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ONly ‘laW-abidiNg’ PTi leadeRS TO CONTeST eleCTiONS: PM KaKaR
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Tuesday, 10 October, 2023 I 23 Rabi ul Awwal, 1445
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SAYS PTI’S STATUS AS A POLITICAL PARTY REMAINS INTACT ISLAMABAD
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CLARIFIES CARETAKER GOVERNMENT HAS NO BIAS TOWARDS ANY POLITICAL PARTY
STAFF REPORT
ARETAKER Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Monday said that only “lawabiding” Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI) leaders would be allowed to participate in the upcoming general elections. During an informal conversation with senior journalists in Islamabad, the caretaker PM affirmed that PTI’s status as a political party remained intact. Reiterating his government’s nonpartisan stance, the PM reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining a neutral policy, refusing to extend support to any political party during the elections or endorse institutional interference in any party’s favour. Addressing his role as prime minister in the media, the PM expressed surprise at the attention given to his statements and interviews, which often created the impression that he intended to remain in the PM house indefinitely. He clarified that his tenure as caretaker PM would conclude in the next three months and cautioned against interpreting his remarks as having far-reaching implications in national politics.
However, the PM noted that he never felt compelled to issue clarifications for his statements. In a lighthearted manner, he quipped that he was not a despot (Mughal emperor), who would issue decrees forbidding political parties from participating. He emphasised that the caretaker government had no bias towards any political party and would not permit institutional interference in anyone’s favour. Regarding the deadline for unregis-
Parliament shouldn’t be hampered from doing good just because it lacks two thirdsmajority, CJP remarks ISLAMABAD
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Monday remarked that Parliament should not be hampered from doing good just because it lacked the two-thirds majority required for passing a constitutional amendment. He made the remarks as a full court resumed hearing a set of petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 — which requires the formation of benches on constitutional matters of public importance by a committee of three senior judges of the court. The full court has resumed hearing a set of petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 which requires the formation of benches on constitutional matters of public importance by a committee of three senior judges of the court. In keeping with the court’s directives, the hearing is being streamed live on television. Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, the bench consists Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Musarrat Hilali. In a pre-emptive move, the Supreme Court then led by former CJP Umar Ata Bandial in April had barred the government from implementing the bill seeking to curtail the chief justice of Pakistan’s powers once it became a law. At the previous hearing, CJP Isa had questioned the many legal challenges to parliament’s legislative authority, saying there had been much nit-picking over laws enacted by assemblies, but in the face of martial laws imposed in the country, there was always a complete surrender. “We pick errors whenever parliament made a law, but surrender ourselves completely when martial laws were imposed in the country,” Justice Isa said. At the outset of Monday’s hearing, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Abid Zuberi said that Article 175(2) and Article 191 had been quoted in the Act. He read out Article 191 which states: “Subject to the Constitution and law, the Supreme Court may make rules regulating the practice and procedure of the Court”.
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tered immigrants to leave the country, the interim PM clarified that only Afghan refugees who were not registered would be evacuated from the country. Meanwhile, in an interview with a private television channel, PM Kakar rubbished the notions of his government favouring the PML-N and said usually the political parties attracted their voters through such impressions. Ruling out any threat to PTI chief’s life in jail, the prime minister said the
caretaker government would ensure the provision of facilities to him as per his entitlement. To a question, the prime minister said there was no formal requirement for the caretaker government’s consultation with the president for the electoral process. However, the government would surely respond whenever they got any queries from the president as they maintained respectful relationship. About his US visit, the prime minister said it was necessary to reiterate Pakistan’s position on certain issues at the UN General Assembly as the continuity of state affairs could not be suspended. About the expulsion of illegal foreign nationals, PM Kakar said that Pakistan hosted around 1.8 million registered foreign nationals and they were not being expelled. However, he added that the action was being taken against those without any legal documents or those who had got obtained fake identity documents. He further explained that the unregistered people were not included in the government database, leaving authorities without reliable information to ascertain whether they were legitimately engaged in businesses or potentially involved in illicit activities.
PM Kakar prepares for China visit amidst supposed slowdown in CPEC expansion
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PAK-CHINA LIKELY TO SIGN $6.67 BILLION WORTH AGREEMENT ON ML-1 RAILWAY PROJECT DURING PM KAKAR’S UPCOMING ‘VVIP’ VISIT TO CHINA PROFIT
AHMAD AHMADANI
A major signing is expected with regards to projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) when Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar visits China later this month. The expected signing worth billions of dollars comes at a time when concerns have been raised regarding progress on CPEC projects and in particular hindrances faced by China in the course of its investments in Pakistan. It had been reported last month that Pakistan and China have encountered chal-
lenges in expanding their cooperation within CPEC particularly in the areas of energy, water management, and climate change, as highlighted by the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting. The reports, which were strongly refuted by the Pakistan government, said that China showed reluctance to endorse numerous proposals put forth by Pakistan in areas such as energy, water management, climate change, and tourism in regions including Giglit-Baltistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and coastal areas. This resulted in disparities
between the initial draft presented to Beijing and the final signed minutes. China notably excluded cross-border tourism cooperation in GB, KP, and AJK and collaboration to promote coastal tourism from the finalized minutes. It rejected Pakistan’s suggestion to incorporate Water Resources Management, Climate Change, and Urban Infrastructure Development within the CPEC framework and dismissed the proposal for a joint working group on water resources management and climate change.
Pakistan dispatches relief goods to earthquake-hit Afghanistan KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan on Monday said it is dispatching the first consignment of relief goods for the victims of Saturday’s massive earthquakes in northwestern Afghanistan. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said that Islamabad is immediately sending a medical team, field hospital, 50 tents, and 500 blankets to the earthquake-hit region on the “specific request” of the interim Afghan government. “On my instructions – in addition to the relief goods – all the requested items are being dispatched in the afternoon today (Monday), with more relief goods to follow,” Kakar said in a post on X. “Deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake
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in Herat, Afghanistan. Our hearts go out to the affected communities,” he further said, adding that Islamabad stands “in solidarity with the Afghans during this difficult time.” Kakar said he instructed the Pakistani disaster authority to send “maximum” support to the affected people. The death toll from Saturday’s massive earthquakes in Afghanistan has shot up to over 2,500, said Taliban police. According to the US Geological Survey, strong earthquakes of magnitude 6.3, 5.9, and 5.5 jolted the northwestern Herat and Badghis provinces. It said the epicentre was 40 kilometres (24.8 miles) northwest of Herat city. Afghanistan is frequently struck by tremors, mainly the Hindukush mountain range, which sits near the confluence of Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
IN TODAY’S ISSUE
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Slashed by Rs 41? No change at all? What could happen going into this week’s fortnightly fuel pricing decision g
FUEL PRICES ARE SET TO BE ASSESSED IN COMING DAYS. AND WHILE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IS POSSIBLE, IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS PROFIT
DANIYAL AHMAD
As the clock strikes twelve on Sunday night, Pakistanis will be eagerly awaiting the government’s announcement on the fuel prices for the next fortnight. The anticipation is high, as rumours of a significant price cut have been swirling in the media for the past week. Speculations are rife, with some reports daring to suggest that the government might wield the axe on petrol and diesel prices, slashing them by a staggering Rs 38 to Rs 41 per litre. However, as dawn broke on Monday, the global oil market staged a comeback from last week’s slump, pouring cold water on our hopes of significant relief. On a brighter note, the Pakistani rupee has flexed its muscles against the US dollar, offering a glimmer of hope for a potential downward revision. So, what can we anticipate from this week’s verdict? Primarily, it’s crucial to underscore that all conjectures about potential price reductions are provisional at best. The final prices of petrol and diesel hinge on two key components: the ex-refinery price and the Inland Freight Equalisation Margin (IFEM), both of which are computed using moving averages that are settled on the day of the price decision itself — a fortnight after the preceding one. “It’s premature to make any assertions; the fortnight is still being priced out,” remarks Omar Shafqaat, Chief Operating Officer at Taj Gasoline. Echoing this sentiment, Hassan Tahir, CEO of Hi-Tech Lubricants, adds, “There’s still a window before the final pricing of both products is determined. It’s impossible to forecast whether the Government will hike or slash the price of the products. However, given the current global crude prices and the status of the Pakistani Rupee, the trend appears to be bearish.” As a result, any circulating predictions of price increases or decreases are merely speculative and far from conclusive. However, this doesn’t preclude us from indulging in a bit of speculation. Last week’s most frequently cited estimates were price cuts of Rs 38 to Rs 41 for petrol and Rs 18 to Rs 19 for diesel. Based on our preliminary analysis, we estimate that petrol and diesel could both see reductions around Rs 32. However, Profit also advises caution as there could be no reduction at all if the government opts to enforce sales tax on these two products’ prices. Before we delve into how we arrived at our tentative price reductions, let’s first understand how the pricing mechanism for these two commodities operates. PRICING A LITRE OF FUEL: Fuel pricing in Pakistan is composed of six key elements: the exrefinery price, the Inland Freight Equalisation Margin (IFEM), distributor margin, dealer’s commission, the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL), and sales tax. Firstly, the ex-refinery price is set by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) rather than the refineries themselves. This is the charge local refineries impose on Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for their product. The price is calculated using the import parity price formula, which takes into account various refinery expenses. The retail prices of petrol and diesel are Rs 323 and Rs 318 respectively, but their exrefinery prices are actually Rs 243 and Rs 253.
Israel imposes ‘total blockade’ on Gaza as aircraft continue to pound enclave CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
TEL AVIV
AGENCIES
Israel imposed a “total blockade” on the Gaza Strip on Monday with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stating that all supplies of electricity, water, food, fuel and other goods would be stopped as Israeli troops battled to clear out Hamas fighters from southern settlements. The Israeli army further said it would soon go on the offensive after the biggest mobilisation in Israeli history. Fighting raged at several locations inside Israel on Monday where the fighters were still holed up following a raid that shattered Israel’s reputation of invincibility. The Israeli military said it struck hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip overnight and had sent four combat divisions south where it continued to battle Palestinian fighters two days after a bloody incursion. The Palestinian health ministry said at least 493 people including scores of children
have been killed by Israeli bombing and more than 2751 have been injured till now. Fears of ground invasion are growing as Israel is escalating measures against the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to a “total blockade” including a ban on the supply of food and fuel to war-ravaged Palestinians in the resource-strapped Arab country. Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on Monday described the move as part of a battle against the Palestinian group as Israel’s troops were still battling on Monday to clear out Hamas gunmen more than two days after they burst across the fence from Gaza on a deadly rampage, and the army said it would soon go on the offensive after the biggest mobilisation in Israeli history. METICULOUS DECEPTION: Hamas executed a meticulous two-year campaign of deception that caught Israel off guard during a devastating attack, marking the worst breach in Israel’s defences since 1973. The group concealed its military intentions while presenting an image of economic
focus. They trained openly, mocked military preparations, and showed restraint in prior operations, lulling Israel into complacency. Israel shifted its focus away from Hamas, failing to detect their plan. Hamas avoided leaks and executed a multifaceted attack, exploiting Israeli weaknesses. The consequences led Israel to vow the destruction of Hamas, emphasising the need to address the threat posed by the group. A military spokesperson said fighting was ongoing at seven or eight locations near Gaza two days after fighters from Hamas killed 700 Israelis and abducted dozens more in the deadliest raid into Israeli territory since Egypt and Syria’s attacks in the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago. Hamas fighters also continued to cross into Israel from Gaza, the spokesman said. Fighter jets, helicopters and artillery struck over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip overnight, with targets including Hamas and Islamic Jihad command centres and the residence of senior
Hamas official Ruhi Mashtaa who allegedly helped direct the infiltration into Israel. Medics in Gaza said at least seven Palestinians were killed in two Israeli air strikes on two houses. Israeli planes carried out dozens of air strikes, many in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli air strikes on Sunday hit housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in Gaza. “The price the Gaza Strip will pay will be a very heavy one that will change reality for generations,” said Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in the town of Ofakim, which suffered casualties and had hostages taken. Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said the country had called in around 100,000 soldiers. “Our job is to make sure that at the end of this war, Hamas will no longer have any military capabilities to threaten Israeli civilians with, and in addition to that we also need to make sure Hamas will not govern the Gaza Strip,” he said.
Oil prices were up more than $3 a barrel in Asian trade on Monday as the violence deepened political uncertainty across the Middle East and raised concerns about supplies from Iran. Iran is an ally of Hamas and while it congratulated Hamas on the attack, its mission to the United Nations said Tehran was not involved in the attacks. Any sustained rally in oil prices would act as a tax on consumers and add to global inflationary pressures, which weighed on equities as S&P 500 futures shed 0.7% and Nasdaq futures lost 0.6%. Several international air carriers have suspended flight services with Tel Aviv in light of the Hamas attack, saying they are waiting for conditions to improve before resuming. Beyond blockaded Gaza, Israeli forces and Lebanon’s Hezbollah exchanged artillery and rocket fire on Sunday, while in Egypt, two Israeli tourists were shot dead along with a guide.
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