Epaper – April 1-2022 LHR

Friday, 1 April, 2022 I 28 Shaʽban, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 273 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

OppOsitiOn at behest Of ‘fOreign pOwer’ cOnspiring tO Oust me: pm Khan ISLAMABAD

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Staff RepoRt

rime minister imran Khan has announced not to step down irrespective of consequences and face the no-confidence motion filed by the joint opposition against him in the National Assembly.

“Vote on the no-confidence motion will be held this Sunday [April 3]… The coming Sunday will decide in which direction this country will go,” he said while addressing the nation on Thursday. “i will not resign and fight till the last

ball,” he added.

The premier while terming the no-trust move as the “foreign-backed conspiracy” to topple his government said that the nation will not forgive those lawmakers who will vote against him in the lower house of parliament.

“People should see those people [lawmakers] who will ‘sell their conscience’ on Sunday,” said the premier while warning the parliamentarians that the coming generations will never forget them if they voted against him. “i will never let this conspiracy succeed come what may.”

Pm imran said those who will support

the no-trust motion in the house “are committing treason” against the country.

“This nation will neither forgive you nor those are behind you… remember the faces of traitors,” the premier said.

While discussing the ‘threat letter,’ the premier said he received the message from a foreign country through Pakistan’s ambassador was not only against him but the entire nation.

The foreign country, which sent the ‘threat’, knew that the opposition was going to table a no-trust motion against me in the National Assembly, he added.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Pakistan issues ‘strong demarche’ to foreign country over ‘threatening letter’ ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday said that the communication of a senior official of a foreign country to Pakistan’s Ambassador “amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of the country by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances”. This was stated in an official press release issued shortly after Prime minister imran Khan chaired the 37th meeting of the NSC on Thursday at the Pm’s House.

Later in the day, the foreign office said that the demarches were made to the foreign country as decided by the top civilian and military leadership. “As decided in the National Security Committee meeting held on march 31, 2022, the requi-

site demarches have been made through diplomatic channels,” said a statement issues by the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A source said that the Charge d’affaires of the US was summoned to the moFA and protest was recorded as agreed by the NSC. The NSC meeting was summoned in light of an alleged threat letter by a foreign government that had warned Pakistan of consequences if the no-confidence motion against Pm imran Khan failed.

National Security Adviser moeed Yusuf briefed the committee on the formal communication of a senior official of a foreign country to Pakistan’s Ambassador in the said country in a formal meeting, which was duly conveyed by the Ambassador to the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

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Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

No coNfideNce Move is crediT NegaTive for PakisTaN: Moody’s

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HE Moody’s Investor Service has termed the no confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan as credit negative. The country currently has a B3 Stable rating.

The credit rating agency expressed concern that it would act as a hurdle in the smooth reform process the country is undergoing. “We view the no-confidence motion as credit negative because it raises significant uncertainty over policy continuity, as well as the government’s ability to continue to implement reforms to increase productivity growth and secure external financing, including from the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” said a statement.

The statement adds, “The motion comes at a time when Pakistan is

encumbered with surging inflation and widening current account deficits amid rising global commodity prices. A further deterioration in its external position, including a significant widening of the current account deficit and an erosion of foreign-exchange reserves, would threaten the government’s external repayment capacity and heighten liquidity risks.”

Moreover, the statement explains the impact of the Russia Ukraine conflict on Pakistan amidst an inflationary global commodity price environment.

“The Russia-Ukraine military conflict, which has driven up global commodity prices, has amplified pressure on its external position. The country is a net oil importer, with petroleum and related products accounting for about 20 per cent of total imports.”

Pakistan earns $315mn from travel services’ export

Moody’s expects the deficit to widen to 5-6% of the GDP in fiscal 2022 compared to their previous forecast 4 per cent. “This further widening will put greater pressure on Pakistan’s foreign reserves, which declined to $14.9 billion as of February 2022 from $18.9 billion in July 2021, according to IMF data, sufficient to cover only around two months of imports,” it adds.

Moody’s casts doubt over the continuation of the IMF program amidst uncertainty especially considering the need for securing external financing to continue to meet external obligations in light of pressures on foreign exchange reserves.

“The no-confidence motion raises significant uncertainty over the government’s capacity to commit to implementing reforms, particularly those aimed at broadening the revenue base. How

Pakistan will approach the IMF program from this point on is uncertain, and its participation could be in doubt.”

Moody’s however does not see the no confidence vote result in better economic stability. The statement adds, “Regardless of the outcome of the no-confidence vote, the ruling party will find it difficult to balance advancing revenue-raising reforms to secure external financing and political pressure from voters facing rising living costs.”

On 28 March, opposition parties in Pakistan tabled a no-confidence motion in the government accusing Prime Minister Imran Khan of mismanaging the economy, and claimed that the ruling coalition no longer has a parliamentary majority. Voting is likely to take place on 4 April.

Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party officially controls 155 seats out of 342 in

Govt to conduct forensic audit of car prices

TlTP Pakistan earned $315.030 million by providing different travel services in various countries during the first seven months of the current financial year 2021-22. This shows growth of 13.67 per cent as compared to the $277.146 million for same services provided during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2020-21, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. During the month under review, the personal travel services increased by 13.71 per cent, from $276.006 million last year to $313.840 million during July-January 2021-22.

Among these personal services, the exports of healthrelated expenditure rose by 72.73 per cent while the education-related expenditure increased by 0.15 per cent.

In addition, the other personal services witnessed an increase of 13.83 per cent. Meanwhile, the exports of business services also grew by 4.39 per cent, from the $1.140 million to the $1.190 million, the PBS data revealed. It is pertinent to mention here that the exports of services from the country witnessed an increase of 18.82 per cent during the first seven months of current financial year (2021-22) as compared to the corresponding period of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

The exports of services during July- January (2021-22) were recorded at $3,944.91 million against the exports of $3,320.17 million in July-January (2020-21), showing growth of 18.82 per cent. The imports also rose by 39.49 per cent by growing from $4,426.30 million last year to $6,174.42 million during the period under review.

Losses continue for Telenor Microfinance Bank

the National Assembly (lower house of parliament), and has a majority of 179 once allied regional parties are included. However, reported defections have put that majority in doubt. Pakistan is undergoing its seventh review under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility program, which has disbursed $3 billion out of the stipulated $6 billion to date.

However, discussions between Pakistan and the IMF appear to have stalled since early March, with the IMF expressing concerns over the government’s recent relief package in response to rising inflation.

In January, Moody’s Investor Service termed IMF’s successful disbursement as credit positive.

Ghulam abbas As the prices of cars have skyrocketed in the country for, what the automotive industry claims, devaluation of currency, freight price hike etc. the government has decided to carry out forensic audit/analysis of the price hike.

During a meeting of the monitoring committee for automobile industry presided over by Federal Secretary for Industries & Production Jawad Malik, the committee has expressed concerns over massive price hikes in the past 5-6 months and safety features in automobiles, sources informed.

According to insiders, though the

representatives of the auto industry tried to convince the committee regarding price hike citing the reasons of devaluation of rupee against dollar and other reasons, the committee decided to carry out the forensic audit through a private firm.

As per officials the meeting was attended by representatives from automakers, Pakistan association of automotive parts and accessories manufacturer (PAAPAM), Engineering Development Board (EDB), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and Ministry of Science & Technology.

The meeting had earlier sought factors and justification for recent price hikes in different models of cars across the board.

According to a representative of car manufacturers/assemblers, in the meeting it was informed that the recent price hike is due to dollar rate (USD to PKR), increase in freight charges and raw materials including operational cost.

“Apart from the devaluation of currency, the freight charges have increased by 200 per cent and the same would ultimately be reflected in the prices of vehicles,” he said while talking to this scribe after the meeting.

“We would welcome any kind of probe or forensic analysis regarding the jump in car prices as there are solid reasons for the increase in cost of production,” he added.

According to sources, the Ministry of Industries and Production has decided to hire the services of private firms or experts to probe the matter. After due deliberations, the committee directed to carry out forensic analysis of car prices in comparison with factors indicated by the industry as a reason for price change through independent professional expertise. Secretary Industries, sources say, has instructed to complete the forensic analysis within two weeks. The Chair also asked the automotive industry to provide a localization plan with a time frame as well as safety features compliance report to the Ministry.

During the meeting the auto industry representatives also provided details on causes of late delivery, CDK imports and production capacity.

During the meeting the local car assemblers were largely criticized for producing lower quality vehicles despite the high prices. On safety issues of the locally assembled cars, the meeting was informed that accession to WP 29 regulations was envisaged in Automotive Industry Development and Export Policy (ADP) 2016-21 and its role has been maintained in the new policy. Pakistan has opted for 17 regulations comprising brakes, steering, tires, lighting, safety belts, seats, airbags, collision, safety glazing, mirrors and cameras, anti theft devices etc. for cars and heavy commercial vehicles.

As per documents available, the automotive industry, being the fastestgrowing industries in the country, employs a workforce of 500,000 and 2.4 million indirect employment.

The local car manufacturers/assemblers claim to achieve up to 73 per cent localization in cars and LCVs, 90 per cent localization in tractors and over 90 per cent in motorcycles. Mostly engine parts and some critical parts which require heavy investment and hi-tech parts are being imported while other parts including structure, exterior, interior suspension, brake system etc are being manufactured locally.

ahTasam ahmad The latest financial statements of the bank revealed a loss of Rs10.4 billion for the financial year 2021, similar to the loss posted in the preceding year. Further, the bank managed to only generate an interest income of around Rs4 billion, a decrease of almost 50% compared to 2020. The decrease in income can be partially attributed to a reduction of 42% in the loan base as the bank seeks to cut back its lending to reduce operational risk. Therefore, it has diverted funds towards a more secure avenue; government securities. The bank has reduced its operational footprint significantly as the number of branches came down to 66, a figure that was 120 in 2019. This might be due to channeling resources towards its branchless operations. However, the income from these is also declining year on year. Further, it is to be noted that 60% of branchless income is derived by the bank from money transfer services through Easypaisa which will be eliminated once RAAST is fully implemented in the country. The deposit base improved for the bank as its overall deposits went from Rs36.9 billion to Rs39 billion, an increase completely attributable to growth in Easypaisa mobile wallet deposits. The liquidity of the bank continues to deteriorate as it piles up losses while its sponsors, Alipay and Telenor, inject equity to keep it afloat. The combined additional equity invested in the bank for 2020 and 2021 is around Rs19 billion with the latter year seeing an inflow of Rs11.6 billion.

Easypaisa: The only positive for the bank was its financial service platform. The number of mobile wallet accounts reached 9.6 million growing 19% year on year.

Further, the agent network was extended to 188,942 and mobile wallet deposits reached Rs24 billion growing at 8% and 28% respectively.

What WEnt Wrong?: Telenor Bank had an impressive record for almost a decade primarily due to the success of Easypaisa. However, competition picked up when Mobilink Bank started to invest heavily into Jazzcash aiming for the market leader position in the mobile wallet space which it eventually got by the end of 2018 as per Karandaaz Data Portal.

Pakistan Army not only defeated terrorism but also kept five times larger Army at bay: Air Chief KaKul Staff RepoRt

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu has said that Pakistan Army has not only defeated the menace of terrorism and its manifestations but also has also kept a five times larger Army at bay.

“Our armed forces are a true reflection of Quaid’s Pakistan, with no distinction of caste, creed, gender, religion, status, geography or beliefs,” said the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) while addressing here at MPA Kakul.

“PMA Kakul is indeed one of the best military academies of the world, where our nation’s most motivated youth volunteer to join the ranks and lead the best. We live in challenging times in the wake of evolving global and regional environment. Let it be known that Pakistan is a peace loving nation and wishes to maintain friendly ties with all countries, especially our neighbors,” he said.

However, the Air Chief said that the desire for peace of Pakistan must be understood on the right direction.

“Let me make it clear that there can be no peace without a just settlement of the Kashmir issue. We condemn the

grave human rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

I urge the international community to play their role in ending human rights violation and atrocities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

“We also believe that peace and stability in Afghanistan is imperative not only for the progress of Pakistan but the entire region. Sacrifices by Pakistanis and our efforts for peace in the region speak for themselves,” asserted the Air Chief. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu said that while we would not like to indulge in an arms race, the armed forces of Pakistan would continue to enhance their capability to deter any aggression.

“I am proud that armed forces of Pakistan are professionally competent and well trained to cope with all internal and external challenges. Our brave warriors have always displayed great courage during testing times and upheld Nation’s trust. We are Alhamdulillah equipped and trained in line with the dictates of modern warfare and are ready to face any challenge. We are also cognizant of the challenges and opportunities of future technologies,” he said.

“I can say it with confidence that all three services are working jointly, more than any time in the history, to develop expertise and capabilities in unison and full synergy. I must appreciate Pakistan Army for its role to create this environment of true jointness amongst the armed forces”.

“Before I conclude I would like to especially appreciate Commandant PMA

and his well motivated and professionally competent team for their concerted efforts towards education, training and grooming of this energetic youth. I once again congratulate the graduating cadets and distinction holders on their accomplishments on this memorable day. At the same time I congratulate the proud parents and the families of graduating cadets,” he said.

Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

PM waNTs sTricT acTioN agaiNsT disseNTiNg ParTy MeMBers islamabad

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RIME Minister Imran Khan on Thursday held a special meeting with senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and additional general secretary of the party Amir Mahmood Kayani and Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan to discuss action against dissenting party members, who may vote against the premier in the noconfidence motion.

The PM ordered a strategy to be formulated for issuing show-cause notices to those members of PTI who have refused to follow the party line.

According to sources, the draft for the show-cause notices has been finalised and the notices will be issued to the concerned MNAs under Article 63-A of the

Nepra okays rs3.27 per unit hike in april bills for karachiites KaraChi: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has notified a Rs3.27 increase in the power tariff for the electricity consumers of KElectric (KE). The hike in the power tariff was notified on Thursday on account of monthly fuel charges adjustment (FCA), said a Nepra notification.

NEPRA’s hearing on the request of K-Electric to increase the power tariff was held on March 31, 2022, under the chair NEPRA chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi.

The amount will be received in the bills of April, it said, adding that the Karachiites will have to bear an additional burden of Rs3.58 billion. Earlier this month, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority had increased electricity price by Rs5.94 per unit under monthly fuel adjustment. The power regulatory authority took the decision after conducting a hearing on the plea of Central Power Purchasing Agency (CCPA). Back in February, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced a massive reduction in petrol and diesel prices up to Rs10 per litre, besides bringing down the electricity tariff up to Rs5 per unit. Meanwhile, the power shortfall has reached 5,000 megawatts due to technical problems and shortage of fuel in the power-plants. According to details, the hydropower generation is also facing a downfall due to low level of water in the dams around the country which have added to the electricity shortfall. Meanwhile, the unannounced load-shedding of electricity has reached up to eight hours a day in different parts of the country.

The sources revealed that the total production of electricity is 14,000 megawatts whereas the demand of electricity is more than 19,000 megawatts. Staff RepoRt

Constitution of Pakistan.

The Article 63-A of the Constitution strictly prohibits members of the assembly from crossing the floor; a member of the National Assembly who deviates from the party policy issued by the head of the parliamentary party must forfeit their seat.

The premier has given dissident members the opportunity to clarify their position by noon, April 1. If they do so, they would be pardoned. “Strict action will be taken against members who do not satisfy the party by the stipulated deadline,” the PTI stated.

