serve people who do not observe health protocols, such as wearing masks. Businesses that flout regulations can face closure. Rouhani said penalties would be most severe in the capital Tehran, where in recent weeks the daily death toll from the coronavirus has been more than 100 compared with less than 10 at the end of the first wave of the virus earlier this year, according to Alireza Zali, head of the Tehran Coronavirus Taskforce. Zali warned in an interview on state television that if the spread of the epidemic continues at the current rate in Tehran, there would be a three- to five-fold increase in cases and a rise in the fatality rate to between 1.5pc and 3pc. He recommended a one-week closure of institutions including schools and universities, seminaries, libraries, mosques, museums, theaters and hair salons. Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 179 on Saturday to 26,746, and identified cases by 3,523 to 468,119, health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV. AGENCIES

East Asia allies likely to bide time as US election looms over Pompeo trip WASHINGTON AGENCIES

A warm welcome and expressions of solidarity against China likely await US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo next week when he visits East Asia for the first time in over a year, but the looming US election means Asian allies will think twice before making concrete promises to Washington.

Pompeo heads for Japan, Mongolia and South Korea on Sunday at a time when US ties with Beijing are at their worst in decades in the face of the coronavirus, which originated in China and has now infected President Donald Trump, his wife Melania and millions of other Americans.

An Oct 6 gathering of Pompeo and his counterparts from Australia, Japan and India, dubbed the “Quad,” will likely be the highlight of the trip, even though the top US diplomat for East Asia, David Stilwell, conceded on Friday that the meeting would probably not produce a joint statement of intent, despite shared worries about China.

Trump, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday night, has blamed China for unleashing the virus that has killed more than a million people around the world, and has made a hard line against Beijing a central part of his Nov. 3 re-election bid.

Most Asian allies have been pleased with Washington’s toughness toward their regional rival, but have not so eagerly welcomed Trump and Pompeo’s highly charged recent rhetoric and remain wary of going too far in openly antagonizing China.

“Everyone knows that the US is the number-one security partner, but China is their number-one trading partner,” said Miyeon Oh, an Asia security specialist at the Atlantic Council. “The US government is telling Asian countries, ‘We are not asking you to make a choice,’ but in the end, they are asking them to make a choice.”

The US election is another factor. Trump could lose to Democrat Joe Biden, or win reelection and potentially harden his stance on China. Until the results are in, Asian leaders are unlikely to make any significant moves.

Both Japan and South Korea will attempt a balancing act during Pompeo’s trip, Oh said, careful not to stick their necks out too far to upset China, while also expressing support for the United States, in case Trump wins.

Pompeo may, however, be asked in private to dial down the tone.

“There are very, very powerful political leaders, business leaders who do not trust China, who want the US to work with Japan and India and Australia to counter China, but they want to keep making money off China and they don’t want such a confrontational approach,” said Mike Green, an Asia expert at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“I think with Pompeo behind the scenes they’re going to say, basically ‘Speak softly; carry a big stick, but speak softly.’”

BALANCING ACT: Pompeo has led the rhetorical assault on China, accusing Beijing of covering up the Covid-19 outbreak and of using nefarious means to attempt to displace the United States as the world’s leading power, while brutally oppressing religious

minorities and political opponents.

He has also infuriated Beijing, which has been an important player in US-led attempts to persuade North Korea to denuclearize, by increasing US engagement with Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province that it has vowed to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary. Rising tensions over Taiwan have led some analysts to speculate China might be tempted to take advantage of a contested US election to realize this goal and have also generated suggestions that Pompeo should consider an unannounced stop in Taipei to underline US support.

If he did, he would be the most senior US official to visit the island since Washington switched recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979. China would see such a move as an enormous provocation.

Asked about such rumors on Friday, Stilwell did not specifically dismiss them, but said US policy toward Taiwan had not changed and he had no additional travel to announce.

Randall Schriver, until last year the top Pentagon official dealing with East Asia,

said the fact there was bipartisan support in Washington for a tougher line on Beijing that would also prevail in the case of a Biden administration meant Pompeo could have more robust conversations.

