ISLAMABAD: E paper – January 30, 2020

CMYK

Thursday, 30 January, 2020 I 4 Jamadi-ul-Sani, 1441 I Rs 19.00 I Vol X No 211 I 16 Pages I Islamabad Edition

Govt all set to privatise six state enterprises g

27 gOvT-OWnED unPRODuCTIvE PROPERTIES TO BE SOLD ThROugh OPEn AuCTIOn In nExT TWO mOnThS

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

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hE federal government has decided to privatise six loss-making public sector enterprises (PSEs) – SmEs Bank, First Women Bank, haveli- Bahadur Shah and Balloki power plants, mari Petroleum Company Limited, Services International hotel Lahore, and Jinnah Convention Centre Islamabad – during the current fiscal year.

This was shared by Federal Privatisation minister mainmuhammad Soomro in a press conference along with Special Assistant to Prime minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Privatisation Secretary Rizwan malik.

The government will sell off these entities to generate more than Rs150 billion that would be utilised on debt servicing and

public welfare projects. mian Soomro said that the government had received 12 bids for privatization of national Power Parks management Company Limited (nPPmCL).

The nPPmCL owns the two power plants: Balloki and haveli Bahadur Shah, which have a combined generation capacity of 2,453 megawatts. he further said that investors from Japan, Thailand, the united Kingdom, malaysia and Pakistan have submitted documents. “This shows foreign investors are keen to invest in Pakistan,” he added.

The secretary of the Privatisation Commission said that the government has also planned to divest up to 7 per cent stakes in the Oil and gas Development Company (OgDC) and 10 per cent shares of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL).

The government has also decided to

sell 27 government-owned unproductive properties through an open auction in the next two months.

The government had already held roadshows for attracting investors for these 27 properties. Foreign investors from Dubai and Qatar and overseas Pakistanis had expressed interest in buying the properties, he said.

Rizwan malik said that the government has planned to revive the Pakistan Steel mills through investment from strategic investors, which would help in reducing the losses of mills.

Similarly, the government is also working to control the financial bleeding of other PSEs. On a question about the slow process in the privatization programme, the secretary said that privatization takes time for ensuring efficiency as well as transparency. he informed that the government is working on privatization of 18 PSEs and financial advisers for 14 had been appointed by following PPRA rules and Privatization ordinance. he hoped that Pakistan would resolve the issues of pending amounts against the privatization of PTCL with uAE based company Etisalat in the next few months.

Rizwan malik also said that the government has also decided to transfer three government-owned unproductive properties to naya Pakistan housing scheme and we will get a handsome amount for these properties.

Talks with IMF for third tranche of $450m to begin from Feb 3 STORY ON BACK PAGE

‘Slap of the century’: Palestinians reject Trump Mideast plan

Pakistan backs Palestine’s call for state with pre-1967 borders STORIES ON BACK PAGE & 08

ECC again defers hike in gas prices g

SBP DIRECTED TO SELL ITS ShARES In hOuSE BuILDIng FInAnCE COmPAny LImITED STORY ON PAGE 11

Four Pakistani students in China contract coronavirus EDITORIAL: The kids in Wuhan STORIES ON PAGE 03 & 08

Two polio workers killed as three new cases emerge

STORY ON PAGE 03

Irresponsible Modi claims ‘Pakistan will fall within 10 days’

EDITORIAL: Trump’s deal of the century CMYK

STORY ON BACK PAGE

2 mortar shells fired into Pakistan’s territory from Afghanistan STORY ON PAGE 02

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

02 NEWS

sindh ig meets Pm as ProvinCial govt Pushes for his removal ISLAMABAD/KARACHI

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Bilawal says Pm imran ‘won’t do his joB and agree to an ig’

STAFF REPORT

MID an ongoing tussle between the federal government and Sindh over the replacement of the incumbent provincial police chief, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday met Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Kaleem Imam at Prime Minister’s Office to discuss “law and order” situation.

During the meeting, IGP Imam briefed PM Imran regarding the law and order situation in the province.

Though the prime minister initially agreed to change the Sindh IG, the federal cabinet next day decided against appointing Mushtaq Mahar as the Sindh police chief and sought more names from the provincial government.

Briefing the press about the issues discussed in the federal cabinet meeting, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said Prime

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Imran, saying that the “PM won’t do his job & agree to an IG” as the federal government delayed appointment of the new Sindh police chief. Taking to Twitter, Bhutto reacted to the federal government’s decision to defer the appointment of the new Sindh IG. Bilawal stated that the prime minister had changed Islamabad IG when “he didn’t obey illegal orders to take action against a poor family”, referring to the incident involving Azam Swati more than a year ago. “PM changed IG Islamabad as he didn’t obey illegal orders to take action against a poor family who’s cow had dared to stray into a ministers home. After months of deteriorating law and order, on public demand, when the elected representatives of the people of Sindh 1/2,” he tweeted. “Send 5 names on basis of seniority for a new IG to federal government. PM won’t do his job & agree to an IG. This is another eg of #AikNahiDo Pakistan & the joke that is #NayaPakistan. It would be funny if this did not have such serious consequences for real peoples lives. 2/2”. NEWS DESK

Minister Imran Khan had directed Sindh Governor Imran Ismail to once again discuss names for the new IGP with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

‘SINDH WON’T GIVE NEW NAMES’: Meanwhile, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani said that the provincial government will neither

meet governor nor recommend any new name for the appointment of Sindh IG. Ghani stressed that the federal government must select a name for the already given list of the proposed nominees for the top slot. He maintained that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had also told PM Imran Khan of the reasons for his government’s move to remove Dr Kaleem Imam. The PPP leader further claimed that the Sindh CM and the PM had agreed on one name but the decision was changed after the federal cabinet’s meeting.

Saeed Ghani said the IGs of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are changed in thirty minutes, whereas it takes 30 days for the same procedure in Sindh.

While commenting on the Sindh High Court’s decision of nullifying the transfer notifications of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Khadim Hussain Rind and Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr Rizwan, he said we don’t agree with the verdict but are bound to accept it.

SC orders re-inquiry against FBR officer over illegal tax refunds ISLAMABAD INP

sC seeks reply from naB after omni group chief files bail plea ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) while hearing a petition filed by Omni Group chief Anwar Majeed, seeking bail in the ongoing fake bank accounts case. A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Atta Bandial, heard the bail plea. Over the course of the hearing, Justice Bandial asked how can this court take into account the merit of the case when Majeed is under treatment and has not participated in the bureau’s investigation. “Majeed did not cooperate with the court at all,” the bench noted.

Justice Mazhar Alam said the high court had not given any decision with regard to the petitioner’s treatment. NAB’s investigation against the accused couldn’t be completed because he remained hospitalised, Justice Faisal Arab remarked, adding the accused wants to go abroad for treatment. Defense counsel informed the judges that his client is under treatment for the last one month and needs to go abroad for a surgical treatment. STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered re-inquiry against a Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officer over illegal tax refunds.

A three-member bench headed

by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed heard the case and ordered the FBR to complete its inquiry against DC Sales Tax Abdul Hameed Anjum in an undue refund of taxes.

“How an officer being cleared and another punished with the same offence,” the court questioned. The CJP expressed his disappointment and asked, “Why you people not telling the truth to the court?”

“Do not play games because we knew you will produce an old inquiry

before the court. Do you not catch an officer involved in misconduct?” the chief justice asked the FBR officer who appeared before the court. The bench dismissed the matter with an order of re-inquiry against the officer within three months.

The FBR had removed DC Sales Tax Abdul Hameed Anjum who was allegedly involved in allowing refund of vouchers worth of Rs87 mil-

No compromise on discipline, PM tells sacked KP ministers NEWS DESK Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday told the two sacked ministers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) that removing them was a difficult decision to make but he could not compromise on discipline.

lion to three companies in Karachi.

He had challenged his removal in the Federal Service Tribunal (FST) which acquitted him from the alleged charges with the ruling that no evidence was found against the petitioner to support the allegations.

Two other officials, Officer Inland Revenue Service (IRS) Ashfaq Ali Tuneuo and Senior Auditor Ameerul Haq, who were also allegedly involved in the matter, had also moved the FST and the tribunal had sent their cases to the FBR with the direction to decide departmental appeal of both the officials.

After investigating the matter, the fact-finding committee of the FBR had recommended initiating a regular inquiry against Ashfaq Ali Tuneuo.

Atif Khan and Shahram Khan Tarakai called on the prime minister at his office in the federal capital. “I never give importance to personalities and have always made difficult decisions,” the premier told them.

“You are my reliable fellows in KP and I hope you will continue working hard for the party in the province,” he added.

The two-party leaders expressed confidence in the premier’s leadership and assured him that they would continue their services for the party.

They also denied reports that they were planning on ousting the chief minister. Earlier on January 26, the KP government had removed three ministers from their positions who were allegedly the masterminds of ‘a pressure group’.

2 mortar shells fired into Pakistan territory from afghanistan ISLAMABAD: Two mortar shells were fired into Pakistan from Afghanistan, however, no casualties were reported, a statement issued by Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said on Wednesday. Following the incident, the Torkham border gate was closed off for security reasons, Farooqui added. “The matter is being coordinated with Afghan authorities,” she said, adding that the gate is likely to be opened soon. “Some mortars were fired from across the border in Afghanistan and landed inside Pakistan.

They caused some damage to vehicles,” Mahmood Aslam Wazir, deputy district commissioner of the area on the Pakistani side, told Reuters. However, an Afghan official denied that Afghan forces had fired into Pakistan. “In the past, Pakistan has played the same game whenever they want to close the Torkham crossing,” Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, alleged. Prime Minister Imran Khan had last year decided to keep the Torkham border crossing open for 24 hours in order to facilitate trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Despite measures to improve ties, however, there have been several incidents of border skirmishes between the Afghanistan and Pakistan forces. In October last year, 11 people were injured in a border skirmish between the Pakistan and Afghanistan forces after the latter fired mortars and heavy machine guns in Narai district of Kunar province, targeting the civilian population in the Arandu village.

According to Abdul Ghani Musamem, a government official in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, the clashes had erupted when Afghan troops used force to stop the construction of a border installation.

Pakistan Army is currently fencing the border and building forts for paramilitary forces along the porous Pak-Afghan border to check illegal cross-border movement of people. AGENCIES

Over 2,000 govt employees on FIA’s radar for BISP fraud NEWS DESK The government has referred cases against more than 2,000 government employees to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) so that action may be taken against their illegal actions of benefiting from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

This was revealed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar during a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Akbar said the government has also written to all chief secretaries and the Establishment Division for taking departmental action against, and recovering funds from, the government officers who benefited from BISP, which is aimed at providing financial support to the deserving poor and destitute.

Earlier in December, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Sania Nishtar

had warned that the details of government employees or their spouses who were undeserving beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), identified in a move to make the programme more transparent, would be sent to relevant departments for legal action.

According to the details, the majority of the cases (33.81 per cent) of undeserving beneficiaries were found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed by 29.67 in Punjab, 22.32 in Sindh, 5.52 in Balochistan, 5.0 in erstwhile FATA, 2.12 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 1.01 and 0.26 per cent in Gilgit Baltistan and Islamabad respectively.

It may be noted here that a major chunk of the 140,000 people who illegally benefited from the BISP were government employees of grade 1 to 16 while the rest (2,037) were officers of grade 17 to 22.

Giving a breakdown of the cases identified across the country, SAPM Akbar said the number of government employees

of grade 17 and above whose spouses fraudulently benefited from BISP was nine in Azad Kashmir and 40 in GilgitBaltistan. As many as 554 officers or their spouses benefited from the programme in Balochistan, 342 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 101 in Punjab and 938 in Sindh.

A total of 39 employees of grade 1 to 16 and four officers of grade 17 and above who worked for BISP itself benefited from the programme; they have now been fired. Among employees of the federal government, this number was 48.

He also revealed the names of several officers from the education department in Balochistan who had two wives, both of whom were benefiting from BISP. Akbar explained that during the past month, the government decided to ask the FIA to register criminal cases against the government officers and the people who assisted them in the corrupt practice as they had drawn out the funds from the federal budget.

CMYK

“This is a lack of transparency of the system and its regulations that this went on for years and the officers continued to withdraw money,” Akbar said, adding that it was important to “name and shame” people who consumed funds

meant for the poor.

Digital payment mechanism with biometric verification is in place now for the BISP beneficiaries that will reduce the chances of identity theft and fraudulent withdrawals.

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

NEWS

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four Pakistani students in China ContraCt Coronavirus PM’S SPECIAL ASSISTANT SAYS THERE ARE NO CONFIRMED CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

N contrast to the claims made by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi that Pakistan community in China was safe, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Wednesday confirmed that four Pakistani students in Wuhan, the birthplace of the deadly virus, have contracted the disease.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Mirza said that a large proportion of the Pakistanis living in China are students of which over 500 students are based in Wuhan. The premier’s special assistant said that there were four Pakistani students confirmed to have the coronavirus with links to Wuhan. On Prime Minister Imran Khan’s behalf, Mirza assured the families of the children that the government will take care of them and all Pakistanis in China. “We will take care of them the same way we would care for our own children,” he said.

Mirza, however, said that no case of the coronavirus has been confirmed in

death toll from Coronavirus mounts to 132 as foreigners evaCuate China BEIJING: Countries began evacuating their citizens on Wednesday from the Chinese city hardest-hit by an outbreak of a new virus that has killed 132 people and infected more than 6,000 on the mainland and abroad. A Japanese flight carrying evacuees home included four people with coughs and fevers.

The three men and one woman were taken to a Tokyo hospital in separate ambulances for treatment and further medical checks. It wasn’t immediately known whether they were infected with the new type of coronavirus that appeared in the central city of Wuhan in December. Its symptoms, including cough and fever and in severe cases pneumonia, are similar to many other illnesses. China’s latest figures cover the previous 24 hours and add 26 to the number of deaths, 25 of which were in the central province of Hubei and its capital, Wuhan. The 5,974 cases on the mainland marked a rise of 1,459 from the previous day, although that rise is a smaller increase than the 1,771 new cases reported on Monday. Dozens of infections have been confirmed abroad as well. The United Arab Emirates, home to long haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, confirmed its first case on Wednesday in a person who had come from Wuhan, the state-run news agency reported. AGENCIES

Pakistan yet. “There is not even one confirmed case of coronavirus inside Pakistan,” he said, adding that there were four individuals suspected of having the virus who were then kept under observation and their samples were collected.

Mirza said that their health was improving and per the evidence, they could say with a great degree of certainty that the individuals do not have coronavirus. The premier’s special assistant added that the cabinet had also discussed the virus during which he had presented a short briefing.

Mirza said that the government and himself were in constant contact with the Foreign Office as well as with Pakistan’s ambassador in China as well as the embassy.

CORONAVIRUS: The new virus has killed 132 people and infected more than 6,000 in mainland China and abroad so far. The United Arab Emirates, home to long haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, also confirmed its first case on Wednesday in a person who had come from Wuhan, the state-run news agency reported.

The infection is believed to have originated in a wild animal market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where it jumped to humans before spreading rapidly across the country, prompting authorities to enact drastic nationwide travel restrictions in recent days.

WHO’S GUIDE TO AVOID CORONAVIRUS: WHO’s standard recommendations for the general public to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are as follows, which include hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices: l Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water; l When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands; l Avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough; l If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider; l When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals; l The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.

Mohsin Dawar released, 23 activists sent to jail ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Judicial magistrate Mohammad Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday released Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) and North Waziristan lawmaker Moshin Dawar, Awami Workers Party (AWP) leader Ismat Shahjahan and four others for taking part in a protest against the arrest of PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen while sending 23 others to Adiala Jail on judicial remand.

The 23 attendees of the protest were presented before the judicial magistrate in a local court in Islamabad.

During the proceedings, defence counsel lawyer Asad Jamal told the court that the protesters had not caused any destruction or posed any sort of resistance during the protest. He alleged that under pressure, the police had registered a case against the peaceful protesters.

“The police case is based in bad faith. Sections 505A (defaming army), 505-B (statements conducing to public mischief) and 124-A (sedition) [of the Pakistan Penal Code] do not apply,” he said, adding: “Police say that slogans were chanted against forces. Who was leading the chants? What evidence does the police have?”

Meanwhile, the police said they still have to make a challan and collect some evidence. Sending the 23 individuals to Adiala Jail, the judicial magistrate ordered that they be presented again on February 12.

On Tuesday, Islamabad police had arrested Dawar and 28 other PTM workers from outside the press club where they had gathered to stage a protest against the arrest of the group’s chief, Manzoor Pashteen, who was arrested from Peshawar on Monday and shifted to Dera Ismail Khan in a ‘sedition’ case pertaining to a speech he made in Dera Ismail Khan on Jan 18.

DAWAR DENOUNCES STATES’S HIGH-HANDEDNESS: In a post on Twitter, Dawar said the PTM was protesting against the arrest of Pashteen during which they were arrested.

“There wasn’t a single report of violence by protesters from around the world. I attended the protest in Islamabad and the protesters here were as peaceful as in the other places,” he said. In a subsequent tweet, he added: “However, the state reminded us once again that our rights don’t mean much as they didn’t bother to create even flimsy grounds for our arrests. I was dragged along with other comrades of PTM and [Awami Workers Party]

AWP including Ismat Shahjahan, Ammar Rashid and many others.” The MNA said that following the arrests they were distributed to various police stations.

“I was told by the police that they were setting me free. I told them that I will not go until all the others are set free as well. Then they came back again, telling me that they will set all free so I decided to leave,” he wrote. Dawar, however, said he had since found out that some of the protesters were still in jail, adding that after getting a full idea of the number of protesters still in custody, they would protest until all were released.

“As our freedoms are shrinking silence is not an option. The fight to win back our right to dissent is a common cause that transcends ethnicities and beliefs.

