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Thursday, 30 September, 2021 I 22 Safar, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 91 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Pakistan takes objection to ‘unwarranted’ references in us senate bill

AKISTAN on Wednesday took objection to “unwarranted” references to Pakistan in a bill that was recently introduced in the United States Senate was “inconsistent” with the spirit of cooperation that had existed between the two countries on Afghanistan since 2001. “We see that a debate is under way in Washington both in the media and on Capitol Hill to reflect on and examine the circumstances leading to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The draft legislation introduced in the US Senate by a group of Senate Republicans seems to be a reaction to this debate,” Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said in a statement. However, the references to Pakistan in the bill were “completely unwarranted”, he said. Terming those references as “inconsistent in spirit” with Pak-US cooperation on Afghanistan since the American invasion in 2001, he recalled that Pakistan had facilitated the Afghan peace process and helped evacuate citizens of the US and other countries from Afghanistan in August.

Ahmad reiterated that Pakistan had always maintained that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. It had also stressed that a coercive approach would not work and the only way to achieve sustainable peace in the war-torn country was through engagement and dialogue, he added. He noted that sustained security cooperation between Pakistan and the US would “remain critical in dealing with any future terrorist threat in the region”. “Such proposed legislative measures are, therefore, uncalled for and counterproductive,” the spokesperson said. Earlier, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Senator Jim Risch and 21 other Republicans introduced the Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability Act in the Senate on Monday to address outstanding issues related to the Biden administration’s “rushed and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.” The proposed legislation calls for a comprehensive report on who supported the Tal-

coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,243,385

LAST UPDATED AT 10:44 AM ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

1,560

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

1,167,189 27,690 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

456,897

430,353

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

173,548 AJK/GB: 34,101/10,311

32,888 ISLAMABAD:

105,287

iban during America’s 20 years in Afghanistan, helped the group in capturing Kabul in mid-August, and supported their offensive on Panjshir Valley. The proposed legislation requires the secretary of state, in consultation with the secretary of defence and the director of national intelligence, to submit a report on entities providing support to the Taliban to the appropriate congressional committees. The report must reach the relevant committees “not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter”. The first report shall include “an assessment of support by state and non-state actors, including the government of Pakistan, for the Taliban between 2001 and 2020,” including the provision of sanctuary space, financial support, intelligence support, logistics and medical support, training, equipping, and tactical, operation or strategic direction. The legislation also requires “an assessment of support by state and non-state actors, including the government of Pakistan, for the September 2021 offensive of the Taliban against the Panjshir Valley and the Afghan resistance”. “We continue to see the grave implications of the Biden administration’s haphazard withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Senator Risch said in a statement issued by his office. “We face a renewed terror threat against the United States, and the Taliban wrongly seek recognition at the United Nations, even as they suppress the rights of Afghan women and girls.” Senator Risch said he was proud to introduce the legislation to address these concerns and rebuild America’s credibility. “I hope the committee will be able to mark it up soon so that we can quickly help those we left behind and protect America’s national security interests before it’s too late,” he added. news desk

Dollar hits historic high at Rs170 in interbank market The US Dollar continued its surge against the rupee on Wednesday, rising to a historic high of Rs170 in the interbank market. The dollar was up 31 paisa in the interbank market and trading at around Rs170.27. In the open market, it was up by 50 paisa and trading at around Rs172.30. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local currency had closed at Rs169.97 against the greenback on Tuesday. With the latest drop of Rs0.13, the local currency has

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PSX nosedives on Taliban sanctions bill; sheds 908 points The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) tumbled on Wednesday owing to the bill moved in the US Senate to impose sanctions on Afghan Taliban, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding 908.19 points (-2.01 percent) to close at 44,366.74 points. The market opened on a negative note but turned to positive and gained around 67 points before going for a free fall and shed over 1,300 points. However, the mid-day trading helped the index recover some of the losses. The KSE-100 Index moved in a range of 1,367.2 points, showing an intraday high of 45,342.2 points and a low of 43,975 points. news desk

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PCB accepts CEO Wasim Khan’s resignation LAHORE app

The Board of Governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday met via video conference, in which they unanimously accepted the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Wasim Khan. Wasim had joined the PCB on a three-year contract on February 1, 2019. Following the meeting, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said, “During his time with the PCB, Wasim Khan provided excellent leadership, particularly following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure cricket remained unaffected and continued to be played at the domestic and international levels. The PCB owes Wasim Khan a debt of gratitude for his good leadership and we wish him well in his future plans and career endeavours.” In a statement following his resignation, Wasim Khan said, “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Pakistan Cricket Board. It was hugely satisfying to see the resumption of Test cricket with Sri Lanka playing Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi, and the homecoming of the

depreciated 7.89 per cent or Rs12.43 since June 2021 and 11.62 per cent (or Rs17.7) since its recent high of Rs152.27 recorded on May 14. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan’s two-month (July-August) trade deficit widened 120 per cent to $7.5 billion after imports saw a new historic peak but exports plunged for the third successive month despite heavy subsidies being given to exporters and significant currency devaluation. news desk

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more inside

US generals concerned about Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan STORY ON BACK PAGE

HBL Pakistan Super League during the last two years. When I arrived in 2019, there was a real need to build relationships and restore and enhance the global image and reputation of the PCB and Pakistan cricket. With decisive and strategic decisionmaking, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, we succeeded in earning the goodwill and respect of the global cricketing family, which I am hopeful will lead to increased international cricket being hosted in Pakistan in future.” “With a five-year strategy in place, new domestic structure in its third season and the investment in women’s cricket in an upward direction, I feel it is the

right time to move on and reunite with my young family. They have sacrificed a lot so that I could fulfill my dreams of contributing to Pakistan cricket, which will always remain very close to my heart. I am grateful to have worked with all our fantastic commercial partners and the passionate people at the PCB. I would also like to thank each and every one of my staff for supporting me as well as the Pakistan men and women players, and the Pakistan cricket fans. Lastly, I want to wish PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja the very best during his tenure, I am sure there will be exciting times ahead for Pakistan cricket under his leadership,” he added.

Nawaz says those propagating his antiarmy stance are enemies of Pakistan STORY ON PAGE 02

Reacting to NCA probe, Shehbaz says govt failed to prove corruption allegations STORY ON PAGE 02

Govt relaxes Covid restrictions in eight cities STORY ON PAGE 02

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

iSlAmAbAd

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NAwAz SAyS thoSe ProPAgAtINg hIS ANtI-Army StANce Are eNemIeS of PAkIStAN LAHORe

STaff rePorT

IRING another salvo against the establishment, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that those propagating that he could not get along with the army were

actually enemies of the country. “Were all former prime ministers right from Liaquat Ali Khan to Mir Zafarullah Jamali who couldn’t get along with the military were traitors,” argued Nawaz while addressing a party meeting through videolink. He reiterated that he would not make any compromise over self-respect.

“I didn’t bow down to the foreign countries and imperialists. How could I could be enslaved by the domestic players,” argued the PML-N leader. Nawaz claimed that his party has become the “most popular party of the country” . He said, “Which party has built a motorway, installed energy projects and

eliminated Pakistan’s load shedding, eliminated terrorism, brought the economy to the heights of development. Which party has made the Orange Line Metro, Metro buses and development projects.” He claimed that there has been a decline in the rule of every other party. “By the grace of God, it is only the

Reacting to NCA probe, Shehbaz says govt failed to prove corruption allegations

NewS DeSk

AKISTAN Muslim LeagueNawaz President and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday lashed out against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s allies for levelling baseless corruption allegations against him and his family members for the last three years, adding that his and his family’s acquittal by the National Crime Agency of the UK had vindicated his position. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif said there was a hullabaloo among the ranks and files of the government regarding his acquittal by the NCA of the United Kingdom. The Westminster Magistrates Court’s decision was announced earlier this month and released on Monday on a report of the UK National Crime Agency that said it had stopped a probe into suspicious bank transactions involving Suleman Shehbaz and others. “Honour and humiliation both are in the hands of God. I want to reveal the fact,” Shehbaz added. He said his party leaders were put behind the bars but the government could not prove any corruption case against

Photo by Zubair Mehfooz

them. He said that Imran Khan wanted to put him in jail. Reacting to the UK court’s verdict about the unfreezing of his and his family’s bank accounts, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said that National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency could not prove corruption of even a single penny against him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that the ruling PTI’s ministers have been leveling allegations of corruption worth billions of rupees but could not prove any wrongdoing against

him and his family. The PML-N president said that he was sent to jail twice during the last three months. He said that when the government failed to prove corruption against him and his children they approached UK’s National Crime Agency. Reading from the NCA’s documents submitted at the start of the investigation, Shehbaz said the NCA had received a letter from the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) — instead of the investigation agency making a request itself. Reading further, he said the documents mentioned NAB Lahore DG

Shahzad Saleem meeting the NCA operations manager and indicating that NAB would be “happy to assist in any subsequent investigation”. “This tells [that] by then the NCA didn’t even think of [any] investigation.” Shehbaz said this was “proof that government ministers have been leading the nation astray in the last 48 hours that they didn’t approach the NCA but were approached by it”. The PML-N president also pushed back against the claims by ministers that the UK court verdict did not mention his name and was not related to him, saying that his name was mentioned in a number of relevant documents. Shehbaz also responded to claims that he had not been acquitted of money laundering charges, asking that if the original charges on him were of corruption to benefit his children then “my children are acquitted but I am not? wow.” He also said that according to the prime minister, he possessed offshore accounts. “The NCA is the world’s most formidable crimes agency and they have recovered millions and millions of pounds from every corner of the world. They are not my relatives that they leave me alone so if my money was deposited in offshore accounts then the NCA would’ve found out in a second,” Shehbaz said.

$1bn foreign investment expected by year-end to revive PSM ISLAMABAD TLTP

A senior official at the Privatisation Commission has said the government is expecting at least $1 billion in foreign investment by the end of the year to revive Pakistan’s largest steel manufacturing complex, Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), with investors from Russia and China displaying interest in running the facility as part of a consortium. Officials say the PSM has the capacity to expand to produce three million tonnes of cold and hot-rolled steel annually, Arab News reported. The plan includes creating a new subsidiary, Steel Corp Limited, on the premises of the Pakistan Steel Mills to offer the mammoth industrial unit to foreign investors. Instead of selling or privatizing the Mills, the government aims to revive the operation and production of the unit with the help of foreign investors to meet growing local demand for steel. “We are planning to sell its shares to foreign

investors through a competitive bidding process, which is expected to be completed by December or January,” Iftikhar Naqvi, director-general of the Privatization Commission, said. “We are expecting at least one billion dollars in foreign investment for an annual production of one million tons in the first year. The investors may pour an additional $3 to $4 billion to enhance the annual production capacity of up to three million tons.” Naqvi, who is the brain behind the government effort to revive the stalled Mills, hopes the country would be able to complete the financial closure of all foreign investments by April next year to revive and operate the steel mill and once more begin production. The Privatization Commission has recently completed road shows in Islamabad to gauge the interest of local and foreign investors in the steel mill, he said. “We have received a very encouraging response from numerous foreign investors especially from China and Russia,” Naqvi said. Pakistan’s annual steel demand stands at about eight

million tons whereas local production fluctuates in the range of three to four million tons. The country fills the gap by importing steel and iron from Japan and other countries. “Once we revive our steel unit, it will not only fulfill our local demand but also help us export steel,” Naqvi said, adding that the government would retain up to 74 percent shares to continue having a decision-making role in the organization. Last year, six Russian firms including the METPROM Group, three Chinese companies including the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), four Ukrainian entities including Ukrainian National Foreign Economic Corporation, one American firm and three Pakistani companies expressed interest in running the facility. Once the producer of almost half the country’s steel needs, state-owned PSM, designed and funded by the Soviet Union in the 1970s, now has around Rs400 billion in losses and liabilities. The facility has been dormant since 2015 and contributes up to Rs20 billion in annual losses to the national exchequer.

Muslim League in whose era progress has been made. We are proud of that,” he asserted. Nawaz said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has ruined the country and has destroyed Pakistani culture. “He has ruined our politics and political culture. He does not know how to talk except for abusing others. No, I would tell him not to use language like that but to answer based on facts,” he asserted. “We will not compromise on our selfesteem. We do not accept the slavery of those who abrogated the constitution. If we do not accept the slavery of the imperialist powers, how will we accept your slavery,” argued Nawaz.

NA sends two bills to joint session of parliament ISLAMABAD Mian abrar

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a motion to table the Election Amendment Bill at the joint session of the parliament. A meeting of the National Assembly was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Asad Qaiser. During the meeting, a motion was passed to send the Election Amendment Bill to the joint sitting. The National Assembly also sent the second amendment bill of electoral reform to the joint session of the parliament. During the session, Naveed Qamar of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) opposed the motion for sending to the joint session. Later, the opposition lawmakers staged a walk out of the parliament after pointing out the quorum. However, after a count, the quorum in the House was intact. Speaking on the floor of the lower house of the parliament, Federal Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem asked if the overseas Pakistanis have no right to cast votes in the country. He added that it would have been an injustice for depriving those who have sent $29 billion of foreign exchange to Pakistan to help stabilise the national kitty of right to vote. He said that no objection has been raised regarding the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), adding that for the first time, holding elections through electronic voting was being discussed. The conduct of elections has to be through the Act of Parliament, the minister said and added that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has no right to raise objection on holding elections through electronic voting machines. On the other hand, speaking at National Assembly, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said that use of EVMs was the only way to stop rigging in the elections. She said that incumbent government was committed to ensure electoral reforms in the country for fair, free and transparent elections in the future. The minister said that overseas Pakistanis would be given right to vote and rigging in elections would be checked through use of EVMs. Mazari said that a parliamentary delegation, including PPPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar, also conducted a foreign visit in the past to witness election conducted through EVMs.

Sahibzada Jahangir tests positive for coronavirus NewS DeSk Prime Minister’s Spokesperson on Trade & Investment in the UK & Europe Sahibzada Jahangir has tested positive for coronavirus. According to a press released issued by his office, Rana Abdul Sattar, president, and Aslam Bhutta, secretary general said that Jahangir “who is always travelling long distances to help the Pakistani communities was recently suffering from exhaustion and fatigue”. He urged the community to pray for early recovery of their leader. Bhutta said that he is not suffering from serious symptoms and Insha’Allah should soon recover.

NIRM ED determined to shut down Urology Department PLANNING TO STRENGTHEN THE DEPARTMENT INSTEAD: DR SHABANA ISLAMABAD

HaMid KHan Wazir

N what appears to be a shocking development, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine’s (NIRM) Executive Director Dr Shabana Saleem is determined to close the much-needed and wellperforming Urology Department of NIRM, where over 20,000 patients have been served in few years with limited resources and manpower. Well-placed sources privy to the development told this scribe that the incumbent NIRM’s ED wanted to close the Urology Department instead of strengthening

it to enhance its capacity to meet the growing need of the patients. They said that Urology and Skin Departments had been running in the NIRM under internal arrangements for the last eight years and had been providing best services to the patients. Sources said that ED NIRM wanted to close the department on the above-mentioned excuse, which is beyond comprehension and great injustice to the patients. Sources said that though, it is true, these departments were running as per internal arrangements; the heads of the departments are not being given any additional and special perks and privileges. They said that the health secretary empowered her

to run the affairs of the hospital since she is being the head of the hospital. The sources said that if the ED succeeded in her plan to close the most vibrant department of the hospital, it would be a great loss, as the department has been serving the patients quite diligently and effectively for the last several years. Moreover, the sources further said that in case the Urology Department has been closed it would automatically shift the patients’ burden unto the other public hospitals which are already facing great problems to deal with the huge influx of patients. They said that during the last 8 years, over 20,000 patients in the outpatient department have been served, besides performing over 500 major and minor procedures. “We have managed to care for the patients in the indoors as well. In this time period we have tried to serve both the handicapped and the general population with various ailments concerning our field. Despite our severe

limitations, we have managed to achieve excellent results regarding the cure of our patients,” they added. It is pertinent to mention here that the federal health ministry had made Dr Shabana Saleem, a basic pay scale (BPS) grade 19 officer as ED NIRM on October 19, 2020 for three months or until further orders. Talking to Pakistan Today, Acting ED NIRM Dr Shabana contradicted the impression that the department was being closed, rather, she said that she had a plan to bring further improvement into affairs of the department, adding that she had already taken up the matter with the establishment. Pointing fingers at the manual of the hospital, she said that there is need of full man power to run any department and proper mechanism and all these can be done through proper procedure. In this regard, she said that we are looking for various options as to how we can strengthen it to better serve the patients instead of closing it.

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

iSlAmAbAd

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rePort reveAlS horrIfyINg StAtIStIcS of chIld AbuSe IN PAkIStAN

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ORE than 10 children were subjected to sexual abuse on average every day between January and June, a report by child protection organisation Sahil says. The report, titled “Six Months Cruel Numbers 2021”, states that the average number of children subjected to abuse has increased by two children per day in comparison with the last year’s January-

June report. “This year, 81 daily national and regional newspapers were monitored during January-June 2021 to collect data on Child Sexual Abuse, Abduction, Missing Children, and the cases of Early Forced Marriages,” read the report. According to the report, data collected from all four provinces of Pakistan including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), besides Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit Baltistan (GB), showed that a total of 1,896 cases of child abuse were reported in the

period. Of these, 1,084 cases were of sexual abuse against children, 523 were cases of abduction, 238 cases of missing children, and 51 cases of child marriages. The report further states that 53% (1,013) of the victims were girls and (883) 47% were boys. It reveals that “children from the age group 6-15 are most vulnerable to abuse”. As many as 640 children from the age bracket 11-15 years and 409 children from the age bracket 6-10 fell prey to different

types abuse during the last six months, the report adds. According to the report, in 1,045 cases, the abusers were acquaintances, while they were strangers in 430 cases, relatives in 49 cases, female abettors in 47 cases, seminary/school teachers in 38 cases, neighbours in 37 cases, and family members in 32 cases. In addition to this, the data reveals that 60% of the total cases were reported from Punjab and 6% from the ICT. The rest of the cases were reported from

Govt relaxes Covid restrictions in eight cities ISLAMABAD

inP

Two labourers died of inhaling poisonous gas in a well in Chak No 13 at Sharqpur Road in Sheikhupura on Wednesday.According to details, while working in a well, two labourers fell unconscious due to inhaling poisonous gas accumulated in the well. The Rescue 1122 personnel pulled of the affected labourers from well and shifted them to hospital where they were pronounced dead. The bodies were handed over to heirs after legal formalities.

He said indoor restaurants and wedding halls in these cities will now also remain open seven days a week. The minister said other cities will continue to face previous restrictions by the 15th of next month. In his remarks on the occasion, Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said the process of vaccination is being taken forward successfully. He said a total of 12 percent of the population across the country has been vaccinated against Covid-19. He was confident that the vaccination will get further momentum in the month of October. Dr Faisal Sultan said the vaccination has now also been opened for those aged twelve and above in order to ensure uninterrupted functioning of the education sector. He once again made it clear that the anti-Covid

vaccine is totally safe and carries no risks. Meanwhile, Pakistan has achieved another milestone of administering more than 80 million Covid19 doses. According to official statistics as of September 29, over 50 million people have received the first dose of coronavirus vaccine. The number of fully vaccinated individuals has surpassed 20.7 million mark. According to the NCOC, the country reported 52 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the national death tally to 27,690. The number of new cases remained 1,560 and the daily positivity rate stands at 3.19 percent. With 2,970 recoveries in the same period, the tally for recoveries now stands at 1,167,189, NCOC’s data showed. The number of active cases remained 48,506. Among the active cases, 3,948 patients are under critical care.

eﬀorts to be made to surpass $38bn export target: dawood NewS DeSk Advisor to PM on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has said that export target of $38 billion has been set for the current fiscal year 202122 after consultations with the relevant stakeholders. Addressing the first pharmaceutical export summit in the federal capital on Wednesday, the advisor, however, said that all efforts will be made to take exports to the $40 billion mark. Dawood expressed the confidence that the industries and the farmers will play their part to achieve the export target.

Talking about the tariff structure, he said that he has conveyed to the prime minister that setting tariffs for the industries should not be the prerogative of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and it should be shifted to the Ministry of Commerce. “Tariff rationalisation is part of our ‘Make in Pakistan’ strategy,” he said. “Further tariff rationalisation will be done in the next budget in order to facilitate different industries including the farmers.” Earlier, Dawood expressed hope last month that by the fiscal year 2022-23, the country’s exports would reach $50 billion by following the policy of trade diversification in potential trade sectors and markets.

Export diversification, focus on non-traditional sectors, and increasing exports to new markets, including Africa, would not only enhance the volume of the country’s exports but would also help to achieve the export targets, the adviser said. “Geographical trade diversification and search for new markets will further increase our exports,” he said. Pakistan recorded exports of nearly $27 billion in FY21, higher than the previous year. However, many believe there is room for growth, especially as the rupee has depreciated to an all-time low against the US dollar, making the exports cheaper.

PM takes PTI, allied parties lawmakers into confidence on electoral reforms ISLAMABAD Mian abrar

Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday took the lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allied parties on the key legislation including the electoral reforms. A meeting of the Parliamentary Party of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allied parties was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The participants were briefed on Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Criminal Justice System Reforms. According to a sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan

two labourers die of inhaling poisonous gas in well SHeIkHUPURA

TLTP

HE National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) has decided to relax Covid-19 restrictions in eight cities with the highest vaccination percentage. This was stated by NCOC head and Planning Minister Asad Umar in a tweet on Wednesday. “NCOC has decided to relax restrictions in 8 cities with the highest level of vaccination. These include Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and Skardu,” Asad Umar said on Twitter while warning that new restrictions would be imposed from next month on people who are not fully vaccinated. Later, briefing the media persons, the minister for planning said that it has been decided to relax restrictions from Friday in eight cities where forty percent of the population aged fifteen and above has been vaccinated against the disease. These cities include Skardu, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar and Rawalpindi. Umar said the only way out of the Covid-19 pandemic is to vaccinate as many citizens as possible. “Therefore as part of the strategy to reward citizens & cities which vaccinate, there will be higher restrictions on cities with low levels of vaccination & on citizens who are not vaccinated,” he said. He said indoor gatherings of three hundred people and outdoor gatherings of one thousand people are now being allowed in these cities. In addition, the shrines and cinema halls are being opened in these cities for the fully vaccinated people.

other provinces — 26% from Sindh, 5% from KPK, and 3% from Balochistan, and AJK & GB. Of the total cases, 58% were reported from rural areas and 42% cases from urban areas. Sahil has been working since 1996 on child protection, especially against child sexual abuse (CSA). Sahil aims to develop a society and environment where every child should be safe, secure, and protected from abuse, especially from sexual abuse.

took the MPs into confidence regarding the government’s measures. According to sources, he spoke on electoral reforms including EVM machine and directed the MPs to ensure their attendance in the House. The Prime Minister said that free and fair elections have always been needed in the country, transparent elections are the most important for any democracy. “We have reviewed the best initiatives in the world, and we will now complete the law reforms,” he said. Imran Khan further said that if a crime is committed against the poor, he thinks that he will not get justice, new reforms will have to be introduced from registration of FIR to investigation.

finance minister set to be elected as senator ISLAMABAD Mian abrar

Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to get Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin elected as a senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. According to sources in the ruling party, the prime minister chaired a meeting to discuss the issue and finally approved the appointment of Tarin as a senator. “Shaukat Tarin may be made finance adviser for two weeks. Then he will become a senator and finance minister once elected as senator,” sources told Pakistan Today. Source said that to get Shaukat Tarin elected to the Senate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ruling party would have to sacrifice a member of the Senate to be replaced with Tarin. However, a decision on which senator will resign from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to elect Shaukat Tarin will be taken in the next couple of days. It is worth mentioning that any unelected person must become a member of parliament within six months to remain as a federal minister.

Pakistan did not provide any military support to taliban: rasheed NewS DeSk Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Wednesday said that Pakistan did not provide any military support to the Taliban. While speaking to a ceremony in Islamabad, the minister said that all the conspiracies of the Indian government against Pakistan have badly failed in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan wants peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, adding that Islamabad would provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. He urged the world community to restore the frozen funds of Afghanistan. Talking about women empowerment, he said that a special women market will be set up in the federal capital. He asked women to come forward and play their due role in all fields of life. The minister said that it is imperative to involve women in the overall development of the country. He said that with his efforts, two women universities were established in Rawalpindi and the third one would be established soon. The minister said he made efforts for establishing women colleges in each part of Rawalpindi, due to which the daughter of a poor rikshaw driver got top position in competitive examinations.

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

04 NEWS

ISLAMABAD

GOld jumps tO Rs95,400 peR 10Gm due tO Rupee depReciAtiOn

NEWS DESK

OLD managed to regain some positive traction on Wednesday amid a modest pullback in the US Treasury bond yields that kept the US dollar bulls on the defensive and extended some support to the yellow metal. At 1315 hours GMT, gold in the international market was available at $1,738.20 per ounce after gaining $3.40. Meanwhile, the price of 10 grams of yellow metal in Pakistan increased to Rs95,400 after gaining Rs1,000. The closing prices of the yellow metal in the country remained Rs94,400 on Tuesday last. A relatively higher increase in local gold prices as compared to international price was due to depreciation of rupee against the US dollar. According to experts, gold recovered a part of the overnight losses due

to a weaker US dollar. However, a solid recovery in the global equity markets could

FAO for action to reduce food waste as 811m suffer hunger globally NEWS DESK The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called for action to reduce the amount of food that is wasted, saying that 17 percent of all food available to consumers in 2019 ended up being thrown away. An additional 132 million people face food and nutrition insecurity today because of the Covid-19 pandemic, FAO said in a message on the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, that was observed on Wednesday. The problem of food waste is a global one and not limited to wealthy nations alone, said Nancy Aburto, Deputy Director of FAO’s Food and Nutrition Division Economic and Social Development Stream, speaking at a press conference. “Food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition are impacting every country in the world and no country is unaffected; 811 million people suffer hunger, two billion suffer micronutrient deficiencies – that’s vitamin and mineral deficiencies - and millions of children suffer stunting and wasting, deadly forms of under-nutrition.” The FAO official warned that the high cost of “healthy” diets, meant that they were now “out of reach” of every region in the world, including Europe. She also said that more countries needed to embrace innovation to reduce waste, such as new packaging that can prolong the shelf-life of many foods, while smartphone apps can bring consumers closer to producers, reducing the time between harvest and plate. Reducing food loss and waste would improve agri-food systems and help towards achieving food security, food safety and food quality, all while delivering on nutritional outcomes. According to FAO, it would also contribute “significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as pressure on land and water resources”. With less than nine years left to reach Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 on ensuring sustainable consumption, and target 12.3 to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels, there is an urgent need to accelerate action, up to the 2030 deadline. However, this requires national and local authorities along with businesses and individuals to prioritize actions in this direction and contribute to restoring and improving agri-food systems. And with just three months to go, during this International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, FAO has reminded that produce provides human nutrition and food security while working to achieve the SDGs. “In the current health crisis we are facing around the world, promoting healthy diets to strengthen our immune systems is especially appropriate”, FAO chief QU Dongyu said, kicking off the year last December. He also noted that food loss and waste in the fruits and vegetables sector remain a problem with considerable consequences, pointing out that “innovative technologies and approaches are of critical importance”, as they can help maintain safety and quality, “increasing the shelf life of fresh produce items and preserving their high nutritional value”.

act as a headwind for the safe-haven precious metal. Apart from this, prospects for

an early policy tightening by the Fed might further collaborate to cap the upside for gold, they added. From a technical point of view, gold struggles to pick up amid sluggish MACD and RSI lines, which in turn hint at further weakness towards retesting the two-weekold descending support line, around $1,727. However, the RSI line can test the oversold region around then, limiting additional downside. Ignorance of this could direct the quote to the $1,700 threshold before highlighting the yearly trough surrounding $1,687. Meanwhile, recovery moves need to cross the immediate trend line hurdle near $1,745 before directing gold buyers to a descending resistance line from September 03, near $1,771. Overall, gold remains pressured towards the yearly low but intermediate bounces can’t be ruled out, according to experts.

Taxpayers can avail extension in returns filing date as per law: FBR NEWS DESK The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced that it will not extend the last date for filing income tax returns for tax year 2021; however, taxpayers may apply for filing date extension as per the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The FBR in a communication sent to all the field office of Inland Revenue, which was also shared with the media on Wednesday, said that it has been decided that last date of filing of returns i.e. September 30, 2021 will not be extended for individuals, association of persons (AOPs) and companies which are required to file income tax returns by the due date. “However, simultaneously provisions of Section 119(1) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 stipulate that a “person required to furnish a tax return under Section 114 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 … may apply, in writing to the commis-

sioner for an extension of time to furnish the return.” Thus, while it is important that the date of filing of tax returns for tax year 2021, being September 30, 2021, is retained as the final date for the purpose, it is absolutely necessary that Commissioners generously grant extensions in all cases of hardship of any nature. “In order to render the entire process of filing for extension and granting of time to taxpayers for filing of tax returns, IRIS is being modified to make it facilitative and less time-consuming.” The FBR said that the chief commissioners, both in terms of administrative responsibilities as well as legal powers vested in terms under Section 119(4) ibid, are required to be fully vigilant and ensure that no requests for extension remain unattended in their jurisdiction. The FBR also instructed that every Inland Revenue field formation should ensure the implementation of guidelines in respect of manual returns.

Pandemic wipes out 75m jobs in 2021: Guterres NEWS DESK Almost two years into the Covid-19 crisis, a huge divergence in the recovery is undermining global trust and solidarity, according to a new policy brief on jobs and poverty eradication, outlined by UN chief Antonio Guterres. The secretary general warned that the pandemic has not only confirmed but deepened existing inequalities. Investment in jobs, social protection and a just transition to a net-zero emissions future, particularly in low and middle-income countries, could prevent a further deepening of the inequalities. “Global solidarity so far has been completely inadequate,” Guterres said. “A renewed social contract…should be central to the recovery”.  According to the policy brief, extreme poverty increased by between 119 and 224 million people between March and December 2020 - the first such increase in over 21 years. More than three-quarters of these ‘new poor’ are in middle-income countries. At the same time, the wealth of billionaires increased by over $ 3.9 trillion. The report noted that because of the pandemic, there are an estimated 75 million fewer jobs in 2021 than there were before the crisis, and 23 million fewer projected in 2022. It also estimates that 8.8 percent of total working hours were lost in

2020 - equivalent to the hours worked in one year by 255 million full-time workers. This corresponds to a loss of $3.3 trillion in labour income before government support. To achieve “a job-rich recovery” and a “just transition,” at least $982 billion are needed to respond to the immediate labour market shocks of the crisis, the report said.  The secretary general called for universal social protection by 2030, including universal health care, income protection, education and skills training, particularly for women and girls. The many ad hoc and temporary measures that have been implemented over the past year “provide a starting point” Guterres noted. To achieve this there is a need to mobilise significant public and private investments – some $1.2 trillion to achieve universal social protection coverage for low and middle-income countries, he said. Investments must also be ramped up to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and address the risks from climate change that could jeopardize 1.2 billion jobs, equivalent to 40 percent of the global labour force.  During the presentation, Guterres announced the creation of a new Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Bitcoin crosses $42,000 level as cryptos remain mixed The cryptocurrency market remained mixed on Wednesday, with the market cap shedding 0.2 percent to reach $1.95 trillion as of 1255 hours GMT. The price of bitcoin (BTC), the largest cryptocurrency, gained 0.66 percent to reach $42,097 after a fresh $40,000 retest overnight. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of the biggest cryptocurrency has reached $792.6 billion. Likewise, ether (ETH) price went up by 0.46 percent to reach $2,915. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of ETH has reached $342 billion. However, XRP price shed 0.71 percent to reach $0.922. The market capitalisation of XRP stands at $92.2 billion after this decrease. Similarly, cardano (ADA) price faced selling pressure and shed 0.17 percent to reach $2.11. Its market capitalisation has reached $68.3 billion after this decrease. However, dogecoin (Doge) price gained 0.35 percent to reach $0.201. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of doge has reached $26.3 billion. On the other hand, the average social sentiment on bitcoin is predominantly bearish, based on the analysis of over 1,000 crypto-related social media channels by crypto intelligence platform Santiment. The asset’s social dominance has dropped to its lowest point, suggesting that there is room for the price to bounce back. Marion Laboure, a market strategist at Deutsche Bank is of the opinion that bitcoin could potentially become the 21st century’s gold. According to the strategist, the volatility of the asset has hindered its acceptance as an effective store of value. She expects the asset to remain volatile in the foreseeable future. Another analyst is convinced that bitcoin has maintained a bottom amidst rising macroeconomic pressures, and this suggests that the asset is primed for a future price rise. Open interest has remained flat after dropping nearly 40% over the past few weeks. Nearly $5 billion in BTC positions were liquidated, though the number is now trending lower. This implies there is room for vertical growth in price in Q4 2021, according to the analyst. NEWS DESK

crude prices inch down on demand concerns Crude prices inched down for the second straight day on Wednesday amid concerns about a slowing Chinese economy as well as increase in the US output. At 1325 hours GMT, Brent, the international benchmark for two-thirds of the world’s oil, shed $0.65 (-0.82 percent) to reach $78.44 a barrel. Similarly, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reached $74.78 a barrel, down by $0.51 (-0.68 percent). The price for Opec Basket was recorded at $77.73 a barrel with 1.99 percent increase, Arab Light was available at $76.61 a barrel with a 3.47 percent decrease, while the price of Russian Sokol slipped to $76.85 after shedding 3.43 percent. According to experts, oil prices fell for the second straight day as doubts re-emerged over demand, with Covid19 cases continuing to rise worldwide and gasoline shortages in some regions. They said a shortfall in global energy supplies affected crude markets earlier this week, pushing oil prices to their highest levels in three years, before heading lower. This came as data showed US crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories unexpectedly rose last week, as per the latest American Petroleum Institute figures. They expect that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies will decide to keep supplies tight when they meet next week. OPEC has forecast that oil demand will grow sharply in the next few years as economies recover from the pandemic. It also warned that the world needed to keep investing in production even as it switches to green energy. NEWS DESK

Digital currencies can ensure fast, cheap cross-border transactions: report NEWS DESK The use of digital currencies and distributed ledger technology could speed up cross-border transactions and reduce money transfer costs, according to a prototype developed as part of a project undertaken by four central banks and backed by the Bank of International Settlements. The prototype is developed by the multiple central bank digital currency bridge project (mBridge), which is being carried out by the BIS Innovation Hub Hong Kong Centre, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Bank of Thailand, the Digital Currency Institute of the People’s Bank of China and the Central Bank of the UAE. The project showed that the use of digital currencies could help complete money transfers across the

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border within seconds compared to days required currently for banks, the UAE Central Bank said on Tuesday. The cost of cross-border payments could also be halved, the CBUAE said, citing the project report. “The prototype is part of our efforts to design CBDC technology,” said Benoît Cœuré, head of the BIS Innovation Hub. “The project includes experimenting with use cases and trials, balanced with analysis of governance, policy and legal considerations with a focus on cross-border use.” CBDCs, which are different from the more volatile cryptocurrencies, could plug a gap by erasing some of the legacy issues of cross-border payments, according to BIS. The mbridge project will continue to address the existing limitations of the platform, including its scalability and privacy controls. It will also address policy and other legal concerns to ensure compliance

in specific jurisdictions. The project’s next phases are expected to involve it being trialled in a controlled environment with commercial banks and other market participants. “Enabling faster and cheaper cross-border wholesale payments, including to jurisdictions that don’t benefit from a vibrant correspondent banking system, would be positive for trade and economic development” said Benedicte Nolens, head of the BIS Innovation Hub, Hong Kong Centre. “mBridge investigates these public good outcomes through a new DLT payment infrastructure that sits at the crossroads of participating central banks.” Central banks across the world are increasingly assessing the potential of digital currencies amid a growing interest in cryptocurrencies and other online payment channels.

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

ISLAMABAD

NEWS

PaKIsTan TaKes obJecTIon To ‘unwaRRanTeD’ RefeRences In us senaTe bIll continued from page 01

HE proposed bill also seeks to impose sanctions on the Taliban and others in Afghanistan for terrorism, drug-trafficking, and human rights abuses, as well as on those providing support to the Taliban, including foreign governments. It states that the US should not recognise any member of the Taliban as the ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States or as the ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Nations, and

places restrictions on non-humanitarian foreign assistance to the war-torn country. It also calls for a comprehensive review of foreign assistance to entities that support the Taliban. The bill also seeks to establish a US State Department task force to focus on the evacuation of American citizens, legal permanent residents, and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas who are still stuck in Afghanistan, as well as impose oversight mechanisms on the processing of SIVs and refugees. It also calls for strategies for coun-

President seeks businesspersons ’ role in economy documentation

terterrorism and for the disposition of Taliban-captured US equipment. Reacting to the development, federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said that Pakistan will once again be made to pay a heavy price for being an ally of the US in the ‘War on Terror’. “Twenty years of presence by economically and militarily powerful US & Nato left behind chaos with no stable governance structures. Pakistan is now being scapegoated for this failure,” she said. “This was never our war. We suf-

fered 80,000 casualties, a decimated economy, over 450 drone attacks by our US ‘ally’ and the disastrous fallout of these attacks on our tribal areas and people,” she said. She called on the US Senate to do “serious introspection”. “Enough is enough. It is time for those powers that were present in Afghanistan to look to their own failures instead of targeting Pakistan which paid a heavy price […] for being an ally and suffering constant abuse in a war that wasn’t ours,” the minister said.

PSX nosedives on Taliban sanctions bill; sheds 908 points continued from page 01

GOVT HAS TAKEN STEPS TO ENHANCE EXPORTS OF THE COUNTRY: ALVI President Dr Arif Alvi has said that the government has taken steps with the consultations of stakeholders to enhance exports of the country. Addressing the 44th export award ceremony of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Wednesday, the president asked the exporters to strive to promote ‘Brand Pakistan’ with honesty and reliability. He said, “I firmly believe that exports play a key role in the growth and development of the national economy and also help in ensuring that the policies are broad-based and are owned by private entrepreneurs. It is heartening that the exports of the country have witnessed a surge due the prudent policy of the government.” He urged the business community to join hands with the government for documentation of the economy. The president called for exploring the information technology sector as it has huge export potential. He said the top ten companies in the world are IT based. He said peace in Afghanistan will provide huge opportunities for the Pakistani business community. He said it will open ways to Central Asian States. He said that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to be supported for the economic development of the country. Dr. Arif Alvi asked the business community to take steps for inclusion of women and differently-abled people in the sector. “I appreciate the FPCCI for its endeavours to promote economic activity, trade and business in the country. I am optimistic that it will not only continue these commendable activities but also expand and grow them further, while focusing on inclusive schemes that encourage entrepreneurs from all sectors and backgrounds,” he further said. He said, “I am confident that the conferment of exports awards and public recognition of high achievers will motivate enthusiastic individuals and organizations to explore new avenues for increasing exports. I also urge the business community to manufacture internationally competitive value-added products to enhance our exports.” Later, he distributed prizes among the best exporters in different categories. NEWS DESK

Among other indices, the KSE All Share Index shed 499.4 points (-1.62 percent) to close at 30,262.8 points, while All Share Islamic Index shed 448.29 points (-2.05 percent) to close at 21,464.97 points. A total of 383 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, out of them shares of 58 closed up, shares of 311 closed down while shares of 14 companies remained unchanged. Out of 98 traded companies in the KSE-100 Index, four closed up, 93 closed down, and one remained unchanged. The overall market volumes increased by 103.90 million to 468.76 million shares. Total volume traded for the KSE-100 Index was 208.74 million shares. The number of total trades increased by 37,498 to 169,031, while the value traded increased by Rs2.37 billion to Rs16.40 billion. The market capitalisation in-

creased by Rs127.08 billion. Among scrips, TELE topped the volumes with 52.43 million shares, followed by WTL (51.19 million) and DCR (36.02 million). Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include TELE, WTL, DCR, BYCO and ANL, which formed 43 percent of total volumes. Sector-wise, the index was let down by commercial banks with 172 points, technology & communication with 128 points, cement with 100 points, pharmaceuticals with 65 points and fertilizer with 58 points. The most points taken off the index was by TRG which stripped the index of 88 points followed by MCB with 61 points, SEARL with 35 points, SYS with 35 points and LUCK with 35 points. The sectors propping up the index was tobacco, which added 19 points. The most points added to the index was by PAKT which contributed 19 points followed by

SCBPL with 3 points and GLAXO with one point. Analysts at Arif Habib Limited said after the initial uptick of 67 points carrying positive sentiment from Tuesday, the market took a nosedive due to concerns on the foreign policy front where the US senators proposed sanctions on the Taliban and its supporters that had PSX investors worry about the fate of relations with the US. Resultantly, the index tumbled around 1,300 points during intraday trading. Selling was observed across the board with a major decline in technology, banks, E&P, O&GMCs and fertilizer sectors. According to Topline Securities, “With today’s KSE-100 index closing, the index is so far 6 percent down in September 2021. If the trend continues tomorrow this will be the highest monthly fall after March 2020 where the index declined by 23 percent due to Covid-19.”

KP govt preparing to participate in Dubai Int'l Expo peSHaWar STAFF REPORT

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will participate in the Dubai International Expo in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the aim to attract foreign investment to the province. In this regard, a meeting on the arrangements and preparations for participation in the expo was held under the chairmanship of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) CM Mahmood Khan, here on Tuesday. Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Industry Humayun Khan, Director General Culture and Tourism Authority Kamran Afridi, Chief Executive Officer KP Board of Investment and Trade Hassan Dawood and other concerned officials

attended the meeting. The meeting was also briefed about the proposed activities in the expo and other related matters. It was told that important proposed projects including tourism, agriculture, industry, minerals, energy, infrastructure and information technology sector projects of the provincial government will be presented in the expo to attract foreign investment for their execution. In order to showcase the culture and local products of the province at the international level, items related to the KP's cultural heritage and archeology as well as local products will also be featured in the expo. According to the initial tentative schedule, the KP Pavilion will be set up on January 1, 2022, and various products including leather, textile,

handicraft, cottage and other products will be exhibited. On January 6 and 7, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Investment Conference on Rashkai SEZ, Ghazi Economic Zone, Chitral Economic Zone and the proposed Draban Special Economic Zone will be held. Similarly, the Mines and Minerals Investment Conference will be held on January 10 and 11, coupled with an exhibition of gem stones while a conference on tourism, culture and archeology will be held on January 14 and 15, focusing on the integrated tourism zones. Further, a conference on the establishment of Crude Oil Refinery, LPG Storage, Bottling Plants and Power Projects, 22 MW Patrak Sheringal Hydropower Project, 47 MW Barikot Patrak Hydropower Project.

Dollar hits historic high at Rs170 in interbank market continued from page 01 Moreover, the rupee may be moving down in search of the value that can help resume the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) $6 billion loan programme, which has been on hold for the last two months. The country is set to hold staff-level talks with the IMF on resuming the programme on October 4. Media reports state that a section of financial markets has changed its view over the rupee-dollar parity in short to long-run, anticipating the local currency would maintain its downward trend under the current cycle instead of getting stabilised at current levels amid rising import payment pressure and worsening financial crisis in Afghanistan. In this regard, a report by The Express Tribune on Tuesday had quoted a JS Global official saying that the rupee will gradually drop to Rs175-176 against the greenback by the end of current fiscal year. On August 26, 2020, the dollar hit Rs168.43. Then it started declining and reached Rs151.83 on May 14, 2021. However, the greenback started rising and has appreciated by 6.6 per cent and 9.9pc since June and May 14, 2021, respectively. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had indicated earlier that the dollar could appreciate during the current financial year due to an expected higher current account deficit.

Rs26bn more approved to be disbursed under KJP: Dar Special Assistant on Youth Affairs Usman Dar has said subsidised loans worth Rs20 billion have so far been disbursed under Kamyab Jawan Programme (KJP) to enable the youth start their own businesses. Addressing an event in the federal capital on Wednesday, Dar said approval has also been given to disburse another Rs26 billion. He said, “It is our utmost endeavour to empower the youth.” He said Kamyab Jawan Programme has helped create job opportunities for the youth. Dar said that there had been a massive economic activity across the country as the number of successful entrepreneurs of KJP was growing gradually. He assured the youth of merit and transparency in the loan disbursement process. NEWS DESK

Three small dams for Islamabad in the pipeline: minister Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan has said that three new small dams are being constructed at a cost of Rs80 billion to fulfil the needs of the residents of the federal capital. Responding to a question during the question hour in the Senate on Wednesday, the minister said that the projects are at PC-1 stage. He said that the echallan system has been made functional in the Federal Capital to check traffic violations. He added that so far around 23,000 e-challans have been issued and no traffic violations will go unchecked even if traffic police are not physically monitoring traffic signals. The minister of state said smart cameras have been launched for on ground surveillance. He said 94 percent of surveillance cameras in the federal capital are functional. Similarly, the air patrol unit has been established for surveillance through drone cameras. To another question, the minister said the Islamabad Police have taken several measures to curb street crimes in the capital. Responding to yet another question, he said that the Eagle Squad consisting 150 motorcycles, including 510 police personnel has been established on the pattern of Dolphin Force in Punjab to control street crimes in Islamabad. NEWS DESK

Myanmar's junta powerless as currency drops 60pc in four weeks, economy tanks naYpYitaW AGENCIES

Myanmar's currency has lost more than 60% of its value since the beginning of September in a collapse that has driven up food and fuel prices in an economy that has tanked since a military coup eight months ago. "This will rattle the generals as they are quite obsessed with the kyat rate as a broader barometer of the economy, and therefore a reflection on them," Richard Horsey, a Myanmar expert at the International Crisis Group, said. In August, the Central Bank of Myanmar tried tethering the kyat 0.8% either side of its reference rate against the dollar, but gave up on Sept. 10 as pressure on the exchange rate mounted. The shortage of dollars has become so

bad that some money changers have pulled down their shutters. "Due to the currency price instability at the moment...all Northern Breeze Exchange Service branches are temporarily closed," the money changer said on Facebook. Those still operating were quoting a rate of 2,700 kyat per dollar on Tuesday, compared to 1,695 on Sept. 1 and 1,395 back on Feb.1 when the military overthrew a democratically elected government led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. In a report published on Monday, the World Bank predicted the economy would slump by 18% this year, partly due to the pandemic, and said Myanmar would see the biggest contraction in employment in the region and the number of poor in the country would rise. The increasing economic pressures come amid signs of an upsurge in blood-

shed, as armed militias have become bolder in clashes with the army after months of protests and strikes by opponents of the junta. "The worse the political situation is, the worse the currency rate will be," said a senior executive at a Myanmar bank, who declined to be named. Myanmar is also struggling to deal with a second wave of coronavirus cases that started in June with the response by authorities crippled after many health workers joined protests. Reported cases have comes off their highs though the true extent of the outbreak remains unclear. Stay at home orders in some townships have been withdrawn, but are still in effect in some areas. In the immediate months after the Feb. 1 coup, many people queued up to withdraw savings from banks and some bought gold,

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but a jewellery merchant in Yangon said many desperate people were now trying to sell their gold back. The central bank gave no reason to why it abandoned its managed float strategy earlier this month, but analysts believe its foreign currency reserves must be seriously depleted. Central bank officials did not answer calls seeking comment on how much foreign currency was left, but World Bank data shows it had just $7.67 billion in reserves at the end of 2020. After coming off its managed float, the central bank still spent $65 million, buying kyat at a rate of 1,750 to 1,755 per dollar between Sept. 13-27. The bank executive said the central bank's efforts had limited impact in a currency market shorn of confidence. The economic crisis has driven up the

price of staples, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said this week that around three million people now require humanitarian assistance in Myanmar, up from one million before the coup. A 48-kilogram bag of rice costs 48,000 kyat, up nearly 40% since the coup, while gasoline prices have nearly doubled to 1,445 kyat per litre. The crisis is also hurting businesses, particularly those needing to import raw materials. A plastic bag manufacturer in Yangon said he had been forced to increase prices and sales had dropped about 30%. Per capita gross domestic product was just $1,400 last year, and Zaw, a resident in Yangon who asked to use only part of his name, was under no illusion about where Myanmar was heading. "People will become poorer."

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

06 COMMENT

Poor Razia

PTI vs the ECP Proof must follow allegations

LtHoUGH the election commission of Pakistan (ecP) and the Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf have never seen eye to eye, with the former investigating the latter in the foreign funding case and more recently calling a reelection in daska due to blatant rigging and irregularities, there was a line that was not crossed. Unfortunately, following the ecP’s objections over the controversial introduction of electronic voting Machines (evMs) in the next general elections, two Pti ministers made a series of unprecedented attacks on the ecP itself and the chief election commissioner (cec), that line has been emphatically crossed. While Federal Minister for Railways azam Swati has stated that the ecP takes bribes and such institutions should be ‘set on fire’, Federal Minister for information Fawad chaudhry said that it had become the ‘headquarters for opposition parties’. the cec and the institution he heads was expectedly not going to take this lying down and has since sent notices to chaudhry and Swati demanding proof of their allegations, for which both members of the federal cabinet have asked for more time. in case the required evidence is not produced, one would have to term the claims made by the Pti government against the ecP as irresponsible hyperbole stemming from frustration after being unable to get a nod of approval from a constitutional body over a policy measure without satisfying it of its usefulness and necessity. the Pti must understand that election reforms cannot start and stop at simply throwing technology at a process, which is still widely accepted and practiced as the safest method of voting in most democracies around the world: the paper ballot. at the end of the day, it is the ecP which is responsible for conducting free and fair elections and will be answerable to the courts and voters if a major change such as the introduction of evMs backfires on election day and the entire exercise is severely compromised. it is the government’s job to fully convince the ecP on the effectiveness and utility of evMs, proving demonstrably that they cannot be easily hacked. if it is unable to do so, making baseless exaggerated statements bordering on abuse is no way to conduct oneself in a democracy.

Just pushing people around isn’t enough

Dr FariD a Malik

oMe of the Urdu and Punjabi sayings and proverbs are very meaningful as they are based on our local conditions and ground realities. Razia Gundon Main Phas Gai (Razia fell amongst gangsters), and Kutti Mil Gai Choraan Nal (the watchdog joined the thieves), are sayings which rightly describe our current situation. Poor Razia has no escape while the watchdog has been won over, under these circumstances no change is possible. as the first generation of Pakistan we have strong feelings for Razia but have not been able to rescue her from the strong arms of the ‘Goondas’. once we are gone, Razia will be in captivity forever as the coming generations did not interact with the founding fathers nor heard the stories of their struggle, migration and resettlement in the new land which was destined to be the ‘ Land of the Pure ‘. the republic was the first islamic democracy of the world, in the words of Zulfiqar ali Bhutto where the workability of islam was to be experimented. Has the experiment failed? Why have the ‘ Goondas ‘ succeeded in capturing ‘ Razia ‘? against all odds the founding fathers worked very hard to consolidate our freedom. By and large honesty prevailed. People lived within their means. Life was simple and basic. Nation building was taken very seriously. there was a major focus on education with outstanding and committed teachers. after some struggle, the 1956 constitution was also legislated, with elections scheduled for 1958 but instead Martial Law was imposed with promises of fast-track development. Finally the bubble burst, street protests started against the dictator. as students we were at the forefront of this movement. despite a brutal crackdown, the protesters held their ground. ayub fell but his ‘Goondas stayed. the first free and fair elections of 1970 proved to be a major set-

Getting back to normal Covid-19 is here to stay

He world has been living with the covid-19 pandemic for over 18 months now and countries are in various stages of responding to it. Some have opened up under strict rules such as mask wearing and complete vaccination requirements while some have gone back into lockdown due to an uptick in cases. Pakistan is a unique example of a country that imposed only one complete national lockdown during the first wave followed by several ‘smart lockdowns’ and has still fared reasonably well in terms of lives lost and number of positive cases compared to countries within the region and globally. currently in its fourth wave that is dominated by the deadlier and stealthier delta variant, cases and deaths have begun to creep up. daily deaths are between 90 to 100 while the positivity rate has been stubbornly hovering around 6.6 per cent for weeks. While the science behind why Pakistan has had a relatively less lethal experience during the pandemic is unclear, the reason for why the hospitalization rate during the current wave is low is quite apparent: the vaccine. Fortunately, after an abysmal start to the campaign, the vaccination drive has picked up, with the Ncoc reporting a record-setting 1.5 million doses administered in a single day. that over 70 percent of these vaccinations were first doses indicates that the government’s recent announcement of punitive measures against unvaccinated people is working. those without even a single shot will soon be unable to board domestic flights, use public transport, get petrol in some cities nor use the motorway, whereas in Sindh, salaries of government employees are being withheld. it seems the government has realized that the only way to reach some semblance of normalcy where the economy can become fully functional and the population can feel safer as they get on with their lives, is to vaccinate enough people and reach that crucial herd immunity threshold of 70-80 percent. to get there, even sustaining 1.5 million doses is not enough; so far around 8 percent of the population is fully vaccinated with close to 20 percent having received the first dose. at this pace, it can take up to two years to achieve the necessary numbers. in addition to making certain privileges conditional upon receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, a massive outreach program must be undertaken to combat the plethora of misinformation about the vaccine out there. covid-19 is here to stay and it is as much the responsibility of the government as is the citizenry to make sure each and every resident of the country gets the shot.

Yasir Hussain

adioactive material smuggling has become a “new normal” in india. on 26 august, West Bengal crime investigation department (cid) arrested two persons near Kolkata airport for illegally possessing 250 gm of radioactive californium, the world’s second most expensive mineral, worth over $573 million. this is the third frightening incident in less than four months in india. earlier on 3 June 2021, Bokaro Police in Jharkhand arrested seven persons for ‘possessing and planning to sell uranium, a major ingredient of nuclear weapons. Similarly, on 5 May 2021, the Maharashtra anti-terror Squad (atS) seized seven kg of the same radioactive material from two people. While successive cases of radioactive material present a scary picture of the safety and security of radioactive material in india, it also highlights the authorities’ helplessness in the face of the rapidly expanding nuclear black market which appears to have deep roots in rogue elements in india’s nuclear programme. ironically, the recent incident suggests that instead of taking preemptive measures, india continues to live in a state of denial. in the earlier uranium theft incident of 3 June, the indian Ministry of external affairs (Mea) had blatantly denied the reports and stated that the ‘seized material was not uranium and not radioactive’. the Mea’s statement had come as a direct response to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry’s call for a probe into ‘seizure of nuclear material’ after reports emerged from Bokaro about ‘uranium material theft’. it is both surprising and ironic to note that the denial by indian Mea clearly contradicts the Jharkhand Police FiR that maintained 6.4 kg of uranium was recovered from the two accused. also, the arrested accused were booked under a section of the atomic energy act. as this was not enough evidence to disprove the indian eaM’s denial, the Indian Express report had also stated as per court records, five people, deepak Mahato, Pankaj Kumar, Mahabir Mahato, M Sharma, Krishna Kant, had ‘gathered together and were planning to ‘illegally sell prohibited mineral uranium in the black market’. it further adds,

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Every Police Station once maintained a record of these unscrupulous elements, it was called Basta B ( ‘B’ Register).It has been alleged that most of these individuals were inducted into the force between 1985 to 2018.

India is an irresponsible nuclear power

Arif Nizami (Late)

M. A. Niazi

to take them on. the watchdogs or the department heads do not play their role in protecting common interests, it is the scenario of; Kutti Mil Gai Chooran Nal. cases against the corrupt drag on with no conviction while the ‘Goondas’ manage to get bail, leaving Razia in chains. it reminds me of the famous Neelo song and dance performed in chains in Riaz Shahid’s epochal film; Zarqa. Unless Razia is unchained her movements will be limited, it will be more of a protest. Yes indeed our protests have continued but with limited success, the Goondas have succeeded in muffling Razia’s calls for help in putting an end to this Anni. in Punjab they say, “ Ani pai hui ay tay puchhanwala koi na’een. “ (despite the unbridled mischief there is no one to check it ). For the much needed reforms to take place there has to be clarity of mission. Merely shifting around officials only provides short-term satisfaction. Relief is not possible unless the causes are addressed. every citizen represents Razia; and he or she has to be served, not exploited or kicked around. the Goondas have to be identified and then pushed out of the system. the no-go areas in Karachi were highly publicised. Such pockets exist right here in the ‘ Nagri of data ‘, in fact around it. every Police Station once maintained a record of these unscrupulous elements, it was called Basta B ( ‘B’ Register).it has been alleged that most of these individuals were inducted into the force between 1985 to 2018. Basta B’ can be a good starting point to go after the Goondas to gain freedom for Razia. every inspector General, chief Secretary , and Secretary should know that the state has decided to take on the Basta B Goondas to liberate Razia from their clutches. The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.

India’s nuclear security in Peril

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

back for the fallen regime’s lef overs. the 1973 unanimous constitution liberated Razia from the control of the Goondas but the window was short-lived. in July 1977 it was all over. a new set of Goondas were launched. the 1985 partyless elections further cornered the democratic forces. From this divided house emerged an able PM who tried to serve Razia but was bundled out in connivance with the Goondas. While Razia helplessly watched the show went unchecked. in the 2013 elections a third force led by imran Khan emerged on the political horizon which challenged the status-quo with a promise of change. He decided to build a ‘Naya Pakistan’. Finally in 2018 he gained power, the Goondas and their Anni’ ( Unchecked corruption ) was challenged. Anni is a very interesting and meaningful Punjabi word. When individuals of influence get away with all kinds of wrongdoings, it is best described by this word. For the last forty years, Razia has been subjected to this Anni by the state-sponsored and -created Goondas in the guise of political leadership. they were not alone in this evil venture, the establishment supported this Anni while civilian institutions came under attack.the role of the judiciary and the bureaucracy was also deplorable. Fighting against this Anni’ is an uphill task which was grossly underestimated. Within the party in power, there were two extreme viewpoints. the evergreen electables did not see any major challenge as they were in cahoots with the Goondas and looked the other way while Razia suffered. the party’s old guard warned against this impending threat but it was overlooked. While the PM is on the side of the entrapped Razia, people around him are not, they are unwilling to let go. the freedom of Razia does not suit the anni Gang who manage to cling to power. Recently several terms have surfaced. the PM has blamed the entrenched ‘Mafias’ but no one is willing

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“court records state that ‘help was sought’ from the five arrested after which police nabbed Baapi chandra near vaibhav Hotel with ‘one plastic rubber packet’, which contained a ‘sample of a prohibited uranium mineral’.” according to the reports the material had “made in the USa marking” which shows that the traffickers are linked with the global nuclear cartel. the indian government’s denials of press reports and police press statements pointed to a new disturbing trend wherein the indian government seemingly adopted the policy of withholding the truth and compromising on transparency in nuclear-related theft incidents. it is feared that the BJP Government might adopt the same policy this time too. india’s policy of denial is meant to keep the indian public and the world community at large oblivious to what is actually happening in india. its grave implications notwithstanding, indian government complacency indicates that certain “inside elements” might somehow be involved in this dirty and dangerous business. india’s refusal is unprecedented yet disturbing particularly when it has been seeking international assistance for its overwhelmingly expanding nuclear programme. the bitter reality remains that, india’s nuclear facilities are most vulnerable to nuclear terrorism, given india’s fastest developing nuclear programme which largely remains outside iaea safeguards. the vulnerability of india’s nuclear facilities is further aggravated by its thriving nuclear black market with its links to a global one. the three major nuclear material theft incidents in a span of just four months vindicate that nuclear material in

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india is unsafe. it might be surprising for a few but since 1994, there have been almost a dozen or more such major nuclear theft incidents reported in india, which involved at least 1 kg of radioactive material. according to reports, india currently has 22 operational nuclear reactors and an array of nuclear weapons manufacturing facilities in operation. the safety and security of nuclear material at these facilities are far from perfect, which is also evident from india’s lowest ranking in nuclear security among global nuclear powers. according to the international Panel on Fissile Materials report, india has 2.5 metric tons of weapon usable HeU and 0.5 metric tons of Plutonium. No one knows how much of the radioactive material is still out there in the hands of unauthorized persons and has been sneaked out through the nuclear black market. the serious shortcomings in india’s nuclear security system tasked with defending one of the world’s largest stockpiles of nuclear material, not only put india in a dangerous situation and may lead to nuclear terrorism but also provide a breeding ground for the global nuclear black market. the consecutive incidents of nuclear theft and indian failure to safeguard its nuclear material necessitate a thorough and transparent investigation by the indian government. it’s also important for india to revisit its nuclear security structure to address the “rogue elements” within its nuclear establishment. the alarming frequency of nuclear-related theft incidents needs to be taken seriously by india lest the world is struck with an unthinkable catastrophe aided and facilitated by india.

The serious shortcomings in India’s nuclear security system tasked with defending one of the world’s largest stockpiles of nuclear material, not only put India in a dangerous situation and may lead to nuclear terrorism but also provide a breeding ground for the global nuclear black market.

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The writer is a former SAV Fellow at Stimson Center Washington DC, and can be reached at yasirhunzai1@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Kashmir conundrum tHe war that we are in the middle of is not a war between Pakistan and india. it is a war being fought in Kashmir which has expanded itself into another war between two states. Kashmir is the real theatre of unspeakable violence that can push us into violence and nuclear war at any moment. to prevent this from happening, atrocities in Kashmir have to be addressed and resolved. that can only be done if Kashmiris are given a chance to freely and fearlessly tell the world what they are fighting for and what they really want. Kashmir is the most militarized zone in the world, with an estimated half a million indian soldiers posted there to counter what the army itself admits is now just a handful of jihadists for them the real enemy is Kashmiri people. thousands have been disappeared and tortured that label the valley like a network of small scale abu Ghraibs. the abrogation of Kashmir’s special status was the front burner of BJP and RSS kitchen, to reignite their flagging passions, all they need to do is to pick the villain from their gallery and unleash the dogs of war. For them there are several villains, Pakistani and Kashmiris Jihadists and 200 million indian Muslims who are always accused of being Pakistani lovers and anti-national traitors. Home Minister amit Shah demonstrated the siege only existed in people’s imagination saying that telephone lines in the valley were only used by terrorists, normal life has not been affected, people are doing their necessary works. Further said, those who feel that life has been affected are once whose survival depends on terrorism. it is hard to work out who exactly indian government sees as terrorists. Why should they want to be a part of india? For what reason? if freedom is what they want, freedom is what they should have. Kashmir may not defeat india, but it will consume it and in many ways it already has. Shafi ahmEd Khowaja jati Sujawal

Indian-Occupied Kashmir, Islamophobia & Afghanistan A thought-provoking speech

MuHaMMaD ZaHiD riFat

He civil and military leadership as well as people of Pakistan have all along been supporting the just, unarmed and indigenous struggle of Kashmiris for securing their fundamental right of self-determination in accordance with the UN Security council resolutions which india persistently has continued to deny for more than seven decades blatantly. Pakistan has been extending all possible political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiris in this regard and the longest unresolved, lingering and burning Kashmir issue on the UN agenda is being raised at all international forums and gatherings, calling for its earliest solution in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. indian-occupied Kashmir continues to be the main bone of contention between the two neighbouring nuclear powers and the Kashmiris are being suppressed and oppressed at gunpoint by he almost 900,000-strong indian occupation forces equipped with ruthless and brutal powers. islamophobia is another pernicious phenomenon which has emerged and threatens the islamic world in recent years increasingly. in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as terrorism has somehow been associated with islam by some quarters and this trend is growing quite alarmingly increasing, with the tendency of rightwing, xenophobic and violent nationalists, extremists and terrorist groups to target Muslims. Rapid developments taking place in neighbouring afghanistan during last couple of months have made that place another important issue of concern for Pakistani leadership which has all along been acting as a facilitator for bringing the USa and the taliban at the negotiation table, finally succeeding in bringing them face to face in doha in February this year, paving the way for peaceful settlement of the issue. the taliban were in Kabul after 20 years, having formed the interim government and trying to form an inclusive government . these were the main topics along with a couple of others when Prime Minister imran Khan addressed the UN General assembly virtually the other day. the Prime Minister said that the UN Global counter terrorism Strategy has duly recognized these emerging threats and called for convening

a global dialogue by the world body on countering the rise of islamophobia and as a parallel effort at the same time interfaith harmony should be promoted in a continuous manner. He pointedly stated that the worst and most pervasive form of islamophobia now rules india, the hate-filled Hindutva ideology, propagated by the fascist RSS-BJP regime under the leadership of Narendra Modi, which has unleashed a reign of fear and violence against india’s 200-millionstrong Muslim community, discriminatory citizenship laws to purge india of Muslims and a campaign to destroy mosques across india and obliterate its Muslim heritage and history, were all part of this criminal enterprise. the Prime Minister also pointed out the actions which New delhi has also embarked upon, calling them the “final solution” for the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and accordingly has undertaken a series of illegal and unilateral measures in occupied Jammu and Kashmir since 5 august,2019; unleashed a reign of terror by an occupation force of 900000; has jailed senior leadership of Kashmiris; imposed a clampdown on media and internet; violently suppressed peaceful protests; abducted pretty large number of 13000 young Kashmiris and tortured hundreds of them; extra-judicially killed hundreds of innocent Kashmiris in fake encounters, and imposed collective punishments by destroying entire neighbourhoods and villages. He also made a mention of detailed dossier which has recently been unveiled by the Pakistan Government on gross and systematic violations of human rights by the indian Security Forces in indian-occupied Kashmir and said that this repression was accompanied by illegal efforts to change the demographic structure of the indian-occupied Kashmir, transforming it in a planned manner from a Muslim majority into a Muslim minority. the UNGa was told in emphatic words that the indian actions violated the resolutions of the UN Security council on Jammu and Kashmir which clearly stated that the final disposition of the disputed territory should be decided by its people through a free and impartial plebiscite held under UN auspices. Quite obviously, india’s actions in the occupied Kashmir territory also violated the international Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws including the Fourth Geneva convention and as such also amounted to committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. PM imran Khan further stated in plain words and these ought to be quoted as such “it is unfortunate, very unfortunate, that the world’s approach to violations of human rights lacks even-handedness, and even is selective. Geopolitical considerations, or corporate interests, commercial interests often compel major powers to overlook the transgressions of their affiliated countries.” the apathy of the international community towards gross human rights violations in occupied Kashmir could not be criticized and condemned in stronger and plainer words than which have been quoted here to make things clear. Reiterating the desire for peace with india like all its neighbours, the Prime Minister pointedly stated that sustainable peace in South asia was contingent only upon resolution of the

Deforestation

Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security council resolutions, (adopted way back in 1948), and the wishes of the Kashmiri people, for creating a conducive environment and result-oriented engagement with Pakistan, india must reverse its unilateral and illegal measures instituted since 5 august 2019, stop its oppression and human rights violations against the people of Kashmir and halt and reverse the demographic changes in the occupied territory. He also stressed the need for preventing another conflict between Pakistan and india, pointing out and sounding a warning, “india’s military buildup, development of advanced nuclear weapons, and acquisition of destabilizing conventional capabilities. can erode mutual deterrence between the two countries.” Both neighbouring countries are nuclear powers and Kashmir continues to be a nuclear flashpoint till its solution. dilating on the situation in afghanistan and developments there during last many years, PM imran Khan strongly rebutted the blame being levelled on Pakistan by some politicians in the USa as well as in europe, and pointedly stated that the country that suffered the most , apart from afghanistan, was Pakistan when it joined the US War on terror after 9/11: Pakistan as a front line state in this war on terror suffered heavy losses— 80000 Pakistanis died, $ 150 billion were lost to the national economy and there were also 3.5 million internally displaced Pakistanis. Pakistan has all along been stressing on peaceful settlement in afghanistan through negotiations as there would be no military solution but over the years none has bothered to understand it. Sounding a warning and pointedly mentioning that it was a critical time in afghanistan, the Prime Minister quite emphatically called on the international community “We must strengthen and stabilize the current government, for the sake of the people of afghanistan”, and if we neglected afghanistan right now, half the people of afghanistan were already vulnerable as per the UN report and by next year almost 90 percent of them would be going below the poverty line. one cannot help but support Prime Minister imran Khan , who has been following developments in afghanistan for years together, when he calls for providing humanitarian assistance to the people of afghanistan immediately without wasting time as help is needed there and concluding by saying “ there is a huge humanitarian crisis looming ahead, this will have serious repercussions not just for the neighbours of afghanistan but everywhere as a destabilized, chaotic afghanistan will again become a safe haven for international terrorists —the reasons why the US came there in the first place”. the Prime Minister has given a wake up call to the international community through these words. But will the international community listen and act soon before it is too late and disaster strikes not only afghanistan but also the region? the taliban are there and they need to be helped in overcoming the problematic situation as early as possible and this can only be done with immediate humanitarian assistance provided by the international community. The writer can zahidriffat@gmail.com

reached

FoReStS cover more than a quarter of earth’s land surface. these forests areas provide food, medicine, shelter and so on. a 2017 report by scientists at the University of Maryland showed that the tropics lost about 61.000 square miles of forests in 2017_ an area the size of Bangladesh. the Guardian reported that every second, a chunk of forest equivalent to the size of a soccer field is lost. the mentioned amounts are pretty shocking that need proper attention before it is too late. trees also absorb corbon dioxide and provide oxygen for living creatures. tropic trees alone are estimated to provide about 23% of the climate change. there are different factors that cause deforestation. Mostly forests are found in rural areas because near cities forests have already been cleared for construction works. the forest areas that exist in rural areas, their residents chop down trees to meet their daily needs because of not having access to natural gas. everyone can do their part to curb deforestation. cleared areas of land must be planted again. it should be the responsibility of every state to implement strict laws on cutting down trees and the people that cut down trees for cooking and shelter must be provided alternatives. mEEr afzal hub

Land grabbing adviSoR to the Prime Minister on accountability and interior, Mirza Shahzad akbar on Sunday unveiled that the government had recovered Rs 210 billion from land grabbers, 36 of which belonged to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N). illegally occupied state land worth billions of rupees had been retrieved from PMLN’s stalwarts including Khuram dastagir, Senator chaudhary taveer, Javed Hashmi, Khawaja asif, abid Sher ali, Malik Saif ul Malook Khokhar, daniyal aziz, Jave Latif and others, he said. addressing a press conference here at Press information department (Pid), he said that these people had been using political influences to occupy the government property, which caused huge financial loss to the national exchequer. PML-N’s chief Nawaz Sharif, he said, had introduced the politics of ‘changa manga’ and use of money in it to get personal benefits. through a rapid anti corruption drive, the incumbent government succeeded to make these recoveries from the thieves who had been looting and plundering the national kitty during previous regimes. Shahzad akbar said that the government would utilize this money to introduce universal health insurance in Punjab to provide free health facilities to citizens. Punjab government and its anti corruption department had made outstanding role in anti corruption drive which would continue in future efficiently, he said. Speaking about the narrative of parties included in Pakistan democratic Movement (PdM), he said that the purpose of their protests was just to defend their looted money and get NRos. talking on senate elections, he said that the government had tabled a constitutional amendment bill in national assembly for open balloting, adding, the opposition parties had the opportunity to vote in its favor if they were sincere in transparency of the electoral process otherwise they should present their logic to the people for opposing it. Sohail ali Khan iSlamabad

Corruption galore UNBRidLed corruption seems to have been gaining its ground in Pakistan. corruption-free-Pakistan now appears to be a pipedream. “ Say No to corruption” is meant to perhaps say nothing to corruption here—let it grow by leaps and bounds. claiming to put an end to rampant corruption in Pakistan within 90 days and bring back the looted money siphoned off in foreign bank accounts, the Pti government has failed miserably from its start to make any dent in rife curroption in the country. Mentioning in its current report of 2020, the transparency international has said that corruption has increased four times in Pakistan. and out of 180 nations, Pakistan is ranked at 124 and its score is 31, despite the extraordinary efforts of National accountability Bureau (NaB) claiming to have recovered Rs363billion in the last two years and the Public account committee which has also claimed to have recovered Rs 300bn in last two years. to end corruption in Pakistan, Pti government should shun from cosmetic or perfunctory measures and take some serious and concrete efforts in this regard. riaz ahmad Soomro ShiKarpur

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

My father was brutally killed by the Taliban. The US ignored his pleas for help I AM THE DAUGHTER OF A FORMER AFGHAN PRESIDENT. I AM SHARING MY STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE I SEE HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF

guardIan

Muska NajiBullah

he night of 27 September 1996 was always going to be a long one. I was awake studying for midterm exams when my mother, calm but uneasy, heard the news that my father had been taken out of the United Nations compound in Kabul. I was ecstatic at first. My father, Najibullah, the former president of Afghanistan, would finally be reunited with his family. he, along with my uncle, had been living in the UN compound since 16 April 1992, when forces within his government had defected. his resignation and departure was part of a UN plan, intended to end the civil war and clear the way for a peaceful coalition government. But the resulting power vacuum quickly sucked Afghanistan into a vortex of anarchy. After four years apart, my mum, sisters and I were eagerly awaiting my father. And now that a faction known as the Taliban were creeping closer to the Afghan capital, I was convinced that my family’s reunification was days away. While I had the naive positivity of a child yearning for her father, my mother sensed a more grim reality on the horizon. She watched the news all night. “My sixth sense tells me he’s not coming,” she told us, fear in her eyes. In the 1990s, before the internet connected the world, little was known about the Taliban. Radio reports would herald their significant gains made in the southwest of the country, describing the militia group as fight-

ing for “peace, security and stability”, an appeal that was popular with war-weary Afghans. That night, I thought we would meet my father soon. We spoke to him hours before the Taliban entered Kabul. There was nothing unusual in his voice. It was a normal exchange of words, one that I vaguely remember. The conversation was meant to be one of many, yet fate had different plans. In the early hours of the night, when they entered the capital city, the Taliban went knocking on the gates of the UN compound to visit their “special guest”. hours later, a breaking news flash: “Former Afghan leader, President Najibullah executed.” I didn’t know what the word meant. I turned to my sister but her expressionless face made me panic. Rushing to grab a dictionary, I flipped to the letter e. This is the first time I have shared my personal story. Not because I am the daughter of a former president of Afghanistan, but because what is happening to my country now is distressingly similar to what happened then: 25 years ago today, the Taliban took over Afghanistan. And 25 years ago today my life, and those of so many others of my generation, changed for ever – and not all for the better. Before my father, Aba, became the president, our life in Kabul was blissful. We lived in a tiny apartment in a vibrant neighbourhood called Macroyan. The early years of my childhood was a time when my family was still together, when we were a unit of five. We spent most of our time in the aftaw-khana, the sunroom. In the evenings, Aba returned home, and we gathered around him for dinner, catching up on the day’s highlights – from work, school or what the elders heard on the news. But all this changed when Aba became the president. We moved from our modest, cosy apartment to the grandiose presidential palace, the Arg. Our new residence, though heavily guarded and safe, isolated my siblings and me from everything we had ever known. evening gatherings at the playground and the impromptu market runs for bubblegum and balloons came to a halt. At barely four years old, I found our new home claustrophobic. There was ample space but no one to play with. As the changing seasons came round, we hardly saw Aba.

US standing in world collapses under weight of Afghan debacle INSTEAD OF DENYING MISTAKES, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MUST ACCEPT THEM. THE UNITED STATES FACES NUMEROUS GEOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES, INCLUDING COUNTERING CHINA’S HEGEMONY, IRAN’S AND NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS, THE RESURGENCE OF TERRORIST GROUPS IN AFGHANISTAN, SUCH AS AL-QAEDA AND ISIS-K TIPP InsIghTs

Editorial Board

he IBD/TIPP Standing In The World Index, a unique metric that measures Americans’ opinion on the country’s position as a world leader, declined 8.2 points or 16.1%, from 50.9 in August to 42.7 in September. It is the second-largest monthly percentage drop in the last 20 years, trailing only the October 2017 drop of 20.1%, when the Las Vegas shooting killed 58 people and injured 500 more. By points, it is the fourth-biggest drop over the past 20 years. Multiple factors are behind the loss of confidence. Americans continue to suffer trauma as a result of the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. It has exacerbated fears of terrorism and fosters a loss of confidence. As the withdrawal was in progress, a suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. service members and dozens of Afghans at Kabul Airport, the worst day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in a decade. Thirty more troops and hundreds of Afghans were hurt. Many Americans are still stuck in Afghanistan. The US has spent nearly one trillion dollars and has nothing to show so far. The reconstruction of Afghanistan was, at best, a mixed success. Our allies have been harshly critical of how we withdrew. STANDING IN THE WORLD INDEX: Our Standing In The World Index is a unique metric that measures Americans’ opinion on the country’s position as a world leader. We have been tracking this metric since February 2001. each month we ask Americans the question: Generally speaking, over the next six

months, do you think that the position of the United States as a world leader will be better, worse, or about the same as now? We converted the raw responses to a compact index to compare demographic segments and track U.S. Standing In The World over time. The index ranges from 0 to 100. An index of 50 or above is positive, below 50 is negative, and 50 is neutral. PARTY DYNAMICS: While independents showed the biggest drop in terms of points, Republicans showed the biggest percentage drop. Independents’ confidence declined by 11.6 points from 43.9 in August to 32.3 in September, a 26.4% drop. Republicans’ confidence dropped by 6.4 points, from 23.8 in August to 17.4 in September, a 26.9% drop. Democrats edged down from 73.2 in August to 69.3 in September, a 5.3% drop. BEHIND THE NUMBERS: The number of groups in the positive zone indicates the breadth of optimism. This month, eight of the 36 demographic groups we track — such as age, income, education, and race — are above 50.0, indicating a positive reading on the Standing in the World Index. Only one of the 36 groups increased in optimism in September. First, instead of denying mistakes, the Biden administration must accept them. The United States faces numerous geopolitical challenges, including countering China’s hegemony, Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, the resurgence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS-K, and, finally, protecting the American homeland. We cannot afford a haphazard foreign policy and must be proactive. We are hopeful that time will heal our wounds and that we will recover from our loss of confidence.

he was always busy, away at work. eventually, those commonplace family meals were also a rare occasion. Aba was a big man; imposingly tall and burly. he had acquired the nickname “Najib the Bull” because of his dominant personality. he had an intimidating gaze and a voice that roared with force. But for me, just like any little girl and her father, Aba was my hero. One night in 1986, the mujahideen set ablaze an army ammunition depot in Qargha lake, near Kabul. I cried for him to stop the noise, as the explosions echoed across the city. he wrapped me in a blanket and held me tightly in his arms. “You are safe with me. No one will harm you,” he said, and I believed him. But in 1996, when the Taliban marched into Kabul, there was no one to keep him safe. The image has haunted me since the day of Aba’s brutal passing. Take a moment to look, or don’t, but it was the last I saw of him: hanging from a traffic pole, he and his brother mutilated for the whole world to see. As I watched the Taliban display them like some spectacle, I felt helpless and humiliated. At 13, I became an adult overnight. I lost my father, my home and any hope of returning to Afghanistan. People try to imagine what it feels like to be an Afghan living in exile at this point. It’s difficult to describe the feeling of displacement to someone who hasn’t been through it. Although you are safe, you feel dislocated. There is too much to hold, too much to bear and sometimes it all feels so purposeless. There are glimpses of happiness when you hear stories of hope. You feel alive and inspired, and imagine what normality could look like in the country. You fantasise about your own life once you return. Like a jigsaw puzzle, you piece together old stories of your family and envisage a future that is absolute. Then, all that is suspended once another cycle of conflict takes over. In 1992, my father appealed to the US to help Afghanistan become a bulwark against the spread of Islamic fundamentalism. he said: “If fundamentalism comes to Afghanistan, war will continue for many more years. Afghanistan will turn into a centre of world smuggling for narcotic drugs. Afghanistan will be turned into a centre for terrorism.” his warnings were ignored. With

the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan in February 1989, virtually all western nations abandoned their embassies and ostracised my father’s regime. Calling him a communist puppet, a murderer, a traitor, he found himself isolated, fighting a very lonely war. And then, a decade later, his premonitions came true. Triggered by the 9/11 attacks, the US invaded my country to fight Islamic terrorism and began what would be its longest war. I wonder, had the world listened to him, would it all have turned out differently? Afghanistan and Afghans have always been misunderstood. Respected commentators talk about the brave and barbaric tribes who roam through our forbidding mountains, and how difficult it has been to unify us. This thinking is trite. The tragedy of my country is one of geopolitics, not of genes. A nation on the margins, we are constantly being betrayed by mercenaries in the pay of foreign rulers. All Afghans are yearning for peace. As individualism and individual expression are once again taken hostage by the Taliban, many Afghans are fleeing. They fear losing their identity to a group that does not represent them, and in leaving they are being stripped of who they really are. Like my family, many will restart their lives from scratch along with a suitcase of memories and a hope to return. What will become of the nation’s brightest? Your next Uber driver in New York City? Or the cheerful kebab seller at your corner shop in Kilburn? And what about those back home? how many girls and women will you see on the streets? Will the kids go to school? Will they get a chance to see their fathers grow old? Democracy didn’t bring peace to Afghanistan. Nor did the Doha agreement, a foreign and flawed deal that neglected the voices of the common people. Despite all these adversities, Afghans have come a long way. The old ways are not for this world, and many Afghans expect something different out of life, far more so than they did even 25 years ago. What it means to be Afghan has changed over the course of decades of conflict and violence. Perhaps now is an opportune time for us to educate the rest of the world about who we really are – our shared values, unity, dreams. Afghanistan is not a “graveyard of empires”, nor a nation of refugees. We are displaced, but one day will return – soon, inshallah! Muska Najibullah is an Afghan-born writer, visual storyteller and activist.

What challenges will Germany’s next leader face? BORN OUT OF A HORRENDOUS HISTORY, TODAY GERMANY IS ONE OF ISRAEL’S STRONGEST ALLIES, AND MUCH OF THE CREDIT FOR THAT ON THE GERMAN SIDE CAN GO TO OUTGOING CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL Jerusalem PosT

Editorial

SIDe from the United States, there’s no country that Israel has a more intimate relationship with than Germany. Borne out of horrendous history, today, Germany is one of Israel’s strongest allies, and much of the credit for that on the German side can go to outgoing chancellor Angela Merkel, who, after 16 years at the helm, is stepping down. Although she inherited policies regarding Israel and the Jewish community that had been set up in decades prior – from holocaust reparations in the early 1950s to arms sales and joint military exercises – the relationship between Israel and Germany reached new heights during Merkel’s tenure. Merkel visited Israel multiple times and established regular government-togovernment cabinet meetings between the two nations which deepened the bilateral relations and cooperation. Despite disagreements with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and past Israeli governments on the solution to the conflict with the Palestinians (she remained a strong two-state solution advocate) and Iran’s nuclear ambitions (she strongly advocated a diplomatic solution and pact with Tehran), Merkel remained committed to Israel’s security. Among the many military deals during her term, Germany has delivered to Israel multiple state-of-the-art navy destroyer ships, funding a third of the $500 million price tag for the project. At one of the many speeches she gave at the Knesset, she said that “Israel’s security would never be negotiable for Germany, because Germany’s historical

responsibility is part of the ‘reason of state.’” Gady Gronich of the Conference of european Rabbis told The Jerusalem Post’s Jeremy Sharon that under Merkel Israel enjoyed “excellent relations” with the German government, which he said was Israel’s most dependable partner. Likewise, back home, Merkel was intent on making things right with the Jews of Germany and the survivors of the holocaust. During her tenure, Germany’s federal and state governments have all appointed special envoys for monitoring and combating Jew-hatred. Some $26m was invested in security for German Jewry following the attempted halle synagogue massacre near Berlin in 2019. In 2019, her government also allocated an extra $66m for preservation work at the former Nazi death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland. During a visit to the site that year, her first visit as chancellor, Merkel said she felt “deep shame” at what her countrymen had done to Jews before and during the holocaust. “Remembering the crimes... is a responsibility which never ends. It belongs inseparably to our country,” Merkel said. “To be aware of this responsibility is part of our national identity.” In another address, she said: “The Shoah fills us Germans with shame. I bow my head before the victims... The break with civilization that was the Shoah has no parallel... I most firmly believe that only if Germany accepts its responsibility for the moral disaster in its history, will we be able to build a humane future.” With Merkel no longer in the picture, that future is murkier. Olaf Scholz, the chancellor candidate for Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD), said on Monday he

had a mandate to lead the next government after a narrow election victory, saying he would seek to form a coalition with the Greens and Free Democrats. Scholz said voters had told Merkel’s conservatives it was time to go into opposition after 16 years in power. Gronich of the Conference of european Rabbis cautioned that if the SPD becomes the biggest party and Scholz becomes chancellor, it could affect IsraelGermany relations. The party is less well-disposed to Israel, said Gronich, who added that it could result in more political pressure on Jerusalem from the eU, where Germany is the leading power, alongside France. “Germany would change from being a partner to Israel to something else,” said Gronich. however, Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai told haaretz that he doesn’t foresee any major changes after Merkel is replaced and that the “strong relationship will continue.” The next leader of Germany has big shoes to fill and Merkel’s absence will be felt. That leader, whether it be Scholz or someone else, needs to remember the lessons of Germany’s past in order to make things right in the future. As thenpresident Reuven Rivlin told Merkel during her state visit to Israel in 2018, there are many in Germany and europe who have forgotten the past. “New seeds of antisemitism are flourishing this time in the guise of right-wing political nationalism with Nazi roots, which are spreading throughout the european continent,” he said. The challenge of Germany’s next leader is to do as much as Merkel did to combat that threat and to continue the special alliance between Germany and Israel.

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

BUSINESS 09

ISLAMABAD corporate corner

FooD ministry unCooPErativE witH Fia ovEr PLant DEPt ProBE ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: ENEOS Lubricants was launched in Pakistan in a ceremony at Dolmen Mall Clifton on September 25 by RTX Lubricants. ENEOS is Japan’s No.1 Oil Company. Sakuta Yoshida, M.D ENMA (ENEOS Middle East & Africa FZE) and Saad Khalid Swati, CEO RTX signed the agreement for a joint business collaboration to promote and market ENEOS in Pakistan in June, 2021. RTX is the sole Licensee of ENEOS in Pakistan and has a widespread distribution network to market the renowned lubricants brand which is backed by recommendations and approvals by leading OEMs across the globe. PR

HBL Prestige Lounge inaugurated in Lahore

GHUlaM aBBas

HE Ministry of Food Security and Research (MoFS&R) is showing reluctance in sharing relevant documents required by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) which has initiated various cases against top officials of the Plant Protection Department (DPP), an attached department of the ministry, Profit learnt on Wednesday. According to details, the FIA issued a third reminder to the DPP director general (DG), stating that inquiry was lying pending due to non-provision of documents which the authority needs to scrutinise. “Through your letter under reference, you were requested to allow 5 working days to furnish the requisitioned record/information. But it is regretted to say that after 15 days this Agency did not receive any single paper in this regard. Hence, it is once again requested to look after the matter personally and provide the requisitioned record within 2 working days

ISLAMABAD

Engro, Pakistan Pavilion partner to highlight Pakistan’s opportunities at Dubai Expo 2020 KARACHI: Engro Corporation, Pakistan’s premier conglomerate, has announced its partnership with the Pakistan Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 to unearth the immense hidden opportunities in investment and tourism presented by the country. Developed on the theme of “The Hidden Treasure”, this is the largest-ever pavilion of Pakistan setup outside the country. The Pavilion will showcase the country’s vast potential in tourism, business, culture, and entertainment, through digitally engaging and inspiring experiences. The event will also feature a series of workshops, conferences and fireside chats to highlight various opportunities in Pakistan. As part of the Programme for People and Planet, Engro will also participate in the 10 themed weeks to explore humanity’s most critical challenges and opportunities through new cultural, social, environmental, and economic perspectives. Engro Polymer & Chemicals will participate in the Urban and Rural Development week (November), while Engro Energy and Engro Fertilizers will be part of Global Goals (January) and Agriculture & Livestock Development (February) weeks, respectively. According to Engro Corporation President & CEO Ghias Khan, “As a home-grown conglomerate, Engro has always believed in the tremendous potential offered by Pakistan in commerce, investment, tourism and culture. We are extremely excited to partner with the Pakistan Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 and support the Government of Pakistan to fulfill its vision of celebrating the country’s progressiveness and diversity on the global stage.” PRess Release

As per a notification issued on Tuesday, a copy of which is available with Profit, the MoFS&R has given current charge of DG and adviser DPP to Director Technical (BS-19) Muhammad Tariq Khan for two months. An insider claimed that the certain group within the ministry and DPP did not want a senior, competent or honest man to head the department. According to them, the ministry has recommended the name of a junior official, against whom cases are under investigation at FIA and NAB, for the post. Sources alleged that the official, who does not have the required experience, is being recommended for the post of DG despite the fact that the Prime Minister Office had rejected him earlier. However, his name has again been forwarded again whilst ignoring others with higher qualification and experience in the department due to nepotism. It is pertinent to mention here that the PM office in December, 2019, had directed the MoFS&R to appoint a DG on contract from the open market.

Inflation could rise due to higher trends in global commodity prices sTaFF RePORT

LAHoRe: HBL inaugurated its new Prestige Lounge located in Gulberg, Lahore. This is the third HBL Prestige Lounge in the city and the eighth across the country with future plans to expand the Prestige footprint. The inauguration was led by Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO – HBL. Valued clients and senior leadership of the Bank was also present on the occasion. HBL Prestige provides a world-class banking experience to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). This exclusive proposition offers tailored solutions through dedicated digital & physical channels and portfolio managers who provide personalized banking services to its clients. The state-of-the-art Prestige Lounges are located strategically in high visibility areas of key cities. Commenting on the occasion, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO – HBL said, “HBL is committed to providing a wide array of financial services to its extensive clientele. HBL Prestige is exclusively designed to meet the financial and lifestyle needs of the Bank’s high-net-worth clients, providing them with par excellence services. HBL Prestige promises to deliver an incomparable value proposition with a number of industry firsts as it remains true to its motto of ‘With you, in what you value’.” PRess Release

for the purpose of enquiry,” the letter issued on September 22 said. According to sources in FIA, the agency, after sending a number of reminders, has the option to approach the court for getting the documents in case the food ministry continues to ignore the letters. As per documents available with this scribe, three FIA inquiries ENQ-21/2021, No. 68/2021, No. 518/2021 and one NAB inquiry No. 4924/19 are currently in process against the ministry and officials of its plant protection department. Furthermore, apart from the department's corruption, irregularities and mismanagement of a few top officials, who remain unharmed despite the inquiries of agencies and complaints made by trade bodies and individuals, it has also been functioning without a regular director general. The DPP has been working without a head official since October, 2020, whereas it has been without a regular director general (DG) for over a decade now.

The Economic Adviser’s Wing of the Finance Ministry has warned that higher international commodity prices, especially of food and energy items, could increase inflation and has called for structural policies to improve functioning of markets to ease inflationary pressures. “The risks that could raise inflation include higher trend in global commodity prices, especially food and energy items,” the Economic Adviser’s Wing said in its Monthly Economic Update & Outlook (MEUO) for September. The report states that Pakistan’s economy is set to achieve higher, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in FY2022 due to the government’s growth-oriented policies. However, there are some downside risks to the outlook of the country’s economy associated with rising international commodity prices, new variants of virus and geopolitical dynamics especially in the aftermath of the

situation that emerged in Afghanistan post August 15. The report said Pakistan’s economy was currently on a higher growth path and it was important that this growth was driven by the expansion of domestic production for long-term enhancement and sustainability. “Attaining sustainable higher growth path requires a much larger proportion of the value added to be directed towards gross fixed capital formation, instead of consumption. This can be managed by appropriate long-term structural policies. However, the government is taking all possible measures to control inflationary pressures and provide relief to the masses in order to mitigate the impact of price hike, the report said, adding that the government is fully committed to promoting industrial activities and taking all proactive measures wherever it is necessary to facilitate the industrial sector and its counterparts. The minimum annual thresh-

old level of turnover for sales tax imposition on cottage industry is proposed to be increased from Rs3 million to Rs10 million. The Cotton Crop Assessment Committee (CCAC) had estimated the overall production to reach to 8.5 million bales during FY22 showing an increase of 20pc compared to 7.1m bales last year. In July, LSM witnessed a modest increase of 2.3pc against 8.1pc in July 2020. LSM performance remained sluggish temporarily due to closure of industrial activities during holidays in Eidul Azha and monsoon rain which spread over 15 days. The MEUO said the latest upward trend of other high frequency variables such as car production and sales, oil sales, and cement dispatches etc. will boost the LSM in coming months. Moreover, the exports of goods and services for next month will remain above $3 billion and remittances likely to keep momentum; consequently current account deficit will be in manageable range.

Tobacco board issues formula for purchase in KP PESHAWAR aZIZ BUNeRI

The Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) has issued a formula for the purchase of tobacco after farmers in Swabi staged protests demanding the government to issue a mechanism for tobacco purchase. Government sources said that five million kg of tobacco will be purchased from farmers through 31 companies and that the Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) has been directed to buy more than 2.68 million kg of tobacco from farmers. According to the order issued by PTB, a for-

mula has also been worked out for the purchase of leftover tobacco with the consent of all stockholders. The PTC has been directed to procure more than 53 per cent, Philips Morris Limited Company has been directed to purchase 1.36 million kg or 26 per cent of tobacco, and Khyber Tobacco Company to purchase 4 per cent or 221,000 kg of tobacco. Earlier on Monday, farmers had staged a protest in Swabi against the lack of formula for the purchase of tobacco crop. The protesting farmers had blocked the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway for three hours.

Chinese company to establish milk farming units in Pakistan ISLAMABAD aPP

Royal Group of China, a Chinese company is set to establish buffalo milk farming units across Pakistan to produce high quality fresh milk, milk powder, cheese, and other dairy products in the country. In this regard, Royal Group of China's chief executive met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar here on Wednesday to discuss the establishment of buffalo milk farming units in Pakistan. Member Food Security and Climate Change Ministry of Planning Dr Hamid Jalil and senior officials attended the meeting. The meeting was briefed about China's investment in the business wherein they will establish six labs in different cities of Pakistan for the production of buffalo embryos through high quality genetic In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process. It was also informed that the company is going to establish a buffalo farm that will be FMD free, and from there they will produce high-quality milk and then process it into powdered milk and mozzarella cheese. They will also establish a Semen Production Unit (SPU) for buffaloes where they will care for and manage the breeding of bulls. Asad Umar welcomed the group and assured them of all possible facilities, saying that the government of Pakistan has no bureaucratic red-tapism and the Ministry of Planning and CPEC Authority are committed to promoting investment from China. He shared that the Investor Facilitation Center (IFC) under the CPEC Authority will soon be operational which will help in resolving all issues faced by investors.

Oil drops a second day after rally peters out TOKYO aGeNCIes

Oil prices fell on Wednesday after US crude inventories unexpectedly rose as doubts over demand resurfaced, with COVID-19 cases continuing to increase worldwide and some regions facing gasoline shortages. Brent crude was down $1.34, or 1.7%, at $77.75 a barrel by 0706 GMT. On Tuesday, it fell nearly $2 after touching its highest in almost three years at $80.75. US oil prices dropped $1.38, or 1.8%, to $73.91, having fallen 0.2% in

the previous session. Oil prices have been charging higher as economies recover from pandemic lockdowns and fuel demand picks up, while some producing countries have seen supply disruptions. US oil, gasoline and distillate stockpiles rose last week, according market sources, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Analysts in a Reuters poll expected data from the Energy Information Administration in the United States due later to show a fall in crude stockpiles. "With the relative strength indexes .... on both contracts in overbought ter-

ritory yesterday, the odds of a speculator-driven pullback were high," said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA. Traders expect the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, known as OPEC+, to decide to keep supplies tight when they meet next week. "While the supply backdrop has not changed much, oil prices hitting USD80/bbl would see pressure building for OPEC+ nations to increase their production quota," ANZ Research said in a note. Oil demand is forecast to rise

strongly in the next few years, OPEC said on Tuesday, sounding a warning that the world needs to keep investing in production to avert a crunch even as it transitions to less polluting forms of energy. China's weakening housing market and growing power outages have hit sentiment as any fallout for the world's second-biggest economy would likely have a knock-on effect on oil demand, analysts said. China is the world's top oil importer and its second-biggest consumer of the fossil fuel after the United States.

Thursday, 30 september, 2021

10 foreign news

islaMaBad

Fumio Kishida to beCome Japan’s next pm TOKYO

AFP

APAN’S next leader Fumio Kishida is a soft-spoken former foreign minister from a Hiroshima family of politicians, with a reputation of seeking the middle ground and a fondness for baseball. The 64-year-old won the ruling party’s leadership vote on Wednesday, beating popular vaccine chief Taro Kono to finally clinch a job he has long targeted. It was second time lucky for the experienced politician: he lost out in 2020 to Yoshihide Suga, who is stepping down after just a year as prime minister. Kishida is widely regarded as a safe pair of hands, despite a low-key presence that has sometimes been characterised as a lack of charisma. He has pledged to spend big on new pandemic stimulus while vowing to tackle income inequality and move away from the neo-liberal economics that have dominated Japanese politics for the past two decades. And seeking to set himself apart from

the unpopular pandemic response of Suga’s government, he has emphasised the lessons learned from his failure to win the leadership last time around. “I wasn’t good enough. I think I didn’t have enough conviction,” he admitted when he launched his campaign earlier this month. “It’s different this time. I’m standing here with a strong conviction that I am the leader needed at this time.”

Kishida previously served as LDP policy chief and was foreign minister between 2012-17, during which he negotiated accords with Russia and South Korea, with whom Japan’s relations are often frosty. He has called abolishing nuclear weapons “my life’s work”, and in 2016 helped bring then-US president Barack Obama to Hiroshima on a historic visit. But despite his liberal reputation, he has

been less direct than Kono on social hot-button issues like gay marriage. Vaccine chief Kono said he backed same-sex marriage and called for it to be discussed in parliament. Kishida, however, said he had “not reached the point for accepting same-sex marriage”, and took a softer stance than Kono on allowing married couples to keep separate surnames, another controversial issue. ‘POLITICS OF GENEROSITY’: Tobias Harris, senior fellow for Asia at the Centre for American Progress, said Kishida had been “more flexible” than Kono, “certainly on foreign policy and security policy”. “There are all sorts of things in his past that suggest that (Kishida’s) conservative leanings are stronger than maybe he appeared,” he added. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Kishida entered politics in 1993, having previously worked at a bank as the Japanese economy boomed. As a child, his family lived for several years in New York where he suffered racism

at school, an experience he says gave him a strong sense of justice, according to Harris. He is a big fan of the Hiroshima Carp baseball team, and is said to enjoy a drink— unlike Suga, who is teetotal—while his wife hails from a wealthy sake-brewing family. A keen baseball player at school, Kishida failed three times to pass the law entrance exam for Tokyo University, much to his parents’ disappointment. He studied instead at Waseda, a prestigious private university in the capital that he reportedly chose for its serious, non-pretentious atmosphere. The father-of-three has touted his listening skills and says Japan’s public wants a “politics of generosity”. He has invited voters to leave him messages in a suggestion box and carried a notebook to events in which to scribble down ideas from the public. But he hasn’t always connected with the population and found himself roundly mocked during last year’s leadership vote when he posted an awkwardly posed picture on Twitter of his wife serving him dinner in an apron.

British army to start driving tankers as queues for fuel continue LONDON REUTERS

British soldiers will start driving tankers to replenish empty pumps, as drivers queued again for fuel after days of shortages, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the situation was improving. Britain has been gripped by a rush of panicbuying for almost a week that has left pumps dry across major cities after oil companies warned they did not have enough tanker drivers to move petrol and diesel from refineries to filling stations. Business minister Kwasi Kwarteng said 150 soldiers had been mobilised and would be driving tankers within a few days. "The last few days have been difficult, we've seen large queues. But I think the situation is stabilising, we're getting petrol into the forecourts. I think we're going to see our way through this," Kwarteng said. Johnson has sought to quell concerns, saying supplies were returning to normal while also urging people not to panic buy. A shortage of around 100,000 drivers has sown chaos through supply chains and raised the spectre of empty shelves and price increases at Christmas. Asked if he could guarantee that there would not be problems in the run-up to the busy retail period, Kwarteng said: "I'm not guaranteeing anything. All I'm saying is that I think the situation is stabilising." By the early morning rush hour, there were already long queues of cars in and around London and on the busy M25 orbital motorway circling

the capital. Signs were up at some sites announcing no fuel was available. The gridlock has sparked calls for doctors, nurses and other essential workers to be given priority access to fuel, a move Johnson has resisted. Industry groups said the worst of the shortages seemed to be in London, the southeast and other English cities. Fights have broken out as drivers jostled. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents independent retailers who account for about two-thirds of all the 8,380 UK filling stations, said on Tuesday 37 per cent of its members' stations were out of fuel. The shortages have added to an air of chaos in the world's fifthlargest economy, leaving gaps on supermarket shelves. A spike in European wholesale natural gas prices has also tipped energy companies into bankruptcy. Britain left the EU single market at the start of this year, preventing hauliers from recruiting drivers in the bloc. To tackle the shortage, the government has said it will issue temporary visas to 5,000 foreign drivers, a measure it had previously ruled out. "What we want to do is make sure that we have all the preparations necessary to get through until Christmas and beyond, not just in supplying the petrol stations but all parts of our supply chain," Johnson said. Hauliers, petrol stations and retailers say there are no quick fixes as the shortfall of drivers is so acute, and transporting fuel demands training and licensing. European drivers may also be reluctant to take up the visa offer, which only lasts until Dec 24.

China unveils 'loyal wingman' armed drone concept BEIJING REUTERS

Tunisia's president names Bouden first woman PM, asks her to form govt TUNIS AFP

China on Wednesday revealed a drone concept similar in mission - and appearance - to the US-made Kratos (KTOS.O) XQ-58A Valkyrie as countries race to invest in "loyal wingman" drones to help protect pricier crewed fighter jets. The long-range FH-97 drone concept unveiled on Wednesday can carry different types of weapons, and has swarm and electronic warfare capabilities, said Wu Wei, a representative of China Aerospace Science Technology Corp's (CASTC) Feihong product line. He did not provide specifics in his presentation at Airshow China in Zhuhai. The United States, Britain, Australia, India and Russia are among the countries developing "loyal wingman" drones, which are cheaper and more expendable than crewed fighters. CASTC did not provide technical details of the FH-97 concept, nor say whether it was planned for export, though many foreign observers watched the presentation. The FH-97's appearance is nearly identical to the Kratos XQ-58A, which made its first flight in 2019. The XQ-58A has a maximum speed of Mach 0.85 and a range of about 2,200 nautical miles. Zhang Zhongyang, vice president of CASTC said the plan was to turn Feihong into an "international top-notch brand… and become a major player at the centre stage of the world arena." China has exported military drones to countries including the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Serbia. "The chief customer is certainly the PLA, but in recent years the Chinese are also aggressively marketing these systems for exports," said Collin Koh, a defence research fellow with Singapore's Rajaratnam School of International Studies. China also used the country's biggest air show to display the weapons capability of one of its most advanced stealth attack drone projects, the GJ-11. The Global Times reported that the GJ-11 on display at the show had its two weapons bays open for the first time. Inside each were four unidentified munitions that appeared to be precision air-to-ground glide bombs.

Tunisia's president named a geologist with little government experience as prime minister on Wednesday amid a crisis over his seizure of sweeping powers and dire threats to public finances. Najla Bouden Romdhane, a little-known professor of geophysics who implemented World Bank projects at the education ministry, is Tunisia's first woman prime minister. President Kais Saied has been under mounting domestic and international pressure to name a government after he dismissed the prime minister, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority in July in moves his foes call a coup. Last week, he suspended most of the constitution, saying he could rule by decree during an "exceptional" period with no set ending, calling into question democratic gains after Tunisia's 2011 revolution that triggered the Arab spring. Speaking in an online video, Saied said her appointment honoured Tunisian women and asked her to propose a cabinet in the com-

ing hours or days "because we have lost a lot of time". The new government should confront corruption and respond to the demands and dignity of Tunisians in all fields, including health, transport and education, he added. However, Bouden is likely to have less direct power than previous prime ministers under the 2014 constitution after Saied said last week that during the emergency period the government would be responsible to the president. CRISIS: Much of the political elite, including most parties in the suspended parliament and the powerful UGTT labour union, have said they oppose Saied's power grab and major Western donors have urged him to restore normal constitutional order. Tunisia faces a rapidly looming crisis in public finances after years of economic stagnation were aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic and political infighting. Government bonds are under pressure and the cost of insuring against their default has hit a record high, though bonds rose sharply on Wednesday after the announcement. The new government will have to move

very quickly to seek financial support for the budget and debt repayments after Saied's power grab in July put talks with the International Monetary Fund on hold. "It is a positive sign that a woman will lead the government. I hope she will immediately start saving the country from the spectre of bankruptcy. She should quickly look at the problems of Tunisians," said Amin Ben Salem, a banker in Tunis. There was no immediate reaction from the labour union or political parties to Bouden's appointment. However, major parties in the parliament may challenge the legality of her appointment and that of any new government or the policies it tries to enact without consent of the suspended chamber. A senior Tunisian politician told Reuters last week the new prime minister would face a daunting inbox as most government work had ground to a halt over the past two months and a vast array of files needed urgent attention. Saied has replaced numerous officials throughout the administration but pledged to uphold rights and freedoms. He has said he will appoint a committee to amend the 2014 constitution.

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

SPORTS 11

ISLAMABAD CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

MoldovA’s sheriff TirAspol sTun reAl MAdrid, Messi scores firsT psG GoAl MADRID

AFP

IONEL Messi opened his Paris Saint-Germain account as the French side beat Manchester City while new boys Sheriff Tiraspol shocked Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday. Messi’s top-corner finish added to Idrissa Gueye’s first half goal as PSG moved top of Group A with the 2-0 win over last year’s runners up. Pep Guardiola’s side hit the bar twice in the first half with Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva failing to score two metres out with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma helplessly on the ground. “The important thing was to win, against an immense opponent, one of the contenders for the trophy,” Messi told broadcaster Canal+. “I had only played here (Parc des Princes) once, but little by little I’m adapting and integrating to the team,” he added. In Group D, Sheriff, playing in just their second ever game in the group stage of the competition, upset record 13-time winners Real Madrid 2-1 in the Spanish capital. Uzbekistan winger Jasur Jakhshibaev put the Moldovans in the lead before the half hour mark as Karim Benzema equalised after 65 minutes to score for a 17th different season in the competition, a feat only also achieved by 34-year-old Messi. But the hero for Sheriff, who are based in the region of Transnistria on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, was Luxembourg attacking midfielder Sebastien Thill. The 27-year-old Thill fired home a sublime half volley with 62 seconds of regular time remaining at the Santiago Bernabeu two week after Sheriff had beaten Shakhtar Donetsk earlier in the month in their opening group game.

“After this match we all went crazy. There are a lot foreigners in the club, we come from all types of countries. It’s our strength,” Thill told Canal+. “We played both matches to 100%. We’re all happy now,” he added. Madrid’s Casemiro rued his side’s lack of efficiency in front of Sheriff’s Greek goalkeeper Georgios Athanasiadis. “It’s football, we had 20 shots or more and we scored one, they had two shots scored both,” he told Movistar+. “We have to pay more attention, especially defensively. We started well, we had

total control of the game, we had opportunities to get ahead, but they scored a great goal at the end,” he added. Earlier in the group, Serie A champions Inter Milan remain winless in Europe this season following the 0-0 draw at Shakhtar. Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk was a spectator in Kiev days after beating Anthony Joshua on points to become just the third boxer to win both the cruiserweight and heavyweight world titles. SALAH, FIRMINO DOUBLES: In Group B, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino scored twice as Liverpool hammered Porto

5-1 and Luis Suarez claimed a 97th-minute winner as Atletico Madrid edged AC Milan 2-1 in Italy. Jurgen Klopp’s side wore black armbands after former Liverpool striker Roger Hunt died earlier in the day aged 83. Milan played an hour with 10-man after Franck Kessie’s red card and the seven-time European champions were unable to claim a first win in the competition since 2013. Earlier, Ivory Coast striker Sebastien Haller took his tally to 10 goals in as many games this season as Ajax beat Besiktas 2-0 to stay top of Group C in the Champions

Pacquiao quits 'greatest sport in the world' to contest Philippines presidency MANILA REUTERS

World boxing icon Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from what he called the "greatest sport in the world" on Wednesday to focus on a run for the Philippines presidency, the biggest fight of his career. In a 14-minute video posted on Facebook and Twitter, "Pacman", as he is known in the sport, thanked fans worldwide before closing the curtain on a 26-year boxing career that earned him world titles in eight different divisions, which to this day remains unmatched. "I just heard the final bell. Boxing is over," said the 42-year-old Pacquiao, now a Philippines senator, drawing a flood of reactions from fans ranging from disbelief to gratitude. Pacquiao, whose fast footwork and blistering speed of punches made him one of the top offensive fighters in the sport's history, said he was at peace with his decision, adding it was the turn of other Filipino boxers to shine. "As I hang up my boxing gloves, I

would like to thank the whole world especially the Filipino people for supporting Manny Pacquiao," he said, fighting back tears. Pacquiao came from impoverished beginnings as a ship stowaway who started fighting on the streets as a boy, with prizes of $2 a fight. His net worth was $63 million last year, according to his Philippines statement of assets. He is widely rated as among the best pound-for-pound fighters in history, better than Muhammad Ali, veteran pro-

moter Bob Arum said in 2010. George "Ferocious" Kambosos Jr, an Australian world lightweight champion and sparring partner of Pacquiao, expressed his gratitude in a gweet, saying: "Thank you for everything you did for my Career #Legend." 'GREATEST OF ALL TIME': In August, the father of five lost a WBA welterweight world title match against Cuban Yordenis Ugas, leaving his fight record at 62 wins, including 39 knockouts, eight losses and two draws. "Manny Pacquiao will always be the greatest boxer of all time," said Senate President Vicente Sotto. With his six-year term as a senator ending next year, Pacquiao this month presented himself as the best person to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte and lead the Southeast Asian nation of 110 million people. While no one questions his prowess inside the ring, many political observers doubt his ability to fight entrenched poverty and social problems and handle the economic fallout and job losses from one of Asia's worst and longest-running Covid-19 epidemics.

"He is adored as a boxer, but even those who adore him as a boxer have second thoughts about his ability to govern," said Temario Rivera, a retired academic, citing his patchy Senate attendance. Pacquiao has since 2010 divided his time between politics and big-money bouts mostly in the United States. He promised to fight government corruption when he launched his presidential bid, remarks that further damaged his relationship with Duterte, whose bloody war on drugs and campaign to reintroduce the death penalty Pacquiao had wholeheartedly endorsed as a staunch loyalist. Richard Heydarian, an author, columnist and academic who specialises in politics, said Pacquiao's retirement meant he will now give 100 percent to his political ambitions. "I think Pacquiao is increasingly emerging as the candidate of the opposition," Heydarian said. A new opinion poll showed Pacquiao rising a notch to fourth spot, cornering 12 percent of the 2,400 people surveyed, from 8 percent previously.

Andy Murray wins San Diego opener SAN DIEGO REUTERS

Andy Murray, who produced his best result in an injury-filled season last week, earned a first-round victory Tuesday in the San Diego Open. The three-time Grand Slam champion defeated the United States' Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-2 in 1 hour, 10 minutes. Murray, a 34-year-old Brit who got the quarterfinals last week in Metz, France, fired nine aces against Kudla and never faced a

break point. Also earning first-round victories were the United States' Sebastian Korda, Italy's Lorenzo Sonego, Great Britain's Cameron Norrie, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov and South Africa's Lloyd Harris. Sixth-seeded Diego Schwartzman of Argentina cruised past Italian qualifier Federico Gaio 6-2, 6-3 in the last match of the night. SOFIA OPEN: Belarus' Egor Gerasimov saved a match point in the second-set tiebreaker and rallied for a 5-7, 7-6 (8), 6-3 win over Canada's

Vasek Pospisil in the first round at Sofia, Bulgaria. Pospisil got the only service break of the first set in the final game, and neither player broke serve in the second set. Pospisil had a chance to close the match at 7-6 in the tiebreaker, but Gerasimov rallied to take the set, then jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third set to pull away. Other opening-round winners were eighth-seeded Australian John Millman, the United States' Marcos Giron, Serbia's Laslo Djere and Bulgaria's Dimitar Kuzmanov.

League on Tuesday. Netherlands winger Donyell Malen also scored for his new club as Borussia Dortmund overcame Sporting Lisbon 1-0 and trail the Dutch champions on goal difference. American Jesse Marsch lost his fifth game in nine matches in charge of RB Leipzig in the 2-1 home defeat to Club Brugge. Leipzig face a tough ask to reach the last 16 in a group alongside PSG and City. On Wednesday, champions Chelsea head to Juventus, Manchester United host Villarreal and Benfica welcome Barcelona in the pick of the ties.

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka out for up to three months with knee injury LONDON AFP

Arsenal said on Wednesday midfielder Granit Xhaka has been ruled out for up to three months after suffering a knee injury during the weekend’s north London derby win against Tottenham. Xhaka was injured in a collision with Lucas Moura after the Tottenham forward had been challenged by Thomas Partey. The Swiss international limped off and could now miss the rest of 2021 after a specialist examined the injury. “Further to injuring his right knee during Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, assessments and scans have confirmed that Granit Xhaka suffered a significant injury to his medial knee ligament,” an Arsenal statement read on Wednesday. “A specialist consultation took place in London on Tuesday evening which has determined that Granit does not require surgery. “Granit’s recovery and rehabilitation programme will start immediately and we are aiming for him to be back in action in approximately three months. “Everyone at the club will now be supporting and working hard with Granit to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible.” Sunday was Xhaka’s first game back following a threematch ban for a red card in the 5-0 thrashing at Manchester City before the international break. As well as being suspended, Xhaka has only recently recovered after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Thursday, 30 September, 2021

PRayeR tImIngs

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US gEnEralS ConCErnEd aBoUt PakiStan’S nUClEar arSEnal aFtEr taliBan takEovEr oF aFghaniStan

S President Joe Biden has been warned by his top generals that a rushed withdrawal from Afghanistan could lead to an increased risk regarding the nuclear weapons within Pakistan, while US senators tabled a bill that seeks to assess Pakistan’s alleged role in Afghanistan before and after the fall of Kabul as well. Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Chairman of the Joint Chief General Mark Milley said: “We estimated an accelerated withdrawal would increase risks of regional instability, the security of Pakistan, and its nuclear arsenals”. The general stated that the role of the “Pakistan sanctuary” needs to be examined and further emphasised the need to probe how the Taliban withstood US military pressure for 20 years. General Milley and General Frank McKenzie, the leader of US Central Command, also warned that the Taliban Pakistan will now have to deal with would be different from the one they dealt with earlier, and this would complicate their relations. “I believe Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is going to become significantly more complicated as a result of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,” General McKenzie told the lawmakers. The Centcom chief also said that the US and Pakistan were involved in ongoing negotiations over the use of a vital air corridor to access Afghanistan. “Over the last 20 years we’ve been able to use what we call the air boulevard to go in over western Pakistan and that’s become something that’s vital to us, as well as certain landlines of communication,” he said. “And we’ll be working with the Pakistanis in the days and weeks ahead to look at what that relationship is going to look like in the future.”

Both generals, however, declined to discuss more on their concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and the potential that they could fall into the hands of terrorists. They said they would discuss this and other sensitive issues in a closed session with the senators. Earlier in the hearing, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told the senators that while the US helped build a state, they failed to build the Afghan nation and that’s why they could not see the collapse that happened in mid-August. This was the first testimony by US generals before Congress since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan ended America’s longest war. “We helped build a state, but we could not forge a nation,” said Secretary Austin, while responding to a question from the committee’s chairman Senator Jack Reed. “We absolutely missed the rapid 11-day collapse of the Afghan military and the collapse of their government,” General Milley added. “Most of (our) intelligence assessments indicated that would occur late fall, perhaps early winter; Kabul might hold till next spring.” But he acknowledged that military assessments did indicate that the “likely outcome” of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan would be “a collapse of the military, a collapse of the government”. Secretary Austin urged Americans to “consider some uncomfortable truths” before blaming anyone for the fall of Kabul. “We did not fully comprehend the depth of corruption and poor leadership in their senior ranks, we did not grasp the damaging effect of frequent and unexplained rotations by president Ashraf Ghani of his commanders,” he added. “We didn’t anticipate the snowball effect caused by the deals that Taliban commanders struck with local

leaders in the wake of the Doha agreement, and that the Doha agreement itself had a demoralising effect on Afghan soldiers.” The Americans, he said, also failed to understand that Afghan soldiers did not have the motivation to fight for a corrupt government. “We failed to fully grasp that there was only so much for which — and for whom — many of the Afghan forces would fight,” he said. General Miley noted that the vast majority of Afghan troops “put their weapons down and melted away in a very, very short period of time.” He too blamed the previous Afghan government for failing to inspire the soldiers. “I think that has to do with leadership, and I think we still need to try to figure out exactly why that was. […] we clearly missed that.” The top US general provided a 12 to 36 month timeline for terror groups such as Al-Qaeda or IS-K to reconstitute in “ungoverned spaces” and attempt to attack the US homeland. Secretary Austin said the US still maintains “over the horizon” capabilities, which he defined as “assets and target analysis that occur outside the country in which the operation occurs”. General Milley acknowledged that the Afghanistan war did not end in the way the US wanted. “It is clear — it is obvious — the war in Afghanistan did not end on the terms we wanted with the Taliban now in power in Kabul,” he told the senators. Claiming that the Taliban was and remains a terrorist organisation, the top US general said: “It remains to be seen whether or not the Taliban can consolidate power or if the country will further fracture into civil war.” news desk

Cabinet approves amendments to social media rules The federal cabinet has approved amendments to social media rules introduced last year under which social media companies would have to set up offices in Pakistan within six months and take action against objectionable content in 48 hours, Dawn reported on Wednesday. As per the report, the rules framed under Section 37 (unlawful online content) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (Peca) have been approved by the cabinet. The amended rules — Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules, 2021 — make it compulsory for digital media companies to register with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) within three months of the law coming into force. They would also have to appoint an authorised compliance officer and grievance officer based in Pakistan within the same time frame to address complaints within seven days. The rules also direct social media companies to establish an office in Pakistan, preferably located in Islamabad, within six months of the rules coming into force. Previously, the rules directed the companies to set up their offices within nine months. The PTA would give 48 hours, instead of 24 hours previously, to the service provider or social media company for removing or blocking access to online content. The PTA may initiate proceedings if the service provider or social media company fails to remove, block access or comply within the specified time. news desk

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Maryam claims Zubair had been ‘receiving threats for a while’ PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said that senior PML-N leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair had been “receiving threats for a while”. It is worth mentioning here that a leaked video allegedly showing Zubair did the rounds on social media a few days ago. Reacting to the video, Zubair termed it “an extremely poor and shameful act” and called the explicit clip showing him “fake and doctored”. The video was shared on different social media platforms and WhatsApp groups and the man in it was said to be the former Sindh governor. Maryam, in an informal conversation with the media, referred to an objectionable video that allegedly featured Zubair, saying that “the matter is between Zubair and the Almighty and only they know what the reality is”. Despite all the controversies, “Zubair will remain my spokesperson”, Maryam added. She did not elaborate any further as to the nature of the threats received by Zubair. Commenting on former accountability judge Arshad Malik’s video and audio clip that the PML-N vice president had released in 2019 — alleging that Malik was confessing that he convicted Nawaz Sharif of corruption charges under “duress” — she said that she “doesn’t have anyone’s private video”. “The video of Judge Arshad Malik made by Nasir Butt was a national level matter,” said Maryam. Moreover, while speaking about the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib’s comments on the extension of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman’s tenure, Maryam said that “the constitution doesn’t say anything” about the matter. “The party would be better positioned to comment on the matter of NAB chairman’s extension,” said Maryam. Earlier this week, Habib had said that Shahbaz Sharif should step down voluntarily as the Opposition leader to fulfil the constitutional requirement for consultation with the Opposition leader. He said in the current circumstances it is virtually impossible to consult with Shahbaz since he is facing cases of alleged corruption, owning assets beyond means and the unlawful exercise of his powers as chief minister of Punjab. The PML-N vice president also responded to a question on whether her son, Junaid Safdar, is expected to join politics. “No decision has yet been made regarding this,” she said. Maryam also met PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, following a press conference held by the opposition leader. “You have been internationally declared Sadiq (honest) and Amin (trustworthy),” remarked Maryam, referring to orders issued by a UK court for the restoration of the bank accounts of Shahbaz and his family. news desk

Fawad hails ECB’s announcement for Pakistan tour next year

PESHAWAR: Workers prepare clay pots at their workshop. InP

Thanking the cricketers of the world for their support that translated in the England cricket team’s vow on Wednesday to reschedule the Pakistan tour next winter after its pull-out of the scheduled October tour of Rawalpindi, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said it’s a welcome step. In a tweet , the federal minister said that the announcement of ECB to visit Pakistan next year is a “welcome step”. “I would like to thank stars of cricket world, diplomatic community, media and cricket lovers around the world for their support to Pakistan cricket.” Fawad took the opportunity to claim it a victory for the nation and said, “Yet again Pakistan has emerged as a strong and resilient nation.” Earlier in the day, after a prolonged silence, the ECB finally apologised for cancelling the scheduled tour. In his remarks, reported by The Daily Mail, ECB chief Ian Watmore apologised for the England team’s withdrawal from the Pakistan tour and expressed commitment to visit the country next year. “We’ve recommitted to a proper tour, a scheduled tour, of Pakistan next year and will get on with planning that. We will have longer to plan that trip,” Watmore was quoted as saying by the publication. news desk

Taliban accuse US forces of violating Afghan airspace, call for upholding commitments made in Doha The Taliban on Wednesday warned of consequences if the US did not stop flying drones over Afghan airspace. “The US has violated all international rights and laws as well as its commitments made to the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, with the operation of these drones in Afghanistan,” the Taliban said in a statement on Twitter. “We call on all countries, especially United States, to treat Afghanistan in light of international rights, laws and commitments … in order to prevent any negative consequences.” US officials were not immediately available to comment on the matter. The Taliban swept back into power in Afghanistan last month after most US and other Western troops left, ending a military and diplomatic mission that began soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.

Since then, the US has carried out two drone strikes in Afghanistan, claiming to have targeted an Islamic State (IS) militant of the group’s Khorasan chapter who was involved in the planning of a deadly attack at the Kabul airport and a suicide bomber in a vehicle aiming to hit the airport again. The strikes were carried out within a day’s gap and civilians, including children, were killed in the second attack. While the US had not confirmed civilian deaths immediately, the Pentagon had later admitted that 10 civilians, including seven children, were killed in the strike. The US military had apologised for the incident, terming it a tragic mistake. The strikes had also drawn a strong reaction from Afghanistan’s new rulers, the Taliban.

At the time, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid had condemned the US for failing to inform the Taliban before ordering the strike and described the US action on foreign soil as unlawful. “If there was any potential threat in Afghanistan, it should have been reported to us, not an arbitrary attack that has resulted in civilian casualties,” Mujahid had told China’s state television CGTN. Taliban leaders also deny that Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda militants are active in the country, although the IS recently claimed responsibility for bomb attacks in the eastern city of Jalalabad. The Taliban are under pressure from the international community to renounce ties with Al Qaeda, the group behind the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. ReuteRs

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