Saturday, 12 September, 2020 I 23 muharram, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI no 73 I 12 Pages I Lahore edition
Pressure mounts on Lahore CCPo to resign over insensitive remarks g
Two SuSPeCTS ARReSTeD IN GANG-RAPe CASe AFTeR uSING vICTIM’S ATM CARD
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PuNJAB IGP oRDeRS DePLoyMeNT oF PoLICe PeRSoNNeL oN THe MoToRwAy
LAHORE STAFF REPORT
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day after Lahore Capital City Police officer (CCPo) umar Sheikh made comments regarding the motorway gangrape incident, which were viewed as victim-blaming, public and political figures alike have demanded his removal. During a television interview, the CCPo had blamed the victim for travelling late at night and for taking the motorway instead of GT Road. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has demanded the removal of umar Sheikh from his position as a “women’s dignity is not safe as long as this CCPo is in office”. The comment was made by party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb while
addressing a press conference in the federal capital on Friday. She added that the CCPo should receive as severe a punishment as the rapists and that his
focus should have been on why the police were not there to help the woman. Meanwhile, Planning Minister Asad umar and Adviser to the Prime Minister
on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar both came to the defence of the CCPo, saying that the statement had been misconstrued. Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif lashed out at the government ministers and Punjab chief minister, who he said “rushed to support and implicitly justify the conduct of a police official”. “How can they govern when they do not have the ability to identify a problem?” he asked. Marriyum also criticised the government for their silence on the matter. “Police seem to be in confusion over jurisdiction,” she said. “The entire government, as well as the prime minister, is silent on this atrocity. The government has failed to ensure the protection of Pakistani citizens.” Her statements were rebuked by Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari,
who denounced the CCPo’s comments. Shireen defended the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) minister, saying, “Asad umar defended my statement [… ] Shahzad Akbar categorically conveyed the entire federal cabinet’s strong displeasure at CCPo’s statement. No one in PTI defended indefensible statement of CCPo. IG has taken note and action also against CCPo.” Furthermore, Akbar said on a local news station that “the CCPo has been warned against making such remarks in the future”. However, Shireen’s comments come after Akbar had earlier said “an unneeded controversy was created out of the CCPo’s earlier statement” and Asad had remarked that the officer had “not said anything illegal” when replying to calls for the CCPo’s removal.
CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE
Textile, fertiliser sectors seek extension in GIDC payment deadline NEWS DESK Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired two separate meetings at the Finance Division with groups of representatives from fertilizer industry and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) to discuss the issue of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC). Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Nadeem Babar, Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, officials of the Ministry of Finance, Petroleum Division and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were also present on the occasion.
Coronavirus in
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
300,371
LAST UPDATED AT 8:41 AM ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
5
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
345
DEATHS:
288,206 6,370 SINDH:
131,404
PUNJAB:
97,533
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
36,823
13,282
2,366/3,131 15,832
FMPAC Chairman Lt Gen (r) Tariq Khan and APTMA Chairman Dr Amanullah Kassim Machiyara, in two separate meetings, requested the adviser to extend the time limit for the payment of GIDC so that both industries have a better liquidity position. The adviser discussed the issues in detail with the participants of the meeting and provided due opportunity to share their views supported by the relevant facts. He, however, underlined that decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has to be implemented. SAPM on petroleum and minister for industries also briefed the meeting. After detailed deliberations, the chair decided
that the issue will be resolved in the light of the decision of the court, but the government will also support the industry in the post-corona environment. The adviser directed that two separate subgroups will be formed to propose 2-3 workable options for an amicable solution of GIDC issues. The first group shall have representatives from the fertilizer industry, finance ministry, FBR and petroleum ministry. The second group shall have representatives from APTMA, finance ministry, FBR, petroleum ministry and commerce ministry. The minister for industries shall chair both groups and shall present recommendations in the meeting to
COAS, CenTCOm chief discuss Afghan peace, regional security RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT
uS Central Command Commander General Kenneth F McKenzie junior called on Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting between Army Chief General Bajwa and uS CeNTCoM Commander General Kenneth F McKenzie Jr discussed the geo-strategic situation in the region. According to ISPR, the two leaders also discussed regional security, promotion of bilateral relations, Afghanistan peace process and the situation in occupied Kashmir. The visit of the CeNTCoM comes at a time when the talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are set to take place in Qatar’s capital Doha on Saturday after a long wait and anticipation. A team representing the Afghan government flew out for Doha on Friday afternoon ahead of long-awaited peace negotiations with the insurgent Taliban scheduled to begin on
be held next week. Last month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had dismissed all petitions filed against the GIDC levy and ruled in favour of the federal government, asking it to collect more than Rs700 billion from various companies. A three-member special bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Mushir Alam and also comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, had heard 107 petitions and appeals filed by several textile, cotton and sugar mills; ceramics, chemical, aluminium and cement companies; CNG filling stations; and match factories against the GIDC levy.
more inside
Journalist Bilal Farooqi arrested for allegedly ‘spreading hatred’ STORY ON PAGE 03
Saturday, Afghan officials said. Pakistan and the united States on Friday welcomed upcoming talks between the Kabul government and the Afghan Taliban, scheduled for September 12 in Doha, hoping the dialogue would bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan and end 19 years of civil war. “Pakistan welcomes the announcement of the start of historic intra-Afghan negotiations on 12 September in Doha,” the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq said on Twitter. “we hope these negotiations would lead to sustainable peace in Afghanistan, which would bring prosperity to the country. our strong support to
the process would continue,” he added. “This opportunity must not be squandered,” uS secretary of state Michael R. Pompeo said in a statement issued by the uS embassy in Islamabad. “Immense sacrifice and investment by the united States, our partners, and the people of Afghanistan have made this moment of hope possible.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
Afghan negotiators, Pompeo depart for Doha peace talks with Taliban STORY ON BACK PAGE
Progress, prosperity of backward areas present govt's foremost priority: PM STORY ON PAGE 03
Bahrain follows emirates in normalising ties with Israel STORY ON BACK PAGE
China, India agree to disengage troops on contested border STORY ON BACK PAGE
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Saturday, 12 September, 2020
NEWS
PaKiStaN tO hOSt MEEtiNg OF auDit hEaDS FrOM SCO COuNtriES ISLAMABAD
t
SHAHZAD PARACHA
HE department of Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) will host the fifth high-level meeting of the heads of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries in Islamabad. Officials said that this will be the first SCO meeting that Pakistan will host after attaining membership of the regional organization in 2017. Prime Minister Imran Khan has granted principal approval for hosting the meeting by the AGP.
In consultation through subsequent engagements with the National Coordinator (NC) Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), it has been decided that the AGP office will host the SCO meeting in the first half of 2021. Initially, the event was planned in October 2020 but had to be rescheduled owing to the Covid-19 travel restrictions in the member countries. The two-day meeting of the heads of SAIs would be attended by eight member states of the SCO countries, while observers and dialogue partners will be also invited. SCO comprises eight member states, namely the Republic of India, the
Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. Four observer states include the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Republic of Belarus, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Mongolia. Also, the organization has six dialogue partners that include the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the Republic of Turkey, and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The inaugural session is likely to be graced by the President of Pakistan
Dr Arif Alvi, whereas the incoming dignitaries would also call on the President or the Prime Minister. During the meeting, observers and dialogue partners will provide affirmations to the Pakistani government’s commitment to strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the SCO member states; promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology and culture, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, and other areas and making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region. It will also augment the government’s ongoing multi-track efforts to promote positive nation branding and soft image of the country. Keeping in mind the unique feature of the SCO of the former Soviet Union states and China, the ministerial-level meeting of such a high calibre is being held first time in Pakistan and the initiative of the AGP to host the event has been highly appreciated by the SCO member states.
Four bodies, seven injured retrieved from Korangi building collapse site INP
Exhumation of Dr Maha’s body, post mortem allowed KARACHI TLTP
The judicial magistrate on Friday granted permission for exhumation of Dr Maha Shah’s body and post mortem after being requested by the Karachi police investigators who had expressed suspicions over her previous medical report. The judicial magistrate South stated in its written decision that the court has no objection over the exhumation of Dr Maha’s body for post mortem and it will not intervene in the ongoing investigation by the prosecution. The session court directed concerned authorities for implementing all regulations of exhumation and post mortem. Earlier on September 1, the police department had decided to seek court permission for the exhumation of Dr Maha Shah’s body for conducting post mortem again after declaring the previous medical report ‘wrong’. The investigators had sought permission from the court for exhumation and post mortem of the deceased woman. They had said that the 9mm pistol had been shot in her head from the right hand, whereas, the medical report stated the bullet shot from the left hand. The police had claimed that the medico-legal officer (MLO) had released her medical report without conducting a post mortem. Police had added that a clear picture of the case will emerge after conducting a post mortem of the deceased woman.
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday confirmed that five patients died of Covid-19 during the last 24 hours in Pakistan. The total count of coronavirus deaths reached to 6,370, whereas, 548 new cases were also reported as active cases recorded up to 5,795 in the country. According to NCOC statistics, 288,206 patients recovered from coronavirus. In Pakistan, 300,371 cases have been reported, including 131,404 in Sindh, 97,533 in Punjab, 36,823 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 15,832 in Islamabad, 3,131 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), 13,282 in Balochistan and 2,366 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). 2,439 patients lost their lives due to Covid-19 infection in Sindh, 2,214 in Punjab, 1,256 in KP, 178 in Islamabad, 145 in Balochistan, 73 in GB, 65 in AJK. The country conducted 29,534 detection tests during the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests to 2,879,355. 1,021 patients are currently admitted to 735 hospitals across the country including 93 people put on ventilators. INP
Law to be amended to punish sex offences Senator Faisal
KARACHI The first phase of rescue and relief operation at the site of multi-storey residential building collapse has been completed on Friday. According to the rescue officials, four dead bodies and seven injured have been retrieved from the rubble of the building. Troops of Pakistan Army, Sindh Rangers, Police and Social Welfare organisations contributed in the operation. The first phase of the operation has been completed as all the bodies and injured tapped in the rubble of the building have been retrieved, said the rescue officials. In the second phase of the rescue and relief operation, the debris of the building will be disposed-off and in the third phase, the causes behind the building collapse and responsible hands would be determined. According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SCBA), the collapsed building was a four-storey, which had caused damage to a nearby building. Talking to media persons, the chairman SCBA had said that the building was constructed illegally on the plot of the playground. Meanwhile, it was learnt that the building was declared dangerous for living several months back, after which residents of six flats had vacated their premises, however, two families were still living, said sources.
Coronavirus claims five more lives in Pakistan: NCOC
LAHORE: Members of the civil society demand the removal of Lahore CCPO over his insensitive remarks after a woman was gang-raped on Lahore motorway. ZUBAIR MEHFOOZ
Sub-Committee of Senate Body on Aviation discusses CAA’s fake licences issue ISLAMABAD INP
The Sub-Committee on the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation held meeting on Friday to inquire, investigate and fix responsibility in the matter of alleged fake flying licences issued by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) resulting in international airspace restrictions and embarrassment. Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar presided over the meeting also attended by Senator Muhammad Asad Ali Khan Junejo, Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi, senior officers from the Ministry of Aviation and Pakistan Airlines Pilots Association (PALPA). The committee was informed that in 2018 scrutiny of the pilot examination records by Aviation Division and CAA revealed that discrepancies existed between the result sheets generated by the examination software and the attendance sheets generated by the examination were held on the days that pilots were actually not registered/scheduled for the
test; exams were taken on holidays and in quite a few cases conducted outside the working hours. The committee was informed that an inquiry was conducted by a five-member team headed by PNSC Chairman Rizwan Ahmed. PALPA informed the committee that during the course of investigation, none of PALPA’s members were heard. It was revealed that of all the l41 licences that were declared fake there are 35 names who are not part of PIA’s Network. 20 are those who were never enrolled by PIA, 25 were those with wrong reference numbers and 45 were those cases that were manipulated with regards to Civil Aviation Rules and Regulations (CARRS) details of which would be provided to the committee. Members of the committee were of the view that in order to get to the root of the matter, it was essential that the forensic report be submitted to the committee. It was asserted that details of the software designer and those who operated the software must be submitted to the committee to ensure that no tampering of data occurred.
NAB constitutes joint investigation team on sugar subsidy scandal ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has constituted a joint investigation team for carrying out a thorough probe into sugar subsidy scandal. The decision was taken in a session chaired by NAB chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal today for reviewing
the report of sugar commission. According to NAB spokesperson, the team will comprise of two investigation officers, economic experts and legal consultants. The anti-corruption watchdog decided to include experts of sugar industry and additional director in the
team which will be headed by NAB Rawalpindi Director-General Irfan Naeem Mangi. The NAB headquarters will review the progress report of the joint investigation team on monthly basis. The team has been tasked to collect records of subsidy on sugar from all provinces besides acquiring reports of financial and audit of the concerned companies through the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). INP
ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Chairman Senator Faisal Javed Khan has said that amendments will be made in the law to bring severe punishments like castration to eradicate sexual crimes from the country. Expressing regret over the tragedy, he said that such crimes should be punished severely and PEMRA and PTV should run public awareness campaigns so that no one would dare to commit such a crime. He said that laws would be amended to bring castration-like punishments for such criminals so that people would refrain from committing the crime out of fear. He said that the media proved its responsibility by not revealing the identity of the victim and her family in the recent incident. INP We hope that our media will take care of this in the future as well.
