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Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 I 16 Shawwal, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 318 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Article 63-A: Votes of defecting lAwmAkers will not be counted, sc Announces Verdict

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news desk

he Supreme Court on Tuesday, in its decision on a presidential reference seeking interpretation of Article 63-A of the Constitution which is related to the status of defecting lawmakers, said the votes of defecting lawmakers will not be counted.

The verdict by the larger bench of the apex court was a 3-2 split decision, with a majority of the judges not allowing lawmakers to vote against party line in four instances outlined under Article 63-A. These four instances are the election of prime minister and chief minister; a vote of confidence or no-confidence; a Constitution amendment bill; and a money bill.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata

Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar gave the majority verdict while Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail were the dissenting judges, who said that giving an opinion on the presidential reference was akin to “rewriting the Constitution”.

“In our view, this provision cannot be read and applied in isolation and in a manner as though it is aloof from, or indifferent to, whatever else is provided in the Constitution,” the verdict stated.

It said that Article 63-A was an “expression in the Constitution itself of certain aspects of the fundamental rights that inhere in political parties under clause (2) of Article 17,” adding that the two provisions were “intertwined”.

The verdict went on to say that defections were “one of the most pernicious ways” in

which political parties could be destabilised, noting that they could also delegitimise parliamentary democracy.

“Defections rightly stand condemned as a cancer afflicting the body politic. They cannot be countenanced,” the order said, adding that 63-A must be interpreted in a “purposive and robust manner”.

“The pith and substance of Article 63-A is to enforce the fundamental right of political parties under Article 17 […] It must therefore be interpreted and applied in a broad manner, consistent with fundamental rights,” the verdict said.

If there is a conflict between the fundamental rights of the collectivity and an individual member, the former must prevail, it added.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 02

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Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

PTI aPPoInTs former ssG commando as Imran Khan’s chIef securITy offIcer

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News Desk

OLLOWING the government’s demand from PTI to appoint a focal person, the party on Tuesday appointed a former SSG commando as the chief security officer of the party chairman Imran Khan.

Following Imran Khan’s claims that his life was in danger and a follow-up meeting at PM Office on his security details, the PTI said on Twitter: “Lt Col (retd) Asim has been appointed as security in-charge of chairman

Imran Khan.” During the Sialkot rally, the PTI chairman had claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched to take his life and that he has recorded a video sharing the names of those responsible if anything happened to him.

After this, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif chaired a meeting and reviewed security threats to the former premier and issued directives for foolproof security at his home in Islamabad and during political rallies.

In this regard, the PM has held two threat assessment meetings with officials from the interior ministry to finalise the

security detail of the former prime minister.

At Imran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala, 94 security officers will be deployed, the spokesperson of the interior ministry said.

Of them, 22 men will be from the Islamabad police and 72 from the Frontier Constabulary. In addition, 26 officers from the security service and nine military personnel will also be made available.

Separately, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police has provided 26 cops and GilgitBaltistan has also sent six men for the former prime minister’s protective detail.

Moreover, PM Shehbaz Sharif has also directed provincial governments to ensure Imran Khan has adequate security when he is holding political rallies across the country.

When Imran Khan is on the move, four police vehicles will accompany him with 23 cops, as well as a vehicle with five Rangers personnel.

The interior ministry spokesperson added that if there is a specific threat to the former prime minister more security will be made available.

In a separate statement, Interior Minister

Rana Sanaullah also offered the PTI to form a judicial commission to probe the threats to Imran Khan’s life.

Economic crisis can’t be solved by dissolving assemblies: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi News Desk PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday said dissolving assemblies is “not the solution” to the prevailing economic crisis, and urged all political parties to sit together with the government and derive a solution to it.

“Dissolving the assemblies is not the solution,” Abbasi told reporters outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) offices in Islamabad when asked about the economic crisis. “The government is working hard to get the situation under control.” The senior PML-N leader said the situation would not improve “until and unless all the parties sit at a table and talk”.

His remarks come in the backdrop of a sliding rupee value, and a stock market that has experienced a slump owing to government’s decision to maintain the fuel subsidy which was instituted by its predecessor. At the same time, PTI chairman Imran Khan has consistently maintained that fresh polls are the sole solution to the prevailing crisis.

“This destruction [of the economy] started four years ago when the PTI government came to power,” he claimed.

“Today, Imran Khan is the sole person responsible for the economic turmoil in

Pakistan. You cannot expect a government to immediately fix things that he spoiled.”

Referring to PTI supporters, Abbasi said that “true patriots” would think about the well-being of the country and “actively play a part in taking decisions that are for the betterment of the economy”.

The decisions, the PML-N leader continued, also need the support of institutions and the people because Pakistan was everyone’s responsibility. “Our country has always had unconstitutional intervention in politics. That intervention also plays a role in getting us where we are today,” he added.

Abbasi’s talk followed a hearing on a multi-billion-rupee case against him related to the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract. With regard to the anti-graft body, Abbasi demanded that NAB should be “immediately dissolved” as “Pakistan will not be able to function as long as the bureau exists”. Earlier today, the US dollar continued its flight against the rupee and breached the Rs196 mark — an all-time high — in interbank trade, mainly due to the country’s depleting foreign exchange reserves and high imports.

According to the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP), the greenback gained Rs1.50 from the previous day’s close of Rs194.60 to climb to Rs196.10 around

11:20am.

This spell of the dollar’s persistent rise against the rupee began on Tuesday last week, when the international currency hit a record high of Rs188.66. It then soared to Rs190.90 on Wednesday, rose past Rs192 on Thursday, reached Rs193.10 on Friday and climbed over Rs194 yesterday (Monday).

As per sources, when the PML-N-led coalition government took over on April 11, the dollar was valued at Rs182.3, and since then, the rupee had lost Rs11.4 or 6.2 per cent of its value.

According to currency dealers, the dollar demand never comes down, which did not allow the local currency to stay at any point.

They say the higher demand for dollars is the key reason for the bullish trend in the currency market. Political foot-dragging by the incumbent government on the reversal of fuel and electricity subsidies — a prerequisite for the resumption of the loan programme by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) — has further eroded the confidence of stakeholders.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed policymakers to devise a comprehensive strategy in consultation with the stakeholders to halt the rupee’s free fall and improve reserves. He also held a Zoom meeting with Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP) chairperson Malik Bostan on Monday and expressed concern over the current situation. During the meeting, it was suggested that entire markets across the country should be closed down before the sunset, which would save a substantial amount of energy, reduce the import oil bill and the supply to the general public could be restored.

According to sources, the PM would hold another meeting with Bostan and the SBP governor on the exchange rate today.

This will be the third meeting held by the government on the issue in four days and reflect the growing frustration in the power corridors of Islamabad, the report said.

Article 63-A: Votes of defecting lawmakers will not be counted, SC announces verdict CoNtiNueD from page 01 Giving its stance on the second question, the verdict said that the vote of any member of a parliamentary party in a house “that is cast contrary to any direction issued by the latter in terms of para (b) of clause (1) of Article 63-A cannot be counted and must be disregarded, and this is so regardless of whether the party head, subsequent to such vote, proceeds to take, or refrains from taking, action that would result in a declaration of defection.”

The court also observed that a declaration of defection could could result in disqualification under Article 63 if parliament passed an appropriate law.

“While it is for parliament to enact such legislation, it must be said that it is high time that such a law is placed on the statute book.

If such legislation is enacted it should not amount to a mere slap on the wrist but must be a robust and proportionate response to the evil that it is designed to thwart and eradicate,” the order stated in response to the third question.

The verdict refrained from giving an opinion of the fourth question, deeming it to be “vague, too broad and general”. It subsequently returned the question unanswered.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, had completed proceedings of the case earlier today.

The first hearing of the case took place on March 21 by a two-member bench, after which CJP Bandial constituted a larger bench to hear the matter, which took over news and public discourse in the country after at least a dozen members of the then ruling PTI, who were staying at Islamabad’s Sindh House, came out in open defiance of their party on the issue of the no-confidence motion submitted by the joint opposition against then-premier Imran Khan.

During today’s hearing, PML-N lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan submitted his detailed response to the court and asked for more time to present his arguments. He

maintained that the situation had changed and he needed more time to seek instructions from his client.

Newly appointed Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf (AGP) also completed his arguments during today’s hearing. At the last hearing, Justice Bandial had expressed his disappointment over the AGP’s absence.

Taking the rostrum, Ausaf said that questions pertaining to public interest or the law could be raised in a presidential reference.

“Is the question asked [under] Article 186 not related to the formation of the government?” the chief justice asked. Article 186 is related to the advisory jurisdiction of the apex court.

The AGP replied that the president had never sent such a reference in the past over similar incidents, and urged the court to also view the reference within the context of the past. Justice Ahsan remarked that the president did not need to seek legal advice from the attorney general before filing a reference. According to Article 186, the president can send a reference when a legal question arises, he pointed out, asking whether the AGP was disassociating himself from the presidential reference.

“I haven’t received any instructions from the government,” Ausaf replied, adding that he would aid the court in his capacity as AGP. At one point, Justice Ahsan asked whether the AGP was trying to imply that the presidential reference was not admissible.

“Are you suggesting that the reference be sent back without providing an answer?”

Justice Akhtar also recalled that the former AGP had declared the reference to be admissible. However, as the AGP, you can also present your stance, he said.

The AGP said that the reference was filed on the advice of former prime minister Imran Khan. He also clarified that he was presenting his stance, adding that the former government’s lawyers were present to do the same for them.

Ausaf stated that President Arif Alvi should have sought the opinion of legal experts before filing the reference. “If the opinions differed, then the president could have sent the reference,” he said.

Here, CJP Bandial said that several hearings had been dedicated to hearing the presidential reference. Articles 17 and 63 of the Constitution both talk about the rights of political parties while the latter protects these rights, he observed.

The CJP pointed out that the reference was filed in March and the court had been hearing it for a month-and-a-half. “Don’t focus on technical matters because things have proceeded beyond the point of whether or not the reference is admissible,” he told the AGP. AGP said that this was a constitutional, not a technical matter. He also argued that the apex court had to keep in mind the rights of workers and political parties.

He explained that the procedure for taking action against dissident members was underlined in Article 63-A, adding that the appeal against the sentence would be taken up by the apex court.

He also argued that a lawmaker was not automatically de-seated when disqualified under Article 63(1). The lawmaker is issued a show-cause notice and asked to provide an explanation, he said. “If the party head is not satisfied, he can send a reference against the dissident lawmaker,” Ausaf added.

At one point, Justice Mandokhail asked whether the president had ever raised this issue during his annual speech in parliament.

He also wondered whether any political party had ever taken steps to seek the interpretation of or amend Article 63-A. The attorney general replied that after facing defeat in the Senate elections, the former prime minister (Imran Khan) did not issue any instructions to lawmakers.

He went on to say that Imran had issued a statement before seeking a vote of confidence from lawmakers in March 2021, in which he said that lawmakers should make a decision based on their conscience.

Imran Khan said that if he does not secure the trust vote, he would go back home, the attorney general said.

Justice Ahsan observed that issuing directions was up to the party head. “He (Imran) was also the prime minister when the no-confidence vote took place,” he said.

Ausaf responded by saying that the

former prime minister had backtracked on his earlier stance, which led to Justice Ahsan asking whether it was unheard of for the prime minister to change his instructions.

“The prime minister has taken an oath under the Constitution. He can’t backtrack on his statement,” the attorney general said.

He went on to say that a lawmaker is elected by the people for a period of five years, following which lawmakers vote to elect the prime minister. “Lawmakers are answerable to the people,” he said.

The AGP also argued that lawmakers could vote to change the prime minister if the latter failed to fulfil the promises made with the people.

“Can’t laws be made to punish lawmakers who defect,” asked Justice Akhtar.

Ausaf replied that they could be passed but parliament had not yet taken this up.

Justice Akhtar also questioned the basis on which the attorney general argued that Article 63-A was not applicable in this case.

“Article 62, 63 cannot be applied until you amend the Constitution,” Ausaf replied.

“So far, you are saying that laws can be made,” Justice Akhtar observed, to which Ausaf replied that the apex court could not amend the Constitution.

“Only parliament can amend Article 62, 63 and 63-A,” he said. Concluding his arguments, he said that the Constitution had fixed a penalty for defection which could not be increased without making a constitutional amendment.

According to Article 63-A of the Constitution, a parliamentarian can be disqualified on grounds of defection if he “votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party to which he belongs, in relation to election of the prime minister or chief minister; or a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or a money bill or a Constitution (amendment) bill”.

The article says that the party head has to declare in writing that the MNA concerned has defected but before making the declaration, the party head will “provide such member with an opportunity to show cause as to why such declaration may not be made against him”.

After giving the member a chance to explain their reasons, the party head will forward the declaration to the speaker, who will forward it to the chief election commissioner (CEC). The CEC will then have 30 days to confirm the declaration. If confirmed by the CEC, the member “shall cease to be a member of the House and his seat shall become vacant”.

Ahead of its ouster, the PTI government had filed a presidential reference for the interpretation of Article 63-A, asking the top court about the “legal status of the vote of party members when they are clearly involved in horse-trading and change their loyalties in exchange for money”.

In the reference, President Dr Arif Alvi also asked the apex court whether a member who “engages in constitutionally prohibited and morally reprehensible act of defection” could claim the right to have his vote counted and given equal weightage or if there was a constitutional restriction to exclude such “tainted” votes.

He also asked the court to elaborate whether a parliamentarian, who had been declared to have committed defection, would be disqualified for life. Alvi cautioned that unless horse-trading is eliminated, “a truly democratic polity shall forever remain an unfilled distant dream and ambition”.

“Owing to the weak interpretation of Article 63-A entailing no prolonged disqualification, such members first enrich themselves and then come back to remain available to the highest bidder in the next round perpetuating this cancer.”

The reference had been filed at a time when the then-opposition claimed the support of several dissident PTI lawmakers ahead of voting on the no-confidence resolution against then-prime minister Imran Khan.

Eventually, the dissident lawmakers votes were not needed in Imran’s removal, as the opposition managed to stitch together support from government-allied political parties.

However, the role of dissident lawmakers was crucial in the election of opposition candidate Hamza Shehbaz as the Punjab chief minister who bagged 197 votes, including from 25 PTI dissidents.

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

PTI leaders demand resIGnaTIon of Pm shehbaz, Punjab cm hamza afTer sc verdIcT

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News Desk

HE PTI — which was removed from power last month through a vote of no-confidence — rejoiced the Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 63(A) and demanded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shabaz resign from office.

The PTI had, before the no-confidence motion, said that the defected members of the parliament should not be allowed to vote and called for unseating them.

In a 3:2 split decision, three judges — Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Munib Akhtar — agreed that dissident members’ votes should not be counted. But Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel disagreed with the verdict.

Responding to the verdict, former information minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said PM Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab CM Hamza Shahbaz have “lost the majority”. The PTI leader, in a press conference, said the PML-N has already lost three out of 173 votes, while if President Arif Alvi summons a session for a vote of confidence, then the prime minister will have 169 votes. Similarly, according to Chaudhry, Hamza also has fewer votes than required.

“As a result of this decision, the governments of both — Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz — have

come to an end,” the ex-information and law minister said, asking them to resign.

He then urged President Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly as heading towards new elections was the “only way for Pakistan to achieve stability.”

“This is Imran Khan’s win. It has been confirmed that these people [dissidents] votes will not be counted and they have been disqualified,” the PTI leader added.

Former federal minister and PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar congratulated the people of Pakistan by stating that ‘the turncoats have been defeated’ The PTI leader, in a tweet, asked the government to resign immediately as it did not “have the right” to rule the country for another day.

While addressing PTI’s jalsa in Kohat, Senator Faisal Javed said after the Supreme Court’s interpretation, the “PML-N has come to an end”.

Hamza is no more the chief minister, Javed said, adding that after Punjab, the incumbent government in the Centre would also fall.

In a tweet, former foreign minister and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, noting that it would help curb horse-trading in the future.

“From today onwards, there is no standing of the incumbent Punjab government,” the PTI leader said.

He added: “The imported federal government,

which came to power through a foreign conspiracy with the help of a curse like floor-crossing, should also announce immediate elections.”

Article 63(A) of the Constitution of Pakistan deals with the defection of parliamentarians.

According to the article, a lawmaker can be disqualified on the grounds of defection if they vote or abstain from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party to which they belong.

However, this is restricted to three instances where they have to follow the party’s directions: Election of the prime minister or chief minister; Vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; Money bill or a Constitution (amendment) bill.

Per the article, the head of the party is required to present a written declaration that the MNA concerned has defected.

However, prior to presenting the declaration, the head of the party will have to give the MNA concerned a chance to explain the reasons for defection.

Following that, the party chief will then forward the written declaration to the speaker, who would, in turn, hand it over to the chief election commissioner (CEC). The CEC will have 30 days at their disposal to confirm the declaration. Once confirmed, the MNA concerned will no longer be a member of the House and their “seat shall become vacant”.

NEWS

03

federal minister-Planning completion of cPec projects top most priority of current regime: ahsan Iqbal News Desk

Corruption cases against PM Shehbaz must be heard, Imran urges SC after Article 63(A) verdict News Desk Former prime minister Imran Khan Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to hear the alleged corruption cases of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his family after he hailed the top court’s decision on Article 63(A).

In a major development, the SC had ruled that the votes of dissident members of the Parliament (MPs), cast against their parliamentary party’s directives, cannot be counted.

The five-member larger bench announced a split decision. The majority of judges, including Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, refused to allow parliamentarians from voting against the party directives under the four instances mentioned in Article 63(A) of the constitution.

Although no PTI member voted for Shehbaz during the prime minister’s election, several party members had voted for Hamza Shahbaz in the Punjab chief minister election — leaving his

fate hanging in the balance. In his address to Kohat jalsa, the PTI chairman praised the Supreme Court’s decision and said the apex court with the verdict has ensured Pakistan’s morality does not

diminish.

“I am thankful that the Supreme Court rejected the votes of the people who sell their vote and betray their constituents and democracy,” the ex-

prime minister said. But Khan did not stop there and requested the top court to hear PM Shehbaz and his family’s corruption cases as the incumbent government had “destroyed” the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) — the body probing their cases.

Former FIA director Dr Mohammad Rizwan passed away due to a heart attack and another official who was probing their corruption cases also suffered a heart attack, Khan said and asked the apex court to hear the cases as it was tantamount to “daylight robbery”.

The PTI chairman said if the Sharif family and others get an NRO now, then no one will fear looting the country and dacoits will rule.

“Supreme Court judges, it is your responsibility to hear their cases.”

Khan said when Shehbaz became the prime minister, the cases against him were withdrawn, and a similar thing took place with Hamza as the PML-N president had “FIA officials probing their cases finished”.

KP govt replaces BISP with ‘Insaf Food card program’ aziz BuNeri The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Tuesday decided to launch Insaf Food Card program and stopped the Benazir Income Support (BISP) amid the ongoing political confrontation between the provincial and federal government.

The provincial cabinet approved the “Insaf Food Card” under which each deserving family will be provided Rs2100 per monthly.

After Health Card, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province which has also taken initiative of Insaf Food Card with the aim to provide relief to the masses against the soaring inflation. The provincial government has allocated Rs 26 billion for the program in the form of subsidy.

The data of ‘Ehssas program’ will be used to select the beneficiaries for the proposed scheme. For the issuance of the Insaf Food card, an ATM style card will be issued by signing an agreement with Bank of Khyber. The officials hoped that program will be implemented from July 2022.

Addressing a news confidence after

the cabinet meeting, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that the Cabinet also approved to increase the procurement

and storage volume of wheat from 1.2 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes for 2022-23 to ensure the steady supply of the grain to flour mills.

Saif furthered that this year wheat

supply mills will also continue in May, June and July to avoid any flour shortage in the market.

The KP cabinet also approved solarisation of 7,000 mosques – 5,000 in settled while 2,000 mosques merged districts – in the province. The provincial cabinet also approved the draft law 2022 for regularisation of employment of employees of KP Settlement Operations and Revenue Academy.

The cabinet also allowed the appointment of Motahir Zeb as Commissioner Hazara Division. The cabinet also approved to extend the project for the rehabilitation of displaced families of the tribal districts. Under the project, construction of roads, bridges, schools, laboratories in schools, establishment of medical centers, improvement of medical equipment and facilities will be completed.

The Cabinet has approved the appointment of Abdul Wali Khan and Dr. Samira Taj on the vacant posts of members of the KP Textbook Board as Member Editorial and Production and Member Sales and Production respectively.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Ahsan Iqbal has said that the completion of all CPEC projects was the top most priority of the present government. Addressing the students and faculty at the University of Gwadar in Gwadar today (Tuesday), he said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is a national development plan which the previous government tried to make controversial. The Minister said that education, water, electricity and health development projects, started in 2017, were delayed due the inattentiveness of previous government. He vowed to resume the process of development in Gwadar at the same pace as was left in 2018. Ahsan Iqbal said that transmission line project would be completed soon while the construction work of the University of Gwadar could also be completed within two years saying that we have given importance to higher education in Gwadar because higher knowledge is essential to achieve objects of CPEC projects in country and Gwadar. “If there is no education, the process of development will be stopped”, he said and added that efforts were being made to complete the university campus in 2-3 years for making this top varsity of the country. He said the progress in the world was possible through knowledge and research and exploration saying that scholarships would be provided to the student of Gwadar to acquire quality education. The Minister said the differences could be eliminated through education in the areas and problems would be resolved through dialogues which could not be addressed by creating violence. He said that the hospital would be upgraded in Gwadar with an aim to provide quality health facilities to people in the area. “Federal government is paying special attention on development of the Balochistan for removing backwardness from the areas”, he concluded.

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

04 NEWS

IHC tEMPorarIly InCaPaCItatES HanIf abbaSI ISLAMABAD

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Staff report

HE Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday barred Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Hanif Abbasi from discharging his duties as special assistant to the prime minister until the next hearing in a petition moved against him by Awami Muslim League (AML) president Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed.

Abbasi — who was convicted and prisoned for life by an anti-narcotics court in July 2018, just days before the general elections, in a case related to the supply of ephedrine to a drug smuggler — was made minister days after Shehbaz Sharif assumed the top office on April 11.

Days after his appointment, Ahmed moved the high court against the development, observing it was “illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and violative of the principles of good governance and the rule of law”.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah expressed hope Abbasi would not discharge his duties as minister until the next hearing. “If somebody is a convict, he ceases to hold a public office,” he remarked.

In his response, Ahsan Bhoon, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and counsel for Abbasi in the case, said he would try to satisfy the court that the office of special assistant was not like other public offices in importance and status.

But Justice Minallah retorted that the office was no different from other public positions, raising concern whether Abbasi will be able to stay on as minister.

Bhoon then prayed to him not to give such an order which would become the verdict. “The job of the special assistant is to give advice, which he can give even without any notification,” the judge opined. The court then adjourned the case hearing until May 27.

Javed Iqbal wins best actor, best director honours at British film festival LONDON Staff report

Javed Iqbal, a film based on the bonechilling story of a namesake serial killer who was sentenced to death in 2000 for murdering and mutilating 100 children, won the best director and best actor awards at the 2022 UK Asian Film Festival in London.

Starring Yasir Hussain and Ayesha Omar, the film tells the story of Pakistan’s deadliest serial killer who confessed to police and media, before retracting, that he had abducted, sexually abused and murdered more than 100 boys in Lahore between 1998 and 1999.

The picture dated February 17, 2000, shows Javed Iqbal (C) arriving in court under police custody in Lahore. — ARIF ALI/AFP via Getty Images He was arrested in 1999 and sentenced to death a year later. But just two years into his sentence, he allegedly committed suicide in his prison cell. The authorities suspected his horrific crimes were part of a wider paedophile ring in

operation.

But Iqbal had said his killings were in revenge for brutal treatment received at the hands of the police after his arrest in the past.

A Lahore High Court (LHC) case to get the film released is currently ongoing

Establishment asks PM to call snap elections after presenting budget, claims Sethi ISLAMABAD/LONDON Monitoring report

in Pakistan since the Punjab government and the Central Bureau of Film Censors (CBFC) issued an order to halt its release earlier this year, despite initial censor board approval.

Hussain, who was in London to attend the event, termed this achievement

as an “absolute honour” not only for himself but also for Pakistan’s film industry.

He said he was grateful to the organisers who chose this film to open this year’s festival.

“It [Iqbal] was a complex character of such a person who has murdered so many innocent kids. The reason it became a challenging role to play was that you have to think like him [the killer] so that you can portray a true character of that person,” Geo News quoted him as saying.

“Every actor loves to play such characters, especially someone who has worked in the theatre for many years [and] is always looking for challenging roles.

“That is why I’m also looking to perform these challenging characters which are not necessarily lead roles but more importantly have a bigger acting margin.”

The UKAFF is produced by Tongues on Fire, a not-for-profit organisation, in a bid to break barriers and taboos in South Asian communities and encourage open discussion. The aim is also to empower the next generations.

IHC seeks comments from ECP, political parties on PtI’s appeal NewS DeSK The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday sought comments from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and political parties till next date of hearing in an appeal filed by Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) in foreign funding case. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the appeal of PTI against the decision for concluding foreign funding case within one month. The representatives of Awami Muslim League and Jamat e Islami appeared before the court. At the outset of hearing, the ECP submitted its report before the bench. The chief justice asked the ECP why the foreign funding case had been pending for last eight years while it was an annually required process. The court asked whether every political party submits its audit accounts to ECP every year and the department conduct their security. The ECP’s Director Law informed the court that his department used to conduct scrutiny of objectionable accounts. The Chief Justice remarked that a political party was responsible even to tell the details of expenditures of its processions. The ECP’s lawyer said that it could file a detailed answer to the bench if it required.

The court said firstly this case should have not been pending for eight years, secondly if there were objectionable accounts then the ECP could have confiscate these after serving notice to the said political party. He said that the report of scrutiny committee had been finalized and the foreign funding case was not moving towards conclusion. He said in his opinion the case which was near to decide should be concluded while the proceeding in other cases should be expedited. The Chief Justice remarked that the court had not stopped the ECP from proceeding. The ECP and political parties should submit comments in matter regarding decision on cases pending since 2014 and 2018. The Chief Justice said no political party should have objection over the proceeding of ECP, these parties had major role. The court adjourned further hearing of the case till May 30.

SSC Computer paper leaked online before exam in Karachi KARACHI Staff report

The establishment wants the prime minister to face of the coalition government, to take “tough economic decisions”, including the critical increase in prices of petroleum products, and call snap elections immediately afterwards presenting the budget, claimed prominent news anchor Najam Sethi.

In February, the government of former prime minister Imran Khan announced a cut in petrol and electricity prices despite a steep rise in the global oil market, pledging to freeze the new rates until the next budget in June.Petrol and diesel prices were slashed by Rs10 a litre and electricity rates by Rs5 per unit, Khan said in a televised address to the nation. Since then, global oil prices have gone through the roof. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faces a crucial few weeks when he must end fuel subsidies and convince the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that he’s doing enough to win a bailout. In his political chat show, Najam Sethi Show, Sethi, who is considered close to the Sharif family and served as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) between 2013 and 2018, said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) initially thought they’d have until mid-2023 when the Parliament completes its five-year term, leaving them with ample time to take difficult economic decisions and recover from its political fallout.

However, the coalition government is now finding itself in a no-win situation. Sethi, who was recently in London to meet the elder Sharif, claimed the generals now want the government to increase petroleum prices, present the budget in June, and hand over the reins to a caretaker setup who’d then call elections in July. The generals intend to finish the process by September and have the new government in office by October when the three-year extension of Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa expires. Sethi implied the military has buckled under Khan’s pressure who has since his ouster been exhibiting street muscle in rally after rally. “They could’ve done the same to Imran Khan [pressure him to call early polls] but they didn’t,” he said. The coalition of 11 parties will quit than increase petrol prices and face the music, Sethi said.

Despite its tall claims of improved performance, the Sindh education department appears helpless in arresting the leakage of the exam papers on social media.

In the latest instance of exam leak, a Secondary School Certificate (SSC) computer paper was leaked on social media on Tuesday 15 minutes before the exam was due to start.

The test was scheduled to start at 9:30 am and the questionnaire was leaked on social media at 9:15 am.

A student who sat the exam told the press he was “frustrated” by the leak.

“I’m not frustrated because I feel like I absolutely failed the paper; it wasn’t that kind of frustration,” he said. “It’s more the frustration that I’ve spent two years studying computer only to realise that some students through some sort of opportunity could have not learned anything for two years — and just spent some money and got an SSC degree.”

It is not the first time the provincial exam board has had papers leaked. The papers of English, Urdu and Sindh were also leaked in a similar fashion in Sukkur and Nawabshah cities minutes before the commencement of the test.

According to the Board of

Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK), over 360,000 students registered for the exams in the ninth and tenth grades for which 448 exam centres have been established across Karachi.

There are 253 centres dedicated for male and 195 for female

students set up in 285 private schools and 163 public schools while 16 examination centres have been declared as sensitive centres.

BSEK also wrote K-Electric to not carry out power outages in the vicinity of the examination centres.

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

Success of track and trace system depends on effective enforcement: Musadik Malik coNtiNueD from page 09 The Minister announced that all legal and enforcement machinery at the government’s disposal will be used to ensure that eradication of illicit cigarettes is realized.

Speaking on the occasion, the Group Head of International Trade & Fiscal Affairs for BAT Donato Del Vecchio shed light on two significant investments in Pakistan. The first, setting up of a tobacco free nicotine containing oral manufacturing plant that is a global centre of excellence for developing, manufacturing, and exporting BAT’s portfolio of reduced risk new category products. Secondly, the establishment of BAT’s New Global Business Services hub.

Together, these investments account to more than $45 million injected in Pakistan’s economy.

The CEO & MD PTC, Ali Akbar quoted the report and commented that in 2021, the company contributed Rs133 billion in total taxes to the national exchequer, becoming one of the largest taxpayers in the country. The Company embarked on its Made in Pakistan journey for exports in 2018 and last year alone, 37.2 million dollars’ worth of product was also exported from Pakistan.

Over and above this tax contribution, PTC’s traditional business and its value chain made a total contribution of Rs122 billion to Pakistan GDP in 2021 and the company generated over 76,000 direct, indirect jobs and induced jobs.

UK investigators close money-laundering probe against Farhan Junejo

PAKiSTAni DeLegATion To viSiT DohA on TUeSDAy For TALKS wiTh iMF

P

shahzaD paracha

AKISTANI delegation led

by Minister of State for Finance Aisha Ghaus Pasha would be leaving for Doha today (Tuesday) for crucial talks with the International Monetary Fund staff mission for the revival of the Extended Fund Facility Program.

Sources said that the State Minister would be accompanied by Secretary Finance, Additional Secretary Finance, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Acting Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), while Finance Minister Mitfah Ismail would fly to Doha on Wednesday to join them in the talks with the IMF mission.

A statement issued by the IMF on April 24, 2022, after a discussion with the Finance Minister Miftah Ismail in

the US, stated that “we agreed that prompt action is needed to reverse the unfunded subsidies which have slowed discussions for the 7th review”.

The government has not so far re-

versed the unfunded subsidies as the Finance Minister on Sunday said that the government has decided not to increase the petroleum prices for now but stated that the adjustment in prices

FM Bilawal arrives in NY to attend meeting on global food security

is inevitable as the previous government had not provided funds for these subsidies.

He said that he would try to seek leniency or a middle way on petroleum prices from the Fund, he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has also requested the IMF to extend the EFF arrangement through June 2023 which was welcomed by the IMF. Earlier, it was reported that Pakistan’s three close allies Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and China declined to financially support Pakistan without bringing the IMF on board.

Shehbaz Sharif’s government has also requested Saudi Arabia to extend the maturity of the $3 billion debt in the coming December while Pakistan is awaiting a rollover of $2.3 billion in Chinese commercial loans.

Punjab CTD arrests 2 suspects involved in Lahore’s Anarkali blast News Desk

News Desk British authorities have closed an investigation into BritishPakistani businessman Farhan Junejo for allegedly laundering £8 million.

The British National Crime Agency (NCA), the lead law enforcement agency of the United Kingdom against organized crime; human, weapon and drug trafficking; cybercrime; and economic crime, had been probing Junejo and his alleged ties with politicians in Pakistan and for allegedly laundering money on their behalf.

They had also arrested Junejo and his wife in London on September 17, 2018.

“The NCA has closed this investigation,” stated NCA Senior Communications Officer Kerri Fitzpatrick stated.

The agency continued that they will “take no further action unless compelling new evidence of criminality is identified.

Pakistan’s Assets Recovery Unit (ARU) – then headed by the former special assistant to the prime minister on accountability Shahzad Akbar, had filed a case of money laundering and corruption against Junejo with the NCA. The ARU contended that Junejo was wanted in a money laundering case linked to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

The Asset Recovery Unit believed that Junejo acted as a frontman for late Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem.

After the ARU’s filing, the NCA arrested Junejo.

“Officers from the NCA’s International Corruption Unit have arrested a former ‘Pakistani Politically Exposed Person’, aged in his 40s, and his wife, aged in her 30s, in connection with alleged money laundering in the United Kingdom believed to be the result of corruption in Pakistan,” the NCA had stated in a media release following his arrest.

05

News Desk Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived in New York for a short visit on Tuesday to participate in a ministerial meeting on ‘Global Food Security Call for Action’ and the Security Council’s open debate on ‘Maintenance of International Peace and Security – Conflict and Food Security’.

Upon arrival at the airport, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was received by Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Masood Khan, Deputy Permanent Representative, Ambassador Aamir Khan, Consul General New York, Ayesha Ali and other officers from Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN and the embassy. The foreign minister arrived in a commercial flight.

According to an earlier press release of the Foreign Office Spokesperson, the foreign minister is visiting New York for a ministerial meeting to be held at the United Nations on May 18.

The meeting will bring together a regionally diverse group of countries including those most affected by food insecurity and those in a position to take action to address it.

The ministers will be invited to speak on humanitarian needs and longer-term development efforts required to save lives and build resilience for the future.

The foreign minister will highlight Pakistan’s perspective and policy priorities in the two meetings.

While in New York, the foreign minister will have other important engagements on the sidelines, including a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Punjab Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the deadly blast in Lahore’s crowded Anarkali area earlier this year, it emerged on Tuesday.

On January 20, three people were killed and over 30 injured in the blast in Lahore’s Anarkali bazaar, which law enforcement agencies had initially believed was a gas cylinder explosion. Subsequent investigations determined that it was a bomb blast. The Baloch Nationalist Army, a newly emerged terror outfit, had claimed responsibility for the blast.

The Punjab police on Tuesday said the “terrorist network” was busted through the services of the Safe City Authority, intelligence and other technical methods.

In a statement, it said the two suspects — identified as Sana Ullah and Abdul Razziq — were arrested when they reached Lahore from Balochistan via truck. It added that the pair was planning to conduct two bomb blasts in Lahore in a single day.

Two detonators for prepared improved explosive devices, a primacord, remote control and batteries were recovered from the individuals, the police said.

“The terrorist links go back to an anti-state agency.

Anti-state elements in a neighbouring country got this blast carried out after planning,” the police said.

Separately, a press release later issued by the CTD said the two confessed to their involvement in the Anarkali blast and subsequently, a first information report was registered at the CTD police station in Lahore.

The CTD said that all the main suspects of the blast had been arrested and the department’s investigation team would “leave no stone unturned” to ensure their conviction through a legal process.

In March, six terrorists linked to the blast were killed during an exchange of fire in the general area of Nagao Mountains in Balochistan’s Sibi.

Developed world has to do more to combat climate change effects: Sherry News Desk Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Tuesday said that developed countries should take collective measures and have to do more to combat the effects of climate change in Pakistan and all over the world.

Addressing a youth dialogue event on the right to a clean and healthy environment here in Islamabad, the minister for climate change said climate issue is the only platform of equity where the world has almost consensus to save their generations from the worst effects of climate change.

Explaining the effects of climate change in Pakistan, she said Pakistan is under-resourced both in terms of expertise and climate funds to create a nationwide, coherent, coordinated, and ongoing sustained response to a crisis that has been brewing for years.

Minister further stated that water scarcity is a real danger, particularly to lower riparian areas like Sindh; the river is almost dry by the time it reaches the upper Sindh. Women still have to walk the miles to bring the water to their homes, particularly in rural areas.

Commenting about the reduction in emissions, she said Pakistan produces less than 1% of the global emissions.

She said the people of Pakistan are struggling with extreme temperatures in the South, touching 50 Degrees Celsius for the last three years. Minister further stated that Pakistan could gradually overcome the effects of climate change by engaging youth and climate experts.

The minister said 60% of Pakistan’s fastgrowing population is under 30, and another cohort is even under that. So, “I think we need to enable and mobilize young leaders to play their role to combat climate change in Pakistan.”

Ambassador of Sweden to Pakistan, Henrik Persson addressing the audience, said, “Sweden is on track to become the world’s first fossil-free welfare state, reaching net zero emissions by 2045. Stockholm+50 is an opportunity to consider what is going well, what can be improved, and what we can do to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. Youth voices need to be communicated to the leaders to drive action to achieve sustainable development. It is possible to create a better future if we act together. Sweden is open for collaboration”.

He said Sweden is hosting Stockholm+50, a crucial international environmental meeting on 2nd and 3rd June 2022.

Speaking on occasion, Knut Ostby, Res-

ident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, said, ‘Pakistan is the fifth most populous and one of the youngest countries in the world.

Currently, 68% of Pakistanis are below 30, and 27% are aged between 15 and 29.

He said the current moment presents an opportunity for young Pakistanis to drive transformative changes on the ground and be ambassadors of climate action.

Through increased cooperation and dialogue, the youth can help strengthen the ability of businesses and governments to deal with the impacts of climate change. The youth now have the chance to advocate for a resilient and greener economy that will lead to prosperity, new jobs, and a healthier planet.’

Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan, stated, “As the largest conservation organization in Pakistan, WWFPakistan has been working to foster young people’s connection with nature. Last year alone, we engaged with over 14,000 youth through various initiatives. At WWF, we believe that youth are both advocates and catalysts of change and, thus, an essential part of decision making. Therefore, we are working with partners to develop young people’s knowledge about sustainable development, connect them to experts, businesses, and government, and elevate their voices to ap-

cmYk

propriate platforms.”

Over 60 young people aged between 1125 participated in the dialogues and shared their policy proposals toward the right to a healthy environment. The dialogue was moderated by Ms Saher Rashid Baig, a Pakistani member of the Stockholm+50 Youth Task and a Global youth advocate for climate, ocean, gender, and human rights.

The desired and concrete policy demands of the Youth Dialogue will be com-

municated to the Stockholm+50 Secretariat and incorporated into the policy positions of the Stockholm+50.

The purpose of youth dialogue was to create more awareness amongst Pakistani youth regarding their role at a multilateral level, at the policy making tables such as the Stockholm+50 International Meeting, and at the Climate Negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of Parties (COPs).

06-07 Comments - 18th May 2022_Layout 1 5/18/2022 12:07 AM Page 1

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022

06 COMMENT

I am Furious

Task before ruling alliance Making Pakistan a better place than on April 9

Another example of Israeli attempts to deflect blame

T

hAT the ruling alliance has taken over a month to agree on measures to take the country out of economic crisis does not reflect favourably on its efficiency. This doesn’t support PML(N) Senior VicePresident Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s claim that the government is working hard to get the situation under control. The delay in decision making has led rupee to lose 6.2 percent of its value over the past month. The stock market has suffered badly as it was under pressure on account of the depletion of foreign exchange reserves, delay in the resumption of the IMF programme, no development on funding from Saudi Arabia and UAe and the PM’s reluctance to withdraw the petrol subsidy.

Despite a go head given by major allies to withdraw the subsidy on petrol products, important decisions needed to offset the negative impact of the withdrawal have yet to be announced.

The most important issue is how to lighten the impact of the big rise in the price of petroleum products on the poor as well as on the lower middle class. A lot of debate has gone on over the issue during the last couple of years.

The only agreement reached so far is to provide only targeted subsides directly to the deserving rather than subsidizing goods through mills and other outlets. It has also been proposed to divert a large chunk of development funds to provide targeted subsidies and use the ehsaas Programme database to identify the deserving people. The government needs to urgently come up with an effective plan of targeted subsidies.

The govt needs to decide to remain in power for the remaining 15 months, during which it should try to turn round the economy by arranging loans, raising more taxes, reducing imports and increasing exports. The situation presents an opportunity to the coalition partners to jointly prepare a charter of the economy. While the PTI wants the government to leave urgently and elections to be held within three months, major government partners are agreeable to a 15-month tenure to fix the economy and leave the country a better place than it was at Imran Khan’s fall.

waShington watch Dr JameS J Zogby

T

he killing of Shireen Abu Akleh has left me furious. Furious that a wonderful woman journalist has been taken from the world.

Furious because of the predictable way Israel has responded to this tragedy. And furious at the USA for its failure to take a principled stand to ensure that the truth is known about Shireen’s death and there’s accountability for it.

Much has already been written about Shireen.

She’s a US citizen and a journalist who for the past 25 years has been reporting from Palestinian lands. She wasn’t just a journalist, she was a storyteller who, like other greats in her profession, was able to get “under the skin” of an event to lay bare its human drama.

Where Palestinian officials failed, she succeeded.

Shireen endeavoured to bring to life the stories of individuals and families bearing up under the indignity, pain, and injustice of the occupation. Because of that, she posed a greater danger to the Israelis than any gunman ever could. She threatened their dehumanizing narrative that reduced Palestinians to faceless objects.

In this context, it was revealing that the Israeli military spokesperson described Shireen and her colleague, Ali Samodi, who was shot in the back, as being “armed with cameras, if you will permit me to say so.”

That is what good journalists do— they arm themselves with cameras and laptops. They witness events as they happen and tell stories so that readers and viewers can understand the human drama that is unfolding.

It appears that Israel finds this profoundly— even existentially— threatening. Why else would they have killed 20 Palestinian journalists since 2001 (according to the Committee to Protect Journalists)?

The Israeli response to Shireen’s killing has been predictable. Their hasbara (propaganda) machinery went into overdrive doing what they have always done— a combination of denying, lying, and obfuscating what may have happened. even before the military investigated the killing, the early Israeli response was that they were “looking into the possibility that journalists were injured, possibly by Palestinian gunfire.” Another spokesperson

Water scarcity Comprehensive policies needed

T

heRe isn’t enough water to go around. And things are going to get worse, not just for Pakistan, but also India. The ‘Global Food Policy Report 2022’ states that summer heatwaves are projected to increase at a rate of 0.71 day per decade in the country, while in India it is estimated to triple or quadruple by 2100. The one-size-fits-all medical prescription of ‘stay hydrated’ starts sounding more and more privileged the more one goes away from the urban centres. And for a lot of Pakistani metros, even within them.

There isn’t enough water for the crops. And for urban residents, the water table in cities like Lahore have dropped to an alarming level. And this is Lahore we are talking about, not a city like Karachi, whose water problems have been yielding headlines since decades now. electricity can be generated, fuel can be imported, but when it comes to water, it is conservation that is of principal importance. Yes, the other two can also be conserved, wonky circles have long called conservation the fifth fuel. But with water, there is really no way around using our resources well. Whenever, the issue of water conservation comes up, our collective imaginations go to the dams. The problem with dams - apart from their sheer expense, and the time it takes to construct them - is the fact that any number of them will run short if we don’t handle the other end of the equation well. Flood irrigation, an antiquated method that has been around since babylonian times, needs to cede way for drip irrigation projects, with the government spending money on a district-to-district basis. Furthermore, Pakistani farmers pump up a lot of underground water for waterintensive crops like sugarcane and rice, because of which our country is the single largest exporter of underground water in the world. Some crops just need to be done away with. If farmers in the Malakand Division must grow rice, so be it; the rest need to be weaned away from them. We can import both these crops at a much cheaper price.

On the urban front, cities need to work on rainwater harvesting. All major cities need to develop catchment systems; their utility cannot be overstated. And, of course, desist from running the hose off on activities like maintaining personal lawns and washing cars.

There are immediate, medium term and long term measures we need to take. And in all of them, even the long term solutions, time is of the essence. We need to get at it before it’s too late.

Imran Khan is uniting the country

Saba amir The recent turn of events had me reminiscing of a time not too long ago when I first came across the following Teddy Roosevelt quote,

“I

T is not the critic who counts; nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly....”

I was packing for a retreat to Tanzania; Africa, not too long ago; and attempting the journey to the continent by myself..an endeavour no woman in my family or friends circle had ever attempted..I felt incredibly brave and stupid at the same time; yet I knew on a deep, intuitive level that ‘the cave you fear to enter, holds the treasure you seek’; and sometimes that treas-

Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami M. A. Niazi

Umar Aziz

Joint Editor

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

I

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

I

Marx Brothers’ comedic line: “Who do you believe, me or your lying eyes?” And it’s been used by the Israelis from the very beginning— e.g. “Palestinians weren’t expelled from their homes in 1948. Arab armies called on them to leave”— despite all historical evidence to the contrary. It might be a lie, but if it’s plausible enough to convince or confuse the Israeli public and Israel’s supporters in the international community, then use it.

Finally, there’s the equally frustratingly predictable US response to Shireen’s killing that was in evidence at the State Department briefing the day of the killing.

The spokesperson opened with: “We are absolutely heartbroken to learn of the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh…We send our deepest condolences…and strongly condemn her killing as we do the killing of journalists around the world…We call for an immediate and thorough and full investigation and full accountability.

Investigating attacks on independent media and prosecuting those responsible are of paramount importance.”

That resolve, however, faded under intense questioning by the journalists present at the press session.

While insisting that the investigation be full and thorough and that there be accountability, the spokesperson resorted to the usual deflections. When reporters pointed to instances where Israel either exonerated itself or only offered a slap on the wrist to its forces who had been found guilty of atrocities, the spokesperson would only reaffirm that the US had full confidence in Israel’s ability to investigate itself.

The US refusal to hold Israel to the same standard it insists upon for other countries is upsetting. More so in this case because Shireen is a journalist and a US citizen. In the more than four decades that I’ve been bringing cases of US citizens who’ve been killed, arrested without charge, tortured, had properties confiscated, or been denied entry, the US response has been the same: expressions of concern; quietly discussing the matter with the Israelis; and then doing nothing, as the issue is forgotten.

The result is that Israel operates with a sense of impunity and Palestinians are left defenseless. In the case of Palestinian Americans, the message sent is that to the Israelis and to our own government our US citizenship offers no special protection. And so, I’m furious.

The US refusal to hold Israel to the same standard it insists upon for other countries is upsetting. More so in this case because Shireen is a journalist and a US citizen.

Man in the arena

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

added: “I don’t think we killed her…if we indeed killed her, we’ll take responsibility, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.” While this effort at deflection was taking place, the Israelis took another tack claiming that they had offered to conduct a joint investigation with the Palestinians— while even the Israeli press was noting that no such offer had been made. After reading press reports of this “joint investigation” the Palestinians rejected the “offer” saying “no one approached us and no one offered anything…Whoever wants a joint investigation knows who to turn to.” This led an Israeli minister to suggest that the Palestinian refusal was “perhaps to cover up the truth.”

The effort to obfuscate and deflect blame was also in evidence in an Israeli Foreign Ministry tweet which read: “Palestinian terrorists, firing indiscriminately, are likely to have hit…Shireen Abu Aqla.”

While Prime Minister Bennett added, “Our forces from the IDF returned fire as accurately, carefully, and responsibly as possible.

Sadly…Shireen Abu Akleh was killed in the exchange.”

To create further confusion, the Israelis offered a video which they claimed showed the direction from which the bullets may have been fired by Palestinians.

An Israeli human rights group using satellite maps debunked this claim by showing that it was impossible for Palestinian gunmen, given where they were located, to have fired through walls and around corners and hit Shireen and Ali. To answer why the Israelis engage in such a relentless effort to obfuscate, we need only look at an article that appeared in the Israeli press the day after Shireen’s killing. Written by the Israeli general who had been in charge of the division that was responsible for killing 12-year-old Muhammad Al-Durrah in 2000. That killing was captured on camera and the image of a little boy being shielded by his father amidst a hail of bullets became iconic. In the article, the general confesses that he erred in immediately accepting responsibility, noting that in the days that followed other “explanations” were posited—including positing that it was all a hoax staged by the Palestinians to besmirch the good name of the Israeli military.

The lesson he learned was to not admit to anything up front. Instead, wait until you have talking points that can muddy the waters for the Israeli public and Israel’s supporters abroad.

This is the approach suggested by the famous

ure is simply unshackling your courage, if you hold that as a value..for courage is liberated bit by bit by , sometimes through making tough decisions, and other times facing your fears and staring them in the face, slowly but surely conquering them..and a life lived openheartedly, with courage is hands down the most joyful one; to be fully alive in the ups and downs of a fun, adventurous life is the way to live, in my opinion...

Fast forward to the recent past, AND Imran Khan, a man who has worked tirelessly for more than TWO decades, or so, always having had the courage to ‘show up’ in the arena of life and give his 100 percent whether in the field of cricket, as a philanthropist or in the field of the complicated political has been met with criticism, plotting and scheming and has had to step down as the PM of our beloved country… Just showing up and being seen in the arena of life requires vast reservoirs of courage, and here is a person who devoted his youth to the prosperity of the nation with no personal gains...Let us look at his (almost) four years in power...a simple question crosses my mind...did he further his own agenda or strive tirelessly to better the cumulative public interest? how many properties did he accumulate or for that matter, how many factories did he set up? Was he taken down on charges of corruption? The answer is an empa-

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The writer is President of the Arab American Institute

thetic No! even though not all his policies were brilliant or brilliantly executed, for that matter...having the mettle to try again, and again, undaunted, and keep moving valiantly forward with a pure intention, in the face of backlash and adversity is what makes a great leader in my opinion...

All is not lost, his ouster has led to stupendous public support, the kind his predecessors can only dream about and it has surely dumbfounded the plotters and schemers! Our nation is getting unified under one leader after eons and I feel there’s always an opportunity hidden in adversity, one just needs to unravel it. We are a sovereign nation, and can decipher right from wrong and are more than capable of choosing/electing our own leader, in my opinion.

As far as those who criticize are concerned, one just needs to remember that there will always be people in the so-called ‘cheap seats’ in the arena of life… people who’s only agenda is to bring down the trailblazers..one can spot such people in our own family dynamics… those who criticise the most are often the ones who don’t have what it takes to be ‘seen’ themselves in any sphere of life..or do anything of value at all.. rather they spend their time scheming and plotting against the ones that are making a difference in a desperate attempt to slow down or completely deter their progress! So the best policy is to ignore such people that are detrimental to the society’s welfare at large, and keep on striding forward, valiantly...in my opinion.

As far as those who criticize are concerned, one just needs to remember that there will always be people in the socalled ‘cheap seats’ in the arena of life… people who’s only agenda is to bring down the trailblazers..one can spot such people in our own family dynamics… those who criticise the most are often the ones who don’t have what it takes to be ‘seen’ themselves in any sphere of life..or do anything of value at all..

I

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

I

The author lives in Lahore with her family and is currently working on her first novel, in the genre of self-help and motivation, ‘Fluttering Wings’

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

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Wednesday, 18 May, 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

Abolition of Riba The court ruled that the federal government and provincial governments must alter relevant laws and publish directives by December 2027 to ensure that the country’s banking system should be interest-free. The ruling added that “elimination of Riba from our economic system is our religious as well as our constitutional duty; hence it has to be eliminated from Pakistan.”

On June 30, 1990, the first petition for the termination of the country’s interest-based banking system was submitted to the FSC. Dr Tanzeelur Rehman, the then-chief judge of the FSC, convened a three-member bench to issue a decision on the matter on November 14, 1991, with a deadline of April 30, 1992, for its execution. For the past 19 years, a case challenging the interest rate system had been ongoing at the Shariat Court. Since nine chief justices of the FSC have served out their tenure, the case remained unresolved until today’s announcement.

MUHAMMAD USAMA SHOAIB RAHIM YAR KHAN

Diesel shortage

India’s new bogey: Lashkar-e-Khalsa More trouble is cropping up for India

amJeD JaaveD

D

URING his recent visit to theUK, the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi expressed ennui at the activities of the Khalistan supporters (the Sikhs for Justice, otherwise a legal entity under British laws). Modi had earlier tried tooth and nail, though unsuccessfully, to get pro-Khalistan referenda, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, forestalled abroad.

To appease the nervy Modi, British PM Boris Johnson assured him that “his country had set up an anti-extremism task force to help India”. . The SFJ withheld announcement of independent Khalistan as a large number of Sikhs settled abroad could not make it to the voting venues on October 31 last year in the referendum that was conducted.

A few Sikhs “smeared” the himachal Pradesh state-assembly exterior with pro-Khalistan graffiti and slogans. Modi was all set to clamp sedition charges on the unknown sloganeers. But, a fetter to his feet was India’s Supreme Court’s order that FIRs under the sedition law (Section 124 A of the colonial-era Indian Penal Code are “on hold” (frozen).

The graffiti amounted to showing a red rag to India’s RAW/IB disinformation sleuths. Indian media first published reports that agencies have intercepted such documents as reflected that Pakistan was planning to set up a new organisation Lashkar-e-Khalsa with recruits, inter alia, from Kashmir and Afghanistan to create unrest in India.

They even “prognosticated” that social media would be flooded by such separatist elements.

To lend credence to the uncorroborated canard, India’s Intelligence Bureau subsequently issued a warning to all law enforcing agencies that “Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI has formed a new terrorist group, named Lashkar-eKhalsa that is trying to carry out terrorist attacks in India. In quick succession, India attributed subsequent arrest (May 6) of, four “Khalistani terrorists (with explosives in possession) by the haryana Police at a toll post in Karnal to the ISI (Pakistan). An explosion at the Punjab Police Intelligence headquarters also was portrayed as the ISI’s handiwork.

The “document” about creation of Lashkare-Khalsa was never published or shared with Pakistan. It baffles one’s imagination how the dreaded “terrorists” moved so freely with an ex-

plosives-laden vehicle to be caught, at long last, at a toll post? Why were details of damage to the police headquarters not published or investigated?

It appears Pakistan-bashing stories were scripted by India’s Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing together. Let us recall that the Intelligence Bureau head, Arvind Kumar and the Research and Analysis Wing chief, Samant Kumar Goel, were both granted a yearlong extension in service.

Kumar is reputed to be a Naxal insurgency and disinformation expert. Similarly, Goel specialises in disinformation and Kashmir “insurgency”. Besides being a Kashmir insurgency and disinformation expert, he is ‘revered’ as the architect of the Balakot “strike”.

Not only the Pakistan-army chief but also the Pakistan prime minister have expressed great desire to mend fences with India. Besides, the ISI is these days in the throes of a virulent smear campaign by uncanny politicians. It is unbelievable that, at this juncture, Pakistan would risk entente with India.

Several Indian diplomats, intelligence sleuths and generals have boasted that they have been stoking insurgencies in the neighbourhood.

RAW officer RK Yadav made a startling revelation that India’s prime minister Indira Gandhi, parliament, RAW and armed forces acted in tandem to dismember Pakistan. The confessions in his letter are corroborated by B. Raman’s book The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane. he reminds `Indian parliament passed resolution on March 31, 1971 to support insurgency. Indira Gandhi had then confided with Kao that in case Mujib was prevented from ruling Pakistan, she would liberate east Pakistan from the clutches of the military junta. Kao, through one RAW agent, got hijacked a Fokker Friendship, the Ganga, of Indian Airlines hijacked from Srinagar to Lahore.’

Field Marshal ‘Sam’ Manekshaw, in videos, admitted that Indira Gandhi again and again called upon him to invade the then east Pakistan. he hesitated to attack until the monsoon was over.

Indian “diplomat” Amar Bhushan, in his book Terror in Islamabad admits having indulged in nefarious undiplomatic activities against Pakistan. Before being posted to Islamabad, Bhushan had served in the Research and Analysis Wing, Border Security Force Intelligence, and State Special Branch for a quarter of a century. his book mentions that another RAW officer, Amit Munshi (real name Veer Singh)

was ostensibly posted as “Cultural Attache”.

India’s ambassador Bharath Raj Muthu Kumar played a role in the Afghan insurgency.

With the consent of then foreign minister Jaswant Singh, he `coordinated military and medical assistance that India was secretly giving to Massoud and his forces’… `helicopters, uniforms, ordnance, mortars, small armaments, refurbished Kalashnikovs seized in Kashmir, combat and winter clothes, packaged food, medicines, and funds through his brother in London, Wali Massoud’, delivered circuitously with the help of other countries who helped this outreach’. When New Delhi queried about the benefit of costly support to Northern Alliance chief Massoud, Kumar explained, “he is battling someone we should be battling. When Massoud fights the Taliban, he fights Pakistan.”

India’s national-security czar Ajit Doval publicly claims that he acted as a spy under a pseudonym in Lahore (Pakistan) for 11 years, seven years. Doval is a retired director of the Indian Intelligence Bureau. he boastfully dons the title of “Indian James Bond”. “Acknowledged as a master of psychological welfare” in India, Doval, as a part of his job also spied on Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence.

Doval credits himself with brainwashing a group of freedom fighters led by Kukkay Parey who detected freedom fighters and killed them.

In the late 1980s, Doval snuck inside the Golden Temple posing as a Pakistani agent to the Khalistani militants and passed significant information during Operation Black Thunder in 1988. After his stint as an undercover agent, Doval worked in the Indian high Commission in Islamabad. A close-associate of PM Modi, Doval is also responsible for masterminding the so-called surgical strike in 2016.

It appears India has meticulously implemented hitler’s propaganda theorems: `The bigger the lie, the better the results (Adolf hitler, Mein Kampf, pp. 179-180).

India’s Strategic Policy Group, idle since Manmohan Singh’s second term, has been revived (to create troubles in Sindh, Balochistan, and KPK). Indian diplomats routinely flout diplomatic norms.

India’s national-security czar Ajit Doval publicly claims that he acted as a spy under a pseudonym in Lahore (Pakistan) for 11 years, seven years. Doval is a retired director of the Indian Intelligence Bureau.

He boastfully dons the title of “Indian James Bond”.

“Acknowledged as a master of psychological welfare” in India, Doval, as a part of his job also spied on Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence.

The writer is a freelance journalist, has served in the Pakistan government for 39 years and holds degrees in economics, business administration, and law. He can be reached at amjedjaaved@gmail.com

IN the season of wheat, the shortage of diesel has made a hurdle for farmers.

Now it has prime time for agriculturalists to earn money from wheat and fulfil their needs. Their big issue is making disturbance of diesel because they have to the requirement of diesel that run their tractors and machines.

The government had announced that the rate of petrol and diesel will be increased. After watching these types of circumstances in Pakistan, traders are beginning to store diesel and when the government will increase the rate of diesel since to chance get a lot of money to sell store stock in the market. Farmers are crying because they do not get diesel from too anywhere. Government has to take action against the shortage of diesel since Pakistan can face a big crisis.

SAQIB ALI LAHORE

The corruption narrative IMRAN KhAN, posing as the police, jury and judge, declared the friend of his spouse innocent who is accused of money laundering and possessing wealth beyond her means. Imran Khan’s judgment is based on the logic that the accused lady was in the real estate business for the last 20 years and she, like others in the real estate business has made a windfall profit.

From the very launching of his political career, the narrative of Imran Khan was and is based on the corruption of the majority of the leadership of ruling parties. All these leaders too have well-established businesses. PM-LN leadership ran the Ittefaq foundation for a long time before joining politics.

BB and Zardari owned large landholdings, sugar mills and assorted other businesses. Like PML-N, PPP leaders also possessed properties and thriving businesses before their entry into politics. Then why did Imran Khan overlook this and continued to hit hard on the leadership of the mainstream parties, calling them looters, plunderers, thieves and whatnot? The wise way for Imran Khan should have been to wait and let the law take its own course.

GULSHER PAHNWER JOHI

Air Pollution AIR pollution is a major problem confronting Pakistan, with cities like Lahore and Karachi ranking among the most polluted worldwide. The greater level of air pollution is a danger to human health. According to World health Organisation (WhO), air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide every year. An estimated 128,000 Pakistanis die annually from air pollution-related illnesses (GAhP).

Mostly transportation and the widespread use of low-quality fuel are the biggest factors contributing to air pollution. Many vehicles in Pakistan still use a type of highly polluting Sulphur-laden gas, which is compounding the problem of air pollution. Transportation alone is responsible for 25% of carbon emissions in Pakistan. Not only that industrial policies and practices in Pakistan also compound the problem. Burning of tires to power factory units and brick kilns, and exposure to smoke from factories also pollute the air mostly. To control air pollution and improve the quality of life we can switch to euro 5 emissions standards for all new vehicles although the share of such vehicles in the country is still very low. heavy taxes on the use of such vehicles are discouraging people from buying and using them.

MOHAMED SAJIDH LAHORE

Trading barbs OUR politicians must understand that tide and time never spare anyone.

They should mend themselves than constantly exchanging barbs. Our politicians must sit together for the sake of the country to carve out a plan for getting us out of the economic quagmire.

It appears that the only constant in our country is our blind borrowing, crushing inflation, and rising income gap. We are at a point where God forbid an end like that of Siri Lanka is not too far if we don’t take some drastic actions. every party that assumes charge blames predecessors for the problems and claims that they will fix the issue. however, we have been going in circles for more than seventy years where only the party being blamed changes, and problems continue. A few months back, PTI leadership used to claim that PDM parties destroyed the country, and they were taking steps to fix it. People were dying under increasing inflation and PTI and PDM were busy name-calling. Now, after PDM has formed the government, they are telling us that our economy is in shambles because of PTI. Bottom line is that poor economic conditions and everincreasing inflation are there, but the blame has now shifted to PTI. I wish and pray that Allah gives our politicians wisdom to rise above themselves and think about the country. They need to work hard to come up with solid long-term plans that steer the country out of the horrible debt tarp.

Otherwise, I am afraid we will face the inevitable and will still be trying to fix the blame. God’s mill grinds slowly but surely, and we are up against time in terms of survival. May Allah give wisdom to our ruling elite.

RAJA SHAFAATULLAH ISLAMABAD

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022

08 WORLD VIEW

Turkey leaves The arab world THIS IS THE YEAR IN WHICH ERDOGAN DECIDED TO CHANGE COURSE

Consortium news

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asad abuKhalil

T is now almost forgotten that Turkey used to lead the Arab people, or most of them. For four centuries until WWI, Turkey was the dominant political force in the Arab world and its caliph/sultan spoke on behalf of most world Muslims.

But Kamal Atatürk (founder of modern Turkey) with his secular and pro-Western outlook changed the relationship of Turkey with the Arab world.

In 1924, Atatürk abolished the caliphate, which had been the office of international leadership of Muslims around the world since the death of the Prophet (PBUH) in 632 AD. To be sure, there were times when various caliphs competed for the support of world Muslims (at one point, there were caliphs in Spain, Cairo and Baghdad simultaneously assuming the title when one caliph was supposedly necessary to rule Muslims and speak on their behalf on matters of collective interest and concern.).

But Atatürk’s move triggered a crisis.

Arab leaders interested in assuming the mantle of religious-political leadership began to compete.

There was a time when King Farouk of Egypt (overthrown in 1952) was expected to announce his assumption of the title of caliph. But he was not up to the job, and not too many Muslims saw him as their leader.

Furthermore, as Western powers took

over the Arab world, they were not keen on allowing one Arab leader to amass that much power and legitimacy. And when Egypt’s gamal nasser rose to a status of undisputed leader of the Arabs in 1956, Western powers quickly moved (with Israel) to crush him.

Turkey enjoyed its distance from the Arab world when it sought further integration into Europe. In fact, Turkey was aligned with Israel during the time of Arab nationalist fervor. Turkey did not bother with the Arab world and exhibited condescending attitudes towards the Arabs, many of whom — especially in small lebanon — fabricated a history of Arab resistance to ottoman rule.

In fact, not one demonstration was held in lebanon or Syria after the demise of ottoman rule. Yet, there were massive demonstrations after the end of French and British colonial rule. Turkey was certain that its role during the Cold War against communism and its alliance with Israel would secure it a place among Western powers and it was allowed to join nATo. But secular Turkey was a repressive model that was imposed from above; the religious sentiments and ideologies of the population were strictly suppressed and that suited Western powers as long as U.S. interests were served.

Turkey did not express much interest in the Arab world at that time. It is no exaggeration to say that when Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumed the post of prime minister in 2003 he was the first Turkish leader since WWI who sought a sphere of influence in the Arab world.

The Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar (along with Turkey) were the early allies in the formation of a new center of power

which benefited greatly from the Qatari media empire.

The alliance was not overt at first because Arabs were not that familiar with Turkish politics and were not used to Turkish leaders making explicit statements about Arab affairs.

Erdogan started to make strong stances about Palestine and famously once walked out of a panel at Davos that included Israeli leader Shimon Peres. Arab media and people took notice, particularly in May 2010 when six Turkish civilian ships attempted to break the brutal Israeli siege of gaza when they were attacked by the Israeli navy.

Erdogan’s strident statements against Israel took Turkey to an all-time high in popularity in the Arab world. I remember being in lebanon when Sunni and Shiite political parties and organizations both expressed strong support for Turkey. During that time, I also assumed that Turkish intelligence had established a presence because Turkish flags and large banners expressing support for Erdogan were suddenly displayed in numerous demonstrations.

Turkey began to harbor great ambition to lead the Arabs as part of a new Turkish empire. The alliance with Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood was solidified and was put into practice during the Syrian civil war that began in 2011. The Turkish era was short-lived alas.

Turkey failed to capture a large segment of the Arab people because its policies were highly partisan on the side of the Muslim Brotherhood. Those policies alienated not only secular Arabs but also Arab governments and political organizations who — for whatever purposes — opposed the Brother-

hood.

In Syria, Turkey was aiding fanatical groups, not only the Brotherhood and it formed various militias carrying names that resonated with Turkish national memory.

Arab governments opposed to the Brotherhood considered Turkey’s role to be destructive. Turkey became heavily involved in the affairs of Syria and libya in particular and it coordinated with Qatar over its regional policies.

Turkish support for the Brotherhood immediately raised the ire of Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. when both were declaring the Brotherhood a terrorist organization (never mind that both of those governments had been sponsors of the Muslim Brotherhood during the Cold War years because nasser, the Arab nationalist leader, was anathema in the West and a victim of an assassination attempt by the secret arm of the Brotherhood as early as 1954).

TURKEY ASCENDANT By 2011, Turkey was on the ascendancy in the Arab world; the Muslim Brotherhood — or its more radical offshoots — were part of the armed rebellion in Syria; the Muslim brotherhood came to power in libya and Tunisia and Egypt and Hamas (an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood) was more popular than Fatah in Palestine.

The U.A.E. and the Western alliance were alarmed and the U.A.E. led a military regional operation in which client militias pushed back against Turkey’s Islamist allies.

The U.A.E. was and is the chief champion of enmity toward the Muslim Brotherhood in the region, and in the world at large.

(The U.A.E. has been lobbying Western governments to ban the Brotherhood).

Erdogan responded by championing the Palestinian cause, knowing that Arab rulers were too afraid to do the same out of fear of the U.S. Many gulf governments were already aligned secretively (then openly in the wake of the Abraham Accords) with Israel.

The U.A.E. arranged for the coup in Egypt that brought gen. Abdul-Fatah Sisi into power in 2014. last year the Tunisian president ousted the nahdah Party (the largest bloc in Tunisian parliament, which had its origin in the Muslim Brotherhood).

And when the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia declared war on Qatar in 2017, Erdogan demonstrated solidarity with Qatar.

When a Saudi hit team murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Erdogan fought back and leaked to the press highly damaging information about clear Saudi complicity. Saudi regime media then declared war on Turkey and Erdogan suffered from Western disapproval for his policies toward Israel (while Turkey under Erdogan championed the Palestinian cause, at least verbally, it never severed its military and intelligence ties with Israel).

Erdogan began losing popularity in Turkey as the economy faltered because of measures and policies that were squarely blamed on Erdogan. Erdogan made a major concession that would have been too humiliating only a few years ago.

Erdogan has decided to change course.

The media of the Muslim Brotherhood operating in Turkey were notified that they would no longer be permitted to advocate against Arab governments. Some leaders of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood were expelled from Turkey and Erdogan launched a humiliating tour in which he reconciled with erstwhile bitter enemies: the leaders of Egypt, the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia.

Erdogan may be signaling that his quest for leadership in the Arab world has failed miserably and that is largely due to Western disapproval, his declining popularity at home, support for the Brotherhood and his role in backing extremists in the Syrian civil war.

As`ad AbuKhalil is a Lebanese-American professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. He is the author of the Historical Dictionary of Lebanon (1998), Bin Laden, Islam and America’s New War on Terrorism (2002) and The Battle for Saudi Arabia (2004).

Google is sharing our personal data at a staggering scale

India's wheat ban alert of global famine

IN THE QUARTER ENDING IN MARCH, 2022, GOOGLE MADE ABOUT $54 BILLION FROM ADVERTISING. THE CONSEQUENCES? SURVEILLANCE, AND ALL YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION ON SALE IN A DIGITAL MARKET

"WE'VE GOT NOW 45 MILLION PEOPLE IN 38 COUNTRIES THAT ARE KNOCKING ON FAMINE'S DOOR"

BloomBerg

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Parmy OlsOn

long with the Pixel phones, watches and earbuds at google’s annual showcase of software and devices last week came a pair of nifty-looking translation glasses.

Put them on and real-time “subtitles” appear on the lenses as you watch a person speaking in a different language. Very cool. But the glasses aren’t commercially available. It’s also unlikely they will make anywhere near as much money as advertising does for google’s parent, Alphabet Inc. of the company’s $68 billion in total revenue from the quarter ending March 31, 2022, about $54 billion came from advertising. The scope of our own, oblivious involvement in that business is also incomparable with any other time in history.

Each time you open an app on your phone or browse the web, an auction for your eyeballs is taking place behind the scenes thanks to a thriving market for personal data. The size of that market has always been hard to pin down, but a new report from the Irish Council for Civil liberties, which has aggressively campaigned for years in the U.S. and Europe to put limits on the trade of digital data, has now put a figure to it. The report, which the council shared with Bloomberg opinion, says ad platforms transmit the location data and browsing habits of Americans and Europeans about 178 trillion times each year. According to the report, google transmits the same kind of data more than 70 billion times daily, across both regions.

It is hard for humans to conceptualize such

numbers, even if machines calculate them comfortably everyday — but if the exhaust of our personal data could be seen in the same way pollution can, we’d be surrounded by an almost impenetrable haze that gets thicker the more we interact with our phones. Quantified another way: By way of online activity and location, a person in the U.S. is exposed 747 times each day to real-time bidding, according to the data. The council says its unnamed source has special access to a manager of an ad campaign run by google. (The figure doesn’t include personal data transmitted by Meta Platform Inc.’s Facebook or Amazon.com Inc.’s ad networks, meaning the true measure of all broadcast data is probably much larger.) Why does any of that matter? Apps are mostly free and useful after all, and there are no obvious negative consequences to being digitally mined for data.

Except, there have been. At least one large advertising network has admitted to passing user data on to the Department of Homeland Security and other government entities to track mobile phones without warrants, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report. The precise movements of people who used the gay-dating app grindr were also made publicly available to buy from a mobile-advertising company, until grindr stopped sharing location data with ad networks two years ago. But last year, a Catholic news publication The Pillar was still able to track the location of a priest on grindr using “commercially available records” of data from the app, and watched him travel between his office, home and various gay bars before publishing a story about his “serial sexual misconduct.”

It’s still unclear how The Pillar got that information, but grindr said at the time that an advertising partner could have been the source.

The stakes are now higher with the prospect of a widespread abortion ban in the US. What if state prosecutors start using phone data to root out supporters of abortion or even women who order abortion pills online?

Capturing sensitive data is possible thanks to the wild and messy world of real-time bidding, a hugely popular approach to digital advertising and part of the lifeblood of companies like google and Facebook. Here’s how it works: Each time a smartphone user opens an app or website that shows ads,

their device shares data about that user to help show them a targeted ad. The advertiser with the highest bid for the available ad space wins.

The data can go to dozens or even hundreds of companies for each auction. google says it transmits the data of American users to about 4,700 companies in total across the world. Each “broadcast” — as they are called in the industry — typically shares data about a person’s location —including “hyperlocal” targeting, according to google own pitch to advertisers — personal characteristics and browsing habits to help ad firms build user profiles. The ad industry also has a lengthy taxonomy that the networks use to categorize people, including sensitive labels like “anxiety disorders” and “legal issues,” or even “incest” and “abuse support,” according to a public document published by the ad network consortium that sets standards for the industry.

The complex and murky nature of the multibillion-dollar online ad business makes it difficult to know precisely what data google is sharing about us. For what it’s worth, google tends to broadcast less personal data about people than other smaller advertising networks do, according to Jonny Ryan, a senior fellow at the council who oversaw the compilation of the latest data. But google also makes up the biggest share of broadcast data, he added.

The sheer size of data broadcast each day is not a fun fact: It underscores the reality that we are surrounded by devices that collect information, ostensibly to make our lives better but which is then sold to the highest bidder. Smart speakers, fitness trackers and augmented-reality glasses are just a few examples of the growing trend of ambient computing. The data collected by those devices can be exploited in ways we don’t know. last week, Vice reported that the San Francisco Police Department had sought footage from general Motors Co.-owned Cruise, a self-driving car company, to help with investigative leads. The SFPD denied it wanted to use that footage for ongoing surveillance.

Even so, more data broadcasting means greater chances of misuse. Even when the purpose is as innocuous as advertising, ambient computing runs the risk of turning into ambient surveillance.

China Daily

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EditOrial

nDIA banned wheat exports on Saturday with immediate effect, citing food security risks. Indian Commerce Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam said the ban has been imposed "in order to manage the overall food security of the country and to support the needs of the neighboring and other vulnerable countries". The move by the world's second-largest wheat producer will exacerbate the worldwide shortfall of the grain caused by climate change and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine — both of which are major suppliers of wheat. Their combined exports account for nearly 30 percent of the global wheat supply. not to mention the CoVID-19 pandemic that has already severely disrupted the global supply chains and devastated many economies. The ban has thus drawn criticism from the g7 nations, with german Agriculture Minister Cem ozdemir saying that it will worsen the crisis "if everyone starts to impose export restrictions or to close markets". global wheat production is forecast to drop 4.5 million tons to 774.8 million tons for the 2022-23 marketing year, which will be the first time there has been a production decline since 2018-19, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The supply shortage has driven wheat prices up markedly, with the Chicago Board of Trade's most active wheat futures surging to a 14-year high of $13.63 per bushel on March 8.

The situation has made the global hunger crisis more acute. David Beasley, executive director of the Un World Food Programme, said in an interview last month that "we've got now 45 million people in 38 countries that are knocking on famine's door". The situation is especially dire in Africa, with 346 million people — about one-fourth of the population on the continent — suffering from "alarming" hunger, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross in early April. That figure compares with 286 million last year. The saying that "to the people, food is heaven" is not, and never will be, outdated. Food shortages are likely to lead to social unrest in some countries. All this sounds the alarm for China, which is a major grain importer. The country imported a total of 164.53 million tons of grain last year, an increase of 18 percent year-on-year, according to the general Administration of Customs. That was a historic high. In addition to an increasingly volatile global market, the fact that wheat planting activities have been disrupted in some places due to restrictive anti-pandemic measures means the country must double down on its efforts to stabilize food prices and ensure its output. China aims to ensure that the grain output this year remains above 650 billion kilograms, according to this year's government work report. Despite challenges, such as epidemic prevention and control work that delayed the planting of winter wheat in a few areas, a bumper summer harvest is still expected, which is reassuring at such a time.

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

NEWS

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InternatIonal cryPto coMPany SuGGeStS PakIStan to IMPoSe tax on cryPto aSSetS Govt introducing structural reforms for sustainable economic growth: Miftah Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that Asian Development Bank (ADB) has always been a great support for Pakistan in pursuing a reform agenda and implementing various development projects in the country.

Talking to Executive Directors of the Asian Development Bank, Wan Farissan Bin Wan Suleiman and Noor Ahmed on Tuesday, the finance minister said that the present government is working on various structural reforms measures to bring back the economy on an inclusive and sustainable growth path.

The minister acknowledged the longstanding partnership and firm commitment of the ADB as a major development partner for bringing critical reforms in priority areas.

The finance minister further gave an overview of the economic challenges the incumbent government inherited and shared that the government was working on various structural reforms measures to bring back the economy on an inclusive and sustainable growth path. He showed full confidence in overcoming these economic challenges.

Speaking on the occasion the ADB executive directors expressed commitment to extend their support for the reform agenda in infrastructure, social and financial sectors in Pakistan. They reaffirmed the ADB’s commitment to continue support for strengthening reform programmes and for implementation of the country’s development agenda including fiscal management, building resilience and boosting competitiveness and development of the private sector.

The minister thanked the visiting guests and ADB team for their continued support and assured them firm commitment of the government in speedy implementation of the ongoing programs.

Country Director ADB, Yong Ye, Secretary Finance and senior officers of the Finance Division also participated in the meeting. TLTP

Success of track and trace system depends on effective enforcement: Musadik Malik Shahzad Paracha State Minister Petroleum Division Musadik Masood Malik said that success of a track and trace system depends on across the board implementation and effective enforcement.

Musadik Masood Malik while speaking at the launch of research report by Oxford Economics UK on the positive economic impact of Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) on Pakistan’s economy acknowledged the economic and social contributions made by the company in last 75 years.

The report celebrated PTC’s positive association with Pakistan since its inception and its contribution to the country’s GDP, taxation, employment, foreign investment and corporate social responsibility. He stated that PTC had contributed more than Rs450 billion in FED & GST revenue in the last 5 years to the country’s economy. He recognised the threat by the illicit sector and acknowledged that success of a track & trace system depends on across the board implementation and effective enforcement.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

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Shahzad Paracha key international crypto company has suggested the federal government imposition of tax on crypto assets and formulate regulations in this regard.

The director of the first licenced crypto-asset company “RAIN” Aatiqa Lateef in a media briefing said that no country or individual can remain away from the upcoming digital trends and developments.

Briefing on the importance of crypto assets in any modern economy, she said that relevant officials from 44 developing and underdeveloped countries are meeting in El Salvador over crypto asset regulations.

“Cryptocurrency or crypto asset as it called differently in various jurisdictions, have been largely adopted by advanced economies,” Lateef said.

“But the El Salvador meeting is to discuss the best regulatory framework for less advanced economies,” she added.

GM Pakistan RAIN Zeeshan Ahmed said that there was a potential of around $90 million if capital gain tax is imposed on crypto assets.

“The West has acknowledged that crypto-assets continue to be traded in the grey areas, likewise it is being traded-in Pakistan,” Ahmed said.

“We suggest that as Europe has done so, Gulf countries have recognised it Pakistan too should tax and regulate crypto assets, ” he added.

The media was informed that while major businesses including Starbucks and Emirate airlines have

started to receive payments in Cryptocurrencies, India has imposed a 30 percent tax on profit over it.

“This was the crypto exchanges have started to get registered with tax collection body in India,” Ahmed said, and the formulation of laws continues.

RAIN officials said local challenges are primarily around building capacity and understanding crypto assets. Pakistan ranks in the third slot globally in crypto subscription and usage was growing rapidly.

In their meeting with the officials of the Finance Ministry, the RAIN executives have said the biggest challenge is the initial capacity building needed for regulators. It was because Crypto is a very new arena and without the requisite due diligence and technical guidance.

The ministry was informed that Pakistanis were vulnerable to fraud while trading crypto assets

through irregular means.

There are over 8000 Cryptocurrencies being traded over the dark web – a majority of these are fraudulent and do not provide any protection to investors, therefore recognition of this activity was needed.

They suggested that to counter this challenge ‘RAIN’ will share its experience as the first licence holder to operate a crypto brokerage and a crypto exchange in the Gulf region. They operate over 80 cryptocurrencies and fulfil all regulatory requirements.

Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court has directed the Ministry of Law and the Finance Ministry to finalise the matter.

Earlier the SECP and the State Bank have decided to disown cryptocurrency or crypto assets on the ground that it could invite the ire of the IMF and the FATF.

PBC urges govt to take steps for IMF programme revival Increasing FDI top priority: PM

Pakistan Business Council (PBC) has urged the government to take necessary action for the resumption of the International Monetary Fund’s loan facility, saying it is the only way to deal with the current economic challenges.

“All roads to restoring economic stability lead through the IMF,” said the PBC in a string of tweets. “Without revival of the programme, no further help from friendly countries is likely.”

The council noted the deposits placed in the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by other nations to strengthen Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are vulnerable to withdrawal. “The government is caught between a rock and a hard place,” it continued. “The right thing to do is to replace the general with a targeted subsidy for fuel. The government must find ways to limit consumption and import of fuel to preserve the dwindling FX reserves to buy wheat and edible oil.”

The council maintained that Pakistan stood at a crucial economic juncture in its history, adding inaction would entail serious consequences and give rise to a similar financial situation as in Sri Lanka. It pointed out that higher inflation was even “inevitable with subsidies, given the direction of the rupee.”

“Unless the SBP takes a differentiated approach to cost-push inflation, a higher policy rate will further impact the formal sector and raise the cost of borrowing for the government,” it said.

“Fiscal prudence should be given a chance to match the monetary tightening already in place.”

“Time will tell if the government has the courage and stamina to do the right thing,” the Pakistan Business Council said in its statement.

“In the meantime, it would be wise to brace for further economic turbulence.”

A Pakistani delegation is already prepared to hold talks with IMF officials in Doha on Wednesday, though it is not clear if the two sides will be able to make a headway after the government decided to keep the petroleum prices unchanged despite a rising import bill.

Last month, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail held meetings with IMF and World Bank officials in Washington and principally agreed to end fuel and power subsidies. He also urged the IMF to extend the duration and size of the loan program to another $2 billion for about a year. However, some senior leaders of the government were reluctant to pay the political cost of the economic arrangement. TLTP

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country is one of the top most priorities of the government.

The prime minister said this while talking to a delegation of Chinese company Sinovac that led by its General Manager Qiang Gao called on him on Tuesday.

Highlighting the ideal friendship between China and Pakistan, the prime minister said the government welcomes the investment offer made by Sinovac and would extend all possible cooperation in this regard.

The Sinovac delegation expressed keen interest in setting up a joint venture for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases by investing in Pakistan. The prime minister welcomed Sinovac over its keen interest for a joint venture to diagnose, prevent and treat diseases by investing in Pakistan and said the government will extend all possible cooperation in this regard. He directed the minister for health to immediately form a task force in this regard so that Sinovac could start work on the project soon.

The prime minister was briefed about the vaccines provided by Sinovac to Pakistan during the Covid-19 vaccination campaign. Sharif said that Pakistan values Chinese assistance during Covid-19.

The meeting was attended by General Manager Sinovac Qiang Gao, Director International Business Kevin Zhang, Federal Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel, Executive Director National Institute of Health Major General Professor Amir Ikram and relevant senior officials. TLTP

Exports increase 35pc to Rs4.553tr in 10 months The exports of the country in rupee term witnessed an increase of 35.52 per cent during the first ten months of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

According to PBS provisional figures, exports during July–April (2021 – 2022) were recorded at Rs. 4,553,272 million as against Rs3,359,742 million during the corresponding period of last year showing an increase of 35.52%, according to provisional data released by PBS. Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the exports during the month of April 2022 increased by 57.44 percent when compared to the exports of same month of last year. The exports in April 2020 were recorded at Rs534,514 million compared to exports of

Rs339,498 million during April, 2021.

On month-on-month basis, the exports increased by 7.15 when compared to the exports of Rs498,845 million in March 2022.

The main commodities of exports during April, 2022 were knitwear (Rs90,096 million), ready-made garments (Rs. 64,669 million), bed wear (Rs51,398 million), cotton cloth (Rs38,763 million), rice others (Rs32,704 million), towels (Rs19,974 million), cotton yarn (Rs18,016 million), made up articles, excluding towels & Bedwear (Rs15,277 million), rice basmati (Rs15,198 million) and surgical goods & medical instruments(Rs8,067 million).

On the other hand, imports during July– April, (2021- 2022) totaled Rs11,349,408 million as against Rs7,178,581 million during the corresponding period of last year

showing an increase of 58.10%.

Imports into Pakistan during April, 2022 amounted to Rs. 1,232,104 million as against Rs1,150,786 million in March, 2022 and Rs802,443 million during April, 2021, showing an increase of 7.07% over March, 2021 and of 53.54% over April, 2021.

The main commodities of imports during April, 2022 were petroleum products (Rs232,765 million), petroleum crude (Rs98,427 million), Natural Gas Liquified (Rs. 71,072 million), palm oil (Rs67,840 million), plastic materials (Rs51,678 million), mobile phone (Rs39,460 million), raw cotton (Rs38,533 million), iron and steel (Rs35,157 million), iron and steel scrap (Rs32,751 million) and electrical machinery and apparatus (Rs28,572 million). aPP

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Don’T see Us as eneMy, bUT have reservaTions aboUT iTs inTenTions: haqqani neTwork leaDer

a

AgeNcies

CTINg Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has said the Taliban regime in Afghanistan does not look at the United States “as enemies” and wants to have good ties with it but that they have reservations over Washington’s intentions based on its conduct. The deputy chief of the Afghan Taliban — who is still wanted by the US that has offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his arrest — made these remarks during his first on-camera interview with CNN‘s Christiane Amanpour in Kabul, more than two months after making his first public appearance in the Afghan capital to address

a passing-out parade for police.

During the interview, Amanpour asked Haqqani that “do you consider America still to be your enemy?”

Haqqani — whose replies were translated and played as a voiceover — began his answer with saying that he wanted to make a “small clarification”.

“The period of the last 20 years was a situation of defensive fighting and war,” he said, recalling that when an agreement was reached between the Afghan Taliban and the Trump administration in Doha in February 2020, “we decided that we would not be talking about this”. He did not elaborate further as to what was not to be talked about.

The Taliban deputy chief then added that

Musk: Doubt about spam accounts could scuttle Twitter deal

in the future, “we would like to have good relations with the United States and the international community, based on rules and principles that exist in the rest of the world”.

“And based on their arrangement, we have made [a] commitment with them,” he continued, adding that currently, “we do not look at them as enemies”.

But, he said, “based on their conduct, the Afghans have reservations about their intentions”. “From our side, the freedom of the country and struggling for the country’s defence is a legitimate right, in accordance with international rules,” he said, reiterating that as of now, the Taliban did not consider the US an enemy.

“And we have time and again spoken

about diplomacy. We are committed to the Doha agreement. Like the rest of the world, we want relations with them based on principles and diplomatic norms that they establish with us, and that they don’t go back on that,” Haqqani said.

Leading on from there, Amanpour pointed out to Haqqani that he not just had a multi-million dollar bounty on his head but was also under sanctions by the US. She then went on to quote a “top Western official” speaking about Haqqani.

“This is what a top Western official told me just before I got here. He said: ‘We are in a new world. The guy (Haqqani) has a huge amount of American blood on his hands. He has got, in the Taliban, the tightest

Shanghai says ‘zero-Covid’ achieved but millions still in lockdown AgeNcies

LONDON the AssociAted PRess

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says his deal to buy Twitter can’t move forward unless the company shows public proof that less than 5 percent of the accounts on the social media platform are fake or spam. Musk made the comment in a reply to another user on Twitter early Tuesday. He spent much of the previous day in a back-and-forth with Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, who posted a series of tweets explaining his company’s effort to fight bots and how it has consistently estimated that less than 5 percent of Twitter accounts are fake. In his tweet Tuesday, Musk said that “20 percent fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be much higher. My offer was based on Twitter’s SEC filings being accurate.” He added: “Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly refused to show proof of 5 percent. This deal cannot move forward until he does.” It’s Musk’s latest salvo over inauthentic accounts, a problem he has said he wants to rid Twitter of. At a Miami technology conference Monday, Musk estimated that at least 20 percent of Twitter’s 229 million accounts are spambots, a percentage he said was at the low end of his assessment, according to a Bloomberg News report. The battle over spam accounts kicked off last week when Musk tweeted that the Twitter deal was on hold pending confirmation of the company’s estimates that they make up less than 5 percent of total users. Also at the All In Summit, Musk gave the strongest hint yet that he would like to pay less for Twitter than the $44 billion offer he made last month. He said a viable deal at a lower price would not be out of the question, according to the report by Bloomberg, which said it viewed a livestream video of the conference posted by a Twitter user.

Musk’s comments are likely to bolster theories from analysts that the billionaire either wants out of the deal or to buy the company at a cheaper price. His tweet Tuesday came in reply to one from a Tesla news site speculating that Musk “may be looking for a better Twitter deal as $44 billion seems too high.” Musk made the offer to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share on April 14. Twitter shares have slid since then and are now down by just over 8 percent, to close at $37.39 on Monday. To finance the acquisition, he has pledged some of his Tesla shares, but they have slumped by a third since the deal was announced.

Shanghai on Tuesday declared it had achieved “zero-Covid” across all its districts, sparking derision on social media as millions in China’s biggest city remained under lockdown.

Confronted with its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, China — the last major economy still closed off to the world — put the city of 25 million under heavy restrictions in early April.

The government’s insistence on squashing the Omicron variant-driven outbreak prompted rare protests and angry scuffles with authorities as Shanghai residents reject the prolonged confinement and food shortages.

“All 16 districts of Shanghai have already achieved zero-Covid at the community level,” Shanghai health commission official Zhao Dandan told reporters on Tuesday.

That means none of the over 1,000 new infections recorded on Tuesday was detected outside of quarantined areas, city authorities said.

Vice mayor Chen Tong said Sunday that the city would gradually reopen businesses starting this week, without giving specifics.

But millions in Shanghai were still unable to leave their residential compounds on Tuesday.

More than 3.8 million people officially were still under the strictest forms of lockdown in the

ties to extremist movements. He was one of the first to put women back to work in his ministry. We have seen his ministry take promising steps to contain terrorism. To call it a paradox is an understatement. This is not just my opinion. It is the opinion of every single envoy working on these issues.'”

She then underscored that while the US, on the one hand, believed Haqqani to be a terrorist, on the other hand, it thought it could work with him.

kremlin critic navalny appeals against nine-year jail sentence MOscOW AFP

city, according to official figures.

China’s strategy to achieve zero Covid cases includes strict border closures, length quarantines, mass testing and rapid, targeted lockdowns.

Social media erupted in disbelief at the gap between official statements and the reality of life under an enduring lockdown.

“Since society has reached Covid-zero, why are people in Songjiang district still only allowed to go out once every two days?” a blogger on the Twitter-like Weibo asked.

“Is this a parallel universe Shanghai?” asked another. In some areas of the city, restrictions have even been quietly tightened in recent days.

Live video broadcast Tuesday

by Chinese media showed crowds gathering at Shanghai’s Hongqiao

Railway Station as train services leaving the city resumed.

People are only allowed to leave Shanghai after receiving permission and taking multiple Covid tests.

China has shown no sign of giving up its protracted struggle to maintain zero Covid cases, despite the mounting economic costs of miserable retail, house and car sales and climbing unemployment.

Beijing is mass testing residents almost every day after a surge in cases — counted in the dozens each day but still enough to prompt tight restrictions on movement and association.

Millions of people in the capital have been ordered to work from home and transport services have been suspended as people feared a repeat of Shanghai’s lockdown chaos.

Mali junta says ‘Western-backed’ military officers attempted coup BAMAKO ReuteRs

Mali’s interim government on Monday said “Westernbacked” military officers attempted a coup last week, without providing details or evidence.

The purported foiled putsch took place on the night between May 11 and May 12, the junta that took power in an August 2020 coup said in a statement.

The accusation against Westerners marks a fresh low between Mali and its old international allies who for a decade aided the West African nation in its fight against insurgents but are withdrawing amid a sour political spat.

In their place, Russian mercenaries have come in to aid Mali’s military and witnesses said last month that white mercenaries were involved in a mass execution of Malian civilians.

Increased security, including checks at border posts and at entry points into the capital Bamako, have been put in place as measures to identify accomplices, the statement said.

An enquiry has been opened and “detained people” will face justice, it added.

The tensions between Mali’s junta and the West are linked to its failure to hold promised elections in February and speedily restore civilian rule, as well as to its collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was due on Tuesday to appeal a nine-year prison sentence he was handed in March on charges that he and his allies say are politically motivated. His hearing comes as Russian authorities seek to silence remaining government critics and Moscow pushes on with its military campaign in neighbouring Ukraine, with thousands killed and some 10 million displaced. A vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Navalny in late March had his jail time extended to nine years after he was found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court. He is already serving two-and-a-half years in a prison some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Moscow for violating parole on old fraud charges. On Tuesday, he will appeal the extension of his jail term, joining the hearing at a Moscow court via video link from his prison colony. If his new sentence comes into force, the 45-year-old opposition politician will be transferred to a strict-regime penal colony, which will place him in much harsher conditions. The new sentence will replace the old one — that he was handed in February last year — meaning Navalny will remain behind bars for another eight years.

DeclareD ‘extremist’: As part of the new charges, investigators accused Navalny of stealing for personal use several million dollars’ worth of donations that were given to his political organisations.

Navalny rose to prominence as an anti-corruption blogger and, before his imprisonment, mobilised antigovernment protests across Russia. In 2018, he campaigned as a presidential candidate but was eventually barred from running in the election that saw Putin secure a fourth term in power. In his absence, Navalny’s team continues publishing investigations into the wealth of Russia’s elites that have garnered millions of views on YouTube. In 2020, Navalny narrowly survived a poisoning attack with Novichok, a Soviet-designed military-grade nerve agent. Despite accusations from Navalny, the Kremlin denied any involvement.

He was arrested on his return from rehabilitation in germany last year, sparking widespread condemnation abroad, as well as sanctions from Western capitals.

After his arrest, Navalny’s political organisations across the country were declared “extremist” and shut down, while key aides have fled Russia. Navalny’s key allies have since fled the country, and several of them are wanted by Russian authorities on criminal charges.

Russia has recently ramped up pressure on independent media and non-governmental organisations, declaring many “foreign agents”, while others have stopped operating for fear of prosecution. In an effort to further control the information available to its domestic audience, authorities have blocked access to the popular social networks Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and taken legal action against tech giant Meta, accusing it of spreading “calls to kill” Russians.

North Korea reports over 392,000 new ‘fever’ cases amid COVID-19 outbreak AgeNcies North Korea reported 392,920 people with “fever” and eight related fatalities over the past 24 hours amid a growing COVID-19 outbreak, local media reported on Monday.

The total number of people with “fever” rose to 1.21 million since the first such case was reported in late PID (I) 8037/21 April, according to KCNA Watch,

which did not disclose exactly how many COVID-19 cases have been found. With eight more fatalities, the death toll rose to 50.

On Sunday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chaired a high-level meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and discussed epidemic prevention measures.

He criticized the Cabinet and

health sector over the shortage of medicine in pharmacies in the capital Pyongyang and ordered an immediate supply of medicines from the state reserve medicines, according to KCNA. Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has offered to help and provide vaccines and other necessary supplies if Pyongyang agrees to accept. “We must not hold back on providing necessary assistance to the

North Korean people, who are exposed to the threat of the coronavirus,” Yonhap News Agency quoted Yoon as saying during his first budget speech at the National Assembly.

Last week, North Korea confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 in the country and imposed a nationwide lockdown.

North Korea is among the few countries that did not report any cases

since the pandemic began more than two years ago.

North Korea’s prevention strategy relied on a complete border shutdown since January 2020. The World Health Organization has no records of any COVID-19 vaccinations in the country of 25 million, with Pyongyang having turned down repeated offers of vaccine supplies from the international community.

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022 | KARACHI

SPORTS 11

PakistaN likely to Play tri-NatioN series iN New ZealaNd before t20 wC

P

AgENciEs

AKISTAN might play a T20I tri-nation series in New Zealand in October before the T20 World Cup in Australia.

According to details, Bangladesh and New Zealand are confirmed as the two teams for this series.

BCB’s cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus has announced, adding that Pakistan is likely to be the third team, and the series is going to be held in Christchurch.

Before reaching New Zealand, Bangladesh will travel to Australia for a weeklong camp in Adelaide, where they will play T20 practice matches against local sides. This will be in September. The dates for the tri-series

haven’t been announced yet, but the likeliest window is between late September and early October.

The World Cup starts October 16, with the Super 12s, of which Bangladesh and New Zealand are a part, starting October 22.

“We will play more than 16 T20 matches [before the T20 World Cup],” Yunus said at a press interaction. “We will not need a separate camp, since this is itself a lot of preparation. We will be holding a camp in Adelaide for a week, before heading to New Zealand to play the tri-nation tournament,” he saidm “Each side will play a minimum of four matches in New Zealand. The third team may be Pakistan, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet,” he added.

England cricket chief executive Tom Harrison to step down as part of shake-up AgENciEs

Nestor Cortes calls old tweets ‘unacceptable’ NEW YORK ReuteRs

New York Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes spoke to reporters Monday to address the situation with his Twitter account, in which several older tweets that used racial slurs were resurfaced Sunday. The Hialeah, Fla., product said he deactivated the Twitter account in response, and when asked about the tweets, acknowledged remembering them. “I’m not gonna say I don’t, but I didn’t realize they were still there,” Cortes said. “It’s unacceptable. I could have managed myself better and said stuff differently.”

Cortes, 27, is one of the top pitchers in baseball this season, having accumulated a 2-1 record with a sparkling 1.35 ERA in seven appearances (all starts) to go along with 49 strikeouts. “I felt like it wasn’t the right message that I wanted to send out, when I was 17 years old,” Cortes said prior to Monday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. “Those happened 10 years ago. I deactivated my Twitter to clean stuff up.”

Tom Harrison is to step down as chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board in June — part of a major overhaul following a slump in Test results.

Since the turn of the year, managing director of men’s cricket Ashley Giles, head coach Chris Silverwood and Test captain Joe Root have all been replaced, with the ECB chairmanship currently vacant as well.

Clare Connor, currently managing director of England women’s cricket, will take over on an interim basis, the ECB announced on Tuesday.

Root resigned last month following England’s 1-0 defeat in the West Indies, which left them with a miserable record of just one win in 17 Tests, and has been replaced by all-rounder Ben Stokes.

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was last week appointed as a coach while former England batsman Rob Key is the new managing director.

Harrison, who took up his role in 2015, oversaw the introduction of the controversial citybased Hundred competition, which started last year, and during his tenure, England won both the

men’s and women’s 50-over World Cups.

The 50-year-old faced calls to quit over the ECB’s handling of a racism scandal that came to light last year.

Harrison said it had been a “huge honour” to serve as chief executive.

“Cricket is an extraordinary force for good in the world and my goal has been to make the game bigger and ensure more people and more communities in England and Wales feel they have a place in this sport,” he said.

“The long-term health of

cricket depends on its ability to grow and remain relevant and be more inclusive in an ever-changing world.”

Martin Darlow, interim chairman of the ECB, said: “When the (coronavirus) pandemic struck, it was Tom’s leadership that brought the game together and saved us from the worst financial crisis the sport has ever faced.

“He has always put the interests of the game first and worked to lead important change to make our game more accessible and inclusive, though we all know there is still much more work to do “

ten years from boom to bust, Chinese football in a tailspin HONg KONg ReuteRs

A decade after the splash of Chinese cash first made waves in the global football market, the once racing certainty that China would become a major player in the game looks increasingly like a long-odds gamble.

The decision to relinquish the rights to next year’s Asian Cup finals, which was made by China last weekend citing Covid-19 uncertainties, has left Chinese football facing an uncertain future. Staging the quadrennial continental championship in nine sparkling new arenas and one rebuilt stadium was supposed to be a stepping stone towards realising President Xi Jinping’s ambition of hosting the World Cup. That dream now appears to be further away than ever. The grinding impact of the global health crisis and China’s pursuit of a zero-Covid strategy, coupled with increasing difficulties within the business sector that bankrolled many of the country’s clubs, has left the game in turmoil. “The gloss has come off China’s sporting ecosystem,” Mark Dreyer of China Sports Insider told Reuters. “Who would trust China with a World Cup bid given everything we’ve seen in the last two years from the pandemic? “In football terms, we’ve basically seen the full boom and bust.” The current climate is a long way from the day, 10 years ago on Tuesday, when Guangzhou Evergrande unveiled World Cup winner Marcello Lippi as their new head coach on an annual salary of 10 million euros ($10.44 million).

NEW ERA: The Italian’s arrival heralded a new era for Chinese football, largely fuelled by money from ambitious property developers determined to deliver Xi’s dream. Within 18 months of his arrival, Lippi had steered Guangzhou to the Asian Champions League title. Two years later another World Cup winner, Luiz Felipe Scolari, repeated the feat. The perennially weak national team aside, football was flying high in China and the sums spent on players and coaches from around the world escalated as the Chinese Super League thrived. Oscar swapped Chelsea for Shanghai and a salary reported to be just short of half a million dollars a week in 2016, following in the footsteps of fellow Brazilian Hulk, who had moved from St Petersburg for a fee of around $50 million. The country’s entrepreneurs, meanwhile, flocked to Europe in an effort to import expertise into China’s nascent football industry. Soon Atletico Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan were under Chinese ownership. Governing bodies were courted. FIFA partnered with Wanda Sports and the Jack Ma-owned Alibaba signed up to sponsor the expanded Club World Cup on its scheduled relaunch in China in 2021. A bid to host the World Cup in 2030 or 2034 was expected and the 2023 Asian Cup rights were secured at the Asian Football Confederation’s extraordinary congress in Paris in 2019. Some change was already in the air before Covid-19 emerged in late 2019, but the ensuing global pandemic sent the game into a tailspin.

Newcastle blow up Arsenal’s Champions League dream AgENciEs Mikel Arteta castigated his Arsenal side for throwing away a season’s work in a limp 20 defeat at Newcastle that looks set to see the Gunners miss out on Champions League football for a sixth successive season.

Tottenham remain two points above their north London rivals in fourth place in the Premier League.

Spurs now realistically only need a draw away to already-relegated Norwich on Sunday to secure a top-four finish thanks to their superior goal difference.

Arsenal’s defeat also guaranteed thirdplace Chelsea’s place in the Champions League next season.

Ben White’s own goal and Bruno Guimaraes’ late strike was the difference between the sides.

But the manner of the Newcastle performance was even more impressive as Eddie Howe’s men sent a message they could be challenging for a top-four finish themselves next season.

“A really difficult night to swallow,” said Arteta. “Newcastle deserved to win comfort-

ably. They were much better from the first minute, we had nothing in the game.

“They were much better than us in everything that a football match requires. We could not cope tonight with the game we had to play here.”

Arteta’s men were in the driving seat with three games to go as they lead Spurs by four points.

But Tottenham’s 3-0 derby win on Thursday cranked up the pressure on the young Gunners who failed to respond.

“Newcastle were 10 times better than us and the performance was nowhere near what we need to play in the Champions League,” added Arteta. “We weren’t at the races.”

Only Manchester City and Liverpool have won more Premier League points than the Magpies in 2022 since they began to splash to wealth of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund in the transfer market.

More big money signings are expected to arrive at St James’ Park in the coming months, but Arsenal’s budget in the transfer market could be severely dented by again missing out on the riches of the Champions League.

“It was a brilliant all-round performance.

It was front foot, we never let up and that’s the most pleasing thing,” said Howe.

“We have to improve and work incredibly hard to improve everything about the team over the summer. It’s a massive club, we have big ambitions, but I have to focus on how we do it rather than talk.”

Newcastle’s upturn under Howe had been lacking a scalp against one of the Premier League’s traditional top six.

But they got that and more as Arsenal were lucky to escape without a more comprehensive defeat.

Aaron Ramsdale was nearly embarrassed when Miguel Almiron blocked his clearance early on.

But the England international kept his side in the game with a brilliant save to deny Allan Saint-Maximin at his near post.

The hosts’ pressure was finally rewarded when Joelinton’s dangerous low cross just evaded Callum Wilson and flew into his own goal off the unfortunate White.

Newcastle are firmly rooted in midtable, but looked like the side with more on the line as they continued to storm forward.

Wilson fired over from Guimaraes’ cross and then sent an audacious effort from 40 yards floating inches past the post.

In between times Ramsdale produced another big stop from a one-on-one with Jacob Murphy.

A second Newcastle goal seemed only a matter of time and it duly arrived five minutes from time when again Wilson was denied by Ramsdale, but Guimaraes swept home the rebound for his fifth goal since a January move from Lyon.

wednesday, 18 May, 2022

prayer tiMiNgs

news

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:27

12:29

3:55

5:50

7:07

8:31

ECP dECiSion on diSquALifiCAtion of dEfECting Pti LAWmAkERS todAy

ISLAMABAD

t

staff report

HE Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved its verdict on a reference seeking the disqualification of 25 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers who crossed the floor and voted for Pak-

Legendary climber Ali Raza Sadpara suffers serious injuries after fall Legendary Pakistan climber Ali Raza Sadpara has suffered serious injuries after falling down a mountain during routine training.

“He was on a routine adventure at dawn today near his village Sadpara [in Skardu] as part of his preparations to summit K2 this summer when he slipped off a cliff and fell into a ditch,” Karrar Haidri, secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan told APP. “He was rushed to a regional hospital where doctors said he had broken his spinal cord,” Haidri added.

According to Haidri, the 55-year-old Raza had 17 successful summits to his credit including all the above 8000m peaks in Pakistan barring K2.

“It was his dream to conquer K2. He attempted the peak [K2] twice in the past but returned both times due to bad weather when he was just a few hundred metres away. This summer, he was once again set to embark on a K2 expedition that this unfortunate incident took place,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ali Raza’s son, Bashir Hussain, who is also a climber, has appealed to the nation to pray for his father’s speedy recovery.

Ali Raza has also remained the mentor of the late Ali Sadpara and Hassan Sadpara, who belonged to his village. He started his climbing career in 1986 as a high-altitude porter at K2. He ascended Broad Peak (8047m), four times in 1993, 2005, 2011 and 2017, Gasherbrum-II (8035m) five times in 1998, 2004, 2017, 2018 and 2021, Gasherbrum-I( 8068m) four times in 1990, 2000 and 2017. He scaled Nanga Parbat (8125m) in 2005, SiaKangri in 1996, BaltoroKangri in 2000. He also summitted Spantik (7027m) four times. News Desk

istan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Hamza Shehbaz during the election for the office of Punjab chief minister.

The commission said it will announce the verdict at 12:00 pm on Wednesday.

Shehbaz was elected as the province’s new chief executive on April 16 after a chaotic session of the Punjab Assembly where legislators of the Pakistan

Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueQuaid (PML-Q) scuffled with one another.

He polled 197 votes — including from 24 PTI parliamentarians, two independents and the lone Rah-i-Haq Party lawmaker — while his opponent, Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, a joint candidate of the PTI and Q League, failed to secure a single vote from the assembly since the two parties boycotted the voting process.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a reference against 26 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers seeking their lifetime disqualification on charges of violating party discipline. PTI lawmakers who voted in favour of Shehbaz included Abdul Aleem Khan, Asad Khokhar, Nauman Langrial, Ejaz Alam Augustine, Ajmal Cheema, Saeed Akbar, Faisal Jawana, and Zawar Warraich, among others.

The reference, however, couldn’t be applied to independent lawmakers including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahmed Ali, Jugnu Mohsin, Bilal Asghar Warraich and Raja Sagheer.

Subsequently, on April 20, Speaker Elahi forwarded to the commission the reference against the defecting lawmakers seeking their lifetime disqualification under Article-63 of the Constitution on charges of violating party discipline.

Mohammad Hasnain successfully rectifies bowling action NewS DeSk Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain has successfully modified his bowling action, Pakistan Cricket Board said on Tuesday He was suspended from bowling at international level after biomechanical testing confirmed his action was illegal, the country’s cricket board said in February.

The test was conducted last week at bio-mechanics lab at LUMS University.

The board said that they have not received the result of the second test, conducted in the same

lab. “Tests at LUMS also found that the elbow of his arm was within the legal range of 15-degree limits. After complete satisfaction, the PCB will now formally request a review from the ICC,” it added.

National High Performance Center (NHPC) Coach Umar Rasheed played crucial role in rectifying Hasnain’s bowling action.

Earlier, Hasnain was reported for a suspect action during a stint with the Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Big Bash Twenty20 league last season.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Cricket Australia (CA)

had verified the report.

Under the International Cricket Council rules, an illegal bowling action is one in which the bowler’s elbow extension exceeds 15 degrees.

Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques accused Hasnain of “chucking” during a Big Bash match, telling him “nice throw, mate” at one stage.

The umpires reported his action, which was later assessed in Lahore.

Hasnain is a promising fast bowler who has so far played 18 Twenty20 internationals and eight one-day internationals for Pakistan.

PM sets up task force on climate change ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif constituted a task force to deal with the pressing issue of climate change in the country, his office said.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting amid the recent heatwave and direct consequences of climate change in Pakistan, the office said in a statement.

Currently, climate change has severely affected Pakistan, causing the ongoing intense heat wave across different parts of the country, wildfires in the northern areas, water and food shortages, and the melting of the Shishper glacier in the Karakoram mountain range which recently resulted in a big accident.

The prime minister directed the task force to develop a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change, avoid a repeat of the Shishper glacier incidents in the future and solve the water and food shortages in the country, the statement said.

He said the strategy should also encompass steps for water conservation and protection of existing reservoirs and forests.

The meeting was informed that climate change is the core reason behind the recent heatwave in Pakistan, the statement said, adding that the country is

faced with the threat of a water shortage which will have direct repercussions on the agriculture sector.

Sharif ordered the immediate launch of a public awareness campaign for water conservation and urgent measures to be taken for the storage of rainwater before the onset of the monsoon.

The prime minister also requested that the ministry of education should guarantee that standard operating protocols for heatwaves in public and private schools are followed, according to the statement. MoNitoriNg report

Ex-finance minister Hafeez Sheikh granted transit bail, may take up important post in caretaker govt: sources Former Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh approached Sindh High Court on Tuesday to seek a transit protective bail pertaining to a NAB case. The Sindh High Court granted a 10 day transit bail to Sheikh and ordered NAB not to arrest him.

As per sources, Sheikh has sought for a bail so that he could take up an important position in the caretaker government.

Sources further revealed that according to Sheikh, he has sought for a transit bail in order to buy some time before NAB could arrest him. He went on to add that he is determined to face the trial and ready to present himself before the court. However, he must be given some time to counter the case. In this regard, court directed Sheikh to submit a bond worth 1 lac rupee.

As per the details of the NAB case, Sheikh benefited a local company for development of a software program, which caused a loss of more than 11 million dollars to the economy of Pakistan. staff report

Won’t tolerate any attempt to harm CPEC: Sharif ISLAMABAD staff report

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday categorically said his government will not tolerate any attempt designed to harm the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He was presiding over a meeting summoned to deliberate on the issue of the provision of security to the Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Officials from the interior ministry, provincial chief secretaries and top officials of CPEC attended the meeting.

The premier was briefed about the security being provided to the Chinese nationals.

Sharif ordered to take immediate steps for the safety of the Chinese people in Pakistan. He reaffirmed that government would not tolerate any attempt to damage the CPEC project.

He also ordered the authorities to take measures to improve the law and order situation in the country.

Prime Minister Sharif on Monday made telephonic contact with his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, and assured him that the government would take all necessary steps to protect the Chinese citizens.

He and Keqiang viewed the Pakistan-China partnership as vital for peace and stability amidst evolving regional and global situations.

Sharif offered his condolences to the government and people of China and expressed sympathies with the families of victims of the heinous terrorist attack that took place at the Karachi University on April 26 in which three Chinese scholars lost their lives.

He strongly condemned the attack and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to hold a thorough investigation, apprehend the perpetrators of this criminal act and bring them to justice in accordance with our laws.

Sharif reiterated that Pakistan attached the highest importance to the safety, security and protection of all Chinese nationals working in Pakistan on economic projects and institutions.

Sharif assured Keqiang that his government was determined to take all necessary measures for the enhanced security and safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan.

Imran responsible for economic catastrophe, inflation, unemployment: Marriyum NewS DeSk Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that former Prime Minister Imran Khan was the “culprit” behind economic catastrophe, inflation and unemployment in the country.

In a tweet, she said that Imran would have to be accountable for the injustice done to the people and he could not escape through political dramas and lying.

Marriyum also shared a chart of statistics regarding the country’s development during the rule of PML-N from 2013 to 2018 and PTI rule from 2018 to April 2022.

According to the chart, the value of dollar increased from Rs 116 in 2018 to Rs 189 in 2022. National growth rate slowed from 6.1% to 4% (expected) whereas inflation increased from 3.9 per cent during PML-N tenure to 13 pc during PTI regime.

Food inflation increased from 2.3 pc to 15 pc, flour 20 kg bag price increased from Rs 700 to Rs 1100, sugar per kg from Rs 53 Rs 90, ghee price from Rs 151 to Rs 470 per kg. Electricity tariff increased from Rs 11 per unit to Rs 25, gas from Rs 600 per MMBTU to Rs 1400 MMBTU. Urea fertilizer sack price increased from Rs 1380 to Rs 1918 (also sold at Rs 3,000), fiscal deficit increased from Rs 2260 billion to Rs

5600 billion (expected), trade deficit increased from $30.9 billion to $ 43 billion.

Tax ratio decreased from 11.1 pc to 9.2 pc , government debt increased from Rs 24953 billion from 1947 to 2018 to Rs 42745 billion in three and a half years. The number of unemployed persons increased from 3.5 million to 9.5 million which meant increase of 6 million unemployed . Similarly, Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index ranking of Pakistan rose from 117 to 140, with a 23% increase in corruption.

In four years, the number of people living below the poverty line increased by 20 million people, including 13 million children.

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