Official references against MNAs who have openly deviated from party policy are to be sent to the speaker of the Assembly during the meeting. The PTI

will move to declare the seats of dissident members vacant under Article 63-A of the Constitution. Days after PTI issued showcause notices to 13 of its lawmakers on grounds of alleged defection, the disgruntled lawmakers responded on March 26 by vehemently denying the allegations as “baseless and untrue”.

The strongly-worded response came after the ruling party issued the notices when the dissenting PTI lawmakers were found staying at the Sindh House and openly expressed a lack of confidence in the prime minister. The PTI had asked the lawmakers to explain within seven days about giving the impression that they were about to leave the party.

PTI Sindh to hold ‘Karvan-e-Wafa’ rally to express solidarity with PM: Haleem Adil KaraChi Staff RepoRt

Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh will bring out “Karvan-e-Wafa” rally on Friday to express solidarity with Prime Minister Imran Khan and support to his independent and sovereign foreign policy approach for Pakistan.

Chairing a meeting of PTI parliamentary party at Sindh Assembly building on Thursday, he said that the ‘Karvan-e-Wafa’ will start from Mazar-e-Quaid and culminate at Teen Talwar after marching through different roads of the Metropolitan.

The meeting was attended by PTI parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman, president PTI Karachi Bilal Abdul Gaffar and other members of Sindh Assembly.

Haleem Adil Sheikh said that it is battle of national honour and sovereignty of Pakistan and entire nation is joining the journey of Prime Minister Imran Khan which begun from ‘absolutely not’.

People of Pakistan has realized that it is time to throw away chains of slavery and stand with cause of sovereign and independent Pakistan, he stated adding that the true faces of opposition parties had been exposed before the nation who always run state affairs on dictation from abroad.

State Dept says ‘no truth’ in claim US behind no-trust vote against Imran WashiNGTON MonitoRing RepoRt

The United States said “no government agency or official” in Washington sent a threatening letter to the prime minister who has said on numerous occasions in recent days there was a “foreign conspiracy” to efforts to oust him through the no-confidence vote.

“There is no truth to these allegations,” a State Department spokesperson said.

The clarification from the US came in response to queries posed by the Washington correspondent of Dawn who approached the State Department with a

request to comment on the matter after Imran Khan shared the contents of the letter with a select group of reporters. Later in the day, senior Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda revealed a “plot is being hatched to assassinate Imran Khan”.

“Allegations of US involvement in the no-trust motion and threat letter to PM Imran Khan are baseless,” said the spokesperson. The US government is monitoring the political situation of Pakistan, however, and supports the rule of law in Pakistan, he added. Regarding the question of the no-trust motion, the spokesperson said Washington respects the constitutional process in Pakistan.

NEWS

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MQM-P, PPP alliance will be short-lived: sindh governor islamabad Staff RepoRt

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has said that he can guarantee that the MQM-P and PPP alliance will be very short-lived. Talking to the media in Islamabad, the Governor said that only the Pakistan Peoples Party’s voters would gain from the agreement while MQM-P voters would lose. He said that the government was trying to negotiate with the MQM-P and convince them to stay in the treasury benches but they choose otherwise.

Governor Sindh added that MQM-P had three basic demands which were being worked upon but they decided to end the 4-year long partnership and side with the opposition. He said that the people of Pakistan are angry over the barter of conscience happening in the Sindh House. How would these turncoats face themselves after selling their vote and conscience, Imran Ismail added.

fBr collects rs4,382bn revenue in nine months islamabad Staff RepoRt

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has collected net revenue of Rs4,382 billion during the first nine months (July-March) of the current financial year 2021-22, exceeding the target by Rs247 billion. In a statement issued on Thursday, the FBR released the provisional revenue collection figures for the months July 2021 to March 2022 of the current financial year 2021-22. The FBR said that revenue collection of Rs4,382 billion represents a growth of about 29.1 percent over the collection of Rs3,394 billion during the same period of the last fiscal year. The net collection for the month of March 2022 realised Rs575 billion, representing an increase of 20.5 percent over Rs477 billion collected in March 2021. On the other hand, the gross collections increased from Rs3,577 billion during July 2020 to March 2021 to Rs4,611 billion in the current financial year, showing an increase of 28.9 percent. Likewise, the amount of refunds disbursed during March 2022 was Rs31.9 billion while in March 2021 the refunds disbursed were Rs26.3 billion, registering an increase of 21.3 percent. Similarly, refunds worth Rs229 billion have been disbursed during July 2021 to March 2022 compared to Rs183 billion paid last year, showing an increase of 25.0 percent. It is pertinent to mention that the ongoing unprecedented and constant growth trajectory in revenue collection has been achieved despite massive tax relief given by the government on various essential items to common man. For the first time ever in the country’s history, sales tax on all petroleum products has been reduced to zero which cost FBR Rs45 billion in March 2022. Likewise, the revenue impact of sales tax exemptions provided to fertilizers, pesticides, tractors, vehicles, and oil & ghee come to Rs18 billion per month. Similarly, zero rating on pharmaceutical products has cost FBR Rs10 billion in sales tax during the month of March 2022.

Profile: Imran Khan in danger of dropping the ball as prime minister islamabad ReuteRS

Prime Minister Imran Khan lost Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Wednesday after a series of similar departures ahead of a no-confidence vote expected in the next few days.

The defections have mounted along with questions over his performance, including his government’s management of a struggling economy, beset by double-digit inflation and rising deficits.

Khan, a cricket legend who embarked on a long and difficult journey in politics to become prime minister in 1996, rallied his citizens with a vision of a corruption-free, prosperous country respected on the world stage.

Handsome and charismatic, Khan first grabbed the world’s attention in the early ’70s as an aggressive fast-paced bowler with a distinctive leaping action.

Imran Khan bowling for Pakistan during the 1st Prudential Trophy One Day International between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, July 17, 1982.

The umpire is David Evans. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto via Getty Images) He went on to become one of the world’s best all-rounders, and captained a team of wayward stars from bleak prospects to Pakistan’s first and only World Cup win in 1992, urging on them with the famed battle cry to fight “like cornered tigers”.

After retiring from cricket that year, he became known as a philanthropist, raising $25 million to open a cancer hospital in

memory of his mother, before foraying into politics with the establishment of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in April 1996.

Despite his fame, the PTI languished in the political wilderness, not winning a seat other than Khan’s for 17 years. This period had its dramatic moments, however, with Khan in 2007 escaping house arrest by leaping over a wall amid a crackdown on opposition figures by then military ruler General Pervez Musharraf.

In 2011, Khan began drawing huge crowds of young people disillusioned with endemic corruption, chronic electricity shortages and crises in education and unemployment.

Imran Khan gestures upon his arrival during a rally in Lahore on October 30, 2011. A crowd of thousands gathered on October 30, for a rally in Lahore called by Khan to press President Asif Ali Zardari to step down. (Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images) He drew even greater backing in the ensuing years with well-educated expatriates leaving their jobs to work for his party and pop musicians and actors joining him on the campaign trail.

His goal, Khan told a gathering of hundreds of thousands of supporters in 2018, was to turn Pakistan from a country with a “small group of wealthy and a sea of poor” into an “example for a humane system, a just system, for the world, of what an Islamic welfare state is”.

That year, after 22 years in politics, he was at long last victorious, marking a rare ascension by a sporting hero to head of state.

Observers cautioned, however, that his

biggest enemy was his own rhetoric having raised his supporters’ hopes sky-high. star CriCKEtEr to rEForMEr: Born in 1952, the son of a civil engineer, Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi described himself as a shy kid who grew up with four sisters in an affluent urban Pashtun family in Lahore.

After a privileged education in Lahore, during which his cricketing skills became evident, he went on to the University of Oxford where he graduated with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

As his cricket career flourished, he developed a colourful reputation in London in the late 1970s. In 1995, he married Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of business tycoon James Goldsmith. The couple, who had two sons together, divorced in 2004.

LonDon, UnitED KingDoM: In this picture taken July 18, 1996, Imran Khan is accompanied by his wife Jemima as he arrives at the High Court in London.

(STR/AFP via Getty Images) A second brief marriage to TV journalist Reham Nayyar Khan in 2015 also ended in divorce.

His third marriage to Bushra Bibi, a spiritual leader whom Khan had come to know during his visits to the 13th-century shrine of Fariduddin Ganjshakar in Pakpattan, in 2018 reflected his deepening interest in Sufism — a form of Islamic practice that emphasises spiritual closeness to God. Once in power, Khan embarked on his plan of building a “welfare” state modelled on what he said was an ideal system dating back to the heyday of Islam, some 14

centuries earlier.

His government made a number of key appointments based on qualifications and not political favours and sought to reform hiring in the bureaucracy and civil service.

Other measures included making it easier for citizens to lodge complaints and the introduction of universal healthcare for the poor in one province with plans to expand the programme nationally.

The government also began a project to

plant 10 billion trees to reverse decades of deforestation.

To bolster a long-crippled economy, Khan made a significant u-turn in policy and secured an IMF bailout for Pakistan and set lofty, albeit unmet goals, to expand tax collection.

But his anti-corruption drive was also heavily criticised as a tool for sidelining political opponents — many of whom were imprisoned on charges of graft.

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Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

Summer Gift: unannounced prolonGed load-SheddinG commenceS acroSS country ISLAMABAD

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AhmAd AhmAdAni

he entire country has been experiencing unannounced electricity loadshedding for hours and National electric Power Regulatory Authority (NePRA) has taken serious notice and warned strict action against the power distribution company (DISCO) to be found involved in carrying out unscheduled power outages. expressing grave concerns over the sudden start of hours-long unannounced power cuts in the country, NePRA in a statement issued on Thursday said that it has taken serious notice of unscheduled power outages across the country and asked the electricity consumers to file detailed complaints in the concerned regional offices against the DISCO for carrying out unannounced power load-shedding.

NePRA has also declared that strict action will be taken against the concerned Sub Divisional Officers (SDOs), XeNs (executive engineers), Superintendent engineers (Ses), and Chief executive Officer (CeO) of the concerned DISCO upon proven guilty for carrying out unannounced power cuts in its jurisdiction. On Thursday, NePRA chairman Tauseef h. Farooqi while chairing a public hearing on fuel price adjustment

(FPA) for the month of February 2022 said that the country is currently faced with power shortfall of 5372megawatt (MW) while owing to fuel shortage 2139MW less power is being generated. Since the government has been claiming the power generation capacity of 40,000MW so there should not be any affect on the system if five to seven thousands megawatt of electricity is not produced, said NePRA chairman.

It is relevant to note that the Ministry of energy in a tweet on Wednesday said,” Due to tripping of 3 nuclear plants, some areas had to face temporary loadshedding today.

The plants will be back on the system within a few hours.” however, the unannounced power loadshedding continued on Thursday across the country to add misery to the masses, industries, commercial and domestic category of the power consumers.

The power consumers in different areas of the country including Peshawar, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan etc have been facing up to 10 hours of unscheduled power cuts.

Sources in the energy sector said that the on-going power shortfall is mainly due to liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply crisis, less electricity production with hydel source coupled with alleged bad administration on the part of the energy Ministry for arranging fuel for power generation purposes.

ramzan bazaars become functional in punjab: minister LAHoRe StAff RepoRt

Punjab Minister for Industry and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that Ramzan bazaars have become functional across the province.

Talking to various delegations at his office on Thursday, the minister said that the Punjab government has given a historic Ramzan package of Rs8 billion. Aslam said that the government is giving a subsidy of Rs4 billion for the supply of subsidised flour to the people. Poultry will be available at Rs10 less per kg and eggs at Rs5 less per dozen. Sugar will be available at Rs10 less per kg less in Ramzan bazaars. he said that agricultural fair price shops have also been set up in Ramzan bazaars. The minister said that during the holy month, the Ramzan bazaars will be open from 9:00am till Iftar and the best arrangements have been made for the convenience of the consumers in the Ramzan bazaars.

The energy crisis of the country has been worsening ahead of summer season and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has forcefully closed the gas supply to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations.

According to senior leader of CNG as-

sociation, Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said that gas supply to the CNG sector has been suspended due to non availability of gas. he said that the government has failed to import full LNG from the last three years and due to this mis-management and fight among the

ministers the people are not getting gas and electricity but they are paying the extra terminal and pipeline cost.

SNGPL didn’t give any timeline/date for restoring the gas supply to the CNG industry, said Paracha.

Tarin for gearing up loans disbursement under KPP ISLAMABAD StAff RepoRt

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin has stressed for gearing up the disbursement of interest free loans under the Kamyab Pakistan Programme (KPP) to help the people achieve self-sufficiency.

The finance minister said this on Thursday while presiding over a steering committee meeting of KPP to review progress of the programme, said a press statement issued by the Finance Min-

istry.

Tarin appreciated all the stakeholders for their contributions in the success of KPP and said that the programme is a milestone project, having exponential potential to transform the lives of the lower strata of the society.

A detailed presentation was given to the finance minister on the KPP progress. he was informed that after the success of first phase of KPP, the programme has been extended throughout the country.

The programme is going success-

fully and a large number of applications for the award of loans are being received through SMS whereas the loans are being disbursed among deserving applicants after meeting the requirements.

The committee was apprised that loans of more than Rs7.5 billion have been disbursed to more than 48,000 beneficiaries. Small loans for business, farmers and construction of houses are included under the programme.

The meeting also addressed operational issues arising in the easy access and disbursement process of loans and

also discussed provision of linking Kamyab Kissan Programme with crop cycle. The participants of the meeting assured the finance minister of their full cooperation and participation in making the programme successful.

Among others, the meeting was attended by chairman NAPhDA, deputy governor of State Bank of Pakistan, Bank of Punjab president, Securities and exchange Commission of Pakistan chairman, Akhuwat Foundation CeO, National Rural Support Programme CeO, and other senior officers.

Forex reserves fall by $2.9bn for 7th week on debt payments: SBP KARACHI StAff RepoRt

The foreign exchange reserves of the country dropped for the seventh straight week by $2.9 billion (13.48 percent) on a week-on-week basis to reach $18.55 billion.

According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday, the foreign exchange reserves held by the country decreased on a weekly basis during the week ended on March 25 to $18.55 billion from $21.44 billion recorded on March 18,2022.

The foreign exchange reserves held by the central

bank decreased by 19.5 percent on a weekly basis, as the foreign currency reserves were recorded at $12,047.3 million, down $2,915 million compared to $14,962.4 million on March 18.

According to the central bank, the decrease reflected repayment of external debt, including repayment of a major syndicated loan facility from China.

“The rollover of this syndicated facility is being processed and is expected shortly,” it said.

Overall liquid foreign currency reserves held by the country, including net reserves held by banks other than the SBP, stood at $18,554.5 million. Net reserves held by banks amounted to $6,507.2 million.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive Board on February 2 approved Pakistan’s request for an $1 billion loan tranche. A meeting of the IMF’s executive Board took place to discuss and finalise Pakistan’s request for the completion of the sixth Review and release of a $1 billion tranche under the extended Fund Facility (eFF).

The foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank soared to an all-time high of $20.15 billion after Pakistan received a general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) worth $2,751.8 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on August 24.

NEPRA hints Rs4.68 per unit hike under FPA of February, 2022 StAff RepoRt National electric Power Regulatory Authority (NePRA) on Thursday hinted to approve power tariff hike by Rs4.68 per unit on account of monthly Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) for the month of February 2022.

As per details, electricity consumers of all power distribution companies (DISCOs) except K-electric are likely to pay additional Rs4.68 per unit in April under the head FPA of the month of February 2022 as NePRA on Thursday has given indication in this regard during a public hearing. however, the authority, on the occasion, has also made it clear

that the NePRA will issue its detailed judgement on FPA of February 2022 after scrutiny of the data submitted by the CPPA. According to NePRA, the actual FPA is Rs4.68 per unit for the month of February while Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) on behalf of power distribution companies (DISCOs) except K-electric had requested to approve Rs4.94 per unit hike in the power price.

Speaking in a public hearing held to consider the FPA of February, NePRA chairman Tauseef h. Farooqi said that the FPA of February was Rs1.26 per unit less than January’s, and this increase will not be applicable to K-electric’s con-

sumers. he said that power generation with hydel source was reduced in February and to fill this gap the power production with furnace oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) was increased while fuel prices witnessed an upward trend in the international fuel market.

Owing to a relief package of the Prime Minister, consumers may not bear additional burden, said NePRA chairman. NePRA officials while giving briefing said that the additional burden of Rs1 billion 37 crore and 70 lakh on the power consumers was only because of violation of merit order for the power generation in the month of February.

They said a burden of Rs1 billion 37

crore and 40 lakh was due to shortage of LNG which resulted in 17 paisa per unit increase in the power price. earlier, CPPA on behalf of all power distribution companies (DISCOs) except K-electric requested NePRA to approve Rs4.94 per unit hike in the power price under the head FPA of February 2022.

Meanwhile, NePRA has increased the power price hike by Rs3.27 per unit on account of FPA of January 2022 for K-electric consumers and issued a notification in this regard while the authority is scheduled to hold a hearing regarding FPA of February on April 4, 2022 as Kelectric had sought Rs3.45 per unit hike for its consumers.a

Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS

No-trust motioN

NA session adjourned till Sunday after opposition’s protest islamabad staff report

NAvy iNdUCtS fASt-trACK MiSSile CrAft iNto fleet KaracHi

The crucial National Assembly session to debate the noconfidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, which resumed after a three-day recess on Thursday, was adjourned minutes after it began.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who presided over the session, adjourned the session till 11:30am on Sunday.

At the beginning of the session, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Babar Awan moved a motion to adjourn the session so the assembly hall could be used for the Parliamentary Committee on National Security’s meeting that was scheduled to be held at 6pm.

The motion was rejected after voting.

Subsequently, the deputy speaker opened the floor for questions. The opposition MNAs, however, continued to insist that the speaker call for a vote on the no-confidence motion today amid chants of “go Imran go”.

Terming the opposition’s attitude “non-serious”, Suri adjourned the session till Sunday when the vote on the noconfidence motion is expected to take place.

He also announced that the meeting of the parliamentary committee would be held in Committee Room No 2.

The resolution against the embattled premier was tabled by the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on March 28 and it was approved for debate the very same day.

According to a 24-point agenda issued ahead of the session, the debate on the no-trust motion against the PM was fourth in order.

‘Shining object’ linked to UN helicopter crash in Congo neW YorK afp

UN investigators said Wednesday they had not ruled out any avenue in a probe into a helicopter crash in eastern DR Congo that killed eight UN peacekeepers, including six from Pakistan, although one lead was a “shining object” that may have caused the incident.

In addition to Pakistan troops, a Russian and a Serb were also killed when a Puma helicopter with the UN mission MONUSCO crashed while on reconnaissance over the troubled region on Tuesday.

Military authorities in North Kivu province have accused the M23 rebel group of downing the chopper, though the faction denies the charge and instead blames the Congolese army.

“The initial preliminary observations of our force headquarters describe a crash that may have been caused by a shining object,” Khassim Diagne, the deputy special representative for protection and security at MONUSCO, told the French radio station RFI. The mission’s deputy spokeswoman Ndeye Khady Lo confirmed this account.

“The wreckage of the helicopter has been located, an inquiry is underway and should be able to ascertain more about the nature of this object,” she said.

The crash seems to have an “external” cause, she said, but stressed it was “premature” to rule out an accident.

Diagne, in his remarks to RFI, said that investigators were not ruling out any scenario, including “an attack”.

The bodies of the eight peacekeepers have been taken to Goma, North Kivu’s capital, MONUSCO said on Wednesday. The helicopter came down in the Tchanzu area of Rutshuru Territory, where the army and the M23 rebels had been fighting the day before.

The M23 — its name derives from the “March 23 Movement” — emerged years ago from an ethnic Tutsi Congolese rebellion in North Kivu that was once supported

by Rwanda and Uganda.

The group was defeated by the army in 2013 but has resurfaced since November, accused of staging several raids on military positions around Rutshuru.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric Wednesday did not blame the M23 group for the crash.

But he said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned by the resurgence of M23 activities in the border area between the DRC close to Rwanda and Uganda.”

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staff report

ceremony to induct indigenously designed and constructed Fast Attack Interdiction Craft-Missile (FAIC-M) Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Haibat and a third 16 tonnes bollard pull tugboat, Pakistan Navy Tug (PNT) Goga, was held in Karachi.

Naval Chief Admiral Amjad Niazi attended the event as chief guest.

PNS Haibat is the first landmark project indigenously designed by Maritime Technologies Complex and constructed by Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW) without any foreign technical assistance, Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) Navy said in a statement.

Speaking on the occasion, the naval chief underlined that commissioning of PNS Haibat ushers a new chapter in indigenous design and construction that has further matured with time.

He emphasised that in the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, PNS Haibat will strengthen the navy’s capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defence and maintain peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Admiral Niazi commended the concerted efforts put in by KS&EW, Maritime Technologies Complex (MTC) and Pakistan Navy for the landmark achievement.

Earlier, KS&EW Managing Direc-

Opposition at behest of ‘foreign power’ conspiring to oust me: PM Khan continued from page 01 The premier while quoting the threatening letter said that the foreign official told the Pakistani ambassador in the unnamed country that other stakeholders including Foreign Office was not taken on board about his visit to Russia.

PM Imran further said that ‘conspirators’ have links with the major opposition leaders of the country and added that they wanted to install opposition parties into power to influence Pakistan’s foreign policy. “Their intelligence officials know everything about our political leaders… and they know about the offshore assets of Shehbaz Sharif,” he said.

The premier said he always wanted to pursue independent foreign policy and since entering politics 25 years ago he never compromised on his stance. “I am not anti-America or anti-India but I criticised their [West] wrong policies… I always wanted to pursue independent foreign policy.”

PM Imran went on to say that he opposed the decision of joining the so-called US war on terror during the military era of Gen Pervez Musharraf.

“Despite suffering huge losses due to becoming the US ally in its war in Afghanistan, the US did not acknowledge sacrificed rendered by Pakistan.” The premier said that he always maintained that his government will make a “people-centric” foreign policy that should not be against any country.

Next two days are ‘very importaNt’: Earlier, in a post on Twitter, Information Minister Fawad Chaurdhry said the prime minister will speak to the nation tonight. A similar statement was made by Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid during a brief interaction with the media. Rashid said the prime minister will address the nation tonight. He claimed that the next two days were “very important”. “Imran Khan is standing steadfast against the traitors of democracy,” he added.

On Wednesday, the prime minister was slated to address the nation but it was postponed due to untold circumstances. In a tweet, PM’s aide Faisal Javed had said the prime minister’s address to the nation was being postponed but did not give any reason for its postponement.

The prime minister, who has lost his majority in the National Assembly after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) joined hands with the opposition, is accusing the opposition of being a part of a ‘foreign-funded’ conspiracy to dislodge his government.

To corroborate his claim, PM Imran is also using an alleged letter by a foreign power wherein Pakistan was warned of “grave consequences” if the no-trust motion failed.

Meanwhile, the prime minister and the National Assembly speaker have summoned meetings of the National Security Committee and Parliamentary Committee on National Security at the Prime Minister House and Parliament House, respectively. The meetings will be briefed on the alleged letter sent to the premier by the foreign power.

Letter coNtroversy: In light of the letter, PM Imran had convened an urgent cabinet meeting to discuss the issue of an ‘international conspiracy’ being hatched to topple his government through a secret letter – that he waved during his address at the party’s March 27 rally in Islamabad.

The cabinet ministers were shown the letter by the prime minister on a teleprompter, whereas the journalists were not shown the letter but its contents were shared with them in separate meetings. The letter has been sealed under the Official Secrecy Act. Imran had told the cabinet that he was doing politics of national interest rather than his own person. He had told the ministers that the letter was closely linked to the no-confidence motion. Imran had said that he would fight till the last ball and drive the opposition out of the ground.

He said that the people are with him.

Imran, according to the sources, had said that attempts were being made to overthrow the elected government under a foreign conspiracy.

The prime minister had told the ministers that the military leadership would also be taken into confidence on the letter.

Before the cabinet meeting, PM Imran addressing a ceremony in Islamabad had claimed the opposition’s no-confidence motion against him was a “huge foreign conspiracy against Pakistan”. However, he emphasised that he could not name the country which sent the ‘threatening letter’ because its results would not be good for the country.

The prime minister had said that the letter stated that Pakistan would face serious consequences if the no-confidence motion failed, adding that the language of the letter was extremely harsh and that the no-trust motion had been mentioned in it several times.

It may be mentioned here that the letter – being touted as a threat – had been sent by former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, Asad Majeed. It was sent after talks with the US assistant secretary of state for South Asia, the sources told The Express Tribune.

tor Rear Admiral Athar Saleem underscored that PNS Haibat being a multimission capable platform will bolster the navy’s maritime defence capabilities.

He added that induction of PNT Goga is also a milestone that will strengthen the indigenous ship construction capabilities.

The ceremony was attended by foreign dignitaries, officials from federal and provincial governments Pakistan Navy and KS&EW.

Nazim Jokhio murder: SHC extends PPP MNA Karim’s interim bail till April 11 The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday extended the interim pre-arrest bail given to Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Jam Abdul Karim in the Nazim Jokhio murder case till April 11. A single judge bench headed

by Justice Omar Sial directed the lawmaker to deposit a surety bond of Rs100,000.

The lawyer for PPP MNA argued that the final charge sheet of the case has not been filed before any court and is still being vetted at prosecutor general office.

Earlier in the day, Jam Abdul Karim returned from Dubai to cast his vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the no-confidence motion to oust the former.

The lawmaker landed in Karachi at 5:00 am, hours after Shireen Jokhio, widow of Nazim Jokhio, 27, who was purportedly tortured to death at Karim’s farmhouse, pardoned the suspects in the murder.

In a video message, Shireen said she wanted to fight and pursue the matter but had been left “all alone by her own people” before adding she took the decision to pardon the killers out of compulsion and for the safety of her children.

Pakistan issues ‘strong demarche’ to foreign country over ‘threatening letter’ continued from page 01 The statement said that the NSC expressed grave concern at the communication, terming the language used by the foreign official as undiplomatic.

The committee concluded that the communication amounted to blatant interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan by the country in question, which was unacceptable under any circumstances.

The statement said that it decided that Pakistan will issue a strong demarche to the country in question both in Islamabad and in the country’s capital through proper channel in keeping with diplomatic norms.

Participants also endorsed the cabinet’s decision in the special cabinet meeting held on March 30, 2022 under the prime minister’s chairmanship to take parliament into confidence through an in-camera briefing of the NSC of parliament.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers of Defence, Energy, Information & Broadcasting, Interior, Finance, Human Rights, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Services Chiefs, National Security Adviser and senior officers.

Pakistani volunteer joins forces to fight Covid-19 resurgence in shanghai sHangHai Xinhua

Braving the heavy rain, businessman Habib ur-Rehman, 33, left home early in the morning to assist Shanghai’s anti-epidemic efforts as a volunteer.

The megacity, with a permanent population of more than 24 million and around 200,000 expats, is conducting rounds of nucleic acid testing to tackle a recent resurgence of Covid-19 infections.

Donning full protective gear and a face shield, Rehman rendered his service in the Ronghua residential neighbourhood in the city’s Changning District, where residents had queued up to undergo testing.

He is tasked with guiding people to registration and testing sites in an orderly manner, and during his shift, he serves over 100 expats from more than a dozen countries and regions.

“My family and I have lived in Shanghai for a long time and witnessed China’s efficiency and success in fighting the epidemic in Wuhan in 2020, which has given us a lot of confidence. Regarding the epidemic prevention, we have some experiences to share,” Rehman said.

Starting this month, several regions in China have seen a surge in newly confirmed cases and asymptomatic carriers. Meanwhile, frequent spells of rain and temperature fluctuations have posed challenges to Shanghai’s nucleic acid screening efforts.

Rehman regards himself as a Shanghai native. He was encouraged by his father to pursue studies in Shanghai and in 2008, he took up undergraduate study majoring in international economics and trade at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

After graduation, he joined his family business, trading Pakistani handmade carpets and other speciality goods with China.

Expats who are new in Shanghai might be a little nervous during nucleic acid screening, Rehman said, adding that as a multilingual volunteer, he believes he can help such individuals with suggestions and other assistance.

“As volunteers, we not only help maintain order in the queue but also solve other

cmYK

problems in a timely manner,” he said.

“Problems with health QR codes? No worries. Let me help you fix it,” he said while volunteering. Prior to taking up the volunteering work, Rehman and his family had completed two rounds of nucleic acid testing.

“Although standing in the queue is timeconsuming and requires patience, the entire process was very smooth. If the weather was pleasant, people would have been in a better mood while queuing, and I would have spent more time speaking with them about my personal experience,” he said.

Rehman is enthusiastic about volunteering work. In 2016, he was in one of the first batches of expats to volunteer with Shanghai’s public security department, assisting

the police in managing traffic congestion and providing language translation services in the multilingual community.

He believes that with the assistance of volunteers such as himself, expats can adapt much more easily to a new living environment.

Rehman acknowledged that his family business has suffered short-term setbacks amid the pandemic, but they are optimistic.

“The business has certainly taken some hits, but I think safety comes first. Without health, nothing else is meaningful.”

In 2021, Rehman and his family introduced Pakistani salt lamps into the Chinese market, which became popular at the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE). He plans to participate in the fifth CIIE this year.

06-07 Comments - 1st April 2022_Layout 1 3/31/2022 11:13 PM Page 1

Friday, 1 April, 2022

06 COMMENT

The experience grows more intense

Return of the traditional arbiter A farewell to neutrality?

Imran may be down, but he isn’t out

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EsPItE losing the game in numbers, the Prime minister has decided not to tender resignation but to lift the lid on the so called ‘secret letter’ in the National Assembly. this was in a vain hope that his party dissidents and disgruntled allies might change their mind after hearing his speech and reject the opposition’s motion of no-confidence against him. the PtI has so badly maltreated its dissenters, using the foulest possible cuss words against them, raided their houses and maltreated their relatives, that none agreed to return to the fold. What is more, no rational human being is likely to board a sinking ship. the opposition is meanwhile trying to rub Khan’s nose in the mishandling of vital issues that had a catastrophic impact on national economy, led to a deterioration of relations with friendly countries and contributed to an unprecedented polarization in Pakistan.

Commanding an absolute majority in the National Assembly, the opposition is confident of passing the notrust motion. there is no chance of Imran Khan continuing to remain Pm after a week. the establishment which was widely perceived to have become neutral, seems to have decided to act as an arbiter once again. senior military leaders visited the Pm on Wednesday to reportedly discuss “agreeable options” and a “face-saving agreement” for the government and the opposition to get out of the current political crisis. they also discussed the holding of the next general elections and the duration of the interim government. It was avowedly maintained that no plan would be finalized until the opposition agreed to it and that a “complete package” would be presented in Parliament after both the government and opposition settled on the deliberated matters As the establishment turned neutral, political parties sat down together to settle their differences without outside interference. In the absence of the traditional guarantor for commitments, they agreed on the top leaders of the major mainstream parties acting as such. While opposition parties would like to send the Pm home through constitutional means, the establishment, fearing a prolongation of political crisis in the country, has decided to intervene. It remains to be seen how the opposition parties react to the return of the traditional mediator.

At Penpoint M A NIAZI

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ERHAPs the most remarkable thing about the Amr Bil maaroof rally held by the PtI in Islamabad was the absence of any dramatic announcement by Prime minister Imran Khan, though his supporters were quick to point out his claim (based on a letter he showed no one) that foreign powers were out to get him, just as they got Z.A.Bhutto in 1977.

He also reserved the other ‘surprise’ for the day after the rally, by announcing that he was finally doing what it seems everyone was clamouring for him to do, and replacing Usman Buzdar as Punjab Cm. this was accompanied by the announcement of the desertion of four Balochistan Awami Party members, with only their minister, Zubeida Jalal, remaining loyal to Imran. BAP may well have been more concerned about the survival of the Bizenjo government in Quetta. It perhaps should not be forgotten that Quddus Bizenjo cut his political teeth in the PPP, which is headed by an ethnic Baloch.

Pm Imran Khan’s comparison of himself with Bhutto falls on a number of grounds, the first being that Bhutto had neither a prior sporting reputation or any record in philanthropy to smooth his way into politics. they had both been to oxford, but while Bhutto also attended the University of California at Berkeley, Imran never looked back after oxford.

Bhutto came away with a reading habit (which he must have developed early, while still at school), with the result that he was formidably well-read. Not even Imran’s greatest supporters would like to make that argument for him.

Another problem that arises while trying to make the comparison is that the reason given is not big enough. Even if the idea of Bhutto having been overthrown because of the UsA wanting him is accepted, it is because of his having begun the nuclear programme. Imran interestingly says it was because Bhutto was following an independent foreign policy.

He claims that he is trying to follow a similar foreign policy, and thus is also being overthrown. one problem that Imran faces is whether he is willing to take his argument to its logical conclusion, that the coupmakers of 1977 were as much foreign agents as those who have brought the vote of no-confidence against him. In 1977, the political parties ranged against him have their heirs active today. It is interesting that the PPP is also ranged against Imran

MQM-PPP agreement Should be seen as a chance for a fresh start for the country’s largest city

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HE agreement between the mQm-P and the PPP may be dismissed by observers as a formality that had to carried out to seal the deal for the mQm to switch sides and vote against the PtI in the coming vote of confidence. A definite-plus that the PPP had was that it could offer substantial concessions at the provincial level, and not just the federal ministerial offices that have been pledged. However, the mQm is in permanent minority, and can only be part of the ruling coalitions as a junior partner. It claims, not without reason, that agreements with the PPP have been made in the past and not been fulfilled, so that this agreement has third-party guarantors in former Balochistan Cm Akhtar mengal and Pml(N) President shehbaz sharif. this creates an opportunity for politicians to show a sense of fairness that has been absent in the past. It would perhaps be over-optimistic to expect the PPP and the mQm not to clash, and thus the guarantors increase in importance. It might be impossible for the mQm, the PPP or either guarantor to rise above their political interests, so in the event of any difficulty, it would be advisable for all parties not to try and be clever, but to state their interests as plainly as they can. they will find the frankness appreciated, and reciprocated, and it should lead to a holding together of a relationship that has seen difficulties in the past. though the PPP has conceded substantial changes to local government law, it should not try later to reverse them, for they are the ones most likely to cause problem. one thing should be clear to the mQm: there will be no return to the bad old days, when e-supremo Altaf Hussain pulled the strings from his london self-exile. It might be difficult for the mQm leaders who have signed the agreement, for they were in leadership positions then, but they will have to accept the new reality. With the cooperation between rural and urban parts of the province about to start, there is a chance to bring about the kind of development that the country’s largest city needs.

The project has more potential than originally foreseen

Dr ShoAIb bAloch

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lmost every state aspires to bolster its national power. All available assets are employed to expand the national power base and project power in global politics. Along with multiple power elements, the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor adds a new pivotal dimension to Pakistan’s national power. CPEC equips Pakistan with a credible leverage on the external front, enhancing its maneuvering capability in regional and global politics.

Economic diplomacy: CPEC allows Pakistan to make economic diplomacy the central plank of its foreign policy approach. It greatly facilitates the country to build economic partnerships with countries in the region and beyond. In retrospect, geopolitics often guided the foreign policy of the country that lowered the vitality of economic statecraft. But today CPEC gives an economic tool for diplomacy and engagement with the world for shared prosperity and mutual gain.

Regional connectivity: Pakistan’s new policy shift essentially revolves around geo-economic pivot.

As regional connectivity is the focal point of the country’s new policy paradigm, CPEC offers a feasible avenue for connectivity. the Central Asian Re-

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami M. A. Niazi

Umar Aziz

Joint Editor

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

The writer is a member of staff

CPEC—an element of national power

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

today, and one of his major opponents is Bhutto’s grandson.

However, just as Bhutto was much better read than Imran, the reason for Us dislike of him was also apparent: the nuclear weapon. that is supposed to be why he was supposed to be made a ‘horrible example’ in the phrase Us secretary of state Henry Kisinger.

It was not foreign policy: it was something more tangible, more specific. What is Imran supposed to want to do? there was some talk of Bhutto leading the oIC, which he certainly kept alive by hosting the lahore summit in 1974. However, Imran’s hosting of the oIC Foreign ministers may present a talking point, but it hardly compares. the oIC itself is hardly the force it was in the 1970s, and though the world is facing an oil threat now, it is from Russia, not oPEC. Indeed, the oPEC countries are content to make the money that higher prices bring, but not to go further. the oIC has also become increasingly dominated by saudi Arabia, and Pakistan has not been able to resist saudi pressure not to be part of the new muslim bloc gathering around malaysia and turkey. Imran’s government has not been as inclined to China as would bring down punishment on his head. In fact, Pakistan should have inclined to China’s side in its conflict with the UsA, but did not.

Unless Imran attempts some egregiously proChina move, he will be seen as going along with the present policy of hunting with the hounds and running with the hares. His being in Russia on the day it invaded Ukraine may not have pleased Us policymakers, but the UsA is hardly likely to harm Imran because of what was a minor infraction.

Certainly, the very fact that he has to have his record searched, in a way that Bhutto’s did not, to find something that might cause the UsA to conspire behind his removal. It must also not be forgotten that the policy for which he was allegedly killed, the pursuit of a nuclear weapon, was also pursued by his successor, not just because it was a national policy, but one backed by the military. It should also not be forgotten that the Afghan Jihad helped Pakistan go nuclear, in the sense that the UsA needed Pakistan to fight the Russia and hadf to choose etween its going nuclear, and defeating the Russia.

At present, it is not possible to see why exactly the West needs to remove Imran. Is something that failed in 1977 likely to work in 2022? the claim implies that the establishment is willing to do the UsA’s bidding. However, in the past, military takeovers have heralded Pakistan serving Us interests. only in the case of the 1968 martial law was Pakistan’s military not positioned in advance. the ‘heavy lifting’ of

making Pakistan join CENto and sEAto had already been achieved.

However, it was after Yahya Khan’s take over that Pakistan facilitated Henry Kissinger’s secret visit to Beijing, which paved the way for President Richard Nixon’s famous visit. similarly, the ouster of Bhutto saw the Zia regime only getting Us approval only after the soviet invasion of Afghanistan. similarly, the musharraf takeover came before 9/11 and the invasion of Afghanistan. the Us withdrawal from there did take place on Imran’s watch, and his refusal to provide the UsA bases to observe the taliban was a source of mystery, as the UsA said it had not made any request.

Even if such a request had been hinted at, and though the UsA made clear its desire to blame Pakistan for the defeatr in Afghanistan.there has been some talk of Imran going public withe the letter he claims as the smoking gun, though it is unlikely to show the sort of smoking gun Imran is trying to claim. more relevant has been Imran’s pledge to replace Buzdar. Clearly, Imran is appealing to the military with his claims of foreign pressure, and also by replacing Buzdar, who had received most flak from the establishment. As the establishment’s pick for Cm in 2008, he is seen by it as a safe pair of hands.

However, picking him has led to the Pml(Q) losing an mNA, tariq Bashir Cheema, while it is not certain how the tarfen-Aleem group of PtI dissidents will react. Imran may have made a promise he cannot deliver on. He might fid it easier to convince the mQm(P), for it should not be that difficult to get them another Cabinet slot if they accept. on the other hand, it will mean giving up a share in sindh.

Imran still has a long road to travel to save himself, but things are looking up. though he had not really exploded any bombs at the rally (whose name indicates the religiousd trope he wanted to invoke, but didn’t), things have begun to look up for him since then. most important for him, he has stopped the momentum staying with the opposition.

However, the mQm coming out against him, it does seem the numbers are now against him. All the decisions have been made, and now Imran will retain office in the hope that there will be some U-turns to save him. otherwise, there is really no other reason to hang around.

A problem has been that the main reason for the grouse against Imran, the state of the economy, has been worsened by the no-confidence motion maelstrom. Worse, the opposition does not seem to have a formula, except for the claim it would provide better governance.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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publics are landlocked countries with rich energy resources, so stability in Afghanistan will increase their appetite for accessing the warm waters of the Indian ocean. It can increase Pakistan’s bargaining power with these countries for energy security.

Foreign Direct Investment: CPEC acts as a magnet for FDI. It lures potential investors and provides a propitious destiny for investment in multiple sectors, particularly science and technology, fisheries, agriculture, industry, energy and Exclusive Economic zones (EEZs). Balochistan’s colossal landmass provides opportunities for developing industrial zones, especially for processing sea, agriculture and livestock products through food technology.

Sustainable Development Goals: the socioeconomic dividend of CPEC will permit the country to meet the sDGs. Increasing economic activities under CPEC will create employment opportunities, alleviate poverty, reduce socioeconomic disparity, promote women’s participation in economic activities and decrease hunger and malnutrition. Pakistan may engage with the UN and regional countries for meeting the targets ofsDGs through regional economic integration with the help of CPEC. Economic growth: CPEC will rescue Pakistan’s sagging economy. It galvanizes economic activities, manufacturing industry, revenue generation, and employment opportunities, which can help resolve the chronic balance-of-payment crisis, and current/fiscal account deficit. CPEC will also maximize Balochistan’s economic contribution to the national economy.

Along with natural resources, the province’s local products such as date, wheat, fruits, vegetables, fisheries and livestock will supplement the economic prospects.

Strategic autonomy: Competing great power interests have pushed the world t6 the brink of a new cold war. Pakistan’s delicate balancing act appears to be less feasible in a changing world. However, Pakistan’s new security policy (2022-2026) holds that the country will keep distance from camp politics. But lack of substantial national leverage would be irksome to engage with great powers. In this context, CPEC saves Pakistan’s skin to maintain its strategic autonomy in this evolving new cold war politics.

Economic engagement in lieu of geopolitical realignment will be the new policy approach towards great

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powers under CPEC. Confidence Building Measures: Even though it may strike many people as a preposterous prognostication, CPEC would assist in economic confidence building measures (CBm) by increasing interaction between India and Pakistan which may alter their zero-sum strategic behaviour and overcome the trust deficit. Growing energy demand in India will bring a change, if not a shift, in its policy towards Pakistan because CPEC makes it possible for India to guzzle energy from middle Eastern and Central Asian countries. It thus paves the way for dialogue over Kashmir quagmire and other strategic issues like nuclear arms.

Soft power: terrorism has abysmally tarnished Pakistan’s soft image. CPEC can refurbish the country’s image through connecting infrastructural dots and integrating regional economies with buoyant anticipation of shared prosperity. Pakistan’s economic driven policy not only generates revenue, but it will also snowball the country’s soft power.

Tourism: CPEC will also displace terrorism with tourism. Although Balochistan has different ecological tourist sites, the beauty and tranquility of the province’s coastal belt offers a paradise to local as well as foreign explorers. local foods like date and milk, Balochi ‘sajji’, sea products and many other traditional foods can delight people from different areas.

It can significantly uplift the local economy and palliate the deprivation of people.

Naval power: the strategic location of CPEC at the heart of the Indian ocean, Persian Gulf and other strategic choke points greatly facilitates Pakistan to build its naval power and protect regional economic interests. It makes Pakistan a formidable naval power to play a key role in maritime politics.

Energy security: energy insecurity has retarded Pakistan’s industrial growth. Industries have died out because of energy shortage. As an energy corridor, CPEC will generously quench the energy thirst and boost up industrialization in the country.

Perhaps if CPEC is not a manna from heaven to fix all the problems of Pakistan, it can stimulate socioeconomic development. But local grievances, dearth of transparency and red tapism will dilute the salience of the corridor. Unless local people are taken into confidence for the development of the corridor, CPEC will remain just a good idea.

The writer is a strategic affairs and foreign policy analyst.

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

06-07 Comments - 1st April 2022_Layout 1 3/31/2022 11:13 PM Page 2

Friday, 1 April, 2022

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

Legacy

OIC Foreign Ministers’ moot at a critical juncture Some progress has been made

MuhAMMAD ZAhID rIfAt

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s a founding member of the organization of Islamic Cooperation (oIC), Pakistan is committed to the vision of realizing the true potential of the oIC as the most effective and representative voice of the muslim World. As a founding member of the oIC, Pakistan has always played a vital role in the development of the organization and in promotion of its Charter objectives.

During the past five decades, since the oIC was formed in september 1969, Pakistan has hosted many conferences making invaluable contributions towards strengthening the oIC. It is pertinent to mention here that 57 member countries of oIC have as much as 80 per cent of the total muslim population in the world.

Pakistan had hosted the 17th Extraordinary session of oIC Council of Foreign ministers on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan on December 19.

In continuation of making its positive contributions to strengthen unity of the Islamic Ummah from the platform of the oIC, Pakistan has also earned the distinction of hosting the 48th session of oIC Council of Foreign ministers in Islamabad on march 22 and 23, as another manifestation of the country’s proactive role to continue making its valuable contribution to promote Islamic solidarity and cooperation.

Holding of the oIC Council of Foreign ministers, however, came at a critical juncture for the Islamic world as the people of Palestine and Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir were continuously being denied their inalienable right to self-determination, the rising trend of Islamophobia and hate speeches threatening muslim communities across many parts of the world and millions of Afghan people were facing an uncertain future in the midst of humanitarian and economic crisis. the oIC Foreign ministers had come to Pakistan when the people here were enthusiastically celebrating another Pakistan Day. they felicitated the host Pakistan government and the people and also witnessed the Pakistan Day parade at which the military might of the country was quite impressively and appropriately displayed to their great appreciation along with President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime minister Imran Khan and the Armed Forces Chiefs. they were also joined by the Chinese Foreign minister who was invited to the moot as a special guest. the oIC Council of Foreign minister session proceedings were conducted by host Foreign

minister shah mehmood Qureshi along with oIC secretary General Hissein Brahim taha. the moot itself dilated on wide ranging subjects, issues and concerns of the Islamic world, particularly Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Palestine and Afghanistan among others. During the deliberations, which lasted for two days, the participants dilated upon and adopted as many as 140 resolutions including 20 resolutions which were sponsored as well as cosponsored by host Pakistan. oIC secretary General Hissein Brahim taha in his address highlighted Kashmir and Palestine issues among other issues and concerns of the Islamic world and categorically stated that India’s unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 in its occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir were a blatant violations the UN. security Council resolutions which remain un-implemented even for more than seven decades by New Delhi. strongly condemning the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people by Israel’s illegal occupation of the land, he said that the Israeli actions were stark negation of the international laws and the UN resolutions for the peaceful settlement of the issue.

UN secretary General Antonio Guterres in his video message on the occasion said that the UN and oIC enjoyed a decades-old relationship based on the values of multilateral cooperation, dialogue and solidarity.

Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi, speaking as a special guest to the moot, said that his country stands ready for cooperation with Islamic world, offered to work for regional security, stability and development and pointedly mentioned China was investing the huge amount of $ 400 billion in as many as 600 projects in the muslim world, and that he had attended the moot to boost multilateralism.

In his keynote address, Prime minister Imran Khan said that we had failed Kashmiris and Palestinians, called for promoting unity among Islamic countries, was happy to see menace of Islamophobia being acknowledged as a reality and also made pointed mention of Kashmir and Palestine’s lingering unresolved issues, worsening situation in Afghanistan and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, urging the moot participants to ponder on bringing about a ceasefire there.

At the end of two days 6f deliberations, the oIC Council of Foreign ministers adopted a comprehensive document called the Islamabad Declaration, the contents of which were highlighted at a joint news conference by oIC secretary General Hissein Brahim taha and host Foreign minister shah mehmood Qureshi. oIC through its Council of Foreign minis-

ters vowed to protect the common interests of the Islamic Ummah, adopted a unified stance on Kashmir, Palestine, resolved to unify efforts to address common challenges and leverage opportunities besides upholding the rights and interests of muslim minorities in non-oIC countries through the Islamabad Declaration, the moot vowed to pursue a shared vision for greater social, economic , scientific and technological development and integration within the muslim world and beyond; reaffirmed the collective desire to promote harmony, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, better standards of life, human dignity and understanding among all people; proposed convening a ministerial meeting later this year or next to evolve solutions, develop mechanisms and tools to prevent conflicts and promote peace; welcomed the operationalization of the Afghanistan Humanitarian trust Fund by Islamic Development Bank; appreciated unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly to proclaim march 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and the CFm’s decision to appoint a special Envoy in this regard; rejected terrorism in all forms and manifestations and attempts to link this evil to any country, religion, nationality, race or civilization; reiterated oIC’s strong position against attempts to equate the legitimate struggle of peoples for self-determination with terrorism;; acknowledged the growing role of innovation and emerging technologies in stimulating growth and digital transformation ,and; shared resolved to promote linkages and partnerships. the hosting and organizing oPIC Council of Foreign ministers quite successfully was duly appreciated by the oIC secretary General and the delegates. they also thanked the government for making quite appreciable arrangements for the moot and felicitated the government and the people of Pakistan on Pakistan Day celebrations and the fast approaching 75th Independence anniversary. there can only be sincere prayers for positive, productive and forward looking outcome of the oIC Council of Foreign ministers 48th session and hope for the resolutions adopted by the moot taking practical shape and be5ng implemented in due course of time and the Islamic Ummah shouldering its obligations towards solution of Kashmir and Palestine unresolved disputes and reaching out to help the Afghan people in their deepening humanitarian and economic crisis on priority basis.

There can only be sincere prayers for positive, productive and forward looking outcome of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers 48th session and hope for the resolutions adopted by the moot taking practical shape and being implemented in due course of time and the Islamic Ummah shouldering its obligations towards solution of Kashmir and Palestine unresolved disputes and reaching out to help the Afghan people in their deepening humanitarian and economic crisis on priority basis.

The writer can zahidriffat@gmail.com

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AFtER two weeks, the people would witness the 43rd death anniversary of the slain Prime minister of the Country, mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on 4th April 2022. Bhutto was amongst the leaders who were born in centuries.

Bhutto a charismatic leader; he was visionary, wise, diplomat par excellence, orator, laborious, and above all a friend of hapless and poor.

ZAB has been perhaps the only leader in the country who believed in the prosperity of coming generations and not merely the one of his time to whom he was dependent on, to remain in the premier office. this was the reason that ZAB had left a rich legacy that could not be replicated by anyone else who came to power during the last 43 years.

ZAB, gave the national constitution with consensus though he was then confronted by arch-rivals in the parliament. making the country’s deterrence impregnable was his sole contribution in the early years of the nuclear policy. ZAB united the divided muslim world of his times into a uniform entity. He promoted friendly relations with China and our country is still reaping its benefits. mr Bhutto chose to be a voice for the downtrodden and highlighted the issue of Kashmir in the United Nations.

He took politics from the drawing rooms to the common people. In true spirit, he worked towards empowering the people and bringing them to the parliament.

ZAB was unceremoniously and brutally eliminated under an international agenda that not only deprived the people of a true leader after muhammad Ali Jinnah but also derailed the country from being on the track of a progressive and prosperous nation in the comity of the world.

After ZAB’s brutal murder his detractors tried to malign his legacy by hurling false propaganda and censoring ZAB’s contribution for the nation from being high-lighted but they were unmindful of the revenge of history which is straightforward and brutally sharp. today, people remember him as the leader who chose not to compromise on his principles. Despite offers of clemency, mr Bhutto made a choice that only a leader of his stature could have made. He chose to stay alive in history over an extension of physical life. As a result, his memory is etched in the hearts and minds of the people of all generations of this nation. the most unfortunate aspect is that his party has abandoned ZAB’s legacy of a corruption-free society built on just and equal social and economic principles though the party has been able to maintain the secular and liberal credentials which it had also inherited from ZAB’s legacy. However, ZAB’s legacy would continue to be followed by one or another segment of the society till it is revived to its original form as the eventual destination of the nation lies what dreamt of ZAB for it some five decades ago.

ABDUL SAMAD CHANNA KARACHI

Inflation storm and poor toDAY, when I read the headlines of the newspapers, it is clear that the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene has gone up again. A week ago, the Prime minister had openly stated that I am against the rise in prices of petrol because people cannot bear this burden. In inverse to this, Fawad Chaudhry said that there was no option but to increase petrol prices because trillions of rupees of the government are under debt due to the stay order. there is no doubt that the Prime minister came to power with a good vision but unfortunately for the ray of hope the poor, the unemployed who were camping in the valley of contentment with the wish that our destiny would be bright and will be satisfied and good economic conditions and they will also feed their wives and children in the better way. Educated m.Phils and PhDs thought that there will be an era of employment for them. the rich were in a frenzy of waiting for their business to shine. the corruption culture of the offices will end. Perhaps something else was written on the canvas of destiny, the sweat of the poor was written in the mill of poverty, suicide and self-immolation of people forced by unemployment, poverty and inflation, poor parents forced by starvation.

Giving examples of inflation in other countries, we do not get tired of putting new knots of style, but have we compared Pakistan with other countries in terms of inflation with the whole world? If so, then last year the rise in inflation worldwide is a conservative estimate of 4% but in Pakistan, it is 10%, now who is responsible for the 6% increase? What are the reasons for this, one thing I want to mention here is that I am speaking in favour of any political party, if petrol goes up by ten rupees then the price of things will go up forty times. An increase in inflation gives another type of artificial inflation in the market. It is the responsibility of the government of the day to strengthen the governance system so that no shopkeeper, no trader can go beyond the fixed price regulation.

IMRAN KHAN BOURANA KHUSHAB

The purpose of education EDUCAtIoN is a vital asset to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral, vices and blessings. the key purpose of education is to educate the ignorant, the unwise and common people about how to live a simple, but nice life and how to treat people; and how to attain huge milestones in life. likewise, education makes us aware of upcoming dangers and provide viable solutions to resolve them. Education delivers all these factors and edifies us to the proper way to accomplish our desired goals. Additionally, education is the only tool that significantly supports transforming the lives of the backwards nation into progressive nations. It is witnessed that a country, whose literacy ratio is greater than others, exhibits unprecedented advancement in any sector.

In a nutshell, education is a substantial agent to secure peacae, progress and development. It is the only instrument which we can use to improve the living standards of people and better their negative sides.

MUHAMMAD AFZAL SHAIKH GAMBAT

Friday, 1 April, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

Francis Fukuyama: We could be Facing The end oF ‘The end oF hisTory’ THE AMERICAN POLITICAL THEORIST DISCUSSES WHAT THE UKRAINE WAR MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

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pare a thought for Francis Fukuyama’s Twitter mentions. In the weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the American political theorist has been routinely told by gleeful critics that his career-defining thesis about liberal democracy being “the final form of human government” is obsolete.

“It usually comes up two or three times a day on my Twitter account,” Fukuyama said over Earl Grey tea at a central London hotel in late March. But the frequency has increased recently. While he described the jibes as “annoying” he didn’t seem overly bothered by them. “I actually have a policy of not reading the comments and not responding to it.”

Fukuyama admits that he’s used to the accusation. It has been a constant since his landmark book, The End of History and the Last Man, was published three decades ago. In the text, adapted and expanded from a 1989 journal article titled “The End of History?”, he outlined his theory that liberal democracy is greatly preferable to any other form of government and, crucially, that no liberal democracy could progress to a better alternative.

He’s quick to point out how most people claiming his theory is incorrect have misinterpreted the original premise. Fukuyama didn’t envision the end of history to be a utopian state or predict that “the whole world is

going to be democratic” with a “straightforward, linear movement in that direction”. He also didn’t suggest that “nothing would happen from now on”. Indeed, Fukuyama has long maintained that events – another way of saying more history – would continue to take place.

Yet at 69, Fukuyama is willing to admit mistakes. He said that when he wrote his thesis he perhaps didn’t fully appreciate the concept of “political decay: the idea that once you became a modern democracy, you could also go backwards”. It’s a subject he wrestles with in his latest book, Liberalism and Its Discontents. Fukuyama explores the ways in which both the left and the right have worked to undermine liberalism (the right by embracing free-market principles, which have widened economic inequality; the left by prioritising identity politics over individual autonomy). While the book was written prior to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the war doesn’t invalidate his arguments. Instead, it explains how the fight to preserve liberalism is about more than a battle between autocracies and democracies.

This is something that Fukuyama, as an American, has observed closely in recent years. He watched with alarm the divisions deepen between the right and the left throughout Donald Trump’s presidency and during its aftermath. “I’ve never seen the situation as serious, really, since the American Civil War,” he said of the US’s current political polarisation. “There’s a significant chance we’re going to be in a major constitutional crisis at the time of the next presidential election.” Though he emphasised that much is likely to change before the 2024 contest, Fukuyama struggles to imagine how Trump could win the White House again following Putin’s invasion. “Trump is really out of line with the major part of his party” in his public admiration of Russia’s leader, Fukuyama argued. “I just don’t see how that’s not going to hurt him.”

Fukuyama has also been willing to, as he put it in a recent essay, “stick [his] neck out” over the likely geopo-

litical consequences of the war in Ukraine. Chief among his predictions: Russia will lose the war, perhaps spectacularly, and this defeat will help the West get out of “our funk about the declining state of global democracy.

The spirit of 1989 will live on, thanks to a bunch of brave Ukrainians.” For those interested in the stability of the international order, it’s an optimistic, even reassuring, vision of the war’s potential outcome.

Fukuyama knows Ukraine well, having visited the country many times as part of the Leadership Academy for Development, a programme he runs through Stanford University, where he’s a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. The programme develops leadership training in various emerging democracies.

His impression of Ukraine has evolved over subsequent visits. “Beginning in 2014, it really did seem to me that this was the front line of a broader struggle for democracy,” he said, pointing to the rife corruption and the significant power oligarchs continued to hold. But after working with a younger generation of Ukrainians who were pro-European, he found “it was actually quite inspiring, because a lot of these people were very dedi-

The emerging order THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO REACH A NEW UNDERSTANDING WITH IRAN, ROUGHLY BUILT ON THE NEGOTIATION PLATFORM THAT WAS ABANDONED

BY PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

gEopolitical FuturEs GeorGe Friedman

I am writing this from Dubai, on a trip I will describe on my return to the United States. A summit was held in Israel over the weekend between Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Israel and the United States. The meeting was designed to back the U.S. into a corner. The United States wants to reach a new understanding with Iran, roughly built on the negotiation platform that was abandoned by President Donald Trump in 2018 as insufficient in dealing with the Iranian threat. Israel and the four Arab countries, plus some others, oppose the Biden initiative, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was there to persuade them. It did not seem to work. A paper in Dubai headlined that a new Israeli-Arab front had been created. The question has been frequently asked if unity among Arabs and Israel might be reached. The answer seems to be that it’s possible due to fear of Iran and hostility toward American plans for Iran. I have nothing to do with any of this, but watching from close up is always interesting.

My focus remains on Ukraine and Russia and what is emerging as a truly tragic outcome.

More talks are scheduled to be held this week in Istanbul. The tragedy is that the settlement being discussed appears to affirm what had originally been the case. The Russians are now claiming that their only intention in the war was to secure the eastern Donbas region, not to occupy

Ukraine. Going to war over that would appear to be pointless, since much of the Donbas region has been under informal but very effective Russian control since the events of 2014. It is a region dominated by ethnic Russians, and while Ukraine was not happy with the occupation of Ukrainian territory, it was hardly in a position to seriously challenge Russia. What made the Russian claims dubious, of course, were the columns of tanks heading south from Belarus toward Kyiv, among other things. They seemed to be making war on Ukraine in general and not merely formalizing control of an area they already controlled. It is likely that their demands are going to be more extreme, demanding control of the land between Donbas and Crimea, in effect seizing southeastern Ukraine. But as I said, they fought a war designed with even broader ambitions.

The Ukrainians seem prepared to discuss ceding Donbas and promise Ukrainian neutrality.

It is not clear what neutrality means in this context. Switzerland claimed neutrality during World War II, which meant that Germany and the Allies both took advantage of its banking system and operated espionage organizations there.

That’s one kind of neutrality. Another kind is Sweden’s. It is not in NATO and has limited acquisition of Western military equipment, but no one doubts where it stands.

What would neutrality mean in Ukraine?

Ukraine may not join NATO and may take care to buy Chinese equipment, but after the events of the past month, it is difficult to image Kyiv equally trusting Western Europe and the United States and also Russia. There can be formal neutrality and neutrality over weapons acquisition, but Ukrainian intelligence will likely be swapping information with the West rather than with Russia. How can Ukraine be neutral in such a situation?

The obvious way is to obfuscate. The reality is that Russia demonstrated that it is incapable of carrying out large-scale, multi-front operations and therefore must halt operations. The Ukrainians have demonstrated the ability to raise and organize their population to resist and on occasion defeat Russia, but they cannot continue to

absorb the casualties Russia could inflict by sheer weight of forces, however incompetent Russia’s war effort. In the end, Russia can replace its generals, retrain its midlevel officers, and discipline and motivate its enlistees. It will take years, but it can do it if it develops a new culture of political warfare. The Ukrainians cannot protect themselves against a well-armed, well-trained professional force until they themselves rearm and train a professional force. Neutrality makes this difficult if neutrality means acquiring weapons and perhaps training from the West (read: NATO countries) is precluded.

Russia has failed badly in its attempt to occupy Ukraine and is now claiming that it never meant to. Fair enough. Ukraine has managed to resist an incompetent force. Fair enough. But Ukraine, in accepting neutrality, must adopt Swedish neutrality – formal neutrality covering its real intent. And that makes the matter difficult.

That Turkey is running the negotiations is interesting. What occasional cooperation there has been with Russia in the Middle East doesn’t hide the historical distrust. Turkey needs a weak Russia. Turkey also has an appetite for Ukrainian territory, having in the past occupied it. Turkey is the perfect interlocutor. Nobody is sure what it wants, and that may make each side cautious.

I started this with the Iranian negotiation, a negotiation that has created what once would have been considered impossible: an IsraeliArab front confronting the Americans over their opening to Iran. Lean back and imagine how strange this is. And imagine how strange the Russo-Ukrainian situation is. The tragedy is that it took thousands of dead to bring us to the point at which it all started. And with Iran, it has taken us to a place Iran can’t believe it’s in: looking for a break from the Americans while the Arabs and Israelis try to rein the Americans in. When we think of the New World Order, look no further.

Dr. Friedman has briefed numerous military and government organizations in the United States and overseas and appears regularly as an expert on international affairs, foreign policy and intelligence in major media.

cated to trying to stop corruption and make the country’s institutions work better”.

In recent weeks, being inspired by Ukrainians has almost become a sport in the West, as speeches made by President Volodymyr Zelensky go viral and photos of ordinary Ukrainians preparing to join the fight are widely shared online. Fukuyama sympathises with and even shares this urge to support the Ukrainian plight, but warns that it’s hardly a universal phenomenon, even among ostensibly democratic countries. He cites India and South Africa as two countries that have so far refused to condemn Russia’s invasion.

“I think there are many places where the memory of injustices committed by Western countries is very vivid,” he said. In contrast, the Soviet Union’s support of the ANC’s fight against apartheid still looms in many South Africans’ recollections of that era. “There’s no inevitable solidarity among countries that would qualify in some ways [as] being a liberal democracy. You know, that’s OK; a country’s historical experience is different. So they’re going to have different preferences, particularly [regarding] foreign policy.”

Yet while different opinions might be tolerable, they have also once again highlighted the dysfunction of certain multilateral bodies. Namely, the United Nations Security Council, which rejected a draft resolution on 25 February on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine; the Russian Federation, a permanent member, vetoed the draft, while China, India and the UAE abstained.

“It doesn’t work now,” Fukuyama said bluntly of the Security Council. “I think that you can’t put all your eggs in the basket of one global organisation, because there just isn’t enough consensus among countries the world over, especially when you get to political issues.” Did the body ever work? “The only period where it looked like it might be useful was in the early 1990s, after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, when it appeared that you actually could get all five permanent members to actually agree on something.” But now, he warned: “Don’t have any expectations about what it can do.”

He may be tired of being incorrectly accused of being wrong, but does Fukuyama ever worry about being proved wrong? Of course, he said, but not out of interest for his work. Instead, because of what the implications would be for the world. His “ultimate nightmare”, he said, is a world in which China and Russia work in harness with one another, perhaps with China bolstering Russia’s war and Beijing launching its own invasion – of Taiwan. If that were to happen, and be successful, Fukuyama said, “then you would really be living in a world that was being dominated by these non-democratic powers. If the United States and the rest of the West couldn’t stop that from happening, then that really is the end of the end of history.”

There are no easy answers to big tech's election manipulation THE FTC IS SEEKING TO FORCE FACEBOOK TO SELL INSTAGRAM AND WHATSAPP, BUT IT IS HARD TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD SOLVE THE CENSORSHIP PROBLEM Washington ExaminEr The New York Times finally admitted Thursday that at least some of the emails found on a laptop abandoned by Hunter Biden at a Delaware repair shop are authentic. Now that President Joe Biden has been in office for more than a year, confirmation that the president's son used his access to his father for financial gain is hardly newsworthy. But when the New York Post first broke the story less than a month before Election Day in 2020, the story was very much newsworthy and also very damaging to the leftliberal media's preferred candidate, then-former Vice President Biden. But the threat to democracy posed by what happened to the story of Hunter Biden's laptop is not contained in the way the Left's mouthpieces chose to cover it or ignore it. That NPR refused to cover the story at all, instead issuing a tweet calling it a “pure distraction,” speaks to the organization's credibility, but it is not a threat to democracy. That CNN called the story a “manufactured scandal” created by the “right-wing media machine” says much about that network, but it is not a threat to democracy either. What threatens democracy are Big Tech companies that denied access to their platforms to suppress the story and ban the New York Post entirely. Twitter not only blocked users from sharing the specific story but also locked the New York Post out of its account for weeks. Facebook suppressed users from sharing the story because, as Facebook Policy Communications Director Andy Stone said at the time, “this story is eligible to be factchecked by Facebook’s third-party fact-checking partners.” Stone, who worked for Democrats Barbara Boxer and John Kerry before moving to Facebook, never produced a fact-check that discredited the New York Post’s story. News organizations are free to investigate or not investigate whatever political scandals they want. It is a free county, and there are plenty of other news outlets around. Readers are free to read what they want and abandon outlets that won't cover the news. We encourage people to pick and choose. But more and more people get their news from Big Tech platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The Federal Trade Commission has determined that Facebook has a monopoly on the personal social networking market. If Democratic operatives such as Stone are making the decisions about which stories are suppressed and which are promoted, that is a big problem for our democracy. There are no easy answers. The FTC is seeking to force Facebook to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, but it is hard to see how that would solve the censorship problem. Other people want to repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from lawsuits stemming from content posted by users. But getting rid of Section 230 could prompt Facebook and Twitter to censor more than they do now of what their users say. We hope Facebook and Twitter will learn from their botched response to the Hunter Biden laptop story, admit they were wrong, and explain how they intend to do better in the future. If they don’t, something far more draconian than antitrust suits and the repeal of Section 230 is coming.

Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

NEWS corporate corner telenor Services affected due to Cable Cuts at Some Places ISLAMABAD: Multiple cuts in the Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) in South Region have been reported today resulting in degradation of Telenor voice and data services at some locations.

Efforts are ongoing to rectify the issue and restore services at the earliest. PTA is monitoring the situation. pr

aioU organizes one-day national seminar A one-day National Seminar on "Traditions of Systematic Translation and Interpretation of Holy Quran in Subcontinent" is being held today (Thursday, March 31) at Allama Iqbal Open University. Explaining the details of the seminar, Dean of the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Prof. Dr Shah Mohyuddin Hashmi, said that this would be the third event of the ongoing academic activities in the university for the promotion of Quran and Sunnah teachings and these activities would continue throughout the year. The seminar will commence at 9:30 am in the Academic Complex of the University and will be chaired by Prof. Dr Shah Mohyuddin Hashmi. Among the speakers are Prof.

Abdul Haq, Translator of Nawa-e-Quran, Prof. Dr. Abdul Hameed Khan Abbasi, Dean, Faculty of Principles of Religion, International Islamic University, Prof. Dr. Taj Afsar, Chairman, Department of Islamic Studies, Mohayy-ud-Din Islamic University, Tarakhel (Azad Jammu and Kashmir).

Advisor Rector of Bahria University Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Habib-ur-Rehman Asim and Chairman of the Department of Qur'an and Tafsir AIOU, Dr. Sanaullah Hussain. This national seminar is being organized by the Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Department of Qur'an and Tafsir. pr

USC PRovideS extenSive Relief to familieS thRoUGh SUbStantial SUbSidy ISLaMaBaD

U

pr

TILITy Stores Corporation of Pakistan (USC) to provide 19 staple food items at prices lower than open market under its flagship Ramzan Relief Package through its widely spread network of around 4000 retail outlets all over Pakistan.

In line with the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s vision of Digital Pakistan, USC has also successfully transformed itself by implementing ERP system in a short span of time which would be live from March 31, 2022. Through one of the largest public sector digital transformation, USC during the month of Ramzan would be able to provide exhaustive services to its customers by acquiring self-accountability, transparency and efficiency in its operations.

Under the package, 20-kilogram wheat flour bag would be provided to

customers at Rs. 950 whereas in the open market the price of 20-kilogram wheat flour bag would be around Rs. 1100-1350. Likewise, one-kilogram sugar would be offered at Rs. 85 while in open market sugar is available at Rs. 86-93. The rate of one-kilogram subsidized Ghee at USC is Rs. 260 while in open market the edible ghee can be purchased at Rs. 470 whereas the price of one-liter oil at USC during the month of Ramzan would be Rs. 407 instead of Rs. 494.

Pulses are an important food ingredient and plays pivotal role in assuring food security in our country. That is why, in USC, after due diligence and several quality checks procurement of pulses undertakes. This year, under the Ramzan Relief Package, USC is offering white gram at Rs. 213 while in the open market the white gram is available at Rs. 250-260. Likewise, Besan (Chakki) is provided during the month of Ramzan at USC’s country-wide retail network at

price Rs. 170 instead of Rs. 190-220.

Similarly, one-kilogram Dal Channa is for Rs. 162 at USC and in the open market the price is Rs. 180190 per kilogram. Similarly, one-kilogram Dal Moong Washed is available at Rs. 170 and in the open market the price is Rs. 180-200 per kilogram. The price of Dal Mash Washed at USC is Rs. 268 and in open market, the price of one kilogram of Dal Mash Washed is Rs. 280-320. Moreover, one-kilogram Dal Masoor at USC is Rs. 215 and in the open market, the price of one-kilogram Dal Masoor is Rs. 250280. Rice Sella Rs. 165/Kg, Rice basmati Rs. 155/Kg, Tota Rice Rs.85/Kg Every year in Ramzan, USC procures high quality dates to facilitate people of Pakistan. This year, the dates would be available in ample quantity in all stores at Rs. 140 per kilogram while the open market is offering dates from Rs. 200-240. In the month of Ramzan, consumption of tea, milk (UHT),

LaHoRe pr

The 31st Annual General Meeting of the members of The Bank of Punjab was held at Avari Hotel, Shahrae-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore on Wednesday, 30th March

Govt disburses Rs7.5bn under Kamyab Pakistan Program Staff RepoRt The Federal government has disbursed Rs7.5 billion to more than 48 thousand beneficiaries under Kamyab Pakistan Program.

This has been informed in a meeting of the Steering Committee of Kamyab Pakistan Program (KPP) presided over by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin.

A detailed presentation was given to the finance minister on the progress of the Kamyab Pakistan Program. It was informed that after the success of the first phase of the Kamyab Pakistan Program, the program was extended throughout the country. Further, it was informed that the program is going successfully and a large number of applications for the award of loans are being received through SMS. The loans are being given among deserving applicants after meeting the requirements.

The Committee was apprised that loans of more than Rs7.5 billion have been disbursed to more than 48 thousand beneficiaries. Small loans for businesses, farmers and the construction of houses are included under the program.

squashes and syrups enhance manifolds. On seeing the high demand of these products, USC is offering tea (950 gm) at Rs. 1042 while black tea (950 gm) in the open market of same brand is available at Rs. 1250. Milk (UHT) is available in USC at Rs. 142 while in open market it is available for Rs. 165.

Squashes and Syrups (800 ml) at USC are available at Rs. 250 instead of Rs. 290 and Squashes & Syrups (1500 ml) are provided at Rs. 437 while the open market is offering Squashes & Syrups (1500 ml) at Rs. 495.

Spices, an integral part of our diet are provided at a discount of 10% along with 15% discount on 1500 other food and non-food items (jams, pickles, detergents, shampoos, etc.) under the Ramzan Relief Package. Our valued customers are requested to share their feedback via USC’s toll-free number: 0800-05590 and helpline: 051-111-123-570 for further improving our services.

31st annual general meeting of Bank of Punjab

Sindh rural communities need to be supported in sincere manner

KARACHI (Staff Reporter) – The plight of the people living in backward rural areas of Sindh is not hidden from anyone.

Poor people struggling with the worst living conditions have no one to listen to their problems.

In this situation, the role of Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) has also become a showpiece. The SRSO Poverty Reduction Program seems to have failed miserably in achieving its goals in different districts of Sindh whose one of the main reasons being rampant corruption.

On the other hand, the administrative affairs of NGO have also reached the worst stage. The high-ups in the organization seem to be busy making their lives prosperous.

The performance of the institution can be gauged from the views and opinions of these backward people. Public outcry has exposed the NGO. Talking to the media, the poor and oppressed people said that no work is being done by SRSO to directly benefit them. "Women, children, old and young are all worried. No relief is being provided to them."

The backward people in a depressed, frustrated and sad tone said that every day of their life is full of misery and difficulties and these difficulties do not seem to be diminishing. "But these trials will not demoralise us. Our body is weak but our intentions are strong. We have kept our hopes alive on these difficult paths. It is hoped that we will find our destination. We request SRSO to take practical, useful and lasting steps for our betterment," they demanded. pr

09

2022 at 11:30 a.m. The meeting was attended by Board of Directors, Bank’s Senior Management & a large number of shareholders.

During the Annual General Meeting, a brief presentation on Bank’s financial performance was given to the shareholders. The participants were apprised

that during the year 2021, Bank posted highest ever before tax profit of Rs.18.4 billion showing a growth of 54% over last year. During the year 2021, Bank’s Balance Sheet grew by 9% and remained at the level of Rs. 1.2 Trillion. First time in its history, as on December 31, 2021, Bank’s deposits also crossed the level of Rs.1.0 Trillion mark.

During the year 2021, Net Interest Margin (NIM) improved to Rs. 29.9 billion as against Rs. 23.3 billion showing an increase of 28%. NonMarkup/ Interest Income (excluding gains on securities) increased to Rs. 6.1 billion as against Rs. 4.6 billion showing a substantial increase of 34%.

During the year, Bank’s NPLs reduced by Rs. 5.2 billion on account of recovery/regularization. Further, a general provision of Rs. 2.5 Billion has also been maintained by the Bank.

The Bank posted After Tax Profit of Rs. 12.4 Billion as against Rs. 6.9 Billion during year 2020 showing a significant increase of 79%. Earnings per Share (EPS) for year 2021 also improved to Rs. 4.71 per share against Rs. 2.63 per share during year 2020.

PARC opens Day Care Centre for working women of PARC ISLaMaBaD pr

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has taken the initiative to facilitate the female employees and inaugurated a Day Care Centre at its Headquarters Islamabad. Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali Chairman PARC inaugurated the “Day Care Centre” whereas Syed Shamim ul Sibtain Shah Sr. Director (Works) PARC, Muhammad Ishaq Secretary PARC, Ch. Muhammad Jahanger / Ch. Muhammad Aslam Gujjar representatives of PARC’s employees Association (Insaaf Group) and other high officials were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali Chairman PARC acknowledged this step and said that the purpose of establishing the Day Care Center at PARC HQs is to provide facilitation to all working women who cannot leave their babies at any other place.

After taking this step, working mothers can perform their duties more deliberately and discharge their official duties while keeping their loved ones close. The Chairman also ensured to take necessary steps for promotion of PARC’s employees. Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali also expressed that PARC established the day care centre for

babies of working women to provide shelter and security during duty hours. He also added that this step will

lead to improve the performance of working women as well as to better concentrate on their job.

foodpanda launches pandapro KaRaCHI pr

foodpanda, Pakistan’s leading food delivery platform and e-commerce company, launched its latest feature, pandapro, at a grand unveiling event in Karachi. Through this event, pandapro was officially introduced as a service for the larger audience. pandapro is a membership programme which gives customers an exclusive access to flat discounts, better services and complementary food/drinks across foodpanda’s use cases.

Speaking on the occasion, Muntaqa Peracha, interim CEO foodpanda, stated, “We are very excited to

launch pandapro as a service in order to strengthen long-term, ongoing relationships with our customers. We will continue to focus on providing excellent service to our customers by letting them enjoy exclusive discounts on food delivery, as well as additional discounts on Pick-Up and groceries through pandapro. pandapro users will enjoy free delivery on all restaurants and shops in addition to the non-pro discounts on foodpanda. They will also get to enjoy up to 20% and more on selected restaurants and free delivery from all restaurants and shops on all orders above Rs.599. This benefit can also be used together with the non-pro discounts on foodpanda.

Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

10 FOREIGN NEWS

AfgHAnistAn is in urgent need of developMent in MAny AreAs: Xi Jinping

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StaFF repOrt

HINeSe President Xi Jinping has pointed out that having gone through so much in the past, Afghanistan is in urgent need of development in many areas. President Xi Jinping delivered written remarks at the third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan.

President Xi said that the country has come to a critical point of transition from chaos to order.

“Afghanistan is a common neighbor and partner of

all participating countries, and we form a community with a shared future linked by the same mountains and rivers who would rise and fall together,” said President Xi. He also noted that a peaceful, stable, developing and prosperous Afghanistan is the aspiration of all the Afghan people. It is also in the common interests of regional countries and the international community.

President Xi underscored that amity and good neighborliness are invaluable to a country. China always respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and has committed to supporting its pursuit of peace, stability and develop-

ment.

“The coordination and cooperation mechanism among neighbors of Afghanistan, since its launch last September, has endeavored to bring into play the strengths of neighboring countries, thus playing a constructive role in promoting the steady transition in Afghanistan,” he said.

President Xi concluded his remarks by stressing that the neighboring countries of Afghanistan should do their best to build consensus and coordinate efforts to support the people of Afghanistan in building a brighter future.

India’s ‘The Kashmir Files’ is a comic piece of right-wing propaganda agenCieS

turkey seeks to shelve Khashoggi case iStanbUL AFP

A Turkish prosecutor on Thursday asked an Istanbul court to halt the trial of 26 suspects in the murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi and hand the case over to Riyadh. Turkey is seeking to mend ties with Saudi Arabia to bolster its struggling economy, four years after the gruesome 2018 killing of the dissident Saudi journalist inside Riyadh’s consulate in Istanbul. The Istanbul court is trying 26 Saudi officials in absentia over the macabre killing but the prosecutor said the trial should be stopped and the case transferred to Saudi Arabia, at the latter’s request. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the prosecutor’s request was “terrible news”. The press rights group urged the Turkish justice ministry to turn it down.

Khashoggi’s Turkish fiancee confirmed the Saudi government had asked to take over the case in Istanbul.

“The prosecutor asked, accordingly to the Saudi demand, for the transfer of the file to #SaudiArabia and the finalisation of it in #Turkey,” Hatice Cengiz tweeted after the hearing on Thursday in Istanbul’s main court.

She said the court would seek the opinion of the Turkish justice ministry. Private news agency DHA said the prosecutor defended his position by arguing that the trial had run into the sand “because the court orders cannot be executed on the grounds that the suspects are foreign nationals”. On October 2, 2018, 59-year-old Khashoggi, a US-based journalist with The Washington Post, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to file paperwork to marry Cengiz. According to US and Turkish officials, a waiting Saudi hit squad strangled him and dismembered his body, which has never been retrieved.

‘Terrible news’: RSF said the motive for shelving the investigation into the murder appeared to be political. “The Khashoggi file appears this time to be a victim of diplomatic rapprochement between Turkey and the (Saudi) kingdom,” RSF’s representative in Turkey, erol Onderoglu, told AFP. The rights group said the Saudis had asked “on March 13” to take over the case. The journalist’s murder sparked international outrage that continues to reverberate, with Western intelligence agencies accusing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, of authorising the killing. The crown prince has said he accepts Saudi Arabia’s overall responsibility for Khashoggi’s death but denies a personal link. Riyadh insists it was the doing of agents who had gone “rogue”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip erdogan said at the time that the order to kill “came from the highest levels” of the Saudi government, without pointing the finger of blame at the crown prince. Saudi Arabia jailed eight people for the killing. But Turkey was unconvinced by the closed-door proceedings and put 26 Saudis on trial in absentia, including two who are close to the crown prince. ‘insisT on jusTice’: In an interview with AFP in February, Cengiz said Turkey must keep insisting on justice for Khashoggi “even if it improves its relations” with Riyadh. “I don’t think it’s in anyone’s best interest to shut it down completely.” Asked if she was disappointed, Cengiz said: “If we look at it from the viewpoint of realpolitik, (Turkey’s position) did not let me down,” adding that countries were “not ruled by emotions” but “mutual interests”. But she added: “emotionally speaking, of course, I am sad. “Not because my country has made peace with Saudi Arabia and that this issue is closing, but ultimately, no matter how fiercely we defended it, on a national basis, on a state basis, on a president basis … now everything is starting to go back to the way it was, as if nothing had happened. I am inevitably disappointed about this.”

Turkey, which is reeling from a fresh economic crisis and is searching for foreign investment and trade, has reached out to regional rivals including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab emirates.

Sometimes propaganda can feel like first love. Both elicit unique — and searing — emotions. Both seem like worlds unto themselves. Both function as secret portals into different dimensions: You haven’t heard, seen, or felt anything like this before. It can be empowering; it can be addictive. But unlike first love, propaganda happens again — and again and again. But if at all — in the country of Godi media, WhatsApp disinformation, and know-it-all uncles — you want some more propaganda, then head to the nearest theatre for The Kashmir Files. Because if alternate reality moves you in the same way that first love did, then this 170minute film will make you feel like a Yash Chopra hero.

Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the movie broadly alternates between two timelines, 1990 and 2016 onwards, depicting two versions — two villains — of the country. If the one set in the past, in Kashmir, features “terrorists”, then the one in the present, in a Delhi college named ANU, features “students, intellectuals, professors, and media”. The terrorists storm the house of a local teacher, Pushkar Nath Pandit (Anupam Kher), in 1990, murdering his son. The contemporary period revolves around his gullible grandson, Krishna (Darshan Kumar), an ANU student, who is ignorant about his family’s — his country’s — past, looking up to a professor, Radhika Menon (Pallavi Joshi), fixated on freeing Kashmir.

If at all it’s possible, let’s first consider this piece purely fictional. The writing is objectively poor, comprising not people but loglines. every character follows a suffocating brief — drowning out ambiguities or complexities — making the film monotonous and inert.

Pushkar: a devout and peaceful Hindu, Krishna: a naïve

and ‘liberal’ student, Radhika: a manipulative and agenda-driven professor.

These are not characters as much as WhatsApp forwards. Whether it’s the past or the present — whether they’re smiling or frowning — their conversations only advance the film’s thesis. The ANU portion is nothing but a series of brainwashing conversations between Radhika and Krishna. The Kashmir portion is pivoted on a series of ‘educative’ conversations between Pushkar’s friends and Krishna.

Darshan Kumar plays the role of Krishna Pandit: These sequences are painfully repetitive, treating the audiences like unlettered idiots. Again, the entire screenplay could have been a WhatsApp forward (800 words). The cuts between the past and the present are arrhythmic and random — anything that helps amplify the shock. The movie lacks intellectual curiosity and a sense of openness — minute moments probing the expansive human condition. None of it is surprising. even a cursory look at Agnihotri’s filmography reveals something obvious: that he’s mostly made C-grade erotica and D-grade propaganda.

MyThMaking: What makes The Kashmir Files so different then? It’s not as if Bollywood has been historically progressive. even many of its better products have been classic right-wing — pro-capital, pro-military, pro-‘tradition’. There has been no dearth of recent jingoistic and communal dramas, either, ranging from shocking (Bhuj) to shameful (Tanhaji).

When it comes to Agnihotri’s film, the answer lies in the title itself, and the operative word is not “Kashmir” but “Files”. Because it has an investigative — a journalistic — tinge to it. “Files” also imply something secretive, something suppressed. It almost feels revolutionary and transformative, a fact-finding mission: an

Wang Yi urges world not to neglect Afghanistan during Ukraine crisis Mian abrar Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday urged the international community to not neglect Afghanistan during Ukraine crisis, calling for scaling up investment in the country and helping the Afghan people overcome difficulties.

Wang made the remarks while hosting a dialogue with foreign ministers or representatives from Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Qatar, along with Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the Afghan interim government, in Tunxi, east China’s Anhui Province.

“No country expects Afghanistan to achieve peace, stability, development and prosperity on its own more than we, Afghanistan’s neighboring countries,” Wang said, highlighting the unique role of neighboring countries in guiding the international perception of the Afghan issue.

The Chinese foreign minister gave a briefing on the Third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, stressing regional countries should adhere to cooperation and not confrontation, adhere to openness and not closure, adhere to equal treatment and oppose strongarm bullying.

He urged efforts to further gather consensus and cooperation to help Afghanistan stabilize the situation, effectively combat terrorism, improve people’s livelihood and develop the economy in line with the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” principle.

Muttaqi thanked China for hosting and inviting Afghanistan to the meeting, saying that Afghanistan attaches great importance to the concerns of all parties. He stressed that it will never allow external forces to occupy its territory again, nor will it allow any forces to use its territory against other countries.

Afghanistan is committed to peaceful coexistence, friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with its neighbors, he said, adding that the Afghan side has adjusted its focus and is now concentrating on achieving stability and development.

audience member has become a collaborator.

This is the film’s game. And Agnihotri plays the hell out of it. He uses the following trick throughout the movie: He lures you with facts — such as the horrific exodus of Kashmiri Pandits — then distorts reality, mocks it, sprinkles some facts, distorts it, and so on.

This isn’t movie-making as much as myth-making, and the film’s intentions and designs are evident right from the start. It begins with a disclaimer; the first line has two key bits: “true events” and “Kashmir genocide”. Its dialogues feature many lines in Kashmiri — accompanied by english subtitles — enhancing its ‘realism’. Its characters talk about the local food, such as nadru, removing another layer of doubt. The film uses real-life footage to further boost its ‘documentary’ credentials: both visual (Benazir Bhutto screaming “azaadi” on TV) and aural (a 1990 cricket radio commentary — the film’s first scene — Imran Khan bowling to Sachin Tendulkar).

Such desperation prompts an obvious question: Why does The Kashmir Files perform such an elaborate dance of fact and fiction? Simple: It’s a recruitment brochure for ‘ignorant’ male Hindus, people much like Krishna, who have been ‘brainwashed’ by intellectuals, institutions and foreign media — people who don’t know their own country, who must be rescued and nurtured and ‘educated’ to spread the message further.

If you think I’m exaggerating, let me tell you the film’s obsessions. Straight out of Hindu Rashtra playbook: First, Hindu iconography, evident in characters’ names (Krishna, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Sharda) and dialogues (Pushkar says “Om Namah Shivay” when kicked by the main villain Bitta). It’s evident in an initial shot establishing the mood: a burning portrait of god Shiva on the street. This is a very small sample. By invoking such imagery, Agnihotri seems to be implying that Hinduism itself is imperiled. Or — louder for those at the back! — “Hindu khatre me hai!” If you need more proof, the film provides it — by re-orienting the same message. At every possible opportunity, the filmmaker underscores the terrorists’ religion.

Hackers got user data from Meta with forged request San FranCiSCO AFP

Afghanistan is ready to become a link for regional connectivity and promote common prosperity with its neighbors, Muttaqi said, voicing hope that Afghanistan’s neighbors will give diplomatic recognition to the interim government as soon as possible.

Muttaqi said the U.S. long undermined the political and economic sovereignty of Afghanistan and later destroyed facilities in a hasty withdrawal, leaving the country with a range of difficulties.

Afghanistan will no longer look up to others or rely on the U.S. and Western countries, he stressed.

Muttaqi urged the U.S. to immediately unfreeze Afghan overseas assets and lift sanctions, calling on the international community to support Afghanistan on the matter. According to Muttaqi, students have returned to schools in Afghanistan to resume classes and its medical, education and other industries have a large number of women. The caretaker government welcomes the participation of all ethnic groups in politics and will also absorb more professionals to participate in government work, he added. Wang hoped that the caretaker government of Afghanistan will effectively implement the commitments made and all neighboring countries will continue to play a constructive role for the peaceful reconstruction of the country.

Facebook owner Meta gave user information to hackers who pretended to be law enforcement officials last year, a company source said Wednesday, highlighting the risks of a measure used in urgent cases. Imposters were able to get details like physical addresses or phone numbers in response to falsified “emergency data requests,” which can slip past privacy barriers, said the source who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Criminal hackers have been compromising email accounts or websites tied to police or government and claiming they can’t wait for a judge’s order for information because it’s an “urgent matter of life and death,” cyber expert Brian Krebs wrote Tuesday. Bloomberg news agency, which originally reported Meta being targeted, also reported that Apple had provided customer data in response to forged data requests. Apple and Meta did not officially confirm the incidents, but provided statements citing their policies in handling information demands. When US law enforcement officials want data on a social media account’s owner or an associated cell phone number, they must submit an official court-ordered warrant or subpoena, Krebs wrote. But in urgent cases authorities can make an “emergency data request,” which “largely bypasses any official review and does not require the requestor to supply any court-approved documents,” he added. Meta, in a statement, said the firm reviews every data request for “legal sufficiency” and uses “advanced systems and processes” to validate law enforcement requests and detect abuse. “We block known compromised accounts from making requests and work with law enforcement to respond to incidents involving suspected fraudulent requests, as we have done in this case,” the statement added. Apple noted its guidelines, which say that in the case of an emergency application “a supervisor for the government or law enforcement agent who submitted the… request may be contacted and asked to confirm to Apple that the emergency request was legitimate.” Krebs noted that the lack of a unitary, national system for these type of requests is one of the key problems associated with them, as companies end up deciding how to deal with them.

Friday, 1 April, 2022 | LAHORE

SPORTS 11

BABAr AzAm, ImAm tAke PAkIstAn to record chAse to level serIes AgAInst AustrAlIA LAHORE

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StAFF RePoRt

AkISTAN Thursday defeated Australia by six wickets in the second ODI at the Gaddafi Stadium to level the three-match series. Pakistan led by captain Babar Azam got to a record chase of 352 runs in with one over to spare.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq’s sensational centuries were key to help Pakistan trump Australia. Babar topscored with 114 followed by Imamul-Haq who scored 106. Fakhar Zaman who led from the front with Imam scored 67.

The first ODI was won by Australia and the final ODI will be on Saturday — also in Lahore.

Ben McDermott replicated his BBL big-hitting exploits with a maiden international century to

power Australia to a formidable 348 for 8 as they eye an ODI series victory over Pakistan in Lahore.

Having been granted a number of opportunities in the shorter formats, due to his BBL heroics in recent seasons, McDermott finally repaid the faith after a brilliant 104 off 108 balls on the back of 55 in game one.

His spectacular knock had a shorthanded Australia, who went in unchanged with just 13 players to choose from, on the cusp of an unexpected triumph having won the series opener by 88 runs.

Much like his maiden ODI halfcentury on Tuesday, McDermott played himself in before mimicking his BBL destructiveness marked by a massive six off returning quick Shaheen Shah Afridi over deep backward square.

Increasingly confident, he notched his half-century with a

straight six off spinner Iftikhar Ahmed and then shortly after unleashed the reverse sweep to good effect. McDermott reached his century in style with a thumping six off left-arm spinner khushdil Shah down the ground as he embraced Marnus Labuschagne with a bear hug and then took his helmet off in triumph.

It was made even more special with his dad Craig McDermott, the former Australia quick, having taken his first ODI five-wicket haul against Pakistan in Lahore in 1987.

McDermott’s superb innings ended tamely when he smashed a full toss to midwicket in the 35th over but the platform had been set and Marcus Stoinis proving the finishing touches with 49 off 33 balls.

Australia’s huge innings was setup by McDermott’s 162-run second-wicket partnership with Travis Head, who made 89 off 70 balls.

After his spectacular 101 off 71 in game one, Head wasn’t quite as brutal from the get go but nonetheless continued on his merry way to make amends for a lacklustre Test series.

He was somewhat overshad-

owed by McDermott early before putting his foot on the gas by smashing Afridi with an audacious baseball style club for six over long on.

Then he showed his deft touch a few balls later with a beautiful late cut to

the boundary to thwart Afridi’s attempted slower ball.

Head appeared to be charging towards a second straight century before he skied an attempted sweep.

Even though he fell short of a third ODI hundred, Head continued to make a compelling case for a permanent spot at the top of the order as he increased his average as opener to 48.79 from 14 innings, which is well above his overall mark of 37.5.

A forlorn Pakistan had little respite with Labuschagne, who has had modest success during the tour, in sparkling touch with 59 off 49 balls marked by a sweeping masterclass against khushdil.

Pakistan could well rue once against bowling after it spectacularly backfired in the series opener.

Captain Babar Azam boldly stuck to his guns but the flat surface and quick outfield made for ideal batting conditions.

Abdul Qadir inducted into PCB Hall of Fame

NEwS DESk Former legendary spinner Abdul Qadir,

who had taken 236 Test and 132 ODI wickets, was formally inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame posthumously ahead

of the second One-Day International between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Thursday.

Saqlain Mushtaq, former Pakistan spinner and head coach of the men’s team, inducted Abdul Qadir into the eight-man elite group by presenting the commemorative cap and plaque to his youngest son Usman Qadir, who is part of Pakistan’s white-ball squad for the ongoing series.

“I am sure dad watching from up there will be absolutely delighted and pleased with the way his institution has recognised him today in front of his own fans and at his favourite cricket ground.

Cricket was everything for him and on behalf of my family, I thank the PCB for acknowledging his services to Pakistan and the global game,” PCB quoted

Usman as saying.

He said Qadir was a cricket genius who was always happy to share his knowledge and experience and took a lot of pride in the art he had mastered that ultimately giving a new dimension to cricket.

“The rest followed him and contributed to making wrist spin bowling a lethal weapon that is equally entertaining to watch and follow in all formats of the game.”

Meanwhile, Mushtaq said that he felt honoured and proud to formally induct Qadir into the PCB Hall of Fame on the Board’s behalf.

“Abdul Qadir is a hero and a star for all generations for his outstanding and marvellous contributions to this great game,” he added.

Formula 1 returns to Las Vegas after four-decade absence LAS VEGAS AFP

Las Vegas will host a night-time Formula 1 Grand Prix along its iconic Strip in 2023 with the sport’s top official describing the event as “an incredible moment”.

The race returns to the city for the first time since 1982 and will become the third grand prix in the United States on next year’s F1 calendar, alongside Miami and Austin.

“This is an incredible moment for Formula 1 that demonstrates the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the US,” said Stefano Domenicali, the president of Formula 1.

“Las Vegas is a destination known around the world for its excitement, hospitality, thrills, and of course, the famous Strip. There is no better place for Formula 1 to race than in the global enter-

tainment capital of the world.”

The race will take place at night, on a Saturday in November.

The track will be 3.8 miles (6.12km) long from start to finish with top speeds estimated to be over 212 mph (342 km/h).

It will take in the city’s most famous landmarks, hotels and casinos.

There will be 50 laps with three main straights and 14 corners, including a high-speed cornering sequence and a single chicane section.

“Iconic Las Vegas and Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport, is the perfect marriage of speed and glamour,” said Greg Maffei, president of F1’s owners Liberty Media.

Las Vegas twice hosted F1 races in 1981 and 1982 on the car park of Caesar’s Palace after Watkins Glen in upstate New York lost its rights after two decades.

The Miami Grand Prix debuts this year on May 8 while the United States Grand Prix takes place at Austin, Texas on October 23.

The famed Indianapolis Motor

Speedway previously played host to the US Grand Prix between 2000 and 2007.

This year will be the first time since Dallas and Detroit in 1984 that the United States has staged two races.

Pakistan inches closer to exiting FIFA ban NEwS DESk A majority of FIFA members has voted to allow the Council of the football’s world governing body to lift the ban on Pakistan once all requirements are fulfilled, a news outlet reported on Thursday. According to the report, the voting was held during the FIFA Congress at the Doha Exhibition and Cultural Centre. The vote was 195 in favour to four against. On Friday, the FIFA Congress will also hold the draw for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar The report said that Pakistan was suspended by FIFA’s all-powerful Council in April last year after the Pakistan Football Federation Normalisation Committee (NC) was thrown out of office by a group of officials led by Ashfaq Hussain Shah, who was elected as president in an election of the PFF held by the Supreme Court in December 2018. That election was not accepted by FIFA and in September 2019, the global football body appointed the NC for the PFF to hold fresh elections. Ashfaq and his group of officials were described as “protestors” by FIFA at the Congress on Thursday. Pakistan’s ban was ratified at last year’s Congress. Last month, the PFF NC was handed back control of the headquarters in Lahore after the government decided to unconditionally back it in an attempt to lift the suspension on Pakistan. Thursday’s vote means that as soon as the NC regains control over the accounts, the suspension will be lifted by FIFA.

Man Utd to play Palace in Melbourne as Premier League resumes tours LONDON AFP

Manchester United will play Crystal Palace at Melbourne Cricket Ground in July, organisers said Thursday, as Premier League teams resume pre-season tours which stopped when Covid hit.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his United teammates are set to meet A-League club Melbourne Victory on July 15 and Palace four days later at the 100,000-capacity MCG, with bumper crowds expected.

“It has been two years since the club has been able to travel on an international pre-

season tour so we can’t wait to get going and reconnect with our fans in Australasia,” said United chief operating officer Collette Roche.

“Our matches in Melbourne will be a wonderful opportunity for international fans to see their favourite players up-close in an exciting schedule of games.”

United are expected to confirm later Thursday that they will also play Liverpool at Bangkok’s 51,000-capacity Rajamangala National Stadium on July 12, in a clash dubbed the “Red War” by Thai media and fans.

When Liverpool played Victory at the

MCG in 2013, 95,000 fans streamed through the turnstiles and organisers are tipping similar crowds when United visit Melbourne for the first time since 1999.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase our club, Melbourne Victory, to the world and a chance for our members and fans to see a special organisation and a club with such a big history,” said Victory coach Tony Popovic.

The tour will come after a miserable season for United, who will likely have a new manager in charge by then following the interim appointment of Ralf Rangnick.

Reports say that United have held talks

with Ajax coach Erik ten Hag, with Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino

and Spain’s Luis Enrique also reportedly in the frame.

Friday, 1 April, 2022

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NEWS ChIna Cannot aLLow CoLd war MentaLIty to Be reVIVed, CaMP ConfrontatIon to Be rePeated In aSIa: wanG yI islamabad

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HINESE State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that China cannot allow Cold War mentality to be revived, camp confrontation to be repeated in Asia.

“Small & medium-sized countries shall not become tools or even victims of the great power game,” said Wang Yi during a meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in China.

Separately, during a media briefing, spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Wenbin said that China always follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs.

Responding to a question about a no confidence motion moved against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Wang Wenbin said as Pakistan’s all-weather strategic coop-

erative partner and friendly neighbor, China sincerely hopes that all parties in Pakistan can maintain solidarity and jointly uphold development and stability.

DEfEncE cooPERAtion: Mean-

while, Spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defence said at a press conference in Beijing said that China has said that Chinese and Pakistani militaries stand ready to expand practical coopera-

tion in various fields to a new level and inject a new impetus into the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

He said that the military-to-military relations, serving as the mainstay of the China-Pakistan friendship, have played an important role in the development of bilateral relations for a long time.

The spokesperson emphasised that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, true friends and iron brothers that share weal and woe. China is willing to work with Pakistan to accelerate the construction of a closer China-Pakistan community of shared destiny in the new era.

He said that the two militaries have achieved fruitful results in fields such as high-level visits, joint training and exercises, anti-epidemic cooperation and equipment technology, constantly enriching the connotation of bilateral strategic cooperation.

Shehbaz Sharif jeers at NA deputy speaker for ‘not following constitutional procedure’ Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif Thursday said that the NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri once again failed to follow the constitutional procedure by calling the debate session on the noconfidence motion off.

Addressing a press conference flanked by other joint Opposition leaders, including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Shehbaz said that when the deputy speaker saw that the members of the Parliament wanted to vote against the premier, “he ran away.”

He further said that the entire nation saw that 172 Opposition members were present in the house, however, the deputy speaker did not allow the voting. “The whole country is shocked, including the judiciary,” he maintained.

Today, as per the agenda of the National Assembly, a debate session was to be held on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan after which

— according to the law — the speaker has to hold voting within four days.

The Opposition leader further added that he, along with Bilawal, went to the NA secretary after the deputy speaker adjourned the session till April 3.

“The secretary informed us that the decision regarding not holding the debate related to the no-confidence motion was taken by the deputy speaker,” Shehbaz said.

Shehbaz questioned: “Does this “selected” prime minister have any constitutional or ethical justification left?”

He further added that the Opposition had decided not to take extreme measures which are against the law, adding that all members of the joint Opposition showed the Imran Khan-led government that his time is over and the “finishing line is near.”

Addressing the government’s allegations against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif regarding his in-

volvement in “foreign conspiracy”, Shehbaz said that the people of Pakistan are “ashamed” of the word used by the premier.

“He [Imran Khan] stooped to the lowest level of impropriety by levelling baseless allegations against Nawaz, accusing him of having contacted Israeli intelligence agencies and inviting them to get involved in national matters of Pakistan,” he said.

At this, the Opposition leader questioned the premier regarding PTI’s foreign funding donors.

He said that according to the law regarding foreign funding, “you cannot take funds from foreign donors no matter what their religion or nationality is.”

“Your donors include Israelis and Indians, and you did not even declare your funds before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP),” he added. staff report

Next 48 hours important for Pakistan’s political situation: Sheikh Rasheed Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has termed the next 48 hours important, saying that the political situation in Pakistan can take a new turn.

Rasheed stated that “The time till Saturday night 12am is crucial.” He asked the nation to wait till Friday and Saturday night as nothing has been finalised and the political situation might change.

Talking about Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s resignation, the interior minister said: “According to the rules and regulations, the governor calls the chief minister to confirm his resignation which gets accepted two to three days after the confirmation”.

He said that the chief minister will spend the last day in office today.

Sources said that the Punjab CM’s resignation, which he tendered before PM Imran Khan, has been received by

the Punjab governor and is expected to be accepted today.

Earlier, Buzdar had stepped down in favour of Parvez Elahi as part of a deal with the PML-Q to secure the party’s support for the prime minister against the no-trust motion.

According to Rasheed, “the Punjab chief minister will attend the chartersigning ceremony of Viqar-un-Nisa University for women as his last official engagement.”

The Punjab government had in August 2021 approved the up-gradation of Rawalpindi’s Government Viqar-un-Nisa Post Graduate College to a university.

The interior minister said that he will attend the event in Lahore later today on special invitation by Buzdar.

The minister will speak to the media regarding the current political situation after the event. staff report

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Shahbaz Gill says ‘PM Imran would neither resign nor seek ‘safe’ exit’ Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill on Thursday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had not made any offers to resign from his position and would instead face the opposition “with all his might till the last ball”. At a media talk in Islamabad, Gill said that the premier had neither made any offers to the opposition nor reached out to them for any “safe options”.

Gill’s comments came after PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, speaking to the media earlier in the day, said that the prime minister would not be given the options of a “safe passage, an NRO, amnesty or backdoor exit”. “And I advise you that you opt for an honourable exit … which means that you resign today and let the vote of no confidence take place,” Bilawal had added. SAPM Gill, in his press talk today, said that PM Imran’s fight was against “an imperialist, and not the three dwarves”.

“It’s against the imperialist who killed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto because he wanted to make an independent foreign policy. These stooges don’t matter to him,” the SAPM said, adding that the premier wasn’t the one to give up and “will face everything that comes his way”.

Gill, while talking to the media stated that all his assets were declared.

As per sources, SAPM was still on the payroll of an American public university and alleged that he had not declared his salary and employment in the list of assets submitted to the Cabinet Division.

“University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where Special Assistant to Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Shabbir (Gill) is employed as Clinical Assistant Professor has confirmed to a local daily in a written reply that he is still a university employee and his annual salary is $124,770.92,” the report published in the local daily read.

“Mr Gill, according to the university’s official reply, is teaching Management and Organizational Behavior, Principles of Marketing, and Principles of Retailing.”

According to the prime minister’s instructions, all of his special assistant and advisers are bound to declare their assets and liabilities with the Cabinet Division through a prescribed declaration form.

Gill, during the media talk, called the report “fake”.

He contended that there were just two sections in the Cabinet Division paper — one of liabilities and another of assets.

“It doesn’t ask for income and the source of income,” he said. “But there’s an FBR office that inquires about [a person’s] annual income and its source. To them, everything has been told … all my assets are declared, “Gill said. He added that he had been a professor for 20 years and would continue to work in that capacity. staff report

Voting ends in second phase of KP LB elections PESHAWAR: The polling for the second phase of local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ended in 65 districts of the province.

The voting began at 8:00 am and continued unabated until 5:00 pm with eight million voters casting their votes.

Candidates from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamaat-i-Islami, Awami National Party (ANP) and other political groups took part in the electoral process.

The second phase of the elections will bring an end to the election of local bodies in the province.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) warned action against anyone found involved in barring women from casting their votes.

“Women have every right to cast their vote,” the commission said and asked women to cast their votes without any fear.

On Wednesday, sharing details of the elections and their arrangements, Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister Muhammad Ali Saif said all arrangements for the LB elections have been completed.

“The polls will be held on 65 seats which included 63 tehsil and two mayor seats,” he said. He said that overall 5,829 polling stations will be established with 1,000 of them declared sensitive. staff report

Pakistan’s economy created 5.5 million jobs in last 3 years Pakistan’s economy created 5.5 million jobs during the past three years –on an average 1.84 million jobs a year, which is far higher than yearly average of creation of new jobs during the 2008-18 decade, reveals findings of Labour Force Survey (LFS) published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

However, the Sindh province remained an exception where unemployment rate significantly went down to just 3.9% in three years as the unemployment rate increased in all other three provinces –the highest one recorded at 8.8% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) during the last fiscal year, according to Labour Force Survey 2020-21.

The national unemployment rate stood at

6.3% at the end of the last fiscal year, which is better than the preceding year but higher than 5.8% recorded at the end of the PML-N tenure, according to the survey conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The Planning Ministry and the PBS have not yet officially released the survey.

The survey findings were endorsed on Wednesday by a technical committee, comprising official and independent experts, according to the officials of the Ministry of Planning and Development. The PBS covered 6,808 enumeration blocks and 99,904 households for the survey purposes.

The findings showed that the number of employed people increased to 67.3 million by

June 2021 –up from 61.7 million at the end of the PML-N tenure.

However, the official unemployment rate that in June 2018 was 5.8% went up to 6.3% at the end of the third year of the PTI rule. The unemployment rate was the lowest in Sindh at 3.9% that is ruled by the Pakistan Peoples Party but it was highest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 8.8%, followed by 6.8% in Punjab –the two provinces governed by the ruling party.

A key reason for an overall low unemployment rate of 6.3% was inclusion of contributing family workers in the definition of the employed people whose share in total employment was above one-fifth. staff report

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