The United States has accelerated efforts to cut back reliance on China for medical and security-related supply chains and lobbied hard to get allies to cut cooperation with telecoms giant Huawei and other Chinese technology firms. While the Quad meeting may not yield a specific action plan, the very fact of its meeting would serve as a warning to China and play to its fears that it might one day grow into a formalized grouping as NATO had to contain the Soviet Union, Green at CSIS said.

Japan, which is embroiled in a dispute with China over ownership of islands in the East China Sea, has a new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, who took office this month and has little diplomatic experience.

He has to contend with maintaining working ties with Japan’s bigger neighbor and US demands for a tougher stance.

Sunday, 4 October, 2020

NATioNAl T20 CuP: SkiPPer ShAdAB ShiNeS AgAiN AS NorTherN BeAT CeNTrAl PuNjAB

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NEWS DESK ORTHERN registered a 35-run victory over Central Punjab in their National T20 Cup fixture in Multan.

Central Punjab, chasing a 156-run target, were dismissed for 120 in 18.1 overs.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Abid Ali was the top scorer for the Saad Nasim’s team.

He made 36 from 33 balls with the help of five boundaries.

The pace duo of Haris Rauf and Muhammad Musa bagged three wickets

each while skipper Shahdab managed to take two wickets.

Northern, after being asked to bat first, scored 155-8 with captain Shadab Khan top-scoring with 30 off 17 balls.

In the previous meeting between the two sides, Saad Nasim’s side had registered a four-wicket win over Shadab Khan’s team.

Northern headed into the match on the back of the 27-run win over Southern Punjab. Central Punjab lost their previous match of the tournament to Sindh by seven wickets.

For his all-round performance,

Messi has given maximum since ending transfer saga, says Barca coach BARCELONA AGENCIES

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman says Lionel Messi has been the ideal captain and an example to the rest of the team for the way he has applied himself since deciding to stay at the club this season. Messi gave an outstanding performance in Barca’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Thursday after playing the whole second half with 10 men, crushing any fears that the Argentine might lack commitment after the club refused to let him leave.

“From day one Leo has trained and played well and has given the maximum for the club, for his team and for his team mates and I have had no complaints about him on any day,” Koeman said ahead of Barca’s La Liga game at home to Sevilla on Sunday. “He proved himself once again the other day against Celta, he pulled his weight as a captain, he helped the team play the ball out from the back because it’s so important to keep the ball when you have one less player. “There’s no debate, for me he has always been the best player in the world, I thought that before from the outside and I think it even more now I’m working with him. He’s fully committed, he’s an example to everyone as a captain should be.”

Koeman also praised the form of Philippe Coutinho, who has thrived since returning from a loan spell at Bayern Munich, having flopped in his first two seasons with the Catalans after a club record move from Liverpool in 2018.

“Coutinho is a very good player, he has learned a lot in England and with Bayern and my job as a coach is to get the best out of each player and find their best role,” he said.

Shahdab Khan was named man of the match.

“Won Man-of-the-match award today but it was a proper team effort. I am really happy with how we are performing.

Youngsters stepping up with seniors guiding. Really enjoying the team environment,” the Northern captain said in a tweet.

ON his team’s performance, he said, “Another victory for Northern, another team effort. Really happy with the way we bowled. Hats off to all our bowlers: Sohail bhai, Musa, Haris, Nawaz. Batsmen put up a good total on a tricky pitch.”

Shadab’s match-winning performance helped the side in keeping their unbeaten streak intact.

Earlier, in the fourth game of the National T20 Cup, Shadab Khan had led from the front with an all-round performance against Southern Punjab.

The 20-year-old, who is leading the side in absence of regular captain Imad Wasim, scored 28 off 14 balls with the help of three sixes.

The leg-spinner then took three wickets as Southern Punjab, chasing 204-run target, were restricted to 176-9 in their 20 overs.

PCB gives one-month contracts to senior players NEWS DESK The Pakistan Cricket Board has given one-month contracts to senior national team players Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Aamir, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal after they refused to sign the annual full season domestic contract.

