EpaperKH_2020-07-2

CMYK

Thursday, 2 July, 2020 I 10 Dhū al-Qa‘dah, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 4 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

sindh rePorts reCord deteCtion rate as Covid-19 Cases soar Past 213,000 g

4,133 nEW CASES SURFACE ACROSS COUnTRY, DEATH TOLL RISES TO 4,395

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COROnAVIRUS CLAIMS 29 MORE LIVES, InFECTS 2,139 OTHERS In SInDH

KARACHI staff report

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InDH reported a record 28 per cent detection rate on Wednesday as 2,139 of 8,201 people tested positive for the coronavirus, while the nationwide tally of cases soared to 213,470 with 4,133 new cases emerging in the past 24 hours.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said that 8,201 samples were tested against which 2,139 new cases of coronavirus were detected that constituted 28 per cent detection rate, one of the highest detection rates so far. He said that 46,1587 samples had been tested so far which diagnosed 86,139 cases all over Sindh that formed 19 per cent overall detection rate.

CM Murad said that 29 more patients lost their lives while fighting against the virus. He said that the number of Covid-19 patients who had died so far had reached 1,406 that constituted 1.6 per cent death rate.

He also said that 1,703 more patients had recovered and returned to normal life. The patients recovered so far comes to 48,527 that constituted 56 per cent recovery rate, he added.

The chief minister said that currently, out of 36,803 under treatment patients, 35,131 were in home isolation, 158 at isolation centres and 1,514 at different hospitals. He added that currently, 707 patients were in critical condition, of them 104 had been shifted onto the ventilators.

Giving district-wise data, the chief minister said out of 2,139 new cases, 1038 belonged to Karachi. Among them, East has 401, South 258, Central 125, Korangi 101, Malir 82 and West 71.

He added that Hyderabad had 129

JAMMU agencies

new cases, Sukkur 86, Shikarpur 70, Sanghar 66, Larkana 58, Shaheed Benazirabad 50, Mirpurkhas 36, Ghotki 31, Badin 29, Dadu 24, Jacobabad 24, Jamshoro 12, naushehro Feroze 10, Khairpur nine, Matiari eight, Sujawal five, Kashmore three, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan and Thatta one each.

The chief minister urged the people of Sindh to stay safe by observing all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) notified by the government Sindh.

Meanwhile, the national Command and Operation Centre (nCOC) said that a total of 4,133 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country over the 24 hours, taking the total cases tally to 213,470.

These include 76,262 in Punjab, 84,640 in Sindh, 26,598 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 10,476 in Balochistan, 12,912 in Islam-

Coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

216,097

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

91

4,133

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

SINDH:

PUNJAB:

100,802 4,446 86,795

76,262

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

26,938

IOK erupts in protest after Indian troops kill elderly man travelling with 3-year-old grandson

10,608

1,093/1,489 12,912

abad, 1,489 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 1,093 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The death toll from the disease stands at 4,395 with 91 deaths reported over the last 24 hours. A total of 22,418 coronavirus tests were carried out during the aforementioned period.

So far 100,802 patients have so far recovered from the disease, so the ratio of recovered patients has crossed 50 per cent. The total number of active Covid-19 patients is 108,273. The nCOC said that there is no patient on a ventilator in GB and AJK. Out of 1,562 ventilators allocated for Covid-19 across the country, 491 at present are occupied, the nCOC added.

The provincial governments of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have also extended smart lockdowns imposed across their respective provinces.

Hundreds of people in occupied Kashmir staged protests on Wednesday, accusing government forces of killing an elderly man in front of his minor grandson during a gun battle with Kashmiri fighters, which also left a trooper dead.

The Kashmiri fighters opened fire from a mosque attic in the northern town of Sopore, setting off a battle with security forces, paramilitary police spokesperson Junaid Khan told AFP. The family of Bashir Ahmed Khan alleged that he was dragged out of his car after the showdown and shot dead by paramilitary troopers.

His three-year-old grandson, who was travelling with him, was later pictured sitting on his chest.

“Locals said that he [Khan] was brought out of his car and shot dead by the forces,” Farooq Ahmed, a nephew of the deceased man told AFP. “They told us that someone in uniform then put the child on his chest as he lay dead on the road and took photographs,” Farooq

IMF revises down Asian economy forecast; warns of $12tr loss globally WASHINGTON agencies

The coronavirus outbreak has been very costly to Asian economic development, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said as it revised down its forecast for the region and warned of possible protracted recovery.

“For the first time in living memory, Asia’s growth is expected to contract by 1.6 per cent—a downgrade to the April projection of zero growth,” Chang Yong Rhee, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, wrote in a blog post.

According to its recent outlook, the global real GDP could shrink by 4.9 per cent this year, followed by a partial recovery, with growth at 5.4 per cent in 2021. This would result in a cumulative loss to the global economy over two years of over $12 trillion from this crisis.

Even the recent positive developments in the epidemic situation in some countries that allowed them to at least partly reopen have not helped to change the gloomy projections.

The IMF said it had to downgrade the economic outlook for most countries in the region as they are dependent on global

Ahmed said.

The photo of the child sat on the body of his dead grandfather was widely shared on social media.

Paramilitary spokesman Khan said the allegation was “baseless”.

Police also denied the claims, saying legal action would be taken for “false reports and rumours”.

“There was no retaliation from the security forces,” Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar told reporters.

Hundreds assembled at the man’s funeral near the main city of Srinagar shouting, “ We want freedom”.

Government forces have intensified counterinsurgency operations against Kashmiri fighters since a coronavirus lockdown was imposed in March.

Since January, at least 229 people have been killed during over 100 military operations across occupied Kashmir, including 32 civilians, 54 government forces and 143 fighters, according to the Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a rights group.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

more inside

Youth killed in Indian firing along LoC: ISPR STORY ON PAGE 03

PIA gets temporary permission to serve EU states STORY ON BACK PAGE

supply chains, making growth “impossible” while the “whole world is suffering.”

Although the IMF expects Asia to rebound strongly to 6.6 per cent as early as next year, it noted that the pandemic is likely to have far-reaching consequences. While regional driver China has already started to return to normal after becoming the first country to be hit by Covid-19, positive developments there are not enough to bring Asia’s economic output back to pre-crisis levels. According to the IMF, the region’s economic output in 2022 will be about five per cent lower com-

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pared with earlier predictions.

While the Washington-based agency assumes a strong rebound in private demand, it warned that there are “clouds on the horizon” which could undermine recovery. Those worrying signs include shrinking trade, longer than expected lockdowns, rising inequality, weak balance sheets, and geopolitical tensions.

Earlier this month, the IMF said that it expects “a deeper recession in 2020 and a slower recovery in 2021” as the virus had an uneven impact on sectors and countries, and there is still no medical solution for it.

Pakistan will continue to play reconciliatory role for Afghan peace: FM STORY ON BACK PAGE

IHC rejects plea against aviation minister on pilots’ licences issue STORY ON PAGE 02

02

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

NEWS

IHC rejeCts Plea agaInst avIatIon mInIster on PIlots’ lICenCes Issue ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday rejected as non-maintainable a petition seeking to stop Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan from performing his duties. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah announced this verdict after hearing arguments on the petition.

Advocate Tariq Asad filed the petition, pleading that Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar’s statement about alleged fake or improper licences of pilots has dented the image of the country. He requested the

court to constitute a judicial commission to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the issue of dubious licences of pilots and order removal of the minister from his position.

He made the prime minister, National Assembly (NA) speaker, the aviation minister and the Civil Aviation Authority (AA) as respondents through the principal secretary and the secretary aviation.

Last week, the minister had said that as many as 262 pilots, out of a total of 860 in the country, have ‘suspicious flying licences’, who would be grounded immediately.

“Their [pilots] licences are doubtful due to certain

reasons including dates of examination and exams. There are some pilots, who did not appear in any paper, out of eight, but managed to get the licences. Among them are those working with the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Airblue, Serene, private clubs and foreign airlines,” he had said while talking to the media after presenting the interim inquiry report on the PIA plane crash in the parliament.

The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended the operations permit of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for a period of six months, a spokesperson for the national flag carrier said on Tuesday last.

AI expresses concern as 5,367 health workers contract Covid-19 URGES GOVT TO ENSURE PPE FOR HEALTH STAFFERS, DOCUMENT VIOLENT INCIDENTS ISLAMABAD

Pakistan, India swap lists of arrested fishermen, civilians ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The government of Pakistan on Wednesday shared with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad a list of 324 Indian nationals incarcerated in Pakistan’s prisons, including 270 fishermen and 54 civilian prisoners. This step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on 21 May 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on 1st January and 1st July, respectively, a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) said. It said the Indian government also simultaneously shared a list of 362 Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails, including 265 civilian prisoners and 97 fishermen, with the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi. “The government of Pakistan has been calling for early release and repatriation of 15 civilian prisoners and 47 fishermen to Pakistan who have completed their sentences and whose nationality has been confirmed and conveyed to India,” the statement said. Moreover, it said, India has been asked to provide immediate consular access to 77 believed to be Pakistani civilian prisoners and 113 Pakistani fishermen who are in Indian custody.

TLTP

The Amnesty International Wednesday expressed concern over the increasing number of health workers in Pakistan affected by the coronavirus.

In an open letter to Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, Dr Zafar Mirza, Head of Amnesty International’s South Asia Office Omar Waraich wrote, “As of 29 June 2020, official figures record at least 5,367 health workers across Pakistan being infected with Covid-19, with 58 dead as a result. This is a devastating tally.”

Waraich said that doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulance drivers and other medical staff continue to help people in the face of such imminent danger to their lives underscores their courage. “It also highlights how much they deserve not only our gratitude but also the state’s protection,” he added.

The human rights watchdog reminded the SAPM that health workers are particularly vulnerable to the virus as

they are consistently and repeatedly exposed to it.

The human rights watchdog also raised concerns regarding “several instances of violence against health workers across Pakistan since April”.

“Hospitals have been vandalized, many doctors have been attacked, and one was even shot by a member of the Counter Terrorism Force,” said Amnesty.

In the letter, it also added the Young Doctors Association comment claiming that health workers are being attacked on a daily basis and that the exact number of such incidents were “beyond count.”

Waraich added that ministers have issued several statements claiming that hospitals have the necessary resources, despite reports that hospitals have been forced to turn away even critical patients, given the shortage of beds, ventilators and other life-saving equipment.

“This puts health workers in danger as people do not believe them when they say they do not have room for more patients,” said the human rights watchdog.

It also acknowledged that even the best

and most well-resourced healthcare systems are struggling with the pandemic but insisted that it was “critical” that the government takes all reasonable measures to protect health workers.

The watchdog also urged the government to “promptly investigate” any attacks or acts of violence against health workers in a thorough, independent and impartial manner, and stated that perpetrators must be brought to account.

The Amnesty International urged Mirza to ensure that employers – whether public or private – are provided with adequate PPE to protect themselves during

Sanjrani alarmed over absence of Covid-19 testing facility in Gwadar ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Despite ongoing economic activities under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Gwadar lacks medical facilities, especially coronavirus testing facilities, it was revealed on Wednesday.

In a letter sent to the Balochistan government, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has expressed serious concern over the rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 infected people in Gwadar and the absence of testing facilities in the district.

In this regard, secretariat directions have been issued for the provision of immediate healthcare arrangements and strict adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the virus in the district.

Meanwhile, talking to the Egyptian Ambassador in Pakistan, Tarek Dahroug, Sanjrani said that Gwadar was a future hub of world trade and noted that investors from Egypt can benefit from this opportunity.

He said that the Senate was ready to provide any support needed in coordination with provincial governments and relevant departments.

The Senate chairman said that Egyptian investors can invest in the areas of fisheries, livestock, minerals, services sector and others. He said that Egypt has been a centre of ancient civilisation, culture and traditions and was a very important part of the global community due to its rich history. He said that Pakistan attaches huge importance to its ties with Egypt which are deeply rooted in history due to common religion as well as shared values and tradition, therefore, steps needed to

the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with international standards. It urged to immediately put in place protocols to ensure that managers of all facilities where health workers work conduct an analysis of what risks their staff face regarding violence and put in place adequate security measures to address these threats.

The letter urged the government to set up systems to document any violent incidents, discrimination and/or stigmatization faced by health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and encourage workers to report such incidents promptly.

be taken to establish relations on the level of masses as well as parliaments by increased parliamentary exchanges and diplomacy.

He also told the ambassador about the initiative of International Parliamentarians’ Congress and extended an invitation to Egyptian Parliamentarians to become a part of this unique forum and emphasised upon enhancing the collaboration between two countries in the field of education and called for more opportunities for students of both countries to study in the other as students can serve as the best cultural ambassadors for any state and this will also help in further cementing the relationship. Sanjrani invited the chairman of Egyptian Majlis-e-Nawab to visit Pakistan along with parliamentary and business delegations to explore avenues of cooperation. Talking about the platform of PIPS, he told the ambassador that both sides can learn from each other’s experiences in the areas of the legislative process especially for those laws which pertain to Islamic Jurisprudence.

He also observed that the pandemic has resulted in many difficulties in carrying out routine tasks but has also provided us with the opportunity to think about more avenues where the global community can come together and work on mutual issues together.

Airlift moves into grocery delivery with whopping $10m in recent funding round COMPANY SAYS IT IS COMMITTED TO RESUMING BUS SERVICE OPERATIONS ONCE PANDEMIC ABATES LAHORE TAIMOOR HASSAN

In August 2019, Airlift closed a sizable Seed financing round of $2.2 million only after five months into its operations. Only two months apart, the then 11-month old startup raised Pakistan’s largest Series-A round with $12 million in investment from leading investors to scale its decentralised mass transit operations.

Truly a disruptive, hyper-growth model, was scaling massively to millions of users in Pakistan, connecting them with buses for transportation. A model that threatened the markets of Careem and Uber.

And then COVID hit. But Airlift has been able to keep up with its legacy of

raising eye popping - by Pakistani standards - investments. It did so again today with the announcement of a $10 million Series A1 round to scale its transit and grocery delivery operations - an important expansion in the times of pandemic.

“Today, Airlift is announcing our $10m Series A-1 financing round led by new partners and with strong participation from existing investors, increasing our total investment to date to $24.1 million,” Airlift said in a statement.

The round was led by San Franciscobased Quiet Capital, with London-based TrueSight Ventures and RT Ventures, Shorooq Partners of Abu Dhabi and Taiwan’s ACE Capital participating in the round among other local partners.

Existing investors that include First

CMYK

Round Capital that led early investments in Uber among other startups, Fatima Gobi Ventures and Indus Valley Capital also continued their support for Airlift in this financing.

“Airlift’s financing round marks one of the largest capital investments in the region, at a time when the risk of a global recession is at an all-time high.

The investment marks a new high for the Pakistani startup ecosystem, highlighting the unique opportunity that is prevalent in the region,” the company statement read.

When COVID hit, almost all the known startups moved into grocery delivery because groceries are household essentials and with lockdown in place, it made perfect sense. Foodpanda, Cheetay,

Uber - startups that had logistics as their core business, ventured into grocer delivery with different models - mostly dropshipping. In dropshipping, startups would take grocery orders online, buy it from a retailer and deliver it to consumers.

An example would be Cheetay. And these models were adopted almost immediately. Airlift’s service is currently available in Lahore only where it has its own fulfilment centres.

An old player in this space with its own fulfilment centres is GrocerApp, with a similar model but different value propositions like timely deliveries and diverse inventory options.

Airlift has come with its own compelling value propositions: it promises to deliver the orders in 45-minutes, with high order accuracy and best inventory optionality.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

NEWS 03 PIa banneD In euroPe beCause of ‘mInIster wItH faKe Degree’, saYs bIlawal BILAWAL LASHES OUT AT PTI GOVERNMENT, SAYS PREMIER MAKING ‘FALSE CLAIMS’ OF DECREASE IN COVID-19 CASES, PROVIDING RELIEF TO MASSES VIA FEDERAL BUDGET AND POL PRICES LAHORE

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STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari on Wednesday said that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was banned from operating flights to European countries because of the accusations of a “minister whose own degree is fake”. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the PPP chief paid tribute to the policemen hailing from Jamshoro, Nawabshah, and other parts of Sindh who displayed courage during the attack on

Karachi Stock Exchange (PSX). He also paid tribute to the policeman who belonged to Lyaari Hassan Baloch and the other brave sons of Sindh. He said that the Sindh government has announced rewards for them all because people are living peacefully in Karachi due to the sacrifices of these martyrs, who have also saved our economy.

He said that Punjab's young doctors demanded a risk allowance the other day and PPP supports their demand and the doctors, nurses and health workers should all be given a risk allowance. We have provided a risk allowance to all doctors in Sindh but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government

Committee formed to prepare soPs to reopen schools in KP PESHAWAR: The education department on Wednesday constituted a committee for preparations of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and relief package in the wake of the decision by the KP government to open private schools across the province.

A high-level meeting, chaired by Law Minister Sultan Muhammad Khan and attended by Education Minister Akbar Ayub and Education Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chaudhry and representatives of private schools, was held in Charsadda. The committee has been directed to submit recommendations regarding proposed relief package, SOPs and solutions to problems faced by private schools during the pandemic. The meeting directed the committee to present its report within two days. Law Minister said the government was taking all possible measures to give maximum relief to all the segments of the society affected by the health crisis. APP

agP reveals rs2.96tr irregularities in Power Division ISLAMABAD: The auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) has revealed irregularities of Rs2,962 billion in 318 cases of Power Division and its attached departments. In the audit report for the fiscal year 2019-20, the AGP has recommended recovery of Rs2,604 billion in 50 cases. In addition to this, the AGP also pointed out the loss of Rs4,033.45 million due to fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation and theft in 21 cases. Moreover, the report also highlighted irregularities of Rs273million in 21 human resource/employee-related cases. Besides this, 64 varied irregularities of Rs107,328 million, pertaining to procurement of electrical equipment, civil/electrification works, consultancy services and contractual mismanagement, were also highlighted by AGP in the report. An amount of Rs184 billion was highlighted in 50 cases with regard to violations of regulatory laws and regulations. Similarly, violation of internal rules and regulations of audited entities was pointed out in 108 cases involving an amount of Rs63 billion. SHAHZAD PARACHA

shehbaz, Hamza to be indicted in rsm case on aug 6 LAHORE: An accountability court in Lahore will indict Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and party’s vice president Hamza Shahbaz in the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference on Aug 6. Hamza and Shehbaz have been accused of making a drain in Chiniot which benefitted the sugar mills owned by the Sharif family. Shehbaz submitted a request for exemption from hearing, saying he was in self-isolation after contracting the coronavirus. However, Judge Amjad Nazir noticed that he is neither admitted to a hospital nor is on a ventilator. “He only has to come to the court to sign a document so that the trial can start,” the judge said. Amjad Pervaiz, who is representing Shehbaz, said that his client is 69 years old and more vulnerable to the pandemic. STAFF REPORT

has not made an increase in the pensions and salaries of the people, he added.

Bilawal said that throughout history, Pakistan has never faced such challenges.

“We are combating the locust issue. Floods have been predicted and the PTI makes each issue a disaster such as in the case of Covid19 and the locust issue which have been made into disasters. The government has increased the issues facing us,” he said.

He also said that the people should be provided with relief by imposing taxes on the rich. “The way that they have dropped a bomb on the people by increasing the petrol price is through an illegal notification which

they released and the losses suffered by oil companies are being compensated for through burdening the people. These are all the PTI government's front men and now we are expecting a tsunami of price hike. In every budget of theirs, there is pain for the people and relief for the rich,” he said.

“Imran Khan speaks in our absence and does not answer our questions; I had challenged him to a debate on television. The problem with Imran Khan is that he is not ready to be the prime minister of our country but is happy to be that of his own party. We want Imran Khan to sit with us and debate so that he understands what Covid-19 is and what is locust and what are the threats but Imran Khan is a prime minister only on Twitter and Facebook,” he added.

Strongly condemning PM Imran Khan for calling notorious terrorist Osama bin Laden a shaheed (martyr), Bilawal said that

Punjab govt reopens 61 areas in Lahore, extends lockdown in seven localities LAHORE INP

Amid ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the Punjab government has reopened 61 areas in Lahore while lockdown has been extended for three days in seven localities.

The areas that have been reopened include blocks in Johar Town, Canal View Society, Wapda Town, PCSIR, DHA (phase I, III, V), Askari X, Old Anarkali, Kareem Park, Shadbagh (Gol Bagh), Mohalla

Shah Noor, Darogawala and others.

On the other hand, the Punjab government has also issued an extension notification regarding smart lockdown in the province due to the coronavirus till July 15. According to Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Care Captain (r) Muhammad Usman, educational institutions, wedding halls, restaurants, parks and cinema halls will remain closed.

Social and religious gatherings, sports activities will not be allowed during the lockdown.

All business locations will remain open from Monday till Friday from 9 am to 7 pm. Medical stores, puncture shops, flour mill, tandoor ovens, agricultural workshops will be allowed to remain open 24 hours a day.

Call centres will be allowed to open with 50 per cent staff while inter-district transport will be allowed to operate 24 hours a day. Grocery stores will be allowed to open all week, from 9 am to 7 pm. All churches will open for worship only on Sundays from 7 am to 5 pm.

IOK erupts in protest after Indian troops kill elderly man travelling with 3-year-old grandson cOntInuED fROM pAgE 01 CONDEMNATIONS POUR IN: Reacting to the incident, Amnesty India said that officials had violated the law by disclosing the identity of the minor.

“It is also a breach of the ‘best interests of the child’ principle as required to be the basis of any action by authorities under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which India is a state party.”

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the image of the three-year-old sitting on his grandfa-

ther’s “lifeless, bullet-ridden body” exposed the real face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “fascist India”.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the killing.

In a tweet, he said: “Widespread human rights abuses by fascist Modi govt constitute an acid test for the international community.”

Tweeting the picture of the deceased’s grandson sitting on his chest, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said she was “searching for words to describe the grief & helplessness of the Kashmiri people.”

Govt decides to abolish posts vacant for more than one year ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

The federal government has decided to abolish posts vacant for over a year and a letter has been written to the Establishment Division in this regard as well.

The 34th meeting of the Cabinet Implementation Committee (CIC) for reorganising the federal government was held on May 7, with the abolishment of posts in federal government and freezing of recruitment of support staff on the agenda. The

committee directed the Finance Division to abolish all posts between BS-1 and BS-16 that had been vacant for over a year.

Reportedly this decision was taken in light of the increasing salary bill of the federal government. Moreover, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the World Bank (WB) had also desired a significant reduction in governance apparatus to curtail unnecessary expenditures.

Later, the Finance Division examined the matter and said that the CIC’s recommendations would re-

IHC dismisses petition against increase in petroleum prices ISLAMABAD APP

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition against recent increase in petrol products prices in the country by the government.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, while hearing the case, issued the verdict which stated that the court could not interfere into the affairs of executive.

The court said that one should not doubt on their elected representatives and their intentions. The order

quire the approval of the federal cabinet, otherwise they would have no legal backing. “The implementation on the subject matter should be in accordance with the Rule 24 and Rule 11 of Rules of Business 1973. According to the Rules of Business 1973, the relevant Division to comply/execute the decision is the Establishment Division. The Establishment Division is therefore requested to proceed further in the matter,” a notification issued by the Establishment Division read. said that court’s interference could affect policies and steps of government to deal with economic crisis.

The bench issued seven pages judgment on a petition moved by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Mian Aslam regarding the above matter.

The order stated that it was authority of the government to fix prices of petroleum products in the country. The prices were set keeping in view economic problems and market situation, it further said.

he calls a terrorist who killed Pakistani citizens, soldiers, journalists, men, women and children a shaheed. “Who was behind Yousaf Ramzi, who was behind 1994 failed mutiny, who was behind destruction in Swat?” he asked. “Imran Khan refuses to call Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto a shaheed but calls a terrorist a shaheed. So far, Imran Khan has not clarified his statement and thus, bringing Pakistan to disrepute.”

The PPP chief said that the loss due to Imran Khan plonked as prime minister is the destruction of Pakistan's foreign policy, economy and failure to combat Covid-19.

“Imran Khan is the first prime minister who ran the election campaign of Modi,” he said.

“Imran Khan has become a joke and whenever he opens his mouth, a joke comes out. He has never met representatives of doctors, nurses and labourers. Whenever he met, he met the rich people.

Youth killed in Indian firing along loC: IsPr RAWALPINDI: A young boy was killed along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between Pakistan and India stretched across Jammu and Kashmir, as a result of unprovoked Indian firing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday. In a statement, the military’s media wing said that the Indian troops resorted to indiscriminate firing, targetting the civilian population.

“Indian troops unprovoked ceasefire violation targeting civil population used artillery, mortars and heavy weapons,” the statement added. According to ISPR, the Pakistan Army responded effectively to the cross-border firing. STAFF REPORT

Pakistan registers protest with Indian envoy over loC violations ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to register protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on June 29 and 30. “Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct,” Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui through a press release. It further said the “egregious violations of established international law reflected consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and were a threat to regional peace and security”. FO added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights violations in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir. “Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions,” the statement added.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

04 NEWS

PaKIStan uRgeS un bOdy tO taKe nOtICe Of HR abuSeS In IOK ISLAMABAD

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PPI

AKISTAN has called upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to take note of scale and gravity of rising human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Khalil Hashmi, while par-

ticipating at 44th Session of Human Rights Council, said that the primary goal behind the unilateral actions of India is to change the demographic composition of the occupied territory. According to a press release, the representative said that the country is imposing its signature imperialist policies by granting domicile certificates to non-residents in thousands.

Khalil Hashmi said this 21st century version of muzzling fundamental rights, fla-

grant disregard of democratic principles and non-compliance of international law are being carried out by nearly one million military and paramilitary Indian forces.

He said the UN high commissioner has been alerting the council on the dire human rights situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). Since the last Kashmir report by OHCHR in July last year, the scale and gravity of human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir has increased significantly. This crisis

Karachi experiences heat wave, mercury soars above 40 Celsius KARACHI: A weather official has said that Karachi is undergoing a heat wave that will continue for the next three days.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz has said that maximum temperature in Karachi has been recorded 40 ºCelsius and above today. Due to the formation of a low-pressure area over the North Arabian Sea, the winds from the sea to the city have been suspended and the hot weather will be continued for the next two days, Sarfaraz said.

The met office in a heat wave alert earlier said that due to the low pressure in North Arabian Sea maximum temperature in Karachi may rise to 40 ºCelsius and above from 1st July to 3rd July. The weather will be turned pleasant on July 4 and 5 with drizzling in the morning and night on both days, the weather official said. “Karachi can receive showers in coming week,” Sardar Sarfaraz said.

The PMD predicted rainfall in Tharparkar, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu and Shaheed Benazirabad on Wednesday (today) evening and the night. INP

situation has been unleashed by India's illegal actions of 05 August last year.

The representative said these abuses and atrocities include arbitrary arrests, detention and imprisonment of political activists and human rights. The Kashmir Bar Association reports that over 600 habeas corpus petitions filed before the high court since last August remain pending. During this period, nearly 13,000 Kashmiris remain imprisoned in various jails without recourse to justice.

Khalil Hashmi said that in using excessive force, India has up-scaled weapons' calibre, targeting civilian population and their houses in the so-called cordon and search operations. At least 30 Kashmiri youngsters have been martyred in the last two weeks by Indian military, acting as judge, jury and executioner.

The representative added that India has promulgated new "Domicile Law" in Kashmir, designed to settle Indian nationals in Jammu and Kashmir and convert Kashmiris into a minority in their homeland.

Khalil Hashmi urged the council and its Special Procedure Mandate Holders should not remain a silent bystander to these human rights crimes in occupied Kashmir.

He also emphasised upon the high commissioner to continue remote monitoring of the human rights crisis in occupied Kashmir and present an updated report in time for the 45th session in September this year.

Anti-locust operation completed over 2.271m acres: NLCC ISLAMABAD APP

Anti-locust operations had been carried out in 9,089 square kilometers approximately 2.271 million acres across 36 affected districts of the country to eradicate the pests attack and to save agriculture land from its harmful impacts.

As many as 974 joint teams took part in the antilocust operation in 36 districts of the country, according to details released by the National Locust Control Centre (NLCC) on Monday.

The joint teams of the Ministry of National Food Security, provincial departments of agriculture and Pakistan Army conducting a comprehensive survey and control operation against locusts in different districts of the country and so far, 90.34 million acres have been surveyed. About 5,097 people and 655 vehicles took part in anti-locust operation in above mentioned districts of the country.

In Punjab, about 262,401 acres had surveyed during last 24 hours and more than 2,282 people and 328 vehicles took part in this exercise.

So far, under anti-locust drive the survey was completed over an area of 20.78 million acres and operation completed over 848,317 acres.

Meanwhile, in Sindh Province survey was conducted over 108,731 acres, whereas locust presence

was confirmed in seven districts and anti-locust operation was carried out on 5,071 acres.

More than 97 vehicles and 627 peoples participated in in this campaign. In Sindh, the survey was completed on 10.98 million acres, whereas the control operation was carried out over an area of 136,684 acres.

In KP 203,108 acres surveyed during last 24 hours and locust infestation was confirmed in three districts including Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Karak, whereas anti-locust operation was carried out over an area of 498 acres.

The operation was carried out with the help of 1,308 people and 111 vehicles, it added. So far 10.40 million acres area has been surveyed and 154,347 acres area has been operated in the province.

In Balochistan, during the last 24 hours, 359,669 hectres have been surveyed and infestation was confirmed in 26 districts like Khuzdar, Awaran, Noshki, Chaghi, Gwadar, Othal, Kharran, Panjgourr and Quetta and others.

More than 1,308 people and more than 119 vehicles took part in the operation. So far 30.17 million acres area has been surveyed and 1,131,950 million acres area has been operated in the province.

In addition to aerial spraying with the help of airplanes and helicopters, non-conventional methods are also being used for effective control of locust during control operations.

Karachi Corps Commander visits CPO, pays tribute to policemen: ISPR KARACHI: Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Humayun Aziz on Wednesday visited the Central Police Office (CPO) in the city and paid tribute to the police personnel who foiled an attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). According to the ISPR, he was welcomed by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Mehar at the CPO. The corps commander lauded the personnel who foiled the PSX attack and conveyed a message of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa praising their courage.

Lieutenant General Humayun Aziz also visited the martyrs’ monument at the CPO and offered prayers and laid floral wreath on it. He also distributed certificates among the police personnel who took part in the operation against the terrorists, said the ISPR. It is pertinent to mention here that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday paid a glowing tribute to the security guards, Sindh police and Rangers personnel for foiling a terror attack at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). According to a message posted on the official Twitter account of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS paid a glowing tribute to the security guards at the PSX, who sacrificed their lives as first responders, vigilantly checking terrorists’ entry to the stock exchange’s premises and foiling a major terrorist incident. General Bajwa, while appreciating the law enforcement authorities for their operational readiness, lauded prompt effective and integrated response of Rangers and Sindh police, eliminating terrorists in the shortest possible time. INP

‘Pakistan-China joint mechanism on Covid-19 to strengthen coordination’ BEIJING APP

Pakistan and China set up officially a joint prevention controlled mechanism on Covid-19 to strengthen coordination and exchanges between the two countries as well as promoting cooperation while maintaining ongoing response in the long fight against the virus, Chinese Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"The first virtual meeting of the joint prevention controlled mechanism was also held. Representatives from sectors and departments of foreign affairs, public health, education, customs on both sides attended the meeting," he said during his regular briefing held here.

He said the settlement of this mechanism is aimed to strengthen coordination and exchange between the two sides as well as promoting cooperation while maintaining ongoing response in the long fight against the virus. Regarding the consensus reached between the two sides, he informed that first, both the countries will continue take targeted prevention measures to prevent rebound and spreading of the epidemic and stem cross border spreading. He said, second, the two countries will strengthen corporation Covid-19 and share

experience, adding, "China will continue to provide support and assistance to the best of our capacity."

Third, both countries will continue providing facilitation to personnel exchange and economical corporation while maintaining epidemic response.

"We will take good care of the overseas Chinese and Pakistani students and nationals to ensure the smooth implementation off the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) building," he added.

Zhao Lijian remarked that China and Pakistan are all weather strategic partners. Since the outbreak, President Arif Alvi led a delegation to China at the crucial time in our fight against the virus to show firm support and Pakistan also poured its national resources to provide assistance to China. And, in reciprocity China also provided medical supplies to Pakistan through different channels like the government, military, businesses and social organizations, he added.

"We send the medical teams, held virtual meetings to help each other," he said and added, "This is an embodiment of our relationship as a community with a shared future sharing wheel and woe."

He hoped that this mechanism will help the two countries to form synergy in anti-epidemic response and to prevail over the virus at an early date.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

PuNJAB SuRPASSeS ReveNue tARget IN FY20 LAHORE

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STAFF REPORT

HE Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) surpassed the revised target of Rs105 billion during the last financial year 2019-20 and collected more than Rs107 billion by the closing date.

According to PRA spokesperson, as compared to Rs94 billion collected in 2018-

19, the PRA registered a growth of 14 per cent and this is a remarkable achievement considering the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown.

The Punjab government, she added, had announced a historic relief package in April whereby the rate of sales tax on more than 20 services was reduced to 0 per cent for the last quarter of 2019-20. The rate of Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess was also reduced to zero per cent for April to June, 2020.

AJK achieves Rs16.7bn tax collection target during FY20

She mentioned that due the pandemic’s effects on the services sector, the PRA did not resort to any coercive measures for revenue collection and surpassed the target without any bank attachments or advance payments.

This performance augurs well for the future of the organisation and the workforce is confident of achieving the Rs125 billion target assigned for the financial year 2020-21, relying on taxpayer facilitation and stakeholder involvement.

The PRA has marked the year 2020-21 as the year of broadening of tax base and will focus on increasing revenue through increasing compliance and the number of return filers.

The performance by the premier revenue collecting agency of the Punjab is proof that revenue collection is boosted by a strategy of cooperation and collaboration between the taxpayer and the tax collector instead of an adversarial mindset, she concluded.

Sindh collects Rs100bn sales tax during FY20 KARACHI APP

MIRPUR: The Inland Revenue Department Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) continued the recordbreaking streak of achieving revenue targets of income tax for the financial year 2019-2020 too.

Briefing the media persons on Wednesday, Commissioner Inland Revenue Sardar Zafar Mahmud Khan unveiled that the government of AJK had assigned total income tax target of Rs16,500 million to the Inland Revenue Department for the fiscal year 2019-2020. The Inland Revenue functionaries by extending their maximum efforts successfully managed to achieve total revenue accumulation of Rs16,725 million with a remarkable increase of Rs225 million. He told that this difference may further rise remarkably after reconciliation of final receipts. Notably, the revenue collection figure of this year has also crossed the income tax collection of previous financial year 2018-2019 with sizeable margin. The commissioner further explained that despite certain genuine hindrances in shape of Covid-19 pandemic followed by lockdown situation, collapsing of industrial, trade and business activities, the Inland Revenue Department efficaciously surpassed the assigned target of income tax by putting in effective strategies and by inducing valid action plans in way of successful achievement of income tax target. It is also noteworthy that prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Department had also faced the natural calamity in shape of catastrophe of September 24, 2019 and it is on record that the earthquake had considerably slowed down all types of industrial, business and trade undertakings especially in District Mirpur and Bhimber. Even in that period, the Department technically, strategically and tactfully handled the critical situation arisen after happening of earthquake of September 24, 2019 and managed to achieve the revenue target of income tax with a remarkable increase. The commissioner also highlighted that in way of successful achievement of assigned income tax target, credit also goes to the esteemed guidance, cooperation and assistance extended by the senior functionaries of government of AJK. He also specially mentioned the tireless teamwork imparted by the officers/officials of the He was of the view that Inland Revenue Department worked round the clock diligently and consistently for the prime task of revenue collection. He affirmed that the Inland Revenue Department will keep up its outstanding performance in future and will continue to impart magnanimously in strengthening State economy by generating optimal government revenue. INP

No protocol treatment to politicians, bureaucrats in hospitals, says YDA LAHORE: The bureaucrats and politicians will not be given protocol treatment at the General Hospital, the Young Doctors Association (YDA) announced in a press conference on Wednesday. YDA President Dr Ammar, speaking at a press conference here said that the doctors will not accept protocol treatment to any bureaucrat or politician, rather they will be treated like other citizens. The YDA official also warned that the doctors will stay away from the duty if the promised risk allowance not paid within a week. INP

Sindh Revenue Board collected total revenue of Rs105.9 billion includes record receipts of Rs100.3 billion of sales tax during 2019-20, which reflects a growth of 5.6 per cent despite the general economic slowdown during the year, and the fall out of Covid-19 pandemic in the last four months of the year.

This was disclosed by a spokesperson Sindh Revenue Board, in a statement on Wednesday.

The collection of Rs105.9 billion includes record receipts of Rs100.3 billion of sales tax, representing a growth of 8 per cent over the collection of Rs93.1 billion during 2018-19. Collection of Sindh Workers Welfare Fund has been up to Rs5.6 billion.

The milestone that SRB has reached represents a consistency of achievements, it has built since organization’s inception in 2011, courtesy the hardwork and steadfastness demonstrated by its workforce, in a work-culture dedicated to professional values.

The year 2019-20 had a particular significance arising from Covid-19. The employees put in their best, working beyond the normal call of duty–despite the lockdown-six days-week in the face of difficult circumstances arising from the pandemic.

SRB team acknowledges the trust and cooperation of its taxpayers and the continuous support of the government of Sindh without which the landmark performance of SRB would not have been possible. SRB now eyes on an overall target of Rs135 billion during 2020-21 with a year-on-year growth of 27.5 per cent.

KP achieves revenue targets of Rs17bn in FY20 PESHAWAR APP

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA) has successfully achieved its revenue targets of Rs17 billion with 63 per cent growth rate for the fiscal year 2019-20.

The authority showed 63.4 per cent growth rate in revenue collection compared to the fiscal year 2018-19, despite the catastrophic impact of the pandemic Covid-19 on the overall economy and business activities in the province. In the fiscal year 2018-19, the authority had collected Rs 10.4 billion, which shows 63 per cent growth rate in the year 2019-20.

All the regions of the authority successfully completed their revenue targets showing tremendous growth compared to the previous year. The major chunk came

from Peshawar Region which collected over Rs11.4 billion revenue in both corporate and non-corporate sectors.

Similarly, the Mardan Region collected Rs284 million, the North Region collected Rs172 million while the recently established South Region collected Rs208 million revenue in fiscal 2019-20.

Rs1.2 billion were generated from the sales tax on services on the oil and gas sector while, Rs1.95 billion came from withholding agents.

KP Finance Minister Taimur Salim Jhagra and KPRA Director General Fayaz Ali Shah appreciated the efforts of employees of the authority for achieving the revenue targets in the extraordinary circumstances.

The finance minister congratulated the KPRA DG and his team for their praiseworthy performance and helping

the government to gather funds for financing its developmental projects.

Jhagra said that the KPRA is an outcome of the present government's reforms and hoped that the authority would show more improvement with more promising results by the end of next fiscal year.

"Achieving the revenue targets in the current circumstances is really a proud moment for us. We are thankful for the support and encouragement of the KP government, particularly Minister Finance that made it possible," said Shah in his statement.

We are committed to not only continue the current growth rate but to further increase it in the new fiscal year. We have to build tax culture in the province and our aim is to make KP fiscally selfreliant," he said.

Traders protest for free trade zone at Chaman border CHAMAN INP

The protest against the closure of Pak-Afghan border at Chaman for pedestrians’ movement and suspension of local trade between the two sides continued on 28th day, as the locals and traders are demanding the government to declare the area a free trade zone The border crossing is closed for the last four months after the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic for local traders and on foot movement of people. The sit-in is organised by All Parties Tajir Ittehad – an alliance comprising different bodies and individual traders – which started in early June.

The participants have blocked the traffic on the highway connecting the two countries for the last eight days. As a result, the Afghan transit trade, NATO supply, import and export as well as all other kinds of cross-border vehicular movement is suspended.

On Tuesday, provincial minister Asghar Khan Achakzai visited the sit-in site and met with the protesters. Achakzai promised that he would join the sit-in instead of protesting in the assembly if pedestrians’ movement and local trade were not restored within a month.

Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi – a JUI-F member of National Assembly – said the issue had been raised at every forum but the federal government wasn’t taking the matter seriously.

He pointed out the fact that the local population did not have any other source of employment or livelihood except the cross-border trade and movement.

The robbery and theft cases were on the rise in the area after the border closure, the lawmaker said and warned that the situation would further worsen if the issued wasn’t addressed.

The protesters have urged the federal government to open the border for pedestrians and local trade, as the traders said they were ready to follow the SOPs defined for the purpose.

The people living along the Pak-Afghan border are dependent on movement between the two countries for their livelihood. In fact, many have close family relations on the both sides of the divide.

NEWS

05

Smart lockdown in Balochistan extended till July 15 QUETTA: In the wake of increasing death toll due to coronavirus and emergence of new cases in Balochistan, the provincial government has decided to extend ongoing smart lockdown in the province till July 15. According to notification of Home and Tribal Affairs Department Balochistan issued on Wednesday, all shopping malls, markets and shops etc., will open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm six days of the week, while all minor and major business activities will remain closed on Friday. Wearing face masks and other precautionary measures are mandatory in public places. INP

50-bed Infectious Disease Hospital to start operation on Friday: Sindh CM KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) established at the University Road, opposite NED University here, would start operation from next Friday. He issued these directives to Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and VC Dow University during his visit to the hospital on Wednesday, said a statement issued by a spokesperson to the Sindh CM. The chief minister was accompanied by Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho.

Syed Murad Ali Shah visited the 50bedded double story hospital which has 6-bedded ICU and a High Dependency Unit. He visited each and every ward and personally witnessed operation of the radiology department, ventilators and oxygen system and IT unit. It is worth mentioning here it was Dow University's Dental hospital, which has been converted into Infectious Disease Hospital by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali by injecting necessary funding and staff. The chief minister directed the health department to post well-trained healthcare staff in the hospital and make it functional from Friday. “This hospital will be of great help to treat Covid-19 patients, even if any of them need only oxygen support or ventilators,” he said and added that the Xray unit/radiology department facility would also help to save the lives of serious patients by diagnosing their chest complication. APP

Karachi man arrested for harassing, blackmailing woman: FIA KARACHI: A man, identified as Iftikhar, was arrested from Karachi’s Gulistan-eJauhar for befriending a woman in the name of employment opportunities and then harassing her, according to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The man used to work at a mall. He promised the woman a job and then began a relationship with her. Iftikhar then forced her to send him inappropriate pictures and later shared those with his friend.

Following this, the woman filed a complaint with the FIA’s cybercrime cell.

The agency conducted a raid and arrested the suspect. The pictures and his mobile have been confiscated. According to FIA duty officer Shaham Hafeez, Iftikahr used to force the woman to meet him by blackmailing her with the picture. INP

K-Electric moves court to direct stakeholders into action for monsoon preparedness KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

K-Electric has moved the Sindh High Court to expedite proceedings in a Constitutional Petition filed in October last year, in which K-Electric had initiated legal proceedings against the unauthorized use of electricity infrastructure by cable TV and Internet providers. The petition was filed as part of the power utility’s continuing campaign to rid the city’s power infrastructure of such encroachments which are not only unwarranted but also pose a severe risk to the safe and reliable supply of electricity as well as to the lives of the residents of the city.

The petition includes as respondents,

cable TV and Internet companies, the city administration, municipal bodies and concerned regulators and was filed to bring to the notice of the Honorable High Court that the inaction of the respondents has led to the creation of an unsafe environment which has jeopardized the integrity of the electricity system and created public safety hazards which has led to various accidents including fatal ones specially during previous monsoon season. With the onset of monsoons again and the prediction of much heavier rains this year by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, and in the absence of any action by stakeholders, K-Electric has moved the Honorable Court to expedite proceedings in the pend-

ing petition for the absolute safety of the citizens of Karachi.

In the petition, KE has submitted that the power infrastructure is continuously being infringed upon and encroached by cable TV providers and Internet companies.

The power utility further submitted that these cables and boosters are installed at various locations across Karachi without adhering to the applicable electrical safety standards and the current through them passes to the poles and other downstream infrastructure, creating a severe hazard for the public at large as well as for the employees of the power utility. As per several investigations, these unwarranted TV and Internet cables and switches for streetlights

installed on electric poles have been found to be the underlying cause of numerous incidents including fatal ones that have taken place in the city in the past.

KE respectfully submitted to the High Court of Sindh that it is essentially the job of the city administration, civic and regulatory bodies to ensure that Karachi is made free from encroachments, be it on the ground or on electricity infrastructure, which also includes unsafe street-light switches, and also to ensure that electricity installations are free from water-logging. The power utility has been engaging with all concerned stakeholders so that they recognize their due role in providing an enabling environment for the power utility to operate by enforcing basic

urban development protocols in a planned manner across the city and to eliminate the issue of encroachments, illegal connections, unwarranted use of the infrastructure and water-logging around power infrastructure during and after rain. However, despite repeated requests by the power utility, in the form of letters and public appeals, as well as talks with stakeholders such as cable operators and their associations, and commitments to do the needful, they have so far failed to come through.

As such the power utility hopes that strict directions by the Honorable High Court to concerned authorities to perform their duties effectively will result in due action in the larger interest of the public.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

06 COMMENT

How will history judge us, now that we have judged the judge

Minus one formula Going into conniptions won’t do

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MrAN KHAN knows more than anyone else that those who brought him to power are getting increasingly frustrated with his lack of performance. despite having the full support of all the agencies and departments of the government, the Pti administration has miserably failed to resolve every crisis that it has faced. After nearly two years in power, the PM cannot get away with accusing the past governments or the mafias in the country for his failure to deliver. the PM was no more bubbling with confidence when he addressed the National Assembly on tuesday. the all too familiar refrain of his government and the establishment being on the same page was strikingly absent from the 45-minute speech. While it was necessary to assure the allies who met him on Sunday that his government would complete its tenure, a less confident PM told the House he had no worries about losing office and in no case would compromise on his ideology and principles. He advised Pti’s younger parliamentarians not to be scared of “leaving the chair,” saying no one remains in power forever. this sends a depressing message to the party’s media team that is ever ready with its two penn’orth of twist. Hours after the address a Pti Federal Minister warned in a tweet that the whole system would be wrapped up if minus one formula was implemented. that tweet was later deleted. imran Khan predicated the success of the country (read: the success of his government) on ridding the country of loss making public sector enterprises. He said the money that should have been spent on social development is being poured into the loss-making institutions. ranting like an opposition leader he said mafias were running these institutions and if the government succeeded in carrying out reforms, the nation would see better days. the fact that the Pti government failed to privatize the loss making PSes despite being in power for nearly two years does not bring credit to it. As an opposition leader put it, the Pti government should be sent home if a mafia still continues to rule the country. A better choice would be to sit down with the opposition to work out a solution. But can Mr. Khan get off his high horse?

There is more to the short order than meets the eye BAdAr iqBAl ChAudhAry

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He baleful clouds engulfed the splendor of cathedral of justice, as the ominous shade portended the events to follow. the main doors remained shut, but for the select few, as the masses thronged the sidetracks. ironies of the system were on full display. rumors amok, the clock struck four.

When the arguments fail, the law falls short, or the rhetoric is intended for the public eye rather than the annals of legal scriptures, we infallibly resort to religion. it was manifest in the Victorian views urged by the former law minister. reliance was also placed by the petitioner judge, the emissary of his wife, to remonstrate the alleged malicious ‘persecution’. it was only apt then, that, before announcing the judgment, the judge on the other side of the podium, read an injunction to announce that the judges remain accountable. to whom must they account, some differed. the equities appeared to tilt one way. All ten, deciding the fate of another amongst them, declared the Supreme Judicial council incapable of rendering a decision on the validity of reference. However, seven indicated the action was premature; three that it was malicious. there is no cavil that the superior courts have reserved for themselves, fortified since the Sabir Shah cases in the first half of 1990s, the power to review a pending proceeding if the forum concerned lacks jurisdiction, the remedy available is merely illusory, or if the questions of mala fides are involved.

Nevertheless, this power has been used sparingly, and more often than not, is exercised in trials by or in presence of media. Where popular justice is not desired, the more popular choice has been to demonstrate restraint and allow the original forum to make a determination.

Show cause, one is repeatedly admonished by the superior courts, are not final orders. yet, apropos the subject matter, notwithstanding the suo motu powers of the SJc, the show cause notice was declared as having ‘abated’ once the underlying reference was found deficient. Persecution is worse than punishment, albeit, only for the nobles. the rest, as the entrance doors had indicated, remain languishing in the sidetracks.

Be as it may, it was declared that the reference was not competent. Seemingly, the council can make a determination in a reference arising out of the same

A new disaster Announcement was not thought through

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erHAPS the european Union’s Air Safety Agency’s suspension of PiA’s flight operations was inevitable, once Aviation Minister Ghjulam Sarwar Khan’s announcement to the National Assembly that 262 pilots had obtained their pilots’ licenses improperly. the UK’s civil Aviation Authority also suspended operations, giving an indication of how other national aviation authorities might be expected to react. the pity of the matter is that Mr. Khan made the announcement as a sort of throwaway, a by-product of the enquiry into the Karachi air disaster. the irony is that, while there are indications of pilot error in the disaster, there is nothing wrong with the licenses of either the pilot or the co-pilot. However, Mr. Khan managed to ensure that attention was diverted from the crash and also his own ministry. However, the result has been disastrous. european regulators have already had PiA brought to their notice for drunken pilots, pilots attempting to sleep instead of flying the plane and cabin crew acting as drug mules. But now they would have to worry about what would happen if a pilot without a proper license tried to land a plane in europe. And there was a crash. the eASA and the UK cAA took the safe way out.

However, meanwhile, while it leaves PiA scrambling to get its operating permission restored, the really bad news for the government is that PiA privatization has once again been put on hold. With the airline industry already in free fall because of the covid-19 pandemic, this latest disaster makes the airline unlikely to be touched by any investor. A major asset had been the ability to land at major european and english destinations to carry the indigenous traffic. that ability has been compromised, and while the problem can be fixed, only a really desperate government could sell the airline; and that too at a bargain-basement price. that the matter of pilots’ licenses could not be swept under the carpet is given, but the springing of the surprise can only be explained by the minister’s desire to spare himself embarrassment. the Augean stables must be cleaned, and people made to believe that PiA pilots’ licenses are fine. domestic passengers matter more perhaps than foreign regulators.

Reforms in Pakistan’s Civil Service Without reforming recruitment, reform is not possible AnwAr Ali

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ediocrity has become the hallmark of Pakistan’s civil service. Maladies are rampant and numerous ranging from stupor, ineptitude, underperformance to misconduct. in the beginning of June, civil Service reforms supremo dr ishrat Hussain revealed to the media the reform agenda the incumbent government carries for Pakistan’s civil service. the major focus of Hussain’s talk was on the bureaucratic structure and system to undergo transformation. the gamut of emphasis was from induction, recruitment, training, performance, promotion, salary, compensation, and retirement to institution building, devolution, accountability and service delivery. the fallacy driving Hussain is that the mode of induction can be improved to add substance to the reform agenda. Hussain refuses to see the pre-induction state of affairs run by the Federal Public Service commission (FPSc), which conducts a yearly examination of central Superior Services (cSS) for recruitment in Basic Pay Scale 17. if the induction process is flawed, recruitment cannot contribute to the reform agenda. in the heart of the recruitment process lies the FPSc, without reforming which the whole superstructure of reforms in Pakistan’s civil service would be redundant. on 17 June, the FPSc declared the final result of cSS-2019. if Hussain should bother to pick up and read english essays of first ten successful candidates to fathom the quality of induction, he Hussain should see to what extent the essays bore a shred of originality, to what extent the essays were relevant to the topics asked, and to what extent the essays expressed analysis. Hussain would find the top ten successful candidates attempting one of three essays: (a) New war fronts lie in economic zones, (b) democracy and illiteracy do not move together, and (c) expanding information technology: a curse or blessing. the reason is that the FPSc is infatuated with a few

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

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Executive Editor

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Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

circumstances, upon letters written to the President, but cannot make a determination on a reference filed pursuant to purported failure to disclose properties. even more so, notwithstanding the bar in Article 211 of the constitution, the court continues to exert jurisdiction under Article 184(3) to nullify the proceedings before the SJc. in the recent past, therefore, now two references have been quashed.

History is known to judge consequences more often than intentions. if the consequence of this precedent is to demonstrate lack of faith in the SJc, perhaps one should consider dispensing with the institution altogether. Why have it, when the trumping power is to be retained by the Supreme court (even when the bench formed for the purpose potentially may even consist of fewer judges than the SJc itself). this argument, however, is for the conservatives to make. the court maintains that it must act to render complete justice and must intervene for that purpose. one would defer, but to what end? if, as the three lords imply, the reference was maliciously filed to target the independence of judiciary, it should have been quashed in toto. that is what the precedent dictated. in theory, at least, the judges interpret and declare but do not make laws. the superior courts have laid down clear principles confining its powers to interfere in alike matters. conspicuously, the prematurity of an action has not found itself in the folds of principles which may become the impetus for the Supreme court to intervene. there is no doubt the noble lords are aware of this. yet, such an end appears to have come to pass. if the intent was to hold the judges more accountable than others and thus leave no space for speculation, why particularize the forum, mode, manner, and the parameters within which the accountability must take place? is this not an executive mandate and subject to prevailing law? Are some entitled to fewer rights than others? there are no qualms in supporting the cause of judges holding themselves out to a higher standard, but might one ask, shouldn’t the accountability begin from the day they become a judge? Alternatively, if one was not fit to be appointed in the first place, shouldn’t everyone partaking in the process of his appointment be equally held accountable? even so, the spectacular seven paragraphs (paras 4 to 11) of the judgment tell no tale of the considerations that bore with the noble lords, but rather conspire to construct a cage within which the judge shall remain confined for another 75 days, while chased by prying eyes.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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topics such as education, poverty, illiteracy, population, feminism, women rights, corruption, democracy, terrorism, energy crisis, global warming, social media, and the cPec. these are oft-repeated topics and these are anybody’s guess. on these topics are existing now generational essays loaded with quotations and statistics to dupe an examiner into believing that the candidate has produced a high quality original essay. Generational essays are the essays that travel from father to son and from an elder brother and sister to younger ones.

A variation is also the manufactured essays that teachers hand down to their pupils every year gilded with the lofty claims of a hundred percent guarantee of success. on the part of candidates appearing for the examination, the only trick required is to shuffle adroitly the points and statistics given in these generational and manufactured essays to produce a desired stuff to show as if the candidate had spent months to gather the expressed knowledge. the moment the essay-checker is tricked into believing the pretense, the task is accomplished. this is how the FPSc is a main agency of recruiting the candidates who not only rely on rote learning, but who also know how to dupe an examiner. the successful candidates are considered the cream of Pakistan– the cream that cannot write an original essay to produce new knowledge and the cream that relies on the cramming and regurgitation of knowledge. When this cream is permitted to run the administrative affairs of the country, no reform can yield results. reforms are bound to founder on the ailing decrepit system that the FPSc erects every year. in principle, the purpose of examining an essay, as a compulsory subject, is to see if a candidate has developed an ability to produce original new knowledge in an organized convincing manner entailing a plausible conclusion. that is it. When this objective collapses, the whole idea of conducting the examination of an english essay is defeated. in the past few years, it has been observed that some officials of the FPSc whisper in the ears of the heads of certain cSS coaching academies the best

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it was not enough of an embarrassment for him to face an incompetent reference, there must be provisions for another. A much more valid one, if there is scope.

Hence, although the law empowers delegation of powers, it was ordained that the specified individual, and none else, shall issue notices under specified law to the specified persons, to account for the specified properties. the commissioner, mandated to issue the notice, is also given deeming jurisdiction over the judge’s children. All earlier proceedings, which may have vested any rights over the taxpayers, are terminated upon court orders. Although the properties concerned were purchased outside the period of time in which the tax returns remain subject to scrutiny under law (i.e. five plus one year), this fact is rendered immaterial. the court further appeared at pains to draw such specific parameters as to define the timeline within which the notices shall be issued, the manner in which it shall be deemed to have been served, the form of response that shall be entertained, the way in which any delay or adjournment on account of non-availability of the respondents within the country is to be dealt, the number of days within which the proceedings shall be concluded as also the order written, the person designated to prepare a report thereupon and the exact manner in which it would shuttle from office to office until it reaches the SJc, which shall exercise its ordained suo moto powers thereupon. Hence, all but in name, we already have another complaint pending, the cause whereof is yet to be written. the order, still, does not stop there. it goes beyond to propose the manner of the SJc proceedings if such report does not reach the concerned quarters, and indicates the action which may be taken against the judge and other persons upon such failure. Lastly, it arduously yearns to take away the right of appeal, a right much protected and preserved in history, so that the commissioner’s order shall be the sole basis of any determination against the judge, except if the SJc deems it appropriate to take into account any appellate proceedings.

Hence, everyone portraying this a battle for independence of judiciary must hold their horses. this is no time to rejoice. one prays that scales have not shifted, yet again, in favor of pragmatism and expedience, at the cost of unadulterated and well-meaning justice. Across the board and equal for all. We know it too well now that injustice leads to tyranny and despotism. the natural corollary whereof is chaos.

Badar Iqbal Chaudhary is a lawyer. He also has a degree in Electronics and Communications. He writes for various national and international publications.

guess on english essays. Mostly cSS coaching academies running businesses in islamabad and Lahore avail themselves of this privilege. Similarly, to these academies the names of head examiners setting papers for compulsory and optional subjects are leaked. the leakage helps the recipients guess the preferred area of the examiner to ask questions from and the way answers should be constructed.

Hussain does not know that the FPSc is lax to the connections of its officials with cSS coaching academies. For instance, the FPSc made the latest changes in the cSS syllabus in 2016. With that, a chain of favouritism burgeoned. Writers and book publishers with right connections got their books approved by the FPSc to be included in the recommended book list for compulsory and optional subjects. Similarly, a book publisher got its magazine recommended by the FPSc as the FPSc-approved official magazine for cSS candidates. reportedly, three FPSc officials were monetarily compensated for extending this favour. Nobody knows what criterion of inclusion or exclusion the FPSc established for selecting a book or a magazine for recommendation.

Hussain should also be interested in understanding the reason for the cSS candidates with a degree from either Lahore University of Management Sciences or Lahore School of economics opting for the subject of Punjabi. When a member of the english chirping class opts for Punjabi in the cSS examination, there must be some science to it. the answer, however, is simple. Like other regional languages, Punjabi holds the potential for giving more than 80 percent marks which create a world of difference when an average optional subject is oozing out 60 percent marks. it is not known what role any excellence in Punjabi plays in the official and professional development of a civil servant, other than offering a hoist to ratchet up overall marks of the candidate. Hussain should tell the nation the way any brilliance in regional languages contributes to the construction of careers of civil servants. the base line is simple: Pakistan’s civil service has been faltering to provide effective governance and sound public services. the FPSc is a partner in crime. Without reforming the examination system of the FPSc, no induction is fruitful and no reform agenda is effective.

Anwar Ali can anwarali_60@yahoo.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Thursday, 2 July, 2020

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Who is the real terrorist?

Ending seablindness The Pakistan Navy and the maritime doctrine of Pakistan dAmiyA SAghir

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He President launched the first ever maritime doctrine on 20 december 2018. this was a huge national success as many dimensions of the doctrine need higher recognition.

Among the three services, the Navy turns out to be one of the most significant. While we see armed warriors always ready to counter both external] and internal threats, Pakistan Navy ensures the protection of the boundary lines through and from the sea, especially the indian ocean.

Pakistan’s defense is primarily indo-centric and thus its primary defensive line is the Army. therefore, the Pakistan Navy does not play a primary role in the initial hostilities. thus maritime doctrine is quite different from air and military doctrines. even if not a priority in initial hostilities, the Navy is likely to be important in a prolonged conflict to maintain Pakistan’s access to crucial sea-lanes.

Pakistan’s naval contest with india is asymmetric. india has the world’s fifth largest navy, including an operational aircraft carrier, whereas Pakistan’s is far smaller and relies on hit and run tactics, utilizing its largely French-Built submarine force and US-supplied Harpoons and other anti-ship missiles. thus it is of grave concern for Pakistan as india develops one of its own nuclear submarines which upsets the nuclear balance between the two.

However since 2016, with the beginning of cPec, Pakistan has brought about several changes, as a taskforce is set up to protect the Pak-china business and trade and provide a seal to Gwadar port. Since Gwadar is the main actor for the trade, it is the core responsibility of the Navy to create a protective environment and because of this several advancements have taken place. in 2017, Pakistan has tested its first nuclear missile submarine, as a deterrent against india. everyone is aware of the roles of the Pakistan Army and PAF, but there remains a very lower insight into the role of the Navy.

Pakistan’s naval history had been on an arduous road of formation and development but its role in the three major wars cannot be denied.

From there was no formulation of maritime doctrine as wars in the beginning were primarily focused on land and air. However, the history of Navy still exists to be admired.

After the 1948 war it was evident that the biggest threat to the then royal Pakistan Navy was india, that in the early 1949 had purchased destroyers and cruisers. Pakistan on the other hand had such limited resources that it accepted that east Pakistan remained indefensible.

Keeping in mind the technological advancement of india, Pakistan initiated its ‘Five year Plan’ stating that by 1954, Pakistan should acquire four more destroyers, submarines, patrol craft, minesweepers, o class trio, seaward defense and many more things required by the rPN. However, lacking funds, Pakistan allied with the West to build up its naval requirements. From 1950 to 1959, rPN focused

mainly on assisting its manpower as it has now reached a sustainable amount of equipment for which people needed to be trained. different training programmes and high-level exercises were conducted with royal Navy and royal Australian and New Zealand Navies. in the 1965 War, the Navy’s instructions were to play defensive and not initiate any conflict. However, this soon converted after the iAF destroyed the PAF capabilities due to which the Navy had to turn offensive, ‘operation dwarka’ was conducted where the radar facilities were destroyed.

Since naval defenses were weak on the eastern coast and the enemy was aware of it, they conducted an ‘operation Python’ facing and targeting Karachi which turned out to be a huge success as many of the Pakistan navy submarines and minesweepers were destroyed. during the 1971 war, the Navy failed to counter the threat from one side. Why? Because of the communication gap.

After a dreadful defeat during the 1971 war, it was a major concern to strengthen the Navy.

While the Pakistan navy has remained active in protecting the national interests, it has remained far from achieving massive development. Just like army and air force, the navy has also seen india as its biggest adversary in the indian ocean. However, the threat has always existed, but there has been no maritime doctrine for Pakistan, leaving it most questionable as to what defensive strategies have the navy adopted.

Surprisingly, none. Just like Pakistan’s foreign policy, in practice the Navy’s acts can be related to a strategy or doctrine but there has existed no stated doctrine.

Pakistan cannot be criticized in not having a doctrine for a very long time as the culture of formulating a maritime doctrine begin in 1996 with Great Britain being the first, followed by many others like South Africa, Australia and lately india. india drafted its first doctrine in 2002 and in 2009 produced a second edition. this was a challenge for Pakistan. the draft formulation came forward in 2016, but the work for drafting a maritime doctrine begin way back in 2000, even before india’s.

From the very beginning Pakistan had remained dependent on the modal frameworks created by the great powers, and been copying the international systems rather than coming up with our own. When the quest for creating a doctrine began, many believed the British doctrine is enough for Pakistan to follow with a few changes. this doctrine and its points of need provide a fundamental basis of how the maritime strategy is supposed to be performed. When we are talking about the strategy, its foundation rest in a doctrine. While strategy steers development and employment of forces, a doctrine serves as a landmark in common understanding and translating beliefs into actions. the contributing writer and drafter of the doctrine, cdre (retd) Azam Khan, stated that the biggest unfortunate event for the threats prevalent in the ior is that although there are 36 littoral states in the ior, but none of them have a unified cooperation. there exists a massive level grouping between the states that rather than accommodating the challenges, triggers them even

further. these groups are divided into four zones that have built up their own disputes among each other. the zone in which Pakistan lies has three other nations, india, iran, and oman. He stated that Pakistan has settled all the disputes with iran and oman, the only outstanding issue is with india, Sir creek. the formation of maritime doctrine currently targets the future coming threats from the activation of Gwadar seaport with china Pakistan economic corridor (cPec). Khan stressed the biggest threat was the formation of powerful blocks. on one side the US Navy is fully supporting the indian Navy and on the other Pakistan Navy is collaborating with the chinese Navy. once trade begins, it will magnify the task of Pakistan Navy in terms of trade. it will only include protecting our own imports and exports, but the Navy would also have to ensure that national sea lines are protected and safeguarded. With the drafting of the maritime doctrine, the role and the character of the Pakistan Navy gets a clear vision.

With the change in the meaning of national security, now confronting not only war activities but several dynamics of sea, the national security includes new elements and new domains. the naval performance is focused to enhance in the continuum borders on social and human security on one extreme to the territorial security at the other. the maritime infrastructure along the coast and in Pakistan’s area of interest is projected to increase in the foreseeable future. the commercial activities and port-related infrastructure, a large network of communications and pipelines along the Makran coast, tourism and development and exploration work in Pakistan’s exclusive economic Zone (eeZ), are all expected to expand.

Any hostile attempts to hinder the sea line of communication by an adversary can have a serious impact. For this reason, the activities of cPec, its development and progressive success has benefits for the Pakistan navy. Better economy, better infrastructure leading to its better performance.

When the main concentration of any country remains on land, large segments of population become averse to matters of the ocean. in the process, despite historical baggage that we did not invest enough in the Pakistan Navy, and though we could not give a tough fight in 1971 to protect east Pakistan, we did not learn any lesson. However, now the focus of the world is shifting to the sea due to the shrinking land resources, populations are growing, and countries are becoming more dependent on sea resources. the indo-Pacific region is becoming the major concern. the South china Sea and western indian ocean are two important places where the world expects the major friction to take place. Navies are being bolstered for asserting dominance and serving political ends. Major powers have started rebalancing their naval forces and co-opting strategic partners to ensure unimpeded control of seas. in this global competition for the dominance of sea, the world is experiencing a rivalry to maintain its status of an eminent naval power for the future. thus, Pakistan, with the formulation of this doctrine stands very much in the line.

Damiya Saghir is a freelance columnist

i have grown up listening to allegations my mind would never accept, surely we all hear it everyday through the western world. i always used to wonder that a religion which gives so much importance to peace and prosperity, which gives high importance to human rights, how can the Muslims be called terrorists.

But what happens when we grow up and see the history, we observe the first world war, which resulted in the killing of millions of people, then ‘world war 2’ again the deadliest war of all time resulted in killings of 85 million people. So do you think that Muslims were Victorious in those wars and they killed those millions of people? then we see the people dying in Palestine, Korean war or how can i forget Burma. Please let me know if that was Muslims who did this bloodbath in history. clearly we can see the world has been controlled by these western powers who killed millions of people for their dominance on the world, but then they talk about human rights and it’s violation. Until when you will blame Muslims for your egoistic behavior. right now i am not talking about other incidents where you killed a lot of innocent people being on the back as we all know who was behind the cold war or the wars in Arab regions but somehow for personal interest of western countries they made innocent people suffer. there is a famous quote which states “How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism” there are always good and bad people, but if you blame Muslims for every bad terrorist activity that happens in the world then it’s also the racism which you don’t talk about but you degrade Muslims just because inside you know that we have the strength and better understanding of human rights than you. you are scared that we Muslims have the courage to rule the world due to our better understanding in law and regulations. i would add the name of the daughter of the Nation Mrs Affia Siddiqui, who has been prisoned in the USA, We will never forget her. Unfortunately our real Muslim leaders in past were assassinated by these Western Powers because these powers were scared of the will and courage of those true leaders. And in today’s time most of the leaders have the sense of fear that if they won’t agree to the terms of western world they might lose their power, so understand the point here that one is being played and the other one is playing, here what my mental level explains me, the real terrorists are those who are playing not the one who are being played. in last i will only say that open your eyes Muslim brothers, we are losing respect just because we are losing faith, you will never succeed until you live a life of a warrior not a follower of western world. Warrior doesn’t mean you go and war against them but warrior means to not to follow the footsteps of westorn powers but be good to your people, work for them they are your people your brothers. Because somehow you will be answerable for each and every lost Muslims ummah went through because of your hypocrisy. tipu Sultan once said: it is far better to live like a lion for a day then to live like a jackal for the hundred years.

SyED HAIDEr SuLtAn ISLAMABAD

Save the region WHAt Happened at Pakistan Stock exchange is not only condemnatory but alarming too? Statements issued by law enforcing agencies of the country have unearthed the fact that not only our country but the whole region is still in the trap of terrorism. the city of lights that has just started recuperating from its past wounds is once again hit by a new wave of terrorism. We live in a society where peace is the shakiest element, here its prolonged stay can only be desired but can’t be achieved. Baluchistan Liberation Army claiming the responsibility of the attack prevents us from analyzing the fact that who could be involved in the whole episode. PM Khan during his speech in national assembly without any hesitation accused india of initiating this deadly terror assault. Suppose if the attack had not been thwarted by the brave warriors what would have been the consequences. Stock would have crashed and our deplete economy would have tumbled further. But hat tip to our brave soldier who neutralized them and sent them to hell within the span of 8-10 minutes. india has always facilitated terror attacks to achieve its political ambitions and if the claim of the PM is true then what was the Prime object behind this attack. it is quite astonishing that despite being mortified by china and having deadly pandemic that has caused grave devastation all along the globe india can still afford to facilitate such grisly attacks. By using the lands of Afghanistan and iran against Pakistan it has dragged the whole region into the quagmire of terrorism. UNo that seems unaware of the whole scenario should play its part in reviving the peace of this region KAMrAn KAMI KArACHI

Is banning PUBG wise?

PtA has imposed a temporary ban on mobile game pubs across the country. two children had committed suicide in Lahore when they were not allowed to play the PUBG game, on which the heirs of both the children had filed a petition in the Lahore High court regarding the ban of the game. iG police had also sent a letter to PtA regarding the closure of PUBG game. remember, earlier two youngsters also took their lives and many young people from all over the world have lost their lives due to the online game PubG. in this game, two teams are formed and both the players kill each other with the help of weapons, from one player to 100 players who connect to each other through the internet.

Players from both teams disembark from the plane, first looking for weapons and then shooting the player in front of them. in the end, the surviving winner is given a “chicken dinner” in honor. the psychologists said that due to the game, young people are suffering from mental stress while the element of violence is also increasing among them. i think banning it can reduce violence and hate.

PUBG does preach violence like the killing of human beings and lifelike weapons are involved. thus it is highly unrecommended even if wisely managed and prioritized it may prove to be fatal for its players. the game is indeed addictive. And due to it being available on mobile phones it is very easily accessible and people are more vulnerable towards its addiction. children or even adults addicted or moving towards the addiction are advised to get proper counseling regarding violence and killing and should replace it with some other games which at least do not involve online players killing each other. nIMrA HAquE KArACHI

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

‘I COULD EASILY BE GEORGE FLOYD’: WALL STREET’S SENIOR BLACK BANKER TALKS ABOUT BIGGIE AND THE HOPE OF BLM CITIGROUP’S RAYMOND MCGUIRE INSISTS THAT WALL STREET HAS TO INVEST IN THIS MOMENT TO BRING REAL CHANGE. AND OH, BY THE WAY: HE MAY RUN FOR MAYOR Vanity Fair

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WilliaM d cohan

aYMonD McGuire has been a Wall Street investment banker for nearly 36 years. Currently, he is a vice chairman at Citigroup, the Wall Street behemoth, and the chairman of the firm’s banking, capital markets, and advisory businesses. For 13 years, he ran Citigroup’s corporate and investment banking division. Prior to Citigroup, McGuire worked at Merrill Lynch, Wasserstein Perella, and at First Boston (i have known McGuire since 1997, when we worked together in Merrill’s M&a group.) he has advised on some of the largest M&a deals of all time, including advising time Warner on its $108 billion acquisition by at&t and Wyeth on its $68 billion sale to Pfizer. now 63 years old, he may well be the longest serving, and most senior, Black investment banker on Wall Street. he is reportedly thinking about running for mayor of new York City to succeed Bill de Blasio when he leaves office next year. Last week, McGuire and MarieJosée Kravis, the chair of the economic Club of new York and the wife of billionaire buyout mogul henry Kravis, took to Zoom to discuss a variety of issues, but mostly they focused on the growing Black Lives Matter movement, the insidiousness of systemic racism in america’s Black communities, and what can be done to make sure Black americans have greater economic opportunity and a greater chance of creating real wealth. the key, McGuire said, is education. “Sixty-six years ago, in 1954, the great thurgood Marshall argued Brown v. Board of education, and the Supreme Court said that the educational system was ‘separate’ and ‘in-

herently unequal,’ and it decreed that we should, ‘with all deliberate speed,’ change that,” McGuire said. he then cited new York State testing statistics from 2019 for public school students in grades three through eight. only 35% of Black students in those grades tested “proficient,” while 51% of the white students tested at that level. “how does this demographic ever, ever have the opportunity?” he said. “What the demographic wants is the same opportunity that you offer your children or that any participants on this phone want for their children.

Give me the opportunity to get an education, so that i can be trained, so that i can then get access to capital, so i can then put food on the table, so i can get a job, so i can have a level of dignity, so i can do more than just get minimum wage.” he said he wishes the Black Lives Matter protesters, whom he supports, were also agitating to change the education system to give more disadvantaged americans a fighting chance, as he was fortunate to have in Dayton, ohio. he graduated from hotchkiss, the prestigious Connecticut boarding school, and then harvard College, as well as harvard Law School and harvard Business School. “What about education? he asked. “i got here through education. You were kind enough to cite my educational background. i’ve been on scholarships since sixth grade. i was raised by a single mother. i got bused. i walked a mile and a half to school.… i was on scholarship from sixth grade until i finished graduate school at harvard.” Kravis probed further. “We often talk about racial issues or it’s often said that racial issues are really an issue of class, not race, and that it’s because these poor children don’t have the opportunities,’’ she said. “there is some truth to that, but my experience is that racism or racial prejudice exists at every level.” She told McGuire that she had been listening recently to a podcast with Ken Chenault, the former longtime chairman and Ceo of american express and one of only a small handful of Black Ceos in corporate america—at the moment there are five Black Ceos in the Fortune 500—and he

was in the lobby of the executive floor during his early years at the company when another executive came up to him and asked, “What are you doing here?” the problem of systemic racism transcends all levels of american society, doesn’t it? Kravis asked. “this is all about race,” McGuire replied. “Let me be bright, clear, and unequivocal. i am really proud to be one of the only members, the sole, S-o-L-e and then the S-o-U-L member of the 4h Club, that is hotchkiss and three harvards. if i go into a major department store, i’m one of three things: i’m security. i’m men’s room. i’m men’s suits. and that’s if i’m dressed up. if i walk in any neighborhood, including my own, they have no idea that which i do for a living. they see a 6’4”, 200-pound Black man, and i can easily be George Floyd. i can easily be George Floyd. So people fail to recognize that because i’ve been given an opportunity, and because i have been from the bricks to the boardroom, from the bottom up. as the great philosopher of the 21st century, Biggie, says, ‘if you don’t know, now you know.’ Remember”—and here he cited some Biggie lyrics, probably for the first time in the 113year history of the economic Club of new York—“‘We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us / no heat, wonder why Christmas missed us / Birthdays was the worst days.‘ that is every Black person out there. We celebrate those who had the opportunity, and we hope for those who have not had the opportunity. i could easily be George Floyd or ahmaud arbery, and the list goes on and on, trayvon Martin. i could be emmett till. Just because i have those degrees and i have benefitted from all of the great education, greatest institutions that exist on the planet, i’m still Black.”

McGuire is hoping for real change this time. “today, we have the opportunity,” he said. “this can be a moment. i see all the relatable messages and a lot of investment dollars, and i think that is commendable. But we need to move from a moment to a movement, and a movement is going to require all of us to invest and invest significantly, invest to the point where we’re un-

Why Russia’s relations with India and China will survive Galwan border clash CHINA AND INDIA’S CURRENT IMPASSE POSES A HUGE POLITICAL CHALLENGE FOR RUSSIA, WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED LONG-TERM STRATEGIC TIES WITH BOTH COUNTRIES South China Morning PoSt

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danil Bochkov

he rise in tensions along the Chinaindia border in the himalayas began in early May and resulted in bloodshed earlier this month with violence in the Galwan valley. this border stand-off bears similarities to the skirmish in 2017, with the only exception being a lack of fatalities three years ago. the intensification of this dispute has spurred concern among nepal, Japan and other regional players who have to balance their foreign policy between China and india. it has also drawn the attention of larger powers such as the United States and Russia, with the former offering mediation but to no avail.

China and india’s current impasse poses a huge political challenge for Russia, which has established long-term strategic ties with both countries. Russia-india relations are officially described as a “special and privileged strategic partnership”, a formula that was originally promulgated during President Vladimir Putin’s official visit to india in 2010. the special nature of their bilateral relations has been underscored several times in recent years, such as Putin’s 2018 state visit to india and a 2019 meeting between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. the two sides adopted “india-Russia: an enduring Partnership in a Changing World”, a 2018 joint statement in which they recognised the importance of adjusting relations in a new global reality.

Russia and China upgraded their relations last year to a “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era”. Some have seen this as evidence of both countries’ desire to reshape the nature of their bilateral relations amid new challenges and the intensification of global geostrategic competition with the US.

From an economic perspective, the US$11 billion in trade between Russia and india in 2019 pales in comparison to the US$110 billion between Russia and China. however, india is seeing a burgeoning relationship with Russia through arms sales. it regularly buys a wide range of Russian weapons, including the high-end S-300 and S-400 “triumph” air defence systems and MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets. China is more advanced than india in producing military hardware with its Chengdu J-20 fighter jet and hQ-9 air defence system. in terms of cutting-edge defence technology, though, China is another long-standing client for the Russian arms industry. it signed a contract of US$2.5 billion in 2015 for delivery of the fourth-generation Su-35 fighter jet, and it has also bought Russia’s S-400 surfaceto-air missile system. a Stockholm international Peace Research institute study shows india and China as by far the leading buyers of Russian arms from 2015 to 2019, with india accounting for 25 per cent of Russian exports and China 16 per cent. in that same period, Russia supplied 56 per cent of india’s total arms imports. of the 13 foreign contingents that took part in the Red Square military parade on June 24, only four – india, China, Mongolia and Serbia – were not from former Soviet republics. this and the statistics above speak to the strategic character of Russia-india and Russia-China relations. While Russia recognises the complexity of China-india relations, it has made sure to adhere to the principle of multilateral cooperation. it is inclined to harmoniously develop its relations with both countries and avoid any imprudent moves. Russia could be a better intermediary than the US given its positive relations with india and China, but it has not done so and instead opted to prevent any ambiguous interpretations of its motives from Delhi or Beijing. this is evidenced by Russia’s continued advocacy of the importance of trilateral discussions while stressing that disagreements between india and China not become part of the

meetings’ agenda. amid the current border tensions, Lavrov has stressed that China and india do not need help in resolving their issues. after india and Pakistan joined the Shanghai Cooperation organisation in 2017, none of their border disputes have led to diplomatic gridlock within the group. Russia values india and China as important diplomatic partners, with relations with China flourishing in recent years. even so, Russia does not necessarily want to put relations with india on a par with Chinese relations. this is not a matter of who is closer to Russia.

While Russia and China share a common vision of global order, india is pursuing a diversified strategy and trying to balance relations with powers such as the US, China and Russia. the value Russia places on its relations with india and China is shown by the mention in the latest Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation of trilateral talks among other important platforms for cooperation with Russian partners. the three countries reiterated the close nature of their cooperation within the SCo, BRiCS and the United nations during a trilateral meeting earlier this month.

During that meeting, Lavrov noted that all three participants expressed concern over some states trying to revise the basics of global security established after 1945. he also said they discussed reforming the Un Security Council by adding more members and that Russia considered india one of the most fitting candidates for inclusion. Russia regards india and China as autonomous powers, and while it welcomes Chinese participation in new Start talks, it does not insist on it. Russia opts to stay out of the border tensions between india and China without lending support to either side. this strategy dovetails with Russia’s interests in forging diversified political contacts amid intensifying cold war rhetoric from the US. it shows Russia is not a “junior partner” of China as some think; otherwise, it would blindly support China’s position on the issues.

Danil Bochkov is an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council.

comfortable investing, recognizing that long-term it will generate a return. in the long-term, if we don’t invest, it will be to our collective peril.” he wants this moment to be more meaningful and lasting. “We have the potential for it to be different,” he said. “there is potential, in large part because the George Floyd situation showed america its face, and it showed america that this is the ugliest moment that we can all witness, eight minutes and 46 seconds, the ugliest time that any of us have ever experienced, some of the ugliest times. We are hard pressed to tell our children why there is that eight minutes and 46 seconds this policeman had his knee on the neck of a Black man, with no one helping him. We saw that. We witnessed that. and each of us has a challenge in telling our children: how it is that we allow that to happen, and what are we going to do to change that? are we going to witness it and be a bystander like those other three policemen? or are we going to do something to change the fundamental course of history? each of us has to challenge ourselves. For some, we’ll check the box and that will be okay. the issue will have moved past this moment. it shouldn’t be just another funeral. it shouldn’t just be another ceremony. each of us has the opportunity to change the course of history. i’ve been on Wall Street for 36 years, the longest head of an investment bank in the history of Wall Street, who happens to be Black. it is through prayer, preparation, performance, and paranoia that i’m here. others need to have the same opportunity, and each of us can make certain that we’ve given someone who doesn’t look like us, or maybe it might be someone who does, the opportunity.

We can change the course of history.”

Such exhortations give rise to whether McGuire’s political aspirations are real or merely trial balloons.

Kravis couldn’t resist asking him. he was impressively evasive, most un-McGuire-like. “Service is something [important to me], especially at this time in our history,” he replied. “We have the opportunity to change the course of history, to change the course of 400 years of history, and i will continue to do my part. Service is an important and necessary part of my journey, which is an important and necessary part of all of our journeys.

Wherever i think i can be best and most highly effective, that’s the path i will follow. it is a journey of service and i’ve been fortunate through opportunities and through sponsorship to be here and to be able to chat with you. i’m honored to be here.” Must be running.

