EpaperISB_2020-09-6

CMYK

6 September, 2020 I 17 Muharram, 1442 I Rs 25.00 I Vol XI No 67 I 42 Pages I Islamabad Edition

PM iMran announCes rs1.1tr PaCkage to transforM karaChi g

PREMIER AFFIRMS UNITY BETWEEN CENTRE AND SINDH TO COLLECTIVELY DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF THE PORT CITY ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

W

HILE visiting Karachi for the first time after recordbreaking monsoon rains turned the metropolis into a river in August, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced an Rs1.1 trillion developmental package for the implementation of the much-touted transformation plan aimed at addressing the chronic municipal and infrastructure issues of Sindh capital.

The package was envisaged after week-long torrential rains wreaked havoc on the country’s financial hub, bringing into focus the metropolis’ long-standing drainage and sewerage issues.

The prime minister had on Monday

g

SAYS ARMY WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF KARACHI TRANSFORMATION PLAN

directed the Ministry of Planning and Development to finalise the package in a week and bring all the stakeholders on board for its smooth implementation.

Addressing a press conference alongside Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Imran Ismail, the prime minister said the federal and Sindh governments had decided to deal with Karachi’s problems “together” following negotiations.

Noting that floods caused by heavy rains have hit not only Karachi but Balochistan, interior Sindh, Swat, and his own constituency of Mianwali, PM Imran said that it was decided in view of unprecedented rains that all of Karachi’s issues would be tackled at once.

“I would have come [to Karachi] sooner but we had to make a structure,”

he said, revealing that the transformation plan would be implemented through the Provincial Coordination Implementation Committee (PCIC) under the chief minister.

He said that all stakeholders will be involved in its implementation. “The army will play a big role,” he added, noting that the army helps the civilian administration whenever there are floods or a calamity.

The premier had arrived in Karachi on a day-long visit.

The prime minister was accompanied by Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Minister for Information and Broadcast Senator Shibli Faraz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MP Amir Mahmood Kayani.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

BILAWAL COMMENDS PM OVER KARACHI PACKAGE KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has commended the Karachi Transformation Plan announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan, terming it a ‘new beginning’. Talking to a private TV channel, he said that while it was just the beginning, it was expected of the federal government to contribute more to address chronic issues facing Karachi.

Bilawal Bhutto said that the destruction of Karachi is a national issue and it requires collective cooperation to transform and revive the metropolis. "The federal government is willing to work in Karachi and that is what we need right now too," the PPP chairman said, adding that the monsoon rains have caused flash floods and massive damages to the city. Bilawal demanded the kind of cooperation from the federal government that was required in the wake of the Sindh floods of 2010. He said the PM needs to do what was done in the year 2010. He advised the federal government needs to take care of the farmers who have suffered losses due to wrecking rains. Bhutto added that the rains have wreaked havoc in the regions such as Yousuf Goth. He concluded that while his party was working in line with its vision in ensuring relief to the victims, it was beyond their capacity to do it all on their own. STAFF REPORT

IHC orders recovery of missing SECP official by Monday ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Two days after the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) official purportedly went missing in Islamabad, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday directed authorities to recover the staffer by 2:00 pm on Monday.

The directive was given during the hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed a day earlier by Asmat Bibi, the mother of Joint Director Sajid Gondal, expressing apprehensions that her son may be put

Coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

298,025

LAST UPDATED AT 8:44 AM ON SEPTEMBER 5 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

5

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

513

DEATHS:

282,553 6,340 SINDH:

130,253 KP:

36,498

PUNJAB:

97,118 BALOCHISTAN:

13,157

AJK/GB: ISLAMABAD: 2,313/2,960 15,726

to mental and physical torture as his whereabouts are unknown and his life is also in danger.

During the hearing, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that Federal Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Amer Ali Ahmed would need to appear before the court if Gondal was not recovered in the stipulated time frame.

The court also directed that the matter be referred to the federal cabinet, stating that it should be taken up at the next cabinet meeting if Gondal is not found. A copy of the court order was also for-

warded to the Cabinet Division secretary.

During the hearing, Gondal’s mother contended that her son, who had been missing since Thursday evening, did not have enmity with anyone.

“The abduction of a citizen from the capital in such a manner is extremely alarming,” remarked Justice Minallah during the hearing.

Following the court directive, Islamabad Police registered a case against the alleged abduction of Gondal.

According to details, the first information report (FIR) was registered at Shahzad Town police station

India and China agree to ease tension on border NEW DELHI

on a complaint filed by Gondal’s wife. The complaint, expressing suspicion that Gondal had been “kidnapped by unidentified persons”, was submitted a day earlier. Gondal’s car, his family said on Friday, was found in front of the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) on Park Road, located in Chak Shahzad.

According to his family, he visited a familyowned dairy farm in Chak Shahzad on Thursday night but the staff said he left later in the evening.

The official, who is also a former journalist, did not come home, his family had confirmed.

more inside

Nation set to celebrate Defence today

AGENCIES

India and China said on Saturday they had agreed to work towards reducing tensions along their contested border, following a meeting of the defense ministers of the nuclear-armed Asian giants.

Both sides deployed additional forces along the frontier running through the western Himalayas after a clash in June, during which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand fighting. China has not released casualty figures for its troops.

In the highest level face-toface political contact between India and China since tensions first flared along the border in May, defense ministers Rajnath Singh of India and General Wei Fenghe of China met late on Friday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Moscow.

Both countries agreed that “neither side should take any further action that could either complicate the situation or escalate matters in the border areas,” India’s defense ministry said in a statement.

Wei said the two sides should promote peace and stability and work to cool current ten-

STORY ON PAGE 02

Nawaz to return on medical team's advice, says PML-N STORY ON PAGE 12

sions, China’s Ministry of Defence said in a news report about the meeting posted on its website.

He said, however, that blame for the recent tensions lay “entirely with India”, adding that China was determined to safeguard its national sovereignty and territory.

China called on India to strengthen control of its frontline forces, refrain from provocative actions and “refrain from deliberately hyping and disseminating negative information”.

Earlier, United States President Donald Trump said that the US was ready to help resolve the dispute between India and China.

Trump told reporters that the situation was “very nasty,” adding that the two countries were “going at it much more strongly than a lot of people

even understand.”

A US government source told Reuters in Washington that the US assessment was that neither China nor India were interested in pushing the dispute to the point that they would engage in war.

Trump, when asked about the dispute at a news briefing in the White House, said that Washington was talking with both countries about what it could do to help defuse the situation.

“We stand ready to help with respect to China and India. If we can do anything, we would love to get involved and help,” he said.

Trump has offered to mediate between the two nucleararmed nations in the past.

China has said that there is no need for a third party to mediate and India has also appeared cool to the idea.

US blogger challenges visa rejection in IHC STORY ON PAGE 02

Financial scam in Pakistan Post unearthed

STORY ON PAGE 09 in today’s issue

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Contact: 0307-7338168 irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk

02

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

NEWS

ACtIve CovId-19 CASeS CroSS 9,000 AGAIN ISLAMABAD

t

NEWS DESK

HE number of active Covid-19 cases in the country crossed 9,000 again after remaining below it for 10 days, according to the latest figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday.

On August 26, the NCOC reported that the number of active Covid-19 cases has dropped to 8,987. The number has been inching up for the past few days. 282,553 patients have recovered from coronavirus while there are 9,132 active coronavirus

5 MORE DIE AS 513 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES EMERGE ACROSS PAKISTAN cases in the country. Of the 24,857 coronavirus tests carried out over the last 24 hours, 513 people tested positive, taking the national tally of infections to 298,025.

Five more deaths have also been reported from the virus during the last 24 hours, lifting the death toll from the disease to 6,340.

Sindh has reported 130,253 confirmed cases of the virus, Punjab reported 97,118 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) reported

36,498, Balochistan reported 13,157, Islamabad reported 15,726, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) reported 2,313, and 2,960 cases have been reported from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

Meanwhile, more than 26.5 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and more than 872,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Over 17.6 million

people have recovered. India's total coronavirus cases surged beyond four million recently, making it the third country in the world to surpass that mark, following the United States and Brazil, according to data from the federal health ministry.

Infections rose across the country, including in the capital New Delhi and the large states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The number of deaths in India from the Covid-19 rose by more than 1,000 to 69,561 on Saturday. Russia reported 5,205 new coronavirus cases, pushing its national tally above one million. Authorities said 110 people had died in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 17,759.

Iraq's health ministry warned hospitals may "lose control" in the coming days after the country recorded its highest single-day rise in coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

Officials said on Friday the federal forms started running out about 15 to 20 days ago in at least three states - Baja California, the State of Mexico and Mexico City.

PM committed to regaining lost glory of Karachi: Faraz

Glacial floods wreak havoc in KP

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is committed to restore the real identity of Karachi as an industrial city. In a tweet on Saturday, the information minister said, “Karachi is the backbone of the economy of the country, and its problems are our problems. We cannot leave the people of Karachi at the mercy of the Sindh government that has destroyed the infrastructure of the city during their 12-year long rule.” Separately, Faraz said that the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) government, under the dynamic leadership of PM Imran, is taking the decisions in the larger national interest which are fully supported by military leadership. Talking to a private news channel, he said that both the civil and military leadership are on the same page but some undemocratic elements are unhappy over the cohesion. The minister said that the main responsibility of opposition is to have positive criticism on the government’s policies, but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) leaders are only demanding NROs to escape from accountability. STAFF REPORT

Glacier outbreak in remote mountainous areas of Chitral not only threaten infrastructure but also the lives of millions of people, and experts add that it is creating food insecurity as the flash floods have destroyed fertile agricultural lands.

There are about 700 glaciers in Malakand Division, of which 45 are extremely dangerous due to climate change.

The authorities have launched an awareness campaign; however, glacier eruptions increase water flow to such extents that it is impossible to control it.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), with the help of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has been planting trees in Chitral and Swat’s Gabral area to minimise the damage from glaciers eruption. Moreover, committees have been set up to rehabilitate the irrigation channel affected by flash floods. The committee, after presenting a detailed report on the damage caused by glaciers in these areas, will reconstruct the channel with financial support from UNDP. Former tehsil nazim of Dir Bala area of Kalkot and member of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Committee Taj Bar Khan Kohistani said that there are several

High flood alert for Guddu, Sukkur barrages issued LAHORE: The Flood Forecasting Division on Saturday issued a high flood warning for River Indus at Guddu and Sukkur barrages. The FFD in its flood alert warned of high flood in River Indus at Guddu Barrage on upcoming Tuesday. The high flood stream in Indus will pass through Guddu Barrage between September 8 to 9 (Tuesday to Wednesday), while the peak flood stream will pass through Sukkur Barrage on nine to September 10 (Wednesday to Thursday).

The people settled at banks of the river, have been advised to move towards safer places. The river is presently in medium flood at both barrages in upper Sindh. The inflow of water at Guddu has reached 458,199 cusecs, while the outflow at the barrage has been 451,471 cusecs. An addition of 50,000 cusecs is expected in Indus River at the point in next 24 hours.

With continuous surge in Indus water, the river is presently in medium flood at Sukkur Barrage. River Indus has received additional 52,000 cusecs of water at Sukkur Barrage in the last 24 hours and the inflow at the barrage has reached to 359,878 cusecs. TLTP

Navy continues relief operations in flood-hit interior Sindh KARACHI: The relief operations of the Pakistan Navy to meet post-flood eventualities and to ensure restoration of flooded areas in the interior and other parts of Sindh continued on Saturday. According to a navy statement, its emergency response teams were supplying basic food necessities and medical care to flood victims. "Pakistan Navy diving teams equipped with boats and special diving kits carried out Search and Rescue operation at District Badin and District Tando Bago in coordination with District administration," the statement said. Additionally, the Navy's diving and response teams were stationed at various locations in Karachi for relief activities and to counter any potential emergency situation due to flooding. Navy troops and mobile medical teams provided relief goods and free medicines to hundreds of locals in various localities including Allah Bux Goth, Mirpur Bathoro, Ramzan Ghagar Goth and Umer Ghagar. Besides, a medical team also provided medical aid to over 300 people predisposed to various diseases due to flooding at Sujawal and Mir Pur Mathelo. STAFF REPORT

PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

glaciers in the upper areas of Kumrat which can erupt anytime due to environmental pollution and climate change.

To reduce the damage caused by the eruption and to save the local population from this catastrophe, GLOF has set up a committee for the construction of drains and irrigation channels in the area. He said that steps are also being taken for the protection of forests.

General Secretary of Disaster Risk Management Society (DRMS) Goleen, Waliur Rehman said that his ancestors have been living in the Goleen for three centuries and there have been occasional floods due to glacier eruptions. “But now there are currently 54 glaciers in Goleen valley that can erupt,” Rehman said. “It is expected to cause more damage to villages now.”

Rehman added that whenever a glacier erupts, they volunteer to patrol the area at night and monitor the flow of water and if the water level rises, the locals are told to relocate from the area.

He added that the pipelines laid for the supply of clean drinking water and irrigation water have also been affected. As a result, agriculture and the supply of drinking water have remained suspended for weeks.

Rehman said that the floods caused a lot of destruction in the area in terms of deaths, livestock loss and damage to infrastructure.

Nation set to celebrate Defence Day today ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Determined to ward off any aggression against the motherland, the nation will hold the annual ‘Defence Day of Pakistan’ celebrations on Sunday with a renewed pledge to safeguard its geographical and ideological boundaries in every situation and at all costs.

The historic day of September 6 will be commemorated with traditional vigour and enthusiasm, sending a message loud and clear to hostile India that the Pakistani nation and armed forces are fully prepared to frustrate any designs against the country’s sovereignty and integrity.

A number of activities will be held across the country, reaffirming the nation’s resolve not to let anyone cast an evil eye at the homeland, achieved on August 14, 1947 after great sacrifices rendered by Muslims of the sub-continent.

The day will dawn with special prayers in the mosques for the well-being and prosperity of the country, besides 31-gun salute at the federal capital and 21gun salute at provincial capitals.

ISPR RELEASES SONG TO PAY TRIBUTE TO MARTYRS, HEROES Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a song on the eve of Defence and Martyrs' Day to pay tribute to martyrs and heroes.

According to ISPR, the song "Har Ghari Tayyar Kamran" is a remake of an old patriotic song of the 80's.

Pakistan's top melody voices; Ali Hamza, Ali Azmat, Ali Noor and Asim Azhar have collaborated for the Defence and Martyrs' Day. They paid tribute to the services rendered by Pakistan armed forces and its operational readiness.

The music video showcases the sacrifices of Pakistan as a nation in fighting terrorism and the evolution of our Armed Forces as a cutting-edge military structure; second to none.

Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy fought aggressively in the 1965 Pakistan-India war and caused heavy casualties to the Indian side.

Female journalist Shaheena Shaheen shot dead QUETTA STAFF REPORT

Female journalist Shaheena Shaheen was shot dead in Tehsil Turbat of district Kech on Saturday. According to hospital sources, unidentified person brought injured Shaheena Shaheen to local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The deceased had received two bullets, however, the motive behind her murder could not be ascertained.

Shaheena used to host programmes on PTV Bolan and was also the editor of a Balochi Magazine Wizgahar. She was a women rights activist and an artist as well.

US blogger challenges visa rejection in IHC ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Two days after the Ministry of Interior, while rejecting the request of Cynthia Ritchie seeking an extension in her visa, directed the Pakistan-based American blogger to leave the country within 15 days, the blogger challenged the decision in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday.

In the petition, the blogger, while maintaining that she meets the criteria for visa extension, claimed the ministry rejected her application without any solid reason. The petition, which nominates Interior Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Wajid Zia as respondents, termed the decision a violation of the country's visa laws. The interior ministry, a day after the IHC expressed dissatisfaction over its recent order related to the validity of Cynthia's visa and gave the government a final opportunity to render proper assistance in the case, rejected her application on Wednesday -- a decision the blogger claimed was taken "under pressure". In June last, the IHC had sought an explanation from the ministry about the status and terms and conditions of the visa issued to Ritchie, asking it to explain if she was entitled to making political statements. Subsequently, the high court on July 10 asked the interior ministry to decide on a petition filed by a Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader, seeking Cynthia's deportation after she was accused by the party of making derogatory remarks about slain prime minister Benazir Bhutto. On Tuesday, while taking up the matter, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah read out a recent order of the interior ministry, noting that the interior secretary himself was not aware of the policy in such matters. The secretary had not made reference to any law or policy and appeared to have solely relied on the blogger's statement, Justice Minallah said. The order is self-contradictory and in conflict with the previous order, Justice Minallah had observed. Khokhar had conceded in his order that Cynthia was granted a work visa in violation of relevant policy and laws. The court had observed that Khokhar had been evasive in recording his findings regarding the crucial question: whether a foreign national visiting Pakistan on the basis of a business visa was entitled to give statements of a political nature.

Pakistan among countries to run Phase 3 trials of two Chinese firms’ Covid-19 vaccines NEWS DESK China National Biotec Group (CNBG) and Sinovac Biotech Ltd said on Saturday four more countries have agreed to run late-stage clinical tests of their coronavirus vaccine candidates, as China steps up its efforts in the global race.

Serbia and Pakistan are among the new countries agreeing to Phase 3 trials, as the two companies seek more data overseas amid dwindling new cases in China.

Serbia will test two vaccines developed by CNBG’s Wuhan and Beijing

units, and Pakistan will test the Beijing unit’s candidate, the company told Reuters.

CNBG’s Phase 3 trials are expected to involve 50,000 people in about 10 countries, said CNBG vice president Zhang Yuntao. Trials have already begun in United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Peru, Morocco, Argentina and Jordan.

Zhang said foreign countries have expressed interest in ordering a combined 500 million doses of its vaccines.

CNBG is expected to be able to produce 300 million doses of vaccine a year

once it upgrades manufacturing techniques, and is working on a plan to raise its annual capacity to one billion doses, Zhang said.

Sinovac’s vaccine candidate CoronaVac, being tested in Brazil and Indonesia, also obtained approvals from two other countries for Phase 3 trials, said Helen Yang, senior director of global strategy and business development at Sinovac.

She declined to name the countries as the information is still confidential.

While the final stage of trials are still

underway to prove the vaccines are safe and effective, China has already authorised the vaccine candidates from Sinovac and CNBG for emergency use for those in high-risk groups such as medical workers.

Several tens of thousand people have already taken CoronaVac through the emergency programme, Sinovac’s Yang said.

CNBG will soon begin providing its vaccines to Chinese staffers working in overseas embassies and consulates, Zhang said.

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

NEWS

Govt to SooN deCIde K-eleCtrIC’S FAte, SAyS ASAd UMAr KARACHI

P

STAFF REPORT

LANNING and Development Minister Asad Umar has said that the government would soon decide whether K-Electric (K-E) should remain privatised or be handed over to the federal government.

Talking to the media on Saturday, the federal minister said a meeting was held with K-Electric officials to discuss the situation in Karachi, wherein questions and concerns raised by the Supreme Court (SC) were also discussed.

He said that in the existing system, the regulator is not subject to the government.

However, K-Electric's license can be

PLANNING MINISTER SAYS KE’S LICENCE CAN BE CHANGED AS PER THE SC ORDER changed as per the order of the apex court.

“The power issue was also discussed with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.” The minister said that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has the power to increase K-Electric's tariffs, adding that the electricity rates in Karachi would remain in line with the rest of the country.

Referring to the drainage issue in the metropolis, the federal minister said encroachments were made on drains which caused problems during the monsoon

Senate session summoned on tuesday ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has summoned a session of the Senate here at Parliament House on Tuesday at 10:30am.

The Upper House will discuss matters of national importance, besides legislative business. STAFF REPORT

rains, flash floods kill 57 people in KP: PdMA PESHAWAR: At least 57 people have died and 52 others got injured in different rain-related incidents since August 31 due to recent floods and heavy rainfall in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to a report by Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) KP, at least 20 districts of KP have been affected by recent spells of heavy rains and floods. Nineteen women and 19 children are also among the dead. The report stated that around 49 houses were completely destroyed while 387 houses were partially damaged across the province, whereas 35 domestic animals were also dead in the recent rains and floods. Rescue operation is underway in rain and flood-affected areas while efforts are also being made to reopen all the blocked roads for traffic, said the PDMA. The people have been asked to contact PDMA on its helpline 1700 in case of any emergency. STAFF REPORT

showers. "At the moment, Karachi does not want politics. It just wants to see work being done," he said.

He recognized that the issues in the country are a result of lack of mutual communication.

Meanwhile, the planning minister said that Pakistan’s winning streak had started after successes in the fight against Covid-19 and now its revival plan.

“All elements of the state - civil, military, federal, provincial - came together to deal with Covid-19 and same ap-

proach would be adopted to deal with perennial problems of Karachi,” he said in a tweet. He said success against corona had been globally recognized and now the revival plan of its largest city is indicating that Pakistan’s winning streak has started.

Asad Umar said the Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced the biggest development package for Karachi in the history of the country. “This historic development work for Karachi will be executed with joint coordination of the Centre and the province,” he added.

He said no politics would hinder the development works for the uplift of the people and soon such development works in other areas of Sindh would also be initiated.

Term ‘ghairat’ should not be used in honour killings, rule SC NEWS DESK The Supreme Court (SC) passed a landmark judgement wherein it has said that the word ‘ghairat’, i.e., honour, must not be used in murder cases as it is "never honourable and it should not be described as such".

“It will help deter such killings if the term ghairat is not used to describe them,” said Justice Qazi Faez Isa. “For Muslims, the Holy Qur’an is the word of God. Killing a person is abhorrent and a grave sin. The Holy Qur’an also does not mandate the punishment of death for the offence of adultery. If the petitioner suspected his wife of infidelity, he should have followed the path prescribed by the Holy Qur’an and the law of Pakistan to resolve the matter,” he added.

The top court said that the murderer is simply trying to justify his actions by using the word honour.

Furthermore, the judge questioned the translation of the word itself and said that "ghairat" translates closer to

"arrogant" than it does to honour.

A convict, Muhammad Abbas was sentenced to death, and later commuted to life imprisonment, over the murder of his wife by a Nankana Sahib court and sought a reduction in his life sentence under Section 302(c).

The court refused to provide any relief to the convict under Section 302(c). It further said parliament had previously specified that the crimes relating to honour killing would be tried under Section (a) and (b), which necessitate death sentence or life imprisonment. The verdict added that Pakistan has the highest rate of honour killing per capita and that the victims are predominantly women.

“It is inappropriate to interpret Chapter XVI of the PPC, which includes section 302 PPC, by disregarding the requirements of Section 338-F PPC, which necessitates seeking guidance from the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah,” the judgement read, added that the Quran does not allow killings in cases of adultery, let alone for issues of ghairat.

Govt keeps MNA Dawar ‘in custody against his will’ due to safety concerns NEWS DESK After a bomb blast shook Quetta ahead of Lawmaker Mohsin Dawar’s arrival on Saturday, the government allegedly took him to a safe site, while he said that he was "kept in custody against his will" all night.

A motorcycle explosion on Quetta’s Saryab Road left at least four injured. An explosive material

had been planted onto the motorcycle, reported police officials.

Dawar arrived in Quetta after the last flight to Islamabad had departed, and was barred entry into the city.

"I had many meetings scheduled, including with the Chaman victims and Hayat Baloch," he said, "Instead, I was given a demonstration of how laws and rights mean nothing in this country. From the airport, I was

forcibly taken to a rest house,” he said.

The lawmaker said that he was forcefully kept in custody while apologising to those he expected to meet and added that he would continue to fight for their rights. A day earlier, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani had said that Dawar was shifted for his own protection because of the Quetta blast. "Mohsin Dawar is our guest and his security is our responsibility," he had said, adding that the people must pay no heed to "baseless propaganda".

03

Ring Road to resolve traffic problems of Rawalpindi, boost economic activities, says CM LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Saturday said that every promise made with the residents of Rawalpindi will be fulfilled and hoped the Ring Road project will solve the traffic problems besides boosting economic activities. The chief minister was chairing the 4th meeting of public-private partnership policy and monitoring board in which matters about projects started under public-private partnership mode were reviewed. The meeting approved starting Rawalpindi Ring Road Project under public-private partnership mode with a cost of Rs50 billion. The meeting also gave in-principle approval to appoint a transaction adviser for ten other projects and endorsed the decisions made in the 3rd meeting. Secretary Board and member PPP cell, Dr Farrukh Naveed, briefed about PPP mode projects. Addressing the meeting, Buzdar directed that there should be no delay in the timeline and necessary matters should be expedited adding that the government will provide full support in this regard. He also directed to minimise the processing time adding that PPP mode projects should be on-ground without any delay. A suitable mechanism should be devised to early start the PPP mode projects while giving due attention to the legal aspects. The chief minister disclosed that the Punjab government will start construction work of Sheikhupura-Gujranwala road in the next few days.

Public-private partnership mode should be encouraged for the construction of hospitals in future and a comprehensive business model to be devised for the said purpose, he said and further stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government believes in best service delivery in the health sector. STAFF REPORT

HRCP alarmed by surge in blasphemy cases against Shia community LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is gravely concerned at the recent surge in blasphemy cases being registered against sectarian and religious minorities, particularly the Shia community, and the potential for ensuing sectarian violence. In a statement, the human rights body said that anecdotal evidence suggests that over 40 such cases may have been registered under the blasphemy laws in the last month alone. “HRCP believes that the state has effectively abdicated its responsibilities under international human rights law by leaving those accused of blasphemy to the mercy of mobs, or trials that are marred by glaring legal and procedural flaws.

It is well established that in most cases, those accused of blasphemy are eventually acquitted on appeal, but often after protracted periods in custody and trials that risk the lives of the accused, their lawyers and judges at the hands of organised far-right groups,” the press release read. “HRCP demands that the state uphold all citizens' right to freedom of religion or belief.

The police must also refrain from registering blasphemy cases so promptly, knowing full well the sensitive implications of doing so when such complaints are often fabricated and spurred on by personal vendettas,” it added. STAFF REPORT

04

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

NEWS

IftIKhar ShallwanI aPPoInted aS KaraChI’S admInIStrator KARACHI

a

SENIOR BUREAUCRAT PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE COMMISSIONER OF PORT CITY

STAFF REPORT

S the prime minister visited the port city on Saturday, the provincial government decided to appoint senior bureaucrat and former commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani as the administrator of Karachi Murtaza Wahab, the spokesperson for the Sindh government, said earlier in the day, that the official notification of Shallwani’s appointment to the post of Karachi

Medical College Jamshoro. Previously, he served as the commissioner Karachi and a week after being moved to the role of secretary, he is being appointed as the administrator of KCM. His previous commissioner post is being filled by Dr Sohail Rajput.

Shallwani’s transfer occurred a day after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Sindh's Local Government Secretary Roshan Ali Shaikh from the Sindh High Court (SHC) over his alleged involvement in a case about the illegal allotment of government land.

Metropolitan Corporation’s (KCM) administrator would be issued on Saturday.

Shallwani, who currently holds the portfolio of Local Government & Housing Town Planning Department secretary, has previously served as the secretary of the health and law departments and is a grade

Students, school staff to undergo Covid-19 tests in KP PESHAWAR INP

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elementary and secondary education department has decided to conduct random coronavirus tests of students and school staff prior to the reopening of schools. As per details, the provincial government has informed the administration of all schools about the decision. The declaration issued by the education department stated that the health department teams will visit various govt and private schools for coronavirus test samples. The education department has directed heads of schools to cooperate with health department teams. “Teachers will undergo Covid-19 tests before the opening of schools, while coronavirus tests of students would be taken after the reopening of educational institutions on September 15,” according to a declaration. On Aug 21, Shafqat Mahmood had said a final decision to reopen schools that were closed in March to prevent the spread of coronavirus would be taken at an interprovincial education ministers’ conference on Sept 7. Speaking at a press conference, he said the Ministry of Health will devise standard operating procedures (SOPs) for educational institutions to follow to prevent the spread of the virus. Schools will reopen from Sept 15 given that the coronavirus situation improves, he added.

21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS). He has also served as additional secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industries and Production.

The senior bureaucrat is from Hyderabad, and he received his education from there and then got his MBBS from Liaquat

Sindh, NHA say Hub river bridge ‘stable’ KARACHI TLTP

The Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab has said that Hub River bridge is stable.

“This is NHA’s bridge. GM South NHA visited the bridge after the video was made viral and has confirmed that the structure of the bridge is stable. Unfortunately, the video was made from an angle which does not reflect the true picture. NED University people are in touch with NHA,” he said in a statement.

This bridge is crucial for the transportation of goods and other heavy traffic flow to and from Karachi and Hub. Meanwhile, addressing the subject, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that the NHA has been informed of the bridge’s condition. Shahwani said that the NHA is responsible for the bridge’s construction and it’s thus equally responsible for its repair. The district administration has issued orders that limited traffic is allowed on the bridge for now.

In the current monsoon season, Karachi witnessed record-high rains that inundated several of its areas and wreaked havoc on the unruly infrastructure of the metropolis.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of NHA has clarified contents of a video going viral on social media regarding Hub Bridge linking Karachi with Balochistan.

Clarifying the actual position, the spokesman said that the existing Hub Bridge is 500 meters long, having 21 numbers of spans. This old bridge was constructed 50 years ago. The spokesman said that this old bridge is structurally stable and there is nothing wrong with the structural stability of this bridge.

Speaking about the pillars’ shape which are not looking straight in the video, the spokesman said that this is as per original design of the structure of the bridge. Jacketing of piles has already been carried by NHA in 201718, he added.

He said that in order to enhance the service life of this bridge, the NHA has already carried out asphalt and replaced the expansion joint of this bridge. The scoring of piles which is evident in the viral video has occurred due to outflow of excess water from Hub Dam during the current cyclonic rainfall, he added.

He further said that besides, the main problem is illegal collection of soil and sand by the tractor mafia. Due to which the pillars have been exposed up to natural ground level and it is strongly recommended that the local administration should impose a ban on collection of sand, etc. underneath this bridge, he added.

Earlier, a citizen shared a video on social media about the dilapidated state of the pillars and demanded that the government should rebuild the walls and do a technical assessment of the bridge.

NEPRA forms body to probe KE ‘negligence’ in deaths due to electrocution ISLAMABAD TLTP

The National Electric Power Authority (NEPRA) has formed a three-member committee to probe the K-Electric's alleged negligence in deaths from electrocution in Karachi during the recent monsoon rains.

According to a press release issued by NEPRA, the committee will be headed by the director-general of monitoring and enforcement. The authority will present a comprehensive report to NEPRA after a thorough investigation.

The NEPRA will decide whether legal action should be taken against K-Electric or not after receiving the report. The spell of monsoon rains in Karachi from July 6 to August 12 resulted in multiple people dying due to electrocution. The regulatory authority has received 57 complaints of deaths from electrocution in Karachi so far. The committee members will seek details from families who lost their loved ones due to electrocution in the monsoon season.

Last month, K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi and another senior official of the power utility had secured protective bail from the Sindh High Court (SHC) in two cases related to

NTC chief assures textile millers of tariff rationalisation LAHORE STAFF REPORT

National Tariff Commission (NTC) Chairperson Robina Ather has assured the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab of rationalisation of tariff on all industry inputs. She was talking to APTMA Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir during her visit to the APTMA office on Saturday.

Chairperson NTC said the government has assigned NTC with the task of rationalising tariffs on all industry inputs in consultation with all stakeholders. “Earlier, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was working on it,” she added.

Ather said she has visited APTMA Punjab to consult the stakeholders associated with the textile industry on this subject.

Chairman APTMA Punjab, through a detailed presentation, pointed out that APTMA has drafted an integrated exportoriented scheme covering the whole value-added chain on the occasion.

The proposed scheme, Bashir said,

provides integration of all existing schemes and extends the coverage to the whole value-added chain with free mobility of inputs, intermediary and output goods from one licensee to another licensee, and simultaneously protects the government revenue through a foolproof mechanism and a fully automated system. “The same may now be considered and approved by Ministry of Commerce and FBR,” he asserted.

He further proposed the abolishment of Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) and reduction in customs duty on import of Polyester Staple Fibre (PSF).

Bashir also requested the exemption of all the duties and taxes on the import of cotton throughout the year. “NTC may determine realistic levels of effective tariff protection for the entire textile valueadded chain,” he said.

According to him, all inputs required for the export industry should be zerorated, meaning that they should be exempted from Value-Added Tax (VAT).

“Protection to the local industry may be considered and extended through tariffrate quota,” he said.

Cabinet approves publishing of parliamentarians’ tax directory ISLAMABAD AHMAD AHMADANI

The federal cabinet has granted its approval and authorization to the revenue division for publishing tax directory for the tax year (TY) 2018 of all members of the parliament. According to sources, the federal cabinet has approved and authorized the publication of a tax directory for TY 2018 of all the parliamentarians, and the FBR will make them public. The sources added that the approval of the cabinet’s members in this regard was obtained through circulation of a summary. They said that the cabinet has also approved to issue a directory of other tax filers of the country.

They further said that after a delay of two years, a tax directory for TY 2018 of all the parliamentarians is finally going to be published. Besides issuing facts and figures of direct tax collection, first-time tax collection of different sectors, categories, and regions will be published by the FBR, said sources. “The decision to publish tax directory has been taken apparently to create a sense of public awareness, motivation and transparency, “said sources. Sharing details of income tax paid by different provinces in TY 2018, the sources informed that Punjab had paid Rs269 billion, Balochistan Rs13 billion, Sindh Rs349 billion, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs29 billion, and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) paid income tax worth Rs 115billion. They said that FBR had collected Rs76 billion worth income tax from Association of Persons (AoPs), Rs497 billion from companies, while Rs129 billion from salaried individuals and Rs185 billion from non-salaried individuals in the TY 2018. They also informed that 1,356,813 individuals of Punjab region filed tax, while 632,583 individuals from Sindh region, 35,045 individuals from Balochistan region, 133,745 individuals from Kyber Pakhtunkhwa region and 114,987 individuals belonging from ICT paid tax in TY 2018. According to documents, sub-section (6) of section 216 of Income Tax Ordinance 2001 authorizes the federal government to publish particulars and the amount of tax paid by the parliamentarians and revenue division sought approval of the federal cabinet for publishing the tax directory of parliamentarians.

deaths that occurred due to electrocution. The KE chief along with Distribution Head Amir Zia had approached the SHC to seek pre-arrest bail in the cases registered against the management of the power supplier. The court approved the seven-day bail against surety bonds worth Rs50,000 in each case and directed them to cooperate with the authorities in the investigation.

Four people were named in the case filed at the Defence Police Station. The FIR was filed by the boy's uncle, who told police that the 22-year-old was in Karachi for a visit from Mansehra. It includes provisions for murder.

During the current monsoon season, more than 90 people lost their lives in Karachi with the most common cause of death being electrocution. However, K-Electric claimed that no electrocution-related deaths occurred due to its infrastructure.

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

NEECA stArts ENErgy Audit of gAs-bAsEd CAPtivE PowEr PlANts iSLaMaBad STAFF REPORT

The National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) has initiated an energy audit of gasbased captive power plants (CPPs) through independent consulting firms and has asked power units to schedule a time for the audit.

NEECA Managing Director Dr Sardar Mohazzam wrote a letter to CPPs, requesting them to share a date and time on which the consulting firm can visit the respective unit for audit, and to fill up the online captive power unit information form.

Keeping in mind the decline of natural gas resources with no sizeable gas discoveries, the availability of power in the national grid,

and the currently inefficient use of indigenous natural gas, the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE), in its meeting held on June 4, directed the Petroleum Division (Ministry of Energy) to revise efficiency benchmarks of CCPs on its own in consultation with stakeholders as the efficiency of most plants is below 50 per cent.

According to reports, the Petroleum Division, on July 30, assigned the task of promoting the efficient use of fast-declining indigenous natural gas resources to NEECA, as well as directing them to utilise the excess power in the national grid.

According to NEECA, it is actively engaged with the Petroleum Division, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and

Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) and has developed strategic and technical working groups to streamline all the strategic, legal and operational formalities required for smooth execution of energy audit. So far, NEECA has mapped out the geographical and technical profile of 1,141 CPPs in the country. Out of the total, 781 CPPs are operating under the SSGC and 360 under SNGPL. Earlier, the Petroleum Division submitted proposals in a summary for the consideration of the CCoE. On August 15, NEECA published an advertisement seeking proposals by private engineering consulting firms for energy audits of gas-based CPPs identified by SNGPL and SSGC.

PM Imran announces Rs1.1tr package to transform Karachi continued on page 01 Earlier in the day, Faraz said that the prime minister was determined to “restore Karachi’s identity as a true industrial hub” of the country and the backbone of its economy.

“The people of the city cannot be left at the mercy of the Sindh government which has destroyed Karachi over the past 12 years,” he said in a tweet hours before the premier’s expected arrival.

In a tweet a day earlier, PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan had said that the Karachi transformation plan was aimed at addressing the provincial capital’s longstanding problems such as “choked drainage and sewerage systems, encroachments, poor waste disposal, water supply and transport”.

On Monday, the prime minister had directed authorities to finalise in a week the plan after taking all stakeholders on board so that it can be approved and

Masood urges youngsters to expose india on all fronts MuZaFFaRaBad STAFF REPORT

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Saturday urged the youngsters to revive the spirit of 1965 war to frustrate India’s evil designs, warning, “If we fail to rise up, the Kashmir would be lost for good.” "Narendra Modi and the RSS by settling five million Hindus in occupied Jammu and Kashmir are hell-bent on expelling the Muslims from the state and to remove Kashmir from the world map," he maintained. Speaking as chief guest at a function held in connection with Defence Day of Pakistan organised by the Youth Forum for Kashmir, he said that the Pakistani and the Kashmiri youngsters need to promptly rise up to foil this Satanic plan and defeat India on political, diplomatic, media, and if needed, on the military fronts. The AJK president said that Pakistan had certainly fought the wars of 1947, 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999 for the cause of Kashmir, and similarly, the youngsters of AJK by joining the Pakistan Army have also been defending the motherland for the last seven decades. He said that a 23 years old young army officer Lt Nasir Khalid, who embraced martyrdom the other day, also belonged to AJK.

CMYK

subsequently implemented. The plan aims to find a permanent solution to issues such as solid waste management, water shortage, cleaning of nullahs, sewerage and transport, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had said at the time.

The direction was given during a high-level meeting which had met to discuss the plan designed by the Ministry of Planning and Development to address challenges faced by Karachi. The premier, his office had said at the time, was briefed on the proposed plan that “has been formulated in line with Karachi’s problems and development requirements”. “The country’s development is linked to Karachi’s progress,” the PMO quoted Imran as saying. “[The government] is aware of the challenges that Karachi’s residents have been facing for years. We cannot look away from the difficulties being faced by residents. The Centre will play its role to solve Karachi’s problems and its progress,” it had added.

NEWS

05

KP decides to provide interestfree loans to govt employees PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Saturday decided to provide interest-free loans to government employees. According to details, the loan can be acquired by a government employee for purchasing a house, car, motorcycle or bicycle. The government employees from Grade-1 to 17, having a minimum service period of five years and a maximum of 10 years, will be eligible to apply for the loan. TLTP

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

06 COMMENT

The opposition’s faux unity

Fixing Karachi

Papering over the cracks

P

RiMe MinisteR imran khan visited karachi to announce the federal government’s transformation Plan amidst inauspicious atmospherics. the sindh government maintained that it was not consulted about the Plan. ahead of the visit a federal minister had maintained that his government had no funds, and even if it had, it would not hand them over to sindh government as they would be misused. this led to a strongly worded statement from PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who also said that the federal government had the obligation to provide assistance to the rains-cum-flood affected population in interior sindh. it appears that the situation was saved at the eleventh hour by the establishment which considered that the situation in karachi posed a strategic threat and required cooperation from all stakeholders, irrespective of their political differences. Mr khan’s visit was delayed to work out a formula requiring a tripartite cooperation between the Federal Government, the sindh Government and the army. a Provincial Coordination implementation Committee (PCiC) under the Chief Minister, with representation from all stakeholders, would work together to implement the plan.

Mr khan also has promised to sit with the sindh government to discuss how to extend help to sindh’s rural areas along with calamity-hit swat and Chitral. the historic Rs1.1 trillion package for karachi’s transformation is an unprecedented development scheme. the plan envisages six projects of mass transit system including the karachi Circular Railway, eight sewerage projects, four solid waste management projects, two water drainage projects and various road construction and repair projects. the entire plan has to be executed within three years. if it succeeds, al the three partners get credit. if it fails the Pti and PPP would stand exposed. Despite the agreement, the rivalry and accusations continue. the Prime Minister played his act strictly according to the text, shaking hands with Chief Minister Murad ali shah at the airport with extra warmth and later holding a press conference flanked by the Governor and the CM. However, hours before Mr khan’s arrival a minister accompanying him tweeted “the people of the city cannot be left at the mercy of the sindh government which has destroyed karachi over the past 12 years.” the Pti it appears has agreed to work together with PPP under duress.

And Khans nonchalance

aRif Nizami

A

FteR procrastinating for weeks, the muchdelayed opposition moot-the multi-party conference- is now scheduled to be held on september 20. the fissures in the opposition ranks were quite in the open on the question of fixing a date for the MPC. this was the easy part. the crunch time will come when the divisive opposition will have to strategize on the way to move forward later this month. the PPP (Pakistan People’s Party) has a monolithic family run operation, as does the PML-n (Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz) in some ways. nonetheless, differences in nuances between PMLn president shahbaz sharif on the one hand and party supremo nawaz sharif and his hard-line daughter Maryam on the other, are now well known. shahbaz sharif does not hide his proclivity to cohabit with the ubiquitous military establishment whereas his elder brother and his daughter Maryam take a more strident line. in London, on the pretext of receiving urgent medical treatment (that is yet to start) since november last year, the elder sharif has remained under the radar, mostly keeping to himself, apart from occasionally being spotted in central London having cof-

The ‘same page’ mantra

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akistan has evolved as a democracy to the extent that there have been two consecutive peaceful transfers of power from one civilian government to the other in the past decade; the PPP to the PML-n and, a relatively much less civil change of guard from the PML-n to the Pti. that is not to say that the PML-n and PPP did not have their respective set of problems with the establishment, starting in the second half of their five-year tenures. Both saw the PM being disqualified. President Zardari famously said in one interview that it took a lot of “tolerance, tolerance, tolerance” to endure through a full five-year term. nawaz sharif had to contend with Dawn Leaks and refusing Gen Raheel sharif an extension, both events contributing to a severe deterioration in his relations with the military. He was eventually sent packing by the supreme Court following the controversial Panama Case verdict. things are much different with the Pti in government and Prime Minister imran khan wears his party being ‘on the same page’ with the military as a badge of honour, boasting how no civilian government of the past has enjoyed such good relations and support from the armed forces. He conveniently ignores the price that has been, and continues to be, paid for this excellent rapport; shrinking civilian space. the military top brass had to intervene on more than one occasion to smooth over an unnecessary diplomatic crises created by the Foreign Office, with the most recent incident requiring handling being shah Mehmood Qureshi’s unsavoury threatening remarks about saudi arabia ‘dragging its feet’ on the kashmir issue. imran khan also has this typical pretentious thinking about relations with the military in that he genuinely believes it is only the Pti that has made revolutionary progress on national issues that matter to the armed forces such as the india policy, kashmir cause and afghanistan, which is the rationale behind his ‘same-page’ mantra. Policy and direction on these issues have always been militarydominated and therefore there has always been national consensus on these matters with previous civilian governments as well; the Pti has not done anything special here. if anything, of late, the party’s incompetence and lack of performance in key areas has somewhat complicated a presumably simple civ-mil equation.

Do we need to encourage violence?

Rabia ahmed

W

eLL, the inevitable has happened: Dirilis (Ertugrul), the turkish play dubbed into Urdu, an enthusiastic project of the Prime Minister, has taken viewers by storm in Pakistan. now the usual army of desi gawkers and self-righteous blockheads have a brand new target, ertugrul’s on-screen wife and turkish actress ezra Bilgic. the poor girl has been trolled endlessly about what she wears in real life until recently she lashed out and told the offenders to just stop following her, in other words, ‘shut up and get lost.’ not that that will make any difference.

But for now, let’s ignore the pestering of women that is such an integral part of this society and talk about other aspects of the matter. it isn’t clear whether people everywhere tend to confuse television shows with reality but they certainly do in Pakistan. that makes the blockbuster serial Ertugrul a great risk here- as has been warned earlier; but the powers that be are not known for their sense, or their will to do the right thing. Just as Bilgic’s trolls presume that her on-screen pious character should conform with her appearance offscreen, many viewers of the show are certain to expect that the turkish war against ‘infidels’ that took place in the 13th century should carry on in the 21st.

Which makes it extremely ominous that toys meticulously modelled upon the weapons used by ertugrul and his people– swords, knives, daggers, axes, all stamped with the kayi tribe symbol– are now

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Zardari has not forgotten nor forgiven that slight vowing never to trust the sharifs. even earlier, adding insult to injury, sharif as leader of the opposition donning a lawyer’s attire appeared against Zardari in the apex court in to get him declared a traitor in the Memogate case.

Hence in this context the ostensible bonhomie and warmth shown when shahbaz sharif visited Bilawal House in karachi as Zardari’s guest the other day, should be taken with a pinch of salt. the younger sharif’s disdain for the Bhuttos harks back to the days when Zulfikar ali Bhutto nationalised the ittefaq steel mills after becoming Prime Minister in 1972. in this backdrop Zardari maintains that, to this day they have not forgiven the PPP and hence cannot be entirely trusted. it is another matter that exigencies of realpolitik have forced them to be on the same page for the time being. so far as the PML-n is concerned, despite having been disqualified by the apex court in 2018, the elder sharif calls the shots in the party. shahbaz sharif sans his elder brother’s support has limited political clout. after nawaz sharif’s political heir apparent Maryam nawaz shed her political isolation recently, shahbaz was faced with a conundrum. if he remained cocooned in his shell, events and party sentiment would have made him completely irrelevant.

Maryam’s recent impressive shows outside naB headquarters in Lahore and later in Barah koh, located in the outskirts of islamabad, amply demonstrated that like her father she has chemistry with PML-n rank and file that her uncle sharif unfortunately lacks.

However, as long as the elder sharif is calling the shots, the party including shahbaz will express his fealty to him. in the meanwhile, Prime Minister imran khan is happy in his comfort zone. He feels that as long as the military stands by him he has nothing to fear from the opposition. that is why he does not want to have any truck with the ‘crooks and thugs’ of the opposition. But given the rather poor governance record of the Pti in the past two years, things can quickly change. With one important caveat, that opposition parties can get their act together and show some spunk as well.

Arif Nizami is Editor, Pakistan Today. He can be contacted at arifn51@hotmail.com http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk

Getting what you foster

Space shrinks, eventually leaving room only for one entity

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

fee with his family members. However, this is changing very fast. the younger sharif, highly reserved in his role as an opposition leader was disappointing not only his own supporters but also the political opposition.

However in the past few weeks he has also become active. no credit to him though; it is solely due to the PML-n supremo’s back-channel diplomacy from London that fissures in the opposition ranks have been somewhat mended. shahbaz sharif, after his four-month stay in London doing virtually nothing returned to Pakistan in March. But even after his return he studiously kept away from active politics mostly on the pretext of his ill health. after the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic he refused to venture out or hold any meetings. Of course, in between, he himself was struck by the virus, and thus forced to self-quarantine. But even after being given a clean chit by his doctor, sharif remained politically inactive.

He kept on procrastinating on fixing a date for holding the much-awaited aPC (all Parties Conference). First it was announced by him that it will be held after eidul azha and when that deadline passed without any talk of holding any opposition meeting it was postponed post ashura. it is by virtue of the elder sharif changing gear and Bilawal imploring sharif to hold the meeting that finally after much procrastination that the Rahbar Committee of the opposition parties finally met last thursday. However, schisms in the opposition ranks were quite visible even in the preliminary meeting. the nationalist parties, taking a more militant line, blamed the two main opposition parties- the PML-n and the PPP- for showing their reluctance to take on the Pti-led government upfront. the opposition has two problems: namely the PML-n being a divided house between hawks and doves, and an even bigger problem being the trust deficit amongst the PPP and PML-n. the PPP cochairperson asif Zardari is still miffed about the manner in which the PML-n, after using him to save their government during the 2014 dharna, ditched him. nawaz sharif, after inviting Zardari soon after he left the presidency for lunch in his honour, abruptly cancelled the event after pressure was exerted on him by the then miltesatblishment, owing to the former’s outburst against military’s role in politics.

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we claim to possess but which are fast becoming a selling like hotcakes in Pakistan.

Does it matter if children are taught violence via very rare commodity: the virtues of adab. there are toys appropriate for each age, sound their games? toys are not just cute little things that children and movement for the very young, hand and eye cospend their time bouncing up and down or talking ordination for the somewhat older, size, shape, push to. they are crucial to the development of every and pull and take apart things for children between child’s brain. this is why too much time spent the ages of one and two. then follows the pretend stage, dressing up, playing with electronic toys is not a good thing because they adversely affect a child’s attention span, painting, all of that. never, ever should viointelligence, and social and lence come into play except emotional development, alas something to be avoided, though some electronic toys something to be employed undoubtedly do foster intelligence. But there is little It is an undeniable fact that, as a very last resort in selfdefense. chance of pushing the genie in Pakistan, authorities the problems we are back into the bottle now and electronic toys and games refuse to do their job unless having in this part of the world are all to do with vioare here to stay, but parents they are forced to do so by lence and with those who are can restrict their use to a trained to employ force. Life small span of time each day. means of violence, such as appears to be imbued with it.

Meantime there is also the much larger segment of in Karachi where citizens are in news today is the story of soldiers martyred and injured society for whom electronic protesting DHA’s inaction in north Waziristan as a retoys are just dreams. Of sult of an ieD attack, of wars course the specific ertugrul following the rains, by and violence everywhere. toys will also be beyond threatening to resort to riots. it is an undeniable fact their reach, but should chilthat, in Pakistan, authorities dren generally be allowed to Violence appears to be the refuse to do their job unless play with guns? swords? they are forced to do so by should they be allowed to catalyst to action, because means of violence, such as in play ‘kill, kill!’? that is what we grow up with. karachi where citizens are the best pastime for children are interesting Even apart from the violence protesting DHa’s inaction following the rains, by threatgames that foster values we in games it is considered ening to resort to riots. Viocare for: creativity, inclulence appears to be the sion, patience. Games and kosher for parents to catalyst to action, because sports that promote skills, strengthen muscle coordinathreaten children with slaps, that is what we grow up with. even apart from the violence tion and team spirit, sports‘meri jooti,’ a whipping or in games it is considered manship, and toys, simple kosher for parents to threaten ones, including basic things some other form of brute children with slaps, ‘meri such as string, old boxes, display of power jooti,’ a whipping or some tape, and so with which chilother form of brute display of dren can use their imaginapower. tion to adapt, innovate, is there a way to raise a create, and build. Whatever children play with must promote that most impor- new generation along a calmer theme? if so then is it tant thing of all, peace. Older children must play wise to encourage shows such as Ertugrul– gripping with younger ones part of the time. it is up to parents as it is– to be shown on national television? Or now to ensure that both employ courtesy, patience and that the damage is done is it time to realise the imkindness, that no one calls the other ‘stupid,’ or portance of toys that foster peace and creativity rather ‘mad’ or ‘langray’ or ‘motay’…the name calling than bloodshed? that unfortunately takes place all the time. even Rabia Ahmed is a freelance columnist. Read more when used in ‘affection’ such names should be firmly disallowed. the aim must be to foster virtues by her at http://rabia-ahmed.blogspot.com

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Sunday, 6 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

Women’s sports a woman goes through a bundles of struggles due to her gender. One of them is being a sportsperson. in Pakistan, the field of sports is not considered for girls due to which girls get no opportunities to show their talent or pursue a career in sports according to their wish. Maria toorpakia is the greatest example about the phases a girl goes through if she wants to become an athlete in Pakistan. the squash player faced threats due to which she had to disguised herself as a boy to play. Women in Pakistan goes through various challenges to pursue a career in sports. the authorities need to generate opportunities for girls in sports to show their hidden talent and to empower them along with fighting the gender discrimination.

Afroz MJ TurbAT

Students dropping out

Demise of politics Instead of serving the people, insatiable greed to accumulate and usurp

Candid Corner Raoof hasaN “A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices.”

—George Orwell

T

He art of politics is as old as humankind itself. it has persevered through times, changing its hues and attires in a bid to remain relevant.

Whatever may be the extent of that relevance in the current times, the dominant fact is that, for good or for bad, politics survived the challenges it faced through centuries. the question that is being debated now more than ever before is whether it is still equipped with contemporary faculties, most importantly an ethical base, to operate in the extraordinary environment that has been generated through happenings, both human- and nature-made?

Politics has always been about acquiring power and then holding on to it through means fair and foul. But human nature is such that, even during the best of times, voices of dissonance are heard. the level and intensity of this dissonance is more pronounced now than ever before. One important reason why this has happened is because the inherent instruments of checks and balances which gave democracy an edge over other forms of government have been systematically weakened. this is so because the institutions which should have defended and strengthened these oversights, for example the media, have been turned into businesses. so, instead of making these functions more tenable and powerful, the objective is to weaken them to the extent of complete obliteration so that the ominous scheme of using politics as a shield for money-generating operations could be implemented. even a cursory glance at what is being presented by the television networks and writers who muddy the opinion pages would be enough to prove that they are no professionals.

Most of them are members of self-serving clans engaged in practising their art of banditry in the guise of writers and presenters. in Pakistan, licenses have been granted to petty businesses to set up television channels while there are some print media practitioners who have publicly rubbished the idea of journalism being anything other than a business. Consequently, their interest is to further strengthen the vicious stranglehold of the beneficiary class over all

key pillars of the state so as to obstruct and istan? What were the foundational principals of eliminate the prospect of any meaningful these political parties and what have they been practising through the years of their politicking? movement for change to take shape. the civil society which usually champions Yes, there were unfortunate military interventhe ethos of a state has disintegrated because of tions which may have slowed down the maturincreasing disconnect with the mainstream. this ing of political leadership, but how can one has been systematically engineered by flocks of justify virtually all of them becoming the instithe vested interest to control politics and keep gators and accomplices of the dictators in power, it from the influence of those who may be in- with some owing their careers to the laps of the clined to triggering a reform movement. this very same despots they now abhor? How were task has been accomplished by depriving people these military mentors dubbed more important of any genuine and quality debates of substance than the Quaid himself, and how were they so so that they gradually become accustomed to petulantly reiterating their resolve to fulfil their political agendas even after the men in uniform mediocrity as their fait accompli. that is where the claimant to being the were gone? these are the sordid tales of the orifourth pillar of the state comes in, provisioning gin of Pakistan’s political elite. Let me dare say a non-stop supply of politicians of the most de- that, if an opportunity were offered to any of grading dispensations to take part in their pro- these political leaders even now to ascend the grammes as representatives of their parties. citadel of power for a price, they would kowtow then there is this vast tribe of anchors who, in to lick their feet to grab it. the ‘khalai addition to piloting their circuses, also appear makhlooq’ will instantly transform into the newas ‘analysts’– an anachronism of mammoth found benefactors. the only principle governing politics in Pakproportions. this is the vicious circuit which has been deliberately structured to represent istan is to acquire power and then hang on to it.