Speak up and be counted, your life means nothing if you don’t have the freedom to disagree,” he concluded. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) chief and National Assembly Opposition Leader, Shehbaz Sharif, condemned the use of force by the capital police. “Peaceful protest is fundamental human right & central to growth of democracy. Constitution clearly provides framework for resolution of all disputes through dialogue & engagement.

two Polio workers killed as three new Cases emerge PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT

Two polio workers were killed on Wednesday when their team came under attack in Swabi’s Parmoli area. According to Swabi District Police Officer Imran Shahid, unidentified men opened fire at the polio team while they were on duty. As a result of the firing, a lady health worker was killed on the spot while another was severely injured. The injured lady health worker was rushed to the Kalu Khan Hospital. She was later shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, where she succumbed to her injuries during the course of treatment, according to LRH Medical Director Dr Khalid Masood.

Taking notice of the attack, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed Inspector General of Police Sanaullah Abbasi to submit a report on the incident. He further directed the police to take strict action against the perpetrators of the attack. Attacks on polio workers are common in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. This is one of the biggest hindrances to the eradication of polio from the country. Meanwhile, three more polio cases were reported in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), taking the total number of cases to six in the current year.

According to the Health Ministry, poliovirus was detected in a 26-month-old child in Jumo Agham Union Council of Sindh’s Ratodero. In KP, an 11-month-old child was found to be infected with the disease in Tank district. Reportedly, the parents of the child had refused the administration of the polio vaccine to the infant. The third case was reported in Balochistan where a 20-month-old child was diagnosed with the disease in Sikandarabad Union Council of Balochistan’s Dera Murad Jamali. The child had been vaccinated against the disease thrice and their blood sample was collected on January 3, but regardless the child became infected. This was the first polio case in Balochistan during the current year.

Journalist arrested for ‘anti-state’ remarks to remain in jail as bail rejected NEWS DESK A sessions court in Lahore on Wednesday denied bail to journalist Azharul Haq Wahid, who has been accused of making ‘anti-state’ remarks and criticising former military strongman General (r) Pervez Musharraf on the social media.

FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing had arrested the journalist, who was associated with Channel Five and Khabrain newspaper, on January 17 and had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against him for uploading “anti-state” and “defamatory material against the public functionaries and state departments” through his Facebook account.

However, the nature of the “anti-state” content in question remains unclear. It may be noted here that Wahid was arrested when he appeared before the court to record his statement in an inquiry initiated against him. Counsel of the journalist Advocate Mian Dawood said the FIA had arrested his client for criticising the policies of the PTI government and acquittal of former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf in the high treason case, arguing that a judicial magistrate had dismissed Wahid’s bail application without considering the facts. He argued that a judicial magistrate had dismissed Wahid’s bail application without considering the facts.

He said it was against the rules of fair

trial to only accept findings of FIA’s investigation and that the Constitution’s Articles 8 and 9 guarantee the protection of a citizen’s fundamental rights.

According to the lawyer, subordinate courts were bound to grant bail in cases registered under sections mandating punishments of less than 10 years.

“The young journalist has been targeted and arrested only to create further fear in the media,” Dawood said. “Can criticism against ministers or certain persons be considered criticism against an institution?” he asked during the hearing.

The lawyer said the journalist was also raising his voice for the issues of countless poor people from his Facebook page.

govt to resolve journalists’ issues through ProteCtion law: firdous ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday said that the federal government will resolve media workers’ issues through a journalists’ protection law. Firdous Ashiq Awan, while briefing the Senate’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, said the government was holding consultations with the stakeholders over journalists’ issues. She added that the owners of media houses will be contacted in light of the recommendations tabled by the journalist organisations. While apprising the Senate body, Awan said the government was accountable to the nation and it was the prime responsibility of the government to find the solution to the media crisis. “It is necessary to listen to both sides. Media owners have not established a service structure after appointing employees. Whenever needed, the private organisation receives services of a person and later terminates its employees. INP

04 ISLAMABAD

Thursday, 30 January 2020

WEATHER UPDATES THURSDAY

160C 060C

BRT PeshawaR To Be comPleTed By maRch 2020, says shaukaT yousafzai PESHAWAR

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STAFF REPORT

HyBER Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Shaukat yousafzai on Wednesday informed that Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Peshawar project will be completed by the end of March this year.

Talking to media in Peshawar, the provincial information minister ruling out the propaganda of increase in the cost of the BRT Peshawar, he said the total cost of BRT Peshawar project is Rs34 billion.

He challenged the critics to expose corruption in the mega project. Shaukat yousafzai said the civil work of the Bus

Rapid Transit Peshawar project has been completed and it will be completed by the end of March this year.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had directed on May 12, last year, to work day and night for completion of the Peshawar BRT project.

Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had decided to seek more time from Peshawar High Court (PHC) for completing probe into Bus Rapid Transit Peshawar. In the so far investigation, the FIA has recorded statements of officials of the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Local Bodies and others. However, some of the departments refrain from offering technical support in the probe, sources said.

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Book exposing reality of India’s false flag operations launched ISLAMABAD: A book covering a critical evaluation of India’s constant false flag operations against Pakistan was launched here on Tuesday.

The book ‘Ganga to Pulwama – India’s False Flag Operations’, written

by Dr Junaid Ahmad and Ibnul Hasan Rizvi, is an eye-opener for everybody to see that how India, with its planned game of deception, has been hoodwinking the world by portraying Pakistan as a terrorist country.

On the occasion, former senator Javed Jabbar delivered a comprehensive review of the book, followed by Sabuha Khan who presented her views about the publication. Vice Admiral (r) Arifullah Hussaini expressed his thoughts about the book, followed by musings on the book by author Ibnul Hasan Rizvi. After the speeches, an extensive question-answer session was held wherein the participants asked particular questions about the facts described by the book and the results derived therein.

The book comprehensively covers eight of India’s false flag operations starting with hijacking of Ganga aeroplane in January 1971, Indian parliament attack in December 2001, arson in train at Godhra leading to Gujarat Carnage in 2002, Samjhota Express arson in February 2007, Mumbai attacks in November 2008, Pathankot in January 2016, Uri attack in September 2016 and Pulwama in February 2019. The book launching ceremony organized by the Readers Club at Arts Council of Pakistan was attended by a large number of intellectuals, academicians, security analysts and civil society members.

The purpose of the book is to serve as a caution to Pakistanis and the international community against India’s ultimate game of deception. The book has established that how a hegemonic country like India, with the support of ruthless and corrupt rulers, can brow beat its smaller neighbours and eventu-

ally the entire world. From the several incidents, the book has derived a definite pattern which should be enough to squash and rebut India’s allegations.

The pattern which emerges from these incidents can be summerised with facts covering how India blamed Pakistan for all the incidents without any proof.

Despite the fact that no Pakistani was ever involved in any of the above operations. Even Ajmal Kasab of Mumbai attacks was later found to be an Indian. All attackers were killed by the Indians within few hours leaving no one alive, the speakers said. All the people killed in these attacks belonged to lower caste Hindus or Muslims and no upper caste Hindu, VIP, foreigner or journalist was ever killed, the speakers said.

Besides this, the Indian government managed to brow beat the investigators and in fact even investigation agencies were changed to get the desired investigation reports, the speakers said. STAFF REPORT

IHC approves interim bail of Ahsan Iqbal's brother Mustafa Kamal ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday approved interim bail of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal’s brother Mustafa Kamal. A two-member bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah conducted the hearing. The interim bail was approved by the high court against surety bonds worth Rs0.5 million. The court directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to not arrest Mustafa Kamal till February 10 in a case pertaining to corruption in the beautification of Rawalpindi/Islamabad metro bus route. The IHC also sought reply from the anti-corruption watchdog on February 10. STAFF REPORT

CMYK

Thursday, 30 January 2020

NEWS

FIRDOUS CRITICISES PML-N LEADERSHIP FOR 'FLEEING' TO LONDON Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcast Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday slammed Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s (PML-N) leadership, saying “noora league” fled from the political ground. Awan, in a series of tweets, pointing towards former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif by saying that both are absconding from the country. “The absconding leaders were seen in good health [in leaked pictures]… on the other hand, the PML-N top leaders were remained severely ill in legal documents submitted in the courts,” she said. “These leaders are still receiving salaries from the Parliament but they are unavailable to the nation.

The looters cannot save themselves from accountability.” Earlier on Jan 14, while expressing doubts over the medical report of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Awan had said that Pakistan Muslim League supremo is enjoying picnics and lavish dinners in London. Talking to journalists, Firdous raised questions over the “critical” nature of Nawaz Sharif’s health, said that he was having dinners at hotels and attending political meetings in London.

NEWS DESK

HAMEED HAROON FILES DEFAMATION CASE AGAINST JAMI KARACHI: Dawn Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hameed Haroon on Wednesday filed a defamation case against filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood, better known as Jami, in the Sindh High Court (SHC). In October 2019, Jami had accused a “media tycoon” of raping him 13 years ago and on December 28. Although he had not named Hameed Haroon immediately at the time, he publically named him a few months later on December 30 on social media website Twitter. In his petition, the Dawn CEO detailed the accusations levelled by Jami and urged the court to “perpetually restrain [the filmmaker], through himself or by instigating others, from making […] defamatory statements”. Earlier this month, Haroon who had earlier issued a statement denying the rape, had sent Jami a legal notice under Section 8 of the Defamation Ordinance 2002, asking for an unconditional public apology and retraction of rape allegations. In response, the filmmaker had called for the withdrawal of Haroon’s legal notice within a week. It may be mentioned here that the petitioner has also asked the court to direct Jami to “permanently remove/delete the defamatory statements” from his Twitter account while also demanding that Jami pays Rs1 billion “to be disbursed to any charitable organisation or for any noble cause, including the freedom of the press, that the court deems appropriate”. Hameed Haroon has alleged that Jami’s allegations were timed to coincide with protests against his newspaper while adding in his petition that “Dawn was specifically being targeted by the defendant (Jami)” and that the filmmaker had not provided “even an iota of proof”. STAFF REPORT

05

Govt to introduce another ordinance for GilGit-Baltistan PREMIER HOLDS MEETING WITH LAWMAKERS FROM GB TO FINALISE DRAFT ORDINANCE GOVT TO WITHDRAW REVIEW APPEAL IN SC AGAINST GB ORDINANCE, 2019 ISLAMABAD

t

GHULAM ABBAS

HE Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is all set to introduce another presidential ordinance related to governance in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). Sources informed this scribe that Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with GB governor, chief minister and other lawmakers on Wednesday to finalise the draft ordinance after months of consultations with stakeholders.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Kashmir Affairs and GB Ali Amin Gandapur, secretary Kashmir affairs, GB chief secretary and other officials from civilian and defence institutions.

According to sources, the meeting has given a goahead to the proposed GB Ordinance, 2020 and it is expected to be approved by the federal cabinet soon. The new ordinance is an amended version of the GB Ordinance, 2019, which was approved by the Supreme Court (SC) in January last year.

An official in the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and GB informed this scribe that the new ordinance will give all administrative powers to the government of the GB without undermining the Kashmir cause. “This is a sensitive topic as the fate of GB is linked to the deci-

sion of the Kashmir dispute as per the resolutions of the United Nations (UN),” the official added.

The official also confided in this scribe that the government has amended some sections of the previous ordinance which had been criticised by relevant stakeholders and had prompted the government to file an appeal in the apex court against the ordinance. “Now that the government has amended those sections, it will withdraw its appeal and will ask the court to accept the amended ordinance instead,” the official added.

As the GB Ordinance 2019 was in limbo, the GB Governance Order, 2018, which was introduced by the

Tezgam inferno caused by short circuit, not cylinder blast NEWS DESK The Tezgam inferno in which 70 passengers were burnt to death was sparked by a short circuit, Pakistan Railways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dost Muhammad Leghari revealed on Tuesday while talking to a local news channel.

Leghari said that an inquiry had confirmed that the twelfth coach of the Tezgam Express had caught fire after an electric kettle short-circuited and caught fire, adding that the coach was being supplied electricity ‘illegally’ from another coach.

He also shared that 15 officials, including a deputy divisional superintendent and a commercial officer, have been suspended in view of the inquiry’s findings. Earlier at the time of the incident that took place on October 30, it was reported that the train had caught fire due to gas exploded gas canisters used by Tableeghi Jamaat passengers to cook breakfast near Talwari Station in Liaquatpur area of Rahim Yar Khan. The train was bound from Karachi to Rawalpindi. The deadly inferno destroyed three coaches of the train.

Television footage showed unforgiving flames rising out of the carriages as people could be heard crying right outside. Some commuters died and several were also injured when they jumped from the moving train in a bid to escape the flames.

Survivors said it took nearly 20 minutes for the train to stop, amid contradictory reports about whether the train’s brakes and the safety cords were working or not. However, no confirmation has been given about this by the Railways CEO. Soon after the incident, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had said that measures

would be taken to ensure that anyone carrying items that could cause such damage would not be allowed on board. “We admit our mistake and I assure you, this will not happen next time,” he had assured during a press conference.

Earlier on Tuesday, Leghari, in response to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed’s remarks of shutting down Pakistan Railways if it was incapable of sorting its affairs, pleaded that the department not be closed as it connects all the four provinces. Leghari promised that Railways officers and workers will work together to improve the train journey for passengers across the country. “Pakistan Railways is planning to add more freight trains to decrease the losses of the department. For the first time, the organisation was able to register a profit of five billion by increasing the number of passenger trains,” he claimed. “It is the most corrupt department,” Justice Gulzar had remarked during the hearing of a case related to Railways losses.

The CJP had also emphasised that Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed should have taken the ethical route by resigning after the Tezgam incident that happened under his watch.

previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, was being implemented in the region.

It is worth mentioning here that when the PML-N government introduced the GB Governance Order, 2018, it was widely opposed by the people of the region because, under the order, the prime minister enjoyed a central authority. Subsequently, the apex court started hearing the matter and after a number of hearings asked the government to implement GB Ordinance, 2019 within 15 days. However, the centre soon filed an appeal against the ordinance and continued the implementation of the GB Governance Order, 2018.

IHC SEEKS RESPONSE FROM VAWDA ON PLEA SEEKING HIS DISQUALIFICATION ISLAMABAD: A day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) admitted for hearing a plea seeking disqualification of Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda for allegedly concealing his US nationality when filing his nomination papers during the 2018 general elections, the court on Wednesday directed Vawda to submit his response. During the proceedings, which were presided over by Justice Aamer Farooq, prosecutor Mian Mohammad Faisal’s counsel, Advocate Jehangir Jadoon, contended that the minister had submitted a false affidavit when filing his nomination papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). When asked by the court what the last date for filing the nomination papers was, the lawyer informed the court that June 11, 2018, was the last date, before presenting the affidavit submitted by Vawda. “The minister was a dual national when he submitted his nomination papers. According to the Supreme Court’s decision, Vawda was supposed to relinquish his US nationality before filing the nomination papers,” the lawyer said. “He is the federal minister for water resources and is overseeing major projects. He should be stopped from working,” the lawyer added.

After hearing the arguments, the court directed Vawda to submit a reply by Feb 24. According to the petition, Vawda contested the elections from NA-249 (West-II) Karachi in July 2018 on a ticket of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). However, he was a dual national when he filed his nomination papers and concealed his US nationality by taking a false oath before the ECP claiming “he didn’t have any foreign nationality”, the petition added. It was only after Vawda’s papers were approved did he apply to renunciate his American nationality at the US Consulate, Karachi, on June 22, the petition said, adding that the US Consulate issued the renunciation certificate to Vawda on June 25. The petition also stated that Vawda had submitted an affidavit on June 11, 2018, claiming that he was not a dual national even though his foreign nationality was intact at the time. STAFF REPORT

Court offers Justice Isa’s wife to record statement in assets case ISLAMABAD APP

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday said that Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s wife could be given a chance if she wanted to answer on foreign assets.

A ten-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Mazhar Alam

Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, heard the case regarding proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Isa. The reference filed against Justice Isa alleges that he acquired three properties in London on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015, but did not disclose them in wealth returns.

During the course of proceedings, Salman Akram Raja, counsel for Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), while continuing his arguments, said that the sources of property attributable to Justice Isa were foreign and in this case, there was no question of money laundering. The court asked if the statements are not correct and could the tax authorities seek clarification from the judges. The bench asked whether judges were exempted from the tax matters.

The counsel said that judges were not

exempted in this regard, however, in this case, the judge was made accused without knowing the sources of income of his wife and children. He alleged that the reference was malicious.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked about the evidence regarding leakage of reference proceedings in the media. Upon which the counsel replied that newspaper and TV records would be provided in this regard.

Salman Akram Raja said that according to media reports Justice Isa's wife vis-

ited the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) office to find out the procedure for transfer of tax records and reasons for not giving notice on foreign assets. However, the concerned authorities did not cooperate with her, he added.

The court remarked that Justice Isa's wife could be given a chance if she wanted to answer on foreign assets. The court directed the FBR officials to cooperate with the judge's wife and adjourned the hearing of the case till Monday.

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

06 WORLD VIEW

Trump's 'peace plan': The farce, The fraud and The fury US ARROGANCE TOWARDS THE PALESTINIANS WILL BACKFIRE, BIGLY

Al JAzeerA

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MARwAn BIshARA

hE Trump administration has finally lifted the curtains on the final act of its Middle East diplomacy by revealing the longawaited, ahem, "peace plan" in a surrealistic White house celebration.

I will admit from the outset that I cannot write about it with a straight face, considering the absurdity of the last three years of Trump policies towards Israel and Palestine.

To call it a "peace plan" is to do injustice to the infamous "peace process" and its many failed "peace plans". It is so much worse, that a better term for it would be an "assault on peace".

Everything about the plan is farcical.

Its pompous name, the "Deal of the Century"; its unfit author, Jared Kushner, a fanatic Zionist supporter of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land; its premise, "when humiliation does not work, more humiliation will"; its bizarre framing as a lovefest between the American and Israeli right; and its absurd substance, which punishes the victims and rewards the aggressors.

In the three decades of the Americanled "peace process", successive administrations at least pretended to engage, consult or listen to the Palestinian side, even when doing Israel's bidding.