Israel and annexation: unlawful, unwise and immoral ‘ANNEXATION IS ILLEGAL. PERIOD. WHETHER IT IS 30% OF THE WEST BANK, OR 5%.’

Editorial

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Guardian

nnexation looks like the executioner of the two-state solution. israel has changed the facts on the ground, with the rapid growth of settlements rendering that goal less and less viable.

But the declaration of sovereignty over parts of the occupied territories, in putting a formal seal on physical realities, will be a new and terrible moment, and above all a fresh injustice to Palestinians.

Under the deal agreed to form israel’s unhappy unity government, the prime minister, Benjamin netanyahu, can begin annexation from 1 July. But the plans may be delayed. Benny Gantz, Mr netanyahu’s coalition partner and political foe, has said that the date is neither “sacred” nor urgent, given a second surge in coronavirus cases and economic damage from the first. While Donald trump is as erratic as ever, israeli media have reported that a lack of US support is pushing back an announcement. the plans may also be diminished. though Mr netanyahu has leaned towards a maximalist stance, including all of the Jordan Valley and up to 30% of the West Bank, there are signs that the international pushback may have led him to initially focus on a handful of settlement blocks close to Jerusalem in an essentially symbolic move. the corruption charges that Mr netanyahu faces mean that he needs a big prize for voters. though some think an eternally deferred promise may be more useful to him than delivery, too long a delay might mean a new US president thanks to november’s election: Joe Biden is unlikely to keep handing Mr netanyahu gifts as Mr trump has done, even if he also seems unlikely to claim them back.

Whenever annexation comes, and whatever precise form it takes, it will breach international law. as Michelle

Bachelet, the Un high commissioner for human rights, observed: “annexation is illegal. Period. Whether it is 30% of the West Bank, or 5%.” the consequences for israel and its neighbours are far-reaching and potentially calamitous. More than 200 former leaders from Mossad, Shin Bet, the military and the police have said that it risks igniting “a serious conflagration”, including through the collapse of the Palestinian authority. King abdullah of Jordan warned of a “massive conflict”. the Un secretary general, antónio Guterres, has warned that it would destabilise the region. Yet critics point out that Mr netanyahu and others will have factored these issues into their thinking and have calculated that Jordan and egypt, for instance, will ultimately uphold agreements which serve their own interests.

What is unarguable is that annexation is wrong. israeli voices that angrily rejected comparisons with apartheid South africa in the past now draw it themselves as they contemplate the institutionalisation of the military occupation, without the granting of citizenship or equal rights to Palestinians. the lawyer Michael Sfard predicts a largescale expropriation of Palestinian land and property, and expulsions.

Leading Jewish figures and groups in the UK, the US and elsewhere have expressed concern and outrage. the international condemnation has been loud. But no country has taken concrete measures in response, notes Saeb erekat, the chief negotiator for the Palestinian authority.

Labour has said it will support a ban on israeli imports made in West Bank settlements if the annexation goes ahead. the eU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has warned that its ties with israel will “inevitably” retract. there is a precedent: the sanctions imposed on Russia over the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. Be they diplomatic or economic, real consequences are now required.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

BUSINESS 09

CORPORATE CORNER

RAzAk DAwooD STReSSeS econoMic inTegRATion wiTh AFghAniSTAn, cARS ISLAMABAD

KARACHI: The Bahria Town management has announced the construction of a Mega Shopping Mall & Glow Park within the Bahria premises. The project will be modelled after Dubai Garden Park. pReSS ReleASe LAHORE: The Lahore School of Economics’ Center on International Migration, Remittances and Diaspora (CIMRAD) on Thursday organised a webinar to discuss the impacts of Covid19 on the current situation of overseas Pakistani workers and the government efforts to facilitate their orderly and safe return. pReSS ReleASe

LAHORE: Huawei has made its youth-centric offerings HUAWEI Y6p and HUAWEI Y8p available in Pakistan.

These two new entrants join the line-up of Huawei’s extremely popular Y Series – catering to the entry-level and mid-range price segments. pReSS ReleASe

Al Meezan announces interim payout of Rs1.06bn for unit holders KARACHI: Al Meezan Investment Management Limited CEO Mohammad Shoaib, under the authority delegated by the company’s board, has announce the interim payout of Rs1.06 billion for the unit holders of following open end funds/ plans for the year ended June 30, 2020. Al Meezan, the largest and only shariah compliant fund manager in Pakistan with the Highest Assets under Management (AUMs) in the industry of over Rs15,000 crores (as on 30 th June, 2020) is proud to maintain AM1 rating (the highest management quality rating in Pakistan awarded by JCR-VIS and PACRA Credit Rating Companies). pReSS ReleASe

Dawlance pioneers export of microwave ovens from Pakistan KARACHI: Dawlance has once again proved its technology leadership in Pakistan. It has now become the first company in Pakistan to export globally competitive microwave ovens. This export-consignment is a part of Dawlance’s commitment to enrich Pakistan’s economy, by strategically diversifying its business towards international markets and earn valuable foreign exchange. The first batch of microwave ovens are being exported to Bangladesh while the brand foresees exports of various other countries. Dawlance has been exporting its locally produced refrigerator and washing machine to various countries while it is the only brand from Pakistan to export its water dispenser to Europe. pReSS ReleASe

Qatar Airways to launch three weekly flights to Toronto from 4th DOHA: Qatar Airways has announced it will operate three weekly flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport from 4 July 2020. The flights will be operated by an Airbus A350-900 offering 36 seats in Business Class and 247 seats in Economy Class. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said, “In these difficult times, customers are looking for an airline they can rely on and trust. Our unrivalled experience in taking people home safely and reliably continues to provide the assurance people need. We have built a strong level of confidence with passengers, governments, trade partners, and airports as a trusted partner during this crisis and we intend to continue delivering on this missio. pReSS ReleASe

Jazz supports access to remote learning through ‘Jazz Parho’ KARACHI: Under the umbrella of its recently launched “Jazz Parho” campaign, Jazz is actively working to provide remote learning opportunities to students as educational institutes remain closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At the moment the technologies used for mobile learning are not universal in Pakistan. Unfortunately, the pandemic has exacerbated the already prevalent digital divide in the country. Many students, particularly from vulnerable communities, are unable to continue their education as the internet is a perceived luxury for them. As the leading mobile operator with the necessary resources and digital tools at our disposal, we believe it is our moral responsibility to not look away from this but to grapple with it and ensure these students don’t suffer any longer,” said Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim. pReSS ReleASe

STAFF RepORT

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DvISER to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood on Wednesday underlined the need to enhance economic and trade integration with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) in order to boost regional connectivity.

He said this during a meeting with US International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC) Chief Executive Officer Adam Boehler at the Ministry of Commerce, said a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce.

Board of Investment (BOI) Chairman Atif Riaz Bokhari and Commerce Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar were also present on the occasion.

While giving an overview of Pakistan's economic relationships with regional countries, the adviser said that Pakistan was already working closely with Afghanistan, particularly on the development of transit trade, with an aim to build long-term economic relationships. "Pakistan is also looking for stronger connectivity with Central Asian Republics, which will include the building of not only roads but also the power infrastructure," he added.

The adviser emphasised that Pakistan was a high-

PM’S AIDE URGES IDFC TO ACT AS AN INTERLINK BETWEEN REGIONAL COUNTRIES SO THAT MUTUAL OBJECTIVES COULD BE ACHIEVED cost energy country and with the stronger connectivity with CARs, the country could lower these costs for investors and businesses.

He urged the IDFC to play a facilitative role as an interlink between these regional countries so that mutual objectives could be achieved.

Discussing various investment opportunities in Pakistan, Dawood apprised the IDFC CEO of the public-private partnership mode introduced by the government to relieve some burden of the annual PSDP expenditure.

He continued that Pakistan was in need of foreign direct investment as it would bring along technology, improvement in productivity and employment opportunities for the locals.

"Pakistan is looking for diversification in FDI as investors from all over the world, irrespective of their country of origin, are provided with a level playing field and equal support from the government," he claimed.

Urea offtake surges 76pc to 1.2m tonnes in June KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

The provisional offtake of urea registered a whopping increase of approximately 76pc YoY to 610,000 tonnes in June 2020, as compared to the same of last year.

"Provisional fertiliser offtake for June 2020 indicates that urea sales witnessed a massive surge owing to seasonality factor along with reopening of the economy during the month," explained Tahir Abbas, Head of Research at Arif Habib Limited.

Inventory levels dropped to 400,000 tonnes in June 2020 as compared to 1.1 million tonnes in May 2020.

"In light of strong demand in the upcoming Rabi season, and with an estimated urea offtake at 6 million tonnes in 2020, we view production (excluding two RLNG-based fertiliser manufacturers) to arrive at 5.5 million tonnes," Abbas stated.

Last year, the government had operated two RLNG fertiliser plants to plug the shortfall of urea. Subsequently, the country’s urea production had clocked in at 6.2 million tonnes, the highest ever in its history.

However, for the future, Abbas said, "The

government should operate both fertiliser plants for the remaining months of CY20 in order to bridge the expected shortfall of 0.5 million tonnes of urea in 2020. This will not only help the government save forex reserves but will also ensure efficient distribution of urea and maintenance of adequate buffer stock in the country.”

The Fauji Group’s (FFC and FFBL) urea offtake experienced a rise of 83pc YoY to 1,175,000 tonnes in June (390pc MoM). The group managed to outperform its peers with 8pc YoY growth in urea offtake during the first half of 2020.

Similarly, Engro Fertilizers Limited’s urea offtake underwent a growth of 187pc YoY and 391pc MoM to 504,000 tonnes in June, whereas Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited’s sales surged 16pc MoM to 52,000 tonnes albeit, witnessed a downturn of 43pc YoY. However, no offtake was recorded under National Fertilizer Marketing Limited (NFML).

Meanwhile, the sale of DAP declined 28pc YoY, while remaining strong on a MoM basis (+88pc) to 115,000 tonnes in June.

During the first half of 2020, DAP sales declined 17pc YoY to 538,000 tonnes. On the other hand, its inventory position clocked in at 466,000 tonnes during the same period.

PTA temporarily suspends PUBG, seeks feedback from public

The adviser also shared the problems being faced by the businessmen in Pakistan amid Covid-19 pandemic, including liquidity issues and cancellation of export orders.

Speaking on specific areas where IDFC can support Pakistan, BOI Chairman Atif Riaz Bokhari talked about the mortgage lending sector, where a joint venture with Pakistani businesses could be established to provide affordable housing solutions to the public.

Bokhari also talked about development of a Science and Technology Industrial Park in Pakistan as well as investing in small and medium-scale hydropower projects.

Talking about the mode of investment, the BOI chairman stressed the importance of equity investment rather than direct loans, which was a more sustainable approach towards development.

The IDFC CEO informed the adviser that they intend to start a regional fund for development in CARs that have shown an interest in Pakistan's involvement in the fund.

He informed that IDFC has a $3 billion fund for immediate liquidity requirements of financial institutions in the aftermath of Covid-19.

He also discussed a number of opportunities with the Pakistani side and decided to pursue different options as discussed in the meeting.

market daily

Stocks welcome FY21 with 485-point rally KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) greeted the financial year 2020-21 (FY21) with positivity, as the benchmark index extended its rally from the previous session, closing the session around 90 points shy of the 35,000-mark. "The cement sector led the market rally on Wednesday, mainly on back of the recent increase in the per-bag price of cement and reduction in federal excise duties," said a statement by Arif Habib Ltd. "Owing to an increase in international crude prices, exploration & production remained the second most important contributor to the index, while oil marketing companies (primarily PSO) also gained from the recent increase in the retail price of POL products." The KSE-100 Index followed a steady path throughout the session, registering its intraday high at 34,924.29 after gaining 502.37 points. It settled higher by 485.27 points or 1.41pc at 34,907.19. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index surged by 1,598.55 points to close at 56,593.80, while the KSE All Share Index added 336 points, settling at 24,996.90. The advancers-todecliners ratio was recorded at 209 to 109. The overall market volumes appreciated from 223.16 million shares in the previous session to 315.52 million shares (+41pc).

Average traded value also increased by 42pc, from $44.6 million to $63.5 million.

BUSINESS DESK: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has decided to temporarily suspend the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) game, as a result of complaints received from various segments of the civil society. PTA has received numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was said that “the game is addictive, a wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the children”. Some cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game have also been reported in the weeks leading up to this decision by PTA. Earlier in May, the Lahore High Court had also directed PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants. In this regard, a hearing is scheduled to be conducted on July 9, 2020.

‘Fuel shortage must not be linked with partial curtailment of oil imports’ ISLAMABAD App

The Petroleum Division (PD) on Wednesday said that fuel shortage, which occurred during the last month across the country, had no link with the decision taken to partially curtail the oil imports in March.

“The Petroleum Division has already clarified the allegation of linking petrol shortage in June 2020 on partial curtailment of oil import in March 2020,” it said in a statement while rejecting media reports.

“The division vehemently repudiates the content of media reports and the insinuation of fixing the responsibility of recent unavailability of petrol and subsequent revision of petroleum prices in view of increased oil prices globally by the government on this division.”

It reiterated that the deci-

sion to curtail oil imports was taken keeping in view the Covid-19 situation, and that it was aimed at managing the supply chain in the wake of drastic drop in demand, while preserving production of oil and gas from local fields.

The PD said the decision was lifted on April 24.

“It must also be known that during this curtailment period from March 25-April 24, as many as six ships of motor gasoline and two ships of crude oil were allowed based on the requirements and demand of various OMCs and refineries.

“The effect of this curtailment, if any, would have shown in the early to mid-May given the sailing time of only 3-4 day from the Gulf region.

“Thus, this negates the perception of any disruption in the supply chain for the month of June 2020 was created by oil

import curtailment in March/April 2020.”

The PD further noted that the role of regulator and the ministry was defined in law and regulation. “Each has to function in its own ambit but in coordination with other organs of the state.”

As per the statement, “Since the matter was sub-judice in high courts and the prime minister had set up a committee to inquire the reason(s) of recent shortage of petrol and fix responsibility, therefore, narration of misleading hypothesis on the basis of incomplete information must be avoided.”

The PD urged the media to provide objective information to public and reserve the comments till the judgment of learned courts and findings of the prime minister’s inquiry committee were made public.

ISLAMABAD: Fauji Fertilizer Company, in line with its commitment to nation building and welfare of vulnerable communities, has announced extension of food supply and 5,000 safety masks to 4,400 families of Rahim Yar Khan. pReSS ReleASe

LAHORE: The outgoing year 2019-20 proved to be a historic one for hydel power generation in Pakistan, as WAPDA provided the highest ever number of hydel electricity i.e. 37.4 billion units to the national grid. pReSS ReleASe

KARACHI: Bahria Town management has erected the world’s biggest flagpole in the port city. A formal ceremony in this regard would be held on 14 Aug 2020. pReSS ReleASe

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

ISRael SIgNalS WeSt BaNk aNNexatIoN move Not ImmINeNt JERUSALEM

I

AGENCIES

SRAEL's foreign minister has suggested an announcement on the planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank was not imminent on Wednesday, the date set by Israel's coalition government to start the widely criticised process.

The statement by Gabi Ashkenazi came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government's discussions with the United States on the annexation plan would continue "in the coming days", indicating he would miss the selfimposed July 1 target date to begin debate on the controversial issue.

"I reckon there will be nothing today," Ashkenazi, a member of the centrist Blue and White party that eventually partnered up with Netanyahu's right-wing Likud after

No corroborating evidence to back Russia bounty story: Pentagon chief WASHINGTON: The US secretary of defense has said that while the Pentagon takes all threats against US troops “very seriously,” there is so far no proof for the ever-shifting story that Russia paid bounties for the killing of US soldiers. In a statement on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the top military brass treats the security of military personnel, including in Afghanistan, as a high priority. “I want to assure all of our service members that the Department takes very seriously any and all potential threats against US military personnel,” he said. Esper noted that while he and others in the US military command seek to ensure that “the best intelligence,” as well as weapons, gear, and equipment are available to the troops on the ground, there is currently no “no corroborating evidence... to validate the recent allegations regarding malign activity by Russian personnel against US forces in Afghanistan.” The ‘bombshell’ bounty claim – initially reported by the New York Times last Friday and later picked up by the bulk of the mainstream media without so much as a hint of skepticism – alleged a sinister pact between Russia and Talibanlinked elements, possibly criminals. AGENCIES

Pilot dead as F-16 crashes in South Carolina CAROLINA: A single-seater combat aircraft hit the ground and caught fire during a training flight at Shaw Air Force Base, the military has confirmed. The pilot was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. The F-16 belonging to the 20th Fighter Wing crashed at approximately 11:30 pm local time on Wednesday, according to a brief statement the base posted on Facebook. It said the cause of the crash, which happened during a "routine training mission," is not yet known. Local media initially reported that the pilot was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Later in the day, Shaw Air Force Base, where the incident occurred, confirmed that the airman was pronounced dead. Military officials will not disclose the man’s name until his family are informed. Shaw Air Force Base, located outside Sumter, South Carolina, houses three squadrons of F-16CMs. The 20th Fighter Wing specializes in the suppression of enemy air defenses, air interdiction, and combat searchand-rescue operations. AGENCIES

three inconclusive elections, told Israel's Army Radio on Wednesday.

In a sign of rifts within the coalition over the timing of any unilateral annexation

move, which has been fiercely opposed by the Palestinians and most of the international community, Ashkenazi referred further questions on the matter by the interviewer to Netanyahu. It also came after Benny Gantz, alternate prime minister and defence minister, said this week that annexation must wait until the coronavirus crisis has been contained. Gantz, the leader of the Blue and White party, is due to take over as prime minister in November 2021 under the terms of the coalition deal.

Netanyahu may still move forward, either later on Wednesday or in the coming days, with reports in Israeli media suggesting he may announce a symbolic move such as the annexation of one illegal settlement on Jerusalem's outskirts.

Meanwhile, Palestinians began gathering in Gaza City for a demonstration against the plan, with rallies in the West Bank also scheduled for later in the day.

Pompeo pushes UN to extend Iran arms embargo NEW YORK AGENCIES

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed the UN Security Council on Tuesday to extend an arms embargo on Iran before it expires in October, prompting Russia to slam Washington's policy toward Tehran as like "putting a knee" to the country's neck.

The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the 15-member council that would indefinitely extend the arms embargo on Tehran, but council vetopowers Russia and China have already signalled their opposition to the move.

"Don't just take it from the United States, listen to countries in the region.

From Israel to the Gulf, countries in the Middle East “who are most exposed to Iran's predations “are speaking with one voice: Extend the arms embargo," Pompeo told a virtual Security Council meeting.

He called Iran “the world’s most heinous terrorist regime,” urging the UN to reject “extortion diplomacy.”

Pompeo said Iran would be free to

upgrade and expand its submarine fleet, to purchase advanced technologies for its Middle East proxies including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, and Yemen’s Houthi Shiite rebels.

And it will be free “to become a rogue weapons dealer, supplying arms to fuel conflicts from Venezuela, to Syria, to the far reaches of Afghanistan,” he said.

US President Donald Trump's administration has long argued that the arms embargo on Iran should not be lifted. The arms embargo is set to end in mid-October under Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia and the administration of Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama.

Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has quit the nuclear deal and steadily ramped up sanctions on Iran in what Washington describes as a maximum-pressure approach. Addressing the council, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia described the policy as "a maximum suffocation policy."

"The task is to achieve regime change or create a situation where Iran literally

wouldn't be able to breath. This is like putting a knee to one's neck," he said in a veiled reference to the death of a Black man in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck. The death of George Floyd sparked protests across the United States and around the world.

The Security Council meeting on Tuesday was to discuss a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that determined that cruise missiles used in several attacks on oil facilities and an international airport in Saudi Arabia last year were of "Iranian origin."

Saudi Arabia's UN Ambassador Abdullah Al Mouallimi said Russia and China had been "sympathetic" to Riyadh's situation, but when it came to the proposal to extend the arms embargo on Iran they "presumably had scores to settle with the United States."

"We're trying to separate the two issues in our discussions with them, which ... are open, are friendly discussions, are based on the good relations that we enjoy with both countries," he told a news conference later on Tuesday.

Covid-19 cases could go up to 100,000 daily in US, warns Fauci WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government's top infectious-diseases expert, has said the country is "not in total control" of the coronavirus pandemic, giving a dire warning that Covid-19 cases in the United States could go up to 100,000 per day if the current trend "does not turn around."

"I can't make an accurate prediction, but it's going to be very disturbing," Fauci told senators on Tuesday in a hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that the country is "going in the wrong direction" as the number of Covid19 cases increases across the nation.

"We are now having 40-plus thousand new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does

not turn around. And so I am very concerned," he said. Fauci stressed that he could not make an estimation on deaths as those would need to be modeled.

His comments came as the number of new cases reported each day in the United States is outpacing that of April, when the pandemic rocked Washington state and other parts of the country, especially the New York City area.

More than 2.6 million Covid-19 cases have been reported in the country with the fatalities surpassing 127,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, according to a tally

by Johns Hopkins University.

Fauci warned that some states are "skipping over" checkpoints in the federal reopening guidelines and that this is leading to new hotspots in states like Texas, Florida and Arizona.

According to Fauci, about 50 percent of all new cases are coming from four states: Florida, California, Texas and Arizona.

The outbreaks in various parts of the country put "the entire country at risk" and "clearly we don't have this under control," Fauci added.

He said that even states and localities that "did it right" regarding reopening still have individuals who engaged in an "all or none phenomenon", disregarding social-distancing measures and face mask usage while out socially.

"In this viral surge we are seeing more tests being done but we are also seeing a higher percentage of those tests be positive. This indicates more infection is the issue - not more testing," Robert Schooley, a professor of medicine with the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California, San Diego told media.

"As the epidemic surges, hospitals and ICUs are, nonetheless, being stretched to capacity in Arizona, Texas, Alabama and elsewhere.

19 killed in gas blast at clinic in tehran TEHRAN: A gas leak caused a huge blast and fire at a medical clinic in northern Tehran, leaving more than a dozen people dead and several others injured, Iranian officials have said. Iran's ISNA news agency was among the first to publish footage of clouds of black smoke above the city. Other videos posted to social media, which purported to have captured the incident, showed intense flames and a descending whirl of sparks. The emergency services later said the blast rocked Sina Athar Medical Clinic, not far from Tajrish Square, one of the busiest areas of the capital. It was likely caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder used to store liquefied gas for medical purposes. At least 19 people – 15 men and 4 women – were killed in the incident, the emergency services confirmed, according to KhabarOnline website. Iranian authorities also warned curious onlookers from gathering outside the burning clinic due to the danger posed to them by the fire and the Covid-19 pandemic. Iran has been heavily hit by the coronavirus, with more than 225,000 confirmed cases and almost 10,700 fatalities.

Last week, a blast took place near a military site outside Tehran, with the Defense Ministry saying it was caused by a leak at a gas storage facility. AGENCIES

60 die as boat sinks in turkey's lake van ISTANBUL: A boat that sank on Lake Van in eastern Turkey is believed to have been carrying 55-60 migrants, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Wednesday, adding that six bodies had been recovered so far.

Speaking to reporters in Van province, Soylu said authorities had detained 11 people in relation to the incident, which the provincial governor's office said took place late on Saturday. Search and rescue operations continued, Soylu said. The lake is near the border with Iran, from where migrants regularly cross into Turkey, heading west toward Europe. The lake, which completely within Turkey's borders, is located on the path of migrants attempting to reach western Turkey from Iran, Afghanistan and other countries. Seven people died and 64 were rescued when a boat carrying migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan sank on Lake Van in December. AGENCIES

Beijing asks US politicians to stop smearing China BEIJING: China on Tuesday urged some U.S. politicians to immediately stop smearing China and interfering in China's internal affairs by creating rumors under the pretext of Xinjiang.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks in response to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statement over China's Xinjiang policy. The Chinese government equally protects the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups, including ethnic minorities, Zhao said. From 1978 to 2018, the population of Uygurs in Xinjiang grew from 5.55 million to 11.68 million, registering a 2.1 times increase and accounting for about 46.8 percent of the total population of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the spokesperson said. Zhao said ethnic minorities in the United States have long been suffering from bullying, exclusion and wide, systemic discrimination in economic, cultural, social and other aspects, citing examples from the killing of Indians through the Westward Expansion to the death of African American George Floyd. "We urge U.S. politicians like Pompeo to reject bias and double standards, face up to the issue of racial discrimination at home, spend more time and energy on improving human rights conditions at home, and immediately stop smearing China and interfering in China's internal affairs by creating rumors under the pretext of Xinjiang," Zhao added. AGENCIES

Hong Kong marks handover anniversary under new security law HONG KONG AGENCIES

Hong Kong officials marked the 23rd anniversary of the territory's return to China on Wednesday hours after Beijing's imposition of a new national security law that drew defiant protests and international condemnation.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam joined her predecessors and other officials at the harbour's edge for a flag-raising ceremony and a reception for specially-invited guests, as

the territory's annual pro-democracy march was banned for the first time.

In her speech, Lam praised the new law as "the most important development" in the relationship between Beijing and Hong Kong since the 1997 handover, saying it is "necessary and timely" move to restore stability.

She defended the legislation, which came into force overnight after being rushed through China's rubber-stamp parliament as "constitutional, lawful, sensible and reasonable".

In a press briefing following the ceremony, Zhang Xiaoming, the Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said suspects arrested under the law would be tried in the mainland, adding that Hong Kong's legal system could not be expected to implement the laws of the mainland.

Spreading "rumours" and "directing hatred" towards the Hong Kong police are among the transgressions that could be potentially prosecuted and punished under the

CMYK

new law, he said.

In a separate press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Lam also said that the law reflects Beijing's desire to uphold one country, two system.

In response, pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo was quoted as telling reporters that "free press could just be announced dead in Hong Kong."

She added that journalists who publish sensitive information about Hong Kong could also be in "dire trouble".

Amid threats of possible arrest, protesters gathered near the conference centre where the ceremony was held, carrying banners and shouting their opposition to the new law, which seeks to punish crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with punishments including life in prison.

Authorities barred civil society's annual demonstration, citing a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people because of the coronavirus.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

SPORTS 11

IMran KhWaja to Be InterIM ICC ChaIrMan untIL eLeCtIonS for the poSt

I

SPORTS DESK

MRAN Khwaja will be the interim chairman of ICC until the elections are held for the post. The decision was taken by the ICC Board on Wednesday after incumbent Shashank Manohar stepped down following two terms in the role.

Khwaja, who is a former president of the Singapore Cricket Association, was elected as ICC’s deputy chairman in 2017, a year after Manohar became the global cricket body’s inaugural independent chairman. The deputy chairman’s position was part of the new ICC constitution which came into effect from 2017. Incidentally, the constitution was drafted by a five-person working group which included Khwaja.

A lawyer by profession, Khwaja, 64, is a soft-spoken person rarely heard in public domain, but remains a powerful voice on the ICC Board while also being part of many influential committees. Currently, the commit-

tees Khwaja sits on include the Finance & Commercial Affairs, Nominations, Development (chair) and Membership.

It was Khwaja who played a big hand in getting Manohar to continue as ICC chairman in 2017 after the former BCCI president had opted to step down even before finishing one year in the post. Although he is the chairman of associates, Khwaja has had a say in significant reforms the ICC carried out under Manohar’s leadership including the overhaul of the governance structure, the finance model and creating a democratic structure at the ICC board where even the smaller countries have had a say.

In the media release on Wednesday, the ICC said that the Board would finalise the nomination process to elect Manohar’s successor “within the next week”. Normally the new chair would have been installed at the ICC’s annual conference, which this year is understood to be postponed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, although the annual general meeting will still take place virtually.

Big-serving Murray upbeat as he plans for return LONDON Agencies

Andy Murray says he is serving at full throttle again as he bids to rebuild his injury-ravaged career when tennis returns after the coronavirus shutdown. The three-time Grand Slam champion played his first tournament since last November at the Battle of the Brits event last week. The ATP and WTA tours are due to return next month, with the US Open starting on August 31 and the French Open beginning a month later. Murray, who is set to return to action at the Washington Open in mid-August, is planning to play both the Grand Slam events. “Getting the US Open and the French Open played this year is a good thing, I think,” the 33-year-old told the BBC. “It’s positive, I just don’t like the way the French Open went about scheduling their event. “But we’re going to have to go back to playing at some stage. The most important thing is that the events are safe.” Murray had career-saving hip surgery in 2019, before suffering another setback with a pelvic injury.

The British former world number one was upbeat about his fitness following the Battle of the Brits event, where he reached the semifinals. “I am able to serve well again and am able to serve as hard as I was in my mid-20s, which given I didn’t know I was going to be able to play again has been really positive,” he said. “Obviously when you are able to serve bigger and harder, it means more shorter points — and that means good news for the body and the hip. The harder I serve, the better it is for my other hip I guess.” The French Open was switched from its traditional May-June slot because of the pandemic, with September 20 pencilled in as a start date. French tennis chiefs were heavily criticised by players and rival tournaments over a lack of consultation. Now the Paris main draw of the season’s final Grand Slam event will begin a week later and finish on October 11.

It was in 2016 when the ICC last held elections for the chairman’s position.

Manohar was elected through a secret ballot.

In 2018, Manohar retained his position for a second two-year term having got elected unopposed while being the sole candidate. To be eligible, the person needs to be either a present or past ICC Director - one who attends at least one ICC Board meeting - and has to be nominated by one current ICC Director. Nominees with the support of two or more Directors are eligible to contest an election.

Incidentally, Khawaja, along with the outgoing ECB chairman Colin Grave, has been talked about as the front runner to replace Manohar, but both men have not made their desire to contest yet public.

Also in the reckoning could be BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who became eligible after he participated in his first ICC Board meeting this March, and made an instant impression. A fellow ICC Director told ESPNcricinfo that Ganguly has

brought good cricketing arguments to the ICC Board which has been normally populated by people who are just administrators with interest in cricket. The BCCI has been trawling the global cricketing waters to look for support for Ganguly, although the former India captain has not made known his intention either in public or even within BCCI circles. The BCCI has also been skeptical about Manohar quitting despite him making it clear recently that he would not seek re-election for a third term.

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who is the team director at Cricket South Africa, said post Covid-19, global cricket needed a “strong leadership” which Ganguly was “best positioned” to provide.

Hours after Smith made his comments, CSA

Promotion play-off has minnows Heidenheim dreaming of Bundesliga football

BERLIN Agencies

Werder Bremen are treating the Bundesliga relegation/promotion play-off “as a gift” in their fight to stay up, but for spirited underdogs Heidenheim, Thursday’s first-leg behind closed doors is a chance to “believe in the unbelievable”.

Last Sunday, FC Heidenheim, from a small town of 50,000 inhabitants in south-west Germany, finished above fallen giants Hamburg, who were chasing a return to the top-flight following their 2018 relegation, to claim third place in the second tier and qualify for the play-off. The first leg is in Bremen on Thursday with the return leg next

Monday at Heidenheim, who hope to join Arminia Bielefeld and Stuttgart in claiming promotion to the Bundesliga.

The play-off is the highest Heidenheim have ever been in Germany’s league pyramid.

“For most people, this is the chance in a lifetime. We can create something extraordinary. I believe in the unbelievable,” said head coach Frank Schmidt.

The 46-year-old took over at Heidenheim on an interim basis in 2007 and has been head coach ever since.

He has taken them from the fifth division to the verge of the Bundesliga.

Under Schmidt, Heidenheim won the 2013-14 third division title on points difference from RB Leipzig, who are now one of Germany’s top clubs

and into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Schmidt says there will be scenes of “utter madness” if their promotion is confirmed next Monday. The Heidenheim coach says he likes to “let the mosquitoes fly backwards” when he celebrates, wildly pumping his fists in the air in a manner reminiscent of Liverpool’s German coach Jurgen Klopp.

“But I am not a dreamer,” he insists as “the miracle” would require “an incredible amount of work” and “a lot of passion” to beat Bremen. Heidenheim are thinking big, even if their squad budget of 35 million euros is dwarfed compared by the 55 million euros of Bremen. “We are no longer little ‘FCH’ and we aren’t a village club,” said Heidenheim’s CEO Holger Sanwald recently.

However, the odds are against them. Since the relegation play-off was reintroduced in 2009, the second-league team has only won three of the eleven play-offs. The most recent success was FC Union Berlin, who came up last season via the play-off and sent Stuttgart down. Bremen coach Florian Kohfeldt is relieved to have two more chances of Bundesliga survival.

His side sneaked into 16th place third from bottom of the table - with a shock 6-1 home win over Cologne last Saturday. “We’ve been through many lows, so these two games are a gift to us,” Kohfeldt said Wednesday.

“Heidenheim can do things that could be dangerous for us, but I don’t have the feeling that anyone here is taking things too lightly.”

Campaign launched for statue of English football’s black trailblazer LONDON Agencies

Football fans are raising money to erect a statue of Jack Leslie, who was chosen to play for England but dropped when selectors discovered he was black.

The Plymouth player, who had an English mother and a Jamaican father, was called up to the national side in 1925 but the invitation was subsequently withdrawn.

It would be another 53 years until Viv Anderson became England’s first black player.

The Jack Leslie Campaign website said: “We not only want to build a statue as a memorial to Jack Leslie, but also use his story to celebrate diversity and combat racism.”It comes at a time of heightened awareness of racial injustice, with Premier League players wearing

“Black Lives Matter” logos following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

Leslie’s granddaughter, Lesley Hiscott, told the BBC: “I believe that the manager sent in his request, saying ‘I’ve got a brilliant player here, he should play for England’.

“So then someone came down to watch him. They weren’t watching his football. They were looking at the colour of his skin. “And because of that, he was denied the chance of playing for his country.”

Anderson said Leslie’s achievements in such a hostile atmosphere should be a badge of pride for black people.

The Nottingham Forest star, who also played for Arsenal and Manchester United, eventually became the first black player to represent England against Czechoslovakia in 1978. “I’d never heard of Jack Leslie until up to two weeks ago,” he told the BBC.

CMYK

“And that’s a crying shame because what he achieved and what he did should be paramount in every black person’s mind.” There is already a mural to Leslie at Plymouth’s Home Park ground and the club named their boardroom after him, but fans want to go further.

Campaign co-founder Greg Foxsmith, who hopes to raise £100,000 ($124,000), told the BBC: “At a time when some statues are being pulled down, we want to put one of Jack Leslie up to commemorate his amazing achievements and to remember the injustice that he suffered.”

Plymouth chairman Simon Hallett said: “Having a statue promoted by our fans and funded by fans is a statement by them that they are joining the fight against racism in football,” “History has been written by the winners and I think we are now trying to pay more attention to some of the victims of those victories.”

president Chris Nenzani said the South African board did not want to “anticipate any candidates to be nominated” until the process was finalised.

One person who has thrown his hat in the ring is Dave Cameron, former president of Cricket West Indies. Cameron, who lost the CWI presidency to Ricky Skerritt in 2019, has been recommended by the United States Cricket Hall of Fame. Cameron has been lobbying for support in the Caribbean and has at least one backer in Conde Riley, the president of Barbados Cricket Association, who also sits on the CWI Board.

Kishore Shallow, the CWI vice-president, said that he would not support Cameron, but said that was his personal decision, and a final decision would be taken by Skerritt.

Sri Lanka questions World Cup opener in fixing probe COLOMBO Agencies

Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga on Wednesday became the first player to be grilled by detectives in a probe investigating claims that the 2011 Cricket World Cup final was fixed. The 35-year-old batsman and wicketkeeper was questioned for two hours by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) examining the conduct of the final, which Sri Lanka lost to India. “They asked a few questions in connection with the ongoing investigation. I gave my statement,” Tharanga told reporters without giving further details.

Tharanga, who scored two runs off 20 deliveries in the match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, was called in after investigators quizzed chief selector Aravinda de Silva for nearly six hours on Tuesday.

Police said they will next interview Kumar Sangakkara, the captain of the losing side and the current president of the Marylebone Cricket Club in London, who was asked to report to the SIU on Thursday. There was no immediate comment from the 42-year-old, who last month said the allegations should be referred to the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Sri Lankan probe was launched after the then-sports minister claimed that Sri Lanka threw the April 2011 match. “I feel I can talk about it now,” Mahindananda Aluthgamage told a local TV network last month. “I am not connecting players, but some sections were involved.”

Sri Lanka bat first and scored 274-6 off 50 overs. They appeared in a commanding position when Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar was out for 18.

But India turned the game around dramatically, thanks in part to poor fielding and bowling by Sri Lanka, who were led by Kumar Sangakkara.

India won the final by six wickets. Sangakkara and his deputy Mahela Jayawardena quit their positions in the team after the stunning defeat.

The toss of the final was also controversial as it was done twice. Match referee Jeff Crowe apparently did not hear “heads” called by Sangakkara and asked Indian skipper M. S. Dhoni to toss again. Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that was criticised in local media because the Sri Lankans were considered to be better at chasing at the time. Sri Lankan cricket has been plagued by several corruption scandals, including claims of match-fixing ahead of a 2018 Test against England. Last month the local cricket board said the ICC was investigating three unnamed ex-players over corruption claims. Match-fixing was made a criminal offence in November. Offenders face fines of up to 100 million rupees ($555,000) and up to 10 years’ jail.

Thursday, 2 July, 2020

PRAyER TImINgS

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:18

12:36

5:19

5:47

7:26

8:54

PiA gETS TEmPorAry PErmiSSioN To SErvE EU STATES ISLAMABAD

T

STAFF REPORT

HE European Union has granted temporary permission to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate flights to and from the continent till July 3, confirmed a spokesperson of the national flag-carrier on Wednesday.

The development comes a day after the European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) suspended the authorisation for the PIA to serve EU member states for six months amid concerns over the authenticity of licenses held by Pakistani pilots. In another blow to the airline the same day, the UK Civil Aviation Agency also suspended its flight operations from three major British airports — Birmingham, London’s Heathrow and Manchester. The spokesperson said that two established PIA flights to and from Islamabad to London – PK-785 and PK-786 – will operate as per schedule. According to him, an announcement with regard to other flights will be made soon.

According to the spokesperson, the airline was allowed to land in the UK and Europe after the Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood reached out to his European counterparts. The EU states also permitted PIA to

use their airspace, he said. He confirmed that the airline’s administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its diplomats were in contact with European authorities over the issue of allegedly fake licenses.

Earlier in the day, Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and, while conveying concern on temporary suspension of PIA flights into Europe by the EASA, stressed the need for review of the decision. During a telephonic conversation with EU’s high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, the foreign minister underlined that the steps being taken by the government were to ensure highest level of flight safety in PIA operations.

He said that the PIA remained committed to maintaining highest standards and quality in its air operations and stressed the need for review of the EASA decision.

The foreign minister offered condolences on the loss of precious lives in Europe due to Covid-19 and acknowledged the efforts of the European Commission to come up with a coordinated strategy to deal with the pandemic. He delineated the steps taken by the government of Pakistan to save lives, secure livelihoods, and stimulate the economy and thanked the EU for its support to

Pakistan in its endeavors to tackle Covid-19.

FM Qureshi conveyed the desire to expand cooperation between Pakistan and the EU, post Covid-19, and expressed the hope that Pakistani nationals would not be subjected to any restriction or discrimination as and when travel restrictions were relaxed by the EU. The foreign minister and high representative exchanged views on a range of subjects related to Pakistan-EU partnershipincluding trade, next phase of GSP Plus, and early operationalization of Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP).

The foreign minister suggested that the two sides might also engage in a structured dialogue on migration-related matters, while providing opportunities for skilled human resources from Pakistan. The foreign minister apprised his EU counterpart on the deteriorating humanitarian and human rights situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), and the latest moves by the Indian government to perpetuate its illegal occupation. He stressed the need for urgent steps to address the grave situation.

In the regional context, FM Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to an Afghanowned and Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process and highlighted Pakistan’s positive contribution towards that end.

He stated that peace in Afghanistan was

UAE wriTES To PAkiSTAN for vErifiCATioN of 54 PiloTS ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday wrote a letter to Pakistani authorities for verification of licences of 54 pilots. According to the letter, UAE seeks information of licensing credentials of pilots to make air travel and safe and secure.

Licences of aircraft engineers working in the UAE will also be verified, it stated. The European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) has also suspended the authorisation for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate in Europe for six months. “EASA has temporarily suspended PIA’s authorisation to operate to the EU member states for a period of 6 months effective July 1, 2020, with the right to appeal against this decision,” a PIA statement said. Earlier, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the licences of 262 pilots are ‘suspicious’ or ‘doubtful’, including 141 captains of PIA, 10 captains of Serene Air and 9 captains of Air Blue. Inquiries have been completed against 128 pilots while 148 have been grounded. Five officers who issued fake licenses have also been suspended and all these recruitments were made during the last two terms. INP

Pakistan will continue to play reconciliatory role for Afghan peace: FM ISLAMABAD PPI

UN Security Council pushes Afghan govt, Taliban for early peace talks UNITED NATIONS: Amid escalating violence in Afghanistan, the UN Security Council has urged the Afghan government and the Taliban to work toward an early start of the peace negotiations. “The members of the Security Council recognized that a sustainable peace can be achieved only through an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process, reaffirmed the importance of the United Nations role in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, and welcomed the efforts of all regional and international partners of Afghanistan in facilitating intraAfghan negotiations,” the 15-member Council said in a press statement issued on Tuesday. The Security Council welcomed the steps taken so far by the two sides to move toward the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, most notably the partial implementation of commitments to release prisoners, resulting from direct talks between them. The Council members called for the rapid release of remaining prisoners in the coming days and for efforts to reduce violence in order to encourage a swift start to intra-Afghan negotiations. They welcomed the political agreement between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah that ended the political impasse stemming from last year’s presidential election and expressed the hope that it would pave the way for timely intra-Afghan negotiations. The Council members expressed concern over the recent increase in violence, which continues to take the lives of innocent civilians. They stressed that any attack targeting civilians, hospitals, medical and humanitarian personnel and facilities was unacceptable and that the perpetrators must be held accountable. They voiced their serious concern over the presence of IS and other international terrorist groups in Afghanistan and over the significant increase in the cultivation, production, trade and trafficking of illicit drugs in the country. The Council welcomed the efforts of regional and international partners and organizations in advancing regional connectivity, development, and reconstruction in Afghanistan, which was vital to ensuring stability and economic development in the country. The press statement was released after the Security Council held a virtual meeting on Afghanistan on Thursday. APP

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to continue to play its reconciliatory role in the establishment of peace in Afghanistan with sincerity through collective responsibility.

He expressed these views during a meeting with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad who called on him on Wednesday.

He said that Pakistan is ready to cooperate with regional and international stakeholders for enduring and peaceful political solution to the Afghan issue.

Terming the progress on Afghan peace process very encouraging so far,

the minister said the development of the whole region depends on the establishment of peace in Afghanistan.

He said that the agreement of all sides on intra-Afghan dialogue and announcement of negotiating teams is a good omen that will pave the way for permanent and lasting peace in that country.

He warned that the Afghan peace process has entered into a crucial phase and we need to be cognizant of the elements that want to sabotage the peace efforts in Afghanistan.

The minister said that Pakistan has been hosting Afghan refugees for the last forty years and international community should lend its hand in honourable repatriation of them.

Ambassador Khalilzad, while expressing sorrow over the terrorist attack on Karachi Stock Exchange, appreciated the timely action and exemplary valiance and bravery of security personnel. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq were also present on the occasion.

CAA issues guidelines as flight operations resume KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has imposed a ban on VIP protocol at all the airports due to the coronavirus pandemic, it emerged on Wednesday.

Under the new rules, only the passenger(s) will be allowed to proceed to the main lounge of the airport. Anyone accomodating the passenger will be restricted to the parking area to ensure ample space is left at the main halls to observe social distancing. The CAA has tasked airport managers to ensure social distancing. “Gloves, masks and protective suits will be mandatory,” stated a guideline issued by the CAA, adding that planes will be disinfected shortly before the beginning of the boarding process.

In case a passenger shows symptoms of coronavirus, a complete medical check-up will be done at the spot and the affected passenger will be immediately quarantined.

Airlines have been tasked to ensure that the passenger’s health form is properly filled before boarding. The examination of the passengers is the responsibility of the health min-

the foreign minister underlined Pakistan’s concerns about externally-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan and India’s material support to terrorist outfits targeting Pakistan.

FM Qureshi invited the high representative to visit Pakistan once the pandemic subsides, which he accepted. Borrell stated that he also looked forward to welcoming the foreign minister in Brussels in the near future.

vital for regional peace, stability and prosperity and assured his EU counterpart that Pakistan would continue to facilitate the peace process as a shared responsibility.

The high representative of the EU condoled with the foreign minister on the loss of precious lives in the terrorist attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

Thanking the EU high representative,

istry, the CAA said. The authority has also made the disinfecting of the luggage mandatory.

A complete ban on eating in the plane has also been imposed. Passengers will be provided with a sanitiser after every 30 minutes. The guidelines will remain in effect until Aug 31. According to the CAA, the guidelines will also be applicable to domestic chartered flights and passengers and staff of private planes. The instructions have been issued at a time when international and domestic flight operations have been resumed throughout the country.

food inflation pushes CPi to 8.6pc in June NEWS DESK The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate increased to 8.6pc year-on-year in June, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said in its monthly report published on Wednesday. The rate was 8.22pc year-on-year in May. According to the data, urban CPI accelerated to 7.6pc YoY in June as compared to 7.3pc in May, while rural CPI climbed to 10.0pc YoY when compared with 9.7pc in May. This took the FY20 national CPI average to 10.8pc as against 6.8pc in FY19. As per Intermarket Securities Ltd analysis, the rise in June CPI was primarily led by a jump in food inflation, while both Urban and Rural Core inflation (NFNE) continued to drop. Urban core inflation declined to 4.7pc in June vs. 5.4pc in May while rural core inflation declined to 5.8pc YoY vs. 6.4pc in the previous month. Higher food inflation was led by a spike in prices of wheat/flour, potatoes, pulses, condiments and spices. This was somewhat countered by a decline in tomato and onion prices. This led to a sharp increase in both urban and rural food inflation to 12.9pc YoY and 15.2pc YoY vs. 10.6pc and 12.9pc in May. The CPI could have been higher if not for a 10.2pc YoY decline in the transport index, which was led by a decline in petrol and LNG prices (urban/rural down 13.0pc/11.5pc YoY).

Inflation in housing & utilities and education indices remained modest at 5.8pc and 1.1pc respectively for the urban basket (indicating modest pull from aggregate demand). “Weak domestic demand is likely to keep inflation lower even if supply side shocks occur. In the same vein, the SBP has revised its inflation target and expects FY21 NCPI to tread lower than the initial projected range of 7-9pc. “While the government’s decision to increase retail fuel prices (by Rs26/litre) may prove inflationary, there are talks of a potential Rs10/litre reversal in the coming days. We estimate that the CPI will rise by 1ppt as a result of the increase in petrol prices, all else the same,” said an Intermarket Securities report.

FY20: PSX among top-performing markets despite Covid-19 PAKISTAN STOCK EXCHANGE REMAINED ASIA'S THIRD-BEST MARKET IN FY20, AFTER CHINA AND TAIWAN KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID

Despite Covid-related challenges, the Pakistan Stock Exchange managed to close the fiscal year 2019-20 in the green, registering a gain of 1.5pc.

Although the growth in FY20 has been nominal, it is significant given the fact that the exchange had closed in the red for the previous two years (FY18 and FY19).

The benchmark KSE-100 Index had touched a high of 43,468.22 on January 14, 2020. However, following news of the first

confirmed Covid-19 case in Pakistan on February 25, the index gradually dropped to 27,046.71 by March 26, 2020 – the duration in which lockdowns had started to be imposed. Interestingly, as per Capital Stake, the index had the "strongest return when compared with global indices like Nasdaq, DAX, FTSE 100, SSEC, Sensex30, FTSE MIB, and CAC 40.

However, during the Covid period, the PSX was not able to sustain itself as strongly as its counterparts and experienced the strongest decline in this period.

The pre-Covid period was from July 1,

2019, until January 31, 2020, considering most countries went into lockdown in February. Profitability declined by 7.2pc YoY in 9MFY20, mainly on the back of Covid lockdowns from March till June.

The slowdown in economic activity can be seen through the drastic slump in the PSX performance. However, as per Shahid Ali, Chief Executive of Arif Habib Limited, "We believe that asset management companies and insurance companies will likely mobilize funds from fixed income to equities in order to generate healthy returns for their investors.

"Currently, total assets under management by mutual funds are Rs787 billion with around 22pc i.e. Rs174 billion in equities. Similarly, total funds under insurance (ex-State Life Insurance) are around Rs325 billion with almost 24pc in equities.

The inflow from all these domestic institutions and HNWIs will likely drive the market going forward with equities becoming highly attractive as an asset class."

The turnaround witnessed in April following the announcement of government fiscal stimulus, and the gradual opening of the economy, however, provided some respite to the index, helping it close the year in the green. But this upward trend suggests that the upcoming year may prove to be a strong one for the PSX if the stimulus remains.

The KSE-100 Index was the third-best performing market in the region, after China and Taiwan, with returns of 0.1pc and 14pc, respectively.

Pakistan generated a negative return of -3.3pc in FY20 compared to Asia-Pac (exPakistan) average of -11.0pc.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 66-C, 1st Floor, 21st Commercial Street, Phase-II (Extension), DHA Karachi and printed at Ibn-e-Hassan Printing Press, Hockey Stadium, Karachi. Ph: 021-35381208-9. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk