subject to these sanctions These measures prohibit transactions involving any property or interests in property of designated or blocked persons unless authorised by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or exempt This includes contributions and provision of funds goods or services to or from any blocked person Moreover the entry of
the importance of the Chinese language CM Maryam said: The entire world acknowledges the importance of the Chinese language ” CM Maryam said: “It was China that launched many projects for the sake of economic prosperity in Pakistan ” PM Office rejects to reinstate RPO Hazara The Prime Minister s
In par tnership with Profit S u n d a y, 2 1 A p r i l , 2 0 2 4 I | 1 2 S h a w w a l , 1 4 4 5 R s 2 0 0 0 | Vo l X I V N o 2 9 2 I 8 Pa g e s I La h o r e E d i t i o n PAKISTAN REJECTS ‘POLITICAL USE OF EXPORT CONTROLS’ AFTER US SANCTIONS Top aide of Afghan Taliban’s supreme leader killed in Pakistan ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Top aide of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Habitullah Akhundzada and former bodyguard of Mullah Mansoor was assassinated in Pakistan by unidentified assailants near Pak-Afghan border on Saturday Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), confirmed the incident urging the local authorities to take decisive action against those responsible for the assassination The deceased was reportedly on Eid holidays and was visiting family in the area The deceased, identified as Mohammad Omar Jan Akhundzada, was leading evening prayers at a mosque in the city of Quetta on Thursday when he was attacked No one claims of responsibility for the deadly shooting so far Akhundzada hailed from Zabul province and held the position of chief at a seminary in Kandahar The loss of a senior member has sent a shockwaves within the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as the killed leader was reportedly targeted by the militant Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Pakistan Following the withdrawal of United States-led foreign forces in August 2021 numerous central religious figures and associates of the Taliban have been targeted for assassination within Afghanistan, including in the capital, Kabul The ISKP, a regional affiliate of the Islamic State and a fierce rival of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for a significant number of these attacks ISLAMABAD/LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Arrangements have been completed for byelections to five National and 16 provincial assemblies seats across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan scheduled for Sunday (tomorrow) and the government has approved deployment of Army and Civil Armed Forces (CAF) troops along with the suspension of mobile phone and internet services in these areas According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), polling for the by-elections will proceed without interruption from 8am to 5pm to seats vacated by candidates who won multiple seats or where polling was delayed in Feb 8 general elections due to the death of a candidate The polling will be conducted across five National Assembly seats, 12 Punjab Assembly seats, two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly seats and two Balochistan Assembly seats According to the ECP the re-polling in PB-50 Killa Abdullah would be also held on Sunday (tomorrow) The polling for NA-8 Bajaur and PK-22 Bajaur was delayed on February 8 following the assassination of a candidate, Rehan Zeb Khan Additionally polling will take place in NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan where the National Assembly seat was relinquished by Ali Amin Gandapur who opted to retain his provincial assembly seat in order to assume the role of KP s chief minister Similarly, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif vacated her NA-119 seat in Lahore, choosing instead to keep the PP-159 constituency that she also won Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif won elections on two provincial and National Assembly seats He vacated the NA-132 Kasur and Lahore s PP-158 and PP-164 seats, preferring to retain the NA-123 Lahore constituency Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari won two National Assembly seats He retained the NA-194 Larkana constituency leaving the NA-196 seat in Qamber Shahdadkot vacant Army deployment approved for security during by-polls Meanwhile on request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking strict security measures during the by-elections in the country the federal government has approved deployment of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces (CAF) troops The government would use the armed forces’ units as a quick response force The Ministry of Interior has issued an order in this regard The notification mentions that the CAF and Pakistan Army units would be used as second and third tiers of security and they would be available with immediate effect till April 21 in 21 constituencies The exact number of troops, date/period, area and mode of deployment would be worked out by the ECP in consultation with all concerned stakeholders based on ground requirement/ assessment The date of de-requisitioning of the said deployment will be decided subsequently after mutual consultation among all stakeholders, the notification stated ‘Mobile phone, internet services to be shut down’ Earlier the Punjab government requested the interior ministry to suspend mobile internet services in the province s 13 districts and tehsils on Sunday (tomorrow) owing to the by-polls The request has been made to maintain law and order situation in the province and avoid any untoward incident All set for by-polls to 5 NA , 16 provincial assemblies seats today PM sees Chinese language effective tool for communication globally ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that the Chinese language was an effective tool for communication worldwide Expressing his thoughts in connection with the Chinese Language Day, the premier underscored the importance of the language, saying, “Even the United Nations (UN) has included the Chinese language officially ” The premier acknowledged the growing popularity of the Chinese language in the country saying More people are learning the Chinese language in Pakistan PM Shehbaz made it clear that all-out steps were being taken to promote the Chinese language and literature in the country He expressed optimism that, with the learning of the Chinese language, the people of both countries will get even closer Separately CM Maryam said on Saturday that the Chinese language was important for bolstering ties with China In her message in connection with the Chinese Language Day, CM Maryam said: The proficiency in Chinese language is essential to connecting with the Chinese market ” She acknowledged the economic prosperity of China saying The Chinese language is one of the six official languages of the United Nations (UN) Highlighting
Office on Saturday rejected the recommendation of Establishment Division to reinstate Regional Police Officer (RPO) Hazara, Aijaz Khan suspending for ‘negligence’, resulting in Shangla terrorist attack PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K The federal government borrowed Rs5 5 trillion from commercial banks from July 1 to April 5, 2023-24, an increase from Rs2 95 billion in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) As per SBP data released on April 13 the government borrowed Rs657 billion in just the last week bringing its total borrowing for the period to Rs5 5 trillion This level of borrowing has placed substantial pressure on the economy, as the government now allocates most of its revenue to servicing domestic debt For fiscal year 2023 the government s borrowing from banks was Rs3 7 trillion However this fiscal year s borrowing has already surpassed the previous year s total by Rs1 784 trillion in just nine months It is common for the government to increase borrowing from banks in the final quarter of the fiscal year to enhance reported economic performance metrics The economy faces severe challenges with most generated revenue being consumed by domestic debt repayment and interest This restricts the government s ability to fund new development programs, leading to reduced allocations for other sectors Federal gov t borrows Rs5 5trn from commercial banks in 10 months g GOVT BORROWING HITS RS657 BILLION IN LA ST WEEK, SBP DATA SHOWS ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T P A K I S TA N on Saturday denounced the political use of export controls after the United States imposed sanctions on four entities for their alleged involvement in supplying “missile-applicable items to Pakistan s ballistic missile programme the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday Reacting to the US sanctions, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch issued a statement on Saturday, saying: “We reject political use of export controls It is well known that the same jurisdictions which claim strict adherence to nonproliferation controls have waived off licensing requirements for advanced military technologies for some countries She added that such discriminatory approaches and double standards undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes and also the objectives of regional and global peace and security by accentuating military asymmetries The US State Department claimed on Friday evening that the entities three Chinese and one from Belarus were particularly assisting Pakistan’s long-range missile endeavors The statement specified that “the ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish but to bring about a positive change in behavior The entities facing sanctions include the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, the People s Republic of Chinabased Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd and Granpect Company Limited As per the sanctions imposed under Executive Order 13382, all property and interests in property of the designated entities that are in the United States or under the control of US persons are now blocked Furthermore any individuals or entities with own-
directly or indirectly of 50 per cent or more by the designated persons are also
designated individuals into the United States has been suspended under Presidential Proclamation 8693 The FO spokesperson said that such listings of commercial entities took place in the past as well on allegations of links to Pakistan s ballistic missile programme without sharing any evidence whatsoever While we are not aware of the specifics of the latest measures by the United States, in the past we have come across many instances where listings have been made on mere suspicion or even when the involved items were not on any control lists but were deemed sensitive under catch-all provisions she said ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) made it clear that the US government s action of imposing sanctions on entities supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan s ballistic missile program sent shock waves across the length and breadth of the country and demanded of the federal government to come clean on the very sensitive issue and bring the facts before the nation forthwith PTI Spokesperson in a stronglyworded reaction to the US administration s sanctions on four companies supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan missile program said that the news was very sensitive and concerning and PTI would not tolerate any kind of attack on national interests or any attempt either knowingly or unknowingly to endanger national security and defense of the country He made it clear that Pakistan s peaceful missile program was of paramount importance for national security defense and minimum defense capability PTI Spokesperson stated that the US administration’s move triggered an unprecedented wave of concern across the country pertaining to the missile program He went on to say that it was not possible to blindly believe on the government devoid of public mandate to deal with issues relating to defense and foreign affairs PTI Spokesperson asked that the federal government especially the Ministry of Defense should clear their position on the US administration s step and what strategy they were intending to adopt in this regard S TA F F R E P O R T US’s sanction on entities supplying items to Pakistan’s missile program concer ning: PTI ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday directed the security personnel excluding armed forces deployed in by-elections to maintain neutrality, assist officers, ensure peace, avoid conflicts, arrests, or interference, report irregularities, and uphold impartiality, particularly during the counting process In a code of conduct issued for law enforcement agencies deployed on election duty the arrest of suspects is only permitted upon instruction from polling staff Law enforcement personnel deployed for the bye-elections in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan must adhere to the code ensuring they perform their duties lawfully to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan in conducting fair and peaceful bye-elections in 2024 According to the guidelines outlined by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) security personnel are required to carry out their duties within the boundaries of their assigned mandate and in compliance with the law This is to ensure the facilitation of free, fair, transparent, and peaceful bye-elections in 2024 Each gazetted law enforcement officer will exercise powers delegated by the Election Commission of Pakistan under Section 193 of the Elections Act 2017 and cooperate with District Returning Officers Returning Officers and Presiding Officers as per Section 83(a) of the same Act Assist the Presiding Officer in ensuring smooth and effective polling station operations maintaining order and removing any individuals who misbehave or disobey orders Remain impartial and neutral throughout the electoral process providing full cooperation to the Presiding Officer to ensure uninterrupted voting g FO SPOKESPERSON SAYS ‘DISCRIMINATORY APPROACHES, DOUBLE STANDARDS’ UNDERMINE CREDIBILITY OF NON-PROLIFERATION REGIMES g E X- P M D R A W S C J P ’ S AT T E N T I O N TO S E V E N I S S U E S TO S A F E G U A R D R U L E O F L A W I N C O U N T R Y g SAYS SUCH LISTINGS OF COMMERCIAL ENTITIES TOOK PLACE IN PA ST ‘ WITHOUT SHARING ANY EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER’ ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) founding chairman, Imran Khan, on Saturday wrote a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa drawing his attention to seven key issues he felt needed urgent intervention of the top court to safeguard the rule of law and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution within the country In his letter, the former premier has urged the CJP to take notice of NAB giving clean chit to ex-PM Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana case; look into the Bahawalnagar incident; take action on the letter of six high court judges; fix a petition calling for an independent probe into May 9 events; inquire about Commissioner Rawalpindi s statement regarding poll rigging; take up petitions about rigging in February 8 general elections; and see how reserved seats have been allocated in national and provincial assemblies While drawing CJP s attention to the seven issues the PTI supremo has reminded him that the entire nation is looking at him and quoted the words of one of the greatest and most influential scientists of all time Albert Einstein: The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing ” Through the letter Khan has conveyed to CJP Isa that the state of the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution has fallen to new lows in Pakistan under his watch, saying it has caused the gradual emergence of the “law of the jungle and the enactment of the primitive doctrine that might is right I have no doubt that if our superior judiciary, with your good-self at its helm would not meaningfully intervene as the custodian of the Constitution and the ultimate arbiter of justice and if the foregoing situation were to prevail, Imran stated, it would be fatal to any civilised order in the world ” He then brought seven matters to CJP Isa s attention saying some of which form sub-judice matter of petitions already pending in the Supreme Court, while others involve facts and circumstances that glaringly call for prompt intervention at the judiciary s own motion but in each case it has so far been in vain Imprisoned Imran writes to Qazi seeking justice for PTI Security personnel deployed for by-elections must uphold neutrality, maintain peace: ECP
ership
Pakistan’s food expor ts up by 48% to $5.6bn in 9MFY24
M ajor weapons smuggling attempt thwar ted at S indh-Balochistan border
g Provincial government directs the initiation of work on development program for next fiscal year
sunday 21 Apri 2024 | LAHORe 02 news PR OFIT A G E N C I E S P A K I S TA N has imported wheat worth $1 billion in the first nine months (July-March) of the current financial year 2023-24 compared to $997 million in the same period of the last fiscal year The country has imported 3 4 million tonnes of wheat from July to March during the ongoing fiscal year On the recommendation of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet allowed the private sector to import wheat from the international market without involving any subsidy The ECC of the Cabinet in July 2023 asked the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to open of LC for wheat import Pakistan an agro-based economy produced 27 million tonnes of wheat for domestic consumption in the current year, while it required 31 million tonnes of grain to feed its population The country was facing an estimated shortfall of 2 5 million tonnes of wheat which is the staple food of most of the countrymen Earlier, a report from the Auditor General pointed out that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) imported expensive wheat resulting in losses of billions of rupees to the national exchequer The people had to purchase wheat flour at a very expensive price, the Auditor General disclosed in the annual report T h e r e p o r t a l s o p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r i m p o r t e d w h e a t o n a c h e a p e r p r i c e t h a n t h e T C P a n d t h e PA S S C O According to the report the national exchequer suffered 31 32 million US dollars in loss owing to wheat import at inflated rates The audit report focused on the import data of wheat from Year 2017 to 2022 PA K I S TA N S P E N D S $ 1 B N O N W H E AT I M P O R T S I N 9 M F Y 24 Pakistan s food group exports increased by 48 17% during the first nine months (July-March) of the current financial year (2023-24) as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year According to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Pakistan exported food commodities valued at $5 651 billion during the period from July-March FY24, as against the exports of $3 814 billion in the same period of the last year On a year–on–year basis, the food group exports increased by 16 35% going up from $ 588 759 million in March 2023 to $ 685 025 million in March 2024 On a month-on-month basis food exports however decreased by 2 36% when compared to the exports of $ 701 565 million in February 2024 PBS data shows that rice exports increased by 83 37% and over 4 550 million tons of rice worth $2 930 billion were exported in nine months of FY24 as compared to the exports of 2 939 million tons valued at $1 598 billion in the same period of last year Meanwhile the exports of fruits grew by 17 34% and vegetables by 42 79% as 782 155 metric tons of fruits and 906,836metric tons of vegetables valued at $265 655 million and $94 896 were exported during the period under review, the data revealed S i m i l a r l y t h e e x p o r t s o f t o b a c c o i n c r e a s e d b y 1 9 9 9 % a n d s p i c e s b y 19 90% respectively as 16,968 metric tons of tobacco worth $61 576 million and 29 011 metric tons of spices valued a t $ 8 7 2 9 7 m i l l i o n w e r e e x p o r t e d d u r i n g n i n e m o n t h s o f t h e c u r r e n t financial year T h e e x p o r t s o f o i l s e e d a n d n u t s grew by 131 60%, whereas exports of s u g a r d e c r e a s e d b y 7 4 6 3 % a s c o m p a r e d t o t h e e x p o r t s o f t h e s a m e period of last year The country earned $386 928 million by exporting about 93,508 metric tons of meat and meat products as the exports of meat and meat preparations grew by 28 24% during the period under review
g E C C a l l o w e d t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r t o i m p o r t w h e a t i n J u l y 2 0 2 3 RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza has declared the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) as cradle of leadership and center of excellence for cadets joining the premier institution of Army This was stated by him here on Saturday while addressing as chief guest at the passing out parade of cadets of 149th PMA Long Course 14th Mujahid Course 68th Integrated Course and 23rd Lady Cadet Course held at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul where 49 Cadets from friendly countries were also among the passed out cadets an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gürak was Guest of Honour on the occasion Speaking on the occasion General Sahir Shamshad Mirza said Over the years PMA has also trained scores of foreign cadets whose brilliant performance in their respective Armies stands testament to the professional ethos of PMA Today’s parade serves as an illustrious example of military discipline at its finest and reflects the sterling ethos of the Academy and Pakistan Army alike ” The CJCSC reviewed the parade and along with the Turkish Chief of General Staff gave away awards to the distinguished cadets The coveted Sword of Honour was awarded to Academy Senior Under Officer Muhammad Nauman Abdullah and President’s Gold medal to Company Senior Under Officer Muhammad Abdullah Javed of 149th PMA Long Course The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Overseas Gold Medal was awarded to Friendly Country Senior Under Officer Fahad Bin Aqil Al Towarqi Al Fallaj from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia The COAS Cane was awarded to Course Under Officer Ilyas Khan of 14th Mujahid Course The Commandant s Canes were awarded to Course Junior Under Officer Danish Sattar of 68th Integrated Course and Course Under Officer Sher Bano of 23rd Lady Cadet Course The Chairman JCSC felicitated the passing out cadets and their proud parents on the successful completion of their training at PMA Earlier on arrival, CJCSC was received by Commandant PMA g R i c e e x p o r t s i n c r e a s e d b y 8 3 % t o $ 2 9 3 0 b i l l i o n f r o m J u l y t o M a r c h F Y 2 0 2 3 - 2 4 , P B S d a t a s h o w s C JCSC declares PMA a cradle of leadership, center of excellence for c adets joining Army LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested four suspects including an alleged ringleader of a human trafficking gang for their involvement in human trafficking under the guise of overseas employment A c c o r d i n g t o t h e F I A s p o k e s p e r s o n , t h e A n t iH u m a n Tr a ff i c k i n g C i r c l e i n L a h o r e a p p r e h e n d e d t h e s u s p e c t s , i d e n t i f i e d a s Wa s i m A b b a s , J a m e s M a s i h , J u n a i d I q b a l , a n d M u h a m m a d A r s h a d Wa s i m A b b a s i s b e l i e v e d t o b e t h e l e a d e r o f a n o t o r i o u s h u m a n t r a ff i c k i n g r i n g t h a t s m u g g l e d c i t i z e n s a c r o s s t h e I r a q i - I r a n i a n b o r d e r w i t h t h e h e l p o f a c c o m p l i c e s The gang deceived innocent citizens by promising them employment opportunities abroad, particularly in Iraq However, once abroad, the victims were subjected to torture and their families were extorted for money James Masih was found to be operating an illegal consultancy in Divine Garden where he unlawfully obtained passports from citizens In addition to these arrests, two more human traffickers were apprehended from the Township and Ferozepur Road areas of Lahore Junaid Iqbal and Muhammad Arshad are accused of extorting large sums of money from citizens by falsely promising them jobs overseas Junaid Iqbal allegedly defrauded a victim of 20 lakh rupees by promising employment in Mexico while Muhammad Arshad is accused of stealing 5 lakh rupees from a citizen by pretending to offer a job in Dubai The FIA has initiated an investigation into the matter and the arrested suspects are currently in custody FIA arrests four suspec ts, including ringleader, in human trafficking operation Stock market expected to focus on IMF talks, MPC meeting: repor t PR OFIT N E W S D E S K Pakistan’s stock market is expected to focus on ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting and corporate results due in the next two weeks According to a brokerage note, the trading session this week was unpredictable but ended on a high note on Friday, with the benchmark index reaching a new record closing of 70 909 points marking a gain of 595 points or 0 85% Average trading volumes were 492 37 million shares up 43 51% from the previous week Market volatility was influenced by uncertainties in international crude prices, driven by tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel Key events included the visit of a Saudi delegation to Pakistan promising significant investments Saudi Arabia is also progressing in acquiring a 25% stake in the Reko Diq Mining project for $1 billion Net foreign investments in the Foreign Investors Portfolio Investment (FIPI) were steady, totaling $33 86 million by the end of the week The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) repaid a $1 billion Eurobond on April 12 resulting in foreign exchange reserves closing the week at $8 0 billion Fuel prices rose with petrol and diesel increasing by Rs 4 53 and Rs 8 14 per liter respectively due to higher global crude prices Other significant developments included a shortfall in Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIB) sales, Pakistan’s readiness to proceed with a pipeline project with Iran a threatened wheat production target due to rainfall and the government s expectation of no significant currency devaluation In sector performance the Sugar & Allied Industries, Refinery, Synthetic & Rayon, Vanaspati & Allied Industries, and Textile Weaving sectors led gains Conversely, the Miscellaneous, Woolen, and Paper & Board sectors saw declines Major net sales were by Individuals and Banks while Brokers were net buyers The brokerage note further added that despite reaching a new high the market s forward price-to-earnings ratio remains below 5 0, suggesting positive fundamentals and opportunities in strong stocks g B e n c h m a r k i n d e x c l o s e d t h e w e e k w i t h a n e w r e c o r d h i g h o f 7 0 , 9 0 9 p o i n t s, g a i n i n g 5 9 5 p o i n t s o r 0 . 8 5 % Railways revives ‘Safari Tourist Train’ with private par tnership for cultural exploration LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T T h e P a k i s t a n R a i l w a y i s s e t t o b r e a t h e n e w l i f e i n t o t o u r i s m w i t h t h e r e v i v a l o f i t s i c o n i c S a f a r i To u r i s t Tr a i n , ” i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h p r i v a t e c o m p a n y P K - U n i c o r n S c h e d u l e d t o c o m m e n c e o p e r a t i o n s f r o m S u n d a y t h e i n a u g u r a l c e r e m o n y w i l l b e g r a c e d b y d i g n i t a r i e s i n c l u d i n g S e c r e t a r y R a i l w a y B o a r d A b d u l - M a l i k a n d D i v i s i o n a l S u p e r i n t e n d e n t R a w a l p i n d i N o o r U d d i n a t G o l r a R a i l w a y S t a t i o n a t 9 : 0 0 A M A c c o r d i n g t o t h e P R s o u r c e s o n S a t u r d a y, p a s s e n g e r s a n d g u e s t s w i l l i n d u l g e i n a d e l e c t a b l e b r e a k f a s t s p r e a d b e f o r e e m b a r k i n g o n a j o u r n e y r i c h i n c u l t u r a l e x p l o r a t i o n Tr a v e l e r s w i l l b e t r e a t e d t o f a c e p a i n t i n g m u s i c a n d i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e h i s t o r i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e P o t h o h a r r e g i o n e n r o u t e t o A t t o c k K h u r d S t a t i o n v i a H a s s a n A b d a a l U p o n a r r i v a l , a p l e t h o r a o f a c t i v i t i e s a w a i t s , f r o m r i v e r v i s i t s t o c a m e l r i d i n g , c o m p l e m e n t e d b y a s u m p t u o u s l u n c h f e a t u r i n g l o c a l d e l i c a c i e s T h e “ S a f a r i To u r i s t Tr a i n ” p r o m i s e s a n e n r i c h i n g e x p e r i e n c e b o a s t i n g t h r e e c o a c h e s a n d a p a r l o r c a r Wi t h f a r e s r a n g i n g f r o m R s 2 0 0 0 f o r e c o n o m y c l a s s t o R s 4 5 0 0 f o r a d e l u x e p a c k a g e i n c l u s i v e o f m e a l s t h i s i n i t i a t i v e a i m s t o p r o m o t e t o u r i s m w h i l e c e l e b r a t i n g t h e v i b r a n t h e r i t a g e o f P a k i s t a n s h e a r t l a n d President summons Senate session on April 25 ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned a session of Senate on April 25, Thursday at 04:00 p m which was earlier convened for April 22 The president summoned the session under Article 54 (1) of the Constitution of Pakistan President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Saturday KP gov t delays use of development funds for current fiscal year PESHAWAR A Z I Z B U N E R I The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has opted not to utilize development funds for the current fiscal year, a decision that has raised concerns from the Planning and Development Department Sources within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Department revealed that with only two and a half months remaining in the fiscal year, allocating development funds solely for May and June could pose technical challenges Consequently the provincial government has directed the initiation of work on the development program for the upcoming fiscal year Under this directive, the development budget will be allocated for the next fiscal year beginning in July 2024 with a comprehensive program set to be prepared accordingly It has been communicated to the Planning and Development Department that funds will be disbursed to employees involved in ongoing development projects as salaries and project expenses will be deferred to the new fiscal year Sources within the Planning and Development Department have confirmed the decision and emphasized the potential negative impact of halting progress on projects for four months They have urged the provincial government to allocate at least a portion of the development budget to ensure continuity in project implementation Additionally, the provincial government has been urged to release funds for projects funded by international sources as delays may pose challenges in convincing international institutions about the reasons for the postponement JACOBABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Jacobabad Police intercepted a major arms shipment on the border of Sindh and Balochistan seizing a large cache of weapons and arresting seven individuals including three police officers and relatives of prominent Sindh political figures According to police sources, acting on a tip-off, a Jacobabad special team raided the border region and thwarted the attempt to bring weapons into Sindh Among those apprehended were three policemen and close associates of influential Sindh politicians Police recovered Kalashnikov rifles rifles and a substantial amount of ammunition (2 350 bullets) from the suspects Notably one of the seized vehicles was a double cabin registered under the number SPN 375 which is reportedly used by a significant Sindh political
SSP Jacobabad Saleem Shah revealed that the modern weaponry originated from a Balochistan arms dealer and was destined for Sindh The raid resulted in the confiscation of a double cabin vehicle and a police mobile An investigation is underway to determine who was using the police mobile Additionally, a joint interrogation team, comprised of DSP City and DSP Sadar has been formed to probe the matter further
to SSP Shah
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Bhiyo Nabeel Bhiyo Akhtar Ali Lashari and Tawfiq Ahmed Gujjar are related to prominent Sindh political figures Reports suggest that a press conference by Jacobabad Police regarding the weapons recovery was postponed due to political intervention and the identification
the
TPM to pay official visit to C hina in May: Mashhood
move towards success quickly he added In response to a question Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan said that the current federal government s focus i s o n y o u t h A l o n g w i t h h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n , P r i m e M i n i s t e r S h e h b a z S h a r i f h a s d i r e c t e d t o i n c r e a s e t h e technical training of the youth so that the talented youth are not only sent abroad but their skills can also be fully u t i l i z e d i n P a k i s t a n R e c o g n i z i n g t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f l a n g u a g e s i n c l u d i n g C h i n e s e R a n a M a s h h o o d disclosed that he had instructed relevant institutions to initiate language programs tailored to meet the diverse needs of different countries
will revisit centre, provinces’ revenue sharing af ter IMF loan approved: finmin
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
H E experts at a webinar on doughnut economics expressed that the concept of regenerative economics intended to revive the human-nature relationship to co-exist in harmony would revolutionize urban development in the developing countries The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) organized a special webinar on Doughnut Economics: From concept to practice said a news release here Saturday Kate Raworth UK on the occasion explained doughnut economics into action in its international regional and local context She mentioned that human economy is embedded in society that can be redesigned and reshaped in very nation in its own local context, whereas being part of nature, humans are bound to ensure protected nature and biodiversity to make economies in harmony with ecology She noted that globally market and state conflict dominated the economist review throughout the century whereas shared values and shared economies steward through common interests ensure regenerative economies to create systems that work with and within the cycles of the living worlds (nature) Raworth opined that regenerative nature and technical resources management through eco-construction circular construction resilient infrastructure development to ensure disaster risk reduction and adaptation to whooping impacts of climate events She added that regenerative economy also focused on rediscovering ancestral concepts of circular economy of indigenous communities that are distributive in nature to make it sharing opportunity and value with all who co-create it Dr Jemilah Mahmood from Malaysia presented the example of Ipoh which is the third largest in Malaysia and a doughnut city based on its innovative development, heritage preservation and smart city outlook It is the first city in Asia to adopt the Doughnut Model inspiring other cities towards sustainability There are four dimensions of doughnut economics of social ecological peace and justice and forest management she added She said that it could be started from waste management energy harvesting preservation of heritage and disaster risk reduction Jemilah mentioned that regenerative economics had been achieved through capacity building and bottomup approach to uplift communities to embrace the concept which was important to implement doughnut vision The Ipoh model of regenerative economics have gained attention of the top leadership of the country that could be replicated across Malaysia, she said Responding to queries, the speakers underscored the need to translate doughnut economy vision into local languages for the better comprehension of indigenous communities as it was equally beneficial to embrace regenerative economics for economic wellbeing of a nation 03 news s nday 21 Apr l 2024 LAHORe REGENERATIVE ECONOMICS TO REVOLUTIONIZE URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: EXPERTS Rs7 7 7.1m fineimposed on 7,457power pilferers FAISALABAD A P P The Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) caught 7 457 power pilferers during the last 224 days and imposed over Rs 777 1 million fine on them collectively Spokesman Tahir Sheikh said here on Saturday that over 17 386 million detection units were charged and 7,377 cases were registered over power theft in various police stations whereas the police arrested 6 105 pilferers in addition to recovery of Rs 553 4 million from them Giving further details he said that FESCO teams detected electricity theft at 1,763 points in Faisalabad First Circle and imposed a fine of Rs 190 million on them under the head of 4315,000 detection units In Faisalabad Second Circle the FESCO teams caught 1294 electricity thieves and imposed a fine of Rs 132 9 million under 3114 000 detection units Similarly 851 cases of electricity theft were detected in Jhang circle and the company handed down the power pilferers with a fine of Rs 90 7 million under 2625,000 detection units He further said that 1090 electricity thieves were caught from Sargodha circle and they were imposed a fine of Rs 111 6 million under 2199 000 detection units In Mianwali circle, 1924 consumers were found involved in electricity theft and they were handed down with a fine of Rs 187 5 million for 3962,000 detection units CHITRAL S TA F F R E P O R T The Arando road which connects Pak-Afghan border area has been blocked once again due to floods just a day after reopening leaving passengers stranded and vehicles stuck on the road According to APP Correspondent The road was closed for 10 days due to heavy stones and mountains on the road but was reopened after continuous hard work by the Communications and Works Department (C&W) However, a series of rains on Thursday night caused floods in different nullahs and streams, blocking the road again Passengers including women and children were left stranded for hours and vehicles were stuck on the road The C&W department has mobilized machinery to clear the road but work is on hold until the floodwaters recede The department has also started desilting and cleaning work in the Drosh Goal drainage nullah and channelization in the middle of Drosh goal nullah to prevent further damage Locals are demanding that the government take immediate action to restore the road and compensate those who have suffered losses due to the floods They are also seeking regular development work in the area to reduce their hardships The area has been affected by natural disasters and lacks basic facilities like electricity, mobile phones, and internet Pak-Afghan b order road blo cked again due to flo o ds Registration of pilgrims under private Hajj scheme in progress: Ashrafi LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi has announced that the registration of pilgrims under the private Hajj scheme is in progress, with 24,000 pilgrims slated to participate in the Road to Makkah project this year He made these remarks during a press conference held at the Lahore Press Club where he was joined by representatives from Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan (HOAP) including Saeed Ahmed Malik Chaudhry Ehsanullah Malik Abdul Khaliq Chaudhry Muhammad Adil, Khalid Mahmood Bhatti, Pir Shafaat Ahmed Boudla, and Zeeshan Qamar Ashrafi, who is also the patron-in-chief of HOAP, noted that this year certain private tour operators were offering Hajj packages at a more affordable rate compared to pilgrims participating in the government Hajj scheme He emphasized that due to enhanced selfaccountability measures, private pilgrims would not encounter issues as they have in the past It is imperative to provide written documentation to pilgrims detailing all the facilities to be provided during the sacred journey ” he added Furthermore Ashrafi mentioned that the Saudi Ministry of
Pakistan
trade rather than aid signified a significant development with Saudi Arabia and other Islamic nations poised to play pivotal roles in Pakistan s future economic and financial advancement He commended the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony for implementing corruption-free measures, expressing praise for the current government and the minister for their efforts in this regard CO NTINUED FR O M BACK PAGE The exact size of the potential loan program is expected to be determined during upcoming negotiations scheduled for next month An IMF team is anticipated to visit Pakistan in mid-May to engage in detailed discussions and assess the country’s economic situation The finance minister has expressed optimism regarding the possibility of reaching a staff-level agreement with the IMF by late June or early July, highlighting the urgency and importance of securing financial assistance to address Pakistan’s economic challenges Engagements with chiefs of int l financial institutions Finance Minister Aurangzeb on Saturday briefed the chiefs of international financial institutions about the initiatives of the government of Pakistan for economic reforms and development He held a meeting with the World Bank’s Regional Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser who expressed satisfaction that the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) between Pakistan and the World Bank would be finalized soon Muhammad Aurangzeb underlined the government’s reform thrust in the areas of energy taxation and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) highlighting the pursuit of both short and long-term goals in these crucial sectors Referring to his earlier meetings with the senior leadership of the World Bank, he stated that the Bank’s focus on climate change, digitalization and human capital development aligns well with the priorities of the government The finance minister highlighted the government s vision to realize Pakistan s true economic potential in terms of sustainable economic growth He stressed the importance of timely completion of development projects and the realization of intended impacts and outcomes emphasizing the need for effective implementation and monitoring He also briefed Mr Raiser on the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as a one-window facility for investment promotion and facilitation Both sides agreed on the need for reforms in the agriculture sector water management and wastewater treatment The finance minister also met with Brent Neiman, Deputy Under Secretary for International Finance at the US Department of Treasury on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC The Finance Minister briefed Mr Neiman on Pakistan s positive economic indicators in the wake of the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) He informed that the government has prioritized reforms in taxation energy sector and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) He underscored the United States significance as Pakistan s largest trading partner and a key source of remittances and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) He briefed Mr Neiman on the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in facilitating foreign investment into the country The Finance Minister welcomed his visit to Pakistan after the presentation of the budget and assured full support in this regard Muhammad Aurangzeb held a meeting with Jin Liqun President of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and discussed Pakistan s economic trajectory and explored avenues for enhancing cooperation in infrastructure development During the meeting, the finance minister briefed the AIIB President on Pakistan’s positive economic indicators including improving foreign exchange reserves a stable currency declining inflation rates and a surging stock market He highlighted the renewed institutional and foreign inflows into the market, on the back of the successful 9-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The finance minister informed Mr Jin Liqun that Pakistan was looking to enter into a larger and extended program with the IMF, building upon the progress achieved under the SBA He identified broadening the tax base, fixing the energy sector, and undertaking state-owned enterprise (SOE) reforms as key priorities of the government The minister expressed gratitude for AIIB s support in the aftermath of the devastating 2022 floods, particularly the cofinancing of US$ 250 million for the RISE-II program of the World Bank He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continue working closely with AIIB on the infrastructure development of the country The minister appreciated AIIB’s additional commitment of US$ 500 million in project assistance and acknowledged the satisfactory progress on project implementation and disbursements The finance minister also met with Mr Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) In the meeting Finance Minister briefed Mr Diop on Pakistan’s positive economic indicators including improving foreign exchange reserves stable currency declining inflation rates, and a surging stock market He highlighted the renewed institutional and foreign inflows into the market, bolstered by the successful 9-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) He informed the IFC Managing Director that Pakistan looked forward to entering into a larger and extended program with the IMF Muhammad Aurangzeb identified broadening tax reforms, fixing the energy sector and undertaking state-owned enterprise (SOE) reforms as key priorities of the government He expressed gratitude to IFC for its support in the outsourcing of the Islamabad airport, which will be followed by similar initiatives in Lahore and Karachi He noted with satisfaction the uptick in IFC activities in the country and requested the corporation s support in assisting the government in shifting its Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to PPP mode Other engagements of the finance minister included a luncheon meeting with the Country Management Unit (CMU) of the World Bank participation in the High-level Closed-door Roundtable on Financial Markets Access: Challenges and Opportunities organized by the Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD), IMF and meeting with Mr Andrew Torre, Regional President, VISA The finance minister is leading Pakistan’s delegation in the IMF/World Bank’s 2024 Spring Meetings being held in Washington DC Other delegates include Imdadullah Bosal Finance Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz Secretary Economic Affairs Division, Jameel Ahmed, Governor of State Bank of Pakistan and Adil Akbar Khan, Senior Joint Secretary, Economic Affairs Division
Hajj and Umrah was dispatching high-level officials to train Pakistani pilgrims With the concerted efforts of Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, he said highlevel Saudi delegations had visited
He remarked that Pakistan’s shift towards
PTI workers facing ‘crackdown’ ahead of Sunday’s by-poll: alleges Raoof Hasan ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged that party leaders and workers are facing a crackdown after the announcement of the by-poll schedule on 21 national and provincial seats to be held today (Sunday) Raids are being conducted after the by-election announcement PTI s Secretary Information Raoof Hasan said Saturday Ill-treatment with the party workers families becomes a routine now, he added The spokesperson of the Imran Khan-founded party further said that woman leaders, including Aliya Hamza Malik, Sanam Javaid and Dr Yasmin Rashid are still in jail He claimed that the jail authorities were not providing medical assistance to Malik who is suffering from malaria He further alleged that returning officers (ROs) were being forced to sign blank papers and those are being tortured who have refused to follow the orders Elaborating on the party s strategy Hasan claimed that his party would try to give a big surprise in tomorrow s electoral event The former ruling party also denounced the closure of mobile phone services during the by-election Internet was also closed on February 8 nationwide elections, and now, the closure of these services was being signalled again ” criticised Hasan Earlier today the Punjab authorities formally requested the federal government via a letter to suspend mobile internet services in the province s 13 districts and tehsils on April 21 to maintain law and order situation According to the letter the request for the suspension of mobile internet services has been made for Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sadiqabad, Kot Chutta, PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T Chairman of Prime Minister ’s Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan on Saturday said that the friendship between Pakistan and China was beyond any doubt asserting the previous regime not only attempted to destroy the CPEC project, but relations between the two brotherly countries He expressed these views while talking to the media during his visit to China Window, a Chinese cultural center established in Peshawar According to a press release on Saturday Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan visited different galleries of China Window signed the friendship wall and recorded his comments in the visitor s book He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif wanted to make Pakistan a partner in economic development that’s why he was striving hard to bring in investment from friendly countries to help the country stand on its own feet From May 14, the Prime Minister will make an official visit to the People’s Republic of China which will restore the confidence of the brotherly neighboring country and the CPEC project will
Meeting the IMF MD
FI N A N C E Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has met IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva in Washington but while he has repeatedly said that Pakistan will ask for another IMF programme to succeed the current Stand-By Arrangement he has not put a figure on the next loan that Pakistan will ask for However the Extended Fund Facility Pakistan will probably ask for is expected to be around $6 billion However, Mr Aurangzeb did give a timeframe for the negotiations between the Finance Ministry and an IMF team mid-May This indicates that the process is on schedule, but is not being fast-tracked
Though no details have been shared, it was inevitable for the two to have at least engaged in loud thinking about the conditionalities the IMF might wish to attach to its loan Both Mr Aurangzeb and Ms Geoergieve have indicated the direction in which they thought the Pakistan economy should move: more reform The IMF must be pleased to have found a government with which it shares so much agreement on the way ahead Mr Aurangzeb said that the rollover of much bilateral debt had left Pakistan in good shape in that direction but he did note that Pakistan had to make payments of about Rs 25 billion a year to service its debt A fresh IMF loan may indicate good orthodox
a mammoth build-up of
It has thousands of drones, according to the assessment of RAND Corporation So there are limited chances of any decisive war between the countries But protracted conflict would have implications for regional and international stability
The most nefarious impact is deviation of focus from the plight of people of Gaza According to the Centre for Security & International Studies, around 34000 people have been killed because the shameless liberal Western world allowed it to do so Millions are facing famine-like conditions Children and women are suffering in this man-made crisis
O
c
lence
beyond
question that arises in
wake of
revelations is whether the international community will hold India accountable for these actions Will global powers demand answers regarding India s alleged involvement in the killings of civilians in Pakistan, and Canada? Who authorized these operations, and what international laws were violated in the process? Rajnath Singh's televised confession, where he not only admitted to these actions but also
Lahore
The ruthless American and other Western governments are busy pampering the murderous Israeli regime Iranian attacks have given an opportunity to the West to absolve themselves of the Gaza crisis It will empower Israel to establish a security and political order of its choice in Gaza The Iranian attack would test the temperament of the USA and its allies US President Joe Biden has warned Iran and its Axis of Resistance, but refrained from actively attacking Iran It is a tricky business for the West On the one hand, lack of response would give the impression of weakness to Iran and its allies Ostensibly Russia and China would also deem it as an American weakness On the other hand excessive use of force will eventually plunge the already volatile region into anarchy and chaos American strategy will shape the security outlook of the Middle East In addition to this, recent confrontation and conflict in the Middle East has revitalized the chances of cooperation and diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is a major power in the region It abhors the military influence of Iran in the region The security, economic, and political interests of the two countries are poles apart Despite normalization of the ties, both countries have limited chances of effective relationship because of ideological and political reasons Naturally once the clouds of conflict and war will fade away from the region the chances of Saudi and Israeli cooperation are bright under the auspices of the USA and other Western countries It would potentially further debilitate the strategic calculus in the long run Contrary to this,
e M i d d l e E a s t m
e d
n v i n c e I s r a e l t o a b i d e b y i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w I t s a c t i o n s i n G a z a a n d i n t h e w i d e r r e g i o n s h o u l d b e c h a l l e n g e d b y s t r i c t e m b a r g o o n s a l e s o f we a p o n s a n d c r i p p l i n g e c o n o m i c s a n c t i o n s T h e r e s h o u l d b e e f f o r t s t o d e f u s e t e n s i o n s b e t w e e n I r a n a n d I s r a e l P e a c e i s o n l y p o s s i b l e i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t w h e n t h e b r u t a l a n d i n h u m a n a c t i o n s o f I s r a e l a r e c o n t r o l l e d b y m a j o r W e s t e r n p o w e r s M e r e c o n d e m n a t i o n o f I s r a e l a n d u n p r e c e d e n t e d r e s t r i c t i o n s w i l l n o t y i e l d p e a c e a n d s t a b i l i t y
h e R AW O p e r a t i o n s M o d i m u s t b e r e i n e d i n
Abhinandan was also captured after intruding into Pakistani territory with hostile intentions It s imperative for the Indian Defense Minister to remember that any malicious intent towards Pakistan has historically been met with a robust response from Pakistan's armed forces They have consistently thwarted India s aggressive designs making
chances of an effective and efficient response by the major powers to defuse the tensions are remote The international actors are taking sides in this conflict But none of them is on the side of peace G-7 a club of rich and liberal countries blamed Iran for creating regional instability They vowed to assist Israel in safeguarding its vital security interests However China and Russia at the UN Security Council session blamed Israel and said that the Iranian attack did not occur in a vacuum Such divergent stances would not be helpful in restoring peace in the region Evidently restraint is needed Escalation of conflict would
04 Sunday 21 Apri 2024
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COMMENT
economic management but it does not show a path towards the retirement of that debt It certainly does not indicate the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that will lead to any kind of debt retirement At the moment, Mr Aurangzeb indicated that Pakistan might not make a fresh bond issue to replace the one of $1 billion paid off earlier in the month He said that he was busy talking to rating agencies It is worth mentioning that Fitch had downgraded Pakistan to CCC- from CCC+ in February, which was when Moody s maintained its rating of CAA-3 Obviously, Mr Aurangzeb hopes that the positive news of some economic indicators, combined with the IMF package will allow an improvement in the Pakistan sovereign bond’s rating which will in turn means that Pakistan will be able to borrow relatively cheaply which explains why he said any international capital markets issuance would be in 2025-2026 It is to be hoped that the government will manage to control its apparently insatiable hunger for foreign exchange till then Finance
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor Southern Punjab issues T H E southern region of Punjab, constituting 32 per cent of the province’s population and covering 45pc of its land area has remained deprived of many basic facilities Life in southern Punjab is marked by poverty illiteracy water and healthcare issues Successive governments have failed to bring prosperity to the region and its people All that has come their way is a long list of promises There is no comparison between southern Punjab and other regions of the province in terms of infrastructural developments and literacy rates Candidates from southern Punjab face a tough time while competing with candidates from other regions The government should introduce massive reforms for the neglected region WAQAS BIN MAQBOOL RAHIMYAR KHAN Water wastage D E S P I T E being a precious resource water is routinely wasted as one can see water standing on city roads in various areas The sight of water gushing out of burst pipes or leaking valves, forming puddles and streams along the roads, is a disturbing sight because water conservation is of paramount importance Karachi, like many other cities, is facing the many challenges that have been popped up by the climate change phenomenon and every drop of water wasted on the streets contributes to the strain on the city s already limited water resources It is imperative for the relevant authorities to take immediate action to address the issue YAMNA AHMED KARACHI Streetlights in Larkana THE main road in Larkana from Rice Canal towards Chandka Medical College and Sachal Colony remains in darkness after sunset as there is not a single streetlight on the road The absence of streetlights causes massive inconvenience to the people as owing to the worsening law and order situation they are forced to take a longer route for safety reasons The district administration needs to look into the matter immediately and install streetlights on all the city roads IRSHAD AHMED MEMON LARKANA Exploitation of markets A S Ramazan moved towards its end recently, Turbat found itself in the grip of soaring prices, with shopkeepers converting Eidul Fitr as an opportunity to mint money right, left and centre It was market exploitation at its worst This continues and it happens every year but this year was on an altogether different scale The lack of organised community-based effort to address the issue leaves consumers vulnerable The local consumers should better organise themselves MINA MUNIR TURBAT Online complaint cell THERE is no online complaint cell established by the government of Sindh I have witnessed numerous instances where individuals face difficulties in addressing issues, such as corruption, inefficiency and lack of accountability within government departments While traditional complaint mechanisms exist they often involve lengthy procedures and bureaucratic hurdles Had there been an online mechanism available people would have filed their complaints knowing that they will not be victimised merely for being a complainant which happens often during the conventional process By embracing technology, the provincial govt can significantly improve service delivery AFTAB AHMED KHASKHELI BADIN E d i t o r ’ s m a i l 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 I N recent times, the world has been rocked by startling revelations from an investigative report by prominent British newspaper The Guardian The report claims that the Indian government through its secret intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), has been directly involved in orchestrating the killing of 20 individuals on Pakistani soil These alleged extrajudicial killings have been justified under the banner of national security a claim that raises profound ethical and legal questions The modus operandi as described by Pakistani investigators involves sleeper cells of RAW operating from foreign territories These cells are reportedly responsible for meticulously planning and executing the killings, often by paying local criminals or impoverished Pakistanis substantial sums of money The surge in these killings in 2023 has been attributed to the increased activities of these covert RAW operatives What further exacerbates the situation is the alleged control of RAW directly from PM’s Office, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Interviews with intelligence officers corroborate the claim that India has adopted a policy of targeting individuals abroad who are perceived as adversaries of the Indian state Such a revelation indicates a deeply concerning trend where statesponsored violence is being perpetrated beyond national borders In a surprising turn of events Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh acknowledged these actions showing no remorse but rather a defiant stance This confession not only validates the claims made by The Guardian but also paints a picture of an unapologetic state machinery The concerns do not stop at Pakistan s borders There are also indications of India's alleged involvement in the killings of Sikh separatists or attempts on them in Canada and the USA Incidents
the
Sikh leader Hardeep
Nijjar in Canada point
wards a
threatened further infiltrations and attacks in Pakistan adds fuel to the fire It seems as though the Defence Minister has conveniently forgotten the events of 27 February 2019, when India's attempt to infiltrate and attack Pakistan was thwarted On that day, not only were two Indian jets shot down by the Pakistani Air Force but an Indian pilot
India rue its hostile actions The Guardian report suggests that despite India s massive military expenditures and acquisitions of advanced weaponry, it has resorted to using hired assassins for its covert operations This shift can be interpreted as an admission of India's failure on the international stage When a state or government
to the USA and Canada as well The actions and statements attributed to the Modi government indicate a concerning shift towards a more aggressive and confrontational foreign policy This approach not only jeopardizes regional stability but also poses a threat to global peace and brotherhood The Modi government's alleged actions have transformed India from a nation advocating for peace and cooperation to one that appears to be adopting the tactics of a terrorist state This aggressive stance, driven by enmity towards Pakistan, seems to have blinded the government to the extent that it disregards international laws and norms However, the Modi government would do well to remember that Pakistan's armed forces and intelligence agencies remain vigilant They have demonstrated their commitment to protecting the nation s borders and citizens time and again The arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhav serves as a testament to Pakistan's resolve in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests If the Indian Defence Minister remains intent on carrying out infiltrations and attacks in Pakistan, Pakistan s armed forces stand ready to respond They are not only vigilant in safeguarding the country's land sea and air borders but also prepared to teach any intruder a lesson they won t forget The allegations and revelations surrounding India's alleged statesponsored terrorism demand immediate attention from the international community It s high time that the world holds India accountable for its actions, ensuring that such blatant violations of international laws and human rights do not go unpunished Only through collective action can we hope to foster a world where peace, cooperation, and respect for sovereignty prevail The writer can be reached at asadmalik2008@gmail com ASAD ALI I f t h e I n d i a n D e f e n c e M i n i s t e r r e m a i n s i n t e n t o n c a r r y i n g o u t i n f i l t r a t i o n s a n d a t t a c k s i n P a k i s t a n , P a k i s t a n s a r m e d f o r c e s s t a n d r e a d y t o r e s p o n d T h e y a r e n o t o n l y v i g i l a n t i n s a f e g u a r d i n g t h e c o u n t r y ' s l a n d , s e a , a n d a i r b o r d e r s b u t a l s o p r e p a r e d t o t e a c h a n y i n t r u d e r a l e s s o n t h e y w o n ' t f o r g e t T h e a l l e g a t i o n s a n d r e
e l
i o n s s u r r o u n d i n g I n d i a ' s a l l e g e d s t a t e - s p o n s o r e d t e r r o r i s m d e m a n d i m m e d i a t e a t t e n t i o n f r o m t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y I t s h i g h t i m e t h a t t h e w o r l d h o l d s I n d i a a c c o u n t a b l e f o r i t s a c t i o n s , e n s u r i n g t h a t s u c h b l a t a n t v i o l a t i o n s o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l l a w s a n d h u m a n r i g h t s d o n o t g o u n p u n i s h e d O n l y t h r o u g h c o l l e c t i v e a c t i o n c a n w e h o p e t o f o s t e r a w o r l d w h e r e p e a c e , c o o p e r a t i o n , a n d r e s p e c t f o r s o v e r e i g n t y p r e v a i l T H E Iranian attack on Israel is a historic incident It has further exacerbated the security situation in the region At the regional and global level it would have wider implications in the strategic security and economic domains Although the attack could not achieve the intended results two inferences can be drawn from it First, the capability of Iran has been established beyond any doubt Second, the capacity of Israel and its allies is also vivid, as 99 percent of the drones and missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets T h e m i l i t a r y a t t a c k s l a u n c h e d b y I s r a e l a n d I r a n i n A p r i l 2 0 2 4 h a v e p r o v e d a t u r n i n g p o i n t i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t c o n f l i c t P r e v i o u s l y b o t h c o u n t r i e s u s e d p r o x i e s a n d c y b e r a t t a c k s B u t t h e s i t u a t i o n c h a n g e d c o m p l e t e l y w h e n I s r a e l k i l l e d t h r e e p r o m i n e n t I s l a m i c R e v o l u t i o n a r y G u a r d s g e n e r a l s i n D a m a s c u s o n A p r i l 1 s t I r a n t h r e a te n e d t o a v e n g e t h e k i l l i n g s o f i t s g e n e r a l s a n d t e r m e d i t a d i r e c t v i o l a t i o n o f i t s s o v e r e i g n t y T h e r e s p o n s e w a s g i g a n t i c A c c o r d i n g t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s I n s t i t u t e o f P e a c e , 1 7 0 d r o n e s , 1 2 0 b a l l i s t i c m i s s i l e s , a n d a r o u n d 3 0 c r u i s e m i s s i l e s w e r e f i r e d a t I s r a e l T h e a i m o f t h e a t t a c k w a s n o t t o c a u s e m a j o r d e s t r u c t i o n T h e l o g i c a n d r at i o n a l e b e h i n d t h e s a l v o w a s t o s h o w r e s o l v e a n d c a p a b i l i t y One thing is obvious: neither side can win in conventional or unconventional sense The military threshold has been crossed According to Nimrod Goren, the senior fellow of the Middle East Institute, Israel has not had any long-term strategy It has proved its deterrence through kinetic means In the last decades it launched destructive cyber attacks against Iran to dismantle its critical nuclear infrastructure Similarly it was able to assassinate and eliminate the key officials of Iran through proxy means
it, Iran
Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is still cagy about how much Pakistan will ask for
like
assassination of
Singh
to-
broader pattern of state-sponsored vio-
that extends
regional confines The
the
these
resorts to using hired assassins to carry out its agenda it not only compromises its moral standing but also risks becoming a facilitator for criminal activities The world must take note of these developments as India's alleged state-sponsored violence is not limited to Pakistan but has reportedly extended
v
a t
Contrary to
has
ballistic and cruise missiles
pave the way towards regional instability The Middle East is now a ripe ground for war Syria and Yemen are already dealing with civil war The proxies have eliminated the chances of peace between the two countries Egypt and Jordan lack capacity and capability to fight with Israel But the domestic elements may engage in resistance activities which could rupture peace and tranquility Iran has built a massive network of proxies It can deploy them against the Western interests The resultant outcome: deaths of innocent civilians; vicious cycle of conflict; and victory of the powerful major powers Overall regional war in the Middle East must be averted Major powers must convince Israel to abide by international law Its actions in Gaza and in the wider region should be challenged by strict embargo on sales of weapons and crippling economic sanctions There should be efforts to defuse tensions between Iran and Israel Peace is only possible in the Middle East when the brutal and inhuman actions of Israel are controlled by major Western powers Mere condemnation of Israel and unprecedented restrictions will not yield peace and stability The writer is a civil servant He can be reached at khaliqlakk1@gmail com Tu rbu le nce ahe ad: I ran- I srae l e scalatio n I t c o u l d l e a d t o w a r, b u t wo n’ y I n d i a S t a t e Te r r o r i s m : U n v e i l i n g t
KHALIQ DAD LAK
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19 October 2017 and why despite the rollback the TLP a newly formed political party, continued its protest
The commission was tasked with determining why TLP was allowed to occupy the Faizabad Interchange which serves as the main entry-exit point between Islamabad and Rawalpindi leading to the disruption of daily commuting for hundreds of thousands of vehicles Specifically, the commission was to investigate why TLP demanded the removal of the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and subsequently called for the resignation of the government itself
The commission was also expected to examine the constraints impediments and compulsion faced by the government, which has the police, Rangers, and the sixth largest army in the world at its disposal, to become hostage to the TLP an unknown entity at the time It was to inquire into why the government failed to enforce the law of the land and protect the fundamental rights of its citizens allowing the mob to disrupt the functioning of the Supreme Court, preventing judges, litigants, deputy attorneys general, and counsels from attending court Furthermore the commission was to investigate why the government failed to protect the public s ability to commute attend courts, schools, colleges, universities, and their places of work, as well as why it failed to ensure that patients, doctors, nurses, and
ambulances could reach hospitals
The commission was also tasked with determining why the government was unable to prevent the spread of protests to other cities and towns, effectively leading to a nationwide lockdown Lastly the commission was to examine why relevant laws were not invoked when TLP was making hate speeches and inciting disaffection towards the Federal or Provincial Government, an offense of sedition punishable by imprisonment for life
The commission was expected to inquire into why the TLP protestors were allowed to charge the police contingent resulting in serious injuries to 173 officers It should have investigated who trained them to cut the wires of all relevant cameras installed within the jurisdiction of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as the cables of CCTV cameras around the sit-in places, which could have been used to monitor their activities
Furthermore the commission should have examined why the media provided unabated coverage to TLP and allowed anyone with grievances against the government to join in It should have looked into why relevant parties did not stop their leaders such as Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed (Chairman AML) Ejaz-ul-Haq (PML-Z) PTI Ulema Wing Islamabad and Sheikh Hameed (PPP) from making inflammatory speeches
The commission should have also questioned why PEMRA did not act to reign in
unscrupulous talk-show hosts who allegedly incited and provoked citizens contributing to the rise of the TLP from a little-known political party to a phenomenon It
took
executed them The full report should have elaborated on who initiated the introduction of the amendment in the Election Act 2017 which replaced the declaration from I solemnly swear with I believe It should have also investigated whether the bill was properly vetted by the relevant National Assembly or Senate Committee and who were the end beneficiaries of this change Furthermore the report should have examined how and why the government and Parliament succumbed to pressure from a specific group and decided to roll back the amendment on
T he s e a r e c r u c i a l q ue s t i on s t h at w e r e d is c u s s e d a nd ra i s e d b y S u pr e m e C o ur t J u d ge Q a z i F a e z I s a i n h i s l an d m a rk j u dg m e nt T he f u l l r ep o r t o f t h e c o m m i s s i o n m u s t ha v e e x a m i n ed a l l t he s e po i n t s an d p r ov id e d i t s f i n d i ng s an d r e c o m m en d at i on s U n t i l t h en , i t is w i s e t o
r e f r a i n f r o m f o c u s i n g o n on l y on e o r t w o t e r m s o f
r ef er e n c e s , as t h e y c an n ot r e f l e c t t h e f u l l p i c t u r e
Why did the Israeli regime give us a comedy show by its night attack on Iran?
Iran's official announcement of punitive attacks on areas under the occupation of this regime, may have several reasons
Iran’s ‘pistachio’ approach against Israel
“We used to have some pistachios, crack them open quickly, and eat them, but Iranians would have one pistachio, look at it carefully, open it slowly, and savour it This approach is reflected in their politics as well” H a s t y, t e r ro r i s t, a n d i n e f f e c t i ve
First the belief in the failure of the April 19 operation in the eyes of the regime s decision-makers and senior analysts: It is a fact that the Israeli regime does not take responsibility for the terrorist attacks it conducts against Iran
It also did not officially take the blame for the strike that assassinated Iran's top military generals in the country s consulate in Damascus It was however expected that the regime would take responsibility this time to satisfy public opinion inside the occupied territories It seems that the recent attack was so underwhelming that the regime s authorities did not think it was worth taking responsibility for it The second reason for the Zionist regime s silence on this issue seems to be the anticipation of an unresolved retaliatory action Despite the Western media s efforts to support this regime and prevent tensions from escalating in the West Asia region by highlighting successful actions, past experiences have revealed that Netanyahu and his cabinet pay attention to these gestures and positions only to the extent that they serve their interests Moreover they are focused on advancing their policies beyond that This behavior is especially noticeable in the current cabinet and
method, and the weaponry used suggest that Iran didn't seek an annihilation of Israeli infrastructure, it sent a clear message that Iran's strategic patience towards the regime s undue aggression has worn thin And that Iran will not sit idly in the face of attacks on its targets and possesses both the capability and resolve for direct confrontation under such circumstances
In essence, Operation True Promise has reshaped the power dynamics between Iran and the Zionist regime In light of this Netanyahu and his cabinet's recent attempts to justify and coordinate attacks on Iran were aimed at rebalancing access Now the question arises: is accepting responsibility for a direct attack on Iranian territory a prerequisite for reshaping or altering the regime's access to Iran? If this goal has been achieved, why does Netanyahu shy away from taking responsibility and claiming a heroic stance?
Based on the three reasons mentioned it seems that what happened on Friday morning was not a proper response to Iran s punishment of Israel from the viewpoint of the Zionist leaders Rather other reasons forced the Israeli regime, the United States, other Israeli supporters and Netanyahu to accept and implement this hasty terrorist act
If the goal has been achieved, why does Netanyahu shy away from taking responsibility and claiming a heroic stance? What's notable however is that considering the history of Netanyahu and his extremist cabinet s warmongering rhetoric the attack targeting Iran was largely underwhelming and even unpalpable for some of the citizens living near the Army base targeted in Isfahan Seeing that people carried on with their daily lives without any worries, the supposed assault on Friday seemed to resemble the regime s previous terrorist and sabotage attacks rather than a response to a large-scale operation Strangely enough like other terrorist behaviors of the regime, despite the emphasis of its leaders on the necessity and legitimacy of the response, the Zionist regime did not accept responsibility for this attack and remained silent This hesitancy to take responsibility in the face of the Islamic Republic of
has become more pronounced following the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation
The third reason for the regime s hesitation to claim responsibility for this attack may stem from its desire to avoid revealing its regional mercenaries and collaborators in Iran Without their participation, the MAV attack was incomplete and lacked significant impact Moreover the disruptive actions of internal saboteurs not only fail to shift the balance of power in favor of the regime but also reinforce its terrorist image The commotion in previous days, largely driven by the Zionist regime and its propaganda tools, has upset the delicate equilibrium between Iran and this regime
The direct assault on two Israeli military and security facilities that were instrumental in the terrorist attack on the Iranian embassy marked a shift in Iran s level of confrontation with this regime Although earlier communications, the execution
One of the challenges of the Biden administration in dealings with the Zionist regime has been to show its unquestionable support for the Tel Aviv regime and simultaneously demonstrate its concern for human rights, which is an important issue for the ruling Democrats O n A p r i l 3 0 , w h e n t h e
l m e m b e r i t w a s v e t o e d a t t h e 1 5 - m e m b e r U N S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l b y t h e U n i t e d S t
I N an interview with Kuwaiti newspaper Alhadath in February 2021 Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani the former Prime Minister of Qatar and architect of the small Gulf state s foreign policy, praised Iran s tolerance in foreign affairs, likening it to the methodical approach of cracking open a pistachio nut “When we have meetings with Iranians they usually offer generous hospitality and serve pistachios and fruits ” explain Al-Thani We used to have some pistachios crack them open quickly and eat them but Iranians would have one pistachio look at it carefully open it slowly and savour it This approach is reflected in their politics as well Iran’s military response to Israel’s attack on its consulate in Syria could be seen as a consequence of this “pistachio” style of strategic approach against the occupation state A close observation for nearly two weeks led to a widespread impactful media-savvy response not only reclaiming Iran s diminished credibility post-7 October but also providing an upcoming opportunity for Iranian diplomacy to draft a new equation in the Middle East This equation, if successful, will eventually solidify over time and establish a new regional norm or red line It revolves around securing Iran’s foreign bases which have long been targeted by Israel the US and European allies without adequate retaliation The intensity of Iran s response was calibrated to prevent victimisation, a longstanding Israeli strategy in international forums and media The response was deemed successful by global media and prominent international relations analysts, positioning Iran as the “winner” in recent events Despite the positive assessment of Iran’s legitimate defence thus far there remains the possibility of tensions escalating in Israel s favour The Zionist state now has three options: a strong retaliation against Iran; a weak response against Iranian proxy forces or Iran s foreign bases; or no response at all Each option has its pluses and minuses A strong retaliation regains the Israeli military’s credibility as the most potent force in the Middle East while undermining its relations with Western allies especially the US Moreover it might increase international inclination towards recognising an independent Palestinian state considering the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting where the issue will be voted on However, Netanyahu and his cabinet could capitalise on extremist views within Israel more than ever before and exploit them for political gain The second option, viewed geopolitically, could be the most beneficial for Israel satisfying some Israelis maintaining the alliance between Israel and its Western allies by not ignoring the pleas of the latter and simultaneously increasing diplomatic pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran Nevertheless this solution undermines Iran s new strategy of setting a new red line around its proxy forces, as Iran is unlikely to seek direct retaliation for minor attacks No response at all also contributes to a negative perception of Israel around the world diminishes the image of an all-powerful Israeli military and assists in solidifying Iran’s new regional strategy Nevertheless this non-response is likely to prompt comprehensive diplomatic and economic measures against Iran, including increased sanctions and joint resolutions from the West, as a reward to Israel for not escalating the issue Regardless, Iran’s response, which demonstrated a justifiable, rational and calculated defence strategy, akin to the methodical approach of savouring a pistachio serves as a significant lesson for regulating Iran s subsequent actions Ultimately the country s diplomatic backing and even long-term military strategy lie within its borders The numerous multi-dimensional challenges gripping the nation today socially, politically and economically, could ultimately lead to the loss of the ground gained if not addressed effectively
H E recent leak of a few excerpts from the three-member dharna commission report has ignited widespread debate across all forms of media Although the report itself has not been officially released, the leaked or released parts suggested the exoneration of former ISI Director General from charges related to motivating abetting funding and supporting the Tehreek-Labaik-Pakistan and fixing the entire responsibility of mismanagement of the dharna to the civilian governments of Punjab and Centre These selected excerpts of the report have raised more questions than answers about the handling of the matter that was previously adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in its landmark open judgment dated February 2019, authored by Mr Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court In the light of this judgment, the commission was required to give its findings on multiple terms of
dilating
the past events which fomented the sit-in the sit-in itself and the aftermath of the sit-in It
also tasked
T
references including
upon
was
with identifying all characters, actors, facilitators, and those who
unlawful decisions and those who
TLP
interruption of certain channels in the cantonment and defense housing authority areas Additionally the commission should have explored why the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority did not invoke the Electronic Crimes Act 2016 to stop the dissemination of hate speech and terrorism through electronic means Finally, the commission should have considered the theory that had the government called the Army in aid of civil administration under Article 245 of the Constitution much earlier the TLP could have called off the sit-in, potentially saving the nation from mental, physical, and economic agonies The report was also expected to delve into the unanimous view of all intelligence agencies that the actual purpose of TLP which provoked religious sentiment stoked hatred resorted to violence and destroyed property worth Rs 163,952,000, bringing economic activities to a standstill and inflicting a daily loss of Rs 88,786,180,821 to the economy was not out of love for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) but to maximize their political mileage by projecting themselves as defenders of the Muslim faith It should have addressed whether it was lawful for the election commission to register the TLP as a political party when it refused to provide sources of funding, allegedly from a foreign country in the Middle East, and was formed in a manner prejudicial to the sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan and had engaged in terrorism The report should have also examined the inability of the ISI to discover the source of livelihood, place of work, address, funding of TLP leadership, their tax profile, and bank accounts It should have highlighted the inability of the Attorney General of Pakistan to quote laws rules or regulations governing the ISI indicating that its mandate did not include indulging in politics or media management whereas the UK, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Norway have clear laws governing their intelligence agencies and have disclosed their respective mandates The report should have also addressed the question of cash being handed over to TLP s dharna participants by men in uniform These are crucial questions that were discussed and raised by Supreme Court Judge Qazi Faez Isa in his landmark judgment The full report of the commission must have examined all these points and provided its findings and recommendations Until then it is wise to refrain from focusing on only one or two terms of references, as they cannot reflect the full picture The writer retired as Press Secretary the the President and is former Press Minister at Embassy of Paikistan to France and former MD Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company Limited Sunday 21 Apri 2024 COMMENT 05 I N the early hours of Friday, April 19, Israeli agents inside Iran along with the regime's warplanes, carried out terrorist attacks against three places in our country After these ineffective actions mainstream Western media became abuzz with exaggerated accounts of the incidents Why did the regime make such a move and why did the media try to talk it up? After Iran's promise of true punishment, Israeli officials at various levels spoke every day about the necessity of a reciprocal response Four days after the blow to them on April 19 and following extensive rhetoric, attacks were carried out inside Iran, Iraq, and Syria through the regime's fighter jets and native agents It is still not clear how the attacks unfolded but if we were to consider the most outrageous and exaggerated claims made on Friday night as correct, Israeli warplanes might have fired missiles at Iran from Iraqi soil, while drones were launched as part of sabotage efforts as military installations in East Azerbaijan Province Isfahan Province and other central areas Simultaneous with these actions, mainstream Western media and critics of Iran, without mentioning the exact dimensions of the story exaggerated the regime s attempt at dealing a blow to Iran and announced an expected decline in tension between Iran and Israel
should have investigated whether PEMRA took notice of covert censorship such as advising self-censorship suppressing independent viewpoints broadcasting of the
s hate mongering and abusive speeches and the supply of food to protestors by some channels, as well as the stoppage and
d r a f t r e s o l u t i o n w a s s u b
i t t e d t o t h e U N G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y t o a c c e p t P a l e s t i n e a s a f u l
a t e s , t h o u g h t h e b i d w a s b a c k e d b y a l m o s t a l l c o u n t r i e s Casting veto
the draft resolution
demonstrating contradictory behavior in the past month while condemning certain horrific acts of the Zionist regime that are hard to believe and opposing a looming attack on the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip What can be said about this hasty and ineffective act by the Zionist regime, which won extensive media hype in the West, is that the United States and the Zionist regime made a joint attempt to deflect public opinion by aborting the resolution for the full membership of Palestine despite claims by Washington that it seeks a two-state solution in the occupied territories Probably, it is the reason why this attack was choreographed for media hype rather than military importance or changing the balance of power so that the contradictory behaviors of the Americans go unnoticed by the world s public opinion If the draft resolution for full membership of Palestine had been approved, it would have dealt a great political blow to Netanyahu and undermined the status of his government For this reason, he resorted to this terrorist and hasty move to divert public opinion and at the same present a peaceful image of the Americans to show that if the balance of power between the Israeli regime and Iran had not been established at least it sent good praise for Biden in backing Israel
m
for
took place while the Americans have been
QAMAR BASHIR
TEHRAN TIMES M O H A M M A D M A H D I R A H M AT I
More Questions than Answers
n a Co m m i s s i o n R e p o r t d o e s n’t a d d re s s g e n u i n e c o n c e r n s
D h a r
MIDDLE EAST MONITOR J AV I D R O S TA M I
Iian Air Force base near the city of Isfahan, deep inside the country, but without striking any strategic sites or causing major damage
Israel has said nothing about the incident US Secretary of State Atony Blinken said the United States had not been involved in any offensive operations, while the White House said it had no comment C A L I B R AT E D R E TA L I AT I O N Israel had said it would retaliate after a strike on April 13 the first-ever direct attack on Israel by Iran which caused no deaths after Israel and its allies shot down hundreds of missiles and drones
China, Gabon obser ve 50th anniversar y of diplomatic ties
Tehran launched those attacks in response to a presumed Israeli airstrike on April 1 that destroyed a building in Iran s embassy compound in Damascus and killed several Iranian officers including a top general Allies including the US had pressed all week to ensure any further retaliation would be calibrated not to provoke more escalation and Western countries tightened sanctions on Iran to mollify Israel
There was no word from Israel on Friday as to whether further action might be planned Apart from direct strikes on Iranian territory, it has other ways of attacking including cycyber-attacksnd strikes on Iranian proxies elsewhere
other with mutual trust and sincerity with bilateral relations embracing steady development and mutually beneficial cooperation across economic social, military and other spheres, yielding fruitful results Gabon firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, he said Gabon is willing to work with China to promote the continuous consolidation and development of the GabonChina comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, so as to bring benefits to the two peoples, he added Gabon-China win-win cooperation benefits two peoples says Gabonese FM
Since establishing diplomatic relations Gabon and China have achieved win-win cooperation across various fields
Prompt admission of Palestine into UN to rec tify historical injustice: Chinese FM
A prompt admission of Palestine into the United Nations is a move to rectify prolonged historical injustice, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday Wang also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee made the remarks at a press conference with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Justin Tkatchenko in Port Moresby The United Nations should work to play its due role in responding to global challenges and the UN Security Council should do its duty to maintain international peace and security Wang said noting that the international community has profound dissatisfaction and disappointment at the United States over its sole veto recently to deny Palestine full UN membership
An early full UN membership for Palestine is a move to rectify prolonged historical injustice, Wang stressed, adding that this is an international obligation due to be fulfilled by each UN member state However, the United States once again openly stands opposite to international morality and to the international community leaving one more very dishonorable record in history, the Chinese foreign minister noted A full UN membership for Palestine should not come as a result of Israel-Palestine negotiations but as an equal precondition granted to Palestine for negotiations serving as a key step towards realizing the two-state solution, Wang pointed out
It is not that conditions are not ripe for Palestine to fully become a UN member state, but that justice remains long overdue Wang said noting that the United States should act to show its claimed support for the two-state solution The United States vetoed a widely back UN resolution on Thursday that would have recognized a Palestinian state China called Washington’s move “disappointing ”
Today is a sad day said Fu Cong China s permanent representative to the United Nations, after the UN vote on Palestine s pursuit of full UN membership Twelve members out of the 15-member Security Council voted in favor of the resolution while the UK and Switzerland abstained and the U S voted against it Because of the veto by the United States the application by Palestine for full membership at the UN has been rejected, and the decadeslong dream of the Palestinian people ruthlessly dashed ” Fu said The Chinese envoy slammed the notion that Palestine does not have the capacity to govern itself Over the past 13 years, the situation in Palestine has changed in many ways, the most fundamental of which has been the expansion of settlements in the West Bank ” Fu gave China’s support denouncing Washington s gangster logic He also highlighted the critical need for a resolute commitment to revitalizing the two-state solution for the Middle Eastern country “The two-state solution must be revitalized with strong determination The fundamental way out for the Middle East question lies in the implementation of the two-state solution so that both Palestinians and Israelis can realize common security and both the Arab and Jewish peoples can achieve common development ” said Fu in an earlier Security Council’s open debate on the Palestinian-Israeli issue also held on Thursday
This is the second Palestinian attempt at full membership: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas first delivered the application in 2011 but failed due to not enough support from UN Security Council members Abbas this time criticized the U S veto saying in a statement that it was unfair immoral and unjustified and defies the will of the international community, which strongly supports the State of Palestine obtaining full membership in the United Nations ”
S d y 21 Ap l 2024 LAHORE 06 NEWS WASHINGTON R E U T E R S
R A N s foreign minister on Friday said Tehran was investigating an overnight attack on Iran, adding that so far a link to Israel had not been proven as he downplayed the strike Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told NBC News the drones took off from inside Iran and flew for a few hundred meters before being downed They are more like toys that our children play with, not drones, Amirabdollahian said “It has not been proved to us that there is a connection between these and Israel he said adding that Iran was investigating the matter but that media reports were not accurate, according to Tehran s information Iranian media and officials described a small number of explosions, which they said resulted from air defenses hitting three drones over Isfahan in central Iran in the early hours of Friday They referred to the incident as an attack by “infiltrators” rather than by Israel obviating the need for retaliation Amirabdollahian warned that if Israel retaliated and acted against the interests of Iran, Tehran s next response would be immediate and at the maximum level “But if not then we are done We are concluded he said The attack appeared to target an Iran-
Violence between Israel and Iranian proxies across the Middle East has intensified throughout six months of bloodshed in Gaza, raising fears the longstanding foes’ shadow war could spiral into a direct conflict Israel’s assault on Gaza began after Hamas Islamists attacked Israel on Oct 7 killing 1 200 according to Israeli tallies Israel s military offensive has killed 34 000 Palestinians in Gaza according to the Gazan health ministry As night fell on Friday Israeli planes and tanks pounded several areas across the Gaza Strip, with air strikes hitting areas of Rafah where over half of Gaza s 2 3 million people are sheltering, according to residents, Hamas media, and officials at the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry One strike hit two apartments in a residential building in the city killing nine people including four children, and wounding several others, health officials said Air strikes also destroyed at least five houses in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza residents and Hamas media said They (Israeli security) phoned some residents and ordered them to evacuate their houses before planes bombed some buildings nearby,” Abu Omar, a resident of Al-Nuseirat, told Reuters via a chat app “Soon as we ran away explosions shook the ground he added Israel s government did not immediately reply to a request for comment IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNPL AYS DRONE ATTACK , SAYS TEHRAN INVESTIGATING BEIJING S TA F F C O R R E S P O N D E N T Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday exchanged congratulatory messages with Gabonese Transitional President Brice Oligui Nguema to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations In his message Xi said that the traditional friendship between China and Gabon has grown stronger over time Over the past 50 years despite changes in the international situation, the two countries have always treated each other as equals and with mutual support, Xi said, adding that bilateral relations have been constantly upgraded which has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples Attaching great importance to the development of China-Gabon relations Xi said he stands ready to work with Nguema, taking the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations as a new starting point to carry forward the traditional friendship between China and Gabon deepen bilateral practical cooperation, enrich the connotation of the China-Gabon comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and jointly build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future Nguema said that ever since Gabon and China established diplomatic ties 50 years ago, the two countries have always treated each
Show of anti-Muslim hatred: BJP candidate seen shooting arrow at mosque in Hyderabad HYDERABAD A G E N C I E S In yet another occurrence of displaying hatred towards Muslim symbols in India, BJP candidate for Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat Madhavi Latha was seen pretending to be shooting an arrow at a mosque in the city A video of Madhavi Latha surfaced on the internet in which she was seen miming as shooting an arrow at the mosque during a rally Asaduddin Owaisi the leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the Hyderabad MP, commented on the video and said that the BJP was attempting to disrupt peace in the city Addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad, Owaisi said that the imaginary shooting of an arrow was not only aimed at the place of worship but at the peace and tranquility of Hyderabad He said the video laid bare the BJP s intention to weaken the peace between the Hindu and Muslim communities, adding, It was done to foment riots in Hyderabad” He said, “You are now seeing that the BJP candidate, aiming at a place of worship, a masjid indicated [that] an arrow would be shot towards it Middle East countries voice concern over militar y escalation after alleged Israeli attack on Iran DUBAI A G E N C I E S Countries in the Middle East have voiced their concern over military escalation in the region after Israel on Friday allegedly struck sites near the city of Isfahan central Iran in what appeared to be its military response to Iran s recent retaliatory attack In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry called on the two sides to exercise the utmost restraint and to fully comply with the rules of international law and the UN Charter warning against widening the conflict and instability in the region Egypt stressed that it will continue to intensify communications with all concerned and influential parties to contain the ongoing escalation and tension In addition, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the ministry “is constantly monitoring the tension in the region,” expressing its deep concern about the attack targeting Isfahan on Friday morning The ministry said that the escalation must not distract attention from the destruction and loss of innocent lives in the Gaza Strip, renewing its call on the international community to perform its duties and work to stop the suffering of the Palestinian people, according to the statement Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi on Friday stressed the need to reduce the dangerous escalation in the region and reiterated that Jordan will not allow it to be turned into an arena of conflict between Iran and Israel and to endanger its security and the safety of its citizens Safadi, who also serves as the Jordanian foreign minister, added on social media platform X that “the current escalation only serves to divert attention away from the Israeli aggression on Gaza stopping which must be the priority The Israeli attack came after Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed Saturday that it had launched missile and drone attacks on Israel in retaliation for earlier airstrikes by Israel on April 1 on the Iranian consulate building in the Syrian capital of Damascus which killed seven Iranians So far Israel has not officially acknowledged the strikes on Isfahan while Iran has not publicly accused Israel of carrying them out Meanwhile the
PORT
Syrian Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the Israeli strikes on Syrian military sites earlier in the day as a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and a threat to regional stability
MORESBY M I A N A B R A R
10Pearls hosts Pakistan’s leading event on Ar tificial Intelligence
Delegation of World Food Program calls on KP CM Gandapur
priority Special attention from the government and donor organizations is needed to bring the merged districts into the national stream Ali Amin Gandapur told the delegation He said that the infrastructure in these districts has been badly affected during the anti-terror operations the Chief Minister informed the delegation He said that farmto-market roads need to be constructed in the merged districts He said that special attention needs to be given to rehabilitation works in these districts He said that provincial government is planning to construct small dams to ensure food security
International Chinese Language Day celebrated at CI-UAF
FAISALABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
The Confucius Institute (CI) at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) marked the International Chinese Language Day with a vibrant celebration showcasing various aspects of Chinese culture
The event featured captivating performances that highlighted the richness and diversity of Chinese traditions, offering attendees a unique cultural experience UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr
Iqrar Ahmad Khan was the chief guest while CI Chinese Dean Dr Zhou Changming CI Vice Chairman/Local Dean Prof Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir also spoke on the occasion “The CI-UAF has completed ten years and it has produced 5000 students so far in Chinese language course said Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and he added that the institute has proved a hallmark in order to strengthen academia, research ties with Chinese institutions Dr Zhou Changming said that China-Pakistan was enjoying deepened and time-tested relations and he added Chinese language connecting cultures through bridge of mutual learning Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir said that all possible measures were being taken to produce skilled manpower and to open up new avenues of development with bilateral ties During the ceremony certificates and souvenirs were also distributed amongst the students Dean Veterinary Sciences Dr Farzana Rizvi, Dr Fahad Rasul, Dr Urfa Bin Tahir and other notables attended Gwadar Pro reported
07 NEWS Sunday 21 Apri 2024 | LAHORE PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K A U TO loans in Pakistan plunged by 24 4% year-onyear to Rs239 billion in March, continuing a downward trend for the twenty-first consecutive month due to tightening consumer financing according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) On a month-on-month basis, March saw a 1 4% decline in auto loans from Rs243 billion in February Auto borrowing peaked at Rs368 billion in June 2022 and has since declined by Rs129 billion mainly influenced by high auto finance costs rising car prices, and escalating inflation which diminished consumer purchasing power Analysts predict that the declining trend in auto loans could reverse with potential cuts in interest rates and reduced inflationary pressures expecting the central bank to lower its benchmark rate this quarter According to the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturing Association, car sales in March amounted to 9,379 units, a 3% drop from the previous month and a 1% decrease year-on-year The SBP s report also noted that loans to the private sector totaled Rs8 406 trillion in March, marking a 0 7% increase from the previous year but a 0 2% decline from the prior month, making up 8 4% of the GDP and 75% of total loans Consumer financing in March fell by 8 2% to Rs807 billion from Rs879 billion a year earlier Housing finance dropped by 0 67% to Rs207 14 billion month-on-month, and personal loans decreased by 3 63% year-on-year to Rs242 05 billion, with a minimal monthly decrease of 0 03% Data on outstanding credit to the private sector showed a slight year-on-year increase of 0 72% to Rs8 41 trillion in March 2024, but a 0 16% month-onmonth decline Loans to the manufacturing sector rose 2 26% year-on-year to Rs4 84 trillion although they fell 0 39% from February Loans to the construction sector declined by 0 59% year-on-year to Rs194 43 billion and 2 09% month-on-month A g r i c u l t u r a l s e c t o r l o a n s i nc r e a s e d b y 1 5 6 9 % y e a r- o n - y e a r t o R s 3 9 2 1 5 b i l l i o n b u t s a w a 2 % d r o p month-on-month A U T O LO A N S P L U N G E F O R T W E N T Y F I R S T C O N S E C U T I V E M O N T H I N M A R C H CORPORATE CORNER PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T A delegation of the World Food Program called on the Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur here at CM Secretariat on Saturday The delegation was led by World Food Program Country Director Ms Coco Ushiyama In the meeting the issues related to the activities carried out under the World Food Program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in the adjoining districts, were discussed Discussions on further expanding the scope of cooperation between the provincial government and the World Food Program in various fields were also held The two also agreed to further enhance cooperation in various fields Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur said that the provincial government values the cooperation and collaboration of the World Food Program The provincial government needs more support from other donor organizations including the World Food Program for merging districts the CM added The World Food Program s program of providing educational scholarships to the girls of the merged districts is commendable, CM said, adding that promotion of education in the merged districts and employing the people is the main
ISLAMABAD: 10Pearls, a leading end-to-end digital services company hosted the 4th edition of AI Summit Pakistan s foremost conference and expo on Artificial Intelligence on April 18 and 19 2024 at the Lahore Expo Centre Making its inaugural appearance in Lahore after successful episodes in Karachi and Islamabad, the summit proved to be a resounding success, drawing over 2000 registrations from professionals students enthusiasts and entrepreneurs Since its inception in 2019 the AI Summit has been a pivotal event dedicated to fostering innovation and knowledge-sharing within the local tech community It offers a platform for industry leaders and innovators to delve into the latest advancements and applications of AI PR g H I G H C O S T S, R I S I N G C A R P R I C E S, A N D E S C A L AT I N G I N F L AT I O N D I M I N I S H E D C O N S U M E R S ’ P U R C H A S I N G P O W E R A zma refutes news aired by private news channel about Punjab CM Mar yam Nawaz LAHORE STAFF REPORT Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari said that fabricated and baseless news about Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has been aired on a private news channel Before airing the news Chief Minister Office, the spokesperson of the Punjab Government, and the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly was not asked She said that we don't care when the Tanga party would hold a Jalsa and how many people come Action will be taken against the channel running such fabricated news Running false news by attributing it to the Chief Minister of Punjab is tantamount to journalistic malpractice It is shameful to use the media platform as a propaganda cell of a political party The news channel aired fake news should apologize otherwise legal action will be taken A Z M A B L A S T S P T I, K P G O V T: Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari said that PTI has been raising hue and cry of giving poison for the last three weeks while all the medical reports of Bushra Bibi have been declared clear A diagnosis of mild gastroenteritis has been reported in the reports while Bushra Bibi did not consider it appropriate to give blood samples for her blood test She said that this was the poison for which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was alleging for three days It is the a great misfortune of PTI that whatever propaganda they propagate their propaganda gets exposed instantly Propaganda and victimization cards do not prove to be effective for long to gain false sympathies Open letter to customers from Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline ISLAMABAD P R To all our valued customers This week has been one of the toughest for Emirates operationally as record storms hit the United Arab Emirates I would like to offer our most sincere apologies to every customer who has had their travel plans disrupted during this time On Tuesday 16 April, the UAE experienced its highest rainfall in 75 years Lashing storm winds and rain disrupted activity across the cities Our 24/7 hub in Dubai remained open with flight movements reduced for safety but flooded roads impeded the ability of our customers pilots cabin crew and airport employees to reach the airport, and also the movement of essential supplies like meals and other flight amenities We diverted dozens of flights to avoid the worst of the weather on Tuesday and over the next 3 days we had to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more as our hub operations remained challenged by staffing and supply shortages We were clear on our 2 priorities: Look after our customers who have been impacted by the disruption, and get our operations back on schedule To free up resources and capacity to manage impacted customers as a priority we had to suspend check-in for passengers departing Dubai implement an embargo on ticket sales and temporarily halt connecting passenger traffic from points across our network coming into Dubai We deployed additional resources to aid our airport and contact centre teams with rebooking and put on additional flights to destinations where we identified large numbers of displaced customers We sent over 100 employee volunteers to look after disrupted customers at Dubai Airport departures and in the transit area, prioritising medical cases, the elderly and other vulnerable travellers To date, over 12 000 hotel rooms were secured to accommodate disrupted customers in Dubai 250 000 meal vouchers have been issued and more quantities of drinking water blankets and other amenities Behind the scenes it was all hands-on deck for thousands more employees across the organisation to get our operations back on track As of this morning, Saturday 20 April, our regular flight schedules have been restored Passengers previously stranded in the airport transit area have been rebooked and are enroute to their destinations Mar yam Nawaz has brought health depar tment to take-off position: Shaukat Virk LAHORE P R Founder Trustee and General Secretary of Dr AQ Khan Hospital Trust Dr Shaukat Babar Virk has said that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has brought the health department in a take-off position The most controversial period of Buzdar and his political guard father has become a story now the reins of Punjab are in the hands of the tolerant leadership It is no longer the sick health department, it used to be in the past, and the political future of those who used to shine politics in the guise of health cards has become dark The fresh determined good-willed and visionary leadership that came to power from the public mandate has completely turned around the health of government hospitals with the help of the right measures In one of his statements, Dr Shaukat Babar Virk further said that no one will be deprived of the fruits of the purposeful reforms of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir The health department was in dire need of such healthy reforms Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and her team member Khawaja Imran Nazir have taken the sick and their loved ones as their hostages with the power of tireless service and sincerity Zuckerberg unveils significant enhancements to Meta AI ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled significant enhancements to Meta AI, revolutionizing the virtual assistant experience across platforms With these updates, Meta AI becomes smarter, faster, and more accessible to users worldwide, including those in a dozen new countries such as Pakistan Meta AI is now seamlessly integrated into popular apps like WhatsApp Instagram Messenger Facebook Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and soon Quest 3 Users can now enjoy a wide range of functionalities, from research assistance to planning group trips, crafting photo captions, and much more Meta AI serves as your personal assistant available across various platforms Users can access Meta AI by looking for the blue circle icon in apps or by typing @meta ai within chats Meta AI enhances creativity and productivity, assisting with questions, debates in group chats, image creation, trip organization, and more Users can now ask Meta AI questions directly from search features on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger Meta AI provides suggestions or answers questions about sports entertainment and current events Meta AI is now accessible on the web via meta ai ideal for email assistance research and general computer tasks Meta AI is expanding its availability to English-speaking users in additional countries, including Australia, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand Nigeria Singapore South Africa KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Another westerly wave will enter in Pakistan from Balochistan on April 25, quoting a weather official on Saturday Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz has said that the new weather system will not be likely to bring rainfall in Karachi The city will experience hot weather for next three days according to the Met Office Presently the weather has been cloudy as maximum and minimum temperatures will remain 35-degree Celsius and 25-degree Celsius respectively The wind blowing in city with 13KM per hour speed from western direction according to weather report The level of particulate matter in the metropolis recorded 96 ranking the city s air quality at 16 in the most polluted cities of the world Humidity ratio in the air remained 77 percent as the air quality in the city has improved according to the air quality index Another westerly wave to enter Balochistan on April 25 ABBOTTABAD S TA F F R E P O R T During the second three days of continuous torrential rain spell in Hazara division, life has been paralyzed severing many road connections and triggering landslides that have blocked several roads including the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Kohistan According to details, the pers i s t e n t h e a v y d o w n p o u r a c r o s s H a z a r a d i v i s i o n i n c l u d i n g Haripur Abbottabad city Galyat Kaghan Naran Kohistan Battagram and Thandyani has resulted in numerous road blockages due t o l a n d s l i d e s F l a s h f l o o d s h a v e a l s o b r e a c h e d d e f e n s e s e n t e r e d h o m e s a n d c a u s e d w i d e s p r e a d destruction In Havelian, Abbottabad, Qalandar Abad and Mansehra the KKH has been blocked at multiple points by flash floods leaving thousands of vehicles stranded in the water Heavy rain, coupled with thunder and hailstorms, has caused significant damage to electricity transmission lines and telecommunication systems across most parts of Hazara division Several link roads throughout the division have been cut off due to flash floods and landslides In Abbottabad city once again flash floods, sweeping away furniture and household items in various parts of the city Key roads such as KKH Main Murree Road Kakul Road Mandian Supply Bazaar and Link Road Abbottabad have turned into virtual cesspools Numerous thoroughfares and connecting roads in Galyat, Thandiani, Mansehra, Battagram and the Kaghan Valley have been destroyed by heavy rain landslides and flash floods In Mansehra structural collapses and other incidents triggered by windstorms and heavy rain have been reported Heavy rain and hailstorm paralyse life in Hazara division RAWALPINDI S TA F F R E P O R T The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has issued notices to two illegal housing schemes namely Park View City Phase-II and Baku City The RDA spokesman told on Saturday that the Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Directorate of RDA issued notices to the owners of two illegal housing schemes namely Park View City PhaseII near T-Chowk G T Road Rawat and Baku City located in mouza Trahia Chakbeli Link Road Rawalpindi which started development work and marketing without approval from RDA He said that the illegal housing schemes were selling plots fraudulently, adding, the DG RDA had directed the Director MP&TE that action in accordance with the law should be taken against illegal advertisements and marketing and First Information Reports should also be lodged against the owners of illegal housing schemes The Authority also warned the sponsors of illegal housing schemes to immediately stop the marketing of the unapproved and illegal housing schemes and contact RDA for getting NOC/approval of the scheme as per law, otherwise, strict legal action would be taken against the rules violators, he added He said that on the directions of the DG Kinza Murtaza the citizens were advised not to invest in illegal and unauthorized housing schemes The public was also asked to check status of the housing schemes from RDA before investing or check RDA s official website www rda gop pk He said that the owners and sponsors of illegal housing schemes were misleading the public through advertisements In this regard, the Planning Wing RDA had also requested the Cyber Crime Wing, FIA to take legal action against the illegal and misleading advertisements of illegal housing schemes RDA issues notices to illegal housing schemes
C
aurangzeb meets C hinese counterpar t to condole C hinese death in terror attack
ISLAMABAD
S TA F
nationals in Pakistan and reaffirmed commitment to their safety and security
He lauded Chinese invaluable contribution to Pakistan s development as an all-weather friend through initiatives such as ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and support at international financial institutions
He informed that Phase-I of CPEC was about infrastructurebuilding and Phase-II would be about monetizing assets through operationalization of Special Economic Zones and relocation of Chinese Private-Owned Companies (POC)
ous international institutions
He briefed on priorities of the government including broadening the tax base, fixing the energy sector and overhauling the SOEs He stated that Pakistan wanted to tap into the Chinese Bond Market and launch Panda Bond during FY 2025-26 Both sides agreed on the need to continue their cooperation in the international institutions
The talks with other international financial institutions including the IMF were positive the finance czar added stating that Pakistan has been greatly affected by climate change, and is working on several projects in collaboration with vari-
He expressed the resolve of the government to accelerate Phase-II and thanked the Chinese government for SAFE deposits and their regular roll-overs to plug external financing gaps He informed that Pakistan was entering into a larger and extended programme with IMF and looked forward to the support of China
Besides the FM also met with the World Bank s Regional Vice President for South Asia Martin Riser, in which Aurangzeb expressed satisfaction over the finalization of the new Country Partnership Framework
He said that the government is achieving short and long-term goals in the fields of energy tax reforms and SOEs, adding that WB s focus on climate change, digitization and human development aligns with government priorities FM Aurangzeb also briefed on the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as a one-window facility for investment and facilitation
poisonous food he added Panjutha noted that her food was laced with poisonous toilet cleaner
Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965 Email: newsroom@pakistantoday com pk PRAYER TIMINGS FA J R S U N R I S E Z U H R A S R M AG H R I B S H A 4:50 5:30 1 30 5:00 6:30 8:15 Sunday 21 Apri 2024 NEWS PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K F E D E R A L Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb on Saturday hinted at revisiting the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award once the loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is approved State-run news agency APP reported that the finance minister said, that if the loan is approved Islamabad would revisit its NFC award that allocates revenues between the federation and the provinces Pakistan is requesting a larger and longer multi-billiondollar loan programme from the IMF and discussions are underway with the Fund’s officials, the finance minister said without specifying how much the nation was trying to secure Aurangzeb who is in the US capital with his team to participate in the IMF and World Bank s meetings and request a new financial package, said once the mission is back in Islamabad, we are going to agree on the priorities and the principles “I believe it is Pakistan’s programme It is not an IMF programme It is Pakistan s programme and it is supported assisted and funded by the IMF What s the size, and the reality and where we are, it s premature to talk about that We have our own views and we’ll share them with IMF But I would rather leave it to the joint meetings in terms of the size and the duration of the programme Aurangzeb told a group of journalists and think-tanks Asked by TRT World if Islamabad would revisit its National Finance Commission (NFC) award, the allocation system of revenue between the federation and the provinces once IMF approves the new loan programme Aurangzeb said Pakistan needs to review it in the context of the 18th amendment where a lot of stuff has been devolved to the provinces It is a discussion which we will have with the provinces in terms of either expenditure sharing or requesting them to incentivise to bring up the tax base because the reality is after the 18th amendment and the NFC award some of the sectors which need to be brought in a much bigger way into the tax net are actually provincial markets,” he said “Whether it is agriculture real estate or property construction we can help support systems but it is for them to actually go ahead and do it he said adding he has already engaged with the chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh provinces with respect to starting the dialogue Pakistan signed a short-term agreement with the IMF in 2023 Pakistan is seeking a new bailout of up to $8 billion when the current one of $3 billion expires, he added Earlier Aurangzeb ruled out any further significant rupee devaluation Speaking at a round table meeting with the Bloomberg team in Washington, he said Pakistan’s solid reserves stable currency and growing exports support against rupee devaluation The finance minister said that his country was ramping up support for industries, agriculture and IT to boost national growth above four percent in the coming years Formal request for a new loan In a related development Pakistan s finance team has made a formal request for a new loan program ranging between $6 to $8 billion during a meeting with the IMF officials in Washington The proposed bailout package aims to address various economic needs including funding for the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program and climate financing initiatives W I L L R E V I S I T C E NT R E , P R O V I NC E S ’ R E V E NU E S H A R I NG A F T E R I M F LO A N A P P R O V E D : F I NM I N g A L R E A D Y E N G A G E D W I T H P U N J A B A N D S I N D H F O R S TA R T I N G D I A LO G U E, C O N F I R M S M U H A M M A D A U R A N G Z E B PR OFIT M O N I T O R I N G D E S K Pakistan is actively seeking Saudi investment offering projected returns between 14% and 50%, and promising prioritized profit repatriation without restrictions The Express Tribune, citing government sources reported that these returns could allow Saudi Arabia to recoup its investment in three to nine years depending on the project type Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif plans to discuss this investment initiative with Saudi Arabia during his visit on April 27-28 accompanied by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) Earlier, the Saudi delegation showed their interest in agriculture, mining, and the Diamer Basha dam during a recent two-day visit to Pakistan Initially aiming for a $25 billion investment Pakistan has revised its expectation to $5 billion by June 2025 due to concerns from Saudi Arabia about delays in profit repatriation stemming from Pakistan s external sector liquidity issues However Pakistan has committed to giving Saudi investors priority in profit repatriation with Prime Minister Sharif instructing the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to ensure preferential treatment for Saudi companies The Greenfield Mine Development in Khuzdar described as the third largest mining project in Pakistan promises up to a 50% return with an initial investment of $154 million and a projected five-year payback period In agriculture Pakistan is encouraging Saudi Arabia to establish a cattle farm in Punjab with an initial investment of over $25 million and a 34% return projecting a payback period of just three years Saudi Arabia is also considering leasing 50,000 acres in Pakistan for corporate farming with a potential 22% return and a sixyear payback period though water availability issues could delay the start by at least eighteen months Additional investment opportunities include a semiconductor development and chip packaging project with a $270 million investment and a 17% return and the Iron Ore Mining and Steel Mills Complex in Chiniot Punjab promising a 20% return on a $1 5 billion investment over nine years Pakistan has also offered opportunities in the power sector, including a 600MW Solar Park in Kot Adu Punjab and a 1320 MW Thar Coal power project both offering a 14% return A $680 million transmission line project is also on offer, promising the same return over seven years pakistan promises high returns, profit repatriation priority on S audi investment Massive rains, flash floods kill nearly 100 in Pakistan ISLAMABAD A N A D O L U A G E N C Y Nearly 100 people were killed and dozens of others injured in rain-triggered incidents during the last week after heavy rains and floods hit the northwestern and southwestern parts of the country According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), heavy rains caused flash floods in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Balochistan, Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) So far, 98 people have been killed and 89 others injured in these areas due to collapsing structures according to the NDMA s latest report Some 3 261 houses were also damaged with 536 fully destroyed Heavy floods and land sliding also caused damage to roads and bridges in hilly areas of K-P and Balochistan In a separate statement, the NDMA warned that the ongoing rains will continue till April 22 with potential flooding in Balochistan and KhyberPakhtunkhwa “The expected rainfall may trigger flash floods in local nullahs of several regions including Khuzdar Ziarat Zhob Sherani Muslim Bagh, Quetta, Pishin, Kech, Panjgur, Gwadar, and Turbat, it said They also predicted heavy rain from April 25 to 29 and urged the public to stay away from weak infrastructure and refrain from driving or walking in waterways Floods in Afghanistan Meanwhile Afghanistan s Ministry of Disaster Management said at least 70 people were killed and 56 others injured due to heavy rains and floods in several parts of the country during the past week Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim sworn in as PHC chief justice PESHAWAR S TA F F R E P O R T Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim on Saturday took oath as chief justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali administered the oath to the newly-appointed chief justice KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also attended the ceremony The oath-taking ceremony was held at Governor ’s House Supreme Court Judge Justice Musarrat Hilali judges of the Peshawar High Court lawyers chief secretary IG police secretary S&GAD and others high-ups attended the oath-taking The Ministry of Law and Justice had announced on Thursday the appointment of acting chief justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Ishtiaq Ibrahim as the chief justice of PHC According to the ministry’s notifications the appointment was made by the president Asif Ali Zardari Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim was working as Acting Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court since April 15 Bushra Bibi unable to speak since ‘being poisoned’: Law yer ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Bushra Bibi wife of PTI founder Imran Khan was unable to speak after being fed poisonous food during her incarceration her lawyer Intezar Panjutha said on Saturday The medical examination of former first lady was conducted today in Al-Shifa Hospital, with the majority of reports declared clear As per reports, Bushra Bibi was diagnosed with mild gastroenteritis However, Imran Khan’s wife refused to give blood samples and insisted on conducting blood tests in Shaukat Khanum Hospital Meanwhile the doctors conducted former first lady s Electrocardiography (ECG) Echo endoscopy and ultrasound – which according to sources came out normal Moreover, sources told that Bushra Bibi wasn’t diagnosed with stomach ulcer Sources added that gastrointestinal inflammation in the alimentary canal is likely to be caused by diet stress or use of medicine Talking to journalists Bibi s lawyer Intezar Panjutha confirmed the development and said that her condition was not good even today The doctors have suggested that she [Bushra Bibi] may have a heart disease,” he claimed He reiterated that Bushra Bibi’s health was fine before her arrest adding that her uterus is also infected She isn t able to speak after being fed
g RETURNS BETWEEN 14% AND 50% CAN ALLOW SAUDI ARABIA TO RECOUP ITS INVESTMENT IN THREE TO NINE YEARS
F R E P O R T
Federal Minister for
and Revenue Mr Muhammad Au-
Mr Lan
The
Finance
rangzeb met with Chinese Finance Minister,
Fo an, in Washington D C Conveyed condolences on behalf of the leadership and people of Pakistan on the terrorist attack against Chinese
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o n t i n u e d o n pa g e