But since occupying the White house, the Trump administration has, on Netanyahu's advice, unashamedly acted to permanently deprive the Palestinians of their participation in the negotiations - and deprive them of their land, liberty and dignity.

And today, the Trump administration, in complicity with the Netanyahu government, is taking the root causes of the protracted conflict in Palestine, repackaging them and presenting them as a permanent solution.

THEATRE OF THE ABSURD: The devil is not in the detail; it's in the headlines of Trump's initiative. So, to resolve

the problem of the illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian lands, Trump wants them legalised and recognised as part of Israel. To resolve the problem of Israel's illegal annexation of occupied Jerusalem, Trump wants it recognised as the capital of Israel and Israel alone.

To deal with the question of Palestinian refugees and their inalienable right of return and compensation, Trump wants to prevent their return.

To solve the problem of violent, repressive and inhumane Israeli control over the Palestinians, Trump wants to see that extended indefinitely. Even after the Palestinians meet all the new conditions imposed on them, they would still be at the mercy of Israel's security forces.

The Trump plan tramples over United Nations Security Council resolution 242, which requires Israel to return to its 1967 borders (or to their approximate, according to past US initiatives), and redraws the borders to suit Israel's settlements and facilitate its control.

Instead of ending Israel's apartheid system in Palestine, Trump wants to see it continue under a different name, at least until his promise for a provisional Palestinian "state" is fulfilled, one which will have no sovereignty or independence.

Basically, Trump envisions half a Palestinian state on half of the West Bank, but only after the Palestinians combat terrorism and recognise Israel as a Jewish state extending over some 90 percent of historic Palestine.

Trump's embrace of apartheid in the holy land, as a pragmatic even indispensable prerequisite for "peace" and stability adds insult to Palestinian injury.

And lest we forget, the Trump administration has already closed down the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, suspended aid to the Palestinian Authority, transferred the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and repealed US recognition of the refugee issue by suspending all funding to UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

THE FRAUD BEHIND THE FARCE: Future generations will probably remember nothing of significance from Trump's

80-page plan, but they will recall the soap opera behind the "Deal of the Century": how an inexperienced but ambitious manboy named Jared manipulated his fatherin-law, the powerful president, to support the fraudulent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay in power, and help Israel maintain all it gained illegally through war and violence.

If Jared cannot solve the Middle East conundrum, Trump remarked last month, no one can. he actually said that! A slap in the face to countless able American diplomats.

At any rate, no one really believes Trump is acting deliberatively, fairly or altruistically. No one. I suppose not even the president himself.

Nor does any reasonable person believe that the talented Mr Netanyahu is anything but a fraud - certainly not Israel's own attorney general, who indicted him on fraud charges just weeks before the US house of Representatives impeached Mr Trump over the abuse of power.

What a great couple they make! What a match! Netanyahu has obviously a lot to gain, but what is in it for Trump?

The president is clearly after the vote of evangelical Christians, especially after some have denounced him recently; and of course, he is after the support of rich radical Zionists like Sheldon Adelson.

And Trump is seemingly buying into

the ego trip - or trap - laid out for him by radical evangelicals and Zionists who have designated him a Jewish Messiah, destined to save not only the Jewish people, but the world.

Being a messiah certainly beats being a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. It has a nicer ring to it.

So it is opportunism, populism and cynicism all wrapped in one deal, as Trump sacrifices whatever is left of US credibility on the international scene to get himself a second term - and Netanyahu a fourth.

Indeed, as one prominent former US diplomat remarked, never has an American president conceded to a foreign leader so much, so quickly, for so little, until the self-declared "great dealmaker" appeared on the scene.

And so the farce continues: the blatant lies, the obvious complicity, the offensive deceit - and the disastrous consequences.

It is so outrageous that even leading American Zionist officials and diplomats, who long stood behind unconditional support for Israel, feel eerie and anxious about Trump's "disastrous" plan.

It is as tragic as it is laughable. But it will also prove dangerously disruptive for the region and America's standing in it.

ARROGANCE BEFORE THE DOWNFALL: The Trump administration is banking on the more vulnerable or

The real goal of Trump’s Middle East plan

Politico ROBERT MALLEY And AAROn dAVId MILLER

The Trump administration’s long awaited and ill-named peace plan has many objectives, but making peace isn’t among them.

Neither is jump-starting negotiations, or nudging the parties toward compromise, or even enshrining implicit, private understandings in the hope Israelis and Palestinians might eventually publicly espouse them— each one of which, as we know from successful and unsuccessful experience, has been featured as the goal of past American plans.

The motives behind a document conceived without any Palestinian input, unveiled on the same day as an important vote in the Israeli parliament on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s immunity, and less than a year before Americans vote for their next president, are at once more mundane and more grandiose.

The mundane reasons, first. It’s hard not to see in the timing an effort by Trump to help Netanyahu in Israel’s elections six weeks from now, and, more than that, an effort by Trump to help Trump – to shore up support from evangelicals and conservative Republicans as he heads into his re-election campaign.

Critics argue that the administration ought to have waited for the outcome of the March Israeli elections and the formation of a new government, but that misses the point. To wait that long would mean waiting until May, if not longer should elections once again end inconclusively, which means taking the risk of not releasing it at all.

Besides, the rollout provides a welcome distraction from the impeachment trial, allowing the president to claim he is dedicated to important matters of state as Democrats fiddle with crass politics.

Whether this ends up really helping either Netanyahu or Trump is unclear, although that too is beside the point. The Trump team believes the plan will help their and Netanyahu’s campaigns, whether they are

right in that regard or not. Some right-wing constituencies may balk at the suggestion that this could lead to a Palestinian state—although that would only occur well into the future if and when the Palestinians meet a series of unrealistic conditions. And even then, any putative state would be so fragmented, disjointed, surrounded by Israel and subject to Israeli security control that it would be at best a state in name only. Those critics likewise may be angry at the suggestion that the Palestinians could have a capital in East Jerusalem—although the parts of the city that the U.S. plan contemplates forming this capital are of such minor significance that most people would hardly equate them with Jerusalem itself. In theory, hard-line Israelis could also protest the notion that there will be no new settlements for years—but even that constraint is essentially meaningless since the plan already munificently grants to Israel all the West Bank territory in which it wished to build settlements.

In short, this is a plan that gives Israel everything it wants, concedes to Palestinians everything Israel does not care for, tries to buy the Palestinians out with the promise of $50 billion in assistance that will never see the light of day, and then calls it peace.

So a politically expedient move intended to boost both Trump’s and Netanyahu’s election chances, yes. But without any broader implication? Not so fast.

The ideas put forward by the administration may not tell us anything much about the future of Middle East peace, other than to make more plain what was already manifest—that the notion of a viable twostate solution increasingly is a thing of the past, and that the de facto annexation of West Bank territory may soon become de jure. Israelis for the most part will accept the proposal, Palestinians of all stripes will reject it and Arab states will utter bland pronouncements designed to neither upset a U.S. president whose reprisals they dread nor outrage their public opinions whose moods they fear. But those ideas tell us quite a bit about the unfolding nature of Trump’s foreign policy as an ever-expanding and ever-more aggressive attempt to erase traditional rules and impose new ones.

A line can be drawn from the decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, to the killing of Qassem Soleimani, to this attempt to fundamentally rewrite the parameters of an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement at the Palestinians’ expense. Each reflects an administration increasingly confident in its way, indifferent to the views of others, enamored with the exercise of its own power, certain that it can change reality by the mere fact of enforcing its will. Each decision feeds on the prior ones, as the administration is emboldened by the absence of serious, immediate backlash to any of its precedent-shattering steps.

It was warned that transferring the embassy to Jerusalem could prompt massive anti-American protests in the Arab and Muslim worlds.

the more cynical Arab regimes to support and finance its plan despite its unbearable shortcomings.

That is why the plan is modelled, at least structurally, on the Bush administration's 2003 road map for peace that was conceived after the US invasion and occupation of Iraq to ensure Israeli supremacy and Arab support.

Like Trump and Netanyahu, President George W Bush, in complicity with Israeli then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, also envisioned a Palestinian pseudo-state in the form of self-governing autonomy, somewhere down at the end of a long road of Palestinian concessions and humiliation.

It was the sort of bait necessary for Arab and European leaders to justify their support - or at least non-rejection of the plan to their people. And it was the sort of trick that allowed Sharon to claim moderation and concession despite opposition from his fanatic settlers.

Bush hoped Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would be gone before the final implementation of the final phases and replaced with the "moderate" Mahmoud Abbas.

Today, Trump hopes to see the 84year-old Abbas, now considered an obstructionist, also gone and replaced by someone more amenable to US dictates.

Meanwhile, Trump has been deluded into thinking that if the US cannot write off the Palestinians altogether, at least it could pay them off with Arab money.

Kushner's Bahrain summit last year was designed to pave the way for that kind of Gulf investment in his "Deal of the Century".

Billions in dollars may buy the Trump administration some time and some leverage, but that will be shortlived, as such bribery proved in the past.

Sooner or later, the Trump plan will find its way to the same place where the Bush plan ended, the dustbin of history.

Subservient Arab dictators will eventually fall but the people will endure, and they will not be so forgiving to American and Israeli arrogance. Their pent-up fury will come out sooner rather than later.

So, before president Trump gets too comfortable in his new anointment as messiah, he should familiarise himself with basic biblical wisdom: arrogance leads to downfall.

Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera.

IT’S NOT PEACE. IT’S POWER

The move was greeted with the equivalent of a diplomatic shrug. The administration was then cautioned that killing Soleimani would trigger dangerous Iranian retaliation, potentially leading to yet another costly U.S. war. Thirty Iranian ballistic missiles but no American deaths later, Trump’s team can yet again depict its critics as unduly alarmist.

There is a countervailing view, of course. Moving the embassy undermined any remaining pretense that the U.S. administration could play a mediating role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As for Iran’s reaction to Soleimani’s killing, it may have been containable, but when is the last time a state launched a salvo of missiles on an American military base, and when is the last time the U.S. failed to respond? It is likely that neither Tehran nor its myriad militant non-state allies have said their last word; rockets aimed at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad remind us of that. But much of that is conjecture, and for the most part the more serious costs that are mentioned lie in the future. For the Trump administration, speculation on what might lie ahead tomorrow is immaterial for it discounts the transformational effect of what it has done today. The administration traffics in what is palpable; it deals exclusively with the here and now.

So, when Palestinian indignation at a plan that runs roughshod over their aspirations is not matched by any concrete action, when Arab states react in muted tones to a proposal that negates any Muslim claim to Jerusalem’s holy sites, when European governments at best mouth wellworn support for an increasingly illusory two-state solution, the lesson the Trump administration will learn is that it can get away with what it does as long as it has the boldness to do it. Impunity will breed an encore.

It is easy to condemn the Trump administration for lacking a strategy. Easy, but wrong.

The Trump administration’s strategy is unfolding before our eyes, the sum total of every new step it takes. It reflects the Trump team’s conviction that power unexercised is power wasted, that power ought to be used to break up the ways of the past, and that past presidents spent far too much time fretting about how America’s rivals would react to our actions when America’s rivals ought to worry about how America will react to theirs. The collective bill at some point will come due, and it could be steep. Until then, the world will be dealing with an increasingly unshackled administration. Prospects for a fair and viable IsraeliPalestinian peace will be only one of its many casualties.

Robert Malley is president and CEO of the International Crisis Group. He was the White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf Region under President Obama.

Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and a former State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator in Republican and Democratic administrations.

Thursday, 30 January 2020

syrIa army retakes key northWest toWn

ALEPPO

s

AGENCIES

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YRIAn government forces recaptured a strategic highway town in the northwest from jihadist and allied rebels Wednesday, in the latest blow to the country’s last major opposition bastion.

Maaret al-numan, a former anti-government protest hotspot turned ghost town after weeks of bombardment, lies on a key highway connecting the capital to second city Aleppo.

The M5 highway has long been in the sights of the government, as it seeks to revive a moribund economy ravaged by almost nine years of war. “our forces managed in the past few days to stamp out terrorism in many villages and towns,” including Maaret al-numan, an army spokesman said.

In 2011, Maaret al-numan was one of the first towns in the northwestern province of Idlib to rise up against the damascus government.

The following year, it was captured by rebels

fighting against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

It is the latest town to fall in a Russian-backed offensive on the Idlib region this year.

The region of some three million people is dominated by jihadists from syria’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate, but allied rebels are also present.

The government has slowly chipped away at the south of the bastion, despite several deals between government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey intended to avert a broad military offensive.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Moscow on Wednesday of “not honouring these agreements”.

CLEANSE ALL SYRIAN SOIL: Tens of thousands of civilians have fled the government’s advance into the south of the province in recent weeks, seeking safety closer to the Turkish border further north.

The violence in the northwest has displaced more than 388,000 civilians since december, the United nations says.

“We are alarmed for the safety and protection of

FOREIGN NEWS 07

over three million civilians in Idlib,” said david swanson of the Un humanitarian affairs office.

In areas north of Maaret al-numan, bombardment by government ally Russia has prompted a fresh wave of displacement in recent days, with hundreds of vehicles cramming a key exit route, AFP correspondents reported.

Aid groups have warned the latest violence is only compounding one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the nine-year war.

Government forces, which now control around 70 per cent of syria, have repeatedly vowed to retake the entire country, including Idlib.

After Maaret al-numan’s recapture, the syrian army was bent on continuing the fight “until all syrian soil has been cleansed of terrorism”, the spokesman said. on Wednesday, army forces swept the town for booby traps and unexploded ordnance after all rebels were either killed or withdrew, the syrian observatory for Human Rights said.

MOSAICS MUSEUM: The town was once a defiant hotspot for anti-Assad protests, drawing in crowds from surrounding villages, but today its streets are largely empty.

It is home to a museum of Roman and Byzantine-era mosaics, which volunteers sought to protect with sandbags through years of war.

What remains of rebel-held territory includes more than half of Idlib province, as well as slivers of adjacent Aleppo and Latakia.

Government forces and the rebels were locked in clashes in the south of Aleppo province on Wednesday, the Britain-based observatory said.

To the north of Maaret al-numan, the front line had been pushed back to within 10 kilometres (six miles) of the town of saraqeb, the next stop on the M5 highway, its director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The civil war has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced more than half the country’s population since it erupted following the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011. several Un-backed rounds of peace talks have failed to stem the bloodshed and a parallel track led

by Russia and Turkey has gained precedence in recent years. on Wednesday, Un envoy Geir Pedersen visited the foreign ministry in damascus.

A long-awaited committee to draw up a post-war constitution for syria met in october in Geneva, but Pedersen has acknowledged it made little progress.

Yemen's Houthis say they targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan DUBAI AGENCIES

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement said on Wednesday it had carried out operations targeting facilities belonging to saudi Aramco in Jizan on the Red sea, but there was no immediate confirmation from saudi authorities of any attack.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya saria did not say when it had taken

place. He said it was carried out in retaliation for an escalation in air strikes. other saudi targets near the border with Yemen, including Abha and Jizan airports and Khamis Mushait military base, had also been targeted “with a large number of rockets and drones”, he said. state oil giant Aramco declined to comment on the report. The Houthis have been battling a saudi-led military coalition for nearly five years. If confirmed, the attacks would be the first by

the Houthis on saudi Arabia since late september, when the group said it would halt missile and drone attacks on if the coalition ended air strikes on Yemen. oil prices were higher after the reports. Brent futures were up 70 cents, or 1.18%, at $60.21 a barrel at 1348 GMT and U.s. WTI was up 47 cents, or 0.88%, at $53.95 a barrel.

The Houthis had extended their offer to halt strikes on saudi targets last year after claiming responsibility for a

sept. 14 attack on saudi oil facilities that initially halved the kingdom’s output. Riyadh rejected the Houthi claim of responsibility for that attack and instead blamed Iran, which denied it. After a lull in hostilities in recent months on many fronts, violence has escalated at a frontline east of Yemen’s Houthi-held capital sanaa, since a Jan. 19 missile attack on a government military camp which killed more than 100 people.

Major quake hits Caribbean, triggers evacuations HAVANA: A major 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Tuesday in the Caribbean between Jamaica and Cuba, triggering a brief tsunami alert and sending hundreds of people pouring onto the streets of Havana. The tremors were felt as far as the Us mainland, where police in Miami evacuated some buildings as a precaution. The Us Geological survey said the quake hit at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) at 2:10 pm (1910 GMT) — 125 kilometers northwest of Lucea, Jamaica. It estimated there was a low likelihood of casualties or damage, and there were no immediate reports of either.

Hours later, a 6.1 magnitude aftershock hit off the coast of the Cayman Islands, part of a cluster of more than a dozen aftershocks which were mainly in the four-to-five magnitude range and lasted well into the evening, the UsGs said. The Us Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned there was a threat of tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to one meter (about one to three feet) above tide level for the coasts of Jamaica, Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico and the Cayman Islands. But it lifted the alert update about two hours later. The first, bigger quake rattled several tall buildings in the Cuban capital Havana, which were immediately evacuated. The earthquake was felt in several provinces including Guantanamo and santiago de Cuba in the east, Cienfuegos in the center and Havana in the northwest, the official Cubadebate website reported. But there were no preliminary reports of damage or injuries. Jawara Rawjers, a resident of Kingston, Jamaica told AFP: “I felt the house trembling and realized that it was a quake. “It lasted about 20 seconds. I checked my watch and it was 2:12 pm. I checked on my family but they didn’t feel anything in their part of the house.”

Machel Emanuel, a doctor in the same city, added: “I was on the second floor of a building and there was a sustained shaking of the building. I felt dizzy. The door was slamming consistently for a while.”

Many Jamaicans took to social media in the immediate aftermath to post pictures, unverified by AFP, of swimming pools shaking violently. In Miami, police said buildings were being evacuated as a precaution after reports of tremors being felt in some areas of the city.

Battle for witnesses looms as defence rests in Trump trial WASHINGTON AGENCIES

The fight over calling witnesses to testify in President donald Trump’s impeachment trial intensified Tuesday after Trump’s lawyers closed their defense calling the abuse of power charges against him politically motivated. democrats sought to have the senate subpoena former White House national security advisor John Bolton to provide evidence after leaks from his forthcoming book suggested he could supply damning evidence against Trump.

But Republicans threatened to demand that democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden and his son Hunter also testify, in a move aimed at damaging the party’s possibly best chance of defeating Trump in the november election.

“If people want witnesses, we’re going to get a lot of witnesses,” said Republican senator Lindsey Graham.

At only the third ever presidential

impeachment trial in Us history, Trump’s lawyers closed out their three-day defense in the senate by calling for a speedy acquittal of Trump and accusing democrats of bringing politically motivated charges in an attempt to reverse his 2016 election victory.

“What they are asking you to do is to throw out a successful president, on the eve of an election, with no basis and in violation of the constitution,” Trump’s lead counsel Pat Cipollone said. “The American people are entitled to choose their president,” he told the senators sitting as the jury. “We urge the senate to reject these articles of impeachment.”

LOW BAR: Trump is accused of cheating in his 2020 reelection effort by pressuring vulnerable ally Ukraine to announce investigations into both Bidens and a spurious conspiracy theory, promoted by Russia, that Kiev helped the democrats in 2016.

The impeachment charges say the president froze vital military aid to

Ukraine for two months last summer to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky to publicly announce the probes, illicitly drawing a foreign nation into Us electoral politics. Trump’s lawyers mostly steered clear of those specific allegations.

Instead they argued that the impeachment case was rooted in “policy differ-

ences” and that the charges against him, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, are too weak and thinly-sourced to justify his removal from office.

They said a conviction would set a precedent for Us politics that would result in retribution-driven political battles for years to come.

“The bar for impeachment cannot be set this low,” said Jay sekulow, another Trump lawyer. “If partisan impeachment is now the rule of the day… future presidents — democrats, Republicans — will be paralyzed the moment they are elected,” he said. Adam schiff, the head of the democrats’ prosecution team, said that Republicans’ arguments were “not particularly relevant to the charges against the president.” “The president’s lawyers … really did not, cannot, defend the president on the facts,” he said.

BATTLE OVER BOLTON:The trial, which began in earnest seven days ago, turns now to senators submitting written questions to the prosecution and defense through presiding supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts over Wednesday and Thursday. on Friday they are expected to take up the issue of calling witnesses, which Republicans originally believed they could defeat and bring the trial to a swift close with their 53-47 majority in the senate.

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

08 COMMENT Trump’s Deal of the Century Or a plan to steal Palestinian lands

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he so called “Deal of the Century” announced by US President Donald Trump aims at perpetuating the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands. The unilateral annexation of the Jordan River Valley and existing settlements violate both international law and multiple UN resolutions. As the plan has been announced without negotiations with the Palestinians it would be widely seen as a deal between Israel and the USA, thus perpetuating the conflict instead of bringing peace. While unveiling the controversial plan President Trump announced that Jerusalem would be Israel’s undivided capital. This would be widely resented by the Muslim community at large. Trump’s plan will provide the extremist organisations another cause célèbre to target the West in general and the USA in particular, and make a life support available to terrorist networks like Al-Qaeda and IS. While President Trump’s announcement has secured him Israel’s support in this year’s presidential election, it has estranged the left wing and liberal Jewish organizations in the USA which have held protests and called it another form of apartheid.

With egypt and the UAe supporting the plan and Turkey and Iran opposing it, the plan would exacerbate the existing confrontation in the Middle east. Jordan has warned against the dangerous consequences of the plan, which legitimizes the annexation of the Palestinian lands.

The plan has been rejected by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the entire gamut of Palestinian factions in Gaza who have initiated protests against it.

Yemen’s houthi rebels and Lebanon’s hezbollah have also rejected it. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has called Jerusalem “our red line” and has vowed not to allow steps to legitimise Israel’s occupation and oppression. Iran has called the plan the treason of the century ever since its creation, Pakistan has been an outstanding supporter of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state encompassing the entire annexed areas and with Jerusalem as its capital. The country’s Founding Father the Quaid-e-Azam had steadfastly supported the Palestinian cause even before the creation of Pakistan.

The policy was continued by successive governments even when some of them had the closest relations with the US led Western bloc. One expects the present government also to consistently follow that policy. For Pakistan it is not possible to compromise on either Palestine or Kashmir.

The kids in Wuhan Pakistani students there must be brought home

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he appeal on social media of some Pakistani students to be brought back home can easily be dismissed as an outburst from young people who want to come home to their mommies. however, it should not. Young people who have gone abroad to study have to face greater problems than the absence of home cooking.

The culture is different, as is the language, and thus the educational system, not to forget the myriad problems posed by hostel life, from laundry to food. Neither the kids nor their parents think of the risk of death. That seems to be facing the 500 or so Pakistani students in Wuhan, a small, but by no means negligible, portion of the 28,000 students in that country as a whole.

Though all travel from Wuhan has been forbidden, the Beijing embassy must exert all efforts to extract all citizens, including students, from the whole country, and repatriate them. China now has 5924 cases and 132 deaths, and the rest of the world over 82 cases, making the coronavirus epidemic already more deadly than the SARS virus epidemic of 2003. Among the consequences of the epidemic has been the decline in stocks and oil prices, as the Chinese economy, the biggest in the world, begins to sputter.

Pakistan must go further than it has in preparing for the epidemic, which has already arrived. Quarantine wards will have to be set up, and further steps will have to be taken to reduce the spread into the general population than merely preventative measures for airport immigration staff. Necessary technical information should be obtained from the Chinese health authorities, especially about the incubation period, which is key to determining how long travellers need be kept in quarantine, as well as the epidemiology and the treatment methods. Pakistan can show no greater support for such a friendly country than to take care of its own citizens at home, rather than leaving them to the Chinese healthcare system, excellent as it might be. The government should remember that its citizens are its own responsibility, not that of any other state. The kids must be brought home.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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On death posititvity We need to confront the inevitable

faraz TalaT

We will all die eventually, and we need to talk about that.

F you’ve ever been to a therapist, they’ll tell you that the best way to manage anxiety is to confront it, instead of trying to distract yourself from it. Anxiety, as I describe it, is the uncomfortable feeling that someone’s following you as you walk home after dark. You may try and distract yourself by listening to music, focusing on other things around you, or forcing your stream of thoughts to bend away from the strange entity following you. The feeling, like the entitity, will continue to follow you and affect whatever you do.

A far better way to deal with the situation, is to slow down for just a moment look over your shoulder. There are two likely consequences of doing this. First, is that you might learn that there’s nobody following you, and that you were getting worried about nothing. The second, is that there is indeed someone following you, but that this person intends you no harm. This may result in a moment of awkwardness in which the person either picks up speed and walked by you, or switches to a different path. It is unlikely but still possible that the follower poses a real threat.

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But even if this is the case, it’s still far more reasonable to address this threat than to distract yourself from it.

Death is the dark stranger that follows us wherever we go. It can catch up with us at any age, often unexpectedly. humankind has struggled with death anxiety for as long as it has existed, and we often cope by ignoring it entirely.

Death is not there at the grocery store as you decide the right air-freshner to buy for your TV lounge. Death will not happen between now and next Wednesday when you’re required to give a major presentation at the office. Death is not here, not even close, as I write this column.

Ignoring anxiety does not keep it from existing in the back of our minds, influencing our everyday decisions. A lot of our anxiety surrounding marriage, children, religious activities, wealth, and “legacy” drips directly from the fear of our eventual death. humans are notoriously bad at conceiving ‘nothingness’, and therefore bad at comprehending how something like life can just cease to exist. For example, most of us think that blind see nothing but pitch-black. This is untrue. Blind people do not see the color black, which is itself a visual signal. Blind people see nothing. If you’re having trouble imagining this, ask yourself what color you see at the back of your head.

Is it black? Or is it nothing?

People cope with death anxiety in various ways. Some focus on religion, which offers assurance that our consciousness is eternal. Death is not a full stop, but a semi-colon that merely guides you into a different segment of existence.

Religion not only assures us that consciousness is permanent, it adds another layer of comfort through the idea of ‘heaven’ . Not only are you going to exist forever, you will exist in a state so majestic it will exceed your wildest expectation.

The unintended consequence, at times, is the believer beginning to undervalue life itself, which is the only thing whose existence we can scientifically prove.

We are naturally inclined towards the preservation of self, which makes death the ultimate

yet inescapable villain in the human experience.

What if I were to argue that it isn’t? What happens if I decide that there’s nothing particularly special about my individual consciouness that I need to exist eternally? What if I were to rebel against my natural instincts, and decide that my genes stop with me; and that my genetic predisposition for diabetes doesn’t need to be passed on indefinitely from one unsuspecting generation to the next?

Confronting death anxiety is essentially about acknowledging the finality of things. Consider the fact that a person who experiences traumatic loss is at an increased risk of developing a ‘hoarding disorder’. One refuses to discard objects around the house, however useless, because they’re afraid of ‘letting go’ of things.

The great time you’re having with your friends will eventually come to an end. And never again in future will these moments replicate themselves with the exact same variables. ‘Finality’ is not a singular moment awaiting you in the distant future. Finality follows you closely, eating up the moments you’ve just lived, making sure you never see them again. If this thought causes discomfort, I hope what I write next puts you at ease.

Consider the sentence I’m about to write, which I encourage you to read out loud. This sentence was born at a capital T and will die at the next full-stop. The sentence you just uttered is now gone and you cannot bring it back. If you attempt to say it again, it’ll be at a different time with many other variations. Although the sentence has died, it has left its imprint in the air and in the minds of its listeners. The sentence you spoke is now dead, but it still exists as part of a larger narrative. If you could turn back time and remove it from this paragraph, this theory would be insensible.

I may not exist forever as individual, but I will always be there as a small sentence in the human story, which is itself a chapter of the story of the universe. Without me– living or dead–- the story would be incomplete. everything ends, and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to talk death with your friends and family, regardless of your age or state of health. Share your concerns, spiritual or worldly. Look back at the inseparable companion that follows you, and it might just smile and nod reassuringly.

Faraz Talat is a medical doctor from Rawalpindi and an ardent traveller who writes frequently about science, social politics and international relations.

A guardian of democracy RTI enhances the accountability of elected representatives Hafiz MoHaMMad azeeM

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eMOCRACY dies behind the closed doors”, said an American judge Damon Keith in the famous Detroit Free Press case. It is a guardian right of democracy in Pakistan. however, before discussing it; it is pertinent to define it. The right to information (RTI) has been defined and adopted up till now by almost above 100 countries as per their norms, legal, and socio-economic mores, and so on. It also has successfully been recognized in each international instrument that deals with fundamental human rights.

In Pakistan, the RTI has been bestowed the constitutional status of a fundamental right in the 18th Amendment. Under its Article 19A, it has been defined as the “right of every citizen to have access to information in all matters of public importance”. Afterward, all four provinces of Pakistan adopted it. In Punjab, through the legislation of ‘The Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2010’, it is comparatively defined better than the rest of the provinces: a right to acquire information, including the inspection of documents and works, to extract and to access on a certified copies of requisite documents and materials, and so on in all matters of public importance.

Furthermore, through the adoption and legislation of the ‘Right of Access to Information Act, 2017’, the federal government also adopted and defined it, while reiterating its belief in transparency and its aim of improved access of information to the records controlled by public functionaries. Furthermore, to promote the principle of accountability before its citizens; to accept the principle of participatory democracy; to eradicate the menace of corruption; to improve the performance of government; to strengthen socio-economic growth; to boost the good governance and to honour human rights, it adopted the ‘Right of Access to Information Act, 2017’.

In this legislation, RTI is defined as the right of access to information controlled by public funcKarachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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tionaries or agencies, including information of documents or records which may either be digital or printed in nature, in all matters of public importance.

Why is it a guardian of democracy? Because James Madison once said, “a popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to farce or tragedy”. Those countries which have adopted it in its true letter and spirit are successful democracies. Yet those who have snubbed it and do not adopt it by those means; there the rule of law and accountability is still a chimera. For example, the USA adopted it in 1966 through the Freedom of Information Act. Sweden adopted it in 1949, Australia adopted it in 1987, and Canada in 1983. There is a list of successful democracies that adopted it first and a list of failed democracies that have not.

On the other hand, Pakistan adopted it officially— with a heavy heart as a cumbersome duty to be obliged, and which was imposed by international institutions and pressure— in 2010. Yet not in its letter and spirit. In this regard, up till 2010 a series of successive procrastinating promises were made by each ruler who came to the helm of affairs. As a false claim, often the notion of security or sometimes national security has been put forth as an impediment in its implementation— it requires another long debate that whether RTI hinders national security or not. But its late and still hypocritical adoption, cut adrift our citizens from its usage and benefits. Thus, the depth of corruption’s ocean is consistently increasing; the impermeable culture of secrecy is gaining strength; the lack of openness and transparency is resulting in huge losses to the exchequer.

It is a guardian of democracy because it ensures political accountability and true representation. For the first aspect, ‘accountability’: it is crystal clear that each democratic state emphasized this notion. Thus, where there is a democracy, there is the right to information. These two co-exist. Neither can survive without the other.

The second apect comes as a consequence of the first. The accountability of whom? elected representatives. This representation stems from the

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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relationship of electors with those that are elected. And when these electors do not pursue their representative’s promises and slogans, there comes RTI to let it be known to the citizens what their chosen representatives are doing.

It is also a guardian of democracy because it compels the elites and the rulers to answer before laymen and the downtrodden. This is obviously a disliked situation by them. elites and bureaucrats have to think of people whom they consider nothing; whose simple application can place them in the dock before the law. This answering aspect is democracy. As it is a two-way promise: one promise by the voters that they will vote, the second by the representatives that they will abide by the promises made with voters. Thus, the right to information guards and protects democracy.

Moreover, it is also a guardian of democracy because it protects the citizens from the unbridled, whimsical, arbitrary and fanciful powers of the rulers through accountability. It is not that constitutional status of being Article 19A gives it guardianship title. Rather, its unimpeachable relationship with democracy makes it worthy of this entitlement. This is because RTI finds its place straightforwardly in discussions of democracy and its principles, such as participation and accountability. And as a guardian of democracy, it not only tackles the corruption but also helps to evaluate the public response; as elections are not the only means of democracy, rather the right to know after the formulation of government is real democracy.

In a nutshell, it is the sine qua non for a true democracy. It controls corruption and malpractices by giving access to information in all matters of public importance to every citizen. Being a part of freedom of expression; it strengthens the fourth pillar of the state: the media. The right to information comes as a saviour for the downtrodden from whimsical, capricious, mischievous shenanigans of the rulers and elites by compelling the government to disclose all those matters that deal with the masses. It advances the transparency and deprecates the secrecy. In other words, it makes democracy flourish.

Hafiz Mohammad Azeem can be reached at Khokhar.azeem@yahoo.com. His articles can be accessed on hmazeem.blospot.com.

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

COMMENT 09 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

Population problems POPULATION is the main issue being faced by the world, especially in third world countries. The current world’s population is about 7.7 billion and increasing at a higher pace.

Due to high rate of population the world’s issues like climate change, instability, terrorism, corruption, shortage of water are growing in day by day. It is important to note that Pakistan is one of the affected countries of growing population, the current population of Pakistan is nearly 210 million. It is expected that the population of Pakistan can cross 300 million by 2050 which is an alarming situation for Pakistan. Due to the high increase of population, Pakistan is facing serious challenges like shortage of water, electricity, jobs infrastructure, public transportation, health, education and so on. Family planning is an issue where Pakistan is not concerned. It is the responsibility of the government to implement new laws for controlling the population and there should be some strict rules for family planning. Population is the root of every destruction in the country.

SAMEEn AbiD Turbat

Afghanistan’s need for peace The Taliban must be accommodated, or else the chance of peace may be lost KasHaf arsHad

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N January 28, following six back-toback sessions of talks in Qatar’s capital Doha, Washington’s principal arbitrator Zalmay Khalilzad reported that the USA and the Taliban at last had a “draft structure” for an arrangement which could make ready for harmony with the Afghan government.

Khalilzad’s remarks touched off desires for a leap forward in the crushing 17-year strife, yet neither the USA nor the Taliban offered any details of the structure. Generally, because of its vital area, Afghanistan frequently served as a battleground for international and regional forces.

Arrangement of attacks, intercessions, wars and long-haul conflicts caused real annihilation and misfortune for all involved, with the most noteworthy cost unavoidably being paid by the Afghan country. Throughout the years, the warring sides held innumerable rounds of talks and exchanges, now and again keeping in mind positive thinking. Be that as it may, because of leaders’ refusal to learn the past, harmony remained out of reach and millions suffered. Now there appears to be one more chance to break this cycle of brutality and begin a movement towards peace that could at last enable the people of Afghanistan join together, recuperate and flourish. Notwithstanding this, as has been demonstrated many occasions previously, economical harmony cannot be accomplished except if all sides learn from past errors, comprehend their foe’s needs and inspirations, and reach a settlement that satisfies the populace as well as all local and worldwide partners. This is all the more reason why it is vital at this memorable point to look at the elements that prompted the ascent of the Taliban during the 1990s and the inspirations that motivate the party right up till the present time.

The Taliban was framed in the mid-1990s by a group of “mujahideen”, Muslim Afghan fighters who had opposed the Soviet control of Afghanistan (1979-1989). exploiting the power vacuum made by the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the gathering effectively extended its range of prominence in the years following its development and took control of Afghanistan in 1996. It held control of the vast majority of the nation until it was toppled after the US invasion of Afghanistan in December 2001 after the September 11 attacks.

