EpaperKHI_2020-09-19

Saturday, 19 September, 2020 I 30 Muharram, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 80 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Covid Cases begin to rise as sChools reoPen KARACHI

s

STAFF REPORT

CHOOLS and colleges began reopening across Pakistan earlier this week, and in the last 24 hours, 752 new positive cases have been recorded, as well as nine deaths, according to National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi Campus had opened this week, but two positive cases emerged, and the campus has gone into lockdown once more.

Moreover, the Sindh Health Department has disclosed that eight employees of Matiari, Hala and New Saeedabad colleges have been diagnosed positive in coronavirus tests.

“Two professors and a senior clerk of Hala Girls College, have also been among the infected persons,” the department added.

An educational institute in Islamabad has been sealed after 16 cases

were reported from the institution during targeted testing, said NCOC. The closures came shortly after all educational institutions, including seminaries, reopened from Tuesday after a six-month break amid concerns over the implementation of Covid-19 safety protocols and fears of a second wave of the virus.

Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department confirmed that 34 pupils have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus since the reopening of schools in the province, in the span of just three days.

A spokesperson of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department said that 24 students were tested positive for Covid-19 in Gujranwala, seven in Nankana Sahib and one in Bhakkar. He added that two staffers were also diagnosed with the virus in Lodhran and Bhakkar.

The spokesperson said that the government closed two educational institutions in Nankana Sahib after several

Covid-19 cases were reported there. He said that the authority disinfected all the educational institutions where the virus cases were reported. Any school will be shut for five days if two or more of its students test positive for Covid-19, the spokesperson added.

On Thursday, the government had shared that 16 educational institutions were closed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), one in Islamabad and five in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

KP Minister for Labour Shaukat Yousafzai has dropped a hint at reviewing the decision for reopening educational institutions if a spike is seen in Covid-19 cases.

Yousafzai, in a statement on Friday, said that they cannot put the lives of students in danger and a unanimous decision will be made for educational institutions after witnessing a rise in Covid-19 cases.

“It had been decided to reopen educational institutions in phases in order to observe the rate of Covid-19 spread.

We will take strict action against the education centres involved in the violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said. “covid-19 cases in Pakistan have been significantly reduced by following the SOPs. The government is very careful about the health of the students. All major chains of schools are adopting precautionary measures. KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan is willing to visit schools by himself to check the arrangements,” he further said.

Yousafzai warned that the government will close those schools for 15 to 30 days which are not following the SOPs. Meanwhile, coronavirus has been detected in 88 schools teachers in Sindh, according to an education department statement issued on Friday.

Due to fears of the novel coronavirus, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Friday delayed reopening of schools for sixth, seventh and eighth grades, which had previously been scheduled for 21 September.

“Our purpose is not to shut down schools permanently […] we simply seek for them to mend their ways when we see they are not fulfilling their responsibility. They should follow through with the commitments made,” he said while addressing a press conference.

He also spoke on how government institutions and private schools were not effectively following the standard operating procedures (SOPs). “And the following of safety protocols is not to be done for our satisfaction. Our children go to these schools. It is a question of their health and safety,” he added.

According to the guidelines issued by the government, the use of masks is mandatory for all teachers and students, while schools, colleges and universities will ensure the presence of hand sanitizers at the entrance.

Due to the lack of SOPs in schools, the education minister said that four schools had been sealed yesterday. Of these, three were “probably not even registered”.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

PM Imran paid Rs282,449 in taxes, reveals FBR 2018 directory ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially released tax details of elected representatives, including chief ministers (CM), parliamentarians etc. for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018.

The directory, published on the official website of FBR, contains tax details of elected representatives belonging to six different assemblies; National Assembly of Pakistan, Senate of Pakistan, Balochistan Assembly, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Sindh Assembly and Punjab Assembly.

According to the information released, former prime minister and leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was the highest taxpayer, as he paid a

staggering amount of Rs241,329,362 in taxes.

Prime Minister Imran Khan paid Rs282,449.

PML-N President and leader of the opposition Shehbaz Sharif made tax payments of Rs9,730,545 and his son Hamza Shehbaz paid Rs8,705,368.

Former president of Pakistan and PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari made a tax payment of about Rs2,891,455, whereas his son, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid Rs294,117 in taxes.

Coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

304,386

Taxes paid by the provincial chief ministers include Rs4,808,048 by Balochistan CM Jam Kamal Khan, Rs1,022,184 by Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah and Rs235,982 by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Mahmood Khan while Punjab CM Buzdar didn’t account for any taxes.

Other prominent position holders were also included in the tax directory, including Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz who paid Rs367,460, Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari paid Rs2,435,650, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi paid Rs183,900, Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmad Shah paid Rs58,120, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak paid Rs1,826,899, Law Minister Farogh Naseem paid Rs35,135,459.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

Robbers rape woman in front of daughters in Faisalabad STORY ON PAGE 03

LAST UPDATED AT 7:18 AM ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

9

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

752

DEATHS:

291,683 6,408 SINDH:

133,125

PUNJAB:

98,142

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

37,242

13,991

2,472/3,381 16,033

PM to address UNGA on next Friday: FO STORY ON PAGE 03

Bilawal telephones Nawaz Sharif, invites to join APC virtually STORY ON PAGE 03

Pakistan protests continuous Indian ceasefire violations STORY ON BACK PAGE

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

02

NEWS PresIdent For eArLy oPerAtIonALIsAtIon oF tAPI PIPeLIne Project ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

RESIDENT Dr Arif Alvi has underscored the need for early operationalisation of TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) gas pipeline project that would go a long way in further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan.

President Dr Arif Alvi and Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on Friday exchanged views on bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, implementation of TAPI gas pipeline project, and TAPI power transmission lines. They exchanged the views during a phone call by the president of Turkmenistan to President Alvi.

According to a statement, the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the

SAYS CPEC TO BOOST REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY existing relationship and emphasised the need for further strengthening and diversifying trade, economic and energy cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

Underlining the significance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the president said that the corridor would boost regional connectivity and countries of the region, particularly Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics, would tremendously benefit from its road and railway infrastructure.

He also highlighted the importance of Gwadar seaport which offers the shortest route to Turkmenistan and in that regard suggested early finalisation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on sister port relationship be-

tween the ports of Gwadar and Turkmenbashi.

President Alvi apprised his Turkmen counterpart about Pakistan’s policy of smart lockdown that successfully contained the coronavirus disease pandemic.

He appreciated the remarkable measures taken by the government of Turkmenistan in curbing the spread of the virus.

Both sides discussed the Afghan peace process and stressed the need for an early peaceful solution to the longdrawn war.

The president highlighted the brutalities and human rights violations being committed by the Indian occupation forces against the innocent population of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He

stated that the international community needs to take note of the grave human rights situation in the IOK to stop India from committing human rights violations in the valley.

Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov proposed online meetings of existing institutional mechanisms between the two countries such as joint governmental commissions and joint working groups on trade, communications, agriculture, industry, transport, and science and technology so as to enhance cooperation in these areas.

The Turkmen president invited President Alvi to participate in the international conference titled “Policy of Neutrality and its Importance in ensuring International Peace, Security and Sustainable Development” scheduled to be held in Ashgabat in 2021.

President Alvi felicitated his Turkmen counterpart and the people of Turkmenistan on the 25th anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality being celebrated this year. He also thanked his Turkmen counterpart for making the phone call, saying such interactions at high levels, would bring the two brotherly countries further closer.

Kashmir dispute can’t be solved by use of force: FM ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reiterated that Kashmir dispute cannot be solved by the use of force.

In a statement issued on Friday, the foreign minister said that the strategy of India, which has been using force against

the Kashmiri people for the past seven decades, has totally failed. The foreign minister said that India tried to use force to gag the voice of the Kashmiris through draconian laws and restrictions. There is no precedent of the atrocities that have been committed in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) since August 5 last year.

He made it clear that India cannot suc-

ceed in resolving the dispute by these atrocities. Qureshi said that the Kashmiri people bury their martyrs in Pakistan's national flag, which proves that they have not accepted Indian steps.

He recalled his recent bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ECO meeting, during which he drew attention of the world towards the unresolved Kashmir

issue. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will talk on Kashmir issue during his address in the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The foreign minister termed the stay order on the Reko Diq issue as a big success and major relief to the country's economy, which is under pressure due to Covid-19.

Cinema’s decay led to foreign content’s onslaught, says PM Imran ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that the decay of local cinema industry not only led to the onslaught of foreign content but also impacted the youth’s upbringing on high moral values.

Chairing a meeting to discuss the role and revival of cinema industry for promotion of national identity, culture and heritage, the prime minister said that cinema played a vital role to highlight social values and national heritage, besides providing quality and inexpensive entertainment to the people. Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz, Industries Minister Hammad

Azhar, Special Assistants Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Dr Shahbaz Gill and Zulfiqar Bukhari, Senator Faisal Javed, secretaries of relevant ministries, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman and senior officers attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on revival of the cinema industry and challenges confronting it and efforts to address those.

Regarding the proposals for an incentive package to revive the cinema industry and local films production, the prime minister directed the relevant ministries and departments to furnish a road-map for implementation of the proposals.

Reko Diq stay order a big relief for Pakistan: Asim Bajwa ISLAMABAD STAFF RPEORT

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Chairman Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa has said that the Reko Diq stay order by the World Bank tribunal on a $6 billion award against Pakistan was “a great relief for the country”.

In a tweet on Friday, the CPEC Authority chairman said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has “directed to fully support the government of Balochistan for accelerated development of the mineral sector

in a transparent manner and structured system”. The reforms in the sector will increase foreign investment and human resources, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) granted a stay on enforcement of the massive penalty of $6 billion issued against Pakistan in the Reko Diq case.

The Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) office, in a statement, termed the positive development a “success” for Pakistan and its legal team.

Woman gang-raped in husband’s presence in village near Lahore SHEIKHUPURA: A man was allegedly held hostage as multiple men gang-raped his wife in Kala Shah Kaku, a town in Sheikhupura district police said on Friday. The couple had travelled from Rawalpindi to Lahore in search of work and were sitting outside the Minar-ePakistan when a conman tricked them into coming with him to his village, said District Police Officer (DPO) Sheikhupura Salahuddin. The impoverished couple was lured to the village on the promise of jobs and shelter, but as they arrived, they were held, hostage. According to the woman, she was gang-raped by four or five men in her husband’s presence.

The case has been registered and an investigation is being conducted, and six suspects have been arrested already, said the police. The DPO added that the woman’s DNA samples have been collected by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency. This incident took place shortly after the infamous motorway rape case which sparked outrage across the country. In that case, a woman had been travelling on the Lahore-Sialkot highway when her car ran out of fuel at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway. There had been no reply from the motorway police helpline, and the woman had sent her location to her relative who lived in Gujranwala. STAFF REPORT

FIA arrests man for blackmailing woman KARACHI: The Cybercrime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday apprehended a man allegedly involved in blackmailing a girl using her obscene photos with the help of Facebook authorities. According to cybercrime wing officials, they have arrested an accused named Adnan during a raid in Peshawar for forwarding obscene videos of a woman to others to blackmail her. “He had forwarded her obscene photos to family members and friends,” they said, adding that they traced the accused with the cooperation of the Facebook administration. The development came after a report earlier in the day that social networking site Facebook has agreed to share its data with local authorities to investigate and eradicate cybercrime. The Facebook administration has signed an agreement with the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan to share the data with Pakistani authorities in a bid to secure the electronic horizon and curb the leeway cyber criminals enjoyed. The team of technical experts with the social network also concurred with Pakistan’s aspiration for expediting cybercrime investigations. INP

Punjab launches web portal to facilitate builders LAHORE: With an aim to facilitate the construction sector and ensure approvals by a time-bound process through one window operations, the Punjab government has launched a web portal service. Highlighting the features of the web portal, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in his statement said that now the builders, developers can get permission letters with one click only through the portal.

“The government has launched e-governance reforms in the department.” The web portal has been developed with the collaboration of the Information Technology Board. The chief minister said that his government is taking revolutionary steps to provide services to the masses at their doorsteps and added that earlier, the same work was taken months and years in some cases. STAFF REPORT

Verdict on Zardari’s plea against Park Lane supplementary references deferred till Wednesday ISLAMABAD TLTP

An Islamabad accountability court has deferred the announcement of verdict on former president Asif Ali Zardari’s plea for quashing three supplementary references against him till Wednesday (September 23).

The court was to announce its verdict in the Park Lane, mega money laundering, and Thatta water supply references on Friday; however, it deferred the verdict until September 23. Accountability Judge Azam Khan had last week deferred indictment of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman in the Park Lane supplementary reference after he moved

an application requesting deferment of framing of charges until his plea for quashing the reference is decided.

The former president was indicted in the Park Lane case on August 10. However, he is yet to be indicted in the supplementary reference that the national graft buster filed against him and 19 other accused in the case.

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

NEWS

PM tO addReSS UNGa ON Next FRIday: FO ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan will address the United Nations General (UNGA) Assembly session on next Friday. Addressing the weekly news briefing on Friday, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said due to restrictions imposed by the local administration in New York, there will be no in-person high-level participation from outside. He said that the general debate of the 75th session of the UNGA will commence on Tuesday.

The spokesperson said that the foreign minister will participate virtually in the high-level meeting of the

Justice Isa’s wife given Rs35m penalty by FBR Sarina Isa, the wife of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, has been handed a Rs35 million penalty by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), a local news outlet reported on Friday.

Reportedly, a 164-page order was issued on September 14 by Commissioner Inland Revenue and International Taxes Zone Zulfiqar Ahmed, which stated that the judge’s wife had a tax liability off Rs35 million because of her offshore assets. Sarina condemned the tax department’s move and alleged that the federal government and the FBR official had mala fide intentions, and she would challenge the decision at a higher forum. In a written statement issued to the media on Friday, she raised doubts over the 164-page order and accused FBR official Zulfiqar Ahmed of creating “artificial tax liability of over Rs35 million” against her. “I do not even know if he wrote the order himself,” she said, vowing to challenge the FBR verdict. Under the Supreme Court June 19 order, Sarina may avail all legal options against the FBR order. Sarina also rejected the FBR official’s claim that she on June 25 refused delivery of the FBR notice and said on that day her father had passed away. She reiterated her claim that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is victimising her husband and his family and the FBR official, Zulfiqar Ahmed, is part of ‘a team’ – headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan – that desperately wants to remove Justice Isa from the scene. She said that the FBR official while rejecting her comprehensive replies submitted in response to each of his eight notices held her liable to Rs35 million. NEWS DESK

Pakistan HC in London receives Sharif’s arrest warrants: FO ISLAMABAD: The spokesperson of Foreign Office (FO) on Friday confirmed that the Pakistan High Commission in London received the arrest warrants of former premier Nawaz Sharif. The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri confirmed that Nawaz Sharif’s arrest warrants issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had been received by the foreign ministry on Thursday. The arrest warrants have been sent immediately to the Pakistan High Commission in London and directed the commission for sending a report after implementing the court orders, added Chaudhri. Earlier on Thursday, the IHC Registrar Office started implementing the orders and issued notice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taking steps to arrest the former prime minister. The high court had released the arrest warrants of Nawaz in Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases and also sent its copy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assisting the relevant authorities to arrest the former premier who is currently residing in London. It had directed concerned authorities to produce Nawaz on September 22 during the next hearing. Separate notices had been served to the FO by IHC Registrar Office for contacting the British High Commission to implement the court orders regarding the arrest of the former premier. STAFF RPEORT

UNGA to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. He will also participate in other highlevel engagements.

The spokesperson said that Pakistan welcomes the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelete’s reiteration of serious concerns on unabated violence in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including indiscriminate use of pellet guns on civilians.

He said that Pakistan strongly condemns continued Indian attempts to illegally change the demographic structure of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He said that, as reported, Indian authorities have distributed over 1.68 million domiciles to non-Kashmiris.

He also said that Pakistan categorically rejects any

possibility to allow a Queen’s Counsel by India to represent its spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, currently on a deathrow in Pakistan.

“Allowing a Queen’s Counsel for Jadhav is out of question as only a lawyer with license to practice in Pakistan can appear before the court,” the spokesperson said.

He said that India was consistently making efforts to evade the Jadhav case. Pakistan has already given “uninterrupted and unimpeded” consular access to Jadhav and is ready to extend the same in future as well, he added.

To a question on induction of five French-made Rafale fighter jets into India Air Force, the FO spokesperson termed the development “disturbing”

Bilawal telephones Nawaz Sharif, invites to join APC virtually ISLAMABAD INP

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday made telephonic contact with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London, and invited him to join the opposition-led all parties conference (APC) virtually.

According to the PPP spokesman, the two leaders discussed the overall political situation in the country.

"Bilawal invited Nawaz to attend the multi-party conference via video-link," he said.

The elder Sharif was quoted as saying during the telephonic conversation that he desires success of the APC and his prayers and sympathies are with the people of the country.

"Just spoke to Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif.

Enquired about his health. Also invited him to virtually attend opposition APC, hosted by PPP, on 20th September," tweeted the PPP chairman afterwards to announce that he had enquired after Nawaz's health

and invited him to attend the conference.

"Thank you Bilawal. Warm regards & prayers," PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif said in response.

The former prime minister had also spoken to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and assured him that the PML-N will cooperate with the joint opposition in the future.

PPP, PML-N and the JUI-F have said that they will use the platform to try to come up with a joint strategy focused on ousting the incumbent government.

The APC will convene at the Zardari House in Islamabad on September 20. Their focus is on driving out the incumbent government.

"The situation in the country has reached a stage where we cannot afford even a moment's delay," JUIF's Durrani said, "We want free and fair elections in the country, with no interference whatsoever."

Speaking on the upcoming meeting's agenda, he said, "The APC will decide whether there will be a new election or an in-house change."

Power sector negligence halted economic development: PM ISLAMABAD

LAHORE Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz was taken to Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital on Friday for a medical checkup after being diagnosed positive for Covid-19 last week.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had earlier insisted on Hamza being shifted to a hospital until he had recovered.

Jinnah Hospital Medical Superintendent Yahya Sultan told a local news outlet that said Hamza underwent a CT scan and other tests, and then was sent back

to jail. The reports will be available within the next few days, he added.

The PML-N leader has been in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) custody since June of last year.

Hamza is being investigated for money laundering and holding assets beyond means.

On Sunday, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had confirmed that his son had contracted coronavirus.

Shehbaz had said that his son was “bravely fighting political victimisation by the NAB-Niazi nexus” after already having faced cases during the Musharraf

Robbers rape woman in front of daughters in Faisalabad FAISALABAD TLTP

In yet another horrendous incident of sexual abuse, a woman labourer was allegedly raped during a robbery in Faisalabad neighbourhood on Friday. The incident occurred in Peoples Colony near Raja Chowk within the jurisdiction of Batala Colony police station where two suspected robbers raped the woman in front of her daughters, according to police. They took Rs200,000 cash, gold ornaments, and other valuables of the woman with them after sexually abusing her. The Batala Colony police have registered an FIR against two accused, namely Iftikhar and Ramazan. A police official said that both accused kept extending threats of raping and killing the victim’s daughters if she reported the incident to the police. This is a second incident of sexual abuse reported in Faisalabad in less than 24 hours. On September 17, a girl was reported to have been gang-raped by five men who abducted her from Jhang Road in Faisalabad area of Punjab. According to police, the girl was abducted by an accused Noman and four other accomplices on gunpoint and later was gang-raped by the five men at a house. The accused were able to run away from the house as soon as the relatives of the victim reached there.

German envoy lauds Pakistan’s efforts against Covid-19 TLTP

government was committed to power sector reforms, aimed at providing low-priced and uninterrupted power supply to the people.

In light of their experience and research, the experts put forward their proposals regarding the power sector reforms and for the economic development.

The prime minister lauded the proposals from the experts and assured the government’s all-out support for inter-ministerial consultation and research on implementation mechanism of the reforms.

Covid-infected Hamza Shehbaz taken to hospital for a checkup STAFF REPORT

where India continued to amass military capabilities beyond its genuine security requirement.

He stressed that Rafale jets were dual-capable systems that could also be modified as nuclear weapon delivery platforms, and also warned of its adverse effect on strategic stability in South Asia.

He expressed Pakistan’s concern over the arms build-up being aided and abetted through a policy of exemptions, waivers and supply of advanced equipment, technology and weapons for narrow commercial interests.

Asked if Pakistan was considering making GilgitBaltistan (GB) its fifth province, he said political, economic and administrative reforms for the GB are an ongoing process, which would continue as per long standing demand of its people.

When sought comments of Pakistan’s position as more Islamic countries hinted of recognizing Israel, the FO spokesperson said, “There is no change in Pakistan’s principled position on Palestine.”

ISLAMABAD

APP

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that the country could not meet the potential of economic development as reforms in the power sector, considering the modern trends and growing domestic and industrial needs, were neglected in the past.

Chairing a review meeting on the ongoing reforms process for supply of low-cost and uninterrupted electricity to the consumers, the prime minister reiterated the resolution for early completion of the reformation process.

The meeting was attended by Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Energy Minister Omar Ayub and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Nadeem Babar.

International energy and economics experts including Dr Robin Burgess from London School of Economics and Professor Michael Greenstone of Chicago University also joined the meeting through video link.

The meeting discussed in detail the roadmap for power sector reforms with a particular focus on the supply of inexpensive and undisturbed electricity to the consumers.

Appreciating the experts’ research on Pakistan’s energy sector, the prime minister said the incumbent

03

era.

Furthermore, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had accused the government of not giving Hamza “the required medical attention”.

“This oppressive regime has been toying with the health of political opponents by keeping them in inhuman conditions. My brother [Hamza] is the latest victim of this brutality who has tested positive for Covid-19 but not being given the required medical attention,” she had said on Twitter.

She had said Hamza “has unjustly and illegally been incarcerated for more than a year now”.

Hamza had sought bail from the Lahore High Court (LHC) in March, as the coronavirus forced parts of the country went into lockdown.

“The confined space of a prison makes it virtually impossible to implement the policy of social distancing. The prisoners are vulnerable and exposed to suffer irreparably in case of an outbreak.

God forbid, a prison outbreak is likely to present a potentially deadly risk to its inmates,” his petition stated.

It is pertinent to mention that in the ten months since NAB had arrested Hamza, no reference was filed against him by the anti-graft watchdog.

German Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck on Friday lauded Pakistan’s efforts to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and create conducive conditions for the students to resume educational activities. “It is the happiest moment to see the kids are back to school after a six months’ break due to the novel coronavirus crisis,” he said while talking to the state-run news agency. The envoy said that the Covid-19 has unexpectedly shaken the world, which would continue to face the socio-economic consequences of the virus for quite a long-time. “Showing solidarity with each other during the trying times is the responsibility of all of us,” he said, adding the German government has up-scaled its support to the local Pakistani governments in their fight against the pandemic and promote such activities, which would help mitigate the socio-economic effects of the pandemic at a local level.

04

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

NEWS

RAIn-StRuCk pEoplE’S REhAbIlItAtIon to CoSt RS76bn, SInDh Govt tEllS un KARACHI

t

PPI

HE Sindh government has estimated an initial requirement of around Rs76 billion to rehabilitate 2.48 million rain affected people, including paying them compensation for loss of lives, houses and cattle.

This emerged in a meeting held between Sindh government representatives and United Nation (UN) Pakistan delegation at the CM House. The Sindh government was represented by provincial ministers, Makhdoom Mahboob, Syed Nasir Shah, Advisor law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, SMBR Qazi Shahid Parvez, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro and Adl secretary

Fayaz Jatoi. The UN delegation members were UN Pakistan Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis, WFP Country Director Chris Kaye, UNICEF Chief Field Office Cristina Brugiolo, Tanvir Illahi of UNOCHA, Dr Aftab Bhatti, the provincial head of WFP, and Imran Leghari of UNRCO. The UN delegation was given a detailed briefing by Minister Revenue Makhdoom Mahboob, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah and SMBR Qazi Shahid Parvaiz.

The delegation was told that 743.01 rainfall to 73.6 mm was recorded in different areas of the Sindh province which caused havoc in different areas, therefore, Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah declared 20 districts as calamity-hit areas.

Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah disclosed

that 136 people died due heavy rains, 86 sustained multiple injuries, 15,233 villages were badly affected, 2,488,616 people were displaced, crops standing over 1,094,150 acres washed away, 5,729 pucca houses damaged completely, 71,614 katcha houses collapsed completely, 10,504 pucca houses damaged partially, 126,674 katcha houses damaged partially and 45961 cattle perished.

The chief secretary said that 73 bread earners died in the heavy rains and their compensation haf been decided at Rs500,000 each and the amount would come to Rs36,500,000. There were 63 non-bread earners who lost their lives and their compensation would be Rs18,900,000 at the rate of Rs300,000 each.

The rains injured 86 persons seriously

boob said that the provincial government from its own resources had extended maximum support to the people displaced due to heavy downpour. “The support made so far was not enough and there was wide gap between the supplies of tents, ration bags, mosquito nets, Jerry Cans, kitchen sets, animal mosquito nets and taruline sheets,” he said and added over Rs1 billion was required to meet the requirements of the homeless people living on the sand dunes.

The UN delegation members told the Sindh government that they had visited all the affected areas of Karachi, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad divisions. “The condition of the affected areas and the people and their cattle was quite painful but the media is not highlighting their plight,” they said.

The UN delegation assured the Sindh government of their full support and cooperation to provide relief to the affected people and rehabilitate them. They delegation also urged the other donor agencies to come over, visit the area and assess the situation and support the poor people.

and their compensation has been estimated at Rs8,600,000 at a rate of Rs100,000 each.

Similarly, reconstruction of 5,729 pucca houses collapsed during rains would cost Rs1,145,800,000 at a rate of Rs200,000 each house. The repair of 10,504 partially damaged pucca houses would cost around Rs1,050,400,000 at a rate of Rs100,000 each house. The reconstruction of 71,614 katcha houses at a rate of 100,000 each would cost Rs7,161,400,000.

The repair of 126,674 damaged katcha houses would cost Rs6,333,700,000 at a rate of Rs50,000 each.

21,000 cattle such as cow, buffaloes, horses and camel perished in the rains and their compensation has been fixed at Rs50,000 each and the amount would come to Rs1,050,000,000. Some 24,961 sheep, goat, and donkey have died and their compensation has been fixed at Rs10,000 per head and the total amount would come to Rs249,610,000. In this way, the total amount required to rehabilitate the affected people would be Rs67,054,910,000.

Minister Revenue Makhdoom Mah-

Court summons Meesha Shafi, witnesses on 28th

Mazafrabad: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chief Secretary Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash chaired the 1st Executive Committee meeting under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme with the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority DG Waseem Hayat Bajwa in Muzaffarabad.

SC cancels Adil's interim bail in anchorperson murder case KARACHI: The Supreme Court's (SC) Karachi Registry on Friday cancelled the interim bail of accused Adil Zaman in Mureed Abbas murder case. The apex court stated that according to the statements of eyewitnesses, including Umar Rehan and Usama, accused Adil Zaman was present alongside Khizer Hayat and Atif Zaman on the crime scene and the witnesses had also identified Adil. The court also stated that the records had proven that weapon used to murder Mureed Abbas was also belonging to Adil. The evidence against Adil as co-suspect in the murder case was enough, however, the matters should be separately dealt for misuse of his release on the bail and the presence of solid evidence. The court stated that the observation of the Sindh High Court (SHC) was different to the available proof as important facts were ignored while approving Adil’s bail. Later, the apex court termed null and void the SHC’s order for awarding bail to Adil Zaman and ordered trial court for announcing verdict in the case. Earlier on September 10, a three-judge bench, hearing a plea seeking the annulment of Adil’s bail at the SC’s Karachi registry, had ordered police to apprehend the accused and send him behind the prison. The Supreme Court had revoked the bail approved to Adil Zaman, the co-accused in anchorperson Mureed Abbas’ murder case. The accused, who was present in the court premises, had managed to escape after the annulment of his bail. According to the prosecution, on July 9, 2019, Atif had gunned down TV anchorperson Mureed Abbas, 34, and Khizar Hayat, 45 over a financial disagreement in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and then attempted suicide. PPI

Facebook agrees to share data with FIA in cybercrime probe ISLAMABAD: Social networking site Facebook agreed on Friday to share its data with local authorities to investigate and eradicate cybercrime. The Facebook administration has signed an agreement with the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan to share the data with Pakistani authorities in a bid to secure the electronic horizon and curb the leeway cyber criminals enjoyed.

The team of technical experts with the social network also concurred with Pakistan’s aspiration for expediting cybercrime investigations. The investigation watchdog will now have access to data from the Social networking site in order to expand its investigations in the cybercrime cases. Earlier, the cybercrime wing of FIA had its limits as the global e-social site had not allowed it access to the information into its data due to which many cases could not be proceeded or disposed of. Facebook has now agreed to Pakistan’s requests and has asked the authorities in the cybercrime wing to delegate a focal person to contact FB for data request. The focal person will request information from FB in the cases of cybercrimes against women and children. It has also expressed inclination towards expanding the data-sharing pact to curb cybercrimes in the future. TLTP

Policy for development of natural resources prepared: Kamal ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has said that the provincial government has prepared a comprehensive policy for development of the natural resources and several projects have also been included in the annual development programme in this regard.

The chief minister said this during a meeting with Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar at Petroleum House on Friday. Higher officials from the government of Balochistan and Petroleum Division also attended the meeting.

The chief minister said that the provincial government has taken concrete steps to stabilise the provincial economy through its own natural resources, so that the people of Balochistan could cultivate benefits from the develop-

ment and economic activities in the province.

Both sides deliberated upon the matters pertaining to the petroleum sector and reviewed the ongoing projects related to international joint ventures in Balochistan. Both sides agreed to continue the mutual cooperation between the federation and province in energy including the oil and gas sector.

The federal minister and SAPM apprised the chief minister of the status of infrastructure development projects related to the oil sector along with oil and gas exploration and production activities in Balochistan. They also explored the areas of cooperation between the Centre and provincial government for development of the mineral sector in the province.

The chief minister and federal minister resolved to extend consultations and cooperation on energy projects to take maximum mutual benefit from natural resources in the country.

Cop shot dead in Karachi KARACHI INP

Unidentified armed men gunned down a policeman in the metropolis on Friday and fled the scene.

According to details, cop Arif Khan serving Rescue 15 was targeted by two armed men in Korangi Karachi while he was on his way to duty. The attackers fled the scene after committing the crime and the body was shifted to hospital for postmortem. The police after registering a case against unidentified murderers have started an investigation.

Singer Meesha Shafi and her witnesses are summoned by the court on Monday, September 28, 2020, for their cross-examination in Rs1 billion defamation suit filed by fellow singer Ali Zafar.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Yasar Hayat resumed the hearing into the case this week but Meesha’s senior counsel and witnesses didn’t appear in the court. A junior counsel intimated the court that the counsel of Meesha was at Islamabad and sought an adjournment. Ali’s lawyer objected that the examinationin-chiefs of defendant’s four witnesses (namely Meesha, her mother Saba Hameed, manager Farhan Ali and actress Iffat Omar) were recorded many months ago but they were not produced for cross-examination. After the hearing, the court directed Meesha’s counsel to produce the above mentioned four witnesses for their cross-examination on next date i.e. September 28. This defamation suit had been filed by singer Ali more than two years ago in June 2018 against Meesha claiming that she ruined his reputation by making a false allegation of harassment The court had already recorded the evidence of Ali and his 11 witnesses. In a tweet, Barrister Ambreen Qureshi, a lawyer of Ali , said that “defamation case against Meesha Shafi finally resumed in court after months. However, no witnesses were produced by the defendant. And Adjournment was sought by opposite counsel.” NEWS DESK

Ex-DG excise remanded in liquor licence case LAHORE: An accountability court on Friday handed over former director-general Excise and Taxation Akram Ashraf Gondal to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a 10-day physical remand in the liquor licence case. According to details, the ex-DG was produced before the court by an anti-graft watchdog in Lahore. At the outset of the hearing, the NAB lawyer stated that Gondal issued a liquor licence to a private hotel illegally and requested the court to hand over the accused to them on 15 days remand. However, the court granted his 10-day physical remand and ordered the NAB to produce the accused before the court again on September 28. Muhammad Akram Ashraf Gondal was taken into custody on Thursday last in the liquor licence case. According to NAB sources, the anti-graft body apprehended Akram Ashraf Gondal on the charges of issuing a liquor licence to a private hotel illegally.

It is pertinent to mention here that the former director-general had appeared before the NAB several times but he failed to prove his innocence in the liquor licence case. TLTP

Govt strengthening parliament, democracy in country: Punjab governor LAHORE INP

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that those who call the parliament as a rubber stump are humiliating democracy and public vote, adding that the government is strengthening parliament and democracy in the country, and moreover, the country is also facing economic problems due to corruption by corrupt elements.

He expressed these views while speaking during meetings with Pakistan Awami Tehreek Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Federation of Pak-

istan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Mian Anjum Nisar and party delegations on Friday.

Sarwar said that the leadership of the opposition parties is criticising the party to which they are a part but they cannot fool the nation through such tactics and criticism. “They should not only criticise and play their positive and democratic role. It is also the responsibility of the opposition to play a role in strengthening democracy and the parliament,” he said.

He said that the purpose of the legislation passed in the parliament was not to take political revenge against anyone but the legislation was passed only in the in-

terest of the nation. The opposition also needs not to put obstacles in the way of legislation they should take part in it instead, he added.

The governor said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan is providing full relief and facilities to domestic and foreign investors as well as Pakistani business community due to which investment in Pakistan is steadily increasing. He said that Pakistan is getting stronger economically but the enemies of Pakistan unfortunately are not digesting the development of the county but we will not allow them to succeed in their de-

structive and impure purposes.

Sarwar said further that it is a great achievement of Pakistan that the World Bank Arbitration Forum Oxide has issued an injunction on the six billion dollars award to Pakistan on the issue of Reqo Diq. “We are determined that Pakistan will move forward with the same success on every front and will achieve its true place in the world,” he added.

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

SNGPL ProPoSeS CoNStruCtioN of North-South GaS PiPeLiNe at $1 biLLioN iSLaMaBad

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AHMAD AHMADANI

HE Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has been considering constructing the 1,100 kilometre (km)-long NorthSouth Gas Pipeline (NSGP) at a cost of $1 billion.

Well-informed sources apprised this scribe that a plan to construct NSGP was presented in a meeting of the Board of Directors (BoD) of SNGPL on September 12, 2020, wherein the SNGPL had proposed to lay down 1,100km-long gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore at a cost of $1 billion.

They said that Petroleum Additional Secretary Muhammad Ayub Chaudhry had ratified this proposed plan ostensibly to serve the larger national interest as well as to benefit the national exchequer.

Ayub Chaudhry had also recommended adopting a competitive process in the awarding of this gas pipeline project, saying Pakistani companies should also be allowed to participate in the project instead of ‘favourite’ foreign firms.

They said SNGPL had the capacity to handle this project while it had already served the country and saved money by constructing a gas pipeline of a similar capacity. The SNGPL has now proposed that it would lay down 42-inch diameter NSGP at a cost of $1 billion which is much lower to previously estimated construction cost of $2.7 billion, said sources.

“SNGPL’s business plan/structure for the construction of NSGP has included 25 per cent profit of SNGPL in the proposed cost of $1 billion besides covering technical, legal and financial affairs of NSGP project in details,” sources added.

Earlier, it was being considered to un-

dertake the construction of NSGP with a Russian nominated company named as ETK at a cost of $2.7 billion. However, Russian nominated ETK company had failed in proving relevant experience, expertise etc and the ETK company was stopped from participating in the process of awarding the North-South Gas Pipeline project’s contract.

Sharing details of recommendations of Ayub Chaudhry for the construction of NSGP, the sources said that besides favouring the SNGPL plan for the construction of NSGP at $1 billion, the additional secretary petroleum has recommended allowing the two stateowned gas utilities- SNGPL & Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) to participate in the project, saying award of NSGP contract to Pakistani companies (SNGPL and SSGCL) will help to revive them too. Similarly, he proposed that the proposed cost of SNGPL can be used as a

benchmark for future working and this time the need is to work cautiously to save Pakistani money and serve the larger national interest in the award of NSGP construction contract as the cost will be borne by the people of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention that the petroleum division had been considering using a bidding process to ensure reduced cost of the project (NSGP), which was previously projected to be $2.70 billion US dollar.

NSGP will be completed through two phases and Phase-I of NSGP is expected to be completed by December 2022 and phase-II is to be completed by December 2023. Existing pipelines connecting Karachi with Lahore for the transportation of RLNG have been fully utilized while Pakistan has recently allowed setting up of more Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminals at Karachi to meet growing gas demands of the country.

A tapestry of rich and royal hue’

By Syed afSar Sajid Title: A Tapestry of Medicine and Life Author: Sayed Amjad Hussain Publisher: Literary Circle of Toledo (USA) Book Designer: Tony Barone Pages: 277 Price: $ 24.99

Born in Peshawar, Pakistan, Dr. Sayed Amjad Hussain, author of the instant book, is an internationally acclaimed cardio-thoracic surgeon, based in Toledo in the state of Ohio (USA). He is presently an emeritus professor of surgery and an emeritus professor of humanities at the University of Toledo. His multifarious engagements and interests vary from photography, and geo-cultural exploration to calligraphy, ancient manuscripts, religion, history, philosophy, poetry, essay writing, and languages.

Dr. Jeffrey Philip Gold, himself a distinguished medical authority and Chancellor of Nebraska University Medical Center, calls him (Dr. Sayed Amjad Hussain) a renaissance man, a veritable polymath.

In the words of Prof. Dr. Samir Abu Absi, emeritus professor of English at the University of Toledo, ‘This book offers a taste of the extraordinary life-journey of

the author that includes scientific facts, literary references, philosophical musings, amusing anecdotes, and humor. (It also) offers the reader a window on a rich and fully-lived life that bridges two diverse cultures.’

Ejaz Rahim, an avant-garde Pakistani writer in English who has only recently been honoured by the Confucius Institute at The University of Toledo for his ace verse collection ‘I, Confucius’, at a commemoration ceremony of the renowned Chinese philosopher and politician Confucius (551-479 BC), has contributed a detailed but incisive introductory note to the book.

His terse but discreet observations tend to unfold its multifaceted features: ‘In the process of recapitulating past memories, the writer sets in motion a cavalcade of events and encounters, and creates a whole Chaucerian gallery of real life characters. These range from lovers, murderers, charlatans, knaves to patients or malingerers of different hues. In the realm of storytelling, style is of the essence.

Dr. Amjad Hussain writes in transparent and genial vein, and expresses himself with conversational ease. There is an air of candidness about his expression which evokes a hearty response from the readers. In him, a Pied Piper’s spontaneity combines with the Ancient Mariner’s ability to compel attention. A certain artlessness informs his art. Another endearing feature is an ever present sense of humour which is always refreshing, even in describing human peccadilloes and shortcomings without becoming mordant or cynical.

In fact he does not hesitate to laugh even at himself. There is a fascinating presence of candour but a wholesome absence of rancour or denigration. His humour is squarely grounded in the everyday realities of life and is at its best in describing experiences in the world of medicine, ranging from oldfashioned circumcisions to incredible instances of sexual perversity, anatomical protuberance, and ‘so many more eye-openers that force one to conclude that facts can be stranger than fiction.’ Thus the book is not merely an assortment of personal anecdotes but also a collage as it were, of beauty and truth, the author’s command of the English language notwithstanding.

And yet at another level, Dr. Sayed Amjad Hussain’s autobiography so to say, is a tale of two cities viz. Peshawar and Toledo, both possessive of distinctive cultural

heritages grounded in the twin disciplines of history and geography. Peshawar is an ancient city with a rich ethnocultural past dating back to the pre-Christian era whereas Toledo, a prestigious centre of education located in the modern day America, borrows its name from Toledo, an ancient city set on a hill above the plains of Castilla-La Mancha in Central Spain, known for its medieval Arab, Jewish and Christian monuments. Being a denizen of both cities simultaneously, he partakes of tradition, as also modernity with marked ease and equanimity.

The implications of the ‘theory of fusion’ (as espoused by Ejaz Rahim in his aforementioned introductory essay) regarding the assimilation of two or more contradistinctive traits in his (Dr. Sayed Amjad Hussain’s) person and art like tradition versus modernistic talent, fact of the palpable versus fiction of the impalpable, science and technology versus art and literature, the human element versus the historical content, a genteel stance of serene sobriety versus a recalcitrant disposition to sardonic humour, and last but not least, a conjugation of the scalpel and the pen, are writ large on the pages of these memoirs.

Stories of homestead and family in Peshawar, stories from the field of medicine, stories from expeditions, interesting personalities, and cultural stories form the menu of the book.

Nostalgia, memorabilia, and a sporadic homesickness precisely turn out to be the leitmotif of the work characterized by a stream of consciousness running through its veins like the one in the fictive works of Joseph Conrad (‘Lord Jim’) and Virginia Woolf (‘To the Lighthouse’) and Qurratulain Hyder (‘Kare JahaN Daraz Hai’) and Abdullah Hussein (‘Udas Naslain’).

Carole King, a popular American songstress and lyricist’s song ‘Tapestry’ opens on an optimistic note as does Dr. Sayed Amjad Hussain’s ‘A Tapestry of Medicine and Life’: My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue An everlasting vision of the ever-changing view A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold ……

At the end, the relentless tether of Time makes him (the author) ‘know the true value of a moment’ when it has already slipped into the stark oblivion of memory, to echo the words of noted American author and film maker Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss: 1904-91). The distinction between ‘the literature of knowledge’ and ‘the literature of power’, as English essayist Thomas de Quincey (1785-1859) envisioned, is the distinction between ‘teaching’ and ‘moving’. ‘A Tapestry of Medicine and Life’, in effect does both, it teaches and enlightens as well as moves and inspires.

CMYK

NEWS

05

Covid cases begin to rise as schools reopen continued on page 01 “Yes, marketplaces and cinemas are open, rallies and religious processions were carried out. But you have a choice in the matter. When it comes to schools, many children simply do not have the choice to not attend. When a child has to go to school, it is the government’s responsibility as well as that of parents to decide what is better for him,” he emphasised.

He further added, “Our purpose is not to shut down schools permanently […] we simply seek for them to mend their ways when we see they are not fulfilling their responsibility. They should follow through with the commitments made.”

“We want schools to reopen but when they do, we should be free of any worry that if they do go to school they will not be so exposed to the risk of catching any illness,” the minister said to media persons. He underscored the importance of protecting children instead of helping schools recover from their losses.

Ghani also asked the media persons to spread awareness of the novel coronavirus and protective measures which could be taken to help curb the disease.

Regarding the delay in reopening schools for the aforementioned classes, the education minister said the decision would be reviewed on 28 September. “I will get in touch with the federal ministers and will request a meeting of the inter-provincial education ministers committee so that a uniform decision is taken across the country,” Ghani added.

However, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood later in the day denied any change in plan over the phase-wise reopening of the schools across the country and said that a meeting would be held on September 22 before the resumption of other classes of schools in the second phase.

His remarks came after the Sindh government today announced to postpone reopening of schools in the second phase amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the province.

“Our timetable is not yet changed,” said Mahmood adding, “Before taking the decision to postpone the second phase, Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani should have taken us into confidence on the matter.”

The federal education minister said that Sindh had decided on their own without consulting them.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has said that the provincial government will further increase the testing to contain the spread of coronavirus disease during his visit to NCOC on Friday.

The chief minister was given a detailed briefing on overall disease prevalence and specific issues to Balochistan. The NCOC apprised the chief minister that additional testing laboratories will be established in three districts of Balochistan to assist in more testing.

The number of positive cases of Covid-19 has surged to 304,386 nationwide, while the tally of fatalities has jumped to 6,408.

Pakistan has so far conducted 3,090,660 coronavirus tests and 33,865 in last 24 hours. 291,683 coronavirus patients have recovered in the country whereas 579 patients are in critical condition.

Pakistan at present stands at number 17 among the list of countries affected by the coronavirus disease.

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

06 COMMENT

Helpless Bhil community

Maintaining the supremacy of constitution Abide by parliamentary system

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Ali SuKhANVER

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eT so far, no further development has been noticed in the investigation regarding brutal murder of 11 members of a Pakistani Hindu migrant family in India’s Jodhpur district.

This horrible incident took place on August 9. Most of the people in the neighborhood are of the opinion that this innocent family was murdered just because its members belonged to Pakistan. Analysts are pointing their fingers to the bitter reality that the so-called secular country under the Modi-led BJP government is not even safe for Hindu community and one could easily understand the miserable condition of those belonging to the minorities, particularly the Muslims. According to the media details, the unfortunate Pakistani Hindu migrant family had been living on a farm in the village, which it had hired for farming. It seems that the BJP leaders have no interest in tracing out the culprits behind this cruelty because the victims had migrated from Pakistan. let us see if someone from the Hindu community raises any voice in favour of the wretched Hindu family.

It is also a notable fact that the deceased were from the Bhil community and had come to India some eight years ago. History tells us that Bheels or Bhils are an Indo-Aryan-speaking ethnic group residing in west India. The government of India conducted a survey in 2013 which said Bhils were the largest tribal group in India with a total population of 17 million. It is also noteworthy that the Bhil community has been demanding a separate Bhil state in India for

Boosting border trade Decision to achieve many positives

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HAT 18 markets are to be set up on the country’s borders with Afghanistan and Iran is a welcome step. Also welcome is the attention being given to them, evidenced by the meeting held to discuss the initiative, which was attended by the PM’s Finance and Commerce Advisers, the Foreign Minister and the Chief of Army Staff. Under the plan, initially two markets would be set up in Balochistan, and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, by February, as pilot projects. Ultimately, 12 markets would be set up on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and six on the Pakistan-Iran. The meeting was also briefed about anti-smuggling measures in the region.

However, the markets are not just an anti-smuggling measure, and are likely to prove much more. For one thing, anti-smuggling measures are likelier to work the lower the customs duty consumers have to pay. These markets might prove to be a conduit rather than a solution. However, in the case of Afghanistan, the attempt to put up a fence requires the setting up of markets to offset some of the disruption inevitable from the stopping of the current free movement across the border. That might explain why there are twice the markets for Afghanistan than with Iran, even though the latter has a much larger economy. Another positive is that, while the religious and cultural ties with both countries are very deep, the enhancing of economic relations, which will definitely result from the boost to trade, will automatically create vested interests in all three countries, which have experienced difficulties at the governmental level.

However, there is one caveat, and that is against the markets being too tightly controlled, not so much to protect the consumers or the merchants of one country or the other, as to line the pockets of certain officials, particularly from the customs, the police, or border control. not only must the Pakistan authorities do a transparent job of facilitating merchants in these markets, but they must do so well that the Iranian and Afghan governments are encouraged to emulate the example. Hopefully, the high level of the initial meeting will ensure vigorous and thorough implementation of a conceptually excellent idea.

Politics and Video Games AbdullAh ShAhid

K

nowledge is a vague term, but we are told to seek it, and to do so, a person would either google it, read a book or acquire it through some other medium (for example films or social media). Video games are not exempt from this rule as they too teach like any other conventional medium, at times even better.

Video games have a trick up their sleeve, gameplay, which can easily immerse a player as compared to a book’s complex literary structure that may not be understood, even by those who regularly read.

But no one wants to do that. no one plays video games to “seek knowledge”; they want to shoot stuff, kill random aliens or play whatever is trending to appear, in sync with friends or social media. games like PUBg or Fortnite might be fun to play, just that, as these games are a product of bland commercialism.

Video games have been demonized by our elders because according to them they are indecent, time wasting and cause violence. Video games will receive this criticism, especially with PUBg’s ban and the PTA’s recent crusade to remove anything deemed “indecent”; laws will be made, politicians will debate in Parliament and the media will argue over it. All because in other countries where video games became popular, they went through all this process just as video games in Pakistan are slowly becoming mainstream.

But video games are much more than “violent fantasies”. A plane enthusiast could learn to fly a plane in Microsoft’s Flight Simulator games, a doctor-to be could learn surgeries through “Surgeon Simulator”, and likewise it can also teach politics since most popular video games have direct or indirect political themes.

Based on Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien, Alien Isolation (2014) presents a grim pessimistic future of what life in space would resemble, with war and politics beings monopolized by the corporations. This is remarkably different from elon Musk’s optimism that amounts to capitalistic space “mumbo jumbo”.

Papers Please is a pixelated, anti-war game

Arif Nizami Editor Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

that dictates US foreign policy. It assesses a nation’s need for nuclear weapons, nuclear deterrence and proliferation.

It tackles issues from misuse of soldiers, child where the player experiences the effects of war, totalitarianism and fascism just by stamping papers; soldiers, private military companies, and prisoner which itself is a metaphor for how mundane and at abuse in guantanamo Bay, all without being biased in any aspect. In 2001, it even predicted the rise of times inhuman bureaucratic duties are.

This War of Mine is just outright depressing since information warfare and society’s obsession with soit is played from the perspective of civilians who are cial media.

“Since both India and China have a huge land trapped in a civil war. what made it depressing, thus an effective anti-war game, is that the events are not mass, both countries can just give up their quest to fictional but based on real events that preceded Yu- acquire Kashmir and Honk Kong respectively”.

It is an incorrect opinion that I once held. It would goslavia’s breakup. take games such as Total even the earlier Call War, Age of Empires and of Duty games, no matter anything developed by how bizarre it was in its It is very unlikely that one would Paradox Interactive to depiction of modern warthat opinion as fare, were somewhat true see video games from this critical correct these video game franin representing US jingochises are effective “politism. In it, the USA is sense as it is a form of ical simulations”. shown to be invading an These games allow unnamed Middle eastern entertainment, like all forms of the players to simulate country without legal entertainment that are mostly historical events alongjustification; a US Army side managing military, general conspires to intreated as “escapism”. It shouldn’t economy and governance. crease his own war powTotal War games are all ers and unrestricted aerial be a problem since gameplay about the military side of combat is brutally dewould make it immersive so that things, from real time batpicted, years before the tle strategies, managing drone footages were relearning is sought through fun. supply lines, strategic imleased in our world. portance of geography to But that franchise has diplomacy and political a fixation with always backstabbing. portraying the Russians as Paradox’s games (examples being Crusader the antagonist, so much so that it seems more of a state propaganda. The latest game even lied about actual Kings, Hearts of Iron) follow a similar pattern but are American war crimes in the Middle east claiming to much deeper in its economic management and politbe that of Russian ones, which gave more credibility ical governance; tutorials alone take more time than an average video game. to the Kremlin’s propaganda.

It is very unlikely that one would see video games Metal Gear Solid is by far the best example of a commercially successful franchise that taught politics from this critical sense as it is a form of entertainment, correctly. It might be the only franchise to base its en- like all forms of entertainment that are mostly treated tire theme on nuclear politics, since its developers and as “escapism”. It shouldn’t be a problem since gameplay would make it immersive so that learning is publishers have deep Japanese origins.

It’s a game that takes pacifism literally, at times sought through fun. But as mentioned above, no one punishing players who take a lethal approach by turn- will do that, let alone think critically about a medium ing killed enemies into a segment of their haunted that is sought so as to escape from reality. ghosts. It evaluates the USA’s role as a superpower Abdullah Shahid is a freelance columnist and the immense influence of its military complex

One can learn about the real world from games

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

their independence movement.

Maltreatment of the Bhil community in India is nothing new. In 2017 the Tribal Research and Traina long time. The tribal belt of Rajasthan, Madhya ing Institute (TRTI), run by the gujarat government’s Pradesh and gujarat had been the epicentre of this Tribal development department, referred to the tribal separate Bhil state demand. These Bhil people want Bhil community on its official website as ‘black comthat migrant people of this community should be munity’. It also stated that most of the members of brought back to their original place with full dignity. the Bhil community are criminals. TRTI claimed that These people also demand that the tribal communities the Bhils use mobile phones for carrying out crimes should have the first right on natural resources. The and formulating criminal strategies. dr gaurang Jani demanded Bhil state comprises different districts in- is a renowned scholar and a well known sociologist. cluding dungarpur, BanHe teaches at gujarat swara and Pratapgarh in University. Commenting southern Rajasthan, Ratupon the humiliating lam, Jhabua, Alirajpur, comments on an official dhar, Petlawad, and so In January 2020, an examination website on the Bhil comone of Madhya Pradesh munity, he said “In my was conducted by the Public and the eastern districts opinion, it is a social of gujarat including crime to speak of Bhils Service Commission. In the Panchmahal, godhra, or any other tribal comdahod and dang. The reading comprehension section of munity in this manner. northern districts of MaThis is insulting not just the paper a paragraph was harashtra would also be a to the tribe; it is insulting part of the Bhil state if that the government sees included which mentioned that the its ever came into existence. own citizens this Most of the people way”. Prakash Shah is a Bhil tribe members are under the belonging to this compolitical analyst from grip of liquor and that the munity earn their living Ahmadabad. He said by working in the fields commenting upon the ofcommunity engages in unlawful of agriculture, animal ficial derogatory remarks husbandry, poultry and on the website, “The and immoral activities. manufacturing of handmost disturbing aspect of loom products, but at the the website is that it same time they have a shows how the governvery powerful underment views citizens. The standing of changing political needs and require- government views tribals as subjects and not citizens. ments too. In 2017 the Bhil community formed the This is absolutely wrong.”

Bharatiya Tribal Party to put its demands firmly beeven in 2020, the situation with reference to hufore the state governments. This new-born party be- miliation of the Bhil community is still the same. Accame so popular among the people that it won two cording to the newS 18, in January 2020, an seats each in the gujarat and Rajasthan legislative examination was conducted by the Public Service Assemblies. It is being said that the 11 members of Commission. In the reading comprehension section the Pakistani migrated family were murdered just to of the paper a paragraph was included which menkill two birds with one stone; the first purpose being tioned that the Bhil tribe members are under the grip to threaten those Bhils who are living in other coun- of liquor and that the community engages in unlawful tries and want to migrate to India to strengthen their and immoral activities. Various Bhil tribe leaders excommunity; the second being to give a tough time to pressed their resentment at this statement and dethe rapidly emerging Bharatiya Tribal Party. The BJP manded a detailed inquiry into the matter. But even is planning to crush the Bhil Independent State move- after six months, nothing has yet been done. The ment in the same way as it had crushed the Sikh criminal silence of the BJP government shows that Khalistan Movement. By spreading fear of death, fear the Bhil community would also meet the same fate of deprivation from the land and by spreading a sense as that of the Sikhs and the Kashmiris. of insecurity among the Bhil community, the BJP government is simply creating hurdles in the way of Ali Sukhanver is a freelance journalist.

Bhils in India are becoming targets of Hindu on Hindu attacks

He opposition had already helped the government pass some of the laws proposed by the FATF through consensus. It had hoped to use its majority in the joint parliamentary session to get some of the government’s proposals amended as these could be used to target the opposition. The opposition’s majority was turned into minority through sleight of hand. It has now reasons to fear that any move in the parliament not liked by those in power might meet the same fate. when constitutional ways to change laws or bring no confidence moves are closed, political parties are forced to meditate taking the struggle to the streets.

Violation of the constitutional rights of citizens is resented by the legal community also. on Thursday, Pakistan Bar Council, the highest elected body of lawyers in Pakistan established under an Act of the Parliament, hosted an APC where leaders of nearly a dozen political parties and members and office-bearers of bar councils and bar associations participated.

The opposition parties conceded the lawyers’ demand for the abolition the 19th Amendment and constitution of a new forum for the selection of superior court judges comprising all stakeholders. The gathering observed that civil liberties as well as basic fundamental rights of people were being violated through unprecedented censorship. The APC demanded recovery of all the missing persons, adding that if there was any case against them, they should be proceeded in a court of law.

The gathering rejected the present system of accountability as useless, controversial and a tool for political engineering. It also declared arrest and detention of people before initiation of any case as illegal and demanded a unified accountability system for public office holders. It condemned the filing of treason cases against journalists, the enforced disappearance of some and restrictions on media houses.

There is a need on the part of the government to read the tea leaves. devious obstructions in the parliamentary procedure and denial of civil rights has to stop. Unless this is done, the opposition, civil society and the legal community are likely to consider taking the battle to the streets.

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Saturday, 19 September, 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

No electricity in Turbat TURBAT being the hottest cities with highest temperatures 53.5 degrees celsius in South Asia. Furthermore, it’s really hurting to observe larger power failures in Turbat. Such hardship is being faced by all part of country. Moreover, 10 or 12 hours a day we hardly ever get electricity despite the extreme summer heat.

Although, these power losses are disturbing in morning time when students get ready for school, and other people need to get ready for their own trade. And also it’s affecting schools, shops, hospitals and factories. life is paralysed because of this.

Beside, students sits in dark excitedly waiting for the power to come back. So, they should study.

I humbly, request to the government to stop load shedding in Turbat , that the people couldn’t face such kind of problems further.

ZAHRA BAIG HOTH TURBAT

Caution to the wind

Indo-US agreement on nuclear power The USA needed India against China, India wanted to burst its bounds dR RAjKumAR SiNgh

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UT simply, nuclear energy is a vast power that we get when its different elements react among themselves. As a result of these reactions, it releases energy to generate heat and this energy is used in many ways across the world. generally, it is obtained from three types of reaction: nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion. Its most common positive use today is the production of electricity with the nuclear fission through the help of uranium or plutonium.

Presently, it is the cheapest and least fatal source of getting electricity in comparison with other sources such as coal, petroleum, natural gas and hydroelectricity. The commercialization of nuclear energy started in 1970s and since then it has prevented about1.84 million air pollutionrelated deaths and has also saved the emission of at least 64 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent that would have otherwise resulted from the burning of fossil fuels. In december 2019 there were 443 civilian fission reactors in the world and the USA has the largest inventory of nuclear reactors with a generating capacity of over 800 Twh zero-emissions electricity per year. washington has also the record of discovering the first nuclear reaction which led to the creation of the first man-made reactor. Soon it also achieved criticality on 2 december1942 and became a part of Manhattan Project, an allied effort which successfully made atomic bomb during the Second world war. The bomb was tested in July 1945 and after a month in August, it was dropped on Hiroshima and nagasaki causing a memorable devastation in world history.

At the end of world war II, the USA was unquestionably a superpower of nuclear energy. when this energy entered politics it became a power, the power of the country or nation which possesses it by hook or by crook. As a result in post-war phase a blind race started among powers of the world to achieve this capability and surprisingly many of them obtained the ability of nuclear energy in 1950s, the last being China in 1964. with China getting the nuclear capability, the region, especially India’s neighbourhood, nuclearized, and it became a matter of great concern for new delhi. The development exerted public pressure on the government to move in the direction of making the nuclear bomb. In fact, after China making the nuclear bomb India too began thinking and primary discussions started at very high level secretly. In addition, the development sent a security signal to nations of the region as a whole because the nuclear arms race had already entered in the area.

In a further move India prepared for the nuclear bomb and it exploded the devices in May 1974. The nuclear explosion by India received a wide reaction at global level with several restrictions and sanctions imposed by nuclear powers of the world and other countries who supplied nuclear materials for its peaceful uses. After the

making of a nuclear bomb by China and India, nuclear-use status. Under those circumstances, Pakistan began its preparation for a nuclear India always insisted on a comprehensive plan for bomb despite weak economic condition and a nuclear-free world within a definite timeframe other practical difficulties in the way of its and unilaterally declared its adoption of a “noachieving nuclear capability. Perhaps a decade first-use policy” in dealings with countries of the after India’s explosion, Islamabad too achieved region and neighbours as well. not for years, but for decades, and espenuclear capability, the first Islamic country to do so. However, after a long wait it exploded its nu- cially after 1967, India remained aloof from the clear device in May 1998 when India exploded global nuclear activities but despite international its nuclear device te second time. Thus, 1998 the non-co-operation, restrictions and limitations it region became fully nuclearized with three na- detonated a nuclear device twice, first in May tions, China, India and Pakistan, having nuclear 1974 and then in May 1998, one during the Congress regime and another when Atal Bihari Vajbombmaking capability.

After the People’s Republic of China making payee was the Prime Minister heading a BJP-led nuclear bombs in 1964, the international commu- coalition. In the past decades, and especially nity became aware of, and strict towards, prolif- after the disintegration of the USSR, and the eration of nuclear capability and in 1967 they coming of globalization, but particularly with brought a treaty called non-Proliferation Treaty the emergence of the People’s Republic of China as an emerging su(nPT). A large numperpower, the USA ber of countries all was compelled to over the world become closer to India came its signatories and contain Chinese or parties to it, and India agreed to separate its civil influence in the rethose who signed and military nuclear facilities and gion and beyond. As the Treaty were althe development of lowed to use nuclear to place all its civil nuclear India’s nuclear inpower for peaceful stallations was purposes or for their facilities under the control of marred by the interdevelopment, but national limitations strictly restricted to International Atomic Energy and restricted supuse nuclear power Agency safeguards. In exchange ply of nuclear matefor military purrials and technology, poses. on the other the USA agreed to work toward full new delhi too was hand, the superpowers, including China, civil nuclear cooperation with India needy and therefore wished to remove which had acquired limitations on using nuclear capability the nuclear energy before 1967 were alin a beneficial way lowed to use nuclear ower for development as well as making nuclear on a large scale.

It was in this background and circumstances armaments. From the beginning, some other countries, including India, Pakistan and Israel, that India and the USA signed a Civil nuclear have called the treaty highly discriminatory in Agreement or 123 Agreement. It is called 123 nature because the same facility it provides to nu- Agreement because section 123 of the United clear power States, it strictly prohibits for others. States Atomic energy Act 1954 provided for US In a nutshell, they refused to sign the treaty as it nuclear co-operation with other countries. The has divided the world into two groups- “nuclear draft or framework of the agreement was issued haves” and “nuclear have-nots” with separate in the joint statement of Indian Prime Minister rights and privileges. In the meantime, an infor- dr. Manmohan Singh and US President george mal group under the leadership of United States w. Bush. In the statement India agreed to sepawas also formed called the nuclear Suppliers rate its civil and military nuclear facilities and group (nSg) which prepared guidelines on nu- to place all its civil nuclear facilities under the clear export, reactors and fuel. The nSg mainly control of International Atomic energy Agency controls the export of nuclear materials, equip- safeguards. In exchange the USA agreed to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation with India. ment and technology.

In addition, there was also a supervisory body After due discussions and procedures in both called the International Atomic energy Agency countries the final agreement, called the United (IAeA) which mainly supervises that nuclear States-India nuclear Cooperation Approval and technology meant and purchased for peaceful non-proliferation enhancement Act, was signed purposes should not be used for military. Thus, as on 10 october 2008 by the then Indian external a result of these treaties and related provisions, Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US SecIndia was debarred from getting nuclear capabil- retary of State Condoleezza Rice. ity for armaments and it was also not included in Dr Rajkumar Singh is head of the political the members of the nSg but put under the control and supervision of the International Atomic en- science department of the B.N.Mandal ergy Agency. The IAeA bears the responsibility University, Madhepura, Bihar, India and can be of supervising nations and reporting about their reached at rajkumarsinghpg@gmail.com

THe novel coronavirus is regained it’s power once again. while seeing the irresponsibility of a common society. However, when I taught CoVId-19 in Pakistan is not fully under controlled move that we be our masters ourselves. no at all, kindly remove this conception in your mind so that the virus is end and we will be under our free well. See the guidelines of CoVId-19 is very necessary to be focused at any rate.

After experiencing that the educational institutions were closed at least for seven months and children at great sufferings so they shall not be loosing their one year with no learning. So the authorities have been opening institutions slowly. As far as they reopened I myself can judge there has made a joke for SoPs as previously for this reason many schools sealed since the confirmed cases or risk infections is very high.

It’s like several institutions playing with their lives to be the victim of CoVId-19. I only recommend to say the government of Pakistan should see every environmental and health protections and the main focus on SoPs very strictly.

BARkATUllAH TURBAT

Initiating IPL IndIAn Premier league (IPl) is considered the world’s Twenty20 league and among the most-watched tournament around the globe and was expected to incept on March 29 in India but due to the worsening situations of Corona pandemic it was postponed while India is on the second in the list of most affected countries in the world. However, the cancelation meant a potential loss of more than 534 million dollars in revenue. Furthermore, after estimating the declined cases the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the reopening of the IPl in 19 September in United Arab emirates (UAe) between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings where making a crowd would not be permitted and only a small amount of spectators would be allowed.

According to an estimation that the total number of Corona Virus in UAe are nearly 82,568 among which more than 72,117 recovered and 402 people died and the report more states that if the IPl starts processing then it might put a huge enhancement of corona patience not only in India but also in UAe. The BCCI is only trying to boost up its own economy and trying to prevent the loss. The government of India should stop the starting of IPl immediately because the lives of the people are more important than money.

MEHRAj AlTAf HERROnk

Be yourself IT is one of the best parts of life that a person decides to choose his/her own way of living. As a great philosopher said” Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Always try to be yourself, because no one ever can tell you that you are wrong and doing wrong. You never find yourself until you face the truth of real life, because you can never tell lie to yourself. Moreover, if you will do your own then no one can change your thoughts and ideas about your life. don’t compare yourself to others, because you never fully believe yourself if you keep comparing yourself to others. life is only the amount of work and efforts that you put into it. The harder you work to sarround yourself with better things an the long run means the happier you could possibly be. never make someone to be the reason of your happiness.

MEEnA YASIn QUETTA

Jinnah’s vision lost in the air IT is very painful to state that we have not found any leader after Jinnah who would have been of indomitable courage, irresistible logic and exemplary principles which Jinnah possessed and especially who would have carried out the legacy of Jinnah’s dreams and vision to make Pakistan a stable, prosperous and develop. what Jinnah envisioned, was to make Pakistan a pure parliamentary democratic country consisting of strong and unite federating units, Minorities freedom and principles of social justice be ensured and human rights be fully guaranteed in this state of Pakistan.

But we have witnessed everything opposite of Jinnah’s dream of Pakistan. we saw every where sectarian violence, racial and linguistic clashes, terrorism, flagrant violation of human rights, Forced conversion of minorities, interference and abrogation of constitutional institution and constitution itself many times, conflicts between Provinces and Federation on political, economical administrative interests.

Right now we are on verge of destruction, but still we have time to keep the words and revive Jinnah’s vision and as to lead the country toward stabilization and prosperity .

GHUlAM HYdER MUGHERI lAHORE

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

The world is aT The mosT dangerous momenT in human hisTory CHOMSKY DESCRIBED TRUMP AS THE FIGUREHEAD OF A NEW “REACTIONARY INTERNATIONAL” CONSISTING OF BRAZIL, INDIA, THE UK, EGYPT, ISRAEL AND HUNGARY

new STaTeSman

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GEorGE EatoN

OAM Chomsky has warned that the world is at the most dangerous moment in human history owing to the climate crisis, the threat of nuclear war and rising authoritarianism. In an exclusive interview with the New Statesman, the 91-year-old US linguist and activist said that the current perils exceed those of the 1930s.

“There’s been nothing like it in human history,” Chomsky said. “I’m old enough to remember, very vividly, the threat that Nazism could take over much of Eurasia, that was not an idle concern. US military planners did anticipate that the war would end with a US-dominated region and a German-dominated region... But even that, horrible enough, was not like the end of organised human life on Earth, which is what we’re facing.”

Chomsky was interviewed in advance of the first summit of the Progressive International (18-20 September), a new organisation founded by Bernie Sanders, the former US presidential candidate, and Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, to counter right-wing authoritarianism. In an echo of the movement’s slogan “internationalism or extinction”, Chomsky warned: “We’re at an astonishing confluence of very severe crises. The extent of them was illustrated by the last setting of the famous Doomsday Clock. It’s been set every year

since the atom bombing, the minute hand has moved forward and back. But last January, they abandoned minutes and moved to seconds to midnight, which means termination. And that was before the scale of the pandemic.”

This shift, Chomsky said, reflected “the growing threat of nuclear war, which is probably more severe than it was during the Cold War. The growing threat of environmental catastrophe, and the third thing that they’ve been picking up for the last few years is the sharp deterioration of democracy, which sounds at first as if it doesn’t belong but it actually does, because the only hope for dealing with the two existential crises, which do threaten extinction, is to deal with them through a vibrant democracy with engaged, informed citizens who are participating in developing programmes to deal with these crises.”

Chomsky added that “[Donald] Trump has accomplished something quite impressive: he’s succeeded in increasing the threat of each of the three dangers. On nuclear weapons, he’s moved to continue, and essentially bring to an end, the dismantling of the arms control regime, which has offered some protection against terminal disaster.

He’s greatly increased the development of new, dangerous, more threatening weapons, which means others do so too, which is increasing the threat to all of us.

“On environmental catastrophe, he’s escalated his effort to maximise the use of fossil fuels and to terminate the regulations that somewhat mitigate the effect of the coming disaster if we proceed on our present course.”

“On the deterioration of democracy, it’s become a joke. The executive branch of [the US] government has been completely purged of any dissident voice. Now it’s left with a group of sycophants.”

Chomsky described Trump as the figurehead of a new “reactionary international” consisting of Brazil, India, the UK, Egypt,

Israel and Hungary. “In the western hemisphere the leading candidate is [Jair] Bolsonaro’s Brazil, kind of a small-time clone of President Trump. In the Middle East it will be based on the family dictatorships, the most reactionary states in the world. [Abdel al-]Sisi’s Egypt is the worst dictatorship that Egypt has ever had. Israel has moved so far to the right that you need a telescope to see it, it’s about the only country in the world where young people are even more reactionary than adults.”

He added: “[Narendra] Modi is destroying Indian secular democracy, severely repressing the Muslim population, he’s just vastly extended the terrible Indian occupation of Kashmir. In Europe, the leading candidate is [Viktor] Orbán in Hungary, who is creating a proto-fascist state. There are other figures, like [Matteo] Salvini in Italy, who gets his kicks out of watching refugees drown in the Mediterranean.”

Of the UK, he said: “[Nigel] Farage will come along and be a proper candidate if Boris Johnson doesn’t serve the purpose, which he may.” He added that the UK government’s threat to “violate international law and make a total break with the European Union” would “turn a fading Britain into

The Paris morgue provided ghoulish entertainment WITH ITS HUGE WINDOWS FRAMING THE CORPSES ON DISPLAY, THE MORGUE BORE AN UNCOMFORTABLE RESEMBLANCE TO A DEPARTMENT STORE

JSTOr daily amElia Soth

Behind a plate-glass window, framed by grand Doric columns, repose three bodies. Except for their leather loincloths, they are naked.

From a pipe above each bed, a trickle of cold water runs down their faces. Their eyes are closed. They bear the marks of their deaths: one is swollen by drowning, one gashed by an industrial accident, another stabbed. A crowd of people gathers outside the window, staring at the bodies. This is the Paris Morgue, circa 1850.

Theoretically, the purpose of the display was to enlist public help in identifying unnamed corpses. But around the turn of the century, the morgue developed a reputation as a gruesome public spectacle, drawing huge crowds daily. The morgue was even listed in tourist guidebooks as one of the city’s unmissable attractions: Le Musée de la Mort. The crowds that attended the morgue attracted snack peddlers and street performers, creating an almost festival atmosphere.

The Paris Morgue was a product of its time. With the advent of in-

dustrialization, more and more people were drawn from the countryside to the city to work in the factories. At the same time, accidental deaths—machine explosions, train accidents, suffocations by coal smoke—became more and more common. The industrial workers who perished in these accidents were likely to die far from home.

Away from the people who knew them, they were more likely to suffer the fate of an anonymous body behind the morgue’s plate-glass window.

With its huge windows framing the corpses on display, the morgue bore an uncomfortable resemblance to a department store. The French playwright Léon Gozlan remarked that: “You go there to see the drowned as elsewhere you go to see the latest fashion.” Indeed, the clothes of the deceased were hung above the bodies on the slabs, like outfits in a shop window. As Émile Zola observed: “The morgue is a spectacle within the reach of every purse and which poor and rich passersby alike can get for free. The door is open, whoever wants to can come in.”

When the bodies were taken out, curtains were drawn over the windows, and then pulled back to reveal the new set of bodies. The writer and photographer Maxime Du Camp wrote that “the kids, who go there as they would to a theatrical representation, call the exhibited corpses the artists, if the exhibition room hap-

pens to be empty, they say: The theatre is temporarily closed today.”

The morgue served as a visual accompaniment to the popular press, which reported in lurid detail on the latest crimes in the city. It satisfied a certain desire to see horror in the flesh. One could read about a murder in the paper and then pop over to the morgue to view the victim’s body. These accounts of crimes and scandals were tremendously popular. In the same era, Paris’ wax museum, the MuséeGrevin, was known for staging waxen recreations of recent murders. The stated aim of the museum was to “create… a ‘living newspaper.’” If the MuséeGrevin was a simulated “living newspaper,” the morgue was a real dead one.

What did people feel when they were gathered in front of the plateglass window to stare at anonymous corpses? To us, their curiosity seems ghoulish. But the newspapers painted a different picture of their scandal-loving audience. In their accounts, those who flocked to the morgue were not morbid gawkers, but concerned individuals driven by empathy and a strong moral sense.

The equivalent of a crowd rubbernecking at an accident was seen as an expression of solidarity borne out of tragedy. As the Supplement illustre de petit journal argued, in response to such a public tragedy, “We all loved each other for a few hours because we cried together: why can we not continue to do so?”

even more of a vassal of the United States then it’s already become”.

Chomsky described the Progressive International, whose council also includes former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, novelist Arundhati Roy and former Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, as “a loose coalition of people committed to a world of justice, peace, democratic participation, of changing social and economic institutions, so that they are not geared for private profit for the few but for the needs and concerns of the general population.”

Having lived through 22 US presidential elections, Chomsky warned that Trump’s threat to refuse to leave office if defeated by Democratic candidate Joe Biden was unprecedented.

“He’s already announced repeatedly that if he doesn’t like the outcome of the election he won’t leave. And this is taken very seriously by two high-level military officers, exmilitary leaders, who’ve just sent a letter to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, reviewing for him his constitutional duties if the president refuses to leave office and gathers around him the paramilitary forces that he’s been using to terrorise people in Portland.

“The military has a duty in that case, the 82nd Airborne Division, to remove him by force. There’s a transition integrity project, high-level people from the Republicans and the Democrats; they’ve been running war games asking what would happen if Trump refuses to leave office – every one of them leads to civil war, every scenario that they can think of except a Trump victory leads to civil war. This is not a joke – nothing like this has happened in the history of parliamentary democracy.

“It was bad enough when your guy, Boris Johnson, prorogued parliament, which led to a furore. The Supreme Court intervened but it was too late. The [US] Supreme Court isn’t going to intervene here, not after

the right-wing appointments that Trump has managed, so we’re at a moment that has never happened.” Chomsky urged US leftists to vote for Biden in this November’s presidential election and to press him to pursue a progressive agenda.

“What the left should do is what it always should do: it should recognise that real politics is constant activism, in one form or another. Every couple of years something comes along called an election, you should take off a few minutes to decide if it’s worth voting against somebody, rarely for somebody. In the course of, say, Corbyn in England, I would have voted for him but most of the time the question is ‘who do you vote against?’

“This time the answer to that question is just overwhelmingly obvious: the Trump Republicans are just so utterly outrageous, way off the spectrum, that there’s simply no question about voting against them. So you take off a few minutes, go to the voting booth, push a lever, vote against Trump, which in a two-party system means you have to push the vote for the other candidate. But then the next thing you do is to challenge them, keep the pressure on to move them towards progressive programmes.”

Asked whether he still identified as an anarchist, Chomsky replied: “We have to ask what we mean by ‘anarchist’. In my view everybody, if they stop to think about it, is an anarchist, except the people who are pathological. The core principle of anarchism, from its origins, has been that authority and domination and hegemony have a burden of proof to bear, they have to prove that they’re legitimate. Sometimes they are, sometimes you can give an argument. If you can’t, they should be dismantled.

“How should they be dismantled? Well, you have to work on that, you can’t do it by snapping your fingers. Organisations are developing elements of the future society within the present one. But I think that ideal is virtually universal within our moral system, except for really pathological elements.”

George Eaton is senior online editor of the New Statesman.

Modi is in denial about a Covid crisis Guardian Editorial

Last month Narendra Modi, India’s strongman prime minister, performed the religious rites to consecrate the building of a Hindu temple on the site of a mosque whose destruction two decades ago sparked deadly nationwide riots. The ceremony saw Mr Modi appropriate the role traditionally performed by Hindu kings. “The entire nation is under Ram’s spell today,” the prime minister told his audience. “By God’s grace, a golden chapter is being written by India.” The message that a bright future is to be divinely blessed has not reached the heavens.

India used to boast of having the world’s fastest-growing major economy. It now has the fastest-growing coronavirus crisis, with almost 100,000 new infections reported each day. Its GDP has contracted by almost a quarter. The country makes up one third of the world’s new Covid cases and appears to have underestimated the disease’s prevalence. India’s youthful demographics help keep its Covid mortality rate low.

However, in absolute numbers the country’s coronavirus death toll is only surpassed by Brazil and the United States.

The pandemic is not Mr Modi’s fault, but he owns his government’s dysfunctional response.

He imposed a draconian lockdown in late March with no warning and no planning. The prime minister seemed to revel in the drama of a primetime announcement and its muscular message. But the national shutdown, which ended in June, destroyed millions of people’s livelihoods. Many of the most affected sit on the bottom rungs of Indian society, who were forced with no notice to leave cities for distant villages. Although the national lockdown has been lifted, local versions continue in many states.

One way of dealing with the economic crisis would be to boost India’s job guarantee scheme.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) is designed to offer any citizen in rural India 100 days of work with (admittedly low) minimum wages provided by the government.

The world’s largest public works programme kept India’s vast countryside economy afloat after the 2008 global financial crash. Yet Mr Modi resists

RATHER THAN REBUILD THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF HIS COUNTRY DURING THE CORONAVIRUSDRIVEN ECONOMIC SLUMP, NARENDRA MODI HAS CHOSEN TO PLAY IDENTITY POLITICS wholesale adoption of the scheme and adequately financing it. Experts warn NREGA’s funding will run dry this month. Mr Modi appears unable to reconcile his dislike of a programme (it was introduced by his Congress opponents) with its obvious utility. Broadening and deepening the scheme – so that it could expand naturally to accommodate anyone who demands work at a living wage – would provide a timely fiscal stimulus to keep people in work when the urban economy cannot soak up labour.

Mr Modi’s short-sightedness will cost India dear. The country’s second Covid wave may strike harder than the first. Initially its major cities, which have the best hospitals, were hit by the virus. Now cases are taking off in rural areas, which have poor medical facilities. With tax revenue a fraction of normal levels, regional governments struggle to provide more than symbolic care or relief. This has been exacerbated by the central government’s refusal to send states the money it owes to them. The cash trail is deliberately obscured and Mr Modi should come clean about Covid spending to dispel concerns about corruption.

Rather than rebuild India’s social fabric, Mr Modi wants to build a panopticon. Critics of his government’s woeful performance have already been muzzled or locked up. A cold war with China blows dangerously hot in the Himalayas.

To buttress support Mr Modi stokes Hindu nationalism. The temple ceremony is a way of stirring the emotions of Mr Modi’s fanatical supporters. It also reveals the depths of his denial about India’s Covid crisis.

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

BUSINESS 09 corporate corner

GovT CoMMITTED To TrAnSPArEnCy, AuToMATIon In TAxATIon SySTEM: HAfEEz SHAIkH ISLAMABAD

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s most versatile collaborative working space is now open for business. Located in Banker Cooperative Housing Society, Opposite DHA Phase-V, eHaus has been designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers, academic organizations, young startups and technology enthusiasts to collaborate and develop an inclusive work environment at a very affordable price range. PREss RElEAsE

sTAFF REPORT

DvISER to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has said that the present government is continuing with reforms in the tax system so as to make it transparent through automation.

The adviser was addressing a ceremony held in connection with the audit balloting of taxpayers on Friday.

Hafeez Shaikh said that two committees comprising representatives from both the FBR and business community have been constituted to address complaints against FBR and issue of refunds to facilitate the taxpayers.

He said the basic objective of tax collection is to ensure better basic facilities of life like potable water, health, education, and infrastructure.

The adviser said the government wants to make tax collection troublefree for the people, particularly the business community, adding that no new tax was imposed on the business community in this year's budget.

He said subsidies were maintained for industry, particularly the export industry, to minimise the cost of doing business.

Shaikh said the government refunded Rs240 billion during the last fiscal year and the amount is double if compared with previous year. He said the system of sales tax on exports has

also been computerized and refund can be made in 72 hours by filling a form while sitting home. He said the process of refund of income tax is also being made faster.

The adviser said the government's policies are aimed at boosting the exports to earn precious foreign exchange.

He said that FBR wants to devise a transparent taxation system through stepping forward to an automatic system for tax payments. “Tax payment system is being automated from today and all related processes are being computerised as well. We do not want unnecessary audits [of taxpayers]. In the past, many audits had been initiated that are still pending to be concluded. Some 14,000 audits had been conducted last

MARKET DAILY

Stocks stage sharp recovery after early losses KARACHI sTAFF REPORT

KARACHI: Hashoo Group has collaborated with Ghani Builders & Developers (Pvt) Ltd to open ‘Hotel One Airport’ near Jinnah International Airport. PREss RElEAsE

Indus Motor wins 17th Annual Environment Excellence Award 2020 KARACHI: Indus Motor Company (IMC) has once again been recognised for its unwavering commitment towards the environment after it bagged the 17th Annual Environment Excellence Award 2020. The ceremony was organized by the National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH) at Karachi. Since 2004, this is the 10th time this award has been bestowed upon the company by the NFEH, a non-profit organization focused on creating public awareness on environmental, healthcare and educational issues in Pakistan. Expressing his views, CEO IMC, Ali Asghar Jamali said, "We are pleased that this honor has been conferred upon us again by the NFEH as we strive to show our commitment to the people of Pakistan and do everything in our capacity to improve our environment." He further added "IMC takes pride in its CSR initiatives and we are keeping shoulders to the wheel to make a meaningful impact for our communities and set an example as a leader in corporate social responsibility." PREss RElEAsE

Standard Chartered announces #SCWomenInTech 2020 Winners KARACHI: Standard Chartered, in partnership with INNOVentures Global (Pvt) Limited, is excited to announce the top seven winners of the #SCWomenInTech Programme 2020. This is a global programme aimed at supporting gender representation within technologybased entrepreneurship. Today’s event saw the announcement of the seven women led businesses shortlisted from over 280 applicants, each winning up to, PKR 1,500,000, in seed grants for their businesses. This year in addition to the regular five grants the programme had announced two additional grants for “COVID-19 relief-based projects”. The seven businesses were selected from a pool of the top 23 teams that have been through the #SCWomenInTech programme incubator for three months. During this time, they were offered coaching, mentoring and business management skills to grow their businesses to the next level. PREss RElEAsE

Sanofi reaffirms commitment on World Patient Safety Day KARACHI: Sanofi will be reiterating its mission to improve the health and quality of life of patients by commemorating Patient Safety Day on September 17.

Marked by the World Health Organization (WHO), countries and international health community, the overall objectives of World Patient Safety Day are to enhance global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in the safety of healthcare and promote global actions to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm. Dr Asim Jamal (GM, Sanofi Pakistan) said, “This day gives us the opportunity to express our strong commitment to patients and their safety. Being a healthcare company, we are conscious of the critical role we play and our obligation to patients. The drugs and vaccines that we serve to cure and prevent diseases impact patients, patient outcomes and ultimately, public health goals.” PREss RElEAsE

Bulls ruled the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on the last session of the week, with the indices recovering losses accumulated in early trade and closing in the green.

Equity markets around the world showed a mixed pattern, whereas crude oil prices declined from the previous close; WTI crude price falling 0.83pc to $40.67 and Brent crude price dropping 0.85pc to $42.93.

"Right before the announcement of Monetary Policy (scheduled for Monday, September 21st) and rebalancing of FTSE, market responded positively with OGDC, PSO, ENGRO and UBL contributing positively to the index," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. MARKET SUMMARY The benchmark KSE-100 Index once again saw volatile movement, registering its intraday low at 42,234.59 (-100.17 points)

and intraday high at 42,554.84 (+220.08 points). It closed higher by 170 points at 42,504.76.

Among other indices, the KMI30 Index appreciated 433.92 points to settle at 68,332.95, while the KSE All Share Index added 101.78 points, ending at 30,167.00.

The overall market volumes improved from 508.69 million shares in the previous session to 516.09 million shares (+1pc). Average traded value, however, dropped by 10pc, from to reach $81.9 million from $90.8 million Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd (PIBTL +4.72pc), Unity Foods Ltd (UNITY +7.49pc) and Fauji Foods Ltd (FFL +4.55pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 75.51 million, 45.28 million and 38.86 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that painted the benchmark index green included oil & gas exploration (74.68 points), banking (71.57 points) and fertilizer (34.34 points). Among the companies, Oil and Gas Develop-

ment Company Ltd (OGDC 43.12 points), Fauji Fertilizer Company Ltd (FFC 27.90 points) and United Bank Ltd (UBL 27.07 points) remained the top contributors.

Adding 1.66pc to its cumulative market capitalization, the oil & gas exploration sector emerged as the session’s top gainer, with Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDC 2.70pc), Pakistan Oilfields Ltd (POL 1.18pc) and Pak Petroleum Ltd (PPL 0.60pc) posting decent gains.

On the financial side, Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd (PIBTL +4.72pc) announced earnings per share of Rs0.64 for FY20 (Rs-1.37 in FY19), Kot Addu Power Company Ltd (KAPCO -6.24pc) declared an EPS of Rs26.83 for FY20 (Rs14.90 in FY19), Dolmen City REIT (DCR +0.27pc) published an EPS of Rs3.65 for FY20 (Rs3.09 in FY19), while Nishat Mills Limited (NML +1.33pc) posted an EPS of Rs9.97 in FY20 (Rs16.66 in FY19).

year. However, last year’s audits were not completed,” he said.

He said that 10,000 audits will be conducted this year which is below 1 percent as some people are removed from the process. The basic point for making these changes is making a transparent system. “We will try to carry out less audits and its timely completion. On the other hand, we are also making efforts to cut down business expenditures,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, FBR Chairman Muhammad Javed Ghani said that the institution is issuing tax audit and tax directory in accordance with the regulations. He said that the tax auditing system was improved in line with the reforms introduced by the government.

Chicken price rises as wedding season starts PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

The price of chicken has increased by Rs60 per kg in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last week, after the government allowed reopening of wedding halls which were closed due to coronavirus pandemic.

According to poultry dealers, the price has gone up due to an increase in demand; while on the other hand, poultry production in KP isn’t sufficient to fulfil the requirement.

Traders said that up to 80pc of chicken is transported from different cities in Punjab and thus the transportation charges further increase its price. Despite the provincial livestock department spending millions on domestic poultry in the last two years, it remained unable to meet the poultry demand in the province. Muttahida Poultry Association General Secretary Hazrat Gul told this scribe that the domestic production is hardly 20 per cent of the total consumption of the province. He said that they decide the poultry rate in the province by adding Rs31 to rates in Chakwal city. Gul said that if the provincial government takes serious steps to increase poultry production, chicken rate would not be more than Rs120 to Rs150 per kg. “The livestock department claims to have spent millions of rupees on domestic poultry scheme of Prime Minister Imran Khan. If KP government had spent such a high amount on new poultry farms, poultry production in the province would have increased to keep the prices under control,” Gul said.

Etisalat mulling new CEO for PTCL; Ufone likely to merge with national telecom operator LAHORE TAIMOOR HAssAN/AHMAD AHMADANI

Emirates Telecommunication Group Company (Etisalat) is mulling to replace the incumbent CEO of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Rashid Khan, for concerns over the financial performance of Pakistan Telecom Mobile Company Ltd (PTML), known by its brand name Ufone, with reports surfacing that the country’s fourth-largest mobile telecommunications company [Ufone] might possibly be merged into its parent company PTCL. Sources confirmed to Profit that Etisalat - which is a shareholder in national telecom operator PTCL and holds a management stake in the company - is looking for a new CEO for the company for which an international head-hunting firm has been recruited. Sources say that although the hunt for a new CEO is global, Pakistani executives from within the group have been interviewed for the top slot. However, sources close to Rashid Khan informed that the CEO wants to leave the company himself, due to personal reasons.

Though the Government of Pakistan (GoP) is a majority shareholder in PTCL, the management of the company is largely a private sector matter and the prerogative to appoint the CEO belongs to Etisalat.

Moreover, reports have surfaced of Ufone’s merger with PTCL following Law Ministry’s objections on the potential merger of Ufone with one of the other three telecommunication companies, Jazz, Telenor or Zong.

However, earlier on Thursday, a report by Karachi-based brokerage house Topline Securities claimed that PTCL has issued Request For Proposal (RFP) to various financial institutions to submit proposals for the advisory role for a possible amalgamation/merger with other telecom operators.

The proposal for Ufone’s merger with a private telecommunication company had been floated last year in an inter-ministerial meeting of the federal government. The government had initially approved the merger

CMYK

because the business viability of Ufone as the fourth player in the telecommunication industry was showing no signs of improvement.

Though the process of the merger with another telecommunication company had gained momentum, sources say that a few days ago, the Law Ministry sent a notification to PTCL saying that the merger with other telecommunication companies required PTCL to go through privatisation again.

Sources say that the whole process is currently at a halt until the law ministry clears it, adding that legal opinions have been provided to the law ministry on the matter. But for now, there is considerable ambiguity.

Sources confided in Profit that if the law ministry does not rule in favour of the merger with one of the telecommunication companies, Etisalat and the management of PTCL have given the go-ahead to merge Ufone with PTCL. Another source, however, said that it is unclear the way this transaction will go.

Both the appointment of a new CEO and Ufone’s merger are major steps to reform the organisation to revive Ufone, that has been haemorrhaging money, making the overall performance of the group unsatisfactory.

Profit had earlier reached out to the national telecom operator for comment on the matter. In response, this scribe received a statement which read, "As a policy, PTCL does not offer comments on market speculation. From time to time shareholders consider various options as part of strategy as is customary in any business. PTCL is a listed company and will make appropriate disclosures as and when required."

Earlier in 2019, reports had said that an inter-ministerial committee discussed merging Ufone — a subsidiary of PTCL — either with PTCL or another telecom operator.

The committee also reviewed the status of PTCL’s privatisation dues, technical services assistance fee agreement, spectrum licence renewal of Ufone and revitalising PTCL and its subsidiary – mainly the telecom operator.

PTCL and Ufone are working on merging their businesses for long, however, due to design and operations of both the operators, the process has remained very gradual, claimed ProPakistani.

According to the report, both companies had decided to further merge departments including, Sales & Distribution, Marketing and Product & Pricing, Business Operations, Corporate Strategy, and Internal Audit.

PTCL said that previously merged departments had shown significant improvement in terms of productivity and the company hoping to continue the streak with rest of the functions that have been merged now, according to the media report.

The state-owned Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd (PTCL) owns Ufone, which until just a few months ago, was the only mobile communications company in Pakistan not to own 4G spectrum, a decision that has resulted in revenue growth for the company to stall and profits to plummet into losses even as its competitors continued to see growth.

Even while it was allowing new companies to gain market share, Ufone’s financial position remained relatively stable, and it even gained some share of wallet.

The peak for the company came in 2011, when Ufone accounted for 21.9% of the industry’s revenues. In hindsight, that was probably as good as it was going to get.

In the eight years between 2003 and 2011, Ufone’s revenue grew by an average annual rate of 46.6% per year, from Rs2.7 billion in 2003 to Rs60.5 billion in 2011. This was significantly faster than the already very rapid growth in the industry’s revenue, which grew at an average annual rate of 38.2% per year during this same period, from Rs19.8 billion in 2003 to Rs263 billion in 2011.

Since then, however, growth has effectively stalled at Ufone, with revenue growing at an average of just 0.5% per year between 2011 and 2018. The industry grew at an average pace of 5.5% per year during that same period. Ufone’s market share was down to 15.6% by the end of 2018.

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

OppOsitiON demaNds mONitORs iN BelaRus as uN waRNs Of New 'iRON cuRtaiN' MINSK

afghanistan to sign strategic partnership pact with tajikistan KABUL AGENCIES

Announcing its plan to sign a strategic partnership agreement with neighbouring Tajikistan, the Afghan Foreign Ministry on Friday did not disclose particulars about schedule and place to ink the accord.

The statement came hours after visiting acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mohammad Haneef Atmar held talks with his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin during the first day of his two-day official trip to Dushanbe. Tajik authorities have not officially said anything about the plan to sign the agreement and have yet to comment on the Afghan Foreign Ministry’s statement. Tajikistan currently has similar agreements with four countries -- China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Atmar stressed during the talks with Muhriddin that his country needs a resumption of electricity supplies from Tajikistan, which Dushanbe cut by 90 percent in late July due to an abrupt decrease in water levels at reservoirs used by its major hydroelectric power station. The sides also discussed the construction of new transportation routes connecting Afghanistan with Tajikistan and other Central Asian nations.

aaf receives four a-29 super tucano attack aircraft from us KABUL AGENCIES

The US on Friday has delivered four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to the Afghan Air Force (AAF) as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission. The US has delivered four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to the Afghan Air Force as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission. The A-29 is said to be the fastest and most powerful close-air-attack and aerial interdiction aircraft of the Afghan Air Force. Since 2016, the US has delivered 18 A-29s to Afghanistan. It is expected to transfer another six aircraft in February. Afghanistan Acting Minister of Defense Asadullah Khalid said: “As we receive these planes, they are a message that NATO is committed to the Afghan Forces. “During these important times this a good example of their continued cooperation and shows this will continue until the defeat of terrorism in the country and the region.” NATO has been involved in the reconstruction and modernisation of the Afghan Air Force since 2007, initially along with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and then under the Resolute Support mission, which commenced in 2015.

Advisors from the US and coalition will offer training, advice and assistance to the Afghan Air Force.

Training is provided to the ministerial level, as well as the wing, group, and squadron levels. NATO Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan commander lieutenant general John Deedrick said: “NATO’s objective in Afghanistan has always been to deny safe havens for international terrorism. “The best way to do this is to generate competent, trained and professional Afghan security forces, which can maintain security independently. “As we work toward peace, the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission continues to work closely with all branches of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.” The Afghan Air Force is now capable of planning and implementing logistics, supply, humanitarian, evacuation and combat support missions. Last year, the Nigerian Air Force placed an order with Embraer Defense & Security and its partner Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to procure 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft.

B

AGENCIES

ELARUS opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Friday demanded that Minsk must allow an international mission to document possible crimes committed by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his government in a crackdown on protesters and media following a disputed election as the United Nations warned of the possibility of "another iron curtain" descending in Europe.

Speaking at a special urgent session of the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva on September 18, Tsikhanouskaya, who joined in via video from Lithuania where she is in self-exile, called for an end to violence against the protesters by the Belarus authorities and a new free and fair presidential election.

"I once again emphasize our willingness to talk with the authorities and look for a peaceful solution to the crisis that has affected our nation," she said.

The session comes a day after the European Parliament overwhelmingly

passed a resolution refusing to recognize Lukashenka as president of Belarus once his current term expires in November, rejecting the results of an August 9 election that the opposition and the West have said was rigged.

It is pertinent to mention that thousands of people have been detained and beaten by police while nearly all of the opposition's key leaders have been forced to leave the country or been arrested in a widening crackdown by Lukashenka, who has refused to negotiate with the opposition.

"Let's not allow another iron curtain

Peacekeeping chief urges states to pay contributions in full, on time NEW YORK AGENCIES

The UN peacekeeping chief has said it is critical for member states to pay their assessed contributions in full and in due time.

"We are going through pressures on the peacekeeping budget," JeanPierre Lacroix, under-secretary-general for Peace Operations, said during a virtual news briefing in response to foreign media questions.

"A certain degree of pressure is a healthy thing for peacekeeping, because that, of course, incentivizes us to spend cautiously and imprudently," he said.

However, Lacroix said, it is "critical" for UN peacekeeping that member states pay in full and in due time their contributions to both UN peacekeeping budget and regular budget. Otherwise, it will hurt the interests of troops and police of contributing countries.

"When peacekeeping incurs delays in the payment of contribution, those who are affected primarily are troop and police contributing countries because the UN has to delay reimbursement and we think it's unfair," he said.

"They should be reimbursed in due time and that requires a full pay-

ment of assessed contributions and payment in due time," said the UN peacekeeping chief. Speaking about major challenges facing UN peacekeeping, Lacroix said that the biggest challenge is division in the international community.

Noting that the ultimate objective of peacekeeping is to support political efforts, he said "we cannot be alone in doing this."

"We need more unity of purpose, and we need stronger political support from stakeholders," he said. The second biggest challenge, according to Lacroix, is the increasingly danger-

ous and challenging environment in which peacekeeping is deployed and active. The Covid-19 pandemic has become "an additional challenge," Lacroix said, stressing that the missions have been able to continue and must continue.

"We're making a lot of efforts both to protect our people and the level of contamination within our missions remains relatively low," Lacroix said.

"We're continuing our efforts to support national and local efforts to help communities contain the spread of the virus," he added.

CHINA SUPPORTS UN IN IMPROVING PEACEKEEPING PARTNERSHIPS BEIJING: China supports the UN's efforts to improve peacekeeping partnerships, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office Friday. The efforts include strengthening coordination among the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop-contributing countries (TCCs) and host nations, and optimizing the UN's coordination and collaboration with regional and sub-regional organizations, the white paper says. China's armed forces will actively respond to the triangular cooperation initiated by the UN, and provide all possible support to other TCCs and regional and sub-regional organizations in terms of technology, equipment, personnel and funding, according to the white paper titled "China's Armed Forces: 30 Years of UN Peacekeeping Operations." AGENCIES

to descend on the European continent," Anais Marin, UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus, told the debate, calling the current situation in Belarus "catastrophic."

Marin, who said some 10,000 arrests have been made during the crackdown, was interrupted during her speech several times by delegations from Belarus, its ally Russia, and others.

The Belarusian ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Yury Ambrazevich, said it was not acceptable to use the body to interfere in a country's election.

patient dies as ransomware attack paralyses German hospital DÜSSELDORF AGENCIES

A woman in need of urgent care died after a Dusseldorf hospital’s computer systems were hacked, preventing the patient from receiving the treatment she needed, and marking a rare case in which ransomware has led to death. The ransomware attack that exploited a vulnerability in a “widely used commercial add-on software” caused Duesseldorf University Clinic’s IT systems to crash, the hospital said. As a result, the medical facility wasn’t able to access data, and emergency patients were rerouted to other hospitals. The hack also forced the hospital to postpone operations.

Local media reported that tragically, one death has been attributed to the cyber attack, after a woman in need of emergency care had to be rushed to another city for treatment. The patient was transported 32 kilometers (20 miles) to a hospital in Wuppertal, with doctors saying that the delay was fatal. A homicide investigation has been opened in connection with the incident and the hospital says it will take time before it can resume normal operations. The hackers were able to encrypt 30 servers at the hospital, essentially holding the facility’s data hostage. According to the Dusseldorf hospital, the ransomware – which is usually used to extort money – came with “no concrete demand,” but instead provided instructions on how to contact the hackers. The note was left at Heinrich Heine University, which is affiliated with the hospital. German investigators contacted the hackers and explained that they had targeted the hospital, and not the university, endangering the lives of patients.

‘Bottle in Navalny case could have been evidence, but was removed from Russia’

Aerial photo taken on September 18, 2020, shows the scenery of Kanas scenic spot of Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. AGENCIES

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Friday that a water bottle found in the hotel room of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who Germany and other western governments say was poisoned with a nerve agent, could have served as evidence in his case but was instead taken out of Russia by his supporters. Navalny’s team said on Thursday that the water bottle removed from his hotel room in the city of Tomsk last month had been taken to Germany and found to have traces of Novichok nerve agent. Asked about the finding, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian specialists had been unable to examine the bottle and that Moscow was therefore not able to comment. “We cannot explain this because, as you know, this bottle — if it did exist — was taken away to Germany or somewhere else. So, something that could have become evidence of a poisoning was unfortunately taken out. AGENCIES

Proposed ban on Chinese cotton could dent supply chains, warn US industrialists WASHINGTON AGENCIES

The US’ plans to block imports of cotton from China’s Xinjiang region over the alleged use of forced labour could be impossible to enforce, the US apparel association said, adding that the move may jeopardize global supply chains.

In addition to five Withhold Release Orders (WROs) targeting cotton, computer parts and hair products made by Xinjiangbased companies issued earlier this week, the Trump administration is currently con-

sidering a broader ban on imports from the region. New restrictions, expected to be announced in the coming days, may cover cotton and tomato shipments from the Muslim-majority Chinese province.

Testifying during adjudication in the House of Representatives Ways and Means trade subcommittee, American Apparel and Footwear Association President and CEO Steve Lamar said that a “blanket WRO” would not have the desired impact on the alleged abuses in Xinjiang. Given that Xinjiang cotton makes up 20 percent of the world’s supply, it would be hard to

quickly replace those imports and the whole industry may feel the impact of the ban, he warned.

“Such a WRO would no doubt make headlines, but it would wreak unending havoc to human rights, economic development, and legitimate supply chains – which are already battered by Covid-19 – all over the world,” he told the hearing.

“As a country, we simply do not have the capability or capacity to implement, comply with, or enforce a blanket WRO. Given these constraints, such a WRO would take years before it would have its desired

impact in China.”

The head of the industry group also noted that the cotton from the Chinese region can easily end up in final products made all over the world, “accounting for tens of billions of dollars of trade in supply chains that employ millions of workers.” There is no technology that can definitely trace the origin of the material, but the industry group believes that Xinjiang cotton is used in other apparel producing countries, including Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia among others.

China’s Xinjiang has been put under the

spotlight in recent months, with the US accusing Beijing of human rights violations in the region and oppressing the local Uighur population. The US Commerce Department has added dozens of Chinese entities onto its black list for involvement in alleged abuses, which Beijing has repeatedly denied.

Earlier this week, China said the US uses the alleged violations as a pretext to target Chinese firms. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the US imports ban was “sabotaging global supply chains.”

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

Misbahul haq, azhar ali likely to get show cause notices for rendezvous with PM iMran

h

NEWS DESK

EAD coach Misbah-ul-Haq and Test captain Azhar Ali's airing of their grievances to Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding new domestic structure could earn them reprimands as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to issue them show-cause notices, a local media reported on Friday.

Veteran cricketer Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah and Azhar, accompanied PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani and CEO Waseem Khan met PM Khan on Wednesday.

The cricketers insisted that the prime

minister reconsider the decision to abolish departmental cricket for the sake of players and officials who lost their jobs.

Sources said that this did not go down well with the Board and it has decided to issue show-cause notices to Azhar, a centrally contracted player, and Misbah, a contracted coach. Hafeez is unlikely to face any issue because he is not a contracted player, said the sources.

It must be noted here that PM Khan rejected their demand. “I tried to explain to Misbah, Hafeez, and Azhar that the best players emerge when there is competitiveness. Australia is the most successful team in the world cricket and

produces the best cricketers just because of the system,” PM Khan said during a ceremony in which the PCB signed the broadcast agreement for matches to be played in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that Azhar is going to be removed from captaincy. The right-handed batsman had replaced wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed in 2019. He came under fire for his leadership skills during the three-match Test series in England recently.

Since he took the reins in the longest format, Pakistan have played eight matches and won only two, losing three and drawing three.

‘Backed the wrong players’: Former RCB coach on Kohli’s failure to win IPL trophy AGNECIES Ray Jennings, the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) coach, has spoken of the franchise’s failure to win an IPL title so far, saying captain Virat Kohli had at times “back the wrong players”.

Kohli is India’s most successful Test captain, with 33 wins in 55 matches as captain, but his glory-filled international career is jarred by his time at the IPL with RCB. He’s been with the franchise since the IPL’s inaugural edition in 2008, captaining them fulltime from 2013, but despite making the finals thrice, they’re infamously yet to win the title.

Jennings, who coached RCB from 2009 to 2014, revealed Kohli as captain backed players that weren’t in Jennings’s plans. “If I have to look back, then I would say that in

IPL there used to be 25-30 players (in the squad) and it was the coach’s duty to look after all the players,” Jennings told Cricket.com.

“Sometimes he was a bit of a loner in the team. Sometimes, he backed the wrong players. But, you can’t blame him for that. I wanted certain players to bowl or bat in certain conditions, situations but he had different ideas.

“See, the IPL is very different from international cricket. In six weeks, some players can pick form and some may go awry. So, someone in the group needs to be there all the time. When I was there, certain players should have played more, but he has different views. However, that is in the past and it’s nice to see him maturing day by day, and he will start winning IPL trophies.”

That said, Jennings said Kohli had a

great “cricket brain” and said he’d win the IPL soon. “We shouldn’t forget IPL is a game of small margins,” he said. “He has made it to the semi-finals (playoffs) and final, and he will definitely achieve a lot more success in the coming years. Sometimes, criticism is that he doesn’t enjoy time with the players.

But I can understand that since a captain has a lot on his plate.

“Virat Kohli has always been an unbelievable cricket brain. He sets very high standards [for himself] and we went along despite one or two problems. You needed somebody around Virat to guide him [at that point in time].

“Of course, he and I bumped a few times but he is a good guy and a very quick learner.

Nice to see him grow as a player and now as a captain. His mannerism is great. His best is yet to come.”

Djokovic advances to Rome quarter-finals ROME AGENCIES

World number one Novak Djokovic won a battle with fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic to advance to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday.

The 33-year-old came through 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 and next plays either Italian Lorenzo Musetti or Germany's Dominik Koepfer, who both came through the qualifying rounds. The top seed is warming up on clay at the Foro Italico in Rome for the French Open in 10 days time, a tournament the 17-time Grand Slam winner claimed in 2016.

Djokovic -- unbeaten this season before being disqualified from the US Open -- double faulted on the first of his three set points in the first-set tiebreak but a quick break in the second put him through in a tournament he has won four times.

HALEP, PLISKOVA INTO LAST EIGHT Simona Halep and defending women's champion Karolina Pliskova both eased into the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Friday.

Top seed Halep rallied from 3-0 down in the first set to see off

Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska in a 7-5, 6-4 victory that took one hour and 28 minutes. "Big picture, I think it was a great match and gives me confidence that even in these conditions with a big hitter that I could win in two sets," said Halep.

The two-time Rome finalist next meets Yulia Putintseva, who battled back from 6-4, 5-2 down to see off fellow Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the 10th seed, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.

"I expect a tough battle but I feel fit," said former French Open champion Halep, a runner-up in Rome in 2017 and 2018.

"I feel good with my body. I'm ready to face her and tomorrow, hopefully, I will play better than today." Halep is warming up on clay for the French Open, a tournament she won in 2018, after skipping the US tour because of coronavirus fears. Her last win was in Prague a month ago.

World number four Pliskova dominated 65th-ranked Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-3 in their third round match.

The second-seed Czech, who defended her Brisbane title in January, got off to a stumbling start with two double faults in the opening game allowing Blinkova to break.

SPORTS 11

IPL set to kick off in UAE amid India Covid-19 crisis AGENCIES The much-delayed Indian Premier League starts on Saturday without its customary glitz and glamour, but the Twenty20 tournament is expected to be a welcome relief to cricket fans during the coronavirus pandemic.

The short-form extravaganza normally starts in March but along with other major international sporting events was postponed as countries went into virus lockdowns. It was then moved to the United Arab Emirates as cases rose in India.

All the eight teams have been in strict, bio-secure "bubbles" since landing in the UAE, with the competition set to kick off when defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings in Abu Dhabi on September 19.

There will be no gala opening ceremony for the world's richest T20 league, and the games will be played behind closed doors at three venues including Dubai and Sharjah.

Yet the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Sourav Ganguly, expects a surge in viewership for the 13th edition with the matches scheduled for India's evening primetime TV slots.

"They (broadcasters) are actually expecting the highest rating of IPL this season because they believe if (people) don't turn up in the ground, they will be actually watching on their television sets," said Ganguly. "There is a positive in everything." India’s coronavirus cases pass 5

million as pandemic accelerates.

Ganguly said crowds could even return to the stands later in the 53-day tournament, which ends on November 10.

"Because of the Covid and infection, you don't want people to be too close to each other, but very soon you will see there will be 30 percent people in the ground with social distancing," the former captain said.

"They are properly tested and allowed to enter the ground. But I think that is going to happen over a period of time."

Rajasthan Royals batsman Robin Uthappa believes the tournament will buoy cricket-lovers after a year hit by sporting postponements and cancellations.

"Most definitely, it is going to be really special this year, simply because of what we all have gone through as a human race," Uthappa said in a video posted on the IPL's official website.

"I think in this unpredictable time, we were and are craving for normalcy and this tournament and sports, in general, brings about that feeling of normalcy back into our lives." To reduce the number of people in the grounds, there will be no dancing cheerleaders.

Players will be ferried to and from hotels under strict BCCI health safety protocols. More than 20,000 coronavirus tests will be carried out, officials say.

The tournament has already been under scrutiny after two Chennai players tested positive for the coronavirus. Several top players pulled out in the buildup, mostly citing personal reasons.

Indian official says he'd love to see Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi play IPL NEWS DESK Indian Premier League's (IPL) governing council's member, Surinder Khanna, has admitted that he would love to have Pakistani players participate in IPL 2020 but said that the task was next to impossible given the political tensions between the two neighbours.

"As far as Pakistan cricketers’ participation in IPL is concerned, I can assure you that the players from both sides always want to compete with each other. But we need to follow the advisory from the government, whether you like it or not. This is something which is out of our control," Khanna said in an interview with Cricket Pakistan.

Khanna, who is also a member of the IPL governing council, said that the Indian crowd would openly welcome Pakistan's

star cricketers such as limited overs skipper Babar Azam and bowling stud Shaheen Afridi. "Who would not want to see the terrific Babar Azam bat or the young pacer [Shaheen] Afridi bowl in the IPL?" He further lauded Azam for his technique and said that he was just as technically sound as India captain Virat Kohli.

"Babar has fans in India as well and, bearing in mind his technique, he is at par with Kohli. It is now a matter of consistency, as Kohli has been doing it for past 10-12 years, and if Babar can continue to play like this he will become more mature," he said.

Meanwhile, Khanna, a former cricketer himself, also took note of the young Haider Ali's performance on debut and his potential. "He played so impressively clean and technically well," he said.

EPL previews: Chelsea face Liverpool, Manchester sides also in action AGENCIES Chelsea's revamped roster will face an early season test when they are pitted against champions Liverpool this weekend, whereas the two Manchester giants will finally kick off their campaigns - a week later than the rest of the league.

Jose Mourinho and his Tottenham are hoping to bounce back after losing at home on match day 1, whereas Arsenal, Everton and Leicester would be eyeing to add to their tally of three points each.

AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the action.

WILL BIG-SPENDING CHELSEA MAKE LIVERPOOL PAY? Chelsea’s meeting with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday has added edge after a feisty exchange between the managers over transfer spending.

The London club finished 33 points behind the champions last season but have splashed out around £200 million ($259 million) on new players.

By contrast, Liverpool have been relatively quiet, adding just Greece left-back Kostas Tsimikas so far, with Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara likely to follow.

Jurgen Klopp pointedly said Liverpool could not spend in the same way as clubs owned by "countries" and "oligarchs" such as City and Chelsea during the coronavirus pandemic.

But Frank Lampard, who also became embroiled in a spat with Liverpool's bench in July, pointed out the Anfield side had spent big in previous seasons as they built their title-winning side.

Liverpool will be keen to cut out the defensive errors they committed in a 4-3 win against newly-promoted Leeds, but Mohamed Salah looked in fine early season form as he scored a hat-trick on the opening weekend.

Chelsea were also unconvincing winners against Brighton in their opening match, but Timo Werner, who chose to join the Blues despite interest from Liverpool, did impress in winning a penalty against the Seagulls.

MAN CITY’S TOUGH TASK Manchester City are the bookmakers´ favourites to land a third Premier League trophy in four seasons but face a tough opener against Wolves.

City boss Pep Guardiola has shored up his defence by signing Netherlands international Nathan Ake and has added to his rich attacking options, landing Ferran Torres from Valencia. City scored 102 goals last season as they finished second, but lost nine matches as they surrendered their crown to Liverpool. Both Manchester clubs are starting a week later than other sides due to their European commitments last season.

Guardiola will be painfully aware that his team must be more consistent this campaign and he cannot afford to let Klopp’s men open up an early lead.

But he will feel nervous as he travels to face Wolves, who beat City twice last season, after a disrupted pre-season.

City duo Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, while Phil Foden was sent

CMYK

home by England after breaking coronavirus protocols while on international duty.

CAN MAN UTD PROGRESS? The challenge facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of a match against Crystal Palace is how to improve on last season´s thirdplace finish.

Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was the catalyst as United put together a long unbeaten run, with a front three of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood providing the firepower.

But United have been relatively quiet in the transfer window, so far adding just midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax, despite persistent speculation linking them with Borussia Dortmund´s Jadon Sancho.

"When we signed Bruno Fernandes, we knew we needed that kind of player -- now we´ve signed Donny and he´s a type of player I felt we needed in the squad," said Solskjaer.

ARSENAL’S FEEL-GOOD FACTOR Arsenal are buoyant after launching their season with a 3-0 win at newly promoted

Fulham and tying down captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for three more years.

Mikel Arteta´s men, who host West Ham on Saturday, finished down in eighth place last season but ended their campaign on a high, winning the FA Cup for a record 14th time. They followed that up by beating Liverpool on penalties in the season-opening Community Shield before the announcement on Aubameyang this week that fans had craved. "I want to become an Arsenal legend just like Thierry (Henry), Wrighty (Ian Wright), (Tony) Adams and (Dennis) Bergkamp," he said.

FIXTURES Saturday: Everton v West Brom (1130 GMT), Leeds v Fulham (1400), Manchester United v Crystal Palace (1630), Arsenal v West Ham (1900) Sunday: Southampton v Tottenham (1100), Newcastle v Brighton (1300), Chelsea v Liverpool (1530), Leicester v Burnley (1800) Monday: Aston Villa v Sheffield United (1700), Wolves v Manchester City (1915)

Saturday, 19 September, 2020

PRAyER TImINGS

NEWS

Pakistan Protests continuous indian ceasefire violations ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

SENIOR Indian diplomat was summoned on Friday to register strong protest regarding the latest ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) on 17 September by Indian forces, which had resulted in serious injuries to three innocent civilians.

Foreign Office (FO), in a statement, said that due to Indian forces’ indiscriminate firing in Hotspring and Jandrot Sectors of the LoC, three residents of Andrala Nar Village — 15-year-old Irum Riaz, 26year-old Nusrat Kausar, and 16-year-old Mukheel – sustained serious injuries.

Civilian populated areas along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeted by Indian forces with artillery fire, heavy-calibre mortars

china launches military drills near taiwan strait SAYS ‘THOSE WHO PLAY WITH FIRE WILL GET BURNT’ BEIJING AGENCIES

China has launched military exercises near the Taiwan Strait. The drills coincide with a highlevel summit in Taipei attended by a senior US official, which China has labelled as a provocation. China’s Defense Ministry said on Friday that the People’s Liberation Army’s eastern theater command was carrying our exercises in the area, but did not provide details about the operation. A spokesman for the ministry, Ren Guoqiang, described the drills as “reasonable action” aimed at “protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Referring to US Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Keith Krach’s visit to Taiwan, Ren claimed that Washington and Taipei are guilty of “collusion” and “frequently creating disturbances.” He added that it would be unwise to attempt to “use Taiwan to control China,” warning that “those who play with fire will get burnt.” Krach is slated to meet with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, on Friday. This visit follows a trip last month by US Health Secretary Alex Azar, the highest-level US official to come to the island in four decades. Local media reported that Taiwan Air Force jets were scrambled more than a dozen times in the early hours of Friday, allegedly to counter maneuvers being carried out by Chinese fighters.

Washington’s growing ties with Taiwan, which Beijing claims sovereignty over, has been a major contributing factor to the deterioration of US-China relations. Washington does not have official diplomatic ties with the island, but continues to honor the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to help Taiwan defend itself, and serves as Taiwan’s primary arms supplier.

China has repeatedly urged Washington to abandon its political and military ambitions in the region, warning that the United States’ hostile stance could lead to catastrophe.

and automatic weapons. “This year, India has committed 2280 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 18 shahadats and serious injuries to 183 innocent civilians,” read the statement. “These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security,” the statement added.

The FO added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB would not help

India divert attention from the grave human rights abuses taking place in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).

The FO asked the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, adding that “the Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions”.

Covid-19 pushes 150m more kids into poverty, UNICEF NEW YORK AGENCIES

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a major rise in child poverty across the world. In a new UNICEF and Save the Children analysis, it was revealed around 150 million have moved below the poverty line in the past few months.

This is a 15 percent increase in the number of children living in deprivation in low- and middle-income countries.

According to the study there are now 1.2 billion children living in poverty worldwide. Although the situation is dire, UNICEF has warned it will get worse in the months ahead.

"Covid-19 and the lockdown measures imposed to prevent its spread have pushed millions of children deeper into poverty," Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Ex-

ecutive Director said.

He informed, "Families on the cusp of escaping poverty have been pulled back in, while others are experiencing levels of deprivation they have never seen before. Most concerningly, we are closer to the beginning of this crisis than its end."

The report noted that child poverty is much more than a monetary value.

Although measures of monetary poverty such as household income are important, they provide only a partial view of the plight of children living in poverty.

To understand the full extent of child poverty, all potential deprivations must be analysed directly. This also points to the need to implement multisectoral policies addressing health, education, nutrition, water and sanitation and housing deprivations to end multi-

dimensional poverty.

Social protection, inclusive fiscal policies, investments in social services, and employment and labor market interventions to support families are critical to lifting children out of poverty and preventing further devastation, UNICEF says.

This includes expanding access to quality health care and providing the tools and technology needed for children to continue their education remotely; and investing in family-friendly policies such as paid leave and child care. "This pandemic has already caused the biggest global education emergency in history, and the increase in poverty will make it very hard for the most vulnerable children and their families to make up for the loss," Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children said.

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Peacekeeping chief urges states to pay contributions in full, on time NEW YORK AGENCIES

The UN peacekeeping chief has said it is critical for member states to pay their assessed contributions in full and in due time. "We are going through pressures on the peacekeeping budget," Jean-Pierre Lacroix, under-secretarygeneral for Peace Operations, said during a virtual news briefing in response to foreign media questions. "A certain degree of pressure is a healthy thing for peacekeeping, because that, of course, incentivizes us to spend cautiously and imprudently," he said. However, Lacroix said, it is "critical" for UN peacekeeping that member states pay in full and in due time their contributions to both UN peacekeeping budget and regular budget. Otherwise, it will hurt the interests of troops and police of contributing countries. "When peacekeeping incurs delays in the payment of contribution, those who are affected primarily are troop and police contributing countries because the UN has to delay reimbursement and we think it's unfair," he said. "They should be reimbursed in due time and that requires a full payment of assessed contributions and payment in due time," said the UN peacekeeping chief. Speaking about major challenges facing UN peacekeeping, Lacroix said that the biggest challenge is division in the international community. Noting that the ultimate objective of peacekeeping is to support political efforts, he said "we cannot be alone in doing this." "We need more unity of purpose, and we need stronger political support from stakeholders," he said. The second biggest challenge, according to Lacroix, is the increasingly dangerous and challenging environment in which peacekeeping is deployed and active. The Covid-19 pandemic has become "an additional challenge," Lacroix said, stressing that the missions have been able to continue and must continue. "We're making a lot of efforts both to protect our people and the level of contamination within our missions remains relatively low," Lacroix said.

european cities announce new restrictions as covid-19 cases soar LONDON/MADRID AGENCIES

European nations from Denmark in the north to Greece in the south announced new restrictions on Friday to curb surging coronavirus infections in some of their largest cities, and Britain was considering a new national lockdown. Cases in the United Kingdom almost doubled to 6,000 per day in the latest reporting week, hospital admissions rose and infection rates soared across parts of northern England and London. Asked by Sky News about the possibility of a second national lockdown next month, British Health Minister Matt Hancock said it should be seen only as a last resort but the government would do whatever it took to tackle the virus. “The number of people in hospital is doubling every eight days or so … we will do what it takes to keep people safe,” he said. “We keep these things under review.”

Britain imposed new Covid-19 regulations on the North West, Midlands and West Yorkshire from Tuesday. Infections have climbed steadily across most of Europe over the last two months. Intensive care admissions and deaths have also begun to tick up, especially in Spain and France.

Smoke is seen as the Bobcat Fire burns in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles, California, September 17. AGENCIES

ADB vows to be developing Asia's partner for recovery MANILA AGENCIES

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to partnering with developing economies in Asia and the Pacific to achieve their recovery goals from the coronavirus pandemic, President Masatsugu Asakawa said in an address to ADB’s Board of Governors on Friday.

“ADB will continue to earn your trust as a steadfast partner during the uncertain times we still face in our region as we build for a strong and lasting recovery,” said Asakawa. “Our work toward a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive recovery stands on a foundation of mutual trust formed over decades of cooperation with you, our members,” he added.

ADB announced in April a $20 billion package to help its developing members address Covid-19. This included rapid emergency grants and technical assistance to help governments meet urgent medical needs; a new Covid-19 Pandemic Response Option (CPRO), which is supporting countercyclical expenditure programs; and assistance for the private sector.

ADB has so far committed about $11.2 billion in financial and technical assistance to fight the pandemic. Working closely with development partners, ADB has also mobilized about $7.2 billion in co-financing.

As the region moves forward toward recovery, Asakawa said that ADB will build on its relationship with its members

to support them in six key areas.

First, ADB will promote regional cooperation and integration to help members seize the opportunity that renewed globalization can offer in a post-pandemic new normal.

Second, since Covid-19 has contributed to an increase in income inequality and absolute poverty, ADB will strengthen investments in health, education, and social protection, which will better ensure safety and opportunities for all, while building the human capital that economies need to thrive in the long term.

Third, ADB will accelerate its efforts to tackle climate change in order to reach the goals established in its long-term Strategy 2030—to reach $80 billion in cumulative climate investments and 75 percent

of the total number of committed operations by 2030.

Fourth, ADB will invest in information technology and data for health; education; financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises; and remote work—while also addressing both the digital divide and cyber security.

Fifth, ADB will help its members strengthen domestic resource mobilization through international tax cooperation, since all key areas of development require that governments improve their capacity to mobilize financial resources while managing debt sustainability.

And last, ADB will support the efforts of its developing members to secure safe and effective vaccines, and to formulate strategies for equitable delivery.

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