Quaid-e-Azam's 72nd death anniversary observed across country KARACHI STAFF REPORT
President Dr. Arif Alvi on Friday paid a visit to mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam in Karachi on his 72nd death anniversary. The president laid a floral wreath at the tomb and offered Fateha. He also recorded his impressions in the book of visitors. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Imran Ismail were also present on the occasion. Talking to the media, the president said that following rules and teachings of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah is the only way for us to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves to become a successful nation. He said that the way our nation has defeated the coronavirus and its spread also speaks volume of our determination and resolve as the most developed nations are still struggling to deal with this pandemic. Born on December 25th, 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. Quaid-e-Azam passed away on September 11, 1948, shortly after achieving a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Subcontinent. To mark the day, various programmes were held by educational institutions and political, social and cultural organisations to shed light on the personality and leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Quran Khawani and Fateha were held at Quaid's mausoleum in Karachi. Government representatives from different walks of life visited the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam in Karachi to lay floral wreaths and to offer Fateha. Khateebs of all mosques held special Dua after Juma sermons for the great leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Quran Khawani and a special sitting were held at Nazaria-e-Pakistan Foundation Lahore, in which political and religious figures paid homage to the father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
NEWS
PrOgrESS, PrOSPErity OF BaCKWarD arEaS PrESENt gOvt'S FOrEMOSt PriOrity: PM ISLAMABAD
P
STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Imran Khan on Friday said the progress and prosperity of backward areas along with the welfare and betterment of their residents was the foremost priority of the present gov-
ernment. He said that unfortunately, the promises made with Balochistan in the past could not be implemented, however, the allocation of maximum funds for Balochistan in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) by the present government reflected his government’s sincerity and commitment with the province. The prime minister expressed the views during a meeting with the members of the provincial cabinet of Balochistan. Federal Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal, Federal Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Jam Kamal were also present in the meeting. The provincial ministers, who met the prime
minister, were Minister for Education Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, Minister for Irrigation Nawabzada Tariq Magsi, Home Minister Ziaullah Langu, Minister for Agriculture Engineer Zmarak Khan, Minister for Sports Abdul Khaliq Hazara, Minister for Social Welfare Mir Asadullah Baloch, Minister for Local Government Sardar Muhammad Saleh Bhutani, Minister for Food Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, Minister for Communication and Works Mir Muhammad Arif Muhammad Hasni, Minister for Public Health Mir Muhammad Domar, Minister for Finance Zahoor Ahmad Bulaidi, Minister for Board of Revenue Saleem Ahmad Khosa, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Umar Khan Jamali, Minister for Industries and Commerce Haji Muhammad Khan Usmankhel, Minister for Livestock Mitha Khan Kakar, Advisor on Excise and Taxation Malik Naeem Khan Bazai, Advisor on Labour and Manpower Haji Muhammad Khan Lehri, Advisor on Fisheries Haji Akbar Askai, and Advisor on Services and General Administration Sardar Sarfraz Chakar Doomki. The prime minister said Balochistan being the country’s largest province in terms of its land had ample potential and opportunities of develop-
Disguised robbers loot cars on Lahore-islamabad motorway ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Reportedly, armed robbers dressed as Punjab Police’s Elite Force were stopping cars on Lahore-Islamabad motorway and mugging several vehicles on Thursday, making this another motorway incident where the police did not respond in time. An ambulance driver who witnessed the incident told a local news station that the incident took place between Hiran Minar and Sheikhupura, adding that he saw almost 20 cars stopped on the road. Reportedly, the robbers had thrown down tress and fired at the tires of passing cars to stop them. Many of the victims complained of calling the motorway police helpline but not getting a response. However, police reached the crime scene after emergency calls were made to 15. The ambulance driver honked his horn in an attempt to scare away the robbers who, assuming it was the police, quickly fled the scene. The incident took place three kilometres away from the Sheikhupura Interchange on the M-2 Motorway toward Islamabad.
ment. There was a need to set priorities for the development of Balochistan, he said, adding that the Kachi Canal provided huge prospects of agricultural development in the province. The prime minister said that the country had witnessed improvement in the coronavirus situation, but there was a need to exercise further caution. He said that the government would utilise all resources for the progress and prosperity of all areas of the province, especially southern Balochistan. Minister for Planning Asad Umar would soon be visiting the province and hold consultations for finalizing a special package for the development of southern Balochistan, the prime minister added. Asad told the participants that the Ministry of Planning had constituted a coordination committee, having representation from all the stakeholders, regarding the development of Balochistan. The Balochistan chief minister and members of his cabinet thanked the prime minister for taking keen interest in the progress and prosperity of the province. The provincial cabinet members said the measures taken by PM Imran for the construction sector would create job opportunities and benefit all the stakeholders.
PML-N to split up before December 30, predicts rasheed RAWALPINDI TLTP
Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday predicted that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will split up before December 30. “I’m seeing Muslim League-Nawaz and Muslim League-Shahbaz in near future,” Rasheed said while addressing a press conference. The minister said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is not willing to return Pakistan as he is enjoying in London. The PML-N leaders are hiding facts over the health of the ex-premier, he claimed. Rashid predicted that the difference in the PML-N will start to emerge at the end of the ongoing month. Replying to a question, he added that toppling an elected government is not an easy task. He further said 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 that this project will provide 150,000 job opportunities. He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will complete its mandated tenure and serve the masses. Last week, Rasheed had said that the role of the former prime minister Nawaz and former president Asif Ali Zardari has ended in the politics of Pakistan.
Pakistan among 7 countries to learn from for fighting pandemics: WhO NEWS DESK World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has mentioned seven countries to learn from in fighting future pandemics, including Pakistan. “This will not be the last pandemic,” he told a media briefing. “History teaches us that outbreaks and pandemics are a fact of life. But when the next pandemic comes, the world must be ready – more ready than it was this time.” Dr Tedros called on countries to invest in public health, as a “foundation of social, economic and political stability”. Significant progress has been made in medicine, he said, but too many countries have neglected their public health systems: “Part of every country’s commitment to build back better must therefore be to invest in public health, as an investment in a healthier and safer future.” But there are countries the rest of the world can learn from, he said in his opening remarks. The Director-General highlighted seven countries, amongst many, whose preparation and response offer lessons for the rest of the world. Pakistan has used the infrastructure it developed in its fight against polio to tackle Covid-19, said the Director-General. Community health workers, previously used to vaccinate children for polio, have been redeployed for contact tracing and monitoring.
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Journalist Bilal Farooqi arrested for allegedly ‘spreading hatred’ KARACHI STAFF REPORT
Two days after a first information report (FIR) was lodged against the journalist at Defence Police Station, Bilal Farooqi was arrested at residence Karachi for defaming state institutions and propagating hatred. The arrest was confirmed by Karachi police chief, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Ghulam Nabi Memon. A member of the police force told a local news outlet that Farooqi was arrested under Sections 500 and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Sections 11 and 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, on September 9 on the complaint of a private citizen. According to the report, the complainant, Javed Khan, accused Farooqi of spreading hatred Twitter. The complainant says that Farooqi shared “provocative posts” against the Pakistan Army and the local religion. Farooqi currently works as a News Editor at The Express Tribune.
ihC objects NaB's petition in avenfield reference ISLAMABAD: The Registrar Office of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday raised objections on NAB's petition against Nawaz Sharif bail in Avenfield property reference. The registrar office directed the bureau to resubmit the petition after necessary rectifying. The registrar office had pointed out some technical errors in the petition moved by National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The NAB's petition stated that the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had been granted bail in corruption reference by IHC and the top court also maintained this decision. It added that the accused had misused this relief.
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Saturday, 12 September, 2020
newS
Sindh prepares short curricula for schools, colleges KARACHI
SIndh CM APProveS rS700M grAnT For ProvIdIng relIeF To rAIn-AFFeCTed PeoPle KARACHI
TLTP
The Sindh education department has prepared a draft of short curricula for the students of schools and colleges for the current academic year as the country is heading to reopen educational institutions in phases from September 15 after a decline in Covid-19 cases. The Sindh secretary education prepared short curricula for schools and colleges separately which will be introduced before reopening the educational institutions. It emerged that the students of Class 11th and 12th (Intermediate) will be taught 30 per cent course of science, mathematics and English each, whereas, 40 per cent course outlines of science, mathematics, Sindhi, English will be followed for the educatees enrolled in Class 9th and 10th (matriculation). In light of new curricula, 50 per cent course outlines will be taught to the students of Class 6th to Class 8th (Secondary Section) for the subjects including science, mathematics and English. Moreover, 30 per cent course outlines of literacy, mathematics and general knowledge subjects will be completed for the Class 1st to Class 5th students (Primary Section).
Federal govt's attitude towards Sindh in turbulent situation futile: Wahab KARACHI INP
Spokesperson of Sindh government and Adviser for Law, Environment and Coastal Development Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the attitude of the federal government towards the devastation caused by rains in Sindh is meaningless as the province is currently going through a turbulent situation. In a statement issued here on Friday, he said that the attitude of the federal government towards Sindh as a citizen was based on indifference. Hundreds of thousands of people are homeless in Sindh and thousands of acres of land have been destroyed but the federal government is not coming forward in the turbulent times of Sindh, he added. Wahab further said that Sindh was in a difficult situation at present and the federal government remained unaware. The state of indifference of the federal government remains a question mark for Sindh, he stated.
INP
S
INDH Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved Rs 700 million grant for relief work being carried out in the rain affected areas of Sindh. He approved the amount in a meeting on relief work in all the rain affected districts of the province on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister Sindh directed the officials concerned for taking appropriate action like provision of food, mosquito nets, tents, and distribution of fodder for cattle in the rain-hit areas. The meeting was attended by Advisor on Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, SMBR/Relief Commissioner Qazi Shahid Parvez, Commissioner Karachi Sohail Rajput, Administrator KMC Iftikhar Shallwani, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqi and other concerned officials. The chief minister said that he has visited rain affected areas in Karachi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Sanghar and Badin and found people were in problems. "We, as a government, have tried to provide relief to the affected people but it was not enough," he said and added that the people in rural areas were de-
manding fodder and mosquito nets for them and their cattle. Reviewing the funds position for the relief work, the chief minister directed Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi to immediately release Rs700 million and put them on the disposal of SMBR and PDMA. The SMBR told the chief minister that his department and PDMA would provide every kind of relief and support to the rain affected people but as far as provision of fodder and vet support was concerned it was the job of the livestock department. Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah said that the livestock department has already set up their vet camps at Malir, Surjani, Badin, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar and Tharparkar. He assured the chief minister that the Livestock department would provide fodder for the cattle in the rain affected areas. The chief minister also said that he was working out a plan to arrange funds to support the rain affected people and rehabilitate them at the earliest. The Karachi commissioner briefed the chief minister about the building collapsed at Allahwala Town-Korangi that it was a 80-square yard plot which was divided into two plots, 40 square each, and had constructed building ground plus three. The building was constructed without approval of the Sindh Building
Control Authority (SBCA). The collapse of the building caused four lives and injured seven others, he said. The chief minister directed the commissioner to identify other vulnerable buildings in the area and get them vacated. It was pointed out that the Allahwala Town was a private society and had no drainage system. The water was stagnant in the area which might have collapsed the building. The commissioner said that there were 194 drainage lines choked in the city, of them 154 have been restored, therefore not only overflow of drains has come to an end in most of the areas but rain water has also been disposed of, except a few areas including Surjani and some villages of Malir. The CM was told that patch work of some of the dilapidated roads have been started. The works and services department has yet to start repair of major roads of district Central for which the chief minister directed chief secretary to mobilise the works department at the earliest. KMC Administrator Iftikhar Shahalwani told the chief minister that he was working hard to serve the city. At this the chief minister Sindh said that he wanted to make this neat and clean for which the KMC, DMCs and the Solid Waste Management Board have to work together.
CS directs district admins to ensure flour quota, prices PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz has directed all district administrations to ensure flour quota and implementation of price list as well as take stern action against hoarders. The chief secretary issued these instructions while presiding over a meeting of administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners at Civil Secretariat on Friday. He said that no compromise be made on prices and quality of food items. He stressed upon district administrations to keep close watch on flour smuggling in merged districts. He directed district administrations to submit a comprehensive plan within a week for removal of encroachments on tourist spots, flood drains, canals and rivers across the province. He directed the administration of all districts to regularly hold 'khuli kachehries' (open courts) and 'revenue darbar' in their respective districts for speedy redressal of public complaints. On the occasion, the chief secretary further directed to expedite disposal of all pending cases of land acquisition in merged districts and added deputy commissioners
should ensure the visit to shelter homes and submit reports for further improving the shelters. Dr Kazim Niaz also directed to ensure implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set up for opening educational institutions. He appreciated the role of the health department, doctors and district administration in Covid-19 and said that the role played by the district administration in containing corona was commendable. He stated that the number of cases of corona have considerably decreased but the threat of deadly disease is not yet over. The CS advised district administration to remain vigilant and pay special attention to contact tracking of affected persons. He directed concerned administration to take steps for the prevention of dengue. Dr Kazim Niaz said that a web portal has been set up for the approval of construction. Strict action be taken against the timber mafia to save forest cover, he added. He ordered setting up a committee under the supervision of additional chief secretary for establishing schools and printing of reading material in the Braille system for the visually impaired children. Visually impaired persons are endowed with much talent, the CS said, and it is the responsibility of all to provide them with educational opportunities.
Businessmen mull ways to promote peace, interfaith harmony LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Interfaith harmony and tolerance can play a key role in social cohesion and role of every segment of the society is imperative in this regard. The business community is one such major segment which can contribute to thus cause. These views were expressed by the Provincial Minister for Human Rights, Minorities Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Ejaz Alam Augustine during a Consultative Workshop on ‘Interfaith Harmony’ held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI). The consultation was held in collaboration with Youth De-
velopment Foundation - an organisation working for promotion of peace in the society. He stressed upon the importance of social and religious harmony. He spoke about initiatives of the government to ensure a just and tolerant society. LCCI Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar appreciated Ejaz Alam Augustine for sparing time to preside over this important session. Asghar said that the business community truly believes in promoting social tolerance that holds key importance in maintaining peaceful co-existence among various groups of society which are classified in terms of religion and social class, etc.
Masood for managing population growth in proportion to resources ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has said that the government of AJK will continue to work with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to strengthen partnerships between the public and private sectors in tackling human development challenges. The AJK president made these remarks while addressing the dissemination event of the study titled ‘Mapping of public and private sector for family planning and reproductive health services in selected districts of AJK and GB
2020,’ launched by the UNFPA. Khan said, “The population of the world is increasingly at an exponential rate and we as a developing nation should manage population growth in proportion to our resources.” “At the current national population rate of 2.1 percent, we are bound to face major issues like food scarcity, unwanted migrations and economic turbulence,” he added. He further said that overpopulation has been a common variable while tackling major Sustainable Development Goals and management of the growth rate has become a priority for development.
PTI govt striving to materialise dreams of Quaid-e-Azam: Buzdar LAHORE INP
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a man of principles, courageous statesman and a fair-minded personality. In his message on the death anniversary of the founder of Pakistan observed on Friday, the chief minister stated the establishment of a just society based on the golden principles of justice, tolerance and brotherhood was the mission of the Quaid-e-Azam. Buzdar said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government is striving to materialise this dream of the founding father and Prime Minister Imran Khan is working hard in this regard. PM Imran is striving to make Pakistan equally propitious for one and all, he added. He asserted the dream of a welfare state of Pakistan, envisioned by the Quaid-e-Azam, will be materialised under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan to provide socio-economic justice to all the citizens.
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
NEWS
FederAl CAbinet deClineS rAtiFiCAtiOn OF 799 illegAl AppOintmentS iSLAMABAD
F
AHAMAD AHMADANI
EdERAL cabinet has so far refused to ratify 799 illegal appointments of officials in different ministries and divisions since August 2016, Pakistan Today has learnt. Earlier, 500 people had been appointed in the Airport Security Force and in the Civil Aviation division while the remaining 299 people were appointed in different ministries, divisions etc. without the prior approval of the federal government. All the ministries and divisions were
asked to submit a complete report signed by secretaries or additional secretaries as the premier wanted to take strict action against such appointments. A three-member committee headed by Establishment division Secretary dr Ijaz Munir was also constituted to examine and finalise the list of appointments, including regular, additional charges, current charges, look-after charges, board positions, etc, made without the approval of the federal cabinet. This committee had submitted an inquiry report to the federal cabinet and recommended the federal government to ratify such appointments to save those re-
sponsible for such appointments from disciplinary action. According to sources, Federal Minister for Law & Justice Farogh Naseem has opposed the recommendation to regularize the illegal appointments with back dates (ex-post facto approval) and said it is against the judgment of the Supreme Court in Mustafa Ampex case. The law minister opined that these positions should be filled once again after publishing advertisements if required. Ostensibly, due to law minister’s opposition, the federal cabinet has so far declined to grant ex-post facto approval to the illegal appointments.