The one-month contracts have been handed out just before the start of the National T20 Championship so that the senior players could participate in the tournament being held in Multan and Rawalpindi.

According to a source close to the players, the senior pros were not happy with some of the clauses in the full domestic contract.

“The clauses restrict the right of the players to make independent decisions for the betterment of their career and their earning options,” the source said. But the PCB later offered these players onemonth contracts only for the National T20 Championship which they signed.

According to the one-month contract, these cricketers will only participate in the ongoing National T20 Cup, and will receive match fee and daily allowance

during the tournament. They will also be required to follow the board’s media, anti-doping and anti-corruption policy during this phase. After October 20, they will be allowed to decide their next course of action.

Meanwhile, the PCB has issued strict media guidelines for all its contracted players and even domestic players will need the board’s permission before any interaction on conventional or social media.

“The new media guidelines state clearly that players can only interact with any media or social forum after obtaining the prior permission of the PCB’s Director of High Performance Centre, team manager or media manager,” the source said.

He said the guidelines also strictly prohibit the players from criticising ICC/PCB’s policies, its officials and sponsors, retired international cricketers and previous board management or run their own private Youtube channels.

They will also need PCB’s permission before appearing as a guest or expert on private television channels. A total of 192 players have been given domestic cricket contracts for the season in different categories.

Dhoni now most capped Indian Premier League player DUBAI AGENCIES

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the most-capped Indian Premier League player even as his Chennai Super Kings team – currently bottom of the table – faltered in yet another run chase.

The 39-year-old has now played 194 IPL matches, and overtook on Friday his former India and CSK teammate Suresh Raina, who has 193 games.

The former India skipper Dhoni and Raina both announced their retirement from international cricket last month.

But unlike Dhoni, Raina at the last minute pulled out of this IPL edition which because of the coronavirus pandemic is being held in the United Arab Emirates. Dhoni has now played 164 of his 194

games for the CSK franchise. The others he played for Rising Pune Supergiant.

The explosive wicketkeeper-batsman, famed for his finishing skills during the peak of his international career, has lately faced criticism for batting slowly.

Even Dhoni’s leadership has come under criticism this year, with his otherwise successful franchise uncharacteristically only winning once in the first four games.

The CSK, with Dhoni batting in the middle, lost a run chase to David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven runs in Dubai on Friday.

“We have to get a lot of things right,” Dhoni said about his team after the match.

“It’s the professionalism – dropping catches, bowling no-balls. We’re making the same mistakes again,” he added.

SPORTS 11 Pak vs Zim: African delegation to assess arrangements before team visit NEWS DESK A five-member delegation of Zimbabwe Cricket will visit Pakistan from October 10 to 15 to review the arrangements made by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the twin limited-overs series which will begin on October 30. The delegation is expected to first visit Rawalpindi, where the three T20Is are to take place,before traveling to Multan, which will host the three-match ODI series. A majority of the members of the delegation will be medical experts, who are to assess the bio-secure arrangements made at the hotels and grounds of both venues. During their visit, Pakistan's reciprocal tour of Zimbabwe, planned for April, will also be discussed. It is pertinent to mention that the delegation's expenses during their visit will be borne by the Zimbabwe Board. The Africans are expected to land in Pakistan on October 20 and, following the mandatory quarantine, will play a threematch ODI series in Multan and as many T20Is in Rawalpindi. The 50-over matches will take place on October 30, November 1 and 3 while the T20Is will take place on November 7, 8 and 10.

Warne suggests three major changes in T20 cricket SHARJAH AGENCIES

Former Australia leg-spinner mentor Shane Warne suggested three major changes to make T20 cricket better and more competitive contest between bat and ball.

Warne suggested to increase the boundary size and if not keep grass on the outfield. Taking to Twitter the Warne wrote, “I would improve T/20 cricket by 1 boundaries as big as poss at each venue & on small grounds keep grass on the outfield long,” wrote Warne.

