Thursday, 29 October, 2020 I 11 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 120 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition
Masks Made coMpulsory as covid-19 cases surge g
PM declares next two Months crucial as Pakistan graPPles with increasing cases LAHORE staff report
a
s the country reported 825 fresh infections of the coronavirus after conducting 29,477 tests in the last 24 hours with an inflated positivity ratio of 2.8 per cent, the government on wednesday made it mandatory for all citizens to wear a face mask when stepping out of their homes. the decision was taken during a meeting of the national command and operation centre (ncoc) which asked all four provinces to ensure that people wear face masks and adhere to government-devised health guidelines, particularly in markets, shopping malls, public transport and restaurants. the directive comes a day after dr Faisal sultan, special assistant to the prime minister on health, warned the country was currently experiencing the start of a second wave of the virus. addressing a press conference in islamabad on tuesday, he had said if the situation continued to worsen, new quarantine restrictions could be introduced to curtail the virus. the ncoc statement also said the positivity ratio for coronavirus had reached 80 percent in 11 major cities. “4,374 lockdowns imposed in 11 cities of Pakistan, including Quetta, lahore, rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, islamabad, hyderabad, Mirpur, karachi, gilgit and Muzaffarabad,” it added. the ncoc also issued a warning to business owners to shut down their establishments by 10 pm. this decision was made in an attempt to curb the spread of covid-19, and it applies to restaurants, wedding halls, commercial markets, and shopping malls. areas of recreation have been asked to shut down by 6 pm. essential services such as medical stores, clinics and hospitals will remain open. health authorities have been sound-
In letter to Muslim leaders, Imran urges Ummah to unite against Islamophobia ISLAMABAD staff report
ing the alarm about a second wave of the virus for several weeks now. daily infections and deaths are once more on the rise, raising fears that disease is making a comeback as the public becomes more apathetic toward social distancing measures. “a few weeks ago, we were getting 400 to 500 cases per day, but now it has increased to 700 to 750 cases. Moreover, the mortality rate has also increased. another ratio which is considered is percentage positivity — the number of positive cases in samples of 100 — that remained less than two percent, but now it has reached close to 3 per cent,” sultan had told the presser. it is worth mentioning here that the country has yet to fully utilise its testing capacity of 72,232 and is currently testing significantly below numbers proposed by global health experts. Meanwhile, in the 24 hours, the number of confirmed cases surged to 330,200.
coronavirus in
pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
330,200
LAST UPDATED AT 6:58 AM ON OCTOBER 28, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
14
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
825
DEATHS:
311,814 6,759 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
144,449
103,314
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
39,189
15,859
3,889/4,200 19,300
deaths increased by 14 to 6,759. at the same time, recoveries increased by 374 to 311,814, or 94.4 percent of total infections. there are currently 11,627 active virus cases in the country, with the government’s database for tracking the spread of the pandemic reporting 611 of them are in critical condition. PM DECLARES NEXT TWO MONTHS CRUCIAL: separately, declaring the next two months crucial, Prime Minister imran khan urged the people to take precautionary measures as the second wave of the novel coronavirus has hit the country. addressing the insaf doctors Forum convention on wednesday, the premier lauded the services of doctors and paramedics who are at the forefront in the country’s fight against covid-19 pandemic. he said that the number of coronavirus patients is increasing due to the second wave of the virus and “we must have to adopt preventive measures in this regard”.
calling on leaders of Muslim states to “collectively take the lead in breaking this cycle of hate and extremism”, Prime Minister imran khan on wednesday stressed the time had come to put an end to islamophobia and attacks on islam. in a letter to heads of the Muslim nations, the premier urged them to collectively explain to non-Muslims the “deep-seated reverence and love all Muslims feel” for the holy Quran and holy Prophet (Peace Be upon him). the letter, dated october 28, which was shared on twitter and Facebook accounts of the premier, highlighted the growing concern and restlessness amongst the ummah as they see the rising tide of islamophobia and attacks through ridicule and mockery of beloved holy Prophet (Peace Be upon him) in the western world, especially in europe. “in europe, mosques are being closed, Muslim women are being denied their right to wear clothing of their choice in the public domain even as nuns and priests continue to display their re-
COAS vows to combat terrorism till its elimination RAWALPINDI staff report
chief of army staff, general Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that Pakistan will not take a back seat till it takes terrorists and their facilitators to the task, said the inter-services Public relations (isPr) on wednesday. the army chief said this after inquiring about the health of seminary students and other people at lady reading hospital, who were injured in a blast at a seminary in Peshawar a day earlier. general Bajwa said that he came to express solidarity and commitment, especially to share grief of the seminary students, teachers and their families. the coas condemned the attack on the seminary in which eight persons were martyred and more than 100 were injured. “the attack on a madressah is [an act of] enmity towards islam,” said the army chief during his visit to the upper dir Malakand division. he directed troops to remain vigilant as incidents of terrorism continue to rise over the past couple of days.
ligious clothing, and covert and overt discrimination is widespread against Muslims living in those countries,” he wrote. the prime minister said that he believed the leadership of such countries often did not realise the intrinsic deep passion, love, and devotion Muslims all over the world have of their holy Prophet (Peace Be upon him) and their divine book, the holy Quran, warning that their actions were encouraging a dangerous cycle of action and reaction. he said that hurtful actions result in reactions from Muslims as they see their faith and their beloved holy Prophet (Peace Be upon him) targeted, which results in further discriminatory actions by governments against Muslim populations in their states, resulting in marginalisation of Muslims and the creating of space for radical, farright groups to exploit the situation. he added that this also provoked radicalisation, increasing the space for extremists on all sides. in this scenario, said PM imran, the leaders of the Muslim world must collectively act to break this cycle of hate and extremism.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
more inside
Amendments to IOK land laws aimed at converting Kashmiris into minority: FO STORY ON PAGE 03
cii submits suggestions on hindu temple construction in capital “on december 16, 2014, the enemy targeted children in the aPs massacre,” said the coas. “on october 27, the enemy targeted innocent children of a seminary,” he added. general Bajwa credited the nation for “rejecting the narrative of the militants” by showing exemplary unity, adding that the masses stood united today with the same enthusiasm and resolve. “we were united in grief yesterday, and the same is the case today,” he said. “the enemy was the same yesterday and the enemy remains the same today.”
he said that the militants’ aim is to spread terror and ensure an atmosphere of fear prevailed across the country. coas Bajwa said that educational institutions, innocent civilians and law enforcement agencies’ personnel were the main targets of the militants. he also said that Pakistan has expressed its resolve for a peaceful afghanistan, cautioning afghan refugees to stay away from terrorists. “afghan refugees will have to stay alert regarding militants so they are not used, knowingly or unknowingly, in any terrorist incident,” he further said.
STORY ON PAGE 03
DRAP notifies hike in prices of 94 lifesaving drugs STORY ON PAGE 02
PM gives threemonth deadline to ministers to improve performance STORY ON PAGE 03
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Thursday, 29 October, 2020
NEWS ECC asks ministry to negotiate waiver of Rs1.6bn demurrage charges
QuRESHI APPRECIAtES ERDogAn’S ‘ConCREtE’ StAnCE on ISlAmoPHoBIA ISLAMABAD
F
STAFF REPORT
OREIgN Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday telephoned his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, and appreciated President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his “concrete” stance on the rising wave of Islamophobia. In their wide-ranging discussion, the two foreign ministers talked about bilateral relations and discussed ways to further mutual interests. Matters pertaining to regional security also came under discussion, the statement said. “The foreign minister appreciated the Turkish president’s concrete stance regarding
the increasing trend of Islamophobia. The Turkish foreign minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement on Islamophobia is praiseworthy,” it added. Qureshi also thanked Cavusoglu for Turkey’s support to Pakistan during the session of the Financial Action Task Force last week in which the watchdog found Pakistan had successfully complied with 21 out of 27 points of action and decided to keep the country on its ‘grey list’ until February 2021. In addition to the crucial FATF meetup, Turkey has time and again thrown its weight behind Pakistan, which has been on the global money-laundering watchdog’s radar since June 2018 when it was
Interim report in Peshawar seminary blast finalised
ISLAMABAD
APP
IHC refers petition seeking to suspend France ties to cabinet
ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Wednesday asked Ministry of Maritime Affairs to negotiate with the terminal operators regarding a possible waiver of the Rs1.6 billion demurrage charges incurred on Afghan transit cargo which had been stranded at Karachi port due to the lockdown. The above was discussed during the meeting of the ECC at the Cabinet Division, chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. The government had decided to ask the terminal operators to waive off 75 per cent of the demurrage charges on Afghan transit containers/cargo which had been at ports from March 22, 2020, to September 30, 2020, as well as to ask for a refund of demurrage charges already recovered from importers. The ministry had already approached the operators for approval of 75 per cent waivers, but after the operators did not accede to the request, the matter was brought to the ECC for guidance. The ECC directed that the same committee that has already been engaged with the terminal operators should negotiate an amicable solution to the issue.
DRAP notifies hike in prices of 94 life-saving drugs
Pakistan desires peaceful, stable Afghanistan: FM
PESHAWAR Investigation agencies on Wednesday finalised the initial investigation report of the Tuesday blast inside a seminary in Peshawar that claimed as many as 10 lives. At least 10 people were martyred and more than 110 injured – most of them children – in the powerful morning blast in the city’s Dir Colony. An investigation team, comprised of the officials of the counter-terror department, police, and other law enforcement agencies, has prepared a preliminary probe report. A student of the seminary has been detained and being questioned. The maintenance work of washrooms of the seminary was under progress, the labourers of that work also being questioned, according to the report.
placed on its gray list for alleged money laundering. Meanwhile, Cavusoglu, the statement said, appreciated Islamabad’s “successful” efforts to comply with the FATF plan in recent months. The Turkish top diplomat also offered his condolences over Tuesday’s bomb blast in a religious seminary attached to a mosque in Peshawar, which martyred at least 10 people and injured over 110. He also hailed Prime Minister Imran Khan for his stand against Islamophobia. The two foreign ministers agreed to continue consultations and cooperation on matters relating to regional peace and security in the future.
STAFF REPORT
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reiterated Pakistan's support for a peaceful, united and stable Afghanistan during a telephonic conversation with his Afghan counterpart on Wednesday. During the conversation, Qureshi and Afghan Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar exchanged their views on matters relating to Afghan peace process, bilateral relations, repatriation of Afghan refugees and regional connectivity. Qureshi highlighted the country's positive contribution towards the Afghan peace process and expressed hope that the Afghan leadership would seize this historic opportunity through Intra-Afghan negotiations to establish lasting peace in Afghanistan by achieving an inclusive, broadbased and comprehensive political settlement. The FM underlined the need for guarding against the role of 'spoilers' who did not wish to see the return of peace and stability in Afghanistan. He reiterated that Pakistan will respect the decisions taken by the Afghan government about their future through an Afghan-led and Afghan owned peace process. Moreover, the foreign minister also welcomed the in-
creasing high-level bilateral visits that include the recent visit of the Afghan Wolesi Jigra Speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani to the Pakistan- Afghanistan trade Investment Forum in Islamabad. Qureshi further emphasised on deepening the trade and economic ties between the two countries and to make efforts to enhance connectivity. The FM reiterated the importance of a time-bound and well-resourced road map for the repatriation of Afghan refugees. He also emphasised on Pakistan's commitment to a safe and dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland. The FM mentioned the steps taken by Pakistan to facilitate Afghans. He highlighted the new visa policy that aims to further ease people-to-people contact between the two nations Furthermore, Qureshi commiserated over the loss of lives in the unfortunate incident in Jalalabad where Afghan local authorities were managing visa applicants. At least 15 Afghans were killed and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede that occurred in an open ground where thousands of Afghans had gathered, on October 21, to secure visas from the Pakistan consulate in eastern Afghanistan.
FBR, CAP sign accord for efficient integration of Point of Sales
ISLAMABAD APP
Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed to raise in the meeting of the federal cabinet the issue of suspending diplomatic relations with France over the publication of blasphemous caricatures of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). A petition calling for Pakistan to suspend diplomatic relations with France was heard in the IHC wherein Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani maintained that the federal cabinet should take a decision keeping in view public sentiments. The plaintiff appeared before the court and argued that several Muslim countries, including Turkey and Qatar, had protested against the publication of the sketches in France. “The worst thing is that French President Emmanuel Macron asked for the sketches to be displayed on two [hotel] buildings,” he added. Justice Kiyani remarked that the Pakistan government has condemned the act, the French ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office (FO) and a resolution has been passed by the National Assembly (NA). The court dismissed the case by referring the matter to the federal cabinet.
Imran, Buzdar discuss prices of essential commodities in Punjab LAHOREؔؔ Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday briefed Prime Minister Imran Khan on the political and economic situation in the province, Radio Pakistan reported. The premier, who was on a one-day visit to Lahore, also discussed administrative matters including prices and availability of essential commodities in the province. STAFF REPORT
‘Anti-Pakistan forces become active again’ ISLAMABAD TLTP
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the government will take all possible steps to ensure security and stability in the country. In a statement on Wednesday, the foreign minister said the forces that want instability and chaos in Pakistan have again become active, and they
have demonstrated their nefarious designs through the recent terrorist incidents in Quetta and Peshawar. The minister said the entire nation will have to join hands to protect peace in the country. He said that in addition to the government's arrangements, cooperation of people as well as the religious scholars will be required for security of the processions of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (Peace Be
Upon Him). The foreign minister stressed that the federal and provincial governments will have to stay on alert. He added that public support is important to ensure security and urged people to maintain religious harmony. “Some elements want to politicise the blasphemous caricature issue,” he said, adding, “The government is not neglectful of its responsibilities.”
Journalist’s ‘abduction’: SC asks police to submit probe report in a month ISLAMABAD TLTP
The Supreme Court (SC) expressed dissatisfaction on Wednesday over Islamabad Police's investigation report on journalist Matiullah Jan's alleged abduction. The apex court was hearing a contempt of court proceedings against Matiullah Jan. The senior journalist was allegedly abducted from the federal capital's sector g-6 on July 21, 2020, and was released later in the day near Fateh Jang, a small town in Punjab.
During the proceedings, the SC ordered the Islamabad inspector general of police to change the investigation team handling the case. “Islamabad Ig should hand over the investigation to a competent officer or team,” the apex court remarked, ordering the investigation should be completed within a month and a report submitted to the concerned court. During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) gulzar Ahmed inquired about the whereabouts of Islamabad’s top cop. The CJP, on being told that the Ig was on leave, remarked that the "Ig went on leave as soon as he heard
ISLAMABAD: About a month after the federal cabinet announced to allow pharmaceutical companies to increase prices of 94 lifesaving medicines to end their chronic shortage in the market, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Wednesday issued a notification in this regard. Reportedly, the medicines that would witness price hikes included furosemide injections for emergency use in high blood pressure cases; acetazolamide tablets for glaucoma; hydralazine tablets to lower blood pressure and carbamazepine tablets for epilepsy. According to an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Health, the designated maximum retail prices would remain in place until June 30, 2021. The government had in September announced that prices were increased only on drugs that were in the “hardship category,” as recommended by the Drug Pricing Committee under the Drugs Pricing Policy, 2018. The “hardship category” is a clause that allows increasing medicine prices for a company that stops the manufacturing of medicines by claiming its production has become non-viable due to the high cost of production. STAFF REPORT
LAHORE: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Chainstore Association of Pakistan (CAP) to ensure effective and efficient integration of Point of Sales (PoS)/tills installed at Tier-1 retailers' locations across the country. "The milestone achieved today provides for incentives to the retailers who voluntarily integrate with FBR’s system by 30th November 2020," said a statement issued on Wednesday. STAFF REPORT
of the case being fixed for hearing". “What questions can the court ask the acting Ig when he did not make the report?” observed member of the apex court bench Justice Ijazul Ahsan. During proceedings held in August, the SC had expressed complete dissatisfaction over the Islamabad Police's handling of Jan's abduction case. Time is of the essence in an investigation of a criminal case as evidence disappears with each passing day, observed the bench. The CJP wondered as to why the investigating officer did not visit relevant departments to gather information. The court directed the Islamabad inspector-general of police to supervise the investigation and submit a final report on the matter within four weeks. Jan also requested additional time to submit his written reply before the court in contempt proceedings against him by the apex court for a 'contemptuous' tweet posted by his account regarding Justice Qazi Faez Isa's decision.
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
NEWS
AmEnDmEntS to IoK lAnD lAwS AImED At ConvERtIng KASHmIRIS Into mInoRIty: Fo ISLAMABAD
P
STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN has categorically rejected the Indian government's illegal amendments to the land ownership laws in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) to convert Kashmiris into a minority in their own land. The Foreign Office (FO), in a statement on Wednesday, said that these laws were promulgated under "J-K Re-organisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020". It said that this highly condemnable Indian action is yet another clear violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, bilateral agreements between Pakistan and India, and international law. The IOK is an internationally recognised dispute under the relevant UNSC resolutions and international law. India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August last year, and subsequent measures, particularly the domicile law and now the land ownership laws, are aimed at changing the demographic structure of IOK to convert the Kashmiris into a minority in their own land.
The FO said that changing the demographic structure of the occupied territory is a violation of the 4th geneva Convention and constitutes war crime. All these measures and laws, lacking legal and moral legitimacy, are forced upon the oppressed people of IOK through the barrel of the gun with an unprecedented military siege in the most militarised zone in the world. It is reiterated that such steps can neither change the disputed nature of IOK, recognised as such by the UN and the international community, nor can they prejudice the inalienable right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The FO urged the UN and the international community to take immediate action to stop India from changing the demography and distinct identity of IOK and facilitate resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as per the relevant UNSC resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. UNWARRANTED REFERENCE REJECTED: The FO also rejected unwarranted reference of Pakistan in the joint statement issued by India and the US after their "2+2 Ministerial Dia-
Pm gives three-month deadline to ministers to improve performance ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR
Prime Minister Imran Khan has given a threemonth deadline to all cabinet members to improve performance and take measures to help bring in drastic changes in the lives of the public at large. This comes on heels of news taking rounds in the federal capital of major reshuffle in the federal cabinet. Sources told Pakistan Today that the premier gave the three-month deadline to the cabinet ministers during a recent meeting of the federal cabinet and asked them to fight to protect the rights of the public at large. Reportedly, the PM warned the cabinet members that it is the final warning to all ministries to improve their performance in three months, adding failure would lead to major
logue" held in New Delhi a day earlier. FO Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said, “We take strong exception to Pakistan-related assertions made in the selective and one-sided Joint Statement, devoid of meeting the objectivity criteria." He said that failing to take cognisance of the grave humanitarian and human rights situation in the IOK, further aggravated by India's unilateral and illegal measures of August 5 last year, is tantamount to abdication of international responsibility. The spokesperson said that gratuitous and self-serving references in joint statements cannot mask the fact that it is India that continues to be the nerve centre of State-terrorism in the region including IOK, besides being a safe haven for the perpetrators of hate crimes against Muslims and Islamophobia. He said that India cannot divert attention from the gross human rights violations being perpetrated by Indian occupation forces and the resulting humanitarian crisis in IOK by seeking to project itself as 'victim' of terrorism. Chaudhri said that international community recognises Pakistan's efforts, sac-
rifices and success in the fight against terrorism. As a country that has suffered the most from cross-border terrorism, Pakistan would continue to contribute constructively to regional and global efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. He said that it is important that partner countries take an objective view of the issues of peace and security in South Asia and refrain from endorsing positions that are one-sided and divorced from ground realities. Earlier on Tuesday, the US and India signed a pact to share sensitive satellite and map data, prompting quick warning from Pakistan that the agreement will have serious repercussions for peace and stability in South Asia. In a joint statement issued after the talks held in New Delhi, Indian ministers – Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh – “called on Pakistan to take immediate, sustained and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorist attacks, and to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators and planners of all such attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai, Uri, and Pathankot”.
CII submits suggestions on Hindu temple construction in capital ISLAMABAD TLTP
The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Wednesday submitted recommendations to the ministry over construction of crematorium, Hindu community centre and the worship place in Islamabad. According to a media report, the council has sent its recommendations over establishment of crematorium, Hindu community centre and the worship place to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony.
The CII has also recommended opening the temple and Dharamsala at Saidpur and taking steps to make the access easy for Hindu community to the place. It is to be mentioned here that Saidpur has been situated on the slopes of scenic Margalla Hills in Islamabad. The council allows setting up a crematorium in Islamabad at an appropriate location, CII sources said. The CII has also endorsed construction of a community centre for Hindu minority in Islamabad. The CII, however, said that it could not endorse allocation of government funds for the construction of a temple in Islamabad.
Migrant workers face layoffs, health issues and uncertainty worldwide PRESS RELEASE The Centre on International Migration, Remittances and Diaspora, Lahore School of Economics inaugurated its second international conference virtually on the 27th of October. The webinar, entitled, “Impact of COVID-19 on Migrants, Migration Flows and Remittances: Focus on South and SouthEast Asia” was participated by some of the most renowned, national and international, migration researchers and experts. Dr Rashid Amjad, Director, CIMRAD, began the proceedings of the webinar by welcoming the guests and thanking the organizers at CIMRAD, speakers and discussants. He asserted that close to 90 million people were expected to fall into poverty as a repercussion of Covid-19, and in reference to the South and South East Asian economies, the future of migrant workers does not seem encouraging. Aspiring migrants had to borrow and spend huge amounts to ob-
media wing established to lead digital diplomacy ISLAMABAD APP
The federal government on Wednesday took a major step to promote national narrative and counter antistate propaganda by establishing a digital media wing under the administration of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Pakistan has stepped up for strengthening the national narrative on the international level and a digital media wing under the administration of the information ministry. After getting the approval from Prime Minister Imran Khan, the digital media wing commenced a campaign for promoting the national narrative. The newly-established wing will perform tasks as a strategic unit to promote counter-narrative against the propaganda running from inside and outside the country.
tain work visas but are now facing an uncertain future as destination countries toughened their migration policies and air travel remains limited. Amidst all this, he highlighted the opportunity the crisis has provided for governments and policy institutes to think through the migration processes and conditions of work for migrants. The two day webinar tried to look at the impact of Covid-19 on three different aspects of the migration process; the migrants, the migration flows and remittances. Prof PhillipeFargues, the founding director of Migration Policy Centre in Florence, set the tune for the webinar by raising the questions about the nature and impact of the pandemic. The role of migrants in spreading the disease was also looked at. Dr Rashid Amjad, Director, CIMRAD, in response to this summed up that in most countries the migrants were not responsible for spreading the disease as they constituted only a small minority of the population. The
Shell Pakistan posts Rs1.8bn profit for Q3 2020 NEWS DESK The Board of Directors of Shell Pakistan Limited on Wednesday announced the company’s financial results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2020. The company posted an after tax profit of Rs1,812 million in 3Q2020 compared to the profit of Rs570 million in the same period of last year. “Overall, the financials still present a challenging situation, driven primarily by the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and its effects, which resulted in declining fuels demand and volatility in the international oil prices,” read a statement issued by the company. Over the course of the nine months, Pak Rupee devalued against the US dollar by a further 6pc. Although Pak Rupee remained relatively stable during the quarter, its effects were felt in the overall results of the company.
03
PPP leader and nA deputy speaker clash during session NEWS DESK Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Leader Agha Rafiullah Awan and Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri butted heads during the Nation Assembly (NA) session on Wednesday, leading to the expulsion of the former from the assembly hall. The opposition had been protesting against the deputy speaker, who had also been chairing the session, alleging that Suri had been unwilling to share the mic. During this, PPP’s Awan started crosstalk in the hall about the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) recent rallies. According to the reports, Awan had been told repeatedly to stop interrupting the proceedings, but this resulted in a direct clash with the deputy speaker. Furthermore, after Awan began reportedly “getting personal”, he was asked to temporarily leave the session. Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf apologized on Awan’s behalf and sought a reversal of the ruling, but Suri refused to let someone who was impeding the NA go unpunished. In support, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Ali Muhammad read from the rules and pointed out that Awan himself should apologise for not following the chair’s directives. Awan, along with a few other opposition leaders, left the assembly hall and returned after a few minutes. During the absence of various opposition leaders, PTI’s Murad Saeed moved for a resolution to condemn the PDM rally in Quetta. Murad said, “You are speaking to the tunes of [Indian premier] Modi and [Indian National Security Advisor] Ajit Doval.” He further said that the opposition parties would not be given an NRO, and ripped off the agenda papers, for which he was reprimanded. Upon the return of the expelled leaders, the former premier rued the repetitive narrative presented by the PTI. “We are tired of hearing the same things again and again,” he said, adding that it was hypocritical of the PTI to illegalise the jalsa when the party itself rose to prominence thanks to their dharnas. “The country does not belong to only you or me, it belongs to the masses,” he said, warning PTI members against politicising the issue.
Court grants Zardari exemption from appearance in Park lane case ISLAMABAD APP
An accountability court in Islamabad on Wednesday approved former president Asif Ali Zardari’s petition seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Park Lane reference. Accountability Judge Azam Khan resumed the hearing of the case. Zardari’s lawyer, Farooq H Naek appeared before the court, requesting the judge to grant his client exemption from personal appearance in the hearing. All co-accused, except one, nominated in the case were in attendance in court. Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused face charges of corruption through fake bank accounts and embezzlement in the financial facility for Park Lane Private Limited and Parthenon (Pvt) Ltd. The case is being investigated under different sections of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, over Zardari’s alleged involvement in a loan and its misappropriation by Parthenon Private Limited.
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Thursday, 29 October, 2020
NEWS
JuSTiCe iSa'S review pLea hearing adJOurned TiLL SeCOnd haLf Of nOveMBer ISLAMABAD
T
TLTP
HE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of Justice Qazi Faez Isa case till the third week of November after the petitioners sought time for further preparation and modification of the petition. A seven-
judge larger bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, heard the case. Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the petitioners should be given a full hearing.
Earlier on June 19, a ten-judge full-court quashed a presidential reference that alleged that Justice Isa had committed misconduct by not disclosing his family member’s foreign properties and sought his removal. In the split order, seven of the judges had, however, referred the case to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and ordered the tax authority to launch an inquiry into foreign assets of Justice Isa’s family. The short order had asked the FBR chairman to present a report on the basis of the inquiry to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), the constitutional forum that can hold a superior court judge accountable, and the SJC, according to some legal expert, could revive the reference and initiate proceedings against Justice Isa. Sarina Isa, Justice Isa and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) had filed separate appeals against the June 19 order. Some other lawyer bodies, including the Supreme
Court Bar Association (SCBA), have also filed review petitions. Challenging the short order, Sarina Isa said the new class of people that the SC order has created includes the spouses and children of judges, with their assets and liabilities being elevated to the status of public importance impinging on the fundamental rights of all citizens of Pakistan. She said that the creation of such a class backed by a judicial order without any foundation in law may be seen to be invidious and discriminatory. The petitioner said that under Article 194 of the Constitution, all judges of the superior courts take the same oath, under the third schedule. The petitioner said that she and her children are being made to explain their sources of income to the exclusion of the spouses and children of all 139 sitting chief justices and judges of the superior courts.
Court seeks NAB report for Shehbaz's jail trial LAHORE TLTP
In order to ensure an early trial in the money laundering reference, an accountability court has sought a report from the director general of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for jail trial of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif. Accountability Court Judge Jawadul Hassan issued a four-page written order in the money laundering reference here on Wednesday. The written order stated that the best solution to complete an early trial is a jail trial. It also mentioned that the people in the courtroom face difficulties when PML-N leaders Shehbaz and Hamza Shahbaz appear before the court. In the wake of the current situation of the coronavirus, the written order stated, the NAB DG should submit a report in the Lahore court. According to the written order, Shehbaz's children Suleman Shehbaz and Rabia Imran are deliberately not joining the trial, adding that they must appear in court in the future. The NAB officials should provide copies of statements of the four pardoned witnesses to the lawyers of the accused, the written order stated. Earlier in September, the NAB arrested Shehbaz after the Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed his request for a pre-arrest bail in an asset beyond means and money laundering case. The NAB officials took Shehbaz into their custody from the courtroom where a large number of PML-N supporters were present.
Court allows NAB to close 20 years old inquiry against Shehbaz LAHORE TLTP
An accountability court on Wednesday granted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a two-decadeold inquiry against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President Shehbaz Sharif over alleged illegal allotment of twelve plots. Judge Jawadul Hassan announced this verdict after hearing arguments of the NAB prosecutor. The anti-corruption watchdog shelved the inquiry pending for the past 20 years for want of evidence. The prosecutor said all relevant records were completely gutted due to a fire engulfing the building of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA). There is no evidence to corroborate charges against Shehbaz, he added. Moreover, the bureau said, two people, Mian Attaullah and Mian Raza Attauallah, named in the inquiry have passed away. The former Punjab chief minister had been accused of allotting 12 plots to his favorite persons. Lahore NAB had initiated the inquiry against Shehbaz and others in 2000. Lahore Development Authority (LDA) acquired the land of Mozu Nawan Kot for Gulshan Ravi Society in 1978 and was to provide 10-marla plots in return.
pakistan navy tests new anti-ship missiles NEWS DESK Chief of Naval Staff Amjad Khan Niazi said on Wednesday that Pakistan is ready to deal with any aggression after a successful test of new anti-ship missiles fired from the sea and air in the North Arabian Sea. “The Pakistan Navy is fully capable of responding to any kind of aggression,” said the admiral, expressing “complete satisfaction” over the results of the missile tests. He also remarked that Pakistan’s naval forces were always ready to defend the country’s maritime assets and borders. “Pakistan Navy warships, aircraft and helicopters successfully hit their respective targets,” the Navy’s Directorate General of Public Relations said in a statement.
ZTBL officer shot dead in Okara NEWS DESK Unidentified armed men shot dead Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited officer in Okara when he was on his way to home from office on Tuesday. Rehmat Ali, Mobile Credit Officer of ZTBL Rajowal Branch, District Okara, was shot dead by armed robbers who intercepted his bike at 7:30pm. The ZTBL president and colleagues at the bank are aggrieved at the shocking incident. ZTBL pays rich tribute to the services of Rehmat Ali who laid his life in the line of duty. Police have lodged FIR against the unknown robbers. The management of ZTBL will take necessary legal steps accordingly. ZTBL expresses deepest condolences to the bereaved family members.
23 brick kiln labourers recovered from private jail in Matiari MATIARI TLTP
Local police on Wednesday conducted a raid at a brick kiln and recovered 23 people languishing in an alleged private jail in Matiari district of Sindh. The alleged private jail was constructed over a brick kiln in the area where the suspects had reportedly detained 23 labourers, including women and children. Police conducted a raid on the private jail after the additional sessions judge issued orders over a petition regarding the place, where innocent people were forcefully being detained, officials said. The police, however, did not disclose if any person responsible for the illegal private jail was arrested, neither it identified the culprits. The private jail was constructed in Matiari district and it is yet to be known whether the people kept at the detention place were bonded-labourers or free citizens. However, reports about bonded-labourers camps frequently surfaced in the media in the past. Bonded labour has been outlawed in Pakistan and most other affected countries in line with the United Nations (UN) conventions on human rights. It is a type of forced labour and according to media reports, more than four million people, including women and children, work in almost 20,000 brick kilns across Pakistan to pay off family loans taken from the business owners.
SC gives benefit of doubt to murder suspect ISLAMABAD TLTP
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday acquitted a murder suspect after 12 years by giving him the benefit of doubt. Muhammad Yaseen, the murder suspect, has been imprisoned in District Jail Okara since 2008 for allegedly murdering a citizen after having a minor dispute. He had been sentenced to death by a trial court and later it was converted into life imprisonment by the high court. The petitioner’s counsel told the court that a scuffle had occurred at a street late at night at around 1:30am and a citizen was killed due to firing in the incident.
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
PakIStan POSt ReveRtS Back tO ManUal ledgeR SySteM iSLAMABAd
P
SHAHZAD PARACHA
AKISTAN Post's financial transactions system has reverted back to manual ledger system due to its non-functional Centralised Software Solution (CSS). Sources said that the departmental rift among the high-ups of Pakistan Post and the Ministry of Communications has pushed the state institution into stone age as the entire financial transactions system of PP has reverted back to the manual ledger system. At present, the officials of general post offices (GPOs) are shifting the data on excel sheets to keep the record safe, however, a PP official informed this scribe that manual transactions record has found numerous errors and possibility of ghost transactions in saving accounts. The Pakistan Post management had given a contract to Telconet to automate the workings of seven fi-
BOP reports before tax profit of Rs10bn for 9M2020 A meeting of the Board of Directors of The Bank of Punjab was held on Thursday to consider and approve the unaudited financial statements for the nine months period ended September 30, 2020. The board reviewed the bank’s financial performance and expressed its satisfaction on prudent management of resources through which negative impact of Covid-19 related economic slowdown has been managed to a great extent. The board appreciated the efforts of management team and staff members for ensuring provision of seamless banking services to bank’s valued customers in a very challenging operating environment. During nine months period ended September 30, 2020, the bank was able to minimize the impact of adverse economic conditions by opting investment strategy which resulted in substantial capital gains on books of the bank as non-markup/interest income increased to Rs11.56 billion compared to Rs2.80 billion, showing a substantial increase of 313pc YoY. However, net interest margin (NIM) remained at Rs17.15 billion. Accordingly, during nine months period ended September 30, 2020, pre-provision profit improved to Rs15.87 billion as against Rs11.99 billion during corresponding period last year thereby, registering a rise of 32pc. However, in view of prevalent economic situation, in addition to subjective assessment, the bank also opted to create general provision against loans and advances on prudent basis.Accordingly, the bank posted before tax profit of Rs10.01 billion as against Rs10.52 billion earned during corresponding period of year 2019. Earnings per Share (EPS) for the nine months of year 2020 remained at the level of Rs. 2.20 per share. NEWS DESK
nancial services in 83 GPOs across the country, but the Pakistan Post inquiry report revealed that the system was not working effectively even after the lapse of seven years. Telconet has rejected the PP's inquiry report, stating that the PP's IT department was satisfied with the performance of the vendor during the first three years, and as a consequence, the service contract was duly extended till 2017. Independent IT experts opined that the technology implementation and service provision of the financial services was inherently a difficult task given the resistance of vested interests within the Pakistan Post officers, who opposed automation at every level of the behemoth organization. Record shows that Telconet paid around $650,000 to Escher software licences for the software, consulting, training and support services, resulting in the successful implementation of the world class solution. The
PP's IT department in its communication had mentioned that "TelcoNet has implemented all the seven financial services of Pakistan Post as per the Contract Agreement time period". The copy of the contract agreement of 2012 between PPOD and the vendor revealed that "TelcoNet shall supply only executable versions of the software. All intellectual Property Rights pertaining to software, documentation and other technology will remain with the developing company". The vendor selected by PP after Feb 15, 2019, carried on providing the same services in 83 GPOs, from a system left by TelcoNet, successfully for several months after the expiry of TelcoNet contract, which shows that the vendor left a fully operational system with PP in Feb 2019. The new vendor has all records and system data as they kept on operating the system for many months after Feb 2019, and were paid for the successful operations by Pakistan Post.
FFC’s profit rises 30pc to Rs4.6bn in 3Q2020 LAHORE STAFF REPORT
The Board of Directors (BOD) of Fauji Fertiliser Company Limited met on Wednesday to review the company’s performance and announce its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. As per details, the fertiliser manufacturers booked an unconsolidated profit of Rs4.628 billion (EPS: Rs3.64) for 3Q2020 as compared to a profit of Rs3.563 billion (EPS: Rs2.80) during the same period of last year (3Q2019), showing an increase of 30pc YoY. This took the 9M2020 earnings to Rs13.764 billion (EPS: Rs10.82) as compared to Rs12.468 billion (EPS: Rs9.80) in 9M2019, depicting a rise of 10pc YoY. During the meeting, the BOD also announced the interim cash dividend of Rs2.55 per share i.e.25.50pc. This is in addition to the interim dividend paid already at Rs5.25 per share i.e.52.50pc. “The company’s interim cash dividend for quarter is slightly lower than our expectation of Rs2.75
per share. It takes total cash dividend to Rs7.80 per share in 9M2020,” Topline Securities Limited Research Analyst Sunny Kumar. Kumar added that the company’s revenues declined by 7pc YoY to Rs24,636 million in 3Q2020 amidst a fall in urea offtake by 3pc YoY and average urea prices by 14pc YoY. However, DAP sales increased by 25pc YoY to 93,000 tonnes in 3Q2020, while average prices declined by 3pc YoY. He maintained that the gross margin increased by 7.8ppts YoY to 33.6pc in 3Q2020 from 25.7pc in 3Q2019. “Finance costs decreased by 51pc YoY to Rs271million in 3Q2020 amidst lower borrowing and interest rates,” Kumar said. Similarly, the company’s “other income” declined by 39pc YoY to Rs951million in 3Q2020 mainly due to lower interest rates. Effective tax rate clocked in at 29.9pc in 3Q2020 as compared to 31.5pc in 3Q2019.
Indus Motor’s profit increases 40pc to Rs1.85bn in 1QFY21 The Board of Directors of Indus Motor Company (IMC) on Wednesday released its financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2020. The company's combined sales of complete knocked down (CKD) and complete built-up (CBU) units for the quarter increased by 73pc to 11,809 units against 6,839 units sold in the same period last year. The market share of IMC in the overall market stood at approximately 27pc during the first quarter. The company's net sales turnover for the quarter increased by 65pc to rs34.19 billion compared to Rs20.72 billion in the same period last year; while profit after tax increased by 40pc to Rs1.85 billion against Rs1.32 billion achieved in the same period last year. The increase in turnover and profitability for the three-month period was mainly due to higher CKD and CBU volumes, and increased other income due to improved cash flows, however, due to the depreciation of Pak Rupee and absorption of costs, the gross margin of the company reduced to 6.7pc against 9.7pc in same period last year. The overwhelming response received for Toyota Yaris also led to volume increase. The company has opened booking for the Toyota Corolla 1.6 Manual Transmission vehicle, considering the customer demand, and is consistent with IMC’s policy of providing customers with more options and features. The earnings per share of the company stood at Rs23.48 as compared to Rs16.78 reported during the same time last year. The BoD declared first interim cash dividend of Rs12 per share for the first quarter as compared to Rs7 per share in the same period of last year. Expressing his views, IMC CEO Ali Asghar Jamali stated, "We would like to appreciate our customers for their continued loyalty towards our products as well as acknowledging the tremendous and dedicated efforts of our staff, vendors, dealers, business partners and the entire Indus team during these challenging times." NEWS DESK
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In letter to Muslim leaders, Imran urges Ummah to unite against Islamophobia cOntinuEd On pAgE 01 He urged Muslim leaders to collectively raise their voice and explain to the leadership of the non-Muslim, especially western states, the deep-seated reverence and love all Muslims feel for their divine book, the Holy Quran, and for Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). By reaching out to “the other,” cycles of violence bred by ignorance and hatred could be brought to an end, he added. Detailing his suggestions for how best to proceed, the prime minister said that the Western world must acknowledge that value systems differ for social and religious and ethnic groups. “For Europeans and Jews, the Holocaust, which was the culmination of the Nazi pogrom, has led to many Western, especially European states, to criminalizing any act of criticism or questioning of the Holocaust. We understand and respect that,” he added. However, he said, the time had now come for the Western world to give similar respect to Muslims, who have seen similar mass killings in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). PM Imran said that the pain and hurt to Muslims is greatest when they see attacks on our faith and beloved Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) through mockery, ridicule and even abuse. He added that the Muslim faith found blasphemy against any Prophet of Islam, Christianity or Judaism “unacceptable.” Reiterating his call for the leaders of the Muslim world to carry this message to the rest of the world, the prime minister said said that the world cannot continue this hate spiral. “Our faith is guided by peace and tolerance as practiced in Riyasat-e-Madina and in accordance with Misaq-e-Madina.” It is our responsibility to inform the world of this spirit and core of our faith Islam,” he added. The letter comes after protests and condemnations broke out in the Muslim world over a statement issued by French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing Muslims of being “separatists” and vowed to continue encouraging the creation and display of blasphemous caricatures. Macron’s speech came after a teacher was beheaded in France for showing blasphemous caricatures during a class on free speech. In Pakistan, calls have mounted for a boycott of all French goods, with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman vowing to lead protests against the French president next week.
Soneri Bank’s nine-month profit rises 49.5pc to Rs1.81bn The Board of Directors of Soneri Bank Limited, in its 181st meeting held on Wednesday, approved the bank’s condensed interim financial statements for the ninemonth period ended 30 September 2020. The bank posted a profit before tax (PBT) of Rs3,092.80 million and profit after tax (PAT) of Rs1,811.30 million for the nine months period ended 30 September 2020, as compared to Rs2,065.65 million and Rs1,211.09 million, respectively, for the same period last year, and growing by 49.73pc and 49.56pc, respectively. The bank’s earning per share was recorded at Rs1.64 for the current reporting period, as compared to Rs1.09 for the comparative prior period. Profit before provisions and taxation for the nine months period ended 30 September 2020, was reported at Rs4,393.01 million, indicating an impressive growth of 179.71pc from the level of Rs1,570.56 million for the corresponding prior period. The bank’s net advances portfolio stood at Rs187,242.79 million as at 30 September 2020, 8.62pc lower than the year end 2019 level. Its non-performing advances to total advances ratio stands at 5.51pc at 30 September 2020 (December 2019: 5.13pc), while specific coverage has improved to 74.92pc (December 2019: 69.46pc). NEWS DESK
9M2020: MCB Bank’s profit rises 39pc to Rs38.3bn The Board of Directors of MCB Bank Limited (MCB) met under the chairmanship of Mian Mohammad Mansha to review the bank’s performance and approve the condensed interim financial statements for the nine months period ended September 30, 2020. In compliance with SBP's instructions, the bank has not declared dividend for the thirdquarter ended September 30, 2020. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, MCB achieved significant financial growth by focusing on its operational resilience and continuity planning to successfully navigate through the downside risks posed to operating and economic outlook by the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak while concurrently playing a central role in supporting governments’ key pandemic responses for credit extension and provision of essential banking services to the general public. With strong build up in core earnings, MCB’s profit after tax (PAT) for the nine months period ended September 30, 2020, posted an year-on-year growth of 41pc to reach Rs22.94 billion; translating into an earning per share (EPS) of Rs19.35 against an EPS of Rs13.74 posted in the corresponding period of 2019. Sizeable growth in current deposits, timely shift in maturity profiling of investments and favorable re-pricing lag enabled the Bank to increase its net interest income by 29pc to Rs55.35 billion.
CMYK
Fee income for 9M’20 was reported less by 4pc over the same period last year, primarily due to lower transaction volumes and business activities induced by the lockdowns; however, with their lifting, fee income is normalizing, growing by 25pc over the previous quarter in 3Q’20. Amidst evolving yield curve expectations, proactive duration management of the investments portfolio resulted in capital gains of Rs2.80 billion during the period under review. Hence, the total non-markup income posted a robust growth of 18pc to reach Rs13.56 billion. On the operating expenses side (excluding pension fund reversal), despite sustained inflationary pressures, expansion in branch outreach and continued investment in technological infrastructure together with regular performance and merit adjustments for the human capital, the bank’s strategic focus of balancing short term tactical cost reductions with long term cost initiatives has assisted in containing growth in administrative expenses; in turn registering a decline of Rs292 million during the period under review. In anticipation that customers affected by the pandemic might require provisioning once SBP’s relaxations and waivers expire in 2021, the management has exercised prudence and booked a general provision of Rs5.30 billion during the period under review, hence providing insulation and loss absorption capacity against emerging risks to asset quality.
With respect to equity investments, ensuing volatility in the stock market amidst rising systematic risks and realization of other idiosyncratic factors led to the recognition of an impairment charge of Rs1.74 billion. On the financial position side, the total asset base of the bank on an unconsolidated basis was reported at Rs1.67 trillion depicting an increase of 11pc over December 2019. Analysis of the asset mix highlights that net investments increased by Rs216 billion (29pc) whereas due to subdued domestic demand gross advances decreased by Rs46 billion (-9pc) over December 2019. The non-performing loan (NPLs) base of the bank recorded an increase of Rs784 million and was reported at Rs50.21 billion. The increase was primarily on account of currency devaluation impact of foreign currency denominated NPLs with no significant accretion in the number of cases. On the liabilities side, the deposit base of the bank registered an unprecedented increase of Rs130.11 billion, +11pc over December 2019, with over 43pc growth contributed by current accounts, improving the current account mix to 37.7pc and CASA ratio to 93.2pc. The bank enjoys the highest local credit ratings of AAA / A1+ categories for the long term and short term respectively, based on PACRA notification dated June 26, 2020. NEWS DESK
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
06 COMMENT
Baba-e-Quam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: An Apology
Peshawar terrorist attack An epitaph for the National Action Plan
If the nation cannot defend its founder, his grandson must be called in
t
He terrorist attack inside a Peshawar madrassa shows that much needs to be done to improve the country’s security. the use of tnt with a sophisticated timing device has led some to conclude that the attack does not bear the typical signature of the ttP and its offshoots, and has been conducted by an erstwhile unknown group. While at least eight students have been killed, as many as 120 were injured, more deaths cannot be ruled out. In a stock response, the Prime Minister has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Keeping in view the past performance of the government, the statement would inspire confidence in few. about two weeks back as many as 20 security personnel died on a single day in two terrorist attacks. at a Corps Commanders Conference held soon after it was decided to undertake a comprehensive review of the recent surge in terrorist incidents in the country. a newspaper report tells of a heated debate having been going on between the afghan cleric during whose sermon in a Peshawar mosque the terrorist attack took place and another cleric, with both sides hurling charges of heresy online against each other. the possibility of extremist thinking being behind the attack cannot therefore be ruled out. one expects the security agencies to be not only monitoring hate material on the net but also getting leads from it to identify terrorist networks and infiltrate these. the recent Peshawar incident has roused the memories of the army Public School massacre and the national action Plan formulated subsequently. Had the naP been implemented, there would have been fewer incidents of terrorism in days to come. It has been rightly pointed out by the Supreme Court and sections of media that soon after its announcement the naP was consigned to oblivion. While online space for dissent and freedom of expression has shrunk in Pakistan, religious extremism, which acts as the fountainhead of terrorism, is allowed to flourish instead of being curbed as required by the naP. Complaints continue to emerge that the security agencies are more active in keeping a tab on opposition leaders, creating divisions within parties, and stagemanaging elections rather than directing their energies to curbing extremism and terrorism.
Dr FariD a Malik
S
enator Walid Iqbal, the grandson of Dr Muhammad Iqbal Lahori, while addressing the Senate, challenged the goons of PML(n) to dare to desecrate the mausoleum of his grandfather as they did at the last resting place of the Baba-e-Qaum. “We, the grandchildren of the Poet of the east, will not only throw you out, we will also tear your clothes”. on hearing his roar, I felt sorry for Jinnah as there is no one in his immediate family to stand up for him. His grandson and great grandson (nusli Wadia and his son ness Wadia) live in Bombay where the battle for the control of Jinnah House is being waged between their family and the governments of both India and Pakistan. We have failed the Father of the nation. He cannot even rest in peace in a country that he created with his sweat and blood through his selfless struggle. on my part, I am tendering an unconditional apology as I bow my head in shame and utter helplessness, together with my 220 Million-strong countrymen and one of the best armed forces of the world. I am appealing to nusli Wadia the grandson of the Quaid to come and protect the grave of his grandfather as we are unable to do so. Walid’s grandfather allama Iqbal, as he is called in this country that he envisioned, was born in Sialkot in november 1877. He then moved to Lahore for
Wheat support price jitters Holy cows in the federal cabinet
Autonomy versus integration
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Cabinet meeting is supposed to be a forum for healthy debate, where ministers bring to bear the experience and political instincts they have to areas outside their departmental limits. Still, this is not supposed to be license for a free-for-all, which seems to be what happened at tuesday’s meeting of the federal Cabinet when its consideration of the wheat support price turned into the rest of the Cabinet criticizing the performance of the concerned ministers over the failure to control the rises in the prices of wheat and sugar. the Wheat support price had initially had an increase approved by the economic Coordination Committee (eCC) of the Cabinet, but even that mechanism for saving the full Cabinet from having to get into the nitty-gritty of issues did not work. the result was that the eCC decision on the support price was deferred until today. the Food Security Minister Fakhar Imam came under fire for being the minister unable to control food inflation, as did economic affairs Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, whose family owns sugar mills which benefited from the shortage. the time till the arrival of supplies being imported is January, which implies two or three months more of high prices. the Cabinet infighting masks the uncomfortable truth that the meetings allowing export of wheat and sugar, which created the shortage the government is unable to control, were chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan himself. Perhaps he can take some grim satisfaction in not being the target of criticism by his own ministers. Mr Khan is avoiding responsibility by letting ministers and officials take the blame, and accusing officials of not obeying his orders. the example of Makhdoom Khusro might explain the problem. at the time of the sugar prices going out of control, when Makhdoom Khusro’s family was revealed as owning a benefiting mill, he had the Food Security portfolio. Mr Khan kept him in the Cabinet, merely changing his portfolio. He has not taken any action against his Finance adviser, Dr Hafeez Sheikh. If there is such impunity among members of his immediate team, why should anyone else worry about what he has said?
A gender analysis Changezi SanDhu
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He concept of “autonomy” in gender studies means a woman should be independent to lead her life as she wants. Self-directive modes and a self-governing approach are the core ideological crux of autonomy. the feminists who float the idea build their narrative that violence against women can be traced to her subordination before her male relations. She remains dependent economically, morally and culturally on her partner, and that paves the way of man superiority by compromising on women rights. thus, if she will be independent and follow her own self-directive modes, gender-based issues can be reduced. Many feminists oppose the stance by terming it a “noxious concept” like Sarah Hoagland. John Christman terms the concept as metaphysical and impractical. “the ideal of the autonomous individual could only be created by abstracting from the relationship of dependency between men and women. the relationships which people require to nurture them are considered private, and not truly relationships with outside others. thus the other is reduced to an appendage of the subject– the mere condition of his being- not a being in her own right. the individual who cannot recognize the other or his own dependency without suffering a threat to his identity requires the formal, impersonal principle of rationalized interaction, and is required by them.” However, the concept of ‘integration” means that male and female cannot live separately. they have been created for each other to fulfil their innate desires. there must be an understanding and compromising attitudes from both sides to stamp out their differences and issues which disturb male-female relations because of violence and male dominance. all types of resources must be distributed equally among both sexes, and legal provision must be given to their fundamental rights without any discriminatory and biased policy. Protagonists of the integrationist school of thought further build their narrative that issues relating to women mobility, control over earning, family planning decision and sharing gender roles must be dealt by the couple through mutual understanding to lead a happy life. the debate of autonomy versus integration is among most paramount and preliminary concepts and theories of gender studies that sprouted in 1979 be-
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higher education and then settled here to practice law and inspire the nation with his revolutionary poems. the creation of an Islamic republic was his dream, he led the Muslim League and when his health failed he convinced Jinnah to lead the freedom movement. allama Sahib died in april 1938 and was buried close to the steps of the grand Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. nusli’s grandfather was born in Karachi in December 1876 and died there in September 1948, to be buried in the city of his birth. Karachi is rightly called the city of the Quaid. only in Iran, allama is known as Dr Iqbal Lahori, otherwise both the cities of Sialkot and Lahore lay claim on him. Dr Iqbal always praised Maulvi Hasan of Sialkot for laying the foundations of this thought process and then Maulana Jalaluddin rumi of Konya for his spiritual awakening. Jinnah belonged to Karachi, he studied at the historic Sindh Madrassa and then was trained to be a barrister at the famous Lincoln’s Inn in London. as Governor General he arrived at the city of his origin, appointed the first elected government of the republic to start the journey of a new nation. Senator Walid Iqbal also said that we should first learn to respect the Baba-e-Qaum. the slogan should be ‘Quaid Ko Izzat Do (respect the Leader)’. While insulting the Quaid how can we expect respect for the vote? this is the dilemma of the Sarkari Leagues like the PML(n). While they do not follow the impeccable character of Jinnah, they expect to command the same respect as he did. they steal votes using ‘Patwaris’ and the Police, then expect their mandate to be honoured. the standing and status of Captain (retd) Safdar awan is also not clear. now that he is involved in dubious activities unbecoming of an officer, his rank needs to be cleared. Did he retire or was he released from the army? Can he carry the rank of a Captain as reported in the media? I request ISPr to clear this ambiguity. the course of future legal action will be determined by this clarification. He may have to be stripped of his rank. through this article I want to draw the attention of the following to preserve the sanctity of Mazar-eQuaid: President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister Sindh, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, army Chief, naval Chief, air Chief, IG Police Sindh, DG rangers Sindh, DG ISI, DG MI, DG IB, in case they are unable to protect the last wordily remains of Baba-eQaum, I will have no option but to write to his
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tween participants of the national Women Studies Conference. It refers to figure out gender-based issues between men and women. Scholars, legislators, feminists and activists detect the major and minor causes under the mechanism of gender analysis which play their role making ineffective the man-woman relation, women subordination, economic marginalization, gender-based violence, gender disparity and ascendency of the patriarchal family pattern. Both groups developed their own lens to investigate women oppression and gender-based issues by projecting their ideological foundations. the question about status of the subjects Gender Studies and Women Studies was also brought under consideration divergently in the conference. Supporters of autonomy proclaimed to not merge women studies in gender studies. However, followers of the integration school of thought favoured and floated the suggestion to deal with both sexes under one subject of Gender Studies to trace out both sided issues and flaws. there are certain types of concepts of autonomy as moral autonomy, individual autonomy and moral autonomy. Moral autonomy was presented by Immanuel Kant whose philosophy is based on the “intrinsic value of human life”. the value is possessed by all and sundry naturally. So, nobody has right to disrespect others and discriminate against them on the basis of gender, sex and cultural practices. the ideological foundation of moral psychology is to deal with all genders through legal provisions for security of their rights. nobody must be given the right to violate others’ rights. However, individual autonomy refers to self-dedicated and selfdirective modes to lead a life independently. these ideologies, especially Kantian philosophy, provided sound footings to “autonomy in gender studies” to
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grandson to step in. after the death of the only child of the Quaid, Ms Dina Jinnah in 2017, her son nusli Wadia has now replaced his mother in the legal battle to take ownership of the Jinnah House in Bombay. His grandfather also created a state in which he is not even allowed to rest in peace. now it is up to his legal heirs to come and protect his last worldly remains. In January 2021 I will personally write to nusli who is a leading businessman of Bombay to play his role as we have failed to do so. It is in the best interests of Baba-e-Qaum to hand over the Mazar to his family members. I also request the army Chief, now that he has taken notice of the situation, to put Safdar awan on 24/7 surveillance to stop him from desecrating the resting places of our leaders. We, the 220 million people of Pakistan, feel vulnerable to such acts of vandalism. He should be allowed to visit the graves of his family members only, and the rest should be declared out of bounds for loose cannons like him. Where are we heading? My sincere apology to the Quaid as we have failed him. I agree with Senator Walid, let us learn to respect the Quaid and follow in his footsteps. after him, his party, Muslim League, has become a brand name that has been misused over and over again by dictators and their leftovers, and such a party must come an end. Since the first dictator ayub Khan laid the foundations of his Pakitsan Muslim League (Convention), politics have not been the same. Power grabbing has been the norm. real and orderly transfer of power has not taken place. the PML(n) was able to grab power through an establishment alliance put together by Generals Beg and Durrani together with President Ishaq Khan by the name of Islami Jahmoori Ittehad (IJI). Since then there has been no looking back. the party and its leaders have turned out to be ‘ Political Monsters’ who can attack vital state institutions and then get away with their high-handedness. the MQM remained untouchable in Karachi and urban Sindh till their influence was neutralized by state intervention. Free and fair elections are not possible till the PML(n) is dealt with in a similar fashion. In the meantime, please let the founders (Jinnah, Iqbal) rest in peace or hand over this responsibility to their family members. Dr Farid A Malik is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.
deal with androcentric mentality and women issues with special reference to their male relations. Later on, the majority of feminists and activists termed “autonomy” as a problem creator and metaphysical rather than problem solver. Jessica Benjamin, a psychologist, and Gillian, a dramatist, reject “autonomy” and project “integration” by stating that men and women should develop their relation on mutual understanding, and consciously mental changes are required to root out or reduce gender-based violation. Special attention must be given to mental chemistry and formation of both sexes’ mental mechanism by altering it following the exponential changes. Furthermore, Kimrele presents the concept of “intersectionality” by building the narrative in favor of “integration” that male and female are factual realities, and are created to live together. they are inseparable. neither male nor female can survive without the other. So, there must be the element of integration and intersectionality in their relation to deal with all gender issues through mutual efforts. the condition of gender disparity has been declining with the passage of time in Pakistan. even teenage girls are not safe from rapists. Women population increased to 52 percent of the total population of the country according to the recent census, but their role and opportunities are limited in all arenas. the World economic Forum also expressed its grievances on poor gender disparity in the country. Unfortunately, parents, teachers and religious scholars have specified their role on the name of cultural relativistic norms and values of our society. there is a dire need to empower women in all sectors, not like the West, but according to our religious teachings and human rights, preserving cultural norms. Government and the public ought to call to halt all sort of gender-based violation in the country by empowering women, initiating awareness programmes and self-accountable methods.
There is a dire need to empower women in all sectors, not like the West, but according to our religious teachings and human rights, preserving cultural norms. Government and the public ought to call to halt all sort of gender-based violation in the country by empowering women, initiating awareness programmes and selfaccountable methods
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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk
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The writer can be reached Ch.changezi.sandhu111@gmail.com
Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
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Thursday, 29 October, 2020
COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively
The second wave
Inside story of Kashmir’s accession in India The Maharaja and the Muslim Conference wanted independence Dr rajkuMar Singh
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aHaraJa Hari Singh, the ruler of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, failed to take any decision before 15 august 1947. What reasons prompted him not to accede the State to either of the Dominions was perhaps the fact that he had three alternatives. He was free not only to accede to either of the dominions but he had also an alternative to declare the independence of the State, and thus, the State would remain as an independent and sovereign state. His momentary decision turned the course of events more than anything else. Had he acceded to Pakistan, India would have been accepted his decision, as Lord Mountbatten, then GovernorGeneral, had already assured the ruler on behalf of the Government of India. Similarly, if he had chosen to cast his lot with India, no problem would have arisen, because before august 15 Pakistan had not even come into existence. the ruler, in his decision to remain independent, was supported by ram Chandra Kak, the then Prime Minister of Kashmir. He was a man without vision and equally bereft of tact and political judgement. the Maharaja was also supported on this issue by the Muslim Conference, a political party of the State which since 1944 had been competing with the national Conference, another political party, for the loyalty of the Kashmiri Muslims. In May 1947, before the lapse of Paramountcy, the acting President of the Muslim Conference in a Press statement, pleaded for independence and assured to the Maharaja for the support and cooperation of the 80 percent Muslim population of the State. the Conference assured the ruler that he would be acclaimed as the first constitutional king of a democratic and independent Kashmir. Ghulam ahmad, the Deputy leader of the Muslim Conference, made an appeal to te Maharaja on 21 May 1947, to declare Kashmir an independent State. Sheikh abdullah, a prominent leader of the State, had also pleaded in the past on a few occasions for the independence of the State. Later on, Pandit Jawaharlal nehru, while recalling the State’s decision, stated in Parliament, ‘the house is aware that on the lapse of Crown Paramountcy on the 15th august, this year, Kashmir did not accede to either Dominion. We were of course, vitally interested in the decision that the State would take. Kashmir, because of her geographical position with her frontiers with three countries, namely the Soviet Union, China and afghanistan, is intimately connected with the security and international contacts of India. economically also Kashmir is intimately related to India. the carvan trade routes from Central asia to India pass through the Kashmir State.’ the insistence of the Prime Minister of the State and the persuasion of the Muslim Conference had led the Maharaja to cherish the dream of an independent State of Jammu and Kashmir, which at that time was looking real. But events moved fast and the ruler who had dreams of an
independent Kashmir, offered a standstill agreement to both India and Pakistan. after the visit of Lord Mountbatten in June 1947, leaders of the Indian national Congress visited the State that followed the replacement of the Prime Minister of Kashmir by a militant Dogra, Janak Singh, and later by Mehar Chand. the Prime Minister of Kashmir in a telegram on 12 august 1947, announced his dicision to negotiate standstill agreements with both India and Pakistan. the ‘Standstill agreement’ contained the provisions which were merely temporary arrangements to maintain status quo and to avoid an administrative vacuum after the lapse of paramountcy. the subject-matters of the Standstill agreements which were offered to India and Pakistan were different. offers made to Pakistan in a telegram under the standstill agreement included communications, supplies, Post office and telegraphic arrangements, and ‘nothing else’. the Government of Pakistan accepted the offer by an exchange of telegrams on 16 august 1947. By this agreement Pakistan had assumed responsibility for carrying on communications and supply functions of Kashmir. In an effort to impress the Maharaja with the urgency of accession to Pakistan, a virtual blockade was imposed by which badly needed supplies like food grains, cloth, kerosene, salt and suger were completely stopped. this pressure was serious, because it was not easy for Pakistan to obtain these essential supplies from India on account of the difficulty of communication. this was how the Pakistan Government honoured the standstill agreement. the action of Pakistan was condemned by the Maharaja of the State. on october 15, Mehar Chand, the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, complained to the British Prime Minister against Pakistan for violating the terms of Standstill agreement. But no reply came from the British perhaps because of the fact that the suzerainty of His Majesty over the Indian States had lapsed and all treaties and agreements with the rulers of Indian States had terminated. the telegram which sent to the Government of India stated that the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Government would welcome Standstill agree-
ment with the Union of India on all existing matters with the outgoing British India Government.’ It was suggested that the then existing arrangements should continue, pending settlement of details of formal execution of fresh agreements. thus, the offer made to India was extended to many other subjects besides those contained in the telegram sent to Pakistan, such as external affairs, control of defence etc. the language of the Standstill agreement permitted the Indian Government even to use force should the state be attacked by any foreign power, in the same way as could be done by the British Government under the Provisions of the treaty of amritsar, 1846. In response to the telegram under Standstill agreement, the Government of India did not show any haste and refused to accept as it was sent. Its reply said, ‘Government of India would be glad if some duly authorised minister could fly to Delhi for negotiating Standstill agreement between the Kashmir Government and Indian Dominion’. It also did not like to put any sort of pressure on the Maharaja. nehru recalled, ‘nevertheless, we did not put the slightest pressure on the State to accede to the Indian Dominion, because we realised that Kashmir was in a very difficult position. We did not want mere accession from the top but an association in accordance with the will of her people. Indeed, we did not encourage any rapid decision. even in regard to a standstill agreement, no speedy steps were taken by us, although Kashmir had entered into a standstill agreement with Pakistan soon after the 15th august’. But it is also not unlikely that the Government did not accept the offer as it was the general policy of the States’ Department not to sign a Standstill agreement until the Instrument of accession had been signed by the ruler of the State. Since the Maharaja had not signed the Instrument of accession, the Government of India was not expected to accept the offer.
It is also not unlikely that the Government did not accept the offer as it was the general policy of the States’ Department not to sign a Standstill Agreement until the Instrument of Accession had been signed by the Ruler of the State. Since the Maharaja had not signed the Instrument of Accession, the Government of India was not expected to accept the offer
Dr Rajkumar Singh is head of the political science department of the B.N.Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India and can be reached at rajkumarsinghpg@gmail.com
WHen any virus or a contagious disease gets out of hand, it does not end before inflicting unimaginable loss to human life. However, spread of Coronavirus or any other disease does not happen in vacuum, it is usually facilitated and abetted by the humankind. We either create conditions that spread the disease or fail to follow practices that curb the spread of it. We are a nation where everyone from top to bottom seem to presume themselves to be immune to any weakness or errors. While the country is in grip of multifarious crises, our parliamentarians are engaged in war for power. though politicians have the right to hold political meetings, they have no right to violate the principles that jeopardize the life of public. they must realize that the second wave of the Coronavirus is on the rise and they must strictly follow the SoPs to stop the spread of this deadly disease. Similarly, people should also realize that no one is immune to this virus and it can strike anyone at anytime, especially when they become overly optimistic and neglect precautionary measures. While our economy is in shambles and the Coronavirus is on the rise again, our leaders are busy settling scores in the lower and the upper house. Instead of framing and implementing laws for social welfare and uplift of life of people, our politicians are puffing themselves up and their opponents down. We as a nation have wasted 73 years in trivial and superficial things instead of promoting peace, progress, and prosperity in all sectors across the country. It is time our leaders confess their omissions and excesses committed against each other and move forward as a single entirety to make Pakistan a free and strong state where people lead a happy healthy and prosperous life. Raja Shafaatullah ISlamabad
Old plans still in action tHere have been long-running failed attempts to weaken Muslims and tarnish the image of Islam around the world, with Zionist planners regularly becoming part of these efforts. Muslims are being branded as terrorists and propagated that the growing number of Muslims is a major threat to the Western world. Based on this threat, Muslims are being massacred and they are being forced to leave Islam. along with the genocide of Muslims, Islam and the Qur’an are being insulted in the name of immorality and freedom of expression. even though insulting words are being uttered in honor of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and sketches of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) are being made, publishing some blasphemous material every year does not stop the process of hurting the feelings of Muslims Yes, in this regard, many arrogant came to grips and became a sign, but this evil chain is still going on. It is clear that the whole West’s prejudice against Muslims is on the rise, but France has once again crossed the line into Islamophobia, first in France blasphemous sketches were published in newspapers and now those sketches are shown on government buildings. this heinous game was backed by French President Macron, but it is Charlie Hebdo magazine that has been involved in this nefarious act for many years. Charlie Hebdo was attacked by a group of Muslim youths about four or five years ago, killing 12 people, including the staff of the magazine, and just a few weeks ago, a Pakistani youth living in France stabbed and injured some Charlie Hebdo workers for publishing a blasphemous sketch. the attack injured some of Charlie Hebdo’s activists. Despite this, France has failed to understand the basic point that Muslims cannot tolerate any act of insolence and because of this; any Muslim can take the law into their own hands. ۔ attIya munawaR lahoRE
New wave of Islamophobia FoLLoWInG the recent statement by French President emmanuel Macron in which he accused Muslims of separatism and vowed not to give up cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), outrage spread throughout the Muslim World. In response various Muslim leaders and officials condemned the statement and many Muslim countries boycotted French products. earlier this month, he had also dubbed Islam as religion of crisis across the world, which was execrated as well. But the recent statement came out after Samuel Paty, a history school teacher in France, showed his class Prophet Muhammad’s (P.B.U.H) cartoons on freedom of expression earlier this month, later he was decapitated by a Muslim. thereafter, police bumped off the Muslim for Paty’s Murder and pretext of extremism. all this limn new wave of Islamophobia. no country’s constitution accords such a right of freedom of expression that hurts billions of people. Moreover, after demise of Paty, people came out on roads in France and French Government suspected various Muslim prayers and organizations of spreading hatred. this is not the first time that Islamophobia is raised, but constantly western world is promulgating Islamophobic activities be it caricatures of holy Personality, raiding mosques, suspecting Muslims, or singling out a day namely ‘Punish a Muslim Day’. especially, western world is intending to align Islam with extremism and terrorism, de facto, which do not have any relation with the Islam. In addition to this, Charlie Hebdo, a left-wing French magazine infamous for publishing anti-Islamic caricatures, which has drawn widespread anger and outrage across the World, republished cartoons insulting Islam and Prophet, which again aroused anger in hearts of Muslims across the globe. Currently, the Muslim world is indignant over the statement by French President. Prime Minister Pakistan Imran Khan said, “It is unfortunate that Macron has chosen to encourage Islamophobia by attacking Islam rather than terrorists who carry out violence be it Muslim, white supremacists, or nazi ideologists.” He added, “Sadly, President Macron has chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims, including his own citizens.” turkish President recep tayyip erdogan articulated that French President Macron need mental health checks and warned that europe is preparing its own termination amid rising hatred towards Muslims and Islam across the continent. He further added that if they are not rid of this disease as soon as possible, it will collapse all of europe from within. Various other leaders carrying egyptians and Jordanians verbalized that all these heinous attempts to link Islam with terrorism and extremism are signals of Islamophobia and they strive to malign Islam because they have gauged our discordance and inefficiency of oIC. ZubaIR alI KaRachI
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
08 WORLD VIEW GUArdiAN
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EDitoRial
ONAlD trump’s presidency has been a horror show that is ending with a pandemic that is out of control, an economic recession and deepening political polarisation. Mr trump is the author of this disastrous denouement. He is also the political leader least equipped to deal with it. Democracy in the United States has been damaged by Mr trump’s first term. It may not survive four more years. If the Guardian had a vote, it would be cast to elect Joe Biden as president next tuesday. Mr Biden has what it takes to lead the United States. Mr trump does not. Mr Biden cares about his nation’s history, its people, its constitutional principles and its place in the world. Mr trump does not. Mr Biden wants to unite a divided country. Mr trump stokes an anger that is wearing it down. the Republican presidential nominee is not, and has never been, a fit and proper person for the presidency. He has been accused of rape. He displays a brazen disregard for legal norms. In office, he has propagated lies and ignorance. It is astonishing that his financial interests appear to sway his outlook on the national interest. His government is cruel and mean. It effectively sanctioned the kidnapping and orphaning of migrant children by detaining them and deporting their parents. He has vilified whistleblowers and venerated war criminals. Mr trump trades in racism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. telling the Proud Boys, a far-right group that has endorsed violence, to “stand back and stand by” was, in the words of Mr Biden, “a dog whistle about as big as a foghorn”. From the Muslim ban to building a wall on the Mexican border, the president is grounding his base in white supremacy. With an agenda of corporate deregulation and tax giveaways for the rich, Mr trump is filling the swamp, not draining it. A narcissist, Mr trump seems incapable of acknowledging the suffering of others. Coronavirus has exposed a devastating lack of presidential empathy for those who have died and the families they left behind. Every day reveals the growing gap between the level of competence required to be president and Mr trump’s ability. He is protected from the truth by cronies whose moblike fealty to their boss has seen six former aides sentenced to prison. A post-shame politician, Mr trump
It’s tIme to dump trump. AmerIcA’s only Hope Is Joe BIden FOUR YEARS OF DERANGED AND UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOUR IS PROOF THAT THE CURRENT US PRESIDENT IS UNIQUELY UNSUITED TO THE JOB outrageously commuted the sentence of one of his favoured lackeys this summer. the idea that there is one rule for wealthy elites and another for the ordinary voter damages trust in the American system. Mr trump couldn’t care less. THE PEOPLE’S ENEMY: like other aspiring autocrats, Mr trump seeks to delegitimise his opposition as “enemies of the people” to mobilise his base. In 2016, the institutions that should have acted as a check on Mr trump’s rise to power failed to stop him. this time there has been some pushback over a trump disinformation campaign about Mr Biden’s son. It is an indictment of the trump age that social media companies acted before politicians in the face of a clear and present danger to democracy. Mr Biden has his flaws, but he understands what they are and how to temper them. Seen as too centrist in the Democratic primaries, his election platform has borrowed ideas from the progressive wing of his party and incorporated a “green new deal” and free college for the middle class. Mr Biden should not retreat into his comfort zone. the failures of capitalism have been thrown into sharp relief by the pandemic. If elected, he will raise taxes on richer Americans and spend more on public services. this is the right and fair thing to do when a thin sliver of America has almost half the country’s wealth. It’s not just Americans for whom Mr Biden is a better bet. the world could breathe easier with Mr trump gone. the threat from Pyongyang and tehran has
grown thanks to President trump. A new face in the White House would restore America’s historic alliances and present a tougher test to the authoritarians in Moscow and Beijing than the fawning Mr trump. On climate change, Mr Biden would return the United States to the Paris agreement and give the world a fighting chance to keep global temperatures in check. With a President Biden there would be a glimmer of hope that the US would return as a guarantor of a rules-based international order. Perhaps no country has so much to lose from Mr Biden’s victory as Britain. It has the misfortune of being led by Boris Johnson, whom Democrats bracket with Mr trump as another rule-breaking populist. Mr Biden, a Catholic proud of his Irish roots, has already warned the Johnson government that it must not jeopardise the Good Friday agreement in its Brexit negotiations. Having left the EU, the UK can no longer be America’s bridge across the Atlantic. Unfortunately, Britain has a prime minister who led the country out of Europe just when an incoming President Biden would be looking to partner with it. FAUSTIAN PACT: Whether Mr trump is defeated or not next week, Americans will have to learn to live with trumpism for years to come. the first impeached president to run for re-election, Mr trump avoided being the first to be removed from office because the Republican party has lost its moral compass. the party of Abraham lincoln has become subsumed by the politics of grievance and entitlement. the GOP turns a blind eye to Mr
How do Trump's extraordinary betrayals stand up against history?
trump’s transgressions in return for preserving the privileged status of white Christian America. the most obvious sign of this Faustian pact is the Senate’s confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the US supreme court — Mr trump’s third justice. Conservatives now have a 6-3 advantage in the highest court in the land. Compliant judges are key to retaining the status quo when Republicans face a shrinking electoral base. the Republican strategy is twofold: first is voter suppression; if that fails, Mr trump appears ready to reject the result. He has spent years, especially those armed to the hilt, to mistrust elections and to see fraud where it doesn’t exist. We have been here before. In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote by more than half a million ballots. the election turned on a handful of votes needed to capture the electoral vote in Florida. But the votes that counted were not found in the Sunshine State. they were cast by the five supreme court justices named by Republican presidents who gave the election to George W Bush. In the 2018 midterms, a coalition of millions marched into polling booths to disavow the president. It is heartening that more than 60 million people have cast their ballot in early voting at a time when the president is doing much to call US democracy into question amid baseless claims of a “rigged election”. Americans are busily embracing their democratic right, and a record turnout in this election may show that voters, worried about whether democracy would endure, strove to save it. Anything other than a vote for Mr Biden is a vote to unleash a supercharged trumpism. All pretence of civility would be dropped. the divides of race, class and sex would become even wider. Mr trump is a symptom of America’s decline. Finding a solution to this problem begins with a vote for Mr Biden.
Hall of shame: India is one of 12 countries where killers of journalists go free easily NewSlAUNdry TeAm
PUTTING TRUMP IN CONTEXT IS THE BEST WAY TO HIGHLIGHT AND UNDERSTAND HIS BETRAYALS. HISTORY IS THE HIGHEST COURT, AND ITS VERDICT CAN'T BE APPEALED
USA TodAy
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DaviD Rothkopf
t is not a small thing to call the president of the United States a traitor. But it is an even greater offense to fail to call him one if he has betrayed his country as often and as egregiously as Donald trump has done. As the depth of trump’s active collaboration with Russia became clear in 2016 and 2017, as he was revealed to be surrounded by men who were compromised by their ties to Russia, as he orchestrated a cover-up of his wrongdoing, fired and impeded those who would investigate it and serially rewarded Russia for its efforts on his behalf, it was not uncommon to hear critics apply strong labels to what the president had done. trump himself has applied the word "treason" almost casually to his political enemies. But treason is very narrowly defined by the Constitution. Article III specifies, “treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.” While it is undoubtedly true that trump has adhered to a foreign adversary, Russia, and has given it much aid and comfort, the courts have determined that an enemy can only be a country against which we have declared war. that is an antiquated idea in a time during which undeclared wars are far more common and cyber conflict, for example, may be an almost permanent feature of an international
relationship. But it is binding. that said, the dictionary definition of a traitor is “a person who betrays a friend, country or principle.” there is no doubt that trump has betrayed the country time and time again. It is a matter of public record that he encouraged our Russian adversaries to become involved in the 2016 election. When the intelligence community provided evidence of the threat posed by Russia, we saw trump dismiss it, ignore it, fail in his duty to “preserve, protect and defend.” We have seen him use the power of his office to reward and celebrate the Russians and to condemn Americans in the CIA and the FBI and elsewhere who would seek to impede the Russian attacks on our democracy. We have watched him undermine the rule of law in the United States and alter U.S. policy in ways that empowered the Russians and, specifically, enabled them to interfere yet again in our elections. the Russia betrayal is the original sin of the trump presidency. And since Russian President Vladimir Putin helped trump win office, not a week has gone by that we have not been confronted by its consequences — attacks on our allies, classified information handed over in the Oval Office, hacks put atop the intelligence community to suppress warnings about Russia, messages from the president validating Putin propaganda over the findings of U.S. national security professionals, embracing Russian positions on issues like Ukraine, giving Russia a free hand in Syria, pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty in a way to give Russia more freedom to develop its defenses. Investigations into this betrayal have been quashed. But the facts — close ties between trump and his team with Russians and (in the case of people like Paul Manafort and Rudy Giuliani) direct interaction with known Russian intelligence operatives — have been established. there have been other betrayals, of course: Rewarding foreign despots who might benefit trump businesses. Every corrupt act of placing self-interest ahead of the national interest. Seeking to pressure Ukrainians into helping defeat a potential political adversary, the act that led to trump’s impeachment. Placing personal political fortunes ahead of the lives and well-being of hundreds of thousands of Americans, now victims of the COVID-19 catastrophe. trump has betrayed the country again and again. And there has been a massive effort by him and his political allies to quash this truth, to cloud percep-
tions with disinformation, to claim critical elements of it were a hoax. to defend the country, to ensure the survival of our democracy and to ultimately undo the damage trump and Putin and their enablers and cronies have done, it was essential that the facts be brought to light. But how could that be done in a way that would stand up to scrutiny and stand out amidst the daily outrages of the trump presidency? As a historian and a student of the presidency and of power, I know that history is the highest court, that its jurisdiction knows no boundaries and that its final verdict cannot be appealed. Further, I understood that it was essential not to allow trump’s serial betrayals to become somehow “normalized” or devalued in the acid back and forth of our daily political debate. the best way to convey the extraordinary nature of trump’s abuses and the damage he has done is to let the facts speak for themselves against the backdrop of history. It is essential to objectively ask, how do his acts compare with those who have come before him? Where does he stand alongside Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, Jefferson Davis, John Brown, the Rosenbergs, Aldrich Ames, Robert Hanssen? Each of their stories is different (Brown, convicted and hanged for treason, was a mistreated hero; Arnold was an American war hero before he became our most notorious traitor). But by placing trump among them, as I have done in my new book, “traitor: A History of American Betrayal from Benedict Arnold to Donald trump,” we can see what he has done in context, dispassionately, set apart from the spin and the apologists. the 2020 election presents us with an existential choice. If we reelect this wannabe authoritarian, this puppet of foreign autocrats, he and they will be not just validated but empowered. Whatever trump’s motivation, we have seen him remake our judiciary and undermine our system of justice. He has degraded America on the global stage and profoundly weakened us. All that is the price of his betrayals to date. Should he be given four more years to carry them forward, our democracy might never recover. We must see him for the traitor he is and see that because of the high office he held and his complete absence of character or care for the country, he may well be the worst of all those who have betrayed America in the past. David Rothkopf is host of "Deep State Radio" and CEO of the Rothkopf Group media and podcasting company.
IT RANKS 12TH ON THE CPJ’S GLOBAL IMPUNITY INDEX 2020, ONE POSITION WORSE THAN LAST YEAR’S
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NDIA is one of the dozen countries that fare the worst when it comes to prosecuting killers of journalists, according to the Global Impunity Index 2020 prepared by the Committee to Protect Journalists. the index “spotlights countries where journalists are singled out for murder and their killers go free”, the CPJ explained in its report titled Getting Away with Murder, released on Wednesday. India is 12th on the index this year, its rank worsening from 13th last year and 14th in 2018. Somalia, Syria and Iraq – all countries ravaged by war – fill the top three positions. India’s neighbours, Pakistan and Bangladesh, rank 9th and 10th, respectively. In 2019, the number of journalists killed in reprisal for their work was the lowest since the CPJ began recording them in 1992. this year, the number has already exceeded last year’s, though not substantially. Irrespective of the fall in the numbers of murders – which the CPJ suggests could be a result of self-censorship and the use of other methods of intimidation – the murderers have continued to enjoy impunity. “Illustrating the entrenched nature of impunity, the 12 countries on the index account for 80% of the global total of unsolved murders of journalists for the 10-year index period,” the report pointed out. “All 12 have featured multiple times since CPJ first compiled the index in 2008, and seven have appeared every year.” India is one of the countries to have featured on the index every year. to rank countries on the impunity index, the CPJ calculates the number of unsolved journalist murders as a percentage of their populations, and only includes countries with five or more unsolved murders. the CPJ defines murder as a deliberate killing of a journalist in retaliation for their work, and considers cases unsolved “when no convictions have been obtained even if suspects have been identified”. Not surprisingly, the index includes not only nations ravaged by war or armed conflict, the report noted, but “stable countries where criminal and political groups, politicians, business leaders…resort to violence to silence critical and investigative journalists”. “the CPJ has found that corruption, weak institutions, and lack of political will to pursue robust investigations are all factors behind impunity in these countries,” the report concludes. Speaking to Newslaundry, Aliya Iftikhar, senior Asia researcher at the CPJ, said, “India has consistently been on the list in recent years. And that’s because since 1992 at least 36 journalists have been murdered and we have only seen convictions in two of those cases. And that sets a really alarming precedent.”
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
buSiNeSS 09
jAzz IsLAmABAD offIce seALeD oveR non-PAyment of tAxes
corporate corner
ISLAMABAD
LAHORE: Haleeb Foods has joined hands with Pink Ribbon to organize an awareness session for its female workforce. An engagement activity in this regard was held at the HFL Head Office, which was attended by the female employees of the group companies based in the city. PreSS reLeASe
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SHAHZAD PArACHA
HE Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday sealed an office of the Pakistan Mobile Communication Limited (PMCL) due to non-payment of income tax amounting to Rs25.3 billion. According to documents available with this scribe, the FBR's Large Taxpayers' Office-Islamabad has sealed PMCL's F-8 office over non-payment of Rs22.03 billion income tax (Rs3.3 billion default surcharge) for the tax year 2018. "PMCL is an existing taxpayer falling in the jurisdiction of this office [LTU Islamabad]. An income tax amount of Rs25,393,653,480 was outstanding against the said company, which has been refraining from clearing its liabilities deliberately, dishonestly and
without any lawful excuse, thus causing huge loss to the national exchequer," the documents read. "Therefore, on the basis of facts stated inter alia, I, Ahmad Shakeel Babar, Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue, in exercise of the powers vested in me in terms of section 138 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 read with section 48 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, order to seal the business premises of the defaulter till the payment of outstanding dues in full or withdrawal of this order." It was further stated that any non-compliance/defiance to this order shall be tantamount to obstruction in discharge of functions of an income tax authority and shall be punishable on conviction with a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both under section 196 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. As per documents, the LTU had earlier directed the PMCL CEO to clear the payable amount till Wednesday (today) and also produce necessary evi-
1QFY21: Nishat Mills’ profit up 2.5pc to Rs946m LAHORE ISLAMABAD: The Allied Bank Islamic Banking Group (ABL IBG) recently organized a seminar on the subject of Islamic Banking in Islamabad. The event was attended by notables from all walks of life including delegates from Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industries, renowned businessmen and leading existing and prospective clientele. PreSS reLeASe
ISLAMABAD: STEP has once again proved in supremacy in entry test preparation classes by bagging top three positions as well as 9 out of 10 top positions in NUMS Entry Tests 2020 Result. Nimra Afzal, Mohsin Rashid and Syeda Samar Hamdani secured1st, 2nd and 3rd positions with 190, 189 and 188 marks, respectively. PreSS reLeASe
DRAP notifies hike in prices of 94 lifesaving drugs BUSINESS DESK About a month after the federal cabinet announced to allow pharmaceutical companies to increase prices of 94 lifesaving medicines to end their chronic shortage in the market, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on Wednesday issued a notification in this regard. Reportedly, the medicines that would witness price hikes included furosemide injections for emergency use in high blood pressure cases; acetazolamide tablets for glaucoma; hydralazine tablets to lower blood pressure and carbamazepine tablets for epilepsy. According to an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Health, the designated maximum retail prices would remain in place until June 30, 2021. The government had in September announced that prices were increased only on drugs that were in the “hardship category,” as recommended by the Drug Pricing Committee under the Drugs Pricing Policy, 2018. The “hardship category” is a clause that allows increasing medicine prices for a company that stops the manufacturing of medicines by claiming its production has become non-viable due to the high cost of production.
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The Board of Directors of Nishat Mills Limited (NML) met on Wednesday to review the company’s performance and announce its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. As per details, the textile giant reported a net profit of Rs946.346 million (earnings per share: Rs2.69) for 1QFY21 as compared to the net profit of Rs923.702 million (EPS: Rs2.63) during the same period of last year, showing an increase of 2.5pc YoY.
Umer Farooq, an investment analyst at AKD Securities Limited, said that Nishat Mills’ profit of Rs946 million for 1QFY21 was 34pc ahead of AKD’s estimate. He stated that the company’s earnings came on the back of higher than expected "other income", which was up 13pc YoY despite absence of dividend from the MCB (AKD awaits clarity from the management on this). "While core earnings were broadly in line with our (AKD) expectations, slightly higherthan-expected topline and lower-than-expected sales & administration (S&A) offset
the impact of weaker gross margin," he said. Farooq said the company's topline remained flat on a yearly basis when compared to double-digit growth posted by listed peers. "The margins at gross level remained weak (down 211bps YoY/34bps QoQ), possibly on account of a tough operating environment in the low valueadded segment." He said that company's below the line expenses were down 5pc YoY, signifying cost rationalization during the pandemic. Its finance cost was down 8pc YoY due to interest rate cuts, he added.
Lack of coordination between Centre, provinces hampering CPEC progress ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS
A parliamentary committee on Wednesday observed that the lack of coordination between centre and provinces was hampering the progress on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. It directed the concerned departments to expedite the provision of utilities to expedite the process of industrialization and to attract foreign direct investment in the multi-billion-dollar corridor. "Enhancing export-led growth, reducing imports, strengthening local industries and creating jobs for the people of Pakistan can be achieved by timely provision of basic services," said MNA Sher Ali Arbab, chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on CPEC. The meeting was held in camera to discuss the provision of basic utilities such as gas, electricity and roads etc. As per a statement issued after the meeting, the chairman, while assuring committee’s complete support, directed concerned ministries, divisions and other quarters to attach top priority to CPEC projects. In his view, the CPEC framework was of pivotal national importance and should be completed timely and effectively. "This project is important if we, as a nation,
are to collectively move towards economic stability and prosperity," Sher Ali Arbab emphasized. However, the committee members observed a lack of coordination between federal government and provincial government departments on CPEC projects. "Correspondence between federal and provincial governments takes too long. The best solution to this problem is to make all relevant officials sit together and settle matters amicably," the committee chairman stated. Speaking on the occasion, the concerned officials assured the committee members that their recommendation to include Torkham to Peshawar ML-1 in the CPEC project would be taken up in the 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC). The committee chairman said representatives from various industries would be invited in the upcoming meeting to discuss elaborate CPEC-related business plans. Meanwhile, the Board of Investment sought the committee’s assistance in 53 different areas concerning Special Economic Zones, whereas secretaries of various ministries/divisions also briefed the members regarding issues pertaining to the corridor.
dence to that effect at the FBR's office. The PMCL was also warned that if the company does not comply in this regard, the tax department "could attach and sale the company's moveable or immoveable property, and arrest and detain the concerned for a period not exceeding six months" as specified under clauses (a), (ca) and (d) of sub-section (I) of section 48 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990. Meanwhile, Jazz spokesperson maintained that the company "is a law-abiding and responsible corporate citizen, with significant contribution to Pakistan's economy over the past 25 years". "We have received a notice from FBR this afternoon. Jazz has made tax submissions based on legal interpretations of the tax owed. We will review and take measures under our legal obligations and will collaborate with all concerned institutions for an early resolution of this issue," he added.
Dolmen Group, HBL join hands to develop construction, housing sectors
KARACHI: The Dolmen Group and HBL’s Islamic Banking arm have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU was signed in Karachi by Nadeem Riaz, Chairman & CEO -Dolmen Group and Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO – HBL. HBL and Dolmen Group have entered into a strategic partnership to develop innovative financial solutions. Under the MOU, HBL’s Islamic Banking team will work on offering unique banking solutions to Dolmen Group, its customers, its retailers and its affiliates to cater to their financial needs. This will include, but is not limited to, providing developer financing to purchasers of Dolmen Group’s residential developments, and consumer financing to its customers on preferential rates. Under this arrangement, HBL Islamic Banking and Dolmen Group have agreed to develop unique products that can benefit the end customers of both parties. HBL will also work on developing new concepts and ideas to increase Islamic Banking awareness and market space, for which Dolmen Group will be enabling time to time promotions and advertising of HBL’s Shariah-compliant products. "This is a natural partnership between two of the most trusted brands in their respective areas to the benefit of the industry and the end consumer. It will provide greater accessibility to quality residential developments particularly for salaried individuals and young entrepreneurs. It will also grow the retail market with the introduction of technology led payment solutions and loyalty programs. HBL’s market position and vision for the future will be a key enabler in helping us achieve these goals." - Nadeem Riaz, Chairman & CEO Dolmen Group. Commenting on this strategic partnership, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO - HBL said, “This agreement will enable HBL to support the construction industry while benefitting the very end consumer through customized product propositions. Simultaneously, this will help increase the market space for Shariah-compliant products. HBL recognizes the pioneering role, such as the launch of the first Islamic REIT in the country, being played by the Dolmen Group in spearheading the two strategic imperatives of Construction & Housing Finance and Islamic Banking solutions.” The Dolmen Group is the pioneer of shopping malls and office complexes in Pakistan. The Group is now expanding its presence into residential developments. HBL is Pakistan’s largest bank. PreSS reLeASe
MARKET DAILY
Stocks tumble 194 points on rising virus cases KARACHI STAFF rePOrT
Bears extended their control on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday, with the indices failing to sustain morning gains and closing in the red amid fears of another Covid lockdown. Global equity markets displayed a mixed trend, whereas crude oil prices dipped lower from the previous close; WTI crude price declining 4.60pc to $37.75 while Brent crude price falling 3.70pc to $40.08. "The investors have lately been discounting good corporate results due to con-
cerns of rising Covid cases, as another lockdown might be imposed in future," said a report issued by AHL Ltd. Gaining 305.50 points in early trade, the benchmark KSE-100 Index recorded intraday high at 41,687.33. It, however, failed to maintain its flight and dropped to intraday low at 41,069.68 (-312.15 points). The index finally settled lower by 194.97 points at 41,186.86. Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index plunged 695.80 points to end at 65,698.37, while the KSE All Share Index lost 137.33 points, closing at 28,976.13. The overall market volumes fell from 481.02 million shares in the previous session
to 368.42 million shares (-23pc). Average traded value also declined by 18pc, from $114.8 million to $94.3 million. Unity Foods Ltd (UNITY +2.82pc), Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd (PIBTL -0.38pc) and Hascol Petroleum Ltd (HASCOL +1.34pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 60.25 million, 31.27 million and 26.88 million shares, respectively. Sectors that dragged the benchmark index lower included banking (-84.66 points), cement (-66.72 points) and textile composite (43.88 points). Among the companies, Lucky Cement Ltd (LUCK -48.47 points), The Searle Company Limited (SEARL -39.35
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points) and United Bank Ltd (UBL -29.71 points) dented the index the most. Losing 1.44pc from its cumulative market capitalization, the pharmaceutical sector ended as session’s top loser, with The Searle Company Limited (SEARL -6.62pc), GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd (GSCKH -4.45pc) and Ferozsons Laboratories Limited (FEROZ -1.06pc) posting significant losses. Meanwhile, in a notification to the exchange, Treet Corporation Ltd (TREET 0.65pc) announced that the company will enhance the capacity of “hygiene razor”. The board of directors has approved a CAPEX of
Rs250 million for this capacity enhancement. On the financial side, Indus Motor Company Ltd (INDU -3.15pc) announced earnings per share of Rs23.48 for 1QFY21 (Rs16.78 last year); Atlas Honda Ltd (ATLH +0.61pc) declared an EPS of Rs8.08 for 2QFY21 (Rs4.60 in 2QFY20); Hub Power Company Ltd (HUBC +5.46pc) recorded an EPS of Rs2.51 for 1QFY21 (Rs1.24 in 1QFY20); Abbot Laboratories (Pakistan) Ltd (ABOT +1.64pc) posted an EPS of Rs10.07 for 3QFY19 (Rs2.71 last year); while Pakistan Stock Exchange Ltd (PSX +0.68pc) registered an EPS of Rs0.19 for 1QFY21 (Rs0.04 last year).
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
10 FOREIGN NEWS
THAI PM REfuSES To RESIgn dESPITE PRoTESTS BANGKOK
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HAI Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha dismissed calls from opposition parties to resign during a special two-day session of parliament he had called to discuss months of protests demanding his departure and reforms to the powerful monarchy. “I will not run away from problems. I will not leave my duty by resigning at a time when the country has problems,” the former army ruler told the assembly on Tuesday. The parliament’s entire upper house is chosen by the military. Protests that have brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets since mid-July are the biggest challenge in years to an establishment that has long been dominated by military men close to the Royal Palace. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Palace has made no comment since the start of protests that have smashed a
Airlines need more layoffs as travel demand remains muted: IATA MONTREAL AGENCIES
Airlines need to cut more jobs to reduce costs as travel demand remains muted in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the International Air Transport Association. “To maintain last year’s level of labour productivity, measured by ASKs (available seat kilometres) per employee, employment would need to be cut 40 per cent. Further job losses or pay cuts would be required to bring unit labour costs down to the lowest point of recent years,” Iata’s directorgeneral and chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said. Most airlines across the globe have either furloughed their workers or cut jobs as revenues ground to a halt when flights across the world were grounded to stem the spread of the pandemic. Although international travel has resumed in most countries, demand remains weak as a result of quarantine measures and fears of infection. Cathay Pacific Airways earlier this month announced that it will cut about 5,300 jobs based in Hong Kong and close its Cathay Dragon unit as part of a sweeping overhaul of the city’s flag carrier triggered by the halt in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. American Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa and many other carriers have all announced plans to cut thousands of jobs in recent months. “The industry has to get smaller at least for the next 12 to 18 months given the much-reduced outlook for travel and revenue and there must be some way of doing that without completely draining airlines of their cash reserves,” Brian Pearce, IATA's chief economist, said.
taboo on criticising the monarchy. Prayuth said the rallies, which he referred to as illegal protests, needed to be brought under control. “Though the people have the freedom to protest based on the Constitution, authorities need to control the illegal protests,” the prime minister said. “We do not want to see clashes or riots in the country,” he added, accusing some protesters of “inappropriate actions”. Opposition members of parliament told Prayuth to stop hiding behind proclamations of loyalty to the monarchy and step down. His critics said he engineered last year’s elections to keep power he seized in 2014. He said the ballot was fair. “You’ve been in power for six-and-a-half years – five years under your coup and one-and-a-half years when you benefited from an undemocratic constitution,” said Prasert Jantararuangthong, party secretary of the opposition Pheu Thai party. One of the protest leaders, Tattep “Ford” Ruang Prapai Kitseree, dismissed the parliament session terming it as “useless”. Prayuth said he had agreed to set up
committees to study the problems, but claimed he did not know who he should talk to because “there are no leaders. They are all leaders.” Some of the highest profile leaders are among dozens of people arrested this month in a crackdown under a week of emergency measures that were rescinded after they sparked much bigger protests. Shows of support by royalists have so far been far smaller than those of anti-government protesters. More than 1,000 people have been reported to gather in a central Bangkok park the other day. “We want to show support and encouragement to his majesty,” said Thatchapan Boriphet, 57. “I am neutral politically but I cannot stand it when there is a violation of the monarchy.” Protesters have accused the king of political involvement and marched to the German embassy on Monday to seek an inquiry into whether he exercised his powers during long stays in Germany, something Berlin has said would be unacceptable.
Microsoft's quarterly profit climbs 30pc amid pandemic WASHINGTON AGENCIES
Microsoft posted a 30 percent increase in first quarter net profit, beating analysts’ estimates as the company benefited from a shift in the way people are working due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Net profit rose to $13.9 billion in the three months ending September 30, which was ahead of an average estimate of analysts polled by Bloomberg of $11.9bn. Revenue during the period increased 12 per cent to $37.2bn, beating analysts' average estimate of $35.8bn. The JulySeptember period marked Microsoft’s 13th straight quarter of double-digit revenue growth. “The next decade of economic performance for every business will be defined by the speed of their digital transformation,” Satya Nadella, chief executive of the Redmond-headquartered company, said in a statement. “We are innovating across our full modern tech stack to help our customers in every industry improve time to value, increase agility and reduce costs,” he added. The company's operating income rose 25 per cent annually to $15.9bn. “Demand for Microsoft’s cloud
offerings drove a strong start to the fiscal year with our commercial cloud revenue generating $15.2bn, up 31 per cent year over year,” Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the technology giant, said. “We continue to invest against the significant opportunity ahead of us to drive long-term growth,” she added. Revenue from the company's intelligent cloud business providing server hosting grew 20 per cent year-on-year to $13bn. Its productivity and business processes arm, which includes both its Microsoft Office business and revenue from LinkedIn, increased 11 per cent to $12.3bn. In its guidance for the second quarter, Microsoft forecast revenue in
the range of $39.5bn to $40.4bn, at the lower end of $40.43bn by analysts polled by Refinitiv. Microsoft said sales in its personal computing division, which includes PCs and Xbox, increased 6 per cent to $11.8bn. In the PC market, revenue from sales of its Surface device were up 37 per cent as this segment witnessed increased demand from users to support remote work, Ms Hood said. Revenues from Xbox content and services increased 30 per cent on the prior year. Movement restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic has propelled user interest in gaming, industry experts said. Microsoft is expected to benefit further from this trend with the launch of the new Xbox Series X and Series S consoles on November 10.
Facebook enters cloud gaming market SANS FRANCISCO AGENCIES
Social networking company Facebook is entering the burgeoning cloud gaming market currently dominated by the likes of Microsoft, Google, Nvidia and Intel. Users can play games directly in the Facebook mobile app and on its browser, without downloading any new software as they would on app stores such as Android’s Google Play and Apple’s App Store, the company said. “We have launched several cloudstreamed games in the Facebook app and on the browser … playable instantly, with no downloads required,” Jason Rubin, vice president of play at Facebook, said. “We recently had 200,000 people playing our cloud-streamed games per week in limited regions. Cloud game streaming promises to deliver unprecedented access to games across every screen … we are thrilled to play a part in that future,” he added. Cloud games are run on remote servers and streamed directly to a user’s device. Facebook is not spinning off a separate cloud gaming service and will make all cloud-streamed games playable in the same way that users currently play games on its portal, either in its gaming
tab or from its news feed, the Californiabased company said in a blog. The cloud gaming market is booming and is predicted to generate $585 million in revenue by the end of this year, up from $170m last year, according to a report last month by market research company Newzoo. Revenue will reach $4.8 billion by 2023, the report said. Users will not need any external gear, hardware or controllers to play cloud-streamed games on Facebook. “Your hands are the controllers since we are launching with native mobile games ... and you can play these games with a mouse and keyboard on desktop,” said Mr Rubin, adding that more than 380 million people currently play games each month on Facebook. Consumer appetite for cloud gaming rose rapidly in 2020 with the creation of new platforms such as Apple's Arcade and Google's Stadia. Movement restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic also propelled users’ interest, industry experts said. “Much like every other aspect of our lives, Covid-19 had and is still having a profound impact on cloud gaming … there has been a reignited passion for gaming during these trying times,” Guilherme Fernandes, market consultant at Amsterdam-based Newzoo, said.
Heathrow loses top spot as Europe's busiest airport HEATHROW AGENCIES
Heathrow has been overtaken as Europe’s busiest airport for the first time by Paris Charles de Gaulle amid falling air travel demand during Covid-19, as almost 200 airports in the continent face going bust by the end of the year. The UK airport said its passenger numbers were 84 percent down in the three months to September as a result of Covid-19, and it expects just 22.6 million passengers this year – a quarter of its 2019 levels – and 37.1 million in 2021. Heathrow's falling numbers come as 193 airports in the UK and Europe face going bust in the coming months if passenger traffic does not start recovering by the end of this year, according to ACI Europe. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye blamed the UK government for not bringing in an airport testing regime to help kickstart travel, in turn allowing Charles de Gaulle and other rivals such as Amsterdam Schiphol to reopen faster. "Britain is falling behind because we've been too slow to embrace passenger testing. European leaders acted quicker and now their economies are reaping the benefits," he said on Wednesday. "Bringing in predeparture Covid tests and partnering with our US allies to open a pilot air bridge to America will kickstart our economic recovery and put the UK back ahead of our European rivals." Airlines must cut more jobs to reduce costs as travel demand remains muted in the wake of Covid-19, the International Air Transport Association said. Most airlines across the globe furloughed workers or slashed jobs when revenue stopped following the grounding of flights at the start of the pandemic. Although international travel has resumed in most countries, demand remains weak due to quarantine measures and fears of infection. ACI Europe said an estimated 193 European hubs, which provide 277,000 jobs and generate €12.4 billion ($14.58bn) in collective annual revenue, are considered “at-risk airports,” with the threat of mass closures posing a significant threat to Europe’s air transport system. Olivier Jankovec, the director general of ACI Europe, said the figures “paint a dramatically bleak picture” for the future of the aviation industry, which has already suffered tens of thousands of job losses.
BRICS bank provides $10bn in emergency assistance to fight pandemic SHANGHAI AGENCIES
The potential of the BRICS nations is unique, and the group’s New Development Bank (NDB) is showing high financial efficiency during the global Covid-19 crisis, Russian representatives at the Sixth BRICS Parliamentary Forum said. Approximately 60 projects in BRICS countries totalling about $20 billion have been approved, the chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, who chaired the virtual event via videoconference on Tuesday, said. The NDB has responded to the pandemic in a timely and effective manner and announced the creation of a special lending mechanism to deal with the aftereffects of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the chairwoman of Russia’s Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko. She said that in total, $4 billion has already been allocated for projects to assist in the recovery of the BRICS economies, with the entire aid package exceeding $10 billion. In April, the bank established the Emergency Assistance Facility to meet the needs of its member countries. Emergency loans could be used to finance direct expenses related to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic or provide support for government measures contributing to economic recovery. The Shanghai-based NDB, which was established in 2014, provides funding for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging economies. With capital of up to $100 billion, it aims to continue issuing financial products denominated in the local currencies of its member countries – China, Russia, Brazil, India, and South Africa.
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
SPORTS 11
RuSSell SAyS WIllIAmS exIt RumOuRS ‘FeD by PeReZ cAmP’ AS meRceDeS vOW tO bAcK hIm
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EORGE Russell says he has a contract with Williams for 2021 and that rumours suggesting he was to be pushed out were being “fed by the [Sergio] Perez camp” after the Mexican was linked with the team. Perez was let go by Racing Point, with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel coming onboard next year alongside Lance Stroll, and the eight-time podium finisher has been exploring his options for 2021, one of which is understood to have involved talks with Williams’ new owners Dorilton. The belief is that Russell, rather than Nicholas Latifi, who brings significant financial backing, would be the driver to make way should Williams decide to change things up – but Russell was bullish about his future, having spoken to the new owners during the Portuguese Grand Prix weekend. “Nothing’s changed from my side,” said Russell, who is a Mercedes junior driver. “I try and do my talking on the track, and as I said before I am not concerned for next year. I know Mercedes and Toto [Wolff] have my back. They’ve told me that. Toto himself has told me that, which I absolutely trust. “I think all this speculation has probably been fed by
the Perez camp who are trying to apply pressure on other teams further down the grid. Potentially [for] a Red Bull seat. So that’s my views on it, I’ve got a contract, I’ve got nothing to worry about and I’m just here trying to do that. “I spoke with them [the new owners], they said don’t
worry, and everything’s going to be fine. We had a small chat about it and moved on to talking about the rest of this year, moving into next year and how we’re going to push the team further forward, which is enough for me.” Russell added that he reckons “everything will be fine” and that
AlphaTauri confirm Pierre Gasly is to remain with the team for 2021 AGENCIES AlphaTauri have confirmed Pierre Gasly will continue to drive for the team for the 2021 Formula 1 season. The Frenchman began his F1 career with the team – then known as Toro Rosso – in 2017 before he was called up to the senior Red Bull team in 2019 to replace the departing Daniel Ricciardo. After a tough time at the team he re-joined Toro Rosso mid-season in a swap with Alex Albon, but this year has been in fine form – not least when he took his maiden F1 victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. And today the team confirmed he would be remaining with the team for the 2021 season. The 24-year-old said: “I’m extremely happy to continue with Scuderia AlphaTauri for another season! This year is going very well, and we are on track to have our most successful season in the
team’s history. “I feel we have a very strong relationship, we have managed to take every opportunity that’s come our way, the best one at the Italian Grand Prix. Winning my first Formula 1 race in Monza was a very special moment for me, and it was made extra sweet to deliver a second win in the team’s history, so I’m very proud of that. “I’ll do my maximum to push the team and take all my responsibility to bring it as far forward as I can. I’m looking forward to next year’s challenge and continuing with AlphaTauri both as a premium fashion brand and a racing team, to keep performing as much as I can to achieve even more success in the future.” AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost added: “I’m delighted that Pierre will remain with us for the 2021 season. He has been part of the Red Bull driver pool for many years and I hope he will remain in the Red Bull family for many seasons
ahead. “Since he came back to the team last year, he consistently showed extremely good performances achieving two podiums, with a second place in Brazil in 2019 and a win at the team’s home race at this year’s Italian Grand Prix. “Pierre has proven to be highly competitive also thanks to his great race craft, extracting the car’s potential at every race and giving valuable feedback to his engineers. “He is mentally very strong, he is always motivated and when he sets a goal he gives it his all to achieve it. I’m looking forward to extending this cooperation and having a successful 2021 season together.” The team have yet to announce who will fill their second seat – currently held by Daniil Kvyat – but this announcement ends speculation that Gasly would return to Red Bull next season given his impressive form in 2020.
Bradburn looks to revolutionise Pakistan’s coaching structure AGENCIES Grant Bradburn, the head of high performance coaching in Pakistan wants to see a significant shift in redeveloping approaches for players growing up, emphasising the need for a team-centric approach than a player-centric approach. He was speaking to media on a day he structured a programme for coaches in the country to mentor players, and ingrain a culture that prioritised match-winning performances over those that only served to inflate a player’s individual statistics. Over the last two years, Pakistan has restructured the entire domestic structure and made a major institutional revamp, combining domestic cricket and national academies into one high performance centre. Earlier, the PCB had coach education managers who had been designing the player development program and executing them with relatively little supervision But in the new structure, the PCB changed the title of the role to “head of coaching” giving the job extensive context, making it a programme to reeducate the coaches not only about the technical side of the game but also rethink the approach they took to working with youth and national cricketers. There is a perception in Pakistan cricket and has often been a talking point about players playing in a way that might work well for them in terms of cement their place in the side, even if it happened to the detriment of the team. Bradburn may have seen this first hand, given he was involved with the national side as fielding coach before being given his role at the High Performance Centre. With a broad overview of Pakistani cricket culture, the former New Zealand cricketer reviewed local coaching methods and now targets Bradburn target the coaches’ coaching style as the key to ensuring players develop a keen match sense from a budding age. “One of the very important elements is game sense,” said Bradburn. “Our players have a lot of knowledge and skill but as coaches we must be pro-
moting game sense so the players are versatile when they find themselves in various situations. These are the things we must search for in our selection That’s the complexity of selection and coaching and that is what we are trying to get our coaches to work on. We need to measure results by matches won, not individual statistics. “Every player has their strengths but if we look at one very important difference, what we are promoting now is that our selectors and coaches look at winning performances. No longer are we are so interested in runs, wickets, averages and strike rates as we are in match winning performances. How many times does a player move the game in our favour? It’s about playing for the country and for the team and then it’s about playing for me and this needs to adopted as our central approach, and coaches need to reflect it.” Historically, Pakistan hasn’t been a major feeder of coaches to the cricketing world. Rashid Latif, Kabir Khan and Inzamam ul Haq went onto to take the Afghanistan coaching job at the time the country had Associate status in world cricket, but never quite stayed long enough in the job. Aqib Javed was the bowling coach of the UAE national side for four years, with the spell including the country’s appearances at the 2014 World T20 and
the 2015 World Cup. The current setup in the Pakistan coaching staff comprises entirely of Pakistanis, the first time since 2003 that has been the case. Over the years the PCB hired foreign coaches in one role or the other, avoiding an environment it was feared could feed into internal politics, trust deficits, and infighting that plagued the side in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Besides, the lack of professionally qualified coaches in Pakistan meant local options were limited. According to Bradburn, there is enough skill and knowledge about cricket in Pakistan to breed local coaches, but it requires a level of expertise that needs working on. “In Pakistan, we are very lucky to have an amazing wealth of cricket experience, but that doesn’t necessarily relate to coaching knowledge,” he said. “It’s my job to help out that wonderful experience ex-cricketers have, and to turn it into coaching expertise too. Coaches don’t need to spoonfeed players all the time, but enable them to understand the game and make good decisions at crucial times. “These cricketers are valuable and they need to provide inspiration to the next generation of players. There are some very experienced cricketers and very passionate people in our coaching system but we need to continue to develop their coaching skills to provide what our player needs. So it’s the player who needs to be at the forefront so we need coaches who are determined to allow our players to be as good as they can be not to put a ceiling on them to instruct the players to be only good as they themselves were. “Developing good relationships and showing them what good coaching is starts and stop with good communication. All of our coaches from top to bottom must be experts in communicating. Sometimes these communication are difficult, but we must get away from our culture of telling our players exactly how they need to play. Our players know how to play and if we have a player-centric approach we need to allow them flourish and be the best in the world.”
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the situation would be “100% clarified from the team’s perspective, probably no later than the end of the week”. Meanwhile Mercedes boss Wolff said it is up to Williams to decide what they do, and he would keep Russell on board if it was up to him, but if the team decide to go another way, Mercedes will continue to support their young driver. “I think it’s not looking bad to be honest,” said Wolff of Russell’s future at Williams. “There are a lot of theories whether he stays or not and there are drivers, clearly good guys, also with a bit of budget there. I think the reason why the investors have come in is that they want to be competitive. “They have made a sensible plan on how to increase performance every year and they are not expecting any wonders short-term but they have a clear path to success over the next few years and I think that George can play a role in there. He’s clearly performing very well, the team likes him. If I were them I would keep him. “Whether he stays or not, if he stays then we have to make a decision next year what to do and if he doesn’t stay then it becomes more of an imminent topic. Let’s see what happens. He added: “If George were to slip through the system I would be happy to take him in our squad, we will have a sensational reserve. I would put him through a mega testing programme and prepare him in the best way for a 2022 blast.”
Pakistan vs Zimbabwe: Shadab Khan may miss first ODI due to injury All-rounder Shadan Khan is still not fit completely to play the first ODI against Zimbabwe on October 30 and a final decision about his participation would be taken anytime today, a local news outlet reported Wednesday. A team official told the publication that Shadab was feeling discomfort and pain at the upper side of the thigh which restricted his moment. “This is not hamstring injury but muscle problems at the upper portion of the thigh. He could not attend the practice session on Tuesday as he was feeling pain and discomfort,” the official said. When asked whether he would be in a position to play the opening One-Dayer against Zimbabwe, he said the decision would be taken before Thursday. “At this point we are not sure about that, doctors are working on his fitness,” the official said. ALL PLAYERS, STAFFERS TEST NEGATIVE FOR COVID-19: All 107 cricketers and player support staff of Pakistan and Zimbabwe on Tuesday returned negative COVID19 tests. According to a press release by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the participants are now placed in a bio-secure bubble where they can interact with each other. Pakistan and Zimbabwe are scheduled to face each other, first in an ODI series in Rawalpindi from October 30 and later in a T20I series in Lahore from November 7. AGENCIES
FIA could introduce a big change that will upset many F1 drivers On Monday, a meeting was held between all the F1 teams and Formula 1 itself to deliberate about certain topics pertaining to the future of the sport. One of the major outcomes of that meeting was the agreement of all teams to a drivers’ salary cap. The provisional idea is to give F1 teams a budget ceiling of $30 million to spend on their drivers’ salaries. This salary cap will come into power from the 2023 season onwards. What is more important to note is that this will not only include one driver, but both of them. So a combined $30 million cap is what teams will be granted. However, if teams choose to exceed this limit, they’ll have to cut down on their budget cap for car development. In the earlier regulations that came about as a direct result of the pandemic, F1 teams were only allowed $145 million to spend on the development of their car for next year. The cap is set to drop down to $140 million and then to $135 million in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Moreover, any underutilization of the drivers’ salary cap cannot be added to the budget cap. Another important aspect that is supposed to be ensured is the commitment to driver deals for 2023 and beyond. The reason being the complexity of employment laws. However, keep in mind that none of these plans are official as of yet. The idea to introduce the salary cap came as a result of teams accepting further cost-cutting measures in light of the pandemic. When the budget cap was announced not everyone was happy that driver salaries were excluded from it. WHAT HAD MERCEDES F1 BOSS TOTO WOLFF SAID EARLIER? Back in July, Wolff, the Mercedes Team Principal, had said, “The salary cap is something that we have supported. I believe similar to the leagues in US, if you cap the team at $145 million with a downward slop, you need at a certain stage to also cap high salaries.” “We have said we don’t want to lose the superstars of this sport. So it needs to be a gradual reduction. This is still my opinion. I think it would be good for the sport.” Well, it looks like Toto’s wish is all set to be granted. However, it would be interesting to see how Mercedes split their drivers’ salaries to adhere to the cap, considering Lewis Hamilton is yet to sign a contract for next year. AGENCIES
Thursday, 29 October, 2020
PrAyEr TIMINGS
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PomPEo bRINgs ANtI-ChINA RoAdshow to INdIAN oCEAN IslANds COLOMBO
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S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday brought the Trump administration’s antiChina campaign to Indian Ocean islands considered particularly at risk for what American officials allege is Chinese exploitation. Pompeo is visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives to press the two countries to be on guard against potential predatory lending and investment by China. He was making the case less than a week before the American election in which President Donald Trump is seeking to paint his rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, as weak on China. Even before Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka, China had fired back at the US message, accusing Washington of bullying smaller nations. In Sri Lanka, the Maldives and then in Indonesia on Thursday, Pompeo plans to press each nation to push back against increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, which US officials complain is highlighted by development and infrastructure projects that benefit China more than the presumed recipients. Ahead of Pompeo’s arrival in Colombo, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka denounced his visit, accusing one of his top aides of making unacceptable
threats against the country. In those comments, the top US diplomat for South Asia, Dean Thompson, warned Sri Lanka of the dangers of allowing China to get a foothold on the island. “We encourage Sri Lanka to review the options we offer for transparent and sustainable economic development in contrast to discriminatory and opaque practices,” he said. “We urge Sri Lanka to make difficult but necessary decisions to secure its economic independence for long-term prosperity, and we stand ready to partner with Sri Lanka for its economic development and growth.” The Chinese Embassy said the comments were a blatant violation of diplomatic protocols and also chided the US for organizing Pompeo’s 24-hour visit and imposing a major logistical burden on the country, which. like much of the rest of the world is in the midst of a spiraling surge in coronavirus cases. “Does this approach truly prove your respect to the host country? Is it helpful to local epidemic prevention and control? Is it in the interests of the Sri Lankan people?” the embassy said in a statement. The US-China tug-of-war plays out against concerns that the Sri Lankan government is backsliding on democratic reforms. Last week, Parliament by a large majority approved a constitutional amendment concentrating powers under Presi-
In-person meetings at UN headquarters suspended after 5 Covid-19 cases surface NEW YORK: All in-person meetings at the UN headquarters in New York were suspended after five diplomats of a country’s UN mission tested positive for Covid-19, a UN spokesman said. “Yesterday, the UN Secretariat was informed by a permanent mission that they had five positive cases among their staff. The UN medical service immediately initiated contact tracing with the full cooperation of the permanent mission. As of now, all in-person meetings have been suspended for today,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the regular noon briefing. Dujarric refused to disclose the country name of the mission. Media reports said earlier that the five infected diplomats are from Niger, a member of the 15-member Security Council that last met in person on Thursday. Diplomats said people who attended Thursday’s meeting were being tested for Covid-19, and an in-person meeting on Syria planned for Tuesday was instead held virtually. According to Dujarric, there had been 1,300 to 1,400 swipes of ground pass into the UN buildings at its New York headquarters over the last two or three weeks compared to about 11,000 swipes before a work-at-home order was issued in March. Volkan Bozkir, president of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, wrote a letter to all member states on Monday evening, saying that the organization’s medical unit had suggested the cancellation of in-person conferences on the headquarters. Bozkir added that the conferences would likely be cancelled pending the outcomes of contact tracing. Dujarric told the media in an email saying that as of Tuesday afternoon, there had been 132 Covid-19 cases in the entire UN system, including 10 diplomats from relevant countries’ UN permanent missions and 45 international staff. When answering the question about how long the lack of any in-person meetings will take place, Dujarric said that “my estimate is that we will continue for a few more days.” He said that for the secretary-general, “it is of foremost importance that staff be safe, that delegates be safe, that you be safe, all those who are coming into the building ...” “I think our staff have done a tremendous job during the lockdown,” he added. On March 12, the first case of Covid-19 at the UN headquarters was reported by a diplomat with the Philippines mission to the UN. The UN chief on March 13 demanded all UN staff to work remotely from March 16 to April 12, to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 at the UN headquarters in New York. The telecommuting rule has remained unchanged ever since. The UN Security Council held an inperson meeting on July 14 at UN headquarters in New York, the first of its kind since midMarch when Covid-19 forced the Council to convene virtually. AGENCIES
dent Gotabaya Rajapaksa and reversing efforts a previous government had made to curb authoritarianism. With the change, Rajapaksa will be able to hold ministries, as well as appoint and sack ministers. He will also be the appointing authority of the elections, public service, police, human rights, bribery or corruption investigation commissions. Those commissions were perceived as independent with a constitutional council comprising of lawmakers from different political parties and civil personalities making the appointments. With the amendment, the constitutional council was abolished for a parliamentary council whose observations the president is not bound to implement. Rajapaksa will also be able to dissolve Parliament after two years and six months, instead of six months before its five-year term ends. And, he was able to push through a clause that lifted a ban on dual citizens holding political office, a move that will pave the way for a sibling who is a US citizen to enter Parliament, further strengthening his family’s hold on political power. Currently, Rajapaksa’s older brother, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is the prime minister. Another older brother and three nephews are also lawmakers — three of them ministers. Sri Lanka has been ruled under a pow-
erful executive presidential system since 1978, but a reformist government in 2015 clipped much of the president’s powers and gave them over to Parliament and independent commissions, saying successive presidents had been more authoritarian. Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka late Tuesday from India, where he and Defense Secretary Mark Esper had stepped up the Trump administration’s anti-China message by playing on Indian suspicions about the Chinese to shore up a regional front against Beijing, “The United States will stand with the people of India as they confront threats to their freedom and sovereignty.” Pompeo said, referring pointedly to ones posed by the Chinese Communist Party, ”Our leaders and our citizens see with increasing clarity that the CCP is no friend to democracy, the rule of law, transparency, nor to freedom of navigation — the foundation of a free and open and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said. Just hours before the meetings in New Delhi began, the Trump administration notified Congress of plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan — the second major arms sale in two weeks to the democratic island that Beijing regards as a renegade province. China angrily reacted to the first sale by announcing sanctions on US defense contractors.
China urges US to stop undermining regional peace, stability NEW DELHI AGENCIES
The Chinese Embassy in India has urged the United States to “respect facts and truth, abandon the Cold War and the zero-sum mentality, stop hyping up the so-called ‘China threat,’ and stop the wrong actions that undermine regional peace and stability.” The statement was issued against U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper for openly attacking China during their visit to India to attend the India-U.S. 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. The statement said Pompeo and other senior officials repeated lies, attacked and made allegations against China, violated the norms of international relations and
basic principles of diplomacy, instigated China’s relations with other countries in the region, which once again exposed their Cold War mentality and ideological bias. “The Chinese side expresses its firm opposition to it,” it said. “The U.S. side once again tries to shift the blame onto China on Covid-19, which is indeed distorting facts to mislead the public,” it said, adding that “what China has done and achieved in our fight against the virus are open for all to see. We hope U.S. politicians could focus on their own epidemic response and saving lives instead of shifting blame on others.” The statement noted that the so-called “Indo-Pacific strategy” proposed by the United States is to stir up confrontation among different groups and blocs and to stoke geopolitical competi-
tion, in a bid to maintain the dominance of the United States, organize closed and exclusive ideological cliques. China has been advocating that the development of bilateral relations between countries should be conducive to regional peace, stability and development, and not infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of a third party, the statement said. Also, noting that the boundary question is a bilateral matter between China and India, the statement said that the two sides have been discussing disengagement and de-escalation in the border areas through diplomatic and military channels. “China and India have the wisdom and ability to handle their differences properly. There’s no space for a third party to intervene,” it added.
China plans to impose sanctions over US arms sale to Taiwan BEIJING AGENCIES
Recently, the US State Department approved potential foreign military sales of weapons worth billions of dollars to the country. Last week, the State Department approved a possible foreign military sale of AGM-84H standoff land attack missile expanded response (SLAM-ER) Missiles to Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO). The department also approved a sale of 11 high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) M142 launchers for $436.1m and six MS-110 Recce Pods for $367.2m to TERCO. It also includes the sale of Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems (HCDS) to TECRO for $2.37bn. In August, Taiwan signed an agreement to purchase 66 F-16
jets from Lockheed Martin. The companies involved in the sales include Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian was reported by CNN as saying that the US sale of missiles and weapons to Taiwan ‘seriously violate’ China’s security interests. He also urged the nation to sever the military relationship with the Taiwanese Government. Media quoted Zhao as saying: “We will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and security interests.” Meanwhile, US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said: “We deplore Beijing’s efforts to retaliate against US and foreign companies for their sales that support Taiwan’s legitimate self-defence requirements, the necessity of which has been made abundantly clear through increasingly hostile incursions by China’s air force.”
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Collapse of Nagornokarabakh ceasefire disappoints trump WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that it was disappointing to see a U.S.-brokered ceasefire reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region collapsed. “It’s disappointing to see that, but that’s what happens when you have countries that have been going at it for a long time,” Trump told reporters when asked about the collapse of the newly reached ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held separate phone conversations with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to a statement issued by the State Department earlier in the day. Secretary Pompeo pressed the leaders to abide by their commitments to cease hostilities and pursue a diplomatic solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and noted that there is no military solution to this conflict,” said the statement. The two warring parties agreed on a new humanitarian ceasefire in the NagornoKarabakh region that would take effect 0400 GMT Monday, according to a Sunday joint statement between the United States, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. However, shortly after the truce came into effect, the two sides broke the ceasefire and traded accusations and attacks with each other. The defense ministry of Azerbaijan said in a Monday statement that the Armenian side had shelled several regions including Tovuz and Gadabay in Azerbaijan since Monday morning. Meanwhile, Armenia’s defense ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan accused Azerbaijani troops of opening artillery fire at the northeastern part of the Nagorno-Karabakh region soon after the ceasefire took effect. Monday’s ceasefire agreement was the third within weeks. The two other agreements were reached on Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, but both sides blamed each other for not observing them. A new round of armed conflict broke out on Sept. 27 along the contact line of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. AGENCIES
NEPRA lIkEly to APPRovE Rs1.36 PER UNIt hIkE IN PowER tARIff ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is likely to jack up electricity price by Rs1.36 per unit under fuel price adjustment for the month of September, 2020.The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), on behalf of power distributing companies (DISCOs), had earlier requested NEPRA to adjust monthly fuel charges for September and increase power price by Rs1.36 per unit.Subsequently, NEPRA called an online hearing on October 29 (tomorrow) to consider the proposed adjustment and to arrive at a fair decision in this regard. Through a public notice, NEPRA had invited all interested/affected parties to raise written/oral objections as permissible under the law. The variation in actual and reference fuel charges was Rs2.8410/kWh in September, which is why CPPA has asked NEPRA to allow Rs1.36/kWh hike in the power tariff.Based on the monthly data provided by CPPA, around 37.18pc of electricity was produced in the country from hydel sources, while 17.42pc was generated from coal, 5.82pc from furnace oil, 10.10pc from domestic natural gas, 21.40pc from imported LNG, 1.34pc from wind and 5.17pc from nuclear sources. Pursuant to section 31 (7) of the NEPRA Act and the mechanism for the monthly fuel price adjustment prescribed by the authority in the tariff determination of exWAPDA DISCOs, the authority may on monthly basis make adjustment in the approved tariff on account of any variation in the fuel charges and policy guidelines as the federal government may issue and notify the tariff so adjusted in the official gazette. AHMAD AHMADANI
Pandemic halves global FDI: UN report NEW YORK AGENCIES
A United Nations trade report has said that foreign direct investment (FDI) has plunged by 49 percent around the world in the first half of 2020 from the same period a year ago. FDI is on course to fall by up to 40 percent for the year, driven by fears of a deep recession, the UN has warned. A report by the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
showed that FDI flows to European economies turned negative for the first time ever, falling to minus $7 billion from $202 billion (€171 billion). Foreign direct investment flows to the United States dropped by 61 percent to $51 billion. “Global FDI flows for the first half of this year went down by close to half... It was more drastic than we expected for the whole year,” said James Zhan, director of UNCTAD’s investment and enterprise division. He added that the flows are ex-
pected to decline by 30 to 40 percent this year and “moderately” in 2021, by five to ten percent. The figures cover cross-border mergers and acquisitions, new greenfield investment projects and project finance deals. According to the report, industrialized countries, which normally account for some 80 percent of global transactions, were hardest hit, with flows falling to $98 billion - a level last seen in 1994. Among major FDI recipients in 2019, flows declined most strongly in
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Italy, the United States, Brazil and Australia. China is bucking the trend, Zhan said. “Their FDI flows remain relatively stable. For the first half of the year the decline was really modest and in fact according to the latest data, for the first nine months altogether this year FDI into China increased by 2.5 percent,” he said. Most FDI investment in China was in electronic commerce services, specialized technology services, and research and development, Zhan noted.