Issuu

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021 I 7 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 292 I 12 Pages I Lahore Edition

PM says govt, tLP have saMe objective but different aPProaches g

Imran to lead campaign against Islamophobia, blasphemous caricatures

NewS DeSk

RIMe Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the government and Tehreeke-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have the same objective of upholding sanctity of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) but the approach differs. Addressing the nation on television and radio on Monday, the prime minister said that a collective strategy by Muslim Ummah will have an effect on the west to prevent the incidents of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). The prime minister said when 50 heads of Muslim countries declare that they would boycott trade with the west if any incident of blasphemy occurs, it would have an impact. He said that he himself will lead the campaign and will not disappoint the nation as well as Muslims of the world in this regard. expressing confidence, he said, “We will succeed in our mission to convince the western world that any disrespect to our Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the name of free-

dom of expression causes pain to Muslims.” Imran said that he has been raising voice against Islamophobia at international forums including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Commission and the UN human rights organisations. He said that after the blasphemous incident in France, he wrote letters to the heads of states of Muslim countries, urging them to launch a collective campaign against Islamophobia. In addition, he said, he also wrote a letter to the Facebook CeO Mark Zuckerberg to keep a check on blasphemous content on the social media platform. The prime minister said that the objective of the government and the banned Tehreeke-Labbaik Pakistan to uphold sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is the same; however, there is a difference in approach. He said that expulsion of the French ambassador, as demanded by the TLP, will not cause any damage to France, but rather badly affect Pakistan in many ways, particularly economy. The prime minister also said severing ties with France will damage Pakistan’s relations with european Union (eU) which will also damage the country’s economy and export. He said, “We need to be united at this point when the country is on the positive trajectory of economic growth with increase in exports, large scale manufacturing and job opportunities, stability in rupee value and wealth creation.” The prime minister said that his government and the TLP had been in contact for over two months to resolve this issue, however, when they started mobilising their workers for a march toward Islamabad, the talks discontinued.

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Oxygen capacity for Covid-19 patients under stress, says minister g

Health minister says Pakistan would have 17 million vaccine jabs by June ISLAMABAD stAff RepoRt

As the average number of new coronavirus infections reported each day has risen by more than 1,000 over the last 3 weeks, or 18 percent of the previous peak, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said nationwide oxygen supplies are now under stress. His statement comes as the government portal registered 5,152 new infections of the coronavirus after conducting 60,162 tests, receiving back a transmission rate of 8.56 per cent. “Hospital fill up continuing to grow. Critical care patients now above 4,500, which is 30 per cent higher than peak in June last year,” the minister said in a series of tweets. “Oxygen supply capacity in the country is now under stress,” he said, adding the compliance with the government-devised health guidelines remains low. “We are making a huge mistake by not following SOPs,” Asad warned. The number of people who have recovered from the contagion disease in Pakistan has reached 662,845 after 3,362 more recoveries were reported in the country during the last 24 hours. There are 82,276 active cases in the country while the recovery rate is 87.1 per cent, data released by the Ministry of National Health Services (MoNHS) showed. Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with almost 140 million confirmed cases and 3 million deaths across nearly 200 countries. The global daily caseload has increased to 750,000 infections and deaths to 13,000, the minister observed. “Our neighborhood [is] in severe crises. Daily deaths in Iran [are] more than 300 and more than 1600 in India,” he said. Daily Covid-19 cases in India jumped a record 273,810 on Monday. Deaths rose a record 1,619 to 178,769. Hospitals in the country are struggling

with a shortage of beds, oxygen, and key medicines as infections pass the 15 million mark, second only to the United States. Fewer than 100 critical care beds were available in the city of New Delhi, with a population of more than 20 million people, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday, as social media was flooded with complaints. VACCINATION: The government launched the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination for the general public, starting with older people, in March. The drive began with a focus on the oldest people in the community, generally over the age of 80. Minister of State for Health Dr Faisal Sultan announced that by the end of June, the government would have a stock of 17 million coronavirus vaccine jabs but stopped short of identifying the producer. “The challenge [for the government] is to deploy and use them. The number of people who have registered is in the hundreds of thousands, not millions, yet we need to vaccinate 40 to 50 million by the end of this year,” he said in an interview.

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fiqah-e-hanfia

lahore sehr: 4:03 aM iftar: 6:36 PM

islaMabad sehr: 4:03 aM iftar: 6:46 PM

karachi sehr: 4:45 aM iftar: 6:57 PM

fiqah-e-jafaria lahore sehr: 3:53 aM iftar: 6:46 PM

islaMabad sehr: 3:53 aM iftar: 6:56 PM

karachi sehr: 4:35 aM iftar: 7:07 PM

tensions ease as govt hoLds two successfuL rounds of taLks with tLP LeadershiP ISLAMABAD Akif RAshid

Tensions started to ease out on Monday as the dialogue between the Punjab government and banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) made headway as the delegations of both the sides met in Lahore to resolve the tiff over demands to deport French ambassador. Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry took to social media site, Twitter, to announce that after first successful round of talks between the two sides, the second round of talks between the banned TLP and the Punjab government has come to an end some time ago.

He said that Law Minister Raja Basharat represented the Punjab government in talks. Fawad said that the third round of talks would be held at 10 pm with the participation of Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed and Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri. Informed sources told Pakistan Today that during the first round of talks, Punjab government delegation led by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and Law Minister Basharat called on a five-member TLP delegation at a neutral place near Babu Sabu interchange in Lahore.

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Tuesday, 20 april, 2021

lahore

news

US INvItES PAkIStAN to clIMAtE chANgE SUMMIt ISLAMABAD

MIAN AbRAR

N a major breakthrough, the United States on Monday invited Pakistan to attend President Joe Biden’s Climate Change Conference after initially excluding it from the list of attendees. Following Pakistan's initial exclusion from the summit, Prime Minister Imran Khan had responded by saying he was “puzzled at the cacophony". “[Pakistani] government's environmental policies are driven solely by our commitment

US OFFICIAL JOHN KERRY INVITES MALIK AMIN ASLAM TO CLIMATE SUMMIT to our future generations of a clean and green Pakistan to mitigate the impact of climate change,” explained the PM. The prime minister had said that this commitment led to initiatives such as Green Pakistan, 10 billion Tree Tsunami, naturebased solutions, cleaning up our rivers. The omission of Pakistan from the list of

PM Imran to visit Saudi Arabia near Eid, says Saudi envoy ISLAMABAD: Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Saeed AlMaliki on Monday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will soon be visiting Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and hold meetings with top Saudi officials. The ambassador said that the prime minister will undertake an official visit to Saudi Arabia before or immediately after Eidul Fitr and meet the Saudi monarch. He will also hold meetings with other top Saudi officials, he added. It merits mention that Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry had also said in a weekly press briefing on Friday that the Saudi crown prince held a telephonic conversation. Chaudhry said that the Saudi crown prince also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Imran to visit Saudi Arabia. He said that the premier had accepted the crown prince’s invitation to visit Saudi Arabia. During the conversation, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) had expressed a partnering interest in the Billion Tree Tsunami project as the two states’ heads discussed environmental protection bids. The crown prince had also enquired about the health of PM Imran and pledged to work in coordinated efforts towards the shared goal of protecting the environment, confirmed Special Assistant to PM on Environment and Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam. The two country leaders further discussed the regional matters and furthering of bilateral projects both present and prospected. On the other hand, the federal government has taken action against Pakistani diplomats stationed in Saudi Arabia over complaints by Pakistani expats and recalled its diplomats from Saudi Arabia. According to the details, the government took strict action after receiving complaints against Pakistani diplomats stationed in Saudi Arabia. In this regard, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the diplomats have been repatriated after complaints from Pakistani nationals residing in Saudi Arabia. He said that the under-question Pakistani officials in Dubai, United Arab Emirates have been recalled. The foreign minister announced that if complaints are received from any other country, the diplomats will be repatriated. MIAN AbRAR

invitees to the conference had raised concerns as the country is among those most vulnerable to climate change. As per the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, issued by German Watch, a non-profit organisation, Pakistan is the fifth-most vulnerable country to climate change. However, after a few weeks, US Special Presidential Envoy for

Climate John Kerry penned a letter to the Federal Minister and Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam. The special envoy invited Aslam on behalf of the US president to express his views on climate change during the summit. "The meeting aims to find ways to strengthen joint global efforts against the climate crisis," the letter from the US official to Aslam said. "At the summit, the United States will set a 2030 target for the Paris Agreement," the letter said, adding: "The heads of the countries most affected by

Priorities in budget to be shared with media soon: Tarin ISLAMABAD tLtP

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has announced that the process to prepare the federal budget for the next fiscal year 2021-22 has begun. Tarin made these remarks after assuming charge of the Finance Ministry on Monday. “I have received briefings from the finance ministry on budget and we will be including various projects in it needed for the improvement of the economy,” Tarin said, adding that soon he would share his priorities in the budget with the media. The finance minister said that it was his first day in the Finance Ministry after 11 years and he took briefings on the working of the ministry for two hours. Earlier in the day, Tarin took charge of his responsibilities as finance minister after he visited the ministry and met with the senior officials. Tarin was introduced with the Finance Ministry officials as he hoped that they would jointly work as a team to run the affairs in a smooth manner. Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his full confidence in newly-appointed Finance Minister Tarin’s abilities and said that he has known him for the last 35

years. The prime minister said this during a recently held meeting with Tareen at the Prime Minister’s House before the latter’s elevation to the ministerial post. “I am confident that Shaukat Tarin will come up with better planning for the further stability of the country’s economy,” the prime minister said. “Shaukat Tarin will work in an organised manner for bringing further stability,” the premier added. During the meeting, discussions were held related to the economic situation of the country. Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar was also in attendance along with the social media team of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Speaking on the occasion, the incumbent finance minister said that they have to bring the GDP growth to six to seven percent in order to address the economic woes of the country. “The country’s GDP growth should be increased by 6 to 7 per cent,” Tareen maintained. Tarin said that based on his 49 years of experience in the economic sector, he knows what measure should be taken to steer the economy in the right direction. When asked regarding any plans to remove the governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Tarin said that there are no chances of his removal as he had brought exemplary reforms in the system. The participants also asked Tarin regarding his economic plans.

Provinces not kept in the loop on law and order situation: Sindh CM ISLAMABAD INP

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah lamented on Monday the provinces have not been kept in the loop on the law and order situation caused by recent violent protests by a religious party. Speaking to the media after appearing before an accountability court in the Nooriabad power plant case in Islamabad, he said that he is not familiar with details of whatever happened in Lahore the other day because they were blacked out. “Mufti Muneebur Rehman has given a call for a countrywide strike. We have been in contact will everyone since last night,” the chief minister said, vowing not to stop anyone from holding peaceful protests in the

province. The Sindh CM said that he had no knowledge of what the Centre is going to offer protesters. “I advise the federal government not to offer something that it could find difficult to fulfil,” he said, adding it would be better if the provinces are taken into confidence on the situation. Meanwhile, the accountability court adjourned the Nooriabad Power Plant reference until May 5. According to the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Sindh CM Murad is accused of misusing powers in the disbursement of funds for the Nooriabad power plant project. It stated that public funds worth billions were embezzled for Nooriabad Power Company and Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company. Murad and Abdul Ghani Majeed are among 17 persons who are nominated in the corruption reference by the anti-graft body.

Justice Isa isn’t named in London property records, SC told ISLAMABAD APP

The Supreme Court (SC) was informed on Monday that Justice Qazi Faez Isa is not named in the London property records. A ten-member SC larger bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Aminuddin Khan heard the review petition seeking removal of paragraphs 2 to 11 of the June 19, 2020, verdict. On June 19, 2020, seven judges of a 10-judge bench quashed a presidential reference against Justice Isa but also ordered the Federal board of Revenue (FBR) to conduct an inquiry into the judge's family members' foreign assets and submit a report to the Supreme Judicial

Council (SJC). During the course of proceedings, Sarina Isa said that Justice Isa was not named in London property records. She said that her husband was also not involved in the transfer of funds for London properties. She added that she was not party in the case but the verdict was passed against her and the children. Justice Umar Ata Bandial responded that her name surfaced in the inquiry in the SJC, there was no doubt that she had been affected by the court decision while the case was not about illegality but about sources of income. Sarina said that she had submitted the record of London properties before the apex court. Justice Isa said that the tax commissioner conducted the inquiry while the court had sought the report from the FBR chairman. The FBR submitted a sealed report to the SJC, he added. Following the order of the court, the SJC secretary submitted the FBR report to the court.

climate change have also been invited to the meeting." The United States has invited global leaders, including the leaders of China and Russia, to participate in a summit on climate change in April. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the 40 world leaders invited to the summit, to be held on April 22-23, according to a White House statement. Biden’s Earth Day global summit on climate is part of his effort to elevate climate change as a top priority. The summit will be held virtually given pandemic restrictions and live-streamed for public viewing.

NAB to auction Nawaz’s properties LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday decided to auction the properties owned by deposed prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and his dependents. In this regard, the anti-graft body will file an application in an accountability court, reports said. In September, an accountability court in Islamabad declared Sharif a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana reference after he failed to appear despite repeated summonses. In the same hearing, the court had also directed authorities to seize his assets. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Sharif’s declared assets include 467,950 shares in Muhammad Bakhsh Textile Mills, 343,425 shares in Hudaibiya Paper Mills, 22,213 shares in Hudabiya Engineering Company, and 48,606 shares in Ittefaq Textile Mills. He has eight accounts in different banks, including three foreign currency accounts. Sharif has a total of Rs612,000 in five bank accounts, while in his foreign currency accounts, he has €566, $698, and £498 respectively. He also owns a bungalow in Murree, an 81,675 square feet house in Changla Gali, and property in Upper Mall, Lahore. He and his dependents are in possession of more than 218 acres of agricultural land which includes 117 acres in Mouza Manak in Lahore, 37 acres in Mouza Baduksani, 12.8 acres in Mouza Mall Raiwind, 39 acres in Mouza Sultan, 1.7 acres in Sheikhupura, and 11 acres in Mouza Ferozwatan. StAff RePoRt

Pakistan condoles with Egypt after deadly train derailment ISLAMABAD: Pakistan extended its condolences to Egypt on Monday, a day after 11 people were killed and 98 injured in a train accident in Egypt’s Qalioubia province north of Cairo. “We convey our deepest sympathies on the tragic train accident in Egypt,” Foreign Office (FO) said in a Tweet on Monday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the government, the brotherly people of Egypt and the families of those who have lost their lives,” the statement said. “We wish quick recovery to the injured.” The train was heading from Cairo to the Nile Delta city of Mansoura when four carriages derailed at 1:54 pm, about 40 kilometers north of Cairo, Egyptian National Railways said in a short statement. The cause of the accident is being investigated, it added. The derailing is the latest of several recent railway crashes in Egypt. At least 20 people were killed and nearly 200 were injured in March when two trains collided near Tahta, about 440 kilometers south of Cairo. Fifteen people were injured this month when two train carriages derailed near Minya al-Qamh city, about 70 kilometers north of Cairo. Egypt’s transportation minister Kamel El-Wazir has faced calls to resign from some Egyptians on social media. He has rejected these and vowed to keep working on developing the ageing rail network. StAff RePoRt

Shehbaz forwards money laundering case file to LHC CJ LAHORE INP

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif on Monday requested Lahore High Court

(LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan to forward his bail request to the referee judge. The development came after two judges, who were hearing money laundering case, submitted their dissenting verdicts on Shehbaz’s bail to

the high court office. Justice Asjad Javed Ghural, in his dissenting note, stated that fellow judge had approved the bail of Sharif despite his refusal whereas Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar told that the bail was granted on mutual consent.

Shehbaz’s release on bail in the case was halted after one of the judges hearing the matter raised an objection. Following Justice Ghural’s note, Justice Khan had dissolved the bench hearing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references.

Tuesday, 20 april, 2021

lahore

news

oPPoSItIoN AccUSES govt oF FAIlINg to ProtEct PEoPlE ISLAMABAD

PReSS ReLeASe

AKISTAN People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has condemned the violence in Lahore and other parts of the country.

He expressed grief over the loss of lives, including those of our policemen and civilians, which he claimed was the consequence of the sitting government’s inability to handle the situation peacefully. Responding to the situation in the country, the PPP chairman said that the shedding of human blood and incitement to violence was never the answer to any situation because history informs us that violence only begets more violence. “The real fight is about fighting against the root of the festering problem, not in just responding to the symptoms. Why has the selected government not bothered to implement the National Action Plan, or even discuss arising challenges in parliament?” he asked. He pointed out that the tendency to foster and coddle pressure groups through instigating ethnic, religious and

sectarian hatred had begun during Zia’s regime, to squeeze mainstream national political parties. The PPP chief added that is painfully clear that we have failed to understand that no one can consistently play with fire without getting burnt themselves. Bilawal said that his party had been on the frontlines of resisting any discourse or action that promoted violence or extremism since its inception. For this, the party and its leadership, including Mohtarma Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has paid a heavy price, said a press release from the PPP. It is distressing therefore to witness how the “selected “ were allowed to attack government properties, occupy government offices in Islamabad and hold the government hostage since 2013, the statement added. Today, the same modus operandi is being replicated to further destroy the system, Bilawal asserted. The PPP chairman maintained that the state is responsible for protecting people, and a serial failure of the current regime to fulfil this responsibility has dragged the country into unprecedented chaos. He said that in any situation, the law must be the only factor to prevail and that to that effect all issues should be addressed through constitutional mechanisms, instead

of resort to more violence. Meanwhile, in a statement, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, condemning the violence, said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) believes that Namoos-eRisalat is the foundation of a Muslim’s ideology. “No Muslim can compromise on it,” he added. Expressing concern and sadness over recent events, the PDM secretary general pointed out the government’s “failure” to establish peace in the country. He blamed the

Balochistan announces schools’ closure over Covid-19 situation ISLAMABAD

5,512 NEW COVID-19 CASES, 73 MORE DEATHS REPORTED ACROSS COUNTRY

tLtP

The Balochistan government announced the closure of all schools across the province to contain the spread of novel coronavirus on Monday. The decision was taken after a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases in the province, said the Balochistan education minister. “All government schools will remain closed till Eidul Fitr.” On the other hand, the private schools’ administration has rejected the decision of the provincial government and kept the schools open on Monday. The spokesperson for the private schools said they were not taken into confidence by the provincial government and the decision about the closure of schools was made in haste. On Sunday, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood had announced the resumption of academic activities for classes ninth to 12th in order to ensure preparation for the scheduled board exams nationwide.

28 MORE PATIENTS DIE IN PUNJAB

government for the loss of citizens’ and law enforcement officials’ lives. Referring to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) sit-in at Faizabad in 2017, the PML-N leader said that the Supreme Court (SC) had given a judgement on the matter because the same series of events had taken place back then. He said that the opposition alliance stresses that Pakistan will only become peaceful and stable when it is run in accordance with the Constitution and the public’s wishes.

Bills on domestic violence, senior citizens sail through NA ISLAMABAD tLtP

Mahmood had announced the decision in a presser after he chaired a meeting of health and education ministers from all provinces and regions in the country. The country grapples with the third wave of coronavirus as 5,152 new infections were reported during the last 24 hours, raising the national tally to 761,437. According to data issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 60,162 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours from which 5,512 tests returned positive with an 8.56 per cent positivity rate. About 73 more people succumbed to the coronavirus during the past 24 hours, taking the countrywide death tally to 16,316. In a provincial breakdown, Sindh has reported 272,729 cases, Punjab 270,338, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) 106,500,

Five ttP terrorists arrested in Sindh: ctD ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism official said on Monday that a group of five terrorists were arrested in Sindh. Sindh Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Omer Shahid Hamid told a press conference in Karachi that the arrested terrorists belonged to the proscribed Tehrik-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) and they had planned an attack on a police training center in the provincial capital. Hamid said that the CTD personnel and the intelligence unit of the paramilitary force Rangers conducted a joint raid and arrested the five terrorists, including two suicide bombers, in Jamshoro. The official said that suicide jackets with detonators, grenades, guns, the police uniform, and a map of the police center which they planned to attack were seized in the joint operation. According to a CTD statement, the arrested terrorists were involved in various incidents of terrorism in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). StAff RePoRt

Islamabad 70,079, Balochistan 20,940, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 15,524, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 5,176. The total number of people recuperating from the disease stands at 662,845, while 4,515 patients are critically ill due to Covid-19 and are currently under treatment at the country’s various hospitals. The government and health officials have warned if the ongoing pace of infections continues for another two weeks, the situation may go “worse,” as the country’s already weak health system is saturating. Sindh reported at least 737 coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 273,465. This is the first time in over three months that the province has reported over 700 cases in a single day. On January 31, Sindh had recorded

812 cases. According to Syed Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, three more patients succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll jumped to 4,556. He further said that 351 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 260,679. Punjab has reported 28 more Covid19 deaths in the last 24 hours, health department officials said on Monday. According to Punjab’s Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, 2,766 infections of the coronavirus were reported across the province in the last 24 hours. The tally of deaths by Covid-19 in the province has reached 7,457 with 28 more deaths. The provincial capital city of Lahore reported 1,413 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the health department.

Travellers from India banned for two weeks: NCOC NEwS DESk The National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday issued a statement that read that travellers from India would not be allowed into Pakistan to prevent the spread of the new “double-mutant” Covid-19 variant. The Covid-19 response hub, which held a meeting today under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, was informed about the spread of the new Indian variant of the coronavirus. This new variant is considered responsible for the recent surge in cases. “The forum decided to place India in the list of Category C countries for two weeks. There will be a ban on inbound passengers coming from India via air and land route,” the statement said. The forum will carry out a review of countries placed in Category C on April 21 in view of the presence of the Indian variant in other countries, the statement added. Asad earlier expressed apprehension over the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the world and the deaths resulting from them. In his two tweets, Asad said that more than 300 and 1, 600 deaths were reported from Iran and India, respectively on just one day while single-day fatality figures from around the globe had also reached 13, 000.

He opined never ever there was a greater need to take precautions than it was today. “Global covid cases exceeding 750,000 per day and deaths more than 13,000. We are seeing some of the worst numbers since covid started. Our neighbourhood in severe crises. Daily deaths in Iran more than 300 and India more than 1600. Need for safety precautions greater than ever.” Asad Umar said in a tweet. In another tweet, he said that hospitals across the country had to cope with extraordinary circumstances as the patients in critical condition were now over 4, 500 while the oxygen supply capacity was also under stress. “Hospital fill up continuing to grow. Critical care patients now above 4500, which is 30% higher than the peak in June last year. Oxygen supply capacity in the country is now under stress. Sop compliance remains low. We are making a huge mistake by not following SOPs.” Similarly, Britain on Monday imposed its strictest travel curbs on India after an explosion of coronavirus cases there, hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called off a trip to New Delhi. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said India was being added to Britain’s “red list” of countries, banning all arrivals from India except for UK or Irish nationals, who must pay to stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel for 10 days on their return.

The National Assembly (NA) on Monday passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill, 2020, and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2020. The lower house of the parliament met with NA Speaker Asad Qasier in the chair. Speaking at the floor of the house, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Dr Noorul-Haq Qadri said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has raised voice for sanctity of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) at every world forum. He said that the government pursues a policy of dialogue and reconciliation. He also said that the government held two sessions of dialogue with a people of banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the third would be held in the evening to sort out the issue amicably. Qadri said that the government’s policy is talks and reconciliation and it is bound to bring the matter in the parliament. He suggested the formation of an All Parties Committee to tackle the issue. The Foreign Ministry will submit its draft of law to this committee as it is up to the parliament and incumbent government to decide the foreign policy, Qadri stated. “We asked them to convince the committee about the nature of the draft,” the minister said. “Unfortunately they given strike call on April 20 and it was the government’s responsibility to ensure the opening of the roads, motorways and the GT Road,” Qadri further said. “You could not even offer prayers five times while blocking roads,” he said. The Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill, 2020, passed by the house, aims to socially and economically protect the senior citizens of Islamabad. In this respect it aims to establish a fund for these senior citizens as well as build and maintain old-age homes for the indigent senior citizens. The other bill, Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2020, proposes a legal and institutional framework for the territorial jurisdiction of the Islamabad Capital Territory to ensure that victims of domestic violence are provided legal protection and relief and the perpetrators of this offence are punished. Besides, five bills were introduced in the House, which include the Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Holy Quran [Elimination of Printing and Recording Errors) (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Bill, 2021 and the Jammu and Kashmir (Administration of Property) (amendment) Bill, 2021. The House was adjourned to meet again at 2:00 pm on Thursday.

hong Kong bans flights from Pakistan, India for two weeks HONG kONG AgeNcIeS

Hong Kong will suspend flights from Pakistan, India, and the Philippines from April 20 for two weeks after the N501Y mutant Covid-19 strain was detected in the Asian financial hub for the first time,

authorities said in a statement late on Sunday. The N501Y substitution is one of eight spike protein substitutions present in the UK variant and has also appeared convergently in Brazil (P.1) and South Africa (B.1.351) variants. The three countries would be classified

as “extremely high risk” after there had been multiple imported cases carrying the strain into Hong Kong in the past 14 days, the government said. The city reported 30 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, 29 of which were imported, marking the highest daily toll since March 15. Hong Kong has recorded

over 11,600 cases in total and 209 deaths. Hong Kong authorities have been urging residents to get vaccinated for coronavirus with only around 9 percent of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million residents vaccinated so far. The government last week widened the city’s vaccine scheme to include those aged

between 16 to 29 years old for the first time, as they aim to boost lackluster demand for inoculations among residents. Airlines impacted by Hong Kong’s ban on travelers from India, Pakistan, and the Philippines include carriers such as Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, Vistara, and Cebu Pacific.

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

LAHORE

NEWS

WCLA stArts ConservAtion of GoLden Mosque LAHORE

SHAHAB OMER

HE Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) has started conservation of the Sonehri Masjid (golden mosque) located at Chowk Rang Mehal with the estimated cost of Rs21.304 million, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday. According to details, the project will be completed by April, 2022 and the mosque will be restored to its original shape and form. A tourist guide of WCLA, Mohammad Javed, informed that the mosque was one with gilded domes and was one of its kind. “This is a small mosque as compared to the other mosques of Mughal era in the walled city of Lahore. The mosque has three gilded (golden) domes, which are the main features and focus points of this mosque. Because of its gilded domes, this mosque is named Sonehri or Golden Mosque since the time it was constructed. Four tall minarets add to the exquisiteness of the mosque. The mosque was built in 1749-53 AD by Nawab Mir Syed Bhakri Khan, the naib subedar of Lahore at the time when Mir Moin-ul-Mulk was the subedar during the reign of emperor

Mohammad Shah,” he said. The officer on site informed that the work to be carried out includes wood work and new doors. “Other works include brick tiles on the edge of flooring with special design, structure consolidation, lime plaster, restoration of Ghalib Kari work, plumbing work, debris removal, electrification and illumination of the mosque,” he said. WCLA Spokesperson Tania Qureshi said, “Once this mosque is restored to its original glory, it will add a beauty to the royal trail. This mosque is located at the Rang Mehal Chowk and becomes a part of the royal trail. This mosque because of its golden domes and exquisite fresco work has always attracted the tourists. I am sure that once it is restored and opened for the public, it will be a hotspot of tourists.” WCLA Director Conservation Najam Us Saquib said that the project is of one year and the work would be completed by April, 2022. He said, “We are taking all measures of international level while restoring this mosque. Intricate work has been done on this mosque and therefore we are working very carefully to meet the international standards of conservation and restoration. The total cost on the project is Rs21.304 million.

Buddhist monks reach Pakistan for religious pilgrimage

This mosque will make part of the royal trail and it will be illuminated like other monuments

ple, who go there to offer prayers. They would enjoy the ambiance of the place.”

Minister faces students’ wrath over decision to hold CAIE examinations

LAHORE

ISLAMABAD

AGENCIES

HAMID KHAN WAZIR

A 14-member delegation comprising senior Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka arrived in the provincial metropolis on Monday to undertake a week-long religious pilgrimage to various Buddhist heritage sites in the country. The Buddhist monks started their journey with a visit of the Lahore Museum, which houses some of the finest remains of the Gandhara civilization and rare Buddhist relics including the ‘Fasting Bhuddha’ and ‘Sikri Stupa’ dating back to the 2 BC. The visit was arranged by the High Commission of Pakistan Colombo, Sri Lanka with a view to promote religious tourism in Pakistan by showcasing historicity and warm hospitality of the host nation. Pakistan is home to the ancient Buddhist civilization, which has remained hidden from the eye of the world over the years. The senior Buddhist delegation, led by Dr Walpole Piyananda, abbot and president of Dharmavijaya Buddhist Vihara, USA, will visit Islamabad, Taxila, Shahbaz Garhi, Takht-e-Bhai and Jehanabad, Swat, besides two-day visit to Lahore. The Buddhist delegation will also hold meetings with the officials of the ministry of religious affairs and interfaith harmony and meet President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during their sojourn in the federal capital.

so that the tourists can experience it during night time. It will also be a facility for the peo-

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood’s announcement of holding Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) examinations as per schedule sans any delay or cancellation amid an alarming upsurge in coronavirus cases put a question mark on the government’s strategy to deal with the deadly disease. The situation in Pakistan is fast deteriorating due to the emergence of the virus’s third wave, which is considered more lethal and dangerous and has forced the government to intensify its efforts to ensure compliance of coronavirus SOPs to check the spread of the virus. However, ironically, the government decided to conduct the CAIE examinations, pleading that Cambridge has decided not to give teacher-assessed grades this year, which triggered a strong reaction from across the country. Talking to Pakistan Today, Private Schools Network President Mohammad Afzal Babur said that Shafqat had no choice but to take this decision. He criticised the education minister for keeping the private schools closed as if virus spreads through educational institutions, adding that education sector suffered the most in the country under the guise of coronavirus as almost all

other sectors are functioning smoothly in the country. Babur went on to say that unnecessary panic has been created in the country due to the virus and added if the virus can be checked through lockdown, all sectors should be closed for 15 days to deal with the menace once and for all. He questioned that why only coronavirus is spreading through educational institutes. He said that it seems a well-thought-out plan against the country to destroy its youth. He further said that as online education system has failed at university level, implementing the system with primary schools located in the far-flung areas of the country would not be successful. “If we set the criteria of Cambridge board in Pakistan, it would be disastrous for our education as it would create a huge gap, which would not be easy to fill. Similarly, the students strongly reacted to the decision and demanded the federal minister to revisit the decision as holding examinations in such critical situation would be tantamount to risk their lives. A student, Hamza, took to Twitter and questioned, “And what about the other countries giving teacher assessed grades? Sir have you totally lost it or what?” Another student, Hoor Kashif, said, “Cambridge can give teacher-assessed grades to all the other countries and if they cannot give to anyone that is Pakistan. Nei-

ther Cambridge nor you [Shafqat Mahmood] cares about the health and future of the students in Pakistan.” Another student said, “Cambridge has not decided that but you [Shafqat Mahmood] have decided that. They gave the option of teacher-assessed grades to the government and all the sensible governments of various countries went for it. Do not trick us into your words and fool us as we are not dumb.” Earlier, in a series of tweets, the education minister had said the decision was taken in a special meeting of health and education ministers of all the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. "Those students wishing to take exams in OctoberNovember can do so with the fee already paid. The meeting was also informed that Cambridge had decided not to give teacher-assessed grades this year. Therefore those not taking exams will take them in the next cycle [October-November]. The CAIE had assured that Covid-19 standard operating procedures would be strictly followed," he had said. It is pertinent to mention that the Lahore High Court had already issued notices to the British Council, CAIE’s Pakistan director and the federal ministry of education on a petition challenging the physical presence of students in O and A levels exams despite the rising cases of Covid-19 in the country.

Pakistan Navy distributes food items in Damb, Gaddani KARAcHI PR

Pakistan Navy, in collaboration with Sahil Welfare Association (SWA), organises various welfare activities to support local populace of coastal area. In this context, 350 food bags, carrying daily commodities for one month, were distributed in Damb and Gaddani. The aim of food bags’ distribution campaign is to help the under-privileged families of coastal areas. The noble efforts of Pakistan Navy and SWA in development and welfare of coastal community were appreciated by the local community.

NICVD sets up its 31st centre in Malir Cantonment KARAcHI PR

The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in collaboration with the Government of Sindh has established its 31st centre in Malir Cantonment to facilitate patients of chest pain with easy access and free of cost services. The opening of the centre was held on Monday and attended by NICVD Executive Director Professor Nadeem Qamar and other official of the institute. The centre in Malir Cantonment is 16th chest pain unit of NICVD in Karachi;

One chest pain unit in Tando Bago, one in Ghotki, one in Jacobabad, one in Umerkot and

one in Tando Allahyar are functional and providing state-ofthe-art cardiac care and

treatment to patients at their doorstep free of cost. The NICVD has been transformed into world’s largest healthcare network in short span of 4 years with inclusion of 10 full-fledged hospitals and 21 chest pain units. On the occasion, Qamar termed the establishment of the 31st centre in Malir Cantonment as another gift for the people of Karachi. He said this centre will link with the main NICVD, where all cardiac care facilities including primary PCI, angioplasty, cardiac surgeries and other state-of-the-art facilities are available. “In these CPUs, a total of

534,124 patients have been treated and over 11,647 lives have been saved since inception till March, which is incomparable performance by any means in the world. Shortly, every district of Sindh and major towns would be equipped with NICVD’s chest pain units so that people could be provided timely first aid in case of heart attacks,” he said. He maintained and added that NICVD in collaboration with the government of Sindh is providing quality healthcare facilities to the nation totally free of cost; which is evident from the establishment of satellite centres and chest pain units.

Tuesday, 20 april, 2021

Lahore

Chinese envoy hints at moRe pRojeCts unDeR CpeC ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong om Monday said that great news about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would soon be out and new projects related to CPEC are under consideration. "People should wait. Great news about CPEC would soon be out and new projects under CPEC are under consideration. Attention will also be paid to the problems of Pakistani students studying in China," said Ambassador Rong while addressing the participants of a function organized on the occasion of Pak-China Tree Planting Campaign 2021 at Civil Officers Mess Peshawar. The event was organised under the auspices of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) branch of the Pakistan-China Friendship Association (PCFA). This was the first time that the recently-appointed Chinese envoy visited KP. KP Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Akbar Ayub Khan, Local Council Board Secretary Khizer Hayat Khan, Peshawar City District

Dollar reaches Rs152.93 as rupee weakens by 11 paisas KARACHI TLTP

Pakistani rupee was weakened by 11 paisas (-0.07 percent) against the US dollar in the interbank on Monday. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the US dollar opened at Rs152.82 and closed at Rs152.93. The rupee endured a relatively dull trading session with very little intraday movement, trading in a range of 12 paisa per USD showing an intraday high bid of 152.95 and an intraday low offer of 152.85. Within the open market, rupee was traded at 152.50/153.30 per dollar. The rupee gained Rs0.12 against the greenback last week, while it has gained Rs15.12 against the greenback in fiscal year 2020-21 and appreciation has been Rs6.92 in the current year. The currency dealers said that rupee remained under pressure because the market opened after two weekly holidays. However, they said that the market had sufficient supply of the greenback to meet the demand in the coming days. They said that the inflows of export receipts and workers’ remittances would support the local currency. Further, the market would remain positive due to high stock of foreign exchange reserves in the

oxygen capacity for Covid-19 patients under stress, says minister

Government Director General Mian Shafiqul Rehman, Pakistan-China Friendship Association Patron Taslim Hussain, Association President Yousuf Ayub Khan. Other officials of the friendship organisation were also present. The Chinese Ambassador appreciated the tree-planting drive by the Pakistan-China Friendship Association, which is underway across KP to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The tree-planting campaign is also being commemorated on the 100th anniversary of the successful completion of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) to pay tribute to the role and efforts of the Communist Party in making China economically strong. Addressing the 'Tree Planting Campaign' under the auspices of Pakistan-China Friendship Association, KP Branch, Provincial Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Khan welcomed Chinese Ambassador Rong on his first visit to KP and expressed hope that during his tenure in Pakistan, the envoy will further deepen and expand the friendship and bilateral relations between the two countries, es-

pecially CPEC. Khan also mentioned the services rendered by his father, former president Field Marshal Ayub Khan, in improving Pakistan-China friendship and relations. Khan also appreciated the role of Pakistan-China Friendship Association (KP branch) due to which the relations between Pakistan and China have become stronger. He also stressed the need to further strengthen people-to-people ties through the Friendship Association and introduce China's economic and other development in Pakistan. He lauded the Pak-China Friendship Tree Planting Campaign 2021 and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan were also taking practical steps to save the environment through tree planting campaigns and this tree planting campaign was a reflection of the government's efforts. Welcoming the Chinese ambassador to KP, PakistanChina Friendship Association President Yousuf Ayub Khan, referred to the period of strengthening PakistanChina relations since the 1960s in which his family

news

played a special role. He said that at present Pakistan has a lot to learn from the steps taken by China to strengthen Pakistan-China relations and benefit from each other's resources and experience, especially in controlling the Coronavirus Pandemic. Speaking on the occasion, Syed Ali Nawaz Gilani, Secretary General, Pakistan-China Friendship Association, introduced the Friendship Association and said that the journey of friendship which started with the establishment of Pak-China Students Friendship Association in 1970 is continuing which has crossed many milestones of success. He mentioned that Peshawar has been declared as the twin city of Urumqi in China and said that the developments in 1985 and 2007 have brought the two countries closer to each other. Syed Ali Nawaz Gilani also appreciated the Chinese Embassy's organiation of an essay competition on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations, which will run from April 5 to May 5, 2021. Gifts were also exchanged at the end of the ceremony.

Former KP IGP Nasir Durrani loses life battle against Covid-19 LAHORE TLTP

Nasir Khan Durrani, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) inspector general of police (IGP), died of Covid-19 on Monday. Durrani had been under treatment at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital since he contracted the deadly disease. He had been in the intensive care unit (ICU) and on a ventilator. Durrani also served as the chairman of Punjab Police Reforms Commission in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. Durrani had tendered his resigna-

tion from the post in 2018 citing health issues. Durrani, while heading the KP police for almost three and a half years, had introduced strict accountability by dismissing around 800 policemen and awarding another kind of punishment to over 6,000 others. Besides these actions, Durrani set up the police assistance lines in all the districts, the police access service, he established six specialised schools, formed a special combat unit of specialised commandoes on the pattern of Special Services

Group (SSG) of the army, reformed the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and introduced technology-based investigation like geo-tagging and others. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has expressed a deep sense of sorrow over the death of Durrani and extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs. In his condolence message, the CM paid tributes to the services rendered by the late officer for the police force and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.

PM says govt, TLP have same objective but diﬀerent approaches

COntInuED fROM pAgE 01

When asked, the minister rejected the criticism that Pakistan has not been as proactive in obtaining the shots compared to its regional neighbours. “Until about a week ago, there were about 65 countries where vaccination rollouts had begun and 130 have yet to begin. Pakistan began its programme 24 days ago. So, we cannot say we began late […],” he said. “[…] you cannot compare us to countries like the US, a 150-year old democracy that put a man on the moon in 1969.” Dr Faisal expressed apprehension that there may be a third wave of the disease in winter. “However, with enough vaccinations combined with the number of people who have already caught [the disease], it may provide a community level of immunity,” he said. “However, the variants are a threat. In my opinion, we may have seen the worst of it, but the coming winter will tell the real story.”

He said that the TLP workers resorted to road blocks, violence, arson and torturing police officials. He also said that four police personnel were martyred and over eight hundred others were injured by the TLP workers. He added that eight police vans were torched and private property worth millions of rupees was also damaged. Imran said that owing to road blockade by the protesters citizens across the country faced immense difficulties and deaths were also reported in hospitals due to the disruption in oxygen supply to the hospitals amid the novel coronavirus pandemic The prime minister urged the Ulema to play their constructive role and assist the government in this matter. He revealed that “external forces” tried to exploit violent TLP protests by spreading fake news on social media platforms. “We have reviewed 400,000 tweets, 70 per cent of which came from fake accounts,” he fur-

ther said. The premier added that 380 Indian contacts were also detected in several WhatsApp groups spreading fake news regarding the law and order in the country. “Don’t play into the hands of our enemies,” he said while conveying a message to the recently banned outfit. While lashing out at opposition parties, he said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also supported the deadly protest in a bid to destabilise the PTI government. Earlier in the day, addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of Islamabad-Margalla Highway, the prime minister said that it is unfortunate that some religious and political parties have misused Islam. “Unfortunately in our country, some religious and political parties misuse Islam at times. And they misuse it in such a manner that they damage their own country,” said the premier. He regretted that such acts do not affect others, but only damage Pakistan as a result.

The premier said that the country was built in the name of Islam, however, he said, such actions “result in adverse effects on the country and end up harming the people”. “This is especially sad because I haven’t seen the kind of affection people have for Islam and our Holy Prophet (PBUH) here when compared to other places,” he lamented. “Do we [the government] not get hurt when someone disrespects our Holy Prophet (PBUH)?” the prime minister asked. PM Imran added that there is no way to determine who loves the Prophet (PBUH), but misusing the sentiment in such a manner will not benefit Islam. “Today I am making a promise to the people, we will campaign against such actions on the international forum so that nobody, even in the Western countries, will dare disrespect our beloved Holy Prophet (PBUH),” the premier stated.

Tensions ease as govt holds two successful rounds of talks with TLP leadership

protesters to end their protest. The scholars appealed to Rizvi to end the sit-in in Lahore. Source also said that the talks between Rizvi and the delegation of Ulema continued for over five hours while the negotiating team also had Iftar with Rizvi in jail. According to sources, the scholars tried to persuade Rizvi to resolve the issues amicably. Another source said that Rizvi did not ask for withdrawal of terrorism cases and he only talked about release of workers detained under 16 MPO. The source said that the scholars’ delegation agreed to convey the TLP chief’s demands to the federal and Punjab government who had the powers to doing so. “Hence, the third round of talks was agreed and it was decided that Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed and Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri who would take decisions about the cases registered against the TLP chief and workers,” a source said.

COntInuED fROM pAgE 01 Sources said that during talks held in wee hours on Monday morning, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire. They said that TLP’s local leadership agreed to release eleven policemen abducted by the banned organisation from Nawankot Police Station, Lahore, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP). “In exchange of release of the policemen, Punjab government agreed to release two leaders of the banned organisation who

had been picked under 16 MPO. The TLP leadership also demanded the release of its chief Saad Rizvi which was rejected by the Punjab government. Demands were also made by TLP to end the trial of the TLP workers which was also rejected by the Punjab government,” a source said. Sources said that later in the day, the second round of talks took place in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail as a delegation of Sunni scholars met with TLP chief Rizvi. The delegation included Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Sarwat Ijaz Qadri, Mian Jalil Sharaqpuri,

Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair and others. Sources also said that during the talks, the Mashaikh delegation urged Rizvi to call off the long march call given for April 20 and direct the workers to end the protest peacefully. “The scholars also urged Rizvi to withdraw his demand of deporting the French envoy as it would only the enemies of Pakistan,” a source said and added that Rizvi urged the delegation to persuade the federal and provincial governments to withdraw all cases registered under terrorism clause against the TLP leadership and work-

ers and also release all workers arrested. Sources said that Rizvi also urged the Ulema to demand the federal and provincial governments to withdraw its decision of listing the TLP as terrorist organisation. According to sources, the delegation of Ulema asked Rizvi to end the protest while the Ulema said that the chaos and arson had damaged their own country so an atmosphere of peace and order should be maintained in the country. Sources said that the clerics asked Rizvi to release a video message requesting the

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

06 COMMENT

The problem with keto

Need for a nuanced Afghan policy Hazards of over-estimating Pakistan’s strategic position

And other fancy diets

he US has declared that all its troops would leave afghanistan by September 11. Washington is least bothered about the consequences of its action inside afghanistan and the region. the taliban have warned that they would resume attacks against foreign forces if they do not withdraw from the country by the May 1 deadline agreed with former US President Donald trump. President ashraf Ghani would like the world to believe that afghan security forces were fully capable of defending the country. More realistic afghan politicians have however warned of a bloody civil war after the US and allied forces leave afghanistan without brokering a deal between the afghan government and the taliban. the perception that the US would not be able to extricate itself from afghanistan without Pakistan’s support has turned out to be a fantasy. the four-month time before the last contingent of foreign troops leaves afghanistan provides a window of opportunity to those who want Peace in afghanistan and the region. With US air support, advanced technology, trainers and funds no more available to the afghan government, it would not take the battle-hardened and ferocious talban long before they start knocking at Kabul’s gates. Meanwhile the horrors of the civil war would displace millions of afghans who would make a bee line to Pakistan as they did in 1980s. the disturbed conditions in afghanistan would favour Pakistan specific terrorist groups who would make use of the situation to increase terrorist attacks inside Pakistan in an attempt to destabilise the country and create afghanistan like situation here. In order to play a significant role as a peace maker Pakistan needs to be seen as an honest broker rather than a partisan. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi needs to hold extensive talks with his afghan counterpart hanif atmar while in turkey to find how Pakistan can have a more nuanced afghan policy. With about twenty countries attending the Istanbul Conference, attempt should be made specially to encourage afghanistan’s neighbouring countries like China, Iran, Central asian states and Russia to evolve a joint strategy to promote peace and maintain unity in the multi-ethnic afghanistan.

HASAN AFTAB SAEED

ealthy living is not a 100 m dash. It is a marathon. It is hard enough to watch your diet over a week. then you must do it the next week as well. and the one after that… It is good to be knowledgeable about the science behind it and plan one’s diet accordingly, but no plan is a good plan unless it is sustainable. as a rule, the more extreme a diet plan, the more pronounced the short-term gains, and the less likely the regimen will continue into the third week. What sustains the popularity of diets like keto is that they are all based on some undeniable truth. the bedrock of keto is the fact that carbs are the predominant factors behind obesity and consequent ills. there is no arguing with this. Where it becomes problematic is the focus on this one fact to the exclusion of everything else. the keto solution: instead of advising moderation in the use of carbs, they instruct their disciples to shun them altogether. the trouble is that there are other facts of life as well, and obsession with any one thing is seldom a wise policy. Other groups - the vegetarians, the vegans, the high-protein-diet people – are guilty of the same thing. all base their reasoning on something undeniable, but end up ignoring everything else, in the process losing sight of the bigger picture. all these diets have this in common with the numerous -isms on offer: where these -isms take a narrow, distorted view of life, these diets take a narrow view of the human body.

Repairing the economy Will the new finance czar be able to implement his turnaround plan?

eFORe being formally hired for the job and sworn in as the new Finance Minister, Shaukat tarin was realistically critical of the mess that the PtI government had made over the course of almost three years. he believes the IMF package was badly negotiated considering the economic situation at the time and we left too much on the table, thereby forgoing our best national interests. Part of the deal was fleshed out under asad Umar, touted by Prime Minister Imran Khan for years as the finance and economy guru with a recovery plan blueprint in his back pocket he was aching to implement. It is widely believed that his rigidity in accepting many of the IMF’s demands lead to his ouster. For the purpose of closing the deal, a more familiar and friendlier Dr abdul hafeez Sheikh was brought in to close the deal. Shaukat tarin has dealt with the IMF before during his stint as finance minister under the PPP regime. Whether or not he is able to renegotiate better terms with the Fund, as he is proposing, remains to be seen. On the revenue front he believes that the FBR must increase its tax collections by 20%, but in the past three years the sort of stability required to bring about the required reforms and changes has been lacking. In the absences of a competent chairman given the appropriate amount of control, time and resources to achieve targets, it seems unlikely the revenue number will grow. this is where Mr tarin must intervene to get things moving in the right direction. a rigid bureaucracy will also pose a significant impediment, partly due to years of doing things the same way and more recently the fear of NaB that has slowed down the pace of work. Mr tarin has said NaB rules have to be changed to not only allow the bureaucracy to function more efficiently but to make it easier to bring better people into the fold from the private sector. his statement that the economy is completely directionless and requires someone at the helm ready to make tough decisions and take charge is therefore a valid criticism. the Prime Minister has said he has full confidence in Mr tarin’s ability to turn around the economy. One hopes he is allowed to execute his plan, navigating the typical roadblocks and uncertainties associated with the job.

Dr AloN BEN MEir

t is hard to find something more scornful than erdogan’s sudden decision to withdraw turkey from the Council of europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. the treaty, which is known as the Istanbul Convention, was finalized in Istanbul in 2011, no less, and aims to protect victims, and end impunity for perpetrators of vile acts against women. erdogan hosted the signing of the treaty, which makes it all the more absurd that he would be the one to withdraw from it—a contemptable move that is surpassed only by his moral insolvency. the eU and the US must not allow such a travesty to stand, which will have disastrous and tragic consequences for nearly half of turkey’s population. they must directly warn erdogan that annulling turkey’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention is simply unacceptable and will bear severe consequences. For someone who claims to be a reformer, erdogan has willingly succumbed to the whims of a minority of bigoted Islamist men who view women as inferior humans whose place is at home, serving at the pleasure of men who still live in the dark ages. Instead of standing against the widespread domestic

Editor Joint Editor

Umar Aziz Executive Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

Erdogan’s decision to withdraw Turkey from the 2011 Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence Against Women is by far the most despicable turn he has yet taken against women

Arif Nizami

Managing Editor

Of course, one could not agree more with the keto emphasis on raw vegetables. The problem is that it is rather hard to feel ‘full’ eating raw vegetables alone. The other recommendation – replacing carbs with meat – may be good for the weight, but it makes the kidneys do that much more work.

Erdogan’s misogyny transcends his moral decadence

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Yousaf Nizami Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

to return to keto, unused carbs do get converted into fats, but there is more to carbs than that. things like wheat and rice make you feel ‘full’ like few things can. the solution then is not quitting them but – surprise, surprise! – having them in moderation. that is one possibility the keto people seem to have overlooked. When keto enthusiasts tell you to quit sugar, they could not be making morse sense. But when they forbid all but a handful of fruits declaring fructose to be even worse for the liver than glucose, they have clearly got carried away. again, not necessarily because they are factually wrong, but because they forget that like everything else, fruits can be eaten in moderation. Fruits are sources of essential vitamins. true, vegetables have vitamins too, but only in their raw form. In the subcontinent, we tend to cook them so much that hardly any is left. Sometimes so much so that one cannot tell by looking at a dish what it is exactly. they taste great and provide the necessary fiber, but hardly any vitamins. It is here that fruits – in moderation – are so useful. What these experts so often forget is that many of their instructions are easier issued than followed. after all, we are talking about ordinary mortals, who not only need to feel reasonably satiated when they sit down to eat, but who need occasional snacks as well. If you forbid them fruits based on some lofty philosophy, most of them are likely to go for far worse options. the exotic food that the keto pros recommend in place of the things they proscribe is hard to find or is very expensive, or both. the ordinary man is too busy making a living to run after these items all the time. avoiding obvious (and very avoidable) culprits like refined sugar, carbonated drinks, and deep-fried items (in summary, junk food); eating the rest in moderation; and taking light, regular exercise ought to be enough. and frankly, that is the most that can reasonably be expected of the ordinary man. Of course, one could not agree more with the keto emphasis on raw vegetables. the problem is that it is

rather hard to feel ‘full’ eating raw vegetables alone. the other recommendation – replacing carbs with meat – may be good for the weight, but it makes the kidneys do that much more work. It is hardly the smartest of ideas to ease one part of the body by subjecting another to overwork. again, the need for taking a holistic, rather than a narrow, view of the human body. Sheer ignorance is another reason why one must not go to extremes in diet. What with the complex machine that the human body is, nobody (yet) knows for sure what he is talking about. One doctor says eggs are bad for the heart because each contains 200 mg of cholesterol (fact). the other says that is hardly a problem because the body produces 3000 mg/day of cholesterol of its own (another fact). One set of weight experts prescribes having a ball inside a 2-hr window every day, eating nothing during the rest of the day. Other experts advise that eating one’s food in seven or eight meals instead of the customary three is the way to go. there is similar controversy regarding daily dose of baby aspirin for the elderly. With so much uncertainty, the only thing that can be said with any sort of confidence is that one must not go to any extreme. anybody who has studied the human body in any detail knows that it is so often the case that substance X is bad for blood pressure (say) but is good for the liver, or vice versa. everything is inexorably intertwined with everything else. as a rule, therefore, it is not a good idea to overdo anything. again, moderation appears to be one’s best bet – a truism that happens to be true. let there be no doubt that these fancy diets are effective. If one can stick to the impossible regimen, and one usually can immediately after a health scare or a visit to the doctor’s office, the results are tangible and immediate. the problem is sustainability, and any long-term effects in the rare case one is heroic enough to stick to them. healthy living is not something one does over the weekend and the battle is won. It is a lifelong activity, and it is extremely challenging as it is. It must not be made any harder.

Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

violence in his country, where 38 percent of women who have ever been married have been subjected to violence from an intimate partner and where 300 women were killed last year, erdogan shamelessly chooses to abandon the Convention. amnesty International turkey Director ece Unver observed with deep concern that “Withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention is a disaster for millions of women and children living in this country.” erdogan’s withdrawal from the Convention is a continuation of his brutal rampage and purges against his own people. Since the failed military coup in 2016 in particular (which he may well have orchestrated), he has systematically violated his peoples’ basic human rights and ruthlessly marginalized any opposition to his designs to spread his Islamist doctrine. all the more, erdogan’s revocation of the treaty sends a clear message to other tyrants that they can do as they wish to women with immunity. In turkey, more than 5,000 women are languishing in jails with their children (780 of whom are mere infants) and are subject to abuse and frequent rape by prison guards, sometimes to extort a confession about a male relative. lesbian and transgender women face pervasive discrimination. In turkey, where erdogan addresses the people in the name of divinity, women and girls face genderbased violence every day, as if such incomprehensible acts are sanctioned by God. the irony is that erdogan considers himself as a devout Muslim, when in fact he cares less about the pain he inflicts on others. he is the opposite of what Gandhi observed: “I call him religious who understands the suffering of others.” the organization We Will Stop Femicide Platform (KCDP) reports that a fourfold increase in violence has occurred since 2011 against women, solely because of their gender. tragically, whereas erdogan’s egregious acts against women are unforgiveable, men in many parts of the world seem to relish abusing women to satisfy their chauvinism, as the victimization of women seems to be the only way they can assert their manhood. In nearly 50 countries around the world, marital rape is not criminalized and women face criminal prosecution for being the victims of rape. abortion is still illegal in most countries, female genital mutilation remains common, and honor-killings are still a practice in many countries.

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of humanitarian affairs, the majority of people living in poverty globally are women, and are less likely to have access to healthcare and education. amanda Klasing, acting co-director of women’s rights at human Rights Watch, observed that “Reports of increases in gender-based violence mask a larger risk that women in the shadows or margins of society will suffer violence without remedy or reprieve if governments don’t act quickly.” It is not enough for governments across the world to simply pass laws that strengthen legal frameworks to protect and empower women and girls. the facts demonstrate that the laws are not implemented; women in turkey and elsewhere are still being killed, married as children, and trafficked into forced labor and sexual slavery. the Biden administration has thankfully worked quickly in addressing the trump administration’s criminal negligence of women’s sexual and reproductive rights, with Secretary of State antony Blinken declaring that access to contraception and reproductive health care for women are universal, global human rights that must be monitored and upheld by the United States. In this vein, President Biden and eU leaders should call on erdogan to rescind this appalling decision or else suffer severe economic sanctions, be denied an audience with any Western leader, be prohibited from participating in any future NatO exercises, and be excluded from intelligence-sharing. this, in combination with Biden’s revocation of the “global gag rule” in January, should send a positive message to turkish women and across the world that their rights are recognized and respected. I applaud the turkish women who poured into the streets in Istanbul last week for their courage to protest against erdogan’s despicable turn against women in his own country. every man and woman of conscience must raise their voices to condemn this ruthless dictator who seeks to assert his insecure masculinity by denying women’s rights. Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. alon@alonben-meir.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Price surge in Pakistan PaKIStaN’S economy is facing serious challenges on the fiscal front.the main challenges are insufficient revenue generation and high fiscal deficit exports. an insignificant growth and fear of a slowdown in remittances.PtI government is trying to overcome the fiscal challenge in several ways but other relevant and concerned departments are not assisting the government appropriately. even some of the government’s members are repeating their usual activities like past’s governments. there is little scope for encouraging imports of industrial raw material to lift the country’s large-scale manufacturing sector out of recession. this, in turn, means industrial growth may remain stalled in the near future. there is also no room for the rupee to become strong enough in the short term to create demand for the import of even consumer goods. Consumption of domestically produced stuff is also dwindling because of falling income levels and high inflation. Inflation is stubbornly high and is on the rise. agriculture is not growing at the desired pace and industries are producing less. the PtI government is hoping for the export-sector revival.But failure to accelerate revenue collection and boost export earnings is pushing the government to continue to borrow from domestic as well as external resources. the resultant increase in the debt stock is pushing up the cost of both domestic and external debt servicing. Saqib iShaq azad KaShmir

South Asian security paradigm Danger of breakdown in deterrence

SAjjAD SHAukAT

aKIStaN’S media entities did not give much coverage to a US intelligence report, entitled ‘the Global trends’, released on april 7, this year, which warned that “nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan might engage in a large-scale war unwittingly”. the annual threat assessment report–2021 which was prepared by the US government’s National Intelligence Council and also sent to Congress said: “the ability of some militant outfits to conduct attacks, New Delhi’s resolve to retaliate against Islamabad after such an attack and Islamabad’s determination to defend itself are likely to persist and may increase in the next five years.” It, particularly, warned: “Miscalculation by both governments could prompt a breakdown in the deterrence that has restricted conflict to levels each side judges it can manage.” the report wrote: “the US policy in afghanistan is likely to impact the neighbouring countries; especially India and Pakistan...if a security vacuum emerges in afghanistan that results in a civil war between the taliban and its afghan opponents…would fuel political tensions and conflict in western Pakistan and sharpen the India-Pakistan rivalry.” the report added “India and China may also slip into a conflict that neither government intends, especially if military forces escalate a conflict quickly to challenge each other on a critical part of the contested border.” Notably, during the heightened days of the Cold War, many crises arose in Suez Canal, Korea, Cuba and Vietnam when the US and the former Soviet Union were willing to use atomic weapons, but, they stopped due to the fear of nuclear war which could eliminate both the superpowers. hence, they preferred to resolve their differences through diplomacy by following the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, popularly known as balance of terror. likewise, many occasions came between Pakistan and India during the Kargil crisis of 1998, Indian parliament’s attack by the militants in 2001 and particularly in 2008 in the post-Mumbai terror attacks when New Delhi started a blame game against Islamabad in wake of its highly

provocative actions like mobilization of troops. Pakistan had also taken defensive steps to meet any prospective aggression. But, India failed in implementing its war-like designs, because, Islamabad also possesses nuclear weapons. Now, situation is very dangerous, as since Narendar Modi, the leader of the ruling party BJP, became Indian prime minister, he has been following extremist policies by ignoring the doctrine of nuclear deterrence vis-à-vis Pakistan and China. Very tensions increased between India and Pakistan, India and China on august 5, 2019, when Indian extremist government revoked articles 35a and 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to the disputed territory of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Indian government bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories—Jammu and Kashmir and ladakh to be ruled by the federal government. New Delhi also issued an infamous map which displayed these divisions. Besides Pakistan, China also rejected the Indian malicious acts as “unlawful and void”, saying that India’s decision to “include” some of China’s territory into its administrative jurisdiction “challenged” Beijing’s sovereignty. India had escalated tensions with Islamabad especially in the aftermath of the false flag terror attack at Pulwama in the IIOJK. On February 27, 2019, in response to the Indian so-called pre-emptive air strike in the town of Balakot, close to the border with Pakistan’s sector of Kashmir, Pakistan air Force (PaF) shot down two Indian air Force (IaF) fighter jets and launched aerial strikes at six targets in the IIOJK. Indian forces had also accelerated shelling inside Pakistani side of Kashmir by violating the ceasefire agreement across the line of Control (loC) and compelled Pakistan army to give a matching reply. In the recent past, the Director Generals of Military Operations of Pakistan and India had agreed to strictly observe the 2003 ceasefire agreement at the loC and other sectors, including Working Boundary from the midnight of February 24 and 25, this year. But, unless resolved, Kashmir will remain a nuclear flashpoint. Similarly, drastic tensions arose between New Delhi and Beijing on May 5, last year, when India occupied various areas, adjacent to the line of actual Control (laC). In response, Chinese forces moved into the regions along the eastern ladakh border and vacated the disputed territories. after a number of rounds of talks, India and China completed their withdrawal from the Pan-

gong tso lake area on February 20, 2021 in accordance with the agreement, signed by their commanders. While, other parts of the border remain unsettled, and encouraged by the US President Joe Biden’s anti-China, Indian forces are making preparations for an all-out war with China. however, laC is a nuclear flashpoint between the two countries. last year, India’s home Minister Shri amit Shah had threatened of conducting surgical strikes inside Pakistani territory. Chief of army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, DG of ISPR, Maj-Gen. Babar Iftikhar, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have repeatedly stated that Pakistan’s armed forces “are ready to respond any Indian aggression with full might… India is planning false flag operation-PulwamaII…India faced great humiliation in the military standoff with China…India is facing many internal challenges especially after the emergence of coronavirus…many issues have emerged in India after the august 5, 2019 move, which revoked the special status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir….Now they [India] think the best way is to divert the attention towards Pakistan…While their quadcopters have also violated airspace on different occasions.” hinting towards Pakistan and China, Indian national security advisor ajit Doval recently stated: “New India doctrine will take battle to foreign soil.” and Indian exarmy Chief General Deepak Kapoor had stated on December 29, 2010 that the Indian army “is now revising its five-year old doctrine” and is preparing for a “possible twofront war with China and Pakistan.” In a latest statement, UN Secretary-General antonio Guterres who urged the resolution of Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions, warned that “any military confrontation between two nuclear powers-Pakistan and India would be a disaster for both countries and the whole world. In this backdrop, the tenets of nuclear deference cannot be applied to South asia where Modi’s risky strategy could result into a fullscale conventional war with Pakistan or China or at a time, with both the countries, which may culminate into atomic war, enveloping the entire region and probably the whole world.

In this backdrop, the tenets of nuclear deference cannot be applied to South Asia where Modi’s risky strategy could result into a full-scale conventional war with Pakistan or China or at a time, with both the countries, which may culminate into atomic war, enveloping the entire region and probably the whole world.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations and can be reached at sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Covid-19 in Afghanistan aFGhaNIStaN, called a graveyard of empires,has been in war for decades.the war in afghanistan created a riffle of turmoil and instability.after USSR withdrawal from afghan soil,taliban recaptured most part of afghan territories.Clashes between afghan military and taliban have become a daily routine. afghanistan paid a heavy cost in the shape of human lives, roughly 100,000 civilians died as a result of war.Foreign interventions too shaken the very foundation of afghanistan. Most recently, a historical peace deal was signed between taliban and USa. having failed through militaristic approach,USa turned towards the negotiation table. after 18-month talks,there came a peace deal. the deal is yet to be implemented. In addition, the deadly contagion,named as coronavirus,has managed to spread from one country to another. afghanistan also fell prey to Covid19. herat,a province closed to Iranian border,is the epicentre of Covid-19 in afghanistan through which Covid-19 spread to other parts of afghanistan. Both economy and health infrastructure of afghanistan are fragile because of war.at present, afghanistan runs short of both resources and medical facilities simultaneously. as per the reports, afghanistan only has 300 ventilators for critically ill people. the Covid-19 cases in afghanistan are increasing exponentially. as of april 19, the number of Covid-19 cases were 993 and death toll was 32. as lockdown was put in place, people were asked to stay at home to curb the spread. Unfortunately, afghanistan does not have special quarantine centres and isolation wards for coronavirus-affected patients. Moreover, afghanistan is highly depend on foreign aid.Recently, america cut $1 billion aid of afghanistan:as a consequence, afghanistan economy suffers a lot. afghanistan with meagre resources is unable to provide relief package to daily wagers as country remains under lockdown.It is crystal clear that if situation spirals out of control, afghanistan will register more deaths than caused by war. QASIM JAN Turbat

Privacy issues on Zoom aS you know that due to lockdown online classes initiative has started by many educational institutions and for this different online platforms are being used. Zoom is one of those platforms which is being used frequently. a news spread rapidly that a person has sued Zoom for exposing privacy. More than 50,000 Zoom accounts have been given away on dark web. Many Zoom bombing incidents have happend as hackers gain access to a meeting and disrupt the video upsetting the participants. Zoom owners has yet not spoken on this issue which means there is a privacy concern while using this platform. My main concern as a student is that how we will cope with this situation because the authorities are least concerned to this matter. though it should come into light and students can become more aware, as know one really knows what kind of data they can access. TEHREEM TARIQ Islamabad

On govt attitude It’S astonishing to see that an ordinance has been promulgated by the President, allowing mosques to hold prayers, congregations during ramadan, subject to following SOPs, especially hygiene !. One thinks, questions that if such measures have been adopted for mosques, shops, other places, as activities resume, how come the government itself did not care to abide by such rules, principles, specially hygiene, cleaning the city first, properly cleaned, hygiene, as it closed it on Mar. 22nd ?. Karachi the example !. Can such attitude be explained ?. how would anyone be impressed by such rules, any hygiene considered worth while, if the near surroundings of our neighborhoods paints another picture ?. the government should first follow its own rules, otherwise crying wolf alone, will be of no purpose !. there are many things which are being considered, to prevent viruses from spreading, hygiene should be foremost !. If the government has to be serious about the matter, then they have to be serious about it, themselves first, otherwise whatever they are saying would be of no help to anyone. maShKoor a. Khan Karachi

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

What did 20 yearS of WeStern intervention in afghaniStan achieve? ruination

GuARdiAN

sIMON JeNKINs

hE longest, most pointless and unsuccessful war that Britain has fought in the past 70 years – its intervention in afghanistan – is to end in september. i doubt anyone will notice. nations celebrate victories, not defeats. twenty years ago the United states decided to relieve its 9/11 agony not just by blasting osama bin Laden’s base in the afghan mountains, but by toppling the entire afghan regime. this was despite young taliban moderates declaring Bin Laden an “unwelcome guest” and the regime demanding he leave. the Us then decided not just to blast Kabul but invited nato to launder its action as a matter of global security. Britain had no dog in this fight and only joined because tony Blair liked george W Bush. american and British troops roamed the country, signing up warlords or setting up new governors. Visiting Kabul at the time, i was

BRITAIN’S JUSTIFICATIONS FOR INVADING WERE HAVING INFLUENCE AND DETERRING TERROR. THEY ARE JUST NEO-IMPERIALIST PLATITUDES told of nato’s ambition to wipe out terror, build a new democracy, liberate women and create a “friend in the region”. i had an eerie sense of Britain in 1839 embarking on the First afghan War. Most americans at the time wanted to get out, and concentrate on nation-building in iraq. it was the British who were eager to stay. Blair even sent a minister, Clare short, to eliminate the poppy crop. Whatever she did, it increased production from six provinces to 28, and raised poppy revenue to a record $2.3bn (£1.7bn). spin forward to 2005, and the British army was in full imperial mode, itching to march south with 3,400 troops and conquer Pashtun helmand. the British commander, general David Richards, was adamant that it would be just a matter of winning hearts and minds in friendly “inkspot” towns. his defence secretary, John Reid, hoped this would be achieved “without firing one shot”. they had fun giving their operations names such as achilles, Pickaxe-handle, sledgehammer hit,

Eagle’s Eye, Red Dagger and Blue sword. Everything in helmand went wrong. the expedition had to be salvaged by 10,000 american marines. Four hundred and fiftyfour Britons died. the Russians, who had been forced out of afghanistan a decade before, were privately amazed at the ineptitude of the western operations – and publicly delighted. gordon Brown, by then prime minister, was forced implausibly to explain in 2009 that British troops were dying in helmand to make Britain’s streets safe. since then, most of nato has retreated, hoping against hope that diplomacy would rescue the Kabul government and the west from abject humiliation. three Us presidents have pledged various forms of “surge and depart”, but lacked the political nerve to go through with them. Even Joe Biden has extended a May deadline to september. Each has done just enough to keep the puppet regime in Kabul safe without returning to full-scale imperial rule.

america’s 2,300 troops and their air support will now leave, as will Britain’s 750 (as one senior UK defence source told the guardian: “if they [the Us] go, we’ll all have to go,”). For the Us, the cost has been high: 2,216 dead and more than $2tn spent. Billions in “aid” are said to have left afghanistan, much of it to the Dubai property market. the cost to afghan civilians has been appalling, put at between 50,000 and 100,000 deaths over the two decades, all in retaliation for “hosting” the 9/11 attackers. is that what we call western values? as a senior Us official said this week, when President Biden fixed his new deadline: “the threat against the homeland from afghanistan is at a level we can address.” that has surely been the case for years in Britain as in america, yet we are still there. the latest peace talks in Qatar are going nowhere. the reason is obvious: that the taliban need only to wait for september, when they can do as they choose. the current

WHILE CHINA WILL BE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AT THE WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT, IT NEED NOT BE THE FOREBODING PRESENCE LURKING IN THE MYTH OF A SUPPOSED THUCYDIDES TRAP

Hill

PATRICK M CRONIN

ashington’s cherry blossoms are beyond their peak, but the U.s.-Japan alliance will be in full bloom this Friday when Prime Minister Yoshihide suga becomes the first foreign leader to visit President Biden in the White house. Even if seldom mentioned by name, China is the unmistakable fulcrum around which alliance policy on all issues turns. Competition with China is primarily economic and technological, but these issues often spill over into security and human rights. Economically, a rebounding U.s. economy and Japan will collaborate to strengthen the resilience of vital supply chains. semiconductor chips are essential for all electronics, and suga and Biden are determined to ensure their availability. Equally, the U.s. and Japan have an opportunity to leverage their two-year-old digital trade agreement to help negotiate a multilateral accord and establish high international standards for finance and commerce in the cyber age. as a dominant player in semiconductor manufacturing and a member of aPEC and the World trade organization, taiwan should play a part in both supply chain security and digital trading standards. indeed, bolstering taiwan’s place in the global economy of other democracies is a far better means of thwarting Beijing’s intimidation strategy against taiwan than just sailing near the taiwan strait with an aircraft carrier. the commanding heights of the 21st century economy center on technology. so, while the United states and Japan retain a strong interest in economic cooperation with China, those relations become considerably sharper over leading-edge technologies such as 5g telecommunications, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Biden and suga should showcase their commitment, not against China, but in favor of technological innovation and secure connectivity. an excellent way for the alliance to demonstrate a commitment to practical technology cooperation would be to work together to expand investment in 5g open Radio access networks (oRan). given the concerns surrounding allowing China to dominate fifth-gen-

Patrick M. Cronin is the Asia-Pacific Security Chair at the Hudson Institute.

Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist.

Northern Ireland: Born of strife, erupting again in violence

US-Japan alliance in full bloom eration telecommunications infrastructure, the United states and Japan need to scale up a cloud-based software alternative. the good news is that Japan’s Rakuten is already a leader in demonstrating oRan’s feasibility, and there is bipartisan support in Congress for increasing U.s. investment in modular 5g. the alliance also requires deeper cooperation on cybersecurity. of five issues highlighted at the recent 2 + 2 meeting between U.s. and Japan defense and foreign ministers, cyberspace was the most traditional national security issue. Japan is inching closer toward becoming a de facto sixth member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing arrangement, and the Biden administration should encourage that trajectory. a stronger digital alliance can, in turn, advance cyber resilience throughout the indo-Pacific region. Politically, the alliance can take heart that suga appears willing to lift democratic Japan’s voice in favor of human rights. China seeks to silence its critics and penalize those who speak out about China’s “internal affairs.” Chinese leader Xi Jinping has encouraged “wolf-warrior” diplomacy, urging officials to “unsheathe their swords” to protect China’s dignity. Biden and suga should make the case that democracies work better than authoritarian governments — not least by protecting individual liberty. the two leaders need to mobilize their societies and build out democratic solidarity without resorting to ethnic stereotypes, racism, or xenophobia. Militarily, a key challenge facing the alliance is how to impose costs on China’s grayzone nibbling while deterring Beijing’s temptation to leap to the use of force. the potential for a dust-up over the senkaku islands or taiwan is real. at the summit, Biden will reaffirm america’s article V commitment to the defense of Japan, including territories under its administration. suga should take a crucial reciprocal step by declaring that any attack on U.s. forces in Japan is equivalent to an attack on Japan. Preparation for the defense of the senkakus bolsters readiness for taiwan scenarios. the declaratory policy can give further impetus to deeper integration of U.s.-Japan command and control, even while maximizing complementary forces. While China will be the elephant in the room at the White house summit, it need not be the foreboding presence lurking in the myth of a supposed thucydides trap. instead, Biden and suga can spur Xi into a brighter future for all, encouraging China to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century, rather than 2060, and engaging in a win-win competition over cleanenergy technology. although we cannot sustain cherry blossoms for long, at least we can marvel at the public goods that can emanate from an alliance in full bloom.

regime may hold Kabul for a while, but if it can barely govern with american help, it can hardly do so alone. Left alone back in 2001, the taliban leadership – with which Us intelligence was already liaising – would have dealt with Bin Laden. instead, the Pashtun have been left to rampage for two decades, financed by western heroin users. the worst it has suffered is the decimation of its senior figures by Us drones, to absolutely no effect. afghanistan will need these people to contain another product of nato intervention: the country is now a focus of islamic state activity. What has the Us and UK intervention achieved? the military theorist gen sir Rupert smith, in his book the Utility of Force, has pointed out that modern armies are almost useless in counter-insurgency wars. they have roamed the Middle East from afghanistan to Libya, “creating one ruined nation after another”. Britain’s sole justification is the hoary Foreign office cliche about having influence, deterring terror and standing tall in the world. they are neo-imperialist vacuities. in a world of apologies, some mighty big ones are due in september.

CONVERSATiON

JAMes WAlleR

ECtaRian rioting has returned to the streets of northern ireland, just weeks shy of its 100th anniversary as a territory of the United Kingdom. For several nights, young protesters loyal to British rule – fueled by anger over Brexit, policing and a sense of alienation from the U.K. – set fires across the capital of Belfast and clashed with police. scores have been injured. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for calm, said “the way to resolve differences is through dialogue, not violence or criminality.” But northern ireland was born of violence. Deep divisions between two identity groups – broadly defined as Protestant and Catholic – have dominated the country since its very founding. now, roiled anew by the impact of Brexit, northern ireland is seemingly moving in a darker and more dangerous direction. the island of ireland, whose northernmost part lies a mere 13 miles from Britain, has been contested territory for at least nine centuries. Britain long gazed with colonial ambitions on its smaller Catholic neighbor. the 12th-century anglo-norman invasion first brought the neighboring English to ireland. in the late 16th century, frustrated by continuing native irish resistance, Protestant England implemented an aggressive plan to fully colonize ireland and stamp out irish Catholicism. Known as “plantations,” this social engineering exercise “planted” strategic areas of ireland with tens of thousands of English and scottish Protestants. Plantations offered settlers cheap woodland and bountiful fisheries. in exchange, Britain established a base loyal to the British crown – not to the Pope. England’s most ambitious plantation strategy was carried out in Ulster, the northernmost of ireland’s provinces. By 1630, according to the Ulster historical Foundation, there were about 40,000 English-speaking Protestant settlers in Ulster. though displaced, the native irish Catholic population of Ulster was not converted to Protestantism. instead, two divided and antagonistic communities – each with its own culture, language, political allegiances, religious beliefs and economic histories – shared one region. over the next two centuries, Ulster’s

AFTER A CENTURY-LONG HISTORY OF POLITICAL STRIFE, BREXIT RISKS UNDOING THE HARD-EARNED TWO DECADES OF RECONCILIATION identity divide transformed into a political fight over the future of ireland. “Unionists” – most often Protestant – wanted ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. “nationalists” – most often Catholic – wanted self-government for ireland. these fights played out in political debates, the media, sports, pubs – and, often, in street violence. By the early 1900s, a movement of irish independence was rising in the south of ireland. the nationwide struggle over irish identity only intensified the strife in Ulster. the British government, hoping to appease nationalists in the south while protecting the interests of Ulster unionists in the north, proposed in 1920 to partition ireland into two parts: one majority Catholic, the other Protestantdominated – but both remaining within the United Kingdom. irish nationalists in the south rejected that idea and carried on with their armed campaign to separate from Britain. Eventually, in 1922, they gained independence and became the irish Free state, today called the Republic of ireland. in Ulster, unionist power-holders reluctantly accepted partition as the best alternative to remaining part of Britain. in 1920, the government of ireland act created northern ireland, the newest member of the United Kingdom. in this new country, native irish Catholics were now a minority, making up less than a third of northern ireland’s 1.2 million people. stung by partition, nationalists refused to recognize the British state. Catholic schoolteachers, supported by church leaders, refused to take state salaries. and when northern ireland seated its first parliament in May 1921, nationalist politicians did not take their elected seats in the assembly. the Parliament of northern ireland became, essentially, Protestant – and its proBritish leaders pursued a wide variety of anti-Catholic practices, discriminating against Catholics in public housing, voting rights and hiring. By the 1960s, Catholic nationalists in northern ireland were mobilizing to demand more equitable governance. in 1968, police responded violently to a peaceful march to protest inequality in the allocation of public housing in Derry, northern ireland’s second-largest city. in 60 seconds of unforgettable television footage, the world saw water cannons and baton-wielding officers attack defenseless marchers without restraint.

on Jan. 30, 1972, during another civil rights march in Derry, British soldiers opened fire on unarmed marchers, killing 14. this massacre, known as Bloody sunday, marked a tipping point. a nonviolent movement for a more inclusive government morphed into a revolutionary campaign to overthrow that government and unify ireland. the irish Republican army, a nationalist paramilitary group, used bombs, targeted assassinations and ambushes to pursue independence from Britain and reunification with ireland. Longstanding paramilitary groups that were aligned with pro-U.K. political forces reacted in kind. Known as loyalists, these groups colluded with state security forces to defend northern ireland’s union with Britain. Euphemistically known as “the troubles,” this violence claimed 3,532 lives from 1968 to 1998. the troubles subsided in april 1998 when the British and irish governments, along with major political parties in northern ireland, signed a landmark U.s.-brokered peace accord. the good Friday agreement established a powersharing arrangement between the two sides and gave the northern irish parliament more authority over domestic affairs. the peace agreement made history. But northern ireland remained deeply fragmented by identity politics and paralyzed by dysfunctional governance, according to my research on risk and resilience in the country. Violence has periodically flared up since. then, in 2020, came Brexit. Britain’s negotiated withdrawal from the European Union created a new border in the irish sea that economically moved northern ireland away from Britain and toward ireland. Leveraging the instability caused by Brexit, nationalists have renewed calls for a referendum on formal irish reunification. For unionists loyal to Britain, that represents existential threat. Young loyalists born after the height of the troubles are particularly fearful of losing a British identity that has always been theirs. Recent spasms of street disorder suggest they will defend that identity with violence, if necessary. in some neighborhoods, nationalist youths have countered with violence of their own. in its centenary year, northern ireland teeters on the edge of a painfully familiar precipice. James Waller is a Holocaust and Genocide Studies professor at Keene State College.

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

buSInESS 09

lAhoRE CORPORATE CORNER BOP, Millat Tractors Ltd. sign agreement under Kamyab Jawan Scheme

LAhore

Tarin direcTS PBS TO cOMPare whOLeSaLe, reTaiL PriceS Of eSSenTiaL fOOd iTeMS ISLAMABAD

sTaff rePorT

HE Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Monday directed the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) to regularly compare the difference in wholesale and retail prices of essential food items in different districts across the country. He made these remarks while charing an introductory meeting with Secretary Planning, Development and Special Initiatives to evaluate the current techniques of data collection and analysis used by the PBS. The meeting

was attended by SAPM on Revenue Dr Waqar Masood, Member PBS Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, Economic Adviser Dr Imtiaz Ahmad and senior officials of the Finance Division. The chief statistician gave a detailed briefing to the new minister on evidence-based data collection techniques followed by the bureau in compiling figures, particularly for CPI and SPI. The minister appreciated the technology-based data gathering techniques followed by the Bureau after doing away with the paper-based approach and directed them to follow such meth-

ods that could further assist in making the data more objective, targeted and authentic for the purpose of comparison and analysis. Article continues after this advertisement The chief statistician also apprised the minister of the changes they are about to introduce in the system to make it more comprehensive. Tarin said that addressing the root cause of inflation with devising a new hierarchy of administrative control will provide the most needed relief to the masses. He assigned the PBS to adopt a practice of regularly comparing the

difference in wholesale and retail prices of essential food items in different districts across the country. PBS will highlight the difference in prices in different provinces as well. The minister said that the data is available on a real-time basis on the PBS dashboard will help in maintaining the strategic reserves of the essential commodities across the country. The meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) is expected to take place within a week’s time and PBS will share its data analysis report in the upcoming meeting of NPMC.

Press release

The Bank of Punjab (BOP) and Millat Tractors Ltd. (MTL) have signed an MoU for the provision of Fast Track Processing (FTP) and delivery of tractors and farm machinery to qualifying applicants at subsidised markup rate under Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan – Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (PMKJ-YES). The ceremony was held at Bank of Punjab’s head office in Gulberg on Monday. Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs, Usman Dar, was the chief guest of the ceremony. BOP president and CEO Zafar Masud and Group Head Retail and Priority Sectors Lending Asif Riaz represented BOP while Millat Tractors Limited was represented by Millat Group Chairman Sikandar M Khan, CEO S.M. Irfan Aqueel and General Manager Marketing Azhar Noor. This MoU is in line with the prime minister’s vision to support farmers in order to boost country’s economy and serve as a job creation medium. Speaking on the occasion, Zafar Masud said, “BOP is currently the top performing bank with a total disbursement of more than Rs2.4 billion under KJ YES, whereas Millat Tractors Limited is Pakistan’s leading tractors and farm machinery manufacturer with market share of over 60 per cent. Partnering with Millat Tractors Limited is another milestone of becoming the first bank in the industry to partner with a tractor and farm machinery manufacturer for addressing the supply chain gaps in this sector. He also added that BOP aims to lease 5,000 tractors under the scheme. S.M. Aqueel while speaking on the occasion assured fast track delivery and also shared the Millat Group’s marketing and farmer’s awareness campaign details. BOP and MTL will also conduct an awareness programme for operators and mechanics. Both the CEOs also discussed subsidised lending opportunity to bridge financial gaps of MTLs distributors and vendors under PMKJ YES. Millat Group Chairman Sikandar M Khan assured his company’s best services and support to BOP for farm mechanisation development and creation of job opportunities in the country. Usman Dar appreciated the efforts of both the organisations and added that this joint venture will add a lot of value to the future of the country.

Bitcoin slips to $55,246 amid regulations concerns ISLAMABAD TlTP

The prices of major cryptocurrencies went down on Monday amid concerns on regulations. Bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, shed 0.52 percent to reach $55,246. With this decrease in price, the market capitalisation of the BTC has reached $1.03 trillion. Likewise, ethereum (ETH) shed 1.07 percent to reach $2,119. With this decrease in price, the market capitalisation of ETH reached $246.8 billion. However, Binance coin (BNB) gained 5.9 percent to reach $490. The market capitalisation of BNB stands at $75.7 billion after this increase. On the other hand, XRP reached $1.29 with a 2.77 percent decrease in price. Its market capitalisation has reached $59.3 billion with this decrease. Likewise, the price of tether (USDT) remained flat at $0.99. The market capitalisation of the USTD stands at $48.1 billion. Meanwhile, the Bank of England said it would team up with the UK Treasury to explore a potential national virtual currency as Britain eyes joining the crypto-frenzy that has gripped state regulators across the world. The task force will coordinate work on a possible “Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)” that could be used by both households and businesses, and would exist alongside cash and bank deposits. “Our vision is for a more open, greener, and more technologically advanced financial services sector,” the UK Treasury chief Rishi Sunak told a fintech conference. “And if we can capture the extraordinary potential of technology, we’ll cement the UK’s position as the world’s preeminent financial center,” the state official added. The CBDC task force is expected to look at use cases, opportunities and risks of a potential “digital pound.” The decision comes amid a progressive decline in cash payments, partially as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Just one in ten payments in Britain is expected to be made with traditional paper money by the end of this decade.

SECP likely to allow direct listing of local companies NewS DeSk The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is considering to allow direct listing of local companies on the Pakistan stock Exchange (PSX), Bloomberg reported on Monday. According to the report, SECP Chairman Aamir Khan in an interview on April 13 had said that the proposal if approved will help companies, especially state-owned ones, looking to sell existing shares as they will not even need approvals from the regulator

for the transaction in most instances. Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 Index’s 45 per cent gain in the past year has encouraged new listings on the bourse. “Direct listing is a concept which is there in developed markets already,” said Khan. “It’s something on our internal drawing board right now.” Article continues after this advertisement. It is pertinent to mention here that historically, the criteria for being able to list a company on PSX was to be a profitable for a period of three years. In the past few years, SECP has allowed a range

of new products to encourage companies to get listed. A regulatory sandbox was also introduced by the SECP, which allows startups to operate in unregulated areas. SECP is also working on making Real Estate Investment Trust launches easier. Furthermore, SECP Chairman informed that the necessity of mandatory building completion certificate has been removed. It was seen as a hurdle by many investors. The report mentioned that Pakistan has not seen any REITs after its debut in 2015. An increase in taxes stymied plans of about eight REITs.

PIA to start direct flights between Karachi, Skardu ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbas

Pakistan International Airlines has announced to operate Karachi-SkarduKarachi direct flights to facilitate tourists and residents of northern areas from May 16. A spokesman for the PIA said an Airbus A320 flight would take off from Karachi after making sure that the weather conditions and routine flight is clear. Another flight will be operated on the new route on May 18. According to the airline, the minimum fare for this route would initially be Rs14,000 while the flight time from Karachi to Skardu would be 2-1/4 hours. The PIA, according to sources, will also to start its first ever direct flight between Lahore and Gilgit on the same date. Article continues after this advertisement Earlier, the airline had launched direct flights to Skardu from Lahore. The

first ever PIA flight PK-8453 flight with 153 passengers had received a warm welcome at the Skardu Airport, which is surrounded by snowy peaks offering a glimpse of the natural wonders in the region. Meanwhile, the national flag carrier has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shangrila Resort, the most beautiful resort in the area. The MoU was formally signed between Chief Executive Officer (CEO) PIA Air Marshal Arshad and Arif Aslam Khan Chairman Shangrila Resort here in Islamabad on Wednesday. According to Arif Aslam, the MoU was signed for mutual cooperation in facilitating the tourists visiting Skardu and other parts of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) from Islamabad and Karachi. Under this MoU, Arif said, both PIA and Shangrila Resort would conduct joint marketing for increasing the flow of tourists to Skardu. An Air Safari may also be started from Eid Days to the area. It may be mentioned here that

Shangrila Resort in Skardu , had its business in 1983 with the opening of the first Resort Hotel in Skardu, Baltistan. It was the first ever Resort established in the northern areas for tourism. It was named “heaven on earth” due to its stunning beauty, breathtaking view and peaceful ambiance. It is pertinent to mention that COO

Malik had last year directed the airline’s sales manager to make arrangements for direct flights between Karachi and Skardu. The national carrier was to operate Airbus 320 twice a week flights between the port city of Karachi and Skardu. It was decided that in case of bad weather, flights would be diverted to the Islamabad International Airport.

Rs500bn released for uplift projects under PSDP ISLAMABAD aPP

The federal government has released Rs500.942 billion out of a total allocation of Rs650 billion for various ongoing and new social sector uplift projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2020-21. The released funds include Rs321.55 billion for federal ministries, Rs148.65 billion for corporations, Rs29.54 billion for special areas, and Rs1.2 billion for the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform. The total PSDP allocation for ERRA for the year 202021 is Rs3 billion. Similarly, Rs98.32 billion out of an allocation of Rs118.67 billion has been released for the National Highway Au-

thority, Rs50.32 billion out of Rs158.3 billion for the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), and Rs64.8 billion out of Rs79.38 billion for the for the Water Resources Division (WRD). Likewise, Rs22.5 billion out of allocated fund of Rs22.49 billion has been disbursed to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Rs323.7 million out of Rs350 million to the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). The Railways Division has received development funds of Rs16.48 billion, the Interior Division Rs11.8 billion, and the National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHRC) Division Rs12.7 billion. Similarly, the Revenue Division has got Rs6.5 billion, and the Cabinet Division Rs24.14 billion. The government also released Rs18.76 billion out of PSDP’s allocation

of Rs24.5 billion for development projects in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Rs10.78 billion out of Rs15 billion for Gilgit Baltistan (GB) projects. Meanwhile, according to another data released by the Planning Commis-

sion, total expenditures during the first eight months (Jul-Feb) of the current fiscal year (8MFY21) by various ministries and departments stood at Rs263.1 billion out of the total released funds of Rs479 billion.

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

LAHORE

Modi scorned over recKless rallies, religioUs gathering aMid covid-19 MayheM NEW DELHI

AGENCIES

ANY Indians are criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his response to a scary surge in coronavirus cases, disappointed by him addressing tens of thousands of people at state election rallies and letting Hindu devotees congregate for a festival. Tags like #ResignModi and #SuperSpreaderModi have trended on Twitter in the past two days, as bodies piled up in mortuaries and crematoriums, and desperate cries for hospital beds, medical oxygen and coronavirus tests flooded social media. Having swept to power in 2014 with the biggest single-party majority in decades, Modi is unused to such public roasting. He has diced with losing support before by springing unpopular reforms, notably after he decommissioned high denomination banknotes overnight in 2016, and last year, when his agricultural reforms provoked months of mass protests by angry farmers. But this is different. The economy has struggled to recover following a months-

long lockdown last year, yet for all the hardship suffered then, the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic is proving deadlier than the first. India is currently recording more new cases of coronavirus than any other country, and this week it is expected to rise above the high tide of the epidemic seen in the United States, when daily new cases peaked at nearly 300,000 in early January. Deaths in India have risen to nearly 179,000. Yet Modi and his ministers have campaigned heavily ahead of state elections in West Bengal, where opinion polls showed the prime minister’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in a tight race with a regional party that rules the state. “You hold rallies as people head to funerals,” AkhileshJha, the data head of the federal Department of Science & Technology, wrote in Hindi on LinkedIn, in a rare public outburst by a government official. “People will hold you accountable, you keep doing your rallies.” Several other government officials privately shared similar sentiments with Reuters. The eight-phase voting in West Bengal

France ‘bears significant responsibility’ for rwandan genocide, Us report says WASHINGTON

ends on April 29. Whatever happens there, Modi doesn’t have to worry about a national vote until 2024, but presently it is hard to say when India’s coronavirus epidemic will subside. A government spokesman did not respond to queries on criticism of Modi. But PiyushGoyal, the minister for railways, commerce and industry, told Reuters television partner ANI that Modi was working for many hours a day to manage the crisis. On Saturday, Modi requested religious leaders to only symbolically celebrate a festival known as KumbhMela, after tens of thousands of Hindu devotees gathered daily in close proximity to immerse themselves in the Ganges. But that was on the seventeenth day of the festival scheduled to run until the end of April, and it is yet to be officially called off despite authorities detecting hundreds of infections among participants who had poured in from across the country. Though it isnot a force in the state, the main national opposition Congress party on Sunday called off election rallies in Bengal. But the BJP has insisted on its candidates “constitutional right” to campaign for at least

UK PM Johnson cancels triP to india dUe to coronavirUs worries LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday cancelled a planned trip to India, scheduled to take place next week, due to the current coronavirus situation in India, Johnson's office said. Johnson had already postponed the trip once from January, when Covid-19 infections were high in Britain. Infections in India are currently surging as the country endures a second wave of the virus. "In the light of the current coronavirus situation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be able to travel to India next week," a joint statement from the British and Indian government, released by Johnson's office, said. "Instead, Prime Ministers (Narendra) Modi and (Boris) Johnson will speak later this month to agree and launch their ambitious plans for the future partnership between the UK and India." Relations with India are seen as a key component of both Britain's post-Brexit ambitions to reinvigorate trade with countries outside the European Union, and a diplomatic push to gain more influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Britain has invited India to attend the G7 summit it is hosting in June. British health officials said on Sunday that they were investigating a Covid-19 variant originating in India, but as yet they did not have enough evidence to classify it is as a variant of concern. AGENCIES

14 days. Covid-19 cases in Bengal, meanwhile, have quadrupled since the start of April, and at least three election contestants have died.

“How many deaths does it take ‘til he knows, that too many people have died?” Nirupama Menon Rao, a former foreign secretary, asked on Twitter.

Five people shot in Louisiana incident; 3rd US multiple shooting in one day WASHINGTON

AGENCIES

France "bears significant responsibility" for enabling the genocide in Rwanda and still refuses to acknowledge its true role in the 1994 horror, said a report commissioned by Kigali that was released Monday. The damning report, commissioned in 2017 and running to nearly 600 pages, labels France a "collaborator" of the extremist Hutu regime that orchestrated the pogrom of some 800,000 people, and outright rejects the position that Paris was blind to their genocidal agenda. The years-long investigation by US law firm Levy Firestone Muse said France knew a genocide was coming but remained "unwavering in its support" of its Rwandan allies, even when the planned extermination of the Tutsi minority was clear. "It is our conclusion that the French government bears significant responsibility for enabling a foreseeable genocide," states the Muse report, which drew on millions of pages of documents and interviews with more than 250 witnesses. It found no evidence, however, that French officials or personnel directly participated in the killing of Tutsis. France has long been accused of not doing enough to halt the massacres, and the Muse reports follows the publication last month of a separate inquiry into the same events commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron. The Duclert Commission, named after the historian leading that investigation, concluded that France bore "overwhelming responsibilities" over the genocide and acknowledged a "failure" on its part, but no complicity in the killings. But the Muse report asserts greater French culpability, saying the Duclert Commission stopped short of explaining what France was responsible for, and erred in concluding that Paris "remained blind" to the looming genocide. "The French government was neither blind nor unconscious about the foreseeable genocide," the report stated. More than a quarter of a century on the issue still poisons relations between France and Rwanda under President Paul Kagame, a former Tutsi rebel who has ruled the mountainous nation in Africa's Great Lakes region since the aftermath of the genocide. 'INDISPENSABLE COLLABORATOR': The genocide between April and July of 1994 began after Rwanda's Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, with whom Paris had cultivated close ties, was killed when his plane was shot down over Kigali on April 6. Within a few hours extremist Hutu militia began slaughtering Tutsis, and some moderate Hutus, with a scale and brutality that shocked the world. Victims were felled with machetes, shot, or massacred while seeking shelter in churches and schools, while sexual violence was rife. The Muse report said nobody worked closer with Habyarimana than France under then leader Francois Mitterrand, who was most to blame for the "reckless enabling" of the radical Hutu regime as it prepared for genocide. France provided critical military and political support to the regime to protect its own strategic interests in Africa, the report said, and ignored internal warnings of a looming slaughter even as hateful rhetoric and violence against the Tutsi surged. "Only the French government was an indispensable collaborator in building the institutions that would become instruments of the genocide. No other foreign government both knew the dangers posed by Rwandan extremists and enabled those extremists..." the report states. "The French government's role was singular. And still, it has not yet acknowledged that role or atoned for it."

Five people were hospitalized after being shot and injured in Shreveport, Louisiana, CBS-affiliated television station KSLA reported late on Sunday, the third multiple shooting reported in the United States with 24 hours. In a briefing to local news outlets, police said they were in the first stages of investigating the incident, without confirming the number of people admitted to hospital nor their condition. Police officers were responding to traffic congestion reports when shots were heard, a police spokesman told reporters. "We responded this evening to a traffic congestion and during that congestion, numerous shots were fired," the spokesman said. One victim was shot in the head, while another suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to local news

outlet Love Shreveport-Bossier. Sunday's incidents came with the United States already on edge over a surge in shootings in recent weeks. A gunman killed eight workers and himself at an Indianapolis FedEx center on Thursday night, with at least seven deadly mass shootings reported in the United States over the past month. In Shreveport, located in northwest Louisiana, multiple police units were dispatched to the scene of the incident, which took place around 9 p.m. local time on Sunday on Hearne Avenue, according to the KSLA report. Victims were taken to Ochsners LSU Health and other local hospitals, the report added. Reuters was not immediately able to contact local police. The Shreveport mayor's office didnot immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Earlier on Sunday, three people died at an apartment complex in

Austin, Texas and authorities were hunting for a former deputy sheriff wanted in connection with the fatal shooting. Separately, three people were killed and two wounded in a shooting at a bar in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, in the early hours of Sunday.

The spate of shootings has increased public pressure to tighten gun regulations. Most Americans support tougher gun laws, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling, but Washington has done little to address the problem in recent years.

Local uprisings emerge to challenge Myanmar’s army YANGON AGENCIES

Sleeping by their makeshift barricades, knots of young men at Tahan in the western Myanmar town of Kale had not expected an attack in the pre-dawn darkness. Armed with a few hunting guns made by village blacksmiths, catapults, some airguns and Molotov cocktails, they were no match for forces hardened by decades of conflict and equipped with combat weapons. The first barrage of shots and rocket propelled grenades from Myanmar's army, known as the Tatmadaw, came around 5am on April 7, the protesters and residents of Kale said. By evening, the one-sided battle was over, the sandbag barricades had been cleared and 13 people were dead, three people involved in the armed group told Reuters. Soldiers deployed on street corners and remain until now. "So many people on our side were wounded that we couldn’t do anything and had to retreat," Aung Myat Thu, one 20-year-old protester in Kale, told Reuters from there by messaging app. Although the resistance in Kale was quickly crushed, it points to a new phase of bloodshed in Myanmar after the Feb. 1 coup, with some protesters

now seeking to take up arms against the junta's forces. The junta did not respond to requests for comment. The junta-controlled Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said 18 rioters were arrested in Kale after attacking security forces with homemade weapons. "Some of the members of the security forces were seriously injured," it said Despite the early setbacks, disparate groups are trying to source better weapons, sharpen tactics, share intelligence and get training from some of the two dozen or so existing ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, several opposition politicians said.

"Some small defence units have been formed across the country, in the community, villages or wards," said Moe Saw Oo, a spokesman for the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), a body representing ousted lawmakers that has set up a rival national unity government. "At the same time, we are in coordination with ethnic armed organisations about the establishment of a proper defence force," he said. Over 700 people have been killed and more than 3,000 have been detained by security forces cracking down on the nationwide protests that have raged since the military de-

posed the civilian government led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1. Even as the fighters in Kale retreated, other groups have sprung up elsewhere. Acts of sabotage, such as the burning of administrative buildings and attacks on businesses linked to the army have broken out the in the main city of Yangon and the second city of Mandalay. "It is a sign of the determination and the extreme violence the military has been using against protesters rather than a strategic assessment they can take on the might of the military," said analyst Richard Horsey, who recently briefed the UN Security Council on the threat of national collapse. Among the new groups, the Ayeyarwaddy Federal Army announced its arrival last week in the heartland of the Bamar majority, which forms the core of the armed forces as well as Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. "Armed revolution is the only way to return the people's power," spokesman Mratt Thu Aung told Reuters via messaging app. He did not disclose the group's location or the size of its force and Reuters was unable to do so independently.

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

SPORTS 11

LAHORE

TweLve Top european cLubS announce Launch of breakaway Super League, face diSapprovaL LONDON

AGENCIES

WELVE of Europe’s most powerful clubs announced the launch of a breakaway European Super League on Monday in a potentially seismic shift in the way football is run, but faced accusations of greed and cynicism. Six Premier League teams – Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham – are involved, alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan. The ESL said the founding clubs had agreed to create a “new midweek competition” but would continue to “compete in their respective national leagues”. It said it hoped the inaugural edition would start “as soon as practicable”. Three more founding clubs would be announced, the ESL said in a statement, with a further five places up for grabs through a qualifying system each year. Crucially, the 15 initial members would be guaranteed qualification every season. Clubs would be split into two groups of ten, playing each other home and away. The top three in each group would qualify for the quarter-finals and the teams in fourth and fifth would play a two-legged play-off for the two remaining spots. Then the competition would adopt the same two-leg knockout format used in the Champions League before a single-leg final in May. In terms of the financial draw for clubs, organisers said they would receive “solidarity payments” that would be “substantially higher than those generated by the current European competition”. For signing up to the new league, “Founding Clubs will receive an amount of

3.5 billion euros solely to support their infrastructure investment plans and to offset the impact of the Covid pandemic,” the statement added. ‘CYNICAL PROJECT’: The ESL clubs were accused of greed, criticised by the leaders of Britain and France and threatened with international exile. Despite their pledge to continue playing in their domestic leagues, European football’s governing body Uefa and the three countries’ football authorities warned the clubs would be barred from their national competitions and the Champions League. “We... will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more

Sri Lankan legend Muralitharan undergoes angioplasty NEW DELHI: Muttiah Muralitharan is doing much better after he underwent a scheduled angioplasty at a hospital in Chennai, a spokesperson for the former Sri Lanka spinner’s Indian Premier League (IPL) side Sunrisers Hyderabad said on Monday. The 49year-old, who is part of Hyderabad’s coaching staff for the tournament, said he would shortly rejoin the team in Chennai after quarantining as per IPL protocols, he added. Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker in international cricket with 1,347 victims, including 800 in Tests. He played for Sri Lanka in 133 Tests, 350 ODIs and 12 Twenty20 Internationals. “Wishing Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan, who was recently hospitalised for cardiac treatment, a speedy recovery,” cricket’s governing body ICC said in a tweet. AGENCIES

Lokuhettige gets eight-year ban for corruption DUBAI: Dilhara Lokuhettige, the former Sri Lanka allrounder, has been banned from all cricket for eight years by the ICC anticorruption tribunal after being found guilty of breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption code on three counts. Lokuhettige had been slapped with corruption charges in April 2019, five months after the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) had also charged him. The charges relate to the 2017 T10 tournament played in the UAE, which is why the ECB had been first to lay charges. In January this year, the tribunal found Lokuhettige guilty of Article 2.1.1, 2.1.4 and 2.4.4. “Having represented Sri Lanka in international cricket, Dilhara had attended a number of anticorruption education sessions and would have known his actions were a breach of the code,” Alex Marshall, the ICC general manager - anti corruption, said. “The severity of the sanction reflects the seriousness of his offences and his continued refusal to cooperate and should serve as a deterrent for anyone considering getting involved in corruption of any kind.” An Al Jazeera documentary on cricket corruption in Sri Lanka had initially raised concerns about Lokuhettige. In that, Lokuhettige was seen to be in the room when another former Sri Lanka cricketer was talking to an alleged corruptor, as well as an Al Jazeera journalist posing as a prospective bettor. Former Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Zoysa was also found guilty of three corruption-related offences to do with that T10 tournament in November last year. Zoysa has since denied any wrongdoing. Zoysa and Lokuhettige are the third and fourth former Sri Lanka players to be charged with corruption. Sanath Jayasuriya was the most high-profile cricketer to cop charges, and has served out a two-year suspension from the game, while former offspinner and sometime Galle curator Jayananda Warnaweera was the first to be charged with corruption by the ICC. As Lokuhettige has been living in Australia and held no positions with Sri Lankan cricket, he has not faced a sanctions from the SLC so far. He played 11 white-ball internationals for Sri Lanka, picking up eight wickets to go with 101 runs with the bat. His last competitive game was a first-class fixture for Moors Sports Club in February 2016. AGENCIES

than ever,” read a joint statement. Uefa also threatened that players from the participating clubs “could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams”. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the clubs “must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps”. With no French team among the initial ESL clubs, President Emmanuel Macron said the plans risked “threatening the principle of solidarity and sporting merit”. The ESL announcement was timed to pre-empt Uefa’s own scheduled unveiling of reforms to the Champions League on Monday, with an expansion to 36 teams from 32 and two ‘wildcard’ slots expected to be

HARARE AGENCIES

Pakistan’s bowling coach Waqar Younis has been released from the squad to be with his wife, who will be undergoing a surgery soon, and will miss the series in Zimbabwe as a result. He is presently in Harare and will leave for home in Sydney on Tuesday (today). He is expected to join the team for their next assignment, a white-ball series in England in July; the team is scheduled to leave Pakistan on June 23. The surgery is due early next month, but the mandatory quarantine on reaching Australia means Younis will only be able to be with his wife at the time of the surgery. The PCB has not named a temporary replacement for Pakistan’s series of three T20Is and two Tests, all in Harare - the first T20I is on April 21, while the last Test starts May 7.

among the plans. There would be a minimum of 10 games for each team. Fifa expressed its “disapproval” at the Super League plans and called on all parties “to engage in calm, constructive and balanced dialogue for the good of the game.” The Premier League, the richest in Europe, issued a furious statement. “Fans of any club in England and across Europe can currently dream that their team may climb to the top and play against the best,” it said. “We believe that the concept of a European Super League would destroy this dream.” Arsenal, who currently sit ninth in the Premier League, well off the qualification spots for Europe, hinted at the obstacles ahead, saying “there’s lots more to do to

bring the competition to life”. The European Club Association said it “strongly opposes” the Super League. Juventus, whose president Andrea Agnelli was also chief of the ECA, said the club and its boss had left the body. The club warned that it “cannot assure that the project will be eventually successfully launched”. Juventus are facing a battle to finish in the Serie A top four this season and seven-time European champions AC Milan have not played in the Champions League since 2014. Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez, who was announced as the first ESL president, said the breakaway reflected the big clubs’ wishes. “Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires,” he said. Manchester United’s American co-chairman Joel Glazer, who will be a vice-chairman of the Super League, said it “will open a new chapter for European football”. The clubs also said a women’s version of the competition will be created. GERMAN, FRENCH CLUBS ON SIDELINES: French and German clubs, including reigning European champions Bayern Munich and last season’s beaten Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain, were not among the initial ESL clubs. “We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this,” Uefa said. La Liga president Javier Tebas compared the ESL clubs to drunks leaving a bar at 5:00am “intoxicated with selfishness and a lack of solidarity”. German Football League boss Christian Seifert said the breakaway could “irreparably damage the national leagues”. The announcement was also condemned by some supporters’ groups, with Liverpool’s Spirit of Shankly tweeting it was “appalled”.

Waqar to miss Zimbabwe series for his wife’s surgery in Sydney Younis has not been with his family in Sydney for ten months, because of Pakistan’s busy homeand-away schedule. When there was a gap, in September last year, he had tried to return home. But after landing in Australia, he had to serve a quarantine in a hotel and on the eighth day of his quarantine, his father died in Lahore. So he flew back to Pakistan instead to attend the funeral. Later, after Pakistan’s Boxing Day Test in Mount Maunganui, he had called his family to La-

hore, but the Covid-19 situation put paid to those plans too. Younis, 49, took over as Pakistan’s bowling coach in September 2019, and has since worked with Misbah-ul-Haq, the head coach. This is his fifth stint in the Pakistan support staffers’ team, having served twice as the head coach - 2010 to 2011 and 2014 to 2016 - and as the bowling coach in 2006-07, and the bowling and fielding coach briefly in 2009-10.

Iheanacho’s lone strike fires Leicester into FA Cup final as fans return to stadium LONDON AGENCIES

Leicester reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 52 years as Kelechi Iheanacho’s solitary goal earned a 1-0 win over Southampton in front of 4,000 fans at Wembley on Sunday. The biggest crowd for a football match in England for 13 months was made up of key workers and local residents as part of a test event for the return of fans in bigger numbers in the coming weeks. An 8,000 crowd will be in attendance at Wembley next Sunday for the League Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham, while 21,000 will welcome Leicester back to the home of English football for the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 15. “Even though there were only 4,000 it felt great,” said Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers. “It will be amazing when we get supporters back into stadiums. I did hear some Leicester supporters in there and it was really nice. “We have the chance to create history. That is what this game is about, creating a memory. I have been made aware since I’ve been at Leicester how important this cup is for the supporters.” There was little for the neutrals to get excited about on the field, though, as Leicester struggled to put away an out-of-sorts Southampton, who had been relying on Cup glory to save their season. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have won just two of their last 14 Premier League games since the sides last met in January. “We left everything on the pitch today, but we had no shots on target,” said Hasenhuttl, whose focus now turns to ensuring his side’s top-flight sur-

CMYK

vival. Leicester were the better side throughout, but failed to test Fraser Forster before half-time as Jamie Vardy fired over from a narrow angle before Wilfred Ndidi’s header dropped onto the roof of the net. The breakthrough came 10 minutes into the second half as Vardy’s pace left Jan Bednarek trailing in this wake. From his cross, Iheanacho fluffed his first effort, but the ball broke kindly back to the Nigerian to slot home his 12th goal in as many games. “The FA Cup loves me and I love the FA

Cup,” said Iheanacho. “I watched the FA Cup when I was little and now I get the chance to play in the final. It is such a big dream for me.” Leicester substitute James Maddison twice was inches away from wrapping up the tie with powerful shots that flashed just off target. But Southampton never looked like getting back on level terms as the Foxes comfortably held out for a shot at winning the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

Tuesday, 20 April, 2021

Prayer TimingS

newS

FAJR SUNRISE

ZUHR

ASR MAGHRIB ISHA

4:04

12:02

4:41

5:30

6:34

8:00

PakiSTan will Talk To india afTer kaShmir auTonomy reSTored, QureShi TellS uae IsLAMABAD / ABDHABI

STaff rePorT

OREIGN Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday that Pakistan has never avoided peace talks and wanted to live in peace with all its neighbours, including India, but New Delhi would have to restore the semiautonomous status of occupied Kashmir. Qureshi remarks came as he spoke at a news conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he went on Saturday on a three-day official visit. “Both India and Pakistan will have to think about their bilateral ties,” Qureshi said. “Pakistan is ready to talk with India if it takes back its steps of August 5. Pakistan cannot ignore the Kashmir issue.”

In August 2019, India stripped the held region of its special status and took direct control over it, sparking civil unrest. Islamabad has since maintained it is open to talks if New Delhi reverses its decision. The foreign minister added that Pakistan desired peace in the region because peace would create more economic opportunities. His statements come days after Reuters reported that top intelligence officers from both countries held secret talks in Dubai in January in a new effort to calm tensions. Citing sources, the report had said that officials from India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) travelled to Dubai for a meeting facilitated by Abu Dhabi. Following the January meeting, Pakistan and India announced they would stop cross-

Sinopharm vaccine 93pc effective in preventing hospitalisation: study IsLAMABAD TLTP

The Sinopharm vaccine is 93 per cent effective at keeping people infected with the coronavirus out of the hospital, according to a study conducted by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. Authorities said the research found a significant decrease in the rate of new Covid-19 infections among people who received a second dose of the vaccine in the emirates. The study found the vast majority of those who were infected after completing the course suffered mild symptoms and did not require treatment in the hospital. The vaccine was found to be 93 per cent effective in preventing hospitalisation and 95 per cent effective against admission to intensive care, according to the research. No deaths were recorded among people who received all doses required. Immunity against the coronavirus is best achieved through vaccination and by sticking to precautionary measures designed to restrict the spread of the virus, the researchers said. The study also found immunity is not guaranteed after infection. The researchers said the risk of contracting the virus increases as the virus mutates, and that the chances of the virus mutating increase with its spread. There is also a possibility that the infection may lead to long-term health complications. The study found post-Covid-19 syndrome, also known as long Covid, “may affect some senior citizens, people with chronic diseases, and even healthy individuals”. “Complications include damage to multiple organs, blood clots, and other complications that may require long-term medical attention,” the media office said.

CoronaviruS in

PakiSTan

CONFIRMED CASES:

761,437

LAST UPDATED AT 8:33 AM ON APRIL 19, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

5,152

RECOVERED:

DEATHS:

SINDH:

PUNJAB:

662,845 16,316 272,729

270,338

KP:

BALOCHISTAN:

AJK/GB:

ISLAMABAD:

106,500

20,940

15,669 / 5,182

70,079

border shooting along the Line of Control (LoC) which has left dozens of civilians dead and many others maimed. Both sides have also signalled plans to hold elections on their sides of Kashmir this year as part of efforts to bring normalcy to a region riven by decades of bloodshed. The two have also agreed to dial down their rhetoric, the people Reuters spoke to said. But as Qureshi welcomed mediation efforts by the UAE, he told Khaleej Times that he was not planning to meet his Indian counterpart in the country. Qureshi and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar are visiting the Gulf state at the same time. “I am here for a bilateral visit. I am not here for an India-specific agenda,” Qureshi told the publication, which published a video excerpt of the interview.

“We welcome third party facilitation [… ] But no matter what friends like the UAE say, the initiative has to be indigenous,” he added. FM, UAE MINISTER DISCUSS TIES: During his visit, Qureshi also called on UAE Minister of Culture, Youth, and Social Development Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak alNahyan who he called a “true friend of Pakistan”. A Foreign Office (FO) statement said that the foreign minister appreciated the role played by al-Nahyan in strengthening the people-to-people relationship between the two nations, encouraging Emirati investment in Pakistan and promoting the welfare and well-being of Pakistan nationals residing in the sheikhdom. Qureshi also discussed the prospects of

Rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia hold talks in Baghdad AgeNcIes Middle Eastern rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran have been holding talks in Baghdad in recent weeks, an Iraqi government official and a Western diplomat told AFP. The official-level meetings aim to restore relations severed five years ago between the Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Shia Islamic Republic of Iran. The initiative comes at a time of shifting power dynamics, as US President Joe Biden is seeking to revive the tattered 2015 nuclear deal that was abandoned by former president Donald Trump. Riyadh has officially denied the talks in its state media while Tehran has stayed mum, asserting only that it has “always welcomed” dialogue with Saudi Arabia. The two countries cut ties in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the kingdom’s execution of a revered Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. The Baghdad talks, facilitated by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi, remained secret until the Financial Times reported Sunday that a first meeting had been held on April 9. An Iraqi government official confirmed the talks to AFP, while a Western diplomat said he had been “briefed in advance” about the effort to “broker a better relationship … and decrease tensions”. The Saudi delegation is led by intelligence chief Khalid bin Ali al-Humaidan and the Iranian side by representatives of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, said Adel Bakawan of the iReMMO institute for Mideast studies. IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS: Saudi Arabia and Iran have backed opposite sides of several regional conflicts, from Syria to Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting the Houthi forces. Iran allegedly supports the Houthis, who have launched several rockets and drone attacks against Saudi targets. The Baghdad talks come during negotiations in Vienna that aim to return the United States to the 2015 nuclear accord and persuade Iran to implement nuclear commitments it suspended in response to US sanctions. The effort also comes as Washington-Riyadh relations have cooled from the very close ties of the

Trump era, as Biden seeks to press the oil-rich kingdom over human rights concerns. Iraq, wedged between Iran to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, is meanwhile trying to serve as a mediator, to avoid becoming a battleground for regional powers. The war-battered country hosts about 2,500 US troops, and Kadhemi’s government has come under intense pressure from Iran-backed paramilitary groups to send them home. Pro-Iranian groups label the prime minister a US lackey and have launched multiple rocket attacks against Western troops and diplomats based in the country. TRICKY ISSUES: It was in Iraq that the Trump administration ramped up tensions with Iran when a US drone strike in Baghdad early last year killed revered Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. While Iraq then was led by Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, who had brought pro-Iranian factions into the heart of the state, Kadhemi is seen as closer to the US and to Saudi Arabia. He is a personal friend of the Saudi de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under whom the kingdom has pledged some $3 billion in investment in Iraq, which lacks adequate roads, power and water plants, schools and hospitals. Before Saudi Arabia and Iran can put aside their differences, they will have to resolve a series of tricky issues, said analyst Bakawan. For Saudi Arabia, he said, the top priorities are the Iran nuclear issue and “the ‘militia-isation’ of the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon and Syria” where Iran has supported armed groups. For Tehran, added Bakawan, major issues include the fate of Shia living inside Saudi Arabia and accusations of “financing by Riyadh of radical violence in countries where there is an Iranian presence”. The sensitivity of the issues means both sides are likely to maintain silence on the Baghdad talks for now. But, behind the scenes in Iraq, Iranians and Saudis are still there, said the analyst. “At this very moment, small groups from both delegations are negotiating the technical details of all the issues, under the sponsorship of Mr Kadhemi,” said Bakawan.

enhancing bilateral cooperation, in particular in the fields of investment, tourism and related infrastructure and strengthening the bonds of amity between the people of the two countries. Lauding the solid foundation of the bilateral ties laid down by UAE founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, Qureshi stressed the need to nurture and further strengthen close bilateral ties. The two leaders also exchanged views on the importance of tolerance and coexistence in presenting the true image of Islam and the Muslim society. During the conversation, the foreign minister also highlighted the positive role played by the Pakistan expatriates in the development of both countries.

Tareen, allies refuse talks with govt

News Desk Jahangir Khan Tareen

Former secretary-general (SG) for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Jahangir Khan Tareen and other lawmakers of the party who allied with the estranged leader have refused to hold talks with the incumbent government. It emerges that the relations between Tareen and Prime Minister Imran Khan have become estranged. According to reports, PM Imran had extended an invitation to Tareen and his allies to hold talks, which has now been purportedly rejected. Tareen had returned to Pakistan in November after ending his seven-month-long self-imposed exile after falling out with Prime Minister Imran Khan following an inquiry into the last year’s sugar scandal that accused several sugar producers — including him — of “underreported sales and fraud”. At the time, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar had declared sugarproducing units under Tareen’s JDW-Group were found guilty of “double billing” and “over-invoicing” as well as “corporate fraud”. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has frozen a total of 36 accounts in nine different banks in this case, with reported millions of rupees in the account. Of the frozen accounts, the PTI leader owns 14, his son 21 and his wife owns one bank account. Earlier this week, more than 30 members of the national and provincial assemblies attended the gathering and discussed the roadmap ahead for the party while a majority of lawmakers offered to resign in support of Tareen. Last week, a banking court in Lahore had extended until May 3 the pre-arrest bail period of Tareen and his son Ali Tareen in three cases lodged by the FIA in the sugar scam, which also carries charges of money laundering and corporate fraud. Talking to reporters outside the court, Tareen had said that he does not know who was running the character assassination campaigns against him but he will find those responsible. He had recalled that he started his business decades before entering politics, adding that “baseless and false reports” were being made and spread against him.

Sinopharm vaccine 93pc eﬀective in preventing hospitalisation: study IsLAMABAD TLTP

symptoms and did not require treatment in the hospital. The vaccine was found to be 93 per cent effective in preventing hospitalisation and 95 per cent effective against admission to intensive care, according to the research. No deaths were recorded among people who received all doses required. Immunity against the coronavirus is best achieved through vaccination and by sticking to precautionary measures designed to restrict the spread of the virus, the researchers said. The study also found immunity is not guaranteed after infection.

The researchers said the risk of contracting the virus increases as the virus mutates, and that the chances of the virus mutating increase with its spread. There is also a possibility that the infection may lead to long-term health complications. The study found post-Covid-19 syndrome, also known as long Covid, “may affect some senior citizens, people with chronic diseases, and even healthy individuals”. “Complications include damage to multiple organs, blood clots, and other complications that may require long-term medical attention,” the media office said.

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk