Friday, 13 August, 2021 I 4 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 44 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
US findS PakiStan USefUl only to clean UP meSS in afghaniStan: imran
ISLAMABAD ReuteRs
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rime minister imran Khan accused the United States of seeing Pakistan as useful only in the context of the “mess” it is leaving behind in Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting. Washington has been pressing Pakistan to use its influence over the Taliban to broker an elusive peace deal as negotiations between the insurgents and Afghan government have stalled, and violence in Afghanistan has escalated sharply. “Pakistan is just considered only to be useful in the context of somehow settling this mess which has been left behind after 20 years of trying to find a military solution when there was not one,” the prime minister told foreign journalists late Wednesday night at his home in islamabad.
The United States will pull out its military by August 31, 20 years after toppling the Taliban government in 2001. But, as the United States leaves, the Taliban today control more territory than at any point since then. “The hasty way in which the Americans left, if they wanted a political settlement then common sense dictates that [you negotiate] from a position of strength,” he said, adding that the US was now blaming Pakistan when they no longer had any leverage. Kabul and several Western governments claim Pakistan’s alleged support for the insurgent group allowed it to weather the war. “They somehow think Pakistan has supernatural powers [and that] we are a superpower plus which has such power that the 60,000 to 70,000 Taliban can take on 300,000 Afghan government troops with aircraft and modern weapons and somehow we have the power to make them (Taliban) win.”
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The charge of supporting the Taliban despite being a US ally has long been a sore point between Washington and islamabad. Pakistan denies supporting the Taliban. imran said islamabad was not taking sides in Afghanistan. “Pakistan should work with any government that is selected by the people of Afghanistan,” the premier added. “i think that the Americans have decided that india is their strategic partner now, and i think that’s why there’s a different way of treating Pakistan now,” he said. Pakistan and india are archrivals and have fought three wars. The two share frosty ties and currently have minimal diplomatic relations. A political settlement in Afghanistan was looking difficult under current conditions, he added. He said he tried to persuade Taliban leaders when they were visiting Pakistan to reach a settlement. “The condition is that as long as Ashraf Ghani is there, we [Taliban] are not going to talk to the Afghan government,” imran said, quoting the Taliban leaders as telling him. Peace talks between the Taliban, who view Ghani and his government as US puppets, and a team of Kabul-nominated Afghan negotiators started last September but have made no substantive progress. representatives of a number of countries, including the United States, are currently in Qatar’s capital of Doha talking to both sides in a last-ditch push for a ceasefire. US forces have continued to use airstrikes to support Afghan forces against Taliban advances, but it remains unclear if such support will continue after the August 31 deadline. “As far as i know after [August] 31, the Americans are going to stop all sorts of [operations], even air attacks in Afghanistan,” Pm imran said on the occasion.
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RAW, NDS behind Dasu bus attack: Qureshi ISLAMABAD Mian abRaR
Foreign minister Shah mehmood Qureshi Thursday said that Dasu terrorist attack was a handiwork of indian and Afghan intelligence aimed at targeting the ChinaPakistan economic Corridor. in the terrorist attack in Dasu on 14 July 2021, nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis lost their lives. One more Chinese national succumbed to his injuries later. The two sides have condemned this attack in the strongest possible terms. “Afghan territory was used for the entire planning of the Dasu attack. The attack appeared to be jointly orchestrated by the Afghan NDS and the indian intelligence agency, rAW. We have traced and arrested all the facilitators and handlers involved in the terrorist attack,” the Fm said in a special media briefing held at the ministry of Foreign Affairs. Qureshi said that it was a blind case that has now been resolved by Pakistani institutions. He added that the Chinese government also is satisfied with the investigation of the case. Qureshi stated that the investigation had revealed that the original target of the terrorists was the Diamer Bhasha Dam project but the perpetrators had failed to reach the real target.
3 killed, 2 injured in explosion in Pindi’s Wah Cantt area
CONFIRMED CASES:
1,085,294
Hence, they targeted the Dasu Dam project. He said the vehicle used in the Dasu incident has been traced and it was smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan. He said all the CCTV cameras installed along the 1400 km route were also inspected for the investigation of the attack and China was also informed about the investigation from time to time. “We are further improving the security of CPeC projects. After the Dasu attack, our strategy and security protocols have also been reviewed,” he asserted. Qureshi said that apart from the evidence found at the attack site, more than a thousand workers working on the project were also included in the investigation process. He said that the perpetrators of the attack were those who were afraid of Pak-China friendship and CPeC projects. “The terrorists failed in their objective because after the incident, Pakistan and China jointly expressed their commitment to work together to counter this cowardly act,” he added. Foreign minister said that the CPeC would be completed on time and Pakistan-China relations would not fall prey to any conspiracy.
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more inside
Govt to build 10 dams to avert water scarcity: PM STORY ON PAGE 02
Pakistan successfully testfires ballistic missile Ghaznavi
LAST UPDATED AT 9:52 AM ON AUGUST 12, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
102
4,934
RECOVERED:
STORY ON BACK PAGE
DEATHS:
PTI gave new identity to south Punjab: Buzdar
975,474 24,187 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
406,109
368,195
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
150,026 AJK/GB: 28,347/9,043
31,341 ISLAMABAD:
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An explosion in the vicinity of a factory in Pindi’s Wah Cantt area led to the death of three of the factory’s employees as well as two others being injured, reports stated. The inter-Services Public relations office said on Thursday that this was an”accidental explosion” in one of Pakistan Ordnance Factory’s plants in rawalpindi. The iSPr statement in-
formed that the site was cleared and the situation was controlled by the POF’s technical emergency response team. The injured persons were shifted to a nearby hospital. The area has been cordoned off as well. moreover, it was reported that the windows of nearby shops and houses shattered due to the explosion. many people came out of their
houses in fear. rescue services, fire brigade and security officials have reached the site of the explosion. Pakistan Ordnance Factories is the largest defence industrial complex in the country and works under the ministry of Defence Production. it produces conventional arms and ammunition. The POF Board’s headquarters is at Wah Cantt. news desk
STORY ON PAGE 03
Sale of fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates continues STORY ON PAGE 04
02
Friday, 13 August, 2021
ISLAMABAD
NEWS
GOvt tO build 10 dams tO avert water sCarCity: Pm TARBELA
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RIME Minister Imran Khan Thursday said the government had decided to construct 10 dams within the next 10 years with a view to avert the looming water scarcity in the country as well as protect the future generations. “We have decided to construct 10 dams within 10 years including Dassu and Bhasha dams. We may face water shortage in the future and would be unable to cope with the needs of people and farmers unless we have storage,” the prime minister said addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tarbela-5 expansion project. With the financial assistance of the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the project would be completed costing $807 million within a three years period.
The project is aimed at protecting the Tarbela Dam against silting besides helping generate 1530 MW of electricity and provide 1.34 billion units of power to the national grid. The construction of the Tarbela-5 expansion project would also beget 3,000 jobs and would enhance the power production capacity of the Tarbela Hydropower Project from 4,888 MW to 6,418 MW. It would also play an important role to cope with the country’s needs of water, food and energy. Under the project, the water supply for irrigation purposes would also continue. The prime minister, who earlier unveiled the plaque, said the project’s objective was to achieve clean energy and make Pakistan contribute to the fight against global warming. Referring to the latest research, the prime minister said the world weather was turning hot very fast making the world face the issues like forest fires as had been witnessed in the US, Turkey, Greece, and
other countries. Moreover, the unprecedented floods and extremely hot weathers like Jacobabad were also the consequences of global warming. The prime minister viewed that the generation of clean energy would help mitigate the effects of global warming. He resolved to make Pakistan a country with its major chunk of energy coming from clean sources like hydro, solar, or wind instead of fuels. Besides providing clean energy, the Tarbela-5 would also protect the dam against silting was just four kilometres from the reservoir, he added. Moreover, the construction of Dassu and Bhasha dams would also help slow down the silt. Imran Khan said unfortunately, the previous governments had not constructed water reservoirs either due to lack of longterm planning or because they just focused on their five-year term. He told the gathering that the construction of Bhasha Dam was decided in
1984 but was not constructed owing to a lack long term planning. The prime minister said the previous governments had signed exorbitant contracts making the country pay whether the electricity was consumed or not. This way, the consumers including the industry had to bear the cost. Owing to the costly electricity, the industry could not compete with the world market until the government paid a subsidy. He said China was making progress just because of the long term planning. Imran Khan said Pakistan’s rivers got 80
percent of water inflow within three to four months and the construction of reservoirs was extremely essential to store supply water throughout the year. He hoped that the construction of Mohmand Dam would complete by 2025 and Bhasha Dam in 2028 which would ensure the protection of future generations. The prime minister particularly appreciated the performance of Chairman of Water and Power Development Authority Lt General (r) Muzammil Hussain for keeping up the construction work of dams despite Covid-related restrictions.
Pakistan to get $2.77bn from IMF on 23rd: Tarin ISLAMABAD tLtp
Coronavirus kills 102, infects 4,934 in a day: NCOC ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Pakistan reported 102 deaths due to coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the highest single-day toll since late May, the National Command and Operation Centre said Thursday. The last time the country registered 102 deaths was on May 20, a number that slowly fell to 11 on July 22 before it started to surge again. With the fresh fatalities, the total number of deaths now rose to 24,187, according to ministry data. Meanwhile, Pakistan also confirmed 4,934 new Covid-19 infections, the NCOC said. The NCOC, a department leading campaign against the pandemic, said that the total cases have risen to 1,085,294, including 975,474 recoveries. Despite an expedited nationwide vaccination drive, Pakistan is reeling from a deadly fourth wave of the virus, seeing cases in the range of 4,000 to 5,000 for the last two weeks. In the last 24 hours, the authorities conducted 59,397 tests, receiving back a positivity rate of 8.3 percent. Commenting on the uptick in cases, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, who also heads the NCOC, said the July 25 general elections in Kashmir acted as a “super spreader event” for the crisis with the mountainous region’s transmission rate ranging between 25 and 30 percent since then. The minister said he had recommended delaying the elections until the completion of a special vaccination campaign but it was not agreed to. “Since the elections, the positivity of AJK is running between 25 and 30pc. Elections have acted as a super spreader event,” Umar tweeted. In the run-up to the election, the NCOC had urged the chief election commissioner of Kashmir to delay the polls in the wake of the rise in the number of daily infections as large political meetings could lead to a further spike in cases. However, the proposal was not accepted and major opposition parties in the centre — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party — opposed the idea, maintaining the Constitution had no such provision. Meanwhile, over 40 million vaccine doses have been administered to date, and anyone 18 or over is eligible for vaccination. Umar also urged the public to take vaccines and make the country safe from Covid-19. “4 crore (4 million) vaccination doses [have been] administered. The last crore [million] took only 9 working days to administer. Keep it up, Pakistan. Let’s vaccinate and make Pakistan safe from this disease.”
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided to provide $2.77 billion to Pakistan out of total aid of $650 billion to Covid affected nations. This was announced by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin while addressing a press conference on Thursday. Tarin said that the funds will directly be sent to the State Bank of Pakistan, which will help further improve the country’s foreign exchange reserves, and thus have a positive impact on the economy. He said that the international money lender has released a total of $650 billion for various countries. The amount aims to boost global liquidity amid the coronavirus pandemic. The finance minister said that it is an “unconditional” allocation from the IMF, which would
be used in a productive way. Tarin said that Pakistan has been already working on reforms to bring stability and sustainability under the IMF programme. He said that the measures taken by the government have been bearing fruits, as is evident by the growth in revenue collection, which in turn is indicative of economic growth. The finance minister said that the 2021-22 budget contains a lot of positive steps that the government has taken and so, growth is expected in the coming months. In response to a question regarding tough conditions imposed by the IMF, he said that in mid-March, the global lender had recommended that one way to reduce the ballooning circular debt in the power sector is to increase the tariff. “Our point of view — and the prime minister supports me in this — is what will an increase do? Perhaps we will get some extra money. But our industry will become non-competitive,” he said.
“We may even end up protecting the poor from the tariff but when we increase the tariff on industries, there will be inflation. How will we protect the poor from inflation?” Tarin pointed out. “So this was counter intuitive,” he added. The finance minister said that the other thing the IMF spoke about was personal income taxes, which are usually to the tune of Rs113-115 billion, but the Fund wanted this rammed by Rs150 billion more. “I said that the progressive way of doing it would be to bring those out of the tax net into the fold, rather than putting the burden of additional taxes on to people already paying them,” he said. On August 2, the Board of Governors of the IMF approved a general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) equivalent to US$650 billion to boost global liquidity and help the most vulnerable countries struggling to cope with the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
PPP leader named joint opposition candidate for Kashmir president election MUZAFFARABAD Staff RepoRt
The joint opposition nominated a Pakistan Peoples Party leader, Mian Abdul Waheed, as their candidate for the office of president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Waheed was elected from the LA-26 constituency of Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, MuzaffarabadIII, in the general elections held on July 25. Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf nominated Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry as its candidate for the post. He will submit his nomination papers today. Chaudhry was elected MLA from LA-3, MirpurIII, securing his seventh victory in nine general
elections since 1985. Apart from these general elections, two by-elections were also held in the constituency and both were won by him. The PTI has formed a government in the mountainous region following a clear lead in the elections. According to official results, it clinched 26 general seats of the 53-member House. Three more PTI candidates were elected unopposed the following day against five seats reserved for women. Days later, it secured another three reserved seats, raising its strength to 32 in the House. PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNANCE: Following the division of the region between Pakistan and India in 1947, Azad Kashmir was governed under the
presidential form of government. In 1975, then-prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto introduced the parliamentary system of governance for the region. This first government headed by Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party was dismissed in 1977 due to the imposition of martial law by then-army chief Gen Ziaul Haq. There were no elections until 1985. The Muslim-majority region is held by Pakistan and India in parts and claimed both in full. A small sliver of land is also held by China. Since India revoked autonomy and annexed the part that it is holding into two centrally administered territories on August 5, 2019, elections in Azad Kashmir have attained considerable significance.
Pakistan will continue to work with int’l community to address militancy threat: Akram NEW YORK CITY app
Pakistan told an Arria formula meeting of the UN Security Council that it, most victimised by global terrorism, will continue to work closely with the international community to address the militancy threat and to reform the counter-terror regime to enhance its acceptability and effectiveness. An Arria formula meeting is an informal meeting of members of the Security Council which must be convened by a member of the body in order for the meeting to take place. The format is named after Diego Arria, a Venezuelan diplomat and former president of the body. In a written statement submitted to the 15member body, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, underscored the need to address prolonged disputes, foreign occupations, and denial of the right to self-determination in order to deal with the root causes of militancy. Kenya, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, sponsored the meeting — Overcoming Challenges in Situations of Armed Conflict and Counter-Terrorism Operations. It is an informal consultation process that affords the Council the opportunity to hear out ambassadors in a confidential setting.
Akram deplored the attempts by aggressors, colonisers and occupiers to justify their suppression of legitimate struggles for selfdetermination and freedom by portraying the movements as “terrorism”. “There is an increasing trend to use collective punishment against civilian populations as well as to ‘criminalise’ certain inalienable and fundamental human rights under the pretext of fighting terrorism in stark violation of international humanitarian law,” he said. “Nowhere it was more apparent than in the attempts to incrementally displace the right to selfdetermination through counter-terrorism laws. “The relevant UN resolutions clearly stipulate that the subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, and is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations,” he said. “History bears testimony to the undeniable reality that the suppression of the right of peoples to selfdetermination results inevitably in the perpetuation of violence and conflict.” The ambassador further said the incumbent Security Council counter-terror sanctions regime required reforms to overcome its legal, humanitarian and human rights shortcomings, especially the regulatory landscape being developed under the
umbrella of the Council through the adoption of Chapter-VII (enforcement) resolutions. “Broad-brush use of countering financing of terrorism provisions has created immense difficulties for humanitarian actors and charitable organisations both in respect of their ability to deliver aid in a timely manner and in their efforts to obtain the necessary funds to carry out their activities in developing countries,” he said. “Lack of clarity regarding the increasingly wide scope of these measures has made it difficult for banks operating in developing countries to ensure that they will not incur any liability for a particular transaction,” he said, adding while humanitarian exemptions exist, their application is opaque, arbitrary and often subject to politicisation. “The use of coercive measures, including unilateral coercive measures, against states in the name of countering terrorism with little regard for their impact over the civilian populations, constitutes a serious humanitarian challenge,” he told the body. “Such actions impact the developmental prospects of developing countries and have become an instrument in the hand of a few influential powers to achieve their wider political objectives,” Akram said. He said it was therefore essential to address these issues so as to build on and implement the global counter-terrorism strategy.
Friday, 13 August, 2021
ISLAMABAD
KPP to helP PeoPle find emPloyment, houSing, AgriCulturAl mAChinery: imrAn IsLAMABAD
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xPRESSING satisfaction over the progress on Kamyab Pakistan Programme (KPP), Prime Minister Imran Khan said it is the first programme in the history of the country that would help people in finding employment, housing and agricultural machinery. The prime minister said this in a meeting with Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin who briefed him about the programme on Thursday. Briefing Prime Minister Khan on the progress of the programme, the finance minister said that Kamyab Pakistan Programme will not only provide employment to the youth by providing easy instalment loans, but will also provide loans to the middle class for their shelters. Tarin said in addition, financial
assistance to farmers, including loans for the acquisition of modern
technology and machinery, will enable significant growth in the agricultural
sector. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated that the government and people of Pakistan stand by the Kashmiris in their struggle for their right to self-determination and will continue to raise their voice against Indian oppression and barbarism at every forum. He was talking to the Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Abdul Qayum Niazi who called on him on Thursday. The meeting discussed the overall situation in AJK including the future development plan. Prime Minister Khan congratulated Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi on being elected as the prime minister of Azad Kashmir. Qayyum Niazi thanked Imran Khan for trusting him. He said that the top priority of his government is to solve the problems of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
PTI gave new identity to south Punjab: Buzdar News Desk Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government gave a whole new identity and empowerment to neglected south Punjab adding that a secretariat will also be established in Bahawalpur. Addressing a ceremony to launch Kisan Card in Bahawalpur, the chief minister observed the deserted region enjoyed a unique identity and importance and the role of the erstwhile state of Bahawalpur in the establishment of Pakistan will be written in golden words. The people of Bahawalpur loved Pakistan and the Islamia University of Bahawalpur stood among the top 1,000 universities of the world, he said. Giving credit to Prime Minister Imran Khan for the achievements of his government, Buzdar said the PTI is fulfilling its promises made with the people and assured the south Punjab secretariat will be established soon in Bahawalpur. The government has allocated a 35 percent budget for south Punjab while a separate annual development plan has also been devised for the southern districts, he added. Similarly, a decision has been made, in principle, to fix a 32 percent quota for south Punjab in provincial employment and the proposal of including Mianwali and Bhakar in this quota is being reviewed, as well. The CM reiterated the district development package worth Rs. 360 billion has been devised to remove deprivations adding that the kisan card will help in farmers’ empowerment. 1.355 million plus farmers have registered themselves for kisan cards to use this facility as an ATM to get agri items. This will help to increase agri produce; he added and continued that megaprojects valuing Rs. 300 billion are in progress under the agri emergency programme. A sum of Rs. 45 billion is given to 70,000 farmers under the e-credit scheme as interestfree loans and 4.40 billion is provided for the procurement of certified seeds and agri machinery at subsidized rates, he continued. The 9 lakh farmers are given a subsidy of
more than 12 billion for subsidizing the production cost and the latest irrigation system is introduced as well. A subsidy of more than 4 billion is given for solar system and drip sprinkler systems while introducing crop insurance, for which the provincial government has paid 15 billion as premium, he further said. The CM said support prices of cotton, wheat and sugarcane are fixed at Rs. 5000, Rs. 1800 and Rs. 200 respectively and record production of seven crops has recorded an increase of Rs. 600 billion in agri economy. He welcomed the inauguration of the national cotton breeding institute and intercropping research centre adding that the 2.5-megawatt solar power project in IUB will produce 1.7 rupees per unit of electricity. He appreciated that the university college of nursing will provide higher education facilities to the nursing students for better employment opportunities. Meanwhile, the PTI government will start more
development schemes in Bahawalpur, he stated and added that 36.32 billion were being spent on 187 development schemes in district Bahawalpur. 136 new development schemes will be launched under the district development package with an amount of 12.54 billion, he added. Similarly, the up-gradation of the Hakra canal and improvement of the desert branch canal is in progress and 20 inflatable rubber dams project is under consideration to store floodwater. He said 79 roads projects will be completed in the district adding that a 42-KM long link road from Bahawalpur N5 to Jhangra East Interchange will be constructed with four billion rupees and Hasilpur-Bahawalpur dual carriageway will be completed with five billion rupees. Along with it, a 40-KM long Yazman-Bahawalpur road will also be constructed, he added. 52-KM long rural roads are completed under RAP1 and seven schemes of 44-KM long roads will be completed this year under RAP2, the CM further stated. The CM said that work on 31 projects of provision and disposal of water is in progress in district Bahawalpur and a water drainage scheme will be completed in the city with 3.87 billion. He said 279 schools will also be upgraded besides starting a nonformal education project for Cholistan. Upgradation of different wards of Bahawal Victoria Hospital will be completed soon and a gynae complex will be constructed in THQ hospital Yazman besides setting up an emergency block in Khairpur. Gynaecology and dialysis units will be added to Rajgaan rural health centre, he said. Civil Hospital Bahawalpur is named after Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi, he further said.The CM pointed out that the Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences is completed by the incumbent government and besides appointing its vice-chancellor, 260 officials were also recruited to provide the best educational facilities to the students. 2247 students are enrolled in the university and the first badge will pass out in 2024, he added.
Ehsaas assisting poor families transparently, NA informed News Desk The National Assembly was informed on Thursday that cash assistance is being provided to millions of deserving families under the Ehsaas Programme in the most transparent manner. Adviser to the PM on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan told the house during the question hour that hundreds of thousands of people who were not entitled to the assistance have been removed from this social sector programme. The adviser told the house that 3,049 jobs were provided to the people belonging to Balochistan in different government departments over the last three years. He said the Balochistan and Sindh governments will be asked to identify the employees who got jobs in the federal departments on fake domiciles. He assured that the action will be taken against these employees with the cooperation of provinces. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan told the House that Pakistan Television (PTV) is gradually coming out of its losses. He said losses had been reduced from Rs11 billion to Rs9 billion. He said the PTV is the pride of the nation and has been converted into HD. Parliamentary Secretary for Education Wajiha
Akram said that several initiatives are being taken in the education sector including its integration with the latest technology. Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said no television fee is charged from worship places including mosques and religious seminaries. He said if any worship place is paying the television fee, it should contact Pakistan Television (PTV) for its exclusion from electricity bills. The minister of state said that sufficient funds have been allocated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the solarisation of mosques. He said solarisation of mosques will also be carried out in Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The house also passed a motion expressing its gratitude to the president of Pakistan for addressing the joint sitting of the Parliament on 20th August last year. Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan laid before the house the Pakistan Civil Aviation Ordinance 2021. Earlier during the session, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri directed Dr Babar Awan to take up the issue of ministers’ absence from assembly sessions in the cabinet meeting. The deputy speaker's directives came after it emerged that Federal Minister for Information and
Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry was absent and no other official from the ministry was present to answer the questions raised during the question hour. “Who will answer these questions,” the deputy speaker asked the PM’s advisor, who conceded that the minister concerned should have been in the session to answer the questions. “We were not even informed if someone else would come to answer than the minister himself,” observed the deputy speaker. Initially, Suri deferred the question for a little while but before he could move ahead with the assembly proceedings, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) once again raised the issue of ministers’ absenteeism from the sessions. PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, while criticising the frequent absence of ministers, assured the deputy speaker that the whole opposition would stand with him if he takes action against such officials. “Take action against the minister, deputy speaker Sahib,” Abbasi stated. “The ministers must be here [in NA] to answer questions,” the former premier added. Subsequently, the deputy speaker directed the SAPM to put the issue before the federal cabinet, as he attended cabinet meetings in the capacity of the premier's advisor.
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Justice Ayesha likely to be appointed as first female SC judge News Desk Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed in a historic move has nominated Justice Ayesha A. Malik for the elevation to the Supreme Court, it emerged on Thursday. A judicial commission session has been summoned on September 9 on her elevation to SC. Her nomination came as Justice Mushir Alam will retire on August 17 and she is expected to replace him. Justice Ayesha Malik, 54, received her early education from Karachi Grammar School and she did her BCom from the Government College of Commerce & Economics, Karachi and studied law at Lahore’s Pakistan College of Law. Her LLM degree was obtained from Harvard Law School in the United States, where she was named London H Gammon Fellow 1999-1999, after which she returned to Karachi to practice law. Justice Ayesha Malik attained notoriety after her landmark judgment against the ‘two-finger test’ or two-finger virginity test of sexual assault survivors. She is one of the only two female judges in the 40 esteemed judges of the Lahore High Court and holds the number four position in the seniority list of LHC judges. According to Women in Law, a group working for equal opportunities for women lawyers in Pakistan, only 15 percent of women judges are part of the Pakistani judiciary.
Pm seeks end to unmanaged spread of urban population News Desk Prime Minister Imran Khan has underlined the need for creating awareness among the people to curb the unmanaged spread of urban population. The prime minister said this while chairing the meeting of the National Coordinating Committee on Housing on Thursday. The prime minister said that improving the environment in urban populations requires a comprehensive strategy to protect green belts and prevent emergencies and natural disasters. He said that protection of Margalla Hills and other tourist destinations in particular is a top priority of the government. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the master plan of cities in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The meeting was informed that master planning of 28 cities in Punjab, with a total population of 64.7 million, is being done.
95 arrested so far in Bhong temple attack case: igP LAHORe TLTP
Top police officer of Punjab province, Inam Ghani, disclosed on Thursday that police have apprehended as many as 95 men so far under charges of attacking a temple in Bhong, vandalising it, and damaging idols. He said that three FIRs have been registered, adding that the police acted on the information it received. On August 05, a video of charged men attacking a mandir went viral on social media. They broke the windows and shouted Allah-o-Akbar as they vandalised the temple. The Supreme Court ordered the immediate arrest of the culprits. "No one has been punished in the past but they will be now," the Punjab IG assured the residents of Bhong while addressing a press conference. He had earlier visited a Ganesh temple and an imambargah in the area. He said that the police have taken steps to ensure the security of minorities in the area. "Shiite Muslims and Hindus don't need to live in fear any more." We will provide security to everyone. The government of Pakistan and Punjab police are standing with its minorities, the IG added. The communities in Bhong have been living peacefully for years. He claimed that the lives of the Hindus are the government's priority. "The temple can be restored and we have restored it but we wouldn't have been able to repay it." It is pertinent to mention that the temple has been handed over to Pakistan Hindu Council.
Friday, 13 August, 2021
04 NEWS
ISLAMABAD
SHeHryAr urgeS youtH to beCome FLAgbeArerS oF CLeAn green PAkIStAn drIve ISLAMABAD
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mIaN abrar
ARLIAMENTARY Committee on Kashmir Chairman Shehryar Khan Afridi Thursday urged young people to become the flagbearers of Clean Green Pakistan drive. Addressing the students and youth at the Clean Green Pakistan movement launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Air University at Pir Sohawa, Shehryar Afridi urged the youth to actively participate in the Clean Green Pakistan movement. He also has planted a sapling to kick off the Tree Plantation Drive at Margalla hills which was attended by a large number of university students, faculty staff and management team members. Along with Afridi, Environment Director General Irfan Ahmed Niazi, Assistant Commissioners Awaid Bhatti and Rana Musa, and Air University Vice-Chancellor Air Marshal Javed Ahmed (r) and other dignitaries were also present to support the campaign. As the chief guest, Shehryar Khan
Audit report lauds PIA for meeting global safety standards KARACHI: The Canadian Transportation Agency said the operational services of Pakistan International Airlines were at par with international standards, expressing confidence the airline would maintain its efficiency in future. The agency released the Security Extension Report wherein the operational services of the national flag carrier were declared successful. The report was prepared under the FACO and completed and released the audit from August 24 to September 24, 2020. It said the PIA, during the period, had been successful in flight and airworthiness operations. The report further noted the airline had enhanced flight safety performance and expressed hope that it will maintain the efficiency of flight operations and that its performance will further improve under the long-term agenda. PIA Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik while talking to the media said the audit proved the PIA was meeting the international standards and termed it as the success of the team. INP
SC sends sugar price case back to LHC ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday sent a case pertaining to fixing the price of sugar back to the Lahore High Court to decide it within 15 days. An apex court bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, also granted conditional permission to the producers to sell the commodity at the ex-mill rate fixed by the government. The central government had filed an appeal in the top court on Tuesday against the high court’s verdict of August 3 regarding sugar price. The court also ordered that the sugar mills should voluntarily deposit the difference between the amount fixed by the government and the ex-mill rate of the commodity in the high court until settlement of the issue. Earlier, an additional attorney general informed the court the government has fixed the ex-mill rate of sugar at Rs84 a kilogram, while the ex-mill price is Rs97. “Sugar mills depositing surety bonds is not sufficient,” the court said. The court also directed the concerned cane commissioner to compile the record of sugar stock and sale. INP
Five killed in road accident in Faisalabad FAISALABAD: A collision between a tractor-trolley and a loader-van killed five people including several passers-by in Faisalabad late Wednesday, a rescue official said. Several others were injured in the accident that occurred after the over-speeding tractor-trolley collided with the loader-van near the Jhang Road bypass area in Faisalabad, Bashir Ahmed, an official of Rescue 1122 in Faisalabad, said. Three people lost their lives on the spot while two others succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital, he said, adding that at least 10 sheep which were being transported via the loader-van also got killed in the mishap. Following the crash, police and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the victims to a nearby hospital. Staff rePOrt
Afridi, while interacting with volunteers, expressed that tree plantation is an ongoing charity and every person must play their due part to ensure a clean and green Pakistan for the betterment of the next generation. According to him, youth is the real force to move the country towards peace and prosperity. Under the AU Plantation Drive 2021, more than 10,000 seed balls were thrown near Talhar village at Margalla hills. The volunteers also brought various saplings including Sukhchain, Kachinar, Cheer, Wyeeping Willow and Amrood. This was in addition to 2000 plants being planted by students, staff and faculty members at various locations in Islamabad. Air University is committed to following the PM’s vision and has already planted 35,000 trees this month in its campuses, including Kamra, Multan and South campus. Earlier, the volunteers of Air University Shaoor Society, with the collaboration of civil society and industry partners, had also achieved a target of collecting 17,000 seeds from waste in addition to organizing plantation drives for school children in the twin cities.
Sale of fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates continues LAHORE Shahab Omer
Targeting those people who did not want to be vaccinated, it has emerged that there is a large-scale sale of fake vaccination certificates of several registered Covid vaccines in Pakistan. Pakistan Today learnt that the counterfeiters have been sending mass marketing messages through various SMS portals and WhatsApp groups — wherein many of the messages went viral — claiming that anyone could get a National Database and Registration Authority-verified certificate after paying a certain amount to the fraudsters. It was also claimed in the messages by the counterfeiters that if the buyer received the certificate from them after making the payments, he/she could send his/her CNIC number to the National Immunization Management System number, 1166, and the data would both only verify that he/she was vaccinated as well as allow the person to get the NADRA Covid-19 Certificate through its online portal. It is pertinent to mention here that the fraudsters were only selling certificates and not vaccinations and this offer was for those who did not want to be vaccinated. The counterfeiters were claiming that the CanSino vaccine certificate was available for Rs20,000 and the verification of a single-shot of the Sinovac vaccine was available for Rs15,000 while the double-shot was for Rs30,000. Similarly, the counterfeiters were
also claiming that they had a single-shot certificate of Sinopharm vaccine available for Rs15,000 while one could supposedly buy a double-shot certificate for Rs30,000. Moreover, the scammers also purported that one could purchase a Moderna vaccine single-shot certificate for Rs15,000 and the double-shot version for Rs28,000. The certificate of AstraZeneca vaccine single-shot was being sold for Rs17,000 and the double-shot was for Rs35,000. Similarly, Rs20,000 was charged for a Pfizer vaccine singleshot certificate and Rs30,000 for a double-shot certificate. A source in the Punjab Health Department informed Pakistan Today that,
despite the government’s extensive Covid-19 vaccination campaign, many people were still reluctant to be vaccinated against Covid. “The general impression we have about vaccinations is that maybe any kind of vaccination leads to male infertility. The same impression was there about vaccines that work against polio,” the source said. Moreover, the source explained that due to the specific vaccine requirements of certain countries, many travellers had avoided getting the Chinese vaccine and potentially could have fallen prey to the aforementioned certificate scam. In response to a question on whether a government employee who has access
to the NADRA portal could falsely certify someone, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid replied that it is not possible at all. “Such questions are often asked by us whether the vaccination that the government has can be sold in the market by the government staff in collusion or a person who has not been vaccinated can be registered in the NADRA database,” she said. “All the vaccinations we receive are counted and recorded, and there is a whole system that checks daily how many vaccinations have been used and how much is left in our stock,” she explained. She also pointed out that all vaccination centres have large staffs, wherein there is a division of labour between staff members who register the people, those who check the blood pressure and fever, and those who administer the vaccine itself. Without approval from all specific staff divisions, a person cannot be vaccinated or verified by NADRA that they have been vaccinated, she said. When Pakistan Today contacted Col Tanveer, a key official of the National Command and Operation Center, he said that some counterfeiters have been arrested after receiving such complaints. “The job of vaccination is to fight against the coronavirus and it is in the interest of the people to get it. We have also caught counterfeiters who were selling fake certificates, but there are other such frauds on our radar. People need to be vaccinated and protected from Xovid-19,” he stated.
SNGPL starts vaccination drive LAHORE PreSS releaSe
In the light of the directives of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited has launched its mobile vaccination campaign. During the campaign, more than 9,000 people have been vaccinated so far. It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Imran Khan formally approved the national vaccination campaign on May 31 following which the NCOC requested State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to contribute in the campaign. SNGPL decided to fully cooperate in this campaign of significant national importance. Managing Director SNGPL Ali J. Hamdani also issued special directives in this regard after which the company constituted 50 mobile vaccination teams. It is noteworthy that the company did not seek any financial or administrative assistance from the government of Pakistan or any other source rather it utilised its own resources and available manpower for the purpose. SNGPL’s 50 mobile vaccination teams started op-
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erations from 50 localities in 7 different cities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the Federal Capital. To create public awareness, the company also launched a massive awareness campaign through advertisements in newspapers and banners displayed in different cities. SNGPL’s mobile vaccination teams are being su-
pervised by a doctor. The teams also include vaccinators and data entry operators. The company has provided laptops, internet connections, medical equipment, face masks and PPEs to all the teams. The mobile vaccination teams are working in collaboration with the local district health authorities, who provide corona vaccines to the teams on daily basis.
Friday, 13 August, 2021
ISLAMABAD
US fiNDS PAKiStAN USEfUl oNly to clEAN UP mESS iN AfghANiStAN: imRAN
i
contInueD froM pAge 01
MRAN said Pakistan had “made it very clear” that it does not want any American military bases in Pakistan after US forces exit Afghanistan. “You ask me whether we are worried?” the PM said in response to a question about the potential fallout. “We are [definitely] worried because the direct impact of descending into a prolonged civil war […] the country that will be most affected after Afghanistan will be Pakistan.” He explained that the Taliban were a Pakhtun-majority group and hence there would be spillover effects in Pakistan’s Pakhtun majority areas. “It happened in 2003/2004 that our Pakhtun areas reacted to what was happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan lost 70,000 people in that because we supported the Americans. “So there is a likelihood that we will again have problems in our Pakhtun areas,” the premier explained. He added that close to three million people
had also been internally displaced from the tribal areas. “We have a larger Pakhtun population here in Pakistan than in Afghanistan and they’re probably the most xenophobic people on earth. They fight each other normally but when it’s an outside [force], they all get together.” Responding to a question on the extent of Pakistani influence over the Taliban, the premier said that even back in 2001, when Pakistan had recognised the Taliban government and was “most influential”, the group had still refused to hand over Osama bin Laden. “So even then Pakistan’s influence was not all-encompassing.” Pakistan’s entry in the US-led war on terror in 2001 led to a “civil war in the tribal areas”, the prime minister said, explaining that as a result, the militant organisations formed to wage Jihad against the Soviet Union turned against Pakistan. He also said that anyone who thought Afghanistan could be controlled from outside “doesn’t understand
the character of the Afghan people”, adding that the people could not be made “puppets”. “Hence it’s in Pakistan’s interest that there is a political settlement and all factions come [together to form] a government that represents everyone.” “I keep hearing that President Biden hasn’t called me. It’s his business. It’s not like I am waiting for any phone call,” he said in response to a question from a Reuters journalist. “The president of the United States hasn’t spoken to the prime minister of such an important country who the US itself says is make-or-break in some cases, in some ways, in Afghanistan — we struggle to understand the signal, right?” Yusuf had told The Financial Times in an interview. “We’ve been told every time that … [the phone call] will happen, it’s technical reasons or whatever. But frankly, people don’t believe it,” he had said. “If a phone call is a concession, if a security relationship is a concession, Pakistan has options,” he had added, refusing to elaborate.
Delta variant crimps oil demand outlook: IEA pArIS agENcIES
Global oil demand is expected to grow slower than previously forecast this year as the spread of Covid’s Delta variant has prompted lockdowns in major consuming countries, the International Energy Agency said Thursday. Demand surged in June as mobility increased in North America and Europe. But it “abruptly reversed course” in July as the Delta variant undermined deliveries in China, Indonesia and other parts of Asia, the IEA said in a monthly report. “The outlook for the remainder of the year has also been appreciably downgraded due to the worsening of the pandemic and revisions to historical
data,” the report said. “New Covid-19 restrictions imposed in several major oil consuming countries, particularly in Asia, look set to reduce mobility and oil use.” The agency now forecasts demand rising by 5.3 million barrels per day in 2021 to 96.2 mbd. That is down 300,000 bpd from its previous estimations. Global output, meanwhile, is expected to rise further after the OPEC group of major oil producers and its allies agreed to boost production, the IEA said. With US petrol prices rising, the White House complained on Wednesday that the production increase by the OPEC+ group was “simply not enough” to fuel the global economic recovery from the pandemic.
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RAW, NDS behind Dasu bus attack: Qureshi contInueD froM pAge 01 He said that as committed at the outset, the Pakistan authorities have conducted thorough investigations of the incident and shared the findings with the Chinese side at every stage. Sharing the details of the investigations, an official at MoFA told Pakistan Today that the network involved in the terrorist attack was supported and facilitated by the Research and Analysis Wing-National Directorate of Security nexus in Afghanistan. “The Swat chapter of TTP executed the terrorist attack on behest of Hostile Intelligence Agencies. The planning for the terrorist attack was made in Afghanistan, with the provision of material support as well,” the official said. The official added that the vehicle used in the VehicleBorne Improvised Explosive Device attack was brought from Afghanistan to Pakistan. “The suicide bomber, Khalid aka Sheikh, was trained in Afghanistan and brought to Pakistan to carry out the attack. Some of those involved in the attack have been arrested, while others are at large in Afghanistan. An [Mutual Legal Assistance] request is being made to the Afghanistan Government. Further investigation is in progress to find all those involved in this cowardly attack,” the official added. The official said that the government of Pakistan reiterates its strong commitment to apprehend all those responsible for this heinous crime and bring them to justice. “We would not allow any hostile force to undermine the iron-clad friendship between Pakistan and China,” the official said. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, while commenting on the progress in the investigation, said: “The Pakistani side’s investigation into the terrorist attack has seen major progress within a short period of time. China pays great attention to this and expresses appreciation to Pakistan’s active efforts. “Further investigation by Pakistan is still ongoing at the moment,” he added. “China and Pakistan will follow the important consensus reached by the leaders on both sides, ascertain all the facts and truth, and hold the culprits accountable and bring them to justice,” stated the spokesperson in an official statement. “In the meanwhile, both countries will keep strengthening security cooperation mechanisms to ensure the safety of Chinese projects, people and institutions in Pakistan,” he added. “Terrorism is the common enemy of all mankind. China firmly opposes any force using terrorism to seek geopolitical gains and calls on countries in the region to collaborate in eradicating all terrorist organizations so as to uphold common security and development interests of all countries.”
KE warns against illegal electric poles, infrastructure KArAcHI prESS rELEaSE
Senate body seeks report on hurdles in agri imports ISLAMABAD app
The senate standing committee on commerce has formed a sub-committee to examine issues relating to imports of major agriculture commodities and submit its report to the committee of commerce within 30 days. The committee, in its meeting on Wednesday, appointed a sub-committee to examine the issues relating to imports of cotton, growth of textile exports, including sales tax on cotton exporters, duties on import of yarn cotton and cotton seed and submit its report to the committee. The committee also expressed its discontent on the contradictory arguments for ban on the export of livestock. The committee directed the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of National Food Security and Research to revisit the policy in-consultation with all the stakeholders and present its report in the next meeting of the committee. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood and Ministry of Commerce Secretary Muhammad Sualeh Faruqui briefed the committee on the status of treaties, agreements, protocol and conventions with other countries and international agencies on the trade and commerce. They answered a number of questions and queries of the chair and members of the committee. The secretary updated the committee on implementation status of the previous recommendation of the committee.
Karachi: A view of the Sindh High Court building ahead of Independence Day. O NL IN E
The use of electric poles and electricity infrastructure other than the transmission of electricity is absolutely illegal. In his recent statement, the KE spokesperson said that the disheveled and unsafe internet and TV cable wires which are installed without permission disrupt KE network thus making it unsafe in the process. These encroachments become life threatening, especially during the monsoon season. Considering the safety of the public, KE has time and again requested these cable and internet companies to remove their illegally installed wires. However, unfortunately nothing has been done in this regard. It is worth mentioning that during the recent struggle of the power company, action is being taken only for KE poles and infrastructure. Nothing is being done to the telephone pole and street light poles owned by various other companies. The utility organisations and streetlight companies are also requested to play their role in keeping human lives safe.
Automobile sales surge by 114pc in July The number of cars sold in the country soared by a massive 114 per cent to 24,918 units in July 2021 on a year-on-year (YoY) basis due to decline in mark-up rate for auto financing coupled with a reduction in car prices announced in budget 2020-21 (FY21). According to data released by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) on Wednesday, car sales figure stood at 11,659 units in July 2020. In a report, Topline Securities analyst Umair Naseer said that if dispatches of Lucky Motor Corporation (non-member of PAMA) are included, then the amount of total car sales in July 2021 would stand at approximately 27,000, an increase of 105pc YoY and 75pc month-on-month (MoM). “To recall, the government had announced reliefs and tax cuts for automobile consumers in the federal budget 2021-22 which resulted in across the board reduction in car prices,” he said. “As a result, customers held back there purchases till July 2021.” A report from Arif Habib Limited stated that triple digit growth in sales volume of automobiles was witnessed due to low policy rate as auto financing increased by Rs97 billion during the previous fiscal year. It added that rapid economic growth also helped lift the sales figure.
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“Government efforts to provide relief to the common man became evident in July’s sales numbers as the leadership reduced sales tax on cars having engine
capacity of below 1,000cc along with a reduction in the federal excise duty resulting in a decline in car prices,” it said. MONItOrINg rEpOrt
Friday, 13 August, 2021
06 COMMENT
Taliban dominance
The resurrection of the PDM Opposition parties’ bitter infighting a hurdle
It’s not about Afghanistan alone
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he PDM has shown signs of animation after nearly three months of total inaction. It met on Wednesday to discuss the plans for another round of an anti-government movement. PDM chief Fazlur Rehman launched the usual barrage of the ‘fake’ PTI government having failed on every front inside and outside the country, leaving Pakistan “globally isolated.” he maintained that Pakistan’s prestige had been dented when it was not allowed to participate in the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan. he accused the government of hiding the facts from Parliament. The way the government treats Parliament can in fact be gauged from the current performance of the Lower house, which has failed to perform any useful business during almost a whole month as its sittings frequently ended abruptly due to lack of quorum. On Tuesday, the National Assembly failed to take up the legislative agenda due to the absence of the Cabinet members. The PDM is apparently concerned over the announcements of mega-development schemes which have led many to conclude that the government is likely to hold early elections. As most of the funds are to be spent on projects in Karachi and interior Sindh directly by the federal government, this has sent alarm bells ringing within the PPP high command, which has reportedly offered the PML(N) the slots of PM and Punjab CM in return for jointly launching a no-confidence move. This has raised the question if government change is possible through Parliament while the establishment is still supporting the PTI? Or is the move intended only to dissuade the PTI from challenging the PPP in Sindh? The division between the PML(N) over conciliation versus confrontation remains unresolved. The vicious attacks on each other by the PPP and PML(N) leaders before an acrimonious parting of the ways raise doubts about their having learnt from the past. It is still unclear if the PPP and ANP want to rejoin the PDM. While the legislators of the two parties interact with each other in the National Assembly and Senate, some of the PMLI(N) leaders oppose the PPP’s entry in PDM before it restores their confidence. The PPP and the parties in the PDM have to do a lot before people start taking them seriously.
At Penpoint M A NIAZI
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he situation in Afghanistan is almost daily shifting in favour of the Taliban, and there are more and more reports flowing in of provincial capitals falling to the Taliban, which indicates a change in strategy, from one of taking control of the countryside, to one of taking control of cities and the administrative centres they contain. In this the Taliban appear to be following the strategy used by Mao Zedong, when taking China from the Kuomintang. Another interesting aspect of the Taliban strategy has been that they have not launched their campaign of a creeping takeover from their strongholds in the south-west of the country, but from the northern provinces. That has two implications. First, the Taliban want to be in charge of the entire country, and do not want to leave any centres of resistance to the Kabul government. Second, that they have evolved. It should not be forgotten that there has been some talk of breaking Afghanistan up. One issue is that there are a large number of minorities. One result is that Afghanistan is a land of minorities, in that all the ethnic groups are minorities of ethnicities elsewhere. Interestingly, the eponymous group of the country, the Afghans, are a minority, with more Afghans in Pakistan. It is also incidental that the world’s largest Pushtun/Afghan city is not in Afghanistan or the Pashtun areas of Pakistan, but in Sindh, Karachi. Therefore, where the USA hived off a Kurd area off Iraq and gave it greater autonomy, there is ban on similar areas in Afghanistan, except perhaps the northern areas. That is the area where the minorities tend to be. It is worth noting that one of the northern provincial capitals to fall has been Sheberghan, the headquarters of Jawzjan province, where resistance could centre around the Uzbeks of the area. however, that illustrates the problem of having off bits and pieces of Afghanistan. Uzbekistan borders it, and could conceivably make a claim for a merger. The Taliban would also remember that Ahmad Shah Massoud, their Tajik bugbear, who headed the Northern Alliance, was also holed up in the North. however, at the same time, it should be remembered that it has been almost 20 years since the Taliban were in office. While it was a movement of young men, a lot of the actual wielders of authority have now passed away, and a new generation has come to the fore. This would be particularly true of battlefield commanders. While there are no doubt many examples of
Understanding too late PM must take account of pressures the USA can bring
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ALKING to a group of foreign journalists, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the USA apparently only wants it to help it resolve its problem in withdrawing from Afghanistan. It seems he has not considered either the nature of the Pak-US relationship or the ways in which pressure can be placed on Pakistan. The relationship has always been transactional. The first four decades were consumed in the Cold War, culminating in Pakistan’S support, along with the USA of the Mujahideen in their resistance to the USSR. Pakistani help to the USA in its invasion of Afghanistan was also there. Mr Khan also overestimated the impact he had had on US President Trump, and failed to prevent the tilt towards India he now decries. Mr Khan should remember that the USA has considerable leverage over Pakistan because of its economic vulnerability. It depends on US goodwill both at the IMF and in FATF. Not only does the USA extract a political cost, but the IMF is a Washington-consensus institution, which only offers aid programme like its extended Fund Facility to countries the USA approves of. It may be that the USA has developed ties with the USA, but that is because of its commonalties with it, which throw into sharper relief its differences with Pakistan. Mr Khan should not hope for improved relations with the USA so long as his government continues to persecute its opposition and crack down on the press, while remaining such a firm friend with China. If Mr Khan wishes to maintain a normal relationship with the USA, not only must it ensure more protection of fundamental rights and end the interference of extraneous institutions in governance, but it must improve its economy to the points where economic pressure can no longer be applied on it. It is pointless to blame the USA for problems in the relationship which have been made by Pakistan, or which have flowed from its past actions. An honest recognition that the USA has merely followed its national interests, just as much as Pakistran has, would be more useful than aunty protestations over behaviour, which again is the result of following its national interest.
Incidents of attacks on women and little boys are rising
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eSPITe our hollow claims and the false perceptions of our being a civilized and pious nation, vices and crimes against women and children in the shape of domestic violence, sexual abuse, harassment, blackmailing, and slaughter of women and rape continue to occur at a greater pace than ever before in history. On the one hand, we boast of our centuriesold civilization and adherence to a great religion, but on the other hand, all print, electronic and social media are filled with such horrifying reports from across the country. hardly a day goes by without hearing of them. each passing day brings a horrific story on the surface which leaves every conscious and thoughtful person shocked. Whether it’s the murder of Qurutulain of hyderabad or the slaughter of Noor Mukadam or the rape of Zainab of Kasur. If one is to state incidents of that nature, the list will go on endlessly. Moreover, one thing is obviously clear that the victims of such incidents are often women, young girls and minor children. Although boys also fell prey to those abhorring acts, the number of women and girls is far greater. This reveals that something is seriously wrong in our societal values as well as our attitudes and this merits careful thought and some soul-searching. In
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It seems that whether the present regime will be like Pakistan’s, stuck between its reliance on the USA, and the realities of China being so nearby, or whether here is more clarity offered by the Taliban, who would be pro-China because antiUSA, the fate of Afghanistan depends more on the New Silk Road than was originally estimated when 9/11 happened
Flawed Mindset
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
those who fought both the Soviet and the Americans, the callow 18-year-old of 1988 would now be 51. From a rookie the vets would be amused by, he would now be himself. As for those who led the initial resistance, who were about 40 in 1979, they would now be over 80, if still alive, they brushed aside the previous leaders, the men with whom the USA and Pakistani had worked. It should also be noted that those who called the shots then, even as young officers, have retired by now. Indeed, only the captains and junior majors of that era would still be in service, at some suitably exalted rank. Just as the Taliban were those who brushed aside the older leaders, they will be brushed aside by the present crop of leaders. It must not be forgotten that the Taliban have always put a premium on battlefield experience. Therefore, the leaders who are making agreements now are a little like Gulbadin hikmatyar, who is now 72, but who was 30 when the USSR invaded Afghanistan, who became Prime Minister of Afghanistan after the Soviet withdrawal, but whose relevance to Afghan politics was shown in the 2019 presidential election, when he came in a distant third. That is not something its neighbours would like very, ucj, especially since Afghanistan is scheduled to become an important part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This might well be the USA’s greatest loss in the current situation: its failure to prevent Afghanistan from becoming one of China’s main connecting routes. China has developed access to the Indian Ocean through Gwadar. CPeC is of importance for this reason. To increase its footprint, it has taken over the development of Iran’s Chabahar port from India. That means it needs to have access to Afghanistan, which means that US attempts to contain it will be weakened by any government that is not hostile to China. The Taliban have been experiencing the sort of international recognition they did not when they were in power. It should not be forgotten that the Taliban were only recognised by Pakistan and Qatar. Neither is now ready to recognise them, though both have played a crucial role in the negotiations with the USA.
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Both are considered close US allies, and while Pakistan is supposed to have influence over the Taliban, both the US-Taliban talks, and now the Taliban-Kabul talks, have been held in the Qatari capital of Doha. The Taliban delegation visiting China may have been facilitated by Pakistan, but the contacts with India were probably not. While China had concerns over the BRI as well as fears of Taliban support of the east Turkestani Movement, India would be more interested in protecting its commitments in Afghanistan, which it had made because of there being both a favourable regime and a US umbrella. It obtained the opening of consulates, particularly the one in Kandahar, which had no purpose beyond acting as outposts against Pakistan. The USA did have contacts with the Taliban regime, but that only came after the Taliban were in power. The present contacts indicate not just the unease among regional powers, but also the expectation that the Taliban will take over. This cannot be of much solace to President Ashraf Ghani and his regime. Ghani is perhaps symbolic of the US experiment. even before the Soviet invasion, head graduated from an American high school and studied anthropology at the American University Beirut and Columbia University, where he pursued an academic career after getting his PhD. he hen got into the World Bank before becoming Afghanistan’s Finance Minister, and then its President. An Afghan, but thoroughly integrated into the US system, his replacement by the Taliban would be unpleasant for the Americans. Pakistan has failed to hold one international conference, and is now trying to host another. however, the fate of Afghanistan seems tied up with that of the BRI and the New Silk route. Some of the responsibility for the failure must lie with the BRI already proving a measure on which the world is to divide between the USA and China. It seems that whether the present regime will be like Pakistan’s, stuck between its reliance on the USA, and the realities of China being so nearby, or whether here is more clarity offered by the Taliban, who would be pro-China because anti-USA, the fate of Afghanistan depends more on the New Silk Road than was originally estimated when 9/11 happened.
spite of constant attempts by conscious people at teaching people morality such cases happen unabated. Besides, what is more disturbing is that people voluntarily tasked with giving lessons of morality, mullahs, are perpetrators in most cases as madrassahs are refuges for them. And this has been confirmed by the videos of mullahs, such as that of Mufti Aziz ur Rehman, which have gone viral. The video generated wide-spread condemnation as the so-called Mufti could be seen sexually assaulting a minor boy. Since our efforts have almost failed to act as a deterrent to these crimes, it is high time we had a thorough introspection as well as appraisal of our attitude towards them. We need to understand that unless we change our mindset, nothing can halt the occurrence of the cases of sexual violence, as well as physical violence, on the ‘weaker sex’ and little children. Our general outlook on rape incidents needs revisiting and soul-searching, for our political and executive top brass are oftentimes seen mouthing irresponsible remarks, such as that women are responsible for immortality and are sexually attacked because of wearing revealing clothes. even the prime minister of the country once could be heard in an interview saying: “If a woman is wearing very few clothes, it will have an impact on the men, unless they are robots. It’s just common sense”, on which he had to do an explanation as it attracted widespread condemnation and outrage. Illogical statements on the part of high-ups such as these, do nothing but reveal the way the victims are looked at. Besides, many of us would be aware of the
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The writer is a member of staff. remarks made by the DPO Lahore about the Lahore Motorway incident in which a woman was raped in the dead of night in front of her children when she was seeking help as her car had broken down. Instead of apologising to the victim, he inappropriately and rhetorically questioned why the victim was travelling at night. What people making such remarks forget is that even animals are being sexually assaulted and gangraped, let alone women. For instance, there emerged a report from OKara which stated that a gang of five youngsters raped a goat to death. What is it in animals that lures perpetrators into attacking them? And should animals also wear ‘modest clothes’ in order to avoid sexual attacks? As put in by a Pakistani actress, the issue is not with women’s clothing; it is rather ingrained in our minds, which need to be changed. Because in most cases, the victims are either little, in their infancy, or in a veil. And in some cases, the sufferer are gangraped which is facilitated by their immediate relatives; or in some cases forced into prostitution. The murder of Qurutulain is a case in point. Such victim blaming is not a solution to this deep ingrained problem. It is a proven fact that women’s clothes do not attract perpetrators. The space for women is shrinking. Men need to change their behaviour towards them. It is time their male counterparts at home learnt to listen to them. They should be made to feel comfortable sharing with their men if they face any kind of harassment, blackmail or abuse either at work or at the hands of relatives and extended family, for in most cases the perpetrators are their acquaintances. If women cannot express themselves, these cases would grow. When listening to them becomes normal, only then can we expect to see a decrease in such cases. After all, women are also part of our society.
The space for women is shrinking. Men need to change their behaviour towards them. It is time their male counterparts at home learnt to listen to them. They should be made to feel comfortable sharing with their men if they face any kind of harassment, blackmail or abuse either at work or at the hands of relatives and extended family, for in most cases the perpetrators are their acquaintances.
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Friday, 13 August, 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
Renewable energy is the answer
Modi’s evil designs on Kashmir When will the world act?
MuhAMMAd ZAhId RIfAt
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N 5 August 2019, the RSS philosophy follower, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had taken almost everyone within the country and abroad with shock and surprise when he took the unilateral measure of revoking Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, thus removing the special status of India’s illegally occupied Kashmir and merging it in the Indian Union least bothering about its being an internationally recognized disputed territory between India and Pakistan, and placing the entire population of the territory under complete lockdown. The Kashmiri people have since completed two years of being under military siege with no signs of any relaxation in it and no consideration of pleas being made to restore the special status of Indian-Occupied Kashmir. There are many factors which force the independent minded people all over the world to be afraid of the Indian Prime Minister’s further measures regarding the future of Indian-Occupied Kashmir. Likewise, Pakistan also has serious apprehensions and doubts about Narendra Modi’s devilish thinking and plans about Indian-Occupied Kashmir in view of his designs to eliminate Muslim and other minorities from India and also accomplish his devilish designs of changing the predominantly Muslim majority in Indian-Occupied Kashmir into a minority in furtherance of his designs to have complete Indian control over occupied territory in all respects, leading to undermining the importance of United Nations Security Council (UNSC ) Resolutions of 1948 calling for holding of a free and fair plebiscite and letting the Kashmiris exercise their right of self-determination which India has been blatantly denying for more than seven decades. In view of these serious apprehensions and doubts, Pakistan has only recently drawn the attention of the UN General Assembly President and the UN Secretary General towards possibility of India planning further illegal actions in Indian-Occupied Kashmir in the coming weeks and months, or may be just after when the Kashmiris complete the longest lockdown in the living history of the mankind which is continuing in an unabated manner as a big slur on the faces of the UN Security Council and the international
community. These measures could be division, bifurcation, additional demographic changes and continued military siege with a massive evil campaign to suppress the Kashmiris’ legitimate demands and its gross and systematic violations of human rights. ever since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, the occupying Indian security forces have brutally killed, tortured, arbitrarily arrested and detained hundreds of Kashmiris and also put almost the entire Kashmiris leadership behind the bars in Indian jails. In July 2021 alone, Indian security forces have martyred 27 Kashmiri people including two women as they carried on a so-called house- tohouse search in exercise of the massive powers given to them. It is also a matter of bitter record that following Indian-Occupied Kashmir’s merger into the Indian Union and the ending of its special status, the Indian Government has been taking extraordinary measures to issue fake domicile certificates to more and more hindus in pretty large numbers, thus paving the way for their settlement in Indian-Occupied Kashmir and bringing about the much-desired demographic changes. houses were being constructed in substantial numbers in different parts of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir for accommodating illegally migrating hindus in furtherance of hindutva. Needless to mention here that all the unilateral and illegal actions taken by India in occupied Jammu and Kashmir since 1951, including the measures initiated after 5 August 2019, as well as any additional unilateral changes which India is apprehended to be taking in future, are in sheer violation of the international law, the Security Council Resolutions as well as the Fourth Geneva Convention, and null and void as such. Pakistan as a matter of fact has been drawing the attention of the world body chiefs and the international community every now and the about gross human rights violations, ongoing brutalities and atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris who are carrying on their indigenous struggle for freedom by exercising their right of self-determination in accordance with the Security Council Resolutions. But the response from all quarters concerned has somehow not been quite encouraging as merely expressing concerns over
happenings in Indian-Occupied Kashmir will not lead to a solution of the lingering and burning Kashmir dispute. Durable peace and stability in the region is closely linked with the solution of the Kashmir dispute. India for more than seven decades has been blatantly defying the resolutions of the UN Security Council and taking unilateral measures to strengthen its illegal hold over occupied Jammu and Kashmir territory. The international community continues to look the other way and prefers to express concern over tragic happenings in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. As a tribute to India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pursuing the philosophy of hindutva, for persistently defying Security Council resolutions on Kashmir dispute, more than 180 members of the United Nations in January 2021 had elected India as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for two years. India has just been elected President of the UN Security Council for the month of August 2021. Indian Prime Minister Modi is most likely to virtually address the Security Council, according to the reports. In his virtual address to the Security Council, Modi may dilate on some more unilateral and illegal measures which he may be cooking up in his devilish mind and then afterwards claim to have taken the world at large into confidence. Pakistan has already expressed its deep concern, apprehensions and doubts about Indian PM Modi’s evil designs about the future of Indian-Occupied Kashmir. It is now for the United Nations and the international community at large to be watchful and vigilant and to sound strongly worded warnings to India to refrain from taking any more unilateral and illegal measures in occupied territory and avoid further aggravating the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Will they act now in support of the suffering, struggling Kashmiris who are engaged in their just indigenous freedom struggle and pave the way for holding of plebiscite in the IIOJK in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions or just keep looking the other way with their minds sleeping ?
Pakistan has already expressed its deep concern, apprehensions and doubts about Indian PM Modi’s evil designs about the future of Indian-Occupied Kashmir. It is now for the United Nations and the international community at large to be watchful and vigilant and to sound strongly worded warnings to India to refrain from taking any more unilateral and illegal measures in occupied territory and avoid further aggravating the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The writer can zajhidriffat@gmail.com
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AT the moment , we have predominantly costly fossil fueled power generation in the energy mix , as a result of which electricity production cost and tariffs are higher , unaffordable and contribute to green house gasses at the same time . The international prices of solar power , in particular , have dropped down dramatically and we need to seize this opportunity by expanding the power system through installation of solar Powerplants ( PV operated ) as fast as possible harnessing the abundant sunshine in the country and by phasing out and retiring the costly and environment unfriendly fossils powered powerplants. The World Bank ( WB ) has advised the government to go for solar & wind power to bring down the power prices and at the same time control the environment . It has promised to fund such projects and also to use its influence on other financial institutions to assist in this regard. Our government needs to seize this good offer of the Bank and work on the solar & wind projects jealously for ultimate good of the public and the country by achieving at least 30 percent share of solar power by 2030 in the energy mix . Other countries in the region like India and Bangladesh are ahead of us in this regard. Worldwide , all the countries are striving hard to maximise the production of renewable energy from solar and wind . Our future lies in going solar , in particular , so that it becomes the largest source of electrical power for the economic well being of the country . Engr riaz Bhutta LahorE
Man is architect of his own fate IT is an undeniable fact that Man is the architect of his own destiny. Of all the creation in the universe, Man is superior and endowed with the reason and intellect. he has made the best use of his intellectuality in every aspect of life. Man has conquered nature greatly. he has proved his mettle on conquering the moon by being able to put his feet on it. Many diseases that were considered fatal in the past are now curable owing to man’s efforts. This shows the writ of man lies in his own hands. The great saying of Shakespeare is “ Fault lies not in our stars but in ourselves.” It shows the man masters his own fate. It is he who makes or unmakes. Those who give up at every eve of life never see the face of success. They were merely to blame , it was destined and not written in their fortune. Man is not a playful tool in the hands of fate but he is the nucleus of the world who architect his own fate. SEjaL Makahni Dharki
The fourth wave The fourth wave of Covid-19 has arrived in the country Pakistan, because of the careless attitude of the people. Now it is tough to fight against the deadly virus, Covid-19. The people are ignoring SOPs since they have forgotten that Covid-19 has not gone away, but it has still been seen rampaging through the country. Now the time has come to not ignore SOPs, and rather we should follow them everywhere, especially in public places we must be more careful. So the government should ensure strict rules of SOPs by the public. Now it is our own responsibility to follow the SOPs for saving ourselves. iMran Sattar turBat
Grim practice “BLINDLy following the customs and traditions does not show dead are alive but living are dead “Ibn khaldun. Tribes and clans follow their customs and traditions in order to commemorate their demised elders. They follow the footprints of their elders as last words written on pebbles and claim as being the custodians of customs. Traditional tribes have hardcore rules and practices which cites to the fabrication by their forefathers. In mere pure words ,customs and rituals reveal the truly identity of community. It preaches integration as it gathers every individual of community on special occasions at one venue but their few ruthless actions spread segregation. One of the gigantic surreal and staunch custom being followed in most of the tribes in sindh is “Sawara”. It is the custom of handing over young and innocent girls in compensation of robbery, killings, or an other major fueds. It’s the rule of anarchy in rural areas of sindh where women have zero status and null rights. Men are considered as steward of their lives and the decisions by men as considered as holly descends. Patriarchy society in sindh is being worshipped at length due to feudal lord’s and their flattering audience. It doesn’t matter whether a woman is highly qualified or reformist as compared to dormant and ridiculous man. The word of men in tribes is the pedagogy of the day . The fueds are initiated by men but it’s termination falls upon women as compensation. Its merely ruthless, ridiculous and irrational to snatch the freedom of speechless women as she has been given birth to be in shackles. These practices and followings crumble the feeling of being Ashraf-ulmakhlooqat . how can we force one to act willingly against his sweet wishes?. Can we sustain such catastrophic facets in our lives?. Keeping these symmetries in minds, the civil rights activists has took up a number of scrambles to cure and curb out this malaise which has moulded the entire activity of society into smears. These hollow practices fruit nothing but miseries and segregation. I hope relevant authorities must assist human rights activists to debacle this grim tradition as human have right of self determination. “human is born free but everywhere he is in chains “. Jean-Jecques Rousseau. zuBair ahMED rinD jacoBaBaD
Friday, 13 August, 2021
08 WORLD VIEW
BiDen’s OPTimisTiC PrOmises Are COllAPsing in AfghAnisTAn THE CLOSEST US MILITARY BASES, IN AND AROUND QATAR AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, ARE MORE THAN 1,000 MILES FROM AFGHANISTAN—TOO FAR TO MONITOR WHAT’S GOING ON, MUCH LESS RESPOND TO EVENTS IN FULL FORCE OR QUICKLY
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FRED KAPLAN
he only surprise about the swift collapse of the Afghan army is that anyone should be surprised about it. Once U.S. and NATO troops pulled out entirely, the collapse was inevitable. Still, many are startled, and not without reason. They assumed that, after 20 years of being armed and trained by U.S. troops and contractors, Afghan soldiers would have learned enough to stave off Taliban militias on their own, or at least slow them down. But the Taliban’s onslaught has been fierce, whole provinces are rapidly changing hands (three in one day earlier this week), and Kabul is all but certain to fall soon. When the Taliban’s assaults first began in late June, U.S. intelligence analysts worried that the Taliban might take over in six to 12 months; now they’re saying it could happen in 90 days. That estimate too may prove overly optimistic. The problem is not the Afghan soldiers, many of whom are fighting valiantly. The problem is that the complete U.S. withdrawal has made it impossible for them to fight coherently. It has meant not just the disappearance of American troops, who, in any case, hadn’t engaged in direct combat for quite a while. (No U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan since early February 2020.) More crucially, it has meant the disappearance of close air support, logistics, intelligence and surveillance, repair and maintenance of weapons and vehicles, medevac units for the wounded, and rapid helicopter transport from one part of the country to another. Several senior U.S. military officers (active duty and retired) have told me that American ground troops couldn’t fight effectively without these enablers. It is no wonder that Afghan ground troops can’t either. True, the Taliban don’t have this sort of support network either, but insurgents have less need for it. Their advantage is that they can attack at places and times of their choosing. The disadvantage of the Afghan national
security forces—or any army waging a counterinsurgency campaign—is that they have to defeat the insurgency wherever it attacks. This is a difficult but feasible task with integrated intelligence networks, close air support, helicopter transport, and all the rest. It’s nearly impossible without those things. And so the Taliban have almost effortlessly exploited their natural advantage, capturing remote provinces, then building on their successes—and recruiting more militiamen—to advance closer to larger cities. In turn, the regular Afghan troops, hearing of these routs and knowing that they’re on their own, have become increasingly demoralized. It’s likely that many of them—sensing which way the wind is blowing—have deserted or flipped. Taliban militias have been seen parading Afghan army vehicles and U.S.supplied weapons in the wake of the American withdrawal. In fact, they’ve been capturing our weapons, sometimes provided for cash by our allies, throughout this war. This leads to another factor: the Taliban are more passionate and determined about fighting for their cause. Many Afghans, including many Afghan soldiers, hate and fear the Taliban, but they don’t feel much love or loyalty toward their government. Back in 2010, when President Obama escalated involvement in the war, top U.S. military officers publicly warned that more troops would have little effect if the Afghan government didn’t clean up its corruption. The cleanup never really took place. The Taliban exploited that fact as well, preying on the Afghan people’s resentment of their leaders. Did Biden make a mistake in pulling out the troops so completely and so suddenly? When he announced the move in April, he reasoned that we’ve been there long enough; that the original mission—to kill Osama bin Laden and defeat al-Qaida—had been accomplished long ago; that other goals, such as nation-building, were pipedreams; that, if the Afghan army wasn’t ready to fight on its own, it never would be, so let’s leave now rather than stay there forever. he was right on all those points, but he left out one consideration. Obama too became flustered over
Afghanistan. eighteen months after ordering a troop surge and adopting a counterinsurgency strategy, he realized it wasn’t working, reversed his decisions, and pulled out some more troops as well. But he stopped short of withdrawing all of them—he kept in 5,500—for a couple of quite separate reasons. The then-new Afghan president, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, had just signed a bilateral security agreement giving U.S. forces legal protection (something his predecessor, hamad Karzai, had never done). Meanwhile, terrorist groups still flourished across the Pakistan border; there were plenty of reasons to keep a close eye on nuclear-armed Pakistan in any case, and here was Ghani, offering three military bases to do so for as long as we wanted. So Obama maintained a limited presence of troops, ratcheting down their involvement in combat considerably. The mere presence of these troops—and their continued involvement in training and assisting the Afghan army—kept the Taliban at bay and preserved women’s rights and other wisps of a civil society. (The flow of American dollars also preserved the corruption of the power cliques, which has been a problem from the beginning, but that’s another story.) Biden could have done the same, with far fewer troops and still less involvement in fighting. President Trump restricted the Biden team’s options by signing a “peace accord” with the Taliban, pledging to withdraw all U.S. troops by May 2021. The Taliban warned that if the U.S. reneged on the deal, they would resume attacking American troops. So if Biden had kept in a few thousand troops, they might have wound up fighting and dying again after all—and that would have been unsustainable. It was clear, though, that Biden welcomed Trump’s treaty as another rationale for getting out, which he had long wanted to do. But he didn’t put his decision in those terms. Instead, he pledged to prevent the reemergence of terrorists, guarantee the Afghan government’s security and to protect Afghan women’s rights. he said we would do all this “from over-the-horizon”—i.e., from sensors and fighter aircraft on nearby military bases. This was
wishful thinking or perhaps the product of a misinformed briefing. The closest U.S. military bases, in and around Qatar and the United Arab emirates, are more than 1,000 miles from Afghanistan—too far to monitor what’s going on, much less respond to events in full force or quickly. At a news conference just this past Tuesday, White house Secretary Jen Psaki kept up the fiction. “Our view,” she said, “is that the Afghan National Security Defense Forces has [sic] the equipment, numbers, and training to fight back, which will strengthen their position at the negotiating table.” The optimism here is Panglossian. As any military officer could have told her, the Afghan army’s equipment, numbers, and training are irrelevant in any measure of its strength, given the absence of combat support. In any case, there is no negotiating table; to the extent peace talks with the Taliban were ever serious, they haven’t been for a while. It would have been more honest for Biden to say that Afghanistan’s fate is no longer a vital interest, so we’re leaving. It damages our interests to say, as he did in April, that we will still secure the government, protect women’s rights, hold the Taliban accountable, and all the rest—knowing that, after the withdrawal, we would have no ability to do so. And if Biden didn’t know that, he should fire whoever assured him that we could.
Decision time on JCPOA FOREIGN POLICY RARELY IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN MIDTERM ELECTIONS. BUT IRAN AND THE JCPOA ARE DIFFERENT. ON TOP OF WHAT MAY BECOME A TALIBAN ROUT IN AFGHANISTAN AFTER THE US WITHDRAWAL, A FLAWED RENEWED JCPOA WOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR REPUBLICANS TO ATTACK DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND THEIR PARTY’S FAILED FOREIGN POLICY Cipher Brief
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AMBASSADOR GARY GRAPPO
he Biden administration faces an important decision point in its negotiations with Iran over rejoining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Decisions made now and the signals they send to Tehran will determine whether the two sides can reach an agreement. They also will determine whether any such agreement, if concluded, can outlast Mr. Biden’s administration. After months, the negotiations have now come to a standstill, presumably to give the newly elected president of Iran, ebrahim Raisi, and his cabinet time to review progress and potential new directions. Considerable progress had reportedly been made before the Iranian team called off talks in June. however, subsequent events also have altered the circumstances surrounding the negotiations for the US side. Interpreting those events, as in many things Iranian, is problematic. Three in particular, stand out. First, there is the (predictable) election of Mr. Raisi, a notable hardliner, as Iran’s new president. With his elevation to the presidency, hardliners effectively control all the decision-making bodies of the Iranian government for the first time since 1988. hardliners’ positions, especially those of the Supreme Leader and the IRGC, on the US and the JCPOA – uniformly negative – are well known. But at least under the previous president, hassan Rouhani, there was a willing participant in the negotiations. Mr. Rouhani is now relegated to the traditional obscurity of former presidents in post-revolution Iranian politics, deprived of voice and influence. Second, Supreme leader Ali Khamenei, has vacillated at times as to the utility of a renewed JCPOA but his views now seem to have hardened on a renewed JCPOA. This may be in response to some of the demands sought by the US side, e.g., extending the sunset clauses on Iran’s nuclear program and incorporating important references to regional security. As recently as late July
and only days before the inauguration of the new president, Khamenei publicly asserted that, “Trust with the West does not work,” a seeming repudiation of the original JCPOA and a presumed message to his new president on a renewed agreement. Other senior officials have voiced similar reservations about the JCPOA dating back to the Obama administration, but none more clear than the Supreme Leader’s. Third, in what might be interpreted as a response to the regional security concerns of the US and its regional allies, Iran carried out attacks against two commercial vessels in the vital Strait of hormuz. One attack on an Israeli-owned tanker killed two european seamen aboard. The Strait of hormuz represents one of the global economy’s most critical choke points. With these attacks, Iran seemed to be saying, “No place is off limits,” effectively doubling down on its existing destabilizing actions throughout the region, including in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and elsewhere. What does all of this mean for the US negotiating team and Mr. Biden? There are two possibilities. The first is that Iran is resorting to a shopworn ploy of its negotiating history: abruptly leave negotiations just as the two parties approach a conclusion and then sow havoc elsewhere. The Iranians want to project looming pessimism for the future of the negotiations and reinforce that with threatening behavior elsewhere. The objective is to rattle the adversary into making further concessions in order to quell its apparent dejection and entice them back to the bargaining table. Few of Iran’s negotiating adversaries have fallen for this juvenile antic. The US won’t either. It should stand firm on its position and await an eventual Iranian return to Vienna and then drive forcefully toward a new JCPOA that meets US objectives. however, there is a second possibility and one the US must seriously consider, regardless of Iranian intent. For this, it’s important to bear in mind the administration’s most important political criterion in evaluating any decision on domestic or foreign policy. Does it protect the
Democratic Party’s slim majorities in the house and Senate in the lead-up to the mid-term elections in the fall of 2022? Today, given the political polarization in the country, it is the only yardstick for measuring policy decisions. Foreign policy rarely is a major factor in midterm elections. But Iran and the JCPOA are different. On top of what may become a Taliban rout in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal, a flawed renewed JCPOA would be more than enough for Republicans to attack Democratic candidates and their party’s failed foreign policy. Being tagged as “soft on Iran” carries the same political death sentence as “soft on communism” did during the Cold War. The latter is especially important because a significant majority – 80-88 percent – of Americans has consistently held highly negative views of the Islamic Republic as far back as, well, the 1979 revolution itself. For Mr. Biden, producing anything less than an incontrovertibly airtight renewed JCPOA that is also acceptable to Israel and America’s Gulf allies, would present an open invitation for Republican criticism and even some backpedaling by Democratic candidates seeking to distance themselves from a perceived bad policy. Both Iran and the US say they want an enduring JCPOA. Tehran has stipulated it wants an agreement from which no US president could withdraw, an impossible demand under the US governing system. Joe Biden also wants an agreement inoculated from the fate of Barack Obama’s short-lived agreement. As mentioned earlier, that means considerably extended sunsets for Iran’s nuclear program development and constraints on Iran’s mischief-making throughout the region. There are additional concerns: Iran’s having exceeded existing JCPOA production and technology constraints, its expanding ballistic missile program and imprisoned Americans in Iran. These are concrete sine qua non for a durable US re-entry into the JCPOA, at least from the US side. A renewed JCPOA with anything less will be pilloried in the US Congress and used as a clear bludgeoning tool by Republicans in the fall of 2022. And what if Mr. Biden’s negotiating team cannot
reach acceptable concessions from the Iranians on these issues? One option worth serious thought is to simply pronounce the talks ended or at the very least suspended. The Administration can easily blame Iranian intransigence and would find no argument from most Americans, or from Israelis and Saudis as well. To his Democratic Party’s progressive wing, the president could logically argue that he tried, having given it six months of tough, good-faith negotiations, and offered significant concessions. And to the entire country, he could easily argue that as eager as he had been to re-enter the JCPOA, he could not forsake US security interests in the Middle east nor betray the interests of valued allies. There is no counter-argument to that. Moreover, he would silence Republican security and foreign policy hawks while still preserving the high ground not only for having tried to fulfill his campaign promise but also for protecting US interests. When is the most opportune time to take this step? It may be right now. It will send a clear message to the incoming Iranian administration that while still wanting to re-enter the JCPOA, the US has firm redlines. Such a signal now would certainly be heartbreaking to the millions of Iranians desperate to see US sanctions removed. But more importantly, Mr. Raisi, the Supreme Leader and the rest of Iran’s hardliners may understand there will be no easy exit from its current dilemma. There is only one way to secure an enduring JCPOA. It is decision time for Iran as well. Cipher Brief Expert Gary Grappo is a former U.S. ambassador who held senior positions including Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; and Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He’s currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Middle East Studies at the Korbel School for International Studies, University of Denver.
Friday, 13 August, 2021
BUSINESS 09
ISLAMABAD corporate corner Jazz 100pc vaccinated against COVID-19 KARACHI: To ensure the safety and well-being of its workforce, Jazz has completed the vaccination of all its eligible employees. This comprises the company's staff who have received at least their first dose of the COVID19 vaccine. During the internal Independence Day celebrations, Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim congratulated the employees on achieving a 100 percent vaccination status, adding, “Jazz remains fully committed to the safety of its people. Our internal vaccination campaign aimed to safeguard the health of not only our employees but those around them as well. This achievement is another contribution to our #JazzCares initiative and this Independence Day, there can be no greater service to the nation than to keep us and others safe through the pandemic.” Even after vaccinating its entire eligible workforce, Jazz is still enforcing strict adherence to SOPs at its offices and experience centers nationwide. Only employees possessing a COVID Vaccination Digital Pass are allowed to work from the office. Instead of visiting franchises and experience centers, customers are encouraged to utilize digital touchpoints, like the selfcare mobile app, Jazz World, which has crossed nine million active users. PrESS rElEaSE
Khushhali Microfinance Bank celebrates 21 years of empowerment & progress KARACHI: The pioneer microfinance institution in Pakistan - Khushhali Microfinance Bank is celebrating its 21st year of services for socio-economic uplift of the marginalized & unbanked segments of the market. The anniversary celebrated with great enthusiasm across the bank’s network both physically and digitally, via virtual conference. Established in year 2000, Khushhalibank’s success has fostered an ecosystem for the growth of microfinance industry within Pakistan and generating economic opportunities that has the potential to drive growth and development at the grass root level. KMBL President Ghalib Nishtar praised the hard work and commitment of his entire team, for achieving this inspirational milestone and said, “KMBL is proud of its legacy in elevating the quality of life for the less privileged people. We believe that; with a little support and access to credit, the talented micro-entrepreneurs both men and women, have great potential to become productive & contribute to the economy. We are investing generously for the development of micro-enterprises that promise more employment-opportunities and a prosperous future for the whole nation.” PrESS rElEaSE
Taiwan Excellence steers social change with #SharingIsCaring themed campaign KARACHI: Taiwan Excellence launched a global campaign on August 11 through a virtual event. Themed as ‘Sharing is Caring’, this campaign is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative planned on a global level to harness the power of collective passions, expertise and technology. The project’s objective is to make a difference in the society by providing philanthropists a platform to work on their ideas about social issues, governance and environment protection. Under it, various social institutions, individuals and NGOs are invited to participate and share the causes they would like to work on. After registering, the entries will go for a qualification review by an advisory committee that will ensure if they abide by the guidelines. Up to 12 proposals will be shortlisted by the selecting committee and posted on the website for public voting. The top three entries will win an exclusive grant from Taiwan Excellence to work on their #SharingisCaring idea. Extra points will be given to proposals that include Taiwan Excellence’s award-winning products and brands in their innovation. Top 3 winning proposals to get prize money of $10,000 each and will also get an execution budget of $150,000 each along with a partner assigned by TAITRA to execute their respective winning idea. With such a massive sum earmarked to fuel the dreams of social innovators, change-makers from across the world are highly motivated to conceptualize projects to make world a better place! For more details, log in to: share-care.taiwanexcellence.org and refer to the Rules for “Taiwan Excellence: Sharing Is Caring” Philanthropic Events. PrESS rElEaSE
KARACHI: Minister for Railways, Azam Swati visits Hutchison Ports Pakistan (SAPT) to inspect work being carried out at the train tracks being laid at the institution. The newly laid tracks are an effort to improve efficiency in transport of goods from the Port to various parts of the country. Pr
GOVT ISSuES POLICy DIrECTIVES fOr auCTIOn Of SPECTruM In GB, aJK ISLAMABAD
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STaFF rEPOrT
OLLOWING the government’s decision to provide fast internet services in mountainous regions of the country, the Ministry of Information Technology has issued policy directives to the telecom regulator for the auction of spectrum in AJK and the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) to enhance the quality and outreach of mobile telephony as well as broadband in these areas. Similarly, additional spectrum has also been approved for the state owned telecom operator in GB and AJK. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is expected to issue the Information Memorandum (IM) after receiving the policy directive to all the five cellular operators in the region. Currently, there are five operators providing cellular mobile services in AJ&K and GB, including the state owned Special Communication Organisation (SCO), Jazz, Telenor, Zong and Ufone. The SCO is a subsidiary of the ministry of IT and telecom, established in 1976 to develop, operate and
maintain all telecom services in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. The government has set the base price of $0.87 million for each megahertz in 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz band, and 16 megahertz spectrum in 1800 MHz band and 30 megahertz spectrum in the 2100 MHz have been placed for auction, to the four mobile operators for 15 years. However, additional spectrum of 10 megahertz in both the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands has been approved for SCO. The auction will be beneficial for the governments of both AJK and the GB as a significant amount out of the auction proceeds will be transferred to the AJ&K and GB Councils by the PTA. The policy directive by the IT ministry has said that a significant surge in the demand of mobile broadband services has been witnessed particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This ever-increasing reliance on mobile broadband services necessitated the demand for availability of more spectrum to meet the connectivity needs of the citizens of AJ&K and GB,” the ministry has said. If all spectrum available for auction is sold at
base price then estimated revenue of $40.02 million will be received by the PTA, however the expected revenue can vary if any spectrum remains unsold or the estimated revenue can be higher if the spectrum is sold at higher than the base price through auction. PTA will issue an Information Memorandum (IM) specifying the detailed procedure of the auction, to the four mobile operators including the eligibility criteria and steps for participating in the auction process. The auction process to be conducted by PTA is expected to be completed by November this year. The specifications set by the government for the mobile operators includes establishing a neutral technology that will be usable for all existing and upcoming advanced generations technologies, within the applicable policy framework of the Government of Pakistan. Along with the existing mobile companies the government has also allowed new entrants to participate in the auction process. It may be mentioned here that students and thousands of tourists visiting the hilly areas have been criticising the government for not providing the fast internet services in GB and AJK.
CCoE’s nod sought over proposed oil refinery policy ISLAMABAD STaFF rEPOrT
The Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) will review the new oil refinery policy draft as the federal cabinet’s economic coordination committee (ECC) has advised the petroleum division to get CCoE’s nod in this regards prior to presenting the matter before ECC. According to sources, petroleum division has tabled new oil refinery policy draft before the ECC and sought its approval on new refinery policy 2021. However, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar raised concerns and requested ECC to refer the matter of new oil refinery policy to CCoE. The next meeting is likely to be held after Muharam 10. As per details, the petroleum division in an apparent bid attract investment in the oil refining sector after consulting the concerned stakeholders had proposed numerous incentives in the new oil refinery policy 2021. Similarly, it was estimated that that the new oil refinery policy would attract investment in the oil refining sector by offering tax rebate to the local and foreign investors for up-gradation and establishment of new deep-conversion refineries. Likewise, import duty on motor gasoline from 5 per cent to 10pc, and diesel from 13pc to 10pc
would be applicable as tariff protection for refineries, effective from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2026. There would be a 10-year income tax holiday for up-gradation, modernisation and expansion of the existing refinery projects, besides a 20-year income tax holiday for all new deep-conversion refinery projects of a minimum capacity of 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). As per the policy, the product pricing formula of refineries would be based on true import parity price, while there would be zero duty on import of crude oil from fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24). The policy would also offer exemption from customs duties and other levies on the import of any equipment and machinery for up-gradation and establishment of new oil facilities whereas there will be no restriction on the selection of equipment, technology or process other than the fact that it must be deep conversion refinery. However, no new hydro-skimming refinery will be allowed to be installed in the country. Infrastructure such as Single Point Mooring (SPM), Single Bouy Mooring (SBM), jetties, subsea/land pipelines, oil terminals, and tank farms will be treated as separate projects and the incentives shall also be applicable to these projects. Wherever applicable, separate licenses will be obtained for
the above mentioned Infrastructure from the relevant authorities. The government will not provide any product off-take guarantees. Refineries will be allowed to sell products to any marketing company including their own affiliates in marketing and distribution. However, import of finished products by OMCs will be limited to only projected deficit in accordance with provisions of Rule 35(g) of the Pakistan Oil Rules 2016, ensuring uplifting of local refined products first. Locally produced crude will be allocated to the closest refinery that can handle crude with such specifications. Once allocated, the same may not be cancelled if a new refinery comes up closer to the crude source, unless mutually agreed among the existing user, new user and the Ministry of Energy. Refineries will be allowed export of surplus petroleum products, or products with specifications that do not have local demand under the intimation to OGRA and MEPD. Currently, there are five players operating in the oil refining sector in Pakistan including, Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO), Attock Petroleum Limited (ARL), National refinery Limited (NRL), Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) and Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited (BPPL). All of the
‘Pakistan’s exports to China likely to reach $3bn by Dec’
Pakistan has registered over 80 percent increase in its exports to China in the first six months of 2021 and keeping in view the momentum, the country is all set to achieve historic milestone of $ 3 billion at the end of this year, Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haq said on Thursday. “The bilateral trade between Pakistan and China has registered 80 percent increase in the first half of this year as compared to same period of the last year,” he told APP. He said that the phase two of China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement was launched last year and its positive results were there. “Pakistan Embassy and Consulates in
China are also setting up Pakistan pavilions and holding promotional events in different cities to promote Pakistani products and goods into the Chinese market,” he added. “As Pakistan is also good in production of the consumer products, especially in the textile, leather, sports goods, surgical and food related industries and agriculture, there will be a strong Chinese demand in these areas,” the official said. Among the growth of trade in major products between the two countries, textiles, seafood and agricultural products have increased year on year, which has increased Pakistan’s exports to China. NEWS DESK
refineries are hyrdoskimming refineries, except for PARCO which is a mild-conversion refinery. Four out of the five refineries operating in Pakistan are using old technology and even the fifth one, PARCO, is now more than 20 years old. Despite being integral to the growth of the economy, no new refinery could materialise for more than a decade and only two refineries have been added in last 40 years, including PARCO, 60pc of which is owned by the government. Pakistan’s local refineries are the backbone of heavy industrial development and are intrinsically connected to defense and energy security needs of the country. They have a pivotal role in the energy supply chain and economic development of Pakistan. The product slate typically comprises of Naphtha, Motor Gasoline (MS), High Speed Diesel (HSD), Furnace Oil (FO), Kerosene, Jet fuel (JP-1&JP-8), High-Octane Blending Component (HOBC), Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) and Light Diesel Oil (LDO). Pakistan’s oil refining capacity is about 450,000 barrels per day (bpd), equivalent to 20 million tons per annum. Historically, local refineries have supplied about 60pc of country’s requirements of diesel, 30pc of motor gasoline and 100pc of jet fuel for defense. The rest is imported as refined products.
PTCL Group gears up to celebrate 75th Independence Day ISLAMABAD: Grand scale preparations are afoot at PTCL and Ufone for celebrating the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan with national zeal and fervor. PTCL Group has launched a week-long employee engagement program in connection with the national day leading up to the main event on 14th of August. The employee engagement program that commenced earlier this week will help PTCL Group join the nationwide celebrations, besides strengthening its unique standing as the national telecom carrier. To kick off the independence week, flags and badges were distributed amongst PTCL and Ufone staff across the country as they resumed office at the start of the week. The employee engagement activities will be held virtually in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and PTCL Group staff has been encouraged to participate along with family members, especially children as well to help educate them regarding the true meaning and significance of independence. The group will celebrate its cultural diversity and acceptance by showcasing different regional cultures in the fun-filled activities. The main event will be held on August 14 at the PTCL Headquarters, where the CEO of PTCL Group and senior management, along with few employees will attend the flag hoisting and cake cutting ceremony. PTCL Headquarters and Ufone tower will be fully illuminated in green and white colors of the national flag on August 13 and 14 and a special fireworks show will follow at night at PTCL Headquarters to end the celebrations on a ‘bright’ note. PrESS rElEaSE
Friday, 13 August, 2021
10 FOREIGN NEWS
ISLAMABAD
IndIAn lAUnch AttEmpt of EArth obsErvAtIon sAtEllItE fAIls NEW DELHI
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AP
N Indian rocket failed in its attempt on Thursday to put a satellite into orbit to provide real-time images used to monitor cyclones and other potential natural disasters. A technical fault occurred in the third and final ignition stage shortly after the rocket was launched from the space centre in Sriharikota in southern India, the country’s space agency said. "Performance of first and second stages was normal. However, cryogenic upper stage ignition did not happen due to a tech-
EU countries at odds on migrant returns as Afghan conflict grows
ATHENS REUTERS
The European Union is no position to deal with a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis and must try to keep people from fleeing conflict in Afghanistan, Greece said on Wednesday, as unity between EU member states over deportations crumbled. Greece, which last week cosigned a letter with five other EU countries saying deportations of failed asylum-seekers should continue despite the fighting, said ending such returns "would send the wrong message". "It would lead to more people trying to leave and come to the European Union," Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi told Reuters. However, two other signatories to the letter, the Netherlands and Germany, abruptly reversed course on Wednesday, saying they would not, for now, deport Afghan citizens who are seeking asylum, given the rapidly escalating conflict there. Among other signatories, Austria said it was sticking to its position and Denmark and Belgium declined to comment. But German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said a state based on the rule of law had a responsibility to ensure any deportations did not put people in danger. "The security situation is changing so rapidly that we cannot meet this responsibility," he said. DIFFERENCES: The disagreement underlined the differences over the issue within the EU, which Mitarachi said was unprepared for a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis when more than a million people, most of them Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis, arrived seeking refuge. "Absolutely not, the EU is not ready and does not have the capacity to handle another major migration crisis," he said. For now, the issue is largely theoretical as returns have not been possible due to the Afghan situation. Last week Germany cancelled a flight due to deport six Afghans convicted of criminal offences to Kabul because of security risks. Fears of a new migrant crisis have escalated as Taliban fighters have made sudden, strong gains in their campaign to defeat the Kabul government following the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces after a 20-year presence. Mitarachi said the EU should offer more support to help Greece's neighbour Turkey handle more arrivals from Afghanistan. A European Commission spokesperson said on Tuesday it was for member states to determine their approach to deportations. However, a senior EU official said it was "hard to imagine" forced returns would go ahead in current conditions.
nical anomaly. The mission couldn't be accomplished as intended," the Indian Space Research Organisation said in a statement. The satellite was to be geostationary, meaning it would orbit in sync with the Earth and remain over a fixed position. It would provide images of cloud bursts and thunderstorms and obtain data for agriculture, forestry and marine purposes. The space agency did not disclose what would happen to the rocket and satellite after the ignition failure. “Since the third stage has not ignited, it has not attained the velocity which would keep it in orbit. It will fall back to Earth sometime soon. Tracking will tell that later,” said Pallava Bagla, an outside
expert. This was the fourth failure of 14 rocket launches of a geostationary platform since 2001, the Economic Times newspaper said. India has an ambitious space programme with decades of research allowing it to develop satellite, communications and remote sensing technologies that are helping solve everyday problems at home, from forecasting fish migration to predicting storms and floods. The government has set a deadline of 2022 for India’s first manned spaceflight. In 2019, India sent a spacecraft to explore water deposits on the far side of the moon but couldn’t successfully land the vessel on the lunar surface.
Thousands rescued as Ganges floods in India NEW DELHI AFP
Thousands of stranded Indians were rescued Thursday from flooded villages along the Ganges after the river rose above its danger level in the country's most populous state. The waterway surged to two metres (6.5 feet) above normal in the city of Allahabad, which has experienced its worst flooding in decades after days of torrential rain. Across Uttar Pradesh state more than 600 villages were reportedly cut off by the rising waters, prompting a major rescue effort by authorities. MP Singh, a district magistrate in Allahabad, told AFP that 225 boats had been sent out to help people trapped on rooftops and the upper floors of their homes. He estimated 4,500 people had been rescued in and around the city. About 100 kilometres (60 miles) downriver in the holy city of Varanasi, the ghats -- ceremonial piers used for Hindu cremations on the river -- were flooded and closed. Varanasi magistrate Sanjay Kumar said the river was one metre (3.3 feet) above its danger mark in the area and thousands of people had been rescued. Normally the ghats operate 24 hours and handle hundreds of cremations each day. VN Mishra, head of Varanasi's Sankat Mochan
Temple, said it was a "desperate" situation and people were instead lighting funeral pyres for the dead away from the river "even if it means cremating in back lanes and on rooftops". The Uttar Pradesh government said 940 flood
shelters had been set up for the homeless where food rations were being handed out. Hundreds have died in India's monsoon season since June, with the states of Maharashtra and West Bengal badly hit.
Flash floods kill nine in northern Turkey; 900 evacuated ISTANBUL REUTERS
Nine people were killed in flash floods in Kastamonu in Turkey's Black Sea region that sent water and debris gushing through streets and damaged bridges, authorities said on Thursday. There was also flooding in the Black Sea provinces of Sinop and Bartin, where one person went missing on Wednesday and another died due to
a heart attack, according to state broadcaster TRT Haber. More than 900 people were evacuated from the areas affected in the three provinces, some with the help of helicopters, and about 550 people were being housed in student dormitories, the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) said. The deluge damaged power infrastructure, leaving more than 170 villages without electricity, it said. Four bridges had collapsed and many others were damaged, leading to road closures, AFAD added.
Television footage showed the floods dragging dozens of cars and heaps of debris along the streets. The heavy rainfall in the region was expected to ease on Thursday evening, AFAD said. Turkey's north is prone to flash floods in the summer when rains are particularly strong. Last year, at least five people were killed in floods in the region. In contrast, the southern coast of the country has battled raging wildfires that have burnt tens of thousands of hectares of forest over the last two weeks.
Do the Covid-19 vaccines affect my chances of pregnancy? WASHINGTON ThE ASSociATEd PRESS
Do the Covid-19 vaccines affect my chances of pregnancy? No, there’s no evidence that any vaccines, including Covid-19 vaccines, influence your chances of getting pregnant despite a myth suggesting otherwise. Medical experts say there’s no biological reason the shots would affect fertility. And real-world evidence offers more assurance for anyone worried about their chances of conceiving: In Pfizer’s study, a similar number of women became pregnant in the group given the vaccine as in the group given dummy shots. Researchers are starting to study anecdotal reports of short-term changes to periods after the vaccine, but there’s no indication so far that the shots put fertility at risk, said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a gynaecologist and professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and obstetrician groups also recommend Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals, who have a higher risk of severe illness if infected with the coronavirus. Research shows pregnant people who get the virus are more likely to be admitted to intensive care, receive invasive ventilation and die than their nonpregnant peers.
The CDC also followed tens of thousands of pregnant women who got the vaccines and found they had comparable pregnancy outcomes to pregnant women before the pandemic. So whether you are thinking about having a
baby, trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments, you should not delay vaccination, says Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of the department of gynaecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine.
Friday, 13 August, 2021
SPORTS 11
ISLAMABAD
Premier League braced for four-way titLe race LONDON
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AFP
HE Premier League's giants have again brushed off the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the start of the new season on Friday (today) with a four-team battle expected for the title. Reigning champions Manchester City have broken the English top flight transfer record by splashing £100 million ($138 million) on Jack Grealish. However, European champions Chelsea showed they were capable of beating City three times towards the end of last season and are not alone in harbouring ambitions of snatching the Premier League title away from Pep Guardiola's men. Manchester United have also spent over £100 million on Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, while Liverpool look refreshed after an injury-ravaged 2020/2021 season. AFP Sport looks at the four leading contenders for the title: MANCHESTER CITY: Winning a third Premier League title in four seasons and lifting yet another League Cup was not enough to sate Guardiola's appetite for success. Fuelled by the frustration of City's limp Champions League final defeat against Chelsea, Guardiola has no intention of resting on his laurels. The City boss added another weapon to
his already lethal attacking arsenal with a British record £100 million ($139 million) swoop for Aston Villa playmaker Grealish. Another British transfer record could still be to come with Tottenham striker Harry Kane in City's sights. Having finished 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester United last term, City start as favourites for the title. But with Tottenham, Leicester, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool among their opening seven games of the season, the champions' title defence could be quickly knocked off course. MANCHESTER UNITED: Without a major trophy since 2017, United have loaded up for a sustained assault to end an eightyear wait to win the title. There was no repeat of last summer's transfer saga over Sancho as a £73 million fee was quickly agreed with Borussia Dortmund before Varane's arrival solved a problem position at centre-back. Sancho joins a swashbuckling attack also featuring Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, EdinsonCavani and Anthony Martial with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba pulling the strings behind them in midfield. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men have proved to be more than a match for City on their day over the past two seasons, but need to find the consistency of their local rivals over the long haul.
LIVERPOOL: Ravaged by long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, Liverpool surrendered their first English title in 30 years without a fight. Yet, from the ashes of that turbulent campaign, JurgenKlopp's side believe they will be stronger this season. Liverpool shrugged off their woes with a late surge that saw them qualify for the
Champions League with a third-place finish. Dutch midfielder GeorginioWijnaldum left for Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, but Klopp has bolstered his squad with the £36 million signing of Leipzig defender IbrahimaKonte. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been refreshed by a summer off from international duties, while Diogo Jota's fine form in his first season at
Shapovalov, Sinner, Auger-Aliassime knocked out early at Toronto Masters TORONTO AFP
Home hopes were dashed Wednesday at the ATP Toronto Masters as Canadians Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime exited in the second round. Fifth-seeded Shapovalov became the highestranked seed to lose a match – number two Rafael Nadal withdrew before playing – as he fell 6-1, 6-4 to good friend Frances Tiafoe. Serbia’s DusanLajovic defeated Auger-Aliassime 7-5, 6-4. “I didn’t feel like the conditions were easy, a little bit windy and the ball flying a bit off my racquet,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Every day conditions in tennis are a little bit different, you’ve got to try to adapt to them. I thought I served well, but the margins were pretty small. I just have to accept the situation, there’s nothing more to do right now.” Shapovalov was buried by American Tiafoe, a lucky loser from qualifying who had lost four previous matches against his northern rival. “That was a big one,” Tiafoe said. “After he beat me so much, I had to stop the bleeding. I needed to win this one, to set the tone, not let him run the table on me.” Shapovalov has now dropped three matches in a row, at Wimbledon and last month in the Swiss alpine village of Gstaad where he was top seed. The
Canadian threw in nine double-faults, producing a total of 30 unforced errors in defeat. “It was not an ideal performance, I’m not happy,” Shapovalov said. “I felt uncomfortable today against a guy with a few matches under his belt. I tried a lot of things but he was way more comfortable: you could see it was my first match and he’s been here and playing already. “I tried to get into the points, change my stance, but nothing was working out for me. My rhythm was off and the swirling wind didn’t help.” Tiafoe booked a third-round meeting with French veteran Gael Monfils, a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Australian John Millman. Monfils won only his fourth match since tennis resumed last August against 13 defeats. His last win at Masters 1000 level was Paris Bercy in November, 2019. “It was a great battle, I was a little lucky at the end,” Monfils said of a tense duel in which Millman battled ankle trouble. “I think he was injured, so he was going more for his shots. I drew energy from the crowd,” added Monfils after the match played before 5,000 spectators. “I’m very excited about this win. I’m starting to build my confidence again.” SINNER STUMBLES: In other second-round action, Jannik Sinner fell flat after lifting the trophy in Washington on Sunday, the Italian losing 6-3, 6-4 to James
Duckworth. Just 72 hours after claiming the biggest title of his career, the 16th seed went down in his opening match against the Australian qualifier after enjoying a first-round bye. Sinner, 19, is the youngest player ranked in the top 15 since Juan Martin delPotro in 2008 by virtue of his victory in the US capital. But north of the border, his luck changed. Sinner exited in just over an hour and a quarter with the 85thranked Aussie securing the upset with one break per set. Duckworth next plays top-seeded world number two Daniil Medvedev in the third round. Fourth seed Andrey Rublev and fellow Russian Karan Khachanov, the Olympic silver medallist, reached the third round, Rublev beating Italy’s Fabio Fognini 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. Khachanov beat compatriot and 15th seed Aslan Karatsev 7-6 (9/7), 6-4. Seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz reached the third round without hitting a ball, benefitting from Kei Nishikori’s withdrawal with a shoulder injury. Number eight Diego Schwartzman of Argentina stopped Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-1 despite a dozen aces from the bearded Frenchman. South African Lloyd Harris made quick work of Feliciano Lopez – inserted into the draw as a lucky loser when Nadal withdrew on Tuesday with a foot injury – beating the veteran Spaniard 6-2, 6-3
Nadeem showered with praise, rose petals upon return to Pakistan NEWS DESK Pakistan's star athlete Arshad Nadeem was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Pakistan after taking fifth position in the men’s javelin throw event at the Tokyo Olympics. Though Nadeem could not win a medal in the Games, he won the hearts of millions of Pakistanis with his indomitable will to put the country on the map with little resources at his disposal. A large number of sports enthusiasts had gathered atLahore's Allama Iqbal International Airportto welcome Nadeem before his arrival. Cheers and loud slogans filled the air as he arrived. Punjab Sports Minister Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, Athletics Federation of Pakistanpresident, coaches and athletes received him at the airport. The minister, in a tweet, said that all national heroes must be appreciated. He said that athletes must be provided with the necessary environment so that they can make the nation proud at an international level. "The government will take all possible steps in this regard," he said.
Why does cricket favour left-handed players? ISLAMABAD AnAdolu Agency
While in many cultures left-handers are not treated favourably, in the most popular game in South Asia — cricket — left-handers boast an edge in both batting and bowling stream to outwit their opponents. Such is the craze for playing with the left hand in the game of uncertainty that mesmerizes many countries, even right-handed crickets like Brian Lara of West Indians, Mark Taylor Justin Langer, and Adam Gilchrist of Australia have batted lefthanded. On eve of International Lefthanders Day which is being observed on Friday, cricket fans in Pakistan recall thrilling games of the lefthanded cricketers. Many teams prefer to open bating with lefthanders. Since 2000, out of 18 opening batsmen in the Australian team, 12 have been lefthanders. In Pakistan as well, fast bowlers like Wasim Akran and Saleem Jaffar, slow spin wizards Iqbal Qasim, stylish batsmen, Sadiq Mohamad, Saeed Anwar, Waseem Hasan Raja, and Aamir Sohail, and Nasim-ulGhani, all were southpaws — the affectionate term for lefties — and mesmerised cricket fans all over the world through their glorious performances. UNUSUAL ADVANTAGE: According to Qamar Ahmed, a former BBC commentator
and sports journalist, the simple and rational aspect of being a left-hander, particularly sportsmen, is that they produce something unusual, which the right-handed majority is not used to face. Like in boxing, he observed, a Southpaw is rather more successful and dangerous because his punch comes from an unusual angle. “Similarly, in cricket or other sports, a left-hander mostly excels because a bowler is not used to bowling regularly to a lefthanded batsman or a right-handed batsman is not used to play left-arm bowlers, which becomes difficult to tackle,” Ahmad, himself a left-hander who played first-class cricket in Pakistan and league cricket in England, told Anadolu Agency. The same goes in tennis, table tennis, baseball, and many other sports, he said adding that left-handed sportsmen are a “unique lot.” Endorsing Ahmad’s views, Ehsan Qureshi, a Karachi-based sports analyst observed that Pakistan’s left-handed cricketers, despite having been outnumbered, stand way ahead of their right-handed colleagues in terms of records and match-winning performances. WASIM AKRAM: Akram is undoubtedly considered one the best left-handed pacers the world of cricket has ever seen. He singlehandedly led Pakistan to victory not only through his crippling pace but the power-hit-
ting as well, especially in the final overs, on numerous occasions. Also known as the ” Sultan [king] of reverse swing,” because of his grip on the old and rough ball, Akram would force the already panicked batsmen to dance. An equally advantageous in both Test and One-Day formats, he led the squad twice during his 19-year career from 1984 to 2003. A pick of Prime Minister Imran Khan, then-captain of the Pakistan team, the 6.3 feet tall pacer played his first match — a one-day game against New Zealand in 1984 and ever since remained an integral part of the national squad. His marvellous performance in the final of the 1992 World Cup against England in front of over 80,000 spectators, propelled Pakistan to win its only World Cup title. SAEED ANWAR: An engineer by profession, Anwar was a left-handed opening batsman who added many feathers to his cap during his 14-year career. Stylish and wristy Anwar set a new trend for otherwise sluggish openers who would try to stay maximum on the crease and save the wickets to give a license of power hitting to the middle order and the tailenders. An otherwise middle-weight and middle-height batsman, Anwar would appear aggressive from the very first ball, giving the bowler no chance to set his line and length. He remained the top scorer in cricket for
the club has put Roberto Firmino's place up front under threat. Most importantly, the returns of Van Dijk and Henderson will be like new signings for Klopp as the Reds boss aims to bounce back from a first trophyless season in three years. CHELSEA: Thomas Tuchel's remarkable impact at Chelsea culminated in Champions League final glory just five months after taking charge. The German revitalised the previously lethargic Blues with his tactical nous, ingame strategy and motivational expertise. It was fitting that Kai Havertz, one of previous coach Frank Lampard's expensively signed underachievers, should underline his improvement in the Tuchel era with the goal that clinched Chelsea's second Champions League crown. Tuchel must now build on that triumph and has been backed by Roman Abramovich with RomeluLukaku set to return to Stamford Bridge for a club record £97 million from Inter Milan. While Chelsea were rock solid at the back after Tuchel's appointment, they were less impressive in attack where Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic all struggled for consistency. Lukaku'sgoalscoring prowess could be the final piece of the puzzle in Tuchel's transformation of the Londoners.
13 years. His hammering knock of 194 runs off 146 deliveries at a packed-to-capacity Kolkata stadium in 1997, is fondly remembered by cricket fans. IQBAL QASIM: Cricket fans still remember the sunny afternoon of March 19, 1987, when the snaking deliveries of left-arm leg spinner Iqbal Qasim and right-arm off-spinner Tauseef Ahmad destroyed the strong Indian batting line in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, snatching a sure victory from the archrival. With a flat action, approaching the wicket in angular steps between the umpire and the stumps, Qasim who was called in after a gap of two years, sent Indian batting giants one after another. He spent most of his career under the shadow of legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir but at the end of the day, proved himself better than most of the vaunted spinners of his era in terms of records and statistics. NASIMUL GHANI: Ghani, who batted lefthanded belongs to an early breed of cricketers in Pakistan. He was the youngest cricketer, only 16 when he made his debut against West Indies in 1958 as a left-arm orthodox spinner. In 1962, Ghani made the headlines as he became the first night watchman to hit a century. He scored 101 against a top English pace battery at Lord’s. Ghani is, perhaps, the only cricketer in
the world who opened the batting for Pakistan and also came in at number 11. SADIQ MUHAMMAD: Sadiq Mohammad is one of the best openers Pakistan has ever produced. He was the youngest of the five famous Mohammad brothers, who represented Pakistan international and first-class cricket at different times. Often love to take on the pacers, Sadiq played against New Zealand in October 1969 in Karachi as a debutant. His last appearance as a test cricket was against West Indies in January 1981 in Multan. He was one of the cricketers who gathered a huge fan club at a time when cricket was not as glamorous and professional as it is nowadays. WASEEM RAJA: At the first sight, Raja appeared to be a film hero. Sporting a short beard and fluttering hair, he had had many feathers in his cap, apart from being a cricketer. A school teacher, match referee, a coach, and a philanthropist. A glorious left-handed middle-order batsman and a right-arm leg spinner, Raja made his debut against England in 1973. His fearless batting against a fearsome West Indian attack in 1976 tour of the Caribbean earned him a reputation as a dependable batsman. He died while playing a charity match in Marlow, England. Raja was fielding in the slip when he suffered a heart attack. “He first knelt and then fell to the ground. An ambulance was called to transport him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead,” Qamar Ahmad said. Raja was the elder brother of former Pakistan captain, and a famous cricket commentator Ramiz Raja..
Friday, 13 August, 2021
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Muslim man assaulted, forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan in India
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AKISTAN on Thursday conducted a training launch of surface-to-surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi. The successful training launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command, besides re-validating technical parameters of the weapon system, said a statement issued by the ISPR. The training launch was witnessed by Lieutenant General Muhammad Ali, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, senior officers from Strategic Plans Division, Army Strategic Forces Command, Scientists and Engineers of the strategic organizations. Commander Army Strategic Forces Command appreciated the excellent standard of training, handling of the weapon system and execution of launch mission in the field by troops. Pakistan today conducted a training launch of surface to surface ballistic #missile #Ghaznavi. The successful training launch was aimed at ensuring operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command, besides re-validating technical parameters of the weapon system. President, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Service Chiefs have congratulated all ranks of Army Strategic Forces Command, the scientists and engineers on the successful conduct of the missile launch.
EU ambassadors promise to improve bilateral ties with Pakistan RAWALPINDI sTaff rePorT
Ambassadors from Germany, Italy and Holland on Thursday called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters, wherein they promised to play their part in improving bilateral ties with Pakistan. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, matters pertaining to bilateral interests and security situations came under discussion during the meeting.
“His Excellency Mr. Bernhard Stephan Schlagheck – Ambassador of Germany, Mr. Andreas Ferrarese – Ambassador of Italy, Mr. Willem Wouter Plomp – Ambassador of Netherlands & Mr. Yves Manville, Acting Ambassador of France called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at GHQ, today,” said the ISPR. “COAS also said that Pakistan values its relations with EU countries and we earnestly look forward to enhance mutually beneficial multi-domain relations based on common interests,” the communique added. The French Ambassador reiterated the need to
further enhance cooperation with Pakistan at all levels. The situation in Afghanistan and cooperation with the European Union were also discussed. On the occasion, the COAS said that peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan and Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan. Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan has no favourites in the Afghan conflict, adding that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with the European Union. The ambassadors appreciated Pakistan s role in promoting peace in the region.
Work afoot to install rapid PCR test facility at three airports: CAA ISLAMABAD TLTP
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has started work on installing rapid PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing facilities for passengers travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi airports. CAA Spokesperson Ismail Khoso said, “Different laboratories have informed [us] that they have procured Rapid PCR testing machines and will be able to install them at airports within next few days.” He added, “We are also in touch with the foreign min-
istry to get relaxation from the UAE government.” So far, Sialkot International Airport is the only airport in Pakistan to install a rapid PCR testing facility. “We are working on similar lines [as Sialkot] as we have asked airlines and UAE-approved labs to install rapid PCR testing machines at our major airports,” Khoso said, adding that unlike the small Sialkot airport, the country’s main ports catered to hundreds of UAE-bound passengers every day. Sialkot introduced the testing facility on Monday as an initiative by local businessmen. The airport itself has the distinction of being the first privately owned public airport in Pakistan, built through fund-
ing and efforts by the business community of Sialkot. Along with the nearby cities of Gujranwala and Gujrat, Sialkot forms part of the so-called “Golden Triangle” of Pakistan’s industrial cities with export-oriented economies. The UAE lifted a ban on transit passenger traffic from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries on August 5, but requires passengers travelling from these destinations to present negative rapid PCR tests taken no longer than four hours prior to departure. The PCAA had earlier said the country did not have the resources to conduct rapid PCR tests, and only rapid antigen testing (RAT) was currently available at Pakistani airports.
A report by NDTV on Wednesday stated that a Muslim man in India’s Uttar Pradesh state was beaten, paraded through a street and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram”. Video footage of the incident has made the rounds on social media, wherein the victim — a rickshaw driver in UP’s Kanpur town — is seen being forced to chant the slogan about worshipping the Hindu God and begging the attackers to not beat him while his daughter clung to him. He was later handed over to the police. The NDTV report quoted the man as saying that he was driving his rickshaw when the mob “started abusing and assaulting me and threatening to kill me and my family”. “I got saved because of the police,” he added. The report further stated that the incident took place less than a kilometre away from an intersection where a rightwing group — Bajrang Dal — held a meeting earlier in the day in which people complained that Muslims in the area were “trying to convert a Hindu girl”. The assault happened right after the meeting, the NDTV report stated. However, it noted, the police have not confirmed whether the attackers were affiliated with the Bajrang Dal. Meanwhile, the police said a case was registered against a resident of the area, his son and around 10 other people based on the complaint of the victim. The victim — a 45-year-old man — was related to a Muslim family in the area who were involved in a legal dispute with their Hindu neighbours, according to the NDTV report. The report also said that the two families had lodged complaints against each other at a local police station last month. The Muslim family had filed the complaint first over “assault and criminal intimidation”. Later, the Hindu family also filed a complaint, alleging “assault with the intent to outrage the modesty of a woman”, the report added. News Desk
Kabul offers Taliban power-sharing to end violence: reports Afghan government negotiators in Qatar have offered the Taliban a power-sharing deal in return for an end to fighting in the country, a government negotiating source told AFP on Thursday. “Yes, the government has submitted a proposal to Qatar as mediator. The proposal allows the Taliban to share power in return for a halt in violence in the country,” the source said. A government source also told Al Jazeera that the Afghan government offered the Taliban a share in power so long as the rising violence in the country comes to a halt. MEETINGS IN QATAR: US special envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad is in Qatar for an international meeting on the escalating situation in Afghanistan. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price earlier said that two key meetings were being held in Doha this week, bringing together representatives from Afghanistan, the region and beyond and from multilateral organisations. The participants will press for a reduction in violence, a ceasefire and a “commitment by the part of these regional and broader governments and multilateral and international institutions not to recognise any government that is imposed by force”, Price had said. Khalilzad is representing Washington in
the talks in Doha. Pakistan has sent its special envoy Muhammad Sadiq and its ambassador to Kabul, Mansoor Khan. The Afghan government delegation is being led by Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation. Kremlin’s envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov and the newly appointed Chinese envoy for Afghanistan Yue Xiao Yong are representing their countries. TALIBAN CAPTURE 10TH PROVINCIAL CAPITAL: Earlier today, the Taliban seized the strategic Afghan city of Ghazni, just 150 kilometres from Kabul, their most important gain in a lightning offensive that has seen them overrun 10 provincial capitals in a week. The interior ministry confirmed the fall of the city, which lies along the major KabulKandahar highway and serves as a gateway between the capital and militant strongholds in the south. “The enemy took control,” spokesman Mirwais Stanikzai said in a message to media, adding fighting and resistance were still going on. Ghazni’s governor was arrested in the Maidan Wardak province after fleeing the city after making a deal with the Taliban, according to an Al Jazeera report. The government has now effectively lost
most of northern and western Afghanistan and is left holding a scattered archipelago of contested cities also dangerously at risk of falling to the Taliban. The conflict has escalated dramatically since May, when US-led forces began the final stage of a troop withdrawal due to end later
this month following a 20-year occupation. The loss of Ghazni will likely pile more pressure on the country’s already overstretched air force, needed to bolster Afghanistan’s dispersed security forces who have increasingly been cut off from reinforcements by road.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
In less than a week the insurgents have taken 10 provincial capitals and encircled the biggest city in the north, the traditional antiTaliban bastion of Mazar-i-Sharif. Fighting was also raging in Kandahar and Lashkar Gar — pro-Taliban heartlands in the south — as well as Herat in the west. An official in Lashkar Gah said Taliban fighters were inching closer to government positions after a massive car bomb badly damaged the city’s police headquarters on Wednesday evening. The blast forced local police to retreat to the governor’s office, while around 40 of their colleagues and one senior commander surrendered to the Taliban. And in Kandahar, the Taliban said they had overrun a heavily fortified jail, saying “hundreds of prisoners were released and taken to safety”. The Taliban frequently target prisons to release incarcerated fighters and replenish their ranks. The loss of the prison is a further ominous sign for the country’s second city, which has been besieged for weeks by the Taliban. Kandahar was once the stronghold of the Taliban — whose forces coalesced in the eponymously named province in the early 1990s — and its capture would serve as both a tactical and psychological victory for the militants. afP