Epaper – July 19-2022 ISB

01 FRONT PAGE (19-7-2022)_Layout 1 7/19/2022 1:15 AM Page 1

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 I 19 Zil Hajj, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 378 I 12 Pages I Islamabad edition

PTI's surPrIse wIn: CoalITIon leaders vow To saIl, sInk TogeTher LAhOre

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Staff RepoRt

op leaders of the major coalition parties including the pml-n chief nawaz sharif, ppp cochairperson asif ali zardari and Jui-F head maulana Fazlur rahman agreed on monday that a joint political strategy would be formulated in consultation with all the allies and no party would take a solo flight in wake of the pti’s surprise victory in punjab by-polls. the trio held a telephonic conversation to discuss the political situation in wake of major setback to the coalition parties in the punjab by-polls. according to well-placed sources, the three leaders reviewed the defeat of pml-n candidates during the by-elections and discussed the future political strategy in the province and at the center. minister for information and broadcasting marriyum aurnagzeb has said prime minister shehbaz sharif had invited leaders of pakistan democratic movement (pdm) and other government’s allied parties to his residence in lahore on

tuesday noon for an important meeting. the meeting at the 96-h model town would review the overall situation in the country, the minister said in a news statement. during the meeting, the government’s coalition partners and pdm leaders would hold consultation on important matters. a day earlier, pml-n supremo and former prime minister nawaz sharif also said that the ruling party paid the price of ‘difficult decisions’ taken by the coalition government that came into power on the back of imran khan’s ouster through no-trust vote in parliament. source privy to the development said that nawaz sharif, who has been living in london for his ‘medical treatment’ since 2019, contacted his younger brother prime minister shehbaz sharif and chief minister hamza shehbaz – son of pm shehbaz – and directed them to call an emergency meeting of the party to discuss the future course of action in the context of the results of yesterday’s by-elections. the party sitting was also held on monday to discuss the situation. the party sources said that the meeting re-

solved that the decision to award tickets to pti turncoats, high inflation due to record increase in the prices of fuel and electricity among other reasons resulted in the thumping defeat to the ruling pakistan muslim league nawaz (pml-n) in sunday’s punjab by-elections. the rival pti won the race for the coveted punjab battlefield hands down last night, clinching 15 provincial assembly

seats out of the 20 up for grabs and dealing a stunning blow to the 13-party alliance led by the pml-n on its home turf. the detailed report on by-polls defeat was presented to the high command of pml-n in a meeting chaired by prime minister shehbaz sharif in islamabad on monday. punjab chief minister hamza shehbaz, federal ministers rana sanaullah,

PTI set to elect its Chief Minister Punjab on July 22 ShAhAB OMer after winning the by-elections in punjab, pakistan tehreek-e-insaf is once again in a position to form the government in the province, while 186 votes are needed to get a simple majority in the house. however, after the by-polls on 20 seats in punjab, the second phase of the chief minister’s election will be held on July 22.

STaTuS of PMLN IN PuNJab aSSeMbLy: according to the unofficial results, hamza shahbaz has now received the support of 178 members after winning four seats in the by-elections. the number of pmln members in the punjab assembly was 165, which reduced to 162 after the resignations of two members and the disqualification of one member. after winning four seats, the government coalition includes 166 members of pml-n, 7 members of pakistan peoples party parliamentarians, one member of rah haq party and 4 independent members.

PTI status in Punjab assembly: on the other hand, after the victory of pakistan tehreek-e-insaf on fifteen seats, the number of members supporting chaudhry pervaiz elahi has

reached 188 in which 178 members of pti and 10 members of pmlQare included. however, the newly elected independent mpa [member punjab assembly] rafi bukhari has not yet decided to support anyone while chaudhry nisar has kept himself apart from the election process. however, pti will lose one of its vote due to deputy speaker dost mohammad mazari becoming the presiding officer in the leader of the house election whereas the candidate for the slot of chief minister chaudhry pervez has more than the required number of 186 members whereas to further strengthen its po-

sition, pti is also claiming to have contacts with 4 independent members who were associated with pmln. speaking to pakistan today, a senior pmln leader admitted on the condition of anonymity that the pti had in fact dispelled the impression in the general elections of 2018 that lahore was a stronghold of the pmln and contrary to expectations, pakistan tehreek-e-insaf emerged as a major party in punjab in 2018 as well. he added that the by-elections of 2022 have now confirmed that the grip of pml-n has weakened not only in lahore but also in punjab. the said leader further claimed that the reason for pmln’s defeat at

IMf seeks assurance for implementation of reforms agenda g

Fund’s executive board expected to take up report on combined 7th, 8th review For approval in late august ISLAMABAD Shahzad paRacha

the international monetary Fund (imF) on monday appeared to be concerned over the political development in pakistan, asking for assurance of the implementation of reforms promised during technical negotiations.

according to media reports, the lender said that any delay in its implementation could lead to a delay in the board meeting which will approve the release of a $1.17 billion loan tranche sources said that imF can negotiate with any government in pakistan and does not feel any problem in the continuation of the extended

Fund Facility (eFF) programme during the caretaker set up. “pakistan can get funds from saudi arabia under sdr quota and saudi arabia can transfer its imF loan quota to pakistan,” they said, adding that there are examples of the sdr quota being transferred in the past. it is pertinent to mention here

its home ground was not only the displeasure with the local leaders of the party but also the non-activeness of the allies in the elections and the presence of a compromised government in the federation. “in punjab, pml-n was forced to ignore its workers and issue tickets to defecting members. disgruntled members, including asif malik bha, irfanullah khan niazi and aamir iqbal shah. irfanullah khan niazi and aamir iqbal shah bid good-bye to pmln on one hand and on the other hand defeated pml-n candidates by contesting by-election on pti ticket,” he said. the said leader believed that one of the major reasons for the defeat was pmln president and prime minister mohammad shahbaz sharif not visiting the constituencies due to the ban of the election commission. “due to the new candidates in many constituencies, the local leadership of pmln could not be active in the election campaign in the way that tehreek-e-insaaf was. if we look at the election results of pmln’s losing candidates as a whole, it appears that pml-n, pakistan people’s party, Jui(F) have failed miserably to make any significant gains.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05 that the Fund’s executive board is expected to take up pakistan’s stafflevel report on the combined seventh and eighth review for approval in the last week of august. sources said that pakistan has to deregulate petroleum prices besides implementing taxes on petroleum products is also necessar y. in addition, immediate implementation of nepras decisions is part of the staff-level agreement. they said that the authority’s decision on fuel adjustment must be implemented without delay. especially because there have been violations of agreement and deviations from policy measures in the past due to which pakistan’s imF program suffered from problems.

khawaja asif, marriyum aurangzeb, azam nazir tarar and senior party leaders — sardar ayaz sadiq, malik ahmed khan, attaullah tarar, sardar owais leghari, rana mashhood — and others attended the meeting. the huddle discussed the factors that led to the defeat of pml-n against its rival pti in the polls and future course of action including possible options to save the cm hamza-led punjab government. the pti’s victory has not only dealt a blow to pml-n’s narrative of performance in punjab but has also turned the tables on the politics of electables. the chief minister’s elections, scheduled to be held on the apex court’s orders, will now see hamza probably losing his office and pervaiz elahi’s ascension to power as cm punjab. currently, the pml-n’s combined strength is 175 and with three more votes pml-n’s total tally will rise to 178, while the pti on its own will have a strength of 178, excluding the vote of estranged pti mpa also the deputy speaker dost muhammad mazari.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Political uncertainty leading to economic chaos g

programme size increased by $1b to total $7b ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The country’s political uncertainty with ongoing tussles over the recent elections contributed to the rise of an already climbing dollar as well as a blood bath in the stock market. According to the details, the dollar continued its relentless upward march against the rupee on Monday with the greenback gaining Rs4.25 in interbank trade whereas the benchmark KSE-100 Index appeared bearish from the opening bell and immediately dropped into the red zone after shedding over 700 points during the first few hours of intraday trade, with banking, cement, and fertilizer the top negative contributors on the bourse at the time. The KSE-100 index initially opened on a negative note. By 1:40 PM, the top bourse stood at 41,334 points, down by 740 points or 1.76 percent. Market experts are of the view that the political uncertainty taking roots once again may potentially impact the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) bailout program. Meanwhile, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan, the dollar was trading at a record Rs216 against the local currency at 3:12pm, up Rs5, or 2.4 per cent, from Friday’s close of Rs210.95. The dollar eventually closed at Rs215.2, with the local currency depreciating 1.97pc, according to data shared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Similarly, the price of the euro was increased by Rs7.66 and closed at Rs218.23 against the previous day’s closing of Rs211.57. The Japanese Yen gained 04 paisa to close at Rs1.55, whereas an increase of Rs7.60 was witnessed in the exchange rate of the British Pound, which was traded at Rs257.24 as compared to its last closing of Rs249.64. The exchange rates of Emirates Dirham and Saudi Riyal increased by Rs1.12 to close at Rs58.58 and Rs57.30 respectively.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Secretary General Asad Umar lashed out at the government for its failure to rein in the fast depreciation of rupee against dollar. In a statement on Monday, Asad said that Pakistan suffered the most due to the poor decisions of the imported government, as Pakistani rupee hit a new low against the US dollar. He attributed the rupee free fall to the political uncertainty, which he said was bleeding the economy and inflicting tremendous pain on the people. “Time to stop this badly conceived, badly executed and totally gone wrong experiment,” he added.

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Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

SeCY INFo HIgHlIgHtS medIA’S role IN PromotINg NAtIoNAl SolIdArItY

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NewS DeSk

ECRETARY for Information and Broadcasting Shahera Shahid on Monday said the media’s role was crucial in promoting national solidarity.

Addressing a dialogue titled “Role of Mass Media in Promotion of National

Unity” here at the Information Service Academy here, she said the information ministry had a close relationship with the mass media and despite facing many challenges, it had to play a critical role in modern times.

“The world is changing and we have to take along all the media,” she added.

Shahera Shahid said the ministry was

organizing various events regarding Pakistan’s 75th anniversary to celebrate the creation of the country in a befitting manner.

She said ISA had organized an important discussion regarding the role of mass media in promoting national unity.

ISA Director General Saeed Javed said multiple events were being organized by the Information Academy in connection with

Pakistan’s 75th anniversary.

Informative quiz programmes were also being arranged about the country’s history in which students from different educational institutions would participate, he added.

Former Federal Information Secretary Ashfaq Gondal said that the common man’s security and rights were needed to be ensured for national solidarity.

Pakistan receives highest ever remittances over $31bn in FY22

FBR ordered to compensate merchant for illegal destruction of goods ISLAMABAD Shahzad Paracha

President Arif Alvi on Monday while upholding an order of the Federal Tax Ombudmsan (FTO) rejected a representation filed by the apex revenue body against an aggrieved order in a complaint against the collector, MCC Enforcement and Compliance, Peshawar, for failing to release seized goods to the complainants in pursuant to an order-in-remand passed by the collector Adjudication Islamabad. According to the details, the FTO had ordered FBR to compensate the complainant according to the market price of the destroyed goods that were lawfully imported into the country with valid NOCs. Profit has learnt that a joint team of MCC Enforcement and Compliance, Peshawar, the Directorate of Intelligence, Investigation (Customs), FIA, and PEMRA had seized foreign origin digital receivers from the complainant’s shop who filed an appeal before the Customs Appellate Tribunal, (CAT) Peshawar which remanded the case back to the collector Adjudication, Islamabad.

IHC reserves decision on plea about Bushra Bibi’s audio leak NewS DeSk The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday reserved its judgment on maintainability of a petition seeking inquiry into the audio leak associated with PTI Chief Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and and Arslan Khalid.

Justice Aamer Farooq of IHC heard the case pertaining to the matter filed by a citizen Muhammad Arshad through his counsel Asif Gujjar Advocate. At the outset of hearing, the court remarked that whether the petitioner wanted this court to investigate an audio leak. The court further asked if the court duty was of an investigator. Justice Farooq questioned whether the petitioner was an affectee of that audio leak, adding that how the court could issue a writ on conversation of two private people. The bench asked whether the affectees of audio leak had filed application to any forum. Justice Farooq instructed the petitioner’s lawyer to write such case draft after detailed consideration. After this, the court reserved its judgment on maintainability of the case.

492 fresh Covid-19 cases reported: NIH NewS DeSk Health officials on Monday said that 492 new Coronavirus cases were reported throughout the country during the last 24 hours. As per data shared by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the case positivity ratio is 2.42 percent while 169 patients were in critical condition. One death was reported from the Coronavirus in the last 24 hours while 20,361 Covid-19 tests were conducted across the country. Meanwhile, Minister for National Health Abdul Qadir Patel appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders, healthcare staff, vaccination teams, and administration working across Pakistan despite multiple challenges. He advised all provinces and regions to administer booster doses on priority basis to further improve protection against COVID-19 transmission. He said that in view of the global pandemic situation the Central Health Establishment (CHE) should stringently monitor the health status of incoming passengers at points of entry. He added that CHE will be strengthened to enhance its functionality. The minister emphasized the importance of precautions including social distancing and mask-wearing, especially in crowded places. He also highlighted the need to strictly follow the guidelines for the management of markets.

ISLAMABAD aPP

The collector ordered an unconditional release of the digital receivers, which were lawfully imported on the basis of GDs provided by the complainant, while ordering confiscation of receivers which could not be verified.

The complainant approached the FTO for the release of his seized goods and prayed that if the goods had been illegally destroyed then compensation equal to market value of the seized goods should be paid to him.

The FTO observed that the department acted in haste and destroyed the seized goods without waiting for the outcome of remand proceedings. Moreover, no evidence was furnished to establish that the goods did not match with GDs/NOC provided by the complainant. The seized goods were neither perishable items nor were they products that had become unfit for human consumption, hence, invoking Section 169 (4) of the Customs ACT to dispose of the seized goods before finalisation of adjudication proceedings was not justified.

While stating that the goods were unlawfully destroyed, the FTO has directed FBR to investigate irregularities committed by senior officials in this regard.

We will work together, Imran Khan tells Parvez Elahi

The overseas Pakistani workers’ remittances grew by 6.1 per cent in fiscal year (Jul-Jun) 2021-22 to $31.2 billion against the inflows of $29.45 billion in same period of the preceding year. On year-on-year basis, the remittances increased by 1.7 per cent from $2.71 billion in June 2021 to $2.76 billion in same period of the fiscal year 2021-22. On month-on-month basis, the inflows of remittances increased by 18.4 per cent when compared to the inflows of $2.3 billion recorded in May, 2022. According to data released by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday, remittances’ inflows during June 2022 were mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia at $666.4 million, United Arab Emirates at $494.7 million, United Kingdom at $454.9 million and the United States of America $284.7 million.

During the corresponding month, the overseas Pakistanis living in Bahrain sent $45.9 million, from Kuwait $85.3 million, from Qatar $93.6 million whereas $98.5 million were sent from Oman. Similarly the inflows from Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland were recorded at $42.5 million, $40.0 million, $5.3, $45.7 million, $75.6 million, $30.9 million, $7.0 million, $6.0 million and $11.9 million respectively.

Automotive sector records year-on-year sales growth

NewS DeSk Speaker Punjab Assembly Parvez Elahi telephoned former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan as the latter assured him that they would work together.

According to sources privy to the matter, Parvez Elahi telephoned Imran Khan late on Sunday night and congratulated him on a landslide victory of the PTI in Punjab by-polls.

“The issues related to the political situation in the aftermath of the results in Punjab by-polls and formation of government in Punjab were discussed between them,” they said.

Imran Khan assured Elahi that they will work together with him.

“We could serve the masses in a better way under your guidance,” Parvez Elahi said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged victorious in the majority of the seats in the crucial byelections on 20 Punjab Assembly.

According to the unconfirmed and unofficial results, results of 20

He said instead of making the education system a profitable business, it had to be aligned with the national and modern requirements.

Ahmed Talal, Hafsa Batul, Hamid Zahoor, Akhtar Javed, Sikandar Mehmood, Safdar Gardezi, Hameed Alam, Tahirim Ahsan, Sadia Aslam, Saba Yasir and Sidra Hussain participated in the discussion.

Well-known journalist Munir Ahmed and former secretary Ashfaq Ahmed Gondal served as judges of the competition.

Sidra Hussain, Hameed Alam and Hafsa Batul were declared as first, second and third position holders respectively.

The Information Secretary distributed awards among the participants who secured prominent positions in the competition.

DANIyAL AhMAD

seats have been finalised, with PTI clinching 15 and PML-N winning just four.

An independent candidate, Syed Muhammad Rafi ud Din, won PP228 Lodhran V, with 45,020 votes as against PTI candidate Izzat Javaid Khan, who bagged 38,338.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has accepted the defeat, with party vice president Maryam Nawaz saying the party should accept the results

“wholeheartedly”.

Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan congratulated the party workers and voters over victory in Punjab by-elections.

“I want to first thank our PTI workers [and] voters of Punjab for defeating not just [PML-N] candidates but the entire state machinery, [especially] harassment by police and a totally biased [Election Commission of Pakistan],”

The automotive sector has seen a rise of 1% in sales from FY 2020-21 per figures released by Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA). The 1% figure, however, masks the increase seen across all segments other than motorcycles and three-wheelers. The segment-wise results and changes from the previous year are as follows: A deep-down into the sub-segment results shows the following: The largest overall increase in sales came from Honda and the largest relative increase came from Hyundai. Honda saw an overall increase of 6% with the largest increase coming from an additional 68,307 motorcycle sales over last year. The combined figures of the City and Civic constituted the greatest relative increase amongst all its listed segments with an increase of 39%. Honda continues to not provide disaggregated data for the two cars. Hyundai recorded a 127% increase from its 2021 figures.

This was a result of a 322% increase in Elantra sales and the introduction of the Sonata which was not present last year. Suzuki and Toyota also saw overall increases.

Indian traders, shopkeepers plan nationwide protest against tax hikes MUMBAI reuterS

Indian traders and shopkeepers will hold a nationwide protest next week against a hike in taxes on a range of products and services, including food grains and household items, that went into effect on Monday, a top official of a leading traders’ group said.

“The five per cent tax on a range of food products — which remained tax-free so far — and hike in rates on other household items has increased the inflation burden on the public and traders,” said Pravin Khandelwal, president of the Confederation of All India Traders, which represents more than 10 million small shopkeepers and wholesalers.

He said the group’s members would launch a nationwide series of protest meetings on July 26, starting in Bhopal, a state capital in central India and a stronghold of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s

ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Small traders and shopkeepers are a key constituency for Modi, who introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST)

system in 2017 to replace about 20 federal and state taxes and to help unify Asia’s third-largest economy.

A tax increase was approved last month to 18pc from 12pc for certain goods and services, including kitchenware. A finance ministry statement on Monday said the tax measures would include extending a five per cent tax already imposed on branded food items such as rice, wheat, flour, pulses, and dairy products to unbranded items sold in packages of up to 25 kilogrammes or 25 litres.

Analysts have said that higher taxes would put an additional burden on households that already face surging food and energy prices.

India’s consumer price inflation hit an eight-year high of 7.79pc in April and remained above 7pc in May and June. While traders have said Modi’s GST was an improvement over the previous complicated tax regime, they have also raised objections to some elements, such as the compliance burden for small retailers.

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

PreSIdeNt For INSPIrAtIoN From NelSoN mANdelA’S vISIoN to StreNgtHeN demoCrAtIC NormS, Freedom oF SPeeCH

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NewS DeSk RESIDENT Dr Arif Alvi on Monday urged the nation for a renewed pledge to strengthen democratic norms of civility, democratic decision-making and freedom of speech while taking inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s

vision.

The president, in his message on Nelson Mandela International Day annually observed on July 18, paid tributes to the great South African leader as “extraordinary global advocate for dignity and equality, a leader of unparalleled courage and towering achievement and one of the most iconic and inspirational leaders of our time.””

Let us find hope in Nelson Mandela’s example and

Couple shot dead in their sleep over old enmity in lahore

Civic bodies coordination, accountability must to avert illegal constructions, encroachments: Experts

NewS DeSk

NewS DeSk

A couple was shot dead when they were sleeping on rooftop of their house in Shadi Pura area of Bhagbanpura in Lahore. Police said that a man shot dead his female cousin Farah and her husband Shehzad in Bhagbanpura area over old enmity. The culprit used stairs to climb the house avoiding the main entrance and sprayed bullets on the sleeping couple, who expired at the spot.

Farah earlier lodged FIR with Section 324 against the accused Yasir. The couple left four children to mourn the death. Police said that police teams were after the runaway accused Yasir.

The experts on Monday demanded that a close coordination and mutual implementation framework to enforce law was must to avert illegal constructions and encroachment in water bodies near peri urban areas causing serious natural hazards like urban flooding land and water pollution.

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) organised the seminar titled illegal constructions in water bodies in peri urban areas of the federal capital to stir debate and extract workable recommendations to ensure remedy to the lurking issue.

Executive Director SDPI, Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, in his opening remarks, said the webinar and hybrid seminar was held on a pertinent topic that became more relevant in every monsoon season in the country.

Dr Suleri said due to urban flooding in the housing societies constructed illegally in water bodies or the Indus River that swells up in monsoon in the areas of Muzaffargarh and Kacha area got inundated that gave its inhabitants a false sense of security as it deluged their

Pml-N established bright democratic tradition by ensuring free, fair election: marriyum

He proved that all of us have the ability and responsibility to fight against the blight of racism, discrimination, hate, polarization, poverty, and inequalities with positive thinking, social cohesion and forgiveness and passion to build a better future for all.

The president said Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for fighting against his country’s discriminatory apartheid system of racial segregation without losing hope and finally succeeded in bringing an end to apartheid and ushered in a peaceful transition to majority rule.

“While in power as President of South Africa, he emphasized personal forgiveness and reconciliation, pursued national reconciliation and reassured nondiscrimination against South Africa’s white population despite having an overwhelming majority,” he added.

inspiration in his vision and speak out against hate and stand up for human rights by embracing our common humanity to make our world more just, compassionate, prosperous, and sustainable for all,” he remarked.

The president also called for renewing the pledge to equality before the law and social justice for the empowerment of the country and its people.

He said Nelson Mandela exemplified courage, compassion and commitment to freedom, peace and social justice.

“He lived by these principles and was prepared to sacrifice his liberty and even his life for them,” he commented.

President Alvi said that in the face of great adversity, Nelson Mandela displayed extreme courage and resilience.

lifetime savings.

The event was organised to delve deep into this issue to derive suggestions for its resolution, he added.

Minister of State and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and Convener Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Secretariat Romina Khurshid Alam said the topic was related to SDG 11 i.e. make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

She said half of the country’s population was living in urban areas with a continuous migration from rural areas, adding, “We are having the problems of air pollution, transportation, healthcare, unreliable municipal facilities etc. The illegal housing societies are a scar on the face of fertile lands of the capital. It’s damaging the ecosystems with spiking migration without proper know-how of resources and facilities available in the cities among the rural masses.”

The minister said weak regulatory check on housing societies was a serious issue resulting urban flooding.

She highlighted that it was necessary to have an effective communication and implementation strategy for promising outcomes.

NewS DeSk Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Monday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had established a bright democratic tradition by ensuring free, fair and transparent election in a peaceful manner Monday.

“We accept opinion of the people who are real decision makers under the Constitution,” she said in a series of tweets. The minister said it should be acknowledged that the PML-N was a “representative party” of the most of people of Punjab. She said the PML-N would continue the journey of representing and serving the people with renewed determination and passion. She said that they would work more on these 16 provincial assembly constituencies to strengthen the party position there. She hoped that PTI chairman would apologies to Chief Election Commissioner for ridiculing him. The Information Minister said the Pakistan Muslim League (N) strongly believes in transparent, impartial elections and the observance of democratic governance and the election of the previous day is a practical demonstration of this. She said when Imran Sahib had the federal government and Punjab government, he created records of rigging and broke the constitution on April 3 to save himself. “On the contrary, the Muslim League (N) did not use its power in the Federation and Punjab to kidnap the staff of the Election Commission, attack the constitution and violate the constitution,” added Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Sustainable growth not possible without addressing increasing population issue: Qadir NewS DeSk Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel on Monday said addressing the issues related to the increasing population was the need of the hour to promote sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

Addressing a seminar on the occasion of World Population Day, the minister said the government was committed to check the increasing population in the country by implementing global obligations for addressing poverty, health problems, illiteracy, and violation of human rights. He said the government had given top priority to the subject of population and its development in order to address the matters related to the country’s population inclusively. He expressed the hope that Pakistan would take every step possible to fulfill its international commitments and implement the National Action Plan on population while taking all stakeholders and implementing partners on board.

The minister highlighted the need for raising awareness about family planning among the citizens to control the exponentially rising population of Pakistan.

He urged the provincial governments, civil society

organizations, and the private sector to join hands with the Federal Government to advance the agenda of population and development in the country. He said the World Population Day was annually observed on July 11 and added that the resolution of population-related issues was possible by narrowing the gap between alarming disparities and biases in gender, age, disability, and class. He said it was delighting that Pakistan and other member countries of the United Nations were commemorating World Population Day, an annual event since 1989, to highlight the significance of population-related matters and issues.

He said the theme of World Population Day 2022 “A world of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all – Harnessing opportunities and ensuring rights and choices for all” was pertinent as in November 2022, the world population would reach the 8 billion mark.

He said there was a need to work together very closely to achieve teh Agenda 2030 by anticipating and understanding the way the population was changing.

“This is possible if we develop unique responses based on data to mitigate potentially negative effects to fully harness the opportunities that also come with demographic change.”

ro orders recount in PP-07 rawalpindi after PtI challenges result NewS DeSk The returning officer (RO) in PP-07 Kahuta has ordered a recount in the constituency after PTI candidate Colonel (retd) Shabbir Awan challenged the results over losing the seat by mere 49 votes. The PTI candidate has challenged the results and filed a plea with the RO for a recount and barring notification for the success of the PML-N candidate Raja Sagheer. According to unofficial and unverified results, PML-N candidate Raja Sagheer secured 68,906 votes against the rival PTI candidate who lost by 49 votes after bagging 68,857 votes. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged victorious in the majority of the seats in the crucial by-elections on 20 Punjab Assembly. According to the unconfirmed and unofficial results, results of 20 seats have been finalised, with PTI clinching 15 and PML-N winning just four. An independent candidate, Syed Muhammad Rafi ud Din, won PP-228 Lodhran V, with 45,020 votes as against PTI candidate Izzat Javaid Khan, who bagged 38,338.

PtI’s raja Basharat asks Hamza to resign after Pml-N’s defeat in by-polls NewS DeSk Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Punjab minister Raja Basharat said on Monday that now when former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s narrative had stood vindicated in the Punjab by-elections, Hamza Shehbaz had no moral justification to keep clinging to the seat of provincial chief minister. Talking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly building in Lahore, he said that the people of Punjab had rejected the PTI’s ‘turncoats’. “And even if Hamza does not resign, he will cease to be Punjab chief minister on July 22, 2022; the day of election for the Punjab CM,” he said. At the same time, he said, the results of by-polls had also put Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in an awkward situation as his powers had now been confined to Islamabad only.

Big industry grows 11.7pc in 11mFY22 ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbaS

Output from the Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) registered a growth of 11.7 per cent during JulyMay 2021-22 (11MFY22) as compared to the same period of FY21; however it shrank 1.3pc on a month-on-month (MoM) basis in May, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said on Monday. The LSM data released by the PBS shows that overall LSM growth stood at 7.1pc during 11MFY22 when compared with the same period of last fiscal year whereas output for May 2022 registered a 1.3pc MoM decline when compared with April and increased 21.4pc on a year-on-year (YoY) basis when compared to May 2021. According to the Provisional Quantum Index Numbers of LSMI (QIM), the estimated QIM for 11MFY22 is 126.9 and for May is 130.7. During the period under review, production increased in food, beverages & tobacco, clothing, textile, chemicals, automobiles, iron and steel products, leather products and paper & paperboard while it decreased in rubber products and other transport equipment as compared to the same period of FY21. The data further shows that the main contributors towards overall growth include sugar which increased 1.8pc, cigarettes 0.3pc, garments 3.8pc, woolen blankets 0.7pc, liquids/syrups 1.7pc, chemical products 0.7pc, billets/ingots 0.5pc, cement -0.3, glass sheet 0.4pc, jeeps & cars 1.3pc and furniture 1.2pc. Textile, the top contributing sector to the overall big industry output, increased by 4.1pc, food 9.8pc, tobacco 12.9pc, clothing apparel 49.7pc, chemicals 9pc, automobiles 52.7 per cent, iron and steel products 16.5pc, leather products 0.6pc, wood products 125pc, paper and board 8.9pc, cock and petroleum products 1.7pc, chemical products 9pc, fertilisers 2.8pc, machinery and equipment 12.8pc, furniture 233.1pc and other manufacturing (football) 43pc during 11MFY22 compared to 11MFY21.

China, Pakistan discuss expanding CPEC into Afghanistan ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Monday discussed ways to further expand multi-billion-dollar project of China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.

During a meeting with China’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, the two officials exchanged views on the political and security situation in Afghanistan, humanitarian assistance by Pakistan and China to Afghanistan, and other matters of mutual interest.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Office, Mahmood Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood stressed the importance of de-freezing of Afghanistan’s foreign reserves and facilitation of banking operations to ease the economic hardships of the Afghan people and help build a sustainable economy.

He also underlined the importance for the Afghan side to address the international community’s expectations regarding: Inclusivity Respect for the rights of all Afghans Girls’ education Effective counter-terrorism measures He also underscored Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and connected Afghanistan.

The foreign secretary highlighted the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including Pakistan’s relief efforts in the wake of the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan on 22 June 2022.

In the context of regional connectivity, both sides exchanged views on the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan to promote economic development and prosperity.

He underscored that the international community’s focus should not be diverted from the dire situation in Afghanistan owing to events taking place elsewhere.

While emphasising continued constructive engagement and practical cooperation with the interim Afghan authorities, Mahmood highlighted the central role of platforms such as Troika Plus and six neighbouring countries of Afghanistan in advancing shared goals.

Special Envoy Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong appreciated the important and constructive role played by Pakistan in the context of Afghanistan. Both sides agreed that only a peaceful, stable and connected Afghanistan could “act as a fulcrum for enhanced regional trade and connectivity”.

Earlier, the Chinese envoy held talks with his counterpart, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Ambassador (r) Mohammad Sadiq. Both sides took stock of the evolving situation and discussed humanitarian assistance, infrastructure development, as well as trade and transit initiatives.

03

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

04 NEWS

RS12.92 MN Relief PRovided To PlAiNTiffS oN oMbudSMAN’S oRdeR LAHORe

o

Staff report

N the order of the Punjab Ombudsman retired Maj. Azam Suleman Khan, a cumulative relief of Rs12.92 million has been provided to complainants of different districts in their cases relating to provincial government departments.

In a statement issued on Monday, a spokesperson of the agency said the studying children of Ghulam Farid of Lahore have been provided talent scholarships worth Rs0.3 million by the Punjab Workers Welfare Fund (PWWF) on the orders of the

provincial ombudsman.

In another case, he added that a sum of Rs2.4 million has been released to construct a boundary wall of Govt. Girls High School Dandian in Kamoki tehsil.

The spokesman informed the Office of the Ombudsman moderated for payment of Rs2.8 million to Allah Wasaya of Kasur as pension arrears and also intervened in the payment of employment dues of Rs1.2 million to Sardar Masih of Faisalabad.

Similarly, Sarfraz Khan of Jhang district succeeded in eking out the pending amount of Rs1.8 million of his sugarcane crop after the involve-

ment of the ombudsman’s office, he mentioned.

The spokesman further stated that Rs1.7 million was paid to a Mianwali-based government contractor namely Khaliq Dad Khan. Rs1.3 million was released to Abdul Ghafoor Dar of Gujrat as arrears in addition to the issuance of a family pension to him.

In another development, Rs0.5 million were paid to Ali Ramzan of Sialkot as a death grant and Muhammad Tariq of Nankana Sahib was given Rs0.3 million as arrears of payments for services rendered to the Buildings Department.

The spokesman noted that ar-

rears worth Rs0.2 million are paid to Muhammad Afzal of Rahim Yar Khan in addition to the restoration of the monthly grant of the provincial welfare fund.

In a separate development, Rs0.1 million is released to Syed Khadim Hussain of Gujranwala as rent arrears of his building and an educational stipend of Rs50,000 from the welfare fund has also been paid to Rajab Ali of Toba Tek Singh on the instructions of the ombudsman’s office, concluded the spokesman.

The complainants have thanked the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab for the protection of their legal rights.

Bilawal, Asif Zardari pay tribute to Shahnawaz Bhutto on 37th martyrdom anniversary News Desk

PM lauds Hamza for holding ‘peaceful’ by-polls, Maryam for ‘best campaign’ News Desk Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his gratitude to the PML-N leaders and workers for their tireless efforts in the by-elections of Punjab. In a tweet on Monday, he said Vice President of PML-N Maryam Nawaz ran the best election campaign for the party. He said the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz deserves congratulations over peaceful conduct of the elections.

Shaukat Tarin demands election, caretaker setup, to end political uncertainty

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari paid glowing tributes to the Shaheed Shahnawaz Bhutto on his 37th martyrdom day.

Bilawal said Shahnawaz Bhutto was the extraordinary leader, democrat and had revolutionary thinker.

Bilawal said that Shaheed Shahnawaz Bhutto will always live in the hearts of the party leadership, Jiyalas and people.

He further said that Shahnawaz Bhutto’s determination, struggle and sacrifice is an example for every

political worker fighting for the rights of the people.

“Pakistan People’s Party will not let the sacrifices of its martyrs go in vain. We are firmly determined that we will establish a society based on the supremacy of the constitution and parliament and equality in our country,” he said.

He asked party workers to pray for the departed soul. Former president Asif Ali Zardari said that Shahnawaz Bhutto struggled against the dictator.

Asif Zardari also paid tributes to Nusrat Bhutto and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for bearing the loss of such important figure in their life.

WB approves $200 mn to increase agricultural resilience IsLAMABAD Monitoring report

The World Bank has approved $200 million in financing to increase Pakistan’s agricultural resilience and support Punjab in transforming the agricultural sector.

“The agricultural sector in Punjab is central to Pakistan’s economy and food security as it accounts for 73 percent of the country’s total food production,” the lender said in a statement.

The financing is being made under the “Punjab Resilient and Inclusive Agriculture Transformation Project,” which will support farmers in implementing innovative, climate-smart technologies to help the Punjab government achieve

economies of scale to transform the agricultural sector, the statement said.

The project will engage the private sector in sourcing appropriate technologies and providing training tailored for water user associations and individual households to improve water conservation practices and agriculture productivity, it said.

The World Bank also highlighted that the project will benefit about 190,000 small, family-owned farms and 1.4 million acres of irrigated land in rural communities in the province, adding that it will also provide training to small- and medium-sized farm owners on water conservation and more sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural practices, including for women.

KP to immediately release funds for near-completion projects

Nazim Jokhio murder: Jam Awais, others have to face murder charge News Desk

IsLAMABAD aziz Buneri

News Desk Former finance minister Shaukat Tarin on Monday has urged the government to announce election and bring a strong caretaker setup in the country. Commenting over the situation after Sunday’s by-election result, he said it has increased political instability in the country. Tarin urged for a strong caretaker government having understanding of the market, “We have to move forward to end the political instability for economic betterment of the country,” he said. A situation of uncertainty will prevail till the new elections are announced, he said. “They are aware that they will not remain in power till August 2023,” he said. “The government has already reached to the technical agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The agreement will not be affected if a caretaker government comes into power,” Tarin further said. “A caretaker setup comes with the consensus of all stakeholders, we as well as the PDM will cooperate with the finance minister of the interim government,” he further said. ” They have already taken very harsh decisions, still the rupee is falling down,” he said. “I was expecting that the rupee will come down below 200 but the matter has worsened,” former finance minister said.

“The dollar is gaining strength owing to the political instability,” the former minister added.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government decided to immediately release funds to the projects which couldn’t be completed because of financial crisis in the previous financial year.

The administrative departments have been asked to provide relevant details of such projects so that it could be completed without further delay.

The departments will submit details of funds for the projects, work so far done and payments made to the contractors.

Similarly, details of re-allocation for these projects, details of cheques issued to contractors which couldn’t be cashed till June 30 and details of cheques which were refused to be cashed by the Accountant General’s Office have been sought from all departments. Upon receipt, the Finance Department will release funds for these

projects.

A letter issued by the Development and Planning Department said that due to financial crisis in the previous financial year, the provincial government couldn’t release

funds for the nearing completion projects after reallocation of funds. As a result, payments to contractors also halted therefore, it has been decided to immediately release funds to such projects.

A local court partially rejected the investigation officer’s report in Nazim Jokhio murder case on Monday. “The investigation officer is not empowered to acquit an accused”, Malir court said in its written order over the report of the IO of the high profile murder case. “The court is empowered to accept or reject the investigation officer’s section 173 report,” the order read. “It is upto the court to decide on acquittal of accused in the light of case evidence,” the decision read. The court removed the names of six accused including Jam Abdul Kareem MNA from the case. “These six accused were not named in the murder FIR,” the court said. The court also acquitted Ahmed and Abdul Razzaq from the case. “All evidences prove that the crime has been committed, Jam Awais has to face the case,” the court ordered while rejecting the investigation officer’s report with regard to removing the name of Jam Awais from the case. “The role of accused Doda Khan, Niaz Salar, Mohammad Mairaj, Mohammad Saleem, Mohammad Zahid and Mohammad Soomar also proved in the crime”, according to the court order. “The accused have to face charges in the case against them,” court said. It is to be mentioned here that the investigation officer had recommended excluding the names of 13 accused including Jam Abdul Karim and Jam Awais in his report on the high profile murder case. In October last year, the family of Nazim Jokhio said that PPP MPA Jam Awais Gohram Jokhio and his men had allegedly tortured Nazim Jokhio to death as he tried to stop his foreign guests from hunting houbara bustards in the Memon Goth area of Karachi.

05-NEWS 19 July 2022_Layout 1 7/19/2022 1:19 AM Page 1

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

05

KAshMIr’s ACCessIOn TO PAKIsTAn resOluTIOn DAy wIll Be helD On July 19

A

news desk

LL is set to observe 75th Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan Day on July 19 by the people of Jammu & Kashmir, living both sides of the line of control and rest of the world. The day dawn with a renewal of the pledge to continue the struggle for the achievement of the right to self determination and to translate the idea of accession of entire Jammu Kashmir state to Pakistan under the spirit of the historic resolution passed this day in 1947.

Wide scale programs have been chalked out to observe Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan Day throughout Azad Jammu Kashmir, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and in other parts of the world – where Kashmiris are living, to observe the historic day in order to

strengthen and promote the ideology of accession of entire Jammu Kashmir state to Pakistan.

It will be a public holiday on this occasion to facilitate the masses to participate in the special programs, an AJK government spokesperson confirmed to APP here on Monday.

July 19 is observed as Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan Day by the Kashmiris living either side of the line of control and other parts of the world every year with the renewal of pledge to continue the ongoing indigenous struggle for freedom of occupied Jammu Kashmir from the Indian subjugation. t would also to translate the idea of accession of entire Jammu Kashmir state to Pakistan into reality under the spirit of the historic resolution passed on July 19 in 1947.

The people of Jammu Kashmir state

CORPORATE CORNER Power suspension schedules for today ISLAMABAD: According to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)’s spokesman, System Maintenance/Development Work is in process. Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 19th July, From 07:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, New Kliam, Old Kliam, HPT-III, Industrial, Islamabad Feed Mill, Jhata Hatial, Bisali, Pind Jatla, Reliance Weaving Mill, Industrial, Bhal, Jarrar Camp, Main Bazar, Murt, Madina Town, Malkwal, Tumir, Tramiree feeders, From 07:00 am to 11:00 am, Kalar City, Dhok Najo, Raja Sultan, Eid Gah, Bagh Sardaran, Mohammadi Chowk, Khayaban Sirsyed, Ali Market, TB Hospital feeders and surroundings will be closed. IESCO management apologizes to its esteemed customers for the power outage. If the work is completed ahead of time, the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled time and the surrounding power will be cut off. Press release

CDA Board takes up key agenda items ISLAMABAD: Meeting of the Capital Development Authority Board was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Chairman Capital Development Authority at CDA Headquarters. The meeting was attended by the members of the CDA board. During the meeting, different agendas were taken into consideration and various projects were also approved. The CDA Board during its meeting approved handing over the affairs of metro bus service to a private company at the comparatively lowest rate of all the metro bus services operating in Pakistan. Similarly, approval was also given in the meeting for the construction of segregated tracks for Green and Blue Line buses to FWO under section (42) F of PPRA rules. Moreover, approval was given to award contracts to NLC for construction of metro stations at various locations. Similarly, summary for consultancy for public transport was also presented in the meeting. The board directed to revise the summary and present it in the next board meeting. Press release

PBM chief visits KP Office ISLAMABAD: Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), Amir Fida Paracha pays visit to the Provincial Office of the institution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

He reviewed the effectiveness of the ongoing welfare projects in the province, receiving a detailed briefing from Provincial Director Qazi Zafar Iqbal. On this occasion, the Managing Director issued instructions to further standardize the facilities provided in the ‘PBM Dastarkwhan’ and ‘Shelter Homes’. He emphasized to provide the state-ofthe-art facilities in dignified way to the daily wage earners, poor persons, laborers and other deprived people of the area. He reiterated his determination for taking all the possible measures to provide facilities to the disadvantaged and weak people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, regardless political affiliation. Along with this, Amir Fida Paracha instructed to devise an effective action plan to improve the already ongoing welfare projects of the organization. Managing Director PBM, also reviewed the relief activities for the people affected by the recent floods and torrential rains in Chitral and urged to support the victims at their doorsteps.

launched the struggle under the spirit of the said resolution for the liberation of their motherland from the yoke of dogra rule and later from the unlawful and forcible hold of Indian imperialism.

This freedom struggle of Kashmiris is continuing with full vigor since over last 75 years.

However since over last 32 years, the liberation movement has attained momentum after the people of Indian illegally Jammu Kashmir stood up launching their indigenous struggle against the long subjugation over their motherland.

Special ceremonies will be hosted in all small and major towns and cities of Azad Jammu Kashmir during the Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan week to highlight the importance of the early implementation of the ideology of accession of Jammu Kashmir state to Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif is now Islamabad’s premier only, says Sh Rashid news desk Commenting on the defeat inflicted by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in day’s by-elections on 20 Punjab Assembly seats, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid on Monday said that now Shehbaz Sharif’s premiership

had confined to the federal capital’s territory only.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the game was over for the PML-N and other parties, which had formed the coalition government in the centre by ganging-up against the PTI. Rashid said it would be better if PM Shehbaz dissolved the assemblies.

“The reason why the PML-N and other parties had come to power was that their leaders wanted to get corruption references against them waived off,” he alleged.

The senior politician said that the PML-N-led government was harassing the PTI and its allies in the Punjab. “But the truth is that now PTI Chairman Imran Khan has

SINDH LG POLLS

MQM seeks restraining order from Supreme Court news desk The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has sought restraining order from the Supreme Court against second phase of the local government elections in Sindh on Monday.

Barrister Farogh Naseem requested the apex court again for urgent hearing of the petition filed by the MQM-P. The MQM had filed a petition in the Supreme Court after its plea in the Sindh High Court was rejected.

The party has sought the top court to issue a restraining order against local government elections in Sindh prior to proper legislation over the matter.

The court has also been requested to fix hearing of the case on July 20 in Islamabad.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) had rejected a plea in June from major political parties including the MQM-P to delay the local government elections.

The SHC while rejecting the plea to halt elections had directed the ECP to hold the polls in the province as per the schedule. The first phase of the election was held in June, while the second phase is scheduled on July 24.

It is pertinent to mention here that the top political

parties had agreed to ask the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to delay local government elections in Sindh. The political parties that have agreed to defer local government elections included Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

The consensus among the parties emerged during a meeting of the steering committee on changes in local government act in the province.

emerged as a ‘national hero’,” Rasheed said, adding that now he (Imran) would send his all political opponents home.

Former interior minister stressed that it was time to immediately announce general elections. “We should all sit together and form a caretaker government as a pre-requisite for the elections,” he asserted.s

Coalition leaders vow to sail, sink together in wake of PTI's surprise win Continued from page 01 With 10 more votes of PML-Q, Elahi’s victory is certain. The sources said PM Shehbaz will summon a meeting of the coalition parties to formulate the future political strategy as the ‘surprising’ by-polls results intensified the calls for early general elections. The party insiders said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah presented the detailed analytical report of each constituency where the party lost the elections. As per the report, the PML-N workers and supporters rejected the ‘turncoats,’ who defected from the PTI. The party officials, workers and former local body representatives did not run the robust election campaign, said the report.

Moreover, the report added that PML-N-led government’s tough economic decisions to secure the IMF bailout package played a major role in the defeat. Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) under “the direct supervision of Imran Khan”, ran a sordid campaign to defame national institutions that is tantamount to undermine Pakistan. In a tweet, the prime minister said that every speech “Imran Niazi delivers shows how unfit he is to hold public office”. He added that Imran Khan was rewriting Machiavellian principles of politics in his lust for power.

PTI set to elect its Chief Minister Punjab on July 22 Continued from page 01 The party selected very weak candidates for the elections in Lahore. Similarly, there is anger within the party about Nazir Chauhan, but he was given the party ticket. Meanwhile, the party resigned from its MPAs and further reduced its numbers in the assembly. If we look at the current situation, now if the byelections are held in those constituencies where the elected members have resigned, will the PML-N win from there?” he said.

The PML-N leader believed that even before these by-elections, there were differences in the leadership of the party which was also seen in the processions and a clear division was visible in the PML-N. “There was a clear gap between the long-time workers of PML-N and the workers who left and joined PTI. In each constituency, there was a nominated candidate of the PML-N and another long-time party worker stood as an independent candidate. Similarly, the voter was also in a dilemma whether to vote

CmYk

for the one who is the identity of the PML-N in this constituency or the one who was contesting the election against the PML-N in 2018.

Compared to the PTI, there was also a severe lack of narrative in PML-N as Imran Khan made the narrative of foreign conspiracy and inflation popular among the people and the proof of which was Imran Khan’s large gatherings in every constituency,” he added. However, on the other hand, a senior leader of PTI informed on the assurance of anonymity that in view of the current situation, PTI cannot change the CM candidate now.

“Since the election of CM is now in process, PTI cannot change its candidate now despite having such a majority. The second is that PTI is not even in a position to exclude Chaudhary from its Punjab politics.

After the results of the by-elections, there is a strong possibility that Parvez Elahi will be elected CM with a simple majority in the House but on the other hand, there is concern in some circles of PTI about making Pervaiz Elahi the Chief Minister. One of the main rea-

sons is that some quarters of the party believe that Chaudhary will not prove to be as helpful and loyal to the leadership of PTI as Usman Buzdar was. Buzdar used to complete all kinds of assignments given by the PTI leadership on a phone call, but Chaudhary probably won’t and if Chaudhary remains the Chief Minister of Punjab for one year, he will further pave his way for the next election,” he said.

The said leader also claimed that PTI was being blackmailed by Chaudhry Pervez Elahi in a difficult time and there was anger in the party about his behavior. “When the no-confidence motion was moved against our Prime Minister, it was Pervez Elahi who used to say that the PTI government lacked 100 percent wisdom and that our government was taking decisions in panic and anger. It was also Pervaiz Elahi who was also considering the offers of the opposition at that time and making Asif Ali Zardari the guarantor of his dealings with opposition. Pervaiz Elahi only wants the post of Chief Minister for which he has been meeting with the opposition even in difficult times,” he added.

06-07 Comments - 19th July 2022_Layout 1 7/19/2022 12:02 AM Page 1

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022

06 COMMENT

On reading nonfiction

Landslide victory for PTI Need for Imran Khan to overcome fear of talks

And why it makes fiction so unattractive

t

HE PtI has managed to win 14 out of the 20 Punjab Assembly seats contested on Sunday’s bye-polls. this despite Maryam Nawaz competing with IK in addressing the election rallies and a number of PML-N ministers joining the campaign after resigning from their posts. It appears that while the army and the judiciary have dismissed the PtI’s narrative of foreign intervention leading to the fall of its government , majority of the voters have accepted it. there is a perception that while the PML-N and its allies were on a winning spree in by-elections held last year because of their narrative of fighting against the anti-people government-establishment collusion, the PDM has no powerful narrative to inspire the people this time. An antiestablishment PML-N was more acceptable to voters than a ruling PML-N which had enhanced their economic sufferings. Sharif was also accused of pandering to dynastic politics by getting his son appointed CM of Punjab. It has also been suggested that amendments made in the NAB law were aimed at benefiting the ruling alliance’s top leadership. As the PML-N nominated PtI deserters as its candidates, this too annoyed numerous party voters who refused to support imported candidates.

All these factors contributed to the PML-N’s discomfiture. there were however a number of positive developments too. By de-seating all the 20 defectors the ECP sent a message that defection carried a price. Another positive development was a significant control over violence resulting in a largely peaceful election. the fears of the manipulation of electoral process to keep PtI out of power have turned out to be baseless. Had there been an administration level move to manipulate elections the results of the crucial by-polls would have been altogether different. this should provide IK confidence in the ECP. Instead of taking resort to power shows he would do well to persuade other players.

IK wants snap polls. Instead of issuing ultimatums, he needs to negotiate with leaders of other political parties on the issue. Another issue that needs mutual consultation is the state of the national economy. Understandings reached with the IMF and financial assistance being sought from friendly countries require a national consensus. this can be developed through talks between the government and opposition. It is time for all major parties to come together to develop consensus on an electoral schedule and matters related to economy.

HASAN AFTAB SAEED

T

HE problem with nonfiction is that once you get accustomed to reading it you cannot read fiction any more. At any rate that is what happens to the more intelligent people. I know many smart individuals who underwent that transition. I used to be a voracious fiction reader myself. Now the mind simply refuses to accept investing time and effort in reading fiction – the sole exception being Shafiq-ur-Rahman’s stories. It is true that many people continue to read and cherish fiction till an advanced age – and many of them are intelligent people – but my contention is that that is mainly because they have only ever read fiction all their lives, and have never tasted the joys of nonfiction. truth is indeed stranger than fiction: How an electron behaves and how massive bodies deform space itself are no doubt more ‘fantastic’ concepts than anything conjured up by the minds of the most imaginative of fiction writers. that being said, few nonfiction readers are interested in the broad outlines of quantum mechanics or the general theory of relativity – fewer still in their intricacies. What then, if not the strangerthan-fiction theory, explains why readers tend to gravitate towards nonfiction, with fiction becoming less and less attractive as they progress in life?

Learning from global experiences necessary

We owe the women of Bajaur more

t

HE decision by a jirga in a tehsil in the Bajaur district of the former FAtA to bar the entry to women to recreational spaces reeks of a medievalism that is sadly alive and well in many parts of the country. What makes it worse is that the jirga was convened and organised not by some friends group up in arms against the state, but by the JUI-F, a member of the current ruling coalition. this newspaper would not like to fall into the trap of cautioning how developments like these would put Pakistan in a bad light in the international community.

Our image in the world is something that we should take seriously but it should not be our very first priority. Our very first priority should be the well-being of the citizens of the republic itself. Even if news of this shameful development weren’t made public and there was no prospect of intentional disrepute, it would still be an absolutely unacceptable situation.

Women make up half the country. to deny them the right to go out of their homes barring travel and the most serious of emergencies, is to deny them their humanity itself. the fight against obscurantism is a long slog we have ahead of us. From leading Muslim armies in the Arab world, to playing pivotal roles in local history, like the Malala of Maiwand, Razia Sultana and the like, to the current age, we have lived through centuries, yet seem to have gone further back in time.

It is hoped that the local administration and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will intervene and make sure that these claustrophobic restrictions are not imposed on the women of the area. the right to live a full life must be ensured.

Dr. ABDuS SATTAr ABBASi

I

t was astonishing to notice a thirty-eight-yearold story in an English daily on Monday August 13, 1984 stating, “Well-to-do families had to go without meals in the posh Defence Society. the whole area resembles an island, with six to eighteen inches of standing water around each house as well as on the approach roads. Children have not gone to school since tuesday last.” Another surprise was listening to the CM Sindh during a press conference on July 14, 2022, “We all were on the roads including me, ministers, administrator and other officials to resolve the situation. Day before yesterday when there was a little break in the rain I was out on the roads risking my car to sink just behind the High Court. However, yesterday entire four to five feet of water was completely drained. In the same manner every part of the city except old city area was clean.”

It is this misconception which exposes us to such disastrous situations every year that during the disaster I was there on the ground, I was visible, I was present.

It is good that leaders are at the forefront at the time of disaster and crisis but once disaster has unfolded then there is little left to prevent the consequences.

With such a predictable history of urban flooding in Karachi, it is unconceivable that every year our government officials appear on media with lame excuses and blame games. In the same press conference CM Sindh mentioned about heavy rains of 2020 which were more than 400 millimetres, in 2003, 2006, 2009 & 2011 Karachi witnessed almost 300 millimetres of rain in the monsoon, in 2007 & 2010 it was around 400 millimetres. I remember in 1992 I was in Karachi to attend a training program when one day al-

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Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami M. A. Niazi

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Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction: How an electron behaves and how massive bodies deform space itself are no doubt more ‘fantastic’ concepts than anything conjured up by the minds of the most imaginative of fiction writers.

The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

Disaster prevention and mitigation

Shameful decision

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Before venturing to answer the question, let me acknowledge that the line between fiction and nonfiction is somewhat blurred – what is nonfiction for one individual may be fiction for another. For example, there are those who maintain that the memoir, the biography, the autobiography, the correspondence, the interview, the self-help guide and the political column are for the most part fantasy rather than nonfiction. Similarly, philosophy was famously declared a form of fiction by Bertrand Russell, himself a first-rate philosopher. I once saw a photograph where a book entitled ‘Female Intelligence’ had been placed in the ‘Fiction’ section of a bookstore, no doubt by somebody possessing a wicked sense of humour (somebody had been thoughtful enough to share the image on the social media for the benefit of humanity at large). On a more serious note, a convincing case can be made that much of what is published in scientific journals, textbooks, and popular science magazines on evolution and psychology (on the latter, by adherents of the Behaviourist school) is more fiction than nonfiction. I have touched on some of these issues in an earlier piece, so I do not propose to take them up here. therefore, for our purposes, anything presented as nonfiction will be considered nonfiction. the one indubitable merit of nonfiction is that it deals with the real world around us. In contrast, fiction deals with the world of make-believe. this distinction is valid. But it is sometimes said that fiction is read for pleasure while nonfiction is read to enrich oneself.

Most intelligent people would not accept this neat classification, however. Because although one mark of the intelligent mind is to be constantly on the lookout to educate itself, pleasure and enrichment are not necessarily distinct as far as the intelligent man is concerned.

For him, there are few activities more pleasurable than striving to know more and more about the world around him. His preference for nonfiction, to the extent of ultimately shunning fiction altogether, then boils down to self-education more than anything else.

In nonfiction, as in fiction, there is no end to the list of books one would like to read. But in the case of nonfiction there is a certain coherence and unity in the process that is lacking when it comes to reading fiction.

Because nonfiction deals with the real world, anything read today is inexorably linked with anything else that was read earlier, or will be read in future. Reading nonfiction, then, is akin to seeing different parts of the same bigger picture – the picture of reality in this case – with that picture becoming clearer and fuller in the mind of the reader, ever so slowly but surely.

Let there be no mistake that the intelligent man loves beautiful mornings, enchanting evenings, and the magical colours of nature. He enjoys all these things as much as the next man does. He has no beef with raging fires in the hearts of the young at heart either. In fact, he is not averse to having an occasional fire or two in his own heart as well.

But once he figures out how much there is to know and how satisfying and fulfilling the process of knowing is, he inevitably realizes that he has little patience, and even less time, for interminable descriptions of choruses of melodic birdsongs, warmly glowing city streets, the rising sun casting rosy hues across the horizon, and flurries of early-morning activities the bright mornings bring.

In the end, and in fairness to fiction, I owe it to my readers to acknowledge one major merit of fiction, although for all I know that could be true only for me: Fiction helps one go to sleep immediately upon picking up the book, get some well-deserved rest and be up and around for next morning’s chorus of melodic birdsongs, the rising sun casting rosy hues across the horizon, and the flurry of early morning activity the morrow brings.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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most everyone in the office was in panic after lunch and wanted to leave the office to reach home safely.

We also left office but the driver couldn’t arrive to pick us due to heavy waters on the roads, we decided to walk to the hotel but it was a terrible decision, we made to the hotel with lots of difficulties. Rain-induced flooding killed 21 in Baluchistan last year and 135 died this year so far with hundreds homeless. In the same manner there is a consistent pattern of flooding in Punjab and KPK. According to a report Pakistan has witnessed 20 major floods; in 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2010, 2011, and 2012; we can also include 2016 in the list and 2020 with historic urban flooding of in Karachi.

If a nation is subject to a disaster with such a consistency, then it is indeed the responsibility of government officials to ensure concrete disaster prevention and mitigation mechanism which remains in place to meet any unexpected situation. In case of floods there are always warnings which we notice prior to any incidence. I was in Almaty, Kazakhstan when 2005 earthquake hit Pakistan.

Almaty witnessed a major earthquake probably in 1970s. After the earthquake our defence attaché, in a meeting of the community, informed the Pakistani diaspora about the preparation of Kazakhstan for any unexpected earthquake to accommodate the need of entire city and appreciated the government of Kazakhstan for donating to Pakistan state of the art mobile hospital and tents with complete facilities including transportable toilets, which were picked by a special flight of Pakistan International Airline (PIA).

Disaster prevention and mitigation has emerged as a science, it includes preparedness and capacity of response & recovery. Projections about the scale of the disaster keeping in view the historic trends, analysing exposure to the calamity e.g. in case of flooding vulnerable residential areas, underpasses, roads, health facilities, poorly maintained levee system and deferred infrastructure maintenance of more than 50 storm water drains (nalas) of Karachi and Nala Lai in Rawalpindi etc. can help relevant departments to ensure effective and efficient disaster prevention and mitigation mechanism.

According to a report published by the tulane University Louisiana, New Orleans, “Mitigation and pre-

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

vention efforts aim to reduce the potential damage and suffering that disaster can cause. Mitigation specifically refers to actions taken that can lessen the severity of a disaster’s impact. Investing in measures that limit hazards which can greatly reduce the burden of disasters. Strategies to protect vulnerable communities and limit hazards include: raising awareness about potential hazards and how to address them, educating the public about how to properly prepare for different types of disaster, installing and strengthening prediction and warning systems and building partnerships between sectors and agencies at the federal, provincial, and local levels to collaborate on mitigation projects.”

We notice same trends over the years specifically in the case of monsoon flooding. We can mark those areas, we can ensure appropriate maintenance for flow of water to the level it has been recorded historically, we can budget required amounts to purchase relevant equipment for road drainage system etc. According to Rodex Network, “the primary purpose of a road drainage system is to remove the water from the road and its surroundings. the road drainage system consists of two parts: dewatering and drainage. Dewatering means the removal of rainwater from the surface of the road. Drainage on the other hand covers all the different infrastructural elements to keep the road structure dry.

In Sweden dewatering is further divided into two parts: runoff and dewatering. Runoff covers the water flowing from the surface of the pavement via road shoulders and inner slopes to the ditches. Dewatering covers the collection and transport of water from the surface and structure of the road so that there will be no ponds on the road or in the ditches.” tulane University report further suggests, “Disaster readiness calls for contingency planning, advance decisions about managing human and monetary resources, coordinating procedures between different agencies, and organizing logistics.

Contingency plans answer three basic questions: What will happen? What will the response be? What will be done ahead of time to prepare?”

I think decision makers can abundantly benefit from global experiences to reduce human sufferings and minimize losses due to persistent natural calamities we notice almost every year in Pakistan.

It is good that leaders are at the forefront at the time of disaster and crisis but once disaster has unfolded then there is little left to prevent the consequences.

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is Associate Professor of Management Sciences and head, Center of Islamic Finance, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

06-07 Comments - 19th July 2022_Layout 1 7/19/2022 12:02 AM Page 2

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Deer Hunting

The evolving situation in IIOJ&K Almost three year later, international community remains silent on Kashmir HirA AuSAF SHAFi

T

HE region of Jammu and Kashmir is currently under India’s illegal occupation. the Kashmir dispute traces its roots well before the 1947 partition of the Indian Subcontinent. However, post-1947, the Kashmir region is identified as a territorial dispute between Pakistan and India. the region of IIOJ&K carries within it harrowing tales of gross human rights abuses, high militarization, extrajudicial killings, rapes, tortures, and enforced disappearances. In continuation of its oppressive polices, on 5th August 2019, the Indian State revoked the special status of IIOJ&K granted to it through Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. this move dismantled the thin autonomy granted to IIOJ&K. Following the revocation of Article 370, IIOJ&K was placed under a lockdown- composing of media blackout, increased militarization, restriction of movement, unbridled crackdowns and unchecked human rights violation. Most recently, Indian Government is seeking delimitation of IIOJK as means to suppress political rights of the local population. the Article 370 served as the basis for IIOJ&K’s disputed accession to India. the Article came into effect in 1949, allowing IIOJ&K to draft its own laws except for in matters related to defense, communication and foreign affairs. the Article enabled IIOJ&K to establish its separate constitution along with a separate flag. Article 35A came into effect through a Presidential order in 1954, it gave IIOJ&K the right to preserve its demography by defining its permanent residents by preventing nonresident settlements. Article 35A was introduced through a presidential order in 1954 to continue the old provisions of the territory regulations under Article 370 of the Indian constitution. A core tenant of BJP election campaigning in 2014 revolved around the revisionist notions of ‘Akhund Bharat’ and revocation of Article(s) 370 and 35-A- a move which finally materialized on 5th August,2019. the abrogation of the articles not only denies the Kashmiri’s of IIOJ&K their thin autonomy, but also enables settlers to acquire land in the region and transform the regions demography, by titling the favor against Muslim majority areas. the Article 370 offered a special status to the region of IIOJ&K under the “temporary, transitional and Special Provisions” of the Indian Constitution. the Constituent Assembly of IIOJ&K was given the mandate to determine what sections of the Indian Constitution would apply to IIOJ&K and determine the fate of Article 370.

However, the Constituent Assembly dissolved it-

self in 1957- without calling for the abrogation of Article 370. Since then, the Article 370 has been seen as a permanent feature of the Indian Constitution. Pro-BJP voices claim that the abrogation of Article 370 does not require concurrence of the state constituent assembly. However, in 2015, the High Court of IIOJ&K in its ruling stated that Article 370 cannot be abrogated, repealed or amended. While in 2018, the Supreme Court of India opined that Article 370 has attained a permanent status in the Indian Constitution. these legal rulings indicate that India’s 5th August, 2019 Presidential Order to revoke Article 370 stands in violation of its own constitutional rulings. Moreover, the disputed Instrument of Accession- which India views as sacrosanct to justify its occupation of J&K, also states that the state of IIOJ&K cannot be compelled to accept the Constitution of India. the Article 370 was not meant to be revoked unilaterally especially without the consent of the people of IIOJK. Legal experts opine that the slow erosion of Article 370 was underway since 1957, as India made multiple provisions of the Constitution of India applicable to Jammu and Kashmir in the absence of the State Constituent Assembly. In August 2019, another important Act was enacted by the Indian Parliament, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. through this act the State of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two union territories- the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union territory of Ladakh, this paved way for the recent delimitation of new constituencies in the region.

According to Indian legal expert Faizan Mustafa, the Instrument of Accession itself can be seen as a pact between two sovereign states- thereby giving the Instrument the character of an international treaty. therefore, any unilateral changes to that treaty may well place J&K in its preagreement status as a sovereign state. In 1948, India referred the Kashmir dispute to United Nations, which culminated in shape of UN Security Council Resolution 47, calling for a plebiscite based on the will of the Kashmiri people. India recurrently dilutes the directives of the UN resolution by stating that as per the Simla Agreement, India and Pakistan should seek bilateral resolution of disputes. Pak-

In May 2022, the Indian Delimitation Commission finalized a new plan for the delimitation of new constituencies in IIOJ&K. In regards to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the commission has proposed increase in seats in Jammu Division from 37 to 43.

istan’s concerns regarding the abject human right violations in IIOJ&K are thus shrugged off by India as ‘India’s internal matter’. However, two important factors are overlooked by India while terming its violations in IIOJK as an ‘internal matter’. the first is that right to self-determination is an established principle under International Law. International law recognizes both external and internal right to self-determination which under external situation applies to circumstances in which a community is oppressed or the central government does not legitimately represent the group of people it controls. While internal self-determination grants communities to choose their own sociopolitical systems. Moreover, even if India regards Kashmir as an ‘internal matter’ it is still failing on the global commitment of Responsibility to Protect, a global commitment which Indian Government shies from embracing. the Responsibility to Protect calls governments to prevent its populations from mass atrocities such as genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity. Secondly, even the 1972 Simla Agreement states that both countriesPakistan and India are to resolve their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations or by any other peaceful means mutually agreed upon between them. Neither party shall unilaterally alter a situation which could be detrimental to peaceful relations. the abrogation of Article 370 thus violations the spirit of the Simla Agreement, especially since the Agreement makes a clear reference to the status of IIOJ&K and acknowledges that the dispute awaits a final settlement and that neither side should unilaterally alter the situation.

In May 2022, the Indian Delimitation Commission finalized a new plan for the delimitation of new constituencies in IIOJ&K. In regards to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the commission has proposed increase in seats in Jammu Division from 37 to 43. While the seats in Kashmir Valley have been increased from 46 to 47- the Hindu dominated Jammu region has received more seats relative its total population.

Moreover, the new seat carved in Kashmir Valley is in frontier Kupwara district, which too is dominated by BJP ally. the seat division is indicative of BJP’s intend to empower Hindu dominated regions of IIOJ&K in order to emerge as dominant political party in the disputed region in the upcoming elections.

Since the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan has repeatedly expressed its concerns over Indian violations in IIOJ&K and raised the issue at international platforms. However, it is imperative that the global community pay heed to the evolving situation in IIOJ&K and support Kashmiri right to self-determination in light of the UN resolution.

Secondly, even the 1972 Simla Agreement states that both countries- Pakistan and India are to resolve their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations or by any other peaceful means mutually agreed upon between them.

The writer is a freelance columnist

DESPItE a ban on hunting birds and deer in tharparkar, the Sindh Wildlife Department has failed to stop the hunters. A few days ago, eight deer of rare species were brutally hunted down in tharparkar. the locals love these creatures like their own children. they protested against the illegal hunting and the negligence of the relevant authorities. It is hoped that the department would wake up and take measures to stop the practice.

Recently, the people of thar gave a befitting burial to the eight Chonkara deer killed by heartless hunters in tharparkar.All burial rites were carried out and a prayer leader led a large number of Hindus and Muslims in prayer standing around the eight graves of the innocent animals as if their own family members were to be buried rather than this innocent creature. this is perhaps the first example in human history that the people of thar have buried the animals with attendance of both Hindus and Muslims. tharparkar District in eastern part of Sindh province of Pakistan is unique territory in many aspects where humans have strong emotional attachment with natural environment and both wild animals and humans live in complete harmony. the peacock flocks wander in the houses of the tharis and perch on Choonara (Cone shaped thatched huts in thar). Deer strut in the premise of the thari Homes and women suckle the young deer along with their own babies. Residents of thar defy death and stand and resist the powerful local and outsider hunters who hunt to trap and kill these beautiful wild animals. People of thar are lovers of nature to their core. they have formed action groups who resist chopping of Gugraal and other species of threatened flora in thar.

FAROOQUE AHMED SARGANI KARACHI

Ecological infrastructure tO speed up sustainable development, countries are now designing and building environmentally friendly infrastructure. It is also known as green or ecological architecture and focuses on minimising energy consumption, using clean technologies, and more. the basic idea underlying ecological infrastructure is selecting optimal materials according to energy needs. to control the energy consumption of buildings, it is crucial to install effective thermal insulation and consider the buildings’ exposure to the sun. Site location is important to ensure natural ventilation and the use of alternative energy resources i.e., solar or wind to lessen external energy input.

Instead of using imported materials, local materials should be used as they are a sustainable option. Also, reusable materials should be used so that they can be recycled after the building is demolished. For instance, earth blocks can be made on-site through the soil from the foundation.

Green spaces and waste management should be created as they can improve living conditions and support the environment. Rainwater should be collected for later use to water plants or compost organic matter. the use of natural herbal mixtures for protection against termites also helps avoid environmental pollution by reducing the emission of toxic vapours.

Sustainable construction practices and technologies can help ensure environmental efficacy and reduce the burden that construction imposes on nature. the Pakistani government should transition towards sustainable infrastructure by refurbishing existing infrastructure. Real estate developers should be encouraged to adopt sustainable practices to develop ecological infrastructure.

DR INTIKHAB ULFAT KARACHI

Disadvantage of social media tHE world has long turned into a global village with the advent of modern means of transport and communication. Distances have shrunk even further and the world now resides in our pockets thanks to widespread and easy internet access and expanding social media platforms. these digital avenues help us instantly connect with anyone living anywhere in the world and provide a range of options to keep us informed and engaged. Besides, we can learn about the prevailing global trends and see where we stand compared to the other nations. Having said that, we should not turn a blind eye to the downsides of excessive social media consumption.

Research has shown that people who spend time with family and friends tend to have low chances of suffering from anxiety and depression. A survey conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health — an independent, London-based body dedicated to improving public health — shows that depression among people has shot up by 70 per cent due to uncontrolled social media usage. Furthermore, social media has made us physically inactive and, therefore, unhealthy as we tend to spend more and more time on our screens than, say, in a park or a gym. the excessive use of mobile phones has also shortened our attention span, making focus, concentration and memorisation uphill tasks. Moreover, globalisation has severely damaged local cultures and values, making it difficult for people to connect with their own social values. Such adverse trends call for urgent measures.

ASAD AZIZ KHUSHAB

Issues of taxation tHE ‘Monthly Economic Update and Outlook’, recently released by the finance ministry’s Economic Adviser’s Wing, has anticipated that growth prospects for the economy could be marred by inflation going beyond 15 per cent and the prevailing inauspicious global environment.

It also mentioned several other macroeconomic factors that can positively or adversely impact the economy during the current fiscal year. However, the report did not mention our tax-to-GDP ratio, which I believe is one of the biggest determinants of economic growth. the current economic team recently celebrated the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) annual tax collection, which for the first time surpassed Rs6 trillion. However, it was not a matter of jubilation, but a time to reflect since the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains below 10pc. In stark contrast, Scandinavian countries boast a tax-to-GDP ratio of over 40pc, and the results are evident in their prosperity. Now, let us just assume Pakistan’s tax collection jumps from under 10pc of GDP to, say, 25pc.

We will have at least Rs10tr in additional tax revenue, which will enable the government to set aside a sufficient budget for health, education, infrastructure and industries, and thus give the economy a much-needed boost.

MUHAMMAD IQBAL BHATY KARACHI

08 WORLD VIEW 19th July 22_Layout 1 7/18/2022 9:53 PM Page 1

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

BideN’S viSit iS UNlikely to leave a mark oN US-iSrael tieS IN THE HISTORY OF US-ISRAELI RELATIONS, JOE BIDEN’S 10TH VISIT TO ISRAEL IS NOT LIKELY TO STAND OUT

jeruSalem PoST SUSAN HATTIS ROLEF

a

S a folkloric visit, President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel was undoubtedly a grand success – largely because of the American president’s inclination to concentrate on warm human gestures of one sort or another, the deeper significance of which is not always clear.

For example, his interaction with the two elderly Holocaust survivors at Yad Vashem, which lasted much longer than originally planned, created a very intimate and touching scene, whose impact was extremely powerful.

The handshake with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben-Gurion Airport when Biden arrived was another such moment. The cameras caught a long and hearty handshake between the two, even though originally it was announced there would be no handshakes in the course of Biden’s Middle East visit. The reasons were because of the corona, and diplomatic concerns connected to Biden’s refusal to shake hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

It was reported that Biden said to Netanyahu during the handshake: “You know that I love you,” which might seem surprising given the fact that it is no secret that as prime minister, Netanyahu had rubbed the Democratic leadership the wrong way

many times, and that it took Biden 10 days to call Netanyahu after the latter had congratulated him upon his victory in the 2020 presidential elections.

However, Biden was quoted in the past as having said that he once sent Netanyahu a photograph with the inscription: “Bibi, I don’t agree with a damn thing you say, but I love you.” Supposedly he is also aware of the fact that Netanyahu might well reemerge from the approaching elections in Israel as prime minister, though that is not necessarily the result that he covets.

In real-time, the pro-Netanyahu TV Channel 14 complained that the mainstream Israeli media channels were biased in their reports of the visit in general, and Biden’s warmth toward Netanyahu in particular. Channel 14 commentator Yaakov Bardugo was especially outraged because Channel 12 commentator Dana Weiss had stated that Biden ignored Netanyahu at Ben-Gurion Airport.

In fact, Weiss had missed the footage of Biden and Netanyahu shaking hands, since most of the time it was difficult to see whose hand Biden was shaking, but she was immediately corrected by her colleagues in the TV studio. Bardugo wouldn’t concede that Channel 12 was not trying to deliberately belittle Netanyahu’s status, even though the following day it gave full coverage to the 20minute meeting between Biden and Netanyahu, and broadcast Netanyahu’s full statement about the conversation.

In fact, Prime Minister Yair Lapid had been very generous with the leader of the

opposition (unlike Netanyahu’s own conduct toward Lapid, when the roles between them were reversed). Netanyahu was also on his best behavior, and didn’t push himself to the forefront.

When he recounted what he had said to Biden in their meeting, which included his criticism of the current government’s positions on Iran, he stated that when he will be prime minister again, if that will happen, he will act differently. Usually, Netanyahu speaks of when he will return to the premiership, leaving out the “if.”

ISRAEL’S STATUS IN THE MIDDLE EAST: But folklore aside, will the visit leave any long-term effects on US-Israeli relations, or on Israel’s status in the Middle East?

Despite Biden’s frequent comments about being an avid Zionist, his assurances that the US is committed to Israel’s security, his statements that he will not reverse Israel’s status in Jerusalem recognized by former president Donald Trump (though he has not ruled out re-establishing an American consulate in east Jerusalem to serve the Palestinians), his frequent statements that the US will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, and his insistence that the relations between the US and Israel just keep improving, are not necessarily borne out by the facts.

It is not clear how far the US is willing to go in concrete terms to fulfill these commitments. In fact, this has always been rather vague. Today, the US is warier than at any

No US SaNctioNS

significantly.

Israel had hoped that this would herald a new era in Israeli-Saudi relations. But Saudi spokesmen have made it clear that normalization in the relations between the two countries will come only after Israel reaches a permanent solution to its conflict with the Palestinians, based on ending the Israeli occupation and a two-state solution.

Israel is also interested in an integrated air defense cooperation, to confront possible actions by Iran against any state in the region – an issue that was also on the agenda during Biden’s visit to Jeddah. The future of this proposition is still unclear.

In short, in the history of US-Israeli relations, Joe Biden’s 10th visit to Israel is not likely to stand out, not least of all because the current Israeli leadership, in its current make-up, is unlikely to survive the November 1 elections. While President Biden might remain in power until the 2024 US presidential elections, it is unlikely that he will end up running for a second term. Whether the next US President will be another Democrat or a Republican (very possibly Donald Trump) is difficult to predict.

The writer worked in the Knesset for many years as a researcher, and has published extensively both journalistic and academic articles on current affairs and Israeli politics. Her book, Israel’s Knesset Members: A Comparative Study of an Undefined Job, will be published by Routledge on July 29.

the fall of the house of rajapaksa WITHIN SRI LANKA, PHOTOS OF PROTESTERS LOUNGING ON THE PRESIDENT’S BED AND COOKING IN HIS BACKYARD HAVE BECOME A SYMBOL OF PEOPLE’S POWER. BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO SERVE AS A WARNING TO POLITICAL DYNASTIES ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD, FROM ASIA TO LATIN AMERICA. WHEN A FAMILY DOMINATES A GOVERNMENT OR PARTY, ACCOUNTABILITY TENDS TO SUFFER, OFTEN LEADING TO CATASTROPHE. THIS CAN CAUSE EVEN THE MOST ENTRENCHED DYNASTY TO FALL

New Delhi can take comfort from likely waiver Tribune With the decks being cleared for an Indiaspecific waiver of sanctions under a United States law that imposes punitive action against countries buying weapons from Russia, there is much to take comfort from another diplomatic high point after warding off an upset West over the cheaper oil buyouts from Moscow. However, the limits of the likely breakthrough would not be lost on New Delhi as it tries to counterbalance its strategic partnerships. As the Ukraine war tests the international order, the benefits of cooperation may have prevailed over the costs of disagreement, but viewing the development as a paradigm shift in Washington’s ideological stance would be an exaggeration.

The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) had become a sticking point in India’s deal to secure the Russian S-400 missile defence system, threatening to disrupt ties cultivated with extra care by the US over more than two decades in a bid to check China’s increasingly assertive influence in Asia.

After Turkey, a NATO ally, concluded a similar deal in 2017, the US banned it from buying the F-35 stealth fighter, which the S400 system is partly designed to counter.

Expecting India to forgo Russian arms is unrealistic in the short to medium terms; the practical rationale of lower costs, timetested weapon systems and reliability plays a huge role in the dependence on Kremlin.

China’s military modernisation and expansion, with an aim to cement its global power projection capabilities, is a challenge central to both democracies. Since the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia war, India has been aggressive in defending national security and foreign policy decisions taken squarely in its interests. The Ro Khanna amendment, while affirming America’s defence partnership with India, asks for additional steps to encourage the US to take a larger strategic view over India’s defence requirements. New Delhi, on its part, would expect President Biden to prevent issues such as CAATSA looming large over every Indian arms purchase from Russia.

time since the end of World War II about committing forces overseas in general, and the Middle East in particular.

Biden also still speaks about his support of the two-state solution – which Lapid also supports, but as a transition prime minister, he is unlikely to lead the government after the elections. Netanyahu totally rejects this solution.

Benny Gantz – another potential future prime minister – has not spoken about it publicly. A year and a half ago, Gantz was actually accused by the UN emissary to the Middle East of obstructing the two-state solution by approving, as defense minister, extensive construction in West Bank Jewish settlements.

True, Biden refused to sign a statement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, to the effect that the Palestinian capital will be east Jerusalem, but he did concede that the Palestinian capital will be in east Jerusalem.

If a change will take place in the foreseeable future in Israel’s Middle East status, it will result from Biden’s meetings in Jeddah with Saudi leaders, and with the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.

