Epaper – August 11 KHI 2021

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021 I 2 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 42 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Imran says early completIon of KarachI uplIft projects Key prIorIty g

inaugurateS ShiP lift & tranSfer SyStem at kSeW KARACHI

p

Staff report

rime minister imran khan has directed the Water and Power development authority (WaPda) to ensure availability of clean and sufficient water for karachi as early as possible by adopting all the technically feasible and economically viable methods. the prime minister said this while chairing a meeting to review the progress of ongoing development projects under karachi transformation Plan on tuesday. governor Sindh imran ismail, minister for Planning asad umar, minister for railways azam Swati, minister for maritime affairs Syed ali Zaidi, minister for defence Production Zubaida Jalal and senior government officials attended the

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meeting. the prime minister also directed all other officials to ensure completion of all these projects within the time lines, committed by them, as he is keen to inaugurate them as soon as possible for the welfare and benefit of the karachiites. the prime minister said the early completion of the federal government’s projects in karachi and early launch of newly announced works, are among government’s key priorities. earlier, the prime minister was briefed on different ongoing projects in karachi by different officers. the prime minister was informed that all the remaining civil works will be completed by June 2022. the prime minister was also briefed on the latest update of the green line and orange line Brt projects. the green line operations will

SayS PakiStan ProgreSSing in adoPtion of modern technologieS

commence by october this year, as 80 buses will be arriving at karachi port from china by mid-September 2021.

Similarly, on the request of the Sindh government, Sindh infrastructure development company ltd (Sidcl) is also procuring 20 buses for orange line, which are expected to reach karachi by december 2021. the chairman WaPda briefed the Pm on the k-iV project for supply of water to karachi. he informed that the city is currently drawing 1,200 cusecs (665 mgd) including 100 mgd from hub dam. the city is facing a severe shortage of water. in order to mitigate the miseries of the denizens of karachi, k-iV project was executed by the government of Sindh and co-financed by Sindh and federal governments. however, it remained in limbo for over a decade. now, the federal government (WaPda) is executing

the project. the prime minister was informed that the joint cross-sectional survey is complete up to 85 kilometres and unified consultants and international staff from ilf have been mobilised. the final design is likely to be completed by october 2021. civil works will commence by february, 2022. the project is likely to be completed by october, 2023. the prime minister was then briefed about the railway projects viz freight corridor from keamari to Pipri marshalling yard and modern karachi circular railway (kcr). the freight corridor project envisages construction/ dualisation of a 50-km dedicated freight corridor from karachi Port to Pipri and includes the development of an inland container depot/ marshalling yard at Pipri.

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Pakistan deplores report of self-exiled dissidents on ‘hit list’ ISLAMABAD Staff report

islamabad on tuesday rejected as baseless a report in the British press claiming Pakistan-origin dissidents living in the united kingdom and elsewhere in europe in self-exile were on a so-called hit list of the country’s security agencies. citing intelligence sources, the report published last week in the guardian claimed that Pakistan “might be prepared to target” dissidents, journalists and members of the Pashtun tahafuz movement on British soil. to build its case, the story recalled last month, a man from east london was charged with conspiring with others unidentified to murder a self-exiled blogger, ahmad Waqass goraya, in the netherlands. goraya is notorious for hurling vulgarities at women political activists through his twitter

coronavIrus In

paKIstan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,075,504

LAST UPDATED AT 4:32 PM ON AUGUST 10, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

86

3,884

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

967,073 24,004 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

401,790

365,824

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

149,056 AJK/GB: 27,507 / 8,876

31,234 ISLAMABAD:

91,217

handle. for this reason, his access to twitter was recently suspended for a brief period. in a statement, foreign office spokesperson Zahid hafeez chaudhri categorically rejected the unsubstantiated media report and said Pakistan, as a parliamentary democracy, protected the rights of its nationals living across the world. “there is no question of any threat being made to any national of any state including Pakistan’s own nationals living anywhere on any pretext whatsoever,” he said in response to media queries on the matter. chaudhri said the unsubstantiated accusations appeared to be part of the ongoing disinformation campaign against Pakistan to malign the country and its institutions. in december, the Brussels-based ngo unearthed a 15-year-old operation run by an indian entity that used hundreds of fake media outlets and the identity of a dead professor to target Pak-

Nawaz, Shehbaz on same page to revive PDM

MORE INSIDE

Muharram gatherings to be held under strict Covid-19 SOPs: NCOC

ISLAMABAD Mian abrar

leader of the opposition and President of Pakistan muslim league-nawaz (Pml-n) Shehbaz Sharif has contacted his elder brother and former prime minister nawaz Sharif ahead of the meeting of the Pakistan democratic movement and sought his advice on the party’s strategy. according to the party sources, Shehbaz Sharif held an important telephone consultation with the party leader before the important Pdm meeting to be held on Wednesday. according to the sources, during the consultation, the two leaders agreed to intensify the anti-government movement and mobilise the Pdm. nawaz directed Shehbaz to activate the Pml-n leaders at the party level as well. Shehbaz will convene an important meeting of the party leaders before the Pdm meeting in the light of nawaz’s directive. meanwhile, Pml-n lawmaker mian Javed latif claimed that nawaz will return home this year.

Speaking to media, Javed latif said that nawaz did not

istan. the agency, in its report titled indian chronicles, deep dived into a 15-year operation targeting the body and united nations to “discredit Pakistan internationally”, termed this as the “largest network” of disinformation they have exposed so far.

“Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy with a vibrant civil society, free media and independent judiciary, which remains fully committed to the promotion and protection of human rights for all its citizens without discrimination,” the spokesperson said. he expressed islamabad’s strong commitment to the right to freedom of opinion and expression, something he observed was demonstrated by the presence of scores of vibrant media channels and newspapers. “Provision of a platform for the peddling of unsubstantiated and false narratives against Pakistan by any news outlet is indeed regrettable,” he lamented.

STORY ON PAGE 03

ministers reiterate Pakistan wants peace in afghanistan compromise on the country’s nuclear programme despite international pressure. he said that nawaz will not get justice from these courts. last week, Shehbaz said that government statements based on political hatred are against the prestige of the country. in a statement issued on friday, he said that statements given by government against the facts in order to take political mileage are deplorable.

Playing politics on the life of nawaz who remained prime minister for three times is inhuman, he remarked. he went on to say that government attitude on defaming

an individual for the sake of politics is bringing bad name for the country. they should nail senses.

Sending nawaz to london for medical treatment was the decision of “imran niazi government”, he held. treatment facilities for nawaz were not available in Pakistan was also decision of a government board, he added. he underscored that the decision for treatment and stay in respect of nawaz in london would be taken as per doctors advice. nawaz will return to Pakistan when the doctors permit, he added.

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STORY ON PAGE 03

Imran aims to make Pakistan an attractive destination for Muslim tourists STORY ON PAGE 03

taliban tighten control of northern afghanistan as un fears erasure of rights STORY ON BACK PAGE

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Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

EngAging PAkisTAn To ClEAr TAlibAn ‘sAfE hAVEn’ froM AfghAnisTAn bordEr: PEnTAgon wASHINGTON/kABUL

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Staff RePoRt

DAY after Taliban militants captured a sixth provincial capital in Afghanistan, the United States said it was in talks with Pakistan to clear what it claimed were terrorist sanctuaries along the region bordering the Durand Line.

During a press briefing on Monday (early Tuesday in Pakistan), Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said: “We all have a shared sense of importance of closing down those safe havens and not allowing them to be used by the Taliban or other terrorist networks to sow discord [in Afghanistan].”

Kirby took his cue from Kabul that claims Pakistan’s support for the Taliban allowed it to weather two decades of war after being pushed from power in 2001 by a USled invasion of Afghanistan.

Three Customs officials shot dead ISLAMABAD Staff RePoRt

Three officials of Pakistan Customs were shot and killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa late on Monday, police said.

The officials were travelling in a car when unidentified assailants opened fire at their vehicle in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan district, police said. Two of them were killed on the spot, said the police, adding that another officer succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Following the incident, police, security forces and rescue workers rushed to the site and shifted the bodies to the District Headquarters Hospital of Dera Ismail Khan. The assailants fled the scene after committing the crime. Police have registered a case against them and launched an operation in the surrounding areas to arrest on-the-run culprits.

According to reports, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan condemned the incident. He has sought a detailed report into the incident from the authorities.

The group today controls more territory than at any point since 2001. Its fighters have swiftly gained territory across Afghanistan since May, including six provincial capitals in the last three days, as international forces near a complete withdrawal from the country.

Islamabad, a staunch supporter of lasting stability in its war-battered neighbour, has repeatedly reminded the international community to look into the “meltdown” of Afghanistan security forces in the face of these offensives, instead of blaming Pakistan for the fastdeteriorating situation. Only yesterday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi questioned the performance of Afghanistan’s security forces in towns where they abandoned districts, crossing into Pakistan to escape the advancing Taliban.

“The capacity-building, the training, the equipment [… ] where is it?” he asked, referring to resources spent by other countries, particularly the US, on bolstering national forces

of Afghanistan. In his press conference, Kirby underlined Washington was helping Afghan troops in a myriad of other ways. “The Afghans have capacity; they have [the] capability, they have a capable Air Force,” he stressed.

“I have the proof that they have a force of over 300,000 soldiers and police. They have a modern Air Force. They have modern weaponry; they have an organisational structure. They have a lot of advantages that the Taliban don’t have. Taliban doesn’t have an Air Force, Taliban doesn’t own airspace,” he said when asked to provide substantiation of his statement on Kabul being equipped.

UP TO AFGHANS TO DEFEND COUNTRY: Kirby further said it was up to Afghanistan security forces to defend the country.

President Joe Biden has said the US military mission in Afghanistan will end on August 31, arguing that the people must decide their own future and that he would

Opp can oust govt with no-confidence motion against Imran, Buzdar: Bilawal NEwS DESk Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf-led government can be ousted by the Opposition with a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Geo news reported.

According to the report, Bilawal, during a press conference in Karachi, said that unity of the Opposition is needed to oust the government. “If the Opposition moves a no-confidence motion against [Prime Minister] Imran Khan and [Punjab Chief Minister] Sardar Usman Buzdar, then it can have the government ousted tomorrow.”

He said that the Pakistan Democratic

ISLAMABAD MoNItoRINg RePoRt

A protracted war in Afghanistan is Pakistan’s “nightmare scenario,” the national security advisor said, slamming the relentless blaming of Islamabad for the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the warbattered neighbour. The US needs to take the lead to get the Afghanistan government and the Taliban back to the negotiation table, Dr Moeed Yusuf told foreign journalists in Islamabad late on Monday. He said Pakistan is pushing the Taliban to return to negotiations but its leverage is waning as the insurgent group gains more ground in Afghanistan. Pakistan hasn’t even been able to convince the Taliban to reopen the border crossing at Spin Boldak in southeastern Afghanistan, which the insurgent force captured last month, Yusuf said. In their sweep through Afghanistan, which began with the late April start of the final withdrawal of US and NATO troops, the Taliban have gained control of strategic and lucrative border crossings, including the Spin Boldak crossing with Pakistan. Last weekend the Taliban closed the crossing in southeast Afghanistan after Islamabad demanded that Afghans crossing to the Pakistani side have a passport and a Pakistani visa, something that had not previously been required. The Taliban accused Pakistan of imposing the new rules to please Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani. They shuttered the border, insisting Pakistan reinstate an earlier lax policy under which the thousands who cross daily were rarely required to show even local identity cards. As a result, thousands in Afghanistan and Pakistani are stuck at the border and hundreds of trucks loaded with perishable goods have been waiting to cross. As the August 31 deadline for the final withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan approaches, Yusuf called for “a reinvigorated, reemphasised, rejuvenated effort to try and get Afghan political actors […] in one room […] to get to a settlement of how to move forward.” “Anything but an inclusive political settlement means a protracted conflict, through which instability will likely spill over into Pakistan,” he said. “So our nightmare scenario is a protracted conflict.”

Yusuf said Pakistan, which already hosts about two million Afghan refugees, hasn’t got the resources to absorb a fresh wave of refugees. The government fears that will happen if fighting continues and the sides don’t return to the negotiating table. The Taliban’s onslaught defies statements by their political leadership in the Middle Eastern country Qatar advocating for talks. The insurgent force has shown no sign of wanting to negotiate, instead pressing ahead on the battlefield, sweeping through five provincial capitals in less than a week. Yusuf accused Afghanistan of scapegoating Pakistan, blaming it for the Taliban advances and demanded evidence of claims by Kabul at a recent UN Security Council meeting that 10,000 fighters were crossing from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

Movement (PDM) took part in the byelections on his party’s suggestion and the movement was running successfully and constantly winning as long as it was following the policies and strategies devised by his party. “While we will not attend the upcoming meeting of the PDM tomorrow, we wish the alliance good luck,” he said. Bilawal also criticised the federal government for depriving Sindh of

LHC halts action against Tareen’s sugar business LAHORE INP

Protracted Afghan war Pakistan’s worst nightmare: Moeed

not consign another generation of Americans to the war.

US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has left for Qatar where he will “press the Taliban to stop their military offensive and to negotiate a political settlement,” the State Department said on Monday.

In talks over three days, representatives from governments and multilateral organisations will press for “a reduction of violence and ceasefire and a commitment not to recognize a government imposed by force,” the State Department said. The Taliban, fighting to reimpose strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, have stepped up their campaign to defeat the government as foreign forces withdraw. On Monday, they took Aybak, the capital of the northern province of Samangan. “Right now the Taliban are fighting with Afghan forces to capture the police headquarters and compound of the provincial governor,” said Ziauddin Zia, a lawmaker in Aybak.

The Lahore High Court Tuesday stopped the punitive action against the sugar productions units of estranged Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Jahangir Tareen.

The business had challenged the fixing of the ex-mill price of the commodity. Hearing which, the court served notices on the federal and Punjab governments directing them to submit their responses.

Justice Risal Hassan Syed also halted the action against the JDW-Group, a conglomerate owned by Tareen. He issued the directive while hearing a petition filed by the JK Sugar Mills (Pvt.) Ltd. and JDW Sugar Mills. Deputy Attorney General Asad Ali Bajwa appeared

before the court representing the Centre and opposed the petition on its behalf.

He told the court that the government fixed the sugar ex-mill rate after taking into consideration 32 sugar producers. He maintained that the government fixed the price after fulfilling all the legal requirements.

In April, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association too had rejected the ex-mill and retail price of sugar fixed by the Punjab government. “We reject the rates fixed by the government. However, if the government want to implement this forcibly, it must take responsibility of paying the salaries of mills staff, 17 per cent sales tax levied on the sale of sugar and other financial liabilities of the project from where it would pick the stock,” PSMA Punjab chief Javed Kayani told reporters at a news conference.

Govt doesn’t seem serious for criminalising enforced disappearances: Babar ISLAMABAD INP

Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Secretary General Senator Farhatullah Babar has alleged that the government does not seem serious in enacting its own June 7 Bill to criminalise enforced disappearances.

He stated this while speaking at a webinar organized by the Defence of Human Rights and Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) on Tuesday.

Babar was of the view that from some glaring mistakes in the Bill to the fact that it is lying in the National Assembly Committee on Interior unattended for the past over 8 weeks it appears that there is no interest in it. He said that that hopes were raised when the bill defined ‘enforced disappearance’ and also criminalised it for the first time in

the country. However, it appears that some powerful quarters are still opposed to legislation even though it does the issue in a holistic manner, he added. The PPPP leader said that law making was one thing but its implementation quite another. He said that even if the bill was enacted in its present form it will still fall far too short of achieving the objective because of the absence of any legislation to determine the mandate of intelligence agencies widely believed to be behind the enforced disappearances. He also said that despite repeated calls by the parliament, the courts and national and international human rights bodies there is still no legislation to determine the mandate of ISI. However during hearings before superior courts the ISI claimed to have ‘lawful’ authority to arrest persons engaged in antistate activities and this dichotomy will always be a serious impediment, he added.

funds and said that it is “unhappy” because of the work the PPP is doing for Karachi “day and night”. “Neither does the government want to do something for Karachi itself, nor does it want us to do anything.” He said that despite having limited resources, the PPP is not only working to resolve the issues of Karachi but is also employing efforts to develop other parts of Sindh. “People can see the current government’s injustices and that the PPP is the only solution to their problems, therefore, PPP will succeed in forming the next government in Pakistan.”

