EpaperKHI_22-1-2

sunday, 2 January, 2022 I 28 Jamadi-al-awwal, 1443 I rs 15.00 I vol XII no 185 I 12 Pages I Karachi edition

OppOsitiOn leaders lash Out at imran Khan fOr petrOleum prices’ hiKe, seeK his resignatiOn PM Khan urges Muslim scholars to tell youth about Islamic revolution ISLAMABAD staff Correspondent

ISLAMABAD staff report

t

op opposition leaders Saturday blasted prime Minister Imran Khan for hike in the petrol prices on the eve of New Year and asked him to quit for pursuing anti-people policies.

The government increased the prices of petrol and high speed diesel (HSD) by Rs4 per litre, according to a statement issued by the Finance Division late on Friday. pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (pMLN) president Shehbaz Sharif and pakistan people’s party (ppp) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took Imran Khan to task for the poL prices hike, asking Imran Khan to quit instead of dropping the petrol bomb on the people.

Following the poL prices hike, the price of petrol was increased from Rs140.82 to Rs144.82, that of HSD from Rs137.62 to Rs141.62, of kerosene from Rs109.53 to

Rs113.53 and that of light diesel oil from Rs107.06 to Rs111.06, according to the Finance Division’s statement.

In a statement, Bilawal deplored that Imran Khan had very proudly declared that 2021 would be a year of prosperity.

Now the year 2022 has dawned, but there are no signs of affluence, he added.

He was of the view that every New Year proved costlier in terms of price hike and inflation than the previous one but the government kept blaming the previous regimes.

He reminisced that in the ppp tenure, there was the worst kind of global economic meltdown, but the ppp government did not crush people under the burden of inflation.

He said the only way to get rid of inflation is to get rid of the Imran Khan government.

Bilawal called upon the government to reduce the prices of petroleum products according to the prices in the inter-

cOrOnavirus in

paKistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,295,933

LAST UPDATED AT 8:00 AM ON JANUARY 1, 2022

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

6

556

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

1,256,816 28,933 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

482,029

445,107

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

181,402

33,638

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

34,662/10,429

108,666

national market.

Shehbaz Sharif, in his statement, lashed out at the government for increasing the poL prices, asking Imran it would have been far better if he had quit instead of dropping the petrol bomb on the people.

He held that in order to save the nation from inflation, economic disaster and unemployment, the present cruel regime must come to an end.

The pTI government even could not bear to see the nation celebrating the New Year and snatched their joy by announcing to hike the petrol prices, he added.

He lamented the exploitation, apathy and indifferent attitude of the government.

Like Bilawal, Shehbaz called on the prime minister to resign instead of “burying the people alive”.

“Do not punish the nation for your foolishness,” he hit out at the premier.

prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday urged top Islamic scholars to play their due role in spreading awareness among younger generation about the revolution brought in by the holy prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pBUH) so the youth can follow and practice the revolutionary steps in their lives.

The premier expressed these views during a virtual meeting with a number of eminent global Muslim scholars.

He said that most of previous nations were destroyed owing to discrimination between powerful and weak segments in their societies.

Dispensing justice and rule of law are the hallmark of a civilised society, he said. “only countries where rule of law is established can survive and flourish,” he added. pM Imran said that Holy prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pBUH) raised the level of ethics and morality of the society to make Muslims a great nation.

The premier said that the Holy prophet (pBUH) emphasised on the implementation of rule of law in

Pakistan, India exchange lists of nuclear facilities, prisoners ISLAMABAD anadolu agenCy

pakistan and India have exchanged the lists of their respective nuclear facilities and installations, and prisoners, the Foreign office said on Saturday.

The annual exchange took place in accordance with the agreement on “prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities” signed between the two nuclear nations in December 1988 and ratified in January 1991, it said in a statement.

India also said it exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities with pakistan.

“India and pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the Agreement on the prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between India and pakistan,” the statement by its Ministry of External Affairs read.

According to the agreement, both countries should inform each other of their nuclear installations and facilities on January 1 of each year.

This practice has been fol-

Riyasat-e-Madina, adding that “only those societies prosper who have a rule of law without any discrimination”.

Imran Khan said that those who follow the teachings and footsteps of the Hazrat Muhammad (pBUH) will be prosperous as the Holy prophet (pBUH) is Rehmatul-illAlameen.

ProMInent MuslIM scholars endorse PM’s vIews: Speaking on the occasion, the scholars stressed upon the inculcation of core moral and ethical values in society as enunciated by the Holy prophet (pBUH), which they stressed transformed the fate of lowly Arab people into world leaders. prominent scholars including Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Dr Timothy Winter/Abdal Hakim Murad, Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Dr Recep Senturk, Dr osman Bakar and Dr Chandra Muzaffar, responded to questions about different aspects of the Sunnat of Holy prophet (pBUH) and their need with respect to contemporary challenges posed to the Muslim youth and society.

The dialogue was held by Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

more inside

skills, jobs, better lives: Pakistan experiences benefits of cPec excellence STORY ON PAGE 02

lowed consecutively since 1992, the statements noted.

Meanwhile, pakistan also shared a list of 628 prisoners of Indian origin with the Indian High Commission in accordance with the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access. 51 prisoners on the list are civilians, while 577 are fishermen.

“The Indian government also simultaneously shared the list of 355 pakistani prisoners in India including 282 civilians and 73 fishermen with the High Commission for pakistan in New Delhi,” the statement added.

According to the 2008 agreement, India and pakistan are required to share a list of prisoners both countries are holding across the border twice a year on January 1 and July 1.

nuclear arMs race: pakistan and India are among a few select countries with nuclear arsenals. India joined the nuclear club long before pakistan, in 1974, prompting Islamabad to follow suit. pakistan silently developed its own nuclear capability in the 1980s, when it was an ally of the US in the first Afghan war against the crumbling Soviet Union.

According to the Stockholm International peace Research Institute, India currently possesses between 80 and 100 nuclear warheads, while pakistan holds between 90 and 110.

Meanwhile, a number of international think tanks believe the size of Islamabad’s nuclear arsenal will cross the 200 mark within the next five years.

Bandial to succeed Ahmed as chief justice on February 2 STORY ON PAGE 03

Minister urges to ‘reduce bitterness’ between govt, opposition STORY ON BACK PAGE

pAEC loads fuel to 1100 MW nuclear power plant in Karachi STORY ON BACK PAGE

02

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

SKillS, jObS, better liveS: PaKiStaN exPerieNceS beNefitS Of cPec excelleNce ISLAMABAD

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XinhuA

AzAL Rahim has been working on the Port Qasim Power Plant project for the last six years. The plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

During his time at the plant, Rahim has witnessed immense growth on both professional and personal levels.

“I was a fresh graduate when I started here, and now, six years later, I am a deputy director of a department. I was well trained

by Chinese staff who provided me with plenty of opportunities to excel.”

Port Qasim created almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The operational phase employs about 600 local people. “I know many people who found it hard to make the ends meet, but after finding

work at the plant they are leading pretty good lives. Their kids go to nice schools and they eat better food. Some of them have even built houses.

I can help my parents, and I pay for my younger brothers’ education. I am financially stable and they get to study in good universities. Their future prospects are very promising,” he said.

Rahim and 26 other employees were given awards for their outstanding contributions to the CPEC by the Chinese embassy in Islamabad recently.

Investment has started pouring in CPEC to special economic zones and employment opportunities in sectors ranging from agriculture and information technology are following, with the potential to offer a large number of new jobs to Pakistani youth.

According to the embassy, the CPEC, a flagship project of the Belt and Road

One dead, 18 hurt in Karachi New Year festivities KARACHI: At least one person died and 18 others were injured in Karachi in separate incidents on New Year’s Eve as the city rang in the new year. Karachi reverberated with heavy gunfire on New Year’s Eve amid strict security arrangements and warnings from the local authorities. The metropolis echoed with gunfire and fireworks on Friday night, despite a restriction on celebratory firing. Though the authorities had warned of attempted murder charges against the violators, the number of casualties this time was higher than the previous year, when only four individuals were injured in the provincial capital. According to the hospital, a total of 18 people were rushed to hospitals after being struck by stray gunshots. An 11-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in the Khawaja Ajmer Nagri neighbourhood, police said. Six were transferred to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), four to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, three to Ruth Pfau Hospital, and two to Sindh Government Hospital. According to the police, cases have been registered on complaints of aerial firing, and arrests are likely around Karachi on New Year’s Eve for aerial firing. StAff RePoRt

KP fails to spend uplift funds in tribal districts PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s eight administrative departments under a rapid development program while six administrative departments under Annual Development Program (ADP) failed to spend even a single penny in the tribal districts since their 2018 merger with the province. Out of the Rs62.40 billion allocated for the two separate programs for the tribal districts, Rs18.88 billion could be spent which constitutes 30 percent of the allocated funds and 41 percent of the existing funds. The sluggish use of the ADP by the administrative departments has led to fears of further reduction in the development funds by the federal government for tribal districts. Therefore, the provincial government has directed the administrative departments to expedite the use of funds. The official data shows that only the department of industries could utilize 100percent of its uplift funds in the tribal districts. According to Planning and development department, under the merged District Development Program, the excise and taxation, food, rehabilitation and resettlement and social welfare departments could spend any fund. Similarly, the Department of Higher Education has spent 5 percent, the Board of Revenue 7 percent, Science Technology and Information Technology 8 percent, Irrigation 11 percent, health 12 percent, mines and minerals could spend only 13 percent of development funds. Similarly, sports and tourism could spend 13 percent (113 million), finance 22percent (2.2 million), law and justice 22percent (22 million), information 23percent (7.6 million), multi-sector development 25percent (188 million), municipalities 27percent (248 million), provision of clean drinking water 27percent or 286 million, forest department 29percent or 116 million and agriculture 30percent or 206 million. The energy department could 33percent ie 275 million, primary and secondary education 38percent of ie 740 million, endowments and Hajj minority affairs 38percent ie 26 million, the welfare of population 41 percent or 17 million, construction and communication 45percent ie 1.81 billion, industry and handicrafts used 98percent or Rs515 million. In total, Rs17.10 billion out of Rs26.42 billion was released under the merged District Development Program out of which Rs5.48 billion have been spent on development projects. Under the Accelerated Development Program, the Board of Revenue, Environment, Housing, Law and Justice, Minerals, Population Welfare, Public-Private Partnership and Science Technology and Information Technology failed to spend any funds. Aziz BuneRi

Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan since its launch in 2015, with more to come in the second phase.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the second phase of CPEC was broadening. “We have added agriculture, and we have added science and technology – actual acceleration will be seen in phase two,” Umar said.

Pakistan staff say they are living the dream of working in world-class companies, learning every day from world-class Chinese colleagues who are always ready to share their knowledge.

The CPEC has greatly eased the energy crisis and employed large numbers of people. The second phase holds promising prospects for a prosperous future.

“I have been working with the Chinese for seven years, and I have learned a lot about time management, scheduling and planning

— important if we are going to get whatever we are working on completed in time,” said

Arsalan Khan, who won an award for his work at the Karot Hydropower Project.

Two officers of Pakistan Navy promoted as Rear Admiral

ISLAMABAD MiAn ABRAR

Two officers of Pakistan Navy on Saturday were promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral with immediate effect.

The officers who got promotion included Rear Admiral Faisal Amin and Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah.

Rear Admiral Faisal Amin got commission in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. The Flag Officer is a graduate of Command & Staff College, Quetta, National Defence University, Islamabad and Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom.

The Admiral has an illustrious naval career covering vast experience of

various Command and Staff appointments. His major Command appointments include Commanding of PN Ships RAJSHAHI & ALAMGIR and 18th Destroyer Squadron.

His prominent Staff appointments include Director Naval Developmental Plans (Platform), Principal Secretary to the Chief of the Naval Staff and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations) at Naval Headquarter, Islamabad. Currently, Rear Admiral Faisal Amin is appointed as Additional Secretary – III at Ministry of Defence.

The Admiral is a recipient of Sitara-ilmtiaz (Military).

Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah was commissioned in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1992. The Flag Officer’s distinguished academic career includes MSc in Defence & Strategic Studies from Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad Masters in War Studies

Court approached against hike in petroleum prices LAHORE StAff RePoRt

A day after the government increased the price of petroleum products by Rs4 a litre, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court on Saturday against the federal government’s decision, urging the court to declare it void.

Effective January 1, the prices of petrol, kerosene and light diesel oil were increased by Rs4 per litre, Rs3.95 and Rs4.15 respectively for the next fortnight, a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance Friday night said.

Following the increase, the price of petrol reached Rs144.82 per litre, high-speed diesel Rs141.62, light diesel oil Rs111.06 and kerosene Rs113.53. Nominating the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the central government as respondents, the petition requested the court to annul the latest surge in prices.

The development came as oil prices worldwide fell on Friday but posted their biggest annual gains since at least 2016, spurred by the global economic recovery from the Covid-19 slump and producer restraint even as infections reached record highs

elsewhere in the world.

Brent crude futures settled down $1.75, or 2.2 percent, at $77.78 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dropped $1.78, or 2.31 percent, to $75.21 a barrel.

Brent ended the year up 50.5 percent, its biggest gain since 2016, while WTI posted a 55.5 percent gain, the strongest performance for the benchmark contract since 2009 when prices soared more than 70 percent.

Global oil prices are expected to rise further next year as jet fuel demand catches up.

“We’ve had Delta and Omicron and all manner of lockdowns and travel restrictions, but demand for oil has remained relatively firm,” said Australian brokerage firm CommSec’s Chief Economist Craig James.

“You can attribute that to the effects of stimulus supporting demand and restrictions on supply.”

However, after rising for several straight days, oil prices stalled on Friday as Covid-19 cases soared to new pandemic highs across the globe, from Australia to the United States, stoked by the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant.

— With input from Reuters

(Maritime) from Bahria University, Master of Military Studies from US and M Phil in Public Policy & Strategic Security Management from National Defence University, Islamabad.

