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Tuesday, 11 October, 2022 I 14 Rabi ul Awwal, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 102 I 12 Pages I ISLAMABAD Edition
Dr AlvI DIStAnceS from ImrAn KhAn’S ‘US conSPIrAcy’ theory g
SAyS COAS STATeMeNT OF NOT ALLOWING ANyONe DeSTABILISe SySTeM IS IN LINe WITH CONSTITuTION ISLAMABAD
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staff report
ReSIDeNT Dr Arif Alvi on Monday took an independent stance over national issues contrary to the stance adopted by his party chief and former prime minister Imran Khan, saying he was not an advocate of Imran Khan. “[The] COAS remarks that he won’t allow any country, force or group to destabilise pakistan are totally constitutional … The army is neutral and should remain so that what constitution says,” Alvi told in an interview aired on a private Tv channel. Asked his comments were contrary to the stance of Imran Khan who believes army should not remain neutral,
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DOeSN’T AGRee WITH KHAN’S vIeW THAT ARMy SHOuLDN’T Be NeuTRAL
Ali said, “I am not an advocate of Imran Khan. He himself should explain why he doesn’t want to see the Army as neutral”. He emphasised that the army’s role in the constitution is “clear”, maintaining that the army chief’s appointment would be made as per the constitution. “It would be better if the name [of new army chief] is suggested after consultations,” he said backing the idea of holding extensive consultations in order to arrive a consensus. Alvi has been constantly backing the idea of grand dialogue between the political parties as he believes issues can be resolved through dialogue. NOT CONVINCED Of US CONSPIRACy ThEORy: President Arif Alvi also raised his suspicions regarding PTI’s alleged uS
conspiracy and called for an investigation in to the matter as he wasn’t “convinced” of the theory. “The letter [foreign cypher] has been sent to Chief Justice of Pakistan umar Ata Bandial and an investigation should be made into these allegations,” Alvi said. PTI Chairman Imran Khan had brandished a “threat letter”, which was the cypher, on March 27 at a public gathering before his ouster, claiming that his government had been threatened by the uS and the then-opposition was involved in the conspiracy – a claim rejected by the government as well as the united States. Commenting on the former prime minister, the president said Khan became frustrated after PTI’s ouster in April, asserting that Imran Khan
should be held answerable for his current statements. “It was Khan’s decision to boycott the assembly proceeding […] had he asked me, I would have suggested something else,” Alvi said. Alvi cited two major issues at hand,
including the economic crisis and general elections, while endorsing the idea of a dialogue among all stakeholders. The president clarified that he wasn’t a “broker”; however, would still want the leaders to reach a consensus on the dwindling economy.
Saving $6 bln on fuel imports, Thar Coal Project to be a game-changer: PM
THAR staff report
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said amid skyrocketing fuel prices, the inexpensive energy production from Thar Coal Mines Project would prove to be a game-changer of development for the entire country. The Thar Coal Project, he said could help the government save up to $ 6 billion as the expenditure on the import of energy including petrol and liquid petroleum touched $24 billion. Addressing the inauguration of commercial operations of Phase-II of Sindh engro Coal Mining Company (SeCMC) during his visit to Thar Coal Mines Block-II, he said the Thar Coal Project was high on the agenda for the government in view of reduced cost of power generation. The prime minister on the occasion inaugurated a 330 MW Power Plant of Thar energy Limited (TeL) and also inspected the construction site of SeCMC Mine Phase-II at Islamkot. Shebaz Sharif said not benefiting from the country’s indigenous coal reserves was a huge mistake and announced to convene a meeting of stakeholders on Thar Coal mines next week to discuss the formalities. He said the federal government, in collaboration with the Sindh government, would chalk out a policy framework on the Thar Coal mines project, with an objective to connect it with other
coal-powered power plants in the country, producing 4,000 megawatts. He mentioned the international cost of coal had come down from $67 to $44 and had prospects of further reduction up to $ 30. The coalpowered plants, he said would prove to be a feasible operation for electricity production at the rate of Rs 10 per unit. The prime minister said Thar Coal project would save the country’s foreign exchange and help thrive the national economy. On March 2023, he said the Thar Coal Mines Project would be connected through a freight rail track for the transportation of coal to other parts of the country. He lauded the Sindh government, Hubco, the Government of China, and the Chinese companies for training the local professionals and workers, and also appreciated the women working in the field including at water plants and dumping trucks. He expressed satisfaction that Thar was undergoing fast development after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto first visited the area in 1996 and envisioned a prosperity plan for the locals. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Thar, once used to be known for malnutrition, and infant and maternal mortality rate, had now emerged as a game-changer and a public-partnership model of development. He mentioned that the Thar Coal
Mines project had contributed to the provision of job opportunities to the local people of Thar, thus improving their lifestyles. He said under public-partnership projects, the barren desert of Thar was now witnessing crop irrigation and fish breeding even with the use of hard water. Bilawal stressed for replicating collaborative projects in other parts of the country and expressed confidence that the prime minister, with his inspiring ‘Shehbaz Speed’ , would materialize the development plans at a fast pace. Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said the Sindh government allocated 40 percent equity along with 60 percent contributed by Sindh engro in the public-private partnership on Thar Coal mines project. He regretted that had the work on Thar coal not stalled since its first mining of reserves in 1991, the project would have produced 10,000 megawatts. He termed Sindh province as the ‘energy basket of Pakistan’, with immense potential of natural energy resources, including solar and wind energy. Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong congratulated the Government of Pakistan on the successful completion of the project and lauded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his “consistent devotion and firm support” in strengthening Pakistan-China cooperation including in CPeC projects. He hoped that the new power bloc would help overcome energy shortage, and provide reliable and affordable electricity. The envoy thanked the Pakistan Army for providing foolproof security to the Chinese professionals working in the country. As an ‘Iron Brother’, he said China would be happy to continue assisting Pakistan to help it achieve prosperity. Chairman Hub Power Company Limited (Hubco) Habibullah Khan said Hubco continued to be Pakistan’s largest Independent Power Producer and contributed $uS 5 billion to the country in four CPeC projects. He said Hubco’s investment in the production of the cheapest power was significant for ensuring long-term energy security in the country.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday warned Shehbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah that these thieves and their handlers should listen, as ‘a sea of people’ would march on Islamabad, which they would not stop come what may. Speaking at PTI workers’ convention here, Imran Khan said that he was planning and preparing his workers for the historic long march very carefully because they were doing jihad not political to liberate the country from these thieves. “I know the planning of Rana Sanaullah and Shehbaz but they don’t know about my game plan,” he added. “They can plan whatever they want, the sea of people will be unstoppable” he vowed. “Allah has put love for PTI in the people of Pakistan. That’s why they come to our public rallies. When you do protests, it is the duty of the party workers to bring people out of their homes,” he stated. “The more cowardly the person is, the more oppressor he becomes. PDM did long marches four times during my tenure. Once Mariam tried but it finished on her way at GT Road; Secondly, Bilawal came with his party and there were no containers or FIR lodged against his party workers; Fazl ur Rehman did twice,” he added. He went on to say that his party has no fear of anything because the public is with them and the PDM fears us. “Whenever I take a decision to march against them, their legs started shivering,” he added. He went on to say that phones were being tapped everywhere due to which he did not disclose his planning to anyone, adding that they even tried to buy loyalty of his servants. PTI Chairman further said that the work of the agencies was not tap the phone or to intimidate, as people of social media were being threatened, adding that the nation would not accept these bandits at any cost. Lashing out at Ishaq Dar, Imran Khan said that he escaped the country in the Prime Minister’s plane and returned again to the country in the PM’s plane. “We did not bring the Panama Papers, we were not in the government at that time and Nawaz Sharif and Maryam were not even arrested until the trial was completed,” Imran Khan stated. PTI Chairman said that Nawaz and Maryam were complaining of great injustice as if the judiciary did wrong cases against them, adding that they were blaming the judiciary and the establishment, but they could not give the money trail of their London flats till date. He said that after Maryam’s acquittal, now Asif Ali Zardari would be also be acquitted, because these thieves made person specific amendments in the NAB to save the skin of Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan and many others. “If this system works in this fashion, then your children will have no future in the country, as the nations will be destroyed if the big robbers are not caught,” he added.
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People set to take on Sharifs, their handlers: Imran Khan RAWALPINDI staff report