Epaper – November 23 ISB 2021

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 I 17 Rabi-us-Sani, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 145 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Pakistan, iMF reach staFF-level agreeMent For revival oF stalled PrograMMe g

Agreement to be approved by Fund's Executive Board after govt implements all prior actions

NEWS DESk

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HE International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement on policies and reforms needed to complete the sixth review under the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) which had been stalled since April, the Fund announced in a statement on Monday.

Ministry of Finance Spokesperson Muzzammil Aslam also confirmed the latest development, saying the staff-level agreement was reached between Pakistan and IMF after 45 days of discussions.

However, the statement suggests that the agreement is dependent on the Fund’s Executive Board’s approval, which requires Pakistan to ensure implementation of of pre-conditions, already spelt out

by Finance Adviser Shaukat Tarin and also underscored by the IMF in the handout.

The agreement is subject to approval by the Executive Board, following the implementation of prior actions, notably on

fiscal and institutional reforms, the statement reads, adding that the approval of the agreement will make available 750 million in Special Drawing Rights (SDR), equivalent to $,1059m. n its statement following discussions with Pakistani officials, the IMF acknowledged the country’s progress in implementing the programme “despite a difficult environment”.

“All quantitative performance criteria (PCs) for end-June were met with wide margins, except for that on the primary budget deficit,” the Fund noted, adding that finalisation of the National Socioeconomic Registlery (NSER) update, adoption of amendments in the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Act, notification of all pending quarterly power tariff adjustments, and payment of the first tranche of outstanding arrears to independent power producers (IPPs) were “notable” achievements on the structural front. The authorities have also made progress in improving the anti-money laundering

coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,282,195

LAST UPDATED AT 8:24 AM ON NOVEMBER 22, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

3

322

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

1,230,970 28,663 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

474,243

442,479

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

179,604 AJK/GB:

33,444 ISLAMABAD:

34,536 / 10,406

107,483

and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework, although some additional time is needed to strengthen its effectiveness, it further added.

The Fund stated that although “a strong economic recovery has gained hold, benefiting from the authorities’ multifaceted policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic that has helped contain its human and macroeconomic ramifications, and while the FBR’s tax collection has been strong, external pressures have started to emerge: a widening of the current account deficit and depreciation pressures on the exchange rate — mainly reflecting the compound effects of the stronger economic activity, an expansionary macroeconomic policy mix, and higher international commodity prices.”

The Fund also acknowledged that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has also taken the right steps by starting to reverse the accommodative monetary policy stance, strengthening some macroprudential measures to contain consumer credit growth, and providing forward guidance. The IMF emphasised that the monetary policy needs to remain focused on curbing inflation, preserving exchange rate flexibility, and strengthening international reserves.

As economic stability becomes entrenched and the independence of the SBP is strengthened with the approval of the SBP Act Amendments, the central bank should gradually advance the preparatory work to formally adopt an inflation targeting (IT) regime in the medium term, underpinned by a forward-looking and interest-rate-focused operational framework, the statement explained.

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Govt to raise PL, electricity tariff to meet IMF’s demands g

Govt to ensure legislation for SBP autonomy, says Tarin ISLAMABAD Shahzad Paracha

The federal government has hinted at raising the petroleum levy (PL) by Rs4 per litre every month as well as increasing the electricity tariff in a bid to ensure implementation of of preconditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to complete the sixth review under the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

In this regard, in a press conference with Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar on Monday, Advisor to Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin said that the PL has to be increased by Rs4 every month for reaching the maximum level of Rs30 per litre although the government has reduced the PL target to Rs310 from Rs610 billion.

Tarin said that the staff-level agreement with the Fund has been successfully completed for reviving the $6-billion funding programme stalled since April this year. He also said that the World Bank as well as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) would also provide funds after the approval from IMF’s executive

Govt ‘releases’ over 100 TTP prisoners g

Most of freed Taliban inmates have not completed six-month de-radicalisation & rehabilitation process, says report PESHAWAR NewS deSk

The government has released more than 100 Taliban prisoners as a ‘goodwill gesture’ to reciprocate the ceasefire announced by the group earlier this month, a media outlet reported.

Per report, most of the freed Taliban prisoners were undergoing de-radicalisation and rehabilitation at the internment centres set up by the government, the officials said on the condition of anonymity since they were not authorised to speak on record.

“Most of the released inmates have not completed a six-month mandatory de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programme,” the report quoted an official as saying. “The rest were ordinary foot soldiers.”

The officials also clarified that the prisoners were not released in compliance with any demand from the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP), which is currently engaged in negotiations with the government. “The Taliban prisoners were released

as a goodwill gesture,” the official added. On November 8, the TTP announced in a statement that it had reached an agreement with the government to cease hostilities for one month. “The ceasefire agreement between the Pakistan government and the TTP will remain in effect for one month. It could be extended should the two sides agree,” the group said in a statement. “It would equally apply to both sides.”

Federal Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also confirmed talks with the TTP which, he said, were being held within the ambit of the Constitution and law of the land. He also confirmed that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire during the talks, facilitated by the interim Afghan government.

The truce was the result of a series of meetings held between the two sides in Afghanistan. Both sides held at least three rounds of talks — one in Kabul and two in Khost – during which they formed committees to take the process forward and try to convert the ceasefire into a permanent

peace deal.

The security officials who spoke to the media outlet on Monday and said that there have been no direct talks thus far between the two sides and that they are engaged through intermediaries. The Afghan foreign minister also confirmed during a recent visit to Pakistan that they were mediating between the TTP and the Pakistan government.

“No individual, but the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is mediating between the government of Pakistan and the TTP,” Amir Khan Muttaqi said.

Another media report said last week that the TTP made three demands during the exploratory talks which include allowing opening of a political office in a third country, reversal of erstwhile FATA’s merger with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and enforcement of Islamic shariah in Pakistan. The official side, however, told the group that these demands were not acceptable. The group was particularly told in categorical terms that enforcement of their version of Islamic law was out of question.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

board. “However, Pakistan has to implement five major prior actions, including approval of the SBP autonomy as well as tax exemptions bills from the parliament before the board meeting scheduled on January 12, 2022,” he said.

In this connection, he said that the government and IMF have agreed on the draft of the SBP autonomy bill and that the government would give autonomy to the central bank in making decisions regarding the monetary policy and exchange rate policy.

“We believe in it. God willing, we will get it (the legislation) passed,” Tarin added.

However, he clarified that the central bank would be answerable to parliament like other organisations such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and all NAB laws would be applicable to the SBP. The advisor said that the government has also revised the revenue target for the ongoing fiscal year (FY22) which would now be Rs6.1 trillion instead of Rs5.8 trillion.

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MORE INSIDE

Power consumers likely to face colossal hike in electricity tariff STORY ON PAGE 02

PDM forms lawyers’ panel for pursuing legal action against Joint Session legislation STORY ON PAGE 02

ECC cancels int’l tender for wheat import due to higher prices STORY ON PAGE 03

02

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

PowEr coNsumErs LIKELy to FAcE coLossAL hIKE IN ELEctrIcIty tArIFF ISLAMABAD

A

AhmAd AhmAdAni

LREADY burdened masses may face a hike of Rs4.75 per unit in the electricity tariff on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for the month of October for exWAPDA power distribution companies (DISCOs).

As per details, the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has submitted an application to increase the power tariff over reference fuel charges i-e Rs5.1733 per

Kilowatt-hour for DISCOs except K-Electric whereas the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is scheduled to hear the plea on November 30, 2021.

According to sources, NEPRA is likely to grant its approval in this regard, a move that will add an additional burden of approximately Rs60 billion on the power consumers.

Based on the information provided by the CPPA to NEPRA, power generation with hydel source during October was 23.26 per cent, coal 16.69pc, high speed diesel (HSD) 0.51pc, RFO 10.88pc, gas

Four killed, four injured in firing in Balochistan ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

At least four people were killed and four others injured in a firing by unknown men on a vehicle in Mastung district of Balochistan, media reported. According to the media, the incident took place in the Wali Khan Bypass area of the district from where the assailants ran away immediately. Afterwards, the victims were shifted to a nearby hospital. Police reached the site and started investigating the matter. Police told the local media that the targeted vehicle belonged to an influential local tribal leader. No group or individual claimed the incident yet.

Karachi airport’s demarcation map changed multiple times allegedly for land occupation: FIA probe NEwS DESk A probe by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has revealed that the boundary of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA’s) land at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) was shifted multiple times over the years in connivance with CAA and revenue department officials, purportedly to illegally occupy the property. According to FIA officials and documents, demarcation maps for the land in question were created several times on the basis of “mala fide intentions” to encroach upon the property. In a statement issued on Monday, an FIA spokesperson said two first information reports (FIRs) had been registered in relation to the case by the agency’s Corporate Crime Circle and a total of 32 suspects had been nominated in both the cases. The suspects include former federal minister retired Capt Haleem Siddiqi, former Karachi administrator Saqib Soomro, East Deputy Commissioner Muhammed Ali Shah, revenue department officials and others. These details were also confirmed by FIA Karachi Director Amir Farooqi on Sunday, who said the FIRs had been registered on behalf of CAA Additional Director Jafar Abbas Cheema. Among the suspects, three CAA officials — former senior estate officer Zareen Gul Durrani, erstwhile assistant manager estate Mohammed Yunus and former general manager estate Syed Mohammed Kaleem — and one private person named Mushtaq were arrested in raids carried out on Saturday.

According to the FIRs, the land acquisition for Jinnah International Airport in Malir, then East district, was initiated in 1976 and the property was allocated to the CAA in 1983. The property comprised 78 acres of private land and 209 acres of state land. Subsequently, demarcation maps for the land were prepared in 1983, 1995, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2019, revealing that relevant revenue officials had been changing the boundary of the CAA land on the basis of “mala fide intention” to pave the way for the “illegal creation of new survey numbers” and “illegal relocation of survey numbers”, allegedly to usurp the property. “Zareen Gul Durrani, the then JIAP estate officer, Jahanzeb Khan and Mohammed Ali, the then senior surveyor at JIAP, have signed the said fabricated demarcation maps and also issued an NOC (no-objection certificate) without concurrence from the law officer and approval from the competent authority,” the FIRs, available with Dawn.com, said. One of the FIRs pertains to an attempt by unidentified persons to illegally occupy five acres of the CAA land in April 2021, “on the false presumption that the Survey No 575 and 576 in NA-Class 153 Deh Mehran have been relocated” on the said land.

According to the FIR, the attempt was made under the authority of East Deputy Commissioner Muhammed Ali Shah but was stopped by an airport manager. This case has been registered against 11 suspects. The FIR further stated that Capt Haleem Siddiqui claimed that he had purchased the said land from one Ayesha Mohammed Khan in 1993 for his company Epic Air Pvt. Ltd and the same was regularised by the land utilisation (LU) department. The FIA said records revealed that Ayesha had purchased 62 acres of land in Deh Narather in Karachi’s West district, while the LU was given 84 acres in lieu of the 62 acres.

9.67pc, Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) 23.93pc, nuclear 12.33pc, and wind 1.64pc. Similarly, a total of 11,296.23 Gigawatt per hour (GWh) energy was generated while net energy delivered to DISCOs equaled 10,982.86 GWh during the month under review.

Meanwhile, K-Electric has also asked NEPRA to approve a hike of 29paisa per unit in the power tariff on account of the FCA of October whereas NEPRA will hear the plea on December 2. As per sources, if the NEPRA allows the hike, Karachitis will bear an additional burden of Rs570 million.

According to NEPRA’s notice of hearing, all affected parties are invited to

raise written and oral objections as permissible under the law.

PDM forms lawyers’ panel for pursuing legal action against Joint Session legislation ISLAMABAD stAff coRRespondent

The spokesperson of the Opposition’s alliance, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Hafiz Hamdullah on Monday said that the PDM’s steering committee meeting has formed a panel comprising lawyers for pursuing legal action against the legislation passed in the Parliament’s joint session on November 17.

“The November 17 legislation has been declared the blackest day in the Parliament’s history,” he said.

He further stated that the steering committee has gathered recommendations regarding the PDM’s next course of action, which will be presented in the central

meeting of the steering committee today (Tuesday).

Hamdullah said the PDM leadership will make decisions in the light of recommendations, adding that the Lahore rally, the long march next year, and wheel jam and shutter down strikes are also on the meeting’s agenda. He said that the leaked audio clip associated with the former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar and the claims made in former Gilgit-Baltistan chief judge Rana Shamim’s affidavit have put a “big question mark” on existing affairs.

The controversy began earlier this month when a former judge of the apex court in GB levelled serious allegations against former chief justice Saqib Nisar, stating in a notarised affidavit that he had been witness

PUC seeks action against Asma Conference organisers for ‘defaming military, judiciary’ NEwS DESk

to then CJP Saqib Nisar’s “direction to a high court judge not to release Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on bail at any cost before the 2018 general elections.”

The seriousness of the matter intensified when an audio clip allegedly featuring Nisar was leaked in which a man could be heard saying that “Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz would have to be punished to make space for Imran Khan in politics.”

Hamdullah, while speaking to the media, said that the Opposition had already expressed concerns regarding the “injustice” as he referred to the campaign against the PML-N leadership. “Now it is the judges and judiciary who have to give an explanation or clarification,” said Hamdullah.

Asia’s big 3 LNG buyers ramp up November imports as Europe struggles LAUNCESTON Agencies

The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) has demanded from the concerned authorities to take action against the organisers of Asma Jahangir Conference for “defaming judiciary, army and other institutions of the country”. The scholars belonging to different schools of thought including PUC Chairman and PM’s aide Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Maulana Asad Zakaria Qasmi, Maulana Noman Hashir, Allama Tahirul Hassan, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Siddiqui and several others, in a joint statement issued on Monday accused some of the participants of the conference for distorting facts pertaining to the the rights of minority communities in Pakistan.

The religious leaders stated that it was not right to link the mistakes of a few individuals with the institutions and to use foul language against the security institutions of the country.

“In Asma Jahangir Conference, on one hand, a deplorable attitude was adopted against the forces, judiciary and security forces and on the other false propaganda was spread regarding the rights of minorities.” The leaders stated that numerous of fatwas (religious decree) have been issued many times, stating that Islam does not allow forced conversions and marriages, while adding that the US assessment of religious freedom in Pakistan is also politically motivated.

They also appealed the organizers — Supreme Court Bar Council and Pakistan Bar Council — to take action against those who spread the “anti-Pakistan propaganda” in the conference.

The deniers of the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (finality of the prophethood) were given free rein to twist the facts of

the cases related to the minorities while the Muslim scholars were not invited to the conference to give their opinion, the scholars claimed.

They further stated that the minorities living in Pakistan are safer than minorities in other countries and it is regrettable that the atrocities being committed against marginalised communities in India were not even mentioned in the conference.

“This reveals the real agenda of Asma Jahangir Conference… the individuals who attack ideology of Pakistan and Islamic beliefs were invited to the conference,” the PUC added.

It is pertinent to note that a day earlier, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry chose not to attend the Asma Jahangir Conference in protest against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s address, stating that allowing an absconder to speak along with Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and other judges is akin to contempt of judges and judiciary.

The world’s top buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are ramping up imports of the fuel in November, with the major consumers in Asia drawing more cargoes than gas-starved Europe.

Asia’s big three buyers – China, Japan and South Korea – are forecast to discharge 17.77 million tonnes of the super-chilled fuel in November, according to data compiled by commodity consultants Kpler. This is up from 15.41 million tonnes in October, and will be the highest monthly total for the world’s top three buyers since February, when 19.01 million tonnes were discharged. Vesseltracking and port data compiled by Refinitiv also points to an increase in imports by China, Japan and South Korea, pegging their November imports at 16.62 million tonnes, up from 15.13 million in October. If there is strong demand from the three major northeast Asian countries, however, the same cannot be said for buyers in South Asia, where imports have slumped amid record high spot prices. India is on track to import just 1.51 million tonnes of LNG in November – the lowest since April 2020, at the height of the initial outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Kpler. That would be well below the 2.33 million tonnes landed in October, and a similar 2.33 million tonnes in November 2020. Pakistan’s November imports are forecast to be just 700,000 tonnes, down from 730,000 in October and the lowest monthly total since June. Bangladesh is expected to land 360,000 tonnes in November, down from October’s 530,000 tonnes.

PM Khan asks ministers to expose Sharif family’s past attacks against judiciary ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday directed the ruling party’s spokespersons to highlight the past of PML-N and tell the people how Sharif family had divided the superior courts judges and ‘attacked’ the supreme court to save Nawaz Sharif from imminent disqualification in year 1999.

PTI sources told that the directives come following successive allegations by the PML-N against former CJP Saqib Nisar who had fully denied the allegations.

The prime minister said that the Sharif family are a mafia which pressurises judges to take decisions in their favour but they will not be allowed to use such tactics anymore.

He said that the government respects the institutions and will stand by them. Expressing his resolve to hold

the next general elections via electronic voting machines (EVMs), the prime minister directed the party spokespersons to take the nation into confidence over the matter, the sources said. “We will hold the next elections via voting machines […] the hindrances in the

way of overseas Pakistanis’ voting should be removed,” the prime minister said.

PM Imran Khan directed government officials to resolve the issues pertaining to overseas Pakistanis’ National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and passports.

“The government will fulfil its promise made to overseas Pakistanis,” he said.

The government had, last week, passed 33 bills in a joint sitting of the Parliament.

Among the bills passed, the most crucial were amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, allowing the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and giving overseas Pakistanis the right to vote in general elections.

On inflation, the premier said that the nation should be taken into confidence over the matter, as inflation was a global issue.

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD

PakIStan, RuSSIa to eXPand cooPeRatIon on counteRteRRoRISM ISLAMABAD

P

miaN abRaR

AKISTAN and Russia Monday agreed to further broaden their bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism, and issues related to combating international terrorism and other challenges to security, reaffirming their commitment to continue dialogue on countering the financing of terrorism.

During the 9th Meeting of the Russia-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism and Other Challenges to Security held in Moscow, both the countries also reaffirmed their willingness to work closely with each other on issues

Provinces asked to take action against fertiliser hoarders ISLAMABAD

of common concern at key international platforms like the United Nations and regional bodies like the SCO. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Oleg V Syromolotov and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Nabeel Munir.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged ideas and discussed a broad range of issues related to global fight against terrorism and extremism, including existing challenges as well as new and emerging threats to international and regional peace and security.

Russia and Pakistan acknowledged and appreciated each other’s efforts in countering international terrorism, underscored the need for greater collaboration between the two countries on addressing

the challenges to security.

The two countries renewed their commitment to counter the spread of terrorist propaganda in the information space, particularly on the Internet, and the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters.

They highlighted that the spread of terrorist mindset and ideologies and emergence of new forms of terrorism posed a grave challenge.

As part of this strategic dialogue Russia and Pakistan conducted a thorough exchange of assessments of global and regional terrorist threats, particularly in Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Africa, and Central and South Asia.

The next meeting of the Working Group will be held in 2022.

LG system crucial for redressal of public issues, says Bilawal ISLAMABAD

Ghulam abbas

News Desk

With serious fertiliser shortages looming across the country, the Fertiliser Review Committee has asked all provinces governments to take strict action against hoarders, however, the industry maintains that storages by dealers is part of the supply chain. In this regard, a meeting of the FRC held here no Monday was chaired by Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar. The meeting was attended by Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar and Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, as well as the representatives of fertiliser manufacturers and relevant officials. The meeting, which was held to allay issues related to supply of crop nutrients, noted that urea prices were already beginning to increase at the retail end, and buyers were paying up to Rs120 higher for a 20 kilo bag. It was informed that farmers were getting a urea bag between Rs1,950 and Rs2,000 in different parts of the country whereas the rate should be around Rs1,850. On the other hand, fertiliser manufacturers stated that the ex-factory price was Rs1,798 per bag and other overheads including freight charges, dealers’ margins etc. had not changed significantly. Regarding the urea supply and demand position, the meeting was informed that according to National Fertiliser Development Company (NFDC) data, there had been an increase of 10 per cent in urea sales during January to October. The offtake in 10 months of 2021 was 5.081 million tonnes (MT) against 4.626 MT during the same period last year, it was informed. Officials claimed that the demand for urea has increased due to the favourable agriculture policies of the government and better farm economics. It was brought to attention of the Chair that dealers had hoarded 4.5 million tonnes of urea, making massive profits. Khusro Bakhtyar. expressed concern over the hoarding of an essential commodity for farmers and asked the provincial governments to take strict action against hoarders and those engaged in black marketing of fertilisers. The minister stated that the government took all measures including uninterrupted supply of gas to fertiliser plants to ensure well-timed availability of urea to farmers at affordable prices and would not tolerate market exploitation by dealers. He urged representatives of the fertiliser industry to blacklist exploiters to smoothen the supply chain. He said that the government is closely monitoring distribution and supply of fertilisers to ensure soil nutrients are made available to farmers at affordable prices during Rabi season. He also formed the task force committee to monitor the situation pertaining to the supply side, marketing balance, and regional diversion plan to fill the gap between the supply and demand of urea across the country.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday termed the role of local body representatives crucial for immediate resolution of public problems.

He said this while presiding over a meeting here at Bilawal House, in which, he was briefed by the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and provincial ministers on the local government system, said a news release issued here by the PPP Secretariat.

Bilawal was briefed that working on a new system for local bodies was under process, which would lead to further expansion of the powers for local government representatives.

Besides PPP Women Wing President Faryal Talpur, PPP Sindh

President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, PPP Chairman Political Secretary Jamil Soomro, provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Nasir Hussain Shah and advisors to the chief ministers Sindh Manzoor Hussain

Wasan and Murtaza Wahab, member of provincial assembly Sohail Anwar Siyal, former provincial minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and Shiraz Rajpar were also present in the meeting.

ISLAMABAD The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday canceled the 8th international tender for import of Wheat on the basis of higher prices.

The meeting of ECC was held under the chair of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan.

As per the details, Ministry of National Food Security & Research presented two summaries related to Award of Seventh International Wheat Tender 2021-22 opened on 25th October, 2021 and Award of Eight International Wheat Tender 2021-22 opened on 4th November, 2021.

The ECC after due deliberation recommended the proposal regarding scrapping of the 7th tender offered by the TCP and floating of fresh tender.

03

PSX nosedives 744 points on massive interest rate hike KARACHI tltp

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) nosedived on Monday due to rollover week and massive hike of 150bps in policy rate by the State Bank of Pakistan, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding 744.41 points (-1.63 percent) to close at 45,745 points. The market opened on a positive note and gained over 110 points during the first 25 minutes of the session; however, later a massive profit taking activity gripped the market that continued for the rest of the session. The KSE-100 Index moved in a range of 885.3 points, showing an intraday high of 46,601.90 points and a low of 45,716.60 points.

Among other indices, the KSE All Share Index shed 418.93 points (-1.32 percent) to close at 31,309.15 points, while All Share Islamic Index shed 314.19 points (-1.39 percent) to close at 22,301.65 points. A total of 360 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, out of them shares of 77 closed up, shares of 270 closed down while shares of 13 companies remained unchanged. Out of 95 traded companies in the KSE-100 Index, 14 closed up, 80 closed down and one remained unchanged. The overall market volumes decreased by 42.31 million to 261.90 million. Total volumes traded for the KSE-100 Index remained 126.43 million shares.

The number of total trades decreased by 1,626 to 109,279, while the value traded decreased by Rs1.06 billion to Rs10.94 billion. Overall market capitalisation decreased by Rs104.90 billion. Among scrips, TRG topped the volumes with 22.37 million shares, followed

by BYCO (21.6 million) and TPLP (15.81 million).

Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include TRG, BYCO, TPLP, TREET, and GTECH, which formed around 32 percent of total volumes. The sectors taking the index toward south were cement with 184 points, technology & communication with 153 points, oil & gas exploration companies with 90 points, fertilizers with 70 points and textile composite with 38 points. The most points taken off the index were by LUCK which stripped the index of 96 points followed

by TRG with 87 points, SYS with 56 points, ENGRO with 39 points and MCB with 38 points.

Rupee breaks losing streak on account of IMF announcement MonItoRIng RepoRt

Tax breaks kick Pakistan’s electric car shift into higher gear ISLAMABAD ReuteRs

Pakistani businessman Nawabzada Kalam Ullah Khan had been planning to swap his family’s petrol-powered cars for electric models for years.

But it wasn’t until a set of massive tax cuts came into effect in July that the 29-year-old from Islamabad finally put in an order for two electric cars.

“Someone has to take the initiative to switch to these cost-efficient, environment-friendly vehicles in the face of increasing pollution in big cities – and we’ve done it,” Nawabzada said.

His new cars, he said, now cost about five times less to run day to day than his old vehicles, a major incentive to make the switch. Major Pakistan and Indian cities are struggling with dangerous levels of air pollution, with Lahore this week declared the most polluted city in the world. Heavy use of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles for transport combined with smoke from seasonal crop burning make the problem particularly severe at this time of year.

But Pakistan’s electric vehicle push is picking up speed, nearly two years after the country launched its ambitious green policy, which envisions a shift to 30% electric cars and trucks nationwide by 2030, and 90% by 2040. Key to the shift are hefty tax exemptions for both electric vehicles imports and imports of parts and equipment to build the cars in Pakistan.

That has helped make the vehicles more affordable, industry figures said, as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government pushes ahead with its plan to cut carbon emissions and urban pollution.

Falling taxes: The general sales tax on locally manufactured electric cars – those with batteries holding less than 50-kilowatt hours (kWh) of power – has dropped from 17% to nearly zero, said Asim Ayaz, general manager of the government’s Engineering Development Board (EDB).

At the same time, the customs duty on imported electric car parts – such as batteries, controllers and inverters – is down to 1%. The duty on importing fully built electric cars also has fallen from 25% to 10% for one year, Ayaz told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Officials say the tax relief is a big step toward implementing Pakistan’s National Electric Vehicle Policy, originally passed by the cabinet in November 2019. It aims to put half a million electric motorcycles and rickshaws and 100,000 electric cars, vans and small trucks into the transportation system by 2025.

“Definitely the tax exemptions make the price point (on electric vehicles) competitive,” said Malik Amin Aslam, the special assistant to the prime minister on climate change. “It makes it extremely attractive for the customer to go electric.” Aslam said if about a third of new cars sold run on electricity by 2030, as envisioned, Pakistan could see a big drop in climate-changing emissions and pollution.

ECC cancels int’l tender for wheat import due to higher prices staff RepoRt

NEWS

The committee also recommended the proposal for cancellation of the 8th international tender for import of Wheat on the basis of higher prices. The committee further directed the Ministry of National Food Security & Research to re-assess the need and requirement of neighbouring country Afghanistan for Wheat. The ECC deliberated in detail and approved the summary presented by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation & Coordination for grant of Custom duty and taxes exemption on the donations of Personal and Protective Equipment (PPE) testing laboratory equipment by USAID funded programme- Promoting Quality of Medicine Plus (PQM+).

The ECC also recommended the summary tabled by the Ministry of Communication for special allocation of funds Rs6,000 Million to initiate the

process for the improvement and rehabilitation program of Balkassar – Mianwali (N-130) and Mianwali – Muzaffargarh (N-135) roads.

The committee also deliberated in detail and recommended funds for payment of salaries to the employees of Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC) and mark up to Bank of Khyber with directions to finalize the privatisation of HEC by mid-January, 2022. The ECC recommended the summary presented by the Ministry of Commerce for elimination/reduction of tariffs on various items currently being imported from Afghanistan as a goodwill gesture. The committee also discussed the summary tabled by the Ministry of Energy for revision of OMCs and dealers margins on petroleum productsMotor Spirit (MS) and High Speed Diesel (HSD) with effect from forthcoming revision in oil prices.

The Pakistani currency broke a two-day losing streak on Monday, gaining 0.27 per cent against the US dollar to close below 175in the inter-bank market. The recovery came on the back of a staff level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the muchawaited stalled loan programme. According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local currency closed at 174.77 against the USD, an appreciation of 0.27pc or 47 paisas. Local media reports while quoting financial analysts have said that the agreement will now help unlock significant funding from bilateral and multilateral partners which will further ease the pressure on the local currency.

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Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD

04 NEWS

Governor Sarwar, Shehryar afridi inauGurate exhibition of artwork by hunGarian artiSt

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news Desk

OvERNOR of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Chairman Chairman Kashmir Committee Shehryar Khan Afridi Monday inaugurated an exhibition of artwork by the famous Hungarian artist August Schoefft on the reign of the 19th century Sikh Emperor of Punjab, Maharaja Sher Singh from Princess Bamba Singh art collection of Lahore Fort.

Minister Religious Affairs Punjab Syed Saeed Ul Hassan, Minister Minorities Ejaz Alam Augustine, Ambassador of Hungary Bela Fazekas, Sikh pilgrims, diplomats from different countries and others also participated.

Governor Punjab also conferred the “Governor Award”, to the overseas Pakistanis from United States, United Kingdom, European countries and representatives of the Sikh community and others in recognition of their outstanding achievements and services in various fields.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar inaugurated the exhibition of art work by renowned 19th-century Hungarian artist August Theodor Schoefft in Lahore Fort. On this occasion Chairman Kashmir Committee Shehryar Khan Afridi, Minister religious affairs Punjab Syed Saeed Ul Hassan, Minister Minorities Ejaz Alam Augustine, Ambassador of Hungary Bela Fazekas, Hungarian Secretary of State Mr. Tristan Azbaj, foreign diplomats as well as Sikh community members from European countries, coordinator to

Governor Punjab for Overseas Pakistanis Farooq Arshad and other overseas Pakistanis also attended the event.

Sikh pilgrims also lauded the arrangements made for the exhibition and the other facilities provided for Sikh community in

Shoaib ahmed Siddqui visits wafaqi Mohtasib karachi office

Pakistan. On the other side, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar conferred Governor awards to Shoaib Sarwar & Naveed Anwar from USA, Amir Khan, Mohindar Sohal, Charnjit Singh, Gopal Singh Chawla, Tara Singh, Joga Singh, Ahmed

‘Leaked audio’ of Nisar exposes conspiracy against Nawaz, daughter: Shehbaz isLAMABAD Staff RePoRt

KARACHI: Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Federal Secretary of Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat, has appreciated the efforts taken

by Regional Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Karachi for resolving the issues of people. He emphasized the Government Departments and Corporations to make a more powerful mechanism for solutions of people’s problems. Federal Secretary was presiding over a meeting at Karachi on Monday where he was briefed by Syed Anwar Haider, Senior Advisor (Incharge) of Regional Office Karachi, and said 95% cases resolved on 30 days of time, further 5 % cases would also be solved on given 45 days of time. Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui said, “I am here at the Regional Karachi office to discuss the pending complaints and review the system and mechanism of Regional Office Karachi”.

“More effort is needed for implementation of decisions and justice to the common people,” he added. Incharge of Regional Wafaqi Mohtasib informed to Secretary that Total 1090 cases were received, 473 were implemented, 500 are implementable within 30 days, and 105 cases would be implemented beyond the 30 days, while 12 cases have been suspended. Before it, representatives of KE, SEPCO, SSGC, and other departments/Corporations assured the Federal Secretary of making proper complaint/response system and resolving the issues of people without any hurdle and hesitation. Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, directed the concerned institutions to facilitate the people and reduce the ratio of complaints. PR

Punjab international business Conference DUBAI: Punjab Govt is taking part in Dubai Expo 2020 to portray and highlight investment and tourism potential of Punjab. Punjab International Business Conference is being held to highlight this potential. On 2nd day of the event, Minister for Industry and Commerce Mr. Mian Aslam Iqbal, Finance Minister Punjab Mr. Hashim Jawan Bakht, Minister for Higher Education Department and IT, Raja Yasir Humayun and Advisor to CM on Tourism Asif Mehmood and CEO RUDA Mr. Imran Amin attended the event and briefed the audience on Punjab’s hidden potential and steps that are being taken by current Govt to ensure sustainable growth and attract more foreign investments. CEO RUDA Mr. Imran Amin also signed number of MOUs with “Dreamworld Limited Company”, “MASTERCARD ASIA/PACIFIC PTE. LTD”, “The Sustainable City Ravi Investment Limited” and “The SS International Dubai” for the development of Theme Park, Digital Payment Ecosystem for Ravi City, Development of Innovation City, Industrial Park and number of other development initiatives. PR

Tanoli, Dr. Imran Shareef, Sana Khan, Mirza Khawar Baig, Chaudhry Ansar Farooq, Hafeez Khan, Shahid Javed, Irshaad Cheema, Shoaib Chattha, Muhammad Ateeq, Muhammad Tahir Ismail, Basit Awan and Ayesha Nasir from Canada in a cere-

An audio recording of a conversation purportedly between former chief justice Saqib Nisar and an unidentified listener has exposed the conspiracy hatched against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif said Monday.

Sharif was alluding to a story published on a little-known online portal run by a local journalist that claimed Nisar, as the top judge of the nation, directed his underlings to sentence Sharif and his daughter at the behest of “institutions” ahead of the 2018 general elections. The story also shared an audio clip claiming to be Nisar that purportedly told the person on the other side that “institutions wanted to bring [then Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman] Imran Khan to power”. But Nisar categorically rejected the clip. “I have just listened to this audio [it’s] is fake […] which has been attributed to me,” he said. Responding to the development, Sharif, in a statement posted

on Twitter, said a scheme was designed to force the former prime minister and his daughter to keep them from participating in politics.

Urging authorities to take notice of the audio clip, the National Assembly opposition leader said: ”The nation looks forward to the justice system.” “Time has come to right the wrongs inflicted on them,” he added.

AUDIOTAPE: “Let me be a little blunt about it […] unfortunately, here it is the ‘institutions’ which dictate judgments. In this case, we will have to penalise Mian Sahib [Nawaz Sharif],” Nisar can be heard saying in the dubious leaked conversation. “And ‘they’ say ‘we shall bring Khan Sahib’. Regardless of the merit [of the cases], we will have to do it, and even [give punishment] to his daughter [Maryam],” the judge added.

Responding to Nisar, the other person said: “But, in my view, his daughter doesn’t merit a sentence.” “You are absolutely correct. I did talk to ‘friends’ that something be done about this but they did not agree. There will be no independence of the judiciary [if we do as instructed], so let it be,” Nisar purportedly responded.

Meezan Bank and ICBC Pakistan sign Tahawwut Master agreement KARACHI: A virtual ceremony was held to commemorate the signing of the Tahawwut Master Agreement (TMA) between Meezan Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Ltd) Pakistan (ICBC Pakistan), which will allow Meezan Bank to execute Shariah-compliant hedging for CNY denominated transactions on a Wa’ad (promise) based structure. The agreement was signed by Mr. Irfan Siddiqui, Founding President & CEO - Meezan Bank, and Mr. Chen Yuncheng, CEO & General Manager ICBC Pakistan. Also present at the ceremony were the senior management of both the organizations. Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Irfan Siddiqui said, “We are delighted to be given this opportunity to extend our role in the development of the Islamic financial market in Pakistan. We strongly support and believe that the development of the financial system is critical for the future growth and success of any economy. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate ICBC Pakistan for completing ten (10) years of successful operations in Pakistan, and thank them for their support in recognizing Islamic financial markets as a viable alternative to existing conventional financial markets.” The TMA, which is governed under the International Islamic Financial Markets (IIFM) framework, is an Islamic alternative to the globally recognized International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) agreements, which allow banks to trade over-the-counter (OTC) financial products. PR

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mony at Governor House.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar while appreciating the services of overseas Pakistanis for Pakistan’s economic development and public welfare, said that we welcome overseas Pakistanis and members of the Sikh community from all over the world and assure them that the Pakistani government is standing with them and hundred percent solution of their problems is the top priority of the government. The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan has also fulfilled its promise to give the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis.

While addressing the Inauguration ceremony of exhibition in Lahore Fort and later talking to media Governor Punjab said that he is happy to inaugurate this magnificent exhibition regarding Sikhs community today, dozens of Sikh pilgrims from other European countries, including the United States, are here for this exhibition and there is no doubt that the federal and provincial governments will always ensure the provision of all basic facilities including security to the Sikhs community members coming to Pakistan.

Shehryar Afridi said that minorities in Pakistan are being ensured religious freedom as well as protection of their lives and property.

“Pakistan stands for peace in region. The sacrifices made by Pakistan for peace are unprecedented in the world,” he added.

He said that Pakistan has become the safest country in the world for the minorities and opening of Kartarpur Corridor for Sikhs in Pakistan is indeed a historic step.

nab chief says agency has concrete evidence of money laundering by notables Monitoring report The chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said it has concrete evidence of money laundering by big fish through fake accounts. The fake accounts were opened in the names of “falooda wala, chhabri wala and papar wala etc.”, said retired Justice Javed Iqbal. “The learned accountability courts in which NAB had filed references against accused persons are the relevant authority to decide about the innocence of any accused person as per law,” Iqbal said. Iqbal mentioned that NAB would carry out its duties in an unbiased manner, without paying heed to any media report or propaganda. The bureau is entrusted to solve cases on logical conclusion and hence the corruption cases will be looked into considering all the sources according to the law. NAB has set up a Combined Investigation Team (CIT) including services of director, additional director, investigation officer, legal counsel and experts of the monetary and land revenue department. Talking about NAB and its duties, Iqbal mentioned that NAB was the focal institution of Pakistan under the UN convention against corruption. Reportedly, NAB has recovered Rs538 billion from October 2017 until October 2021. “Pakistan is the only country with whom China has signed an MoU for eradication of corruption,” Iqbal said.

faiz hameed takes charge as xi Corps commander

ISLAMABAD: Lt Gen Faiz Hameed took over command of XI Corps based in Peshawar from Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood on Monday, said a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Prime Minister Imran Khan on October 26 notified the appointment of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum as the new chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. A notification issued by the Khan’s office read: “The Prime Minister has seen and approved the appointment of Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, HI (M) as DirectorGeneral Inter-Services Intelligence, with effect from November 20, 2021.” The notification further added Hameed “shall continue to hold charge as the DirectorGeneral Inter-Services Intelligence till November 19, 2021”. Hameed was promoted to the rank of Lt Gen in April 2019 after two-and-a-half-year service in ISI and then was posted as Adjutant General at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Staff RePoRt

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISlaMabad

MaryaM Nawaz PLeads For adjourNMeNT oF aveNFIeLd case isLamaBaD INP

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ML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer on Monday moved an application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking adjournment of her appeal against her conviction in the Avenfield reference. Irfan Qadir requested the high court to postpone the hearing of the appeal which is scheduled for November 24.

At the previous hearing on Nov 17, the IHC division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had adjourned her appeal to Nov 24.

The counsel said the Supreme Court has issued a cause list according to which his two cases have been fixed before a top court bench for hearing on the same date. Therefore, he said he would not be able to turn up before the high court on Nov 24.

On July 6, 2018, Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir handed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Capt (retd) Safdar jail terms of 10, seven and one years, respectively, in the Avenfield Apartment reference.

They had moved appeals in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) assailing the conviction. The high court on Sept 18 the same year suspended their sentence and ordered their release on bail.

Suspending social media only stifle free speech: IHC isLamaBaD INP

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said Monday suspending social media platforms to curb the objectionable material found on them would do no good and only stifle free speech as the tech has progressed and restrictions will not bear desired results.

The court had sought guidance from the amicus curiae to enlighten it if the social media rules were not in conformity with the Constitution.

The IHC was hearing petitions against social media rules.

It had appointed activists Sadaf Baig, Nighat Daad, Fareeha Aziz, Rafeh Baloch,

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) as amicus curiae.

Justice Minallah asked the amicus curiae to assist the court in understanding whether or not the social media rules were against the spirit of the constitution.

Additional Attorney General Qasim Wadood informed the court as per an earlier IHC order, consultation was held with some stakeholders.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has formed a committee headed by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, he said, adding the committee consulted with more than 30 stakeholders. Wadood further told the court the committee talked to Facebook, Google, Twitter and other global fo-

Lahore schools to remain closed thrice a week as smog blankets city News Desk The Punjab government on Monday announced that schools in Lahore will remain closed for three days a week from November 27 to January 15 due to toxic smog, risking the citizens. The Punjab government announced three holidays a week – Saturday, Sunday and Monday- in the government and private schools in Lahore. The offices of these all schools will also remain closed on those days, said a notification. The Punjab government decided to keep educational institutes closed for three days a week in Lahore as there seems to be no improvement in smog situation. Punjab Relief Commissioner Babar Hayat Tarar said the restriction would be in place from November 27 to January 15. Lahore was ranked among the top five cities of the world with bad air quality. The city had an air quality ranking of 269, nearing the hazardous level of 300.

rums. At this, an annoyed chief justice remarked: “This is not a joke. We have to abide by the law but we are deviating.”

Justice Minallah said the authorities were misusing their power under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

“Where it is written that the authority must perform the moral policing,” the judge stated, adding the TikTok had been shut for a long time. On this, the AAG said that TikTok has been restored.

The judge inquired whether the rules formed by the authorities were in line with the international procedure or not. The counsel for petitioners said there were so many objections over the new rules.

The court wondered in which country the whole social media was suspended for

promoting objectionable material. The AAG said as per his knowledge, the same practice was being followed in Australia, European Union and other countries.

The lawyer said according to the rules, the authority was empowered to determine which action could be regarded as contempt of court. The judge stated this court had already decided that criticizing the judge would not be considered as contempt of court. The petitioners’ lawyer held rules were framed only after two consultative meetings. “How could the rules be in conformity with the internationally-adopted procedures,” he added.

Justice Minallah remarked the world had progressed rapidly so there was no use of restrictions.

Education-based research key in setting direction of agriculture sector; says Gardezi rawaLpiNDi APP

Punjab Minister for Agriculture Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi Monday said that education-based research actually plays the most important role in determining the direction of the agriculture sector.

Gardezi expressed these views while addressing the audiences at the inaugural session of Silver Jubilee Week being held here at Arid Agriculture University.

Mr Gardezi said that the 25-years journey of Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi is highly commendable.

“The university has rendered invaluable services in the field of agricultural education and research. Graduates of the same university are rendering valuable services in various institutions across the country,” he added.

The Minister said that Arid Agriculture University has also been instrumental in introducing hydroponic technol-

ogy in the country while research projects on high value crops are underway.

“This will help in modern development of agriculture in the region in future. Students of this University are involved in Rabi crop production campaigns 2021-22 including Wheat crop and in this regard, providing awareness to farmers about latest production technology of Rabi crops,” he added. Hussain Jahania Gardezi further said that unfortunately in past, no importance was given to agricultural education and research.

On this occasion, Vice Chancellor, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi Dr. Qamar Zaman said that there are six faculties working in this university at present and the total number of students in this institution is more than 12 thousand.

Apart from agriculture, he added, education is being imparted in the fields of Veterinary, Biochemistry and Information Technology at the university.

Pakistan, IMF reach staff-level agreement for revival of stalled programme CoNtiNueD from page 01 Regarding the current account deficit, the IMF said it was expected to widen in FY22. The Fund also underscored the importance of reforms in the electricity sector to make it financially viable and tackle its adverse effects on the budget, financial sector and real economy.

“In this regard, steadfast implementation of the Circular Debt Management Plan (CDMP) will help guide the planned management improvements, cost reductions, timely alignment of tariffs with cost recovery levels, and better targeting of subsidies to the most vulnerable,” it noted.

Pakistan and IMF originally signed the accord in 2019, but the release of a key installment had been on hold since earlier this year when the Fund expressed reservations about a delay in the government’s compliance with the con-

ditions of the bailout.

In April 2020, the IMF released $1.4 billion to Pakistan, helping it handle an economic crisis amid a surge in fatalities from the coronavirus. At least 28,663 people nationwide have died from Covid-19 since last year, while about 1.2 million tested positive from the new virus.

The government in recent weeks complied with most of the conditions of IMF, including increasing tariffs on electricity and petrol, but doing so made Prime Minister Imran Khan highly unpopular among people as inflation and the price of essential food soared to record highs.

However, the IMF praised the measures, saying the new moves could result in 4 per cent growth this year and 4.5pc the fiscal year after (FY23).

Officials say the delay in the agreement between Pakistan and the IMF was due to uneasy relations between Pak-

istan and the United States. Khan earlier this year publicly refused to provide bases to Washington for operations in Afghanistan.

The US, which exerts major influence over the IMF, has said the Fund should not finance the tens of billions of dollars in loans that Pakistan has taken from China as part of Beijing’s worldwide Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Earlier last week, Finance Adviser Shaukat Tarin had said Pakistan was to complete five reforms before the IMF revived the funding, including legislation on State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) autonomy to ensure its independence over monetary policy and control of inflation, withdrawal of tax exemptions and increased energy tariffs.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has been grappling with a historical currency devaluation, high inflation, a cur-

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rent account deficit and dwindling foreign reserves. Investors have also become nervous about the outcome of the talks between the government and the IMF. Ahead of the IMF’s announcement, the central bank last week warned that a higher than expected primary deficit would likely worsen the inflation outlook and undermine economic recovery.

The central bank also raised its benchmark interest rate by 150 basis points to 8.75 percent to counter inflationary pressures and preserve stability with growth.

Headline inflation reached 9.2pc in October, up from 8.4pc two months earlier, the bank had said.

Moreover, the SBP has also lifted the cash reserve requirement for commercial banks by 1 percentage point, the first such move in more than a decade, in another move to deal with accelerating inflation.

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Kartarpur reunites two nonagenarian friends from across the border News Desk The Kartarpur Corridor reunited two old friends who were separated at the time of partition of the sub-continent. The two nonagenarian friends, Muhammad Bashir (91), a resident of a village in Narowal, and Sardar Gopal Singh (94) from India had got separated at the time of partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. Upon reuniting, the two friends did not wait to embrace each other with teary eyes. As per the sources, Bashir visited the gurdwara as a visitor, where he recognized his old friend Gopal Singh who had crossed the border to perform religious rites at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. Bashir stated that even before the Partition, both the friends used to visit Baba Guru Nanak’s Gurdwara. Gopal Singh added that before Pakistan was formed, both of them were in their early youth. The two friends then sat together at the lunch, ate food and had tea.

Gopal Singh expressed joy at the project of Kartarpur Corridor and thanked the government of Pakistan for it, before returning to India. The Indian Sikhs pilgrims and Pakistani visitors to the gurdwara who were present at the scene also expressed happiness at the meeting of the two long lost friends who were separated by the border.

Govt to raise PL, electricity tariff to meet IMF’s demands CoNtiNueD from page 01 It may be recalled that the IMF had asked Pakistan to impose Rs700 billion taxes or withdraw exemptions in March. The finance advisor said that the government has so far withdrawn Rs350 billion exemptions and withdraw another Rs350 billion more in sales tax exemptions and for which it is working on bringing a bill in the parliament. The advisor further said that the government has also cut down the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) from Rs900 to Rs700 billion besides deciding to make a cut of Rs50 billion in grants after the agreement. Talking about Covid related expenditures, he said the government will have to provide an audited report in this regard to the IMF. He said that growth would be around 5 per cent during the current fiscal year as the economic development of Pakistan is continuing despite the pandemic. “Revenue collection surged to 36 per cent whereas an increase in consumption of electricity and diesel was also witnessed,” he said. “In March, when we had taken $500 million from the IMF, we had promised to reduce or end tax exemptions worth Rs700 billion, increase electricity tariff by around Rs4.95 per unit and pass the legislation on SBP,” he added. Speaking on the occasion, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar said that electricity prices will have to be increased due to old contracts. “We have already notified the increased electricity tariff action of the IMF but will have to further increase the tariff in the next four to six months; however, it would be lower than the one the government notified last month,” he said. “This rise, however, would not affect the seasonal energy package for this winter and industrial energy tariff, under which incremental electricity was being supplied for Rs12.86 per unit,” he added. He reiterated that under the seasonal energy package for winter, the government would charge electricity at Rs12.96 rupees per unit from domestic and industrial consumers.

Govt ‘releases’ over 100 TTP prisoners CoNtiNueD from page 01 Pakistan is an Islamic republic and its Constitution clearly states that all laws in the country have to be in conformity with the teachings of Islam. The officials also told the TTP that the state of Pakistan could only allow them to restart their lives if they fulfill certain conditions which include accepting the writ of the state, laying down arms, and publicly apologising over the attacks committed by them.

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Tuesday, 23 November, 2021

06 COMMENT

Good Muslim or good human being?

State and those challenging its writ Others likely to appear after TTP and TLP

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nsTeAd of evolving a national consensus on how to deal with the monster of violent extremism the government spent most of its energies on accusing the opposition parties for failures of its own. The people were made to believe that terrorism was being supported by Indian consulates in Afghanistan and that with the victory of Afghan Taliban, the incidence would come down remarkably. What happened is the opposite.

Terrorist attacks in districts along the Pak-Afghan border have multiplied. Anti-Pakistan terrorist groups like the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been further emboldened by the victory of the Afghan Taliban.

The TTP chief noor Wali Mehsud has redefined TTP’s goals that should worry those who make decisions in Pakistan. Talking to Cnn in August Mehsud emphasized continuing Jihad within Pakistan for gaining territorial control of the erstwhile FATA region leading to the implementation of sharia law there as interpreted by the TTP. The TTP now wants ‘political office’ in a third country as Afghan Taliban had got one. But Afghan Taliban were fighting against foreign troops. The TTP on the other hand is fighting the Pakistani state and wants to change the country’s constitution by force.

Afghan Taliban’s victory over a superpower has raised hopes among the extremist militants in Pakistan who are making demands no responsible state can fulfil. The extradition of the French ambassador still remains an unresolved issue between the TLP and the government.

The surrender by the government is likely to encourage other extremist groups to follow in the footstepsof an adamant TLP which has got its name removed from the list of proscribed groups and got its chief released.

It all comes down to the motivation

HASAN AFTAB SAEED

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s being a good human being the same thing as being a good Muslim? Or are they two distinct descriptions? Is the set of qualities necessary for the one a superset and that for the other a subset? What is the definition of ‘good’ anyway? In debates on morals, these are frequently encountered questions, around which there is more confusion than there needs to be.

Let us take up the last question first, for it makes the task of answering the other questions much simpler. so, what is ‘good’ anyway? For the humanist, an act is good or bad in and of itself, irrespective of its motives. Take utilitarianism, for example. If the effect of an action is to increase the net happiness of the people concerned, it is good; otherwise, it is bad.

For both the Muslim and the humanist, the legitimacy of the act is a necessary condition. Where they differ, however, is that for the Muslim, it is not a sufficient condition because for him no act can be good without consideration of the motivation behind it. When it comes to the motivation, nobody knows it except God and the individual himself. But the goodness of motivation is a matter of degrees. The best motive behind an ostensibly good act is to please God or to avoid His displeasure.

Take the example of charity – by all accounts a ‘good’ act that should be encouraged. The man who

Action against ‘land mafia’ Impartial investigation required

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n important and necessary exercise to conduct a survey and form a cadastral map of state land across three major cities of the country has been completed and the findings reveal extensive encroachment worth a whopping Rs 5.6 trillion approximately. That government owned land is encroached comes as no surprise as the informal and outdated decades-old nature of land record keeping in Pakistan makes the illegal practice easy enough.

However, the astronomical amount that has been estimated in only the first phase of the survey shows just how extensive and deep-rooted the problem really is. It goes to the credit of the PTI government that it has taken an initiative to formalize land records through use of technology to not only establish proper ownership and value of land, but also identify and highlight discrepancies and illegal allotments and act against those responsible. Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised as much but it remains to be seen how quickly, efficiently and seriously that action is take and more importantly against whom.

There is no denying the fact, as put by the PM himself, that such land-grabbing is not possible without political influence, which would mean that further investigations will bring forward names of politicians who have facilitated and benefited from encroaching land at a cost to the state. Unfortunately, the accountability process that has so far been witnessed under the PTI regime has been obviously partisan, primarily targeted at opposition parties with hardly any meaningful action taken against members of the PTI and its allied parties. not only has this deliberately disproportionate approach to addressing corruption discredited institutions such as the national Accountability Bureau (nAB), it has all but eliminated the perception that the PTI is the ‘anticorruption’ party, an agenda that it thrived on during its election campaign. The opportunity to act against the ‘land mafia’ is therefore a good opportunity for the government to reinstate the image of a party committed to weeding out corruption from the country. However, if it continues down the same road, turning a blind eye towards its own people who are more than likely to be named in the scandal, it will be unable to establish muchneeded impartiality in the accountability process.

Government’s mixed signals NATASHA SHAHiD

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Hey [TLP] come out, and block the roads. There is a limit to the state’s patience. It is your right to hold an opinion – you can have any opinion, you can be against an idea or in favour of it, but saying, ‘If you do not agree with my opinion I would charge against you with a gun in hand,’ that is not possible. The state would cease to exist this way, if we start distributing the right to violence among private groups. Therefore, in today’s meeting of the federal cabinet, a clear decision has been arrived at that under any circumstance such activity would not be tolerated. We would absolutely not tolerate anybody challenging the writ of the state.”

Thus, spoke a charged Fawad Chaudhry, blasting the actions of the-then banned outfit, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), who have repeatedly blocked roads in provincial capital, Lahore, and federal capital, Islamabad over the past few years. six days later, the government released 800 detained workers of the party, and a further five later, the outfit was no longer proscribed, having been removed from the list of the First schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Chaudhry, in his stand against extremism and terrorism, often finds himself stranded by his higherups. The government’s decision to backtrack on its seemingly stringent stance on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik must’ve have been a déjà vu moment for the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting who was also left high and dry, once upon a time, by the Pakistani government during the Atif Mian saga. “should there be a ban imposed in Pakistan on the inclusion of the minorities in any role? should we throw our minorities out? What kind of people are these who say this. There’s this person, about whom the entire world is saying that he would receive the nobel Prize (sic.) in the next 5 years,” Chaudhry said.

“He has been appointed to the Economic Advisory Council, he hasn’t been appointed to the Council of Islamic Ideology, or anything else. He has been appointed

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good to everybody because he believes that it is the most prudent approach: that it is wise to be kind to people so that they are good to him in return. A man could also be nice to people because he is genuinely fond of them. There is nothing to be said against any of these motivations. For the Muslim however, even the love for somebody should ideally be rooted in his love for God. Therefore, a good Muslim is a loving partner to his wife, a caring father to his children, a considerate neighbour, and a courteous fellow-traveller, but he is all of these things principally to please God. To be a good Muslim then, one must be a good human being – there is no way around that. However, being a good Muslim is much more than being a good human being. It all comes down to one’s ultimate motives, for the actions could very well be identical in both cases. The distinction was famously made in a prophetic narration, where a man in the Muslim ranks lost his life after giving a spectacular display of gallantry. Impressed spectators remarked that he would have gone straight to Paradise; to which the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned about making such judgments based on appearances. He revealed that the man fought valiantly because he wanted to be praised. He got what he wanted and that was the end of that. But when a man does something good to please God, then his reward is much more enduring; and it is with God, who never forgets and who is appreciative of every act, even if it is worth an atom’s weight of good.

To be a good Muslim then, one must be a good human being – there is no way around that. However, being a good Muslim is much more than being a good human being. It all comes down to one’s ultimate motives, for the actions could very well be identical in both cases.

Dealing with the TLP

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

practices it no doubt feels good about it. But why does he practice charity? He may be doing it to assuage his conscience. He may be doing it for utilitarian reasons. He may be doing it because, subscribing to Kant’s categorical imperative he believes that the roles could easily be reversed, and therefore he must treat the needy as he himself would like to be treated in similar circumstances. In varying degrees these are all good motives. What takes it to the next level however is if it is done for the love of God. And what is true of charity is true of all other actions as well.

When the Quran exhorts men to ponder upon the heavens and the earth, the exercise is not supposed to be an end in itself. The Quran encourages it because the more one thinks about the universe and everything in it, the more one thinks about God. similarly, when a Muslim is encouraged to think about his fellow man, this contemplation is supposed to culminate in his thinking about God. It is God, therefore, who should be the reason why he performs good deeds and why he refrains from evil ones. now, it is often the case that some utilitarian (or other) benefits also result when a good deed is performed. But is that the reason why one should do good? The Muslim’s answer to this is an emphatic ‘no.’

He welcomes any unintended benefits that may come his way, but he does good solely for the love of God. And because his motivation is to stay on the right side of God instead of any petty gains, he is not frustrated when his efforts are not appreciated or when his kindness is not responded to in kind by those that he is kind to.

In the worldly sense, the man who is good to his wife, children, relatives, co-workers, and even perfect strangers is considered a good man. He may be

at an economic position. Pakistan belongs as much to the minorities as it does to the majority,” he added.

The PTI’s official account had also tweeted the same line regarding the opposition arising against the selection of Princeton Professor (and Ahmediyya) Atif Mian, to the economic Advisory Council set up by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

But Mian was “asked to step down from the Advisory Council” – on account of his faith and the resistance he was hence subjected to – with committee members Imran Rasul and Harvard Professor of International Finance and development, Asim Ijaz Khwaja also resigning after him, in protest.

“Resigned from eAC. Painful, deeply sad decision.

Grateful for chance to aid analytical reasoning but not when such values compromised. Personally as a Muslim I can’t justify this,” said Khwaja after handing in his resignation.

Atif Mian, it can be further noted, was the first person of Pakistani origin to find a place on the IMF’s list of ‘25 Brightest young economists’ in 2014.

History repeated itself, when the government trampled all over Chaudhry’s firm stance against extremism and gave in to all but one demand of the ever-protesting Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, unbanning the party early in the month and releasing the party’s detained chief last week.

It doesn’t end there. On saturday, november 20, Additional secretary General and President of Punjab province for ruling party Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, senator ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry went to the “lion’s

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

den” – the Rehmat-ul-lil-Alameen Mosque, TLP’s HQ – to meet saad Rizvi, carrying a bouquet of flowers to congratulate him on his release from jail.

On the occasion, Chaudhry also visited the mausoleum of saad’s late father and founder of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik ya Rasool Allah, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, and offered fateha there.

The senator terms the meeting a ‘goodwill gesture’, as he delivered on a promise he made a fortnight ago.

“In accordance with my promise, I have come to meet the leader of the Pakistani political party, Tehreek-i-Labbaik, Hafiz saad Rizvi sahab, to congratulate him on his release and to present him with a bouquet,” ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry said.

“It is a goodwill gesture: this is the PTI’s government, it is our responsibility to stay in touch with leadership that has a past different from others. It is the state’s responsibility to maintain a pleasant relationship with the masses of the country, so that instead of misunderstandings, consensus, peace and serenity can be achieved,” he added. “doors never close in politics,” the senator continued, seeming ready to welcome a formerly banned outfit with militant tendencies into the folds of Pakistani politics.

A visibly distraught Fawad Chaudhry, on the other hand, lamented a lack of tolerance among the Pakistani masses and held responsible the government’s lack of commitment towards fighting extremism and maintaining its writ, for the current environment of civil unrest.

“We face no danger from America. We face no danger from europe. The biggest danger we face is from within,” the minister concluded.

History repeated itself, when the government trampled all over Chaudhry’s firm stance against extremism and gave in to all but one demand of the everprotesting Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, unbanning the party early in the month and releasing the party’s detained chief last week.

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is a freelance columnist

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

06-07 Comments - 23rd November 2021_Layout 1 11/22/2021 9:03 PM Page 2

Tuesday, 23 November, 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

Threat of Polythene bags

Can the retreat of democracy be reversed?

Righting the wrong

Dr AloN BEN MEir

T

He summit for democracy that President Biden is spearheading in december, at which scores of countries will be in in attendance, is certainly timely and necessary. I do not expect revolutionary and immediate measures to be adopted at the summit to save democracies from their rapid erosion in so many countries. The fact, however, that such a summit is taking place at this particular juncture is extremely important. democracies around the world are facing great challenges and are in retreat. Authoritarian leaders are exploiting the frustration and the deep polarization of their populace where democracy failed to deliver. even America’s 240-year-old democracy was under ominous assault on January 6, which demonstrates how fragile democracy can be and how difficult is to sustain it, given the insatiable thirst for power by authoritarian-minded leaders.

Regardless of how many good ideas emerge from the democracy summit, there are three other issues the summit must address: first, organizations such as the eU and nATO, which are based on the principles of democracy, freedom, and human rights, should not allow member states such as Poland, Hungary, and Turkey to violate their charters with impunity. second, the Us must end the practice of forcing democracy down the throats of any country. Third, the Us and the eU must lead by example and encourage other countries to emulate them and provide them with incentives to adopt democratic principles.

The eU has in fact been struggling with Poland and Hungary, whose leaders became notorious abusers of human rights and openly defy and undermine the eU’s legal structure which is based on human rights and the rule of law.

In Poland, the Constitutional Court ruled that Polish laws has primacy in some areas, which is a direct challenge to the eU as all its members must treat eU laws as supreme. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the european Commission, told the Parliament that “This ruling calls into question the foundations of the european Union. It is a direct challenge to the unity of the european legal order…[and] has serious consequences for the Polish people…without independent courts, people have less protection and consequently their rights are at stake.” Indeed, Poland continues to severely violate human rights, limiting the independence of the media

and egregiously infringing on the rights of women, LGBTQ+, and immigrants.

Hungary’s President Viktor Orban, who is clearly charting his own new course toward illiberal Christian democracy, came out in support of Poland’s rejection of eU supremacy.

He stated that the eU must “respect member states’ sovereignty,” as if domestic human right abuses have nothing to do with the eU’s charter, which views universal human rights as the crown jewel of the Union. Hungary, like Poland, does not fall short in its abuse of human rights, harassment of liberal organizations, rejection of migrants, and outright discrimination against minorities while centralizing power and control in the hands of the ruling conservative party.

At a time when the struggle between authoritarianism and democracy is so intense, if not fateful for the future of democracies, nATO and the eU must warn these countries that they are on the precipice of being kicked out if they do not change their governing practice. They must be required to restore the principles of democracy by upholding universal human rights and abiding the rule of law, or else they will forfeit their membership and suffer from the consequences of their crimes.

Turkey as a nATO member state under President erdogan has crossed every red line in its treatment of its citizens and relations to nATO. erdogan’s human rights abuses go beyond the pale of moral bankruptcy. since the presumed failed coup in July 2016, erdogan has gone on a rampage against his own people, incarcerating tens of thousands of innocent individuals, including women with their children, shutting down the free press, subjecting his critics to criminal indictment, waging a merciless war against his own Kurdish community, and making the parliament nothing but a rubber stamp. Indeed, nothing is left of Turkish democracy. All the while, he continues with his Islamization campaign, thinking of himself as God sent to restore the “glory” of the Ottoman empire.

On foreign policy, it suffices to quote former Foreign Minister yasar yakis, who said “erdogan has long lost the trust of europeans. There is no shortage of subjects of tension between the eU and Turkey, such as the question of refugees, the future of Cyprus…the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean where Turkey is in competition with Greece, syria and Israel.”

In addition, erdogan’s coziness to the West’s foremost adversary, Russia’s Putin, and his purchase of the s-400 air defense system which compromises nATO’s defenses and intelligence, raises major concerns among nATO member states.

The summit for democracy should also remind the Us in particular that it is time to cease

and desist any effort to export the Us’ form of democracy to foreign countries through the use of force; Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya offer perfect examples of America’s failures. The Us should show in words and in deeds why democracy is the best form of government that delivers for the people, protects human rights with zeal, and indiscriminately provides the opportunity for every individual to grow and prosper by working hard and adhering to the rule of law. during deliberations at the summit, Biden should admit to the Us’ past mistakes and send a clear message to the whole world that the Us stands ready to aid any country whose people are yearning for freedom and democracy and offer to provide economic and technical assistance as long as their leaders fully adhere to universal human rights, the rule of law, and governing with the consent of the people. This applies to Us allies as well. The Us should not ignore the fact that many of them, especially in the Gulf, are autocratic. In these instances, the Us should use its soft power to entice them to open their societies.

It is hard to exaggerate the importance of leading by example and demonstrating how democracy functions and why it requires constant nurturing. The January 6 insurrection demonstrated in no uncertain terms how democracy can be ominously undermined when the country’s elected leaders are authoritarian by their very nature. A narcissistic leader, such as Trump, whose hunger for power seems to know no limit, has happily sacrificed the good of the country on the altar of his twisted ego.

America’s democracy cannot be repaired unless he and those who helped him are held accountable and face the weight of the law. yes, America still can lead by example, but the Biden administration must simultaneously and systematically attend to healing the country of the terrible wounds inflicted on America’s democracy so brazenly by the previous administration.

For the summit for democracy to succeed, the Us must work closely with nATO and the eU to take concrete measures to stop the erosion of democracies first from within. Otherwise, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for the Us and the eU to help repairing ailing democracies outside their own orbits. Leading by example and demonstrating that democracy can deliver to the people should become the hallmark of the summit for democracy.

At a time when the struggle between authoritarianism and democracy is so intense, if not fateful for the future of democracies, NATO and the EU must warn these countries that they are on the precipice of being kicked out if they do not change their governing practice.

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 am a resident of Lahore city and a customary adherent of your regarded paper, composing this letter to you today to bring some light on the issue of plastic bags and their impacts on our environment.

There is no doubt that plastic bags have become one of the most reasonable and helpful things we use on a regular basis. But besides that, it is likewise a fact that these poly bags harm our current circumstances and ecology like nothing else. Consistently researchers are communicating their worries about the environmental degradation because of poly bags.

Marine nature is particularly being obliterated by the broad use and irregulated dumpling of these poly bags in the stream and the ocean. The contamination/pollution has reached its degree point. Other than dirtying the whole climate, these poly bags are killing a large number of marine creatures who have swallowed them as food. Above all, they are annihilating the coral reefs that assist to keep up with the equilibrium of the seas’ climate.

Plastic bags are one of the main reasons for choking of drains, leading to urban flooding and directly pose a threat to biodiversity, including birdlife, animals and aquatic species,” he noted. single-use plastic bags have been banned in Islamabad since August 14, 2019. With the implementation of the ban, the citizens saw a coerce enforcement by the civic forces but due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the use of plastic bags has resurrected.

The civic bodies should not remain silent over this issue rather come up with some strategy to contain the use of plastic bags. There are reusable cotton and jute bags available in the supply which should be opted by the shopkeepers.

An environmental Protection Agency (ePA) official said that teams are working every day to enforce the ban and they impose fines as well.

A World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF) Report of 2019 claimed that every single human being was consuming around 25 grams of plastic per annum, which is equal to the size of a credit card.

The study claims that the plastic bags or containers used as a one-time solution become hazardous on repeated use as the polythene starts dissolving after a certain time period into the food item or beverage kept into it. The plastic waste dumped into oceans leads to marine life deaths as some species consume the plastic bags and consequently die.

Many developed western countries have already banned the production and usage of polybags. so it is high time for Pakistan to follow their example by putting a complete ban on non-biodegradable plastics to save our environment and oceans.

RIMSHA AZEEM LAHoRE

Outdated examination system THROUGH your esteemed newspaper, I want to highlight that our education and examination system are extremely outdated and outpaced.

Our education system is considered one of the most underdeveloped systems. Our course contents, especially till secondary education even after that, are extremely outdated and need to be revised at almost all levels. It is based on things that are either condemned right now or are too primitive. They are not idea-inspiring, research-based and don’t require critical thinking. no one talks about ideas related to green engineering or other needs of the hour technologies. Lack of policymaking and implementation is a huge cause of it. We lack the quality of the teachers as well. There is no such criteria for the selection of them especially at the lower levels of education. nowadays, our education system is synonymous with the business system. day by day new institutions are opening not to provide quality education but to benefit from the lack of schools by the government and earn a huge amount by charging very high fees.

The majority of the universities don’t award admissions on the basis of board results alone. I can’t help but wonder why board exams are necessary for their present state. The same syllabus needs to be restudied for tests conducted by various universities and institutes charge a lot of money to teach them in that way, which feels compulsory to study because we haven’t been taught that way throughout the course of education. If you don’t trust your examination system, why not improve it?

I request the authorities to kindly work for our education as well as the examination system if we want to have a chance in the world.

HAFIZ HANZLA BIN NASIR LAHoRE

Nationalism - a double-edged sword nATIOnALIsM in a country is considered a double-edged blade. It can unite or it can abolish a country and its roots. In an underdeveloped country like Pakistan, why is nationalism, which should have been strengthened by now, still considered a myth and not a certainty?

Countries that are successfully practising nationalism are France, Russia, Poland, Italy etc. nationalism can consist of different neglected factors like tradition, language, religion, common economic interest, conflict and war. When Pakistan emerged on the world map as an independent state, it was considered a unique country because of its diverse cultural, religious and geographical characteristics. It was the only country that had 1000 miles in between and the only thing that acted as a bond was religion. Pakistan has already faced a separation on the basis of cultural nationalism.

The question arises: what can be the basis of nationalism in Pakistan and why has it been opposed by some groups? There are three basic issues that are neglected when we talk about nationalism in our country. The most important of them all is our language. Pakistan is deep into its language controversy and it is still continuing today after the separation in 1971.

Pakistan is perhaps the only country where the national language (Urdu) is the mother tongue of merely 10 % of the people of Pakistan. In early July of 2014, I remember that AnP (Awami national Party) suggested amendments that the word “national Language” should be substituted by the word “national Languages”.

Pakistani nationalism cannot be created or established by celebrating Independence day or by symbolic measures but it requires commitment, will and determination at the grassroots level including our language, which we all are proud of.

HASAN YASEEN MIRZA ISLAMABAd

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Tuesday, 23 November, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

THE World Bank musT BE rEpurposEd To Focus on clImaTE IT’S TIME TO REPURPOSE THE WORLD BANK TO TACKLE THE MOST IMPORTANT GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF OUR TIME

Independent

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masood ahmEd

romising carbon emissions cuts is easy, but actually getting to net zero will be immensely hard – in every country. Wealthy and developing countries alike have struggled to create the political and social consensus to accept major changes to how we live, or to pay for a low-carbon future in higher taxes.

However, developing countries face an additional hurdle, which is mobilizing the money to pay for a green transformation.

Their climate financing needs are substantial. The United Nations conference on Trade and Development (UNcTAD) estimates a financing gap of $2.5 trillion per year in developing countries. it would be delusional to assume that low and middle-income countries can raise that sort of money in domestic taxes, or that all but a handful of them will be able to access it on affordable terms from international financial markets. it simply will not happen.

But we cannot solve the climate crisis without developing countries. High-income countries and china account for the majority of global emissions today, but emissions in developing countries, with their growing populations and incomes, will increase rapidly this century.

The international Energy Agency estimates developing country energy use will triple by 2050, with coal serving as a major fuel source. And that doesn’t account for another 770 million people, mostly in Africa, waiting to get connected to the grid.

Whether or not developing countries are able to afford green energy and infrastructure projects will largely determine whether the world can achieve our emissions goals.

High-income countries will need to help developing nations fund the transition to a green economy. For a start, they need to deliver on the commitment to provide $100bn a year in climate finance. But the financing needs for green investment in developing countries are many times larger. Fortunately, there is already a system in place to leverage official money for infrastructure spending and other economic projects in cost-effective ways – through the World Bank and other development banks.

The World Bank, created in the aftermath of the Second World War to help rebuild Europe and then to support newly independent developing countries in their quest for prosperity, is the largest and best-known of these banks. But there are more than 500 public development banks operating nationally, regionally, or across the globe, responsible for 10 per cent of all global investment. Most receive capital from their shareholders – often large, wealthy countries – and leverage that capital to make cheap, long term loans to support infrastructure and social services in developing countries. With this model, every dollar supports at least five times as much in loans (or even more, if shareholders can convince these banks to reform excessively conservative lending policies). And those loans can be designed to leverage substantial amounts of financing from private asset managers increasingly in search of green investments.

The World Bank and many of the other development banks have increased their lending for climate projects and promised to do even more. But we are past the point of incremental changes and lending targets. The World Bank needs to be repurposed entirely to focus on climate and other global risks like pandemics as its core business, especially in developing countries. instead of supporting the climate crisis alongside a plethora of other activities, and only in the client countries that ask for it, the climate crisis should be a central part of every loan or offer of technical assistance the World Bank makes.

Alongside the World Bank, dozens of regional and national development banks which have already mobilized $1 trillion in climate financing over 2015-20, could do a lot more if their shareholders made this their central purpose. And if all these banks join hands to create projects rather than competing for a scarce project pipeline, they could collectively make a green transformation for developing countries a realistic goal. repurposing the World Bank – or any of the development banks – cannot happen from within. Their shareholding countries will need to mandate change. The United States must lead on this effort, particularly at the World Bank, where it traditionally has the most influence. But the United States can only do this by building a consensus with other large shareholders, especially china, as hard as that might be right now.

Preventing a climate catastrophe is one of the few areas where the two countries share a common objective and should be able to cooperate. And, finally, wealthy countries will need to match that new mandate with new capital, to let the development banks expand their climate lending. Our window of opportunity to avoid a climate disaster is rapidly closing. We can’t reach net zero emissions without developing countries, and developing countries can’t reach zero without financing and support. The World Bank and the other development banks are a tested and effective tool for providing that financing. it’s time to repurpose them to tackle the most important global challenge of our time.

Masood Ahmed is the president of the Center for Global Development.

The far-right’s power beyond the French presidential elections ERIC ZEMMOUR AND OTHERS WHO STIR UP HATRED ARE LIKELY TO FAIL ELECTORALLY BUT HAVE HUGE UNCHALLENGED CULTURAL POWER Observer

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Editorial

ric Zemmour is unlikely to be the next president of France. in the first place, he is not yet officially a candidate. Second, his repellent brand of racist, far-right codswallop already has a well-established mouthpiece: Marine Le Pen, leader of the National rally (formerly the National Front).

That said, Zemmour is doing well in opinion polls and is significantly influencing the election agenda. Known as a TV pundit and polemicist, his latest bestseller, France Has Not Had its Final Word, is a pseudo-intellectual requiem for “the death of France as we know it”, by which he means white, catholic France. in short, Zemmour claims Muslims are out to capture the state.

Such drivel might be dismissed out of hand but for the fact that, according to one recent survey at least, 61% of French people believe it is certain or probable that the white, christian populations of Europe face extinction because of Muslim immigration from Africa. A civil war is coming, Zemmour warns; France could become an islamic republic. A lot of voters appear to have taken fright.

This pernicious argument is rooted in the “great replacement theory” peddled by French far-right “thinkers” and adopted by likeminded bigots in Donald Trump’s America and elsewhere. “The French people, their customs, their history, their state, their civility, their civilisation” are at existential risk, Zemmour claims. in the past, Protestants or Jews were the whipping boys. Now it’s Muslims.

Zemmour, like Le Pen, blames “elites”, typified by President Emmanuel Macron and the EU, for France’s problems. He would suspend Schengen free movement rules (which would please Priti Patel). He wants France to defy the European court of justice. Britain and France are historical foes, he says, but the UK should not be punished for Brexit. All disturbingly Johnsonian. if he stands in April’s election, Zemmour

Happy with my Hinduism HINDUISM DOES NOT HAVE ONE CHURCH, ONE POPE, ONE PROPHET, ONE HOLY BOOK OR ONE RITUAL. THERE ARE MANY OF EACH, AND A HINDU IS FREE TO CHOOSE AMONG THE MANY OR REJECT ALL IndIan express

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P Chidambaram

was born in a village in what is now Sivagangai district, then ramanathapuram district, of Tamil Nadu. i am proud that Kaniyan Poongunranar was born a few kilometres away in a village called Poongunram (now Mahibalanpatti) in the same district. He was a poet who lived in the Sangam age between 6th century BcE and 1st century cE. He is best known for his 13-line poem starting with the words ‘Yaadum oore yaavarum kelir’. A simple translation is ‘Every place is my village, every one is my relation’. There are other gems in the poem.

The first line is inscribed on the walls of the United Nations. The poem is believed to reflect the way of life of the Tamils 2,000 years ago and earlier.

Tamil literature records the religions of that age as Saivam and Vaishnavam.

Samanam (Jainism) and Bouddham (Buddhism) were later religions. The words Hindu and Hinduism are not found in ancient Tamil

literature. According to Mr Shashi Tharoor, “the word ‘Hindu’ did not exist in any indian language till its use by foreigners gave indians a term for self-definition”.

Most Tamils are born in families that practise Hinduism. They worship many gods (including village deities), celebrate festivals like Pongal and Deepavali, and observe rituals like pongal, pal kudam and kaavadi. The Tamil Hindus have lived for centuries with people practising other religions, especially christianity, for over 2,000 years and islam for over 800 years. Muslim and christian scholars and writers have made remarkable contributions to Tamil literature and the development of the language. To my knowledge, no Tamil Hindu king waged a war to establish the supremacy of the Hindu religion over other religions.

What is Hinduism apart from the name of a revered religion? Although i had read books by Dr S radhakrishnan and Swami Vivekananda, i never felt it was necessary to undertake that inquiry. From what i have read, heard, gathered and gleaned, it seems

to me ‘What is Hinduism?’ can be answered in a few simple paragraphs: SIMPLE TRUTHS 8

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Hinduism does not claim to be the only true religion.

Swami Vivekananda said, “i am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.”

Hinduism does not have One church, One Pope, One Prophet, One Holy Book or One ritual. There are many of each, and a Hindu is free to choose among the many or reject all. Some scholars have argued that one can be a Hindu as well as a believer or an agnostic or an atheist! in its secular aspects, Hinduism does not prescribe one system of marriage or one system of succession/inheritance. The Hindu law reforms (1955-

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1956) tried to bring about uniformity but there exist myriad variations even today.

Hinduism allows a Hindu to worship other gods and saints. Thousands of Hindus go to worship at the shrine in Velankanni or pray at the Golden Temple in Amritsar or offer obeisance at the Dargah Sharif in Ajmer. Historians are not agreed whether the Sai Baba of Shirdi was a Muslim or a Hindu; he was perhaps both because he did not see any difference between the two. One of his famous epigrams was Allah Malik (God is King).

Dr Wendy Doniger, Professor of History of religions, University of chicago, who studied Sanskrit and ancient indian religion for over 50 years, has observed: “Scholars have known for centuries that the ancient indians ate beef.” She has quoted texts such as rig Veda and Brahmanas as well Yajnavalkya and M N Srinivas. currently, most Hindus eat

is predicted to attract 14.9% of the first-round vote, against 19.6% for Le Pen. This prospective split suggests she, not he, would face the president, currently on 26%, in a second round. That’s what happened in 2017, when Macron triumphed by a margin of 2-1. He would be expected to do so again.

More intriguing, and alarming for Macron, is the possibility that either Xavier Bertrand, Valérie Pécresse or Michel Barnier, if chosen to lead the centre-right Les républicains, could overtake Le Pen and make the run-off, as François Fillon very nearly did in 2017. That scenario poses a bigger danger for Macron. Zemmour’s rampage of hate would merely have ensured defeat at the ballot box for his ugly ideas.

Thus it seems clear the real threat posed

by Zemmour is not electoral. it’s ideological and cultural. it’s a threat to the social fabric of France and, by extension, of other European countries where febrile questions of identity, security and perceived national decline have fuelled the rise of xenophobic populist politicians. Divisive Zemmour feeds off fear of change, fear of difference, fear of each other.

Britain, where Brexit brought such sentiments to the surface, surely understands. Zemmour controversially visited London last week to spread his insidious bile. Yet fundamental differences persist. The inquest into shocking racism in English cricket, for example, is extremely painful. But it has revealed a country determined, however imperfectly and clumsily, to root out such poison and find better, inclusive ways. can France honestly say the same?

What the Zemmour phenomenon dramatises in both countries, and across Europe, is the continuing failure of the political and intellectual left to develop credible alternative platforms to repulse the right’s lies and distortions. Support for France’s Socialists, in power under François Hollande only four years ago, has collapsed to 4.8%. in Britain, on all precedents, Labour should be winning hands down, but it’s not. The struggle against the political weaponisation of fear and hate is far from won.

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meat, fish and eggs, but not beef; many Hindus are vegetarian.

Dr Doniger also points out that Gandhiji never called for banning cow slaughter, and quotes him as having said: “How can i force anyone not to slaughter cows unless he is himself so disposed? it is not as if there were only Hindus in the indian Union.

There are Muslims, Parsis, christians and other religious groups here.”

However, many Muslims and christians do not eat beef and many nonvegetarians do not eat red meat at all.

I DON’T NEED HINDUTVA: in his famous undelivered speech (1936) ‘Annihilation of caste’, Dr B r Ambedkar, after tracing the conflict between the indian National congress (founded in 1885) and the indian National Social conference (founded in 1887), and noting with regret that the ‘political reformers’ had vanquished the ‘social reformers’, posed a series of questions to the “political minded Hindus”, that included the following: “Are you fit for political power even though you do not allow them to wear what apparel or ornaments they like? Are you fit for political power even though you do not allow them to eat any food they like?” These questions ring true even today, but in a different context.

Like Mr Tharoor, “i was born a Hindu, grew up as one, and have considered myself as one all my life.” i am one among 81.6 per cent of the Hindus who said in a Pew survey that they were raised as Hindu and currently identify themselves as Hindu. i am happy with my Hinduism and with Kaniyan Poongunranar’s simple lesson ‘every one is my relation’. Why do i need Hindutva?

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

8171 SErvICE opENS for EHSaaS raSHaN rEgIStratIoN ISLAMABAD

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staff rePort

ASING out the registration process, Ehsaas has opened 8171 service for enrollment of families under Ehsaas Rashan Riayat. “Based on insights from our recent field visits to 24 small cities, we have opened the 8171 SMS service to facilitate the enrollment of deserving families with limited or no access to internet”, said Senator Dr Sania Nishtar, SAPM. Under the Ehsaas Rashan Registration

Drive ongoing these days, Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM along with Ehsaas and NBP teams went to 24 small cities and towns around Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, Nowshera, Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan to educate local Kiryana shopkeepers, trader associations, district administrations, local media and public on Ehsaas Rashan programme and to get their feedback as well.

Families earning less than Rs. 50,000 a month can register themselves under the Rashan programme of Ehsaas. Only one member of an applicant family whose cell

number is issued on his personal Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) can enroll his family either through 8171 SMS service or the web-portal. For registration through 8171, the said member of a family can SMS his/her CNIC number to 8171.

While Kiryana shopkeepers will only be able to register through the web-portal: https://ehsaasrashan.pass.gov.pk/.

Federal Cabinet has also approved the criteria that deserving families of foreign travelers and government employees with salaries less than Rs. 31,500 can also benefit from Ehsaas Rashan Riayat.

A monthly subsidy of Rs. 1,000 will be granted to every eligible family on the purchase of flour, cooking oil or ghee and pulses. A subsidy of Rs. 22 per kg will be given on the flour, Rs. 55 per kg on pulses and Rs. 105 per liter/kg on cooking oil or ghee at the designated Kiryana shops.

It is mandatory for both the buyer families and Kiryana shopkeepers to have mobile SIMs issued on their own CNICs to register for this programme. Also, Kiryana shopkeepers need to have their bank accounts with National Bank of Pakistan. The designated Kiryana shopkeepers will download

09

‘mobile Point of Sale’ (mPOS) App in their cell phones through which they will be able to deliver the subsidy to eligible buyers.

The government will give subsidy amount and a 5-8% commission to Kiryana shopkeepers directly in the bank accounts.

This is to encourage them to move from cash-based transactions to electronic dealings, open their bank accounts, and install internet-enabled devices. Lucky draws will also be held every quarter through which prizes like mobile phones, motorcycles or cash prizes would be given to grocery stores owners.

Govt mulling options to include PWDs in next national census Standing centre-right Mr. Mehmet Celepoglu, CEO Total PARCO Pakistan Limited and to his left, Mr. Li Fei, Assistant CEO MG (Automobiles Motors Pakistan Private Limited) signed and agreement to devlop and expand a framework to implement joint efforts to promote use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Pakistan. Through this partnership TPPL aims to provide new and innovatative concepts for customers all Pakistan.

Luke Grenfell-Shaw, a British cyclist, with Dr Aasim Yusuf, acting CEO of SKMCH&RC addressing media on Monday at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Lahore. Luke is visiting Pakistan as part of his mission to cycle 30,000 KMs from Bristol to Beijing to prove that you can live with cancer richly and fully. He is partnering with SKMCH&RC to support their fight against cancer in this region.

KE’s team set precedence by saving a life in garden area KArAchI Press release

K-Electric set a precedence in serving the society in two separate incidents at Karachi’s areas of Garden and Shireen Jinnah colony At Nusrat road’s street of Garden, KE temporally suspended power supply immediately on receiving information about fire in the area and dispatch their smart teams to the location of fire. On arrival, KE’s team find out that fire erupted inside a general store and an employee named Shehrayar is hanging from window waiting for rescue. KE’s workers took immediate action and rescued this person using the ladder. Another incident of fire took place in Shireen Jinnah Colony. In this locality, KE’s teams immediately suspend area’s power supply and going beyond its service manual extinguish the fire before the arrival of fire brigade. It is heartening that in both these incidents, as a responsible organization, KE’s teams act responsibly to protect human lives and public property.

Supernet gets rs. 100 Million projects

by Strategic organization KArAchI Pres release

Supernet Limited (“Supernet”) has been awarded three equipment supply projects consisting of equipment and services in the domains of satellite communications, telecommunications, and power with a combined equivalent value of PKR 100 million. The projects have been awarded by a strategic organization thereby expanding the customer base of its Telecommunications and Defense Business Unit. The equipment and associated support and warranty services shall support the customer’s large communications network in the country. Supernet has already successfully delivered one project in totality.

The second project is on track to be completed by end of November 2021 with the third one expected to reach completion in the 1st quarter of 2022. Though it is an established fact now that there are lengthy delays due to the global shortage of semiconductor chips as well as disruptions in international shipping and logistics, Supernet through the strength of its partnerships in the supply chain and prudent project planning, has effectively addressed these delays to the satisfaction of the customer.

ISLAMABAD staff rePort

The federal government is seriously mulling to collect accurate number of people with disabilities (PWDs) in the next population census scheduled to be held next year in the country in order to have a data support for framing a national policy to ensure their rights as well as welfare.

“Discussions with relevant quarters as well as stakeholders are underway for possible considerations related to inclusion of PDWs in the next national census,” disclosed Dr. G.M. Arif, Member National Census Committee, government of Pakistan, while addressing a national conference titled ‘Inclusive Census 2022 in Pakistan’ here in Islamabad on Monday.

The event was organized by Community Based Inclusive Development Network Pakistan in collaboration with INGO Sightsavers and HANDS, a national NGO. Key objectives of the conference were to advocate the government for ensuring effective counting of PWDs in

the national population census 2022, and also to push for Pakistan’s effective participation in the second Global Disability Summit being held in Oslo, Norway, from February 15-17, 2022 (GDS22). The summit will mobilize efforts for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the principle of ‘Leaving No One Behind’ and on building back better and more inclusive with regards to Covid-19.

Dr. G.M. Arif also said that during the national census 2022, the focus should be on reaching out to the households with PWDs mainly both genders to collect their accurate population in the country.

Besides Dr. G.M. Arif, Rabia Awan, Director PSLM & Sample Design, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Munazza Gillani, Country Director, Sightsavers Pakistan, Dr. Tanveer Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer HANDS, Asim Zafar, Secretary CBIDN, Dr. Sarwat Mirza, National Coordinator CBIDN, Itfaq Khaliq, Programme Manager, Sightsavers Pakistan, also spoke during the conference.

The speakers termed the PWDs as equal citizens of society and stressed the need for holding national census to collect accurate population of PWDs so that a sufficient chunk of government budget is ensured not only to secure their basic rights but also help them spend a respectable life by getting sustainable employment opportunities.

Rabia Awan, Director, PSLM & Sample Design, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, appreciated the efforts of Sightsavers and CBIDN Network in recognizing inclusion of people with disabilities in the national Census 2022.

Rabia Awan, Director, PSLM & Sample Design, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, appreciated the efforts of Sightsavers and CBIDN Network in recognizing inclusion of people with disabilities in the national census 2022.

She, however, said that the laws can be developed but it is important to ensure their effective implementation to provide basic rights to the people in general and people with disabilities.

She has endorsed the discussion and ensured that Pakistan Bureau of Statistics will make sure the inclusion

of disability in the census. The digital tools will be used for effective counting of all the households. Overall the experts were of the view that accurate data of the people with disabilities is critical for the budgetary allocations and mapping out strategies for the development in disability sector. This would help in understanding the magnitude of a problem and making informed decisions accordingly.

Asim Zafar, Secretary CBIDN Network, was of the view that the actual data PWDs still remains a big challenge as it provides data support in planning and allocation of resources. “We should focus on inclusion of PWDs in 2022 Census and for this purpose there should be a mechanism to empower the communities to include PWDs during data collection,” he said.

Dr. Sarwat Mirza said that disability itself is not an issue in society, as collective efforts from all stakeholders can be realigned to ensure rights of the PWDs. “The data of PWDs can be collected through national census, population surveys and administrative data registration,” she said.

Commander Qatari Emiri Naval forces calls on air chief ISLAMABAD Press realease

Commander, Qatari Emiri Naval Forces, Major General Abdullah Bin Hassan Al-Sulaiti called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force in his office today. During the meeting, both the dignitaries discussed matters of professional and mutual interest.

Major General Abdullah Bin Hassan Al-Sulaiti commended the professionalism of PAF and acknowledged its rising indigenous capacity in aviation industry. The Air Chief said that Pakistan and Qatar enjoy longstanding religious, cultural and historical bonds which are manifested through strong ties between both air forces. The Air Chief reiterated his resolve to further enhance the existing bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

Power suspension schedules for 23rd November 2021 ISLAMABAD Press release

According to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)’s spokesman, System Maintenance/Development Work is in process. Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 23rd November, From 08:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Bathar Feeder, From 9:00 AM to 02:00 PM, Lohi Bhair, Coral, Alipur, Ghauri Garden, Sohdaran, Khanna 2-, Alnoor Colony, Khanna East, Nogzi, Dhok Awan, Zaraj Housing Scheme, New Rawat, Bank Road 2-, City Center, Kashmir Road, Kalial, Gulshanabad, Dhok Noor, 502 Workshop, Adiala, Askari XIV, Humayun, Humayun 1-, Farash Town, Parbat Road, Khanna Dak, Shakar Padian, F -10 / 2, G-10/1, I8/4, I-10/2, Golra-2, Shahpur, Klinger Guardian, Pindi Point, TDCP, Shah-

dara, G-8/ Markaz, Wasa , Hamza Camp, Shaheed Muhammad Din, Jinnah Camp, Farooq Azam, Major Masood, Abu Bakar, Dhok Hasso, Amin Town, Azizabad, Cheering Cross, Kamalabad, Nogzi, Faziya 1 & 2, F-17/1 & 2, Top City, I- 16, Rata, Kashmir Road, Bank Road-2, Jahangir Road, Rehmatabad-2, Model Town-1, Morgah, National Park, Lalazar, 502 Workshop, Qureshiabad, New Rawat, Kahuta City2-, Doberan, Klar, Banjar, Hamid Jhangi, Kaliam, Karnab Kaswal, Syed Karsan, Bhal, Jalala, Nawababad, Burhan, Shafi Chauhan, Hussainabad, Dharek, Museum, Shakar Dara, Bolianwal, Shadi Khan, Ghorghashti, New Musa, Sony, Kasran, Mathial, Mara Sharif, Dharnal, Ahmadal, Gagan, Fateh Jang, F-13 Garmala, Langarpur, Bolani, Kariala, Fatehpur, Kohar, F-9 Chak Daulat, M Riaz Shaheed, Gadari, Bhagwal, Safdar Shaheed, Sanghoi, Nathwala, Dina City, Sandal , City Sohawa, Mill Awan,

Galyana, Islampura, Manara, Ara Bazaar, Mangan, Main Bazaar, Dhadial City, Siegalabad, Adhi, Bhekri, KS Mine, Dhariala Jalap, Sagharpur, Basharat, Ahmedabad, Blixar, Peepli , Lawa, Dharabi, Para Fatyal, Thoamharam Khan, Jhatla, Patwali, City Sohawa, Kachehri Sohawa Feeds , Panjar, From 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m, Shagun, Adiala Jail, Shahpur, Khasala, New Rawat, Kahuta City-2, Doberan, Kalar, Panjar feeder, From 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM, Railway Road, D-12 Markaz, D-12/3 & 4, MPCHS, NPF, Klinger, VIP, Kashmir Road, AFIC, Mohanpura , Iqbal Road, Q Project, DHQ, Bank Road -2, Adam G Road, Sir Syed Road, Khadim Hussain, CGH, Sarafa Bazar, Jhanda, Zafarul Haq Road, Arya Mohalla, From Day 12:00 noon to 04:00 pm, Nishan Haider, Sukho, Daulatullah, CB Khan, Karnab Kaswal, Bahr-e-Kalial Feeders, From 08:00 AM to 04:00 PM,132 KV Attock Oil Refinery Grid and Humayun feeder and surroundings will remain closed. IESCO management apologizes to its esteemed customers for the power outage. If the work is completed ahead of time, the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled time.

Khushhali Microfinance Bank Selects ‘INCHEQS’ Digital Cheque Clearing Solution ISLAMABAD Press release

Khushhali Microfinance Bank Limited – a leading financial institution in Pakistan has pioneered another technological advancement, by selecting INCHEQS - Image-based Clearing System (ICS). The system enables digital clearing process, to manage and administer inward and outward cheques alongwith Robotic Process Automation (RPA). It supports and integrates the signature-verification system to validate the cheques against the original specimen signature of each customer. The system allows hassle-free execution of transactions, through advanced digital-banking tools, where the sender bank can scan their cheques’ front and back, and the system will process the amount and information specified to the payee bank. This reduces the need to physically move the clearing instruments.

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD

10 FOREIGN NEWS un warns of ‘colossal’ collapse of afghan banking system ReuteRS The United nations on Monday pushed for urgent action to prop up Afghanistan’s banks, warning that a spike in people unable to repay loans, lower deposits and a cash liquidity crunch could cause the financial system to collapse within months. In a three-page report on Afghanistan’s banking and financial system seen by Reuters, the Un Development Programme (UnDP) said the economic cost of a banking system collapse — and consequent negative social impact — “would be colossal.” An abrupt withdrawal of most foreign development support after the Taliban seized power on Aug 15 from Afghanistan’s Westernbacked government has sent the economy into freefall, putting a severe strain on the banking system which set weekly withdrawal limits to stop a run on deposits. “Afghanistan’s financial and bank payment systems are in disarray. The bank-run problem must be resolved quickly to improve Afghanistan’s limited production capacity and prevent the banking system from collapsing,” the UnDP report said. Finding a way to avert a collapse is complicated by international and unilateral sanctions on Taliban leaders.

“We need to find a way to make sure that if we support the banking sector, we are not supporting Taliban,” Abdallah al Dardari, head of UnDP in Afghanistan, told Reuters. “We are in such a dire situation that we need to think of all possible options and we have to think outside the box,” he said. “What used to be three months ago unthinkable has to become thinkable now.” Afghanistan’s banking system was already vulnerable before the Taliban came to power. But since then development aid has dried up, billions of dollars in Afghan assets have been frozen abroad, and the United nations and aid groups are now struggling to get enough cash into the country.

Xi Jinping chairs china-asEan summit; aims to upgradE global tiEs

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AgencIeS

HIneSe President Xi Jinping reiterated that his government aspires to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership between Beijing and ASeAn nations.

ASeAn – Association of Southeast Asian nations – is an economic union comprising ten member states in Southeast Asia. It was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with an aim of “promoting intergovernmental cooperation” and facilitating economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration between its members and other countries in Asia. It includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Though India is not a member of this alliance, however, in 2009, it signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the ASeAn members in Thailand.

President Jinping called the virtual summit – a new milestone in the relations between the two sides – and added that he believes this would inject fresh impetus into regional and world peace, stability and development. notably, Jinping’s announcement came when he was chairing a Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th An-

niversary of China-ASeAn Dialogue Relations virtually on Monday morning. During his speech, Xi reaffirmed that China would take the association and its members on top priority and added he would like to play a bigger

role in “promoting peace and security”.

While elaborating Xi’s vision about the association, he proposed “five golden points” for the betterment of China as well as countries associated with the organisation.

According to Xi, those points include: building a peaceful, safe and secure home together, building a prosperous home together, building a beautiful home together, and building an amicable home together.

“Peace is our greatest common interest and the greatest common aspiration of people in all countries. We need to serve as the builders and guardians of peace in the region. We need to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation, build partnerships instead of alliances,” he stated.

Xi stated that “We will implement in earnest our comprehensive strategic partership, and make new strides toward building a closer China-ASeAn community with a shared future” “China firmly opposes hegemonism and power politics. China will never seek hegemony, still less bully smaller countries,” he added.

Further, he pledged to donate an additional 150 million doses of COVID vaccines to ASeAn countries to support higher vaccination rates in countries in the region.

China will provide an additional $5 million to the COVID-19 ASeAn Response Fund, step up vaccine joint production and technology transfer, and collaborate on the R&D of essential medicines, so as to help ASeAn increase its self-reliance.

Taliban to Afghan networks: stop airing shows with women actors KABuL afp

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Sunday issued a new ”religious guideline” that called on the country’s television channels to stop showing dramas and soap operas featuring women actors.

In the first such directive to Afghan media issued by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Taliban also called on women television journalists to wear Islamic hijabs while presenting their reports.

It called for banning films or programmes

that were against Islamic and Afghan values. ”These are not rules but a religious guideline’,” ministry spokesman Hakif Mohajir told AFP. The new directive was widely circulated late Sunday on social media networks.

Despite insisting they will rule more moderately this time around, the Taliban have already introduced rules for what women can wear at university, and beaten and harassed several Afghan journalists despite promising to uphold press freedoms.

The Taliban’s guideline for TV networks comes after two decades of explosive growth for independent Afghan media under the Western-backed governments that ruled the country

China questions ‘irresponsible’ US-Australia-UK nuclear propulsion deal

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday expressed serious concerns over a nuclear propulsion information sharing deal signed by the U.S., Australia and the UK and raised five questions over the deal.

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson from the ministry, made the remarks when answering a question on the agreement which allows the exchange of sensitive “naval nuclear propulsion information” among the U.S., Australia and the UK at a daily media briefing in Chinese capital, Beijing.

It is the first agreement on the technology to be publicly signed since the three countries announced in September the formation of a defense alliance, AUKUS.

China has expressed serious concerns over the three countries’ cooperation on nuclear submarines, said Zhao, who called such move “irresponsible.” The spokesperson further accused the tripartite cooperation of deliberately increasing regional tensions, stimulating the arms race, threatening regional peace and stability, and undermining international nuclear nonproliferation efforts.

“What information will the three countries share? Does it conform to the international obligations shouldered by the three countries? Will it cause nuclear proliferation? How can the three countries ensure that relevant nuclear materials and technologies will not be used to develop nuclear weapons? How to prevent other countries from following such wrong actions?” Zhao raised five questions over the deal.

until August 15, when the Taliban regained power. Dozens of television channels and radio stations were set up with Western assistance and private investment soon after the Taliban were toppled in 2001.

During the past 20 years, Afghan television channels offered a wide range of programmes — from an ”American Idol” style singing competition to music videos, along with several Turkish and Indian soap operas.

When Taliban previously ruled from 1996 to 2001, there was no Afghan media to speak of — they banned television, movies and most other forms of entertainment, deeming it immoral.

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD

T20 SerieS: PakiSTan WhiTeWaSheS BangLadeSh

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AFP

AKISTAN avoided late drama as they defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in the third and final T20I on Monday to complete a 3-0 whitewash. Chasing a paltry 125, the Green Shirts were cruising at 117-2, with just seven needed off the final over. However, a dot ball and two back-to-back wickets later, the match hung in balance.

Iftikhar Ahmed’s six calmed the nerves and kept Pakistan on top but then he got caught the very next ball and it came down to Pakistan needing two runs off the final ball.

The left-handed allrounder hit a four off the final ball to deny the home side a consolation win and keep his own side perfect.

Earlier, Bangladesh, after winning the toss, set a 125-run target.

Mohammad Naim top scored with 47 runs, followed by Shamim Hossain (22) and Afif Hossain (20)

SPORTS 11

as no other batsman could make a significant contribution to put a competitive total on the board.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Wasim Jr took two wickets for 15, while debutant Shahnawaz Dahani and Haris Rauf took a wicket each in their three and four overs, respectively.

Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad won the toss and elected to bat.

Pakistan, who reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup earlier this month, lead the series 2-0 after cruising to victory by four wickets and eight wickets respectively.

The Green Shirts brought in Sarfaraz Ahmed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Usman Qadir and Shahnawaz Dahani in four changes from Saturday’s second match.

Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi were the players to make way.

Hosts Bangladesh made three changes with Shamim Hossain, Shahidul Islam and Nasum Ahmed coming in for Saif Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam.

DFA Zhob, Muslim Club Chaman qualify for Semi-Finals of Ufone 4G Balochistan Football Cup QUETTA News Desk

Sri Lanka spinners put Windies on the ropes in first test GALLE, Sri LAnkA News Desk

West Indies were on Monday in deep trouble in the first Test against Sri Lanka as they collapsed to 113 for six at stumps on day two in reply to the hosts’ first innings total of 386 all out. The tourists, hunting their first ever Test win in Sri Lanka, trailed by 273 runs with four wickets in hand in Galle. After Sri Lanka’s quicks failed to take a wicket, the spinners made hay as off-spinner Ramesh Mendis claimed three wickets and left-arm orthodox duo Praveen Jayawickrama and Lasith Embuldeniya shared three wickets between them.

Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood had added 46 runs for the first wicket before Embuldeniya provided the breakthrough trapping Blackwood leg-before for 20. Jayawickrama was operating from the City End and Nkrumah Bonner gloved one to first slip where Dhananjaya de Silva took a low catch. He made one. Then off-spinner Mendis came into the attack in the 32nd over replacing Jayawickrama and claimed two wickets in two balls to put West Indies in all sorts of trouble. He struck in the last ball of his first over when Brathwaite was caught at leg-slip. Brathwaite had looked solid on his way to 41 off 115 deliveries with seven fours and had successfully overturned a decision before tea. Mendis struck again in the first ball of his second over when Shai Hope was well caught by Oshada Fernando at short leg. He made 10. Hope came in as concussion substitute for Jeremy Solozano. On his Test debut, Solozano was taken to hospital on the first morning when a full-blooded pull shot from Dimuth Karunaratne smashed into his helmet grille. He spent the night under observation but scans revealed no serious injuries other than concussion and he returned to Galle and spent time in the team hotel after being discharged. Jayawickrama changed ends and came on from the Dutch Fort End to pick up a second wicket as Jomel Warrican edged to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal and then exhausted a review as the West Indies middle order collapsed losing four wickets for 20 runs. Earlier West Indies bowled out Sri Lanka for 386 with Roston Chase claiming a five-wicket haul.

Among his victims were Dimuth Karunaratne whose classy 147 came to an end when Joshua da Silva completed a smart stumping. Karunaratne was involved in two hundred plus stands with Pathum Nissanka (56) and Dhananjaya de Silva (61). Chandimal chipped in with 45 runs.

DFA Zhob and Muslim Club Chaman have qualified for the Semi-Finals of the Ufone 4G Balochistan Football Cup 2021 by prevailing over the opposition in their respective Super 8 matches played at Ayub Stadium in Quetta.

DFA Zhob faced DFA Quetta United in the first match of the day, with both eying the coveted slot in the Semi-Finals.

The teams seemed unstoppable in their pursuit of glory as both launched fierce attacks on opponent goalposts. At the same time, they defended their own goalposts with everything.

The match equilibrium kept shifting from one side to another, however; the entire allocated time remained uneventful.

The match was then decided on penalty kicks, which again remained a close affair.

DFA Quetta United scored six penalties; however, DFA Zhob outshined it by scoring 7 to book a spot in the semis.

The second match of the day and last of the Super 8 round was played between DFA Turbat and Muslim Club Chaman.

The usual-looking match suddenly shifted gears when Wali Khan of Muslim Club Chaman sent the ball wheezing past the opponent goalkeeper in the 25th minute of the match.

It put Muslim Club Chaman firmly in

the driving seat of the game which completely steered the match away by scoring back-to-back goals. Fareed of Muslim Club scored the second goal for its team in the 30th minute while Abdul Qadir scored the third in the 39th minute.

Muslim Club’s domination continued all across the second half as well. Hanif scored the 4th goal for his team in the 50th minute while Fareed returned for another goal in the 75th minute.

Fareed Fouji then sealed the fate of the opposition by scoring the 6th and last goal of the match to put his team through to the next big round. DFA Turbat couldn’t find its feet during the entire match against the formidable opposition and lost the match with the largest margin in the tournament.

Baloch Club Quetta and Quetta Zorawar Club have already qualified for the Semi Finals, which will be played on Wednesday, 24th November.

Babar Azam answeres most Googled questions about him nEwS DESk The 27-year-old skipper, Babar Azam recently answered most Googled questions about him, in a video recently shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Answering the first query, he said he lives in Lahore, and cited its traditional culinary specialities — paaye, in particular — as one of the city’s standout experiences. Babar also noted that Lahore had produced some of Pakistan’s most celebrated Test cricketers and sporting legends.

Answering another FAQ about himself, about when he will get married, Babar went with the safest of answers, saying in Punjabi: “Even I don’t know that. My family knows, but for now the focus is on cricket.”

To another question, he said he uses the Gray-Nicolls bat, adding that he plauys with bats of different weights

depending on the venue.

“I carry 6-7 bats with me. The more bats I carry the more confused I get, but I use my best bats,” the skipper revealed.

To how much does Babar Azam earn? The star batsman undiplomatically said he would not answer the question. “But it’s less than you think,” he cheekily added.

About his cricket ideal, Babar said he admired former South Africa international AB de Villiers the most and had followed him from the beginning.

“He was one of the best players of his time [and] proved himself in every field,” he said of De Villiers, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket earlier this week.

Justifying his selection to lead the T20 team of the tournament, the ICC said Azam’s numbers spoke for themselves: 303 runs, an average of 60.60, and four halfcenturies in six matches.

“Babar Azam’s T20 World Cup performance was remarkable. The fact that it was the Pakistan skipper’s first-ever T20 World Cup appearance makes his numbers even more astonishing, and he is comfortably the highest run-scorer at a debut World Cup in the history of the competition, beating Pakistan batting consultant Matthew Hayden’s previous record.”

It said Babar also drew level with another record held jointly by Hayden and Virat Kohli, with his four fifties at a single World Cup equalling the all-time best.

Babar, who finished this month’s T20 World Cup as the highest runscorer (303), is the current top-ranked T20I batsman in the world. He was also the only Pakistan player in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 team of the tournament named by the International Cricket Council (ICC), and was nominated as its captain.

hope replaces Solozano as West indies concussion substitute GALLE AFP

The West Indies were on Monday allowed to use Shai Hope as a concussion substitute for debutant batsman Jeremy Solozano, who was taken to hospital after being hit while fielding in the first Test against Sri Lanka. Solozano was at short leg on day one in Galle on Sunday when he was hit a sickening blow on the grille of his protective helmet from Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne’s full-blooded pull shot. Doctors and medical staff attended to the 26-year-old on the ground before he was taken on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance. He was transferred to a Colombo hospital where he underwent scans and was kept overnight for observation. “Match referee Ranjan Madugalle has approved Shai Hope as Solozano’s replacement. This is in accordance with the ICC concussion substitute rule,” a team statement said Monday. Solozano was expected to be discharged from the hospital and return to the team hotel later on Monday. The team said tests had revealed no “structural damage” but confirmed Solozano had suffered a concussion and would follow the appropriate protocols during his recovery period. Wicketkeeper-batsman Hope has played 36 Test matches for the West Indies scoring 1,675 runs at an average of 25.76 with five fifties and two hundreds. His highest score of 147 came against England at Headingley in 2017.

Tuesday, 23 November, 2021

Prayer tiMingS

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

5:20

11:54

3:23

6:47

5:01

6:28

PM KhaN tells Us lawMaKeRs tO addRess aFghaNistaN’s eCONOMiC ChalleNges ISLAMABAD

P

Staff rePort

RIME Minister Imran Khan on Monday stressed the need to address the economic challenges in Afghanistan, as he met officials from the United States of America.

Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Congressman Rep Gregory Meeks and Chairman of the Subcommittee

on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and NonProliferation Congressman Ami Bera, a statement from the PM’s Office said in a series of tweets.

PM Imran Khan emphasised that Pakistan and the US needed to deepen engagement to promote peace, stability, and economic development in Afghanistan.

“The premier particularly underscored that there was an urgent need to financially assist the Afghan people as part of the effort to prevent a humanitar-

Fruit exports surge 21.3pc in 4MFY22 ISLAMABAD aPP

The export of fruits from the country increased by 21.29 per cent to $143.242 million during the first four months of the current fiscal year (4MFY22) as compared to the $118.101 million earned in during corresponding period of last year (4MFY21), according to data of the Pakistan Bureau of statistics (PBS). On yearon-year (YoY) basis, fruit exports increased by 15.8pc by going up from $24.931 million during October 2020 to $28.869 million in October 2021. On month-on-month (MoM) basis, fruit exports increased by 7.46pc in October 2021 when compared to the exports of $26.866 million in September 2021, the PBS data revealed. The overall food exports from the country increased by 26.9pc during 4MFY22. As per details, food exports were recorded at $1434.398 million during July-October FY22 against the exports of $1130.250 million during July-October FY21.

Right to vote for Kashmir expatriates soon: Niazi MUZAFFARABAD aPP

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Abdul Qayyum Niazi Monday said overseas residents of the mountainous region would be granted their long-due right to vote in the light of the recent legislation by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. He added the government has achieved historic success by passing a record 33 laws in a single session in the recent joint session of Parliament. Talking to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Niazi said: “By the grace of Allah, the PTI government in the Centre will not only complete five years, but the people of Pakistan will also repose their confidence in it by handing it a mandate for the next five years as well.”

“Opposition stands completely exposed today and its efforts aimed at destabilizing the country have miserably failed,” the prime minister said. Hailing Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political acumen, Niazi expressed the optimism that the federal government would not only complete its 5-year constitutional term but also win the next elections. Terming Pakistan nationals living abroad a great asset for the party, he said their role in materialising the dream of Naya Pakistan has been highly commendable.

“The revolutionary decision to give them the right to vote reflects the courageous leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” Niazi said, adding his government in Kashmir would soon enact legislation to give the right to vote to locals living abroad. Overseas Kashmiris, he said, were the ambassadors of the Kashmiris’ freedom movement and identity of Azad Kashmir. “Insha’Allah, overseas Kashmiris will also play a pro-active role in the creation of new Azad Jammu and Kashmir”, the prime minister said, adding that about one million citizens of the Kashmir region live in Europe whereas about half a million live or work in the Middle East, North America and Canada.

Referring to the ex-pat community’s contribution to Kashmir’s economy, Niazi said: “A large part of the population of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on their remittances.” The diaspora, he said, has so far played a significant role in the economic and social development of Kashmir. Kashmir chapter of PTI, he said, had also promised in its election manifesto that it would give the right to vote to overseas Kashmiris.

ian crisis and economic collapse,” the PM’s office tweeted.

He also hoped that “ways and means would be found to address the liquidity issue and enable banking channels to help Afghanistan sustain its immediate economic burden and challenges.”

The United Nations, underscoring the need for urgent actions to prop up Afghanistan’s banks, warned that a spike in people unable to repay loans, lower deposits, and a cash liquidity crunch could cause the

financial system to collapse within months.

In a three-page report on Afghanistan’s banking and financial system, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said the economic cost of a banking system collapse — and consequent negative social impact — “would be colossal.”

Bilateral talks: The premier hoped that it will not only lead to further deepening of Pakistan-United States relations but will also be instrumental in strengthening ties between the Parlia-

ments of the two countries.

“Imran Khan expressed hope that more high-level exchanges, at all tiers including the Administration, will take place between both countries reinforcing their tie,” the PM office tweeted.

Both sides maintained that Pakistan and the United States should work to strengthen bilateral trade and economic relationships as well as co-operation in health, security, counter-terrorism, and combating climate change, the PM Office said.

Oil off 7-week lows but under pressure as release of reserves eyed SINGAPORE agencieS

Oil prices came off seven-week lows on Monday but remained under pressure after Japan said it was weighing releasing oil reserves and as the COVID-19 situation in Europe worsened, raising concerns about both oversupply and weak demand.

Brent lost 14 cents, or 0.2%, to $78.75 a barrel as of 0502 GMT and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 4 cents at $75.90 a barrel.

The market is in a bit of a flux as strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) releases are not fully priced in yet, said an oil trader in Singapore.

WTI and Brent prices hit their lowest since Oct. 1 earlier in the session. They slumped around 3% on Friday, declining for the fourth straight week for the first time since March 2020.

Article continues after this advertisement Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signalled on Saturday he was ready to help combat soaring oil prices

following a request from the United States to release oil from its emergency stockpile, in an unprecedented move.

Tokyo is exploring ways to bypass a law which permits the release of oil reserves only in cases of supply shortage or natural disasters.

The White House on Friday pressed the OPEC producer group again to maintain adequate global supply, days after US discussions with some of the world’s biggest economies over potentially releasing oil from strategic reserves to quell high energy prices.

The combined SPR release could be 100 million to 120 million barrels or even higher, Citi analysts said in a note dated Nov. 19. This includes 45 million to 60 million barrels from the United States, about 30 million barrels from China, 5 million barrels from India and 10 million barrels each from Japan and South Korea, the bank estimated.

“If released over December and January, this could mean looser markets by some 1.5-2.0-m b/d. This would be against the backdrop of expected stock draws of 2.8-m b/d in Dec’21 and 0.5-m b/d in Jan’22 without any SPR

release,” Citi said.

Further weighing on prices was possible renewed lockdowns in Europe as COVID-19 cases surged again.

Germany warned on Friday it may need to move to a full lockdown after Austria said it would reimpose strict measures to tackle rising infections.

The worsening Europe COVID-19 situation and profit-taking among investors towards year-end added to uncertainties in the market, the trader said.

“Profit taking has turned into a rout on prices,” he said, adding that prices are likely to go sideways until January before heading higher.

Money managers cut their net long US crude futures and options positions in the week to Nov. 16, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Friday.

Investors were also watching developments in the Middle East after Saudi state media reported early on Monday the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen said it detected indications of an imminent danger to navigation and global trade south of the Red Sea.

Pakistan permits transit of Indian wheat to Afghanistan ISLAMABAD Staff rePort

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday announced the government’s decision to allow the 50,000 MT of wheat India has offered to provide Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan as soon as modalities are finalised with the Indian side, an official statement said.

“Pakistan will also facilitate the return of Afghan patients who had gone to India for medical treatment and are stuck there,” the premier announced, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

India last month announced the assistance for Afghanistan and sought Pakistan’s permission to ship the food grain through the Wagah crossing. Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who visited Islamabad earlier this month, also made a request to PM Imran for letting the Indian wheat pass through the Wagah crossing.

The prime minister had said that Pakistan would “favourably consider” the request and directed the authorities

to work out modalities.

The development is significant given the current state of bilateral ties between Pakistan and India and also keeping in mind that Pakistan does not otherwise allow a two-way trade between Afghanistan and India. Islamabad only allows Afghanistan to export its goods through the Wagah border to India. Importantly, the Taliban government in Afghanistan is ready to accept humanitarian assistance from India, which otherwise does not maintain any contact with them. But since the Taliban took control of Kabul, there have been efforts on part of India to reach out to the Taliban. The announcement was made during his visit to the newly established Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC), where he chaired the first Apex Committee meeting of AICC. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser on Finance Shaukat Fayaz Tarin, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf and senior civil and military officers.

The prime minister instructed all

ministries to facilitate Afghans to the maximum, ordering an immediate shipment of in-kind humanitarian assistance worth Rs5 billion, which will comprise food commodities including 50,000 MT of wheat, emergency medical supplies, winter shelters and other supplies. He also approved in-principle tariff and sales tax reduction on key Afghan exports to Pakistan. He ordered that the facility of free Covid vaccination for all Afghans entering Pakistan from land borders be continued. According to the PMO statement, PM Imran announced Pakistan’s decision to allow the 50,000 MT of wheat India has offered to provide Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan as soon as modalities are finalised with the Indian side.

Welcoming the prime minister, Dr Moeed, who is also the convener of AICC, made a detailed presentation to brief the civil and military leadership on the current economic situation in Afghanistan and the progress made by AICC in coordinating national efforts for humanitarian assistance and border facilitation for Afghans.

Opposition’s campaign against state institutions flouts Constitution: Fawad ISLAMABAD aPP

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday advised the opposition parties to stop the campaign launched by them to malign the state institutions, duly protected by the Constitution. “I want to give advice to the opposition parties that they should stop running a campaign against judiciary and army, and respect the Constitution, which gives them full protection,” he said while talking to media persons after attending a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the way the opposition parties kept both of the institutions on their target through their leaders and social media accounts was ‘quite inappropriate’. “In my opinion it is a sheer violation of the Constitution,” he added. Divulging details of the meeting, he said it was noted that ‘video leaks scandals’ are surfaced whenever hearings of corruption cases of the Sharifs approach. Fawad said the Panama scandal was investigated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and reported by a German newspaper, adding it had nothing to do with Pakistani media outlets. Following an international investigation, he said the German newspaper revealed names of the world’s corrupt leaders, including Nawaz Sharif.

India’s infamous NIA arrests world renowned Kashmiri rights defender Khurram Parvez ISLAMABAD Mian ibrar

Kashmiri journalists and rights activists on Monday said that world renowned Kashmiri human rights Defender in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Khurram Parvez, was arrested by Indian’s infamous agency, NIA. Srinagar-based news website The Kashmiri Walla reported that the family of human rights activist Khurram Parvez, associated with Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS), said that

they received an arrest memo (case 30/2021) in his name on Monday evening.

Khurram Parvez is a prominent Kashmiri human rights activist and is the Chairperson of Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances and Program Coordinator of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. He is also a recipient of the 2006 Reebok Human Rights Award.

Khurram has lost his leg to a landmine blast polls in Kupwara in 2004 while he was monitoring polls.

The human rights defender, who also heads the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, spent 76 days be-

hind bars under the stringent preventive detention law, Public Safety Act during the mass anti-India uprising in 2016 triggered by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.

A few years ago, Parvez’s initiative led the largest alliance of militant groups in the region United Jihad Council to abandon using landmines.

“He was taken for questioning by the officials who said they were from NIA. They have seized his phone and laptop and few books,” a Kashmiri journalist said on Twitter, quoting Parvez’s family.

“Raid going on at Jammu and Kashmir

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Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS) office on the bund near Amira Kadal bridge in Srinagar Kashmir. Police & CRPF personnel at the spot said NIA officials are conducting the raid,” the journalist had said in a tweet posted earlier morning.

“After raid at home, NIA officials took him along and later gave us arrest memo. They have seized some books, his phone, laptop and said he will be taken to Delhi,” his family told media personnel in Srinagar.

Khurram Parvez has been vocal against Indian atrocities and human rights violations against Kashmiri people.