Bilawal was of the view that the PTIled government is “very unstable” and said that the PPP is expecting general elections to take place “at any time.”

Vaccinate staff or face closure, minister warns schools LAHORE Staff RePoRt

Punjab Minister for School Education Dr Murad Raas Tuesday directed all government and private schools to vaccinate teachers and other members of the staff against Covid-19

by August 22, warning that the institutions which did not follow the order would face closure. In a video message shared on his Twitter account, the minister asked the aforementioned to vaccinate themselves and submit the certificates to their concerned institutions. In June, the National Command and Operation Centre had declared coronavirus vaccination mandatory for all public and private sector employees in a move aimed at countering vaccine hesitancy and misinformation threats. Raas said the government has established monitoring teams who after August 22 will conduct random visits to check vaccination certificates. He warned if any staff member of a school was found unvaccinated, authorities will close the facility. “We will also take disciplinary action after finding out that any staff member is not vaccinated,” he added.

Tourism sector makes headway amid Covid-19 challenges ISLAMABAD XINhua

Pakistan is endowed with a myriad of natural wonders as well as historical and religious tourist sites that attract a large number of both local and foreign tourists every year. However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 direly affected Pakistan’s tourism sector in 2020. Despite the limited inflow of tourists from abroad owing to pandemic-related travel restrictions, local tourists have boosted the local tourism industry this year.

Experts and government officials believe that as Pakistan has a huge potential for tourism, all-out efforts should be made to further ramp up the thriving tourism sector and attract not only local tourists but also people from all over the world once the pandemic subsides.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the promotion of tourism in the country is one of his government’s top priorities to generate revenue and job opportunities.

“The promotion of tourism will not only create economic activity in the local areas but will also have

a positive impact on the national economy,” he said.

In 2019, the total contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product was 5.7 percent, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Aftabur Rehman Rana told Xinhua, adding that in 2020 when the pandemic hit the world, the total contribution to the GDP decreased to 4.4 percent, cutting down a large number of employments.

In a conversation with Xinhua, Latifur Rehman, spokesperson for Culture, Sports, Tourism, Archaeology and Youth Affairs Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that last year, the tourism industry suffered as most of the tourist places were closed due to coronavirus-induced fears and restrictions.

He said in 2020, Covid-19 caused losses of more than 10 billion rupees on the tourism industry of KP when a number of businesses associated with tourism were left paralysed.

“With some relaxation in restrictions recently, a huge influx of tourists is being witnessed in the northern areas and KP,” he said, adding that both of

the regions are centre-point of domestic tourism from May to October and are immensely popular among the nature-lovers and adventure seekers thanks to the world’s highest peaks, glaciers and scenic views in the regions.

Rehman said that the number of tourists has overwhelmingly increased since the onset of summer which led to the shortage of accommodation, forcing many to stay in makeshift shelters, tents and houses of local people. More than Rs65 billion of business activities were generated by the tourists in the province from May to July, he said, adding that the activities also generated job opportunities for locals in these areas.

During the recent Eidul Adha holidays, more than 3 million tourists flocked to tourist destinations in KP including Naran, Kaghan, Kalam, Swat and Chitral, he said. MP Saleem Rehman said that the improvement of road infrastructure under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has also played a vital role in unlocking the enormous potential of tourism.

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

KARACHI

MuhArrAM gATherings To Be helD unDer sTricT coviD-19 soPs: ncoc ISLAMABAD

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NCOC daily update: 3,884 new cases, 86 deaths from Covid-19

app

HE National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday issued special instructions for managing Muharram-ul-Harram activities with proper Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain disease spread. The forum issued these instructions keeping in view the recommendations of the Ulema (scholars) concerned regarding Muharram.

The NCOC guidelines underlined that all gatherings and processions would be held under Covid-19 SOPs. Furthermore, use of face masks, social distancing, thermal screening during religious processions would be ensured by the administration of that event.

The NCOC guidelines clearly stated that private gatherings would be discouraged in the homes. Hand sanitizers and masks would be provided

at the venues of the gatherings and processions by the organisers, it added.

The NCOC guidelines noted that the Muharram gatherings would be held in

Pakistani special representative on Afghanistan reaches Doha to attend Troika Plus moot ISLAMABAD Mian abRaR

Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, is visiting Doha to participate in the Regional Conference on Afghanistan and meeting of Troika Plus on 10-11 August 2021. Sadiq is visiting Qatar on the invitation of Dr Mutlaq Al Qahtani, Qatari special envoy for counter-terrorism and mediation in conflict resolution. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmed Khan is accompanying the special representative. Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Pakistan attaches high importance to the Troika Plus mechanism, involving Pakistan, US, Russia and China. “This meeting of Troika Plus in Doha is taking place at an important time when the security situation in Afghanistan is continuously deteriorating particularly as the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the country continues,” the statement said, adding that Pakistan hopes that the meetings in Doha would help facilitate resumption of Intra-Afghan negotiations with a view to achieve a political solution for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours.

Attack on Balochistan store selling flags kills one QUettA

ventilated and open spaces.

In addition, coronavirus SOPs would be prominently displayed during rallies and processions throughout Muharram.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday added 3,884 new Covid-19 cases into its overall tally of infections, the National Command and Operation Centre said on Tuesday. The NCOC, a department leading campaign against the pandemic, said the country’s total cases rose to 1,075,504, including 967,073 recoveries. The number of active cases rose to 84,427, including 4,530 critical patients. According to the NCOC, the pandemic killed 86 people on Monday, increasing the overall death toll to 24,004. Sindh is the worst-affected province of the country with 401,790 infections followed by Punjab which has reported 365,824 cases. Staff RepoRt

Ministers reiterate Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan newS DeSk Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ministers on Tuesday made it clear that Islamabad wants peace in Afghanistan and it has nothing to gain from the worsening security situation in the neighbouring country.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that Pakistan stands for peace in Afghanistan and it has nothing to gain from the conflict.

In a tweet, he said that it is the Afghan government that needs to answer for the daily instances of terrorism in Pakistan, sponsored and coordinated from Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, addressing the participants of National Media Workshop organised by National Defence University in Islamabad, the information minister said that wars in the past were fought through the use of force but now is an era of public opinion.

He said that Pakistan rendered seventy thousand lives in the war on terrorism but no book has so far been written on it. Separately, in a tweet, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar refuted the allegations that Pakistan is

supporting violence in Afghanistan and said that the Afghan National Security Forces have voluntarily surrendered during battles against militants multiple times, despite having “massive financial support”.

“Afghan government should own its failures.

Pakistan strongly desires for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added.

During a press conference in Islamabad, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that Pakistan has nothing to do with the political situation in Afghanistan and if anything, peace in the neighbouring country is in favour of Pakistan. He further said that Pakistan has sealed all its borders with Afghanistan and it has no involvement in the worsening situation in the neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Shahbaz Gill tweeted, “The Taliban control over 60 percent of Afghanistan but somehow Afghan officials run a campaign maligning Pakistan for their own failures instead of fighting on the ground. Daily their forces surrender and daily they blame Pakistan.

Fight! Don’t do propaganda.”

Rahim Yar Khan temple returned to Hindus after repairs MonItorIng report A temple that was damaged last week by an angry crowd in Rahim Yar Khan was handed over to the Hindu community following repairs to the structure, a government official confirmed late on Monday.

The development comes five days after a mob attacked the temple in Bhong town of Rahim Yar Khan, damaging statues and burning down the temple’s main door.

They were angry that a court granted bail to an 8year-old Hindu boy who allegedly desecrated a local religious school.

Rahim Yar Khan Deputy Commissioner Khurram Shahzad said local Hindus will soon resume worship at the temple.

The Hindu boy had been arrested after allegedly urinating on a carpet in a school library housing Islamic religious texts. The mob at the time alleged the boy committed blasphemy.

Authorities later arrested dozens of people suspected of taking part in the attack on the Hindu temple, saying they will have to pay for the temple’s repair.

Muslims and Hindus generally live peacefully in predominantly Muslim Pakistan, but there have been lone incidents of attacks on Hindu temples in recent years.

NEWS

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imran aims to make Pakistan an attractive destination for Muslim tourists LASBeLA app

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday stressed upon development of beach and coastline tourism in Balochistan by properly exploring the unseen tourism potential of different areas which could lead to generation of huge revenues. Addressing a gathering of local people here after tree plantation drive and inspection of mangrove forest at the Sonmiani beach, the prime minister said that it was the job of the government to change living standards of the people though bringing in drastic changes. He observed that every area had some different characteristics, adding that they must also concentrate upon those tourism spots which could attract Muslim population across the world. The prime minister citing reason for making the country an attractive destination for the Muslims, said that due to Islamophobia across the globe, the Muslims were reluctant to go to the Western or European countries along with their families for tourism. He further said that government planned to develop the beach tourism and would seek scientific suggestions from the quality consultants in this regard. On the occasion, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Kamal and other provincial authorities were also present. The prime minister said that the hilly or mountainous areas were developed by the British during their rule, but these areas were being degraded slowly, citing an example of Murree which had been seen quite changes due to huge construction. For the first time, the government was developing new hilly terrains and exploring other scenic spots to attract maximum tourists, he added.

He said that the country’s coastline remained unexplored and also emphasized upon reservation and increase of mangrove forests as they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in abundance.

The prime minster said that he was mesmerised with the beauty of the area. Allah Almighty had blessed the country with precious resources; he said and regretted that in the past, the people did not do justice with these natural gifts. The prime minister underlined the need of valuing these gifts with proper development and planning. He said that once, these areas were developed into tourism spots, they would help change lives of the local people, create jobs with better education and health facilities. He also said that the world was experiencing severe climatic impacts in forms of flooding and forest fires, affecting different parts of the globe.

Turkish defense minister arrives ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday. Akar, who arrived for an official visit, is expected to meet with his Pakistan counterpart Pervez Khattak, Defense and Production Minister Zubaida Jalal, and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. He will discuss bilateral cooperation in military, security, and defense fields as well as the regional issues and latest developments in Afghanistan. The United States will complete the withdrawal of its forces at the end of this month under a deal with the Taliban, which included the withdrawal of foreign forces in exchange for Taliban promises to prevent Afghanistan from being used for international terrorism. Under the deal, the Taliban were meant to seek peace with the Afghanistan government, but months of intermittent talks have been fruitless.

Staff RepoRt

Suspected separatists hurled a hand grenade at a store selling national flags in Balochistan, killing one man and wounding four people, officials said Tuesday. No one has claimed responsibility for the late Monday night attack in Quetta, according to Wasim Baig, a spokesman for the provincial health department. The proscribed Baloch Liberation Army has claimed such attacks in the past.

This year, it warned people not to celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14.

Earlier this week, the same militant group claimed responsibility for the killing of two policemen in a roadside bombing in Quetta, indicating an uptick in violence ahead of the holiday. On Tuesday in Quetta, security forces shot and killed five suspected separatists in an operation on the city’s outskirts, the provincial counter-terrorism department said. It provided no further details. Small militant groups have been carrying out a long-running insurgency in the province. The province also shares a long border with Iran and Afghanistan, and the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the so-called Islamic State group have also maintained a presence in Balochistan.

Explainer: Beyond Delta, scientists are watching new coronavirus variants CHICAgo ReuteRS

The continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has spawned a Greek alphabet of variants – a naming system used by the World Health Organization to track concerning new mutations of the virus that causes Covid-19. Some have equipped the virus with better ways of infecting humans or evading vaccine protection.

Scientists remain focused on Delta, now the dominant variant rising rapidly around the world, but are tracking others to see what may one day take its place.

DELTA: The Delta variant first detected in India remains the most worrisome. It is striking unvaccinated populations in many countries and has proven capable of infecting a higher proportion of vaccinated people than its predecessors.

The WHO classifies Delta as a variant of concern, meaning it has been shown

capable of increasing transmissibility, causing more severe disease or reducing the benefit of vaccines and treatments.

According to Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego, Delta’s “superpower” is its transmissibility. Chinese researchers found that people infected with Delta carry 1,260 times more virus in their noses compared with the original version of the coronavirus.

Some U.S. research suggests that the “viral load” in vaccinated individuals who become infected with Delta is on par with those who are unvaccinated, but more research is needed. While the original coronavirus took up to seven days to cause symptoms, Delta can cause symptoms two to three days faster, giving the immune system less time to respond and mount a defense. Delta also appears to be mutating further, with reports emerging of a “Delta Plus” variant, a sublineage that carries an additional mutation that has been shown to evade immune

protection.

India listed Delta Plus as a variant of concern in June, but neither the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention nor the WHO have done so yet. According to Outbreak.info, an open-source Covid-19 database, Delta Plus has been detected in at least 32 countries. Experts say it is not yet clear whether it is more dangerous.

LAMBDA – ON THE WANE? The Lambda variant has attracted attention as a potential new threat. But this version of the coronavirus, first identified in Peru in December, may be receding, several infectious disease experts told Reuters. The WHO classifies Lambda as a variant of interest, meaning it carries mutations suspected of causing a change in transmissibility or causing more severe disease, but it is still under investigation.

Lab studies show it has mutations that resist vaccine-induced antibodies.

Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular

medicine and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, said the percentage of new Lambda cases reported to GISAID, a database that tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants, has been dropping, a sign that the variant is waning.

B.1.621 – ONE TO WATCH The B.1.621 variant, which first arose in Colombia in January, where it caused a major outbreak, has yet to earn a Greek letter name. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has listed it as a variant of interest, while Public Health England describes B.1.621 as a variant under investigation. It carries several key mutations, including E484K, N501Y and D614G, that have been linked with increased transmissibility and reduced immune protection. So far, there have been 37 likely and confirmed cases in the UK, according to a recent government report, and the variant has been identified in a number of patients in Florida.

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

04 NEWS

KARACHI

SeRviceS tRade deficit contRactS 43.45Pc to $1.875Bn in 2021-21

P

NeWS deSK

aKiStaN’S services trade deficit contracted by 43.45 percent during the fiscal year 2020-21 against the preceding financial year 2019-20 and was recorded at $1875.22 million. according to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the services trade deficit during July-June 2020-21 reduced to $1.875 billion against the deficit of $3.315 billion in July-June 2019-20. the services exports during the period under review witnessed an increase of 9.19

percent and were recorded at $5937.27 million against the exports of $45437.40 million last year. on the other hand, the imports into the country shrank by 10.75 percent by falling from $8753.37 million to $7812.49 million, the PBS data revealed.

Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, the services exports from the country increased by 53.56 percent and were recorded at $579.03 million in June 2021 against the exports of $377.08 million in June 2020. on the other hand, the imports declined by 7.31 percent by going down from $644.11 million in June 2020 to $597.04 million in June

Money in circulation reaches Rs27.74tn in 2020-21: SBP

2021, the data revealed. on a month-on-month basis, the exports from the country witnessed an increase of 18.39 percent in June 2021 when compared to the exports of $489.08 million in May 2021. on the other hand, imports into the country decreased by 29.93 percent in June 2021 when compared to the imports of $852.04 million in May 2021, according to the PBS data. according to the figures released recently by the State Bank of Pakistan, on a sequential basis, the country’s trade deficit in services widened by 2.5 times on a monthon-month basis to $273 million. However,

Range-bound session keeps gains in check at PSX KArACHi TLTP

the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed another range-bound volatile session on tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index gaining 11.86 points (+0.03 percent) to close at 47,135.48 points. the market opened on a positive note but it switched between the red and green zones continuously amid profit-taking activity. the KSE-100 index moved in a range of 344.7 points, showing an intraday high of 47,272.8 points and intraday low of 46,928.1 points. among other indices, the KSE all Share index gained 22.72 points (+0.07 percent) to close at 32,303.19 points, while all Share islamic index gained 60.55 points (+0.26 percent) to close at 23,121.5 points. a total of 382 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, out of them shares of 173 closed up, shares of 186 closed down while shares of 23 companies remained unchanged. out of the 98 companies which traded shares in the KSE100 index, shares of 51 closed up, 43 closed down, while shares of four companies remained unchanged. the overall market volumes increased by 32.74 million to 370.04 million shares. total volume traded for the KSE-100 index was 128.47 million shares. the number of total trades increased by 4,557 to 125,337; and the value traded increased by

NeWS deSK the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has said that money supply circulating within the economy by the end of fiscal year 2020-21 has been recorded at around rs27.74 trillion. according to provisional accounts on Monetary aggregates for the month, maintained by the State Bank of Pakistan, the money circulating within the economy until May 2021 was rs26.6 trillion while until the corresponding month of last year was rs24.98 trillion, showing an increase of 11 percent over the year and 4 percent over the month. the growth of the money supply continues to accelerate mainly on the back of a rapid increase in economic activity and a credit demand from the private sector. credit offtake by the private sector from the banking channel increased by 12 percent YoY in fiscal year 2020-21. Moreover, higher government borrowing from banks to finance the budget deficit also led to an increase in broad money growth. the increased government borrowing from banks since last year was owing to the huge spending to fight the covid-19 pandemic.

Having broken down the overall money supply into broad categories, the SBP data showed that a total of rs6.89 trillion were circulated as notes while rs12.92 trillion accounted for transferable deposits which comprise all deposits that are exchangeable on demand at par without penalty/restriction. the currency circulated as notes which has been high in Pakistan relative to other developed and emerging economies because of the high informal economy rose by over rs0.76 trillion or 13 percent over the year. to highlight, in May 2020, notes in circulation crossed the rs6 trillion mark, and since then it has consistently stayed above that mark. this reflects higher cash withdrawals by depositors to meet needs amid pandemic. Moreover, cash distributing schemes amid covid-19 as a relief measure can also be considered as a significant contributor to the surging circulation of currency. apart from this, other deposits constituted rs3.89 trillion in June 2021, up by 13 percent on a year-on-year basis. other deposits represent all claims other than transferable deposits in national or foreign currency that are represented by evidence of deposits. on the other hand, coins in circulation increased slightly from rs8.5 billion in July 2020 to rs8.9 billion in July 2021, while, on a monthly basis, it remained static.

on a yearly basis, it posted a nominal increase of 2.2% YoY. Details made available by the SBP revealed that the exports of services during FY21 amounted to $5.94 billion, i.e., up by 9.2 percent on a year-on-year basis. amongst the total exports, telecommunications, computer and information services made the largest contribution with an amount of $2.12 billion, showing an improvement of 47.4 percent on a year-on-year basis in FY21. this is followed by other business services that brought $1.42 billion into the country. receipts from the exports of said

rs0.75 billion to rs12.09 billion. Likewise, the market capitalisation increased by rs5.82 billion. among scrips, WtL topped the volumes with 42.9 million shares, followed by tELE (29.4 million) and aNL (28.4 million). Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include WtL, tELE, aNL, tPL and GGL, which formed 37 percent of total volumes. the sectors propping up the index were food & personal care products with 26 points, cement with 20 points, pharmaceuticals with 11 points, textile composite with 10 points and engineering with 10 points. the most points added to the index were by LUcK which contributed 22 points followed by ENGro with 15 points, FcEPL with 14 points, trG with 12 points and UNitY with 11 points.

Sector wise, the index was let down by power generation & distribution with 23 points, commercial banks with 16 points, chemical with 13 points, investment banks/ investment companies/ securities companies with 10 points and miscellaneous with 4 points. the most points taken off the index was by McB which stripped the index of 18 points followed by coLG with 17 points, HUBc with 16 points, DaWH with 14 points and SYS with 11 points. analysts at arif Habib Limited said that the market traded rangebound with an oscillation between -195 points and +149 points. activity remained tilted towards technology sector, which helped the index put an increment and in volume terms led the index, they said.

services swelled by 7 percent on a year-onyear basis during the fiscal year 2020-21.

Moreover, the export of transport contributed an amount of $567 million, down by 23.5 percent on a year-on-year basis, while the country earned $500mn from travel services, marking a meagre growth of 2 percent on a year-on-year basis during July-June FY 2021.

Furthermore, the export of government goods and services brought in an amount of $1.04 billion into the country. on the other hand, the imports of services during FY21 amounted to $7.81 billion, showing a decline of 10.8 percent on a year-on-year basis as opposed to $8.75 billion reported in FY20. amongst the total imports, the largest expenditure was incurred on transport services for an amount of $2.95 billion i.e., down by 2.9 percent on a year-on-year basis when compared to the previous fiscal year. this was followed by other business services which cost the country around $2.40 billion i.e. lower by 6.3 percent on a year-on-year basis in July-June 2021.

Remittances remain $2.71bn in July: SBP NeWS deSK the workers’ remittances remained above the $2.0 billion mark for the 14th consecutive month in July and reached $2.71 billion, the central bank said on tuesday. the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said in a tweet that with the inflows of $2.71 billion in July 2021, workers’ remittances continued their strong trend. “this is the second highest level of remittances reported in the month of July,” said the central bank. in terms of growth, remittances increased 0.7 percent over the previous month and showed a decline of 2.1 percent over the same month of the last year. this marginal year-on-year (YoY) decline was largely on account of Eid-ul-azha, which resulted in fewer working days this July, compared with the last year. remittance inflows during July 2021 were mainly sourced from Saudi arabia ($641 million), the United arab Emirates ($531 million), the United Kingdom ($393 million) and the United States ($312 million). the proactive policy measures by the government and the SBP to incentivise the use of formal channels, curtailed the cross-border travel in the face of the covid19, altruistic transfers to Pakistan, amid the pandemic, and orderly foreign exchange market conditions have positively contributed towards the sustained improvement in remittance inflows since last year, said the central bank.

Book Review: ‘The Fragrance of Tears’ Syed AfSAr SAjid

V

ictoria Schofield is a reputed historian and commentator on international affairs. She was educated at oxford and succeeded late Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007) as president of the Union. in 1978, she also attended the appeal of late Zulfiqar ali Bhutto against the death sentence in the Supreme court of Pakistan. She has been associated with a number of prestigious media outlets/platforms like the Sunday telegraph, the times, the independent, the Spectator, the BBc and al Jazeera. apart from her present work which is a personal memoir of her friendship with late Benazir Bhutto, she had earlier authored five books including the one titled ‘Bhutto: trial and Execution’.

‘Victoria and Benazir’s oxford friendship grew into a deeper emotional bond’ lasting until the latter’s assassination in December 2007 in the tragic context of late Zulfiqar ali Bhutto’s appeal and subsequent execution. in her account Victoria Schofield provides ‘first-hand insights into late Benazir’s transformation from oxford undergraduate to political activist and the first woman prime minister of a Muslim majority country’. in her narration of the close and enduring relationship with late Benazir Bhutto, the author also draws on diaries and letters besides shedding light on ‘the recent troubled history of an increasingly troubled region’.

From her upbringing in an affluent family (of Bhuttos), ‘the shock of the contrast of her Harvard and oxford education, and subsequent politicisation and arrest after her father’s death’, Benazir Bhutto’s life has been full of drama unfolding her undaunted strength, dedication and courage in the face of adversity. the book is divided into 15 chapters in addition to the ‘Prelude: 27 December 2007’. the titles of the chapters are aphoristically concise e.g., our Salad Days: 1974-77; ‘Bhutto to hang’: (1977-78); ‘Within fourwalls’: 1978; ‘Martyrs do not die’: 1979; Street Fighting Years: 1979-81; Living But Not Living: 198183; Benazir’s out: 1984-86; the People’s Wedding: 1987; Dear Prime Minister: 1988-90; Leader of the opposition: 1990-93; Prime Minister again: 1993-96; Déjà Vu: 1996-99; Exile: 1999-2007; return to Pakistan: 2007; assassination. this book, prototyped on the model of Benazir Bhutto’s famous autobiography ‘Daughter of the East’, contains a chronological account of its author’s inti-

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mate friendship with late Benazir Bhutto since their university days at oxford and the sombre trail of events following their separation after completion of studies at the alma mater. it is a kind of a mix of her reminiscences of the university days followed by her eventful trip to Pakistan where she attended the court proceedings of late Z a Bhutto. the writer has added a good number of family photographs some of which portray her own images in unison with those of late Benazir Bhutto besides her pencil sketches of many a character relating to the epic tale of the illustrious father and his great daughter. the narrative is couched in a racy but lucid style characterized by an inimitable idiomatic felicity, candidness, and sincerity that create an aura of ‘fragrance’ about it. the mode of narration being anecdotal, the reader is imperceptibly lured into a wonder of a world where biography, politics, law, justice and international diplomacy are intertwined into a non-fictive web, as it were, of déjà vu. in the process she has narrated her recurrent visits to Pakistan covering almost all of the crucial events connected to the tragic fate of the Bhutto family as well as late Benazir Bhutto’s ascendance to power twice (198890 and 1993-96) in her chequered political career ending with her tragic demise in a bomb explosion in rawalpindi in the dying days of the year 2007. concluding the book, the author offers her rich tributes to the departed soul of her life-long friend and affiliate thus: ‘on entering, i took off my shoes, relishing the cool of the marble on my hot feet. Passing under an archway, i found myself looking at a gigantic portrait of Benazir. it was not a family birth or death anniversary, when thousands traditionally converge and so, with the exception of some villagers who had come in from the fields, and a few attendants, the mausoleum was empty. When i approached, one of the attendants came forward to offer me a basket of rose petals to scatter. Benazir’s grave, covered in a red velvet cloth, was next to her father’s, which now had an ornate marble canopy. as i grasped a handful of rose petals, i thought again of my first visit to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh over thirty years ago, when Benazir and i had stood side by side in the open air by the graves of her ancestors, the triumphs and tragedies of the future as yet unknown. Now she lay with them.

The sorrowful smell of the mist Lingering over the Indus, Gentle waves of rice, dung and rind

This is the salt cry of Sindh As I die let me feel The fragrance of tears.’

Here BBc chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet’s remark about the book would seem a pertinent but apt ending to the present review: ‘this intimate account could only have been written by someone like Victoria Schofield, who stood next to Benazir in everyday and earth-shaking moments, both as an astute observer and loyal friend’.

Title: ‘The Fragrance of Tears – My Friendship with Benazir Bhutto’ Author: Victoria Schofield Publisher: Oxford University Press, Karachi Pages: 324 – Price: Rs. 2850/-

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

KARACHI

FBR iSSueS thouSaNDS oF SuSPiciouS exeMPtioN ceRtiFicateS iSLamaBad

t

SHAHZAD PARACHA

HE Federal Board of Revenue’s field formations have reportedly issued thousands of suspicious exemption certificates in the last six years, Profit learnt on Tuesday. Sources said that the matter came to light during internal communications sent to field formations who have been directed to furnish a report in this regard.

In addition, the board has directed field formations to issue certificates for six months only.

According to details, FBR has specified the conditions and the manner for issuance of exemption certificates to exempt import of raw materials from the operation of provisions of Section 148 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 for industrial undertakings for their own consumption.

Taxpayers were allowed to import 110 per cent quantity of raw materials under the SRO; however, they were liable to pay tax at the normal rate under Section 148 for the quantity exceeding 110 per cent under the conditions.

In addition, it was mandatory for commissioners

to conduct physical verification before issuing the system generated certificates.

However, field formations completely negated the specified conditions and rules whereas commissioners did not keep oversight on the process of exemptions certificates nor did they submit the reports in six months. Sources said high ups have also kept mum on this matter; subsequently, the entire import-stage taxation regime had been overhauled on June 30, 2020.

Member IR operations Dr Ashfaq was approached for his comments on the issue but no reply was received till finalisation of story.

FBR proposes junior officer’s name for member Customs policy slot iSLamaBad SHAHZAD PARACHA

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has proposed a junior officer’s name for the slot of member Customs policy despite the fact that there are over a dozen senior officers eligible for the position.

Sources said that the junior, Saeed Jadoon, is very close to member Customs Operations, Tariq Huda, who manages all the affairs of Pakistan Customs.

It may be mentioned here that the position of member Customs is vacant after the transfer of Syed Hamid Ali. Besides this, the federal law enforcement agency on Friday transferred 49 officers, including some with tainted reputations, to different positions.

On Saturday, an ‘official holiday’, Customs officers were ordered to immediately join their new places of posting.

All officers of Customs who were transferred

vide a board’s notification dated August 8, 2021 stand relieved from their present places of posting with immediate effect and directed to join their new places of posting within the stipulated time, the document stated.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2019 had revealed that a the Customs collector mints Rs700 million on a monthly basis.

Subsequently, some of them had been removed from their positions.

Steps for Karachi uplift underway: Farrukh iSLamaBad TLTP

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib has said that the federal government is taking concrete measures for development of the country's industrial hub through Karachi Transformation Package.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the minister said that under the Green line and Karachi Trade Corridor projects, traffic related issues of the mega city are being resolved. Habib said that Green Line buses will arrive soon in Karachi.

He said that work is in progress on SukkurHyderabad Motorway. The minister said many other development projects including 3,100 kilometres of road networks are also in progress to bring the less developed areas of Sindh at par with other developed areas.

He said that the government is working on ‘Blue Bond’ to attract investment through man-

groves in Balochistan, storing enormous amounts of blue carbon. He said mangroves in Balochistan are growing at a rapid pace and have stored enough blue carbon worth Rs2.5 billion.

Mangroves growth in the country has gone up by 300 percent during the last decade, he said, adding that more mangroves were being planted at 12,000 acres of land in Balochistan. He said Pakistan is the only country in the world with the highest growth rate of mangroves.

“Mangroves are the natural guardians of the coast, providing a number of benefits, including protection from cyclones and rising sea levels,” he remarked. Farrukh regarded mangrove as the best carbon sinks which had potential to absorb four times as much carbon from the forests. He said mangroves had become a major source of green jobs for the people living along the coastlines.

The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan is in Miyani (Karachi) to recognise locals’ efforts in that regard on the occasion of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2021.

Imran says early completion of Karachi uplift projects key priority Continued from page 01 The project is expected to capture 40% of the cargo meant to be transported to the upcountry. The feasibility study of the project has been submitted by the transaction advisor.

The project is expected to be floated in the market in October 2021.

The KCR project envisages construction of a 43-km long world-class affordable mass transit system, using environmentally friendly electric trains. The draft feasibility study has been submitted. Once the transaction structure and bidding documents are approved by Public Private Partnership (P3) Authority (P3A), the project is expected to be floated in the market

by November 2021.

Separately, Prime Minister Imran said that Pakistan has been progressing in adoption of modern technologies in different fields.

The prime minister said this while

speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Ship Lift and Transfer System at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) after arriving in the city on a day-long visit.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal, parliamentarians and officials of Pakistan Navy were present on the occasion.

The prime minister said that Pakistan has gradually been heading towards prosperity as the government has steered the economy to the right direction with effective and durable policies. The prime minister said that these policies are leading to increasing remittances. He said that steps are also being taken to curb money-laundering.

The prime minister said that technological advancement was not pursued in the past, adding, “We failed to exploit our real potential in every field.”

“Since I grew up side-by-side with Pakistan, let me say on this occasion that we [country] were not able to progress and reach our potential as we were supposed to,” said the PM. The prime minister said instead of standing on their own feet and using their genius, Pakistanis lost their way.

“We became an import-led economy and Pakistan started relying on foreign aid,” regretted the PM. “We didn’t recognise our power. Whenever someone starts to depend on crutches, his physique deteriorates,” he added.

The prime minister used this example to state that God has made nations in a similar way, adding when they learn to struggle and rise above hurdles, they prevail in the end. He said the Almighty Allah tells Muslims to learn from the example of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), adding that whichever states adopt the principles of the Riyasat-eMadinah, it would always rise above

its problems.

Towards the end of his speech, the premier expressed happiness that Pakistan is finally on the path to achieve prosperity, paying tribute to Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Amjad Niazi for taking the initiative to launch the Ship Lift and Transfer system.

He termed the installation of the ship lift system as an effective use of technology to save revenue and earn foreign exchange by lending services.

He paid tribute to the Pakistan Navy for the launch of the ship lift and transfer system, which he said would prove fruitful in generating economic activity.

The shiplift will work as a large elevator platform to raise the ship out of water for dry-docking ashore and lowering it back into water after completion of work. The ship transfer system with its electro-hydraulic trolleys has been designed to transfer ships from shiplift to dry berths on land.

Green line BRT to start from October: Asad Umar iSLamaBad APP

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Tuesday said the Green Line Bus

Rapid Transit System (BRT) service in Karachi would become operational by October this year. “Prime Minister Imran Khan reviewed progress of five federal projects in Karachi transformation plan and Green line BRT will start from October this year,” he said in his tweet.

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He said storm water drains, sewage, and roads project would be completed this fiscal year. In addition, he informed that construction of the K-IV water project, modern Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and freight corridor projects would also start in this fiscal year.

NEWS

05

PM directs export board to meet thrice a month monitoring report Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the newly formed National Export Deve¬lopment Board (NEDB) to meet thrice in a month and resolve all issues faced by the export industry in a bid to achieve the export target of $31.125 billion for the current fiscal year (FY22). “There will be two meetings of the board to be held in a month by the ministries of commerce and trade. I [PM] will myself preside over the third meeting that will discuss outcome of the last two meetings and take remedial measures leading to boost the exports,” Pakistan Readymade Gar¬ments Man¬u¬facturers and Exp¬¬¬orters Association (PRGM¬EA) Chief Organiser Ijaz Khokhar quoted the premier as having said in the board’s first meeting held on Aug 2. During meeting, the PM was briefed by the commerce ministry about the country’s export performance in 2020-21. He was told that the country’s exports had been divided in three major categories— textiles, agro and nonagro products. The textile and apparel sector exports had been projected at $15.380bn for 2020-21 (FY21) whereas the target for FY22 is fixed at $20bn. Similarly, the agri sector’s exports were projected at $4.341bn for FY21 whereas for the ongoing fiscal year the target is $4.858bn.

The FY21 export target for non-agro sector was $5.578bn while for FY22 it is projected at $6.357bn.

Balochistan revenue collection goes online to promote tax culture iSLamaBad TLTP

In a bid to increase revenue collection and promote tax culture in the province, the government of Balochistan has installed an online tax collection system. Chairing a meeting regarding the signing of a tripartite agreement of installation of an online tax collection system on Tuesday, provincial Finance Minister Mir Zahoor Buledi said that the initiative will not only facilitate taxpayers in the province but will also bring transparency in the system.

The agreement was signed among the State Bank of Pakistan, Balochistan Finance Department and Link One to ensure online tax collection service which would eventually ensure transparency in the government affairs. The provincial minister thanked the Finance Department, State Bank of Pakistan and senior officials of Link One for timely introduction of this new automated system. He said that the installation of an online tax collection system would eventually bring sustainable reforms in the revenue generation of the provincial government. He said the finance department has introduced the online tax collection system to overcome the budget deficit and ensure facilities to the business community. The provincial minister said that the outdated system of tax collection was being digitised so that anyone could pay tax to the government of Balochistan from any part of the country. He said that in the first phase, sales tax on services would be collected under the system of alternative delivery channels, which would provide facilities to the people. Buledi termed the move as historic and said that disbursement of taxes would be possible now through internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs, easy paisa and other modern means which would eliminate the suspicion. The provincial minister said that in the next phase, other taxes being collected from the excise department, Board of Revenue and minerals department would also be brought under this system to accelerate tax collection and save the time of the masses. He said that the said system would not only facilitate the taxpayers but would also restore their confidence that their tax money would be deposited in the national exchequer without any delay. The project would also enhance the revenue returns.

Nawaz, Shehbaz on same page to revive PDM Continued from page 01 Appeal has been filed to meet the legal formalities, he pointed out. Nawaz can stay in London till the decision of appeal, he added. On Thursday, the Home Office of United Kingdom has rejected PML-N supreme leader and threetime prime minister Nawaz’s request for visa extension.

“The UK Home Office has excused itself from further extending Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s visa,” PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement.

The Sharif family has also decided to appeal the decision.

She said the Home Office had stated that Nawaz could file an appeal against this decision in the immigration tribunal.

“Nawaz Sharif’s lawyers have filed the appeal in the British immigration tribunal,” Marriyum added. She said the Home Office’s order would remain “without effect” until a decision on the appeal, and that “Nawaz Sharif can reside in the UK legally until the appeal is decided.”

Nawaz has been living in London since November 2019 after he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment. In December last year, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar had told a press conference that Pakistan had written a letter to the UK for the cancellation of Nawaz’s visa, which was issued for medical treatment after taking an undertaking.

The six-month visa had not been extended by the UK, he had said at the time, adding that negotiations were continuing with UK for the deportation of Nawaz.

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

06 COMMENT

The troubling role of ‘Dark Money’ in elections

The Taliban are coming Safeguards needed to secure Jinnah’s Pakistan

There is a lot to be done before Palestinians can hope for justice

i

N a surprising blitz the Afghan Taliban have gained control over six Afghan provinces within days while there seems to be no end to their rapid advance.

The UsA maintains that it is up to Afghan security forces to defend the country. According to the Pentagon spokesman, the Afghan government has a force of over 300,000 soldiers and police equipped with modern weaponry. Further it has the advantage of a modern air force that the Taliban don’t possess. Endemic corruption in Afghanistan has however led to the Afghan security forces getting defective fighting equipment. Many soldiers have reportedly sold the equipment or lost it in battle while numerous Afghan pilots, considered high-value targets, have been killed by Taliban in terrorist attacks. The departure of the foreign troops has further demoralized Afghan troops.

There have been conjectures about changes in the Taliban’s outlook. Reports emerging from areas falling under Taliban control however contradict the presumption. There is little change in the Taliban’s policy toward the women’s education and jobs as well as purdah. Whatever change is there is confined to foreign relations and that too in hopes of gaining legitimacy, The Taliban are keen to rule single-handedly on account of their increasing control over the Afghan territory. it would be unrealistic to deny them a share in the government. But the world must ensure that any future Afghan government represents all sections of society.

With the Taliban ruling Afghanistan alone, they would boost the morale of the extremists in Pakistan. The religious parties who generally manage to get only a few seats in elections would seek inspiration from the Afghan Taliban’s resort to force. it will give rise to narratives which would transform the ongoing debates about state and society and the role that religion plays. Once in power, Taliban are likely to use the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan to keep Pakistan under pressure. in case international pressure forces the Taliban to expel the Tehrik, the latter would try to establish control over KP’s tribal districts, as claimed by its chief Nur Wali Mehsud, by attacking security forces. To evict them from the region the Pakistan army and the civilian population will have to render sacrifices once again. Pakistan must therefore work for a coalition government in Afghanistan. To discourage the rise of extremist narratives, Pakistan needs to urgently implement the National Action Plan.

Washington Watch

T

his past week, former Ohio state senator Nina Turner lost her bid to fill the open congressional seat in Ohio’s 11th district. The winner was shontel Brown, the chair of the Democratic Party in the district’s largest county. What was troubling about this election was the role played by a “dark money” pro-israel political group that spent almost $2 million to defeat Turner.

Let me be honest right up front and acknowledge that i know and respect Nina Turner. she was a friend to my late wife and me. i’ve worked with her in two presidential campaigns, and we served together as members of the select Democratic Party’s Unity and Reform Commission. i know her to be a passionate champion for universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and challenging racial, social, and political inequities. These were the issues which have defined her career and on which she based her campaign.

Because Turner ran as an unabashedly progressive candidate, the more centrist leadership of the Democratic Party’s establishment coalesced around shontel Brown. To make the divide even more pronounced, while Brown was endorsed by former secretary of state hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden’s main 2020 supporter, Congressman James Clyburn, Turner’s campaign won endorsements from senators Bernie sanders and Ed Markey, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the group of progressive members of Congress known as “The squad,” as well as Cleveland’s mayor and its major newspaper.

On one level, the election played out as a classic “progressive versus moderate” battle, but beneath the surface a very different contest was taking place.

Because Nina Turner had criticized israel’s viola-

Dire climate change situation Pakistan has made some progress but much more needs to be done

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hE United Nations (UN) panel on climate change has raised alarm bells over global warming now dangerously close to being out of control, terming it ‘irreversible’. The report is an alarming and worrying assessment of the state of climate change. This is the most significant and extensive report on climate change released by the UN intergovernmental Panel on climate Change (iPCC) since 2013, stating it is ‘unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land’. The science supporting the fact that the atmosphere, ocean and land temperature is steadily rising has always been present, but unfortunately the required collective global effort to slow down the pace of these changes was never able to materialize with politics and powerful lobbies becoming major roadblocks. Perhaps the most significant progress made in terms of major world leaders coming together for global climate action was the Paris Climate Agreement, signed in 2015. however, just two years later the UsA, a crucial participant in the accord, elected Donald Trump as President.

A vocal critic of the breakthrough deal, his administration stopped complying with the Paris Agreement soon after his election and formally withdrew from it in 2020. in Pakistan, climate change has never been a major policy item on any government’s agenda, neither during the election campaign nor after coming to power. it is therefore encouraging and commendable that the PTi is the only government that has made a tangible effort to create awareness about global warming through its various tree plantation drives. While the numbers it often quotes are hard to verify and at times mathematically unsound, the optics are good.

And that is where the problem lies; Prime Minister imran Khan holding a shovel full of soil in front of a tree sapling is great for a photo op, but it contributes basically nothing towards addressing many of the major shortcomings in terms of reducing carbon emissions and pollution that is rampant across the country. Factories are allowed to operate without many checks and balances in the way of accounting for the waste they pump into the air daily. The annual ‘smog season’ and the resultant toxic air quality is a testament to how little control there is over vehicular and industrial emissions and the use of coal as a fuel, not to mention the burning of waste and agriculture materials. if the PTi truly wants to be a champion of climate change, it needs to do much more and fast.

The Raj-style bureaucracy

muhammaD usama KhaliD

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hE British ruled the subcontinent for almost 200 years, all the way from 1757 to 1947. The colonial rule ended in 1947 with the partition of the subcontinent into two sovereign states: Pakistan and india. Even though it has been seven decades since colonial rule ended in 1947, the dismal mark of colonial legacy has had a significant influence over the indigenous culture of subcontinent. An evident example, English is being given priority over other national languages and has been adopted for official use in both Pakistan and india. similarly, other changes made by the British in the subcontinent included the introduction of entirely English-style local bureaucracies that have been providing more administrative powers to certain individuals than the democratically elected political elites even in the current post-colonial era.

Looking into the case of Pakistan’s bureaucratic structure, which it inherited from the indian Civil service (iCs) of the Colonial era, it can be seen how such a flawed bureaucratic structure is undermining the democratic norms in the country. The subcontinent experienced decolonization in 1947 with the partition of united india into two sovereign states but failed to move on forward from the British colonial legacy even after the 70-odd years of independence.

The country’s bureaucratic structure is the most pertinent example of colonial legacy.

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hemorrhaging of support for israel out of the fear of losing their well-cultivated myth of invincibility.

But they are swimming against the tide. Among Democrats, public opinion is turning against blind support for israel. Majorities of Americans now favor conditioning Us aid to israel based on that country’s human rights performance. A recent poll shows that even 59 percent of American Jews feel that way.

Ever since i came to Washington in the 1970s, i have observed how difficult it was to win congressional support for Palestinian rights. At one point, i joked that i wanted to form a club of members of Congress who had told me, “i’m really with you on this, but you know i just can’t say anything public because i want to win re-election.” Congress was haunted by the well-cultivated fear that pro-israel PACs would gang up to oppose them if they stepped out of line.

As examples, they would point to two “proArab” Republicans: former senator Charles Percy and Congressman Paul Findley— both of whom lost elections to pro-israel, well-funded opponents. The main pro-israel group, at the time, AiPAC, actually boasted: “We beat Percy.” And a pro-israel senator was known to have corralled colleagues before a vote warning that if they didn’t vote the “right way” they might experience the same fate as Percy.

On closer scrutiny, however, that line just wasn’t true. Percy admitted to me that he lost because the Black vote in Chicago (which he had previously carried) turned against him. And Findley lost primarily because he had been redistricted from a heavily Republican district, to one with a Democratic edge. still, the myth of the power of the pro-israel PACs once born, took hold and dominated thinking in Congress for years.

But now, all that is changing. Recognizing this, DFMi put everything it could into defeating Nina Turner and making her an example. This was exactly the argument they made in an email sent to donors the day after the election — in effect, boasting of their “invincibility.”

While this election was, no doubt, a setback to those who seek to create a more level playing field in Congress, it’s not the end of the story. in 2022 there will be more challenges to members of Congress who offer blind support to israel. And with the tide of public opinion turning and now favoring a more balanced approach toward the israel-Palestinian conflict, we can expect more challenges to the status quo. Unless there is serious campaign finance reform, there will be more dark money being spent to defeat candidates who argue for a more balanced Us policy.

The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

Pakistan’s Colonial-Style Bureaucracy

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Dr James J Zogby

tions of Palestinian rights and stated that she would support legislation that would condition Us aid to israel based on its human rights behaviour, pro-israel groups determined that it was imperative that she be beaten.

A political action committee, the Democratic Majority for israel (DMFi), the group that has been spearheading the drive to defeat candidates who oppose unconditional support for israel, sprang into action. Warning of the prospect of electing a dangerous anti-israel advocate to Congress, it raised well over $3 million in “dark money” to spend in this election— $1.6 million spent on ads against Turner, $0.4 million on ads for Brown, and much of the rest on pro-Brown/anti-Turner mailings, signs, and polling.

[These types of political committees and their expenditures are referred to as “dark money” because while there are legal limits on how much an individual can contribute to a candidate’s campaigns, political groups have no such limits. And unlike campaign contributions which must be reported, monies given to these political committees are not reported. hence, the designation “dark money.” investigative reporters have discovered that a great deal of the $3 million raised by DMFi came from corporate executives and even Trump supporters.

The ads that filled the airwaves in the weeks leading up to election day painted Turner as a wild-eyed radical who wasn’t fit to serve in Congress. They questioned whether Turner was a “real Democrat,” whether she would work to support Biden’s agenda, and whether she was committed to universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and working for clean energy— issues that are central to Turner’s life’s work and her campaign.

What was especially troubling about this effort to malign Turner was the disconnect between the way the DMFi raised the money they spent against Turner and the way they ultimately used it. Their fundraising pitches to prospective donors focused on their opposition to Turner’s approach to israel/Palestine, but they never once mentioned this issue in their paid TV advertisements. instead, as they have in other campaigns, they focused their ads on defaming Turner.

DMFi went to such drastic lengths in an effort to destroy Turner because it saw this election as a “do or die” contest for supporters of israel after pro-israel candidates lost major races in 2020: Jamaal Bowman defeated Congressman Eliot Engel in New York, Marie Newman defeated Congressman Dan Lipinski in illinois, Cori Bush defeated Congressman William Clay in Missouri. in addition to these defeats, every member of Congress who supported a bill conditioning Us aid to israel won re-election. As a result of these setbacks, the pro-israel crowd became determined to stop the

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Today, in almost all of the developed countries, bureaucrats are highly qualified people who run the designated government institutions or departments instead of managing cities, municipalities, or towns.

Whereas, in Pakistan, bureaucracy still acts on the 19th century system of civil services introduced by English colonial masters. This system has been criticized for being manipulative as it is said to only serve those few individuals, who are in power.

While, an entry point into the bureaucracy, the Central superior services (Css) examinations, has flawed parameters to measure a person’s educational excellence. The Css exams kills the creativity of a person and nullifies the worth of a person’s higher education because of Victorian-styled English being the definitive parameter necessary to qualify this exam. Resultantly, many capable students cannot make it to the higher echelons of civil bureaucracy every year due to a weak grip over English language. subsequently, Pakistan’s current bureaucracy is replete with and run by simple BA-Pass, Css-qualified officers who are more powerful and respectful than highly educated PhD. The similar superiority of civil servants is still maintained as it was during the colonial rule of White Sahab because the Pakistan Administrative services (PAs), the most powerful services group in the bureaucracy, sits at the top of all other bureaucratic services groups and all the recruitments in PAs are done through the sams e Css exams. similarly, the culture of Sahab/Afsar in the government offices is still present even today, that somehow entailing the continuation of Master and slave analogy of the colonial era. A trend that needs to change. it can therefore be argued that, behind Pakistan’s stagnant progress as a state since the partition, lies the defective bureaucratic structure of the colonial era which has no room for the passionately creative, talented and hard-working individuals. similarly, another reason for the underperformance is the absence of incentives such as performance-based criteria of promotion, or extra bonus, for diligent bureaucrats, instead the same traditional method of promotion based on seniority criteria is followed.

Moreover, governance through the model of Commissioners as prevalent in Pakistan, which nullifies the basis of democratically-elected Local Body Government system. An assistant commissioner or deputy commissioner enjoys more legally-authorized powers than an elected mayor of any area. subsequently, in the current era, a huge part of the young population eagerly desires to qualify the Css in order to exercise the same

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power and enjoy the same perks that have been successfully transmitted to us by the same colonial mindset left here by English colonizers. More tragically, people of the subcontinent happily embraced this flawed system of governance with closed eyes and open arms.

Furthermore, despite being not so strong financially, the bureaucracy in the country still receives hefty protocol and enjoys manifold perks and privileges. The lifestyle of bureaucrats is entirely different from that of the common citizens. Bureaucrats are entitled to government residences, given a family medical allowance, children education allowance, transport allowance and a number of other perks. in other words, it can be said that bureaucrats in Pakistan still live that life which the English colonizers had lived while ruling this region as a superior race. it is quite evident that such a huge lifestyle gap, between the common Pakistani community and the bureaucratic elites of Pakistan, has been polarizing the society into two classes; ruling bourgeoisies (bureaucracy) and ruled proletariats (common citizens).

The structural foundation of Pakistan’s administrative bureaucracy is outdated and has no parallel in any modern democratic state elsewhere. instead, modern democracies around the world have transferred these powers equivalent to ACs and DCs to the more democratically elected governors, mayors and town councils that not only decentralized the power at the grassroots levels, but also promoted democratic norms and values at the lower levels.

Eventually, Pakistan’s current government has established s civil service reform committee headed by Dr. ishrat hussain, Advisor to Prime Minister imran Khan for institutional Reforms and Austerity, to carry out comprehensive and sustainable changes in the contemporary flawed bureaucratic structure. The committee has proposed some viable policy changes and solutions. it has suggested, among other things, that competent people should be recruited based on their educational qualification instead of colonial-styled competitive exams (Css).

Performance-based criteria should be utilized in the government institutions so that more and more competent youth join the civil bureaucracy with the passion to serve the nation. Along with these reforms, decolonization of the current bureaucratic structure is also extremely important in order for everlasting national success.

The writer can be usama.khalid.uk456@gmail.com @usama_khalid101

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

re\ached at and tweets

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

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

Covid-19: Rural Sindh more receptive of social distancing than urban areas

Exploitation day shows the way India has no choice but to let the Kashmiris determine their own future

maliK muhammaD ashraf

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TAYiNG true to its abiding commitment to the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir as enshrined in the UN resolutions, Pakistan observed 5th August as Exploitation Day (Youm-e-istehsal) in commemoration of the ending of the special status of indian-Occupied Kashmir by the Modi government two years ago. The Observance of the day was meant to show solidarity with the oppressed people of indian-Occupied Kashmir and also to sensitize the world community about the horrendous situation they were confronted with. On the appeal of the All-Parties hurriyet Conference a complete shutter-down strike was also observed in major cities of indian-Occupied Kashmir besides protest rallies by the Pakistani and Kashmiri diasporas across the world.

Notwithstanding the fact that the international community has refused to buy the indian narrative that the action taken in indian-Occupied Kashmir was her internal matter and reiteration by the UNsC in its informal meetings that the solution to the Kashmir dispute had to be found in accordance with the UN Charter and the relevant UN resolutions, india remains adamant in not heeding the international voices. it has also neglected protests by the UN and the communications written to it by EU parliamentarians in regards to human rights violations in indian-Occupied Kashmir indianOccupied Kashmir.

Kashmiris are facing unabated extra-judicial killings, custodial torture and deaths, arbitrary detentions, burning and looting of houses to inflict collective punishment and other worst forms of human rights abuses. These abuses have been well documented by a number of international organizations including the UN, the OhChR, European Parliament, international media and global human rights entities such as Amnesty international.

According to reports compiled by international agencies, over 500 people have been killed since 5 August 2019. Three thousand people are under arrest, including 200 politicians. Reportedly 10,000 people have been picked up and have disappeared since. Though internet services were restored in August 2020 on the orders of the indian supreme Court, the people are still living in

an open prison and suffering immensely at the hands of the indian security forces.

The Modi government has not only ended the special status of the state and annexed it to the indian Union but has also initiated a process for changing political, constitutional and cultural ground realities besides the economic disempowerment of the people of indian-Occupied Kashmir in pursuance of the implementation of BJP agenda. The process has been unleashed through the promulgation of a new domicile law to change demographic realities and turn indianOccupied Kashmir into a hindu-majority state.

All the foregoing actions by india constitute a serious violation of the UNsC resolutions, international law and the fourth Geneva Convention.

The indian government however is desperately trying to create and build a narrative of normalcy in indian-Occupied Kashmir to hoodwink the world. Modi recently convened an All Parties Conference, attended by Congress and pro-indian political entities ostensibly to reverse the developing situation. however it failed to achieve the desired objective. Even the proindia parties insisted on restoration of the old status of the state with the same administrative and constitutional powers.

The APhC, which is the real representative of the people of Kashmir, was not invited to the moot. The real objective of the Modi government to convene the APC was to seek approval for its scheme for delimitation of the assembly constituencies which would have ensured enhancement in the number of non-Muslim seats in the assembly, making it convenient for the BJP to install its own Chief Minister.

There is no denying the indian action of 5 August 2019 not only constitutes an affront to the UN and the conscience of the world community, but has also endangered the region’s peace and security. Pakistani Prime Minister imran Khan has continuously been rattling the conscience of the global community and warning it against the dangers that the Rss philosophy of hindutva poses to this region.

The Modi government’s action of 5 August 2019 has also been opposed by conscientious elements within india as well as Congress, the major opposition political party. P. Chidambaram, a senior leader of Congress, opposing the bill for the repeal of Article 370 in the Rajya sabha, had said “The move will have catastrophic consequences. You are dismembering the J&K in the name of people of Kashmir. Do not do that. Reflect on what you are doing. Momentarily you may think you have scored a victory, but you are wrong and history will prove

you to be wrong. Future generations will realize what a grave mistake this house is making today. BJP’s sense of victory will be short-lived and history will prove it to be wrong” his statement reflected historic truth.

Oppression and injustice never last long. history is replete with examples where oppression, persecution and injustice have led to the downfall and destruction of nations and civilizations, bestowing ignominy and ruin on those who as oppressor inflicted wounds on the oppressed. it is said that oppression has its own self-destructive dimension. The oppressors met that fate because they strived to suppress the truth through the power at their command rather than employing human virtues and values to ensure longevity to their power-stints.

Malcolm X, an African-American leader of the civil rights movement in the UsA, said, “Time is on the side of the oppressed today, it’s against the oppressor.

Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it’s against the oppressor.

You don’t need anything else.” The quote contains an eternal truth that the oppressor is destined to perish ultimately because of him being against the truth, and when that is the situation the oppressed do not need anything to get rid of him.

Robert F. Kennedy, expressing thoughts on oppression, its fate and the reaction it generates among the oppressed, said, “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. it is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” it is about time that the UN and global community woke up to the oppression against people of indian-Occupied Kashmir and stopped the hate philosophy of hindutva in its tracks before it was too late and also played a role in the implementation of the relevant UN resolutions. The indian leaders must also learn from history. By oppressing and persecuting the people of Kashmir and denying them the right of self-determination they are trying to reverse the wheel of history, which is impossible and can have disastrous consequences.

It is about time that the UN and global community woke up to the oppression against people of IndianOccupied Kashmir and stopped the hate philosophy of Hindutva in its tracks before it was too late and also played a role in the implementation of the relevant UN resolutions. The Indian leaders must also learn from history.

Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic.

He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com.

iN Tharparkar, Umerkot, Thatta, sanghar and other areas of interior sindh people are encouraged to spend maximum time at homes and, in case, they go out of their homes, they need to wear masks and keep a safe distance in daily life activities. According to the article of Gulf News on Thursday, CEO of Thar Education Alliance (TEA), Partab Rai shivani said : Most of our initiatives are women-focused and we are working closely with them to make them realise how important it is to maintain social distancing. in interior areas of sindh, local women cover long distances carrying pitchers on their heads in search of water. “We have asked them to take care that while filling their utensils with water at different water sources they should maintain safe distance,” he said. TEA team sensitized group of women in Moli Ji Dhani on social distancing and now they are observing it like a book rule. This is how society changes when you educate and sensitize a girl and woman. An image of women wanting patiently in line to fill their water pitchers while maintaining safe distance is also going viral.

While in urban areas like Rawalpindi and islamabad people do not care about social distancing. in market places like abpara people are roaming around in groups shaking hands and hugging each other not maintaining even an inch of a distance from others in shops.

IShraq aShraf ISlamabad

NUML mid pandemic As we all know, the Corona epidemic has spread all over the world, including Pakistan, and where it has affected the rest of the world, the education system has also been badly affected. Changed. in order to continue the process of education in Pakistan, at the direction of hEC, the universities introduced online education system to save the children from wasting their academic year. Teachers are another form of respected parents. A parent is what creates. And the one who takes this child from the earth to the sky. i am a mass media student at Numl University. Our teachers continued the education system keeping in view the difficulties of the students in this difficult time and the students who could not access online education were sent to their homes. y the head of Mass Communication Department Prof. Dr. Khalid sultan Coordinator Aqeel and Respected Teacher Dr. Atif iftikhar Raja Kamran. The reflection of the father can be seen in the teacher Moazzam Ali sir Kashif and the respected teacher Mateen haider who always took special care of the students. The role of all teachers in the promotion of education is important and their role in this difficult time is commendable. bIlal ShabbIr ISlamabad

Illegal fishing EVERYONE knows it is the hatching season of fish. Accordingly, the Punjab Fisheries Ordinance has banned the fishing from June to August yet contractors are seen catching fishes in the river indus. According to some sources, the mafia behind the illegal fishing was protected by local politicians. This is the only reason that fisheries department was unable to take action against those who violated the rules and regulations. however, it is pretty hard for fishermen to not break the ban since fishing is the only source of their livelihood. Additionally, we must also keep one thing in our mind that these two months may affect the earning, but after that the yield will be enough to cover the losses. i request to the authorities concerned to take immediate actions against the illegal fishing and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Iqra KarIm Tump

High Internet taxation siR, With the pandemic shifting classes online, the need for stable and affordable internet access for students became exponentially more pronounced. in this digital age where internet is a necessity, making communication affordable and being able to easily stay connected should be the top priority. however, consumers are being excessively taxed on internet usage through unreasonably high advance income and sales taxes. i do not come from a financially privileged family and it seems absurd to me to spend such high amounts of money on something as basic as access to education. in these times of financial hardships, citizens are being brazenly subjected to extortion by the federal government in the name of these undue taxes. Policies need to be set in place in order to provide each student with equal access to education through the provision of unfettered and affordable access to the internet.

GulShan naz KarachI

Insensitive Comment i want to draw your attention towards an important issue that is recently, a clip has been going around all over social media of iman Aly, who while talking about her insecurity in her appearance, highlighted an important issue of how no matter how much people praise and compliment you, until you develop self love, you can never be satisfied with yourself, but, while taking about it, she referred to her not looking pretty by calling her appearance “khusra”. it was insensitive as she basically used a word that is used to refer to a transgender person and used it as a synonym for looking ugly.

At this moment in time, while trans people are struggling to make themselves a part of society and being degraded at every step of life, having their identity being used to describe ugly is incredibly demeaning for them. This wasn’t expected from iman Aly who is as well spoken and privileged in life as she is, to know much better word rather than to still continue to use the word “khusra”.

WanIa aShraf KarachI

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

the 2021 Global risks report A GLOBAL RISK IS DEFINED AS “AN UNCERTAIN EVENT OR CONDITION THAT, IF IT OCCURS, CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT FOR SEVERAL COUNTRIES OR INDUSTRIES WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS” StrAtegy bridge

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natasha FeRnando

HE Global Risks Report 2021 released by the World Economic Forum, is a collective effort by Marsh McLennan, SK Group, Zurich Insurance Group, National University of Singapore, Oxford Martin School, and the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processing Center. A global risk is defined as “an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, can cause significant negative impact for several countries or industries within the next 10 years.” The report is timely and covers a broad range of risks that pose a threat to international security and stability. This article reviews the relevance of the Global Risks Report to corporate and public sectors delving into the risks identified in the report, the methodology used to collect the data, and demographic profiling.

The report has three main parts: global risks, global risk response, and Covid-19 response. The report identifies 35 global risks which include: short-term threats most likely to occur within the time frame of the next 02 years which are most imminent, mediumterm threats likely to occur within a 3-5 years’ time frame, and long-term threats likely to occur within a 5-10 years’ time frame. Shortterm risks include, risks to employment and livelihood, youth disillusionment, digital inequality, economic stagnation, human induced environmental damage, erosion of social cohesion, and terrorist attacks. Out of these, the respondents of the survey voted risks to employment and livelihood, youth disillusionment, and digital inequality as the three most imminent threats facing the globe today. Medium-term risks include economic risks, macroeconomic instability, geopolitical risks, conflicts, and resource geopoliticisation.

Long-term risks are found in two main domains–climate change and cyber security.

The second and third parts of the report

delve into the global risk response and the Covid -19 response in which the main problems conceived when mitigating the risks include gaps in public health, educational and digital disparities. There is emphasis on the issue of unemployment and ruptures in social cohesion as effects of the pandemic. In the report, these risks are identified and analyzed in advance to avoid the Black Swan effect; a concept introduced by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

According to Taleb, a black swan event is one which is an outlier that is entirely unexpected, carrying an extreme impact and it is only after the event transpires that humans begin to explain it. For example: the Covid-19 crisis is labelled a black swan event by many, but others counter-argue that pandemics are not surprising and have been around for centuries. Therefore, under-preparedness for pandemics is simply a failure in governance.

What is also noticeable in this report is the identification of 12 new risks that were generated due to the dynamism of the geopolitical, societal, and technological trends, especially the vulnerabilities and knock-on effects of the Covid-19 crisis. These include: declining multilateralism, collapse of important industries, social security systems, digital inequality and digital power concentration, failure of technology governance, poor inter-state relations, backlash against science, prolonged economic stagnation, and mental health deterioration.

Risk analysis is therefore similar to gathering intelligence where information is processed, assessed, analyzed and organized to generate the big picture or the proximate reality. Such a picture is useful to avoid strategic surprise or a black swan event, or more realistically how to manage crises when they occur.

METHODOLOGY AND DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILING: The methodology of the report is a simple one which is based on opinions gathered from across a spectrum of sectors. The main findings of the report are generated through the results of a

77% of the residents of the old City in Jerusalem are muslims “THE NUMBER OF MUSLIMS HAS WITNESSED AN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE SINCE 1967 UNTIL TODAY. IT HAS EVEN DOUBLED, AND THAT’S FOR TWO REASONS: THE FIRST IS THE ASPIRATION OF THE PALESTINIANS TO PRESERVE THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC CHARACTER OF THE OLD CITY; AND THE SECOND IS THE HOUSING CRISIS EMANATING FROM THE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION POLICIES THAT HINDER ANY NEW CONSTRUCTIONS BY THE ARABS IN EAST JERUSALEM”

survey. On a scale of 1-5, respondents were asked to score on the likelihood of each global risk occurring over the course of the three different time frames and on the severity of its impact at the global level. The respondents were asked to rank the first, second, and third most concerning risks to the world. From among the 35 risks, the respondents were asked to rank the three risks that they thought were ‘blind spots’ or what the current global response falls short to address and also to rank which three risks could have potentially been prevented or mitigated had there been a global response. With regard to Covid-19, respondents had to rate the effectiveness of the pandemic response globally or within their region on a scale of 1- 5.

However, there is a disclaimer on the report regarding the information, statements and assumptions made. It says, the information is not independently verified and the readers are cautioned regarding their validity or verifiability. The disclaimer also states that assumptions are made of both known and unknown risks and also uncertainties which are not necessarily based on historical or current facts. This means when assumptions are made about risks and their impacts, opinions have been given more weight.

There are both advantages and disadvantages in gathering opinions because they tend to be biased or made without adequate prior knowledge. If an environmental activist is asked to rank the 35 risks, there will be a bias attached to his/her opinion and may rank geopolitical risks in a lower tier if such knowledge falls outside their expertise.

A problem with the methodology is therefore its demographic profiling. 73% of the respondents were male and only 23% were female. There is no adequate gender representation which is a serious flaw, especially when it comes to developing an accurate picture of the Covid-19 crisis. According to UN Women statistics, 70% of global health and social care workers are women, who are

at the frontlines of the pandemic crisis management. Also, 30% of leaders in the global healthcare sector are women and it is doubtful whether efforts have been made to make the respondent pool more inclusive.

Moreover, the age distribution is also flawed as there is no adequate youth representation. Those less than 30 years of age amount to only 2.2% of the respondents.

Since the report identifies youth disillusionments as a serious global risk, assumptions could have been made with more depth if there were more youth respondents. The UN has classified youth between the ages of 1524, as composing 16% of the global population. Another issue with the demographic profiling is that, the majority of the respondents are European but Europe is only the 3rd most populous of regions in the world amounting to only 9.6% of the world share.

The first and second most populated regions are Asia and Africa. The world share of population by region for Asia and Africa are 59.5 % and 17.2 percent respectively.

HOW USEFUL IS IT? The applicability and usefulness of the findings in the report are both wide and constrained at the same time. Unlike actionable threat intelligence in the field of security studies, the findings of the report could only function as a guideline for organizations to make certain decisions regarding business or governance. For example: how to innovate businesses and what technological products could strengthen IT infrastructure. Additionally, governments could use the findings to address healthcare policies. For example: the pressing need to integrate gender into healthcare governance so that the Covid-19 crisis response is inclusive and female healthcare workers are given an adequate voice.

The report could also be useful to a more academic audience in their research on the impacts of global risks. A closer look at the report would also make a researcher think about what is more important for decisionmaking: facts or opinions? This is mainly because the findings of the report are based on opinions gathered from a variety of people and not necessarily facts which can be proven true or false. Opinions could be based on facts or based on emotions which cannot be externally verified. When making business or policy decisions, emotions matter to a lesser extent. Facts on the other hand are useful, and opinions too if they are based on a valid set of logical reasons.

While the problem of bias will always be present in opinions, the identification of an exhaustive list of 35 risks especially in times as uncertain as the Covid-19 crisis has demonstrated that challenges in the security environment could be overcome. This is why the report also expands to the so-called blind spots-another set of anticipated events which could potentially be mitigated if they weren’t ignored or given adequate attention. In conclusion, the mitigation of these risks in the short, medium and long-term requires effective decision making, innovations and partnerships at global, regional and local levels.

Natasha Fernando is a graduate of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She is a bilingual columnist at OBOREurope.

The Global Risks Report 2021, 16th Edition. World Economic Forum. Geneva, Switzerland: World Economic Forum, 2021.

tunisia’s democracy is under threat – we cannot allow another slide into authoritarianism

ArAbi21 An Israeli writer has said that “the statistical reality in the city of Jerusalem shows that 77% of the Old City’s residents are Muslim while only 10% are Jewish.”

The writer observed that 24 per cent of the Old City’s territories in Jerusalem are owned by the Islamic Waqf (Endowment), which is equivalent to 210 dunums (21 hectars), including Al-Aqsa Mosque’s 144 dunums (14.4 hectars).

In an article published by the Jerusalem Institute for Political and Public Affairs, which Arab21 translated, Nadav Shragai added that “29% others are owned by the churches and the Christian religious institutions, equivalent to 255 dunums, while 27% are owned privately by the Arabs, equivalent to 235 dunums, and only 20% are owned by Israel, equivalent to 170 dunums.”

Yisrael Cemhi, an Israeli researcher who specialises in Jerusalem affairs, reported that out of 870 original dunums in the Old City, 450 are used for housing while 270 are dedicated to religious and educational institutions, though they are not currently in use. There are 6,187 apartments in the Old City, of which 3,622 are in the Islamic quarter, 1,295 in the Christian quarter, 677 in the Armenian quarter and 493 in the Jewish quarter.”

He explained that “the area with the greatest population density within the city is the Islamic quarter, where population density in the residential areas alone reaches 158 persons per dunum while it is 80 persons per dunum in the case of the Jews.”

“The number of Muslims has witnessed an exponential increase since 1967 until today. It has even doubled, and that’s for two reasons: the first is the aspiration of the Palestinians to preserve the Arab and Islamic character of the Old City; and the second is the housing crisis emanating from the planning and construction policies that hinder any new constructions by the Arabs in East Jerusalem.”

He added “with regard to Jewish residents, who did not exist in the Old City prior to 1967, their number today is about 3,500, amounting to 10% of the Old City’s residents. Since 1995, there has been a rise of no more than 1.5%, while the number of Christian residents fell slightly.” “There are now 75 properties in the Islamic quarter in which Jews reside,” he explained.

THE RESPONDENTS OF THE SURVEY VOTED RISKS TO EMPLOYMENT AND LIVELIHOOD, YOUTH DISILLUSIONMENT, AND DIGITAL INEQUALITY AS THE THREE MOST IMMINENT THREATS FACING THE GLOBE TODAY

independent

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Rached Ghannouchi

Ix years ago, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for its efforts, in collaboration with political forces, to build a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia. It did so through dialogue and the establishment of an inclusive, peaceful political process that led to the adoption of a pioneering constitution of which all Tunisians can be proud. Elections and political pluralism in a climate of freedom, accountability and transparency have been the norm in Tunisia for a decade.

Today, that legacy is in severe danger. Two weeks ago, measures announced by President Kais Saied in Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, has put our nascent, fragile journey towards democracy under threat. A decade ago, the people of Tunisia rose up and toppled a dictatorial regime, opening the door to a new era of freedom and democracy.

However, President Saied moved to suspend parliament for a month, dismiss the prime minister, assume all executive powers, and appoint himself prosecutor general. He ordered

army tanks and soldiers to be posted around the parliament building, and when my colleagues and I – all of us democratically elected members of parliament – attempted to enter the parliament building, we were informed by the soldiers that they had orders to stop us.

For all those who support freedom, now is the time to stand with Tunisia’s democracy. We know how such power grabs usually end. We have already seen the storming of media offices, preventing journalists from reporting, the sacking of ministers and regional governors, the placing under house arrests of judges and political leaders, and the wholesale travel bans on judges, lawyers, politicians, businessmen and civil society activists.

Thankfully, bloodshed has so far been avoided. A sit-in in front of the parliamentary building on the Monday following President Saied’s announcement ensued, as supporters of parliament began to gather, I urged everyone to disperse over fears about potential confrontations that could result in loss of life. We asked for calm and vigilance, focusing our efforts on calling for an inclusive unconditional dialogue bringing together all political and social actors in order to end Tunisia’s stifling crisis.

Dialogue has helped us before in 2013 when we overcame a very serious political crisis. The president so far has rejected calls for dialogue but we hope that wisdom will prevail in the end.

Through dialogue we can reach an agreement on a way out of the crisis which should include: the non-renewal of the 30-day suspension of parliament and the nomination by the president of a prime minister and a government to be voted on by parliament. This is as well as agreeing economic and political reforms that the country needs and the future government should work on.

To have a legitimate government, the sus-

pension of parliament should be revoked and parliament should be reconvened to vote on the new government. This way the democratic will of the Tunisians can be restored and the dangerous precedent of violating the constitution can be brought to an end.

Tunisians are right to be angry – the promise of the Tunisian revolution has not yet been realised after ten years of transition. Our economy has been weakened by a series of shocks, and has been further devastated by the effects of Covid19. People are rightly worried about insecurity, their livelihoods and health, and they are frustrated by the in-fighting between leaders, who should be focusing on tackling these challenges.

But we cannot allow these challenges to lead to another dictatorship. Countless Tunisians have given their lives and sacrificed to build a democratic system that can protect freedoms and deliver social justice and dignity.

For 10 years, we have tried to build a democratic, prosperous country fit for the Tunisian people who courageously rose in the face of dictatorship in 2011 to demand their rights.

Economies fluctuate and can be reformed – but freedoms, once taken away, are very hard to win back. What we have created is not perfect but it offers the best chance of a better Tunisia.

Now we look to Tunisians of all persuasions to stand up for their democracy and we call on President Kais Saied to pull back from the brink and engage in real, inclusive political dialogue and engagement.

Before the eyes of the international community, Tunisian democracy, a beacon of hope for the Arab world, is being extinguished by an all too familiar pattern of events. We cannot allow it to happen.

Rached Ghannouchi is the speaker of Tunisia’s parliament and leader of the Ennahdha Party.

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

BusIness 09

kARACHI CORPORATE CORNER

TARIn sTREssEs ExPEdITIng sugAR ExPORTs ISLAMABAD

KE donates IT equipment to help combat Covid-19 KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

Committed to supporting the fight against Covid-19, K-Electric donated IT equipment including desktop computers and printers to the Sindh government’s health department for use at Pakistan’s largest vaccination center located at the Expo Center. The equipment will support the staff present at the Expo Center by quickening the registration times for individuals seeking vaccinations. With a daily footfall of over 30,000 people, additional equipment by KE will ensure that the vaccination process is streamlined and expedient.

The center has the potential capacity to inoculate 50,000 people per day. KE’s benefaction will help them in actualizing that number.

Foodpanda joins hands with AKRA to hold Covid-19 vaccination drive KARACHI PR

Foodpanda and All Karachi Restaurants Association (AKRA) have setup a Covid-19 vaccination centre in Karachi to support government’s goal to fully vaccinate the population by the end of August. The centre was inaugurated by Administrator Karachi, Murtaza Wahab, at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Park. Foodpanda and AKRA aims to vaccinate 500+ people on a daily basis, while enhancing the capacity later. The centre is initially catering foodpanda riders, restaurant staff and their families, and it will be open for general public in the coming months.

Online awareness session about benami law held KARACHI

F

STAFF REPORT

INANCE Minister Shaukat Tarin has constituted a sub-committee to expedite the import of 600,000 tonnes of sugar and directed the ministry of food security to complete the procurement of wheat at the earliest. An official announcement said the subcommittee comprising the secretary ministry of food security, secretary industries and production, chairmen of the FBR and Trading Corporation of Pakistan and a representative of the ministry of commerce to expedite import of sugar to ensure its smooth supply across the country.

While chairing the meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) held at the Finance Division, Tarin stressed the importance of meaningful interventions in the market by building strategic reserves of basic commodities namely wheat, sugar, ed-

ADB appoints new country director for Pakistan ISLAMABAD APP

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday announced the appointment of Yong Ye as its new country director for Pakistan.

Ye will lead ADB’s operations in Pakistan and manage its Pakistan Resident Mission in Islamabad.

He will also oversee the implementation of ADB’s new country partnership strategy, 2021-2025, which focuses on improving economic management, building resilience, and boosting competitiveness and private sector development, according to a press release issued by the ADB. “For more than 50 years, ADB has been a steadfast partner of Pakistan, helping to reduce poverty and promote inclusive economic growth,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov.

“With an in-depth understanding of the economic and cultural environment in Pakistan, strong strategic leadership skills, and the ability to manage

NEWS DESK

As a part of awareness campaign under the directions of Director General Anti-Benami Initiative, Islamabad, the Commissioner Inland Revenue/Approving Authority, Anti-Benami Initiative, Zone-III, Karachi has conducted an online Zoom session to create awareness about Benami Law in Pakistan. The session was attended by members of Chambers of Commerce & Industry Karachi, Sukkur, and Quetta. The session included presentation on the Benami law, legal structure, and its implications on the economy as a whole. After the presentation, question and answers session was held. The members of Chambers of Commerce & Industry Karachi and Quetta asked questions related to the Benami law. The President Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Karachi requested the Commissioner Inland Revenue/ Approving Authority, Anti-Benami Initiative, Zone-III, Karachi to nominate a focal person enabling them to approach for queries, problems, and information regarding Benami properties. The session ended on a note of thanks from the Commissioner Inland Revenue/ Approving Authority, Anti-Benami Initiative, Zone-III, Karachi.

The youth of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) will reap the benefits of Kamyab Jawan Programme (KJP) as loan disbursement under its Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) had been expedited by the federal government.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Muhammad Usman Dar said this on Tuesday during a meeting with AJK Prime Minister Abdul Qayyum Niazi. Newly-elected member of AJK Legislative Assembly Hafiz Hamid Raza was also present during the meeting, said a press statement. Dar said the federal government is also extend-

LAHORE: Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Limited (HACPL) strongly encourages its customers for immediate replacement of front airbag inflator at its authorized dealerships as a precautionary measure to ensure safety for its customers. The Takata front airbag inflator (in specified models) may have a probability of malfunctioning if deployed, which can result in a safety risk to vehicle occupants. Customers can visit nearest Honda authorized dealerships for free replacement and checkup of airbag inflators.The affected car models are as follows: • 2006-2012 Honda Civic Oriel (Reborn) • 2008-2011 Honda CR-V • 2004-2012 Honda Accord The replacement of the affected airbag inflator under this campaign will be done FREE OF CHARGE and will require approximately an hour.

complex sovereign and private sector projects effectively, Ye brings invaluable skills as ADB’s Country Director for Pakistan.”

Speaking on the occasion, Yong Ye said, “I am pleased to lead ADB’s efforts in Pakistan and I look forward to working closely with the government and other development partners to help Pakistan overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, restore economic growth, enhance people’s well-being, and achieve its development goals”.

Ye has more than 27 years of professional experience in international development finance and government. A national of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Ye worked as section chief at the PRC’s Ministry of Finance before joining ADB in 2000. Ye holds a doctorate in environmental economics, a master’s degree in economics, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Tsinghua University in the PRC. He succeeds Xiaohong Yang who was recently appointed chief thematic officer in ADB’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department.

KJP to benefit AJK youth: Dar

PRESS RELEASE

Free replacement of Takata front airbag inflators by Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Ltd.

ible oil/ghee, vegetables and pulses to prevent hoarding and undue profiteering.

In this regard, the finance minister directed Secretary M/o NFS&R to work out modalities for establishing commodity warehouses, storage facilities and agri-malls on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and present a detailed proposal before the committee.

SAPM on Food Security Jamshed Cheema stated that a proposal in this regard has been finalized and would be presented shortly for approval.

Secretary M/o NFS&R updated the NPMC about the availability of sufficient stocks of wheat in the country. He also updated the committee about the efforts underway regarding procurement of wheat.

Chairman TCP apprised the NPMC about tenders floated in the international market for purchasing wheat and sugar.

The finance minister expressed satisfaction and directed to complete the procurement of Wheat and

ing all possible assistance to the AJK youth for their socio-economic development like other parts of the country. The AJK PM asked the SAPM to pass on maximum benefits of the KJP to youth. Qayyum said the young people of AJK are fully talented and need to be owned by the federal government.

Usman Dar assured the AJK PM of the federal government’s full support to its youth in all areas.

He said it would be ensured that the AJK people could take maximum advantage of the federal government’s two flagship projects including Kamyab Jawan and Kamyab Pakistan programmes. Dar also congratulated Qayyum over his election as the AJK prime minister.

Punjab PDWP approves IT, urban development schemes NEWS DESK The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) of Punjab has approved two development schemes of governance & IT and urban development sectors with an estimated cost of Rs35 million. The approval was granted in the 5th

meeting of the PDWP of the current fiscal year 2021-22 held on Tuesday.

The approved developmental schemes included TechPura Special Technology Zone in Lahore Punjab (Feasibility) at the cost of Rs25 million and Digital Topographic Surveys of Roads in Lahore (PC-II) at the cost of Rs10 million.

Sugar in phases, keeping in view the prevailing international prices and urged to look into financial hedging of risks with reference to import of key commodities.

Further, chairperson CCP apprised the committee about the stern actions being taken to end cartelisation in the edible oil and ghee sector to ensure fair competition throughout the country.

The NPMC also reviewed the YoY international commodity prices and noted a massive price hike in major food items. Sugar registered a 44.4 per cent increase in YoY comparison, palm oil 52.3pc, soybean oil 78.8pc and wheat 18pc, respectively.

Correspondingly in the country, sugar registered an increase of 19.33pc, edible oil 27.25pc, vegetable ghee 29.40pc and wheat 11.77pc, respectively. The government absorbed the pressure by giving subsidies and importing staple food items in order to provide maximum relief to the consumers.

FBR’s wing files reference against Bank Islami chairman ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) anti-benami zone has filed a benami reference against the chairman of Bank Islami. According to information available with this scribe, FBR’s ABI Zone-III, Karachi, has filed a reference before the adjudicating authority under Section 22 of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2017 against Bank Islami Chairman Ali Hussain. Officials said that it is the first case of its nature in which an incidence of benami transactions was identified in the purchase of 40 million shares worth Rs380 million of an Islamic commercial bank from the private sector. The shares were purchased by the benamidar by showing that he took a loan from an offshore company belonging to the beneficial owner in 2014 and 2015. The same shares were transferred to the beneficial owner without an arms’ length transaction in 2020, officials claimed. The shares have been attached as per law and a reference has been submitted before the adjudicating authority who shall adjudicate to confirm, or otherwise, the attachment of the shares shall be confiscated by the federal government. It is pertinent to mention here that the FBR chairman in July had informed the National Assembly (NA) panel that Anti-Benami Directorate has filed 55 references in 500 cases.

Banks miss agriculture credit target, disperse Rs1.37tr in FY21 MONITORING REPORT Credit disbursement to agriculture sector increased to Rs1.366 trillion in FY21, witnessing a growth of 12pc over FY20; however, it missed the target which was Rs1.5tr, said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday. The central bank’s statement said that the number of agricultural credit borrowers witnessed a decline of 5pc, falling from 3.7 million in FY20 to 3.5m in FY21, primarily due to a pandemicinduced limited outreach. The SBP said the disbursement is collective effort of 49 financial institutions which managed to achieve together 91pc of their assigned target of Rs1.5tr for the year. The outstanding agricultural credit stood at Rs628 billion as on June 30, witnessing year-on-year growth of over 8pc, complementing the overall positive outlook of agriculture sector which grew at 2.77 per cent during FY21, it added. During FY21.

Firm backed By Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates to seek electric vehicle metals in Greenland COPENHAGEN AGENCIES

Mineral exploration company KoBold Metals, backed by billionaires including Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has signed an agreement with Londonlisted Bluejay Mining to search in Greenland for critical materials used in electric vehicles.

KoBold, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to hunt

for raw materials, will pay $15 million in exploration funding for the DiskoNuussuaq project on Greenland’s west coast in exchange for a 51% stake in the project, Bluejay said in a statement.

Shares in BlueJay traded 26% higher on the news.

The license holds metals such as nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum and the funding will cover evaluation and initial drilling.

KoBold is owned by Breakthrough

Energy Ventures, a climate and technology fund backed by Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund Bridgewater Associates. Other KoBold investors include Silicon Valley venture capital fund Andreessen Horowitz and Norwegian state-controlled energy company Equinor.

BlueJay said previous studies

found the area in western Greenland has similarities to the geology of Russia’s Norilsk region, a main producer of nickel and palladium.

“This agreement is transformative for Bluejay,” said the comany’s CEO Bo Steensgaard. “We are delighted to have a partner at the pinnacle of technical innovation for new exploration methods, backed by some of the most successful investors in the world.

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

KARACHI

More thAN 200 ArreSted IN lAteSt SAUdI ANtI-corrUptIoN pUrge RIYADH

S

AP

AUDI Arabia announced the arrest of 207 employees across about a dozen government ministries in the latest sweep by an anti-corruption body empowered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Those detained were not named and it was unclear when the arrests were made.

The Kingdom’s National Anti-Corruption Commission, known as “Nazaha”, announced the arrests late on Monday.

The crown prince’s anti-corruption purge began in late 2017. It has helped him consolidate power and netted the Kingdom

India shuts last consulate in Afghanistan and evacuates citizens NEW DELHI

$106 billion in assets. Saudi nationals have long complained of rampant corruption in government and of public funds being squandered or misused by those in power.

The commission said more than 460 people were investigated in this latest round, and that as a result, 207 Saudi citizens and residents were detained on allegations of corruption, abuse of authority and fraud.

Those accused will be referred to prosecution, the commission said. They hail from the national guard and a range of ministries, including defence, interior, health and justice, among others.

In April, the commission said 176 people from across the public sector had simi-

larly been detained for alleged corruption.

The Kingdom’s anti-corruption purge went into high gear in late 2017 when Prince Mohammed targeted more than 300 princes, public figures and businessmen who together symbolised the elite structure encircling the ruling Al Saud family and its vast patronage networks.

In an unprecedented fashion that year, his forces arrested the country’s most powerful figures and held them incommunicado at the opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh for weeks and even months.

Several were later transferred to prisons or other detention facilities amid reports of physical abuse.

While the Kingdom never confirmed the names of those detained, they included billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Saudi construction tycoon Bakr Binladin.

Last year, two more high-ranking officials were removed from their posts and referred to trial. They included Lt Gen Fahad bin Turki bin Abdulaziz, a prince who oversaw Saudi operations in Yemen, and his son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahad bin Turki, who was deputy governor of Saudi Arabia’s Jouf region.

China court upholds Canadian’s death sentence as Huawei CFO fights extradition

ReuteRs

India sent a military plane to northern Afghanistan on Tuesday to pull out its citizens, officials said, as fighting raged between Afghan security forces and the advancing Taliban. The Indian government shut its consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, the biggest city in the north, and urged its diplomats and Indian citizens to take the special flight home. Taliban fighters have overrun six provincial capitals in recent days in the north, west and south of Afghanistan. India, which has invested millions of dollars in development projects across Afghanistan, has now closed all its consulates, leaving only the embassy in Kabul operational, a government official said. India's main opposition Congress party urged the government also to help evacuate Afghanistan's tiny Sikh and Hindu communities, to protect them from any attack by the Taliban. Congress official Jaiveer Shergill estimated that there were around 750 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in the country. Last month, India had temporarily brought back officials from its consulate in Kandahar, a major city in southern Afghanistan, as Taliban fighters continued to gain control amid the withdrawal of international forces. "Due to the intense fighting near Kandahar city, India-based personnel have been brought back for the time being," Arindam Bagchi, chief spokesperson at India's foreign ministry, had said in a statement. Bagchi had said, "India is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in Afghanistan," adding that the country's consulate in Kandahar was being run by local staff temporarily.

North Korea not picking up hotlines after warning South, US over joint drills SEOUL

BEIJING/OTTAWA ReuteRs

A Chinese court upheld on Tuesday a Canadian man’s death sentence for drug smuggling a day before another court is due to rule on the case of another Canadian accused of spying.

The court proceedings for the two Canadians come as lawyers in Canada representing the detained chief financial officer of telecoms giant Huawei make a final push to convince a court there not to extradite her to the United States, where she faces charges linked to violating sanctions.

Robert Schellenberg was arrested for drug smuggling in 2014 and jailed for 15 years in late 2018.

He appealed but a court in the city of Dalian sentenced him to death in January 2019, a month after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested at Vancouver International Airport on a warrant from the United States, charged with misleading HSBC Holdings PLC about Huawei’s business dealings in Iran, potentially causing the bank to violate American economic sanctions.

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou leaves her Vancouver home to attend her extradition hearing in British Columbia Supreme Court, on August 4, 2021, in Vancouver, Canada. Meng, who has said she is innocent, has been fighting her extradition from under house arrest in Vancouver. The High Court in the northeast province of Liaoning heard Schellenberg’s appeal against the death sentence in May last year and confirmed the verdict on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters by telephone after attending the hearing, Canada’s ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, condemned the decision and called for China to grant clemency.

“It is not a coincidence that these are happening right now, while the case is going on in Vancouver,” Barton said, referring to Schellenberg’s case and that of another Canadian, Michael Spavor.

China has rejected the suggestion the cases of the Canadians in China are linked to Meng’s case in Canada though China has warned of unspecified consequences unless Meng was released.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Businessman Spavor was detained in China days after Meng’s arrest in Vancouver. He was charged with espionage in June last year and went to trial in March.

Barton said a court in the northeastern city of

Dandong, on a river bordering North Korea, is expected to announce a verdict on Spavor on Wednesday.

Another Canadian, former diplomat Michael Kovrig, was also arrested in China days after Meng’s arrest and charged with espionage. His trial was conducted in March. His embassy had no news about when he would be sentenced.

Chinese courts have a conviction rate of more than 99 percent.

Some observers have said the likely convictions of both Spavor and Kovrig could ultimately facilitate an agreement in which they are released and sent back to Canada.

ReuteRs

North Korea did not answer routine calls on inter-Korean hotlines on Tuesday, South Korea said, hours after a senior official in Pyongyang warned the South and the United States over annual joint military drills set to begin this week. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused South Korea of "perfidious behaviour" for going ahead with the drills after North Korea agreed to restore hotlines in late July, having cut them last year amid rising tensions. South Korea and the United States are set to hold computer-simulated exercises next week, but preliminary training began on Tuesday, military sources told Reuters. In a statement carried by North Korean state news agency KCNA, Kim Yo Jong said the exercises were an "act of self-destruction for which a dear price should be paid as they threaten the safety of our people and further imperil the situation on the Korean peninsula". "They are the most vivid expression of the US hostile policy towards (North Korea), designed to stifle our state by force," she said.

The two Koreas typically check in over the hotlines twice a day, and North Korean officials answered morning calls as usual on hotlines maintained by South Korea's military as well as on those used by the unification ministry, which handles relations with the North. But when the South made calls in the late afternoon they were unanswered, the unification and defence ministries said. The nuclear-armed North's reaction to the drills also threatens to upend efforts by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to reopen a joint liaison office that Pyongyang blew up last year, and to hold a summit as part of efforts to restore relations. A US Department of Defence spokesman declined to comment on the North Korean statement and said it was against policy to comment on training. "Combined training events are a ROK-US bilateral decision, and any decisions will be a mutual agreement," spokesman Martin Meiners said, using the initials of South Korea's official name. A spokesman for South Korea's defence ministry declined to comment on the preliminary drills during a briefing on Tuesday, and said the two countries were still discussing the timing, scale and method of the regular exercises. South Korea's unification ministry said in a statement that it would not speculate on North Korea's intentions but would prepare for all possibilities.

Sharjah ruler appoints new deputy DUBAI ReuteRs

The ruler of Sharjah, the third largest of the United Arab Emirates, has appointed Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed al-Qasimi as deputy ruler as well as chairman of the Sharjah Petroleum Council, state news agency WAM said.

The appointments came in decrees on Monday by the conservative emirate’s 82-year-old ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al-Qasimi, who has led Sharjah since 1972. The emirate’s previous deputy ruler died last year.

Sharjah, which straddles the interior of the Arabian peninsula that runs north towards the Strait of Hormuz, was rocked by a coup attempt in 1987 in

which Abu Dhabi and Dubai — the UAE’s most powerful states — backed opposite sides.

Ruler Sheikh Sultan had two sons, both of whom died, the youngest in 2019 and the other 20 years earlier. His new US-educated deputy has held several senior posts, such as chairman of the Sharjah Media Council and of the Sharjah National Oil Company.

The UAE federation, founded in 1971, groups seven emirates including business and tourism hub Dubai and the capital Abu Dhabi, which holds most of the Gulf Arab state’s oil wealth.

Coronavirus: Moderna may be superior to Pfizer against Delta variant REUTERS The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for Covid-19.

MODERNA'S VACCINE MAY BE BEST AGAINST DELTA: The mRNA vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech may be less effective than Moderna's against the Delta variant of the coronavirus, according to two reports posted on medRxiv on Sunday ahead of peer review.

In a study of more than 50,000 patients in the Mayo Clinic Health System, researchers found the effectiveness of Moderna's vaccine against infection had dropped to 76 percent in July - when the Delta variant was predominant - from 86 percent in early 2021. Over the same period, the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had fallen to 42 percent from 76 percent, researchers said. While both vaccines remain effective at preventing Covid hospitalisation, a Moderna booster shot may be necessary

soon for anyone who got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines earlier this year, said Dr.VenkySoundararajan of Massachusetts data analytics company nference, who led the Mayo study.

In a separate study, elderly nursing home residents in Ontario produced stronger immune responses - especially to worrisome variants - after the Moderna vaccine than after the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The elderly may need higher vaccine doses, boosters, and other preventative measures, said Anne-Claude Gingras of the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto, who led the Canadian study.

When asked to comment on both research reports, a Pfizer spokesperson said, "We continue to believe... a third dose booster may be needed within 6 to 12 months after full vaccination to maintain the highest levels of protection."

BREAKTHROUGH COVID-19 MORE LIKELY MONTHS AFTER VACCINATION: People who received their second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine five or more months ago are more likely to test

positive for Covid-19 than people who were fully vaccinated less than five months ago, new data suggest.

Researchers studied nearly 34,000 fully vaccinated adults in Israel who were tested to see if they had a breakthrough case of Covid-19. Overall, 1.8 percent tested positive. At all ages, the odds of testing positive were higher when the last vaccine dose was received at least 146 days earlier, the research team reported Thursday on medRxiv ahead of peer review.

Among patients older than 60, the odds of a positive test were almost three times higher when at least 146 days had passed since the second dose.

Most of the new infections were observed recently, said coauthorDr. Eugene Merzon of Leumit Health Services in Israel.

"Very few patients had required hospitalization, and it is too early to assess the severity of these new infections in terms of hospital admission, need for mechanical ventilation or mortality," he added. "We are planning to continue our research."

Wednesday, 11 August, 2021

KARACHI

ICC sTarTs efforTs for CrICkeT’s INClusIoN IN 2028 olyMpICs

a

NEWs DEsK

WAIT of more than a century could come to an end in the 2028 Olympics with the ICC confirming that they have set up a working group to bid for cricket's inclusion in the games to be held in Los Angeles, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The last time cricket was a part of the Olympics was in 1900, when Great Britain played France. But it could become a permanent fixture in the games with the ICC hoping to see it included in Brisbane 2032 as well and beyond.

"Our sport is united behind this bid," ICC chair Greg Barkley said in a press release on Tuesday, "And we see the Olympics as a part of cricket's long-term future. We have more than a billion fans globally and almost 90 percent of them want to see cricket at the Olympics.

"Clearly cricket has a strong and passionate fanbase, particularly in South Asia where 92 percent of our fans come from, whilst there are also 30 million cricket fans in the USA. The opportunity for those fans to see their heroes competing for an Olympic medal is tantalising."

ECB board chair Ian Watmore will lead

the ICC Olympic Working Group and he will be joined by the ICC independent director IndraNooyi, chair of Zimbabwe Cricket TavengwaMukuhlani, ICC Associate member director and vice-president of the Asian Cricket Council Mahinda Vallipuram and chair of USA Cricket ParaagMarathe, who believes the time is ripe for an Olympic bid "USA Cricket is thrilled to be able to support cricket's bid for inclusion in the Olympics, the timing of which aligns perfectly with our continuing plans to develop the sport in the USA," Marathe said. "With so many passionate cricket fans and players already in the USA, and a huge global audience and following for the sport around the world, we believe that cricket's inclusion will add great value to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and help us to achieve our own vision for establishing cricket as a mainstream sport in this country."

There has been a concerted push for cricket to partake in global sporting events in recent times. It already has a place in the Commonwealth games coming up in 2022 and there came a big boost in April when the two boards which have historically had reservations about cricket in the Olympics the ECB and the BCCI - came together and

made room for the possibility while building the 2023-2031 international calendar.

Though nothing has been finalised regarding format, there has been growing support for

Messi arrives in France to join PSG from Barcelona PaRIs REUTERS

Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi arrived in France on Tuesday to finalise a transfer to Paris Saint Germain (PSG) after reaching a deal with the club following his shock departure from Barcelona.

The agreement is a major coup for wealthy PSG, who will add one of the greatest players of all time to an already formidable front line that includes Brazil's Neymar and young Frenchman KylianMbappe.

Messi's plane touched down at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of the French capital, according to reporters at the scene and the Flightradar24 website.

Scores of fans gathered at the airport before his arrival, chanting: "Messi, Messi, Messi."

"It's going to be mad. After all, it's a legend who is arriving," said FlorentChauveau, a PSG fan who has been back and forth to the airport every day since Sunday in the hope of seeing Messi arrive.

"I hope he knows it's been three days that we have been waiting and that he doesn't set off in his van without a little wave."

Messi gave no details of the deal, which was reached days after Barcelona said it could not afford to keep him because of Spain's La Liga's fair play rules. But the 34-year-old Argentine midfielder's father, speaking to reporters at Barcelona's airport, confirmed reports by French newspaper L'Equipe and Spanish newspaper MundoDeportivo that Messi had

reached agreement with PSG, which is owned by Qatar Sports Investment. L'Equipe said the deal would be for two years. It also said Messi would have medical tests on Tuesday, and that a news conference to mark his arrival was likely on Wednesday.

Many Barcelona fans were distraught at the end

of Messi's glittering, trophy-laden career at the club he joined as a schoolboy.

But the arrival of Barcelona's all-time record scorer with 682 goals will boost PSG's ambitions to win the Champions League for the first time. Messi won four Champions League titles while at Barcelona, as well as 10 La Liga titles.

PSG AMBITIONS: Messi is the latest big-name arrival at PSG on a free transfer this summer after coach Mauricio Pochettino's side snapped up Spanish defender Sergio Ramos after he left Real Madrid. Dutch midfielder GeorginioWijnaldum also joined after running down his contract with Liverpool.

Italy's Euro 2020-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has also joined after his contract with AC Milan ran out, while Moroccan fullback AchrafHakimi joined from Inter Milan for a reported 60 million euros ($70 million).

The arrival of Messi, whose last contract with Barcelona was worth a total of 555 million euros and reported to be the most lucrative in world sport, is also set to provoke a renewed new debate about UEFA's financial fair play rules.

The rules were first introduced in 2009 to restrict some of the worst excesses of the game but have been criticised by some leading figures for being ineffective. The arrival of Messi, who has 245 million followers on Instagram and is Barcelona's most decorated player of all time, is also welcome news for France's Ligue 1, embroiled in a crisis over TV rights.

New Zealand names three spinners in T20 World Cup squad WELLINGTON ThE ASSociATEd PRESS

New Zealand has named three front-line spinners in its 15-man cricket squad for the T20 World Cup in October and November. Leg spinners Todd Astle and Ish Sodhi and left-arm Mitchell Santer will take the main spin bowling spots in the squad with support from part-timers Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman.

The T20 World Cup will be held from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. It was originally scheduled for 2020 in Australia but was delayed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic and originally moved to India. But in June it was shifted to the bordering Middle East countries due to a renewed outbreak of Covid-19 in India.

New Zealand’s pace attack will comprise Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson and Kyle Jamieson along with all-rounders Daryl Mitchell and Jimmy Neesham, whose selection comes at the expense of medium pace all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme and seamer Hamish Bennett.

Fast bowler Adam Milne will travel as the 16th

man, providing injury cover.

The batting lineup is settled with Tim Seifert opening and keeping wicket and Martin Guptill, Devon Conway and captain Kyle Williamson taking the other top-order roles. New Zealand also has named squads to play five T20s in Bangladesh in early September and T20 and one-day series in Pakistan later that month. In total, 32 players will be involved in the tours as New Zealand Cricket seeks to spread the workload, and the toll of travel and quarantine, on players and staff.

“The need to safeguard the well-being of our players and support staff is now very real and we’ve endeavoured to do this by carefully managing their workloads over this winter’s massive playing program,” NZC chief executive David White said Tuesday.

“I’m satisfied we’ve selected strong squads for all our touring commitments this winter.” Williamson, Seifert, Boult, Jamieson, Neesham, Santner, Ferguson and Milne will be released to play in the Indian Premier League in late September and early October along with England-based Finn Allen, who has been named for the Bangladesh and Pakistan series.

“It’s a pragmatic approach,” White said. “We’ve

always tried to be realistic about the IPL and this particular issue is very much a one-off, caused by a unique set of circumstances.”

New ZeAlANd SquAdS: T20 world Cup and India T20s: Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee. (asterisk)Adam Milne will travel as injury cover.

BANGlAdeSh T20S ANd PAkISTAN OdIS: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell, Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry (ODI only), Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears (T20 only), Blair Tickner, Will Young.

PAkISTAN T20S: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Ajaz Patel, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears, Blair Tickner, Will Young.

SPORTS 11

the T10 version.

Originally published on ESPNcricinfo

NZ cricket great Chris Cairns on life support: report WELLINGTON AFP

Former New Zealand cricket star Chris Cairns was on life support in Australia following a serious cardiac problem, the Newshub website reported Tuesday. Cairns, one of New Zealand's all-time greats, suffered an aortic dissection — a tear in the body's main artery — last week in Canberra and is understood to have had several surgeries since, Newshub said. However, the former Black Caps skipper "has not responded to treatment as hoped", Newshub said, adding that the 51-year-old "will be transferred to a specialist hospital in Sydney". AFP has reached out to New Zealand Cricket for comment. The cricket website ESPNcricinfo said an NZC spokesman had declined comment to them, citing respect for Cairns' privacy. Cairns had a successful 17-year international career as an all-rounder, playing 62 Tests and 215 one-day internationals. He amassed more than 3,000 Test runs and close to 5,000 in ODIs while crossing the 200-wicket mark in both formats. Cairns was named one of Wisden's cricketers of the year in 2000, and awarded the New Zealand order of merit when he retired from Tests in 2004. But his image was tarred by match-fixing allegations at the end of his career. A legal case against him in Britain ended with an acquittal.

Top-ranked Djokovic withdraws from Cincinnati Masters WashINGTON AFP

Novak Djokovic, seeking to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam at the US Open, withdrew from the ATP Cincinnati Masters on Monday, saying he needed more recovery time after the Tokyo Olympics. The top-ranked Serbian star, level for the all-time men's record of 20 Grand Slam titles, could become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four major titles in one year. Djokovic, 34, lost at Tokyo to Alexander Zverev in a semi-final and Pablo CarrenoBusta in the bronze medal match in what will be his last matches before the US Open after pulling out of the last major tuneup event. "I am taking a bit longer to recover and recuperate after quite a taxing journey from Australia to Tokyo," Djokovic posted on social media. "Sadly, that means I won't be ready to compete in Cincinnati this year so I'll turn my focus and attention to US Open and spend some more time with family. See you in New York soon!"

Djokovic is a two-time winner of the Cincinnati event, including last year, when it was played in New York due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cincinnati field still features five former champions, including Spain's Rafael Nadal, 2019 winner Daniil Medvedev, Marin Cilic, GrigorDimitrov and two-time winner Andy Murray of Britain.

Wedmesday, 11 August, 2021

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Taliban TighTEn conTrol of norThErn afghanisTan as Un fEars ErasUrE of righTs KaBUL

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Taliban conTrol 65pc of afghanisTan, EU official says, afTEr sEriEs of sUddEn gains

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ALIBAN fighters tightened their grip on captured territory in Afghanistan on Tuesday as civilians hid in their homes and a progovernment commander vowed to fight to the death to defend Mazar-iSharif, the biggest city in the north.

President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his government after a stunning string of Taliban gains as US-led foreign forces pull out, while a UN official said advances made in human rights over the past 20 years were in danger of being erased.

In the capital, Kabul, Ghani’s aides said he was seeking help from regional militias he has squabbled with over the years to rally to the defence of his government. He also appealed to civilians to defend the country’s “democratic fabric”, aides said. In the town of Aibak, capital of Samangan province on the main road between Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul, Taliban fighters were consolidating their control, moving into government buildings, residents said. Most government security forces appeared to have withdrawn.

“The only way is self-imposed house arrest or to find a way to leave for Kabul,” said Sher Mohamed Abbas, a provincial tax officer, when asked about living conditions in Aibak. “But then even Kabul is not a safe option anymore,” said Abbas, sole bread winner for a family of nine.

Abbas said the Taliban had arrived at his office and told workers to go home.

He and other residents said they had not seen nor heard fighting on Tuesday. For

KaBUL ReuteRs

Taliban insurgents tightened their grip on captured Afghan territory on Tuesday as civilians hid in their homes, and a European Union official said the militants now control 65 per cent of the country after a string of gains as foreign forces pull out.

President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his government, while a UN official said advances made in human rights in the 20 years since the hardline Islamists were ousted from power were in danger of being erased.

In the capital Kabul, Ghani’s aides said he was seeking help from regional militias he has squabbled with over the years to rally to the defence of his government. He had also appealed to civilians to defend Afghanistan’s “democratic fabric”. In the town of Aibak, capital of Samangan province on the main road between the northern town of Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul, Taliban fighters were consolidating their control, moving into government buildings, residents said.

Most government security forces appeared to have withdrawn. “The only way is self-imposed house arrest or to find a way to leave for Kabul,” said Sher Mohamed Abbas, a provincial tax officer, when asked about living conditions in Aibak. “But then even Kabul is not a safe option anymore,” said Abbas, the sole bread-winner for a family of nine.

Abbas said the Taliban had arrived at his office and told workers to go home. He and other residents said they had neither seen nor heard fighting on Tuesday. years, the north was the most peaceful part of the country with only minimal Taliban presence. The militants’ strategy appears to be to take the north, as well as main border crossings in the north, west and south, and then close in on Kabul.

For years, the north was the most peaceful part of the country with only minimal Taliban presence. The militants’ strategy appears to be to take the north, as well as the main border crossings in the north, west and south, and then close in on Kabul. The Taliban, battling to defeat the US-backed government and reimpose strict Islamic law, swept into Aibak on Monday meeting little resistance.

Taliban forces now control 65pc of Afghan territory, are threatening to take 11 provincial capitals and are trying to deprive Kabul of its traditional support from national forces in the north, a senior EU official said on Tuesday.

The government has withdrawn forces from hard-to-defend rural districts to focus on holding major population centres. The United States has been carrying out air strikes in support of government troops but said it was up to Afghan forces to defend their country. “It’s their struggle,” John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, told reporters on Monday.

‘DEEPLY DISTURBING REPORTS’: Taliban and government officials have confirmed that the insurgents have overrun six provincial capitals in recent days in the north, west and south. Security forces in Pul-e-Khumri, capital of Baghlan province, to the southeast of Aibak, were surrounded as the Taliban closed in on the town at a main junction on the road to Kabul, a security official said.

Gulam Bahauddin Jailani, head of the national disaster authority, told Reuters there was fighting in 25 of the 34 provinces and 60,000 families had been displaced over the past two months, with most seeking refuge in Kabul.

The Taliban, battling to defeat the USbacked government and reimpose strict Islamic law, swept into Aibak on Monday meeting little resistance. The government has withdrawn forces from hard-to-defend rural districts to focus on holding

major population centres while officials have appealed for pressure on neighbouring Pakistan to stop Taliban reinforcements and supplies flowing over the porous border. Pakistan denies backing the Taliban.

RAWALPINDI: Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong on Tuesday called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters. INP

Undaunted by temple attack, Pakistani Hindu stuck in India with three children yearns to return home Beena Sarwar A Pakistani Hindu stuck in India with three children after his wife died in April is pleading with the authorities to let him return to before Independence Day, August 14. “Mein TooT gaya huN – I am broken,” says Ajeet Kumar Nagdev, 41, speaking on phone in Urdu from Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh. His wife Rekha Kumari, 38, died on April 22, a day before the last AttariWagah border opening. “What can I do? The children break me, but I have to get up and keep going.”

Struggling to look after them, fearful of what will happen if one of them gets sick or if something happens to him, Nagdev feels trapped. He worries about their schooling. They miss their mother.

Stuck in their small, rented apartment with no regular meals, they have lost weight, says Nagdev adding that he himself has dropped 20 kg. Their relatives in

India are also migrants living in nuclear families.

The pandemic had already impacted Nagdev’s livelihood. With Rekha’s death, he can’t leave the children and go out to work.

The Pakistan High Commission in Delhi is helping out financially, but Nagdev is not looking for handouts.

He just wants to go back to his joint family home in Usta Mohammad, where five of his brothers also live with their families, so his children can be looked after.

The recent attack on a Hindu temple in Rahimyar Khan, Pakistan, has not curbed Nagdev’s desire to return. “There is museebat (trouble) everywhere,” he says.

“We have friends and support in Pakistan.” When Nagdev and Rehka left Usta Mohammad in 2010 with their two young sons, they thought they would have a better life in India. Daughter Lovina was born in India, September 2012. Some years later, Rekha’s health began to deteriorate, and they started planning to go back.

Then the pandemic struck and borders were closed.

When Rekha died, the family was stranded because Lovina’s name was endorsed on her mother’s Pakistani passport (With wife dead, Pak man’s crossover with daughter in limbo, Shishir Arya, The Times of India, May 9, 2021).

A month later, Nagdev and Lovina undertook the nearly 12-hour train journey to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi for the passport. Even in a pandemic the consulate cannot process online applications – the .pk domain doesn’t work in India (Waiting for a Passport: A Pakistani Hindu Family in India Hopes to Return Home, The Wire, 24 May 2021).

The mission covered their travel expenses, exempted urgent passport fees, and issued Lovina’s passport the same day. But with the border closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family remains stranded in India.

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gold rush ends for smugglers as foreign troops leave afghanistan PeSHawar AFP

Once brimming with combat boots, flak jackets and other war paraphernalia, the smugglers’ markets in Pakistan are being forced to rethink their business model as foreign troops exit Afghanistan and contraband dries up. The United States is set to wrap up its military presence in Afghanistan by the end of this month, the end of a campaign that saw hundreds of billions spent — often with little accounting. Along the Afghan border after 2001, smugglers’ markets mushroomed in Pakistan, offering military gadgets, clothing and luxury goods meant for American bases and compounds. It was the latest chapter in a long history of smuggling — and foreign invasions — in the area. For centuries, the mountain passes along the present-day PakistanAfghanistan border were a lifeline for armies, traders and smugglers moving between central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. But in recent years, vendors at the markets say they have suffered successive blows that have severed the pipeline of smuggled goods that flowed freely into Pakistan for years. “This market was famous for American and NATO goods and was crowded with customers,” said Mehboob Khan, a shopkeeper at Sitara market in Peshawar. “Now the border is strictly closed and those goods can’t reach here, which has badly affected business.”

Pakistan’s fencing and sealing of hundreds of kilometres of the border in recent years, and the rapid departure of foreign troops has led to dwindling supplies. Instead of night-vision goggles and high-quality ammo vests, the markets are now stuffed with cheap goods from China and Southeast Asia. “Those were good days, extremely good days,” said Khan as he reminisced about the post-9/11 bonanza for smugglers after US-led forces invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban. “This market used to be crowded [… ] Now it’s empty. No public and no customers.”

WAR ON THE BORDER: For years, Pakistan served as one of the logistical nerve centres for the war in Afghanistan. Countless containers filled with supplies arrived at the Arabian Sea port of Karachi to be trucked across the country to Afghanistan. Along the way, it was common for the occasional shipment to go missing or arrive in Afghanistan a bit lighter. On the other side of the border, goods were similarly looted or lifted from the battlefield and taken across to Pakistan. Thanks to the porous border with Afghanistan, Pakistan has long been a magnet for smuggled products — from luxury vehicles to household goods. They have helped black market businesses thrive in a country with some of the lowest tax collection rates in the world.

With little interference from law enforcement, the border markets flourished, but not all were happy. In the fiercely conservative northwest — where most women wear burqas and hardline religious groups have long held sway over society — the markets gained notoriety for also selling pornography and knock-off Viagra, drawing fire from groups such as the Taliban.

But that did little to discourage shoppers — including those who drove for hours to peruse the selection in the bazaars. “Last time, we found NATO stuff here […] US Army bags and shoes were available here. But now that stuff is not here, just local stuff,” said Muhammad Afan, who travelled six hours by road to visit Sitara market. He complained that prices had increased tenfold at most shops. The Taliban’s sweeping offensives across Afghanistan in recent months have also not helped, leading to frequent border closures that choked off what little products were still able to make it to Pakistan. “[Customers] aren’t visiting us anymore,” said Zabihullah, an Afghanistan shopkeeper born in Peshawar. “Earlier, NATO supply lines were ongoing […] container after container. Now, all that has stopped.”

Pakistan seeks to bring fresh air to polluted cities with 10 billion trees ISLaMaBaD ReuteRs

As Pakistan continues its massive drive to plant 10 billion trees to reduce smog, the prime minister urged the citizens to heed the dire warnings in a UN climate change report released on Monday.

Prime Minister Imran Khan made the remarks as he inaugurated the largest urban

Miyawaki forest project in the world.

Using a technique pioneered by the late Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, the forest covers 12.5 acres and has more than 165,000 plants. Officials say the trees are expected to grow 10 times faster than normal due to the Miyawaki technique of planting them close together.

The forest is one of 53 such sites in Lahore that are expected to work as carbon

sinks. The city of 10 million has grappled with smog in recent years that has forced schools to close and earned it a ranking among the world’s most polluted cities.

“Humans have done such a disservice to God’s blessings, to this world, that many things — rising sea levels for instance because of warming and emissions — cannot come back to how they were before,” Imran said in Lahore.

“All of us living in the world today, if we do all we can, maybe we can save the world from even worse harm to come.”

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said Monday that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Even the starkest measures to reduce emissions, it said, would not prevent a global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, and the extreme

weather and rising sea levels resulting from that change.

Since the tree-planting drive started in 2018, the country has 1 billion more trees and is planting another 500 million during the monsoon season.

“If you are concerned about your children and their future, the least you can do is plant one tree and take care of it,” Imran said.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 021-35381208-9. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk