EpaperISB_2020-09-17

Thursday, 17 September, 2020 I 28 Muharram, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 78 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

FatF-related bills sail through Parliament g

PM IMrAN CALLS ouT oPPoSITIoN, SAyS ‘THeIr LeAderS’ INTereST ANd PAKISTAN’S INTereST Are oPPoSITe’ ISLAMABAD

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staff report

MId ruckus in the House, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Wednesday managed to get all three bills related to the financial Action Task force (fATf) passed through the joint session of the parliament.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended the session, which was chaired

by National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser.

Many opposition leaders, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif, staged a walkout after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman bilawal bhutto-zardari was denied permission to address the floor by National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser during the session earlier in the day. despite this, the affairs of the house continued.

The bills moved by Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs dr babar Awan include The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties bill and The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) bill, 2020, while The AntiTerrorism (Third Amendment) bill, 2020, was tabled by faheem Khan. All three bills were related to fATf. According to the statement of subjects and reasons, The Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties bill, 2020 is aimed at proper management, supervision, and administration of Waqf properties in the territorial limits of Islamabad Capital Territory.

The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) bill, 2020 is aimed at streamlining the existing anti money laundering law in line with international standards prescribed by fATf. The Anti-Terrorism (Third Amendment) bill, 2020 is essential to address the issue

of terror financing, one of the major obstacles which is not only playing a degrading role against the development of the country but also imbuing such elements with the financial means which are an ultimate threat to the internal and external peace of the country. It enables the law enforcement authori-

ties to take certain encountering techniques with an authoritative support of the courts of law to curb terror financing.

When Awan tabled the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties bill, a voice vote was conducted and the motion to table the bill was passed. Subsequently, the NA speaker proceeded to

conduct a vote count, asking the parliamentarians in favour to stand up. on the motion to present the bill, 200 voted in favour and 190 opposed it. The bill was read out clause by clause, with amendments to some clauses approved, while others were rejected by a voice vote. opposition members are loudly voicing their opposition to the amendments in the bill. Senator raza rabbani of the Pakistan-People’s Party (PPP) objected to the bill being tabled by Awan as advisers to the prime minister do not have the authority to do so. PPP Chairman bilawal bhutto-zardari sought to address the session, foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that people who have proposed amendments should be allowed to speak instead. “How can bilawal speak if he he has not proposed an amendment,” he remarked.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

IHC orders to arrest Nawaz before next hearing g

SHeHbAz SAyS IT’S NoT PoSSIbLe for ex-PM To reTurN WITHouT GeTTING MedICAL TreATMeNT

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday released a detailed verdict over its decision to issue an arrest warrant of the former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif.

The court noted that the lawyers of Nawaz failed to satisfy the bench; therefore, an appeal regarding the exemption of the former prime minister from the hearings is therefore rejected.

It is pertinent to mention here that the high court had rejected the exemption plea of the former premier Nawaz and released his non-bailable arrest warrants in Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases on Tuesday.

Moreover, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif also announced after the verdict that Nawaz Sharif would not return to Pakistan before completion of his medical treatment.

“We respect the judiciary,” Shehbaz said but added that returning to Pakistan without proper

Coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

303,089

treatment could endanger the life of his brother and the PML-N supremo. He said that the right to life is the most important thing and could not be neglected. “The issue here is not Nawaz’s return but his medical treatment,” the PML-N leader said.

He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had claimed that Kulsoom Nawaz was not ill but she passed away asking if it was possible to repair the damage done by the allegation.

Shahbaz recalled that the doctors have said that travelling for Nawaz in the current situation can be “life-threatening”.

He added that the government had also admitted that the PML-N supremo’s treatment could not be done in Pakistan.

“Government had sent him to London on the recommendation of government and non-government doctors but his treatment was delayed due to coronavirus,” said Shehbaz. staff report

more inside

LHC seeks response from Centre, Punjab govt over removal of former IGP STORY ON PAGE 03

LAST UPDATED AT 7:45 AM ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

4

NEW CASES:

665

Aggressive posture costing India its international credibility: Qureshi STORY ON PAGE 02

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

290,760 6,393 SINDH:

132,591

PUNJAB:

97,946

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

37,140

13,690

2,441/3,297 15,984

LHC slams ‘failed’ police patrolling system after motorway gangrape STORY ON PAGE 03

Israeli jets bomb Gaza after rocket fire clouds peace deal signing STORY ON BACK PAGE

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Thursday, 17 September, 2020

NEWS

Aggressive posTure cosTing indiA iTs inTernATionAl credibiliTy, Qureshi sAys ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

DAY after India left a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) midway to protest the presentation of Pakistan’s new political map, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that New Delhi was losing credibility at international forums due to its aggressive posturing.

India National Security Adviser Ajit Doval Tuesday walked out during a speech

by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf at the virtual meeting of the SCO when Russia overruled his objection to the presentation of the country’s new political map, which was on display in latter’s background, which identifies occupied Jammu and

Kashmir as a disputed territory and shows the regions of Sir Creek and the erstwhile state of Junagadh in Gujarat as part of the territory. In a statement issued later in the day, Dr Yusuf’s office said that India’s “spurious claims were rejected as it faced defeat after its formal objection to Pakistan’s new political map was overruled”.

The map remained on display in the background during Yusuf’s address.

Qureshi, in a statement, said India’s objection to Pakistan’s political map at the meeting was rejected which caused embarrassment for Delhi.

“Russia, the host of the meeting, did not accept India’s perspective,” he said, adding that India had violated the organisation’s rules by raising the issue at the platform. “Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed territory and there are

UN resolutions about the issue,” he said.

Qureshi added that China had repeatedly offered to resolve issues with India at the de-facto border at Ladakh through dialogue. “[But] India adopted an aggressive posture and then faced humiliation,” he said, adding that China responded to Indian aggression.

‘FICTITIOUS MAP’: Following Doval’s walkout, the Ministry of External Affairs released a statement saying that Pakistan’s representative “deliberately projected a fictitious map,” Hindustan Times reported. “The Pakistani national security adviser deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating. This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting,” said Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson for the ministry.

Shehbaz responds to being silenced by NA speaker in joint parliamentary sitting SLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana

Sanaullah, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Khursheed Shah were being targeted by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) while dispelling rumours that the opposition parties wanted a Na-

tional Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

Shehbaz said this while addressing a press conference along with PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Bilawal criticised the National Assembly (NA) speaker as well for not letting the leader of the opposition speak in the joint parliamentary session.

“It is not the speaker’s right to stop the leader of the opposition from speaking in parliament,” he said. “The leader of the opposition or the leader of the house can speak whenever they want to.”

The senior opposition leaders, who had also acted as lawmakers in the parliament during the Musharraf and Ziaul Haq eras, said this was the most non-democratic practice they had ever seen, Bilawal added.

“After the Islamabad High Court’s decision, legislation cannot be presented by an adviser,” he said, regretting that the speaker was not “ready to listen to this argument”.

The PPP chairman said that police did not need a warrant to arrest anyone now when referring to the government’s amend-

“After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture. As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting,” Srivastava added.

In response to this statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said “the map reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Security Council Resolutions and the supremacy of the UN Charter.”

FO spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said India, at the meeting of NSAs of SCO member states, “tried to vitiate the atmosphere by objecting to Pakistan’s official map”. Chaudhri said Pakistan is committed to SCO as a platform for regional cooperation. “We are actively playing a positive and constructive role and following the SCO charter to not let our bilateral relations with any country impact our engagement with SCO.” ments to the Anti-Money Laundering Bill.

Bilawal said that the opposition was already bearing the brunt of the NAB’s coercive tactics, adding that these new amendments would harm the country’s business community and as a result, on the economy.

This controversy started after Wednesday’s joint parliament session, during which amendments in three bills crucial to the fulfillment of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) requirements were passed.

After most of the opposition parties’ amendments were rejected and the leaders were not allowed to speak, they staged a walkout.

The three bills that were passed with amendments were the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, 2020, AntiMoney Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill and the Anti-Terrorism Act (amendment) Bill, 2020.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill is aimed at proper management, supervision, and administration of Waqf properties in the territorial limits of Islamabad Capital Territory. The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020 is “aimed at streamlining the existing anti money laundering law in line with international standards prescribed by FATF”.

Journalist Asad Ali Toor given oneweek protective bail ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

A day after journalist Asad Ali Toor was booked on charges of spreading ‘negative propaganda’ against the state and its institutions, he was granted one-week protective bail

by Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday. Chief Justice Athar Minallah granted the bail and ordered the journalist, who had commented against the Pakistan Army in social media posts, to approach the relevant court within a week. The complaint was registered by a Rawalpindi resident, Ehtisham Ahmed, and it states that “[Toor] spread negative propaganda and used derogatory language against the government institutions, including the Pakistan Army, which was a grave crime according to the law.” Toor has been booked under sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 500 (punishment for defamation) and 499 (defamation) and of the Pakistan Penal Code and sections 37 (unlawful online content), 11 (hate speech) and 20 (offences against the dignity of a person) of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act 2016. This is now the third case of a journalist being booked for “spreading hatred” within seven days. Previously, Express Tribune staffer Bilal Farooqi and former chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Absar Alam, were booked in similar cases.

Anti-polio drive likely to start from 21st ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The federal government has decided to launch a four-day anti-polio campaign in the country from September 21 to 25. According to sources in the federal health ministry, the campaign would be launched in all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB). The sources in the health ministry said that there would be two catch-up days during the campaign aimed at vaccinating children left behind during the drive. Overall, 39.6 million children would be administered polio drops during the campaign, they said adding 270,000 polio workers will take part in the drive. Strict adherence to the standard operating system (SOPs) would be ensured in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Russia backs Pakistan’s stance on new map ISLAMABAD APP

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf said on Wednesday Russia supported Pakistan’s stance regarding the country’s new political map which was in accordance with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and international laws.

Talking to the media here, Dr Yusuf said the Tuesday’s virtual meeting of the National Security Advisers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) rejected India’s objections to the display of Pakistan’s political map in the meeting room.

“Pakistan proudly displayed the political map at the SCO meeting, while the Indian objections were rejected by the member countries and even Russia sided with Pakistan on the issue,” Dr Yusuf told reporters.

He said that Russia, as the host country, he requested the technical groups of the participating countries to test their technologies three days ago. During that technology test on September 11, India raised objection to the display of Pakistan’s map on the wall in its meeting room.

He said that India lodged a formal complaint to Russia, registering its protest against declaring Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) as a part of Pakistan in the map. He added that

Russia conveyed to Pakistan that India wanted that map not to be displayed during the virtual session. However, responding to that complaint, the Foreign Affairs Ministry told Russia that the map, launched on August 5 to which was observed as ‘Youm-Istehsal’, reflected “our legal right and is according to the United Nations Security Council resolutions and removing it from anywhere is unquestionable”.

Dr Yusuf said that Pakistan clearly stated that Kashmir was neither part of India nor it would ever be. “We have reminded the SCO members that India is violating the UN Charter by trying to illegally change the status of IIOJK,” he added.

Criticising the walkout from the meeting

by Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Dr Yusuf said that the SCO was not the right platform to raise objections to Pakistan’s map as it dealt with multilateral issues and not the bilateral ones. “It is the forum of cooperation and engagement.” About his speech at the forum, Dr Yusuf said he focused on four points. “Firstly, Pakistan being an important member stands with the SCO which urges all the countries to follow United Nations norms and principles,” he said.

“Secondly, it is the responsibility of international community to exert pressure on those countries which are not accepting United Nations resolution and not following international laws to resolve the disputes,” he added.

Thirdly, Dr Yusuf continued, he highlighted that there was hardly any country that had fought against terrorism like Pakistan died and “now the whole world recognises its efforts and needs to learn from its experiences”. Fourthly, he mentioned, the IntraAfghan talks were not possible without Pakistan’s role.

“Now, the dialogue has started and Pakistan will play the role of facilitator,” he said.

“But if we say if any other country can guarantee the peace in Afghanistan will be wrong and Pakistan cannot be blamed if God forbids there will any hiccups in that process of dialogue,” he added.

Dr Yusuf said that Pakistan talked about regional connectivity and economic security.

“Pakistan is a responsible state and it does not want any conflict in the region and its focus is on economic diplomacy through boosting regional connectivity.” He told the forum that said Pakistan wanted to provide corridors to Russia, Central Asia and China and wanted to use the Gwadar deep seaport. “We want peace in Afghanistan so that we can have access to Central Asia,” he added.

“Pakistan’s focus is CPEC [China Pakistan Economic Corridor] and having access to Central Asia leading to economic security which is our paramount objective. Pakistan is the hub where economic interests of the world meet not proxy wars.”

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

NEWS lhc seeKs response from cenTre, punJAb govT over removAl of former igp LAHORE

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APP

HE Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the Centre and Punjab government, seeking their responses on a petition challenging the re-

moval of Shoaib Dastagir from the post of inspector general of police (IGP).

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan, which took up the petition filed by a Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) legislator, directed the respondents to submit their response within two weeks.

Teacher held for violently thrashing students in Jhelum JHELUM TLTP

Police on Wednesday arrested a male teacher for violently thrashing his students, hours after a video the incident went viral on social media.

Authorities said a first information report (FIR) has been registered on behalf of the girls' father at the city police station, following which the teacher was taken into custody. The petitioner said that two of his daughters, both minors, were studying at the "Reformer Academy" in Jhelum's Mohallah Khansama, according to a copy of the FIR. The father further said in the FIR that his daughters had refused to go to the tuition classes for the past few days and after asking them why, he got to know that it was due to fear of being beaten by their teacher. The incident had caused them severe physical and mental pain, said the father. News of the arrest came shortly after Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident. Buzdar sought a report from the regional police officer for Rawalpindi over the matter and ordered immediate action in accordance with the law against the arrested man. "Anyone who violently beats their students does not deserve any concessions," he said. Earlier, Twitter users had called for the teacher to be arrested after the video, allegedly shot at a school in Jhelum, went viral. In the clip, the man was seen manhandling one of his students, a young girl, holding her by the scruff of the neck, shoving and then hitting her on the back, after which she collapses on the floor.

Karachi police arrest three for attempting to assault woman KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Karachi police on Wednesday arrested three men for allegedly attempting to molest a woman in the North Nazimabad neighbourhood. According to the woman, a group of men forced her to come to their apartment while she was on her way. When she offered resistance, they beat her up. The woman, however, managed to escape the scene and after reaching home, narrated the incident to her family who then registered a first information report (FIR) against the suspects. The police said all of the suspects have been arrested and it has started a probe into the complaint. A police official added that medical examination of the woman found scratches on her neck.

baldia factory fire case verdict expected today NEWS DESK The high-profile Baldia factory fire case against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Rauf Siddiqui and nine others is expected to reach a verdict in by anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi eight years after the terrifying industrial fire. Ali Enterprises garment factory was set ablaze on September 11, 2012, in Baldia Town, and 260 workers had lost their lives in the incident. At first, factory owner Abdul Aziz Bhaila and his two sons, a general manager, and four gatekeepers were charged for their alleged negligence leading to the fire. However, in February 2015, a joint investigation team (JIT) report submitted to Sindh High Court (SHC) revealed that the arson occurred after its owners didn’t pay Rs250 million ‘protection money’, according to Pakistan Rangers Sindh. In March 2016, police said that a new case should be registered under the anti-terrorism law as this was a planned attack. They named Hammad Siddiqui, his alleged frontman Abdul Rehman alias Bhola, businessmen brothers Ali Hasan Qadri and Umer Hasan Qadri, Dr Abdul Sattar, Iqbal Adeeb Khanum, Zubair alias Charya and others as accused in their report.

Punjab government removed Dastagir last week following a rift with Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh who he claimed was appointed over his head.

The petition states that pre-mature transfers in the police force violate the Police Order, 2002 and the Punjab government’s rules of business.

It maintains that the Punjab government, instead of implementing the Police Order (2002) has “further politicised the police force and shown the door to recalcitrant and independentminded officers without any regard for their independence and tenure protected by the law”.

At a previous hearing, the respective counsels for the federal and provincial governments had raised objections on the admissibility of the petition, saying such matters cannot be brought to courts.

LHC slams 'failed' police patrolling system after motorway gang-rape LAHORE STAFF REPORT

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday lambasted Punjab’s police patrolling system, stating that it had “failed” to protect citizens.

These comments were made after the September 9 gang-rape which has since sparked outrage and public demand for public hanging of rapists.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan, during a hearing on petitions to form a judicial commission to investigate the case, asked authorities how many hours the inspector-general of police (IGP) for Punjab patrolled daily. “Tell me how many days and when the IGP Punjab patrols (the streets),” the judge asked. “Senior police officers should be seen patrolling at night in each district from 11 pm-1 am,” he remarked.

“What has been presented in the report? What is the

plan?” the judge asked in regard to a report presented by the deputy inspector-general (DIG) of police for legal affairs, Jawad Ahmad Dogar. The police officials replied that the details of the existing system have been provided.

“We already have a patrolling system,” they tried to defend themselves. At this, the judge said: “Your patrolling system has failed!” “Punjab IGP should be on the streets himself. Does your province end after Lahore?” he asked.

“Can the government pay compensation to those killed on the road?”

“I want security for the people,” Chief Justice Khan said. “The government is bound to protect citizens under the Constitution.”

The court then ordered an implementation report to be presented by Punjab IGP Inam Ghani and Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Sheikh.

It also summoned the lawyers of both sides to present their arguments at the next hearing.

683 properties owned by banned outfits sealed, Senate told ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The upper house of the parliament was informed on Wednesday that 683 properties owned by the banned organisations, including 76 schools, four colleges, 15 hospitals, 383 religious seminaries, 188 dispensaries and 17 buildings, have been sealed by the government.

Interior Minister Ijaz Shah presented these details while speaking at the floor of the Senate. Shah said that seminaries, hospitals and other properties owned by the banned outfits have been sealed in the light of United National Security Council (UNSC) guidelines. He said the

highest number of sealed properties are in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

On August 21, Pakistan had imposed sanctions on more than 88 individuals allegedly associated with different terrorist groups, including Daish, al-Qaida and Taliban. According to the details, the government had also seized the bank accounts and properties of the individuals in the country. They had also been banned from travelling abroad. Replying to a question during Question Hour in the House, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that the government believes in strengthening the structure of religious seminaries for the promotion of Islam.

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shopkeeper arrested for attempting to rape minor girl KHANPUR TLTP

In yet another incident of sexual harassment, the police on Wednesday arrested a man for attempting to rape an eight-year-old girl in the vicinity of Khanpur, Rahim Yar Khan district. According to details, the shopkeeper was caught red-handed by the citizen when he allegedly tried to rape the minor girl in Saddar area of Khanpur.

He was handed over to police by locals. The parents of a minor girl in their statement maintained that the minor girl had gone to buy sweets from a nearby shop where the shopkeeper attempted to rape her but was caught by a passer-by. The minor has been shifted to hospital for medical examination. After being informed, the police reached the scene and arrested the accused. A case has been registered against him. Earlier on September 12, an enraged mob thrashed a man for two hours for attempting to rape a seven-year-old girl in Jhelum. The man was caught red-handed by the citizen when he allegedly tried to rape the minor girl in Masheen Mohalla area of Jhelum. The incident sparked outrage among the citizens.

lahore ccpo fails to show up at senate body's meeting ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Sheikh recently received widespread backlash due to his victim-blaming remarks in the motorway incident, and on Wednesday failed to show up for a hearing by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, leading to the committee’s displeasure. Sexual violence against women had been brought into national focus last week after two robbers on the LahoreSialkot motorway had gang-raped a mother of two in front of her children near the Gujjarpura police jurisdiction. “Has the CCPO descended from the sky?” asked committee Chairman Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar after the CCPO did not show up for the meeting without giving any notice or reason. “Top officials are present here but the CCPO did not show up.” He called the police officer’s absence was “unacceptable”. The meeting was regarding a privilege motion against the CCPO, and he had been given summons beforehand to ensure his presence at the hearing. The backlash and subsequent hearing where due to CCPO Shiekh claiming the woman should have taken proper precautions against such an attack.

FATF-related bills sail through parliament CONtINUED fORM PAgE 01 His statement was echoed by Awan who read out the rules of the parliament and underlined the importance of the anti-money laundering bill, which he said was essential for Pakistan to exit the FATF grey list.

Former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, after standing up to move an amendment, said that the way the session is being conducted makes it impossible to know which amendment is being discussed. “If you read Rule 126, [you will find] it is important to have held a general discussion before we move on to the amendments,” he said.

Subsequently, Abbasi’s proposed amendment was rejected by the House through a voice vote.

The joint sitting also passed The Surveying and Mapping (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Major objective of The Surveying and Mapping (Amendment) Bill, 2020 is to stop and prohibit printing, displaying, dissemination or using incorrect and unofficial map of Pakistan.

The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is aimed at increasing the number of judges in IHC from seven to ten, including the chief justice to overcome difficulties of the litigant public qua early disposal of long pending cases.

Other bills passed by the Joint Sitting of the Parliament include Pakistan Medical Commission Bill, 2019, The Medical Tribunal Bill, 2019, and The ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020.

IMRAN ASSAILS OPPOSITION: Addressing the joint sitting of the parliament, PM Imran said that the government is ready to cooperate with the opposition for the sake of the country and democracy but emphatically stated that no compromise will be made on corruption. He said that FATF-related legislation passed by the House is very important for the country’s future and to steer it out of the grey list.

He said that Pakistan will get out of the FATF grey list like it fought Covid-19 pandemic successfully when compared with India or Europe.

The prime minister said that he was confident that opposition will support the government in FATF-related bills, but his all doubts against opposition leaders proved correct when they opposed bills in the sitting as they do

not want to see Pakistan making progress.

He accused the opposition of sabotaging the government’s efforts to exit the FATF grey list.

Thanking his party members and allies for getting passed FATF-related bills, he that said their conduct has proved that they stand by Pakistan. He was of the view that failing to pass these laws could push Pakistan to blacklist which could have serious economic consequences for the country.

The premier regretted the posture of opposition parties, saying they created hurdles in the way of this legislation. He said that the opposition tried to blackmail the government to protect their vested interests and the looted money of their top leaders. For this purpose, he added, they proposed 34 amendments in the NAB law. He questioned how a country could progress when billions of dollars were laundered abroad. “This only puts pressure on our foreign exchange reserves,” he further said.

He said that if the top opposition leaders are not involved in money laundering then why they were opposing the anti-money laundering bill.

Talking about the recent incident of rape on motorway, the prime minister said that a comprehensive legislation will be enacted to award exemplary punishment to the sex offenders. He said that this piece of legislation will also provide protection to the women and the children. He added that it will also ensure protection of the witnesses to convict the persons involved in such ghastly acts.

PM Imran said that the rape incident on motorway shook the entire nation. He said that one accused person has been arrested while the other will also be arrested soon. He stressed the need for registration of the sex offenders as is the case in the rest of the world.

SENATE BLOCKS KEY LEGISLATION: This development came hours after the Senate blocked the legislation, making it the third crucial FATFrelated legislation to have been blocked by the oppositiondominated upper house. Under the 18th Amendment, if a bill passed by one house of parliament is rejected by the other, it can become a law only if it is passed by a joint sitting of the two houses.

The House last month rejected two crucial bills — the Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill and the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill — both of which were also FATF-related, objecting to some of the provisions and linking its cooperation to re-

traction of remarks made by Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem.

The 104-member Senate had on August 25 rejected two bills through a voice vote that had already been passed by the NA the previous day.

During Wednesday’s session, 31 members voted in favour of passing the bill on terror financing while 34 voted against it.

According to the content of the proposed legislation, the investigating officer, with the permission of the court, can conduct covert operations to detect terrorism funding, track communications and computer system by applying latest technologies in 60 days.

In addition, written requests would be made to the court for an extension in the investigation and the court may extend the period for another 60 days.

The current law will not contradict any other law and the federal government will strengthen the procedure and formulate rules for the implementation of orders.

The bill said funding for terrorism was a major obstacle in the country’s development and a source of disgrace to it. Terrorism funding was benefiting those elements which were not only a threat to internal and external peace of the country but also its allies, it said.

“The main purpose of introducing this bill is to enable law enforcement agencies to eradicate these curses by adopting certain preventive techniques with the empowered assistance of the courts of law.”

Meanwhile, the Senate passed the Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2020. It was introduced by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, according to which the registrar will provide details of the society’s owners, officers and members when requested by relevant authorities.

If the society registrar does not provide the information, its registration will be suspended, the bill read. A registrar will keep a five-year record of the societies that have their registration suspended.

The relevant society officer will have to pay Rs1 million in case of violation of the law, according to the bill.

If a member, employee, officer or secretary of a cooperative society is found to have committed fraud or corruption, he will face a punishment of five years along with a fine of Rs2 million.

If corruption is found to have been done in the cooperative society, then a fine of one-fourth the investment or Rs10m will have to be paid, the bill said.

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

04 NEWS Punjab govt to provide SMEDA- ECC allows Duty-fREE iMpoRt of style business models to startups vEhiClEs foR DiffEREntly-aBlED pERsons LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

The Punjab Finance Ministry on Wednesday directed the provincial industries department to provide Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)-style business models to the new startups along with the provision of vocational training and convenient loans.

Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, while presiding over the 41st meeting of the cabinet standing committee on finance and development, said the provision of a business model can minimize the risk of loss for new startups.

The meeting made more than 14 recommendations for various departments, including new expenditures for South Punjab Secretariat (SNE), increase in house rent, purchase and sale of equipment, import waiver on infrastructure development cess, sales tax exemption on public-private partnership projects, tax relief to marriage halls, establishment of M&R Wing under Public Health Engineering Department, and recruitment approvals for Multan Development Authority.

After detailed deliberations, the committee approved the recommendations on the additional expenditure to set up South Punjab Secretariat, abolition of infrastructure development cess on import of Covid-related goods and exemption of public-private partnership projects from sales tax on services for five years.

Moreover, the previous agendas of the department of specialized health and medical education including setting up the maternal and child health centres in Bahawalnagar and Sialkot were also approved by the committee.

The committee postponed the recommendations on tax relief to marriage halls and establishment of M&R wing while the Multan Development Authority (MDA) was allowed only one-third of the recommended recruitment, whereas the responsibility of selecting the candidates was handed over to the secretary of housing and public health engineering.

“Marriage halls have already been given relief in sales tax and any further decision in this regard will be taken keeping in view the future situation of Covid-19,” Bakht stated.

The committee also expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the MDA and the provincial finance minister also directed the secretary housing and public health engineering department to review all the financial matters and schemes of the authority and brief the committee on the performance status.

The committee further discussed the issues related to guarantee in Punjab employment scheme and provision of funds such as loans on easy instalments for low-cost houses at provincial level.

The secretary industries informed the committee that besides Bank of Punjab, National Bank of Pakistan is also being involved in launching the scheme.

Addressing the meeting, Bakht said, “The South Punjab Secretariat was not set up for the political number game. Its purpose is to provide facilities to the people at the local level and improve administrative matters. A full briefing should be given on the details of South Punjab Secretariat appointments, expenses and working procedures. If the problems of the applicants are not resolved even in the presence of a separate secretariat, then its establishment is useless.”

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BUSINESS DESK

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Wednsday granted permission to import duty-free vehicles for differently-abled persons and increased the income criteria up to Rs200,000 per month in accordance with an amendment.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the ECC meeting wherein approvals were granted for the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), dutyfree vehicles, railway and others.

As per the setails, the previous income criteria for differently-abled persons to purchase duty-free vehicles was ranging from Rs20,000 to Rs100,000 in a month. However, the committee imposed a condition for allowing those persons who have not purchased the duty-free vehicle for the last 10 years.

Meanwhile, the decision for the establishment of Pakistan single-window company and its directors was approved. The committee also okayed a technical supplementary grant of over Rs219 million for the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

An additional grant of Rs6 billion was

granted to the Ministry of Railways which will be spent on salaries, pensions and necessary expenditures worth Rs500 million on a monthly basis. Moreover, the supplementary grant worth more than Rs96 million was approved for seminaries.

The summary for the provision of Rs160 million supplementary grant to the Federal Ministry for Education and Professional Training was approved for ‘Hunar Sub Ke Liye’ programme. The committee durther gave a go-ahead to publish Rolling Spectrum Strategy 2020-23, whereas the decision for wheat import was deferred.

CDWP approves four projects worth Rs12.25bn ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday approved four projects worth Rs12.25 billion and recommended two projects worth Rs33.48 billion to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for consideration.

The meeting of CDWP, presided by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, also allowed the extension in re-tendering of one project worth Rs12.1 billion. Projects related to energy, social welfare and water resources were presented during the meeting.

The first energy-related project, "Social Development of Harpo Valley & Strengthening of WPO GB under Accompanying Measures of 34.5MW HPP Harpo", worth Rs255 million, was approved on the occasion. The main objective of the project includes the procurement of machinery and tools for the hydroelectric workshop at Skardu, community development work in the Harpo Valley, up-gradation of dispensary and girls middle school etc.

Meanwhile, the forum allowed an extension in re-tendering of an energy project titled "20MW Hydropower Project Hanzel Gilgit", worth Rs12,109.59 million. The project focuses on the construction of Hanzel Hydropower project (10MW) along Gilgit River, a rightbank tributary of Indus River, to transmit energy to Gilgit town and surrounding areas through a 132kV transmission line to meet power and energy requirements of the Gilgit District.

The third project related to energy titled "Construction of 132kV grid station at Kanmehtarzai and 132kV feed for Kanmehtarzai in & out from existing 132kV D/C Muslim BaghKhanozai Transmission Line", worth Rs263.46 million, was also approved in the meeting.

Moreover, the CDWP gave a go ahead to a project related to social welfare, "Women’s Income Growth and Self- Reliance", worth Rs7,140 million. The objective of the project is to establish a sustainable government-led system to be established for the transition of extremely poor women from social protection

to sustainable livelihood.

Three projects related to water resources were presented during the meeting. The first two projects, "Basol Dam Project", worth Rs18,679.89 million, and "Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project", worth Rs14,747.74 million, were referred to ECNEC for approval.

The Third project, "Indus 21 Water Sector Building and Advisory Services project (WCAP)", worth Rs4,593.97 million was also approved by CDWP. The forum also considered two position papers namely “Gridlines Regarding Project Appraisal Document-PAD” and “Inclusion of Disability Friendly Checklist in PC-1”. Similarly, the forum approved two concept clearance proposals titled “Construction of retaining wall along downstream right marginal bund from mile 0/0+200 to 1/5 Guddo Barrage, retaining wall along Gaj Diversion Bud in Johi Diversion at Dadu” and “Punjab Resource Improvement and Digital Effectiveness Programme.” GHULAM ABBAS

Restaurants' boycott of Foodpanda services enters 2nd day KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

The All Pakistan Restaurant Association (APRA) on Wednesday continued with its boycott of Foodpanda service for the 2nd consectuive day, citing unfair practices by the online food delivery marketplace.

Profit reached out to Foodpanda CEO Noman Sikandar, who said that they do not have a comment on the grievances pointed out

by APRA, claiming that 95pc of their listed restaurants are still on the platform.

On the other hand, APRA Convener Ather Chawla explained that while restaurants may be visible on the foodpanda platform, customers will not be able to order as the restaurant will be unavailable due to the tablet being removed.

Moreover, he added, foodpanda tech is made in such a way that even if a restaurant removes its menu and turns off its tab, the restaurant will be visible on the platform 12 hours later.

However, ordering will still not be possible.

He said that APRA is now seeking help from the Competition Commission of Pakistan to “end the monopoly of the food deliv-

ery company”.

"We have received many complaints from our member restaurants that foodpanda is involved in anti-competitive business conduct by forcing restaurants to sign exclusive contracts with them, limiting them to work with any other food delivery companies," said APRA Chairman Muhammad Naeem Siddiqui.

In a letter to the CCP's general policy director, Siddiqui noted that there is an act that prohibits the abuse of a dominant position through any practice that prevents, restricts, reduces, or distorts competition in a market.

CM Buzdar inaugurates Rs4bn Mailsi siphon project, Daanish school VEHARI: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday inaugurated Rs4 billion Mailsi Siphon project and remodelling of SMB link canal enhancing its capacity by 1,600 cusec and to irrigate another 3,000-acre area of the district. Earlier, Buzdar also inaugurated Daanish School at Tibba Sultan Pur during his visit to the district and announced to set up Daanish schools at Taunsa Sharif and Bakhar. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the Rs4 billion project would bring about further improvement in the irrigation system. Buzdar said that agriculture was the backbone of national economy and government was making all out efforts to improve infrastructure supporting agriculture and to bring about positive change in the lifestyle of farming community. Buzdar said that SMB canal remodelling would increase capacity by 1,600 cusecs and resultantly the Lower Bahawal Canal would get additional 1,600 cusec water sufficient to irrigate another 3,000-acre agriculture area. The project would enhance agriculture production and improve financial standing of farmers, he added.

The secretary irrigation and chief engineer gave detailed briefing to the CM on the project and said that SMB canal was lined up to a length of 25 kilometres and height of its both sides was elevated.

Provincial ministers Sardar Mohsin Leghari, Jahanzeb Khan Khichchi, MPAs, commissoner Multan, DC and other officials were present. Earlier, the CM visited Daanish school Tibba Sultan Pur where he formally inaugurated the school and also planted a sapling as part of ongoing plantation drive. Buzdar visited classrooms besides laboratories of physics, Biology and IT sections. Later, the CM also presided over the 32nd meeting of Daanish School Authority. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that it was the first meeting of Daanish school authority held outside Lahore. Buzdar also announced 'Honhar Punjab' programme to reward talented students for their encouragement. APP

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

NEWS

SOPS iMPleMenTATiOn in SchOOlS SATiSfieS SinDh, PunjAb MiniSTerS ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE Sindh and Punjab's education ministers on Wednesday said they are satisfied with the implementation of Covid-19 safety protocols at the educational institutions.

They were talking to a private TV channel on Wednesday and shared their observations after the reopening of educational institutions across the country after more than six months.

Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said that he visited 15 schools and colleges in the city and reviewed the steps taken by the management of private and governmentrun institutions and found the measures satisfactory. He, however, said that there was a need to take extra steps in order to improve

EIGHT TEACHERS TEST POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: Eight teachers of Government Higher Secondary School Rashakai in Peshawar tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.

According to the Elementary and Secondary Education Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the infected teachers have been sent to their homes on 15 days leave. Meanwhile, the academic activities in the school are underway under strict precautionary measures.

An educational institute in Islamabad was sealed on Tuesday after the emergence of novel coronavirus case, confirmed National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). Schools, colleges and universities across Pakistan reopened on Tuesday,

QUETTA STAFF REPORT

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has said that the present government is focusing on improvement of communication means in the province, especially in Quetta. The chief minister said this while chairing a meeting with regard to traffic issues in Quetta and their resolution.

The chief minister instructed the commissioner Quetta division to immediately start execution on projects of making Uturns on Aalmo Chowk, Sariab Road and Gahi Khan Chowk under the Quetta Devel-

SHAHZAD PARACHA

ending a nearly six-month-long closure due to coronavirus pandemic.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood had said that the federal authorities would assist the educational institutions for conducting coronavirus tests wherever it is required.

Mahmood, while talking to journalists during a visit to a government school in the federal capital, had urged the administration of educational centres for strict implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“We are monitoring every school while transport services for students would also be monitored. There are around 215 universities in the country and almost every university has a hostel,” he said.

BRT service suspended temporarily for buses’ review

Govt improving communication means in Balochistan: CM opment Package. He also directed the Communications Department to prepare PC-I for construction of an expressway from Meezan Chowk to Spini Road above the main nullah of Quetta city. During the meeting, various decisions were also taken to reduce the traffic congestion in Quetta city Separately, the chief minister instructed inspector general of police to provide all facilities to candidates in conducting test centres for applying on vacant police posts in the province. He said that it is the prime responsibility of the government to provide facilities to people for getting employments.

PESHAWAR TLTP

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Wednesday temporarily suspended the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service.

"A fresh review of the BRT's buses will be held," said Spokesperson TransPeshawar Muhammad Omair.

"Safety of the passengers is the institute's topmost priority," he added.

He said that a detailed review of the buses will be conducted by the company that manufactured them, adding that an investigation is also being carried out to determine why two buses of the project had caught fire earlier.

"A comprehensive investigation and inspection of all buses will be conducted," he said. "The BRT service will

be restored after it is completely cleared [of defects] from all technical angles," added the spokesperson.

He said that the decision has been taken in the larger interest of Peshawar's citizens.

Last week, a fire erupted in a BRT bus near Gulbahar Station, local media had reported. According to eyewitnesses, the bus caught fire just as soon as it arrived at the station. There were passengers inside the bus when it caught fire; however, they managed to escape just in time. Rescue 1122 was called to the site and the fire was doused.

This was the third BRT bus to catch fire recently. A fire had erupted on the roof of a metro bus on August 26, followed by another bus that met the same fate in the city's Phase-VI Hayatabad area.

Traders importing sugar with high sulphur content, PSMA claims LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Sugar Mills Association spokesman has said that some Pakistani importers are planning to import into Pakistan sugar containing high Sulphur content, which is injurious to health. In a statement, the spokesperson said that it is suspected that some importers in connivance with Indian sugar traders are trying to dump high sulphur content sugar in Pakistan, which is injurious to health. The benefit will be passed on to India and Modi government, the spokesperson added. The spokesman of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has appealed to government to take notice of it and measures be taken to restrict import of Indian sugar.

Karachi package: Sindh notifies implementation committee KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Sindh government has released the notification of its implementation committee while making progress on Karachi transformation package on Wednesday. According to the notification, the implementation committee will be headed by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Sindh chief secretary and representatives of V Corps of Pakistan Army will also be the part of the committee. The government also included the term of references (ToRs) of the provincial committee in the notification. Moreover, other members in the implementation committee will include administrator and commissioner of Karachi, representatives of the federal government and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The committee will review the progress of the projects included in the Karachi transformation package announced by the federal government.

CMYK

31-year old Pakistani injured in Glasgow attack ISLAMABAD

EIGHT TEACHERS TEST POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS IN PESHAWAR implementation of SOPs in colleges.

Ghani vowed to take strict action against the school where a student died after falling from the staircase if negligence on part of the management was found.

Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas said all schools in the province are following the guidelines issued by the government.

He said that the action is being taken against schools where SOPs are not implemented.

“I have visited several schools and reviewed the measures taken by the management,” he said. He maintained that the government will close schools in case there is a spike in virus cases in any area.

05

A 31-year-old British national of Pakistani origin, Umair, was attacked by unknown assailants in Glasgow on Eversley Street on Sunday around 10:50 PM, according to a close relative of the victim. Relatives reported that the attackers stabbed him in the back and that his spinal cord has been severely damaged. The medical response reached Umair quickly reached transferred him to a local hospital for treatment. The relative could not understand the motive behind the attack. Umair had recently moved from London to Glasgow and works at a marking company. It is worth mentioning that Umair is a first cousin of senior journalists Asim Yasin and Aamir Yasin. The police force at Shettleston is seeking the assistance of the public following the assault. Door to door enquiries are underway. Constable Stewart Menzies said, “I would like to hear from anyone who may have been in Eversley Street between 10 PM and 11 PM on Sunday to get in contact with us if they saw or heard anything which might help us in this investigation.”

Dr Maha's father seeks new medical board to probe suicide case KARACHI APP

The father of Dr Maha Shah on Wednesday approached the Additional District and Sessions Court (South) seeking the constitution of a new medical board to revise the investigation into the case. The young doctor practising at a private hospital in Clifton committed suicide by shooting herself at her home in Defence Housing Authority last month. The petitioner’s counsel submitted the application of Asif Ali Shah, stating the police had termed the incident as suicide and all evidence were collected in the same aspect. The plea sought a court order to form a new medical board.

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

06 COMMENT

Restoring order, coming out of Zia Dark Ages

Another unrealistic project A vision or a hallucination?

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aNy believe the Ravi riverfront urban development project is not feasible. Others term some of its supposed benefits as phoney.

Still, others recall imran Khan’s rejection of Nawaz Sharif’s policy of constructing Motorways, roads, bridges and underpasses while promising instead a fivefold increase in the education budget. The PM has meanwhile performed the groundbreaking of the joint public-private sector project. He has also announced the formation of the Ravi urban Development authority without appointing its chief. There is no word regarding when the construction of the project will begin or when it will be completed.

Nothing has been revealed about how much funds the government has committed for the project and where the money will come from. The project has been announced without any major headway in the already announced government housing scheme. it is widely known that the underground water level in lahore has sharply gone down because of a phenomenal increase in the population of the city and the unending wastage of potable water. Seepage over hundreds of years from what was once a mighty Ravi had kept the level of underground water in the city charged. it is thoroughly unrealistic to claim that a small lake can ever do the job.

The PTi government could have achieved better results through disincentives like raising water use charges many times high beyond a certain limit.

PM imran Khan has tried to defend his failure in providing jobs and houses and reducing poverty through rhetoric like ‘follow the dream’, ‘burn the boats’. But rhetoric cannot fill empty bellies or plug leaking shanty roofs, or control the spread of epidemics caused by unhealthy surroundings. Equally hollow is his slogan ‘Judge a person from what he aspires to be’. a leader who has been in power for over two years is to be judged not by his aspirations but by his competence in fulfilling his numerous pre-election promises. unfortunately the PTi administration’s record is dismal. as long as the PM remains concentrated on revenge rather than fulfillment of his promises, Naya Pakistan, or whatever other name he may give it, will remain associated with abysmal poverty, unemployment, a high rate of crime, and physical and mental ailments caused by the under nourishment of children.

Zia destroyed a vasat number of institutions

Dr FariD a malik

Z

iaul Haq perished in august 1988 but his evil legacy continues to haunt the nation. Most civilian institutions are in total disarray. The Zia Doctrine of ‘Do nothing’ has caused a total collapse of the system. Over 11 years of total inaction (July 1977 to august 1988) and planned attack on organizations, has created disorder of unimaginable proportions that has to be restored for the republic to govern and move forward. Every discussion that i had with the late lt.Gen Ghulam Jilani Khan (Jil) the streetsmart soldier who ran Punjab, ended with the statement; ‘Zia stopped me from implementing the policy’. Till the 1970s Pakistan Railways was profitable and pride of the nation, run by professional railwaymen. lt Gen. Saeed qadir as Minister for Communications was given the task of taking it over. He not only came up with the idea of forming an alternate freight movement organization (National logistics Cell) but also accused the Railways Board of corruption. in protest the Chairman, abul Kalam, and the Secretary, Shehzad ahmed Khan, resigned. Till today the national carrier has not recovered. The list is long (WaPDa, Mechanized Con-

Criminalising criticism

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Humera malik

C

OViD-19 pandemic has caused abrupt and enormous changes to the education sector around the world. it affected more than 1.5 billion students ranging from the level of kindergarten to higher education. This is the first time that educational institutions closed their doors and left students without access to formal learning.

Where many other institutions have been adversely affected, existing circumstances are the real test for the education sector too. actually, the pandemic surge not only challenges the readiness and capacity of institutions to engage students for learning but also sheds light on inequalities that exist across the globe. This socioacademic imbalance creates barriers to quality education, especially for the marginalized sections. according to Brookings experts, the impact of school closure on student learning throughout the world varies by socioeconomic status and also by the extent to which schools and the education system have the capacity to provide quality online education.

This situation means that the learning gap between rich and poor will probably continue to grow under covid-19. This gap prevails not only between high and low income countries, but also between high and low income regions and sections within countries.

Now the world has entered a new phase of dealing with such issues. Various countries are planning to reopen schools and many others had already begun their academic sessions whereas several states have cancelled the rest of their academic year, inspiring students to resume from the same grade next year. around the globe, countries are confronting the first wave and many others are facing a resurgence of the coronavirus. in that situation, reopening safely has been difficult to work out because the stake for key decisions carries life and death implications. Before drawing up specific recommendations, guiding principles for policy makers should be evaluated. it is highly necessary to learn from the experiences of the countries which had already reopened their schools.

Denmark was the first European country which had gone through its trial and error phase and reopened its elementary schools way back on april 15. This country’s reopening has been hailed as a resounding success. The Danish education minister claims that they had focused on keeping the children in small groups and reduced the class sizes. They had kept them apart to ensure social distancing not only in classes but also during recess. They ensured the cooperation

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Umar Aziz

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Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

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students into two groups to commence their classes in shifts. High schools are encouraged to halve their semester into a “quadmester” which will offer two among teachers, unions, parent’s organizations and courses instead of four. as many other policies are local authorities. as a matter of fact, if collaboration under consideration, their academic session will begin among these three parties is strong, then reopening is in September. On the other hand, many states were orsuccessful as it ensures the feeling of safety in teachers dered to reopen in the uSa after weeks of deliberations and parents both. However, after reopening they had by policy makers. although the CDC has issued guidenot widely adopted the policy of wearing masks, and lines to diminish the chances of student’s exposure, the covid-19 positivity rate teachers and staff were was 8.3 percent according not pressed upon to wear to the Kaiser Family them while at school.

Report. as of They ensured the two meThroughout the world, the countries Foundation this week, several states tres of space between including arizona, desks and encouraged stuwhich are about to reopen including Florida, Georgia and dents to wash hands. OutTexas were recording 10 siders, including parents, Pakistan should lay down some to 25 percent positivity were no longer allowed to directives comprising the strict rules rate. uS accounts for four enter the building which percent of the world’s diminished the risk of exto ensure safety of students as well population and 25 percent posure to coronavirus carof the world’s covid-19 riers. They planned to as teachers. The abovementioned cases. Within two weeks focus on the essentials by models can provide guiding of opening schools and paring down the curricucolleges, 20,000 cases lum and ended school two principles to them. Models can vary were reported in multiple hours earlier. These remedial measures proved to institution to institution and region to states in the uSa. Kenya, Bolivia and be highly effective, subregion but the most important step is Mexico have cancelled stantiating it to be a sucthe rest of the school cessful experiment to assure the social distancing and year. No doubt, it’s enorisrael is also one of mously risky to open those countries which educate people about safety schools without precauhad set to launch their tionary measures. How schools by the mid of measures. The government should could the crippled May. although strict drive home the idea that pandemic is economies of these deguidelines were enveloping economies bear forced, including wearnot yet over and the institutes found the burden of such chaling masks and social lenges? They required distancing, experts beguilty of not following SOPs will huge amount in terms of lieved that school reimmediately be closed ensuring safety measures. opening contributed to Throughout the the second wave of world, the countries covid-19. The New York which are about to reTimes reported that the surge in covid-19 infections quickly soared among open including Pakistan should lay down some direcboth students and staff. The confirmation of a second tives comprising the strict rules to ensure safety of students as well as teachers. The abovementioned wave compelled israel to close the schools again. another example of schools reopening is South models can provide guiding principles to them. ModKorea. The school year set to begin in March was de- els can vary institution to institution and region to relayed until June. They had reopened in phases for var- gion but the most important step is to assure the social ious levels: high schoolers first, then younger distancing and educate people about safety measures. students, but some schools were forced to close as The government should drive home the idea that panearly as one day after reopening owing to the spike demic is not yet over and the institutes found guilty of not following SOPs will immediately be closed. of confirmed cases of coronavirus. in Canada and the uSa, plan to reopen vary state Humera Malik is a freelance columnist to state. in Canada, most of the schools have divided

1.5 billion children have been affected worldwide

HE passage of a criminal law amendment bill providing for a new Section 500a to the Pakistan Penal Code provides nothing more than an enhancement of the minimum fine amount to Rs 500,000, which had been left indeterminate in the original Section 500. However, one thing it does is withdraw the exceptions of the offence of defamation, for which punishment is prescribed in Section 500, but which is defined in Section 499. Section 500a provides its own definition, defaming the ‘armed forces’, not a particular individual, as specified by Section 499. This has vast implications, for it means that fair criticism is not a defence, whether the armed forces are criticised for their constitutional function (such as the 1971 War) or extraconstitutional (such as during martial laws, or where military personnel are lent to the civilian authorities for such functions as sports or disaster management).

There needs to be a relization that criticism cannot be silenced by charges, such as are being faced by journalists Bilal Farooqui or asad Toor, both of whom were charged under Section 500 over criticism of the armed forces in their social media accounts. Mr Farooqi was released by the police; Mr Toor has obtained pre-arrest bail. a surer way of avoiding criticism is not to do anything that can be criticized. Diehard opponents, such as the indian agents apparently hiding behind every bush, will be reduced to mere name-calling, which none will take seriously.

However, if there is any truth in what is being said, no matter how much repression is tried, the truth will out, particularly in this digitized age. as has been seen, criminalizing behavior does not necessarily change it. The statute books are already too cluttered with dead letters of the law to need the burden of any more, like the present bill, which seems to be a badlythought-out reaction to a situation that is less worrisome than it might appear to be. Despite the opposition majority in the Senate the bill cannot be defeated, because the government can easily hold a joint session of parliament to pass it, like it has in the case of FaTF legislation.

Joint Editor

Dr Farid A Malik is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.

Reopening schools under Covid-19

The new law seems designed to escape protections

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

struction of Pakistan, Pia, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Steel, Machine Tool Factory, Precision Engineering, CDa, KDa, lDa, and so on). i started my career as an apprentice Engineer in a project of Ministry of industries in January 1977.

Those were good times, i had several job offers but i wanted to stay in lahore with my parents. Office hours were strictly observed, by 8 a.M. everyone had to be at work. i remember occasionally when i arrived late, i was summoned by the head of the department for an explanation. as an engineer in training i was sent to various shops were i had to work with own my hands.

Foundry was the toughest, Haji Bashir Sahib the supervisor of the Pattern Shop made sure that i learn to build patterns which were then used in mould-making for metal castings. Chaudhry Hamid Sahib in the design office was brilliant but soft. Finally i landed in the Heat Treatment Shop with a very hands-on engineer called aslam Bhatti Sahib. They were all very able and hardworking professionals from whom i learnt to apply my theoretical knowledge. While still there we heard the news of Bhutto’s execution in april 1979.

The same month i proceeded abroad for higher education. The momentum continued for a while, by the time i came back in 1981 the situation had changed, and a decline had set in which then continued. in the last forty years ( 1977 to 2018 ) the nondoers have moved up the ranks, rendering the civil service non-functional and sick. There are no mentors of the newcomers. The Haji Bashirs and Bhattis have either long retired or gone under. Even the basic functioning of offices has stopped. Working hours are not kept, public records are in disarray, letters and complaints are neither addressed nor replied to. in the eight months of this year, i have written about 50 to 70 letters that remain unreplied. Finally the Pakistan information Commission has come to the rescue as they issue notices to the relevant departments. Reluctantly some reply while others dodge. in Punjab there is also a similar Provincial Commission.

With the information or lack of it, the complainant can

then approach the office of the Ombudsman for a decision against the department. This is a long drawn and tedious exercise but still better than going to the courts for legal remedies. as a former bureaucrat i am sure Dr ishrat Hussain knows the nuts and bolts of bureaucracy. like the nationalized banks were declared sick entities, the civil administration has to be dealt with in a similar fashion. it has ceased to function and needs a major overhaul, mere reforms are not enough. Retrenchment followed by fresh recruitment is required. lateral entry of technocrats in higher grades (21, 22) may be needed as was done during the Bhutto government. These senior posts should be placed on open merit, filled though the Public Service Commission. after due process, three names should be put up to the Prime Minister for final selection.

Office hours have to be strictly enforced with clear SOPs on handling public complaints and communication. Perks are totally out of control. Green plates are all over the place, but this facility has to be monetized and withdrawn. There should be official pool transport available for office use only.

To come out of the Zia Dark ages, order has to be restored. The Civil Service will have to perform or perish. Currently only the pay for service mode exists to get the job done. The electable also operate through this apparatus to enter Parliament and then block public welfare reforms. The Majlis-e-Shura lives on with nondoers all around both in the legislature and the executive. The “Do Nothing Doctrine” has to be put to rest.

Four decades of suffering should be enough, the patience of the nation is running out. When the system fails to deliver it explodes, falling under its own weight, like the once mighty Soviet union. Revolutions always come with a heavy toll and should be avoided through public facilitation and welfare programs. The choked, colonial bureaucracy has to be fixed there is no other way to move forward, thereby restoring order and ending the Zia Dark ages.

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Thursday, 17 September, 2020

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

Grim practice

The Might-is-Right will have to change The release of Majeed Achakzai challenges the whole system

ZesHan HaiDer

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OR the past two weeks, some CCTV footage has been circulating on social media. This CCTV footage is dated 2 June 2017. On this day, a tragic incident took place at Zarghoon Road, GPO Chowk, in quetta, which injured every human soul. a speeding land Cruiser arrives and the traffic warden ataullah standing in the way of the land Cruiser is crushed with great cruelty. it was not an ordinary driver who drove the land Cruiser, but Majeed achakzai, a member of the Balochistan Provincial assembly at the time.

Hundreds of people on the scene witnessed the tragedy the sight and the eye of the camera also reserved the heartbreaking incident. unfortunately, this powerful man who trampled a living man under the car in broad daylight was also granted bail by the court and in the last few days he was found to be without a defence. But the court acquitted him honorably. Of course, the CCTV footage was presented as evidence but the question of why this evidence was rejected is a thorn in the side of every Pakistani. What are the motives behind the release of Majeed achakzai? Was the release made possible on the grounds that the accused was powerful, or were legal hurdles encountered, or were legal requirements not met in preparing the case?

The four children of this traffic sergeant are cursing our justice system on the social media, and Pakistan’s leading people who are in power, and are appealing to them for justice, but only time will tell whether their voice will reach the upper echelons of the justice system. While the relatives and friends of the traffic sergeant are protesting against the murder of justice, the people of Pakistan are also dissatisfied and saddened by this court decision. and our country and law are being ridiculed.

Seventy-three years have passed since independence, but we could not change the system of justice created by the British. Our forefathers lived with this rotten system of law and were buried in the dust, but they did nothing to save future generations from this system. Past injustice and lawlessness, and double standards of

How long will the exploitation of the poor justice, have hollowed out our country. Because of obstacles to the timely and speedy delivery of continue? No one knows how long the poor will justice, legal considerations and legislation has continue to stumble into exile to get justice. become indispensable to eradicate the complex- When will the double standard of justice change? The world has undergone many ities from our system.

The root of all the problems and sufferings changes, but we have not been able to fix the of our country is this injustice and lawlessness. legal system. People risk everything to get jusThis was done so as to rule over us, but 73 years tice, they sacrifice their precious time, wealth have passed since independence, and no one has and peace to get justice, but despite years of hard changed this system. The governments did not work an tenacious effort, they are deprived of bother. To date, it has not been possible to deter- justice and in the end they become silent after mine who is responsible for changing this rotten saying bad things about the court system. after the verdict in Sergeant ataullah’s case, anti-human system. Political parties, legislators, courts, the legislature, the administration, the various questions are being raised in the social elites are all innocent, so who will change this media about the judicial system of Pakistan.

Everywhere there is system where the a debate on the murpoor fight for jusder of Sergeant attice for seven genertaullah and the ations and the rich Voices for justice are being raised verdict. get justice in a few u n d o u b t e d l y, days?

Centuries all over Pakistan. People are justice is considered ago, Plato said that as the basic unit of the law is a spider’s looking to the Honorable Chief any society. Justice web in which the Justice of Pakistan to see when is so much for any weak are trapped society it is as imwhile the strong tear he will take notice. Every portant as water for this web out. it fish that societies seems that Plato conscious person is waiting for and countries dewrote this statement velop where justice for our country. if the release of Majeed Achakzai prevails, there is no we compare ourfor the Chief Justice to take suo double standard of selves with other justice, and there is countries of the motu notice and silence the only one law for the same age that came into being with us voices in the judicial system, and rich and the poor.

The release of Maor after us, we will also provide justice to the jeed achakzai is a be the fastest growslap in the face to ing. The main rearelatives of the traffic sergeant. our system. The son for this is the echo of this slap has slowness of imporHazrat Ali, may Allah bless him been heard all over tant duties such as and grant him peace, said that a the world and four justice, and the the innocent children standard of justice society can stand on disbelief but have screamed at the for the powerful and release of their fathe standard of jusnot survive without justice ther’s killer. tice for the poor and Voices for jushelpless, where the tice are being raised rich get justice imall over Pakistan. mediately and the generations of the poor pass away in search of People are looking to the Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan to see when he will take notice. it. This is a matter of recent days. in our country, a 101-year-old man who died Every conscious person is waiting for the release in prison had filed a petition in the court a week of Majeed achakzai for the Chief Justice to take before, seeking his early release under Section suo motu notice and silence the voices in the ju146 of the act So that he could get treatment but dicial system, and also provide justice to the relthe court rules got in the way and this process atives of the traffic sergeant. Hazrat ali, may took three weeks and the court gave three weeks allah bless him and grant him peace, said that a to consider the application but the elder died in society can stand on disbelief but not survive jail before three weeks had passed. if in lace this without justice. helpless old man, there had been the father of a Syed Zeeshan Haider is CEO and Chairman politician, a lawyer, a bureaucrat or a businessman, he would have been granted bail overnight of Haider Group of Companies and hosts a and would have been released, whether he wen current affairs talk show on PTV News. Follow on Facebook at: to court at night or on Sunday. How long will him www.facebook.com/syedzishanhyder/ this kind of discrimination last?

“BliNDly following the customs and traditions does not show dead are alive but living are dead “ibn khaldun. Tribes and clans follow their customs and traditions in order to commemorate their demised elders. They follow the footprints of their elders as last words written on pebbles and claim as being the custodians of customs. Traditional tribes have hardcore rules and practices which cites to the fabrication by their forefathers. in mere pure words ,customs and rituals reveal the truly identity of community. it preaches integration as it gathers every individual of community on special occasions at one venue but their few ruthless actions spread segregation. One of the gigantic surreal and staunch custom being followed in most of the tribes in sindh is “Sawara”. it is the custom of handing over young and innocent girls in compensation of robbery, killings, or an other major fueds. it’s the rule of anarchy in rural areas of sindh where women have zero status and null rights. Men are considered as steward of their lives and the decisions by men as considered as holly descends.

Patriarchy society in sindh is being worshipped at length due to feudal lord’s and their flattering audience. it doesn’t matter whether a woman is highly qualified or reformist as compared to dormant and ridiculous man.

The word of men in tribes is the pedagogy of the day . The fueds are initiated by men but it’s termination falls upon women as compensation. its merely ruthless, ridiculous and irrational to snatch the freedom of speechless women as she has been given birth to be in shackles. These practices and followings crumble the feeling of being ashraf-ul- makhlooqat . How can we force one to act willingly against his sweet wishes?. Can we sustain such catastrophic facets in our lives?. Keeping these symmetries in minds, the civil rights activists has took up a number of scrambles to cure and curb out this malaise which has moulded the entire activity of society into smears.

These hollow practices fruit nothing but miseries and segregation. i hope relevant authorities must assist human rights activists to debacle this grim tradition as human have right of self determination. “Human is born free but everywhere he is in chains “. Jean-Jecques Rousseau.

Zubair ahmEd rind Jacobabad

Wither English?

GORE Vidal was apt when he said; “as the societies grow decadent, the language goes decadent too. Words are used to disguise and not illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it”. The days, the English language which is an official means of correspondence and literature is rarely studied or taken seriously. at all forms of written discourse, whether it is assessing essays written by high school students, official letters, circulars, statutes, research papers posted by university students or scholars, affidavits or petitions submitted at courts or even judgments by high courts or tribunals, depict grave spelling errors, incorrect grammar and misplaced tenses.

Moreover, the most traumatic part that teachers face in English literature pedagogy is that there is a dying nature of originality and creative thought. in place of that, students ranging from high school to university standards prefer plagiarizing and copy-pasting ideas from internet sources. This reflects that depleting ability to think critically on the part of the students and lack of effort placed in my teachers and instructors in guiding them towards quality literature, semantics, pragmatics, sentence construction, and creative writing. in this respect, our society has moved far away from genuine literary sense. as slangs, abbreviations, and colloquial discourse take the place of abbreviations and slangs, social media applications such as Whatsapp, Messenger, Twitter, and others have coined new diction and words that impair our remaining understanding of the English language. With the boundaries between formal and informal language getting blurred, the usage of other forms has become confusing and vague. as a result, with the passage of time, the emphasis on taking care of spellings, writing correctly, and using the correct grammatical composition is dwindling. Moreover, those who speak with flawless accents also fail to distinguish between the words that sound the same but have different meanings such as “affect” and “effect”, “principle” and “principal” and “there” and “their”.

