EpaperISB_22-1-5

wednesday, 5 January, 2022 I 1 Jamadi-al-sani, 1443 I rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 188 I 12 Pages I Islamabad edition

ECP sCrutiny CommittEE finds irrEgularitiEs in Pti’s audit rEPort g

No foreigN fuNdiNg received by PTi: fawad chaudhry

ISLAMABAD

t

Staff CorreSpondent

he Scrutiny committee formed by the election commission of Pakistan (ecP) to investigate the foreign funding case against the ruling PTi has found irregularities in the audit reports submitted by the party.

The committee, in its report submitted to the election watchdog on Tuesday revealed that during the course scrutiny, the committee observed deviations in figures as the same do not reconcile with the bank statements. it also pointed out that the audit report submitted to the cec deviated from the accounting standards as “no date has reflected” by the ca firm.

“No date has been reflected by the chartered accountant firm in its audit report issued to cec in 2012-13, which is a material deviation from accounting standards. hence the date has been reflected in the above table as ‘Nil’,” it added.

The report further revealed that during these five years, the ca firms issued the same text of audit report, adding that the PTi changed its firm last year. it further stated that the petitioner pro-

vided documents pertaining to the receipt of funds through fundraising, donations and contributions by [the] PTi from [the] uSa and other countries. it is pertinent to note that during Tuesday’s hearing of the foreign funding case at the ecP, PTi leader and State Minister for information farrukh habib urged the election watchdog to “complete scrutiny of [the] PPP and PML-N accounts” at the earliest.

The ecP, however, asked the minister whether the hearing underway was regarding the PML-N and PPP accounts. The three-member bench headed by the chief election commissioner (cec) told him to submit a separate petition if he wanted to. during the hearing, counsel ahmed hassan requested the ecP to provide the petitioner with a copy of the scrutiny report and related material. The PTi counsel objected to his request, saying that the report was only meant for the concerned parties. an ecP member said that the hearing was not ‘in-camera’. PTi lawyer Shah Khawar responded that the commission can make the report public after the submission of the ruling party’s comment on it.

“The report should be kept confidential till then,” he added. he urged the ecP to

Coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,297,865

LAST UPDATED AT 9:55 AM ON JANUARY 4, 2022

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

2

630

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

1,257,355 28,945 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

483,165

445,630

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

181,498

33,648

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

34,672/10,429

108,823

wait till the scrutiny of other political parties is completed and the peruse the reports together. “how can we examine all the reports together?” the cec retorted and directed the copies of the report to be shared with the concerned parties in the case. cec Sikandar Sultan raja, however, directed the scrutiny committee to submit a report on the progress made regarding the accounts of the PPP and PML-N within 10 days. akbar S babar’s counsel ahmed hasan said that his client was not even provided with the data collected and compiled by the ecP itself. “Let us go through the report and then feel free to make it public,” said the PTi lawyer. it is a common practice that relevant case records are public, but in this case, the record was kept confidential at the behest of the defendant, babar’s counsel added.

PTi lawyer Shah Khawar said the ecP should give an order to keep the report secret. at this, the ecP bench said how can the commission give such an order during a public hearing of the case. cec raja said there was a consensus in the ecP that there was no reason to keep the report confidential. he adjourned the case for a week, but at the request of the PTi counsel, the hearing was postponed for 15 days.

AsAd UMAr sAys PTI woUld CooPerATe wITh eCP: Meanwhile, Planning Minister asad umar on Tuesday assured the election commission of Pakistan (ecP) that PTi will provide full cooperation in the foreign funding case against it. flanked by Minister of State for information and broadcasting farrukh habib outside the ecP in islamabad today, umar said that the PTi collected funds in the most transparent manner and the nation has full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister imran Khan.

The federal ministers addressed the media at the commission’s office following their appearance in the foreign funding case.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

leaked audio reveals embarrassing Maryam, Pervaiz exchange to keep anchors on leash ISLAMABAD Staff report

a leaked audio of a conversation between Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) vice President Maryam Nawaz and her political adviser Pervaiz rashid revealed an embarrassing exchange about how to keep independent journalists in the Jang group “abusing” and “making fun” of the party from doing so through the group’s chief executive officer (ceo) Mir Shakeel ur-rehman.

The recording, shared by ary News and Samaa Tv, appears to show rashid saying: “They [geo News] have a programme ‘Score card’ […] you are aware [journalist] hasan Nisar — who abuses us [the party] a lot — sits on the panel.” here, the former minister is apparently referening to the programme “report card”. at this point, Nawaz chimes in, saying another anchorperson irshad bhatti also appears on the programme. rashid responds by saying bhatti too “talks very vulgarly” of the party.

The two then speak about another Jang group veteran Mazhar

Conservation of ecosystem must to protect future generations: PM ISLAMABAD app

Prime Minister imran Khan on Tuesday highlighted the importance of increased forestation and conservation of ecosystem in tackling the challenges of climate change and urged the nation to play its role in protecting Pakistan’s environment for future generations. “as Pakistan, despite contributing less than 1 percent in the world carbon emissions, is unfortunately among the 10 most vulnerable countries, it is very important for Pakistanis to think as a nation and protect our future generations,” he stressed.

The prime minister expressed these views while speaking at an agreement signing ceremony held here between the Ministry of climate change and the world bank for the launch of “green Stimulus – Turning concept into reality”. under the agreement, the world bank is providing funds of rs22 billion for 14 green initiatives across the country. imran Khan mentioned his government’s various initiatives, including the 10 billion Tree Tsunami and 15 National Parks,

for tackling the negative effects of climate change such as rising temperatures and pollution. he said with melting glaciers, rising temperatures and less rains in both rural and urban areas, Pakistan is taking measures to tackle the challenges through nature-based solutions. “we have to protect our existing forests, boost our tree plantation campaigns to enhance the forest cover, and develop more national parks,” he stressed.

The prime minister said besides hiring people, modern tools like drones would also be utilised for the surveillance and protection of national parks announced by the government in various parts of the country. it would not only help protect the forests and wildlife but also create employment opportunities for the local people, he added.

The prime minister, while stressing on the need for protecting green areas in and around urban areas, said even the Margalla National Park is being encroached. he said besides canals, rivers and water streams, and channels, air is also being polluted in the cities like Lahore,

which is threatening the lives of the people. he, however, added that with the ring-fencing of cities, the government is working on the master plans of big cities to protect green areas and check encroachment. he appreciated the Ministry of climate change and the world bank for the launch of “green Stimulus” initiative. earlier, Special assistant to the PM on climate change amin aslam, in his remarks, said the green Stimulus programme is being initiated through the world bank’s support of rs22 billion, which would generate 135,000 jobs in the next nine months across all the provinces.

The SaPM further highlighted Pakistan’s approach to address both the covid-19 and climate crises by creating opportunities in the challenging conditions, especially for the most vulnerable communities. vice President of world bank washington Juergen in his video message conveyed deep appreciation for Pakistan’s endeavours to address climate change and highlighted the world bank’s commitments to support Pakistan’s efforts in future in this regard.

abbas who rashid claims is “tilted against us [PML-N] and spins [things] to make fun of us”.

“Nobody there can be called our spokesperson. [hafeezullah Niazi] did not give our point of view but the way they abuse us […] he used to treat imran Khan the same way but they [channel’s management] have removed him and discontinued his column as well,” rashid says. rashid also mentions babar Sattar, who used to be a part of the Tv show before his appointment to high court as a judge, calling him an independent journalist.

Nawaz again interrupts the “uncle” to add she would first ask Niazi, who is the brother-in-law of the prime minister, the reason behind his removal from the show and then take up the matter with rehman. “it will become an imbalanced programme. if there was a check on imran Khan, you have ended it and [imposed] barking dogs on us,” rashid adds. “indeed, this is bias,” Nawaz responds.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

‘Mini-budget’ tabled in Upper house of the Parliament STORY ON PAGE 02

former fia boss claims he is being targeted to scare officials into obedience STORY ON PAGE 03

PTI, PMl-Q decide to jointly contest Punjab lG polls STORY ON BACK PAGE

NePra approves hike in electricity tariff for Ke consumers STORY ON BACK PAGE

02

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

‘MiNi-budget’ tabled iN uPPer HOuSe Of tHe ParliaMeNt

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AgEncIES

INANCE Minister Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday tabled the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2021 — or the minibudget as the opposition calls it — in the Senate amid protest from opposition members.

The bill seeks to amend certain laws on taxes and duties to meet the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) conditions for the clearance of Pakistan’s sixth review of the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) by the financial institution, paving way for the disbursement of a tranche of around $1 billion.

Addressing the session after the bill was tabled, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said the nation wanted to know what pressure is the IMF exerting on Pakistan.

“I demand that the government take us into confidence on this pressure. Inform the nation and parliament about this pressure from the US and IMF,” he said.

He said the finance supplementary bill was presented on the IMF’s instructions and would lead to a further increase in the prices of gas and electricity.

Referring to the State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2021 — another legislation needed to meet the IMF’s conditions — which was also tabled in the National Assembly (NA) last week, Rabbani said the central bank was being sold off.

“Take this parliament and the nation into confidence,” he urged the government. “This nation will stand like a solid wall before the US and IMF,” he said.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said this “mini-budget” would lead to the PTI government’s downfall, adding that passing the bill was akin to “killing the poor”.

Rehman also alleged that funds for the PTI’s media management were arranged from tax money, and that the media had been directed to “tell the nation that there is no inflation”.

KP health department didn’t do any work, top judge declares ISLAMABAD MonitoRing RepoRt

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Tuesday censured the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for failing to perform its job in the healthcare sector. “Where are the billions the government says it’s spending are going?” he questioned as a three-member bench headed by the judge took up a case regarding rising cases of breast cancer in the province. The judge observed there were no X-ray machines or oxygen systems available in public hospitals across KP. “Ineligible people have filed the ranks in public hospitals,” the judge lamented.

During the hearing, the advocate general told Justice Gulzar the province has started issuing healthcare cards. In addition, every registered person will be able to claim a treatment facility of up to Rs1 million per annum. In response to the advocate general, the judge said: “You must have spent Rs5 to 6 billion so that certain elements can mint money of it.” The case hearing of the case was adjourned for a week.

NCOC daily update: 630 new cases, two deaths from Covid-19 ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

Pakistan on Monday reported 630 new Covid-19 cases amid warnings of another wave of the pandemic in the country, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said Tuesday. The NCOC, a department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said the country had confirmed overall 1,297,865 cases so far, including 1,257,355 recoveries. According to the NCOC data, the pandemic killed two people on Monday, taking the overall death toll to 28,945. On Monday, Minister of State for National Health Service Dr Faisal Sultan warned about a clear trend of increase in the daily number of new cases while urging people to wear masks and get vaccinated.

Six killed, over 40 injured in bus collision ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

At least six people were killed and over 40 others injured late Monday after two buses collided with each other in Bahawalpur. According to the reports, the buses collided near the Asrani area of the Khairpur Tamewali tehsil in Bahawalpur. Police and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and the injured to a hospital in Bahawalpur. Rescue officials feared the death toll might further rise because several of the injured are in critical condition with broken limbs. The deceased include a police officer who was going to his hometown for a vacation. Police have registered a case against the bus drivers for overspeeding and careless driving.

But this government, she said, had “taken the country to the brink of bankruptcy”.

To get a funding of $1bn from the IMF, the govt was burdening the people with an additional $3bn, she remarked.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Imran Khan over his motto of transforming Pakistan into a Madinalike welfare state, Rehman added, “People from the middle-class have

turned beggars in the state of Madina.” The senator lamented that people had to struggle to even get meals on their tables. And meanwhile, the government was now “importing everything”.

“You [the government] has raised the gas price by more than 300 per cent. [To whom] should the people go [for help]?” Rehman remarked.

Referring to the SBP bill, which bars the government from taking

loans from the central bank, she said a sovereign government must have the option to borrow from the SBP. “How will you arrange funds when you will need money for the survival of your state?” she questioned, criticising the government for “taking dictation from the IMF”.

The senator said the government was “selling out the country”, adding that the country was sovereign during the PPP government.

“Please return our old Pakistan to us. Realise what should be a state’s priority. Don’t auction off Pakistan,” she added.

Speaking about the 2019 tax directory for parliamentarians released by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Monday, she said the records were used to “get headlines published”.

“Headlines were published about Yousuf Raza Gillani but he was not a senator in 2019,” Rehman said, adding that an impression was

being created that politicians didn’t pay taxes.

Terming the release of the directory “a farce”, she said, “everyone has paid their taxes”.

She said the matter of how the “FBR tampered with records must be taken up by the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges”.

Senate Chairperson Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani sent the finance supplementary bill to the relevant standing committee, directing it to submit its recommendations within three days.

The Senate also passed four bills during the session.

These include the Protection against Harassment of women at the Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the report said.

Pakistan’s first blind civil servant set to publish book on rights breaches LAHORE anadolu agency

In September last year, Pakistan’s first visually impaired UN delegate Saima Saleem was praised by the whole nation after she made a speech in the exercise of the right of reply at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) while reading from Braille.

On the occasion of World Braille Day, which is celebrated worldwide on January 4 annually, Saleem made an announcement that her first book is all set to be published this year, and if she will get a chance, she will definitely try to publish it also in Braille.

Saleem is the first blind civil servant of Pakistan.

She came sixth in the 2007 competitive examination and was the first among female candidates taking the test to be recruited in government departments.

She became the first blind diplomat for whom rules for recruitment were amended by the government for joining the Foreign Service of Pakistan.

“Braille is a tangible form of written language which is used as a medium of communication by the people who cannot see. In my life as a person, student and now a career diplomat, Braille has played the most significant role,” Saleem told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

Saleem holds a master’s degree in international

law with a specialisation in international humanitarian law and human rights from Geneva Academy, the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

“Working for human rights is my passion, and my book is also written on the topic of gross and systematic human rights violations happening in Indian-occupied Kashmir. It is in the last phase of editing and I will try my best to get that published in Braille as well,” she said. ‘baRRieRs should be Removed FoR social integRation oF people with disabilities’: Saleem believes that people with disabilities can become useful and productive for society if attitudinal and access barriers can be removed for them.

“These barriers can only be removed by creating awareness-raising in which the media can play an instrumental role.

Every library should also create a Braille corner like the National Library has done, and try to make the e-books and audio ones available as well.”

According to the 2006 national blindness and visual impairment survey in Pakistan, the estimated number of blind individuals of all ages in 2003 was 1.25 million and it projected the figure might have risen to 2.4 million by 2020.

Asad Aslam, a renowned ophthalmologist and former chief executive of Mayo Hospital in Lahore, one

PCAA makes rapid antigen tests mandatory for European travelers ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

In view of the surge in infections of Omicron variant of coronavirus, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on Tuesday made rapid antigen tests mandatory for travelers arriving in Pakistan from European nations.

The test is conducted to detect whether proteins of the Covid-19 coronavirus are present in the traveler’s body. Nations straining to contain subsequent waves of Covid-19 started turning to faster, cheaper but reportedly less accurate tests in late 2020 to avoid the delays and shortages that have plagued efforts to diagnose and trace those infected quickly While all travelers from European nations will be required to take the test, only half of the traffic from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) will have to undergo the assessment. In addition, the agency said travelers aged 15 and older are required to produce a negative coronavirus test report — acquired not earlier than 48 hours of departure — on arrival in Pakistan.

In case, a passenger tests positive for the disease on arrival at a Pakistan airport, they are required to spend 10 days in quarantine at either a government-designated place or a private accommodation the expense of which will be borne by them.

Following is the list oF new guidelines as announced by the caa: Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and possession of proof of COVID-19 vaccination. This is applicable for all passengers above 15 years of age.

Valid negative PCR test result conducted within the 48 hours prior to commencement of travel to Pakistan.

This is applicable for all passengers above 06 years of age.

Rapid antigen testing upon aRRival FoR all diRect Flights FRom euRope:

Rapid Antigen Testing upon arrival of a minimum of 50% inbound flights from KSA, UAE and Qatar Selective Rapid Antigen Testing for all inbound flights other than flights mentioned at (c) and (d) above.

The new regulations will come into force from Wednesday (tomorrow).

The advisory comes as authorities warn of a fifth wave of infections and are in the process of making preparations to try to contain the fast-spreading Omicron variant. The fifth wave of COVID-19, which is driven by the Omicron variant, is spreading at a rapid pace in the country, the National Command and Operation Centre said Monday as Pakistan reported its highest number of daily infections in over two months.

While addressing the epidemic curve chart data, the national immunisation plan and disease prevalence across the country in a morning session on Monday, the NCOC confirmed that the positivity rate in Karachi has risen from 2% to 6% in the last three days, with the highest number of positive instances.

Pakistan reported 630 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, a day after recording 708 new cases, its highest daily figure in over two months which pushed the positivity ratio to 1.55 percent, according to data from the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC).

“There is clear evidence now of a beginning of another COVID wave which has been expected for the last few weeks,” Asad Umar, the minister in charge of supervising anti-Covid-19 operations, wrote on Twitter.

Genome sequencing had detected a growing number of cases of the Omicron variant, particularly in Karachi, he said. The government of Sindh is working on a strategy to contain the variant, which has included a partial lockdown of a Karachi neighbourhood last week after about a dozen Omicron cases were detected in a family.

of the largest hospitals in Asia, said they carried out the third survey on the issue in Pakistan, which will be released in February to show the exact number of blind people in the country.”

Pakistan is a party to the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an international human rights treaty of the UN, since 2011 and it is making efforts to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities despite resource constraints.

“Sometimes it takes only one person to stand up for many. I was the first one who demanded the examination board in 1999 to conduct my exam by using Braille and even in 2003, Punjab University on my request had conducted first exams by using Braille, and today, exams in Braille are conducted for blind students all over the country,” said Saleem. Last month, Punjab and Sindh Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces also got their Braille printing press. The project cost Rs40.3 billion ($224 million) and thousands of children will be facilitated thanks to it.

On the social responsibility of society, Saleem said: “Learning Braille is important for the person who cannot read and write, but it is equally important for the people in their surroundings to learn these modes of communication so that others can interact with them and persons with disabilities can be given equal opportunity and an inclusive society can be created.”

Khidmat cards, educational stipends for students on ombudsman’s order LAHORE Staff RepoRt

64 of 84 complaints about an interruption in the issuance of educational stipends to the deserving students were resolved after the intervention of Punjab Ombudsman retired Maj Azam Suleman Khan and the students were given the stipends along with Khidmat cards to enable them to continue their studies. According to a spokesman of the office of the ombudsman, the school education department secretary also ensured to resolve the remaining 20 cases in compliance with the direction of Khan. Similarly, district education authorities and district monitoring officers have been further activated to avoid any further delay in payment of stipends to the students in 16 different districts, the spokesman explained, maintaining the ombudsman office took this initiative in the best public interest to facilitate the students in their studies. Meanwhile, Ombudsman Khan also directed the school education department, Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA) and Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to jointly develop handy software to ensure timely payments to the students. Alongside, they have been further advised to launch a message alert service for students. It would keep the students abreast of subsequent action on their applications, the spokesman said.

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

fOrMer fia bOSS ClaiMS He iS beiNg targeted tO SCare OffiCialS iNtO ObedieNCe ISLAMABAD

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MonitoRing RepoRt

ORMER Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general Bashir Memon — who is accused of, and being investigated for, facilitating a suspect wanted in financial crimes abroad and for his failure to probe the money laundering allegations against him — claimed the government wanted to make an example of him to scare the civil service into obedience.

Memon, who had resigned from service in December 2019 as a mark of protest against being posted out close to his retirement date, appeared before an inquiry team over the weekend in the

Church of Pakistan condemns religiously-motivated violence in india LAHORE Shahab oMeR

The senior leadership of Church of Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned the violence perpetrated by Hindu extremist elements on religious minorities in India in the recent years, demanding the Narendra Modi-led government to stop patronising such right-wing policies.

Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, the Church of Pakistan leaders, including President Bishop Dr Azad Marshall, Bishop of Multan Leo Roderick Paul, Bishop of Sialkot Alwin Samuel, Bishop of Lahore Irfan Jameel, Bishop of Karachi Fredrick John, Bishop Emeritus Manu Rumal Shah and Reverend Shahid Meraj, urged the international community to take notice of the persecution of Christians, Muslims and other religious minorities in India. In his address, Bishop Azad Marshall said the leadership of Church of Pakistan is extremely concerned by the rise in attacks on Christians and other minorities in India. “India takes pride in being the world’s largest democracy but its brazen violations of religious freedom have laid bare its claims of being a truly secular country,” said Bishop Marshall. He added that the US Commission on International Religious Freedom in its recent report has highlighted that the BJP-led government in India is promoting Hindu nationalist policies, resulting in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, which negatively impact non-Hindu religious communities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits and Adivasis. “The attacks on religious minorities, vandalism of minorities’ worship places, enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and persecution of Christians under the guise of action against religious conversions should be the issues of serious concern for the world,” he said, adding that the misuse of policies such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Financial Contribution (Regulation) Act has enabled the Indian government to silence or restrict individuals and NGOs from reporting on and combatting religious persecution.

$101.2 million banking fraud involving Umar Farooq Zahoor, a Dubai-based Pakistani-Norwegian businessman.

During the course of the inquiry, it came to light that Zahoor with a co-suspect purportedly defrauded a bank of $89.2 million in the Norwegian capital of Oslo in 2010 after remaining involved in another fraudulent scheme worth $12 million in Bern city of Switzerland in 2004.

Memon is accused of, and during the Saturday session quizzed about, allegedly facilitating Zahoor in at least two instances of financial crimes in the Swiss city of Zurich and Oslo, and human trafficking during the former’s tenure as the director-general of the agency.

While the agency has also summoned another

former boss Saud Mirza in these cases to ascertain the reasons behind the aforementioned failure, Memon termed the probe a witch-hunt designed to target him.

Speaking about the probe on Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath,” he claimed the government wanted to send a message to members of the civil service “if they didn’t follow orders, they will have to bear the consequences”.

Responding to a question whether he left the Saturday session without answering the FIA questions, Memon said: “I didn’t leave the interrogation. I have recorded [my ansers]. If the agency wants, I’ll share it on social media.”

He said: “I have secured pre-arrest bail because I know what is going on and who is behind it.”

Turkish lira weakens as inflation soars to highest in Erdogan era AnKARA ReuteRS

Turkey’s lira weakened 1.4 per cent on Tuesday as investors weighed the consequences of a surge in the country’s inflation rate to its highest in 19 years following the implementation of an unorthodox ratecutting policy.

The lira stood at 13.15 to the dollar, as of 0500 GMT, weakening from a close of 12.96 on Monday. The lira hit a record low 18.4 two weeks ago before rebounding following the government’s steps to support the unit.

Last year, the lira weakened 44pc, making it by far the worst performer in emerging markets and marking its worst year since President Tayyip Erdogan came to power nearly two decades ago.

Data on Monday showed consumer prices surged 36.08pc year-on-year in December, higher than a poll forecast of 30.6pc, driven by an increase in annual transportation prices, food and drinks.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Monday, Erdogan said he was saddened by the inflation data and that his government was determined to lower it to single digits, blaming the climb on global commodity prices and a weaker lira.

Since September the central bank has cut its policy rate by 500 basis points to 14pc as Erdogan pushes a “new economic programme” focused on credit and exports. To curb the lira weakness, Erdogan unveiled a scheme two weeks ago in which the state protects converted local deposits from losses versus hard currencies. He said on Monday that 78 billion lira ($6 billion) had been deposited in such accounts.

Work on Gulberg-DHA signal-free corridor to start next month LAHORE Shahab oMeR

The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has decided to start work on a five-kilometre long signal-free corridor from Gulberg to DHA next month, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday.

Last month, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had directed the provincial cabinet’s standing committee on finance to include the project in the annual development programme (ADP) and the committee had approved to include a budget of Rs3.60 billion for the project in the ADP. According to details, the signal-free corridor was designed by the LDA to reduce traffic congestion. As per the design, the government will initially construct a flyover at Ghora Chowk and an underpass at Khalid Butt Chowk.

In the next phase, the government will construct a

three-lane one-way flyover at Ghora Chowk, a two-way underpass at Khalid Butt Chowk along with a four-lane dual carriageway. LDA Chief Engineer Mehr Mazhar informed Pakistan Today that “the ground breaking of the project will take place next month and then work on the project will begin.”

PSX rallies for sixth session as foreign investment returns KARAcHI tltp

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained in tight grip of bulls for the sixth straight session on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining 503.95 points (+1.12 percent) to close at 45,390.84 points.

The market opened on a positive note and remained positive throughout the session. The benchmark index crossed the 45,000 psychological mark at the opening and later consolidated gains. One of the main reasons behind this bullishness is return of foreign investment, as foreign investors remained net buyers of $5.41 million worth of shares. The foreign buying remained $11.78 million and gross selling remained $6.37 million.

The KSE-100 Index moved in a range of 519.19 points, showing an intraday high of 45,406.08 points and a low of 44,886.89 points, the last day

closing point.

A total of 380 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, out of them shares of 267 closed up, shares of 89 closed down while shares of 24 companies remained unchanged. Out of 95 traded companies in the KSE-100 Index, 78 closed up, 13 closed down and

four remained unchanged.

The overall market volumes increased by 180.82 million to 375.99 million shares. Total volumes traded for the KSE-100 Index increased by 42.56 million to 134.27 million shares. The number of total trades increased by 60,504 to 153,991, while

the value traded decreased by Rs6.26 billion to Rs12.78 billion. Overall market capitalisation increased by Rs87.78 billion.

The major sectors taking the index towards north were technology & communication with 112 points, cement with 72 points, oil & gas exploration companies with 59 points, power generation & distribution with 42 points, and pharmaceuticals with 36 points. The most points added to the index were by TRG which contributed 57 points followed by SYS with 40 points, LUCK with 33 points, HUBC with 31 points, and UNITY with 24 points.

The major sectors taking the index toward south were fertilizer with 2 points and real estate investment trust with one point. The most points taken off the index were by ENGRO which stripped the index of 8 points followed

by KTML with 6 points, UBL with 6 points, ILP with 5 points and BAFL with 4 points.

NEWS

03

Ministry rebuts news Naseem didn’t submit tax return to eCP ISLAMABAD MonitoRing RepoRt

The Ministry of Law and Justice on Monday clarified its minister Farogh Naseem submitted his income tax returns to the Election Commission of Pakistan on December 31, rejecting a news item that claimed otherwise. “It is to clarify the news carried by certain sections of the press alluding that the law minister had not submitted his tax return details with the ECP,” said a press statement issued by the ministry. The spokesman further said the authorities concerned should update their record in this regard. Naseem wrote a letter to the ECP secretary on December 31 with a statement of his tax returns, he added.

WHO sees more evidence that Omicron causes milder symptoms gEnEVA ReuteRS

More evidence is emerging that the Omicron coronavirus variant is affecting the upper respiratory tract, causing milder symptoms than previous variants, a World Health Organization official said on Tuesday.

“We are seeing more and more studies pointing out that Omicron is infecting the upper part of the body.

Unlike the other ones, that could cause severe pneumonia,” WHO Incident Manager Abdi Mahamud told Geneva-based journalists, saying it could be “good news”. However, he added that Omicron’s high transmissibility means it will become dominant within weeks in many places, posing a threat in countries where a high portion of the population remains unvaccinated. His remarks on the reduced risks of severe disease chime with other data including a study from South Africa which was one of the first countries where Omicron was detected. However, Mahamud also sounded a note of caution, calling South Africa an “outlier” since it has a young population among other factors. Asked about whether an Omicron-specific vaccine was needed, Mahamud said it was too early to say but stressed that the decision required global coordination and should not be left to the commercial sector to decide alone.

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

04 NEWS

Exports of lEathEr goods incrEasE 11pc in 5MfY22 ISLAMABAD

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APP

he export of leather goods witnessed an increased by 11.03 per cent to $266.595 million during the first five months of current financial year (5MFY22) as compared to the exports of $240.100 million during the corresponding period of last year.

According to data released by the Pakistan Bu-

reau of Statistics (PBS), among leather products, the exports of leather garments increased by 10.42pc by going up from $125.971 million in 5MFY21 to $139.100 million during 5MFY22.

Leather gloves exports also rose by 11.81pc to $119.516 million from $106.890 million.

Likewise, the exports of all other leather goods also increased by 10.22pc during the period under review, going up from $7.239 million to $7.979 million.

tourists en-route gwadar trapped at Buzzi top amid heavy rains QUETTA: Tourists on Tuesday stranded at Quetta’s Buzzi Top as heavy rain across the province has damaged the bridge connecting Karachi with Gwadar and Makran at the hingol National highway. A large number of tourists who left for Gwadar and Makran from Karachi are trapped at the Buzzi Top for the last 12 hours, while the rescue teams failed to reach the spot despite being informed about the situation. Passengers including children and women have appealed to the concerned authorities to restore the road so that they can reach back to their homes safely. Balochistan’s coastal belt as well as Turbat and other areas received heavy rainfall with thunderstorms.

Rainwater entered houses in southern part of the port city of Gwadar, while in shops at Airport Road and Ladies Market. The power supply also suspended as the rain lashed the city.

Coastal towns of Jiwani, Pasni and Ormara also received heavy rainfall. StAff rePOrt

Meanwhile, on a yearon-year (YoY) basis, leather goods’ exports witnessed an increase of 21.13pc $59.658 million during the month of November 2021, against the exports of $49.253 million in the same month of last year.

On month-on-month (MoM) basis, these exports increased by 13.61pc during November 2021 as compared to the exports of $52.510 million in October 2020, the PBS data revealed.

Uzair Baloch, MQM man acquitted in murder case of two rangers officials

Punjab BOR completes Digital Land Girdawri project

KARACHI INP

LAHORE

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday acquitted alleged Lyari kingpin Uzair Baloch and MQM’s Shaikh Sher Mohammad Sheroo in a 2013 case pertaining to kidnapping and murder of two Rangers personnel. The court announced the reserved verdict, acquitting them for lack of evidence. A defence lawyer said that the prosecution failed to place on record concrete evidence to substantiate the kidnap and murder charges against Uzair Baloch and Sher Mohammad. According to the police, the suspects had kidnapped and murdered two Rangers personnel – havaldar Muneer Ahmed and havaldar ejaz Ahmed – within the jurisdiction of the Pak Colony police station in 2013. Their bodies were found in the Mewashah graveyard on March 7, 2013, the police said. According to a joint investigation team (JIT), both the Rangers personnel were on intelligence duty when they were kidnapped. At the previous hearing, the counsel for Sher Mohammad argued that his client was affiliated with the MQM. “Lyari gang war and the MQM have serious differences, Sher Mohammad has been booked in the case owing to political differences,” the counsel said. “how can an ailing old man kill the trained security personnel,” he argued.

ShAhAb Omer

The Punjab Board of Revenue (BOR) has finalized a reform plan for the establishment of digitized girdawri of lands around the province and establishment of Dehi Markaz Maal (DMM).

By the end of this month, more than 5,000 DMMs in Punjab are expected to be fully operational, Pakistan Today learnt.

According to details, the senior member of Board of Revenue (SMBR) had initiated several projects to bring reforms in the revenue sector across the province so as to alleviate the problems related to the property of the people, bring facilities to the people and innovate the system.

These projects included Digitized Girdawari of lands across the province, establishment of DMM, restoration of Nambardar and Chowkidar

system in its original form in the province. In this regard, the SMBR Babar hayat Tarar visited the districts of Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib and inaugurated a Land Record Center in Nankana Sahib district. The SMBR listened to the problems of the people in an open forum at Nankana Sahib and instructed officers to resolve complaints on the spot.

Meanwhile, Tarar informed reporters that a mission was being worked out to provide a comprehensive system of revenue across Punjab.

“The system will provide revenue-related services to the public at home. A comprehensive system for immediate response to natural calamities is also being introduced through systematic liaison between Patwari, Nambardar and Chowkidar. Digital Girdawri will eliminate land grabbing and with the right crop girdawri, the national income in terms of agricultural tax will also increase,” he maintained.

‘indian drama fail’: pakistani soldier ‘killed at loc’ appears in new video ISLAMABAD: Another drama staged by India’s Modi government in collusion with its ‘Gowdy’ media to malign Pakistan has flopped after a Pakistani Army soldier whom Indian Army and TV channels declared as ‘killed’ while allegedly ‘infiltrating the Line of Control’ has appeared alive in a video makings rounds on social media. The said soldier holding his National Identity card in the video message said, “My name is Shabbir Ahmad, a resident of Shadra, AJK, and I retired from Pak Army in 2020. I am at home while Indian media is engaged in baseless propaganda against me.” The development triggered interesting comments on social media with one tweeter handler Islamuddin Sajid wrote on his account: “This is very strange news; Pakistani soldier who got retired in 2020 and now is at home but Indian army and media claim to have killed by Indian soldiers in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).” INP

What Makes Automobile Industry So Expensive in Pakistan?

The overpricing of Automobile Industry has continued to increase with the passage of time. People are now curious about the changes and advancements in automobile to go for buying vehicles as compared to previous traditional monopoly leaders and new entrants in this sector.

This price trend has resulted in the growth of various businesses. In addition, Toyota (automotive manufacturer), honda (multinational conglomerate company), Suzuki (automobile company) and other new entrants

like Kia, Changan, BAIC and haval are highly contributing the automobile sector. Moreover, it the fact that many start-ups are considering automobile industry as a platform where they can exchange goods and services with featured advancements. There are few characteristics which instigate the automobile companies to go for the expensiveness of automobiles in Pakistan. Apart from the high costing of automobile, there are some political, economic, technological, legal, social and environmental factors which effect the automobile industry and there are some demographic and geographic differences among the automotive brands to compete the tussle.

The importance of automobile industry is that it provides the ease of access to transportation and the productive industrial increment in automobile industry leads to the higher GDP growth. Moreover, there would be increase in employment and the new setups will account job creation into the market as the automobile industry is booming up due to the new entrants. It is the fact that the new entrants highly challenge the hegemony of the big three which will grow the economy of Pakistan. The economic factors also effect Pakistan as the forecasting is higher than the dollar rates and there is no check and balance on that from the Govt. It is understood that the Automobile variation impact the economy of Pakistan.

Currently, Pakistan is 3rd world country and economy is still at a growing stage.

Basically, these are the assemblers. If they man-

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ufacture, then definitely deficit will be lesser and employment will increase. Local manufacturing will cost cheap so Govt. must ban the imports of spare parts and cars because Pakistan’ automobile industry is already 2030 years out dated. Govt. policy is that all companies have to work on start manufacturing locally. There is high demand in the market but the supply is low that is why the prices increase. Previously, Computer chip shortage also affect the supply of the vehicles and change in dollar rate also affect internal inflation rate, economy, demand and supply.

In addition to that, due to COVID-19 Pakistan’s economy badly collapse and it also effects the automobile sector. Many industries have gone through down fall. Sales were decreased, factories were closed as imports were closed. Unemployment also increased, business growth slow down, delay in delivery, company business loss, electronic chip shortage. Cars were not assembled as the chip was not available. If there would be local manufacturing there will be lesser impact on the industry. Pakistan’s currency was also devalued, and production was also slow it was not possible to import the parts from US, UK, Thailand etc.

In Pakistan, the prices are very high as compare to other countries. high prices lead to high tax implementations. Due to poor road sanitations, there is no need of lane keep assist feature, Brembo brakes and auto pilot. Due to high prices people compromises in features. Although, the prices are same as comparative to other countries but the features are low. Including that, Spare parts like engine, ABS system, air bags, tires etc. should be locally manufactured and also must be used locally. There should be retention of dollar, tax reduction, and keeping an eye on FeD and external audit. high production cost will be reduced if the Companies started local manufacturing. There should be new entrants into the market which will enhance the vehicle quality, offer luxurious features, and bring technological advancements. There should be promotion of Greenfield policy. Govt. invited the international companies like Kia, Mg, Proton, Changan etc. to launch their products in Pakistan. The Govt. also subsidize these companies for launching their new products so that there will be more competition into the market. Previously, there was trend of hatchback, Sedan and SUV in Pakistan but after the arrival of these new companies the new Crossover trend started.

The pondering purpose is still not fulfilled. Moreover, the Impact of new entrants is that in few years the whole market shows some consolidations and those people which have proper system, proper dealership networks and 3S channels are only survive and others will not be able to compete. Govt. restricted the regis-

tration costs on Semi hybrid care and banned on Complete hybrid cars. Now, the Toyota took the initiative to manufacture the hybrid cars in Pakistan such as Toyota Corolla Cross. Lastly, eU electric policy has been implemented, as Toyota is going to give the hybrid technology and also thinking for electric technology near in future.

In conclusion, it is understood that the overpricing of Automobile has continued to increase with the passage of time but there are some factors like economic, social, political, technological, legal, environmental which exceeds the automobile expensiveness.

As there is no local manufacturing and imports are high. Moreover, the product features are low but the prices are high, the demand and supply fluctuations are the consequences of it. In spite of all the problems there are solutions. Local manufacturing should be on local basis. New entrants and local companies should be upgraded and Government must promote the small enterprises. Taxes should be on low rates; market should have more manufactures not only assemblers. hopefully, the implementations would resolve the issues and Pakistan automobile industry will progress more in near future.

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

Leaked audio reveals embarrassing Maryam, Pervaiz exchange to keep anchors on leash

KasHMiris to observe rigHt to seLf DeterMination Day toDay mirpur

continued from page 01 Towards the end of the clip, Nawaz instructs Rashid that a pair of baskets that her father Nawaz Sharif brought from Azerbaijan be sent to journalists Nusrat Javed and Rana Jawad. Responding to the contents of the recording, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib lambasted the party, declaring the PML-N had “vast experience and [expertise] of blackmailing and controlling freedom of media”. Condemning the contents of the audio, he said the PML-N “always kept the media under pressure to use it for their vested interests”. He claimed the opposition party in the past as well curbed the freedom of media and journalists who spoke against it. The audio exposed how the party members were playing tricks to control the freedom of the press. This is the third such recording attributed to Nawaz in as many months. However, she has accepted only the first as authentic. In November, Nawaz admitted that an eight-second clip, in which she can be heard suspending the award of government advertisement to Channel 24, Samaa, 92 News and ARY News was genuine.

Barely a month later, another audio recording emerged wherein Nawaz seemed to be praising her “media management”. “Look at my media management. Geo News and Dunya News have [ruined the ruling party],” she said in the clip.

Haiti’s prime minister survives assassination attempt port-au-prince afp

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry told AFP in an interview Monday that he was targeted in an assassination attempt during weekend national day celebrations. “An attempt has been made against me personally. My life has been put in the crosshairs,” said Henry, who has been de-facto running the country since the July assassination of president Jovenel Moise. Clashes between police and armed groups erupted on Saturday during official celebrations in the city of Gonaives, some 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of the capital Portau-Prince, where Haiti’s declaration of independence was signed over 200 years ago.

Photos provided to AFP by Henry’s office show a bullet impact mark on the windshield of his armored vehicle. The events come weeks after groups of citizens and members of armed gangs in Gonaives had violently expressed their opposition to Henry’s visiting their city. “I knew I was taking a risk,” Henry told AFP in a telephone interview.

“We cannot let bandits from any background, driven by the lowest financial interests, blackmail the state,” he said. Long plagued by poverty, natural disasters and gang violence, the Caribbean nation has been without a functioning parliament and with a paralysed judiciary for two years, and Moise’s assassination has only exacerbated the crisis. His murder six months ago in the private presidential residence only underscored the deep political, social and economic crisis the Caribbean country has been stuck in for years. While several Haitians, two US citizens of Haitian origin and about 15 Colombian nationals have been accused of taking part in the assassination and been imprisoned in Port-au-Prince since the summer, the investigation itself has shown few further signs of progress. One of the suspects, arrested in October in Jamaica, will be returned to Colombia due to a lack of evidence, Jamaican media said on Saturday.

DAILy kIDnAppIngS: The growing reach of criminal gangs across the country is undermining hopes of improving the living conditions for ordinary Haitians, who are victims of daily kidnappings by ruthless groups. Two years after the departure of the last United Nations police officers from the country, the prime minister insisted that Haitian forces will be able to restore security. “So far I have never asked for foreign troops,” Henry told AFP, although he said the international community should support the country’s police in training “and possibly equipment.” “With our men, with the police, we are going to get there, we have to get there,” he said. At least 950 kidnappings were recorded in Haiti in 2021, according to the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights, an organization based in Port-au-Prince. Last October, 17 North Americans linked to a Christian aid group were kidnapped after visiting an orphanage near the capital in an area controlled by the so-called “400 Mawozo,” one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs. The last of the hostages were released last month. In April, 10 people, including two French clerics, were kidnapped and held for 20 days by 400 Mawozo in the same region.

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LL is set by the people of Jammu and Kashmir living on both sides of the Line of Control and rest of the world to observe the right of Self Determination Day, falling on Wednesday, January 5 for renewal of the pledge to continue their ongoing indigenous struggle with full vigor till the achievement of their legitimate right of self-determination through implementation of the U.N resolutions.

The day is observed every year by Kashmiris to invite the attention of international community and the United Nations towards the early grant of right to self determination to Kashmiri people through implementation of the historic resolutions on Kashmir passed this day in 1949 by the Security Council of the UNO. Official sources told APP here Tuesday that all necessary arrangements have been given final touches in Azad Jammu Kashmir to observe the Day to be followed by the public rallies, besides special gatherings and processions, in all ten district headquarters of the liberated territory as the hallmark of the Day. The special meetings would highlight the significance of early grant of the right of self determination to Jammu Kashmir people which was being suppressed and denied

by India since over last six decades.

Speakers in these meetings would reiterate Kashmiris just and principled stance before the world that they (Jammu Kashmir people) would continue their struggle for right of self determination till the achievement of the ultimate goal.

They would particularly highlight the reality with the earnest demand about early grant of the birth right of self determination to Kashmiris without further delay and which was being denied by India since over last 73 years because of her traditional hostile and stubborn attitude.

The right of self determination day reiterates the long cherished demand of the Kashmiris that they should be

granted their birth right to decide about their destiny under the spirit of the internationally-acknowledged U.N resolutions.

“It would be once again declared by the Kashmiris before the world, through the special meetings at both sides of the line of control and rest of the world that the Kashmir problem should be resolved only in accordance with the United Nations resolutions – and no solution of the lingering global dispute sans the aspirations of the Kashmiris would be acceptable to them (Jammu Kashmir people),” said top PTI AJK leader and ex Chairman Mirpur Development Authority Ch Muhammad Siddique, one of the organizers of the scheduled special meetings to be held on January 5 to observe the right of self determination Day in Mirpur.

Talking to APP, Siddique said that participants of the scheduled rally will reiterate Kashmiris longstanding demand for the early settlement of Kashmir issue according to their wishes. He said that that since Kashmiris are the basic and actual party to the Kashmir problem, this reality could not be ignored. In Mirpur, a big Right of Self Determination Day rally of the people of all walks of life is scheduled to be held at District Court premises in the morning. The procession will be taken out which will later converged into the special ceremony at the Kashmir Press Club hall under the auspices of the Convener Jammu Kashmir Free Media Association.

ECP scrutiny committee finds irregularities in PTI’s audit report continued from page 01 “Major blames were also made in the past by big leaders,” the planning minister said. “[Slain former premier] Benazir Bhutto made allegations that Nawaz Sharif had party funding from Osama bin Laden,” he added.

Asad said that the PTI had filed a petition with the ECP to summon the reports from the three scrutiny committees. “I have no doubt that when [the] ECP makes the party funding report public, the masses will see that it was Prime Minister Imran Khan who collected the funds in the most transparent manner and that is why people trust him,” he said.

The minister further added that the secret accounts of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were coming to the surface.

He was referring to the declaration made by Habib a day earlier.

Earlier on Monday, Farrukh Habib said the perusal of PML-N’s financial documents had revealed that nine accounts were hidden by the party from the national election watchdog.

Speaking on the occasion today, Habib said that the scrutiny committees should immediately submit their reports regarding the PML-N and PPP to the commission.

“Facts should come forth as to why nine party accounts of the PML-N and 11 accounts of the PPP were kept secret,” the state minister said, adding that these facts should not be concealed. pTI DecLAreS rS 1.3 BILLIon funDS froM 2008-13: The PTI has declared a whooping Rs 1.3 billion funds in five years accounts from Year 2008-13.

“The party has disclosed only 12 from total 77 accounts, while 53 bank accounts and Rs 310 mln funds were concealed,” says the audit report submitted to the ECP. “Two bank accounts of PTI in 2008 and 2009 were not disclosed,” the report reads. “The Party also didn’t give access to its New Zealand and Canada accounts,”

the scrutiny report said.

“The State Bank has also disclosed about the undeclared funds in its report,” the scrutiny committee said.

“The cash receipts not match with the bank accounts,” the report read. “The party expenses from 2009-13 were also not matching the income,” according to the report.

“The audit report not bearing the date, which is against the accounting rules,” report read.

The details of the PTI accounts from the State Bank have also been annexed in the report of the scrutiny committee.

According to sources, the report also included the details of dollar-operated accounts in Pakistan.

Moreover, in the report references have been given from Indian, French and Australian laws, sources said.

The details of PTI accounts audit from 2008-13 have been annexed with the report.

The scrutiny committee has also attached its analysis of the bank accounts with the report submitted to the ECP. No foreign funding received by PTI: Fawad Chaudhry Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that PTI is the only political party in the country that had created a “legal, detailed and elaborate” system for funding.

While refuting all allegations of the PTI receiving foreign funding, Fawad said told a presser that there were two relevant transactions of Rs150m and Rs160m which had been duplicated and therefore counted twice by the committee.

“The transaction of Rs160m was counted twice because we received money in the central account and transferred it to another. So there was duplicity in the [scrutiny committee] report,” he said.

He said Rs150m was transferred from the centre to the provinces from a PTI subsidiary which was also counted twice, adding that these facts would be presented before the ECP during the arguments in the case.

Chaudhry further said that the information taken from the State Bank of Pakistan was before the 2018 general

elections. “The report is about period before we came into power and from the tenure of the PML-N government.”

The minister called on the election commission to also conduct a scrutiny of the accounts of the two other major political parties — the PPP and the PML-N. “It is important to have a comparison on the accounts of Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N as well as the PPP,” he added.

Responding to a question, the minister said that it would be better if the ECP made the report public.

“We can’t make the report public and the ECP has to do it. And perhaps they should because [the lack of the report] perpetuates fake news”.

While highlighting the details of the report, the minister said it showed that the PTI had 26 accounts out of which eight were non-active.

“Out of the remaining 18 accounts, eight are functional which have transactions and also show funds coming in.”

He said 10 accounts in question did not actually belong to the PTI. “Six accounts are subsidiary accounts […] and the party has distanced itself from the remaining four,” he asserted.

The minister further said that PTI workers across the world ‘fund’ the party.

“People give $10, $25, $55 or $100,” he said, adding that people trust the prime minister with their money, especially since he had constructed the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.

He said that the hospital was able to provide free healthcare to 70 per cent of its patients as it received billions in donations on the basis of the premier’s name.

The minister also took the opportunity to thank the PTI’s chief accountant and his team for handling the party’s finances for an extended period of time, reiterating that the party had an “elaborate accounting system”.

The minister claimed that it was now evident that there was “no question of foreign funding”, adding that PM Imran had always given a record of each and every single penny and the PTI had done the same.

Punjab health minister for proactive measures on dengue prevention LaHore staff report

Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal chaired the Cabinet meeting on Dengue prevention at Darbar Hall of Civil Secretariat here on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Imran Sikander Baloch, Additional Commissioner Lahore, Deputy Commissioner Lahore and Director General Health Services Punjab Dr. Haroon Jehangir whereas Commissioners and

Deputy Commissioners joined via video link.

The Health Minister and Chief Secretary reviewed the progress on anti dengue activities. Secretary PSHD Imran Sikander Baloch shared details of anticipatory measures for dengue control.

The Health Minister said, “The purpose of Cabinet meetings is to review proactive measures to control dengue. All departments have been taken on board well in advance in first week of January.

All Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners must put in place necessary measures well in advance. We cannot afford

spread of dengue in next season”.

“All Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners must comply with winter plan presented by Secretary PSHD. DHA Lahore reported most cases during latest outbreak. We will try our best to stop the spread of dengue this year. We will conduct third party evaluation of dengue control activities”.

“Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners must ensure anti-dengue activities in new housing schemes. We will hold monthly meetings to review situation.”

Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali

Afzal said anti dengue activities have to be carried out based on lessons learnt in last season. Larvacidal activities have to be under simultaneous focus with surveillance. Guidelines must be implemented in letter and spirit.

He appreciated Auqaf, Sports and Irrigation department. Deputy Commissioners must personally supervise anti- dengue activities. Spray must be completed in schools in the next two days. Private societies must ensure compliance with SOPs. Action, he added, must be taken on violations. He said awareness campaign must be run in media for awareness.

Senate’s 317th session to continue for six weeks ISLAMABAD: The House Business Advisory Committee (HBAC) of the Senate on Tuesday decided that the current 317th session would continue for six weeks. The committee, which met with Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani in the chair, discussed in detail legislative business to be transacted during the ongoing session.

Besides legislative business, the session would take up discussion on the current situation of important national and international issues. The meeting was attended by Senate Deputy Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Leader of the House Dr Shehzad Waseem, senators Muhammad Tahir Bizenjo, Sardar Muhammad Shafeeq Tareen, Sherry Rehman, Hidayatullah Khan and Mushtaq Ahmad, Sadia Abbasi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan and Secretary Senate Mohammad Qasim Samad Khan. staff report

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Wednesday, 5 January, 2022

06 COMMENT

Search for the promised Dawn

Lawmakers and taxes Directory 2019 raises questions

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HE Finance Ministry has released the seventh tax directory of parliamentarians, curiously after a delay of more than two years. the directory makes important revelations some of which have negative implications. Every taxable citizen is supposed to make timely payment of what he owes to the state. it is all the more necessary in the case of lawmakers who are supposed to be well aware of the financial crunch the country is facing, forcing the government to seek foreign loans. to ensure that the common man abides by laws, the lawmakers are required to act as role models. a number of revelations in the directory indicate that there is a need for a lot of improvement. the information in the directory has led an independent observer to conclude that the members of the national assembly and senate paid just 5.2 percent of their income, far lower than the standard maximum tax rate of 35 percent for a salaried person. it has been claimed that even PM imran khan’s effective tax rate came to 24%. this is by no means reassuring for the salariat. again, a significant number of parliamentarians and MPas simply did not file returns in tax year 2019.

Consequently the number of tax paying legislators declined compared to 2018. this does not reflect well on the performance of the FBr which has yet to clarify whether any action had been taken against the delinquents. there are cases where MPas, who spend millions to win the seat, have paid insignificant taxes. More than 120 Punjab MPas paid less than rs10,000 in income tax and several paid only rs2,000 and rs1,000 in taxes. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar paid a paltry rs2,000 in the tax year 2019, while he paid no tax in the previous year. there appears to be a miraculous increase in the PM’s taxable income after coming to power. in 2017 he paid rs 103,763 in taxes, in 2018 rs 282,449 and in 2019 rs 98,54,959. no explanation has been offered for the crescendo. an opposition leader has called it an outcome of “the magic of power.’’

Last week a legislation was introduced to exempt the armed forces from a similar disclosure of income tax paid. no explanation was offered for the exception made. it is only in autocratic set ups that some citizens are treated as more equal than others.

What was Independence for?

Ihsaan afzal Khan

These tarnished rays, this night-smudged light – This is not that Dawn for which, ravished with freedom, we had set out in sheer longing (ye daaġh daaġh ujālā ye shab-gazīda sahar vo intizār thā jis kā ye vo sahar to nahīñ ye vo sahar to nahīñ jis kī aarzū le kar chale the yaar k mil jā.egī kahīñ na kahīñ) ~ Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

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akistan enthusiastically celebrated its 74th year of independence this august. this independence was achieved from the British rule of almost a couple of centuries where the basic aim of the rulers was to undoubtedly benefit the British nation rather than serve the people of the subcontinent.

Our acknowledged leaders had eagerly adopted the appropriate behavior that was against the colonialists. after independence, all Pakistanis got the liberties and rights that an independent and democratic nation can offer mainly; justice, protection of life and property, equal opportunity to grow, provision of basic necessities and liberty within the laws of this nation. these official duties of a state were accurately quoted by the Quaid-e-azam Muhammad ali Jinnah, on 11 august 1947 to the first Constituent assembly, “You will no doubt agree with me that the first duty of a Government is to maintain law and order, so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the state.”

But are we abiding by the specific instructions of our Great Leader? We have heard many times that we don’t honor the independence enough that we should ask the Palestinians what freedom is or we should ask the Occupied kashmiris what freedom is. absolutely! We are much better off than them but why should we compare ourselves with the worst scenarios in the world? Why should we not compare ourselves with countries which have been independent for three quarters of the century, or further more why should we not compare ourselves with the best of nations?

Denying objective truths The PM must do better

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HErE is no denying the fact that of the many problems faced by the people, especially the poorest sections of the population, unaffordability and unemployment are on top of the list and have been for some time. a wave of crippling inflation brought on by rising international commodity prices, persistently increasing domestic fuel and energy prices and massive devaluation of the rupee has become the hallmark of the Pti government’s tenure so far. the opposition too has used this reality to ridicule the government for its mismanagement of the economy and ineptitude in undertaking measures and reforms to correct course.

Prime Minister imran khan, according to his recent direction to government spokespersons sees it differently, asking them to ‘inform the masses that there is no inflation’ and to present a counter narrative to the opposition’s lies about the economy. as leader of one of the largest national political parties in the country, it is his right and prerogative to challenge and counter his opponents by presenting sound arguments. and while politicians may feel compelled to add hyperbole and flare to their statements, such rhetoric cannot be a substitute for taking political positions based on objectivity and facts.

When Mr khan says that inflation is a lie and everything is hunky dory, he is refuting statistics compiled and released by institutions working directly under his government. the Pakistan Bureau of statistics (PBs), in addition to the state Bank of Pakistan (sBP), monitors and reports the Consumer Price index (CPi) every month, and is one such example.

Data published last week by the PBs showed that headline inflation for the month of December came in at a 22-month high of 12.3% on a year-on-year basis, clearly showing that the general level of prices is rising. the federal commerce ministry, a portfolio that the PM himself retains, reported yesterday that the trade deficit, according to preliminary numbers, doubled on a year-onyear basis to stand at $24.78 billion for the first half of fiscal year 2021-22. On what basis, the Prime Minister is claiming that the economy is doing better than being reported, is therefore beyond comprehension. One expects the PM to do much better than misrepresent, and in some cases completely dismiss, objective truths.

naveen Iqbal

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ErrOnk, a town some 60 kilometers away from turbat city, has a population of more than 10,000. although the villagers are famous for getting education and jobs, still we observe a great number of children away from schools for various reasons, such as poverty, lack of awareness about the benefits of education, lack of interest, family force and so forth. Basically, the village has five schools; one government primary and a middle school for girls, and a government primary and a high school for boys, as well as another private school for both genders,a primary school. Despite the given schools in the village, we see children working in garages, shops, masons and gardening as farmers with their parents. Most others have turned to the United arab Emirates (UaE) for jobs at very small ages. as i personally belong to the village, i see children wandering uselessly and not coming to schools. Many others in the schools leave after every class. some quit after they finish their primary sections, certain others in the middle section and rest after the matriculation. the few remaining students either turn to Quetta, the provincial capital, or turbat for higher education. One major reason among the other drawbacks, described above, is early marriages. When the students reach the age of 15 to 18, they mostly get wedded off which results in their dropping out of school. they do not feel the need for an education once they are married, other than for an opportunity to secure a governmental job. But for this, they adopt the private examination method to get their degrees.

Poverty is one other reason which compels myriads of the youth of the village to quit their education. as we know that poverty has led us back as it has the power to snatch our desired goals from us. that is the case in Herronk where the estimated proportion of poor villagers is 90 percent. Mostly after matriculation, they cannot afford to send their children outside the village for a higher education, whereas, the village can only give an education till matriculation. Despite the fact that women sew clothes in their spare time, they still cannot manage to educate more than

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Yousaf Nizami Umar Aziz

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Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

We have to keep reflecting on where we are standing and we need to keep talking about it loudly. Everyone is responsible: the military which has ruled Pakistan, the political parties, the bureaucracy, the business community who have accepted the system of bribery as a cost to do business, civil society which is not so vocal as it should be and finally the common man who doesn’t even know what his/her rights are.

A case study of why people stay uneducated

Arif Nizami (Late)

M. A. Niazi

facilities, not much is available.

Pakistan is confronting a severe challenge in the education sector too. Enrollment and retention rates are low as compared to the other developing nations. according to UniCEF, Pakistan has an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 who are not enrolled in any school. necessary infrastructure is great if you are a great person. a great person in Pakistan is someone who is linked with the bureaucracy, military, politics or big business. Otherwise, you cannot get an electric or gas connection without giving a bribe, tip or gift. if you have to deal with any Government office your file will not move until you’re willing to spend something extra. an individual who is neither affluent nor well connected isn’t enjoying the independence of Pakistan as he can’t relish the privileges, rights and the freedom of a liberated person. that individual feels suffocation, as to get the freedom he/she has been given by the Constitution, he/she needs money and a well established connection with the powerful and the bourgeoisie tier of the society.

We have to keep reflecting on where we are standing and we need to keep talking about it loudly.

Everyone is responsible: the military which has ruled Pakistan, the political parties, the bureaucracy, the business community who have accepted the system of bribery as a cost to do business, civil society which is not so vocal as it should be and finally the common man who doesn’t even know what his/her rights are.

The writer is a freelance columnist

Drawbacks in the Balochistan education system

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Our justice system is ranked 120 out of 128 in the World Justice Project rule of law index. if you get stuck in litigation, there are chances that you will remain burdened for most of your life and in many cases one life is not even enough, and some get justice after their deaths. Frequent rumours are that justice can be bought in Pakistan. the role of the defenders of Justice, our lawyers community, is in front of everyone; they are busy with elections all year long and supposedly these elected lawyers have a lot of sway in deciding the conclusion of a lot of cases. Hence, millions are spent on these elections. We have heard these common phrases “Tareekh par tareekh” (date after date) and “justice delayed is justice denied”. Both can easily be applied to the Pakistani justice system.

Protection of life and property, which is the role of our law enforcement agencies, is mostly dependent on how much you are willing to spend as a bribe or how well-connected you are to the governing class. someone may have a few exceptions but mostly one will have to pay, tip,gift or something to get things moving. the police enjoy it both ways, collecting from the complainant and the accused. Woefully, this generalization is true for any ordinary Pakistani who has dealt with the protectors of life and property. nothing moves till you gently move.

Provision of fundamental necessities like health, education and infrastructure are all dependent on your wealth. if you have enough you have access to the best, if you have none you have access to nothing. Government Hospitals are doing better in the cities, but in rural areas apart from first aid and basic

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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one or two of their children; the rest begin working to help their parents financially.

Family force is among the other factors leading to so many kids of Herronk dropping out. Because in my village, most residents understand things wrongly. Like, some of them think it is not in the customs and traditions of the Baloch nation to send their girls, in particular, out for any reason– be it for education or anything else. this is not true. We took the traditions in a wrong way like we made our mindsets that girls are for merely sewing clothes and boys for earning money. and when they grow up to 15 to 18 years of age, they are to get married and then they are supposed to give birth to children. Owing to such marriages, the young couples cannot have proper family planning and, in some cases in Herronk too, either of them committed suicide.

Besides this, people blindly follow what others do. they follow others when they become impressed by what they did. they have no plans for saving themselves. On the same account, whenever someone manages to secure a good job, he migrates from the village and never comes back to have interactive sessions with the students and other villagers and guide them about education and its benefits. such people leave their home because of getting better facil-

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ities in cities and permanently shift themselves there. i do not argue they should not get settled in cities, but they should have timely visits in their village to guide the youth, especially those who are confused about getting an education.

One other major defect which is common not only across Balochistan but entire Pakistan is unskilled teachers. as said to the point: “a teacher is always a good actor.” Because it is always a teacher who compels a student to be attentive in class and gain the taught things. But there is nothing as such in Herronk’s schools which can impress the children to be attentive in classes.

Hence, their minds get diverted to another world during the classes, which results in zero gaining by the students of the classes. as someone puts in nicely, “Children see magic because they look for it”, which means they need some internment for gaining the things. thus, children are the future of any nation. any inconvenience in their education shakes the backbone of the nation as a whole. the government has to come up with suitable solutions to maintain the order of education provincially and sort out the educational queries. On the other hand, the educated people of Herronk, who are either studying or transferred to other cities after getting jobs, should pay visits in their village and guide the children to secure education. if we realise what our job is, things can get to a smooth direction no later.

