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Sunday, 10 July, 2022 I 10 Zil Hajj, 1443 I Rs 40.00 I Vol XII No 371 I 48 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Pak-China CooPeration set to sCale new high, says Pm shehbaz ISLAMABAD
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AKISTAN expects to further lift its friendship and cooperation with China to a new level, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said. During an interview at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad, Sharif said that despite a shifting international landscape, Pakistan and China firmly support each other. “The people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have witnessed new progress and the people of Pakistan benefit from bilateral cooperation,” he added. The prime minister noted the Belt and Road Initiative has offered great help to Pakistan’s economic and social development, adding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a vital pilot project under the initiative. He said Pakistan looks forward to cooperating closely with China to promote the CPEC’s development. Sharif noted the CPEC’s first construction phase has met Pakistan’s
energy needs, saying Pakistan seeks to attract Chinese advanced technology and investment, and bolster Pakistan’s industrialisation. Sharif also spoke highly of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative proposed by China President Xi Jinping. He believes the GDI provides important opportunities to help achieve prosperity and development for all countries.
“China’s GDI is a very noble cause, and it is going to contribute to world peace and prosperity,” he said, adding there can be no development without security. Pakistan is very supportive of both initiatives and looks forward to actively participating in future related meetings, said the prime minister. Sharif said President Xi Jinping is a visionary leader with a strong will
and broad vision. He looks forward to working closely with Xi and hopes to continue to learn from his experience and philosophy of state governance. Sharif said the Communist Party of China has been developing for more than 100 years, leading China to become the secondlargest economy in the world and eradicate absolute poverty, which are remarkable achievements worth learning for Pakistan. He said China’s dynamic zeroCovid policy prioritises people and life. China has provided substantial support to Pakistan during the Covid19 pandemic, offering vaccines and other epidemic prevention materials, as well as sending experts to assist in the country’s anti-pandemic fight, he added. The prime minister also said his government attaches great importance to the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan, adding that the Pakistani Interior Ministry is in contact with all provinces to ensure their safety. Sharif said any attempt to undermine the Pakistan-China friendship would not succeed.
Monsoon rains wreak havoc in Sindh, Balochistan KARACHI Staff RepoRt
Urban and rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan provinces witnessed heavy rainfall coupled with strong winds and thunderstorms on Saturday, increasing fears of urban flooding as the monsoon system across the country has intensified. Six people were killed in rain-related incidents in Karachi on Friday. The police said three people died after they were electrocuted, while several others got stuck in flooding in nullahs. In Balochistan, torrential rain continued to kill people as at least seven people were killed only during the last 24 hours, bringing the tally of rain-related deaths in the province
from July 01 to 56 people. According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan, among the 56 dead during period, 22 of them were women, 24 children and 10 men. “As many as 48 people also sustained injuries in the rain-related incidents,” it said, adding that 670 houses also sustained infrastructural damages. The areas, according to the PDMA, that remained most affected included Quetta, Loralai, Sibi, Harnai, Kohlu, Zhob and other areas. Previously, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said that the current monsoon rains have claimed 77 lives as yet across the country. Addressing a news conference in Islamabad today, the minister said this
indeed is a national tragedy. She said the most number of 39 deaths have been reported in Balochistan. The climate change minister said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has prepared a national monsoon contingency plan, Radio Pakistan reported. She said the provinces, districts and the people have to stay alert to reduce causalities as a result of monsoon rains. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), heavy showers lashed DHA, Clifton, II Chundrigar Road, Ibrahim Hyderi, Korangi, Saddar, Sharae Faisal, Malir, and Stargate in Karachi after 10am on Saturday. The monsoon rains flooded the Korangi nullah after which the EBM Causeway was
closed for traffic. Urban flooding was also reported in several localities. In Lyari, streets were inundated with rainwater coming up to the waist stranding people inside their houses. In northern parts of the city, water entered houses creating immense difficulties for residents. Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab tweeted that the “major thrust” of the rain was in city’s District South. He also said teams were on the roads “to handle the situation” In a subsequent tweet, Wahab said water had gathered on II Chundrigar Road, “the side of Jang Press and on the other side of CPO and Tower, area around HBL is clear because the City Naala is running well”.
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NOTICE The offices of Pakistan Today will remain closed on July 10 and July 11 on account of Eidul Azha. The paper will not be published on July 11 and July 12. We wish our readers a safe Eid.
rana sana complains to army chief about anF’s role in ‘mala fide case’ against him ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday blamed former prime minister Imran Khan for the “spurious and mala-fide” drugs case against him and said that he had spoken to Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa about the Anti-Narcotics Force’s (ANF) role in this regard. Sanaullah was arrested in the case in July 2019 under the previous PTI government by the ANF which claimed to have recovered 15kg of heroin from his vehicle. He was later granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC). A special court for the control of narcotic substances in Lahore has summoned the interior minister on July 23 for the framing of charges against him. The PML-N has previously alleged that the then-prime minister was behind the case. In a series of tweets today, Sanaullah iterated the PML-N’s claims, alleging that Imran was the “mastermind of the bogus case” while former adviser on accountability and interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar and former DG ANF were “complicit”. “Shahzad Akbar impelled the capital police to place a bag of 15-kilo heroin in my lodge which [they] refused to do so. All the proceedings were undertaken on the directives of the former premier who wanted me behind the bars due to his personal enmity,” he said.
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Sunday, 10 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD
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ECP takES NotICE of ElECtIoN CodE vIolatIoN By SINdh PolICE KARACHI
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HE Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of the violation of the election code by Sindh police after a senior officer from Kashmore was transferred to Hyderabad. The provincial election commission took notice of a violation of the code ahead of the second phase
of Sindh local government (LG) polls, ordering Inspector General (IG) Sindh Police to stop the transfer of a senior officer. The provincial police department issued an order to transfer Superintendent Police (SP) Kashmore Amjad Shaikh to Hyderbad despite the ECP ban on transfers and postings on the government officers due to the upcoming Sindh LG polls. In a letter sent to IG Sindh, the
provincial ECP wrote that the second phase of LG polls will be held soon and the recent posting will influence the elections. As per the announcement of the commission, the position of any government officials could not be changed till the issuance of election results. The commission ordered the IG Sindh to withdraw the transfer orders of SP Kashmore Amjad Shaikh. The transfer should be withheld till the announcement of
election results. Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) banned the organization of political rallies during electioneering for the second phase of local government (LG) polls under the revised election code. After witnessing large-scale mismanagement during byelections, the election commission has toughened enforcement of the election code of conduct for the upcoming second phase of LG polls.
Received threatening call from ‘unknown number’: Chohan
Corps Commander Quetta expresses grief over loss of precious lives: ISPR
LAHORE Staff rePort
PTI MPA Fayyazul Hassan Chohan on Saturday claimed to have received calls from the ‘unknown number’, threatening him to leave the party or face dire consequences. In a video message, Fayyaz Chohan said that he received a call from “a no-caller id and the caller threatened him to leave PTI in [two days] or face severe consequences.” He blamed the PML-N leadership including Maryam Nawaz for orchestrating such plans but said that such designs would not suppress the courage of the PTI activists, who are working for the success of their candidates in by-polls in 20 constituencies. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central leader Asad Umar said Friday that people including women having no political background are receiving threats from untraceable phone calls from ‘unknown number’. Asad Umar made the statement while talking to a private Tv news channel. He said that women who have no political background are among those people who received threats from untraceable phone numbers. The PTI central leader was unaware of the mystery of ‘unblock phone’. When questioned about it, Umar said that he will ask Imran Khan about the story behind ‘unblock phone’. The politician said that the establishment has always played a political role in Pakistan. Regarding Fawad Chaudhry’s statement, he said, “Fawad Chaudhry told the reality regarding the Rana Sanaullah case. The case was filed by AntiNarcotics Force (ANF) against Sanaullah. Questions had also been raised in the federal cabinet meeting at that time regarding the case, however, it was not a political case.”
Pakistan Navy Relief operation in flashflood hit areas of Balochistan
IsLAmAbAD Pr
Pakistan Navy Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) operations continue in different coastal areas of Balochistan. In the recent heavy monsoon rains and flash floods, Pakistan Navy provided all out support and assisted civil administration by rescuing the locals stranded inside flooded homes and shifted them to safer locations. More than thousand cusecs of water was deflooded by PN relief teams utilising own sources. Pakistan Navy troops reached out to far-flung rural areas of Pasni, Winder, Gwadar, Jiwani and adjoining villages in Balochistan and distributed necessary relief and food commodities. Hundreds of ration bags, fresh drinking water and household items including medicines were provided to affected populace. More than 500 patients were provided free treatment at medical camps established by PN. Pakistan Navy has always remained at the forefront in extending humanitarian assistance during natural calamities. Relief operation in Balochistan is a practical manifestation of PN’s resolve to extend all out support to fellow countrymen in the hour of need.
LAHORE: Citizens select knives and matchets from a roadside stall. Photo by zubair Mehfooz
QUETTA: Commander Quetta Corps Lt-Gen Sarfraz Ali on Saturday visited the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan Headquarters and expressed grief over the loss of precious lives in various incidents due to heavy monsoon rains in the province. On the occasion, the Corps Commander was given a detailed update on flood situation in the province and relief activities being carried out by different institutions, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release issued here on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Balochistan Home Minister, Chief Secretary and the PDMA DG appreciated assistance of security forces to civil administration for providing maximum and timely relief for flood affected areas and population. The Corps Commander assured continued and all out support of security forces to provincial administration and PDMA in the ongoing relief operations. He also appreciated and encouraged the efforts of all departments undertaking relief operations across the province. Staff rePort
Civic agencies to ensure cleanliness on Eidul Azha RAWALPINDI Staff rePort
The Rawalpindi Waste Management Company(RWMC) had deployed around 3,663 sanitary workers in different areas to keep the district neat and clean during Eid-ul-Azha. “The RWMC has finalized a comprehensive cleanliness plan for Eid-ul-Azha to get rid of entrails and offals of animals. All available resources will be utilized to accomplish the task,” Managing Director(MD)Owais Manzoor Tarrar said Saturday. The MD informed that 435 vehicles would be part of the special drive, including 357 in Rawalpindi, 14 Murree and 64 in other tehsils, to remove remains of sacrificial animals from every nook and corner of the district. According to the plan, 3228 workers have been deployed in
Rawalpindi, 112 Murree, while 323 workers have been assigned duties in Taxila, Kahuta, Kalar Syedan and Gujjar Khan. Moreover, he said that 17 permanent and 43 mobile transfer stations had been set up in the district. RWMC had distributed around 200,000 biodegradable waste bags and 50,000 awareness pamphlets to the citizens, he said and added that a mobile app had also been launched to guide the citizens. “All the staff will work under a control room while the residents have been directed to contact these numbers about any complaints 03151039984,0315-2008323,051-9291108, ” the MD said. He informed that the holidays of sanitary workers and officials of the department had been cancelled to ensure cleanliness during the Eid days. Owais said 600 banners had been displayed at all main points of the district to create awareness among the
masses about the cleanliness campaign. Collection points have also been established for the convenience of the public at the Union Council level, he informed. After completing the cleanliness task and removing the offal, he said all collection points and other areas would be adequately cleaned and sprayed. Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has also devised an inclusive cleanliness plan for Eid-ul-Azha to remove the entrails of sacrificial animals. Cantonment Executive Officer Rawalpindi Imran Gulzar said that 800 sanitary workers, two sanitary inspectors and 22 supervisors would perform duty during the Eid holidays. He said 11 dumpers,20 mini dumpers, nine tractors, trolleys, five Suzuki pick-ups, and one excavator would be part of the special drive. In addition, the Chief Officer informed that eight-ten wheeler
vehicles,34 Suzuki pick-ups,24 jack trolleys, and three shovels had also been rented to remove the garbage, entrails of animals, and offal from all Cantonment areas. Imran said that RCB around 15,000 biodegradable waste bags and awareness pamphlets had been distributed to the citizens, while two transfer points had been set up at Government Denny”s high school and Old Daewoo bus stand, Chungi no 22, from where waste would be transferred to the dumping stations. “All the staff will work under a control room while the residents have been directed to contact these numbers about any complaints 0519274421,9274422, or UAN no-111-07-07-07”. He urged the citizens to cooperate with the RCB staff and dump entrails of the sacrificial animals and offal at specific collection points where these could be removed properly.
No differences within PML-Q, insists Ch Shujaat LAHORE Staff rePort
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ) Supremo Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Saturday dispelled reports about any differences within the party or with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. Talking to the media along with AJK President, Mr Shujaat said that there could be ideological differences that could also occur between a father and son, however, denied any split within the party. “Have I ever stated anything against Pervaiz Elahi or did he speak against me,” Chaudhry Shujaat asked and dispelled rumours about differences between them. He lamented that an unfortunate trend has been witnessed in the country’s politics which saw audios being leaked to media on daily basis. “What image we are giving to the international world about our politics,” the PML-Q chief said.
According to a recent report, in a last-ditch effort to mend fences among family, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain summoned a meeting of members of his family including Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to decide on supporting PTI or PML-N. According to sources, at least five meetings were held to end differences among the family after Parvez Elahi announced support for the PTI and Chaudhry Shujaat extended his backing to PML-N-led federal government. “During the meeting, Parvez Elahi and Chaudhry Wajahat asked Salik Hussain to leave the coalition government so that the party remains intact and pursue the same line,” they said, adding that during the first three meetings, Salik Hussain sought time to leave the government. In two later meetings, they said that Salik suggested that both the groups should go ahead with separate
narratives. “You continue to support Imran Khan while we will support Shehbaz Sharif,” the sons of Shujaat suggested however, Moonis Elahi and
Parvez Elahi rejected the idea. Soon after the meetings, Asif Zardari also called on Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and his sons.
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Sunday, 10 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD
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all SEt to CElEBRatE EIdul azha today aS foolPRoof SECuRIty aRRaNgEMENtS IN PlaCE RAWALPINDI
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ll the preparations including foolproof security arrangements have been finalized to celebrate Eidul-Azha with traditional religious zeal and ferour on July 10, Sunday. The day will begin with special prayers in the mosques for the stability, integrity, unity and solidarity of the Muslim Ummah, progress and prosperity of the country. Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on
Sunday with religious fervor to commemorate the great sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismael (AS). Eid prayers congregations will be held at mosques, eidgahs and open places here like all cities, towns and villages of the country. Ulema in their sermons of Eid will highlight the significance of the philosophy of great sacrifice offered by Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismael (AS). People will offer sacrifice of animals to follow Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). The Rawalpindi District Administration
would utilize all available resources to remove offal and entrails on Eid ul Azha as a comprehensive plan has been formulated for Rawalpindi district. According to Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq, nearly 3700 sanitary workers would be deployed to complete the cleanliness operation during Eid-ul-Azha holidays. He informed that over 435 vehicles would be part of the special drive. Special instructions have been issued that no area of the district should be left unattended, he added.
3700 workers would be deployed in Rawalpindi, he said adding, 12 permanent transfer stations would be set up in Rawalpindi city which would work round the clock. He informed that separate cleanliness plan has been formulated for tehsils of the district. Special camps would be set up in Rawalpindi city and different tehsils and 250,000 waste bags would be distributed among the citizens. A special control room has also been set up in Civil Defense office to monitor the cleanliness operation and receive complaints
Covid-19 transmission rate declines ahead of Eid IsLAmAbAD
despite heavy rains, Railways manages to operate trains on time RAWALPINDI NewS DeSk
Despite heavy rains, Pakistan Railways (PR) Rawalpindi Division has succeeded to operate trains on time as all the trains left Rawalpindi Station on Saturday at prescribed time. According to a PR Rawalpindi Division spokesman, despite heavy rains which had affected the schedule of the passenger trains, earnest efforts were made by the officers and officials concerned of the division to restore normal train operation. Heavy rainfall was recorded here on Saturday, but, 46dn, Pakistan Express left Rawalpindi Railway Station as per schedule at 6 AM. 102dn was only 15 minute late and left the station at 7.15 AM while 8dn, Tezgam departed at 8.15 AM. Other trains including 40dn, Jaffar Express, 2nd, Khyber Mail, 48nd Rehman Baba, 6dn, Green Line and 104dn, Subak Kharam started their journeys on time. Special arrangements were made by the Divisional Officers for adjustment of all the passengers and availability of the seats. Efforts were also made to ensure proper announcements on arrival and departure of the trains to facilitate the passengers. The help desk counter was working round the clock and providing information about arrival and departure of the trains besides apprising the passengers about refund facility, he added. Rawalpindi Division resolved the refund cases of the passengers on priority basis and during the refund process no case of any kind of overcharging was reported from all the stations badly affected due to heavy rainfall including Rawalpindi, Margalla, Jhelum, Lala Musa, and Sargodha. Divisional Officers including Divisional Superintendent, Inamullah, Divisional Commercial Officer, Mohsin Ali Sial, Divisional Transport Officer, Waqar AlNisa and Assistant Commercial/Transport Officer, Marzia Zahra played a pivotal role to restore normal train operation and for facilitation of the passengers.
of the citizens. The authorities concerned of Rawalpindi District police, City Traffic Police (CTP) and Rescue-1122 have also finalised all the arrangements for Eid-ul-Azha while over 4000 personnel would be deployed. According to a police spokesman, Rawalpindi district police on the directives of City Police Officer, Rawalpindi Syed Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari, have formulated a comprehensive security plan for Eid ul Azha aimed at averting any untoward incident. Over 2500 security personnel would be deployed on Eid congregations, Mosques, Imambargahs, public places and other important buildings to thwart any untoward incident. Policemen would also patrol in various sectors and police officers of respective circles would ensure proper security at the Eid congregations to be held at various locations of the town.
