EpaperLHR_2020-05-14

CMYK

Thursday, 14 May, 2020 I 20 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol X No 316 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

Govt Claims has evidenCe of shehbaz family’s involvement in money launderinG g

pm’s aide says pml-n president estaBlished dOzens Of frOnt cOmpanies in names Of emplOyees tO launder mOney

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challenges shehBaz sharif tO take him tO cOurt Over allegatiOns, respOnd tO charges On media

ISLAMABAD

health sector faces another mega scandal

APP

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m’s special assistant on accountability shahzad akbar on wednesday announced that the government has evidence of pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pmln) president shehbaz sharif and his family’s involvement in money laundering, adding that the assets of the sharif family significantly increased in 10 years during the pml-n’s rule in punjab addressing a press conference, he said that shehbaz had established dozens of front companies in employees’ names for money laundering and documentary evidences of all these unlawful transactions had been collected and it would not be easy for him to escape the law. akbar said that from 2008 to 2018, “mind-blowing” increase in assets of shehbaz and his sons was detected. he said that the source of their income was telegraphic transfers sent to them by poor employees of their companies. he said that the money was sent abroad through hundi and then sent back via tts. he also said through a paper firm gnc, transactions of billions of rupees were done by two front men and close friends of salman shehbaz, nisar gill and ali ahmed. he added that shehbaz had taken the plea that his sons were adults and he was not responsible for their actions, however, he appointed nisar gill and ali ahmed in the chief minister’s Office as director of political affairs and director policy, respectively. akbar said that one company, nisar trading company, was registered in the name of sharif feed mills employee rashid karamat and transaction of rs425 million was done in this firm’s account. he said that rs450m were deposited in the account of a company khan traders, registered in the name of the father of one gulzar, an employee of ramzan sugar

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ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

mills. he also said rs5bn were deposited in the account of maqsood and co, a firm in the name of malik maqsood, who worked at the sharif-owned chiniot energy Office as a peon. similarly, he added, rs350m were deposited in the account of azhar abbas, rs480m in the account of muhmmad anwar, rs560m in the account of ghulam shabbir and rs210m in the account of tanveerul haq, all employees of ramzan sugar mills. he further said that overall rs17.4bn were deposited in paper firms and benami accounts of the employees of shehbaz’s companies whose monthly salaries were from rs18,000 per month to rs70,000. akbar said that all details of these employees were available with employees Old age Benefit fund (eOBi) record and nobody could deny that they were not working with shehbaz’s firms. he said that as per collected documentary proofs, rashid karamat, a resident of a slum near gulberg, lahore, was a procurement assistant earning rs 18,000 per month. “how were rs450m transferred in his account?” he asked.

Coronavirus in

Pakistan

CONFIRMED CASES:

35,384

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

SINDH:

PUNJAB:

8,812 13,341

761

13,230

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

5,252 88/475

2,239 759

health ministry ‘secretly’ includes Branded items in tax exemptiOn list, cOsts natiOnal excheQuer BilliOns in lOsses

he said that two employees namely masroor anwar and shoaib Qamar transferred big amounts from nisar trading company’s account to shehbaz and hamza shehbaz’s accounts and copies of the cnics of both of them were available with the concerned bank branches. he said that when pml-n members were questioned about the cheques deposited by them in the nisar trading company accounts, they said that they had given donation for party funds.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

pml-n slams govt’s allegations against shehbaz, demands direct evidence STORY ON PAGE 03

in the aftermath of the medicine scandal concerning the import of drugs from india despite a ban, the ministry of national health services has embroiled itself in another alleged mega scandal after it emerged that tax exemptions were allegedly given to selected companies, causing huge losses to the national exchequer. sources privy to the development told pakistan today that the federal Board of revenue (fBr) on march 20, 2020, issued an srO [statutory notification] giving tax exemptions on import of 61 items in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. these items included life technologies 7500 real time pcr with rnasep instrument verification kit and complete guides documentation and software; Biosafety cabinets class ii type a2, en 12469, europe nsf/ansi 49, usa Jis k3800 Japan; autoclave 50 liter capacity; multi channel pipette 5-10 ml; single channel pipette set of four 2,10,200, 1000 ml eppendorf/glison; muti channel pipette 20-200 ml; vaccum fold; dr Oligo synthesizer: refrigerator/freezer -20 cmodel mpr-414 f ; mini spin; pcr cham-

Govt, Opp lawmakers continue blame game over Covid-19 handling g

ISLAMABAD the national assembly session, which entered its second day on wednesday, witnessed the continuation of the blame game as the opposition parties chided the federal government for sending out “confusing” and “mixed signals” in the fight against the covid-19 pandemic. the house, which first met on monday following a gap of almost two months, found itself in the middle of a heated debate with the pakistan muslim league-nawaz (pml-n) lawmakers lashing out at the federal government over its handling of the pandemic, calling it “absolutely irresponsible”.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05 fiqah-e-hanfia

lahore sehr: 3:34 aM iftar: 6:52 PM

islaMabad sehr: 3:32 aM iftar: 7:01 PM

karachi sehr: 4:24 aM iftar: 7:09 PM

fiqah-e-jafaria

Opp lawmakers chide centre fOr sending Out ‘cOnfusing’, ‘mixed signals’ Over anticOrOnavirus measures STAFF REPORT

bers; pcr kits (95 tests) for suspects diagnosis (altona) respective ii.

Qiamp viral rna mini kit (250) reactions; vtm (viral transport medium); vortex machine 0-3000 rpm 220v, velp italy: refrigerated centrifuge machine temperature range – 20 to+40 model z 326 k~hermie iec 10i0; ups 6 kva apc smart-ups rva 6000 va 230 v and other items. later, the fBr amended the notification on april 16 and converted the branded list into general items. the items included: “real time pcr life technologies 7500 real time pcr (standard 96 well plate and 0.2ml tubes format, 5 channel; Biosafety cabinets; multi channel pipette 0.5-10 ul; single channel pipette 2ul,10ul,200ul, 1000 ul; microcentrifuge (non-refrigerated, rotor capacity, 12 x 1.5/ 2.0 ml vessels, 2 x pcr strip, max. speed: 12, 100 x g (13,400rpm)); pcr cabinet (hepa filter system, uv and while light); real time pcr kit for the detection of coronavirus (sars-cov-2); viral rna extraction kit and mahine (automatic extractors); vtm (viral transport medium); refrigerator/freezer (-20 c), vortex machine; refrigerated centrifuge machine (rotor capacity 1.5ml x24, max. speed 14000 rpm); and (ups 6 kva). “

lahore sehr: 3:24 aM iftar: 7:02 PM

islaMabad sehr: 3:22 aM iftar: 7:11 PM

karachi sehr: 4:14 aM iftar: 7:19 PM

more inside

SC stops PHC from releasing 290 military court convicts on bail the pml-n, which has time and again raised concerns on the federal government’s handling of the pandemic, demanded the centre to state its coronavirus strategy. “four ministers have [so far] spoken here. has anyone told us what is going on here,” questioned pmln’s shahid khaqan abbasi. speaking on the floor of the house, the former prime minister observed that “in situations like these, governments first need to promote awareness in the nation”. “[usually] one person is the spokesperson […] [But] here every minister is giving statements,” he lamented, asking: “who is responsible [for this] in this country?” the criticism comes a day after the pakistan

CMYK

people’s party (ppp) hurled similar accusations at the federal government. the party had said that the government was not ready to sit with the opposition. abbasi also raised questions over the lockdown policy being implemented in the country, saying that initially the government said it will not impose a lockdown. “later, it was said that the lockdown was being eased, after which the government announced that it will now impose a smart lockdown,” he recalled. amid health concerns, the session was convened following the submission of a requisition notice by the pml-n which was withdrawn after the government agreed to do so.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

STORY ON PAGE 02

pml-Q asks pm imran to probe reopening of naB cases against chaudhrys STORY ON PAGE 03

ECC approves multi-billion package to boost agriculture, support farmers STORY ON PAGE 09

02

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

NEWS

uSmAN BuzdAR ReCoRdS StAtemeNt iN SuGAR pRoBe ISLAMABAD

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Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to appear before it on Wednesday and explain the

STAFF REPORT

additional subsidy granted to sugar mills in the fiscal year 2017-18. However, the Sindh

BuzdAR, ASAd umAR Set exAmple oF ReSpeCt FoR lAw: ShiBli

UNJAB Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Wednesday recorded his statement before the high-powered commission probing into the sugar crisis in the country. According to a media report, Buzdar was brought to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) headquarters from its back entrance instead of the front gate.

The commission led by FIA Director General Wajid Zia questioned the Punjab chief minister regarding the subsidy given on sugar export. He was also asked about the transfer of food department secretaries and other officials. Buzdar was unable to respond to some questions, the report claimed.

The commission had also summoned

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said on Wednesday that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had set an example of respect for the law by appearing before the Sugar Inquiry Commission. The minister, in a tweet, said accountability was a fundamental component of democracy. It had been proved practically that in the Naya Pakistan the law was not subservient to individuals, rather the individuals were subservient to the law. He said such an example of self-accountability could not be found in the past when the investigative agencies were disrespected as the rulers used to come to the inquiry commission with pomp and show. They respected the law according to their own choice as instead of answering the questions asked at the inquiry offices, they would rather question the investigative agencies, he added. APP

SC stops PHC from releasing 290 military court convicts on bail ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday stopped the Peshawar High Court (PHC) from passing interim orders pertaining to the release of 290 military court convicts on bail.

The bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Amin heard the federal government’s plea to halt the PHC from allowing bail to 290 suspected mili-

tants who were convicted by the military courts. The bench also asked the high court to proceed the matter on merit and issued a notice to all respondents for Monday.

Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan submitted in the apex court that there will be “irreparable” loss if the high court grants bail to the convicted men.

A bench presided by PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth is currently hearing appeals filed by 290 alleged

NAB moves SC against bail granted to Khursheed Shah's family ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) approached the Supreme Court to challenge the bail granted to PPP leader Khursheed Shah’s family in the asset beyond means case, on Wednesday. The anti-corruption watchdog has challenged the bail granted to Khursheed Shah's wives, Bibi Gul Naz and Bibi Talat and his son, Zeerak Shah, and nephew. The bureau has appealed to the court to cancel the bails granted to all the accused in the case and declare Sindh High Court’s April 22 decision as null and void.

NAB has contended that SHC overlooked the evidence gathered against the accused and did not investigate the facts correctly.

The watchdog has also alleged that the SHC in its decision ignored the rules issued by the Supreme Court. The bureau has told the apex court that Shah spent more than Rs710 million from 2005 till 2019. It added that the PPP leader and his family were unable to justify the $84,000 in their bank accounts which the bureau came to know after an investigation. The appeal also stated that Shah and his family were also unable to provide a money trail of the Rs370 million in their bank accounts. NAB had arrested Khursheed Shah last year after the bureau alleged that he had acquired assets worth an estimated Rs700 million via his frontmen through ill-gotten money. NAB's top officials probing the matter claimed to acquire several important records/files from Sukkur district administration, where revenue officers shared important details, which led ultimately to Shah's arrest from Islamabad in September 2019.

militants and their facilitators convicted by military courts that were formed in the wake of the December 16, 2014 attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar.

The federal government had requested the PHC to form a larger bench on account of conflicting views of different benches on the matter. However, the PHC chief justice did not accept the government’s plea.

Later, the government challenged the PHC order regarding the rejection of its plea to

advocate general wrote a letter to the FIA director general informing him that the commission could not summon the chief minister under its own terms of reference.

Summoning the chief minister is in violation of Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017, he added.

On Tuesday, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar also appeared before the commission and responded to its queries about the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision to allow sugar export even though there were no surplus stocks.In April, the government went public with the findings of the inquiry committee tasked with probing into the sugar crisis.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had vowed not to spare those found guilty of creating and profiting off the sugar and wheat crises

form a larger bench in the apex court and requested the court to hear the case on a priority basis.

The SC clubbed the matter with the government’s appeals against the PHC’s earlier decision to set aside the conviction of 73 people by the military court and a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Mazhar Alam and Justice Yahya Afridi took up the case on Tuesday.

However, at the onset of the hearing, Justice Afridi said Justice Alam had been a part of the PHC when it passed orders against convictions by the military court.

The AGP had said the matter was not just limited to the formation of a larger PHC bench as the PHC is also hearing the convicts’ bail applications and a new crisis could emerge.

Traders reject partial movement of transit goods at Torkham border PESHAWAR AZIZ BUNERI

The number of transit vehicles to cross Torkham border has increased from 100 to 150 per day, the border management officials claimed on Wednesday.

However, the traders rejected the decision and asked for the restoration of 24/7 operation on Torkham border crossing. Following the closure of border crossing points to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Pakistan had announced the opening of borders with Afghanistan five days a week, with the border management allowing only 100 transit vehicles a day.

Rejecting the decision of the border management, traders said the exports to Afghanistan, which consists mostly of food items, would spoil in the containers till their turn to cross the border.

They say due to these issues, the exporters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are facing heavy losses.

Shahid Hussain, who is senior vicepresident of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told this scribe that the decision of the border management to allow 150 vehicles a day doesn’t makes any difference until the resumption of 24/7 operation on all the crossing points with Afghanistan.

He said the partial opening of the crossing points would further add to the problems faced by the traders and exporters of the province.

At present, Hussain said, there are 8,000 containers of Afghan transit waiting for their turn and even if 150 vehicles are allowed to pass on daily basis, it will take a long to clear them but then

more containers will arrive. “The only solution available is to restore round the clock operation.”

“We demand the government and the border management to have mercy on the traders and transporters and launch 24/7 operation on the border,” Hussain said.

On Wednesday, the border management, the District Administration Khyber, Customs officials, Frontier Corps and police held a joint meeting to discuss the situation at the border during the COVID-19 crisis. The participants decided to increase to number of vehicles from 100 to 150.

According to sources, the border management is being accused by taking bribes from the transporters and only those are allowed to cross the border who can afford to pay bribes. Sources claimed from Rs10,000 to Rs70,000 have been received from vehicles at TakhtaBaig to help them to move ahead.

Khyber District Police Officer Dr Muhammad Iqbal said a policy is being

formulated as per the orders of the provincial government to cope with the crises created by the coronavirus.

He said the number of 100 transit vehicles has been increased to 150 daily a day.

Iqbal asked the transporters to wait their turn to avoid difficulties and mismanagement on the border crossing.

The DPO further said the Khyber district administration is well aware of the issues and difficulties of transporters and traders and working to find a reasonable solution in collaboration with all relevant institutions and trade organisations.

“No transporter will be abused by the police at Torkham border. We’ll provide every possible facility to the transporters going to Afghanistan,” Iqbal assured.

He said the departmental action would be taken against the policemen on Pak-Afghan Highway and Torkham Border if they are found harassing the traders and drivers..

Shahbaz Gill appointed as PM’s special assistant on political communication LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday appointed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member Shahbaz Gill as his special assistant on political communication.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division: "The Prime Minister, in terms of rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business, 1973 read with serial No.1 A or Schedule-V-A of the said Rules has been

pleased to appoint Dr Shahbaz Gill as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication, with immediate effect". “The appointment has been made on honorary basis,” the notification read.

It may be noted here Gill had resigned as the spokesman to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in September 2019.

"I hereby resign from the post of official spokesperson to Punjab CM," Gill had written in a hand-written note without specifying any reason.

Whereas, late PTI leader Naeemul Haque had said that Gill was removed on the request of Usman Buzdar.

According to different sources, Gill was removed from his post because he was promoting himself instead of his boss.

“The Punjab chief minister had some reservations with Shahbaz Gill, and he was removed because Buzdar requested it,” Haque had said in a video message, adding that Gill might be assigned an important role in the federal government.

CMYK

once he received the detailed forensic reports of the commission’s preliminary findings on April 25. Later, the commission was given three more weeks to submit the reports.

The report on sugar crisis revealed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s former secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen and former national food security minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar were among the main beneficiaries. Both stalwarts of the PTI went away with a Rs1.03 billion subsidy on the export of sugar, paid from taxpayers’ money, which was equal to 41 per cent of the total subsidy the government of Punjab paid to sugar barons, according to the report.

“Sugar mill owners who availed maximum subsidy had political clout and influence in decision making and they tried to gain maximum benefit in a very limited time,” revealed the report.

Afridi elected chairman of Special Committee on Kashmir ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Minister for State for States and Frontier Regions and Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi Wednesday was elected as chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir.

Shehryar Afridi has replaced Syed Fakhar Imam who was leading the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir since 2019. The committee met here at the Parliament House to elect a new chairman. Malik Amir Dogar suggested that since Kashmir is an issue beyond political considerations, the opposition parties should support a unanimous candidate for the Chairman of the Committee. Sanaullah Khan Mastokhel proposed the name of Shehryar Afridi for the committee’s top slot, saying that a ‘young’ parliamentarian would help raise the Kashmir issue at international forums with more vigour and force. However, Khurram Dastagir and Mushahidullah Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) argued that they had not been consulted for the unanimous election of the committee chairman and boycotted the proceedings. Later, the committee elected Shehryar Afridi as the new head of the committee. Addressing the participants of the committee, Afridi said all political parties speak with one voice on Kashmir issue and he would take all parties along. Shehryar Afridi served as the Minister of State for Interior from 31 August 2018 to 18 April 2019.

Covid-19: Gilead inks deal with Feronzsons for Remdesivir NEWS DESK United States-based pharmaceutical firm Gilead has entered a non-exclusive licencing agreement with five South Asian firms, including Ferozsons Laboratories, for the manufacturing and distribution of Remdesivir to 127 countries. The drug is being tested as a treatment for Covid-19 and has been given emergency use authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agreement allows the companies — Ferozsons Laboratories, Cipla Ltd, Hetero Labs Ltd, Jubilant Lifesciences, and Mylan — to manufacture and distribute the drug. In a press release, Gilead said that under the licencing agreements, these companies have a right to receive a technology transfer of the Gilead manufacturing process for Remdesivir to enable them to scale up production more quickly. The licencees also set their own prices for the generic product they produce, it added. The company also said that the licences are royalty-free until World Health Organisation (WHO) declares the end of the public health emergency or a vaccine is approved. Low-income and lower-middle-income countries will be provided with the drug.

The emergency use authorisation of the drug is based on available data from two global clinical trials by the US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease and Gilead. Last week, Japan approved Remdesivir as a treatment for Covid-19, making it the country’s first officially authorised drug to tackle the coronavirus disease. After emerging in China last December, the novel virus has spread to at least 187 countries and territories.

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

NEWS

Govt BANS Youm-e-Ali pRoCeSSioNS ACRoSS CouNtRY ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE federal government on Wednesday issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to the provinces for the last 10 days of Ramzan and it also imposed a ban on processions on account of Youm-e-Ali which is observed by Muslims on 21st of the holy month to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS).

The Interior Ministry issued a notification to all provinces for the last 10 days of the holy month and the Eidul Fitr holidays with regards to post May 9 lockdown strategy devised by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

According to the notification, 20-point SOPs for Taraweeh prayers will remain in place for the last 10 days of Ramzan and for Eid prayers. It also barred all religious processions in connection with Youm-eAli and the last 10 days of Ramzan across the country.

The notification also stated that all provinces would ensure implementation of

INTERIOR MINISTRY ISSUES NOTIFICATION STATING 20-POINT SOPS FOR CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE these SOPs and guidelines about social distancing and other preventive measures would also be followed.

Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar said that following the ease in the lockdown, it is now the public’s responsibility to comply with all the SOPs and take care of the health of their family, society and community at large.

Addressing the meeting of the NCOC, Umar said that individual responsibility was the only way to ensure protection against the coronavirus and collective health of the people.

Umar’s observations came after the provincial chief secretaries apprised the forum that the markets were heavily crowded, particularly with Eidul Fitr coming up. The officials put forth their difficulties in enforcing the SOPs and guidelines set in place by the federation

pml-Q asks pm imran to probe reopening of NAB cases against Chaudhrys ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Federal Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday and apprised him of his party’s concern over reopening of decades-old inquiries by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) senior leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. In a statement after the meeting, Cheema said that he had asked PM Imran why NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal was opening old matters when the country was in a state of emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak. “Whether the NAB chairman took action on his own or at the behest of someone else should be investigated,” he said, adding that the premier has assured probe into the matter. The PML-Q leaders had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC), alleging that the accountability watchdog was an institution of political engineering and raised questions on its investigative authority. In addition, the plea requested the court to declare the reopening of the almost twodecade-old case by the authority as illegal. In the petition, the politicians underlined that the courts have earlier ruled on the NAB’s role and erroneous methods of investigation. The petitioners, who are an important ally to the government, argued that the establishment of NAB, its credibility, partiality and use for political engineering has been a matter of heated debate not only by all political parties but also by human rights organisations and intelligentsia — both at the national and international levels.

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the government’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year must focus on mitigating the impacts of coronavirus, saying it was the federal government’s responsibility to ensure stability in times of corona.

Talking to a media outlet at Parliament House on Wednesday, the PPP chief said that these were not normal times and it was the responsibility of the government to fight this pandemic as well as assure economic stability.

“We have to focus on the agriculture sector because food security is an issue now for the entire world,” he said, adding that there was no sign of rescue package for the sector despite a government announcement.

and the provinces.

“The lockdown has been eased to facilitate the masses,” Umar said, adding that the threat of the pandemic persists and antiCovid-19 directives and SOPs have been sent to all provinces.

The federal minister insisted that the implementation of the SOPs needed to be ensured, adding that public awareness drives were also being broadcast on the radio and television channels, as well as on all digital forums.

According to Umar, the public is fully aware of the comprehensive SOPs devised for every industry, including the construction industry and all factories and markets.

He directed the provinces to ensure the implementation of SOPs, giving provincial chief secretaries three to four days. He also urged the provinces and the public to play their due roles and ensure the health and

safety of the people and contain the spread of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Pakistan chapter published a report, revealing an upward trajectory in local transmissions of the virus, as the country recorded 2,255 cases over the past 24 hours. According to the report, Balochistan had the highest rate of local transmission at 93 per cent, whereas only 7 per cent were imported cases. Sindh closely followed Balochistan with 92 per cent local transmission and 8 per cent imported cases. In Punjab, 85 per cent cases were a result of local transmission while 15 per cent were foreign cases.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 84 per cent cases were locally transmitted while 16 per cent were foreign cases.

Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir had 63 per cent and 83 per cent rate of local transmission, respectively, whereas the former had 37 per cent imported cases while the latter had 17 per cent foreign cases. The report also revealed a downward trajectory in Pakistan’s testing capacity after peaking at an estimated 13,000 on May 9. On subsequent two days, the tests decreased and fluctuated between 10,000 and 11,0000.

The report also revealed that as the testing capacity decreased, the number of new cases also reduced. On May 9, 1,991 new cases were reported, whereas on May 11, 1,140 new cases emerged.

PML-N slams govt’s allegations against Shehbaz, demands direct evidence ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday slammed the government’s allegations against Shehbaz Sharif and demanded direct evidence against his family.

Talking to reporters, PML-N Secretary lnformation Marriyum Aurangzeb said that PM’s aide on accountability Shahzad Akbar’s press conference was a “plethora of blatant lies without any proof which is a part of vicious smear campaign against the Sharif family”.

She challenged him to publicly present concrete evidence of a direct link of Shehbaz with any of the accusations levelled against him. She asked him to prove Shehbaz’s association with any of these businesses, cheques or companies that he “lied about in the presser”. She also dared him to produce a single cheque with the name of Shehbaz, Hamza or Salman on it.

The former information minister said that every single business owned by the Sharif family is declared with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in accordance with the law. “Instead of blurting out lies at press conferences, Shahzad must tell name of any company through which the Sharif family conducts its business and is not declared with the FBR,” she said.

Not ‘A SiNGle pieCe oF evideNCe’ pReSeNted iN CouRt: ShehBAz LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday took aim at Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying he has not presented a single piece of evidence to substantiate charges levelled against him in court. “IK accused me of offering him a bribe Rs.10 billion to be silent in Panama cas /Javed Sadiq as front man. Then it was said I siphoned off money from Multan Metro, a baseless charge rejected by Chinese govt. Even to this day, he has not presented a single piece of evidence in court,” he tweeted. The PML-N leader accused the premier of deploying “poor old tactics of propaganda on media to save their own gross incompetence & corrupt practices in sugar/wheat/medicines/Peshawar BRT”. He said that no propaganda can cover up the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s “poor governance & incompetence”.

Marriyum said the fourth challenge to Shahzad is that he must publicly reveal any contracts of personal enrichment done by Shehbaz while he was building hundreds of billions worth of metro bus projects, power plants, roads, motorways and hospitals. “He must also make public authentic proof that can hold in court who submitted these cheques for which contract in Shehbaz’s account,” she said.

She challenged Shahzad to prove with undeniable evidence what illegal procedures were adopted in the com-

panies in question and which specific laws were violated. “He needs to stop levelling hollow, baseless and fictitious accusations and show with proof where exactly was corruption done and of what nature and what amount was transacted under which kickbacks,” she lambasted.

Marriyum said these press conferences are the worst example of defamation and political harassment and Shehbaz and the Sharif family cannot be cornered by such “heinous witch-hunts” and “smear campaigns”.

Bilawal wants budget to focus on coronavirus PPP CHIEF SAYS FEDERAL GOVT NOT HELPING PROVINCES FIGHT LOCUSTS DESPITE MULTIPLE APPEALS The relief package announced by the government is nothing but gimmickry, said Bilawal. “The government announced Rs12 billion package but when you go into details it shows that all that amount was already budgeted,” he said, adding the government used BISP budget in the name of the Ehsaas programme. He said that the tax refund to the business community is also made a part of this package which was already due.

Wheat procurement has also been made a

part of this package. Thus poor and daily wages haven’t received any relief.

He said that the government did not announce any relief for the medical workers who are fighting on the front line.

“Pakistan should also use some percent of GDP for relief like all other countries in the world. We should use the maximum for our front line soldiers. We should protect our medical workers. Instead, Pakistan became the first state that decided that people’s health and life

is not its priority.” The PPP chairperson said that the government cannot absolve itself from its responsibilities just by giving money through the BISP and added that it has to provide relief to our daily wage workers, small traders, white-collar employees, small shopkeepers. It is unfortunate that Sindh government corona ordinance is not signed yet through which we want to provide relief to the people. This ordinance should be implemented in other provinces as well, he maintained.

03

imran following in musharraf’s footsteps: zardari NEWS DESK Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is following in the footsteps of former military dictator General (r) Pervez Musharraf, adding that the incumbent government has ruined the national consensus in the country.

Speaking to PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira on the coronavirus crisis and the evolving political situation in the country, Zardari criticised the government, saying that it wants to curtail the constitutional and financial powers of provinces. “This government is fighting the opposition instead of fighting coronavirus,” he said. Referring to PPP’s past tenure, the former president stated that when he came to power in 2008, the country was a victim of terrorism and division. “We conducted the Swat operation through national consensus and brought peace [throughout the country],” the former president asserted. The PPP and the PTI have been trading barbs over the past few weeks. On Tuesday, after being criticised for the second consecutive day by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the Parliament House, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had demanded that the foreign minister either withdraw his statement against PPP or resign from his position. The foreign minister had earlier addressed a session of the Senate, where he spoke at length about PPP’s style of governance and the participation of the province in national decision-making. FM Qureshi had said that the PPP was focused on only provincial politics rather than thinking for the entire country. He also said that it was not true that the federal government had abandoned Sindh. In reaction to Qureshi’s criticism, Bilawal had said that the minister had also accused him of using the “Sindh card”.

Bilawal said that he had been raising his voice for issues pertaining to the provinces, without any such intention in mind.

Suspects in mQm leader’s murder case retract statements ISLAMABAD: The suspects in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Imran Farooq murder case recorded fresh statements in the murder case after retracting their confessional statements. Khalid Shamim, Syed Mohsin Ali, and Moazzam Ali recorded their fresh statements before anti-terrorism court judge Shahrukh Arjumand, deciding not to present any defence witnesses . The judge directed the Federal Investigation Agency special prosecutor to present the final argument in the case by May 19. Dr Farooq, a founding member of the MQM, was stabbed and bludgeoned to death near his apartment in London in September 2010. Khalid had confessed that Dr Farooq’s murder was a “birthday gift” for the MQM founder and Mohsin had stated that he took part in the crime because he was promised a position in the MQM’s London Secretariat. STAFF REPORT ‘LOCUSTS THREAT’: “After 25 years locust is threatening us and plant protection is a federal subject but the government is not ready to deal with it,” he said about the potential massive locust threat.

He said that the Sindh chief minister is in contact with the federal government for nearly a year but nothing has been done yet. The Balochistan government and its people were waiting for help against locust, he added.

“We held several press conferences on the issue and just yesterday I addressed a press conference on locust threat and today Raja Pervaiz Ashraf spoke about it in the National Assembly but government has not responded yet. Even the United Nations has issued a warning about locust. The government has to provide relief to the agriculture sector to assure food security,” he added.

04 LAHORE

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Covid-19 Put a dent on Punjab revenue CoLLeCtion, exPenditures: HasHim MINISTER SAYS VARIOUS SYSTEMATIC CHANGES TO TAKE PLACE FOR CONTROL OF PROVINCIAL EXPENDITURES LAHORE

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STAFF REPORT

UNJAB Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bkaht has said that uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected Punjab’s revenue collection and expenditures while the provincial government is unable to make expenditures estimates for the next fiscal year.

He was chairing a special meeting of the Chief Minister’s Standing Committee for Finance here on Wednesday in order to brief the cabinet about the difficulties beg faced by Punjab to prepare the budget 2020-21. The meeting was attended by Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal, Senior Minister Aleem Khan, Law Minister Raja Basharat, Advisor to Chief Minister Dr Salman Shah, Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik, Finance Secretary Abdul-

lah Sumbal, Chairman Planning and Development Board Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh and other officials concern.

