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PAKISTAN, CHINA RESOLVE TO CEMENT TIES, ROBUSTLY IMPLEMENT CPEC PROJECTS Sunday, 7 May, 2023 I 16 Shawwal, 1444
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ISLAMABAD
MIAN ABRAR
AKISTAN and China Saturday here reaffirmed resolve to further strengthen their timetested and All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership through continued close consultations at the leadership level, enhanced practical cooperation and robust implementation of the CPEC projects. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Qin Gang made the commitment during the 4th round of the Foreign Minister level Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue co-chaired by them. The Chinese foreign minister was on his first official visit to Pakistan from 5 to 6 May. During the dialogue, the entire range of bilateral relations and cooperation, including in political, strategic, economic, defence, security, education and cultural domains was reviewed. Regional and global issues of mutual interest were also discussed. The Foreign Minister of Pakistan congratulated the Chinese leadership on the successful holding of the ‘Two Sessions’. He wished China’s people and the new leadership greater success in building a strong, prosperous and modern socialist country. He also expressed his resolve to work together with State Councilor Qin Gang to further fortify the Pakistan-China relationship. Recalling the consensus reached between the leadership of the two countries during the visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Beijing in November
2022, the two sides agreed to further strengthen Pakistan-China strategic relations amidst profound regional and international changes. The ministers expressed satisfaction at the growing mo-
mentum in high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China while reaffirming the need for convening important bilateral sectoral engagements. The ministers underlined that Pak-
Rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 307 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
istan-China friendship was a historic reality and a conscious choice of the two nations. As ‘All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners’, Pakistan and China enjoy complete mutual trust, and their iron-clad friendship enjoys complete consensus in both countries. Both sides agreed on continuing their enduring support on issues concerning each other’s core national interests. Reaffirming Pakistan’s special place in China’s neighbourhood diplomacy, the Chinese side reiterated its firm support for Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as its unity, stability, and economic prosperity. The Pakistani side reiterated its commitment to the “One China” policy as well as its firm support to China on all core issues of its national interest, including Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and the South China Sea.
Pakistan and Afghanistan pledge to strengthen bilateral trade ties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan recently held a high-level meeting to strengthen their bilateral trade ties. The meeting, which was co-chaired by Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, and his Afghan counterpart, Haji Nooruddin Azizi, saw the participation of senior officials from various ministries of both countries. As per officials the meeting involved detailed discussions on several important aspects, including customs cooperation, border management, bilateral trade, reduction of tariffs, and issues related to the pharmaceutical and meat industry. Both sides expressed their commitment to strengthen their trade ties and address the challenges they face in their trade relationship. The ministers emphasized the significance of smooth customs processes and efficient border management to facilitate trade and enhance economic cooperation. They also highlighted the need to streamline and simplify trade procedures, aiming to reduce bottlenecks and ensure a conducive environment for bilateral trade. GHULAM ABBAS
Charles crowned king at first UK coronation since 1953
Current expenditures cross annual budgeted estimation within nine months g
SHORTFALL IN REVENUE COLLECTION REACHES RS 278BN, IN SAME PERIOD PROFIT
ISLAMABAD
Despite revising the revenue targets, conducting austerity drives and not providing funds for provincial elections, the federal government’s current expenditures have crossed the annual budgeted estimation of Rs 8.709 trillion in nine months. The Fiscal Operations Report (July-March) issued by the Ministry of finance states that the total expenditures of the government has reached close to Rs 10 trillion in nine months. As per the report, the government has spent Rs 9.244 trillion for the current year against the total estimate of Rs 8.709 trillion. Out of total government spending, the government has consumed Rs 3,582 billion for only mark-up payments. These payments include Rs 3,108 billion on domestic debt and Rs 474 billion on external debt.
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ISLAMABAD
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LONDON AFP
Charles III on Saturday finally met his date with destiny after a lifetime as heir to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, as he was officially crowned king in the first coronation in Britain since 1953.
At 12:02 pm exactly (1102 GMT), the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head as a sacred and ancient symbol of the monarch’s authority. Cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey and trumpet fanfares sounded at the climax of the solemn religious confirmation of his accession. Outside, ceremonial gun salutes blasted out across land and sea while bells pealed in celebration at churches across the country. The build-up to the Christian ceremony of prayer and praise — steeped in 1,000 years of British history and tradition, with sumptuous robes and priceless re-
STAFF REPORT
galia — has been mostly celebratory. But even before Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, left Buckingham Palace for a rainy procession to the abbey, police arrested dozens of protesters using new powers rushed onto the statute book to crack down on direct action groups. The anti-monarchy movement Republic — which wants an elected head of state — said six of its organisers were detained, while climate activists Just Stop Oil said 19 of its number were held. Nevertheless, dozens of Republic activists held aloft banners on the route of the procession route, declaring: “Not My King.”
The federal government on Saturday requested the Supreme Court to form a full court to hear petitions challenging Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023. On March 28, parliament passed the bill, aimed at curtailing the unbridled powers of the chief justice. The bill restricts the chief justice’s powers to take suo motu notices as well to constitute benches on his own. Instead, it stipulates that these powers will be vested in a three-member committee, comprising the chief justice and two-senior most judges. However, President Arif Alvi returned the bill back to parliament on April 8, without giving his assent. Subsequently, the lawmakers passed the bill again on April 10 and resent it to the president. As per the country’s law, the president has 10 days to give his assent to the bill. However, even if the president does not give his assent, the bill will automatically become a law and take effect after that period, which in this case was April 20.
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Rs100b theft: PM unhappy with ‘inaction’ against corrupt DISCO officers ISLAMABAD
AHMAD AHMADANI
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is reportedly disappointed with ‘inaction’ against corrupt officers of power distribution companies (DISCOs), allegedly responsible for power theft and line losses worth Rs100 billion per annum. According to sources in the power sector, the Prime Minister had earlier issued a directive in October 2022 to tackle the issue of power theft/line losses and implement the measures proposed by the Power Division. However, the non-implementation of his directive has left the Prime Minister deeply
disappointed, and he has sought a report on implementation of his directive. Failure of the Power Division to submit list of the corrupt officers has not only impeded the progress on reforms in the power sector but has also raised serious concerns about “patronage of corrupt practices” within the sector, sources added. Sources also said that the federal cabinet in October 2022 had also taken note of the presentation by power division on power theft/line losses and proposed measures to curtail the same. The cabinet had directed the sponsoring division to present a complete picture of requirement of manpower, along
with a transparent mechanism for recruitment in the next meeting. They said that the Power Division was asked to prepare a list of corrupt officers posted in power distribution companies (DISCOs) based on an objective criterion. They said the cabinet had also constituted a nine-member committee under the Minister of Defence (Convener) to examine measures to curtail theft and line losses by Rs100 billion per annum, besides other stepwise power sector reforms, such as running DISCOs on PPP (public-private partnership) mode, and directed to submit recommendations to the cabinet within two weeks.
The committee constituted by the cabinet was comprised of Minister for Defence (Convener), Minister for Power, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety, Minister for Housing & Works, Minister for Science & Technology, Advisor to Prime Minister on Political & Public Affairs, Secretary Power Division and any other member(s) the committee wishes to co-opt, said sources. Recently, the Cabinet Division has also issued an Office Memorandum on May 4, asking for the latest progress on the implementation status of the un-implemented cabinet decision regarding power theft/line losses
worth of Rs100 billion per year which will be submitted to the federal cabinet, they added. “Updated report on the prescribed performa on the implementation status/current progress of the above-mentioned decision duly signed by an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary, may kindly be furnished to this Division, immediately for submitting a report to the federal cabinet”, say official documents, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today/Profit. It is pertinent to mention that the failure to take action against corrupt DISCO officers has become a cause for concern, and it is yet to be seen how the situation will unfold.