Thus, the English language and literature teachers who have a strong command on their subject, find these mistakes striking hard on their minds. Moreover, editing the articles submitted by determined contributors who want their work to be published becomes an arduous job when they are loaded with basic grammatical errors and over-ambitious vocabulary that distorts the meaning of their work in encapsulation. Therefore, schools and English language institutes need to revitalize the beauty and true character of the English language by focusing on its basic structure and grammar. also, there is a need to understand that although certain words have more or less the same meanings their usage should be contextspecific. Otherwise, it will kill the essence of the English language. hadia mukhtar karachi

Small respite aS school has reopened many people have found jobs again. Not only school owners or private school teachers but lower staff of schools and rishkaw drivers are also thanking God for mercy. Now just higher secondary classes have started and in coming week secondary classes shall be started and after 30th primary. May God bless our nation and save our children from this deadly virus. anthony Sahotra Larkana

Corona battle continues CORONaViRuS is a very big issue. People are suffering much due to Covid-19. Many people have died in Pakistan due to coronavirus. Pakistani people have faced many problems due to corona. Schools and other educational institutions have remain off due to covid-19 lockdown. Private teachers and labourers were deprived from their earnings. Furthermore, students have faced many hurdles in their studies. The economy of the country has been hit worst by coronavirus. Thus, the citizens of Pakistan have faced much during the Covid-19. it’s a request to World Health Organization (WHO) to help Pakistan in such miserable situations. haSna yaSEEn turbat

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

InsTEAD of TArgETIng TIkTok AnD WEChAT, ThE Us shoUlD Work on An AlTErnATIvE To ChInA’s DIgITAl sIlk roAD THE US HAS BEEN MAKING HEADLINES BANNING CHINESE APPS AT HOME AND OPPOSING HUAWEI WORLDWIDE BUT OFFERS NO COMPARABLE PROGRAMME TO CHINA’S

SoutH cHina morning PoSt

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sam olsEn

MiD the US-led Western clampdown on Chinese technology firms like huawei and ByteDance, which owns the TikTok app so popular with teenagers, it is easy to overlook the fact that Chinese technological ambitions abroad aren’t limited to the exploits of a handful of companies. instead, they are part of a wider programme dubbed the “digital silk road”, a subset of the more widely known Belt and Road initiative. launched in 2015, the digital silk road is a mainly private-sector-driven programme, supported by the state, with the aim of enhancing China’s digital presence

abroad, and thereby extending its commercial and political influence. it is so far going well, particularly in the emerging world.

Chinese-built fibre-optic cables have transformed connectivity in myriad countries across the planet, from latin America to Central Asia to the Pacific. The investment has come from both private contracts and government support, in the form of at least US$7 billion in loans and foreign direct investment for fibre-optic cable and telecommunication network projects. in Africa, companies like huawei and ZTe have built much of the digital infrastructure, including health care connectivity.

To put this investment into perspective, more Chinese money went into African information and communications technology projects in 2015 and 2017 than all the funding from the continent’s governments, multilateral agencies and Group of Seven nations combined.

Beijing is not the only one keen to promote the digital silk road as a tool for digital development; the United Nations is now referencing the digital silk road as a way to ad-

vance its own ambitious sustainable development goals.

The response from the West has been mainly negative. The Trump administration has spent the last few years trying to stop huawei’s technology being used in Western 5G networks, with some success. There may or may not be good reasons for this from a national security perspective, but this is a harder argument to make with the recent proposals to restrict TikTok and WeChat from the US. There have been consequences to the US curbing of Chinese tech. in the UK, the government’s decision to ban huawei from its 5G infrastructure will reportedly put back the roll-out of the network by 18-24 months, and cost the British taxpayer almost £6.8 billion (around US$8.7 billion).

The UK can afford this extra expense, but most countries in the world would not be able to. huawei’s scale – and, according to critics, its state subsidies – mean that it is able to undercut the competition in developing nations, as are many of the other Chinese tech giants.

Joe Biden for president Scientific american

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Editors

he evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its people—because he rejects evidence and science. The most devastating example is his dishonest and inept response to the COViD-19 pandemic, which cost more than 190,000 Americans their lives by the middle of September. he has also attacked environmental protections, medical care, and the researchers and public science agencies that help this country prepare for its greatest challenges. That is why we urge you to vote for Joe Biden, who is offering factbased plans to protect our health, our economy and the environment. These and other proposals he has put forth can set the country back on course for a safer, more prosperous and more equitable future.

The pandemic would strain any nation and system, but Trump's rejection of evidence and public health measures have been catastrophic in the U.S. he was warned many times in January and February about the onrushing disease, yet he did not develop a national strategy to provide protective equipment, coronavirus testing or clear health guidelines. Testing people for the virus, and tracing those they may have infected, is how countries in europe and Asia have gained control over their outbreaks, saved lives, and successfully reopened businesses and schools. But in the U.S., Trump claimed, falsely, that “anybody that wants a test can get a test.” That was untrue in March and remained untrue through the summer. Trump opposed $25 billion for increased testing and tracing that was in a pandemic relief bill as late as July. These lapses accelerated the spread of disease through the country—particularly in highly vulnerable communities that include people of color, where deaths climbed disproportionately to those in the rest of the population. it wasn't just a testing problem: if almost everyone in the U.S. wore masks in public, it could save about 66,000 lives by the beginning of December, according to projections from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Such a strategy would hurt no one. it would close no business. it would cost next to nothing. But Trump and his vice president flouted local mask rules, making it a point not to wear masks themselves in public appearances. Trump has openly supported people who ignored governors in Michigan and California and elsewhere as they tried to impose social distancing and restrict public activities to control the virus. he encouraged governors in Florida, Arizona and Texas who resisted these public health measures, saying in April—again, falsely—that “the worst days of the pandemic are behind us” and ignoring infectious disease experts who warned at the time of a dangerous rebound if safety measures were loosened.

And of course, the rebound came, with cases across the nation rising by 46 percent and deaths increasing by 21 percent in June. The states that followed Trump's misguidance posted new daily highs and higher percentages of positive tests than those that did not. By early July several hospitals in Texas were full of COViD-19 patients. States had to close up again, at tremendous economic cost. About 31 percent of workers were laid off a second time, following the giant wave of unemployment—more than 30 million people and countless shuttered businesses—that had already decimated the country. At every stage, Trump has re-

jected the unmistakable lesson that controlling the disease, not downplaying it, is the path to economic reopening and recovery.

Trump repeatedly lied to the public about the deadly threat of the disease, saying it was not a serious concern and “this is like a flu” when he knew it was more lethal and highly transmissible, according to his taped statements to journalist Bob Woodward. his lies encouraged people to engage in risky behavior, spreading the virus further, and have driven wedges between Americans who take the threat seriously and those who believe Trump's falsehoods. The White house even produced a memo attacking the expertise of the nation's leading infectious disease physician, Anthony Fauci, in a despicable attempt to sow further distrust.

Trump's reaction to America's worst public health crisis in a century has been to say “i don't take responsibility at all.” instead he blamed other countries and his White house predecessor, who left office three years before the pandemic began.

But Trump's refusal to look at the evidence and act accordingly extends beyond the virus. he has repeatedly tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act while offering no alternative; comprehensive medical insurance is essential to reduce illness. Trump has proposed billion-dollar cuts to the National institutes of health, the National Science Foundation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agencies that increase our scientific knowledge and strengthen us for future challenges.

Congress has countermanded his reductions. Yet he keeps trying, slashing programs that would ready us for future pandemics and withdrawing from the World health Organization. These and other actions increase the risk that new diseases will surprise and devastate us again.

Trump also keeps pushing to eliminate health rules from the environmental Protection Agency, putting people at more risk for heart and lung disease caused by pollution. he has replaced scientists on agency advisory boards with industry representatives. in his ongoing denial of reality, Trump has hobbled U.S. preparations for climate change, falsely claiming that it does not exist and pulling out of international agreements to mitigate it. The changing climate is already causing a rise in heat-related deaths and an increase in severe storms, wildfires and extreme flooding.

Joe Biden, in contrast, comes prepared with plans to control COViD-19, improve health care, reduce carbon emissions and restore the role of legitimate science in policy making. he solicits expertise and has turned that knowledge into solid policy proposals.

On COViD-19, he states correctly that “it is wrong to talk about ‘choosing' between our public health and

it’s not just price that is making it hard for Western companies to compete in the developing world. Many American and european firms simply don’t have the appetite to spend money on localising products, for example, in the heterogenous nations of Southeast Asia, when the size of the markets mean that profits are not likely to be huge.

Driven by the need to maximise shareholder returns, investing outside core Western territories is often seen as an exercise in opportunity cost. Google’s Next Billion Users project, which aims to create products specifically with emerging markets in mind, is laudable but it is only likely to succeed at the macro level if the earnings are good enough.

That said, there have been occasional efforts by Western private companies to invest with more of a development goal in mind.

These include Vodafone’s sponsorship of the African mobile payment app M-Pesa, and Facebook’s ill-fated internet.org initiative, which seeks to provide affordable Wi-fi to the world despite vicious criticism of its “digital colonialism”.

Yet, despite M-Pesa receiving some backing from the British authorities, most of these initiatives are unsupported in any coordinated way by their home governments, in stark contrast to China.

The digital silk road is not simply a development project; building a global information network with China at the centre is a

our economy.... if we don't beat the virus, we will never get back to full economic strength.” Biden plans to ramp up a national testing board, a body that would have the authority to command both public and private resources to supply more tests and get them to all communities. he also wants to establish a Public health Job Corps of 100,000 people, many of whom have been laid off during the pandemic crisis, to serve as contact tracers and in other health jobs. he will direct the Occupational health and Safety Administration to enforce workplace safety standards to avoid the kind of deadly outbreaks that have occurred at meat-processing plants and nursing homes. While Trump threatened to withhold money from school districts that did not reopen, regardless of the danger from the virus, Biden wants to spend $34 billion to help schools conduct safe in-person instruction as well as remote learning.

Biden is getting advice on these public health issues from a group that includes David Kessler, epidemiologist, pediatrician and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration chief; Rebecca Katz, immunologist and global health security specialist at Georgetown University; and ezekiel emanuel, bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania. it does not include physicians who believe in aliens and debunked virus therapies, one of whom Trump has called “very respected” and “spectacular.”

Biden has a family and caregiving initiative, recognizing this as key to a sustained public health and economic recovery. his plans include increased salaries for child care workers and construction of new facilities for children because the inability to afford quality care keeps workers out of the economy and places enormous strains on families.

On the environment and climate change, Biden wants to spend $2 trillion on an emissions-free power sector by 2035, build energyefficient structures and vehicles, push solar and wind power, establish research agencies to develop safe nuclear power and carbon capture technologies, and more. The investment will produce two million jobs for U.S. workers, his campaign claims, and the climate plan will be partly paid by eliminating Trump's corporate tax cuts. historically disadvantaged communities in the U.S. will receive 40 percent of these energy and infrastructure benefits. it is not certain how many of these and his other ambitions Biden will be able to accomplish; much depends on laws to be written and passed by Congress.

But he is acutely aware that we must heed the abundant research showing ways to recover from our present crises and successfully cope with future challenges.

Although Trump and his allies have tried to create obstacles that prevent people from casting ballots safely in November, either by mail or in person, it is crucial that we surmount them and vote. it's time to move Trump out and elect Biden, who has a record of following the data and being guided by science.

useful way to project the country’s power and influence. This isn’t just about supporting its security ambitions, as the Trump administration would have it, but raw commercial advantage too. later this year, we expect the release of the “China Standards 2035” plan, which aims to set global standards for evolving technologies like the internet of Things, artificial intelligence and 5G. With Chinese technology infrastructure dominating emerging markets, the 2035 plan would bake in China’s standards in a large number of lowand middle-income countries, giving its companies a significant and perhaps permanent business advantage over their Western competitors.

The world, and in particular the developing world, is hungry for more digital connectivity. China is leading the way in satisfying this appetite, giving the market what it wants at a price it can afford. if the West is serious about competing against China, then it needs to recognise what nonWestern markets demand and create a consolidated public-private alternative to the digital silk road.

The US and its allies should be looking at how to make money and protect their power and influence, rather than depriving teenagers of their most popular apps.

Sam Olsen is the co-founder of the strategic consultancy MetisAsia and a commentator on Chinese-Western relations.

Despite UAE, Bahrain agreements, Israel's annexation plan is being realised THE “VISION” OF PALESTINIAN ENCLAVES IS THE NIGHTMARE REALITY COMING TRUE BEFORE OUR VERY EYES Haaretz

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Editorial

hile Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is signing diplomatic agreements, which have supposedly taken the annexation plan off the table, the reality on the ground is the other way around. in fact, gradual and continuous de facto annexation is happening in the West Bank. The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee held two meetings, in July and in August, dealing with what was termed a “Palestinian takeover of Area C.” The participants in the discussion complained that Palestinian construction in 61 percent of the West Bank was choking off the israeli settlements and sabotaging the chance for them to expand further. This is the complete opposite of reality. in negotiations toward the Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into three categories – A, B and C. Although the lands of Area C were defined as under israeli civil and security control, this was a temporary definition intended to plan for a gradual new redeployment of the israel Defense Forces in the area. A varied and veteran Palestinian population lives in this area, and the lands there are their land reserves. To Western countries – including the United States – and Arab countries that supported the agreement, as well as to the Palestinians and the israelis, it was clear that Area C would be within the Palestinian state to be established alongside israel. But israel not only perpetuated its civil and security control there – it sought constantly, through cynical bureaucratic and military methods, to reduce the number of Palestinians living there, while preventing all necessary development and construction stemming from the needs of the protected population, and shirking its obligations as an occupying power. in the meetings of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee from July 29 and August 18, MKs from likud and Yamina and settlers whom they hosted, openly declared what the natural evolution of this process would be: The Palestinians must make do with Areas A and B; that is, no more than 39 percent of the West Bank, with non-contiguous strips of land. So said the man from the right-wing NGO Regavim, Meir Deutsch; so said likud MK Nir Barkat, who also called for the settlement of two million Jews in the West Bank; so said likud MK Gideon Sa’ar, in his way: “Our demand and it is also derived from agreements, is a demand for all of Area C and in this battle for the land of israel between us and the Palestinian Authority as the representative of the other people, we are not from the United Nations. We take a side.” Neither the coronavirus, nor Netanyahu’s indictments nor lip service paid to the Palestinians at the peace agreement festivities – none of these can hide it: The “vision” of Palestinian enclaves is the nightmare reality coming true before our very eyes. it has no connection to the two-state solution, which is supposed to be mentioned in the agreement with the UAe. This is the realisation of the settlers’ vision, which in the end will officially turn israel into an apartheid state.

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

BUSINESS 09

CaBinet RatifieS dRaft law on Soe RefoRmS

corporate corner

ISLAMABAD

i

KARACHI: BankIslami has bagged one of the most prestigious national accolades this year by becoming the Brand of the Year 2019. The bank won in the Islamic Banking category in acknowledgment of its achievements in highlighting brand excellence as well as noteworthy performance across the industry. PRESS RElEASE

AHMAD AHMADANI

N an apparent bid to meet one of the targets set under the International Monetary Fund’s extended fund facility programme, the federal cabinet has ratified the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs) to frame an SOE law.

According to sources, the Cabinet Division had asked the federal cabinet to ratify the decisions taken by CCoSOEs so that governance reforms could be introduced in SOEs. The draft SOE law, namely State Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Act, 2020, covers: a) Prudent and efficient management according to which commercial SOE must be commercially successful and non-commercial SOE must be efficient (b) Measurable performance according to which a state-owned enterprise must

'ONE OF THE BENCHMARKS UNDER THE IMF PROGRAMME WAS TO FRAME A LAW THAT COULD HELP INTRODUCE REFORMS IN STATE ENTITIES' identify its business goals (c) Responsible management according to which the management of a state-owned enterprise must be competent, honest and accountable (d) Transparent performance must be ensured.

Under the proposed law, a stateowned enterprise would have to report its performance in a transparent and timely manner. The law would also provide selection criteria for a director, besides encompassing the corporate governance mechanism framework.

Earlier, the Finance Division had proposed CCoSOEs to grant an in-principle approval to the proposed draft law in terms of Rules 17 (91) (C) of the Rules of Business, 1973. Subsequently, the

CCoSOEs accorded an in-principle approval to the outline of the draft SOE law.

It had also directed the Finance Division to process the draft SOE law for vetting of the Law and Justice Division after necessary incorporation of the view of line ministries/division.

In pursuance of rule 17 (1) (c) of the Rules of Business, 1973, the decisions taken by CCoSOEs in its meeting held on 24-06-2020 and 31-08-2020 under the chairmanship of the adviser to the prime minister on finance and revenue were submitted to the federal cabinet for ratification.

Sources said that the Finance Division had informed CCoSOEs that one of the benchmarks under the IMF’s Ex-

Govt urged to set up ‘chemical ministry’ for rapid industrial development ISLAMABAD: EFU Life has partnered with 1LINK to provide unparalleled value addition for PayPak cardholders through life insurance coverage for conventional account holders. PRESS RElEASE

KARACHI: To promote Gwadar as a next travel destination from Karachi, Destinations of the WorldPakistan (DOTW) and Aircraft Sales & Services Pvt Limited (ASSL) have collaborated to offer attractive travel packages for both leisure and business travellers to the city of blue waters. PRESS RElEASE

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Chemical Manufacturers Association (PCMA) Chairman Abrar Ahmad on Wednesday urged the government to set up a chemical ministry for the development of chemical industry in Pakistan at par with the neighbouring countries like China and India.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of PCMA's new office in PCSIR Housing Society phase-2 in Lahore, Ahmad pointed out that China's development took place after the establishment of a chemical ministry.

"Chemical industry is the basic industry to enhance value addition in about all industrial sectors," he added.

Ahmad maintained even the textile industry, Pakistan’s largest industrial sector, is dependent upon chemicals, adding that various chemicals needed for production are being imported by spending huge foreign exchange.

He observed that by developing a chemical industry in Pakistan, foreign exchange up to $5 billion can be saved. Additionally, he urged the government to formulate favourable policies for the development of the chemical industry in consultation with the stakeholders.

The PCMA chairman further informed members that his meetings with government authorities had brought positive results and that the government had pledged to extend its support for the develop-

PESHAWAR Eleven members affiliated with Businessman Forum running for the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) executive committee elections for 202021 were elected unopposed for the next term on Wednesday.

A meeting of the election commission was held under the chairmanship of Malik Niaz Ahmad at the chamber house on Wednesday wherein the election commission, constituted for SCCI elections for 202021, announced the results.

According to the details, the members were elected on five vacant seats of Corporate Group, five vacant seats of

Associate Group and a vacant seat reserved for women.

For five vacant seats of Corporate Group, Malik Mohsin Sajjad, Zarak Khan, Manzoor Elahi, Fazal Muqeem and Ahmed Mustafa were elected unopposed as executive members of the SCCI for next term after the withdrawal of nomination papers by 13 candidates against them, according to the election commission.

Similarly, for five vacant seats of Associate Group, Waqar Ahmed, Muhammad Tariq, Muhammad Farooq, Zahoor Khan and Aurangzaib were elected unopposed as executive members of the chamber after the withdrawal of nomination papers by 20 candidates against them.

No candidate submitted nomination paper against Aafia Walayat Shah, who was running SCCI executive body elections on the women seat.

Pakistan’s tobacco exports surge 137pc YoY in July ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tobacco exports have increased to $2.171 million in July, the first month of fiscal year (FY) 2020-21, from $0.914 million during the same period in the corresponding year, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Addressing a press conference in National Press Club on Wednesday, tobacco farmers and labourers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) thanked National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser for helping them withdraw Rs500 per kilogram advance tax on the crop which resulted in 137.53 per cent increase in its exports during the first month of the ongoing fiscal year.

Pakistan Railways incurs Rs187bn loss in five years BUSINESS DESK Pakistan Railways disclosed a loss of Rs187 billion to the national exchequer over the past five years to the senate. The senate was apprised on Wednesday that the railways posted its highest-ever loss of Rs50.15 billion in a single year in the past fiscal year (FY) ending June 30, 2020. The record-breaking loss was preceded by a loss Rs32.76 billion during the FY2019, Rs36.62 billion during FY2018, Rs40 billion during FY2017, and Rs26.99 billion in FY2016.

Earlier last month, the Supreme Court had ordered the transformation and recovery of the national railways and had given a deadline of four weeks to the government for the process.

Headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed. An apex court bench had taken a suo moto case in lieu of the late dismal performance of the railways financially. The apex court has extended the deadline for the revival of railways on a request by the Planning Commission.

Businessman Forum retains grip on Sarhad chamber SBP to announce AZIZ BUNERI

LAHORE: Wyeth Pakistan & Pfizer Pakistan Limited have partnered with Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust to provide free-of-cost diagnostic services to deserving patients. PRESS RElEASE

ment of chemical manufacturing within the country.

He urged the chemical industry’s stakeholders to stand united for an exclusive ministry in Pakistan and advised to lay down a concrete proposal for the government’s consideration.

Earlier, PCMA Secretary General Iqbal Kidwai informed that the previous office of PCMA was situated in Eden Heights at Jail Road in a very small space while parking issues remained an issue for members to visiting the office.

The members expressed satisfaction over the establishment of the new office at a better location and said they would be visiting the association’s office regularly to attend meetings.

tended Fund Facility programme was to frame a law that could ensure governance reforms in SOEs. In this connection, a detailed diagnostic study was also carried out by a technical mission of IMF which identified key governance issues in the management of SOEs in Pakistan.

Similarly, a legal drafting team was engaged with the technical support of Asian Development Bank (ADB), while due consultations were also being held with Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Privatization Commission, World Bank and IMF along with independent sectoral experts in the task force constituted for this purpose.

Sources said that the process of sharing draft SOE law with the relevant line ministries/divisions has been initiated for feedback. Upon receipt of views/comments by the line ministries/divisions, the same will be incorporated and the draft law will be sent to the Law and Justice Division for further action.

They said that they had informed the National Assembly speaker about their problems, including the advance tax on tobacco leaf, which was hurting the farmers and industry. The speaker had taken up the issue of the advance tax with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) before the budget, following which the advance tax of Rs500 per kg on the crop was abolished for industry and labourers.

They added that in terms of volume, the exports of tobacco increased by 151.87 per cent by going up from 268 metric tonnes to 675 metric tonnes. The farmers said that they have fulfilled their promise by helping the country increase

the tobacco exports. They said that Pakistan was producing quality tobacco crop and there was a huge potential for its exports, hoping that the country could earn a sizable foreign exchange through it with more job opportunities for youth in the sector.

The farmers also urged the multinational tobacco companies to restore all the unemployed workers as they had purchased the product in large quantities this year.

It is pertinent to mention that the speaker has also been heading the National Assembly Special Committee on Agricultural Products to formulate viable policies to boost the agriculture sector as well as the income of growers. STAFF REPORT

monetary policy on 21st KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

The Monetary Policy Committee of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will meet on September 21 to announce the country's policy rate for the next two month. The SBP had skipped the meeting scheduled in July owing to the number of MPC meetings that had taken place in the preceding months. Analysts believe that the SBP should have held a meeting [in July] and announced a status quo policy rate, rather than just pushing forward the meeting date to September. However, market players say that the "SBP didn't want to signal to the market that the cycle of cuts had come to an end". Since Covid-19 pandemic hit Pakistan, the SBP has slashed the policy rate by a cumulative of 625 basis points, from 13.25pc to 7pc. While members of the business community believe that the policy rate should be slashed further, analysts are mixed with their views. However, as there may not be a consensus regarding the extent of the cut or whether the policy rate will remain status quo, the market is of consensus that there is no chance of a rate hike.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks turn red over Senate's rejection of FATF bill KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed another jittery session on Wednesday, with the benchmark index succumbing to selling pressure and closing in the red.

"The session was marred by the news that the Senate has rejected the Anti-Terrorism Act (amendment) Bill, 2020, which was earlier passed by the National Assembly. Besides, the State Bank of Pakistan announced the date for its monetary policy decision, for

which the street consensus is of a status quo," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. "Banks, oil & gas marketing, pharma and steel sectors remained under selling pressure on Wednesday, whereas fertiliser and cement sectors performed well in anticipation of an increase in their prices."

MARKET SUMMARY: The benchmark KSE-100 Index swayed in both directions during the session, registering its intraday high at 42,544.87 (+198.45 points) and intraday low at 42,091.97 (-254.45 points). It settled lower by 64.14 points at 42,282.28.

Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index gained 62.19 points to close at 67,662.93, whereas the KSE All Share Index lost 117.30 points, ending at 30,042.16.

The overall market volumes contracted from 662.80 million shares in the previous session to 489.60 million shares (-26pc). Average traded value also declined by 21pc, from $111.8 million to $87.9 million. KElectric Ltd (KEL -1.46pc), Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL -1.54pc) and Dewan Cement Ltd (DCL +5.44pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 70.58 million, 37.39 mil-

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lion and 28.13 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that painted the benchmark index red included banking (-67.84 points), oil & gas marketing sector (28.38 points) and power generation & distribution (-26.74 points). Among the companies, Habib Bank Ltd (HBL -28.35 points), Pakistan Tobacco Company Ltd (PAKT -18.40 points) and Hub Power Company Ltd (HUBC -16.06 points) dented the index the most.

Losing 1.41pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the oil & gas marketing

sector ended as the session's top loser, with Pakistan State Oil Company Ltd (PSO 1.32pc), Shell Pakistan Ltd (SHEL -1.54pc) and Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL 1.54pc) closing in the negative.

Meanwhile, Millat Tractors Ltd (MTL +1.67pc) declared its financial performance for FY20. The company’s sales were down by 26pc YoY to Rs22.94 billion, while its financial cost inflated from Rs42.04 million to Rs217.84 million. MTL declared earnings per share of Rs43.16 for the preiod under review (Rs73.01 in FY19).

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

TrUmp denieS dOWnplaying virUS, CaSTS dOUbT On maSk USage PHILADELPHIA

29 german police suspended for sharing pictures of Hitler DUESSELDORF AGENCIES

Twenty-nine police officers have been suspended in Germany for sharing pictures of Adolf Hitler and doctored depictions of refugees in gas chambers on their mobile phones, officials in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) said on Wednesday. They are also accused of using far-right chatrooms where extremist content, such as Nazi symbols, that breaches the German constitution was shared. The incident is embarrassing for German police and security agencies, who have faced accusations of not doing enough to unearth potentially violent nationalists in their ranks. It is a sensitive issue in a country where awareness of the World War Two genocide of millions of Jews by the Nazis under Hitler is strong. “This is a disgrace for the NRW police,” said NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul, announcing an investigation against 29 male and female officers. Some of the suspects could be charged with disseminating Nazi propaganda and hate speech and could be dismissed from the police. Others are accused of failing to report their colleagues. “I’m appalled and ashamed,” said Frank Richter, chief of the police force in the city of Essen where most of the suspects worked. “It is hard to find words.” German prosecutors said last month they were investigating a retired police officer suspected of sending threatening emails, signed with the name of a gang of neo-Nazi killers, to prominent figures of immigrant background. The emails, including some sent to legislators with a Turkish background, were signed “NSU 2.0”, a reference to the “National Socialist Underground” neo-Nazi gang, which killed 10 people, mainly immigrants, between 2000 and 2007.

iran, azerbaijan hold talks on preferential trade deal TEHRAN AGENCIES

Iran and Azerbaijan held the first round of expertlevel talks on clinching a preferential trade agreement, the state-run news agency reported on Wednesday.

The online meeting, attended by the representatives from the foreign ministries and economic experts of the two neighbors, was held in line with the political will of their leaders to deepen bilateral economic relations, the report said. The next round of talks will be held in the near future, with the aim of preparing the text of the agreement to be signed by the two countries in another meeting. Iran and Azerbaijan signaled willingness to reach a preferential trade agreement during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Baku last year.

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IELDING compelling questions about voters’ real-world problems, US President Donald Trump denied during a televised town hall that he had played down the threat of the coronavirus earlier this year, although there is an audio recording of him stating he did just that.

Trump, in what could well be a preview of his performance in the presidential debates less than two weeks away, cast doubt on the widely accepted scientific conclusions of his own administration strongly urging the use of face coverings and seemed to bat away the suggestion that the nation has racial inequities.

“Well, I hope there’s not a race problem,” Trump said Tuesday when asked about his campaign rhetoric seeming to ignore the historical injustices carried out against Black Americans.

Face-to-face with everyday voters for the first time in months, Trump was defensive but resisted agitation as he was pressed on his administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and why he doesn’t more aggressively promote the use of masks to reduce the spread of the disease.

“There are people that don’t think masks are good,” Trump said, though his own Centers for Disease Control and Pre-

vention strongly urges their use.

The event, hosted by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, was a warmup of sorts before Trump faces Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the first presidential debate on Sept. 29. Taped at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, it featured Trump taking questions from an audience of just 21 voters to comply with state and local coronavirus regulations.

Trump sought to counter his admission to journalist Bob Woodward that he was deliberately “playing it down” when

discussing the threat of Covid-19 to Americans earlier this year. Despite audio of his comments being released, Trump said: “Yeah, well, I didn’t downplay it. I actually, in many ways, I upplayed it, in terms of action.”

“My action was very strong,” Trump added. “I’m not looking to be dishonest.

I don’t want people to panic.”

Trump also insisted he was not wrong when he praised China’s response to the virus in January and February, saying he trusted Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader. “He told me that it was under con-

Russia seals another deal to supply, test its coronavirus vaccine abroad MOSCOW AGENCIES

Russia’s sovereign wealth fund will supply 100 million doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine to Indian drug company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, the fund said on Wednesday, as Moscow speeds up plans to distribute its shot abroad.

The deal for its Sputnik-V vaccine candidate comes after the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) reached agreements with Indian manufacturers to produce 300 million doses of the shot in India, also a major consumer of Russian oil and arms.

The agreement brings the total number of doses Russia has so far announced that it will supply abroad to just over 200 million – half to Latin America and half to India. RDIF has said it has received requests totalling 1 billion doses.

Deliveries to India, which has a population of more than 1.3 billion, could begin in late 2020, RDIF said, adding this was subject to the completion of trials and Sputnik-V’s registration by regulatory authorities in India.

Phase III trials, involving at least 40,000 people, are ongoing in Russia.

Initial results are expected in October or November, RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev has said.

Dr Reddy’s, one of India’s top pharmaceutical companies, will carry out Phase III clinical trials of SputnikV in India, RDIF said. Following the news, Dr Reddy’s shares rallied to close 4.18% higher in India on Wednesday.

The Indian trials could start as early as next month, Dmitriev told Reuters, adding trial results could be followed soon after by domestic regulatory approval of Sputnik-V for mass use in India.

India said last week it was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a coronavirus vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces.

EMERGENCY USE: Russia was the first country to grant regulatory approval for a novel coronavirus vaccine, and did so before large-scale trials were complete, stirring concern among scientists and doctors about the safety and efficacy of the shot.

Several countries are now considering adopting “emergency use authorisation” measures that would fast-track approval of a vaccine in a

similar way, however.

“We expect emergency use authorisation for Sputnik-V vaccine in major markets,” Dmitriev said.

Results of early-stage clinical trials of the Russian shot, which were published in the international medical journal The Lancet earlier this month, showed promise, G V Prasad, cochairman of Dr Reddy’s, was cited in the RDIF statement as saying.

“Sputnik-V vaccine could provide a credible option in our fight against Covid-19 in India,” he said.

There was no detail about the price of Sputnik-V, but RDIF has said previously it was not aiming to make a profit, just to cover costs.

In a press briefing late on Tuesday, Balram Bhargava, who heads India’s clinical research agency, the Indian Council of Medical Research, said high-level talks between India and Russia around the vaccine had been ongoing. “There is a high-level committee of the government of India for vaccines that is in dialogue with the Russians,” he said, adding Russia had a good track record in vaccine development and the early-stage overseas trials of Sputnik-V had been promising.

trol, that everything was and it turned out to be not true,” Trump said, Trump also suggested the virus would disappear without a vaccine, claiming the nation would develop a herd immunity with time, but he didn’t mention the lives that would be lost along the way.

“It’s going to be herd-developed, and that’s going to happen. That will all happen,” Trump said. “But with a vaccine, I think it will go away very quickly.”

The questions from uncommitted voters were pointed and poignant: a diabetic man who said he felt he’d been thrown “under the bus” by mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic; a Black woman with a disease that left her uninsurable until the Obama health care law came along who is worried that she could lose coverage again; a Black pastor who questioned Trump’s campaign motto to “Make America Great Again.” “When has America been great for African Americans in the ghetto of America?” the pastor asked.

Asked about what he was doing to address protests against racial injustice, Trump lamented a “lack of respect” and the absence of “retribution” for those who clash with or carry out attacks against police officers. Trump on Sunday called for the death penalty for the individual who shot and critically injured two Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies over the weekend.

WTO ruling on Trump's tariffs proves US broke int’l law: China BEIJING AGENCIES

China said that the World Trade Organization's ruling against the Trump administration serves as proof that the US violated international trade practices by imposing tariffs on Chinese goods.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wanbin lauded the WTO ruling as "objective and fair." Wang added that the US "uses international organizations to serve its own interests," while Beijing upholds the WTO trade system and respects its rules. China had filed a complaint with the WTO over the tariffs imposed by the US on Chinese goods. The organization's dispute panel ruled that tariffs were "inconsistent" with its practices because the US did not present enough evidence to justify them. President Trump and other White House officials have been accusing Beijing of technology theft and otherwise taking unfair advantage of the American economy. US top trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer said that the WTO ruling confirms that the organization is "completely inadequate to stop China's harmful technology." He stated that the US must be allowed to "defend itself against trade practices"

by China. The US-Chinese relations deteriorated sharply after Trump took office in 2017. Apart from imposing tariffs, the US accused Beijing of using telecoms giant Huawei, as well as social media platform TikTok and messenger WeChat, to spy on American citizens. China denies these allegations.

What you need to know about Covid-19 right now ONDON AGENCIES

Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: ChiNa iNoCUlatES bEfoRE vaCCiNE tRialS CoMplEtEd: China is inoculating tens of thousands of its citizens with experimental coronavirus vaccines and attracting international interest in their development, despite expert concerns over the safety of drugs that have not completed standard testing.

Aiming to protect essential workers and reduce the likelihood of a resurgence, the vaccines are also grabbing attention in the global scramble by governments to secure supplies, potentially helping reframe China’s perceived role in the pandemic.

China’s approach runs counter to that of many Western countries, where experts have warned against authorising the emergency use of vaccines that have not completed testing, citing a lack of understanding about longer-

term efficacy and potential side effects. tRUMp SaYS vaCCiNE wEEkS awaY: U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus could be three or four weeks away, despite caution from some U.S. public health officials about that accelerated timeline.

Trump, speaking at a town hall hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia, defended his handling of the coronavirus crisis, and said a vaccine could be ready for distribution before the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3.

Trump also provoked mockery on Twitter when he spoke about “herd mentality” instead of “herd immunity,” a form of indirect protection from infectious disease that occurs when enough people have become immune through vaccination or previous infections. aUStRalia oN tRaCk to RElax ExtENdEd haRd loCkdowN: Australia’s Victoria state on Wednesday said the daily rise in infections in its coronavirus hot spot of Melbourne has eased further, putting it on course to relax an extended hard

lockdown in the city by the end of the month.

Construction sites, manufacturing plants,

warehouses and childcare facilities can reopen, allowing more than 100,000 workers

to return to their jobs, if the 14-day rolling average is under 50 cases as of Sept. 28.

From late Wednesday, in regional Victoria, outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be permitted, residents of a household will be allowed to visit one other home, and cafes will be able to seat up to 50 people outdoors. pfizER vaCCiNE StUdY ShowS Mild-to-ModERatE SidE EffECtS: Pfizer Inc said on Tuesday participants were showing mostly mild-to-moderate side effects when given either the company’s experimental coronavirus vaccine or a placebo in an ongoing late-stage study.

The company said in a presentation to investors that side effects included fatigue, headache, chills and muscle pain. Some participants in the trial also developed fevers – including a few high fevers. The data is blinded, meaning Pfizer does not know which patients received the vaccine or a placebo.

Pfizer expects it will have results on whether the vaccine works in October.

Thursday 17 September, 2020

SPORTS 11

PCB siGns 3-Year BroadCasT deal wiTh PTV sPorTs

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be for the 2020-2023 cycle," the board said in a statement. The broadcasting arrangement is structured to provide for increasing revenues over the three-year cycle and the PCB expects to earn in excess of $200 million during this period, the press release said.

Addressing the signing ceremony, the premier called the agreement a "positive step". He said that the deal will increase PTV's coverage and quality, according to Radio Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, PCB Chair-

HE Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday that it has signed a three-year satellite broadcast deal with PTV Sports and a separate agreement to secure cable distribution with I-Media Communication Services.

"The agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Imran Khan who is a patron of the PCB. The broadcast deal will

Former pacer says he faced discrimination at Yorkshire cricket club AGENCIES Just a few days after English U-19 captain Azeem Rafiq alleged that he faced racist abuses during his time at the Yorkshire club, former Pakistan pacer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has echoed similar sentiments and said that he fully supports Azeem’s remarks.

Speaking in an interview to ESPNCricinfo, Rana Naved said that he remained silent about the racist abuse from Yorkshire fans and the discrimination he faced at the club because he did not want to jeopardise his contract.

“I fully support what Azeem said and this has been the case with me as well. I never spoke about it because, as foreigners, we were temporary and somehow I managed to accept the way it is. So I just focussed on playing cricket. I never wanted to jeopardise my contracts,” the 42-year-old said.

“There was systematic taunting and it’s tough to do much about it. To us as overseas players from Asia, when you are not able to perform, the home crowd which should be supporting us, instead they started hooting and would taunt us with racist slurs like ‘Paki’. “If you are performing then you get all the space but, in case I am not taking wickets, the attitude suddenly started to change. They started to give us a tough time, giving me a smaller hotel room and there used to be a clear case of discrimination.

“They would do some strange things to annoy us and make you feel lesser. It wasn’t abusive but their attitude wasn’t friendly towards Asians.

“At time I used to feel bad, but I decided to ignore it because I knew I was not going to live there permanently. But I know what Azeem went through. He did share his frustration in my playing days. The way he was released by the club wasn’t ideal and says a lot about them, but I had been advising him to stay strong and take it as a challenge,” Naved added.

man Ehsan Mani thanked the prime minister for his "unwavering support" as well as the efforts of Information Minister Shibli Faraz and SAPM on Information Asim Saleem Bajwa in finalising the deal.

He also recognised their support in modernising PTV Sports and its production capabilities as well as digitalising cable networks, the statement said.

The broadcast agreement is only for Pakistan; the PCB will soon be finalising the grant of broadcast rights for international territories separately as well as launching a new structure for its digital media rights, it added.

According to the board, this is the first time in almost three decades that the broadcasting rights have been granted exclusively to a Pakistani broadcaster. This will allow fans of the game to watch competitive cricket and follow top players and teams during the domestic season, the statement said.

The deal also marks the launch of rebuilding PTV's production and broadcast capabilities, it said. "The deal also seeks to create the impetus to expedite the conversion of analogue cable to digital cable in Pakistan which will go a long way in ensuring all cricket fans receive the highest quality and maximum quantity of cricket content on their television screens.

"Digital cable will allow cricket lovers to select from simultaneously played live matches and not miss [out on] any cricket match." Under the arrangement, all Pakistan

International home series of the senior cricket team and the women's and junior cricket teams will be broadcast on PTV Sports.

Additionally, for the first time all major domestic tournaments — including the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the National T-20 Cup, the One Day Pakistan Cup, and the National U-19 One-Day and National U-19 Three Day tournaments — will be broadcast live on PTV Sports and distributed across Pakistan on cable networks.

Losing 2007 T20 World Cup final to India will hurt till my last breath: Imran Nazir AGENCIES Opening batsman Imran Nazir said the loss in the T20 World Cup final against India in 2007 in South Africa is one of the biggest regrets of cricketing career and will continue to hurt till his last breath.

MS Dhoni led India had defeated Pakistan by five runs in a thrilling final at Johannesburg to win the inaugural T20 World Cup. “Cricket wise it will remain the biggest regret of my life. It will continue to hurt till my last breath.

We had a chance to create history,” Nazir said in a Youtube show called Cricket Baaz With Waheed Khan.

Nazir, who was one of the mainstays in Pakistan’s batting line-up during that tournament in South Africa said he should have single-handedly finished off that game after getting off to a flying start.

“From a personal point of view, I can say, I should’ve won that match single-handedly for Pakistan like I had done in ISL because when a player starts middling the ball he has the confidence,” Nazir added. Chasing 158 for victory in the final, Pakistan had got off to an ideal start courtesy Imran Nazir

despite losing opener Mohammad Hafeez in the first over.

Pakistan were 53 for 2 in 5.3 overs when a run out ended Nazir’s promising innings of 33 off just 14 balls.

“I was playing really well then, unfortunately, got run out and the match slowly slipped away, it still hurts,” the dashing right-hander said.

Nazir who made a comeback to cricket after a long injury lay off in 2018, said playing the final in front of a large crowd will continue to be one of the highlights of his career.

“To reach the finals of the first-ever T20 World Cup and then the kind of crowd and atmosphere was there in the

finals, these sort of things stay with you always. I knew whoever performs well that day will win. A good professional is someone who performs out of his skin for his country on such a big occasion. “I had given a good start, had built a solid partnership but what matters, in the end, is how you finish, which we couldn’t. So all of this is part and parcel of the game. It was a great tournament,” Nazir added. Nazir who represented Pakistan in 9 Tests, 79 ODIs and 25 T20Is before an injury took him away from the game, said Pakistan had an upper hand over the others because of playing a lot of T20 cricket in the domestic circuit leading into the World Cup. “T20 is considered to be slam-bang cricket and Pakistan players had a fair idea about how to go about things compared to other countries. They took a bit of time to adjust. Our domestic competitions helped us,” Nazir said.

India had defeated Pakistan twice in the inaugural edition of the World T20 in 2007. Before the final the two sides had met in the group stages where India emerged as the winners in the first-ever bowl out in a World Cup.

Wouldn’t rule out pay cut for players: Top England all-rounder Chris Woakes AGENCIES All-rounder Chris Woakes expects players to be asked to take pay cuts after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced 20 per cent reduction in its workforce to deal with the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ECB is grappling with a whopping 100-million pound loss as cricketing activities were disrupted due to the coronavirus outbreak. The amount could rise to 200 million pounds if the pandemic affects the 2021 summer. “It’s incredibly sad news, really. There’s a lot of people behind the scenes at the ECB who work incredibly hard, important cogs in the wheel,” Woakes told reporters. “At this moment of time, it is hard for

me to say ‘we’re going to take X cuts, and there are going to be donations here, left right and centre’. Until we’ve seen what happens from above we’ll then get more of a feel for it. I certainly wouldn’t rule that out. “In the current climate, with contracts around the corner, you have to expect anything. We have to wait and see, as players, you can’t say we’re exempt from it,” he added. The 31-year-old, who features for England in all three formats of the game, was thankful for the resumption of cricket in such testing times. “Of course it’s a sad time, and it does resonate with the players, but we’re also very fortunate that cricket has gone ahead this summer, that figure of £200 million could have been a lot worse. I suppose that is the only positive outcome, really,” Woakes said.

13 years ago: Brett Lee became 1st bowler to claim hat-trick in T20 cricket AGENCIES Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee was known for his pace and precision, and was a permanent feature of a very dominant Australian team in the first decade of 21st Century.

He was part of Australia’s ODI World Cup winning squads of 2003 and 2007, and also played in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.

It was over here during the tournament that he became the first player to claim a hat-trick in T20 international cricket. This

The supporting cable distribution agreement, unlike in the past, seeks to ensure that the PCB's broadcast content cricket is not redistributed without proper authorisation, the statement said. The statement added that the cricket board plans to invest Rs15 billion over the next three years in domestic cricket, which includes upgrading stadiums, building provincial academies and centres of excellence and employing over 100 former cricketers as coaches and managers for city cricket associations.

feat was achieved exactly 13 years ago from today, when on September 16, 2007 Australia was involved in a clash against Bangladesh in a group stage match in Cape Town. Australia had won the toss and had decided to bowl first. Bangladesh, led by Mohammad Ashraful, were going steady at 108/3 in the 17th over, and were looking to accelerate when Brett Lee returned to bowl.

However, Lee had other plans. He wreaked havoc for Bangladesh and in the process created history.

With his fourth ball of the over, he dismissed Shakib Al-Hasan, who edged a

wide deliver to the wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist. With the next delivery, he shattered the off-stump of Mashrafe Mortaza who made room and was yorked.

With Brett Lee on a hat-trick, the fielders closed in, and the new batsman Alok Kapali was out leg-before trying to push the ball to the leg-side.

After Lee's heroics, Bangladesh eventually only managed to get to 123/8 and Australia chased the target with ease and won the game by nine wickets.

It was Brett Lee’s second hat-trick in an ICC World Cup event, making him the

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only player to achieve this feat. He had earlier got a hat-trick against Kenya in Durban during the 2003 ODI World Cup. Getting a hat-trick has, of course, lost some of its novelty now after Lee’s achievement, with there being 13 of them in T20 cricket now.

Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga has set another record now by becoming the only bowler in T20Is to take two hattricks. His first one came against Bangladesh in 2017, and then he repeated this great field by taking another against New Zealand in 2019.

Tottenham in talks over Gareth Bale signing: agent AGENCIES Gareth Bale's agents are talking to Tottenham about a deal that would see the Real Madrid forward return to his former club. Bale has been frozen out by Real manager Zinedine Zidane and the Wales star said earlier this month that he was open to joining a Premier League side. It had been reported in England that Tottenham and Manchester United were interested in signing Bale. Now Tottenham have opened discussions with Bale's representatives about a potential move, likely to be a loan but with a permanent deal not ruled out at this stage. "Gareth still loves Spurs," Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett told BBC Sport Wales on Tuesday. "We are talking.

It's where he wants to go." Bale has two years left on a contract that pays him around 600,000 pounds per week at Real. It has been reported the Spanish club would be willing to pay some of that salary to finally move on from their troubled relationship with the forward. Bale left Tottenham for Real in 2013 for a then world record fee of 85 million pound (USD 109 million). The 31-year-old has won four Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns during his time in Spain, but his turbulent relationship with Zidane has left him exiled for most of the last year. He started just one match when last season resumed after the coronavirus hiatus as Real clinched their first la Liga title since 2017.

Bale still has an emotional attachment to Tottenham after joining the club from Southampton as 17-year-old and developing into one of the world's most exciting forwards.

After losing their opening game of the Premier League season against Everton on Sunday, Tottenham could do with the morale-boost that would come from signing Bale. Jose Mourinho accused his Tottenham players of "lazy pressing" during the Everton game and is believed to be keen on shaking up his squad with several more signings. As well as their interest in Bale, Tottenham are reported to be in talks with Real about left-back Sergio Reguilon, while Eintracht Frankfurt striker Bas Dost has been mooted as a potential signing to provide back-up for Harry Kane.

Mourinho has already signed Matt Doherty, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Joe Hart since the end of last season.

Thursday, 17 September, 2020

PRAyER TImINGS

NEWS

PAlEstInIAns PRotEst ARAb noRmAlIsAtIon dEAls wIth IsRAEl

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UNDREDS of Palestinians protested Tuesday in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, denouncing the Emirati and Bahraini normalisation agreements with Israel as rockets were fired into the country.

The deals, brokered by the United States, were signed on Tuesday at the White House, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Bahraini and Emirati officials. Clutching Palestinian flags and wearing face masks for protection against the coronavirus, demonstrators rallied in the West Bank cities of Nablus and Hebron and in Gaza. Dozens also took part in a demonstration in Ramallah, home of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Banners were displayed reading "Treason", "No to normalisation with the occupier", and "The agreements of shame".

Palestinian demonstrator Emad Essa from Gaza said if people walk through the coastal enclave "you'll see hundreds of Gazan youth who have lost their legs and got crippled for life for just for merely protesting against the Israeli blockade".

"And in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the Israeli bulldozers continue to demolish Palestinian homes and ethnically cleanse the

PALESTINIANS SAY ONLY ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM OCCUPIED TERRITORIES CAN BRING MIDDLE EAST PEACE AFTER BAHRAIN, UAE DEALS Palestinians out of their villages and cities on a daily basis," Essa told Al Jazeera.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg of Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, and the UAE and Bahrain somehow chose to reward Israel for these crimes by making agreements with it. The deals are stains of shame on the forehead of those leaders who sold the Palestinian cause for a very cheap price."

Protesters trampled pictures of Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan before they were burned. The ceremony in Washington, DC marked the first such significant agreement between Arab countries and Israel in a quarter-century.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas said that only Israel's withdrawal from occupied territories can bring peace to the Middle East. "Peace, security, and stability will not be achieved in the region until the Israeli occupation ends," he said in a state-

ment after the signing ceremony, condemned by Palestinians as a "betrayal" of their cause. The Palestinian Unified National Command of Popular Resistance called for protests to reject the normalisation deals. In a statement, it called for Friday to be considered "a day of mourning in which black flags are raised in all squares, buildings and homes". Activists on social media launched the hashtag "Black Day" in Arabic to mark the two Gulf states' official recognition of Israel.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the Bahrain and UAE agreements would not bring Israel peace in the region.

"Peoples of the region will continue to deal with this occupation as their true enemy," he said. In Ramallah, the de facto capital of the PA, there was a small protest at which 200 people gathered in a central square.

Mohammad Mohanna, a Palestinian protester from Hebron, said: "We call on the UAE and Bahrain to backtrack from the

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agreement with Israel and go back to being supportive of the Palestinians in the same way we've always known them to be, and we wish no other Arab country would ever make an agreement with Israel. "At a time where companies in the West are boycotting Israel, two Arab countries are about to make trade agreements with it." The secretary of the central committee of the Fatah Party, Jibril Rajoub, told reporters "what is happening today in Washington is a form of collapse of the official Arab order".

ROCKETS FIRED FROM GAZA: Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel at the same time the ceremony was being held. Sirens sounded in the cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod just north of the Gaza Strip. The Magen David Adom emergency service said paramedics treated and evacuated two people with non-life-threatening wounds from shrapnel. No group claimed responsibility.

Osama Hasan, who took part in the protests in Hebron, called the normalisation agreement a "stab in the back of the Palestinians". "Despite the heartbreak over it, we have always known the road to freedom is long and hard, and needs patience and sacrifice," he said. "We will keep walking that road and keep fighting until we earn our freedom and establish the Palestinian state.

CoAs inaugurates burraq Combat skills training Complex RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday visited Gujranwala and inaugurated Burraq Combat Skills Training Complex (BCSTC), said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The COAS appreciated the operational readiness of the strike formation and the high morale of troops. He was briefed about operational, training and administrative matters of the Central Command Formations. Earlier, the army chief witnessed integrated training of the strike formation. All elements including armoured, artillery, engineers and mechanized infantry demonstrated operational combat worthiness. Burraq Combat Skills Training Complex aims at enhancing mechanized elements’ crew proficiency in overcoming obstacles encountered during offensive operations.

Corps Commander Mangla Lieutenant General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood and Gujranwala Corps Commander Lieutenant General Syed Asim Munir were also present on the occasion.

Indian and Chinese border troops had an exchange of gunfire last week just days before a meeting of their foreign ministers, Indian officials said on Wednesday, in a further breach of a decades-old restraint at the frontier.

The two sides have had a longstanding agreement for troops not to use firearms at the poorly defined Line of Actual Control or the informal border and for 45 years no shot has been fired. But since late last month, there have been three incidents of warning shots fired in the western Himalayas where troops are locked in a faceoff over competing territorial claims, often

in close proximity, officials aware of the situation told Reuters.

“In all these cases shots were fired in the air and not at each other thankfully,” said one of the officials.

One of them occurred on the north bank of the bitterly contested Pangong Tso lake in the run-up to a meeting between Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow last Thursday. The shooting which neither side has made public was the most intense, a second official said. The official said he was not in a position to provide more details but the Indian Express newspaper said 100-200 rounds were fired.

The two sides are jockeying for ad-

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Indian, China troops exchanged gunshots twice last week as tensions rose NEW DELHI

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vantageous positions on the undemarcated mountain border in the Ladakh sector which adjoins Tibet. Last Monday, troops had fired in the air on the southern bank of the lake, the two sides said. Jaishankar and Wang agreed to dial down tensions and since then the situation has calmed, the Indian officials said. But there is no pulling back of troops yet.

Former Indian military commander lieutenant general D. S. Hooda said distrust was so large now it would be difficult to get back to the agreement under which troops carried few firearms at the contested border during their patrols.

“We should no longer be talking about peace and tranquillity along the LAC, but conflict prevention,” he said.

Israel bombed Gaza on Wednesday after militants fired rockets through the night, overshadowing the signing of landmark normalisation deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the militants of seeking to stop the peace deals, Israel's first with an Arab country since 1994.

But Gaza ruler Hamas warned Israel it faced an escalation if the bombing continued, barely two weeks after a renewed Egyptian-brokered truce halted near-nightly exchanges across the border through August. The signing of the two agreements at a White House ceremony hosted

by President Donald Trump prompted protest rallies across the Palestinian territories. The deals broke with decades of Arab consensus that there would be no normalisation of relations with Israel until it had made peace with the Palestinians and drew accusations of “betrayal” against the Western-backed Gulf states. At least 15 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip between 8pm (1700 GMT) on Tuesday and early Wednesday, nine of which were intercepted by Israeli air defences, the military said. One hit the southern port city of Ashdod, wounding at least two people, emergency services said. “We were surprised by the rockets,” said Ilanit Levy, a 45-year-old resident of Sderot, an Israeli town close to the Gaza border. AGENCIES

EU ban costs PIA Rs280m NEWS DESK The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday was informed that the flight operation ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the European sector had cost the national carrier Rs280 million. The airline, however, managed to make a profit of Rs520 million on flights to the UK. During the Question Hour in the lower house of parliament, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan in a written reply said that the air crash in Karachi in May this year damaged PIA’s reputation, leading to increase in the premium cost and drop in the number of passengers. PIA’s revenue on European sectors reached Rs1.41 billion against the expenses of Rs1.69 billion, while the losses were incurred during the months of July and August. “The UK sector generated Rs5.81 billion in revenues against the expenses of Rs5.31 billion,” he wrote, adding that services of a Maltese company had been acquired for flights between Pakistan and the UK. Furthermore, the crash had caused premium cost to rise more than $5 million whereas the compensation to the families of the victims would be paid by the insurance company.

India surpasses 5 million coronavirus cases, 82,066 deaths NEW DELHI AGENCIES

India’s coronavirus confirmed cases crossed 5 million on Wednesday, still soaring and testing the country’s feeble health care system in tens of thousands of impoverished towns and villages.

The Health Ministry reported 90,123 new cases in the past 24 hours, raising the nation’s confirmed total to 5,020,359, about 0.35 percent of its nearly 1.4 billion population. It said 1,290 more people died in the past 24 hours, for a total of 82,066. India’s total coronavirus caseload is closing in on the United States’ highest tally of more than 6.6 million cases and expected to surpass it within weeks.

India reported a record daily high of 97,570 cases on

Sept. 11 and has added more than 1 million cases this month alone. Experts warned that India’s case-fatality rate could increase in the coming weeks with lockdown restrictions relaxed except in high-risk areas.

But authorities ruled out imposing a second countrywide lockdown as recoveries were growing at more than 78 percent. Its fatality rate is 1.6 percent, far lower than 3 percent each in the United States and Brazil, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine and University.

Dr. Gagandeep Kang, an infectious diseases expert from Christian Medical College in the southern Indian state of Vellore, said that the number of cases increasing in India was inevitable. But the country still had the opportunity to try and restrict cases through a strategy of testing and isolating the affected places. She said that “the

goal was for India to do enough testing to bring down test positivity rate, or fraction of tests that test positive to less than 5 percent or even less than 1 percent.”

Most of India’s deaths are concentrated in its large cities — Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune.

But smaller urban centers in Maharashtra like Nagpur or Jalgaon have also reported more than 1,000 deaths.

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Tuesday that only about 6 percent of the coronavirus patients in India were on oxygen — 0.31 percent on ventilators, 2.17 percent on intensive care unit beds with oxygen and 3.69 percent on oxygen beds. Maharashtra state with more than 1 million cases remains the worst affected region in India, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

Japan's Suga formally voted in as PM, readies 'continuity cabinet' TOKYO AGENCIES

Japan’s Yoshihide Suga was voted prime minister by parliament’s lower house on Wednesday, becoming the country’s first new leader in nearly eight years, as he readied a “continuity cabinet” expected to keep about half of the predecessor Shinzo Abe’s lineup.

Suga, 71, Abe’s longtime right-hand man, has pledged to pursue many of Abe’s programmes, including his signature “Abenomics” economic strategy, and to forge ahead with structural reforms, including deregulation and streamlining bureaucracy.

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving premier, resigned because of ill health after nearly eight years in office. Suga served under him in the pivotal post of chief cabinet secretary.

Suga won 314 votes out of 462 cast by parliament’s lower house members. The chamber takes precedence in electing a premier over the upper house, which was also expected to pick Suga because of a ruling bloc majority. Suga, who won a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race by a landslide on Monday, faces a plethora of challenges, including tackling Covid-19 while reviving a battered economy and dealing with a rapidly aging society.

With little direct diplomatic experience, Suga must also cope with an intensifying USChina confrontation, build ties with the winner of the Nov 3 US presidential election and try to keep Japan’s own relations with Beijing on track. Domestic media said that roughly half of the new cabinet would be people from the Abe cabinet. There will be only two women

and the average age, including Suga, is 60.

Among those expected to retain their jobs are key players such as Finance Minister Taro Aso and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, along with Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto and Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the youngest at 39.

“It’s a ‘Continuity with a capital C’ cabinet,” said Jesper Koll, senior adviser to asset manager WisdomTree Investments. Abe’s younger brother, Nobuo Kishi, is likely to be tapped for the defense portfolio, while outgoing Defence Minister Taro Kono will take charge of administrative reform, a post he has held before.

Yasutoshi Nishimura, Abe’s point man on Covid-19 response, will remain economy minister, while Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama, the son of a politician to

whom Suga looked up as his mentor, will also retain his post, media reported.

NEW SPOKESMAN, STRUCTURAL REFORM: Katsunobu Kato, outgoing health minister and a close Suga ally, is expected to become chief cabinet secretary.

“Suga will continue Abe’s economic policies and there will be no short-term impact on markets,” said Kensuke Niihara, chief investment officer of State Street Global Advisors Japan. “In the longer term, because foreign investors’ interest in Japanese stocks has been low, if he presses ahead with structural reforms and deregulations, that is a theme investors like and would be a positive surprise,” Niihara added.

Suga has criticised Japan’s top three mobile phone carriers, NTT Docomo Inc, KDDI Corp and SoftBank Corp, saying they

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should return more money to the public and face more competition.

He has also said Japan may eventually need to raise its 10% sales tax to pay for social security, but not for the next decade.

Clues as to whether and how Suga will push ahead with reforms could come from the lineup of government advisory panels such as the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, Koll said. “The ambition of Mr. Suga to speed up and reinvigorate the process (of reform) is absolutely clear, but the next layer of personnel will be interesting,” he said. Speculation has simmered that Suga might call a snap election for parliament’s lower house to take advantage of any rise in public support, although he has said handling the pandemic and reviving the economy were his top priorities.