He is a graduate of Pakistan Navy War College, US Marine Corps Command & Staff College and National Defence University Islamabad. The Admiral has a vast experience of command and staff appointments which include command of a Marines Operational unit, Commander West and Commander Creeks. He has also served as Director Marines & Special Service Group (Navy) at Naval Headquarters as well as Naval & Air Attaché of Pakistan in Iran. Rear Admiral Syed Faisal Ali Shah is presently appointed as Director General Joint Cantonment Gwadar DGJCG) at Joint Staff Headquarters. The Admiral is a recipient of Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military).

2021 termed successful year for Pakistan at UN UNITED NATIONS APP

Pakistan continued to push for occupied Kashmir’s right to self-determination in 2021 in a determined bid to advance the cause of their freedom from India’s yoke, Ambassador Munir Akram said while recounting key achievements at the UN on the multilateral diplomatic front. “2021 was a successful year for Pakistan’s multilateral diplomacy here at the United Nations,” Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN said in his New Year’s message. Led by Ambassador Akram, Pakistan’s mission to the UN missed no opportunity to raise its voice against India’s military siege and illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and gross rights violations. “We continued to make the legal, political and moral case for Kashmiris freedom struggle. We underscored that under international law they have the right to resist, with all means at their disposal, and attain their inalienable right to self-determination,” the ambassador said. The case, he added, was also contained in a Pakistan-sponsored resolution on the universal realisation of the right to self-determination which was adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly. In another accomplishment, Pakistan successfully concluded its presidency of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), having also adopted the Ministerial Declaration of the High level Political Forum HLPF by consensus — an indication of convergence on the global recovery and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. “And, we are determined to play a constructive role as the chairman of Group of 77 (developing countries) for the year 2022,” Ambassador Akram said.

As the next chair of the Group of 77 and China, Pakistan hopes to work with members of the group to promote such a development agenda, including debt restructuring, redistribution of the 650 billion new SDRs to developing countries, larger concessional financing, mobilization of the $100 billion in annual climate finance by the developed countries, ending the billions in illicit financial flows from the developing countries and the return of their stolen assets, and the creation of an equitable and open trading system and a fair international tax regime, he said. Pakistan also took the lead on combating disinformation through Pakistan sponsored resolution which was adopted with consensus, it was pointed out. In addition, Pakistan raised the issue of Islamophobia in the UN.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

baNdial tO SUcceed aHMed aS cHief jUStice ON febrUarY 2 ISLAMABAD

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StAff RePoRt

USTICE Umar Ata Bandial of the Supreme Court will take oath as next chief justice next month as the incumbent top judge will hang his robe on February 1.

Seven judges of the higher courts including Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed will retire in 2022. These include five judges of the apex court and two justices of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Justice Bandial will take the oath of office on February 2.

The Supreme Court judges retire after reaching the age of 65 years while

the high court judges leave the office at 62.

After Justice Ahmed, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed of the Supreme Court will retire next on March 5, Justice Maqbool Baqar on April 4, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel on July 13 and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah on August 13.

Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem of Lahore High Court will hand his robe on June 30, and Justice Chaudhry Masood Jahangir will retire on December 2.

There was one seat of judge vacant at the Supreme Court while 12 seats were vacant at the Lahore High Court at the moment.

Yasin ‘out of danger’: doctor LAHORE StAff RePoRt

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) lawmaker Bilal Yasin, who survived an attempt on his life a day earlier, was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) following a surgery Saturday morning, the doctors said.

His condition is reported to be stable as he recovered in the hospital.

Dr Ahmed Fayyaz Bajwa, an orthopaedic surgeon who operated the former minister, said Yasin was shot in the abdomen and in the hip bone.

“The recovery may take up to nine months,” Dr Bajwa told the media, adding a panel of doctors would assess his condition after two days and decide about shifting him to the general ward of the facility.

Meanwhile, Lahore police registered a case against unidentified men on the MPA’s complaint at Data Darbar police station under Sections 34 (common intention) and 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR said Yasin was visiting PML-N worker Mian Ikram Kami’s house along with another person. The three were talking outside Kami’s residence when two unidentified individuals approached them on a

motorcycle, mounted off and fired at Yasin with intent to kill.

According to the FIR, Yasin requested for action to be taken against the culprits and said they were around 20 to 25 years of age, adding that he

would be able to identify them if they were presented before him.

Later in the day, PML-N leaders Ayaz Sadiq and Rana Tanveer Hussain, and MPA Pir Ashraf Rasool visited Yasin at the hospital.

Sadiq said Yasin was a “man of the people” and the attack on him was regrettable. He questioned why the culprits were still not caught despite CCTV cameras installed in the city.

“The administration should have traced the culprits overnight,” he said.

“Such an attack on any citizen is inappropriate,” he added.

Yasin said he was unaware of the identities of his assailant and that at the time of the attack he was going around his constituency as he routinely did.

InCIdEnt: Yasin was critically injured in an apparent assassination attempt Friday evening when two unidentified men on a motorcycle opened fire on the provincial lawmaker.

He was immediately taken to Mayo Hospital where Medical Superintendent Dr Iftikhar Qureshi said he was under treatment and his condition was out of danger. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident and ordered Lahore police chief Fayyaz Ahmed to arrest the suspects and submit a report at the earliest.

He also directed the provision of the best medical treatment to the lawmaker.

A police statement said Ahmed issued directives for the immediate arrest of the attackers who had covered their faces.

NEWS

03

three more suspects arrested in Wajiha Swati murder case NEwS DESk The Rawalpindi Police on Saturday arrested three more suspects allegedly involved in transporting the body of Wajiha Swati, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, to Dera Ismail Khan from Rawalpindi, according to Express Tribune. The police have arrested a total of six suspects so far, including a woman, in the case. The suspects include former husband Rizwan Habib, father-in-law of the victim Hurriyatullah and employees Sultan Khan, zahid Yusuf, Yusuf Masih and zahida. Earlier, the victim’s former husband had confessed to abducting her soon after her arrival in Pakistan in October, 2021 and killing her and burying her body in Lakki Marwat.

Wajiha had gone missing on October 16. A case was registered with the Morgah police station on the complaint of her eldest son. The FIR had nominated Rizwan Habib as the main accused.

5.3 magnitude earthquake rattles parts of northern Pakistan ISLAMABAD StAff RePoRt

A moderate 5.3 magnitude earthquake rattled parts of the country including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, GilgitBaltistan and federal capital on Saturday. The National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC) confirmed the earthquake with an intensity of 5.3 on the Richter Scale hit Swat, Peshawar, Lower Dir, Swabi, Nowshera, Islamabad and other cities, forcing people to flee their homes in panic. The monitoring centre said that the earthquake had a depth of 180 kilometres with the epicentre in the Afghan-Tajik border.

Macron takes eU reins as election looms pARIS AfP

Mini-budget: How much tax mobile phone consumers will pay?

ISLAMABAD inP

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has proposed a 10% to 15% advance tax on telecom services in the mini-budget it presented in the National Assembly on Thursday. The mini-budget abolishes tax exemptions of Rs343 billion. Consequently, around 150 items will be taxed. Mobile phone consumers already pay heavy pay taxes on telecommunication services. For prepaid users, most of the taxes are deducted when they recharge the prepaid cards.

After the approval of the mini-budget, they will be paying Rs3.9 more on every Rs100 recharge. At present consumers get an available balance of Rs76.10 on an Rs100 recharge after tax deductions.

The available balance will be reduced to Rs72.20 after the increase in the advance tax rate. The government, at present, collects 10% or Rs9.10 in advance tax on every Rs100 prepaid card. From the remaining Rs87, Rs14.80 or 19.5% are deducted as General Sales Tax (GST).

An increase in the advance tax rate will result in a deduction of Rs13 instead of Rs 9.10. However, the GST will stay at Rs14.80. Hence, they will be paying Rs27.8 on every Rs100 recharge.

Unabated extrajudicial killing of Kashmiris reflects Muslim genocide by ‘Hindutva’ govt; says FO STAff REpORT Pakistan Saturday strongly condemned the extra-judicial killing of four more Kashmiris by the Indian occupation forces in Srinagar and Kupwara areas of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The Foreign Office said in a statement that Indian occupation forces martyred the youths during staged cordon and search operations.

Indian occupation forces have martyred at least 210 Kashmiris in fake encounters or so called “cordon and search operations” in 2021.

The military crackdown and intensified extra-judicial killings in fake stage managed operations in IIOJK reflect the extremist antiMuslim designs of the “Hindutva” inspired extremist BJP-RSS combine in India, it added.

The communiqué said burial of the last remains of martyrs at unknown locations without the consent and presence of their families in many instances, is yet another “abhorrent manifestation of India’s use of stateterrorism as a policy tool to suppress the just Kashmiri struggle for their inalienable right to selfdetermination”.

Pakistan calls on the international

community to take immediate notice of India’s relentless oppression in IIOJK. India’s ongoing, systematic and widespread human rights violations in IIOJK warrant investigation by UN Commission of Inquiry (COI), as recommended by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in its

Kashmir Reports of 2018 and 2019, the FO said. “Pakistan also urges the international community to play its role for a just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people for durable peace and stability in the region,” reads the statement.

France takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Saturday, affording President Emmanuel Macron the chance to pose as the EU’s de facto leader in the run-up to national elections in April. The 44-year-old has never made any secret of his ambitions to be the motor for further European integration, serving over the last four years as a dynamic sidekick to the more steady German chancellor Angela Merkel in Europe’s power couple. With Merkel now retired and the timely gift of the rotating presidency of the EU Council from January 1, Macron has announced an ambitious agenda for the 27-member bloc that could also serve his domestic campaign for re-election. “The year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe,” he said in a New Year’s Eve national address that hailed the EU’s role during the Covid-19 crisis. Referring to the French presidency, he vowed that “you can count on my complete commitment to ensure that this period, which comes around every 13 years, is a time of progress for you”. The centrist, who made his Europhile views a key part of his political campaign when winning the presidency in 2017, is hoping it will again serve him in elections scheduled for April 10 and 24. “The EU presidency gives him a welcome platform to put his European record to the forefront and differentiate himself from his rivals and bring new proposals, new ideas to the table,” said Claire Demesmay, an expert at the MarcBloch think-tank in Berlin. Strutting on the international stage has also long been a popular move for any French president. “The French like nothing more than the image or impression of France being ‘at the controls’,” said Pierre Sellal, a former French diplomat at the French mission to the European Union.

GERmAn SuPPoRt? Each European country gets a chance at holding the rotating presidency of the Council, which gives the member state an opportunity to set the official agenda for fellow leaders in the bloc — within limits — and organise meetings of ministers. But although the first French presidency since 2008 offers opportunities for Macron, it is also seen by observers as holding risks. His agenda to make Europe “powerful” — in defence, technology or its own border security — risks being overshadowed in the short term by the accelerating Covid-19 health crisis. Sebastien Maillard, director of the Jacques Delors Institute, a pro-EU think-tank based in Paris, says Macron will also face pressure to deliver after having ramped up expectations.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

04

NEWS

CPEC HElPs PakistaN build NEtwork of motorways, HigHways ISLAMABAD: As many as 79% work on motorways and 68% on highways have been completed on eastern and western routes of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both the Western and Eastern alignments will connect Khunjerab Pass to Gwadar. The common alignment for all the three eastern, western and central routes including 790 km road from Khunjerab to Burhan and 193 km road from Hoshab to Gwadar has been completed already.

Burhan will be at the intersection of the Eastern and Western Alignment. According to the officials in the Ministry of Communication, the distance of the Eastern route starting from Islamabad to Karachi is 1,419 km, out of which 79% work on motorways has been completed whereas 21% is left which is 306 km Sukkur Hyderabad motorway. This is the only patch left in the eastern route of CPEC. Sukkur Hyderabad motorway is expected to be complete in the next 30 months. The company which won the tender has already been allowed to start its construction. On the other hand, the western route of CPEC starts from Islamabad to D. I Khan, then D. I Khan to Quetta, and from Quetta to Gwadar. Excluding the common alignment, the total length of this route is 1,714 km.

Out of which 68% has been completed while 32% is under construction. The Islamabad to D I khan motorway has been completed recently. The very important link of the western route of CPEC is D.I khan to Zoub and Quetta which is 540 km patch. This patch is under construction which is expected to be completed by 2024. After the completion of this patch of motorway the western alignment will be completed also. The rest of the western alignment patches including Quetta to Surab, which is 235 km, and from Surab to Hoshab, which is 449 km, is also operational.

With the start of CPEC, three routes were identified for cargo transport. The eastern alignment passes through the heavily populated provinces of Sindh and Punjab where most industries are located. The western alignment passes through the less developed and more sparsely populated provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, and the future central alignment will pass through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan. The sources confirmed that the two alignments i.e. eastern and western are expected to be completed by 2025 and the third central alignment will be finished by 2030. staff report

National Health Card counters in Punjab hospitals become functional LAHORE: National Health Card Counters at Punjab hospitals have started to function to help facilitate the needy with free medical treatment. The National Health Card Counter at Lahore General Hospital has become functional and regular work has been started for the provision of this facility to the patients. This step will play a vital role in shaping the society of Pakistan like developed countries and health insurance will bring significant changes in the health sector. Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute & Ameer Uddin Medical College (PGMI/AMC), Prof. Dr. Sardar Muhammad Alfreed Zafar excessed these views while speaking at a cake-cutting ceremony in celebration of the free provision of health facilities to the patients. MS Dr. Amir Ghafoor Mufti, Dr. Riaz Hafeez, Dr. Rashid Arshad, Dr. Abdul Aziz and others were also present. Dr. Amir Ghafoor Mufti said that the staff has been deputed for the information about health card at the respective counters. Talking to media on the occasion, Prof. Al-freed Zafar said that the provision of Health Card facility for the people of Pakistan by the PM Imran Khan and CM Punjab Sardar Usman Bazdar is a great revolutionary step in the history of the country which is unprecedented in the last 74 years. He added that the deadly and expensive treatment facility like cancer would also be available on the Health Card.

Principal PGMI said that the Health Card holders will be able to get treatment from public and private hospitals of their choice. He added that every patient coming to the hospital is important to us because human life is equally precious and providing medical treatment to all patients is the hallmark of the medical profession.

He appealed to doctors, nurses and paramedics to treat patients other than Health Card holders with a smile on their faces. An SMS service should also be launched to raise awareness so that low income and middle class people can get rid of the disease by getting timely treatment, Prof. Al-freed concluded. staff report

CMYK

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

05

Smart lockdown impoSed in karachi’S GulShan-e-iqbal

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HE local government on Saturday imposed smart lockdown in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area after 11 members of a family tested positive for Omicron variant of Covid-19 a day earlier.

The deputy commissioner’s office issued a notification for imposing smart lockdown in block 7 of Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

“In exercise of powers conferred under Section 3 of the Sindh Epidemic Diseases Act 2014 (as

amended in 2020), I, Taha Saleem, Deputy Commissioner District Karachi East hereby impose smart lockdown and micro-smart lockdown, which shall be enforced in the streets and houses of specified area respectively as given below, for a definite period of two weeks only,” the notification read.

A day earlier, 11 members of a family were tested positive for Covid-19, which resulted in their self-quarantine at their home in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. The infected coron-

avirus patients are aged between 26 to 77 years old.

The authorities also collected samples from the people who came into their contact to prevent further spread of the virus.

At least 44 cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in Karachi so far. Experts and health authorities have warned and urged people to take precautionary measures, wear masks and get vaccinated with booster dose, if required. NewS DeSk

PM Khan urges Muslim scholars to tell youth about Islamic revolution cOntinuEd fROm pAgE 01 During the course of the conversation, the scholars endorsed PM Imran Khan’s observation that a society could not thrive and achieve prosperity without rule of law and justice, the basic principles which were strictly practised by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his companions in Riasat-e-Madina.

Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr, University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, responding to the prime minister’s query, said that in the last century, Muslims Ummah faced certain changes.

Also reAd: PM stresses need for iMProving MorAl stAndArds: He stressed that the Sunnat of Holy Prophet (PBUH) should be followed as the Uswa of Prophet (PBUH) had large meanings and the model of Riasat-e-Madina was critical for the revival of Muslim society.

Dr Nasr maintained that Islam through the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) spread the message which transformed the sturdyhearted Arabs.

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) presented the message of Allah, to an audience that gave their whole thoughts to it and spend their lives to achieve them,” he added.

“Madina was the first Islamic society and it was a golden period of Islam, the foundation of which was laid down by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). That period remained ideal for us and we have to learn from it,” he opined.

American scholar Shaykh Hamza Yusuf said that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) raised the values of ethics first, then justice and rule of law served as basis for a culmination of civilised society.

He said that ethics and morals did not come from a vacuum, these qualities included honesty, modesty and integrity etc.

“The Prophet (PBUH) was the physician of the hearts. The people around him were called (Ashabs) companions,” he added.

He said the treatment of all ills in society had been identified in the Quranic teachings which provided solutions to these ills. He also stressed that people in power and authority must embody the key

ethics which should be a part of their character.

Dr Yusuf said for the first time, the Quranic teachings gave the idea of brotherhood. He said there might be certain issues in an Islamic society, but the existence of strong values like family system and brotherhood should be focused on and emphasised as a guiding beacon for the youth.

Scholar Dr Timothy Winter/Abdal Hakim Murad of the Cambridge UK shared his experience of visiting the Al-Quds and said that it was the spiritual alchemy that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) infused among his followers enabling them to build an ideal society and beautiful buildings around the world.

He said that it was too difficult to put into words the vast aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Dr Murad highlighted that Muslims should not comply with the Sunnat robotically.

Dr Chandra Muzaffar, a Malaysian intellectual, taking part in the dialogue, endorsed the prime minister’s viewpoint that there could be no two different sets of law for the powerful and the weak.

He linked the viability of a society with its ability to implement the rule of law in which justice and human dignity was upheld.

He said the transformation of the soul was a must and an Islamic society must understand the depth of the message given by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) about social relations.

Dr Muzaffar opined that structural transformation and changing of relations viz-a-viz availability of resources had been a difficult challenge.

“Once the character became weak due to environment, the changes take place from generations to generations,” he said, underlining how the education could sustain such basic values, was a critical question.

Dr Osman Bakar, an emeritus professor of philosophy at the University of Malaya and Professor and Director of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Centre of Islamic Studies (SOASCIS) University Brunei Darussalam, said that due to the personality of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the characters of the people in Madina were raised.

“By imparting education to his companions, the Holy Prophet

(PBUH) helped them to become the most excellent individuals and the world leaders,” he added.

Relation of brotherhood between Mohajirs and Ansars was established. The human capital, in the modern term, was prepared in Makkah. That was the spirit of inclusiveness, he added.

Dr Bakar said the future of the religion was laid down in Riasat-eMadina, which secured victory after victory.

The education system should not be concentrated on external aspects of Sunnah, but the inner spiritual and moral values must be presented to the younger generations, he stressed.

“A society should be based upon spiritual meritocracy. Unity of Eman (faith) and knowledge are challenges for us today,” he added.

Dr Recep Senturk, a Turkish academic and scholar at Ibn Haldun University, said that the Prophet (PBUH) was living among the people and governing a city. “Social system must be based upon moral order and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had built those social and political systems.”

“We should not be pessimistic, we have strong moral system,” he said, underlining the need for the younger generations to also study the Sunnah as history.

Dr Recep further regretted that they focused only on professional education and stressed upon building society through ‘Taleem’ and ‘Tazkiya’.

He observed that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had offered a global future vision, which was yet to be realised.

He opined that Muslim youth lacked future vision like the other young people in other societies.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of Fatwa Council UAE, said that Islam as a religion had its sets of values reflected through Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

He had established ‘Akhowwat’ (bond of brotherhood) between Mohajirs and Ansars, the values of eman and sincerity, in Madina which brought all people together.

His followers preserved those messages, he said, adding moral courage was the important message while its implementation rooted deeply in the obedience of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

CM Punjab approves one-year extension to adhoc doctors LAHORE Staff RepoRt

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved extension in employment of adhoc doctors and other staff of Primary and Secondary Healthcare for one more year.

cmYK

In a statement, he said all out measures will be taken for the betterment of the medical field.

He directed the concerned authorities to pay timely salaries to adhoc doctors and other staff as well.

He said no stone will be left unturned in resolving the issues of doctors and para medical staff.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022

06 COMMENT

The Message for South Asia

Preparing for Punjab Upcoming LG polls crucial for PTI

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Ozair islam

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n March 2014, Malé decided to close its High Commission office in Dhaka because of the reduction in the annual budget. At that time, Dhaka offered to pay the rent for the Maldives’ embassy office and bear other local official expenditures in Dhaka. Though the Maldives politely rejected this offer, this implies the closeness and depth of the relationship between these two South Asian Countries.

Recently, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, along with her entourage completed her maiden six-day visit to the Maldives 6n the invitation of the Maldives’ President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. It is the need of the hour to analyze the significance of this visit and delve into the message it carries.

The journey of Bangladesh and Maldives’ diplomatic ties started on 22 September 1978. Since then, these two countries are maintaining a cozy bilateral relation with cooperation in trade, investment, security, and military assistance. In order to encourage bilateral trade, Maldives Government removed the duty on Bangladeshi goods in 2011.

And, this results in a boost in Bangladeshi exports, especially pharmaceutical products, to the Maldives. Many Bangladeshi migrants, approximately 70,000 to 80.000, are working in the Maldives as expatriates which contribute directly to the foreign exchange reserves of Bangladesh. During the pandemic of covid-19, the Bangladesh navy sent more than 100 metric tons of food and pharmaceutical goods to the Maldives and the Bangladesh Air Force actively participated in the covid-19 vaccination program there in 2021.

The visit of Bangladesh’s PM to the Maldives is significant, not only for Bangladesh and Maldives but also for other South Asian countries, for a number of reasons. Firstly, this visit will enhance existing bilateral relations on trade, connectivity, investment, agriculture, information and communication technology, human resource development, culture, and community welfare as leaders of both states hold dialogues putting the highest importance on these issues. Secondly, the signing of MoU for the recruitment of skilled health care professionals will open a career window for relevant practitioners.

On one hand, it will generate foreign exchange for Bangladesh by creating jobs for Bangladeshi health care professionals and on the other hand, it will improve the overall health care industry in the Maldives. And this is how it will create a win-win situation for both countries.

Contempt charges in affidavit case And plea for leniency

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EDIA freedom in Pakistan is under constant threat from various sides. This includes applying pressure on independent media houses, their advertisers, their owners and individual journalists to "toe the line," and not hold power to account. Pakistan's censorship drive and attacks on press freedom have gathered pace under Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has sought to placate powerful conservative and religious constituencies.

Journalists who are critical of government policies have been picked up, deprived of jobs and physically attacked.

They have been targeted by the terrorist groups in the past.

Recently Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have warned journalists to avoid using the term ‘terrorist’ for the group, or else they would be treated like ‘enemies.’

The IHC decision to frame contempt charges against The news journalists comes in this background. The court has maintained that before the publication of the report regarding the affidavit by former chief judge of GilgitBaltistan Rana Mohammad Shamim, no attempt was made by the investigative journalist to verify the material facts from the Registrar of the IHC or seek any legal advice regarding the status of a copy of a leaked document in the form of an affidavit. According to the judgment, the freedom of expression did not license a journalist or a publisher even inadvertently or unintentionally to facilitate influencing of pending proceedings or casting aspersions on judges in the garb of an affidavit which does not form part of any judicial proceedings.

In a plea filed later, The news investigative reporter who is arraigned in the case requested the IHC Chief Justice to delete a paragraph in the order which he said was based on clerical error or miscommunication on his part.

He also said he published the story in good faith and added that it was not his aim to cast aspersions on judges or influence the proceedings of pending cases.

As a reaction to the enormous restrictions on media, individual journalists too can sometimes lose a sense of balance. While they need to be reprimanded, any severe action against them could weaken the struggle for media freedom. It is in this spirit that HRCP and PILDAT have entreated the honourable court to annul the decision.

Foreign LlBs have an unfair advantage HasHim ali Gill

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RTICLE 9 & 25 of the Constitution, respectively, ensure every citizen right to life and equal treatment before law. And, no one would deny that the role of lawyers is instrumental in securing these rights to the citizens because they are the ones who remind the authorities that people have rights, freedoms, and liberties. But as the saying goes that charity begins at home, so, there arises a question: do lawyers, practitioners of a noble profession, among themselves, treat each other equally or treat equally those who wish to enter their profession? Answer seems to suggest that though physically, territorially and historically we have gained the independence from our colonial masters but psychologically and mentally we are still under the occupation of colonial forces because here, in legal profession, to-date, brown sahibs with foreign degrees are afforded special treatment and browns with local degrees are discriminated sgsinst.

Let’s have a case study — various institutions in the province of Punjab are offering the foreign Llb programs. The minimum eligibility to get admission into these programs is that a candidate has to be at least 17 or 18 years of age and must have possessed the qualification of A-level with two passes or Higher Secondary School Certificate. The duration of study of majority of these programs is three years and after that period a graduate of these programmes first sits for a Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) based Special Equivalence Examination for Law Graduates (SEE-Law) and then sits for MCQs based Law-GAT examination and then after completion of mandatory apprenticeship period of six months, under the supervision of a lawyer having standing of no less than ten years, is granted a license, by the Punjab Bar Council, to practice law. These foreignLlB programmes are duly recognized by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC). These two bodies are instrumental in regulating and prescribing the necessary rules for the legal education in

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami M. A. Niazi

Umar Aziz

Joint Editor

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

bilateral trade and investment and subsequently have a long-run positive impact on the livelihood of the

Foreign LLB Vs Domestic

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

people of these countries.

This century is remarkable for minimizing geoThirdly, the agreement for Elimination of Double graphical distance by removing visible and invisible Taxation will ensure that honest taxpayers do not trade barriers. As “maritime neighbours”, Bangladesh and Maldives may have have to pay tax in two been discussed a Free countries for the same inTrade Agreement (FTA) to come. This will effecremove tariff and non-tartively promote FDI in barriers of bilateral both countries by motivatThe Bangladesh’s PM visit to the iff trade that artificially iming foreign investors. pede the free flow of island country reflects the Fourthly, Bangladesh goods and services. Begifted 13 military vehiimportance it attaches to this sides, they could have decles, as a token of friendsigned a roadmap for bilateral relationship as longship, to the Maldives enhancing “maritime conwhich will enhance secustanding friends.

It is an effort nectivity” by creating oprity cooperation and from Bangladesh's side to deepen portunities for the strengthen the fraternal Maldives to use different ties among the security ties with South Asian countries seaports of Bangladesh. forces of these countries.

Both countries may have which is needed for the country's Fifthly, Bangladesh inked enhanced cooperation for an agreement to make a aspiration of becoming a "Middle getting the optimum out$200 million loan to the put of the "Blue EconPower". But there are many Maldives during the visit. omy" utilizing marine This is the second time critical issues, equally important resources like, oil, gas, Bangladesh is going to fish, seafood, minerfor both countries, that could have sand, lend to any country, after als, sand and gravel, reSri Lanka, which once been addressed to make the visit newable energy, and so again proves on. As climate-vulnerable Bangladesh’s economic more fruitful. As both countries countries, they could have rise and financial strength have similar religious values, planned to work together in this region. Besides, it to counter the climate crialso shows how to hold cultural practices, and sis. hands of close friends durdevelopmental aspirations, they The Bangladesh’s PM ing their critical times. visit to the island country Sixthly, the decision should have declared a clearly reflects the importance it to cooperate in Youth and defined plan on how they are attaches to this bilateral Sports Development will relationship as long-standcontribute greatly to imgoing to cooperate with each ing friends. It is an effort proving this sector by enfrom Bangladesh's side to other in the coming days to take couraging youth to deepen ties with South actively participate in the ties to a new plane of the Asian countries which is sports and by patronizing needed for the country's bilateral equation local sports-related organaspiration of becoming a izations. Seventhly, from "Middle Power". But now the citizens of Malthere are many critical isdives will get visa-free sues, equally important entry to Bangladesh for both countries, that which will not only increase people-to-people connectivity but also increase trade volume and foster the could have been addressed to make the visit more tourism sector of Bangladesh. Eighthly, the agree- fruitful. As both countries have similar religious valment to transfer “sentenced prisoners” will also help ues, cultural practices, and developmental aspirations, these countries to bring the culprits to their land for they should have declared a clearly defined plan on justice. Finally, Bangladesh’s PM declared that how they are going to cooperate with each other in Biman Bangladesh Airlines is all set to launch air the coming days to take the ties to a new plane of the connectivity with the Maldives which will increase bilateral equation.

Bilateral ties that show the region the way

ESPITE being in power in the province for over nine years with two consecutive terms, the PTI faced a crushing defeat in local bodies elections held in KP at the hands of the opposition, much to the displeasure of Prime Minister Imran Khan who has since restructured the entire PTI prior to Punjab’s LB polls.

Additionally, he has been in Lahore for the past few days to personally coordinate candidate selection and campaigning efforts to make sure that there isn’t a repeat of what happened in KP. To that end, he has held various meetings with allies and his party’s Punjab leadership.

However, there are a lot of variables at play in Punjab that simply cannot be addressed before March-April when LB polls are planned to be held. The most pressing issue at hand that has candidates on PTI’s ticket nervous and concerned about their prospects of success and voters up in arms is inflation. In addition to a tax-heavy mini-budget that has been tabled by the government, international commodity prices are unlikely to come down anytime soon, which almost certainly means that prices are only headed in one direction; north.

In an attempt to counter this, the PTI has extended its universal health insurance scheme to Punjab that on paper will provide medical coverage to every citizen of the province for up to Rs 1 million at any hospital, public or private. That the same strategy did not work in KP should serve as an indication to the ruling party, that health insurance only becomes a priority for people when they are able to afford three square meals a day with a roof over their heads. Apart from parties such as the PML(n) that still commands a sizable vote bank in Punjab, the PPP is also gearing up to take the PTI head on. Another cause for concern, one that should have all parties worried, is the TLP element. Whether or not it is able to win seats remains to be seen but it will surely pull a chunk of traditionally PML(n)a and PTI voters into its fold. A KP-like upset in Punjab for the PTI will not bode well for a government already coming apart at the seams, trying its best to maintain numbers that are pretty thin to begin with.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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the country.

Unfortunately, their grant of recognition to foreignLlB programs has resulted in nothing but discrimination against students and degree holders of the domesticLlB programme for following reasons: 1. giving recognition to the foreign LlB programme places the Pakistani students pursuing the domestic LlB programmes, at local universities/institutions, at a disadvantaged position against the graduates of the foreign LlB programme because the length or duration of study of domesticLlB programme is of five years while the foreignLlB programme is merely of three years thus students of domestic LlB programme study two extra years, therefore, enter into job market or profession with the delay of two years as opposed to the students of foreign LlB programme. The snowball effect of the variation in length or duration of study between the foreign LlB programme and domestic LlB programme is that a student of foreign LlB programme gets the advantage of two years over a local student, thus he becomes Advocate High Court earlier; having two years advantage makes him eligible to sit for a governmental or judicial post exams, e.g. ADPP, Civil Judge, earlier than a local student. Hence, giving recognition to the foreign LlB programme, by the PBC and HEC, translates into nothing but economic murder of the students and graduates of the domesticLlB programme.

2. giving recognition to the foreignLlB programme also goes against the established principles by which a recognition or equivalence is granted to a foreign degree or program. Worldwide it is the practice that before granting recognition to foreign degrees/programmes it is ensured that a foreign degree/programme must have — i. same length or duration of study which is set for a local/domestic counterpart of said degree/programme; ii. a graduate of a foreign degree/programme must demonstrate substantive knowledge and skills which are expected or required from a graduate of local/domestic counterpart of said degree/programme;

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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The writer is freelance columnist

iii. currency of subjects taught during the foreign degree/programme. By ‘current’ I mean that upto-date and latest, and not stale, knowledge, happenings and developments regarding the subjects taught should have been delivered to the students during the subsistence of the degree/programme; iv. principle of reciprocity.

Regrettably, foreign LlB programmes do not meet the above must-haves, and are thus liable to be not recognized as a degree/programme on the basis of which a license to practice law, in Pakistan, should be granted.

Moreover, principle of reciprocity is of such importance that our sovereignty is directly linked with it. Principle of reciprocity requires that if a foreign program or degree is recognized in Pakistan then a corresponding programme or degree of Pakistan should have also been recognized in such country, because by no stretch of imagination can it be allowed that a foreign degree holder may enter our job market but holder of a Pakistani degree can’t enter the job market of a foreign country.

Situation comes to stark reality in the legal sector when it is observed that a UK law degree holder comes to Pakistan, and after passing an easy MCQsbased examination is allowed to practice law but when a Pakistani law degree holder goes to UK to practice law his degree is treated as a non-law degree and he is told to do a one-year-long Graduate Diploma in Law, alternatively known as Law Conversion Course. no such diploma in Pakistani procedural laws has been introduced by the PBC or HEC for the foreign law degree holders. Hence giving recognition to foreignLlB programmes amount to discrimination of the students and graduates of the domestic LlB programme and militate against the principle that like should be treated alike.

Thus, thesis is that unless foreign law degree holders are directed by the PBC and HEC to do two year long diploma in basic and procedural laws of Pakistan from one of the recognized universities/institutions of the Pakistan two years variation of length of study, between foreignLlB programs and domesticLlB programs, can’t be addressed and students and graduates of domesticLlB program, children of lesser gods, shall continue to be discriminated and treated unequally with respect to economic opportunities that, as per Constitutional command, should have been afforded equally to similarly situated persons.

The writer holds an LlM from Punjab University

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Sunday, 2 January, 2022

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

Lawmaker or lawbreakers?

The Padma Bridge Proves Bangladeshi Economic Potential More than just a bridge Hafizur Talukdar

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HE prerequisite for the development of different regions of a state is to build an improved communication system for those regions. In the 1980s and 1990s, special efforts were made to develop the overall communication system of Bangladesh.

Along with the development of the country's road system, there is a need to build bridges over large rivers. A 4.8 km long Bangabandhu Bridge was constructed over the river Jamuna for easy communication between the capital and the eastern part of the country with the northern and northwestern parts of the country.

The plan was to build a bridge over the Padma River to establish a developed and uninterrupted road and rail link between the south and south-west of Bangladesh, including the capital, and the eastern part of the country. The project was later considered technically and economically feasible after the feasibility study of the Padma Bridge was completed in 2005 with the assistance of the Japanese government.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the bridge in Mawa on 4 July 2001, towards the end of her first term.

When she came to power f6r the second term on 8 January 2009, dhe took steps to speed up the work of the Padma Bridge project. This project was declared the highest priority project.

Monsell-Ecom, a US-new Zealand-Australiabased consulting firm, has been hired as a design consultant. A loan agreement of $1,200 million was signed with the World Bank, $615 million with ADP, and $430 million with JICA to finance the project. A $140 million loan agreement was also signed with the Islamic Development Bank. According to the revised DPP, the project cost has been estimated at Tk 20.5 trillion or $2,982 million. The Government of Bangladesh will bear the additional amount (approximately $617 million) of the loan pledged by the development partners.

During the tender evaluation of these works of the project, in some cases, there were disagreements with the World Bank team, but they were resolved through discussions and correspondence. But a vested interest in the valuation of the supervisory consultancy falsely complained to the World Bank's Vice Presidency of Integrity in an email. The World Bank further accused Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain that his business, Saco International, had approached pre-qualified contractors to become local agents.

Due to the persistence of the Prime Minister and his denial of the allegations, the arrow of accusations was gradually thrown at his family members, ministers, advisers, and secretaries. The World Bank filed a complaint with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alleging corruption against Canadian consulting firm SnC Lavalin. After investigation, RCMP filed a case in a Canadian court against some officials of the organization, a Bangladeshi Canadian citizen and a former state minister of Bangladesh.

On June 26, 2012, the outgoing President of the World Bank, Robert Zellick, canceled the loan agreement for the Padma Bridge.

Meanwhile, in a cabinet meeting in July 2012, the Prime Minister decided that the government would build the Padma Bridge with its own funds. Despite the reluctance of the Prime Minister, a number of ministers and advisers led

by the finance minister took the initiative to Direct communication with India, Bhutan, and bring the World Bank back to the Padma Bridge nepal will be established and transportation of project. For this, the government has to fulfill passengers and goods will be facilitated. With the establishment of new economic zones and some difficult and unethical conditions The World Bank has not returned to work on high-tech parks, domestic and foreign investloan suspension and stalled the Padma Bridge proj- ment will be attracted and industrialization of the ect as promised. Work after condition continues to country will be accelerated.

The tourism industry will be greatly imbe delayed. Later, the Prime Minister gave the World Bank time till 31 January 2013, to return to proved and new resorts and hotels, shopping the Padma Bridge project. Finally, the Prime Min- malls, businesses, etc. will be set up in Mawa ister rejected the loan from the World Bank and an- and Jazeera. The ports of Mongla and Payra will nounced the construction of the Padma Bridge with be operational, which can be used by a few her own funds. After further investigation, the ACC neighboring countries. According to the 2010 esreleased all the accused from the case in September timates, the traffic can be doubled if the bridge 2014. In 2016, the Canadian Superior Court also is opened at the place where 12,000 vehicles dismissed the case on the basis of "baseless" infor- pass through the Padma River daily, and the mation. Bangladesh is free from stigma. The Prime number of vehicles will increase by 6-7 percent every year and by Minister's 'challenge' 2050, 6,000 vehicles is won. The conspirwill run daily. acy against However, this Bangladesh failed. number may inAfter finalizing the tender process, Today the Padma Bridge is visible. crease. This is bebefore the the bridge authority The bridge of pride stands today. As cause, construction of the issued work orders to a result of the construction of the Jamuna Bangathe main bridge, bandhu Bridge, the river management, Padma Bridge with its own money, estimated traffic flow and supervision conthe economic potential and image of over the bridge was sultancy contractors.

In December 2015, Bangladesh have been established estimated, but now, about 23 years, the Prime Minister all over the world. A bold decision by after there is more traffic. inaugurated the conthe Prime Minister has earned him The economic imstruction of the pact has also been bridge. The first span international recognition as a selfhigher than expected. of the bridge was laid confident, determined statesman.

Toll collection from on the river in 2016. vehicles plying on After the last span Bangladesh's economic progress, the bridge is increaswas installed on 10 continuous GDP growth, and ing day by day. The December 2020, the improvement of Bangladesh's toll money collected work of laying roads and railways started. position in various social indicators from the Padma may increase Work began on layare recognaized internationally today. Bridge the cost of construcing concrete road tion of the bridge in slabs and railway 30-35 years. slabs on the span of The bold decision the bridge. 2,918 roadway slabs and 2,959 railway slabs have been to build the Padma Bridge with its own funds has completed on the 6.15 km bridge. Roadway car- also brought about a positive change in the attitude of development partners and countries. Depeting is now underway.

As of 31 October, the actual progress of the velopment partners, including the World Bank, main bridge is 95 percent and the financial realize that they have made a mistake in withprogress is 91.28 percent. The actual progress of drawing from the Padma Bridge project. now deriver governance is 6 percent and the financial velopment partners are investing in bigger progress is 7.36 percent. The work of connecting projects in Bangladesh. Japan is providing loans the road and service area has already been com- for mega projects such as Metrorail, Matarbari pleted. Mawa and Jazira viaducts have 438 super deep seaport, and power plants. The experience tee girders and 64 railway eye girders (that is, of implementing the Padma Bridge project has 100 percent). The road bridge is planned to be made the Bangladesh government, experts, and opened for traffic in June 2022 after the comple- engineers confident in implementing big projects. tion of carpeting, lighting, and other ancillary Currently, 10-12 mega projects are running in the works. The Padma Bridge will be an aesthetic country, and,in fact, the Padma Bridge project is two-story bridge. Rail and cars and other vehi- the pioneer of it.

Today the Padma Bridge is visible. The cles will run on the bottom. With the launch of this bridge, communication with 21 districts of bridge of pride stands today. As a result of the construction of the Padma Bridge with its own the southern region will be easier.

According to the economic impact analysis money, the economic potential and image of of the Padma Bridge, the construction of the Bangladesh have been established all over the bridge will facilitate communication, expansion world. A bold decision by the Prime Minister of trade and commerce, and the establishment of has earned him international recognition as a determined statesman. small and medium enterprises in the south, the self-confident, country's GDP will grow 1.2 percent a year and Bangladesh's economic progress, continuous GDP growth, and improvement of the southern GDP can grow at 2.5 percent.

The construction of the bridge will improve Bangladesh's position in various social indicathe integrated communication system of the tors are recognaized internationally today. The country. Mawa-Bhanga-Jessore-Khulna rail link sacrifices made by the Prime Minister for this will be established from Dhaka. Khulna, bridge, the success of the implementation of Mongla, Barisal, Kuakata. Economic Corridor the Padma Bridge project have made that sacwill be established from Dhaka. The southern rifice justified. part of the country will be connected with TransThe writer is freelance columnist Asian Highway (n-6) and Trans-Asian Railway.

THE past is not retrievable but provides good feedback for the future if one is willing to learn from mistakes. However, our politicians tend to do exactly the opposite. They never seem to learn from their past mistakes but instead of looking forward always try to dig into the past to fix blame on others.

Our leaders should act upon the advice of Confucius who said that leaders should fear abandoning their actions that yielded no results. On the contrary, our leaders keep doing the same while expecting different results.

They are so hardened in their ways that they don’t realize the faults in their actions. Our economy has been on the decline for decades but every government that takes power blames its predecessors for ruining it.

Ironically, while each government puts all the blame on past governments, they never change the course and keep committing the same mistake. I wonder how do they expect different results if they keep doing what their predecessors were doing? The selfish and myopic policies of our politicians have gradually brought us to a point where life for the middle and lower class has become impossible. High inflation, low employment, and non-existent health, education, and security by the government have made life impossible for the common man. Instead of realizing the gravity of the situation, our politicians have gone so far long in their animosity for each other that they have turned the sacred house into a battleground where physical violence and worst severing is being witnessed by the nation.

One feels ashamed to see this behaviour of our politicians from all parties. If our political leadership does not realize the gravity of the situation and work together to bring the country on the path of economic strength, we will keep seeing the blame game while the country disappears into oblivion.