The provincial finance minister said that the government plans to raise funds from public sector assets of the next fiscal year to increase indigenous resources, besides considering a mini-budget in the mid of the next fiscal year if the pandemic comes under control.

He also informed ending the subsidy culture along with implementing the public private partnership projects for the allocation of more resources for the development projects.

Punjab is spending Rs46 billion annually on different subsidies while the province saves Rs60 billion by controlling non-development expenditures during the year.

According to the details, an increase in retirement age, as well as matters related to voluntary retirement schemes, and unnecessary appointments are under

consideration to control the current expenditure.

During the meeting, Dr Salman Shah stressed the need for improving the efficiency and performance of the government departments for better implementation on the annual development plan.

He requested the chief secretary to resolve public department matters on

public private partnership programmes as the projects are stuck with various government institutions and suggested fixing a timeline for each department to follow in order to meet targets on time.

The meeting also discussed hiring in the public private partnership authority, special corona allowances for frontline people and recommended allowances for frontline workers only.

Companies wasted billions of rupees in Punjab: Aleem Khan LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Senior Punjab Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said that various companies have wasted billions of rupees of the Punjab government in the past because of which the province is facing a number of financial challenges.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Development of the Punjab Cabinet at the Chief Minister's (CM) House, here on Wednesday. Provincial Ministers for Law, Finance and Industries Raja Mohammad Basharat, Hashim Jawan Bakht and Mian Aslam Iqbal and Advisor Dr Salman Shah were present in the meeting.

“However, we will do our best to provide maximum

relief to the common man in the next budget,” he added.

Abdul Aleem Khan said that the priorities of the Punjab government for the next budget should be clearly defined instead of waiting for a readymade solution and directed all the departments to finalise their recommendations for the financial year 2020-21 by preparing solid proposals for spending on developmental projects and saving unnecessary public sector funds.

The provincial government said that provincial problems due to the pandemic will also have an impact on next year's budget and annual development programme (ADP) therefore the current government would try to benefit the people through maximum development works for which purpose concerned departments should work in coordination with each other.

Governor wants officers delaying official files held accountable

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has hinted that an ordinance may be promulgated to hold officers accountable for delaying official files for more than five days.

Speaking to media and addressing a ceremony organised to distribute ration among poor rickshaw drivers in collaboration with the King Salman Relief Centre and Hayat Foundation at the Governor’s House on Wednesday, the governor said that bureaucrats must perform their duties actively for the progress and prosperity of the country.

King Salman Relief Centre Deputy Director Muhammad Yousaf, Hayat Foundation’s Muhammad Shahzad, governor’s political secretary Mian Kashif Iqbal, Awami Rickshaw Union (ARU) President Majeed Ghauri, social worker Pir Nazim Shah and others were present on the occasion.

Sarwar stressed that it was his life’s dream and objective to ensure safe drinking water for the masses, who were denied a basic human need in this day and age.

Replying to a question, the governor said that it wasn’t the whole bureaucracy that was incompetent but a few black sheep who create hurdles in the country’s smooth functioning.

He said that he would soon promul-

gating an ordinance to bar government officers from keeping official files for more than five days after consulting with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

“Blocking a file in an office does not affect a person but the whole department, which is unacceptable,” he said.

“For now, after I expressed reservations against a few bureaucrats, different senior officers have assured me that the Aab-e-Pak Authority work will be executed at a faster pace and all issues will be resolved as well,” he said.

Further, the governor regretted that people had thronged bazaars and markets without protective measures as soon as the government eased down restrictions in the lockdown.

Lamenting the surge in the number of new coronavirus, he said the government would be left with no option but to impose a lockdown with stricter restrictions than before.

He concluded by thanking the Punjab Development Network (PDN) for providing ration to over 570,000 poor families since the coronavirus pandemic started showing its wrath in Punjab and also acknowledged the services of Akhwat Foundation, Sarwar Foundation, Sheikh Ijaz Trust and some 60 other social welfare organisations for providing ration to poor families and personal protection equipment (PPEs) to doctors in these hard times.

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Punjab sees record singleday spike with 1,356 new coronavirus cases LAHORE: The deadly coronavirus is on the rise in Punjab that saw the highest single-day spike with 1,356 new cases of the infection on Wednesday, taking the provincial tally to 13,225, according to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. “816 out of 1,356 new cases surfaced in the provincial capital,” the department said. A spokesperson for the department said three more coronavirus positive patients died, bringing the number of people falling prey to the infection in the province to 214. So far, 4,452 people have thus far recovered from the disease.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 34,336 with 31 deaths reported during the last 24 hours. So far, 13,225 cases have been registered in Punjab, 12,610 in Sindh, 5,021 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 2,158 in Balochistan, 759 in Islamabad, 475 in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and 88 in Azad Kashmir. Countrywide, 737 patients have died so far while 8,812 have recovered. STAFF REPORT

Punjab govt considers closing various markets in Lahore LAHORE: The Punjab government is considering closing various markets in Lahore due to continued violation of SOPs and precautionary measures by traders and citizens. According to sources, a highlevel meeting was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Sardar Usman Buzdar here on Wednesday wherein he expressed serious concerns over the situation in markets. Sources said that SOPs were being violated in markets and the proposal to close some markets immediately in being considered. The government is considering to close Hall Road, Shah Alam Market, Anarkali and Azam Market in Lahore, while there are no security measures at Ichhra Bazaar, Township Bazaar and other places. Sources privy to the government said that the shops will be issued challans in the first phase and then be sealed as SOPs are being disregarded. STAFF REPORT

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

Urea inventory may SUrGe to 1.42m tonneS by year-end COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR, UREA SALES DECLINED 18PC TO 240,000 TONNES IN APRIL iSLamaBaD

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GHULAM ABBAS

ASED on the latest sales data from the National Fertilizer Development Centre, the urea market seems to be under significant pressure with the accumulation of 850,000 tonnes inventory due to a slowdown in the country's agricultural sector.

The fertilizer industry had started the year with an opening inventory of 600,000 tonnes, but the inventory has continued to

soar on the back of declining sales volume and highest-ever quarterly production of 1.42 million tonnes by the manufacturers.

If the same trend continues, the urea inventory could surge to an estimated 1 million tonnes by the year-end.

Compared to the same period last year, urea sales in April registered a decline of 18pc to 240,000 tonnes. At the same time, the sales fell by 12pc against last month’s figure of 303,000 tonnes. This weakening offtake trend, which is expected to continue for the rest of the year as well, points out to supply chain disruptions in the agri-

Health sector faces another mega scandal CoNtiNuED from pagE 01 However, no official concerned was willing to admit that they were involved in the amendment of the list which facilitated the tax evasion. Sources claimed that officials of the Ministry of National Health Services with the assistance of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) prepared the list. However, DRAP contradicted these allegations and told Pakistan Today to approach the health office.

Ministry of National Health Services Secretary In-charge Dr Tanveer Quershi said that the list was finalised prior to his appointment to the post. “I did not have any idea which was branded or non-branded and the list was prepared at the eleventh hour by the Health DG and DRAP officials,” he said, adding that he was a “non-technical person” and it was the job of the FBR to identify any branded items and highlight the issue, which they failed to do so. Pakistan Today contacted DG Health Dr Malik Safi but he remained unavailable. An official of the department, however, claimed that the list was forwarded by DRAP. He refused to talk further on the subject. FBR also has an ambiguous stance on the issue. Its spokesperson Hamid Attique had told reporters that equipment worth Rs7bn was imported in March 20-April 15. But he changed the value to Rs1.8bn when talking to Pakistan Today.

PM’s health aide Dr Zafar Mirza remained unavailable for comment on the issue by the time this report was compiled.

cultural sector and a general slowdown in the economy with real GDP growth possibly contracting by 1.3pc.

According to sources, besides the fallout of COVID-19 pandemic, urea demand is expected to be adversely affected by record locust infestation that threatens to destroy cotton, wheat, maize and other crops.

As a result, they added, urea consumption is likely to decline by around 10pc to 5.2 million tonnes.

This demand can easily be met by the production capacity of indigenous gas-based urea manufacturers, which is estimated to touch around 5.8 million tonnes in 2020, sources said, adding that the capacity is sufficient to also build safety stocks for the remaining part of the year, without the need to operate

LNG-based plants that rely on huge government subsidies.

According to urea producers, in view of the comfortable inventory position, the government may choose to even allow exports of urea in the international arena to earn valuable foreign exchange for the country and improve its trade balance.

Although the demand and supply situation is the same in various countries due to lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic, the sources claim there are still markets available for urea if the export is allowed.

According to Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Pakistan’s exports are expected to decline by around $3 billion during the current fiscal year in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic.

Firdous sends Rs2bn notice to anchorperson over corruption claims

NEWS DESK Former special assistant to prime minister Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday sent a legal notice to Imran Riaz Khan, current affairs host and anchorperson, for claiming that the former was sacked for abusing her authority as the SAPM. In a notice sent to Khan through her counsel, Firdous demanded Rs2 billion from Khan for maligning her reputation and causing her mental distress.

It said the SAPM is “neither the decision-making authority nor instrumental in any other manner” with regard to the government advertisements. Referring to the claims made by Khan, the notice said: “The process of allocation of work to the advertising agencies working with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the mode of payment and the profits earned by the agencies and the media houses is also incorrect.”

The allegations pertaining to the misuse of official vehicles and staff were baseless, the notice claimed, demanding the anchor to issue a public apology and pay the former PM’s aide Rs2bn in 14 days or face civil and criminal proceedings.

The above would also constitute an offence under Pakistan Penal Code, Defamation Ordinance and other relevant laws for which you are liable to be prosecuted, it concluded.

Govt, Opp lawmakers continue blame game over Covid-19 handling CoNtiNuED from pagE 01 Recalling the entire process, Abbasi scolded the government for not consulting the parliament on developing a strategy to cope with the crisis.

Another PML-N leader, Khawaja Saad Rafique expressed his reservations about the number of cases and deaths being reported in the country. “The data is wrong, the country’s testing capacity is the bare minimum. The government has no idea how many people have been affected by the virus or how many are dying,” he claimed.

The party also questioned the absence of Prime Minister Imran Khan who had skipped Monday’s session as well. “Prime Minister Imran Khan’s absence from parliament was particularly problematic,” Rafique said, adding: “We don’t have a health minister and the adviser to health is not answerable to the people because he wasn’t elected to his position with the people’s votes.”

Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif was among the other prominent absentees. During Monday’s session, PML-N parliamentary leader Khawaja Asif had told the House that Sharif was a “cancer survivor” and doctors had advised him not to attend the sitting.

PPP SAYS CENTRE FAILED TO STEP UP EFFORTS: Addressing the House, PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that his party’s chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was the first leader who had “voluntarily” an-

nounced that he would extend support to the government in this time of crisis.

He, however, noticed that it was the prime minister’s responsibility to unite the nation at a time when it is facing a challenge.

“But the premier did not even stay to listen to provincial chief executives,” he said.

Raja regretted that the government “failed to step up to the challenge”. Another PPP MP Abdul Qadir Patel said that before anybody criticises Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, they should remember that the World Health Organisation had recognised his performance as “the second best”.

GOVT DEFENDS RESISTING BLANKET LOCKDOWN: Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, who spoke before Abbasi, expressed regret that instead of joining forces to look for a way to defeat the epidemic, MPs have criticised the government’s pro-poor approach.

Mehmood said that the opposition lawmakers should “thank God” that Pakistan’s condition is not as bad as European countries, where thousands have died. “While the government has shut down marriage halls, transport, schools and other public places, a blanket lockdown will have a devastating effect on lower-income people,” he observed.

“They [the opposition] say there is confusion. Is taking care of poor people confusion, I ask?” he said. He also dismissed claims that the Centre has not helped provinces, saying that the 18th Amendment

has granted autonomy to provinces. The minister, however, noticed that the amendment was a law, adding that there is always room for improvement [in a law].

Awami National Party (ANP) leader Amir Haider Hoti called for unity among opposition and government ranks, saying “we cannot fight against coronavirus if we continue to wage a war amongst ourselves”. He said that instead of shifting blame, the parliament needs to take “collective responsibility” as every party has been in power at some point or another. “We are all responsible for the state of our current health system,” he said.

Independent MP and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) stalwart Mohsin Dawar questioned the effectiveness of the lockdown restrictions, saying that the majority of people, including police officials, did not understand the concept.

He said that the containment was not done as it should have as life in most areas continued as per routine. He also pointed out the limited capacity of tests conducted in the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where most of the deaths were recorded.

Testing capacity was even more limited in remote areas, where the virus had mostly spread locally, he pointed out, saying that there was a need to increase the number of tests conducted in those regions.

He thanked frontline doctors and healthcare professionals for risking their lives in order to protect the people.

NEWS

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Govt claims has evidence of Shehbaz family’s involvement in money laundering CoNtiNuED from pagE 01 He told Shehbaz that if these allegations were baseless, he should drag him to courts in London as he used to claim and he should give answers to these questions in the courts and media. Responding to a question, Akbar said that arrest of any accused was purview of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He demanded that Shehbaz’s name should be put on the Exit Control List (ECL) because there was a chance that he might go to England to celebrate Eidul Azha there.

Dispelling the impression that only opposition party leaders were victimised, Akbar said that it was for the first time the government was doing self-accountability and inquiry into sugar and wheat shortage were its manifestation. He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was fighting against an obsolete system and not against the Sharifs and Zardaris, who were its beneficiaries.

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

06 COMMENT

Come clean or Keep quiet

NFC constitutued TORs contain potentially explosive new content

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hAT the government has notified the 10th National Finance Commission is no surprise, as an Award is urgently needed, with the current Award, which had been made by the 7th Commission, is due to expire. The Award distributes federal revenues raised by designated taxes between the federal government and the provinces, and after the 18th Amendment transferred back a slew of departments to the provinces, the question of their funding arose. This was met by the NFC, but one result was that there was no money to be squeezed out for defence spending.

The Terms of refence of the new NFC have made it possible for the federal government to charge the provinces for defence, which makes it possible to change the distribution between the federation and the provinces.

Another issue which has arisen since the Award has been the coronavirus pandemic, which carries a double cost, that of treating the sick, and that of funding various welfare programmes for those thrown out of work. Who is to pay?

The TOrs have thus included the possibility of the federal government charging the provinces for expenses borne in this connection. The problem with such an approach is that it could raise the possibility of provinces claiming they could do a better job than the federation. It could also lead to the federation claiming charges for other services it provides in future Commissions.

One of the issues with the NFC is whether it is properly constituted, as the notification says that PM’s Adviser hafeez Sheikh is to chair it in the absence of the Finance Minister (who is technically the Prime Minister). Just such an issue cropped up when the last NFC to announce an Award, the Seventh, was constituted. The issue of the federation charging for services will also arise. The previous two Commissions foundered and failed to make an Award because the provinces were feisty and insisted on fighting their respective corners. One of the major issues the last time around was whether distribution among the four provinces was to be purely on the basis of population, or whether weightage was to be given to size of province or where divisible-pool taxes were collected. Those issues were not settled finally then, and could be revived again, making this NFC explosive indeed.

Attitudes of public servants have changed

dr Farid a Malik

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here white-collar crime is involved, the much revered common law seems helpless. The onus of proof is on the accuser while the accused has several remedies, including bail. Conviction can take decades as multiple remedies of appeal are available. Over the years delay mechanisms have been developed to perfection. During the martial law years, the superior judiciary provided relief to the genuine political activists and dissidents but now thugs and ruffians are taking advantage of this latitude.

My late father, the worker of the Pakistan Movement and soldier of the Quaid, was a habitual litigant as he believed in a black and white world where there was no room for grey areas. Compromise on principles was unknown to him. The first item on his list of don’ts was; “NO COMPrOMISeS, DO NOT FeAr CONFrONTATION”. he always fought back with his muscles, pen or the law. For a straight man in a crooked environment, life was tough for him but he did not give up till his last breath. Finally his heart stopped beating in September 1991. I had to take over from where he had left. There were about 20 court cases that I inherited which ranged from property matters to bureaucratic abuses. In every case there were requests for early hearing, for he sought expeditious justice that was denied to him. It was evident

Discontent with online content Pakistan and social media

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ArLIer this year the PTI government had attempted to get a handle on social media after successfully ‘taming’ conventional media. The illconceived policy aimed at ‘regulating social media’ required tech giants such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok to set up their offices in Islamabad and within a year create a data server in Pakistan that would be accessible by local authorities such as PTA and FIA as and when required, to retrieve user/subscriber data. expectedly, none of the companies went for these ridiculous demands and there was considerable outrage at home as well, forcing the government to abandon the idea altogether.

Facebook’s latest transparency report sheds some light on how the government, in the second half of 2019, had pursued this incessant need to control online content, often unjustifiably. Pakistan, with 2,300 items restricted by Facebook is the second highest after russia’s 2,900. For a democratic country to be in close company with a suppressive autocratic setup such as russia where dissenters either die in freak accidents or commit spontaneous suicides, is quite shameful and should serve as a moment of reflection. None of the material that was removed was due to Facebook’s internal content controls, rather on the request of Pakistani authorities claiming it violated their own laws. Of course, many of the requests, such as about posts with extremist undertones, blasphemous content, anti-judiciary remarks and campaigns to discourage polio vaccination, are all valid requests. But to be one of three countries that make up half of all Facebook content restrictions in a span of just six months is unjustifiably excessive.

It is understandable why the current administration feels that such rampant unchecked censorship is not only doable but also deniable. For two years print and electronic media has been made to self-censor through a concerted strategy of disruption in circulation/broadcast and closure of advertisement if a line is not toed or is crossed. Social media by virtue of being semi-decentralized, and disseminated via the Internet, cannot be controlled much more than what the government currently manages to do. It is a futile exercise that only leads to embarrassment in the international community, which we ill-afford. There is a need to rationalize this practice of requesting content to be removed on a whim just because you can.

Changezi Sandhu

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here is much yet to expose regarding the violence against women because we contemplate and examine according to the violence cases against women which are exposed. But the reality is that there are more uncountable cases than the exposed about there are many cases of infringement of women’s rights which are still unveiled.

The rights of women are being violated in all forms of family systems throughout the world. even the cases of domestic violence against women amidst the coronavirus outbreak in developed countries have shrunk the narrative that women’s rights are more protected in developed countries. But the difference lies not in the occurrence of domestic violence against women, only in the number.

Violating women’s rights is highly prevalent. Violence by a partner is the most common cause of violence. The most disgusting aspect is that the violence becomes higher than in normal conditions in emergencies such as war, pandemic, and many other types of emergency. Older and disabled women are expected to have additional risks in the epoch of the emergency. One woman in three faces physical or sexual violence in the world, already.

According to an article published in TIMe, “As Cities Around the World Go on Lockdown, Victims of Domestic Violence Look for a Way Out” the writer opines that the reports from China, the United Kingdom, the USA as well as from other countries suggested the surge in domestic violence against women after the coronavirus outbreak. even, the United Nations and the World health Organization have already warned of the expected threats to women’s rights in the shape of domestic violence.

Thrice the number of cases of domestic violence have been reported to a police station in Jingzhou, a city of the province of hubei, in the second month of 2020

Editor Umar Aziz

Asher John

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk

This problem should not be swept under the carpet

Arif Nizami

Joint Editor

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

Infringements of women’s rights amid the pandemic

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

that only the guilty seek delays as they cannot come clean, only the righteous desire quick decisions.

For the first time the corrupt, affluent and rich who have enjoyed power for the last three to four decades are now facing the courts. Delay is their only defense as they cannot come clean. The astronomical rise in their assets and overflowing bank accounts are indefensible. The courts continue to follow the due process while the situation on ground demands extraordinary efforts to curtail delays. While some believe that ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’, in the land of the pure the accused who are not righteous follow a different rule, ‘Justice rushed is justice crushed’. Their only weapon of defense being delays which is exercised through a team of well-connected expensive lawyers. When the process is speeded up for the purpose of expeditious resolution they call it foul play. Getting bails and pretending to be innocent are among their delaying tactics.

The resources of the country have been robbed with impunity. Civilian institutions have become nonfunctional as such their capacity to investigate and prosecute has been weakened. Criminals have taken advantage of this ineffective institutional grip. Courts cannot operate in a vacuum in enforcing law. My friend the former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice (retd) Asif Saeed Khosa, had to formulate laws to contain false witnesses and paid touts.

There should be a code of conduct for elected public representatives who have been accused of corruption. They should be given an opportunity to come clean before their cases are litigated. In case they cannot come clean, then they should be required to keep quiet till their cases are decided. They should be barred from media appearances as well. Delays have to be effectively dealt with, which is unfortunately not being done.

Ill-gotten money does not have a trail as the tracks are meticulously erased. Instead of being open to investigation and presenting their defense most accused challenge the investigative mechanisms. There was a time in the land of the pure when the political leadership used to go home before being called in a court of law. There was a minister from the east Wing who decided to resign when he found out that his office had paid for his personal calls.

In the 1970s, the legendary Abdul hafeez Kardar who got elected from Lahore was appointed the provincial education minister. he continued to live in his own rented house on the Canal and used his per-

sonal transport, kept his office hours and strictly followed merit. Till 1985 most political leadership was both able and honest who had entered politics to serve, not to earn. After the end of their term they gracefully left their offices with no charges of corruption or impropriety against them.

The genie of corruption has to be put back into the bottle to contain it, but unfortunately its voices are being heard and transmitted which is resulting in confusion. Doubt creates delays. Despite the best efforts of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and other investigating agencies, convictions have not taken place. The rot continues unabated. Transitions are never easy combined with the influence of the unscrupulous elements has made it even more difficult.

Several dodges and cover-up mechanisms have been introduced like, Selective Accountability, Victimization of the Opposition, Disbanding the NAB, and so on. A public representative should always be ready for accountability, he should not hide behind excuses or delays. It is widely believed that ‘mystery is always mischief’. Only mischievous individuals hide behind delays, the rest are forthcoming. Naturally those who have been moving the levers of the state in the last three to four decades will be the first to be taken to task. eventually everyone will have to come clean, no matter which political party he or she is hiding in.

Delays in conviction cannot be treated as vindication as is being projected by the opposition parties.

Interestingly in the famous high-profile ‘ Drug Trafficking Case’ against the former Law Minister of Punjab, two adjournments have been requested by the defense. The seeking of extensions in hearing dates indicates mischief on the part of those seeking the extension.

My father, the upright litigant for his rights, always demanded expeditious resolution of his cases. he talked and defended himself in the court of law, not in the media. The delaying tactics of the unscrupulous have to be dealt with for the land of the pure to regain its purity. The judiciary has a pivotal role to play in this crusade, which it must do without rushing cases, but at the same time avoiding delays in them.

Pakistan needs a major course correction for its future which has to be pursued with vigour, commitment and courage, business as usual will not produce results.

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Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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making them more vulnerable, as has been happening as compared to the same period of the previous year.

In the coronavirus epoch, women’s rights are in other parts of the world. Increasing use of abusive under danger especially at the hands of their partners. language against women, some religious leaders callAccording to the World health Organization, “Vio- ing them responsible for the spread of the coronavirus lence against women can result in injuries and serious because they wear short dresses, sexual violence, haphysical, mental, sexual and reproductive health rassment of nurses, female doctors, and other female problems, including sexually transmitted infections, staff in hospitals who are treating coronavirus patients especially, are among the hIV, and unplanned leading examples of this, pregnancies.” but there are many more.

The condition of even, some days ago, a women’s rights is more case was reported in vulnerable in the conThe World Health Organization KPK where an uncle flict-ridden and war-torn suggested improving the situation murdered a child, a girl, countries. Gross violaby firing because she was tions against women’s by stating that, “All stakeholders making noise. rights have been reported The World health after the eruption of the involved in the COVID-19 response Organization suggested coronavirus in Indian need to raise awareness of the improving the situation Occupied Kashmir. The by stating that, “All violation of women’s potential effects that physical stakeholders involved in rights is becoming severe the COVID-19 response in the Occupied Valley. distancing, stay at home and other need to raise awareness Women are deprived of measures are likely to have on of the potential effects their basic rights of treatthat physical distancing, ment and movement. The women who are subjected to stay at home and other rights of women are also measures are likely to under danger in Syria violence and their children.” have on women who are and in many parts of subjected to violence and other African countries. their children.”

In the United KingThe government and dom, many cases of domestic violence have been registered during the policymakers should play a pivotal and effective role pandemic. To counter the rise in such cases, the UK in order to counter domestic violence by taking pregovernment has launched helpline and online services ventive measures. human rights organizations and to register and respond to complaints of domestic vi- civil society should also play their role to highlight olence. According to the national sources of the coun- the cases which are still unreported. We all should betry, “the number of calls to the National Domestic come the voice of voiceless. This crisis is taking place Abuse helpline run by refuge was 25 percent above behind doors that have been closed. But this is no exaverage in the second week of lockdown and 49 per- cuse for ignorance. cent higher than normal after three weeks.”

Changezi Sandhu can be reached AT Women in Pakistan were already sweltering in the heat of domestic violence, but the pandemic is Ch.changezi.sandhu111@gmail.com

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Thursday, 14 May, 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

Regulating social media TheSe days social media is playing an increasingly more important role in the life of society because users spend a lot of time online and they view social media as an important source of information about issues which users are concerned with. YouTube being one of the mainstream social media, allow users to share their videos live, create their channels and share their views etc. As in Pakistan there are many channels on YouTube that are creating content for their viewers. There are some channels that are promoting obscenity on their channels, they say that they create funny videos but, in their videos, they use abusive languages and other vulgar content to get views. They believe “if they will promote obscenity that’s how they will earn money”. They thing that this is the only way through which they can attract more traffic towards their channels and can earn money.

So, according to the research most of their viewers are young children and children’s, they see their content and are diverting themself towards vulgarity which is spoiling their future. As YouTubers use vulgar images and abusive languages in their videos, so YouTube does not apply Age restriction on their videos. PeMrA should take strict action against these all YouTubers those who are promoting this obscenity and spoiling the young generation.

HAMzA EHSAn Rawalpindi

The end of empire “And all the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”

Washington Watch dr JaMeS J zogby

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am following worldwide commentary about my country’s disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic with equal measures of frustration, fury, and embarrassment. Writers from europe, the Arab World, Israel, and those here at home have remarked on our dysfunctional politics, the inept and chaotic response of our leadership, and our failures both to care for our own people and to provide leadership in the world. here are few examples of recent comments from writers who have historically been friends of America: From an Israeli commentator: “The country seems like a train wreck: Its systems are failing, hospitals collapsing, patients crying for help and corpses piling up in makeshift morgues. New York, the jewel in the crown, has turned into a ghost town and valley of death: the undeclared capital of the free world cannot hide its shame...

“It could have been America’s finest hour...rather than serving as a role model for all, Trump’s United States has turned into a bad joke.”

This from the Arab Gulf: “During the last few months, I spent many hours...watching on television the deterioration of the situation in the United States, puzzled by the figures that reveal the crumbling economy of the richest country in the world, and the rising numbers of corona victims. This pushes one to wonder: Why is the richest, most advanced and most civilized state, which is benefiting the most from global wealth, the same one in which the number of deaths by coronavirus exceeded one-third of the deaths worldwide...?”

And critics from europe were no less harsh: questioning President Trump’s grasp on reality; expressing consternation at his confusing and often contradictory statements; stating that the US was “no longer fit to lead;” and lamenting what had become of the once “shining city on the hill.” how did we come to this point?

In the first place, it isn’t Donald Trump or the Coronavirus pandemic that fractured the American polity. Nor are they responsible for the demise of US leadership in the world. We were already fractured and our leadership has long been in decline. If anything, Trump and the coronavirus have served to highlight (as well as exacerbate) both the fault lines in our dysfunctional politics and our loss of standing in the world.

It was just three decades ago that the USSr collapsed, leaving the USA as the sole super

power. heady over this victory, some commen- byproduct of our partisan dysfunction. his “poptators prematurely envisioned the emergence of ulism” was fuelled by xenophobia, racism, and a “New World Order” and arrogantly began to the anger of the middle class that the republiplan for an “American Century.” Their gloating cans had been cultivating for decades. Once in lasted only a decade before US leadership began office, Trump walked away from all of the interto unravel, largely due to the Bush Administra- national agreements negotiated by his predecestion’s disastrous response to the terror attacks of sor, turned his back on many of the USA’s 9/11‬. While most nations around the world european allies, courted a number of newly were ready to work with the USA to punish the emergent right-wing leaders, and sent contradicperpetrators of that horrible slaughter of inno- tory messages regarding the USA’s commitcents, the Bush Administration, guided by hubris ments in the world. ever the showman, he never stopped incitand blind ideology, led the country into two wars that instead of projecting and insuring US lead- ing his populist support base, taking partisan ership, resulted in an America that was weaker, dysfunction to new levels. While his chaotic and less respected, and more isolated than at any unorthodox governing style and his contradicother time in our modern history. The wars’ costs tory statements have created confusion about his in lives, treasure, trust, and prestige created op- policies, Trump nevertheless has toed the reportunities for other nations, like China and rus- publican line on taxes, deregulation, and the appointment of sia, to assert conservative judges. themselves both rehe has also dismangionally and globtled or severely ally, opening the weakened many door to the current The world stands aghast government institumulti-polar world. at the naked truth that America is tions and placed unWhile President qualified cronies in Barack Obama realnot only incapable of leading the critical government ized the magnitude of the problems creworld, but also failing to protect its posts.

Then came the ated by his predeown people. In the past, America pandemic. cessor, his efforts to Trump’s initial extricate the USA would lead a worldwide effort in instinct was to claim from Iraq and was just a flu and Afghanistan and to cooperation with other countries to itwould soon pass. As restore its image were hampered both find a cure and provide assistance. the impact of the pandemic became by his failure to Instead, we have withdrawn our clear, he turned to grasp the complexTwitter and daily ity of the challenges financial assistance to the most press conferences to resulting from the boast, mislead, and war and the dysvulnerable and are raiding world strike out at his enefunctional hypermarkets to buy up protective mies. As so often partisanship of our before, he has relied politics. I remember equipment we failed to produce on xenophobia and debating a number anger at Democrats of leading Bush Adand stockpile and “elites” to deny ministration figures he had ever been and republican wrong and trumpet elected officials his leadership. right after Obama’s All this may help solidify his base and make “A New Beginning” Cairo speech. They were all using the same talking points, saying that them feel he is winning against the “invisible Obama had betrayed the USA by condemning enemy” he says we are defeating. But the numtorture, demonstrated weakness by speaking bers prove otherwise. While his base continues against the war, and sold out Israel by opposing to be mesmerized by the “emperor’s new its settlement policy. When I was asked by the clothes,” the world stands aghast at the naked host of one of these shows whether I believed truth that America is not only incapable of leadthat Obama could succeed in bridging the deep ing the world, but also failing to protect its own divide, I responded that he stood a better chance people. In the past, America would lead a worldof doing so with the Arab and Muslim Worlds wide effort in cooperation with other countries to find a cure and provide assistance. Instead, we than with the republicans here at home.

Obama’s efforts to change direction in the have withdrawn our financial assistance to the Middle east were stymied, but he did succeed in most vulnerable and are raiding world markets reconstructing at least some of the architecture to buy up protective equipment we failed to proof global diplomacy that the Bush Administra- duce and stockpile. At the same time, our infection had left in tatters. he negotiated agreements tion and death rates exceed every other to deal with climate change, to rein in China’s country’s. Our testing rates are significantly growing influence in Asia, and to limit Iran’s nu- lower than most other nations.

The world sees all of this and laments the clear program.

Because republicans opposed all three, continuing decline of the once great superpower Obama left office with the edifices he had con- that won the Cold War. And they wonder structed on shaky ground. In the end, Obama whether, after decades of deepening partisan will be remembered for having created high ex- dysfunction and decline, America will be able to pectations which failed to materialize, leading reclaim its leadership role. to even greater concern about America’s ability Dr james j zogby is President, Arab to lead in the world.

The election of Donald Trump was the American institute.

Not a joke OUTBUrST of this ongoing epidemic took place around six months ago in Wuhan which is causing disaster yet in developed as well as underdeveloped countries of the world. ever since its outbreak in Pakistan Federal and provincial governments have taken measures according to the guidelines of WhO so as to take in hand to this pandemic. regardless of all this it continues to blowout across the country. else ways the Threat of economic crisis that is knocking around the corner compelled PM to opt for easing the lock down. Data shows that around 60 t0 70% of people in the country are either daily wagers or they earn their livelihood via small sort of business. Maintaining the GDP is another mammoth challenge for the government so as to save the country’s economy from complete collapse. At such a crucial Juncture, the stance of Government can be viewed as cautious one, but then what about the real threat?

As per Asad Umer; “easing lockdown does not mean that the peril has perished it still exists”, but on the other hand large scores of people have thronged to the markets within last two days which is really alarming.

PMA has already warned of the dreadful circumstances which likely to cause havoc during upcoming days, depleted health faculty and frail economy could collapse as a result of further drain, if it continued like that.

KAMRAn KHAMiSo KHowAjA Sujawal

Indian barbarity SINCe 05th August last year, Indian state terrorism in the occupied valley is on its peak even now in the face of global health emergencies. Muslim minorities are confronted to a number of problems which go against the charter of the United Nations. The man-made lockdown is nearing to complete its one-year long period but different global organizations working for human’s rights advocacy have been keeping mum and do not show the real face to the Modi regime as how are they supposed to. In such trying times a single word of condemnation is enough for those who are being treated like animals by a responsible state. UNO, Amnesty International and other these ilk world top and power full organizations, whose heads were supposed to speak against the Indian barbarism, appeared to be having no teeth.

Be it the revocation of special status of the IOK in shape of abrogating article 370 and 35-A of its constitution, snapping internet facilities, illegal confinement, arrest of the political leaders and above all the enactment of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), India has done it all. At time when the entire globe is engaged in tackling the health emergencies caused by the COVID-19, the India is not pulling itself back from human’s rights violation it commits in the IOK blatantly. While the discrimination and racism in the Indian Occupied Kashmir know no boundaries, the world is falling the suppressed cries of the people of Kashmir on deaf ears. Late last month USCIrF denounced the illegal and unconstitutional acts of India towards Muslim minorities.

This, indeed, came as blessing news that one of the top international organizations, US Commission for International religious Freedom (USCIrF), broke its deepening silence and decried the atrocities being inflicted over the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir by the BJP-led regime.

This, no doubt, serves a huge smack at the face of the India. nuMAn BACHA Swabi

Health first The thing about money is that you can have bad years and even lose it all and then make it all back again the following years. If you go bankrupt with your health, you won’t be earning it back any time soon. Your health needs to be positively maintained all the time. You need to commit to looking after the different aspects of your health throughout your life . exercise, stretch, walk, swim or run. If you require support and impartment, seek it. hire a personal trainer, join a running club or find a friend swim with. Do whatever it takes to maintain your physical health.

Get into the habit of ambulating each day. A recent UK study showed that a circadian 20-minute brisk walk integrates seven years to your life and substantially minimizes your jeopardy of heart attack. Maintain your noetic health by eschewing exorbitant stress, over work, worry, apprehensiveness, and burnout. Often, the answer lies in finding a balance and overdoing things. Do so afore your body commences to feel your noetic aguish through back aches and stiff necks. Walk away from people and situations that emotionally drain you. Value your emotional health. Perhaps its is a jealous colleague , a micro-managing boss or a family member who is always bringing you down. Being emotionally weakened can affect your physical health. Try to maintain your spiritual health by finding meaning in things you do . Avoid activities that you find meaningless or fill you with boredom , apathy and a sense that you are wasting your time. As with mental and emotional health , this can weaken your body.

SAiRA jAn islamabad.

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

IndIa and PakIstan ease restrIctIons desPIte rIsIng coronavIrus InfectIons

Wall street Journal

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SAeed ShAh And Vibhuti AgArwAl

esPite rising numbers of Covid-19 cases, india and Pakistan are loosening their lockdowns, counting on deaths to remain low and their hospitals to be able to cope with the envisaged rise in serious cases, according to public-health specialists. the bet is that the surprisingly low level of deaths so far signals a milder pattern to the disease outbreak, meaning that the economic pain of the lockdown isn’t justified by the health risks. experts say it could go badly wrong if the virus spreads out of control as restraints are lifted, overwhelming the two countries’ underfunded and overstretched health-care systems. the south Asian nations, two of the most populous developing countries wrangling with the pandemic, are encouraged by their being among countries with the fewest number of confirmed cases per person. india, with a population of 1.3 billion, has recorded 74,281 cases; Pakistan, with 220 million people, has recorded 34,336.

“We are not seeing the kind of surge that we see elsewhere,” said giridhara r. Babu, an epidemiologist at the indian institute of Public Health in Bangalore who sits on an indian government coronavirus task force. “this virus is behaving well in india, and we will still have to find out the real reason why.”

But, even more than in richer countries, the disease is bound to have spread far more widely than the number of confirmed cases indicates. Like many countries in the developing world, india and Pakistan are testing far fewer people than some developed nations—less than 1.5 tests per 1,000 people, compared with around 26 per 1,000 in the U.s., according to Our World in Data, a nonprofit scientific effort based at the University of Oxford.

Yet the two countries are also encouraged by how

LOW COVID-19 MORTALITY RATES HAVE ENCOURAGED MOVES TO REOPEN ECONOMIES, BUT EXPERTS WORRY TESTING CAPACITY ISN’T SUFFICIENT TO MANAGE REOPENING few people have died from the disease: just 2,415 in india and 737 in Pakistan, according to their tallies.

Hospitals haven’t been nearly as stressed as some models of the disease said they could become. An influential study in March by imperial College, University of London, said that even with social distancing and restrictions on movements, peak demand for critical-care beds in a typical low-income country could outstrip supply by a factor of 25 times. At the peak, hospital capacity in india and Pakistan may be exceeded, health officials say, but by nowhere near that degree.

Pakistan will have sufficient overall hospital capacity to manage well into June, according to a government health official. Unreleased internal modeling in Pakistan predicts 100,000 cases by the end of this month and 600,000 cases by the end of June—currently seen as the likely peak. some hospitals in india’s biggest cities and infection hot spots have received more patients than they are set up to handle. But so far, the health system hasn’t been broadly pushed beyond its capacity, according to authorities and public-health officials.

Part of the reason appears to be that fewer cases are serious enough to require hospitalization. Only 2.2% of confirmed cases in Pakistan and 3.3% in india have been fatal, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, compared with 14.3% in the U.K., 5.5% in China and 6% in the U.s.

Public-health officials in both countries say youthful populations could be the biggest reason. People over the age of 65 are among the most susceptible to serious complications from the disease and die at far higher rates, while many young people experience only mild symptoms—not requiring hospitalization—or none at all.

“Countries with younger populations will potentially

have lower case fatality,” said Anna Vassall, a professor at the London school of Hygiene and tropical Medicine, though she noted that depended on what other diseases were prevalent in those nations.

Only 6.4% of india’s population and 4.3% of Pakistan’s is older than 65, according to a United nations report, compared with 19% of spain’s and 16.2% of the U.s.’s. the mean age is 23 years old in Pakistan and 27 in india—compared with 46 in italy, one of the worsthit countries.

Authorities in both india and Pakistan have advanced other possible factors behind the low number of confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths. some health experts have speculated that being routinely exposed to more pathogens than in richer countries strengthens people’s immune systems. some believe a tuberculosis vaccine commonly administered in both countries but less commonly in developed nations is providing some protection, though this theory is still being scientifically tested.

Heat and the prodigious sunlight in parts of both countries could also slow the spread of the disease, some say, as they seem to shorten the life of the virus on surfaces, though the effect hasn’t been established. Coronavirus is ravaging Brazil, a developing country with a hot climate. still, locking down for more than a month failed to slow the spread of the disease, according to public-health officials in both countries. in india, the latest seven-day period has been the worst so far for new cases, including 4,213 Monday, the most to date. Wednesday’s total was 3,525. Pakistan recorded 2,255 new cases Wednesday, its highest daily total so far. given both countries’ large populations of people on

the financial edge, authorities say the cost of keeping so many out of work outweighs the benefits of the lockdowns. Pakistani Prime Minister imran Khan has repeatedly argued that fears of coronavirus were overblown compared with the burdens imposed by the restrictions, particularly on the poor.

Pakistan’s minister in charge of the pandemic response, Asad Umar, has said the country must base its policy on the data it sees, not on how the virus has behaved elsewhere. Many shops and markets were allowed to reopen Monday. in india, self-employed people were allowed to resume work this week, and some factories and neighborhood shops have started to reopen, though at partial capacity. the national rail company has set up special trains to help hundreds of thousands of migrant workers travel to their home villages, often far from the cities where they have been locked down.

Health officials in both india and Pakistan said the pandemic didn’t really begin to take hold in their countries until much later than in China, europe or even the U.s.

But the lockdowns may have merely delayed the rapid spread of virus. that means the peak of its impact may not occur until sometime between June and August. neither country has put in place the massive testing, contact tracing and quarantine capacity seen in nations praised by experts for responding well to the crisis.

“During the lockdown period no effort was spared to contain the people. But the question remains: Did we manage to contain the virus as well?” said Lalit Kant, executive director of the influenza Foundation of india.

“My assessment is that it is the gradual buildup before the storm.”

Eric Bellman, Rajesh Roy and Krishna Pokharel in New Delhi contributed to this article.

The world after COVID-19—(Part II) THERE ARE MANY OPEN QUESTIONS: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION; THE FUTURE OF WORLD BODIES SUCH AS THE UN; THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS AI; THE FUTURE OF ART AND LITERATURE. THE QUESTIONS KEEP COMING 3 Quarks Daily Ali MinAi

nteresting times” are always a boon for the imagination. Many things that were unthinkable a few months ago are now the shared reality of billions of people. entire libraries of catastrophe fiction and miles of dystopian films are suddenly looking tame. Just as 9-11 and the wars following it spawned an industry of terrorist fiction and films, the lockdowns and depression of the coronavirus times will generate literature and film ranging from the sensational to the profound. But the explosion in creativity will go well beyond the arts. the experiences of social distancing, lockdown, and work-from-home; the need for mass-scale online education and eCommerce; the demand for home-based entertainment; the difficulty of travel; the danger of crowded venues, etc., will inspire unimaginable new technologies to re-enrich the lives impoverished by the pandemic response. existing trends such as moving from touchscreens to voice or using drones for home delivery may become supercharged. everything from flying to renting a car to taking a lab class will need to change in ways that retain or add value. And, as with the surveillance technologies, these new technologies too will cross over to many different domains, leading to wholly unforeseen possibilities.

Cultural mores too will change in creative ways. Dr. Anthony Fauci has already expressed hope that handshakes will go the way of leeches and corsets, but what will replace them? How will other social conventions change? Will face-to-face meetings and business travel decrease dramatically? How will the shared experiences of crowds at sporting events and concerts adapt? Again, if the current disruption proves to be short, social changes will probably be minimal. But if the problem stretches into two or three years, a lot of things will change for good in creative ways. the potential opportunities for young thinkers, inventors, and entrepreneurs in this new world could be limitless – at least in societies where innovation remains welcome and rewarded.

CLOSING QUESTIONS: there are, of course, many, many other dimensions along which the world could change dramatically after the pandemic. it is, after all, the single most profound, disturbing, and unifying experience in the lives of almost all people alive today. But rather than go on with speculation about these, i will close with listing four (of many) interesting questions that i cannot make up my mind on even to the point of speculation.

Q1: THE FUTURE OF WORK: Much is being said and written about how work will be affected by the experience of the pandemic. Almost all those speaking and writing about this come from white-collar sectors of the economy

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where working from home (WFH) is a viable option. As a university professor, i have been able to teach, have meetings, advise students, conduct research, and write papers from home with only a bit of adjustment. indeed, i am probably more productive now that i no longer need to commute every day, walk to classes, attend many pointless meetings all over campus, and spend time chit-chatting in the hallway. My workday is now an uninterrupted period from when i wake up to when i go to sleep. those with small children at home are having a different experience, but many are also discovering some rewards. However, a much larger fraction of workers in the economy do jobs that cannot be done from home: retail, construction, maintenance, restaurants, home care, landscaping, shipping, postal services, transportation, healthcare, and many others. the nature of work will surely change for all, but in radically different ways. What are they? How will the changes in different areas accommodate each other? it seems to me that this will require a reimagining of the entire economy and of society at large. Will the rewards shift along with these changes? Or will those who do the most difficult, dangerous work still be left with lower rewards? A lot of this disparity was already due to differences in educational attainment – college or no college. Will that divide grow even wider? And how will such a widening influence our politics? We see already that voters without college degrees are the sole voting bloc that anchors the trump presidency and may yet extend it. Will that orientation hold, or will it crumble under the pressure of a new reality? And what new crises will emerge from the crumbling?

Q2: THE FUTURE OF CITIES: the last two centuries or more have seen an inexorable urbanization of societies everywhere – some rapidly, others in fits and starts. this trend has accelerated in the last few decades as cities in traditionally rural societies such as india and China have become centers of manufacturing and technology. scholars such as richard Florida have systematically described the critical role of cities in innovation, and other research has demonstrated that cities are the most energetically efficient means of supercharging creativity and innovation. Cities also offer many other advantages that make them suitable as hubs for economic activity. However, the pandemic has demonstrated that the high connectivity of the modern city can be lethal. it has also shown that, given the rapidly developing options for virtual connections, some of the benefits of physical connectivity are no longer essential – at least in many white-collar parts of the economy which are central to innovation. Will these facts change the trend to urbanize?

Will populations become more distributed – suburban and even rural – relying on working from home and eCommerce to meet the needs currently satisfied by living in a city? if so, the very nature of modern human society will change, which suggests to me that such a drastic change will not come to pass.

the things that attract people to cities – and even to sparser urban settings like the silicon Valley – are not just economic concerns, but also the allure of human interaction, social activities, restaurants and bars, the nightlife, the cultural scene, though to variable degrees in different countries. Hyper-urbanization may be a recent trend, but the City has been at the core of human civilization for four thousand years or more. that is why the history of the world runs through Athens and Xi’an, nineveh and Babylon, Jerusalem and rome, Delhi and Alexandria, Baghdad and Venice – and through cities whose names or locations we no longer know, such as the cities of the indus Valley and Hittite civilizations. the City is so central, so integral to civilization that it is impossible to imagine its demise outside of dystopian sci-fi. But the City has also changed throughout history. the Constantinople of the 4th century is not today’s istanbul. What will the istanbul of 2050 look like? What about Beijing and new York? Will many of us learn to live in virtual cities and forget what it felt like to walk down a bustling street to a restaurant for dinner and live music?

Previous plagues ravaged cities but they always came back. On the other hand, the people of those times did not have our technology. How much of the City in the human spirit can technology replace is something it will take at least a decade or two to find out, but will 2020 then look like a hinge moment in the process?

Q 3: THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL? travel has been an essential component of human civilization for thousands of years. Long before written records existed, archeological artifacts tell us that people traded, migrated, and invaded over very long distances. that, after all, is how a species from eastern Africa went global. throughout history, trade routes have been the arteries of human civilization, carrying the fresh blood of new ideas to revive dying cultures. But along with goods and ideas, long-distance travel, whether through trade, migration, or invasion, has also been at the core of spreading plagues throughout history, and this effect has extraordinary significance in today’s globalized world. if there is one thing that has made COViD-19 a global pandemic, it is extremely high-volume, high speed global travel across the world. How will travel change after the pandemic? Will people still travel as much or as far for business or pleasure? How will the airlines and hospitality industry adapt to this? Will the world’s airlines survive, or end up consolidated into a few giant carriers – mostly with state support? What will become of AirBnB and the ride-sharing companies? indeed, how will mass transit – which is also travel, albeit local – change after the pandemic? i find myself unable to settle on any firm answers to these questions, but my gut feeling is that the wanderlust runs deep in the human spirit, and no disease or other danger will keep people from traveling all over the world any more than the fear of pirates and robbers, or the dangers of

crossing deserts and mountains dissuaded our ancestors.

Q4: THE FUTURE OF FAITH AND/IN SCIENCE: As the pandemic rages, scientists and physicians have emerged as the leaders and opinion-makers influencing life-and-death decisions everywhere. some, like Dr. tony Fauci, have become superstars. rational political leaders have made science and scientists their principal guide in setting policies. But, as nerves fray and economies crash, will this continue to be the case? Will faith in science grow? Or will people turn away from science towards faith? Or will the two finally find a mutually agreeable accommodation?

Of course, this will depend greatly on what role science is seen to have played ultimately in mitigating or exacerbating the situation – and will surely vary from place to place. experience suggests that societies facing immense pressure gravitate not towards reason but towards faith, superstition, and conspiracy theories. the same urge that makes people look to authoritarian leaders in these situations also leads them to seek certainty in unfalsifiable notions – which science can never provide. indeed, the two trends – authoritarianism and irrationality – often feed on each other. the central goal of the liberal project has been to wean people away from this default condition towards a more secular, rational, and analytical mindset. Has it succeeded sufficiently? in some places – such as Western europe – perhaps, but surely not everywhere. indeed, even in the United states – that bastion of science and high technology – the government is busy delegitimizing science and scientists in a misguided quest for political benefit.

At the same time, calamities also have the capacity to weaken orthodoxies. it has been hypothesized credibly that the catastrophic `Black Death’ of the 1340s played a major role in discrediting the Church in europe, and clearing the way for the renaissance with its emphasis on science and reason. if prayers go unanswered for too long, men have been known to turn away from their gods. But if this does come to pass in some places where faith still matters to people, will that lead them to adopt a more rationalistic mindset, or simply lead to the emergence of new gods?

And will a world dominated by faithless science turn into the heartless dystopia imagined by many sci-fi writers?

After all, science will always leave gaps that, if not filled by faith, could become home to darker things. there are many other open questions: the future of education; the future of world bodies such as the Un; the future of technologies such as Ai; the future of art and literature. the questions keep coming. it is the answers that will keep us in suspense awhile yet…

Ali Minai is Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computing Systems and a member of the Neuroscience Graduate Faculty at the University of Cincinnati.

(Concluded)

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

BUSINESS 09

Diamer-Bhasha dam contract awarded to Power China-FWO ISLAMABAD: After Prime Minister Imran Khan directed to immediately start the construction work on the Diamer-Bhasha dam, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on Wednesday awarded the contract for civil and electro-mechanical works. As per details, an agreement worth Rs442 billion with a joint venture namely Power China-FWO was signed on Wednesday for the construction of diversion system, main dam, access bridge and 21MW Tangir Hydropower Project. DiamerBasha Dam Chief Executive Officer Amir Bashir Chaudhry and authorised representative Yang Jiandu signed the agreement on behalf of WAPDA and the joint venture respectively. Water Resources Minister Muhammad Faisal Vawda, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, Water Resources Federal Secretary Muhammad Ashraf, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain, Pakistan Army Engineer-in-Chief Lt Gen Moazzam Ejaz and Frontier Works Organisation DG Maj Gen Kamal Azfar were also present on the occasion. Addressing the ceremony, Faisal Vawda congratulated WAPDA and Power China-FWO Joint Venture, saying that the event is a good omen for the construction of much-needed dams in Pakistan. He said that the construction of Diamer Basha Dam will commence in a few weeks. Dilating upon the developments of the water sector by the incumbent govenrment, the minister said that after Mohmand Dam, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in May last year, Diamer Basha is the second mega multi-purpose dam that is to be started in a span of just one year.

Speaking on the occasion, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) said that Diamer Basha Dam will go a long way for economic development and social uplift of the country. It must be noted that the Diamer Basha Dam Project, with a total financial outlay of about Rs1406.5 billion, will be completed in 2028. INP

PRGMEA demands restoration of zero-rating regime LAHORE: The value-added textile industry has asked the government to immediately restore zero-rating regime for the five exporting sectors, which are facing severe liquidity crunch owing to non-payment by the international buyers for indefinite period amid worldwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a joint statement on Wednesday, Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) regional chairman Sohail A Sheikh and chief coordinator Ijaz A Khokhar appealed PM Imran Khan to announce the previous system of ‘No Payment, No Refund’ at least for one year to save the export industry, as they said FBR claim of instant refunds release has totally failed, especially in the challenging time of global epidemic when the foreign buyers have also held the payments for indefinite time. “It is feared that thousands of SMEs might close down in next few months with drastic downfall in the country’s exports and foreign exchange earnings, resulting in un-employment of hundreds of thousands of workers, as only textile sector earns 60 per cent of total exports in Pakistan,” Ijaz Khokhar said. He said the businesses were already limited, as most of the orders have been canceled or put on hold. As a result, majority of industrial units are running at minimum capacity of 25pc, but still they continue to retain the workers on jobs without any work and with full wages. “This is really a huge burden on the industry and very difficult circumstances to survive to retain the whole labour for a long period. To keep the industry live major problem is cash flow and the zerorating facility is the only way for survival,” the PRGMEA chief coordinator added. Proposing other option, he said that the Pakistan export industry could also survive through switching over to the production of protective equipment, capturing the ever-increasing post-cornonavirus global market share. Khokhar added the government should adopt aggressive approach to open export of this equipment in both non-woven and woven fabrics to support the exporting sector in present scenario of worldwide epidemic.

PRGMEA regional chairman Sohail A Sheikh observed that the restoration of zero-rating would help revive exports and earn the much-needed foreign exchange, keeping in view the projected contraction in the national economy, which is expected to shrink for the first time in last 65 years due to Covid-19. INP

ECC APPROvEs Multi-BilliOn PACkAGE tO BOOst AGRiCultuRE, suPPORt FARMERs ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Wednesday approved a multi-billion agriculture package to provide the farmers with subsidy on fertilizers, cotton seed and white fly pesticides; reduce bank markup on agricultural loans, besides giving sales tax subsidy on locally manufactured tractors.

The ECC meeting was chaired by Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

The agriculture package is the part of the Rs100 billion funds earmarked for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the agriculture sector under the Rs1,200 billion coronavirus relief package, said a statement issued by the finance ministry.

Under the agriculture package, as prepared by Ministry of NFS&R in consultation with the stakeholders, subsidy to the tune of approximately Rs37 billion would be offered to farmers on the purchase of fertilizers.

The amount would include a subsidy of Rs925 per bag on DAP and other phosphatic fertilizers and Rs243 per bag on urea and other nitrogen fertilizers.

The ECC was told that the estimated urea offtake would be around 3.04 million tonnes while DAP was estimated at 0.95 million tonnes for the Kharif season.

The subsidy scheme would be implemented by the provinces and the amount would be disbursed through scratch card scheme already being implemented by the Punjab government.

The committee was informed that the fertilizer share in cost of production for major crops was around 10pc to 15pc and the provision of subsidy would reduce cost of production for farmers and increase their affordability to adopt the recommended level of fertilizer nutrient use and best agricultural management practices.

Similarly, under the agriculture package, reduction in markup of agriculture loans to farmers at the total cost of Rs8.8 billion and subsidy on cotton seed at a cost of Rs2.3 billion and white fly pesticides at Rs6 billion were approved.

The package would also include Rs2.5 billion subsidy on sales tax on the locally-manufactured tractors for a period of one year.

PACKAGE INCLUDES SUBSIDY ON FERTILIZERS, COTTON SEED AND WHITE FLY PESTICIDES; REDUCED BANK MARKUP ON AGRI LOANS; SALES TAX SUBSIDY ON LOCAL TRACTORS Earlier, the ECC discussed various features of agriculture relief package in detail and lauded the efforts of the Ministry of NFS&R for preparing a comprehensive package for farmers.

However, the ECC called for inclusion of other banks along with ZTBL in the scheme to enhance the outreach of farmers with focus on subsistence farmers with a land holding of 12.5 acres.

It was also suggested that since markup had been reduced by the State Bank of Pakistan, the interest rates used in the proposal could also be rationalized accordingly.

The ECC also called for the implementation mechanism, especially through the scratch card system, to be monitored carefully to ensure that the actual beneficiaries of package were genuine farmers.

It was also pointed out that since with the provision of subsidy on fertilizers demand for the fertilizers might increase, the same had to be communicated to the Ministry of Industries and Production in time to make arrangements accordingly.

The Minister of NFS&R assured that the regular offtake of fertilizer was being subsidised, however, any increase would be communicated to the relevant ministry.

During the meeting, the ECC also approved a proposal by the Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety Division for disbursement of the Special Relief Package for population living along the Line of Control in a single installment of Rs12,000 for six months from 1st January to 30th June 2020, while from July onwards, LoC families would be disbursed monthly installments of Rs2,000 each till 31st December 2020.

The ECC also took up different proposals for technical supplementary grants by various divisions and approved one proposal by the Defence Division for technical supplementary grant of Rs16.6 billion.

The supplementary grant would be utilised to meet the expenses on petroleum, utilities and medical stores maintained by the Defence Services. In addition, it approved a Finance Division proposal for a technical supplementary grant of Rs288 million for payment of salaries to the employees of Pakistan Machine Tool Factory for the period from October 2019 to June 2020.

The committee also approved a proposal by the Ministry of Law and Justice for a technical supplementary grant of Rs40 million for the operating expenditures of the Federal Judicial Academy Meanwhile, the ECC took up a proposal by the Ministry of Industries and Production regarding the human resource rationalization of Pakistan Steel Mills workforce at a cost of Rs18.74 billion, to be paid for retirements and termination dues of over 8,000 of 9,000 PSM employees.

The committee discussed the proposal in detail and asked the Ministry of Industries and Production to rework the scheme in consultation with the PSM management to extend its scope to maximum number of PSM employees and bring it back to the committee.

The ECC also discussed the Mobile Device Manufacturing Policy as proposed by the Ministry of Industries and Production.

The objectives of the policy are technology acquisition and localization of mobile devices through local investment, joint ventures, foreign direct investment; creation of 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, price reduction for consumers, increase in digitization through supporting 4G/5G technologies, development of efficient manufacturing eco-system, exports of competitively manufactured handsets and achievement of security objectives.

The ECC discussed various components of the policy and approved it in-principle with instructions to the ministry to further fine tune its various features and incentives for promotion of localization and research & development, leading to export of mobile phones.

Moreover, the committee considered and approved a proposal by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for release of 35,000 metric tonnes of wheat from the PASSCO to the Azad Jammu Kashmir government at a cost of Rs1.52 billion, including cost of wheat and incidental charges, to be paid 50pc by the federal government from the stimulus package announced to fight against COVID-19.

Pakistan retains its place in MSCI Emerging Markets Index KARACHI STAFF REPORT

Pakistan has successfully retained its upgraded status in the global MSCI Emerging Market (EM) Index, thereby averting the chances of being downgraded to Frontier Index.

Morgan Stanley Capital International on Wednesday announced the results of its semi-annual review of MSCI Equity Indexes, including MSCI Global Standard Index and MSCI Global Small Cap, as per which its revealed changes in the constituents of its global indices.

From Pakistan's viewpoint, there were no changes in the MSCI Pakistan Index under the MSCI Global Standard Indexes. All the three large and mid-cap Pakistani stocks i.e. MCB Bank (MCB), Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) and Habib Bank Limited (HBL) in its Global Standard Indexes (GSI), according to the review results.

"This was a major sword hanging

in front of us. COVID-19 has bought us time. Some investors would have wanted Pakistan to become part of Frontier Markets where it commands a higher weight. However, years of effort would have been undone and politically, it could have scared the government. Nonetheless, better to be a small fish in a bigger pond," AAH Soomro, MD at Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Securities, told a private media outlet.

The decision would help Pakistan (Pakistan Stock Exchange/PSX) win global stock market investors' confidence to invest in listed firms at PSX, as they follow MSCI decisions to invest or divest at global markets. These foreign investors have around $2 trillion investment in hand.

Meanwhile, the MSCI added two Pakistani stocks and deleted another two in its Global Small Cap Indexes.

Accordingly, the small cap indexes would welcome Mari Petroleum and Pakistan Petroleum and farewell Nishat Mills and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited. The changes will take place at close of May 29, 2020, MSCI announced.

The total number of Pakistani constituents in the small cap indexes stands at 16, including Bank Alfalah, Engro Corporation, Engro Fertilisers, Fauji Fertiliser Company, Hub Power Company, Indus Motor, Lucky Cement, Mari Petroleum, Millat Tractors, National Bank of Pakistan, Packages Limited, Pakistan Oilfields Limited, Pakistan Petroleum, Pakistan State Oil, The Searle and United Bank Limited.

Pakistan was reclassified into the MSCI EM Index from the FM Index in May 2017 after a gap of nine years. Earlier, the country was downgraded to FM Index in 2008 after the PSX (previously known as Karachi Stock Exchange) virtually suspended trading for quite a long period to avoid harsh selling.

MARKET DAILY

Stocks manage modest gains in range-bound session KARACHI STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange moved in a narrow range on Wednesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index closing a lacklustre day with modest gains.

Among major market developments, Pakistan managed to retain its upgraded status in global MSCI Emerging Market (EM) Index and skipped any changes of getting downgraded to Frontier Index in the semiannual review.

The Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) on Wednesday retained all

large and mid-cap Pakistani stocks including Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC -0.27pc), MCB Bank Limited (MCB +0.95pc) and Habib Bank Limited (HBL +2.15pc). Meanwhile, Pak Petroleum Limited (PPL +2.03pc) and Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MARI +2.43pc) replaced Nishat Mills Limited (NML -2.63pc) and Sui Northern Gas Pipe line Limited (SNGP 6.90pc) in MSCI EM Small Cap Index.

The KSE-100 Index marked its intraday high at 33,802.87 after gaining 199.85 points. It closed higher by 90.02 points at 33,693.04.

Among other indices, the KMI-30 Index

lost 67.21 points to settle at 54,593.07, while the KSE All Share Index added 52.81 points, ending at 23,884.77. The advancers to decliners ratio was recorded at 139 to 153.

The overall market volumes declined from 224.5 million shares in the previous session to 219.2 million shares (-2pc). Average traded value, on the contrary, increased by 11pc to $51 million, as against $45.9 million yesterday. Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF -0.99pc), TRG Pakistan Limited (TRG +7.47pc) and Dewan Cement Limited (DCL +9.71pc) led the volume chart, exchanging 23.24 million, 16.31 million and 16.18 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that kept the KSE-100 Index afloat included banking (+65.78 points), oil & gas exploration (+37.49 points) and oil & gas marketing (+15.37 points).

Refinery sector turned out to be the top gainer of the day, adding 1.87pc in its cumulative market capitalization. Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL +5.53pc), National Refinery Limited (NRL +4.50pc) and Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL +2.17pc) accumulated decent gains.

In a notification to the exchange, Amreli Steels Limited (ASTL -0.68pc) stated it would gradually resume its operations with expectation of reaching desired level of pro-

duction by May 18, 2020.

Also, Ferozsons Laboratories Limited (FEROZ +7.50pc) announced that its subsidiary, BF Biosciences Limited (BFBL), has successfully concluded its non-exclusive license agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc for the manufacture and sale of Remdesivir.

On the financial side, Faysal Bank Limited (FABL +0.15pc) announced earnings per share (EPS) of Rs1.37 for the first quarter of FY20 (Rs1.06 last year), whereas Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited (UPFL -6.14pc) declared an EPS of Rs129.83 for 1QFY20 (Rs87.50 last year. An interim cash dividend of Rs130 was also announced by UPFL.

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Modi announces inR20tR stiMulus package to RestaRt indian econoMy NEW DELHI

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AGENCIES

RIME Minister Narendra Modi has announced the long-awaited stimulus package of Rs20 trillion for businesses and workers to soften the devastating blow from the coronavirus lockdown that has pushed many companies to the brink of bankruptcy with revenues and cash flows disappearing overnight, according to a report by Livemint.

The New Deal for Aatmanirbhar Bharat – a resilient India, comprises of around 10% of India’s grade domestic product (GDP) and will focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws. It accounts for almost a full year of India’s gross tax revenue and includes the monetary easing

announced by the Reserve Bank of India.

Articulating the plans, PM Modi said that the self-reliant strategy will depend on five pillars—-.growing a new economy, creating a state-of-the-art infrastructure, setting up a technology-based delivery system, leveraging the young demography and by exploiting domestic demand.

“We will make the best products, improve our quality and better our supply chain,” Modi said.

This comes in the backdrop of the growing demand by the states of a fiscal stimulus package from the Centre and more financing options to tide over the financial crunch while they fight the covid-19 outbreak. The states had have been seeking support to MSMEs, infrastructure projects such as power, easing of

and rehabilitation post the Kutch earthquake in 2001, Modi said that if the Kutch story is a reflection of performance in adversity, then India story will truly make a grand story.

“The crisis has brought a message to India, it has brought an opportunity,” Modi said and added, “When the crisis started, India didn’t manufacture even one PPE kit.

There was hardly any manufacturing of N95 masks. Today two lakh each of these are being manufactured daily in the country.”

While giving a clarion call to create a self-reliant India; Modi explained that this call for self-reliance is very different from the isolationist and protectionist self-reliance movements across the worlds. Modi stated that self-reliance for India is neither exclusionary nor isolationist.

interest rates on loans and assured market access to the agricultural produce.

“We have to protect ourselves and also go ahead,” Modi said and added, “We have been hearing for a long time that the 21st century is India’s century. This is not only our dream but also our responsibility. We are constantly monitoring the global situation.”

The announcement comes as India further opens up its economy with riders in the fourth phase of the national lockdown starting on 18 May, with fewer restrictions.

The new package is not aimed through a trickle down approach but looks to empowers everyone with a focus on labour, hawkers, street vendors among others who tend to get neglected. Drawing from his personal experience of disaster management, recovery

Pay cuts and retrenchment have become a norm across sectors as cash flows have dried up. Reopening the economy and focusing the restrictions on tightly defined coronavirus hotspots have become crucial as the economic cost of the lockdown has become enormous with loss of livelihoods, fears of corporate bankruptcies and an overall contraction in the economy this fiscal.

After his fifth meeting with the state chief ministers on Monday about combating the pandemic, Modi said the suggestions made by the states for an economic roadmap has been given due consideration.

Modi has earlier said that India must leverage the opportunities that arise in the Post COVID era and “we must all plan for the new world reality.”

Saudi interior ministry announces round-the-clock curfew during Eid RIYADH AGENCIES

uk's covid-19 death toll tops 40,000, worst in europe LONDON: The United Kingdom’s Covid-19 death toll now exceeds 40,000, by far the worst yet reported in Europe, raising more questions about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics for England and Wales brought the United Kingdom’s official death toll to 38,289 as of May 3, according to a Reuters tally of death registrations that also includes Scotland and Northern Ireland. Since then, at least 2,251 people have died from Covid-19 in English hospitals, according to the latest daily data, bringing the true death toll as of Tuesday to just over 40,000. While different ways of counting make comparisons with other countries difficult, the figure confirmed Britain was among those hit worst by a pandemic that has killed more than 285,000 people worldwide. The data came a day after Johnson set out a gradual plan to get Britain back to work, including advice on wearing home-made face coverings — though his attempt to lift the coronavirus lockdown prompted confusion. The leaders of the devolved nations — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — said that advice given by Johnson only applied to England. AGENCIES

Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry announced on Tuesday that a round-theclock nationwide curfew will be implemented during the five-day Eid alFitr holiday to control the spread of the coronavirus as infections spike in the kingdom.

The kingdom, which has reported the highest number of virus cases in the Gulf

BEIJING: A northeastern Chinese city has partially shut its borders and cut off transport links after the emergence of a local coronavirus cluster that has fuelled growing fears of a second wave of infections in China.

Jilin, with a population of more than four million, suspended bus services on Wednesday and said it will only allow residents to leave the city if they have tested negative for Covid-19 in the past 48 hours and complete an unspecified period of “strict self-isolation”. All cinemas, indoor gyms, internet cafes and other enclosed entertainment venues must shut immediately, and pharmacies must report all sales of fever and antiviral medicines, the local government said in a statement. The city is located in the eponymous province of Jilin. A cluster of infections was reported in the suburb of Shulan over the weekend, with Jilin’s vice mayor warning on Wednesday that the situation was “extremely severe and complicated” and “there is a major risk of further spread”. AGENCIES

9am and 5pm.

Malls and retailers have been allowed to reopen, except in major hotspots including the holy city of Makkah — where confirmed cases have soared, despite a stringent lockdown.

The health ministry said on Tuesday the number of COVID-19 deaths had risen to 264 and confirmed infections to 42,925, while 15,257 people have recovered. In March, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round “umrah” pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading in Islam’s holiest cities.

Authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year’s hajj — scheduled for late July — but they have urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage.

Last year, some 2.5 million faithful travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to participate in the hajj, which Muslims are obliged to perform at least once during their lifetime.

The Arab world’s biggest economy has also closed cinemas and restaurants and halted flights as it attempts to contain the virus.

India, China engage in military skirmish as tensions rise in eastern Ladakh NEW DELHI AGENCIES

china's Jilin in partial lockdown over 'major risk' of virus spread

region, is scrambling to limit the spread of the deadly disease.

A full lockdown will be reimposed around the country from May 23-27, the ministry said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency. The period coincides with Eid that marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Most parts of the kingdom were put under full lockdown following the outbreak, but last month the government relaxed the curfew between the hours of

India and China locked horns in a military skirmish in the eastern Ladakh near Tibet, which reportedly began last week.

The situation seems quite tense presently as well due to the presence of People’s Liberation Army of China holding ground near Pangng Tso Lake.

On May 6, the troops from both sides clashed and hurled stones at each other, which also injured several other people.

An Indian media report claimed that 1,200 troops are in a back-up location by China, as India also asked for military reinforcements.

There have been long-running border tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, with a bitter war fought over India´s northeastern-most state of

Arunachal Pradesh in 1962.

“Aggressive behaviour by the two sides resulted in minor injuries to troops.

It was stone-throwing and arguments that ended in a fistfight,” Indian Army Eastern Command spokesman Mandeep Hooda told AFP on May 10.

The “stand-off” on Saturday at Naku La sector near the 15,000-feet (4,572metre) Nathu La crossing in the northeastern state of Sikkim — which borders Bhutan, Nepal and China — was later resolved after “dialogue and interaction” at a local level, Hooda said.

“Temporary and short duration faceoffs between border-guarding troops do occur as boundaries are not resolved,” he added. Some 150 soldiers were involved in the face-off, the Press Trust of India reported.

There have been numerous face-offs

and brawls between Chinese and Indian soldiers, including one near the northwest Indian region of Ladakh captured on video in 2017, where troops were seen throwing punches and stones.

In 2017, there was a high-altitude standoff in Bhutan´s Doklam region for two months after the Indian army sent troops to stop China from constructing a road there. Relations since the standoff over Doklam between the two Asian giants appeared to improve following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan, China in 2018.

The two men also met last October in Chennai in southern India.

China still claims about 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory under New Delhi´s control.

Facebook to pay $52m settlement for trauma to content reviewers SILICON VALLEY AGENCIES

Facebook has agreed to a $52 million court settlement to compensate content moderators who suffered mental trauma from the graphic and violent images they were required to review, plaintiff lawyers said on Tuesday. The agreement submitted to a California state court will include payments to more than 10,000 current and former content moderators who worked for firms contracted by Facebook. The class-action lawsuit filed in 2018 claimed that the content reviewers were subject to psychological trauma from repeated exposure to graphic content such as child sexual abuse, beheadings, terrorism, animal cruelty, rape and murder. All of the plaintiffs in the class action will get at least $1,000 and those diagnosed with specific mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder will get additional compensation up to $50,000. Facebook also agreed to take measures to provide content moderators employed by its contractors in the United States with mental health support and counselling. “We are so pleased that Facebook worked with us to create an unprecedented programme to help people performing work that was unimaginable even a few years ago,” plaintiff attorney Steve Williams of the Joseph Saveri Law Firm said in a statement. “The harm that can be suffered from this work is real and severe. This settlement will provide meaningful relief, and I am so proud to have been part of it.” The case stemmed from news reports in The Guardian and The Verge highlighting the stress and difficult conditions of moderators hired by Facebook contractors. According to the lawsuit, lead plaintiff Selena Scola told The Guardian: “You’d go into work at 9am every morning, turn on your computer and watch someone have their head cut off. Every day, every minute, that’s what you see. Heads being cut off.”

113-year-old Spanish woman survives coronavirus MADRID AGENCIES

A 113-year-old woman, believed to be the oldest person living in Spain, has beaten the coronavirus at a retirement home where several other residents died from the disease, the residence said Tuesday.

Maria Branyas, who was born in the US, became infected in April at the Santa Maria del Tura care home in the eastern city of Olot, where she has lived for the past 20 years, and fought the respiratory illness off in isolation in her room.

“She survived the disease and is doing fine,” a spokeswoman for the residence told AFP, adding Branyas had only displayed mild symptoms. “She feels good now, she took a test last week and the result was negative,” the spokeswoman said without giving further details.

Branyas, a mother of three, was isolated in her room for weeks, with only a single employee in protective gear allowed in to check on her, according to Catalan regional television TV3, which broadcast images of the centenarian.

In the video, Branyas can be heard call-

CMYK

ing the staff at the residence “very kind, very attentive”. When an employee asks her for the secret of her long life, Branyas replies simply that she is lucky to enjoy “good health”. The

care home has recorded “several” virus-related deaths during the pandemic, the spokeswoman for the residence said.

Branyas’ daughter Rosa Moret told the station that her mother was “in shape, wanting to talk, to explain, to reflect, she has become herself again”.

Several articles have been published in Spanish media in recent years about Branyas, considered to be the oldest person in the country. She was born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco where her father, who was from northern Spain, worked as a journalist.

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

UmAr AkmAl, PAkiStAn CriCket’S enfAnt terriBle, fACeS reCkoning LAHORE

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AGeNCIeS

f ever a soap opera were to be made about Pakistan cricket, Umar Akmal might be a good candidate for the role of enfant terrible. The talentedyet-wayward batsman is scrambling to save his once-promising career, after he was hit with a three-year ban for failing to report match-fixing offers.

Umar is expected to learn the fate of an appeal to last month’s disciplinary action on or about May 26, which also happens to be his 30th birthday.

Right now, the signs don’t look good.

Umar declined to speak to AfP for this story, but several experts suggested Pakistan’s close-knit cricketing world is fed up. “Umar is not prepared to show remorse and seek apology,” the judgement accompanying Umar’s ban states.

Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistan captain and a well-known cricket analyst, said he was “pained to see such a talent go waste”.

“Cricket cannot condone such behaviour and fans need to realise that rooting for tainted players is actually harming Pakistan cricket and its image,” Raja told AfP. Umar’s Test career exploded into life

with a century in his 2009 debut in New Zealand, a feat that prompted commentators to describe him a “future star”.

But his expanding profile was soon tempered with disciplinary problems. His two brothers –- Kamran and Adnan -– also played for Pakistan but never got into hot water. Within months of his first international outing, Umar reportedly feigned an injury in a bid to skip a Test in Australia, in protest over Kamran being dropped.

He was fined and placed on a sixmonth probation. Even the astute Misbahul-Haq — Pakistan’s most successful Test

captain — could not rein in Umar. following an irresponsible shot in a 2011 Test in Zimbabwe, he never again selected Umar for the longer format. The following year, he was fined and reprimanded for an altercation with umpires during the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.

He ran into trouble off the field too. In 2014, he was arrested in his native Lahore over a scuffle with a traffic warden.

He has repeatedly grabbed headlines for partying late into the night, ending in yet more fines and reprimands.

ONLY HIMSELF TO BLAME: A dozen

CMYK

captains and coaches tried to keep Umar on track, but without luck. Waqar Younis had two coaching stints from 2010 to 2016, and ended up recommending an undisciplined “Umar be kept away from the national team for some time”. After Waqar, coach Mickey Arthur, of South Africa, had several run-ins with Umar.

In 2017 Arthur sent him home days before the start of the Champions Trophy after he failed a fitness test. Later that year he received a three-month ban after a spat with Arthur in the national cricket academy in Lahore. Arthur, now head coach of Sri Lanka, said he wasn’t surprised by Umar’s recent problems. “I feel nothing for guys who waste their talent like he has... he should be the disappointed one!” Arthur told AfP in a WhatsApp message. “He will only have himself to blame and should have taken responsibility for his career instead of always looking to make excuses and blame others.” Despite promises, Umar did not change. “I want to ask forgiveness of all fans who have been hurt by my conduct,” Umar said in 2017. “I am ready to commit to cricket. I still have a lot of cricket left in me and I aim to make another international comeback.” But it seems he has now run out of chances.

SPORTS 11

Shoaib Akhtar sends legal notice to PCB’s legal advisor Pace legend Shoaib Akhtar responded to Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) advisor Tafazzul Rizvi on Wednesday with a legal notice informing him that the defamation lawsuit filed against him was “defective/invalid”. The legal jabs had begun last week when Rizvi had sent Akhtar a notice after being branded an “inept” person by the fastest bowler ever in a YouTube video. Akhtar had levelled a series of allegations in the video, accusing the PCB of providing cover to fixers and Rizvi of profiting by pitting players against the board. The Rawalpindi Express, in his own legal retort sent through his attorney, stated that his analysis, “made in public interest”, are a critique on the PCB’s shortcomings and meant as “expression of opinion and not assertion of fact”. Akhtar branded Rizvi’s notice “legally defective, meritless and misconceived” and demanded that he issue an apology for their attempt to “publicly humiliate, degrade, defame and ridicule” him. SportS deSk

Thursday, 14 May, 2020

NEWS

Qureshi stresses global unity to defeat Covid-19 ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

are common, and our grief is shared.

May I also acknowledge with appreciation, the initiative by the Russian Federation to convene this timely meeting,” the minister stated. He said that he was confident that this video-conference would galvanise the SCO into forging a stronger and more coherent front against the pandemic.

“While Pakistan welcomes the debt restructuring measures initiated by the World Bank, IMF and the G20, we feel more will be required,” he added.

“The Prime Minister’s ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for developing countries aims at a comprehensive plan of action of debt relief and restructuring to free up resources, shore up economies and promote sustainable growth.”

SCO’s role in coordinating Pakistan’s response to collectively confront this challenge will be crucial, he stressed, adding, “While we grapple with Covid-19, other challenges to regional security must continue to command our attention.”

“The US-Taliban Peace Agree-

ment has been a landmark development that raises the hope of restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan after long decades of war,” he said.

The minister further observed, “It is now for the Afghan leadership to seize the historic opportunity and work out a comprehensive and inclusive settlement.”

Through the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, SCO can play its due role for peace and security at this juncture, Qureshi suggested.

“We welcome the proposed SCO Agreement on Cooperation in countering epidemics as well as the MoU between SCO and WHO. We reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to join the collective endeavours,” he observed.

The foreign minister said there should be frequent and regular interaction among our ministries of health to share best practices and learn from each other’s experience.

He said, “We should develop mechanisms for pooling scientific and technical resources for joint research on a vaccine and possible cure for the virus.”

Balochistan is future of Pakistan: COAS Bajwa

QUETTA APP

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen-

SURVEY OF 16 BROKERAGE HOUSES SHOWS THAT MANY BELIEVE A CUT OF 100 BASIS POINTS IS LIKELY, BASED ON DECREASING INFLATION KARACHI ARIBA SHAHID AND MEIRYUM ALI

FM SAYS TERROR ALLEGATIONS MUST NOT BE USED AS POLITICAL TOOL TO MALIGN RELIGION OREIGN Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday emphasised on global unity and sense of purpose to triumph against Covid-19.

Addressing a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers, Qureshi said in context of coronavirus, there must neither be discrimination against any segment of society on religious, racial or ethnic grounds, nor should any community be stigmatized and targeted.

Qureshi emphasised that tackling terrorism and extremism must continue to be a priority, but terrorism-related allegations must not be used as a political tool to malign and victimise any country or religion.

He called on the international community to condemn and hold accountable the perpetrators of state terrorism, including against people under illegal occupation. He also stressed the importance of rejecting xenophobic ideologies including Islamophobia.

“Covid-19 continues to assault lives and livelihoods, and paralyse civilisation,” said the foreign minister. “On this sombre occasion, I wish to offer heartfelt condolences on the ongoing losses. Our travails

Is another policy cut on the horizon?

eral Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday said that Balochistan is the future of Pakistan and it is “our duty to fully assist its government

and people towards a peaceful and prosperous province”.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief expressed these views during his Quetta visit on Wednesday.

The COAS directed all commanders to reach out to people in far-flung areas of Balochistan to help mitigate challenges faced by masses due to Covid-19 pandemic.

During the visit, the army chief was briefed in detail on security situation, operational preparedness of the formations and border management, including fencing along Pakistan-Afghanistan and Pakistan-Iran borders at Southern Command Headquarters.

The COAS was apprised about the formation’s assistance to civil administration in fighting the pandemic and continued measures for socio-economic uplift of the area.

With the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announcing on Monday that the yet another Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting would be held on Friday, the question on everyone’s mind is this: is another policy rate cut on the cards?

Analysts certainly think so. Profit surveyed 16 brokerage houses in the lead up to Friday. Of those, 14 were under the impression that the SBP would cut the interest rate further, while a minority of two believed that the interest rate would remain steady. Predictably, not one house said there would be an interest rate rise.

Of those that believed that a cut was likely, one said by up to 150 basis points, seven said by up to or exactly 100 basis points, two said by 75 basis points, and four said by 50 basis points.

Most analysts’ based their policy rate cuts around the predicted inflation rate in the coming months. The current inflation rate stands at 8.5pc. When Profit surveyed 7 of the 16 brokerage houses on their predicted inflation rates, all said it would drop to the 7-8pc range in May. INTEREST RATES IN PAKISTAN: It has been a volatile few months for Pakistan and the world, as the COVID-19 global pandemic has wreaked havoc with global economies. As countries, including Pakistan, have instituted varying degrees of lockdowns, businesses have been shut and workers have stayed home, impacting supply chains and depressing aggregate demand for goods.

Central banks around the world have slashed interest rates, though perhaps none as aggressively as Pakistan’s SBP. In the space of just five weeks between March 17 and April 16, the SBP cut the policy rate by a whopping 425 basis points, from the relatively high 13.25pc to 9pc.

More specifically, it cut the policy rate by 75 basis points to 12.5pc on March 17, by a further 150 basis points to 11pc on March 24, and by 200 basis points to 9pc on April 16.

According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Pakistan has cut its interest rates the most this year, out of a survey of nine countries, including the US, Peru, South Africa, Turkey and Ukraine.

It is a marked departure from the SBP’s actions in the last year. At the start of 2019, the policy rate was 10pc. Subsequent policy reviews – in January, March, May, and July – increased the policy rate by a total of 325 basis points to 13.25pc. The central bank kept the policy rate unchanged in its reviews in September and November in 2019, and again in January in 2020, until finally decreasing it in March.

What is the reason for this flip? Well, when the SBP initially raised the interest rate to 13.25pc all the way back in July 2019, it had cited rising inflation as a cause.

In fact, by January 2020, the inflation rate had hit a record 14.56pc, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). That was the highest level inflation has hit since the current government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf took office in August 2018.

But then the inflation rate slowed to 12.4pc in February, and then to 10.24pc in March, finally settling at 8.5pc in April.

As part of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) loan agreement, Pakistan has been given strict instructions to maintain positive real interest rates (nominal interest rate minus inflation rate). The rapidly decreasing inflation rate has given the SBP wiggle room to decrease the policy rate.

For its own part, the SBP in its monetary policy statement on April 16, the State Bank said that inflation was also expected to be closer to the lower end of the previously announced 11-12pc range this fiscal year, and to fall to 7-9pc range next fiscal year.

It also said Pakistan’s economy is expected to contract by 1.5pc in fiscal year 2020, before recovering to around 2pc growth in fiscal year 2021.

These reasons are enough for many to expect another cut in the upcoming MPC, particularly given that the SBP has itself maintained that the inflation rate is mostly driven by cost-push inflation due to supply side shocks. Actual demand-pull inflation is much lower, with some estimating it at 5pc.

ANALYSTS’ COMMENTS: For Saad Hashmi, Executive Director at BMA Capital, inflation forecasts for next fiscal year are inline with the SBP’s expectations for 5-7pc.

“Low energy prices will lead to a decline in inflation,” he said. “The key risk in this analysis is dollarrupee parity remaining stable, and exports and remittances staying relatively stable.” While the latest remittances numbers were stable, there is concern there might be a 20 to 25pc decrease in remittances in the coming months, that might increase volatility in inflation.

Kamran Nasir, the CEO of JS Capital said “The primary function of monetary easing is to control the pandemic we are facing. The role of the SBP is to ensure that there is a stimulus in the economy.”

Nasir also said he was wary of comparisons to other countries, and their interest rates. “People often give the example of the US. But let’s compare what the inflation is in the US and what it is in Pakistan. Let’s not compare our economy to those in the western world; they are financially sound.

Luqman Nadeem, chief investment officer at Flat Rock, said “For now, inflation will remain low and continue to fall due to a drop in demand and a drop in oil prices. If the lockdown drags on for an extensive period of time our FX reserves are in a dangerous position.”

He, however, was concerned if the policy rate would have an impact on demand. “Slashing the policy rate will obviously have no meaningful impact because since monetary stimulus alone has had no impact in the developed markets it is highly doubtful that it will help much in a country like Pakistan. We need fiscal intubation but unfortunately, Pakistan is not in a position to provide such fiscal stimulation because of the depressed state of its economy,” he noted.

Arsalan Hanif, equity analyst at AHL felt that an interest rate cut was already imminent. “it seems the fixed income market has already incorporated rate cut as treasury bills of 3M, 6M and 12M are trading at 8.39%, 8.00% and 7.75% which are lower than current policy rate of 9.00%.”

Sateesh Balani, director of research at Ismail Iqbal feels that anything less than 100bps could be a sentiment dampener for the equity market.

Arslan Soomro, managing director at KASB Securities, said he expected inflation to decrease to around 6pc in July. “Yes, the real interest rates would remain marginally positive. In previous war time when the governments are expected to give high fiscal support and run deficit, the only way is to offer government cheaper debt. Pakistan may not resort to monetizing of the debt (when central buy directly buys from the government) since we are still under the IMF program,” he noted.

However, he too was a little concerned about the SBP’s impact: “The aggregate demand will remain depressed even if the cut is +100 bps in the short term.

The principle idea here it to borrow the time window emancipating from falling energy prices, to keep the businesses alive which are going to eventually create more jobs and keep the system functioning. On government books, the cut in policy rate will keep the Fiscal Deficit reduced to otherwise double digit numbers, however, IMF and true performance is Primary deficit, that too should be contained.”

Naushad Chamdia, CEO at Standard Capital said, “Slashing of policy rate will boost demand in certain industries viz. cements, long steel, trucks given housing needs and ongoing four big hydro projects. Many related industries will get relief.” He also commended the SBP in creating three month wage accounts for corporates to pay staff, deferring repayments of loans for one year which is helping in difficult times.

Syed Noman, deputy head of research at Insight Securities, said that the SBP was being too prudent and needed to play a more proactive role. “I think aggregate demand remain depressed as interest rate has no meanings in a recession. So we expect aggregate demand to remain depressed until proper trade channel start working.”

Umer Farooq, economist at AKD, was concerned about the SBP’s balancing act. “The MPC of the SBP faces a dilemma, with a need to strike balance between providing immediate relief to the economy and preserving macro stability over the medium term. Benign inflationary backdrop in the near term coupled with the need to kickstart the economy or at least alleviate debt servicing burden merit some easing action from the central bank,” he said.

He further noted: “No amount of stimulus is enough given the enormity of the crisis, but the SBP’s policy response so far has been adequate and timely considering its capacity. However, there’s a need to further ease the process of getting loans under the Rozgar scheme.

India charges editor with sedition for article saying Gujarat CM maybe replaced An editor of a Gujarati news website in India has been charged with sedition and detained for publishing an article suggesting that Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, may be replaced by Mansukh Mandaviya, India’s Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, the Press Trust of India reported, quoting the police.

The article in question, published on May 7, had reportedly claimed that top leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were unhappy with Rupani’s management of the coronavirus crisis in the state.

A first information report was filed against Dhaval Patel, who is the editor of the website Face of Nation.

The article had also said that the BJP high command had called Mandaviya to discuss the change in

leadership in Gujarat, a report published in Scroll.In said. However, Mandaviya had denied the rumors.

The case against Patel was registered by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Friday under Section 124(a) of the Indian code that deals with sedition and the Disaster Management Act. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Ahmedabad, B V Gohil, said that Patel had been detained and not arrested and that as a precautionary measure, he had been sent to a hospital for Covid-19 test.

Gohil said the article carried by Face of Nation against the chief minister was published without any evidence. He added that unfounded news articles lead to an atmosphere of instability and fear at a time when India is fighting the pandemic. NEWS DESK

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk