EpaperLHR_2020-08-01

Saturday, 1 August, 2020 I 10 Dhul-Hijjah, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 34 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

GovT increases peTrol prices on eid eve g

Petrol rAte IncreAsed bY rs3.86 Per lItre, Hsd bY rs5 Per lItre

Covid-19 tally continues to drop as lowest daily cases reported since May ISLAMABAD AGENCIES

ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

He federal government on the eve of eidul Azha increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (Hsd) by up to rs5 per litre. According to a notification issued by the oil and Gas regulatory Authority (oGrA) on Friday, the rate of petrol has been jacked up by rs3.86 per litre, raising it to rs103.97 from rs100.10 per litre. similarly, the government has increased the price of high speed diesel by rs5 per litre after which it will be available for rs106.46 from the existing rs101.46 per litre. this fuel is used in agriculture and transport sectors and therefore increase in its price would affect these sectors and inflation would go up further.

An increase of rs5.97 per litre has

been made in the price of kerosene oil, taking its rate to rs65.29. this fuel is used in remote areas where lPG is not available for cooking purpose.

Moreover, light diesel oil price has been hiked by rs6.62 and its new price will be rs62.86 per litre. this fuel is used for industry. the new rates will take effect from saturday midnight. on June 26, the government had decided to increase the price of petrol by rs25.58 per litre for month of July in line with the hike in global crude oil prices.

According to reports, the real impact of increase in petrol was rs31 per litre based on the data and working made by Pakistan state oil (Pso). However, the government decided to increase price of petrol by rs25.38 per litre. on July 29, Federal Minister for energy

omar Ayub Khan had announced that the government planned to hold a thorough investigation into the fuel crisis, which occurred in June, to take the elements involved in hoarding and creating artificial shortage of the commodity to task.

“A commission has been formed by the federal cabinet in its last meeting,” the minister told the national Assembly.

Wondering where the stocks had gone, he noted the sales of petrol stood almost at 28 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. “definitely, some oil marketing companies and dealers had been involved in creating artificial shortage [of petrol] to make a quick buck, which was evident from the fact that there was no shortage of fuel after the government had announced increase in the price of petroleum products for the month of July,” he said.

Pakistan’s daily coronavirus tally continued to fall as authorities on Friday reported around 900 new coronavirus cases, the lowest daily figure in three months.

With 903 new cases reported over the past 24 hours, the total number of infections to date reached 278,305, with 1,146 of them currently in critical condition, according to the Health Ministry data. this is the lowest daily figure since May 14 when the country reported only 490 confirmed cases.

Following a gradual decline in the number of fatalities, some 27 patients died due to the deadly virus across the country, raising the death toll to 5,951. over 88% of patients, or 247,171, have recovered so far. According to the ministry, over 1.97 million tests have been conducted so far, with 20,507 more samples tested over the past 24 hours. on Monday, the government announced strict restrictions to contain the virus’ spread during the Muslim eidul Azha holiday. during the holiday, business centers, expo halls, restaurants, amusements parks, public parks, sports clubs, tourist spots, retail

shops, and shopping malls will remain closed.

Authorities have imposed locality-based lockdowns in virus hotspots across 20 cities since June, and many officials, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, have credited this strategy for the country’s improving numbers. “the world is widely acknowledging our smart lockdown strategy as our cases are gradually declining,” PM Imran told a media briefing on Monday.

However, he urged the public to continue following preventive measures during eidul Azha and Muharram, warning that covid-19 cases may increase if soPs are not followed.

“We have to be careful in eid and Muharram as coronavirus cases could increase if we are not careful.” the premier also urged the nation to buy sacrificial animals online and if need be, go to the cattle market while adhering to the preventive soPs. “If we are successful in these two months, then we would be able to open other sectors such as tourism and education,” he said. “If were are not careful, then we would be putting the lives of our loved ones especially the elderly in danger.”

Pakistan to observe ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ on Aug 5 in solidarity with Kashmiris ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Foreign Minister shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday announced that Pakistan will observe ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ on August 5 to show solidarity with the people of Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir. on August 5 last year, the Modi government launched demographic apartheid in the occupied valley and divided the region into three parts, Qureshi reminded. “the Indian government tried to divide the Kashmiri people through this illegal act,” he said, addressing a press conference in Is-

lamabad. Qureshi was flanked by Information and broadcasting Minister shibli Faraz and special Assistant to Prime Minister on national security Moeed Yusuf.

Qureshi pointed out that the people of Kashmir are facing immense difficulties, pain and persecution under the continued military siege for the past one year. the illegal actions of August 5 were aimed at ending the Muslim identity of the Kashmiri people in IIoJ&K. India is also divided on the steps taken on August 5, he said, reminding that the people of Kashmir rejected the move by India.

ConTinuEd on PAgE 05

notice The offices of Pakistan Today will remain closed on August 1 and 2 on account of Eidul Azha, therefore, the paper will not be published on August 2 and 3.

We wish our readers a safe Eid.

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Govt tAkiNG stEPs to BUild iNvEstoR CoNFidENCE iN CoNstRUCtioN sECtoR, PM iMRAN sAys ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that the promotion of the construction sector was important to fulfill the dreams of the youth to get jobs and poor people to own houses.

PM Imran gave a series of instructions to the concerned officials while chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development.

The declaration of the meeting stated that the committee is becoming useful for encouraging the stakeholders of the construction sectors, especially builders and developers, whereas, the construction activities are being promoted due to special facilities and relaxations by the federal government.

It stated the 13 prominent builders have assured the premier to invest in the construction sector. The builders’ representatives expressed hopes for record economic activities up to Rs13 trillion during the next 4-5 months and around 100,000 housing units will be constructed. The rep-

resentatives said that builders and developers were being encouraged to increase the construction activities.

The facilities provided by the federal

Fawad backs decision to end PUBG ban ISLAMABAD TLTP

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has hailed the decision of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to end the ban on popular online game, Player Unknown’s Battleground (PUBG). In a tweet on Friday, Fawad Chaudhry said that ending the ban on PUBG in Pakistan is a sane approach, adding ban is an extreme measure that must be exercised very carefully in future. Pakistan must work closely with tech companies to resolve issues, he further said. Keeping in view the positive engagement and response of the company, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Saturday had lifted a ban on PUBG. According to the details, a meeting was held between PTA and legal representatives of Proxima Beta Pte Ltd (PB). The officials of PB briefed the authority on response to queries raised by PTA with respect to controls put in place by PB to prevent misuse of the gaming platform. The PTA expressed satisfaction on measures adopted by PB so far and emphasized on continued engagement and a comprehensive control mechanism.

Earlier on July 24, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had lifted a ban on the online game.

No fee to be charged for training under Hunarmand Programme: Aslam LAHORE TLTP

Punjab Minister for Trade and Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal stated that Rs1.5 billion are earmarked for Hunarmand Nojawan Programme and no fee will be received from the students getting training under this programme. Addressing a press conference on Friday, the minister announced to waive off registration and exam fee of Punjab Board of Technical Education for one year due to coronavirus. He said it is expected that 90,000 students will take admission in TEVTA institutions in 2020-21 and admission fee amounting to Rs320 million will not be received from them as well. Board registration and exam fee of 17,000 students of private technical institutions taking part in PBTE has also been waived off, he added. He further said that by this way, students will receive a relief amounting to around Rs230 million by PBTE. The minister said that the Punjab government has decided to provide a total relief of Rs550 million to the students of technical institutions and this is the best Eid gift for them. He said that 51,539 students of matric vocational, matric Tec, DCom and DAI have been promoted to next classes without exam due to corona and they have already been provided 40 per cent fee concession in their exam fee. He said the government is setting up special economic zones (SEZs) to create ease of business and CBTA program has been started 83 TEVTA institutions while this state-of-the-art training system will be introduced in 20 more institutions as the government is committed to train quality skilled force for the local industry. He said that TEVTA has also been directed to devise an application for the registration of students intending to get technical education.

government for NOCs and permission letters have also created ease for the business community associated with the construction sector.

The representatives of ABAD assured the federal government of initiating construction projects in the a few months.

During the meeting, the premier expressed satisfaction over the increase in economic activities and assurance of multimillion construction projects.

PM Imran Khan praised Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments for establishing and activating a portal and one-window operation. He also directed Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan governments to follow the same pattern to promote construction sector.

He said the purpose of shifting operations to an online medium will ensure transparency.

The authorities have been directed by the premier to ensure timely and uninterrupted supplies of electricity and gas to the new construction sites besides order the helpline to effectively perform on federal level.

The present government has paid special attention to eliminate negative impacts of coronavirus pandemic on the national economy and expediting economic activities through prioritising construction sector.

PIA arranges charters to repatriate Pakistanis from France KARACHI TLTP

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Friday made arrangements to repatriate stranded Pakistani citizens from France.

According to details, the PIA will now operate chartered flights from Paris to Pakistan from August 15 to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in France. The move has been taken in the wake of European Safety Agency ban over PIA. The passengers can directly travel to Pakistan from Paris via chartered flights.

According to the spokesperson of PIA, the first special chartered flight will be operated on August 15 from Paris to Islamabad. Another flight for Paris will take-off on August 16 from Islamabad airport. As per schedule, a flight will leave for Islamabad from Paris on August 29 and an-

other flight will fly to Paris from Islamabad on August 30.

A day earlier on Thursday, PIA announced plans to partially restore flight operations for the United Kingdom.

The PIA flights will be partially restored from August 14 and passengers would be able to travel via direct flights to London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

According to details, the national flag carrier has hired planes from European companies along with foreign pilots to facilitate the passengers.

The decision was taken after fares for UK flights from private airlines saw an unprecedented hike in the wake of the ban on national flag carrier’s flight operation. The fares are likely to return to normal after the resumption of PIA flight operations.

A spokesman for the national flag-carrier said that the flight schedule for the UK flights would be announced soon after Eidul Azha.

Met office forecast rainfall in several areas during Eid ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in its weather outlook for Eidul Azha holidays, from Friday to Sunday, predicted rain/wind-thundershowers with isolated heavy falls at several places in the country.

The met office has forecast rainfall in Hazara, Malakand, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisal-

abad, Barkhan, Khuzdar, Zhob, Musa Khel, Kashmir and Islamabad from evening or night to morning hours in Eid days, while humid and partly cloudy weather conditions during the day.

Light rain is also expected along Sindh-Makran Coast on Friday and Saturday, according to the weather report. Hot and humid weather expected in other parts of the country.

The weather in Karachi will remain partly cloudy on Friday (today)

with maximum temperature between 35 to 37 degrees Celsius. Southwestern winds are blowing with 12 kilometers per hour speed, the met office report said.

Mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country on Sunday, the second day of Eidul Azha. However, rain-thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Sialkot and Narowal, according to the weather department.

Five suspected Baloch militants killed in Rajanpur raid LAHORE: At least five suspected militants of the Balochistan Republican Army (BRA) were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) jointly conducted by the InterServices Intelligence (ISI) and Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in an area of Rajanpur district on Friday. According to a CTD spokesperson, a major terrorism bid was averted when security forces were tippedoff about the hideout of eight BRA terrorists near the Arbi Tibba road in Rojhan, Rajanpur district. The spokesperson said security officials raided the hideout and asked the terrorists to surrender. However, instead of surrendering, they started firing at the security personnel indiscriminately, the spokesperson said. The statement maintained that the, “The raiding party took precautionary measures and a shootout ensued. When the firing stopped, five terrorists were found dead by the firing of their own accomplices.” The killed militants were identified as Ghulam Hussain, Master Ali, Ramzan, Dost Muhammad and Atta Muhammad. Three suspects managed to escape on motorcycles under the cover of darkness, said the CTD spokesperson, adding that a search was continuing to arrest them. A bomb disposal squad (BDS) was called to analyse an improvised explosive device (IED), 4kg explosive material, 50ft of primacord (detonating cord) and four detonators that were found at the site along with a large cache of arms and ammunition, that included three sub-machine guns and two .30 calibre pistols. STAFF REPORT

PHC declares district & sessions judges offices as sub-registries PESHAWAR: To facilitate the litigants and general public, the chief justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC) has declared offices of the district & sessions judges as sub-registries and appointed the superintendents of sessions courts as in-charge. According to a statement issued here on Friday, they have also been empowered to administer oaths and affirmations for the purpose of filing in the respective subregistries. The PHC has also authorized the copying agents of the offices of the district courts throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to certify and issue copies from the records of PHC or its benches to the extent of records of the respective districts. TLTP

German diplomat buys goat for guards on Eid ISLAMABAD: German Ambassador to Pakistan, Bernhard Schlagheck has purchased a goat from a local cattle market ahead of Eidul Azha for gifting it to the FC guards. In a Twitter message, the German envoy said that the security advisor Ertac went to the cattle market on Thursday to buy a goat for the FC guards. As a gesture of goodwill towards the security officials, the envoy said, “A good occasion to thank them for their great work throughout the year.” TLTP

Family creates nonprofit honouring Pakistani exchange student killed in shooting at US school HOUSTON AGENCIES

The family of a high school exchange student from Pakistan who was killed in a Texas school shooting have started a foundation to honour her memory through providing university scholarships to low-income Pakistani women.

Sabika Sheikh, 17, was killed in a May 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School near Houston that left 10 people dead and at least 13 others wounded.

Her parents, Abdul Aziz Sheikh and Farah Naz, have created the Sabika for Peace Foundation to expand educational opportunities for those most in need.

“I’m always worried that we might forget (Sabika),” Farah Naz, the mother, told the Houston Chronicle during a Zoom interview with the family from their Karachi home. “But starting this foundation I know this is impossible. I know if I continue working with the foundation, she will always be with me.”

The foundation has partnered with several prominent nonprofit organisations, including the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund and the American Council

for International Education.

ACIE, the American Institute for Foreign Study and the International Education and Resource Network are also contributing a $300,000 seed grant to initiate the foundation.

The nonprofit organisation will help provide scholarships to fund university studies for low-income Pakistani women, particularly those with civic engagement aspirations.

“The Sabika for Peace Foundation will start by focusing on scholarships for universities in Pakistan, but it will expand to providing exchange opportunities for American schools so that the connection and ties with the US continues,” said Sania Sheikh, Sabika’s sister.

“I think my sister spent the best days of her life in America,” Sania Sheikh said.

The foundation will be run by a board of directors, which will comprise representatives from the Sheikh family and four independent members selected by the family in consultation with the partners.

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FiA FoRMs 11-MEMBER tEAM to iNvEstiGAtE sUGAR Mills ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday constituted an 11-member inquiry team to investigate sugar mills based on the findings of the Sugar Inquiry Commission report, days after the government gave the go-ahead to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and FIA to launch an investigation.

The 11-member team, which will be headed by Director FIA Islamabad Zone Dr Moeen Masood and comprising Customs, FBR and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) representatives, will investigate how sugar was being exported to Afghanistan.

The government on July 23 had di-

rected the departments to launch an investigation. The federal government had further ordered that a report on the investigation should be submitted within 90 days.

Pakistan voices concern over india’s hate campaign against Muslims, minority religious groups

The report mentioned in detail how the amount of sugar exported to Afghanistan is routinely inflated to show as if 75 tonnes of the commodity were being exported per truck. However, this

is barely possible, given that the maximum capacity of a truck, even when overloaded, does not exceed 30 tonnes.

The scam also seemingly has another purpose: laundering money. If sugar is being exported to Afghanistan, the payment should also be coming in from the same country.

However, it was found by the commission that many sugar mill owners were receiving telegraphic transfers for payments for sugar sold to Afghanistan from the US and Dubai, therefore seemingly whitening money and earning dollars at the same time.

Another important finding highlighted in the report was that sugar mills paid an estimated Rs22bn in taxes to the Government of Pakistan, but out of that total amount, Rs12bn was reclaimed in rebates. Hence, the net contribution was close to around Rs10bn.

Masood pays tribute to IOK people for resisting colonialism MUZAFFARABAD TLTP

India to settle them in the occupied territory in order to change the demographic composition of the state. This is a flagrant violation of the 4th Geneva Convention and international law,” he added. He observed that the scale at which these atrocities are being committed has been rightly termed as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Kashmiris are being exterminated; they are being made aliens in their own land, homeless in their homeland, he added. “The full-fledged aggression against Kashmiris is driven by the Neo-Fascist Hindutva doctrine and settler colonialism. We see a replication of the Nazi policies in the occupied territory,” he asserted.

The AJK president said that Indian rulers and armed forces, through their warmongering, ceasefire violations, and threats to attack Azad Kashmir and disintegrate Pakistan, are pushing the region to the brink of war. In fact, they have declared multiple wars against all their neighbours and even against their own population.

Expressing deep gratitude to the international media, world parliaments, international civil society and human rights organisations for calling out India’s revolting and despicable crimes against humanity and for speaking up for the oppressed and besieged Kashmiris, Khan regretted that with the exception of China, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran and West European countries, the response of the most powerful nations has been disappointing and faltering.

He also thanked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for its strong solidarity with the Kashmiris, and the periodic statements issued by the United Nations (UN) leadership. “But this is not enough.

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tree plantation drive brings massive visible change: PM ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Imran Khan, while expressing his satisfaction over the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami project on Friday, said that the tree plantation drive has started bringing massive visible change in the country. Sharing a video clip of Balloki area of Punjab on Twitter, the premier said, “A massive change is visible a year after we started tree plantation drive, on land recovered from the mafia, as part of the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami program.” He said that as an environmentalist this gives him the greatest satisfaction to leave a green Pakistan for coming generations.

Earlier on July 17, PM Imran inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation campaign in Kahuta and announced that the federal government had set a target to plant 10 billion saplings across the country. He had inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation drive by planting a sapling in a ceremony held in Kahuta. He had paid tribute to the passion of the youngsters for their participation in the tree plantation campaign across the country. TLTP

Govt reappoints dr Jahanzeb khan as Planning Commission’s deputy chairman ISLAMABAD: After serving for almost an year as the Planning Commission deputy chairman, Dr Mohammad Jahanzeb Khanhas been reappointed on the same post for a period of three years. Dr Khan was due to retire from his current appointment on August 1, 2020.

However, according to official sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while considering his experience of serving in various institutions as a development professional, reappointed Dr Khan for a further three year tenure on his current position. Dr Khan, who has previously served as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman, had been serving as Planning Commission deputy chairman since the past year. Earlier in 2019, the government had reverted the post to a federal secretary after a period of 23 years. According to an official notification, Dr Khan, a BS-22 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, upon reaching superannuation was appointed and posted as Planning Commission deputy chairman for a period of three years from August 2, 2020.

Dr Khan was earlier appointed as Planning Commission deputy chairman on August 3, 2019. Dr Khan brings with him a decade-long experience of working as a development professional and practitioner. Prior to his appointment as Planning Commission deputy chairman, he worked for eight years in Planning and Development Departments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He also served as the Punjab Planning and Development Board chairman. He has also previously served as additional chief secretary energy and Punjab finance secretary.

Moreover, he has also served as Pakistan’s commercial counsellor in France for a period of five years and was later appointed as ambassador to the country. The Planning Commission is a financial and public policy development institution that comes under the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms. GHULAM ABBAS

NEW YORK: Pakistan has voiced its concern to a United Nations’ panel about Indian government’s deliberate campaign of hatred targeting Muslims and minority religious groups with state-sponsored violence and increased attacks on their places of worship. At the launch of ‘Group of Friends of Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religion or Belief” on Thursday, Pakistani delegate Qasim Aziz said hateful political rhetoric and incitement of violence in India was routinely used as a weapon against vulnerable minority groups. Aziz also expressed grave concern over the alarming rise of Islamophobia across the world. Aziz stressed upon the contemporary manifestation of a similar kind of age-old hatred that spawned anti-semitism, racism, apartheid and many other forms of discrimination. “Today, Islamophobia is slowly overtaking other forms of religious bigotry and violence,” Aziz told the forum. “Indeed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to practice, look and live as a Muslim in many parts of the world,” He gave the example of the attack on Christchurch, New Zealand as a grim reminder of the fact. Earlier, one of the panellists on the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ahmed Shaheed, also expressed similar concerns about increased attacks against Muslims and other minorities in India. APP

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan on Friday paid tribute to the valiant people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) for their resilience to face India’s barbaric scorched-earth policy and their resolve to resist colonialism and foreign occupation.

“We are with our brothers and sisters in IOK until together, we repulse the Indian invasion and wrestle down the monster of Hindutva which is feeding on Kashmiri lives and rights,” Masood said in a video message to the people of occupied Kashmir in connection with August 5.

He said that this day has gone down as the blackest day in the history of Kashmir as on this day last year 900,000 Indian occupation forces invaded IOK and reoccupied it. Ever since they have been brutalising the people and colonising the territory, he added.

The AJK president said the occupation army has killed hundreds of young men, incarcerated thousands of boys and children and forcibly disappeared Kashmiris.

“All freedom leaders are under illegal detention. Concentration camps have been set up in the occupied territory in order to force political activists to discard their quest for liberty,” he said.

Khan pointed out that late last year, illicitly, India bifurcated the disputed territory into two parts and declared that they would be ruled by Delhi, without the consent of the people. “In another sinister move this year, India has launched massive import and transfer of Hindus from

Chaman border violence occurred after govt put a stop to smuggling, says shibli

KP, WFP launch female education support programme in merged districts

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Friday said that the violent clashes which took place at the Chaman border a day earlier occurred due to the government’s efforts in putting a stop to smuggling. On Thursday, at least four people were killed and 19 left injured during clashes between protesters and security forces at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Addressing a press conference here, Shibli Faraz said that the borders of Torkham, Ghulam Khan and Angor Adda were closed on account of Eidul Azha and in light of the prevalent situation of coronavirus.

He said that after the borders’ closure, most of the people who had gathered to cross it, dispersed. However, a few hundred stayed behind.

“About 3,000 people used to come and go from the border every day,” Faraz said. The minister said that it was a few rogue elements among those who had stayed behind who incited the others to violence. STAFF REPORT

PESHAWAR TLTP

The Elementary & Secondary Education Department (E&SED), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have launched an education support programme for adolescent girl students in newly merged districts.

The project was launched by the KP Education Minister Akbar Ayub Khan and WFP Pakistan Representative & Country Director Chris Kaye on Friday.

“We are initiating this pilot project with the support of the World Food Programme, envisioning a large-scale provincial cash stipend programme where every enrolled child will be assisted with financial assistance,” said the provincial minister.

He also shared that it is the priority of the provincial government to ensure that all out-of-school children are encouraged to attend school as more than one million children of age 4-14 years are out of school in the newly merged districts and 67 percent of the population is unable to read or write (with the figure rising to 87 per cent for women).

Speaking on the occasion, Kaye said, “An educated woman is aware of her rights and is less likely to be a victim of domestic or sexual abuse. An educated mother con-

tributes towards the prosperity and well-being of her children, family and community.”

He said, “The World Food Programme is proud to be working together with the KP government to ensure that all children are well-nourished, healthy and can access quality education.”

The pilot project aims to provide income support to families of adolescent girls so that they are able to meet their food and nutrition needs during Covid-19 and continue their schooling.

Under this programme, nearly 21,000 girls between grade 6 and 10, enrolled in 288 government girls’ high schools in all the seven newly merged districts and six sub-divisions will be assisted.

Pakistan is home to 22.6 million children between the ages of 5 – 16 years who currently do not attend school (12.1 million girls and 10.5 million boys). The newlymerged districts have a rich demography with the adolescent population being over 1.6 million, 48 percent of which are girls. Youth have the ability to drive the economy forward, if investment in health and education is continued for quality services.

The United Nations World Food Programme is saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught

in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.

The government on July 23 had directed the departments to launch an investigation. The federal government had further ordered that a report on the investigation should be submitted within 90 days.

The report mentioned in detail how the amount of sugar exported to Afghanistan is routinely inflated to show as if 75 tonnes of the commodity were being exported per truck. However, this is barely possible, given that the maximum capacity of a truck, even when overloaded, does not exceed 30 tonnes.

The scam also seemingly has another purpose: laundering money. If sugar is being exported to Afghanistan, the payment should also be coming in from the same country.

However, it was found by the commission that many sugar mill owners were receiving telegraphic transfers for payments for sugar sold to Afghanistan from the US and Dubai, therefore seemingly whitening money and earning dollars at the same time.

Another important finding highlighted in the report was that sugar mills paid an estimated Rs22bn in taxes to the Government of Pakistan, but out of that total amount, Rs12bn was reclaimed in rebates. Hence, the net contribution was close to around Rs10bn.

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Saturday, 1 August, 2020

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Sindh, CorpS-5, ndMA join forCeS Opposition has lost its credibility: Buzdar to CleAn KArAChi drAinS KARACHI

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PPI

He Sindh government, Corps Headquarters Corps-5, NDMA and FWO have jointly decided to assign the work of removal of sludge of three drains to FWO and simultaneously the provincial government with their support would remove encroachments from all the stormwater drains in the city.

This decision was taken in a high-level meeting here on Friday under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Adviser Law Murtaza Wahab, Karachi Corps Commander Lt Gen Humayun Aziz, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shahlwani, LG Secretary Roshan Shaikh, Brigadier Hussain Masud of Corps-5, Brig Waseem of NDMA, SSWMA DG Kashif Shaikh, CLICK PD Zubair Channa, Masood Ala of KMC and other concerned officers.

The meeting decided to hand over cleaning of three drains to FWO. They include Gujjar Nallah, District Central. It would be cleaned to its entire length and leftover work along with cleaning of all feeding drains and addressing Green Line drainage issues.

KMC DRAINS: The meeting was told that the KMC has 38 drains and they all were being cleaned under the World Bank project, SWeeP. Apart from KMC, the DMCs have 514 smaller drains and DMC was responsible for their cleaning for which the Sindh government has been providing them additional funds. There are some drains of the Cantonments and KWSB in the city. The Sindh government off and on provides funds for cleaning KMC drains.

PROBLEMS: In the recent monsoon what went wrong was three spells in which cloud busted for 63 to 86 mm less than in an hour, the chief minister said and added that the existing infrastructure of the city has the capacity to sustain 25 to 30 mm within 30 minutes rain.

Shah said that the areas where rain water accumulated or flooded the localities were Gujjar Drain at Liaquatabad, Sher Shah Suri Road where pillars of Green Line infrastructure have been constructed within drain, Kashmir Colony at the tail-end of Orangi Drain, Gulistan-e-Jauhar where encroachment has emerged and desilting could not be made properly, Gulshan-e-Zafar adjacent to PeCHS where encroachment issues are the main causes, Zaman Town in Korangi which has also encroachment issues and Soldier Bazaar Nallah at Police Lines which was deliberately made choked by putting heavy stones into the drain.

RAIN SITUATION: On July 17, it rained more than 63 mm within an hour at PAF Faisal Base Station. PeCHS and Shahrah-eFaisal choked for a few hours at Roomi Mosque due to encroachment at Gulshan-eZafar. Zaman Town flooded by two feet due to encroachments there. It was pointed out that most of the previous year problematic areas remained normal because their issues were addressed.

On July 26, it rained more than 86 mm within an hour, as a result rain, rainwater inundations happened in Gulistan-e-Jauhar where a private educational institution has encroached upon the drain, therefore, its desilting could not be made. Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah said that Green Line structures disconnected old drainage systems in Gujjar Nallah which caused flooding in the area, he added that the Soldier Bazaar Nallah choked due to deliberate dumping of large stones and other material.

On July 27, the downpour was unprecedented, more than 74 mm was rained within an hour. The Flash water from hill torrents inundated Orangi and Gujjar Drains. Green Line structures again blocked drainage flowing into Gujjar Drain with accumulation of water at KDA, Sakhi Hassan and Nagan Chowrangi. Heavy rains in Orangi Nallah inundated Kashmir Muhalla (tail-end – low lying Kachi Abadi).

Punjab University’s former professor killed in broad daylight LAHORE: Former professor of Punjab University Ahmed Ali Chatha has been killed in Lahore. Ahmed Ali Chatha, who had also been the university’s additional controller, had left his house in Mustafa Town area of Lahore in the morning while the bikers on the two motorcycles opened fire on him.

He succumbed to his injuries on the spot while the culprits succeeded to flee from the scene. INP

Man killed, wife kidnapped for honour in Ghotki GHOTKI: The barbaric practice of honour killing based upon obsolete values and traditions claimed another life, as a man was brutally killed and his wife kidnapped in Ghotki only because they had married according to their own choice on Friday. The barbaric act was committed in the Murid Shakh area of Ghotki, as Ashiq Khokar and Haseena were going to Sukkur from Sadiqabad on a rickshaw because of the fear of being murdered.

They had tied the knot against the will of Haseena’s family two months ago. But the armed men riding in a van intercepted them. The attackers first brutally injured Murid with axe and then shot him dead on the spot. Later, they fled the scene after kidnapping the girl who was also tortured during the incident.

According to Murid’s family, they had informed the Khombara Police Station as well as the police control room soon after the incident but timely action wasn’t taken. The life of Haseena is in serious threat and she must be recovered at the earliest, they added. On the other hand, the officials from the Khombara Police Station say they have cordoned off the area and shifted the body to a hospital in Ubauro. Ghotki located in upper Sindh is part of the region which is notorious for karo-kari – the term used in Sindh for honour killings.

LAHORE INP

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that those who conducted negative politics during the coronavirus could not succeed in their attempt.

The CM Punjab said that the policy against coronavirus in the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan remained successful adding that a smart lockdown helped to contain the virus while the premier’s vision against the coronavirus is being lauded.

Buzdar, while criticising the opposition, said that they have neither any strategy nor agenda while the have lost credibility in the eyes of people while having tall claims they did nothing practically.

He said that that the opposition parties have become lonely and left the people unattended as well while he said that those opposition leaders who conducted

point scoring on the coronavirus should repent from politics of the lie.

He further said that the government took timely and farsighted decisions in the leadership of PM Imran while the opposition parties tried to harm national unity and solidarity despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Saturday, 1 August, 2020

NEWS

05

Leadership estabLished sadia n. Qazi

Hope for a Better tomorrow It is wisely said that great leaders don’t set out to be leaders; they set out to make a difference. It’s never about the role but always about the goal. Imran Khan emerged as a leader after an untiring struggle of 22 years. It was his unmatched dedication that finally landed him in the highest office of the country. A celebrated cricketer, the first of his profession to achieve that office; Imran Khan rose as a third power in the country to shift the paradigm of status quo in Pakistan.

His inspiring words, his vigorous enthusiasm and his dreams of a better Pakistan, a new Pakistan, won him the elections in 2018.

His past two years in the highest office was nothing but a roller coaster with bumping and twisting turns, facing all odds and surviving the ride through all hinders and shunts. And just merely after two years, the noise of his failed governance is in the air.

Allegations are being imposed on PTI for an unsuccessful tenure and incompetent governance with grave accusations of impairing the economy and sloppily handling the pandemic. The opposition and anti-IK entities practically have given a verdict of the sorts and this notion has been widely imprinted on the opinions of the common man through negative campaigning on the social media.

But is it really the reality or is it just the new trend for breaking the news and creating havoc out of nothing?

It’s no secret that when Khan took the office, Pakistan was in political and economic turmoil. Leaders were facing corruption allegations and court proceedings following the Panama Pandora’s box. Pakistan was burdened with the debts and was facing a global seclusion on its diplomatic front. Standing up against the tyranny of corruption propelled him to win the elections and gain the support of voters. But after gaining the office, only then he realized how deep routed the web of corruption has been, and it is not as easy to pull out the roots of corruption manifested in the system for years. Under the immense pressure and high expectations good governance was a chal-

lenge when Pakistan was already on the verge of economic collapse.

Pakistan was standing with the current account deficit at $19 billion in July 2018, which widened to 5.7% of GDP in FY2018.

After the first year of PTI, the deficit had gone down by $6.31 bn to $13.6 bn (Jul 2018-Jun 2019) from $19.9 bn of the preceding year. Following the pattern, the deficit further lowered to $3 bn. Pakistan had also paid $11.588 bn as external debt servicing in last fiscal year 2018-19 which is a notable sum to put stress on the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Pakistan was listed grey in FATF and with the lobbying India; the speculation of Pakistan’s inclusion in the black list seemed certain. With the policies of Khan’s government against money laundering and the steps taken in this regard, Pakistan remains in the grey list and the indicators are promising for Pakistan’s future.

In two years, Khan gathered himself a few firsts in his bucket. The very supreme of the list is his address in the UNGA. He touched on four major themes: climate change, money laundering, Islamophobia, and Kashmir. His billion trees vision and a clear policy on climate change has often been applauded by world economic forum

Pakistan to observe ‘Youme-Istehsal’ on Aug 5 in solidarity with Kashmiris continued on page 01 By introducing new domicile rules, aimed at changing the demography in IIOJ&K, India’s intentions were exposed once again, he said.

Pakistan stands by the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for their right to self-determination, reiterated the foreign minister.

On August 5, 2019, the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government struck down Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution, thereby scrapping the law that granted Kashmir its special status.

A few months later, the right-wing Indian government of Narendra Modi instituted a controversial domicile law in the occupied valley.

The certificate, a sort of citizenship right, entitles a person to residency and government jobs in the region, which till last year was reserved only for the local population.

With regards to observing Youm-eIstehsal day, Qureshi said that the country

will observe one minute of silence, followed by a solidarity march in the provincial and federal capitals.

A memorandum will be presented to United Nations Observer Mission, and Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the Azad Kashmir assembly on the day in solidarity with the people of Kashmir – to let them know they are not alone in their just right of freedom from the illegal occupation of India, apprised Qureshi.

In the same vein, Qureshi informed that the Kashmir Highway in Islamabad is being named Srinagar Highway.

Solidarity walks, photo exhibitions and seminars will be arranged with coronavirus-related SOPs in consideration to raise voices against Indian atrocities in IIOJ&K, said Qureshi.

He urged the nation, Pakistani diaspora and Muslims around the world to stand in solidarity with the people of Kashmir, on the day that opened a new era of hostilities in the disputed region, with local press engagement.

and media. He emerged as Muslim World’s leader presenting the vivid notions concerning Islamophobia and blasphemy. None had before raised a voice at such an august forum. He represented sentiments on hurtful caricatures which won him great respect. He showed his resolve as he took up Kashmir on the highest forum. He vowed to stand up and fighting for them at every diplomatic forum. The outcome has already started bearing fruit. The UN declared Kashmir to be an international issue. India now is cornered itself. IK’s tweets on the Indian tyranny ask the world to stand up against the severe human rights violations in Kashmir.

With his continued efforts, Pakistan is regaining the world trust; they are opening their doors for us. The UAE Crown Prince, Saudi Crown Prince, the Amir of Qatar, Afghan President, Duke and Duchess of England, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands are among the Heads of State who visited Pakistan. President Trump said on IK’s visit, “I would say we’ve never been closer with Pakistan as we’re right now”. Pakistan played a pivotal role for peace in Afghanistan by facilitating talks between US and Taliban and Kabul. Pakistan also took initiative to resolve tensions between Iran

and KSA. It’s no secret that when Khan took the office, Pakistan was in political and economic turmoil. Leaders were facing corruption allegations and court proceedings following the Panama Pandora’s box. Pakistan was burdened with the debts and was facing a global seclusion on its diplomatic front. Standing up against the tyranny of corruption propelled him to win the elections and gain the support of voters.

Imran Khan’s special interest in tourism and development of tourist spots has already attracted a number of tourists. Plans are being carried out to uplift the infrastructure and provide facilitation for the tourists. In 2017, 2.4mn tourists came to Pakistan, while in 2018 the number increased to 3.2mn and in 2019, 3.5mn foreigners travelled to Pakistan. Countries like US, UK and France, have made changes to their travel advisory related to Pakistan.

Two major dams have been inaugurated after 60 years. Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams are in the process. All major dams were built during martial law regime. Imran however broke the cycle.

Now all major development works are being completed.

Covid-19 hit the world with heavy life losses and economic shutdowns. We witnessed immediate lockdowns in many countries. PM Khan from day one was against it.

He feared for daily wagers and people living under poverty. He stood up for smart lockdown stating lockdown not to be a solution for the Covid19 pandemic. There is no time estimate to how long the situation will take and poor people may not survive the reverse effects of the lockdown. Now we see the trend of smart lockdown is spreading globally. Besides, he launched Ehsaas Emergency Cash program to handle economic crisis. The government systematized a process of distribution to the needy with utmost transparency. The program covers 12mn families; Rs. 12,000 per family and the total budget for this initiative is Rs. 144bn.

The vision is what takes a nation to glory.

Pandemic was hit hard and Pakistan initially had no equipment to handle the crises. The

already available masks were also blacked from the market by the stockist mafias. Pakistan spent a huge sum on getting the requisites and also received aid from China. Soon Pakistan stepped into the production of the requisites instead of relying on importing them. Pakistan is self-reliant on masks and is also manufacturing ventilators to cater to the need of ventilators domestically.

In the past months, IT export has increased 26.24% for year 2019-2020. Khan has shown interest in the importance of enhancing access of internet and uplifting IT industry. PIA going into losses has achieved breakeven at the operational level as per April 2020 stats. Railways also broke revenue records in FY 2018-19, which is 10.30% higher compared to last year. Its annual deficit also decreased from Rs. 36bn to Rs. 32bn.

Imran Khan is very clear on corruption.

The stand against sugar mafia and how JIT report was made public is example of zero tolerance. The crackdown against hoarders continues. No investigation was ever conducted to expose these mafias and even if any such investigation took place, its report was never made public. In his government’s tenure, harmony between major institutions is exemplary. NAB and Judiciary are working as autonomous bodies without any influence or pressure.

Imran Khan is a leader of vision. He gave a dream to bring Pakistan in a new era.

But he doesn’t carry any magic wand. The decades old system rusted to its core with the moss of corruption cannot be rectified in a year or two. It needs generations of discipline to change the course. Khan is steering the nation to a right path; the conduit where Pakistan is self-reliant, politically aware, diplomatically strong and domestically stable and corruption free. The upshot of his leadership and the policy placed by his government is imminent. There can be mistakes and there is a learning too.

Rewinding the system will take time. He will surely set the course right as he owes to put Pakistan on the road to glory and prosperity. It gives hope for a better, prosperous and dignified tomorrow.

93RD ANNIVERSARY OF CPLA

Ambassador’s message United we march on on the occasion Major general chen Wenrong

Defence AttAché, embAssy of the PeoPle’s RePublic of chinA in PAkistAn

of the 93rd anniversary of the founding of chinese pla h.e.mR.yAo Jing

China and Pakistan have time-tested and deep-rooted friendship. The two countries have always stand by each other particularly in challenging times. Amid the outbreak of Covid-19, China and Pakistan have maintained high level political exchanges, deepened mutual understanding, helped each other, advanced cooperation in various fields including the CPEC projects. The two sides are resolved to further strengthen China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership aimed at building a Community of Shared Future in the New Era. The Pakistan-China military relations are an important pillar of the strategic ties between two countries.

China highly appreciates the role of Pakistan’s armed forces in safeguarding territorial sovereignty, independence and security of Pakistan,and in promoting regional peace and stability as well. China looks forward to further expanding and enhancing military cooperation with Pakistan to make new contribution to the consolidation of bilateral relations and the maintenance of peace and stability in the region and beyond.

CMYK

1 August 2020 is the 93rd anniversary of the founding of Chinese People’s Liberation Army. On this special occasion, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all the friends from the Pakistani Armed Forces and all walks of society for your commitment and support in building strong military relations.

93 years ago, the Chinese Red Army, which later became the People’s Liberation Army, was founded at a critical juncture of the Chinese nation. 93 years on, led by the Communist Party of China (CPC), the PLA has battled through flame and gun smoke, attained victory after glorious victory, thus yielding a great meritorious service for the nation and people. In the new era, to meet the strategic demands of national security and development, the PLA firmly implements its missions entrusted by the CPC and the people. We maintain a rigorous guard against any possible threats to national security and stability. Meanwhile, historic strides are being made to advance the PLA’s integrated development of mechanization and informationization, speed up the development of intelligent military and create a modernized military force structure to adapt to the trends of worldwide Revolution in Military Affairs and the demands of national security.

China has always been a peaceloving nation. The famous Great Wall itself is a symbol of defence.

Under the guidance of defensive na-

tional defence policy, The PLA honors its international responsibilities and actively participates in UN peacekeeping operations, vessel protection operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the PLA has provided medical supplies to the militaries of more than 40 countries.

Thanks to the commitment of the leaderships of China and Pakistan as well as concerted efforts of our two peoples, our two countries have forged an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. As President Xi Jinping pointed out, China and Pakistan are true friends and good brothers who are always there for each other come rain or shine. In recent years, the bilateral military relations have maintained a steady and rapid development at all levels.

Exchange of high level visits has become a routine and more and more military visits have been conducted year by year. The Army’s Warrior Exercises, Air Force’s Shaheen Exercises and Navy’s Sea Guardians Exercises have become the models of bilateral military cooperation.

Each year, hundreds of officers from both countries come together to communicate with and learn from each other, making the deep rooted friendship consolidated with each passing day.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. After COVID-19 attacked China at the beginning of this year, President Arif Alvi made a special visit to China to show solidarity and support. The Pakistani Army took the lead in mobilizing various sectors to donate medical supplies, and PAF dispatched a military aircraft to take them to China. We will never forget the warm and timely support extended by our Pakistani brothers.

When Pakistan is faced with the challenge of the epidemic, we reciprocated by donating medical supplies, financing a quarantine hospital and sending medical teams.

The PLA also sent 4 sorties of donated medical supplies, while PLA medical expert team stayed in Pakistan for 2 months, sharing expertise with Pakistani colleagues. China will continue, as what Pakistan has done to us, to provide assistance and support to our brother for curbing the epidemic.

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. With peace and development remaining as the irreversible trends, international system and order are undermined by hegemonism, power politics, unilateralism and constant regional conflicts and wars. Facing the new era, China will continue to stand together with Pakistan in safeguarding national sovereignty, upholding justice, maintaining regional peace and marching toward an even stronger friendship!

Chin-Pak Dosti Zindabad!

Saturday, 1 August, 2020

06 COMMENT

The covid-19 pandemic and the management of domestic violence

PTI’s policy of total confrontation Democracy is the art of the possible

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RIME MInISTER Imran Khan does not want to touch the opposition with a bargepole. Strongly believing that he has been assigned the sacred mission of putting an end to corruption in the country, he has decided to start with the opposition parties. Two years in power, and Mr Khan has yet to come down his high horse. At a time when passing the FATF-related laws requires the government and the opposition to join hands, he would not have the PTI to go seeking the ‘corrupt’ opposition’s help. He would rather get the bills passed by convening the joint session of Parliament, bypassing the opposition altogether.

Despite denial by the PTI and PML(n) that they sought concessions in the nAB Ordinance in return for supporting the government bills, the PM continues to claim that the two parties wanted the government to provide relief to their ‘corrupt’ leaders by accepting the amendments proposed by them. With this mindset, there is little possibility of the government and opposition agreeing on a joint nAB bill.

Flexibility and compromise are basic requirements to run a country practicing democracy. The terms are however swearwords for Mr. Khan. Whatever their other kinks and quirks, the PPP and the PML(n) leaders have over the years learnt to work with each other as well as with parties which differ with them on numerous issues.

One had vainly hoped that after working together for two years with a whole lot of old sinners that he had condemned and ridiculed in the past, Mr Khan would develop working relations with the opposition also to run the country.

The opposition had helped improve the two FATFrelated laws, suggesting amendments which were passed

by Parliament on Thursday. The two major opposition parties are still willing to work with the PTI government to pass other laws after proper debate and discussion. The opposition also wants the government to complete its tenure. Mr Khan’s policy of driving the opposition into a corner will however leave it with no option other than joining hands with Maualna Fazlur Rehman who is keen to overthrow the government through agitation.

Some pandemic problems stay hidden Dr rajkumar Singh

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n general, the concept of domestic violence includes many ideas such as domestic abuse and family violence. It is a violence in domestic setting, committed by a spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner. In its broader sense it includes the violence done children, parents or the elderly. Its scope is also wide and involves physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, reproductive and sexual abuse. The situations of the current pandemic have increased the occurrence of domestic violence all over the globe and also affected all walks of life. The problem of domestic violence was already in the form of an epidemic earlier, but the ongoing guidelines of living during the Covid-19 have converted it into a pandemic. In normal times domestic violence appears due to strains on security, health, and money, but the covid-19 pandemic has added several new factors such as substance abuse, unemployment, mental health, lack of coping skill, isolation and excessive dependence on abuser. In the context it’s a universal truth that in comparison to males, women are common sufferers. Even among them essential and informal workers such as doctors, nurses and street vendors are at the highest risk of violence because they travel both rural and urban areas frequently during the lockdown period which has made them unsafe.

All over the world, women face the most severe form of domestic violence and it varies from country to country. Wide researches on the problem help us to know that there is a direct and significant correlation between a country’s understanding of gender equality and its rates of domestic violence. Countries with less gender equality experience record a high rate of domestic violence. In addition, although it is found across the world, indications of lower socioeconomic status such as unemployment and low income have added to the risk of domestic violence in several countries.

The current pandemic has implemented the factors of domestic violence in wholesale due to universal and long lockdowns. In this phase there is a general increase of 25 percent in domestic violence in several countries. It was reported in Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the USA. In these countries’ government authorities, women’s rights activists and social workers have raised their voices against the domestic violence

Staying the course SBP thinks the modest GDP growth target can be met

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HE State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), in its report on the third quarter of the financial year just past, 2019-20, has also commented on the current financial year, 2020-2021, and has said that the GDP growth target, of 2.1 percent, can be met, provided that the Public Sector Development pending is maintained at the budgeted levels. At one level, this is basic economic orthodoxy. Indeed, it can be argued that a government can do little to influence GDP growth other than to vary its development spending.

At the same time, it should not be forgotten that when revenue falls short of projections, or some special need arises on the expenditure side, it is the PDSP to which Finance Ministers turn to make adjustments. It is not as if the growth target is particularly ambitious. Indeed, had it not been for the circumstances, it would have to be characterized as anemic. However, considering that the covid-19 pandemic has already caused the 2018-19 growth to actually be negative, the target might seem difficult to achieve. The GDP growth picture will probably be clearer after the current Kharif crop is over, when the effects of the locust attack will be over. As the locusts threaten both cotton and rice, not only is a cash crop and an export earners under threat in the shape of the former, but our food security in the shape of the latter.

The main threat to the PSDP comes from the regional security environment. It is not just that an increasingly jingoistic and irrational leadership will engage in conflict, but it might begin an arms race that would oblige Pakistan to spend money. A hard-pressed government would then be tempted to cut funds from the PDSP to spend on security. Going by the SBP estimate, to maintain a growth rate that is already very low, any such temptation must be revisited very strongly. It should not be forgotten that development spending goes to contractors, and creates a multiplier effect as it goes through the economy, as contractors and their employees pay for goods and services. The social goods constructed, such as roads and dams, remain as additional wealth for the nation. This is not frittered away lightly.

Sheryar naSir

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T is raining anecdotes of harassment and violence against the students across the country.

Whether it happens in the premier educational institutes of Lahore, the shabby buildings of government-run schools in Southern Punjab, or in a dilapidated madrassah in interior Sindh; sexual harassment and assault in academic institutions is always downplayed.

Educational institutes often believe they can inoculate themselves against legal action and a tarnished reputation by denying and ignoring incidents of sexual harassment and assault on their premises.

Usually, the investigations in such incidents are delayed; responsibilities are denied; facts are distorted; victims are disparaged and their right to an equal education is devalued.

The recent harrowing anecdotes of sexual harassment in two leading educational institutes of Lahore present scenarios of familiar negligence and institutional apathy. A bunch of female students stormed social media with the videos, pictures, and messages they received from their perpetrators: teachers and staff. Many accused the instructors of inappropriate touching, groping, coercing, and threatening. The harassers warned the students of a reduction in marks in case of non-compliance. All this happened right under the nose of the administration which kept sitting on the complaints until everything emerged on the social media accounts of the students.

The subsequent vehement public response on social media and the support the victims received from the alumni and public alike speaks volumes about the rampant prevalence of harassment in Pakistan. Absence of an effective anti-harassment committee and lack of seriousness led to prolonged misery of the victims who finally summed up their courage to speak up after several years of agony.

Ignorance, fear of liability, concerns about the public opinion, and a bad press is what makes most schools and varsities turn a blind eye to their utmost obligation: providing a safe and equal opportunity of education to the students.

Editor Umar Aziz

Asher John

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

schools are supposed to protect in the first place. Addressing the issue and striving to solve it is the most Schools and varsities claim to take sexual harass- pragmatic approach to tackle harassment in educament and violence very seriously, yet most of them nei- tional institutions.

Similarly; it is vital for the students that they ther have their anti-harassment policies well defined nor have their harassment inquiry committees been must also understand and report sexual harassment working effectively. Preparedness and readiness to before it is too late. In the USA, every student has to go through comprehensive online training about sextackle real incidents on campus are entirely missing.

When sexual harassment in schools goes un-ad- ual harassment and the importance of intervention dressed; the victim is stigmatized. Culprits leaving with by the bystanders to avert incidents of harassment impunity creates a culture of violence, aggression, and and violence on campus. Consequently, every stuharassment in society. The notion ‘boys will be boys’ dent is well aware of what action or statement can be termed as sexual hais reinforced. The students rassment; how to tackle learn that sexual misconit, and actions needed to duct is acceptable, even help someone in need. normal. Impressionable Sexual violence in schools and on There are several stuminds of minor students dent-run clubs on the in schools make harasscampus is a pressing civil rights campus providing supment even more alarming. port to the victims and Several are unable to issue: depriving many of equal creating awareness about come out of the traumatic and safe access to education. harassment and violence experience they had in on campus. their schools for the rest of Educational institutes should In Pakistan, the govtheir lives. Students’ selfernment helpline to reesteem stoops low; selfstrive to nip the evil in the bud; ceive complaints about doubt spikes high. sexual harassment can be rather than denying the problem Experts opine that accessed. Complainants beliefs and attitudes until it can no longer be hidden can also directly go to the about healthy relationombudsman who initiships and sexuality take and bursts out on social media ates the legal proceedings place early in life and with confidentiality. Onschools must play their line complaints are is part to identify the probfiled with Federal Inveslem and counter it by use tigative Agency. Parents, on the other hand, must also of words, curriculum, policies, and school culture.

Teachers, school administration, and staff includ- educate children from a very young age at home ing the gatekeepers, drivers, cleaners, and janitors about sexual harassment.

Sexual violence in schools and on campus is a also need training about sexual harassment so they become part of the solution rather than part of the pressing civil rights issue: depriving many of equal problem. Vivid discrimination between bullying in and safe access to education. Educational institutes schools and sexual harassment can prepare educators should strive to nip the evil in the bud; rather than to deal with the issue aptly and educate the students denying the problem until it can no longer be hidden effectively to speak up about their experiences of sex- and bursts out on social media. ual harassment.

Sheryar Nasiris a Fulbright Ph.D. candidate at Schools must devise comprehensive strategies to protect themselves from liability for sexual harass- Texas A&M University and graduated from the Uniment. Hushing the victims of assault, violence and versity of Tokyo, and can be reached at sexual harassment harms the very students the mafalak@yahoo.com

Students must be safe in school and varsity

Arif Nizami

Joint Editor

Dr Rajkumar Singh is head of the political science department of the B.N.Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar, India and can be reached at rajkumarsinghpg@gmail.com

Harassment crisis in educational institutes

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

and also demanded emergency remedies. Going a step further the European parliament, in a press release, condemned the domestic violence and urged the member states to support the cause of family abuse victims.

Of the many, the financial hardship and living together for longer time are the main reasons as indicated during the 2009 global financial crisis and normally around Christmas vacations. The situation in this respect deteriorated further when rules of quarantine and restrictions on travels were imposed and as a result victims of domestic violence were debarred from complaining anywhere to the competent authority. This apart, those who are responsible for managing or punishing the culprit like social workers, health staff, police and judicial services are also engaged in responding to the pandemic at a war level. In almost all countries where the negative effects of Covid-19 were on the rise and preventive measures were implemented, the number of domestic violence cases increased by and large. In addition to domestic violence due to the pandemic, there are also reports in refugees’ camps and gender-based violence in public places.

However, the lion’s share in domestic violence owed to “stay at home” orders and movement restrictions.

As per available data, if the lockdown period and “stay at home” orders remain active, the reported cases of domestic violence may be multiplied accordingly.

The governments of the day have tackled the problem of domestic violence in their own way. In this age of technology and mass communication many governments have developed apps, disclosed WhatsApp number, phone call signs and codes, created task forces, and so on. For example, Italy has launched an app that allows the victims to seek help without making any phone call, while the French government has started helping the victims with the help of a new hotline and website established for the purpose. Likewise, Western Australia has created a Covid-19 Family and Domestic Violence Task Force under the Department of Communities to work with the police force and service providers to ensure the continuation of services. In the context, courts are also allowed to conduct online monitoring and impose fines on culprits.

In India too, the national Commission for Women had launched a WhatsApp number for the period of stay-at-home and lockdown. The Indian women took help from this number in case they became victim of domestic violence. At state levels Odisha police began to ascertain the previous cases of domestic violence in the state, while in Pune the perpetrators of domestic violence were institutionally

quarantined. Similarly, three Indian agencies related to women’s’ welfare launched the ‘Ring the Bell’ campaign to raise their voices against domestic violence. To help the victims, several domestic abuse organisations have come forward and are providing the rooms in hotels for the applicants whose protection orders prohibit them from living with the abuser.

Even the British Government, taking the complaints seriously, allowed the victims of domestic violence to leave the houses and take shelter in a refuge and also kept the national Domestic Abuse Helpline operative during the crisis along with allocating the extra 1.6 billion pounds for those who were in need.

In particular, the lack of legislation against the domestic violence, the victim not being able to leave the abuser, individual versus family rights, immigration policies, immigration communities, customs and traditions, and religious beliefs are some of the causes that need to be addressed to minimize the incidents of domestic violence. International organisations, like Amnesty International and WHO, have condemned the increasing instances of domestic violence and noted that the most common violence against the woman is performed by her husband or other male partner and this form of violence is often ignored, because neither legal system nor cultural norms consider them a crime, but rather a private family matter or a part of daily life. navi Pillay, the High Commissioner of Human Rights, is also of the view that family violence is outside the conceptual framework of international human rights. He also maintained further that it is clearly a state responsibility to uphold human rights and ensure freedom from discrimination of all kinds.

In most of the cases victims of domestic violence do not want to leave their abuser because of traditional reasons as divorced women are seen in the social framework as an oddity and they feel rejected. In many countries a woman’s access to her husband’s property is so long as she lives with him, but she loses it once the divorce case is finalised. The women in general, never want to lose the cover of their husband’s property, the only helper of their rainy days, if any misfortune occurs with them. Apart from the increased rate of domestic violence in the period of pandemic, the problem of domestic violence is a chronic disease for our society which needs a balanced view with maximum legal support at each and every stage.

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Saturday, 1 August, 2020

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

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Fuel prices set on Fire THE government increased the price of fuel by 34% and diesel by 27% last month without any notice or reason. The only justification with price increase is that we (Pakistan) have the cheapest oil prices in the region.

I voted for this government in the last election. I don't regret it as we were looking for a change. The change, however, has been so dramatic and frightening that it cannot be put into words. The whole system has choked, and inflation has sky-rocketed during these two years. The poor have become poorer and the middle class has gone below the poverty line. The Prime Minister and his cabinet have failed to control the bureaucrats, thus resulting in failure of controlling commodity prices. The shortage of sugar, atta and petrol - with all three in surplus quantity - shows the incompetence of this government. They even failed to properly prosecute previous leaders, one of their biggest promises.

Mr. Prime Minister I know you are a sportsman and you fight till the end... but believe in me that the masses have reached their breaking point. I think you should return to the pavilion (Bani Gala), Injured honourably.

Ali RiAz lAhoRE

Regression of society

Standing naked in the court of the people A masterstroke drums the opposition hollow

Candid Corner raoof haSan It should be pointed out for our own guidance in the West that the continual signing of manifestoes and protests is one of the surest ways of undermining the efficacy and dignity of the intellectual. There exists a permanent blackmail that we all know and that we must have the often solitary courage to resist.”

—Albert Camus

T

HIS is how it was destined to end: not a whimper, but a heavy dose of sickeningly empty words, bloated with unremitting quotients of ego that members of the opposition are permanently afflicted with. That is what makes them what they are: crudely unprincipled charlatans taking turns at defending the criminal ventures of their political masters at looting and plundering the state to its mere bones.

There were some FATF-related bills which had to be passed before August 5 so that Pakistan could make the plea to be removed from the grey list. There was also a nAB-related bill which has been pending for a considerable period of time with suggestions going back and forth across the divide. The grave mistake the opposition made was to see its chance to blackmail the government in a matter that pertained to the state. The other miscalculation was about the resolve and determination of Prime Minister Khan in the matter of continuing the process of accountability, even making it more effective.

So, when the opposition conglomerate pushed the case beyond a certain point, the government refused to be nudged and, instead, called a joint session of the Parliament to get the bills through.

Having failed miserably in their attempt to politically blackmail the government, the opposition was left with no chance but to eat humble pie and agree to extend support in the passage of the bills through the Senate. Yet again, this brings across the marked difference between two mindsets. There is one that rules the opposition.

This is the product of a policy that emanates from the conviction that everyone is corrupt or corruptible and all one has to do is to look for a vulnerable time to push home their vile agenda.

The other mindset is the one that is rooted in some cardinal principles which are not to be compromised, no matter what the consequences.

This is the mindset that the Prime Minister has and this is the big difference that separates the government from the opposition at this critical juncture when Pakistan is transiting to a realm of promise and hope.

There aren’t many who can actually understand this difference. For decades, leaders have

fed themselves on a rather succulent dish that, if Consequently, they were not practical as their they had money, they could buy everyone. The adoption would have been tantamount to burySharifs are the original architects of this ugly ing the very concept of accountability.

In Pakistan, financial corruption has often led and disgusting stratagem which did wonders both for their careers and pockets: they used to a variety of gruesome crimes. Eliminating optheir money to get into seats of power and then ponents, even hijacking a political party on the used the power of the office they occupied to basis of a fake document projected as the will of make billions of illicit funds. The other parties the deceased, are just a couple of them. The worst were not left behind. One such pack was led by of all was the brutal destruction of institutions of the People’s Party whose leaders are on record the state by staffing them with cronies and bootto having stated that there can be no politics in leggers who were indoctrinated to hide all traces Pakistan without money. So, the husband was of the massive corruption spree perpetrated by the appointed the Minister for Investment and the leaders of the time. This is exactly what the cominflow of illicit capital into their personal coffers bined opposition wants to do to the working of the nAB now. They want to make it completely was unstoppable.

What are the amendments that the combined dysfunctional so that not only they would be able opposition wanted to incorporate in the national to get a clearance Certificate for all their past Accountability Bureau Ordinance? The space crimes, they would also, if given a chance, conmay not allow for a detailed discussion, but a tinue to indulge their gory penchant in the future.

Seeing the premention of a few posterous amendwill tell you the ments, the Prime felonious motivaMinister put his foot tions that were at The episode is no small testament down and called a play in proposing joint session of Parthem. of the Prime Minister’s deep liament for the next The first amendment concommitment to uphold the interest day. That’s when the opposition parties cerned the demand of the state under all started having palpifor applicability of tations. They underthe ordinance from circumstances and his political stood that, instead of no earlier than 16 being able to exploit november 1999. sagacity in playing a smart game the government, it This, inter alia, was they who were meant that all cases to lay bare the opposition’s standing naked in preceding this date motives and machinations for the court of the peo(between 1985 and ple. Their treacher1999) would beeveryone to see. In the ous game plan had come null and void, been busted in broad including the subsequent public engagements daylight and they Panama verdict, and of the leaders of the opposition, did not have a place convict nawaz hide their faces.

Sharif would be one could see the guilt writ large to So, their choice was cleansed of his simple: either opcrimes to proclaim on their faces, and no amount of pose the amendhis innocence. hollering and yelling could hide it. ments proposed by The proposed the government and amendments in secThis was a battle of wits and be counted among tion 4 included limwho were iting its applicability tactics. They had lost at both. They people against getting Pakto cases where the istan out of the loss to the federal were literally checkmated.

FATF grey list or, government/provinnotwithstanding cial governments their venomous opwas not less than Rs position till the day one billion; it would not apply where the public office holder did not of the voting, join the government unashamedly benefit materially; it would not be relevant in in passing the proposed amendments. That’s matters which fell within the purview of regula- how the cookie crumbled.

The episode is no small testament of the tory bodies, and offences under money laundering should be excluded from the nAB jurisdiction. Prime Minister’s deep commitment to uphold the These amendments are contrary to the Supreme interest of the state under all circumstances and Court directive, they limit the scope of corruption his political sagacity in playing a smart game to and most of the regulatory bodies lack the capac- lay bare the opposition’s motives and machinations for everyone to see. In the subsequent pubity to handle these crimes.

Then there is a key amendment proposed lic engagements of the leaders of the opposition, which states that evidence transferred to Pakistan one could see the guilt writ large on their faces, by any foreign government should not be treated and no amount of hollering and yelling could as evidence. While this amendment is person- hide it. This was a battle of wits and tactics. They specific and meant to provide relief to their cor- had lost at both. They were literally checkmated.

The day and honour belong to Prime Minisrupt leaders who have laundered huge amounts of illicitly-gained funds to foreign lands, it is also ter Khan. This has been another great innings.

Well played, skipper! contrary to the Un Convention on Corruption.

So, in essence, these amendments were not The writer is a political and security stratemeant to empower the nAB to conduct speedy and fair investigation to punish the criminals, but gist, and heads the Regional Peace Institute – to completely defang it and turn it into a power- an Islamabad-based think tank. Email: Twitter: less institution. So, palpable mala fide was visi- raoofhasan@hotmail.com. ble in all the proposed amendments. @RaoofHasan

AnY country’s retrogression of the society can be assessed from the incidents transpire in their society. Many incidents of different nature are taken place in societies of civilized, uncivilized, developed and under development countries like raping, child abuse, sexual harassment, lynching, assassination, forced and child marriages etc but the worst incident which can be transpired in any country is beating and killing parents and such tragic incidents are rarely transpired.

Such barbarism is started taking place in our society which is an Islamic country. Recently, an unfortunate son has assassinated his own mother just to acquire few thousand rupees from her. It is reported that a poor mother accompanied her son to get Rs. 12,000/- from ehsas program launched by incumbent government aim to help poor and needy people so that they can manage bread and butter for their families. On the way back to home, that unfortunate son demanded money from his mother whom she refused and on refusal, he took his mother to a place where nobody could see them and he stabbed his mother with a sharp knife and she succumbed to death.

Propagation of respecting, obeying and treating parents in good manners is required to be disseminated through print, electronic and social medias as well as clerics should also let folks know about parents’ status and advantages and disadvantages of respecting and disobeying parents so that such pathetic and sad incident would not happen again in our society.

It is our collective responsibility to infuse our young generation to behave well with parents as it is written in the Quran that do not say a word equal to uff to parents and if there was one more word less than uff that would have been forbidden.

FAiSAl ANSAR KARAchi

Why we sacrifice EID-UL-AzHA has arrived, the time has come once again to remember and repeat Hazrat Khalil’s Sunnah of love. Hazrat Khalil had a loving performance which God always preserved among his followers. Millions of Muslims sacrifice animals at God’s command. In obedience to this command, the environment, society, needs, benefits, everything is secondary. The real thing is God’s command. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) declared sacrifice to be the Sunnah of Abraham. He continued to offer sacrifices in Madinah for ten years.

As soon as the sacrificial season arrives, the door of doubt opens once again. Some people object to it from a religious point of view and some from a social point of view. Some people see that in ancient times blood was given to the gods, and even children were sacrificed in their way. This is a continuation of that. The piety of your hearts reaches him. A person who thinks that all these actions and terms, such as the command of God, the fulfillment of love, the Sunnah of the Prophet, piety have no significance and meaning, is thinking differently from this framework. not just from this particular component, but from the whole framework that is interpreted in the name of religion.

From the study of Maulana Maududi’s books, it is clear that the things that people are considering new today and counting in the miracles of their intellect, the old form of ignorance is manifested in a new way. Atheistic civilization is considered to be the ascension of modern human intellect while it is pure ignorance which has had different versions in its history. Therefore, it is not correct to call someone else’s ideology a continuation of the same ideology on the basis that such ideologies have been wrong in history, and only if this is the basis of rejection, then the values of modernity are a continuation of ignorance. Yes, no value is new. The Muslim will look at the Qur’an and Sunnah in all circumstances, regardless of the circumstances in which this ideology has existed in history. Can’t help the poor instead of sacrificing? The God who has commanded the sacrifice has also set a share in the wealth of the Muslims to help the poor, while the meat of the sacrifice also helps the poor. It has a complete package with a fixed portion for each item. Even helping the poor is necessary or commendable because it is a command from God, then why ignore this command elsewhere. If morality is determined apart from religion, then only those who are fit will survey it. He who is not fit should die or he will have to die in the end. If the sick or the weak were cut down in the early human settlements or in the forest life, why can’t the same ethics be enforced today? After all, when it comes to thinking outside of God’s command, the beauty and ugliness of anything is not fixed.

Whatever man thinks and decides is good.

Is Sacrifice Cruelty to Animals? Who defines what is called oppression? The thing in which the majority of human beings participate, animals bite and eat, then does it become oppression at a certain time? Some people say that social factors such as how many animals are needed, whether the society can afford it or not, how much it can be a threat to the environment, all these things should be taken into consideration. But your problem is beyond comprehension.

When the animals are reduced, the sacrifice will stop by itself. Sacrifices have to be made. That is why so much attention is paid to these animals. So many people raise them and raise them.

KAShiF KAlwAR KAShMiR

Saturday, 1 August, 2020

08 WORLD VIEW

How mucH does Trump’s THreaT To delay THe elecTion maTTer? THE COUNTRY IS FACING SEVERAL CRISES AT ONCE, AND WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PROCESS THEM

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DaHLIa LItHWICK

N Thursday morning, the government released statistics showing GDP had plunged at a 32.9 percent annual rate in the April–June quarter, representing the worst decline on record. Shortly thereafter, President Donald Trump tweeted that maybe it’s time to think about delaying the November election, which is 96 days away: “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA,” he wrote.

“Delay the Election until people can prop-

erly, securely and safely vote???” And just as night follows day, this tweet unleashed the predictable hurricane of reactions, all of which clump into one of three buckets: “He can’t do that, right? The Constitution gives Congress the power to set elections,” “This is just a shiny object! He’s doing this to distract from the GDP numbers! Ignore,” and, of course, “Don’t ignore! This is part of a tactical plan to undermine confidence in mail-in-ballots, so he can contest the results of the election.”

I reside in perfect, permanent equipoise between all three buckets. Yes, Trump’s inane election belches are terrifying as presidential statements about presidential power, even if he cannot legally do what he claims. Yes, it is impossible to hold in our heads every serious presidential failure that demands our attention.

(The U.S. death count from COVID passed 150,000.) And yes, Trump is, whether strategically, malevolently or haplessly, fomenting massive distrust in the possibility of a free, fair, and safe November election, which will make it easier for him to claim, by any number of arguments,

that the election results were fraudulent.

Efforts to make sense of the president’s tweets inevitably result in arguments about what is real and what is a distraction from what is real. It’s a perfectly natural response to chaos, but it doesn’t actually help beat back the chaos.

The singular beauty of weaponized chaos muppetry is that one can do all of those bad things at the same time.

And the singular purpose of weaponized chaos muppetry is to immediately foment discord among anyone who actually cares about, say, the cratering economy, and the COVID death count, and the Republican failure to protect unemployment benefits, and the integrity of the election, and the continued functioning of imperiled institutions, and about which of those things is the real thing and which is the shiny object. When Steve Bannon reportedly talked in 2018 about how the enemy was the media and how you deal with the media by “flood[ing] the zone with shit,” this is what he was tilting at: If you can just kick up infinite dust storms comprised of infinite particles, each of

Iran’s Ayatollahs are down but far from out DESPITE THEIR EFFORTS TO DOWNPLAY THE ATTACKS, IRAN WILL BE COMPELLED TO RESPOND, IF ONLY TO SALVAGE THE IMAGE OF THE REGIME Newsweek YaaKOV PerI

Iran has now named Ershad Karimi as the perpetrator of the blast at the Natanz nuclear facility. The fact that his whereabouts is yet to be reported is significant. But the ongoing series of blasts, fires and power failures taking place throughout Iran, including in Tehran, in other locations of strategic significance and at the advanced centrifuge development site in Natanz—as well as the nature of those operations—indicate a state entity at work, with highly advanced attack capabilities. The responsible entity certainly has leading capabilities in the realm of cyber and, in the context of the reported explosions, is possibly working with personnel located inside Iran.

While it is possible to generate explosions through cyber capabilities, when blasts are involved, operational teams on the ground are a more likely source of attack.

While Iran's regime continues to investigate who is responsible, its relative silence on the issue speaks to its helplessness. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was expected by some to threaten Israel as a result of the blasts, made no mention of the attacks during a recent speech.

Instead, he focused his message upon issues such as the "agricultural jihad" in Lebanon, a country suffering from a severe economic and political crisis. Iran and its proxies are cultivating a sphere of deniability.

But their silence cannot hide the fact that the Iranian regime has failed to protect its most strategically important assets. Naturally, Iran's suspicion will be trained on Israel, and though this could be the latest phase in Israel's shadow war with Iran, other possible operatives cannot be ruled out. The United States, Arab adversaries of the Islamic Republic, such as Saudi Arabia, and elements of the Iranian opposition must also be considered.

The continuing nature of the incidents, and the fact that they include power blackouts is also significant. More extensive than a temporary power outage, the blackouts are disruptive to city infrastructure and are potentially harmful to the Iranian nuclear program.

The entity responsible for these incidents has also timed them so as to ensure that they have maximum effect upon, and bring maximum

strain to, an Iranian regime already battling a confluence of challenges. Biting U.S. sanctions and falling oil prices have worsened Iran's economic crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has taken a heavy toll on Iran, though the extent of that toll is being concealed by its government— and a crisis of confidence in the government's leadership is emerging among the Iranian people. These mysterious attacks appear to have damaged Iran's ability to produce advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges and have likely caused significant setbacks to the country's nuclear capabilities.

The repeated, continuing attacks on Iran's electrical infrastructure also indicate that the entity behind these incidents now possesses the ability to launch attacks of this type as, and when, they wish to do so.

The image of the Iranian regime, having been caught off-guard, has weakened at home as a result of the attacks—and the morale of the Iranian opposition has been buoyed as a result.

That opposition no longer feels alone and isolated.

And yet, despite all of these setbacks, Iran isn't going anywhere as a Shi'ite revolutionary regime.

It will seek to expose the attackers, and it will choose how it responds from a menu of revenge options—ranging from kinetic strikes to cyber attacks, such as those that struck the Israeli water treatment plant.

Whichever option Iran selects, its response will be calculated to fall short of the threshold of war. Iran has no interest in full-scale conflict against Israel or the U.S., and while its nuclear program has been damaged, the regime will seek to repair that damage, learn relevant lessons and continue its long-term conflict with Israel.

Despite their efforts to downplay the attacks, Iran will be compelled to respond, if only to salvage the image of the regime.

As we await Iran's next move, the regime is looking considerably more vulnerable than it would like the Iranian people to know. While the challenges it faces are greater than any one man could have caused, the regime is down, but it's far from out.

Yaakov Peri is a former head of the Shin Bet and a former Israeli minister of space & technology.

which may or may not be true or salient or important, you can rapidly get to the point at which everything simultaneously matters too much and nothing seems to matter at all.

As Sean Illing at Vox wrote after the impeachment, while the traditional role of propaganda was to flood the airwaves with a coherent narrative, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s contribution to the propaganda field was to use the media to “engineer a fog of disinformation, producing just enough distrust to ensure that the public can never mobilize around a coherent narrative.”

The purpose is to sow precisely the kind of dissent that fully paralyzes efforts to organize around any of these crises. And if the sheer exhaustion that comes from fighting all the side battles and screaming about distractions within a fragmented and polarized (and very profitable) media ecosystem brings about a numbness and inability to consume any more of it, well, that too is scored a win.

So while it is indisputably the case that Donald Trump and William Barr intend to

undermine trust in elections systems and Mike Pompeo plans to falsely say that they have the power to do so, the real question is not whether that, or the economy, or Trump’s twitter feed, is the shiny object to be disregarded and downplayed. The real question is what to do with a polity that— faced with intolerable anxiety about jobs, schools, health, democracy and the future of the post office—finds it justifiably difficult to live, awake and afraid, inside that anxiety without sniping about which of all these worries is the realest. They are all very real.

The brain wants what it wants. And what the brain wants now is a coherent metric of what is real and what is false as well as a ranking of what matters most and what matters least.

The brain also could use a handy laminated green-orange-red warning chart that would let us know how to organize around each issue and when it’s time to break the glass each day. (Pro tip? It’s time.) It also wants a media that will do that sorting for us. But it’s possible that while the brain cannot process the enormity of what is occurring every morning, the country is nevertheless on the brink of a catastrophic economic crisis, constitutional crisis, public health crisis, and rule of law crisis, and these are all unfurling at once. We are racing around in circles in a zone flooded in shit.

The best use of our time lies not in sorting and ranking the shit, or berating others for their sorting of it, but in trying to process it, track it, ingest it without becoming sick from it, and organizing to do something about all of it, any of it, some of it, before we drown.

The last days of the tech emperors?

“OUR FOUNDERS WOULD NOT BOW BEFORE A KING. NOR SHOULD WE BOW BEFORE THE EMPERORS OF THE ONLINE ECONOMY”

New York Times Margaret O’Mara

On Wednesday, Representative David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee, opened a half-virtual hearing on “Online Platforms and Market Power” with a combative opening statement: “Our founders would not bow before a king. Nor should we bow before the emperors of the online economy.”

That set the tone for the hours of sharp questioning of four of the wealthiest people on the planet: Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Tim Cook of Apple, Sundar Pichai of Google and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, whose companies have a combined market value roughly equivalent to the G.D.P. of Japan.

Given the history of Silicon Valley’s relationship with Washington, the intensity and precision of some subcommittee members’ questions were remarkable. It is a sign that significant tech regulation may be closer than we think.

Despite its techno-libertarian image, the tech industry has had close political ties for decades and remarkable success in getting what it wants.

In the late 1970s, venture capitalists and semiconductor chief executives got Capitol Hill and the Carter White House to agree to tax cuts and looser financial regulations. In the 1980s, a group of young legislators became such boosters of the industry that they were known as “Atari Democrats.” Ronald Reagan extolled Silicon Valley entrepreneurship and helped tech companies fend off Japanese competition.

The bipartisan love affair intensified in the 1990s as Bill Clinton and Al Gore invited tech executives to shape early internet-era policymaking. Newt Gingrich, then the Republican speaker of the House, talked up cyberspace and formed close alliances with libertarianminded tech thinkers. His party’s leaders convened “high-tech summits” on Capitol Hill.

The lightly regulated online economy we have today is a product of that decade, when Silicon Valley leaders

persuaded starry-eyed lawmakers that young, scrappy internet companies could regulate themselves. Washington’s embrace of tech continued even as questions emerged about the industry’s wealth and power. A 2013 Senate hearing to interrogate Mr. Cook about Apple’s tax avoidance quickly was sidetracked by lawmakers gushing to the chief executive about his company’s innovative products. Mr. Pichai faced tough questions at a 2018 House Judiciary hearing, but also was showered with praise.

“Google is still the story of the American dream,” declared Representative Robert W. Goodlatte of Virginia, the committee’s chairman at the time.

Those days seemed a dim memory Wednesday. Instead, the mood recalled the traffic safety debates of the mid1960s that helped catalyze significantly more regulation for the auto industry.

After a steady drumbeat of studies and some short-lived congressional inquiries, traffic safety exploded into the public consciousness starting with Senate hearings in the summer of 1965, where top auto executives faced sharp questions about their lax approach to safety. The evening network news programs showed Robert F. Kennedy, a newly elected senator from New York, grilling the leaders of General Motors about the tiny amount the company spent on safety research. Later that year a young lawyer advising the Senate committee, Ralph Nader, published a blockbuster exposé of the industry, “Unsafe at Any Speed.”

This combination of political and media scrutiny led to passage of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, which mandated seatbelts and additional car safety features, as well as road improvements like guardrails and traffic barriers.

Wednesday felt like Big Tech’s Ralph Nader moment: the pointed questioning by committee members, notably its Democratic women like Representatives Val Demings of Florida, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Lucy McBath of Georgia and Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania; the crescendo of investigative journalism that, in part, led to this week’s hearing by shining a critical light on Big Tech’s practices. And now, this House subcommittee is merely one of several legislative or regulatory bodies considering limits on Big Tech’s power. There are of course many reasons tech regulation

may not come to pass. The issues at stake are wickedly complex, and quite different for each of these companies, something chief executives sought to underscore in the hearing. “It appears to me,” Mr. Bezos observed, “that social media is a nuance-destruction machine, and I don’t think that’s helpful for a democracy.” (Mr. Zuckerberg’s reaction to that statement sadly was not visible to the audience.)

Large tech companies also have prepared for the regulatory onslaught by starting some of the most wellfunded lobbying operations in Washington. They learned a lesson from Microsoft, whose presence in the capital before its antitrust case in 1998 consisted of one employee who worked out of the back of his car because he lacked proper office space.

Although the trial didn’t end with Microsoft being ordered to break itself apart, it taught the company that government regulators needed to be taken seriously. And as a result Microsoft tamped down its most aggressive market practices, and escaped much of the yearslong policy scrutiny now facing its peers.

Then there is the sticky problem of public opinion. During other seminal moments — carmakers in the 1960s, tobacco in the 1990s — the problems posed by unregulated bigness were clear-cut. Cigarettes killed people. Cars were unsafe.

Tech’s consumer dangers are harder to see and acutely feel on an average day: misinformation, an incomplete search result, a unfairly promoted link, privacy erosion, a skewed algorithm. We may wish we used our smartphones less, or worry about what overuse of social media is doing to our communities and brains.

But we still routinely check our Facebook pages, buy apps via Apple, and click “buy” on Amazon Prime.

Even if, as some representatives noted, we do so because we have little alternative. What happens next will depend on many things, including the November election. But this week marks the end of Washington’s great love affair with tech, one that helped make these companies’ bigness possible in the first place.

Margaret O’Mara is a contributing opinion writer and a history professor at the University of Washington.

Saturday, 1 August, 2020

BUSINESS 09

CORPORATE CORNER Philip Morris supports NOWPDP in setting up recycling facility to reduce littering KARACHI: Philip Morris Pakistan has announced its support to establish a recycling facility as part of its antilittering efforts. Under the project, the not for profit organization Network of Organizations Working with People with Disabilities, Pakistan (NOWPDP) will establish a plastic recycling facility while building the capacity of persons with disabilities, one of the most vulnerable minorities. According to Omair Ahmed, CEO NOWPDP, “Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in terms or economic empowerment would open up many avenues in all aspects of their life. This project would in the long term also facilitate change in mindsets and standard of living of individuals from families of persons with disabilities, low-income communities, individuals engaged through the production process, awareness campaigns and community outreach. The project enables these individuals to work and become providers for themselves and their families, and become contributing members of society.” Press release

KARACHI: Samba Bank Ltd and NIFT have signed an agreement to enable digital e-commerce payments via NIFT’s Digital Finance Services platform under the brand name ‘NIFT ePay’. Press release

KARACHI: Bank Alfalah is pleased to bring on board Shahid Khan Afridi - Pakistan's cricketing icon - as a Brand Ambassador for the organization. Press release

OGRA notifies increase in LPG prices ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Friday issued a price-revision notification of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for the month of August.

According to the notification, the authority has increased the price of locally produced LPG by Rs18.48 per 11.8-kg cylinder. After the revised prices, the cylinder would be sold in the open market at Rs1,363.55, which was available at Rs1,345.07 in July. Meanwhile, the per metric tonne LPG rate has been fixed at Rs115,555.55 for August. The commodity sale price per MT was Rs113,988.81 in the last month. The new price will be effective from August 1. aPP

PTA re-extends VPN registration deadline till Sept 30 ISLAMABAD: In order to facilitate businesses and the public for registration of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has decided to further extend the VPN registration deadline for a period of two months till 30th September 2020, PTA announced on Friday. This action has been taken in light of recommendations by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT and ITeS (P@SHA), according to a statement issued by the authority. sYeDa MasOOMa

KP GOVT TO PROVIDe RS77M ReLIef PAcKAGe TO TOuRISM INDuSTRy PESHAWAR

T

aZIZ BUNerI

HE Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government will provide relief of Rs77 million in the shape of waivers on registration fees and license fees for the tourism industry.

According to reports, the KP Tourism Department has waived off registration fees for hotels and restaurants and license fees for travel agencies and tour operators amounting to Rs77 million, for a period of one year.

The decision has been taken considering the adverse economic impacts of the coronavirus on KPs tourism industry.

According to a statement issued by the KP Tourism Department, in light of the decision taken during the meeting of the Cabinet on July 21, license fees of travel agencies, tour operators, hotels and restaurants have been waived off

KP ToURism DePARTmenT wAives RegisTRATion Fee FoR hoTels & ResTAURAnTs AnD liCenCe Fee FoR TRAvel AgenCies & ToUR oPeRAToRs FoR A PeRioD oF one yeAR for a period of one year.

The statement added that registration fee has also been waived for hotels and restaurants which are not yet registered. Moreover, such businesses will also be exempted from paying license fees for a period of one year.

According to a survey report, the closure of the tourism sector in KP due to the coronavirus is expected to cause losses of up to Rs12 billion by August, prompting the provincial government to announce a relief package in a bid to revive the industry.

According to sources in the tourism

department, the KP government has said that hotels, restaurants and rest houses are an integral part of the tourism industry, however, they are being currently supplied electricity at commercial rates.

Sources further said that consultations are underway with the federal government to provide electricity to the tourism industry at industry rates.

The KP government has banned tourist activities in the province until further notice. The decision has been taken in light of the instructions of the Department of Rehabilitation and Re-

settlement to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Similarly restaurants, rest houses and other tourist spots will also remain closed while seminars, conferences, sports and tourism activities in hotels will also be banned.

The provincial government has handed over 168 rest houses in KP to the Tourism Department with the aim to promote tourism in the province.

Out of the 168 rest houses, 55 were previously under the Communication and Works Department, 20 were under the Irrigation Department, 21 were under the local government, two were under Police and 70 were under the Forest Department.

The orders for the restoration of these rest houses were issued by the provincial government and after conducting a survey, all the rest houses have now been handed over to the Tourism and Sports Department.

FBR surpassing July target reflects bounce back of economy: Asad Umar

BUSINESS DESK Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umar said on Friday that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) surpassing the tax collection target for July 2020 reflects a sharp bounce back of Pakistan’s economy. This was due to a highly successful Covid-19 control effort, he maintained.

The planning minister, in a

tweet, also appreciated the performance of the new FBR team which led to the board overshooting its July collection target.

"This also reflects a sharp bounce back of Pakistan’s economy due to a highly successful Covid-19 control effort, allowing economic activities to resume, while at the same time other countries continue to struggle," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the Fed-

eral Board of Revenue announced that it collected Rs300 billion revenue in July 2020, overshooting the assigned revenue target of Rs243 billion by Rs57 billion.

According to the revenue collection data for July 2020, the Inland Revenue overshot the target

by Rs52 billion, whereas the Customs Wing exceeded the target by Rs5 billion despite Rs25 billion relief given in customs duty.

According to FBR, in order to redress the adverse economic impact of Covid-19 on businesses, an unprecedented amount of refunds amounting to Rs15 billion were disbursed during July 2020, as compared to refunds of Rs7 billion during July 2019.

Sales Tax refunds are being issued under a centralized and automated system called FASTER which is clearing refunds to exporters within 72 hours for the first time as committed by the government in July 2020.

China donates high-tech drones to help Pakistan combat locusts BEIJING INP

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has purchased 12 T16 high-tech farm drones from DJI and has donated the same to Pakistan in order to help the country combat locusts.

One T16 drone can spray insecticides over 10 hectares of farms every hour, China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported on Friday.

The operator can control five drones at the same time without actually being on the field.

"China reacted fast to the locust disaster in Pakistan and sent a special task force to investigate the crisis," said Ma Hongtao, the counsel of the ministry, during a handover ceremony recently held at the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing. The ministry also promised to send technical support staff to operate the drones and train local operators.

Ma expressed her wish that the locust and coro-

navirus situation will end soon.

T16 is one of the most advanced agricultural drones made by DJI. The Shenzhen-based company has been researching the use of drones in farms for years. "Compared to traditional manual spraying, using drones it's safer," said Yasha Chen, DJI Sales Director, referring to the fact that with drones, people are not in direct contact with the pesticides.

"The T16 can also dodge obstacles automatically," he added.

The Pakistan side expressed gratitude for China.

"In addition to the drones, we also received 300,000L of pesticide spray," said Ahmed Farooq, charge d'affaires of the embassy.

"This is one event, and it's not the only event," he went on saying."Once again, we proved with actions that China and Pakistan are friends," Ma said.

Pakistan, among the countries that have been suffering from locusts since last year, declared a national emergency back in February.

India posts record fiscal deficit as coronavirus hits economy NEW DELHI aGeNCIes

India's fiscal deficit touched a record $88.5 billion in the April-June quarter, 83.2pc of the target for the whole of the current fiscal year, reflecting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on tax collections and as the government front-loaded its spending. The deficit is predicted by private economists to cross 7.5pc of GDP in the 2020/21 fiscal year beginning April, from initial government estimates of 3.5pc, due to a sharp economic contraction caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The economy is forecast to shrink 5.1pc in the current fiscal year, and 9.1pc under a worst-case scenario, according to analysts in a Reuters poll, its weakest performance since 1979. Government data released on Friday showed total net federal tax receipts in three months through June declined more than 46pc year-on-year to 1.35 trillion rupees ($18.05 billion), compared with 2.51 trillion rupees a year ago, even though taxes on fuel products have been increased. The number of COVID-19 cases jumped to 1.64 million in India on Friday, while the death toll rose to 35,747. Over three months, total expenditure rose 13pc year-on-year to 8.16 trillion rupees, compared with 7.22 trillion rupees a year ago, as the government increased spending on free foodgrains and rural jobs programmes for millions of migrant workers. Economists said a more than two monthslong lockdown since late March has hurt economic activity in Asia’s third-largest economy, impacting tax collections and the government’s plans to raise revenue through privatisations of state-run companies. New Delhi has increased its market borrowings target to 12 trillion rupees for the current fiscal year, from earlier estimates of 7.8 trillion rupees, to fund the budgeted spending.

Exxon posts second straight quarterly loss on demand, price plunge HOUSTON aGeNCIes

Exxon Mobil Corp on Friday reported a $1.1 billion second-quarter loss on sharply lower energy demand and prices from the COVID19 pandemic, and confirmed plans to make “significant” reduction to costs.

It was the first back-to-back quarterly loss for the oil giant in at least 36 years, but was small in comparison to rivals that have written down oil and gas properties by billions of dollars apiece on expectations that prices will remain low. The top US oil producer took no impairments during the quar-

ter, and got a 44 cent a share boost to earnings by reversing inventory valuations.

Chevron Corp , Total, Royal Dutch Shell, and Eni each wrote down billions of dollars in assets, while BP signaled an up to $17.5 billion hit.

The COVID-19 pandemic slashed oil prices, sending Exxon’s oil and gas production business to a loss. Its refining businesses was hit by a fall in demand, but an improvement in inventory valuations pushed overall refining profits into the black by nearly $1 billion.

The US oil major reported a loss of $1.08 billion, or 26 cents per share, in the three months ended June 30, compared with

a profit of $3.13 billion, or 73 cents per share, a year earlier.

An adjusted loss of 70 cents per share missed Wall Street’s estimate of 61 cents, according to Refinitiv.

Oil and gas output fell 7pc from a year earlier to 3.6 million barrels per day in the quarter as it curtailed output due to the oil price crash and threat that global oil storage would fill in May. The pandemic “significantly impacted our second quarter financial results with lower prices, margins, and sales volumes,” said Chief Executive Darren Woods.

Prior to the pandemic, Exxon pursued an

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ambitious spending plan to boost oil output and turnaround sagging profits on a bet that a growing global middle class would demand more of its products.

But Woods’s plan to raise production and money by selling some assets has stumbled and the company has slashed its capital spending plans for this year by 30pc. Exxon is preparing deeper spending and job cuts, according to people familiar with the matter, as it fights to preserve a 8pc shareholder dividend.

It said on Friday it had identified more potential cost cuts and was doing an “evaluation across the businesses on a country-bycountry basis.”

Its production business reported a nearly $1.7 billion loss as the company curtailed output and suffered from lower oil prices, compared with a $3.3 billion gain last year.

Profits in chemicals were $467 million, up from $188 million last year, and “resilient” in a tough environment, said analyst Biraj Borkhataria of RBC Europe Limited.

But Exxon’s cash flow of $1.5 billion “pales in comparison to European counterparts this quarter, all of which are smaller businesses,” Borkhataria said.

Shares were down 2.3pc to $41.98 in premarket trading. The stock is down by half since Woods took over in 2017.

Saturday, 1 August, 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

RecoRd economic slumps hit euRope in face of ResuRgent viRus PARIS

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APP

ATION after nation across Europe on Friday unveiled the extent of historic economic devastation as resurgent coronavirus cases forced agonising new trade-offs between lives and financial health.

Six months after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency, the novel coronavirus has infected more than 17 million people and wreaked global economic mayhem.

France's economy contracted by a record 13.8 percent in the second quarter, Spain went into recession after its gross domestic product slumped 18.5 percent, Portugal's economy contracted 14.1 percent, and Italy's GDP plunged 12.4 percent. Europe as a whole was hammered by its sharpest recorded contraction in the second quarter, with GDP down 12.1 percent in the eurozone and 11.9 percent across the Union bloc.

"It is a shocking drop, but completely understandable as the economy was shut for a considerable period during the quarter," said Bert Colijn, senior economist at

ING Bank.

Airline conglomerate IAG, the owner of British Airways, on Friday posted a first-half net loss of 3.8 billion euros ($4.5 billion), UK bank NatWest slid into the red while Dutch airline KLM and truck makers Scania said they were each shedding 5,000 jobs.

NEW LOCKDOWN RULES: Britain on Friday enforced new lockdown rules in Manchester and nearby parts of northern England in an ill-timed announcement on the eve of the Muslim Eidul Azha festival.

Under the measures, people from different households in the affected areas are banned from meeting indoors. They apply to some four million people across Greater Manchester and parts of the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire -areas which have a sizeable Muslim population. "We take this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of Covid-19 across Europe and are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe," British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Twitter. The sacred hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has been held with some 10,000 Muslim faithful allowed, instead of the roughly

2.5 million that attended last year.

Pilgrims were brought in small batches into Mecca's Grand Mosque, walking along paths marked on the floor, in sharp contrast to the normal sea of humanity that swirls inside its walls.

The UN health agency's emergency committee was to meet for a fourth time Friday to assess the raging pandemic and its status as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) -- WHO's highest level of alarm.

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has defended the agency's response saying it had declared a top-level public health emergency on January 30, when there were fewer than 100 cases and no deaths outside China, where the virus first emerged.

"Spikes of cases in some countries are being driven in part by younger people letting down their guard during the northern hemisphere summer," said Tedros.

Amid the race to find a medical solution, Japan has signed a deal to secure 120 million doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine, said German pharmaceutical group BioNTech, which is developing the drug with US pharma giant Pfizer.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, with BioNTech saying the terms were based on the timing of the delivery and volume of doses.

But an agreement announced recently between the labs and the United States put the price of 100 million doses of the potential vaccine at almost $2 billion.

HISTORIC CONTRACTIONS: The United States -- the world's hardest-hit nation and its biggest economy -- posted a second-quarter loss of 9.5 percent compared with the same period a year ago, the worst figure on record.

If that trajectory carried through the entire year, its economy would collapse by nearly a third (32.9 percent), the data showed. Historic contractions have been additionally recorded in Germany (10.1 percent), Belgium (12.2 percent), Austria (10.7 percent) and Mexico (17 percent).

Global daily cases are now approaching the 300,000 mark, with the curve showing no sign of flattening -- it took just 100 hours for one million new cases to be recorded. Vietnam recorded its first coronavirus death on Friday as the pandemic rebounds in a country that had previously been praised for stubbing out the contagion.

Zimbabwe streets deserted after anti-govt protests are banned HARARE APP

Police and soldiers mounted checkpoints on empty streets in Harare on Friday after the Zimbabwean authorities warned of a crackdown on the eve of planned protests.

Opposition politician Jacob Ngarivhume of a small party called Transform Zimbabwe had called for demonstrations against alleged state corruption and the coun-

try's slumping economy on the second anniversary of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's disputed election.

But people stayed home after police on Thursday banned the protests. "All security arms of government are on full alert and will deal decisively with any individuals or groups fomenting violence," they warned.

There were more checkpoints and roadblocks than usual on roads leading to the centre of the capital, with police and soldiers stopping cars to request identification and exemption documents allowing them to enter the city.

In the central business district, there was a heavy presence of police at most intersections, carrying batons and some with anti-riot shields, an AFP journalist said.

A police truck drove around an open space on the outskirts of the city -a traditional assembly point that the opposition have named Freedom

Square. A truckload of police was parked next to the Parliament building. Shops, banks and petrol stations were shut. Police spokesman Paul Nyathi told AFP they had received no reports of any incident.

"It's peaceful. Everything is certainly under control," he said. Ngarivhume was arrested last week along with a prominent international journalist, Hopewell Chin'ono, and charged with inciting public violence.

State prosecutors accuse the pair of recklessness for organising a protest in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak. The UN's high commission for human rights has warned Zimbabwe against using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext for restricting freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association. The government has denounced the planned protests, calling them "a violent uprising". Ruling ZANU-PF spokesman Patrick Chinamasa earlier this week claimed that US ambassador Brian Nicholls was sponsoring the protests and called him "a thug". There has been widespread disillusionment with Mnangagwa, who took over from longtime ruler Robert Mugabe after a coup in November 2017.

He promised to revive the moribund economy, but many Zimbabweans say they are worse off than they were under Mugabe.

US to pay $2.1bn to Sanofi, GSK, in Covid-19 vaccine deal WASHINGTON AGENCIES

The US government will pay $2.1 billion to Sanofi SA and GlaxoSmithKline Plc for Covid-19 vaccines to cover 50 million people and to underwrite the drug makers’ testing and manufacturing, the companies said on Friday.

The award is the biggest yet from ‘Operation Warp Speed’, the White House initiative aimed at accelerating access to vaccines and treatments to fight Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The deal, announced by the US Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defence, works out at a cost of around $42 per person inoculated. That is almost identical to the $40 per patient the U.S. agreed to pay Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE when it inked a nearly $2 billion deal for 50 million courses of that potential vaccine last week.

The Sanofi-GSK deal is for 100 million doses, at two per person, and gives the government an option to purchase an additional 500 million doses at an unspecified price. Sanofi and GSK plan to start clinical trials for the vaccine in September.

Kremlin demands release of Russians held in Belarus MOSCOW APP

The Kremlin on Friday asked ex-Soviet ally Belarus to release 33 Russian men detained in Minsk over an alleged plot to organise riots ahead of next month's presidential elections. Belarusian security services on Wednesday arrested the group of Russians, saying they were mercenaries on a mission to destabilise the country in the run-up to the August 9 polls.

Belarus's KGB security service

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said the men were members of the Wagner group, a notorious private military firm reportedly controlled by an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We hope that in the very near future this incident will be explained by our Belarusian allies and that the citizens will be released," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added that the "groundless detention of Russian citizens does not quite fit the parameters of allied relations".

us economy collapsed in Q2 amid pandemic, jobless claims rise WASHINGTON APP

The US economy collapsed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, suffering its largest decline on record while hopes for a recovery took another hit as job losses increased, according to government data released Thursday. The 32.9 percent GDP contraction, though slightly better than expected, was the worst experienced by the world's largest economy since at least 1947 and underscored the severity of the rapidly unfolding crisis, which has already destroyed tens of millions of jobs. While President Donald Trump continues to promise a dramatic recovery, Covid19 cases have resurged in recent weeks, eroding early progress towards a rebound and forcing authorities in several states to reimpose restrictions that sent workers back home. The latest Labor Department data showed a second straight weekly increase in initial claims for jobless benefits following several weeks of declines, prompting renewed calls for Congress to quickly approve a new round of emergency spending to support the economy. The separate growth figures from the Commerce Department are given at an annual rate -- a measure of the full-year result if the damage was translated over 12 months. Compared to the same quarter of 2019, economic activity fell 9.5 percent, still the worst figure since 1948. "The staggering news of the historic decline of the gross domestic product in the second quarter should shock us all," US Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Neil Bradley said in a statement. The data "should compel Congress to move swiftly" to provide assistance to unemployed workers and businesses.

Japan secures 120m doses of potential corona-vaccine: pharma group BERLIN APP

Japan has signed a deal to secure 120 million doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine, German pharmaceutical group BioNTech, which is developing the drug with US pharma giant Pfizer, said Friday. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, with BioNTech saying the terms were based on the timing of the delivery and volume of doses. But an agreement announced recently between the labs and the United States put the price of 100 million doses of the potential vaccine at almost $2 billion. First deliveries to Japan are planned for the first half of 2021, added the Mainz-based company. Laboratories around the world are racing to find a vaccine to curb Covid-19, which has claimed more than 667,000 lives and upended the livelihoods of millions. More than 200 candidate vaccines are currently being developed with roughly two dozen at the stage of clinical trials with human volunteers. BioNTech and Pfizer have decided to advance their trials on the most promising of their vaccine candidates, known as BNT162b2.

On Monday, the companies announced that they have begun a mass trial involving 30,000 healthy volunteers. Subject to successful outcomes and regulatory approvals, Pfizer and BioNTech expect to manufacture up to 100 million doses by the end of 2020, and "potentially more than 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021". Japan has so far escaped the epidemic relatively lightly, with around 32,500 infections and just over 1,000 deaths since the first case was detected in January. But the number of cases has been on the rise since the government lifted a state of emergency two months ago. Tokyo's governor warned Thursday that the capital may have to impose a new state of emergency if infection numbers continued to climb.

Saturday, 1 August, 2020

SPORTS 11

FuLhAM And BrentFord to Meet In $220 MILLIon GAMe LONDON

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APP

ULHAM will face Brentford in the Championship playoff final after holding on to beat Cardiff 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 defeat in the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday.

Curtis Nelson headed Cardiff back into the contest from a corner after just eight

minutes to give the Welsh side hope of a comeback, but the visitors' lead lasted less than a minute as Neeskens Kebano swept home an equaliser.

Fulham then had a host of chances to put the tie to bed before half-time, but were made to endure a nervy night as half-time substitute Lee Tomlin hooked in with his first touch to give Cardiff life again at the start of the second half.

Cardiff continued to pepper the Ful-

Cameroon star Bassogog hospitalised in China with coronavirus

ORLANDO APP

APP

Wallabies centurion Simmons to join London Irish SYDNEY APP

Experienced Wallabies lock Rob Simmons will depart the NSW Waratahs at the end of the Super Rugby AU season and join English Premier League club London Irish, he announced Friday. The 31-year-old, who has played 100 times for his country, will link up once more with former Waratahs teammates Nick Phipps and Sekope Kepu when he arrives in Britain.

"It was a really tough decision (to leave) but after speaking with many people around me, I felt that now was the time to take the opportunity to play overseas," Simmons said. "Timing with situations like this can't always be perfect, but the Waratahs have been fantastic in understanding my desire to take on a new challenge." Simmons joined the 'Tahs at the beginning of 2018 after nine seasons with the Queensland Reds, where he won a Super Rugby title in 2011.

SILVERSTONE

Tom Cairney told Sky Sports. "It was the worst start you can think of. These 2-0 leads are a bit weird in your head. It feels comfortable but is not at the same time.

"I think we let ourselves down a little bit by not playing our normal game, and we invited pressure. "But, look, we showed a different side to us at times as well in the second half especially. When our backs were against the wall, we dug in deep and we got over the line."

Players kneel as NBA restarts in Florida 'bubble'

SHANGHAI Christian Bassogog, who starred in Cameroon's Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2017, became the second confirmed coronavirus case in the Chinese Super League on Friday. The 24-year-old forward, who plays for Henan Jianye, is asymptomatic but is in hospital in Guangzhou, health authorities in the southern city said. There is no health threat to the CSL, which started on July 25, because Bassogog has been in quarantine since arriving in China from Cameroon in mid-July. Former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini was previously the only confirmed coronavirus case in China's top football league. The 32-year-old Belgian spent three weeks in a Chinese hospital before being released in midApril. He was not seriously ill and bounced back to score a seven-minute hat-trick of headers in Shandong Luneng's season-opener on Sunday. Bassogog, who was named best player at the 2017 Cup of Nations, was tested upon arrival on July 15 and was negative for coronavirus, Guangzhou health authorities said.

However, during quarantine he was retested and twice returned a positive result. Henan, beaten 4-3 by Jiangsu Suning in their first match of the virus-delayed season, wrote on the Twitter-like Weibo: "The tougher (the situation is) the farther you go! "Come on Bassogog! We're waiting for you!"

ham box with crosses and came within inches of forcing extra time when Robert Glatzel fired over on the volley deep into stoppage time. However, Scott Parker's men held out to set up a West London derby against Brentford at Wembley on August 4 in the most lucrative game in world football with promotion to the Premier League worth an estimated ÂŁ170 million ($220 million) to the winners.

"It wasn't pretty at all," Fulham captain

Perez first F1 driver to test positive for coronavirus, out of British Grand Prix

The NBA relaunched its coronavirushit season on Thursday, with players taking a knee during the US national anthem in a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Four months after the league shut down in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the NBA is restarting its season with 22 teams based inside a secure "bubble" at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

The unprecedented NBA experiment began on Thursday with the Utah Jazz defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 106-104 in an empty arena at the resort's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The first and last points of the game were scored by Utah's Rudy Gobert -the Frenchman whose Covid-19 case triggered the NBA's shutdown in March. LeBron James then led the Los Angeles Lakers to a pulsating 103-101 defeat of the Los Angeles Clippers in the day's second game.

Both games started with players -wearing t-shirts emblazoned with "Black Lives Matter" -- kneeling in unison as the "Star-Spangled Banner" played.

"It's an opportunity to use this platform to spread a lot of positives, a lot of love throughout the course of the whole world," Lakers star James said afterwards.

"We understand what's going on in society right now and we're using this NBA platform as players as coaches and as an organisation to stand strong on that. This is a good start."

The players' activism followed weeks of soul-searching about racism and police brutality in the United States following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd during his arrest by police on May 25 in Minneapolis.

Many NBA players joined protests against the killing which swept across all 50 states in June, and the cause of social justice has loomed large ahead of the league's restart.

Large "Black Lives Matter" slogans have been written on each court, while

players are allowed to wear jerseys adorned with messages ranging from "I Can't Breathe" to "Justice Now" and "Education Reform."

Taking a knee has become an emblematic way of showing solidarity with anti-racism campaigners, adopted by athletes around the world in the months since Floyd's death.

Kneeling during the US national anthem was first started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016.

Kaepernick used the gesture to draw attention to racial injustice but was widely vilified for his stance and has not played in the NFL since being released by San Francisco in early 2017. James meanwhile said there would be no let up in player activism.

"We're dealing with a lot of racism, a lot of social injustice and police brutality ... It's something that we want to have people's ears open to. We have ears open now, but we cannot stop," James said. "We'll keep our foot on the gas as we've been doing over the past two months."

China star Wu Lei 'turns down Premier League' to stay at Espanyol SHANGHAI APP

Wu Lei contemplated "giving up and returning to China" after testing positive for coronavirus in March and says he turned down offers from Germany and England to remain at Espanyol. The 28-year-old forward is China's best-known player and there is intense interest back home in what he plans to do following Espanyol's relegation from La Liga.

Wu told Xinhua news agency by telephone from Spain that he intends to stay to help spearhead Chinese-owned Espanyol's bid to bounce back into Spain's top flight next season. "It's true that some clubs from Premier League, Bundesliga and La Liga contacted me," the Chinese international told state-run Xinhua in an interview released Friday.

"But I know what I truly want. The decision (to stay with Espanyol) was made for multiple reasons both on and off the pitch. "My family feels comfortable living in the city of Barcelona. My teammates, club staff and fans have always been nice to me."

Wu, who moved to Spain from Shanghai SIPG in January 2019, has scored 11 goals in 65 appearances for Cataloniabased Espanyol -- including in his first game back when football resumed in June from the virus.

Although he was never seriously unwell -- the Chinese Football Association said he had only mild symptoms -- Wu said that falling ill with coronavirus was a psychological

blow. "Honestly, when I was tested positive for Covid-19 in March, I was in a bad mood and even thought about giving up and returning to China," said Wu. "That period was the most difficult time of this year. My wife, who also tested positive for the virus, suffered a lot.

"Luckily, we went through it in the end, which made me cherish more my family and my health."

APP

Sergio Perez on Thursday became the first Formula One driver since the start of the season to test positive for coronavirus and was ruled out of this weekend's British Grand Prix. Organisers, however, insisted that Sunday's race will still go ahead as the incident "will have no wider impact on the event". "Following the announcement that Sergio has tested positive for Covid-19 at the Silverstone Circuit ahead of the British Grand Prix, the team regrets to announce that he will be unable to participate in this weekend's race," said Perez's Racing Point team in a statement. The 30-year-old Mexican is the first driver to test positive for the virus since the world championship made its delayed start in Austria earlier in July under strict health protocols.

All Blacks Smith, Cruden join Mostert in switch to Japan TOKYO APP

Rugby World Cup-winners Ben Smith, Aaron Cruden and Franco Mostert are all headed to Japan, their new clubs said on Friday, as the Top League continued to snap up stars despite the coronavirus. Former All Blacks Smith and Cruden will play for Kobe Steelers while Mostert, who lifted the World Cup last year with South Africa, is on his way to Honda Heat. Japan's well-heeled Top League, where teams are backed by major corporations, has been cancelled for 2020 because of the pandemic, with the new arrivals set to debut next year. Fullback Smith, 34, who has 84 caps, was signed from France's Pau, while fly-half Cruden, 31, joins from the Waikato Chiefs. Both have won the World Cup with New Zealand.

Mexico's Lopez out of LPGA opener after positive virus test WASHINGTON APP

Mexico's Gaby Lopez, who won this year's LPGA season opener, has tested positive for Covid-19 and withdrawn from the tour's first event after a five-month coronavirus pandemic shutdown. Lopez was the only player who tested positive Monday in the first pretournament testing for the LPGA Drive On Championship, a 54-hole event that tees off Friday at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

More results from later tests were expected to be revealed as players conducted final practice rounds for the event, to be staged without spectators. Lopez, 26, has self-isolated and is working with the LPGA and area health officials on contact tracing. "I was very excited to get back to playing on tour after this long break," Lopez said in a statement. "And while I'm disappointed that I'll have to wait a little longer, I am glad that I was able to get tested and to make sure I do not put anyone else at risk. "I am self-isolating and will be following all the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and LPGA guidelines to get back to competing on tour in a safe manner. "I'm feeling good and looking forward to when I can return to playing on tour."

Premier League looking at clinical passports solution for fans' return LONDON APP

Clinical passports may be the solution in getting fans back to football stadia, the Premier League's chief executive Richard Masters said on Friday.

Masters says having defied the sceptics in resuming and bringing the season to a climax -- behind closed doors -- after the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the next step was to resolve the supporters' conundrum.

The 2020/21 Premier League and lower-tier English Football League begin their new seasons on September 12 and Masters said in a column for The Tiimes that

every solution was being examined to give fans the chance to watch their team again.

"We are also willing to see how we can support the development of "clinical passports" -- an appbased system that looks at all symptoms and other COVID-19 contributing factors -- as well as other measures," he wrote.

Masters said the EPL was seeking to work with local councils on transport solutions.

"We are considering all areas of a match day, from ticketing solutions, stadium seating allocation configuration and timed entries, to temperature checks and an in-seat food and drink service for fans," said Masters.

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"We will work with local authorities and clubs to seek solutions to local transport challenges such as introducing additional car parking and secure bicycle spaces and implementing park-and-walk schemes."

Masters said bringing fans back was vital not only for their teams on the pitch but for a variety of reasons off it too.

"The importance of fans is not only related to the match-day experience and team performance," he said.

"Without them, there is also a significant financial impact on clubs at all levels of the game, and their cities, towns and communities."

Masters, though, urged patience as the solutions will not be found quickly.

"There is still a lot to be done, and it will not happen overnight," he said.

"We must test and prove what is possible, in tandem with the authorities, within a framework that is flexible and can adapt to fast-moving circumstances and developing expertise."

A number of sports events have been held with a limited number of fans in England in the last few days.

The Oval welcomed one thousand cricket spectators last Sunday, snooker's world championship will have several hundred spectators in the indoor arena when it begins on Friday and the Glorious Goodwood racing Festival reaches a climax on Saturday with 4,000 spectators permitted.

saturday, 1 August, 2020

news

MusliMs perfOrM eid praYers WitH sOcial distancing, Masks JAKARTA

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AGENCIES

USLIMS across Asia, taking precautions against the novel coronavirus such as wearing face masks and temperature checks, performed prayers on Friday to mark the festival of Eidul Azha in mosques with reduced capacity as well as on the streets.

In Indonesia, worshippers were advised to maintain social distancing during the prayers as the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country struggles to contain the spread of the virus.

Indonesia’s religious ministry also asked mosques to shorten ceremonies this year, while many mosques cancelled the ritual of slaughtering livestock and distributing meat to the community.

Instead the donated sheep, goats and cows will be killed in abattoirs to mark the ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’, celebrated by Muslims around the world to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God’s command.

“This year’s Eidul Azha is very different from previous years because we need to follow health protocols as we perform prayers, like maintaining social distancing,” said Devita Ilhami, 30, who was at the Sunda Kelapa

Young people not entirely safe from coronavirus, WHO UNITED NATIONS APP

mosque in Jakarta.

She also noted they had to bring their own prayer mats, with markers on the ground to show where they should be laid.

Elsewhere in Asia, Muslims including in Thailand and Malaysia prayed in or outside mosques wearing masks.

In Malaysia, while some mosques cancelled the ritual of slaughtering livestock, 13 cows were killed in the traditional way by cutting the throat under rules limiting the number of animals and people at the Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah Jamek mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will attend prayers in Kabul. Taliban militants have announced they will observe a three-day ceasefire for the holiday, offering some respite from weeks of increasing violence in the country.

In India, where Eid will be celebrated mostly from Saturday, several states have eased coronavirus restrictions to allow worshippers to gather in mosques in limited numbers.

“Only small groups of worshippers will be allowed into mosques,” said Shafique Qasim, a senior cleric at the Nakhoda mosque in the eastern city of Kolkata, adding that no prayers would be held on the streets. Ritual sacrifices would be performed in enclosed areas, away from public

view, and the remains carefully collected and disposed, he said. In southern Karnataka state, authorities are requiring mosques to disinfect their premises, use

thermal scanners, provide hand-washing facilities and ensure individuals maintain a distance of six feet between each other.

Health experts have been concerned

Virus wreaks economic havoc as global cases top 17 million WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Young people “are not invincible”, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stressed, warning of growing evidence that patients with mild coronavirus disease can have longterm health issues. “Evidence suggests that spikes in cases in some countries are being driven in part by younger people letting down their guard during the northern hemisphere summer,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing in Geneva on Thursday. “We have said it before and we’ll say it again: young people are not invincible”, he told reporters. “Young people can be infected; young people can die; and young people can transmit the virus to others.” He stressed that the world’s youth “should be leaders and drivers of change” during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tedros further advised that people everywhere must learn to live with the virus, and to take steps necessary to protect themselves and others, including those who are most at risk, such as the elderly and people in long-term care. Many countries have reported that more than 40 percent of Covid-19related deaths have been linked to long-term care facilities, and up to 80 per cent in some high-income countries. In response, WHO has released a policy brief on preventing and managing Covid-19 in those facilities. It lists key actions such as integrating long-term care in national response plans to counter the pandemic, ensuring strong infection prevention and control, and providing support for family and voluntary caregivers. The brief also suggests ways to transform long-term care services so that older people can receive quality care that respects their rights, freedoms and dignity, Tedros added. Twenty-two international experts in fields such as anthropology, psychology, neuroscience and health promotion will help WHO understand how people make decisions that support their health and well-being, including during the pandemic.

The newly established Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health, announced on Thursday, will support WHO’s ongoing work in this area. Tedros explained that while having reliable information about health is important, people make decisions based on a variety of factors, influenced by culture, beliefs, economic circumstances, or the status of national health systems. “In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, countries are using a range of tools to influence behaviour: information campaigns are one tool, but so are laws, regulations, guidelines and even fines”, he said. “That’s why behavioural science is so important – it helps us to understand how people make decisions, so we can support them to make the best decisions for their health.”

The scale of economic devastation from the pandemic was laid bare on Thursday as Western economies recorded historic slumps, just as resurgent caseloads forced many countries into agonising new trade-offs between health and financial stability.

Six months after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global emergency, the novel coronavirus has infected more than 17 million people worldwide.

The WHO warned Thursday that young people are “not invincible” and were helping to drive resurgences in many places that had largely curbed the disease.

“Spikes of cases in some countries are being driven in part by younger people letting down their guard during the northern hemisphere summer,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Covid-19 has killed more than 668,000 people and is forcing governments into a persistent balancing act between saving lives and preventing economic devastation.

Nowhere is that challenge more evident than the world’s hardest-hit nation — also the world’s biggest economy — with the United States posting a second-quar-

ter loss of 9.5 percent compared with the same period a year ago, the worst figure on record.

If that trajectory carried through the entire year, its economy would collapse by nearly a third (32.9 percent), the data showed.

Historic contractions were additionally recorded in Germany (10.1 percent), Belgium (12.2 percent), Austria (10.7 percent) and Mexico (17 percent).

Across the globe, companies were also taking a hit with Volkswagen, oil producer Shell, UK bank Lloyds and Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic all report-

about the risks of the coronavirus being spread during such religious festivals, when Muslims typically gather in mosques and homes, or travel to their home towns.

ing huge losses. With travel down to a trickle, aerospace giant Airbus said it burned through more than 12 billion euros in cash in the first half of the year, with a net loss of 1.9 billion euros ($1.4 billion) and plans to cut production by 40 percent.

But several Big Tech firms delivered better-than-expected results Thursday, underscoring growing consumer reliance on giants like Amazon during the pandemic as well as their extraordinary economic power.

Apple profits rose eight percent to $11.2 billion, Amazon meanwhile said profits nearly doubled to $5.2 billion and Facebook said its profits doubled to $5.2 billion compared with the same period last year.

Global daily cases are now approaching the 300,000 mark, with the curve showing no sign of flattening — it took just 100 hours for one million new cases to be recorded. The US counted 1,379 new deaths in the 24 hours before 8:30 pm Thursday (0030 GMT Friday), plus another 72,238 new infections.

And the country also recorded another grim milestone: the death of Buddy, the first US pet dog to test positive for the virus. The seven-year-old German shepherd died after suffering from difficulty breathing and other symptoms for several months.

In Japan, Tokyo’s governor called for restaurants, bars and karaoke parlours to shut earlier as the capital reported a record number of new infections.

Sweden, whose controversial softer approach to curbing coronavirus has received worldwide attention, said it would encourage people to keep working from home into next year where possible, as the country passed 80,000 recorded cases.

3-day ceasefire begins ahead of possible Afghan govt, Taliban talks KABUL AGENCIES

A three-day Eid ceasefire between Taliban and Afghan government forces began on Friday with hopes it may lead to possible peace talks between the two.

A car bomb that killed at least 17 people in the country’s east just hours before the truce came into effect underlined the scale of the challenge that lies ahead, although the Taliban denied any involvement.

The halt in fighting is slated to last for the duration of Eidul Azha and is only the third official truce in nearly 19 years of war.

“We want a permanent ceasefire from the Taliban as they are the ones who paved the way for other terrorist groups to operate in Afghanistan,” Mohammad Tahir, a taxi driver, told AFP after offering Eid prayers at a Kabul mosque.

As the ceasefire commenced, hundreds of worshippers went to mosques across the capital where they were patted down by armed guards before offering prayers inside.

There were no immediate reports of

any fighting in the country.

President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban have both signalled that peace talks could begin straight after Eid, and there are widespread calls for the warring parties to extend the ceasefire.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the release of 500 Taliban prisoners on Friday as part of a new ceasefire that could lead into long-delayed peace talks.

Ghani said they would be freed during the Eidul Azha holiday, which started Friday and has prompted a national ceasefire for three days.

The release would complete the government´s pledge to free 5,000 Taliban fighters as outlined in a deal the insurgents signed with Washington, he said.

“To show goodwill and accelerate the peace talks, we will release 500 Taliban prisoners in response to the group’s threeday ceasefire announcement,” Ghani said in an Eid speech.

However, the 500 inmates are not on the original list of 5,000 demanded by the Taliban.

Kabul authorities have already released 4,600 of those prisoners but are hesitating about the release of the final 400,

deeming them too dangerous.

“I do not have the right to decide on the release of those 400 Taliban prisoners who are accused of serious crimes,” Ghani said, adding that a gathering of Afghan elders would decide their fate.

The US-Taliban accord signed in February stipulated Kabul would release 5,000 insurgents in return for 1,000 government

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forces held captive by the militant group.

Late Thursday, the Taliban claimed they had completed the release of all 1,000 government prisoners.

The contentious prisoner swap is a key precondition for peace talks. Both Ghani and the Taliban signalled this week they were ready for talks after Eid, provided the prisoner swap is complete.