RAJA SHAFAATULLAH ISLAmAbAd

Transgenders protection centers A few months ago, the first transgender protection centre was inaugurated in Islamabad. Thereafter, it was announced that similar protection centres would be established countrywide along with schools for the transgender community. Although these efforts are laudable, there is a chance that such efforts can further isolate the transgender community.

In our society, people view transgender individuals in a negative light and regularly subject them to degradation and humiliation.

Therefore, separate schools for trans individuals will further isolate them from the wider society paving the way for gender discrimination.

Instead of creating separate spaces for the trans community, the individuals should be welcomed in the mainstream educational institutes, workplaces, etc. To change this discriminatory perspective, we need to start from our homes. We should teach our children to treat them with respect and good behaviour.

The government should instruct the teachers to inform the students about the basic rights of transgenders according to Islamic teachings and our constitution. This will bring some change to people’s mindsets. In addition, the gender section in employment forms and other paperwork should include the option of transgender as well. The government should reserve a quota for jobs for trans individuals in different employment positions and departments. So, that they can become independent and support their families. Most of the time, parents abandon transgender children because of the shame and stigma prevalent in our society.

Therefore, there is a pressing need to implement steps to de-stigmatise the transgender community and welcome them into society.

GULSHAn mUSTAFA KARAcHI

Decline of reading culture In the current era, with the rise of technological innovations and gadgets, the interest in buying books has come to an alarmingly low level. In the past, curiosity about buying books was very strong everywhere but this desire to read stuff in hard copy has borne a titanic hit. It has disappeared in the nick of time as soon as android mobiles and all-in-one tools have appeared. The current trends of mobile abuses have robbed people of many valuable things like unions of family, important traditional social gatherings wherein flow of wisdom lies, attention and care about parents and obedience and so on.

From top to bottom, every single person is absorbed and trapped in the net of excessive mobile use. This sorry state of affairs saddened me to the core when I went to buy books from a shopkeeper in my city. I asked him, “Why don’t you bring in new books for sale ?” He replied,” People do not have time to read hard books, since it is the culprit mobile which is keeping them away from buying books from us.”

Apart from other serious effects of android mobile phones, even it has dealt a death blow to businesses of those whose livelihood is dependent upon them. The shopkeeper feared that he might put an end to the business of selling books due to the minimum sale of books. Sadly, our society has become so dependent upon technology that it has lost the value of real gems that pave the way for great wisdom in every age of man.

Excessive use of mobile phones has shrunk modern minds. The obsession with frequent checking of updates causes effects on minds. Rude behaviour, lack of attention to household chores and aggressive attitude among them are common. On the other hand, book reading is such a pleasure which encourages cognitive development and prevents distractions, like mobiles do, from occuring. nowadays, mobile has taken the place of very important things in life.

A few years back, people used to take a deep interest in writing books and developing the creative approach to hard material, but at the present moment, people have everything at hand and they are not required to work hard and use their energy and make optimum of their mental and physical strength. In consequence, headaches, lethargy and health problems are commonplace things.

Hence, everything is plain. It is strongly advised to the young generation that they ought to direct their efforts towards useful things and make the most out of books in hard copy. By doing so, they will be in a position to avoid distractions, save book reading culture and value relationships. In this context, Albert had rightly said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”

AbdUL QAdEER SEELRO LARKAnA

Sunday, 2 January, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

Five indian ex-armed Forces chieFs wriTe To presidenT, prime minisTer on haridwar haTe speeches

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CounterCurrents ColleCtive

Ive former chiefs of staff of the armed forces and over a hundred other people including veterans, bureaucrats, and prominent citizens have written to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding “open call of the genocide of Indian Muslims” at various events, most recently in Uttarakhand’s haridwar and Delhi.

The letter also mentions targeting of other minorities like Christians, Dalits, and Sikhs.

The letter made a reference to the current situation on our borders warning that such calls for violence can cause disharmony internally, and also embolden external forces.

“Any breach of peace and harmony within the nation will embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society,” it said.

Making a direct reference to the “Dharma Sansad” in haridwar where direct calls for violence against Muslims were made, it said, “We are seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a 3-day religious conclave called a Dharma Sansad, of hindu Sadhus and other leaders, held at haridwar between 17-19 December 2021. There were repeated calls for estab-

ONE SPEAKER MADE A CALL TO THE ARMY AND POLICE TO PICK UP WEAPONS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CLEANLINESS DRIVE (SAFAI ABHIYAN).

THIS AMOUNTS TO ASKING THE ARMY TO PARTICIPATE IN GENOCIDE OF OUR OWN CITIZENS, AND IS CONDEMNABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE lishing a hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India’s Muslims in the name of protecting hinduism,” the letter said.

The letter also mentions an event in Delhi when a large number of persons gathered in Delhi and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary. “More such seditious meetings are being organised in other places,” it said.

“We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate – which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation.

One speaker made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This amounts to asking the army to participate in the genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable,” it added. heRe IS The FULL LeTTeR 31 December, 2021

To Shri Ramnath Kovind President of India Shri Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India OPeN STATeMeNT ON NATIONAL SeCURITY AND INCITeMeNT TO vIOLeNCe Dear Mr President, and Mr Prime Minister, We, the undersigned, are writing to you about recent events in haridwar, Delhi and elsewhere, openly calling for a genocide of Indian Muslims. In addition, other minorities – Christians, Dalits and Sikhs are also being targeted.

India’s Armed Forces, the Army, Navy & Air Force, together with CAPFs and Police, are responsible for National Security – external and internal, respectively. All of the above have sworn to uphold India’s Constitution and our secular values.

We are seriously perturbed by the content of speeches made during a 3-day religious conclave called a Dharma Sansad, of

Haridwar ‘hate-fest’ on Muslims contradicts PM’s words

hindu Sadhus and other leaders, held at haridwar between 17-19 December 2021.

There were repeated calls for establishing a hindu Rashtra and, if required, picking up weapons and killing of India’s Muslims in the name of protecting hinduism.

At about the same time, a large number of persons gathered in Delhi and publicly took an oath resolving to make India a hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary, and more such seditious meetings are being organised in other places.

Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, Government of India and the Judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action. We cannot allow such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate – which not only constitute serious breaches of internal security, but which could also tear apart the social fabric of our nation. One speaker made a call to the army and police to pick up weapons and participate in the cleanliness drive (safai abhiyan). This

India’s politicians are playing with the fire of sectarian hatred

HINDUS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR FAITH IS NO SHIELD AGAINST A PREDATORY STATE. THERE ARE ENOUGH EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY TO BEAR THIS OUT

triBune, india

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SHYAM SARAN

he three-day hate fest against the Muslim community, held at haridwar recently, is only the latest in a series of intemperate and vulgar attacks against minorities that, if unchecked, may lead to an irreversible fragmentation and disintegration of the Indian Union. We should stop minimising the destructive impact of these increasingly brazen and violent attacks against minorities throughout the North Indian heartland by putting them in the context of impending elections.

The assumption, completely mistaken, is that once the electioneering is done, we shall be back to our normal day-to-day living and forget these rantings of persons many still consider to be fringe elements.

They are not fringe elements. They are now dangerously close to being mainstream. They have flourished in a political ecosystem built on the deliberate stoking of both sentiments of victimhood and pride, side by side, among the majority hindu community. The instruments of the state have been bent to advance this communal agenda. The police is thoroughly compromised, the judiciary has become hesitant and selective in upholding India’s Constitution and the carefully constructed system of checks and balances is being dismantled step by step. When this happens, it will not just target the minorities.

It will target, as it has already started to do, those in the majority community who question the ruling dispensation on any issue, even unrelated to the communal agenda. If the instruments of the state and its coercive power can be turned to disempowering the minorities, the same, if unchecked, can disempower any citizen, irrespective of their faith. hindus need to understand that their faith is no shield against a predatory state. There are enough examples from history to bear this out. The use of arbitrary power against minorities,

which some applaud today and are happy to be complicit in, may soon turn against them and their children.

CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE violence corrodes democracy. It undermines the sense of solidarity among citizens that lies at the heart of a democratic state. India’s own recent history bears this out. We have had violent paroxysms which have threatened to tear asunder the very fabric of a civilised society. Their scars remain and some continue to fester. What we are witnessing today is a deliberate and cynical attempt to resurrect painful wounds of the past, re-enact past contestations and prevent the consolidation of common and equal citizenship, which is the foundation of democracy. We should be aware of our tortured history of immense cruelty, pain and suffering, but the objective of being acquainted with this history is to ensure that it does not blight the future of our children and grandchildren. In some of our commentaries, one sees an attempt to lay the sins of an earlier generation at the door of its present successors and on that basis seek recompense; that reconciliation between the hindus and Muslims is a two-way street, which behoves the latter to willingly and gracefully hand over the sites, where mosques were alleged to have been built at the sites of temples that may have been destroyed.

Once this argument takes hold, there will be an open licence to right, what some may consider, historical wrongs and we all know how flimsy the historical basis is and how it may be manipulated for reasons other than religion. After all, the champions of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya argued that their demand rested not on law and history, but on the strength of their religious sentiment. Once the law of the land is set aside to assuage religious sentiment or the expression of dissent is stifled on the grounds that law and order may be vitiated, the discretionary use of the State’s coercive power will become endemic. When that stage is reached, the State will have the ability to target any citizen irrespective of their faith. Some hindus may applaud the use of arbitrary power because they believe that it targets the minorities; that the State is indeed complicit and accommo-

dates them in their attacks against the minorities. They do not realise that their encouragement of the use of arbitrary State power is leading to a situation when the violation of their rights by the State will also have no remedy. We are witnessing this already.

ARUN PRAKASH’S WARNING Former Navy Chief Arun Prakash has warned us that the divisiveness and social fragmentation we are witnessing today is having the most adverse effect on national security. A divided India is a vulnerable India.

India is and has always been a plural society. The hindus themselves are a diverse community, though sharing an overarching sense of affinity in their religious beliefs and cultural sensibilities. They speak different languages, savour an enormous range of cuisines, delight in their own cultural traditions and practises and take pride in their local identities. Democracy is the most appropriate political dispensation for India because it allows the celebration of plurality both among the majority hindus and the minorities. This breathtaking diversity is subsumed in a larger and shared identity of being equal citizens of the country. And that citizenship can only be based on a sense of fraternity among its people.

The prime minister has declared an uplifting message of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka vikas’ and also ‘Sabka vishwas’ (Together with everyone, Progress for everyone and enjoying everyone’s Trust). I believe this solemn commitment applies to all citizens of the country he leads and not only to those belonging to the majority community. The hate that was spewed hour after hour by the saffron-clad rabblerousers at haridwar was an attack on the very essence of the prime minister’s message. There was even a threat to shoot dead his predecessor in office, Manmohan Singh. So, the office of the PM is no shield against the murderous intent of these savage elements. If these vile threats are tolerated and go unpunished and unchecked, the very idea of India that we have inherited and nourished through many challenges, will cease to exist. This is a moment of peril for all Indians.

Shyam Saran is a former Indian Foreign Secretary and a Senior Fellow CPR.

amounts to asking the army to participate in genocide of our own citizens, and is condemnable and unacceptable.

In view of the current situation on our borders, any breach of peace and harmony within the Nation will embolden inimical external forces. The unity and cohesiveness of our men and women in uniform, including the CAPFs and Police Forces, will be seriously affected by allowing such blatant calls for violence against one or the other community in our diverse and plural society.

We therefore call upon the Government, Parliament and the Supreme Court, to act with urgency to protect the integrity and security of our country. The Constitution provides for the free practice of religion across faiths. We strongly deplore such polarisation in the name of religion. We urge you, Mr President and Mr Prime Minister, to take immediate steps to curb such attempts, and urge you to condemn such incitement to violence in no uncertain terms.

We also take this opportunity to urge leaders of all political parties to condemn these calls for what is tantamount to genocide of Muslims. They must restrain their own cadres and thereby set examples of their commitment to Secularism, Fraternity and Justice for all. It is in the National Interest that all parties should refrain from using religion in politics and pledge to uphold our Constitution and the wellbeing of our people – thus ensuring both National and human Security for all.

BloomBerg

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MIHIR SHARMA

he north Indian town of haridwar, where the Ganges River flows out of the himalayas onto India’s vast plains, has been for centuries a destination for pilgrims. For three days in December, it also played host to what the Indian media has called a “hate-speech conclave,” in which multiple speakers — all dressed in saffron garb, the traditional signifier of sanctity in India — called for Muslims and Christians in India to be killed. One hailed the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and exhorted Indian “politicians, the army and every hindu” to “pick up weapons” and “conduct a cleanliness drive.” There was, he said, “no solution apart from this.” even in a country that has turned worryingly majoritarian in recent years, such open promotion of genocide and ethnic cleansing should have set off alarms. It is not only tens of millions of minorities — as well as India’s increasingly tenuous connection to liberal values — that are at risk. The Indian state itself risks being undermined by its leaders’ tacit acceptance of religious vigilantism.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party would not be the first political party to wink at ethno-nationalist extremism among its followers. The states of Uttarakhand, where the town of haridwar is located, and neighboring Uttar Pradesh — from which Uttarakhand was split off two decades ago — are due for elections in coming months. The BJP, in power in both states, might be tempted to think that heightened inter-religious tension is a useful distraction from a struggling economy and the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

But India’s opposition parties have not pushed back strongly either. They are struggling to formulate a response to this sort of rhetoric that does not result in them being labeled “antihindu.” In parts of north India, the secularism guaranteed by India’s constitution has become so politically toxic that many politicians no longer seem able to defend the right of citizens to profess whatever faith they choose.

As a consequence, the entire Indian political class seems increasingly complicit in enabling hate speech. The organizers of the haridwar

hatefest have already planned another for the Uttar Pradesh town of Aligarh, home to a government-run university long known as a center of Indian Muslim scholarship.

Tolerating such events is devastatingly shortsighted. Words have consequences, especially in a country with as awful a history of inter-religious violence as India. Just last week, in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, two men accused of “sacrilege” were lynched by Sikh mobs. Punjab will also hold elections soon and Indian newspapers pointed out that most politicians condemned the alleged sacrilege but “said little else.” elsewhere in India, Christmas services were interrupted by mobs and Santa Claus was burned — in effigy, obviously.

If India’s leaders want to see where tolerance of religious militancy leads, they need only look across the border to archrival Pakistan. In a particularly brutal example of mob violence this month, Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager in the Pakistani town of Sialkot, was beaten, stoned and then set on fire by his own workers — supposedly because he had committed blasphemy.

Kumara worked in one of Sialkot’s many export-focused garment factories; the city’s businessmen worry that if it gets a reputation for violence and sectarianism, their trade and investment partners will look elsewhere. National leaders should be no less concerned.

Some analysts have suggested the U.S. might seek to reorient its relationship with Pakistan toward boosting trade and increasing investment by American firms. That seems, to put it mildly, unlikely in a place where expatriate executives fear possible lynching.

Practical considerations should shock India’s politicians into action, if moral ones don’t. The states that the Ganges flows through after passing haridwar are India’s heartland and central to the BJP’s stranglehold on power in New Delhi. And yet the 300 million-plus people who live there are — according to the government’s own figures — among the poorest and most deprived in the world. The current government of Uttar Pradesh has failed to improve matters: The state grew by only 2% a year over the BJP’s five-year tenure and even prior to the pandemic underperformed the national average by 1.6 percentage points a year.

To secure the future of this Gangetic plain, investment and trade will need to increase many times over. economic transformation on such a scale cannot happen where the state fails to protect its citizens or society is fractured, xenophobic and violent. Nobody is going to invest billions in areas that appear vulnerable to religious civil war.

Politicians may believe they can ride this tiger. Trying to distract voters with sectarian hatred, however, is a bit like concealing the lack of paint on your house by burning it down.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

corporate corner 23RD CONVOCATION OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD CAMPUS HELD

PUNjAB GOVT TO LAUNCH ANTIADULTERATION CAMPAIGN LAHORE

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staff report

UNJAB Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal has directed the provincial food department to launch a special anti-adulteration campaign across the province to ensure quality, purity and standard in food.

The directive was issued by him while presiding over a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat here on Saturday. The meeting reviewed the prices of essential commodities, availability

The 23rd Convocation of School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad Campus was held in BU Auditorium. Pro Rector (RIC), Bahria University, Rear Admiral (R) Nasir Mahmood HI (M) graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. DG Islamabad Campus, Rear Admiral (R) Naveed Ahmed Rizvi HI (M) along with the Registrar, Cdre Shafqat Azad SI (R) (M), S.Bt; the Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof.

Dr. Adam Saud; HoDs of Humanities and Social Science, Media Studies, Law, Psychology and Islamic Studies also attended the convocation. The program began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. DG Islamabad Campus gave the opening remarks and welcomed all the honorable guests. He said that since the inception of School of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2007, Bahria University has been playing a major role in producing the future leaders, providing them with the contemporary knowledge and preparing them for the challenges of professional lives. He congratulated the graduating students and their parents who were receiving their degrees on the memorable occasion.

After word, the awarding of degrees took place. 240 graduates who received their degrees in the 23rd convocation belonged to various programs and sessions including MS IR, MS Media Studies, LLM, BSS and LLB. 11 graduates got gold medals. Likewise, 10 students received their silver medals from the Chief Guest. The Chief Guest, Rear Admiral Nasir Mahmood (R) HI (M), in his address advised the graduates to follow the teachings of the Holy Quran in the light of Sunnah and also to understand the practical challenges through Allama Iqbal’s philosophy. He emphasized that the opportunities and challenges go hand in hand once we enter the practical world hence, our integrity, sincerity and the positive framework of mind helps us to counter them. While concluding, he congratulated the graduates saying that their future is linked with the future of Pakistan therefore, their sincere and humble efforts in light of Iqbal’s virtues of Khudi should be the pathway in their professional lives. p r

Pakistan Customs foils an attempt of smuggling of Urea Fertilizers to Afghanistan worth Rs. 7.2 Million Accomplishing a result-oriented anti-smuggling operation due to enhanced vigilance on all export consignments, the Collectorate of Customs Appraisement, Quetta seized illegal urea fertilizers worth Rs. 7.2 million being smuggled to Afghanistan.

Divulging the details of the action, Federal Board of Revenue stated that upon receipt of credible information of a huge quantity of urea fertilizers being smuggled to Afghanistan from Customs Stations, Chaman in the garb of fresh vegetables, the Assistant Collector, Custom House, Chaman formed a team to ensure an effective execution of the information. A 10-wheelers HINO truck was intercepted and its thorough examination led to the recovery of urea fertilizers tactfully concealed under the cover load of fresh vegetables (potatoes). A total of 480 bags of fertilizer urea, each weighing 50 kg were concealed under the cover load of 80 gunny bags of potatoes. The total value of the seizure was Rs. 7.2 million.

FIR against the exporters and clearing agent has already been lodged and one person has been arrested. Further investigation is underway to unearth all those involved in the case. All the export consignments are being closely monitored. It is pertinent to mention that Federal Board of Revenue is following a policy of zero tolerance against smuggling and thereby has increased vigilance and surveillance of cargo movement across the border.

Finance Minister, Shaukat Tarin, has commended FBR for its successful anti-smuggling drive across Pakistan.

Likewise, Chairman FBR/Secretary Revenue Division, Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed has appreciated Member Customs (Ops) FBR, Syed Muhammad Tariq Huda, in ensuring zero tolerance against smuggling of all shades and grades. He further reiterated his unflinching resolve to fight the menace of smuggling across the country in order to maximize tax compliance. p r

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of urea fertilizer, measures against smuggling and illegal weigh stations involved in purchase of sugarcane.

Kamran Ali Afzal directed that strict action be taken against those who adulterate food items, especially milk. He said that the Secretary Food Department would personally supervise the special drive, adding that under the new initiatives, the government would establish points for checking milk at the entry of cities, besides providing the facility of free testing of milk to the public at the divisional headquarters.

He said that mobile food laboratories and bike squads would also be set up to check the food industry.

The Chief Secretary directed all the deputy commissioners to closely monitor the prices and availability of essential commodities. He said that the sale of sugar above the retail price of Rs 90 per kg is not allowed at all and those who are fleecing consumers by creating the artificial price-hike would be dealt with severely.

Kamran Afzal asked the officers to continue measures for prevention of smuggling of fertilizers and wheat and

28 Pakistani companies win prestigious GDEIB Award 2021 ISLAMABAD web desk

A total of 28 Pakistani companies and financial organisations have won the prestigious Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) Awards 2021 in different categories.

The winning organisations included Engro Fertilizers Limited which was the highest scorer, followed by Engro Energy Limited, Engro Corporation Limited, Nestlé Pakistan and HBL. Overall GDEIB award-winning companies are First Micro Finance Bank Limited, Standard Chartered Pakistan, AGP Limited, Bank Alfalah Limited, Faysal Bank Limited, Engro Polymer and Chemicals Limited, Pepsi Cola International, PTCL, Allied Bank Limited, Philip Morris Pakistan Limited, HRSG, The Millennium Education, JS Bank Limited, U Microfinance Bank Limited, TPL Corporation, National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited, The Millennium Universal College, British Council Pakistan, Jazz, Novo Nordisk Pvt Limited, Feroze1888 Mills Limited, FINCA Microfinance Bank Limited and Telenor Pakistan.

CEO HR Metrics and Board Director The Centre for Global Inclusion USA Zahid Mubarik, in a statement, said that “Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks” are the standards for

organisations around the world.

“The GDEIB helps organisations determine strategy and measure progress in managing diversity and fostering inclusion,” he added. He said that GDEIB has 15 categories, 28 dimensions and 275 benchmarks.

According to the statement, The Centre for Global Inclusion USA is the home of GDEIB. Its mission is to serve as a resource for research and education for individuals and organisations in their quest to improve diversity and inclusion practices around the world.

Mubarik further added that HR Metrics conducts annual GDEIB awards in which organisations are given the opportunity to disclose their diversity, equity, and inclusion accomplishments with a focus on social and economic impact on all stakeholders.

Awards were assessed on merit-based scores on a scale of 1-5 including Best Practice, Progressive, Proactive, Reactive, and Inactive.

Diversity Hub Pakistan formed a Jury for assessment of GDEIB awards comprising of leading global DEI experts including Lynda White, President Mcleod White, Montreal Canada, Nadia Younes, Global Head Employee Experience, Diversity and Well-Being, Zurich Insurance Company, Switzerland, Karen Francis PhD.

Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Officer, American Institutes for Research, USA, Moneeza Usman Butt, Partner KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co, Pakistan, Saad Amanullah Khan, Chairman Pakistan Innovation Fund, and Ambreen Waheed, Founder Responsible Behaviour Institute, Pakistan.

In McKinsey’s 2020 report, Diversity Wins – How Inclusion Matters, analysts found: “Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on their executive teams were 25 per cent more likely to experience aboveaverage profitability than companies in the fourth quartile” as well as “36 per cent likelihood of outperformance on EBIT margin for ethnic and cultural diversity”. This correlation shows a clear business case for diversity and inclusion.

The World Economic Forum’s report, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 4.0, suggests that companies with diverse employees have “up to 20 per cent higher rate of innovation and 19 per cent higher innovation revenues.”

According to PwC’s 20th annual CEO survey 2020, diversity and inclusion was the top priority for global CEOs, with 83 per cent agreeing that they promote diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Global DEI Awards will be presented to winning organisations in March 2022.

expedite the process of registration of grocery stores under the Ehsas Ration Program. He also issued instructions regarding ensuring timely payments to growers by sugar mills and action against middlemen.

All the divisional commissioners gave detailed briefing to the meeting virtually. The secretaries of relevant departments including food, industries, agriculture, Additional IG Special Branch and officers concerned attended the meeting while the deputy commissioners participated through video link.

DIG listens to complaints of citizens during Khuli Kacheri ISLAMABAD pr

On special instructions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Muhammad Ahsan Younus, DIG Awais Ahmed Khan on Saturday held a special “open court’ and listen the issues of policemen and citizens. During interaction with aggrieved citizens at Police Station Noon, the the DIG assured them for earliest provision of Justice, adding that the registration of FIR was a major issue until now is reported which, he added, is being addressed on priority basis. The DIG informed the citizens that special directions have been issued to each relevant official at all Police Stations of Islamabad that to facilitate maximum to the masses as, he said, to protect the rights of people was one of the priorities of Islamabad police. He also recalled that IG Islamabad also appointed some additional police personnel at each police station to cope with the crimes. He requested the citizens for their due cooperation in such an effort of the police. During his address, he further said that all complainants at this Kecheri have behaved in a respectful manner and their trust on the police department to be won through resolving their issues. He said that interaction with people also ensures accountability of the policemen and they should address public complaints on merit by considering them their own issues. He said that a positive image of policemen should be ensured before them through an unbiased approach towards anyone. The IGP hoped that interaction during `open kutcheries’ would help to promote friendly policing. Such interactions with citizens are aimed to promote community policing, resolve the issues of people at their door steps through merit and curb activities of anti-social elements, he added.

Pakistan Customs Joins TradeLens as the first Authority in region to intensify efforts in Digitizing Supply Chains: Shaukat Tarin ISLAMABAD pr

On behalf of Pakistan Customs, the Pakistan Single Window Company today signed an agreement with TradeLens, a blockchain-underpinned logistics platform supported by 5 of the 6 largest ocean carriers globally, to digitize import-export documentation of the containerised cargo moving in and out of the country.

Pakistan’s international trade ecosystem is being rapidly transformed through the introduction of technology driven initiatives led by the Pakistan Single Window and the country’s authorities recognise the potential benefits of digitizing supply chains for efficiencies, enhanced transparency, and data-driven decision making.

“Our Government is committed to bring ease of doing business for the importers and exporters of Pakistan. We are making a determined effort to move away from complex, manual, paper-based documentation towards digital solutions that drives value for trade”, said Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat

Tarin. He added, “Joining the TradeLens platform is allowing us to enhance our ecosystem in a way that all the involved stakeholders get access to a transparent and secure platform that makes processes more efficient.”

Cross-border containerized supply chains are some of the largest and most complex business ecosystems in the world today. It is not uncommon for 30 independent parties, 100 people and up to 200 exchanges of information to be connected to a single shipment. With increased complexity comes increased cost. Shippers or beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) need consistent, auditable and immutable data from multiple sources to effectively manage their supply chains.

The authorization to sign the collaboration came from the PSW Governing Council chaired by Mr. Shaukat Tarin.

The Chief Executive Officer of PSW Aftab Haider formally signed the agreement with Irtaza Hussain, the Regional Head of Network for TradeLens at IBM. PSW integration with TradeLens will help Pakistan Customs and other trade regulators to improve their operational efficiency and create value

through the blockchain platform. The immutability of Blockchain-underpinned document information is important in the identification of illegal activities, as well as, improving the smooth operation of legal trade.

Marvin Erdly, Head of TradeLens at IBM. commented “The growth of the TradeLens’ network is evidence that participants from all across the supply chain ecosystem can derive significant value through digital collaboration. Pakistan now joins an increasing number of connected Customs Authorities on the TradeLens platform exploring innovative solutions to enhance global trade access and enhance process efficiencies for all involved”.

TradeLens is a neutral platform which brings together data from the entire global supply chain ecosystem including shippers and cargo owners, 3PLs and freight forwarders, intermodal operators, customs and government authorities, ports and terminals, and several ocean carriers. This data allows TradeLens and its network partners to modernise manual and paper-based documents by replacing

them with blockchain-enabled digital solutions. It also allows the network partners to provide their customers with deeper visibility into the entire journey for their cargo from origin to destination and reduce uncertainty allowing for better planning and reduced inventory costs.

Pakistan Single Window (PSW) is an initiative of Pakistan’s federal government with a focus of transforming the trade and industry ecosystem. The program encompasses several aligned smaller initiatives to support PSW’s cause of transforming trade such as business processes re-engineering, integrated risk management, ports community systems, introduction of new technology for trade management, data standardization and harmonization and integrated tariff management system.

TradeLens is an open and neutral industry platform underpinned by blockchain technology, supported by major players across the global shipping industry. The platform promotes the efficient, transparent and secure exchange of information in order to foster greater collaboration and trust across the global supply chain.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

10 FOREIGN NEWS

ChInA vOws never tO rest, reADy fOr A lOng wAy AheAD: XI

A

MIAN ABRAR

S China strides toward the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, 2022 will be another important year. “To ensure that everyone leads a better life, we must never rest on what we have achieved, and there is still a long way to go,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping on the last day of 2021.

Since the year 2014, Xi has delivered New Year addresses for nine consecutive years, leading the Chinese people to look back at achievements and looking to the journey ahead. china fuLfiLLs responsibiLity to history: After sending greetings to the Chinese people, the president continued his address with describing the year 2021 as “exceptionally significant”.

“At the historical convergence of the Two Centenary Goals, we have set out on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects and are making

confident strides on the path toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he said.

In 2021, China realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respect, the Communist Party of China (CPC) celebrated its centenary, and the resolution on major achievements and the historical experience of CPC over the past century was adopted.

He announced on July 1 that China has realized its first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Poverty eradication is considered the “bottom-line task” in attaining this milestone development goal.

Realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and elimination of extreme poverty is what the CPC has delivered to the Chinese people, and it is also a contribution to the world, Xi said on Friday.

China’s fight against COVID-19 and contribution to the global COVID-19 response is another highlight.

Reviewing phone calls and virtual meetings with for-

eign leaders and heads of international organizations, he said that only through unity, solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

To date, China has provided two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. china ready for a Long way ahead: “The world is turning its eyes to China, and China is ready,” Xi said when eyeing the coming year.

The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games are about a month away, making Beijing the first city in the world to host both Summer and Winter Olympics.

Noting that realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be no easy task, he stressed the importance of carrying out “bold self-revolution so as to gain the historical initiative”.

The sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee held in November reviewed the Party’s endeavors over the past century, setting a guideline for

the Party to achieve national rejuvenation by learning from history. The plenum also decided to convene the 20th CPC National Congress in the second half of 2022, a highly important event of great political significance for both the Party and the country.

“The concerns of the people are what I always care about, and the aspirations of the people are what I always strive for,” Xi said.

Indian troops killed 210 Kashmiris during 2021: report NEWS DESk

Kashmiris to take out rallies for right of self-determination on Jan 5 MUZAFFARABAD StAff report

The Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir in a meeting held in Muzaffarabad, today, decided to hold meetings and rallies across Azad Jammu and Kashmir on January 5 on the occasion of Right to Self-Determination Day. Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir Chairman, Uzair Ahmad Ghazali, Azmat Hayat Kashmiri, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Dr Muhammad Manzoor, Syed Hamza Shaheen, Usman Ali Hashim, Javed Ahmad Mughal, Raja Zakheer Khan, Hafiz Bilal Ahmad Farooqi, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Chaudhry Muhammad Ismail, Muhammad Farooq Sheikh, Aslam Inqilabi, Chaudhry Muhammad Qasim and others were present in the meeting. The leaders of the refugee organizations addressing the gathering said that rallies would be held all over Azad Jammu and Kashmir on January 5 to make the United Nations and the international community aware of their constitutional responsibility towards the Kashmir dispute. The speakers said that the Kashmiri people were demanding a free, fair and impartial plebiscite from the United Nations. They added that it was the responsibility of the international community to take steps to end the illegal military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir by India and give Kashmiris their birthright to self-determination.

Delimitation in IIOJK aimed at disempowering Kashmiris ISLAMABAD inp

Delimitation of electoral constituencies is part of a series of measures started by Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government since 5 August 2019 to disempower the Kashmiris. An analysis by Kashmir Media Service citing political experts says that the delimitation commission’s proposal is another move to disempower Kashmiris. It says, India has snatched every right of the Kashmiri Muslims and Modi is using electoral redistricting to make the IIOJK’s Muslim majority ineffective. “Delimitation exercise is meant to add more Hindu-dominated constituencies in IIOJK. Creation of 6 new seats in Jammu region and only 1 in the Kashmir Valley is BJP’s ploy to win future polls. Delimitation draft is aimed at curtailing the role of Muslim majority politics in Kashmir,” it maintains. The analysis says that the actual game plan of delimitation is to install a Hindu chief minister in Muslim-majority IIOJK. It says that the RSS-backed BJP government is violating all democratic norms to achieve this objective. “Colonization of IIOJK has been a longstanding dream of RSS and BJP. Redrawing of electoral boundaries is yet another step towards colonizing Kashmir.

Modi is using Delimitation Commission to advance Hindutva agenda in IIOJK,” it says. The analysis says that Modi wants to revive Hindu civilization in the Muslims majority IIOJK but the Kashmiri people are determined to thwart his nefarious designs.

Indian troops killed 210 Kashmiris, including five women and as many young boys, in the occupied valley, according to a report by Kashmir Media Service.

The report, released today (Saturday), stated that 65 Kashmiris were killed by Indian troops in fake encounters while in custody. It said the in December 2021 alone, Indian troops killed 31 Kashmiris, which left one woman widowed and two children orphaned.

“At least six people were injured due to [the] use of brute force by the troops and police personnel against peaceful protesters while 94 civilians, including youth, were arrested in the month,” it said, adding that Indian forces destroyed 11 residential houses during the period. The report also mentions veteran separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, both of whom died of ill health. Geelani was under house arrest at the time of his death and Sehrai died in

police custody.

The report also makes note of the events following Geelani’s death, wherein his family had accused Indian authorities of forcibly snatching his body. He was buried in a tightly controlled pre-dawn ceremony as Indian authorities imposed a lockdown across occupied Kashmir.

Authorities’ refusal of a public funeral had heightened tensions in the valley and led to clashes between angry citizens and police. According to the Kashmir Media Service report, killings by Indian troops in the occupied valley had left 16 women widowed and 44 children orphaned in 2021. The report highlighted that 487 people were injured as a result of the “use of brute force on protesters” in the valley, while 2,716 people, including rights activist Khurram Parvez, had been arrested in raids and crackdowns by Indian troops and police last year.

“Many of those arrested were booked under black laws, namely Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA),” the report said.

Indian state enacts law against mob lynching

It further said 13 women in Indian-occupied Kashmir were either “molested, abused or disgraced by men in uniform” during last year. Moreover, it said, Indian forces had destroyed 67 residential houses and structures in the valley during this period.

According to the report, Indian authorities did not allow Friday prayers for 45 weeks at the valley’s historical Jamia Masjid in Srinagar besides disallowing other religious activities like Muharram processions and Eid Miladun Nabi gatherings in 2021.

It mentions resistance leaders detained in Delhi’s Tihar jail in “fake cases”, adding that over 4,000 more people were booked under PSA and UAPA and jailed in different prisons in occupied Kashmir and elsewhere in India. According to the report, since the Indian government stripped Kashmir of the special autonomy it had for seven decades by repealing Article 370 of the constitution in 2019, Indian troops, paramilitary and police personnel had martyred 515 Kashmiris till date.

Afghanistan: Industries on verge of closure due to material shortage PESHAWAR Aziz Buneri

NEW DELHI AnAdolu Agency

Parveen Shaista has spent more than two years grieving her husband who was killed by a mob of radical Hindus in the eastern state of Jharkhand.

Shaista is relieved that a strict law is being implemented to punish those who brutally lynch innocent people. The lynching of her husband was not an isolated murder as several similar events have been reported across the country in the past decade and the nation saw a steep rise in mob violence targeting the minority Muslim community after the Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) rose to power in 2014.

She is the wife of Tabrez Ansari, who was brutally attacked by a mob on June 17, 2019, in Dhatkidih.

He was a Muslim and was forced by his attackers to chant the Hindu religious slogan: “Jai Shri Ram,” or “Hail Lord Ram.” The mob tied him to an electric pole and beat him on suspicion of theft.

Police, who arrived the morning after the overnight attack, arrested Ansari, who was a victim, instead of taking action against the assailants.

Ansari, 24, was not provided medical help, died five days later on June 22.

The couple was married less than two months when Ansari was targeted by zealot Hindus.

“I have the hope that finally, I will get justice. It would have been better had the government made the law to hang the culprits and compensate the affected people so that they could lead their future life without hardship,” Shahista told Anadolu Agency.

The BJP party was in power when Tabrez was lynched and Raghubar Das was Jharkhand’s Chief

Minister in December 2019, BJP lost the assembly elections and a regional party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), came to power and Hemant Soren became chief minister.

Lynching resuLts in pubLic outrage: The Jharkhand assembly cleared the Prevention of Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021 on Dec 21 that provides prison terms ranging from three years to life and fines of up to 2.5 million rupees ($35,000) for those involved in mob lynching that leads to “injury or death”.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the government was forced to bring the law after BJP came to power and destroyed the social fabric of the country.

“It is not a Hindu, Muslim, or Adivasi (tribal) act because a mob is simply a mob. We were forced to enact the legislation after the BJP came to power and created an atmosphere which ruined the social fabric of the country,” Soren said after the bill was passed.

The bill has been sent to the state’s governor for his signature. Once notified, Jharkhand will become the fourth state to bring such a law after West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Manipur.

Incidentally, the four states are not ruled by the BJP. This is significant because BJP leaders have often been accused of helping the accused who are involved in mob lynching.

But before Ansari was killed, many more were mob-lynched in Jharkhand. Most were hate crimes where someone or a group was attacked simply for belonging to a particular religion.

Jharkhand-based lawyer and activist Mohammed Shadab Ansari said it is important that implementing agencies do their work honestly.

Since the Taliban takeover on 15 August, most of the Afghan industries have been shut down due to lack of raw materials, rendering thousands of workers unemployed in the war-riddled country. In the last two days, the closures of factories of Ghee Industry in Baghlan have been linked with the unavailability of raw materials. According to Afghan industrialist, Burhan, after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, 400 to 500 small and large industries have been shut down. He added that because of closure of banking system, traders could not import raw materials for their industry as the available martial stock have exhausted. “Dozens of factories are closing down on a daily basis due to un-availability of material and lack of proper banking system,” Burhan said. According to Burhan, every sector of economy in Afghanistan is paralyzed due to the ban on construction work as well as the inactivity of the banking system. He added that 10% of food in Afghanistan is produced locally while 90% is imported. “If this situation continues, there will be severe food shortage in Afghanistan which will affect millions of people,” the journalist warned. An Afghan businessman said on condition of anonymity that the world powers should play full role to steer Afghanistan out of the current humanitarian and economic crisis. He said that Afghanistan is facing worst unemployment and food shortage. The businessman added that despite the passage of four months, the Taliban has failed to restore and make the banking system functional the collapsed after their arrival on 15 August. He furthered that after the collapse of previous regime, the Afghan economy is on free fall. “It is sinking billions of dollars invested in Afghanistan during the previous government,” the businessman lamented. He urged that the government to immediately open the banking system for Afghan traders so that they can import foodstuffs as well as raw materials for the industries. Zardad, a local journalist, said that due to the closure of banks in Afghanistan and shortage of raw materials, several ghee, marble, plastic and dozens of other factories in various industrial estates are currently closed. He said that it has left thousands of people unemployed in the last four months.

Zardad added that at present 80% of the industry in Afghanistan has been shut down mainly due to the unavailability raw materials.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022 | KARACHI

SPORTS 11

RAmiz RAjA meets Pm imRAn KHAn, disCusses ARRAngements foR PsL 2022 LAHORe

P

stAFF rePort

akistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore Friday to discuss arrangements for the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) starting January 27.

During the meeting, PM Imran Khan gave his nod to the construction of the state-

of-the-art cricket stadium in Islamabad.

According to the details, the prime minister gave in-principle approval for the construction of a cricket stadium in Islamabad and directed the PCB chairman to utilise all the resources to complete its construction as soon as possible.

When approached, Ramiz Raja said the efforts would be maximized to complete the construction of the stadium by 2025, enabling Pakistan to organise Champions Trophy matches at the newly-constructed venue.

On December 10, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja, in a video statement, said there was a need to improve the fans’ experience and announced that the board was trying to install free internet services at the stadium for the attendees during the tournament.

“We will establish stations outside the grounds […] we will also a find a commentator among you. Me and another commentator will see whether you have the capability to become a commentator,” he had said.

British Tennis icon Raducanu caps year with honour LONDON News Desk

Aisam-ul-Haq shares favourite moment with parents Web Desk Pakistani tennis player Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi shared a video on his official Twitter account on Saturday to wish his fans a happy new year. In the video, he could be seen dancing on the stage along with his parents, while the film was captured at a wedding. He captioned the video: “Happy New Year everyone. May this year for all of you be as much fun as this moment for me dancing with my parents and my wife filming us.

Stay safe, stay blessed, stay happy.” The video received praises from people as soon as it was posted. Take a look at some of the reactions.

“Have a great year ahead champ,” a user wrote.

Sportsperson Abdul Ghaffar wrote: “Lovely video. Happy New Year,” another one commented. “Happy new year beta to you all.. me & my wife watching your Parents MashAllah they’re looking great,” another netizen chimed in.

Liverpool’s Klopp confident Chelsea game will go ahead despite virus cases LONDON AFP

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his side’s crucial match against Chelsea will go ahead on Sunday despite three new coronavirus cases in their camp as another fixture was called off by the Premier League. Klopp refused to name the players on Friday as they were awaiting test results but forward Roberto Firmino and goalkeeper Alisson Becker were absent from pictures released by Liverpool of a club training session.

Both sides will regard the match at Stamford Bridge as a must-win game as they seek to keep pace with defending champions Manchester City, who are eight points clear at the top. “We have three new Covid cases in the team and a few more in the staff so it’s not so cool at the moment,” Klopp told his pre-match press conference. “I’m not able to say who it is because we have to do the whole process, get a proper PCR (test), but you will see the day after tomorrow on the team sheet — it will be pretty clear who is affected or infected.” The German, whose side are third in the table, a point behind Chelsea, added: “We never had this proper outbreak where 15 to 20 players had it. For us it is every day, another one, stuff happens more and more often. “It’s like a lottery in the morning, waiting for the result. It is pretty much day-by-day, always one case, then another one. “We have to wait as the boys are not in yet. In this moment (we will) probably not (ask for a postponement) but we don’t know how it will look in a few hours.” In addition to the three Covid cases, the injured Takumi Minamino and Thiago Alcantara will miss the trip to Chelsea.

Klopp’s comments came as Southampton’s Premier League match at home to Newcastle on Sunday was postponed due to Covid-19 cases in the visitors’ camp. The game at St Mary’s is the second in Premier League matchweek 21 to be postponed, following the announcement on Thursday that the New Year’s Day clash between Leicester and Norwich was off. Top-flight clubs have stepped up their Covid-19 protocols, including daily testing for players and club staff.

Emma Raducanu was named in Britain’s New Year Honours list alongside a clutch of Olympic stars — in recognition of her stunning breakthrough victory at the US Open. Cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny — who have won 12 Olympic gold medals between them — received a knighthood and damehood and there was recognition for Tokyo gold medallists Tom Daley, Adam Peaty, and Max Whitlock.

The honours list recognises outstanding achievements in various fields including showbusiness, sport, and politics, as well as the contributions of people across society.

A number of medical chiefs leading Britain’s battle against coronavirus have also been given awards in the latest list. Raducanu, who became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade in 1977, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). “It makes me immensely proud and grateful to be listed to receive an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen,” said the now 19-year-old Raducanu, who did not drop a set at Flushing Meadows on her run to the title.

“This year has been full of amazing surprises for me so to end 2021 with this appointment is very special.”

Jason Kenny has received a knighthood after becoming Britain’s most decorated Olympian of all time at the Tokyo Games, winning his ninth medal — and seventh gold — on the final day.

His wife, Laura Kenny, Britain’s most successful fe-

male Olympian, has been given a damehood — the female equivalent of a knighthood.

British Cycling’s performance director, Stephen Park, who himself becomes a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), praised the Kennys for their achievements.

“Not only are Jason and Laura true masters of their craft, they are also wonderful teammates, role models and ambassadors for our sport,” he said.

Diving star Daley, who won his first Olympic gold at his fourth Games, was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for services to diving, LGBTQ rights, and charity.

Gymnast Whitlock and swimmer Peaty, both of whom have won three Olympic gold medals, also received OBEs. Seven-time Paralympic wheelchair racing champion Hannah Cockroft was made an OBE after winning two golds in Tokyo.

Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has been awarded an OBE after helping the Blues retain their Women’s Super League title in 2021 and reach the Champions League final.

Tsitsipas struggles with injury at ATP Cup sYDNeY web Desk

Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled out of his top-10 showdown with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz at the ATP Cup Saturday with an elbow issue but then took to the court for a doubles clash, saying he was taking it “match-by-match”.

The Greek world number four was due to face the world number nine in his season-opening game after compatriot Michail Pervolarakis lost 6-1, 6-4 to Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in the 16-nation event in Sydney.

But instead, Aristotelis Thanos played with Tsitsipas watching from the team bench.

The 23-year-old had right elbow surgery in late November after pulling out of the ATP Finals in Turin.

Thanos, ranked 1,076, stood no chance against a polished Hurkacz, who raced past him 6-1, 6-2 to seal the tie for Poland. But Tsitsipas then appeared for the dead doubles rubber alongside Pervolarakis, showing no obvious signs of the problem as they won 6-4, 5-7, 10-8.

“The recovery from my elbow surgery in November is on track for Melbourne and today was a precautionary step to make sure I make Melbourne,” said Tsitsipas, re-

ferring to the Australian Open that starts on January 17.

“We will see day-by-day, match-by-match until then.”

He added: “I pray I am going to be able to play (singles) on Monday against Argentina.”

In the other evening tie, Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic beat Viktor Durasovic 6-2, 7-5 before Norway’s world number eight Casper Ruud hit back by ousting Dusan Lajovic 63, 7-5. Serbia won the deciding doubles to take the tie.

Serbia won the inaugural edition of the ATP Cup in 2020, but that was with world number one Novak Djokovic. He is not in Sydney after withdrawing last week, heightening doubts over whether he will defend his Australian Open title. Djokovic has refused to confirm if he has been inoculated against Covid-19, a requirement at the opening Grand Slam of the year.

Earlier, Roberto Bautista Agut got Spain off to a perfect start with a crushing 6-0, 6-3 win over world number 17 Chilean Cristian Garin as he spearheads the team in Rafael Nadal’s absence. The 33-year-old, ranked two places below Garin, barely broke a sweat, ensuring Spain won their tie after teammate Pablo Carreno Busta came through 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) against Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo.

“I played a very solid game, good rhythm, and good

speed,” said Bautista Agut. “I’m very happy because I won my point for the team.”

Bautista Agut was part of the Nadal-led Spain team that made the final in 2020 when they were beaten by Serbia. He is the lead singles player this time after 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal opted to play an Australian Open lead-up event in Melbourne instead.

Whether Nadal would make it to Australia at all was in doubt after he tested positive for the coronavirus after an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi last month.

But he tweeted a photo of himself on an empty court at Melbourne Park late Friday with the comment: “Don’t tell anyone… here I am.” A number of other players in Abu Dhabi also tested positive, including Russia’s world number five Andrey Rublev, who is out of the ATP Cup. Defending champions Russia, who beat Italy in last year’s final, start their campaign on Sunday against France. In other morning action, Argentina cruised past Georgia with world number 13 Diego Schwartzman annihilating 22nd-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 6-2, and teammate Federico Delbonis thrashing Aleksandre Metreveli by the same score. The winning nation from each of the four groups makes the semi-finals.

Sunday, 2 January, 2022

prayer tiMings

NEWS

MInIster urges to ‘reduce bItterness’ between govt, opposItIon ISLAMABAD

M

staff report

INISTer for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Saturday marked the beginning of the new year by extending a hand of friendship to the opposition parties as he called for “reduced tensions” between the treasury and the opposition benches.

In a tweet, the minister said the government and the

Justice Isa’s wife alleges of being threatened, harassed at her home KARACHI: Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s wife, Sarnia Isa, has alleged that four men, of which two claimed to be from an intelligence agency and the other two from the Ministry of Interior, have harassed and threatened her at her home in Karachi, Geo News reported. According to the report, in a three-page letter sent to the secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior, inspector-general of Sindh and the secretary of Sindh Home Department, the judge’s wife said the incident took place on December 29, 2021. Isa, in the letter, said two men came to her house — which is owned by her late parents — in Karachi’s Defence Phase-V at around 12:15pm while she was supervising renovation works, with her daughter being present there. The judge’s wife said that the two men, who claimed to be from an intelligence agency, asked her questions about her family and handed her a four-page document to fill, which did not mention the name of any intelligence agency. “I asked them to produce a written authorisation which permitted them to enter my house and talk to me, but they did not do so. I asked them for their visiting cards or copies of their identity cards but they did not give them to me either,” she said.

‘SHoCKed’: The judge’s wife said she and her daughter were left “shocked” by the intrusion. Soon after these men left, two other men — who claimed to be of the “intelligence department” and sent by the Ministry of Interior — entered her house, while she “was still quite shaken” because of the previous visitors. The judge’s wife again asked these men the same questions — written authorisation, their visiting cards, or copies of their identity cards — but they refused to provide her anything. Monitoring report

opposition should consult each other on electoral, economical, political and judicial reforms.

Pakistan is a great country, he said, and the parliamentarians “need to understand our responsibilities” because an uproar in the Parliament degrades their prestige in the eyes of the public.

Political uncertainty descended on Pakistan in 2019 when the combined opposition, seeking to dislodge the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, gathered under the banner of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

With the government struggling to manage the economy and govern, and the opposition facing further parliamentary marginalisation, the PDM emerged as the most significant challenge to the Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) government so far.

Last month, the political climate become rough around the government’s tabling of the so-called minibudget on December 30 and it is expected to get worse with the PDM holding the proposed long march in Islamabad in March.

December witnesses new wave of inflation hike ISLAMABAD Mian abrar

A double-digit increase was witnessed in the prices of consumer items during December 2021.

Per data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Saturday, inflation edged up to 12.3% from 11.5% in November 2021.

Analysts had already anticipated the inflation to be double-digit, as the current CPI inflation was in line with their expected targets.

On a month-on-month basis, inflation remained “flattish”, slightly declining by 0.02% owing to a significant decline in food inflation.

According to Arif Habib Limited (AHL), the inflation for the month of December is the highest in 22 months (February 2020: 12.40%).

Speaking to media, an analyst from AHL Sana Tawfiq said that the inflation rate is in line with the market expectation.

Tawfiq said that the year-onyear increase was fueled by nonfood items — household equipment.

Moreover, she added, the base inflation last year was lower.

“A slight decrease of 0.02% on

a month-on-month basis came on the back of an improvement in food inflation,” she said.

Tawfiq elaborated that a decrease in food group month-onmonth was as expected “and was reflected in the weekly sensitive price index (SPI).”

The national data-collecting agency has reported the latest inflation figures before the Monetary Policy Committee meeting this month. The meeting is expected to maintain a status quo at 9.75%.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI), which captures prices in the wholesale market, also rose sharply by 26.2% in December compared to 9.5% in the same month a year ago.

The PBS reported that the overall inflation rate recorded an increase in both the urban and rural areas. The inflation rate in urban areas edged to 12.7% in December and rural areas surged to 11.6% over the same month of the last year.

In December last year, the inflation rate in urban areas was 7% meanwhile, in rural areas it stood at 9.5%.

The food inflation rate in villages and cities dropped to 9% and

11.7% on a yearly basis. In December 2020, food inflation for villages and cities clocked in at 13.4% and 12.6% respectively.

The non-food inflation rate was recorded at 13.4% in urban areas and 14% in rural areas compared to 3.8% and 6.1% in the same month of last year.

Core inflation — calculated by excluding food and energy items — rose by 8.3% in urban areas and by 8.9% in a rural area during the month under review, reported the national data collecting agency The food group saw a price increase of 10.33% in December from the same month a year ago.

Within the food group, prices of non-perishable food items surged by 14.18% on an annualised basis meanwhile the prices of the perishable goods were effectively reduced by 10.23% year-on-year.

The inflation rate for the housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel group — having one-fourth weight in the basket — rose by 16.56% (year-on-year) in the last month.

Average prices for the clothing and footwear group increased by 11.24% in December. Prices related to transportation surged by 24.07% (year-on-year).

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pAec loads fuel to 1100 Mw nuclear power plant in Karachi KARACHI app

Pakistan on Friday completed loading nuclear fuel to the second 1,100-megawatt nuclear power plant in Karachi after getting a formal fuel load permit from the Pakistan Nuclear regulatory Authority (PNrA). The important milestone coincided with three decades of successful nuclear cooperation between Pakistan and China. Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-3, commonly named as K-3, is in the final stages of commissioning and after operational and safety tests, the plant is expected to begin commercial operation by end of March 2022. With the introduction of K-2 and K-3 into the national grid, the share of nuclear power in the energy mix of Pakistan will exceed 10 percent, said a press release. A new era in the nuclear power development programme of Pakistan commenced with the signing of ‘Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear energy’ between the governments of China and Pakistan in 1986. However, the first concrete step in the remarkable journey was taken 30 years ago when China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and Pakistan Atomic energy Commission (PAeC) signed the contract for construction and instalation of a 325megawatt Pressurised Water reactor (PWr) at Chashma on December 31, 1991. The cooperation strengthened with the construction of three more nuclear power plants at Chashma Nuclear Power Generation Station (CNPGS) site. The contract for construction of two more units having a generation capacity of 1100 megawatts each near Karachi was signed on February 18, 2013. These units are called Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2) & K-3. After the groundbreaking of K-2 and K-3 in November, 2013, the construction on K-3 was formally started. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, both Pakistan and China faced all odds and continued the construction work. K-2 successfully started commercial operation on May 21, 2021, and now K-3 is expected to do so by end of March 2022. K-2 and K-3 are PWrs based on the Chinese ACP-1000 design and are generation three plants equipped with advanced safety features. The ceremony to mark the thirty years of cooperation between China and Pakistan as well as of K-3 fuel loading was attended by DG SPD Lt Gen Nadeem Zaki Manj HI (M), Chairman PAeC Muhammad Naeem (HI, SI), Chairman PNrA Faizan Mansoor and Chairman NePrA Tauseef H. Farooqi.

Media misinterpreting mini-budget’s features: Fbr chairman ISLAMABAD tLtp

Federal Board of revenue (FBr) Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed has said that tax reforms undertaken by the government are most significant in the history of the country. Addressing a press conference on Friday, he said that the government is taking steps to stop distortions in the tax system. He said that some of the facts of the supplementary finance bill have been misinterpreted by the media. He said that many taxes that were claimed to have been levied were not actually imposed by the government. Likewise the taxes that were shifted from one place to another were also misinterpreted, he said, adding some changes were made to amend certain laws relating to taxes and duties through the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021. explaining the salient features of the proposed Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021, he said that 17 percent general sales tax has not been imposed on commodities that are used by a common man. He said the government has withdrawn sales tax exemptions of rs343 billion. Dr Ashfaq said that Federal excise Duty has been imposed on imported CBU (completely built up) vehicles which are of 1000cc. He said that FeD on 1000cc to 1800cc vehicles has been increased from five percent to ten percent and 25-30 percent on 1800cc to 3000cc. He clarified that commodities of daily use by common man such as food items, dairy products, clothing are being kept tax-free in the domestic market.

Similarly, import and supply of rice, wheat, meslin, local supply of other grains, fruits, vegetables, beef, mutton, poultry, fish, eggs, sugar cane, beet sugar, and imported vegetable and fruits from Afghanistan are also retained as tax-free. Moreover, milk and fat-filled milk have also been kept as tax-free. The FBr chairman highlighted that various items which might somehow attract adverse impact of tax reforms, had been identified for targeted subsidy. He said input adjustment would remain available to all taxable business inputs and assured expeditious sales tax refunds to business and industry on import of raw material and capital goods including pharmaceutical sector. Dr Ashfaq explained that the pharmaceutical firms have been equated with exporters for purposes of release of refunds within 72 hours.

Therefore, pharmaceutical firms would now be able to claim refunds on GST paid as input tax on packaging material, utilities etcetera which they previously could not with a price tag of rs35 billion. expectedly, the prices of medicines in the retail market should come down, approximately by 20 percent.

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