PM Shehbaz’s son in the soup for ‘incitement to violence’ on twitter IsLAmAbAD
Staff rePort
Pakistan on Saturday reported 732 fresh cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, data released by the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed. According to the NIH, 22,568 samples were tested across the country in the past 24 hours, out of which 732 returned positive. The nationwide positivity ratio was recorded at 3.24 percent, according to the data, down from 3.28 percent on Friday. Moreover, seven Covid-related deaths were reported on Friday, said NIH, adding that 158 people are in critical condition. Pakistan has had very few cases of coronavirus over recent months and had done away with almost all precautions. A month ago, the positivity ratio was 0.54 percent with 79 positive cases and no deaths. According to the NIH, 85 percent of eligible people have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Over the last weekend, the aviation regulator made masks mandatory on domestic flights given the rise in the number of fresh cases across the country, it said a statement. “With immediate effect, mask-wearing will be mandatory onboard domestic flights,” the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said late on Sunday. Days later, on Tuesday, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) issued fresh guidelines in view of the Eid ul-Adha, urging people to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs). The forum advised people to stay indoors during the holidays and observe precautionary measures. “It has been advised to undertake minimal necessary travel during Eid holidays as the risk of a new wave was imminent”. According to the NCOC, the prayers should be offered in open spaces with Covid-19 protocols. If prayers are offered indoors, windows and doors of mosques be kept open for adequate ventilation.
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LAHORE: Sale of deep-freezers picks up at Abid Market on eve of Eidul Azha. Photo by zubair Mehfooz
55th death anniversary of Madar-e-Millat observed IsLAmAbAD Staff rePort
The 55th death anniversary of Madr-e-Millat (mother of the nation) Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was observed with reverence and respect across the country on Saturday. Fatima Jinnah, born on July 30, 1893, was referred to as the Madar-e-Millat due to her dynamic role in the Pakistan Freedom Movement. Today, 55 years after her tragic death, the iron lady was still remembered for her passionate support for civil rights and devoted struggle towards the Pakistan Movement and supporting the two-nation theory and strongly opposing the British Raj. After the independence of Pakistan, she cofounded the Pakistan Women’s Association which played an integral role in the settlement of the women migrants in the newly formed country. She returned to political forefront and contested the elections against former President Ayub Khan but was defeated unfortunately. Fatima Jinnah passed away on July 9, 1967 in Karachi. President Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid homage to Mother of the Nation, Fatima Jinnah, on her death anniversary. In his message, the President said Fatima Jinnah’s leadership role in politics was a source of encouragement for Pakistani women. Fatima Jinnah’s support for Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah strengthened the Tehreek-e-Pakistan. The president said her services for Pakistan would be
ShEhbAz PAyS tributE to FAtiMA oN dEAth ANNivErSAry ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said the entire nation pays tribute to the contributions rendered by Mader-i-Millat (mother of the nation) Fatima Jinnah who waged the struggle for the creation and construction of Pakistan and always stood by the side of founding father and her brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The 55th death anniversary of Jinnah was observed on Saturday with solemnity. She passed away on July 9, 1967. Jinnah was also a guardian of her brother’s political heritage, said Sharif. He said Jinnah not only took an equal part in the struggle for independence but also took care of his brother when he was critically ill. Sharif said Jinnah fought hardships and strived for the vision of his late brother against all odds. The nation will never forget her services to the country, he added. MoNitoriNg rePort
remembered for a long time. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in his message said the entire nation salutes Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah for her remarkable services in independence movement for Pakistan along with her brother Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and later on for rehabilitation of the country.
After a Twitter account purportedly belonging to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s oldest son — Suleman Sharif, urged his followers to “toss shoes” and “name and shame” a family that heckled Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal in a viral video on Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters heavily trolled the businessman’s post and called for the account to be blocked for trying to incite violence. Another account by Suleman Shehbaz, which has been frequently tagged by several journalists working closely with the Sharif family, posted a similar tweet. Iqbal was targeted by PTI supporters as he stood in a queue waiting to place his order in a fast food joint at Bhera Interchange near Punjab’s Sargodha. Viral footage showed a family roaring slogans of ‘thief’ at the PML-N leader. Shortly after the video gained notoriety on Twitter, the minister took to the popular social media platform to criticise the family and the mentality of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) followers, going as far as to call them “most ignorant and fascist.” Iqbal insinuated a comparison between PTI leader Imran Khan and World War II dictator Adolf Hitler. “These self-taught people are in fact the most ignorant and fascist, as were the followers of Hitler. We are not going to be intimidated by these ignorant people. This is a moving advertisement of his mental bankruptcy. Imran is polarizing the society at the behest of illicit funders.” Responding to his tweet, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry penned that he should ‘wear a burqa next time.’ An account purportedly belonging to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s oldest son, Suleman Sharif urged followers to toss shoes at the family in the video when they see them,. He added tht they should also toss shoes at ‘gang leader’ Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. Saving no time, PTI supporters made Suleman Sharif the target of their jokes and critique. Many bashed the prime minister’s oldest son for urging his supporters to incite violence on cvillians. A social media user also tagged the UK metrolpolitan police, requesting that they take action against him. Twitter user Inam Khan stated that inciting violence towards civilians and calling for a cvil war is ‘tantamount to treason’ and local institutions should look into it. Political analyst Raheeq Abbasi criticised Suleman Sharif in a tweet laced with sarcasm at how ‘the fugitive prince of the royal family of moral speakers is teaching his lions morality.’ Moscow-based American political analyst Andrew Korybko lambasted Suleman for his callous remarks, placing emphasis that he is the ‘scion of a genuinely fascist family.’
Finding professional butchers for slaughtering sacrificial animals a herculean task PEsHAWAR aPP
Refused to accept more orders, Adnan Khan, a professional butcher of Hastnagri Bazaar was optimistic to earn maximum profit after receiving 50 booking of slaughtering sacrificial animals during Eidul Azha. Engaged three seasonal butchers to meet the placed orders, the 25-year old butcher, who was sharpening his daggers and axes at Firdus market on Saturday told APP that he had received 50 orders of slaughtering sacrificial animals including cows, oxen, buffaloes, goats, sheep and camels during three days of Eidul Azha. “Slaughtering animals is an art. The butchers know where the slaughtered animals could be cut into pieces instead of makeshifts butchers or ordinary people, ” said Adnan, who inherited this hard-earned profession from his grandfather. “My grandfather has started this profession before independence of Pakistan and now our third generation was carrying forward his legacy despite ups and downs in his business,” he said.
He said rates of animals slaughtering was based on day and time, adding on the first day Rs 4,000 to Rs5,000 were being charged for slaughtering a goat or sheep between 8:00am to 11:50am with additional Rs600 for making meat on the first day of Eid. Likewise, rate of slaughtering of cow and buffaloe was fixed at Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 per animal on Eid’s morning. Rs15,000 to Rs20,000 was being charged for slaughtering camel and Rs7,000 to Rs8,000 for ox with additional Rs2,500 for making meat. He said the butchers charge hefty amounts due to their professional work as there were many seasonal butchers, who know nothing about slaughtering and take more time than the professionals during the sizzling heat. The seasonal butchers lack proper tactics to bring down animals to the grounds, slaughtering techniques and are also unable to cut the meat properly. These inept butchers also end up damaging hides of the sacrificial animals besides exposed citizens to injuries. Because of exorbitant rates of
professional butchers and high profit rates, the butchers of others districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have arrived to Peshawar to buck maximum gains. Besides seasonal butchers, the unemployed labourers and youngsters of merged and settled districts of KP have also rushed to Peshawar to earn maximum profit. “I came from Nowshera district to Peshawar following high demand of butchers and profit rate of sacrificial animals here,” said Zardali Khan, a nonprofessional butcher while talking to APP. He said most of people were hiring non-professional butchers due to low profit rate compare to professionals butchers keeping in view of their financial status. Zardali said he came from village Dheri Ishaq Pabbi where most of people slaughter animals themselves after performing collective Qurbani. ‘Ten orders of animals’ slaughtering was received by me on this Eid at Rs5,000 per cow as well as buffaloe and Rs2,000 per goat or sheep. Following cases of lumpy skin disease in animals, he said most of educated
people prefer to hire butchers to avoid exposure to the fatal infection. Qaiser Khan, a resident of Wapda Town Peshawar said that it has become immense difficult to buy animal to perform sacrifice ritual due to the prevailing inflation and price hike in the country and we have to roam around the outskirts of the city to find animal on affordable rate. Following buying of a suitable animal, he said hiring a professional butcher on minimal charges was another herculean task. Afghan refugees have also jumped in KP cities by receiving orders on relatively cheaper rate than locals. Following high rates of butchers, many citizens have decided to slaughter sacrificial animals themselves despite scorching heat and cases of lumpy skin disease. Director, Livestock and Dairy Development KP, Dr Aftab Ahmad told APP that around 100,000 to 150,000 cattle were being slaughtered in KP on Eidul Azha. In cities, he said trends of slaughtering of animals through butchers were higher than villages.
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PaKistan Climbing season ReaChes new heights ISLAMABAD
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HE nation is enjoying a bumper climbing season with around 1,400 foreign mountaineers bidding to scale its lofty peaks — including hundreds on the 8,611-metre (28,251-feet) K2, the world’s second-highest. “It is a record number,” Raja Nasir Ali Khan, tourism minister of the Gilgit-Baltistan region, told AFP. The country is home to five of the world’s 14 mountains higher than 8,000 metres, and climbing
them all is considered the ultimate achievement of any mountaineer. Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told AFP there were 57 expeditions planned for 23 Pakistan peaks this season — with 370 climbers having a crack at K2, known as “the savage mountain”. Besides being far more technically difficult to climb than Everest, weather conditions are notoriously fickle on K2, which has only being scaled by 425 people since 1954. More than 6,000 people have climbed Everest since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first
reached the top in 1953 — some of them multiple times. Haidri said climbers this year include 90 women — including at least two Pakistanis aiming to become the country’s first to scale K2. Russian Oxana Morneva is leading a team on the mountain, having failed in her own attempt in 2012 when she was forced back after injuring her knee. “My rope was broken by falling rocks,” she told AFP. She said she had no apprehension about returning. “When we go to the mountain we have to be peaceful inside, and we have to know
what we are doing,” she added. Around 200 climbers will attempt to scale the 8,051-metre Broad Peak, while similar numbers will try Gasherbrum-I (8,080 metres) and Gasherbrum-II (8,035 metres). A 36-year-old Norwegian climber, Kristin Harila, is also aiming to reach the world’s 14 highest mountain summits in record time. Having already climbed seven peaks of over 8,000 metres, Harila hopes to match, if not beat, Nepali adventurer Nirmal Purja’s ambitious six months and six days record. The summer climbing season that started in early June lasts until late August.
Pakistan-made footballs to shine at Doha World Cup KARACHI AnAdolu Agency
10 air quality index devices installed on highways in Capital ISLAMABAD StAff RepoRt
The Islamabad Police have installed 10 air quality index measurement meters on the main avenues of the city, aiming at reducing air pollution by ensuring strict action against smoke-emitting vehicles, a police public relations officer said the other day. To implement the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and as per instructions of Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan, reforms in the Islamabad police are underway. In this regard, Islamabad Police IGP Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and Dr Faheem Khokhar Head of Department for Environment, National University of Science and Technology decided to install an air quality index management system on Srinagar highway and Islamabad Expressway during a meeting held at Safe city. Dr Akbar Nasir Khan had already issued special instructions to SSP Traffic Dr Mustafa Tanveer to ban the entry of vehicles causing environmental pollution in the federal capital and also imposed heavy fines on unfit vehicles. He said that various teams have been constituted to crackdown on vehicles causing environmental pollution on the highways. Challan tickets are also being issued besides strict legal actions against them.
Pakistan’s national football team is 200th out of 211 teams in the FIFA world rankings, but the country’s more than 200 million people will still be feeling part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals to be played in Doha this winter. Together with China, Pakistan is supplying the soccer balls to be used in the forthcoming mega event, which this time will be held in the winter instead of the summer due to the hot weather in the Qatari capital. “We have once again been chosen to supply soccer balls for the World Cup, which is an honour for us and a testimony of the quality we have maintained,” said Khawaja Masood Akhtar, the chairman of Forward Sports, a contracting manufacturer of global sports brand Adidas. Nestled on the outskirts of Sialkot, workers at the company’s sprawling facility are working extra hours to ensure on-time delivery of the footballs. The city, which borders India, has been famous for producing the finest quality sports goods and has been supplying footballs for mega-events for a long time. Production of high-quality footballs is not Sialkot’s only forte. It also exports sports goods ranging from cricket bats to hockey sticks and from shining (cricket and hockey) balls to other accessories like kits, shoes, and gloves. The country earns $1 billion annually from sports goods exports, including $350 million to $500 million from footballs alone. Declining to give the exact number of footballs the company will supply for the World Cup due to restrictions from Adidas, Akhtar said it would be “not in thousands but millions.” enVironmentally Friendly matcH balls: Named “Al-Rihla,” Arabic for “The Journey,” the official match ball for the 2022 World Cup was unveiled in March by Adidas in Doha.
Forward Sports, which also makes footballs for the German Bundesliga, the French league, and the Champions League, was also the official football provider of the 2014 and 2018 World Cups in Brazil and Russia. The soccer ball to be used in the forthcoming tournament is technically termed “thermo bonded,” which was first introduced in the 2014 World Cup. Before that, Pakistan had supplied handstitched soccer balls for most of the World Cups from the 1990s to 2010. Other types of soccer balls produced in Sialkot are “glued” and “hand-stitched.” Thermo bonded balls are made by attaching the panels through heat — the latest technology adopted by Adidas and transferred to Forward Sports in 2013. There are no stitches. “We have made some changes in (the design of) footballs this time, keeping Qatar’s culture, environment, architecture, and flag in mind,” Akhtar said. “And it will be environment-friendly,” he said, adding that for the first time, only water-based inks and glues have been used in the making of the footballs. Soaring inflation and energy tariffs combined with rising labour costs have not turned out to be a problem for Akhtar. “Everything is running smoothly, as we chalked out our plans, keeping all these factors in mind. In fact, we have hired some additional labour to ensure on-time deliveries,” he said. Football in cricket-Frenzy Pakistan: Football is a popular sport in otherwise cricket-obsessed Pakistan, particularly in rural areas. Yet the national team is ranked 200th in the FIFA World Rankings. Lacking glamour and government funding while having to deal with intra-federation schisms and landgrabbing petty mafia who have been sweeping up sports grounds, football in Pakistan has gradually declined from its rank as fourth on the Asian continent in the 1960s.
Punjab set to purge Rajanpur Kacha area of criminals LAHORE/RAJANPUR StAff RepoRt
Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan said on Friday that concrete steps should be taken under short and long term plan for permanent eradication of criminal elements from kachha areas in South Punjab. “All organized gangs including Lund Gang, Sukhani Gang and their facilitators should be brought to book at the earliest.” According to details, the Punjab government has decided to rehabilitate Rajanpur Kacha area and eliminate all criminal gangs. The high-ups of Punjab Government including Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal and IG Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan visited areas of Rojhan and Kachha. The two officers visited Rojhan Picket, Bihar Machhi and Picket Basti Dolani on the front line and reviewed the ongoing measures in the field whereas DPO Rajanpur briefed the CS and the IGP on the law and order situation in Kachha. The IGP was briefed on the establishment of 17 new police pickets in Kacha area and the activities of criminal elements. The IG Police also met the Jawans posted in Kachha area and encouraged them. The IG Police ordered to intensify search and intelligence based operations against criminal gangs operating in Kachha area, adding that coordination with police and administration of Sindh and Balochistan would be further improved so that criminals of these hardened gangs could not escape. Rao Sardar Ali said that police pickets in Kachha area would be given the status of permanent police posts and new roads and bridges would be constructed in this area to further improve police access. The IGP said that conditions of concession/ relaxation in age and education were being considered for providing employment to people of Kachha area. He said that the police Jawans fighting on the frontline are real heroes and a special package will be announced for welfare of the police force deployed in Kachha areas. He also presided over a meeting along with the Punjab Chief Secretary on the occasion.
Rising prices dampen sales of sacrificial animals LAHORE AnAdolu Agency
At a crowded portion of a sprawling makeshift cattle market on the northern outskirts of Karachi, Muneer Ali was trying to woo buyers to sell out his animals, ahead of the festival of Eid al-Adha. Unconvinced by the “higher” prices quoted by Ali, a cattle seller from Rahim Yar Khan, a group of buyers made tracks for another stall. But, prices were even higher there. Traditionally, Karachiites visit the Sohrab Goth Maweshi Mandi — claimed to be Asia’s largest cattle market — to buy the animals of their choice to sacrifice on Eid al-Adha, one of the two main Muslim festivals which takes place between the 10th and 13th of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah. Pakistan will celebrate eid on July 10: “Prices are higher this year. No doubt about it,” Ali, one of the thousands of cattle sellers who throng this cattle market at the highway that connects Karachi to the rest of the country every year weeks before Eid-ulAdha, acknowledged. He, however, blamed skyrocketing transportation, labour, cattle food and market charges for soaring prices of sacrificial animals. Like many other nations across the globe, Pakistan is grappling with a mounting economic crisis, depreci-
ating foreign reserves, and a surging cost of living. “We have sold out at least 50 percent fewer animals until now compared to the previous year,” Ali told Anadolu Agency, expecting a rise in sales in the remaining last few days. Echoing a similar view, Maratib Hussain, a cattle seller from the Dera Ghazi Khan district, said: “There is no shortage of visitors but most of them do not turn out to be buyers.” Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Hussain admitted that higher cattle rates have kept the buyers at bay. HiGHer Prices: Mohammad Zahid, an insurance agent from Karachi, said that prices were beyond his expectations. “We (he and his wife) used to sacrifice two goats but I don’t think this would be the case this time as well,” he told Anadolu Agency. “At given prices, I can afford to buy only one goat this year,” he added. Asif Ali Syed, an organiser of the cattle market, estimated a 30 percent to 40 percent increase in animals’ prices this year due to rising inflation and transportation costs. “An average-size cow, which was available against Rs85,000 last year, is being sold at Rs125,000 this year,” Syed told Anadolu Agency. Similarly, he went on to say, prices of goats vary between Rs30,000 to Rs100,000 as against
Rs20,000 to Rs75,000 last year. alternatiVe ways: Syed, however, does not foresee a significant decline in sales of sacrificial animals despite soaring prices. “There will certainly be an overall impact of the ongoing economic crunch on the sales. But I don’t think it will be huge,” he said, adding that citizens have come up with alternative ways to perform this “religious duty.” Marking the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son on Allah’s command, financiallyable Muslims slaughter animals such
as cows, sheep and goats. While goats and sheep each are counted as one, the larger ones like cows and camels have seven shares per animal, according to Islamic law. The meat is then donated to the poor, and also shared among family and friends. “A large number of people, who otherwise would sacrifice goats or sheep, have switched to the option of shared sacrifice due to higher prices,” Syed said, claiming that “more” cows are expected to be sold out this time compared to the past year.
sHared sacriFise: Several charities, which have long been arranging affordable shared sacrificial facilities for the faithful with middle income, have seen a significant increase in orders this year. The welfare organisations buy the animals, engage the butchers, complete the sacrifice and distribute meat to each shareholder as per the agreed weight. The Al-Khidmat Foundation, Edhi Foundation, and Sailani Welfare Trust — Pakistan’s three largest charities — have booked thousands of such orders.
In this way, these charities get to keep the hides, which sell for cash, one of their sources of income. “So far, we have received 30 percent more orders compared to the past year,” said Amjad Chamriya, an official of Sailani Trust, citing the receding buying power of people from the middle and lower-income brackets as one of the key reasons behind the increase in shared sacrifices. “We have introduced several options ranging from low to modest charges to ensure that a maximum number of people can perform this religious obligation,” he went on to say. The trust, he added, has so far received 15,000 sacrifice orders According to Abdul Qadir, an official of the Edhi Foundation, the charity has so far received 8,000 sacrifice orders from across Pakistan and abroad. Rashid Qureshi, a senior official of Al-Khidmat Foundation, which is also arranging the sacrifice of cattle for Afghanistan, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Syrian refugees in Turkey, told Anadolu Agency that they were expecting a 20 percent increase in the number of bookings this year. The charity, he said, has booked over 25,000 sacrifice orders hitherto across Pakistan. These charities also distribute meat among the poor and Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
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Sunday, 10 July, 2022 | ISLAMABAD
NEWS
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‘In thE mouth of drAgons’
MEltINg glAcIERS tHREAtEN NORtH ISLAMABAD
A
AFP
S dawn broke over Javed Rahi’s mountain village in GilgitBaltistan, a loud boom shattered the silence and a torrent of water came cascading down from the melting glacier nearby, followed by a thick cloud of smoke. Rahi, a retired maths teacher, had been due to attend his nephew’s wedding the day the flood rushed through the village of Hassanabad. “I expected women and children to sing and dance… Instead, I heard them screaming in terror,” the 67-year-old said. “It was like doomsday.” The flood — which occurred as a heatwave was gripping South Asia in May — swept away nine homes in the village and damaged half a dozen more. The water also washed away two small hydro plants and a bridge that connected the remote community to the outside world. Pakistan is home to more than 7,000 glaciers, more than anywhere else on Earth out-
side the poles. Rising global temperatures linked to climate change are causing the glaciers to rapidly melt, creating thousands of glacial lakes. The government has warned that 33 of these lakes -– all located in the spectacular Himalaya, Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges that intersect in Pakistan – - are at risk of bursting and releasing millions of cubic metres of water and debris in just a few hours, like in Hassanabad. At least 16 such glacial lake outburst floods linked to heatwaves have occurred this year already, compared with an average of five or six per year, the Pakistani government said earlier this week. The devastation caused by such floods makes recovery for impacted communities an arduous task. After disaster struck Hassanabad, Rahi and fellow villagers who lost their homes had to move to a nearby camp for displaced people. Inside their makeshift tents are the few belongings they managed to salvage and mattresses to sleep on. “We never thought we would fall from riches to rags,” Rahi said.
Homes flooded as relentless rain batters Islamabad ISLAMABAD
No resources to move Pakistan is the world’s eighth most vulnerable country to extreme weather caused by climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index compiled by the environmental NGO Germanwatch. The country is experiencing earlier, hotter and more frequent heatwaves, with temperatures already hitting 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) this year. Floods and droughts in recent years have killed and displaced thousands of people, destroyed livelihoods, and damaged infrastructure. According to the UN Development Programme, a lack of information on glacial changes in Pakistan makes it difficult to predict hazards originating from them. Although Hassanabad had an early warning system in place — including cameras that monitor water flow in glacial lakes — the villagers believed they were living high enough above the water to avoid any impact, according to local officials. Zahida Sher, who lost her home in the Hassanabad flood, said the power of the water took out buildings that had previously
Eidul Azha: A festival beyond sacrificing animals ISLAMABAD
StAFF RePoRt
APP
Hundreds of homes and businesses were flooded, some for the second time this month, as heavy rain and thunderstorms swept across parts of Islamabad early Saturday. Residents in sector H-13 neighbourhood were forced to flee from homes after water entered the basements of several buildings. People in affected neighbourhoods incurred heavy losses as rescue teams could not enter the areas to aid those stranded. Later in the morning, Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz said Islamabad’s municipal authority, Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC), along with the district administration launched massive dewatering operations. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast the weather will remain hot, humid, and partly cloudy across swathes of the country on Saturday, whereas thunder and precipitation are likely in Islamabad, and parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. The agency also forecast heavy rains in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). In addition, rain and wind-thunderstorm is expected in lower parts of Sindh and Kashmir. Whereas, in Rawalpindi, the Water And Sanitation Agency (WASA) has issued an alert. Heavy equipment has been delivered to low-lying areas, and authorities are monitoring the water flow in the Lai drain, according to the agency’s Rawalpindi Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer. According to Tanveer, the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have received a total of 55 millimetres of rain. He said the water level at the Katarina point of Lai drain is 12 feet, while the same at Gawalmandi Bridge is approximately nine feet. A spokesman for WASA’s Rwalapindi office said rescue teams have been deployed at Committee Chowk Underpass, Liaquat Bagh, Sadiqabad, Satellite Town, and Jamia Masjid Road neighbourhoods. Every year many cities in Pakistan struggle with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor government planning. The season runs from July to September and experts say rains are essential for irrigating crops and replenishing dams and other water reservoirs in Pakistan.
been considered safe. “Our economy is agrarian and people don’t have enough resources to move from here,” said Sher, a researcher for a local development NGO. Siddique Ullah Baig, a disaster risk reduction analyst in the northern region, said around seven million people are vulnerable to such events, but many are not aware of the gravity of the threat. “People are still constructing homes in areas declared as a red zone for flooding. Our people are not aware and prepared to deal with any possible disaster,” he told AFP. ‘Horror nigHt’: Further north of Hassanabad lies Passu, another precarious hamlet that has already lost around 70 percent of its population and area after being hit by floods and natural river erosion. The village is sandwiched between White glacier in the south, Batura glacier in the north and the Hunza River in the east — three forces given the respectful title of “dragons” because of their destructive power. “Passu village lies in the mouths of these three dragons,” said local scholar Ali Qurban Mughani, pointing to the centuries-old bodies of dense ice towering over the village.
Every year on 10th of Zul Hajj Muslims across the world celebrate Eidul Azha with religious zeal and fervor to commemorate the great sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismail (Allah be Pleased with Them). This ritual reminds the faithful of revered example of sacrifice and selflessness of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and his obedient and subservient son who bowed to Allah’s command manifesting unflinching obedience. The saga starts with experiencing a dream by Jadd-ul-Ambia (Ancestor of Prophets) wherein he sees himself sacrificing his son Hazrat Ismail. Initially Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) took it as a routine dream. But, when it repeated, he took it as will of Allah and decided to implement it. He took his son to Mount Arafat and revealed him Allah’s will. The son in return set an example of obedience asking his father to go for
it even knowing that he was going to sacrifice his life. Since, we all have heard many times how this incident culminated with the sacrifice of a white horned ram. But, the culmination was liked by Allah Almighty to the extent that it was made an obligation for the followers to sacrifice animals in the name of Allah and in commemoration of Hazrat Ibrahim’s (AS) obedience. The Holy Quran has described him among those enjoying highest status and as “righteous.” This is because he was an exemplar in his submission to Allah (SWT) and was sincere in his worship. “When his Lord said to him ‘submit’, he said, ‘I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds.” (Quran 2:131). By following the footsteps of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), Muslims revive the same feeling of faith and submission to Allah Almighty’s will, by sacrificing healthy and beautiful animals and distributing their meat amongst relatives and the needy.
“It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (AS). For every hair of the Qurbani, you receive a reward from Allah (SWT),” revealed the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). This is how Allah Almighty tests his loved ones and this episode carries a message for Muslims to remain steadfast, prepared and determined for any life test. Like many other good deeds, sacrificing animal on this holy festival means to sacrifice one’s desires for achievement of the highest ideals. For faithful, sacrifice is the path of truth, transcendence and perfection. It brings the rich closer to poor by letting them share the meat and creates a sense of social harmony and brotherhood. “Lesson behind the Eidul Azha was to follow the command of Allah Almighty without any argument or excuse,” said Mufti Shafiq Ahmed commenting on significance of Qurbani (sacrifice).
Is this goat the GOAT? Long-eared kid takes Pakistan by storm KARACHI AFP
A kid goat with extraordinarily long ears has become something of a media star in Pakistan, with its owner claiming a world record that may or may not exist. Simba is now living a pampered existence in Karachi, where he was born on June 4 with ears that were strikingly long — and have grown further to reach 54 centimetres (21 inches). Breeder Mohammad Hasan Narejo says he has approached Guinness World Records to see if his charge can be included as the Greatest Of All Time, although a category for “longest-eared goat” does not currently appear on
the organisation’s website. The tawny-coated kid goat has attracted thousands of followers on YouTube and other channels. “Within 10 to 12 days of his birth he was already appearing in all the national and international media — and won a beauty contest,” a proud Narejo says. “Within 30 days, he became so popular that even a famous personality might take 25 to 30 years to achieve this level of fame.” Simba’s ears are so long that Narejo has to fold them over his back to stop the little bleater from standing on them. He has also designed a harness so that Simba can carry the lengthy lugholes around his neck.
As he spoke, labourers worked on a protective concrete wall on a riverbank — a bid to shield the village from further erosion. Kamran Iqbal invested Rs500,000 that he borrowed from a local NGO to open a picnic spot for visitors with a breathtaking view. The beauty of the glaciers has made the region one of the country’s top tourist destinations. Business was flourishing until a “horror night” last year when a flash flood washed away Iqbal’s investment. Even the most ambitious international climate targets of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century could lead to the melting of one-third of Pakistan’s glaciers, the Nepal-based scientific organisation the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said in a 2019 study. “In 2040 we could start facing problems of (water) scarcity that could lead to drought and desertification — and before that, we may have to cope with frequent and intense riverine flooding, and of course flash floods,” said Aisha Khan, head of the Mountain and Glacier Protection Organization, which researches glaciers in Pakistan.
SOPs announced for Eid Earlier this week, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) issued new standard operating procedures (SOPs) for Eidul Azha, in the wake of the recent spurt in coronavirus infections across the country. The Eid guidelines mark a return of facemasks and social distancing protocol on the joyous occasion, which would be celebrated for three days from Sunday. The forum encouraged people to opt for collective Qurbani and ensure the implementation of precautionary measures. “It has been advised to undertake minimal necessary travel during Eid holidays as the risk of a new wave was imminent,” the NCOC said, asking the masses to take every precaution to prevent the pandemic spread.The guidelines said that Eid prayers should be organised in open spaces with staggered timings – in 2-3 shifts at one venue – to minimise attendance.
Rana Sana complains to army chief about ANF’s role in ‘mala fide case’ against him ContInueD fRoM pAge 01 Sanaullah added that he had written and spoken to the army chief about the ANF’s role in the case against him. Responding to Sanaullah’s claim, Akbar said that several cabinet members, including Chaudhry and him, had expressed concerns over the case in a meeting. Sanaullah was arrested on July 1, 2019 by the ANF Lahore team while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Lahore near the Ravi Toll Plaza on the motorway. He was accused of carrying 15kg of heroin in his vehicle. Five others, including the driver and security guards of the PML-N leader, were also arrested. A first information report was lodged under Section 9(C) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997, which carries death penalty or life imprisonment or a jail term that may extend to 14 years, along with a fine up to Rs1 million. He was twice denied bail by the trial court but the LHC released him on December 24, 2019.
Monsoon rains wreak havoc in Sindh, Balochistan ContInueD fRoM pAge 01 Meanwhile, traffic jams were reported on PICT Gate Keamari, Causeway Nadi, Korangi Nadi, Safoora Chowrangi, Hassan Square, Sharae Faisal Drigh Road, and University Road due to water accumulation. A report issued by the PMD said that the highest rainfall, in the last 24 hours, was recorded in Gulshan-e-Hadeed (94.7mm) followed by the Old Airport area (53.0mm), PAF Faisal Base (46.0mm), Jinnah Terminal Airport (38.6mm), Landhi (25.5mm), Gadap Town (13.6mm) and DHA Phase II (10.5mm). Sardar Sarfaraz, chief meteorologist, told Dawn that the rains were likely to persist in Karachi and other parts of Sindh as there was a strong monsoon system and its currents were penetrating from the Arabia Sea. “Different Karachi areas, including the
northern and eastern parts, received moderate to heavy showers and some areas witnessed some very heavy falls. Gulshan-i-Hadeed for instance received the highest 94.7 millimeters of rainfall in a few hours of the spell. The trend is likely to continue tomorrow [Saturday] and may start weakening by Saturday night but it would be there,” he told Dawn. Meanwhile, in a tweet on Saturday, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said that Sindh and Balochistan were going through very high levels of rainfall on a 30year average. Heavy rains have damaged 670 houses in the province while 436 livestock have also been affected by the rains. The most-affected areas include Quetta district, Lasbela, Sibi, Harnai, Dakki, Kohlu, Barkhan, Zhob and Dera Bugti. According to PDMA officials, rains af-
fected 12 dams across the province, of which three burst due to flooding. In Loralai, six people were swept away by the dam water after which a rescue operation was initiated. Separately, the floods in Pishin and Turbat have entered populated areas, but fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far. Meanwhile, multiple areas of Quetta have been without electricity for the past four days due to heavy rains. The residents complained that despite several calls, the authorities have failed to restore power. Earlier today, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo directed the PDMA, district administrations and other concerned agencies to stay alert as the PMD have forecast more rain in the upcoming days. All the agencies should be ready to deal with any kind of situation while remaining diligent and active, he directed, instructing departments to assure the availability of
CMYK
resources for the protection of life and property of residents. The chief minister ordered the relocation of people living in low-lying areas to safer places and also requested locals to cooperate with the authorities on the occasion of monsoon and Eidul Azha. More rains during eid Meanwhile, the Met Office has forecast more rains during Eidul Azha, which will be celebrated across Pakistan tomorrow (Sunday), and alerted authorities to exercise caution. It said that the monsoon rains entering the country will intensify over the weekend (July 9 and 10). Under the influence, heavy rains with thunder and wind storm have been forecast in Islamabad, Kashmir, Swat, Mansehra, Kohat, Mianwali, Sargodha, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Nowshera, Kurram, Jacobabad, Jhelum, Sialkot, Lahore, Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Okara,
Sahiwal, Jhang, Chakwal, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Kohistan, Galiyat and Mardan. The showers will last from July 9 to 12. Rain and thunderstorms with isolated heavy showers have also been predicted in several areas of Sindh and Balochistan such as Mirpurkhas, Dadu, Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Zhob, Ziarat, Barkhan, Bolan, Loralai, Kohlu, Quetta, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Awaran, Naseerabad, Sibbi, Panjgur, and Turbat. The department further highlighted that the showers can cause urban and flash flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Peshawar. Separately, rainfall may trigger landslides in Murree, Swat, Chilas, Diamer, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore and Skardu. Travelers and tourists have been advised to remain extra cautious during the forecast period, it added.
06-07 Comments - 10th July 2022_Layout 1 7/9/2022 8:39 PM Page 1
Sunday, 10 July, 2022
06 COMMENT
Why do people commit suicide?
Decline of civil discourse Crude and vulgar terms enter political vocabulary
A society in search of mental health specialists
O
PPOSITION parties in democratic countries contest elections against one another while patiently trying to win over the electorate through arguments. Despite their differences which sometime are deep-rooted, the parties continue to maintain working relations with one another. Political differences do not lead to personal enmities. On account of a healthy cynicism which is a part of democratic culture political stands are considered tentative positions which are negotiable rather than sacrosanct like religious beliefs. Political opponents are treated as competitors rather than enemies. Attempts are made to reduce differences by finding a middle ground through debate and discussion. Bargaining is a common tool to reduce distances between extreme positions. Due to several lengthy interruptions in the system, the growth of political culture remained stunted in the country. There were however sporadic attempts by political parties to take stock of their blunders and try to preserve and improve upon democratic traditions. The 1973 Constitution, the Charter of Democracy and the 18th Amendment were some of the significant moves made in this direction. The assumption of power by PTI chief Imran khan through questionable means, with claims of being on the same page with the establishment, his mixing up of religion with politics and claims of waging a jihad against political opponents who were branded thieves, dacoits and traitors turned out to be a major setback for whatever little advance had taken place in the promotion of political culture. Imran khan incited his followers to go after his opponents wherever they were, whether inside or outside the country, and teach them a lesson. PTI spokesmen have turned insults into political weapons, using crude and vulgar language against their opponents leading them to respond in a similar way. This has given birth to intolerance that can tear the social fabric apart. What happened at the Masjid-e-Nabawi in April should have been an eye-opener. That it didn’t is shown by the tit-fortat protests in London and the way a PML(N) Minister was accosted at the Bhera interchange by PTI supporters. Unless people learn to respect one another despite political differences society faces the danger of degenerating into the hobbesian state of Nature where the hand of every man is against every man.
MuhaMMad Zahid Rifat
P
AkISTAN’S population continues to grow rapidly unabated. The country’s population has already crossed 220 million. Despite this enormously increasing population, the country has one of the poorest mental health indicators as only less than 500 psychologists and psychiatrists are there for the entire population. This paucity of mental health professionals has created a narrow treatment gap leaving as high as more than 90 percent of the people with common mental health diseases are left without any treatment. Psychological problems in the country are pretty widespread. A wider range of psychiatric mental health disorders are generally reported as depression, substance and alcohol use, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. A large number of about 36 percent of the population suffers from anxiety and depression which is often caused by strained family and friendship relations, feelings of being unfit in society, the country’s unstable economic and political conditions giving rise to unemployment and poverty. ever-increasing prices of essential daily use items also contribute a great deal to mental health ailments particularly among people in the low income group in addition to unemployment and poverty. As the population continues to grow, economic and health problems are also increasing alarmingly and more people of all genders and ages are committing suicides for varying reasons and factors in both rural and urban areas. The suicide of a senior police officer in
Sham case An admission
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OT quite a bombshell, the narcotics case against Rana Sanaullah turning out to be a sham. That much was clear from the day it had been made. even the Leaguer’s most ardent of opponents back in his Faisalabad constituency were finding it hilarious that the PTI government was expecting the public to believe that the senior legislator was going around with drugs in his car to sell, like some sort of peddler. The surprise was former information minister Fawad Chaudhry admitting on television that it was a sham case. When the interviewer pressed him on the issue, Chaudhry said that the case wasn’t initiated by the then government but by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF.) Since the latter organisation is officered by the Pakistan Army, there seems to be an attempt to deflect the responsibility of the case. But the interviewer wouldn’t have any of this; he said that the PTI government had seemed invested in the case, and that narcotics Minister Shehryar Afridi wasn’t merely doubling down on the case, he was also taking religious oaths when it came to these allegations. Yeah, he shouldn’t have, came Chaudhry’s smooth reply to these allegations about his fellow party member. Now, there are some issues to unpack here. First of all, the deflection doesn’t work. The government, at the end of the day, is the government. If they cannot stand in the way of certain institutions making cases against specific individuals, they should just leave the government. Secondly, it doesn’t even look like the then government had not wanted to pursue such cases against the then opposition. Former Prime Minister Imran khan had been openly vicious about how he wanted the leaders of the League and PPP to be treated. The flimsier-than-flimsy case against Shahid khaqan Abbasi is an example of that. The startling revelations also leave some questions unanswered by the present government. Ironically, Rana Sanaullah is the interior minister at the moment. The narcotics control ministry used to be a division in the ministry. What does he say about the prospect of certain state institutions making cases against the opposition now that he is minding the store?
A crime that is worldwide but occurs most in South Asia EZat uLLah
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he throwing of acid in the face of a woman is a worldwide phenomenon, but it is more severe in South Asia. There are a lot of women victims who are still in their younger ages when they are attacked with acid. The aim of acid attacks, in which acid is thrown against the body and face, is to permanently maim rather than to kill. As the skin tissue burns and melts, the skin on the face is severely damaged; the healing process, which typically entails multiple surgeries and skin grafts, is expensive and time-consuming; at best, the victims are still markedly disfigured, blinded, or disabled; all of these outcomes cause severe physical and psychological trauma in a predominately female population. The use of acidic chemicals, a unique and terribly damaging tool in the hands of perpetrators of violence against women, is a growing concern in South Asia. The primary cause of the attacks is gendered by nature: perpetrators of acid attacks are typically males who believe that women have deceived them, frequently due to rejections of interest or love proposals, dowry disputes, resentment over divorce, or even jealousy over affairs or neglect. Additionally, acid is readily available in commercial form at open markets where it is sold alongside everyday necessities. The attacks are meant to reduce a woman from her useful place in society to that of a disfigured social outcast, acting as a permanent marking of retaliation. Further, despite laws prohibiting attacks, many people and officials believe that the attacks were justified or even warranted, and as a result, assailants are frequently not held accountable (Yi, 2015). The Pakistani Government officially acknowl-
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Impact of the acid control and acid crime prevention act
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
Rawalpindi, self-immolation by an unemployed man in karachi, suicide by a man in Faisalabad two days after marriage and suicide by a young girl in Badin because of alleged social media blackmailing, amply show that vulnerability cuts through gender, social class and age groups in Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Penal Code, suicide is a criminal act and all have to be reported to the police and evalluated at a medico-legal centre. however, families in majority of cases cover up suicides by reporting them merely as accidental deaths fearing harassment by the police or to avoid complicated legal procedure and also avoid social stigma after the loss of their loved ones. The suicide rate among men is rerportedly two to three times higher than among women. It is feared that mental health illness will be among the leading causes of death by 2030. While it is socially accepted to seek help from a health professional for physical ailments, seeking help for psychological disorders is somehow considered problematic. Families often hide mental illness cases to save the patient from adverse stereotyping. More and more people are commiting suicide owing to increasing mental ailments everywhere in the country and the acute shortage of specialized health professionals is a matter of great concern and poses serious questions not only to the federal and provincial governments but civil society as a whole. This situation underlines the dire need for more psychologists to provide necessary health consultations and required medical treatment for the maximum suffering from a disorder. In view of reports about increasing suicides due to dufferent reasons and factors, there is also dire need need for conductig extensive studies to determine the factors which force people of all genders and ages to end their lives themselves somehow,. Despite this discouraging backdrop, it is good to note that an appreciable number, particularly young women, are opting to study and specialize in clinical psychology for treating their fellow countrymen for mental health disorders and ailments. ONe such young woman is Zunaira Qayyum whom this scribe came across recently and availed the opportunity to exchange views on matters of her deep interest and concern. At the very outset, she very emphatically stated that her childhood dream of becoming a successful young woman in the medical profession is half coming true as she is very close to achieving her cherished goal of becoming a clinical psychologist and the other half will hopefully be accomplished when she becomes wellknown throughout Pakistan as an empathic listener
to the mental health ailments sufferers who come to her for appropriate treatment of diseases. For achieving her cherished goal of becoming a successful and popular clinical psychologist , Zunaira Qayyum is currently engaged in conducting extensive research work for her thesis titled “Selfharm and Belongingness” at the University of Lahore under the able and expert advice of supervisor Zuhaib hassan. As a good student, she duly appreciated very capable and emphatic teaching skills of her thesis supervisor, describing him as as a thoughtful teacher who brings out and polishes the hidden skills and capabilities of the students and is teaching her how to work and study at the highest level, for which she is very grateful. Through the studies and research work for her thesis “Self-harm & Belongingness” she is trying to explore and understand pertinent questions as to why do people harm themselves and often want to kill themselves, why are relationships so cold that no one has the power to heal these emotional wounds and why do we give stress to other persons instead of being a source of happiness to others ? The second theme also of great interest and concern to her is justice. She wants yo work with those people who need justice because justice is very necessary to destroy the evil in society, and if justice is provided to everyone then evil forces will be wiped out from society and no self-harm and suicidal tendencies will be seen. She also strongly pleaded that as a community we should all help each other, it is very important to work together , individually we are powerless and we cannot change society for better but when we join hands we become strong and can change the world. Zunaira Qayyum went on to say that she wants to become a leading psychologist starting private practice in Lahore, spending her life working for the kids and adults who have problems with their mental health telling everyone who comes to her to remember no matter how difficult life be, there is always hope and there is alway help. She keeps paying to Almighty Allah every day to give her courage to become a better person and a successful psychologist for the people who are suffering from any kind of illnesses. She has received inspirations from her teachers and most importantly from the biggest name in Pakistan, Jimmy engineer. She wants to become like him and concluded by emphatically saying, “ My life is only for Pakistan. All my heart, my spirit and my health is for the people of Pakistan and I promise to serve them faithfully and sincerely from now onwards as long as I am alive and breathing”.
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edged acid attacks as a separate crime in 2011. On December 12, 2011, the Pakistani Senate unanimously passed the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Act of 2010, which first had gone through the National Assembly, to criminalize acid attacks. On December 26, 2011, the President of Pakistan approved the Act, to become the Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 2011 which goes further than an earlier version of the Act by sentencing convicted attackers to jail for their entire life, or for an imprisonment range with a set minimum of 14 years and a fine of Rs 1,000,000. In this piece, the legislation for the crime of acid throwing in Pakistan is discussed, secondly, a comparison has been made of the legislation in Pakistan and India to get a broader understanding of the problem. Under the Acid control and Acid Crime Prevention Act of 2011, Pakistan the definition of being hurt has been explained. Under the act of 2011, the word hurt has been defined as, “hurt by dangerous means or substance, including any corrosive substance or acid, to be crimes”. The punishment for the perpetrators has been added to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure under Section 336-B. Under Section 336-B of the Pakistan Penal code, punishment for offenders can extend up to life imprisonment, along with a fine, which may not be less than Rs 500,000. Moreover, the punishment for the sellers of corrosive material was also defined under the act of 2011. On first conviction, imprisonment of one year or a fine of a hundred thousand rupees or both. On second and subsequent conviction, imprisonment of two years or a fine of two hundred thousand or both (GOP). In India, Section 326B of the Indian Penal Code deals with voluntarily throwing or attempting to throw acid with the intention to cause harm. The person will be punished with a minimum imprisonment of five years which can be ex-
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tended up to seven years and a fine. Section 326A of the Indian Penal Code deals with voluntary causing permanent or partial damage, deformity, disfigures, burns, or disables by use of acid. The minimum punishment under this section is imprisonment for 10 years, which may be extended to imprisonment for life and fine, which should be as per the victim’s medical expenses. Provisions were added to the Indian Penal Code for this issue through the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013. In this, explanation 1 of Section 326B defines an acid as “Any substance which has acidic or corrosive character or burning nature, that is capable of causing bodily injury leading to scars or disfigurement or temporary or permanent disability.” These days sulphuric, hydrochloric, and nitric acid are easily available in the market. The local administration monitors the sale or purchase of acids, and any illegal activity is a nonbailable offense. Pakistan took precedence from India to initiate the legislation against acid crimes in 2011. Later on, India passed the Control of Acid Crimes Act in 2013. however, it could be seen that there are many commonalities between the two laws. Firstly, in acid crimes law of both India and Pakistan the seller of the corrosive material is also penalized. In the case of India, sulphuric, hydrochloric, and nitric acid is usually thrown at the girls. Second, the definition of hurt is also defined in similar words in both the acid crimes in Pakistan and India. The words such as disability, disfigurement, and bodily injury have been used in the acid crimes laws of both India and Pakistan. Thirdly, The punishment for the perpetrator of the crime is also similar in both India and Pakistan. It mostly involves life imprisonment and fine on the perpetrator. In this manner, it could be concluded that the acid crime laws are being made by both India and Pakistan. The writer can ezat20137@gmail.com
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COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Sindh solid waste management board
‘Missing’ the Redlines! Where are the missing persons Naqi akbaR
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IDe by side with the explosive political developments, which adorn headlines in our national dailies, the issue of missing persons has been a major domestic development that has caught the attention of the public eye. As of last week, the judiciary issued notice to the sitting Prime Minister of Pakistan to be present for explaining the position on September 9; if there is no positive development during the next two months; speaks of the issue coming to heads of the rulers; the real rulers and the ruled. It may be pointed out here that this is not the first time when the judiciary has taken up the issue and the government has been asked to submit its findings. The concerned rights groups as well as the aggrieved parties have taken up these initiatives sporadically. The issue has been a recent phenomenon in the Pakistani context. The 9/11 fallout on Pakistani society, the wars in the Middle east in the backdrop of the “Arab Spring” and the local political and ethnic trends all combined to make that phenomenon a regular feature to poke one’s nose into; be it human rights groups, political parties, families of the “disappeared” individuals as well as regional political parties. A cursory look at the conduct of the political governments; be it the PPP, the PML(N) or the now in opposition of the established order; PTI; reveals that all preferred to look the other way when it came to the issue of taking a stand for the missing persons; of whatever ethnicity, belief, area they might have belonged to. That avoidance OF facing the truth on part of the political governments sitting in Constitution Avenue made way for the groups and even in some cases the lone bus passengers to take up the quarrel with the law enforcement agencies, not to detain any student or for that matter any individual. In cases where such human rights violations took place in campuses, the pressure from the fellow students forced the lawenforcing agencies to release the concerned person or persons. Recent months have witnessed instances where the law-enforcing agencies preferred to “respect” public sentiment. As a gift from the 9/11 fallout, the issue of terrorism has been the centerpiece of the law enforcement narrative; and with the passage of time, it is being felt that the limits as set in the constitution of Pakistan are frequently ignored and completely new modalities of action and reaction has set in, in Pakistan. Taking up the issue from the human rights
angle; the Constitution of Pakistan as agreed upon in April 1973 and still adhered to by at least two military takeovers and one hybrid arrangement; fully guarantees the basic human rights of any Pakistani, balancing out with the national security imperatives of the state. To begin with, any person detained has to be produced within 24 hours and information about him shared as per protocol with the available court ,according to the Article 10 of the Constitution. Other clauses take inspiration from the fact that the judicial authorities have to be informed in one way or another. It has to be a transparent process; unlike the one veiled in mystery as now practiced. In plain words, there is no blank cheque for the law enforcement agencies; affiliated to the federal government and governed (if any) by the Ministry of Defence, or by the provincial governments like the police and its affiliated departments dealing with supposedly militant activities in the society. The person arrested or picked up needs to be counted as per his or her status by the state in the court of law. however, what a viewer in Pakistan observes is a complete disregard of the relevant sections of the Constitution as well as a general apathy towards the social norms in particular. It is not uncommon to see that under various national security imperatives; imperatives usually the exclusive discretion of the intelligence agencies to formulate, become a national security policy. That thought process it seems is not debated or put before even the standing committees dealing with national security. These thought processes regretfully are not exclusive to Pakistani society and the national security environment. A look back into history reveals wailing mothers of the major squares of the capital of Argentina in the 1970s and 1980s. Similar scenes were witnessed by tourists visiting any Middle eastern country during the same period. What is disturbing is that while the rest of the world is approach-
Regretfully, the dissenting voice in its entire eventuality is seldom heard and it remains lost in the heart and mind of the person forcibly picked up under any national security argument; an argument; the handiwork of the few. In a nation state like Pakistan, where the lawenforcing agencies enjoy a nuisance value; such rogue behaviour on part of these sleuths is a reality of life.
ing the new area of technology and governance; Pakistan is still faced with the spectre of a regimented society where the national security imperative outweighs the plight of the common person. Among other missed benchmarks, which make our nation-state a sorry example of a dream gone sour, the lack of debate on the issue in its fullest has caused misunderstanding and one can conclude widening of the perception of the lawenforcing agencies , the judiciary, the common person and all conceivable actors in the game. Whenever these issues are debated; even for the sake of judicial debate initiated as the result of any petition; the head-on collision of arguments centring around national security make the whole exercise futile to begin with. here the point needs to be noted that an open-hearted debate of these issues is worth more appreciation as it can bridge the creeping misconceptions. The fallout of these attitudes in the society had their own devastating consequences. Practically Pakistan is at war with many of its own people; or to be precise entire sections of society. There is a complete breakdown of any debate or understanding between the institutions, the established order or the sections of society to sort out the differences as well as fine-tune the perceptions. Regretfully, the dissenting voice in its entire eventuality is seldom heard and it remains lost in the heart and mind of the person forcibly picked up under any national security argument; an argument; the handiwork of the few. In a nation state like Pakistan, where the law-enforcing agencies enjoy a nuisance value; such rogue behaviour on part of these sleuths is a reality of life. Coming back to the issue of breakdown of debate, our society runs the risk of a deeply polarized society; whether it is the matter of ethnic identity; religious identity or belief or any other conceivable idea, which does not, goes down well with the established order. When the Constitution clearly defines the limits of the state and the law-enforcing agencies, complete disregard of the constitutional limits and “autistic” lack of communication on part of the law-enforcing agencies can only complicate matters for the worse. The missing persons are undoubtedly Pakistanis; who dare to think apart. Societies have prospered and changed on the back of dissenting voices; not through suppressing them in the bud. The state and the society need to reconsider the thought that every citizen has a utility for the nation-state. They cannot be regimented; to say cautiously into patriots or traitors.
The missing persons are undoubtedly Pakistanis; who dare to think apart. Societies have prospered and changed on the back of dissenting voices; not through suppressing them in the bud. The state and the society need to reconsider the thought that every citizen has a utility for the nation-state. They cannot be regimented; to say cautiously into patriots or traitors
The writer is a freelance columnist
The steadily increasing population has resulted in a number of solid and hazardous waste challenges in karachi, a megacity. More than 22 million people live in karachi. Six districts and seven cantonment regions make up karachi. The DMC and the SSWMB (Sindh Solid Waste Management Board) are the two primary organisations responsible for managing solid waste and rubbish (District Municipal Committee). There are three stages in the city’s rubbish disposal process. FeCs to GTS and GTS to LFS are the two primary stages of the city’s waste collection procedure.FeC (frontend collection), which is the collecting of trash from street cans and UC cans. Garbage transfer stations or GTS are large areas where waste collected from FeCs is dumped. Recycling and other waste that should be buried under the ground, etc., should be sorted at the GTS. There are just two landfills in karachi, Deh Pass Gondal and Deh Jam Chakro, both of which are on the Northern Bypass side and each cover 500 acres of land. There is a huge yellow garbage separating tractor there. The purpose of this device was to separate the plastic, paper, and glass after it had passed through it, however, there wasn’t much to separate as most of it is already sorted in the city before it is dumped in a landfill. It all seems fine but in reality it is critically messed up. A long history of poor leadership and carelessness is to blame for karachi’s appearance as a large rubbish island rather than a modern, clean port city. The fundamental problem is that whoever calculated karachi’s daily garbage production be it the Sindh government, city mayor, DMCs, etc, they did it incorrectly. The primary reason is that it is improperly estimated. Planning to collect and dispose of trash always fails if the garbage production was incorrectly estimated. The primary issue is exacerbated by carelessness and substandard performance. The daily production of home waste in karachi is up to 16,000 M/tons; commercial and industrial waste contributes to this amount. Daily disposal figures at dump sites are between 7,000 and 8,000 M/tons. Where does the remaining trash go? It surrounds both you and me. in the shape of piles at the sides of the highways, dumps in the parks, the sides of the walls of schools and hospitals, and in the rain drains! The equipment at landfill sites is inadequate; currently, there is only one site operating with a single weighing station, which means that it can take up to 10 minutes for each dumper to empty. even if it runs continuously, it can only discharge 220 dumpers at a time, or around 4,500 tonnes total. Political instability is to blame for the government’s underwhelming performance in the area of solid waste management, which became a severe backlog issue during monsoon because sewage nalas (streams) are overflowing with waste and the drainage system failed during the rainy season, exposing the underwhelming performance of the municipal administration. AMNA ZUBAIR LAHORE
Jihad Phobia The only politician who never exploited religion and instead devoted his life to serving the people honestly was Quaid-e-Azam, who gave us a country, where we can live as citizens of a free state, enjoying equal rights irrespective of caste, creed, ethnicity and sex. There were many other pioneers of the political freedom struggle waged by MAJ, who devoted all their energies to achieving Pakistan. Islam and all three major monotheistic religions stress that faith must be practised and not exploited to sow seeds of division, but instead stresses basic human values and tolerance for dissent and other faiths. There are numerous hadiths and decisions by the Supreme Court of Pakistan which clearly states that Jihad can only be waged by the State and it alone has a monopoly over the use of force. No country in the world can survive if it allows private militias to be formed, bear arms and threaten the state with the use of force. even this excuse of so-called tradition to bear arms openly must be dealt with sternly. We face threats from ISIL, DAeSh etc who have exploited Jihad and witnessed likes of TLP etc. who threatened this country under the garb of Jihad. even today we face Zia’s legacy and scourge of terrorism, extremism and sectarian strife. There should be zero tolerance if any political party or group, including PTI etc., threatens to wage Jihad against the state. Pakistan facing a financial crisis, cannot afford any such misadventures. MALIK TARIQ ALI LAHORE
Need of the hour A country’s economic strength determines its standing in the international arena in this capitalist system, and it is mainly the skilled workforce that drives the economic trajectory. The educational institutions are supposed to deliver well-equipped human resources to the market by arming them with advanced skills and an underlying theoretical knowledge base. This necessitates strong industrial-academia interlinkages so that educational institutions design curricula based on industry requirements. Unfortunately, Pakistan has very weak coordination between industry and higher education institutions. This has led to universities producing thousands of graduates every year whose skill sets largely stand irrelevant in the modern industrial setup. That’s why industries find it extremely hard to find a quality resource to run the wheels of the economy. This has led to thousands of graduates either languishing at home unemployed or doing jobs not commensurate with their qualifications. It is the responsibility of the state, civil society, and NGOs alike to address this widening gulf between the industry and academia on an urgent footing through a collective approach. It is heartening to learn that some non-profit organisations have been working voluntarily to teach the youth the essential technical and soft skills to fulfil industry requirements. A case in point is the “Let’s Pay Back” project, initiated by Qasim Ali Shah Foundation (QASF), Lahore. The foundation delivers free-of-cost training to university graduates focused on developing their leadership and communications skills to make them able to land quality jobs. Besides, the QASF has been running an aggressive campaign with decision-makers to bridge the widening gulf between industry and academia. The youth are an asset to any country. Unless the young lot is trained in relevant skills, our economy and the country will continue to suffer. ASAD AZIZ KHUSHAB
08 WORLD VIEW 10th July 22_Layout 1 7/9/2022 8:29 PM Page 1
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08 WORLD VIEW
AheAd of Biden MideAst trip, irAn nucleAr deAl looMs lArge al MoNitor
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S President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East next week will set the context for what will likely be the final round, or rounds, of indirect talks with Iran to agree on restarting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The indirect talks on the Iran nuclear deal in Doha between US and Iranian officials, brokered by EU Iran envoy Enrique Mora, are increasingly complemented by a strengthened US diplomatic and deterrent posture in the Persian Gulf, in process for the last year and formalized by the Biden trip. The regional strategy is a turnaround from 2015, when US partners in the region felt sidelined by the JCPOA, negotiated between Iran and the US, UK, France, Germany, the EU, Russia and China. This time, US regional partners are actually, well, partners, in the Biden strategy. First, the Biden Administration has reset its early scratchy ties with Saudi Arabia. There is no ‘“deterrence,’” or meaningful Arab posture toward Iran, or plan to end the war in Yemen, without the Kingdom securely within the US security fold. The Biden team has adapted, not without domestic political friction, to the realities of diplomacy and deterrence in the Middle East by opening a new chapter with Saudi Arabia. Second, Arab leaders have taken up their own diplomatic initiatives with Iran, in parallel with the JCPOA talks in Doha. For example: Two days after the end of the first round of Doha talks, Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in Tehran to discuss the nuclear talks and regional security.
IRAN’S RETURN TO THE OIL MARKET WOULD LEAD TO AN ADDITIONAL 1 MILLION-1.5 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY OF OIL — A “SIGNIFICANT” AMOUNT GIVEN TIGHT CAPACITY AND THE CURRENT CRISIS The next day, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, met Oman Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi in Muscat. Last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi shuttled from Riyadh to Tehran to advance rapprochement between the two countries. Iraq has hosted five rounds of meetings between Iranian and Saudi officials in Baghdad. The Iraq-brokered Iran-Saudi talks have complemented the efforts of Washington’s Yemen envoy, Tim Lenderking, to sustain a UN ceasefire, now in its fourth month. Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, at a press conference with Kadhimi in Tehran on June 26, said, “The continuation of this war is fruitless and will not result in anything but the suffering of the Yemeni people, so this war must be ended as soon as possible and the ceasefire can be a step towards resolving the issues.” That is Iran’s strongest statement to date in support of the ceasefire. Third, the Biden administration is advancing enhanced security coordination among Israel and Arab states, a significant boost to a US-led deterrent posture and an essential complement to any diplomacy. As Ben Caspit reports, “In March, a meeting was reportedly held under US auspices between the army chiefs of Israel and Saudi Arabia and attended by high-ranking
officers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Israel hopes Biden will announce the launch of this alliance during his visit, and is also expecting news that will herald progress in Israeli normalization with Saudi Arabia.” In addition, adds Caspit, “Israel hopes to hear from Biden that chances of signing a nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers are not high, and to receive from him a promise that the sanctions on Iran will not be lifted but rather tightened. Israel aspires to reach a joint action plan with the United States in response to every possible scenario, including a surprise Iranian push toward an agreement.” Jared Szuba reports that while the recent US-backed defense cooperation between Israel and Gulf states has been a giant step forward, the Biden administration is unlikely to immediately deliver the levels of commitment that Israel and Arab states may be seeking. For now, the US is weighing how it can support air defense cooperation against Iran as a start to broader regional defense partnership, NSC spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. GETTING TO YES WITH IRAN IN DOHA: While a balanced diplomacy/deterrent strategy offers a better shot at closing the remaining gaps between the US and Iran on the JCPOA, there are still a number of famil-
iar, if difficult, issues that need to be negotiated between the parties themselves, via the EU. Last week, US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley described the indirect talks in Doha between US and Iranian officials, moderated by Mora, as “a wasted occasion,” adding Iran came to the negotiations with a new set of demands, as Elizabeth Hagedorn reports. Amir-Abdollahian tweeted on July 6, after speaking with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, that “We remain ready to negotiate a strong & durable agreement. US must decide if it wants a deal or insists on sticking to its unilateral demands. Mutually exclusive.” Borrell, for his part, had tweeted that “decisions are needed now. This is still possible, but the political space to revive the #JCPOA may narrow soon.” The outstanding issues to close the deal, from what we can tell, seem a mix of both new and old, and maybe not ultimately out of the realm of hard-fought compromise. Iran seems to have dropped its previous condition that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) be taken off the US Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, as Ali Hashem and Elizabeth Hagedorn have reported. Questions remain, however, whether sanctions might apply to certain IRGC-linked businesses in infrastructure and transportation, if there were a deal. Iran has sought guarantees that the Biden administration will stick to the deal. Burned by US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May 2018, Tehran is seeking assurances it won’t happen again, at least under Biden. Iranian leaders are wary of the backlash, and consequences, of another pullout by Washington. Iran may also be concerned that if Republicans take the Congress in November, there could be a challenge
through the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA), although as we report here, it seems unlikely the Congress could muster the votes to reject the deal. Iran has taken issue with a resolution of the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which oversees Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA, rebuking Iran for failing to cooperate with an agency investigation into questions about undeclared nuclear material and past nuclear research. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi characterized the dispute as a possible “fatal blow” to the talks if not resolved in a month – that deadline passed just this week. Iran considers the matter of past activities separate from its JCPOA commitments. In 2015, the IAEA issued both a final assessment of Iran’s past and present nuclear activities, and a concurrent resolution on JCPOA implementation, to allow the nuclear agreement to proceed. ARMS RACE UNDERMINES ECONOMIC GOALS: Conflict and instability are often bad for business, and, in this case, ultimately bad for normalization and regional integration. The prospect of an Iranian nuclear weapon, or a return to a more assertive regional posture by Iran, would keep the Middle East on the edge of conflict, perhaps even a nuclear arms race. This is in addition to longstanding fault lines in Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq, as well as addressing the global food crisis affecting many Middle Eastern countries — we could go on. The global energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine may encourage the US to stay in the talks. Energy expert Daniel Yergin, speaking on a forthcoming episode of the podcast Reading the Middle East with Gilles Kepel, said Iran’s return to the oil market would lead to an additional 1 million-1.5 million barrels per day of oil — a “significant” amount given tight capacity and the current crisis. An Iran nuclear deal would, or should, mitigate the risk of conflict, especially when complemented by the regional diplomacy taking place involving Iran, while getting Iranian oil into the market. There are still the difficult issues still to be thrashed out in Doha. Diplomacy alone is of course not a strategy; a robust deterrent posture is required to deal with any and all contingencies. And those pieces are falling into place as Biden heads out to the Middle East.
nAto summit divides the world into hostile camps WITH THE HOME FRONT FATIGUED, THE ALLIANCE EXPANDS IN EUROPE AND CAMPAIGNS TO CURB CHINA’S RISE
NatioN, US Michael T Klare
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ATO’s defensive role was once largely limited to the European heartland, a legacy of its origins as a Cold War foil to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe. After 9/11, however, its reach was extended to Afghanistan, under the assertion that a treaty member, the United States, had come under armed attack from a hostile party and so warranted support from other alliance members in accordance with their treaty obligations. Over the years, NATO also acquired new members in the Baltic Sea area and Eastern Europe, advancing its defense perimeter all the way to Russia’s borders and inflaming tensions with Moscow. Now, the alliance is about to undertake its most ambitious expansion of all: extending its strategic reach to Asia and the Pacific in an ambitious, US-led campaign to curb China’s rise. NATO’s new strategic vision, entailing the simultaneous containment of both Russia and China, was to have been anointed as official NATO policy at the summit scheduled for June 28–29 in Madrid, Spain. A new mission statement, identifying China as a “a full-spectrum systemic rival” had been drafted by US and NATO officials as far back as November 2020 for the heads of state to approve in Madrid. But before they could assemble and ratify the document, Russia invaded Ukraine, altering the summit’s priorities. While the broader strategy of containing China remained a major focus of deliberation, countering Russia became NATO’S most pressing concern. Identifying Russia as both an immediate and longterm threat to alliance security, the NATO leadership agreed to speed deliveries of heavy weapons to Ukraine and to significantly bolster NATO forces deployed among the “frontline” states facing Russia in Eastern Eu-
rope. This will involve the deployment of additional US and Allied combat troops in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania, along with other measures. Finland and Sweden will also be incorporated into the alliance, vastly extending its defense perimeter along the Russian border. The NATO buildup in eastern and northern Europe is ominous in itself and not to be ignored. According to a fact sheet issued by the White House, the US Army will establish a permanent garrison headquarters in Poland, add more permanently stationed troops in Germany and Italy, and commit an enduring rotating combat brigade team to Romania; the Navy will add two destroyers to the four already stationed at its base in Rota, Spain, and the Air Force will forward-deploy two F-35 fighter squadrons in the United Kingdom. These major commitments will move the center of gravity of US force deployments in Europe—now numbering over 100,000 military personnel—much closer to Russia’s land border and to the air and sea space adjoining Russia in the Baltic and Black Seas. This, in turn, will increase the risk of a clash with Russian forces that might escalate into a major conventional war and, from there, to a catastrophic nuclear war. There is much that can be said about the escalatory risks of deploying so many heavily equipped forces on Russia’s land, sea, and air borders, especially when taking note of NATO’s commitment to the use nuclear weapons in response to an overpowering Russian assault. This applies in particular to the US tactical nuclear munitions stored at Allied bases in Europe for potential use by “dual-capable” aircraft (planes capable of delivering either nuclear or conventional munitions), such as the F-35s deployed in Germany, Italy, and the UK. With Vladimir Putin regularly threatening the use of nuclear weapons in response to a NATO attack on Russia, the danger of miscalculation and overreaction in a crisis can only increase. But it is the global implications of the Madrid summit that command our greatest attention. Not content merely to identify Russia as an enhanced threat to European security, the NATO leadership found time to embrace the anti-China agenda of the Biden administration, expressed in such White House documents as the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance of March 2021, and to incorporate it into the mission statement they adopted in Madrid. Under this edict, China is to be viewed along with Russia as major challengers to the “rules-based international order” on which alliance security and prosperity supposedly rest. This, in turn, re-
quires that NATO extend its defensive reach not only to nearby areas of Africa and the Middle East, but also to Asia and the Pacific. “Strategic competition, pervasive instability, and recurrent shocks define our broader security environment,” the NATO document asserts, reflecting US strategic thought. At the root of all this instability, it claims, is a drive by authoritarian states, led by China and Russia, to undermine the “rules-based international order” on which we rely. “Authoritarian actors challenge our interests, values and democratic way of life,” it states. In addition to posing sophisticated military threats to alliance members, “these actors are also at the forefront of a deliberate effort to undermine multilateral norms and institutions and promote authoritarian models of governance.” The only conceivable response to this, the NATO strategy asserts, is to mobilize alliance members for a long-term struggle to resist and overpower those “authoritarian actors,” especially China. This means not only acquiring advanced nuclear, conventional, and cyber weaponry, but also developing enhanced security ties with like-minded states on China’s periphery. “We will strengthen dialogue and cooperation with new and existing partners in the Indo-Pacific to tackle cross-regional challenges and shared security interests,” the document states. Adoption of the new strategic concept by NATO ensures that tensions between the United States and its allies on one side, and China on the other, are bound to increase. From Beijing’s perspective, this can only be viewed as a malicious attempt by Washington to incorporate Europe into its ongoing drive to prevent China’s rise—and so will very likely provoke resistance. “We urge NATO to stop provoking confrontation by drawing ideological lines, abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game approach, and stop spreading disinformation and provocative statements against China,” said a spokesperson for the Chinese mission to the European Union. “Since NATO positions China as a ‘systemic challenge,’ we have to pay close attention and respond in a coordinated way. When it comes to acts that undermine China’s interests, we will make firm and strong responses.” And so, with NATO now committed to an antiChina stance in Asia, we must view the Ukraine conflict as but the opening act in a long-term struggle for global power between the major Western powers and those labeled as “authoritarian actors,” notably Russia and China. This will involve competition and conflict
in nearly every sphere: economic, diplomatic, technological, and cultural, among others. At the G7 meeting in Bavaria, for example, leaders of the major Western economies agreed on June 26 (just before the Madrid summit) to raise $600 billion in public and private funds for infrastructure development in developing countries in a belated drive to compete with Beijing’s well-established Belt and Road Initiative. These, and other such ventures, are sure to result in broken supply chains, rising prices, and other economic dislocations, while ignoring such common perils as climate change and recurring pandemics. But it is in the military sphere where the greatest danger lurks: At the very least, this competitive drive will result in periodic crises and clashes over such flash points as Taiwan and the South China Sea; in the worst-case scenarios, these encounters will trigger full-scale wars with a high risk of nuclear escalation. For the military and political elites who dominate NATO summits and other such conclaves, this longterm struggle for control of Eurasia and the Pacific constitutes the overriding mission of our time, outranking all other global concerns, including climate change, Covid, and systemic poverty. It is striking to note, however, that the NATO leadership met at a time when their own citizens seemed far more concerned about domestic issues that impacted their lives: inflation, record energy prices, ethnic tensions, and, in the United States, abortion and gun violence. This disconnect between Biden’s lofty statements in Madrid and troubled conditions at home was raised in the very first question directed to the president at his final press conference in Madrid. In a remarkable expression of our current dilemma, Darlene Superville of the Associated Press asked the president, “You’ve come to this summit…after the US Supreme Court overturned constitutional protections for abortion, after the shootings in Buffalo and Texas, at a time of record inflation, and as new polling this week shows that 85 percent of the US public thinks the country is going in the wrong direction. How do you explain this to those people who feel the country is going in the wrong direction?” All Biden could say in response: “America is better positioned to lead the world than we ever have been.… We have the strongest economy in the world. Our inflation rates are lower than other nations in the world.” In other words, he said nothing that is likely to persuade the average US citizen that a global campaign to contain China—with all the costs and risks that entails—will do anything to address the mounting problems that confront us all. Michael T. Klare, The Nation’s defense correspondent, is professor emeritus of peace and world-security studies at Hampshire College and senior visiting fellow at the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C.
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IndIA InflIctIng worSt AtrocItIeS on KAShMIrIS to Avenge freedoM deMAnd: ShAbbIr ShAh SRINAGAR
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HE illegally detained senior vice chairman of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference Shabbir Ahmad Shah has said that India is inflicting the worst atrocities on Kashmiri people in exchange for their genuine demand of internationally-recognized right to self-determination. According to Kashmir Media Service, Shabbir Ahmad Shah in a message from the India’s notorious Tihar Jail on
the occasion of Eidul Azha, deplored that New Delhi was trying every tactic to suppress the Kashmiris’ struggle based on truth. The message was released to the media by his party in Srinagar. He said that innocent Kashmiris were killed and arrested, and were forced to live in an atmosphere of constant fear and terror with a sole aim to silence them. Shabbir Ahmad Shah said that in spite of all these Indian machinations, the spirit of freedom is strong and Kashmiris are determined to continue their struggle
till its goal end. He urged the Kashmiris to celebrate Eid with simplicity and on this festive occasion never forget their martyrs and prisoners who sacrificed their lives for the cause of truth. The prisoners, he added, are forced to live in jails away from home. He said Eid-ul-Azha teaches us sacrifice so we should always be ready for the glory of truth. Shabbir Ahmad Shah urged the wealthy people to take care of the needs of the martyrs’ families and the families of detained Kashmiris. “As Muslims,
we are committed to caring for the needs of orphans, widows and others in need,” he said. APHC Jammu based leader Advocate Divender Singh Behal also felicitated the Kashmiri Muslims who live under Indian occupation for more than the past seven decades and sacrificed their lives for the just cause of freedom. He said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are going through a difficult phase of history under Modi regime who is pursuing the agenda of Indianization in Kashmir by all means.
Japanese mourn ex-PM Shinzo Abe a day after his assassination
Chinese telecom carrier helps bridge digital gap in Pakistan
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A steady stream of mourners on Saturday visited the scene of former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination in the western city of Nara, an unusual act of political violence that has shocked the nation. Japan’s longest-serving modern leader was gunned down while making a campaign speech on Friday morning by a 41-year-old man, in a deed decried by the political establishment as an attack on democracy itself. “I’m just shocked that this kind of thing happened in Nara,” Natsumi Niwa, a 50-year-old housewife, said after offering flowers with her 10year-old son near the scene of the killing at a downtown train station. Abe, a conservative and architect of the “Abenomics” policies aimed at reflating the Japanese economy, inspired the name of her son, Masakuni, with his rallying cry of Japan as a “beautiful nation”, Niwa said. “Kuni” means nation in Japanese. Over 100 people were queuing to lay flowers at midday at a table featuring a photo of Abe giving a speech, with more arriving. Local officials were moving some of the offerings to create space. A night vigil will be held on Monday, with Abe’s funeral to take place on Tuesday, attended by close friends, Japanese media said. There was no immediate word on any public memorial service. Campaigning resumed on the final day of electioneering before polling for the upper house of parliament, which is expected to deliver victory to the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, an Abe protege. Kishida was back on the campaign trail visiting regional constituencies, the Mainichi newspaper reported, after making an emergency return to Tokyo on Friday in the wake of the shooting.
Agencies
Lahore: Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) Chairman Khwaja Ahmed Hussaan and CEO Rafia Haider review arrangements at Eid model camp set up at Lakshmi Chowk. stAFF Photo
Elon Musk pulls out of Twitter purchase SAN FRANCISCO AFP
Elon Musk pulled the plug on his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter on Friday, accusing the company of “misleading” statements about the number of fake accounts, a regulatory filing showed. Musk terminating the deal that he inked in April to buy the social media giant sets the stage for an epic court battle over a billion-dollar breakup fee and more. “Mr. Musk hereby exercises (the) right to terminate the Merger Agreement and abandon the transaction,” his lawyers said in a letter to Twitter, a copy of which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk’s change of heart about buying Twitter appeared to suggest some “buyer’s remorse” for offering a price of $54.20 per share that now appears “laughable,” CFRA Research senior equity analyst Angelo Zino said in a note to investors before the deal was officially nixed. Twitter has held firm that no more than five percent of accounts are run by software instead of people, while Musk has said he believes the number to be much higher. The clock was ticking for Musk to make a
decision, with Twitter’s board recommending shareholders approve the buyout at a special vote expected to be held in August. “The Twitter deal has clearly caused chaos at Twitter and has resulted in an overhang on Tesla’s stock since April given the Musk financing angle, coupled by a brutal market backdrop for risk,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors. Musk used a chunk of his fortune in Tesla shares to back loans to buy Twitter, but as the tumult and market factors push down the electric car maker’s stock price, he has been hit with margin calls to cover any decrease. ‘Erratic bEhavior’: “I am sure Musk thought he could come out of the gate strong, generate a wave of buzz and then ride it to get investors who want a piece of something that looks like it is going to be big,” said Angelo Carusone, president of nonprofit group Media Matters for America. “His erratic behaviour obviously affected the price of Tesla shares, which undermined the financing everything was set on.” Concerns about Tesla included worries that its chief executive was being distracted by the Twitter saga, and that the tech platform would certainly demand his attention if he owned it.
In recent years, Pakistan has accelerated the construction of its mobile communication facilities, with companies like China Mobile Pakistan (CMPak) playing a significant role in the local market and network. Companies in Pakistan are now looking to provide services to allow people from all over the world to work from their homes. With the advent of online services in recent years, the trend has been gaining traction and platforms like CMPak are playing a big role in realizing the dreams of young Pakistanis when it comes to jobs. Since 2014, the company has been involved in the construction of 4G networks in Pakistan, with more than 14,000 4G base stations and the largest 4G network in the region. Li Li, director of network planning at CMPak told CGTN that now the company is serving 44 million local customers, helping Pakistan eliminate the digital divide. People here can enjoy high-speed internet services anytime,
anywhere. To help local communities better bridge the digital gap and enable more people to find new opportunities in the digital age, the company is working to provide communication facilities and network services to more people in Pakistan. They also offer technology solutions to provide free health promotion activities and online medical consultation to people in remote areas of Pakistan. Li also said that CMPak is actively taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative and is providing communication services for 26 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and more than 200 Chinese-funded enterprises. It is undertaking the political, economic and social responsibility for promoting the development of ChinaPakistan cooperation. Currently, the development of the digital economy is bringing changes to all industries in Pakistan. In the future, CMPak will continue working closely with local industry partners to promote the digitalization of thousands of industries in Pakistan.
FACTBOX
Now UK’s Boris Johnson has quit, who could replace him? LONDON ReuteRs
Who could replace Boris Johnson as Britain’s prime minister? Below is a summary of those who have announced they want the job and others who could be in the frame. The race follows Johnson’s announcement on Thursday he was resigning, bowing to calls from ministerial colleagues and lawmakers in his Conservative Party. There is no clear favourites and they are not listed in order of likely prospects. The rules of the leadership contest will be announced next week. coNFirMED coNtEStaNtS: Sunak announced his leadership bid on Friday with a campaign video in which he promised to confront the difficult economic backdrop with “honesty, seriousness and determination”, rather than piling the burden on future generations. “Someone has to grip this moment and make the right decisions,” he said. Sunak was made chancellor (finance minister) in early 2020, and was praised for a Covid-19 economic rescue package, including a costly jobs retention programme that averted mass unemployment. But he later faced criticism for not giving enough cost-of-living support to households. Revelations this year about his wealthy wife’s non-domiciled tax status and
a fine he received for breaking Covid lockdown rules have damaged his standing. His tax-and-spend budget last year put Britain on course for its biggest tax burden since the 1950s, undermining his claims to favour lower taxes. Sunak voted to leave the EU in 2016. toM tUGENDhat: The chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, and a former soldier who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been a regular critic of Johnson and would offer his party a clean break with previous governments. However, he is relatively untested because he has never served in the cabinet. He voted to remain in the EU. SUELLa bravErMaN: As attorney general, Braverman was heavily criticised by lawyers after the government sought to break international law over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland. She campaigned to leave the EU and served as a junior minister in the Brexit department under Theresa May, but resigned in protest at the then prime minister’s proposed Brexit deal, saying it did not go far enough in breaking ties with the bloc. othEr PoSSibLE caNDiDatES: LIZ TRUSS The foreign secretary has been the darling of the Conservative Party’s grassroots and has regularly topped polls of party members carried out by the website Conservative
Home. Truss has a carefully cultivated public image and was photographed in a tank last year, echoing a famous 1986 photo of Britain’s first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. Truss, 46, initially campaigned against Brexit but after the 2016 referendum said she had changed her mind. She spent the first two years of Johnson’s premiership as international trade secretary and was last year appointed as Britain’s lead negotiator with the European Union. Truss is now in charge of dealing with the EU over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, where she has taken an increasingly tough line in negotiations. On Tuesday she said Johnson had her “100% backing” and urged colleagues to support him. On Thursday after the prime minister bowed to growing pressure, she said Johnson had made the right decision to step down. JErEMY hUNt: The former foreign secretary, 55, finished second to Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest. He would offer a more serious and less controversial style of leadership after the turmoil of Johnson’s premiership. Over the last two years, Hunt has used his experience as a former health secretary to chair parliament’s health select committee and has not been tarnished by having served in the current government. Earlier this year, he said his ambition to
become prime minister “hasn’t completely vanished”. Hunt said he voted to oust Johnson in a confidence vote last month that the prime minister narrowly won. Hunt supported remaining in the EU ahead of the 2016 vote. It is unclear whether he would feel the need to maintain a tough line against Brussels, to win the support of Conservative voters, or whether he could pursue a more pragmatic relationship to improve post-Brexit trade. bEN WaLLacE: Defence minister Ben Wallace, 52, has risen in recent months to overtake Truss as the most popular member of the government with Conservative Party members, according to Conservative Home, thanks to his handling of the Ukraine crisis. A former soldier, he was mentioned in dispatches in 1992 for an incident in which the patrol he was commanding captured an Irish Republican Army guerrilla unit suspected of trying to carry out a bomb attack on British troops. He began his political career as a member of Scotland’s devolved assembly in May 1999, before being first elected to the Westminster parliament in 2005. He was security minister from 2016 until taking on his current role three years later, winning plaudits as his department evacuated British nationals and allies from Afghanistan last year, and for sending weapons to Kyiv.
He supported remaining in the EU ahead of the referendum. SaJiD JaviD: Javid was the first cabinet minister to resign in protest over accusations that Johnson misled the public over what he knew about sexual harassment allegations against a Conservative lawmaker. A former banker and a champion of free markets, Javid has served in a number of cabinet roles, most recently as health minister. He resigned as Johnson’s finance minister in 2020. The son of Muslim immigrant parents from Pakistan, he is a Thatcher admirer and finished fourth in the 2019 leadership contest to replace former Prime Minister Theresa May. Javid supported remaining in the EU “with a heavy heart and no enthusiasm”, saying he feared the fallout from a leave vote would add to economic turbulence. NaDhiM ZahaWi: The newly appointed finance minister impressed as vaccines minister when Britain had one of the world’s fastest rollouts of Covid shots. Zahawi’s personal story as a former refugee from Iraq who came to Britain as a child sets him apart from other contenders. He co-founded polling company YouGov before entering parliament in 2010. His last job was as education secretary. Zahawi said last week it would be a “privilege” to be prime minister at some stage. He supported leaving the EU. PENNY MorDaUNt: The former defence secretary was sacked by Johnson when he became prime minister after she endorsed his rival, Hunt, during the last leadership contest.
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Wang, Blinken hold ‘SUBStantive, conStRUctive’ talkS in Bali BaLi
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HINESE State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had “substantive, and constructive” talks on China-U.S. relations and major international and regional issues of common concern on Saturday, according to China’s Foreign Ministry. The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. The “thorough, in-depth, candid and long” communication helped enhance mutual understanding and reduce misunderstandings and misjudgments between the two sides, and pave the way for future high-level exchanges between the two countries. At present, China-U.S. relations are still in a predicament created by the previous U.S. administration and are even encountering more and more challenges, Wang said. The foreign minister said the fundamental reason was the U.S. perception of China, and that its corresponding China policy had deviated from the right track. Saying the key to lifting bilateral relations out of the mire is to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, Wang stressed that China has practiced mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-
win cooperation as three principles in developing China-U.S. relations. Since the U.S. has pledged not to seek to change China’s system, it should respect the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics chosen by the Chinese people, the foreign minister said. Since the U.S. has pledged not seek to have a new cold war with China, it should abandon the cold war mentality and the zerosum game mindset, he added. Since the U.S. has promised not to support “Taiwan independence,” it should stop distorting the one-China policy, he said. The Chinese foreign minister highlighted that the “guardrails” of China-U.S. relations are the three China-U.S. joint communiques. China has also put forward four lists to the United States: the list of U.S. wrongdoings that must stop, the list of key individual cases that China has concerns with, the list of China-related bills of major concern to China, and the list of eight areas of ChinaU.S. cooperation. Blinken outlined the U.S. policy towards China, saying that the country does not seek a new cold war with China, does not aim to change China’s system, does not challenge the ruling status of the Communist Party of China, does not contain China and does not support “Taiwan independence.” The foreign ministers reached consensus on pushing for more outcomes from
Relentless’ Russian shelling in east Ukraine as US promises new aid Druzhkivka, ukraine Agencies
Russian troops pursued their “relentless” shelling of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region on Saturday, as the United States promised new military aid to Kyiv including powerful rocket launchers. Having endured long battles to capture cities in the neighbouring Lugansk region, Russia is now seeking to push deeper into Donetsk to consolidate its hold over the entire Donbas region. Air raid sirens sounded overnight throughout the country’s east and south. Residents in the small town of Druzhkivka, south of the eastern Ukrainian industrial city of Kramatorsk, woke up to a suspected missile attack on Saturday which ripped apart a supermarket’s shop front and left a massive crater in front of the store. “The entire frontline is under relentless shelling,” the head of the Donetsk military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said in a Telegram message on Friday night He said the city of Sloviansk, on which Moscow’s troops have now set their sights, is being “shelled day and night”. He also accused Russian forces of setting agricultural fields on fire, saying they were “trying to destroy the harvest by all means”. In a message on Saturday, he said five civilians had been killed the day before. The governor of the Lugansk region, Sergiy Gaiday, said on Saturday the Russians were attacking Donetsk from their bases in Lugansk. “We are trying to contain their armed formations along the entire frontline… Where it is inconvenient for them to go forward, they create real hell, shelling the territories on the horizon,” he said. Kyrylenko warned the Russians were in the process of replenishing their troops in the region to prepare for further assaults. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address he had spent the day on the frontlines in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, where he met civilian and military leaders. “Officials must do not just everything possible, but much more than even possible, to guarantee people a normal standard of living even in such wartime conditions,” he said But in a Telegram message on Saturday, an official from the region’s military administration warned Russia had “intentionally shelled residential areas”, and had not stopped “terrorising” the cities and villages. In the country’s south, the mayor of Mykolaiv begged citizens not to leave shelters, as he said explosions were heard throughout the night. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk was quoted by Ukrainian media as urging people in occupied areas to evacuate by any means possible. “Massive fighting is going to happen,” she said. In a boost to Kyiv, Washington announced $400 million of further military aid, including a type of artillery ammunition with “greater precision” that has previously not been sent. “It’s a further evolution in our support for Ukraine in this battle in the Donbas,” a senior defence official was quoted by the US Department of Defence as saying.
the consultations of the China-U.S. joint working group on an equal and reciprocal basis, and agreed to resume people-to-people exchanges and consultations, and
strengthen cooperation on climate change and public health. The two sides also put forward the vision of sound interaction between China
and the U.S. in the Asia-Pacific region, and exchanged in-depth views on the Ukrainian issue and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
Modi regime grilled for running vilification drive against IIOJK journalists neW YOrk Agencies
The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and other local and international media organizations have lashed out at the fascist Modi government in India for leading vilification campaign against Kashmiri journalists in print and electronic media. According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the CPJ in a statement expressed solidarity with the 11 Kashmiri journalists who were described as “supporters of militancy” in an op-ed published at the behest of the Modi government on Thursday. The article titled ‘Vultures of Single Narrative Feasting on Misery’ was published in a Srinagar-based Eng-
lish daily Rising Kashmir with the author’s name Majeed Ahmad. “Such accusations put the journalists at further risk of violence in an already hostile environment for the press,” CPJ said. “CPJ stands in solidarity with the 11 Kashmiri journalists who were described as supporters of terrorism in an op-ed published on Thursday. Such accusations put the journalists at further risk of violence in an already hostile environment for the press,” CPJ tweeted. Meanwhile, DIGIPUB, a platform of digital news media organisations, has also come out sharply against the newspaper for publishing the article. In a statement, the platform articulated its concern for the “safety of several independent journalists in occupied Jammu and Kashmir” who were described in the article as “militant sympathisers.”
India fines Amnesty nearly $8m after funding probe agencies India has fined the local arm of Amnesty International nearly $8 million after a probe into its finances the watchdog said was part of a “witch hunt”. Rights groups have long claimed they face harassment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist administration for highlighting rights abuses, including in the disputed territory of Kashmir. Amnesty’s local bank accounts were frozen in 2020 as part of the probe, forc-
ing the group to lay off staff and halt campaign and research work. India’s Enforcement Directorate, the agency responsible for investigating financial crimes, said Friday that Amnesty had broken foreign funding laws by directing overseas contributions to expand its local operations. In a statement, it said Amnesty India had been fined $6.5 million for receiving illegal foreign contributions, while its former chief executive Aakar Patel was fined an additional $1.3 million. Amnesty did not immediately re-
spond to the latest action by the agency. But in 2020, the group said the freezing of its accounts was part of an “incessant witch-hunt of human rights organizations by the Government of India over unfounded and motivated allegations.” Like in Russia under President Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban’s Hungary, critics say Modi’s government has sought to pressure rights groups by heavily scrutinising their finances and clamping down on foreign funding. In 2015, the year after Modi took office, the Indian government froze the
bank accounts of environmental organisation Greenpeace’s India unit. Amnesty faced sedition charges, later dropped, the following year over an event to discuss human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. In 2018, the Enforcement Directorate raided Amnesty’s office in Bangalore, and the watchdog said investigators later selectively leaked documents to the media. Patel was stopped from flying to the United States earlier this year because of the government’s legal action against the human rights
Chinese, Canadian FMs vow to bring bilateral relations ‘back on track’ agencies Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly on Friday and both pledged to push China-Canada relations back on track. During a meeting with Joly on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Bali, Indonesia, Wang said China and Canada have never been rivals but partners and China has never been a threat but an opportunity. A sound and stable ChinaCanada relationship is the common aspiration of the two peoples and
serves the common interests of both sides, he stressed. China hopes that Canada will respect facts and be cautious in words and deeds on China-related issues, and work with China to meet each other halfway to build mutual trust so as to bring China-Canada relations back on track, said the Chinese diplomat. Both China and Canada advocate multilateralism, support the democratization of international relations and safeguard the trend of globalization, Wang said. He noted that both sides should jointly promote the success of the second phase of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the
United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity, strengthen antiepidemic cooperation and build a global community of health for all. For her part, Joly said Canada attaches great importance to its relations with China and is ready to work with China to strengthen communication and jointly address common concerns in a pragmatic manner so as to bring the bilateral relations back on track. Both countries have benefited from closer economic and trade ties and have maintained close coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs such as climate change and biodiversity, she added.
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PAIN rebounded from the loss of star midfielder Alexia Putellas by beating Finland 4-1, as Germany also got their Euro 2022 campaign off to a flying start with a 4-0 win over Denmark on Friday. La Roja had been pre-tournament favourites until the cruciate ligament injury to reigning female Ballon d’Or winner Putellas in training on Tuesday. However, Jorge Vilda’s side showed why they are still contenders to win a first major women’s tournament despite falling behind inside a minute to Linda Sallstrom’s strike.
Goals from Irene Paredes, Aitana Bonmati, Lucia Garcia and Mariona Caldentey extended Spain’s unbeaten run stretching back to
March 2020. Walking with crutches and decked out in a Spain shirt, Putellas was in attendance to offer encour-
agement to her teammates. But the shock of losing their star woman rolled over into the slow start. Anna Westerlund’s long ball forward played Sallstrom clean through and the Paris FC striker produced a cool finish in off the far post. Spain settled into their passing rhythm as they enjoyed 70 percent of the possession. But with all-time top goalscorer Jennifer Hermoso also out of the tournament through injury, they had to rely on the unusual route of crosses into the box to turn the game around. Captain Paredes started the comeback when she bulleted home a header from Caldentey’s corner. The diminutive Bonmati then
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produced a stunning header into the top corner and celebrated by going over to salute her Barcelona teammate Putellas. “I knew if I had the chance to score a goal in the game, the nicest thing would be to celebrate it with and dedicate it to her,” said Bonmati. “It says a lot about our team. We have overcome adversities and bad news. We know how to pick ourselves up.” Garcia made sure of the points 15 minutes from time when she nodded Maria Leon’s free-kick into the bottom corner before Caldentey slotted home a penalty with the last kick of the game. Germany produced a stunning display to dismantle Euro 2017 fi-
nalists Denmark in London. The eight-time winners were dominant from the start and could have been out of sight before halftime as Felicitas Rauch twice hit the crossbar. Lina Magull finally made the Germans’ pressure count. The Bayern Munich striker blasted into the roof of the net after charging down Stine Pedersen’s attempted clearance. Lea Schueller headed home from a corner to double Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s women’s lead just before the hour mark. Svenja Huth was robbed of the goal her performance deserved by the offside flag. But Germany rounded off a superb performance with two more goals in the final 12 minutes. Lena Lattwein smashed home a loose ball from close range before Alexandra Popp rounded off a fine team move by heading in at the back post.
LA felt like home straight away: Bale LOS aNGeLeS Agencies
Wales captain Gareth Bale said Friday the chance to bring his expertise and skills to a young Los Angeles FC squad prompted his jump to Major League Soccer. “It just felt really like the right thing to do,” Bale said. “It felt like home straight away.” The five-time UEFA Champions League winner arrived by plane in southern California and hours later saw his new club defeat the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 in his first taste of the “El Trafico” derby. “Seeing the fans live for the first time has more than kept me awake,” Bale told match broadcaster ESPN. “What an incredible reception I had when I came in. Just excited to get started and play in front of these incredible fans.” The 32-year-old former Real Madrid and Tottenham forward was eligible to play but had barely met his teammates. Supporters settled for watching Bale smile and wave to them, the crowd chanting his name before the match. In June, Bale helped Wales reach the World Cup for the first time in 64 years. Bale said he is ready for the mix of his US adventure and preparing for the Qatar World Cup later this year. “The best prep is to play games,” Bale said. “I want
to come here. I want to play games and make my stamp and do as best I can to try and help LAFC win a trophy.” Bale signed a one-year deal through 2023 after a pitch from LAFC bosses. “It was many things. It wasn’t just one thing in particular,” Bale said. “We had a chat on Zoom about multiple things I could come in and offer – what I can do in football.” The Welsh player said he could “help with the
youngsters because it’s a very young team here, give them advice, seeing what I do in terms of professional standard and try to help them.” Bale joined a club in only its fifth season on the field but one that hopes to match the sparkle that rival Galaxy once enjoyed with David Beckham. “Just the project they have here is really amazing,” Bale said. “They have a lot of great young players trying to develop. The club is really on the rise. “It’s very new but it’s something that’s really glamorous. It’s just a very attractive club.” LAFC, the overall MLS leader, visit Nashville and Kansas City over the next two weeks before next playing at home on July 29 against Seattle. LAFC improved to 4-7 with five drawn in the alltime rivalry, the Black and Gold snapping a five-match winless streak against the Galaxy. LAFC led 1-0 at half-time with a 17th-minute header by Ecuadorian midfielder Jose Cifuentes, but the Galaxy equalized in the 55th minute after a goal by French forward Samuel Grandsir. Cifuentes headed in a centering pass from Mexican striker Carlos Vela in the 70th minute and Cristian Arango blasted in a right-footed shot in the 72nd to give LAFC a 3-1 edge. Galaxy midfielder Rayan Raveloson of Madagascar scored from a header in the 81st minute.
Sri Lanka’s Karunaratne, Kusal hold fort in second Australia Test GaLLe, Sri LaNka Agencies
Sri Lanka lost one wicket before they survived an inspired spell of bowling from Australian quicks Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins on day two of the second Test on Saturday. The hosts crawled to 65 for one at tea in response to Australia’s 364 in the first innings in Galle, but few spectators were watching from the stands, after a fresh outbreak of political unrest in the country. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, on 35, and Kusal Mendis, on 23, were batting at the break, with Sri Lanka still trailing by 299 runs. Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when Mitchell Starc’s pace bowling got Pathum Nissanka to edge the ball to gully, where Cameron Green took a good catch. Cummins kept the batsmen on the back foot in his eight overs, bowling four maidens and giving away just 11 runs. Nathan Lyon also kept a check
on scoring before Karunaratne got two boundaries off the spinner in one over to ease some pressure. Debutant spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took six wickets to help bowl out Australia in the first session of play after the tourists resumed on 2985. Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 145 after running out of partners on Saturday morning, having ended an 18-month century drought on Friday. Jayasuriya, who took three wickets on the opening day, set a trap for overnight batsman Alex Carey, who miscued a reverse sweep to be caught at backward point for 28. The left-arm spinner soon got Starc out for one to become the seventh Sri Lankan bowler to take five wickets in an innings on Test debut. Jayasuriya was one of the three Sri Lankan players, along with Maheesh Theekshana and Kamindu Mendis, to be awarded a first Test cap following a Covid outbreak sidelining several members of the squad. There were barely any spectators
Rohit Sharma creates history as T20 captain aGeNcieS India’s T20I skipper Rohit Sharma won the opening game of a three-match T20I series against England, and in doing so, he has made a unique record. After registering the victory, Sharma became the only cricketer in history to register 13 consecutive wins in T20Is. The record was previously held by Afghanistan’s Asghar Afghan, who had 12 consecutive wins under his belt. In addition to Sharma’s record, India has continued its impressive run in the shortest format of the game as they have registered 25 victories out of 29 matches. Rohit Sharma also became the third Indian to breach the 1,000-run mark in T20Is as a captain during the first T20I against England.
Pakistan’s training session called-off in Sri Lanka due to curfew aGeNcieS
at Galle for the second day’s play, with the host country embroiled in public unrest arising from its painful economic crisis. The session began with hundreds of protesters looking down on the Galle fort to demand the resignation
of Sri Lanka’s president — who fled his home on Saturday shortly before an angry crowd stormed his residence. Australia lead the two-match series 1-0 after a crushing opening win inside three days during last week’s first Test.
The situation in Sri Lanka has been deteriorating ever since the ongoing political situation overtook the country’s affairs and as a result, social instability also came to light as a bi-product. However, cricketing nations are trying their utmost best to uphold their values by helping those in need; first, it was Australia’s turn to travel to Sri Lanka and play in front of their home crowd and now it’s Pakistan’s. Despite the gallant efforts, the nation is still struggling as Pakistan’s upcoming training session for tomorrow has been cancelled due to a scheduled curfew in Colombo. The session was scheduled to take place at P. Sara Oval, but the people of Sri Lanka will be protesting against the government on the streets due to the economic crisis. The media in Sri Lanka also reported incidents of police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse a student protest. Experts claim that the situation can escalate at any time, which is why Pakistan’s team practice has been cancelled to avoid any potential threats. It is also reported that over the weekend, a sizeable protest is anticipated within the country, which is bound to create a disturbance.
Djokovic into eighth Wimbledon final and clash with Kyrgios LONDON Web Desk
Novak Djokovic recovered from a shaky start to beat Cameron Norrie in four sets at Wimbledon on Friday and reach a record 32nd Grand Slam final, where he will play Nick Kyrgios. The Serbian top seed was broken three times in the first set but turned the tables dramatically on his British opponent to win 26, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the Centre Court sunshine to reach his eighth final at the All England Club. The six-time Wimbledon champion’s new mark of 32 finals at the majors is a record for men’s tennis. It puts him one ahead of Roger Federer and two clear of Rafael Nadal, who pulled out of the tournament injured on Thursday.
“He was the better player in the first set,” said Djokovic. “Semis of a Slam, I played them a lot, but there is always pressure, from yourself and from the outside.” Djokovic and Norrie both dropped serve at the first time of asking, with the crowd offering vocal backing to the ninth seed. But while Norrie quickly found his rhythm, Djokovic — apart from a stunning
“tweener” lob — was strangely off-key, losing his serve twice more in the set, which Norrie sealed with an ace. The Serb landed just 55 percent of his first serves and made 12 unforced errors against his left-handed opponent in the opening set. Djokovic looked more composed at the start of the second set, finding more rhythm on his serve and cutting out the errors. A single break for the 35-year-old in the eighth game changed the complexion of the match, putting him 5-3 up. That was part of a run of eight games out of nine for the 35-year-old, who took the second set and then rocketed into a 5-1 lead in the third, giving Norrie a mountain to climb. Djokovic again broke early in the fourth set and did not concede a single break point as he cantered to victory.
Djokovic is now on a 27-match winning streak at Wimbledon as he seeks to draw level with Pete Sampras on seven titles at the All England Club — just one behind Federer’s men’s record. If he wins the title he would reach 21 Grand Slam titles, moving past Federer and just one behind Nadal in the race to be crowned the greatest of all time. Djokovic already knows he will be playing 40th-ranked Kyrgios after Nadal quit the tournament ahead of his semi-final against the Australian because of an abdominal injury. Kyrgios, 27, will be playing in his first Grand Slam final but has a 2-0 winning record against Djokovic. “The job is not finished,” said Djokovic, chasing his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title. “One thing is for sure, there will be a lot of fireworks emotionally from both sides.
“He is playing freely, has a big game and a lot of power in his shots. I’ve never won a set off him — hopefully it can be different this time. He doesn’t have much to lose.” Earlier on Friday, Kyrgios said he was disappointed not to face Nadal, proclaiming that “everyone did want to see us go to war out there”. Kyrgios, one of the sport’s most talented yet divisive characters, is in his first final at the majors at the age of 27. Had he faced Nadal, it would have been their third clash at Wimbledon. Kyrgios won the first in 2014 as a 144th-ranked wild card before Nadal gained revenge in a stormy clash three years ago. “We’ve had a lot of run-ins, a lot of battles,” said Kyrgios, who has won three of their nine encounters. “I’m sure at the end of the day everyone did want to see us go to war out there. I hope he just gets better.
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RI Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence on Saturday shortly before protesters, angered by an unprecedented economic crisis, stormed and overran the compound. Huge crowds had surrounded the leader’s home to demand his resignation, blaming government mismanagement for the painful downturn. As protesters surged at the gates of the President’s Palace, troops guarding the compound fired in the air to hold back the tide until Rajapaksa was safely removed, a top defence source told AFP on condition of anonymity. “The president was escorted to safety,” the source added. “He is still the president, he is being protected by a military unit.” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who would assume the presidency in the event of Rajapaksa’s resignation, has called an urgent cabinet meeting to discuss a “swift resolution” to the political crisis, his office said. Members of the crowd broadcast live footage on social media showing hundreds of people walking through the President’s Palace. The colonial-era state mansion is one of Sri Lanka’s key symbols of state power and officials said Rajapaksa’s departure raised questions as to whether he intended to remain in office. “We are awaiting instructions,” a top civil servant told AFP. “We still don’t
irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
pakistan, US resolve to strengthen relationship ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON Staff RepoRt
know where he is, but we know he is with the Sri Lanka navy and is safe.” Colombo’s main hospital said 14 people were being treated there after being hit by tear gas canisters. ‘NOT A DETERRENT’: Sri Lanka has suffered through months of food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation after running out of foreign currency to import vital goods. Thousands of people had poured into the capital for the demonstration, the latest expression of unrest sparked by the crisis. Police had withdrawn a curfew order issued on Friday after opposition parties, rights activists and the bar association threatened to sue the po-
lice chief. Thousands of anti-government protesters ignored the order and even forced railway authorities to operate trains to take them to Colombo for Saturday’s rally, officials said. “The curfew was not a deterrent, in fact, it encouraged more people to get on the streets in defiance,” the defence official said. “Passengers had commandeered trains to reach Colombo.” The country has nearly exhausted already scarce supplies of petrol, but protesters backed by the main opposition parties hired private buses to travel to the capital.Demonstrators have camped outside Rajapaksa’s seafront office to demand his resignation over the govern-
ment’s mismanagement of the crisis. Soldiers armed with assault rifles were bussed into Colombo on Friday to reinforce police guarding Rajapaksa’s official residence. Authorities said they had deployed nearly 20,000 troops and police officers for a security operation to protect the president. Sri Lanka has defaulted on its $51 billion external debt and has been in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Nine people were killed and hundreds wounded when clashes erupted across the country after Rajapaksa loyalists attacked peaceful protesters outside the president’s office in May.
Not seeking charges against restaurant hecklers: Ahsan LAHORE NewS DeSk
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said that he will not seek criminal charges against PTI supporters who heckled him at a restaurant in Bhera area, claiming he had left the matter in the “public’s court.” “I will never opt for any action against all those involved in this incident. I just lament the “culture of hatred” that Imran Khan has introduced,” he said. Videos of the incident circulating online show women and teenagers chanting anti-government slogans and hurling abuses at the minister, loudly calling him “chor”. In a tweet later, Iqbal said: “Today, a family — who apparently considered themselves elites and supported PTI — clashed with me. Instead of holding a dialogue with me they started chanting slogans,” he wrote, adding that as a
counter-attack, other people present at the restaurant also started chanting slogans against the PTI.” He criticised former prime minister Imran Khan for “instilling a culture of hatred” among the people, adding that “just like their ignorant and lunatic leader, his supporters are following suit”. At a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, the minister said that the incident didn’t affect his popularity but highlighted the culture Imran Khan was teaching his followers. Iqbal stressed that the “disease of polarisation and hatred” in society was hollowing out Pakistan like “cancer”. “I say this with disappointment that we expected Imran Niazi, who was a sportsman, to teach his supporters sportsmanship in the country’s politics. But he did the opposite. His politics just spreads hatred in society. This poison is spreading so rapidly that if we don’t counter it, the society will be steps away
pak-Bahrain close ties provide opportunity for deeper cooperation: pm
from anarchy and civil war — like Libya,” he warned. The minister went on to say that he had two ways to go about the incident. “The first was to register an FIR (first information report) against these people. Pakistan gives me the right to initiate proceedings under its law. But I have decided against it.” Instead, he said he was leaving the matter in the court of the public. “In the court of the people, I want to register a complaint against the leadership of the party that encourages this behaviour,” Iqbal said, referring to the PTI. Addressing PTI supporters, he urged them to carefully consider if their leader was as sincere to them as they were to him. “Imran Niazi has a track record of using people and throwing them away like tissue paper,” he claimed. Iqbal requested people to think if “you want your children to become victims of this hatred or want to pull them
out of it”. He also thanked the people who condemned the incident and reached out to him with consolation messages. “I am a stern believer of freedom and democracy. The people of this country are very well-aware of my services for Pakistan and I don’t need a PTI certificate to prove it,” he added. PTI SAYS ‘ORDINARY CITIZENS ANGRY’: Meanwhile, after the incident last night, PTI leaders negated Iqbal’s claims regarding the PTI chairman. Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry suggested that the PML-N leader should “wear a burqa” and go out in public. He also said that PML-N leaders were unaware of the ground realities. “People are against you because you came to power by stealing their political mandate. Social stability is possible only with political stability in the country,” Chaudhary added, demanding immediate elections.
LHC orders release of anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan on bail
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday while reaffirming longstanding fraternal relations between Pakistan and Bahrain, highlighted that close ties provided significant opportunities for deeper bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, in particular promotion of bilateral trade and investment. The prime minister held a telephonic conversation with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain and exchanged greetings on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Azha. The prime minister also conveyed his best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the brotherly people of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Reciprocating the warm Eid greetings from the prime minister, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa extended best wishes to the people of Pakistan on this occasion. He expressed his resolve to broaden mutual cooperation for the benefit of the people of the two countries. Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy long-standing cordial relations, rooted firmly in shared faith, mutual understanding and commonality of interests. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday expressed their deep grief and sorrow over death of col (r) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, a PPP leader and former senator.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday issued orders to release anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan on bail and adjourned the hearing on the plea for the expulsion of cases till July 19. Justice Ali Baqar Najafi took up the petition, which was moved by lawyers Shazib Masud, Mian Ali Ashfaq, Rana Abdul Maruf Khan and Mian Izhar Ahmed on Imran Riaz’s behalf. The petition requested the court to suspend the “operations of all … FIRs till the final decision of this case and direct the respondents to produce the petitioner before this honourable court and release the forthwith till the final disposal of the instant petition”. The Punjab government and inspector general of police (IGP) were nominated as respondents in the petition. Imran, who is facing charges of treasons in multiple cases, was initially taken into custody by Attock police near Islamabad on Tuesday night. He was later granted relief by a local court in the wee hours of Thursday, only to be immediately arrested by a team of Chakwal police outside the courtroom. He was then shifted to Lahore, prior to which a local court of Chakwal district had allowed his judicial remand.
It emerged on Friday that Lahore police had handed over the journalist to the Crime Investigation Agency in a case pertaining to the abetment of mutiny and criticism of state institutions. Earlier today, the police presented the journalist before a local court to seek his remand in a case registered at the Civil Lines police station. The magistrate discharged him from the case, after which Imran Riaz was taken to the LHC. At the outset of the hearing in the LHC on Saturday, Imran Riaz’s lawyer thanked the court for taking up the petition on a public holiday. At this, Justice Najafi remarked: “It is our obligation. We have to protect the Constitution.” The lawyer then told the LHC that his client had approached a court the very next day after an FIR was registered against him. “But he was arrested at Islamabad Toll Plaza,” he said, claiming that the police had concealed the record of the case in which Imran Riaz was taken into custody from the LHC in another plea. The police, the lawyer alleged, “wanted to arrest Imran Riaz and that is why [they] did not inform the court about those FIRs”. The lawyer claimed the incumbent government was suppressing opposing voices from journalists. PTI party leaders have on several occasions praised the journalist by name.
Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington, Masood Khan, called on President Joe Biden at the Oval Office, the White House said Saturday. In a tweet following the meeting, the ambassador said it was an “honour […] to meet US President Joe Biden”. “Pakistan and the US resolve to strengthen their ties, as they celebrate the 75th Anniversary of their diplomatic relations,” the tweet read. The Biden administration accepted the appointment of Khan as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States on February 6. Khan has previously served as Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) and its ambassador to China. He replaced his predecessor in Washington, Asad Majeed Khan. Pakistan-US relations have remained strained since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August last year. The latest engagement comes after a year-long turbulent phase in the bilateral relationship. Former prime minister Imran Khan’s anti-US outlook and criticism of Washington’s regional policies appeared to have angered the United States. His criticism of US President Biden’s decision to freeze $7 billion in Afghanistan funds held in the US and apparent refusal to offer military bases for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, among other developments, virtually brought the relationship to a standstill. The relationship turned sour after Khan’s government refused to condemn Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. It broke down further when Khan decided to visit Russia on the eve of Moscow’s launch of what it called a “special military operation”.
two pmL-n stalwarts ayaz Sadiq, kh Salman rafique resign LAHORE NewS DeSk
In a surprise move on Saturday two PML-N ministers – Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique tendered resignation from their respective offices, citing personal reasons. In a written resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Shehbaz, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that he held the portfolio of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs in the Centre in addition to assisting the prime minister on political as well parliamentary affairs. He wrote: “I am unable to carry out both the responsibilities. Therefore, I tender resignation as Federal Minister for Economic Affairs. However, I will available round the clock to work for the betterment of the party.” Also, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz Saturday approved the resignation of Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. Kh Salman Rafiq has tendered his resignation to Punjab CM over personal reasons. It is to be noted that Kh Salman Rafique is the second ministerial-level resignation of coalition government at the federal and provincial level, after PML-N Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over personal reasons. Both the ministers are from Lahore. Kh Salman Rafiq’s elder brother, Kh Saad Rafiq is also a Federal Minister for Railways and Aviation However, sources privy to the development claimed that both the ministers have resigned from their ministries to take part in the upcoming by-elections to 20 seats of Punjab Assembly scheduled to be held on July 17. The sources claimed that both the ministers resigned following a wellthought out plan devised by the PML-N leadership to win the by-elections at all costs. “The critical situation on the ground, especially in Lahore forced the PML-N leadership to change their strategy for a victory in the by-polls,” they added.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk