Friday, 16 September, 2022 I 19 Safar, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 78 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
PM, Putin reaffirM coMMitMent to exPand trade, security cooPeration g
PuTIN SAyS GAS SuPPlIES To PAKISTAN PoSSIBlE AS PART oF INFRASTRuCTuRE IN PlACE
SAMARKAND/ISLAMABAD
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staff report
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met Russian President Vladimir V. Putin wherein he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work closely with Russia to further expand and strengthen bilateral cooperation. During the meeting held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation organization (SCo) Council of Heads of State held here, the prime minister said Pakistan was committed to expand cooperation with Russia across all areas of mutual benefit including food security, trade & investment, energy, defence and security. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and international issues. The prime minister thanked President Putin for Russia’s expression of solidarity and support for the people affected by the massive floods in Pakistan. He also shared details of the devastating impact of this climate-induced calamity. Prime Minister Sharif expressed satisfaction at steady growth of Pakistan-Russia relations, which were marked by strong mutual trust and understanding. It was agreed to convene the next meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) in Islamabad at an early date. Appreciating Russia’s constructive role in
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SHEHBAZ SAyS PAKISTAN KEEN FoR TIMEly CoMPlETIoN oF CASA-1000 PoWER PRoJECT
Afghanistan, the prime minister said that both Pakistan and Russia had vital stakes in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. He said that it was essential to intensify the pace of international engagement on Afghanistan and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to support all regional and international efforts to stabilize Afghanistan. The premier arrived in Samarkand today on a two-day trip where he will attend the 22nd annual meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the SCo. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Defence Minister Khwaja Asif are also accompanying him. uzbekistan PM Abdulla Aripov received the prime minister upon his arrival at the airport. PM MEETS OTHER WORLD LEADERS: on the sidelines of the SCo summit, PM Shehbaz met several world leaders including Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi. The two leaders acknowledged moving forward positive trajectory of bilateral relations. Earlier in the day, the premier held a meeting with uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed issues of mutual interest. The meeting focused on strengthening Pak-uzbek ties in diverse fields for the benefit of the two brotherly nations. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Asif, Ismail, and other senior officials attended the meeting as well. The PM also met President of Tajikistan
Emamoli Rahmon, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said. “Both leaders agreed to bolster and expand the scope of mutually beneficial fraternal ties,” she tweeted. MEETING WITH TAJIKISTAN’S PRESIDENT EMOMALI RAHMON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed Pakistan’s resolve for the timely completion of the important CASA-1000 power project, aimed at the transmission of electricity from the Central Asian state. In a meeting with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon on the sidelines of the SCo Heads of Council meeting in Samarkand, the two leaders held wide-ranging talks covering all aspects of the mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation including regional and international issues. The prime minister emphasized the expansion of cooperation in the field of road transportation and underscored the importance of connectivity. He underlined Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate the provision of access to Gwadar and Karachi to Tajikistan. President Rahmon extended profound sympathies and condolences over the loss of human lives and devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan and assured of Tajikistan’s full support in the efforts for relief and rehabilitation of the affected people. PM Sharif thanked Tajikistan for its support to the flood-affected people in Pakistan and shared details of the devastation caused by the massive floods, induced by climate change. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the growing political, trade, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries. He underscored the need for a strategic partnership aimed at boosting security, mutual trust, countering the current global threats and challenges, enhancing regional stability, and expanding political, trade and economic cooperation. Both the leaders accorded particular focus on further strengthening of reliable and constructive high-level contacts, inter-parliamentary ties, defence and security relations between the two countries. The prime minister underlined the importance of regular meetings of bilateral institutional mechanisms and establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation in the implementation of energy projects. The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed to work together to strengthen peace, stability and security in the region, particularly in Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and senior officials were present.
‘Don’t downplay terrorism charges,’ IHC CJ tells govt in case against Imran ISLAMABAD staff report
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday told the government not to downplay charges as serious as terrorism while questioning whether PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s speech against a female judge and Islamabad police warrants the offence. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah made the remarks while hearing a plea seeking dismissal of the terror case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Khan was booked in a case under sections of the AntiTerrorism Act (ACT) for making threatening remarks against an additional sessions judge and senior officials of the Islamabad Police in his speech at a rally. The party had moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to grant Khan transit bail till August 25, but the court had directed the former premier to approach an ATC as it was a terror case. The FIR registered against Khan states that he threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park to “terrorise” police officials and the judiciary. The main aim was to prevent the police officers and judiciary from carrying out their legal obligations, states the FIR. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed in Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA. A two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Saman Rifat conducted hearing on PTI’s plea. At the outset of the hearing, the Justice Minallah said that the court had ordered Imran Khan to join the investigation and asked the investigation officer to guide the court on whether the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) is applicable to the former premier’s statement. “Do not confuse things, as a separate case of contempt of court is under trial against Imran Khan,” the chief justice said. At this, the special prosecutor informed the court that Khan appeared before the joint investigation team (JIT) to record his statement on Wednesday. Following the court’s directives, Abbasi read the transcript of Imran Khan’s “threatening” speech at the rally, contending that sections of ATA apply to the words used in the speech.
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Centre playing politics with grants release to KP, GB flood affectees ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbas
It seems the coalition government is “playing politics” with relief and rehabilitation process of flood victims as the centre is going to release relief grants to Sindh and Balochistan governments but not “willing” to issue the same to the PTIled KP and GB governments. According to reliable sources, the Ministry of Finance, as per the direction of central government, has initiated process for transfer of relief grants to the Sindh and Balochistan governments. Whereas in the case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, it would be disbursed to flood affectee through federal government’s departments like the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and administration of the affected districts in the province.
The finance division, sources informed, prepared the summary for transfer of Rs15 billion to Sindh and Rs10 billion to Balochistan in the head of flood grants announced by the prime minister. After release, the provinces could utilize the funds on its discretion for rehabilitation of the affected people. However, the grants for KP would not be transferred to the provincial government. Earlier Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced Rs10 billion grants for the flood-affected populace of KP as flood relief assistance. As per insiders, the center would also not transfer the announced flood grant of Rs3 billion to the PTI-led Gilgit-Baltistan government. But the amount would be distributed to flood affectees through NDMA or other federal departments in coordination with relevant district administrations. Earlier, the PM announced that the federal government had allocated an
amount of Rs28 billion, which was being disbursed to the affectees through NDMA and Benazir Income Support Programme. Every affected family would be given a cash amount of Rs25,000 whereas each family was entitled to Rs1 million that had lost its near or dear one in the floods. While announcing the flood relief grants for KP, the PM had announced that the funds would be spent on relief and rehabilitation of the flood-hit people of the province whereas the federal government, NDMA and the provincial administration, through close coordination, would ensure transparency and immediate disbursement in the affected areas. In GB, the PM had announced that an amount of Rs3 billion shall be allocated for rehabilitation and reconstruction in Gilgit-Baltistan. Besides an amount of Rs100 million would be allocated for development in village Bubur
in District Ghizer. Besides, Rs1 million each would be disbursed to the families of the deceased persons immediately
as ex-gratia compensation, as per approved policy. The amount would be recouped through NDMA.