Whenever someone manages to secure a good job, he migrates from the village and never comes back to have interactive sessions with the students and other villagers and guide them about education and its benefits. Such people leave their home because of getting better facilities in cities and permanently shift themselves there. I do not argue they should not get settled in cities, but they should have timely visits in their village to guide the youth, especially those who are confused about getting an education

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is a freelance columnist

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

06-07 Comments - 5th January 2022_Layout 1 1/4/2022 10:31 PM Page 2

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022

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

Dengue and its impact on biochemical parameters

China-Bangladesh eternal ties: Sky’s The Limit?

A friendship strengthening with time zubeda Chowdhury

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HE Bangladesh-China alliance is not new. the path that connected Bangladesh with China is called the silk road, which is famous in history as the silk road. since China and Bangladesh are both coastal countries, the exchange between them by sea has been excellent since ancient times. although China has been a strong naval and land power since ancient times, China has not colonized or occupied any other country. On the contrary, it has shown deep respect for the independence and sovereignty of all countries. that is why China’s relations with Bangladesh have deepened.

Diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China started in 1975. since the beginning of diplomatic relations between the two countries, it has become more and more intense and this relationship has passed the test of time. Excellent diplomatic relations between the two countries are recognized as a role model, despite differences in political ideologies and social and cultural systems.

China has been cooperating in building economic infrastructure for Banglsdesh’s economic development, as well as in trade, agriculture, industry, and defence.

Bangladesh’s geopolitical, geostrategic, and geo-economic position has made it an important country in the regional strategic field.

Bangladesh’s position is very important even in the global strategic field. Bangladesh is considered as the connecting bridge of south asia with southeast asia. Bangladesh is located in the middle of two big countries in asia, one of which is emerging india. the other is China, which is already the world’s second-largest economy. india is a strong partner in the Bay of Bengal; the country considers the Bay of Bengal as its own lake and a maritime boundary for its political and diplomatic initiatives towards asEan. the Usa has also emerged as a major partner; the mainstay of its geopolitical strategy in the Pacific. the Usa has decided to deploy 60 percent of its naval power in the Pacific Ocean.

Bangladesh thinks China is a humble power; the country believes in peaceful coexistence and follows the path of peace. However, China is very conscious of its maritime security and has built its naval power accordingly on a priority basis.

Defence has always been an important issue in sino-Bangladesh relations. in 2002, the two countries signed an agreement on defence cooperation. it is a general comprehensive agreement that covers the supply of military equipment, technology transfer, joint venture defence projects, military training, joint operations, development of logistical lines, counter-terrorism, disaster management, and other potential areas.

We need to modernize and strengthen our armed

forces; it needs to be updated in a timely manner.

Bangladesh seeks China’s full support and cooperation under the aforementioned defence agreement to ensure the security of Bangladesh’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and expanded continental shelf and the protection of our marine resources, including valuable hydrocarbons at sea. With this goal in mind, Bangladesh has been trying to get China’s cooperation in equipping the navy with naval vessels, submarines underwater , and its own fighter jets in the air.

Prime Minister sheikh Hasina visited China in 2013 and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited Bangladesh the same year. at that time, the Chinese government expressed its full assurance to cooperate with Bangladesh.

Bangladesh wants to establish a comprehensive relationship with China. relations between the two countries by sea need to be improved and strengthened; For that, it is necessary to build a deep seaport towards Chittagong with the cooperation of China. Bangladesh also wants to establish road and rail links between Chittagong and kunming through Myanmar. this will lead to the reopening of the ancient south silk road; the door to greater cooperation in trade, commerce, industry, economy, and national security will be opened.

During the Corona period, China showed that the ‘friend of danger is the real friend’. During the covid-19 pandemic, China has shown that the ‘friend in need is a friend indeed’,and at this time, China has bound Bangladesh with the belief that ‘the boats of love sails mountain’. the country once again extended a helping hand to Bangladesh when vaccination diplomacy was in dire straits to get the coronavirus vaccine. China has given 1.2 million vaccines to Bangladesh in two phases as a gift and has assured that the country will supply tens of millions of vaccines to Bangladesh step by step commercially. it is expected that China will soon start vaccination production in a joint venture with Bangladesh in addition to supplying vaccines. the two countries are also discussing this. Lee Jimming, the country’s ambassador to Dhaka, said that the friend of danger is the real friend. Bangladesh will remember this friendship with China. in other areas, the pace of cooperation between the two countries has increased with the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh in 2016 and Prime Minister sheikh Hasina’s visit to China in 2019. During the two visits, various agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed between the two countries in various fields including energy, technology, and infrastructure development. the country will invest about $25 billion in various sectors including economic infrastructure development in Bangladesh in the light of the One Way One region programme. China has been assisting Bangladesh in various developmental activities including the construction of the country’s first tunnel on the Padma Bridge and karnafuli river, and construction of thermal power

plants in Chittagong and khulna.

Last year, China offered duty-free access to 5,161 products to Bangladesh to reduce the trade deficit between the two countries. With this, Bangladesh got duty free facility on a total of 8,256 products. as a result, it is expected that the trade deficit between the two countries will be reduced.

Last year, Bangladesh and China exchanged greetings on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. there, President abdul Hamid said that Bangladesh attaches great importance to relations with China. He hopes that this relationship will be even stronger in the days to come.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Bangladesh-China friendly relations are based on respect, equality, strong political trust, and mutually beneficial cooperation. He said the two countries had written a new chapter of friendship during the covid-19 pandemic. the Belt and road initiative will work to take the strategic relationship between the two countries to new heights.

Prime Minister sheikh Hasina said that the relationship of Chinese people with Bangladesh is thousands of years old and since that time there has been exchanging of knowledge, culture, and trade between these two ancient civilizations. recalling the visits of Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur rahman to China in 1952 and 1957, the Prime Minister said that Bangabandhu had praised the people of China in his books Unfinished Autobiography and The Way I Saw New China. in addition to the economic and trade aspects of bilateral relations, China has been providing assistance during the covid-19 pandemic, and this relationship will be further strengthened in the days to come.she thanked China for its continued support for Bangladesh’s socio-economic development and investment in infrastructure and for working with Bangladesh to resolve the rohingya issue.

Bangladesh, which is facing diplomatic challenges and challenges with the rohingya, also hopes for China’s cooperation in their repatriation. Bangladesh hopes that this BangladeshChina-Myanmar trilateral initiative mediated by China will bring success in rohingya repatriation. Putting the friend in danger, China will surely extend that hand of cooperation here as well. Due to this, it is now creating a security threat in the region.

China has changed a lot. that China of the 1970s and 1980s is no more. today’s China is modern China, developed China, and here is a new generation, a new leadership. But despite all the changes in China, the relations between the two countries have not changed. the people of the two countries hope that this will not happen. ‘the relationship between China and Bangladesh is one of friendship, not just friendship. through these words, Bangladesh-China hopes that the common beliefs and values of the two nations and the spirit of true friendship will be manifested.

The writer is a freelance columnist

DEnGUE is currently affecting half of the world population. several factors such as globalization, travel, trade, socioeconomics, and climate change have played a vital role in dengue transmission and expansion. the largest number of dengue cases ever reported globally was in the year 2019 when several countries were affected.

Dengue has emerged as a major health concern for Pakistan since 2010 where 10,416 cases with 51 deaths were reported. according to data of the national institute of Health (niH) islamabad, over 2700 cases with 370 deaths in 2011, 8546 cases with 33 deaths in 2013, 24,807 cases with 69 deaths in 2017, over 3200 cases with 34 deaths in 2018, 53,498 cases with 95 deaths in 2019 and 3442 cases in 2020 were reported. now, in november 2021, the dengue outbreak is again rearing its head in different cities of Punjab. More than 48,906 cases with 183 deaths have been recorded till 25 november 2021. it is considered among one of the major outbreaks of the world. Dengue infection is being caused by the dengue virus that is a small spherical particle and exists in four serotypes namely DEnV1 to DEnV4. recently the fifth serotype has also been identified in Malaysia. Dengue virus is transmitted to the humans by the bite of female mosquito that belongs to species within genus aedes principally, aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus. Dengue infection has been classified into three classes i.e., dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (Dss), according to the severity of disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO). DF is an acute onset of febrile illness that lasts for 2-7 days and patient suffers from two and more of the following symptoms: myalgia, headache, retro-orbital pain, arthralgia, rash, and petechiae. Patients suffer from thrombocytopenia, liver injury, multi-organ haemorrhages, circulatory failure and neurological disorders. DHF/Dss patients can die within 4-6 hours if proper supportive treatment is not provided in time.

Early detection of the dengue virus is essential for the proper treatment of patients as well as for clinical and epidemiological surveillance. the PCr is the most widely used molecular tool for dengue diagnosis, as it is a quick, cost-effective and most reliable method for early detection of dengue virus. reduction in morbidity and better care of dengue patients depends upon the early diagnosis of disease as the first 48 hours are important for the patient treatment. severe cases of dengue (DHF/Dss) require rapid medical intervention for victim survival. Dengue virus infects different organs of the body and deranges various haematological and biochemical parameters. some of these parameters can predict that patient will develop a severe form of infection. scientists at the University of Veterinary & animal sciences, Lahore conducted a study on dengue patients, to explore a set of parameters that could easily be investigated in the clinical laboratory and could be used as indicators of dengue severity. the investigation of the complete blood count of dengue patients revealed that thrombocytopenia and leucopenia were common among dengue patients. the deranged hematocrit levels were associated with the severity of the disease. the elevated levels of liver function enzymes, low levels of total protein and serum albumin in DHF and Dss patients revealed that the dengue virus affects liver function. acute kidney injury is documented in some patients of DHF/Dss. according to this study, elevated levels of hematocrit, transaminases, bilirubin, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, VLDL, LDH, and Ck-MB were associated with the severity of the disease. similarly, low hematocrit due to excessive blood loss, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, hypokalemia and hypocalcemia are also indicators of poor prognosis and patients with these features need proper and timely medical care.

MS. NUSRAT BANO AND DR MUHAMMAD TAYYAB LAHORE

Tharparker through the lens of Transparent Hands tHE fact that tharparker is one of the remotest areas in the sindh province (in fact in the whole country) is not the most important point that you need to be focusing on in this debate. no, what is most worrisome is the lack of quality healthcare facilities in the tharparker district. there aren’t just many world-class quality healthcare facilities in the district, which means that the patients from this district are always facing a challenge, as far as their access to healthcare is considered. keeping this rather sad state of affairs in mind, team transparent Hands decided to organize free medical camps in the tharparker district. But wait a minute, we have a question for you. is this the first time you are reading about transparent Hands?

When it comes to crowdfunding for health, there is no platform bigger than transparent Hands in Pakistan. the range of healthcare services offered by transparent Hands is astoundingly vast. From medical and surgical treatments to medical camps and telehealth facilities, the trust organization makes sure that the underprivileged Pakistanis have access to quality healthcare services. the trust organization believes in creating a patient-donor bond while making sure that the protocols of transparency aren’t breached at any point. the trust organization realizes the need for free medical camps in the rural areas, hence it actively sets up such camps as well. to donate, donors can log in to the transparent Hands crowdfunding web portal from anywhere in the world. Payment modes are one hundred percent secure. Every donor has absolute freedom in selecting and funding patients of their choice. the trust organization makes sure that regular updates until complete recovery are sent to the concerned donor. now then, let us talk about the point around which this whole discussion has been orchestrated. transparent Hands in tharparker. How did the trust organisation make an impact in this remote district of Pakistan? Well, free medical camps were organized with the sole intention of providing quality healthcare facilities to the underprivileged resident and patients of this district. it is pertinent to mention here that while conducting these medical camps, COViD-19 sOPs were followed to the letter, free face masks and sanitisers were distributed among the attendees as well. the participants in these free medical camps were offered, not only free medicines and consultation but quality diagnostic services as well. testing for Hepatitis B & C, hyper and hypoglycaemia, and hypertension comprised a major percentage of diagnostic testing. the theme was constant in all of the free medical camps conducted in different areas of tharparker. One more important point that we have to share with you before we jump to the specific details is that the scope of these free medical camps wasn’t just limited to areas of tharparker only.

RAHEEL ABBAS LAHORE

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Wednesday, 5 January, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

HOw VD SAVArkAr cOnVerTeD nATHurAm GODSe TO HiS AnTi-muSlim cAuSe AN EXCERPT FROM GANDHI’S ASSASSIN: THE MAKING OF NATHURAM GODSE AND HIS IDEA OF INDIA BY DHIRENDRA K JHA

Scroll DhirEnDra K Jha

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Here is no specific record about what led [Nathuram] Godse to visit [VD] Savarkar, nor about who arranged the introductory meeting.

According to Godse’s brother Gopal, a silent link seemed to have developed between the Godse and Savarkar the moment they moved to ratnagiri in 1929.

“Quite unknowingly it so happened that the place where we had now gone to reside was the very place where Savarkar had stayed when he first came to ratnagiri. thereafter he shifted to another house at the other end of the same lane,” Gopal recounted.

Savarkar was a distant figure during Godse’s early adulthood but apparently an inspirational one, for he paid his first visit to Savarkar just three days after his family shifted to ratnagiri. Yet, most of the reliable evidence about Godse’s transformation into a fully recognised follower of Savarkar dates to the early months of 1930.

Godse was nineteen when he first met Savarkar. He was thin but looked healthier than Savarkar, who was a notch taller than him. restrained in his demeanour, Godse remained quiet and deferential, apparently mesmerised by Savarkar’s stature as a revolutionary who had returned after a decade spent in the Andamans.

Godse’s political beliefs were vague at best, if they could be said to exist at all. though he had started taking part in Congress-led processions and protest meetings against the colonial regime, and had even addressed some of them, he was essentially an outsider who had still not made up his mind regarding his own future. Yet, he loved the rush of adrenaline from these political activities and seemed set to throw himself into the freedom movement.

Godse’s conversion into a follower of Savarkar and an enthusiastic cheerleader of Hindutva was not smooth.

His own observations testify that initially he was not very responsive to the commands of the eccentric exponent of Hindu communal philosophy.

“He [Savarkar] seemed annoyed when I informed him about my decision not to re-appear for the matriculation examination in response to Gandhi’s call to boycott schools and colleges,” Godse said later. “twice or thrice he tried to persuade me to change my decision, saying how important it was to continue my studies.”

Savarkar’s suggestion could seem like a bit of wellmeaning advice by an elder but it may hardly have been so, given his eagerness to keep his flock away from the great upheaval India was experiencing at the time. As it happened, Godse refused to back off from his decision, thus foiling Savarkar’s first overt bid to extricate Godse from the camp of anti-British agitators.

Godse’s initial resistance suggests that he was selfconscious about his conversion experience in the beginning, but this broke soon enough. Perhaps he was thrilled to be close to someone who was seen by many – especially Chitpawan Brahmins – as the authentic continuation of the line of the Peshwas, former Brahmin rulers of Maharashtra.

Like Savarkar, Godse too came from this elite subgroup of Brahmins who considered themselves the heirs of the Peshwas. It seems that the caste bond he shared with them gave him, in his own eyes, a certain sense of superiority over other Hindus.

Chitpawans are one of the rare Brahmin communities in India who claim to have a long history of valour on the battlefield, apart from the usual priestly privileges that Brahmins traditionally enjoy. As rulers during the later medieval times, they also had a long history of struggle against Mughal and Pathan rulers in India. this fact now led them to reinterpret their history in terms of the needs of Hindu nationalism; they presented themselves as the upholders of a tradition of Hindu resistance against Muslim occupation.

In any case, Godse might have been no stranger to the sense of pride that Savarkar provoked in enthusiasts of Hindu revival. Being ancestrally connected to Poona, Godse would have known – even if vaguely – something of this sentiment. Poona was seen by traditional Chitpawans as the staging area of Hindu national revivalists.

It was in the hills beyond Poona that Shivaji was born, where he lived and launched his guerrilla campaign against the forces of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Shivaji was a Maratha of the warrior caste but his heirs, the prime ministers or the Peshwas, were Chitpawan Brahmins. Poona served as their nerve centre as, after Shivaji, the Peshwas fended off the Mughals, the Pathans and the British until succumbing, finally, to the last in 1818.

Poona’s Chitpawans had produced a stream of men opposed to the British rule like tilak, the militant Congress leader, and the Chapekar brothers – Damodar Hari Chapekar, Balkrishna Hari Chapekar and Vasudeo Hari Chapekar – the Indian revolutionaries involved in the assassination of WC rand, the British plague commissioner of Poona, in 1897. though Godse belonged to a lower middle-class family, his known ancestors, by virtue of belonging to the Chitpawan Brahmin caste, were of the priestly class at Uksan village near Poona. the family’s genealogy holds that towards the end of the seventeenth century, they had moved to this village from Harihareshwar, the land of the rocky beach in the sheltered creek formed by Savitri river on the Arabian Sea coast in raigad district of Maharashtra.

Godse Kulvritant – a compilation of the genealogies of all Chitpawan Brahmins belonging to the Godse clan – puts Vinayakrao, Godse’s father, at the eighth ladder of his known ancestors, starting from ramchandra Godse, who lived towards the end of the seventeenth century. Little is known about the intervening generations, except that the descendants of ramchandra Godse, like other Chitpawan families, came into prominence and received land grants in Uksan village during the reign of the Peshwas in the eighteenth century. As agricultural

land got divided through generations, Vinayakrao’s father, Vamanrao, inherited a meagre estate.

Like his forefathers, Vamanrao lived by mixing the profession of priesthood with agriculture, but he was keen on his son getting modern education. He, therefore, set up a parallel establishment in Poona as soon as his son finished his primary education. Vinayakrao was the first member of the family to complete his matriculation. thereafter, he secured a government job in the postal department.

As his job was transferrable, Vinayakrao almost abandoned his ancestral village, although he still owned a small patch of agricultural land and a spacious house there.

Godse’s background was enough to make him interpret his conversion or recruitment into Savarkar’s clique at that age as a natural passage of a true Chitpawan.

Whatever his ideas about his past and his caste, it seems that Godse, for some time as a young adult, moved freely through the two worlds, oscillating between a radical anti-British sentiment advocated by Gandhi and a conciliatory attitude to the colonial regime preached by Savarkar in the name of preparing Hindus to fight the so-called internal enemies, the Muslims. eventually, the latter prevailed. And Godse, in his own way, started finding more comfort among his caste brethren and was integrated into their revivalist project. they were an eclectic group – some religious, some irreligious – tied together by their caste loyalties as well as their dependency on Savarkar’s leadership.

It seems Godse’s shift away from the freedom movement was also rooted – as he claimed years later – in the apprehensions of his father, who as a government servant didn’t want his son to annoy the authorities. “My father feared that my activities might jeopardise his job, and so he asked me not to take part in any movement that sought to break laws,” he recounted. there is no known record about which of the two factors – Savarkar’s persuasion or his family’s pressure – had a greater bearing on Godse’s decision to give up his association with the nationalist agitators. It seems certain that while his father might have expressed his apprehensions ever since Godse began to take part in Congress-led protest meetings, he always ignored them until Savarkar took him on a different course.

Savarkar’s way, however, was cautious. He spoke with force but always flinched from revealing his mind, indulging instead in demagoguery carefully crafted to hide his conciliatory sentiment towards the British. “Barrister Savarkar rarely discussed politics as he had pledged not to do so during his restricted confinement,” recounted Godse. Perhaps he could not have known then that the demagogic rhetoric represented substantially strong politics of a certain kind.

Anxieties caused by Gandhi were the hallmark of this politics. Gandhi was presenting himself as if he was neither conservative nor progressive and was merely working to bring together the common essence of the two. But the social changes he suggested and the political activism he demanded from the people were highly subversive of orthodox Hinduism.

By taking the fight against British rule to India’s villages and framing the low-status, non-Brahminic and peasant cultures as genuine Hinduism, Gandhi was

threatening those Hindu elites who dreamed of reviving their past supremacy. even his bid to fight colonialism by fighting patriarchy and trying to bring women on an equal footing with men, was being watched with deep anxiety by such Hindus.

What must have multiplied their sense of insecurity was the fact that Gandhi, despite seeking to subvert Brahminical hegemony, was not ready to call himself a social reformer; he was convinced that he was a sanatani, an orthodox Hindu. ripping up this vision of Gandhi was an important part of Savarkar’s politics. for only then could he have thought of making his politics succeed. Savarkar had some advantages. the vision he espoused was easy to convey to those who shared his obsession with Brahmin ascendency in politics – projecting Muslims as enemies of their faith-based nationalism to unite various castes of Hindus without altering the hegemony of the traditional social elite.

It was precisely this possibility that Gandhi threatened with his constant emphasis on Hindu–Muslim unity and his attempts to politically redefine Hinduism by dislodging Brahmins from the centre of society. for the section of Chitpawan Brahmins, particularly those who couldn’t reconcile with the gap between their traditionally privileged position and their actual status in the contemporary sociopolitical setting, anxiety was a permanent emotion of the time. As they longed to redeem their lost glory, the charisma of Gandhi did not appeal to them. there was also a parochial and casteist flavour to this aversion. Gandhi was a Bania, a caste of traders and moneylenders, and belonged to Gujarat, a sociocultural zone in the Bombay Presidency distinct from Maharashtra, the region traditionally dominated by Brahmins. A section of Maharashtrians always had reservations about Gujaratis, and many Brahmins considered Banias as scheming.

Omicron has the potential to stop the pandemic, but that’s not the end of the story Der Spiegel Marco EvErs

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fter almost two years of the global pandemic, this may be hard to imagine, but they really do exist – coronaviruses with which humans have lived reasonably well for decades, or even centuries. researchers have long been familiar with more benign types such as OC43, 229e, NL63 and HKU1. they cause runny noses in children and mostly harmless infections in adults.

Which raises some interesting questions for the future: At what point will the dangerous SArS-CoV-2 be tamed to the point that it joins the ranks of its relatives?

And at what point does the pandemic transition to a more tolerable situation for people and economies - a situation the experts refer to as “endemic” status? that describes a state in which the virus no longer spreads in aggressive waves and is instead continuously present, but with lower prevalence. the good news is that we might not be so far away

from that point. Hajo Zeeb, a professor for epidemiology at the University of Bremen, says he “very much hopes” that that day will come as early as 2022. Other experts believe that 2024 is more likely. the somewhat disappointing, second piece of news is this: the virus will stay, most likely forever. As will COVID. endemic, Zeeb explains, means that the virus no longer poses a threat to the health care system. “At best, we will then see flat-lining waves of infection with lower overall case numbers and closer to normal levels of hospitalizations,” he says. Zeeb believes there will always be local outbreaks, which the authorities can counter by reintroducing the requirement to wear masks indoors or with other measures. But the period of mass deaths will then be behind us. there are only two paths that can get us to endemic status: mass infection, along with the illness and deaths that entails. Or mass vaccination.

Given the new, highly infectious virus variants like Omicron, a combination of those two paths is the most likely outcome. All roads ultimately lead to increased baseline immunity in the population. It requires a relatively high percentage, but once it is reached, it becomes difficult for the pathogen to find unprotected hosts. At that point, it becomes a constant, but less alarming presence for humans.

THE NEED FOR VACCINE: In a country like Germany, where the vaccination rate remains too low, at

around 80 percent of adults, it will still be quite a while before we reach endemic status. Less than half of those vaccinated have received their booster shot. In a recent interview, Christian Drosten, Germany’s leading virologist, warned: “If we let the virus run its course now, we’re going to have a lot of deaths and full intensive care units.”

Drosten attests to Omicron’s “enormous contagiousness.” But he also says it’s possible that the variant will cause a milder progression of the disease than the Delta strain that is still prevalent in Germany. Omicron, he says, has the potential to become the first “post-pandemic” version of the virus.

Zeeb is also impressed by the pathogen’s contagiousness. He says that this is likely the end of its genetic optimization, adding that “probably not much more is possible.” Zeeb says he is “cautiously optimistic” that Germany will get through the next wave “reasonably well.”

Ultimately, a scenario is emerging that is still fraught with many uncertainties. Omicron could exploit the vaccination gaps in Germany and, given that vaccination protection gradually fades, very quickly infect many more people – even those who have been vaccinated several times. for skeptics, this variant of the virus could be the one that ultimately ensures that they are finally immunized, but the price would be numerous deaths.

Drosten expects two further waves of infection in england – one now and another next winter. the population there has achieved a higher baseline immunity

after vaccination or having suffered through infection.

In Germany, further waves may be in store if the debate in the country over mandatory vaccination doesn’t result in concrete action. It’s also possible that other, previously unknown, escape mutants will emerge.

According to Zeeb, vaccine manufacturers will continue to be under significant supply pressure. “I’m presuming the need for repeated vaccinations at this point,” he says, and that could continue for quite some time to come. Many experts expect that a booster dose against COVID could become part of future annual flu shots.

HIDING IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM: No one should get their hopes up that SArS-CoV-2 will ever go away the way its predecessor SArS-CoV did. that disease killed around 800 people worldwide in 2002 and 2003, but the virus was so deadly to its victims that it was soon unable to find any more hosts in an alarmed population.

But SArS-CoV-2 has very different capabilities.

People carrying the virus initially develop no symptoms and are unwitting carriers. Moreover, it has also created hiding places in the animal kingdom, from where it will be able to ambush the human population in constantly evolving forms. the pathogen has been detected in dogs, domestic cats, primates, deer, tigers, lions and several other species. Many zoos have now started vaccinating their animals in response.

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

NEWS

corporate corner OGDCL – Fatimid Foundation ink agreement to establish Fatmid Centre at Dera Ismail Khan

APPLE bECOMEs FIrst COMPAny tO HIt $3tr MArKEt vALUE, tHEn sLIPs NEW YORK

A

OGDCL a flagship E&P company in petroleum sector in Pakistan is striving to improve the livelihood of the communities through CSR initiatives in social sectors.

Keeping in view the demands for health facilities from locals, CSR has given maximum importance to health sector in recent years. Few of the best projects in health sector include OGDCL Free Mammography Camps, OGDCL Free Surgical Eye Camps, Free of cost treatment and medicines to the locals through OGDCL’s dispensaries throughout the country around its operating fields. Another feather in the cap in this series is the proposed OGDCL – Fatimid Centre Dera Ismail Khan for the people of Southern Districts of KPK. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fatimid Foundation is the first charitable blood transfusion centre which has been providing blood transfusion and related services to Thalassemia patients in Peshawar since 1988. Keeping in view the heavy influx of patients from southern districts of KPK at Fatimid Peshawar Centre, another centre is proposed to be established at Dera Ismail Khan. As per data available from various hospitals of the southern districts of KPK, the number of patients with blood disorder diseases is more than 7000. The OGDCL-Fatimid, First Class Hematological Centre equipped with state of the art machinery will be in access to the marginalized communities having patients of Thalassemia and Hemophilia who have been deprived of quality treatment previously and had to travel all the way to Peshawar in this regard. Fatimid Foundation manages the largest blood bank & transfusion services in Pakistan and provides absolutely free of charge transfusion to its 14000+ registered underprivileged sick patients of Thalassemia, Hemophilia and other genetic blood disorder patients on all Pakistan basis. Construction of OGDCL-FATIMID Centre will be completed in approx.18 months’ time and is expected to start its operation afterwards. PR

ReuteRs

pple Inc on Monday become the first company to hit a $3 trillion stock market value, before ending the day a hair below that milestone, as investors bet the iphone maker will keep launching best-selling products as it explores new markets such as automated cars and virtual reality.

On the first day of trading in 2022, the Silicon Valley company’s shares hit an intraday record high of $182.88, putting Apple’s market value just above $3tr. The stock ended the session up 2.5 per cent at $182.01, with Apple’s market capitalization at $2.99tr.

The world’s most valuable company reached the milestone as investors bet that consumers will continue to shell out top dollar for iphones, MacBooks and services such as Apple TV and Apple Music.

“It’s a fantastic accomplishment and certainly worthy to be celebrated,” said Jake Dollarhide, chief executive officer of longbow Asset Management in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “It just shows you how far Apple has come, and how dominant it is seen as in the majority of investors’ eyes.”

Apple shared the $2trn market value club with Microsoft Corp, which is now worth about $2.5tr. Alphabet Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Tesla Inc have market values above $1tr. Saudi Arabian Oil Co is valued at about $1.9tr, according to Refinitiv.

“The market is rewarding companies that have strong fundamentals and balance sheets, and the companies that are hitting these sort of huge market caps have proven they are strong businesses and not speculation,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Apple’s shares have climbed around 5,800pc since co-founder and

former chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the first iphone in January 2007, far outpacing the S&p 500’s (.SpX) gain of about 230pc during the same period.

Under Tim Cook, who in 2011 became chief executive following Jobs’ death, Apple has sharply increased its revenue from services like video streaming and music.

That helped Apple reduce its reliance on the iphone to about 52pc of total revenue in fiscal 2021 from over 60pc in 2018, pleasing investors worried the company relied too much on its top-selling product.

Still, some investors worry Apple is hitting the limits of how much it can expand its user base and how much cash it can squeeze from each user, with no guarantees that future product categories will prove as lucrative as the iphone.

The rapid embrace of technologies such as 5G, virtual reality and artificial intelligence has also increased

the allure of Apple and other Big Tech companies.

In China, the world’s largest smartphone market, Apple continued to lead for the second straight month, beating rivals such as Vivo and Xiaomi, recent data from Counterpoint Research showed. With Tesla now the world’s most valuable automaker as Wall Street bets heavily on electric cars, many investors expect Apple to launch its own vehicle within the next few years.

“The icing on the cake, which may turn out to be the cake, is the potential for an eV car,” Rhys Williams, chief strategist at Spouting Rock Asset Management said.

Just as Apple’s market capitalization hits the $3tr milestone, its share price as a percentage of the Nasdaq 100 index’s value is bumping up against a key technical level. In recent prior times, the stock price has risen above such a level and then subsequently declined.

Open House and Job Fair Fall 2021 CUI Wah Campus

Hassan Afridi, Director Sales and Marketing, Global Soccer Ventures and Dr. Sarosh Hashmat Lodhi, Vice-Chancellor, NED University of Engineering and Technology sign a USD12 million deal over a period of 10 years to set up the first Soccer City Stadium in Pakistan. PR

Ehsaas and FIA join hands against swindlers defrauding Ehsaas beneficiaries Syed Moonis Alvi - CEO, K-Electric recieved Bronze Quality Awards which was conferred by SAP, the largest technology companies in the world and a global leader in business software.

This prestigious accolade was given to the utility to acknowledge migration of its data to SAP’s latest in-memory technology based data base management in shortest possible time. PR

Islamabad: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM and Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Dr. Sanaullah Abbasi held a special meeting to strengthen coordination against fraudulent deductions in the field, cybercrimes, scams, fake websites, fake SMS, fake Whatsapp messages, fake apps, defrauding the poor particularly the Ehsaas beneficiaries. During the meeting, it was decided that miscreants, swindlers, and scammers who defraud innocent people will be dealt with strictly.

“In fight against corruption, Ehsaas is making every effort with FIA to curb frauds and scams in the name of Ehsaas. In this regard, a series of meetings will also be held every week between Ehsaas and FIA to exchange new insights of cases”, said Dr. Sania in a press statement. This weekly meeting will be attended both by Dr. Sania and DG FIA. “We will lend full support to Ehsaas to punish fraudsters”, vowed DG FIA. Director Cyber Crimes at FIA has also been assigned with the task to consolidate various cases alongwith updates against each and share these with both FIA HQ and Ehsaas before the next meeting. Later, a follow up meeting also took place between senior officials of Ehsaas and FIA headquarters to share updates of cases under process with the FIA. Banking consultants and SBP officials were also present in the meeting. The meeting also held discussions on problems being faced

by Ehsaas team during disbursements, as well as on insights from FIA on new cases being unearthed. FIA also shared the practices adopted by the retailers of partner banks of Ehsaas to lure beneficiaries. P R

09

Managing Director, Habib Oil Mills Moidul Hasan and CEO, Indus Hospital, Dr. Abdul Bari exchanging documents after signing a memorandum to develop a children’s cancer ward at the institution. PR

AIOU awards 85 PhD, 630 MPhil degrees in 2021 Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University has achieved a milestone nationally by awarding 85 PhD and 630 MPhil degrees in various subjects during the academic year of 2021. According to details, 27 scholars got their PhD degrees in Islamic Studies, 23 in Urdu, 13 in Education, 8 in Pakistani languages, 7 in Chemistry, 2 in Iqbal studies and one in Food and nutrition respectively. Vice Chancellor, AIOU, Prof. Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum congratulated students and said that we are especially focusing on quality education and research. He added that AIOU is striving hard to provide skill-based, professional and higher education to the students at their doorstep.It is pertinent to mention here that Faculty of Education, AIOU is offering PhD and MPhil in Department of Distance, Non-Formal and Continuing Education, Department of Educational Planning, Policy Studies and Leadership, Department of Early Childhood Education and Elementary Teacher Education, Department of Secondary Teacher Education, Department of Special Education and Department of Science Education.

Faculty of Arabic and Islamic Studies, AIOU is offering PhD in Department of Arabic, Department of Quran and Tafseer, Islamic Thought, History and Culture department whereas Department of Shari’ah is offering MPhil degree. Faculty of Science is offering PhD and MPhil in Chemistry, Agricultural sciences, Statistics and Computer science and MPhil in Mathematics. Faculty of social sciences offers MPhil and PhD in Mass Communication, Urdu, Iqbal Studies, Business Administration, Pakistani Languages, Library and Information Sciences, English and History while offers MPhil in Pakistan Studies. PR

Career Development Center, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Wah Campus successfully organized "Open House and Job Fair – Fall 2021” to showcase final year projects (FYPs) and skills of the graduating students of the Departments of Computer Science and Management Sciences, on December 29, 2021. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abid, T.I., Director, CUI Wah Campus graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the effectiveness of open house and job fair.

He appreciated the efforts of all organizers for holding and arranging the event in befitting manner. Thirty-two companies participated, shortlisted, and offered more than 30 jobs and did more than 100 interviews. Judges from industry and academia evaluated these projects, appreciated, and guided them with their valuable inputs.

Industrial and academic representatives, faculty and students visited and inspected the flagship projects. 82 projects from the three different disciplines Computer Science, Software Engineering and Management Sciences were displayed to highlight the various facets of academic and professional grooming at CUI, Wah Campus. In closing ceremony, Chief guest, Mr. Nasir Jamal, Chief Operating Officer, COMSATS Internet Services, Islamabad shared his experience at COMSATS University Islamabad regarding Open house and job fair.

He appreciated administration, faculty and students for organizing such a successful event. He on behalf of CIS offered 15 management trainee positions for graduating students and announced cash prizes for the winners of final year projects. Keeping in view the potential, he generously offered to set up Technology Park at CUI Wah being his involvement in CUI since 2001. Director Campus in his closing remarks shared his appreciation for all the great efforts of CDC, IT, CS, and MS, Works and all departments for their excellent teamwork. He appreciated the potential of students and mentioned that every possible effort should be made to exploit their novel ideas by magnifying them globally at the broader canvas. He appreciated faculty members in guiding all students for such a unique opportunity of showcasing their projects and talent to a global community of their good work. Director Campus thanked all industry for their participation, encouragement, guidance, evaluation, and selection to the graduating batch students. Describing his vision for CUI Wah, he said adopting Science-Technology-Society philosophy; RealWorld Problem Solving will help and will produce Entrepreneurs. He shared with the students the steps to success and told them that in today’s fast paced world, intelligence alone is not enough. One has to be more practical and communicative in order to secure better placement in industry as entrepreneur. The chief guest, Mr. Nasir Jamal, Chief Operating Officer, COMSATS Internet Services, Islamabad and Director Campus congratulated the winners and runner-up teams of the FYPs and distributed certificates to the participants. PR

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

10 FOREIGN NEWS

APHC leAderS reiTerATe reSolve To CoNTiNUe STrUggle for rigHT To Self-deTerMiNATioN SRINAGAR

i

INP

N Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the APHC leaders have reaffirmed the Kashmiris pledge to continue their struggle for right to self-determination, come what may.

According to Kashmir Media Service, on the eve of anniversary of adoption of right

to self-determination resolution by the United Nations Security Council on 5th January in 1949, senior APHC leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan, who is detained in New Delhi’s Tihar jail, in a statement termed the implementation of the UN proposed roadmap as the most feasible solution to the Kashmir dispute.

He said that for more than seven decades, India’s belligerent military occupa-

tion and its policy of deceit, deception and fraud has been major hurdles in the way of peaceful settlement to the long-drawn Kashmir conflict.

“Now is the time for the UN Security Council to take effective cognizance of India’s brutal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and its devastating impacts and play its due role in the implementation of the historic resolution, which guarantees right to

self-determination to the people of Kashmir” he added.

Nayeem stressed that given the extremely volatile situation in the restive region it was imperative that the global community should exert pressure on India to resolve the dispute peacefully.

APHC leader Shabbir Ahmed Dar while remembering the historical importance of 5th January questioned the reliability and

credibility of United Nations especially after it has failed in implementing its eighteen resolutions on Kashmir.

“The resolution of 5th January is testimony to the fact that Kashmir issue is unfinished agenda of 1947 partition of Subcontinent. Now is the time that UN takes serious steps for implementing its resolution and does justice with the oppressed and subjugated people of Kashmir.”

‘Indian drama fail’: Pakistani soldier ‘killed at LoC’ appears in new video ISLAMABAD INP

Spoils of war: Taliban put victory over US on display KABUL AFP

In the governor’s compound of Afghanistan’s Ghazni province, a new historical exhibit is unveiled before a rapt audience of Taliban fighters — sections of blast walls from a former US military base. One concrete slab is inscribed with the names and regiments of US troops who served in the province during America’s longest war. Like soldiers throughout history, US troops regularly daubed their names on the walls of bases and fixed positions they occupied. But now the towering block is on public display — being used to bolster the Taliban’s narrative of toppling US-led forces after 20 years of fighting. “We have to show this so that Afghans, the world, and future generations know that we beat the Americans,” Taliban provincial culture chief Mullah Habibullah Mujahid told AFP. “Even if they called themselves the greatest power in the world.” Taliban forces took the city of Ghazni — 150 kilometres (95 miles) south of Kabul — three days before the capital fell on August 15. The region has 3,500 years of rich recorded history, and the Taliban are now busy writing the latest chapter with proof of their military triumph. The propaganda push comes as Afghanistan’s new rulers struggle to evolve from an insurgency to a governing power in a country on the brink of economic collapse, with the UN estimating more than half the population is facing acute hunger. On roads outside the city of nearly 200,000, another informal exhibition to the Taliban victory has been erected. Rusting hulks of destroyed American armoured vehicles are on display, their weapons removed, their tyres flat and frayed. Children clamber around and over the wreckage, which also features skeletons of abandoned Soviet tanks from the decade-long occupation of Afghanistan. That invasion ended in humiliation for the Soviets, and — alongside the defeat of British troops in the 19th century — Afghans are quick to remind visitors that the country has now triumphed over three foreign empires. “We are proud of our achievement when we see this,” said 18-year-old Taliban fighter Ozair, who like many in the country goes by only one name. “We showed that Afghans born here could beat America, a powerful country,” he added, surveying the crumpled humvees and charred personnel carriers. Reminders and relics of two decades of the US-led occupation of Afghanistan are scattered across the nation — some of them usable. Much military hardware gifted to Afghan police and armed forces fell into the hands of the Taliban in the last chaotic days of the US-backed government. The windfall of weapons, vehicles and uniforms has given the new rulers of Kabul tangible spoils of victory. But curating those trophies into a credible homage to the Taliban’s return to power remains a challenge. Standing at the blast walls, Mullah Habibullah Mujahid boasted that the 20 or so names inscribed included “important commanders and generals” killed in combat. The ranks listed, however, were all junior — and none of the names feature on databases of Americans killed in the war.

Another drama staged by India’s Modi government in collusion with its ‘Gowdy’ media to malign Pakistan has flopped after a Pakistani Army soldier whom Indian Army and TV channels declared as ‘killed’ while allegedly ‘infiltrating the Line of Control’ has appeared alive in a video makings rounds on social media.

The said soldier holding his National Identity card in the video message said, “My name is Shabbir Ahmad, a resident of Shadra, AJK, and I retired from Pakistan Army in 2020. I am at home while Indian media is engaged in baseless propaganda against me.”

The development triggered interesting comments on social media with one tweeter handler Islamuddin Sajid wrote on his account: “This is very strange news; Pakistani soldier who got retired in 2020 and now is at home but Indian army and media claim to have killed by Indian soldiers in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).”

The social media user advised Indian TV channel NDTV to “run his video statement who is alive”.

“Big fake news by Indian media. Alive Pakistani ex-soldier shows to have killed

by Indian army in occupied Kashmir, wrote another social media activist using #TheBorderNews as his twitter account”.

It is worth mentioning here that India in the past too has falsely tried to impli-

cate Pakistan in Pathankot, Pulwama, Keran and other such incidents to dent its image, globally. However, later it

proved that all such incidents were an inside job of the Indian Army and secret agencies.

China will continue to ‘modernise’ nuclear arsenal: foreign ministry BEIJING AFP

China Tuesday said it will continue to “modernise” its nuclear arsenal and called on the United States and Russia to reduce their stockpiles a day after global powers pledged to prevent such weapons from spreading.

In a rare joint statement setting aside rising WestEast tensions, the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France reaffirmed their goal of creating a world free of atomic weapons and avoiding a nuclear conflict.

The five nuclear powers also committed to full future disarmament from atomic weapons, which have only been used in the conflict in the US bombings of Japan at the end of World War II. But squaring that rhetoric with reality will not be easy at a time of heightened tension between those same global powers.

There are growing global concerns about China’s military modernisation especially after its armed forces last year announced they had developed a hypersonic missile that can fly at five times the spread of sound.

The United States has also said China is expanding its nuclear arsenal with as many as 700 warheads

by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.

On Tuesday, China defended its nuclear weapons policy and said Russia and the United States — by far the world’s largest nuclear powers — should make the first move on disarmament.

“The US and Russia still possess 90 percent of the nuclear war heads on Earth,” Fu Cong, director general of the department of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters.

“They must reduce their nuclear arsenal in an irreversible and legally binding manner.”

Fu hit back at Washington’s allegations. “On assertions made by US that China is vastly increasing its nuclear capabilities, this is untrue,” Fu said.

“China has always adopted the no first use policy and we maintain our nuclear capabilities at the minimal level required for our national security.”

“China will continue to modernise its nuclear arsenal for reliability and safety issues,” he added.

Ties between Beijing and Washington have been strained over a series of issues including China’s intentions to reunite Taiwan.

Fu dismissed speculation over the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons near the Taiwan Strait.

“Nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrent, they are not for war or fighting,” he said.

Yati Narsinghanand makes vulgar remarks against Muslim women NEW DELHI News Desk

Even as people are outraging over the auctioning of the women through Bulli Bai, Hindutva priest and prominent Islamophobic hatemonger Yati Narsinghanad has once again sparked controversy by making highly objectionable and vulgar remarks against Muslim women. In a video surfaced on Twitter, Narsinganand, who is facing several FIRs, is seen making bizarre claim that aside from the Hindi film industry, Muslims have occupied all sectors including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Hindu(tva) group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Talking about Muslim women, he says that they were the major strength of the community as they are being used as sexual objects to spread the power of Islam. “This is why I advise the young priests in the Hindu fold. If an ordinary Hindu marries once, a religious Hindu priest should marry at least twice. They should then give birth to as many children as possible so that the Vishudha DNA (Most pure DNA) can spread far and wide,” he adds. He goes on to say that Muslim women are made to sleep with journalists, politicians, and higher-up officials to turn them against the majority. Narsinghanand also went so far as to say that the men in Bharatiya Janata Party are kamine (perverted rascals) who only want to see every woman on their bed. This is not the first time Yati Narsinghanand has made derogatory comments against Islam, women from the Muslim community, and otherwise. He had in the past shown female politicians from the BJP in an offensive light.

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022 | ISLAMABAD

SPORTS 11

NomiNatioNs foR PCB awaRds 2021 aNNouNCed LAHORE

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News Desk

HE Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced the nominations and categories for the PCB Awards 2021, which will be held on Thursday to recognise, appreciate and reward high-performing cricketers for their performance in the previous year.

The winners will be announced in a virtual digital show, which will be live-streamed on the PCB’s Facebook and YouTube channels on Thursday at 7pm.

A statement issued by the PCB said that fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been shortlisted in five categories – Impactful Performance of the Year, T20I Crick-

Haris Rauf garners praise after pulling off stunning catch in BBL NEwS DESk Pakistan squad’s fast bowler Haris Rauf grabbed spotlight in the Australian Big Bash League (BBL) on Monday, by pulling off an “unbelievable catch” at the boundary to dismiss Renegades captain Nic Maddinson. The catch made Rauf earn accolades from social media fans and followers. The 27year-old pacer garnered appreciation from fans on social media after he took a breathtaking catch on the boundary line during a match between the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades. It is pertinent to note that Haris Rauf is currently representing the Melbourne Stars in the Australian T20 tournament. One cricket enthusiast called the young fast bowler a “supreme athlete.” However, the effort went in vain as the Renegades defeated the stars by 5 wickets. Haris took one wicket by giving 26 runs in 4 overs, while Ahmed Daniyal, who also made his debut in BBL, picked up his first wicket. Earlier, Pakistan pace sensation Mohammad Hasnain received widespread acknowledgement from cricketers as well as fans on social media after he delivered his finest performance in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL), completing a three-wicket maiden first over against the Adelaide Strikers.

eter of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year – by an independent 10-member jury, which comprised former international cricketers, broadcasters and respected members of the media.

Mohammad Rizwan has earned nominations for the Impactful Performance of the Year, T20I Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories, while Hasan Ali has been shortlisted for the Impactful Performance of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories.

Skipper Babar Azam, Fawad Alam and Haris Rauf have been shortlisted in two categories each.

“Babar, who won the Most Valuable Cricketer of 2020, has once again been nominated in this category,

while his other nomination is in the ODI Cricketer of the Year category,” the statement said.

Making a second successive entry in the Impactful Performance of the Year category, Fawad Alam has his second nomination in the Test Cricketer of the Year category.

Haris Rauf has been shortlisted in the T20I Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year categories.

DOMESTIC CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Asif Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Huraira, Sahibzada Farhan, Tayyab Tahir EMERGING CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shahnawaz Dahani

WOMEN’S CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Fatima Sana, Nida Dar IMPACTFUL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, M Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi T20I CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Haris Rauf, M Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi ODI CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi TEST CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Abid Ali, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi MOST VALUABLE CRICKETER OF THE YEAR: Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, M Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Thakur strikes to leave South Africa reeling JOHANNESBURG AFP

Shardul Thakur took three wickets in 12 balls to wreck what had been a good morning for South Africa on the second day of the second Test against India at the Wanderers Stadium on Tuesday.

South Africa were 102 for four at the interval in reply to India’s 202 all out.

Keegan Petersen made 62, his maiden Test halfcentury, but fell to a loose drive off Thakur, caught by Mayank Agarwal at second slip two overs before lunch.

Thakur earlier ended a dogged innings by South African captain Dean Elgar, who edged a ball which seamed away from him after scoring 28 off 120 balls.

It took Elgar almost an hour to add to his overnight score of 11 as he and Petersen resisted some excellent bowling by Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah on a responsive pitch.

Mohammed Siraj, who left the field clutching his right hamstring shortly before the close on Monday, was back in action but bowled only four overs in Tuesday morning’s session.

Just when it seemed that South Africa had weathered the early bowling storm, Thakur’s brisk mediumpace undid their top order.

Rassie van der Dussen was Thakur’s third victim, caught off an inside edge which carried through to wicketkeeper Risabh Pant off his thigh pad.

Broad back for England in only change for Sydney Test LONDON AFP

England on Tuesday recalled veteran bowler Stuart Broad to partner Jimmy Anderson in the fourth Test against Australia in Sydney, the only change to the

side that meekly surrendered the Ashes last week.

The seamer comes in for Ollie Robinson, who has been rested for a clash in which the tourists are playing for pride after three heavy defeats in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Robinson is the only England bowler to have

played in all three previous Tests and pulled up with a shoulder niggle after their crushing innings-and-14-run defeat in the third Test in Melbourne.

Chris Woakes is also dealing with a shoulder problem, ruling him out of a potential return.

It opened the door for Broad, who will play alongside Anderson for only the second time this series after Adelaide, bolstering an attack also featuring Mark Wood and spinner Jack Leach.

“We felt like it was too much of a risk to go in with a couple of lads who are carrying niggles,” said batting coach Graham Thorpe, who is acting coach for the fourth Test with Chris Silverwood isolating after a family member caught Covid.

“So, therefore, it was right to bring Stuart back in.”

Ben Stokes will add support to the attack and Thorpe said he hoped the star all-rounder would finally make his mark after a disappointing tour so far.

“I hope we’ve got a couple of caged tigers coming into this match, Ben being one of them and Stuart Broad another,” he told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the eve of the match.

“Getting the players into the right frame of mind is important. I think they want put in a performance for themselves and collectively for the team.”

There was no change to the batting line-up that was skittled for just 68 in their second innings last week, with openers Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley both surviving.

With Rory Burns and Ollie Pope already dropped from the side following the second Test in Adelaide, Dan Lawrence was the only other frontline option yet to play in this series.

“We’ve got an opportunity this week at a great cricket ground to put in a really good performance,” Thorpe added.

England: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Poll shows Pakistanis have great expectations from cricket skipper Babar azam LAHORE Pakistani skipper Babar Azam’s performance in 2021 has been described as surpassing expectations by 49% of the voters approached during a survey conducted by Ipsos. The survey shows 49% of Pakistanis surveyed found the national cricket team captain’s performance better than they expected, 42% according to their expectations, while 9% termed it under par. Poll shows Pakistanis have great expectations from cricket skipper Babar Azam Also, 48% saw the national cricket team performing better than their expectations, 42% found it according to expectations while 10% said the team’s performance was under par. Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja, who assumed charge in September, also performed well according to people’s opinions. 40% of the voters said his performance was above par, 8% declared it under par while 52% said it was according to their expectations. The survey was conducted from Dec 18 to 24, 2021 during which 1,100 people were interviewed for the purpose. It is pertinent to note that the Pakistani skipper has also been shortlisted for the ICC Player of the Year award after consistent performances in all formats of the game during 2021.

Wednesday, 5 January, 2022

prayer timiNgs

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

5:44

12:11

2:52

7:12

5:10

6:39

PTI, PML-Q deCIde TO jOInTLy COnTesT PunjaB LG POLLs LAHORE

P

staff report

unjab assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar usman buzdar to discuss current political scenario, upcoming local government elections and public welfare projects in the province.

Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi was also present during the meeting. both the leaders decided that Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will jointly contest the upcoming local government elections.

They also agreed to further

strengthen the working relationship between the two political parties.

Pervaiz Elahi said that consultations to field joint candidates in the upcoming LG polls will continue, adding that PMLQ is working sincerely with its coalition partner PTI to provide relief to the masses. buzdar said the PTI has an excellent working relationship with PML-Q in Punjab and consultations with PML-Q would continue on all important matters.

He said the PTI-led government has undertaken unprecedented public-welfare projects in the country, adding that the government has provided relief to the public in the shortest possible time. buzdar added the opposition does not have any narrative nor strategy to serve the masses.

FBR increases sales tax rate on POL products ISLAMABAD News Desk

The Federal board of Revenue (FbR) on Tuesday notified that sales tax rates on petroleum products have been raised. according to the notification, the tax department has increased sales tax on petrol from 1.63 per cent to 4.77pc while the same on high-speed diesel increased from 7.37pc to 9.08pc. Similarly, sales tax on kerosene oil and light diesel was also jacked from from 8.19pc to 8.30pc and 2.70pc from 0.46pc, respectively. It may be recalled that the federal government had increased the prices of petrol, diesel and other products up to Rs4.15 per litre on December 31, 2021. The new price of petrol was fixed at Rs144.82 per litre after increasing it from Rs140.82 per litre, HSD from Rs137.62 to Rs141.62, Kerosine oil from Rs109.53 to Rs113.53 and light diesel oil from Rs107.06 to Rs111.06.

GCC secretary visit may enhance trade ties, cooperation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General nayef bin Falah al-Hajraf, will arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday and is expected to meet Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin and Prime Minister’s advisor for Commerce and Investment abdul Razak Dawood apart from attending to other commitments. The GCC secretary general is coming to Pakistan to attend the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on the humanitarian situation in afghanistan on December 19, 2021. The visit offers the two sides an opportunity to review mutual cooperation and take steps to foster enhanced collaboration in diverse fields, with a renewed focus on trade and economic relations between Pakistan and the GCC member states. News Desk

Pakistan lambasts fake online auction of Muslim women in India

NEPRA approves hike in electricity tariff for KE consumers ISLAMABAD ahmaD ahmaDaNi

The national Electric Power Regulatory authority (nEPRa) on Tuesday approved an increase of Rs1.075 per unit in the electricity price for consumers of K-Electric (KE) on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCa) of October 2021.

The hike will be applicable to all

consumer categories except lifeline consumers.

The increase will add an additional burden of Rs1,910 million on Karachiites who will pay the amount in the bills of january 2022. nEPRa had earlier conducted a hearing in the matter of FCas of KElectric for the month of October 2021. The hearing was attended by CFO K-Electric along-with its finan-

cial and technical team. Representatives from the media and general public also attended the hearing.

Is is pertinent to mention here that KE has also requested an increase Rs0.32 for FCa of november 2021 and of Rs5.18 for quarterly adjustment (july to September 2021) whereas the nEPRa has reserved its judgment which will be issued after scrutiny of records and verification of facts and figures.

Dr Yasmin Rashid tests positive for COVID-19 Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, as confirmed by the lawmaker’s spokesperson. amidst the surging cases of Omicron variant, Rashid will quarantine at home, as reveale by the spokesperson.

It has been further revealed that the minister got herself tested after her son tested positive upon his arrival in the united States.

The spokesperson further revealed that the minister attended a meeting regarding dengue today, where the province’s chief secretary was also in attendance. “all the participants of the meeting have been asked to get themselves tested” It is pertinent to note that, as of january 3, Pakistan recorded 372 cases of the Omicron variant, as per the data of the Ministry of national Health Services Regulations and Coordination.

The country confirmed its first case of the highly-transmissible variant on December 13 from its most populous city, Karachi. Three weeks later, the variant, which was first reported by South africa and botswana, has spread to its major cities.

Special assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan confirmed to Geo.tv that a total of 372 infections of the variant have been recorded, with most of the cases being reported in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.

Dr Sultan added that Omicron was “now in most large countries, and forms an ever increasing proportion amongst

the cases detected.”

In this regard, the national Command and Operation Centre (nCOC) had said on Monday that the fifth wave of COVID-19, which is driven by the Omicron variant, is spreading at a great pace in the country.

While addressing the epidemic curve chart data, the national immunisation plan, and disease prevalence across the country in a morning session, the nCOC confirmed that the positivity rate in Karachi has risen from 2% to 6% in the last three days, with the highest number of positive instances.

Pakistan strongly condemned India’s “rising xenophobia and Islamophobia” on Tuesday, when the news of displaying Muslim women’s photographs for fake online auction took the internet by storm.

Pakistan called the action “despicable and totally unacceptable”, and urged the international community to raise voice against the injustice. It is pertinent to note that photographs of more than 100 prominent Muslim women, including journalists, activists, film stars and artists, were uploaded on a website bulli bai, last weekend without their permission. ‘bulli bai’ is a derogatory slang for Indian Muslim women who have been put up for sale through fake auction. a San Francisco-based coding platform hosted the website on GitHub. However, due to multiple reports, the website was taken down within 24 hours. The man behind this heinous act has also been arrested by the Indian police. Though there was no real sale involved, the Muslim women listed on the website said the auction was intended to humiliate them, many of whom have been vocal about rising Hindu nationalism in India and some of the policies of Prime Minister narendra Modi. The Foreign Office in Islamabad in this regard stated that “Pakistan strongly condemns the despicable and totally unacceptable harassment and insult of Muslim women on the internet and purpose-built online application in India.” The FO said this was the “newest low in the violent streak of hate attacks against minorities in India whereby cyberspace — with purpose-built online platform(s) and social media — has been used yet again, to demean and harass women, particularly Muslim women, [so as] to create a feeling of fear and shame amongst the Muslim community”. “In a completely obnoxious and repugnant act, aimed at humiliating, harassing and insulting Muslim women, their doctored images have been placed on the internet application with outrageous captions for ‘auction’,” the statement said, adding that “hatemongering followers of such applications attacked the dignity of nearly 100 influential Muslim women by ‘bidding’ on them with deeply offensive remarks.”

“These horrifying occurrences have left Muslim women traumatised and in deep fear,” it added. “It is reprehensible that no action has been taken against the perpetrators of [a] similar abhorrent act six months ago,” wherein the photographs of dozens of influential Muslim women were put up on a social media platform, the FO said. The FO further stated that under the “Hindutva-inspired bjP-RSS combine dispensation” in new Delhi, space for minorities, particularly Muslims, continued to shrink in India. It added that Pakistan was reiterating its calls on the international community, particularly the un and relevant international human rights and humanitarian organisatins, to fulfill their responsibilities to “stop the rising xenophobia, Islamophobia and violent attacks against minorities in India and ensure their safety, security and well-being”. “Deafening silence of the bjP (bharatiya janata Party) leadership and absence of discernible action against ‘Hindutva’ proponents openly calling for genocide of Muslims should send alarm bells across the international community about the gross and systematic human rights violations of minorities, particularly Muslims, in India,” the FO said. News Desk

Opposition takes PM Khan to task on foreign funding report The Opposition lambasted PM Imran Khan and his party, PTI, after a scrutiny committee of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reported that the party did not disclose millions of rupees worth of funds to the constitutional body.

The report stated that the PTI provided “false information” regarding the party’s funding to the ECP. It said that SbP’s bank statement revealed that the party had received Rs1.64 billion in funding. according to the report, the party did not disclose funding worth more than Rs310 million to the ECP. In this regard, PML-n Vice-President Maryam nawaz was quick to lash at PM

Imran Khan by stating that he had not only “stolen and hidden money, but also plundered the people”.

Maryam further said the “constant leaks, revelations, and evidence, are more than enough to bring down the PTI”. “no other party in history has been behind such serious fraud and scandals,” she added.

“Has there been such a corrupt, liar, and conspiratorial ruler like Imran Khan in the history of Pakistan?” she asked.

Meanwhile, PPP’s Central Information Secretary Shazia Marri, while addressing a presser in Lahore, asked the PTI and PM Imran Khan to provide complete bank account and funding details to the ECP. “You have given details about 12 ac-

counts, where are the details of the rest of the accounts […] PPP has submitted complete details of its accounts,” she said.

Later, in a tweet, Marri said: “Imran Khan talashi do (give yourself up for examination).”

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah, in a statement, said the scrutiny committee’s report has “revealed the theft of Imran Khan and PTI”.

“The scrutiny committee has exposed the true face of the PTI before the nation [… ] Imran Khan and PTI, who accused others of theft, turned out to be thieves themselves,” he said.

The spokesperson said the report has “proven” that PM Imran Khan is “not sadiq and ameen” anymore, as he demanded the

premier to disclose the purpose for which the hidden bank accounts were used.

PML-n Secretary General ahsan Iqbal held a media briefing outside the ECP’s office in Islamabad earlier in the day.

He said the scrutiny committee’s report had “washed away Imran Khan’s make up of honesty”.

“Imran Khan acts as the champion of transparency in the country, but in the foreign funding case, he is making lame excuses to stop the hearing; PTI is resorting to mudslinging to cover its own theft,” he said. neither has PTI submitted a “single piece of evidence” against PML-n nor has the ECP heard any case of illegal funding against the party, he said.

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

It is pertinent to note that on the contrary, Federal Minister for Information and broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that according to the report “there is no question of foreign funding”, as he demanded scrutiny of the accounts of the PML-n, PPP and all other political parties.

“The report [of the ECP scrutiny committee] does not point towards foreign funding […] it has been decided that there is no case of foreign funding,” the information minister said.

He demanded the election commission put the facts of the foreign funding case before the nation, so the people can themselves analyse which party is raising funds through which means. staff report