However, the cabinet has also directed establishment division to refer the matter to Advisor to Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity dr Ishrat Hussain, for recommending legally viable solutions to clear this matter. PM’s Principal Secretary Azam Khan, in a letter to all federal secretaries and heads of divisions, had earlier directed them to send the lists of appointments without prior approval since 2016 by April 30, so that they could be declared illegal. The decision was previously validated by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which had declared such appointments as “without jurisdiction and void”.
PEMRA fines Bol News Network for airing defamatory content without evidence BABAR KHAN JAVED The council of complaints (CoC) at Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Friday issued a Rs300,000 fine on Labaik Pvt Limited after finding it guilty of violating Section 20 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. “The CoC heard the case two times but [Labaik Pvt Limited] does not appear to take the case seriously,” said an internal letter seen by Profit from Ashfaq Ahmed Jumani, secretary to the CoC Sindh. “CoC is of the view that Bol News Network has stated/aired unjustified and defamatory campaign through its program ‘Ab Pata Chala’ against complainants Raihan Ali Merchant, Ahsen Idris and their companies.” In his letter, Jumani said that CoC members ob-
served that the Bol New Network levelled serious charges against the complainants and their companies without offering any evidence to back up the allegations being made during the programme. He added that the representative from Bol News Network - Imtiaz Ansari - failed to defend or offer a satisfactory reply to the CoC in contents of complaints. The CoC, the letter states, concluded that Bol News Network violated the established principles of reporting and journalism. BACKGROUND: As reported by Profit, Bol News Network aired three separate hit pieces on February 3rd, March 5th, and May 20th. The content was aimed at three media agency executives: Fouad Hussain, the former CEO of GroupM; Raihan Ali Merchant, the chair-
man of Z2C; and Ahsen Idris, the chief executive of Blitz Advertising. In response, all three media executives filed lawsuits against Labaik Pvt Limited, the parent company of a diploma mill and BOL TV, suing the TV channel for a collective $16 million for violation of Section 22 (1) of the Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct, 2015. Sources told Profit that BOL TV aired the alleged hit pieces after years of failing to secure advertising business from GroupM, Z2C, and Blitz Advertising, with the agencies unwilling to do so due to the strained relationship between BOL TV and both Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA).
Covid-19 boosts online trading of automobiles in pakistan iSLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS
during the period when lockdown was imposed and showrooms, markets and weekly bazaars remained closed across the country, the online trading of various automobiles, mainly cars, surged to unprecedented levels. As buyers of the cars and dealers utilised available online platforms for trading of new and used automobiles, the six-month sale of automobiles on a single platform, OLX, was recorded at Rs370 billion. Vehicles remained the second most popular category on OLX with approximately over 100,000 ads actively listed from all over Pakistan on any given day. According to a new OLX study, most ads in the car sub-category came from Punjab i.e. 32,000, followed by Sindh with 15,000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 6,000 and Islamabad with 5,000. In terms of the buying trend, Karachi remained at the top with 19,038 buyers, followed by Lahore with 15,168 buyers. Suzuki cars were traded the most on OLX with over 3,000 ads posted daily, followed closely by Toyota with around over 2,900 daily listings. Honda stood third with 1,800 ads, while daihatsu and Nissan saw 700 and 500 daily ads, respectively. The popularity of automobile brands between buyers and sellers was almost similar, where Suzuki, Toyota, Honda, and daihatsu remained the top traded brands, however, Mitsubishi and Nissan have switched positions in terms of buyer preference with the former being preferred over the latter. Overall, 40 million searches were conducted by users on OLX, of which around 25pc were in the automobile category. On average, 171 million impressions were served in the cars sub-category alone on the OLX Platform, with a reach of 2.57 million users.
CMYK
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COAS, CentCOm chief discuss Afghan peace, regional security coNtiNuED oN pAgE 01 “I urge the negotiators to demonstrate the pragmatism, restraint, and flexibility this process will require to succeed. The people of Afghanistan and the international community will be watching closely. The United States is prepared to support as requested.” IMRAN WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT: Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed the announcement regarding commencement of intra-Afghan negotiations on Saturday. In a statement, the prime minister said, "Finally, our combined efforts have brought forth the day that the Afghan people have been yearning for." He said that for more than 40 years, Afghans have suffered from continued conflict and bloodshed. Pakistan has endured the fall-out -- reflected in incidence of terrorism, loss of precious lives, and huge economic cost. He also said that he had underlined for a long time that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that the only way forward was a negotiated political settlement. “Through relentless efforts, Pakistan has played a pivotal role in facilitating the Afghan peace process to this juncture. We feel deeply gratified today as we have fulfilled our part of the responsibility,” he maintained. He further said that it is now for the Afghan leaders to seize this historic opportunity, work together constructively, and secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. Successful culmination of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process is indispensable for Afghanistan and for regional peace, stability and prosperity, he added. The prime minister said that Pakistan will continue to remain in full support and solidarity with the Afghan people as they march forward in this consequential journey for peace and development.
Car sales rise 8pc YoY in August ISLAMABAD: The sale of passenger cars during the month of August 2020 increased 8.31 per cent to 9,885 units, as compared to the sale of 9,126 units in the same month of last year. Cumulatively, auto sales in Pakistan witnessed a minor decline during the first two months (July and August) of the current fiscal year (FY21), falling to 20,008 units from 20,094 units in the same months of FY20. According to data released by Pakistan Automotive Manufacturing Association (PAMA), the combined sale of Honda Civic and Honda City surged by 64pc to 4,190 units in July-Aug FY21 as compared to 2,558 units in the corresponding period last year. The sale of Toyota Corolla, however, registered a decrease of 49.8pc, from 1,727 units in last year to 867 units during the period under review. Sales of the newly launched Toyota Yaris were recorded at 3,588 units. Meanwhile, the sale of Suzuki Cultus declined by 0.8pc to 2,477 units in July-August FY20, as compared to 2,497 units in the same period of last year. Suzuki Wagon-R's sale also slipped 12.7pc to 1,299 units when compared with 1,488 units last year. Sales of Suzuki Alto plummeted to 4,547 units in the first two months of FY21 compared to the sale of 8,019 units in the same period of the previous year, showing a decline of 43.3pc. APP
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
06 COMMENT
Life after surviving Covid-19
With so many eyes fixed on Qatar talks Spoilers cannot go undetected
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Even after recovering from Covid-19, patients may face problems
He Trump Administration wants intra-Afghan talks to succeed to seek credit for ending the longest US war and bringing back US soldiers. The Afghan government has had enough of violence and wants peace. The Taliban leadership knows it cannot come to power without an understanding with the Afghan government and its international guarantors. Pakistan wants peace and an effective government in Kabul so that terrorists are denied the use of Afghan territory for attacks inside Pakistan. That the talks have gone on for 18 months and there is still no ceasefire agreement indicates there are serious problems that remain unresolved. The talks begin in Qatar today following the US-Taliban Agreement and the US-Afghanistan Joint declaration. The Agreement requires that international forces withdraw from Afghanistan by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban who have pledged to negotiate a permanent ceasefire and power-sharing deal with the Afghan government. The negotiations are going to be contentious. The Taliban control more than half of Afghanistan but lack legitimacy. The Afghan government enjoys international recognition but is unable to establish its writ over much of the country. Among the issues that remain unresolved is the position of the women and minorities in the future setup and the state of human rights, including freedom of speech. equally crucial is the issue of the share of the two sides in the interim set-up. The Taliban have replaced Mullah Baradar with ultraconservative Maulvi Abdul Hakim as leader of the negotiating team. Being the chief mufti of the Taliban and having close links with Taliban chief Haibatullah, he is empowered to take decisions on the spot. The talks can fail if he insists on enforcing the sharia laws as practiced under Mullah Umar. Alternately, his presence makes it easier for the negotiating team to sell whatever they agree upon to the rest of the group. The talks take place amidst increasing violence on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border. Prime Minister imran Khan has stressed that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of paramount importance for Pakistan and the region and has hoped for the talks’ success. The iSPr has vowed to defeat Afghan talks ‘spoilers’ through cooperation with Kabul. Hopefully the international community will also take also take note of the spoilers.
dr Unaisa TUbba MUshTaq
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HreATS of an increase in percentage of “won’t-recover-completely patients” are hitting our heads. Post-recovery measures are as important to take as pre-infection measures are. ignorance can lead to long term consequences like the AidS epidemic. every infectious disease leaves its marks on the health of its victim. especially viral infections are not so easy to treat due to minimal antibiotic effect. viruses take control of some targeted organs of body. even after the end of this control, the affected parts take time to finish the road to recovery. This is sure to happen in every viral infection. Measles is a disease which gives its patient a long lasting immunity and it is highly unlikely for anyone to get measles twice. even this disease also leaves lingering effects like permanent brain damage and hair loss. So postrecovery effects is something beyond immunity and it leaves long lasting consequences. To shut one’s eyes to covid-19 post-recovery effects is not that easy. ChroniC fatigue syndrome: The most common lingering effect post-recovery is fatigue. This fatigue may vary from mild, lasting for a few days, to be so severe as for the patient to develop chronic fatigue syndrome. This syndrome is a major threat in post-covid-19 life also. This condition causes a continuous fatigue and doesn’t allow the sufferer to return to work completely. This fatigue can even make a person physically or mentally immobilized. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is not fully known but it surely happens due to lack of energy if a patient remains stuck to his bed during the infection, he is more prone to suffer chronic fatigue syndrome. As covid-19 do not allow patients to go to work, so the chances of chronic fatigue syndrome are high. it has been seen that it lasts for six months but in some cases it may persists for a year or more. To prevent this horrible syndrome affecting you, do not remain lethargic during the periods of illness. Try to take a walk within your room if possible and eat healthy fruits and vegetables to restore your energy. After discharge if you feel weakness then drink energy filled drinks and go into sunlight for vitamin d. cut back on fatty foods, avoid fizzy drinks and exercise more. To ditch fatigue is only possible by ad-
IMF tightens screws The government must avoid giving it ammunition
Zeeshan Javed
“O
verconfidence Precedes carelessness”, the words of the famous indonesian writer Toba Beta, seems to accurately depict the recklessness and irresponsibility that can accompany overconfidence. An astute and timely example of this is the recent chest-thumping of india, especially in the wake of its acquisition of the rafale aircraft. The indian media has overhyped the acquisition by terming it “a gamechanger” for the security of india, keeping in mind that so far india has only received five of the 36 aircraft from its purchase. on top of this, the indian media, and its political and military leadership, have also echoed the sentiment and have claimed that now india had the power to retaliate and respond to threats. Such statements are indicative of the fact that india now views that its conventional military capabilities can allow it to exert its dominance and force in the region. This can prove to be a dangerous assumption for the region. The case in point for this logic is the acquisition of the rafale. initially, the rafale deal was the center of attention in the indian media for all the wrong reasons. There were debates in the indian political circles over nepotism and the unfair procurement of the rafale aircraft. However, with india’s tactical loss to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Balakot airstrike, the rafale became a more intrinsic part of india’s defence narrative, thanks to an overhyped projection of the aircraft’s capabilities. The indian leadership was adamant that india needs the rafale jets in order to secure its defence. The same mindset was also observed during the Galwan valley conflict between india and china. After a resounding tactical defeat at the hands of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the indian leadership was again of the view that the rafale can give them a “decisive advantage” over the PLA and can ensure indian defence. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the indian government urged france to expedite the production of the rafale and hand over at least a few of the aircraft. As a result, france provided five jets to the indian military on a short notice.
