Issuu

Friday, 11 September, 2020 I 22 Muharram, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 72 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

polIce Arrest 12 suspects In lAhore MotorwAy gAng-rApe cAse STAFF RePORT

Al-Azizia case: Ihc wonders if it can take up a proclaimed offender’s petition

LAHORE CCPO vICTIM-BLAMES FEMALE TRAvELLER FOR MOTORWAy RAPE

HILE the Punjab government arrested 12 men suspected of in- jarpura police registered a case, while mo- while speaking to Pakistan Today, explained volvement in gang-rape of a torway police spokesman said that they had that his statement was being mistaken. “I did woman on the Lahore-Sialkot not been able to take action as the incident not mean to imply that the woman was motorway a day earlier, Lahore did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police. wrong or that I did not blame her for the inciCapital City Police Officer (CCPO) umar On Thursday, the CCPO, who was speak- dent, but rather she should check all the Sheikh questioned the choices of the victim, ing to a private television channel, said that necessary things before going on a trip. The saying the woman should have taken a less he was surprised the woman, a mother of Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be upon deserted route and checked Him) is also that when you go her petrol level before embarkout for a journey, everything ing on the journey. should be checked. This conOn Tuesday night, two robversation of mine is being disbers had gang-raped a mother torted. If the woman was of two on the motorway within travelling, she should have Gujjarpura police’s checked the fuel,” he said. jurisdiction.The woman’s car Later in the day, Federal had stopped after running out Minister for Planning, Developof fuel, and the motorway ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday took strict notice ment, Reforms, and Special helpline was not responding. In of the Lahore motorway gang rape, and the rape and murder of a Initiatives Asad umar said that this time, two men broke her 5-year-old girl in Karachi, and directed the authorities to take action providing safety to the masses car window, pulled the woman quickly. According to a tweet from the PM Office, the premier has was the state’s responsibility. out, raped her, and stole her asked for reports of both incidents from the relevant inspector genTalking about the CCPO’s purse, which contained erals (IGs) and calls for the government to makes laws more effecstatement, he said that he did Rs100,000 in cash, a bracelet, tive for the protection of women and children. The premier called not agree with the statement the car registration papers, and the protection of women and children the government’s top priority. the police officer made, howthree ATM cards. In this time, 5-year-old Marwah, , had gone from her house to a nearby shop ever, he had “not said anytwo men broke her car window, when she was kidnapped on Friday morning. Her body was found in thing illegal”. pulled the woman out, raped a bag in a dumpster on Sunday by residents of the Essa Nagri area. “What action should we her, and stole her purse, which A protest was launched by the family shortly after the body was take against the CCPO? That contained Rs100,000 in cash, a found. Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon met with Marhe did not make a good bracelet, the car registration wah’s family on Tuesday assured them that the culprits soon would statement?” he asked, over papers, and three ATM cards. be arrested. Separately on Tuesday night, two robbers had gangcalls for the CCPO’s removal. According to a police offiraped a mother of two on the motorway within Gujjarpura police’s Meanwhile, Minister of cial, the woman’s vehicle after jurisdiction. The woman’s car had stopped after running out of fuel, State for Parliamentary Affairs crossing the toll plaza on the and the motorway helpline was not responding. In this time, two Ali Muhammad Khan said Lahore-Sialkot motorway had men broke her car window, pulled the woman out, raped her, and that the CCPO should be stalled either due to a shortage stole her purse, which contained Rs100,000 in cash, a bracelet, the ashamed, and if is unable to of petrol or some fault. Meancar registration papers, and three ATM cards. Speaking on the inciperform his duties then he while, she sent her location to a dent, the newly appointed Punjab IGP Inam Ghani said new evishould leave his post. “Norelative in Gujranwala, who dence has been found which would help track down the culprits. body has given him the right asked her to call the motorway The IGP added that 20 police teams have been assigned to the to make such comments […] police helpline, while he also case and so far, 12 suspects have been arrested. STAFF REPORT She must have left for some left from home towards her lourgent work,” he said, adding cation. When he reached the that providing safety to the peolocation, he found the woman three travelling alone at night, chose to travel ple was the state’s responsibility. Khan, advising terrified with her clothes stained with blood, through Ring Road instead of taking the GT the police officer to not be a “moral brigade”, the official added. Road that was relatively “safer”. said that each and every citizen of Pakistan is The police official said that two armed “If she had decided to travel via motor- free to walk on the streets of the country any men found the woman alone, took her and way, she should have checked her fuel tank time they want. “Who are you to comment on her children to a nearby field at gunpoint because there were no petrol pumps on that it?” he asked the CCPO Lahore. and gang-raped her, adding that police had route,” he said. formed teams to trace the culprits. The GujHowever, CCPO Lahore Omar Sheikh, CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

After MArwAh And MotorwAy rApe cAses, pM IMrAn cAlls for strIct ActIon

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A day after an accountability court in Islamabad declared former prime minister Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender for his prolonged absence in the Toshakhana reference, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday wondered if his petition in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference can be heard. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, raised the question during the proceedings of a fresh application filed by Nawaz’s counsel on Wednesday, urging the court to “forgo” the requirement of his surrender in the case. Nawaz, who was handed a sevenyear term in the reference in December 2018, left for London in November last year on the pretext of medical treatment and has been staying there ever since. The IHC on Tuesday ordered him to surrender and appear before the court on the next hearing on September 10. The PML-N supreme leader, however, submitted a petition, stating he was “suffering from multiple comorbidities,” and asked the court to “forgo” the requirement for his surrender. Attached to the petition, filed by his counsel Khawaja Haris, were the former premier’s latest medical reports signed by Dr David Lawrence, a London-based consultant cardiothoracic surgeon. During the proceedings, a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that Nawaz has been declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana case. He said that any decision by the court in the present appeal would impact other cases in which Nawaz is nominated and that are being heard by accountability courts. He further said that there are prior court judgements which say that appeals by a proclaimed offender cannot be heard. The bench asked Haris if Nawaz was currently in a hospital, to which the lawyer replied in the negative. Justice Kiyani noted that the former premier had not been admitted to any hospital in the past seven months.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

coronAvIrus In

LAHORE

pAkIstAn

PM Imran launches Roshan Digital Account to facilitate overseas Pakistanis

CONFIRMED CASES:

299,855

LAST UPDATED AT 8:03 AM ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

441

DEATHS:

287,950 6,365 SINDH:

131,115

PUNJAB:

97,461

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

36,755

13,227

2,356/3,137 15,804

THE INITIATIvE ALLOWS NON-RESIDENT PAKISTANIS TO REMOTELy OPEN ACCOuNTS THROuGH AN ENTIRELy DIGITAL PROCESS WITHOuT ANy NEED TO vISIT A BANK BRANCH, EMBASSy, OR CONSuLATE NewS DeSk

Roshan Digital Account (RDA) is a big step for Pakistani expatriates to participate in nationbuilding, said Prime Minister Imran Khan during the launching ceremony of RDA in Islamabad on Thursday. “Our biggest asset is the overseas Pakistanis and we were unable to tap their potential previously,” said the premier. “Owing to the flawed policies of the past, we couldn’t make overseas Pakistanis part of nation-building process. Hence, the opening of this Roshan Digital Account is a big step for Pakistan.” Listing the new projects announced by the government, such as the Ravi City waterfront project and the ML-1 railway project, the PM said contributions from overseas Pakistanis are required for successful execution of all projects.

more inside

2 die as four-storey building collapses in Karachi STORY ON PAGE 03

FM calls for SCO efforts against fascist ideologies STORY ON BACK PAGE

Pakistan condemns Indian CDS’ provocative statement He noted that nearly half of the government’s revenue is spent on payment of loans and that there is a need for the country to move towards wealth creation. “We need to increase our economic activity to an extent where we are able to comfortably pay off these loans, and keeping this in mind, the government offer an incentive package to the construction

sector, which supports 30 other sectors.” He recalled that when the government came into power, there was a $40 billion trade deficit. “Our exports stood at $20bn, whereas our imports were roughly at around $60bn. And of course, we also inhereted a record-high current account deficit of $20bn — fter deducting remittances.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

STORY ON PAGE 02

Pakistan, uzbekistan sign pact to enhance trade, improve connectivity STORY ON PAGE 03

Friday, 11 september, 2020

news

PAkisTAn condemns indiAn cds’ PRovocATive sTATemenT ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

SLAMABAD has strongly condemned Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat’s provocative statement against Pakistan. Addressing the weekly news briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that such belligerent statements from senior military leadership of India provide insight into how the BJP-RSS mindset - a dangerous mix of extremist ideology, hegemonic ambitions and obsession with Pakistan - has permeated Indian state institutions. The spokesperson said that unfortunately, the Indian government, in response to any geopolitical, economic or military setback, instead of learning from its mistakes and instituting course correction, simply doubles down on its miscalculation and bellicose rhetoric. He said that India’s defence capabilities have been embarrassingly exposed to the world not far ago. He also said that General Rawat would be better served to

SAYS INDIA’S DEFENCE CAPABILITIES EMBARRASSINGLY EXPOSED NOT FAR AGO focus on his job rather than making pointless accusations against peaceful neighbours. Such belligerent rhetoric has accomplished nothing for India other than conflict and humiliation, he added. Chaudhri said that rather than whipping up anti-Pakistan sentiments, the Indian leadership should focus on peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per international law and the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. He said that India must accept the fact that the "India-Pakistan Question" will remain on the agenda of the UNSC till the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per the relevant UNSC resolutions. He also said that the only way India can get the Jammu and Kashmir dispute off the UNSC agenda is by letting the Kashmiris exercise their inalienable right to

suspect in rape, murder of five-year-old remanded in police custody KARACHI STAFF REPORT

A district and sessions court in Karachi on Thursday remanded for five days in police custody the prime suspect in the rape and murder case of a minor girl. The torched body of five-year-old Marwah was recovered from metropolis’ Essa Nagri neighbourhood on Sept 6, two days after she was reported to have gone missing. According to Station House Officer (SHO) Shakir Husain, the victim had been kidnapped and raped before being murdered and burned. The incident has sparked outrage online, as netizens advocated for the protection of minors in the country and demanded justice. The accused, later identified as Nawaz, was arrested a day earlier after evidence collected by the police matched with his belongings. “A piece of cloth from the accused’s home was found from the garbage heap where Marwa was found dead last week,” police had said. The police produced the suspect in the court, requesting it to grant his physical remand for further investigation. Reports suggest the police were mulling to include terrorism clauses in the case. According to a police version, the suspect lived near to the Marwa’s house and, during a raid at his home, the police found his home washed properly, raising concerns amongst the investigating team. He was shifted to an undisclosed location after investigators announced to lead the probe on the basis of forensic evidence.

sheikh Rasheed claims there are factions within PmL-n ISLAMABAD INP

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid on Thursday predicted that Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) will be split up before December 30. While talking to the media, the minister said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is not willing to return Pakistan as he is enjoying in London. PML-N leaders are hiding facts over the health of the ex-premier, he claimed. Rasheed said that country's two main parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and PML-N, will be facing political crisis due to the corruption of their senior leaders. Nothing will happen in opposition's All Parties Conference (APC), he asserted. Responding to a question related to Karachi, the minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan announced relief package for rain-hit areas as per requirement and Pakistan Army played an important role in bringing together central and provincial governments on one platform. Rasheed further pledged to serve the nation under the supervision of PM Imran and also announced to work hard for the development of the country. He added that the tender of the ML-1 project envisaging up-gradation of the railway infrastructure will be opened by the 20th of this month. The minister said this project will provide 150,000 job opportunities. He said that the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) government will complete its mandated tenure and serve the masses.

self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN auspices. He further said that the international community must play its role in making India comply with its obligations under international law, UN Charter and the relevant UNSC resolutions. Regarding the latest incidents at the China-India border, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan has been repeatedly emphasising that India's expansionist, and unilateral actions, particularly since 5 August last year, have been disrupting regional peace and security. He said that the latest situation at the ChinaIndia border areas validates Pakistan's concerns and demonstrates that India's belligerence remains a major impediment in resolving the issues at its borders. “We believe that it is imperative that China-India border issues are resolved in line with agreed understandings and bilat-

eral agreements through established mechanisms and peace and tranquility is maintained in the region,” he added. Regarding Pakistan and China cooperation, he said, “We are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and remain committed to promoting peace, stability and development in the region.” NO AMENDMENTS IN LOCAL LAWS: The FO spokesperson categorically dismissed any option to amend local laws on India's demand to allow its lawyers to fight the case of convicted spy Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistani courts. "Pakistan will never accept any unreasonable demand by India on Jadhav's case," he said when asked if Pakistan was considering any relaxation in laws to accommodate the Indian demands. The spokesperson said that there was no other option for India but to "cooperate with Pakistani courts", which only permitted the appearance of locally registered lawyers before the bench. The case of an Indian serving navy commander is under trial at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in its verdict asked Pakistan for a "review and reconsideration" of the death sentence announced by the military court. "Pakistan remains committed to the implementation of IHC judgment," the spokesperson said. He confirmed that Pakistan had received a reply from India in response to the third offer for consular access on the recommendation of the IHC early this month.

PM sincerely wants to fix Karachi’s civic problems: Faraz ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Shibli Faraz has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is sincere to resolve long-standing civic problems being faced by people of Sindh, particularly in Karachi. Talking to a private channel, Faraz said that issues of Sindh and its metropolitan city of Karachi were for the first time seriously addressed by the federal government irrespective of the fact that a rival party was in power in the province. The minister said that failure in implementation of Karachi Transfor-

mation Plan would harm the provincial government of Pakistan People’s Party more than any other stakeholder. He termed it unfortunate to make the Karachi package controversial. He urged the need for all political stakeholders to put their heads together and jointly work for the wellbeing of people of Karachi. About the change of Punjab inspector general of police (IGP), Faraz said that government was facing hurdles in introducing police reforms due to collusion between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership and corrupt police officials developed over last 35 years.

Separately, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said that all stakeholders are committed to work jointly for speedy development and betterment of Karachi despite political differences. Talking to a private news channel, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a hefty historic financial package of Rs1,100 billion with consensus of all stakeholders for the metropolitan city. The minister said that the present government is fully focusing on the country’s biggest financial hub to provide relief to the rain-stricken residents of Sindh metropolis.

72nd death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam to be observed today ISLAMABAD APP

The 72nd death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah will be observed today with due respect across the country. Born on December 25, 1876, Jinnah served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan's creation on August 14, 1947. He then served as Pakistan's first governor-general until his death. To mark the day, various programmes have also been planned by educational institutions and political, social and cultural organizations to shed light on the personality and leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Quran Khawani and Fateha would be held at Quaid's

Mausoleum in Karachi. Government representatives from different walks of life would visit the mausoleum in Karachi to lay floral wreaths and to offer Fateha. Television and radio channels would also broadcast special programs and newspapers would take out special editions to highlight different aspects of the life of Quaide-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and focus on his extra-ordinary political struggle. Khateebs of all mosques will hold special dua after Jummah sermons for the great leader. Quran Khawani and a special sitting will be held at Nazaria-e-Pakistan Foundation Lahore, in which, political and religious figures will pay homage to the father of the nation, who died on September 11, 1948 shortly after achieving a separate homeland.

‘Two Pakistan theory’ negates Quaid-e-Azam's ideology: Bilawal ISLAMABAD INP

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has cautioned against deviation from the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, adding that those dragging his Pakistan towards a “Two-Pakistan's theory” were committing a big injustice. Paying tribute to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah on his death anniversary, the PPP Chairman said that ideology of Pakistan was the key foundation of the country and the entire nation should ensure that no one is allowed to drift from this ideology. Bilawal said that Quaid-e-Azam created a country through a political and democratic struggle for majority Muslims where all would be equal before the law, unlike the pre-partition imperial regimes where one nation – many laws were practiced. "One Country - Two Laws" is a dangerous trend, which is once again being promoted for individual and political vested interests, he added. PPP chief pointed out that former prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto fought for the ideology of Pakistan and its strengthening through giving its first-ever unanimous Constitution, strong foundations for defence, macro-economic basic structure, social sector reforms and empowerment of the people. Bilawal pledged that his party would continue to be the torch-bearer of the vision and ideology of the founder of the nation, adding that PPP shall remain in the forefront of resistance whenever attempts are made to trample upon it.

Pakistan to take part in joint military drills in Russia ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Chinese and Russian forces will take part in joint military exercises in southern Russia later this month along with troops from Pakistan and other countries, China’s defense ministry announced this on Thursday. The “Caucus 2020” drills will deploy wheeled vehicles and light weaponry to be flown to the drill location by China’s latest version transport aircraft, the ministry said in a news release. The exercises running September 21-26 will focus on defensive tactics, encirclement and battlefield control and command, the ministry said. The exercises have special meaning for China-Russia ties “at this important moment when the whole world is fighting the pandemic,” the ministry said. China has seen no new domestic coronavirus cases in weeks, while Russia is continuing to see new cases and has reported more than 1 million people infected.

FBR directs oﬃcials to give top priority to money laundering cases ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Federal Board of Revenue on Thursday directed its field officials to give top priority to money laundering cases in line with the government’s “Follow the Money” policy. According to information, the All Pakistan Directors Conference (Intelligence & Investigation-IR) was held in Islamabad to discuss the performance and future work plan of regional Directorates of I&I-IR. While presiding over the meeting, IR Director General Dr Bashirullah Khan

Marwat emphasized the two pronged role of Intelligence & Investigation-IR as a spy arm of Federal Board of Revenue in detection of systemic tax evasions and as a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) in pursuing cases of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 (AMLA). He stated that due to Covid-19, there was prolonged lockdown and slackness in the business but things have come to normalcy which now requires increased vigilance. The I&I-IR director general issued directions to keep strict vigilance on the sectors seemingly involved in high

level of tax evasion with special focus on initiating cases of high net worth individuals. The chair praised the performance of the directorate regarding filing of ML cases worth billions in the competent courts of jurisdiction which has shown a phenomenal increase in the past few months. However, it was also instructed to initiate new investigations under AMLA 2010 against the persons openly flouting the laws of the land and take existing pending investigations in ML to their logical conclusion so as to achieve the desired targets and to meet the required compliance level of Financial Ac-

tion Task Force (FATF) compliance. With regards to sales tax matter, it was decided in the meeting that the directorates will conduct different sectoral studies/analysis and the Directorate General will particularly focus on prosecution of the gangs/rackets involved in fake and flying invoices which is one of the cause of revenue leakage in the sales tax regime. Recently, the Directorates General had busted gangs operating in Faisalabad, Lahore & Karachi and arrested a number of persons. The suspects involved in these scams are being traced to retrieve the loss of revenue.

Friday, 11 september, 2020

news

Pm imRAn LAuncHes RosHAn diGiTAL AccounT To fAciLiTATe oveRseAs PAkisTAnis NEWS DESK

OSHAN Digital Account (RDA) is a big step for Pakistani expatriates to participate in nation-building, said Prime Minister Imran Khan during the launching ceremony of RDA in Islamabad on Thursday. "Our biggest asset is the overseas Pakistanis and we were unable to tap their potential previously," said the premier. "Owing to the flawed policies of the past, we couldn't make overseas Pakistanis part of nation-building process. Hence, the opening of this Roshan Digital Account is a big step for Pakistan." Listing the new projects announced by the government, such as the Ravi City waterfront project and the ML-1 railway project, the PM said contributions from overseas Pakistanis are required for successful execution of all projects. He noted that nearly half of the government's revenue is spent on payment of loans and that there is a need for the country to move towards wealth creation. "We need to increase our economic activity to an extent where we are able to comfortably pay off these loans, and keeping this in mind, the government offer an incentive package to the construction sector, which supports 30

THE INITIATIVE ALLOWS NON-RETURNING PAKISTANIS TO REMOTELY OPEN ACCOUNTS THROUGH AN ENTIRELY DIGITAL PROCESS WITHOUT ANY NEED TO VISIT A BANK BRANCH, EMBASSY, OR CONSULATE other sectors." He recalled that when the government came into power, there was a $40 billion trade deficit. "Our exports stood at $20bn, whereas our imports were roughly at around $60bn. And of course, we also inhereted a record-high current account deficit of $20bn — after deducting remittances." He said with a reduction in dollars, the rupee falls, which leads to inflation and people stop investing. "This results in a decline in wealth and investment [...] this is why we need dollar investments from overseas Pakistanis. We have seen an increase in remittances but now wish for there to be greater investment in the country." He said the governments in the past had been unable to present any "viable" options to overseas Pakistanis, but the two aforementioned mega projects are an excellent opportunity for them to invest. Speaking of the perception surrounding dual nationals in Pakistan, he questioned why they are considered

LHc directs federal, Punjab govts to submit reply in iGP appointment case by sep 14 LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday directed the federal and the Punjab governments to submit reply by September 14 in a case pertaining to the appointments of new Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani and Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Shaikh. LHC Chief Justice Qasim Khan presided over the proceedings and asked Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Malik Ahmad Khan - who had moved the court - that was he a lawyer, to which the PML-N leader replied in affirmative. Justice Qasim Khan - while addressing the complainant - said, "Former Punjab IG Shoaib Dastgir said in court that it was not possible to implement every law, and you came to the LHC to save such an officer." The counsel replied that he had not lodged the petition to save Shoaib Dastgir, but to ensure enforcement of the law. The Punjab government's lawyer raised objection against the application and argued that the plaintiff was not an affected party. The court, in its remarks, asked how the applicant was not an affected party, adding that the Punjab advocate general should have conducted a meeting himself over the matter. It is worth mentioning here that on Wednesday, PML-N leader Malik Ahmad Khan had moved the LHC and maintained in his petition that the government had changed the Punjab IGP for political purposes. The step was also against the Police Ordinance, 2002, which determined the tenure of the Punjab IGP for three years, the application said. It had been mentioned in the petition that the government changed five IGPs in Punjab in just two years. INP

covid-19 recovery rate surpasses 96pc ISLAMABAD: The number of people recovering from the coronavirus disease has jumped to 287,950, pushing the country’s Covid-19 active cases down to 5,540 and increasing the recovery rate to over 96 per cent. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), coronavirus claimed six more lives across the country during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll from the deadly disease to 6,365. A total of 441 more people tested positive for the highly contagious disease, lifting the number of people affected by it to 299,855. The number of people recovering from the coronavirus has jumped to 287,950 as more people recuperated during the past 24 hours. A total of 25,081 samples were tested, out of which 441 turned out to be positive. Meanwhile, the global death toll from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has hit the 900,000 mark since the respiratory disease first appeared in China's Wuhan last year. TLTP

"traitors". The PM said that those who look at overseas Pakistanis with "suspicion" should know that they are, perhaps, more patriotic than the people who are living in Pakistan. "We must understand why these nine million people left in the first place. We were unable to provide them jobs. And a lot of them acquired qualifications from abroad. They are so qualified that we do not have suitable jobs for them here. And for the jobs that we do have here, we cannot afford to pay the remuneration they deserve." The prime minister said that until the export levels can be raised in the post-coronavirus economic environment, it is the expatriates who have to be encouraged to invest. The PM congratulated State Bank Governor Reza Baqir and finance adviser Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and their economic think tanks for the "first big step" in taking the country to great heights. Predicting a "construction boom" in the country due to the government's policies, the premier urged overseas Pakista-

nis to make use of this initiative and invest wholeheartedly in the country. Meanwhile, in a press release issued earlier today, Prime Minister's Office said that the initiative by the central bank will work with commercial banks operating in Pakistan. "For the first time in the country’s history, Non-Returning Pakistanis (NRP) will be able to remotely open an account through an entirely digital and online process without any need to visit a bank branch, embassy, or consulate," it said. "The customer can choose either foreign currency or rupee dominated account, or both. Funds in these accounts will be fully repatriable, without the need for any regulatory approval," the statement read. Speaking to Bloomberg last month, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir had said the new facility will be available to the nine million non-resident Pakistanis, allowing them to invest money in local stock markets, buy government bonds and securities, and avail basic banking services.

Three civilians injured in Indian firing along LoC RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

Indian Army troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Bedori sector of Kashmir along the restive Line of Control (LoC) early Thursday morning, targeting the civilian population. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that three people got injured as a result of Indian firing. “Pakistan Army troops responded effectively to Indian firing,” the ISPR said. The latest ceasefire breach followed on the heels of another such incident on Sept 9 when Indian forces opened fire in the Bedori sector from across the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in the martyrdom of a Pakistan Army soldier. “Indian Army troops initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation (CFV) in Bedori Sector along LOC, targeting Pakistan Army posts and civil population. Pakistan Army responded effectively,” the ISPR had said in a statement. “Reports of heavy losses on the enemy in terms of men and material. During exchange of intense fire, Havaldar Liaqat, age 39 years, resident of District Chakwal, embraced shahadat.” Later, a senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday to register Pakistan’s strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the LoC. Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Bedori Sector of the LoC, 57-year old Muhammad Altaf son of Muhammad Din, 27-year old Muhammad Aftab son of Muhammad Altaf and 40-year old Tahir Iqbal son of Muhammad Azam, residents of Banjori village, sustained serious

FO SUMMONS INDIAN ENVOY TO PROTEST CEASEFIRE VIOLATION injuries, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement. This year, India has committed 2,199 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in the martyrdom of 17 and serious injuries to 171 innocent civilians, he added. Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts were in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and was also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. “These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security,” the FO statement said. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB), India could not divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). According to the spokesperson, the Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate the current and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations, and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

2 die as four-storey building collapses in karachi KARACHI: A four-storey residential building collapsed in Karachi on Thursday, leaving at least two people dead and eight others injured. Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital Dr Seemi Jamali said that one body as well as five injured were brought to the hospital. She added that the injured were out of danger. A spokesperson for the Indus Hospital said that one of the injured was brought to the facility and his condition is stable. Personnel from the Army's Engineering Corps arrived at the location and cordoned off the area. A large crane was also brought to the site to remove the rubble. According to the district administration, the multi-storey building had started sinking into the ground and had been "emptied" on the orders of the deputy commissioner two days ago. Officials said that as per the latest update, only one family was currently living in the building while the others had vacated it. Meanwhile, witnesses in the area claimed that the building had collapsed because its foundation had weakened as rainwater had accumulated in the basement. They added that the water was not drained despite multiple requests to the concerned officials. STAFF REPORT

Pakistan, Afghanistan to defeat all spoilers of peace process: isPR RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army on Thursday said that Pakistan and Afghanistan would "defeat all spoilers" of the Afghan peace process. "[The] unfortunate rise in violent incidents on both sides of [the] Pak-Afghan border is meant to derail [the] Afghanistan peace process," a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read. "Pakistan earnestly believes that both countries deserve peace and progress. Together we will defeat all spoilers," added the media wing of Pakistan Army. Prospects of peace in Afghanistan after 19 long years of war brightened last month when Kabul started releasing 400 Taliban prisoners who were described by President Ashraf Ghani as a "danger to the world". The Afghan government and the Taliban are set to meet within days of the prisoner release being completed, in a move that has drawn widespread condemnation after it emerged many of the inmates were involved in attacks that killed scores of Afghans and foreigners. STAFF REPORT

Pm submits reply in sAPm, advisers’ appointment case LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has submitted his reply in the Lahore High Court (LHC) in a petition challenging the appointments of his advisers and special assistants. LHC Chief Justice Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan heard the petition of Advocate Nadeem Sarwar. PM Imran, Law Ministry, Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Shahzad Qasim have submitted their replies. The premier, in his reply submitted through his lawyer in the LHC, stated that according to Article 93 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, he has the prerogative to appoint five special assistants and determine their salaries and allowances, therefore, the claim of the petitioner regarding appointments against the law and constitution is incorrect. “The appointments of the SAPM and advisers are in accordance with the constitution of Pakistan,” the PM stated in his reply submitted in the court. The hearing of the case was adjourned for an indefinite period. Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had released a written order that stated there was no restriction of appointing persons having dual nationality as special assistants to the prime minister. TLTP

Pakistan, Uzbekistan sign pact to enhance trade, improve connectivity ISLAMABAD TLTP

Pakistan and Uzbekistan will work together for trade enhancement, promotion of intergovernmental projects in different sectors and improvement of connectivity. This was agreed upon on Thursday when Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for establishment of ‘Joint Working Group on Trade and & Economic Affairs’. Uzbekistan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Investments & Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov had called on Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzak

Dawood in Islamabad. Both sides agreed to start negotiations for a bilateral Early Harvest Plan, proceeding to Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to provide increased market access to each other’s products. It was also agreed to have Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for harmonization of standards and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. It was further agreed to arrange a business forum for the private sector of both countries. During the discussions, Pakistan and Uzbekistan resolved to optimally utilize trade and investment opportunities and work expeditiously to achieve the shared goal of strengthening political and commercial ties.

DELEGATES MEET TOP LEADERSHIP: Seperately, the nine-member Uzbek delegation, comprising the first deputy foreign affairs and deputy ministers of investment & foreign trade, transport, and senior officials of ministry of investments & foreign trade, called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. The delegation also held meetings with the ministers for industries & production and maritime affairs to actualise existing investment opportunities in the fields of textile, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and tourism. Both sides endeavoured to work towards improved connectivity through

land borders and shipping. Uzbekistan is particularly interested in using sea ports of Pakistan for shipment of imports and exports. Earlier, the delegation of Uzbekistan headed Sardor Umurzakov arrived in Pakistan. The visiting delegation was received by Abdul Razzak Dawood along with senior officials of commerce and foreign affairs divisions. Talking to the media on the occasion, Razak Dawood said Pakistan desires to strengthen its relations with the Central Asian States in diverse fields. He expressed the confidence that the visit of the Uzbek deputy prime minister will help further promote trade between the two countries.

Friday, 11 September, 2020

NEWS

IHC sErvEs notICE to MoFA on vIolAtIons In ForEIgn PostIng oF oFFICErs ISLAMABAD

SHAHZAD PARACHA

HE Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday served notice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on violations in the foreign posting of officers after many complaints of nepotism regarding the choice of country, quality of life, and political significance. The petitioners, Director (Public Diplomacy) Majid Khan Lodhy and Ambassador Zahid Nasrullah, through their

lawyers, filed a petition concerning policy on foreign posting of officers. The reportedly constant amount of personal discretion and unregulated favouritism in the posting resulted in the loss of motivation, performance, and efficiency in both junior and senior officers. The petitioners stated that MoFA had 12 violations of clause 2(f) of the policy under the change from category A station to another category A station, such as Hassan Mohammad Rabbani posted to Washington from London, Saima Salem to UN (New York) from Geneva, Zaman

IDP Pakistan launches English language test for people heading to UK LAHORE PRESS RELEASE

People in Pakistan will soon have more opportunity to progress their global study, work and migration goals as IDP Education prepares to launch IELTS for UKVI. Starting in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad on September 9, IELTS for UKVI is a Secure English Language Test (SELT) accepted by the UK Home Office for visas and immigration purposes. IELTS for UKVI test results are also trusted by more than 10,000 governments, universities and employers around the world. IDP Pakistan Country Manager Muhammad Humayun Bin Akram said that the launch was another way IDP Education was helping people achieve their international aspirations. “The unexpected events of 2020 have forced many people to put their global plans on hold,” Bin Akram said. “Our team is here to support people prepare for their test so they can get their lifelong study and career goals back on track.” “We have built an extensive preparation program so our test takers can head into their test with the skills and confidence needed to get their best score,” he said. The centre has also prioritised new health procedures to create a clean and welcoming environment. “Making sure we protect our test takers is our highest priority,” Bin Akram said. “We have introduced temperature checks, mask wearing policies, smaller group sizes and social distancing requirements to help create a safe space,” he said. IELTS for UKVI will run twice a week across the Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad centres from September 9.

Mehdi to Geneva from Washington, Syed Mustafa Rabbani to Birmingham from London, Aizaz Khan to Brussels from Hague, Zain ul Abidin to Canberra from Denmark, Imtiaz Feroz Ghondal to Abu Dhabi from Madrid, Dr Fareha Bugti to London from Geneva, and more. Similarly, Umer Siddique was posted to Ankara although he had already completed his four years of service at the station. Furthermore, MoFA posted Tanveer Ahmad, Irfan Mahmood, and Saifullah Khan to Nepal, Paris, and Kabul in violation of clause 2(i) as officers cannot get

a third consecutive posting. The petition demands impugning the posting orders and for these orders to be declared illegal and arbitrary. While the framework of the 2015 policy was designed to prevent this sort of abuse of power, the current situation shows a need for reform, as transfers and postings cannot be left to the whims of one person, the statement said. IHC judge Maingul Hassan Aurangzeb while hearing the case served notices to the secretary of MoFA and sought a reply in the next hearing.

Punjab govt decides not to buy new air conditioners for current fiscal year LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

The Punjab government has decided not to buy new air conditioners for government departments during the current fiscal year but instead to focus on repairing and cleaning the old ones. The decision came during a meeting of the austerity committee for the fiscal year 2020-21 on Thursday which was presided over by Provincial Minister for Finance Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht. Other participants in the meeting included Provincial Minister for Irrigation Mohsin Leghari, Minister for Communications Sardar Asif Nakai, Finance Secretary Abdullah Sumbal and officials of relevant departments. The meeting discussed a six-point agenda, including recommendations from various departments for the purchase of new air conditioners but the finance minister discouraged the approval of additional funds for the purchase of air conditioners. He directed all departments to control unnecessary expenditure.

During the meeting, Bakht directed that the recommendations of the Punjab Energy Department (PED) be reviewed before approving the purchase of new air conditioners and the committee will be kept informed of the auction of old machinery, vehicles and air conditioners. Bakht said, “Eco-friendly construction of government buildings can lead to a significant reduction in the cost of air conditioning. Similarly, the presence of trees can also improve the office environment, so the presence of trees in the premises off government offices should also be made mandatory. With the construction of new buildings, the services of the Energy Department and the Punjab Infrastructure Authority should be sought for environmentally-friendly changes in the existing building.” However, the tourism department has been allowed to purchase air conditioners based on setting up a separate office. Similarly, the Department of Education and the Department of Health also got approval to purchase ACs for their district offices and hospitals from existing funds.

NAB recovers Rs330m from retired excise oﬃcial's residence LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has recovered cash and prize bonds worth in the region of Rs330 million from the residence of a retired Excise and Taxation Department’s official, a statement issued by the anti-graft agency said on Thursday. The agency carried out a raid at the house of the BPS-16 former government official, located in Lahore’s EME society, after receiving a tip-off about him. According to the statement, the mammoth amount includes Rs100 million in local currency, Rs170 million

in the form of prize bonds, and nearly Rs35 million in the form of 11 foreign currencies. According to agency, Khawaja Wasim had allegedly accumulated assets beyond his declared sources of income during his service. Wasim, according to NAB, had transferred over Rs220 million to his foreign accounts between 2013 to 2017, sources of which he failed to provide, the agency added. The anti-corruption agency has also accused him of whitening hefty sums through an amnesty scheme introduced in 2018. “This is a major success in the case,” the statement added.

Pending issues to be resolved, every citizen to get his basic rights: Aleem Khan LAHORE INP

Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Thursday lauded the achievements at the national level under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and stated that they are increasing day by day, and the incumbent government is going to strengthen the country in the true sense of the word, where pending issues will be resolved and every citizen will get his basic rights. Talking to a delegation of party workers in Lahore on Thursday, Aleem said that the implementation of effective policies in every sector is proceeding with the vision of the prime minister. God-willing, we will move forward swiftly in the next 3 years and bring lasting prosperity to the country, he added. He further said that PM Imran’s far-sighted policies have taken the country out of crisis; Pakistan's positive

policies for coronavirus have been recognised globally and the country is moving in the right direction. Problems are being solved and policies have been formulated on a priority basis for less developed areas, he added. The provincial senior minister also lamented that unfortunately the opposition parties did not play their positive role as per the democratic requirements and the entire focus of the opposition was on thwarting the government which was driven by their own intentions. He said that PM Imran would not come under any such pressure, accountability would carry on and the prime minister would continue to give the country a clean and transparent system. Aleem vowed that the Pakista Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would do everything for the people. Promises will be fulfilled and conspirators against PM Imran and his team will fail, he concluded.

KP gives 60 days to ngos for registration PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has given six months to all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for registration. In a notification issued by the KP government on Thursday, the NGOs working in the provinces have been directed to get themselves registered within 180 days under the Social Welfare Act 2019. The notification has been sent to all concerned departments. TLTP

Buzdar forms committee to finalise lg polls schedule LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday approved the constitution of a seven-member committee to review the arrangements of proposed local bodies election across the province. According to details, the development was made during a meeting Buzdar chaired. However, the participants of the meeting failed to reach a decision regarding the schedule. During the meeting, Buzdar said that the new local government system will empower citizens at the grassroots level. He said the provincial authorities have restored funds for the local governments which will begin a new era of development after the even distribution of resources in accordance with the needs. The chief minister vowed that the government will ensure transparency in the utilisation of funds, whereas, the local government institutions should fulfill their responsibilities. He said that modern machinery is being provided to LG institutions for maintaining cleanliness situations in all cities and tolerance will not be shown over negligence in the clearance of drainage nullahs. Buzdar formed a seven-member committee for finalising the schedule of the LG polls. APP

CM Buzdar says committed to facilitating investors through one-window operation LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said on Thursday that Punjab has emerged as Pakistan's best province for investment, as investors are being provided all facilities under one roof through one-window operation. "No investment-related file will be delayed nor will anyone be allowed to create hurdles in the way of investment," he emphasised while talking to Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT) Chairman Sardar Tanvir Ilyas on Thursday. Buzdar informed that a one-window policy has been introduced in the construction sector to help the people receive NOCs without any delay. The approval of maps and construction-related NOCs was made possible through e-khidmat centres, he added. The CM said that process for approval of maps for the construction of residential or commercial buildings would be completed within 30 days while NOC of commercialization conversion would be given in 45 days. Similarly, he added, approval of new housing schemes would be given through development authorities and TMAs in 60 days and 75 days, respectively. Buzdar said that billions of rupees would be invested in the province through Ravi Riverfront Urban Project, which would prove a game-changing initiative. INP

Friday, 11 September, 2020

NEWS

PoliCe arrest 12 susPeCts in lahore motorway gang-raPe Case CoNtiNued FRom PAge 01 Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar, in a tweet, said, “CCPO Lahore was conveyed objections of [federal government] on his remarks yesterday. It is [the] responsibility of all govt functionaries esp police to ensure safety for all.” He said that police were “working around the clock” to solve the case. “Police working around the clock to solve this crime however it is my request that the identity of the victim must be protected by all be it or press and police. We all have to make our society safe and liveable for all,” he tweeted. Earlier, Akbar admitted the government’s “administrative failure” in the Lahore motorway rape case, vowing that culprits will be apprehended at all costs. “There is some administrative failure [in the case] that we must admit since it took place on the link road that connects the two motorways,” Akbar told a news conference, flanked by CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh. Akbar defended the Lahore CCPO’s statement which raised a lot of eyebrows after the cop blamed the rape victim for her choice of route and travelling late at night. “I see an unneeded controversy was created out of the CCPO’s earlier statement,” said Akbar. “I have spoken to him about it, he will tell you himself what he meant by it.” The prime minister’s aide said that it

was the government’s responsibility to ensure that roads, motorways, streets and highways were safe for men and women to travel. “If a case such as this takes place, it is also the government’s job to arrest the culprits and make an example out of them,” he said. Responding to a question about the person who had filed the complaint of the rape, Akbar said that it was not appropriate to disclose the identity of the victim or the person who had filed the case. “We all have mothers, daughters and sisters,” he said, urging media to keep the identity of the victim a secret even if they find out about it. Separately, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani said that the law enforcement agency has obtained evidence that will lead them to the culprits behind the disturbing motorway rape and robbery case. “We have done great work so far in the motorway rape case. We have located the village from which the suspects were from,” the IGP said while talking to a private television channel. He also said that 20 police teams are working on the case and are being overseen by a deputy inspector-general. Ghani shared that the victim of the heinous crime had provided ages and other identifying features of the suspects. “Right now, we have a very good clue which will lead us to the suspects directly. However, we cannot share it with the media yet,” Ghani said. He also shared that police have ob-

tained the complete voter list and record from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) of the area where the suspects are believed to have hailed from. The Punjab police chief shared that they have narrowed down the list suspects to 70 people who fall in the same age bracket as the rapists and who have a past criminal record. He added that police teams are tracking down the people who fit the profile. Police also carried out geofencing in the area where the incident occurred and are awaiting the report. Ghani said that the woman’s children, who were forced to witness the horrific crime, are now with their family, who have been assured that they will be provided all kinds of support. He said that the victims of the attack would be in a much better state when the suspects are arrested. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, earlier in the day, had directed the newly-appointed IGP to arrest the rapists of a woman commuter on the motorway and ensure law and order in the province. During a meeting with the IGP, the governor had said that justice must be provided to the victim without any delay, adding that maintaining law and order in the province was the responsibility of the police. Earlier, reacting to the case, Punjab government spokesperson Musarrat Cheema said in a tweet the Punjab Police and related departments were “working in close coordination to capture those in-

volved in [the] painful motorway incident”. “So far 12 suspects have been arrested and search is going on,” she tweeted. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said after the incident that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had directed Lahore CCPO Sheikh to lead the investigation. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took “strict notice” of the incident last night and directed IGP Ghani to submit a report. Buzdar gave instructions for arresting those involved in the incident as quickly as possible, adding that “justice would be provided to the woman”. Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said that the ministry’s regional office “immediately asked for an action report from the police”. The ministry received the report as well as a copy of the first information report (FIR) of the incident, she added. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident and vowed to stand with the family “till justice is served”. “This is a matter of national embarrassment and evidence of a completely broken down legal system,” Shehbaz added. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader asked the government to use techniques like the ones employed in the Zainab case. PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz called for an end to “culture that encourages impunity”.

Social welfare state under principles of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah FARZANA RAJA All the challenges that the nation is facing today demand us to further understand the message, guiding principles and the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. It is imperative to reshape the priorities to create a forward looking and progressive modern democracy as it was dreamt by our great leader. The nation needs to strive more to become a genuine democratic society as humanitarian democratic values were the conviction of our great political thinker and a matchless nation-builder. While looking back in the history, we can find the extraordinary characteristics of Quaid-e-Azam as an inspirational leader as well as an ardent and devout leader for whom, the welfare of the masses was prime objective of his movement. Personally, the Quaid not only followed a highly disciplined life but exhibited a spotless character, thus able to lead the nation towards

unity, faith and discipline. The struggle of our great Quaid was based on premise of a country that offers equal economic opportunities and social justice to all the population without any discrimination of caste, creed and color. The political insight of the Quaid resulted in carving out a nation from a subjugated and directionless minority besides establishing a modern nation state. Being a true democrat, Jinnah prescribed democracy as the only way forward for the newly acquired country. Without any ambiguity, he made the priorities of the state clear right after the inception of Pakistan while stating that the government’s aim and objective should be to serve the people and devise ways and means for their social welfare, well-being and betterment. Regarding the democratic future of the Pakistan, Quaid said that it is in the hands of people to put the government in power or remove it from power. This guiding principle of Quaid-e-Azam still serves as a source of strength for the democracy loving people of

Al-Azizia case: IHC wonders if it can take up CoNtiNued FRom PAge 01 He also pointed out that while the former prime minister was in London, the doctor, who issued that certificate submitted by Sharif’s counsel, was in the United States. “If the patient is admitted to a hospital, it is understandable that they cannot become part of court proceedings. Nawaz Sharif is not admitted to any hospital,” he observed. The former premier, who is nominated in several corruption cases, has repeatedly argued that he cannot return to attend court proceedings in person due to his precarious health. During the proceedings today, the court also asked the additional at-

torney general if the former prime minister was fit to travel. The AAG responded that Nawaz was not admitted to a hospital. “The federal government did not even try to confirm this?” The bench further noted that on February 27, the Punjab government had said that there was no need to extend Nawaz’s bail. “Federal government did not do anything for Nawaz Sharif’s return?” Justice Farooq inquired. The court observed that it first needs to be established if appeals by a person who has been declared as a proclaimed offender in a case can be heard. Haris urged the court to grant him more time. The bench adjourned the hearing until September 15.

CMYK

Pakistan. The history of Pakistan is evident of the fact that Pakistan’s first democratically elected prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto had laid down their lives in the pursuit of the same mission and for the practical manifestation of the dreams of the Quaid. It is pertinent to mention here that the Quaid, as a great leader and statesman, also underpinned the significance of welfare of the people of Pakistan as future roadmap of the state. We must revisit his historic speech delivered on August 11, 1947, when he said that “if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor.” Therefore, the dreams of Jinnah revolved around a Pakistan that is an egalitarian modern democracy offering equity in the distribution of wealth and resources to enable the people of the country to live a happy, prosperous and meaningful life.

Cabinet body approves shutdown of inefficient power plants ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) on Thursday approved the Power Division’s proposal to do away with low efficiency power plants in phases. A committee meeting with Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar in the chair directed the Power Division to work out the exact dates for the plants’ closure, besides preparing a proposal relating to their human resource on humane, fair and just basis. The meeting was attended by Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and senior officials from various divisions. APP

Pm imran launches roshan Digital account to facilitate overseas Pakistanis CoNtiNued FRom PAge 01 He said with a reduction in dollars, the rupee falls, which leads to inflation and people stop investing. “This results in a decline in wealth and investment […] this is why we need dollar investments from overseas Pakistanis. We have seen an increase in remittances but now wish for there to be greater investment in the country.” He said the governments in the past had been unable to present any “viable” options to overseas Pakistanis, but the two aforementioned mega projects are an excellent opportunity for them to invest. Speaking of the perception surrounding dual nationals in Pakistan, he questioned why they are considered “traitors”. The PM said that those who look at overseas Pakistanis with “suspicion” should know that they are, perhaps, more patriotic than the people who are living in Pakistan. “We must understand why these nine million people left in the first place. We were unable to provide them jobs. And a lot of them acquired qualifications from abroad. They are so qualified that we do not have suitable jobs for them here. And for the jobs that we do have here, we cannot afford to pay the remuneration they deserve.” The prime minister said that until the export levels can be raised in the post-coronavirus economic environment, it is the expatriates who have to be encouraged to invest. The PM congratulated State Bank Governor Reza Baqir and finance adviser Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and their economic think tanks for the “first big step” in taking the country to great heights. Predicting a “construction boom” in the country due to the government’s policies, the premier urged overseas Pakistanis to make use of this initiative and invest wholeheartedly in the country. Meanwhile, in a press release issued earlier today, Prime Minister’s Office said that the initiative by the central bank will work with commercial banks operating in Pakistan. “For the first time in the country’s history, Non-Resident Pakistanis (NRP) will be able to remotely open an account through an entirely digital and online process without any need to visit a bank branch, embassy, or consulate,” it said. “The customer can choose either foreign currency or rupee dominated account, or both. Funds in these accounts will be fully repatriable, without the need for any regulatory approval,” the statement read. Speaking to Bloomberg last month, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir had said the new facility will be available to the nine million non-resident Pakistanis, allowing them to invest money in local stock markets, buy government bonds and securities, and avail basic banking services.

tCP, private sector allowed to import wheat ISLAMABAD: A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday decided to allow the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) along with the private sector to import wheat in order to ensure sufficient availability of commodity in the country. The meeting was attended by federal ministers Hammad Azhar and Syed Fakhar Imam, Senator Shibli Faraz, finance adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, special assistants Mirza Shahzad Akbar and Shahbaz Gull, State Bank of Pakistan Governor Dr Reza Baqir, Punjab Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and secretaries of relevant departments. APP

Friday, 11 September, 2020

06 COMMENT

The roots of Sikhashahi

Will petty one-upmanship hold back Karachi uplift? Blame game replaces implementation

at Penpoint M a NiaZi

ndeed, it is the period after ranjeet Singh’s death, and the multiple struggles to succeed him, that the term Sikhashahi owes its origin. ranjit Singh himself was an exemplar of strong administration. The British positivist Austin gave him as an example of the sovereign he meant when he said “a determinate human superior whose word is law.” Sikhashahi is a period of chaos, when purported sovereigns are not obeyed. it is not just a period of chaos. Sikhashahi may refer to an earlier period, before ranjit Singh, who had succeeded to the leadership of the Sukerchakia misl, one of several misls of the Sikhs. As Mughal power waned, especially after the descent of nadir Shah on delhi, which he sacked in 1737, the power of the misls increased, and they established areas of their own from which these bands of armed warriors would obtain revenues for their maintenance. often, the methods of obtaining revenue would be suspiciously like plundering, so that period too is noted for its lawlessness. it was supposed to be one of the features of good governance that peasants knew in advance what the land revenue assessment was (how much they would be expected to pay). ranjit Singh moved the system towards that when he consolidated his kingdom. But first he had to win it. He had an uneasy relationship with Ahmad Shah Abdali’s dynasty, one of both conflict and cooperation, mainly because they competed over much the same territory. Multan and Mankera (including the derajat) in the South, and Kasur in the centre, while Peshawar, charsadda, and Hazara division, were all areas that ranjit Singh took over from the Abdalis. indeed, when the British finally took the Punjab, they also took what is now KPK, and which at the time of conquest was put under a chief commissioner. it was not until 1901 that it was made a separate province, and it was not until 2010 that it was renamed, having spent a century as the northWest Frontier Province. in the process of creating the Kingdom, ranjit Singh had to capture the whole of Lahore, which he initially shared as one misldar among three. This was also a terrible time for the citizens of Lahore, who had witnessed the decline of the Mughals, and the lawlessness spread by two invasions of delhi, the first by nadir Shah, the second by Ahmad Shah Abdali. Both passed through the Punjab, but there was

Is anyone in charge? With the citizenry unsafe, the new IGP has to keep his subordinates happy

Inside IOK human rights forum shows a horrible picture

T was an inauspicious beginning for the new igP. on his very first day in office, which he had assumed after an undignified tussle between his predecessor and the ccPo Lahore, there was a terrible robbery-cumrape in the limits of the gujjarpura police. The heinous crime also involved the Motorway Police, which is presently commanded by Kaleem imam, the first Punjab igP sent home by the PTi government, because the victim of the crime had first asked them for help, but they were so long in coming, that the criminals not only dragged her into bushes on the corner of the highway, had their way with her in front of her children, ransacked her purse, and made good their escape, all before the police arrived. Because the crime took place off the highway, the gujjarpura police registered the case. This is not an aberration. This is part of the increasing crime occurring in the province. Part of the reason may be the loss of employment because of the coronavirus pandemic, but there is also the fact that the province is poorly policed. The prime reason for that is the almost blinding turnover at the top, with the current incumbent is the sixth igP since the present government took over just two years ago. one reason for that turnover is the Prime Minister’s attempt to administer his home province, and his hometown, while spending his time in islamabad, and not letting the chief Minister act on his own. Since the chief Minister’s main function is to limit himself to transmitting the Prime Minister’s orders, not much attention is paid to good governance. The purpose of the police is not just to make sure that incidents like the gujjarpura rape end in justice for the victim, but that they do not take place at all. if the igP is driven to hold meetings to show he is in charge, it is not so much his fault as the government’s. The government is elected to provide the citizenry order, not the lawlessness that prevails.

MuhaMMad Zahid Rifat

ccording to the information downloaded while browsing internet, i came across the first report of The Forum for Human rights in Jammu and Kashmir which was formed May 2020 in a summarized form. it is being reproduced so that readers may see how even the human rights forums work in a tainted manner. The report titled “Jammu and Kashmir: The impact of lockdowns on Human rights August 2019July 2020” launched a scathing attack against the centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administrations for the steps and actions taken after August 5 and added that the decision to scrap the erstwhile state’s special status has left the people, especially the youth, gravely disturbed”. The report said “Kashmir has in many ways been the litmus test of indian democracy and we have failed miserably”. The 70-page report of the Forum dilated on in some length on what it called “strategic china-Pakistan nexus against india, especially in Jammu and Kashmir”. The report said, “The central government’s prioritization of counter-insurgency concerns over human security has led to an across the board violation of human rights, including the vitiation of protections such as habeas corpus , illegal detention, arrests, and misuse of draconian legislations such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) to stifle dissent. “in the same manner, the 11 months of lockdown—comprising closures, barricades, checkpoints and restrictions on mobile telephones and internet connectivity – have enormously impacted public health, and caused trauma and stress among the people of Jammu and Kashmir, violating the rights to health and

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internet.” it also called for “reinstating all the statutory oversight human rights bodies of the former state that medical care under the indian and Jammu and Kashmir ceased to exist after the scrapping of Article 370, roll constitutions. The rights of children to a trauma-free back of the new media policy, compensation to businesses and people whose homes were destroyed under environment have been arbitrarily ignored. “The impact on education has been particularly in , (what it called) counter-insurgency operations:” The report, it was mentioned, has been compiled severe. Schools and colleges functioned for barely 100 days between 2019-2020. After the pandemic based on ngo fact-finding reports and also responses to questionnaires sent to lockdown, limiting netgovernment sources, works to 2g has made it media, as well as inforimpossible for online mation gathered through classes to function adepetitions and from indusquately. The Forum through its try bodies such as the “Local and regional recommendations asked for the Kashmir chamber of industries have suffered commerce and industry. large losses in almost release of all the remaining Besides former every sector. companies that are heavily or solely political detainees, an amendment Supreme court judge (retd) Justice Madan reliant on 4g networks to the controversial PSA, strict Lokur, 21 members that are available in the group also include what rest of the country, such implementation of juvenile it claimed as wellas tourism and cottage industries, have been protection legislation, withdrawal known personalities such as Air Vice-Marforced out of business. of charges under the UAPA against shal (retd) Kapil Kak, The new domicile rules Major general (retd) introduced by the Minjournalists and activists, and Ashok Kumar Mehra, istry of Home Affairs and Justice (retd) Ajit the Jammu and Kashmir restoration of high speed internet Prakash Shah, Anantnag administration, moreover, MP Justice (retd) Haserode prior employment nain Masoodi, historian protections for permanent ramachandra guha, residents of the former former foreign secretary nirupama rao, Lieut genstate. “Journalists have been harassed and slapped with eral (retd) H.S. Panag and author-academic radha draconian charges such as the UAPA.The new media Kumar as its members. LinK:https:printin/india/revoking-article-370policy is a death blow to an independent media and the lend –new-edge-to-china-Pakistan-nexus-against freedom of expression.” The Forum through its recommendations asked india- says a rights forum(4664408/?amp for “the release of all the remaining political deMuhammad Zahid Rifat is Lahore-based tainees, an amendment to the controversial PSA, strict implementation of juvenile protection legisla- Freelance Journalist, Columnist and retired Deputy tion, withdrawal of charges under the UAPA against Controller (News) Radio Pakistan Islamabad and can journalists and activists, and restoration of high speed be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com

Even the Indian establishment cannot conceal the horrors

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Mughal emperor to power. one of the defining aspects of the Sikh kingdom’s end game was the alliance between rani Jindan and no single authority, though the Sikh misls seem to the Khalsa, the Sikh Army. Under ranjit Singh, the have taken over in various local areas. This absence Khalsa had remained under his control. After his death, of a central authority may be remembered as the rul- it became a player, and in particular, in the camp of rani Jindan. it became an independent player, but at ing characteristic of the Sikhashahi. it is a sign of the failure of Maharaja ranjit Singh the cost of unity of command. instead of obeying orthat the era is not known as nanakshahi which is the ders from above, the troops elected panchs for every name which he gave to his currency, and through its unit, who collectively made decisions. officers were coins to the era itself. ranjit Singh was a religious allowed to remain, but their orders were obeyed only man, who observed the precepts of the Sikh faith, if the panchs approved. This meant that the Khalsa was though he did indulge in alcohol and did have a Mus- not as effective a fighting force as it had been, and far lim wife, neither of which a keenly observant Sikh from making fresh conquests, it proved incapable of would have done. However, he does not seem to have keeping the British from annexing the Punjab and making it part of directly moved beyond the conadministered British fines of Punjab, being india. forestalled by the British of course, the British in Punjab as well as Sind. kept some Sikh chiefs in When he died, he has Of course, the British kept some power (like the ones who not yet fulfilled the preSikh chiefs in power (like the ones had been on its side diction Dilli takhat tey against the Lahore darbeyi gi aap Guru di fauj who had been on its side against bar), and the Maharaja of (The Army of the guru Patiala not only became will sit on the throne of the Lahore Darbar), and the chamberlain of the delhi). Perhaps he Had Maharaja of Patiala not only chamber of Princes, but left that to his successors. the man who would have At the time of his death, became Chamberlain of the been Maharaja, his adult sonsKharak Amarinder Singh, is curSingh and Shher Singh, Chamber of Princes, but the man rently chief Minister of as his minor son duleep’s who would have been Maharaja, indian Punjab. Another mother, the renowned Sikh descendant, Sardar rani Jindan, were interAmarinder Singh, is currently Chief Arif nakai, though conested parties. verted to islam generaKharak Sigh suffered Minister of Indian Punjab. tions ago, was a an accident and died, Sher representative of one of Singh was murdered, and the original misls, and beduleep Singh remained to came Pakistani Punjab’s proclaimed maharajah. He remained after the First Sikh War, after which the chief Minister. it is perhaps an irony that he represented British imposed a council of regency. if duleep the PML(Q), which was headed by Hamid nasir Singh had been allowed to remain on the throne, Pun- chattha, a direct descendant of Karam elahi chattha, jab would have been ca princely state, among the who had led the resistance against the Sikhs in his area largest in india. The east india company, and later the of gujranwala and Hafizabad districts. After the fall of the Sikh kingdom, Sikhism itself British government, preferred to rule through princely states, with native rulers handling everything, but came under pressure, as many left the faith. A few turned leaving foreign affairs, defence and communications to christianity, especially among the mazhabi Sikhs, with the centre. Punjab was not allowed to remain a who had converted from lower Hindu castes. There were conversions to the Arya Samaj, to islam, and to princely state, but Bahawalpur was. Punjab, though taken over as recently as 1946, Ahmadi-ism. There was a religious ferment as people did not rise in the Mutiny. The Sultanat-i-Bartania tackled the issue of caste, and Sikhs dealt not just with seems to have been considered an improvement over the loss of power, but the resurgence of caste-ism the Sikhashahi. The post-Sikh Bundobast undoubt- amongst them. in another form, Sikhashahi went on. edly played its part. The Sikh’s in particular probably The writer is a member of staff. did not wish to join a movement which restored the

Are there lessons for the present in the past?

He rs1.1 trillion ‘historic’ package for Karachi’s transformation remains mired in controversy, thanks to the point scoring competition between the centre and the province. A perception was created after the PM’s address announcing the package that the two would work together for the much needed uplift of the country’s industrial hub. The perception was strengthened by the announcement of a mechanism of implementation comprising representatives of the centre, Province and Army under the chief Minister. The announcement had also generated hopes that the PTi had finally learnt to work with an opposition government. There were however lacunae in the hastily workedout plan that led to contradictory interpretations about contributions to be made by the centre and the province. The PPP claimed that Sindh government would be contributing rs 800bn against the centre’s pittance of rs300bn. This led Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar to claim in a press conference that the federal government was in fact footing 62 percent of the project while the Sindh government would contribute the remaining 38 percent. nearly a week after the announcement of the package one sees no effort to implement it on the ground. one would readily agree with Mr Umar that the people of Karachi will hurl shoes at both the PPP and the PTi if they continue holding press conferences against each other instead of initiating practical work. interestingly, the information Minister has disclosed that the federal cabinet had decided against releasing funds directly to the provincial government for the victims of the flood and rain-hit areas and that instead, the centre would utilise the funds itself. Mr Umar meanwhile wants Sindh to hand over the greater Karachi Water Supply Project (K-iV) to the centre. in other words the federal government has gone back on the implementation mechanism announced by the PM. The outcome of earlier attempts by Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi to cleanse the Karachi drains and the promise of ending power shortages in Karachi by Mr Umar do not strengthen confidence in the PTi’s competence. The best way is to work through the already agreed Provincial coordination implementation committee (Pcic) under the chief Minister.

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Friday, 11 September, 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

Cantonment Board Clifton Irregularities

India’s bid to back out of plebiscite commitment Indian contortions cannot fool everyone forever aMjed jaaved

Uring a virtual informal meeting of the plenary on the annual report of the Security council, the indian representative stunned the world community by his remarks. He `called for permanently removing the issue of Jammu and Kashmir under the outdated agenda item of the india-Pakistan question’ from the Security council’s agenda. He added `such “irrational exuberance” has no takers in a dignified world’. in a veiled attack on Pakistan, he accused it to be ` globally known for being the fountainhead of international terror and the hub for terror syndicates’.Special representative T.S. Tirumurti pointed out that even Un Secretary-general Antonio guterres, in his statement last August, clearly referred to the 1972 bilateral Simla Agreement. Till 1953, india was, at least verbally, committed to the plebiscite. But, in the subsequent period, it had been making frantic efforts to warp the United nation organization and woo the United States of America in her favour. For instance, during the temporary absence of Pakistan’s representative india tried to get the `india-Pakistan Question’ deleted from the Un agenda. india based her plea on the Security council’s informal decision, dated 30 July 1996, about deleting dormant questions. The Question was deleted during the Pakistani representative’s absence, but was restored to agenda upon his arrival. no Un resolution incorporates india’s view that maharajah of Kashmir had acceded to india. The main resolutions on Kashmir are: (a) United nations’ commission for india Pakistan (UnciP) resolution dated 13 August 1948. Para 75 (Serial110) in Part iii of this resolution states ‘The government of india and the government of Pakistan reaffirm their wish that the future status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir shall be determined in accordance with the will of the people and to that end, upon acceptance of the truce agreement, both governments agree to enter into consultations with the commission to determine fair and equitable conditions whereby such free expression will be assured.’ (b) The UnciP resolution dated January 5, 1949 Para 51 (Serial 1196) states ‘The question of accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to india or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite’. on 2 november 1947, nehru declared in a radio broadcast that the government of india was “prepared, when peace and order have been established in Kashmir, to have a referendum held under international auspices like the United nations.” i am quoting from chaudhri Mohammad Ali’s The emergence of Pakistan. By disowning the Un resolutions on disputed status of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir State, india qualified as a rogue state. A jus cogen of international law is pacta sunt servanda, treaties are to be observed and are binding on parties. Till about 1953, indian leaders reiterated their commitment to hold a plebiscite to determine future status of the disputed state. even india’s view is that it is a dispute, though a bilateral one. But, the Simla Accord also refers to the Un charter. india is not willing to talk to

Pakistan eyeball-to-eyeball in the dispute. Thus able for free on the internet. in a startling disclosure, eU-based non-govbilateral negotiations become meaningless. The ernmental organisation eU disinfoLab revealed way out is to refer the matter to the Un. By renouncing the Un resolutions, india has an india-sponsored fake, dis-informational netthrown the gauntlet to Pakistan: ‘Take Kashmir work of 265 fake media outlets in 65 countries, including US, canada, Brussels, and geneva. The by force if you can.’ it is unfortunate that even india’s interna- network was being run by the Srivastava group tional representatives have become rAW’s of india. it ran a think tank called international mouthpieces. india’s fake news agencies and institute for non-Aligned Studies. The institute channels abroad, particularly those in european paid for the travel and accommodation of an unUnion, call Pakistan’s iSi a `criminal syndicate’. official far-right delegation of 23 european Union india’s anti-Pakistan vocabulary matches the parliamentarians to Srinagar on october 30, 2013. rAW-sponsored dish-outs by indian news chan- The trip was arranged by indian intelligence surrogate, Madi nels, particularly Sharma, who posed those ostensibly as a self-styled “inbased in the eurobusiness pean Union. These In a startling disclosure, EU-based ternational broker”. channels often rely ‘disinformaon jejune write-ups non-governmental organisation EU tion’ (russian dezior broadcasts of DisinfoLab revealed an Indiainformatzia) is a journalists, Arnaud concept which finds de Borchgrave and sponsored fake, dis-informational mention in Sun roland Jacquard Tzu’s Ping Fa (Prinwho are obviously network of 265 fake media outlets ciples of War). even rAW-hired. Borchbefore Sun Tzu, grave spat venom in 65 countries, including US, Kautliya in against Pakistan’s Canada, Brussels, and Geneva. The Arthashastra suppeaceful nuclear ported disinformaprogramme.. network was being run by the tion as a civil and Jacquard incessantly writes for Srivastava Group of India. It ran a military warfare tool within his concept global Watch think tank called International of koota Analysis with a yuddha (unprincibrazen anti-Pakistan Institute for Non-Aligned Studies. pled warfare, as disand-china orientation. recently, it alThe Institute paid for the travel and tinguished from dharma yuddha, leged that china accommodation of an unofficial righteous warfare). bribed nepal and Kautagainst india. it did far-right delegation of 23 European liya’sTzu’s principles were not tell that india not only in the bears pension bill, Union parliamentarians to Srinagar used World War ii but also equivalent to nepal’s annual on October 30, 2013. The trip was in the cold War period (to hoodwink budget, of gorkha arranged by Indian intelligence own and foreign peoretirees. nepalese ple). But india’s discan apply for milisurrogate, Madi Sharma, who information is no tary or civil jobs in propaganda. it is india as indian citiposed as a self-styled brazen lying. zens. it called chi“international business broker” richard deacon nese diplomats says, ‘Truth twist“wolf warriors”. ing…unless it is conAnd so on. ducted with caution r o l a n d Jacquard `chairs the international Terrorism ob- and great attention to detail, it will inevitably fail, servatory’. He ` is the only member, “without if practiced too often… it is not the deliberate lie publications, without website, without postal ad- which we have to fear (propaganda), but the halfdress and without any legal existence” writes Le truth, the embellished truth and the truth dressed Monde . He ran a bookstore `in the name of up to appear a something quite different’ (The osama bin Laden’, dedicated to the networks of Truth Twisters). He gives several examples of disislamist terrorism. `According to journalists di- information, including subliminal disinformation dier Bigo, Laurent Bonelli and Thomas del- by which the truth can be twisted so that the distombe, roland Jacquard’s comments as a media tortion is unconsciously absorbed, something expert would be questionable. in July 2010, which both television and radio commentators roland Jacquard appeared on France 5 in the have subtly perfected’ (ibid.). in the USA, the creel show c in the Air and presented to the camera a committee, through false anti-german propa300-page Arabic manual, supposedly intended ganda, turned pacifist Americans against germans. for Al Qaeda cadres to protect themselves from Amjed Jaaved is a freelance journalist, has the secret services on the internet. The manual would allow them to install protective systems. served in the Pakistan government for 39 years The authenticity of the document was questioned and holds degrees in economics, business adby other journalists, the cover of the document ministration, and law. He can be reached at ambeing that of a simple manual of c-c download- jedjaaved@gmail.com.

reSPonSiBiLiTy for provision of basic civic needs, like water, roads, construction of storm water drainage system, security of life and private property along with proper town planning by qualified architects, structural engineers etc. lies with statutory body collecting taxes from residents. When public interest and utilization of taxes is involved, there should be a proper scrutiny by the Auditor general Pakistan. it took just over 350mm of rain to expose criminal incompetence of those responsible for maintaining Karachi’s poshest locality dHA and cBc to be as worse as any other neglected locality. on 25 May 2018, PTi MnA Firdaus issued a show cause to cBc councilor Mr Aziz, accusing him of corruption, misuse of power etc, but there was no follow up. Permission for commercialization of plots on streets which were barely 15 feet wide was granted for building multi storied buildings, without evaluating capacity of drainage and sewer infrastructure to handle excess load. Land allocated for amenity plots, graveyards etc, was allowed to be illegally occupied by powerful lobbies. All that was needed was to spare extra 5 feet of open space, in addition to land for roads, for construction of drainage systems etc., but greed for more plots and profits blinded those whose responsibility it was to regulate and ensure provision of basic town planning requirements. While citizens suffered, few elected councillors of cBc, in connivance with paid executives minted billions and own expensive assets in canada, dubai etc. Those guilty of criminal negligence must be tried for culpable homicide and held responsible for lives lost and damage done to private property, cars, household items etc. All construction in violation of rules must be demolished and those involved in giving permission prosecuted and punished and their assets frozen pending trial. Nighat M Karachi

Urgent Need to Curb Sale of Illegal GSM signal boosters Since the past few months, my phone had been receiving weak signals with frequent call drops and internet connectivity issues. Last week, the phone signals disappeared completely, paralyzing all communication and causing a major disruption to my work. repeated complaints with my service provider led them to carry out a technical survey, which disclosed the presence of signal boosters in my area. As per them, these signal boosters were the cause of all my woes. i also came across a Pakistan Telecom Authority advertisement which day that the use of sub-standard signal boosters is causing interference with mobile networks’ frequency bands, deteriorating service quality; the same problems that i face. it said using boosters without holding a license constitutes a crime and its users along with buyers and sellers of these devices can be jailed or fined. despite that, their use has become increasingly common. The problem also seems to be weak law enforcement. MuhaMMad YouSuf raShid LahorE

Drug addiction drUg addication is one of the most parlous of any society. Moreover, drug addication has been a serious hazard in our country as many teenagers have been suffering from this mortal disease state. Sadly, drug and narcotics trade has become order of the day in Balochistan, where narcotics is being traded publically. consequence, many people have been fallen casualty to this odious , speically the youngstere , almost no any area of the province is free from drug addicts and dealers. it seems that government and Anti-narcotics departments have totally been failed to crub the dealing of narcotics in the province. it is a general fact that a drug user cannot work regularly at any place and they are not in the situation to earn money for drugs, honestly. When they don’t get enough money for drug, then they start rubbing, begging or sell their property. consequently, street crimes has increased rapidly in Balochistan in past few years. The United nation office on drugs and crime (Unodc) 2013 report disclose that there are more than 800, 000 people who are addicited to narcotics on a regular basis in Pakistan including Balochistan’s 280, 000 are between the ages of 15 to 65. Futhermore, drug addict can neither play an positive role for his family nor for the improvement of country. Zahra Baig hoth turBat

Conflict of interest iT is an established fact and matter of record that Prime Minister imran Khan and his government are committed to create a corruption free Pakistan for the posterity, eliminate nepotism, favouritism and “sifarish” culture ensuring merit and transparency in all spheres of life. The PTi federal government has just completed two years of its stipulated five years rule but the people have started taking about the conflict of interests within the ranks and file of the ruling party. There have been quite visible and not so welcome instances of some federal ministers and parliamentarians taking grand U Turn to purana Pakistan from naya Pakistan and flagrantly indulging in nepotism and favouritism and promoting their cronies least caring about rules and regulations or merit.. For instance, a federal minister from Lahore holding two portfolios has number of such dubious appointments to his credit such as chairperson Board of governors of Alhamra Art council Lahore, chairman central Board of Film censors, islamabad, incharge and Aet Advisors at PncA’s Shakir Ali Museum Lahore . Appointment of the incumbent lady director general of PncA some months back also leaves much to be desired and is in utter denial of for what people had voted PTi in power. it is appreciable that the nAB chairman has ordered nAB rawalpindi to look into reports about art mapping of precious art treasures from PncA and the appointments made in it during last two years or so.. Hopefully, the inquiry will bring all hidden bitter facts to life. M Z rifat LahorE

Friday, 11 September, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

How to forecast armies’ will to figHt

economist

N June 2014 around 1,500 partisans of Islamic State (IS) attacked Mosul, a city in northern Iraq. They were outnumbered almost 15 to one by government troops defending the place. The result was a rout. But not in the direction those numbers might have suggested. In the face of the enemy, the government soldiers ran away. Reflecting shortly thereafter on America’s failure to foresee what would happen, James Clapper, then Director of National Intelligence (and thus America’s top spy) described a force’s will to fight, or lack thereof, as an unpredictable “imponderable”. Many in the past have felt the same. Military history is, as a consequence, littered with disastrously wrong assumptions about belligerents’ will to fight. America, for instance, famously underestimated the determination of Vietnam’s National Liberation Front when it involved itself in that country’s civil war in the 1960s and 1970s. Similarly, in 1916, during the first world war, Germany underrated France’s will to defend its fortress at Verdun against what the Germans hoped would be a war-winning assault. Casualties in that battle exceeded 300,000 on each side. Assessing enemy morale is crucial to warcraft. Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, a political scientist at New York University, reckons human will matters enough for four wars in ten to be won by what starts off, in strict

WHAT MOTIVATES THE DOGS OF WAR? military terms, as the weaker side. Behavioural scientists are now, however, bringing the power of modern computing to bear on the question. Defence planners have long used computers to forecast the results of conflicts by crunching data on things like troop numbers, weapons capabilities, ammunition supplies and body- and vehicle-armour. The next step is to extend the idea into the area of morale, by quantifying the psychological variables that determine whether troops will flee, or stand and fight. One leader in the field of morale research is Artis International, a think-tank in Arizona that is supported by America’s defence department. To understand better what has been going on in Iraq, for example, Artis’s researchers have interviewed Iraqi-government soldiers, Sunni militiamen, Peshmerga fighters defending the autonomy of Iraqi Kurdistan, and also captured is troops. Participants were asked about their willingness to further their causes by doing various things. These ranged from protesting in the street and donating money to torturing or killing opponents, volunteering as a suicide-bomber, or even sacrificing one’s family. BROTHERS IN ARMS: The researchers charted participants’ responses on a sevenpoint scale of ascending willingness. The responses suggested that, among other things,

those who declared themselves willing to sacrifice the most were the ones who also seemed least interested in material comfort and economic prospects. The researchers then embedded themselves with troops from the interviewed groups (save the is prisoners), in part to seek differences between stated and actual willingness to fight. The bits of action they witnessed, and post-battle mapping of where (and when) casualties were suffered, broadly confirmed the findings from the interviews. Crucially, this fieldwork revealed much about the casualties various types of units can take before survivors lose the will to fight. A typical fighting force, it is generally thought, will collapse sometime before a third of it has been destroyed. Some Kurdish and IS units in Iraq, however, fought on in a co-ordinated fashion after sustaining far more grievous losses. Artis therefore tried to classify and measure the belief systems behind such remarkable bravery. One finding was that a fighter’s identity must have fully “fused” with those of his brothers in arms. The top priority of such fighters must, says the think-tank’s boss, Richard Davis, have shifted from family to another cause, a transcendental ideal that has become so “sacralised” that it would not be traded away for anything. Artis’s researchers

Myanmar is setting the stage for sham elections

identified fighters who had mentally downgraded their families to second or third place. Some were Peshmerga, who most valued “Kurdeity”—a love for the homeland steeled with commitment to fellow Kurds and Kurdish culture. Many IS captives, for their part, had shunted their families into third place behind the caliphate and sharia. Units girded with those beliefs had fought on effectively even after seven-tenths of their comrades had fallen. The broad outline of this analysis would, of course, be familiar to any student of military history. Fanaticism has long been recognised as a plus in a soldier, be it the Zealots of ancient Israel, the Roman Catholic conquistadors of the Americas, or the Nazis’ 12th SS “Hitler Youth” Panzer Division. What is different about the Artis approach is its attempt to quantify, or at least to approximate, what is going on. That should help both in assessments of an enemy’s performance on the battlefield, and in designing training and indoctrination programmes for your own side. Based on their work in Iraq, Artis’s 45 or so behavioural scientists have now led studies on willingness to fight and die for customers in 21 countries as diverse as Britain, Egypt and Guatemala. The goal is to incorporate such insights into predictive

More political fragmentation coming to Latin America

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CANNOT JUST STAND BY

independent TUnKhIn

This November, Myanmar will stage nationwide elections. These elections are being hailed as a milestone in Myanmar’s history – a symbol of just how far we have come in fulfilling the promise of democratic transition. But Myanmar’s elections are shaping up to be anything but democratic. If action isn’t taken soon, our electoral process will be unfree, unfair and exclude the vast majority of my people: theRohingya. Late last month, Myanmar’s Union Election Commission (UEC) announced that it would bar at least six Rohingya candidates from competing in the 2020 elections. The announcement followed an earlier decision to deny Rohingya our right to vote. In the last few weeks, just several hundred Rohingya have been added to the voting rolls – a figure that’s less than 0.01 per cent of the total Rohingya population. It wasn’t always this way. For almost a century, the Rohingya participated actively in Myanmar’s political life. We voted in elections. We competed as candidates. We formed political parties. My own grandfather was a parliamentary secretary in Myanmar, highly respected by his Rohingya constituents. But my people’s rights to vote and compete were abruptly overturned in 2015, when the Myanmar government sought to exploit a wave of racist, anti-Muslim sentiment to orchestrate our exclusion from Myanmar’s political life. Our disenfranchisement five years ago was unprecedented—and blatantly racist. Yet it was treated like a mere footnote in history. The international community was so eager to embrace multiparty elections as a breakthrough for democracy, that it treated our exclusion as a minor flaw in an otherwise historic process. Less than two years

later, the Rohingya were not merely written out of the electoral process, we were the subject of genocide. Close to a million Rohingya were brutally expelled from our homeland in Rakhine State. Our homes were burned. Our lives were destroyed. The 2020 electoral process is poised to be similarly discriminatory. The Rohingya people are once again being denied the right to vote and compete. But this year, the situation is shaping up to be even worse. With violence mounting across Rakhine State, it’s looking increasing likely that Myanmar will prevent millions of civilians in conflict-affected areas from exercising their right to vote. Rather than releasing a plan to ensure voters in these areas can access polling stations, the UEC has put Myanmar’s racist military in charge, allowing the Ministry of Defense to determine whether Rakhine State is excluded from the electoral process entirely. At the same time, the government is making the prospect of nationwide, independent election monitoring less likely. Given the threat posed by Covid19, international election monitoring will likely be more difficult come November. Much of the burden of independent monitoring will therefore fall on local organisations. But already, the government is refusing to grant local monitors like the People’s Alliance for Credible Elections (PACE) permission to participate in election observation. Without independent monitors, there’s zero chance Myanmar’s elections will be free or fair. Myanmar is setting the stage for sham elections, and it’s using international aid to execute those elections. Many democratic governments, including those in Europe, are heavily invested in Myanmar’s electoral process – and rightly so. The Rohingya desperately want to see a genuine democracy take root. But democracy is not what’s on offer. Instead, the government is using millions of pounds in international funding that’s supposed to help promote international best practices for a free, fair and inclusive electoral process, to create a process that’s anything but. That includes support to tackle hate speech, voter outreach, election oversight support and assis-

tance to enable legal and institutional reform for the UEC. All of those goals are admirable. But whether intentional or not, this funding is being channeled to an organisation – the UEC – which makes no secret of its intent to disenfranchise major segments of the population. European taxpayers are inadvertently supporting an electoral process that’s unfair, unfree and fundamentally racist. The fact is, Myanmar is using Western donor support to create the appearance of a credible, democratic process, even as it marches closer towards China and the authoritarianism that it represents. It assumes foreign donors are so invested in the appearance of a democratic transition, that they will be willing to overlook the discrimination and racism at the heart of Mayanmar’s electoral process. This cheap ploy should be clearly and unequivocally condemned by the UK and the whole of the international community. Governments everywhere should want no part in an electoral process that excludes large segments of the population because of their ethnic and religious identities, and they should make any assistance conditional on the full enfranchisement of the Rohingya and all ethnic and religious minorities. Failure to do so sets a dangerous precedent for Myanmar’s future, creating a lasting legacy of exclusion that threatens all ethnic and religious minorities in our great country. If the world stands by as the Rohingya are excluded in this election, Myanmar won’t think twice before it excludes other minorities in future elections. An electoral process forged on hate and division will not be so easily be undone. Western donors risk perpetuating and legitimising a process that defies the very principles of inclusion and democracy they seek to uphold. The Myanmar government has long denied the Rohingya people’s rightful place in Myanmar’s history. The UK should not let it deny our right to shape Myanmar’s future. We deserve to vote, to compete, and to live as equal citizens in the country we call home. TunKhin is president of the Burma Rohingya Organisation UK.

software. One organisation working on doing this is the United States Air Force Academy’s Warfighter Effectiveness Research Centre (Werc), in Colorado. Werc’s researchers are using Artis’s data to quantify how different levels of the will to fight alter the performance of tasks. For example, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Chad Tossell, Werc’s director, aircraft pilots whose wills are flagging are unlikely to buckle completely, but their reaction times typically slow down. His team is developing equations that reflect this. These are then fed into a version of “Far Cry”, a video game that the air force is modifying to incorporate will-tofight calculations into combat simulations. Comparing how unblooded cadets play the game with the approach taken by combat veterans will permit Werc to compile data on how experience, sex, age and other factors affect the speed with which players do things like throwing their virtual selves onto a grenade to save their comrades. How much a willingness to perform such an action in a game translates into behaviour on the battlefield remains to be seen. But the hope, Lieut-Colonel Tossell says, is that this study will, within two years, help the air force to nudge recruits into combat positions that make the most of their level of will to fight. The research, he adds, has already led to greater emphasis in training on the transcendental ideals that underpin America’s support for its own driving ideological creed: liberal democracy.

AmericAs QuArterly MARÍA VICTORIA MURILLO

If you thought building political consensus in Latin America was hard before COVID-19, just wait. The pandemic seems to be producing even greater polarization and political fragmentation, potentially opening the door further to outsiders and increased tensions between executive and legislative branches in the years to come. Both trends have been underway for years, as the region’s governments largely failed to deal with recession, higher poverty, rising unemployment and increasing insecurity in recent years. But now, the same structural problems that left Latin America particularly vulnerable to the pandemic – inequality, informality and weak states – threaten to deteriorate even further in the 2020s, as states struggle with fiscal crises, decreased resources and increasingly impatient populations. Indeed, a quick overview of the region suggests this may already be happening. Even before the arrival of the virus, protests and institutional crisis were spreading throughout the region, especially in the Andean countries. The combination of an economic slowdown, which was deteriorating the social mobility of the 2000s, and corruption scandals prompted voters to take to the streets and reject incumbents throughout 2019. Beginning in March, fear of COVID-19 caused protests to abate, even in Chile where the discontent had resulted in the call for a plebiscite on constitutional reform, which had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic. Most protests became more localized, centered on economic aid or medical supplies. However, political protests re-emerged to a much greater extent in Bolivia. In August, Evo Morales’ MAS party organized road blockades demanding that the presidential election, which was originally set for May, but postponed due to the dire health situation, be held as soon as possible. The election was itself a “redo” of October 2019, when protests over vote recounting, along with a police mutiny and the military requesting the president’s resignation, forced then-President (and candidate) Evo Morales to exile first in Mexico and then in Argentina. The election has been rescheduled for October 18, with the MAS running a different candidate, Luis Arce, who is leading the pack. Interim president, Jeanine Añez is also running—although she did not run last October. This election is likely to be extremely contentious and seems unlikely to heal Bolivia’s deep fissures. Polarization in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico also provoked political protests. In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters protested lockdowns declared by state governors while the president’s opponents decried his management of the health crisis as well as corruption scandals. Whereas some went to the street to show their discontent, others banged pans and pots from their windows. In Argentina, the president and the opposition co-

ordinated the response to the pandemic. The public generally supported such cooperation, but intense polarized minorities took to the streets against the lockdown and also voiced opposition to policies unrelated to the pandemic. In Mexico, the front against President Andrés Manuel LópezObrador organized anti-government car caravans which, as in Argentina, mobilized mostly middle-class protestors. This is remarkable because LópezObrador had kept fiscal austerity amid the pandemic whereas Argentina and Brazil expanded compensation policies to a larger segment of the population. Hence, polarization is not necessarily connected to social policy and its style may be shifting. Outsiders and polarization are not new in the region. But the combined effect of scarce fiscal resources and economic recession left by the pandemic is shifting the contours, because they make it much harder to build large coalitions than during the commodities boom. We may have a glimpse of this reshaping in the upcoming elections in Bolivia and Ecuador, where incumbents are unpopular, and health crises are deep. In both, the electorate is polarized around former radical left movements. Their opponents are fragmented, although they may be able to prevail in a runoff. Whomever wins, the fragmentation will make it harder to build majorities. Meanwhile, presidents in polarized Brazil and Argentina do not control their legislatures, and in Mexico the 2021 midterm elections may weaken the president’s coalition given the traditional toll economic decline poses on incumbents. Alternatively, citizen dissatisfaction may provoke political fragmentation if there is no one to love or hate. Such generalized citizen distrust can open the door for outsiders promising to recreate the political system. The pre-pandemic experience of LópezObrador in Mexico and President NayibBukele in El Salvador reflected citizen frustrations with corruption, insecurity, and lack of economic opportunities. The pandemic only aggravated these concerns. For instance, Peruvian citizens are so frustrated with their state that they often focus their demands on private companies. In a country where corruption is the first concern even amidst the high death toll of the pandemic, it is not surprising that a majority of Peruvians do not know for whom they will vote next year and two thirds want someone who can deliver results even if breaking the law. In Chile, voters profoundly distrust all political parties and 90% believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. Most have put their hopes on the constitutional plebiscite. Almost two thirds expect the constitutional reform to produce political change and 87% are willing to vote in October despite fear of contagion. Yet, there are no clear candidates for the next year presidential election and we do not know if the two-round system will produce fragmentation, that may not be contained by coalitions, or open the door to an outsider. Latin American political scenarios show that citizens often feel devoid of options and perceive all politicians as detached from their daily struggles. Polarization helps them differentiate among politicians. The population that was not rich enough to survive comfortably in quarantine, but was not poor enough to receive social policies, has been hit the hardest in relative terms, as shown by the academic Nora Lustig and her collaborators. This segment of the electorate is likely to be crucial in upcoming elections by reshaping the conversation around public policy. María Victoria Murillo is Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University.

Friday, 11 September, 2020

BUSINESS 09

LocALs To Be given PReFeRence in DiAMeR-BHAsHA DAM PRojecT

CORPORATE CORNER

NA PANeL SuSPeNdS APPoINtmeNtS AGAINSt job AdveRtISemeNtS uNtIL SettLemeNt of quotA foR LoCALS ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C PCR Quantitative & Qualitative test and Dengue PCR testing facility is being provided at Bahria Town International Hospital at a very affordable price by following WHO and Sindh Healthcare Commission guidelines.

LAHORE: OPPO, the leading global smart device brand, hosted its grand virtual launch event of the OPPO Reno4 series to introduce a new suite of power devices. Four devices were revealed during the event that effortlessly integrate to empower consumers to navigate a rapidly altering world.

GHULAM ABBAS

HE National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water Resources has joined voices with the residents of Gilgit Baltistan (GB), and expressed concerns about the appointment criteria of the vacancies for Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project, as only four lower vacancies out of the 169 different posts were extended to the locals. During the meeting of the committee, chaired by MNA Khalid Hussain Magsi, the committee directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to give preference to local candidates in all appointments of the

dam project. The standing committee was informed that 169 posts have been advertised for Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project out of which only four vacancies have been collectively allocated to GB and erstwhile FATA. The committee was apprised that according to the civil established code (Esta Code), special preference is given to local candidates affected by the government’s engagements for appointment of grade 1-15 employment opportunities. The NA body directed that no appointment should be made against the said advertisement till the issue of quota for the candidates of Gilgit-Baltistan is resolved in accordance with relevant rules. Meanwhile, the committee also directed that issues of administration

Subgroup constituted to streamline data sharing between NADRA, FBR ISLAMABAD

For overseas Pakistanis' ease, HBL launches ebanc 'Roshan Digital Account' KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

HBL launches the ‘Roshan Digital Account’, an initiative of the State Bank of Pakistan. The ebanc ‘Roshan Digital Account’ is an innovative product that will enable overseas Pakistanis to open a HBL account from anywhere in the world, digitally, without visiting a branch. Through the opening of this digital account, overseas Pakistanis will now be able to send remittances back home to their families in a hassle-free manner allowing them to conduct everyday bank transactions with ease from wherever they may be. Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO, HBL, commented on the ebanc ‘Roshan Digital Account’ launch, “HBL is fast digitalizing its products and processes to help its customers lead hassle-free lives. Incoming remittances are a key component of Pakistan’s economy and ebanc‘Roshan Digital Account will play its part in the growth and adoption of these digital financial solutions to support the country.”

Tarbela 4th hydel station generates 10bn units, yields Rs75bn revenue NEWS DESK: In yet another significant development towards contribution of low-cost hydel electricity to the national grid, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydel Power Station crossed 10-billion units' generation mark, yielding a revenue of about Rs75 billion to WAPDA. Simultaneously, it also accrued saving worth Rs100bn to the national exchequer, which would otherwise have been borne to generate same quantum of electricity through thermal resources. According to a statement issued by WAPDA, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydel Power Station has been instrumental in meeting electricity needs of Pakistan, triggering socio-economic development in the country. The project has been constructed on Tunnel No. 4 of Tarbela Dam.

and maintenance of Chashma Jhelum (C-J) Link Canal along with the issue of provision of less water to Balochistan be solved earliest. The committee was apprised that the expenditure of maintenance and administration of C-J Link Canal amounts to Rs120 million per annum which provides benefits to Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the province of Punjab. WAPDA has been mandated to look after and maintain the canal yet, none of the beneficiaries is providing funds to it. However, PAEC has agreed to pay Rs30 million per annum to WAPDA for the transitory period. The committee directed the concerned ministry to consult Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Government

STAFF REPORT

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Thursday constituted a subgroup, comprising FBR Policy Board members, to point out and redress the difficulties hindering the progress on data sharing between National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Chairing the second meeting of the FBR Policy Board, the adviser stressed the need to establish a link between the two organisations for sharing of data and analytics. The subgroup consists of FBR Policy Board members Hammad Azhar, Dr Ishrat Hussain, Faiz Kamoka, FBR chairman and NADRA chairman, said a statement issued by the finance ministry, adding that the subgroup would share its report with the chairman within a week. The adviser took a special notice of difficulties faced by traders due to stoppage of containers at the Torkham border. However, he was assured by the FBR officials that necessary steps were being taken and the issue would be resolved within the next few weeks.

Earlier, FBR Chairman Muhamamd Javed Ghani briefed the adviser on the efforts the board has been making to improve the capabilities and expertise of its human resource. He also shed light on the progress made on the automation drive of FBR/Customs. Further, the FBR chairman shared the revenue board's future plans to improve the skill and competence of its staff through the provision of in-house and foreign training. “This will improve managerial competence and promote a culture of performancebased incentives.” He also briefed the adviser on the work being done on the IRIS (software) to consolidate various application platforms into one, saying that the software would help improve efficiency and performance. The chairman was further informed that a technologically advanced sales tax registration verification mechanism had been introduced, whereby officers with tablets would be sent to capture real-time information and pictures, including GPS coordinates of businesses requiring verification. The next meeting of the FBR Policy Board would be held by the end of this month wherein ToRs of the subgroup would be presented for approval. Hammad Azhar and Abdullah Yousaf shall prepare the said ToRs.

SCCI terms heavy burden of RLNG rates on self-suﬃcient KP a ‘conspiracy’ PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

President Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz has termed the federal government move to impose heavy burden of Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) rates on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which is self-sufficient in natural gas, as a “conspiracy to further push the province towards economic turmoil and uncertainty”. In a statement issued on Thursday, Maqsood Pervaiz said that the additional burden of RLNG rates on the business community of KP is unfair and unconstitutional as it stands in violation of Article 158 of Pakistan’s constitution. He made it clear to the federal government that they will not compromise on

constitutional rights of the people of KP and warned that the business community will not allow the federal government to play a vicious game with KP’s industries and businesses. SCCI chief said it is the constitutional right of the KP as a surplus producing province to fully exploit this natural resource and utilize the gas as per requirements of the province. In this regard, he said, SCCI has fully endorsed the provincial government’s stance and stands by it. He went on to say that KP business community had already suffered from terrorism and extremism. He said that the federal government’s current decision merely meant to deprive the surplus gas-producing province from its constitutional right and to forcibly impose RLNG rates on it, which was tantamount to a vicious bid to suppress the KP economy.

of Punjab, WAPDA and PAEC, to resolve the issues and submit a compliance report in the next meeting of the committee. It was briefed about the poor management of Rawal Dam as the areas surrounding it have been deprived of public access by the administration, contradictory to the policy of the government which is keen on promoting tourism. The committee appointed a sub-committee, under the convenership of MNA Ali Nawaz Awan, to examine the issues related to administration, environment and distribution of water and asked it to report to the committee in thirty days. National assembly members Mr Muhammad Farooq Azam Malik, Naureen Farooq Khan and Ch Muhammad Hamid Hameed will also be a part of the sub-committee. The committee deferred the issue of Sindh Barrage and directed that a comprehensive briefing might be given in the next meeting.

Minister stresses high yielding cotton varieties to increase crop output ISLAMABAD: National Food Security & Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday stressed the need for identifying about 48,000 tonnes of verified high yielding cotton seed in order to tap the crop potential of the country. Chairing the 88th meeting of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, the minister called for ensuring the availability of certified high yielding cotton seed verities to enhance per-acre crop output for sustainable agriculture development. The minister noted that cotton is a major cash crop of the country and can contribute significantly in the economic progress as well as agriculture sector development and prosperity of farming community. He told the meeting that Finance Division had released Rs6 billion subsidy for eradication of white fly pesticide, adding that provinces would disburse this subsidy to registered growers. During the meeting, appointments of the PCCC chief executive officer and other critical scientific posts were also discussed, besides administrative issues of Cotton Research Stations in Bahawalpur and Sahiwal. The meeting also approved the budget of PCCC for next year, whereas it was informed that 62 scientists are working for improvements in the quality of cotton. APP

PPL finds new gas reserves in Kalat LAHORE HASSAN NAQVI

Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has found new gas reserves of over 1 Trillion Cubic Feet (tcf) in Kalat Block. The development was announced by Punjab Food Minister Abdul Aleem Khan in a tweet post on Wednesday. “Discovery of 1 trillion+ cubic feet of gas in Kalat, Balochistan, brings good news in controlling Pakistan’s energy crisis for the residential and commercial sector,” said the minister. The discovery was made by the state-owned multinational petroleum company back in December 2019 from Margand X-1 Field, however, the PPIS reserve sheet of Dec-2019 does not contain any reserve information pertaining to Margand as reserve prospects develop gradually. Shankar Talreja, a research analyst at Topline Securities, said that as per the company’s notice to the stock exchange, gas flows from the field were 10.7mmcfd at 64/64 inches choke size, which has annualised earnings impact of Rs0.7 per share.

MARKET DAILY

Bulls dominate PSX as benchmark index gains 625 points KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Bulls staged a comeback at the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the indices accumulating gains all day long amid positive sentiments. The performance of global equity markets, on the other hand, remained mixed, whereas crude oil prices slipped lower from the previous close; WTI crude price falling 1.81pc to $37.36 and Brent crude price declining 1.40pc to $40.20. "The market rallied throughout the day

in response to the launch of Roshan Digital Account for Non-Resident Pakistanis (NRP), which would facilitate investment by Pakistani diaspora in the PSX-listed shares as well as government-issued securities," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. "Positive sentiments were seen across the board but investors took a greater liking for oil & gas marketing, exploration & production and banking stocks. The fertiliser sector also showed positivity as the high court granted a stay on GIDC collection." MARKET SUMMARY: The benchmark KSE-100 Index remained in the green zone

throughout the day, marking its intraday high at 42,896.36 after accumulating 874.11 points. It closed higher by 625.10 points at 42,647.35. Among other indices, the KMI30 index appreciated 983.24 points to end at 68,399.51, while the KSE All Share Index gained 517.80 points, settling at 30,380.36. The overall market volumes jumped from 707.01 million shares in the previous session to 884.94 million shares (+25pc). Average traded value also increased by 27pc, from $128.1 million to $163.2 million. Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd (PIBTL +4.41pc), Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL

CMYK

+1.56pc) and Worldcall Telecom (WTL +2.94pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 121.78 million, 48.05 million and 42.90 million shares, respectively. Sectors that drove the benchmark index north included banking (173.16pts), cement (86.99pts) and oil & gas exploration (85.25pts). Among the companies, Lucky Cement Ltd (LUCK 62.89pts), MCB Bank Ltd (MCB 58.35pts) and Hub Power Company (HUBC 53.39pts) remained the top contributors. Adding 2.74pc to its cumulative market capitalisation, the cement sector emerged as the session’s top gainer, with Lucky Cement

(LUCK 3.34pc), DG Khan Cement (DGKC 1.68pc) and Bestway Cement (BWCL 5.51pc) posting decent gains. Meanwhile, Matco Foods Ltd (MFL 4.32pc) announced its financial performance for FY20. The company’s sales appreciated by 44pc YoY while its cost of sales increased by 48pc, pushing the gross profit margin from 11.6pc in FY19 to 8.99pc. MFL’s earnigns per share contracted from Rs3.38 in FY19 to Rs1.24. Also, the MFL Board of Directors passed a resolution to further invest up to Rs50 million in its associated company, Barentz Pakistan, to meet capital requirements.

Friday, 11 September, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

US caNcelS viSaS of more thaN 1,000 chiNeSe NatioNalS DeemeD ‘SecUrity riSk’ WASHINGTON/BEIJING

AGENCIES

HE United States has revoked visas for more than 1,000 Chinese nationals under a presidential measure denying entry to students and researchers deemed security risks, the State Department said on Wednesday, a move China called a violation of human rights. The acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, said earlier that Washington was blocking visas “for certain Chinese graduate students and researchers with ties to China’s military fusion strategy to prevent them from stealing and otherwise appropriating sensitive research.” In a speech, Wolf repeated U.S. charges of unjust business practices and industrial espionage by China, including attempts to steal coronavirus research, and accused it of abusing student visas to exploit American academia. Wolf said the United States was also “preventing goods produced from slave

labor from entering our markets, demanding that China respect the inherent dignity of each human being,” an apparent reference to accusations of abuse of Muslims in western Xinjiang. A State Department spokeswoman said the visa action followed a May 29 proclamation by President Donald Trump as part of the U.S. response to China’s curbs on democracy in Hong Kong. “As of September 8, 2020, the department has revoked more than 1,000 visas of PRC nationals who were found to be subject to Presidential Proclamation 10043 and therefore ineligible for a visa,” she said. She said the ineligible “high-risk graduate students and research scholars” were “a small subset” of the Chinese coming to the United States for study and research, and that legitimate students and scholars would continue to be welcomed. About 360,000 Chinese nationals study in the United States, bringing its colleges significant revenue, though the Covid-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the return to campus this autumn

semester. In Beijing on Thursday, a foreign ministry spokesman described the U.S. move as “naked” political persecution and racial discrimination that seriously violated human rights. “China reserves the right to make a further response on this issue,” Zhao Lijian told a daily media briefing. DETERIORATING RELATIONS: China-U.S. relations have sunk to historic lows with the world’s two biggest economies clashing over issues ranging from trade and human rights to Hong Kong and the coronavirus. Trump, who had touted friendly ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping as he sought to make good on promises to rebalance a massive trade deficit, has made getting tough on China a key part of his campaign for re-election on Nov. 3. He has accused his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, who leads in national opinion polls, of being soft toward Beijing. Some Chinese students enrolled in U.S. universities said they learnt of the cancellations in emailed notices received

on Wednesday from the U.S. embassy in Beijing or consulates in China. In a WeChat chatrooom, more than 70 holders of F-1 visas, both postgraduates and undergraduates, said the notices advised them to seek new visas if they wanted to travel to the U.S. Many said they were majoring in subjects such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Some said they had secured bachelor’s degrees at Chinese universities with links to the People’s Liberation Army. A final-year undergraduate student of the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign expressed shock at getting the notice. The only reason he could think of could be prior experience at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT), he said. The university is known for its defense and security technology research. “I studied at BUPT before year two, but I have no connections with that university since,” he told Reuters, on condition of anonymity as the subject is sensitive.

Belarus protest leader says she was threatened with expulsion 'alive or in bits' MOSCOW AGENCIES

Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova said security officers put a bag over her head and threatened to kill her when they tried to forcibly deport her to Ukraine earlier this week, according to a complaint filed by her lawyer on Thursday. Kolesnikova, one of the most prominent leaders of month-long protests against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, prevented the attempt to expel her by tearing up her passport. She has emerged as a hero for the protest movement trying to bring down the curtain on Lukashenko’s 26year rule, and a chief target for the authorities who have detained her over accusations of an illegal attempt to seize power in the former Soviet republic. She said in her statement that she had genuinely feared for her life during the failed deportation attempt. “In particular it was stated that if I did not voluntarily leave the Republic of Belarus, I would be taken out anyway, alive or in bits. There were also threats to imprison me for up to 25 years,” Kolesnikova said.

Navalny's condition improving, police guard stepped up: Der Spiegel

She was told there would be problems for her while she was held under guard or in jail. “The persons indicated (security officers) uttered threats to my life and health, which I took to be real,” she said. Her lawyer Lyudmila Kazak filed a criminal complaint against Belarusian authorities including the KGB security police, for kidnap, illegal detention and threats to commit murder, the news portal Tut.By said. The complaint was submitted to the state Investigative Committee. Asked for comment, a representative of the Committee, Sergei Kabakovich, said: “At the present moment I have no information about this.” NAMES AND RANKS: Kolesnikova’s complaint included the names and ranks of individual officers of the KGB and the organised crime agency whom she accuses of threatening her, and said she would be able to identify them, it said. She is now being held in the capital Minsk, where Kazak said she was being questioned on Thursday. Kazak saw her client at a pretrial detention centre on Wednesday, and said she had bruises on her body. Lukashenko denies rigging the Aug. 9 election, which official results said he won by a landslide, and has cracked down hard on protesters demanding his resig-

Myanmar increases lockdown measures, airlines suspend services YANGON

BERLIN

AGENCIES

Myanmar increased lockdown measures in its biggest city on Thursday after reporting another record daily rise in coronavirus cases, with 120 new infections taking its overall cases past the 2,000 mark. Health authorities expanded a stay-at-home order to nearly half of the townships in greater Yangon, a city of

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has made further progress in his recovery after what Germany said was poisoning with a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent, and is able to speak again, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Thursday. The Kremlin critic is being treated in Berlin’s Charite hospital after falling ill on a Russian domestic flight last month. Germany says Navalny was the victim of an attempt to kill him and has demanded an explanation from Russia. Moscow has said it has seen no evidence that Navalny, 44, was poisoned. Der Spiegel magazine said Navalny’s police protection had been stepped up in the expectation that he would be receiving more visitors as his condition improved. “Der Spiegel and Bellingcat understand that Navalny can speak again and can likely remember details about his collapse,” the magazine wrote, crediting its investigative website partner. “His statements could be dangerous for people behind the attack.” There was no immediate comment by the hospital treating Navalny. A Berlin police spokesman had no comment. Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that “the story is exaggerated and contains many factual inaccuracies” in apparent reference to the Spiegel piece. The Navalny affair has driven tensions between Russia and the West to new heights, with some Western governments believing Navalny was poisoned by Russian security services with top-level backing.

nation. He has refused to talk to the opposition, saying it is bent on wrecking the country. Inaugurating a new chief prosecutor on Thursday, Lukashenko reiterated his uncompromising line. “I want to tell you like a man... People often reproach me: ‘He won’t give up power.’ They’re right to reproach me. The people didn’t elect me for this,” he said. “Power is not given to be taken, thrown and given away,” he added, saying the country must not return to the chaos of the 1990s following the break-up of the Soviet Union. In the month since the disputed election, nearly all the opposition’s key leaders have been arrested, fled, or been forced to leave the country. Writer Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature, accused the authorities on Wednesday of terrorising their own people. Diplomats from seven European countries came to her flat, in part to help protect her. Lukashenko, in power since 1994, retains the support of his key ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin. The West has so far been cautious about taking firm action that might provoke a Russian intervention, although the EU is drawing up a list of Belarusian officials to target with sanctions.

at least 5 million people, where most of the new infections were found. The country has now reported a total of 2,009 Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths, with infections quadrupling since a month ago, when the virus resurfaced in the western state of Rakhine after weeks without a domestic case. That prompted authorities to close schools nationwide and re-impose some restrictions that had earlier been

eased. The government has ordered people not to travel other than in an emergency. Domestic airlines also announced that their services were suspended until the end of September. Curbs on entry into Yangon and the capital Naypyitaw were also in place. Authorities said offices, factories and government institutions would remain open in Yangon and workers would be exempt from the order to stay home.

Saudi minister rejects imf’s 6.8pc contraction forecast RIYADH AGENCIES

International Monetary Fund experts are wrong and the Saudi economy will do better this year than the IMF’s pessimistic forecast of a 6.8 percent contraction, the Kingdom’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said. The challenge to the IMF came during a virtual discussion organized by the World Economic Forum involving Al-Jadaan and Kristilina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director. “We are likely to end 2020 with negative growth, but it is likely to be on the lower side of OECD expectations on G20 members. I hope, and I’m challenging Kristilina, that we will come quite below what they are expecting in terms of 2020 negative growth,” the minister said. He added that 2021 would see “very healthy growth”. The IMF has forecast 3.1 per cent growth next year. The Fund’s gloomy forecast for the Kingdom has been criticized before by senior officials. The IMF significantly downgraded Saudi growth prospects in its last World Outlook Forecast in June, from a 2.3 per cent decline to 6.8 per cent as the fall in oil revenue and the Covid-19 pandemic hit the economy. Jadaan painted a cautiously optimistic picture of the Kingdom’s prospects, though he warned “we are not out of the woods yet,” pointing to the risk of a second wave of infection like that hitting Europe. “The outlook is quite positive. The response from the government on debt has been wise. We also faced an oil market shock and revenue reduction but because of the strength of our ‘fiscal envelope’ we were able to manage that and manage it very well,” he said. He praised the actions of the G20, of which Saudi Arabia is president this year, for promising debt relief for the 73 of the most vulnerable economies. “Globally, we need to feel the pain of the less fortunate countries in the crisis,” he said.

New freight train route to europe opens in east china HANGZHOU TLTP

A new China-Europe freight train route linking the city of Jinhua in east China's Zhejiang Province to Baku, Azerbaijan, was launched Thursday. The train is carrying 100 TEUs of goods including electric tools, hardware tools and household items. It is expected to arrive in Baku in 15 to 18 days, about twothirds of the travel time previously needed by the land-and-sea transportation, according to the China Railway Shanghai Group Co., Ltd. Jinhua station operates 12 China-Europe freight train routes. A total of 210 China-Europe freight trains had departed from the station since the beginning of this year, carrying 17,286 TEUs.

virus cases top two million in wider middle east: Who CAIRO: Coronavirus cases in the wider Middle East from Morocco to Pakistan have topped two million, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The caseload for the 21 countries has more than doubled since July 1, the UN agency said. Regional director Ahmed Mandhari warned that even countries like Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia, which had kept their infection rates under control, were now facing significant upticks. The WHO listed the hardest-hit countries as Iran with more than 393,000 cases, Saudi Arabia with more than 320,000, Pakistan with just under 300,000 and Iraq with nearly 274,000. Mandhari said that a number of factors threatened to raise infection rates further — the resumption of international travel across much of the region, the start of the new school year and the beginning of the flu season. AGENCIES

Russian state hackers suspected in targeting Biden campaign firm: report WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Microsoft Corporation recently alerted one of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s main election campaign advisory firms that it had been targeted by suspected Russian state-backed hackers, according to three people briefed on the matter. The hacking attempts targeted staff at Washington-based SKDKnickerbocker, a campaign strategy and communications firm working with Biden and other prominent Democrats, over the past two months, the sources said. A person familiar with SKDK’s response to the attempts said the hackers

failed to gain access to the firm’s networks. “They are well-defended, so there has been no breach,” the person said. SKDK Vice Chair Hilary Rosen declined to comment. A Biden spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as “nonsense”. Moscow has repeatedly denied using hacking to interfere in other countries’ elections. The hacking attempts on SKDK come as U.S. intelligence agencies have raised alarms about possible efforts by foreign governments to interfere in the November presidential election. Investigations by former special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelli-

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gence committee both concluded that affiliates of the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election, and Mueller has warned that Russia was meddling in the current campaign. One of the sources said it was not clear whether Biden’s campaign was the target or whether the hackers were attempting to gain access to information about other SKDK clients. SKDK managing director Anita Dunn was a White House communications director during the Barack Obama presidency and serves the Biden campaign as a senior advisor. The attempts to infiltrate SKDK were recntly flagged to the campaign firm by Microsoft, which identified hackers tied

to the Russian government as the likely culprits, according to the three sources briefed on the matter. The attacks included phishing, a hacking method which seeks to trick users into disclosing passwords, as well as other efforts to infiltrate SKDK’s network, the three sources said. A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment. SKDK is closely associated with the Democratic Party, having worked on six presidential campaigns and numerous congressional races. In addition to its current work for Biden, the firm in 2018 worked on successful governor’s races in Kansas and Connecticut.

Friday 11 September, 2020

SPORTS 11

AGENCIES

ORMER West Indies captain Darren Sammy has urged cricket's governing bodies to treat racism more seriously and pay it the same attention they give to upholding the integrity of the game. Athletes across the world have spoken out about racism in sport as part of the Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. Sammy, who led West Indies to two Twenty20 World Cup titles, has been at the forefront of the movement in cricket and wants those who run the game to do more. "We've made the recommendations. You know racism is real. It is not something that we can hide," Sammy told Reuters from Trinidad, where he is playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). "So I urge them (to give racism) the same emphasis they put on protecting the integrity of the game. Why not protect the integrity of human beings? "If you're able to raise awareness in the game, where every person, every human being is treated equally, regardless of the colour of their skin, I think that is the way the world should be." Sammy, who will lead the St Lucia Zouks in the CPL final against Trinbago Knight Riders later on Thursday, travels around the world with his former West In-

‘RAcISM IS ReAl’: DARRen SAMMy URGeS cRIckeT TO DO beTTeR dies teammate Chris Gayle to play in numerous domestic tournaments as Twenty20 freelancers. Both have complained about facing racial abuse in the past. Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was slapped with a four-match ban last year for a racist remark aimed at South Africa all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, while England's Black fast bowler Jofra Archer was abused on social media. England joined West Indies in wearing "Black Lives Matter" logos on their shirts during their recent test series and also took the knee as part of the protests against racism. "It's amazing to see the lack of conversation in the cricket circle from certain parts of the world when it comes to social injustice and racism and all these things," Sammy added. "Yes we saw West Indies played England, so it was bound to happen, the show, the support for Black Lives Matter. But what about the other boards? What about the other

US Open: Daniil Medvedev downs Andrey Rublev to reach semi-finals Third seed Daniil Medvedev defeated Russian compatriot and childhood friend Andrey Rublev in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Wednesday. Medvedev overcame his 10th-seeded opponent 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) in 2hr 27min inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 24year-old will play either second seed Dominic Thiem or Australia's Alex de Minaur, seeded 21st, in the last four on Friday. Fifth seed Alexander Zverev of Germany faces Spain's 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the competition's other semi-final. Rublev raced to a 5-1 lead in the first-set tie-break before Medvedev, last year's US Open runner-up, hauled back to win it 8-6 with an ace. "In these moments you feel like you have to fight for every point, but you're also thinking, 'Okay, I have probably lost this set,'" said Medvedev. "I felt like I could get in trouble so I was really happy to get the winner in this tough tiebreaker. "One point decided two sets so it was a really tough match and Andrey was playing unbelievable actually," Medvedev added. In what was a baseline slugfest for much of the match, big-hitting Medvedev smashed 16 aces and won 89 percent of firstserve points. His defensive game was also superior, making 75 percent of returns to just 54 percent by Rublev. Medvedev and Rublev, 22, have known each other since competing in under-ten tournaments in Russia. Medvedev is now 3-0 against his friend in professional tennis. AGENCIES

territories? I have not heard a statement from a few of the other boards. "If you do care about the integrity of the game and don't take a stance against racism, or social injustice against people of colour, then to me you're really not doing your job." Sammy caused a stir when he made an allegation of racism against his former Sunrisers Hyderabad teammates over a Hindi nickname he was given when he was part of the Indian Premier League franchise from 2013-14. The West Indies later accepted a former team mate's explanation and now hopes the issue can be used to educate players about racism. "My focus now is to educate people on certain slurs that is inappropriate to people of colour," added Sammy, who felt his T20related travel had helped him better understand the culture and different backgrounds of players across the world. "That's where I will always use my voice to advocate change for the better."

England vs Australia ODI series will break a 40-year-old record

AGENCIES After the culmination of the T20 series, England and Australia will now lock horns will each other in the 50-over format. The first ODI of the three-match series will be played on Friday at the Old Trafford Cricket Stadium in Manchester. England will be favourites in the series due to their home advantage and also due to the momentum they have built after winning the T20 series 2-1. However, there is an interesting record that will be made when both the teams step out to the field. It will be the 1st time in almost 40 years that three

back to back ODIs of a bilateral series will be played at the same venue between England-Australia. The last time it happened was in 1979-80 when all matches were played at Melbourne. There is another interesting statistic that wouldn’t please the Australian cricket team. Since the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Australia have been in poor form in ODIs. They have won only 2 ODI matches out 7 since the tournament and have the 3rd worst win percentage among the 14 teams that have played 5 or more matches since the World Cup. Australia captain Aaron Finch is also wary of the threat provided by the

world champions. He feels “They’re a side that has firepower with ball and bat,” Finch said on Thursday. “They have experience and they keep coming at you. There isn’t a part of the game where you can take your foot off the gas because there will be someone there to take the opportunity away from you. “They had a great four years and capped it off with a great World Cup win because they were continually aggressive. They’ve had the wood on us in the recent past, but that’s fine. We aren’t looking in the past, we are looking forward.”

Premier League chief wants fans back, but govt to review return plan AGENCIES Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has warned it is "critical" to get fans back into stadiums soon, but a spike in coronavirus cases has forced the British government to review plans to reopen venues from Oct 1. The Premier League was forced to finish last season with the final 92 matches played behind closed doors after the coronavirus lockdown. When the 2020-21 campaign kicks off on Saturday, stadiums around England will remain empty in the stands due to the continued threat of the pandemic. Brighton hosted 2,500 fans for their recent pre-season friendly against Chelsea, while Arsenal's Premier League home match against Sheffield United on October 3 was earmarked for a potential reduced-capacity test event. Fearing potential losses of 700 million pounds ($910 million), Masters said it is essential for the financial health of English football that supporters are able to return soon. "We have to get back to fans inside stadia as quickly as possible - that's the big thing that's missing, economic or otherwise - we need fans back inside stadiums for all sorts of reasons and it's the number one priority," Masters told the BBC. "I think per-

haps there is a perception the Premier League economy can withstand just about anything, but if you do lose £700m out of a planned budget it's going to affect things and clubs have had to make some very difficult decisions." However, an increase in the number of virus cases has forced the government to ban gatherings of more than six people from Monday. ‘BUMPS IN THE ROAD’: "At the present time we must also I am afraid revise plans

to pilot larger audiences in venues later this month and review our intention to return audiences to stadiums and conference centres from October 1," Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a press conference on Wednesday. "But that doesn't mean we are going to scrap the programme entirely, we are just going to have to review it and abridge it." It has been reported pilot events which have already been arranged to test the safe return of spectators will be limited to a

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maximum of 1,000 people with social distancing measures in place. Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said changes to the pilot plans would be announced shortly, with the long-term aim now to have larger crowds by Christmas. "Further to the PM's announcement we are reviewing the list of proposed sports pilots ahead of 1 Oct, in light of the increased number of cases. Details of changes will be announced shortly," Dowden wrote on Twitter. "We are keeping under review further easements proposed from 1 Oct but no changes have been announced today and we continue to plan for the best. "As I said on Sunday and the PM confirmed today, work continues round the clock on the moonshot project with the ambition of having audiences back much closer to normal by Christmas." Masters admitted the Premier League never expected the path back to full stadiums to be a smooth ride. "We wait to see what the government decides and we'll remain in dialogue with them throughout," he said. "We always knew September was going to be a difficult month at the start of the return to normality the government was talking about, and so we should anticipate bumps in the road."

Rashid credits Azharuddin for nurturing Ganguly Heaping praise on former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, former skipper Rashid Latif said he deserves a lot of credit for developing leadership qualities in someone like Sourav Ganguly, which later on helped Indian cricket get some outstanding leaders like MS Dhoni. While paying a tribute to recently-retired legendary India wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni, Latif talked about the culture developed by Azharuddin in the 90s when he was the Indian captain. “I respect Mohammad Azharuddin a lot. He served Indian cricket for a long time and left someone like Sourav Ganguly. Azharuddin played a great role in developing Ganguly as a captain. Greats like Sachin and Dravid played under Ganguly,” Latif said in a YouTube show called Caught Behind. Ganguly, who made both his Test and ODI debuts in 1996 and in 1992 when Azharuddin was the Indian captain, went on to play 65 matches – 12 Tests and 53 ODIs – under the right-hander’s captaincy. The former Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman said Dhoni’s leadership qualities were a result of combined traits of Ganguly and Azharuddin. Latif said just like Azhar deserves a lot of credit for moulding Ganguly as a leader, the current BCCI president had a big role in shaping Dhoni’s career. “Then if you have a look at Dhoni’s career, it depended somewhat on Ganguly. The kind of mindset and leadership qualities Ganguly had was in-born. “Mohammad Azharuddin made Ganguly. And Dhoni combined both of their qualities and created his own style according to modern-day cricket. He got the match-winning belief in the team, developed that culture in the team, instilled that winning mindset,” he added. Talking further about Dhoni’s captaincy, Latif said the wicket-keeper batsman was a leader. He backed young cricketers and gave them the AGENCIES

Hazlewood hoping for ‘enough red-ball cricket’ before first India Test Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood is hoping to get enough game time in red-ball cricket before the first Test against India later this year and has expressed a desire to see the series opener being played in “lucky” Brisbane. India are scheduled to tour Australia for a four-match Test series later this year. Considering the situation arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said even a practice game against Australia A squad would work well with him. “The summer is becoming a bit clearer as the days go by and I’m sure we’ll get enough red-ball cricket before that first Test, whether it’s Australia versus Australia A or something like that,” he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “I’m quite happy with just one long-form game, I feel like that’s enough for me to get up and running. That’s what I’ve done last five or six years, one Shield game and straight into the Test matches.” Hazlewood admitted his teammates would ideally like to start the Test series in Brisbane, where Australia have not lost since 1988. “Things are out of our control a bit at the moment. Obviously, we’d love to start in Brizzy with our great record there,” he said. AGENCIES

Friday, 11 September, 2020

PRAyER TImINGS

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:22

11:59

4:28

5:44

6:13

7:36

Fm cAlls For sco eFForts AgAINst FAscIst IdeologIes ISLAMABAD

SAYS CPEC MUST NOT BE VIEWED THROUGH NARROW POLITICAL PRISM

STAFF REPORT

OReIGN Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has urged the member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to work together to address resurgence of fascist ideologies and violent nationalism anywhere in the world especially in the region. Addressing the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Moscow on Thursday, the foreign minister said that those perpetrating state terrorism against the people under illegal occupation in disputed territories must be condemned and held accountable, said a press release. The foreign minister stressed that peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes is a prerequisite for achieving development, economic growth, poverty alleviation and social uplift of the masses. “In this context, we strongly emphasise the importance of faithfully implementing United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions,” he added. He said that the world must strongly condemn and oppose any unilateral and illegal measures to change the status of disputed territories in violation of UNSC resolutions. “We must affirm that extremist as well as xenophobic ideologies, including Islamophobia, have no place in today's world,” he added. The foreign minister said that the SCO should focus on promoting regional connectivity projects. “We must not view these projects through a narrow political prism but

rather whole-heartedly pursue them for the achievement of sustainable development in the region,” he said. He also said the ChinaPakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) is destined to bring economic prosperity for Pakistan and the region and beyond. In particular, Special economic Zones (SeZs) under CPeC offer excellent incentives for investment, he added. Highlighting the importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan, the foreign minister said that Pakistan has assiduously supported the efforts for peace and reconciliation process that is Afghan-led and Afghanowned. He said that the Afghan stakeholders must now seize this historic opportunity and work together to secure an inclusive, broadbased and comprehensive political settlement. It is critical that the Intra-Afghan negotiations commence at the earliest. Qureshi said that it is also imperative to be cognisant of the role of spoilers within and outside who do not want peace and stability to return to Afghanistan. He said that the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honour should be an essential part of the peace negotiations. We look forward to consultations in the SCO-

INdIA IN sHock over 86-yeAr-old grANdmotHer's rApe An 86-year-old grandmother was allegedly raped and assaulted by a man nearly five decades younger than her in India, BBC News reported, in the latest shocking case of sexual violence against women in the country. Police in the capital New Delhi have arrested a man in his 30s who allegedly duped the octogenarian into accompanying him before raping her. “The woman was waiting outside her home on Monday evening for the milkman when she was approached by her attacker,” Swati Maliwal, head of the Delhi Commission for Women, told the BBC. “He told her that her regular milk delivery man wasn’t coming and offered to take her to the place where she could get milk.” The woman went along with the man, who took her to a nearby farm where he raped her, Maliwal said. “She kept crying and begging him to leave her. She told him that she was like his grandmother. But he ignored her pleas and assaulted her mercilessly when she tried to resist and protect herself,” the activist added. The woman was rescued by local villagers who heard her cries while passing by the farm. They handed over the attacker to the police. After visiting the elderly victim at her home, Maliwal described the trauma she had endured. “Her hands are totally wrinkled. You get a shock when you hear what she went through. There are bruises on her face and all over her body and she told me that she had vaginal bleeding. She is suffering from extreme trauma,” she was quoted as saying in the report. Crimes against women in India have been unabated despite tough new laws that were enacted following the 2012 rape and murder of a woman in a Delhi bus that led to an outpouring of anger across the country. NEWS DESK

Afghan Contact Group to further facilitate the Afghan peace and reconciliation process, he added. Qureshi said that the regional countries must pool their scientific and technical resources to carry out joint research in diverse fields, foremost with an objective to find an effective vaccine for the Covid-19 virus and make it accessible to all as a global public good. On its part, he said, Pakistan is open to share its experience in combating the pandemic in an effective manner keeping the total cases and fatalities relatively low. He said that the member countries should work together to project SCO as an effective forum for regional development and a new kind of international organisation based on the ideals of "Shanghai Spirit". ‘MULTIDIMENSIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH RUSSIA’: FM Qureshi, during a meeting with his Russian counterpart

Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of SCO Council of Foreign Minister, underscored that Pakistan considers Russia an important partner and aims to forge a long-term and multidimensional partnership with Russia. The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, including the Covid-19 situation, prospects of enhanced bilateral cooperation, regional issues and cooperation at multilateral fora. They also exchanged views on further strengthening trade and economic cooperation including in the field of energy. Foreign Minister Lavrov welcomed Pakistan’s participation in the forthcoming Kavkaz military exercise scheduled to be held in Russia later this month. The two foreign ministers also discussed the situation in Afghanistan in the context of the recent positive developments. The foreign minister highlighted Pakistan’s positive

India adds five Rafale jets in military upgrade NEW DELHI AGENCIES

The Indian air force inducted into service five Frenchmade Rafale fighter jets on Thursday amid heightened tensions with China along their disputed frontier. New Delhi has sent reinforcements of fighter jets and military equipment to the Ladakh region after the tense standoff there escalated to hand-to-hand combat between Indian and Chinese soldiers on June 15 that left 20 Indians dead. At the ceremony at a northern airbase, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the induction of fighter aircraft was very significant given the security situation at India’s borders. In addition to the standoff in the Ladakh region, Indian troops regularly clash with Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control. The fighter jets are part of an $8.78 billion deal signed with France in 2016 as India seeks to modernise its military. All the 36 planes are scheduled to be delivered by 2022 after being made in France. French Defence Minister Florence Parly, who attended the ceremony, said the Rafale aircraft have proven their capabilities in tackling rebel forces in Mali and Syria. The fully combat-proven ability of the aircraft will “provide an edge to India in the region to protect itself”, she said. Singh also said that India is now playing play an important role in protecting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions.

Later, via a tweet, Sindh said that the induction of Rafale “is a strong message for the world and especially for those who challenge India’s sovereignty”. “The induction is a very important step in light of the prevailing security conditions that prevail, or I would say, that have been created along India’s borders.” The first five planes had arrived at the airbase in Ambala in northern Haryana state on July 29. It’s an operational base for Indian forces stationed at the borders with Pakistan and China. The Rafale have 13 custom features and long-range missiles, providing the Indian air force capabilities like long-range strikes, air defence and interdiction, said defence analyst Rahul Bedi. The Rafales are the first foreign fighters to join the Indian air force after the Russian Su-30MKI’s were inducted into service in 1997, Bedi said. INDIA, JAPAN SEAL MILITARY LOGISTICS COOPERATION PACT: Also, on Thursday, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement that India and Japan have signed an agreement that will provide their militaries access to each other’s bases for supplies and services. The two countries have built close defence ties in recent years, which analysts say are part of efforts to counter the growing weight of China across the region. “The agreement will also enhance the interoperability between the Armed Forces of India and Japan,” the defence ministry statement said.

Citing new book, Biden accuses Trump of betraying Americans on coronavirus WARREN AGENCIES

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden accused President Donald Trump on Wednesday of betraying the American people, saying he knowingly lied about the deadliness of the novel coronavirus in what amounted to a “dereliction” of duty. According to newly released recordings of interviews done in February for a book by journalist Bob Woodward, Trump acknowledged he knew how deadly and contagious the coronavirus was but played it down because he did not want to create a panic. With weeks remaining until the Nov 3 presidential election, the news about Trump’s comments again focused attention on the Republican president’s efforts to battle COVID-19, which Democrats say have been too little, too late. “He knew, and purposefully played it down. Worse, he lied to the American people,” Biden said in a speech in Michigan. He was visiting the battleground state,

home to the US auto industry, to promote a proposal to tax companies that move US jobs overseas. “And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job – on purpose. It was a lifeand-death betrayal of the American people,” Biden said. “It’s a dereliction of duty, a disgrace,” he said. Biden and Trump are ramping up travel in the final sprint to the election during a coronavirus pandemic that has made waging a traditional campaign all but impossible. The president is expected to visit Michigan and Pennsylvania later in the week. The United States has suffered the highest number of coronavirus deaths in the world. Deaths topped 190,000 on Wednesday along with a spike in new cases in the Midwest and states like Iowa and South Dakota emerging as the new hot spots in the past few weeks. Trump on Wednesday defended his handling of the virus, saying at the White House: “The fact is I’m a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I don’t

want people to be frightened.” ‘A BETTER WAY’: Biden also accused Trump of failing to fulfill his campaign vow, delivered in Michigan in the waning days of the 2016 race, to protect American jobs and prevent plants from closing. Trump’s victory in the state, by less than 11,000 votes, helped propel him to the presidency. About a dozen United Auto Workers officials listened to Biden from folding chairs spaced out for safety in the Detroit suburb of Warren in the crucial Republican-leaning Macomb County. Biden, who has already proposed raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent from 21 percent, said he would impose a 30.8 percent rate on profits from products made overseas and sold in the United States. His plan envisions a companion 10 percent tax credit for companies that reopen closed facilities, bring jobs back to the United States or expand their manufacturing payroll. While that would require congressional approval, Biden outlined several executive orders he would sign as

president, unilateral measures ensuring the government purchases primarily American-made goods. “Make it in Michigan, make it in America, invest in our communities and our workers in places like Warren. That’s what this is about,” he said. After his speech, Biden made a quick stop at a Black-owned clothing store in Detroit before sitting in the backyard of a house with four steelworkers to discuss economic and labor issues. “It just drives me crazy that the country is going to hell in a handbasket economically and politically and in terms of our health, and we’re doing nothing about it,” Biden said. ECONOMIC STEWARDSHIP: The former vice president is trying to convince voters that he would be the best choice to revive the coronavirus-hobbled US economy. Although Biden has led Trump in virtually every national poll for months, that issue has been a sticking point, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Wednesday showed the two candidates were dead even on the economy at 45 percent each.

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contribution to the efforts for Afghan peace and reconciliation process and reaffirmed support for an Afghan-led and Afghanowned peace process. On Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), Qureshi shared deep concerns over the grave human rights and humanitarian situation as well as the Indian attempts to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory. He underlined the urgent necessity of addressing the grave situation in IOK. Qureshi extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Lavrov to visit Pakistan, which he gladly accepted. The two foreign ministers agreed to remain in close contact and pursue enhanced cooperation in all spheres of common interest. CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE, JWG ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION: Later, the Council of Foreign Ministers of SCO unanimously adopted Pakistan's proposal to set up a Centre of excellence in Islamabad and a Joint Working Group on Poverty Alleviation. This was stated by FM Qureshi in a video message on the conclusion of the SCO meeting in Moscow on Thursday. The foreign minister said that all the members were of the view that the coronavirus pandemic still exists and “for that we should formulate a common strategy to deal with”. He said that the SCO countries appreciated the role of China for providing technical assistance during the pandemic and congratulated Russia for making a vaccine for the treatment of coronavirus. He said that it was agreed that the vaccine should be used for the public good, keeping commercial interests at bay.

UN chief condemns attack on Afghan vice president NEW YORK: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Wednesday's attack in Kabul on the convoy of First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, which resulted in dozens of civilian casualties. Guterres extended his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. The secretary-general reiterated the urgency of achieving a peaceful settlement to the conflict in the country and reaffirmed the UN's commitment to supporting the people and government of Afghanistan in this important endeavor, said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres' spokesman, in a statement. At least 10 people were killed and 15 others wounded in a roadside bomb attack that struck Saleh's convoy. Saleh received minor wounds in his left hand and small burns on his face. His teenage son accompanying him in the bombproof vehicle was unharmed, Saleh confirmed in a footage posted on his Facebook account. Wednesday's attack came as peace efforts have been underway between the Afghan government and the Taliban. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast. AGENCIES

Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port a month after explosion BEIRUT: A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, triggering panic among residents traumatized by last month’s massive explosion there that killed and injured thousands of people.It was not immediately clear what caused the fire at the facility, which was decimated by the Aug. 4 explosion when nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated, triggering a shock wave explosion that blasted windows, doors and walls miles away. A column of black smoke billowed from the port at midday Thursday, with orange flames leaping from the ground. The Lebanese army said the fire is at a warehouse where oil and tires are placed in the duty free zone at the port adding that fighting the blaze is ongoing and that army helicopters are taking part in the operation. Panicked residents — still struggling to get over last month’s catastrophic explosion — cracked open windows and called each other to warn them of the new fire. Local TV stations said the companies that have offices near the port have asked their employees to leave the area. Lebanese troops closed the major road that passes near the port referring traffic to other areas. The Aug. 4 explosion killed more than 190 people, injured around 6,500 and damaged thousands of buildings in the Lebanese capital. The sight of another huge fire a month later created panic among residents traumatized by last month’s explosion. AGENCIES