In his second suggestion, Warne said two bowlers should be allowed to bowl five overs instead of four in T20s. And finally, he wanted the pitches to be similar like a fourth day Test match track. “2 Bowlers a max of 5 overs not four3 Pitch must = day 4 test match pitch & not be a flat rd As we all want a contest between bat & ball not just 6’s,” Warne wrote. Warne also tagged many former cricketers including Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Stephen Fleming, Mark Waugh, Mel Jones, and Isa Guha. “Like it Warnster the only thing you forgot which I’ve been saying for a while is get rid of leg byes. It’s should be a dead ball instead.

Don’t reward the batting team for missing the ball.?” was Mark Waugh’s reply. Warne’s remarks came at a crucial time as the shortest format of the cricket is becoming more of a batsmen game. In the 13 matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) so far, the pitches have favoured batsmen more than bowlers. Bowlers have found it difficult to take wickets as they were smashed all around the park due to the smaller grounds in the UAE, especially in Sharjah. The teams have comfortably chased the 200-run total on two occasions thanks to the smaller boundaries and field restrictions in the first six overs. The dew added the extra pressure for spinners to grip the ball in the second innings of the ongoing tournament. As a result, most of the teams have so far opted to field first in the competition.

Djokovic takes trip into Roland Garros unknown against Rafael Nadal fan PARIS AGENCIES

Novak Djokovic admits he knows absolutely nothing about Daniel Galan, the world number 153 from Colombia who stands in his way of a place in the last 16 at Roland Garros on Saturday.

That may be just as well as Galan, a 24year-old lucky loser from qualifying, says he's not a "diehard follower" of the world number one. "I don't know much about him, to be honest," said Djokovic, the 2016 French Open champion who is chasing an 18th Grand Slam title. "I have never seen him play, so I'll have to obviously look at his matches, the videos, and try to prepare myself with my team.

"I know he played qualifications here, so he's got quite a lot of matches already in these conditions, which definitely helps."

Djokovic, whose 2020 record now stands at 33 wins against just one loss, is bidding to become the first man in half a century to win all four Slams twice.

His second round win over Ricardas Berankis was his 70th at the tournament. The 33-year-old has now won at least 70 matches at all the majors.

By contrast, Galan's only two wins at the Slams have come in Paris this week.

"As a child I grew up with the rivalry between (Roger) Federer and (Marat) Safin," said Galan. "When I was older I admired (Rafael) Nadal for what he has achieved."

Galan was one of nine players outside the top 100 to have reached the third round, the most in Paris since 1985.

"Djokovic has no weaknesses, although I am not saying that he is invincible, otherwise he would never have lost a match," added Galan, the first Colombian to reach the third round of a major since Santiago Giraldo in Paris in 2012.

Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas bids to make the fourth round for a second successive year. He faces Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene, the world number 56.

Tsitsipas had to come back from two sets down to defeat Jaume Munar in the first round but then swept past Uruguayan clay court specialist Pablo Cuevas for the loss of just seven games.

Russian 13th seed Andrey Rublev, the champion on clay in Hamburg on the eve of Roland Garros, faces veteran South African Kevin Anderson who has been in the fourth round on four occasions.

'LOSS REALLY HURT': In the women's draw, 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko, who knocked out second seed Karolina Pliskova on Thursday, takes on Spain's Paula Badosa.

The New York-born Badosa, ranked 87, is making her Roland Garros debut and marked the occasion by stunning former US Open champion and 2018 Roland Garros finalist Sloane Stephens in the second round.

Australian Open champion and fourth seed Sofia Kenin is up against Romanian qualifier Irina Bara, ranked at 142. Kenin stunned Serena Williams at the same stage of last year's tournament.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 champion in Paris and seeded 11 this year, plays Danielle Collins of the United States who is enjoying her best run at the tournament. French wildcard Clara Burel, just 19 and ranked a lowly 357, faces experienced Chinese player Zhang Shuai who is chasing a last-16 spot in Paris for the first time.

Burel is Zhang's second successive French opponent this week having defeated Alize Cornet in the second round.

"Since the start of the week, it's been a bit crazy," admitted Burel who made the third round by beating fellow teenager Kaja

CMYK

Juvan.

Juvan had defeated her at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

"That loss had really hurt a lot."

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, seeded seven, meets Leylah Fernandez

for a last-16 spot.

The 100th-ranked Fernandez, just 18, won the girls' title in Paris last year and is now making waves on her main draw debut after taking down 31st seed Magda Linette and 47th-ranked Polona Hercog.

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GHULAM ABBAS

eMBeRS of the caretaker Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet stood shoulder to shoulder with common residents on Saturday when they staged a protest in front of the Islamabad National Press Club and demanded that the region be given interim constitutional status.

A large number of people and civil society representatives from Gilgit-Baltistan took part in the demonstration. The protesters chanted slogans in support of the government’s decision to make Gilgit-Baltistan a constitutional province. On the occasion, the protesters said that the constitutional province is the right of the people of GilgitBaltistan and vowed not to tolerate any obstacle in this process.

The protestors said that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan were grateful to the federal government and the Pakistan Army, and hoped that their voices would be heard now that they came all the way to Islamabad to protest. Addressing the protestors, Abdul Jahan, Caretaker education Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, said that provincial status was the right of people of GB, who are deprived of their due rights for over 70 years.

The Legislative Assembly of GB had passed three unanimous resolutions demanding the constitutional provincial status to the region.

The protestors also responded to allegations that have claimed the move to try and grant provincial status to GB would result in the weakening of the Kashmir cause. They said that this is baseless propaganda that makes no sense at all, and that granting provisional provincial status to GB would never affect the overall Kashmir cause, or cause it

any detriment. He said the people of the region have given undue sacrifices to the cause of Kashmir despite the fact that they had annexed GB to Pakistan after getting freedom from Dogra Raj without any condition. He said the grant of constitutional rights was demanded of every resident of GB. Ali Muhammad Jan, another caretaker minister of Gilgit Baltistan, said that the proposed provisional provincial set up would not only address the constitutional demands of GB but it would also protect their rights to take part in plebiscite regarding Kashmir state whenever it takes place.

He said the agents of Indian Spy agency (RAW) were forcing the anti-Pakistan elements to propagate against the rights to GB. GB is not only part of Pakistan but it has a strategically very important position for the country. The protest gathering was also addressed by representatives of students’ or-

ganizations, journalist community and civil society from GB and other parts of the country. They appreciated the announcement made by the government regarding amendments in the constitution for granting due rights to the people of GB. earlier Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is going to give provisional provincial status to GB as per demand of the people.

According to him provincial status has been the longstanding demand of the people of GB. He said his government has consulted the Azad Kashmir Government, Hurriyat leadership, international experts, and all other stakeholders whether or not giving provisional provincial status to GB will adversely affect Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir.

He said it has been a unanimous view that giving provisional provincial status to GB

Fresh Armenia-Azerbaijan fighting dashes ceasefire efforts BAKU TLTP

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces remained engaged in intense fighting over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region on Saturday, scuttling diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire to end the latest conflict that has killed hundreds.

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said its troops had destroyed a large amount of military equipment belonging to the Armenian military.

“During the present day, the troops of the Azerbaijani army, successfully advancing in the intended directions, took possession of new strongholds and carried out a cleanup of the territory from the enemy,” the ministry said on early Saturday.

Meanwhile, according to Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale new offensive, which Armenia-backed forces had repelled and launched a counter-offensive. “Heavy fighting is ongoing on other flanks,” she wrote on Facebook. Nagorno-Karabakh is controlled by ethnic Armenians backed by Armenia and has been the subject of several United Nations resolutions calling for an end to the occupation of Azeri lands. The leader of the breakaway province said he was heading to the front and that the “final battle” for the region had begun, seven days after new fighting erupted in the decades-old dispute.

World powers have been calling for a ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia since Sunday, when fighting over the region, which is officially part of Azerbaijan, first re-erupted. On Friday, Armenia’s foreign ministry said it was prepared to work with international mediators France, Russia and the United States to reach a ceasefire with Azerbaijan. However, Turkey’s foreign minister said that for Azerbaijan to agree to a ceasefire, Armenia must withdraw its forces. Armenian sources have put the death toll from fighting in the region, where about 145,000 people live, at more than 200, while Azerbaijan most recently

US WARNS TURKEY AGAINST INVOLVEMENT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH WASHINGTON TLTP The United States has warned Turkey not to get involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict after reports Ankara is sending Syrian and Libyan fighters to back Azerbaijan. Syrian fighters have said that Turkey is sending rebels to fight for Azerbaijan as it battles Armenia over the breakaway province of Nagorno-Karabakh. Fighting erupted last Sunday, killing as many as 200 and threatening a wider conflict. "We [already] saw Syrian fighters taken from the battlefields in Syria to Libya" and that it "created more instability, more turbulence, more conflict, more fighting, less peace", US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said as he returned from

said that 19 civilians had been killed and 60 injured. Armenia said Azerbaijan brought more troops into the conflict area, which the government in Baku has not confirmed.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the media that his country is the guarantor of security in Nagorno-Karabakh. “Azerbaijan launched a direct attack on Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia has certain obligations to provide the security for the region,” he said.

“The September 27 Azerbaijan offensive began with shelling of civilian settlements and this is a fact we need to acknowledge. When there is an attack, the very first task is to protect from that aggression after which only it is possible to talk about negotiations.” For his part, President of Azer-

Croatia. "I think it would do the same thing in the conflict in an around Nagorno-Karabakh as well. So, I hope that reporting proves inaccurate. "This is a long-standing conflict in this border space, when those tensions rise, internationalising this, third parties bringing ammunitions, weapon systems. you increase the complexity, you increase the risk of loss of lives, you decrease the capacity for peace."

As in Libya, he said, "we've urged everyone to just stay out of this other than to urge that there be a ceasefire and that dialogue be the methodology by which order is restored, peace is restored. At least we hope that's the case. "We've certainly communicated that to both the Azerbaijanis and Armenian leaders, and to the Turks as well," he added.

baijan Ilham Aliyev said Armenia has not been interested in peace for the past three decades, after ethnic tensions increased following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“They want to occupy our lands forever,” he said. “If Armenia demonstrated goodwill and acted in compliance with many international resolutions, the conflict would have been resolved long ago.”

Azerbaijan and Armenia previously fought a war over Nagorno-Karabakh in the late 1980s and early 1990s as they transitioned into independent countries amid the collapse of the Soviet Union. The war, which ended with a fragile peace treaty in 1994, is estimated to have killed tens of thousands of people, including more than a thousand civilians.

will not affect Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir.

He, however, said that opposition is doing dirty politics over this matter as it will require a constitutional amendment, which needs two-third support of the parliament and it is not possible without the cooperation of the opposition. He said the people of Pakistan and GB are watching all this.

Meanwhile Mishal Hussain Malik, wife of Hurriyat leader Yaseen Malik, while leading a protest rally near the National Press Club in Islamabad on Saturday also demanded the early release of her husband by the Indian government. She said, the Indian occupied forces are even not allowing provision of medical facilities to COVID-19 patents in Kashmir.

The participants of the rally, which included students, traders, lawyers and members of civil society, also chanted slogans against Modi and India.

At least 15 killed in east Afghanistan car bomb attack AGENCIES At least 15 people were killed and more than 30 others wounded in a car bomb attack that targeted a government building in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said. The explosion occurred at an administrative building th t also housed some military facilities in the Ghani Khel district of Nangarhar province, the governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP. “The car bomb detonated at the entrance of the district headquarters building. Several armed attackers tried to enter the building after the attack but were killed by security forces,” he said. Provincial police spokesman Farid Khan confirmed the details. He said most of the victims were Afghan security force members but several civilians were also among the dead. No one had so far claimed responsibility for the attack but Khan blamed the Taliban. Both the Taliban and the militant Islamic State group are active in the region. The Taliban have stepped up attacks across the country even as the group is meeting for peace talks with Afghan government negotiators in Doha. A roadside blast in central Afghanistan on Tuesday killed at least 14 civilians, mostly women and children, the interior ministry said.

White House says Trump doing 'well' but source says next 48 hours 'critical' WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Donald Trump is doing “very well” in his hospital treatment for Covid-19, his medics said on Saturday, but a source with knowledge of the US president's condition said his vital signs had been worrying, with the next 48 hours critical.

Trump is up and walking, has been fever-free for 24 hours and his cough, nasal congestion and fatigue are improving, physician Sean Conley said during the first medical update on his status since the president was admitted to Walter Reed military medical centre on Friday.

Trump is not receiving extra oxygen, he added, and is “doing very well”.

“We have monitored his cardiac function, his kidney function, liver function. All of those are normal,” another member of the medical team, Sean Dooley, said.

But a source familiar with the president's health gave a much more worrying assessment.

“The president's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care,”

the source said. “We're still not on a clear path to a full recovery.”

The White House has not commented on the assessment.

Conley was evasive when asked whether Trump had received supplementary oxygen at any point since falling ill, only confirming that he hadn't received any at the hospital or on Thursday — the day he had his test.

This leaves the possibility that he was on oxygen at the White House on Friday before being admitted to Walter Reed, and there were reports in US media, unconfirmed by AFP, that this was the case.

Soon after Trump arrived at hospital, Conley said in a memo that the president was starting a course of therapeutic drug remdesivir and had received an eight-gram dose of an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail.

Conley would not put a “hard date” on Trump's discharge from hospital or disclose the president's temperature.

Amid the rosy assessment from the White House, more people close to the president disclosed they have tested positive for the coronavirus.

TRUMP TRAILING: The latest is campaign advisor Chris Christie, who was

among several aides that helped Trump prepare for the first presidential debate that have since announced positive tests.

Three senators as well as Trump's campaign manager and other senior aides are among a growing list from the president's orbit to have contracted the virus, with at least seven confirmed cases tied to an event in the White House Rose Garden last weekend. With Trump, who is trailing in the polls, knocked off the campaign trail for treatment at Walter Reed army medical centre outside Washington — and possibly for many days after — his campaign plans were in disarray ahead of a potentially messy election on November 3.

Among the unknowns were the prospects for two remaining presidential debates and whether the president will have to yield power temporarily to Vice President Mike Pence if his condition worsens.

“Going well, I think! Thank you to all.

Love!!!” Trump said in his first tweet from the hospital late on Friday.

He had walked out of the White House under his own steam — and wearing a mask, which is rare for the world's most prominent pandemic skeptic — to be taken to the hos-

pital. The president — a prolific tweeter — stayed off social media almost all day on Friday. Heightening the sense of crisis at the heart of power in America, a third Republican senator, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, announced on Saturday that he had tested positive.

UNCHARTED WATERS: Former White House top aide Kellyanne Conway and Trump's campaign manager, 42-year-old Bill Stepien, have contracted Covid-19. So have two other Republican senators — Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Mike Lee of Utah. The latter two sit on the chamber's Judiciary Committee, which is slated to hold hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's conservative nominee to fill a vacant seat on the Supreme Court.

Public health experts have expressed alarm at the number of cases that appear linked to a celebration of Barrett's nomination at the Rose Garden on September 26.

At least seven people who attended have now tested positive, including Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Conway, Tillis, Lee and University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins.

These are uncharted waters for the US

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

election with Trump — who is well behind his Democratic opponent Joe Biden in the polls — having to freeze much of his campaign. Biden now finds himself alone on the campaign trail — and able to argue that his more cautious approach to Covid-19 has been vindicated.

Biden has made Trump's frequent downplaying of the pandemic and mixed messaging on mask-wearing a central campaign theme, while Trump has tried to shift the narrative to areas where he feels stronger, like the economy.

The former vice president, who stood on a stage with Trump for 90 minutes during their ill-tempered first debate on Tuesday, announced that he and his wife Jill tested negative on Friday.

Underlining his sudden advantage in the bitter race, Biden, 77, travelled to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday, going ahead with a previously scheduled campaign stop.

However, Biden also reminded voters that he has pushed consistently for a serious approach to the coronavirus, which has killed more than 208,000 Americans, unlike his opponent who has mocked the Democrat for his rigorous use of masks.