Arif Nizami Editor Umar Aziz
Asher John
Executive Editor
Deputy Editor
Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965
pabilities to expand its dominance in the region. Therefore, in the future, if any conflict does emerge between india and its neighbours, the indian The rafale jets are stationed at the Ambala Air force public will expect, and to some extent, demand an escalation of conflict in order for india to emerge as the Base, near the borders of both china and Pakistan. The linking of the rafale to india’s national se- decisive victor. The chances for de-escalation become less as the public has curity is dangerous from been primed to expect a few aspects. firstly, indian military domiwhen a government nance. Another feature of openly declares a military Where the military overestimates its this is that the indian platform or technology public will expect to see inherent to its self-decapabilities and the public also some results for the govfence, then that makes it ernment’s massive desperate to acquire that moves towards the approval of a splurge of $8 Billion on capability. This desperamore aggressive military pursuit of the rafale aircraft. tion can force it to amin such a scenario, plify or overestimate the India’s strategic goals, the Indian where the military overimpact of that particular estimates its capabilities technology on its national government will have no choice and the public also security. This amplificaother than to seek out the utilization moves towards the aption can, in turn, can lead proval of a more aggresto overconfidence in the of the military option in all disputes. sive military pursuit of military capabilities. This india’s strategic goals, is on full display if the This sets a dangerous ensuing the indian government national rhetoric within will have no choice other india is to be observed. period for the regional stability of than to seek out the utiindian military experts South Asia. The need of the hour is lization of the military are claiming that the in all disputes. rafale can provide india for India to engage in retrospection option This sets a dangerous enwith a significant strategic and tactical advantage on its nationalistic behavior and try suing period for the regional stability of South over china and Pakistan. to understand the massive Asia. The need of the There have been even hour is for india to enclaims that the rafale is repercussions that it can have in gage in retrospection on an ideal military response its nationalistic behavior for the chinese indigecase of a total war. Instead of and try to understand the nous stealth aircraft, J-20. massive repercussions pursuing regional economic This is an oversimplificathat it can have in case of tion of the impact of the integration, India continues to opt a total war. instead of rafale in the overall milpursuing regional ecoitary doctrine of india. for the military route, which can nomic integration, india Such oversimplificacontinues to opt for the tion and overconfidence further the instability in the region military route, which can has a drastic social impact further the instability in as well. The nationalistithe region. cally charged rhetoric that the Modi government creZeeshan Javed works at the Islamabad Policy ated in favor of the rafale has now instilled into the minds of the indian people that, through the purchase Research Institute and can be reached at of the rafale aircraft, india now has the military ca- Zshnjvd@gmail.com
The Indian public might get the wrong idea from the Rafale aircraft
Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
Joint Editor
delirium: covid-19 has given its sudden appearance not only like a disease but also like a fear triggerer. Some studies say that about 75 percent people respiratory system problems: The are seen facing a delirium of hospital and delirium of sequelae of covid-19 on loneliness. According to one’s respiratory system Merck manual : delirium will depend on the severis characterized by an inity of the infection he has ability to pay attention, Kidney problems, heart problems, disorientation, an inabilsuffered. coronavirus patients may have to face ity to think clearly, and sepsis, trauma, physical issues, all fluctuations breathing difficulties and in the level lungs malfunctioning in of alertness. This condithese things have to managed as their post-recovery life. tion is a psychological part of post-recovery care. This is problem and if left unThe risk of getting acute respiratory distress syntreated can lead to mennot a case of broken arm where drome increases as the tal illness and even coronavirus can affect its memory loss. is only one problem to there victim’s lungs greatly To deal with delirium and a form of lung failure try to do activities that handle. Many more complexities might happen in the form sedate your brain and may be there as this virus of ArdS. This syndrome make some yoga-like seis itself fatal. if a person dating exercises part of penetrates ones body. To control already has some respirayour daily life like the tory issues like chronic wide-legged forward syndrome after syndrome its obstructive pulmonary bend pose, sphinx pose necessary to give more support for and forward-fold pose. disease then the condition can become unconKidney problems, heart post-covid-19 patients, both trollable. problems, sepsis, trauma, Preventive measures physical issues, all these mentally and physically to avoid respiratory isthings have to managed sues mean it’s necessary as part of post-recovery to avoid smoking or the care. This is not a case of use of alcohol. one broken arm where there should avoid work with dust or in dusty areas. one is only one problem to handle. Many more complexshould also test for radon and take spirometry tests ities may be there as this virus penetrates ones body. whenever one feels breathing difficulties. To control syndrome after syndrome its necessary to give more support for post-covid-19 patients, both digestive system problems: Patients mentally and physically. A British nHS spokesperson who have suffered from diarrhea and indigestion re- said: “While we emerge from the peak of coronlated symptoms, have greater possibilities of facing avirus, the next phase of the health service’s response digestion and absorption difficulties. one is likely to to coronavirus will mean expanding and strengthendevelop dehydration due to diarrhea and this dehy- ing community health and care services in new ways, dration ,if not handled carefully, might result in as well setting up extra psychological care for staff.” chronic dehydration. food poisoning and stomach burns can also strike because the digestive system has Dr Unaisa Tubba Mushtaq is a freelance gone wrong. electrolyte imbalance may also occur columnist
A new threat to the region
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He iMf is demanding that the government no longer hold back on the increases it had promised in the gas and power tariffs, now that the coronavirus, which it had proffered to justify the delay, was now retreating. That shows one of the consequences of too much boasting of the success of the government’s efforts. The ability of the economy to survive the rate increases is doubtful, but here too, Prime Minister imran Khan’s falling over himself to claim an economic recovery precludes offering the pandemic-caused recession as any sort of excuse. Mr Khan has taken the relatively better performance of exports in August as a reason to boast about his government’s handling of the economy. That comes after he had cherrypicked workers’ remittances to point out for July, as evidence of a recovery. Just as much as that figure was anomalous (being caused because Haj expenses were not spent), the August exports figure is anomalous, being caused by exporters receiving proceeds which had been stuck up. The workers’ remittance figure for August does not show any persistence of the July figure, and more sober economists expect the export volume to fall back to normal levels in September. This episode might be amusing, except for two things. first, it puts the country in an invidious position with respect to its multilateral creditors, because such Pollyanna-ish statements may be used by them when Pakistani negotiators try to point out the true, and therefore bleak, state of the economy, which makes going easy on the country mere economic sense. Second, it provides an entirely unrealistic basis for policy-making. Prime Minister Khan should not get his hopes up because of exports, because he should realize that they can only pick up on any kind of sustainable basis if the West and china begin to import once again. That they will not do so long as the coronavirus pandemic continues to have them in their grip. That grip my not be relaxed until next spring, because the evidence from europe indicates that the second wave is about to strike, even though the first wave is not yet over. Also, the earliest a vaccine is expected is the end of the year. The economic effects will only take place months later. Until then, Mr Khan will have to go on plucking at straws.
Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
dressing your allergies, reducing your stress and a balanced diet. As the common covid-19 symptoms have been seen, it is evident that this virus especially effects respiratory system, digestive system and somehow the kidneys and heart.
because of diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration and this imbalance will lead to muscle spasm. To avoid these situations, take a hygienic, fully cooked and healthy diet. Take plenty of fresh water. Take oral rehydration solutions and water-rich fruits like watermelon, cucumber, coconut juice and so on.
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Saturday, 12 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
Time to act
Strategic dimensions of close China-Pakistan relations A relationship started by a joint distrust of India, has burgeoned dr raJkUMar singh
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eSPiTe establishment of diplomatic relations and recognizing the People’s republic of china in 1951, Pakistan was not attached to Beijing strategically or diplomatically. At independence and thereafter for long islamabad was a faithful agent of the USA in the region and perhaps so china avoided close contacts with Pakistan. But gradually, the chinese policy of neutrality converted into a partnership of strategy and a military relationship. Specially after the india-china War of october 1962, which went in favour of Beijing, both began to come closer and the boundary dispute between the two resolved in 1963. The war of 1962 proved chinese might in comparison to india and from here both anti-indian nations, china and Pakistan, began to develop their mutual understandings in more than one sphere. Their military assistance began in 1966 and soon developed into an alliance in 1971-1972, when china sided with Pakistan during the india -Pakistan war which culminated in the formation of Bangladesh. This incident not only cemented china-Pakistan relations but also pushed them to a new height of economic and nuclear relations. Although their economic relations began in 1979, soon china became Pakistan’s largest supplier of arms and third largest trading partner. in the context, it is clear from the viewpoint of national, regional and global perspectives that their relationship was based on mutual benefit. china was helping Pakistan on the diplomatic, economic, military, nuclear and strategic fronts while islamabad continued to help Beijing facilitating its friendship with Western and islamic countries. Thus, both are essential for each other and despite divergence in society and politics, and conflicting views on global issues, they have developed and forged a dynamic relationship in past decades. After division of the Subcontinent in August 1947, and developments in the region in succeeding years, convinced both Beijing and islamabad that they could be useful for each other in the days to come, with the emergence of the People’s republic of china in october 1949 Pakistan began to think the new nation could be used as a counterbalance against india, while china started planning to use Pakistan against india regionally and globally. History showed that india-Pakistan relations had never been normal since partition and new delhi’s relations with Beijing too began to deteriorate at the close of 1950s on Tibet and thereafter due to differences on demarcation of boundaries. To lay the foundation of a more strengthened relations in 1956, the Prime Ministers of china and Pakistan signed the Treaty of friendship to make a closer tie between the two countries. As india’s border differences with china intensified, both china and Pakistan aligned with each other in a joint effort to counter india and the USSr. one year after the Sino-indian war, in 1963 Pakistan ceded the Trans-Karakoram Tract to china to end the border dispute and further improve diplomatic relations.
Since the two- china and Pakistan had estab- good understanding in nuclear field. Beijing lished all-weather relations, there have been fre- helped Pakistan when all Western countries were quent diplomatic visits and return visits from both against the Pakistan acquiring nuclear capability. sides that help further grow mutual understand- The restrictions imposed by big nations made it ings between Beijing and islamabad. Zhou enlai, impossible for islamabad to acquire plutonium the chinese Premier, visited Pakistan four times and enriched uranium for nuclear purposes, but in the year 1976 and several return visits were at the juncture, china helped Pakistan in building paid by the Pakistani side. in the year 2004 a road the Khushab reactor which played a key role in in islamabad was named the Zhou enlai road. in plutonium production. in addition, the china nacontinuation of the goodwill spirit between the tional nuclear co-operation contributed in Paktwo countries, chinese Premier Li Keqiang came istan’s effort to expand its uranium enrichment to islamabad on a official visit and was received capabilities by giving it 5,000 custom-made ring by the president and Prime Minister of Pakistan. magnets to process the uranium enrichment. To show the closeness between them, on 20 April china also extended significant support in the 2015, the President of china, Xi Jinping, visited completion of the chashma nuclear Power Plant Pakistan. The Pakistani establishment provided and in the reprocessing of plutonium in the mid1990s and as a rethe guest a red-carsult, islamabad pet welcome and the successfully retalitwo sides issued ated against india in many statements The China-Pakistan Economic May 1998 by exwhich cemented their already strong Corridor (CPEC) is a dream project ploding nuclear devices. relations. especially of China and Pakistan which will in the light of after 9/11 and the growing china-Pakoutbreak of the anticonnect Central Asian countries istan understanding terror war in in spheres of miliAfghanistan, islamthrough the highway connecting tary, defense and abad is drifting apart from the USA and Kashgar to Khunjerab and Gwadar technological assistance, recently the coming closer to Port in southern Pakistan. In economic relations Beijing. They both and trade between dislike every US Pakistani establishment and public the two achieved a move to come closer new height where to new delhi and as well, there is a majority of the role of free trade jointly are making people who want a strong agreements was sigefforts to foil US nificant. The chinamissions in Asia. relationship with China even at the Pakistan free Trade The deep china-Pakistan relacost of the USA. Their relationship Agreement was concluded in 2006 and tions are working appears lasting in present entered into effect in clearly against the July 2007. it gave a indian national incircumstances major boost to trade terests in the region. between the two it aims to curtail US countries from $13 influence and repel billion in 2013 to Soviet influence in the area. in fact, china helps Pakistan’s military $20 billion in 2017. in this period the two nations in two ways-─ it supplies military equipment also signed 51 agreements and Memorandums of and armaments that Pakistan needs for its secu- Understanding for co-operation in different fields. rity and makes Pakistan capable of manufactur- in the field of investment china was also liberal ing these armaments on its soil. Beijing still enough and made an important record in this area. continues to help islamabad in these two sectors. in sectors of mobile, internet, Belt and road iniit all started in post-1962 phase which further tiative and developing hydropower stations, Beiconsolidated their friendship and made easy the jing is second to none in investing. However, the most important among these supply of military equipment, technological assistance and modernizing existing facilities. re- investments is the china-Pakistan economic cently china has supplied Pakistan chengdu corridor (cPec). it is a dream project of china J-10B and Lockheed Martin f-16c Block 52/60 and Pakistan which will connect central Asian which will fight equal to the armament supplied countries through the highway connecting Kashto india by the USA. in the sphere of manufac- gar to Khunjerab and Gwadar Port in southern ture, china and Pakistan are working on various Pakistan. in Pakistani establishment and public projects to enhance military and weaponry sys- as well, there is a majority of people who want tems. it includes the development of the Jf-17 a strong relationship with china even at the cost Thunder fighter aircraft, K-8 Karakorum ad- of the USA. Their relationship appears lasting in vance training aircraft, a tailor-made training air- present circumstances. craft for the Pakistan Air force based on the Dr Rajkumar Singh is head of the political chinese domestic Hongdu L-15, space technology, AWAcS systems and Al-Khalid tanks for science department of the B.N.Mandal which china has granted license for production. University, Madhepura, Bihar, India and can be This apart, china and Pakistan enjoyed a reached at rajkumarsinghpg@gmail.com
A Woman That was waiting for Help on Motorway, in GujjarPura Area was raped by two robbers at Gunpoint. This incident has proved that the state has once again failed to provide security to its citizens. This incident has sent a wave of Shock and anguish across the country, and people are demanding public hanging of culprits so that an example could be set once for all. The increasing number of incidents related to sexual assault in Punjab is an area of high concern, but authorities are not dealing this issue in the way it should be delt. As many as 75 incidents of rape, including five gang rape cases had been reported from lahore and its surrounding areas in the first two months of this year, while ten cases of gang rape were registered last year and seven cases have been rigstered in the same localities this year by now. in accordance with police reports, 3881 cases of rape and 1359 cases of child sexual abuse had been registerd in punjab during last year. An other report that was published in a newspaper two years ago, divulged that there was no conviction in 141 cases of rape reported by then in lahore. A study carried by an nGo ‘SAHiL” that is working from 1996 on child protection intimated that child sexual abuse rate in Pakistan is 7 children per day!. All these stats are startling and our perspective towards dealing with these issues is also dejecting. The anguish of the public was fueled further by the injudicious statements of ccPo lahore pertaining to this case. These statements have also exposed the moderate strategy of Punjab Police about the case. effective and exemplary legislation is required to deracinate this chronic dilemma that has almost made this country vulnerable for women and children Kamran KhamiSo Khowaja and jahangir aKbar naiEch Sujawal
Humanity is no more THe incinerate body of a minor girl was recovered on Sunday from Karachi’s old Sabzi Mandi area, two days after she was reported to possess gone missing, police said. PiB police headquarters police station officer Shakir Husain said that the five-year-old victim, Marwah, had been kidnapped and raped before being murdered and torched. She was reported missing from the old Sabzi Mandi area two days before her body was found in an exceedingly dumpsite on an empty plot within the same area within the early hours of Sunday morning. The body was shifted to Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical centre where a post-mortem examination was held. consistent with the autopsy report, the victim had been sexually assaulted and had died from head injuries. one person has been taken into custody for interrogation, the SHo said. rape cases are increasing day by day.The small small girls are abducted and raped. i feel petty to say that after they are burnt and throw away just because they should be recognised. none is safe in our surrounding. even not the boys. our so called scholars say to the present send your children to mosque. They call them to teach them to say what islam said and what Muslims are. But they themselves argued the children to come with them and let them do the bad deeds even they are boys also. recently there was a case a scholar compels the children to take quran in your and promise you will not say anything what happened here. our boys are not safe what we can say about the girls? mEhjabEEn munir TurbaT