After the toppling of the Taliban government, some individuals within the party were prepared and willing to acknowledge a peace bargain that would permit them an unassuming yet respectable presence in the nation. however, legislators and leaders both inside and outside Afghanistan, intoxicated by their decisive triumph, would not engage this alternative and quickly dismissed the Taliban from the negotiating table. The Bonn Conference, which decided the nation’s destiny, totally ignored the gathering’s most essential requests and encouraged the arrangement of a government hostile to the Taliban. This was the crucial oversight that set off the most recent round of bloodshed in Afghanistan and brought us to where we are today.

Today, we are dealing with a party whose members see themselves as blessed warriors who figured out how to overcome a crooked outside attack.

In the previous 17 years, endless Taliban leaders were slaughtered, embarrassed and made outcast by the USA. The ones that were most un-

fortunate wound up in cells at Guantanamo or future in the nation in danger. To accomplish Bagram, where they were exposed to unspeak- manageable peace, the Afghan government, with able torment and debasement. This made indi- the assistance of the USA, should strike a harviduals from the party view their battle against mony between recognizing the requirements and US powers as unavoidable, vital and even hal- desires of the Taliban, and giving important guarlowed. Also, the administering powers con- antees to the portions of the Afghan populace that strained individuals from the Taliban to live in might be compromised by the party.

In addition, in every neighbourhood, governconditions so grave as if they were criminals on the run, so that entering the battleground turned ment authorities, resistance fighters and ancestral into a simple, even normal, decision for them. older folks should achieve an accord among Maybe more altogether, throughout the years the themselves on what they need from the peace setTaliban kept on increasing its zone of impact in tlement. Until further notice, they all seem, by all Afghanistan and came to consider itself the vic- accounts, to be increasingly centred around keeping their seats after the actor. The gathering likecord, rather than achieving wise figured out how to an arrangement with the win the hearts and psyTaliban. On the off-chance ches of a segment of the There is no uncertainty that that they will stay worried, embittered country population that sees the local at last it is us, the Afghans, rather become increasingly so, about keeping their government as inefficient who are in charge of and hold on power than conin giving them essential veying steadiness to their administration and overshould claim and lead the nation, and refuse to whelmingly suffocated. harmony procedure, yet to arrange a power-sharing Presently, as a powerarrangement, peace enful political and military achieve this objective we deavours will be destined entity perceived by every need the help of every one for disappointment. single party, the Taliban Further convoluting needs to accomplish two of our neighbours and issues, territorial and unilong-term objectives: the partners. We just expect this versal forces have not yet total withdrawal of all foreign troops from time they won’t rehash past achieved an accord on the points of interest of a Afghanistan and the founerrors and will enable us to peace settlement in dation of a comprehenAfghanistan. A compresive Islamic government. discover an exit from this hensive provincial accord Obviously, the group, conflict by mulling over the is basic; the USA won’t which believes it has the high ground in negotiadesires and needs of every probably do this by itself, as in the event that it needs tions, additionally has included party as they carry feasible harmony in various immediate requests gone for certainty. the arrangements forward. Afghanistan. Moscow, Beijing, Islamabad, The Taliban needs its The opportunity has already Tehran, New Delhi and leaders to be taken off Ankara would all need a sanction lists, its prisoncome and gone for stake in the final settleers to be released and its Afghanistan to stop being a ment. All things considpolitical office in Doha to ered, as an Afghan, I am be recognised globally. battleground for outside more circumspectly optiNot at all like the period forces, fulfil its actual mistic than I have ever following its thrashing in 2001, the Taliban curpotential and become a focal been before about prospects for peace in rently think they have centre of a network in the Afghanistan. The Taliban earned the privilege of reare as yet declining to talk maining a vibrant politicore of Asia. Today, this legitimately to the Afghan cal power in Afghanistan fantasy is within our range government, yet this time following a settlement. It the USA is profoundly enhas an unmistakable poergetic to get the different litical vision and needs to sides together. President set a few parameters for its future worldwide relations. This is the reason Donald Trump clarified that he is anxious to get it is likewise quick to sign reciprocal non-ani- his nation out of “idiotic wars” abroad and the mosity bargains with local and global forces. main sensible path for him to accomplish this obThe progressing exchanges can possibly succeed jective is to convey both the Taliban and Kabul if every included party recognize the Taliban’s to the arranging table. There is no uncertainty that at last it is us, the Afghans, who are in charge of position and abstain from dismissing it lightly.

A year ago, an effective three-day eid truce and should claim and lead the harmony procebetween the Taliban and the Afghan government, dure, yet to achieve this objective we need the the first of its sort since the beginning of the US- help of every one of our neighbours and partners. led attack in 2001, was a reasonable sign that or- We just expect this time they won’t rehash past dinary Afghans are prepared to make peace with errors and will enable us to discover an exit from the Taliban. Without a doubt, people are eager this conflict by mulling over the desires and needs for an accommodation following so many years of every included party as they carry the arrangeof war. Be that as it may, this does not mean they ments forward. The opportunity has already come are happy to acknowledge any peace settlement and gone for Afghanistan to stop being a battlewith the gathering. Numerous Afghan women ground for outside forces, fulfil its actual potential think aafter peace, the Taliban will restrict their and become a focal centre of a network in the core rights. Individuals from the hazara minority, of Asia. Today, this fantasy is within our range. who are Shia Muslims, likewise fear an inadeKashaf Arshad is a freelance journalist quately arranged peace settlement may put their

Tump needs attention DAMS are the sources to restore the water for long term plannings. It is estimated that the ratio of water in Pakistan is decreasing day by day. Pakistan will face huge problems for water by 2030. Therefore, dams can save the water and save the country from destruction. Pakistan is an agricultural country, the economy of the country is dependent on agriculture. If water is restored then the country has to pay a huge amount of loss in the coming time. Tump is the biggest area of district Kech with the population of 200,000 people.

But unfortunately, it hurts me to mention that there is not any dam to restore the water. The recent flood has destroyed the complete area of Tump just because of dam in the area.

There are rivers like Nehang that overflow during rainy seasons. There is no infrastructure to store water from these rivers. People face a drought like situation and in Tump people require a dam to come out from such challenges. It is my humble request to concerned authorities they should look into the matter and build a dam in Tump district Kech. iqRA MuniR Turbat

Water crisis WATeR is said to be one of the basic components for a human being to survive.It plays a great role to keep kidneys safe.But unfortunately, Pakistan and Pakistanis are suffering from the scarcity of safe water.According to a report, over 22 million people in Pakistan lack access to safe drinking water.Due to the unsafe water, a number of diseases and infections are getting birth and causing a huge lose of precious lives of the citizen.Finally, I request to the concerned authorities to take urgent steps and provide safe drinking water to every Pakistani as their fundamental right mentioned in the Constitution.

AKHTAR uMRAni Kech

University of Turbat hONOR and shame from no condition rise; Act your part well, there all the honor lies. The only university present in district Kech is University of Turbat where the students take admission with lots of hope and ambitions for their career.

Whereas, the university seems to ruin the students’ studies by managing the stuff through improvising. With the start of new classes on 10th Jan, 2020 some deplorable and objectionable strategies are brought up.

Let me get the cat out of the box. Firstly, amidst new visiting lecturers in contract based, there are a number of without MPhil while heC has already implemented the requirement of MPhil. On the other hand, according to the administration, departments lack classes owing to which it is getting hard to cope and some classes’ timings are taken till 4 o’clock. Another great work is seen where each block has two departments merged which are only given 3 to 4 classes.

The most stunning is, as there is scarcity of lecturers therefore holes are filled with visiting faculty who, holding BS degrees, have 5 subjects of the same class! even the major subjects are being taught by these visiting teachers. There isn’t a single department, having the complete permanent lecturers.

We, some students, are out of class until there comes out a better solution. With this phenomenon, it is intolerable to take classes where our 5 subjects are with visiting lecturers without having any experience and just one permanent. It is certain, if visiting were capable they would have been passed out in the commission tests. Though it is essential for lecturers, presents are being happily sent by the university for PhD. It is remarkable to send them for higher studies which will in return benefit the university but when there are replacements.

More or less from all departments 1 or 2 lecturers are out of the country or in doing PhD who are replaced with BS degree holders, is it the way out? (Make hay while the sun shines.)

By seeing the all scenario, the university seems to have a shortage of lecturers. Why wouldn’t they announce the vacant post? By the dint of which there will not be any need of visiting faculty.

These factors cause dejection of students find better means and ameliorations which make our pens write compliments and commendations.

JAHAngiR JAMiL Turbat

Thursday, 30 January 2020

10 FOREIGN NEWS

‘I'm never comIng back’: Lebanon economIc crIsIs fueLs frustratIons BEIRUT

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AGENCIES

HEn Lebanon’s protests erupted in october, thousands found a renewed commitment to their homeland and vowed to fix a country that has long fed its best and brightest to the diaspora.

Then the economy unravelled. students and young professionals who had mobilised en masse to demand better opportunities in their home country started filling in immigration forms and applying to universities abroad.

Mothers on bustling protest squares who had been complaining about their children living far away have since seen even more leave.

With no clear path out of Lebanon’s worst economic crisis in decades, the will to remain has petered out and many are now scrambling for the exit.

“I’m leaving and I’m never coming back,” said Youssef nassar, a 29-year-old cinematographer who has booked a oneway ticket to Canada for next month. “nothing is going right in this coun-

try for me to stay here.”

Lebanon is suffering its worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war and everyone is feeling the heat. scores of companies have closed, salaries have been slashed, and unemployment rates are skyrocketing.

Inflation doubled between october

BREXIT COULD MEAN £5 BILLION TAX LOSS FROM FINANCE London: A shift in banking and trading from London to the European Union after Brexit could mean a loss of 3-5 billion pounds ($3.9-$6.6 billion) a year in taxes, an academic and former banker told a committee in Britain’s House of Lords on Wednesday. david Miles, professor of financial economics at Imperial College, told lawmakers on the EU Financial Affairs subCommittee that “quite a lot” of financial activity like banking and trading could leave Britain after it leaves the EU on Friday. The bloc is Britain’s biggest export market for financial services, worth roughly 30 billion pounds a year, and half could be lost, said Miles, a former chief UK economist at Morgan stanley bank.

He downplayed the impact of that drop, however, pointing out that as activity moved, staff not wanting to relocate would almost certainly find other highly-paid jobs to ease the tax hit for Britain. Committee member Andrew Turnbull, a former head of Britain’s civil service, suggested Miles was probably “blase”, given that moves in activity could be accompanied by ancillary services like accounting and legal, and involve other economic sectors.

Wednesday’s committee hearing was called to assess the impact of Brexit on financial services. Britain needs new EU trading terms from January 2021 after a transition period ends.

The EU will assess by June if UK financial rules and supervision are “equivalent” or aligned with those in the bloc.

Even though Britain has fully adopted EU financial rules, access won’t be automatic given negotiations over other sectors will be a consideration.AGENCIES

and november, according to Lebanon’s Blominvest Bank, while the Lebanese pound has plunged by a third against the dollar in the parallel exchange market. nassar criticised the political class for failing to chart a way out of the crisis.

“I have developed a hate for this country,” he said.

WON’T WAIT FOREVER: nassar used to make a decent earning every month from shooting photo and video campaigns for fashion brands, advertising agencies and even English rock artist steven Wilson.

But since Lebanon’s economic crisis accelerated with the start of anti-government protests in october, with banks temporarily closing and later severely limiting withdrawals, he has only been booked once. seven of his clients, including a highprofile member of the Lebanese parliament, have so far failed to pay the $25,000 they collectively owe him for previous projects. “I want to work on my career and my future,” said nassar, who holds a Canadian passport.

“I’m not willing to wait forever for the country to get better.” He is not the only one seeking better chances abroad.

Information International, an independent Lebanon-based research body, estimates that the number of Lebanese who left the country and did not return in 2019 jumped by 42 per cent on the previous year.

Google searches from within

Lebanon for the term “immigration” hit a five-year peak between november and december, according to Google Trends.

The last time the search term was that popular was right after Lebanon’s 2006 war with Israel.

Immigration lawyers, for their part, say business is booming. “demand is up by at least 75 per cent,” said one immigration lawyer who asked not to be named to protect his business. He said he is currently processing 25 applications. Most are to Canada, which along with Australia is among the most popular destinations for Lebanese emigrants due to their demand for highly skilled people, the lawyer said.

The bulk of his clients are educated youths and young professionals working in pharmaceuticals, information technology and finance. “They are leaving because of the economic and political situation,” he told AFP. TIRED OF FIGHTING: decades of conflict, sluggish growth and corruption have prompted many Lebanese to emigrate — a fact touted by Lebanese officials who boast the success of the country’s expatriates.

London's 'City' is banking on wide appeal post Brexit LONDON AGENCIES

L ondon’s powerful “City” financial sector, facing reduced access to mainland European markets following Brexit, is banking on its global appeal to forge new ties and remain an international force.

With Britain exiting the EU on Friday, the City will eventually lose “passporting” rights that has allowed the driver of Britain’s dominant services sector to operate freely across the bloc. The long-standing bilateral arrangement, which has convinced especially large Us and Japanese lenders to set up massive operations in London, formally ends with the conclusion of a Brexit transition period due december 31.

Britain must now move onto so-called “equivalence”, whereby financial firms agree to meet EU rules to maintain access to its market. But the new set of rules are not without risk for City companies working out of London skyscrapers nestled among medieval buildings.

“Equivalence is not ideal for the City… because it can be revoked very easily and it has in the past been very politicised,” noted Kay daniel neufeld, head of macroeconomics at the

Centre for Economics and Business Research.

“There will have to be trade-offs” between London and Brussels, neufeld added, as he referenced recent rows between non-EU member switzerland and the bloc over third-party equivalence agreements concerning swiss financial services.

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: UK finance minister sajid Javid’s recently insisted that Britain’s future trade in financial services with the EU should be on the basis of “outcome-based” equivalence of rules.

In other words, Britain should have its own rules producing the same outcomes as current EU arrangements existing between the bloc and non-member countries.

While British industry, notably the food and car sectors, voiced concern about Javid’s insistence that there would be “no alignment” with the European Union after Brexit, his comments were welcomed by the City of London Corporation, or local government authority for the capital’s financial district.

Its policy chair Catherine McGuinness said the current third-party equivalence system the EU offers to countries such as Japan is “patchy and prone to politicisation”. “securing an ‘outcome-based’ equivalence

of rules… would be a step in the right direction,” she added.

McGuinness was this week visiting India “to highlight the fundamental strengths of London and the UK’s financial sector”, the City of London Corporation said.

Large financial institutions, including British bank HsBC and Us giants JPMorgan and Morgan stanley, have decided to move some London staff to the continent because of Brexit — but the number of workers has been small.

Around 2.3 million people are employed within Britain’s financial sector, providing more than 10 per cent of the country’s tax revenues at £75 billion ($98 billion, 89 billion euros).

While the capital is home to global banks and major markets and exchanges, cities outside of London are notable for employing thousands of workers in financial support services.

London meanwhile is also at the forefront of raising funds for technology start-ups.

“Can the City survive Brexit?” The Economist magazine questioned last year.

“For a country that is losing friends fast, having a global, sophisticated industry is a blessing, not a curse,” it concluded.

Aiming to go green, German cabinet backs coal exit by 2038 BERLIN AGENCIES

The German cabinet on Wednesday backed plans to exit coal as an energy source by 2038 as part of efforts by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition to protect the climate and restore its green credentials.

The government is spurring a shift toward renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power with exits from nuclear power by 2022 and coal-fueled power sources by 2038.

“This is not just an exit from coal, it’s an entry into renewable energy,” Environment Minister svenja schulze told reporters. of the coal exit, she said: “We will cut a quarter of all Co2 emissions in Germany – that is a very important sign, internationally too, that Germany is taking its responsibility here.”

Caught on the hop when a series of unusually hot summers and the impact of swedish teenager Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement caused public opinion to turn, the German government last year introduced a major climate package, which included econ-

omy-wide carbon pricing.

Germany aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 55pc of its 1990 level by 2030. Last year, Merkel acknowledged her coalition’s credibility on climate policy had been hurt by abandoning an earlier 2020 emissions cut target. designed to ensure Germany hits the 2030 target, the coal exit will be accompanied by heavy investments in renewable energy.

Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said last week Germany’s transition to a fossil-fuel free energy mix will be like undergoing “open-heart surgery” as the car, steel and renewable industries will need to work hard to stay competitive.

COMPENSATION: As part of the plan, the government has agreed to compensate workers, companies and regional governments as it switches off plants by 2038.

The government has struck a deal worth more than 40 billion euros ($44 billion) with coal-mining regions.

“These regions need us to think about their future too,” said Finance Minister olaf scholz, adding that the 40 billion euro package would “ensure the

structural change succeeds”.

A draft law approved by the cabinet

to phase out hard coal-fired power stations envisages maximum phase-out

compensation of 165,000 euros per megawatt in 2020, falling to 155,000 euros in 2021 and 2022.

The maximum sum would drop by about 25pc annually thereafter before reaching 49,000 euros in 2026. There will be no further compensation after 2026. once the heartland of German industry, the coal regions of north RhineWestphalia have fallen on hard times as traditional heavy industries have lost sway, while coal regions in the east have yet to fully shrug off the impact of four decades in Communist East Germany.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (Afd) has sought to win votes in eastern Germany from the coal exit with a simple message: jobs are more important than the environment.

The oldest, dirtiest plants, some dating back to the 1950s, will go first. As well as phasing out hard coal power stations, the government also plans to exit brown coal, or lignite, of which Germany is the world’s largest producer.

Brown coal generates about 19% of the country’s electricity, but is considered the most polluting type of coal, partly because its low

Thursday, 30 January 2020

BUSINESS 11

Corporate Corner

ECC again dEfErs hiKE in gas PriCEs ISLAMABAD

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has appointed the renowned business leader Blue Group CEO Saad Nazir as member of the Social Welfare Committee.. pr

LAHORE: The Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Children’s Hospital (Lahore) collaborated with Sanofi Pakistan to bring to the country renowned international experts to address the rising incidence of Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) in Pakistan. pr

KARACHI: Silkbank Limited has signed an agreement with TPL Insurance, enabling its credit card customers to insure their car and pay premium on monthly installment plans at 0pc mark-up for up to 3-& 6-month tenure pr

T

STAFF REPORT

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Wednesday rejected and deferred until the next session a Petroleum Division summary seeking a hike in gas prices.

The decision was taken in the ECC meeting presided over by Adviser to PM on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.

Earlier, the Petroleum Division had proposed a 5-15pc increase in gas tariff for different consumer categories. The ECC had considered the summary on January 20 but had put the matter on hold owing to the then prevailing controversy over wheat and sugar price hike.

The division, in its summary, had stated that under the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) law, the government was required to "advise category-wise gas sale prices to OGRA for notification in the official gazette within 40 days i.e. Jan 20, 2020".

The summary had proposed up to 400pc increase in meter rent for domestic consumers (from Rs20 per month to Rs80), stating that the meter rent was last fixed in 1997.

It had further proposed a 5pc hike in gas tariff for domestic consumers with lower consumption, 12pc for power plants and 15pc for industrial captive power plants and compressed natural gas stations (CNG).

Meanwhile, the ECC waived off Rs194 million port dues of Turkish company Karkey as part of an already agreed settlement.

The decision would be implemented on January 31 or till the vessels leave the port accruing against Karkey. The said waiver was required as a consequence of the settlement agreement reached between the Pak-

COMMITTEE WAIVES OFF RS194M PORT DUES OF TURKISH COMPANY KARKEY AS PART OF AN ALREADY AGREED SETTLEMENT SBP DIRECTED TO SELL ITS SHARES IN HOUSE BUILDING FINANCE COMPANY LIMITED

istani government and Karkey.

Moreover, the committee approved the release of Rs350 million as a partial settlement to pay the outstanding gas bills of Pakistan Steel Mills.

The meeting also approved a summary of the Ministry of Finance pertaining to the establishment of a trust fund to implement a risk-sharing facility under 3rd tranche of $10 million of credit line of $140 million obtained from World Bank for Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company Limited (PMRCL). The purpose of the trust would be to leverage the trust funds by issuing guarantees in favour of the mortgagors to cover possible losses from eligible mortgage loans.

The Finance Division also sought approval for Rs80 million as technical supple-

UK companies keen to invest in Pakistan: envoy ISLAMABAD: Valvoline 300 Gas Engines Celebration was held at PAF Museum on Wednesday. The event was chaired by Orient Energy Systems (OES) shareholders Azhar Iqbal, Nasim Ahmed, Muhammad Saeed and Jawaid Iqbal. Valvoline Business Manager for Middle East, Africa & Pakistan Christos Metsios and Marketing Manager Abid Ali Mawjee were also presented on the occasion.pr

LAHORE: A one-day workshop for journalists was organized by Uber at Lahore Press Club. pr LAHORE: MCB Bank Limited has announced plans to consolidate its Retail BankingNorth and Retail Banking-South business portfolios into one unified Retail Banking Group.

Zargham Khan, Head RBG North (former), has been appointed as Retail Banking Group Head with immediate effect. pr

Tapal DaneDar inTroDuces elaichi flavoureD Tea KARACHI: Tapal Danedar has launched its brand new Elaichi flavoured tea with an evening of tea and music. Hot cups of Elaichi tea were served at Karachi’s Deli restaurant along with a high-tea buffet and a live performance by Zoe Viccaji. As Pakistan’s largest tea company, Tapal Tea is committed to applying its deep understanding of Pakistani consumers towards bringing new offerings to the market. The Tapal Danedar Elaichi flavoured tea is the latest product to be launched by the company, distinctive in its taste and its cardamom aroma. This new blend will be available not only as loose tea but also in the form of tea bags, so that Tapal Danedar Elaichi tea can be enjoyed anywhere in the world.

Speaking on the occasion, Tapal Dandedar CEO Samar Hayat stated, “Tapal Danedar has always prided itself on merging quality with innovation and applying our longstanding understanding of the market to the development of new products. The Elaichi flavor is the latest addition to our vast offerings of tea blends.”

BUSINESS DESK UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner said on Wednesday that British companies had expressed their desire to visit Pakistan for trade and business ties.

Talking to a private news channel, he said the recent change in travel advisory for Pakistan by the UK government would help boost business relations between the two countries.

“The ties between the UK and Pakistan have been significant and now after the travel advisory these relations would further strengthen,” the British envoy hoped.

Dr Turner said the return of British Airways to Pakistan was also a remarkable step, adding his country also wished to see international cricket in Pakistan

“The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is planning to visit Pakistan for playing series matches,” he said.

Expressing satisfaction over the security situation in the region, Turner said the law-enforcement agencies had played a vital role for maintaining peace and improving security.

To a question about facilities for Pakistani students in the UK, the high commissioner said scholarships had been doubled and students aspiring to enjoy education in Britain would have better opportunities.

About trade, he said the UK hoped the mutual trade standing at $3 billion would increase after ease in travel advisory for Pakistan.

“Increasing business and trade relations with the UK would provide job opportunities to the people of Pakistan,” Turner maintained.

mentary grant in its FY20 budget so as to provide assistance to families of the government employees who expired during service.

The ECC further approved a proposal of the Ministry of Finance seeking issuance of the government's direction to the State Bank of Pakistan under sub-section 6(A) of section 17 of the SBP Act 1956 to sell its shares in House Building Finance Company Limited (HBFCL).

The committee also approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs100 million to National Information Technology Board (NITB) under the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication for centralized procurement of ICT infrastructure to ensure e-readiness of government for the implementation of the egovernance programme.

uK allows huawei roll-out 5G Huawei has been reassured by the UK government’s confirmation that the company could continue working with its customers to keep the 5G roll-out on track, said Huawei Vice President Victor Zhang in a statement.

“This evidence-based decision will result in a more advanced, more secure and more cost-effective telecoms infrastructure that is fit for the future. It gives the UK access to world-leading technology and ensures a competitive market. We have supplied cutting-edge technology to telecoms operators in the UK for more than 15 years. We will build on this strong track record, supporting our customers as they invest in their 5G networks, boosting economic growth and helping the UK continue to compete globally. We agree a diverse vendor market and fair competition are essential for network reliability and innovation, as well as ensuring consumers have access to the best possible technology.”BUSINESS DESK

Farmers seek insurance against Locust attacks LAHORE HASSAN NAQVI

Amid countrywide locust attacks, farmers have approached the government for an increase in the scope of crop insurance scheme to provide them cushion against pest attacks.

In 2018, the Punjab government launched the insurance scheme to provide cover to farmers growing cotton, rice, and wheat –it was added in 2019— against floods, rain or any other calamity of sorts.

However, the policy leaves out pest attacks –a longstanding demand of farmers for protection of their crops against the locust attacks that have seen a spike over the past couple of year.

Though the scheme covers crops, like cotton and wheat, it fails to provide cover to farmers who grow mustard, which is the worst-hit by locusts.

“Crop insurance scheme is an excellent initiative, but I request the government to increase its scope as my mustard crop is badly affected by the swarms of locusts this season,” Ali Ahmad Sahu, a mustard farmer based in

Lodhran lamented. His farm in Dunyapur came under a brief attack of the passing swarm, incurring huge loss to the crop.

INSURANCE SCHEME: A senior agriculture department official shared that the government was working on the expansion of the project in phases.

“The project was initiated in Lodhran, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal and Sheikhupura in 2018 and was expanded to 18 districts – Multan, Muzaffargarh, Narowal, Layyah, Faisalabad, Rajanpur, Bhakkar, DG Khan, Kasur, Khanewal, Layyah, Mandi Bahauddin, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Okara – owing to its success. In the current financial year, at least 0.5 million farmers are insured at a cost of Rs1.3 billion.The agriculture officer said that as part of this scheme government would pay 100pc premiums for the farmers having a landholding of 5 acres or less, whereas the premium payments would be shared on a 5050 percent basis in case of landholding above 5 acres and up to 25 acres.

HOW WILL IT WORK?: At the end of the crop season, average yield will be calculated

for areas under scope of the Crop Insurance Scheme by independent enumerators.

In case of shortfall in average yield of unit areas of insurance (UAIs) below a specified threshold, the insurance will be triggered and all farmers of the UAIs would be recompensed by this amount of yield shortfall.

The ultimate aim of the crop insurance scheme is to protect the farmers from large agricultural production shocks and provide them with a risk management tool to ensure higher yield without any fear of loss arising from natural or man-induced disasters,” a senior official at crop assessment department official said.

When asked whether the government would include other crops in the scheme as well, he responded that they were considering to increase the scope of the scheme to sugarcane, maize and oilseed crops, but in phases.

He added that the Pakistan Disaster Management Authority is presently evaluating the damage being done by locusts. “In the light of their finding the scope of crop insurance scheme might be increased.”

Thursday, 30 January 2020

12 BUSINESS

TUrKmEnisTan agrEEs To rEvisiT TaPi gas PriCE ISLAMABAD

T

AHMAD AHMADANI

URKMENISTAN has expressed its willingness to revisit the gas price of TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project and the Pakistani government has constituted a five-member Price Negation Committee (PNC) to negotiate with Turkmenistan in this regard.

Earlier this month, the Petroleum Division had proposed the federal cabinet's Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) that the gas price of TAPI, which was agreed seven years ago under the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) with Turkmenistan, should be revisited as the energy scenario has evolved over the years. The ECC was further apprised that

that in a recent communique, Turkmenistan “has confirmed its intent to consider discussions on the TAPI gas price”.

It was informed that the pricing of gas was communicated by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar to his Turkmen counterpart during his visit to Turkmenistan in May last year.

“Since the proposed negotiation will involve considerable commercial exposure, including facilitation by the Pakistani government, therefore, this ministry has proposed that a PNC may be constituted,” a Petroleum Division official said.

Considering the proposals of the Petroleum Division, the ECC, held on 8th January 2020, had agreed to constitute a committee to negotiate the gas price with Turkmenistan.

Earlier in 2012, a GSPA was signed

MarKeT Daily

Bearish spell continues as KsE-100 sheds 400 points KARACHI STAFF REPORT

After a positive start to the trading session, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) once again fell under the radar of bears, as the indices failed to recover the losses accumulated in the previous session and closed in the negative zone on Wednesday.

Foreign investors offloaded equities worth $3.87 million on Tuesday with major selling witnessed in the cement sector ($1.05 million).

Gathering 130.30 points, the KSE-100 Index recorded its intraday high at 42,429.49. However, failing to sustain the gains, the index then took a sharp turn and recorded its intraday low at 41,790.81 after losing 508.38 points. It settled lower by 400.49 points at 41,898.70. The KMI-30 Index declined by 608.22 points or 0.89pc to end at 67,522.53, while the KSE All Share Index lost 210.55 points, closing at 29,135.35.

The advancers to decliners ratio stood at 97 to 220.

The overall volumes inched up by 4.23pc and were recorded at 197.01 million. Out of total traded shares, 127.06 million belonged to KSE-100 Index. Worldcall Telecom (WTL -6.03pc) led the volume chart, followed by Hascol Petroleum Limited (HASCOL -2.04pc) and Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF -3.24pc). The scripts had exchanged 22.72 mil-

lion, 17.87 million and 10.85 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that dragged the KSE100 Index lower included banking (-147.63 points), cement (-68.58 points) and fertiliser (-53.47 points). Among the companies, Habib Bank Limited (HBL -61.75 points), MCB Bank Limited (MCB -43.65 points) and Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK -38.17 points) dented the index the most.

The cement sector lost 2.47pc from its cumulative market capitalization, with D G Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC 2.73pc), Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF -3.24pc), Bestway Cement Limited (BWCL -2.20pc) and Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK -2.75pc) closing in the red.

On the market front, Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited (FFBL 3.41pc) reported its financial performance for FY19. Despite 8.66pc YoY increase in sales, the company's gross profit declined by 28pc as cost of sales went up by 14pc. The company's financial cost inflated by 134pc YoY which resulted in the earnings per share deteriorating from Rs1.54 to Rs-6.34.

Meanwhile, Century Paper & Board (CEPB +5.50pc) announced an EPS of Rs3.08 for the second quarter of FY20 (Rs1.86 in 2QFY19), while Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL +0.73pc) declared an EPS of Rs10.05 for FY19 (Rs7.57 in FY18).

Bank al habib declares rs11.17bn profit after tax BUSINESS DESK

The Board of Directors of Bank AL Habib Limited (the Bank) has announced the financial results for the year ended December 31, 2019.

The bank reported profit after tax of Rs11.17 billion for the year ended December 31, 2019, as compared to Rs8.42 billion for the corresponding period last year, showing a growth of 32.66pc.

The bank’s earnings per share (EPS) were recorded at Rs10.05, an increase of 32.76pc over the corresponding period last year.

It declared a final cash dividend of 35pc.

The bank’s profit before tax was Rs19.01 billion (+33.28pc), whereas profit before provisions and tax increased by 54.41pc. The bank improved its net mark-up income by 33.32pc, while its fee and commission income, which is earned mainly through trade business, general banking services, alternate delivery channels, etc., showed an increase of 27.22pc over the corresponding period of last year.

The bank’s foreign exchange income increased by 41.25pc. Its dividend income for the year ended December 31, 2019, was recorded at Rs451 million.

between Pakistan's Inter-State Gas System Limited (ISGSL) and Turkmenistan's Turkmengaz for the supply of 1.3 billion

cubic feet per day (BCFD) gas to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Sources in the energy sector told this

PRA urged to reduce sales tax on BPO services 'Software houses are currently paying 16pc tax on their services, which should be brought down to 5pc' LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has asked the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) to extend relaxation of 11 per cent in tax for the services of business process outsourcing (BPO) to the local industry.

Sources in PRA told this scribe that the PSEB representatives and the Punjab Information Technology secretary held a meeting with the PRA team the other day and sought relaxation in tax on the supply of software to the local business community. Board officials informed PRA that the software houses were currently paying 16pc tax on their services to the local industry and that it should be brought down to 5pc.

The board also demanded relaxation on internet and VPN services, as sales tax on these services is currently 19.5pc.

The representatives further informed the authority that as all their activities were based on internet services. the industry needed high-speed internet to export software to the international market.

During FY19, Pakistan's software exports were approximately $5 billion, which were 8pc higher than FY2018.

Local application developers, freelancers, and IT companies are the major driving force behind the success of the computer software sector in Pakistan.

PRA has collected Rs860 million from the IT-enabled services during the first half of the current fiscal year.

PRA Commissioner Shahzad Mehmood Gondal told this scribe that the authority had extended them 100pc relaxation on software export, adding that the software houses were no more required to pay any tax on the export of IT services.

"We are also giving them relaxation in the sales tax on internet services. But the industry is now demanding a relaxation in BPO which is not adjustable. We have asked them to review their proposal," he stated.

"The authority has urged PSEB to get more people from the IT sector registered with the authority. More IT service providers should be registered with PRA and file their declaration as a part of broadening of tax base."

scribe that TAPI gas was cheaper than LNG, as the former would cost around $8.268/mmBtu compared to the latter at $8.982/mmBtu. They said the planned flow of noncompressed gas from the TAPI pipeline would commence from December 2023, adding that government was keen to have a new compatible gas price under the TAPI Gas Pipeline Project.

The TAPI project comprises two phases. In the first phase, there would be a free flow of gas in the pipeline, which will be completed at an estimated cost of $5-6 billion, while in the second phase, compressor stations would be set up at a cst of $2 billion. Pakistan would complete phase-I of the project within 30 months after initiating work on laying the pipeline from Chaman to Multan via Quetta and Dera Ismail Khan.

TdaP to participate in argentina textile fair ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is all set to participate in a textile fair scheduled to be held in Argentina from April 20 to 23.

"In this regard, the authority would be participating in three exhibitions, namely Emitex, Simatex and Confemaq," a press statement issued on Wednesday reads.

"These exhibitions summon the most important manufacturers of yarn & fabric and textile machinery as well as suppliers of services." According to TDap, the said exhibitions are ranked among the biggest international events for the textile and garment industries in South America. "It is the only Messe Frankfurt exhibition in South America and attracts buyers from various countries," TDAP claimed. It said the fair would not only help Pakistani businessmen understand the South American market but would also be an ideal platform for them to attract investment.

"TDAP is providing subsidised stalls to increase the exports of fibre yarn, woven and knitted fabrics, trims and accessories, technical textiles and non-woven from clothing, machinery design and finishing of garments teed (print, flock, laser and other) etc." The authority has advised those interested to participate in the fair to apply through TDAP by February 6. APP

secp issues draft amendments to aMl/cfT regulations ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has issued draft amendments to Anti-Money laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Regulations, 2018. The draft regulations, issued on the SECP’s official website, aims to further strengthen the AML and CFT laws.

The commission said that it was undertaking a reform agenda to revitalize the capital market and promote the expansion of investor base. According to the published documents, these amendments will be finalized as per the recommendations received by SECP authorities.

Earlier in December last year, SECP had issued revised and more elaborative AML/CFT guidelines for non-profit organizations.

The amendments would help further strengthening SECP's AML/CFT regime, said a press release issued by the Commission.

According to the detailed document, the new guidelines explicitly highlight the consequences of money laundering, terror financing, predicate crimes and other abuses on the NPO sector. The amended version would provide the non-profit sector an improved understanding of risks of terrorist financing.

These guidelines also include major findings of Pakistan’s National Inherent Risk

Assessment on money laundering and terrorism financing. In November 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) had issued a concept paper to introduce the categorization of brokers for addressing the issue of custody of client assets.

The proposed amendments elaborate on the Risk Based Approach requiring regulated persons (RPs) including; securities brokers, futures brokers, insurers, Takaful operators, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and Modarabas to conduct risk assessment that is aligned with Pakistan's latest National Risk Assessment and ensure implementation of Targeted Financial Sanctions.

The draft amendments also provide more clarity on verification for Beneficial Ownership, close associates and family members of politically exposed persons.

The RPs are encouraged to use technological solutions for screening and monitoring of transactions as per best practices. The SECP has tried to address the regulated sector's feedback regarding gaps in the implementation of AML/CFT Framework.

Bayaan is all set to Release its FiRst oFFicial alBum

By Rohama Riaz This progressive rock band from Lahore is a complete talent house in itself. Each member of the band is an expert in his respective field. After winning Pepsi Battle of the Bands in 2018, this bunch is all set to release its first official album and we cannot wait to dance on the majestic rhythm while murmuring our favorite lines from our favorite tracks.

1

What does “Bayaan” signify?

Bayaan simply means to express your thoughts and words.

The thoughts you express can be as simple as basic human emotions and experiences. That’s what Bayaan particularly aims to do with its lyrical content.

2

What is your album about, what is the genre?

The album is about life, or perhaps death, and the journey in between. It is about the often overlooked emotions that you experience in ordinary moments. The album is not based on any specific genres, but rather lyrical themes and their supporting instrumental arrangements.

3

What’s the inspiration behind it?

Any album is a snapshot of where we are in our lives as individuals and as a collective. This album signifies the struggles, challenges, heartbreaks, victories and triumphs of the last two years.

4

The name of your new album?

“Suno”

5

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

Your favorite song from the album?

Each song has been crafted with close attention to minor details and emotions.

Each song holds a separate special place in our hearts. The answer to this also varies for each band member.

6

What do you do when there is any conflicting argument in the group?

As a collective, we operate on a strict democratic principle. Since there’s five of us in the band, there never is a stalemate. Conflicting ideas/thoughts are inevitable when you’re working as a team. It is how you learn to embrace each other’s opinions with a listening heart and mind.

7

What is the craziest thing that ever happened during any tour?

Each performance is a crazy experience of its own. We’re gladly reaching the point where a good chunk of the audience knows the lyrics to our songs and sings along to them. It is a feeling unparalleled to anything else.

8

Who or what band has been your inspiration throughout this journey?

We all have our distinct inspirations and preferences in terms of music. Four of the band members are largely influenced by western artists and bands, whereas Asfar is mainly inspired by some notable Eastern names. In terms of the album theme, the inspiration is our collective or individual human experiences.

The Batman Confirms Cast: Robert Pattinson, Colin Farrell, More The Batman confirms its cast as Warner Bros. officially announces production is underway in London, directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson. The announcement doesn't mention any plot details but says Robert Pattinson stars alongside a star-studded ensemble as Gotham City’s vigilante detective, Batman, and billionaire Bruce Wayne.

Monday also saw Matt Reeves announce filming has begun with a look at a logo as well as showing off they are filming at scene 17, and a look at the Battinson bod has also hit the net.

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Batman.” Director Matt Reeves (the “Planet of the Apes” films) is at the helm, with Robert Pattinson (upcoming “Tenet,” “The Lighthouse,” “Good Time”) starring as Gotham City’s vigilante detective, Batman, and billionaire Bruce Wayne. Batman was created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. Based on characters from DC, “The Batman” is set to open in theaters June 25, 2021 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

9

How do you compare group effort to performing single on stage?

Performing as a band entails a certain level of musical chemistry between the members along with hours of rehearsal of course. The collective energy shared on stage is far greater than a solo performer.

10 11

If you didn’t have a band, what would have been your career choice?

We’re all juggling day jobs with our music, so that would’ve been in focus if it wasn’t the band.

Are you spiritually connected to music or was it just a plain hobby?

To create something meaningful and honest, being connected to oneself is a prerequisite. We believe that hobbies are also things that you are mentally and emotionally attached to. So the line between hobby and passion is a blurred one.

Your childhood: How did your childhood prepare you for your job today?

Best-selling author Henry DeVries began one of his bios like this: At the age of 6, Henry began working on the family dairy farm.

12

Who do you think is your biggest competitor right now in the industry as a band?

Music/art is not a competition. Even if it is looked that way, it shouldn’t be.

Artists put their vulnerabilities out when they create something and that should not be turned into a competition. Artists and musicians should come together, support each other and strengthen this already feeble community. We are glad that this community has gotten stronger over the last couple of years and we surely hope that it continues this trend.

Your dream occupation: What's your dream occupation -- the one job you'd love to have if you weren't doing what you're doing now?

13

What kind of audience is this album going to cater?

People who have supported Bayaan over the last 5 years – we hope they are going to connect with it. Apart from that, we have experimented with new sounds that will, hopefully, appeal to varied audiences.

14

What are you expecting from your new album in terms of response from the audience?

We just hope that people connect with the songs like they have had previously and be inspired to get over their fears.

The Matrix 4 Casts Priyanka Chopra Jonas Priyanka Chopra Jonas will be entering The Matrix 4 as the actress is in final talks for the movie in an unknown role.

Chopra Jonas, the wife of Nick Jonas, is known for the Quantico TV series and has also been cast in the upcoming Cowboy Ninja Viking movie starring Chris Pratt.

The Indian-born actress joins Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Neil Patrick Harris.

Variety also reports filming is to begin soon and that the cast has been training for months for the action and fight scenes.

Recently saw it revealed that Hugo Weaving will not be back as Agent Smith. he Matrix 4 has a May 21, 2021 release date directed and produced by Lana Wachowski who also co-wrote the screenplay with Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell; Grant Hill also returns as producer, who executive produced Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions.

In addition to Keanu Reeves returning as Neo with Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is rumored to be playing a young Morpheus, and Jessica Henwick is said to be playing a female-like Neo character.

CMYK

Your first car: Describe your first car and what you loved or hated most about it.

Jawaani Jaaneman: Saif Ali Khan, Bollywood’s favourite man-child, is ready to grow up?

If I had to take a wild guess, I’d say that after war, the manchild might just be Hollywood’s favourite subject to make movies about. Quite ironic that while one genre shows 18year-old boys on the frontline, the other has 36-year-old men smoking weed in their mum’s basement.

Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and so many of your beloved film stars kickstarted their career with the man-child, only to later move on to bigger, greener pastures that Oscars seem to love. But back home, playing the eternal Peter Pan is still too strong for Saif Ali Khan. The undisputed desi man-child, with perhaps Ranbir Kapoor as his closest competition, Saif has played the role almost half a dozen times, starting from Yeh Dillagi (1994) to his latest, Jawaani Jaaneman (2020).

Saif has been in experimentation mode of late -- he was the first big name to transition to OTT with Sacred Games, played a revengeful sadhu in Laal Kaptaan and a grungy villain in Tanhaji:

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

14 SPORTS

THieM sTuns nAdAl TO seT up seMi-finAl wiTH Zverev Melbourne

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Agencies

USTRIA’S Dominic Thiem stunned Rafael Nadal Wednesday to send the world number one tumbling out of the Australian Open and set up a semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

The fifth seed, beaten by Nadal in the last two French Open finals, battled past the Spaniard 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 46, 7-6 (8/6) to deny him a crack at a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title.

He will now meet German seventh seed Zverev who shattered the dreams of veteran Stan Wawrinka 1-6, 6-3, 64, 6-2 to book a maiden place in a Grand Slam last four. Awaiting the winner of that clash will be either seventime champion Novak Djokovic or six-time winner Roger Federer, who meet in the other semi-final.

“All the match was on a very good level, I think we are both in great form,” said Thiem, only the second Austrian to make the Melbourne semis after Thomas Muster — the man he sacked this week as an advisor.

“Today I had the feeling I was lucky in the right situation ... it is necessary because he is one of the greatest of all time. You need some luck to beat

him.” Top seed Nadal had a 9-4 record over Thiem and had beaten him in all their five previous Slam meetings.

But the last time they played on hardcourts — at the 2018 US Open quarter-finals — it was a five-set marathon. And the signs pointed that way again, with the opening set on serve to 2-2 before Thiem, gunning for a first Grand Slam title, worked a break point but couldn’t convert.

Both baseline-huggers, it became a slugfest before Nadal managed to open some doors on the Thiem serve in game

Barty time as home hero bids to live up to Australian Open hype Melbourne: Ashleigh Barty is two victories away from becoming the Australian Open’s first home-grown winner in 42 years, but the top seed must first tame aggressive American Sofia Kenin on Thursday. The othersemi final at the Australian Open in Melbourne, where temperatures are forecast to soar to nearly 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), tees up Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and unseeded Garbine Muguruza. The 23-year-old Barty is the only Australian left in the men’s or women’s draw and will be expected to beat Kenin, the 14th seed contesting her first Grand Slam semifinal. Barty, into the semi-finals at the Australian Open for the first time, has defeated the American in four of their five previous meetings. Excitement is growing that Barty can become the first Australian winner since Chris O’Neil in 1978. But the world number one and reigning French Open champion is trying to ignore the hype. “I don’t pay attention to it, honestly. I’m here to try and do the best that I can,” she said, after defeating Czech seventh seed Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals. “Obviously it’s exciting. Hopefully I can bring a smile to a few faces around our country and around the world.” Underdog Kenin, 21, is flying the flag for the United States as the only American left at the Australian Open. Born in Moscow but a fiercely proud American — her racquet is in the colours of the stars and stripes — Kenin is adamant she will not shrink in the face of what will be vocal home support for Barty. “I guess I could just say aggressive, the fight in me,” she said, asked what her strengths are. Agencies

eight and he broke with a perfect lob from the back of the court.

But Thiem came roaring back, breaking back with a ripping crosscourt return. He saved a set point to take it to a tie-breaker where he stunned Nadal to seal a one set lead.

FAMouS VICTorY: Nadal, dripping in sweat on a steamy Melbourne night, attacked in the second set and Thiem lost his serve to love to go 3-2 behind.

But the Spaniard, the 2009 champion, became riled when issued with a warning for taking too long to serve and

it rattled him, sending down a double fault as Thiem squared the set at 4-4.

Nadal saved a set point and it went to another tie-break where Thiem prevailed at the crunch thanks to a lucky net cord.

The third set was similarly tight, with no breaks until Nadal teased some errors from Thiem as he served to stay in the set, pumping his fists in celebration. But when Nadal shanked a forehand in the third game of set four to be broken the momentum swung back to the Austrian. He lost his nerve serving for the match at 5-4 before finally getting over the line in a tie-break for a famous victory.

He now faces Zverev, who bounced back after being demolished in the first set by 2014 champion Wawrinka to take control and run out a comfortable winner. Long touted as one of the next generation capable of breaking through to end the Grand Slam dominance of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, Zverev credited a more relaxed approach for his success in Melbourne.

“I’m doing much more things outside the court,” he said, adding that after a poor performance at the recent ATP Cup he did not have high expectations. “Maybe this is a stepping stone.

Maybe this is how it should happen.”

Relaxed approach helps Zverev reach first Grand Slam semi Melbourne Agencies

Germany’s Alexander Zverev said a more relaxed approach had worked wonders at the Australian Open and helped him break a mental barrier to make his first Grand Slam semifinal.

The 22-year-old rallied from a set down to shatter the dreams of 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Big things have been tipped for Zverev since he burst into the top 10 in 2017, but until now he has not fully delivered at the Majors.

But after a poor build-up to the year’s opening Major at the ATP Cup, where he lost all three matches, he worked hard on the practice court and changed his routine to take the pressure off.

“I mean, I’ve done well at other tournaments. I’ve won Masters Series, World Tour Finals. But the Grand Slams were always the week where I kind of even wanted it too much,” he said.

“I was doing things in a way too professional way. I was not talking to anybody. I wasn’t going out with friends. I wasn’t having dinner. I was just really almost too focused.”

“I changed that a little bit this week,” he added.

“I’m doing much more things outside the court. I also was playing that bad at ATP Cup that I didn’t have any expectations. I wasn’t really expecting myself in the semi-finals or quarter-finals.

“Maybe this is a stepping stone.

Maybe this is how it should happen.” He added that having his best friend, girlfriend and a close team around him also helped.

His reward is a clash against either Rafael Nadal or Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the last four,

with a final beckoning against Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.

“It feels awesome,” said Zverev, who has been donating $10,000 for each win at Melbourne Park to Australian bushfire relief, and will even hand over the Aus$4.12 million ($2.78 million) winner’s cheque if he clinches the title.

“I hope I can still continue to play better in the semi-finals and hopefully maybe in the final. The people that I’m going to play are not getting worse.”

Champion’s mindset propels Halep into Melbourne semi-finals Melbourne: Simona Halep warned she’s playing some of the best tennis of her career as she steamed into an Australian Open semi-final against fellow two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Romanian is the only player in the women’s draw not to drop a set in Melbourne and never looked in danger of doing so as she thrashed Estonian 28th seed Anett Kontaveit 6-1, 6-1 in 53 minutes. Muguruza, who like Halep has won Wimbledon and the French Open, sealed a date with Halep with a 7-5, 6-3 quarter-final win over Russia’s 30th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Muguruza edges Halep 3-2 in their five previous meetings, but Halep said she is in the kind of sizzling form that saw her defeat Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2 in the Wimbledon final in July. The former world number one is also growing into the Australian Open, having said previously she was sluggish and tired at the outset. “I feel more energy going to the semi-finals. I feel more confident, I feel my game,” said Halep, who is set to rise a place to second in the world rankings next week.

There has also been a change of mindset in Halep when she approaches Grand Slams, she said. “I just feel more confident and I feel like I’m able to do it,” said the Romanian, a popular figure with her fellow players. “It’s just a feeling that you don’t see this trophy as impossible anymore.

“This is what I’m feeling about the Grand Slams now.” Halep, beaten in the 2018 final in Melbourne by Caroline Wozniacki, wasted no time asserting her authority over 28th seed Kontaveit, who was contesting her first Grand Slam quarter-final. Halep broke the 24-year-old in the third game of the first set, then again in the fifth game.

Spectators at Rod Laver Arena had barely had time to settle into their seats. Halep sealed a one-sided first set in 29 minutes with a rocket of a forehand that the overwhelmed Estonian had no chance of retrieving. Kontaveit had failed to win a set against Halep in two previous meetings, and this was to be no different. Halep broke again at the start of the second set and wrapped up a dominant victory in style, sending down an ace. Halep, who struggled with a back injury towards the end of last year, said that she spent the off-season in Dubai rather than at home this year. “I’ve been there almost three weeks and worked more professional than before,” she said.

“That’s why I left home because I can keep focused on what I have to do every day, no days off.” Agencies

Roger is Roger: Djokovic not underestimating ageless great Melbourne Agencies

Novak Djokovic is ever respectful of “great fighter” Roger Federer, but the Serb goes into their Australian Open semi-final as clear favourite after beating the Swiss maestro in every Grand Slam meeting since Wimbledon 2012.

The pair enjoy one of world sport’s greatest rivalries and will be facing each other on Thursday for a 50th time stretching back to 2006. Djokovic leads 2623. While Federer won their last clash at the ATP Finals in November, the Serb has a psychological edge at the Slams, beating him in all five showdowns since losing in the All England club semis eight years ago.

Sixteen-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic has also been in fine touch at Melbourne Park as he targets a record eighth title, dropping just one set en

route to the last four.

In contrast, Federer has lived dangerously, two points from defeat against John Millman in the third round and incredibly saving seven match points in his quarter-final against Tennys Sandgren.

Djokovic pointed to Federer’s heroics in that epic as to why he can never be written off, despite being 38 and in the twilight of his career.

“What he did (against Sandgren) was amazing.

He showed me he’s one of the best players of all time. I mean, he never gives up. When it matters the most, he’s focused and he plays his best tennis,” said the world number two. “He’s a great fighter. Obviously I have lots of respect for him.” Federer and Djokovic have dominated the Australian Open for years with the all-conquering pair sharing 12 of the last 14 titles. Djokovic is the defending champion but Federer won in 2018.

CMYK

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

SPORTS 15

sHArMA’s six Of THe BesT Gives indiA T20 series AGAinsT nZ HaMilton

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Agencies

OHIT Sharma smacked sixes off the final two balls of a dramatic super over for India to win the third Twenty20 against New Zealand in Hamilton on Wednesday and wrap up the series.

It sealed a man-of-the match performance from Sharma, the most prolific batsman in cricket’s shortest format, who showed his class with 65 to set up India’s 179 for five which was matched by New Zealand’s 179 for six.

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson had kept his side in the hunt with a classy 95 and when the scores were tied he scored another 11 of their 17 runs batting first in the super over. India only scored eight off the first four deliveries in reply before Sharma smacked Tim Southee for back-to-back sixes to clinch the match and the series with two games to spare.

“It was unbelievable. I thought at one stage we

were gone, down and out,” a relieved Kohli said.

“He (Williamson) played a brilliant innings and they probably deserved to finish the game off the way he batted and the way he led from the front and I feel bad for him. “But Rohit was outstanding in the first half and the last two balls as well.”

India comprehensively won the first two games of the five-match series when they bowled first, which is their preferred option. When Williamson won the toss in Hamilton he put immediate pressure on the tourists by electing to bowl, forcing India to set rather than chase a total. After a slow start in which Sharma had only 12 runs off 11 balls, he erupted over the next 12 deliveries to reach his half century.

In a brutal attack on pace bowler Hamish Bennett he hit three sixes and two fours off five consecutive deliveries. But when Colin de Grandhomme removed KL Rahul for 27 and Bennett followed with the wickets of Sharma and Shivam Dube, India slumped from none for 89 to three for 96 after 11 overs and were restricted to a further 83 runs in the

INDIA 179 FOR 5 (ROHIT 65, BENNETT 354) TIED WITH NEW ZEALAND 179 FOR 6 (WILLIAMSON 95, SHAMI 2-32)INDIA WON New THE SUPER OVER

remainder of the innings.

Zealand’s reply was steady but unspectacular until the back half of the innings when Williamson charged in an attempt to keep the series alive. His 95 included eight fours and six sixes and with four balls remaining New Zealand only needed two to win.

Williamson was caught behind trying to edge the winning runs past the keeper and after Ross Taylor and Tim Seifert ran a bye to level the scores, Taylor was bowled on the final ball of the innings sending the match into a super over. It was the third super over New Zealand have faced in the past seven months and they have lost them all having gone down to England in the World Cup final and then again in a Twenty20 match in November. “They haven’t been too successful for us,” said Williamson. “We’d probably do better trying to win it in regular time. “It was pretty disappointing not getting across the line in the first 20 overs but it’s a game of small margins. We must learn from it.”

The fourth match is in Wellington on Friday.

Sikandar Raza takes career-best seven wickets as Zimbabwe grab control

dHA Karachi Cup All pakistan Open Golf Championship 2020 to begin from Jan 30

TEA SRI LANKA 293 (MATHEWS 64, RAZA 7short leg for the second 113) TRAIL ZIMBABWE 406 match in a row.

Kasuka was diag(WILLIAMS 107, RAZA 72, nosed with mild concusEMBULDENIYA 4-182) BY sion and will take no further part in the match.

113 RUNS All-rounder Timycen

Harare Agencies

Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza picked up a career-best seven wickets as the hosts dismissed Sri Lanka for 293 at tea on the third day of the second Test in Harare on Wednesday.

Off-spinner Raza, who claimed all three wickets to fall in the morning session, took an-

other three after lunch to finish with figures of seven for 113 — the second best return for Zimbabwe in Test cricket.

Former legbreak bowler Paul Strang registered 8 for 109 against New Zealand at Bulawayo in September 2000.

Zimbabwe lead by 113 runs but will begin their second innings without opener Kevin Kasuza after he was struck on the helmet fielding at

Maruma has been drafted in to take his place and is set to bat at number three.

Kusal Mendis (22) was the first man to go after Sri Lanka resumed on their overnight score of 122 for two, caught off the bowling of Raza after a firm pull shot hit Kasuza and looped to Carl Mumba at square leg.

Kasuza collapsed to the ground and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher. He was then sent to hospital for scans, having been substituted out of the first Test after suffering a delayed concussion following a similar incident.

Raza snaffled a return catch to remove Dinesh Chandimal for six and then bowled a well-set Dhananjaya de Silva on the stroke of lunch for 42.

The Pakistan-born Raza trapped Niroshan Dickwella early in the afternoon session to complete his five-wicket haul before Suranga Lakmal chipped tamely to short mid-on.

Angelo Mathews, who made his first Test double century in the series opener, top-scored for Sri Lanka with a gritty 64 from 158 balls before he was caught behind down the legside off Mumba. A brilliant diving catch by substitute fielder Brian Mudzinganyama gave Raza his seventh wicket and Victor Nyauchi had Vishwa Fernando last man out for a battling 38.

Sri Lanka lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the first match by 10 wickets.

Kobe Bryant’s helicopter not equipped with vital warning system los angeles Agencies

The helicopter that crashed into a Los Angeles hillside killing NBA legend Kobe Bryant and eight others, was not equipped with vital software that alerts pilots when aircraft are too close to the ground, officials said.

The terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), which is designed to send a warning when a collision appears imminent, had not been installed on Bryant’s Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, the National Transport Safety Board’s (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy said.

“Certainly, TAWS could have helped,” NBC News reported Homendy as saying, adding that she could not conclude that its use would have prevented the crash.

The warning system is not mandatory on helicopters under Federal Aviation Administration regulations, despite the NTSB recommending that it be made so on all helicopters with six or more passenger seats, following a 2004 crash.

Medical examiners identified the body of Lakers star Bryant after recovering the remains of all nine of those who died in the crash near LA, officials said Tuesday. Bryant’s body was officially identified along with three others using fingerprints, two days after their helicopter crashed

into a rugged hillside northwest of the city.

Meanwhile federal investigators finished their inspection of the crash site, handing it over to local authorities. Images showed investigators flying drones over the accident site and manually combing through twisted, charred wreckage, which was scattered over a wide area.

Officials also used drones to replicate the helicopter’s final, fateful flight path, Homendy said.

Earlier Tuesday, the coroner’s office confirmed all nine bodies have been retrieved from the site and “transported to the department’s forensic science center” for examination.

The bodies of pilot Ara Zobayan, baseball coach John Altobelli and Sarah Chester have also been identified.

The remaining five — including Bryant’s 13-

year-old daughter Gianna — have not yet been officially identified.

The death of Bryant — a five-time NBA champion for the LA Lakers and double Olympic gold medalist — has shocked the world, with tributes continuing to pour in Tuesday.

PreTTY DeVASTATInG: Bryant, 41, was traveling with daughter Gianna and seven other passengers and crew when the Sikorsky S-76 slammed into a hillside in thick fog.

The helicopter was headed to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, where his daughter was set to play.

Homendy described the accident as a “high energy impact crash”. Investigators have now airlifted the helicopter’s wreckage onto trucks, which then transported it to a secure location for further examination. An iPad, cellphone and maintenance records were found among the wreckage, along with “everything we would expect would be on the aircraft,” said Homendy.

She told journalists that the probable cause for the accident may not be confirmed for 12-18 months, when a final report will be issued.

A preliminary, fact-based report is expected in 10 days. With the crash site becoming a pilgrimage point for fans, police on horseback and all-terrain vehicles have been brought in to secure the area.

CMYK

KArAChI: DHA Karachi Cup All Pakistan Open Golf Championship 2020 will be held at the windswept, evergreen golf course of Defence Authority Country and Golf Club (DAC&GC) from Jan 30 to Feb 2, 2020. This was announced by the tournament committee addressing a crowded press conference held at the club venue. The championship is an approved event by the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) and Sindh Golf Federation (SGF) and indeed a prestigious golfing championship of the country.Over 250 enthusiast golfers from all over the country will participate in different categories including professionals, senior professionals, amateurs, seniors, veterans, ladies, juniors and masters. The committee informed that the tournament carries a prize money of Rs 3.3 Million which will be contested by professionals and senior professionals. They elaborated that the main match will be played over 54 holes for three days by professionals and amateurs (H/Cap 12 and below). Last year’s champions Matloob Ahmed (professional) and Taimoor Khan (Amateur) will defend their titles in the tournament.The most lucrative prize of the tournament is a “Toyota Avanza Car” for “Hole in One,” and is sponsored by Toyota Central Motors Karachi. Press releAse

former pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Munaf dies at 84 lAhore: Mohammad Munaf, the former Pakistan fast bowler, has died. He was 84 years old.

Munaf played only four Tests for Pakistan, from the late 50s to the early 60s, but hovered around national team selection for a number of years. He toured, without playing a Test, with the Pakistan side on their famous first tour of the Caribbean in 1957-58, in which Gary Sobers made his then world-record 365 and Hanif Mohammad played one of the great rearguard innings of all time, the 337 at Bridgetown. Munaf was born in Bombay (as it was known then) but settled in Karachi and it was there, as a strapping young fast bowler, that he first made his name in the famous Rubie Shield school tournament. At that time, he was good enough with the bat to have opened the batting with Hanif for Sind Madrassah. The late historian Khadim H Baloch wrote in his Encyclopaedia of Pakistan Cricket that Munaf delivered off a short run-up and had a slingy, round-arm action and some reports had him, at his peak, as one of the fastest bowlers in the country at the time.

But his career coincided with early riches in Pakistan’s pace resources. Fazal Mahmood, Khan Mohammad and Mahmood Hussain were all starters for the national side ahead of him; in fact, his debut Test against Australia in 1959-60 only happened because Hussain was unavailable. He would go on to play only three more matches, all in Pakistan, with a best of 4 for 42 against England in Lahore in 1961-62. Munaf’s potential was never in doubt, though, as evidenced by two trips he made to England as part of the Pakistan Eaglets squad - which was essentially an A team back then. Agencies

Thursday, 30 January, 2020

NEWS talks with IMf for third tranche of $450m to begin from feb 3 ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will hold talks for disbursement of the third tranche of $450 million under the $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) from Feb 3, it emerged on Wednesday. The IMF delegation will perform quarterly reviews of the economy in the current fiscal year. The delegation will reach Islamabad on Feb 2 as the review meeting is scheduled on the following day.

The talks will review Pakistan’s secondquarter financial performance. The global moneylender will also consider the performance of various ministries and government departments, and in particular, energy and tax reforms under the current regime. The delegation will also call upon Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi. Pakistan received the second tranche of $454 million from the IMF in late December. The IMF at that time declared that Pakistan’s reform program was “on track and has started to bear fruit”.

Following the release of the second tranche, the total amount of money granted so far by the IMF under the current program rose to $1,440 million. The IMF, after completing its first review of Pakistan under the EFF, noted that “decisive” implementation of government policies had helped preserve economic stability in the country.

taliban assault on afghan police base kills 11 KABUL AGENCIES

Taliban militants attacked a police base in northern Afghanistan, killing 11, possibly with help from at least one of the policemen inside, local government officials said on Tuesday.

The militants first overran a checkpoint near the base late on Monday and were apparently able to breach the compound with ease because a sympathetic policeman opened a door for them. These details were provided by Mabobullah Ghafari, a provincial councilman in Baghlan province where the attack took place. A local police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to brief reporters about the attack, also gave the same account. Insider attacks have been steady throughout Afghanistan’s 18-year conflict, with US and Nato troops most often targeted. But when Afghan security forces are targeted, the casualty rate is often much higher. Last July, two US service members were killed by an Afghan soldier in the southern Kandahar province. The shooter was wounded and arrested. In September, three US military personnel were wounded when a member of the Afghan Civil Order Police fired on a military convoy, also in Kandahar. Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack on the outskirts of Puli Khumri, Baghlan’s provincial capital.

IrresPonsIble ModI claIMs ‘PakIstan wIll fall wIthIn 10 days’ PAKISTAN DENOUNCES INDIAN PM’S BELLIGERENCE, ASKS WORLD TO NOTICE NEW DELHI’S OBSESSION WITH PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

P

AKISTAN on Wednesday took a strong exception to the remarks made by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi wherein he had claimed that “Indian forces were now capable of making Pakistan bite the dust in less than 10 days”.

“Our armed forces will not take more than seven to 10 days to make Pakistan bite the dust,” Modi had declared while speaking at a military ceremony on Tuesday.

Responding to the statement, the Foreign Office denounced Modi’s “belligerent rhetoric” against Pakistan, stating that his recent remarks were a “reflection of India’s incurable obsession with Pakistan”.

It urged the international community to “take cognisance of Indian leadership’s continuing belligerent rhetoric and aggressive measures, which pose a threat to regional peace and security”.

“Pakistan completely rejects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s irresponsible and war-mongering remarks. These remarks are another reflection of India’s incurable obsession with Pakistan and the BJP government and leadership’s desperate attempts to divert

attention from growing domestic and international criticism of their discriminatory, anti-Kashmir and anti-minority policies,” FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said.

“The Indian prime minister’s threats and provocative statements further illustrate the extremist mindset that pervades the BJP leadership and has evidently permeated the state institutions in India,” she added.

‘CAN TAKE DOWN PAKISTAN WITHIN A WEEK’: Speaking at the National Cadet Corps Rally in Delhi on Tuesday, Modi lamented the “inaction” of

'Slap of the century': Palestinians reject Trump Mideast plan JERUSALEM AGENCIES

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan the “slap of the century” on Tuesday as thousands of Palestinians held protests in Gaza and the West Bank.

Hamas said it would confront Trump’s “aggressive” proposals and accused him of talking “nonsense” about Jerusalem.

Confounding some predictions, Trump’s plan proposed a “two-state” solution to the decades-long conflict, which envisages Israel and a future Palestinian state living alongside each other, with conditions.

The plan would see a Palestinian state with its capital in “eastern Jerusalem”, though in an area cut off from much of the city by an Israeli military barrier.

Palestinians reject any proposal that would not see a Palestinian capital in all of East Jerusalem, which includes the walled Old City and numerous sites holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Trump, in his remarks at the White House earlier on Tuesday, said that Jerusalem would remain the undivided capital of Israel.

“I say to Trump and (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu: Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass,” Abbas said in a televised address in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Abbas said it was “impossible for any Palestinian, Arab, Muslim or Christian child to accept” a state without Jerusalem.

Israel captured the eastern part of the city along with the West

Bank and Gaza in a 1967 war.

The Palestinians would only accept negotiations based on international law and supported by U.N. Security Council resolutions, said Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority has limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank.

The plan proposes setting up a Palestinian capital in the urban sprawl to the north and east of a concrete wall that Israel built through East Jerusalem more than a decade ago, during the last Palestinian uprising.

“This physical barrier should remain in place and should serve as a border between the capitals of the two parties,” the document says.

Hamas, whose stronghold is in Gaza, was scathing.

“Trump’s statement is aggressive and it will spark a lot of anger,” Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

his predecessors who were reluctant to use military force against Pakistan.

He said that even when India’s top brass “asked for action,” the political leadership “would not go ahead,” but instead conducted what he called “a proxy war” with Pakistan as a law and order issue, rather than one requiring a military solution.

The prime minister said he believes Pakistan would not stand a chance if a military confrontation broke out between the two.

The two regional archrivals have fought three major wars and have been involved in numerous smaller skirmishes, most of them over the disputed Kashmir region, since both gained independence from Britain.

While India’s conventional military might is no match for Pakistan, India’s army of 1.2 million vastly outnumbers Islamabad’s 560,000 troops. Pakistan levels the playing field with its sizable arsenal of nukes.

According to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Pakistan has 140-150 warheads, while India probably “only” has around 130-140.

Although India’s delivery mechanism is much more enhanced, that won’t matter much in case of an all-out war breaking out between the two, as a single strike can inflict mass casualties and result in devastating consequences for the whole region.

Indian and Pakistani politicians have been frequently using harsh language to criticize each other.

However, speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that in terms of open warfare, the rivals are “not close to a conflict right now.” He called on the international community to do more to prevent the current tensions from getting worse.

Pakistan backs Palestine's call for state with pre-1967 borders ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Maintaining its stance, Pakistan on Wednesday reiterated that it backs Palestine’s demand for making Jerusalem as the capital of its independent state on the basis of pre-1967 borders, a statement released by the Foreign Office said.

The announcement comes a day after US President Donald Trump presented his Middle East plan as a solution to one of the world’s longest-running conflicts. The plan would allow the Palestinians to establish a capital on the outskirts of East Jerusalem but would leave most of the city under Israeli control – giving latter much of what it has long sought. It also envisages a Palestinian state in parts of the West Bank but would allow Israel to annex its settlements in the occupied territory. “My vision presents a win-win solution for both sides,” Trump said at the White House on Tuesday alongside Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Foreign Office, in its statement on Wednesday, said Pakistan has “seen the peace plan that the United States has presented for the Middle East”. However, it clarified that while Pakistan “has consistently supported a two-state solution, as enshrined in the relevant Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions” it wants the “establishment of a viable, independent and the contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally-agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds AlSharif [Jerusalem] as its capital”.

Into the Brexit unknown: United Kingdom exits the European Union LONDON AGENCIES

The United Kingdom leaves the European Union an hour before midnight on Friday, casting off into an uncertain Brexit future that also challenges Europe’s post-World War Two project of forging unity from the ruins of conflict.

After the twists and turns of the Brexit crisis, the country’s most significant geopolitical move since the loss of empire could be an anticlimax of sorts: a transition period preserves membership in all but name until the end of 2020.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given little clue to what the future holds, promising only to restore confidence for people and businesses.

“We’ll be out of the EU, free to chart our own course as a sovereign nation,” said Johnson, the New York-born face of the campaign to leave the EU. But the June 2016 Brexit referendum

showed a nation divided about more than Europe and triggered soul-searching about everything from secession and immigration to capitalism, empire and modern Britishness.

Strains exacerbated by Brexit could even lead to the break-up of the United Kingdom: England and Wales voted to leave the bloc but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay.

The EU, meanwhile, must bid farewell to 15% of its economy, its biggest military spender and the City of London, the world’s international financial capital.

Some will celebrate Brexit, some will weep — but many Britons will do neither.

At home, government advertisements proclaim the Jan. 31 exit date while a newly minted 50-pence coin celebrates the end of 47 years of membership by imploring “peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations”.

Brexiteers wanted bells to toll across

the land but Big Ben will stand silent after a campaign to get it to ‘bong for Brexit’ failed; it was too expensive given repair work.

The protracted Brexit meltdown — some say breakdown — has left allies and investors puzzled by a country that was for decades touted as a confident pillar of Western economic and political stability.

BREXIT FOREVER? Leaving the EU was once far-fetched: the UK joined in 1973 as “the sick man of Europe” and less than two decades ago British leaders were arguing about whether to join the euro.

But the turmoil of the euro zone crisis, fears about mass immigration and a series of miscalculations by former Prime Minister David Cameron prompted the 52 to 48 percent vote to go.

For proponents, Brexit is a dream “independence day” for a United Kingdom escaping what they cast as a doomed German-dominated project that is failing its 500 million population.

“A very major country is leaving and maybe people should start to think about why that is,” said Nigel Farage, who along with Johnson was one of the main leaders of the 2016 Brexit campaign.

“This European project wants to become an empire.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Brexit as a “great thing” and a smart move.

Some European leaders have suggested the United Kingdom might one day change its mind.

After the repeated failure of “Remainers” to unite, organize or win elections, the main hope of europhiles is that the economic impact of leaving will convince a new generation to plot a way back into the fold.

‘A BETTER ENGLAND’: In east London’s Dagenham, overwhelmingly proBrexit in 2016, Tommy Smith, 63, will celebrate with a dram of whisky on Brexit night.

Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

CMYK

“It is about time. I am hoping for a better England,” the former delivery driver said.

“Hopefully it will reduce immigration and stop people coming here robbing the country and going home millionaires. There are too many immigrants,” said Smith, who said he hoped the government would spend more to help people like him.

The future, though, is unclear.

“Brexit is a reconceptualisation of our country, of our politics and of our place in the world,” said Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe think-tank.

“It is the most significant thing certainly to have happened in our history since the Second World War.” Opponents see leaving as a step back from the world that imperils both the United Kingdom and the European project that united a continent of democracies after millennia of conflict.