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friday, 18 november, 2022 I 22 rabi us Sani, 1444 I rs 15.00 | Vol XIII no 138 I 12 pages I Islamabad edition
govT noT considering ‘major changes’ To army acT: Kh asif g
TERMS MEDIA HYPE OVER AMENDMENTS ‘UNCAllED-FOR’ ISLAMABAD
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EFENCE Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif Wednesday said that the government was not considering “major changes” to the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952. “Media hype over amendments to the Pakistan Army Act is uncalled for,” the defence minister stressed after a local daily reported that major changes would be made to the law. “Government is not considering any major changes in the said Act. SCP had demanded review of relevant clauses of PAA in its judgment in CP 39/2019, which shall be complied with in due course.” In a media report, it was al-
leged that the government seemed to be considering amending the army act to empower the appointing authority — the prime minister — to retain “any candidate through a simple notification, rather than having to go through a complex, constitutional process”. The report further mentioned that after some changes, the report will be laid down before the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of legislative Cases (CClC) after the Ministry of Defence’s nod last month. later, it will land before the parliament for legislation. The reports come as the army is all set to see a change of command, with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa all set to retire next month. The army chief is busy conducting
farewell visits nowadays. PMl-N — the major stakeholder in the ruling coalition — has decided that the senior-most
Establishment more powerful than civilian setup in Pakistan: Imran LAHORE News Desk
Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said the establishment exercises “absolute authority” in Pakistan compared to civilian setups, saying “things went wrong” for him after he Russia visit in February this year. Talking to a group of journalists at his residence in Zaman Park lahore on Thursday, Imran recalled the army chief wanted Pakistan to vote against Russian invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations but he was of the view that abstaining would be a better option, adding the army chief also informed him of American pressure in the matter. “I told him [army chief] that Pakistan should follow independent foreign policy.” The ex-premier, whose government was toppled in April this year via a no-confidence vote, said during his visit Russia had offered gas and oil supplies to Pakistan in addition to wheat at subsidised prices “which is what Pakistan was in need of to offset rising inflation”. Imran Khan also conceded he had differ-
ences with the establishment on the issue of then Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar and the anti-corruption drive. The PTI chief said the military wanted Aleem Khan to be appointed as the Punjab CM. Imran said he was aware about the “shady dealings” of the disgruntled PTI leader which is why he said he did not make him the provincial chief executive. The PTI chief also admitted that as prime minister he failed to achieve results from his anti-corruption campaign. He also criticised the military’s media wing for responding to his statement on the army chief’s appointment that he had made during his Faisalabad address, saying he had never given any statement against the army as an institution. He reiterated that they have stepped back from the issue of the army chief. “Those in the government are fighting like cats and dogs, so let them fight it out.” DefInInG MOMenT fOr pAKISTAn: The PTI chairperson warned that if Pakistan defaults, it will have to “compromise on its national security” the next time the government ap-
military official whose name will be at the top of the list sent to the prime minister would be appointed for the coveted slot.
proaches foreign lenders for aid. Recalling that the country’s default risk was a “mere 5pc” when he was in power earlier this year, Imran said the incumbent government has “devastated the economy”. He further said all steps being taken by the current government, including bringing changes to the Army Act, are to ensure that the incumbent leaders can safeguard their “looted wealth”. He further said that there was a chance that the current leaders would flee the country “once again” and they are “doing this all for themselves, not the country or its people”. Reiterating his call for free and fair elections, Imran maintained it was the only way forward for the country. “PTI won 70 per cent of the elections despite the fact that the establishment was supporting them,” said the former premier. He also claimed that the aim is to “eliminate Imran Khan”. The PTI chairperson also said this “was a defining moment” in the history of the country and “when the nation stands up, they are unstoppable”. ‘pTI wILL hOLD LArGeST eVer GATherInG In pInDI’: PTI Secretary General Asad Umar on Thursday said the party will hold the “largest ever” political gathering in Rawalpindi. He said the PTI will not be threatened or will bow down and its leaders will be “standing with its supporters” and not hide behind “bulletproof glass”.
What is the Toshakhana? Profit rePort The way it is talked about, you would think that the Toshakhana was a large vault in the basement of a bank filled with treasures of immeasurable value. That is, at least, what the literal definition of the word Toshakhan is — house of treasure. In the days of yore, the Toshakhana was indeed a physical building where great treasures were stored. Today, it is essentially a government department that works under the cabinet division and keeps tabs on presents given to Pakistani representatives by foreign diplomats and leaders. Established in 1974, Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division and stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats and officials by heads of other governments, states and foreign dignitaries as a goodwill gesture. It has valuables ranging from bulletproof cars, gold-plated souvenirs, expensive paintings to watches, ornaments, rugs and swords. The existence of the Toshakhana represents a very standard practice in global diplomacy. Whenever the leaders of two countries meet, it is customary to exchange gifts. In most democratic states, however, these gifts are considered the property of the state and received by individuals on behalf of the country. As a result, they are stored in either museums, vaults, state houses, or auctioned off. In Pakistan, the governance of the Toshakhan has historically been a bone of contention. Currently, former prime minister Imran Khan is deeply embroiled in accusations alleging there were irregularities in the Toshakhana during his time in office. The case has also resulted in his disqualification as an MNA by the election commission. He is not the only public office holder to have faced such criticism. Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gillani as well as former president Asif Ali Zardari have also had allegations of irregularities in their handling of the Toshakhana brought forth against them. How it works: The rules and regulations regarding the Toshakhana are outlined in the government document titled “Tosha Khana (Management and Regulation) Act 2022”. According to this document Tosha Khan is defined as the “repository” or “store” that serves the purpose of “maintaining, preserving and storing” the gifts received by public office holders. Essentially, when a public servant such as the prime minister or president go on a foreign trip, they may receive gifts over there. These gifts are collected and recorded by officials of the foreign ministry posted at the embassy of the country that the leader is visiting. The same process is followed for all ministers, diplomats, and military officials. This is where things get a little tricky. Public functionaries except the President and Prime Minister are prohibited from getting gifts for themselves or their families from foreign countries. If a gift is worth Rs 30,000 or less, then it can be retained by the receiver without any cost. Under the rules, it is mandatory that gifts of a value above this are deposited in Toshakhana. However, an official is also allowed to keep these gifts provided he pays a certain percentage of the price assessed by the Toshakhana evaluation committee. This committee consists of officials from the central bank, the FBR, and market experts. Before 2020, the president, prime minister, and a list of other officials could retain gifts by paying the Toshakhana 20% of their value but it was still compulsory to declare their receipt and submit them to the Toshakhana before paying the price as decided by the evaluation committee.
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Red-tapism sees imported oilseeds worth $400mn stuck at port Profit rePort Ghulam abbas
ISLAMABAD: Imported oilseeds critical to Pakistan’s food security worth hundreds of millions of dollars are currently stuck at Port Qasim in Karachi pending the issuance of a certificate from the ministry of climate change. OILSeeDS AnD GMOS Pakistan relies heavily on imported oilseeds to meet its caloric demands. ‘Oilseeds’ are seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils. In the broader sense, peanuts and soybeans can be considered oilseeds. Other examples include palm, canola, sunflower, and olives. The problem is, Pakistan does not have high quality oilseed plantations that are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are resistant to weather and other climate disasters such as floods. But since Pakistan has a huge demand for edible oil, GMO seeds are imported from foreign countries and sown in Pakistan. According to a report of the central bank, Pakistan’s palm and soy-
bean-related imports stood at US$ 4 billion in FY21, rising by 47 percent yearon-year, compared to compound average growth of 12.3 percent in the last 20 years. This is largely because Pakistan has been unable to develop its own GMO seeds and has to depend on imports. However, with shipments stuck at the port there may be a serious delay in the seeds getting to the market. The prOBLeM AT The pOrT According to a member of All Pakistan Solvent Extractors’ Association (APSEA), two shipments of the vital oilseeds have not been cleared since October 20th this year. A reliable source in the the Plant Protection Department (DPP) of the Ministry of Food Security and Research said the shipment had been stopped over the issuance of a certificate by the ministry of climate change. The requirement for a certificate from the climate change ministry had been introduced four years ago, and importers had applied for the certificates back then. Because GMOs and the introduction of seeds into agriculture falls under environmental protection and is a key element of the
country’s biosafety, the ministry of climate change is supposed to have oversight over such imports. However, issuance of the certificates fell prey to bureaucratic red-taping and an arrangement was made on a temporary basis to continue the import of oilseeds until the certificates could be issued. This year, however, it seems the ministry has decided to finally implement the requirement. The hold up, which has lasted nearly a month at this point, is bound to get worse since more vessels are on their way with similar GMO seeds which will also be stopped at Port Qasim. Currently, the two shipments at Port Qasim are worth $100 million while at least five more vessels with seeds worth $300 million more are on their way. It is worth noting that the seeds have already been paid for, which means the holdup will not affect the country exporting but will affect the supply of these seeds within Pakistan, and may eventually have an impact on oil prices. According to both the importers and industry associations, the requirement has never been implemented before, and that the application has
been submitted to the ministry for more than four years. “Stopping the consignment without prior notice or intimation are posting huge losses to the importers. “We are paying thousands of dollars as demurrages for the past 28 days. Neither the consignments are being released nor the certificate is being issued to resolve the issue,” he added. The acting Director General of DPP, Allah Ditta Abid, when contacted, claimed that the issuance of GMO was entirely a subject of the Ministry of Climate Change. The department only ensures fumigation of the consignment if the same is found infested. According to an official source, there was no policy framework for GMO certification by agricultural experts despite having proper rules and regulations to deal with the import of GM seeds. The cerTIfIcATIOn It may be mentioned here that despite having no provision for certification of GMOs in the Seed Act 1976 of Pakistan the multinational companies were being given exemptions for seed import in Pakistan Biosafety Rules 2005. He was critical of the government de-
partments and regulatory authorities, stating that national food security was one of the pillars of sovereignty for any country, but there was no proper risk assessment sector in Pakistan for the purpose except National Biosafety Committee. In March 2022, the DPP had also ordered re-shipment of soya seeds after, what the department claimed, the consignments being heavily infested. It was reported by Pakistan Today that a vessel ‘MV Yangze 6’ carrying 556,36 metric tons of soybeans worth Rs6 billion from Brazil was stopped at Karachi port after being found as heavily infested. As a result of quarantine inspection by DPP at Karachi’s port, the vessel was found heavily infested with aflatoxins, fungal diseases and live insect pests with bad smell. Meanwhile it was reported that for congestion at port the average container ship turnaround time (time to unload shipment, reload and leave port) in Pakistan was over 30 days. However, an official spokesman of Karachi Port Trust claimed that the information was not correct as container ships take a maximum 48 hours (two days) to turn around from Pakistan.