Violence against women HoW well a society treats its women is one of the strongest indicators of the success and health of that society. it is no secret that despite the media uproar regarding this pertinent issue, women are constantly being harassed and cornered in our society. Traumatic and dreadful issues are emerging which are physically and mentally affecting the lives of women. The sad part is that now; age is actually considered just a number by a hand picked number of brutal rapists and murderers. You cannot expect a women to be safe, a women to not think twice before going out late at night. even in daytime they are being catcalled or followed. This has become a new normal for the women of our country. Although the government has taken initiatives for the wellbeing of women in Pakistan, they haven’t been very effective. Seeing how little girls are being raped is proof of how our society is desperately in need for help. After proper inquiry, if proven guilty, these rapists should be hanged publicly. The only way to stop this is to inculcate fear amongst ourselves. We don’t realise how toxic this mistreatment can prove to be for our society. At the end of the day, it is our loss. its up to us to decide whether we want our society to prosper or not. i’d be glad if you provide a little space to my words in your newspaper. Thanking you. SharmEEn FaraSaT Karachi
Are women safe? WoMAn, being the most essential part of a society, yet subjected to various violence. The recent case of a female rape on motorway has left the nation high and dry and posed a big question mark on our justice system. History is witnessed, in the democratic state the woman is always treated as sub-human. i have been sighting since 2000s about these brutalities. various girls, women and children had been rapped. nevertheless, the first-rate instance of this is, the Mukhtaran Bibi’s incident. As she was rapped by the thanes of her village. Moreover, this incident went upfront of the judges of different courts, but she couldn’t get justice. An other case, Kainat Soomro, the 13 year old girl was kidnapped and the same brutality happens with her as well. nonetheless, the offenders got retribution but still the wounds are not parched in the hearts of their parents. This sexual abuse is building up steadily. Thus, our justice system must take vigorous action against the rapists to decimate these vicious acts from the country of islamic republicans. They must be asked, why there is massive increase in the prestige of sexual assaulting, because they are responsible for these things. it is the only state which is held responsible for the brutalities on the land of pure. it is the obligation of our justice system to control the brutalities across the country, but it is lamented that they are underhanded. mooSa Panhwar SuKKur
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
08 WORLD VIEW
AmericA’s wAr on Terror is The True cAuse of europe’s refugee crisis AS A RESULT OF THE "GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR," NO LESS THAN 37 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES ACCORDING TO A REVELATORY REPORT PUBLISHED THIS WEEK BY BROWN UNIVERSITY
independenT
D
Patrick cockburN
eSPeRATe refugees crammed into cockle-shell boats landing on the shingle beaches of the south Kent coast are easily portrayed as invaders. Anti-immigrant demonstrators were exploiting such fears last weekend as they blockaded the main highway into Dover Port in order “to protect Britain’s borders.” Meanwhile, the home secretary, Priti Patel, blames the French for not doing enough to stop the flow of refugees across the Channel. Refugees attract much attention on the last highly-visible stages of their journeys between France and Britain. But there is absurdly little interest in why they endure such hardships, risking detention or death. There is an instinctive assumption in the West that it is perfectly natural for people to flee their own failed states (the failure supposedly brought on by self-inflicted violence
and corruption) to seek refuge in the betterrun, safer and more prosperous countries. But what we are really seeing in those pathetic half-swamped rubber boats bobbing up and down in the Channel are the thin end of the wedge of a vast exodus of people brought about by military intervention by the US and its allies. As a result of their "global war on terror" launched following the alQaeda attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, no less than 37 million people have been displaced from their homes according to a revelatory report published this week by Brown University. The study, part of a project called “Costs of War”, is the first time that this violencedriven mass population movement has been calculated using the latest data. Its authors conclude that “at least 37 million people have fled their homes in the eight most violent wars the US military has launched or participated in since 2001.” Of these, at least eight million are refugees who fled abroad and 29 million are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have taken flight inside their own countries. The eight wars examined by the report are in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, NW Pakistan and the Philippines. The authors of the study say that the displacement of people by these post-9/11 wars
is almost without precedent. They compare the figures for the last nineteen years with those for the whole of the 20th century, concluding that only the Second World War produced a bigger mass flight. Otherwise, the post 9/11 displacement exceeds that brought about by the Russian Revolution (six million), the First World War (10 million), India-Pakistan Partition (14 million), east Bengal (10 million), the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (6.3 million) and the Vietnam War (13 million). Refugees are visible once they cross an international frontier, but IDPs are far more difficult to trace, though three-and-a-half times more numerous. They may move multiple times as the dangers they face ebb and flow. Sometimes they return to their homes only to find them destroyed or that the means to make a living has gone. Often, they must choose between bad and worse as the battle-lines shift, forcing them into a nomadic existence within their own country. In Somalia, the Norwegian Refugee Council says that “virtually all Somalis have been displaced by violence at least once in their life.” In Syria, there are 5.6 million refugees, but also 6.2 million IDPs with out-of-work malnourished families struggling to survive. Some of these wars were started as a direct consequence of 9/11, notably in
Afghanistan and Iraq (though Saddam hussein had nothing to do with al Qaeda and the destruction of the World Trade Centre). Others, like the ongoing war in Yemen, was launched by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab emirates and other allies in 2015. But it could not have happened in the first place, and have gone on for five devastating years, without a tacit green light from Washington. With 80 per cent of the Yemeni population in dire need, the only reason there are not more refugees is that they are trapped inside Yemen by the Saudi blockade. This willingness to launch wars and to keep them going might be less if American, British and French leaders had to pay a political price for their actions. Unfortunately, voters have never understood that the influx of refugees, to which so many of them object, is the consequence of the vast displacement caused by these post 9/11 foreign wars. Syria surpassed Afghanistan in 2013 as the country in the world producing the most refugees. As violence and economic collapse continue, the number of Syrians forced to flee their homes is likely to go up rather than down. One feature the eight post-9/11 wars have in common is that none of them have ended, despite years of inconclusive fighting. This is why the numbers displaced is so much higher than in extremely violent but far shorter conflicts in the twentieth century. The endless nature of these present day conflicts has come to seem to be part of the natural order of things, but this is absolutely not the case. Foreign powers pretend that they are working ceaselessly to end these wars, but they only want peace on their own terms. In Syria, for instance, President Bashar al-
Hearts don’t beat faster for ‘the rules-based international order’ TO WIN THE FIGHT AGAINST POPULISM, WE MUST APPEAL TO THE EMOTIONS
Financial Times
A
tiMotHY GartoN aSH
S you read this, speechwriters around the world will be sitting down to write the words “rules-based international order” into their ministerial speeches to the UN general assembly, which opens on Tuesday. I have a message for them: please don’t. Think again and find a better phrase. This commonplace of international discourse was trotted out by no less than 35 speakers in the first 20 plenary meetings of last year’s general assembly, with slight variations, but always using the “rules-based” formula. The UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has described the country as “a doughty defender of the rulesbased international system”. The moniker is so commonly used in internal British government documents that it has its own acronym: “the RBIS”. The case against the phrase is twofold: substantive and rhetorical. Substantively, the problem is that it captures only a part of what we should be defending — and perhaps not even the most important part. As governments and central banks try to steer the world economy away from the quagmire of a post-Covid-19 global depression, they are frequently observed to be “tearing up the rule book”. This is generally meant as praise. A new book by the political scientist Vivien Schmidt persuasively argues that the first phase of the eurozone crisis was greatly exacerbated by doubling down on rigid, one-size-fits-all rules — what she calls “governing by rules and ruling by numbers”. It was only when policymakers started rein-
terpreting the rules by stealth that a more sustainable recovery followed. A monetary union of democracies should not allow any of its members to sink into extreme economic misery, even if avoiding that outcome involves reinterpreting a rule or two. An underlying value or principle takes precedence over arbitrary rules, which are often the product of messy bureaucratic, diplomatic and political compromise. Such rules should not be confused with international law, which a UK minister this week outrageously, foolishly and unacceptably said his government will “break in a specific and limited way”. International law has a very high value and must be upheld. But if what we mean by “rules” is actually law, then we should say law — a stronger, simpler and more precise word. If we need a single overarching term, then the
broader concept of “liberal international order” is more persuasive than RBIS, embracing as it does both international law and all the institutions and practices of international co-operation built up over many decades. Yet even that abstract phrase hardly speaks to the heart. here is the second, and most important point. We who wish to defend liberal democracy and multilateral co-operation are up against nationalist populists. Their highly coloured rhetoric, simplistic and mendacious though it is, appeals strongly to the emotions. Consider US president Donald Trump’s
slogan, “make America great again”, the Brexiters’ “take back control”, or French politician Marine Le Pen’s “on est chez nous” (we are at home). In the terminology of classical rhetoric, they may be short on logos but they are long on pathos. even if you think rules-based international order perfectly captures the essence of what we are trying to defend, you must acknowledge that the phrase has very limited emotional appeal — except perhaps to some elderly schoolmasters. The brave people protesting in Belarus, Lebanon or Venezuela would never think to put such words on their homemade banners. They write “freedom”. Or “justice”. Or “truth”. No one’s heart ever beat faster at the sound of the rules-based international order. It is one of those wooden prefabricated phrases that George Orwell denounced in his essay “Politics and the english Language”. Once upon a time, western leaders used to be good at this. I have before me a copy of Winston Churchill’s handwritten corrections to the Atlantic Charter that the British prime minister and the American president Franklin Roosevelt put forth in 1941. Thus improved, the charter proclaims the stirring goal “that all the men in all the lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want”. “Dare more democracy!” cried West German chancellor Willy Brandt in 1969. Twenty years later, US president George h W Bush, though he deplored “the vision thing”, gave us the single best description of what to aim for in a longdivided continent: europe whole and free. Today, in the age of Twitter, the language probably needs to be less grandiloquent (and more gender inclusive) than that of Churchill and Roosevelt. Yet it is always good to go back to primary values: freedom, justice, peace. Better still to include a strong transitive verb: defend freedom, make peace, stop murder. (Russia’s Vladimir Putin take note, #Navalny.) The rhetorical repetition of a simple phrase such as “work together” can also be effective. To counter the deceptive brilliance of slogans such as “take back control”, we need something muscular, original and simple, appealing as much to the heart as to the head. A prize to the speech writer who comes up with it! history will remember you — or at least, your boss and your phrase. The writer is a professor of European Studies at Oxford university and a Hoover Institution senior fellow.
Assad, strongly backed by Russia and Iran, won the war militarily by 2017/18. It had been a long time, in any case, since the US and the West genuinely wanted to get rid of Assad because they feared his replacement by Isis or al-Qaeda-type movements. But Washington and its allies also did not want Assad, Russia and Iran to win an outright victory, so they have kept the pot bubbling in a conflict in which Syrians are the miserable cannon fodder. Similarly, cynical calculations about denying the other side an outright victory has kept the other wars going, regardless of the human cost. The US is not alone in bearing responsibility for these conflicts and the mass displacement of people they caused. The Libyan war, launched by Britain and France with US backing in 2011, was advertised as saving the Libyan people from Muammar Gaddafi. In reality, it turned the country over to murderous war lords and gangsters, making Libya the gateway through which immigrants from North Africa try to make their way to europe. even leaders as dim-witted as David Cameron, Nicolas Sarkozy and hillary Clinton should have foreseen the politically disastrous consequences of these wars. They generated an inevitable refugee and immigrant wave that energised the xenophobic far-right across europe and was a deciding factor in the Brexit referendum of 2016. In Britain, the landing of refugees and immigrants below the White Cliffs is once again becoming a hot political issue. At the other end of europe, migrants are sleeping beside the roads in Lesbos after the burning down of the camp where they had been living. These waves of migration – and the antiimmigrant backlash that has done so much to poison european politics - will not end while there are 37 million people displaced by these eight wars. This will only happen when the wars themselves are brought to an end, as should have happened long ago, and the victims of the post 9/11 conflicts no longer believe that any country is better to live in than their own.
Rogue state Britain? Guardian
T
Editorial
he damage is real, the damage is mounting and the damage must be ended as soon as possible. By trumpeting its readiness to override some of its treaty obligations towards the european Union, Boris Johnson’s government has cast Britain as a country that does not act in good faith and cannot be trusted to keep its word. The irresponsibility makes the Brexit process more difficult, triggering Thursday’s eU ultimatum to withdraw the plan. It subverts the rule of law at home and abroad. It pulls the rug from under Britain’s reputation everywhere from Ireland to hong Kong, and wherever else people hope they can rely on Britain to play fair. The plans set out this week in the United Kingdom internal market bill read like an application for rogue state status. The pushback against this law-breaking bill is already international. The government may have been relaxed about causing consternation in Brussels and exasperation in Berlin. But did it not stop to think of the impact on the politics of Ireland, north and south, or on already alienated opinion in Scotland and Wales, or on trade negotiators in Tokyo and other capitals? Did the government factor in the inevitably frosty response of the Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, who is proud of his Irish ancestry and a friend of the eU, or of Democratic lawmakers (and some Republicans too) in Washington? Did it think about the multitude of other places around the world where goodwill towards Britain cannot always be assumed? Did it not realise that the promise-breaking would be welcomed by the likes of Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, all of whom will feel that Britain has just made it a bit easier for them to go on defying the rules too? If ministers did not think of these things, they are fools. If they did, and still went ahead, they are rogues. Yet the key to limiting the damage and ending the disgrace lies in Britain. In particular, it lies in the Conservative party. It lies with the many Tories whose support for Brexit does not blind them to the damage caused by an approach to the issue that echoes the football chant of “No one likes us; we don’t care.” It lies with the parts of the party whose consciences have not been so scrambled by Brexit that they still grasp what Margaret Thatcher meant when she said that “the first duty of government is to uphold the law”, before going on to add that if governments “bob and weave and duck” around that duty, then so will the governed. And it lies with the thoughtful Tories who can see that the new bill is actually a sign of Britain’s weakness rather than its strength. Theresa May spoke up very effectively for that position earlier in the week. On Thursday she was echoed by a more Thatcherite former Tory leader, Michael howard, speaking in the house of Lords, who attacked the new bill and asked: “how can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards, when we are showing such scant regard for our treaty obligations?” Lord howard is right about that. These are good signs, but many more Tory voices will be crucial. In the end, though, the government’s recklessness will only be curbed if its approach faces defeat in a house of Commons that was elected just nine months ago to get Brexit done, but which was also elected to end the Brexit wars, not go on refighting them. It is more clearly than ever in Britain’s interest, especially in the economic turmoil we all now face because of Covid-19, for the Johnson government to now make a deal that does its best to safeguard jobs and the economy. It is time for MPs to reclaim the parliamentary sovereignty that is at the heart of our politics and put a quick end to a shameful episode.
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
BUSINESS 09
NBP PReSiDeNT DiSmiSSeS mNA AhSAN iqBAl’S AllegATioNS of moNey lAuNDeRiNg
CORPORATE CORNER
KARACHI
LAHORE: A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and University of Malakand on Thursday to support university students in their endeavors to accelerate socio economic development in their respective areas. PRESS RElEASE
PACRA assigns rating of ‘AA+’ to NTDC LAHORE: Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) has assigned initial entity rating of ‘AA+’ for long term and ‘A1+’ for short term to National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), while the outlook of NTDC is forecasted as ‘stable’ on the basis of this rating. The spokesman said that another milestone has been achieved by NTDC, and that that the rating reflects company’s strategic importance in power sector. NTDC is mandated to construct, maintain and operate an integrated network of transmission lines and grid stations of 220kV and above to evacuate power from an installed generation capacity of over 36,000MW. The spokesman informed that NTDC’s low business risk emanates from its leading market position and strong uphold on transmission system in terms of its technical and business expertise. NTDC’s operational expenses being part of tariff determination mechanism reflect positively on the Company’s risk profile and its business and growth prospects. It is worth mentioning that transmission losses of NTDC are aligned with the globally accepted parameters. PRESS RElEASE
Weekly inflation up 0.37pc ISLAMABAD APP
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on September 10 witnessed an increase of 0.37 per cent as compared to the previous week. The SPI for the week under review for the combined consumption group was recorded at 136.62 points against 136.11 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 9.04pc. The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups. The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, witnessed a 0.13 per cent increase, from 143.00 points in the last week to 143.19 points during the week under review. Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517; Rs29,518-Rs44,175; Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month also increased by 0.23pc, 0.30pc; 0.37pc and 0.43pc, respectively. During the week under review, the prices of six items decreased, 22 items increased while that of 23 remained unchanged. The items which recorded a decrease in their average prices included tomatoes, garlic, bananas, potatoes, onions and sugar. The commodities that recorded an increase in their average prices included chicken, moong pulse, mash pulse, eggs, gram pulse, georgette, wheat flour, masoor pulse, gur, matchbox, mutton, LPG cylinder, mustard oil, fresh milk, curd, rice (Basmati broken), bread, cooked daal, milk (powdered), cooking oil, vegetable ghee and beef. Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included rice (Irri 6/9), vegetable ghee (loose), salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloths, shirting, lawn, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, firewood, energy saver, washing soap, petrol, diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.
A
MEIRYUM AlI
RIF Usmani, the President and CEO of the National Bank of Pakistan, categorically denied allegations that he had been involved in money laundering in Nigeria, an issue which had been raised in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue recently. During the committee proceedings, Minister of National Assembly (MNA) Ahsan Iqbal alleged that the NBP president, during his services in Nigeria, was involved in money laundering.’ “While the country is facing threats at FATF, the NBP president has allegedly been involved in money laundering,” he claimed. In an interview with Profit, Usmani denied the claims and termed the allegations as ‘frivolous’. Between July 2001 and September
2002, Usmani served as the West Africa Region Head and Managing Director of Citibank Nigeria. A case was filed in 2003 by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Nigeria of money laundering against Arif Usmani, and one other bank employee, in a Federal High Court in Lagos, Nigeria. The prosecution alleged that the bank had failed to report an international transfer to the Central Bank of Nigeria. Profit had access to, and examined, two key documents provided by the NBP. The first document is from the Federal High Court of Nigeria, dated October 6, 2003, which stated that the charges were dismissed based on a ‘lack of seriousness on the part of the prosecution’. The second was a letter from Citibank Nigeria, which said Usmani had not committed money laundering during his time as Managing Director. In conversation with this scribe, Usmani stressed that money laundering
could not have been committed, as after his stint in Nigeria, he then worked in four different banks in three different countries, which meant that he had to be cleared by three different regulatory bodies. Between November 2003 and August 2007, Usmani was the Chief Risk Officer of the Samba Financial Group in Saudi Arabia. Between January 2008 and March 2012, he served as the Managing Director of Citibank Pakistan. Then, between March 2012 and October 2013 he was the Global Head of Wholesale banking at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB). Between November 2017 and February 2019, he was the Chief Risk Officer at Mashreq Bank. Both ADIB and Mashreq Bank are based in the UAE. According to Usmani, he had to clear stringent requirements of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the UAE. If there was any merit to the Nigerian case, then he would not have passed their regula-
Turkey’s OZ Group to invest in KP uplift projects PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI
A delegation of Turkey's OZ Group held a meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani late Thursday, wherein it was announced that the group will invest in three important sectors of KP. It was informed that the Turkish group has already registered its firm in Pakistan for investment purposes. According to KP government officials, the firm would invest in tourism, real estate and agriculture sectors; it intends to
start with tourism in the first phase. Talking to Profit, KP Investment Board Chairman Hussain Dawood Butt said that at present, there are lucrative investment opportunities available in many important sectors of KP, including tourism, minerals, real estate and information technology. Investors from Turkey, China and other countries are showing interest in these sectors, thus paving way for job creation, he added. "The group's investment in the tourism sector [in the first phase] will not only highlight the natural resources of the province
but will also create employment opportunities for millions of people," Butt said. The KP Board of Investment has already briefed the Turkish delegation on key investment areas, including Public Private Partnership (PPP) and potential tourist destinations. During the meeting between OZ Group delegation and KP Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani, it was agreed that steps would be taken to create employment opportunities by providing all facilities to the Turkish business community in Pakistan.
80pc work on Gwadar East Bay Expressway completed: Asim Bajwa ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa said on Friday that about 80pc work on the Gwadar East Bay Expressway has been completed. Asim Bajwa, who is also the Chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (CPEC), also shared some pictures of the expressway through his Twitter account, showing asphalt work underway on the road. He said the expressway would help boost the country's port operations, adding that the project would prove to be the main artery of Gwadar Port through which the entire traffic of the port would flow. According to a statement, the Gwadar East Bay Expressway would provide connectivity of the Gwadar seaport and its free zone with the network
of national highways to ensure fast transportation of import, export and transit goods. Currently, the Gwadar deep sea port is connected through a narrow 16 feet wide thoroughfare of Gwadar Town at the West Bay. All the trawlers and trucks loaded with imported shipments pass through this strip, causing disruption of normal traffic. The port did not have a dedicated wide highway to cater to the transporting requirements of the port. Port operation, even with the available three multi-purpose berths, necessitated construction of the planned East-Bay Expressway. This 6-lane expressway along with a provision of 30 meters wide railway corridor will connect the port with the Mekran Coastal Highway (N-20) through the 2,300 acres Free Trade Zone of Gwadar Port. APP
PIA slashes fares for senior citizens, inbound flights KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced a reduction in fares for senior citizens as well as domestic and inbound flights by up to 20 per cent. The national flag-carrier offered a discount for senior citizens on domestic travel up to 10 per cent, besides announcing a reduction in fares on domestic and inbound flights. Up to 20 per cent reduction has been made by the PIA management on domestic flights from Faisalabad to Karachi by setting up the one-way fare at Rs7,986, whereas the airline will charge Rs10,191 per ticket on flights from Sukkur to Islamabad. PIA has also reduced the fare on inbound flights from Toronto to Pakistan up to 15 per cent. The new charges have been enforced with immediate effect. INP
tory requirements. In both the committee hearings, and in conversation with Profit, Usmani said that he believed the case had come about because he had dismissed an employee of Citibank Nigeria. The former employee’s wife had tried to ‘stir up controversy’ using political and journalistic connections in Nigeria. NBP FRAUD: In the committee hearing, the NBP president had said that the bank’s chief internal auditor, Aamir Sattar, had been removed over fraud. Usmani told Profit that the dismissal by the board had come about due to the fraud scandal in February 2020. At the time, an internal NBP inspection team had discovered fraud of Rs385 million in the Khaira Gali and Khanaspur NBP branches. In September 2020, the FIA arrested five officials of the NBP and one foreigner for involvement in what turned out to be Rs472 million fraud at those branches.
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Stocks shed 116 points on selling pressure KARACHI STAFF REPORT
Bearish trend prevailed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday, with the indices succumbing to selling pressure despite early gains. "The stock market opened on a positive note, mainly on the back of buying activity in fertiliser and banking sectors, but remained under selling pressure later in the second hand, with profit booking in exploration & production, cement, steel and pharma sectors," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. The benchmark KSE-100 Index saw volatile activity throughout the day, touching its intraday high at 42,869.69 (+222.34 points) and intraday low at 42,457.53 (-189.82 points). It settled lower by 116.68 points at 42,530.67. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index lost 412.63 points to close at 67,986.88, while the KSE All Share Index dropped 134.16 points, ending at 30,246.21. The overall market volumes shrank from 884.94 million shares in the previous session to 525.57 million shares (41pc). Average traded value also declined by 35pc, from $163.2 million to $105.7 million. Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL +4.10pc), Byco Petroleum Pakistan Ltd (BYCO -5.84pc) and Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd (PIBTL -1.09pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 60.78 million, 54.64 million and 25.75 million shares, respectively. Sectors that dragged the benchmark lower included oil & gas exploration (-60.15pts), cement (-59.53pts) and food & personal care (27.06pts). Among the companies, Pak Petroleum Ltd (PPL -42.26pts), Lucky Cement Ltd (LUCK 27.44pts) and Nestle Pakistan (NESTLE -17.56pts) dented the index the most. Shedding 3.80pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the refinery sector ended as the session's top loser, with Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL -1.75pc), Attock Refinery Ltd (ATRL -0.86pc) and National Refinery Ltd (NRL -1.15pc) closing in the red. On the financial side, Maple Leaf Cement Factory Ltd (MLCF -2.47pc) reported earnings per share of -Rs5.30 for FY20 (Rs2.47 in FY19), Hinopak Motors Ltd (HINO +7.50pc) announced an EPS of Rs-165.71 for FY20 (Rs70.42 in FY19), Amreli Steels Ltd (ASTL -2.94pc) declared an EPS of Rs-3.79 (Rs0.11 in FY19) while Pak Petroleum Ltd (PPL -2.59pc) posted an EPS of Rs18.47 (Rs22.65 in FY19).
Pak envoy invites Chinese entrepreneurs to take advantage of SEZs BEIJING INP
Pakistan Ambassador to China Moinul Haque has invited Chinese businessmen to take advantage of the dividends of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being set up under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistan has identified nine SEZs and three of them are now in the advanced stage of preparation. “We are going to share all the details very soon,” Haque said in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN), sponsored by the Economic Daily. Pakistan has been committed to building
industrial clusters in recent years to improve its ability to undertake the relocation of Chinese industries. Chinese companies have also been paying continuous attention to the implementation of preferential policies in Pakistan’s SEZs. In this regard, Haque said: “We have learned a lot from the Chinese experience of developing SEZs.” Talking about China-Pakistan trade relations during the Covid-19 pandemic, he pointed out that “first, we are very happy that China has posted a very positive and more than 3pc growth in the first quarter. Despite the pandemic, in the first quarter of this year, we saw our bilateral trade increase.” In the
second quarter, there was a little dip because of the disruption of international travel. The updated free trade agreement (FTA) has proved to be very critical in boosting the bilateral trade as over 300 items are now enjoying duty-free access to each other countries, including fisheries and pharmaceuticals. “So, there are many opportunities for the traders of the two countries to work in this area. We hope that in the months and years to come, our trade will increase from our previous figures,” Haque added. Talking about his experience in the first month of his new role, Ambassador Haque first mentioned the second strategic dialogue between China and Pakistan which was held
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in August in south China’s Hainan province. “While thanking China for its very valuable support to us during the pandemic, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi appreciated the announcement made by Chinese President Xi Jinping that whenever a vaccine is developed, it would be considered a public good. And it should be accessible to all countries, especially the developing countries,” he added. Regarding the ML-1 railway a multiplier effect for the Phase II of CPEC, he said, the spectrum of Pakistan-China relationship is very broad and very deep, adding that “We cooperate in all areas from defence to security, from trade to investment, culture, edu-
cation, science and technology, agriculture, and tourism. CPEC is a very important element of our relationship.” “The industrial development cooperation of phase two is also in sync with the social-economic development agenda of our current government. So these will be very important areas that I’ll be working on during my term,” he said. “ML-1 is the largest project on the CPEC. It is a very important project for both Pakistan and China. It will help to provide very economical and efficient inland travel in Pakistan. I think it will also be very important as a multiplier effect for the phase II of CPEC,” he added.
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
10 FOREIGN NEWS Israel razing more Palestinian homes despite virus: UN Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes built without planning permits that are almost impossible to obtain have risen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic despite the health risks, the UN said Friday. “The period from March to August 2020 saw the demolition or confiscation of 389 Palestinian-owned structures in the West Bank, on average, 65 per month, the highest average destruction rate in four years,” the UN humanitarian affairs office (UNOCHA) said. “Sadly, demolitions during the period March-August 2020 left 442 Palestinians homeless, further exposing many to risks associated with the pandemic.” UNOCHA said that in August alone, 205 people were displaced, more than in any other single month since January 2017. The Israeli authorities routinely raze homes built by Palestinians on their own lands in annexed east Jerusalem or the occupied West Bank if they lack Israeli construction permits. The Israeli military body in charge of civil affairs in the territories, COGAT, said it had an “obligation to maintain public order.” The catch, according to a UN study, is that such permits are “virtually impossible” to obtain and the result is a chronic housing shortage. “The destruction of property in an occupied territory is prohibited under international humanitarian law, unless absolutely necessary for military operations,” said the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, Jamie McGoldrick. “The global pandemic has increased the needs and vulnerabilities of Palestinians who are already trapped in the abnormality of prolonged military occupation. “Unlawful demolitions exacerbate these vulnerabilities and must stop immediately.” According to the latest Palestinian health ministry figures, more than 27,600 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in the Palestinian territories. Of those, 193 have died. AGENCIES
EU boosts 'No-dEal' PlaNNINg as UK rEfUsEs to gIvE way IN brExIt stalEmatE LONDON/BRUSSELS
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HE European Union stepped up planning for a “no-deal” Brexit on Friday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government refused to revoke a plan to break the divorce treaty that Brussels says will sink four years of talks. Britain said explicitly this week that it plans to break international law by breaching parts of the Withdrawal Agreement treaty that it signed in January, when it formally left the bloc. Britain says the move is aimed at clarifying ambiguities, but it caused a new crisis in talks less than four months before a post-Brexit transition period ends in December. The EU has demanded that Britain scrap by the end of this month the plan to breach the divorce treaty. Britain has refused, saying its parliament is sovereign above international law. “As the United Kingdom looks to what kind of future trade relationship it wants with the European Union, a prerequisite for that is honouring agreements that are already in place,” said Pascal Donohoe, chairman of euro zone finance ministers. “It is imperative that the government of the United Kingdom respond back to the call from the (European)Commission.” As the atmosphere soured between London and Brussels, Japan and Britain
said they had reached agreement in principle on a bilateral trade deal that meant 99% of the Britain’s exports to Japan would be tariff-free. NO DEAL: EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Thursday, after talks in London, that the bloc was increasing its planning for a no-deal Brexit at the end of this year after trade talks made little progress. “The UK has not engaged in a recip-
rocal way on fundamental EU principles and interests,” Barnier said. “Nobody should underestimate the practical, economic and social consequences of a ‘no deal’ scenario.” Britain rejected Barnier’s view. “We don’t recognise the suggestion that we’ve not engaged, we’ve been engaged in talks pretty consistently for many months now,” a British source said.
“The problem is the EU seems to define engagement as accepting large elements of their position rather than being engaged in discussions.” Investment banks have increased their estimates of the chances of a messy end to Britain’s exit from the trading and political bloc it first joined in 1973, and sterling has fallen against the dollar and the euro.
UK strikes first major post-Brexit free trade deal with Japan LONDON: While still wrangling with the EU on the future of its post-Brexit trade relations, the UK has announced that it secured the first post-Brexit pact with Japan, which will make almost all British exports to the country tariff-free. The British government announced on Friday that the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was agreed in principle during a video call between the UK’s International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu. “This is a historic moment for the UK and Japan as our first major post-Brexit trade deal. The agreement we have negotiated – in record time and in challenging circumstances – goes far beyond the existing EU deal, as it secures new wins for British businesses in our great manufacturing, food and drink, and tech industries,” Truss said in a statement. The deal, meant to boost trade with Japan by some £15.2 billion ($19.5 billion), can also help UK businesses gain a foothold in the Asia-Pacific region as it became an “important step” towards joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The CPTPP accounts for about 13 percent of world GDP and is supported by 11 countries around the Pacific Rim, and the UK has been planning to join the bloc after the Brexit transition period ends. The UK says that domestic manufacturers, financial services firms, food and drink producers, as well as tech companies will benefit from the tariff-free access to the Japanese market. London says that 99 percent of British exports to Japan will not be subject to tariffs. It also noted that the UK economy will enjoy a £1.5 billion boost thanks to the deal, while British workers’ wages may increase by £800 million “in the long run.” Britain had to seek new trade agreements with its overseas partners as previous deals will no longer apply from December 31, when the Brexit transition period ends. While the deadline is looming, London and Brussels are still at loggerheads over the terms of their bilateral agreement. The UK added fuel to the fire earlier this week as it published the draft “United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.” The legislation, which is in breach of the withdrawal deal it agreed and signed with the EU last year, has drawn the ire of EU officials. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that move “undermines trust,” while Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic later signaled that trust is necessary if talks on a future trade deal were to continue. AGENCIES
Russia and China dismiss Microsoft allegations of bids to hack Biden and Trump camps WASHINGTON/MOSCOW AGENCIES
Russia and China dismissed on Friday allegations by Microsoft Corp MSFT.O that hackers linked to Moscow and Beijing were trying to spy on people tied to both U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Advisers to both presidential campaigns are assessing risks from digital spies around the globe, as the two candidates face off on Nov. 3 in one of the most consequential U.S. presidential elections in decades. The Microsoft report, which also mentioned Iran, came as Reuters revealed one of Biden’s main campaign advisory firms had been warned by the software giant that it was in the crosshairs of the same Russian hackers who intervened in the 2016 U.S. election. Speaking at a joint press conference in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China has never meddled in U.S. affairs. Lavrov, in turn, said accusations of Russia using hackers to meddle in the United States’ internal affairs were “unsubstantiated”. “Russia has not interfered, is not interfering and does not intend to interfere in anyone’s internal affairs, or electoral processes,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters separately on Friday. The announcement by Microsoft’s vice president for customer security, Tom Burt, said the group accused of breaching Hillary Clinton’s campaign emails in 2016 – a Russian military intelligence-linked unit widely known as Fancy Bear – had spent the past year trying to break into accounts belonging to political consultants serving both Republicans and Democrats as well as advocacy organizations and think tanks.
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
GLEnn MAxwELL, MitCHELL MARSH StAnd LiftS AuStRALiA to CoMPEtitivE 294 foR 9 MANCHESTER
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century stand between Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell helped carry Australia to a competitive total in the first ODI at Emirates Old Trafford. Marsh anchored the innings from No. 5 with his highest score in almost four years, while Maxwell threatened at some trademark pyrotechnics before falling for 77 from 59 with more than six overs to go as England's seamers produced a strong finish. Missing Steven Smith, who suffered a blow to the head in training the day before, and asked to bat on a surface expected to be slow and given to spin, Australia recovered from a shaky first half to leave England a potentially challenging chase. The
126-run sixth-wicket partnership was a record for Australia in ODIs against England and allowed them some respite from the middle-order woes that have dogged them in this format. Despite coming in at No. 7 and with Australia looking to rebuild, Maxwell was soon ticking along at above a run a ball, before unleashing his full repertoire. The first of his four sixes was a half-chance to longon that caught Tom Banton out of position, but he was beginning to find his range as the innings entered its final phase, putting Adil Rashid into the top tier and then creaming Jofra Archer for back-to-back sixes before mistiming a slower ball on to his stumps. England only conceded three more boundaries from that point onwards, however, and Marsh's dismissal, lbw to Mark Wood, left them scrambling to get close to
PCB announces fresh refund process for PSL tickets ISLAMABAD APP
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a fresh refund process for those cricket fans who could not reimburse the tickets of the 10 HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches, which were washed out, played behind closed doors or rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said a statement on PSL website. The PCB has to date repaid more than 59,500 tickets worth Rs60,612,900 during a two-phased process which ran from July 13 to August 29. The current refund process will run till 25 September, during which tickets can be refunded from the designated TCS Express Centres in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Sukkur. The tickets will be processed daily from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Karachi’s Head Office of TCS Express Centre and Lahore’s Gulberg Express Centre will remain open on Sunday as well. To avail the cash refund, the ticket holders will be required to provide original un-tampered tickets to the TCS staff for validation. Strict Covid-19 protocols will be put in place to curb the spread of the virus. As such, it is mandatory for every customer to wear face masks while entering the Express Centres and ensure social distancing during the process.
Michael Holding criticises England and Australia for not taking a knee AGENCIES Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding has criticised England and Australia for not taking a knee in support of the “Black Lives Matter” movement during their ongoing limited-overs series. England wore “Black Lives Matter” logos on their shirts during their Test series against West Indies and took the knee to protest against racism, but opted not to continue the practice in subsequent series against Pakistan and Australia. “Now that the West Indies team has gone home, that doesn't mean that you still shouldn't be respecting the message and what it stands for,” Holding told Sky Sports. “Yes, [racism] is more acute in the United States than in most other places but people around the entire world took on the mantle of spreading the word and getting this message out that it is time for equality and time for equal justice. “It was no longer just a black versus white thing ... so for Pakistan and England not to then take that signal ... neither team did it and the ECB came out with a pretty lame statement, as far as I am concerned.” The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in response that it was committed to “long-term and sustainable change” and had launched “initiatives that focus on eliminating discrimination from all areas of cricket”. Before the current series began, Australia skipper Aaron Finch said his team would not take the knee because “education is more important than the protest”. Holding disagreed with Finch, saying that raising awareness and education were both important tools in the fight for equality. “[Finch] is saying that he's glad he is part of a sport where no one is barred from playing, irrespective of your race, your gender, your ethnicity, your religion,” Holding added. “Well, I don't know any sport where anyone is barred from playing because of anything at all. So that's a pretty lame statement. “I'm not here to try to force people to do what they do not want to do. If you think you do not need to sympathise with and recognise the movement, just say that. Don't come up with lame excuses.” Former West Indies skipper Daren Sammy has also spoken out in favour of equality, urging cricket's governing bodies to treat racism more seriously and pay it the same attention they give to upholding the integrity of the game.
300. The target of 295 would still require the highest successful chase in ODIs at Old Trafford, but England will be hopeful of rediscovering an appetite for aggressive scoring after fielding their strongest team since last year's World Cup trumph. Talk about Australia's formula for ODIs has been something of a constant in recent times - despite their run to the semi-finals of the World Cup - and they came into this series with the captain, Aaron Finch, calling for "consistency" in their bid to settle on a preferred XI for the road to 2023. Finch and Justin Langer will doubtless have been heartened that it was two of Australia's unfulfilled talents in the middle order who helped dig the tourists out of trouble. Australia lost both openers inside the Powerplay, extracted via the pace of returning World Cup winners Archer and Wood -
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Victoria Azarenka came from a set down to stun record-chasing Serena Williams on Thursday and set up a US Open final against Japan's Naomi Osaka. Azarenka recovered from a 6-1 hammering in the first set to win the next two 6-3, 6-3 and schedule her first Grand Slam final appearance in seven years. The former world number one is enjoying a remarkable renaissance in New York that the Belarusian credits to finding humility, following several years disrupted by injury and a custody battle over her son. "I think when you're coming up from kind of nothing, then you become a number one player in the world, sometimes you can start to think you're invincible and that you're better than everybody, and it's not true," Azarenka said. "So the ego starts to grow. It's very hurtful when it gets damaged. Instead of getting the ego damaged, I tried to remove that and learn from my mistakes," she added. After a first set plagued by double faults and unforced errors, Azarenka turned the tide in the second, upping her service game and getting more returns in play as she began to dictate lengthy rallies. "I knew I needed to step up with my aggressivity, play a little smarter, play with a little bit more width of the court and bring the intensity up,"
both playing their first ODIs since the 2019 final. Archer continued his hold over Warner, having dismissed him two times out of two in the T20I series, by pinging the top of off stump with a searing, 90mph delivery in his second over; Wood's impact was even swifter, as his first ball, skidding through at 89mph in the channel, found Finch's outside edge. A platform of 46 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay left Australia's batsmen with work to do, but also a window of opportunity: since the decision was taken to move on from Liam Plunkett, England's wickettaking threat in the middle overs has waned (in defeat to Ireland in the third ODI last month, they didn't manage a single breakthrough between the 11th and the 40th). But Wood helped restore a cutting edge, removing Marcus Stoinis after he had briefly
SPORTS 11 looked capable of finding the requisite balance between muscle and moody stonewalling, filling in for Smith at No. 3. Again Wood found a testing length, this time pushing the speed gun up to 92mph, and a flying Jos Buttler collected Stoinis' nick. Rashid, alongside Plunkett the other reliable middle-overs can-opener of England's World Cup side, produced two more breakthroughs in his first spell and Australia's hopes of a significant total were looking decidedly peaky at 123 for 5. Marnus Labuschagne, having looked his usual busy self, missed a slider to be pinned lbw despite a review and the under-pressure Alex Carey top-edged a sweep - Rashid moving past James Anderson to become England's leading ODI wicket-taker against Australia. With Marsh intent on knuckling down, after being restored to the side in South Africa earlier this year, it was Maxwell who looked most capable of undoing England's good work with the ball. He might have been taken on 10 going after a Rashid long hop only for Banton to palm it over the rope and was fortunate to escape when top-edging a sweep between Buttler and Joe Root at slip on 41, but looked in ominous touch swinging the same bowler into the stands as Australia reached 218 for 5 after 40.
Azarenka stuns Serena to set up US Open final against Osaka BELARUSIAN RECOVERED FROM A 6-1 HAMMERING IN THE FIRST SET TO WIN THE NEXT TWO 6-3, 6-3 Azarenka explained. Two-time Grand Slam winner had never beaten Williams before in a Grand Slam. Her last appearance in a Grand Slam final came in the US Open in 2013 when Williams beat her. Azarenka also suffered a heartbreaking loss to Williams in the 2012 US Open final, when she served for the match at 5-3 in the third set only to lose 7-5. Azarenka was determined that history would not repeat itself. Serving for the match, she hit a double fault before smashing her fastest serve of the night at 109 mph. 'RESPONSIBILITY': When Williams then challenged and lost an ace that was called in on the next point, it was Azarenka's match. "I've been there before. Today was gonna be different," Azarenka said. Williams said she started the 1 hr 56min-match "really strong."
"(But) then she just kept fighting. She just changed and started playing better and better. Maybe I took a little too much off the gas pedal at some point," the American added. The defeat ended Williams' hopes of winning a record-equalling 24th singles Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows. It has been more than three years since Williams won her 23rd singles tennis major title at the 2017 Australian Open. Azarenka's last Slam title came at the 2013 Australian Open, when she retained the crown she had won a year earlier. The 31-year-old's march to the US Open final comes after she claimed last month's Western and Southern Open tune-up event in New York. Her recent rejuvenation has seen her rise to 27th in the world rankings. Azarenka has been smiling and dancing on court, and even meditating
Australia to host Rugby Championship, South Africa’s participation in doubt SYDNEY APP
Australia was picked over New Zealand to host the coronavirus-affected Rugby Championship on Friday, but the pandemic may prevent world champions South Africa from taking part. The four-way international tournament, which also involves Argentina, was originally scheduled to begin in August. But Covid-19 forced a rethink and the decision to play in only one nation, given border restrictions. Twelve matches will now take place between November 7 and December 12. All rounds, bar one in Queensland, will be in the southeastern state of New South Wales, where Sydney is the capital. But South Africa's participation is in doubt as the country continues to battle coronavirus, with all sporting competition there currently suspended. "The Springboks' participation will be dependent on the relaxation of that suspension as well as overcoming a number of other logistical challenges including the opening of international air borders," said SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos. Argentina are also struggling with coach Mario Ledesma, other staff members and five players testing positive for coronavirus, according to a statement Thursday on the Argentina Rugby Union website. "Those infected were isolated, they are asymptomatic and in good health," it said. It follows six players testing positive last week, barely a fortnight after the Argentine government authorised the Pumas to resume training. SANZAAR, the southern hemisphere governing body, previously said New Zealand was its preferred host due to its success in containing the
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virus, but after months of negotiations Australia pipped it to the post. Marinos said Australia ultimately got the nod "based on government-required quarantine protocols (for entry and training prior to the tournament) and commercial underwriting". "The Rugby Australia submission was the most desirable and workable in terms of tournament logistics for the essential pre-tournament preparation period and the six-week tournament itself," he added. TRANS-TASMAN ROW: Under Australian quarantine conditions, teams are expected to be able to train together in large groups while in mandatory 14-day isolation. This was seen as important given neither South Africa nor Argentina have resumed competitive rugby since the pandemic brought sport to a halt earlier this year. Australia and New Zealand are match-fit after playing domestic Super Rugby competitions. To compensate for missing out on hosting the Championship, the All Blacks' two Bledisloe Cup Tests against the Wallabies, which were due to be played in Australia in October, will now be in New Zealand. Fans are expected to be allowed in Australia. Under current New South Wales rules, venues can be up to a quarter of normal capacity or 10,000 spectators, whichever is less. "We worked incredibly hard behind the scenes with a whole range of stakeholders, including SANZAAR and the New Zealand government, to ensure we were ready and able to host the Championship and we felt we were," said New Zealand Rugby chief Mark Robinson. The decision is a shot in the arm for Rugby Australia, which has battled internal divisions this year, with the pandemic exacerbating financial strains on the organisation.
during breaks. She says she's enjoying her tennis more than ever and credits it to a new-found maturity. "I started taking more responsibility for what I do, for what happens to me, and responsibility of how I'm going to react to situations. Azarenka, who had a son in December 2016, will bid to become only the fourth woman to win a singles Grand Slam in the Open era after having children. She faces a formidable opponent in two-time Grand Slam winner and fourth seed Naomi Osaka, who defeated 28th seed Jennifer Brady 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-3. Osaka, of Haitian and Japanese heritage, walked onto the court wearing a facemask emblazoned with the name of Philando Castile, a black man who was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop in Minnesota in 2016. The 2019 Australian Open champion says she is getting strength from wearing different masks honoring victims of racial injustice and police brutality throughout the tournament. "I do think it's a very big motivating factor for me just to try to, like, get the names out to as many people as I can," Osaka said.
Rizwan to remain first-choice wicket-keeper, Sarfraz has future with the team: Misbah ISLAMABAD APP
Pakistan's head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq has confirmed that Mohammad Rizwan would remain the first-choice wicketkeeper while going forward saying the Peshawar-born cricketer was doing great. Sarfaraz Ahmed was reluctant to play the final Twenty20 during the England series while Rizwan, Pakistan's first-choice wicketkeeper, played every other game and had an impressive tour; his performance with the gloves - particularly in the Test series - was widely praised. With the bat, he scored two fighting halfcenturies and was named Pakistan's Player of the Series. He played the first two T20s as well, before Ahmed replaced him for the final match. But the team management and captain Babar Azam had to convince Ahmed to play the match, assuring him his career wouldn't be defined by one game, and he still had a future with the national team. "He didn't refuse to play but raised genuine reservations over being asked to play in the last match of the tour," Misbah told ESPNcricinfo. "The situation naturally gives you a concern and that's fair because he thought that a dip in his performance may get us to judge him going forward. Babar, Younis Khan, the batting coach and I spoke with him and told him that he did well on the tour and he should play one game without any additional pressure. There was a need for clarity and we communicated effectively with him well before the game." Pakistan eventually won the game to draw the series, and while Sarfraz had a relatively incident-free game - he didn't bat - he did come under mild scrutiny for fluffing a golden chance to stump Moeen Ali early in his innings. Ali went on to score 61 off 33 balls, bringing England to within six runs of victory. Misbah confirmed that going forward, Rizwan remains the first-choice wicketkeeper but insisted Ahmed had a future with the side. "It's totally wrong," Misbah said when asked if the game was Ahmed's farewell.
Saturday, 12 September, 2020
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AfghAn negotiAtors, PomPeo dePArt for dohA PeAce tAlks with tAlibAn KaBuL
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team representing the Afghan government flew out for Doha on Friday afternoon ahead of longawaited peace negotiations with the insurgent Taliban scheduled to begin on Saturday, Afghan officials said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the impending “historic” talks
while himself on his way to Doha for the inauguration event. The Trump administration has been attempting to usher the Taliban and Afghan government towards negotiations, which would pave the way for the United States to finally withdraw from its longest war and hand President Donald Trump an important foreign policy success right before the US presidential election. “Today, we depart to Doha with hopes
and self confidence to create a condition in Afghanistan where guns are silent and the values of (the) republic are consolidated and Afghan people achieve what they deserve,” said senior negotiator Nader Nadery, part of the team that left Kabul on a commercial airliner. Pompeo is also scheduled to arrive in Doha on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s opening ceremony, following which the actual talks are expected to begin between the Afghan government representatives and the Taliban,
Pressure mounts on Lahore CCPO to resign over insensitive remarks Continued from page 01 Marriyum is not the only opposition lawmaker demanding Sheikh’s removal. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman said that she was furious that “police officials have had the nerve to ask why the lady was out at that hour”, and added in a tweet that, “They need to be dismissed.” In response to a question about the CCPO’s comments, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani said that people had a right to choose any route they wanted to. When a similar question was posed to Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, head of a new investigative committee for the motorway incident, he said, “Government is aware of this demand [for Sheikh’s removal], the chief minister is aware. This is the prerogative of the chief minister.” “I said this last night as well that I do not agree with his [CCPO] statement and that it was inappropriate,” he added. However, he urged that the focus should remain on the case and not internal affairs. The CCPO has also been summoned by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice. Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was posed a question pertaining to the CCPO’s remarks during a television interview, but the provincial chief executive avoided giving a direct answer multiple times. A meeting of the National Assembly’s standing committee was held under the chairmanship of Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Riaz Fatyana. The committee also summoned secretary communications and IG Motorway Police for the next meeting. Fatyana, calling the matter ‘very shameful’, inquired during today’s session why was the Motorway Police not deployed as this section of the road was opened for public use in March. He said that there has been a strong reaction to the remarks made by Lahore CCPO and the official should give an explanation to the committee during the next meeting. MNA Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk said that he is ashamed and pondered to which depths the nation’s society has fallen to. He added that the minimum punishment should be to cut off the hands of the accused. Fatyana also directed the Punjab government to provide psychological counselling to the victim and her children. “There are seven hundred and fifty laws in the country,” he said. “This is not a matter of legislation but of implementation.” MNA Kishwar Zahra added that there was a need for drastic reforms in the police as it transgresses its authority while Nafisa Shah said that the CCPO’s statement is a humiliation of the victim and that he should be removed from office. INVESTIGATION SHOWS RESULTS: After the rape and robbery of a woman on the Lahore motorway, a fivemember committee was formed to investigate the incident, and two men have been arrested after they used the victim’s ATM card. The committee is convened by Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and the other members are additional chief secretary Home Department, the additional inspector general (AIG) of special branch, Punjab deputy inspector general (DIG) (investigation) and the director-general of Forensic Science Agency. This committee is to respond to CM Buzdar. Speaking on the incident, Law Minister Raja Basharat said, “This is a blind incident. There is no overt evidence to take the matter forward. We will have to develop the evidence through an investigation and have it corroborated and only then will we be able to get to a
point where we can have a concrete picture”. He added that he acknowledges the fact that the “provincial government is responsible for the safety of our women”, and that the CM had approved the purchase of new cars for Punjab Highway Patrolling Authority (PHPA) and the police force in general. Meanwhile, the police said that DNA tests of seven suspects have been conducted, and geofencing and footage from local cameras are helping track down any other potential culprits. The most promising lead so far is the arrest of two men who were using the woman’s ATM card to withdraw money from an ATM. The forensic authorities have acquired special chemical from Dubai for completing the sampling process, and the DNA found on these two men will be tested against the victim, a local news outlet reported. IGP Ghani said that the “barbarians” would be arrested as soon as possible and brought to justice. “Police teams are working day and night to provide justice to the victim and her family,” he added. The Punjab police chief also ordered the deployment of highway patrol and special protection personnel on the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway. The order for deployment came in a memo sent to the Additional IG of Punjab Highway Patrol (PHP) and DIG Special Protection Unit (SPU) by the AIG (operations) on behalf of newly-appointed Punjab IGP. A local news outlet reported that the letter noted that ever since its operationalisation, the newly constructed LahoreSialkot Motorway has “remained unmanned both in terms of security and traffic management” and the Motorway Police has not taken over it thus far. It said the IGP has directed the PHP to deploy manpower on the 91-kilometre stretch of the motorway to ensure the security of commuters. “The mandate of the force so deployed shall be restricted to the security of commuters and road users only. However, the said deployment shall remain in place as a temporary arrangement till the deployment of National Highways and Motorway Police,” the letter stated. The memo said for the duties to be given effect as per the standard operating procedures, the PHP “shall be reinforced with SPU” personnel. “The detailed modalities of [the] deployment of PHP and SPU must be conceived and operationalised with immediate effect,” it said, directing the police officers to submit the detailed functional deployment plan by today. The woman had been travelling with her children on the motorway when the car ran out of fuel near the Gujjarpura area. She had contacted her relative and tried calling the motorway police. In this time, two men approached the car, broke the window, gang-raped the woman, and robbed her of her valuables, including Rs100,000 in cash, a ring, a bracelet, and three ATM cards. The first to respond to the scene was Dolphin Trooper Ali Abbas. After reaching the incident site, he saw a child’s shoe and proceeded to go down a ditch. “Sensing that the matter was suspicious, we also fired in the air,” said the police official. “It was very dark and we could not see much. When we went further into the bushes, we heard a voice saying ‘bhai’. When we approached the voice, we saw the victim with her children wrapped around her. A passer-by had called 15, and had left by the time we arrived.” Reportedly, the eyewitness who called 15 has now emerged and told a local news outlet that he “saw one of the robbers dragging the woman out to the fields”, adding the other man was standing behind the car.
as envisaged in a February agreement between the militant group the US. “It’s taken us longer than I wish that it had to get from February 29 to here but we expect Saturday morning...to have the Afghans sitting at the table together prepared to have what will be contentious discussions about how to move their country forward,” Pompeo told reporters shortly after taking off from Washington on Thursday evening. “(It’s) truly historic.”
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The Taliban had hitherto refused to have direct talks with a government that the group says is powerless. Pompeo’s arrival in Doha on Friday would coincide with the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States that triggered US military involvement in Afghanistan against the Taliban, who harboured Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda militant leader who plotted the attacks. A diplomatic source in Kabul said that the start of talks had been arranged to ensure it did not fall on the anniversary. A jet had picked up six prisoners demanded by the Taliban from Kabul on Thursday. Some Western governments had objected to their release, and as a compromise it was agreed that they would be kept under supervision in Qatar. France and Australia said overnight that they objected to the prisoners being released from Afghan prisons.
Bahrain follows Emirates in normalising ties with Israel comes amid a backdrop of shared fears about the threat of Iran to the region. The biggest question now is whether Saudi Arabia, one of the most influential countries in the Middle East and a close ally of the United States, will follow suit. The Trump administration has tried to coax other Sunni Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, to engage with Israel. Riyadh has so far signaled it is not ready. The agreements come against the backdrop of the U.S. election campaign between Trump, who is seeking a second term on Nov. 3, and Democrat Joe Biden. Foreign policy has not figured prominently in the campaign, but Trump is eager to present himself as a peacemaker even as he rattles sabers against Iran. Trump’s pro-Israel moves have been seen, in part, as an effort to bolster his appeal to evangelical Christian voters, an important segment of his political base. Zaha Hassan, a visiting fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Bahrain’s move was “especially disturbing” to Palestinians. “This move could not happen without a Saudi green light,” she said. “[Saudi] is under pressure to normalize, but cannot because of its position as the custodian of Islam’s holy places and the unpopularity of it on the street level. “Bahrain was offered up as a consolation that will keep Saudi Arabia in Trump’s good graces.” At the Arab League on Wednesday, the Palestinians sought but did not obtain a condemnation of the UAE-Israel accord from their fellow members. However they did secure renewed Saudi support for their right to statehood. On Friday, the Saudi embassy in Washington did not respond to queries on whether its ambassador or another Saudi representative would attend Tuesday’s signing ceremony. Bahrain, a small island state, is home to the U.S. Navy’s regional headquarters. Riyadh in 2011 sent troops to Bahrain to help quell an uprising and, alongside Kuwait and the UAE, in 2018 offered Bahrain a $10 billion economic bailout. Friday’s deal makes Bahrain the fourth Arab country to reach such an agreement with Israel since exchanging embassies with Egypt and Jordan decades ago. Last week, Bahrain said it would allow flights between Israel and the UAE to use its airspace. This followed a Saudi decision to allow an Israeli commercial airliner to fly over it on the way to the UAE. The United States, Israel and the UAE have urged Palestinian leaders to re-engage with Israel. Negotiations last broke down between Israelis and Palestinians in 2014, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to have political dealings with the Trump White House for more than two years, accusing it of pro-Israel bias. On Friday Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner told Reuters: “Everyone in the region is just down on the Palestinian leadership. The Palestinian leadership keeps making their case less and less relevant by acting the way are.”
WaSHington/teL aViV/duBai AGENCIES
Bahrain joined the United Arab Emirates in agreeing to normalize relations with Israel on Friday, a move forged partly through shared fears of Iran, but one that threatens to leave the Palestinians further isolated. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted the news after he spoke by phone to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said. “This is truly a historic day,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, saying that he believed other countries would follow suit. “Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region,” the United States, Bahrain and Israel said in a joint statement. The announcement comes one month after Bahrain’s fellow Gulf Arab State, the United Arab Emirates, agreed to normalize ties with Israel under a U.S.-brokered deal which is scheduled to be signed at a White House ceremony hosted by Trump on Sept. 15. The Israel-UAE ceremony will be attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed alNahyan. The joint statement said Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani would join that ceremony and sign a “historic Declaration of Peace” with Netanyahu. On Friday, Netanyahu said Bahrain’s decision marks a “new era of peace.” “For many long years, we invested in peace, and now peace will invest in us, will bring about truly major investments in Israel’s economy - and that is very important,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hend al-Otaiba congratulated Bahrain and Israel, saying it marked “another significant and historic achievement which will contribute enormously to the stability and prosperity of the region.” But Palestinians were dismayed, fearing the moves by the UAE and now Bahrain will weaken a longstanding pan-Arab position that calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory and acceptance of Palestinian statehood in return for normal relations with Arab countries. “By normalizing ties with the occupation, Bahrain is breaking all Arab resolutions. It is rejected, condemned and it represents a betrayal of the Palestinian cause,” said Wassel Abu Youssef, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Bahrain’s decision to normalize relations with Israel “represents a grave harm to the Palestinian cause, and it supports the occupation.” EYES ON SAUDI: The easing of relations with Israel
China, India agree to disengage troops on contested border BeiJing/neW deLHi AGENCIES
China and India said on Friday they had agreed to de-escalate renewed tensions on their contested Himalayan border and take steps to restore “peace and tranquillity” following a high-level diplomatic meeting in Moscow. Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi and Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met in Moscow on Thursday and reached a five-point consensus, including agreements that troops from both sides should quickly disengage and ease tensions, the two countries said in a joint statement. The consensus, struck on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, came after a confrontation in the border area in the western Himalayas earlier this week. “The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side.
They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions,” they said in the statement. Jaishankar told Wang that the immediate task would be for troops to step back from the “areas of friction” so that things do not get worse, an Indian source said. Troops are barely a few hundred metres apart at some points. China and India accused each other of firing into the air during the confrontation, a violation of long-held protocol not to use firearms on the sensitive frontier. Wang told Jaishankar the “imperative is to immediately stop provocations such as firing and other dangerous actions that violate the commitments made by the two sides,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. Wang also told Jaishankar all personnel and equipment that have trespassed at the border must be moved to de-escalate the situation. In June, tensions erupted into a frontier clash in
which 20 Indian soldiers were killed and China suffered an unspecified number of casualties. Shares of defence-related firms fell in China on Friday after the news of progress in the talks, with the CSI National Defense Industry Index down 1.2% and on track for its steepest weekly decline since Oct. 12, 2018. Tongyu Heavy Industry shares tumbled as much as 16.4% at one point. CHINESE BUILDUP: The ministers’ meeting lasted for two hours and was the latest diplomatic effort to head off a broader conflict between the world’s two most populous countries, which went to war in 1962. Jaishankar told Wang that India was deeply concerned about the buildup of Chinese forces on the Line of Actual Control on the poorly defined border. “The Chinese side has not provided a credible explanation for this deployment,” an Indian government source quoted Jaishankar as saying at the meeting.
“The provocative behavior of Chinese frontline troops at numerous incidents of friction along the LAC also showed disregard for bilateral agreements and protocols,” Jaishankar said, adding any unilateral attempt to change status quo would be resisted. China’s Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party, reported on Wednesday the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were moving soldiers, bombers and armoured vehicles into the border. Chinese state media also recently reported armed jump drills by PLA paratroopers in Tibet. The Global Times said in an editorial published late on Thursday that any talks with India should be paired with “war readiness”. “The Chinese side must be fully prepared to take military action when diplomatic engagement fails, and its frontline troops must be able to respond to emergencies, and be ready to fight at any time,” the newspaper said.
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