EpaperKHI_21-12-6

Monday, 6 December, 2021 I 1 Jamadi-al-Awwal, 1443 I Rs 40.00 I Vol XII No 158 I 48 Pages I Karachi Edition

124 suspects of grisly murder of sri lankan arrested so far g

Mob also planned to kill owner, set factory ablaze

LAHORE

t

Staff report

He police on sunday identified and arrested six more suspects believed to have masterminded the killing of a foreign manager of a local business in sialkot over blasphemy allegations, taking the tally of the arrested to 124. a mob of a garment production unit’s employees tortured to death and burned the body of priyantha kumara, a 49-year-old sri lanka national working in pakistan for ten years, on friday reportedly over allegations of blasphemy. sialkot assistant commissioner Muhammad Murtaza told media that the alibi used for murder is blasphemy but the cause of murder appears ‘personal and targeted’. “the issue is being investigated,”

he said.

Meanwhile, officials said the charred body of the victim will be transported to islamabad. from there, sri lankan high commission officials will take the casket home. late friday, a first information report (fir) was registered against 900

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Efforts to rescue Sri Lankan citizen: PM announces Tamgha-i-Shujaat for Malik Adnan ISLAMABAD: prime Minister imran khan lauding the bravery and courage of Malik adnan who endangering his own life made all out efforts to save sri lankan citizens priyantha diyawadana from the vigilante mob in sialkot. premier imran khan admitting the bravery and struggle of the rescuer of sri lankan national announced tamgha-i-shujaat for him. taking to twitter on sunday, he said, “on behalf of the nation i want to salute moral courage & bravery of Malik adnan who tried his utmost to shelter & save priyantha diyawadana from the vigilante mob in sialkot, endangering his own life by physically trying to shield victim. we will award him tamgha i shujaat.” Mian abrar

coronavirus in

pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,286,825

LAST UPDATED AT 7:27 AM ON DECEMBER 5, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

6

372

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

1,245,606 28,767 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

476,674

443,453

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

180,316

33,506

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

34,576/10,413

workers of rajco industries – the business kumara was manager of – on the application of Uggoki station House officer (sHo) armaghan Maqt under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 157, 149 of the pakistan penal code (ppc) and 7 and 11-ww of the anti-terrorism act (ata).

Maqt admitted the protesters had tortured kumara with sticks in his presence before dragging him out of the factory on the road where he died, but said he was helpless in front of the charged mob owing to a shortage of personnel. over the weekend, the police have arrested dozens on charges of inciting and forming the mob. it arrested six more primary suspects, an update shared on the twitter account of punjab police sunday said. they were traced using camera footage and mobile phone data, the police said. “the suspects were hiding at the homes of their friends and relatives,” the tweet added. of the 124 people arrested, 19 played a “central role” in the brutal killing, the police said.

107,887

PML-N’s Shaista Malik clinches NA-133 by-poll LAHORE Staff CorreSpondent

pMl-n candidate shaista pervaiz Malik on sunday clinched the by-election for na133 constituency, defeating aslam Gill of the ppp with a considerable margin.

Unofficial, preliminary results showed pMl-n’s shaista pervaiz Malik securing 46,811 votes while ppp’s aslam Gill was runner’s up by securing 32,313 votes. ruling pti fielded no candidate as the nomination papers of its two candidates had been rejected by the returning officer. the na-133 is considered a stronghold of the pMl-n and this constituency had fallen vacant after the death of pMln Mna pervaiz Malik who died of heart complications on october 11. with shaista’s win, the pMl-n has won the constituency for the fourth consecutive time. the polling started at 8am this morning and continued till 5pm without any break after which the gates to the polling stations were closed off to any more voters. polling stations saw a vote or two cast in the morning hours which increased to a few more by the afternoon. when time for polling to end began to draw close, voter participation improved slightly. according to the punjab election commission, there are 254 polling stations in the constituency, including 22

Fawad terms PTI Senator’s meeting with TLP chief as ‘absurd act’ Minister for information and broadcasting fawad chaudhry sunday took to task his own party lawmaker, pti senator ejaz ahmed chaudhry, for visiting and presenting flowers to tehreek-i-labbaik pakistan (tlp) chief saad Hussain rizvi following the latter’s release from jail in november terming the move as “absurd”. the tlp was linked to the gory incident by users on social media, but the group distanced itself from the lynching and condemned it. when asked about some government leaders embracing the tlp despite its violent protests in october leaving a number of policemen martyred in punjab, fawad singularly criticised ejaz. “i think the manner in which ejaz chaudhry sahab met the tlp leader was an absurd act. why didn’t he visit the homes of the policemen who were martyred?” senator ejaz had met tlp chief rizvi last month as a “gesture of goodwill” and to congratulate him on his release from jail. pictures of ejaz hugging and presenting a bouquet to rizvi were widely shared on social media.

polling stations of a category, 198 of b category and 34 polling stations of c category. of these, 199 polling stations were declared sensitive. around 200 separate polling stations have been set up for men and women and 54 mixed polling stations have also been set up. the total number of voters in the na133 constituency is 440,485, of which 233,585 are male voters and 206,927 female voters. there were 11 candidates contesting the polls, including the former seat holder’s widow, shaista pervaiz Malik, and ppp’s aslam Gill. the ppp actively campaigned for the na-133 by-election in lahore, which is considered a stronghold of the rival pMl-n, in the hopes of reviving the party in punjab. the pMl-n has retained the seat thrice in the past with pervaiz Malik winning it in 2018 with 89,699 votes, waheed alam khan in 2013 with over 100,000 votes and naseer bhutta in 2008 with a margin of over 32,000 votes. after the election commission of pakistan rejected the nomination papers of pti candidate Jamshed iqbal cheema and his covering candidate, his wife Mussarat cheema, no pti candidate is in the race, making the election a cakewalk for the pMl-n nominee.

more inside

Cabinet may approve appointment of new PPL MD in coming week STORY ON BACK PAGE

the meeting had come after the tlp and the federal government reached an agreement on october 31 after many rounds of talks and two weeks of clashes which left seven policemen and a number of tlp workers dead. the agreement was kept secret, but leaked information suggested consensus on removing the party from the list of banned organisations, rizvi’s release and setting tlp workers free that were held under various charges including anti-terrorism. commenting over sialkot lynching of a sri lankan national, Minister for information

and broadcasting fawad chaudhry has urged federal and provincial governments to work together to curb extremism in the country by jointly implementing the code of conduct given in the national action plan (nap) and review the action plan to fill gaps in its execution. the minister’s comments come during tV talk show on saturday amid countrywide outrage after a mob comprising hundreds of protesters, including the employees of the factory kumara was the manager of, tortured him to death on friday and later burnt his body. newS deSk

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imran to inaugurate Green line bus service on december 10: minister STORY ON BACK PAGE in today’s issue

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Monday, 6 December, 2021 | KARACHI

news

Missing pilot’s body recovered three days after his gyrocopter crashed in Balochistan NEwS DESk Instructor pilot Qazi Ajmal’s body has been found three days after his gyrocopter crashed in the Awaran area of Balochistan on Sunday. It is pertinent to note that Ajmal had flown from Karachi three days ago, but his small lightweight aircraft went missing when it entered Balochistan. The Lasbela district SP said that the pilot’s body and debris from the gyrocopter crash have been found in Kund Malir. He said the body was being shifted from Kund Malir to Hub. As per a Balochistan wildlife department official, Amanullah Sajdi, a small gyrocopter crashed into the mountains near Poldat in Awaran. He said that the pilot’s body was recovered from the mountains.

Cotton produCtion in punjaB inCreaSed By 40 pC during Current year, SayS gardezi LAHORE stAff RepoRt

Minister for Agriculture Punjab Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi has said that cotton production in Punjab has increased by 40 percent during the current financial year as compared to last year.

He said that Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has released cotton production data, according to which the country’s total production of Cotton has recorded an increase of 54.22 percent in the current season as compared to the previous season.

71,68,118 bales of cotton this year till December 01, whereas in the same period last year, 46,48,118 bales of cotton came to the factories.

He said that cotton in Punjab province has come in 36 lakh 79 thousand sixteen bales whereas last year 26 lakh 34 thousand 487 bales came in cotton factories.

Thus, the growth rate of Punjab province has recorded to increase in cotton production 39.65 percent during current year. Welcoming the increase in cotton production, Provincial Minister said that the farmers are happy with the increase in cotton production as compared to last three years.

The increase in cotton production was due to the farmer friendly policies of Government, the staff of the agriculture department and farmers burnt their midnight oil to get this increase in cotton production this year, he added.

nation will remember sacrifice of Maj Akram for country’s defence: minister ISLAMABAD App

Footballs exports surge 17pc to $50,148 in four months

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday “great sacrifice” of Major Muhammad Akram for the defence of the motherland will be remembered forever.

In a message on the 50th death anniversary of the soldier, the minister said the nation pays homage to the hero of the 1971 war and “proud son of Jhelum”.

He recalled Akram embraced martyrdom on December 5 while fighting against India during the 18days-long Battle of Hilli in then East Pakistan.

The battle began when Indian troops attacked forward positions of the Pakistan Army on the night

ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

Football exports during the first four months of the current fiscal year 2021-22 grew up by 17.22 percent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-Oct 2021, footballs worth US $50,148 were exported as compared to exports worth $42,780 during same period of last year. According to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the exports of sports Goods increased by 20.73 percent, worth of US$ 105,120 were exported as compared to the exports of US$ 87,070 of same period of last year.

Meanwhile, gloves exports also increased by 6.00 percent as the exports during current fiscal year recorded at worth US$ 24,552 as compared to the exports during the same period of last year which recorded US$ 23,163. During the period under review, Others exports increased by 43.99 per cent, worth US$ 30,420 exported in current fiscal year as compared to the exports of valuing US$ 21,127 of same period of last year.

railways runs steam engine tourism train to revive tourism RAwALPINDI App

Pakistan Railways (PR) has arranged a special steam engine tourism train for Rawalpindi, Attock and Nowshera to revive tourism activities as per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and attract foreign tourists. According to a PR spokesman, in line with the vision of the incumbent government, the Railways had made arrangements to revive tourism activities and running a special tourism train from Rawalpindi to Attock City and Nowshera to promote tourism. He informed that the tourism train operation started on Dec 3 to continue till Dec 10. This train started its journey from Attock Khurd to Nowshera, in which tour of different stations and information about them was being provided to the tourists. 35 tourists, photographers and lovers of steam engines from UK, USA, Spain, Germany, Australia and France were with the tourism train and capturing various fascinating sights, he added. According to the spokesman, PRs had also finalized foolproof security arrangements for the tourists. Talking to APP, Divisional Commercial Officer, Pakistan Railways, Rawalpindi Division Usman Anwar informed that on the directives of Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati best possible arrangements were finalized to facilitate the tourists. He said that the Safari Train was being operated under the supervision of Pakistan Railways Headquarters Office, Rawalpindi Division and Ministry of Railways. PR had provided chartered 1900 model steam locomotive hauled trains for a group of European steam train enthusiasts and photographers of international acclaim, he added. He expressed the hope that on success of the tourism train, several other tourists and European steam engine lovers would visit Pakistan in the near future which would help revive tourism in Pakistan and the tourism activity would play an important role to create soft image of the country across the world.

between November 22 and 23 at 0130 hours with an aim to control the town of Bogura in Rajshahi, thereby cutting off Pakistan’s forces in the north from the rest of East Pakistan. Akram, who had gone deep inside the enemy territory to hunt for tanks, fell in the battle and was awarded Nishan-i-Haider.

During the war, Akram fought against the rival with determination and courage in spite of all sorts of difficulties, Chaudhry said.

Akram was the epitome of patriotism, intellect and human courage, he added.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the “hero of Battle of Hilli […] will always be remembered for his resolve and courage against all odds”.

14-storey cruise to be dismantled due to lack of parking space kARACHI news Desk

A magnificent 14-storey cruise ship is set to end its nearly three-decade-long journey at Gadani shipbreaking yard as, according to the owner, the country has no space to park the cruise ship.

Ahmedullah Khan, the buyer of the vessel, had requested the government to allow turning the ship into a hotel by docking it off the Karachi coast or use it for travel and tourism, saying that it is in “workable condition” for the next 10-15 years. But the authorities turned down the idea due to the size of the vessel.

Special Assistant to the PM on Maritime Affairs Mahmood Moulvi said that the cruise ship, which is bought by a Gadani buyer, has come for beaching.

He said that it will be beached as per the conditions of the contract, ruling out the possibility of using the cruise for a ferry services in the country. He said the condition of shipping lines in Europe is not good and they are doing away with ships.

Ahmadullah Khan, talking to a private television channel, said that he made efforts for the ship to provide recreation as he planned to turn it into a hotel or cruise to

promote tourism. Originally, he purchased the ship to be dismantled in Pakistan, however, when he saw the ship in perfect shape, he changed his mind and thought of turning it into a tourist attraction.

However, he said, he contacted the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) and other authorities, but no place could be allocated for the cruise ship in the largest port of the country.

Khan said the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) chairman had assured him of cooperation. However, he later learnt that the ship cannot be parked in the post owing to shortage of space. He said that it will take at least 10 months to dismantle the whole ship and more than 500 workers will be directly involved in the process. He added that it is the largest cruise ever to arrive for scrapping in Pakistan. The dismantling of the cruise liner is expected to start next week.

Built for Italy’s biggest tour operator Costa Cruises in the early 1990s, the ship, weighing 56,800 gross tons, has 14 floors, 1,411 rooms, a seven-star hotel, shopping areas, gaming zones and three conference halls. It is going to be scrapped due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the shipping sector. The ship was sold at $610 per LDT (Light Displacement Tonnage).

Bitcoin surges to $49,105 after Saturday bloodbath ISLAMABAD Agencies

The cryptocurrency market recouped some of the Saturday’s losses on Sunday, with the market capitalisation gaining 5.2 percent to reach $2.44 trillion as of 1310 hours GMT. A day earlier, a massive decrease in the value of the two leading digital assets reflected a broader plunge in the crypto markets, with some cryptocurrencies dropping by 20 percent over the past 24 hours. However, the recovery was seen in the market on Sunday. The largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin price edged up by 3.57 percent to reach $49,105. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of the biggest cryptocurrency has reached 927.5 trillion.

Bitcoin, saw a sharp decline of nearly $15,000 to as low as $42,000 before bouncing back to $45,000 on Saturday, extending the latest downtrend amid the emergence of the omicron Covid-19 strain. Ether, the world’s secondlargest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, gained 5.27 percent to reach $4,173. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of ETH has reached $490 billion. Ether declined by about 14% to $3,942 a day earlier. Similarly, XRP price went up by 3.15 percent to reach $0.806. The market capitalisation of XRP stands at $80.6 billion after this increase. However, Cardano (ADA) price dipped by 1.12 percent to reach $1.36. Its market capitalisation has reached $44.6 billion with this decrease. On the other hand, Dogecoin (DOGE) price gained 3.41 percent to reach $0.173. With this decrease in price, the market capitalisation of DOGE has reached $22.8 billion. The crypto prices surged on Sunday as India falls short of banning cryptocurrencies.

India wants to regulate the cryptocurrencies rather than ban them outright, according to a media report. Last month, New Delhi sent the domestic digital market plummeting as it announced plans to ban private virtual currencies. It was reported in November that the Indian government was mulling over a bill that proposed creating an official digital coin and banning all private cryptocurrencies in the country. Last week, however, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the bill was being reviewed and changed in order to respond to rapid changes in the industry. The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill reportedly seeks to protect small investors by treating cryptocurrency as a financial asset.

Monday, 6 December, 2021 | KARACHI

FAwAD sHowers rAre PrAIse oN AHsAN IqbAl, MustAFA KoHKHAr For CAllING out MAulANA FAzl ISLAMABAD

I

MiAn AbRAR

N a rare gesture of support for the opposition, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry showered praises on Ahsan Iqbal of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for calling out JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sialkot lynching incident.

Fawad said that whatever happened to the Sri Lankan national was a matter of shame for the nation, adding that the prime minister, as well as the citizens of Pakistan, have condemned extremism.

“The way everyone condemned the incident is commendable,” said Fawad, adding that he hoped the 220 million people of Pakistan, who hold moderate views, would come forward and condemn the incident.

SuCH InCIdentS wIll ContInue If StAte doeSn’t tAKe ACtIon AgAInSt blASpHemeRS: fAzl It was JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman who took to social media site, Twitter, to criticise the federal government on the lynching of Sri Lankan citizen.

Following the Sialkot incident, where a Sri Lankan national was lynched and his body was burned later by

an angry mob because of “blasphemy” allegations, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said that while the incident was reprehensible and shameful, such incidents would continue if the state doesn’t take action against blasphemers.

“The incident in Sialkot is reprehensible and shameful. There should be a comprehensive investigation. However, if the state does not take action against those accused of blasphemy, then such incidents will continue to happen,” Fazl had said in a Twitter statement.

He went on to say that in the past, there had been a similar backlash against “government-sponsored fugitives accused of blasphemy.”

“Under the guise of such incidents, the international establishment conspires against the religious class and tries to make the Islamic provisions of the Constitution controversial,” he said.

“A comprehensive investigation should be carried out to find out who the people behind this are and what nefarious purposes they hold.”

Ahsan Iqbal, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar call Fazl out on statement Senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal and PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar took to Twitter and called Fazl out on his statement.

“With due respect, Maulana Sahib, such incidents should be unconditionally condemned as Islam does not allow such fanaticism and illegal killings by mobs in any case,” said Ahsan Iqbal. “The nation expects religious scholars to guide them in such matters.”

Akin to that, Khokhar wrote that when it comes to condemning such incidents, there should be no ifs and buts. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman Sahib is a respectable figure but, on this occasion, he should have condemned the Sialkot tragedy by taking a stand in blunt and clear words instead of using ifs and buts,” he wrote.

Government to reopen historic Lahore temple

LAHORE AnAdolu Agency

The government has announced to reopen the famous Jain Temple after its reconstruction and renovation.

The temple stood tall in all its glory and grandeur at a famous junction in Lahore named the Jain Mandir intersection.

After the demolition of the Babri Mosque on December 6, 1992, in India, a mob two days later attacked the temple and damaged the building.

More than 150,000 people were present at the

temple in Ayodhya to listen to leaders of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), a radical political party in power since 2014, according to local media.

After speeches, the crowd stormed the Babri mosque which was built in the 15th century. The huge building was destroyed in a matter of hours.

Riots broke out in India afterwards with 23 mosques destroyed and almost 2,000 people killed.

Almost 30 Hindu temples in Pakistan were damaged by mobs and spotted on roads were crowds protesting the destruction of the Babri mosque.

Now, after nearly 30 years, the Supreme Court has

given an order authored by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed that an official has been directed to examine the site of the Jain and Neela Gumbad (Blue Tomb) temples and take steps for their restoration and rehabilitation.

The order said that the work should be done without delay and a preliminary report should be filed within one month.

Ramesh Kumar Vankwanil, National Assembly member, who is also a member of a commission of the Supreme Court regarding minority rights, told Anadolu Agency: “I have visited the site on December 2 and also appeared in the court regarding this.”

“Pakistan is following its own Constitution in which all religions have the right to practice their faith.

I am feeling proud that we are setting examples for others,” he said.

India gave its decision in the Babri mosque case on November 9, 2019, in favour of Hindu parties and said “disputed land” will be given to Hindus and Muslims will get five acres separately elsewhere in Ayodhya.

In September 2020, all 32 defendants were acquitted in the Babri Mosque demolition case, which also included former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.

“We can never forget what happened in India in 1992, the response in Pakistan was also very angry but we cannot form an opinion on just one incident,” said Chairman for the Hindu Welfare Council Pakistan, Dr Munawar Chand.

“Our Muslim brothers have always stood by us. We wish we can have the Jain community again here in large number but this step of reconstruction of the Jain temple has given us immense happiness.”

Meanwhile, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has started work at the temple. Chairman Aamer Ahmed directed officials to present the estimation of the project and duration as soon as possible. “We are almost done with the estimation and all the paperwork has almost been done. From next week the machinery will be on-site and the work will start in phases,” according to an official on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to media.

“In the first phase, the dome which is lying on the ground will be picked up with the cranes and then we will move toward the construction of the mandir (temple).”

NEWS

Govt to unveil National AI Policy ‘very soon’: Amin ul Haq KARACHI: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haque has said the National Artificial Intelligence Policy will be introduced by the government soon. He expressed these views while addressing Block Chain Conference in Karachi on Sunday.

Amin-ul-Haque said that the Cyber security is the first important pillar of digital policy 2021 of IT Ministry, and Digital transformation of Pakistan corresponds with Cyber Security. The Ministry of Information Technology is taking landmark steps to make the country digital, he added. The Minister said the Federal Cabinet has already been made paperless by shifting work to tablets and android cell phones, while the governance of Parliament will also be made paperless very soon. Syed Amin-ul-Haque said Ministry of Information Technology is committed to equip the 60 percent young population of Pakistan with IT expertise by providing 3G and 4G services especially in the remotest areas of Pakistan. stAff RepoRt

Jhang Assistant Commissioner shot dead by relatives in hometown Jhang Assistant Commissioner Imran Jaffer was gunned down by his relatives in his hometown of Bara Langrana on Sunday. Chiniot district police officer’s (DPO) spokesperson revealed that Jaffer, on his visit to his house in his hometown got engaged in a fight with his cousins (sons of his paternal uncle). As the fight intensified, it resulted in the cousins opening fire at Jaffer which killed him on the spot. It has been further revealed by the DPO that an investigation has been launched into the matter, while the body has been shifted to THQ Hospital Bhawana for medico-legal formalities. The Punjab inspector general of police sought a report from Faisalabad regional police officer.

He further directed the Chiniot DPO to reach the place of the incident immediately and arrest the suspects to further the legal action. news desk

PDM steering committee favors long march, resignations of govt The steering committee of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) prepared recommendations in favour of the long march and resignations from assemblies to protest against the current government and rising inflation on Sunday. As per reports, the meeting agreed to hold conventions and protest rallies in all four provinces across the country before the long march. The meeting was chaired

by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The recommendations of the steering committee will be presented tomorrow (Monday) at the PDM summit, which will be chaired by the movement’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. It is to note that the time and dates for the march and resignations are to be decided at the upcoming PDM summit. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that the PDM would decide the details regarding the long march in the December 6 meeting, rejecting the notion of a rift between opposition parties. While addressing a news conference, Sharif stated that “The claims of the PTI government that it is governing in an honest and transparent manner is the biggest lie in the country’s history” He further cited that soaring inflation and unemployment are two major issues which is harmful for Pakistan.

Crude oil prices fall 2.77pc for fourth week in a row ISLAMABAD Agencies

Crude oil prices for two major benchmarks went down up to 2.77 percent for the fourth consecutive week after rallying for seven straight weeks in the international market.

According to details, Brent, the international benchmark for two-thirds of the world’s oil, shed 2.38 percent during the week to reach $69.88 from $71.59 a barrel.

Similarly, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reached $66.26 from $68.15, down by 2.77 percent during the week.

During the week, the price for Opec Basket decreased to $70.03 from $76.09 with a 7.96 percent decrease, Arab Light price decreased 10.92 percent from $82.94 to $80.38 a barrel, while the price of Russian Sokol went down by 11.29 percent to reach $72.10 from $81.28.

Global crude oil started the week on a positive note and recouped some of previous week’s losses on Monday by surging over 6 percent. However, crude prices fell over 3 percent on Tuesday amid concerns over omicron coronavirus variant and its impact on oil demand.

Crude oil prices surged around 4 percent on Wednesday ahead of the OPEC+ meeting on expectation of suspension of proposed output increases on the back of the omicron coronavirus variant. Similarly, the oil prices surged over one percent on Thursday.

On Friday, oil prices surged around three percent after OPEC+ hinted at supply cuts if Omicron disrupts demand during the intraday trading. However, they lost all gains and settled lower. Crude oil futures posted sharp losses as the World Health Organisation said the new omicron variant poses a high global risk, and a major pharmaceuticals company

03

said currently available Covid-19 vaccines are less effective against it. Oil prices posted losses once again and almost completely eliminated the partial gains of the previous day, bringing current levels close to the November 26 close.

The main trigger for the more bearish sentiment was comments made by Moderna’s chief regarding current vaccines’ efficacy being limited against the omicron variant, adding that development and production of a more effective version could take months.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and key allies,

known as Opec+, on Thursday decided to stick with plans to increase supply in January by 0.4 million barrels per day despite a recent plunge in prices driven by fears of a new glut. The Opec+ said it would continue to take stock of the pandemic, monitor the oil market closely, and stand ready to make “immediate adjustments if required.”

It has scheduled its next meeting for January 4. The meeting reaffirmed the continued commitment of the participating countries in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) to ensure a stable and balanced oil market. Analysts had been expecting OPEC+ to pause an output increase of 400,000 barrels per day scheduled for January given the recent price fall and uncertainty over the trajectory of the pandemic and its impact on oil demand.

04 NEWS 6th December 2021_Layout 1 12/6/2021 1:01 AM Page 1

Monday, 6 December, 2021 | KARACHI

04 NEWS

‘US exit frOM AfghAniStAn CreAteS SPACe fOr PAKiStAn-tUrKey leAderShiP in regiOn’ ISTANBUL

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ANADolu AgeNcy

HE exit of the US from Afghanistan has created space for the leadership role of Pakistan and Turkey in the region, a scholar on security and policymaking said.

Such a role, however, would require intellectual exercise, said Rabia Akhtar, a professor of Security Studies at the University of Lahore. “The major question everybody is asking is where is our region heading to,” Akhtar told Anadolu Agency in an interview in the Turkish metropolis, Istanbul, where she is busy collaborating with academia and think tanks on joint policymaking and research.

The US’ longest war ended in Afghanistan in August when all the foreign coalition forces exited the country after 20 years. The war-torn country is struggling with a weak economy, and a looming humanitarian crisis as the Taliban vow to secure the country from terrorism.

“For 20 years, we’ve had the US in the region as an extra-regional force, but with

the boots on the ground. And now that they have left there is a political vacuum … There are geopolitical dynamics,” said Akhtar, who leads the Center for Security Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR) at the campus.

“Pakistan is right at the heart of it. And it is not only Pakistan, but it is also Iran, it is Turkey, it is Central Asian countries,” she added. She said the immediate neighbours of Afghanistan need to sit together “and make connections and look inwards, do some introspection, and see whether we can stabilize this region to our own advantage and benefit.”

Akhtar, an alumna of the US Kansas State University, said academic platforms are “probably the best” to do the policymaking on such issues “because they bring together scholars, experts, practitioners from a wide variety of areas, and expertise for a very rich discussion.”

During her current professional tour of Turkey, Akhtar signed university-level agreements with the Bahcesehir and Istanbul Aydin universities, besides the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), Center for Diplomatic Affairs and

British footballer Michael Owen to create ‘soccer city’ in Pakistan, joins PM’s Kamyab Jawan programme

Former English footballer Michael Owen has teamed up with PM Imran Khan’s Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive on Sunday. It is pertinent to note that Owen has played the English national team as well as football clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid and Liverpool stated that the drive will groom talented youth by creating a “soccer city” in Pakistan. Owen in a video message stated that 68% of the country’s population is under 30 years of age and that he was ready to play a role to bring the Pakistani youth from “local to a global” level. “We are searching for great football talent through the Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive,” the footballer maintained, adding that national trials will be launched to find new talent. “The Pakistan Sports Drive is a great idea from PM Imran and Usman Dar,” he stated. Soon after the announcement, PM Imran Khan congratulated Owen on becoming an ambassador for the Kamyab Jawan Drive, stating that this was an excellent opportunity to find talent in Pakistan. PM Imran maintained that young people need to be provided with opportunities for positive activities, such as, sports. “A comprehensive plan, with complete planning, is being launched for the youth,” the premier said, adding that the future course of action will be delineated in his next speech to the youth. Special Adviser to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Usman Dar stated that Michael Owen’s participation is an encouraging news for Pakistani talent. “Pakistan will be bought to an international level in the sphere of sports,” he said, adding that international coaching will help hone local talent. It merits mention that PM Imran will inaugurate the drive at Jinnah Stadium Sports Complex. It is pertinent to note that the government is launching its Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive in Islamabad tomorrow (Monday), to revive the sports culture in the country. The SAPM further claimed that this will be the biggest sports programme in the country’s history, and will enable active participation of the youth in healthy physical activities. He said under its first phase, 12 different games for males and 10 for females will be arranged across 25 regions under the talent hunt programme, while adding that the age bracket for both will be 1125 years. News Desk

Political Studies (DIPAM), and Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies (ANKASAM). “It is to do some geopolitical thinking, some geostrategic calculations based on how these regional connections work if they are strengthened, and how can they bring us together, regionally,” Akhtar said, referring to academic collaborations between Turkey and Pakistan.

The professor said the collaborations with her Turkish counterparts in joint policy papers “will benefit both the Turkish and Pakistani governments.”

‘SHIft In PAkIStAn’S forEIgn PoLIcy’: Academic said Pakistan needs to look beyond the US. “People in Pakistan have been too busy looking towards the US. We have always been wondering what are the US think tanks thinking about South Asia,” she said.

Akhtar said people in Pakistan have for years “been worried about dealing with ad hocism … that is associated with Pakistan, the unpredictability that generates from within Pakistan and its policies, and regional challenges.” “But this time, in the past cou-

ple of years, you’ve seen a very strategic shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy towards economic security,” she said.

Whether Pakistan has the potential to be a regional hub will depend on it making a “geo-economic shift in its foreign policy.”

“For that to realize, Pakistan needs to stop looking at the US. That dependency needs to be broken,” she asserted.

“After 20 years, we have found this gap.

And if we don’t utilize this to forge partnerships with our Central Asian neighbours, reach out to Iran, reach out to Turkey, work with China, work with Russia … we are so strategically placed, but we just don’t ever use that to our advantage,” Akhtar said.

She said it was the responsibility of Pakistani academia and the think tank community to “think bigger, get out of the US mold, get out of what India is going to think, get out of what Europe is going to say, and look at what your immediate neighbourhood can deliver for your economic security because this is where everything is going to happen.

It’s not going to happen across the Atlantic.”

‘PAkIStAn’S AdvAntAgES’: Akhtar

5th phase of Khalistan referendum held in London LONDON APP

The fifth phase of the referendum for an independent Sikh homeland was held in the United Kingdom on Saturday, December 5.

Sikhs massively participated in the referendum like earlier four phases.

Khalistan referendum voting kick-started in London on October 31, 2021 and over 30,000 Sikhs took part in the phase of the Khalistan referendum.

Second phase of Khalistan referendum was held in Southhall & Gravesend in the UK on November 7 2021, more than 10,000 British Sikhs took part in second phase of referendum. Third phase of the Khalistan referendum was held in Birmingham and Barking in the UK on November 14 2021 while fourth phase of the Khalistan referendum was held in UK cities of Leicester, Coventry and Derby on November 21, 2021.

Huge participation of Sikhs in a referendum for their homeland has unnerved India, India tried hard to stop the Sikh referendum exercise in the UK. India’s false propaganda against Sikhs failed to prevent Khalistan referendum. UK allowed Sikh referendum despite Indian diplomatic efforts. Khalistan referendum has sent a strong message to Indian establishment to end discrimination against Sikhs and India should be prepared to

give Sikhs their birthright of freedom.

Sikh referendum will also be held in future in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Indian region of Punjab.

Voting in Geneva will be held on 10th December 2021 and result of Khalistan referendum will be declared by the Punjab Referendum Commission after the final phase of voting will be held in next six months.

Findings of Khalistan referendum would be shared with United Nations and international bodies to create wider consensus. Khalistan referendum was in complete consonance with the UN Charter, separate Sikh homeland in the name of Khalistan was the dream of every Sikh.

Sikhs For Justice had released a map of their vision of what Khalistan would entail, the map shows not just Punjab but Haryana and Himachal Pradesh as part of Khalistan. Sikhs had been facing organized persecution and continuous exploitation at the hands of successive Indian governments and Khalistan movement gained momentum in the aftermath of ethnic cleansing of Sikh community in India. Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gave his life fighting Indian imperialism in 1984. Sikhs were committed to tread the path shown by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. Separate homeland for Sikhs in the name of Khalistan was writing on the wall. The world community must break its silence on the oppression of Sikhs in India. Sikhs’ fight against India was actually a war against Hindutva hegemony.

Two students, teacher killed, over 25 injured in road accident near Jhelum JHELUM: At least two students and a teacher were killed, and over 25 were injured after a vehicle fell from a bridge onto a railways track in Dina, Jhelum, on Sunday. The vehicle was taking a school trip from Lahore to Murree when it met with an accident on GT Road near Jhelum. As soon as the report of the accident reached the rescue authorities, they rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to the hospital.

Hospital officials said that the condition of four people was critical. One of the passengers told the media

that the driver tried to overtake a vehicle but lost control, resulting in the vehicle falling from the bridge onto a railways track. In a statement, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry expressed grief over the loss of human lives in the tragic accident.

The minister prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and give courage to the bereaved families to bear this loss with fortitude.

The minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. APP

said Pakistan’s advantage is its young population. “There are opportunities in the realm of trade, Pakistan’s young population, and its strategic location, and that will be critical,” she said on regional collaborations.

“While Pakistan offers avenues in multiple industries, including energy, infrastructure, there is a greater potential to expand trade in agriculture and construction sectors,” Akhtar said, referring to bilateral trade with Turkey.

She said Turkey could help Pakistan deal with its food shortages by exporting the machinery that “is critical to enhancing agricultural production.”

Regarding the $900 million bilateral trade volume between the two countries, she said the two countries need to “develop a better and deeper understanding about trade potential and then go to address it.”

“Regardless of how many MoUs you sign, if the two countries are not on the same wavelength to implement and translate them into reality, then some work is lost. But that should not deter experts, and scholars from looking at the region,” she said.

Morikawa shoots 64 to grab lead at World Challenge MIAMI: Collin Morikawa, seeking a victory to become world number one, fired an eight-under par 64 to seize a five-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the Hero World Challenge. The 24-year-old American made six birdies and an eagle chip-in to stand on 18-under 198 after 54 holes in the 20-man invitational hosted by Tiger Woods at the Albany resort in the Bahamas. Fourtime major winner Brooks Koepka, ranked 16th, shot 69 to stand second on 203 and join the reigning British Open champion in Sunday’s last pairing. A third-place pack on 204 included Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Americans Patrick Reed, Daniel Berger, Sam Burns and Tony Finau with Scottie Scheffler on 205 and fellow American Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open winner, on 206. Morikawa, who also won a major title at the 2020 PGA Championship, captured last month’s DP World Tour Championship, becoming the first American to win the Race to Dubai. Second-ranked Morikawa, who got engaged earlier in the week, can overtake Spain’s Jon Rahm to reach the top of the rankings for the first time if he remains on top for another 18 holes. Morikawa chipped in for eagle at the par-5 third and birdied the fourth but missed a four-foot birdie putt at the par-4 seventh.

He escaped a bunkered tee shot to birdie the par-5 ninth and grab the lead alone at the turn at 14-under. Morikawa rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-4 10th and followed with a four-foot birdie putt at the par-5 11th for a three-stroke lead at 16under. Morikawa added birdies at the 14th and par-5 15th — giving him three birdies and an eagle on the par-5s Saturday. At 18, Morikawa blasted out of a greenside bunker to three feet and saved par to cap only the fourth bogey-free round of the week. Burns was four adrift before a closing double bogey while Finau and Berger were five back before making bogeys at 18. AFP

Religious scholars urge CJP for speedy trail of Sialkot incident ISLAMABAD AgeNcies

A joint meeting of the leadership of all the religions and religious schools of thought of Pakistan Sunday appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to make speedy trial of Sialkot incident and bring to justice all the culprits.

The meeting held here with Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, Special Aide to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East in the chair.

Central leadership of all religions of Pakistan including Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and all Muslim schools of thought termed the Sialkot tragic incident as barbaric, fatal and brutal.

The religious leadership expressing solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka also apologized on brutal murder of Sri Lankan National factory manager who was

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lynched to death in tragic Sialkot incident.

The religious leadership also stated unanimously that Sialkot tragic incident will be strongly condemned in all mosques across the country in Friday congregations and in all Churches and places of worship on Sunday. Central leaders of all the religions of Pakistan including Muslims, Christians, Hindu, Sikh religions and all Muslim schools of thought termed the Sialkot tragic incident as barbaric and brutal and condemned it vehemently expressing solidarity with the victim's family and the people of Sri Lanka.

The lynching of the Sri Lankan National factory manager was not religious but of an administrative nature as the slain factory manager used to ask the factory workers to do work with honesty and diligence.

The religious leadership also announced that on Friday, 'Condemnation Day' will be observed across the country against tragic incident of Sialkot and public will be given awareness on blasphemy laws.

Pakistan Ulema Council and Interfaith Harmony Councils also announced to give shields and acclaimation certificates to the two encouraging young men who did their best to rescue the Sri Lankan manager from mob The religious leadership said that blasphemy law is not being misused. If anyone does so, action will be taken against him according to law.

The joint meeting of religious leadership was attended by Christian leaders Father James Channan, Dr. Majeed Abel, Khateeb of Datadarbar Mosque Muhammad Ramzan Sialvi, Muhammad Ali Naqshbandi, Maulana Abdul Wahab Rupari, Sikh leader Dr. Sikandar Singh, Hindu leader Bhagat Lal Khokhar, Pir Allama Zubair Abid, Hafiz Noman, Naeem Badshah, Mahmood. Ghaznavi, Emanul Khokhar, Hafiz Abdul Wahab Rupari, Hafiz Kazim Raza, Abdul Ghaffar Farooqi, Maulana Fazal Din, Maulana Aslam Qadri, Qari Mubashir Rahimi and others were also present on this occasion.

Monday, 6 December, 2021 | karachi

SiaLkOt LyNChiNg: gOvt urged tO take aCtiON agaiNSt CuLPritS

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HE National Council for Interfaith Peace & Harmony (NCIPH) on Sunday urged the government to investigate the Sialkot lynching and take stern action against all those responsible for the incident.

On Friday, the incident had taken place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot, where reportedly the workers of private factories had attacked Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadanage, who was working as manager of a factory, over blasphemy allegations and burnt his body after killing him.

In a meeting in Lahore on Sunday, NCIPH leaders

Javaid William, Mufti Syed Ashiq Hussain, Allama Shakeel Nasir, Dr Ruhiyeh Muffedi, Hafiz Zubair Ahmad, Prof Masood Ahmad, Prof Kalyan Singh, and other participants condemned the incident and urged that all those involved in the killing must be brought to justice.

They also urged the government to take measures to stop misuse of laws.

During the meeting, they discussed in detail the incident and the government’s action. “There is no room for violence and extremism in Islam,” they said and urged citizens to remember message of peace and peaceful coexistence, acceptance and social harmony in daily life.

They said that taking law into one’s hands on the basis of mere accusation is contrary to true religious teachings, adding that the incident was very unfortunate and an insult to human dignity.

“There must not be any mistake and all those responsible must be punished with the full severity of the law.

On the other hand, the members of Youth National Council for Interfaith Peace & Harmony gathered at the Liberty roundabout to protest against the incident. Holding placards, the participants chanted slogans to condemn the incident. News desk

Fawad terms PTI Senator’s meeting with TLP chief as ‘absurd act’ contInueD froM pAge 01

NCOC daily update: 372 new cases, 6 deaths from Covid-19 ISLAMABAD staff report

Pakistan on Saturday confirmed 372 new Covid-19 cases and six more deaths, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Sunday.

The NCOC, a department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said the country had confirmed overall 1,286,825 cases so far, including 1,245,606 recoveries.

The country has 12,452 active cases including 854 in critical condition.

The pandemic killed six people on Saturday, increasing the overall death toll to 28,767.

Sindh is the most affected province of the country in terms of the number of cases with 476,674 infections followed by Punjab which has reported 443,453 infections.

Fawad acknowledged that extremism was quite “complex” issue and need a joint response.

Apparently criticising his own government’s handling of the crisis that emerged from the violent TLP protests, Fawad said “when the state does not own its martyred [security personnel], who will stand with it tomorrow?” Speaking about the Sialkot lynching, the minister said the issue of extremism had to be tackled by all stakeholders and emphasised that the country’s education system — especially for grades 6 to 13 — needed to

undergo a review. He also attributed the failure in tackling the problem to widespread divisions among political parties.

He recalled that political decisions to curb extremism had already been taken in the form of the National Action Plan, saying until the state reclaimed its right to use power from private individuals, “we will not be able to come out of the quagmire that we are sinking into”.

Referring to the shrinking space for discussion in the country, Fawad regretted that scholars who used to speak against extremism had been martyred or forced to flee Pakistan.

“So who will give the opposing nar-

rative when the government cannot enforce the right of life?” he argued.

Asked whether Kumara’s ghastly murder would be the “turning point” in Pakistan’s fight against extremism, the information minister said the problem would not end by simply hanging or imprisoning the culprits involved in the lynching.

“The problem is bigger than that.

The problem is that you are producing rabid dogs such as these on a daily basis. How will you stop that?” he said, adding that the state will have to “put locks on the tongues and enforce the law on the people who are the reason behind these issues”.

Two students, teacher killed, over 25 injured in road accident near Jhelum At least two students and a teacher were killed, and over 25 were injured after a vehicle fell from a bridge onto a railways track in Dina, Jhelum, on Sunday.

The vehicle was taking a school trip from Lahore to Murree when it met with an accident on GT Road near Jhelum. As soon as the report of the accident reached the rescue authorities, they rushed to the scene and shifted the injured

to the hospital.

Hospital officials said that the condition of four people was critical.

One of the passengers told the media that the driver tried to overtake a vehicle but lost control, resulting in the vehicle falling from the bridge onto a railways track.

In a statement, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry expressed grief over the loss of human lives in the

tragic accident.

The minister prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and give courage to the bereaved families to bear this loss with fortitude.

The minister also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Last month, at least three schoolgoing children died as a result of a collision between a school bus and a train on the outskirts of Lahore.

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124 suspects of grisly murder of Sri Lankan arrested so far contInueD froM pAge 01 Mob also planned to kill owner, set factory ablaze: The police investigation into the grisly lynching of Sri Lankan national in Sialkot has revealed that the violent mob had also planned to set factory on fire and attempted to murder its owner. A media report quoting the police on Sunday stated that the violent mob had several bottles of petrol and they were planning to set factory on fire after torturing the foreign national to death. The mob also attempted to kill the factory owner who was being tortured when police reached the factory and was rescued from the clutches of the attackers. The mob after killing Kumar damaged his car too and also threatened to throw petrol bombs at police personnel but a heavy contingent foiled their plan. CM Buzdar, Police Chief Monitoring probe: The statement further said the process of identifying those who instigated the violence is currently underway.

“Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and IG [Inspect General of Police] Rao Sardar Ali Khan are personally monitoring the investigation process,” the statement said. Khan said investigators were examining footage from some 160 closed-circuit television cameras to ascertain the role of potential suspects and 10 teams were conducting raids to net more suspects. In a separate statement, Buzdar said the investigation was being taken forward in a scientific manner.

He also directed the prosecution secretary to follow the probe. In a related development, 13 of the main suspects were produced in a criminal court and subsequently remanded in police custody for one day. The accused will be produced before an anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala tomorrow (Monday).

FO trashes report about funds shortage at Pakistan Mission The Foreign Office spokesperson, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, on Sunday termed reports that Pakistan Missions abroad faced financial difficulties as “entirely baseless, irresponsible and malafide”.

In a statement issued in response to media queries, the spokesperson said: “This deliberate disinformation attempt is outrightly rejected.”

“All Pakistan Missions continue to be provided the requisite resources for effective functioning in accordance with relevant financial and budgetary rules and regulations,” the statement added.

A day earlier, a media report alleged that the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington had run out of funds to pay salaries for at least four months to some of its employees, though the Pakistani ambassador’s active engagement saved the day. staff report

Pakistan’s prized palla fish is near extinction JAMSHoro aNadolu ageNcy

It was not long ago that fishermen would catch tons of palla — one of the most delicious aquatic delights of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province — every day from the mighty Indus River.

The fish, a migratory species, which would enter the Indus River in large groups for breeding from the Arabian Sea, were so plentiful that the fishermen had even sold them to the locals for free.

On the weekends, thousands of picnickers from Karachi would travel to the nearby districts of Hyderabad, Jamshoro, and Thatta to enjoy the distinctive taste of palla at scores of roadside restaurants and along the banks of the Indus River.

The eateries are still open, but not their prime delight, which is rapidly dwindling mainly due to a gradual decline of water levels in the Indus River. The catching of young and small fish through hundreds of destructive nets erected by local influential at different points throughout the Indus Delta has exacerbated the situation.

According to Wazir Ali Baloch, the dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, the steady shortage of water in the Indus River has reduced the travel passage for palla, making its catch much easier in creeks.

The fish migrate from the sea to the Indus River to breed, stay for two to three months, and then return to the sea to re-enter the river the following year.

“Until a few decades ago, the abundant

water would fill the entire creeks of the Indus Delta, making illegal or legal hunting of palla fish difficult and enabling them to return to the sea in large numbers every year,” Baloch said, adding: “But this whole cycle has been disturbed due to shortage of fresh water coupled with illegal hunting of the fish.

“Palla is now restricted to a few branches of the Indus Delta (due to shortage of water), which has not only reduced its number to a huge extent but also made its hunting easier through nets.”

Only a small number of palla manage to escape the nets and breed up to the Kotri barrage, a breeding ground of about 285 kilometres (177 miles). But Baloch added that “very few” fish manage to return to the sea after breeding.

Echoing Baloch’s view, Ameer Jat, the head of the Coastal Community Development Organisation, a non-governmental group that works for the welfare of the fishermen, said palla cannot proceed into the Indus River in large numbers due to the erection of banned nets on the mouths of creeks.

“Each fisherman would catch palla in several hundred every day during the season (June to August) until the early 1990s. But, nowadays, this number is not more than five to 10 per day,” Jat told Anadolu Agency. rehabilitation and recovery: The Indus Delta, which sprawls from downstream Kotri to the Kharochan town, located at the mouth of the Arabian Sea, is the rallying spot of palla, which, unlike most fish, swim in a straight line against the river’s strong currents.

Catching palla is not every fisherman’s forte, Jat explains and adds that it requires expertise and specially designed nets.

Whether, it is spicy palla biryani, or steamed or fried, the taste and aroma are irresistible.

Apart from Pakistan, different kinds of palla are also found in Iran, Bangladesh, India, and Iraq, but they all differ in taste.

According to Baloch, palla can be found in the Indus River near Sukkur, some 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Karachi, during extreme floods. Whereas, before partition (of India in 1947), the species could be caught near Multan, nearly 900 km (around 560 miles) from Karachi, he added.

“But those were the days when the rivers were free,” he said, referring to the construc-

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tion of several canals and dams on the Indus River, which has seen perpetual water-sharing disputes between the provinces over the past 70 years.

“There is an urgent need to rehabilitate and recover the Indus River, not only to save fish but also to contain the rising sea erosion,” Baloch went on to argue.

He suggested that about 10 million acrefeet of water be made available downstream, as well as other steps that he believes must be taken immediately.

Any type of fishing should be prohibited in estuarine areas to stop palla catch before it breeds, in addition to ensuring passage for migratory fish and constructing fish ladders to cross the barrier/barrage, he added.

According to the 1991 water accord, 5

million acre-feet of water is required to fall into the Arabian Sea through downstream Kotri, Sindh, annually to maintain the ecosystem. different kind of palla: The Sindh government, for its part, has prohibited palla fishing in June and July, however, according to Jat, the ban is not being implemented in spirit.

Restaurants lined on either side of the national highway near Hyderabad, located some 170 kilometers (106 miles) from Karachi, still offer palla to their eager customers.

However, according to Jat, it is a “different” palla.

“This is a non-migratory kind of palla, found off the coasts of Pakistan and Iran.

The two have no match in terms of taste,” he insisted.

Some eateries also offer Bangladeshi and Indian palla.

“Gone are the days when we used to have roaring businesses. Hundreds of people would throng to my restaurant to have a taste of palla,” Mohammad Ali, a restaurant owner, said.

“On weekends, we would run out of space (for customers).”

He told Anadolu Agency that local fishermen now catch between 50 and 100 palla each day, compared to several tons two decades ago.

“The biggest (single) palla, you can find these days is not more than one kilogram (2.2 pounds), whereas it was four to five kilograms (eight to 11 pounds) in the early 1990s,” he said.

06-07 Comments - 6th December 2021_Layout 1 12/5/2021 11:29 PM Page 1

Monday, 6 December, 2021

06 COMMENT

Climate change and rising interest in renewable energy

Sialkot blasphemy case Society may be moving down a dangerous path

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he Sri Lankan factory manager, Priantha Kumar diyawadanage, beaten to death by a mob comprising workers from his own factory was caused by his having ordered the removal of some Tehrik e Labbaik Pakistan posters from the workplace prior to the arrival of an eU inspection team. The Sialkot police have booked hundreds for the crime, acting under great pressure from the federal government, which wants the killers caught because of the victim being a foreigner, and the killing involving an issue which interests the eU. That Sri Lanka is a friendly country which Pakistan would like to cultivate, and that the eU is about to consider Pakistan GSP-Plus status, are perhaps prime considerations for the government, but the malaise revealed is domestic, and those are the real reasons why the perpetrators should be given punishment, which would deter future violators of the law.

Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the affair is what the late Mr diyawadanage is accused of: forcibly removing TLP posters. If the posters did include matter which could not be destroyed wantonly, then there must be a strict prohibition, and one that is enforced, on any organization, political, commercial, preventing its stickers being removed from display because some sacred texts are included. An even greater nightmare arises when looking at digital platforms and considering how they are to be policed. Another issue that will arise is the pusillanimity shown by the justice system. In particular, judges in blasphemy cases, and defence lawyers, are vulnerable, because an accusation is presumed to be guilt. however, as shown by the trial and subsequent execution of Mumtaz Qadri, the policeman who killed Punjab Governor Salman Taseer in 2011, the guilty can be punished.

The basic problem seems to be that those punishing so-called blasphemers seem to be counting on a support network of highly placed sympathizers to protect them.

Blasphemy is indeed a touch-button issue, but the reaction of the state must be measured, even calculated. The bottom line should be that it has a monopoly on force, and that includes even those accused of blasphemy. That the TLP has moved from protesting blasphemy, to having people killed for removing its posters, should give pause to those who patronized it. Forces may have been unleashed over which they have no control.

High oil prices actually drive renewable growth

Dr. Omer JaveD

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CCORdING to the International energy Agency (IeA) report, published on Wednesday, renewables will account for about 95 percent of the increase in global power-generation capacity from now to the end of 2026, with solar power alone providing about half of the increase. … Fatih Birol, executive director of the IeA, said: “This year’s record renewable energy additions are yet another sign that a new global energy economy is emerging. The high commodity and energy prices we are seeing today pose new challenges for the renewable industry, but elevated fossil fuel prices also make renewables even more competitive.”’ excerpt from a recent Guardian-published article ‘Renewable energy has “another record year of growth” say IeA’ by Fiona harvey The recent COP26 summit could not produce an agreement on a global carbon tax, when many countries are either not taxing carbon usage, or taxing enough to help end its usage at a much-needed faster pace given the fast-unfolding climate change crisis. daron Acemoglu highlighted this concern in a recent article ‘Climate change vs. the Sino American cold war’ as follows: ‘To reduce emissions and stop the extraction and combustion of existing coal, oil, and

The Afghan crisis Can the Taliban control their followers?

Victims of Blasphemy

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he report by the hRW that there have been killings of security personnel and officials of the former Ashraf Ghani administration has been met by condemnation by the USA, the UK, the eU and 19 other countries and a demand for a full investigation.

Such an expression of concern cannot be dismissed by any government which looks to these very countries to bail it out. The Taliban find themselves in the position of seeking the help of the very powers it chased out of Kabul to help it and the people of Afghanistan survive the winter.

The Taliban may have found themselves unprepared to take the country through winter, but that should not excuse it from reining in over-enthusiastic followers.

The killings are not apparently judicial executions, but even in that case, that would violate the amnesty the Taliban gave to those working for the previous regime.

Any government complicity would merely add to the patchy record of the Taliban in honoring their promises to the powers they ousted. They should also realize the negative effects of a government conniving at private vengeance. The state is supposed to maintain a monopoly on violence, especially one which, like the Taliban, rests so much of its appeal on maintaining law and order.

The Taliban needs to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents, not just because it is right, but for its own good. especially where it had promised an amnesty, it could not wink at so-called revolutionary justice, and now it must ensure security to those it amnestied, not because potential donors object, but because the time for revolutionary justice is long past. The Taliban claim to follow a religion with a strong judicial tradition, and it is to be noted that a large number of its leaders have experience as heads of courts administering military justice. If the amnesty did not apply to certain individuals, were they tried before being executed? The Taliban must remember that they form the government now, and are responsible to make sure that all citizens get justice.

The Sialkot killing should serve as a wake-up call

mian rauf

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he ghastly murder ofa Sri Lankan man for blasphemy in Sialkot has shamed us all. The brutal killing drew widespread condemnation from government officials and human rights bodies. Religious extremism in society has raised questions on the law and order situation which has deteriorated so much that no one anywhere is safe. Intolerance in our society is on the rise and many look down upon dissent and disagreement. People seem to have little taste for frank debate.

As a country born out of a two-nation theory (that hindus and Muslims are different nations) with Islam as its raison d’etre, it was perhaps inevitable that faith-related problems would challenge its very existence. While it is General Zia-ul-haq who is largely responsible for the spread of religiosity in Pakistan, the seeds were sown by the first prime minister and the constitution of the country. It was Liaquat Ali Khan who defined the character of the state as Islamic through the preamble to the constitution known as the “Objectives resolution”. however, after the July 1977 military takeover, General Zia got down to the business of Islamization which included the addition of sections B and C to the Pakistan Penal Code 295 (commonly known as the blasphemy laws) the victim of which was primarily non-Muslim. Since then many have been killed on the suspicion of blasphemy,

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gas reserves, there is no substitute for a global carbon tax and sustained support for the development of green technologies. The european Union has taken a first step toward a global carbon tax by proposing not just a domestic tax on fossil fuels but also a ed to be set sufficiently high. Right now, carbon taxes within the eU range from €116 ($134) per metric ton of carbon dioxide in Sweden to less than €0.10 per ton in Poland, with some major economies, such as Italy, having no carbon tax at all. But even with a robust european carbon tax and tariff regime, we would still need the US and China to adopt and enforce similar policies in order to keep climate change in check.’

Moreover, as Jayati Ghosh pointed out reluctance by rich, advanced countries in terms of moving away from fossil fuel in her recent article ‘The rich world’s climate hypocrisy’ whereby COP26 only saw ‘A group of 20 countries, including the US, pledged to end public financing for “unabated” fossil-fuel projects, including those powered by coal, by the end of 2022. But the prohibition applies only to international projects, not domestic ones.’

The same lack of impetus was also highlighted by daron Acemoglu in the same article with regard to providing investment in, and subsidy to fossil fuel industry, as follows: ‘China, for example, is still investing in new coal plants, building more than one per week in 2020. India has nearly doubled its coal consumption over the last decade, while refusing to commit to a meaningful net-zero emissions target.

And Russia is doing almost nothing, claiming that its forests, tundra, and swamps will absorb enough carbon to render it carbon neutral by 2060. The US, too, is proving unequal to the challenge… It can afford to invest much more in renewable energies, and to support the broader global transition to cleaner technologies. Yet it is still subsidizing the fossil-fuel industry, rather than taxing carbon emissions and regulating the big energy companies that bear most of the blame for the problem. (That said, Iran, Russia, Brazil, China, and India are even worse offenders when it comes to fossil-fuel subsidies.)’ having said that, while this lack of emphasis is seen in terms of taxing, investing in, and subsidizing fossil fuel industry, at the same time, the renewable energy sector has also witnessed sharp increase in its

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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either by enraged mobs or individuals in prison.

There is no doubt in the fact that mob-induced violence is prevalent across the cultures. Pakistan too has received spells of mob violence in the form of lynching. We have seen people convicted, lynched, shot, and knifed to death, and mob attacks on entire community merely on the suspicion of blasphemy with most culprits getting away scot-free.

That the enactment of the blasphemy laws in its present form by the Zia regime and its unchecked misuse makes non-Muslims live in an atmosphere of unending fear is an understatement.

The arbitrary application of these laws has squeezed the space for enlightened debate on the issue related to religion, and deepened extremism and bigotry in the society.

Going back in our history, the first case of false blasphemy accusation came to public attention was that of Niamat Ahmar in 1992, a 45-year-old Christian school teacher in Faisalabad, who was stabbed to death by a student. According to the subsequent reports, he was targeted for refusing to be transferred to another town; his position in the government school was desired by a Muslim teacher. Shantigar in 1997, Gojra in 2009 and Joseph colony Lahore in 2013 are examples where crowds have been instigated to attack entire neighbourhoods of Christians allegedly by property grabbers. In all these cases no one was convicted. The acquittal of Shafqat emmanuel and Shagufta by the

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

growth. In her same article, Fiona harvey pointed out in this regard ‘It has been another record year for renewable energy, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and rising costs for raw materials around the world, according to the International energy Agency (IeA). About 290GW of new renewable energy generation capacity, mostly in the form of wind turbines and solar panels, has been installed around the world this year, beating the previous record last year. On current trends, renewable energy generating capacity will exceed that of fossil fuels and nuclear energy combined by 2026.’

Moreover, the same article by Fiona harvey pointed out about some of the main performers in the renewable energy sector as ‘China installed the most new renewable energy capacity this year, and is now expected to reach 1,200GW of wind and solar capacity in 2026, four years earlier than its target of 2030.

China is the world’s biggest carbon emitter, but the government was reluctant at Cop26 to commit to the strengthening of its emissions-cutting targets, which many observers had hoped for. … Birol said China’s rapid expansion of renewable energy suggested the country could reach an emissions peak “well before 2030”. [Moreover, with regard to India] Birol said: “The growth of renewables in India is outstanding, supporting the government’s newly announced goal of reaching 500GW of renewable power capacity by 2030 and highlighting India’s broader potential to accelerate its clean energy transition.”’

Yet, while the growth in renewable energy overall is indeed impressive, more needs to be done overall in terms of lesser usage of fossil fuels, as pointed out in the same article by Guardian’s environment correspondent, Fiona harvey as ‘however, this level of growth is still only about half that required to meet net zero carbon emissions by mid-century.’

The writer holds PhD in Economics degree from the University of Barcelona, and previously worked at International Monetary Fund.Prior to this, he did MSc. in Economics from the University of York (United Kingdom), and worked at the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Statistics (Pakistan), among other places. He is author of Springer published book (2016) ‘The economic impact of International Monetary Fund programmes: institutional quality, macroeconomic stabilization and economic growth’.He tweets @omerjaved7

Lahore high Court underscored the deeply problematic and growing misuse of the blasphemy law. After spending seven years in jail, following the handing down of a death sentence to them by an additional district and sessions judge, the Christian couple was acquitted of charges of sending a blasphemous text message to the complainant, a shopkeeper identified in some news reports as a mosque cleric. Asiya Bibi spent almost a decade in solitary confinement before the Supreme Court overturned her death sentence. The inhuman killing of Mashal Khan on a false blasphemy charge is another example of the misuse of these laws. At the moment, there are several individuals convicted of blasphemy by lower courts, and awaiting justice from the high courts.

The murder of Punjab governor Salman Taseer by a member of his security detail in 2011 for supporting changes in the law to stop its misuse is justly referred to as a waterwash in the country’s history. The abuse of the law against the innocent, as pointed out by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, is impossible to stop in the absence of adequate safeguards against its misapplication or misuse by motivated persons. It’s time for our politicians to stand up to defend the vulnerable from the law’s misuse. Parliament must gather the courage to talk about these issues. This trend must come to an end, and our lawmakers must unite to find the solution so that more innocent citizens do not suffer. Those responsible for Lankan man’s lynching must be dealt with in accordance with law. Time has come to deconstruct and counter the extremist ideologies prevailing in the society.

The murder of Punjab governor Salman Taseer by a member of his security detail in 2011 for supporting changes in the law to stop its misuse is justly referred to as a waterwash in the country’s history. The abuse of the law against the innocent, as pointed out by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, is impossible to stop in the absence of adequate safeguards against its misapplication or misuse by motivated persons. It’s time for our politicians to stand up to defend the vulnerable from the law’s misuse.

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The writer is a legal practitioner at Lahore. He can be reached at mianrauf2172@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

06-07 Comments - 6th December 2021_Layout 1 12/5/2021 11:29 PM Page 2

Monday, 6 December, 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

Questioning the Single National Curriculum (SNC)

The west can’t avoid the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan Just as Africa was starved, so will Afghanistan be JubeDa ChOwDhury

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S winter approaches, Afghans are increasingly worried about food. Prices of essential food items are skyrocketing in Afghan cities. Most of the time the food does not match even if you pay. Ordinary people do not have money. They are trying to collect food by selling whatever they can. Many had the idea that the war in Afghanistan was over. The US military had gone home. The Taliban had recaptured Afghanistan. everything will continue as before.

It is true that the full authority of the Taliban has been established in Afghanistan. Although initially resisted under the leadership of the son of the late Panjshir leader Ahmed Shah Masood, the Taliban now have absolute control over the whole of Afghanistan. But some issues are not in the hands of the Taliban. One of them is to ensure food security for the people. ensuring food security for all in Afghanistan is not an easy task as the war-torn infrastructure collapses.

The food crisis in Afghanistan could be an important example of global political analysis.

The food crisis in Afghanistan is artificial and imposed, 1ust a tactic to punish the Taliban. Africans were similarly disciplined in the last century.

Africa could not turn around. Africans are still mired in conflict, conflict, and food crisis. however, the situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan may not be the same as in Africa.

The Taliban will receive some food aid from allied countries. And if the Uyghurs are not provoked, China will become a shield. Otherwise, this crisis will be prolonged. The strategy of creating a food crisis will come back again.

The United Nations has recently warned that millions of Afghans could face a food crisis if emergency food aid is not provided to Afghans.

The UN is not directly talking about famine. however, many are worried about such a situation.

At least 22 million people in Afghanistan are facing a food crisis. 3.2 million children are suffering from malnutrition. The country is facing a terrible humanitarian catastrophe. But the Afghan economy is completely dependent on foreign aid. Forty percent of Afghanistan’s GdP comes from foreign aid. According to the World Bank, 10 percent of a country’s GdP comes from foreign aid, which is considered a ‘donordependent country’.

It is a very old strategy to suppress the opponents by creating a food crisis. The USA has withdrawn troops from the country but has used sanctions as a last resort. Afghanistan’s geographical location is not such as to lead a catastrophic food crisis. Apart from the war, there has been no calamity in the region that will cause it to start crying out for food.

The flow of foreign aid has stalled since the Taliban seized power. In addition, the World Bank and the IMF have banned the Afghan government’s assets held abroad. Added to this is the economic blockade of the USA. As a result, the Taliban government is unable to use the funds de-

posited abroad. According to the BBC, the salaries of many government officials and employees are stuck. Can’t withdraw money from a bank. Many people are selling various essential products for food in the market. In September, only 5 percent of Afghans had access to basic necessities. At a donors’ meeting in Geneva in September, $1 billion in emergency food aid was pledged. As of October, one-third of the aid had not reached the World Food Program. This is the latest food security situation in Afghanistan.

Because of the sanctions, governments and international financial institutions have suspended transactions with the Afghan central bank.

This has led to a crisis in the Afghan currency and dollar.

Afghan banks are unable to pay customers cash. They can’t even pay the import price. even if money is transferred through online banking, it is not possible to give cash.

Afghanistan’s foreign exchange reserves have been blocked and imports blocked. It is not possible to pay for food imports in dollars as the Taliban government has no control over the funds held abroad. due to this, the food crisis in the market is intensifying due to the decline in food imports from the international market.

Rather, smuggling has increased. As a result, Afghans have to buy food at higher prices.

The artificial food crisis began in Africa in the 1960s and 1970s.

Food security in subSaharan Africa and South Africa, in particular, was at an all-time low. They had land, they had agriculture, but they did not have production. Although there was a food surplus in the world at that time.

Africans were not fed because of the complex and insidious tactics of geopolitics and world politics. Africa could not get out of the food crisis and conflict. Religious extremism is now spreading in Africa after the end of ethnic conflicts and conflicts over resources. The food crisis still exists among the people of Africa, although at different times and for different reasons. At the moment, 21 million people in eastern Africa’s South Sudan, Somalia, ethiopia and

Kenya are in need of emergency food aid. There was no need for foreign aggression in African countries. They are still reeling from the food crisis caused by man-made and natural disasters.

At the moment, it seems that the West is applying the same tactics to Afghanistan. If the food crisis continues, instability in Afghanistan will increase. That is why there are regular terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. If a food crisis is added to this, the conflict between different groups will grow, and groups and factions will increase. If somehow more instability can be created in Afghanistan, then this time the country will be occupied in a different way. In the name of humanitarian aid, the westerners can come and settle down again in a civilian way.

As it is now in Africa. In fact, Africa seems to be governed by the local people. But there is no improvement in their standard of living. Poverty could not be completely eradicated from Africa without the investment of billions of dollars.

Fights, conflicts have not decreased. But most NGOs work in Africa with humanitarian assistance. UN forces are deployed in various countries to maintain peace. But peace d6es not come.

Peace in Afghanistan may not come soon. But if the Taliban, with the help of allies, could deal effectively with the situation, the Afghan war would be over. At the end of the military phase, the Afghan war has now entered the civilian phase. The military aggression has failed in Afghanistan. Now, if social and food politics also fails, the war will end and a new dimension will be added to change the balance of world politics. It cannot be said that the balance will change completely on the basis of the Afghan war. It has been said for a long time that the centre of gravity of world politics is moving towards a new axis. The final outcome of the Afghan war will further clarify the situation, whether a new axis is emerging as a change of balance or not. however, the West can’t avoid its responsibility to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

If social and food politics also fails, the war will end and a new dimension will be added to change the balance of world politics. It cannot be said that the balance will change completely on the basis of the Afghan war. It has been said for a long time that the centre of gravity of world politics is moving towards a new axis. The final outcome of the Afghan war will further clarify the situation, whether a new axis is emerging as a change of balance or not.

However, the West can’t avoid its responsibility to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

The writer can be reached jubedachowdhury103@gmail.com

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deSPITe the commonly held belief that the Single National Curriculum (SNC) will bring all strata of Pakistan on a level playing field, it is worth pondering that a coin always contains two sides. Apart from its numerous merits,this step taken by the PTI-led government exposes the fissures and frailty present in the curriculum.

There is no doubt in the fact that the SNC can prove to be counterproductive due to the reason that rather than binding the diverse society together, it will create woes for cultural diversity of provinces. It is laid down that there would be one single language and well-integrated curriculum like one size-fits-all solution to different outlooks existing in Pakistan’s disorderly class education system. On the other hand, with the incorporation of such unifiying forces, it must be kept in view that it would engender cramming learning patterns, critical thinking is likely to be a casualty of a such stragnant approach, creativity and cognitive development would certainly lose ground.

In addition to these,Pakistan’s diversity in culture cannot help it gain wide acceptance, since each province is possessed of its respective language. In fact, it is local languages that must be the foresmost medium of instruction and overall learning process, as far as established learning standards are concerned. It will be difficult enough for children to study subjects in a language which is alien to them, considering their initial learning stages.

In modern times, when the entire world is moving at a rapid pace with the aid of IT, information and above all, scientic achievements, developing countries like Pakistan need to take full advantage of pure science subjects and minds should also be equipped with modern practical knowledge of science. By contrast, the Single National Curriculum is designed in such a way that it carries the seeds of religious dogmas,thus mixing two different entities together. One of the core articles of faith says that “man is required to live this temporal and trialbased life for the hereafter. This life is useless, holds no value and is full of trials and tests.” That is to say, one is supposed to devote one’s life for the cause of Allah.

The 18th Amendment provision states that education is the subject matter of provinces and falls under their jurisdiction. In the presence of such constitutional provisions, the step goes against the very spirt of the Constitution. Imposition of this move is similar to the One Unit that was introduced by the Ayub regime regarding the language concerns.

For these reasons, the PTI goverment is requested to overhaul the education policy and it needs to develop such a holistic approach in which all of provinces must be on one page. It should make a clear distinction between material and hereafter life, since both of them have their own requirements and needs. I hope this write-up will serve as a warning to the PTI led government that this imminet SNC might endanger the very existence of culture, historical status of each state and significance of local languages in Pakistan’s multi-linguagal, multi-cultural and thickly ethnic society.

ABDUL QADEER SEELRO LARkAnA

Dengue fever and nutrition deNGUe fever is endemic in Pakistan, with reports of seasonal outbreaks and the spread of distinct serotypes (deNV-1, deNV-2, and deNV-3) in different parts of the nation. The first reported outbreak of dengue fever in Pakistan occurred in 1994; however, the annual epidemic trend and a rapid increase in incidence began in Karachi in November 2005. In 2019, there was a considerable increase in the number of cases.

In 2021, the KPK and Tribal districts reported 7641 confirmed cases of dengue fever. There were 9,676 confirmed dengue fever cases in Punjab, with 16 deaths. In AJK, 1,689 confirmed cases of dengue fever were reported, with one death, while 12,986 confirmed cases of dengue fever were reported from eight major hospitals in Islamabad, with 22 deaths. In Sindh, there have been a total of 12,053 confirmed cases of dengue fever, including 33 deaths. In Baluchistan, 3,075 confirmed cases of dengue fever were reported, with three deaths. Aside from eradicating mosquitos, researchers are working on a virus-specific treatment. It’s considered a tropical sickness that’s gone unnoticed.

Three to fourteen days after infection, symptoms usually appear. A high temperature, headache, vomiting, muscular and joint problems, and a distinctive skin rash are all possible symptoms. It usually takes two to seven days to recover. In a tiny percentage of cases, the disease progresses to dengue hemorrhagic fever, which causes bleeding, low blood platelet counts, and blood plasma leakage, or to dengue shock syndrome, which causes dangerously low blood pressure.

Typically, people infected with the dengue virus are asymptomatic (80%) or have only mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever.

Others have more severe illnesses (5%), and in a small proportion, it is life-threatening. The incubation period (time between exposure and onset of symptoms) ranges from 3 to 14 days, but most often it is 4 to 7 days.

Children typically have symptoms that are similar to the common cold and gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhoea), and they are at a higher risk of severe complications, even if the initial symptoms are modest but involve a high fever. dengue fever vaccine has been licensed and is available commercially in several countries. As of 2018, the vaccination is only advised for people who have already been affected or for groups with a high rate of prior infection by age nine. Other ways to avoid mosquito bites include minimizing mosquito habitat and limiting bite exposure. This can be accomplished by removing or covering standing water and wearing clothing that covers a large portion of the body.

To help you recover from dengue fever, eat foods high in protein and iron (meat, eggs, and liver, for example). These aid in the prevention of anaemia and the strengthening of the immune system. A well-nourished body is better able to fight off a dengue infection. As a result, it’s critical to eat often, rest, and drink at least 3L (12 cups) of fluid every day. Foods that may help against dengue include Lean meats such as chicken, lean red meat and fish, liver, milk and dairy products, eggs, beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas and water, coconut water, natural fruit juices. nABEEHA kALEEM LAHORE

08 WORLD VIEW 6th December 21_Layout 1 12/5/2021 8:00 PM Page 1

Monday, 6 December, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

the hiNdu right aNd attacKs oN academic freedom iN the us EVERY SCHOLAR WHO CONDUCTS RESEARCH ON INDIA IS AWARE THAT THEIR PUBLICATIONS ARE PROBABLY BEING MONITORED—AND THAT TAKING A CRITICAL POSITION CAN LEAD TO THREATS, BEATINGS, AND EVEN MURDER

naTion, uS Vinayak chaturVedi

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HeN a scholar who teaches at a university in the United States arrived recently at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, the immigration officer who scanned his passport asked about the subject of his recent book on Indian history. The historian inquired how the immigration officer knew about it, and was told, “I have a list of your publications in front of me.” every academic who conducts research on India is aware that their publications are probably being monitored. Scholars who write on Hinduism, Hindu nationalism, and Hindutva— the extremist ideology of the Hindu right—assume that their work has been included in an Indian government database, especially authors who provide critiques of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the family of Hindutva organizations known as the Sangh Parivar.

What concerns scholars is not only whether they will be allowed to conduct research in India, but whether they will be banned even from entering the country in the future.

In India, the situation for academics who disagree with the basic premise of the Hindu right—that India is a Hindu nation—face greater dangers. There is a growing movement to declare that India did not achieve genuine independence in 1947 when it was founded as a secular, pluralist democracy.

Rather, India truly became independent in

2014 when Modi was elected prime minister.

In August 2021, the first temple dedicated to Modi as a deity was constructed in the city of Pune. An argument made by some on the fringe of the Hindu right is that Modi is the modern avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu.

CALLING OUT CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL: Any critique of the nation’s history and politics necessarily is often interpreted as reflecting the hatred of Hindus—even if these critiques are made by fellow Hindus. The consequence is that academics are declared “anti-national” in India—especially if they comment on human rights abuses in Indian Occupied Kashmir. In the case of Nivedita Menon, a professor of political science at Jawaharlal Nehru University, a student organization attached to the BJP called the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Manch filed a police complaint in 2016 for a speech delivered by Menon on her own campus. TV channels and newspapers sympathetic to the BJP picked up this story and repeated the declaration that Menon’s analysis of Indian Occupied Kashmir was “antinational.” There are scores of similar cases, especially targeting scholars based in Kashmir. Other faculty have been arrested and charged with sedition and terrorism, as in the recent case of Anand Teltumdbe, who was booked in 2020 under a legislation known as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) that is meant to protect India from criticism of its sovereignty and integrity. The former Supreme Court justice Madan B. Lokur has argued that UAPA, conflating cri-

tique and dissent with terrorism, often leads to individuals’ being imprisoned for an indefinite period without trial.

The writers Apoorvanand and Gauhar Raza have called the national student organization known as the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) “the bully that is destroying India’s academic culture.” The ABVP not only uses intimidation against faculty and university administrators, but often even resorts to violence, as in the vicious beating of Professor Prasanta Chakravarty at Delhi University in 2017. Following the attack, the Indian digital newspaper The Quint published a report detailing numerous attacks by the ABVP dating back to 2008. In the most serious attacks, scholars and writers have been murdered by the proponents of Hindutva, as in the cases of Narendra Dabholkar (2013), M.M. Kalburgi (2015), Govind Pansare (2015), and Gauri Lankesh (2017).

Scholars who conduct research on India are also aware that they are being monitored on their campuses here in the United States.

American organizations that propagate Hindutva and are sympathetic to Modi, the BJP, and the Sangh Parivar have trained their scrutiny on the American academy. They have been inspired by the movement against academics in India. They argue that Hindutva is Hinduism, in direct contrast to V.D. Savarkar, the central architect of modern Hindu nationalism whose book essentials of Hindutva (1923) popularized the concept of Hindutva. In the United States, “Hinduphobia” has become a term deployed to de-

nounce anyone who is concerned about inequality based on class, caste, race, religion, gender, and sexuality in India. Any less-thancelebratory study of the history and politics of India is branded as “Hinduphobic.” Academic research that provides a critique of Hindutva is often condemned for “hurting the sentiments of Hindus”—a clarion call dating back to the early 20th century.

A recent academic conference titled “Dismantling Hindutva” that was organized by dozens of US universities was met with denunciations and threats. Online trolls advocated the use of violence against academic participants and their families. University administrators were inundated with messages that any critique of Hindutva must be viewed as Hinduphobia. For academics to analyze the oppression of women, caste discrimination, citizenship rights of Muslims, or farmer suicides was viewed as anathema to Hindus and Hinduism. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an advocacy group for the Hindu right based in Washington, D.C., led protests arguing that academic critiques of Hindutva were veiled assaults on Hinduism.

By its own account, HAF helped to generate over 1 million e-mails against the conference organizers. PeN America and nearly 40 national academic societies and organizations, including the American Historical Association and the Modern Language Association, condemned the attacks on academic freedom.

Organizations of the Hindu right are only beginning their battles to publicly ostracize members of the academy whose writings are

Biden to pentagon: Keep the war machine running

inTercepT

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Jeremy Scahill

FTeR two decades of unceasing warfare in the Middle east and Central Asia, the Biden administration has unveiled its first comprehensive review of the deployment of U.S. forces globally — and it envisions a virtually unchanged military footprint, with a sharpened commitment to the bipartisan policy of Cold War-style hostility toward Russia and China.

The administration chose to release only scant details of its Global Posture Review on November 29, but in its barebones unclassified summary, and in remarks from Pentagon officials, the White House made clear that the U.S. military footprint will remain largely unchanged. “We endeavor to be as transparent as possible, but to avoid giving our adversaries any advantage, we need to protect details on any immediate changes in our posture,” a senior Pentagon official told reporters during a background briefing on the GPR. The unclassified summary contained little substantive news. It portrays the steady expansion of U.S. military assets in the Indo-Pacific — the geographic term used by the Pentagon to describe a vast swath of the eastern hemisphere encircling China — as necessary to “deter potential Chinese military aggression and threats from North Korea.” While the Pentagon has offered few specifics about President Joe Biden’s future plans, the review does indicate an evolving strategy to further expand military capabilities near China, including through leveraging existing partnerships. “In Australia, you’ll see new rotational

fighter and bomber aircraft deployments.

You’ll see ground forces training and increased logistics cooperation,” said Mara Karlin, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, in a briefing with reporters. “So, we’re doing a lot that will hopefully come to fruition in the coming years.” The Pentagon also confirmed that it was establishing a permanent attack helicopter squadron and artillery division headquarters in South Korea.

Citing Biden’s reversal of former President Donald Trump’s plan to cap the number of U.S. troops in Germany at 25,000, the Pentagon said its review “strengthens the U.S. combat-credible deterrent against Russian aggression and enables NATO forces to operate more effectively.” It did not offer any new specifics. Directly noting the ongoing tensions surrounding Ukraine’s future and Washington’s portrayal of Russian President Vladimir Putin as menacing the former Soviet republic with troop movements near the border, Karlin said, “We are actually increasing troops in Germany” to bolster NATO’s capacity. The Biden administration will “continue to provide security assistance items, both lethal and nonlethal to Ukraine,” said Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, a retired rear admiral, at the briefing with Karlin. “This administration remains committed to helping Ukrainian military defend itself, defend its territorial integrity, defend its people.”

The review also makes clear that for now U.S. troops will continue to operate in a “counterterrorism” capacity throughout the Middle east and Africa with no immediate divergence from Trump-era deployments. The summary states that the Pentagon will “conduct additional analysis on enduring posture requirements in the Middle east” and is assessing whether it “has an appropriately-scoped posture to monitor threats from regional violent extremist organizations” in Africa. At present, the U.S. has 2,500 publicly acknowledged troops on the ground in Iraq and an additional 900 in Syria.

While the Biden administration has not maintained the frenetic pace of drone strikes favored by Biden’s predecessors, it has conducted strikes in several countries.

An August 29 strike in Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal killed 10 civilians, in-

cluding seven children. The unclassified review makes no mention of the role drone strikes will play in Biden’s emerging military strategy. Karlin said that the Pentagon is reviewing “assets and platforms” that were deployed in Afghanistan that may be “freed up” for use elsewhere as a result of the withdrawal.

In June, President Biden submitted a summary to Congress of ongoing troop deployments and combat-equipped forces, stating that such engagements are consistent with the War Powers Act. U.S. counterterrorism forces, Biden wrote, continue to operate under the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force, adding that “the United States has deployed combat-equipped forces to several locations in the United States Central, european, Africa, Southern, and Indo-Pacific Commands’ areas of responsibility.”

Biden’s letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was an unclassified summary accompanied by a secret appendix not available for public consumption. “If necessary, in response to terrorist threats, I will direct additional measures to protect the people and interests of the United States,” Biden wrote to Pelosi. “It is not possible to know at this time the precise scope or the duration of the deployments of United States Armed Forces that are or will be necessary to counter terrorist threats to the United States.” Biden acknowledged that U.S. forces remain on the ground in Yemen “to conduct operations against al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS.” In the letter, Biden reiterated his dubious claim that he had ended support for offensive Saudi operations against Houthi forces in Yemen, but acknowledged that the U.S. has more than 2,700 troops in Saudi Arabia, ostensibly “to protect United States forces and interests in the region against hostile action by Iran or Iran-backed groups.” Biden said these forces “provide air and missile defense capabilities and support the operation of United States fighter aircraft.”

The U.S. also maintains substantial capabilities in the Horn of Africa despite Trump’s withdrawal of many military personnel from Somalia; those capabilities are mostly in Kenya and Djibouti “for purposes of staging for counterterrorism and counter-piracy operations in

the vicinity of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.” Nick Turse’s reporting has challenged the assertion that the U.S. has entirely withdrawn from Somalia, and Turse has uncovered what appears to be some “creative accounting” by U.S. Special Operations Command Africa. On November 27, more than 1,000 National Guard troops from Virginia and Kentucky began deploying as part of Task Force Red Dragon to the Horn of Africa, where they will serve at forward operating bases. It is reportedly the Virginia guard’s largest “single-unit mobilization since World War II.” The deployment comes as the military and humanitarian situation in ethiopia has worsened over the past year.

The country’s elected leader, Abiy Ahmed, is facing a significant insurgency in the Tigray region that could topple the government. ethiopia has long been a U.S. ally in east Africa, and its forces have been used as murderous ground troops for U.S. “counterterrorism” objectives in Somalia. While Washington has been careful to strike a cautious public tone in calling for a cessation of the fighting, there are some influential voices quietly agitating for a change of regime.

Some 800 U.S. troops remain in Niger with additional forces in the Sahel and Chad basin regions “to conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations and to provide support to African and european partners conducting counterterrorism operations in the region, including by advising, assisting, and accompanying these partner forces,” according to Biden.

The Biden administration is kicking a number of major decisions on the role of U.S. “counterterrorism” forces in Africa and the Middle east down the road as it focuses attention on Moscow and Beijing. With potentially incendiary situations looming with Russia on Ukraine and China on Taiwan, as well as the lingering U.S. betrayal of the Iran nuclear deal, the White House could find itself facing multiple foreign policy crises simultaneously. Biden has spent his career working to shape the U.S. role in the world and campaigning to be the commander in chief. A year into his presidency, he is largely keeping the U.S. military chess pieces in place.

viewed as antithetical to Hindu nationalism.

Nearly every major university in the United States has a student organization connected to the Sangh Parivar. Some leaders openly discuss the practice of background checks on academics. A Hindutva organization in California not only produced a report that condemned scholarship influenced by Marxism, feminism, critical theory, and subaltern studies, but it also included a blacklist of academics who should be specifically targeted.

Several names on the list have been harassed for years, including receiving death threats on a regular basis. Some scholars now request security at their lectures in the United States.

To attack academic freedom is now viewed as a duty in the name of Hindutva.

The question is whether university administrators will act to protect the academic freedom of faculty who write about India. The fear of being called Hinduphobic may be too powerful for academic institutions in today’s political climate. But it should be remembered that not all phobias are the same. Universities can also opt to take the position of an anonymous newspaper writer in The Tribune (Lahore), published in 1887, who asked, “Is not then this Hinduphobia a mere phantom?”

Vinayak Chaturvedi is an associate professor in the Department of History at the University of California, Irvine. His book Hindutva and Violence: V.D. Savarkar and the Essentials of History will be published in 2022 by SUNY Press in the United States and Permanent Black in India.

No actioN oN pollutioN A Supreme Court Bench on noted that the Central government had ‘good’ intentions in issuing directions to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to reduce air pollution, but ‘the implementation is zero’ Tribune, india The Supreme Court, hearing a petition concerning the alarming level of air pollution in Delhi, has come to the conclusion that the efforts of various governments and government agencies in curbing pollution have amounted to nothing. A Supreme Court Bench on Monday noted that the Central government had ‘good’ intentions in issuing directions to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to reduce air pollution, but ‘the implementation is zero’. This opinion would be shared by the residents of Delhi and National Capital Region, who have been gasping for breath even as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading has been regularly exceeding 350 and touching 400, denoting very poor to severe conditions—particularly dangerous for residents who are ill or old.

Two weeks ago, the apex court had directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to hold an urgent meeting with the governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab to discuss the terrible air quality in the Capital. The meeting was held, ideas were exchanged, directions issued to the governments and departments concerned — and, as the court observed, nothing seems to have been done on the ground. Indeed, the Solicitor General admitted that ‘we have asked them (governments) to comply since several months’. This suggests that the governments and agencies are not really giving due importance to the life-threatening levels of air pollution in Delhi, and that even the directions of the court are being ignored or not followed completely.

The Supreme Court has directed the region’s governments to file reports on steps taken by them to comply with the directions of CAQM, and also warned that in case of non-compliance, the court could appoint an independent task-force on the issue.

From the observations by the highest court, it would appear that all the meetings held over the last few weeks and the directions by various governments are part of a seasonal charade, during which they wait for the stubble-burning to stop, winds to pick up and the winter to pass and AQI readings to improve on their own. The official flurry merely raises an illusion of activity, achieving practically zero, as the court noted.

Monday, 6 December, 2021 | KARACHI

NEWS

corporate corner POWER SUSPENSION SCHEDULES FOR 6th DECEMBER 2021 According to Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)’s spokesman, System Maintenance/Development Work is in process. Therefore power supply of below mentioned feeders/areas will be temporary suspended as per given schedule: On 06th December, from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM, Bank Road-2, City Center, Kashmir Road, Sohdran, Wapda Colony, Coral, F-6/2, Karpa, Bani Gala, G-6, Bab-ul-Salam, New F-9 Park. G-10/4, PTN, I-10/1, G-11 Markaz, F-11/1, T&T, Company Bagh, Gharial, Upper Topa, Pir Sohawa, Kayani Road, Askari XI, Amir Hamza Colony , EME Complex, Jhangi, Zircon Heights, Noon, BB Shaheed, E Block, Faizabad, Nora Road, City Center, Bank Road-2, Kashmir Road, Tipu Road, Mecca Chowk, River Garden, Park View, MSF, Lalkarti, Kalial, Ranial, UC Lakhan, Jhaura, Rawat, Kahuta City-1, Kambili Sadiq, Fazal Ahmed Shaheed, New Chawah, Ghazan Khan, New Mandira, Jhatta Hathial, Karnab Kaswal, Syed Kasran, Bhal, Ghauri , Haro, Pind Pran, Sangjani, Wahdat Colony, Khannabad, Industrial Estate, Lala Rukh, Hassan Abdal, Islampura, Brahma, Dharek, Hazro, Fawara Chowk, Haji Shah, Shahnaka, Dhok Fateh, Attock Cantt, Darul-Salaam, Kachery. Shamsabad, Gharibwal, Batiut, Sajjad Shah, Fateh Jang City, Jhang, Nara, Mahfooz Shaheed, Khor, Laniwala, Gul Muhammad, Ajmal Shaheed, F-7 Katchery, Abbaspura, Sanaullah Shaheed, CMH Jhelum, Bolani, Kariala, Puran, F-6 Machine Mohalla, Jhakar, Dina-3 Rohtas, Mangla Cantt, Captain Nisar Shaheed, Hasnot, Mumtaz Shaheed, Ward No. 8, Kot Dhamik, Ghauri Dhamik, Baba Shaheed, Thakra, Kangar Thatti, Kariala, Ara Bazar, Murid, Main Bazar, Jund Awan, Mulhal Mughals, Chakral, Al Rizwan Mill, Katas, Dafar, Toba KS Maniz, ICI Khaura, PD Khan, CWO, Karsal, Dharnal, Malikwal, Jatla, Para Fatyal, Tau Muharram Khan, Khohian feeders and surrounding areas will remain off. IESCO management apologizes to its esteemed customers for the power outage. If the work is completed ahead of time, the power supply can be restored even before the scheduled time. Pr

AIOU closes admissions for MA, MSc today Islamabad, December 5( ) Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has set December 6 (Monday) as the last day for admission in MA, M.Ed, M.Sc, BA (Associate Degree) and postgraduate diploma programs for both national and international students. For international students, these programs will be offered through the online learning management system and all academic activities including examinations will be conducted online.

However, for national students, face to face examinations will be conducted in examination centres.

It is pertinent to mention here that AIOU offered admissions in the master’s program in light of special chance given by HEC to all universities till June 2022.

Admission forms and prospectuses are available online and students can apply online at www.aiou.edu.pk. Pr

Mari Petroleum commences gas production from Dec 1 Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) is pleased to announce commencement of ~10 MMSCFD natural gas production, with effect from 1st December, 2021, from Hilal-1 and Iqbal-1 discoveries in Mari gas field to Pakarab Fertilizers Limited (PFL). Both of the discoveries were made in May-2020 and August-2020 respectively. In September 2020, Government approved EWT production from both the discoveries for a period of six months. The supply has commenced after approval of the Cabinet.

These additional gas volumes are a result of MPCL’s continuous and on-going exploratory and development activities in its flagship Mari gas field located at Daharki, District Ghotki, Sindh. This gas is being processed at PFL facility and is being supplied through a ~24 Km pipeline for transportation of Mari gas to SNGPL network for onward transmission to PFL’s fertilizer plant under third party access arrangement. It is estimated that the supply of this gas from Mari field shall produce approx. 100,000 metric tons of incremental fertilizers per annum. Pr

OGDCL organizes ECO walk under prime minister’s vision of clean and green Pakistan An ECO walk was organized by OGDCL in connection with PM’ vision of Clean and Green Pakistan.here on Sunday on trail 5 Islamabad.

Led by Syed Khalid Siraj Subhani MD/CEO OGDCL, a large number of senior officials and employees of the company participated in the walk. The participants not only set an example for others by collecting garbage but also highlighted the importance of cleanliness.

During the activity the participants of walk showed their keen interest and enthusiasm towards environment. At the occasion, MD/CEO OGDCL emphasized on the protection of environment and cleanliness. He also said these are amongst the top priorities of the organization. The MD/CEO reiterated the organization's desire to organizing such activities in future as well. Pr

09

INDIAN vILLAGERS BURN ARMy vEHICLES AS SOLDIERS kILL 15 IN NAGALAND, FEARING REBELS

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NGRY villagers in India burned army vehicles in protest after more than a dozen people were killed by soldiers who mistakenly believed some of them were militants in the country’s remote northeast region along the border with Myanmar, officials said on Sunday.

Nagaland state’s top elected official Neiphiu Rio ordered a probe into the killings, which occurred on Saturday, and he tweeted, “The unfortunate incident leading to the killing of civilians at Oting is highly condemnable.”

An army officer said the soldiers fired at a truck after receiving intelligence about a movement of insurgents in the area and killed six people.

As irate villagers burned two army vehicles, the soldiers fired at them, killing nine more people, the

officer said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to reporters. Earlier the officer had said seven protesters were killed.

One soldier was also killed in the clash with protesters, he said.

An Indian army statement said it “deeply regretted” the incident and its aftermath, adding that “the cause of the unfortunate loss of lives is being investigated at the highest level and appropriate action will be taken as per the course of law.”

“Security forces have suffered severe injuries in the incident, including one soldier who succumbed to the injuries,” it added.

The statement said “credible intelligence” on insurgent movements indicated that a “specific operation was planned” in Mon district in Nagaland.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign landmark agreement for Takamol-Navttc Certification & Employment Of Pakistani Workforce Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a landmark momentous agreement for certification and employment of Pakistani skilled workforce through Takamol and NAVTTC today. The Agreement was signed by Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Shafqat Mahmood from Pakistan side and Dr. Ahmad Jabbar Al Yamni, from Saudia Arabia Takamol side. The Agreement signing ceremony took place at Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development, Saudi Arabia and it was witnessed by senior officials of both countries.

This important cooperation between both countries has far-reaching impact for enhancing the employment opportunities for skilled Pakistani work force by joint certification and testing by Takamol Saudi Arabi and NAVTTC National Vocational and Technical Training Commission Pakistan. This will also safeguard the existing Pakistani work force in Saudi Arabia. In order to facilitate Pakistani expatriate workforce, NAVTTC under the leadership of Shafqat Mahmood, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Chairman NAVTTC Syed Javed Hassan and Executive Director NAVTTC Sajid Baloch worked hard to achieve this hallmark far-reaching Agreement between NAVTTC and Takamol. It is expected that millions of Pakistani skilled workers will get gainful employment opportunities with higher earning as a result of the efforts of the Government

of Pakistan.

Under this partnership, NAVTTC, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission Pakistan and Takamol, a subsidiary of Government of Saudi Arabia are establishing the testing regime under the Skills Verification Program, by exchanging the NOS (National Occupational Standards) and to facilitate skill verification of candidates through competency-based assessment (Theory & Practical) at exam Centers in Pakistan for candidates desirous of working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This will enable Pakistani skill workforce to have authentic and internationally recognized joint certification by both Takamol Saudi Arabia and NAVTTC Pakistan, through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment.

The Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has introduced Skill Verification Program (SVP) implemented from July, 2021 in order to regulate

its labor market. After implementation of SVP in KSA, the skill verification has become necessary for the Pakistani skilled workers, who intend to have employment in Saudi Arabia.

It is important to note that the largest number of Pakistani expatriate workforce is based in Saudi Arabia, who contribute substantially to Pakistan's economy through foreign remittances. Most of the present Pakistani workforce in KSA fall in the category of un-skilled or semi-skilled labour, which means reduced remunerations and it also impacts remittances negatively. Moreover, in the changing scenario of labour laws and dynamics of the labour market overseas, a large number of Pakistani skill workforce require skills certification as presently they face non-recognition of their qualifications, skills and certification. This cooperation will help a large number of these workers, also leading to national productivity and development. Pr

Insurgents often cross into Myanmar after attacking Indian government forces in the remote area.

Nyamtow Konyak, a local community leader, said those killed were coal miners.

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah expressed anguish over the “unfortunate incident” and said the state government will investigate the killings.

The army officer said the soldiers had laid an ambush for a week following intelligence that insurgents were planning to attack soldiers in the area, 400 kilometres (250 miles) east of Gauhati, the capital of Assam state.

Government forces are battling dozens of ethnic insurgent groups in India’s remote northeast whose demands range from independent homelands to maximum autonomy within India. Agencies

7 members of inter-provincial gang of car and bike lifters held 12 cars, 12 bikes and two rickshaws recovered

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell Police has taken major action against vehicle lifters and arrested seven members of inter-provincial gang involved in car and motorcycle theft. The police also recovered 12 cars worth more than Rs 10 million, 12 motorcycles, 2 rickshaws with the assistance of KPK police. The plaintiffs have lauded the efforts of the police. Rewards will be given to the officers and men involved in the police team.

Islamabad Police is working day and night to protect the lives and property of the citizens, said DIG Operations Afzal Ahmed Kausar. According to the details, on the direction of IG Islamabad Qazi Jameel-ur-Rehman, DIG Operations Afzal Ahmad Kausar gave the task of arresting car thieves and recovering stolen vehicles and motorcycles to SSP Investigation Ata-ur-Rehman. Under the supervision of Hina Naik Bakht, AVLC Inspector Liaqat Ali Malik formed a police team consisting of officers and personnel. The police teams using all resources and modern technology arrested the inter-provincial gang.

Police teams conducted several raids in different districts to arrest the accused. The accused used to steal vehicles from different districts and sell them in KPK. Arrested accused have been identified as Jalil Khan, Noorzada, Nasir Lone Butt, Kamar Khan, Israr Khan, Murad Ali Shah and Sajad Khan alias Zubair. As many as 12 stolen cars, 12 stolen motorcycles, two Changchi rickshaws were recovered from the possession of the accused. Cases have been registered in different police stations of Islamabad, said the officials. Detail of the recovered vehicles is as as a case/ FIR No 656 dated 26.11.21 was registered after a vehicle Mehran car registration No RIU.2571, was stolen from the area of Tarnol Islamabad.

No. 02 case FIR no. 390 dated 04.09.21, Mehran car registration number MB.087 was stolen from the area of PS Kohsar Islamabad. The other cases include FIR no 656 dated 22.11.21vehicle stolen from the area of Aabpara Islamabad Suzuki FX registration no RIY.6188, case No. 522 dated 30.11.21 vehicle stolen from the area of Sabzi Mandi Islamabad Mehran car registration AGJ.406, FIR No. 233 dated 26.06.12 vehicle stolen from the area of PS Sabzi Mandi, Islamabad Toyota car number IDH.5271, FIR No. 121 dated 05.03.21 vehicle stolen from the area of kohasr Islamabad car registration Mehran no.

JJ.293.ICT, FIR No. 804 dated 19.11.21 vehicle stolen from the area of PS Industrial Area, Khyber Car number LOY.9992, FIR No.122 dated 05.09.05 vehicle stolen from the area of PS Secretariat, Toyota corolla car AF N CP. 2739, FIR No. 641 dated 23.11.21vehicle stolen from the area of PS Kohsar Islamabad, Khyber car number LOB.6118, FIR No. 675 dated 30.11.21 vehicle stolen from the area of area of Abba Para Islamabad, Khyber car number LXA.0794 , FIR No. 395 dated 29.11.21 vehicle stolen from the area of Margalla, Honda car number LEA.634, Islamabad, FIR No. 195 dated 21.07.18 vehicle stolen from the area of Margalla Police Station Islamabad, Toyata car number car LRX.8076. The recovered motorcycles include FIR No. 512 dated 24.11.21 bike stolen from the area of Sabzi Mandi police Station, motorcycle number RIN, FIR No. 833 dated 01.12.21 bike stolen from the area of PS Industrial, IDL.6600, Motorcycle CD 70 no PN.851, Motorcycle MBK.6842, Honda 125,No. Pr

Monday, 6 December, 2021 | KARACHI

10 FOREIGN NEWS

US CongreSSman PoSTS family ChriSTmaS PiCTUre wiTh gUnS, dayS afTer SChool ShooTing WASHINGTON

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AgencieS

U.S. congressman on Saturday posted a Christmas picture of himself and what appeared to be his family, smiling and posing with an assortment of guns, just days after four teenagers were killed in a shooting at a Michigan high school.

“Merry Christmas! ps. Santa, please bring ammo,” U.S. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky wrote on Twitter.

Ethan Crumbley, 15, on Tuesday carried out the deadliest U.S. school shooting this year, the latest in a decades-long series of mass shootings at U.S. schools. His parents were ar-

Xi Jinping says China’s commitment to multilateralism will not change

BEIJING StAFF RePoRt

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said China’s determination to support multilateralism will not change, in a speech delivered via video at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Imperial Springs International Forum (ISIF). “China will firmly stand by the core values and basic principles of multilateralism, pursue mutual benefit, seek common ground while reserving differences, uphold fairness and justice, and promote development through cooperation,” said Xi. Multilateralism is essentially about having international affairs managed by all parties through consultation and the future of the world decided by all countries working together, he said. “We need to pull together in solidarity and act on true multilateralism,” said Xi. He also stressed the importance of upholding the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Xi said it is also important to promote humanity’s common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom. He called for continuous efforts to improve the global governance system and pointed out the importance of keeping to the overall direction of advancing democracy in international relations, increasing the representation and voice of developing countries in international relations, and steering the global governance system toward greater justice and equity.

Xi also urged more action to follow through with the global cooperation agenda. He said he hopes that more will take an active part in the Global Development Initiative he has proposed, which is aimed at speeding up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building a global community of development with a shared future. It is important for all to commit to development as a priority, advance cooperation on poverty alleviation, COVID-19 response and vaccines, development financing, green transition and connectivity, and usher global development into a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth, said Xi. He noted that one important piece of historical experience gained from the endeavors of the Communist Party of China, which celebrated its centenary this year, is to maintain a global vision and bear in mind the future of humanity. “China will contribute its wisdom and strength to the progress of human civilization,” he said. Themed “Multilateralism 2.0: Global Cooperation in the PostPandemic Era,” the 2021 ISIF is being held in a hybrid format both online and on-site from Sunday to Monday, with over 160 attendees from political, academic, and business circles of more than 30 countries.

Inaugurated in 2014, the ISIF says it is a new type of high-end platform for China to conduct in-depth discussions on world peace, economic development and cultural exchanges with the rest of the world to promote greater understanding and consensus.

rested on Saturday in connection with the slayings. Massie, who represents a solidly Republican district, posted the picture of himself and six others holding firearms resembling an M60 machine gun, AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a Thompson submachine gun.

Some semi-automatic weapons are made to look nearly identical to fully automatic weapons like machine guns. Under U.S. law, weapons like machine guns are restricted to the military, law enforcement and civilians who have obtained special licenses for weapons made before May 1986.

Jonathan van Norman, a campaign manager for Massie, did not immediately reply to a request for comment via Twitter.

Democratic U.S. Representative John Yarmuth, who chairs the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, condemned his fellow Kentuckian’s post.

“I’m old enough to remember Republicans screaming that it was insensitive to try to protect people from gun violence after a tragedy,” Yarmuth wrote on Twitter, apparently referring to calls for gun control laws.

“I promise not everyone in Kentucky is an insensitive asshole,” he added. The shooting in Oxford, Michigan – in which four teenagers were killed and a teacher and six other students were wounded – was the latest in a string of sometimes-deadlier incidents that have prompted fierce debates over school safety, gun control and gun rights.

China points out ‘deep-seated problems’ with US democracy XINHuA The Chinese Foreign Ministry released a report on Sunday, detailing the “deficiencies and abuse of democracy” in the United States based upon “facts and expert opinions,” registering hope that the U.S. will “improve its own system” someday and “change its way of interacting with other countries.”

“Problems like money politics, identity politics, wrangling between political parties, political polarization, social division, racial tension and the wealth gap have become more acute,” the report read. “All this has weakened the functioning of democracy in the U.S.” A gAme of ‘money politics’: “The fact that the American people have to face is that money politics has penetrated the entire process of election, legislation and administration,” the report said.

“Only people with enough capital can enjoy their democratic rights provided by the Constitution.”

The report cited statistics that winners of 91 percent of U.S. Congressional elections are the candidates with greater financial support.

“And those so-called representatives of the people, once elected, often serve the interests of their financial backers,” it said.

It also quoted Robert Reich, a public policy professor at the University of California, Berkeley and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, saying that political donations

from the 2018 midterm elections were mainly from the top 0.01 percent ultra-rich of the American population, accounting for over 40 percent of campaign finance.

“The inequality in economic status has been turned into inequality in political status,” the report said. ‘messy And chAotic prActices of democrAcy’: The report elaborated on the alienation and the malaise of democracy in the United States from three aspects: a system fraught with deep-seated problems, messy and chaotic practices of democracy, and the disastrous consequences of the U.S. exporting of its brand of democracy.

The report said what is now imperative for the United States is to get to work in real earnest to ensure its people’s democratic rights and improve its system of democracy instead of placing too much emphasis on procedural or formal democracy at the expense of substantive democracy and its outcome.

What is also imperative for the United States is to undertake more international responsibility and provide more public goods to the world instead of always seeking to impose its own brand of democracy on others, use its own values as means to divide the world into different camps, or carry out intervention, subversion and invasion in other countries under the pretext of promoting democracy, it added.

The international community is now faced with pressing challenges of a global scale, from the COVID-

19 pandemic and economic slowdown due to the climate change crisis, said the report, calling on all countries to rise above differences in systems, reject the mentality of zero-sum game and pursue genuine multilateralism.

All countries need to uphold peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity, the report said.

It is also important that all countries respect each other, work to expand common ground, shelve differences, promote cooperation for mutual benefit and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, the report said.

US, West blast Taliban over reported ‘summary killings’ of ex-security forces WASHINGTON AFP

The United States on Saturday led a group of Western nations and allies in condemnation of the Taliban over the “summary killings” of former members of the Afghanistan security forces reported by rights groups, demanding quick investigations.

“We are deeply concerned by reports of summary killings and enforced disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces as documented by Human Rights Watch and others,” read a statement by the United States, the European Union, Australia, Britain, Japan and others, which was released by the State Department.

“We underline that the alleged actions constitute serious human rights abuses and contradict the Taliban’s announced amnesty,” the group of nations said, as it called on Afghanistan’s new rulers to ensure the amnesty is enforced and “upheld across the country and throughout their ranks.”

Early this week, Human Rights Watch released a report that it says documents the summary execution or enforced disappearance of 47 former members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), other military personnel, police and intelligence agents “who had surrendered to or were apprehended by Taliban forces” from mid-Au-

gust through October.

“Reported cases must be investigated promptly and in a transparent manner, those responsible must be held accountable, and these steps must be clearly publicized as an immediate deterrent to further killings and disappearances,” the countries — which include Canada, New Zealand, Romania, Ukraine and several European nations — said in their statement.

The Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August as the US-backed government in Kabul and the country’s military collapsed.

Washington held talks with Taliban officials earlier this week when it urged the hardline Islamist group to provide access to education for women and girls across the country.

It also “expressed deep concern regarding allegations of human rights abuses,” a US spokesman said.

Pentagon chief says China ops near Taiwan resemble ‘rehearsals’ WASHINGTON AFP

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday that recent extensive Chinese military operations near Taiwan resembled “rehearsals” and he reaffirmed Washington’s strong support for Taipei. President Joe Biden’s Pentagon chief said the United States remained committed to supporting “Taiwan’s ability to defend itself.” In a speech devoted largely to an array of challenges posed by an increasingly confident China, he underlined Washington’s “real differences” with Beijing. Austin was speaking at a national defense forum at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. In recent months, the Chinese military has mounted an increasingly aggressive series of sea and air military operations near Taiwan, which it claims as its own. “It looks a lot like them exploring their true capabilities,” Austin said. “It looks a lot like rehearsals.” Some analysts have suggested Beijing may be testing Biden during his first year in office. China was the only power now capable of using its “economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to mount a sustained challenge to a stable and open international system,” Austin said. The world’s two largest economic powers, he went on, have “real differences both over interests and values. But the way that you manage them counts.” He said Chinese leaders had been increasingly vocal about their “dissatisfaction with the prevailing order — and about their aim of displacing America from its global leadership role.” But, Austin said: “We seek neither confrontation nor conflict…

We’re not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs.”

Monday, 6 December, 2021 | KARACHI

SPORTS 11

LPL 2021: Sri Lanka beefS SeCurity for PakiStani PLayerS AgEncIES

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OLLOWING the brutal murder of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, Pakistan, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has decided to enhance the security protocol for Pakistani players and coaches who are participating in the Lanka Premier League 2021 — Sri Lanka’s franchise T20 cricket league. A total of nine Pakistani cricketers — including Mohammad Hafeez, Muhammad Umar, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz, and Sohaib Maqsood — and several coaching staff are partaking in the tournament.

Other players include Anwar Ali, Muhammad Irfan, Usman Shinwari, and Ahmed Shahzad.

The tournament is taking place in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo and the town of Hambantota. All the league stage matches will take place at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, while the playoff games are scheduled to take place at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota.

It should be noted that the LPL 2021 kick-started in Colombo today (December 5, 2021) with a match between Galle Gladiators and Jaffna Kings. The tournament will end on December 23.

Morikawa shoots 64 to grab lead at World Challenge

19 new champions win awards as DHA Boxing Championship comes to an end PrESS rELEASE

MIAMI AFP

Collin Morikawa, seeking a victory to become world number one, fired an eightunder par 64 to seize a five-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the Hero World Challenge. The 24-year-old American made six birdies and an eagle chip-in to stand on 18-under 198 after 54 holes in the 20-man invitational hosted by Tiger Woods at the Albany resort in the Bahamas. Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, ranked 16th, shot 69 to stand second on 203 and join the reigning British Open champion in Sunday’s last pairing. A third-place pack on 204 included Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Americans Patrick Reed, Daniel Berger, Sam Burns and Tony Finau with Scottie Scheffler on 205 and fellow American Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open winner, on 206. Morikawa, who also won a major title at the 2020 PGA Championship, captured last month’s DP World Tour Championship, becoming the first American to win the Race to Dubai. Second-ranked Morikawa, who got engaged earlier in the week, can overtake Spain’s Jon Rahm to reach the top of the rankings for the first time if he remains on top for another 18 holes. Morikawa chipped in for eagle at the par-5 third and birdied the fourth but missed a four-foot birdie putt at the par-4 seventh.

He escaped a bunkered tee shot to birdie the par-5 ninth and grab the lead alone at the turn at 14-under. Morikawa rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-4 10th and followed with a four-foot birdie putt at the par-5 11th for a three-stroke lead at 16under. Morikawa added birdies at the 14th and par-5 15th — giving him three birdies and an eagle on the par-5s Saturday. At 18, Morikawa blasted out of a greenside bunker to three feet and saved par to cap only the fourth bogey-free round of the week. Burns was four adrift before a closing double bogey while Finau and Berger were five back before making bogeys at 18.

DHA Lahore 38th Men & 2nd Women Elite National Boxing Championship, atCaptain Fasih Babar Amin (Shaheed) Sports Complex, Phase 6, DHA Lahorecame to an exciting end today. 19 bouts of different categories were fought and 19 new champions were conferred with the newly designed championship belt and other prizeson the final day of the championship.

The chief guest of the closing ceremony was Lieutenant General Syed Arif Hassan, HI(M) (Retd), President Pakistan Olympic Association. On arrival, the chief guest was received by the Administrator DHA Lahore,Brigadier Waheed Gul Satti. There, President Pakistan Boxing Federation, Mr. Muhammad Khalid Mahmood expressed his gratitude towards the chief guest for accepting this invitation and honoring this event with his presence, he also thanked the DHA management for organizing and sponsoring the championship.

At the end, the chief guest gave away prizes to the Winners and gave specially designed belt for DHA National Championship to thechampion team. Administrator DHA Lahore and the General Secretary of Pakistan Boxing Federation also presented souvenirs to the chief guest during the closing ceremony. Earlier in the day Begum and Brigadier Waheed Gul Satti, Administrator DHA Lahore gave away prizes to the promising female bout winners to further promote women boxing in Pakistan. While speaking on the occasion, Administrator DHA commended Pakistan Boxing Federation and DHA team for organizing this event in a befitting manner.

The Champion of DHA 38th Men Boxing champi-

onship in Men’sSuper-Heavyweight Category goes to Mehmood ul Hassan of Pakistan Airforce,where asSana Ullah of WAPDA is declaredHeavyweight Champion, Nazir Ullah of Pakistan Army is declaredCruiserweight champion, Bilawal Zia of Pakistan Army is declaredLight Heavyweight champion, Saif ul Manan of Pakistan Army is declaredMiddleweight champion, Gul Zaib of Pakistan Army is declaredLight Middle champion, Suleman Baloch of Pakistan Army is declaredWelterweight champion, Light Welterweight champion is Naqeeb Ullah of WAPDA, Lightweight champion is Mohib Ullah of WAPDA, Featherweight champion is Ilyas Hussain of Pakistan Army , Bantomweight champion is Zakir Hussain of Pakistan Army , Flyweight champion is Atta Ullah of WAPDAandMinimum weight champion is Zohaib Rasheed of Navy The Champion of DHA 2nd Women Elite Boxing championship in Women’s Bantomweight champion is Nada Za-

reen of Islamabad, Lightweight champion is Fatima Zehra of Punjab, Flyweight champion is Gul Jabeen of Sindh, Featherweight champion is Mahreen Baloch of Sindh,Welterweight champion is Moazama of Punjab and Minimum weight champion is Maria of Sindh A total of 12 Men teams, Pakistan Army(defending Championship of 2019 Boxing Championship), Navy, Air Force, WAPDA, Police and Pakistan Railway participatedin this championship and on Women side 07teams,namely Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KPK, AJK, Federal Area (Islamabad)and GilgitBaltistan competed in a total of 153 bouts in different weightcategories over 05 days for 2021 boxing championship. The team trophy for DHA 38th Men National Boxing Championship was lifted by Pakistan Army, followed

by WAPDA and Pakistan Navy and Sindh lifted the team trophy for DHA 2nd Women Elite National Boxing Championship followed by Punjab and Islamabad.

PAF wins 30th CAS Challenge Cup Polo Tournament Pr

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force with players of the winning team of CAS Challenge Cup Polo Tournament at Islamabad Polo Clup.

PAF won the 30th Chief of Air Staff Challenge Cup Polo Tournament, which was played at the lush green Islamabad Polo Club. PAF won the final match by defeating PAF Blue with five to four goals. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

The Chief Guest gave away prizes amongst the players and awarded the CAS Challenge Polo Cup to the winning team.

The Air Chief congratulated the winners and appreciated the club management for

successful conduct of the event in order to promote sports in Pakistan. The chief guest also emphasized upon the significance of sports for mental as well as physical health of the youth.

The tournament commenced on 29 November, 2021 and 08 teams (PAF, PAF Blue, PAF White, AseanKalabagh, Boquival, Buraq ASC, HakunaMatata and PBG) participated in the tournament.

Diplomats, high ranking military & civil officials and polo enthusiasts witnessed the match. CAS Challenge Cup Polo Tournament was introduced in 1985 and ever since it has been a regular feature in the PAF Sports Calendar.

Rain stalls Pakistan innings in second Test against Bangladesh DHAKA The AssociATed Press

The first session of day two of the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan has been washed out due to rain on Sunday.

After inspecting the ground several times through the morning, the umpires took the decision to take an early lunch with hopes of play resuming in the afternoon session.

Rain and bad light also interrupted the game on day one, allowing just two sessions of play as Pakistan reached 161-2 after recovering from early trouble.

Skipper Babar Azam was batting on 60 with Azhar Ali on 36 after putting on 91-run for the third wicket stand.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (2-49) had bowled brilliantly in the first session Saturday to put Bangladesh on top after the visitors seemed headed toward a big score.

Openers Abid Ali and Abdullah Shafique brought up a 50-run partnership in the first hour after Babar won the toss and chose to bat first. But Taijul broke the 59-run partnership, taking both wickets with straight deliveries.

Pakistan won the first Test by eight wickets.

DAY ONE: On Saturday, batting first, Pakistan looked comfortably placed at 161 for two wickets.

Registering a comprehensive win in the first Test match, the green shirts looked to continue the winning streak as they took on

Bangladesh in the second and final Test match of the series at Sher-i-Bangla National Stadium.

Babar won the toss and elected to bat first as Shafique and Ali once again opened the innings for Pakistan.

Taijul claimed two wickets for 28 runs to reduce Pakistan to 78-2 at lunch on the opening day of the second Test on Saturday.

After his 133 and 91 in the first Test, Ali also appeared set for another big score but fell for 39 before Taijul again struck with a straight delivery that didn’t turn as much as he expected.

Following the lunch break, both batsmen dug deep and put on and put on a 91run partnership stand till the tea session was called. Babar raced to his 19th half-

century while Azhar Ali supported him from the other end.

Bangladesh earlier made three changes,

including a debut cap to Mahmudul Hasan.

Pakistan, which won the first Test by eight wickets, named an unchanged side.

Monday, 6 December, 2021

Prayer tImINGs

NEWS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

5:39

12:21

3:22

6:58

5:42

7:03

CabInet may aPPrOve aPPOIntment Of new PPL mD tOmOrrOw ISLAMABAD

t

ahmad ahmadaNI

HE federal cabinet is likely to choose one of three shortlisted candidates during the coming week’s scheduled meeting for the top position of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL).

Well-informed sources informed Profit that the upcoming meeting is likely to take up a summary regarding the appointment of the managing director (MD)/chief executive officer (CEO) of PPL. They added that interviews for the position have already been conducted and three candidates named as Imran Abbasi, Moin Raza Khan, Sikandar Memon have been shortlisted whereas Abbasi is most likely to win the race.

Sharing details of the shortlisted candidates, sources said that Abbasi has secured the maximum score in the interview process and his name is placed at the top of the list of shortlisted candidates.

Imran Abbasi is currently working with an Exploration and Production (E&P) company in Canada. He was ear-

lier selected for the top position of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) but could not join due to personal reasons.

Incumbent PPL CEO Moin Raza Khan is also among the shortlisted candidates with his name placed at second

number in the list. However, he is considered as a controversial candidate with his short listing raising serious questions due to certain allegations against him.

Sources said that Moin Raza Khan has been facing a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference while the

company, under his leadership, has allegedly suffered significant losses due to drilling activity being significantly reduced and gas production also decreasing from 950 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD) to 650 MMCFD during the last three years among other reasons.

“PPL staff in the court is requesting for an impartial third party audit but existing management is allegedly blocking this audit because of their involvement,” said sources.

The third shortlisted candidate is Sikandar Memon, who is reportedly not a suitable choice to fill the top position of PPL as he secured low marks during the interview process. Pakistan Petroleum Limited is a non-funded publicly listed company incorporated under the Companies Ordinance, 1984; established to undertake oil and gas exploration activities in the country and abroad.

The government has 74.86 per cent shares and the right to nominate all the directors on the BoD of the company commensurate to the ratio of its equity as provided under Section 164(2) of the Companies Act, 2017.

Govt likely to miss wheat production target due to high fertiliser rates ISLAMABAD shahzad Paracha

IPO headless for over six months ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbas

The Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO), currently dealing with important issues including a battle with India for securing the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice in the European market, besides its main functions of trade mark registry, copyright and patent and design registration etc., has now been functioning without any leadership for over six months. Similar to other attached departments of the Ministry of Commerce, IPO Pakistan is also being run by the ministry through additional charges given to deputy and additional secretaries. The post of chairman IPO has been vacant for over six months since former chairman Mujeeb Ahmed completed his term early in June 2021 and although the ministry advertised the post in August, it is yet to shortlist candidates for interviews. According to an insider privy to the matter, potential candidates of the post are concerned that the ministry’s high ups, by not mentioning the age limit and relevant experiences in the advertisement, are trying to facilitate a blue eyed candidate. “In case the ministry violates the rules and makes such a move, we may approach the court,” an applicant told Profit on condition of anonymity. According to them, the age limit for the candidate, as per MP Scale Policy 2020, should not be more than 62 years as he would complete the 3-year contractual term by the age of 65. Insiders informed Profit that currently, both the director general and the acting chairman of the organisation were of BS-20 while overall functions of the institution were badly affected for absence of the regular chairman. An additional secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, who holds additional charge of the chairman IPO post, hardly looks after the affairs of the institution due to his engagements at the ministry. When contacted, an official at the ministry claimed that the appointment of new chairman IPO was in process. In the current state of IPO, the rice exporters were also concerned that any disturbance in the half cooked process of the Basmati case in Europe would harm the country. Besides similar issues of registration of GI for other products were also facing delay for ignorance of the department and ministry.

Imran to inaugurate Green Line bus service on December 10: minister KARACHI staff rePort

Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the longdelayed Green Line bus rapid transit system (BRTS) on December 10, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced Sunday.

The minister announced last week the federal government-funded project will begin trial operations “in the next 10 days”.

The service, touted as a solution to the public transport woes of residents of Karachi, will begin commercial operations from December 25, he said.

One of the provincial capital’s major public transport projects, the Rs16.85 billion service — work on which started in 2016 — was estimated to be completed by the end of 2017 but kept getting new deadlines as the metropolis of over 14 million continued to suffer in the absence of a proper mass transit system.

The BRT service is supposed to facilitate the travel of approximately 300,000 passengers daily.

Karachi ranks as having the worst public transport system globally, according to a 2019 study by car-parts

company Mister Auto that looked at 100 major cities.

It serves about 42 percent of Karachi’s commuters, relying on decades-old, overcrowded buses that use the roof as a second deck for passengers at times. Roads are filled with potholes, not all traffic signals are automated, and it’s common to see drivers running red lights.

Since the launch of the scheme, the battered roads on either side of the route have turned into a great source of nuisance for commuters and for the shopkeepers doing their businesses.

A ray of hope emerged for Karachi’s residents in September when the first consignment of 40 buses for the Service reached the city. A second consignment of 40 buses for the project arrived a month later in October.

Also in September, Umar said the project is a modern technology-based transport system, comprising a 22-kilometre dedicated corridor aimed at providing easier mobility and catering to the travel needs of 135,000 passengers per day.

The dedicated corridor will serve some of the most populated neighbourhoods of Karachi, covering Surjani Town to Guru Mandir and Numaish Chowrangi in Phase 1.

Process begins to appoint new NAB boss ISLAMABAD INP

The process to appoint a new chairman for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will begin Monday.

The tenure of incumbent chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal was extended for an indefinite period of time through the promulgation in October of the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021

by President Arif Alvi.

Under the ordinance, Iqbal will continue to serve on the post until his successor is appointed.

Sources privy to the matter said the Ministry of

Law and Justice will forward a summary to President Alvi this week in compliance with the prime minister’s instructions.

They said the president will seek names from the prime minister through a letter and forward them to the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

Under the new law, the president will appoint the NAB chief in consultation with the prime minister and the opposition leader.

In case of a failure to reach a consensus on the appointment, the matter will be sent to a 12-member parliamentary committee formed especially for the matter of the appointment.

The government is likely to miss the wheat production target due to higher rates of fertiliser in the market.

Sources said that small farmers are facing difficulties in getting the urea due to which there is a chance of low sowing of wheat during the ongoing Rabi crop season. A small farmer also told this scribe that there is a shortage of urea in the market as prices are very high.

Presently, urea is available at the rate of Rs2100 to Rs2300 in the market despite the fact the government rate is Rs1760. Meanwhile, dealers are selling DAP for Rs8650 in whereas the government rate is Rs8200.

Sources said that dealers have a huge stock of fertilisers but they are not selling.

It may be mentioned here that the Punjab government has recently launched a crackdown on fertiliser hoarders and profiteers to protect the interest of farmers while field offices are providing information with regard to low sowing of wheat crops, especially in South Punjab to the agricultural department of Punjab.

Interestingly, provincial minister Hussain Jahania Gardezi on December 2 while briefing the wheat review committee on the crop sowing position 202122 (FY22) said that Punjab will surpass its sowing target as it stood at 95 per cent sowing against the target of 16.2 million acres.

Similarly, Sindh stands at 76% of the assigned target area (2.97 million acres), KPK stands at 75% of the assigned target area (2.2 million acres) and Balochistan stands at 68% of the assigned target area which is 1.36 million acres.

Federal Food Minister Fakhar Imam said that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure progress is monitored in order to ensure that the assigned wheat crop targets are met.

He said that the sowing period is the most critical for a wheat crop and any issues should be catered to immediately in order to stay on track.

It is pertinent to note that the federal government has fixed a 28.4 million tonne production target of wheat during the current fiscal year against 27.3 MT production in FY21.

Recently, the federal cabinet had also given permission to export wheat to Afghanistan. Pakistan has so far exported 40,000 MT of wheat to the neighbouring country.

Federal Secretary National Food Security and Research Tahir Khursheed responding to a query of this scribe informed that all efforts are being made to ensure that sowing is completed in the target areas and assured that the government would meet the target.

Pak-Afghan trade continues to decline PESHAWAR azIz buNerI

Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is on a constant decline because the of hurdles created by different government departments at the Torkham border crossing.

According an exporter Muhammad Aamir, traders face difficulties due to different laws for trade with Afghanistan at various borders crossings.

“At Karalachi, a vehicle carrying rice is cleared for $4,000 while at Torkham, the clearance costs $15,000,” he said, adding that such issues don’t just affect Pak-Afghan trade but also reduces the government revenue in addition to incurring losses to traders.He said that exporters are also braving through heavy losses being caused by the

purchase of dollars from the open market and its deposits in banks.

According to Aamir, due to the financial crisis and closure of a banking system in Afghanistan, the flow of money to Pakistani traders from the neighbouring has stopped, resulting in a 60 per cent reduction in orders for goods to local traders.

On the other hand, remaining exports are vanishing slowly due bottlenecks at crossing points.

Another exporter Abid Khan said that the major hurdles in the way of export to Afghanistan are created by national logistics cell (NLC). He said that despite scanning the goods, NLC officials open trucks to manually check export goods as they don’t trust on their own scanners.

“NLC charges Rs3500 from each export

vehicle, including Rs1000 for scanning. Despite taking this money, officials open stocks in our trucks which not only damages goods but also causes unnecessary delays,” he lamented.

Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan include rice, fish, vegetables and other food items whereas from Afghanistan, fruits including apples, pomegranates, grapes, dried fruits, soup stones in addition to coal which the government has also allowed now is brought into the country.

At present, barely 200 export vehicles are cleared to go to Afghanistan while around 300 vehicles are cleared to enter Pakistan from the other side despite the government’s permission to open the border 24/7.

“Undue delay in clearance of vehicles is a question mark over the performance of

government departments,” Abid Khan said.

Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, provincial president of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Customs Clearance Agent (KPCCA), said that these problems will continue to harm traders and exports until the government ends the unnecessary interference of various departments.

He urged the government to revive the Pak-Afghan transit trade and take all stakeholders into confidence to finalise the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit trade agreement (APTTA) at its earliest.

Sarhadi further said that in the last two months, a delegation led by Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce (PACC) President Khan Jan Alokozai had visited Pakistan twice to resolve the problems on the PakAfghan border. He said that these meetings were held with representatives of FIA,

NLC and Ministry of Commerce wherein Customs officials had assured that the border would be free of issues being faced by exporters.

“Traders do not have a problem with Customs officials but other unrelated government agencies that are checking vehicles without a proper system in place,” he informed.

According to Zia-ul-Haq, the government should immediately issue instructions to the agencies at the border to work within its jurisdiction. He warned that if the situation continues, Pak-Afghan trade will completely be wiped out in the matter of a few years.

NLC representative Abdul Sattar was contacted several times to respond to the allegations leveled by traders and clearing agents but he did not respond.

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