By opposing the FatFthe ‘intellectual’ edirelated legislation in the fice of the state. the national assembly and whole act has been the senate and attemptshamelessly contrived The choice is simple: reform ing to inject a safety to reflect the degenerative bankruptcy which the prevalent system to allow valve to camouflage the and moneyhas engulfed the entire the components of service, corruption laundering of their leadexpanse of the media. ers, these political parties the reasons for this compassion, integrity, have bared themselves of decay are also clear. the efficiency, transparency and whatever skimpy tatters nurseries which provided a trained stock of accountability become key they were hiding behind.

Weakening the federabudding politicians and factors in governance, or get tion by adopting the 18th professionals rooted in an ethical base and havamendment and transready to battle the ire of the ing undergone a causeferring bulk of the funds or purpose-related people because their survival, to the provincial excheqstruggle, be these trade their safety, their self-respect, uers to be ultimately unions or student laundered to the foreign their future – everything is at accounts unions, have been of their leaders mostly dismantled over stake. The clock is ticking! was the original sin to time. By and large, the satiate their remorseless remaining outfits have loot and plunder. What become mouthpieces remains is karachi– a for some parochial and stark, haunting and harother equally reprehensible interests, reflecting rowing testament to the wicked indulgences and a definitive decadence which has taken hold of incorrigible cruelty of the ruling elite of the land. the societal structure and direction. nothing can stir their conscience and nothing can Power remaining the dominant objective of invoke empathy for the suffering multitudes. all people practising politics, they have jointly Politics of any value has been dead for long. rendered it dependent on the acquisition of What we have instead is a wicked contraption money: the more money one has, the more people to raise illicit financial empires and perpetuate would be purchased, and the more chance one family fiefdoms to keep the country hostage in would have to ascend the throne. this is a simple, their tentacles. this evil chain has to be broken yet gruesome, formula practised by a bulk of the as, otherwise, the state would inevitably lapse political tribe: an infatuation with greed and ac- into non-existence. cumulation so that they have the funds in abunthe choice is simple: reform the prevalent dance to indulge their favourite pastime of system to allow the components of service, acquiring power. Once there, the position would compassion, integrity, efficiency, transparency be used to further fatten their coffers to pay what- and accountability become key factors in govever price is demanded to buy more people. the ernance, or get ready to battle the ire of the peowhole society would be lined up to get their ple because their survival, their safety, their pound of flesh as their legitimate right in the loot. self-respect, their future – everything is at stake. it all comes down to the politicians and their the clock is ticking! political parties. Dwight eisenhower once said that “if a political party does not have its founThe writer is a political and security stratedation in the determination to advance a cause gist, and heads the Regional Peace Institute – that is right and that is moral, then it is not a po- an Islamabad-based think tank. Email: litical party. It is merely a conspiracy to seize raoofhasan@hotmail.com.

Twitter: power”. now, what do we have here in Pak- @RaoofHasan

aCCORDinG to latest published Un report , the Covid-19 pandemic has “created the largest disruptions in the education systems in history”. the closure of learning spaces impacted nearly 94 percent of student population worldwide. almost 1.6 million students in more than 190 countries across the globe were affected by the closure of education institutions when the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic in March 2020. subsequent preventive measures to contain the spread of this contagious disease were taken; closure of schools, colleges and universities was one such step. Pakistan was among those countries.

Unfortunately, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of outof-school children (OOsC) with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school, representing 44 percent of the total population in this age group.

Opening of schools under strict sOPs is positive approach to save further educational loss.Closure of schools has been emerged as unbearable loss since last seven months that relates to drop out ratios of students for higher authorities and school administrations.this situation reflects the impacts of schools closure and rural areas have been badly affected in this period. Our rural areas are consisting on a large number of labours and small farmers who have been badly affected in flagship period of Covid-19 which compelled them to send their children at different work places to run their daily kitchen expenses when lockdown was eased by government.they could not utilize the facilities of internet and Cable network due to unavailability of these services in their respective villages for online classes and video streaming lectures. so they could not engage to their studies. in this latest scenario, What strategy now higher authorities must adopt to bring these students back to their respective schools after reopening is a big challenge. UnesCO has already alarmed in its report that more than 22 million children are out of schools in Pakistan and this figure has now enhanced during pandemic period. this is not bad but a disastrous situation for under developed countries like Pakistan who has been facing tremendous challenges like, economic, Political stability, Corruption and even more. a living nation can’nt compromise on its education and Children. they can live in hunger, frustration but can’nt without education. so, before reopening of schools , school education Department must devise its strategy to overcome further loss and bring these dropped out students back to schools. For Punjab province, this task should be given to Meas and aeO’s who have been already working in this department. they have online data of all enrolled students in their respective tablets and should frame coherently strategy in collaboration with Concerned namdardaar and secretary Union Councils. they must convince parents of those students who have been left schools during this contagion’s period and Provincial govt should announce financial package for these students. this strategy may prove very helpful in bringing dropped out students back to their respective schools.

MAhTAb Ali KhAn bAhAwAlnAgAr

Celebrating defence day eVeRY year we celebrate sep 6 as defence day to pay tribute to our armed forces, who defended the country selflessly and bravely in 1965 teaching the enemy a lesson they will never forget. Our neighbour does not believe in a peaceful co-existence and has always remained hostile toward Pakistan, never accepting our sovereignty wholeheartedly. We must prepare ourselves to face any challenge threatening our national security, as Quran also instructs the Muslims to keep their horses ready. We as a nation must come together to build a strong nation. We must use all our energies and resources to make Pakistan strong and unconquerable.

However, we need to avoid provocative language and unnecessary adventurism. We should learn from theodore Roosevelt who said “speak softly and hold a long stick and you will go a long way.” May allah make Pakistan a strong and prosperous country, aamin. rAJA ShAfAATullAh iSlAMAbAd

Funds for Karachi i am really pleased to hear from the headlines about the Pti government ( imran khan) visit to karachi on 4th september and see the risky conditions faced by the residents. after a long time i have kept imagining that khan would do the similar performance as done by the previous governments with their unwanted policies. i guess you people are obscured about karachi’s urban floodings abd heavy rain wasting humanity lives and the rain related accidents are the hazardous appearances. the basic problems have been the residents compulsions and they have tried to overcome. However, when the judged their streets, homes , roads , sewerages, solid waste and essential sectors flooded. then certainly a human could experience and acute crisis in these times of COViD-19 pandemic. the people continued to wait for khan action and urgently he unveil a massive development plan for karachi worth Rs 802 billion for progressing the poor sectors such as transport and the provision of clean drinking water . the recent rain creating havoc across the city claiming dozens of lives even i am optimized PM khan can be the shining star of Pakistan by helping the unsupported community in all occurence. bArKATullAh TurbAT

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW Mark Zuckerberg is the Most powerful unelected Man in aMerica FACEBOOK IS TOO BIG FOR DEMOCRACY

new York tiMes

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ChArlie WArzel

N Thursday, Facebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, announced the company’s “New Steps to Protect the U.S. Elections.” They include blocking new political ads in the week leading up to Election Day and attaching labels to posts containing misinformation, specifically related to the coronavirus and posts from politicians declaring victory before all the results are counted.

One can — and many will — debate just how effective these measures will be at preventing election night chaos during a pandemic. (So far Facebook’s “misleading post” labels are vague to the point of causing additional confusion for voters. Similarly, blocking new political ads one week out from the vote ignores the vast amounts of disinformation Americans are subjected to year after year.) But what seems beyond debate is just how deeply Facebook has woven

itself into the fabric of democracy.

Reading Mr. Zuckerberg’s election security blog post reminded me of a line from a seminal 2017 article by the journalist Max Read. Three years ago, Mr. Read was struck by a similar pledge from Mr. Zuckerberg to “ensure the integrity” of the German elections. The commitment was admirable, he wrote, but also a tacit admission of Facebook’s immense power. “It’s a declaration that Facebook is assuming a level of power at once of the state and beyond it, as a sovereign, self-regulating, suprastate entity within which states themselves operate.”

That power is consolidated in the decisions of its chief executive, who has voting control over the company. Here’s how Facebook’s co-founder Chris Hughes described Mr. Zuckerberg’s iron grip on the company in The Times last year:Mark’s influence is staggering, far beyond that of anyone else in the private sector or in government. He controls three core communications platforms — Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — that billions of people use every day. Facebook’s board works more like an advisory committee than an overseer, because Mark controls around 60 percent of voting shares.

Mark alone can decide how to configure Facebook’s algorithms to determine what people see in their News Feeds, what privacy settings they can use and even which messages get delivered. He sets the rules for how to distinguish violent and incendiary speech

from the merely offensive, and he can choose to shut down a competitor by acquiring, blocking or copying it.

If Mr. Hughes’s description feels hyperbolic, it may be because such a consolidation of power is actually hard to comprehend.“I think we underestimate Facebook’s power constantly,” Siva Vaidhyanathan, a professor of media studies at the University of Virginia, told me. “It’s really hard for human beings to picture in their head the actual size and influence of the platform. Something like one out of three people use the thing — it’s like nothing we’ve encountered in human history. And I’m not sure Mark Zuckerberg is even willing to contemplate his influence.

I’m not sure he’d ever sleep if he ever thought about how much power he has.”

Facebook’s power is now self perpetuating. This week provided a great example. On Tuesday, Facebook and other platforms revealed a covert operation run by the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency to sow division ahead of the presidential election by setting up a network of fake user accounts and websites. This time, though, the agency hired unwitting American freelance journalists to create the content.

There’s a grim circle-of-life quality to this news. Facebook’s unprecedented growth and commandeering of the digital advertising market — alongside Google and others — helped accelerate the collapse of journalism’s broken business models. This led to

consolidation, publications shuttering and layoffs of journalists everywhere. Facebook’s news dominance and mercurial distribution algorithms led to a rise of hyperpartisan pages and websites to fill the gaps and capitalize on the platform’s ability to monetize engagement, which in turn led to a glut of viral misinformation and disinformation that Facebook has been unable (or perhaps unwilling) to adequately police.

This free-for-all has made Facebook the platform of choice for political manipulation. Those bad actors are now hiring and exploiting the very freelance journalists displaced by the collapse of the media industry that Facebook helped accelerate. Eventually, Facebook takes action to remove the bad actors, assuring the country of its commitment to democracy and cementing its role as a protector of free and fair elections.

Facebook wins in every direction. Its size and power creates instability, the answer to which, according to Facebook, is to give the company additional authority.

This cycle is unsustainable. This summer has shown that the platform has been a prime vector for the most destabilizing forces in American life. It has helped supercharge conspiracies around the dangerous QAnon movement. It has provided organization for, and amplified calls to action from, militia movements, which have been linked to deaths in U.S. cities at protests. Its moderation policies have failed to catch blatant rule violations around voter disenfranchisement, and the conspiracy theories that go viral on the platform have found their way, time and again, to President Trump’s mouth.

When Muslim democrats are systematically executed Middle east Monitor AbderrAhmAne Amor nAzmussAkib

Executions, extrajudicial killings and the murders of former democratically-elected presidents overthrown by military coup d’états are a common phenomenon in the Muslim-majority world. In their pursuit of the application of a fusion of spiritual and secular law, as well as a will to achieve true independence from the remnants of physical and intellectual imperialism, Muslim Democrats have faced eerily similar fates. Mohammad Mosaddegh, Adnan Menderes and Mohamed Morsi serve as uniquely similar case studies of the destiny of those who advocate a democratic – yet foundationally Muslim – identity for their people in the Muslim-majority world.

IRAN: MOSADDEGH’S LONELY FATE Mohammad Mosaddegh was elected as the prime minister of Iran in 1951. With the nearly unanimous support of parliament, Mosaddegh’s government voted to nationalise Iran’s oil fields previously owned by British companies. This move sparked a diplomatic row with the UK and the shah of Iran.

Built by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company – later British Petroleum – on the basis of a lease obtained in 1909, Abadan Oil Refinery in Abadan, Iran, was one of the world’s largest oil refineries. Reacting to Mosaddegh’s attempt to nationalise oil fields, Britain initially mobilised military forces to seize control of the Abadan oil refinery, only to reverse the decision and employ Iranian agents working for the UK to undermine Mosaddegh’s government. What followed, was a collaborative covert operation by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the shah’s forces that overthrew the Mosaddegh government in 1953; the CIA would only acknowledge its role in the coup 63 years later.

Mosaddegh would be sentenced to three years’ solitary confinement in a military prison, and kept under house arrest for more than a decade.

Like the prisoners of conscience before and after him, his death can be reasonably attributed to physical and mental anguish.

The modern Iranian conscience does not forget Mosaddegh’s fate. Rather, it acts with full knowledge of a history plagued by Western intervention that aimed to stifle the democratic will. This democratic will had attempted to end the practice of extractive colonisation, while merging traditional values and secular democratic ideals. Western intervention in the 1950s would awaken a conscience that would result in the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Ultimately, Mosaddegh’s toppling – like the toppling of other democratically elected leaders – resulted in the polar opposite of its original intent of stifling the people’s will.

TURKEY: THE EXECUTION OF MENDERES Following the Republican People’s Party’s 27 year-long rule after the establishment of the republic, Adnan Menderes became the first

Facebook employees seem to understand the situation is untenable and are speaking out internally against Mr. Zuckerberg’s leadership. “He seems truly incapable of taking personal responsibility for decisions and actions at Facebook,” one Facebook employee told BuzzFeed News last week after a company meeting in response to the violence in Kenosha, Wis. With just two months to go before the election, the nation’s focus is on the integrity of the electoral process. With the president threatening to undermine the results of the election, the stakes could not be higher. As Mr. Zuckerberg wrote on Thursday, “We all have a responsibility to protect our democracy.”

But what does it say that one of those institutions charged with protecting democracy is, itself, structured more like a dictatorship?“Facebook had grown too big, and its users too complacent, for democracy,” Mr. Read concluded at the end of his 2017 piece.

His words feel prescient today as Facebook, unchecked and unregulated by governments, positions itself as a primary line of defense to protect those institutions.

At first, Mr. Zuckerberg’s recent election pledge might feel comforting (Somebody!

Doing something!). But his plan is an admission of a great power that should make Americans uncomfortable. In our quest to fend off a would-be strongman’s power grab in one realm, we ought not allow a stronger man’s power grab in another.

Charlie Warzel, a New York Times Opinion writer at large, covers technology, media, politics and online extremism.

Why Trump may win HIS RELENTLESS POSITIVITY ENERGISES AMERICANS TIRED OF HEARING THAT THE US IS BESET BY PROBLEMS

THE PLIGHTS OF THESE THREE INFLUENTIAL FIGURES ARE EERILY SIMILAR, AND SO, TOO, WERE THEIR VISIONS TO REPRESENT THE GENUINE, LEGITIMATE AND GRASSROOTS DEMANDS OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE. THESE DEMANDS WERE DENIED BY ILLEGITIMATE AND ILLEGAL JUNTAS democratically-elected prime minister of Turkey. Menderes was a democrat – and a secularist by many definitions – who merely introduced a newfound tolerance of traditional Muslim ways of life. His platform in the 1950 elections included legalising the long-outlawed Arabic Islamic call to prayer (adhan), which had been banned since the abolishment of the caliphate in 1923. In one particularly infamous speech, Menderes exclaimed that members of parliament have the democratic right to choose what form of government they preferred, even if that meant a majority in favour of reinstating a polity modelled after the caliphate.

A military coup d’état on 27 May, 1960, led to the overthrow of the elected government and Menderes’ arrest. Menderes and other leading figures of the Democrat Party were put on trial by a military court, where Menderes was sentenced to death and was executed at the gallows within a year. But Menderes’ execution produced a generation of Turks who perceived his killing as a stain of “original sin” on the republic, a sin that cannot be undone nor replicated. Current Turkish President Erdogan, then an adolescent, was one of those witnesses who recalled watching his father – a humble mariner from the Black Sea region – weep when Menderes was sentenced to death. He states that the sadness of the moment served as a catalyst for his political career.

EGYPT: MORSI’S SLOW DEATH The news of the death of Egypt’s first and only democratically-elected president Dr Mohamed Morsi – just over a year ago – was a shocking yet “entirely predictable” turn of events. Numerous major human rights organisations had pleaded for the immediate medical care Morsi was in dire need of throughout his six years in state prisons. A former warden at the infamous “Scorpion” prison wing in Cairo, Egypt, said it had been designed: “So that those who go in don’t come out again – unless dead.” Morsi, a diabetic who also suffered from high blood pressure, was held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day for the majority of six years. His family was allowed a total of three visits throughout those six years, while all demands for proper medical attention were denied. Even as Morsi collapsed in court, reportedly suffering a heart attack that eventually led to his death, fellow prisoners who were doctors by training were prevented from rushing to his aid. Erdogan, the United Nations and

various human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into this death, with a plethora of claims of premeditated murder.

Following his death, new revelations showed that just days before, Egyptian officials threatened Morsi with “consequences” if he did not agree to a public disbanding of his political party and its movement. Against his family’s wishes, Morsi’s body was hastily buried in a cemetery of the government’s choosing, within only a few hours of his death. A strict and ironic censorship of the details of his death, followed by an official rejection of a public funeral, raised many questions. In his piece shortly after Morsi’s death, David Hearst argued that current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi had ample opportunity to do away with Morsi in a more private fashion, but that if he wanted to convince the domestic and international audience that Morsi had died of natural causes, the execution would have to be done in public. This explains his collapse in a public court, rather than in a private dungeon.

The plights of these three influential figures are eerily similar, and so, too, were their visions to represent the genuine, legitimate and grassroots demands of their own people. These demands were denied by illegitimate and illegal juntas who forcibly deposed these democratically-elected leaders. Eventually, directly or indirectly, these figures were killed while imprisoned. In their quest to achieve national and cultural independence, their lives were lost.

One cannot help but draw parallels specifically between the plight of Menderes in 1960, and the plight of Morsi in the 21st century. Just as Erdogan recalls his father’s weeping at the news of Menderes’ execution, many Egyptian adolescents today who are witness to the death of Morsi will become leaders of the future, true to the struggle against physical and intellectual imperialism, and driven by the memory of oppression against the democratic will.

Abderrahmane Amor is a former staffer of the Bernie Sanders for President Campaign and a PhD student at the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University.NazmusSakib is a PhD candidate at the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University. His political commentaries have appeared in TRTWorld, Newsweek, Forbes Magazine, the Daily Sabah, Open Democracy, etc.

tiMes of india kAntibAjpAi

A month ago, Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden was leading President Donald Trump by double digits in the polls. Now that the party conventions are over and the candidates have been officially declared, Biden’s lead has narrowed. In some key states including Michigan and Minnesota, he may already be trailing.

Trump will win for several reasons. The first is that Biden is an unexciting prospect. He is older than Trump and he shows his age more than his rival. Looks should not matter, but inevitably they do. Even sympathetic voters will ask if Biden is up to the job.

It may or may not be his age, but the Democratic hopeful is prone to gaffes.

He is also a consummate Washington insider which makes him a target of voter resentment. And to make matters worse, he is a presidential loser: he failed to win the Democratic nomination in both 1988 and 2008. In the presidential debates, Trump will exploit all these weaknesses.

The second reason that Trump will win is that his base is substantial and loyal. Some of those who voted for him are disillusioned. Equally, some who were Trump neutral or negative have moved over to him – for his economic policies, libertarian handling of Covid19, anti-China policies and delivering on electoral promises (including exiting trade deals, climate agreements and international organisations). Above all, Trump’s relentless positivity energises millions of Americans who are tired of hearing the US is beset by problems.

Add to this that the Russians are once again spreading disinformation to fire up Trump’s base and that US intelligence agencies are helpless to stop Moscow for fear of retribution from the president.

A third factor propelling Trump to victory is that the Republican Party over the years has used gerrymandering and other tactics to suppress the vote. It

has redrawn electoral boundaries, altered timings for voting on election day, and played with electoral rolls and voting eligibility. Overall, it has created fear and uncertainty amongst voters in order to reduce the turnout of minority and other disadvantaged groups who traditionally vote Democrat. The Republican Party did this very successfully in 2016 and is poised to do it again.

Fourth, minorities in America will probably not vote for Biden in the kind of numbers he needs. He may do somewhat better than Hillary Clinton, but that is not saying much. She lost votes in the black and Latino community, and especially the latter. Biden has a history of taking stands that offend black people including his opposition to schoolbusing for racial integration and his support of strong police action against black suspects (especially black men).

Nor will Kamala Harris be sufficiently attractive to black voters, some of whom do not even see her as a member of their community. She also has no particularly strong connection with Latinos. She cannot therefore help burnish his image amongst minorities.

Finally, the responses to police violence against black citizens including marches, toppling offensive statues, looting shops, counter-violence, and threats of police defunding will sway a significant section of voters towards Trump. White suburban women voted disproportionately for Trump in 2016 and he is playing to their insecurity. The events in Portland, Kenosha and Chicago will increasingly be portrayed

by Trump as anarchical behaviour needing a firm law-and-order hand. His stand has already resonated with some white voters and will have an impact on conservative-minded and socially ambitious Asian voters as well.

Four more years of Trump is an agonising prospect for America and the rest of the world. Ahead of us is the real possibility that his daughter Ivanka will try to succeed him. The US has always had a fascination with monarchy and love of dynasty. The Kennedy and Bush dynasties are done. Trump’s long-term goal is to launch a new political dynasty. Sadly, American democracy is at a tipping point.

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

buSineSS 09

FinAnciAl scAM in PAkisTAn PosT uneArThed

corporate corner

ISLAMABAD

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LAHORE: Chughtai Lab recently hosted the launch of its radiology services at their head office. Chughtai Lab’s radiology services are an attempt to deliver top quality services to our patients, with the same level of convenience and reliability that Chughtai Lab is known for.

Now patients can avail all the services under one roof at 7 Jail Road, Gulberg 3, Lahore. PreSS reLeASe

Weekly inflation rises 0.8pc ISLAMABAD APP

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on September 3 witnessed an increase of 0.80pc as compared to the previous week. The SPI for the week under review in the combined income group was recorded at 136.11 points as against 135.03 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed a surge of 9.47pc. The weekly SPI with the base year 2015-16 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups. The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, also witnessed an increase of 1.06pc, as it went up from 141.50 points in the last week to 143.00 points.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517; Rs29,518Rs44,175; Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month inched up by 1.01pc, 0.90pc, 0.86pc and 0.69pc, respectively. During the week, prices of six items decreased, 20 items increased while that of 25 items remained constant. The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included bananas, sugar, mash pulse, rice (basmati broken) masoor pulse and wheat flour. The commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices included tomatoes, onions, eggs, chicken, potatoes, matchbox, garlic, garm pulse, LPG cylinder, cooked beef, firewood, curd, toilet soap, vegetable ghee, washing soap, gur, cooking oil (loose), moong pulse, vegetable ghee (tin) and milk (fresh). Similarly, the prices of commodities that observed no change during the week under review included rice (Irri 6/9), bread, mutton, milk (powdered) mustard oil, salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, petrol, diesel and telephone call charges.

SHAHZAD PArACHA

financial scam worth millions of rupees has surfaced in the Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD) owing to the connivance of its officials.

Documents show that the management of PPOD, in 2012, entered into a contract with M/s Telconet to automate the workings of seven financial services in 83 general post offices (GPOs) throughout the country, however, inquiry report about Centralized Software Solutions (CSS) revealed that the system was not working effectively even after the lapse of seven years.

Telconet, an ISO 9001 certified organization headquartered in Islamabad, is involved in a diverse range of businesses and solutions, including technology and IT infrastructure, energy systems, and software services. The company has a global presence in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and a liaison office in the United States of America as well.

The postal services secretary had

constituted a three-member committee in September 2019, on the supervision of Senior Joint-Secretary Khalida Gulnar, joined by section officers Waqar Masood and Muzammil Hussain.

The inquiry committee was designated with the task of probing the award of extension in the existing contract, despite major shortcomings in the fulfilment of contractual obligations and severe negligence of the contractor.

The committee was responsible for calculating the aggregate amount paid after the expiration of the initial contract that went on for three years and identifying the officers responsible for the contract extension and other violations associated with it. The inquiry committee in its findings reported that although a foreign-based solution was vital, competition was forcefully restricted as bidding for the financial services only invited domestic contractors rather than international contractors.

Furthermore, the PPOD failed to provide the draft contract between Telconet and PPOD to law and justice division for vetting and violated the pubic procurement rules set up by the Public

Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), particularly the clause of repeat orders at 15 per cent of the project cost, to automate 40 sub-post offices favouring the contractor.

Similarly, PPRA rules also entail the provision of an integrity pact which was not signed between PPOD and M/s Telconet. Moreover, PPOD made an advance payment of Rs77.634 million in full to M/s Telconet without fulfilment of the contractual obligations whatsoever.

The contract was extended by two years in 2015 and 2017 without any performance evaluation, standing in clear violation of the PPRA rules.

Documents show that the contractor Telconet violated several terms of the contract as the permission to use the application software at 83 GPOs is yet to be provided by the company, and Telconet has miserably failed to provide the implementation of its services even a year later than the agreed time span of three years. In addition, Telconet and PPOD failed to provide any proof that user acceptance testing at pilot sites were conducted while the product was already given to the department for a

10-year usage.

The inquiry committee mentioned in its report that despite the lapse of seven years, the contractor could not achieve its commitment about 100 per cent completion of working on the "software application of CSS for financial services of Pakistan Post.”

Documents show that the contractor not only failed to provide copies of the development of manuals for the project but also enabled the PPOD to obtain and utilize the background technology.

Documents show that the Telconet was offered to present its statement on the above allegations and on the ‘pending tasks’. Telconet conveyed that it has paid a total amount of $657,500 to M/s Eschew Group since 2012 and pointed out that the back office module was not part of the initial contract. Furthermore, it responded by saying that PPOD management could not identify the functional details of the back office module.

The scribe sent a message to the higher-ups of the Ministry of communication, Pakistan Post and CEO of Telconet but no response was received till the filing of the story

Razak Dawood urges exporters to focus on high-end manufacturing PM'S AIDE SAYS COMMERCE MINISTRY WORKING A THREEYEAR PLAN TO RATIONALISE DUTIES ON RAW MATERIALS BUSINESS DESK Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has assured the country's exporters of his all-out support and facilitation.

He gave this assurance while inaugurating an export facilitation centre at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) on Saturday. The adviser hoped that the LCCI’s export facilitation centre would contribute towards enhancement of exports, besides providing efficient services to exporters.

"We need to shift from low value-added products to high-end manufacturing...our focus should be on the strengthening of the manufacturing sector so that dependence on imports could be averted. Along with exports, Pakistan needs to enhance the cope of its services."

Dawood informed that the government had abolished import duties on 41pc industrial raw materials, which make more than

1,600 tariff lines.

He said the Ministry of Commerce was working on a threeyear plan to rationalise tariff, especially the duties on raw materials. The plan, being finalised in consultation with chambers and associations, would encourage value addition.

"The ministry is also working on making the process of getting refunds easier for the exporters," he said, adding that the tariffs were now being determined by the commerce ministry and not the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

He said that land acquisition for special economic zones had become costly as soon as we announced the development on any site. To counter this issue, we have suggested bringing a lease policy so that the land in SEZs would be available on a lease basis, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Irfan Iqbal

Sheikh said that the chamber believes in keeping sound working relations with the government departments, especially the Ministry of Commerce, for the betterment of Pakistan's economy.

He informed that the retail sector has incurred a lot of costs and efforts on the development of infrastructure for integration with the FBR’s computerized system for real-time reporting.

"However, the benefit of reduced rate of sales tax (from 14pc to 12pc) is being provided to limited sectors (i.e. finished fabric, textile and textile made-ups and leather and artificial leather related products)," he noted, recommending that all the sub-sectors of retail sectors should benefit from the reduced rate of 12pc.

He suggested that no audit should be conducted for at least two years for such retailers who opt for integration under this regime.

He said that the Covid-19 has adversely impacted Pakistan’s economy which was already facing stiff economic challenges including high debt, devaluation, inflation, fiscal deficit and shrinking of GDP. The industrial sector has also been facing negative growth rate since the last couple of years.

Sheikh said the exports hold great importance for Pakistan’s economy as they were the main source of revenue generation, employment creation and maintaining the balance of payments stability.

Another ship carrying 65,000MT wheat reaches Pakistan ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS

The second vessel carrying 65,000 metric tonnes of wheat reached Karachi port on Friday evening, and was allowed to be unloaded after qualified mandatory quarantine on Saturday. An inspection team of experts from the Department of Plant Protection, led by DPP Director-General Dr Falak Naz, conducted a detailed inspection of the imported wheat keeping in view the requirements of the import permit granted to the private sector. With the arrival of the second vessel, the total import of wheat from Ukraine has now totalled 125,804 metric tonnes. The third vessel, MV Coventry, carrying 69,000 metric tonnes of wheat, is scheduled to dock at Karachi port on September 8, according to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

Meanwhile, National Food Security and Research Secretary Omer Hamid Khan has contacted the chief secretaries of Sindh and Punjab to seek support in unhindered interprovincial movement of the imported wheat. On behalf of the ministry, DPP DirectorGeneral Dr Falak Naz, along with wheat importers, held a meeting with Sindh Food Secretary Laeeq Ahmed to discuss the inter-provincial movement of wheat, who assured his full support. The MNFS&R has been regularly supervising all components of the wheat import chain and was opting a proactive approach to minimise the chances of any kind of delay.

Subsequently, all concerned departments were on board to facilitate wheat import and address the ongoing national issue of wheat price hike.

Study reveals flaws in Pakistan’s long-term power capacity plan NEWS DESK In a recent study conducted by the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), in collaboration with the Alliance for Climate Justice and Clean Energy, it was revealed that Pakistan’s long-term power generation capacity plan has flaws ranging from an overly optimistic growth forecast for demand, addition of expensive and unnecessary power, and prioritization of coal over renewable energy.

“Power demand growth forecasts made under the Integrated Generation Capacity Enhancement Plan-2047 [IGCEP-2047] are too high and do not take into account the impact of Covid-19,” IEEFA said in the study titled ‘Pakistan risks locking into overcapacity and expensive power’.

The IGCEP assumes that GDP growth will increase from 4pc in 2020 to 5.5pc by 2025, and remains at that level till 2047. The IGCEP’s medium demand growth forecast was too optimistic even before Covid-19 but the pandemic has made it even more obsolete, it said.

LOOPHOLES INCLUDE ‘OVERLY OPTIMISTIC GROWTH FORECAST FOR DEMAND, ADDITION OF EXPENSIVE AND UNNECESSARY POWER, AND PRIORITISATION OF COAL OVER RENEWABLE ENERGY’ This could lead to risks of locking in over-capacity in the long term, a phenomenon that is already being experienced in China, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh–nations that over estimated their demand growth.

Owing to the IGCEP’s overly optimistic power demand growth, more power capacity than needed is planned to be built, the IEEFA warned, adding that the country’s long-term energy plan fails to live up to the government’s stated principles of sustainability and affordability.

“The Pakistan government’s principle of affordability cannot be met if the power system is locked into long-term overcapacity– capacity payments to plants lying idle are already an issue and would become even more unsustainable if more overcapacity is locked in,” said Simon Nicholas, the author

of the study.

Notwithstanding the fact that wind and solar were already the cheapest sources of power generation in Pakistan and would be even cheaper in the 2030s and 2040s, he said, the IGCEP had neglected modern clean energy in its model after 2030.

Modelling declining contribution from renewables post-2030, the IGCEP-2047 seemed to have been oblivious to current power trends, he said.

The study points out various flaws in the IGCEP. It says, for example, that under the Base Case scenario, the 5.3GW coal-fired power plants fuelled by imported coal expected to be operational by 2030 have a collective utilisation of just 14pc. This basically means these coal plants are stranded – they cannot operate commercially at such a low

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utilisation rate without very generous capacity payments paid to them whilst they sit idle.

The same holds true for the three operational imported coal-fired power plants as well as coal and LNG plants yet to be completed. With utilization at virtually zero by 2047, the addition of 20,000 megawatts of unneeded LNG-fired power capacity between 2030 and 2047, as modelled under the plan, would prove to be expensive stranded assets.

The author termed the indigenization of power through domestic coal-fired power expensive and said renewable energy could reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports and produce power cheaper than coal power. “By prioritizing expensive coal power over cheap renewables,” Nicholas said. “The IGCEP further failed to live up to the government’s affordability principle.”

Besides this, the large amounts of domestic coal power to be introduced under the IGCEP-2047 would also lead to a significant increase, not decrease, in the overall carbon emissions of Pakistan’s power system, he said, adding that the IGCEP failed the government’s sustainability principle as well as

one of its stated goals of reduced carbon emissions.

Pakistan would be far better off reducing its reliance on fossil fuel imports via an appropriate emphasis on renewable energy. By switching focus from expensive and polluting domestic coal-fired power to renewables, the IGCEP would be better able to live up to the government’s principles of affordability and sustainability, the report said.

Haneea Isaad of Rural Development Policy Institute questioned the methodology used in the IGCEP-2047 to define the least cost generation option and underlined the need to overhaul the modelling approach used for its development.

She said the cost-benefit analysis made for the IGCEP-2047 didn’t take into account the cost of auxiliary services such as transmission or water infrastructure that would be constructed to run power plants in Thar. Nor did Pakistan’s long-term power capacity plan give any substantial consideration to better storage options to be available in future, the country’s international environmental commitments and emission reduction targets.

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

10 DEFENCE DAY SPECIAL

RemembeRing waR heRoes Defence Day is celebrated as a national day to commemorate the memory of Pakistan’s successful defence against India that marked the ceasefire in the 1965 war on September 6.

The war saw aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) engaging in combat for the first time since independence. Though the two forces had previously faced off in the First Kashmir War during the late 1940s, that engagement was very limited in scale compared to the 1965 conflict.

Many officers sacrificed their lives for the country and were awarded “Nishan-e-Haider” for their acts of exceptional bravery.

MaJor raJa aziz bhatti shaheed:

Major Aziz Bhatti valiantly defended BRB Canal against the enemy in Lahore’s Burki area in the 1965 war. Bhatti kept the Indian troops from advancing by valiantly fighting along with his forward platoon for five days, braving the Indian artillery and tanks.

He embraced martyrdom after being hit by an enemy tank shell on September 12.

air Vice Marshal eric Gordon hall:

MM alaM:

During the war, five Indian fighter planes headed towards PAF Base Sargodha.

However, Alam created history by destroying all the five invaders. The fighter jet he flew can still be seen inside Lahore’s Town Hall Park. He passed away on March 18, 2013, at the age of 78 years.

During 1965 war, Hall served as the founding chairman of Pakistan’s Atomic Energy Commission and planned the dramatic adventure ‘Hercules Bomber’.

He received the Hilal-e-Jurat, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, and Sitara-e-Jurat for his services.

MuhaMMad akraM:

cecil chaudhry:

Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry was an academic, human rights activist, and veteran fighter pilot. As a flight lieutenant, he fought in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 and later, as a squadron leader, in the IndoPakistani War of 1971. During the 1965 war, Chaudhry and three other pilots, under the leadership of Wing Commander Anwar Shamim, attacked the Amritsar Radar Station in a difficult operation. He was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat (Star of Courage) for his actions during that mission.

Akram participated in 1965 Indo-Pak September War as a Captain where he led several successful military operations against the Indian Army. While stationed in Lahore, Akram commanded a small company which led several decisive operations against the Indian Armed Forces. Later, he was awarded Pakistan military’s highest decoration, the Nishan-e-Haider, for his actions during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

MaJor-General iftikhar JanJua:

Iftikhar Janjua, who belonged to the Ahmadi faith, earned the title of ‘Hero of Rann Kutch’ after he captured the Indian part of Rann of Kutch as a Brigade Commander in April 1965, prior to the war.

shabbir sharif:

Rana Shabbir Sharif was a Pakistani Army officer. He is the only person to receive both the Nishan-e-Haider and Sitara-e-Jurat for his bravery. He lost his life on December 6, 1971, in the line of action.

lieutenant General abdul ali Malik:

A member of the Ahmadiyya community, Lt Gen Abdul Ali Malik commanded the 24th Infantry Brigade during the Chawinda Confrontation in 1965.

MuhaMMad hussain JanJua:

Sowar Muhammad Hussain being the part of Pakistan Army was in the 20th Lancers Armoured regiment, when war broke out in 1971, Sawar Muhammad Hussain took an active part in every battle in which his unit was engaged unmindful of any danger, no matter how grave. He was hit in the chest by a burst of machine-gun fire and embraced martyrdom on December 10, 1971, at the age of 22.

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

SPORTS 11

EoIn MorgAn hAILs boWLErs' bELIEF As EngLAnd stEAL IMprobAbLE EpIc SOUTHAMPTON AGENCIES

Eoin Morgan has hailed his bowling attack's belief in their own strengths after Australia's late-innings implosion allowed England to squeeze out a two-run win in the first T20I at the Ageas Bowl on Friday night.

Australia needed 39 from 36 balls at the start of Adil Rashid's final over, but he removed both Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell to give England an opening.

That meant Morgan gave Jofra Archer and Mark Wood their respective final overs earlier than anticipated as he looked to expose Australia's main weakness - their lack of power below No. 4 - and he was rewarded when they removed David Warner and Alex Carey respectively.

For the first time, I wasn’t abused in England: Warner

Morgan admitted that Australia had been "in command for the majority" of the runchase, but he credited his bowlers' ability with the old white ball for delivering a series of breakthroughs, allowing them a foothold in a game that appeared to have slipped away.

"We have talked as a side about making inroads and when we do, we have threats to take maybe two or three at a time," Morgan said. "Some of our pace bowlers and Adil have posed that threat, making it particularly difficult for people coming in and facing them straight away.

"I think after Moeen's over, things started to turn for us. We got the ball reverseswinging a little bit, but again, creating that opportunity with Adil getting Maxwell and Smith created that opportunity."

"I thought we might end up running out of our best bowlers earlier, but they seemed to continue to take risks, particularly against Adil and then Jof came back earlier as a consequence of that."

Morgan said that after Australia's fast start - Aaron Finch and Warner put on 98 for the first wicket in 11 overs - England had little choice but to look for wickets, and he was prepared to lose the game by a significant margin rather than take it deep but never look like getting back into it.

"We needed to take wickets to try and stay in the game. I don't mind if we lose the game inside 16 overs.," he said. "To try and win the game is the priority, so you have to chase your tail a little bit or come up with different things.

"I'm delighted the guys showed belief

and courage to do something to take wickets, and that was displayed a lot in the last six overs when we held our length a lot because it was the hardest to hit.

"Over two years ago we would have gone to bowling yorkers or slower balls which would have brought Australia back into the game. It was great that we stuck

to our guns."

Morgan gave particular praise to Tom Curran - who held his nerve after being hit for six by Marcus Stoinis to leave Australia needing nine to win from the final four balls - and Chris Jordan, who bowled a brilliant 19th over on the night he won his 50th T20I cap.

Mani doesn’t want new ICC chief from cricket’s ‘Big Three’

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David Warner for one wouldn’t mind playing cricket without crowd in England. The Australia opening batsman, who over the years, hasn’t shared the greatest of rapport with the English crowd, and would usually end up getting booed or jeered by the crowd, did not encounter the wrath during the opening match of the T20I series. “It was the first time I’ve been here (England) and not got abuse. It was quite nice,” Warner said after the match. “You get that up and going (from the crowd). That’s why we love playing home and away. There’s home advantage and away advantage.”

Warner’s equation with the English crowd changed for the worse for the first time after the Australia batsman had punched captain Joe Root in a bar in Birmingham during the 2013 Ashes. Ever since, the English crowd has simply refused to warm-up to Warner. Besides, the fact that Warner was banned for 12 months for his role in the infamous ball tampering scandal, only prompted the crowd to become even more hostile, which was evident during last year’s Ashes. That said, Warner was happy to be back playing international cricket. He is expected to fly to India and join the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad in the UAE and ahead of the tournament, there’s nothing like getting some quality practice against a top-notch team. “But we’re always up for international cricket.

We’re just grateful to be back playing and want to make the most of that.” Warner said there were no excuses to offer for the defeat and his side were outplayed by England.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani is against the idea of someone from among the ‘big three’ nations of India, England and Australia becoming the next ICC chairperson, saying it would be “healthier” for the game to select someone from other boards.

Mani said there was some kind of “politics introduced” by BCCI, Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in the ICC. The ICC chairman’s post has been lying vacant since July after the departure of Indian Shashank Manohar. The ICC Board is yet to take a decision on whether the process to choose the new chairman should be based on a twothirds majority vote or a simple major-

ity. Imran Khwaja is presently serving as the interim chairman.

“It’s unfortunate it has taken so long. The politics introduced by Australia, England and India in 2014 to protect their positions - now they are struggling to unwind it because it doesn’t suit them anymore,” Mani was quoted as saying by the Forbes magazine. “It would be healthier to have someone (the chairperson) not from the ‘Big Three’.”

Mani, who served as the ICC chairman from 2003-06, however, quashed speculation that he is interested in the top job. “I was never interested. A few of the directors asked me but I told them that I’m there to only serve Pakistan. I’ve done it all before,” he said.

Colin Graves, whose term as ECB

chairman ended on August 31, has been touted as a candidate, as has BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. The names of New Zealand Cricket chairman Greg Barclay and former Cricket West Indies head Dave Cameron are also doing rounds.

“There is a huge problem of conflict of interest on the board,” Mani said. “I’ve never seen that before, not in 17 years. This sort of conflict of interest is not transparent. The ICC is crying out for more independent directors.”

Mani backed Graves’ recent statement that ICC’s financial model in which the BCCI and ECB (USD 139 million) get more than the other boards needs to be reworked.

“It’s not only the funding model that is wrong and skewered to India and also to some degree England. They allocated ICC events to themselves, gave themselves generous hosting fees and the benefits from gate money and hospitality,” he said.

“In 2019 (World Cup, hosts) England would have made what Pakistan, West Indies or South Africa do over an eight-year period. That’s what’s wrong with the system. There are some countries who won’t be able to survive if this funding model continues.”

Mani said Pakistan survived without playing India. “Can you imagine if that happened to Cricket Australia if India didn’t come?” he asked.

Messi commits to Barcelona for a year, but long-term future still in doubt BARCELONA AGENCIES

Lionel Messi said he will stay at Barcelona but only because the club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu broke his word to let him leave. Messi's stinging attack on Bartomeu and the club means his future still remains in doubt. Even if he is not allowed to go this summer, 33-year-old Messi can negotiate with other teams from January 1 and leave for free when his contract expires in July. Bartomeu could yet respond with his resignation, having previously indicated he would step down if Messi publicly said he was the problem and agreed to stay.

"It has been a long time since there has been a project or anything at all," Messi said in an explosive interview with Goal.

"They are always juggling and plugging gaps."

Messi believed he had a clause in his contract that meant he could leave for free at the end of last season but Barca said that option expired on June 10.

"The president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay and in the end he didn't end up keeping his word," Messi said. "And this is the reason why I am going to continue in the club... because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the 700-million-euro release clause.

"This is impossible, and then the other way was to go to trial. I would never go to court against Barca because it is the club that I love, that gave me everything since I arrived, it is the club of my life, I have made my life here."

Barcelona responded to Messi's pledge by posting a picture of the striker on Instagram in the club's new kit, with the caption: "I'm going to give my best. My love for Barca will never change".

Messi had requested to leave the club he joined as a boy following Barcelona's humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with Manchester City the favourites to sign him.

His lawyers sent Barca a burofax on August 25 stating his intention to depart but Messi says he made his feelings clear to Bartomeu long before.

"I told the club, especially the president, that I wanted to go," said Messi. "I've been telling him all year. I believed it was time to step aside.

"Everything became difficult" "I believed that the club needed more young people, new people and I thought my time in Barcelona was over, feeling very sorry because I always said that I wanted to finish my career here.

"It was a very difficult year, I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room. Everything became very difficult for me and there came a time when I considered looking for new goals, new horizons.

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"It wasn't because of the Champions League result against Bayern, I had been thinking about it for a long time. I told the president and the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay and in the end he did not end up keeping his word."

Barcelona ended the season without a trophy for the first time since 2008, which also extended Messi's unsuccessful run in the Champions League to five years.

He has scored 634 goals and won 34 titles with the club that he joined as a 13-year-old and where he came through the ranks at La Masia.

Messi said his decision to leave left his wife and three sons distraught.

"When I told my family that I could go it was a drama," he said. "They all started crying."

Despite his unhappiness at having to stay, the Argentinian insists he will give his all for the team next season under new coach Ronald Koeman, who is trying to overhaul the squad.

"I am going to continue at Barca and my attitude is not going to change, no matter how much I have wanted to go," Messi said.

"I will do my best. I always want to win, I am competitive and I don't like to lose ever."

Messi was absent from pre-season training last week as he continued to try to force a move.

‘Angry’ Khawaja finds focus after ‘frank chat’ with coach Langer AGENCIES Left ‘angry and frustrated’ after being sidelined from the national team more than a year ago, Australia’s Usman Khawaja says a frank chat with coach Justin Langer has helped him get over the disappointment and focus on a comeback. The 33-year-old, who had amassed 1,085 ODI runs at 49.31 last year, didn’t find a place in Australia’s 50-over squad for tours of India and South Africa early in 2019, and was also left out from the 21-man group, which is currently in England for a limited over series.

Khawaja was also not included in the team for the home Test series against Pakistan and New Zealand following his omission from the 2019 Ashes and it has been more than a year since he last played for the national team. “There was a bigger squad (for the UK white-ball tour) so it was a bit disappointing, but I mean I’ve been dropped and in and out so many times that I’ve just learned to deal with it, much better than I would’ve say 10 years ago,” Khawaja told cricket.com.au. “I was a lot more disappointed when I first got left out of Indian tour, because at that time I felt like I very much belonged in that team, I was averaging 50 in one-day cricket for that period of time, I was in the top three or four run-scorers for the world in that year, so I didn’t really understand it. “It was a really frustrating decision, and I was really angry for a period of that time.” Khawaja, who has so far scored 2887 runs and 1554 runs in 44 Tests and 40 ODIs respectively, said a frank conversation with chief coach Langer calmed his mind. “Fortunately I talked to JL (Langer) about three or four weeks after that happened … and got it all out in the open. It was a really good chat to have, and after that I’ve been really good; I’ve focused again on just worrying about my cricket. “You want to ask selectors if there’s anything specific that’s sticking out (regarding non-selection) but in this case that’s not it; in this case, I’m a top-order batsman and you’ve got Steve Smith, Dave Warner and the captain, Aaron Finch, ahead of me. “I was hoping to be a spare batsman in that top order which I thought I might’ve been this (UK tour), but I wasn’t, and that’s OK.” Khawaja said he is close to making a comeback and will look to earn his place back with a good performance in the upcoming season.

Sunday, 6 September, 2020

PrAyEr tImINGS

NEWS

Nawaz tO retUrN ON meDiCal team'S aDviCe, SayS Pml-N AHSAN IQBAL SAYS NAWAZ IS 'OUR ASSET AND THE NATION'S ASSET' AND NO COMPROMISE ON HIS HEALTH AND LIFE CAN BE MADE LAHORE

t

StAff rEPort

HE Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) on Saturday said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was in London for his treatment and he would return to the country on the advice of his medical team.

Addressing a press conference along with senior party leaders, including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Rana Tanvir and Rana Sanaullah, at Model Town, Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal said

that Nawaz was allowed to travel abroad owing to his serious health condition, in the light of his medical reports.

Iqbal expressed the hope that the judiciary would take into consideration that the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic had occurred soon after Nawaz left for the United Kingdom and health services and treatments worldwide had been disrupted as a result.

"The delay in health services and treatment affected not only Nawaz Sharif but all other patients [as well]. We hope the judiciary will take this into consideration."

Iqbal added that Nawaz had "set an ex-

ample not seen previously in Pakistan's history" by leaving his ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz and returning to Pakistan in 2018 to "follow the law".

"This is why any discussion on [Nawaz's health] is dismissive of his example and an insult to humanity," he said.

Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government members for "conjecturing" about Nawaz's health, he said they had done the same when Kulsoom was ill. "They used to make irresponsible statements regarding Kulsoom Nawaz's health and were not even ashamed later," he said.

"This is a very serious matter and cannot be decided on talk shows. Nawaz Sharif is our asset and the nation's asset and no compromise on his health and life can be made," Iqbal added.

"He was granted permission to leave for treatment. He did not go for an excursion which is why he will return when his doctors decide he is healthy and fit to return. Our legal team will proceed according to the law," he further said. "[PML-N workers] request him to complete his treatment [...] When his doctors tell him he is fit to go, he will come back without any delay," the PML-N leader said.

Responding to a question about the multiparty conference (MPC) due to be held by the opposition, Iqbal said that the meeting of the Rehbar Committee had decided it would be held on September 20.

Rescuers search Beirut rubble for third day, with nation transfixed BEIRUT AGENCIES

Kashmir issue to remain on agenda of UNSC: FO ISLAMABAD APP

Pakistan on Saturday said that Kashmir issue will remain on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) until Kashmiris are granted their inherent right to self-determination through a free impartial plebiscite. In his tweets, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that Jammu and Kashmir dispute is one of the oldest items on the UNSC agenda. "India-Pakistan Question is one of the oldest items on UNSC agenda. The Question remains on the agenda since India has never implemented UNSC Resolutions on J&K dispute,” he said.

He said that India continues to deny Kashmiris' inalienable right to self-determination enshrined in UNSC resolutions.

Rescue workers continued to dig through the rubble of a Beirut building for a third day on Saturday, still hoping to find someone alive more than a month after a massive port explosion shattered Lebanon’s capital.

About 50 rescue workers and volunteers, including a specialist team from Chile, had yet to locate anyone after sensors on Thursday detected signs of breathing and heat.

But they said they would continue while there was a small chance of finding a survivor, and had narrowed their search.

“Always in search operations like

this, you can neither lose hope nor absolutely say there is hope,” George Abou Moussa, director of operations in Lebanon’s civil defence, told Reuters.

The Aug. 4 blast killed about 190 people, injured 6,000 more and devastated whole neighborhoods. The authorities held ceremonies on Friday to mark a month since the explosion tore into a city already reeling from a crippling economic crisis.

Rescue efforts dominated local and social media, as the Lebanese were transfixed, desperate for some good news.

The ruined building where the search was continuing lies between the residential districts of Gemmayze

and Mar Mikhael, among the hardest hit areas by the blast and home to many old buildings that crumbled as the shockwave ripped through.

Work was slow, rescue workers said, as the badly damaged building was at risk of collapse.

“The building is really crumbling, it’s scary and there’s a lot of danger to the team,” Abou Moussa said. Workers were using shovels and their hands to dig, while mechanical diggers and a crane lifted heavy debris. Emmanuel Durand, a French civil engineer who was training local university students, volunteered his services and was working with the rescuers to monitor the structure.

Coronavirus crisis shatters India’s big dreams SURAT AGENCIES

The hit that India’s dreams have taken from the coronavirus pandemic can be found in the hushed streets of Surat’s industrial zone.

One can see it in textile mills that took generations to build but are now

sputtering, eking out about one-tenth of the fabric they used to make.

Not so long ago, India’s future looked entirely different. It boasted a sizzling economy that was lifting millions out of poverty, building modern mega cities and amassing serious geopolitical firepower. It aimed to give its people

a middle-class lifestyle, update its woefully vintage military and become a regional political and economic superpower that could someday rival China, Asia’s biggest success story.But the economic devastation in Surat and across the country is imperilling many of India’s aspirations.

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

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"The MPC session will be called during a session of the National Assembly and further discussion [on all parties' agenda] will be held then," he added.

On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC), while directing the former prime minister to “surrender” before the court, had ordered him to appear in person in the next hearing in the Avenfield House reference on September 5.

“The court is not declaring him [Sharif] an absconder. We are instead providing him an opportunity to surrender before the court,” Justice Aamer Farooq had remarked.

A two-member bench of the high court, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Farooq, had taken up appeals of PML-N supreme leader, party’s Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her husband, Mohammad Safdar, against their respective sentences in the aforesaid reference.

The bench had also heard an appeal filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Nawaz’s acquittal in the Flagship reference as well as appeals against his conviction in the Al-Azizia reference.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Justice Farooq had said that the court was not declaring Nawaz an absconder and was giving him “one more chance to surrender”. “We are not taking a final decision as yet,” it added.

13 killed, 30 injured in Dhaka mosque gas pipeline blast DHAKA AGENCIES

A gas pipeline explosion near a mosque in Bangladesh killed at least 13 people and injured 30 as worshippers were about to end their prayers, officials said on Saturday. The explosion, which fire service officials suspect was caused by leakage from the pipeline, occurred on Friday night at a mosque in Narayanganj district, just outside the capital, Dhaka.

Dozens were rushed to Dhaka's state-run specialised burn and plastic-surgery hospital, most of them with severe burns. Thirteen people, including a sevenyear-old child, died after they sustained burns, said Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of the burns unit. The death toll could rise further as many of them were in a critical condition, he said. Fire officials said gas that accumulated in the mosque after pipeline leaks likely triggered the blasts. "We primarily suspect that gas leaked from the pipeline and accumulated inside the mosque since the windows were shut. When the air conditioners was turned on, due to sparks the gas could have exploded," said Abdullah Al Arefin, a senior fire service official. All six air conditioners in the mosque exploded during the incident, he said. Authorities have launched an investigation into the blast.

In Bangladesh, safety regulations are often flouted in construction. Hundreds are killed each year in fires in the nation of 168 million people. In February last year, an inferno in Dhaka's old quarters killed 78 people. One month later, 25 people were killed when a blaze engulfed an office building in the city.