EpaperKH_2020-07-24

Friday, 24 July, 2020 I 2 Dhul-Hijjah, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 26 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Opp prOTesTs againsT Ordinance ‘faciliTaTing’ Jadhav, walks OuT Of sessiOn g

PML-N’s AsIf urges NA Not to APProve ordINANCe ‘As It wAs AgAINst NAtIoNAL resPeCt ANd HoNour’

g

PtI’s sHIreeN MAzArI sAys PAkIstAN ‘sHouLd Never HAve goNe to tHe ICJ IN tHe fIrst PLACe’

ISLAMABAD

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staff report

He joint opposition staged a walkout during a National Assembly session on thursday protesting the International Court of Justice (review and reconsideration) ordinance 2020 promulgated by the federal government in May in view of the ICJ judgement pertaining to the case of Indian spy kulbhushan Jadhav. the government presented the ordinance before the Lower House amid backlash from the opposition benches. the assembly session ended as Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-zardari pointed out the lack of quorum while concluding his speech. the quorum was found incomplete and the session was deferred. during his speech, Bilawal demanded that a new accountability institution be set up which can hold the government, the opposition, the judiciary and the military accountable. He maintained that his conscience would not permit him to support the ordinance.

After pointing out the lack of quorum, Bilawal walked out of the session at which the government aisle erupted with slogans calling him back to the lower house. government lawmakers shouted ‘Bilawal ko wapis bolayein, bachay ko bolayein [Call Bilawal back, call the child back]’. earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader khawaja Asif, in his speech, asked why the government was “facilitating a terrorist” who had confessed to his role in promoting unrest and terrorism in Pakistan.

“A terrorist who has confessed to [being involved in] terrorism in our country, against whom we have completed legal proceedings — what has happened now that we are formally legislating to facilitate him? “when we [PML-N] were in the government, kulbhushan was a slur used against us.

It was said that Nawaz sharif and we [PML-N] were appeasing India,” he said. “who is appeasing India today?” he thundered.

Asif expressed “very, very strong exceptions” to the ordinance, urging members not to pass the law as it was “against national respect and honour”. “what concession have they [India] given to you? tell us,” Asif demanded. “we were taunted, now this government and this prime minister must tell us why he is stooping so low in front of India?” terming the move as “intolerable and unacceptable”, the PML-N leader said the government was caving in to international pressure.

In response to Asif’s speech, Minister for Human rights shireen Mazari said that the country “should never have gone to the ICJ in the first place” and recalled that both Pakistan tehreek-e-Insaf (PtI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had opposed the PML-N government’s decision to do so. “from the first day, we had said that it was wrong of the then government [to go to ICJ] and it was not just our party’s stance, it was the PPP’s as well,” she said. the minister said that during its tenure, the PML-N had written a letter to the ICJ declaring that the country was restricting the international court’s jurisdiction. despite that letter, she said, the PML-N government decided to contest the case in the ICJ after India took the case there.

she pointed out that PPP and PtI had raised objections over the then government’s decision to contest the case as “there was no reason to do so”. “If one country does not accept the ICJ’s [jurisdiction], the case is not heard,” she said. she recalled that PPP senator sherry rehman and Naveed Qamar were also part of a joint parliamentary committee meeting in which the matter was discussed.

Mazari also criticised the PML-N’s move to send a grade 20 foreign office official to represent Pakistan in the international judicial body. “Now that you have accepted their jurisdiction and they have passed a verdict, we will have to implement it […] why did you go to the ICJ then?” the minister lamented that the country was now “stuck with an ICJ decision because of their [PML-N’s] shortcomings”. “factually, they have imposed this difficulty on our country […] we should never have gone to the ICJ, they did the wrong thing,” Mazari declared.

In his speech, PPP chief Bilawal Bhuttozardari criticised the government for passing the ordinance in May “without telling anyone” even though both the houses were in session during June. He pointed out that the rules and laws stated that an ordinance must be presented in Parliament “as soon as possible” if it is promulgated when the house is in session. the PPP leader lamented that the government had not taken the opposition in confidence and had only presented the ordinance today after the matter was raised in senate and discussed by him during a press conference. responding to Mazari’s speech, Bilawal said: “If you did not accept the jurisdiction of international courts, it does not mean that you grant an Nro [to Jadhav] through Pakistan’s law.”

He recalled that the Indian pilot Abhinandan, who was captured after his plane was shot down by the Pakistan Air force in Azad Jammu and kashmir last year, was “offered tea and sent back quickly”.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

India’s ‘Hindutva mindset’ reason for expulsion from Chahbahar project: Qureshi ISLAMABAD staff report

while accusing India of “gradually straining” its relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistan, China and Nepal, foreign Minister shah Mahmood Qureshi has said Iran dropped India from key rail project due to the latter ’s “wrong policies”.

Last week, tehran inked a $400 billion deal with Beijing, dropping New delhi from the Chabahar to zahedan rail project, citing delayed finances. the railway project was meant to be part of India’s commitment to the trilateral agreement between India, Iran

and Afghanistan to build an alternative trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

In a statement issued here on thursday, Qureshi said India was spoiling its relations due to its “Hindutva mindset”. “the so-called impression of a ‘shining India’ is over now owing to incumbent government’s policies of hatred and bias,” he added. regarding Pakistan’s relations with Bangladesh, the minister said Pakistan wanted to maintain good bilateral ties by “forgetting bitterness of past and moving towards a good future”.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

17 injured in Parachinar IED blast STORY ON PAGE 02

gold continues to set new records, hits rs117,300 per tola STORY ON PAGE 09

Khurshid Kasuri interview on Kashmir’s future STORY ON PAGE 06

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Friday, 24 July, 2020

NEWS

17 injured in PArAchinAr ied blAst PESHAWAR

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STAFF REPORT

T least 17 people were injured in an explosion in Parachinar’s Turi Bazaar on Thursday. According to Parachinar DSP Najab Ali, the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) that had been fitted inside a vegetable cart. The area is usually occupied by vegetable and fruit sellers, he said.

A health official said that at least 17 injured, including a child, were brought to the district headquarters hospital. He added that one of the citizens injured in the incident was in critical condition and was being shifted to the Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar.

Meanwhile, area residents gathered outside the local press club to stage a

protest.

The protesters said that such incidents take place in Parachinar and its surrounding areas again and again and the residents continue to stage protests against them.

He called upon officials to take concrete steps to protect the lives of the people so that such incidents can be prevented.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari condemned the incident and expressed concern over the increase in terrorism-related incidents. “A failure to implement the National Action Plan has encouraged terrorists,” he said, adding that those responsible for the incident should be punished. He also prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the blast.

Parachinar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, which is considered one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghanistan

judge excuses himself from hearing assets case against shehbaz LAHORE: Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry, a senior judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Thursday excused himself from hearing the assets beyond known sources of income case against National Assembly Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif, citing his relationship with defense attorney Azam Nazir Tarar.

The judge, before requesting for the transfer of the case to another judge, extended the interim bail granted to Shehbaz in the case, till Aug 17. During the hearing, Sharif claimed in the court that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was issuing him summons without having any questions to ask of him.

He said that he had risked his illness to return to Pakistan from London and braved court appearances and graft inquiries. Earlier, stringent security measures were in place when the former Punjab chief minister arrived at the high court to attend his bail hearing. In the previous hearing of the case, the LHC had extended Shehbaz’s bail till July 23. STAFF REPORT

sc rejects request to stop trial in abusive video case ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday rejected a petition filed by a cleric to halt his trial in a suo motu case of a video clip containing derogatory, contemptuous and scandalous language against the institution of judiciary and judges. The video clip of Agha Iftikharuddin Mirza had gone viral on social media and created ripples in the political, legal and civil society circles, prompting the apex court to take notice of the recording. A twomember bench, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, took up the petition on Thursday. At the outset of the hearing, the accused requested to halt his trial until the trial court announces its verdict. STAFF REPORT

provinces. It has witnessed scores of attacks and kidnapping for ransom incidents during the last decade.

In 2017, nearly 132 people were killed

and 460 others wounded in five militant attacks in Parachinar. In previous years, militants had carried out 11 bomb attacks that left over 500 dead.

Media payments to be cleared in a week, NA told EFFORTS ON FOR REMOVAL OF EU BAN ON PIA ISLAMABAD TLTP

The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Thursday that 50 per cent outstanding payments of the media houses for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s two-year tenure have been cleared.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz told the house during question hour that the remaining 50 per cent will be cleared in a week’s time as Prime Minister Imran Khan has given special directions on the matter. He said that the outstanding amount of the last two years was Rs1.15 billion. The minister for information and broadcasting said the present government has not recruited any person in Pakistan Television (PTV) except the top management to uplift the national broadcaster. He regretted that the institutions such as Pakistan Television (PTV), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) were destroyed by previous governments through political appointments.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali

Muhammad Khan told the house that the Senate has recently passed a constitutional amendment, enhancing the seats of Balochistan Assembly. He said the opposition parties should support the amendment when it is laid before the lower house for approval.

Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said that Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project is being executed in all the federating units. She said that 84,000 Nigehbans (gardeners) have been employed for the protection of newly planted saplings. She said an agreement has been signed with the Ministry of Communication for plantation of trees along motorways and highways.

Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Wajiha Akram said a uniform curriculum for primary level has been finalised after consultations with the stakeholders for implementation from March next year. She said the move is aimed at ensuring quality education. Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation Jamil Ahmad Khan expressed the confidence that the European Union will soon lift the ban on the PIA flight operations to their countries.

PM for ensuring internet facility in far-flung areas ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to pay special attention for the improvement and provision of internet facilities in far-flung and backward areas of the country.

The prime minister issued these directions while chairing a meeting on Thursday to enhance and improve coverage of the internet in the country. He said that the provision of the internet has become a necessity in present times. He said that easy availability of the internet and its vast coverage are vital for utilizing the potential of the youth in the real sense and to ensure easy access to education. He directed the Universal Service Fund (USF) to take necessary steps to provide easy and cheaper internet facilities in schools. The premier was informed that USF is paying special focus on laying optic fibre to ensure the provision of better internet services. It was said that 1,800-kilometre fibre optic has been laid in parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in last two years, while 4,600-kilometre fibre optic will be laid in 547 union councils this year. TLTP

shahzad Akbar denies he has any link with cleric who abused judiciary ISLAMABAD: PM’s Adviser on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar on Thursday denied that he has any connection with cleric Iftikharuddin Mirza, who was issued a notice by the Supreme Court for using abusive language against the judiciary, especially Justice Qazi Faez Isa. According to his statement recorded by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Mirza claimed that he was neither acquainted with the cleric nor did he have any relation to him regarding the matter.

The FIA said that the bail of the main accused had already been rejected by an anti-terrorism court. However, co-accused Akbar Ali got bail on July 18 on the grounds of being a juvenile.

The report also stated that the complainant, Abdul Waheed Dogar, also denied having any links with Mirza. However, he admitted that he has had one meeting with the PM’s adviser, when he gave an application to the Assets Recovery Unit (ARU). STAFF REPORT

Malaysia reinstates Pakistani pilots after verifying licences KUALA LUMPUR AGENCIES

Malaysia has verified that all Pakistani pilots currently employed in the country hold valid licences and it has reinstated them with immediate effect, its aviation regulator said in a statement on Thursday.

The pilots were suspended earlier this

month after authorities in Pakistan discovered that up to a third of the country’s pilots may have falsified their qualifications.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia said 18 Pakistani pilot licence holders in Malaysia were verified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.

Last week, the Vietnamese government said that all Pakistani pilots working for the

country’s airlines had valid and legitimate licences and none of them have been involved in a flight incident or safety threat.

Vietnam had also grounded all Pakistanis flying for local airlines in the wake of Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar’s revelation that nearly a third of the country’s pilots had dubious credentials.

“All licenses administered by the

Pakistani aviation regulator are legitimate and valid.

There are no fake licenses, as mentioned by the media,” read a statement issued by the Vietnamese government statement, citing a note from the Pakistani Embassy.

Vietnam had licensed 27 Pakistani pilots and 12 of them were still active.

Friday, 24 July, 2020

NEWS

Govt MullinG forMAtion of biPArtisAn PoliticAl coMMittee for unAniMous KAshMir strAteGy POLITICAL OBSERVERS SAY GOVT TRYING TO ‘TORPEDO' OPPOSITION’S ALLIANCE ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

The federal government is contemplating a proposal to form a bipartisan political committee to devise a unanimous strategy to observe first anniversary of India’s act of abrogation of article 370 in blatant violation of United Nations’ (UN) resolutions on disputed Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) on August 5.

A well-informed source told Pakistan Today that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has raised a proposal to take all political forces inside the parliament on board to carve out a plan to observe a nationwide protest on August 5 to lodge a strong protest on India’s unilateral action to annex IOK in violation

of UN resolutions.

“All major political outfits, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), on board to develop a unanimous protest on August 5,” the source said. However, political observers believe it could be a political move to ’torpedo' the fast-developing alliance between the major opposition parties. The opposition has announced to convene a Multi-Party Alliance (MPA) against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led coalition government.

The source said that National Security Advisor Dr Moeed Yusuf would be working to form a unanimous strategy to observe August 5 protest plan and Kashmir Committee Chairman Shehryar Afridi is also very active to submit a plan

Govt announces three-day holiday for eidul Azha ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday announced a three-day holiday for Eidul Azha from July 31 (Friday) to August 2 (Sunday). On Tuesday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony had announced that Eidul Azha will be celebrated across the country on August 1. A notification issued by the ministry and quoting the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee’s decision said the month of Zilhaj would commence on July 23 as the moon had not been sighted. Earlier in July, Prime Minister Imran Khan had appealed to the nation to mark Eidul Azha with simplicity and take precautionary measures so that the number of Covid-19 cases in the country do not rise again. “The virus spreads rapidly when a large number of people gather,” he had said, adding that “carelessness” on Eidul Fitr in May had led to a spike in cases in Pakistan. “If we are careless on Eidul Azha, the virus could spread again and there could be a fresh spike in the number of infections. Hospitals will come under pressure again. So I’m appealing to you all to mark this Eid with simplicity.”STAFF REPORT

farogh naseem to take oath as law minister for the third time ISLAMABAD: Barrister Farogh Naseem will take oath as the federal minister for law for the third time on Friday.

The oath-taking ceremony will be held at the President’s House. “It is true that I will be joining the federal cabinet tomorrow,” Farogh Naseem said. It is pertinent to mention that Farogh Naseem resigned from his post on June 1 to represent the government in the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case before the Supreme Court. Naseem represented federation after Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Javed recused himself from representing the federal government in the presidential reference filed against Justice Isa. Naseem had earlier resigned from his post in November last year to represent Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Jawed Bajwa in the tenure extension case. STAFF REPORT

Policy of smart lockdown yielding positive results: Asad QUETTA: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that provincial chief secretaries have been directed to ensure strict compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) on the occasion of Eidul Azha to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

The planning minister was talking to media persons here on Thursday after chairing a special meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). He said that these SOPs have been prepared for the protection and health of the people. Umar said that the policy of smart lockdown has started yielding positive results. Earlier, he chaired a meeting of the NCOC. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, Balochistan chief secretary, Balochistan inspector general of police and other senior officials attended the meeting. TLTP

in this regard.

“The government plans to evolve a unanimous strategy to observe August 5 protest so as whole nation approach could be developed to send a strong message to India and the world,” the source said.

The source also said that the federal government believes that India was losing its credibility fast among the international community due to its successive policies to subjugate its minorities. The source added that other than unilateral annexation of disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Indian promulgation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), Domicile Law in IOK and the open lynching of Indian minorities and Dalits have already isolated India in the

comity of nations.

“India announced to isolate Pakistan but India stands isolated in South Asia and the world today. Its allies are fast jumping ship and one after another are leaving Indian bloc. First it was Sri Lanka who left India to join China and Pakistani bloc and now the list has been joined in by Nepal. Even Bangladesh has stated to move away from Indian bloc.

Even Iran has dumped India. Soon Afghanistan would also join the antiIndia bloc,” the source said. The source added that India was fast being alienated in the region and even Russia was not willing to support it anymore.

“India was planning to push Pakistan into a two-front war but today India itself is faced with a two-front war. It seems India dug a ditch for Pakistan but it is about to fall itself into it,” the source concluded.

China provided $15m aid to Pakistan to fight Covid-19, envoy says ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

China provided $15 million worth of aid to Pakistan to support the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Chinese envoy Yao Jing said at a webinar.

The Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) on Thursday co-hosted a virtual meeting of government officials, entrepreneurs, and experts to discuss the post-coronavirus pandemic relationship between the two friendly nations in light of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The webinar, titled “New Opportunities and Challenges of China-Pakistan Cooperation in the Post-Epidemic Era,” had two keynote speakers, including Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed. In her opening remarks, Research & Development International (RDI) head and China’s former population minister Dr Baige Zhao said President Xi Jinping’s speech on improving connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at last month’s high-level video conference showed her country’s will to start a new era of globalization.

The BRI, she added, would play a key role in promoting peace and stability.

Ambassador Yao Jing said he had been personally witnessing the cooperation between the two countries since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

Pakistan’s assistance to China in February, when

China was facing Covid-19 crisis, and President Alvi’s visit to China expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with China, he said. Pakistan is the first country with whom China would share vaccine development research information, he added. While talking about the CPEC, he said almost 13,000 Chinese technicians, engineers, and experts were working on related projects, which collectively employed over 60,000 Pakistanis. He also mentioned the Chinese assistance to Pakistan in the wake of Covid crisis, which is worth $15 million.

He noted that 10 chartered flights from China brought experts and equipment during Covid-19 so far and, upon the request of the Pakistan government, 1,000 more ventilators would be given to Pakistan by the end of this month.

The chairperson of the PCI as well as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Mushahid Hussain, said coronavirus knew no borders and the ongoing crisis has strengthened the two countries’ bilateral bond as both Pakistan and China supported each other’s core interests. The pandemic is a common enemy of mankind and a common challenge to fight with, Hussain noted.

China has done a remarkable job in containing the virus by taking timely and efficient measures, the senator said, thanking China for its support to Pakistan.

While speaking about opportunities arising from the Covid-19 crisis, he said that the time had come to reset priorities, focusing on human security, human development, better hospital care, and climate change.

Soomro urges financial sector to facilitate privatisation process ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Federal Minister for Privatisation Mohammad Mian Soomro on Thursday urged the financial sector to participate as lenders in order to successfully complete the privatisation process in the country.

Soomro and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar met with the heads of international and local banks in Karachi, said a press release issued by the Ministry of Privatisation.

The meeting was attended by members of the Financial Advisory Consortium (FAC), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) deputy governor, presidents and group chiefs of National Bank of Pakistan, MCB Bank, UBL, ABL, Habib Metropolitan, Bank Al Habib, Bank Alflah, Bank of Punjab, HBL, Meezan Bank and Faysal Bank. In the meeting debt arrangement for two Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) power plants of National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL) came under discussion.

According to a press release NPPMCL was formed with an objective to reduce the electricity demand and supply gap in the country.

The government is now considering divesting up

to 100 per cent of its shareholding in NPPMCL to a potential investor, along with management control.

As part of the privatisation process, the potential bidders will be required to refinance the government’s and Pakistan Development Fund Limited’s (PDFL) funding and NPPMCL’s existing commercial debt through foreign or local debt financing.

In order to successfully complete the transaction, potential bidders would need to secure sufficient Pakistani rupee denominated financing which makes the participation of local banks a necessity in order to provide additional confidence to the potential bidders.

The minister for privatisation during his meeting with heads of various local commercial banks urged them to raise the requisite long-term financing within the benchmark approved by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), and also support the potential bidders obtain NOCs for continuation of working capital lines.

The federal minister urged the commercial banks to facilitate the successful completion of the transaction within the envisaged timeline.

It was further discussed in the meeting that negotiations with older IPPs are in progress to find ways to address cost of generation.

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task force formed for covid-19 vaccine strategy: dr Mirza ISLAMABAD TLTP

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza has said that a task force has been formed to develop strategy to ensure reliable access to Covid-19 vaccine. In a tweet on Thursday, Mirza said, “We have formed the National Vaccine Task Force, which will develop and execute our strategy to ensure early, equitable and reliable access to COVID-19 vaccine(s) in Pakistan.” He said it is unlikely that a coronavirus vaccine will emerge this year despite multiple candidates being developed to treat Covid-19. “It is unlikely that a vaccine will become available anytime soon, not in this year at least it seems,” he tweeted. According to Dr Mirza, so far there have been roughly 150 vaccine initiatives across the world. He said that close to a dozen of those vaccines are in the “advanced stage”, adding that Pakistan is closely monitoring the progress of those medications. The SAPM shared an article by the Financial Times published in May about a letter signed by over 140 public figures, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, calling for a “people’s vaccine” against coronavirus.

cAA incurs over rs30bn loss in four months ISLAMABAD TLTP

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suffered a loss of over Rs30.5 billion in four months due to limited flight operations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Aviation Division, the Civil Aviation Authority has been losing Rs200 million a month in revenue due to the limited flight operations, landing and other charges. “Over 1,000 flights used to pass through Pakistani air space daily. The figure has now reduced to 22 per cent due to worldwide suspension of international flights amid the Covid-19 restrictions,” said Senior Joint Secretary Aviation Division Abul Sattar Khokhar. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had suffered a loss of Rs3.6 billion in the month of March owing to the suspension of flights to different counters amid the coronavirus outbreak. As many as 1,681 international and domestic flights had been cancelled during the month of March. Earlier on July 13, it emerged that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) expected to incur losses of Rs100 billion due to suspension of international flights amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Friday, 24 July, 2020

NEWS

KP PDWP APProveS 19 ProjectS Worth rS26.67BN PESHAWAR

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STAFF REPORT

ROvINCIAL Development Working Party (PDWP) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Thursday approved 19 projects with an estimated cost of Rs26.67 billion. The meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) was held under the chairmanship of KP P&D Department Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan. The meeting was attended by members of PDWP and concerned departments.

The forum considered 30 projects

pertaining to forestry, agriculture, E&SE, mutli-sectoral development, health, relief and rehabilitation, urban development, Auqaf, roads, Board of Revenue, water, and energy and power sectors for the uplift of the province. The forum approved 19 projects with an estimated cost of Rs26,666.347 million. Three projects were cleared by PDWP and recommended for consideration of CDWP, while eight projects were deferred and returned to their respective departments for rectification.

The approved projects included: establishment of mini-zoo at Kanju Township, Swat; establishment & feasibility

study of UET Swat; clearance of contractors' liabilities, compensation / arbitration awards, court decretal amounts and escalation in FATA; FATA Water Resources Development Project (FWRDP); construction of command area development of Khurshid Dam in Mohmand; construction of command area development of Warsak Left Bank Canal, Mohmand; establishment of project management unit and three district management units for projects to be funded from 10 percent oil and gas royalty; upgradation of RHC Jolagram-Malakand and RHC Jowar-Buner to category-D hospitals in Malakand Di-

vision; integration of health services delivery with special focus on MNCH, LHW, EPI and Nutrition Programme; establishment of Saidu College of Dentistry in the existing Saidu Medical College (PC-II approved on 08-102019); new general bus stand in Peshawar; construction/extension of canopy and underpass at Jhangirabad, Peshawar; construction/ rehabilitation of road, UC Mira Khel, UC Kakki-II, UC Ismail Khel, UC Qalander, UC Khujare, UC Khujamad Mandan, and UC Kala Khel, district Bannu; computerization of land record in remaining districts of KP; and Raghagan small dam, Bajaur.

AJK president condemns new construction laws in IOK MUZAFFARABAD TLTP

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has strongly condemned the latest Indian move to grab the lands of Kashmiri people by amending existing construction and development laws in the occupied territory.

The Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) Administrative Council headed by Lt Governor GC Murmu approved a proposal to amend the Control of Building Operations Act, 1988, and the Development Act, 1970, for notifying “strategic areas” for use by the occupied forces and regulating construction through a special dispensation.

The AJK president said that the motive behind promulgation of such laws in IOK is absolutely clear that the Indian government wants to establish settlements in the so-called strategic areas to house the Indian citizens thereafter granting them citizenship under the new domicile

laws. The move is aimed at turning the majority of Kashmiri Muslims into the minority in their own homeland.

“The latest amendments will expedite the process of demographic changes in the occupied state and turn the entire region into a military garrison,” he emphasised.

The president went on to say that after the start of construction process by Indian occupation forces, the forests land of the territory will further squeeze and this will have highly negative impacts on the environment of the region.

He maintained that the puppet regime of occupied Kashmir has already handed over 243 hectares of land to Indian military and paramilitary forces, while the Indian Army had already unlawfully occupied 21,400 hectares of land.

Khan said that under the new law, the Indian Army can declare any part of the occupied territory including agricultural lands, residential areas and neighbourhoods to be “strategic areas”.

The AJK president also condemned in stronger terms the shifting of three Kashmiri women leaders Asiya Andrabi, Naheeha Nasreen and Fehmida Soofi by the Indian government to the punishment wards of Tihar Jail in Delhi.

He called upon the international human rights organisations to raise their voice against the fascist tactics of the Indian government and prevent it from outraging fundamental human rights of the Kashmiri people. He said that since the lockdown enforced by the Indian government in occupied Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 last year, more than 13,000 Kashmiri youth have been detained in different jails of occupied Kashmir and India where they are facing the worst inhuman torture.

He said that the sole motive behind these imperialist tactics of India is that the Kashmiri people give up their demand for the realisation of their right to self-determination, which had been recognised by the whole international community including the United Nations (UN).

No Pakistani working on CPEC projects laid off, webinar told ISLAMABAD TLTP

No Pakistani worker has been laid off by the Chinese companies working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an official of a major Chinese firm working on projects in Gwadar told a webinar on Thursday.

The Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) co-hosted a virtual meeting of government officials, entrepreneurs, and experts to discuss the post-coronavirus pandemic relationship be-

tween the two friendly nations in light of the CPEC. The webinar, titled "New Opportunities and Challenges of China-Pakistan Cooperation in the Post-Epidemic Era," had two keynote speakers, including Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

Zhang Baozhong, chief of China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited, said that neither did any Pakistani employee in any CPEC project lose their job during the coronavirus pandemic nor was there any cut in salary. “All of the CPEC projects are free of Covid19,” he added. In her opening remarks, Research & Development International (RDI) head and China's former population minister Dr Baige Zhao said President Xi Jinping’s speech on improving connectivity through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at last month’s high-level video conference showed her country's will to start a new era of globalization. The BRI, she added, would play a key role in promoting peace and stability.

Ambassador Yao Jing said he has been personally witnessing the cooperation between the two countries since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

Pakistan’s assistance to China in February, when China was facing Covid-19 crisis, and President Alvi’s visit to China expressed Pakistan's solidarity with China, he said. Pakistan is the first country with whom China would share vaccine development research information, he added.

While talking about the CPEC, he said almost 13,000 Chinese technicians, engineers, and experts are working on related projects, which collectively employed over 60,000 Pakistanis.

He also mentioned the Chinese assistance to Pakistan in the wake of Covid-19 crisis, which is worth $15 million.

He noted that 10 chartered flights from China brought experts and equipment during Covid-19 so far and, upon the request of the Pakistan government, 1,000 more ventilators would be given to Pakistan by the end of this mnth.

The chairperson of the PCI as well as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Mushahid Hussain, said that coronavirus knew no borders and the ongoing crisis has strengthened the two countries' bilateral bond as both Pakistan and China supported each other’s core interests.

The pandemic is a common enemy of mankind and a common challenge to fight with, Hussain noted. China has done a remarkable job in containing the virus by taking timely and efficient measures, the senator said, thanking China for its support to Pakistan.

While speaking about opportunities arising from the Covid-19 crisis, he said that the time has come to reset priorities, focusing on human security, human development, better hospital care, and climate change. In this regard, the BRI could be taken as a guiding tool to reach the combined goal of a shared future.

Karachi police arrest kulfi seller for allegedly running drug smuggling gang KARACHI: The police officials of Karachi’s Site B have arrested a kulfi (ice cream) seller who was allegedly running an inter-provincial gang of drug peddlers. As per details, the accused was doing business of heroin in Karachi by pretending himself as an ice-cream seller.

The police recovered three kg of heroin from the custody of the accused. Recovered heroin is said to be worth millions of rupees in the international market. The accused has confessed to his crime of selling drugs in Nazimabad and other parts of the city, said police. The police forces have intensified its crackdowns against drug traffickers across the metropolis. INP

‘No reason to abolish NAB’: Punjab governor LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on Thursday said that there was no question of abolishing the institution of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) while the opposition parties may come up with suggestions to improve performance of the accountability body. Speaking during a ceremony to receive donation of 100,000 face-masks from the ‘Chain for Association Pakistan’ at the Governor’s House, here, he said the government believed in transparent and impartial accountability, adding that in order to make the country economically strong and prosperous, it was necessary to rid the country of the scourge of tax evasion. The governor said that the government was not wary of the All Parties Conference convened by the opposition parties, adding that the government would complete its constitutional term. Sarwar said, "Opposition parties are threatening to protest every day, the people of Pakistan are not with the opposition but with the government so we are not in any danger from any protest of the opposition." He said due to the coronavirus crisis, major countries of the world including Pakistan were also facing economic challenges, adding that the economies of countries like the United States and the United Kingdom had also succumbed to coronavirus pandemic effects. APP

Security beefed up in Karachi due to terror threat KARACHI: Security has been beefed up in different areas of the port city on Thursday due to terror threat. According to details, several routes in Karachi's Clifton area have been closed for traffic as the high-security alert has been issued from Sindh Home Department.

The traffic police officials are diverting the traffic towards alternate routes due to closure of different roads in Clifton. The roads in Clifton have been closed for traffic as consulate general offices of different countries have been located at these routes. Sindh Police announced that it has sealed the roads around the Boat Basin area due to security threats. According to police officials, the cops have been posted in the Red Zone and sensitive areas because of the security threats. TLTP

Friday, 24 July, 2020

NEWS

05

PunJab assembly emPOwers DGPr tO seIze bOOks 'PreJuDICIal tO natIOnal Interest, relIGIOus HarmOny' LAHORE

t

STAFF REPORT

HE Punjab Assembly has passed the Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-e-Islam Bill 2020 which gives the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) powers to visit and inspect any printing press, publication house, book store and confiscate any book, before or after printing.

The new law bars the printing and publication of objectionable material and also bars the publisher, editor or translator from printing or publishing any book and material that consists of photographs or pictures of suicide bombers, terrorists, except as required by law enforcing agencies for purposes of investigation.

The new law has also made it mandatory that “the blessed name of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) shall be preceded by the title Khatam-anNabiyyin or Khatam-un-Nabiyyin followed by ‘Sallallahu alaihi wasallam’ (darood) in Arabic text.

The new law also states that “every publisher of books shall be bound to provide memoranda of all books, published by him, to the authorised officer, after every three months with other details.”

It adds, “Every importer of books shall be bound to provide memoranda of all books imported in the province by him, within fifteen days of import of books to the authorized officer.”

The “book” according to the law includes “every volume, part or division of a volume, and pamphlet, in any language and every sheet of music, sign, map, chart or plan separately printed or reprinted or reproduced, lithographed or produced in any soft form, disc or any other similar device etc., used for digital or electronic stor-

India’s ‘Hindutva mindset’ reason for expulsion from Chahbahar project: Qureshi cOntinuEd On pAgE 01

age, other than a newspaper, magazine, journal, newsletter and the textbook defined under the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Act.” The law also gives the DGPR power to refuse permission to import, print or publish a book “if it is prejudicial to the national interest, culture, religious and sectarian harmony.”

As per the bill, the authorised officer will get four copies of the book, on its printing day with the relevant text and maps.

“The publisher on the same day of printing of a book shall provide four copies of every edition of a book, together with all maps, prints or other engraving belonging thereto finished and coloured in the

same manner as the best copies of the same, to the authorized officer concerned or to such officers and at such place, as the Government may notify,” read the bill.

The punishment for failing to comply with the law would result in imprisonment of either descriptive for a term which may “extend to five years and with fine which may extend to Rs500,000.”

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi after the passage of the bill said, “This bill will prove to be a milestone in the protection of Islam and its supremacy. The federation and provinces should follow us in this regard.”

He added that a bill like this should be passed by Centre and provinces and should be enforced all over Pakistan. “The Section

Number 3/F of this bill should be Article 295 of Pakistan Penal Code 1860,” the speaker said.

The speaker also praised Hafiz Ammar Yasir as well as opposition leader Hamza Shehbaz, provincial education minister Murad Raas and other MPAs who played their full role in the passage of this bill.

“About a year back, the matter of three such books came into notice in which filthy and blasphemous language was used.”

“At that time our party member Hafiz Ammar Yasir moved a resolution in the Punjab Assembly in this regard which was unanimously approved. I constituted a special committee headed by Law Minister which did very good work,” he added.

Satisfied with progress on CPEC projects, says President Alvi nEWS dESK President Arif Alvi, while addressing a webinar arranged

by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR) on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), expressed his satisfaction regarding progress on CPEC projects being undertaken in Pakistan.

The webinar was hosted by KCFR Chairman Ikram Sehgal on Thursday. Participants of the webinar included President Arif Alvi, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, Asim, CPEC Authority Chairman Saleem Bajwa.

President Arif Alvi while addressing the participants appreciated the Chinese leadership for their work pertaining to CPEC and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The president added that peace is central to the smooth operation of the trade routes. “Friendship between China and Pakistan is deeper than the ocean and higher than the skies,” said President Arif Alvi.

He said that the government expects Chinese’s investment and cooperation in every sector of the economy.

KCFR HOLDS WEBINAR TO HIGHLIGHT CPEC POTENTIAL AND ITS IMPACT ON THE REGION Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing while addressing the webinar said that the Chinese government and people appreciate the solidarity and support shown by the Pakistani government and the people of Pakistan.

He said that China is still trying to revive its economy that has gone into a slump due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said in the post Covid-19 world, CPEC will enhance cooperation between the two countries.

He said that the Chinese business community and the government is committed to the CPEC projects and will extend their full cooperation.

CPEC Authority Chairman Asim Saleem Bajwa said that CPEC is one of the most successful collaborations be-

tween Pakistan and China, adding that CPEC has been designed in three phases.

Phase one of CPEC includes short term projects which are meant to fill the gaps in the construction and energy sector and identify three routes being built under the CPEC project connecting all major cities of Pakistan with seaports.

He said that under CPEC for the first time corporate farming has been introduced, which will enhance yield for farmers. He further said that the government wants to invite Chinese companies to build port infrastructure.

KCFR Chairman Ikram Sehgal said that the CPEC will change the geopolitical dynamics of the world. He identifies that due to BRI the intercontinental distances have been decreased.

He said that Charbahar port in Iran has been taken over by China, which has technically turned the project into a “China, Iran and Pakistan economic corridor”.

He further said that building roads in Balochistan would not have been possible without the support of Pakistan Armed Forces.

UNGA PRESIDENT’S PAKISTAN VISIT: The foreign minister also said that the presidentelect of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Volkan Bozkir, is due to visit Pakistan on Monday. Qureshi said he would present to Bozkir Pakistan’s position on Indian occupied Kashmir, which he said was suffering the “worst human rights situation” in the world.

The foreign minister said that he would also inform Bozkir about the atrocities committed by the Indian troops in occupied Kashmir. Qureshi termed the visit of foreign media journalists to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Chirikot sector a day earlier “an important step” in this regard.

The journalists, he said, were escorted by the military to the region to witness the plight of residents living along the frontier. Qureshi said the journalists had been invited by Pakistan to “show them the double standards of India”.

“Will India follow suit and allow independent media to visit the occupied valley?” he questioned, adding that India was also “restricting movement of UN-deployed observers to hide the truth”.

Opp protests against ordinance ‘facilitating’ Jadhav, walks out of session cOntinuEd On pAgE 01 “And now, Kulbhushan Jadhav who admitted to spying and committing terror offences in Pakistan, is being granted an NRO by Imran Khan.” The PPP chief said that the government had “already given an NRO” to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s terrorist Ehsanullah Ehsan, who had admitted his role in the Army Public School massacre that took place in 2014. The interior minister had earlier this year admitted that Ehsan had escaped from Pakistan’s custody. Concluding his speech, the PPP chairman said that the “opposition’s conscience does not allow” to let the session continue with the ordinance on its agenda and pointed out quorum. The speaker adjourned proceedings until the quorum was complete.

Wilmar Agro raises stake to 30 per cent in Unity Foods LAHORE MOHAMMAD FAROOQ

Unity Wilmar Agro (Private) Limited on Thursday announced it has raised its shareholding in Unity Foods to around 30pc after acquiring shares from its selling holder.

UWA is a 52 per cent owned subsidiary of Wilmar Pakistan Holdings which in turn is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

According to a press release on its website, the Wilmar unit paid Rs1.03 billion to increase its ownership in Unity Foods by 18.98 per cent to around 30 per cent.

It acquired 18.98 per cent shareholding interest equivalent to a total of 103,260,690 ordinary shares at Rs 10 per share in cash.

Previously, the Wilmar unit held 11.01 per cent stake in Unity Foods which it had acquired in May 2019 equivalent to 59,905,187 shares of the company.

“UWA now holds 163,165,877 ordinary shares in Unity Foods, representing about 29.99% shareholding interest in Unity Foods.

The purchase consideration of Rs 1,032,606,900 was agreed on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, at the same purchase price of PKR10 per share paid by UWA in the 2019 Acquisition and was funded from the internal funds of UWA,” read the notification.

It added, “The acquisition is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets and earnings per share of

CMYK

the Wilmar group for the current financial year ending 31 December 2020.”

In 2017, Unity Foods was a spinning mill that decided to enter the edible oil industry and since then the company grew at a breathtaking pace recording revenue of Rs2.8 billion in financial year 2018 and rising an astounding 407 per cent to Rs14 billion in the financial year 2019.

Also, in February 2019, Unity Foods had raised Rs3.75 billion from the equity markets.

Similarly, the company had raised Rs1.65 billion in June 2017 from a rights share issue to finance the purchase of a solvent extraction plant, an oil refinery and other ancillary assets

and purchase of land and office building.

Unity Foods Ltd (UFL) is an agri-business company with principal activities that entails the entire value chain from the procurement and crushing of multiple oilseeds.

UWA is in the business of manufacturing meal for the animal feed business in Pakistan and the acquisition will allow it a bigger presence in the edible oils, flour and industrial fats market in Pakistan.

Unity Foods shares closed trading at Rs12.63, down Rs0.16 (-0.25 per cent).

KSE-100 index ended trading at 37,578.21 points, down 226.40 points (-0.6 per cent) on Thursday.

Friday, 24 July, 2020

06 COMMENT

Stranger in a strange land?

Finally, an agreement on NFC But an agreement on an Award is a country mile ahead

Wrestling with the nationality question

A

at Penpoint

major hurdle in the way of a new NFC Award was removed when the government dropped two nominees from the proposed National Finance Commission whom it had included in violation of the constitutional provisions. The government changed its position when the issue cropped up at the IhC. Further, the government also revised the ToRs, deleting a number of subjects from the previous notification while adding a fresh subject. It is not yet clear whether PM Imran Khan would chair the meeting of the NFC as Finance Minister or being unused to listening to dissenting views would hand over the portfolio to someone else.

But for the PTI leadership’s obduracy, the differences between the government and the opposition could have been resolved through bilateral talks. had this been done, the government would neither have lost face nor let the opposition call the government’s retreat its moral and constitutional victory. By settling political disputes in Parliament, the political parties strengthen the system. By handing over their political disputes to the courts, they cede Parliament’s turf. It is time the government leaders sit down with the opposition to settle a number of other legislative issues that are currently on the cards. Both the government and the opposition want changes in the NAB law, which have become all the more necessary after the observations made by the Supreme Court. The government is also keen to pass 14 bills, some urgently as these are related to the FATF. A bipartisan committee comprising members from both the National Assembly and Senate needs to be formed to take up the bills and reach a consensus through give and take.

More issues will crop up when the new Commission initiates discussion on the NFC Award. Unless there is a modicum of goodwill between the government and the opposition, the issues could again land in the courts. As things stand, not to talk of goodwill, there is no working relationship between the two sides of the aisle as the all too frequent pandemonium in the National Assembly and Senate indicates. There is a need under the circumstances to create an environment conducive to lawmaking. A bipartisan committee can play a crucial role in this.

m a NIazI

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he revelation by the Cabinet Division itself, through its website, that seven Special Assistants to the Prime Minister had obtained dual nationalities, should not really have been a surprise, as the extent of the influence of the Diaspora within the PTI is even greater than in other parties. The PPP and the PML(N) have both had leaders with spells in exile; one result is that party members have had to engage in the sort of ruses that are practiced by members of the Diaspora who need some form of documentation which would allow them to live abroad.

While the nationality revelation may have been more sensational, the revelation of the property details of the advisers and special assistants also revealed that the PTI is hardly a poor man’s party, not that it ever really claimed to be. While the corrupt may not have entered its ranks, vested interests are well represented. Therefore, things like the wheat and sugar scandals, and the recent oil price hike, as well as the influence exerted by such lobbies as the construction industry begin to make sense.

The decision that there would be a quasi-presidential system, where the Prime Minister would not restrict himself to members of Parliament, but would seek talent outside of it, made it inevitable that dual nationals would have to be inducted. It should not be forgotten that the country exports labour, and most of those in the PM’s team on account of their expertise have essentially just acquired their expertise as part of the Diaspora, and had gone abroad because they wanted to obtain a better life.

It should be remembered that while people go abroad because their talents are not fully used here, but the deal is that they receive training in order to work better there. While abroad, they got the citizenship of the country they resided in, both so that there would be no questions about their staying there, and so that there would be no problems moving between Pakistan and the country they had gone to. Pakistan’s citizenship law, basically a takeover from the British law, allows for dual citizenship. That explains why so many SAPMs have Canadian nationality, because Canada too, a British ex-colony, allows dual nationality. however, in an access of patriotism, the USA does not allow dual nationality. however, as a sort of halfway house, it issues green cards, which give the

Trying to hold water The Supreme Court should not make threats it can’t carry out

The evolving battlefield of South Asia

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he expression of concern by both members of a two-member division bench of the Supreme Court, while hearing the case of a man accused of a sectarian crime, about the content on Youtube, was probably understandable. At the same time, the solution they hinted at, of a ban, has been tried before, with the ban imposed in 2012 having to be lifted in 2016. While the matter that was complained about, involved judges’ family members, it was perhaps obvious that they would react strongly. however, while the idea of a ban might be satisfying, it should be remembered that one of the penalties of being a public figure in the present era is being commented upon in the social media by anyone.

The criticism thus made is often enough unfair, and irrelevantly drags in family members. however, this does not happen to just members of the judiciary, or the armed forces, but extends also to politicians, journalists, and other public figures. These have all learned to tolerate this criticism, to the extent of ignoring falsehoods. Their lordships seem aware that as public servants, their acts are subject to comment, but should also realize that there is a price that is attached to being a public figure.

Their lorsdship need to remember that a ban would end the incomes of those content creators who rely on their Youtube income. Therein lies some relief for their lordships, for if those posting the objectionable material cannot monetize their content, it means that the material is not being viewed too widely, and thus the judges are not being scandalized. There is a need to develop tolerance of criticism, to embrace new technology rather than suspect it (as seen in the recent ban on PUBG on unfounded charges that it was encouraging violence).

Perhaps most pertinent is an answer to the question of who benefits. The recent judgments of the Supreme Court have gone against the use of NAB for political victimization, and the NDMA. It might unveil who is actually engaged in the underhanded campaign. It would also be helpful to their lordships to find experts to assist them in a technology they are probably not entirely at home in.

New challenges must be met HamzaH Touqeer

T

he nature of war as described by Clausewitz as like that of a chameleon, which is constantly changing. The proponents of change in battlefield believe it consists of political, economic, technological and industrial factors impacting the strategic, doctrinal, operational and tactical levels of warfare. The era from 1789-1815 industrial revolution saw a change in the way of warfare from agrarian to an industrialized form, which changed the operational structure of military forces. The impact of the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) could be best explained by Alvin and heidi Toffler’s three-wave model of warfare, starting historically from the advent of gunpowder which revolutionized the agrarian form (for example ill equipped irregular army battles during the Crusades) to the first wave, such as during the Napoleonic Wars, calling upon the use of artillery, and rank and file of troops. The industrialization of warfare demanded a well-equipped army capable of carrying blitzkrieg manoeuvres, using armoured and mechanized troops and naval battleships along with the use of air power, such as during World Wars I and II. The third wave of warfare called upon the role of informationbased systems exploiting the cyber and space domain impacting C5ISR (Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) as seen during the network-centric wars after Operation Desert Storm. The fourth generation warfare saw a drastic shift in the unconventional domain, employing subversive tactics to defeat the enemy with use of irregular and asymmetric warfare below the threshold of conventional war.1 The independence of Pakistan and India being entrenched in blood and animosity over the distribution of resources and the territorial disputes resulting from the unjust division at the end of British colonial rule over the South Asia, these disputes led the two neighbours into three conventional wars and a conflict which had engraved the strategic culture of these states into security states and resulted in a security dilemma and subsequent arms race in the region. India in 1974 conducted its first ever nuclear test named Smiling Buddha which enforced Pakistan to follow the suit and develop its own nuclear weapons programme in order to maintain strategic balance and the force parity distribution

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with the forms of the state, whether it is a small Greek city-state (from which the word ‘citizen’ actually comes) or the Roman empire. Rome retained the structure of the city-state it started out as, even when it became a large empire, and one of the most soughtholder all the privileges of citizenship, except contest- after privileges it gave was granting citizenship. Origing elections. (But you can contribute to campaigns). inally granted only to allow migrants, or exiles from The holder is not only defined as a permanent resident other cities, it gradually became a privilege involving but is also on the path to citizenship (which will mean protection of person, as well as certain taxation privabjuring all previous citizenship or citizenships). No ileges and political rights. It was much as US citizenless than three SAPMs have green cards. One of them, ship (or even residency) was today. however, in 212, Moeed Yusuf, waxed lyrical about the fact that he had the emperor Caracalla granted citizenship to every never had any foreign nationality, even though his po- free person in the empire. The Germanic barbarian sition as the SAPM on National Security, dealing with remained bereft of this honour, though it was granted the Strategic Plans Division, raises grave concerns selectively to those who behaved themselves. about the safety of the country.

The present situation is of theoretical equality, When the Supreme Court ruled on dual nationals because states are supposed to be equal. however, in Parliament, it expressed the apprehension that dual- they are engaged in competition with each other, and national legislators might be made by their second one measure of their status is the regard in which their countries to act according to their wishes. The Supreme passport is held. One of the motives behind the PTI’s Court recognized an unformation was the poor comfortable truth: that regard in which the PakPakistanis abroad jealistani passport is held. ously guard their privi(Imran is more like an The comeback that the PML(N) leges, and will do overseas Pakistani than virtually anything to plaother Pakistani ruler, leadership (specifically Mian Nawaz any cate the foreign authoriand has not only exties. Foreign intelligence resentment at the Sharif and Kh Asif) had held Saudi pressed agencies would be able to poor image of Pakistanis blackmail Pakistanis abroad, but promised to Iqamas was evidence of the holding their nationality elevate that image.) Like problem. All parties are in this or residency with the Indians and other mithreat of its cancellation.

Pakistanis abroad together. The PTI had objected then grants, here it should be retend to greater attempts to membered that foreign prove their patriotic creto their holding office, but to its nationality or green card dentials. That might exown members. In other words, two plain the readiness to is seen as a tangible good. It is perhaps not an accept military rule in the wrongs should not make a right. encashable asset, but it is past, and now the PTI. It certainly raised in maralso may tend to explain riage proposals, and seen the attitude of the federal with approval. It is alCabinet, which merely most as if it is one of the compensations of the self- congratulated itself on its open-ness, but took no furexile involved in migration. Not only is giving it up ther action. The foreign nationals in the meeting did difficult, but being deprived of it is like being robbed. not recuse themselves from the discussion, but apparBut it is an uncertain good. The granting country al- ently had no reason to defend themselves. After all, ways reserves the right to cancel any grant of natural- though the government itself had revealed the details, ization or residency. however, this power is not used it is not as if the PTI was pressing for their removal. arbitrarily, and provided the recipient keeps his nose The comeback that the PML(N) leadership clean, the citizenship or residency is safe. This might (specifically Mian Nawaz Sharif and Kh Asif) had explain why Pakistanis abroad, especially those who held Saudi Iqamas was evidence of the problem. All have been naturalized, are so law-abiding. It also parties are in this together. The PTI had objected then means that someone who has achieved a high position to their holding office, but to its own members. In at home, such as a seat at the Cabinet table (or as is other words, two wrongs should not make a right. It the case with Dr Shehbaz Gill, a seat in almost all of should not be forgotten that Imran Khan may not enthe PM’s meetings), would be willing to co-operate tirely have the choosing of his team, and in those with the intelligence agency of the country that has cases, it is likelier than not that he would find himself given him a document, whether passport or residency. landed with a foreign national.

Makers of citizenship laws have had to work with different situations. The concept of citizenship varies The writer is a member of staff.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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in the region. Between 11 and 13 May 1998, India car- and movements, tapping into military communication ried out five nuclear tests which were rebutted by Pak- posing a challenge to sensitive communications. These istan equally by carrying out five tests of its own developments in space also pose a risk to the sensitive between 28 and 30 May 1998. Thus, this marked the critical infrastructure as it makes them vulnerable to formal introduction of nuclear weapons into the bat- surveillance and reconnaissance, enables India to carry tlefield theatre in South Asia, rewriting the positions out cyber-attacks, locate, coordinate and execute deep for diplomacy and military engagement and strategic strikes on weapon systems including cruise and ballisdoctrines during peace and war altogether. The on- tic missiles, manipulate the ISR capabilities and inforslaught of Indian Cold Start Doctrine to insert its inte- mation undermining the movements of strategic assets.

Space is considered the battlefield of the future, grated Battle Groups IBGs within Pakistani territory under the nuclear threshold, forced Pakistan to develop with major states including the USA, China, and Rustactical nuclear weapons for the battlefield to counter sia maintains a constellation of 1327, 263 and 192 reany Indian military adventurism. This move not only spectively out of over 2666 satellites in space. The changed the dynamics of rules of engagement in the majority of satellites used by these states act as imbattlefield but also forced Pakistan to maintain a full- portant ISR platforms, communication relay bases, spectrum deterrence doctrine. Thus, the development with scientific and environmental applications. The USA is the first state of new technologies and which has inaugurated its weapon systems impact space force as a separate the strategic balance and armed force on 21 Deconsequently shift the Indian ambitions in space must be cember 2019 with a hefty strategic thinking and culof over $1.4 trilture of states. kept in check, and Pakistan should budget lion. These space forces The delicate strategic balance within South Asia develop its capabilities for a space are designated to perform three major functions in has kept Pakistan and programme to keep pace with the strategic military roles India in a security which are to collect ISR, dilemma causing an arms evolving battlefield in South Asia enhance protected comrace cycle in the region munication and protected for maintaining the stratedata link within the comgic balance, as either side mand hierarchy and also deems national security interests are thus best secured. The Indians, by under- to protect own space assets while destroying and targoing force modernization, nuclear proliferation and geting enemy space-based assets by using kinetic kill increasing acquiring fissile material, have caused grave vehicles such as Anti-Satellite Weapons ASAT or diconcern for decisionmakers in Pakistan for securing its rected energy weapons.

Understanding the international strategic picture own interests. The Indian changes in its Land Warfare Doctrine, shift in nuclear doctrine from No-First Use we could analyze the domino impact on the South to First-Use, increasing strategic coordination with the Asian region where India is aspiring to emerge as a USA, Russia and Israel in military and space technol- major regional hegemon and maintains a comprehenogy have played an important role in disturbing the sive space programme with devious ambitions understrategic balance in the region. India has over the years mining the peace in the region and also invested and developed its space programme very ef- internationally by maintaining ASAT capabilities. fectively and poses a major source of concern for Pak- Thus, this not only threatened but the peace of the istan’s national security. India maintains a outer space with the weaponization and offensive cawell-organized and under-development military space pabilities development but also undermines the strateprogramme. India maintains over 55 satellites with gic stability of the region. Thus, Indian ambitions in over 17 dual-use military satellites and 8 designated space must be kept in check, and Pakistan should demilitary satellites which are capable of conducting ISR velop its capabilities for a space programme to keep missions in electromagnetic, radar imaging, carto- pace with the evolving battlefield in South Asia. graphic and electro-optical imaging satellites. These Hamzah Touqeer is a freelance columnist satellites are capable of monitoring force deployment

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Friday, 24 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

The responsibility of local government of Kech

Indian brutalities against Kashmiris continue unabated The BJP doesn’t let covid-19 stop it from trying to takeover Kashmir

SulTaN m HalI

O

N 5 August 2019, India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir provided by Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, scrapping Article 35A, split the state into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh and annexed them. Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) was clamped under curfew and to silence Pakistan, unprecedented shelling across the Line of Control and the use of cluster bombs to slaughter innocent Kashmiris was launched.

Brute force against a just struggle is in direct contravention to the Geneva Convention but India is known to have no respect for human rights organizations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a diabolical plan to annex Kashmir, when he ascended to power in 2014. Two impediments blocked him: Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution. The former grants special status to the residents of Kashmir. Article 370 was a solemn commitment of the government of India to the Kashmiris and it arose out of the special circumstances that confronted the Constituent Assembly as it wrote the Indian constitution in 1948.

Article 35A, which was promulgated

by India’s first president, Rajendra Prasad, on May 14, 1954, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 370, prohibits ownership of land in Kashmir by non-residents.

On assumption of the Prime Minister’s mantle, Modi had a three-pronged plan. Firstly, to win the state elections in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 and with a majority, repudiate Articles 370 and 35A and change the demographics of Inian-Occupied Kashmir, resettling hindus to change the majority of the Muslims into a minority, so that if a plebiscite did take place, the majority would vote for accession to India.

The first part of the plan was called 44-plus since this was the number of seats required by BJP to win a majority, but it failed because Kashmiris turned up in droves to renounce Modi’s heinous agenda and prevent the BJP getting a majority in the Jammu and Kashmir Leg-

islative Assembly.

Trying to promulgate part two of his diabolical plan, Modi turned to resettling hindus into the Valley but was barred by Article 35A. Part three constituted launching false-flag operations, blaming Pakistan for the dastardly attacks, to divert international attention from India’s ghoulish acts of brutality against the Kashmiris.

The Indian President signed a Bill revoking the Articles on J&K, while the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, ratified the Bill with a two-thirds majority and the Lok Sabha too followed suit.

In December 2019, Modi went a step forward, introducing two draconian laws, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) meant to target Muslims and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which excludes 1.9 million of northeastern Assam state’s 33 million population.

Narendra Modi was not prepared for a backlash from a majority of Indians, including hindus, protesting the promulgation of the controversial laws. events have finally caught up with India on its religious intolerance and prejudice towards minorities. On 29 April 2020 a powerful body of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2020 Annual Report, documenting significant developments during 2019, depicting a sharp downward turn in India, and making recommendations to the US State Department to blacklist India by adding it to the list of countries with particularly poor records on protecting freedom to worship.

On 31 March, the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (adaptation of state laws) order 2020 was enacted, which relaxes domicile rules for the Valley and eligibility criteria for employment in the region. The order qualifies Indians, who have resided for a period of 15 years in the occupied region or have studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10/12 examinations there, to be eligible for domicile of the Valley. This means that those who fulfill the new criteria will become permanent residents of Kashmir.

This malevolent conspiracy aims at the introduction of an undemocratic delimitation measure seeking to ensure the constitutional entrenchment of a hindu majoritarian agenda to dispossess the people of Kashmir.

USCRIF highlighted statements by India’s senior leadership, including the home Minister Amit Shah, who had referred to Muslim migrants as “termites” that need to be eradicated from India. The report also mentioned the statement of another senior BJP leader, Yogi Adityanath, who is the current Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh, who has pledged revenge against those protesting the controversial CAA by stating that they should be fed with “bullets not biryani.”

Maintaining its state of denial, the Indian government rejected the report by terming it biased and labelling the USCRIF as “an organization of particular concern, which will be treated accordingly.”

The deadly covid-19 pandemic struck the world and continues to take a heavy toll of lives.

India was no exception but due to its poor handling, it has suffered heavily. While the world is totally dedicated to combating the covid-19 pandemic, India, ruled by its extremist hindutva ideology, tried to scapegoat Muslims and blame

them for spreading the deadly virus. Vishwa hindu Parishad, an active arm of the Sangh Parivar, called for a complete ban on the Tablighi Jamaat and its Nizamuddin Markaz besides freezing its bank accounts and closure of all its offices because of the spike in covid-19 cases across India. The majority of pro-government Indian news channels were linking the coronavirus outbreak to the Muslim missionary group, the Tablighi Jamaat and its gathering held in New Delhi, stoking anti-Muslim sentiments.

Coronavirus cases are not specific to any community. however, the extremist government of the BJP in India has been especially targeting Muslims to fulfill its evil designs. While extremist hindu groups are trying to allay the epidemic with cow urine or collectively banging pots and pans, perhaps predictably, as criticism of aspects of the lockdown has grown, so has Islamophobia. Across cable television and India’s ubiquitous WhatsApp groups, the country’s 200 million Muslims have become a convenient victim for the spread of the virus. As the centerpiece of this campaign, government and media figures have implied sinister intent behind a peaceful religious gathering that was held in the nation’s capital, New Delhi.

The Tablighi Jamaat is a nonpolitical organization that has existed for nearly 100 years and currently operates in 150 countries. It aims to promote religious reform and instill purist Islamic values in other Muslims. It furthers this goal through preaching missions, in which members of Tablighi Jamaat connect with other Muslims in their own communities.

It’s clear that the Tablighi Jamaat was hardly alone in failing to immediately halt large gatherings: Multiple large-scale religious, political, and personal events were taking place in Delhi and all across the country until the lockdown came into effect on the night of March 24. Some hindu temples in the state of Gujarat saw upward of 10,000 visitors between March 18 and March 19. In the second week of March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party celebrated an electoral victory in the state of Madhya Pradesh with a massive rally in the streets. And in Punjab, 40,000 people were quarantined after the death of a man who attended a Sikh religious festival.

These events have not attracted a fraction of the vitriol now faced by members of the Tablighi Jamaat. To make matters worse, Indian fiscal policies have failed and its economy is facing a massive meltdown. Due to Indian miscalculation, it tried to construct a controversial road in Ladakh region to establish its claims in the territory disputed with China. Reacting to the Indian intransigence, the Chines occupied the Galvan Valley and in a border skirmish, 20 Indian army personnel, including a Colonel and a Major, lost their lives while scores of Indians were taken prisoners.

In order to divert domestic attention away from the debacle, India increased the barrage of artillery and rockets across the LoC, martyring innocent civilians. It also started browbeating Pakistan while cowing down before China. Such hollow jingoism will India get nowhere and it will have to cease its brutalities before it implodes from within.

Sultan M Hali is a retired Group Captain and author of the book Defence & Diplomacy.

Currently he is a columnist, analyst and TV talk show host.

The earth and the environment are the two best aspects of living organisms in which flora and fauna do the better survivalists because their sequence availability matters a lot. According to the WhO pollution is killing almost seven million people worldwide every year on which they face breathing problems and some other biological problems in the living body.

Meanwhile, Turbat is one of the famous cities of Pakistan and the second-ranking city of Balochistan by the longitude of 63.07%, is widely lacking the proper care of pollutants.

Turbat Kech is believed to be one of the developing districts of Pakistan where the developmental works are being stopped like cleanliness, a very serious issue of human health and one of the environmental factors, the waste materials are dumped to every home and the territories without any hygienic process but the authorized persons are not taking them as serious as they earn funds from the higher sections of the Government. The waste management issue is the type of a lifethreatening problem that can cause us health diseases because of dirt along with the toxicity of the waste materials.

There is no proper use of such waste materials and taking them very light though they are dangerous to the health by having the toxic chemical compounds and they do release them while dumped. We lack dustbins in the area, if have which would become hide or disappear soon, the employees of local government visit seldom to do the cleanliness of dust and waste materials but they are not coming daily to ensure everything on time. Those perilous particles which are in dust and the waste materials are full of causing chemical compounds to affect the living organisms and to infect the nature environment.

Similarly, they cause well beings diseases and long term health problems. everyone has to get the right, the environment too owing to which we are living our lives, and the beauty attracts is due to the nature that is also being disturbed by the anthropogenic.

These are such kinds of toxic chemical compounds that release toxicity from a long stay in an open place to the territory and bazaar place. On the other side, we can see here lack of garbage bins, proper areas for the waste material that are infected in the houses to roadsides where some of the ways are covered by the waste, and even no way to go. Because of these dumped materials, thousands of microorganisms grow with the effective points of the mosquitoes cause human health into malaria, makes sick and illness order day in and day out. So, let me draw the attention of those authorities to take immediate action until the microbial come to the living organism and become the causative agent.

Junaid Bakht Baloch turBat

Potent procedure MAN is a Social Animal who feels comfortable living in a society rather than living in an isolated milieu. But living in a society is not always comfortable; men who live in a society intentionally or unintentionally countenance disputes and those disputes badly joggle their appeasing life.

Whenever a dispute arises the parties to the dispute normally prefer to knock the door of the court for resolution of that dispute.

The Dispute resolves there also but it takes an inordinate period of time in getting resolved and during the course of resolution immeasurable money is disbursed by both the parties such as Lawyer’s fees, court fees and convenience charges. There is another method of resolving disputes called Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which is frequently practiced in Western countries mainly the U.K, USA, Canada, and France etc. It has worked effectively in these countries and has played a crucial role in the progress of western Society. Permanent Court of Arbitration is an institute which plays a pivotal role in pacific settlement of dispute among the countries of the world Alternative Dispute Resolution which is comparatively a new term for our society assists in resolving even decades old disputes outside the court. ADR is a process through which a neutralthird person undertakes the responsibility to resolve the dispute between two parties by applying the methods of Conciliation, Mediation, Negotiation and Arbitration. Mediation: Through this technique the parties at the dispute are set free to come to a mutual consensus through dialogue without imposing any particular solution. The Mediator or Arbitrator who conducts the process of mediation helps parties come across different solutions and mutual interest. Beside that the mediator also shoulders many responsibilities such as; exploring the concealed facts related to the dispute, he maintains the decorum of mutual dialogue between the two parties; he shares neutral views so parties could be diverted towards the path of reconciliation. Mediation is followed by negotiations Negotiations: By this tactic the actual point of dispute is discussed among the parties while here during the discussion the Arbitrator keeps a close eye over both the parties so as to avoid any further rift between the two. After going through the stage of negotiations most of the parties become ready to go for reconciliation after giving away their minor interests that obstructs the way of peaceful settlement of dispute Reconciliation: At the end of the day the mediator with all his expertise and efforts manages to reconcile the parties at dispute without imposing any harsh sanction or verdict over the parties. kamran khamiSo khowaJa (k.k) SuJawal

Dysfunctional families WheN will we talk about the children coming from dysfunctional families and how they end up choosing the most toxic life partners ahead? When will we talk about the children coming from a broken household searching for friendships everywhere yet unable to keep any of those friends for a long term? When will we talk about children coming from a neglected background accepting any abuse that comes with the tag of love just because they don’t know the difference? When will we talk about children coming from a dining table where dishes are broken and curses exchanged, never knowing how to maintain a decent conversation at dinner? how can we talk on such issues? We are just so indulged in thinking about ourselves and about our hopeless desires we need to change for our own sake. A child’s whole life and mentality depends upon his/her childhood yet people don’t take this seriously not even their families. tEhrEEm tariq iSlamaBad

Friday, 24 July, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

‘Mr Modi has with one stroke united all the kashMiris against india’ Q: August 5 will mark the completion of one year ference and the PDP who took part in the elections in of the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 (A) of IOK under the Indian constitution. Mr. Modi has with the Indian Constitution, which provided special status one stroke united all the Kashmiris against India. My reto Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. When you sponses to your subsequent questions will make this even look back, what has been the obvious political ramifi- clearer. I cannot think of any democratic country or cation of this move by the Indian government? How polity (let alone a country that prides on calling itself the has it impacted the diplomatic ties and the bilateral largest democracy in the world) keeping the people of talks between Pakistan and India?

J&K in complete lockdown for one year in utter and total A: This will require some background so we can un- violation of their human rights and to the dismay of inderstand what has been achieved in the past and what ternational human rights organizations. This has been lost by India’s recent action since includes the period of Covid-19 in history will record August 5 as a Black which a lockdown of the internet, Day for the oppressed people of as well as military occupation Jammu and Kashmir, for India (as gravely hindered even access recent events seem to indicate), to medical facilities.

Former Foreign Minister as well as for Pakistan-India Q: India maintains relations. As someone who that by revoking the of Pakistan, has worked for and has alspecial status of Mr Khurshid Mahmud most succeeded along with Jammu and Kashmir, our Indian counterparts in it has achieved overKasuri’s interview for the arriving at a possible all integration, deframework for a solution velopment, and stops special issue of the of J&K through the the insurgency. Does Outlook magazine on ‘one backchannel, I am particuPakistan feel that larly unhappy. I cannot but India violated interyear of the scrapping of refer to our dealings with national norms by Prime Ministers Atal Bihari scrapping?

Article 370 and how it has Vajpayee and Manmohan A: Frankly speaking, changed Jammu and Singh. As a result of 10 war and Pakistan was never much near war situations (listed in my concerned with Article 370 Kashmir’ book) between Pakistan and India because its claim is based on since independence, both these Prime UNSC resolutions. Article 370, alMinisters had come to the conclusion that though designed to guarantee Kashmir there cannot be normalcy in South Asia without reautonomy, over a period of time had become solving Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Prime Minister Va- merely a ‘husk’. Why Pakistan has reacted so furiously jpayee’s wisdom is reflected in an article ‘Kumarakom to August 05 action is because it regards the action of Musings’ carried by your esteemed magazine: ‘two things BJP government as an attack on the dignity and very were keeping India from achieving its potential at the in- identity of the Kashmiri people. I would like to quote ternational level; its problem with Pakistan over Kashmir here, one of India’s rather South Asia’s most erudite and dispute and the demolition of Babri Masjid’ (Jan 2003). prolific scholars, A.G. Noorani who asks, “How long can Prime Minister Manmohan Singh showed equal wisdom this oppressive setup last?... a different ballgame is being by openly expressing his desire to turn Siachen into a played today. Kashmiris are being asked to become ac‘mountain of peace’ and working towards creating an en- complices in the murder of the political identity of their vironment where when ‘one can have breakfast in Amrit- own ancient historic land with its vibrant past, rich culsar, lunch in Lahore, and dinner in Kabul (Jan 2007). He ture and a record of revolt over centuries since Emperor had realized that it was in India’s own interest (as high- Akbar extinguished Kashmir’s independence in 1586.” lighted by recent events) to resolve issues with Pakistan.

You have asked me about insurgency, integration and As a result, Pakistan and India had even decided to development, I will deal with subjects separately. Let’s resolve the issue of J&K, details of which are given in talk of insurgency first: reports are regularly carried my book, ‘Neither a Hawk nor a Dove’; the contents of world-wide by the international media highlighting the this book have not been contradicted by any Indian or brutal actions of security forces encountering ‘militants’ Pakistani who was in the loop at that time. This is also in one part of Kashmir or another. They describe vividly borne out by the fact that despite advance copies of my how houses of Kashmiris are blown up and attempts are book having been sent to the principal actors President made to stop the funeral processions by locals who Pervez Musharraf and Dr Manmohan Singh, my book backed those who have been killed by the security forces. launches in Karachi and New Delhi were attended by A recent photograph of a 3-year toddler sitting on his both of them besides many others. Mr L K Advani who grandfather’s dead body made headlines. Every major was then the BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in newspaper in the world reported this along with the phothe Lok Sabha had also attended my book launch. I had tograph. I do not need to say anything further on this exinvited him because the peace process started during the cept to quote from one of India’s leading magazines, ‘The tenure of the BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Print’, which ended its article on the subject by quoting and also, because, he visited Pakistan on my invitation an Indian security expert who did not wish to be named: during which he was the chief guest at the function com- “A hot summer in Kashmir, a hot LoC and a standoff at memorating the restoration of the famous Katas Raj the LAC. Most people in Kashmir know where we are Temple. He was thus aware of the positive developments headed. The question is, does Delhi know that?” between two countries. They wouldn’t have attended had How can there be integration in the current atmosphere they not agreed with the contents of the book. where India is more isolated in Kashmir than it ever was.

Mr Shiv Shankar Menon, India’s former National Do I need to advance arguments to prove this? When I Security Advisor who had also served as Indian High studied Law at Cambridge, I was taught a basic legal Latin Commissioner to Pakistan and was in the loop on devel- maxim where a situation required no proof — ‘Res Ipsa opments on the backchannel has confirmed the same in Loquitur’ (the thing speaks for itself). Morally, at least, this his book, ‘Choices’ (2016). According to him, ‘in 2004- maxim applies to the situation in Kashmir. Therefore, no 07, under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, we came further arguments are required in this respect. close to setting the stage for a changed relationship beYou also talk of development; development requires tween these two countries, addressing Jammu and Kash- stability and the ability of the investors to predict a future mir and other issues, with overwhelming popular support of stable environment. Would any serious investor think on both sides of the border.’ More or less similar conclu- of putting his hard earned money in such an atmosphere? sions were reached by Dr Sanjay Baru (particularly on In fact, there are reports of increasing poverty in Kashmir.

Siachen) who had been an Advisor to Prime Minister You also asked me about the ramifications of the acManmohan Singh, in his book, ‘The Accidental Prime tions of August 5. Pakistani and International media is full Minister.’ Mr. S K Lambah (throughout India’s of reports of such ramifications. For today’s purposes, howbackchannel negotiator during the period I’m referring ever, I need quote only eminent Indians in this respect. I asto) in an interview published in the Outlook Magazine sure you, I will not quote people like Mani Shankar Aiyar on 25th of September 2017, in response to a question who is perhaps the most courageous politician in South Asia whether he, as the backchannel negotiator, agreed with or writers, thinkers and activists like Sudheendra Kulkarni the conclusions detailed in my book that Pakistan and or OP Shah, because, liberals and those advising peace with India were very close to resolving even Jammu and India’s neighbors are not, particularly, popular these days Kashmir dispute, responded by saying ‘I would say, yes, in India. I have decided to, therefore quote people who are Mr Kasuri is right in what he said.’ respected by the establishment in India.

The above shows how dangerously reckless the Indian Former foreign secretary, Nirupama Rao in her intergovernment’s action of August 5 actually was; it attempted view with Karan Thapar speaking about recent events in one go to almost destroy the lessons derived from seven called this “a very dark hour.” She poignantly added that decades of war, friction, rivalry, and ultimately peace talks. she grieved for India and emphasized the need to improve I have consciously used the word ‘almost destroy’ since relations with Pakistan. She rightly pointed out there was anyone dealing with Pakistan-India relations needs to have a need “to build on old connections which do not just go an above average dose of optimism. back generations but centuries.” She said there was a need With this background in view, I am all the more “to reopen the channels for communications”. pained at the actions of August 5. I would, however, like In this connection, Mr Shekhar Gupta, one of India’s to point out that unlike many others in the subcontinent best known journalists and editors, highlighted in a welland outside, I had commented in my various interviews argued article ‘a prescient tutorial by Dr Manmohan that it was a self-goal and that PM Modi had kicked the Singh’ on how it was better for India to reach out to Pakball into his own goal post. Previously, there were three istan for peace. To conclude this, let me give you my segments of opinion in Kashmir. Firstly, those who own experience regarding the activities of those whom wanted to join Pakistan under the umbrella of Hurriyat Pakistanis and Kashmiris refer to as ‘freedom fighters’ Conference, those who wanted independence as those in and whom the Indians refer to as ‘militants’ and ‘terrorthe JKLF, and those political parties like National con- ists’. Whatever designation that you would like to ap-

New Delhi, 2007: I called on Mr Vajpayee after he gave up office. I respected him as a statesman, who, along with President Musharraf, had initiated the peace process and was surprised when he advised me to proceed ‘dheeray dheeray’ (slowly slowly) with the peace process.

Q: Do you think Pakistan’s non-state actors have pend to these actors, let me share my own experience.

Their activities will only go down when there are played a role in influencing the government’s decision meaningful talks between two countries which hold hope on Kashmir’s special status?

A: No, I believe in no such thing. The BJP, influthat they are seriously talking about a solution to Kashmir problem and that the envisaged solution also meets enced by its RSS roots had announced in its manifesto the aspirations of people of Kashmir in addition to being to abrogate Article 370 much earlier. This decision had acceptable to governments and people of Pakistan and little to do with Pakistan or the situation in J&K. AlIndia. I have given figures in my book quoting Indian though it is generally believed that PM Modi’s action portals which deal with violence. According to these should be read as an attempt to further please and portals, these activities came down dramatically when strengthen his hardline Hindutva base. In my opinion Pakistan and India were talking meaningfully on Kash- perhaps the real reasons lie elsewhere; definitely the timing was determined by these other factors. I say this bemir during the period when I was Foreign Minister.

Q: Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan cause as someone interested in reaching honorable peace held that resumption of dialogue between the two with India, I follow the Indian media very closely.

Firstly, the government wanted to divert attention countries was imperative to solve the outstanding issues. Khan once even said that there may be a better from the poor state of Indian economy. Majority of Inchance of Indo-Pak peace if the BJP came back to dians live in rural areas and Indian media at the time carpower. However, after the revocation of Article 370, ried regular reports of suicide by farmers. Manufacturing Khan has been batting for international intervention had suffered immensely and motor car manufacturers on the Kashmir issue. Is it the end of all the prospects had decided to function three to four days a week beof dialogues? Do you think traditional diplomacy cause of slow demand. According to the reports then, India’s economy was on a nose dive (although admitwon’t work anymore?

A: Prime Minister Imran Khan has many friends in tedly there are bright spots like the IT sector) Indian auto India, some of whom studied with him at Oxford; addi- market was hit by a large drop of 31 % in July 2019 and tionally, as an international cricket star and later on as a the media was predicting large scale unemployment. Accricket analyst who also appeared on Indian channels, tually, India’s former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind he made many more friends in India. I know that he was Subramanian had contradicted Indian government’s figures on GDP growth and had sincerely hopeful of making a said that Indian GDP had contribution towards Pakistangrown at only 4.5% per year India peace. There was a gencontrary to claims of 7% per eral feeling in Pakistan and year. Furthermore, Governor India that his assumption of of“Frankly speaking, Pakistan of the Reserve Bank of India fice as Prime Minister of Pakwas never much concerned Raghuram Rajan had in fact istan will help resume the left office, inter-alia, also perdialogue between two counwith Article 370 because its haps because he had agreed tries. PM Khan personally with the figures later on given asked me to provide him the claim is based on UNSC

by Arvind Subramanian, and, details of the framework agreeresolutions. Article 370, could not support rosy pictures ment on Kashmir that Pakistan and India had been working on although designed to guarantee being painted by official spokesman of Government of during my tenure as Foreign Kashmiri autonomy, over a India, particularly, by its politMinister. Naturally, Imran ical leadership. I remember Khan was interested in knowperiod of time had become watching an interview on ing from me first-hand the contours of the settlement during mere ‘husk’. Why Pakistan has NDTV (perhaps by Dr Prannoy Roy) in which Mr Rajan that period. In fact, when PM reacted so furiously to August was asked if he agreed with the Imran Khan visited New Delhi figures given by the In(when Mr Modi was the Prime 5 action is because it regards official dian government; he smiled Minister) in 2015, “he told the the action of the BJP very meaningfully and preIndian premier that at one point to remain silent. of time Pakistan and India had government as an attack on the ferred Secondly, the BJP governreached very close to resolving the Kashmir issue’’ and added dignity and very identity of the ment was upset at the emerging situation in Afghanistan where that the Kashmir issue could be Kashmiri people.”

Pakistan’s role in helping talks resolved on the framework in between the USA and the TalKasuri’s book, Neither a Hawk iban had resulted in a major nor Dove, reported in many breakthrough. Critics of the newspapers in Pakistan and government in India highlighted the fact that India had India. (13 Dec 2015).

You asked me why Khan is batting for ‘international not been invited to a conference between United States, intervention’. This is because India had itself ended the Russia, China and Pakistan held in Moscow, regarding prospects of dialogue by its unilateral actions of August 5 the future of Afghanistan despite the fact that it had spent and turning J&K into ‘two separate union territories.’ How about 3 billion dollars in different sectors in Afghanistan.

Thirdly, the BJP was very upset at the warmth shown is Imran Khan expected to talk to PM Modi and about what

by President Trump to PM Imran Khan during his visit to in these circumstances?

As long as, the government of India doesn’t realize the White House, as well as, his repeated offers to mediate the colossal blunder it has committed and/or retraces between Pakistan and India on Kashmir. This was like a some of the steps it has taken, how can there be a dia- bolt from the blue for the BJP government, because, it had logue. Effectively, India has itself killed the Simla invested heavily in cultivating President Trump. Further, Agreement by its recent actions and it has also violated the India government did not think that it was a one-off statement by Trump ala Trump but part of his efforts to the UNSC resolutions.

Regarding your question about the role of traditional win over Imran Khan’s government and the Pakistan diplomacy, as former Foreign Minister, I have great faith Army because of his need for cooperation in Afghanistan.

I must compliment PM Modi for his masterly handling in diplomacy; but diplomats are not magicians. There needs to be a basic environment in which diplomats of of his public relations exercise. He succeeded in diverting the two countries can engage with each other sensibly attention from these real issues by his August 5 actions. and with dignity. Talking of times when things were These actions have, however, had very negative consemuch better, one of my Indian counterparts Natwar quences for regional peace.

Singh who is also a friend, said that the ‘‘diplomacy proTo be continued vides hope, not salvation’’.

Friday, 24 July, 2020

BUSINESS 09

CORPORATE CORNER State Bank recognizes JS Bank for remittance growth LAHORE: Committed to national prosperity, JS Bank has been recognized by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for its leading role in driving home remittance. One of the largest foreign exchange contributors to the national exchequer, Home Remittance is a high priority area for the SBP and the banking sector with inflows jumping by 51 per cent month-on-month to $2.4bn in June as per SBP data. During the year, JS Bank recorded more than 1 million transactions with total remittance value standing at $738 Mn vs. $685 Mn last year. “Our goal is to support economic growth and prosperity by providing services that meet the needs of the people. We are indebted to the State Bank for their support and guidance,” said JS Bank President & CEO Basir Shamsie. Press releAse

Descon achieves 24m man-hours without LTIs KARACHI: Descon has achieved an impressive 24 million safe man-hours without any lost time injury (LTI). This is a remarkable achievement during the most challenging operating environment in the recent past. It is truly commendable and would not have been possible without commitment towards safety of culture. Descon Engineering CEO Nadeem Bajwa commented, “Our company is committed to the safety of its employees, partners, and our valued customers. Amid to our day-today operations and specifically during these challenging times, the well-being and health of our employees and their families is the most important elements of our core values”. Press releAse

ITALy To TEmPorArILy rEgULArISE UnDoCUmEnTED PAkISTAnI workErS ISLAMABAD

A

sHAHZAD PArACHA

MBASSADOR of Pakistan to Italy Jauhar Saleem on Thursday said that the Italian government has decided to temporarily regularise undocumented Pakistani migrants working as agricultural and domestic helpers in the country.

The ambassador of Pakistan to Italy talking to Pakistani and Italian media said that the Italian government has decided to temporarily regularize all undocumented migrants working in Italy’s agricultural sector or as domestic helpers. The workers will also be allowed for health coverage.

Pakistani undocumented workers residing in Italy are set to be among the main beneficiaries of the scheme.

The ambassador said that the Pakistani embassy in Italy is facilitating

KARACHI

Finance Commission to be formed in Punjab, says Asad Umar ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Thursday said that a Provincial Finance Commission would be formed in Punjab in light of instructions from Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. While chairing a meeting to discuss the issues pertaining to the provincial finance commissions, the minister said that the prime minister had earlier issued directives to establish such commissions in all the provinces. The meeting deliberated and discussed in detail matters pertaining to the establishment of a Provincial Finance Commission in Punjab. He said the Provincial Finance Commission in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) established by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during its previous tenure had performed efficiently. In view of successful execution and experience of KP’s Provincial Finance Commission, concrete recommendations were laid down to establish an effective commission in Punjab. It was decided that after mutual consultation between the two provinces, another meeting would be held within a month in which a final action plan would be prepared in light of the suggestions. Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, secretary planning, provincial secretary finance and other senior officials were also present in the meeting. APP

Pakistani workers to complete their required documentation so that they can benefit from the scheme. He added that the embassy has stayed functional even during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The ambassador further said that Pakistan has registered a visible growth in the Italian market during FY20 despite Covid-19 propelled lockdowns disrupting the global supply chain.

Italy is currently the eighth largest economy in the world and the thirdlargest economy in the European Union (EU) with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2 trillion. The country is home to the largest Pakistani diaspora in the EU and is Pakistan’s ninth-largest

export destination.

He said that Italy’s economy has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The IMF has projected a 9 to 11 per cent contraction in the Italian economy whereas the Italian Central Bank has projected a 9 to 13 per cent decline in Italy’s GDP this year, he added.

The ambassador stated that in FY19 Pakistan had a trade deficit of $164 million with Italy. However, during FY20, despite Covid-19 Pakistan reported a trade surplus with Italy of $210 million.

For FY20, Pakistan's exports to Italy stood at $731 million while imports from Italy stood at $521 million.

Pakistan's major exports to Italy in-

Gold continues to set new records, hits Rs117,300 per tola ArIBA sHAHID

KARACHI: With the approval of Sindh Healthcare Commission and in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), an affordable coronavirus PCR testing facility is being provided at Bahria Town International Hospital. Press releAse

ITALY IS HOME TO THE LARGEST PAKISTANI DIASPORA IN THE EU

The price of 24-karat gold increased by Rs2,300 to Rs117,300 on Thursday, as against its previous closing at Rs115,000, Karachi Sarafa Association reported.

Likewise, the price of 10gram gold also witnessed an increase of Rs1,972 and was trade at Rs100,566, against its sale at Rs98,594 on Wednesday.

The price of per-tola silver increased by Rs30 to Rs1,350, while that of 10-gram silver went up by Rs25.70 to Rs1,157.40.

Gold price in the international market increased by $26 and was traded at $1,882 on Thursday, as against its sale at Rs1,856 the previous day.

Analysts expect the gap between international gold price and the local gold price to shrink further. Previously, the local prices treaded behind international prices.

However, the 7th back to back gains in the price of gold shows that the difference is shrinking.

As per Haji Haroon Chand, President of All Sindh Sarafa Association, the gold rally will likely take the price of gold to

approximately Rs125,000 despite lacklustre demand in the jewellery segment. Purchasing power remains weak.

The heightened pace of local prices is primarily concerned with the depreciation of the rupee, international trends, and rising inflation.

While the dollar remains depressed in the international market, analysts anticipate gold to accelerate amidst Covid-19 uncertainty.

However, analysts are cautious about long term projections keeping in mind once the global economy is back on track, the gold rush may not seem as lucrative.

Food ministry, CCP to take action against cartelisation in wheat industry ISLAMABAD APP

Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFSR) in collaboration with Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has decided to chalk out an action plan to tackle collusive market practices and cartelisation within the wheat industry.

A decision regarding taking action against cartelisation and collusive practises was taken during a meeting between Ministry of NFSR Secretary Omer Hameed Khan and Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairperson Rahat Kunain on Thursday, said a press release.

The food ministry said that it has been working towards eliminating the gap in supply and demand of wheat and to discourage any malpractices within the wheat industry.

The Punjab Government had earlier announced its interim wheat policy on July 2. The participants of

the meeting urged the Sindh Government to announce its Wheat Release Policy without any further delay.

It was further informed in the meeting that the government is exploring the possibility of importing wheat from Central Asian Countries.

The meeting informed that provincial governments, Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) and Trading Corporation of Pakistan may invite tenders from the private sector for the import of wheat.

The public sector has procured 6.6 million tonnes of wheat in 2020. The domestic wheat stock on July 16 2020 stood at 6.7 million tonnes compared to its level of 7.7 million tonnes on July 16, 2019.

Earlier, the government had previously set the wheat support price at Rs1,400 per 40 kilogrammes (kg).

In 2019, CCP had imposed a penalty of Rs75 million on Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) for fixing of price and production quantity of wheat flour by its member mills.

clude textile, leather, rice and ethanol.

Pakistan currently holds a 38 per cent share in the Italian rice market. The ambassador further stressed on the need to promote Pakistani products in the Italian market.

The ambassador further mentioned that Italy’s investment in Pakistan increased to $56.4 million in FY20, compared to $51.9 million in the previous year. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Italy was primarily aimed at the energy, pharmaceutical, chemical and Information Technology sectors. He further informed that Italy plans to invest in Pakistan’s renewable energy sector.

Jauhar Saleem said that Italy is the largest contributor of home remittances to Pakistan from the EU. Remittances from Italy registered a 29 per cent growth in 2019-20. In total Pakistani workers contributed $142.9 million in home remittances during FY20.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks succumb to selling pressure; cement, E&Ps hit KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a volatile session on Thursday, with the indices failing to sustain gains accumulated earlier in the day, thus closing the session in the red. Global equity markets, on the other hand, displayed a positive trend, whereas crude oil prices headed south from the last closing; WTI crude price declined by 0.07pc to $41.88, while Brent crude fell by 0.18pc to $44.00.

"The market opened on a positive note on Thursday, mainly on the back of buying activity in the banking sector," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. "However, selling pressure in cement, steel, pharma and oil & gas exploration caused the market to erode all gains posted in early trade and plunge over 200 points." The benchmark KSE-100 Index shifted positions throughout the day, marking its intraday high of 38,106.95 (+302.34 points) and intraday low at 37,540.70 (-263.91 points). It settled lower by 226.40 points at 37,578.21. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index dropped 658.12 points or 1.08pc to end at 60,488.87, while the KSE All Share Index lost 139.55 points, closing at 26,762.56. The overall market volumes declined from 404.98 million shares in the previous session to 379.28 million shares. Average traded value also declined by 21pc, from $106.2 million to $84 million. Unity Foods Limited (UNITY 1.25pc), Azgard Nine Limited (ANL +3.62pc) and Fauji Foods Limited (FFL +3.56pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 38.13 million, 31.22 million and 23.45 million shares, respectively. Sectors that drove the benchmark index south included cement (-116.25 points), power generation & distribution (-35.99 points) and oil & gas exploration (-30.24 points).

Among the companies, Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK 54.72 points), Hub Power Company Ltd (HUBC 35.68 points) and Pak Petroleum Ltd (PPL 25.33 points) dented the index the most. Shedding 2.87pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the cement sector emerged as the biggest loser of the session, with Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK 3.36pc), DG Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC 2.86pc), Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF 4.01pc) and Bestway Cement Limited (BWCL 1.75pc) ending in the red. sTAFF rePOrT

SBP conducts review of complaints against banks, DFIs, MFBs CENTRAL BANK ATTRIBUTES INCREASE IN NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS TO IMPROVED ACCESS TO DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISM KARACHI APP

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has conducted a four-year (2016-2019) review of complaints against banks/MFBs/DFIs. "The objective of the review was to gain insights into the effectiveness of complaint management at banks. The salient features of the review are being published to emphasise SBP's narrative that responsible complaint handling is the core element of Fair Treatment of Consumer (FTC)," said a statement issued by the central bank on Thursday.

This review is conducted in addition to

various regulatory measures to enhance consumer grievance handling in the industry, including the issuance of detailed guidelines on complaint management at banks and selfassessment framework.

It is pertinent to mention that responsible banking conduct and FTC is one of the key regulatory agendas of the SBP. The central bank recognizes that effective and efficient consumer grievance handling mechanisms are crucial elements of the FTC regime, therefore, it considers consumer complaints as an opportunity to improve banking services and increase customer satisfaction.

The review indicated that complaints

SAYS NUMBER OF E-BANKING USERS INCREASED 71PC, CREDIT CARD TRANSACTIONS SURGED 118PC IN LAST FOUR YEARS against banks during the past four years increased from 774,656 in 2016 to 1,549,837 in 2019. This increase can be attributed to improved visibility and access to dispute resolution mechanism coupled with enhanced consumer awareness. Further, this is also due to the fact that the number and value of banking transactions have increased substantially. For instance, the volume and value of ATM/debit card transactions have increased by 101pc and 110pc, respectively, over the reporting period.

The number of deposit accounts per ATM and per branch showed an increase of 62pc and 81pc, respectively. Similarly, from

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2016 to 2019, the volume and value of Ebanking transactions have substantially increased by 112pc and 152pc respectively on account of a 71pc increase in E-banking users. Moreover, credit card related transactions increased from 18 to 39 million showing an increase of 118pc over a span of 4 years. Accordingly, the increase in complaints over the same period can be witnessed as concentrated in ATM/debit card, account maintenance, E-banking and credit cards.

In terms of addressing the complaints, the resolution rate over the period 2016-2019 remained above 97pc at each year's end. The average time taken for resolution of com-

plaints remained within the regulatory turn around times. However, delays were observed in sending acknowledgments, interim and final responses.

It may be mentioned that banks, being the first forum of redressal, have been handling 97pc and above of the total complaints of the industry while less than 3pc of complaints were escalated at higher levels, including State Bank of Pakistan, Banking Mohtasib, and Pakistan Citizen Portal established by the Prime Minister Delivery Unit.

In order to boost performance of complaint handling at banks and promote competition, SBP plans to further enhance related disclosures which may include publishing of bankwise complaint handling performance indicators in the near future by SBP. Currently, banks themselves are required to give disclosure about the complaint management in their annual audited account for public information.

Friday, 24 July, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

DoN't exPeCt first CoviD-19 vaCCiNatioNs UNtil early 2021: WHo GENEVA/ZURICH

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ESEARCHERS are making “good progress” in developing vaccines against Covid-19, with a handful in late-stage trials, but their first use cannot be expected until early 2021, a World Health Organisation (WHO) expert said on Wednesday.

WHO is working to ensure fair vaccine distribution, but in the meantime, it is key to suppress the virus’s spread, said Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s emergencies program, as daily new cases around the globe are at near-record levels.

“We’re making good progress,” Ryan said, noting that several vaccines were now in phase 3 trials and none had failed, so far, in terms of safety or ability to generate an immune response.

“Realistically it is going to be the

first part of next year before we start seeing people getting vaccinated,” he told a public event on social media.

WHO was working to expand access

to potential vaccines and to help scale-up production capacity, Ryan said.

“And we need to be fair about this because this is a global good. Vaccines

for this pandemic are not for the wealthy, they are not for the poor, they are for everybody,” he said.

The US government will pay $1.95 billion to buy 100 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer Inc. and German biotech BioNTech if it proves safe and effective, the companies said.

Ryan also cautioned schools to be careful about re-opening until community transmission of Covid-19 is under control. A debate in the United States over restarting education has intensified, even as the pandemic flares up in dozens of states.

“We have to do everything possible to bring our children back to school, and the most effective thing we can do is to stop the disease in our community,” he said. “Because if you control the disease in the community, you can open the schools.”

Pompeo urges India to reduce dependence on China NEW DELHI AGENCIES

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged India on Wednesday to focus on domestic supply chains and reduce its dependence on China for telecommunications and medical supplies, as Washington’s ties with Beijing deteriorate dramatically.

India had a chance to move “supply chains away from China and reduce its reliance on Chinese companies in areas like telecommunications, medical supplies and others,” Pompeo said at the US-India Business Council’s India Ideas Summit, being conducted online.

“India is in this position because it has earned the trust of many nations around the world, including the United States,” Pompeo said. The US administration has squarely blamed China for the coronavirus pandemic and accused Chinese firms like Huawei Tech-

nologies of cyberspying and facilitating human rights violations in China, charges Huawei and Beijing deny.

The United States has also lambasted China’s new national security law for the former British colony of Hong Kong.

The United States has told China to close its consulate in Houston in a dramatic deterioration in ties between the world’s two biggest economies amid accusations of Chinese espionage.

India’s relations with China have strained following a border clash in the Himalayas last month in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

Pompeo accused the Chinese of initiating the conflict, also denied by Beijing. “The recent clashes initiated by the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] are just the latest examples of the CCP’s [Chinese Communist Party] unacceptable behaviour,” he said.

India, which recently banned dozens of Chinese apps in the country, including the popular TikTok

video app, has not yet taken a call on Huawei after allowing the Chinese telecoms company to participate in trials for 5G networks.

India is the world’s main generic drug supplier and its dependence on Chinese raw materials for its medicines is almost 70 percent.

Separately, India’s ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, said New Delhi was open to US firms building manufacturing plants in the country.

India’s military confrontation with China prompted calls for closer security ties with the United States and its allies, including Japan. It is modernising its military to narrow a gap with China and has increasingly turned towards the United States over its traditional supplier, Russia.

“The United States has never been more supportive of India’s security. India too, is an important partner and a key pillar of President [Donald] Trump’s foreign policy,” Pompeo said.

China's Mars probe blasts off successfully BEIJING AGENCIES

China successfully launched an unmanned probe to Mars on Thursday in its first independent mission to another planet.

China’s largest carrier rocket, the Long March 5 Y-4, blasted off with the probe at 12:41pm. (8.41am GST) from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan.

The probe is expected to reach Mars in February where it will attempt to deploy a rover to explore the planet for 90 days.

If successful, the Tianwen-1, or “Questions to Heaven”, which is the name of a poem written two millennia ago, will make China the first country to orbit, land and deploy a rover in its inaugural mission.

There will be challenges ahead as the craft nears Mars, Liu Tongjie, spokesman for the mission said.

“When arriving in the vicinity of Mars, it is very critical to decelerate,” he said. “If the deceleration process is not right, or if flight precision is not sufficient, the probe would not be captured by Mars.”

Liu said the probe would orbit Mars for about two and a half months and look for an opportunity to enter its atmosphere and make a soft landing.

“Entering, deceleration and landing is a very difficult [process].

We believe China’s EDL process can still be successful, and the spacecraft can land safely,” he said.

Eight spacecraft – American, European and Indian – are either orbiting Mars or on its surface with other missions under way or planned.

The UAE launched its Hope probe mission to Mars on Monday, an orbiter that will study the planet’s atmosphere.

The United States has plans to send a probe in coming months that will deploy a rover called Perseverance, the biggest, heaviest, most advanced vehicle sent to the Red Planet by Nasa.

China’s probe will carry several scientific instruments to observe the planet’s atmosphere and surface, searching for signs of water and ice.

China previously made a Mars bid in 2011 with Russia, but the Russian spacecraft carrying the probe failed to exit the Earth’s orbit and

disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean.

A fourth planned launch for Mars, the EURussian ExoMars, was postponed for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and technical issues.

UNDP for temporary basic income for the poor to slow Covid-19 surge NEW YORK AGENCIES

The immediate introduction of a temporary basic income for the world’s poorest people could slow the current surge in Covid-19 cases by enabling nearly 3 billion people to stay at home, according to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report released Thursday. The report, Temporary Basic Income: Protecting Poor and Vulnerable People in Developing Countries, estimates that it would cost from 199 billion U.S. dollars per month to provide a time-bound, guaranteed basic income to 2.7 billion people living below or just above the poverty line in 132 developing countries.

Friday, 24 July, 2020

SPORTS 11

BAnglAdEsh tour of sri lAnkA Could BE rEsChEdulEd to oCtoBEr DHAKA

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ANGLADESH men’s pending three-Test series against hosts Sri Lanka could be rescheduled to October, if talks between the BCB and SLC come to fruition. The tour, Bangladesh’s first three-match red-ball series in six years and part of the , was originally scheduled for July-August but had to be.

ESPNcricinfo understands that with the , both boards are keen on having the Test series squeezed into the earliest possible window. In addition, the BCB is also contemplating sending its High Performance team to Sri Lanka for a longer period as the

group has not assembled for training in the last four months.

BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that the ICC’s announcement of the three World Cups in the next three years has provided the window for Bangladesh to tweak their international calendar and slot in all previously postponed series in the coming months. The tour to Sri Lanka is first on that list.

Chowdhury said that both boards are interested to host the Test series this year itself.

“The ICC’s announcement of the three major tournaments has provided what window we can work with, as now that we know that the tournament dates are fixed, we can work around with our schedule,” Chowd-

hury told ESPNcricinfo. “Both boards are positive about the Test series going ahead later this year. We are in talks with SLC. Sri Lanka is in a better condition [in terms of Covid-19 caseload] than any of the other sub-continent countries at the moment, and since the situation is not favourable here, we are more keen on the away matches.”

The BCB High Performance programme’s chairman Naimur Rahman said that the players in the High Performance mix, too, are looking forward to the tour of Sri Lanka.

“We are first trying to figure out how we can start the training camp in Dhaka. We were supposed to start in March or April, and then tour Sri Lanka in July,” Rahman said.

“But I think once we have the home training sorted, we will discuss the Sri Lanka tour, where we can stay a bit longer to have more training days.”

Chowdhury also said that the board has its eyes on rescheduling the Ireland tour, as well as hosting Australia and New Zealand as soon as the pandemic situation improves in Bangladesh. “We will be in talks with Cricket Ireland as well, though the weather in Ireland is going to be a factor. We will also

Liverpool celebrate long-awaited title in front of empty Kop

LIVERPOOL AGENCIES

Liverpool’s players finally got their hands on the Premier League trophy on Wednesday in a muted presentation ceremony in front of an empty Kop after a thrilling 5-3 victory over Chelsea in their last home game of the season.

The club’s first English title for 30 years had been sealed almost a month ago with seven games remaining, following a three-month stoppage because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kenny Dalglish, the last Liverpool manager to deliver the title, presented the medals wearing a red face mask before handing the trophy to captain Jordan Henderson who raised it to the night sky as

fireworks and tickertape filled the air.

Sadly, because of the pandemic that interrupted Liverpool’s charge to the title, the fans missed out on what would have been a momentous night at Anfield stadium.

Merseyside police had issued a 48hour dispersal order to stop fans gathering in large numbers across the city, as they did when the title was won on June 25 when nearest rivals Manchester City were beaten

by Chelsea. Many did gather outside, however, letting off flares and fireworks.

Despite the sanitised ceremony in the 53,000-seater stadium, Liverpool’s players did their best to fill the void, belting out a rendition of the club’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” along with manager Juergen Klopp and his staff.

“If you don’t see that we do it for you

I can’t help you,” Klopp said when asked for his message to the fans.

“You made us happy, we all should celebrate at home. Prepare for a party and when this virus has gone we will have a party.” Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore said the players and fans will “come together to celebrate” when the time is right. “It’s been an amazing season,” Henderson told former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher at pitchside.

“It’s been a journey, a process, and every single player has been part of it.”

A trophy presentation without fans was always going to feel a little flat, although the real fireworks have been provided over a sensational season by a superb Liverpool side. Liverpool missed out by a point last year to Manchester City despite losing

only one game.

Although they won the Champions League title last June, the English crown is what the red half of Merseyside has craved for three decades.

During that time they have watched arch-rivals Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City dominate the league. The manner in which Liverpool took it back suggests it will not be a oneoff. “This won’t be the last one for this team,” former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness said. “This club is geared to be a very successful football club, this is Liverpool back to where they were 30 or 40 years ago.

“They will be challenging for this and the Champions League for the next decade.”

WTA chief hopes Palermo Open will provide blueprint for 2020 LONDON AGENCIES

WTA chief Steve Simon cannot wait for the Tour to get back up and running in Sicily next month and hopes the Palermo Open will provide a blueprint for tournament operations amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The women’s claycourt tournament, which gets underway in the Sicilian capital on Aug. 3, will be the first across both the WTA or ATP tours since they were suspended in early March because of the novel coronavirus outbreak. “I’d say there’s definitely an excitement to get back to doing what we love,” WTA Chairman and Chief Executive Simon told Reuters by video call from the United States.

“Obviously there’s been a lot of hard work that’s been done by the tournament promoters as well as the team to get us to this stage. So we’re going into this with great hopes. “And hopefully we’ve found a solution that will allow tennis to operate in this environment.”

Simon said the Tour was looking to stage as many tournaments as possible in 2020 and the second week of the patched-together calendar will see events in Prague and the United States. “I think our first three events — Palermo, Prague and Lexington — will certainly create that pathway for us,” he added.

“Those three tournaments are going to happen unless we should receive a last-minute issue from the government or local medical officials.”

RIGHT BALANCE: The ATP’s bid to restart the men’s season at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. in early August has already foundered and Simon said the WTA were fortunate that their first tournament was in Europe.

“It’s just a difference in our calendars that provided us the opportunity to begin in Europe, which I do think has been advantageous for us,” said Simon.

“If you look around the world, the European Union is probably the most stable area outside of maybe China proper right now. That definitely helped us.

“And starting them on clay is good from a health per-

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spective as well, a little softer surface, as they come back to play and then they can evolve into the hardcourt season.”

The second and third stops on the hardcourt season are in New York at the Western & Southern Open and U.S. Open but there are big questions over whether they can go ahead and Simon said a final decision would be made soon.

The restart has divided opinion among the players, with some 200,000 new Covid-19 cases being reported globally every day and international travel restrictions still in place. “Where we got to was, unless everybody can travel nobody plays? Or do we try to find opportunities for all of those that can play and feel comfortable playing?” Simon said.

“And we got to the balance: We should be trying to get as many jobs and as many opportunities for as many people as we can to continue our sport.

“Obviously, if we don’t think the balance is right or we think the conditions have changed and it’s not safe, (or) we don’t like what’s happening due to the challenges we have, we will not hesitate to shut down.”

discuss in due time, when Australia and New Zealand can tour Bangladesh,” he said.

He was also fairly positive about restarting the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), which was postponed after just one round of matches in March. “Our domestic cricket is also our priority. We are discussing with DPL clubs and Bangladesh Premier League franchises but we have to consider many factors including hotels and logistics before reaching a decision,” he said.

Amir to join Pakistan squad in England after testing negative twice for Covid-19 LONDON: Pacer Mohammad Amir will join the Pakistan squad in England after his second coronavirus test also came back negative on Wednesday. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Amir and masseuse Muhammad Imran both tested negative for the virus twice.

“The first test was conducted on July 21 which was negative and now he [Mohammad Amir] is eligible to travel to England to join Pakistan cricket squad”, a PCB spokesperson said. “We have started making a travel plan for both Amir and Imran and details will soon be shared,” the spokesperson added. The PCB on Monday had announced that Amir, who had initially pulled out of the England tour, will join the Pakistan squad following the birth of his second daughter last week. The pacer and the team’s masseur, Imran, had gone through their first Covid-19 tests the same day. Upon their arrival in England, reserve wicketkeeper-batsman Rohail Nazir will be released. The Pakistan cricket team is currently in England where they will play three Tests and as many T20Is. The opening Test will be played at Old Trafford, Manchester from August 5-9, which will be followed by back to back Tests at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton, from August 13-17 and August 21-25. The action will then return to Manchester with Old Trafford hosting the three T20Is on August 28, 30 and September 1. AGENCIES

MAn unitEd will BE ‘100PC frEsh’ for lEiCEstEr ClAsh

LONDON: Manchester United have had a hectic schedule recently but will be “100% fresh” for Sunday’s Premier League game at Leicester City as they look to secure a Champions League spot, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. United, beaten 3-1 by Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals last Sunday, looked tired in Wednesday’s 1-1 home draw against West Ham United, the fourth match in nine days for Solskjaer’s side. “... We’ve not been dealt the best of hands with the recovery times in the last couple of weeks but that’s because we’ve been in the FA Cup,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports. “That’s how it is, but we’ve got three days now ... the extra day before Sunday will make us 100% fresh. We’ve given ourselves a great opportunity. “We wanted to give ourselves the chance to head there and get into the Champions League by beating them. Now, we’d be OK with a draw, but we’ll be going there to win. You’ll prepare as you always do to go and win the game.” Manchester United are third with 63 points, above Chelsea on goal difference. AGENCIES

Friday, 24 July, 2020

PRAyER TiminGS

NEWS

INdIA INCREASES ShEllING ACROSS lOC AS dIPlOmAtIC RElAtIONS wORSEN TOP MILITARY COMMANDER SAYS INDIA HAS COMMITTED ALMOST 1,800 LOC CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS IN 2020 MUZAFFARABAD

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HE Pakistan Army said that there has been an escalation in firing and shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Major-General Amer Ahsan Nawaz, the commander of Pakistani troops in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), said that the Indian military is trying to distract attention from unrest in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).

“If you compare it to the past years, there is a definite increase in this year,” he told reporters on Wednesday near the LoC, across which the two sides’ militaries have faced off for decades.

According to the Pakistan Army, in

2019, when ceasefire violations hit a more than decade-high peak, there were just over 3,500 incidents. Already in 2020 there have been almost 1,800 violations, the surge during the more volatile summer season since June has been more pronounced than in previous years, they added.

Tensions were exacerbated last year when India revoked the autonomous status of IOJ&K. In the recent months, the diplomatic relationship has worsened further as New Delhi and Islamabad each ejected half of its neighbour’s diplomats.

In AJK, which is relatively heavily populated close to the LoC, locals said that shelling or firing was becoming a neardaily occurrence.

“It can start any time day or night,” said Malik Mohammad Ayub, a local deputy commissioner, who said around four civilians were martyred and 13

Pakistan elected president of UN ECOSOC for the sixth time NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Munir Akram was on Thursday unanimously elected as the president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the year 2020-21. This is the sixth time that Pakistan has been elected as the ECOSOC president and the second time that Ambassador Akram has been elected to this post, having served as its president in 2005. The only other envoy to have had this distinction was Juan Somavía of Chile, according to a statement issued by the Pakistani mission to the UN in New York. The 54member ECOSOC is the third principal UN organ, along with the General Assembly and Security Council, established in 1945 to promote international economic cooperation and oversee the work of all international economic organisations. In his acceptance speech, Ambassador Akram outlined the objectives of the Pakistan presidency. He said UN member states today faced three simultaneous challenges: the Covid-19 health and economic crisis, the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the existential threat of climate change. The commitments made in each area must be implemented, he added. Stressing the need to end inequality among and within nations, Akram expressed the hope that a Covid-19 vaccine would be developed soon.

“Everyone, everywhere — rich or poor — must have equal access to the vaccine,” he stressed.

The envoy proposed that in the coming year, ECOSOC should focus on financing for Covid-19, SDGs and climate change goals; sustainable infrastructure investment; and application of advanced science and technology for development. He said he would convene special meetings to advance action in these areas. He recalled the call by Prime Minister Imran Khan for a “Global Initiative on Debt Relief” and mentioned the proposals for new special drawing rights (SDRs) and other financing proposals under consideration.

He said an additional investment of over $1.5 trillion annually in sustainable infrastructure was “most essential” for the achievement of the SDGs. APP

wounded in his district since he took the job four months ago.

Faiza Shabbir, 12, said she and her sisters had been afraid when shelling began in their area earlier this month. “Firing

was going on, so we hid in our house, then a shell hit our roof. Three of us sisters and our grandmother were injured,” she said, adding that had spent four days in hospital being treated for shrapnel wounds.

UNAIDS says new HIV infections and deaths on the rise in Pakistan NEWS DESK The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in the latest report, said that the new HIV infections and mortalities are on the rise in Pakistan.

The report for the year 2020, titled ‘Seizing the Moment’, described the magnitude of the HIV epidemic in the country and its related issues. The report mentioned progress to antiretroviral therapy and how important it was for countries to act against the disease and remove inequalities in the process.

“HIV infections in Asia and the Pacific have declined slightly, with reductions in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam offset by sharp increases in Pakistan and the Philippines,” the report stated. The report stated that so far only 14 countries have met 90–90–90 HIV treatment targets (90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status, of whom 90% are on antiretroviral treatment and of whom 90% are virally suppressed) .

“AIDS-related mortality rates are

rising in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Philippines. Late diagnosis and poor adherence to treatment are missed opportunities to prevent onward transmission and AIDS-related deaths. About half of key populations living with HIV are not aware of their HIV status, but assisted testing and self-testing could increase the rates of HIV diagnosis,” it said.

In 2020, the report stressed that AIDs-related deaths should remain fewer than 500,000 while acknowledging that the new HIV infections will likely not remain fewer than 500,000 due to irregularities caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The report mentioned that missed targets have resulted in 3.5 million more HIV infections and 820,000 more AIDS-related deaths since 2015. It further said the response could be delayed by 10 years or more if the coronavirus pandemic causes more disruptions in the fight against the disease.

In Asia and the Pacific, the report said that key populations and their partners constituted more than 98% of new HIV infections and most of those were among the youth aged between 15 to 24

years. It said that a few countries have both high coverage of needle–syringe programmes and moderate coverage of opioid substitution therapy.

The analysis has established that the use of methamphetamine drugs linked to HIV transmission, new harm reduction services should be introduced for altering the patterns in drug use.

Of the 38 million people living with HIV, 25.4 million people are now receiving treatment, which means that 12.6 million people are still waiting around the world. Since 2010, new HIV infections have been reduced by 23%, primarily due to a substantial decrease of 38% in eastern and southern Africa.

Unfortunately, HIV infections have increased by 72% in eastern Europe and central Asia, by 22% in the Middle East, North Africa, and by 21% in Latin America. Projecting an estimate, the UNAIDS said that $26.2 billion will be required for the AIDS response in 2020.

At the end of 2019, $18.6 billion was available for the AIDS response in lowand middle-income countries, almost $1.3 billion less than in 2017.

OGRA removes bottlenecks in wellhead gas price notification ISLAMABAD: In an apparent bid to promote indigenous gas production, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has removed certain bottlenecks in the issuance of wellhead gas price notification of local gas fields. According to sources, OGRA in its 12th regulatory meeting held on 9 June 2020, had considered an agenda related to wellhead gas price notification and decided that the said notification will be issued “based on completion of all other requisite formalities and relevant Gas Pricing Agreement (GPA) or Gas Sales Agreement/heads of agreement (if the government is one signatory) or Petroleum Concession Agreement (PCA) or Supplemental Agreement to Gas Pricing Agreement (GPA) or decision of the federal government or any committee”. They said that OGRA has now made it easy for the exploration and production (E&P) companies to get the wellhead gas price notification issued from OGRA as certain hurdles are eliminated, leading towards a more investment-friendly environment for E&P companies to invest in the E&P of indigenous gas resources present within the country. According to the document, OGRA further decided that in order to bring uniformity, all cases across the board will be treated/decided based on required documents and without any discrimination. Regarding the under heads of agreements at Pindori, Pariwali, Turkwal, etc, it was decided that they should be put up for the consideration of the authority (OGRA). Earlier, there were separate mechanisms and different requirements for the wellhead gas price notification of different gas fields while numerous tactics were allegedly used to discourage the E&P companies engaged in the production of local resources. AhmAd AhmAdAni

FAJR SUNRISE

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ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

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India should allow world media to visit IOK: FO ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has demanded that independent human rights observers and international media should be permitted to get a firsthand view of the situation in the India Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and along the Line of Control (LoC). Addressing a weekly news briefing here on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said that Pakistan has consistently called upon India to allow UNMOGIP access into Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) in order to fully discharge its mandate given by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). For its part, she said, Pakistan has always provided unfettered access not only to UNMOGIP but to international media and independent observers. Once again, the Spokesperson said, representatives from diverse international media outlets visited the LoC in the Chirikot Sector on Wednesday and witnessed for themselves the destruction and injuries caused to civilian population along the LoC. She said that they also witnessed the multi-layered surveillance and defence system along the LoC erected by India which completely negates the hollow allegations by senior most military and civilian officials of India and the constant propaganda by the Indian media against Pakistan on cross border infiltration and the so-called launch pads.

Responding to a question, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan has offered third consular access to detained Indian spy Commander Kulbushan Jadhav to fulfil its international obligation in light of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment in the case. She expressed the hope that rather than using dilatory tactics, India should cooperate with the Pakistani courts to give effect to the ICJ judgment. She recalled that ICJ, in its judgment, had asked Pakistan to review and reconsider the conviction and sentence of Commander Jadhav.

The spokesperson said that Pakistan remains committed to implement the judgment of ICJ. She said necessary steps have been taken for the provision of unhindered and uninterrupted consular access to India. TLTP

NEPRA approves Rs4.26 hike in power rates for five months

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved an increase of Rs4.26 in the per unit price of electricity for five months. According to NEPRA, the increase has been done to adjust prices with the change in fuel prices. The price of electricity includes charges for fuel used to generate it. The price taken at the time of billing varies over the course of the month because of changes in international oil prices.

Electricity prices were increased for five months and reduced for three months. From November 2019 to March 2020, an increase in electricity prices of Rs4.26 per unit was approved while from April 2020 to June 2020, electricity prices were reduced by Rs3.10 per unit. This decision to increase the price put a burden of Rs31 billion on consumers, but the price cuts for April, May and June saved Rs4 billion with a relief of Rs35 billion. NEPRA decided to scrutinise K-Electric’s documents.

After the scrutiny, a decision will be taken over the increase in electricity prices and a final declaration will be issued by the government. STAFF REPORT

Unilever admits Munchies is a joint venture and will appoint a dedicated CEO soon SINGAPORE BABAR KhAn JAVEd

In the next few weeks, Munchies is set to become its own separate and legal entity, with its own CEO, cross-functional teams, employee stock options plans, and support in technology and growth hacking from VentureDive, while Unilever Pakistan will support the supply chain and operations.

The snacking app follows an asset-light hyperlocal model that selects the best fit retailer or warehouse and pairs it with the relatively evenly positioned dedicated delivery fleet member, for a quick turnaround between an order being placed and fulfilment.

According to Saad Fazil, co-founder and managing director at VentureDive, the snack delivery app will soon offer exclusive products that will not appear or be available on any other physical retail store, online marketplace or e-tailer partner of Unilever Pakistan. He said the legalities for doing this are in the pipeline and expect finalization within a few weeks. The business is currently working hard to fine-tune the delivery pairing algorithm and conducts a reverse auction connecting an order with the best proximity fit retailer or warehouse with the best proximity fit delivery person, in order to reach the end customer within ten minutes of placing the order.

The statements were made during a webinar with The Nest I/O, which was announced less than two weeks after Profit broke the story that the snacking delivery app Munchies was in fact a joint venture between VentureDive and Unilever Pakistan, which executives from both businesses initially denied when asked about it. The webinar confirmed many of the salient findings from the Profit report, with Fazil admitting that the product roadmap does in fact mention subscriptions.

Syed Fawad Ahmed, the newly promoted director of digital transformation at Unilever Pakistan, said that Munchies seeks to provide instant gratification, adding that subscription

models are well placed for low involvement product categories within groceries instead of being applicable fr pure impulse products. He said that Munchies was considering looking into pre-bookings for large gatherings such as parties, which he stated would be more relevant that subscriptions.

"Unilever Pakistan has the lions share of ice cream,” said Amir Paracha, CEO of Unilever Pakistan. “So there’s not much activity in this area, neither is anyone wanting to do it. So we thought why not we start our own channel and overtime [it has] morphed into the munching platform starting online from ice cream and then we said let’s take chocolates on board and let’s take confectionary on board.”

Paracha said that for him, the north start metric within Munchies is delivery time, due to the impulse nature of the product, adding that this is the basis of using a dedicated fleet. He cited the need to be able to control the temperature from the point of pickup to delivery and the need for fleets having polar bags to being critical variables in making this happen within the hyperlocal model.

“So the entire ecosystem is worked around how we continue compressing time,” said Paracha. “And that’s the reason we went for our own fleet because had we gone for the shared fleet we wouldn’t have been able to really crack this north star that we have been gunning for.”

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