EpaperKHI_21-01-07

Thursday, 7 January, 2021 I 22 Jumada Al-Awwal, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 189 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Promising to visit ‘very soon’, imran urges Hazaras to bury dead miners g

PM vows to ‘never betray’ Public trust in hiM

ISLAMABAD/QUETTA

u

STaFF rEPOrT

rGinG the protesting hazaras to bury the bodies of slain coal mine workers, Prime Minister imran Khan on wednesday assured the families of victims of Mach carnage of a visit “to offer prayers and condole with all the families”. on sunday, the so-called islamic state (is) militants slit the throats of 11 miners belonging to the shia hazara community in a residential compound near a mine site in Mach town of balochistan’s bolan district, filming the entire incident and later posting it online. six of the miners were already dead when found, and five who were critically wounded died on the way to the hospital. thousands of hazaras have since staged a protest, arranging the coffins

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

492,594

LAST UPDATED AT 9:51 AM ON JANUARY 6, 2020

52

RECOVERED:

NEW CASES:

2,118 DEATHS:

448,393 10,461 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

220,501

142,058

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

59,955

Protests sPill over into Karachi, lahore, Multan

across a highway in Quetta, refusing to withdraw until the prime minister meets them and the killers are brought to justice. “i want to reassure the hazara families who lost their loved ones in a brutal terrorist attack in Machh that i am cognisant of their suffering & their demands,” the prime minister said in a series of tweets. “i share your pain & have come to you before also to stand with you in your time of suffering,” he said, adding: “i will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally.” “i will never betray my people’s trust.

Please bury your loved ones so their souls find peace.” in an apparent reference to india, imran said that the government “know[s] our neighbour is instigating this sectarian terrorism” and it was “taking steps to prevent such attacks in the future”.

Coronavirus in

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

g

18,280

8,396/4,873 38,531

the protesters continued the sit-in on wednesday, saying they would not bury their dead relatives. “we have become tired of picking up the bodies of our people,” syed agha raza, a shia hazara political leader, told reuters. a young protestor, Masooma yaqoob ali, told reuters her elder brother along with four other relatives were among those killed. “now we have no male member [of our family] to take coffins of our brother and other relatives to the graveyard for burial,” she said, shedding tears as she spoke.

Meanwhile, balochistan chief Minister Jam Kamal alyani also requested the protesters to “not link the burials [of the miners] with Prime Minister imran’s visit”. addressing a press conference in Quetta along with federal ministers ali haider Zaidi and Zulfi bukhari and members of the shia community, alyani said that as Muslims, we “have our religious responsibilities [to bury the deceased]” and these should be fulfilled. “i would request the community to not associate it with some official’s visit,” he added. bukhari and Zaidi arrived in Quetta late tuesday night on the directions of the prime minister to hold talks with protest organisers. expressing grief over the incident, alyani said that he was on a visit to the united arab emirates (uae) when he heard the news of the attack and he came back as soon he received negative results for his coronavirus test. “i held a meeting with [officials from law enforcement agencies],” he said while detailing the steps his government has taken so far.

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ECC approves removal of additional customs duties on 152 tariff lines ISLAMABAD Shahzad Paracha

the economic coordination committee (ecc) of the cabinet on wednesday gave a go-ahead to remove 2pc additional customs’ duties on 152 tariff lines. the meeting of the ecc was held under the chair of Finance and revenue Minister Dr abdul hafeez shaikh. according to details, the Ministry of commerce had presented a summary regarding removal of 2pc additional duties on 152 tariff lines, mostly raw material, on horizontal basis under the national tariff Policy 2019-24. the ecc approved the summary with a direction that the budget cycle must be observed while planning important incentives for businesses and industries.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Maritime affairs tabled a summary for the award of contracts regarding infrastructure facilities, sewerage system and water supply system in Gulshane-benazir township scheme (Gbts) at Port Qasim authority, Karachi. the ecc approved the projects in conformity with the PQa act-1973, in principle, and directed the ministry to settle the modalities for the award of contracts as per rules. the Ministry of national Food security & research presented a de-

Coronavirus death toll continues to rise Pakistan ISLAMABAD STaFF rEPOrT

the coronavirus pandemic claimed 52 more lives in the country during the past 24 hours, lifting the countrywide death toll from the disease to 10,461. according to the data shared by the national command and operation centre (ncoc), as many as 2,118 more people tested positive for the infection during this period, taking the total number of confirmed covid-19 cases to 492,694. there are a total of 37,740 active cases of the coronavirus while the number of recovered patients stands at 444,360. over 2,000 of the covid-19 patients under treatment are said to be in critical condition. the ncoc said that the most coronavirus related deaths in the last 24 hours occurred in Punjab. the ncoc stated that out of the 52 fatalities reported on January 5, 11 were reported in sindh, 24 in Punjab, four in islamabad and one in balochistan. out of the total deaths so far, 3,634 deaths have occurred in sindh, 4,184 in Punjab, 1,695 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

tailed summary regarding the provision of additional quantities of wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, azad Jammu Kashmir and utility stores corporations (usc). the ecc approved additional wheat allocation of 200,000Mt for KP, 80,000Mt for aJK and 220,000Mt for usc from Passco as requested. the committee also approved the import of additional wheat to buffer up stocks till the arrival of fresh crop after seeking detailed input from all concerned. the summaries related to the textile and apparel Policy (2020-25) and national Freight and logistics Policy (nFlP), however, were deferred till the next ecc meeting for comprehensive consultation process with key stakeholders. among other agenda items, the ecc approved rs30 million for the Ministry of Defence to purchase of spare parts for KP government helicopters, whereas a technical supplementary grant (tsG) worth rs400.020 million was approved for the Ministry of law and Justice to establish additional courts in compliance with the orders of the supreme court, besides a tsG of rs2.268 billion for the higher education commission to complete of various Disbursement linked indicators (Dlis) under the iDa credit facility.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

ATC grills IO in student's murder case; extends cops’ remand STORY ON PAGE 02

(KP), 432 in islamabad, 186 in balochistan, 229 in azad Jammu and Kashmir (aJK) and 101 in Gilgit-baltistan (Gb). according to ncoc, the total number of recoveries recorded in the country is 448,393. Pakistan has so far conducted about 6,923,857 covid19 tests. there are about 626 hospitals with covid-19 facilities and around 2,759 patients admitted across the country. sindh reported 1,233 new coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 221,734. according to chief Minister syed Murad ali shah, 19 more patients succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll surged to 3,653. he further said that 1,072 patients recovered overnight, taking the total

to 199,649.

Meanwhile, on the direction of Ministry of national health services, the district administration of islamabad had continued smart lockdown in different streets of the capital to reduce transmission of the infection in the selected streets and other sectors. they also started taking actions on violation of standard operating procedures (soPs) related with the corona while visiting marriage halls, markets and petrol pumps by its inspection teams. the administration also sealed schools, shops, workshop and restaurants on violation of soPs. the inspection teams also issued notices to marriage halls besides imposing fines on owners of different shops.

Meritocracy, justice and democracy are guiding principles of Pakistan: PM STORY ON PAGE 03

Fazl accuses govt of ruining peace, economy during PDM rally STORY ON PAGE 02

congress convenes to confirm biden while trump allies object

STORY ON BACK PAGE

02

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

NEWS

ATC griLLS iO in STudenT'S murder CASe; exTendS COPS’ remAnd ISLAMABAD

A

TLTP

N anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday extended the physical remand of the five cops, who are accused of killing 22year-old Islamabad student Usama Satti, for seven days.

The accused policemen, including Mudassar Iqbal, Shakeel Ahmed, Muhammad Mustafa, Saeed Ahmed and Iftikhar Ahmed, appeared before the court.

The cops were booked in the case on the request of the father of slain Usama, who was gunned down by the police for not stopping his car near Sector G-10.

The investigating officer requested the court to remand the accused for another 12

days. The judge inquired whether the weapons used in the killing had been recovered.

The IO said the weapons and shells used in Usama's killing have been recovered and said a JIT has also been formed to investigate the case.

The court asked how many bullets hit Usama and where. To this, the IO said that five bullets hit Usama from the back and one from the front.

The court asked if there were any bullet marks on Usama's car seat. "I did not see that," the IO responded. He then presented Usama's medical report in court.

Judge Raja Jawad Abbas accused the investigation officer (IO) of colluding with the suspects when the investigating officer failed to present photographs of the

victim's vehicle from the front, that would ascertain where the shots were taken from.

"Where is the picture of the seat on which the bullet hit him?" the judge inquired. The officer responded to the question saying he did not have that photograph. "You have brought the picture that shows he was shot at from behind, but not the one that shows he was shot at from the front," the judge stated. “It seems that you are all working together,” the judge said, further questioning the reason for shooting at the victim.

The plaintiff accused the investigative officer of tampering with the evidence. The court ordered to make everything a part of the record.

“Was he [Satti] operating a rocket launcher? What was the purpose of the

shooting? Every time a car doesn’t stop will you start shooting?” the ATC judge added. “How big of a terrorist was the boy to have been shot and killed in such a manner?” Judge Abbas asked, further stating that there were thousands of proclaimed offenders roaming around in Islamabad.

On January 2, at around 2 am, Usama had gone to drop his friend in Sector H-11.

When he was returning, the police officials intercepted his vehicle in Sector G-10 and fired at him from all sides.

The CTD cops killed Usama with proper planning which was a terrorist act, the FIR further stated.

However, all the personnel refuted charges of engaging in a fight with the victim any time before the incident.

Fazl accuses govt of ruining peace, economy during PDM rally NEWS DESK Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Fazlur Rehman, during the Bannu rally of the anti-government coalition, accused the ruling party of having "ruined" peace and the country's economy.

The rally began at Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Akram Khan Durrani’s house and the proceeded to the venue, the Bannu Sports Complex, where the party leaders addressed the supporters.

However, neither Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz nor Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari attended the rally.

"Claims were made that we have defeated terrorism, that there is peace in the country now," said the PDM president, in reference to the recent attacks on the Hazara community.

"We stand with the Hazara community," he said.

The JUI-F chief asked the crowd why there were still armed forces present in the tribal areas if terrorism had been eliminated. He further stressed that the armed forces were not the only ones

making sacrifices.

"I say if the armed forces have given sacrifices against terrorism, then we have too and so has the nation," Fazl said.

He claimed that the army had been purposefully dispersed through Balochistan, and added that peace could not be established until the military was withdrawn from civilian areas.

Fazl claimed that the opposition was showing a true path towards peace and democracy, adding that it was trying to show Pakistan "as an Islamic state".

The JUI-F chief said that the PDM would protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Islamabad, on January 19, and that it would also begin its anti-Israel 'million march' in Karachi on January 21.

He commended those that had come to the rally for "revolting against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government".

Fazl said that anyone who is "sincere to PM Khan is a traitor."

"We will make sure that this puppet government drowns in the sea," he said.

Representing the PML-N, Ahsan Iqbal took shots at the incumbent government over the poor economy and the hardships faced by the public.

"If our government wasn't robbed in

2018 and with Maulana Fazlur Rehman sahib being a part of the government, then CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] would today be producing hundreds of thousands of jobs," he claimed. Furthermore, he said that the credit of CPEC goes to Nawaz Sharif's tenure and that the previous prime minister had started the $46 billion project when no one would bring a dollar into the country.

He added that there were fewer cases of suicide bombings and reduced loadshedding under the previous government. "By bringing this inept and selected [prime minister], the economy that was growing by 5.75 per cent was thrown down to -0.4 per cent."

"They do bargaining of benefit and loss even for people's bodies. What do they know about humanity?" he said, adding that Pakistan had fallen behind its South Asian neighbours in economic growth.

"How much farther back do we have to go?

Today we have to decide that the fate of Pakistan is not poverty, unemployment and injustice."

Iqbal claimed the PM Imran had sent his special assistant to Balochistan instead of going himself as there was no benefit to the premier. "He could not be bothered to soothe their wounds because he was not

elected but selected, and is now rejected," he alleged.

Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman said that the PDM was merely trying to make every attempt possible to get an NRO-like concession, but insisted that such a thing would never happen as long as Prime Minister Imran Khan was in office. He also expressed his satisfaction that the economy was recovering despite the coronavirus pandemic, adding that people needed development and prosperity.

The rally was held at the Ziad Akram Khan Durrani Sports Complex, despite the reservations of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sports Department over the use of the venue as a public meeting. A day earlier, the department in a letter had asked the Bannu administration to stop the PDM from holding the rally and had said that holding political gatherings and activities should be banned in the sports grounds of the district. The PDM had switched from their previous venue of Lakki Gate in Bannu city but after it was expected that a larger number of people will take part in the rally.

Earlier in the day, Fazl had said that PM Imran had been forced the take a path of retreat.

‘Continent of future’: Pakistan seeks enhanced ties with African states QURESHI SAYS RECENT INITIATIVES LED TO 7PC GROWTH IN TRADE WITH AFRICA DESPITE COVID-RELATED CHALLENGES ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Terming Africa as the ‘continent of future’, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while chairing a virtual meeting on economic diplomacy, said that the friendly relationship Pakistan enjoys with African states should be translated into a robust economic friendship.

With emphasis on Africa and held under the government’s ‘Engage Africa’ initiative, Pakistan’s heads of missions in Abuja, Addis Abba, Algiers, Nairobi, Tripoli, Port Louis, Rabat, Pretoria, Niamey, Khartoum, Dar es Salam, Dakar, Harare and Tunis participated in the meeting.

Pakistan’s ‘Engage Africa’ initiative is aimed at Pakistan’s diplomatic footprint and deepening economic engagement with 1.3 billion people who live in 54 African countries.

Qureshi said that as part of this initiative, Pakistan’s outreach and presence in Africa has significantly improved. He added that in November 2019, an envoys conference on Africa was held and was soon followed by the first-ever Pakistan-Africa trade development conference in Nairobi in January 2020.

He further said that the initiative led to a 7 per cent growth in Pakistan’s trade with Africa despite coronavirusrelated challenges.

Keeping in view the premier’s vision, the foreign

minister has been holding regular meetings on economic diplomacy with Pakistani envoys in key countries.

Wednesday’s meeting was the first of a series of regionspecific economic diplomacy meetings scheduled for the coming months.

During the meeting, Qureshi encourage envoys to cultivate and broaden mutually-beneficial trade and economic partnerships with African countries, focusing on key goals such as trade promotion, financial inflows, investments, remittances, tourism and technology transfer.

Underlining the shift from geo-politics to geoeconomics, he emphasised the importance of economic diplomacy as a key component of modern diplomatic practice. He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was at the forefront of safeguarding and protecting Pakistan’s economic interests through initiatives like Prime Minister’s Global Initiative on Debt Relief for Developing Countries.

Soldier martyred fighting terrorists across Afghan border RAWALPINDI STAFF REPORT

A 25-year-old Frontier Corps (FC) soldier, Sepoy Fazal Wahid, was martyred in an exchange of fire when terrorists across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists had opened fire at a military post across the international border, to which Pakistan’s troops responded promptly. As a result, Wahid, a resident of Shangla, Swat, was injured, and later embraced martyrdom. Pakistan has consistently been raising the issue with Afghanistan authorities for effective border management on their side of the border to check cross border terrorist incidents.

Recently, Pakistan has completed the work of fencing the border to block the movement of militants. Earlier on November 3, 2020, an FC soldier was killed in a cross-border firing from Afghanistan. The statement by the ISPR had said that terrorists fired from the Afghan side targeting a security forces' border post on the bilateral border in the Manzaikai sector in Zhob area of Balochistan. A soldier of FC was martyred while two soldiers got injured.

Two children die, five injured in grenade blast in Peshawar PESHAWAR TLTP

Two children were killed and five others were injured in a hand grenade blast in Zangali area of the provincial capital on Wednesday.

According to details, the children found the hand grenade and accidentally set it off. The incident occurred after the hand grenade the children were playing with went off.

According to Rescue 1122, the bodies and injured have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital. The identities of the victims could not be ascertained till the filing of this report.

Bodies of abducted sisters recovered from Lahore nullah; 2 arrested LAHORE TLTP

The bodies of two sisters, who had been abducted from Kahna on November 26, were recovered from a nullah, police said on Wednesday. Police said that two suspects have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the abduction and murder of the sisters. Police claimed that the bodies were recovered two days ago. The slain women were identified as Abida and Sajida who had been kidnapped from Kahna on November 26. They added that both sisters were married and allegedly slaughtered by the unidentified persons. Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) took notice of the terrorising incident and summoned a probe report from capital city police officer (CCPO). Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Wednesday took notice of the murder.

Buzdar has sought a probe report from the police chief. He expressed a deep sense of grief and sorrow to the bereaved family over the killing of two Kahna sisters and assured them to provide justice at any cost.

He said that the accused will be given strict punishment as per law. Earlier on December 28, a minor girl in Mohlanwal area had been gang-raped and murdered allegedly with connivance of her cousin.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

NEWS

03

Meritocracy, justice and deMocracy are guiding principles of pakistan: pM ISLAMABAD

p

STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan has said that meritocracy and equation are guiding principles of Pakistan as the Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah wanted a state based on research, democracy, justice and education.

In an interview with Turkish News Channel, he said that killing of Hazara community in Much is a very unfortunate incident. He lamented that Hazara community is being targeted by the militants and the IS claimed the recent killing of the minority community. He added that the government will provide support for the protection of the Hazara people.

The prime minister said that minorities enjoy equal rights in Pakistan as the constitution guarantees basic rights of all communities in the country. He said that the government will also ensure protection of all minorities and communities.

The premier said that he is well-aware of Islamophobia in the western world. He said that western communities are not realising and understanding the sentiments of Muslim Ummah about the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

Medical students protesting pMc blacklist arrested NEWS DESK Foreign medical graduates protesting the recently released list of blacklisted institutions by the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) were arrested by batonwielding police officers in Islamabad on Wednesday.The police also arrested the chairman of Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) group and some doctors who were among the protesters. They were later let go, according to the Islamabad deputy commissioner."The future of foreign qualified medical students is at stake because of the decisions being made by the PMC," said one protester at the venue.Earlier, the PMC announced that graduates returning Kyrgyzstan will only be allowed to practice in the country after giving a test.The protesters said they could not understand why these universities were blacklisted despite being verified by the World Health Organisation (WHO).The following varsities have been blacklisted by PMC:ABC Academy BishkekAsian Medical InstituteJalal-Abad State Medical UniversityAvicenna Medical UniversityAdam Medical UniversityInternational Medical UniversityInternational Medical Institute, International University of Science & BusinessJalal-Abad People’s Friendship University A Batirov Medical FacultyKyrgyz-Uzbek University Medical FacultyRoyal Metropolitan Medical UniversityS Tentishev Asian Medical InstituteSalymbekov University Faculty of MedicineScientific Research Medical Social InstituteInternational Atatürk-Alatoo University Faculty of MedicineInternational School of Medicine (IUK ISM) (licence no: 180000058), Tokmok CampusTalks will be held between the PMC and the FMG, wherein the PMC has agreed to accept any and all "valid" demands.

Qazi jameelur rehman appointed as new islamabad igp NEWS DESK The federal government on Wednesday removed Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Aamir Zulfiqar and appointed Qazi Jamilur Rehman, a 22-grade officer of Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), to the post of the police chief. An official notification has been issued in this regard. It states: “Qazi Jami-ur-Rehman, a BS-20 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, presently serving under Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is transferred and posted as Inspector General, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police, under Interior Division, in his own pay and scale, with immediate effect and until further orders.”

The change comes a few days after the shooting of student Usama Nadeem Satti on a highway near Sector G-10 in the federal capital for reportedly ignoring the orders of police officers to stop. According to his family, the 21-year-old was coming back after dropping a friend at the university when the incident took place.

“He was shot just for not stopping his car,” the victim’s father had said in a video statement.

He quoted a senior police official as saying that the incident occurred because of the "carelessness" on the police's part. "It was nothing but a murder," the victim's father had said.

PM Imran said that if the values of Muslims are targeted, adverse reaction is imminent. He said the United Nations and world community should play their due role in restricting the right of freedom of speech against holy personalities and making mockery of Muslims.

He said that the west must not support making blasphemous caricatures because its hurts the Muslims all over world. PM Imran said that India is being ruled by an RSS inspired Modi Government while former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpaye always talked about peace. He said that Modi government thinks that India is only for Hindus and there is no space for Muslims and other minorities there.

The premier said that RSS was inspired by Hitler and Nazis and Mahatma Gandhi was also assassinated by it.

He said that Modi is responsible for massacre of Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 where thousands of Muslims were butchered during his tenure as chief minister and he allowed the RSS to kill Muslims for three days.

He also said that Kashmir issue is a lingering dispute between Pakistan and India. He further said that United Nations Security Council promised with Kashmir for providing an opportunity to decide about their future, but India is the main hurdle in conducting referendum.

PM Imran said that Mod-led government, after

illegal and unilateral action of August 5, 2019, tried to change the demography of Kashmir to reduce Muslim majority in the valley.

He said that senior Kashmir leadership has been detained by India. He added that war is not a solution of dispute between two nuclear powers and, therefore, Pakistan is sensitising the world community about Kashmir dispute and demands to conduct referendum as promised the world body to Kashmiris.

The premier said that United States President Donald Trump offered Pakistan and India to play a mediation rule between the two countries, but India refused to accept. He said that Pakistan is waiting resumption of position of Joe Biden and is expecting such role. He also said that Islamabad wants relations with the US on equal basis. He further said that Pakistan has given sacrifices for the US and paid a huge price for that, but it always blamed Pakistan. He added that Pakistan has lost 70,000 people during war on terror and faced suicide attacks within the country.

Replying to a question about relations with Israel, PM Imran said that Pakistan cannot recognise Israel until resolution of Palestine dispute according to aspiration of Palestinians. He said that Kashmir and Palestine are similar disputes as Israel has occupied the Palestinian territory just like India acted the same on Kashmiris

Counsel seeks release of Briton acquitted in Daniel Pearl’s murder ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The counsel for a Pakistan-born British national convicted and later acquitted in the gruesome 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Daniel Pearl said Wednesday that he will petition the Supreme Court (SC) to free his client.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the key suspect in Pearl’s slaying, remains in custody in a jail in Karachi, despite the acquittal. Pearl’s family and the Sindh government have appealed the acquittal to the apex court, which resumed its hearing this week.

A decision is expected before the end of the month.

Sheikh’s lawyer, Mehmood A Sheikh, has been trying to get his client, who has been on death row for 18 years, freed since the acquittal.

The lawyer told The Associated Press that he was demanding freedom for Sheikh in line with an order issued last month by the Sindh High Court (SHC). The lawyer, who is not related to Sheikh, said he also wants three other co-accused suspects freed. Their lesser charges of aiding and abetting were also overturned.

Last month, the US said that it would not allow Sheikh to escape justice. Acting US Attorney General Jeffery Rosen praised Pakistan for appealing the Sindh court’s order but said that if “those efforts do not succeed, the United States stands ready to take custody

of Omar Sheikh to stand trial” in America.

The Pearl family's lawyer, Faisal Siddiqi, said that he will oppose the petition, adding that he was confident Sheikh would not be freed.

“He will not be released,” said Siddiqi. “Omar Sheikh’s lawyer’s request has twice been denied.”

Pearl, 38, the South Asia bureau chief for WSJ, was abducted on January 23, 2002, in Karachi and beheaded the next month, reportedly by Al-Qaeda.

Sheikh had been convicted of helping lure Pearl to a meeting in Karachi in which he was kidnapped.

Prior to his kidnapping, the journalist had been investigating the link between reportedly Pakistanbased militants and Richard Reid, the notorious “Shoe Bomber” who attempted to blow up a flight from Paris to Miami with explosives hidden in his shoes.

In July 2002, following the hearings, an antiterrorism court (ATC) in Hyderabad had sentenced to death Sheikh and life term to other co-accused.

However, all four convicts had moved the SHC in 2002 challenging their convictions.

In his autobiography, In the Line of Fire: A Memoir, former president Pervaiz Musharraf had claimed that Sheikh, a British national and a student at the London School of Economics (reports claim that he did not graduate), was hired by MI6 to engage in “jihadi operations”, adding that “at some point, he probably became a rogue or a double agent”.

PDM moving from pillar to post for NRO, says Buzdar LAHORE PPI

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is moving from pillar to post for an NRO, but they will never get it as long as the Prime Minister Imran Khan is there.

In a statement on Wednesday, the CM asserted that opposition’s campaign is directionless as protection of self-interest is their sole agenda.

The people will not be deceived by unscrupulous elements as the economy has been put on the right track, he added. The CM expressed the satisfaction that the economy is recovering despite the coronavirus attack, adding that people need development and prosperity.

The 220 million people of Pakistan have already shown their disinterest towards futile agitation and they will not allow anybody to hinder the composite development process, he further said.

homeland.

The prime minister said that the government and the people of Pakistan have emotional relations with Kashmiris and Palestinians and Islamabad will never recognise Israel. He said that Pakistan has a very straightforward position, and it was our founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was very clear that there has to be just settlement, a homeland for Palestinians before Pakistan can recognise Israel.

PM Imran said that Pakistan handled the Covid-19 situation through an integrated strategy of smart lockdown on hot-spots in the country to protect the economy and needy people both. He said that Pakistan’s economy cannot sustain the regular lockdown. He also said that the government, despite financial constraints, announced several packages and incentives for different sectors aiming to reduce adverse impacts of the pandemic. He further said that the government is in touch with China for Covid-19 vaccination in phases on priority basis.

PM Imran said that Pakistan and Turkey have a historical background of relationship and these relations will enhance more in coming days. He added that Pakistan never forget the Turkish and Malaysian support on Kashmir cause after Indian illegal act of August 5, 2019.

Hearing in money laundering reference adjourned LAHORE INP

An accountability court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing in the money laundering case against the family of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif till January 12. During the hearing, a witness for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Ibrahim, recorded his statement.

Meanwhile, the PML-N president reiterated that he had "protected" the national exchequer.

Filing reference after 13 years comes under dishonesty, he said. The accountability court had declared Shehbaz's wife Nusrat Shahbaz as a proclaimed offender. She was later declared absconder over her prolonged absence in case hearings. In November last, Shehbaz and Hamza were indicted in the reference by the accountability court. All the accused in the case pleaded not guilty. Shehbaz, while rejecting allegations of the anti-graft watchdog, said that he was being politically victimised.

The reference mainly accused Shehbaz of being a beneficiary of assets held in the name of his family members and benamidars, who had no sources to acquire such assets. It said the family members and benamidars of the Shehbaz family received fake foreign remittances of billions in their personal bank accounts. In addition to these remittances, the bureau said, billions of rupees were laundered by way of foreign pay orders, which were deposited in personal bank accounts of Hamza and Suleman. The reference further said that the family of Shehbaz failed to justify the sources of funds used for the acquisition of assets. It said the suspects committed offences of corruption and corrupt practices as envisaged under the provisions of National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, and money laundering as delineated in the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. It asked the trial court to try the suspects and punish them under the law.

Govt takes prompt action to minimise students’ loss in education sector: Shafqat ISLAMABAD APP

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday said that the government has taken prompt actions in education sector by adopting distance education programmes due to wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that in past, the state had not invested enough in the education sector, unfortunately, it had been neglected due to which we have to face many challenges.

He expressed these views while addressing a Webinar titled "Challenges being faced by education sector in Pakistan" organised by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations.

He said that although the education sector in Pakistan had to face huge challenges due to surge of Covid-19 pandemic, but on the other side, it had also produced many new opportunities.

He also said that that the government had focused on Distance Education Programme during the pandemic and established a separate wing in the Education Ministry in this regard. He

further said that the government has introduced Blended Learning Project in Islamabad with cooperation of World Bank. In this project, he added, technology has been used for further effectiveness of educational processe and making it understandable. The minister hoped that the pandemic would end soon but the projects of distance learning will be continued.

Shafqat also highlighted the injustice in the current education system of country and briefed about the development of uniform education system that will be implemented by next

year for the eradication of classification in education system. The education minister said that madrassa reforms was another important project of incumbent government under which the madaris across the country will be registered in collaboration with Itehad Tanzeem-ulMadaris during next four years.

He said that national curriculum will be taught in the madaris, adding that students of these madaris would get degrees of medical and engineering after this agreement. The students will play their vital role in socio-economic development of the country, he added.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

04 NEWS

Pakistan, UAE review progress on energy projects ISLAMABAD APP

Pakistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday reviewed the progress of ongoing petroleum projects and discussed ways to increase the existing cooperation in energy sector. UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi called on Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan and showed interest for more investment in Pakistan’s energy sector, a Petroleum Division’s news release said.

It further said the collaboration in energy sector would provide an impetus to economic ties between the two brotherly countries. The minister lauded the cooperation of UAE in energy sector and said that Pakistan greatly value its economic relations with the brotherly country.

Highlighting the Pakistan government policies to revamp its energy sector, including oil and gas domain, the minister said, “The government is fully committed to diversify the outlook of energy market while making it more competitive and efficient.”

Malaysian council condemns Indian atrocities in Kashmir ISLAMABAD TLTP

Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations (MAPIM) has called upon the United Nations (UN) to intervene and stop India from violating human rights and international laws in Kashmir.

According to a press release, the MAPIM said that the human rights violation and forced demographic change to alter Kashmir from a Muslim territory to a Hindu dominated region is a dangerous path. If this issued is not addressed, a regional instability will be an imminent outcome. Voicing serious concerns over the Indian atrocities on Kashmiris, the council stressed that India must be held fully responsible for the crimes being committed against humanity in Indian-occupied Kashmir. It said India has no right to abrogate Kashmir's autonomous status and it must refer to the UNSC resolution for a plebiscite to be conducted for the people of Kashmir to decide their own future. The council demanded that the concocted charges against Asiya Andrabi, a Kashmiri human rights activist and political leader imprisoned in the Tihar Jail of India, must be dropped and she should be released unconditionally. It called upon the UN to intervene in the case of Asiya and her associates to ensure protection of their human rights. Meanwhile, Pakistan urged the European Union (EU) to seek immediate release of Asiya. In a letter addressed to the chairs of the political groups in the European Parliament and EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Ambassador Zaheer Janjua urged the EU to play its role to stop conviction of Asiya by a sham court, which would take up the case on January 18.

LAHORE: Shia Muslims protest the brutal murder of coal miners belonging to Shia Hazara community in Balochistan. ZUBAIR MEHFOOZ

KP AllowS PUrchASE of 70 nEw vEhIclES worth rS358M PESHAWAR

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AZIZ BUNERI

HE Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has on Wednesday allowed the nine departments to purchase 70 new vehicles at a cost of Rs358 million despite the financial constraints as well as unavailability of funds from the federal government in terms of net hydel profit.

According to the available documents of Finance Department, permission to purchase new vehicles was sought for 13 departments during a meeting of the transport committee, chaired by the KP finance secretary, but the committee allowed nine departments to pur-

chase new vehicles.

According to the approval, nine Toyota cars will be purchased for the Kohat Division Development Project at the cost of Rs61.5 million, four for the Project Management Unit, four for the District Management Unit and one for the Support Unit.

One Toyota car for the Bannu commissioner, one for the additional commissioner and two 1000 cc cars for the assistant commissioners at the cost of Rs96.73 million will be purchased.

36 vehicles for the Local Government Department at the cost of Rs194.5 million, including five vehicles for the LGD Secretariat, 1800 cc vehicles for the LGD special secretaries, 1300 cc ve-

hicles for the additional secretary development, additional secretary establishment and chief planning officer, and one 1000 cc vehicle for the senior planning officer, will be purchased.

Similarly, some single-cabin vehicles will be procured for the Buner Local Government assistant engineer, Nowshera additional deputy commissioner general, additional deputy commissioner finance and planning, assistant commissioner, Pabbi assistant commissioner and Jahangira assistant commissioner.

With the approval, some 2800 cc vehicles for the Lower Kohsitan deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner finance and planning, additional deputy commis-

sioner general and assistant commissioner will be purchased.

The other departments, who will get new vehicles, are Public Service Commission, District Development Advisory Committees, Tourism Sports and Culture Department, Energy and Planning Department and Agriculture Department.

According to some sources in the finance department, the KP government approved millions of rupees for the purchase of new vehicles for various departments despite the ban on new vehicles and trips to foreign countries. The province is already facing financial difficulties due to non-availability of funds from the federal government in terms of net hydel profit.

Seminary teacher killed, two injured in car-bike collision DI KHAN: A teacher of religious seminary was killed while his wife and minor son were injured when a car hit their motorcycle in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday. According to the details, an overspeeding car knocked down a motorcycle, carrying a couple and their minor son, at Dera-Tank Road near Cheh Kan. As a result of the accident, 45-year old Mohammad Naveed Kundi, a teacher of Jamia Sirajul-Uloom Qari Khalil Ahmed Siraj, died on the spot, while his wife and four-year-old son Essa Khan were critically injured. The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital while investigations were started by the local police after registering a case against the car driver. INP

HYDERABAD: A view of dried areas of Indus River along the second-largest city of Sindh. INP

‘Cultural relations between Pakistan, China need of the hour’ LAHORE INP

Cultural relations between Pakistan and China are need of the hour to broaden the basis of the two countries’ friendship and enhance people-to-people relationship, said an expert during a lecture organised by the Shanghai University, China, under the South Asian Lecture Series to mark the 70th year of Sino-Pak diplomatic relations.

University of the Punjab Assistant Professor Dr Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi delivered the lecture on "Seven Decades of Sino-Pak Relations; A Flourishing Friend-

ship". He presented the historical background of the solid foundations of the mutual friendship, spanning over seven decades.

The assistant professor underscored the need to broaden the basis of the friendship and enhance the people-to-people relationship. He suggested the countries to focus more on cultural relationships, especially art and literature. “Both the friends with very rich traditions in art and literature have vast potential to widen the foundations of their lasting friendship. Pakistan offers huge potential in tourism, particularly in religious tourism, which can be of higher value for the visiting Chinese tourists,” he said.

Talking about diplomatic relations, Magsi said, “The relationship has been established on the basis of mutual trust, cooperation and harmony. The relationship is unique, as without having common language, culture and political system, the countries succeeded to establish the everflourishing relationship, which started from diplomatic relationship to ‘Iron Brothers’. It is the finest example of strategic relations.”

“In international relations, there are no permanent friends and no permanent foes, rather it is the national interest which is the basis of relationship between the nations. On the contrary, the Sino-Pak relationship has

been proved time tested and "all-weather friendship". It has been continuously growing despite change of governments on both sides. Both have succeeded to cultivate deep-rooted relationship between state to state. The relationship is multi-dimensional, ranging from diplomatic to defence and to vibrant economic ties. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), being the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), speaks volumes of the strength of the mutual friendship,” he added.

“China has established its worldwide recognition in "poverty alleviation" by bringing millions of its people out of the vi-

cious cycle of poverty. By enhancing mutual cooperation in the fields of agriculture, the overall economic growth can be achieved alongside breaking the shackles of poverty, as more than 20 per cent of Pakistan's GDP is contributed from agriculture and majority of Pakistan's population is linked with agriculture directly or indirectly.”

“Under the second phase of CPEC, the establishment of special economic zones (SEZ) with relocation of industries from China will create jobs and enhance economic activities in Pakistan. Leadership of both the countries is determined to reach new heights of mutual friendship for the benefits of their people as well as for the region on the basis of shared benefits,” he concluded.

At the end, the lecture was followed by a lively question and answer session.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

ParliamEntary PanEl strEssEs foCus on agriCulturE undEr CPEC iSLamaBad

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GHULAM ABBAS

HE Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor on Wednesday called for strengthening the agriculture sector under the CPEC framework keeping in view that the sector is one the most important sources of employment for the people of the country. The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Sher Ali Arbab, emphasized that Pakistan, instead of relying on China for technological transfer, should build its own capacity and research to encourage indigenous technological innovations and modernize

the agriculture sector. The panel suggested that the research carried by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) to enhance agricultural production needs to be collaborated with the Ministry of Commerce and other concerned authorities so as to check economic viability of the agricultural commodities and to ensure that Pakistan’s vast agriculture potential is being utilized to enhance exports.

The committee further recommended the government to capitalize on opportunities available in China's meat market, as the China imports meat worth $48 billion from other countries. It called for measures to meet international food standards and initiate negotiations with

ECC approves removal of additional customs duties on 152 tariff lines Continued from Page 01 Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Privatization Minister Mohammadmian Soomro, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Industries and Production Minister Hammad Azhar, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, SAPM on Revenue Dr Waqar Masood, SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and National Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam participated in the meeting.

China to remove anomalies in this regard. Earlier, the committee was briefed

by National Food Security and Research Secretary Ghufran Memon and PARC Chairman Dr Muhammad Azeem Khan on the existing projects in the agriculture sector.

Dr Azeem, while sharing 10-year development targets under CPEC, informed the committee that PARC's aim is to make Pakistan a cotton exporting country, thereby helping it save foreign exchange worth $1.5 billion.

"Besides renovation of existing orchards, introduction of new varieties, reduction in post-harvest losses, improvement in value chain and development of rural industries are major pro-

posed interventions."

Meanwhile, the committee members also paid a visit to the exhibition at National Agriculture Research Centre where a comprehensive briefing was given on agro-tech, aquaculture and fisheries programme, honeybee research institute, alternative energy use in agriculture and vegetable and fruit crops cultivation processes.

The committee members remarked that farmers are the major stakeholders of the agriculture sector, and it is a matter of concern that seeds of various crops are not being provided to farmers on time.

They called for removal of bottlenecks to ensure fair and timely distribution of crops seeds to the farmers.

President for utilising Gwadar Port for Afghan transit trade gWadar TLTP

President Dr Arif Alvi has underlined the need to utilise Gwadar Port free zone area for transit trade with Afghanistan in addition to Karachi ports.

The president gave these remarks at a briefing on progress work about the master plan of Gwadar city and operationalisation of Gwadar Port on Wednesday. He said that the speedy flow of traffic at Gwadar port must be ensured.

He urged the authorities to accelerate development activities and remove any hindrances in this regard through consensus-building and consultation with

the relevant stakeholders. He was briefed

by Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Chairman Naseer Khan Kashani and Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Director General Shahzaib Khan Kakar regarding development works on Gwadar Port and Gwadar City respectively.

The president said that strategy and vision were essential for the successful completion and operationalization of national projects like Gwadar Port. He lamented the slow pace of development in Gwadar in the past and underscored the need for timely completion of all infrastructure and industry related projects on the port as per the given timelines.

Alvi was briefed about the 19km East-

bay Expressway along the port which will connect with the Coastal Highway and help carry cargo without disturbing the local population of Gwadar. He was also briefed about the 60 acres free zone area in Gwadar which will include recreational facilities, hospitals, schools and multiple industries.

The president appreciated GDA and GPA for their briefing on the master plan of Gwadar City and Gwadar Port and urged both the organisations to expedite the work on port as well as the city in Gwadar. He advised both the organisations that the needs of local fishermen should also be accounted for in the master plan.

Promising to visit ‘very soon’, Imran urges Hazaras to bury dead miners Continued from Page 01 “Our coming here is witness to how serious we are taking this and owning this,” he said, adding that the Shia Hazara community members “are our brethren and we have no hesitation in talking to them”.

He also said that conditions in the province had “improved considerably” since a decade ago and no such incident happened in 2020.

Alyani said that his government did not look at people in terms of their ethnicity or religious affiliation.

Mentioning how conditions had improved in the province over the last few years, he said he had also participated in several programmes in Quetta’s Hazara Town. “But the enemies of Balochistan and Pakistan did not like this. The Balochistan government is a huge stakeholder, and we are making efforts to take things forward so citizens and children of this city can progress.” “We came here [today] to show solidarity with the whole community,” he emphasised. “We will also visit the relatives [of the slain miners]. Wherever they are, we will go visit them.”

Responding to a question about the protesters’ demand for a visit by the premier, he said that “the biggest responsibility” lay with the Balochistan government. “[The prime minister] will definitely come, the president will come, ministers and parliamentarians will come. But even if the prime minister comes, we have to solve our problems ourselves,” he said.

Zaidi, who spoke after the chief minister, too appealed to the Shia Hazara community to bury the deceased miners.

“The external enemies of Pakistan commit such acts in Pakistan. What is saddening is that we find Mir Sadiqs and Mir Jafars from among us,” the minister

said, adding that he could “present proof of foreign interference” in the country. “[Indian spy] Kulbushan Jadhav was also arrested from Balochistan,” he recalled.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz appealed to the Hazara community protesting at the Western Bypass in Balochistan to bury their dead.

Taking to Twitter, Maryam said that the murder of the coal miners was not a small tragedy. “The whole nation shares your grief. My father and I are saddened too.” Asking the mourners to not wait for an “insensitive and heartless” man, Maryam appealed for the slain coal miners to be buried. “May Allah (SWT) elevate their ranks in the hereafter and grant you patience.”

PROTESTS: The protesters have refused to bury the victims of the attack until demands, which include the resignation of the Balochistan government, are met. The demonstrations spilled over into Lahore, Karachi, Multan and other cities on Wednesday.

Several roads in Karachi were blocked on Wednesday as protests continued for a second day and reached different areas of the metropolis. Television footages showed plumes of smoke rising as demonstrators took to the streets, burning tyres and wood and disrupting traffic. According to a police update, the demonstrations, organised by the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), were happening at several places across the city, including Abbas Town, Abul Hasan Ispahani Road, Kamran Chowrangi at Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Power House Chowrangi in North Karachi, M A Jinnah Road, Sharea Faisal and Malir 15.

One track of the Shahrah-e-Faisal was also closed for traffic, according to the update.

In another update, the traffic police said the protests had spread to other areas of the city as well including Nipa Chowrangi. It said the road leading from Capri Cinema to Guru Mandir was closed for traffic and directed people to use the Soldier Bazaar route.

Along with the MWM, the Shia Ulema Council (SUC), Jafria Alliance (JA), Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) and Jafria Students Organisation (JSO) also participated in the protest.

Earlier, Balochistan Home Secretary Hafiz Basid told Reuters at least nine of the victims were from neighboring Afghanistan, and two bodies had thus far been taken there for burial.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that seven of the dead were Afghan, and both sides were investigating the incident together.

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, who arrived in Quetta on Monday, met a delegation of the MWM. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said that he had asked the party to form a committee to meet with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad.

“I will arrange the meeting within two to three days,” he had said. Rasheed also announced compensation of Rs2.5 million to the heirs of each victim, and assured the families of justice.

Hazaras have faced persecution by extremists in both countries. Some Afghan Hazaras come to Pakistan for work in the winter, including at the coal mine in Balochistan. Quetta is home to nearly 600,000 Shia Hazara, largely confined to two fortified enclaves, and checkpoints manned by paramilitary personnel. Hundreds of them have been killed over the last decade in attacks across Pakistan, including bombings in schools and crowded markets and brazen ambushes of buses along roads.

NEWS

05

ffC secures first position for 10th consecutive year amongst top 25 companies on PsX Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) has maintained its legacy of securing 1st position amongst the Top 25 companies on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) for the 10th consecutive time since 2010. The award being the most prestigious one in recognition of overall corporate performance in Pakistan signifies FFC’s distinction as a leader and role model for other corporates to emulate. Achievement of this award also reflects on the recognition of the FFC’s excellent corporate governance and financial performance. In view of the evolving business environment and requirements, the criteria for selecting such companies was also updated and upgraded based on evaluation in terms Capital Efficiency, Profitability, Growth in operating revenue, change in EBITDA margins, Transparency, Corporate Governance & Investor Relations, Compliance with Listing of Companies & Securities Regulations and Dividend Payouts. CE & MD FFC, Lt. Gen Tariq Khan (Retd), HI (M) lauded the efforts of entire FFC workforce for putting in consistent efforts to maintain the company’s remarkable performance and achievement of the PSX Top 25 Companies Award for the tenth consecutive year. He stated that FFC greatly values its shareholders for posing their trust in the Company’s management that strives on securing/ensuring best returns to the investors with greater projection of their rights, investments and best utilization of their hard-earned money. The award also testifies FFC’s commitment towards nation building efforts while casting a positive light on Pakistan’s economic and financial arenas both locally and globally. PRESS RELEASE

na body suggests allotment of gulshan-e-Hadeed to Psm employees as retirement compensation iSLamaBad GHULAM ABBAS

While the management of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) has saved 4,544 employees by releasing Rs11.012 billion, the members of National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Wednesday suggested to the government to allot the Gulshan-e-Hadeed residential plots to the employees as retirement

Psma laments govt’s decision on early crushing of sugarcane LaHore STAFF REPORT

When the federal government had decided to force the mills to start crushing from 10 November 2020 in South Punjab and from 15 November 2020 in Central Punjab, Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) had categorically informed the government and the ministry that by starting early, sugar contents would be less in cane. The PSMA spokesman said this while commenting on the high sugarcane prices and lower recovery of sugar in cane. He said PSMA had apprised the government that cane was not ripe to start the crushing season and that Sugar Factories Control Act 1950 clarified that the crushing has to commence not later than 30th November of each year. “But because of the Cane Ordinance, which has given all powers to Punjab Cane Commissioner, orders for early crushing were issued with a condition that if the mills do not follow his orders they could face three years imprisonment and Rs5 million per day penalty.”

SBP recommends increase in retirement age to cut fiscal burden KaraCHi STAFF REPORT

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has recommended an increase in retirement age in order to reduce the average coverage period of retirement benefits.

“The increase in the level of standard pension age may reduce the average coverage period of retirement benefits,” the SBP said in a report issued the other day.

The pension system follows two eligibility criteria for retirement: the qualifying service of 25 years and the threshold of 60 years of age. Interestingly, most of

the employees in federal, provincial and defence service join their departments in early- to mid-twenties, and complete 25 years of services during their early- to mid-50s and therefore become eligible for early retirement.

It is pertinent to mention that the retirement age of 60 years is already markedly lower than many other countries, and so the early withdrawal after completion of qualifying service puts further strain on fiscal sustainability of pension expenses.

In this regard, the increase in level of standard pension age may reduce the average coverage period of retirement benefits.

In addition, the delayed retirement age will support in increasing the contribution period once the government opts for a funded system in the subsequent round of reforms.

The SBP also suggested rationalizing the survivorship benefits. The first and foremost reform should be to exclude all family members other than minor children and widows from the list of eligible survivorship beneficiaries.

Any delay in such reform will cause family pensions to grow manifold in the coming years due to the probable increase in time span of pension benefits in each individual case. In the case of widows, the sur-

vivorship benefits can be rationalised in accordance with the increasing labour force participation rates of women.

The SBP said that the computation of commuted benefits involves a particular factor assigned to each year after retirement which determines the advance payment amount for each retiree.

The commutation table laid out by the Ministry of Finance incentivises early retirement with excessively high commutation factors applied to the younger cohort. This is in stark contrast to the traditional pattern followed in most other countries.

For example, in the UK, the commuta-

tion facility is only offered to retirees after attaining a certain age for different employee groups (48 years in the police department, for example), whereas the Indian pension structure offers minimal variance in commutation factor to different age groups.

The growing fiscal burden due to high commutation expenses calls for a restructuring of the commutation mechanism, with rationally designed factors and revision in eligible age profile to make the overall pension structure actuarially fair: the lifetime benefits enjoyed by those who retire early or choose to avail commutation and those who opt out of such facilities.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

06 COMMENT

Degrees or receipts of educational expenses?

PTI leadership and Biden’s victory Unrealistically sanguine as ever

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AYS before the Indian elections PM Imran Khan thought there might be a better chance of peace talks with India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP won the elections. Months later, expecting to reset the relationship between the USA and Pakistan after “a great meeting” with US President Donald Trump in Washington, Mr Khan hoped this would facilitate a peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. On the eve of President Trump’s visit to India in February 2020, an equally starry-eyed Foreign Office spokesperson hoped the offer of mediation made by President Trump “will be taken forward through some concrete practical steps.”

The trend of selling illusions to the public has not come to an end. President-elect Joe Biden, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Qureshi told the Senate on Tuesday, “is well aware of the region and can help resolve the Kashmir issue.” Can he?

The PTI leadership, it appears, has no realization that the US policy in the region is dictated by strategic needs.

The US strategy in South Asia requires Washington to bolster India against China which it considers its arch competitor. India is more than willing to play the role. In the case of India, whatever difference one can expect after the regime change in the USA is likely to be in tone rather than substance. While Trump looked the other way as Modi suppressed dissent with an iron hand in India and arrested Kashmiri leaders and locked down the entire occupied Kashmir, Biden might at best mildly protest over actions of the sort without changing policy.

The USA considers Pakistan a transactional ally. It will require Islamabad to support its Afghan policy devised under the new President and delink itself from terrorist networks. To achieve its aims Washington will continue its stick and carrot policy.

While it should seek good relation with the USA, the PTI government must not allow the country’s ties with China to weaken or yield to any pressure on the CPeC. What is more, it has to continue support to the Kashmiris’ struggle for self-determination. For this the government needs national unity which would remain a dream unless it drops its vindictive policy towards the opposition.

The young today lack mentors

Dr FariD a malik

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ONSIDeRING the overall decline in education, I suggest that in every degree there should be a column indicating the expenses incurred. During the college years of my children, I often teased them with the notion that parents should have the option of a fee refund in case of poor learning.

In our days education and health sectors were considered sacred with no concept of profit making. College and university fee was very low and affordable.

The yearly fee bill for my engineering studies in Lahore amounted to Rs 425, out of which Rs 50 was a refundable security deposit, which was always kept as a wellguarded secret to be usurped. Then for my higher education abroad, I worked for a few years, gained experience and saved some money for my air ticket. Both for my MS and PhD. programs, I had research/teaching assistant ships which meant fee waivers and monthly stipends. So the entire professional education was almost free, my parents had to carry no burden though they were in a position to do so.

Learning used to be a mission. The teachers and the taught were both serious about enlightening young minds. As a businessman my father could not devote time to our studies for which a tutor was arranged. Our first mentor and guide was a BSc student by the name of Syed Moinuddin Zafar. There was no escape from him, he came looking for us if we were not present at the table when he arrived.

Cricket match at Nasir Bagh, or Table Tennis and Badminton practice at YMCA, he had the authority, capacity and will to disrupt all extracurricular activities. Only our Field Spaniel dog called Daisy came to our help, but Zafar Sahib remained undeterred by her barks and occasional attacks that even tore his pants. he made sure that while he pursued his studies we did not fall behind either. he then left for higher

Stipends for prayer leaders The KP government gets ready to shower largesse

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he Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to pay each mosque’s prayer leader an honorarium of Rs 10, 000 a month come July 1. With an estimated 22,000 prayer leaders in the province, this is a step is expected to cost Rs 220 million a month, or Rs 2.5 billion a year. The provincial government is going ahead even it does not have complete details of all those eligible, or even proper Auqaf Department set-ups in all districts. A clue to this rush is to be found in JUI(F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s call for the boycott of the scheme. The Maulana is spearheading the PDM movement against the PTI, and depends on prayer leaders for support. The dissensions against him in the KP party are being ascribed to the PTI, and this step will, also. however, the PTI has loudly and frequently complained that its political opponents, when in office, have used taxpayers’ money for political bribes like this.

The irony of its doing exactly the same thing should not escape it, especially when its opponents had equally weighty-sounding reasons for this spending as the PTI now does. The KP government should also realize that payments of such large sums, where documentation is not complete, invites embezzlement, as happened with BISP honorarium payments. has the KP government got some means of ensuring the security of the money? There is the issue of how prayer leaders in other provinces might react; though that is not the KP government’s issue, the PTI will face it directly in Punjab, while an ally must face it in Baluchistan.

The prayer leaders may be influential, but they are hardly the most progressive element in society. An example of the work of KP Ulema may be visible in the case of the Samadhi-shrine of a hindu holy man in Teri village of Karak district of KP. That Samadhi had been demolished recently on the incitement of Mohammad Sharif, a local maulvi, and the Supreme Court not only ordered that evacuee Trust Property Board to repair the shrine but also recover the cost from Sharif and his followers. A JUI(F) leader was also involved, exactly the sort of person to whom the honorarium is to be paid. Is the PTI hoping to attach those honoraria to pay the repair cost?

KP still has big problems

Sulman ali

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he Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has always dubbed its new healthcare system, one of iys best initiatives. The provincial government, in power since 2013, has boasted about its healthcare system. Before 2018, the claims by the PTI had painted a picture, which showed that KP is spending way more than the rest of provinces on health, especially Punjab, where the government is only spending money on Metros, bridges and roads. however, data reveals that this is not true, and all the provinces are neck-to-neck in health sector spending. however, according a few health practitioners and observers, the programme which made KP stand out is its Sehat Sahulat Program.

Under this project, the provincial government has planned to provide health Cards to every family of the province. earlier this month, the health Department of KP stated that it has accelerated the work on a mega project to provide the health Cards to 6.5million poor and underprivileged families.

Arif Nizami Editor Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

crative business. The spirit that once existed has almost vanished. At the school level, perhaps the lowest fee charged by private schools fall in the category of missionary institutions, where education is still imparted with missionary zeal.

Knowledge must be applicable to be real, otherwise it remains a glamorous activity. What we see today is more of glamour and shine and less of academic pursuits. Appearances have become important while depth is missing. The rampant use of english language has not helped. Concepts have to be understood in native tongue. Learning english as a second language is fine but it should not be the primary means of communication. I remember the days when we were discouraged at home to speak the language of the colonizers it was called; ‘Zaban-e-Farangi’ (foreign tongue). Thanks to my mother who instructed me to communicate with her in the national language during my study days abroad, it was through these letters that I remained in touch with Urdu. I started my journey of intellect by writing poetry in Urdu and Punjabi, the prose in english came much later.

This money driven education is not building intellect. Only knowledge-based societies advance, the rest perish. The grey matter needs to be nourished with light, not the darkness of ignorance. Aligarh University produced the ‘change managers’ who then played a key role in the creation and then running of the new land created for the Muslims of the Indian Subcontinent.

Unfortunately very few institutions today are producing such leadership as can take humanity forward.

While there is manifold increase in numbers and expenses, the quality of intellect continues to decline.

This commercialization of education and monetization of knowledge is taking us backwards which needs to be addressed across the board. In the meantime the degree expenses should be displayed on the paper that is finally handed over to the graduates to face the world on their own merit, which in many cases is non-existent. In the words of the great scholar Ashfaq Ahmed Khan, “Learning must be applicable, otherwise degrees are just receipts of educational expenses”.

Dr Farid A Malik is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.

Healthcare shortcomings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

education to the USA, and decades later I met him while offering Juma prayers in the Arizona Islamic Center where I was studying while he was employed by an insurance company. I kept in touch with my mentor who instilled the love and importance of academics in my life, and later I was told that he left for his heavenly abode in Phoenix, Arizona. his glorious journey that had started in Lahore ended there in the desert land of Arizona.

As an academician in the later part of my academic career, I see a serious disconnect. There are hardly any mentors or role models left in a population of over 220 million. The youth of today needs guidance to first acquire real knowledge and then build themselves and the nation together. Zafar Sahib was not alone, the society builders were all around. It was Dr Rafi Chaudhry who set up the first high Tension Physics Laboratory in Asia at Government College Lahore, from where the Nobel Laureate Dr Abdus Salam graduated. he then taught two twin brothers called Riazuddin and Faizuddin. Dr Riazuddin designed the Atomic Device of Pakistan. It was because of Dr Salam’s efforts that Pakistan was the first country in Asia to enter space. The Rahber -1 rocket was launched by SUPARCO in the decade of the 1960s.

Bhutto and Salam teamed up with engr Munir Ahmed Khan of the International Atomic energy Commission, later Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic energy Commission, to convince Ayub Khan to seriously start building the A-Bomb but he remained unconvinced. After the fall of the dictator the mission was launched by the elected government in the decade of the 1970s. engr Munir remains the unsung hero of our Nuclear Programme despite being at the helm for 18 long years. Today the country is a nuclear power which has ensured its sovereignty.

Private education is fine if not driven by profit making. In USA there are several world class private universities like Stanford and MIT, but they do not rely on student fees to survive or stretch to make money. The fee revenue of MIT is around 20 percent, which is one of the lowest in the world. Financial obligations are met either through endowments or sponsored research projects. The two main private educational institutions in Lahore ( FCC, LUMS ) have fee revenue close to 70 percent, while the rest rely on the fees charged to the students. In the land of the pure, education has become both big and lu-

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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A representative of young doctors said that at “The First phase of Sehat Insaf Cards plus programme has already been started in six districts of least 90 patients’ lives were in danger. he further said Malakand Division and its second phase it would be that young doctors shifted the coronavirus patients extended to other divisions by 31 January 2021, for into the emergency unit because it had different supwhich all arrangements are being completed,” an of- ply system. Meanwhile, doctors, nursing staff, and ficial said. The latest initiative was launched by Prime patients’ relatives rushed to the plant because there were about 100 cylinders in the oxygen plant.

Minister Imran Khan in Swat on November 6.

The official further said that the under the health- “everyone was pulling a cylinder; some were carrying them on their shoulcare services, 83 hospitals, ders,” he said. including 59 private and 24 Over 200 patients, inpublic, would offer free cluding 100 with covid-19, medical to card holders.

Observers underline that the were left for hours with a “The number of the hospitals limited supply of oxygen in would be increased to 250 in recent incident shows that the the hospital. All the young the second stage,” he added. doctors transferred patients The KP government has KP’s healthcare system still on cylinders without caring been advertising its health has serious shortcomings. for their lives and saved system as the best in Pakmore than 80 precious lives, istan. however, many critics The PTI government has but unfortunately could not argue that this is not the always advertised it as save some patients. case, and one recent incident Meanwhile, prices of exposed the loopholes.

Pakistan’s best system. oxygen cylinders have been On December 6, seven hiked in Peshawar. Citing covid-19 patients died in the However, the deaths of the shortage, traders have inKhyber Teaching hospital in patients, shortage of oxygen creased the price of oxygen Peshawar. The patients died cylinder from Rs 850 to Rs after oxygen tanks from and now the high price of 1,800. Several markets in Rawalpindi failed to reach the cylinders show that the Peshawar, including Karachi hospital on time. One hospital Market, hospital Road, official said, “Demand for government needs to work on Khyber Bazaar and hayoxygen inflated during winter atabad, have hiked the rates and disclosed the administrathe health department of cylinders. tion was probing the late arObservers underline rival of these tanks.” that the recent incident Commenting on the inshows that the KP’s healthcident, KP health Minister Taimur Jhagra said, “There was an incident at KTh care system still has serious shortcomings. The PTI involving a shortage of oxygen supply. I have di- government has always advertised it as Pakistan’s rected the BoG to conduct an immediate inquiry and best system. however, the deaths of patients, shorttake action within 48 hours.” The minister further age of oxygen and now the high price of cylinders said that government will immediately order its own show that the government needs to work on the health department. independent inquiry into this.

Meanwhile, another media report stated that the Sulman Ali is a staff member. situation could have been worse, if the young doctors had not risked their lives to save the patients. https://twitter.com/sulman_85

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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

Target killing of Hazara community

Concerns over Kashmiri leaders’ health authorities imposed various restrictions… thousands of people remain detained without charge, critics are threatened with arrest, and access to mir Democratic Freedom Party, and prominent the internet is limited…the government anSajjaD Shaukat leaders…Yasin Malik, Masarat Alam Bhat, Mo- nounced the COVID-19 lockdown.” hammad Ashraf Sehraie, and others who have The United Nations high Commissioner for been languishing under squalid conditions in the human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has stated: eGARDING terrorism and diplo- midst of the covid-19 pandemic in New Delhi’s “even as the pandemic [covid-19] is forcing the macy, Machiavelli advises the rulers infamous Tihar jail and others… Many other sen- world to address discrimination and inequality, the Indian government to have a lion-like image outwardly ior Kashmiri leaders, is persisting with its reand adopt the traits of a goat inwardly. including Syed Ali pression of Kashmiri he also suggests to them the use of Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are Muslims…The governterror to obtain their selfish goals.

Undoubtedly, Indian denial of ment should reverse its Opening acting upon the Machiavellian the- also under house arory, though it has been discarded in the modern rest.” medical treatment to the jailed abusive policies and The statement provide remedies for era, since 5 August 2019, when Indian ParliaKashmiri leaders and their those whose rights were ment revoked Articles 35A and 370 of the Indian added: “Imprisonment Constitution, which gave a special status to the and torturing of Kashmaltreatment is clear violation violated.”

And human Rights disputed territory of the Indian-Occupied Kash- miri leaders on the basis of Articles 55 & 56 of the Watch pointed out: “Inmir, the fanatical Indian Prime Minister Naren- of their political ideoldian authorities should dra Modi’s government, led by the extremist ogy and struggle against Geneva Convention—IV and take immediate steps to ruling party BJP, carried out various moves to illegal Indian occupation is a true reflection protect rights by releasturn the Muslim majority there into a minority. the International Committee ing political deDeployment was made of more than of the extremist mindset of the Red Cross (ICRC) tainees… holding to 900,000 troops in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, of the RSS-BJP regime account officials rewho have martyred thousands of the Kashmiris, which has no respect for sponsible for rights viincluding women and children through brutal the human rights of the olations.” tactics and fake encounters. The closure of Kashmiri people… IsIn fact, under the cover of the coronavirus, mosques, shortage of foods, and of medicines lamabad urged the international community, parfor patients and coronavirus-affected persons, ticularly the UN, and human rights and Indian rulers have been imposing various kinds and the use of pellet guns and phosphorus humanitarian organizations to take notice of the of restrictions on the Muslims. Modi’s governbombs, show the worst form of India’s state ter- Indian government’s inhuman treatment of the ment and the health Ministry claimed that Musrorism. Now, more than 16 months have passed. Kashmiri leaders… raises its voice for their im- lims were spreading this virus. As a result, hindu extremists have set off a series of assaults But, Indian strict military lockdown in Indian- mediate release from illegal Indian detention.”

In this connection, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, the against Muslims across the country.

Occupied Kashmir continues unabated.

In the recent past, Western media reported: Besides these human rights violations, India uncle of hurriyat leader Masarat Alam Bhat denied medical treatment to the Kashmiri lead- stated: “he did not expect the Indian government “Indian authorities had allegedly linked cases of to keep us informed COVID-19 to the Tablighi Jamaat that had held its ers who are in jails and about Masarat’s annual conference in Delhi in early March those ones who are health… I haven’t vis- [2020]… Muslims have been beaten up, nearly under house arrest. him since corona lynched…attacked in mosques…hindu extremists While, Articles 55 hile, Articles 55 and 56 of the ited pandemic erupted. I are scapegoating the country’s entire Muslim popand 56 of the Geneva have learnt he is not ulation for deliberately spreading the virus through Convention IV state Geneva Convention IV state well.” “corona jihad”, Indian hospitals segregates Muslim that the occupying that the occupying power Mujahid Sehraie, and hindu coronavirus patients…In what many are power must ensure sufthe son of hurriyat calling a case of “apartheid” during a global panficient hygiene and must ensure sufficient leader Mohammad demic…made separate wards for hindu and Muspublic health standards, Ashraf Sehraie, who is lim patients. It is a decision of the government.” as well as the provision hygiene and public health 76 years old, pointed Implementing similar anti-Muslim policies, of food and medical standards, as well as the out that the prison au- Indian-Occupied Kashmir has become a special care, to the population thorities did not allow target of the Indian fanatic rulers. In this context, under occupation. provision of food and him to meet his father. New Delhi has also accused Pakistan of spreadIn a recent statemedical care, to the he talked to his father ing coronavirus in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. ment, the Ministry of phone, who And under the cover of this novel virus, Foreign Affairs of Pakpopulation under occupation. through told him that he had Modi-led extremist regime has accelerated peristan said that Pakistan fever and suffered from secution of the Kashmiris and their leaders in voiced its deep conmultiple ailments, but order to suppress the war of liberation which cerns over health conhe had not been taken keeps on going, as Kashmiri people are fighting ditions of the jailed for specialized check-ups. for their right of self-determination which was Kashmiri leaders.

Particularly, media reports disclosed that recognized by the UN-related resolutions.

The statement elaborated: “These Kashmiri Undoubtedly, Indian denial of medical treatleaders have been illegally arrested over mali- hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani died in cious, false and fabricated charges by the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir due to serious ill- ment to the jailed Kashmiri leaders and their government through invoking draconian laws ness on December 30. he was also not provided maltreatment is clear violation of Articles 55 & 56 of the Geneva Convention—IV and the Interpromulgated in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu with appropriate medical treatment.

Notably, in a report, human Rights Forum national Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). and Kashmir… These leaders include Asiya Andrabi, the founding leader of Kashmiri organiza- for Jammu and Kashmir said: “After the governThe writer can be reached at: tion Dukhtaran-i-Millat, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, ment revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s authe leader and founder of the Jammu and Kash- tonomous constitutional status, the Indian sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

A hidden corner of Indian oppression

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ON Sunday 3rd January 2021, a painful tragedy took place near the town of Mach, District Quetta, the Provincial Capital of Balouchistan when unidentified gunmen stormed a coal mine, kidnapping 11 labourers who were working at coal mine. The labourers were at first recognized as belonging to hazara community, later they were taken to nearby mountain with blind folded and were brutally killed. Soon after the attack, an armed group ISIL (ISIS) claimed the responsibility. ethnic hazaras are Shia community living in Balouchistan, who has long been persecuted for their belief facing targeted attacks and bombings in last two decades. Majority of hazara Community live in Quetta with an estimated 500,000 hazaras as most of whom live in two well-guarded enclaves on either end of the city of hazara town. After this dreadful tragedy which took place on Sunday, the community of hazara with dead bodies of their loved ones have been observing sit-in along with their men, women, children babies in such extreme rough weather refusing to bury their loved ones unless the culprits are arrested. hazara Community have continuously been targeted in the name of sectarianism since many years. This incident is a chain of previous targeted attacks. In April, in a market suicide bombing killed 18 people, half of whom were from hazara community. In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in hazara neighborhood in Quetta. In 2012, more than 400 people of Shia community were killed in target killings and bombings making it possibly the bloodiest year in living memory for the Shia population in Pakistan. On the evening of January 10, a suicide bomber targeted a snooker club frequented by hazaras in Quetta. Initially, seven people were killed on stop, after 10 minutes, as most of the people rushed to help the wounded people, another car bomb blasted just outside the club killing more than a dozen.

People of hazara community in past have proved their sublimed patience in several peaceful protests from time to time expecting for justice from the Government. After this attack, whole community has been observing sit-in protest since last three days in freezing temperature. Their demand is to take serious steps to stop target killing, arrest of perpetrators immediately and assurance of their rights in the state. In addition to this, our media is also not paying much attention regarding coverage of their protests. International humanitarian Organizations have also been condemning this genocide of hazara Community from time to time.

Government and security agencies should pay more serious attention and take strict actions to control the sectarian strife in the name of targeted killings of hazaras for their faith, as they have suffered many such tragedies. In addition to the Taliban Groups and Separatists Baloch groups, there may be external factors involved in sectarian target killing. This is the time to take immediate action to overcome the sectarian issues, delay at any stage may result in overwhelming civil war within the country.

Ali Gul leGhAri-Johi DADu

Career counseling STUDeNTS should have ideas about their fields and studies. Being a student we should have rights to know about career counseling and the need of career counseling. In Pakistan you can find more than 2000 fields in universities but still people are not aware of fields except engineering,medical and english literature. Because we are not having good innovative teachers to give us a good way for our career. Mostly, students go back to their parents perspective about fields. If parents say go into the field of medical they run behind. Mostly,students are not achieving their goals because they are not interested in their fields. In our schools teachers say that just reading, writing and memorizing does not give us a good way of learning. Our teachers are not that much innovative.

I question to Government why they do not check the creativity of teachers just take test. And some of them get jobs without a degree because of politicians.

M irfAn hub

Lives should matter We are reaping the harvest of betraying Quaid’s vision and the seeds of extremism, ethnicity and sectarian divide, sowed by Zia and its nourishment by Musharraf junta. Instead of Quaid and Iqbal’s modern democratic welfare state, what we have is a country where the constitution and laws are slave to the whims and greed of few. The biggest threat to national security is the failure of state institutions to perform their constitutional tasks.

Irrespective of whether the brutal murder of hazaras in Machh was instigated by foreign enemies, those responsible and paid to protect lives have failed repeatedly. The brutal killing of a young man Usama Satti in Islamabad by trigger happy men in uniform is an unpardonable crime. how can police and others responsible for law enforcement justify their incapability to stop a mob from damaging a hindu shrine in Karak?

Images of the cold-blooded murder of a family captured on video near Sahiwal, including a 13year girl still haunts public memory. These cannot be termed as Collateral Damage, nor dismissed as accidents, but plain simple criminal heinous murder. Those who lost lives were human beings, whose lives should matter as much as the lives of the elected or paid elite of this country. Merely calling ourselves an Islamic State is hypocrisy.

Ordinary law-abiding citizens are falling prey to criminals, who manage to kill and get away on one pretext or another. A State that fails to perform its primary responsibility of protecting lives of citizens, is a state that needs to cleanse the mess within its corridors of power and the paid servants of, who have repeatedly failed to perform constitutional obligation to protect lives and property of citizens. All state institutions exist to serve the people, otherwise why should their salaries be funded by tax-payers.

MAlik TAriq Ali lAhore

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

Has tHe GCC Crisis been resolved?

THE REGIONAL IMPACT OF THE BLOCKADE ON QATAR WILL BE A LASTING ONE AND WILL NOT GO AWAY WITH THE SIGNING OF A DECLARATION

al Jazeera

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Kristian CoatEs ulriCHsEn

xACTLY 43 months to the day since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt severed political and economic ties with Qatar on June 5, 2017, the Al-Ula declaration signed at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Saudi Arabia brought the blockade of Qatar to a formal end.

The “solidarity and stability” agreement, the text of which has not been made public, is a significant advance in the efforts to overcome the deepest rift in the 40-year history of the GCC, ahead of Joe Biden taking over the presidency of the United States from Donald Trump on January 20.

However, while a crisis that began with Trump coming into office is ending just before he leaves the White House, the longer-term impacts of the regional rift are likely to take considerable time to heal and cannot be merely signed away with the stroke of a pen.

It is hard to disentangle the blockade of Qatar from the trajectory of Trump’s highly unconventional and transactional approach to foreign policy. Differences on regional issues between Qatar and some of its neighbours, especially the UAE, long predated the 2017 blockade and were

manifested in the nine-month withdrawal of the Saudi, Emirati, and Bahraini ambassadors from Doha in 2014.

That earlier rift was resolved by patient Kuwaiti mediation that resulted in the signing of the Riyadh Agreement in November 2014. Over the next two and half years, Qatar sent forces to join the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, hosted King Salman on a state visit to Doha in December 2016 and ratified GCC-wide security cooperation agreements.

After all this, the outbreak of the 2017 blockade, two weeks after Trump visited Riyadh on his first foreign trip as US president, took many observers of regional politics completely by surprise. This includes the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who later commented that “suddenly, this dispute came into existence” after “we met in Riyadh, in the presence of President Trump, and there was no one to say that there was a dispute between us”.

The feeling that something had transpired in Riyadh that contributed to the blockade was subsequently given credence by Trump himself, as he tweeted: “During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!”

Although Sheikh Sabah of Kuwait was instrumental in preventing the situation from escalating further, going so far as to declare in September 2017 that “what is important is that we have stopped any military action”, he died in September 2020 with the crisis still unresolved.

COVID-19 exposes nation’s shortcomings Japan Times Editorial Board

If 2020 will go down in history as the year of COVID-19, then 2021 will be remembered — it is hoped — as the Great Recovery. Yet even as the world envisions life after the pandemic, events of the last year have been revealing and disturbing. The COVID-19 outbreak has been a mirror for society, sadly exposing more blemishes and failures than heroism and compassion. Pervasive is lassitude, or perhaps more accurately a fatigue with the vigilance and discipline required to contain and defeat the disease. That is understandable — a year of self-control is exhausting. But it also reveals a seeming indifference to the fate of others, especially the weakest and most vulnerable in society. We are better than this.

Japan’s first case of COVID-19 was reported Jan. 16. The number of confirmed cases has risen steadily, but not nearly as sharply as in other countries. As of Wednesday, the nation had recorded 226,596 incidents of COVID-19 infection — 42nd in the world — with that toll growing to 3,852 cases daily, 189,000 people have recovered and there have been 3,349 deaths. The toll is rising, but it remains well below other countries.

Fortunately, this country’s health care system is one of the best in the world; a persistent indicator is that Japanese citizens enjoy one of the world’s longest life expectancies. Still, there are worrying signs. There is a lack of health care professionals and doctors, a relatively low number of beds per 1,000 inhabitants, and a small percentage of those are reserved for infectious diseases.

The national government response to the coronavirus outbreak has been haphazard, slow and largely a reaction to events rather than an attempt to get in front of them. It established a COVID-19 Countermeasures Headquarters on Jan. 30., published emergency countermeasures two weeks later and its Basic Policies for Coronavirus Disease Control two weeks after that.

Drastic steps such as border controls or curfews were avoided at first; the government instead emphasized identifying factors behind the spread of the disease, a process that yielded the now-famous san mitsu — closed places, crowded places and close proximity between individuals — that were to be avoided. The government declared a state of health emergency on April 7 — first in seven prefectures then for the entire country — which lasted until May 25. During that time, citizens were asked to stay home and many businesses asked to suspend operation.

In May, the government urged citizens to adopt a “new lifestyle” to combat the disease.

This included social distancing; wearing a mask; washing hands and changing clothes when returning home; traveling only when necessary and keeping a record of encounters; remote work; online shopping; takeout dining; avoidance of large-scale events; and other common-sense measures. The government employed a light touch — “recommending” rather than “imposing” — and has favored economic

concerns over public health considerations.

It can be argued that a low fatality rate despite a lackadaisical response means that the threat isn’t severe and government measures appropriate. That approach substitutes good luck for policy as no one knows why Japan’s death rate has been low.

Much of the credit has been attributed to behavioral quirks of the Japanese. Mask wearing is ubiquitous. There is less obesity, better hygiene and less personal contact among individuals (handshakes, kisses) than in the West. One theory offers that Japanese is less sibilant than Western languages, which results in fewer droplets in the air. Finally, there is speculation that the Japanese variant of the virus is less dangerous than those found elsewhere.

The limits of the light touch approach have been exposed as the country experienced second and third waves of infections, and the government was forced to suspend its national Go To Travel campaign. Whatever the explanation for Japan’s initial success, a new approach is needed.

Two adjustments are needed. First, the government should focus more on public health and less on the economics of the pandemic. Japan has a culture of forgiveness for business; the focus should be on helping individuals.

Assistance should come with a price, however: better adherence to COVID protocols, which is the second adjustment. As the pandemic has continued, individuals have become less risk averse. During the initial wave of infections in the spring, Japanese drastically changed their behavior: One analysis of cell phone data showed declines of 70% and 80% in traffic to entertainment districts and tourist spots across the country. In December, amidst the third wave, the public was indifferent, with traffic to those same places falling in ranges of just 2% to 16%. Businesses, especially small and often crowded drinking establishments, are resisting government calls to close early.

Fatigue is understandable. Self-discipline is hard, especially for a year. But it betrays a stunning indifference and selfishness. COVID-19 is an infectious disease and Japan has especially vulnerable populations. The readiness of some individuals to ignore the threat forces many others who do not have that freedom — usually a result of economic circumstances — to put themselves at risk.

The abdication of personal responsibility mirrors the government’s refusal to take more serious action. Both must stop. The government must create an environment that rewards responsible individual decision making. The next inflection point will arrive when the vaccine is made available. Japan has one of the lowest levels of confidence in vaccines in the world. It should not be surprising then that in a recent NHK poll, more than one-third (36%) of respondents said they did not want to take a COVID-19 vaccine. That would ensure that this threat persists.

Only by working together — as citizens and residents, politicians, bureaucrats and medical health professionals — can we defeat COVID19 and make 2021 the year of recovery and opportunity that all hope it will be.

In recent months, it was Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who pushed most strongly for a deal that would assist the administration in its attempts to further isolate Iran through a campaign of “maximum pressure”. Kushner and his aides visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar in early December to flesh out the outlines of a deal and are said to have smoothed over issues that reportedly arose at the last minute.

Kushner’s role and his presence at the signing ceremony in the Saudi heritage site of Al-Ula upended assertions by the blockading quartet that the crisis would be “resolved in Riyadh” rather than by the US. The communique of the GCC summit, which was named in honour of the two great balancers of regional politics – Sheikh Sabah and Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, who also passed away last year – contained little detail about specific commitments made by the parties to end the blockade or move forward. Therefore, there is a risk that the Al-Ula declaration may suffer the same fate as the 2014 Riyadh Agreement, which lacked safeguards to monitor and verify compliance by all signatories, and itself became an issue of contestation and mutual recrimination after the 2017 crisis began.

There is an opportunity for the GCC to ensure that its own settlement dispute mechanism is utilised to manage any future disputes that may arise among member states, and that regional power plays, like that of 2017, cannot be repeated.

There have been suggestions that the UAE was more

resistant to an agreement than Saudi Arabia and it was noticeable that neither King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, nor President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt chose to attend the summit or sign in person the agreement.

At the very least, there was an acknowledgement by the Emirati minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, that the maximalist 13 demands made by the blockading quartet of Qatar in June 2017 had given way to “general outlines that govern relations” between the GCC states. Gargash added that “we [the UAE] are very satisfied with this outcome”.

But it remains to be seen whether the lifting of the blockade fully equates to an ending of the rift in the Gulf or corresponds more to a bilateral reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It is unclear how much the UAE, especially Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain will buy into the new era in regional relations. Ties of trust and people-to-people connections between these states and Qatar may well take more time to recover.

What has made this crisis different from previous disagreements is that it went far beyond the confines of a political dispute among elites to hit directly on families and individuals who endured years of separation and often vituperative finger-pointing and name-calling on social media. The social legacy of the Qatar blockade is likely to be the hardest issue to resolve, even after the disruptive effects of the pandemic dissipate and people are able to travel throughout the Gulf again. At the political level, an agreement made with an eye on Washington and on positioning vis-à-vis the upcoming Biden administration may at most only paper over the deeper cracks that the Gulf crisis has exposed.

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen is Fellow for the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Why Bangladesh ranks so low in the 2020 Global Knowledge Index THE AVERAGE GDP SPENDING AMONG THE 197 COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD ON NATIONAL EDUCATION IS 4.5 PERCENT. BANGLADESH SPENDS ONLY 1.3 PERCENT— LESS THAN 182 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

sTar, Bangladesh Halimur r KHan

In every comparative survey among countries—be it a survey of the economy, transparency, university rankings, etc.— Bangladesh almost always ranks at the very bottom. Just a couple of weeks ago, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) along with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) jointly released the 2020 Global Knowledge Index (GKI) that placed Bangladesh at 112th out of 133 nations, behind every other South Asian nation!

What has been troubling, and what should make us very uncomfortable, is that our national leaders do not seem to particularly care about this, or that it has become a national embarrassment! Several newspapers reported on it, and only a couple of education experts, among them the eminent educationalist professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, identified the lack of investment in education and the ubiquitous presence of raw information rather than the kindling of knowledge as the main reasons for this calamity. Professor Rasheda K Chowdhury mentioned the difficulties arising from multiple tracks of basic learning and the lack of trained teachers, among others.

However, in less than two weeks, we seem to have forgotten all about it. There seems to be no concern anymore about why we are in the bottom rung of almost every index that compares nations of the world, year after year. We’re 135th out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index, 119th out of 193 in the Global Development Index, 139th out of 162 in the Human Freedom Index, 151st out of 180 in the Press Freedom Index, and 116th out of 131 in the Global Innovation Index— all for 2020. We were almost in the same position in 2019, and in 2018 and so on. So, what’s happening? Is anyone (who matters) paying attention to these numbers and doing anything about them? Are the responsible agencies now planning to improve our standing in the world? Will we see ourselves behind all our neighbours in 2021 again?

To improve the situation, several things need to happen: i) understand why the problems persist; ii) find solutions; iii) implement the solutions; iv) evaluate; and v) revise.

All, except item number one, fall within the purview of the government. So let me provide my understanding of the reasons why we are so far behind, and hope that it will be helpful to the government.

GKI attempts to measure the overall knowledge of a country to see how its people use it to benefit themselves. In other words, how capable are the people of a country to improve their lives based on the knowledge they acquire throughout their lives. The areas the GKI looked at (the sources of knowl-

edge for the people) were places like schools, universities, technology, etc.

It is my understanding that, like GDP growth, the knowledge of a nation is also the result of a country’s long-term economic policies, political will and cultural values.

The average GDP spending among the 197 countries of the world on national education is 4.5 percent. Bangladesh spends only 1.3 percent—less than 182 countries in the world.

Only 15 countries in the world invest less than 2 percent of their GDP on education, and Bangladesh is almost at the bottom of even those 15 nations, only ahead of countries like South Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, etc. Bangladesh spends less than every South Asian (SA) country. In the categories of the number of children per primary school, and number of students per university compared with the population, Bangladesh is in 5th place out of those 6 SA countries. So, is it any wonder that we’re dead last among SA countries? Education, clearly, is not the priority for our government. Lack of political commitment contributes heavily to the status of knowledge in Bangladesh.

The decision to invest resources is made by those in power.

But, how often have we seen our politicians, those responsible for working to improve our education so to speak up, demand and work to make education a priority? Despite decades of systematic flaws, when was the last time that our leaders demanded that our education needs to be fixed? Perhaps, it’s not a priority for the politicians since most of them have very little of it, and since they’ve become “successful” without a good education, why should they find it important? Typically, they’re completely indifferent or simply incapable of conceptualising and materialising plans for educational development.

Finally, and in my opinion, the most important reason for our failed education system is, perhaps, our own culture. How often have we experienced in our lives that being educated does not pay? The neighbour’s kid who never attended school, but instead turned into a hoodlum, who, perhaps, joined a political party, etc., was the one who in the end became successful—a big businessman, local party leader, or even perhaps a member of the parliament. Would this example encourage anyone to learn? We tolerate the law-breakers, the thieves, who brutalise and even murder others, etc. These are the ones who win in life—at least in Bangladesh. Since this is our attitude towards knowledge and how we see its usefulness has developed, we have never valued education. We give lip-service to learning, but we never mean it, we don’t live by it. Education has never been our thing—even historically, we always shied away from doing the hard work of learning and gaining knowledge.

Given these conditions, is it surprising that we rank so low in the Global Knowledge Index? However, the more important question is: What are the authorities doing about it?

Halimur R Khan is a university professor and the former Director of Professional Development Center (PDC) at Brac University.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

BUSINESS 09

corporate corner Qatar Airways announces four weekly flights to Seattle DOHA: Qatar Airways has announced that it will bring forward the launch of its four weekly flights to Seattle from 15 March to 29 January 2021. The airline will operate a four-time weekly service operated by its stateof-the-art Boeing 777 featuring 42 seats in Business Class and 312 seats in Economy Class. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said, “Qatar Airways is committed to enhancing its connectivity with the US market. Bringing forward the launch of flights to Seattle, our second new US destination since the onset of the pandemic, epitomizes this commitment. With flights to Washington State’s largest city our US network will grow to 11 gateways, surpassing the number of destinations we operated in the US pre-Covid-19. PrESS rELEASE

vivo Y20s now available in Pakistan LAHORE: vivo, the leading global smartphone brand, has announced the launch of the newest entrant in Y-Series, the vivo Y20s in Pakistan. The new Y20s features a massive, long-lasting 5000mAh battery with 18W FlashCharge Technology and a Side Mounted Fingerprint Scanner for instant unlocking. The all new vivo Y20s also features a capable Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor and 4GB+128GB of memory for power packed performance.

For photography, Y20s has an AI Triple Macro Camera supported by a wide range of features including Face Beauty, Portrait Light Effects and Filters to capture sharper images. PrESS rELEASE

PAKISTAN urged TO reSOlve cOrPOrATe ISSueS FAced BY KOreAN cOMPANIeS ISLAMABAD

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STAFF rEPOrT

FFICIALS of Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) held the 3rd Round of Joint Trade Committee (JTC) on Wednesday.

The Pakistani delegation was headed by MoC Additional Secretary Muhammad Humair Karim while the Korean delegation was led by MOTIE Director General (International Trade Relations) Chun Yoonjong. Other delegates of the virtual meeting included South Korean Ambassador in Pakistan Suh Sangpyo and Pakistan's Ambassador in South Korea Mumtaz

Zahra Baloch.

Stakeholders from Pakistan's Board of Investment, Federal Board of Revenue, Ministry of Water & Power, Ministry of Industries & Production, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Trade Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP), Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Korea Trade and Investment Agency (KOTRA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) were also present on the occasion.

The delegates emphasised the need to enhance the volume of bilateral trade and investment linkages between the two countries. The Korean head of delegation raised corporate issues faced by the companies in Pakistan and requested immediate action in this

ISLAMABAD STAFF rEPOrT

LAHORE: In another effort to bring greater ease to its customers, Telenor Pakistan has partnered with TPL Trakker, Pakistan’s leading IoT company providing tracking, telematics and location-based services & solutions. Through this collaboration, Telenor Pakistan’s customers will be able to use detailed, local maps for navigation via the MyTelenor App. Pr

Pakistan, Iran to open Pishin border crossing to boost trade TEHRAN: Iran and Pakistan are set to open a third terminal in their borders in the near future in a bid to boost bilateral trade. Mahmoud Kheyrati, Deputy Commander of Jakigour border regiment of Iran, told an Iranian news agency that Pishin border crossing, located in Sarbaz county of Iran's southeastern Sistan and Balochistan province, will be opened in the coming weeks to help boost economic exchanges with Pakistan. Referring to a recent visit by officials of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development to the region, Kheyrati said the conditions of the crossing, including the necessary infrastructures, have been reviewed to put the Pishin crossing into operation soon. Reportedly, Iran Customs Administration has set up a customs office there to regulate border trade between Iran and Pakistan. Currently, there are two border crossings -- Rimdan-Gabd and Mirjaveh-Taftan -operational between the Iranian and Pakistani borders. TLTP

The delegates agreed to continue bilateral cooperation and work towards extending the validity of the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Trade and Investment Cooperation between MoC and MOTIE with requisite modifications to cater to the new trade and investment environment.

It was also agreed to expand cooperation between TDAP and KOTRA through working towards an MOU between two authorities for trade facilitation and trade promotion.

Both sides called for considering holding a meeting at ministerial level to bolster trade and investment cooperation between two countries.

It was agreed that the next JTC meeting would be held in 2022.

Pakistan, KSA discuss joint ventures in energy, tourism sectors

Askari Bank collaborates with Bookme.pk to enable NiFT e-Pay KARACHI: Askari Bank has collaborated with Bookme.pk to provide a hassle-free digital experience for customers to conveniently purchase online tickets through Bookme.pk by paying directly through their bank accounts via Askari & NiFT e-Pay collaboration. “As a completely cashless platform, we are excited to build our strategic partnership with Askari Bank to enable NiFT ePayment gateway in order to further improve the customer checkout experience on our platform and enable a seamless and frictionless payments mechanism. This service will empower all Bookme customers to instantly book e-tickets and seamlessly execute payments through a secure and interoperable payment solution,” said Faizan Aslam, CEO Bookme.pk. PrESS rELEASE

regard. The Pakistani delegation assured complete facilitation to the Korean companies in resolution of outstanding issues.

Both sides also held productive discussions on the prospects of a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.

The Korean delegation was informed about the attractive investment opportunities in Pakistan, including the success of Korean automobile companies in Pakistan. Similarly, the new cellular and electric vehicle (EV) policies were also highlighted as a lucrative investment opportunities. Furthermore, emphasis was laid on cooperation in the field of textile research and building capacity of human resource through KOICA programmes.

Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan has said that the government is focusing on energy projects under the new renewable energy policy by harnessing local resources for power generation.

Omar Ayub Khan said this during a meeting with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Malki who called on him on Wednesday.

The minister and ambassa-

dor deliberated upon joint ventures between Pakistan and the kingdom in the petroleum and energy sector.

Khan said that revival of exploration and production activities in the oil and gas sector would attract investment in the country. He also apprised the envoy of the progress on various energy projects in lieu of investment-friendly policies introduced by the incumbent government in diverse fields of economy.

“A diversified energy market is one of the most lucrative investment destinations that

could lead to rapid economic growth,” he observed.

The ambassador stressed that the kingdom would continue to work with Pakistan in order to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.

Separately, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further promote and strengthen bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, particularly in field of tourism. He was talking to Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed AlMaliki in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The minister said that Pakistan will operate two flights per week to the Saudi city of Abha, which will further strengthen bilateral relations and promote tourism between the two countries.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan also termed the restoration of ties between Saudi Arabia and Qatar as a positive development for regional peace and security.

The Saudi ambassador hailed the steps taken by Pakistan to check the spread of Covid-19.

BOP, AIM sign accord to facilitate applicants under Kamyab Jawan programme The Bank of Punjab (BOP) and Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance (AIM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide financing to applicants referred by Akhuwat under Prime Minister's Kamyab Jawan Entrepreneurship Scheme. The ceremony was held at the bank’s head office and the MoU was signed by BOP President/CEO Zafar Masud and AIM Founder & CEO Dr Muhammad Amjad Saqib in the presence of Usman Dar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs, and senior officials of the bank including Asif Riaz, Group Head Retail & Priority Sectors, and Ghulam Ali Khokhar, Head Government Initiatives Division, a statement issued by the BOP on Wednesday read. Under the collaboration, subsidized loans shall be extended to small business owners having satisfactory track record with Akhuwat. "This will help graduate small business owners for facilitation by the banking sector, hence contributing towards financial inclusion of the majorly undocumented sector of the economy. It is also hoped that the financial support shall help these business grow substantially." NEWS DESK

FBR urged to revise mandatory filing of taxpayers’ profiles ISLAMABAD APP

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to revise its policy for mandatory update of taxpayers' profiles, as it creates additional difficulties for the business community and discourages potential taxpayers from coming into the tax net.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, ICCI President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan observed that only around 2.3 million tax returns were filed in Pakistan, citing FBR's tough laws as reason behind low number of returns. These [tough] laws force many eligible taxpayers to stay away from coming into the tax net, he maintained.

"Instead of simplifying tax laws, the Income Tax

Ordinance was amended through Finance Act, 2020, making it mandatory for taxpayers to submit their profiles along with income tax returns, even though all personal data of taxpayers is already provided in tax returns," the statement read.

He urged Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and FBR Chairman Muhammad Javed Ghani to take personal interest in the matter and revise the decision regarding mandatory filing of taxpayers' profiles to facilitate potential taxpayers.

Khan further highlighted that anti-money laundering laws are being imposed on the buyers and sellers of properties, which will not only create more difficulties for the business community, but will also dent the PM's construction package besides causing a slowdown in economic activities.

maRket daily

Stocks gain 502 points to breach 45,000 barrier KARACHI STAFF rEPOrT

Bulls regained control of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday, with the benchmark index crossing the 45,000 threshold for the first time since May 2018.

Global equity markets also showed a positive trend, whereas crude oil prices continued to move uphill; WTI crude price appreciating 0.64pc to $50.26 while Brent crude price surging 1.01pc to $54.21 (as at 3:56pm PST).

“The stock market staged an impressive rally today, with buying activity observed across the board; exploration & production and oil & gas marketing sectors rebounding strongly, whereas cement and fertilizer sectors continued with yesterday’s positive momentum,” a report issued by Arif Habib Ltd read. “International crude oil prices jumped significantly on the conclusion of agreement among OPEC+ countries, which became the basis for an uptick in E&P stocks. Cement sector leaped on the expectation of an increase in cement price in the northern region,

while banking sector contributed positively in anticipation of annual results.”

SUMMARY The benchmark KSE-100 Index remained in the green throughout the day, registering its intraday high at 45,194.63 (+544.20 points). It settled higher by 502.99 points at 45,153.42.

Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index accumulated 1,194.11 points to close at 73,830.39, while the KSE All Share Index added 364.42 points, ending at 31,630.58.

The overall market volumes surged from

CMYK

582.08 million shares in the previous session to 664.29 million shares (+14pc). Average traded value increased by 2pc, from $151.2 million to $154 million. Byco Petroleum Pakistan Ltd (BYCO +11.38pc), Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL +4.59pc) and Kot Addu Power Company Ltd (KAPCO +1.66pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 97.63 million, 87.25 million and 31.10 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that painted the benchmark index green included banking (+110.03 points), oil and gas exploration sector (+106.95 points) and cement (+60.76

points). Among the companies, Meezan Bank Ltd (MEBL +62.64 points), Dawood Hercules Corp Ltd (DAWH +46.44 points) and Pakistan Oilfields Ltd (POL +46.02 pts) remained the top contributors.

Adding 6.86pc to its cumulative market capitalization, the refinery sector ended as the session’s top performer, with Byco Petroleum Pakistan Ltd (BYCO +11.38pc), Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL +4.59pc), Attock Refinery Ltd (ATRL +1.65pc) and National Refinery Ltd (NRL +4.34pc) posting significant gains.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

10 fOrEiGn nEWS

Iran vows 'decIsIve response' to any IsraelI move agaInst It

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Hong Kong arrests 53 for plot to 'overthrow' govt in latest crackdown on dissent HONG KONG

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AGENCIES

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Hong Kong police arrested 53 people in dawn raids on democracy activists on Wednesday in the biggest crackdown since China last year imposed a security law which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony. Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy advocates were arrested in raids on 72 premises as the authorities said last year’s unofficial vote to choose opposition candidates in city elections was part of a plan to “overthrow” the government. The arrests were linked to an unprecedented, independently organised and non-binding vote to select opposition candidates for a since-postponed legislative election. About 1,000 police took part in the raids, which included searches of the offices of a pollster and a law firm. “The Chinese Communist Party has further turned the screw in Hong Kong,” said Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong.

“Liberal democracies around the world must continue to speak out against the brutal destruction of a free society.” Patten said the West should get tougher with China and scolded the European Commission for seeking a trade deal with Beijing.

“We should not be seeking to contain China but to constrain the Chinese Communist Party,” Patten said. Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee said those arrested had planned to cause “serious damage” to society and that authorities would not tolerate subversive acts. “The operation today targets the active elements who are suspected to be involved in the crime of overthrowing or interfering seriously to destroy the Hong Kong government’s legal execution of duties,” Lee told reporters. The arrests will further raise alarm that Hong Kong has taken a swift authoritarian turn. Critics say the June 2020 security law crushes wide-ranging freedoms promised when the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and the arrests place China further on a collision course with the United States just as Joe Biden prepares to take over the presidency. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Biden’s pick for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Twitter the arrests were “an assault on those bravely advocating for universal rights”. “The mass arrest of politicians and activists in Hong Kong is a grievous attack on Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms as protected under the Joint Declaration,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, adding that China had deliberately misled the world about its security law. Beijing’s top representative office in Hong Kong said in a statement it firmly supported the arrests. Members of the democratic camp held a news conference to call for the release of “political prisoners”. Police did not name those arrested, but their identities were revealed by their social media accounts and their organisations. They included former lawmakers, activists and people involved in organising the 2020 primaries, among them James To, Lam Cheuk-ting, Benny Tai and Lester Shum.

Police said campaigning to win a majority in Hong Kong’s 70-seat Legislative Council with the purpose of blocking government proposals to increase pressure on democratic reforms could be seen as subversive. The city’s leader is not directly elected and only half the legislative seats are open to democratic vote, with the other half stacked mostly with pro-Beijing figures. “The people involved are suspected of making use of what they call a ‘35+’ plan ... to somehow paralyse the Hong Kong government,” Lee said, adding the government would not tolerate any “subversive acts”.

RAN said on Tuesday it would deliver a “decisive response” to any Israeli move against it, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons, a news agency close to the Revolutionary Guards said.

On Monday, Iran said it resumed 20 per cent uranium enrichment at a nuclear facility, a move that coincides with rising tensions with the United States in the last days of President Donald Trump’s term.

Netanyahu said the move was aimed at developing nuclear weapons and Israel would never allow Tehran to build them. Iran says it has never sought nuclear weapons.

Iran’s Nour News quoted an unnamed security official as saying: “This regime (Israel) should be aware that any aggression against Iran’s interests and security from any side and in any way, whether (Israel) admits or denies responsibility, will face a decisive response from Iran against this regime.” The statement was widely carried by Iranian news agencies and state media.

Separately, Iran on Tuesday gave more details about its enrichment decision by saying it had the capacity to produce up to 9 kg of 20 per cent enriched uranium per month.

“At present, we produce 17 to 20 grams of 20 per cent uranium every hour,” Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said according to state media. “We have a monthly production capacity of 8 to

9 kg to reach the 120 kg stipulated by the law.”

The decision to enrich to 20 percent purity was one of many moves mentioned in a law passed by Iran’s hardline-dominated parliament last month in response to the killing of the country’s top nuclear scientist,

which Tehran has blamed on Israel.

Tehran started violating the accord in 2019 in a stepby-step response to Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear accord in 2018 and the reimposition of US sanctions lifted under the deal.

Georgia on cusp of delivering Senate to Democrats as Warnock wins, Ossoff leads ATLANTA AGENCIES

Democrats won one US Senate race in Georgia and led in another on Wednesday, moving closer to a sweep in a deep South state that would give them control of Congress and the power to advance Presidentelect Joe Biden’s policy goals.

Raphael Warnock, a Baptist preacher from the historic church of Martin Luther King Jr., beat Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler to become the first Black senator in Georgia’s history.

Jon Ossoff, a documentary filmmaker who at 33 would become the Senate’s youngest member, also declared victory with a narrow lead over incumbent David Perdue, although media including Edison Research had yet to call that race.

If upheld, the results would amount to a final defeat for outgoing President Donald Trump, who stands to be the first US president since 1932 to lose the White House and both chambers of Congress in a single term.

Trump held rallies for both Republican candidates, but overshadowed the campaign with false accusations his own loss in the November presidential election in Georgia was tainted by fraud, repeatedly attacking Republican officials in the state.

With 98 per cent of votes in and counting mostly stopped for the night,

Warnock was ahead of Loeffler by 1.2 percentage points, roughly 54,000 votes, according to Edison Research. Ossoff led Perdue by more than 16,000 votes, or 0.4 percentage points, just shy of a 0.5 percent threshold to avoid a recount. Most outstanding votes were from Democratic-leaning areas.

Winning both contests would give Democrats control of the Senate, creating a 50-50 split and giving Vice Presidentelect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote once she and Biden take office on January 20. The party already has a narrow majority in the US House of Representatives.

Holding on to either seat would have effectively given Republicans a veto over Biden’s political and judicial appointees, as well as his legislative initiatives in areas from coronavirus relief to climate change, healthcare and justice.

The campaign’s final days were overshadowed by Trump’s attacks on his own election defeat in the state, including a recording of a phone call in which he hec-

tored Republican Georgia officials to “find” enough votes make him the winner.

If Democrats won, the losses would “fall squarely on the shoulders of President Trump and his actions since November 3,” Gabriel Sterling, a Republican and a top election official in the state, told CNN. The election signaled a shift in the politics of Georgia and the wider deep South.

Black voters, the most reliable Democratic supporters in the region, turned out in numbers unprecedented for a run-off vote.

In a video message, Warnock, whose Ebenezer Baptist Church is legendary in Georgia because of its role in the civil rights movement under King, recalled his humble upbringing as one of 12 children of a woman who worked in cotton fields.

“Because this is America, the 82-yearold hands that used to pick somebody else’s cotton went to the polls and picked her youngest son to be a United States senator,” he said. Declaring victory, Ossoff said he looked forward “to serving

you in the United States Senate with integrity, with humility, with honor”.

Both Republican senators, following the lead of Trump who has never conceded his own loss, predicted they would ultimately win and insisted they would fight on: “We have a path to victory and we are staying on it,” Loeffler told supporters in Atlanta. During the campaign, Republicans had painted Ossoff and Warnock as radicals who would pursue a hard-left agenda. But that message failed to resonate with many white suburbanites who have increasingly abandoned the Republican party under Trump.

Trump’s flailing efforts to overturn his own defeat move to Congress later, when Vice President Mike Pence is due to preside over the counting of electoral votes to certify Biden’s victory.

Trump has called on Pence to throw out the results in states he narrowly lost, although Pence has no authority to do so.

Some Republican lawmakers have said they will try to reject some state tallies, a move that stands no chance of success but which could force debate and drag out the certification process.

Trump’s supporters plan to rally in the streets of Washington, with the city bracing for potential violence. Police banned the leader of a far-right group from the city and made several arrests as protests ramped up on Tuesday.

Moderna Covid-19 vaccine approved in Europe, Dutch play catch-up VEGHEL AGENCIES

A second Covid-19 vaccine won regulatory approval in Europe on Wednesday and the Netherlands belatedly started its vaccination campaign as European countries accelerated a patchy drive to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.

The European Medicines Authority’s (EMA) green light for Moderna Inc’s vaccine was a big boost for Europe’s hopes of containing a disease that has infected more than 85 million people globally and killed nearly 1.9 million since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

The vaccine, which has been approved for use on people aged over 18, still requires the approval of the European Commission, but the European Union executive is expected to give it the go-ahead soon.

“This vaccine provides us with another tool to overcome the current emergency,” said Emer Cooke, EMA executive director.

The EMA gave conditional marketing approval two weeks ago for a similar vaccine

from US company Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been given to hundreds of thousands of Europeans since rollout began a week ago but the campaign has been uneven, with officials in Germany and France frustrated at the slow rate of progress.

The Moderna vaccine will help accelerate vaccination campaigns in Europe as concerns grow about two more infectious variants of the virus, detected in South Africa and Britain, which have driven a surge in cases.

Countries where governments are facing public criticism include the Netherlands, which started its vaccination drive on Wednesday, a week after many other EU member states.

DuSanna Elkadiri, a 39-year-old nurse who looks after dementia patients at a care home in the south of the country, received a shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

“This is the beginning of the end of this crisis,” Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said at a brief ceremony.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said his gov-

ernment had been preparing for a vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca to be approved first, and this had reduced the Dutch authorities’ flexibility.

The roll-out has been a test for Brussels’ ability to unify Europe amid political pressure to speed up the process.

Some EU member states were frustrated at the length of time the EMA took to decide on the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, leaving it lagging the United States, Britain, Israel and Switzerland in approving and administering the first vaccines.

The regulator has given conditional marketing approval, rather than the ultra-fast emergency use approval issued by Britain, which it says requires more detailed study of the data. The two-dose Moderna vaccine which can be stored and transported more easily than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has already been rolled out in the United States and Canada, and Israel this week granted authorisation.

It was about 95 per cent effective at preventing illness in clinical trials that found no serious safety issues.

With Covid-19 cases continuing to surge worldwide, the World Bank has warned that rising infections and delays in vaccine distribution could limit the global economic recovery to growth of just 1.6 per cent this year.

China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd has also developed a Covid-19 vaccine, but Beijing is still taking aggressive measures to prevent another wave of the disease that has killed 4,634 people in China. Chinese authorities on Wednesday imposed travel restrictions and banned gatherings in the capital city of Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing.

Beijing has sought to reshape the narrative about when and where the pandemic began, with top officials highlighting studies they say show the disease emerged in multiple regions. It has also rejected accusations of wrongdoing or mishandling of the Covid19 outbreak in the country.

Rolling out a vaccine quickly has not prevented other governments facing public criticism over their handling of the pandemic.

Although Britain was the first country to approve and start administering the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, Prime Minister

Boris Johnson’s government has been accused by political opponents of indecision after England began a new lockdown this week.

The British parliament was recalled early to vote on the new lockdown measures on Wednesday.

The French government has faced criticism after the national inoculation campaign got off to a slow start, hampered in part by red tape and President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to tread warily in one of the world’s most vaccine-sceptical countries.

France is now stepping up its Covid-19 vaccine rollout and a third national lockdown should not be ruled out, Eric Caumes, head of infectious diseases expert at Paris’ Pitie-Salpetriere hospital, told BFM TV. Germany has decided to extend a nationwide lockdown until the end of this month and introduce tougher restrictions to try to curb the spread of the virus.

But Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said he believed Europe’s biggest economy could hold out for a long time, adding that heexpected lower levels of government debt than after thefinancial crisis of 2008.

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

SPORTS 11

NZ CoMPLETE CLEAN SwEEP AgAiNST PAKiSTAN wiTh Big wiN, CLiMB To No 1 rANKiNg CHRISTCHURCH

T

After Abbas departed, Abid Ali and Azhar Ali looked to be laying the ground work for a solid third-wicket stand and moved the score to 46 when the 2.3 metre (6ft 8in) Jamieson went to work and removed Abid Ali for 26.

After using his height to create extra bounce and force Abid Ali on to the back foot, Jamieson whipped up a fuller delivery and the batsman’s attempt to switch to a drive was sliced to backward point where substitute Will Young took a one-handed, diving catch.

In a potent middle session, Jamieson had Haris Sohail and Azhar Ali caught behind, and bowled Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan as he moved through his repertoire.

Sohail did not get his feet moving as he poked at a rising delivery on 15 and was caught behind.

Azhar attempted to take the fight back to Jamieson, moving into a short delivery and pulling it through mid-on for four as he advanced to 37.

Azhar did not add another run as Jamieson responded with a ball that reared up towards the ribs and it was gloved to the wicketkeeper.

Rizwan was bowled for 10 by a full inswinger that zipped between bat and pad.

Boult completed the four-wicket session when he dismissed Fawad Alam for 16 and Pakistan were 134-7 at tea. Jamieson, Boult and Kane Williamson shared in the final three wickets.

AGENCIES

OWERING paceman Kyle Jamieson completed an 11-wicket match haul on Wednesday as New Zealand thrashed Pakistan in the second Test to become the world’s top-ranked team.

Jamieson was near unplayable in Pakistan’s second inNew ZeaLaNd 659 nings in for 6 deC (wiLLiamSoN Christchurch, 238, NiCHoLLS 157, mitCHeLL finishing with 6-48 to go 102 Not out) Beat PakiStaN 297 with his 5-69 (aZHar 93, JamieSoN 5-69) aNd in the first innings, as Pak186 (GoHar 37, JamieSoN istan were all 6-48) By aN iNNiNGS aNd out for 186 dur176 ruNS ing day four’s final session to give New Zealand victory by an innings and 176 runs.

The win, which saw them sweep the series 2-0, also confirmed New Zealand had overtaken Australia as the world’s number one Test side.

Pakistan resumed the day at eight for one, needing to bat for the better part of two days to salvage a draw but they were never Abbas out for three in the fifth over and after that the day was mainly about Jamieson, in the hunt.

Trent Boult captured the first wicket who recorded his best match performance.

Although he is the junior member of a when he had nightwatchman Mohammad

PCB announces list of foreign players available for PSL 2021 LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a list of 25 foreign players, who are available for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The foreign players of the ‘Platinum’ category include the likes of David Miller, Chris Gayle, Rashid Khan and Dale Steyn.

"The West Indian representation on the ‘Platinum’ list includes Dwayne Bravo, who had represented Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators in the PSL," the PCB press release said. "The list also includes South Africa’s Morne Morkel, Rassie van der Dussen, Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram and Rilee Rossouw. Besides Dawid Malan, England’s Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan and Tom Banton are also part of the ‘Platinum’ roster," it added.

Afghanistan's Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and Mohammad Nabi, Sri Lankan duo Thisara Perera and Isuru Udana, Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman and Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichanne are also on the list. STAFF REPORT

Nick Kyrgios out of Australian ATP Cup team as world ranking slips SYDNEY: Nick Kyrgios has paid the price for a year of inaction over Covid-19 concerns after he was ruled out of Australia’s team for next month’s ATP Cup after his world ranking slipped to number 46 following an 11-month absence from the ATP Tour. The 25-year-old last played a competitive match at Acapulco in February after deciding to remain at home in Australia when the circuit resumed in Europe and North America after a hiatus. Each nation have two singles slots that will be taken by their top-ranked players and Australia’s challenge at the ATP Cup will be led by Alex de Minaur and John Millman who are ranked 23 and 38, respectively. The duo will be joined by doubles players John Peers and Luke Saville as Australia look to improve on their semi-final finish at last year’s inaugural tournament. The ATP Cup will be held from February 1-5 in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open, the year’s first Grand Slam, and the event will feature world number one Novak Djokovic and second-ranked Rafa Nadal. “The players are looking forward to stepping up and representing their countries again, and the field, including defending champions Serbia and finalists Spain, is strong,” tournament director Tom Larner said.

“This is a format that shows off the passion of the players and we’re expecting some spectacular tennis action.” AGENCIES

pace attack headed by higher-ranked veterans Tim Southee and Boult, the 26-yearold has rapidly advanced to playing a senior role.

In his sixth Test after making his debut against India 10 months ago, Jamieson has taken 36 wickets at a stunning 13.27 average and with four five-wicket hauls to his credit.

Heung-min, Sissoko on target as Spurs beat Brentford to reach League Cup final LONDON AGENCIES

Jose Mourinho urged Tottenham Hotspur to kick-on after Son Heung-min fired them into the League Cup final with the decisive goal in a 2-0 win against Brentford on Tuesday.

Moussa Sissoko put Mourinho’s team ahead in the semi-final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But Tottenham were still searching for the knockout blow against spirited second tier Brentford until Son netted with 20 minutes remaining.

Tottenham will face Manchester United or holders Manchester City.

It will be the club’s first domestic final since losing the 2015 League Cup showpiece against Chelsea, and their first final in any competition since the 2019 Champions League defeat against Liverpool in Madrid.

“The final is now in a pocket for three months, we have to wait for the

final so we have to focus on what we have coming up,” Mourinho said.

“We have the FA Cup, the Premier League, the Europa league, so let’s forget the final for now. But when April arrives we have to be ready and to fight for the trophy.” Mourinho, appointed in November 2019, is hoping to lead Tottenham to their first major trophy since the 2008 League Cup. He has already won the competition four times, landing his first silverware in English football in 2005 with Chelsea, where he won it twice more before a further success at Manchester United in 2017.

Mourinho is the third manager to reach a League Cup final with three different clubs, following Ron Atkinson and Ron Saunders. “This is a game that takes us to a final. Of course we are very, very happy with this,” Mourinho said. “We did not play brilliantly, sometimes wrong decisions, sometimes one more touch, not with that soft control that allows you to

play fast but the game is always under control against a team that will probably be in the Premier League next year.”

The Tottenham boss had labelled Brentford’s visit to north London as the biggest game of his reign, so it was no surprise he picked Son and Harry Kane in a team featuring five changes from Saturday’s Premier League win over Leeds.

Brentford, fourth in the Championship, had already beaten four Premier League clubs in Southampton, Newcastle, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion to reach their first domestic cup semi-final.

But Tottenham needed just 12 minutes to take the lead as Sergio Reguilon’s pin-point cross from the left evaded Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock and found Sissoko, who finished his burst into the six-yard box with a powerful header into the top corner.

It was the French midfielder’s first goal since December 2019, ending a barren run that had stretched to 36 matches.

Tottenham pressed hard for a second

South africa look forward to Pakistan trip but not bio-secure bubble JOHANNESBURG AGENCIES

South Africa’s cricket team will head to Pakistan later this month for the first time in 14 years with captain Quinton de Kock excited by a new challenge but wary of the rigours of being stuck in another bio-secure bubble.

South Africa last toured Pakistan in 2007 when they won the two-match series 1-0 and return for two Tests and three Twenty20 internationals later this month. “There are two sides to it,” said De Kock, who began his tenure as South Africa’s new Test skipper with a 2-0 home series win over Sri Lanka,

completed on Tuesday with a 10-wicket win in Johannesburg.

“I am excited to get over there and play cricket in what will be a new challenge. But the off-the-field stuff is another type of challenge. Bubble life is probably going to be the hardest challenge we will face out there.”

South Africa were in a bio-secure environment for December’s abortive limited over series against England and again for the two Tests against Sri Lanka.

“It is very unsettling and a little nervy. It is an accumulation of a lot of little things you are not used to plus the uncertainty of being caught in a lock-

CMYK

down, where you are then stuck in a place,” De Kock said.

“That is the worst case scenario but it is something you do think about. But for now, we just have to deal with it in the best way possible.”

International cricket has returned to Pakistan in the past 15 months following a militant attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians.

The country has hosted Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since September 2019, while England recently announced a short two-match 20-over series in October next year in the buildup to the T20 World Cup in India.

goal and Son’s long-range drive forced a good save from David Raya, who had to stretch to tip away Lucas Moura’s deflected header just before half-time.

Son flashed a volley just wide from Sissoko’s cross, but Tottenham escaped in the 63rd minute when Ivan Toney’s equaliser was disallowed by VAR. When Pinnock’s header was clawed away by Hugo Lloris, Toney stabbed in the rebound from close-range, only for the Brentford striker’s celebrations to be curtailed when his knee was seen to be in an offside position.

That tight decision proved the crucial moment as Son struck in the 70th minute.

Kane fed Tanguy Ndombele and the midfielder’s defence-splitting pass teed up Son, who fired high into the roof of the net for his 16th goal of the season.

Brentford’s Josh Dasilva was sent off in the 84th minute for a studs-up foul on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg that left the furious Tottenham midfielder with blood running down his shin.

England squad barring Moeen test negative for Covid-19 in Sri Lanka COLOMBO: All members of England’s travelling squad barring all-rounder Moeen Ali have tested negative for Covid-19 before their two-match Test series in Sri Lanka starting on January 14, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Wednesday. Moeen had tested positive on Monday upon arriving in Sri Lanka and will now continue his 10-day self-isolation in a separate wing of the visitors’ team hotel in Hambantota. Fast bowler Chris Woakes, who was deemed a possible close contact of Moeen, was among those who tested negative but will continue to isolate in his room as a precaution. “All PCR tests from yesterday (Tuesday) are negative, except for Moeen Ali, and we can start controlled training this afternoon,” an ECB spokesman said.

England’s training session on Wednesday were their first since arriving in Sri Lanka.

Both of England’s Tests will be played in Galle. Their series in Sri Lanka will be followed by four Tests in India in February and March. AGENCIES

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

PrAyEr TImINGS

NEWS

CoNGress CoNveNes To CoNfIrm BIDeN whIle TrUmP AllIes oBjeCT WASHINGTON

C

AGENCIES

ONGRESS convened Wednesday for an extraordinary joint session to confirm the Electoral College vote won by Joe Biden, in the face of President Donald Trump’s relentless effort to overturn the election and cling to the White House.

The typically routine proceeding was anything but, as Trump mounts his desperate attempt to stay in office. Trump’s Republican allies in the House and Senate planned to object to the election results, heeding supporters’ pleas to “fight for Trump” as the president himself staged a huge rally outside the White House. The fight is tearing the Republican Party apart.

The last-gasp effort is all but certain to fail, defeated by bipartisan majorities in Congress prepared to accept the November results. Biden, who won the Electoral College 306-232, is to be inaugurated Jan. 20.

Still, Trump vowed to he would “never concede” and urged the massive crowd to march to the Capitol where hundreds had already gathered under tight security.

“We will never give up,” Trump told the noontime rally. The joint session of Congress, required by law, convened before a watchful, restless nation — months after the election, two weeks before the inauguration’s traditional peaceful transfer of power and against the backdrop of a surging Covid-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers were told by Capitol officials to arrive early, due to safety precau-

DEMOCRATS WITHIN REACH OF CONTROLLING SENATE WITH RESULTS FROM GEORGIA STREAMING IN tions with protesters in Washington. Hundreds of Trump supporters filled the Capitol plaza area and sidewalks, many bearing enormous flags and few wearing masks.

Visitors, who typically fill the galleries to watch landmark proceedings, will not be allowed under Covid-19 restrictions. The session also comes as overnight results from Georgia’s runoff elections put Democrats within reach of a Senate majority.

The current majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who tried to warn his Republican Party off this challenge, was expected to deliver early remarks.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a day of “enormous historic significance,” about “guaranteeing trust in our democratic system.” But it was Vice President Mike Pence who was most closely watched as he stepped onto the dais to preside over the session in the House chamber.

Despite Trump’s repeated claims of voter fraud, election officials and his own former attorney general have said there were no problems on a scale that would change the outcome. All the states have certified their results as fair and accurate,

by Republican and Democratic officials alike. Pence has a largely ceremonial role, opening the sealed envelopes from the states after they are carried in mahogany

Amnesty calls on Israel to give Palestinians virus vaccine Amnesty International on Wednesday called on Israel to provide coronavirus vaccine doses to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, saying the Jewish state was obligated to do so under international law. The Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, which is home to some 2.8 million Palestinians, has not publicly asked for Israeli assistance in vaccine procurement.

Hamas, who control the Gaza strip, where about two million Palestinians live, are said to be highly unlikely to publicly coordinate with Israel in any vaccination effort. But UK-based rights group Amnesty said that Israel needed to “stop ignoring its international obligations as an occupying power and immediately act to ensure that Covid19 vaccines are equally and fairly provided to Palestinians living under its occupation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.” The PA has said that Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza will be vaccinated through the United Nationsbacked COVAX program. The Palestinian health ministry said Monday that it expected to receive its first vaccine doses next month through COVAX. Israel began inoculating its citizens, including Israeli settlers in the West Bank, on December 19, starting with medical workers and the over 60s and has so far injected more than a million people. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday he hoped that within a month 2.25 million Israelis — a quarter of the population of nine million — would have received the two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab needed for optimum effect. AGENCIES

boxes used for the occasion, and reading the results aloud. But he is under growing pressure from Trump to overturn the will of the voters and tip the results in the president’s favor, despite having no legal power to affect the outcome. “Do it Mike, this is a time for extreme courage!” Trump tweeted Wednesday. With the Senate results from Georgia streaming in and Democrats within reach of controlling the chamber, Trump amplified his pleas to stay in office as a veto check on the rival party.

At the rally he said he had just talked to Pence and criticized Republicans who are not willing to fight for him as “weak.”

While other vice presidents, including Al Gore and Richard Nixon, also presided over their own defeats, Pence supports those Republican lawmakers mounting challenges to the 2020 outcome.

It’s not the first time lawmakers have challenged results. Democrats did in 2017 and 2005. But the intensity of Trump’s challenge is like nothing in modern times, and an outpouring of current and elected GOP officials warn the showdown is sowing distrust in government and eroding Americans’ faith in democracy.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, told reporters on Capitol Hill that Trump’s election challenge has “disgraced the office of the presidency.” “We’ll proceed as the

Constitution demands and tell our supporters the truth — whether or not they want to hear it,” Romney said.

Still, more than a dozen Republican senators led by Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas, along with as many as 100 House Republicans, are pressing ahead to raise objections to individual states’ reports of Biden’s wins.

Under the rules of the joint session, any objection to a state’s electoral tally needs to be submitted in writing by at least one member of the House and one of the Senate to be considered. Each objection will force two hours of deliberations in the House and Senate, ensuring a long day.

House Republican lawmakers are signing on to objections to the electoral votes in six states — Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Arizona will likely be the first to be disputed as the state tallies are announced in alphabetical order. Cruz has said he will join House Republicans in objecting to that state, even as he acknowledged the effort will not have the votes to succeed.

“Extraordinarily uphill,” he said late Tuesday on Fox News. Hawley has said he will object to the election results from Pennsylvania, almost ensuring a second two-hour debate despite resistance from the state’s Republican senator, Pat Toomey, who said the tally of Biden’s win is accurate. Sen. Kelly Loeffler may challenge the results in her state of Georgia. She was defeated in Georgia’s runoff to Democrat Raphael Warnock, but can remain a senator until he is sworn into office.

State Bank, World Bank, and govt differ on GDP growth rate ISLAMABAD TLTP

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), World Bank (WB) and the government have presented different figures on gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

While SBP has predicted the real GDP growth of the country cautiously, which may witness an increase in the range of 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent in fiscal year 2021 amid uncertainties of Covid-19 and its impact on economic activities, the World Bank, in its report titled “Global Economic Prospects (GEP) 2021” stated that Pakistan’s economic growth rate for the current fiscal year is forecast to remain subdued at 0.5 per cent due to continued fiscal consolidation pressures and service sector weakness.

On the other hand, the government has set a GDP growth target of 2.1 per cent for the current fiscal year.

According to the central bank, Pakistan’s external account showed signs of stabilisation in Q1-FY21 as the country managed to contain the initial domestic spread of Covid-19 and economic activities resumed from July onwards – helped by a significant easing

in both the monetary and fiscal policy stances.

The SBP released its quarterly report on the Pakistan’s economy for the fiscal year 2020-21 on Tuesday last. As per the report, the external sector continued to navigate the Covid crisis smoothly as Pakistan’s current account (CA) posted a surplus of US$ 0.8 billion in the first quarter of FY21 after a lapse of 21 quarters. The surplus was largely attributed to a noticeable increase in workers’ remittances, low oil prices and a sharp fall in services imports, which more than offset the deterioration in the merchandise trade balance during the review period.

Whereas, on a yearly basis, the weak fiscal position was largely attributable to higher interest payments and provincial development spending, as well as a sharp decline in non-tax revenues. As a result, the stock of public debt ticked up further during the quarter; nonetheless, the pace of public debt accumulation was considerably contained compared to Q1-FY20, primarily due to the lower volume of incremental government deposits with the banking system.

In its first quarterly report for the

FY21, the central bank noticed that as a result of ease in lockdowns, fiscal indicators began to revert to their pre-coronavirus trends during 1QFY21 and the government partially regained the consolidation momentum of the first threequarters of FY20 and recorded a healthy primary surplus compared to a deficit recorded in the preceding quarter.

Nonetheless, compared to the same period last year, the primary surplus recorded in Q1-FY21 was 9.9 per cent lower due to a steep fall in non-tax revenues and a sharp rise in development spending of the provincial governments. Additional strain to fiscal accounts came from a 29.8 per cent growth in interest expenses as bulky coupon payments for longer tenor instruments as well for 12-month instruments fell due. As a result, the overall fiscal deficit recorded almost 70 per cent growth in 1QFY21 over last year.

To note, for FY21, the government has set the fiscal deficit target at 7 per cent of GDP, lower than the actual deficit last year (8.1 per cent).

Whereas, for the primary deficit, the government has set a target of 0.5 per cent of GDP compared to the actual deficit of 1.8 per cent last year.

FAJR SUNRISE

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Afghan peace talks resume in Doha, say Taliban DOHA: Talks between the Taliban and Kabul government to bring peace to Afghanistan resumed in Doha on Wednesday, the insurgent side said, amid surging violence and accusations of slow progress. Months of deliberations between the two parties have yielded little so far, although an agreement on what to discuss in the next round was viewed as a breakthrough. In early December, negotiators from both sides decided to take a break after months of often frustrating meetings that were bogged down by disputes on the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations. “The second round of intra-Afghan talks started this evening during a preparatory meeting,” spokesman for the Taliban’s Doha office Mohammad Naeem tweeted on Wednesday. “In the meeting, it was decided that the teams appointed by the two sides to discuss the agenda topics would begin their work next Saturday to discuss the issues on the agenda.” Afghan government negotiators will push for a permanent ceasefire and to protect existing governance arrangements — in place since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001 by a United States-led invasion following the September 11 terror attacks that year. The talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have been marred by an increase in violence from the start, but the conflict-hit country has seen a recent spate of high-profile targeted killings of officials, activists and journalists. The deputy governor for Kabul province, five journalists and a prominent election activist are among those assassinated in Kabul and other cities since November. Afghan officials blame the Taliban for the killings, but the hardline group has denied the charge, while the rival Islamic State group says its fighters were responsible for some of them. Ahmad Zia Siraj, Afghanistan’s spy chief, told parliament Monday, “we believe the Taliban are planning to drag the talks (out) until the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in the month of May”. AGENCIES

UN chief welcomes declaration on resolving the ‘Gulf rift’ UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ‘Al Ula Declaration’ on “solidarity and stability”, announced at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening peace and prosperity in the region. The ‘Al Ula Declaration,’ named after the Saudi Arabian city where the Summit was held, recognizes the importance of unity among the GCC states and aims to strengthen regional security, peace, stability and prosperity, according to a statement issued by a spokesperson for the UN chief. The UN chief also welcomed the announcement on opening the airspace, land and sea borders between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Qatar. “The secretary general expresses his gratitude to those from the region and beyond, including the late Emir of Kuwait and late Sultan of Oman, who worked tirelessly towards resolving the Gulf rift,” the statement said. Guterres “trusts that all countries concerned will continue to act in a positive spirit to strengthen their relations,” the statement added. The political situation in the region had soured in 2017, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severing diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, alleging that it supported groups that they viewed as terrorist organizations and insisting that it comply with a list of demands.

Qatar denied the allegations. APP

‘Why limit myself?’: Polish climber aims to defy critics with K2 bid WARSAW AGENCIES

Scaling the world’s second-highest peak, K2, in winter is one of the last great feats in mountaineering — and despite what some see as a lack of experience, 28-year-old Pole Magdalena Gorzkowska wants to be the first to do it.

If Gorzkowska, a medal-winning runner who also became the youngest Polish woman ever to climb Mount Everest, makes it to the summit, she will have made history and silenced those who see her attempt as a social media stunt with no chance of success.

“Everyone can have their opinion, and some believe that it takes many years to be able to face such challenges. I just do what I feel I can do,” Gorzkowska told Reuters by

telephone from her base camp. “Why should I limit myself?“ Gorzkowska is one of several mountaineers attempting this winter to scale K2, which at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) is second only to Mount Everest.

Gorzkowska, who is being accompanied by sherpas, said she had returned to her base camp, at an altitude of 5,000 meters, after an acclimatization trip that saw her spend a night at a camp at 6,550 meters.

“The conditions were very difficult. The mountain gives you a hard time, it is very demanding. You have to climb hard all the time, the wind is very strong. It is at least minus 30 degrees non-stop,” she said.

K2, in the Karakorum mountains along the border between China and Pakistan, is notorious for its high winds, especially steep

and icy slopes, and a high fatality rate among climbers. Eighty-six climbers are reported to have died on its slopes. Two years ago, a Polish team abandoned their attempt to reach the summit in winter due to heavy snow.

The scale of the challenge has made some in the male-dominated world of Polish mountaineering regard her bid with skepticism. “Just wait for the desire to attack K2 in winter to be announced by top Polish Youtubers, Instagrammers or other influencers,” Polish mountaineer Marcin Miotk said, on hearing the news of her attempt.

Gorzkowska is unfazed by such comments. “I dreamt of K2 in winter and that’s why I’m here. Maybe they [her critics] don’t have dreams like that, maybe they aren’t so determined,” she said.

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