Already, Saudi Arabia has announced that it will expand overflight in its airspace to all civilian aircraft. Even though Israel is not mentioned explicitly, it is understood that this includes all airlines flying to and from Israel, which will cut flying times between Israel, Central Asia and the Far East

ProjecT SyndicaTe BRAHMA CHELLANEY

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OR much of nearly two decades, the four Rajapaksa brothers and their sons have run Sri Lanka like a family business – and a disorderly one, at that. With their grand construction projects and spendthrift ways, they saddled Sri Lanka with unsustainable debts, driving the country into its worst economic crisis since independence. Now, the dynasty has fallen.

Mahinda Rajapaksa was instrumental in establishing the Rajapaksa dynasty. After becoming president in 2005, he ruled with an iron fist for a decade, attacking civil liberties, expanding presidential powers (including abolishing term limits), and making bad deal after bad deal with China. Throughout this process, he kept his family close, with his younger brother Gotabaya holding the defense portfolio.

But in 2015, Mahinda narrowly lost the presidential election, and the Rajapaksas were briefly driven from power. During that time, parliament restored the presidential term limit, ruling out another Mahinda presidency.

Yet the family quickly devised a plan to restore their dynasty: Gotabaya would renounce his US citizenship and run for president.

Gotabaya was well-positioned to win. After all, he had been defense secretary in 2009 when Mahinda ordered the final military offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels, bringing a brutal 26-year civil war to a decisive end. With that, the Rajapaksa brothers emerged as heroes among Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese majority.

To be sure, the final offensive killed as many as 40,000 civilians and sparked international accusations of war crimes. The United Nations described it as a “grave assault on the entire regime of international law.” According to Sarath Fonseka, the wartime military commander, Gotabaya ordered the summary execution of surrendering rebel leaders. In California, where he was previously domiciled, Gotabaya faces civil charges over alleged war crimes.

But the Rajapaksa brothers simply presented themselves as hardheaded custodians of Sinhalese interests.

And, thanks largely to his ethno-nationalist credentials,

Gotabaya won the 2019 election – at which point he immediately appointed Mahinda as his prime minister.

Mahinda then appointed his two sons, his other two brothers, and a nephew as ministers or to other government positions.

The same year, 277 people were killed, and hundreds more wounded, in bombings carried out by Islamist extremists on Easter Sunday. The attack highlighted tensions that had been simmering since 2009: though the military offensive marginalized the Hindu-majority Tamils, the war’s end sowed the seeds of religious conflict between the Buddhist-majority Sinhalese and Sri Lanka’s Muslims, who constitute one-tenth of the country’s population. The Easter Sunday terrorist bombings provided new ammunition for the Rajapaksas to whip up Sinhalese nationalism.

Beyond deepening ethnic and religious fault lines, Gotabaya followed his brother in establishing an imperial presidency, exemplified by the passage in 2020 of a constitutional amendment expanding the president’s power to dissolve the legislature. And he helped to push Sri Lanka further into the economic death spiral that his brother had helped create, not least through his dealings with China.

During Mahinda’s rule, as China shielded the Rajapaksas from war-crime charges at the UN, it won major infrastructure contracts in Sri Lanka and became the country’s leading lender. Debt to China piled up, incurred largely over the construction of monuments to the Rajapaksa dynasty in the family’s home district of Hambantota.

Examples include “the world’s emptiest” airport, a cricket stadium with more seats than the district capital’s population, and a $1.4 billion seaport that remained largely idle until it was signed away to China in 2017 on a 99-year lease. The most extravagant China-backed project is the $13-billion “Port City,” which is being built on land reclaimed from the sea close to the center of the capital, Colombo.

China’s larger aims in Sri Lanka were suggested in 2014, when two Chinese submarines made separate unannounced visits to Colombo, docking at a newly built container terminal owned largely by Chinese state companies.

So, China gained leverage over a country located near

some of the world’s most important shipping lanes, and Sri Lanka became increasingly mired in debt, including “hidden debt” to China from loans whose public disclosure was prohibited by their terms. But hubris prevented the Rajapaksas from recognizing the looming crisis. On the contrary, they enacted a sweeping tax cut in 2019 that wiped out a third of the country’s tax revenues.

Then the pandemic hit, crushing the tourism and garment industries – Sri Lanka’s two main foreign-exchange earners. More recently, the war in Ukraine, by triggering soaring international energy and food prices, helped to drain Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves, creating fuel, food, medicine, and electricity shortages. It was the final straw for many Sri Lankans, who took to the streets in droves.

On May 9, Mahinda reluctantly resigned from his post as prime minister, in an effort to appease protesters.

But protests continued to rage, culminating in the storming of the seaside presidential palace by demonstrators.

Gotabaya fled minutes earlier before conveying his decision to resign.

Within Sri Lanka, photos of protesters lounging on the president’s bed and cooking in his backyard have become a symbol of people’s power. But they should also serve as a warning to political dynasties elsewhere in the world, from Asia to Latin America. When a family dominates a government or party, accountability tends to suffer, often leading to catastrophe. This can cause even the most entrenched dynasty to fall – and swiftly.

There is also a lesson for other heavily indebted countries. Unless they take action to make their debts sustainable, they could quickly be overwhelmed by crisis.

As for Sri Lanka, its next leaders will have to address shortages of basic necessities, rebuild a wrecked economy, reestablish the rule of law, and hold responsible those who caused the current disaster. But in a country where politics is a blood sport, one should not underestimate the challenge of overcoming the Rajapaksas’ corrosive legacy.

Brahma Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research and Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin, is the author of Water, Peace, and War: Confronting the Global Water Crisis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013).

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Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

CORPORATE CORNER

Karachi traders call the Government's decision of fixed tax as ‘cruel’ KARACHI

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Ptcl Group Posts 5.7% revenue Growth in the half Year 2022

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Press release

LL Pakistan City Traders Association, in their meeting held in Karachi on Monday, termed the Government's ruling of implementation of the fixed tax on retailers as a 'cruel' act in current challenging economic times.

They have categorically denied complying with the newly imposed tax regime and have further announced a Pakistan-level meeting against this decision of the Government of Pakistan.

Chairman All City Traders Associ-

ation, Sharjeel Goplani has accused that the Government of Pakistan and the FBR are set to destroy further Pakistan's economy, which is already in a detrimental condition these days. They have urged the Government of Pakistan to roll back its decision to implement the new taxes regime on retailers.

They have further suggested that the Government of Pakistan and the FBR should take taxes from the retailers' community based on the area and volume of business. He further demanded a meager amount between Rs 500 to Rs 2000 from non-filers.

He has further demanded that at

least 40% of the total tax collected from certain locality must be spent within the same community on health, education, and employment generation initiatives.

He further raised that in case the Government of Pakistan does not concede on changes announced in utility bills for the month of July, the traders will have no option but to default on their electricity bills. If the Government of Pakistan doesn't resolve the issue sooner, a country-wide shutterdown strike will be called, and a harder stance will be taken against the Government and the Federal Board of Revenue.

It is to be reminded that K-Elec-

tric, in their recent public statement, shared details about recent changes made in the electricity tariff and taxes regime by the Government of Pakistan and NEPRA for different entities, including the retailers' community. In case the Government, under usual pressure, decides to step back, it may have direct consequences on the revenue collection plans of the Federal Board of Revenue. Local leaders from different trade and retail bodies, including Ahmed Shamsi, Faisal Jan Kabir, Syed Muhammad Saeed, Zahid Amin, and others, also addressed the meeting.

ISLAMABAD Press release Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), the country’s leading telecom and ICT services provider, has announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, at its Board of Directors’ meeting held in Islamabad on July 18, 2022. During the first six months of 2022, PTCL Group successfully managed to keep the top line growth momentum, which further strengthened its market standing as an integrated telecom services provider in Pakistan. Growth in revenue is mainly driven by strong performance in the consumer segment led by fixed broadband, mobile data, and business solutions, along with microfinance services that supported the Group in achieving 5.7% growth in revenue over the comparative period despite the challenges of increase in Advance Income Tax (AIT) and reduction in Mobile Termination Rates (MTR).

PTCL Group Highlights • PTCL Group’s revenue of Rs 71.7 billion in 2022 is 5.7% higher as compared to the same period of last year.

• The Group’s profitability remained under pressure due to significant hike in power and fuel tariffs, devaluation of the Pak Rupee against USD, higher interest rates, and other factors like upfront costs associated with the acquisition of 4G spectrum and related network rollout. The Group has posted a net loss of Rs 3.1 billion.

• PTCL continued its growth momentum by posting 4.7% YoY revenue growth.

• PTML’s (Ufone) revenue grew by 3.5% as compared to the same period of last year.

• U Bank has achieved a 25.0% growth in its revenue over the same period of last year.

PTCL Highlights • PTCL’s revenue of Rs 40.0 billion for the period is 4.7% higher than 2021, mainly driven by growth in broadband and business solutions segments.

• The company has posted an operating profit of Rs 1.9 billion. Operating profit for the period remained under pressure compared to last year mainly due to increase in operating costs on account of significant hike in power and fuel tariffs.

• Net Profit of Rs 5.2 billion for the period is 38.8% higher as compared to the same period of last year. Increase in non-operating income, due to translation gain on the Company’s forex denominated assets, dividend income from a subsidiary and gain on disposal of obsolete assets due to upgrade and fiberization of network, has helped turn the 32.6% decrease at operating profit level to a 38.8% increase at the net profit level.

PTCL Consumer Business: Consistent Growth During the half year, the company’s fixed broadband business grew by 10.7% YoY, whereas IPTV segment also showed 8.6% growth YoY. Within the broadband business, Flash Fiber, the company's premium FTTH service, showed significant growth of 91.7%. Voice revenue stream has seen a decline due to lower voice traffic and continued conversion of customers to OTT services.

hBl wins “Best Bank in Pakistan 2022” award by euromoney KARACHI Press release Euromoney awards HBL the accolade of Best Bank in Pakistan 2022. The Bank has also won the Asiamoney award for Best Domestic Bank in Pakistan 2022.

These two awards are the most prestigious recognition in the banking industry, globally. HBL is proud to serve its valued clients who have made these wins possible.

These wins are a tribute to our millions of clients’ continued trust and confidence in HBL. The Euromoney citation for HBL acknowledges that “HBL enjoyed its strongest-ever performance in 2021, and, by extension, the strongest performance in Pakistan. Its Rs62 billion ($351.2 million at the time) consolidated pre-tax profit for the year represented 17% year-on-year growth.”

The citation went on to note that HBL’s growth in Pakistan is based on various factors including, “a vibrant year in consumer banking, digital momentum, record volumes in cash management, and a 20% growth in the farmer financing portfolio.” Highlighting HBL’s effort towards Islamic finance, the citation mentions the Bank’s commitment towards the business as it showed great progress.

Housing Secretary visits under construction IHC building ISLAMABAD Press re;ease

Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, Federal Secretary for Ministry of Housing and Works, visited new Islamabad High Court (IHC), under construction, along with Farhan Aziz Khawaja, Registrar Islamabad High Court, and Zaheer Ahmed Warriach Director General PWD. The purpose of the visit was to inspect the construction of the new building of IHC which is in its final stages.

Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, applauded the efforts and work of Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) and directed the concerned to complete the remaining work as soon as possible for the project already got delayed due to some unavoidable reasons. He also said that there would be no compromise on delay-

ing the projects, and the officials will be held responsible for such delays.During the visit, Secretary Housing and Registrar IHC was also briefed about the new IT Block and other main features of the building.

The delegation was also appraised

about the speedy work process done on the building, and the project will be delivered very soon. The Registrar IHC also showed satisfaction over the work done so far and emphasized to ensure the completion of remaining work done within the stipulated time.

Islamabad Marriott Hotel’s culinary team draws discerning crowds with taste for international cuisine ISLAMABAD Press release

The Islamabad Marriott Hotel, which is known for its quintessential fine dining experience, is proud to welcome a team of International culinary chefs, from around the world.

These master chefs belong to Greece, China, Italy, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The hotel is delighted to introduce specialty chefs whose authentic creations would certainly delight the palate of food connoisseurs.

“We are proud to be the only five-star hotel in the capital serving authentic cuisine & quot; says the General Manager of Marriott Hotel Islamabad, Mr. David Richard. The team includes Ioannis Kritikos - the new Executive Chef from Greece, Chef Kevin – Chinese Chef for Dynasty, Chef Mirko - Italian Chef for

Zigolini, Chef Thaiwichai - Thai Chef for Royal Elephant, Chef Perwaiz - Pakistani Chef for Nadia Coffee Shop, Chef Mario – Japanese Chef for Sakura and Chef Nadun - Executive Pasty Chef from Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Scouts celebrate World Youth Skills Day under ACT, UNFPA alliance ISLAMABAD Press release

Pakistan Scouts conducted an orientation session on life skills based education at its headquarters in Islamabad. An orientation session was arranged for male and female scouts from different regions of Pakistan. The event was arranged by Aiming Change for Tomorrow (ACT) in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The orientation session covered subjects such as involvement of youth, their role in society and how they can become active citizens. The orientation was officially commenced by Sahabzada Sajjad Masood Chishti, Commissioner PBSA. The participants were encouraged to learn life skills and adopt these life skills to bring positive impact in their daily lives as well as personal and professional arenas. The partici-

pants were particularly briefed on digital literacy and the five life skills identified by WHO. On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Ms. Shaza Fatima highlighted the Prime Minister’s Youth Skills Program which has helped equip over 400,000 young people across Pakistan.

She stated the life skills education is equally necessary along with formal education.

Pakistan Boys Scouts Associa-

tion was officially founded in 1947 and it has around 750,000 members including male and female scouts.

Director, National Curriculum Council of Pakistan Dr. Mariam Chughtai emphasized on the need to equip the youth with all the skills that help them at different stages of life. She spoke on the importance of digital citizenship and how it is transforming our current world. International Program Coordinator of UNFPA Mr. Shrutidhar Tripathi spoke on the challenges for youth in Pakistan.

meeting of Pec entrepreneurship committee with fPcci LAHORE Press release

A meeting of Chairman PEC and Innovation/ Entrepreneurship Committee was held with the President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) along with his team at FPCCI Regional Office Lahore, Besides PEC Governing Body Members (those were in Lahore) also joined. The Founder Aspire Pakistan and Idealist was also in the attendance. The primary purpose is to break the ice between the two organizations especially highlighting the role of PEC ICE. Following points were agreed in principal: To provide exclusive space for PEC pavilion in the upcoming event to be jointly organized by FPCCI, and National Idea Bank (NIB) on 31st July, 2022 to showcase top 30 to 50 ideas of engineering business ideas and startups. Selection of top five projects by Joint Committee/ jury for subsequent support for investment through relevant forums and PEC. Continued collaboration between PEC and FPCCI to promote entrepreneurship as a tool to eradicate issue of Engineers unemployment hence encouraging engineers role in knowledge based economic development. To provide PEC “Entrepreneurship Support Offices” in all regional offices of FPCCI after formal agreement between the two parties. Aspire Pakistan signed the MoU, and FPCCI to follow the same after their legal vetting. ICE has also proposed FPCCI to identify sick or close to bankrupt industrial units so that they can be assigned to skilled unemployed engineers to make them up & running with due shareholding. Both the organizations agreed to working together on areas of common interests for the overall benefits of the youth through industrial development.

aiou offers semester aut 2022 admissions Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has started admissions for the first phase of autumn semester 2022. Programs offered in the first phase include Matriculation (General, Dars e Nizami and Open courses) , FA (General, Dars e Nizami and Open courses), I.Com, Middle Tech, Certificate Courses, BS, MSc, MS/MPhil and Ph.D. Admission forms and prospectuses of these programs are available online on the University’s website (www.aiou.edu.pk). Admission forms and prospectus for Matriculation and FA programs are available at the main campus of the University in Islamabad, Regional Campuses, and sale points established across the country. Students who are willing to take admission in matric and FA can submit the forms through both online and manual mode whereas, in BS, MSc, MS/MPhil and Ph.D programs forms can be submitted only through online mode. The admission fee can also be paid online through Jazz Cash, EasyPaisa, and UPay's mobile app. As per the new policy of the university, overseas Pakistani and international students can also enroll in matric, FA and I.Com programs. It is pertinent to mention here that in the last semester, students from many countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Malaysia, Italy, Canada, Africa, and the United States, took admission in various educational programs and AIOU has set the goal to increase the number of international students to 10,000 in the next three years. Press release

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Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Russia pRepaRes foR next ukRaine offensive in face of new westeRn weapons KYiV

R

reuters

USSIA is preparing for the next stage of its offensive in Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said, after Moscow said its forces would step up military operations in “all operational areas”.

As Western deliveries of long-range arms begin to help Ukraine on the battlefield, Russian rockets and missiles have pounded cities in strikes that Kyiv says have killed dozens in recent days.

“It is not only missile strikes from the air and sea,” Vadym Skibitskyi, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, said late on Saturday. “We can see shelling along the entire line of contact, along the entire front line.

There is an active use of tactical aviation and attack helicopters.

“Clearly preparations are now underway for the next stage of the offensive.”

The Ukrainian military said Russia appeared to be regrouping units for an offensive toward Sloviansk, a symbolically important city held by Ukraine in the eastern region of Donetsk.

The British defence ministry said on Sunday that Russia was also reinforcing defences across areas it occupies in southern Ukraine after pressure from Ukrainian forces and pledges from Ukrainian leaders to drive Russia out.

Ukraine says at least 40 people have been killed in Russian shelling of urban areas since Thursday as the war launched

by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 24 intensifies.

Dozens of relatives and local residents attended the funeral of four-year-old Liza Dmytrieva in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on Sunday. The girl was killed in a missile strike on central Vinnytsia on Thursday that killed 24 people, according to Ukrainian authorities.

To the south, more than 50 Russian Grad rockets pounded the city of Nikopol on the Dnipro River, killing two people who were found in the rubble, Governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had used more than 3,000 cruise missiles to date and it was “impossible to count” the number of artillery and other strikes so far.

ZeLenSKIY FIreS toP oFFICIaLS: Meanwhile, Zelenskiy fired the head of Ukraine’s powerful domestic security agency, Ivan Bakanov, and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, who led the effort to prosecute Russian war crimes, saying many of their employees were collaborating with Russia. Zelenskiy said more than 60 officials from their two agencies were now working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied territories, and 651 treason and collaboration cases had been opened against law enforcement officials. “Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the national security of the state … pose very serious questions to the relevant leaders,” Zelenskiy said in a Telegram post.

Kyiv and the West say the conflict is an

Russian shelling kills 6 in Donbas as Zelensky replaces security chief Agencies Russian shelling in battle-scarred east Ukraine on Monday left six dead, Kyiv said, as the country was reeling from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to sack two senior law enforcement officials. EU foreign ministers were convening meanwhile to discuss toughening sanctions against Moscow and the bloc’s foreign policy chief warned of the “life and death” consequences of Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea grain exports. Rescue workers in blue helmets could be seen digging through debris and clearing rubble from the collapsed remains of a two-storey building in Toretsk in the industrial east that was struck by Russian artillery early Monday. “Rescuers found and recovered the bodies of five dead people in total. Three people were rescued from the rubble and one of them died in hospital,” the emergency services said, adding their rescue operations had concluded. Toretsk, a town with of around 30,000 residents lies some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Kramatorsk, a key target for Russian forces that were ordered into Ukraine in February. They initially failed to capture the capital Kyiv early in the invasion but have made gains in the eastern region of Donbas recently, capturing the sister cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk. Zelensky said late Sunday that he was firing Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and security chief Ivan Bakanov amid widespread cases of suspected treason by law enforcement officials. He cited “a great number of crimes against the foundations of national security and the connections established between Ukrainian law enforcement officials and Russian special services,” making the announcement.

unprovoked attempt to reconquer a country that broke free of Moscow’s rule with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Moscow calls the invasion a “special military operation” to demilitarise its neighbour and root out nationalists, says it uses high-precision weapons to degrade Ukraine’s military infrastructure. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered military units to intensify operations to prevent Ukrainian strikes on areas held by Russia, according to a statement from the ministry.

His remarks on Saturday appeared to be

a diect response to what Kyiv says is a string of successful strikes carried out on 30 Russian logistics and ammunitions hubs, using several multiple launch rocket systems recently supplied by the West.

The strikes are causing havoc with Russian supply lines and have significantly reduced Russia’s offensive capability, according to Ukraine’s defense ministry.

Ukrainian officials say the new USmade High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) they began receiving last month allow them to reach targets in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, and other areas occupied by Russia.

US school shooter faces death penalty at sentencing trial MiAMi aFP

A young man who gunned down 17 people at his former high school in Parkland, Florida goes on trial Monday, with jurors set to hand down either the death penalty or a life sentence.

Nikolas Cruz took an AR-15 assault rifle into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day in 2018 and killed 17 students and staff members.

Cruz — who was 19 at the time — has already pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for those wounded dur-

ing the massacre. The trial is being held to determine his sentence. The death penalty requires a unanimous decision by the jury; Cruz will otherwise be handed life without parole. The Florida shooting stunned a country accustomed to gun violence and sparked new efforts, led by students from the school itself, to get lawmakers to pass tougher gun control laws.

Parkland survivors founded “March for Our Lives,” organizing a rally that drew hundreds of thousands of people to Washington, DC in 2018. Thousands turned out for demonstrations organized by the group last month following two other mass shootings: one at a Texas ele-

mentary school that killed 19 young children and two teachers, and another at a New York supermarket that left 10 Black people dead. Those shootings helped galvanize support for the first significant federal bill on gun safety in decades.

More than 24,000 dead: President Joe Biden signed the bill into law in late June. It included enhanced background checks for younger buyers and federal cash for states introducing “red flag” laws that allow courts to temporarily remove weapons from people who are considered a threat. Cruz bought the weapon he used in the 2018 attack legally, despite having a documented history of mental health

“Good morning from HIMARS,” Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine’s president, wrote on Telegram on Sunday alongside a video showing a large explosion which he said was another destroyed Russian ammunition depot in southern Ukraine.

On Sunday, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said the refusal of Ukraine and NATO powers to recognise Moscow’s authority over Crimea represents a “systemic threat” for Russia, which has the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet there.

A spokesperson for the Odesa regional administration, Serhiy Bratchuk, said on Telegram late on Sunday that a “significant number” of Russian warships moved from Crimea to Novorossiyisk, along Russia’s Black Sea Coast.

Russian-backed separatists have said HIMARS rockets killed two civilians and damaged a bus depot and several other buildings in Alchevsk, east of Solviansk.

Ukraine’s armed forces said they struck the bus depot because they had the information it was being used to house Russian troops.

The Russian defence ministry said its forces had destroyed a launch ramp and reloading vehicle for one of the HIMARS systems deployed near the eastern city of Pokrovsk.

The head of Pokrovsk regional police, Ruslan Osypenko, said a residential area had been shelled by Russia with multiple rocket launchers and there were dead and wounded.

It released a video of damaged homes and residents describing the attack. problems.

Expelled from school for disciplinary reasons, Cruz was known to be fixated on firearms — and had reportedly been identified as a potential threat to his classmates. On the day of the attack, Cruz arrived at the school in an Uber, began shooting indiscriminately at students and staff, and fled nine minutes later, leaving behind a scene of carnage.

He was arrested nearby shortly afterward. Footage recovered from his phone showed he had filmed his plans to attack his former school, saying his goal was to kill “at least 20 people.”

Cruz told a detective after his arrest that he heard demons ordering him to “buy weapons, kill animals and destroy everything.” According to the Gun Violence Archive website, more than 24,000 people have been killed by firearms in the United States so far this year, including more than 13,000 who died by suicide.

2022 Indian presidential election kicks off neW DeLHi agencies

India’s presidential election kicked off on Monday, with parliamentarians and state legislators choosing between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s Draupadi Murmu and opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Elected representatives from Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) across all the states will cast their votes to elect the country’s 15th president.

Each of their votes is weighted according to the size of their constituency, and they rank the candidates in order of preference. If no-one has over 50 percent support, the lowest-scoring candidate is eliminated and their votes redistributed until someone reaches the mark.

According to the Election Commission of India, ballot counting will begin on July 21 and the new president will be sworn in on July 25.

National Democratic Alliance Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu speaks during a function at Hotel Maurya,

Patna, India, July 5, 2022. /CFP Murmu, 64, from the Santhal tribe, has been nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for the largely ceremonial position.

If elected, she would be India’s first tribal president and second female president.

Murmu “has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalized,” Modi tweeted after her candidacy was announced. Yashwant Sinha speaks during the inaugural session of “Banking Summit 2002” organized by the Confed-

eration of Indian Industries, Mumbai, India, April 1, 2002. /Reuters Sinha has held the positions of the country’s finance minister and the external affairs minister.

He is now a vocal critic of Modi’s government and tweeted at the weekend: “This year the Presidential election is not a contest between two individuals but two ideologies.” India’s prime minister wields executive power, but the president can send back a few parliamentary bills for reconsideration. The president also plays a guiding role in the process of forming governments.

China rejects US report on Xinjiang, terms it ‘interference into internal affairs’ BeiJing Mian abrar

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday said the U.S. attempt to interfere in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of Xinjiang-related issues is “futile,” stressing that the country will take all measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.

The U.S. Department of State submitted a report to the Congress on July 14, which alleged human rights violations in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

“The so-called report is a groundless smear of China’s human rights situation in Xinjiang,” spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at

a regular press conference, adding the China-related content in the report is a “reckless attack against China’s Xinjiang policy.”

He pointed that the “baseless report blatantly violated the international law and the basic norms of international relations,” saying it is Washington’s “usual ploy of fabricating lies and rumours about Xinjiangrelated issues.”

China has repeatedly stressed that the so-called Xinjiang-related issues are not about human rights, ethnicity or religion at all, but about combating violent terrorism and separatism, Wang said, adding that the counterterrorism and de-radicalization measures taken in Xinjiang have turned the security situation around.

For five years in a row, not a single violent and terrorist incident has taken place in Xinjiang, he said.

According to Wang, since the founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Xinjiang region’s economic output has expanded by 160 times and the Uygur population there has surged from 2.2 million to around 12 million, with life expectancy across Xinjiang rising from 30 years to 74.7 years over the past six decades.

“The U.S. side has turned a blind eye to its own human rights crimes, but is eager to concoct disinformation targeting other countries,” the spokesperson noted, adding that such U.S. actions have long been known to the international community.

Tuesday, 19 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

SPORTS 11

ASIA CuP LIkeLy to Be ShIFted From SrI LAnkA to uAe

t

AgeNcies

HE 2022 Asia Cup, which would likely see Pakistan and India facing each other twice in league phase of the tournament, was expected to be shifted out from Sri Lanka, to Dubai and Sharjah.

Even though Sri Lanka has successfully hosted a full tour of Australia and was currently hosting Test against Pakistan without any major hassles. Sri Lanka Cricket would remain the official host of the Asia Cup, but the tournament, was set to be played in Dubai and Sharjah to be played from August 27 and September 11. The decision was taken at an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting this week.

Up until last week, Sri Lanka Cricket was “very confident” of hosting the Asia Cup despite the country’s deepening economic and political crisis. With food supplies drying up, fuel supply being cut to private vehicles, and severe daily power outages. The protests, though, did not impact the cricket with Australia spending most of June and a bit of July in the country, wrapping up a full tour which included two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is. Now, Pakistan were in town to play a two-match Test series in Galle.

Hosting bilateral series, though, is very different from hosting a tournament like the Asia Cup, which this time will be played in the T20 format, and will feature as many as nine teams. “Hosting two teams is not the same as hosting ten teams,” ESPNcricinfo

quoted SLC chief executive officer Ashley de Silva as saying.

“You have to provide ten buses with fuel

for all of them. You have to give every team a luggage van with fuel, and transport for the managers. You also have to give the sponsors transport and ensure that they are getting the mileage that they want from their sponsorship. The fuel for the generators to run the floodlights will also have to be found.”

The ACC was set to announce the Asia Cup schedule on July 22 and it would likely have Pakistan and India facing each other twice in the league phase.

“There are also two India vs Pakistan matches, and there will be people who want to travel and watch those matches. People might not be happy to travel to Sri Lanka because of the situation,” he said.

With the operational costs for the Asia Cup borne by ACC, SLC does not stand to

Ben Stokes announces shock retirement from ODI cricket News Desk England’s Ben Stokes has announced he will retire from one-day international cricket after Tuesday’s match against South Africa on his Durham home ground. The all-rounder, 31, said playing three international formats — Twenty20, 50-over ODIs and Tests — was now “unsustainable”.

Stokes, who captain’s the England Test team, will take the field at Chesterle-Street against South Africa in the first of three ODIs. Stokes, who has scored 2,919 runs and taken 74 wickets in the format, said in a social media post it had been an “incredibly tough decision to make”.

“As hard as a decision as this was to come to, it’s not as hard dealing with the

fact I can’t give my teammates 100 percent of myself in this format anymore,” he said. “The England shirt deserves nothing less from anyone who wears it.

“Three formats are just unsustainable for me now.

“Not only do I feel that my body is letting me down because of the schedule and what is expected of us, but I also feel that I am taking the place of another player who can give (captain) Jos (Buttler) and the rest of the team their all.”

Rob Key, managing director of men’s cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, paid tribute to Stokes, saying: “Ben has had an incredible international career in ODI cricket, culminating in his match-winning performance at the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final”.

Hardik proud to fill Bumrah’s shoes as India win England series LONDON AFP

Hardik Pandya was glad to help fill the “very big shoes” of Jasprit Bumrah after starring with both bat and ball during India’s series-clinching win over England. Back spasms meant strike bowler Bumrah was ruled out of Sunday’s third and deciding one-day international at Old Trafford.

But after replacement Mohammed Siraj rocked England with a doublewicket maiden in his first over, medium-pacer Hardik took an ODI best 4-24 as the hosts were dismissed for 259.

Hardik, 28, followed up with a fine 71 and shared a decisive partnership of 133 in 19 overs with Rishabh Pant after India had collapsed to 72-4 in the face of another fine new-ball spell by Reece Topley.

Victory, completed with more than seven overs to spare, gave India a 2-1 series success after they won the preceding Twenty20 campaign against 50over world champions England by the same scoreline.

“It’s always special to contribute in all departments,” player of the series Hardik told reporters.

While Hardik’s excellent 55-ball innings, which included 10 fours, ended with India just shy of victory, Pant saw them home thanks to a superb 125 not out — the wicketkeeper’s maiden ODI hundred.

“You always aspire to play like this when your team is in trouble,” said 24-

year-old left-hander Pant, who already has five Test centuries to his credit.

‘Fearless rishabh’ Hardik added: “We all know what kind of talent he (Pant) has. When it comes out, it’s very pleasing to the eye — your heartbeat also goes up but at the same time you are in awe of the kind of shots he plays.”

Turning to his bowling, Hardik said: “We knew Jasprit was not going to

play this game.

“He was telling me that I might have to bowl a couple of overs at the death, I said they are ‘very big shoes to fill’.

“I had to step up, not at the death, but in making sure that in the middle overs I got the breakthroughs.”

This was India’s first international match at Old Trafford following an agonising loss to New Zealand in the

semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup. But with India staging next year’s edition, and a Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October before that, Hardik’s focus was firmly on the future that, for him, starts with an upcoming series in the West Indies.

“The past is the past, the Manchester semi-final has passed,” he said.

“You can’t change anything and in cricket, there is no revenge, it does not matter to be honest. For us, it was important how we go forward from here.

“England have been fantastic throughout the last couple of years, everyone found England one of the best teams in the world. To come here and perform and win is more important.”

England captain Jos Buttler, who top-scored for the hosts with 60, was left to rue missing a chance to stump Pant when his rival gloveman had made 18.

“If you give good players a second chance there’s a good chance they’ll hurt you,” Buttler said. “Rishabh is a fearless player, someone who is great to watch in all formats.”

England begin a three-match ODI series against South Africa on Tuesday with Buttler, who only recently succeeded retired World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan as captain, optimistic they will be better for their India experience.

“We haven’t played much ODI cricket recently and it’s working out the rhythm again,” he said.

Our ambition is to be the best team in the world and that means adapting quickly to what’s in front of you.”

lose any revenue, but de Silva did concede that the local economy in Sri Lanka stood to lose substantially with hotels and transport operators missing out.

The ACC had limited options regarding back-up venues considering June through September is monsoon season over most of the Indian subcontinent. In terms of the infrastructure and travel, the UAE has proved to be a successful venue, but late August and early September generally witness extreme temperatures of over 40°C with humidity also expected to be a factor.

This would be the second time in the last five years that UAE will host the Asia Cup. In 2018, the tournament, played in the 50overs format, was conducted in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in September.

China beats Indonesia to advance into FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals AgeNcies China beat Indonesia 108-58 at the FIBA Asia Cup men’s basketball tournament here on Monday evening, progressing into the last eight. Although Indonesia is one of the three co-hosts of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, its guaranteed spot was subject to reaching the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup, with those hopes now having been dashed. China led 59-21 at half-time after Sun Minghui nailed a buzzer-beating floater from beyond the arc. By the end of a one-sided encounter, China led 18-6 in three-pointers, 42-22 in points in the paint, and 48-27 in rebounds. Gu Quan pocketed a game-high 23 points for China, while Marques Terrell Bolden led Indonesia with 21 points. China will play Lebanon on Wednesday for a place in the semifinals.

Sri Lanka switches venues for second cricket test vs Pakistan

gALLe The AssociATed Press

Logistical challenges caused by Sri Lanka’s economic and political crisis forced cricket organizers to move the second cricket test against Pakistan from Colombo to Galle. Sri Lanka Cricket announced the decision Monday, on Day 3 of the first test, after deciding not to take any chances with potential political protests in the capital. The protests are likely to intensify as Parliament is set to choose a new President later this week. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who became acting President last week after Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled abroad and resigned after months-long mass protests over the country’s economic collapse, has declared a state of emergency. The second test was scheduled to start at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo next Sunday. Now both teams will remain in the southern coastal town of Galle after the first test to play out the series. The hotel in Colombo that had been set to host both cricket teams is close to the Presidential Palace that has been taken over by protesters. Sri Lanka is experiencing its worst economic crisis since independence, with severe shortages of essential items such as fuel, cooking gas and medicine. Cricket has offered a small distraction for local fans, with the Sri Lankan team finishing off an extended tour by Australia with a big, series-leveling win in a test match at Galle last week.

Chandimal powers Sri Lanka’s lead past 300 in first Test AgeNcies Red hot Dinesh Chandimal struck his second successive half-century to take Sri Lanka’s lead past 300 and thwart the Pakistan attack on day three of the opening Test on Monday.

The hosts were 329 for nine when bad light stopped play for the day in Galle.

Chandimal, on 86, and Prabath Jayasuriya, on four, were batting at close of play with Sri Lanka leading

by 333 in their second innings.

Mohammad Nawaz claimed his maiden five-wicket haul and combined with fellow spinner Yasir Shah, who took three, to rattle the opposition middle-order in the second session.

But Chandimal, who struck blazing form with his maiden double century — 206 not out — in his team’s series-levelling Test win over Australia last week, stood firm in another lower-order show of defiance

after the hosts slipped to 235-7.

He reached his fifty and put on 41 runs with Maheesh Theekshana for the ninth wicket in a repeat performance from the hosts, who had hit back from 133-8 to post 222 in their first innings.

Earlier Kusal Mendis made 76 and opener Oshada Fernando scored 64 and put on a key third-wicket stand of 91 to fight back after an early wicket in the morning session.

Oshada reached his sixth Test

fifty in the first session but fell to Yasir on the second ball after lunch.

Kusal raised his fifty and took on the opposition attack with a few boundaries before Yasir bowled him with an unplayable delivery that pitched outside leg and turned to hit the top of off stump.

Nawaz, who is making a Test comeback after nearly six years and playing his fourth five-day match, kept chipping away and got key wickets including Angelo Mathews

and Niroshan Dickwella.

He got nightwatchman Kasun Rajitha on the third ball of the day to set things rolling for Pakistan, but the Sri Lankan batsmen kept coming back on a pitch that is expected to offer more turn to the spinners come day four.

In a keenly contested match of tail end fights, Pakistan had also hit back to post 218, riding on skipper Babar Azam’s 119 as he batted with his own lower order on day two.

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AFTEr EMPhATIC ElECTIoN wIN, IMrAN KhAN dEMANdS EArly ElECTIoN SANS CEC IsLAMABAD

A

StAff RepoRt

day following his party’s resounding victory in Punjab by-polls, former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Monday reiterated his demand of holding fresh elections in the country but with a new election commission as he claimed that the incumbent CEC had become controversial.

20 seats were up for grabs in the by-election, which was seen as a popularity test for the former international cricket star dismissed by a no-confidence vote in April. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won 15, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz

(PML-N) of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif taking four, and one going to an independent. Sunday’s vote was also seen as a bellwether for national elections that must be held by October next year, although Khan has campaigned across the country for an earlier poll since being dismissed.

“There is only one way [to rid the country of political instability]… free and fair election. When they were removing me, I had announced general elections but courts overturned my decision. I still believe it was the right call,” he said while addressing the nation following his party’s landslide victory in Sunday’s by-elections.

PTI clinched 15 provincial assembly seats out of the 20 up for grabs, dealing a stunning blow to the 13-party alliance led by

the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) on its home turf.

According to unofficial and preliminary results, the ruling PML-N could only bag four seats.

Calling Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja “dishonest”, Imran in today’s victory speech asked him to resign as, according to him, free and fair elections cannot take place in the country under his supervision.

“Under this ECP, free and fair election cannot take place. The country’s biggest party does not trust it. I ask CEC to resign.

We have no confidence in you. You’re a biased person and connected with a party,” he alleged. Reflecting on last night’s victory, Imran said, “One cannot become a nation

without a philosophy. When this imported government was imposed upon us via foreign conspiracy, people started asking questions… but, now we’re on our way to become a nation”.

The elites of the country have put their money outside Pakistan. Have you ever heard someone doing that in Britain or France of any other country, he asked.

“I thank Allah for the last night’s win.

This nation came into being after many sacrifices. Quaide-Azam did not even let his disease known as he knew the opponents might try to delay the Partition.

“We should all be proud of ourselves…. the way people especially youth and women came out to vote, this is Naya Pakistan.”

Commenting on his party’s last tenure

PPP top leadership wants coalition government to complete term kARACHI StAff RepoRt

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Central Executive Council (CEC) on Monday decided that the current assemblies must complete its stipulated term and the coalition government should continue.

The CEC hybrid meeting was held in Bilawal House Karachi in which PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari participated and reviewed the political situation. The party meeting decided that Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will reach Lahore to meet Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

In the meeting, the PPP decided that the next general polls will be held at its scheduled time after the election reforms in the House. The CEC reviewed the by-elections of Punjab in detail and decided that the federal government should complete its term.

Earlier, the PPP leader and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held a press conference and ensured

that his party would continue its support to allied parties. Gilani also said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lost on its five seats in the by-elections of Punjab. Later, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told media that the PPP would continue to support the coalition parties, a day after the shock defeat suffered by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the crucial Punjab by-polls.

“We will not leave the coalition parties in any difficult circumstances and the PPP will continue to stand by its allies,” the provincial information minister said while talking to media persons after a meeting of the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) in Karachi. He added that the PPP had always chosen the path of struggle and that it had faced similar circumstances in the past.

The PPP stalwart also announced that the party will ensure its presence in the crucial huddle scheduled in Lahore tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss the outcome of the Punjab by-elections.

According to the minister, the in-

SCBA distances itself from ‘political statement’ issued by additional secretary

cumbent parliament will complete its term and take decisions on matters such as electoral reforms and constitutional amendments. “The participants of the meeting also demand Imran Khan to apologise to the Election Commission of Pakistan for his attempts to make the authority controversial.” The fact is that the ECP remained impartial during the process of the by-elections in Punjab, he added.

“Imran Khan should also apologise to the nation and to Mr X and Y for his stance all along that they wouldn’t let him win the by-polls.”

“This man has been constantly lying to the nation and misguiding them about state institutions,” Memon said.

‘General elections only way out’: Meanwhile, PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said that the coalition government has lost the support of the masses, a day after the defeat in the crucial Punjab by-elections.

“From day one, I was of the stance that the government should announce a schedule for general elections instead

of taking the reins of power,” Khokhar said in a statement.

He added that it was clear from the results of the by-polls that the coalition government had lost the support of the masses. The senator opined that a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should be inked by a government with a fresh mandate.

“Critical decisions should be taken by a government that enjoys a five-year mandate,” he added.

According to the Khokhar, it isn’t possible to be “adorned with flowers with the inflation touching new heights.” He went on to say that the political parties are still stuck in the politics of 1990s, terming the ratio of youth in the population, curbing corruption and anti-establishment narrative as the essential element of today’s politics.

The senator predicted yesterday’s election results will further lessen political stability and make governance difficult.

“The country and its economy need stability which is only possible through general elections.”

Copper, gold production from Reko Diq likely to start in 2027-28 IsLAMABAD

News Desk

AhmAd AhmAdAni

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) issued a statement on Monday distancing itself from the “political statements” made by the association’s additional secretary. Chaudhry Riasat Ali Gondal had earlier today issued a press release stating that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) victory in Sunday’s by-election for 20 Punjab constituencies reflected that the PML-N-led government “has lost legitimacy and fresh transparent elections are the only constitutional solution for Pakistan.” The statement issued on the SCBA’s official letterhead garnered strong reactions as the association’s official urged state institutions to play an “impartial role to steer Pakistan through these difficult times.”

Quoting two former presidents of the United States in an attempt to appeal to the urgency of ‘democracy’, Gondal wrote, “It is high time that the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) also carries out some course correction.”

In response to the statement, SCBA Secretary Waseem Mumtaz Malik “vehemently clarified” that Gondal’s statement was “based only on his personal opinion and the SCBAP has nothing do to with it.”

The secretary added that any statement or decision made in the SCBA is always consulted between the president, secretary, office bearers and the executive committee. Defending the association, secretary Malik added that the institution “strongly annuls” partisan agenda as it does not hold the right to comment or dictate the legitimacy of any government – the sole prerogative of the parliament. “The SBAP believes that the obedience of the Constitution is the only way out for all the political parties for the realization of any political requirement,” wrote Malik. The secretary added that the organization is always open for all and has always provided a platform to all stakeholders, “not for the violation but for the observance of the Constitution.”

The first batch of copper and gold production from the Reko Diq project is expected to start in 2027-28 for which final agreements are being finalised by teams from Barrick Gold Corporation and Pakistan.

This was disclosed by Barrick Gold President and Chief Executive Mark Bristow in a press conference held here on Monday. Prior to addressing the press, Federal Minister of Finance, Miftah Ismail and Bristow held a meeting during which both parties shared a clear vision of the national strategic importance of the Reko Diq copper-gold project and expressed commitment to developing it as a world-class mine that would create value for the country and its people through multiple generations.

According to Mark Bristow, Barrick Gold will invest $7 billion in the mine, which has the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, over the next ten years. The company will invest $4 billion in the first four years and $3 billion in the next six years.

“An agreement in principle reached between the government of Pakistan, the provincial government of Balochistan, and Barrick Gold earlier this year provides for the reconstitution and restart of the project, which has been on hold since 2011,” Bristow said.

He added that the company will not only operate the mine but also own 50 per cent of it, while 25pc ownership will belong to the Balochistan government, and 25pc by Pakistani state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

According to Mark Bristow, Barrick Gold wants the Pakistani government to ratify the Reko Diq gold and copper deal with the parliament and Supreme Court for legal protection. He said that during the previous administration’s tenure, Pakistan and the consortium led by Barrick Gold reached an out-ofcourt settlement under which Barrick decided to become a 50pc partner in the mining project, while a

Chilean company decided to exit a contract in exchange for $900 million.

He said Barrick is still negotiating the legal framework and desired legislation pertaining to the transaction with the current government as they desire that the parliament and the Supreme Court review the deal for the long-term viability of this project’s investment.

According to him, definitive agreements underlying the framework agreement are currently being finalised by teams from Barrick and Pakistan. Once this has been completed and the necessary legalisation steps have been taken, Barrick will update the original feasibility study, a process expected to take two years.

Construction of the first phase will follow that, with the first production of copper and gold expected in 2027-28. “During negotiations, the federal government of Pakistan and Barrick confirmed that Balochistan and its people should receive their fair share of the benefits as part of the Pakistan ownership group,” Bristow stated.

“At Barrick we know that our long-term success depends on sharing the benefits we create equitably with our host governments and communities.

Balochistan’s shareholding will be fully funded by the project and the federal government, allowing the province to reap the dividends, royalties and other benefits of its 25pc ownership without having to contribute financially to the project’s construction or operation,” he said.

He emphasised that it is equally important that Balochistan and its people should see these benefits from day one; even before construction starts. “When the legalisation process has been completed we will implement a range of social development programmes, supported by an upfront commitment to the improvement of healthcare, education, food security and the provision of potable water in a region where the groundwater has a high saline content,” said Bristow.

at the Centre, he said during the last two years, we had the best growth rate. “All indicators were pointing at the right direction.

Large scale manufacturing was on the rise despite Coronavirus pandemic. It decreased unemployment and generated wealth. We had record growth in agriculture. The farmers made record profit. All records were broken in textile sectors. It was hard to find any labour free in Faisalabad. We had record remittances.

Maryam urges ECP to give decision on PTI Foreign Funding case soon News Desk Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif Monday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to give a decision on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Foreign Funding case soon. In her tweet message on Monday she said that the PTI should not get too excited about its victory on 15 seats as it has lost its own five seats in by-elections. She said in the tweet that Imran Khan’s attack on ECP is not based on the reason of the rigging in by-polls but the fear of a decision against him in a foreign funding case. Maryam said that Imran Khan knows that there is irrefutable evidence against him which must be brought to the public.

SECP notifies amendments to credit and suretyship rules IsLAMABAD StAff RepoRt

To promote implementation of sound principles of risk management in credit and suretyship businesses of insurance companies, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has notified amendments to the Credit and Suretyship (Conduct of Business) Rules, 2018 vide S.R.O. 1010 (I)/2022. The amendments require insurance companies to develop risk assessment mechanism to evaluate technical and financial strength of the persons on whose behalf the bond/guarantee is being issued. This is intended to assess the principal obligors’ experience and expertise to carry on the project work, as well as their financial strength. Furthermore, in order to optimally utilize the local absorption capacity available within the country, and to curtail the outflow of reinsurance cessions abroad, the collateral requirements has been delinked from reinsurance arrangement. Through these amendments, SECP has also reduced the cash collateral requirement to 10% of the bond value. Earlier on Friday, the SECP, in a bid to encourage participation of insurance companies in the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) market, had allowed insurance companies to invest in open-ended mutual funds including ETFs.

Punjab by-polls: Nawaz says was not in favor of forming govt from day one News Desk Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a day after his party suffered a humiliating defeat in Punjab by-elections, said that he was not in favor of forming government from day one. According to sources, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PPP co chairman Asif Ali Zardari and JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman held a telephonic conversation to discuss situation after majority of the PMLN-candidates lost by-polls held on Sunday.

Leadership of the coalition government was of the view that masses did not vote for PML-N due to hike price of petroleum products. The trio also decided possible options for holding early general election but decided to consult other members of the coalition government before taking any decision. It merits mention that according to the preliminary, unofficial results, the PTI bagged 15 seats, while Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) could only secure four seats. One independent candidate also secured victory. In a recount of votes for the Punjab chief minister election on July 22, in accordance with the Lahore High Court order, the PTI is now poised to win, in effect removing PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz from office. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday acknowledged the efforts of the leaders and workers of Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz for ensuring the holding of by-elections of the Punjab Assembly in a peaceful manner.

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