EpaperISB_2020-10-3

Saturday, 3 October, 2020 I 14 Safar, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 94 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

‘GilGit-Baltistan polls to Be held without army’s help’ g

GB CEC says all partiEs on Board to EnsurE frEE and fair ElECtions in thE autonomous rEGion

ISLAMABAD staff report

G

ilGit-Baltistan (GB) Caretaker Chief minister mir afzal on friday said that army’s help will not be taken in the legislative assembly elections in the autonomous region, while emphasising that any help taken during the elections would only be from the police and paramilitary forces.

“We will prove that police and paramilitary forces have full capability to help with conducting the elections,” he said, adding that they “will set an example for the whole country by conducting GB elections without [help from] the army”.

he did, however, inform the media persons that the army could be posted in “sensitive areas”. afzal also reiterating the neutrality of the caretaker government and said they would prevent any type of rigging. the legislative assembly of the GilgitBaltistan had dissolved after it completed its five-year tenure on June 24. meanwhile, GB Chief Election Commissioner raja shahbaz Khan said that Election Commission of pakistan (ECp) has taken on board all political parties to ensure free and fair elections in the region, adding that no government official could visit the region or run an election campaign according to the rules of conduct

Coronavirus in

pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

313,431

LAST UPDATED AT 7:31 AM ON OCTOBER 2, 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

15

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

625

DEATHS:

298,055 6,499 SINDH:

137,467

PUNJAB:

99,605

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

37,845

15,302

2,754/3,808 16,650

of the election commission. addressing a news conference on friday, Khan said that scrutiny of the nomination papers regarding GB assembly elections is under way. he said that in the next two days, health experts would prepare standard operating procedures (sops) against coronavirus regarding the elections. the election commissioner added that the pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pmln) had lost control of its workers and was now levelling allegations of “political engineering” against the ECp. Khan added the help from GB scouts, rangers, police and frontier Corps (fC) would be taken to resolve to conduct “transparent elections at any cost”, adding that the army would only be posted at sensitive polling stations. “arrangements for the elections are being made according to the coronavirus situation,” he added. according to the list, 548 candidates have submitted their nomination papers to the returning officers. the nomination papers will be scrutinized by returning officers till 7th of this month. appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed in the appellate tribunal on 11th october which will be decided till october 17. polling will be held on the november 15. according to a notification signed by president arif alvi last month, there will be 24 seats available in the elections that will take place mid-november. furthermore, prime minister imran Khan had other officials have been banned from visiting GB by until the elections have been held by the ECp.

Pakistan rejects reports claiming its army fighting against Armenia ISLAMABAD staff report

the foreign office (fo) has refuted as speculative and baseless media reports claiming that pakistani army is fighting alongside azerbaijani forces against armenia over the nagorno-Karabakh region. responding to queries about the media report, fo spokesperson Zahid hafeez Chaudhri said that such reports are irresponsible. reiterating pakistan’s position on the issue, he said that pakistan is deeply concerned over the deteriorating security situation in the nagorno-Karabakh region. the spokesperson said that the intensive shelling by armenian forces on civilian populations of azerbaijan is reprehensible and most unfortunate. this could compromise peace and security of the

100 restaurants sealed in Karachi for violating lockdown KARACHI staff report

authorities in Karachi closed six marriage halls and 103 restaurants in the metropolis for not complying with health guidelines and Covid-19 prevalence, said the national Command and operation Centre (nCoC) on friday. the country’s nerve centre in the fight against coronavirus said that it has also instructed all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), azad Jammu and Kashmir (aJK) and islamabad to ensure health guidelines and abidance of protocols. the nCoC also cautioned the authorities that restaurants and marriage halls were “emerging as the epicentre of the disease”. federal minister asad umar also warned that indoor restaurants and marriage halls were emerging as “high contributors to the Covid-19 spread”. “nCoC today has directed all provinces and federating units to crack down on sops [standard operating procedures] violations in these places,” said the minister. he emphasised that the country must not allow “irre-

entire region. he said that armenia must stop its military action to avoid further escalation. the spokesperson said that pakistan supports azerbaijan’s position on nagorno-Karabakh, which is in line with the several unanimously adopted united nations security Council (unsC) resolutions. the fo statement came as fighting between the armenian and azerbaijani forces continued despite calls for a ceasefire. armenia and azerbaijan have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and new fighting that erupted on sunday has been the heaviest in decades. nearly 200 people have been confirmed killed, including more than 30 civilians, and there are fears of the fighting expanding into an all-out, multi-front war that could suck in regional powers turkey and russia.

more inside

Entire nation stands behind armed forces: PM STORY ON PAGE 03

pEmra bans media coverage of motorway gang-rape case STORY ON PAGE 03

sponsible behaviour” of some individuals to put everyone’s health at risk. after this development, sindh minister for Education saeed Ghani said that no decision has been taken to close schools again in the province. “the reports about the schools’ closure are baseless,” Ghani said while addressing a press conference along with ppp leader Waqar mehdi on friday. the education minister said that the citizens should follow the government-issued coron-

avirus safety protocols. “We have imposed a micro lockdown for now. people should not force the government to impose a complete lockdown,” he added.

MICRO SMART LOCKDOWN IN KARACHI: due to the rising number of cases in the port city, deputy Commissioner south irshad sodhar on thursday directed authorities to impose micro smart lockdown in several areas of Karachi’s south district.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Armenia says ready to work towards ceasefire STORY ON BACK PAGE

us president trump, first lady melania test positive for coronavirus STORY ON BACK PAGE

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Saturday, 3 October, 2020

NEWS

Pakistan fears growing wheat shortage, Price hike as imPorts fall LAHORE

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SHAHAB OMER

uE to the increase in the prices of wheat in international markets and the government’s slowdown of wheat imports, fears of a shortage of flour in local markets have risen, Profit learnt on Friday.

Sources in flour mills said that when new wheat came in the local markets in March and April this year, about 3.0 million tonnes of wheat was already in deficit.

Sources further said that about 2.47

million tonnes of wheat was produced this year as compared to 2.74 million tonnes last year.

According to sources, it was decided to import about 3 million tonnes of wheat to remove the shortfall, wherein 1.5 million tonnes of wheat was to be imported by the government and 1.5 million tonnes was to be imported by the private sector.

Sources claimed that the government has so far managed to import only 300,000 tonnes of wheat, due to rising wheat prices in the international market.

They added that the current rate of

fia says assistant director arrested for impersonating ccw spokesperson

wheat per tonne in the international market is between $282 to $285, which is becoming a burden on the government.

Sources believed that if the government did not import wheat immediately, the increase in the shortage of wheat would also increase the rate of flour in the market.

According to a survey conducted by Profit, there is almost unavailability of 10 kg and 20 kg bags of flour in the local markets while the price of flour is Rs76 per kg.

Similarly, red flour is being sold at Rs60 to 65 while white fine flour is being sold at around Rs80 per kg.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib ready to welcome visitors as Kartarpur Corridor reopens

Sources also said that people are already under financial pressure and if imported wheat is sold in the market without any subsidy, it will create more pressure and the people will suffer.

However, Asim Raza, chairman of the Flour Mills Association, said that to deal with the situation, it was decided that the government and the private sector would jointly import 1.5 million tonnes of wheat.

“This process is going on in the private sector but in the government sector it has only reached the point of issuing tenders,” he added.

Govt to start registration of seminaries from Monday ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The authorities also deputed district-level officers in all provinces including autonomous regions AJK and GB. Besides appointing contact officers in each registration centre, 35 centres have been established in Punjab, 24 in Sindh, 31 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 25 in Balochistan, nine in AJK and eight in GB. The federal government had declared the registration of religious seminaries mandatory for the chain of seminaries linked with the Centre. Heads of the seminaries have been directed to contact provincial or district offices for receiving the registration forms.

Earlier in December last year, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood had unveiled the government for starting the registration process of seminaries to ensure equal educational opportunities to the students studying there through bringing reforms.

He had also announced that the government is willing to launch a comprehensive program in all the four provinces to enroll out-of-school children and uplift the quality of education.

Due to the "overall improvement in the Covid-19 situation", Pakistan has reopened the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, according to a notification issued by the ministry of religious affairs on Friday. The reopening will take immediate effect. In accordance with the 2019 Pakistan-India agreement, Indian visitors are allowed to come daily from dawn to dusk. Moreover, all visitors have been asked to follow the precautionary measures for Covid-19. Similar rules will apply to local visitors. Baba Guru Nanak Sahib, the first Guru of Sikhism, had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur, a town located in Punjab province's Narowal district. For millions of Sikhs around the world, it is one of their holiest places.

Due to the lockdown, Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur had been suspended for in March. However, it was reopened briefly to commemorate Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary in June. At this time, India rejected Pakistan's offer and refused to open the corridor on its side. Decades of enmity between India and Pakistan left extreme restrictions on their ability to visit the site, until November 10, 2019, when Prime Minister Imran Khan formally inaugurated the corridor. NEWS DESK

IHC moved over Nawaz’s speeches against state institutions

Assistant Director Asif Iqbal was suspended by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) on Friday for acting as the unofficial spokesperson for the agency. “Assistant Director Asif Iqbal was suspended and issued an explanation for maintaining a private Twitter account bearing CCW which stands for Cyber Crime Wing. He was acting as the spokesman of the wing on his own accord without permission which is against disciplinary rules,” the agency said in a statement posted on Facebook. FIA CCW Director Amir Farooqi had issued a notification a day earlier and suspended Muhammad Asif Iqbal with immediate effect. Reportedly, Iqbal was suspended based on a tweet, in which he shed light on a section of the cybercrime law. The tweet in question said: “Whoever publicly exhibits false information that harms the reputation of a person, is [committing] a crime u/S 20 of Cybercrime Act.” This tweet came after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered by the CCW against Meesha Shafi and eight others for their alleged involvement in a smear campaign against singer-actor Ali Zafar. NEWS DESK

The federal government will start registration of religious seminaries for the first time in the country from Monday.

The federal government has established offices in all four provinces, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in this regard. The religious seminaries will be registered under the agreement between the federal government and Ittehad-e-Tanzeemate-Madaris.

After the completion of the registration process, the seminaries will be linked with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. Those religious seminaries will also be registered where students are residing, besides taking religious education.

The government established registration centres in 133 districts and also in the federal capital, whereas the provincial officers will perform duties in major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.

fm visits embassy to condole death of kuwait’s emir

LHC rejects bail of three Ahmadiyya citizens accused of using Islamic symbols

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visited the Embassy of Kuwait on Friday to extend condolences over the sad demise of former emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.On the occasion, the foreign minister also offered Fateha and prayed for the highest rank in Jannah for the departed soul. He recorded his impressions in the condolence book at the Embassy. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the emir of Kuwait played an important role in strengthening relations between Pakistan and Kuwait. He said that Pakistan and Kuwait enjoy fraternal and longstanding ties. The ambassador of Kuwait thanked the foreign minister on arrival at the embassy for extending condolences. STAFF REPORT

security forces foil major terrorist activity in n waziristan: isPr RAWALPINDI: In a major breakthrough, security forces killed two terrorists and an improvised explosive device (IED) specialist during an intelligencebased operation, the military's media wing said Friday. The Inter-Services Public Relations, in a statement, said: "[Two] hardcore terrorists including an IED specialist [were] killed, while one terrorist apprehended." According to ISPR, the terrorists were involved in killing innocent locals, extortion, planning and executing more than 25 terrorist attacks on security forces. STAFF REPORT

NEWS DESK The Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed the bail before arrest of the Ahmadiyya community members who were accused of using Islamic symbols and practices at their place of worship.

The petitioners’ sought a plea to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the complainant and those who witnessed the registration of the FIR for entering their place of worship without a warrant on Friday. The accused, Mangatanwala district Nankana Sahib, had an FIR registered by complainant Hafiz Farman Ali, on May 3, 2020, under sections

298-B and 298-C Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Petitioners Tahir Nakkash, Akbar Ali and Sharafat Ahmad maintained in the LHC that they had been implicated in a false FIR and said that they have nothing to do with this case, further applied for pre-arrest bails.

The petitioners stated that no offense had been committed, and that they had instead been dragged into the case with malafide intentions.

Speaking on their previous bail application for in sessions court of Nankana Sahib on August 7, 2020 – which dismissed due to their absence from court –

ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday seeking action against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly delivering speeches against state institutions. Advocate Shah Jahan Khan moved the writ petition, citing the PML-N supremo, the federal government, and interior and foreign secretaries as respondents. He stated in his petition that Nawaz peddled negative propaganda against state institutions through his speeches, undermining their sanctity. He pleaded with the high court to order legal action against him over his speeches. On October 1, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) barred TV channels from airing speeches of the absconding accused and proclaimed offenders. TLTP

the petitioners claimed the court’s grim atmosphere was the reason they did not show up in court.

There were serious security concerns for the petitioners after an alleged Ahmadi was killed in the courtroom as police produced him before the court, the petitioners’ stated.

They further argued the fundamental rights of the petitioners as guaranteed under Articles 9 and 10-A of the constitution had been violated by the police’s arrest. However, advocate Muhammad Tayyab Qureshi of the complainant counsel stated the accused had committed a terrible offence by using Islamic symbols

in their place of worship.

The counsel stated that the evidence has been presented and is on record, further alleging that the accused have modelled their place of worship akin to a mosque to deceive and hurt Muslims.

Concerning the aforementioned evidence, the counsel said that people have seen Quran’s verses painted on walls of the worship place and copies of the Quran within the establishment.

According to the judgment of the country’s top court, those (Ahmaddiya community members) who will use the first Kalma would be considered blasphemers.

Number of registered voters reaches 115.74m: ECP ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released the final voter lists showing 115,748,753 registered voters in the country.

According to ECP, there are 64,078,616 men, 51,667,599 women and 2,538 transgender voters in the country. The total registered voters in Punjab are 66,236,144, including 36,371,326 male, 29,862,932 female, and 1,886 transgender voters.

In Sindh, total numbers of voters are 24,351,681, which include 13,443,983 male, 10,907,267 female, and 431 transgender voters.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), there are 19,533,964 voters in total, including 11,076,630 male, 8,457,201 female and 133 transgender persons.

Total number of voters in Balochistan is 4,801,131, which include 2,753,946 men, 2,047,104 women, and 81 transgender persons.

In Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), there are 825,833 voters, including 432,731men, 393,095 women, and seven transgender persons.

The final electoral rolls will be displayed in the offices of the district election commissioner or registration officers for public inspection from Monday. For the convenience of the general public, the ECP has updated its 8300 Short Message Service so that they can check their

voter registration through this service as per the final electoral rolls. Voters can get the details of their vote registration by sending an SMS containing their CNIC number 8300. They can also get the contact number of the District Election Commissioner’s Office, the helpline number of the Election Commission and the website link of the Election Commission. Voters can download relevant forms from ECP’s website for registration, transfer objection, deletion or correction of votes.

It may be added that the total number of voters in last general elections was 10,59,55,409, which has now increased to 11,57,48,753 with the addition of 97,93, 344 new votes.

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

ENTirE NATioN STANDS BEhiND ArMED forCES: PM ISLAMABAD

P

STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan has said that the entire nation stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the armed forces of the country.

Chairing a meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and government’s spokesmen to review counter strategy against the protests and public

gatherings announced by the opposition parties, the prime minister said, “There is no civil-military tensions and the armed forces are standing alongside the democratic government within their constitutional limit.”

PM Imran said that the government is not feeling threatened from any movement launched by the opposition parties and further asked the participants of the meeting to expose the negative narrative of the opposition

leaders. The opposition has issues with the Pakistan Armed Forces because the latter had caught their corruption, the prime minister said while terming the enemies of the armed forces as the enemies of the country.

“The government will defend its institutions and will jointly foil the Indian conspiracy with the support of masses,” he said and directed the party leaders to mobilise for the cause.

He said that the opposition would

not get a NRO and their only issue is that they are neither getting a deal nor dheel (leniency). “I know the conspirators behind this Indian bid want to create a political disturbance in the country,” he said but vowed to counter the Indian narrative with full force.

The meeting reviewed the ongoing political situation, measures taken to bring back absconding Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif and other issues.

PEMRA bans media coverage of motorway gang-rape case ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Friday imposed a ban on media coverage of Lahore motorway gang rape case.

According to details, the ban was imposed by the regulatory body after receiving directives from an anti-terrorism court hearing the case. The PEMRA has conveyed its decision via handout sent to all television channels and other broadcasters.

OFFICIALS INITIALLY SAID PRIME SUSPECT WAS ABLE TO RUN AWAY BECAUSE MEDIA OUTLETS REVEALED HIS NAME It is pertinent to mention here that out of the two suspects allegedly involved in the horrific incident, one of them, Shafqat, had been arrested while the prime suspect Abid Malhi is yet to be apprehended.

The police had narrowly missed Malhi for at least three times, with offi-

cials initially blaming that he was able to run away due to leak of his name by media outlets. Furthermore, the police on Thursday last released an accused in the Lahore motorway gang rape case, Waqarul Hasan Shah, after declaring him as not guilty.

He had been in the custody of the La-

hore police authorities for the past 17 days after he surrendered before them claiming innocence.

The police on the indication of Waqarul Hasan arrested the accused Shafqat Ali for his alleged involvement in the gang-rape case. “We have released Waqarul Hasan after he proved that he has no role in the motorway case,” they said.

The prime suspect in Lahore Motorway gang-rape case on September 13 surrendered himself at the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Police Station in Model Town.

PPP announces to hold rally in Karachi on Sunday KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday announced to take out a public rally on Sunday (October 4) in Karachi, in response to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) march. Addressing a press conference, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani, said that the rally will kick off from Ayesha Manzil, Azizabad at 2 pm on Sunday. Ghani claimed that PPP’s rally will be a success and thousands of people will participate in it. He added that MQM-P has always fumed linguistic politics, whereas PPP does not believe in this theory.

The people in Karachi have rejected the politics of MQM-P and the PPP’s rally will prove that the masses are with them, he added. On September 25, the MQM-P, in its march for Karachi rights, had demanded yet again for a new province carved out of the present Sindh province. MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, while addressing the ‘Karachi Rights’ march, had said that their love for Pakistan should not be considered as their weakness.

Siddiqui had said that the creation of a new province was in the offing no matter what opposition they faced in its way.

Govt acquires 32,139 acres of land for Diamer-Bhasha dam ISLAMABAD TLTP

The government has acquired around 32,139 acres of land, out of total 37,419 acres land required for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam. According to state-run news agency, almost 86 per cent land for the mega project has been acquired so far and construction work on resettlement of model village at Harpan Das is in progress. Similarly, construction of Project Colony at Thor is in progress and overall progress is 85 per cent. Construction of Right Bank Periphery Road (RBPR) is under process, they said. Contracts for RBPR-01 and 02 had also been awarded and so far, 86.50 per cent and 40 per cent respectively work has been completed. The procurement of contractors for RBPR-03 and 04 is in progress. It is pertinent to mention here that Diamer-Bhasha dam will provide water for agriculture, mitigate floods and low-cost hydel electricity for economic development in the country. The project has a gross storage capacity of 8.1million acre feet (MAF) and power generation capacity of 4500 megawatt (MW), with annual generation of 18.1 billion units per annum.

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar calls on Prime Minister Imran Khan. iNP

NEWS

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PML-N advises Nawaz to not return from London: Pervez ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has recommended the party’s supremo Nawaz Sharif to stay in London and not come back to Pakistan, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Friday. Talking to a private television channel, Rashid said that the PML-N supremo “was not served justice in Pakistan” and he does not expect him to get justice in the country in future. The judge, who in the name of justice, convicted the PML-N supremo in the Al-Azizia reference, was shown the door by the Lahore High Court (LHC), Rashid said. “The party has decided that Nawaz Sharif should stay in London and continue his medical treatment,” the PML-N stalwart said. Lashing out at the government’s accusations on the PMLN, he said, “Is the demand for transparent elections [an attempt for a] conflict?” The PML-N leader said that it was in fact “rigging the elections and moving against the Constitution that is an invitation for a conflict”. He added those who violate the Constitution and rig elections seek a dispute. “We want to live in Pakistan according to the Constitution and do not want a confrontation,” Rashid said. TLTP

CEC bars political parties from using army portraits in adverts An order issued by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) (r) Justice Abdul Rashid Salahria told the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to stop political parties from using pictures of army officers, especially the chief of army staff (COAS), in newspaper advertisements and panaflex banners and posters. “We have received complaints that some political parties are using pictures of the army chief in their advertisements and panaflex banners. Under [the] law, no individual or political party can use or run a campaign on the basis of the pictures of the army chief or the head of any other institution. Such a step may lead to disqualification [of the political party or its leader concerned] under Section 21 of the Election Act, 2020,” the order said. This order came after a viral welcome banner posted by a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader had portraits of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and another central party leader was posted on social media. Many users replied to and commented on the poster about the “politicisation of the armed forces”. The order went on to point out all political parties were restricted by the code of conduct under Section 106 of the Election Act. “Therefore all individuals and political parties are prohibited from showing for political purposes their [alleged] connections with the armed forces, particularly the army chief, judiciary or any other institution, or using their pictures in their advertisements and panaflex banners and posters for the purpose of publicity.” The divisional and district administrations, including the divisional commissioners of Muzaffarabad, Poonch and Mirpur, were told to take legal action against those found violating the CEC’s order and to immediately remove all such banners and posters. NEWS DESK

NAB submits Nawaz’s asset details in Toshakhana reference NEWS DESK Regarding the Toshakhana reference, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday submitted a report of convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif’s complete asset details in an accountability court.

The court had previously ordered the anti-graft body to seize former premier’s assets, including shareholdings, domestic and foreign currency bank accounts, agriculture land and bungalows.

A report was submitted by NAB investigating officer Muhammad Raheel Azam. For the completion of this report, letters were written to the Election

Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

SECP reported that Nawaz owns 467,950 shares in Muhammad Bakskh Textile Mill, 343,425 shares in Hudaibiya Paper Mills, 22,213 shares in Hudaibiya Engineering Company and 48,606 shares in Ittefaq Textile Mills.

According to the report, Nawaz owns a bungalow in Murree, a 15 kanal house in Changla Gali, Abbottabad and property in Upper Mall Lahore.

He and his dependants own more than 1,752 kanals of agricultural land

which includes 936 kanal land in Mouza Manak in Lahore, 299 kanal land in Mouza Baduksani, 103 kanals in Mouza Mall Raiwind in Lahore, 312 kanals in Mouza Sultan, 14 kanal land in Sheikhupura district and 88 kanals in Mouza Ferozwatan.

Lahore Development Authority (LDC), Galiyat Development Authority (GDA), additional-deputy commissioners of Lahore and Sheikhupura and assistant-commissioner of Murree also reported that Nawaz and his dependents have properties in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Murree and Abbottabad.

Excise and Taxation Office of Lahore and Islamabad added that Nawaz also owned three luxury vehicles and two harvesting vehicles.

Furthermore, the former premier has eight bank accounts in his name in different private banks, including three foreign currency accounts. He has Rs612,000 in five bank accounts and in foreign currency accounts, Nawaz has €566, $698 and £498 respectively.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo has been in London for medical treatment since late last year, and was declared a proclaimed offender in the case in September.

Pakistan committed to women empowerment: FM ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continue its efforts to empower women and encourage them to shatter all glass ceilings that hindered their progress in the past.

The foreign minister was addressing a high-level meeting on the 25th Anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.

The foreign minister said that under

the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan is endeavouring to create a welfare Islamic state, based on the model of “Riyasat-e-Madinah” with due protection and promotion of the rights of women.

He said, “Pakistan’s commitment to women empowerment is derived from our religion, cultural ethos, vision of our founders, and the ideals espoused in our constitution.” He underscored that gender sensitive policies are at the heart of Pakistan’s development paradigm. Moreover, the flagship Ehsaas Programme for poverty alleviation was designed to reduce

the disproportionate effects of poverty on the female population, he added.

He highlighted that as a result of the various legislative, administrative and policy initiatives taken by Pakistan, the number of women in key leadership roles has steadily risen in the country.

Referring to the contribution of Pakistani women for furthering the women rights agenda at the global level, the foreign minister recalled that Pakistan’s distinguished delegate, Begum Shaista Ikramullah, played an active role in the inclusion of Article 16 in the Universal Dec-

laration of Human Rights.

The foreign minister also highlighted the suffering of women in occupied territories, where rape and sexual violence are being perpetrated with impunity by the occupation forces and used as an instrument of suppression. The UN has organised four World Conferences on women. The last one, held in Beijing in 1995, marked a significant turning point for the global agenda through the adoption of a “Beijing Declaration” and “Platform for Action”, which are considered key global policy documents for gender equality.

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Saturday, 3 October, 2020

NEWS

Modi-RSS RegiMe aCqUiRiNg leThal aRMS To kill kaShMiRiS: MaSood ISLAMABAD

e

STAFF REPORT

xPReSSING deep concern over reports of procurement of one million multi-mode hand grenades by India, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood has said that war-monger Modi-RSS regime is piling up arms and ammunition to use them against defenceless people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

During his meeting with the different public delegations at the Jammu and Kashmir House on Friday, the AJK president remarked that India will use these arms against the people of IOK who are fighting to end the illegal and illegitimate occupation on their land by India.

He said that BJP-RSS leaders have intensified chauvinistic rhetoric to paint the image of Modi as a true leader of the Hindu community, who is capable of leading the armed forces successfully against Muslims within India and against Pakistan.

“India is stockpiling the war arsenals of all kinds to kill people of Kashmir and Pakistan, but our message to fanatic Hindu leadership is clear and loud that wars may be fought with weapons and machines, but they are won by men imbibed with spirit and determination, and by the grace of Allah, Pakistanis and the Kashmiris will emerge victorious in the war because of their courage and determination,” he said.

India, he added, is habitual of spoiling regional peace through its hegemonic attitude towards its neighbouring countries. The

president asked the regional countries to challenge New Delhi’s bullying behaviour.

Saying that India is committing war crimes in IOK by transforming its demography, carrying out genocide and ethnic cleansing, and barefacedly violating human rights in occupied Kashmir but unfortunately the world powers have turned a blind eye towards these crimes.

Paying tribute to the people of IOK, Khan said that the struggle waged by oppressed Kashmiris is destined to succeed.

He went on to say that repression of Indian occupying forces can never compel Kashmiris to abandon their struggle for attaining their right to self-determination as promised to them by the world community in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

Three students killed in Swabi road accidents SWABI INP

Three students were killed in separate road accidents in different localities of Swabi on Friday. A motorcycle carrying two students of 1st year heading to college in Thandkoi collided with an auto-rickshaw in Kotha area of Swabi. Both motorcycle riders identified as Luqman Ahmad s/o Khalid Ahmad and Adnan Bahadur s/o Jamshed Bahadur died on the spot. Another student Rashid Tanoli was critically injured after he fell down from van while going to school in Utla Gadoon in Swabi. The wounded student was shifted to Bacha Khan Medical Complex Shah Mansoor where he succumbed to his wounds.

ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Friday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the meeting, matters related to the development projects in Balochistan particularly the projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) came under discussion. PID

President for developing centralised database on diseases ISLAMABAD

CM, UK diplomat discuss impacts of Covid-19, rains on economy KARACHI’S SOUTH, EAST DISTRICTS BADLY AFFECTED BY RAIN, SAYS SINDH CM KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that south and east districts of Karachi were badly damaged due to recent heavy rains in the metropolis.

The chief minister expressed these views with the

Pakistan praises China's leading role at UN

deputy high commissioner of the UK, who called on CM Murad at the CM House on Friday. The meeting discussed the impacts of coronavirus on the economy and disaster due to recent rains in the province. The CM said that 75 per cent of rain-hit areas of the province have been cleared and the relief activities are underway.

On the occasion, the visiting UK deputy HC as-

sured CM Murad of full support on behalf of his country and added that he will soon visit the rain-hit areas of Sindh to analyse the damage caused by the downpour.

Both leaders also discussed matters related to coronavirus impacts on the economy and the steps being taken by the provincial government to control over the spread and minimise the losses.

PM seeks comprehensive strategy to fix energy issues

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has praised China's leading role at the United Nations (UN), saying its policies are based on principles of the UN Charter, support for multilateralism and "win-win" cooperation. Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram, while speaking at a virtual reception, in New York, lauded Chinese phenomenal progress, especially in bringing 700 million people out of poverty and registering double digit Gross Domestic Product growth for 30 years, said a statement issued on Friday. The Chinese ambassador, in turn, thanked his Pakistani counterpart and said we are proud of the strong friendship and cooperation between China and Pakistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has stressed the need for a coherent and comprehensive strategy to address energy challenges being faced by the country.

Chairing a meeting on oil & gas exploration and production on Friday, the prime minister said that implementation of exploration and production management system will enable to the country to benefit from low-cost oil and gas reserves.

"Using this system will also enable us to reduce the burden on the national exchequer and will make it possible to supply oil and gas to the

public at lower prices," he said.

The PM was of the view that technology should be used in all sectors to reduce the additional cost burden on the public and to minimise the drainage of foreign exchange reserves.

The petroleum secretary on the

occasion briefed the meeting on exploration and production management system.

It was informed that the implementation of this system will help enhance the local production capacity of oil and gas in the country.

STAFF REPORT

President Dr Arif Alvi has emphasised the need for developing a centralised national database on all diseases, including breast cancer. Chairing a meeting regarding data collection of breast cancer patients in Pakistan on Friday, the president said that Pakistan currently lacks a comprehensive centralised database on health issues and there is a need to make integrated data available to effectively combat diseases. Dr Alvi said that Pakistan has the highest prevalence of breast cancer, as compared to other South Asian countries and it is need of the hour to create awareness among people in this regard.

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

GovT oUTLINES NEw rULES To rEMovE or bLoCK UNLAwFUL SoCIAL MEdIA CoNTENT iSLaMaBad

I

AHMAD AHMADANI

N order to counter the flow of illegal, blasphemous, obscene or defamatory content on social media, the government has presented new rules where service providers will be bound to remove or block access to select online content.

According to sources, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications has requested the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) to consider the newly drafted Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules, 2020, for approval.

Under the new rules, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will not restrict or disrupt the flow or dissemination of any online content except in the case of removing and blocking access to an online content which goes against the interest of Islam, integrity, security and defence of Pakistan, public order, public health, public safety, decency and morality. It would also remove or block content that constitutes as an offence under different sections of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860 or of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP), 1898.

Any social media company or service provider would be obligated to publish the community guidelines for usage of any online system, and such guidelines should inform the user not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit,

update or share any online content that belongs to another person; to which one does not have any right; or content which is blasphemous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, pedophiliac; invasive of another’s privacy; negatively affects religious, cultural, ethical sensitivities of Pakistan; impersonates another person; threatens the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan; or causes incitement.

The service provider and social media company which has more than half a million Pakistani users in Pakistan or social media companies specially notified by the authority must subject to the provision of the act, including register with the authority and establish a permanent registered office in Pakistan with a physical address, preferably located in Islamabad. Both aforementioned acts must occur within nine months of the enforcement of these rules.

PTA will entertain complaints with regards to the unlawful online content which may be filed by any person guardian wronged by online content or a ministry, division, attached department, subordinate office, provincial, or local department or office, a law enforcement agency or intelligence agency of the government, or a company owned or controlled by the government.

PTA will register the complaint while ensuring that the online content and the identity of the complainant is kept confidential if need be. Similarly, PTA will not disclose such online content and identity of the complainant to any person who is directly responsible for receiving and

Urea sales likely to drop 6pc YoY in Sept LAHORE: Urea sales are expected to decline by 6pc year-on-year to 383,000 tonnes in September 2020, as compared to 405,000 tonnes in September 2019. Sunny Kumar, a research analyst at Topline Securities Limited, believed the decline in sales is due to delays in sowing of Rabi crop on expectations of another spell of heavy rains. “This is likely to take 9M2020 urea sales to 4,203,000 tonnes as compared to 4,383,000 tonnes in 9M2019, down 4pc YoY,” he added. Urea production in September this year is expected to remain largely unchanged (YoY and MoM both) at 553,000 tonnes. This is likely to take urea closing inventory to 478,000 tonnes. Kumar informed that among companies, Fatima Group and Engro Fertilizer (EFERT) are expected to post an increase in urea sales; Fatima may witness an increase of 33pc to 45,000 tonnes while EFERT sales may rise 28pc to 120,000 tonnes. On the other hand, Agritech Limited (AGL) and Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) are likely to post a decline in urea offtake; AGL by 38pc to 13,000 tonnes and FFC by 6pc to 165,000 tonnes. Meanwhile, the sale of DAP in September 2020 are anticipated to remain unchanged YoY at 210,000 tonnes, but down by 29pc on month-on-month. As a result, DAP sales are expected at 1,351,000 tonnes in 9M2020 compared to 1,163,000 tonnes in 9M2019, up 16pc YoY. Company-wise data suggests EFERT is likely to record sales of DAP at 45,000 tonnes (up 25pc YoY) followed by FFC 20,000 tonnes (up 15pc YoY), and Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited (FFBL) 100,000 tonnes (down 6pc YoY). HASSAN NAQVI

processing the complaints. A complaint will be decided by the authority within thirty days under rule 5. PTA may pass any order in writing and record reasons for its decision for removal or blocking or issue directions to the concerned offender in accordance with the requirements of section 37 (1) of the Act. While passing orders, PTA will give twenty 24 hours’ notice to the concerned parties to comply with the directions for removal or blocking access to the online content and any other directions as may be issued in the order.

PTA may direct the service provider, social media company, owner of information system, owner of internet website or web server and user to remove, block access to the online content complained of within six hours in emergency cases, and the authority will specify the reason for the emergency in writing.

“In case the service provider, social media company, owner of information system, owner of internet website or web server and the user fails to remove or block access to the online content or to comply with the directions issued by the Authority under sub-rule (2) within the specified time, the Authority may initiate action against a service provider, social media company, owner of information system, owner of internet website or web server and the user under the act,” said documents.

Furthermore, the authority may direct the concerned parties to secure information including traffic data. The authority may seek expert opinion from

any person wherever it deems appropriate during the processing of the complaint against online content.

It is pertinent to mention that Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA) has provided a complete framework for dealing with electronic crimes including removing or blocking of unlawful online content and powers of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority with respect to unlawful online content management in Section 37 of PECA. Under Section 37 of PECA, PTA is empowered to block or remove unlawful online content in the telecommunication sector with approval of the federal government and with the cooperation of law enforcement agencies. An inter-ministerial committee was constituted by the prime minister on 14th September 2017 for the purpose of steering the implementation of PECA. However, after the ratification of the Citizen Protection Rules, 2020 by the cabinet, the civil society and technology companies raised objections.

In pursuance of the premier’s directions in letter No. 21-ITM/DS(IAIII)/2020-meeting dated 26th February 2020, a committee was framed by the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication on 28th February 2020. The committee was directed to undertake extensive and broad-based consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

After thorough deliberations, the chairman of PTA submitted a revised draft of rules, which were sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice for vetting.

PSX honours ‘heroes’ who foiled June 29 terrorist attack KaRacHi ARIBA SHAHID

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday organised a solemn ceremony to honour the martyred and injured soldiers who foiled the June 29 terrorist attack on PSX. Cheques were distributed to support the families that had lost their loved ones during the attack and to security personnel that had been injured. Moreover, cheques were also presented to the men that shot dead the terrorists in the attack as well as all security personnel present on the day. In addition, the exchange explained how they plan on providing further support to the families that had lost their loved ones.

Speaking on the occasion, PSX CEO Farrukh Khan said, “It took time to properly form a fund. We know this is nothing compared to the value of their life and their contribution not only towards the safety of individuals on premises but the economy and country at large.”

For the family of the martyrs, Khan explained that the PSX is trying to compensate the families on a long-term basis, at least seven to eight years, through the creation of the fund.

Following the cheque distribution ceremony, the event concluded by the unveiling of the plaque in the memory of the brave men that lost their lives in

the line of duty. PSX Board Chairman Sulaiman S Mehdi, Pakistan Stock Brokers Association (PSBA) Chairman Aqeel Karim Dhedhi and PSBA Secretary General Bilal Farooq Zardi were also present on the occasion.

Khan called the family members of those who were martyred in the attack as chief guests of the occasion.

He stated that Rs20.3 million have so far been gathered for the cause.

Prominent personalities and market entities that contributed to the donation fund included Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, Arif Habib, Ghani Usman, Azneem Bilwani, Imran Haroon, Dawood Jan Mohammad, Dr Fawad Yousuf, Hanif Bawa, Amjad (Pearl Security), Nihal Ali Cassim, Hanif Dar, Iqbal Usman, Amin Tai, Sohail (Topline), Farooq Dar, Abdul Razzaq Kapadia, Qasim Lakhani, Anisur Rehman, Siddique Dalal, YH Securities, Sherman Securities, Darsons Securities, Mohammad Munir Mohammad Ahmed, Khanani Securities, Alfalah Investments, and Al Meezan Investment Management Ltd. “On behalf of PSX, I welcome you all and feel honoured that the family members of the martyred soldiers are here; these are the family members of the men who died fighting valiantly and courageously to protect us and an important pillar of the economy, Pakistan Stock Exchange, from any harm,” Khan said.

Pakistan no longer under locust threat, NLCC told LAHORE: The menace of desert locusts has now been completely brought under control in the country, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations terming Pakistan’s massive anti-locust operation as ‘ideal’.

"Thana Bulla Khan Taluka in Jamshoro district was the last affected area in Pakistan where control operation continues and by Saturday the area will be cleared from locust," said FAO National Coordinator for Locust Control Operation in Pakistan Dr Mubarik Ahmed. "Lasbela, the coastal district of Balochistan, is now completely free from locusts." During the weekly meeting of the National Locust Control Centre on Friday, Dr Mubarik said that there was no threat of desert locust attack in Pakistan in the near future as locusts have been eliminated from Somalia, Iran and India. The government has been taking numerous anticipatory actions in collaboration with FAO, neighboring countries and international partners to timely address the threat of locusts. FAO has been providing support to the locust surveillance and control programme in Pakistan by providing technical and operational assistance from the very early onset. The adoption of new technology allowed a faster and more effective assessment of the locust infestation and helped focus and stage control operations. Chairing the NLCC meeting, National Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhr Imam termed the locust control operations as "exemplary". During the past week, he noted, around 12,514 square kiliometers of area has been surveyed. GHULAM ABBAS

CMYK

NEWS

05

100 restaurants sealed in Karachi for violating lockdown continued on page 01 The lockdown was imposed in an apartment located in the district’s sub-division Civil Lines, according to a notification issued. It was also imposed in the subdivision Saddar. The DC also said that a restaurant was also sealed for violating the prescribed coronavirus SOPs. The development comes a day after a similar lockdown was imposed in two areas of Manghopir for two weeks. The areas in Mangophir’s Gadap Town included Saima Villas and Samama City, both having a combined population of 4,000 people approximately.

Former KE chairman Tabish Gauhar appointed as SAPM on power BUSINESS DESK: Former K-Electric chairman Tabish Gauhar has been appointed as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Power, local media reported on Friday. A notification issued on October 1 by the Cabinet Division stated the premier "has been pleased to appoint Mr Tabish Gauhar as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Power with immediate effect". Gauhar stepped down as director, chief executive officer and chairman of KE's board in 2015, after working at the organisation for over seven years, according to a statement on the power utility's website. "Under his leadership, the company made significant progress in key operational and financial indicators and generated a profit for the first time in 17 years in 2012," the statement added. Gauhar is the founder and chairman of Oasis Energy — a management consultancy firm in the power and energy sector. He has a first-class honours degree from King's College, London and also has an MBA from the Institute of Business Administration in Pakistan.

Govt unveils policy for import of bulletproof vehicles ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce has unveiled a policy for the import of bulletproof vehicles, both new and second hand. The ministry issued SRO 902(I)/2020 to notify the Import Policy Order, 2020, and explained the requirement for import of bulletproof vehicles. Bulletproof vehicles are importable on the recommendation of the Ministry of Interior subject to following conditions: Requests for import of bulletproof vehicles are routed through the concerned provincial government, which will determine the genuineness of the requirements of the applicant; ii) the applicant will clearly indicate the features of the vehicle proposed to be imported by him; iii) undertaking be obtained from the applicant that he will ply the vehicle only in high security risk areas; iv) the vehicle will only be disposed of after obtaining no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Interior. The same conditions and procedures mentioned above shall apply to mutatis mutandis, if bulletproof vehicles are imported under personal baggage, gift and transfer of residence schemes. TLTP

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

06 COMMENT

PNA ’77 innings to PDM 20-20

Another no-holds-barred fight Repeating blunders of the past

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ITH the PDM and the PTI government in full confrontation, political debate is getting messier by the day. Whatever lessons were learnt over the decades by political parties seem to have been forgotten by the new kid on the block. Instead of challenging former PM nawaz Sharif over performance to prove that the PTI government was doing more for the people than his predecessor, Prime Minister Imran Khan has chosen to accuse a three-time elected PM of the country of working at the behest of India. After the noholds-barred style of politics of the 1990s led to the collapse of the system and the Musharraf coup, calling opponents a security risk or traitors had gone out of use.

Are we again hurtling towards the abyss?

There are serious cases of corruption, nepotism and misuse of authority against politicians. It is for them to face the courts and get their names cleared. However, in case accountability is seen to be a one-sided witch hunt, it is likely to turn even villains into political martyrs.

Pakistan Bar Council vice chairman Abid Saqi was spoton when he observed that passing avoidable remarks by courts during the hearing of cases often exposes both the court and judges concerned to criticism and that at times it undermines the neutrality and independence of the courts and presiding judges. The maxim that justice should not only be done but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done must never be forgotten.

In the past there have been military takeovers in Pakistan which were bad for the country and bad for the Army’s morale. The Army deserves unstinted support and respect when it fully devotes itself to the defence of the country’s geographical borders. To retain the support and respect the Army has to be seen to be neutral in domestic politics and to strictly confine itself to its professional duties.

On Thursday PeMRA banned broadcast and rebroadcast of any speech, interview or public address of absconders or proclaimed offenders, including former PM nawaz Sharif. not long ago a notorious leader of the TTP involved in attack on Army Public School was allowed to speak on national media in violation of rules and regulations. If institutions do not apply the regulations uniformly, they become controversial.

There are big differences between the PNA and the PDM

GenerAl MirzA AslAM BeG

T

He PnA was an alliance, while the PDM is a movement and that subtle difference explains the game that was played in 1977 and the one that has yet to begin now. The PnA had a foreign agenda, seeking Bhutto’s elimination: “Because he had initiated Pakistan’s Nuclear Programme, had brought about unity of the Muslim World through OIC Session in Pakistan, a leaderless organization which King Faisal had agreed to lead.

Bhutto established the strategic linkage with China, through the Karakoram highway.”

Bhutto was politically powerful and he could be brought down only through non-political means.

Thus the religious parties and a group of political opportunists got together to play the game. Amongst the political leaders were such personalities who had no qualm directly calling the Army Chief to takeover, because, without the strong hands of the Army, the US agenda could not be completed. It all happened as planned. Both Bhutto and King Faisal were eliminated, one after another.

The PDM is quite different. It has no foreign agenda. It is a movement that will use democratic means to bring-about change– a natural reaction to: “Imran Khan’s vision of Naya Pakistan, based

Rozgar Scheme Is the PTI just repeating the mistakes of the past?

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UnJAB Chief Minister Usman Buzdar personally inaugurated the Punjab Rozgar Scheme, which would see Rs 30 billion in loans distributed among 1.6 million people. Though no figures of how many jobs would be created through this were shared, the Scheme was said by Mr Buzdar as one which would lead to job creation. The government has been anxious to get down to the job creation which it had promised the many young people who had voted for it. However, the present scheme is suspiciously like previous ones, which were also supposed to enable the setting up of businesses, and the creation of jobs, but which merely became means of passing government money to legislators’ favourites.

Ruling parties previously had control over government jobs, which they could dole out to the party faithful. This government is committed to not giving government jobs, and Mr Buzdar himself used this rhetoric, saying that the scheme would allow skilled people to create jobs. even if the scheme is administered honestly, the amounts being lent are not enough for a start-up; it is thus setting itself up in advance for failure. Another problem with the present scheme is that it is not clear whether it is meant for setting up businesses or to help small businesses affected by the pandemic. This lack of clarity is further setting it up for failure at both.

The degeneration of previous such schemes, and the likelihood that this one will also similarly degenerate, indicates that the problem is not really one of lack of credit, or of access to bank loans. The real problem is that of economic management. no matter how much capital is injected into an enterprise, if the external conditions are not conducive, the enterprise cannot take off, no matter how skilled or how energetic the entrepreneur.

The present government should first fix its handling of the economy, because as things stand at the moment, there is presently a stark choice facing anyone borrowing under the scheme: to throw good money after bad, or embezzle.

Credit accessibility must come after the economy is fixed, not alongside, or before.

Justice delayed Is Hayat Baloch to be denied justice?

Ali JAn MAqsood

O

ne day before the 73rd independence Day of Pakistan, a student of Karachi University, Hayat Baloch, was killed by a soldier of Frontier Corps in Absor, Turbat, after an IeD attack on a vehicle of FC convoy Right after the attack, the soldiers surrounded the area. Four or five FC soldiers entered the nearby date farm where Hayat Baloch was working on the orchards of his father. Without interrogating Hayat about anything, they brought him down from the date tree and dragged him towards the road. His old parents followed their son vociferating time and again that Hayat was a student and had been working with them since morning, and had nothing to do with the attack, but they were not listened to.

On the road in front of his parents, Hayat was shot eight times. He died on the spot.

The enraged Baloch community skipped the celebration of the Independence Day and marched on roads, asking for the administration of justice and to bring the culprits before the courts without any pressures.

Later on, the IG FC took notice of the incident after an internal inquiry and handed over the accused soldier Shahid to the Turbat police for further investigation. The IG FC also visited Hayat’s father and assured him that they would do their best to provide justice to their family.

According to some sources in the police, the culprit Shahid accepted his crime and said it was a “mistake” in his response to the FIR registered against him. He was also presented before the Judicial Magistrate where he accepted that he had shot Hayat dead. But, the court has not come up with an immediate decision despite all the clear evidences.

This led the community to come on roads and to chant loudly enough to make even the deaf all around the country hear the voice of justice.

The most notable concern of the community is,

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

The APC declaration was read out by Maulana on the fundamental socio-economic principles of Riasat-e-Madina; a corruption free Pakistan and re- Fazlur Rehman and not by any political leader.

The lead role has been assigned to JUI(F) with turn of the looted wealth of the people of Pakistan.”

These issues have been pressed ruthlessly for a political purpose, unlike the religious parties of the last two years, focusing on corrupt politicians, PnA who had a negative role. It means that, in any under a slur campaign, launched so crudely, that it future set-up, the JUI(F) will gain significant polithas debased political parties as well as democratic ical space for itself, something that was long values. The courts of law, nAB, FIA and the intel- awaited, particularly during the 2018 elections, ligence agencies are in hot pursuit of the corrupt when religious parties tried to enter the mainstream without any significant improvement in the day-to- national politics, but were denied entry, particularly day life of the common folk. “Unchecked use of au- Maulana Samiul Haq, who stood on the side of PTI, thority and rulers’ inability to govern, has led to loss but was ignored.

There is no Asghar Khan amongst them, who of authority and power deflation.” The press gag has could appeal to the Army further eroded the moral Chief to take over the authority of the governreigns of the government, ment. when things go wrong.

The situation has Peoples are ready to “give a nawaz Sharif’s sharp thus created a suffocataddress has precisely foing atmosphere forcing chance to democracy, to breathe cused on the important the opposition to join issue, which is being conhands, to correct the air, despite covid-19 virus fresh strued as creating misuncourse. Young Bilawal Bhutto was able to put pollutions.” The time for this ‘noble derstanding between national institutions. the ‘humpty dumpty’ of thought’ is now, to become a The decision to use the opposition together, force has been taken. which consists of two reality, an unstoppable force, that Shahbaz Sharif has been major political parties nabbed, Zardari indicted and a strong religious cannot be stemmed and the witch-hunt has group, that can mobilize started. Imran may be a large crowd as it did tempted to mobilize the early this year, near IsTiger Force, as Bhutto lamabad. It is a formidable lot, ever gathered together for a common cause, used the FSF, with dire consequences. It will create a and certainly can create difficulties for the govern- critical situation for the government calling for the ment, particularly when Imran Khan himself says Army to take over. Whereas, the masses are in no “Both PML(n) and PPP are the product of the es- mood to invite another military rule.

The opposition leaders as a whole consist of tablishment.” He should know that the establishment’s mood changes with the mood of the public, politicians dubbed as corrupt, yet amongst them are though the ‘pitch’ may be the same. Imran therefore clean and competent ones also, who have experience of governance, and have respect for rule of law and has two options: Adopt a conciliatory approach and find a political democratic values. They will take charge, establishsolution for early elections, leading to a coalition gov- ing the precedent of a clean changeover, than a ernment, and save the country from a painful transition. takeover by a nexus of Four As, or through DeepLet the opposition play its hand, and Imran to State manipulations.

Peoples are ready to “give a chance to democfight it out an uncertain end.

Imran Khan is loath to meeting the opposition; racy, to breathe fresh air, despite covid-19 virus polhence Army Chief met the opposition to ease the ten- lutions.” The time for this ‘noble thought’ is now, to sion. Knowing Imran Khan, who “fights till the last become a reality, an unstoppable force, that cannot ball”, he would prefer the matter to be decided in the be stemmed. open field. In response to that the opposition has General Mirza Aslam Beg is a former COAS and evolved a political strategy, for the movement which can be reached at friendscolumn@hotmail.com is very different from the PnA alliance, such as:

I

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

I

However, the case is still pending in the court of justice.

Above all, the recent murder of journalist and if the culprit is really going to get punishment in social media activist Anwar Khetran in Barkhan is proportion to the crime he has committed, why has one such example where a minister is alleged to the court not finalized the verdict and provided jus- have a hand on the murder. In the First Information tice to Hayat on time? As it is, we already have the Report, Anwar’s brother accused the provincial example of the najeebullah Mehsud murder case minister Abdul Rehman Khetran of having killed where the criminal, SSP Rao Anwar, has still not his brother. Sadly, no action has been taken against been given capital punishment by the prevailing him by the concerned authorities. now the concern in Hayat Baloch’s case is, if system of justice.

Besides this, extrajudicial killings have long this case too is dealt with like other cases, then the been a trend in Balochistan, but the culprits get bail miscreant is going to be released when everything gets normal. Therefore, through higher sources. protests, held in different Sometimes it is the minparts of country and isters who are behind the other parts of the world killings, and sometimes (netherlands, London, All we have to see is how the it is the other influential Germany, Canada, Iran), figures who assist the ofcurrent government deals with the are to provide timely jusfenders to skip fair trials. to Hayat Baloch and earlier this year, a challenging circumstances of the tice his aggrieved family. known gang of thieves of The protestors quesTurbat city, with province. Secondly, we would be tion the government in weapons and other tools, glancing on the administration of office; and ask for how crossing a number of long will such brutal checkposts, reached justice, to see if they succeed to killings go on in Dannuk (in Turbat district) where they entered provide pure and timely justice to Balochistan? One other group of protestors chant the house of Malik naz.

Hayat Baloch’s family. The coming that if education means They shot her dead at the we will take out spot, injuring little days will unveil some naked truth death, our children from educaBramsh, four years old, tional institutions. and taking the gold jewof the society we are living in All we have to see is ellery and other valuhow the current governables with them. ment deals with the According to sources challenging circumof the Turbat police, the gang was arrested and is under the police custody. stances of the province. Secondly, we would be But, regardless of all the evidences and eyewit- glancing on the administration of justice, to see if nesses, the court has yet not considered the case and they succeed to provide pure and timely justice to Hayat Baloch’s family. The coming days will unveil has failed to come to a final decision.

Just after the Dannuk incident, some other rob- some naked truth of the society we are living in. bers trespassed in the home of Kulsoom Baloch in Ali Jan Maqsood is a student of Law at University Dazen, Tump [Turbat Kech] where they assassinated Kulsoom Baloch, taking along all the valu- Law College Quetta. He can be reached ables they could find. In some days, the miscreants at alijanmaqsood17@gmail.com and tweets at were arrested and are in the custody of the police. @Alijanmaqsood12

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Saturday, 3 October, 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

PUBG still banned OnLIne game player’s unknown battle ground remains blocked in pakistan even after the Islamabad High Court ordered the authorities to remove the ban on the game on July 24. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority said that it won’t unblock the game. It said, in a detailed verdict, that it has the mandate to make the decision under Section 37 of the PeCA. The section gives the authority the power to block access to or remove’ speech’ from content it finds objectionable. It said that it took the decision because it “received numerous Cimplaimts/letters from other segments of society on the issue of banning PUBG”.

MuhaMMad NaEEM Karachi

Wheat crisis

India’s defence modernization endangers the region The implications for Pakistan are dire sAAd nAveed

U

nDeR a nationalistic and aggressive regime in new Delhi, India is aggressively pursuing the development and acquisition of refined and high-end defense technologies that can alter the nuclear balance in the Subcontinent. The Indian efforts to modernize its military pose a credible threat to the strategic stability of South Asia.

This drive also takes its motivation from India considering itself on the march to becoming a great power in the evolving global order. Having two rival nuclear states, Pakistan and China, on its borders, new Delhi is facing a security trilemma that could undermine its geopolitical ambitions. From India’s entry into export control cartels, new Delhi is seeking to acquire encrypted defense technologies from its major defense partners. Great powers are favoring India to achieve modernized capabilities contrary to the norms of nuclear non-proliferation given the emerging geopolitical environment.

In the South Asian region, the development of nukes and the arms race between India and Pakistan together with the continuing issue of Kashmir has brought them to a nuclear flashpoint, which has augmented the possibility of stimulating the stability-instability paradox. The Indian military is constantly revolutionizing through doctrinal transformation and massively purchasing military hardware. India is supporting its quest for massive military development in terms of purchasing new weapons for its arsenal, revolutionizing the Indian military through technological development and also binding itself within strategic and military agreements like the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the USA. India is ambitious to develop and enhance its warfare capabilities in the domain of hybrid, conventional/sub-conventional, and surgical strike capabilities. The aggressive strategic posturing by India has led Pakistan to reciprocate with the operationalization of full-spectrum deterrence while relying on its tactical nuclear weapons. India’s strategic outlook has taken a drastic transformation that has altered the power equation in South Asia, and which has created security predicaments for Pakistan.

Since the partition of the Subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1947, the security environment of South Asia is in a state of flux where both states are still rivals and have disputes over several pressing issues. The porous border between India and Pakistan is one of the most volatile and dangerous borders across the globe.

The historical rivalry together with unresolved issues of the Partition has the potential to trigger an armed conflict or may lead to a total war between India and Pakistan, and where one cannot rule out the possibility of nuclear exchange. even though both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, conventional deterrence is a prerequisite for strategic stability in South Asia. However, it is widely speculated that

Its offensive posture and deployments of India’s defense modernization will trouble the delicate balance of conventional military power troops suggests that the arms buildup is purely between India and Pakistan and will have wor- Pakistan-centric, which will significantly change risome implications for the strategic stability of the dimensions of the Indo-Pak security environSouth Asia. To keep up with the pace of mod- ment. India is heavily investing in purchasing, ernization and to operationalize its military Airborne early warning system (AWACS) and might be including the development of network Rafale jets from Israel and France respectively.

Centric Warfare and electronic Warfare capabil- Furthermore, India is also spending on its nuities. India has recently increased its defense clear submarines, satellites, artillery guns, and budget manifold. During the fiscal year 2016- intelligence equipment. Indian military modern2017, the defence budget of India have reached ization is accredited to several factors. The priup to $52.2 billion and it is anticipated that the mary motivation behind India’s military number will increase further. India is one of the modernization is its power tussle with China.

Territorial disputes fastest-growing such as Kashmir economies and its dispute and intention to become Dokhlam issue, and a regional hegemon The aggressive mindset of a race for regional as well as a global dominance, has alsuperpower is evipolicymakers in India has ways triggered India dent from its milito adopt a Chinatary modernization. intensified this power struggle centric approach.

Based on Indian With its rising ecostrategic thinking, it between India and China which nomic and military is generally behas a crippling impact on the might, China is a lieved that the milisignificant threat for tary modernization strategic stability of South Asia.

Indian hegemonic of India is specifically against PakHere appears a triangular domino designs.

On other hand, istan.

India’s China’s support to military modernizastrategic the where effect, Pakistan to tion is a defining strengthen its ecofeature of the Indian competition between India and nomic and defense quest for regional China has compelled India to machinery is anhegemony and India other added factor is able to maximize modernize its military and attain instigating India to and enhance its milChina as their itary capability lethal weapons. Thus, the current view biggest rival. The through the ecoIndo-US strategic nomic development India’s military posture put alliance, that has that the country has emerged as a conachieved so far.

Pakistan’s defence credibility in tainment-of-China Furthermore, policy by India and India has also develdanger as well as creating a the USA, is another oped strategic partchallenging situation for the important factor to nerships with be looked into while different countries, regional peace of South-Asia considering this including Russia, matter. The alleged the USA, Israel, and String-of-Pearls polFrance. The prime icy of China (that is, purpose of Indian military modernization is to develop combat ca- estsablishing naval bases along important seapabilities to achieve strategic benefits and to se- lanes) to counter its Malacca Straits dilemma, is cure its territorial integrity. India is seeking to viewed as a major threat to Indian maritime become powerful enough to alleviate any ele- dominance in the Indian Ocean region. The agment of surprise attack and to maintain credible gressive mindset of policymakers in India has deterrence against its adversaries. Military mod- intensified this power struggle between India ernizations help India to enhance its defensive and China which has a crippling impact on the as well as offensive capabilities. It also enables strategic stability of South Asia. Here appears a India to implement its hybrid warfare strategies triangular domino effect, where the strategic and enlarge its political and strategic power re- competition between India and China has comgionally as well as globally. India is seeking pelled India to modernize its military and attain strategic inconsistency as compared to its neigh- lethal weapons.

Thus, the current India’s military posture put bouring rivals, most specifically Pakistan, both at conventional and non-conventional levels. Al- Pakistan’s defence credibility in danger as well though India justifies its military modernization as creating a challenging situation for the reas a response to an imminent threat from China gional peace of South-Asia. and Pakistan, it is acxtually motivated by ambiSaad Naveed is a freelance columnist tion than fear.

IT is known to everyone Pakistan could face a major wheat crisis by the end of December. The warning has come from the national Assembly standing committee on commerce.which also pointed out the serious mismanagement in planning of wheat import had caused shortages, leading to a big hike in flour prices. Although the private sector has imported over 300,000 tonnes of wheat and booked orders for another million tonnes or so.The corporation which is supposed to purchase 1.5m tonnes of cereal from the international market to fill the supply gap had to cancel the tender’s floated earlier this months because of high rates quoted by suppliers. The new hids received to 300,000 tonnes of wheat are to be opened on 5 October. Wheat shipment will not reach here before the end of October even if everything goes according to plan.The consumers, especially low- income households are forced to pay a higher price for their staple food because of delay in import on account of the government failing to predict the market despite less than targeted crops output last spring. It was clear the country was facing a shortfall of 1.5m tonnes for the current market year and prices. The government wants to prevent the present shortages from morphing into a major crisis in winter.

MahiKaN Sarwar KEch

Air pollution AIR pollution is the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the death of human and other living beings. Air pollution is the one of the world’s leading risk factors deaths attributed 5 million deaths each year. However, air pollution is one of the health problems mostly for poorer household across the world. In the 2008 Blacksmith Institute world’s worst alone causes 2.1to 4. 21 million death annually. And 7 million people effored to each year. Moreover, pakistan is also effected by air pollution that in 2008 Pakistan was the second polluted country in the world. now in pakistan air pollution is available for 4 cities karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar.

Pakistan is facing this problem a lot that many people have been effected by it that 135000 die of bad air quality each year in pakistan and most or them are children. On the other hand, it increases mostly somg of factories and burning of plastic as well as vehicles smoking.

It mostly increases by deforestation that it is main problem. It creates air pollution. So, we must not do these things, burning of plastic etc we should avoid these things and more and more we should not cut trees and plant trees more.

SaMEEr aSlaM awaraN

GB polls THe local government system serves the nursery of democracy and is considered the basic form and breeding ground of democracy. The tool that helps sort out basic problems pertaining to health education and infrastructure.

Local government in gilgit Baltistan has been dysfunctional since 2007. Unpaid to this the basic problems faced by residents of far flung villages at the district level.

In the past local government elections traditionally used to be held on the very next day of the election day of the GB council, unpaid the audience of the election procedure more lively and fascinating My request to the federal and provincial government and election commission conduct the local government elections at the same time as the elections to GB legislative assembly. uSaMa Mir lahorE

Constructing museums BeFORe migration to India, and ruling the biggest film industry of Asia, Bollywood, probably two of the most legendary figures of Indian film industry Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor passed their childhood in Qissa Khwani Bazaar of Peshawar, Pakistan.The KP’s government decision of acquiring the ancestral homes of these both stars is a welcome one, and also made statements to acquire the current Bollywood giant Shahrukh Khan’s birth place, which is situated in the same bazaar ,and convert it into a museum.not only the three above mentioned superstars,but Madhubala, Prithvi Raj Kapoor and Vinod Khanna too were born in Peshawar.The Mughal-e-Azam actor Dilip Kumar thanked the Pakistani public for fulfilling his request of sending his birth place pictures.The film museums can boost tourism ,and can promote KP government a massive revenue from the visitors.Kumar’s wife, and former actress Saira Banu admired the praiseworthy efforts of the current provincial government, and wished that it would succeed in its efforts and hoped the dreams come true. haMMal NaEEM Bugh

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

Could the united StateS break up?

A NEW BOOK ARGUES THAT THE THREAT OF SECESSION HAS NEVER LEFT AMERICAN POLITICS

new RepublIc

i

Eric HErscHtHal

N the wake of Brexit and Trump’s election, many Americans began to ask if the United States might soon break apart. In 2016, progressive activists in Portland, Oregon, submitted a petition calling for a statewide vote on secession; that same year, a poll showed that 26 percent of Texans supported state independence. In a 2018 survey, 31 percent of Americans believed a civil war was possible within the next five years. A cohort of national security experts put the chances of a civil war within the next 15 years at 35 percent. And who has not entertained the possibility that, if Trump loses the election this fall, he might resist leaving office? Strange turnout patterns during the pandemic would certainly give both candidates a pretext for contesting the results—and what institution these days has the legitimacy to settle the question decisively?

If the idea of the U.S. dissolving seems far-fetched, one reason is that we have been trained to think of secession and civil war as something long settled. The South tried it, they lost, and ever since disunion has seemed a practical impossibility. But in Richard Kreitner’s provocative 400-year history of America, Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America’s Imperfect Union, he argues that the nation’s foundations have always been fragile. The threat of disunion has been raised or attempted in every region and by all political factions at some point in our nation’s past. If we ignore this “hidden thread” in our history and choose to believe in a mythic past when unity actually existed, we make disunion more likely, not less. To build a truly equal and lasting multiracial democracy, he argues, we must stop papering over the constant threat of disunion that haunts our past.

From the first colonial settlement in Plymouth, separatism has been a feature of our political life. The Puritans, Kreitner reminds us, called themselves Separatists, and founded their colony to escape Anglican control. The 13 colonies that eventually formed the United States shared no common identity or purpose before the revolution.

“Everybody cries, a Union is absolutely necessary,” Benjamin Franklin bemoaned in 1754, amid a failed attempt at unifying the colonies. “But when they come to the Man-

ner and Form of the Union, their weak Noodles are presently distracted.”

The most earnest attempts to unify have come only amid external threats, real or perceived. Fear, not patriotism, has historically bound the nation together. When Franklin convened delegates to form a colonial congress—the failed Albany Plan of 1754—its main purpose was to better negotiate with the Iroquois. Indeed, Franklin’s plan was partly influenced by the Iroquois’ own success, themselves a confederation of six once bitterly divided nations. Witnessing the colonies’ divisions in 1744, the Iroquois leader Canasatego offered a bit of advice: “We heartily recommend Union,” he told a group of colonial officials. “Preserve a Strict Friendship for one another, and thereby you, as well as we, will become stronger.”

Franklin, reflecting the endemic racism of white settlers, used the Iroquois’ example to shame the colonies into union. “If Six Nations of ignorant Savages should be capable of forming a Scheme for such a Union,” he wrote in 1751, “we should be able to execute it” as well.

Franklin’s dream for a unified colonial government only materialized when war with Britain seemed imminent. Kreitner rightly sees the Continental Congress, formed in 1774, as a “spontaneous response to an emergency,” not born from widely felt national bonds. Like other recent historians, he depicts the War of Independence as being as much a “civil war”—colonist against colonist—as a war against Britain. South Carolina and Virginia fervently opposed the boycotts on British goods favored by New Englanders, knowing that Britain would respond with boycotts on slave-grown tobacco and rice, the latter making up 65 percent of South Carolina’s exports.

There were fractures within each region, too. In 1777, colonists on the eastern border of upstate New York created an independent state—the Republic of Vermont—and flirted with joining the British province of Quebec.

The sense of betrayal led the nation’s founders to refuse Vermont entry into the union until 1791.

The key episodes Kreitner retells from 1787 through the Civil War will be familiar to many readers. There are vignettes on the Burr Conspiracy, the nullification crisis, Texas annexation, the Mexican-American War, the New York City Draft Riots, and much else. At times it feels like we’re in an AP U.S. history class, but Kreitner makes these episodes new and interesting by reinterpreting them to fit his broader disunion thesis. Few will be surprised to learn that the U.S. Constitution was a deeply divisive document that left unresolved the core issue— slavery—that led to the Civil War. But general readers might be less familiar with the argument, borrowed from the scholar

David Hendrickson, that the Constitution was, above all, a “peace pact”—agreed to not out of a shared national identity, but to prevent foreign powers from retaking the newly independent states.

Break It Up is at its best when it highlights the vocal threats of disunion that emanated not from the proslavery South—a well-known story—but from the anti-slavery North. “The first popular disunion movement in American history developed in the North, not the South,” Kreitner writes. During the War of 1812, New England states held a convention at Hartford to debate whether to secede, out of opposition to the war with Britain. By contrast, Southerners craved war,

and in large part because they felt Britain ran roughshod over slaveholders’ economic interests. In 1842, William Lloyd Garrison, the most prominent white abolitionist of the day, began to call for the “REPEAL OF THE UNION between the North and the South,” seeing the Constitution as a proslavery document. After Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which forced Northerners to help the federal government track down Black people who escaped slavery, Northern cities across the country passed “personal-liberty laws”—the equivalent of today’s sanctuary-city laws. Radical antislavery Northerners, not Southerners, Kreitner shows us, sometimes claimed the mantle of states’ rights themselves.

It is here, however, where the limitations of Kreitner’s argument become clear. Kreitner takes a kitchen-sink approach, one where every separatist movement, every prophecy of civil war, and every threat of disunion or secession, is given equal weight. What he does not do is assess the seriousness of each

threat. As the historian Elizabeth Varon has shown, calls for disunion were certainly ubiquitous before the Civil War, from all sections, but most of these were rhetorical; popular support for secession was actually limited. Kreitner’s discussion of anti-slavery disunionism is a good example. While he is correct that Garrison advocated tearing up the union, he obscures the fact that most abolitionists rejected Garrison’s disunionism in favor of forming political parties. By the time the Republican Party was established as an anti-slavery party in the mid-1850s, most abolitionists—including Black abolitionists—supported ending slavery by working through the political process, not against it, sapping anti-slavery disunionism of what little support it had.

There are, however, virtues to Kreitner’s wide-angle sleuthing. Most rewarding is his integration of the West into the national narrative. Drawing on recent scholarship by

Heather Cox Richardson, John Craig Hammond, and others, Kreitner argues that western calls for secession have been as much a feature of our national history as have calls for secession in the North and South. That would include Aaron Burr’s failed attempt at creating a western empire in lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. It would include the bloody conflicts between Mormon militias and federal troops over control of the Utah Territory in the 1850s. And it would include separatist movements in California and Oregon. In 1859, proslavery Los Angelinos supported a bill calling for a new proslavery state carved out of Southern California. In 1879, a contingent of California lawmakers threatened the “right to secede” if the federal government did not ban Chinese immigration. Those threats, Kreitner argues, pressured Congress to pass the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the nation’s first race-based anti-immigration law.

Kreitner acknowledges that threats of

disunion became less frequent by the end of the nineteenth century, but he insists that fears of disunion remained ever-present. Yet one senses an unresolved tension. His desire to acknowledge disunion’s slim chances from the late nineteenth century onward clash with his desire to tell an up-to-theminute history. Too many instances of political violence, protest, and even real separatist movements over the past 120 years are cast as more serious threats than they were. For instance, Kreitner uses the Haymarket Riots of 1886—bloody fights between striking workers and police in Chicago—as evidence that the nation remained on the precipice of collapse. While the riots certainly provoked widespread anxieties of anarchism, Kreitner provides no evidence that anarchism had popular support, or that Washington was preparing for the nation’s imminent demise.

By the late 1960s, he argues that while the “topic of disunion was banished from acceptable discourse,” the “impulse was sublimated into all kinds of protest movements, antiestablishment politics, and cultural phenomena.” We are then treated to a litany of radicals who, at some point, floated or even attempted to create separate states: from black nationalists’ attempt to create the New Republic of Afrika in the Deep South in the 1970s, to certain feminists calling for autonomous “womyn’s land” communities, to the Weather Underground. Conservatives are not let off the hook either, with nods to ongoing Republican threats to nullify Democrat-backed federal laws, Western ranchers threatening to seize federal land, and neoNazis calling for separate white states.

But not every publicly expressed fear of disunion should be counted as evidence of a real and imminent threat. And not every attempt to bring about secession—no matter which partisan side supported it, no matter the morality (or immorality) of the cause— should be considered equally plausible.

Rather than lump these more recent separatist movements in with genuinely destabilizing ones from our deeper past, we should ask why these more recent efforts failed. One simple answer is that, after the Civil War, the federal government emerged more powerful than it ever was before. No threat of disunion, even ones with considerable support, could challenge the behemoth that Washington had become—a behemoth, we should add, that has been propped up by liberals as much as by conservatives, the latter’s chant about small government notwithstanding.

Break It Up is less interested in these changes than in what has remained the same, and its main point is certainly worth heeding.

To fully understand our current political divides, we must stop telling ourselves that there was ever a moment in our past when we were not seriously divided.

Eric Herschthal is an assistant professor of history at the University of Utah and will be publishing a book on the anti-slavery movement in 2021 with Yale University Press.

Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America’s Imperfect Union by Richard Kreitner, Little, Brown & Company, 496 pp., $27.60

Did the CIA, FBI and Hillary launch a silent coup against Trump?

Issues & InsIghts Editorial Board

Former FBI Director James Comey plays dumb in testimony before Congress, while CIA Director Gina Haspel blocks further declassification of documents in the Russia scandal. That’s the obstructionist Deep State in action, hiding the truth about a major scandal from the American people.

Listening to Comey testify this week about the FBI’s “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation into supposed collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 campaign has been revelatory.

“In the main, it (Crossfire Hurricane) was done by the book, it was appropriate, and it was essential that it be done,” Comey said. Later, under persistent questioning from South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, Comey maintained that “Overall, I’m proud of the work.”

When he wasn’t being proud, Comey played as if he were ignorant of the things going on around him, including the fraudulent application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court to spy on the Trump campaign.

Actually, when this is all done, Comey might be lucky to avoid indictment. His stewardship of a corrupt, politically motivated investigation of a presidential candidate financed and pushed by that

THE CIA’S MEDDLING TURNS OUT TO BE JUST AS SERIOUS AS THE FBI’S candidate’s opponent has all the markings of a planned crime.

Because not only did the Special Counsel’s report in 2019 fail to find that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election, it also cited 17 “significant” errors and omissions by the FBI’s top officials in the investigation, not counting the 50 errors it made in FISA court applications to spy on Trump campaign operative Carter Page.

As American Greatness writer Debra Heine reminds us, “It has also since been revealed that the FBI knew in August of 2016 that Carter Page had contacts with certain Russians because he was working with the CIA, and that the FBI doctored evidence to indicate the opposite.”

Yet, under repeated questioning, Comey — who once likened President Donald Trump to a mafioso — denied specific knowledge of this misconduct.

Remember, the FBI was warned by U.S. intelligence sources that the so-called Trump Dossier manufactured by former British spy Christopher Steele had possibly been manipulated by Russian intelligence.

In the words of George Washington Uni-

versity law professor Jonathan Turley, “the actual source for the most damaging allegations had told American intelligence that Steele misrepresented both his statements and his sources — treating effectively bar room gossip as hard intelligence.”

So take your pick: Comey’s ignorance is either gross incompetence and ineptitude, or a stunning criminal fraud perpetrated against the American people.

Newly released documents from Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe also show that the Obama administration had obtained Russian intelligence as early as 2016 indicating that the Democrats’ nominee, Hillary Clinton, was trying to link Trump to Russia in order to make her own email scandal go away before the November election.

The Obama administration ignored that, too. Maybe they didn’t believe it, or thought it was far-fetched. Or maybe they supported it, which would make the Obama White House part of it.

That means we may have spent three years chasing shadows because Hillary Clinton didn’t want to face responsibility for her criminal use of a homebrew, unse-

cured email server that was likely hacked by both the Russians and Chinese while she served as secretary of state.

FBI underlings had misgivings early on. As recent emails declassified by the Justice Department clearly show, bureau officials working on the investigation expressed concern over the legality of their probe. They also fretted that it appeared rigged to politically favor Clinton over Trump.

But instead of blowing the whistle on the fraudulent investigation, they did the next best thing: Many of them bought professional liability insurance, with taxpayer money of course, in the event that the scam was revealed.

The compounded obfuscating and prevaricating by high-level officials should infuriate all Americans. A major political party, with the aid of multiple intelligence agencies, ran an illegal spying operation against a political opponent. And now they all want to pretend they did no such thing.

And the coverup and lies continue.

As Federalist co-founder Sean Davis reports, CIA Director Haspel is “personally blocking the declassification of documents detailing corruption at the highest levels of the intelligence community during the 2016 election.”

Why would she possibly do that, one wonders? As it turns out, Haspel was the CIA’s London bureau chief from 2014

through 2017, picked for the job by thenCIA Director John Brennan.

“Recall it was London where Christopher Steele was doing all this work,” Davis told “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” Indeed, London was the nexus for many of the things that the CIA, by law, couldn’t do in the U.S. The CIA’s meddling turns out to be just as serious as the FBI’s. Citing two “senior intelligence officials,” investigative journalist Paul Sperry reports that CIA chief Brennan “personally edited a crucial section of the intelligence report on Russian interference in the 2016 election and assigned a political ally to take a lead role in writing it after career analysts disputed Brennan’s take that Russian leader Vladimir Putin intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump clinch the White House.”

The books were cooked all along by all the participants, each with the same goal: Get Trump, destroy his campaign and, if that failed, his presidency.The picture emerges of the CIA, the FBI, Clinton and her campaign conspiring to portray Trump as Putin’s patsy in order to help Clinton win the presidency. We’ve said it before, and the new evidence confirms it: This was a massive illegal conspiracy, a behindthe-scenes coup without guns. Our republic is at stake. Shouldn’t those responsible be punished?

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

BUSINESS 09 corporate corner Arif Habib Ltd shines at CFA Awards LAHORE: Arif Habib Limited (AHL) has been recognised in 4 categories by CFA Society Pakistan in their 17th Excellence Awards for 2019. AHL received the Best Corporate Finance House, Best Brokerage House – runners up, Best Research Analyst and Best Transaction awards. AHL’s Head of Research Tahir Abbas was recognized as Best Research Analyst for the second time.

These annual awards are considered the capital markets’ industry benchmarks and are based on a confidential poll surveying respondents comprising the buy-side asset managers and investment professionals from Pakistan’s financial sector including banks, asset management companies, DFIs and other financial Institutions. AHL is the only stock broking and investment banking firm which has been awarded winner by the CFA Society of Pakistan for 6 consecutive years in the category of Best Corporate Finance House. PRESS RElEASE

ISLAMABAD: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust and the President House have launched breast cancer awareness campaign in Pakistan by illuminating landmark buildings in pink. The President House, Parliament House, Cabinet Division and Prime Minister’s Secretariat will remain pink from 1st to 3rd October to commemorate the international breast cancer awareness month. PRESS RElEASE

SteeL mAnuFACtuReRS meet Pm, HIgHLIgHt ImPeDImentS to InDuStRy'S gRowtH ISLAMABAD

P

GHUlAM ABBAS

RIME Minister Imran Khan, while assuring support and incentives for growth, development and revival of the country's steel sector, has called for an immediate solution to the challenges being faced by this important industry, which is the backbone of the national economy.

In a recent meeting with a delegation of Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP), led by its Patron-in-Chief Abbas Akberali, the prime minister directed the ministries concerned to address issues highlighted by steel and related sectors.

The meeting was also attended by Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, Adviser to PM on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain and State Bank Governor Dr Reza Baqir.

Covid lockdowns.

The PM was informed that there were not enough profit margins at the moment for steel manufacturers and that the sector cannot absorb the 1.5pc turnover tax and would incur deeper losses in the future.

The members further highlighted the need to address issues related to the usage of sub-standard steel. The use of sub-standard steel in the country results in collapse of buildings & bridges and it damages mega infrastructure. Therefore, sale & production of sub-standard steel need to be stopped. The delegation requested the Ministry of Science & Technology and PSQCA to take necessary measures in this regard.

They also informed the meeting that the exemptions given to FATA/PATA by the government were being massively misused and goods produced in these areas were being sold without payment of excise duty on finished goods. The total amount of revenue that the government was losing

ECC approves import of 180,000MT wheat from Russia

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT KARACHI: On the occasion of World Heart Day, Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, following complete SOP’s, organized online public awareness sessions and walks across the country in collaboration with leading healthcare institutions such as the Pakistan Cardiac Society (PCS), Karachi Institute of Heart Disease (KIHD) and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). PRESS RElEASE

The steel sector representatives briefed the premier about the daunting cashflow challenges faced by the industry, urging the PM to take immediate measures for the revival of steel-related businesses, which were declaring heavy losses.

The representatives sought a "predictable roadmap for the local steel industry" which could help meet the growing domestic demand. They said a package of structural reforms was imperative to make Pakistan’s steel sector globally competitive.

The delegation members suggested the government to introduce a 10 to 15year long-term tariff structure, along with regionally competitive energy costs and removal of unproductive taxes.

Under the present tariff structure and due to a number of issues, the government has not been able to increase its revenue, the representatives noted, adding that the steel sector refrained from firing any of its employee despite working below 50pc capacity due to

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Friday gave approval to the import of 180,000 metric tonnes wheat from Russia on a government-to-government basis, waiving all taxes/levies duties on the import.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired the ECC

meeting at the Cabinet Division.

The forum was informed that around 5 million tonnes of wheat was currently available with the public sector.

The officials said around 430,000 tonnes has already been imported by the private sector while another 1.1 million tonnes were expected to be imported by the end of December 2020.

In terms of wheat imported by the public sector, the Trading Cor-

poration of Pakistan (TCP) has already opened a letter of credit for import of 330,000MT wheat, while the corporation is in the process of tendering another 1.2 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, the ECC allowed sales tax exemption on up to 300,000MT sugar to be imported through TCP, besides allowing an amendment to the Revenue Division's SRO 751(1)/2020, dated August 20, 2020, for the purpose.

Exports rise 6pc YoY to $1.87bn in Sept ISLAMABAD: Within the framework of Sustainable Development Festival 2020, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) organized a zoom roundtable chaired by Ambassador of Italy in Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese to highlight how the Italy-Pakistan Development Cooperation Programme has worked on remote community development. PRESS RElEASE

BUSINESS DESK: Pakistan’s exports rose 6pc to $1.872 billion in September 2020, as compared to the corresponding month of last year, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood said on Friday. Sharing the data of exports on Twitter, the adviser stated, “The export figures for Sep 2020 have shown improvement. As compared to Sep 2019, our exports have grown 6% to USD 1.872 billion.”

He, however, believed that there is still room for improvement. “Although this is better than decrease of 15% in Aug 2020, I still feel that with sufficient backlog of orders we can do much better,” Dawood stated. The adviser urged exporters to try to win more orders from the existing markets and reach out to untapped markets, besides fulfilling the current orders. “I am hopeful that in October 2020 we will have further growth.” It may be noted here that after registering a growth in exports during the month of July 2020, the country witnessed a sharp decline in exports during August. Exports clocked in at $1.58 billion in August 2020, which were 15pc less than the same period of last year.

MARKET DAILY

Bears dominate PSX as index sheds over 600 points KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed bloodbath on the last trading session of the week, with the indices taking a beating amid late selling.

Global equity markets showed a mixed performance, whereas crude oil prices plunged further from the previous close; WTI crude price falling 3.85pc to $37.22 while Brent crude price dropping 3.81pc to $39.37.

"The stock market saw continuation of selling pressure due to a host of reasons, from political uncertainty to the spread of corona cases," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. "Exploration & production stocks took a hammering following a sharp decline in international crude oil prices, whereas redemptions in mutual funds also prompted institutional sell-off."

MARKET SUMMARY: The KSE-100 Index started the day on positive note, registering its intraday high at

40,838.92 after gaining 162.00 points before the midday break. It, however, failing to maintain its flight, plunging to its intraday low at 39,905.66 (-771.26 points) in the second half. The index finally settled lower by 606.09 points at 40,070.83.

Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index declined 1,499.61 points to end at 63,394.82, while the KSE All Share Index dropped 418.85 points, closing at 28,574.84.

The overall market volumes declined from 371.72 million shares in the previous session to 348.58 million shares (-6pc). Average traded value also fell by 0.6pc, from $76 million to $75.6 million. Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL -7.50pc), K-Electric Ltd (KEL -2.65pc) and TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG -6.90pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 52.66 million, 35.08 million and 24.66 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that painted the benchmark index red included oil & gas exploration (-134.92 points), oil & gas marketing (-77.51 points) and banking (-71.14 points). Among

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the companies, Pak Petroleum Ltd (PPL -50.82 points), Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDC -44.84 points) and TRG Pakistan Ltd (-36.20 points) dented the index the most.

Shedding 4.64pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the technology and communication emerged as the session’s top loser, with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTC -4.62pc), TRG Pakistan Ltd (TRG 6.90pc) and Systems Ltd (SYS -2.61pc) posting significant losses.

In a notification to the exchange, Avanceon Limited (AVN 6.51pc) announced that it has signed an agreement with BMA Capital to hold initial public offering (IPO) of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Octopus Digital.

Meanwhile, Nishat (Chunian) Ltd (NCL 3.58pc) declared its financial performance for FY20. The company’s sales fell by 9.33pc YoY, along with an 88pc surge in admin cost and 22pc in finance cost, pulling earnings per share from Rs13.19 in FY19 to Rs1.11 in FY20.

from FATA/PATA amounts to Rs15 billion per annum, they added.

Apart from the misuse of incentives in FATA/PATA, FBR was accumulating funds from the industry which adds to the sector’s struck-up amount, eroding the working capital of the industry.

During the meeting, PALSP chief Akberali appreciated the package offered by the government for the revival of the construction industry. He said it was the country adopted ‘Make in Pakistan’ agenda in letter & spirit, adding that the local industry has great potential to create jobs for the youth.

"For this to happen, the government must encourage the use of locally produced materials in CPEC/other mega projects. When the government allows import of steel/cement/ construction material through tax concessions, instead of encouraging the locally produced material, it amounts to exporting jobs to other countries. This needs to stop by making suitable amendments in the rule & law," he suggested.

SBP issues guidelines for DFIs to undertake Shariah-compliant businesses KARACHI: In order to enlarge the scope of Shariah-compliant financial services in the country, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued guidelines for Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to undertake Shariah-compliant businesses and operations. Further, keeping in view changes in the licencing and regulatory regime for banks, SBP has also updated the guidelines, introduced in 2004, for establishment of Islamic banking institutions. The updated guidelines deal with the establishment of a full-fledged Islamic bank, Islamic banking subsidiary and Islamic banking branches of conventional banks. In addition, these guidelines cover different areas including minimum capital adequacy, requirements related to sponsor directors, business plan, Shariah governance, application fees, preconditions for commencement of business. The guidelines for conventional banks and DFIs to undertake Shariah compliant business and operations also cover the eligibility criteria for in-principle approval, proposal requirements, shariah governance, minimum capital requirement and systems and controls. In addition, separation of Islamic banking/finance division and its different components, responsibilities of head of the Islamic banking/ finance division and requirements for commencement of operations are part of these guidelines. It is expected that these guidelines will facilitate the new entrants in the field of Islamic banking through establishment of full-fledged Islamic banks, Islamic banking subsidiaries by conventional banks and the commencement of Shariah compliant business and operations by conventional banks and DFIs. PPI

KPRA’s collection surges 33pc to Rs4.3bn in July-Sept quarter PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority's collection grew 33pc year-on-year to Rs4.33 billion in the first quarter (July-Sept) of the fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21), as compared to the collection of Rs3.26 billion in the same period of FY20.

According to details, the KPRA collected Rs4.03 billion as ‘sales tax on services’ during the period under review, as against Rs3.22 billion last year, while Rs299 million were collected under 'infrastructure development cess', as compared to Rs40 million last year.

KPRA Director General Fayyaz Ali Shah termed this increase in revenue a “step towards realization of the authority’s goal, which is to make the province self-reliant”. He said despite the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 on the overall economy, a revenue growth of 33pc clearly demonstrated the exceptional performance of the authority. The DG maintained that the KPRA was progressing at a tremendous pace due to prudent reforms and efficient policies of the KP government as well as efforts of the hardworking and professional staff. “We are growing with every passing day by overcoming various challenges and we are hopeful to achieve our annual target of Rs20 billion for the current fiscal year.” AZIZ BUNERI

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS russian journalist dies after setting herself on fire MOSCOW AGENCIES

A Russian journalist died on Friday after setting herself on fire in front of the local branch of the interior ministry in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, a day after her apartment was searched by police, her news outlet said. Prior to her self-immolation, Irina Slavina wrote on her Facebook page: “I ask you to blame the Russian Federation for my death.” Slavina worked as editor-inchief at Koza Press, a small local news outlet that advertised itself as having “no censorship, no orders ‘from above’”. A day before her death, she wrote on Facebook that police officers and investigators had searched her apartment, writing that they were looking for “brochures, leaflets and accounts” from the Open Russia opposition group, which is financed by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky. She said they seized notebooks, her laptop and other electronics, as well as her daughter’s laptop and her husband’s mobile phone. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it was opening a preliminary investigation after a woman self-immolated in Nizhny Novgorod, a city of 1.3 million located some 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Moscow. It did not name Slavina in its statement. Members of Russia’s opposition pointed to the pressure Slavina had been under from the authorities. “Over the past years security officials have subjected her to endless persecution because of her opposition (activities),” opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov wrote on Instagram. “What a nightmare,” Ilya Yashin, another Kremlin critic, wrote on Twitter. “All of these cases of police amusing themselves, these shows of men in masks - these are not games.

The government is truly breaking people psychologically.”

eU hits 40 belarus officials with sanctions, spares lukashenko BRUSSELS: The European Union imposed sanctions on Belarus’ interior minister and the head of its electoral commission but spared President Alexander Lukashenko, the bloc said in its Official Journal on Friday. Publishing the names of the 40 individuals that EU leaders agreed to sanction early on Friday in response to an Aug. 9 election that the West says was rigged, the EU list included commanders, security officials and prison directors.

Lukashenko is not on the EU’s list, however. Despite pressure from the EU’s Baltic states, diplomats said Brussels was sticking to its policy of punishing powerbrokers as a last resort, so as to push for new elections. Interior Minister Yuri Karaev and his deputy are the most senior officials to be targeted, which was first reported by Reuters on Sept. 7. The draft list faced a series of delays as the EU’s decisionmaking became entangled in internal conflicts. EU leaders broke the impasse following a summit dinner in the small hours of Friday in Brussels. The EU’s Belarus sanctions aim to support pro-democracy protests in Minsk against Lukashenko, whom opponents say has illegally prolonged his 26-year rule through a fraudulent vote. AGENCIES

eU removes libya's powerbroker Saleh from sanctions list BRUSSELS: The European Union on Friday removed an east Libyan powerbroker from its sanctions blacklist to encourage peace efforts and ensure the EU plays a central role in any negotiated settlement in Libya. Aguila Saleh, leader of a rival parliament in eastern Libya, no longer faces EU travel bans and asset freezes imposed four years ago, the EU said, confirming a Reuters report on Sept. 9 that the so-called de-listing was planned. “The de-listing of speaker Saleh was agreed in light of his recent constructive engagement in support of a negotiated political solution to the Libyan crisis,” an EU statement said.

After months of inaction, European powers see a chance to reassert their role in Libya - which has been in turmoil since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi - after a ceasefire in August and to counter growing Turkish and Russian military involvement.

The EU supports the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital Tripoli. But Saleh is seen to have gained clout as a negotiating force relative to another eastern powerbroker, Khalifa Haftar, who commands the rebel Libyan National Army (LNA). AGENCIES

ProteStS rUmble in indiA over Alleged gAng-rAPe of yoUng womAn LUCKNOW AGENCIES

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ALvANISED by the alleged gang-rape of a young woman who died of her injuries earlier this week, political parties representing India’s downtrodden Dalit community held small protests in several cities on Friday. In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the capital of the state where the crime took place, police baton-charged more than 100 activists from the Samajwadi Party, who held placards demanding justice for the dead woman.

Later in the day, the Bhim Army, a party championing Dalit rights, plans a protest at the historic Jantar Mantar monument in central Delhi.

The family of the dead woman has accused four

high caste Hindu men, who have been arrested but not charged by police. Caste still plays an influential role in the politics of Uttar Pradesh, where the current state government is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

While the family say the woman died as the result of a brutal sexual assault, senior state police officer Prashant Kumar told ANI News on Thursday the woman died due to a neck injury. “No sperm was found in samples,” said Kumar.

Bhuri Singh, the uncle of the victim, said her “dying declaration said she was raped”.

The 19-year-old victim, who was allegedly attacked on Sept. 14 in a field near her home in Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh, died on Tuesday. The incident has sparked nationwide anger and protests.

India is one of the world’s most dangerous places

for women with a rape occurring every 15 minutes, federal data shows. In December 2012, the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman sparked nationwide outrage and led to a tough new anti-rape law.

Public criticism mounted and protests flared in recent days after the family of the latest victim said her body was cremated by police without their consent, an allegation officials deny.

On Friday, members of a regional opposition party, the Trinamool Congress, were stopped close to the victim’s house while some leaders were roughed up by police officers, video footage from ANI showed. And in the eastern city of Kolkata, activists from the main opposition Congress Party also protested. On Thursday, police barred Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi, siblings and leaders of Congress, from visiting the dead woman’s family in their village.

New global lab network will compare Covid-19 vaccines head-to-head LONDON AGENCIES

A major non-profit health emergencies group has set up a global laboratory network to assess data from potential Covid-19 vaccines, allowing scientists and drugmakers to compare them and speed up selection of the most effective shots.

Speaking to Reuters ahead of announcing the labs involved, Melanie Saville, director of vaccine R&D at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), said the idea was to “compare apples with apples” as drugmakers race to develop an effective shot to help control the Covid-19 pandemic.

The centralised network is the first of its kind to be set up in response to a pandemic.

In a network spanning Europe, Asia and North America, the labs will centralise analysis of samples from trials of Covid-19 candidates “as though vaccines are all being tested under one roof”, Saville said, aiming to minimise the risk of variation in results.

“When you start off (with developing potential new vaccines) especially with a new disease, everyone develops their own assays, they all use different protocols and different reagents - so while you get a readout, the ability to compare between different candidates is very difficult,” she told Reuters.

“By taking the centralised lab approach ... it will give us a chance to really make sure we are comparing apples with apples.”

The CEPI network will initially involve six labs, one each in Canada, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Bangladesh and India, Saville said.

Pompeo visit shows strong US commitment to Asia, Stilwell says WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Hundreds of potential Covid19 vaccines are in various stages of development around the world, with shots developed in Russia and China already being deployed before full efficacy trials have been done, and front-runners from Pfizer PFE.N, Moderna MRNA.O and AstraZeneca AZN.L likely to have final-stage trial results before year-end.

Typically, the immunogenicity of potential vaccines is assessed in individual lab analyses, which aim to see whether biomarkers of immune response - such as antibodies and T-cell responses - are produced after clinical trial volunteers receive a dose, or doses, of the vaccine candidate.

But with more than 320 Covid-19 vaccine candidates in the works, Saville said, the many differences in data collection and evaluation methods are an issue.

As well as potential variations in markers of immunity, there are differences in how and where samples are collected, transported and stored - all of which can impact the quality and usefulness of the data produced, and make compar-

isons tricky.

And with a range of different vaccine technologies being explored - from viral vector vaccines to ones based on messenger RNA - standard evaluation of their true potential “becomes very complex”, she said.

“With hundreds of Covid-19 vaccines in development ... it’s essential that we have a system that can reliably evaluate and compare the immune response of candidates currently undergoing testing,” she said.

By centralising the analysis in a lab network, much of what Saville called the “inter-laboratory variability” can be removed, allowing for head-to-head comparisons.

CEPI says all developers of potential Covid-19 vaccines can use the centralised lab network for free to assess their candidates against a common protocol. For now, the network will assess samples from early-stage vaccine candidate testing and first and second stage human trials, but CEPI said it hoped to expand its capacity to late stage (Phase III) trial data in the coming months.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Asia next week demonstrates Washington’s strong commitment to allies and partners in the region, the top American diplomat for East Asia, David Stilwell, said on Friday. Pompeo said earlier on Friday he would go ahead with the trip to Japan, South Korea and Mongolia, even after President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. Pompeo is currently in Europe, and is due to leave for Tokyo on Sunday. He told reporters traveling with him on a visit to Croatia that both he and his wife tested negative for Covid-19 20 minutes before landing in Dubrovnik on Friday. Pompeo, who is fourth in line to succeed the president if necessary, said he had last seen Trump on Sept. 15. In a briefing call on the trip for reporters, Stilwell said the United States saw the decision by new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to host Pompeo as a reaffirmation of an everstrengthening partnership. Stilwell said a ministerial meeting of the Quad grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India next Tuesday would probably not produce a joint statement, adding that the group has shared values, but different perspectives.

Stilwell called the U.S.-Japan relationship “the cornerstone of peace, security and prosperity for the Indo-Pacific” region. He said the Quad, which China has denounced as an attempt to contain its development, was focused on furthering “a shared vision of a free open and inclusive Indo-Pacific ... “especially as (China’s) tactics of aggression and coercion, increase in the region.” Recent discussions among the Quad had focused on building cooperation on issues including maritime security and on critical technology, infrastructure and counterterrorism, Stilwell said. However, when asked whether the fourway grouping would issue a joint statement, Stilwell said: “I think you’ll see public availability related to this, as far as a joint statement, probably not.”

'Thanks for the chaos': Madrid returns to lockdown MADRID AGENCIES

Some 4.8 million Madrid residents will be barred from leaving the area from Friday evening, making it the first European capital back into lockdown due to surging coronavirus cases.

Restaurants and bars in the Spanish capital and nine satellite towns will shut early and slash capacity by half in what has again become Europe’s worst infection hotspot.

The new restrictions, to start at 10 pm (2000 GMT), are not as strict as the previous lockdown from March, when people were barred from leaving their homes. However, authorities advised residents not to move around unless absolutely necessary.

“Madrilenos” were exasperated at political wrangling between the central and regional governments, and anxious about whether the measures would work.

“We have been eight months with masks and without nightclubs and parties, and there

is still contagion. Then what kind of impact will these restrictions make?,” said Sonny van den Holstein, owner of Sanissimo restaurant.

“People are confused, they hesitate to go out ... they are in fear,” he said, as a customer

called to cancel a reservation.

The conservative-led Madrid area authority reluctantly complied with the order from the Socialist-led central government to ban travel except for school, work,

health or shopping.

Famous for its late-night carousing and usually lively tourist flow, Madrid’s restaurants must close at 11 p.m. instead of a previous 1 a.m curfew, while restaurants, gyms and shops are having capacity cut by half.

Gatherings of more than six people remain banned indoors and outdoors, but parks and playgrounds can this time stay open.

LEGAL CHALLENGE: The measures widen a confinement already in place in poorer parts of the city with high infection rates.

People who do not comply will face fines.

Other busy European cities have tightened measures in recent days, including limiting numbers in restaurants and making face masks compulsory in more places.

But none have gone as far as Madrid.

Conservative regional head Isabel Diaz Ayuso has launched a legal challenge, fearing economic damage and accusing central government of exceeding its mandate by ordering the measures.

With Madrid’s international airport

Barajas staying open, Diaz Ayuso tweeted her anger at the prime minister: “From tomorrow one will be able to get to Madrid from Berlin but not from Parla. Thanks for the chaos, Pedro Sanchez.”

Parla is a periphery town south of Madrid.

In its appeal, the region argues that the measures do not adequately fight the pandemic and would cost 750 million euros ($879 million) per week to the local economy.

But Sanchez said the only goal was saving lives and protecting health. “All decisions are made based on scientists’ citeria,” he said at a summit in Brussels.

With 850 cases per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, the Madrid area has Europe’s worst rate.

Spain has recorded a total of 778,607 coronavirus cases, more than any other Western European nation, with almost 32,000 fatalities. Daily deaths are now around their highest levels since early May - an average of 78 a day in the last week - but far below the late March record of nearly 900.

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

AfRidi StARS AS KP BeAt BAloCHiStAn By eigHt WiCKetS in nAtionAl t20 CUP

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AGENCIES

HyBER Pakhtunkhwa (KP) registered their first win in the ongoing National T20 Cup with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Balochistan in Multan on Friday.

Chasing the 153-run target, opener Fakhar Zaman was off to a flier hitting three consecutive boundaries on the first three balls of the innings. However, the dashing opener was soon dismissed by all-rounder Amad Butt for 25.

BATTING FIRST, AFTER WINNING THE TOSS, BALOCHISTAN POSTED 152/9 IN THEIR ALLOTTED 20 OVERS KP captain Mohammad Rizwan, who was opening the innings, then found an able ally in veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez as the duo struck a 66-run partnership in just 43 balls.

KP were sailing smoothly towards the target but hit a small roadblock as left-arm pacer Akif Javed removed Hafeez for 45.

The all-rounder hit five fours and three

Hafeez, Malik, 4 others refuse to sign with PCB for entire domestic season AGENCIES Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik headline a group of six veteran cricketers who have refused to sign with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the entire domestic season after being unhappy with the terms on offer, Daily Jang reported on Friday.

They had told the PCB that they would not sign the deal until it was amended to reflect their demands, threatening to not participate and “even go home”. The Board, upon seeing the players’ demeanour, caved and amended their contracts on Wednesday, just before the start of the ongoing National T20 Cup. As per the new provisional contract, the said cricketers have only committed for a month, during which time they would participate in the National T20 Cup. According to the Urdu daily, Hafeez and co, as part of the deal, will abide by the Board’s media, anti-corruption and anti-doping policies until October 20, after which they will be free to decide their future.

Wasim Akram turns down PCB's offer to head cricket committee AGENCIES Pace legend Wasim Akram has turned down the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) offer to become the chairman of its Cricket Committee, which has been headless since Iqbal Qasim's resignation from the post since early September. According to a source in the PCB, CEO Wasim Khan had offered the post to Akram, who excused himself, saying that his busy schedule as a commentator as well as his preference for working independently were his reasons for refusal. "I will be accused of conflict of interest so I want to work independently instead of blaming anyone," he is quoted as having told his namesake. Meanwhile, the PCB CEO has hinted that the headless committee could be disbanded altogether if it failed to find a replacement or a its value could not be established. Qasim, the last chairman of the body, had cited in his resignation that the committee, whose job is to make cricket recommendations to the PCB, was given no power, rendering it useless to the Board.

Spurs boss Mourinho says no revenge mission ahead of Man Utd trip LONDON AGENCIES

Jose Mourinho brushed aside suggestions that he would be on a revenge mission when he takes his Tottenham side to Manchester United on Sunday. One of his first matches in charge of Spurs was a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford last December, but the Portuguese said he had no "bad feelings" towards his former club. "What's that?

Revenge? I won so many times at Old Trafford as Man United coach and as an opponent coach," he said at his pre-match press conference. "Revenge for what? Nobody treated me badly there, everyone was so nice to me, I don't have enemies there, I don't have bad feelings.

Revenge for what? It's just a football match I want to win." Mourinho said his Tottenham side would have "no excuses" against United in their fourth game in eight days, after booking their place in the Europa League group stages on Thursday. The Spurs boss, sacked by United nearly two years ago, has previously complained about player welfare and said their efforts have been "inhuman" but he is gearing his side up for one last push before the international break. "I am used to it. It's the last one, the last match," he said. "I don't want to moan.

I moaned enough and I moaned with real things on my hands and I don't think anyone disagreed with me, even when I was moaning about the situation.

sixes in his 25-ball stay at the crease.

Rizwan top scored with an unbeaten 57run knock, as he took his team to the finish line with 18 balls to spare.

Batting first, after winning the toss, Balochistan posted 152/9 in their allotted 20 overs. After a blistering start by lefthand opener Awais Zia, left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi struck twice in the fourth

over to remove Imamul Haq and Zia for 9 and 24, respectively.

Balochistan captain Haris Sohail and middle-order batsman Imran Butt combined for a 44-run partnership to keep the scoreboard ticking as KPK spinners continued to slow down the run rate. Following Sohail’s departure (29 off 30), Imran Butt tried to up the ante but was eventually dismissed by left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz for 37. Afridi also kept picking wickets from the other end and finished with a fivewicket haul from his four overs, while restricting Balochistan to a modest total.

Relentless Liverpool raise bar for title rivals CANBERRA AGENCIES

Liverpool are only three games into their Premier League title defence but their stuttering rivals must get their acts together if they are going to prevent an Anfield procession. Jurgen Klopp's side have answered any questions about their appetite for more success after winning the club's first English title for 30 years. Following their chaotic opening win against Leeds, Liverpool have reeled off a pair of impressive victories against Chelsea and Arsenal to extend their perfect start to the season.

A slightly below-par defensive effort against Leeds seems to have sharpened Liverpool's focus.

They were back to their ruthless best as they dispatched big-spending Chelsea at Stamford Bridge before brushing aside Arsenal after the Gunners had the temerity to take the lead at Anfield.

The additions of Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota have given Liverpool even more thrust and poise in midfield and attack -- an ominous thought given the Reds scored 85 goals in 38 league games last season.

Ahead of their trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, Klopp insisted he expects Liverpool to be pushed all the way to the finish line.

"It's an open race, Chelsea will be there, United will be there, Arsenal, Tottenham, these teams will al-

ways be there," said Klopp.

"There are tough moments for us and other teams and it's about how you react and are you doing it in the right way?

"It's a marathon, not a sprint, and you have to go through a lot of moments. I have no idea who will win but I know a lot of teams will try."

But, in private, Klopp must be well aware that Liverpool's bid to successfully defend the title for the first time since 1984 will be greatly enhanced if their challengers cannot address their own shortcomings.

FATAL FLAWS: Manchester City finished 18 points behind Liverpool in second place last term and the early signs suggest they have not done enough to close the gap. While it was only one match, last Sunday's embarrassing 5-2 home defeat against Leicester exposed several of the problems that contributed to the end of City's two-year reign as champions.

Pep Guardiola's swoop for Benfica centre-back Ruben Dias this week was a damning admission that the close-season signing of Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake alone was not enough to plug the holes in his leaky defence.

A lack of cutting edge proved fatal in City's shock Champions League quarter-final loss to Lyon last season. With Sergio Aguero still recovering from knee surgery, City again failed to turn territorial dominance into a knockout blow against Leicester.

Messi playing out of his skin for Barca after ending departure saga BARCELONA AGENCIES

Barcelona defender Sergi Roberto praised his captain Lionel Messi for a sensational display in his side's 30 win away to Celta Vigo in La Liga on Thursday, as the Argentinean further demonstrated he has put his troubles with the club behind him.

After Ansu Fati had opened the scoring, Messi helped double Barca's advantage early in the second half with an unstoppable run down the right hand side of the area and a shot that bounced off Celta's Lucas Olaza and into the net for an own goal.

Messi later had a strike ruled out narrowly for offside and then created Barca's third goal in added time, dancing through Celta's defence and firing a shot at

goal which keeper Ivan Villar parried, leaving Sergi Roberto to score on the rebound.

"Leo is so fired up right now," Sergi Roberto said.

"He ran so much today and played out of his skin for the team." Messi has sought to draw a line under his efforts to leave the club over the summer as well as his vociferous criticism of president Josep Maria Bartomeu, saying in a recent interview that the time had come for everyone at the club to pull together.

He backed up his words with a tireless display against Celta, leading the team's attacks as well as running himself into the ground to help them cope with having Clement Lenglet sent off in the first half.

"We're so happy that Leo is still with us and the fact he is so motivated is a huge boost for us," added Sergi Roberto.

SPORTS 11 Messi, Ronaldo to renew rivalry as Barca face Juve GENEVA AGENCIES

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will face each other for the first time in more than two years after their teams, Barcelona and Juventus, were drawn together on Thursday in the Champions League group stage. Defending champions Bayern Munich face a potentially bruising two matches against Atletico Madrid while the draw also produced several other heavyweight clashes including Paris St Germain v Manchester United and Real Madrid v Inter Milan. Premier League champions Liverpool must face Ajax Amsterdam and free-scoring Serie A side Atalanta. The draw, usually held at a lavish ceremony in a seaside conference hall in Monaco, this time took place in a Geneva television studio due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The late start to the season -- a knock-on effect of last season being interrupted by the pandemic -- means that the six matchdays will be played between Oct. 19 and Dec.9, a month less than usual. Shortly after the ceremony, UEFA announced that spectators would be allowed to watch matches, upto a maximum of 30% of stadium capacity, if local authorities allow. Barcelona and Juventus, who met in the 2015 final, were paired in Group G along with Dynamo Kyiv and Hungarian side Ferencvaros, who are back in the group stage after a 25-year absence.

Ronaldo, 35, and Messi, 33, the two highest scorers in Champions League history with 130 and 115 goals respectively, have not clashed since the Portuguese left Real Madrid to join Juventus at the end of the 2017-18 season. The pair have only met five times in the Champions League, most recently in 2011 when Barcelona beat Real 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. "It will be a huge clash with Barcelona and a fascinating encounter because it allows the two best players in the world – Ronaldo and Messi – to face off against each other," said Juventus vice-president Pavel Nedved.

TOUGH START: It will also be a tough start for Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo, handed the reins in August despite having no previous coaching experience. Bayern were the first team to be drawn out of the pot by former Chelsea and Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba, one of the guests at the draw, and were joined

by Atletico Madrid, Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Paris St Germain, last season's runners-up, and Manchester United will clash in Group H, bringing back memories of the English side's memorable comeback two seasons ago when they won on away goals after losing 2-0 at home. A tough group was completed by Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and Turkey's Istanbul Basaksehir -- one of four group stage debutants alongside Rennes, FC Midtjylland and Russians Krasnodar.

Group D will feature Liverpool and Ajax, who have won the competition 10 times between them, plus Atalanta, who reached the quarter-finals on their debut last season, and Denmark's Midtjylland. Thirteen-times champions Real Madrid were drawn in Group B alongside Antonio Conte's Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Inter beat Shakhtar 5-0 last month in the Europa League semi-finals. Group E appeared to be one of the most open groups, featuring Europa League winners Sevilla, Chelsea, Krasnodar and Rennes. However, it could bring back unhappy memories for Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui, who was fired as Spain coach at the team camp in Krasnodar two days before the start of the 2018 World Cup. Group F is also unpredictable with Zenit St Petersburg, Borussia Dortmund, Lazio and Club Brugge.

Honda to quit F1 to focus on zero-emission technology TOKYO AGENCIES

Japan’s Honda Motor will end its participation as an engine supplier in the FIA Formula One World Championship at the end of the 2021 season to focus on zero-emission technology, it said on Friday.

The decision was made at the end of September and the company does not intend to return to F1, Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo said in an online news conference.

“This is not a result of the coronavirus pandemic but because of our longer-term carbon-free goal,” he said.

Like other automakers, Honda is rushing to build newenergy vehicles in an industry shift that Hachigo on Friday described as “once in a century”. That race is accelerating amid the coronavirus outbreak as carmakers review production plans to capture market share with new models including low or zero-emission vehicles.

Honda, which returned to F1 in 2015 in partnership with the Red Bull Racing team, said it will divert the resources it used to build F1 engines towards efforts to accelerate development of zero-emission technologies such as fuel cells and batteries.

“We understand how difficult it has been for Honda Motor Company to reach the decision. We understand and respect the reasoning behind this,” Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner said in a statement.

CMYK

Honda is launching its first mass-produced all-battery car this month - the Honda e - and has announced plans for two thirds of the company’s output to be new-energy vehicles by 2030.

Domestic rival Toyota Motor Corp last week said it expects annual sales of electric vehicles to reach 5.5 million in 2025, five years earlier than initially planned.

Saturday, 3 October, 2020

PrAyEr TImINGS

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:38

11:58

4:12

6:01

5:55

7:17

US PRESIdEnT TRUmP, FIRST LAdy mELAnIA TEST PoSITIvE FoR CoRonAvIRUS

U

AGENCIES

S President Donald Trump said on Friday that he and first lady Melania have tested positive for the coronavirus — just a month before the presidential election. “We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately.

We will get through this TOGETHER!” Trump tweeted early Friday. Melania, through her official account, said she and Trump were quarantined at home after testing positive for Covid-19 “as too many Americans have done this year”.

“We are feeling good and I have postponed all upcoming engagements,” she said. In a memorandum, the president’s physician said that Trump and first lady “are both well at this time” and “plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence”.

“Rest assured, I expect the president to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering,” he added. Prime Minister Imran Khan in a message on Twitter wished Trump and Melania a “speedy recovery” from the virus.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden also wished Trump and Melania a swift recovery.

“Jill and I send our thoughts to president Trump and first lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family,” he said on Twitter.

Trump’s positive test comes just hours after the White House announced that senior aide Hope Hicks came down with the virus after travelling with the president several times this week. Trump was last seen by reporters returning to the White House on Thursday evening and looked to be in good health. Trump is 74 years old, putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has now killed more than

PM IMRAN WISHES TRUMP, MELANIA SPEEDY RECOVERY FROM COVID-19

Global markets fall after Trumps test positive for Covid-19 WASHINGTON AGENCIES

US stock futures and European equities dropped on Friday morning after US President Donald Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for coronavirus.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average indicated an opening loss of more than 250 points, recovering a bit after earlier trading, which was down more than 500 points. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures were also in negative territory.

Meanwhile, the yield on the benchmark 10-year 205,000 people across the US. The diagnosis, just weeks before the November 3 election, marks a major blow for a president who has been trying desperately to convince the American public that the worst of the pandemic is behind them, despite a growing nationwide death toll of more than 205,000 and seven million confirmed infections. And it stands as the most serious known public health scare encountered by any sitting American president in recent history.

Trump had consistently played down concerns about being personally vulnerable to contracting Covid-19, even after White House staff and allies were exposed and

Treasury note fell to 0.6709 percent. European markets opened more than one percent lower in early trading, clawing back some territory later in the day.

“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this together,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said in a memo, “The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.” He added that he expects Trump to “continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering.” sickened. “I felt no vulnerability whatsoever,” he said told reporters back in May. He has instead encouraged governors to reopen their states and tried to focus the nation’s attention on efforts to revive the economy — not a growing death toll — as he seeks another four-year term.

Trump’s handling of the pandemic has become a major flashpoint in his race against Democrat Joe Biden, who spent much of the summer off the campaign trail and at his home in Delaware. Biden has since resumed a more active campaign schedule, but with small, socially distanced crowds because of the virus. Biden also regu-

Armenia says ready to work towards ceasefire YEREVAN AGENCIES

As Azerbaijan and Armenia clash over a breakaway region, Yerevan offers sign dialogue could be possible.

Armenia has said it is prepared to work with international mediators to reach a ceasefire with Azerbaijan as the two rivals fight over the breakaway NagornoKarabakh region, where fierce clashes spilled into a sixth day.

Armenia “stands ready” to engage with France, Russia and the United States, who co-chair the OSCE group of mediators to the conflict, “to re-establish a ceasefire regime”, the Armenian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. However, the statement added that “this aggression against NagornoKarabakh will continue to receive our strong and resolute response”.

The development came after ethnic Armenian officials in the breakaway Nargorno-Karabakh region reported another 54 military casualties among Armenian-backed troops, bringing the death toll to 158 soldiers.

Armenia’s statement on Friday marks the first sign that dialogue could be possible in resolving the latest flare-up, after days of Yerevan and Baku refusing to heed calls by Western leaders and Russia to back down.

Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties but said 19 civilians have been killed in Armenian shelling.

There are fears of the clashes expanding into an all-out, multi-front war that could suck in regional powers Turkey and Russia.

Turkey is Azerbaijan’s strongest supporter on the international scene, while Russia has a military base in Armenia. Ankara has been accused by Armenia of supplying fighters to the conflict, drawing

ArmenIA deputy pm LAnds In moscow MOSCOW AGENCIES

Deputy Armenian Prime Minister, co-chair of the intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Armenia and Russia, Mher Grigoryan arrived in Moscow on Friday.

Grigoryan is expected to meet the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, co-chair of the same commission Alexei Overchuk. The two are set to discuss issues of bilateral economic agenda within the Eurasian Economic Union. Grigoryan's trip to Moscow comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov invited Forthem out of northern Syria – charges denied by Turkey and Azerbaijan.

French President Macron slammed Turkey on Thursday, saying intelligence reports suggested that 300 fighters from “jihadist groups” in Syria had passed through Turkey en route to Azerbaijan. “A red line has been crossed,” the French leader said, adding that his country demanded an explanation.

Macron issued his warning at a European Union summit in Brussels, urging “all NATO partners to face up to the behaviour of a NATO member”.

In a joint appeal, Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Macron urged the two sides to return to negotiations aimed at resolving their long-standing territorial dispute.

Russia also suggested it was making progress in diplomatic efforts with Turkey, with Foreign Minis-

eign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Jeyhun Bayramov to Moscow to hold talks on the Karabakh settlement.

Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27, shelling Armenian positions and civilian settlements with large caliber weapons and rocket systems. Armenia and Karabakh have introduced martial law and total mobilization. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. international and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of civilian settlements. ter Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu saying they were ready for “close coordination” to stabilise the situation.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a decades-long dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, the breakaway region which is inside Azerbaijan but controlled by ethnic Armenians backed by Yerevan.

Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan during a war in the 1990s which killed 30,000, but is not recognised by any country, including Armenia, as an independent republic.

Fighting periodically breaks out in the region and talks to resolve the conflict have largely stalled since a 1994 ceasefire agreement. Armenia and Karabakh declared martial law and military mobilisation on Sunday, while Azerbaijan imposed military rule and a curfew in large cities.

Lebanon, Israel agree framework for talks to end border dispute

larly wears a mask in public, something Trump mocked him for at the first debate.

“I don’t wear masks like him,” Trump said of Biden.

“Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from me, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”

QUESTIONABLE HEALTH, SAFETY PROTOCOLS: Since the early days of the pandemic, experts have questioned the health and safety protocols at the White House and asked why more wasn’t being done to protect the commander in chief. Trump continued to shake hands with visitors long after public health officials were warning against it and he initially resisted being tested. He has been reluctant to practice his own administration’s social distancing guidelines for fear of looking weak, including refusing under almost all circumstances to wear a mask in public.

Trump is not the only major world leader known to have contracted the virus. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a week in the hospital, including three nights in intensive care, where he was given oxygen and watched around the clock by medical workers. German Chancellor Angela Merkel self-isolated after a doctor who gave her a vaccination tested positive for the virus and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau worked from home after his wife fell ill. While there is currently no evidence that Trump is seriously ill, the positive test also raises questions about what would happen if he were to become incapacitated due to illness. The US constitution’s 25th Amendment spells out the procedures under which a president can declare themselves “unable to discharge the powers and duties” of the presidency. If he were to make that call, Trump would transmit a written note to the Senate president pro tempore, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Regional leaders visit Kuwait to pay respects to late emir KUWAIT AGENCIES

King Abdullah of Jordan and Oman's Sultan Haitham were among regional leaders who arrived in Kuwait on Thursday to offer their condolences on the passing of the late Emir, Sheikh Sabah. Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Iraq's President Barham Salih also travelled to Kuwait to convey their sympathies.

Sheikh Sabah's death on Tuesday at the age of 91 started an outpouring of condolences and tributes from world leaders. Known as the "prince of diplomacy and humanity", he had ruled Kuwait since 2006 and steered its foreign policy for more than 35 years before that.

"The Arab and Muslim nations lost a wise leader who was dedicated to serving his people and defending Arab and Islamic causes," King Abdullah told Kuwait's new ruler, Sheikh Nawaf, brother of Sheikh Sabah.

King Abdullah was accompanied by Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah and members of government and senior officials including Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, Senate President Faisal Fayez and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Jordan's media reported.

Sultan Haitham, Mr Salih and Mr El Sisi were also accompanied by high-level delegations and were received at the Emiri Terminal by Sheikh Nawaf, Kuna reported. Sheikh Sabah was buried on Wednesday after his body was flown home from the US, where he had been receiving treatment since July. UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, visited Kuwait on Wednesday to convey the country's respects.

UAE, US, Israel to boost cooperation in energy sector ABU DHABI AGENCIES

BEIRUT AGENCIES

Lebanon and Israel have agreed to a framework for the United States-mediated talks aimed at ending a long-running dispute over borders that have been the front line of several conflicts.

Lebanon and Israel, still in a formal state of war, have contested their land and maritime borders for decades, including an area on the edge of three Lebanese offshore energy blocks. Washington has been mediating in efforts to bring the two sides to the table.

On Thursday, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the framework for talks had been agreed.

“This is a framework agreement, and not a final one,” Berri told a news conference, saying discussions would be held under the auspices of the United Nations at a base near the UN-monitored boundary with Israel, known as the Blue Line. “The United States was asked by both sides, Israel and Lebanon, to act as a mediator and facilitator to draw up the maritime borders, and it is ready to do this,” he quoted an agreement as saying.

He said the US would push for an agree-

ment as soon as possible, but told reporters the agreement on a framework was reached prior to Washington’s move to impose sanctions on his aide, Ali Hassan Khalil, for corruption and financially enabling Hezbollah, the heavily armed group.

Israel’s energy minister confirmed that two sides would hold US-mediated talks.

Lebanon’s change of tack has come when the country is facing a crippling crisis as its economy has been crushed under a mountain of debt. The crisis was compounded by a massive port explosion that ruined a swathe of Beirut on August 4.

The UAE, Israel and the US have agreed to develop a joint strategy to boost cooperation in the energy sector. The three countries will work together on renewable energy, energy efficiency, oil, natural gas resources and related technology, as well as water desalination technology, according to a statement carried by the state news agency.

“Together, our dynamic economies will look to leverage world-leading research and development capacities to meet the needs of current and future generations,” the statement said. “We will also seek to find solutions to the energy challenges faced by the Palestinian people through the development of energy resources, technologies, and related infrastructure.” The joint statement was issued by the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al Mazrouei, US Secretary of Energy, Dan Brouillette, and Israel’s Energy Minister, Yuval Steinitz. The UAE became the first Gulf country to normalise diplomatic ties with Israel after it formally signed the Abraham Accord in Washington last month.

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