Wednesday, 9 February, 2022 I 7 Rajab, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 222 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition
PM Khan vows befitting resPonse following balochistan terrorist attacKs g
Terrorism can'T sTop naTion from moving forward, says pm
QUETTA Staff report
P
rime minister imran Khan Tuesday lauded the valour of the country’s security forces in fight against terrorism, saying that the pakistan army had excelled in its professionalism and helped in ridding pakistan of terrorism. The premier expressed these views while addressing the troops at naushki, Balochistan where he spent a whole day. This was the town where a security post came under attack last week from terrorists, leaving four soldiers martyred. The army killed 20 militants in intense, hours-long firefights and follow-up operations. The prime minister was accompanied by the army chief and members of his cabinet including foreign minister shah mehmood Qureshi, minister for information fawad chaudhry, minister for interior sheikh rasheed ahmed, chief minister and governor Balochistan. Khan said the menace of terrorism can’t stop the ‘strong and resilient nation’ from progressing and moving forward. Khan vowed to give a befitting response to the militants who were attempting, albeit in vain, to hamper the pace of development, particularly in Balochistan. no other army had faced such un-
precedented challenges due to now-frequent instances of terrorism in the wake of the war in afghanistan, he said. The prime minister recalled he was shocked to learn about the twin attacks in the districts of nushki and panjgur and wanted to spend time with the soldiers who he said were waging a jihad against the militancy. “not only me, but the whole nation stands with our soldiers,” Khan observed. The prime minister said he especially came to nushki to express solidarity with the armed forces on behalf of the nation. He observed that in the prolonged war against terrorism, the valour with which the military and law enforcement agencies fought terrorism was matchless. with their bravery and sacrifices, they secured the country from terrorism, he added. Khan said all those who sacrificed their lives achieve a special place in the heavens and pointed out the martyrs have the second-highest rank there after the prophets. He said it was an honour for the muslims when they lay down their lives for their country. The prime minister announced a raise of 15 percent for the officers and troops of the two agencies. He said the entire nation had a firm belief in the capability of the forces to thwart any threat. “The entire nation has the confi-
coronavirus in
PaKistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
1,465,910
LAST UPDATED AT 8:46 AM ON FEBRUARY 8, 2022
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
37
2,799
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
1,349,189 29,553 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
553,112
490,103
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
204,084
34,853
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
40,826/10,945
131,987
dence that terrorists cannot cause any harm to the country,” he maintained. The forces had restored peace in the country after waging a war on terror. The prime minister said the present government was spending lavishly on the uplift of Balochistan with a host of development projects something he said had never been undertaken by any government in the past. Hailing the construction of the chaman-Quetta and Karachi highways as the “biggest project” to transform the lives of the people and conditions of the province, the prime minister said his government had already allocated funds for the project. He resolved that more funds would be allocated for the development of the province in future as the government was fully focused on the alleviation of the backwardness of several towns, including former tribal areas of Khyber pakhtunkhwa and gilgit-Baltistan. Khan said the government was determined to bring extensive development in the province in the coming days that no outside power would succeed in misguiding the people into destabilising the country. The next phase of the china-pakistan economic corridor (cpec) would benefit the people of Balochistan as it would bring industrialisation, materialise the establishment of special economic zones (seZs) and transfer technology in the agriculture sector to help boost productivity. He said china had been assisting pakistan in increasing its agri-yields and expressed the confidence that soon, pakistan would become an agriculture crop exporting nation. referring to the global price hike, the prime minister said it had affected all the countries of the world, including the strong economies like the Us and UK, which had been experiencing record inflation levels. Khan said that the government was cognisant of the problems faced by the salaried class due to the price hike, therefore, it was focused on the steps to bring ease to their lives.
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Fissures emerge in ruling coalition as MQM, PML-Q ask Opposition to show cards LAHORE Staff CorreSpondent
fissures have apparently emerged within the ruling coalition as leaders of two major allies of the ruling pakistan Tehreek-einsaf (pTi) – mutahidda Qoumi movement (mQm-p) and pakistan muslim League-Quaid (pmL-Q) – held a quiet meeting after having met two major opposition parties – pakistan muslim Leaguenawaz (pmL-n) and pakistan peoples’ party (ppp) in past two days. Though the leaders of both mQm-p and pmL-Q remain tightlipped about the content of the meetings, sources in both parties say that the agenda of the meeting was political in nature and can’t be shared with media. it was ppp chief asif Zardari who met pmL-Q leaders on sunday while mQm-p delegation Tuesday held back-to-back meetings with the pmL-n and pmL-Q leaders. The delegation, which included mQm-p senior deputy convener aamir Khan and former Karachi mayor wasim akhtar, first met with pmL-n president shehbaz sharif at the latter’s model Town residence in Lahore.
other party leaders present on the occasion included ahsan iqbal, Khwaja saad rafique, shah mohammad shah, miftah ismail and marriyum aurangzeb. Talking to the media after the meeting that lasted for more than an hour, shehbaz told reporters that he has suggested to the mQm-p to leave the ruling coalition. “Hopefully, the mQm-p will make a decision that is in the interest of the country and its people,” he added. speaking on the occasion, the mQm-p senior deputy convener also reflected an angry tone, saying the rising prices of essentials had become pressing issue, which the party had raised in the cabinet meeting. “if the opposition proposes any concrete action plan against the government, we are ready to consider it,” he added. “any constitutional proposal of the opposition will be put before our coordination committee and a decision will be made in consultation with it.” aamir expressed his gratitude to the pmL-n for its cooperation on the issue of strengthening local bodies.
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Afghan Taliban in Geneva for more inside diplomatic, humanitarian talks Daily a Taliban delegation is in geneva for talks with swiss officials and ngos on humanitarian access and human rights, switzerland’s foreign ministry said Tuesday. The delegation from afghanistan’s new rulers is due to hold talks with the red cross and other non-governmental organisations in the swiss city, which is also home to several United nations agencies. “The members of the delegation will have discussions around humanitarian access to populations in need, the protection of humanitarian actors and respect for human rights,” a foreign ministry spokesperson told afp. “The protection of children during conflicts and the management of land contaminated by mines are also on the agenda of the conferences, which take place in a confidential setting.” The spokesperson said that swiss ministry representatives would meet the delegation this week. However, she stressed that their delegation’s presence on swiss territory “does not represent a legitimisation or recognition of the Taliban”. since the Taliban hardline movement seized control in
coronavirus cases dip below 3,000 for first time in a month STORY ON PAGE 02
mid-august as the United states ended its 20-year war in afghanistan, the country has plunged into financial chaos, with inflation and unemployment surging. The halting of aid following the Taliban takeover has triggered a humanitarian crisis in afghanistan, which has already been devastated by decades of war. The Taliban are inching closer towards international recognition, but any concessions afghanistan’s new rulers make will be on their terms, the regime’s foreign minister said in an interview with afp last week. in his first interview since returning from talks with western
powers in oslo, foreign minister amir Khan muttaqi also urged washington to unlock afghanistan’s assets to help ease the humanitarian crisis. no country has formally recognised the government installed after the Taliban seized power. But muttaqi told afp that afghanistan’s new rulers were slowly gaining international acceptance. “on the process of getting recognition… we have come closer to that goal,” he said. switzerland’s aTs news agency reported that the delegation was being led by Latifullah Hakimi and numbers around 10 people. agenCieS
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Tarin appreciates world Bank’s support on reform agenda STORY ON PAGE 03
Mob in India bullies Muslim hijab-wearing girl STORY ON BACK PAGE
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Wednesday, 9 February, 2022 | LAHORE
NEWS
DaILY CORONavIRuS CaSeS DIP BeLOw 3,000 fOR fIRST TIme IN a mONTh ISLAMABAD
T
sTAff rePorT
He daily number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan fell to 2,799 in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed on Tuesday, falling below 3,000 for the first time since January 12. The new infections brought the total number of cases to 1.46 million since the nation’s outbreak emerged in March 2020. The country logged its highest singleday infections — 8,183 — on January 29 compared to the previous record of 6,825 cases on June 13, 2020. The health authorities tested 52,327 samples to receive a positivity rate of 5.34 percent, down from 7.5 percent the previous day and the lowest since January 12.
Moreover, 37 people died of the virus in the last 24 hours, increasing the death toll from the crisis to 29,553. But the number of active cases dropped to 87,168, including 1,668 those who are in critical condition. Sindh is the most-affected province of the country in terms of the number of cases with 553,112 infections, followed by Punjab which has reported 490,103 cases. Meanwhile, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), a department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said the total number of recoveries soared to 1.34 million. The government has administered the first dose of a Covid-19 jab to over 111 million to date, while over 87 million people have been fully vaccinated, according to
Two killed in Islamabad firing incident ISLAMABAD sTAff rePorT
Two people were killed when unknown assailants, riding on a motorbike, opened fire at a car in Islamabad, media reported Tuesday. The incident happened near an expressway in the capital, the media said, adding that police and rescue team reached the site. The police said both the parties had an old enmity. It cordoned off the area and started a search operation for the arrest of the assailants.
Ogra, SNGPL to ensure smooth supply of gas in KP AzIz BUNERI The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) on Monday assured the business community of uninterrupted supply of gas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Both institutions decided to devise a joint mechanism to address low gas pressure, supply line and other issues on priority basis. In this regard, it was agreed to form a joint panel consisting of representatives of business community, Orgra and SNGPL, aimed to frame modalities and take vigorous steps with joint consultation for amicable resolution of industrial and commercial consumers’ issues. Ogra has registered more than 90 complaints mostly regarding low-gas pressure, new connections and pathetic supply lines and directed the SNGPL to dispose of all complaints within a one month to give relief to consumers. Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry SCCI President Hanain Khurshid while speaking on the occasion said the uninterrupted gas supply to KP has its constitutional right as natural gas is produced in surplus quantity. He urged the Ogra and SNGPL to take pragmatic steps to resolve low gas pressure and other issues. He emphasized the process of issuance new gas connections should be simplified. Mr. Khurshid expressed concern over gas disconnection without any prior notice and supply of gas on LNG rates to consumers in KP, terming it a sheer violation of article 158-A of the constitution. He urged the SNGPL to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to industrial,commercial and domestic consumers. In addition he told Ogra to take measures for regulating LGP rates. He also made demands from SNGPL to ensure rehabilitation and replacement of rusted gas pipes on priority in Peshawar and other parts of the province. Member Orga asked the SNGPL to conduct open forums in different constituencies on a monthly basis to resolve issues of consumers at their doorstep.
official data. It injected over 2 million doses in the last 24 hours. Last week, the government launched a countrywide door-to-door vaccination drive. Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, who leads the anti-virus strategy, told a press conference that some 35 million vaccine doses will be administered during the two-week drive. Over 55,000 mobile teams will go and carry out vaccinations at home, Umar said. NEW ‘HIGHLY ACCURATE’ VIRUS TEST: Chinese scientists say they have developed a new coronavirus test that is accurate as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) lab test but gives results within four minutes. PCR tests are widely considered the most accurate and sensitive for the virus that
causes Covid-19, but they usually take several hours. Some countries have experienced severe backlogs in the face of heavy testing demand, fuelled by the explosive spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai say they have a solution. In a peer-reviewed article published Monday in the journal Nature Biomedical engineering, the team said their sensor — which uses microelectronics to analyse genetic material from swabs — can reduce the need for time-consuming Covid lab tests. “We implemented an electromechanical biosensor for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 into an integrated and portable prototype device, and show that it detected (virus RNA) in less than four minutes,” the team
Nadeem Raza appointed second colonel in chief of Sindh regiment KARACHI APP
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Chairman Gen. Nadeem Raza has been installed as the second colonel in Chief of the Sindh Regiment, InterServices Public Relations (ISPR) said Tuesday. The latest statement issued by the military’s media wing said Rawalpindi Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza was installed as the 13th Colonel Commandant of the regiment in a ceremony held at Sindh Regiment Centre, Hyderabad. Karachi Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Muhammad Saeed and Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza pinned the badges of New Colonel in Chief to Gen. Raza. Meanwhile, Gen. Raza and Lt. Gen. Muhammad Saeed pinned the badges
of rank on the shoulders of Lt. Gen. Mirza. According to ISPR, the JCSC boss also laid a floral wreath at the Yadgari-Shuhada and offered prayer. Speaking on the occasion, Gen. Raza lauded the performance of the Infantry Corps during war and peace. He highlighted the challenges being faced by the armed forces and reiterated the need to work with full devotion and commitment to overcome these challenges. The ISPR further said Gen. Raza emphasised on officers and jawans to devote their wholehearted efforts in further honing their professional skills. He said that a “professionally competent soldier would always overcome challenges with greater dignity and grace in the face of any test” and advised them to make optimum use of training opportunities available to
them. The military’s media wing said a large number of serving, retired officers,
Sessions court transfers murder of Karachi journalist to ATC KARACHI sTAff rePorT
A district and sessions court in Malir District on Tuesday ordered the transfer to an anti-terrorism court (ATC) of a case of murder of a young man which triggered a campaign for justice on social media platforms. The body of Nazim Jokhio was found inside a Malir farmhouse in November. The victim had died apparently after being thrashed with sticks and punches in a scuffle. Jokhio had stopped and filmed some foreigners while hunting rare houbara bustards in his native village in Thatta, according to the first information report (FIR) of the incident registered on the complaint of his brother Afzal Jokhio. “MPA Jam Awais alias Gohram, along with Niaz Salar, Ahmed Shoro, Haider Ali and Mehr Ali, killed my brother by kicking and punching, and beating him with batons close to the gate of Jam House,” the FIR
quoted Afzal as telling the police. Jam Awais Khan Jokhio, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MP, surrendered to the police days later after Jokhio’s relatives staged a sit-in on a highway. Judicial Magistrate Altaf Hussain announced the verdict he had reserved on the charge sheet against the suspects, including two PPP lawmakers, in the case. The magistrate accepted a petition moved by the complainant under Section 190 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), requesting the court to add terrorism charges in the police report. The counsel for the complainant argued the offence was an act of terrorism and sought directives for the investigation officer to include Section 7 of the AntiTerrorism Act, 1997, in the original complaint. The investigation officer filed the charge sheet showing PPP MP Jam Abdul Karim Bijar as an absconder while his brother Awais and five other persons as suspects in custody.
UN experts: ‘Terrorist groups’ enjoy freedom in Afghanistan UNITED NATIONS The AssociATed Press
Al-Qaida’s past ties to the recently empowered Taliban have the potential of making Afghanistan a safe haven for extremists, and “terrorist groups enjoy greater freedom there than at any time in recent history,” UN experts said in a report circulated Monday. In the wide-ranging report, the experts also said extremists linked to both al-Qaida and the Islamic State group are successfully advancing in Africa, especially in the turbulent Sahel. And they said the so-called Islamic State continues to operate “as an entrenched rural insurgency” in Iraq and Syria, where its so-called caliphate ruled a significant swathe of the two countries from 20142017 when it was defeated by Iraqi forces
said in the paper, referring to the official name of the Covid pathogen. The researchers said their method offers speed, ease of operation, high sensitivity and portability. Their trial involved taking samples from 33 people in Shanghai who were infected with the coronavirus, with PCR tests conducted in parallel. The results from their method were a “perfect” match with the PCR tests, according to the article. Their study involved testing the new method on 54 samples, which included people with fever who did not have the coronavirus, those with influenza, and healthy volunteers. Those cases did not yield any false positives, the team said. The Fudan researchers said that once developed, their testing device can be used for quick testing in a variety of situations, including airports, health facilities and “even at home”. PCR tests are not only slow, but they also require lab infrastructure that can be limited in many countries, reducing the number of cases that can be handled each day.
and a US-led coalition. In what it called “a bright spot” in Southeast Asia, the panel of experts said both Indonesia and the Philippines reported “significant gains” in disrupting Islamic State and al-Qaida-affiliated “terrorism” and “some optimism” that their operational capability “may be significantly degraded.” The report to the UN Security Council by the panel of experts monitoring sanctions against al-Qaida and the Islamic State, also known as IS and ISIL, called the Taliban’s return to power on Aug. 15 amid the chaotic final withdrawal of US and NATO troops after 20 years the most significant event of the last six months of 2021. The Taliban first ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001 and were ousted for
harbouring al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden for masterminding the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US in 2001. In a February 2020 deal that spelled out the terms of the US troop withdrawal, the Taliban had promised to fight terrorism and deny terrorist groups a safe haven in Afghanistan. But the panel of experts said “there are no recent signs that the Taliban has taken steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorist fighters in the country.” On the contrary, it said, terrorist groups are enjoying “greater freedom,” though member states “have not reported significant new movements of foreign terrorist fighters to Afghanistan.” The experts noted that al-Qaida released a statement congratulating the Taliban on its victory on Aug. 31, but
since then it has maintained “a strategic silence, likely an effort not to compromise Taliban efforts to gain international recognition and legitimacy.” “Al-Qaida is also continuing to recover from a series of leadership losses and is assessed to lack the capability to conduct high-profile attacks overseas, which remains its long-term goal,” the panel said. Al-Qaida’s leader, Ayman alZawahri was reported alive in January 2021, it said, “but member states continue to believe that he is in poor health.” The experts noted that Amin Muhammad ul-Haq Saam Khan, who coordinated security for bin Laden, returned to his home in Afghanistan in late August. And they said an unnamed country reported that bin Laden’s son, Abdallah, visited in October for talks with the Taliban.
JCOs and soldiers of the Sindh Regiment were also present during the ceremony.
Search for Pakistan’s Best Young Stock Investor – Registrations open for the 4th Trading Titans Competition PR The fourth season of KTrade Trading Titans Pakistan’s most popular student Fantasy Stock Trading competition is starting from the 1st of March. Launched by KASB KTrade’s Pakistan’s leading stock brokerage, in this three-month competition, students will get the opportunity to develop their own stock portfolios and learn about investing and stock trading through the KTrade App. Students will get the experience of real life investing but through a risk-free, virtual trading platform. More than 2000 students, from over 30 universities have participated in the past three Trading Titans competitions. The winners have consistently outperformed the market and even experienced fund managers. The top three achievers have been from IBA Karachi, LUMS and IBA Sukker and many have ended up with job offers and careers in capital markets. In this competition the participants will be given a virtual portfolio of PKR 1 Million which they will need to manage through KTrade over 3 months. The top 20 students who manage to generate the highest return will be awards cash prizes along with a job placement offer with KTrade Securities Limited. KASB KTrade’s goal is to democratize access to financial investment and to help transform people’s lives by helping them make better financial decisions. Trading Titans offers this opportunity to search for Pakistan’s Best Stock Investor. Registrations are open until 1st of March on www.kasb.com/tradingtitan ‘KASB KAKTrade has always been a pioneer in creating financial literacy and has taken multiple initiatives to ensure everyone has access to the financial markets including students who are future of the country’ said Ali FaridKhawaja Chairman & Co Founder KTrade Securities.
Wednesday, 9 February, 2022 | LAHORE
Pakistan, China begin new era of bilateral cooperation
a
INP
NeW era of development and cooperation has begun between Pakistan and China, said a joint statement issued at the end of PM Imran Khan’s visit to Beijing. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang had detailed delegation-level in-depth discussions with Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games 2022. Both sides have issued an important thirty-three pointer joint statement covering diverse dimensions of relation between the countries. This joint statement discusses development and cooperation in economic, strategic, security, development and people to people contact. During the meetings, both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and strengthen institutional linkages at all levels. The statement covered the details of PakistanChina friendship especially CPeC, joint economic development, cooperation in building regional connectivity and peace together. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s participation in the winter olympic games is a mark of strength in brotherhood and solidarity with China. China and Pakistan are strong supporters of fairness and justice in the international political system, this renewed cooperation outlines contours on how to move jointly for building global and regional peace. China is at the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Pakistan has always extended unwavering support to the One-China policy on Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjian, Tibet and the South China Sea. While on the other hand, the Chinese side has similar support to Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and security, along with extending support to its socioeconomic development and prosperity. To foster forward strategic cooperation, three
malala urges Indian leaders to stop ‘marginalizing muslim women’ NEwS DESK Nobel laureate and education rights activist Malala Yousafzai, while speaking about the ongoing hijab row in India, stated on Saturday that the “objectification of women — for wearing less or more — persists.” Malala, took to her Twitter and talked about the hijab controversy raging in India’s state Karnataka where Muslim students wearing the hijab are being barred from entering college premises. Malala stated: “Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying.” The activist spoke against the decision and urged Indian leaders to stop the “marginalisation of Muslim women”. earlier today, a video of of a girl being heckled by over 100 male students wearing saffron scarves has made rounds on social media. The video caused a stir among people in which a girl named Muskan, wearing hijab, could be seen getting accosted by a “saffron-scarf clad mob” chanting “Jai Shri Ram” (victory to lord Rama) when she entered her college. In response, the girl chanted “Allah Hu Akbar” (Allah is great) and turned her back towards the mob. Speaking to local media, the girl said: “They asked me to take my burqa off and were not letting me in. As soon as I entered the college, the group started chanting Jai Shri Ram.”
uae based group expresses interest in Punjab’s IT sector SHAHAB OMER A United Arab emirates (UAe) based group of companies has expressed interest in investing in Punjab’s e-governance solutions and digital transformation projects. Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) Additional Director Tipu Ahmed Sharqui on Tuesday informed that an investor group from the UAe has expressed keen interest in investing in Punjab. In addition, representatives of the Group of Companies owned by Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, a member of the UAe’s royal family, paid a two-day visit to Punjab and met with senior government officials. Tipu added that the delegation also visited PBITin this regard and got acquainted with the investment scenario in Punjab. According to Tipu, the delegation was received by the Board of Investment Chairman Fazil Asif Jah while CeO Ahmar Malik gave a detailed briefing to the visiting delegation regarding investment opportunities in Punjab. During the meeting PBIT CeO, assured the delegation that the PBIT would extend all possible facilitation to them regarding investment and their investment practice in Punjab would be a pleasant experience.
dialogues have been held at the level of the Foreign Ministers of both sides. Pakistan and China also have robust defence cooperation and China recognizes Pakistan’s fight against terrorism. On security cooperation, both states agree on building cooperation in strengthening effective security mechanisms for CPeC personnel and projects. In the past, CPeC has faced negative propaganda and security threats. There is now a joint resolve to mitigate these threats, and this needs to expand the effective use of new emerging digital technologies. Since 2015, CPeC has contributed immensely to Pakistan’s overall economic health. Moreover, it promoted Pakistan’s image in the world as an investment-friendly country. A given statement has covered the ongoing cooperation comprehensively between both countries on CPeC. especially the impact that CPeC has created ripples in the geo-economics and geostrategic levels through increasing investments, cooperation, promoting trade and connectivity. CPeC has transformed Pakistan’s trade ecosystems, creating opportunities for Pakistan to build its industrial base.
Trade between Pakistan and China has increased, including capitalizing on the second phase of the Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement. This agreement was signed when Prime Minister Khan visited China in 2019. This agreement aims to build up to $17-20 billion bilateral trade. Another step is cooperating on building e-commerce platforms and building logistics, warehouses and custom facilitation. Gwadar has a particular focus on overall CPeC cooperation. Both sides also agreed to provide maximum attention to making Gwadar port and adjacent airport operational soon and providing support to locals. CPeC Joint action committee has been tasked to enhance comprehensive cooperation, especially on trade, infrastructure, industrial development, agriculture transformation, scientific and technological cooperation and socio-economic well being of the people. This people-centric approach has remained the cornerstone of China’s reform and opening-up period that has resulted in the uplifting of 770 million people out of poverty. Cooperation in education, vocational training, people-to-people contacts, tourism and cultural cooperation will lead to Pakistan’s comprehensive progress. Apart from various other cooperation fields, both sides extended support to each other during the early pandemic times. It was a strong reflection of the time-tested friendship wherein China has provided Pakistan with the vaccine and other health care equipment to support in its massive national level vaccination campaign. Such high levels of cooperation between both sides manifests strong resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to build a common prosperity for mankind.
Tarin appreciates World Bank’s support on reform agenda SHAHzAD PARACHA Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday appreciated the World Bank for showing support in pursuing a reform agenda and implementing various development projects in the country. The Federal Minister held a meeting with World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine at the Finance Division. The meeting reviewed the progress on the ongoing World Bank’s projects and programmes in
Pakistan. The meeting also focused on Resilient Institutions Strengthening Program (RISe-II) and discussed some prior actions to be met for the timely completion of the programme. In addition Tarin said that Pakistan values the financial and technical support provided by the World Bank for the institutional reforms and economic development of Pakistan. The Finance Minister thanked the Country Director, World Bank and his team for their continuous support and facilitation.
NA committee approves bill for Federal Government Properties Management Authority GHULAM ABBAS The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on Tuesday approved the formation of the Federal Government Properties Management Authority (FGPMA). FGPMA is aimed at recovering prime federal government properties all over the country and eventually ensure their disposal to generate funds. During the committee meeting members unanimously approved the FGPMA as both the members of ruling party and opposition parties agreed that there was a need for a centralized system of government properties. The committee discussed and recommended that the bill may be passed by the National Assembly, with slight amendments. It may be mentioned here that the government had introduced an ordinance in August 2021 under a cabinet decision in July 2021 to set up the FGPMA to deal with the properties of the federal government, federal ministries and allied departments located all over the country for their better utilization. A bill to provide permanent legal cover to the authority was introduced in the National Assembly and pending clearance by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue. In July, the cabinet had approved the formation of FGPMA to dispose of federal government properties worth trillions of rupees which were presently under encroachment or not in any use. While introducing a bill in the national assembly for setting up of FGPMA in September, the government had explained that the government owned vast tracts of urban and rural property throughout the length and breadth of the country. These fixed assets are owned, operated and
managed by the federal ministries, divisions and organizations under their control and many of these lands have gained in value over time due to expansion of urban areas and growth of commercial activities. “However, most of the government entities have not been able to manage these assets optimally and many of them are beset with multiple problems like encroachment and illegal occupation,” read the statement of objects and reasons of the bill. There have been several unsuccessful attempts in the past to make use of some of the properties for generating optimum economic returns because managing assets particularly land was a specialized function that none of the government organizations like Pakistan Railways have the mandate and capacity to perform in a manner that generates valuable returns. Therefore a professional and dedicated entity is needed to own, manage, operate or lease properties of the federal government. During the meeting the finance ministry’s officials informed that the government will constitute a Board of Governors of the FGPMA including four members from the private sector, four ex-officio members to be appointed by the government, the director general of the FGPMA while minister in charge of the Finance Ministry would be the chairman of the board. Meanwhile, for better governance and operation of over 200 State-owned enterprises (SOes), the finance ministry informed the committee that the government is going to introduce an Ownership Management Policy with technical support from the IMF and ADB. The ministry was introducing the policy to manage the SOes through a coherent and institutionalized arrangement.
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Tarin chairs National Price monitoring Committee meeting SHAHzAD PARACHA Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin presided over the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) meeting, held at the Finance Division. Finance Division economic Adviser briefed the NPMC about weekly SPI which witnessed an increase by 1.35 per cent as compared to previous week which was a decline of 0.11 per cent. 33 food items contributed an increase of 1.30 per cent, whereas 18 non-food items contributed an increase of 0.05 per cent to the SPI. NPMC was informed that prices of 23 items remained stable in the last week. Whereas prices of six items decreased and contributed to a decline in SPI by 0.17 per cent. The items shown decline included potatoes by 0.05 per cent, onions by 0.03 per cent, eggs by 0.04 per cent and others by 0.05 per cent. While prices of 22 items increased, that contributed to an increase in SPI by 1.52 per cent which included tomatoes by 0.97 per cent, chicken by 0.40 per cent, garlic by 0.02 per cent and others by 0.13 per cent. NPMC was informed that potatoes, onions, eggs, sugar, moog pulse, mash pulse have shown decline in the prices during the last week. On the prices of wheat flour, NPMC was informed that wheat flour prices in Quetta remained on a higher side as compared to other parts of the country. The chair expressed concerns on higher prices of wheat flour in Quetta and directed to take concrete measures for bringing stability in the wheat flour prices by increasing stock position and daily releases to the flour mills. NPMC was also updated on the availability of sufficient stocks of wheat in the country. NPMC also discussed sugar prices in the country and was apprised that a slight decrease in the sugar prices have been witnessed in the last week. Further, the Chair directed the Ministry of Industries and Production to expedite the process for building strategic reserves of sugar in the country to maintain stability in prices. NPMC was also updated on the prices of pulses in the country. NPMC was informed that there was stability in the prices of moong while other pulses have shown slight increase in prices. expressing concerns on the prices of pulses, the Finance Minister directed provincial authorities to control the hike in prices of pulses by keeping a check on hoardings and supply disruptions. Prices of edible oil were also discussed in the meeting. The Ministry of Industries and Production Secretary updated the meeting on strategy to ensure fair prices of edible oil in the market in coordination with provincial authorities against the edible oil manufacturers for undue price escalation. The Chair further directed the Ministry of Industries and Production to work out a pattern of demand and supply of different varieties and brands of edible oil and take corrective measures to control undue price hike. The meeting was also apprised on the wholesale and retail prices of daily commodities in the country and it was informed that decrease has been witnessed in the wholesale and retail prices of various items in the last week. Slight increase has been witnessed in the wholesale and retail prices of potato and onion which was attributed to the increase in the transportation charges. The Chair further directed provincial authorities to take measures to reduce the wholesale and retail price gap.
Wednesday, 9 February, 2022 | LAHORE
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China-iiRMR holds ‘digital PosteR CoMPetition’ on olyMPiCs 2022
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ITh the cooperation of China, Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR) is organizing “Digital Poster Competition” in connection with Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 on the theme of Together for a Shared Future on Tuesday. Chinese Consulate General Lahore and Chinese Media Group Urdu Service (CMG) comprising China Global Television (CGTN), China Central Television (CCTV), China National Radio (CNR), and China Radio International (CRI) are in collaboration with IIRMR in holding the trailblazing digital event. 10-day Competition, set to conclude on February 18, welcome all individuals
to participate from the age the group of 15 to 40 belonging to all four provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. IIRMR Chairman Muhammad Mehdi and President Yasir habib Khan said that Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 is an epic International multi-sport event paving way for global sense ‘One World, One Family’. “People’s digital artistic work encapsulating theme of mega sports event will tug the strings of Global unity,” they added. Acting Chinese Consul General Lahore Mr Peng Zhengwu said that by holding the games, the China has showcased an opportunity of participation and joy for all the sports lovers in the world. “Digital Poster Competition being organized jointly by the Chinese Consulate General in Lahore and the IIRMR offers Pakistan society to celebrate the Beijing
Winter Olympic Games together with the Chinese people in a way of participation.” Chinese Consul General Karachi Li Bijian said that The 24th Winter Olympic Games has started on Feb. 4, the date when the spring begins according to the 24 solar terms. “happy to know that the Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR) is organizing a Digital Poster Competition on the theme of Together for a Shared Future. “Wish all individuals from Pakistan from age group between (15 to 40) shall actively participate and together cheer for the success of each athlete. May the competition a complete success.” China Media Group Urdu Service (CMG) head Zhao Qiao (Ms Mehwish) said that co-hosting with IIRMR for holding Digital Poster Competition is a
matter of elation. In connection with Beijing Winter Olympics attended by Pakistan PM Imran Khan as state guest, she said, joint endeavors of CMG (Urdu) and IIRMRwill improve soft image of Pakistan and its friendliness with China. “We must try to encourage maximum participation of people in the ‘Digital Poster Competition’ as such steps reflect richness and depth in Pak-China relations,” she added. Lahore Overseas Chinese Association (LOCA) president Luo Jianxue termed the Digital Painting Competition a promising activity engaging creative minds to sensitize public about ideological splendor of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. China Today Deputy Editor-in-Chief Zhibin Fu said that Pakistan sent a highlevel delegation to Beijing to attend the event led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, aiming to support China and seeking help of its Iron Brother. “The organizing of the “Digital Poster Competition” also themed Together for a Shared Future, organized by the Institute of International Relations and Media Research, shows the strong friendship and firm support of our Pakistan friends for this major sports event in China. “At the opening ceremony, a giant snowflake, inscribed with names of all participating countries and regions, rose up in the Bird’s Nest, with the flame at its center symbolizing the beginning of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games. The cauldron was lit and the stage was set. In the following two weeks, athletes from around the world will enjoy, compete and exchange with each other and make friends under the Olympic rings in Beijing,” she added. Participants are free to use all traditional and modern tools & techniques as per their own choices employed in digital poster arena in order to explore theme “Together for a Shared Future” keeping in view Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.
Applicants provided govt employment under Rule 17-A LAHORE staff report
On the direction of Punjab Ombudsman retired Maj. Azam Suleman Khan, eight applicants were provided jobs in various departments of provincial government under Rule 17-A of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment & Condition) of Service Rules, 1974. Offering details in this regard, a spokesman of the ombudsman’s office said one Aman Khan from Lahore was recruited as a junior clerk in BPS-11 in the Metropolitan Corporation La-
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hore (MCL) and Muhammad Iqbal Butt from Okara was recruited as a driver in the Sahiwal office of Cooperatives Department. Muhammad Shahadat, Abdullah, Muhammad Ahmed, and Muhammad Shahzaib from Vehari were employed as junior clerks in BpS-11 in the local municipal committee. Alongside, the spokesman added that another applicant Muhammad Shehzad of Chak-5 WB Vehari has been recruited as a lab attendant in the office of the deputy director (colleges) Vehari.
CM Buzdar directs to start elevated expressway project without delay LAHORE staff report
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed to start the Elevated Expressway project without any delay as it will provide easy access to the commuters to reach the motorway. he issued the directives while chairing a meeting on Elevate Expressway project held at his office on Tuesday during which progress on different ongoing development projects of LDA in Lahore was reviewed. Sardar Usman Buzdar said that the Elevated Expressway project was of key importance as it would also reduce the traffic congestion on Canal and Multan roads, he noted. Such projects are necessary in view of the growing population as Elevated Expressway would reduce traffic congestion on busy roads by 65%, he said and asked that the ongoing Lahore projects should be completed within the stipulated time. DG LDA Ahmad Aziz Tarar briefed about the important issues of the project. Provincial housing Minister Asad Khokhar, Chairman P&D, secretaries of housing, finance and local government departments, Principal Secretary to CM and others attended the meeting.
Commander Kyrgyz air Force calls on air Chief ISLAMABAD staff report
Colonel Kylychbek Akimovich Aidaraliev, Commander Kyrgyz Air Force called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force discussed matters of professional and mutual interest. Colonel Kylychbek Akimovich Aidaraliev commended the professionalism of PAF and acknowledged its rising indigenous capacity in aviation industry. The Air Chief said that Pakistan and Kyrgyz Republic enjoy longstanding religious, cultural and historical bonds which are manifested through strong ties between both air forces. The Air Chief reiterated his resolve to further enhance the existing bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
Wednesday, 9 February, 2022 | LAHORE
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IHC SUSPendS eCP’S dISqUAlIFICATIOn ORdeR AgAInST UMAR AMIn gAndAPUR
FBR Inks MOU with Pakistan Tax Bar Association In a historic development Federal Board of Revenue has taken a watershed initiative to ensure facilitation in filing of tax return by new taxpayers for Broadening of Tax Base by signing a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan Tax Bar at FBR (HQ) on Feb 07, 2022. FBR is all set to launch yet another out of box digital intervention for Broadening of Tax Base through definite information obtained about non filers. FBR has already collected information about assets and expenditures of the persons outside the tax net from various sources. This information shall be made available to persons outside tax net through Tax Asaan Portal. Under the MoU, Pakistan Tax Bar will share the lists of qualified and willing members of Tax bar to file tax return of the new taxpayers. FBR will make this list of tax consultants available to new taxpayers wanting to file tax returns and will facilitate this by payment of fixed fee for filing of return to the tax consultants. The facility will be purely voluntary and a taxpayer will have an option to avail this free of cost facility or hire his/her own tax consultant. Broadening of tax Base is a key priority of the government and this facility of filing of tax return is an unprecedented step for facilitation of new tax payers and thus maximize tax compliance in the country. pr
Saudi Arabia changes policy for foreign Umrah pilgrims
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Tuesday announced that all foreign Umrah pilgrims coming to the Kingdom must submit a negative PCR test report taken within 48 hours before arrival. According to a statement issued in this regard, this rule applies to all, “regardless of their vaccination status”. The new regulation will be effective from next Wednesday. Pilgrims have to show they are vaccinated using the Tawakkalna app to enter the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Madinah. Earlier, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had also announced that foreign Umrah pilgrims can now once more extend their duration of stay to 30 days from the previously allowed 10 days, the Saudi Gazette had reported. “Before the travel ban following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, foreign pilgrims were allowed to stay up to 30 days in Saudi Arabia. When the temporary ban on Umrah pilgrims was lifted and the service resumed on November 1, 2021, foreign pilgrims were allowed a 10-day stay in the kingdom,” the report noted. Additionally, as long as the foreign pilgrims are from countries which do not fall under a travel ban, and as long as they have been inoculated with the approved vaccines, they can now directly arrive in Makkah and perform Umrah without the need for institutional quarantine. Under the new relaxations, all foreign pilgrims aged 18 and above will be given a permit to enter the kingdom and perform Umrah, subject to the terms set by the ministry. Among domestic pilgrims, those aged 12 and above are allowed to perform Umrah.
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failed to meet the requirements of transparency. As per the petition, the disqualification decision should be quashed as it was taken without a summary inquiry; therefore, the code of conduct could not have been violated. The plea lists the chief election commissioner (CEC), the regional election commission and Kamran Murtaza as parties. During today’s hearing, presided by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, counsels of Umar Amin, Barrister Ali Zafar and Asif Gujjar, appeared before the court. “If the code of conduct is violated, the candidate is first fined Rs50,000 after the summary inquiry. Action can
HE Islamabad High Court on Tuesday suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) disqualification order of Umar Amin Gandapur, brother of Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. It is pertinent to note that a day earlier, the commission had disqualified Umar from running for mayor in Dera Ismail Khan for flouting the code of conduct of the upcoming local government polls. It further barred Ali Amin from addressing any gathering or taking part in any political activity in the district. Meanwhile, Umar filed a petition in the high court against the decision which contended that ECP
be taken when if it is violated for the second time,” Counsel Zafar prayed. “Umar Amin’s brother was also fined for violating the election code of conduct. If Umar Amin had violated the said code of conduct then he should have been served a notice first.” The counsel further prayed that his client was a mayoral candidate and he was disqualified without giving any notice. On the directions of the court, the ECP ruling verdict was read out loud. “How did Umar Amin become a party to the case?” Wasn’t any notice issued?” the court inquired to which counsel Ashraf Gujar replied that no notice was issued to his client whereas the inquiry was against Ali Amin but the or-
ders were issued against Umar Amin. The court, while suspending the ECP’s disqualification verdict, said that according to the petitioner’s lawyer, no report was sent by the monitoring team to the election commission. “As far as Ali Amin Gandapur is concerned, the order of the Election Commission will remain on the field,” the court added. The court issued notice to ECP seeking a reply on Friday, February 11. It also ordered it to provide copies of the verdict to the relevant parties immediately. It is pertinent to note that further hearing of the case has been adjourned till February 11. News Desk
PM Khan vows befitting response following Balochistan terrorist attacks continued from page 01 The petroleum prices had increased worldwide which also impacted the prices of interlinked sectors, he observed. The prime minister, however, expressed that as soon as the government’s revenues increased, it would increase the salaries of its employees. Top 100 corporations across the country earned about Rs950 billion in profits last year and he had appealed to them to increase the salaries of their staff, he recalled. CABINET MEETING CANCELED: In a tweet, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said a weekly meeting of the cabinet was cancelled because of Khan’s visit. Paying tribute to the military, he said: “Soldiers whose determination is higher than the mountains and passion deeper than the sea are our pride. These sons of Pakistan are showing great valour for the [defense of] motherland.” In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Gen. Bajwa will spend the day with troops and also meet soldiers who repulsed the attack.
Gen. Bajwa will also be briefed about the security situation in the area as well as operational preparedness of the formation to counter-terrorist activities. The military’s media wing further said the army chief and the prime minister will be given a joint comprehensive briefing later in the day. They will also meet local tribal elders, it added. TWIN ATTACKS: The militants attacked two security forces camps in the districts of Nushki and Panjgur late at night on February 2 and both attacks were eventually repulsed. The attacks, the biggest in recent years by militant groups active in the province, came hours before Prime Minister Khan landed in Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics. A recently formed militant group, the Balochistan Nationalist Army (BNA), claimed responsibility for the attacks in a Twitter post. The military said nine attackers were killed in Nushki, while four troops, including an officer, were martyred. It said in Panjgur, security forces repulsed the attack after an intense exchange of fire and the
attackers fled the area. Security forces began an operation to hunt down the fleeing attackers and a curfew in the areas was imposed. Four fleeing militants were killed in Panjgur, while four who were hiding elsewhere were killed in a Saturday operation when they refused to surrender, the military said. It said three other militants linked to the attacks were killed in the district of Kech on Friday. Five soldiers were martyred and six others wounded in follow-up operations. A spokesman for the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant group that operates under the umbrella of the BNA, said its Panjgur and Nushki offensive came to an end after more than 70 hours. “After the ‘martyrdom’ of all sixteen suicide-attackers of the Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army, Operation Gunjal reached its conclusion,” said Jaend Baloch, the purported spokesman, in a message to reporters on WhatsApp. Baloch said nine of the men attacked the Frontier Corps camp in Nushki and six stormed into the Panjgur camp.
Afghan Taliban in Geneva for diplomatic, humanitarian talks continued from page 01 Hakimi is a senior official at the Taliban defence ministry. He heads a commission formed by the Taliban government to identify members who were flouting the hardline movement’s regulations. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it would hold talks with the delegation from the socalled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). “The ICRC has a long-standing relationship with the IEA. This dialogue is essential in order to fulfill our strictly neutral and impartial humanitarian mission,” a spokesman said. “We will continue this dialogue with the high-level
IEA delegation in Geneva this week and look forward to constructive discussions.” ATS said that the Taliban delegation had been invited by the Geneva Call NGO, which works to protect civilians during conflict. The withdrawal of international forces and rapid takeover by the Taliban “are game changers in Afghanistan, where overlapping armed conflicts, Covid-19 and its socioeconomic consequences, and extreme weather have already created a complex emergency”, it said on its website. “The humanitarian community will need to quickly adapt how they work to save lives and protect civilians already subject to dramatically declining socioeconomic conditions and insecurity.”
IHC observes CMs, chief executives responsible for HR violations in prisons The IHC observed on Tuesday that apparently all CMs and chief executives were responsible for the ill treatment of prisoners. While hearing a petition, the court, regarding human rights violations in prisons expressed dissatisfaction over the Ministry of Human Rights’ report. During the hearing, the IHC questioned who to hold responsible for the condition of prisoners, adding that it appeared all provincial chief ministers and the chief executives were responsible for the inhumane treatment being meted out to prisoners. The court further observed that the compensation for prisoners should be taken from the authorities responsible for such treatment. Chief Justice Athar Minallah said the state cannot not mistreat its citizens, but if they are being mistreated then “surely someone is responsible” for it. “The treatment of prisoners in jails is a living example of human rights violations,” Justice Minallah stated. The IHC adjourned the hearing and sought a report on the matter from the Ministry of Human Rights within a month. Last month, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that there was no rule of law in jails while under-trial prisoners continue to fill prisons despite the legal notion of ‘innocent until proven guilty’. The human rights ministry had submitted its report to the IHC pertaining to the human rights situation in Adiala Jail. As per the report, there was a limit of 2,100 prisoners in Adiala but 5,799 were currently housed there. News Desk
Fissures emerge in ruling coalition as MQM, PML-Q ask Opposition to show cards continued from page 01 “If the local government law is enacted in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the matter can be significantly improved and local bodies can be empowered.” He noted that his party had complaints against the PPP in Sindh as it was oppressing it the province. “Our friends here in Punjab are also suffering from similar problems,” he said and added that the whole of Sindh, including Karachi, was in ruins. Shehbaz Sharif said the two sides had discussed the economic, financial and political situation in the country. He wondered where the package to the tune of Rs1.10 trillion for Karachi announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan had gone. He added that if PM Imran started a public campaign, he would find out what the nation actually thought about his government. “The no-confidence motion is a consti-
tutional option. Hopefully the MQM-P will decide in public interest.” Shehbaz claimed that the PTI-led government had been doing nothing for the last three and a half years except pushing the opposition against the wall. “The proposed anti-government measures will be considered at the PDM [Pakistan Democratic Movement] meeting in the next few days.” According to insiders, the MQM-P expressed its lack of confidence in the leadership of PM Imran during the meeting. They added that the delegation told the PML-N leadership that the premier did not know how to rule the country and one decision was made in the morning while the same was reversed in the evening. They complained that the MQM-P had always remained part of ruling coalitions but no government had ever gone back on its promises as the PTI had. The sources said the MQM-P said
Karachi was its mandate but it was snatched away from it and other forces were imposed in the city. They added that the MQM delegation had asked Shehbaz to visit Karachi and the PML-N chief accepted its invitation. The MQM-P later met the PML-Q leadership, where both the coalition partners agreed to adopt a “wait-and-see” policy until the opposition’s agenda became clearer. Aamir Khan and Wasim Akhtar met with PML-Q leadership Chaudhry Shujaat and Pervez Elahi at their residence. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Aamir said they had arrived to inquire after the health of Shujaat. He added that an all-party conference was held on Sindh’s LG law in which various parties had conceded that the bill was flawed. He recalled that a protest was held outside the Sindh CM’s House in which one party activist lost his life.
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“We are both coalition partners and we stand together if we have any grievances.” The MQM-P leader said they were with the government, but they would decide their future in consultation with PML-Q and its allies. “There is no facilitation in politics. We have not excluded anyone.” Pervaiz Elahi, a senior PML-Q leader as well as the Punjab Assembly speaker, told reporters on the occasion that the discussion on the LG law was underway and they had agreed on 60 percent of the matter with the opposition. “However, it is certain that if any party comes to power, we cannot change it.” Elahi further said the opposition should respond to the no-confidence motion itself. “Right now something is cooking. We will decide when something comes out cooked.” The PML-Q leader pointed out that there were only two years of the PTI-led govern-
ment left, claiming that there was no talk of overthrowing it or moving a no-confidence motion during their meeting. “Asif Ali Zardari sahab said that he wanted to come to inquire after the health of Shujaat sahib and that was his real purpose,” he said referring to the former president’s recent visit to the PML-Q leadership’s residence. He added that the allies would consult again when the opposition’s strategy became clearer. According to insiders, the two government allies have agreed to adopt a “wait-andsee” policy. They added that the coalition partners would take action when the “solid cards” of the opposition came to the fore. The PML-Q and MQM-P have agreed to make any decision in the current political situation through consultation. On Sunday, the MQM-P delegation had met with the leadership of the opposition ANP in Charsadda.
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Wednesday, 9 February, 2022
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A turning point in criticism of Israeli human rights policies
War drums getting louder Contest going to be rough and tough
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RiME MiNisTER imran Khan has finally decided that offence is the best form of defence. The PPP is scheduled to start its anti-government march from Karachi to islamabad on February 27 while the PDM is all set to prepare for its show of strength on March 23. Earlier this month the PM had warned his opponents that if he came out into the streets they would find no place to hide. Mr Khan hopes that his mass contact campaign would rouse the morale of his dispirited followers and deter possible desertions from the coalition. With public complaints against rising prices of commodities of daily use and utility charges becoming louder by the day, the PTi’s road show could turn out to be embarrassing. To test the waters Mr Khan has chosen relatively smaller towns in Punjab and KP rather than big cities. On account of their traditional rivalry the two major opposition parties are keen to remove the PTi government in the way that suits each one’s politics best. The PPP has tried to win over the PML(Q) by offering it the chief minister’s slot at the expense of the PML(N) in return for a foothold in Punjab. it appears that the Chaudhries are not willing to oblige as long as there is no signal from the right quarters. The PML(N) is divided between the softliners who support a no-confidence move against the PM and hardliners who favour a mass movement. PML(N) patron Nawaz sharif has tasked the party to work within the PDM to make the the Mehngai March successful while National Assembly Opposition Leader shehbaz sharif has been told to establish contacts with PTi dissidents and allies to ensure that a sufficient number of MNAs is available to support a no-confidence move. it also suits the PML(N) to bargain with MQM in return for some seats in Karachi at the PPP’s expense. But it appears that like the PML(Q), the MQM too is unwilling to commit till it receives a signal from those who matter. The only way left for the opposition is to join hands instead of taking out two separate marches. Mutual rivalry however continues to stand in the way.
Israeli oppression is now too much to ignore even by one time supporters
Washington Watch Dr. JAMes J. Zogby
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his past month, we were treated to a few classic examples of how israel deals with criticism and how it may be finding it increasingly difficult to dodge challenges to its abusive behaviour. Example 1. On January 12, Omar Abdulmajeed Assad died at the hands of the israeli occupation forces. he didn’t just die. he was murdered. While different in some details, his murder was not unlike the killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis or Eric Garner in New York City, two Black men who were killed by American police. The deaths of Garner and Floyd became central to the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement. in the early morning hours of January 12, Mr Assad, a 78-year-old Palestinian American, driving home from an evening spent playing cards with friends, was stopped by a group of israeli occupation forces conducting a raid into his village of Jiljilya. Despite being in Area A and therefore presumably under the control of the Palestinian Authority, the israelis nevertheless claim the right to enter the village at will, raid, harass, and detain Palestinian residents. When stopped by the raiding party, Mr Assad objected and argued with the israelis. he was forcibly pulled from his car, handcuffed, and gagged. he was then dragged for about 100 yards and deposited, face down, on the cold 32°F ground. A few other Palestinians who were detained with him reported that one of the israelis sat on Mr Assad’s back, holding him down. About an hour later, the israelis freed the other men and departed. After a short while, the soldiers returned and seeing Mr Assad still lying motionless, cut the handcuffs from one of his wrists and left his lifeless body on the ground. The other detainees brought a doctor from the village who came to the site, saw that Mr Assad wasn’t breathing, noted that his face was blue, and pronounced him dead. While there are many such gruesome Palestinian deaths at the hands of israeli occupation forces, most of which are never reported in the West, this one was
Tragedy averted No lessons learned from Murree
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NLY weeks after the horrific tragedy in Murree where 23, including women and children, died stranded in their cars stuck in a snow blizzard, another similar incident was about to transpire in KP’s Dir, but luckily and thankfully a crisis was averted. With over 250 vehicles, occupied mostly by tourists, stuck on the Rawalpindi-Chitral highway overnight in the extreme cold with limited food supplies and the dangerous option of using their car heaters to stay warm, it was extremely likely that a number of people could have died. That the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps had to be called in yet again to remove the snow and clear the road so that the traffic could move shows that the civilian administration and apparatus remains and inept and incapable of addressing such natural calamities effectively. What is worse, the mistakes made in the Murree incident where weather forecasts were ignored and the flow of traffic was left interrupted, have been repeated. This is understandable and to be expected because the probe into the Murree incident was carried out in the typical ‘find the fall guy’ fashion, resulting in the committee assigned with the task putting the entire blame on the bureaucracy. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar later asserted that the complete chain of command of Rawalpindi division failed to perform its duties and was unable to identify the looming risk and ordered the suspension of 15 officials. This buck passing has to stop at some point if gross incompetence is to be addressed and those at the highest levels of government are held responsible and made to answer for their shortcomings and bad governance. Prime Minster imran Khan is a strong proponent of promoting Pakistan’s tourism industry to boost the economy and create jobs in the country. While thecovid19 pandemic may have somewhat decelerated that plan, the PTi has not done itself any favors either by failing to address the key administrative and infrastructure problems such as the ones made apparent by the back-toback incidents in Dir and Murree. Mr Khan will find it hard to attract more tourists to key destinations in Pakistan, especially foreigners, if their safety is not assured.
India is holding back the entire region MUHAMMAD ALI ALVI
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fire in any part of a house, that requires immediate, swift and deliberate action, and if not taken seriously, it takes over all the house within a matter of time and burns everything to ashes. No matter how much the residents of the house talk about and make commitments about peace, safety, and a prosperous future. Kashmir is a nuclear flashpoint between Pakistan and india. it is a burning fire that has not been cooled. Till now the only aid that has been directed towards controlling this fire is repeated commitments, assurances and promises. A long history of indian oppression and violence in Kashmir, that started with the occupation of a large territory of Jammu and Kashmir based on a fraudulent instrument of accession, is only getting worse with time. From agreeing to holding a free and fair plebiscite (although just in words) in Kashmir as per the United Nations security Council’s resolutions to stripping Kashmir of its special status and considering a disputed territory as its internal part, india moved away from the promises made by its founding fathers in a bid to force the international community to accept the status quo on Kashmir. A status quo that is against the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and neither acceptable to them nor Pakistan. Joseph Korbel, a member of the UN Commission for india and Pakistan, in his book Danger in Kashmir, pointed out this in these words “ The accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to india cannot be considered as valid by canons of international law… The issue itself cannot be sidetracked. The history of the case has made it clear that time has only aggravated, not healed the conflict; that neither the Pakistanis nor the Kashmiris will accept the status quo as a solution”. The book was published in 1954. But, his assessment of the situation remains valid. The issue of Kashmir would not have existed for so long had its fate been decided by its people. When the Nawab of Junagadh, who was a Muslim, announced accession to Pakistan on 15 August 1947, india protested and called this move a violation of the
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access to natural and financial resources, livelihood opportunities, healthcare, and education.” As the report continues, it provides details of israeli policies that have negatively impacted Palestinians, in different ways, depending on whether they are citizens of israel, residents of “East Jerusalem,” the occupied West Bank, and Gaza, or refugees in exile denied the right to return to their homes and properties. in all cases the report argues, israel has established laws and practices that privilege one group (Jews) at the expense of Palestinian Arabs— in other words, apartheid. Much of what is in the report has been known for decades. (i covered much of this ground in my 1978 book, Palestinians, The Invisible Victims: Zionism and the Problem of Palestinian Rights.) in the past year two israeli human rights groups— Yesh Din and B’Tselem— and human Rights Watch have issued reports making the same charge. But this was different for two reasons. it comes from Amnesty international, which even the state Department regularly cites as the “gold standard” of human rights groups. And it makes the case in international law for why israel should be charged with “a crime against humanity.” As a result, the issue of apartheid will gain currency among groups in the Us concerned with human rights. An example: This past week, the Episcopal Church in DC overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling israel an apartheid state. israel’s main concern is that, with the backing of Amnesty international, others will follow suit and pressure will grow for the international Criminal Court to take up the issue, creating even more attention on israel’s behaviour towards the Palestinian people. Because of the prestige of Amnesty international and the urgency their charges have created, whitewashing won’t do, so israel had to take a different tack. For this reason, the israeli hasbara machinery went into full gear to denounce the report as “malicious” and demonize Amnesty international as anti-semitic. On cue, pro-israel groups and members of Congress echoed these charges focusing their outrage on the term “apartheid” without ever addressing the actual substance of the report or the violations of human rights contained within it. it’s not clear how israel will weather these two storms— the murder of a Palestinian American and the charge of apartheid. What is clear, however, is that we are in a new era in which whitewashing crimes or demonizing those who accuse israel of committing them will not be so easily swept under the carpet. The writer is President of the Arab American Institute
Kashmir Day: a challenge to the world’s conscience
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
different because Mr Assad was an American citizen. A Us senator and a group of congresspeople were quick to respond with calls for an investigation, as did the Us Department of state. This past week, the israeli military announced that it had completed its investigation and released its findings hoping to assuage the concerns of the Americans. The military investigation concluded that “the incident pointed to a moral failure and to an error in judgment by the troops, while seriously undermining the value of human dignity.” One commanding officer was rebuked, and two of the soldiers involved were dismissed from service. The israelis may have hoped that this would be the end of the matter, only to have the Us state Department respond that “the Biden administration expects a thorough criminal investigation and full accountability in the case of Omar Assad.” The painful death of Mr Assad at the hands of the israeli occupation forces raises some deeply troubling concerns. The brutality meted out to Mr Assad and the callous disregard for Palestinian human life on display in his death hearken back to countless earlier episodes in which israeli forces have demonstrated that they view Palestinians as less than full human beings. in this case, the members of Congress and state Department are right— a criminal investigation is necessary precisely because, given the facts we know, this cannot be dismissed as a mere “moral lapse.” The israeli forces involved displayed criminally negligent andreckless behavior resulting in death. What is to be adjudicated is whether they are to be charged with homicide or manslaughter. Nothing less will do. in the past, such brutality was ignored and never even warranted an investigation. But because Mr Assad is an American and because there is a growing sensitivity toward Palestinian rights among progressive Democrats, including those in Congress, this case could not be so easily dismissed with a faux investigation that whitewashed this murder. Example 2. While the death of Mr Assad was still in the news, israel received yet another blow when Amnesty international released a meticulously documented 280-page report, Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians: A Cruel System of Domination and a Crime Against Humanity. The report notes that: “Decades of deliberately unequal treatment of Palestinians in all areas under the control of israel has left Palestinians marginalized and subject to widespread and systematic socioeconomic disadvantage as they are barred from equitable
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principle of partition as a majority of the state’s population was hindu. Pakistan agreed to a referendum, but india occupied the state by force. The state of hyderabad, the largest and the richest state in india, under a Muslim ruler, was also forcefully annexed by india. But, for Jammu and Kashmir, a Muslim-majority state, the principle was denied. Events that have taken place in the last 74 years have testified that encouraging and peaceful bilateral relations between Pakistan and india, and peace, development and prosperity in south Asia is not possible without the solution of the oldest and the most dangerous dispute between the two countries. The world marks the “international Day of human Fraternity” on 4th February. The day was first observed by the United Nations on 4 February 2021. it is an effort to promote peace, friendship and understanding between different religions and cultures for a healthy and prosperous global community. it is an attempt to spread interfaith and interreligious harmony, acceptance and love. The document “human Fraternity for World Peace & Living Together” signed by Pope Francis and the Grand imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayyib, in a meeting in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019 became the basis of the international Day of human fraternity. The document calls upon the world community to “unite and work together” for a better and harmonious world and create a “culture of mutual respect” by promoting freedom, equality, harmony etc. These initiatives are appreciable and must be encouraged. But, to further peace and stability in the world, the promotion of a culture of tolerance between different nations, religions and cultures is mandatory. But, for the development of a culture of tolerance, it is imperative to have a conflict-less society. To achieve peace, it is important to end conflicts and disagreements. Pakistan and india are home to more than 1.5 billion people. Both countries have huge cooperation potential. Be it the fields of art, culture, trade, technology or development. But, Kashmir is the bone of contention between the two states. Both states have fought 3 full-scale wars, spent billions of dollars on enriching military capabilities and lost thousands of lives. And, above all, there is a definite threat of nuclear war in case of escalation in tensions. People of both states are not close to each other.
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They are skeptical, unfriendly, aggressive and hostile towards each other. The reasons for this animosity are continuous indian aggression and hegemonic designs in indian-Occupied Kashmir and the bitter silence of the world, and the suffering of the generations of Kashmiri people. Pakistan has geographical, religious, and cultural proximity with Kashmir. The Quaid-i-Azam called Kashmir the Jugular vein of Pakistan. Kashmir is very important to Pakistan. But, above all Kashmir is a humanitarian issue that deserves the support of all kind-hearted and humane societies. The Kashmiris have suffered the worst forms of violence in the last 74 years. They have been tortured, killed, and massacred. Their women have been assaulted, abducted and raped. The children have been beaten to death. The human rights violations and abuses in indianOccupied Kashmir have been reported by all human rights organizations and they continue to do so. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the world community to play its part. it has tried multiple times to better relations with india but every time received an evasive response. The stubborn, hostile and hegemonic attitude of india has put at risk the peace of south Asia. Pakistan observes February 5 as Kashmir solidarity day to show support to the people of Kashmir and remind them of Pakistan’s commitment towards their cause. The international human fraternity day observed on 4th February will hold no significance if the burning conflicts are not solved peacefully. Because peace overall cannot be achieved without peace everywhere. People in Pakistan and india who belong to different religions and cultures cannot come close to each other unless their differences are resolved. The inherent hate is spread and exploited by the fascist and extremist parties of india to come to power and serve their agendas. For example, the hate spread by the BJP has resulted in the rise of islamophobia in india. hindu extremists are victimising all minorities, specifically Muslims and Christians by following hindutva ideology. The social life of all minorities, specifically Muslims in india, is extremely miserable. Kashmir Day reminds the world of its role and is a challenge to the world and the UN which looks for a harmonious world. The writer is freelance columnist
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COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Islamabad in danger i-14 is a sector of islamabad which is a moderately populated and underdeveloped sector. The police used to patrol in the sector before the situation of Covid-19 after 1 hour and the condition of any illegal activity like snatching, theft was in control. After the situation of Covid-19, the police has stopped patrolling in the sector. Now incidents of snatching and theft are becoming ordinary in the sector. The easy targets for snatchers are students of Riphah international University. Two or three snatching incidents are becoming very common in a week. in the last week, there were 7 snatching incidents with students. The situation of snatching has been increased drastically. FiRs have been registered in the police station of all these incidents but the police have not seemed very interested to catch those snatchers, and there has been no resolution. We had also campaigned on social media platforms so that islamabad police can act on the situation, and they had ensured us that they will take action but still nothing has been done by the police. if the situation keeps going on like this, and law enforcement continues to ignore the rise in crime, then islamabad will become insecure like Karachi very soon. MUHAMMAD ZAIN UL ABIDEEN KHAN ISLAMABAD
Dilip Kumar – Dawn of an Era
Why big nations lose small wars: A case study of the US–Afghan conflict The USA fell into known traps sAkInA sooD
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N asymmetric war is the one, where there is considerable disparity between the two contending parties, in terms of technology and resources. some of the most prominent examples of such wars are, the UsA–Vietnam War and most recently the Us–Afghan war. The UsA (the strong party), initiated a war against Afghanistan (the weak party) by invading it on 7 October 2001 following the 9/11 attacks. Their aim was to keep the war short and decisive (just as in the case of Vietnam War) and they were pretty much successful at toppling the then Taliban regime and assassinating the head of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden (who was also the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks). however, due to the phenomenon of the “Fog of War” (which postulates that one can determine the start of the war but one cannot predict its end) the achievement of desired goals was impeded. Because afterwards, the resurgence of the Taliban led the UsA to gain less and lose more. As a result of this war, the UsA had to bear not only the loss of thousands of its troops but, it also had a great impact on its economy (where the UsA spent trillions of dollars in Afghanistan) and prestige as well. in that case, even the increased number of troops or amount of resources remains useless in front of your adversary and the whole international community. Which shows that, despite having conventional superiority over the Taliban, the UsA remained unsuccessful in Afghanistan. Moreover, in such asymmetric wars, it is the overconfidence that the strong states usually have on their capabilities, which often blurs their vision, due to which (the strong) states are unable to figure out the truth of the uncertain nature of war. The more a war is protracted, the more it is difficult to predict its outcome because the objectives of states usually change during the course of that time. in asymmetric wars, protraction of war is a tactic, which the weaker states apply to exhaust their strong adversary and to specifically break their “political will” so that their ability to sustain the war diminishes, because the “political will” of the states is the “driving force” behind waging wars. They go to war in order to achieve their political objectives. Which shows that in asymmetric wars, the main aim of the weaker party is to break the will of the stronger party, because only in that case they can win the war(s). Another mistake that the stronger parties make while going to a war with a weaker adversary, is that they fail to understand their adversary, which is an important thing to know for any state that is going for a war. its importance has also been highlighted by sun Tzu in his book The Art of
War, that “if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles”. This is the mistake that the UsA has made not once, but twice, specifically in case of the Afghan war. Where, in their overconfidence of having conventional superiority over their adversary i.e. Afghanistan, they failed to study their adversary thoroughly, what were the strengths and weaknesses of their adversary as compared to their own, what kind of terrain and tactics (guerilla tactics) could be used by their weaker adversary, and how they would deal with such an adversary. Due to this, the UsA has failed in Afghanistan. in asymmetric warfare, the main question is to understand that “how” and “why” the external powers withdraw? What are the leading factors that force them to withdraw? The fact that the Us has withdrawn its forces twice (first from Vietnam in the 1970s and then from Afghanistan in 2021) shows that it is not just the conventional military superiority that prevails in war rather, it is the political will that sustains the war. The weaker states (such as Afghanistan in this case), being mindful of the disparity with their adversary, know that it is impossible for them to win the war militarily, so their focus is to break the “will” of their adversary to sustain the war. The aim of the weaker side is to protract the war as much as it can, so that its stronger adversary gets exhausted and its will to fight the war breaks. Because it knows that militarily or technology wise, it is of no match for their stronger adversary (due to high level of asymmetry). And they cannot compete with their adversary through military means. so the weaker sides avoid using direct attacks to win war militarily; rather, they focus on indirect attacks (to gain victory through political means). Which is why they avoid confronting their enemy on its own terms. instead they use the “guerilla tactics” i.e. the hit and run tactics,
to confront their enemy. This tactic helps the weaker states to prolong the war, which not only exhausts their adversary, but puts a high cost on their economy as well, because when the war is prolonged, then the stronger states have to spend more and more resources over time, and sometimes at the expense of their people (Gun vs Butter approach). Moreover, there is loss of lives (soldiers precisely) and waste of time along with resources. Which would eventually lead to a moment when, even the stronger states could not sustain the war anymore, they would become exhausted and their will to sustain the war would fade away. As a result, they would have to withdraw their forces from that state. Which is what happened with the Us, in Afghan war. All in all, in case of the Us–Afghan war, despite having asymmetry between the two parties, the UsA has failed. The main reason for the failure was that the UsA declared a Global War on Terror. Which means that it was fighting the war on two fronts (Afghanistan in 2001 and then iraq in 2003), due to which the UsA could not focus only on Afghanistan. had it been only Afghanistan, the results would have been more quick and prominent. Another reason why the UsA has failed in Afghanistan was because they did not know their enemy. And in order to win a war, one must know who one is going to be fighting with, as for the Us troops who were used to pitched battles, fighting war in a mountainous terrain and against the guerilla fighters was difficult. if the UsA had made proper calculations, kept the war short and focused only on Afghanistan, then it would have won the war and it would have been successful in achieving their political goals.
Another reason why the USA has failed in Afghanistan was because they did not know their enemy. And in order to win a war, one must know who one is going to be fighting with, as for the US troops who were used to pitched battles, fighting war in a mountainous terrain and against the guerilla fighters was difficult. If the USA had made proper calculations, kept the war short and focused only on Afghanistan, then it would have won the war and it would have been successful in achieving their political goals
The writer can be at sakinasaood15@gmail.com
reached
MUhAMMAD Yousaf Khan, better known by his stage name Dilip Kumar, was indian Actor and Film Producer who ruled hindi Cinema for half a century. Born on December 11, 1922 at Qissa Khawani Bazaar, Peshawar, Pakistan, his family migrated to india in 1933. Referred to as the “Tragedy King” for his portrayal of serious roles and retrospectively as “The First Khan” of Bollywood, he has been described as one of the most successful film stars in the industry and is credited with bringing a distinct form of method acting to the cinema. Dilip Kumar holds the record for most wins (8 times) for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor including Dada sahib Phalke Award. he worked in 65 films in a variety of roles. On a chance meeting, Devika Rani was impressed by Yousaf’s handsome Pashtun frame and requested him to change his name to Dilip Kumar and later cast him in the lead role for Jwar Bhata (1944) which marked Kumar’s entry into the hindi Film industry and then he never looked back. A golden chapter of the indian Film industry was closed with the death of this super star on July 7, 2021 when he breathed his last after his long fight with his multiple illnesses. his death was widely condoled and his name will also be remembered as one of the leading stars of the indian Film industry. saira Bano remained his wife till his death. SHAMIM AHMAD LAHORE
Cybercrime CYBERCRiME is any crime or damage caused by using computer programming. it includes hacking, ATM frauds, along with blackmailing or emotionally distressing people through the use of technology. Although new technology has its advantages, from a broader perspective, it has led to some new and dangerous crimes that can invade people’s privacy. Cybercrime has its origin from the technology hub which is the UsA. it started in 2001 when a certain group started hacking through computers and invading personal information. it is still a major problem in the UsA. Now, unfortunately, Pakistan is also a victim of cybercrime. There are various cases of illegal money transactions and hacking every day. According to a survey, the rate of cybercrime has increased by 83pcs in three years. in Pakistan, people are not that educated and are not familiar with the online processes. That’s why they get scammed easily. According to a report, more than 1.5 million people fall victim to cybercrime every day in one or another way. To stop cybercrime and protect people, Pakistan has an Agency called Federal investigation Agency (FiA). its main office is in Lahore while there are many sub-offices in other cities. its main objective is to prevent online harassment, fraud, online bullying and protect people’s privacy. One can seek help from them easily by dialling their numbers or simply mailing them. The concerned authorities still need to drive proper campaigns on enlightening people about protecting their accounts and privacy. it is hoped that in the coming years, this unethical and immoral crime will be reduced. ZARISH ANJUM CHAKWAL
Flurona A pregnant woman was reported to be the first individual in israel to become infected with both COViD-19 and influenza at the same time. The “flurona” or “twindemic” is a term used to describe this phenomena. The condition of being infected with COViD-19 and the flu at the same time is referred to as flurona. Flurona is neither a separate illness nor is it a combination of the two. The term refers to patients who have both the flu and the COViD-19 virus. “Any form of co-infection might be severe or completely increase your symptoms,” said Kristen Coleman, an assistant research professor at the University of Maryland school of Public health. Flu instances are projected to rise throughout the winter and early spring, according to Loafman, but each year is different. Cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, headache, and weariness are all symptoms of the flu and COViD-19, which are all respiratory infections. Both are transmitted by droplets. MUHAMMAD ALI KHAN MIANWALI
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hoW cnn, the neW yorK tiMes, anD other MaJor MeDia outlets MonetiZe your Data anD loBBy against regulation THE “SURVEILLANCE MAJOR MEDIA CORPORATIONS INCREASINGLY RELY ON A VAST ADVERTISING” INDUSTRY ECOSYSTEM OF PRIVACY VIOLATIONS, EVEN AS THE PUBLIC MAKES ONLINE NEWS POSSIBLE RELIES ON THEM TO REPORT ON IT “ALMOST ALL SITES ARE TRAPPED IN A SYSTEM OF SURVEILLANCE CAPITALISM, IN WHICH THEY EITHER STEAL DATA OR RELY ON TECHNOLOGY THAT STEALS DATA” inTercepT lEE Fang
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eWS outlets trusted with promoting transparency and privacy are also lobbying behind closed doors against proposals to regulate the mass collection of Americans’ data. In a filing last week, the Interactive Advertising Bureau, a trade group, reported it was lobbying against a push at the Federal Trade commission to restrict the collection and sale of personal data for the purpose of delivering advertisements. The IAB represents both data brokers and online media outlets that depend on digital advertising, such as cNN, the New York Times, MSNBc, Time, u.S. News and World Report, the Washington Post, Vox, the Orlando Sentinel, Fox News, and dozens of other media companies. under President Joe Biden and FTc chair Lina Khan, the advertising technology industry is facing its first real challenge of federal regulation. There are several bills in congress that attempt to define and restrict the types of data collected on users and how that data is monetized. Last July, Biden called for the FTc to promulgate rules over the “surveillance of users” in his landmark executive order on competition, which identified unfair data collection as a challenge to both competition and privacy. In December, the advocacy group Accountable Tech petitioned the FTc calling for regulation of what it calls “surveillance advertising”: the process of collecting mass data on users of popular apps and websites and creating profiles of those users based on location, age, sex, race, religion, browsing history, and interests in order to serve targeted ads. The industry has grown in leaps and bounds, now generating billions in revenue, but has so far faced limited regulation in the u.S. In a letter, IAB called for the FTc to oppose a ban on data-driven advertising networks, claiming the modern media cannot exist without mass data collection. “Data-driven advertising has actually help preserve, and grow, news outlets since its inception over twenty years ago,” the letter said. “The thousands of media companies and news outlets that rely on data-driven advertising would be irreparably harmed by the Petition’s suggested rules.” The privacy push has largely been framed as a showdown between technology companies and the administration. The lobbying reveals a tension that is rarely a center of the discourse around online privacy: Major media corporations increasingly rely on a vast ecosystem of privacy violations, even as the public relies on them to report on it. Major news outlets have remained mostly silent on the FTc’s current push and a parallel effort to ban surveillance advertising by the house and Senate by Rep. Anna eshoo, D-calif., and Sen. cory Booker, D-N.J. “They certainly report on aspects of this problem, but they’re not reporting on how they’re complicit in the surveillance advertising story,” said Jeff chester, the executive director of the center for Digital Democracy, which supports the FTc petition for regulation. chester noted that major media outlets will cover episodic scandals, such as the use of Facebook data by the firm cambridge Analytica during the 2016 presidential election or algorithmic targeting of ads in politics, but don’t provide context of how the outlets themselves use and benefit from the same collection of data for routine advertising purposes. (On its website, The Intercept uses Google Analytics but does not host more invasive trackers. Its podcasts use a separate third-party system, which users can opt out of.) “The large media companies have their own programmatic advertising operations, or what you might call
surveillance advertising, using content on their own websites,” said chester. “Not only are they not reporting on this issue and what’s at stake, but they don’t report on what they do. It’s not just a privacy issue. It’s a democracy issue. It’s a consumer protection issue.” The tension was highlighted in a 2019 New York Times guest opinion column provocatively titled, “This Article Is Spying on You.” The article noted that a reader visiting a Times news article on, for instance, abortion might encounter tracking technology used by nearly 50 different companies, including BlueKai, a firm owned by the massive company Oracle that sells user data for markets to target those with “health conditions” and “medical terms.” The column was based on a review of 4,000 u.S.based news websites and 4,000 non-news sites conducted by Timothy Libert, formerly with carnegie Mellon university, and Reuben Binns, with the university of Oxford. It found that news sites are generally more reliant on third-party tracking technology than nonnews sites and had a lower degree of user privacy. “While users may turn to the news to learn of the ways in which corporations compromise their privacy, it is news sites where we find the greatest risks to privacy,” noted the authors. Since then, news sites’ user tracking has only gotten more extreme. In 2020, a study published by Ghostery, a company that provides tools to block third-party data collection, found that news websites contained the most trackers globally — more than business, banking, entertainment, or adult websites. The trackers tend to collect a variety of data, including browsing history, location, and phone identifying information. And it’s been highly profitable. The New York Times, for instance, has moved away from traditional print advertising and paper delivery and is increasingly reliant on digital advertising and subscriptions. In its latest quarterly disclosure, the Times revealed that its digital ad revenues increased by $19.2 million over the same period in the previous year. The increase was driven in part by greater programmatic advertising revenue, a term for the automated ads served by third-party ad brokers. The Times, notably, is a member of IAB, the lobby group that defends the digital advertising industry from regulation. Last month, as part of the regulatory push on data privacy, the FTc issued a $2 million fine against the advertising tech firm OpenX for illegally collecting and monetizing location data from children on a mass scale. Advertising platforms such as OpenX serve as an exchange, with data from thousands of web publishers and tens of thousands of apps feeding profiles of users into a system that advertising agencies use to place targeted ads that appear across multiple news websites as users browse the web. Many gaming, weather, and dating apps, as well as a variety of websites, quietly collect behavioral, demographic, health, and location data on users that is sold to advertising tech brokers. Advertising agencies go to data brokers to better target potential consumers. As individuals browse the web, they are greeted by custom advertisements based on profiles of what data brokers believe to be their shopping habits, interests, or concerns. OpenX, which processes nearly 100 billion ad requests per day, is one of the largest third-party platforms that serve as a key mechanism of this data exchange. The FTc alleged that OpenX vacuumed up location information on child-focused apps without parental consent and used the data to attract advertisers. There were a few blogs and industry trade outlet stories that covered the settlement, but no pieces in major media outlets that have otherwise intensely covered Silicon Valley and the sprawling privacy issues presented by consumer-facing tech companies. If major media outlets had covered the story, they
would have had to acknowledge an awkward reality. OpenX is one of the largest third-party advertising platforms serving the news media, alongside AppNexus, Google, and Facebook. The company is used or has been used in recent months for the placement of targeted ads by outlets such as the New York Times, cNN, Gizmodo, huffPost, Fox News, and Der Spiegel. Several outlets said they were in the process of reviewing the advertising partnership with OpenX but could not comment further. The Gizmodo website, for example, uses trackers that store or sell user location data, including trackers from RhythmOne, Simpli.fi, Smart Adserver, Lotame, and OpenX, according to data compiled by Ghostery and privacy policy disclosures under the california Online Privacy Protection Act. Simpli.fi, according to disclosures, collects precise location data and partners with third-party data brokers such as cuebiq. “We work with OpenX as a marketplace through which advertisers may bid to place ads on our website. We do not provide OpenX with either data relating to children or precise location data,” said Danielle Rhoades ha, a spokesperson for the New York Times. The Times’s response, however, belies the nature of the thirdparty ad broker business; the Times does collect user location data, and its third-party behavioral ad partners, such as OpenX, use an array of sources to monetize location data for the placement of ads on sites such as the Times’s website. Other publications did not respond or declined to comment on their ties to OpenX. The growth of digital advertising has forced nearly every major forprofit news website to utilize the most intrusive forms of mass surveillance, including browsing history and location data — a dynamic highlighted by the OpenX fine. “It’s really a puzzling and tricky situation because almost all sites are trapped in a system of surveillance capitalism, in which they either steal data or rely on technology that steals data,” said Krzysztof Modras, director of engineering and product at Ghostery. “I don’t think OpenX is abnormal at all.” Though advertising is the focus of the data collection industry, the applications of user data are boundless. Law enforcement agencies have tapped the oceans of user data, including for the targeting of protesters and activist groups. Powerful political interests have hired data brokers to better influence voters. The data broker Acxiom, another tech firm that partners with many news websites, has provided data to the FBI and discussed programs to sell user data to the Pentagon. The Pillar, a conservative catholic publication, claimed to have obtained location data from the gay hookup app Grinder from third-party data brokers to out a prominent catholic priest as gay. In the case of the FTc fine issued in December, OpenX had sourced precise geolocation data from children under the age of 13, including child-directed apps “for toddlers,” “for kids,” and “preschool learning,” in the data the company offered to advertisers, in violation of the children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or cOPPA, rule. “OpenX secretly collected location data and opened the door to privacy violations on a massive scale, including against children,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTc’s Bureau of consumer Protection, said in a statement. “Digital advertising gatekeepers may operate behind the scenes, but they are not above the law.” Following the settlement, OpenX agreed to a periodic review of the apps the company uses to source its data. Max Nelson, a spokesperson for the company, pointed to a statement issued by the firm that noted the use of children’s location data was an “unintentional error” that has since been fixed. critics argue that the FTc needs to go beyond enforcing cOPPA by cracking down on the sources of data that feed into the larger ecosystem. Many children’s websites and apps contain code that enable the sharing of
user data with brokers. The tracking technology, known as an SDK, or software development kit, is intentionally embedded by web developers in order to monetize user data. Angela campbell, professor of law at Georgetown university, has argued for more enforcement and an update to the current law to make it easier for regulators to create clear rules to protect children from targeted data collection and advertising. campbell noted that OpenX’s many partners also could have been targeted by regulators. “I have a children’s app, if it’s a child-directed app and I’m the app developer, and I use an SDK from OpenX, I’m responsible,” noted campbell. “This whole bidding process and advertising process is not transparent so the public doesn’t know about it. The FTc has not enforced this cOPPA law very much at all.” News outlets are also implicated. Although major media publications say they are not intentionally selling children’s data to OpenX and other brokers, these statements are largely expressions of plausible deniability rather than affirmative knowledge. unlike products and services which are specifically targeted at children, which are required under federal cOPPA guidelines to collect age information, media sites are not required to verify the age of users as their products are primarily directed at adult audiences. This means that by default, news media sites assume all readers are adults and treat the data of all visitors the same, so children’s data is almost certainly provided to brokers — it just isn’t labeled as such. even news media sites with student sections, such as cNN Student News, which describes itself as “tenminute, commercial-free, daily news program designed for middle and high school classes” do not consistently collect age information, thereby following the media industry standard assumption that readers are adults. Due to this lack of verification, cNN’s parent company WarnerMedia has a privacy policy that simply states “on most Sites, we do not knowingly collect information from children,” while still sending data to ad brokers without verification. The near-unavoidable nature of online surveillance has presented similarly thorny issues for other privacycentric organizations. Last year, Ashkan Soltani, a prominent privacy advocate, noted that the American civil Liberties union used many of the very data trackers the group has long critiqued. The AcLu shared personally identifiable information with third parties such as Facebook, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and ZIP codes. The decision to use the tracking technology was made by the AcLu’s fundraising and advocacy team, not its legal department, which often does not work in tandem, noted catherine crump, a former AcLu attorney who now leads the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy clinic at the university of california’s Berkeley School of Law. This is all the more reason, advocates say, to focus on broad reform rather than simply highlighting cases of individual bad actors. “There’s a tendency to focus on individual narratives even in the face of systemic problems,” said Alan Butler, the president of electronic Privacy Information center, who favors universal opt-out solutions for users and strict rules on so-called secondary collection of data. “It’s not a solution to just bring a fine or enforcement when there is surveillance advertising happening up and down the stack and throughout the ecosystem,” added Butler. The bigger question for the media might be, how do we create a free press that isn’t reliant on mass data collection? “Does the free internet mean an internet dominated by surveillance and manipulation?” asked chester, of center for Digital Democracy. “What does it mean that the only way to have an independent news media is to have this kind of surveillance system? Those issues [have] not been covered by the press.”
Digital rupee can have Many iMplications for rBi Times of india Editorial
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uch interest has been generated by the Budget’s statement that RBI will issue digital rupees during 2022-23. It’s a reiteration of a 2017 suggestion by GoI’s high-level inter-ministerial committee that asked RBI to introduce its own central bank digital currency (cBDc). A cBDc is a digital form of paper currency. holders of cBDc can transfer money digitally instead of handing over currency notes. Globally, pilot
BEST TO TAKE TIME OVER IT, LIKE OTHER COUNTRIES projects on cBDc have been underway since 2014. however, progress is slow because this seemingly simple innovation can have unforeseen consequences. India today is one of the 50 odd monetary jurisdictions with a digital retail payment system that runs 24/7 and transfers are near real time. RBI’s pilot survey on retail payments done in six cities over December 2018 and January 2019 showed that digital payments were catching on fast. While cash was the preferred mode of pay-
ment for transactions up to Rs 500, digital payments were more popular for higher amounts. As digital payments have been growing at over 50% over the last five years, the trend is clear. From a user’s standpoint, there is no real incentive to switch to a cBDc as a growing proportion of retail transactions are already done digitally. For RBI, however, a cBDc is not just another digital payment option. It has implications for the banking system that are not entirely clear. If there is a partial shift
away from bank deposits to cBDcs, what are the implications for the role of banks in credit creation? By extension, what is the implication for monetary policy? The disintermediation of banks by the central bank is an area that is being closely scrutinised by the world’s leading central banks. One of them, Sweden’s Riksbank, launched its e-krona project in 2017. It’s still studying both its need and potential impact on Sweden’s economy. The case here isn’t against the introduction of a cBDc. Rather, it is about the need to be flexible about deadlines in this endeavour. cBDcs may be inevitable but the need for RBI to cover for all the possible risks is non-negotiable. The timeline should be flexible.
Wednesday, 9 February, 2022 | LAHORE
NEWS edotco Health and Safety Management System receives International Standardization ISLAMABAD pr
edotco Towers Pakistan Pvt. Ltd (edotco Pakistan), an integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company, has become the first Tower Company in Pakistan to achieve the ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems Certification. ISO 45001:2018 is a globally recognized occupational health and safety standard developed by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) that guides organizations on minimizing the probability of accidents, illness, injury, or fatality caused by workplace hazards. The certification, awarded following a rigorous audit, is a testament to edotco’s relentless focus on workforce wellbeing. Commenting on the achievement, Country Managing Director of edotco Pakistan, Mr Abdul Aziz, said, “Achieving ISO 45001:2018 certification exemplifies edotco’s commitment to its employees, supply chain, community and customers. By continuously evaluating and improving the safety standards and processes, we aim for the industry’s highest benchmarks. We owe this recognition to our employees who continue to push the company forward, with their participation, dedication and commitment”. “Our people’s health and safety are of utmost priority.” Mr Talat Qamar, Director Operations, edotco, said. “We continuously focus our efforts in ensuring occupational health and safety measures are implemented across all operational verticals. We provide the best personal protection equipment and training to our team members, working on tower installations across different challenging geographical terrains, and we are proud to have an exemplary record in workers’ safety.” ISO 45001:2018 certification is valid for three years and requires comprehensive audits by edotco’s internal teams and validation by a third-party certifying body to ensure conformance with the standard. Programs developed within the company to minimize the risks related to working at height, electrical safety, transport safety, and COVID-19 helped edotco to achieve this certification.”
SNGPL books three consumers under gas theft charges
CCP, PICG SIGN MoU foR STRENGTHENING CoRPoRATE GovERNANCE ANd CoMPLIANCE ISLAMABAD
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HE Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation, collaboration, and capacity development for strengthening corporate governance and competition compliance in Pakistan. The MoU was signed by the CCP Chairperson Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan and PICG Chief Executive Officer Mr. Ahsan Jamil in a ceremony at the CCP’s head office in Islamabad, also attended by Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson PICG Board of Directors, CCP Members Ms. Shaista Bano, Ms. Bushra Naz Malik, Mr. Mujtaba Ahmad Lodhi, and other senior officers. Addressing on the occasion, the CCP Chairperson Ms. Rahat Kaunain Hassan welcomed the support of PICG in joining hands with the CCP through signing of the MoU. She stated that corporate governance and competition principles are intertwined. There is commonality of objective in that both regulate human behaviour and promote fair play. She further stated that the collaboration aims
to promote good governance, ensure corrective behaviour and sustainable compliance through advocacy measures and trainings for the corporate sector. In the face of the increasing complexity of corporate arrangements, this would help create awareness on the internal and external drivers of collusion or anti-competitive practices. It would also enable the corporations towards better strategic planning. Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, in her remarks, said that the PICG board has envisioned to bringing a new dynamism in the PICG with the aim to improve corporate governance in Pakistan. She welcomed the signing of MoU
between PICG and CCP, saying that the prevailing conditions in public and private sectors require more of such partnerships. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Competition Commission of Pakistan. This MoU will greatly help to reinforce the respective mandates of CCP and PICG,” she said. Mr. Ahsan Jamil in his remarks said that the importance of free and fair competition for productivity, exports growth and global competitiveness cannot be overstated. Similarly, good corporate governance is beneficial for businesses as it reduces cost, ensures fair play and pro-
CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF OFFICIAL VISIT TO IRAQ
Sui Northern Lahore Region has taken action against three Industrial and one commercial consumer involved in gas theft, while taking action against industrial and commercial gas thieves. Consumers involved in gas theft are A-One CNG, ZMB Trading, Mian Traders and a Commercial Consumer Muhammad Shamoon who were found involved in pilferage. The gas of these consumers has been disconnected and theft amount of 183 million has been imposed/booked on these consumers. FIRs have been registered against the consumers involved in the gas theft and two persons have also been arrested. pr
Representatives from ‘TAWAL’ and ‘AWAL’ Telecom visit PTA ISLAMABAD pr
Senior representatives from Saudi ICT infrastructure company, ‘TAWAL’ and Pakistani Telecom infrastructure operator, ‘AWAL Telecom’ visited PTA Headquarters, Islamabad, today. Chief International Officer Tawal, Mr. Emmanuel Leonard, CEO Awal Telecom Mr. Akbar Shaukat, Mr. Mark Courtney and Mr. Marius Armeanca met with Chairman PTA, Maj General Amir Azeem Bajwa (R) and discussed establishing ICT infrastructure services in the country under Telecom Tower Provider (TTP) license. During the meeting, investment opportunities were discussed which will enable ICT sector to adopt latest technologies.
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Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi is on official visit to Iraq. During the visit, the Naval Chief called on Commander Iraqi Navy Admiral Ahmed Jaasim Maarij and Defence Minister Mr Jumma Inad Sadoon Khattab, separately. Upon arrival at Naval Headquarters Basra, the Naval Chief was received by Commander Iraqi Navy Admiral Ahmed Jaasim Maarij and was presented Guard of Honour. During the meeting with Com-
mander Iraqi Navy, regional maritime security and professional matters of mutual interest including bilateral naval collaboration were discussed. The Naval Chief highlighted Pakistan Navy’s efforts for ensuring maritime security in the region including Regional Maritime Security Patrols and participation in Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). The Admiral also visited Naval Base Um Qasir and Iraqi Naval Academy where a briefing was given to the Naval Chief. Later during Call-on with Defence Minister Mr Jumma Inad Sadoon Khattab, professional matters of mutual interest including bi-
lateral defence collaboration were discussed. The Naval Chief underscored the importance of enhancing interactions between the armed forces of both countries through exercises and training exchange programmes. The Iraqi Defence Minister while acknowledging the significance of strong bilateral military cooperation in diverse realms, stressed on enhancing collaborations in expanded military domains. It is expected that visit of the Naval Chief will further augment and expand defence ties between the two countries in general and navies in particular.
tects businesses from undesirable outcomes. PICG is looking forward to working with CCP in promoting good corporate governance and competition law compliance. He mentioned several initiatives that PICG is taking to improve corporate governance in Pakistan including a strong SME governance focus, the co-creation of an ESG Task Force and forging a corporate Governance research agenda. The collaboration between the CCP and PICG will be extremely beneficial in promoting good corporate governance and competition law compliance. The MoU will not only allow both parties to exchange information on pertinent issues, but also work together in undertaking advocacy, research, and training initiatives to promote public awareness of the Competition Act and the Listed Companies (Corporate Governance) Regulations, 2019. The collaboration aims to improve awareness of the competition law landscape and a commitment to compliance within organisations. Furthermore, both parties will hold collaborative sessions on competition law, promoting compliance and organisational governance, and assist each other in matters of mutual interest for better implementation of their respective mandates.
K-Electric ensured sustained power supply as rain, windstorm hit Karachi KARACHI: As Karachi received sporadic burst of rain coupled with winds on Tuesday, K-Electric ensured that power supply to the city and its adjoining areas remain stable. KElectric teams remained vigilant and continued to monitor the situation with regards to the weather. The majority of the utility’s distribution network consisting of more than 1900 feeders remained stable and continued to provide a safe and reliable supply of electricity. Supply to areas with high incidence of theft and kunda usage was preemptively shut down in the interest of public safety; the supply was restored after receiving clearance from KE’s ground teams. K-Electric’s spokesperson and Director Communications, Imran Rana commented that “As Karachi received moderate to heavy rainfall in short burst during daytime on Tuesday, K-Electric ensured uninterrupted power supply to the city and its adjoining areas. Some areas were temporarily powered off out of an abundance of caution owing to the prevalence of safety hazards in these areas such as kundas and encroachments of public infrastructure by TV and internet cables etc. However, those areas were swiftly restored after receiving clearance from the KE ground teams.” The utility, as always, remained available 24/7 for any queries or complaints via its call center 118, SMS service 8119, KE Live App, and social media platforms, and advised customers to use these channels for further assistance, KE spokesperson added. pr
PARC, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company ink agreement for promotion of desert crops in Thar area ISLAMABAD pr
An agreement has been signed between Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company for the promotion of desert crops in Thar area. Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali Chairman PARC and Vice President Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company Mr. Muhammad Azhar Malik signed the agreement. During the visit of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research headed by Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council briefed the Members in detail about the Bio saline agriculture initiatives in the desert area of Thar. The NA committee also met with Mr.
Muhammad Azhar, Vice President of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company and visited various fields and coal mines sites. On the
occasion, Members of National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, Mian Muhammad
Shafiq, Mr. Kamaluddin, Mr. Muhammad Ishaq, Secretary, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Dr. Younis Arain, Director General PARC SAARC Karachi and other senior officials were also present. Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali said that since 2018, work is being done on arid horticultural crops like Apple Bair, Chico, Lemon, Forage and Cactus in Thar Desert of Pakistan, the results of which are encouraging. This will be beneficial for the development of area and will further increase the economic development of the people of Thar Coal Block-II. In addition a Diversity Park has been set up on 2 acres which has about 18 species of plants including different types of grasses, aloe vera and trees such as kandi, tiger, jungle jalebi, Australian tiger, neem and combat etc. Recently, in collaboration with PARC, olive plants are
being grown experimentally in the hot desert region to test the suitability in this area. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Malik, Vice President, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, said that our cooperation spans almost three and a half years. In collaboration with PARC, currently we are working on apple bair, chico, lemon, fodder and cactus. Earlier, we have developed 20 acres of orchards and fodder under high performance irrigation system established in collaboration with PARC-AZRC Umerkot which has yielded promising results in Thar Desert. Due to shortage of water in Thar, the crops are being cultivated with salt water on high Official irrigated system. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Malik, Vice President, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company appreciated the efforts of PARC in the field of agriculture and also thanked to Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman PARC for continuous support.
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MoB in inDia BuLLiES MuSLiM HijaB-wEaRinG GiRL T HE cowardice of Hindutvavadis was exposed in India after a lone hijab-wearing girl student was heckled by RSS goons in saffron shawls at a Karnataka college. “Since I started studying (here), I’ve always worn the burqa and hijab. When I entered the class, I removed the burqa… the principal said nothing, outsiders started this,” Muskan told NDTV. As she parked her scooter in the parking, the saffron scarf group shouted at her and tried to surround her, but she remained unafraid, continued walking towards the college building and chanted “Allah Hu Akbar” (Allah is great). The girl said that the mob included outsiders and boys from her college, however, the college staff supported her. “I was scared when the mob surrounded me,” she added. The protests have intensified since the hijab row in Karnataka. A few days ago, a college in Udupi had locked hijabi students outside the college. News Desk
ECP seeks early hearing against PHC ruling delaying KP LG polls’ second phase
LPG air-mix plant in Gilgit to be operationalized within six months: Hammad Azhar ISLAMABAD staff report
LPG supply for Gilgit-Baltistan, which would help reduce the LPG cylinder price in GB and provide great relief to people of the area in getting fuel at controlled rates. The minister expressed his resolve to invest in the power sector infrastructure in GB to ensure connectivity of the region with the national grid. “This shall revolutionize the power supply and boost the tourism sector of GB in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.” Further, Hammad Azhar recommended Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and Pakistan Petroleum Limited to undertake the solarization of impoverished households in GB under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. The chief minister appreciated
the energy sector reforms undertaken by the government and thanked the Energy Minister for his positive response to his requests. He lauded the keen interest shown by Hammad Azhar in the development of the region and the betterment of the GB people. “The GB is an integral part of Pakistan and the ministry is committed to ensuring energy supply to the region,” the minister said while reiterating the government’s commitment to facilitate the region. He hoped that the constant engagement with the government of Gilgit-Baltistan would bring about positive change in the energy sector of the region, besides its trickle-down effects on tourism in the area, especially during the harsh winter months.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court seeking early hearing of its pending petition against a Peshawar High Court (PHC) ruling delaying the second phase of local government polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ECP, in its appeal, requested the apex court to fix its pending petition for early hearing. A few days ago, the ECP had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the PHC’s order postponing the second phase of local government elections in KP that were scheduled to be held on March 27 this year. The PHC had postponed the next phase of LG elections, directing the ECP to hold the elections after Ramazan keeping in view the harsh weather forecast for March. The PHC had also suspended the ECP notification of January 20, 2022, regarding holding the second phase of the local body polls in 18 districts of KP on March 27, 2022. News Desk
Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar Tuesday said the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) air-mix plant would be made operational in Gilgit within a period of six months. The minister set the six-month timeline during a meeting with Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khursheed, who called on him here, stated in a press release. After the grant of extension in construction license by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was expected to start the gas supplies from the plant within the given deadline. Upon the CM’s request, Hammad Azhar also agreed to increase the
SBP imposes Rs57.83mn penalty on five banks on regulatory violation
Actions for completion of IMF program is subject to discussions: Finance Division
ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs57.834 million on five major banks on account of violation of regulatory instructions pertaining to general banking operations during the quarter ended Dec 31, 2021, as per a notice issued by the central bank. Among the banks, the highest penalty of Rs13.684mn was imposed on Bank Alhabib Limited (BAHL) for violation of SBP’s regulatory instructions while The Bank of Punjab (BoP) was fined Rs12.545mn for the same offense. News Desk
ISLAMABAD: Finance Division on Tuesday said that further actions for the successful completion of the IMF program in Sep’22 will be subject to discussions in the forthcoming reviews. Following the issuance of the IMF Staff report after the approval of the 6th Review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), different interpretations have been reported in various sections of the newspaper on the way forward with policy actions and reforms, the division said. In its clarification statement, the finance division said, “all further actions will be subject to discussions in the forthcoming reviews. After mutual consensus on actions with
IMF, these will be proposed in upcoming budget FY23.” Last week, IMF released its country report post completion of sixth review and approval of Executive Board. This report includes an assessment of the current economic situation in Pakistan, as well as the economic and financial policies to be pursued by the Pakistani authorities to address the ongoing problems. In the report, IMF has introduced new structural benchmarks which support current efforts to strengthen revenue mobilization, public financial management, energy sector feasibility, governance, and AML/CFT framework. staff report
Pakistan wants to play catalyst to bring US, China closer Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday said that Pakistan wants to play a catalyst role in bringing together the United States and China because ‘another cold war’ would not benefit anyone. In an interview with the CGTN, the premier was questioned about Pakistan’s relations with China and the United States to which he replied that the world does not need “another Cold War”. “The world should not go through a situation where it is divided into two camps, it does not benefit anyone. In fact, everyone suffers,” he said, adding that people benefit when there is cooperation between countries. He went on to say that Pakistan wants to play the role that it had played in the 1970s, when it was “instrumental” in bringing the two countries together. “The famous visit of Dr Henry Kissinger was organised by Pakistan,” he said, referring to the former US state secretary’s visit from Islamabad to Beijing in 1971. “So we hope to play that role,” the premier said, noting that Pakistan has “good relations with the US and an iron-brother relationship with China”. PM Imran expressed the hope that the world would not see another Cold War-like situation where Pakistan would have to choose sides. Pakistan wants a peaceful solution to the long-stand-
ing Kashmir dispute and hopes for early resumption of the Pakistan-India dialogue. Expressing deep concern on the worsening situation in Afghanistan, he urged the international community to pay attention to the plight of 40 million Afghan people.
The PM said both Pakistan and China have agreed that Afghanistan must be a top priority in the comity of nations. He said that the Afghan people have been facing war like situation for four decades, adding that Pakistan sustained maximum losses in the war on terror. Imran said that the PTI government not only saved the country from economic depression but also gave significant relief to the masses due to prudent economic policies. He said “we are trying to introduce the Chinese model in Pakistan for poverty alleviation”. He thanked the Chinese government for providing coronavirus vaccines as Pakistan succeeded in curtailing the spread of the virus by utilising the Chinese experience. He said that the first phase of the CPEC consisted of connectivity and now “we are entering the second phase of the project”. He said Pakistan’s 220 million people are his priority. “The only way I will get my people out of poverty is if we have economic well-being, which comes with stability and peace. If you have conflicts, the first thing that gets affected is your economy and that’s the last thing we want.” News Desk
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HEC board of governors strips chairman Dr Tariq Banuri of administrative powers The Higher Education Commission board of governors stripped the chairman, Dr Tariq Banuri, of his administrative authorities, on Tuesday, as confirmed by a member of the board. It is pertinent to note that this decision has been taken just a few weeks after he was restored to the position by the Islamabad High Court. As per the details, the move came after the secretary of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MFEPT), who is also a member of the HEC board of governors, issued a resolution, which was supported by a majority of members, to transfer Dr Banuri’s powers as chairman to the commission’s executive director. Dr Banuri was appointed chairman HEC in 2018 on a four-year term and was supposed to retire in May this year. However, he was removed from the post in March 2021 on the basis of an amendment to the HEC ordinance 2002 through a presidential ordinance that reduced the chairman’s tenure from four years to two. The federal government has already challenged before the Supreme Court the Jan 18, 2022, restoration of Dr Banuri on the post of HEC chairman and sought to set aside the IHC short order restoring the chairman on the post. Filed through Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Aamir Rehman, the government in the petition argued that the amended ordinances had been given retrospective effect with clear intendment and that the Jan 18 short order of the IHC was liable to be set aside. MFEPT Secretary Naheed S. Durrani issued a resolution on Feb 7, seeking transfer of the powers retained by Dr Banuri to HEC Executive Director Shaista Sohail until the matter was sub judice. “The powers shall be delegated to Executive Director Shaista Suhail to ensure transparency, promotion of consultative process, smooth and efficacious execution and implementation of all the orders, decisions, directives, and policies of the Commission according to the true spirit of the Commission as provided in the Ordinance,” the resolution reads. It further demanded that the HEC executive director be allowed to continue as the chairperson of the commission until the appointment of the new head. The resolution further proposed that the selection board constituted by the HEC chairperson, through a Jan 27 notification, be declared void for being contrary to HEC rules. “The process carried out by Selection Board be declared illegal because of not having the quorum,” it added. The resolution was circulated among the 21-member board of governors of the HEC for approval and was endorsed by at least 14 members, thus prompting its provisions to take effect immediately. The resolution means that while Dr Banuri will remain the HEC chairperson until any court order, he will have no authority to make administrative decisions. Dr Iqbal, one of the members who voted in favour of the resolution that “14 members, including me, endorsed the resolution initiated by the Ministry of Education and Professional Training.” Another member of the board who wished to remain anonymous also confirmed that the resolution was endorsed by 14 members. In this regard, Dr Banuri said he had seen the “socalled resolution circulated among the Commission”, adding that “prima facie, it appears to be a case of contempt of court, and should have been avoided”. “Such moves will distract the HEC from working towards its real goal of excellence in higher education, promotion of the welfare of students, and ensuring accountability and transparency,” he said. “They will also involve HEC unnecessarily in further legal controversies. “It would be advisable to avoid such conflicts and move forward. People should not be so frightened of accountability as to be willing to go to any lengths — including threatening the whole system — in order to protect their empires.” Last year, Dr Banuri had levelled serious allegations against the government-appointed HEC member Dr Ataur Rahman. After his removal, several policies initiated by him were reversed by the HEC. After his removal, Dr Banuri in an interview on a Youtube channel had alleged that he had apparently been removed for starting accountability of three HEC-funded research centres supervised by Dr Rahman. He had also alleged that these centres got around Rs1 billion funding annually but their outcome was “unsatisfactory”, adding when he asked for accountability of these centres he was directed by the federal government not to do so. He had also alleged that his objections to the “socalled knowledge economy” project under Dr Rehman, which required funding of Rs30 billion, also did not suit the government. He also alleged that he was being pressured for launching a public-private partnership in universities. It is pertinent to note that Dr Rahman last year rejected the allegations. News Desk
Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk