Epaper – June 29 KHI 2021

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021 I 18 Dhul-Qadah, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 359 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

NCOC allOws 50pC CapaCity fOr iNdOOr diNiNg fOr vaCCiNated CitizeNs

News Desk

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ATIONAL Command and Operation Centre on Monday stated that, in light of the declining trend in coronavirus infections, several Covid-19 limitations would be lifted, including the ban on indoor dining.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives and head of the NCOC Asad Umar held a meeting of the country’s Covid response hub on Monday to assess the coronavirus situation across Pakistan. Due to a decreased trend of Covid infections across the nation, the forum stated that several Covid-19 limitations will be lifted on July 1st.

It has now permitted restaurants to operate at 50 percent indoor capacity only for vaccinated individuals.

In a statement, the NCOC said indoor and outdoor dining had now been allowed till 11:59 pm, while indoor dining would be at 50 percent occupancy only for vaccinated individuals. Restaurant and hotel management would institute a mechanism

for checking of vaccination certificates of guests and will also ensure vaccination of respective management and staff, the NCOC said, adding takeaways will be allowed 24/7.

The NCOC meeting also allowed markets across the country to remain open till 10 pm.

With regard to weddings, the forum decided that up to 400 guests would be allowed for outdoor weddings subject to Covid-19 standard operating procedures. Indoor weddings would also be allowed, according to the press release, for up to 200 vaccinated individuals.

The forum also ordered the management of wedding halls to institute mechanisms for checking vaccine certificates of attendees and ensure staff vaccinations.

“Cinemas are allowed to re-open with strict Covid protocols for vaccinated individuals only till 1 am,” said the press release, adding that a similar requirement for management to ensure staff vaccination and a way to check visitors’ vaccine certificates.

As many as 20 more people succumbed

COrONavirus iN

pakistaN

CONFIRMED CASES:

955,657

LAST UPDATED AT 7:12 AM ON JUNE 28, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

20

914

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

901,201 22,231 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

336,076

345,900

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

137,759 AJK/GB:

27,064 ISLAMABAD:

20,243 / 6,019

82,596

to coronavirus and 914 new cases emerged during the last 24 hours showed the data released by the NCOC on Monday morning.

According to the statistics released by NCOC, the death toll has now surged to 22,231 after the addition of 20 new deaths, which represents a ratio of 2.3 percent.

The positivity ratio of the coronavirus cases in Pakistan has dropped to 2.05 percent, as 914 new coronavirus cases emerged in the last 24 hours after conducting 44,496 tests. It takes the total cases tally to 955,657 that returned positive after conducting 14,460,890 total tests so far. The number of active cases in the country is 32,225 with 1,961 patients in critical condition.

There were 910 more recoveries recorded in the last 24 hours as the number of total recovered cases reached 901,201 with a 94.3 percent recovery rate.

PUNJAB: Punjab, the most populous province of the country, has reported 104 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 345,900 with 8,659 active cases. In Punjab, 8 more patients died of coronavirus as the death toll reached 10,729. With 281 new recoveries, 326,512patients have recovered from the virus in Punjab so far.

SINDH: Sindh has recorded 521 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the provincial tally to 336,076 with 19,284 active cases.

With 8 new deaths related to the deadly disease, the death toll in Sindh reached 5,418.

With 369 new recoveries, 311,374 patients have recovered from the virus in the province so far.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 131 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 137,759 with 1,825 active cases. The province reported 4 new virus-related deaths as the death toll reached 4,308. With 113 new recoveries, 131,626 patients have recovered from the virus in the province so far.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

FO rebukes Kabul for denying TTP presence on its soil IsLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan rejected Afghanistan’s claim that the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan grou[ did not operate on its soil, declaring it “contrary to facts on ground”.

“The assertions of the Afghan side are contrary to facts on ground and various reports of the United Nations, which also corroborate the presence and activities of over 5000-strong TTP in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The statement came a day after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan said that the militant group was neither founded in Afghanistan nor did it operate on its soil. “This movement along with other terrorist groups is recognised as the enemy of peace, stability, and prosperity in Afghanistan and the region, and the Afghan government fights against this terrorist outfit like any other terrorist group without discrimination,” it said.

Kabul’s statement had come in response to Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid

SHC bans TikTok in Pakistan till July 8 News Desk The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday ordered to ban the video-sharing app TikTok across Pakistan, nearly three months after the country had lifted a ban imposed on it, Geo News reported.

The SHC’s order makes it the third time that the video-sharing platform has been banned in Pakistan. The SHC’s ruling came during a hearing, where the court issued a notice to the attorney general of Pakistan and directed him to follow the orders and get the app banned.

Presenting his arguments in the court, the petitioner’s lawyer said Peshawar High Court had earlier banned TikTok as some videos uploaded on the platform are “immoral and against the teachings of Islam.”

The lawyer said his client had approached the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) before moving the court, however, the PTA did not do anything in this regard.

The court has summoned the parties involved in the case on July 8. Earlier in the day, an application was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a ban

on Tiktok. Ali Zeb, a resident of Pakpattan, said that TikTok was promoting crime, with people using drugs and weapons and uploading videos, while the use of TikTok in educational institutions was leading to a bad environment for the students The petitioner said individuals are likewise making recordings of endeavors like an attempt of suicide to get views on TikTok, while the content on it was against the Islamic laws of Pakistan. The petitioner requested that effective policymaking be carried out by partially shutting down TikTok and ordering the government to set up a mechanism to censor the content.

Back in April, Pakistan, for the second time, had officially lifted a ban on China-based ByteDance’s app TikTok consequent to a local high court’s order. This was done almost a month after the same judicature had directed the state-run telecommunication authority to “immediately block access” to the short-form video-sharing service. However, the PTA had also issued a stern warning to TikTok against “vulgar and objectionable content”, which it

Ahmed who said that Islamabad expected the Afghan Taliban to not allow terrorist groups such as the TTP to carry out cross-border activities inside Pakistan.

The TTP, designated a terrorist group by the United States, has been in disarray in recent years, especially after several of its top leaders were killed by the Pakistan Army who cleared out their strongholds in a 2014 offensive, driving most of the fighters into Afghanistan.

Since March last year, al Qaeda-linked TTP, facing the risk of losing havens on the Afghanistan side of the border if their Afghan Taliban allies make peace there, have unleashed a wave of attacks on the security forces in Pakistan. Later in August that year, the TTP brought two splinter groups — Jamatul Ahrar and Hizbul Ahrar — back into their fold.

Over the last several years, the militant group has launched several “gruesome terrorist attacks” inside Pakistan using its base in Afghanistan and “without any retribution from its hosts”.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

MORE INSIDE

‘Hostile’ spy agency behind Lahore blast: Buzdar STORY ON PAGE 02 was told to remove.

The “PTA has issued directions to the service providers to unblock access to the TikTok App”, the authority said in a press release shared on Twitter.

“However, the TikTok App management has been told to ensure that vulgar and objectionable content are to be made inaccessible in accordance with the PECA provisions and directions of the Honorable Court,” it warned.

The court in Peshawar was told during the hearing on April 1 that TikTok had appointed a focal person to focus on “immoral content” and what action should be taken in that regard.

PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan had told the PTA’s directorgeneral that the body should have a system that could differentiate between “good and bad”.“When PTA takes action [against immoral content], people will not upload such videos,” Justice Qaiser had said, to which the latter said the authority had spoken to TikTok to block repeat offenders.

Pakistan among 14 countries facing extended UAE flights ban STORY ON BACK PAGE

Eco-friendly steps can make Pakistan a top tourist destination: PM STORY ON PAGE 03

Govt says will implement SC verdict on voting right to expats STORY ON PAGE 02

02

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

‘Hostile’ spy agency beHind laHore blast: buzdar LAHORE

a

STaff RePoRT

“hostile” intelligence agency was behind the last week’s car bombing that killed three people and wounded 25, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar disclosed on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Buzdar said terrorists involved in the attack have been arrested during multiple raids in the last four days.

“The Punjab government established an investigation team [following the explosion].

I am satisfied to tell you that the probe was started by the counter-terrorism department [of Punjab police] and the suspects were identified within 16 hours,” he said.

His press conference came hours after the CTD announced the arrest of a fifth suspect. Eid Gul, arrested from Rawalpindi, was accused of parking the explosive-laden vehicle in the Johar Town neighbourhood of Lahore. The CTD has shifted him to Lahore.

Buzdar termed the arrests a “big success” of the Punjab government and thanked all law enforcement agencies for their efforts.

David Peter, the prime suspect in the case who was arrested at the Lahore airport

on Friday as he attempted to fly out of the country, has confirmed Gul’s identity and has also confessed to handing over the vehicle to him.

According to his confession, Peter had purchased the vehicle from Gujranwala a week before the blast.

The police made more arrests Saturday and investigating officer Ahmed Wakeel said the security forces arrested a man from the Mandi Bahauddin district who sold the said vehicle. Wakeel said two other men were picked up in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who were allegedly involved in rigging the explosives in the car.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani provided details of the blast, wherein he said the police tried to go beyond identifying the car used in the blast and within a few hours, the police had reached the people who owned the car and gained information about how they had gotten it.

“Within hours we had unearthed this whole network and went to arrest [the suspects]. The lynchpin who arranged all this has been arrested, those who arranged the car and those who repaired the car and those who filled the car with explosive material as well — we have all of them.

“We have close to 10 Pakistani citizens — men and women — who were involved

sc requested to review nasla tower demolition order KARACHI INP

Residents and builders of Nasla Tower, a 15-storey residential building in Karachi which the Supreme Court has ordered to demolish for encroaching on the land meant for a service road, have requested the court to review its order. Counsel for the defendant, Salahuddin Ahmed, said that the building did not encroach on any public land and, instead, was built on a land allotted to its builders. He requested the court to reverse its order.

On June 16, the Supreme Court directed the Karachi commissioner to demolish the building and file a compliance report. Appearing on behalf of the building owner, Ahmed argued that 780-square-yards land in question was leased out in 1956 and for the remaining portion the Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society had issued a letter in their favour. However, Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that around 400-square-yards land meant for the service road was also used for constructing the high-rise and there was no additional lease and it could not be legalised on the basis of a letter issued by the society. He further said that the report of the commissioner also highlighted irregularities in the allotment of the land in question and said that there was a 280-foot-wide service road. The lawyer said that the entire tower might not be demolished since a major portion of the plot was leased. However, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed said that the building could not be sustained after partial demolition. The court also turned down a request of Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan for a temporary stay against the ongoing antiencroachment operation around the Gujjar and Orangi Town drains. He submitted that it was a human disaster as around 40,000 people had been displaced overnight and requested the apex court to stay the drive for a week since the federal government was willing to discuss the issue with the chief minister and other provincial authorities for rehabilitation of the affected people.

nab directs FgeHa to furnish record in illegal appointment inquiry SHAHzAD PARACHA The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has directed the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) to furnish records of officials appointed illegally.

Sources said that NAB has written a letter to FGEHA pertaining to ongoing inquiry against officials in illegal appointments made in 2012. The FGEHA with the alleged connivance of high ups appointed five Assistant Directors namely Miyan Samar Hasnain, Nauman Akbar Nawaz, Syed Ghazanfar Ali Shah, Syed Abbas Raza and Rafaqat Saeed against 4 advertised vacant positions, sources added.

Sources also said that NAB has sought the details pertaining to the appointment of five ADs against the published advertisement of 4 positions. In addition, the Islamabad bureau has also directed the FGEHA to furnish not only the offer but the termination letter details of AD Syed Abbas Raza, reasons for the delayed offer of appointment to AD Rafaqat Saeed. The NAB has also directed the department to furnish the appointment order of 3 officers namely Miyan Samar Hasnain, Nauman Akbar Nawaz and Rafaqat Saeed on 89 days daily wagers initially and approval of these by the competent authority.

in this and who executed it,” he revealed.

The IGP further stated that the police had also identified the masterminds behind the explosion who belonged to hostile intelligence agencies, and therein the information has been shared with the federal government and intelligence agencies.

Moreover, a joint investigation team has been formed and it will look into the matter, he added.

The IGP expressed the hope that the police would prosecute the case in a “good way” – wherein the investigation included any previous cases the suspects were involved in and the hostile intelligence agencies they were linked to – so those involved would be convicted.

However, he refused to share details regarding which hostile intelligence agencies the suspects may have been involved in at the time. “These hostile agencies cannot come inside Pakistan because of how our agencies and immigrations [department] are working. They find agents in Middle East countries. So, no person of an external agency comes and carries out [attacks] himself.” The IGP was then asked whether a big network had become active against Pakistan to which he replied that “all hostile agencies are continuously working against Pakistan and trying to embarrass it.”

He noted that the blast had taken place during a plenary session of the Financial Action Task Force, saying “we think the basic target was to embarrass Pakistan but that did not happen.”

“We were successful in not only unearthing [the suspects] but also connections with hostile intelligence agencies are clear. The hope is that our agencies and Foreign Office will reach them and get them punished,” he concluded.

He refuted reports that the name of one of the suspects had been placed on the Fourth Schedule — a list of proscribed individuals who are suspected of terrorism and/or sectarianism under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Ghani said he had seen a media report stating that the car used in the blast was snatched in 2010. However, the car had been recovered within months and it was later being used on “superdari” (custody) for which the owner had the proper documents, he added.

The car had “original number plates”, the official said.

In response to a question, the IGP said one of the suspects was originally from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but he was born and raised in Punjab and spoke fluent Punjabi.

In response to another question about

whether any threat alert had been issued ahead of the blast, Chief Minister Buzdar said threat alerts are regularly issued but no threat alert regarding Johar Town had been put out.

He said he had previously announced that compensation would be provided and formalities were being completed in this regard.

Responding to another question, the IGP said police had complete footage from the day of the blast, adding that no one had reported the car.

“The target was the same two police pickets and our people were injured. No one gave any report that any car was there and they had alerted police. When the car entered Punjab, it had original number plates and there was nothing in the car. If we start checking the trunk of every car, the [number of cars travelling on the] motorway will be halved.”

Ghani shared that police were successful in stopping between 20 and 25 such attacks from happening every year.

When asked whether any family had approached the police before the blast to warn them, he said: “This is all speculation.

No family came to us. No police constable got all this information you are mentioning.

This is all speculation.”

Govt says will implement SC verdict on voting right to expats ISLAMABAD STaff RePoRT

Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan Monday said the vote was a constitutional right of Pakistan nationals residing abroad and the government will ensure the implementation of a 2018 Supreme Court ruling directing the same.

The judgement was issued by a three-judge bench headed by then-Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on a set of petitions filed by then-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and others, seeking voting rights for expatriates. “Constitution gives overseas nationals right to vote and present government was committed to facilitating them while the opposition is still trying to keep them away from voting,” Awan said while addressing a press conference along with Minister of State on Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government believed in the supremacy of constitution and rule of law while National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif wanted to deprive foreign nationals of their right to vote. He asked Sharif to focus on the supremacy of parliament for legislation and respect its sanctity.

Awan said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president had denied the Parliament its supremacy

while the government desired to carry forward all matters through legislation. The electoral and judicial reforms were top priority of the government, he added.

He said the government had always shown maturity over bringing transparency in the election process through the use of electronic voting machines but it was unfortunate that the opposition parties, who wanted to maintain the status quo, were not in favour of a transparent election. Awan said the opposition parties should not mock the constitution and avoid disrespecting the sacred document, questioning how can Sharif deprive 10 million-strong diaspora of their right to vote?

When asked, he said deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif must surrender himself before the law since he was a convict. He is an absconder and on return to

Pakistan, will face prison, he said.

Criticising the former prime minister, he said the convicts, and residing abroad, become [Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder] Altaf Hussain not [former South Africa president] Nelson Mandela.

‘SHEHBAZ LOST MORAL GROUND TO REMAIN OPP LEADER’: Speaking on the occasion, Habib said Sharif had lost moral high ground to continue as opposition leader in the House after his failure to bring back from London his absconding brother. Sharif, who guaranteed Nawaz’s return, should not bother the members of the House with his hourslong speeches on rule of law since the court had dismissed Nawaz’s appeals for being fugitive in the Avenfield House and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references.

He said the statement of PML-N leader Maryam Safdar, who said that her father would return only if he is not sent to prison, had fully exposed the “duplicity and treachery” of the Sharif family.

“There is a big difference between words and deeds of the entire Sharif family as on the one side, the uncle [Shehbaz] gave a guarantee for the return of his brother, while on the other side, now his niece [Maryam] is seeking the NRO to help her father escape the prison,” he said, observing the way Nawaz was spending his time in London, it appeared that he had fully recovered.

Bilawal hails as NSC meets to discuss Afghanistan on Thursday ISLAMABAD TLTP

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has welcomed National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser’s decision to call a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Afghanistan and announced that he will attend the briefing.

“I had demanded on the floor of the house that the Parliament be briefed on the Afghanistan situation by the relevant departments and institutions,” tweeted Bilawal. The PPP chairperson welcomed Speaker Qaiser’s decision and said that he will participate in the meeting on Afghanistan.

Later, while speaking to the media outside the parliament, Bilawal claimed that the speaker had summoned a meeting of the NSC on his party’s recommendation. The PPP chairman also said that he does not consider PM Imran Khan’s comments on giving military bases to the US after the withdrawal of NATO troops.

“We will keep our point of view over giving military bases to the NSC committee,” said Bilawal. He also claimed that the NSC was formed on the recommendation of the PPP. Earlier in the day, it came to light that a session of the National Assembly’s National Security Committee has been summoned for a briefing on the latest situation

and regional issues amid the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. NA Speaker Asad Qaiser will chair the incamera meeting convening on July 1 at 3:00pm. Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak will also be part of the proceedings.

Issues related to national security will be on the agenda. Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto and other lawmakers were also invited. The meeting will also discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and its impact on Pakistan. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, federal ministers and parliamentarians have been specially invited for the briefing.

SC asks PPP leader to submit reply in writing in contempt case ISLAMABAD TLTP

After examining the report of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which found the video clip of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Masood-ur-Rehman as genuine, the Supreme Court directed him to submit a written reply in the matter.

A four-member SC bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial had issued a show-cause notice to Masood-ur-Rehman Abbasi, general secretary of PPP in PS-114 constituency, on his derogatory speech against the chief justice. During the course of the hearing, Justice Bandial asked whether the PPP leader admits that he has delivered controversial speech.

Responding to the query of another member of the bench, Justice Ijazul Ahsan asked Abbasi if he was in senses when he made the speech in question, the latter submitted, “No, I was not in my senses.”

Abbasi’s video surfaced after the top court Karachi registry heard a case on June 15 where Chief Justice

ABBASI SAYS UTTERED DEROGATORY REMARKS AGAINST CJP WHILE BEING OUT OF SENSES Gulzar Ahmed irked by the PPP-led Sindh government’s failure to attend to the civic issues of Karachi said there seems to be no government in Sindh and the system is being run by influential persons from Canada, London or Dubai.

On Monday, appearing before the bench, Abbasi requested the court for permission to express his stance about the speech in question to which Justice Bandial plainly asked him to submit in writing whatever he intends to say. Contempt proceeding has been initiated against Masood-ur-Rehman Abbasi on account of derogatory and contemptuous language wherein notices were issued to Attorney General for Pakistan, FIA,

Pemra and a show cause notice to Masoodur Rehman Abbasi through IG Sindh in the matter.

The PEMRA official apprised the bench that no television channel has disseminated Abbasi’s speech.

A member of the bench Justice Ijazul Ahsan asked whether offensive content has been removed from Facebook, to which Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) official responded that once the FIA completes evidence gathering process in the matter, the content in question would be removed from the site. He further submitted that ongoing investigation would be affected if the content is removed from the site.

Justice Bandial directed the FIA to collect admissible evidence, saying PTA should be informed about evidence being collected. Justice Bandial directed that the PTA should remove controversial content from social media platforms once the FIA completes the process of evidence gathering.

Later, issuing directives to the PPP leader to submit a reply in response to the contempt charges, the bench adjourned hearing of the matter till July 2.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

KARACHI

Eco-FrIEndly stEps can makE pakIstan a top toUrIst dEstInatIon: pm NARAN

p

app

RIME Minister Imran Khan on Monday said with an eco-friendly infrastructure in place, Pakistan’s northern areas with their captivating natural beauty could become the world’s top tourist destination.

“A strict implementation of bylaws to ensure the preservation of green cover and cleanliness of tourist spots can help Pakistan capitalize the true potential of tourism,” the prime minister said in his address to Tiger Force, the volunteer youth of Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf for community service.

The prime minister this afternoon arrived in Naran, a tourist destination of the Kaghan valley of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, on a day-long trip to launch multiple tourism- and environmental protection-based projects.

The projects included the launch of an emergency response service for tourists, tree plantation along the bank of Kunhar River besides breeding of Trout fish, the distribution of 550,000 biodegradable bags, the setting

up a waste collection system and the delivery of motorbikes to Community River Rangers.

Imran Khan said the promotion of sustainable tourism through laws to check littering and damage to trees in areas with an increased influx of visitors could secure the fragile ecosystem.

The prime minister said Allah Almighty had blessed Pakistan with a beautiful landscape with diversity

ranging from plains to mountains and stressed that the best way to offer gratitude was to preserve the natural course of the environment.

“I have explored the world, but found no match with the scenic beauty of Pakistan,” he said. “The future generations will be grateful to us for a clean and green Pakistan.”

He said the government’s Clean and Green Pakistan initiative was about caring for nature and encouraging people to avoid littering public places and protecting trees. The prime minister expressed confidence that corrective measures in the tourism sector would bring a revolution towards generating revenue.

He mentioned that Switzerland, half the size of Pakistan’s northern areas, was earning $80 billion from the tourism sector compared with the latter’s total exports worth $25 billion.

However, with the right steps, Pakistan can tap into even more tourism potential, he added. He advised the residents and parliamentarians belonging to the Kaghan Valley to engage in maintaining the cleanliness of their area to attract more tourists, adding that this would be

Govt strengthening state media to represent national narrative: Fawad ISLAMABAD app

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday informed the National Assembly that several innovative steps were being taken to improve the performance of the state media organizations to represent the national narrative at an international level.

Unlike the past practice of state media just projecting the ruling party, the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had ensured to use state media as spokesperson of the country, the minister said while winding up debate on demands for grants related to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Division.

“Today’s world was a world of public opinion, now wars were fought through rhetoric, the more the narrative was accepted, the more victory would be determined. With the use of advanced technology and strengthening the state media with more allocations, we can effectively fight media war against enemies of

Pakistan,” the minister maintained.

He thanked the Ministry of Finance for allocating enough funds to enable state media to meet the demands of the international standard. He added that a plan of refinements was being introduced in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its departments to face contemporary challenges. Fawad stated that the digitalization of official media, including the Associated Press of Pakistan, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and Pakistan Television, would be initiated by August this year. He added that the functioning of APP would be on modern lines like any international news agency such as AFP or Reuters. He said that PTV was being made into a full HD channel with having technology and programming of the modern era.

The minister said Pakistan had offered numerous sacrifices in the war against terrorism but past governments failed to articulate its narrative in an effective way through the use of media globally, adding, they did not work vociferously to create public opinion.

Fawad said media was an important tool in the

states around the globe to help mould public opinion in their favour, and could an important role in promoting the narrative of Pakistan.

The minister said wars in the world were now fought through the victory of one’s narrative. Ironically, no heed was paid to that aspect in past, he added.

He said that recently an info-lab was captured through which it was observed that 845 fake websites were running against Pakistan while disseminating wrong news on sensitive subjects like Balochistan, Kashmir and so on. He informed that more than 300,000 tweets were shared from India’s city Ahmadabad.

He said all this was happened due to weak media policies of the past governments as they did nothing to build a positive image of Pakistan, nor did they take any significant steps in the realm of the media tactics used by enemies against Pakistan.

Rather than focusing on state media promotion, he said the former governments remained busy in political appointments in the state media organizations burdening the national exchequer.

NCOC daily update: Lowest Covid-19 deaths in 5 months ISLAMABAD: The country on Monday recorded 20 deaths from Covid-19, the lowest daily figure since February, according to Health Ministry data. Total fatalities from the contagion disease rose to 22,231, according to the Health Ministry, which also reported 914 additional infections over the last 24 hours, bringing the case count to 955,657. Daily cases have been declining since earlier this month from 2,028 cases on June 2. Punjab is the worst-hit province with 345,900 infections, followed by Sindh which reported 336,076 infections. The NCOC said that 2,815,454 people have been fully vaccinated in the country so far, whereas 11,978,339 are vaccinated partially as the vaccination campaign is in a swing in the country. Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, who also heads the NCOC, recently warned that the country might be hit by a fourth Covid-19 wave in July if the standard operating procedures were not adhered to. “In the absence of strong SOPs enforcement and continued strong vaccination program, the fourth wave could emerge in Pakistan in July. Staff RepoRt

ISLAMABAD: A portrait of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is displayed next to Islamabad Highway. oNLINe

Pakistan, UK close strategic partners in field of education: Shafqat Mahmood ISLAMABAD INp

Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood has said that there exists close strategic partnership between Pakistan and United Kingdom in the field of education and PTI government has further strengthened this long-standing partnership.

These views were expressed by him during his meeting with British High Commissioner Christian Turner held in Islamabad on Monday.

Appreciating the supportive role of UK, Shafqat Mahmood said that first time in the history of the country, minorities like Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Kalash and Bahai communities will be taught their own religious contents and values.

The British high commissioner lauded the response of Pakistan to Covid-19 pandemic and said that Pakistan has done well so far to curtail the spread of virus. Christian Turner also formally invited the education minister to participate, alongwith a delegation in Global Education summit: financing GPE

2021-2025 taking place by the end of July in U.K. The summit will be a key moment for the global community to come together and support quality education for all the children. Centerpiece of the summit will be the opportunity for leaders to make 5year pledge to support GPE’s work to help transform education system in up to 90 countries.

Besides reaffirming their firm resolve to further fortifying their cooperation in the field of education, the two sides also exchanged views on a range of bilateral issues of mutual interest.

NEWS

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beneficial for the local economy.

The prime minister lamented that the trash was being thrown into the Kunhar River and urged the hotels to ensure proper waste disposal.

He lauded the efforts of Commissioner Hazara Riaz Khan for working out a strategy to protect eco-friendly tourism in the Kaghan Valley. He directed strict compliance of bylaws to ensure cleanliness at tourist places and ensure stern action against the violators.

Talking to the media, the prime minister maintained that ensuring law and order was inevitable for the promotion of tourism and would be complemented by the development of infrastructure and facilities like resorts and recreational activities.

After the eradication of terrorism, he continued, the influx of tourists had doubled in Pakistan. He added that mere construction of roads was not enough rather tourism was a science and a component of different facilities. He said that the focus would be laid on both summer and tourism, to bring in revenue and create jobs.

PM Imran stressed that, under the newly introduced tourism integrated zones, the government would ensure the implementation of bylaws to discourage haphazard construction. The prime minister planted a Deodar tree along the bank of River Kunhar under a project for protection against erosion and silting. He also distributed motorbikes among the River Rangers who would patrol by the river to curb illegal fishing.

The prime minister inaugurated Destination Trout Trophy by releasing a grown Trout fish into the river, wherein the people would be allowed to catch fish but would have to release it immediately.

Ex-JUI-F clErIc changEs stancE on sExUal assaUlt allEgatIons, claIms polIcE prEssUrEd hIm NewS DeSk Former Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader and cleric Mufti Azizur Rehman has retracted his confession regarding the sexual assault allegations on one of his students, wherein he told a judicial magistrate that the police were pressurising him to admit to the crime, Dawn reported on Monday. North Cantonment police had on June 17 registered the FIR on charges of sexual assault and criminal intimidation against Mufti Rehman on the complaint of a student of Jamia Manzoorul Islam, Lahore.

Police had arrested the cleric, accused of molesting his student, and his two sons in separate raids in Mianwali on June 20. The police had later produced him before the local court and sought seven-day physical remand, which was approved by the magistrate. At the time, Deputy Inspector General of Police investigations Shariq Jamal Khan had told Dawn.com, that the cleric had confessed he had made the student a target of his lust with the lure of passing him [in his exams]. The cleric had added that he was scared once the video went viral on social media and his sons had attempted to threaten the student and stop him from mentioning the incident to anyone, the DIG said. On Monday, police produced Mufti Azizur Rehman before the judicial magistrate at a local court in Lahore to record his statement. He, however, redacted the earlier statement that was attributed to him by the police.

He told the Judicial Magistrate Rana Rashid Ali that the seminary had conspired against him and the police were pressurising him for a confession. After recording his statement, the magistrate sent the accused on judicial remand for 14 days. The court also sought a report from the police on the challan of the case at the next hearing.

Qasier summons national security committee meeting ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has summoned a meeting of the parliamentary committee on national security to discuss the security situation in the region, including Afghanistan, on Thursday at 3:00 pm. Top military brass is also expected to attend the meeting. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sinjarani, National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other parliamentary leaders are expected to be invited to attend the meeting. In addition, the members of the committee, MPs and Senators would also participate in the meeting. A notification regarding the summoning of the meeting will be issued after a final discussion. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin will also attend the meeting.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

04 NEWS

KARACHI

ExtErNaL LIquIdIty StraINS EaSE IN PakIStaN IN H1Fy21: FItCH

E

NEWS DESK

XTERNAL positions have strengthened for most rated frontier sovereigns in Asia, including Pakistan, over the first half of 2021 (H1FY21), reducing downside risks to ratings.

This was stated by Fitch Ratings on Monday in a research report titled “External Liquidity Strains Ease in Some APAC Frontier Economies.”

Where reserves have risen, the increase should provide a cushion against potential difficulties in accessing external finance and associated external liquidity stress, and reduce the likelihood

of negative rating action, all else being equal, said Fitch.

Bilateral and multilateral financing has helped support Pakistan’s external positions. Pakistan has benefited from the disbursement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) resources under its Extended Fund Facility with the completion of the “combined second through fifth reviews” last March, and more recently from Saudi Arabia’s agreement in June to an oil assistance package for Pakistan that could be worth up to $1.5 billion.

According to the report, the expected new allocation of special drawing rights (SDR) by the IMF, which is likely

to be approved next August, can bolster Pakistan’s reserves by $2.8 billion.

The report said that Pakistan has raised funds in the international market through bond issuance, easing near-term liquidity pressures. Pakistan raised $2.5 billion in bonds in March.

The report said that in some countries, restrictions and effects associated with Covid-19 have continued to dampen demand for imported goods and services, even as exports have recovered from the initial pandemic shock, bolstering external positions. In Pakistan, the goods trade deficit widened sharply in Q1FY21, driven partly by the higher cost of oil imports.

In Pakistan, the government’s adherence to a market-determined exchange-rate regime will continue to serve as a shock-absorber and should help keep the current account deficit contained. Pandemic-related trade distortions are likely to ebb in the coming months with the rollout of vaccine programmes globally, but this process could be lengthy in countries where vaccination moves slowly.

Remittances have been another source of support to external positions since the start of the pandemic, and remain surprisingly strong, with inflows in May 2021 up by 33.5 per cent in Pakistan, the report said.

Oil drifts near 2018 highs ahead of OPEC+ meeting SINGAPORE: Oil prices hit and then recoiled from highs last seen in October 2018 on Monday as investors eyed the outcome of this week’s OPEC+ as the United States and Iran wrangle over the revival of a nuclear deal, delaying a surge in Iranian oil exports. Brent crude for August had slipped 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $76.02 a barrel by 0318 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude for August was at $73.93 a barrel, down 12 cents, or 0.2%. Oil prices rose for a fifth week last week as fuel demand rebounded on strong economic growth and increased travel during summer in the northern hemisphere, while global crude supplies stayed snug as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their allies maintained production cuts. The producer group, known as OPEC+, is returning 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) to the market from May through July as part of a plan to gradually unwind last year’s record oil output curbs. OPEC+ meets on July 1 and could further ease supply cuts in August as oil prices rise on demand recovery. “Demand recovery has caught everyone by surprise and OPEC needs to respond,” Howie Lee, economist at Singapore’s OCBC bank, said. “There is some leeway for easing supply curbs given how high prices are, and we might see a 250,000 bpd increase from August.”

ANZ and ING expect OPEC+ to increase output by about 500,000 bpd in August, which is likely to support higher prices. “Anything less than this amount would likely be enough to see bulls push the market higher in the near term,” ING analysts said in a note. One Singapore-based oil analyst said oil prices are unlikely to see a big correction unless OPEC+ increase supplies by 1 million bpd or more. Negotiations over the revival of Iran’s nuclear deal are expected to resume in coming days.

A monitoring agreement between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog lapsed last week. A weaker US dollar and a reversal of risk appetite in global markets also supported dollar-denominated commodity prices. The United States added 13 oil and gas rigs in June, up for an 11th month in a row along with higher oil prices, although it was the smallest monthly increase since September 2020, Baker Hughes data showed on Friday. AGENCIES

SNGPL organises E-kachehri LAHORE: Awami Rickshaw Union members protest against inflation, traffic police and LTC challans. ZubAIR MEhfooZ

SNGPL MD Ali J Hamdani listens to public’s grievances

Information minister congratulates journalists on re-approval of Spjomp Bill, 2021 KARACHI

G20 to endorse deal on global minimum corporate tax BRUSSELS AGENCIES

PRESS RELEASE

Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has congratulated journalists and media workers on re-approval of Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (SPJOMP) Bill 2021 in Sindh Assembly.

In his address to the Sindh Assembly on the occasion of re-introduction of the Protection of Journalists Bill, the Minister said that the Bill had been passed by the Sindh Assembly in its previous sitting and sent to the Governor Sindh for endorsement, but Governor Sindh raised unnecessary objections on the Bill and returned it. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah added that the protection of journalists Bill was obstructed because Pakistan Tehreek -i- Insaf wanted to restrict the media and press. He said that federal government was introducing ordinances and new laws to suppress the media and independent voices in the country.

He said that Federal Government of PTI was reluctant to digest freedom of press and protection of journalists and media workers. “In response to this, Sindh government of Pakistan Peoples Party is again presenting Bill in the Sindh Assembly for approval so that no endorsement required from those people who are causing obstacles in this regard,’ the Minister added.

The world’s financial leaders will endorse on July 9-10 a deal setting a global minimum corporate tax and call for technical work to be finished so they can approve the framework for implementation in October, their draft communique showed.

“After many years of discussions and building on the progress made last year, we have achieved an historical agreement on a new, fair and stable international tax architecture,” the draft said.

It made no mention of a specific rate for a global minimum corporate tax nor other key details, which remain to be agreed by nearly 140 countries known as the Inclusive Framework meeting online next week in talks hosted by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Details agreed at that meeting will then be sent to finance ministers and central bank governors from the world’s 20 biggest economies (G20) for approval at the July 9-10 meeting in Venice. “We endorse the core elements of the two pillars on the profit reallocation of multinational enterprises and the global minimum tax as set out in the statement released by the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS),” the G20 draft said in anticipation of the talks next week.

The first “pillar” of the OECD agreement is to

ensure that international companies, especially digital giants like Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple or Microsoft, pay taxes in countries where they make profits, rather than in low-tax jurisdictions chosen to minimise tax payments. The second “pillar” is a minimum level of corporate tax globally, so that governments do not compete with each other by lowering taxes to attract investment from large multinationals.

G7 finance ministers backed earlier this month a global minimum tax rate of at least 15% and thresholds for divvying up governments’ rights to tax the profits on cross-border commerce, but the G20 draft did not make any reference to that number.

“We call on the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework on BEPS to swiftly finalize the remaining technical work with a view to approving the framework for implementation of the two pillars by our next meeting in October,” the draft, seen by Reuters, said. Intense bilateral discussions are currently underway ahead of the OECD-hosted talks to get countries on the same page in the face of stiff resistance from low-tax countries, which in Europe include Ireland, the Netherlands, Hungary and Luxembourg. The G20 draft also supported the G7’s push to force banks and companies to disclose their exposure to climate-related risks: “Quality data and consistent frameworks of disclosure are crucial for addressing climate-related financial risks and mobilizing sustainable finance,” the G20 draft said.

To facilitate gas consumers through immediate resolution of their complaints, SNGPL organized e-Kachehri at its Head Office under the directions of Prime Minister’s Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU). Managing Director SNGPL Ali J.Hamdani listened public grievances during the kachehri and directed relevant Executives for immediate redressal of complaints. It is pertinent to mention that in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic and to ensure safety of consumers, Prime Minister of Pakistan had directed utility companies to organize e-Kachehris to ensure quick resolution of public complaints. SNGPL led the way by organizing e-Kachehris initially at its regional offices where the Regional Heads listened to the consumers’ complaints. Consumers lodged complaints related to provision of connection, gas pressure and billing during the kachehri held at the Head Office. MD SNGPL Ali J. Hamdani, while directing the relevant Executives, assured consumers of quick resolution of their issues. The consumers appreciated the initiative of eKachehri terming it as a welcoming move which helped them in directly accessing MD SNGPL. PRESS RELEASE

Hascol excluded from list of eligible securities: NCCPL KARACHI: The National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL) on Monday excluded M/s Hascol Petroleum from the list of eligible securities after the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) placed the oil company into the defaulter segment. In a notice sent to the PSX on Monday, the NCCPL said that placement of Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL) in the defaulter’s segment with effective from June 28, leads to action under NCCPL regulations. Accordingly, in pursuance of provisions stipulated in the regulations, the company shall be excluded from the list of SLB Eligible Securities, MF Eligible Securities and MTS eligible Securities. TLTP

‘Arrogant’ US e-commerce giants flout our laws: Indian commerce minister DELHI AGENCIES

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has ratcheted up the heat on US e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart, accusing them of arrogance and of flouting local laws by indulging in predatory pricing practices.

Goyal said companies were using their scale and access to large pools of low-cost capital to indulge in predatory pricing practices “to the detriment of mom-and-pop stores”. “A number of these large e-commerce

companies have come into India and very blatantly flouted the laws of the land in more ways than one,” he told a virtual event late on Saturday. “I’ve had several engagements with these large companies, particularly the American ones, and I can see a little bit of arrogance,” he said.

Goyal did not directly name Amazon.com or Walmart Inc’s Flipkart — the two dominant e-commerce players in India — or specify which laws had been flouted. But his comments come at a time of growing clamour from small Indian traders

and retailers, who accuse the US giants of circumventing Indian consumer protection laws and competition laws. Amazon and Flipkart did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Goyal’s scathing criticism. The two companies have denied the allegations levelled against them by the traders.

Goyal also criticised companies for indulging in “forum shopping” in courts and failing to comply with an investigation launched by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Flipkart and Amazon have appealed against the CCI’s bid to restart an in-

CMYK

vestigation into their business practices, after a judge this month dismissed the companies’ original pleas. “To my mind, if they have nothing to hide, if they are doing honest business practices, why don’t they respond to the CCI?” Goyal said at the virtual event organised by the Stanford India Policy and Economics Club.

His comments came days after India unveiled a new set of e-commerce regulations that could dent both Amazon and Flipkart’s ambitions in India, and force the duo to review certain business structures.

Separately, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, the Confederation of All India Traders accused e-commerce companies of treating India like a “banana republic” with weak laws.

The body urged the government to ensure that the proposed e-commerce rules were not diluted, despite the lobbying efforts of e-commerce giants.

The US-India Business Council, a top US lobby group, described India’s proposed new e-commerce rules as concerning in an internal memo this week.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

05

GOvT FOCusiNG ON wOmeN emPOwermeNT, Alvi Tells wB direCTOr

P

neWS DeSK

RESIDENT Dr Arif Alvi has said that the government is focusing on women empowerment by providing them loans and equipping them with different skills to make them financially independent and stronger. The president said this while talking to World Bank's Country Director Najy Benhassine who called on him on Monday.

Najy Benhassine said that the new five-year strategy of the World Bank for Pakistan is to focus on girls edu-

FO rebukes Kabul for denying TTP presence on its soil ContInueD froM pAge 01 “The 12th Report of the UN Monitoring Team, issued in June 2021, acknowledges TTP’s ‘distinctive anti-Pakistan objectives’ and notes its location within Afghanistan ‘near the border with Pakistan’. The United Nations said in a report in July last year said there were more than 6,000 TTP militants based in Afghanistan who could be heading to Pakistan if they lose their refuge. The TTP also took responsibility for one of the most horrific attacks in 2014 when Army Public School in Peshawar was attacked and 140 were killed. Most were students, and some were as young as 5.

“TTP following its orchestrated reunification with its splinter groups with the help of hostile intelligence agencies, its continued presence in Afghanistan with impunity and its cross-border attacks against Pakistan pose a persistent threat to our security and stability,” the Foreign Office said. The statement observed that Islamabad’s commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, without any discrimination is unwavering and unambiguous. The country has also continued to emphasise the need for meaningful engagement with Afghanistan for addressing security and terrorism issues through effective use of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity. The APAPPS was established in 2018 to provide a comprehensive and structured framework for institutional engagement in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation between the two neighbours. Pakistan, the Foreign Office said, has been making “serious and sincere efforts” to facilitate the long-stalled intraAfghan peace talks for an “inclusive political settlement”. “We hope that Afghans would seize this opportunity for achieving lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.”

NCOC allows 50pc capacity for indoor dining for vaccinated citizens ContInueD froM pAge 01 BALOCHISTAN: Balochistan has recorded another 61 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 27,064 with 837 active cases. The province reported no new death as the death toll remains 307.

With 46 new recoveries, 25,920 patients have recovered from the virus in the province so far.

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has recorded 31 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 82,596 with 960 active cases. With no new death reported in the Federal Capital, the death toll remains 776.

With 45 new recoveries, the number of recovered patients is 80,860 in the federal capital so far.

AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR: Azad Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 31 new cases during the last 24 hours taking the tally to 20,243 with 437 active cases. With no new deaths reported, the death toll remains at 582. There were 28 new recoveries in the AJK as 19,224 patients have recovered so far from the virus.

cation, renewable energy, water and agriculture productivity, revenue mobilisation, social and economic inclusion, improved governance, reducing stunting and providing clean water.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Board of Directors of the World Bank would take up Pakistan’s request for two budget support loans totalling $800 million in this week. Pakistan has recently met the conditions of the World Bank of enhancing monthly cash stipend of the Benazir Income Support Programme. According to the reports, the WB would

consider two support loans including Human Investments to Foster Transformation (SHIFT-II) programme and the Programme for Affordable and Clean Energy (PACE).

Separately, President Alvi has urged Ulema to play their role in preaching the teachings of Islam on important social issues including women's rights in inheritance.

Talking to a delegation of Ulema led by Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad on Monday, he said Islam is the first religion in

giving women the right to inherit.

He said the Ulema should educate the people about the negative impacts of growing population and health issues. He said they should also work for social reform and promotion of moral values.

The president stressed to promote inter-faith and inter-religious harmony utilising masajid. He also paid tribute to Ulema for their contribution in creating awareness among the people on adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the coronavirus pandemic. TLTP

Western Route projects to ensure development in KP, Balochistan: Murad neWS DeSK Minister for Communication Murad Saeed has said that inclusion of Western Route projects in the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor will open a new era of development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Talking to Chinese Minister of Transport virtually on Monday, Murad Saeed thanked the role of Chinese transport ministry for this step.

He appraised his Chinese counterpart about the prime minister's vision for poverty alleviation, promotion of tourism and sustainable development. He also thanked China for supporting Pakistan's at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Kashmir and other important issues.

The Chinese minister highly appreciated Prime

Minister Imran Khan’s vision for poverty alleviation, promotion of tourism and sustainable development.

He also informed the communications minister about China’s comprehensive plan, assuring China support for poverty alleviation.

During the meeting, Chinese counterpart also invited Murad Saeed to the United Nations Global Conference being held in China.

The Chinese counterpart expressed pleasure over the development journey of Pakistan with the completion of CPEC projects.

He highly praised the role of the Ministry of Communications in CPEC under the Belt and Road initiative. Pakistan and China are working together on ML-1, agriculture, poverty alleviation and other projects including the western route of CPEC.

Pakistan to foil Indian designs to use FATF politically: FM ISLAMABAD TLTP

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reiterated that India is trying to use the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for political purposes and Pakistan will foil its nefarious designs.

In a statement on Monday, the foreign minister said that FATF is a technical forum and it should not be used for political purposes and he has expressed concern in his bilateral talks with his counterparts of different countries.

He said that Pakistan will continue to work to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing in its own interest. He said the programme given to Islamabad by the FATF during the last two years was very difficult to implement but Pakistan did it. Qureshi said, “Apart from new legislation, we have amended 14 laws and taken administrative steps and China, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Gulf countries have strongly supported us on this issue.” Referring to the establishment of peace in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan's refusal to provide bases is in its national interest. He said that Pakistan will continue

Water shortage cuts power generation, threatens crops

all possible contributions for establishing peace in the neighbouring country “as we want peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.”

Last week, the minister said that India was making attempts to misuse the forum of the FATF for political purposes and doing propaganda against Pakistan. He added that Pakistan had fulfilled 26 out of 27 recommendations of FATF Action Plan, therefore, there was no justification for the country to remain in the grey list. “Pakistan has fulfilled maximum technical requirements of FATF.”

Establishment of industrial units in CPEC free zone to promote industrialisation ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

APP

TLTP

The establishment of industrial units in Gwadar Port under ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor Projects would enhance the volume of local exports as construction of 04 berths had been completed. The port started its operations in 2020, which was completed by China Ports Holding Company with a total cost of $300 million, said an official of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority. Talking to APP here on Monday, he said that Gwadar Port Fee Zone Phase-I, which was comprising on 60 acres were also completed and about 46 investors invested in these zones. He said there were about 12 factories in these free zones and out of the total, construction work on 03 factories have been completed so far. The free zone phase-II, which would be comprising on 2,200 acres would be completed by September this year and it would help to attract more foreign as well as local investment, he added. He further informed that Eastbay Expressway, New Gwadar International Airport, China Pakistan Friendship Hospital, Gwadar Technical and Vocational Institute and Gwadar Free Zone were operated by China Overseas Ports Holding Company. He said that free zones project under CPEC would be completed in four phases and the project would be fully materialized by 2030, which would play vital role in economic development of the country. Meanwhile, he said that construction on Eeastbay was in its final stage and its completion would be a significant way forward and bring smoothness in traffic flow in port to safe time and cost of transportation of goods. He said that the Eastway Express Way, Gwadar Port and free zone would be connected with all major national roads and high ways. He said that the port had created 12,000 job opportunities during last two years, adding that facility of online booking for goods transportation was also available. The construction work on Gwadar Airport was in full swing, he said adding that master plan for Gwadar City had also been approved and it was also in its implementation stage.

Water shortage in major reservoirs has hit electricity generation in the country and at least three major crops including rice, cotton and sugarcane, officials said on Monday as the federal government reduced around ten percent water supply to the provinces.

“We are left with only eight to ten days of water in our dams, and if the temperature doesn’t improve in northern areas, especially Skardu, a crisis-like situation may emerge in a couple of weeks,” Mohammed Khalid Idrees Rana, director of operations at the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), said on Monday.

He said that Irsa has reduced water supply from five to ten percent to provinces from Monday, and if the water inflow doesn’t improve in a week, this will be reduced further. He said that water shortages are bound to hit rice, sugarcane, cotton crops and orchards severely. He said that both major water reservoirs, Mangla and Tarbela dams, are about to hit dead level due to reduced water inflows from the northern areas where low temperatures are resulting in the slow melting of snow and glaciers.

The temperature in the country’s northern regions is usually above 25 degrees Celsius during this time of the year, but currently stands at around 15 degrees Celsius due to thick clouds, he said. The river flows are heavily dependent on glacial melt (41 percent), snowmelt (22 percent)

and rainfall (27 percent). “If we receive committed rainfall in monsoon, we can fill up our dams and provide due share of water to provinces for crops,” said Rana.

According to officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the country generates 7,320 megawatts of electricity through water stored in its reservoirs. They said that the country’s hydropower generation has reduced up to 2,500 megawatts in recent days due to water shortages in Tarbela dam. “We have to close down seven electricity generation units at Tarbela Dam,” they said. “If the water level doesn’t improve in the coming days, hydropower generation will further reduce,” they warned.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

06 COMMENT

Duplicity of the FATF Exposed

Ending America’s longest war For the US, a situation worse than Vietnam

U

Despite progress, Pakistan remains in grey list

S forces withdrew from South Vietnam in 1975 following the signing of a peace accord. This time Washington is leaving Afghanistan by September 11 without any peace treaty. President Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah made a last bid to persuade President Biden to agree to something that they could take back with them to show to the Afghan people as a sign that the US was not abandoning them. All they could manage to get was a promise to maintain support for Afghanistan’s military from abroad and to continue to provide economic and political support. Whether this will stop the fall of Kabul to Taliban in coming months is doubtful.

Over the last few weeks, the Taliban have advanced at lightning speed. They now hold almost twice as much of Afghanistan as they did just two months ago. The Taliban have even advanced in non-Pushtun northern provinces once seen as off-limits for the insurgency and a stronghold for the government. Indian media suggests that New Delhi has opened a channel of communication with the Afghan Taliban.

A high-level security briefing has been arranged for the Parliamentary Committee on developments with regards to Afghanistan and related matters of national security on Thursday at the Parliament house in Islamabad. The briefing will be held in a closed doors session where the 29member committee will get an opportunity to avail a question-answer session. It would be the first meeting of the committee in about eight months as the last meeting in November was boycotted by the opposition which must not happen this time.

Pakistan cannot afford to be a bystander in Afghanistan.

The PM has frankly told the US he will absolutely not allow bases for action in Afghanistan. This amounts to favouring the Taliban. Pakistan can demand in return that the Taliban stop the TTP and other networks from using the Afghan soil as a launching pad against Pakistan.

Pakistan needs to consult with China, Russia, Iran and Turkey to evolve a joint strategy to interact with whosoever controls Kabul, including Taliban. Pakistan meanwhile has to launch an earnest campaign at home against extremism, sectarianism, and the Taliban’s Pakistani derivatives so that they are not used by the Taliban to pressurize Pakistan.

Sajjad Shaukat

T

he Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was formed in 1989 by the G7 Summit in Paris to combat the growing problem of money laundering, monitoring legislative, financial and law enforcement activities taken at the national and international level, reporting on compliance, and issuing recommendations.

The organisation’s mandate was expanded to include terrorist financing following the September 11 terror attacks in the US in 2001.

Although FATF’s member-countries are the US and other Western countries, including many Islamic states, yet decisions of the US-led major Western countries prevail on the organistion. hence, FATF shows duplicity, as it has become a tool of keeping pressure on Pakistan, while ignoring India.

In this regard, after five-day plenary meeting in Paris, FATF announced on June 25, this year that Pakistan will continue to remain on its grey list.

Announcing the decision in a virtual press conference, FATF President Dr Marcus Pleyer said: “Pakistan has made significant progress…has largely addressed 26 out of 27 items on the action plan.”

Pleyer also stated that the item on financial terrorism still needed to be addressed which concerned the “investigation and prosecution of senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups.” earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said, as Pakistan had fulfilled 26 out of 27 action items of the Financial Action Task Force, there was no justification for the country to remain in the grey list.

But, reacting to the unexpected verdict of the FATF, Foreign Minister Qureshi questioned its decision, saying: “It is to be determined whether FATF is a political forum or a technical one…whether it is being used to achieve political objectives.” he regretted that “some forces want the sword to continue hanging over Pakistan.”

Besides, criticising the global financial watchdog’s findings, a number of senior journalists, politicians and activists took to Twitter, expressing surprise on the FATF, raising doubts on its integrity.

Particularly, Jamaat-i-Islami Central Vice President Mian Aslam sniffed a global conspiracy behind the FATF decision and asked the government not to surrender its freedom. however, Pakistan’s continuation on the ‘grey list’ means that it will not get any respite in trying to access finances in the form of investments and aid from global entities, including international bodies like IMF. Notably, in a second Follow up Report (FUR) on the Mutual evaluation of Pakistan, released on June

Enhancing NAB’s power Making the opposition and bureaucracy more jittery

O

VeR the past three years, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has earned the reputation of an institution that is used by the ruling party for political victimization. The accountability watchdog hounded politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, putting them behind bars for several months, years in some cases, without any meaningful convictions or recoveries. NAB is now asking the Federal government for more powers, allowing it to access local and offshore tax records of all politically exposed persons (PeP) and their family members through amendments in the Income Tax Ordinance 2001. Additionally, it has also requested that NAB be allowed to reopen closed transactions going back twenty years. While these are merely proposals at the moment that the government is mulling, there is a valid fear brewing amongst all those who would be affected if this were to become part of law in the Finance Bill 2021. This includes opposition parties, whose members and leaders have been at the receiving end of NAB’s ‘investigation process’, with some doing multiple long stints behind bars, only to be either released on bail or acquitted by the superior judiciary. One such case, that of Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother, compelled the Supreme Court to issue a damning indictment of NAB’s practice of premature arrest in its decision, deeming it a human rights violation.

The bureaucracy, which has also been subjected to similar treatment by NAB works with extreme caution, unwilling to put pen to paper with the fear that any signature could later result in an inquiry and possible jail time.

If the government agrees to enhance NAB’s power, allowing it to essentially perform functions that come under the Federal Bureau of Revenue’s (FBR) purview, it is likely that another wave of arrests, that will extend to PeP’s family members no less, will begin. Under the current law, NAB does not lack power, which is obvious from the frequency of and the way in which it aggressively pursues its many targets. Both the PML-N and PPP have been at the forefront, calling upon the PTI government to sit together and agree upon reasonable amendments to NAB law, which in its current state is quite arbitrary in nature and therefore easily used to hound, harass and arrest parliamentarians and bureaucrats on a whim. It would be better if NAB’s role is better defined and its powers rationalized. The ruling party should also realise that down the line, it may very well be sitting in the opposition again, at which time it will be subjected to NAB probes that are similar to what its opponents are facing currently.

The list of victims continues to grow with victims outside Pakistan as well MehMil khalid kunwar

S

ACRIFICING the life of a girl to save their honor has been an evil increasingly marring Pakistani households. The male members of a family prefer to kill the girl who is found eloping with a boy whom she wants to marry out of her choice.

In Pakistan, many women are not allowed freely to marry a person of their choice though the religion puts no strict restrictions on it. Observers say that given the insular attitudes of most Pakistani parents and deeply rooted cultural norms, a girl is forcefully married to someone as soon as she hits puberty or finds herself in a relationship. If she tries to refuse the proposal by protesting against it or leaves her home to save her life, she is found being humiliated to death.

The ruthless practice of honor killing is not only prevalent in Pakistan but also the Pakistanis who live overseas also seem to follow this tradition, making sure they adopt everything they leave behind in their home country.

One such incident by a Pakistani family was reported in Italy last week where a girl named Saman Abbas, 18, was alleged to be killed by her family for honor because she objected to her parent’s decision of making her married to her cousin, while she was interested in someone else whom she found in Italy and wanted to spend her life with.

Investigators of the crime scene deduced that her family hatched the plot against her by conniving with her relatives who were planning for her forced marriage since autumn last year. When Saman rebelled against their decisions and fled the home, they decided to shut her voice forever by attempting to kill her.

The police claimed that the CCTV captured the scene that proves the deliberate killing of Saman by using proper tools of murdering used by her relatives with the support of her parents who handed her to them and returned back to Pakistan. It is found that Saman’s body is missing and must have been buried by her parents and relatives to escape any disgrace

Arif Nizami Editor Managing Editor

Joint Editor

Umar Aziz Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

The writer focuses on international affairs and is the author of the book, “US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations”. He can be reached at sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Honour killings remain unchallenged

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Yousaf Nizami Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

5, 2021, the Asia Pacific Group (APG) which is a regional body of the Paris-based FATF said that Pakistan’s rating on 21 of the 40 technical recommendations of the FATF against money laundering and terror financing had been improved, but retained it on ‘enhanced Follow-up’ for sufficient outstanding requirements.

Islamabad had submitted its third progress report in February 2021, few weeks ahead of a meeting of the FATF to decide on Pakistan’s grey list status.

After holding the plenary meetings virtually from February 22-25, 2021 in Paris, the FATF had kept Pakistan on the grey list for another extended period till June 2021 and asked for complying with the remaining three points of 27 action plan.

FATF’s three remaining demands includes (1) TF [terror financing] investigations and prosecutions of target persons and entities (2) TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions and (3) effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions TFS [terror financing sanctions) against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists, specifically those acting for or on their behalf.

In fact, active Indian lobbying and propaganda campaign to blacklist Pakistan failed, while a minimum of three votes by FATF members are required to avoid the blacklist and Islamabad enjoys the unwavering support of Malaysia, Turkey, and its allweather friend China.

Some pro-Indian european countries, especially France and Germany, had recommended to the FATF to maintain Pakistan on the gray checklist, saying that not all factors had been totally applied by Islamabad.

Last year, the PTI-led government got three laws—the Anti-Money Laundering (second amendment) Bill-2020, Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) (third amendment) Bill-2020 and Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill-2020, which were passed in the joint sitting of Parliament.

In recent months, law enforcement agencies have cracked down on hardliner-religious groups such as Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP)—particularly Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its welfare arms, Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insanyat—and on their sources of income, arresting, trying, and convicting several of their members and leaders.

Pakistan has been on the grey list of the FATF since June 2018. In this respect, some Western countries and especially India have been calling on Islamabad to take action against the terror groups to avoid ‘Dark Gray’ list status of the FATF. They have long failed to do. Indian media spreads disinformation that Pakistan may be put on ‘Dark Grey’ list.

For years, New Delhi has been, also accusing Islamabad of using the banking system to sponsor terrorism.

On the other side, involvement of Indian banks in money laundering and financing terrorism has been exposed. In this context, on September 27, last year, a report of the top-secret files of the US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes enforcement Network (FinCeN) which works to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and financial fraud has revealed the “involvement of Indian banks, including the state-owned banks in money laundering through transactions used in facilitating and financing acts of terrorism, particularly in the region—The entities and individuals were involved in money laundering of $1.53 billion through 3,201 illegal and suspicious transactions between 2011 and 2017.”

There are also reports that gold and diamond were also used for money laundering, while Indian Premier League (cricket tournament) has also been pointed out for money laundering practices by Indian judiciary.

It is mentionable that in November, 2020 at a joint press conference and a joint press briefing, Director General of ISPR Major-General Babar Iftikhar and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi unveiled a dossier containing “irrefutable evidence” of India’s sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan. They revealed: “We have apprehended a RAW-sponsored sleeper cell in Karachi, which wants to create unrest in the country…India united Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] with banned dissident [Terror] organizations…Indian intelligence agencies are also trying to establish Daesh-e-Pakistan…has recently shifted 30 terrorists of Daesh to Pakistan.”

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram handed over the dossier to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

In its 27th report, dated February 3, 2021, the UN Security Council’s monitoring team for tracking terrorist groups verified Pakistan’s dossier, while acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts in arresting individuals engaging in terrorism financing and noting the threat from the TTP—the reunification of splinter groups [of TTP] in Afghanistan, which enhanced the threat of terrorism not only to Pakistan but the entire region.

According to the UN report of July 26, 2020, “The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and its splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar continue to target Pakistan from their bases in Afghanistan…the significant presence of ISIL-K (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Khorasan) in Afghanistan”, which the UN warns “now pursues a global agenda.”

And the eU DisinfoLab continued unraveling gradually, India’s terror-network and anti-Pakistan propaganda campaign.

Nonetheless, the case of Pakistan will, again, be considered in the next plenary meeting of the FATF which is due to take place in October, this year, while this time, the decision of the FATF has clearly exposed its duplicity.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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and charges of murder.

This is one out of several stories of honor killings that Pakistani girls are subjected to and have to live with wounds of their family’s injustice on their hearts forever. Around 1,000 women become victims of honor killings every year in Pakistan.

Another report found with BBC published in 2016 stated the reasons of honor killings in Pakistan. “The predominant causes of these killings in 2015 were domestic disputes, alleged illicit relations and exercising the right of choice in marriage,” the report said.

Also, “most of the 1096 victims were shot, but attacks with acid were also common”, the report noted.

Zohra Yusuf, the former chairperson of the nongovernmental human Rights Commission of Pakistan (hRCP) said, “feudal orthodoxy and conservative norms have deep roots in Pakistan. Men want to control women and they treat them as their ‘property.’ They don’t allow any freedom to women,” Yusuf claimed.

She further added that countries like Afghanistan and India are facing the same problem. “In Pakistan, it is not only individuals that commit ‘honor killings;’ even tribal courts sentence women to death for ‘dishonoring’ a family or a tribe,” Yusuf observed.

Seeing the dismal state of affairs, experts say that it has become evident that the government has failed in formulating policies on the issue and defining a regulatory framework to charge the offenders with punishments. It has been observed that the conviction rate in case of honor killings is just 2.0% while the acquittal rate is 20.9%. The statistics mentioned underline the fact that the government is just relying on obsolete laws that have lost sense of implementation to handle the unabated violence and have left the innocent victims on the mercy of law enforcement agencies who prefer to bury the case for it to never surface again.

The bill that was passed by legislators in 2016 to stop honor killings in Pakistan and subject the perpetrators to meet punishment lacks some basic requirements.

“I strongly want to say that this bill still needs a lot of amendments,” said Sherry Rehman, member of the Senate. “That culture of impunity still has to go.

The woman who has not been murdered, the sur-

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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vivors of such crimes have not been provided with any recourse. This bill only deals with murder and death,” Sherry Rehman proclaimed when asked about the validity of the bill.

“This still does not make honor killing a crime against the state, which is what we have also been working for,” she added.

The police that are responsible for thorough investigation and registration of the cases often ask the families to settle dispute on their own instead of washing their dirty linen in public. This makes the issue less substantive to be easily raised and allows the cases to remain unreported despite their surge.

Unfortunately, the government is not doing anything to curb this mindset demonstrated by the police officials who are the frontline leaders to fight injustice against the criminals.

With the rates of honor killings on the rise, activists urge that the government should launch a strong crackdown against the perpetrators of such violence by implementing laws in their true letter and spirit. It should also make new laws and amend the existing ones, keeping in view the grim circumstances that have been contributing to high rate in cases of honor killings.

Observers further maintain that there are a host of reasons responsible for this offensive act and need to be decoded by the investigation teams by introducing them to modern methods of investigation and registration of the crime. The provision of emergency or service centers to such women who survive the attack also need to be established on priority basis. experts reiterate that the collusion between the offenders and the witnesses and the settlement of the dispute outside the courts without any legal proceedings make the culprits immune to commit such crimes. There is a need to encourage women to step forward and stand headstrong against such practices that hinder them to see justice and meet their culprits convicted under the law.

The writer is a polymer engineer with a profound interest in politics. She works on social issues and gender bias. She can be reached on Twitter @mehmilkhalid

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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

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

Fault lies with us

The creation of a Palestinian State is inescapable Every Israeli will sooner than later realize that the creation of a Palestinian state is the only way by which Israel can protect its democracy, independence, national security and national Jewish identity

Dr Alon Ben Meir

T

he continuing international consensus that supports the establishment of a Palestinian state only strengthens the Palestinians’ resolve to never abandon their quest for a state of their own. having held on to this position for more than seven decades, they still have no reason to accept anything less, regardless of the vast changes on the ground. They will continue to wait and engage in sporadic violence and mini wars, as we have seen time and again, regardless of the heavy toll in human lives and destruction. however, besides the consistent international consensus in support of a Palestinian state, Israel also has a moral and practical obligation for its own sake to resolve its conflict with the Palestinians based on a two-state solution.

Israel’s very existence is based in morality— the West felt the moral responsibility to support the creation of the state because of what happened to the Jews of europe during the holocaust—and its continuing existence as a free and independent country depends on its moral standing both as a democratic state and as a Jewish nation.

Discrimination of the Jews: The Jews were discriminated against, persecuted, and segregated, and millions perished during World War II simply because of their religious identity. Their horrifying historic experience makes it morally unacceptable to subjugate other people, especially the Palestinians with whom they coexist and will have to continue to coexist indefinitely, and yet Israelis treat them with derision and contempt the way the Jews were treated for centuries in foreign lands.

Thus, maintaining the occupation in any form defies what the Jews worldwide stood for and sacrificed for millennia. True, the Palestinians have made many mistakes and to this day some Palestinians groups remain vociferous in their threats against Israel. These threats, however, have never amounted to being existential, and right-wing Israeli parties have over the years deliberately exaggerated the potency of such threats to justify the occupation and the often-draconian policies against the Palestinians.

Given the fact, however, that since 1967 new irreversible developments (such as the building of new and expansion of existing settlements and intermixing of populations) occurred, the two-

state solution appears now to many Israeli and Palestinian observers as either unrealistic or undesirable, or both. They no longer believe that a two-state solution is possible, especially given the interdispersement of Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and in Jerusalem, and Israel’s unwillingness to relinquish much of the occupied territories. These facts are leading the believers of the one-state solution to argue that it is the only practical alternative. one state is not an option: Such an alternative will never be accepted by the Israelis at large, as that would compromise the state’s Jewish national identity and its democracy by virtue of the fact that the nearly 3.1 million Palestinians in the West Bank and the 1.6 million Israeli Arabs will constitute roughly 45 percent of the total combined population of Jewish and Arab Israelis and Palestinians. If we were to include the Palestinians in Gaza, the total number of Palestinians and Israeli Arabs will be near that of Israeli Jews.

Although the Jewish fertility rate has now surpassed that of the Arabs for the first time, with an average of 3.1 per Jewish woman versus 3 per Israeli-Arab woman, that does not change by much the demographic time bomb. In fact, even without the Palestinians in Gaza, a minority of nearly 50 percent makes it impossible to maintain the Jewish national character of Israel without violating the Palestinians’ human and political rights.

Under such circumstances, if free and fair elections are held, it is unlikely that an Israeli coalition government could be formed without the participation of the Arab parties, as we have already seen. To prevent that from happening, Israel would have to apply military laws to govern the Palestinians, along the line of what is in place today in the West Bank.

This would make Israel an apartheid state, which would be unacceptable not only to the international community but to many Israelis who believe that Israel has a moral obligation to treat all citizens equally before the law. For these reasons, no Israeli government has considered the creation of one state by annexing the entire West Bank with its Palestinian population to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. occupation Defies israel’s existence: Instead, Israel chose continued occupation with creeping annexation of land, and in so doing it maintained control over the territories and built settlements, governing the Palestinians under military law yet applying Israeli laws to the settlers. Although many Israelis maintain that the current status of Israeli occupation of the West Bank is sustainable and may well be a way of life for decades to come, over three-quarters of the Israeli Jewish population (76.7 percent) supports the Abraham Accords, which required Israel to stop further annexation of any Palestinian territory. Most Israelis recognize that further annexation will damage any chances at making peace with the Palestinians and freeze further normalization of relations with other Arab states. every Israeli who opposes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state should ask themselves if there would be a circumstance under which the Palestinians would abandon their aspiration for statehood. The answer is clear—that simply would not happen. Why on

earth would they give up their right to a state of their own? What force—Israeli or foreign— could compel them to do so? What kind of political or economic pressure will coerce them to submit to the harsh Israeli occupation and resign themselves to unending humiliation and despair?

After 72 years of Palestinian resistance and the extent of suffering they have endured, nothing will dissolve the Palestinians’ determination to realize what they aspire for, to govern themselves in a free and independent state.

In fact, continued occupation defies the very reasons behind the establishment of Israel, which was intended to be a haven for the Jews where they could live in peace and security. The notion that occupying the West Bank will make Israel more secure has been shown after 53 years to be nothing but an illusion, as Israel has never felt completely secure yet has also never faced a legitimate existential threat that it could not meet with ease. however, as the Palestinians, moderate and extremists alike, continue to challenge the occupation, they ensure that Israel will always feel insecure and spend billions of dollars on its security.

Some Israelis find comfort in the fact that several Arab states have normalized relations with Israel before the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has ended, which was a precondition to normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab state under the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002.

Since then, however, many Arab states have grown weary of the Palestinians’ repeated missed opportunities to reach an agreement with Israel and no longer want to be held hostage to their intransigence. pressure through normalization: There are already clear signs that this normalization process has put some pressure on the Palestinians to moderate their position and be more realistic about the concessions they need to make to reach an agreement with Israel. This kind of pressure, however, will not alter their principal demand for statehood, and every Arab state that normalized relations with Israel—the UAe, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan—made it clear that they are against the occupation and view the twostate solution as the only practical option.

In the final analysis, both sides know that there is no way out of coexistence by virtue of their proximity, the interdispersement of their respective populations, the significance of Jerusalem for both sides, national security, the widespread of the settlements, and extensive common interests. This leaves us with one conclusion: the only realistic solution to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict is one that can ensure the democratic integrity, independence, and Jewish national identity of Israel and the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state.

The new Israeli government must remember that the establishment of a Palestinian state is inescapable. Israel must accept this inevitability, or become ever more a pariah state rejected by its friends and reviled and constantly threatened by its.

Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. alon@alonben-meir.com

I have witnessed the creation of Pakistan and the struggle our country has gone through over the past 73 years. Although Mr. Jinnah managed to get a separate state for us against all odds, we could not follow the vision of our founder. India never accepted the existence of Pakistan wholeheartedly and did not leave any opportunity to attack its smaller neighbor directly or indirectly. Unfortunately, we kept providing ample opportunities to our enemy to inflict damages on us. India forcefully occupied Kashmir and never acted on the UN resolutions to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir. We instead of setting a strong economy, went on wrong ways. The economy of our country had never been stable and our rulers instead of forging unity and strengthening the economy kept fighting and spending in royal ways to promote their personal agendas.

This led to us relying on international lenders. The first government which borrowed money from the IMF did a great disservice to the people and country. From that point on, our ruling elite instead of exercising prudence, kept their royal ways rolling out projects for personal popularity. every government that came to power followed the path trodden by its successors. The debt piled up to enormous proportions with the passage of time and now we have become slaves to lending institutions. The leaders forgot to fill the gap between rich and poor while consolidating their own financial positions. When reality revealed itself, both government and opposition started maligning each other for this sin against the nation. Now, the opposition led by Maryam Nawaz is taking out rallies in the garb of PDM to topple the existing government while the public is at the mercy of inflation, Coronavirus, and unforgiving weather.

Unfortunately, our leaders have not learned any lesson yet and if they do not shun their prejudices and work for the country, we are looking at the complete disaster in near future.

Raja Shafaatullah ISlamabad

Future of Pakistan’s education AFTer the announcement for reopening educational institutions, Shafqat Mehmood tweeted on Twitter about negative messages and tweets regarding his decision. he said most of the students don’t want opening of schools and because of them education in Pakistan seems very worst. The reason behind students’ will to not open educational institutions very soon is just because of our failing educators. We have schools, but with ghost teachers whose teaching efforts are less than educating and who makes students’ future less brighter than making it completely dark. The authorities must look into the education system of Pakistan because the education future in Pakistan is now getting worse day by day. adnan maqSood tuRbat

Companies in Hub city hUB city is an industrial city of Pakistan,after Karachi it is one of the most industrial areas in Pakistan. hub city is located in Balochistan it connects Sindh and Balochistan. It one of the emerging cities of Pakistan.

But it is not getting its fundamental rights by the Government. however,as Government said that place where a company is organized it is up to the company to give electricity. But unfortunately, in hub there are more than 200 industries are held. Still public is not getting any betterment from them. Local people are unemployed, they move to different industries for work and do not get jobs. As we know that electricity is very expensive a poor can not afford. If companies give free electricity to public it will be a big solution for public. As we go towards companies asking about these issues .they reply that your leaders take money from them about these issues. I request the Government to give free electricity to the public for their sacrifice. They get plots from companies for their betterment. m.IRfan hub

Registering companies To end secret business ownership by Parliamentarians and to increase tax paying companies, the Government should enact a new law which would compel all applicants willing to contest next election to declare all their companies ownership and to ensure that their companies have tax registrations. Anyone found to be owner of a secret company would be disqualified for five years by the election Commission of Pakistan. Thus to end secret business ownership by Parliamentarians and to increase tax paying companies, the Government should enact a new law which would compel all applicants willing to contest next election to declare all their companies ownership and to ensure that their companies have tax registrations. In this way, anyone found to be the owner of a secret company would be disqualified for five years by the election Commission of Pakistan.

ShahRyaR Khan baSEER P.EngR. PEShawaR

Gulf relations FULL ties have been restored between Qatar and the four nations that severed relations with Doha in a rift that began over three years ago, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia led a coalition of countries in the Gulf and beyond that cut ties and transport links with Qatar in June 2017, charging that it was too close to Iran and backed radical Islamist groups — allegations Doha has always denied. “What happened today is ... the turning of the page on all points of difference and a full return of diplomatic relations,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a press conference at the conclusion of a landmark regional summit in Saudi Arabia. Saudi state media said that de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met separately with Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin hamad al-Thani, after the pair publicly embraced at the airport.

EhtISham ahmad lahoRE

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

Could We eMbraCe the four-day Working Week and all that it brings? inDepenDent

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PhiL mcDuff

N the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the idea of the four-day working week is picking up speed around the world. Societies made necessary changes to combat the spread of the virus, and people are now beginning to wonder how many of those we need to reverse. Among these is the question of the standard nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday model of a “proper” working week – is that really necessary, or is it just a habit? ireland, Spain, Scotland and even Japan have pushed forward programmes to test this idea. A recent study by the 4 Day Week Campaign showed that reducing the work week by one day would reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by more than 20 per cent.

Reduced working hours have also been shown to be good for our physical and mental well-being. While it’s true that there are some benefits to work – people generally do not like to be unemployed – research suggests that these benefits can be gained with as little as one to eight hours of work a week.

A four-day week doesn’t seem to cause any economic problems either. in 2019, a Microsoft subsidiary in Japan conducted a month-long test by closing its offices every Friday for a month, and found that productivity rose by almost 40 per cent. the four-day week is also a popular idea (as you might expect). A recent report from Survation showed that 64 per cent of people surveyed supported the idea

THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A CONFLICT BETWEEN POLICIES WHICH SEEK TO REDUCE WORK, AND THOSE WHICH SEEK TO PUNISH PEOPLE FOR NOT WORKING ENOUGH of a four-day working week with no loss of pay, and only 13 per cent opposed the idea. however, that’s only half the story. the Labour Party had the four-day week in its 2019 manifesto, and resoundingly lost the election. British society has an overdeveloped aversion to the idea that someone, somewhere, might be getting something they don’t deserve, coupled with a belief that loads of people are absolutely coining it while the rest of us slog away in the salt mines to pay for it. there are always votes in targeting the “scroungers” and the “shirkers”. there is obviously a conflict between policies which seek to reduce work, and those which seek to punish people for not working enough. After years and years of pushing the narrative that workshy scroungers simply need to get on their bikes, and of introducing ever-more punitive measures into the benefits system

The Bengali religious traditions that transcend gender THE BAUL AND FAKIR LINEAGES UNDERSTAND THE COSMOS THROUGH PAIRS OF OPPOSITE ESSENCES, INCLUDING MALE AND FEMALE

Jstor Daily

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LiviA Gershon

ANy religious traditions have clearly defined gender roles.

But to some, a strict border between genders is an impediment to spiritual practice.

South Asian studies scholar Carola Erika Lorea describes one setting in india where the crossing of gender lines is crucial to religious practice: several Bengali religious lineages. (Lineages are paths by which religions are passed down from an origin, such as the way Buddhists trace their teachings back to the Buddha himself.)

Lorea conducted four years of fieldwork and research, studying overlapping religious and musical traditions. these included people who described themselves as Baul (bards with a mix of Sufi, Buddhist, and hindu influences) and Fakir (Muslim mystics), who both share songs and religious traditions. Most practitioners come from low castes and face marginalization from the majority hindu and Muslim religious establishments in Bengal. Many earn a living as musicians or as farmers, smallbusiness people, or beggars. the lineages understand the cosmos through pairs of opposite essences, including male and female essences responsible for reproduction, semen, and uterine blood. this helps account for the lineages’ complex expression of gender.

“While in the animal world of common men fecundation is achieved through the secretion of the male seed in the female’s

womb, in the upside-down yogic world of Baul practitioners it is the female secretion that is absorbed and drawn upward into the body of the male,” Lorea writes.

Baul and Fakir couples are not supposed to have children. instead, men attempt to become symbolically pregnant, while some female practitioners are believed to achieve the end of their menstrual cycles before the normal age of menopause.

Songs and traditions urge male practitioners to “become a woman,” or to take on the role of Radha, Krishna’s female consort. Lorea writes that this is partly because the lineages view women as more complete than men and linked to the universal feminine creative force (though, she notes, that doesn’t always translate to a better position in society). Some male practitioners also see acquiring more femininity as a way of achieving balance, bringing them closer to the absolute godhead, which is seen as androgynous. to do this, some practitioners perform female roles, wearing long hair, necklaces, and nail polish, and doing typically female work like chopping vegetables. Some also value taking in female substances, including through oral sex.

Lorea writes that religious practices related to shifting gender, sometimes through cross-dressing, have a long history in both hindu and Sufi tradition. But over time, they became stigmatized and marginalized. “the British image of the ‘effeminate indian’ articulated by the colonizer and internalized by indian intellectuals and reformers surely contributed to a new perception of the cross-dresser as an immoral and obscene figure,” Lorea writes.

“Moreover, with new ideals of hyper-masculinity propagated during indian nationalism, gynomimesis in indian performative traditions—at least in high culture— slowly declined.” today, many in india view Baul and Fakir practices as sexual perversion in religious garb. And some observers may see them as a carnivalesque temporary inversion of roles. But Lorea argues that their real purpose is permanent transformation, which some practitioners describe as transcending gender and becoming fully human.

to battle the ever-present spectre of “welfare cheats”, would we be able to adopt a policy that working less is a good thing?

Max Weber argued in the early 1900s that the “Protestant work ethic” was key to the development of capitalism and the economic success of the West. this may be historically dubious, but it does shore up the convenient just-so story that people get what they deserve. the poor are idle, and the idle are poor; the rich are diligent, and the diligent are rich. that this so often conflicts with our experiences of the diligent poor and the idle rich is a mere triviality compared to the security that believing “i got here by my own hard work” can give a person. Whether it’s true or not, people want to believe it.

Such biases are almost certainly rooted in an instinctive desire for fair play and against “free riding”.

Even dogs and monkeys understand the basic idea of

fairness. it’s not hard to understand why, when everyone in a tribe needs to dig up roots and forage berries, those who eat without foraging or digging would soon become unpopular. however, these social conventions are counterproductive when a capitalist society with plentiful spare resources suddenly finds itself in the middle of a global pandemic, and the best course of action for society is to discourage as much non-vital work as possible. you could see this conflict in play as the Conservative Party worried out loud that people would become “addicted” to the furlough scheme, rather than focusing on whether their policies were achieving the goal of keeping enough people at home. the pandemic also emphasised our reliance upon our precariat class of gig workers, the people who keep our food and deliveries cheap. Would it be possible to institute policies designed to reduce working hours, while maintaining a subclass of work with low pay and long hours? Would the British middle class end up only supporting a policy of four days for me but not for thee – and therefore keep the benefits away from those who, arguably, need them most?

As the coronavirus tide recedes, many questions like this will be raised. Can we, as a society, make decisions based on collective good? Or will we, like crabs in a bucket, find ourselves unable to shift our old biases?

Phil McDuff is a freelance journalist who writes on economics and social policy.

‘Paid news’ and ‘paid social media’ in India THE LATEST PARADIGM IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE ‘PAID NEWS’ HAS EMERGED AS A FORM OF ‘PAID SOCIAL MEDIA’ IN WHICH IT EXPERTS, PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER VOTERS ARE MONETARILY ENGAGED BY THE POLITICAL PARTIES FOR SPREADING ANY AGENDA, SETTING A NARRATIVE FOR OR AGAINST THE POLICIES, TROLLING THE GOVERNMENTS OR OPPOSITION PARTIES Counter Currents

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Dr AhmeD rAzA

ith the implementation of new information technology act 2021 mandating the social media platforms legally under compliance, the ongoing controversy between social media and digital sovereignty seems to an end as the appointment of the grievance redressal officers and nodal officers are mandated in india in compliance with the new rules. though, another big challenge to our democracy remains the same if the usages of ‘paid news’ are left uncontrolled and untracked as media reach every one, whereas social media platforms twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp could make a limited user only due to the digital divide in india. it would be an irony of democracy that the media, which is known as the fourth pillar of democracy, now, seems to be under harsh criticism due to displacement of its own goals. Now, ownership of most of the leading media companies lie in the hand of capitalists who prioritize tRP (television Rating Point, a tool used to know about the popularity of a programme) over truth and sponsored news over the reality of the society. As the capitalists tighten their grip on the media, the character of the media becomes more and more business model. therefore, a gap widens between the true picture of the life of the common people and their presentation in the media.

Unfortunately, numerous types of paid news have evolved over the period, posing a threat to the nation, but still exist in our political system due to a nexus between capitalism and political parties. Creation of public opinion in favour of a political parity pre and post-election phases by the media in lieu of monetary agreement, promotion of particular ideology, future business prospects etc have become a common trend in our system. Undoubtedly, paid news is being used as a weapon to cover the truth so as to divert the people’s attention from the core basic necessities and services if policies are not delivered effectively.

WHAT IS ‘PAID NEWS’, HOW IT WORKS AND WHY IT IS UNRESTRICTED? ‘Paid news’ has been defined by the Press Council of india (PCi) as any news or analysis appearing in any media (print & electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration. the modalities of

‘paid news’ appears to have misled the people, both formally and informally, legally and illegally. No legal definition of the issues of paid news could be formalized. According to a report of Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on information technology published in 2013, ‘paid news’ includes only advertisements camouflaged as news, denial of coverage to select electoral candidates, exchanging of advertisement space for equity stakes between media houses and corporate. Unfortunately, such ill practices still exist in our political system, which not only hampers the ability of voter to form a correct opinion but also makes the government unaccountable and irresponsible.

Nowadays, the systems of ‘paid news’ are becoming more ruthless and shaping as a form of corruption, unethical and professional misconduct in which media outlets and the political parties coordinate and complement each other in lieu of monetary agreement and political image building. the evolutions of such trend of paid news happen to be more threatening to our democracy as people’s voting behaviour are rigged in favour of the existing government, despite of the policy lacuna, policyparalysis and mal-administration. Most of the india’s leading media are now being guided in accordance with commercial interest of the companies instead of seeking truth. Many incidences have been associated with ‘paid news’ for the last a couple of decades, for instances, publishing prepoll survey showing victory to a political party on account of financial agreement, providing ample coverage to a political party campaigning, framing and highlighting any weakness of a political party etc.

For the last decade, the electronic media has also become tool of ‘paid news’ if the title of the news-show, its contents, lists of guest speakers, allotted time for specific program etc. are seriously examined. though, it would be very difficult to prove whether the particular news shown on a channel or the news published in the newspaper is paid or not. till now, no success has been achieved in tightening the noose on paid news.

WHAT IS ‘PAID SOCIAL MEDIA’, HOW IT WORKS AND WHY IT IS UNRESTRICTED? the latest paradigm in the evolution of the ‘paid news’ has emerged as a form of ‘paid social media’ in which it experts, professionals and other voters are

monetarily engaged by the political parties for spreading any agenda, setting a narrative for or against the policies, trolling the governments or opposition parties etc. For the last few years, opposition’s parties are seen playing a high level of politics by exposing the government for their own political gain and vice versa under the purview of the social media users. Such immoral, unethical and dishonest practice by the professionally hired social media users help the political parties to create a strong public opinion by creating a biased survey, portraying the political leaders as an ideal, fake publicity of policies etc. A huge amount of financial resources are spent by political parties as a part of a winning strategy for an election in the name of social media led to the origin of ‘paid social media’. in order to achieve the desired political objectives, the practices of ‘paid social media’ are also ideologically systematized by creating fake accounts of social media platforms so as to create a narrative for or against the government. in 2020, the Maharashtra government claimed to have scrutinized over 1.5 lakh of fake twitter accounts which were engaged inside and outside the nation to tarnish the image of government. Likewise, another revelation from a report of online news portal named ‘the Print’ which identified the number of accounts that served as sources of misinformation and propaganda for both the BJP and Congress. though, it seems to be tough for fixing them accountable as either account may be created due to their own political affiliations or something a strategy of political parties. Unfortunately, the law of the land could not take seriously this kind of paid social media as much as now the government is fervently pressurizing the social media platforms to keep them under compliance in line with new information technology act 2021. in conclusion, though, the government deserves to be highly applauded for putting the social media platforms under compliance in order to place the digital sovereignty above the twitter, Facebook, Whats app etc, but the practices of the ‘paid news’ and ‘paid social media’ has appeared to be a part of the political process and election campaigning. Such issues of ‘paid news’ and ‘paid social media’ would be more challenging for india if not countered legally or institutionally as more people from rural areas may be misled in the future as soon as digital divide gets reduced.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

BUSINESS 09

KARACHI

eCC exTendS SUBSidy on five eSSenTial iTeMS aT USCS KARACHI: MG Motors Pakistan organized a test drive of MG's modern electric vehicle MGZS in Karachi. A large number of citizens along with their families enjoyed the SUV drive with attractive design and modern technology.

The test driver was arranged on the track of Omni Karting Circuit, PAF Colony Korangi Creek. PR

pakistan set to increase inbound international flights from July 1 ISLAMABAD TLTP

Pakistan is set to increase all inbound international flights from the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, China, and Malaysia from July 1 amid a drop in Covid-19 cases across the country. “Amid overall improvement of Covid-19 situation in various parts of the world and current disease situation in the country, Pakistan has gradually normalised inbound international air travel,” the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the federal body dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, said in a notification. “Direct flights operation...will be increased up to 40 per cent of normal volume,” it added. However, a ruling on outbound travel has yet to be issued. It may be recalled that Pakistan reduced inbound flights by almost 80 per cent in May to help stem a spike in Covid-19 cases amid the third wave of the outbreak, but the government has been operating repatriation flights to bring home citizens stuck abroad amid the pandemic.

SBp announces bank holiday on July 1 KARACHI INP

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday announced a bank holiday on July 1, as all banks shall remain closed for public dealing. According to a circular issued, the SBP will remain closed for public dealing on Thursday, which shall be observed as a bank holiday enabling the banks to close their accounts. All banks, development financial institutions (DFIs) and microfinance banks (MFBs) shall, therefore, remain closed for public dealing on the aforementioned date.

However, employees of the banks/ DFIs/ MFBs will attend the office as usual, said the central bank.

audi to stop making fossil fuel cars by 2033 FRANKFURT AGENCIES

German luxury carmaker Audi said it will stop manufacturing diesel and petrol cars by 2033 as part of an industry-wide pivot towards more environmentally friendly electric cars. “Audi is ready to make its decisive and powerful move into the electric age,” CEO Markus Duesmann said in a statement. Starting in 2026, Audi plans to only launch new all-electric car models, while “gradually phasing out” production of internal combustion engines until 2033. However, strong demand in China could see Audi’s local partners there continue to manufacture combustion engine cars beyond 2033, he added. Carmakers everywhere are pouring huge sums into the shift towards battery-powered vehicles as they tout green credentials in a world growing more concerned about climate change. In Europe, the transition has been sped up in part because of tougher EU pollution regulations and the “dieselgate” emissions cheating scandal uncovered at Audi parent Volkswagen in 2015. Duesmann said Audi is this year already launching more new electric models than diesel or petrol models. By 2025, the four-ring brand aims to have more than 20 e-models in its lineup.

T

NEWS DESK

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has extended general subsidy on five essential items through Utility Stores Corporation (USC) till July 15.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin chaired the ECC meeting on Monday, which was attended by federal ministers Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, Hammad Azhar, Muhammad Mian Soomro and Syed Fakhar Imam, Advisor to PM on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, SAPM Dr Waqar Masood and others.

The meeting constituted a committee to work out a future course of action within 15 days with regard to the subsidy.

The ECC approved a summary by the Industries and Production Division for approval of tender for import of 100,000MT of sugar. Regarding the proposal for intervention price for the cotton crop of Fy22 by the National Food and Research Division (NFRD), the ECC constituted a committee to submit its report within 15 days.

The ECC on a summary moved by the Maritime Affairs Division directed Petroleum Division, Finance Division and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) to provide a time frame for payment of the outstanding dues to Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC).

The ECC, on a summary moved

by Power Division about payment of outstanding amount of net hydel profits, asked Power Division and Finance Division to come up with a possible solution/option for raising

up required financing by Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) within two weeks.

It approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs10 million for Aviation Division and a technical supplementary grant of Rs73.870 million in favour of NSSP, Lahore.

Similarly a technical supplementary grant of Rs20.70 million was approved for Pakistan Academy for Rural Development, Peshawar, and a technical supplementary grant of Rs1 billion for payment of disparity reduction allowance to concerned offices.

The meeting also approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs16.706 million for Inter-Provincial Coordination Division for payment to the Federal Land Commission and approved another technical supplementary grant of Rs1,012.176 million for

the Interior Division for Frontier Corps Balochistan (South).

The ECC further approved a technical supplementary grant Rs1.6 billion for Department of Immigration and Passports, Ministry of Interior, and a technical supplementary grant of Rs456.641 million for Federal Board of Revenue to pay off the pending liabilities of the project titled “Development of Integrated Transit Trade Management System”.

The ECC approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs2 billion for Foreign Affairs Division and a supplementary grant of Rs8 billion for the Textile Wing of Commerce Division. The ECC further approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs5,800 million for utilisation of foreign aid of NDRMF projects, Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform.

SNGPL to suspend gas supply to select sectors in Punjab, KP ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has decided to suspend gas supply to CNG, cement, and non-export industry of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from midnight June 29 until July 5, in order to manage gas loads.

According to sources, SNGPL has made the decision mainly due to ‘unplanned dry dock activities’ of existing floating storage and regasification unit at the Engro Elengy Terminal Private Limited (EETPL).

In a notice issued on Monday, the state-owned gas utility noted that “physical disconnection of all consumers is critical, otherwise the impact of curtailment will be marginalised”.

Sources in the Petroleum Division informed Profit that the division has granted permission for dry docking to a private LNG terminal, setting aside the concerns of some cabinet members.

According to sources, acute gas shortage will be witnessed for the first time in the history of the country during the summer season. However, an alternate floating storage and re-gasification unit has arrived in Karachi.

Reportedly, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Tabish Gauhar is also in Karachi from the last three days to solve the gas shortage and other related issues at the said terminal.

It may be mentioned here that an inquiry on the advice of Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) has already been launched to determine the responsible behind the delay in dry dock activities at EETPL’s terminal. According to sources, this inquiry will be completed within a month’s time.

According to details, Minister for Maritime Af-

SSGC SeekS RS109.78 peR MMBTU hike in GaS pRiCe fRoM JUly 1 MONITORING REPORT The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has submitted its petition with Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), seeking increase in gas tariff by Rs109.78 per MMBTU from July 1, 2021.

According to details, the current rate charged by the SSGC stands at Rs679.56 per mmbtu and after an increase

sought by them, it would be charged at Rs789.24 per mmbtu.

The SSGC claimed that it is facing losses of Rs3.34 billion in the sale of local gas besides also incurring losses of Rs16 billion on regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) supply and thus needs a hike in prices to manage it.

It further emerged that SSGC has estimated the dollar exchange rate at Rs169 while pre-

fairs Ali Haider Ziadi has raised his voice against EETPL for failing to intimate about the matter on time since the terminal operator was bound to intimate specific dates of dry docking with the start of this year under the agreement.

Similarly, Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar was of the stance that the time of dry docking was not suitable because of improvement in economic activities at the start of the new financial year. Umar had also proposed to consult Law Division prior to taking a decision regarding granting permission for starting dry dock activities at EETPL’s terminal.

Finance Minister Shuakat Tarin had also recommended initiating an inquiry into the matter. Later, an inquiry under the leadership of Railways minister had

senting its calculations before the Ogra. Earlier, the Sui Northern Gas Private Limited (SNGPL) has asked for an increase in tariff

by Rs857.40 per MMBTU. According to the petitions, SNGPL has pleaded in the petition, asking for estimated revenue requirement (ERR) for FY22, sought the net increase in prescribed price of gas by Rs857.40 per MMBTU from July 1.

been launched to look into the delay.

It is pertinent to mention here that in order to avoid the looming gas crisis in summer across the country, the Petroleum Division had proposed SNGPL to suspend 70 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of RLNG to two fertilizer plants, 40MMCFD of RLNG to CNG sector of the Punjab, 70MMCFD of local gas to CNG sector of KP province, 115MMCFD of RLNG to non-export industrial sector of Punjab and KP. Moreover, the Division has also proposed Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) to stop RLNG supply to CNG, non-export industrial sectors under its domain, while the gas saved from the suspension would be supplied to K-Electric.

Govt seeks $300m IDA aid for KP tribal districts MONITORING REPORT The federal government is seeking $300 million from the International Development Associa¬tion (IDA) of the World Bank Group to help improve access to and quality of basic services in vulnerable communities in the districts recently merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to a report by Dawn, following the merger, residents of the merged areas have expressed increased expectations for improved service delivery, particularly in the areas of clean water, food security, education and health.

The ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rural Investment and

Institutional Support’ project will focus on three key areas of support: community infrastructure grants to address rural infrastructure gaps; citizen monitoring of basic services delivery in key service sectors against agreed quality standards; and institutional development and community mobilisation to promote local capacity and to strengthen the transparency, accountability, and capacity of line departments to partner with communities for local development.

It will cover rural communities in fifteen districts that have the largest service deficits, according to the KP Planning and Development Depart¬ment, including eight districts in the settled areas of KP and seven

districts in NMAs. In addition, these areas have the lowest capacity or resources to address local needs.

The project will fill these gaps through a combination of financing, technical support, and institutional strengthening. The geographic scope will be finalised during project preparation and may be extended in a phased approach.

Over the ten-year transition period, KP will continue to receive federal government support to address these priorities, but Pakistan’s fiscal challenges are expec¬ted to constrain the pace of development spending in the province to fulfill the vision of the merger, the report concludes.

Britain bans Binance in latest cryptocurrency crackdown LONDON AGENCIES

Britain’s financial regulator has ordered Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, to stop all regulated activity and issued a warning to consumers about the platform which is coming under growing scrutiny globally. In a notice dated June 25, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said Binance Markets Ltd, Binance’s UK entity, “must not, without the prior written consent of the FCA, carry out any regulated activities… with immediate effect”.

Binance did not respond to a request for com-

ment on Sunday.

While trading of cryptocurrencies is not directly regulated in Britain, offering services such as trading in cryptocurrency derivatives does require authorisation.

The FCA has told Binance that by June 30 it must display a notice stating “BINANCE MARKETS LIMITED IS NOT PERMITTED TO UNDERTAKE ANY REGULATED ACTIVITY IN THE UK” on its website and social media channels.

It must also secure and preserve all records relating to UK consumers and inform the FCA this has been done

by July 2.

The regulator did not explain why it taken the meas-

ures against Binance, which has said previously that it takes its legal obligations “very seriously” and engages “with regulators and law enforcement in a collaborative fashion”.

The FCA is stepping up its oversight of cryptocurrency trading, which has soared in popularity in the Britain along with other countries around the globe.

Since January, the FCA has required all firms offering cryptocurrency-related services to register and show they comply with anti-money laundering rules.

However earlier this month it said that just five firms had registered, and that the majority were not yet

compliant.

Japan’s regulator said on June 25 that Binance was operating in the country illegally, a notice posted on Japan’s Financial Services Agency website showed.

Last month, Bloomberg reported that officials from the US Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service who probe money laundering and tax offences had sought information from individuals with insight into Binance’s business.

In April, Germany’s financial regulator BaFin warned the exchange risked being fined for offering digital tokens without an investor prospectus.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

KARACHI

US preSSeS AllieS to repAtriAte iS FigHterS ROME

S

AFP

ECRETARy of State Antony Blinken on Monday pressed US allies to bring back citizens arrested overseas for joining the so-called Islamic State group, warning they could not be held indefinitely in Syria.

Blinken made the appeal in Rome at a meeting of an 83-member coalition on defeating the extremist network, where he and the Italian hosts called for greater attention to the jihadist threat in Africa.

About 10,000 suspected IS fighters are being held in northern Syria by Western-allied Kurdish fighters, according to US estimates. "This situation is simply untenable. It just can't persist indefinitely," Blinken said.

"The United States continues to urge countries -- including coalition partners -- to repatriate, rehabilitate and, where applicable, prosecute their citizens," he said.

France and Britain, two of the closest US allies, have been holdouts against such calls which were also made by former president Donald Trump's administration.

Both nations have traumatic experiences

with attacks and see little incentive and plenty of political cost to bringing back radicalised citizens who are already jailed overseas. Blinken praised Italy as one of the few Western European nations to repatriate its citizens and also hailed efforts by Central Asian nations such as Kazakhstan, which he said had brought back 600 fighters and their family members and put them in rehabilitation programmes.

According to a Human Rights Watch report in March, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are holding more than 63,000 women and children of suspected Islamic State fighters from more than 60 countries in two camps surrounded by barbed wire.

In a joint statement, the coalition voiced "grave concern" over the plight of prisoners in Syria and said it was important to find "a comprehensive and long-term solution ".

Blinken said the United States was offering another $436 million, mostly through international organisations, to care for Syrians displaced in the brutal decade-old war including by supporting Covid vaccination.

STEPPING UP EFFORTS IN AFRICA: The so-called Islamic State group has lost almost all of its territory in Syria and Iraq,

poliSH cHUrcH reportS receNt clergy AbUSe oF 368 cHilDreN WARSAW

where it once ran a vast self-styled caliphate marked by an extraordinary campaign of brutality against religious minorities and women.

But the extremists are exerting growing force in Africa including in the Sahel, where France is winding down a military campaign, and in Mozambique.

Belarus recalls envoy from Brussels in response to EU sanctions AFP/REUTERS

The AssociATed Press

In its latest report on the sexual abuse of minors, Poland’s Catholic Church says 292 clergymen allegedly abused 368 boys and girls from 2018 to 2020. The report released Monday comes at a time when the Vatican is investigating reports of abuse and of a lack of reaction by church leaders in Poland, a predominantly Catholic nation where the clergy enjoy special esteem. The Vatican recently punished a few Polish bishops and archbishops for negligence and barred them from church and lay ceremonies. The Holy See is also investigating reports of negligence by retired Krakow archbishop, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who before that served as personal secretary to the late pope, St. John Paul II. At an online conference, the head of Poland’s Catholic Church, Archbishop Wojciech Polak, repeated his earlier apologies to the victims and asked their forgiveness. Monsignor Adam Zak, in charge of tracking down and preventing cases of clergy abuse of minors, stressed the need for greater awareness and prevention because the number of recent reports remains high. The church’s first report, for 1990-2018, listed cases of 382 clergymen having allegedly abused 625 minors.

The names of 42 of the clergymen reappear in the latest report, compiled by the church statistical office from data from all dioceses.

UN human rights chief calls for 'systemic racism' to be dismantled AFP Racism against people of African descent remains systemic in many parts of the world, the U.N. human rights chief said on Monday, calling for states to dismantle discrimination and prosecute law enforcement officials for unlawful killings. Michelle Bachelet, in a global report sparked by the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis in May 2020, said that police use of racial profiling and excessive force is entrenched in much of North America, Europe and Latin America. Structural racism creates barriers to minorities' access to jobs, healthcare, housing, education and justice, she said. “I am calling on all states to stop denying, and start dismantling, racism; to end impunity and build trust; to listen to the voices of people of African descent; and to confront past legacies and deliver redress," she said in the report to the Human Rights Council. Bachelet welcomed a "promising initiative" by U.S. President Joe Biden in signing an executive order in January to address racial inequity across the United States. Her report cited 190 deaths of Africans and people of African descent worldwide at the hands of law enforcement officials in the past decade - most in the United States.

"With the exception of the case of George Floyd, no one was held accountable," Mona Rishmawi, head of the rule of law branch who led the report, told a news conference. It selected seven "emblematic cases", including that of Floyd. A judge sentenced former police officer Derek Chauvin on Friday to 22-1/2 years for his murder, video of which galvanised the national Black Lives Matter protest movement. Other victims include an Afro-Brazilian boy, 14, shot dead in an anti-drug police operation in Sao Paulo in May 2020 and a Frenchman of Malian origin, 24, who died in police custody in July 2016. "One (Brazilian) mother in particular said to us 'you always talk about George Floyd. Every day we have a George Floyd here and nobody talks about it'," Rishmawi said. "We realised that we were only touching the tip of the iceberg." The scourge is most prevalent in countries with a legacy of slavery, the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, or colonialism resulting in large communities of people of African descent, the report said.

There was little talk of new military actions but Blinken said the coalition would put a new emphasis on Africa in efforts to cutting off financing.

"We fear that ISIS can regain strength and that is why we must not lower our guard," Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told reporters.

"We must step up the action undertaken by the coalition, not by shifting our focus but by increasing the regions in which we operate -- not just the Middle East but Africa," he said.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the coalition "can and must work more closely together with African countries, and I think the participants here are in agreement about that".

The Central African Republic and Mauritania joined the coalition with the Rome meeting while Italy invited other African nations including Ghana as observers.

Blinken also announced that the United States was designating Ousmane Illiassou Djibo, a Niger-born Islamic State leader based in Mali, as a "specially designated global terrorist", making any transactions with him a crime under US law.

The coalition's ministers were meeting for the first time in person since February 2019, with diplomacy hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The coalition was also rocked by Trump's abrupt decision to pull troops out of Syria, declaring that the United States had completed its mission.

Belarus on Monday recalled its permanent representative to the European Union for consultations after Brussels imposed new economic sanctions in response to Belarus authorities forcing a Ryanair passenger flight to landin Minsk.

The Belarusian foreign ministry suggested the EU representative in Minsk also leave for consultations and said those responsible for the sanctions, which target Belarus's main export industries and access to finance, would be banned from entering Belarus.

Belarus also announced it was suspending its participation in the Eastern Partnership, an initiative to strengthen ties between the EU and its ex-Soviet neighbours.

The EU, US, Britain and Canada sanctioned Be-

larus after a Ryanair passenger flight between European capitals was grounded in late May in Minsk, where authorities detained opposition activist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend who were on board.

They were the latest in a series of penalties against President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for nearly three decades and clamped down on the opposition after mass protests erupted following disputed presidential elections last year.

"The Republic of Belarus suspends its participation in the EU Eastern Partnership initiative," the Belarusian foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Belarus "cannot fulfil its obligations under this agreement in the context of sanctions and restrictions imposed by the EU", the ministry said.

The suspension of the agreement will have a "negative impact on interaction with the European

Union in the field of combating illegal migration and organised crime", the statement added.

The EU launched its Eastern Partnership initiative in 2009, offering six former Soviet states -- Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia -- improved economic and political ties in return for reforms.

Some of the partner countries, notably Georgia and Ukraine, see the arrangement as a precursor to one day joining the EU and have been keen to push the partnership in a more ambitious direction.

At their last summit in 2017, EU and Eastern Partnership leaders pledged to deepen ties but with no promise of eventual membership.

The partnership has focused on delivering tangible results like increasing trade between the EU and partner countries, the eventual lifting of mobile roaming charges and boosting student exchanges.

Delayed doses of AstraZeneca jab boost immunity: study LONDON AFP

Delayed second and third doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine boost immunity against Covid-19, a study by Oxford University, which developed the jab with the British-Swedish firm, said on Monday.

An interval of up to 45 weeks between the first and second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine led to an enhanced immune response, rather than compromising immunity, the study said.

Giving a third dose of the jab more than six months after the second dose also leads to a "substantial increase" in antibodies and induces a "strong boost" to subjects' immune response, said the pre-print study, meaning that it has yet to be peer-reviewed.

"This should come as reassuring news to countries with lower supplies of the vaccine, who may be concerned about delays in providing second doses to their populations," said lead investigator of the Oxford trial Andrew Pollard.

"There is an excellent response to a second dose, even after a 10month delay from the first."

The researchers said the results for a delayed AstraZeneca third dose were positive, particularly as nations with advanced vaccination programmes consider whether third booster shots will be required to prolong immunity.

"It is not known if booster jabs will be needed due to waning immunity or to augment immunity against

Former Apple Daily journalist arrested at airport while trying to leave Hong Kong AFP

variants of concern," said the study's lead senior author, Teresa Lambe.

She explained the research showed the AstraZeneca jab "is well tolerated and significantly boosts the antibody response."

Lambe added results were encouraging "if we find that a third dose is needed".

The development of the jab, which is being administered in 160 countries, has been hailed as a milestone in efforts against the pandemic because of its relatively low cost and ease of transportation.

However, confidence in the jab, as with the vaccine developed by the US firm Johnson & Johnson, has been hampered by concerns over links to very rare but serious blood clots in a handful of cases.

A number of nations have suspended the use of the vaccine as a result or restricted its use by younger groups who are less at risk from Covid.

The Oxford study indicated that side effects from the vaccine in general were "well tolerated" with "lower incidents of side effects after second and third doses than after first doses".

A separate Oxford-led study released on Monday found that alternating doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine with that developed by Pfizer/BioNTech also boosted immune response.

It found subjects responded differently depending on the order in which the shots were given, but vaccination schedules involving both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech jabs could potentially be used to give more flexibility in tacking the virus.

Matthew Snape, the chief investigator for the trial, said when the mixed vaccines were given at a fourweek interval they induced "an immune response that is above the threshold set by the standard schedule of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine".

Hong Kong police arrested the lead opinion writer of Apple Daily on national security grounds as he tried to fly out of the city, local media reported, days after the pro-democracy newspaper was forced to shut down. Apple Daily, an unapologetic backer of Hong Kong's democracy movement, put out its last edition on Thursday after its top leadership was arrested and its assets frozen under a national security law China imposed on Hong Kong last year. Fung Wai-kong, managing editor and chief opinion writer for the paper's English website, on Sunday became the seventh senior Apple Daily figure detained under the law. Hong Kong police confirmed the arrest of a 57-year-old man at the airport for "conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security". They did not name Fung, who wrote under the penname Lo Fung, but local media reported that he has been detained for investigation. The prosecution of Apple Daily was sparked by articles and columns that allegedly supported international sanctions against China, a view now deemed illegal under the security law. In the last two weeks, police have raided the Apple Daily newsroom, seized computers and servers, and arrested five senior executives. Jimmy Lai, Apple Daily's owner and an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, is currently in jail for attending a prodemocracy demonstration and also faces national security charges. Apple Daily was forced to close after authorities froze its assets, crippling its ability to conduct business or pay staff.

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

SPORTS 11

KARACHI Misbah grateful for England lockdown experience LAHORE AFP

Coach Misbahul Haq has said he believes touring England last year under coronavirus lockdown restrictions helped turn his squad into “a family”. Pakistan followed the West Indies in agreeing to tour England at the height of the pandemic as international cricket returned from its Covid-19 enforced suspension. Both touring sides found themselves in a bio-secure regime that restricted them to living and training on site at the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford. And while conditions have eased now that Pakistan are back in England for three one-day internationals and three T20s starting at Durham on Tuesday, Misbah has fond memories of last year’s tour. “As a head coach I would prefer to be in lockdown,” he told reporters. “To stay together like that helps the team. Get connected, do whatever you do, in the game room, or the team room, together, practising together, having food together, that was amazing. “One thing obviously was that we were cut off from the outside, from families and everyone else. But that time, the whole team became a family and that actually helped us,” added the former Pakistan batsman and captain. Unlike last year, where Pakistan’s matches were played behind closed doors, their upcoming fixtures are set to take place in front of spectators, with the aim of 50 percent capacity as part of the UK Government’s events research programme. “Overall, when there are spectators and atmosphere in the ground it is better. From the mental side, I think players will be a bit more relaxed,” he said.

Dragons release Folau for 'personal family situation' in Australia PARIS AFP

Dual-code international Israel Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for saying "hell awaits" gay people and others he considers sinners, has been released by Catalans Dragons "with immediate effect", the French rugby league club announced Monday. Folau arrived at the Dragons in 2020 and had signed a one-year contract extension for 2021. But the 32-year-old informed the club he wanted to stay in Australia for what the Dragons said was "a personal family situation", and also play for small-town club Southport Tigers alongside his two brothers. Dragons chairman Bernard Guasch said Folau had been "great with us in 2020 both on and off the field and we wanted to facilitate the negotiations to reach an agreement". "He told us his desire to play alongside his two brothers and we didn't want to prevent him. We wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career." Folau was a star NRL player early in his career, then switched to rugby union after an unsuccessful stint playing Australian Rules. He scored 37 tries in 73 rugby union Tests for the Wallabies before being dumped, then returned to league in February last year with the Dragons.

Rugby Australia's sacking of Folau in 2019 sparked a long-running legal dispute that was eventually settled when they made a multi-million dollar out-of-court payment. In his latest battle, Folau this month applied for a Supreme Court injunction against Queensland Rugby League (QRL) in a bid to resume his career in Australia, claiming its refusal to register him amounted to a restraint of trade.

DJOkOviC OvErCOMES WiMblEDOn SCArE tO gEt rECOrD purSuit OFF tO Winning StArt LONDON

D

AFP

EFENDING champion Novak Djokovic overcame an early scare to reach the Wimbledon second round on Monday with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over Britain's 253rd-ranked Jack Draper.

World number one Djokovic is chasing a sixth Wimbledon title and 20th major and is halfway to becoming just the third man in history to complete a calendar Grand Slam.

It's a feat so rare that Rod Laver was the last man to achieve the sweep back in 1969. However, as Wim-

bledon returned after its 2020 cancellation due to the pandemic, the 34-year-old struggled on the slippery Centre Court surface with the roof closed above it due to rain.

Left-handed Draper, playing just his fifth match on the main tour, saved seven of seven break points in the opener as he stunned the top seed.

But Djokovic soon snuffed out any danger of him becoming only the third defending champion to lose in the first round, by sweeping through the remainder of the tie. He finished with an impressive 25 aces and 47 winners as his 19-year-old opponent wilted. Djokovic will face either former runner-up Kevin Anderson or Chilean qualifier Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera for a place in the last 32.

West Indies, South Africa eye batting lift for series lead SPORTS DESK BIG PICTURE: The third day of a Test match is known as "moving day," when teams expect the course of play to tilt one way or the other. Similarly, the third match in a five-fixture series that is locked at 1-1 has particular importance. It's the moving match, where the team that wins will take a significant step to securing the series.

So far, the chasing team has won one match and the defending team has won the other, but neither of the contests have been particularly close. While there have been pockets of pressure, this series needs a nail-biter to really set it alight. For that, both sides need to bat a little better.

South Africa's middle-order problems are age-old and this time they seem to stem from an insistence on playing as many specialists as they can at the expense of a seambowling allrounder. Andile Phehlukwayo, Wiaan Mulder and to a lesser degree, Sisanda Magala, are all yet to get a game as South Africa work around a six-batter, spin-bowling allrounder, three-seamer and specialist spinner XI. They may be going with this combination with a view to the T20 World Cup and the likelihood of playing more than one spinner, but still need to find a way to lengthen the batting. West Indies don't seem to have similarly big strategy concerns and will be particularly pleased with the way their younger bowlers, Kevin Sinclair and Obed McCoy, have integrated into the team. From a batting

form perspective, Nicholas Pooran is a concern but in general, they will want to strive to strike the balance between aggressive and assertive, especially after some of their short selection let them down in the second match.

Form guide (last five completed matches, most recent first) West Indies LWWLW South Africa WLLLW IN THE SPOTLIGHT: If West Indies want a little more impetus with the bat, they may want to consider how they use Dwayne Bravo .

He batted at No.9 in the second T20I, only the second time he has been in that position. No other player with more than 6000 T20 career runs has batted at No.9 or lower. But at least West Indies are getting their worth out of Bravo's experience with the ball. He bowled his full quota of four overs in the first match where he w=was the joint-most economical seamer and the joint-most successful bowler.

South Africa are looking for middle-order acceleration and there's an argument to be made for moving David Miller up the order, which could put Heinrich Klaasen under pressure to step up. Klaasen, who captained South Africa in their last two T20I series against Pakistan, has not scored more than 15 in his last four T20I innings and has only made two scores over 30 in his last 12 innings.

With Kyle Verreynne waiting on the sidelines, Klaasen has to use the next few matches to make a more solid claim

on his No.5 spot. One area of the game where he has made himself stand out is fielding in the deep. Klaasen took good catches on the boundary to remove Andre Fletcher and Andre Russell in the second match.

TEAM NEWS: West Indies' concerns lay in the middle-order in the second match but there aren't many switches they can make there. They may call on Lendl Simmons in some capacity but may have to displace Andre Fletcher, if they do.

West Indies (probable): 1 Andre Fletcher/Lendl Simmons, 2 Evin Lewis 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Kieron Pollard (capt), 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Jason Holder, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 Fabian Allen, 10 Kevin Sinclair, 11 Obed McCoy South Africa stuck to the same XI for the first two matches and may not want to change anything for the third, but they need to address their limited bowling resources. They could include a sixth bowler by inserting Aiden Markram into the middle-order or could consider a seam-bowling allrounder in place of one of the quicks.

South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Aiden Markram/Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 George Linde, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Anrich Nortje, 10 Sisanda Magala/Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS:

Portuguese shed tears for missed Euro chance after Belgium loss: Santos SEVILLE REUTERS

Portugal’s players cried in the changing rooms after their 10 elimination from the Euros by Belgium on Sunday, with the defending champions feeling it should have been them who advanced after dominating much of the game, coach Fernando Santos said.

The Portuguese had 24 efforts on goal compared with Belgium’s six, and they also hit the woodwork. Belgium had just one effort on target, Thorgan Hazard’s long-range rocket shot in the 42nd minute that won the game.

“The ball would just not go in,” Santos said. “We feel very disappointed and sad. Players are crying in the changing rooms, as many Portuguese will be.”

“The players gave everything they had to give, worked hard. But that’s football. They (Belgium) made six shots, one

on goal and scored one goal, we had 24 shots and hit the post.” Portugal began brightly and Diogo Jota wasted a great chance in the sixth minute, dragging his shot wide. He also missed another effort after the break, volleying over the bar from close range, while captain Cristiano Ronaldo came close with a free kick.

They further turned up the heat in the final 10 minutes with a Ruben Dias header before Raphael Guerreiro struck the post with a sweet first-time shot from the edge of the box in the 83rd. “We all wanted it. We believed and had confidence in our abilities,” Santos said. “We knew that if we won this one we would win out there. We were convinced that we could reach the final and win.” “In football there is no justice and injustice, there are those who score and those who do not score. We conceded a goal and couldn’t score.”

“My players did everything to bring great joy to the Portuguese people - we did not win, but we deserved to win.”

Five to watch at the Tokyo Olympics LONDON REUTERS

Five soccer players to watch at the Tokyo Olympics: CARLI LLOYD (UNITED STATES) One of the all-time greats of the women's game, Lloyd will be 39 when the tournament begins and a late career revival of form has given her the chance of winning a third gold medal following success in 2008 and 2012. The forward scored one of the most memorable goals in women's soccer history with a spectacular effort from the halfway line as part of a hat-trick inside the opening 16 minutes of the 2015 World Cup final win over Japan. Lloyd spent most of the successful 2019 World Cup campaign on the bench but she has come back from a 10-month layoff after knee surgery and is looking ready for Tokyo.

MOHAMED SALAH (EGYPT) Not surprisingly, Egypt are desperate to include the finest player to emerge from the Arab world as one of the three over-age players in their squad for Tokyo.

A Champions League and Premier League winner with Liverpool, the 29-year-old's participation is not yet secured, with talks continuing with his club.

If he does get the all-clear, Group C opponents Spain, Argentina and Australia will have to contend with his deft touch, clever movement and, above all, his eye for goal.

MANA IWABUCHI (JAPAN) A World Cup winner with Japan in 2011, the 28-yearold former Bayern Munich forward recently joined Arsenal but her focus will first be on her role with the 'Nadeshiko'.

Iwabuchi has scored 34 goals in 76 appearances for Japan and if the host nation are to enjoy medal success they will need their experienced striker to be on top form.

LUKAS NMECHA (GERMANY) The 22-year-old forward won the golden boot and scored the winner in the final of this year's UEFA Under21 tournament and is key to German hopes at the Games.

The Hamburg-born striker grew up in England and has been part of Manchester City's academy system but spent

last season on loan at Belgian club Anderlecht.

Nmecha, who can operate centrally or wide, represented England at age-group level until switching to Germany in March 2019. He made his debut against England.

GERSON (BRAZIL) When Flamengo won the 2019 Copa Libertadores and back-to-back Brazilian league titles in 2019 and 2020, the quick-thinking Gerson was the heart of a midfield packed with characters.

The quiet 24-year-old was perhaps the most underrated player at the Rio de Janeiro club but his input was crucial in helping them to their greatest spell since Zico and Junior ruled the roost.

Gerson, no relation to the 1970 World Cup legend, had returned to Flamengo after a disappointing spell in Italy with Roma and Fiorentina. He quickly found his feet again and his impressive displays over two highly successful years won him another chance to prove himself in Europe.

He left Flamengo in June to sign for French club Olympique Marseille.

Japan Olympic Committee chief says strict border controls needed to prevent Covid spread TOKYO: There is no way there will be zero coronavirus cases among athletes arriving for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, so border controls need to be stict to stop the spread, said Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita at a news conference on Monday. He also added that imposing restrictions such as requiring delegations from countries like India to quarantine was necessary to gain the understanding of the Japanese public. With less than a month until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games start, more athletic delegations have been arriving in Japan. Two members of the Ugandan delegation tested positive for coronavirus. REUTERS

Mourinho needs to move on, says England defender Shaw LONDON: England defender Luke Shaw said he found it “strange” to be the subject of continued criticism from Jose Mourinho, his former manager at Manchester United. The pair had a strained relationship during Mourinho’s two-and-a-half-year tenure at Old Trafford, with the 58-year-old Portuguese publicly criticising the left back’s performances on several occasions. Mourinho, who has been working as a pundit on TalkSport during the European Championship, described Shaw’s set-piece delivery in England’s 1-0 win against the Czech Republic as “very poor”. “There is no hiding that we didn’t get on,” Shaw said. “Clearly I am in his head a lot and he thinks about me a lot.

“I don’t know why he is still going on and wanting to point at me. I don’t feel like the set-pieces ... were as ‘dramatically bad’ as he says. “I think he was a brilliant manager but ... the past is the past. It is time to move on. I am trying to move on but, obviously, he can’t.” Shaw said he was able to shrug off negative comments from Mourinho now because they paled by comparison to the criticism he received from him at United. REUTERS

Tuesday, 29 June, 2021

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ZulfI dIsMIsses resurrected rePOrts Of Israel vIsIt IsLaMaBaD

f

stAff RePoRt

ORMER adviser to prime minister Zulfi Bukhari denied Monday that he had secretly visited Israel for meetings with senior government officials, following a report in Israel Hayom newspaper that an unidentified official with a United Kingdom passport had visited Tel Aviv last November.

Bukhari holds both British and Pakistan nationalities.

“Apparently, I’m the only one who was kept out of the loop.”

According to the report in Israel Hayom, Bukhari flew to Israel from Islamabad via London. He was quoted to have met with officials from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as then-Mossad chief Yossi Cohen in Tel Aviv to pass on messages from Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The report, based “on a source in Islamabad”, further claimed that the visit came following “heavy pressure” from the

United Arab Emirates.

In addition to Bukhari, Focal Person to Prime Minister on Digital Media Arslan Khalid also dispelled the report. “Bukhari had clarified last year that he was never sent by the government to Israel. This IsraelIndia-Pak fake news peddlers network is getting so boring and predictable,” he tweeted.

If confirmed, this alleged visit would not be the first contact between the two countries. In 2018, an Israeli business jet flew to Islamabad, staying on the ground for ten hours before returning.

Israel and Pakistan do not share diplomatic relations and last month Islamabad was critical of Israel for its attacks on civilian neighbourhoods in Palestine, involving the most intensive aerial exchanges for years.

At the time, the Foreign Office condemned both “Israel’s heinous attack on AlAqsa Mosque” and its airstrikes on Gaza, which it said violated “all norms of humanity & international law” and constituted an “indiscriminate use of force” against “defenceless Palestinians.”

Pakistan among 14 countries facing extended UAE flights ban News Desk The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has extended a ban on inbound flights from 14 countries including Pakistan till July 21, 2021, the Gulf News reported, citing a notification issued by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

In a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Sunday, the GCAA said that flights from 14 countries, including Pakistan, will re-

main suspended until July 21, 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, it said cargo flights as well as business and charter flights would be exempted from the suspension.

According to the report, the countries facing the ban on flights till July 21 include Pakistan, India, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria

PM fetes lawmakers of ruling coalition ahead of passage of finance bill staff RepoRt Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday hosted a dinner for the members of the National Assembly of the coalition parties. The dinner was important since the federal government is all set to pass finance bill 2021-2022 on Wednesday, June 30. On the condition of anonymity, sources in the ruling coalition told Pakistan Today that majority of the lawmakers attended the dinner meeting. However, sources said that some lawmakers were missing. Sources said that the absence of the lawmakers was taken seriously by the prime minister and chief whip of the ruling party, Malik Amir Dogar, was directed to submit a report in this regard.

Sources also said that Prime Minister Imran directed Defence Minister Pervez Khattak to take cognizance of the absence of the lawmakers and ensure presence of all the lawmakers of the coalition parties in the budget session for the next two days which are crucial for the coalition government. Tareen Group was very much present and Raja Riaz and other members were present. PM Imran gave a brief speech and encouraged the party lawmakers to write a new chapter of history by passing the people friendly budget.

and South Africa.

Earlier on June 19, Dubai had said that an entry ban on those who in the past 14 days had visited India, Nigeria and South Africa would ease from June 23.

Dubai, a business and tourism hub, is the most populous of the UAE’s seven emirates. Throughout the pandemic, the UAE’s seven emirates have set some of their own Covid-19 policies.

According to Reuters, a GCAA representative on Sunday said those travelling from India were still banned from entering the UAE but deferred further comment to the Dubai government.

Dubai’s media office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Dubai reopened its borders to foreign visitors in July, while Abu Dhabi requires arrivals from most countries to quarantine.

Iraq slams ‘unacceptable’ US strikes on armed groups ReuteRs Iraq on Monday condemned overnight US air strikes against allegedly Iran-backed armed groups on the Syrian-Iraqi border that killed at least seven fighters and sparked calls for revenge from Iraqi armed factions.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi condemned the attack as a “blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security”.

In a statement released Monday, Kadhimi called on all sides to avoid further escalation. “Iraq reiterates its refusal to be an arena for settling scores,” he said.

The US strikes in response to drone attacks by militia against US personnel and facilities in Iraq were the second such raid on pro-Iran targets since President Joe Biden took office. The attack, described by the Pentagon as “retaliatory”, led to fears of a new escalation between Tehran and Washington and came despite faltering efforts to revive a key deal over Iran’s nuclear programme.

In a statement released Sunday, the US military said it targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq. It did not disclose whether it believed anyone was killed or injured but officials said assessments were ongoing. Iraqi militia groups allegedly aligned with Iran in a statement named four members of the Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhada faction they said were killed in the attack on the Syria-Iraq border. They vowed to retaliate. But Iraqi officials say they want to avoid being dragged into a tit-for-tat escalation between Washington and Tehran. Following an emergency security meeting in Baghdad Monday, the Iraqi government – in a rare admonishment

of US action by the Kadhimi administration – said it was studying “all legal options” to prevent such action being repeated. Biden last ordered limited strikes in Syria in February, that time in response to rocket attacks in Iraq.

“As demonstrated by this evening’s strikes, President Biden has been clear that he will act to protect US personnel,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

‘NECESSARY, APPROPRIATE, DELIBERATE ACTION’: The strikes came even as Biden’s administration is looking to potentially revive a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. The decision to retaliate appears to show how Biden aims to compartmentalise such defensive strikes, while simultaneously engaging Tehran in diplomacy.

Biden’s critics say Iran cannot be trusted and point to the drone attacks as further evidence that Iran and its alleged proxies will never accept a US military presence in Iraq or Syria. Speaking at a meeting in Rome, Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the air strikes sent an important message to allegedly Iran-backed militias. “We took necessary, appropriate, deliberate action that is designed to limit the risk of escalation, but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message,” Blinken told reporters. US officials believe Iran is behind a ramp-up in increasingly sophisticated drone attacks and periodic rocket fire against US personnel and facilities in Iraq, where the US military has been helping Baghdad combat the remnants of so-called Islamic State.

Two US officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said that allegedly Iran-backed militias carried out at least five drone attacks against facilities used by US and coalition personnel in Iraq since April.

India’s ‘drone attack hype’ signals another false flag operation IsLaMaBaD APP

India, in its failed face-saving attempt to malign Pakistan, has come up with another episode of ‘drone attack’ being dubbed as another false flag operation.

The scenario is supplemented by the fact that no military assets were damaged in a so-called drone attack, which implies that a planned incident in proximity of air base was mere a media hype.

In the backdrop of embarrassment caused after the recent all-party convention called-in by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘drone drama’ is meant to deflect the loss after the Kashmiri leaders exposed that “gulf between New Delhi and Kashmir”.

Also, India appears threatened by the strong and solid relations between Pak-

istan and China, and the recent drone tactic falls in the same agenda.

Despite spending billions on its air defence system, India spares no moment to portray Pakistan as “aggressor” and creates fake stories in the name of terrorists attacks. Against the established pattern, no organiztaion has claimed responsibility of the ‘drone attack.

However, strangely the Indian Air Force, which could not explain its continuously changing stance as how many “terrorists” were killed in Balakot air strike, not only failed to monitor Pakistan Air Force fighters through radars but within minutes identified drones to belong to Pakistan.

The incident reflects quite poorly on professionalism of IAF which has already performed much lesser than propagated against Pakistan in Balakot-Pulwama air

“Strongly condemn Israeli Forces’ attack esp during Ramazan on Palestinians in Qibla-e-Awaal, Al-Aqsa Mosque, violating all norms of humanity & int[ernational] law,” Imran tweeted immediately prior to the outbreak of hostilities.

Both Israel and Pakistan are slated to participate in the US Sixth Fleet’s annual Sea Breeze exercise in the Black Sea. 32 countries will participate in the upcoming exercise near Russian-occupied Crimea, which Moscow has promised to closely monitor.

seven killed, many injured in blast in Bangladesh DHaka ReuteRs

At least seven people were killed and more than 50 people were injured in an explosion in the Bangladeshi capital late on Sunday, police said.

The cause of the blast, which occurred on the ground floor of a three-storey building on a busy street in Dhaka’s Moghbazar area, was not immediately known. “We have information so far that seven people died in the incident and 50 others have been admitted to hospitals,” Shafiqul Islam, Dhaka city police commissioner, told reporters after visiting the scene. Seven other nearby buildings and three buses were damaged in the explosion, he said. Television footage showed mangled pillars, broken concrete and glass shards strewn across the street.

Kashmir police officer, family shot dead in home sRINaGaR the AssociAted PRess

Suspected attackers fatally shot a police officer, his wife and their daughter in Indian-occupied Kashmir, police said Monday. Police said the attackers entered officer Fayaz Ahmad’s home in the southern Tral area late Sunday and fired indiscriminately at those inside. Ahmad was killed immediately, while his wife died a few hours later in a hospital. Their 23-year-old daughter died in a hospital early Monday. In a statement, police labelled the incident a “terror attack.”

Ahmad was a so-called special police officer, a lower-ranked police official recruited mainly for intelligence gathering and counterinsurgency operations. His son works in the Indian military’s counterinsurgency unit.The Himalayan region of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. Freedom fighters have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the goal that the territory be united either under Pakistan’s rule or as an independent country. New Delhi deems the freedom movement to be a Pakistan-sponsored campaign. Pakistan denies the charge, and most people in Kashmir call it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, fighters and government forces have been killed in the conflict.

India chases away drones in IOK a day after blast at airbase sRINaGaR ReuteRs

duel and China’s Laddakh.

The timing of false flag is also aimed at giving strength to Indian propaganda in the wake of decision by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to keep Pakistan in grey list. The situation has made it clear that fuming in the hate of Pakistan, Modi through a false flag inadvertently is in fact

defaming India’s military potential, which will not go unnoticed by the world powers. It is pertinent to mention that while India through its media has been able to spread the news, no state or international organistaion has condemned it which reflects the “credibility and authenticity” of Indian rhetoric.

New Delhi said on Monday they had chased away two more drones from a military area in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), a day after a blast at an airbase that was suspected to have been delivered by commercially available quad-copters. Both drones flew away after troops fired on the craft around midnight, Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand, a spokesperson for the Indian military said in a statement. “A major threat thwarted by the alertness and proactive approach of troops,” he said. “The security forces are on high alert and the search operation is in progress.”

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