Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 I 26 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 122 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
IMF pact For $1bn tranche to be sIgned thIs week: tarIn
a
News Desk
dviser to Prime Minister on Finance and revenue shaukat Tarin has said that Pakistan and the international Monetary Fund (iMF) will sign an agreement on the release of a $1 billion tranche of a bailout package this week. “All issues have been settled with the international Monetary Fund and an agreement will be signed this week,” Tarin said while talking to the media after the launching ceremony of Pakistan single Window (PsW). There are some legal issues that will be resolved soon leading to a final agreement, the adviser further said. “You can take an assurance from
ing the past two years, Covid-19 has badly affected global supply chain and trade whereas the cost of production and shipping has also gone up. He said the world economies are recovering now and the business activities would not only resume but would also grow at much faster pace, so there is dire need to take advantage of this opportune situation “The worst seems to be over and as economies begin to recover globally. We expect business activity to resume and in fact grow at a much faster pace. Pakistan and Pakistani business have to be ready for taking advantage of new opportunities,” he said. Talking about the PsW, he said it will not only facilitate international trade but will also help accelerate digital
me right now, we are very close to an agreement,” shaukat Tarin told reporters last week. “There are just one or two things which we are still discussing,” he added. replying to a question, the adviser said inflation is a global issue and the government is trying its best to tackle it and will announce the targeted subsidy in the coming days. earlier, addressing the launching ceremony of Pakistan single Window (PsW), the adviser highlighted the importance of taking full advantage of new opportunities emerging out of global economic recovery being taking place after Covid-19. He said that one of the ambitious, wide-ranging and comprehensive reform initiatives undertaken in the public sector in recent years. The adviser was of the view that dur-
TLP didn’t demand French ambassador’s expulsion: Mufti Muneeb News Desk Mufti Muneebur rehman stated on Monday that the banned outfit Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) didn’t demand the expulsion of the French envoy and the closure of the embassy. Mufti Muneed stated in a presser in Karachi stated that “Lies were spoken on television about the talks [with the TLP], that they had demanded the expulsion of the French ambassador, the closure of the embassy and to break ties with the european Union. This was a blatant lie.” He went on to question “so how can trust be established when government officials speak lies publicly?” ,adding that those who participated in the negotiations did not have personal agendas and were patriots, calling the whole process a “marathon intellectual exercise”. Mufti Muneeb was among the clerics who facilitated talks between the government and the banned outfit, helping both sides reach an agreement after an impasse of three weeks. He went to state that the country’s “liberals”
were more offended than Pakistan’s external enemies over the government’s recent agreement with the TLP. The statement came in light of information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s statement that there was “at least some good news” after india lost to New Zealand during the ongoing T20 World Cup. While responding to a question about whether the ministers that the negotiating team had objected to were included in the negotiations, the Mufti stated that “When we went, you should understand [the implication].” He further lambasted the “liberals” by stating that they would be the first ones to jump ship when faced with choppy waters. “We’ve seen them before in one ship, then another and now in this ship” he stated. He added that similar to what had happened during the Lal Masjid operation in 2007, the liberals were crying about the writ of the state. “Till 12 at night they talked about the writ of the state, but when the unfortunate operation took place they opposed it”, the Mufti concluded while referring to the liberals as enemies of state.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
MORE INSIDE
TLP clears GT Road, continues Wazirabad sit-in until leader’s release STORY ON PAGE 02
President secures authority to sack NAB chairman in new ordinance STORY ON BACK PAGE
PM to announce relief package to facilitate over 10 million citizens: Fawad STORY ON PAGE 03
CONFIRMED CASES: coronavIrus In
1,273,560 RECOVERED:
pakIstan SINDH:
LAST UPDATED AT 7:13 AM ON NOV 1, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
6
NEW CASES:
482
PUNJAB:
ISLAMABAD: AJK/GB:
1,222,559
470,175
440,259
DEATHS: 28,456
KP:
178,074
BALOCHISTAN:
33,263
106,921
34,478/10,390
transformation of the public sector agencies connected to international trade. He said PsW is in line with the vision of the government to promote competitiveness, transparency and efficiency and lauded Pakistan Custom for leading this initiative. He said that it is the priority of the government to fa-
cilitate businesses, including small and medium-sized ones by providing a suitable enabling environment for growth and innovation and improving their competitiveness by reducing their cost and time for doing business.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
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Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
NEWS
TLP cLears GT road, conTInues WazIrabad sIT-In unTIL Leader’s reLease ISLAMABAD/LAHORe
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Staff RepoRt
HE activists and workers of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party called off Monday the long march on Islamabad but continued their sit-in on the outskirts of Wazirabad city for a fourth straight day, demanding the immediate release of their detained chief, Saad Hussain Rizvi. The development came a day after the government and the proscribed radical party reached an agreement to end the 10-day long — and at times deadly violent — rally calling for the closure of the French embassy and the release of Rizvi who was arrested in April on charges of inciting violence. However, neither Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi nor cleric Mufti Muneeb ur-Rehman, who took part in the talks, gave any details of the agreement. Following the deal, the protestors vacated GT Road and Allah Wala Chowk. However, they pitched tents at a nearby ground and said they would stage a sit-in until Rizvi is released. “We have called off our march to Islamabad after reaching an agreement with the government,” Sajjad Saifi, a spokesman for the TLP, told AFP. “Our supporters have moved to the nearby park and until 50 percent of terms are fulfilled we will stay here,” he added. Meanwhile, roads leading to the inner city were opened. However, traffic was not restored at the Chenab Toll Plaza where police and Rangers were still deployed and roads leading to Gujrat and Sialkot also remained blocked. Security officials said that the ditches
dug up along GT Road to dissuade the protesters from marching to Islamabad will be filled up once they receive orders from higher-ups. Traffic on GT Road remained suspended and cars and trucks remained stuck, while internet services also continued to be disrupted. Thousands of supporters of the party marched from Lahore on October 22 toward Islamabad. They demanded the expulsion of France’s envoy to Pakistan over the publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) in France. The protest march saw supporters clash with police at several points along the way. At least eight police officers and four demonstrators were killed. The violence erupted a day after the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan said it would not accept the group’s demand to close the French Embassy and expel the ambassador. Addressing the press conference Sunday, Rehman said a steering committee headed by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan also comprising Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, the federal interior secretary and Punjab home secretary, besides TLP representatives Mufti Ghulam Ghous Baghdadi and Engineer Hafeez Ullah Alvi would oversee the implementation of the agreement. Today, the committee met in Lahore to oversee the implementation of the agreement. Later, taking to Twitter, Khan said that GT Road had been cleared after the protesters moved to an open ground away from traffic. “I appreciate the TLP leadership for
honouring their commitment and the government is already implementing its side of the agreement since last night,” he said. Rizvi’s party started demanding the expulsion of the French envoy in October 2020 after France President Emmanuel Macron defended blasphemous caricatures
as freedom of expression. Macron’s comments came after a young man beheaded a French school teacher who had shown the caricatures in class. The images were republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015
attack against the publication for the original caricatures. The party gained prominence in the 2018 general elections, campaigning on the single issue of defending the blasphemy law, which calls for the death penalty for anyone who insults Islam or the prophet.
PM directs for steps to bring down prices of essential commodities ISLAMABAD tLtp
Pakistan’s victory in India T20 triumph of people of occupied Kashmir: minister ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday in occupied Kashmir, a case was registered against students of a government college for celebrating the victory of the Pakistan cricket team’s over India in the opening T20 World Cup fixture. In a tweet, he said Pakistan’s victory was a victory of the people of Kashmir and questioned why should they not celebrate [it]. The minister said such inhumane acts of the Modi regime have increased the hope of freedom in the people of Kashmir. He also attached news from Al Jazeera reporting that police in Indian-occupied Kashmir filed criminal cases under a stringent anti-terror law against the students for celebrating Pakistan’s victory against India. Pakistan crushed India by 10 wickets for the first-ever victory against its archrival in a T20 World Cup game on October 24. Mohammad Rizwan (79 not out) and captain Babar Azam (68 not out) struck superb unbeaten half-centuries and eased Pakistan to 152-0 in 17.5 overs in Group 2 of the Super 12s. Days later, police in occupied Kashmir began investigating students and staff at two medical colleges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a harsh anti-terror law, for celebrating India’s loss. Police said some students and staff at the government-run colleges cheered and shouted proPakistan slogans during the match Sunday night, calling it an “anti-national” activity.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the authorities concerned to take all necessary measures to bring down prices of essential commodities to give maximum relief to common man. The prime minister issued these directions while chairing a meeting to review the overall economic situation in the country on Monday. The prime minister said, “Like our exemplary response to Covid-19 pandemic, we are working hard to mitigate negative impacts of international inflation, especially in petroleum products and food items.” He said that it is the government’s top priority to stabilise macroeconomic indicators in the country to spur economic growth. Earlier, the prime minister was briefed about the overall economic situation in the country. He was also apprised of inflationary trend in the international commodity market and petroleum prices. The meeting was attended by Economic Affairs Minister Omar Ayub Khan, Energy Minister Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Industries Minister
Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Information Minister Ch Fawad Hussain, Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Special Assistant to PM Dr Shehbaz Gill and Governor State Bank Dr Reza Baqir. Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the government is focused on lasting economic stability in the country. The prime minister said this while talking to renowned businessman Aqeel Karim Dhedi, who called on him on Monday. The prime minister said that despite Covid-19, the government has been successful in carrying out medium to long term economic reforms and as a result the country’s economic profile is stable. He underlined the importance of growth in the largescale manufacturing sector that will bring employment opportunities for skilled workers. Aqeel Karim Dhedi appreciated the government’s measures for economic revival in the country. He termed them having far-reaching positive impacts for the industrial growth and economic growth of the country.
Not a good time to bring no-trust motion against Imran: Shehbaz NewS DeSk Former CM Punjab and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Monday stated that it isn’t the right time to bring a no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan. While addressing a presser in Dera Ghazi Khan, Shehbaz Sharif ensured that the Opposition will give a tough time to the government in the near future. The PML-N president, while criticizing the PTI-led government, stated that the incumbent government has failed to fulfil their promises made during the election campaign, while bringing the country to the verge of economic disaster, and doom. Sharif while slamming the government’s economic policies, stated that because of the damage caused by the current government, it would be really hard for the upcoming government to rebuild the economy. The PML-N leader aimed that the government had introduced a new NAB ordinance to give itself NRO
while stating that the government had spared no efforts to push the opposition to the wall. Sharif went on to claim that both ANP and PPP were backing the PML-N in the parliament. Earlier on October 17, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz while seeking support from the masses to oust PM Imran Khan stated that the time for the nation to decide their future was “then.” While addressing a Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rally in Faisalabad’s Dhobi Ghat ground, Maryam claimed that PM Imran Khan has “disrespected the vote’s sanctity”. Adding to that, she stated that the prime minister had fulfilled only one promise, that he would “make everyone cry” and today, “the entire nation is crying”. “When a person leaves their matters to God […] no matter how powerful one is, or how they say they are on ‘one page’ [with others], historic defeat, historic humiliation, historic disgrace becomes the fate of the oppressors,” she concluded.
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
NEWS
PM tO ANNOuNCe relIef PACkAGe tO fACIlItAte Over 10 MIllION CItIzeNS: fAwAD
M
NewS DeSk
INISTER for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would soon announce a ‘mega relief package’ for direct facilitation to over 10 million citizens bearing brunt of global inflation. In a media talk alongside Special Assistant to the PM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill after a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s core committee, the minister said that two major agendas, including a mega package to control inflation and the upcoming local government elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, came under discussion during the meeting. The minister said that the core committee expressed concerns over the constant increase in fuel prices in international market. “Though, the government has taken numerous steps to prevent its impact to pass on to masses, but ‘the concerning thing is that as to
how long will it be controlled,” he added. The meeting also discussed an action plan to deal with the energy issues, he added. “There has been confusion that either the elections of mayors of cities and districts in Punjab would be held
NCOC daily update: 482 new cases, 6 deaths from Covid-19
directly or indirectly. It has been decided that the elections would be held in a direct way and the cities will elect their own mayors through direct elections,” the minister said while divulging the details about upcoming local government polls in the two provinces.
“This was the promise made by the prime minister to the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf from the very first day that he would ensure direct democracy. Now, its preparations are in final stages,” he maintained. Fawad said that the process for nomination of candidates for local bodies’ elections would be started soon as all the preparations have been finalised in this regard and the party workers, especially in Punjab, have been told to mobilise political workers. Likewise, the campaign for local bodies’ elections is also underway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added. The core committee also discussed issues pertaining to the Election Commission of Pakistan, including the notices served upon him and Minister for Railways Azam Swati, and called for their withdrawal. Shahbaz Gill said that the PM is expected to address the nation soon to take people into confidence on the current economic situation in the country and share details of the inflation package.
Petition seeks sedition charges against proscribed TLP LAHORe Staff RepoRt
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Pakistan on Sunday confirmed 482 new Covid19 cases and six more deaths, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Monday. The NCOC, a department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said that the country has conducted 20,839,791 tests so far confirming overall 1,273,560 cases, including 1,222,559 recoveries. The number of active cases has dropped to 22,545 who are under treatment across the country, including 1,338 those who are in critical condition. According to the NCOC, the pandemic killed six people on Sunday, increasing the overall death toll to 28,456. Sindh is the most-affected province of the country in terms of the number of cases with 470,175 infections followed by Punjab which has reported 440,259 infections.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday took up a petition seeking its notice of the gross violation of human rights by the workers and supporters of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan (TLP) party during the two-week long violent protest. Thousands of supporters of the party marched from Lahore on October 22 toward Islamabad. They demanded the expulsion of France’s envoy to Pakistan over the publication of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in France. The protest march saw supporters clash with police at several points along the way. At least seven police officers and four demonstrators were killed. Last night, the government and the radical party reached an agreement to end the 10-day long — and at times deadly violent — rally. “The sit-in has ended now [following the agreement],” the court observed Monday. “The sit-in may have ended but the violations of law and the loss of life is needed to be looked in and compensated,” the petitioner said. “The law and order situation has worsened, people have been distressed,” he added.
“The group has taken the law in its hand, while several precious lives lost in its protest.” “The high court should order for registration of a sedition case against the banned TLP group,” the petitioner pleaded. Over the weekend, the petitioner had pleaded to the court to exercise its constitutional mandate over the protests being staged by the workers of the proscribed group. “The proscribed group should be tackled with iron hands,” the high court was pleaded in the petition. While seeking the court’s order over the protest, the petition pleaded for the opening of the blocked roads while pointing out the violation of the right of free movement in the protest. ANOTHER INJURED COP DIES: Yet another policeman who received injured in clashes with protesters of the group succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning, a spokesperson of Punjab police confirmed. Assistant Sub Inspector Ghulam Rasool was posted in Sadhoki. The 51-year-old policeman was brought to the General Hospital in Lahore for treatment. The tally of cops killed in the violent protests has risen to eight. Lahore police chief paid rich tributes to the slain cop and said Rasool sacrificed his life in the line of duty.
Indictment of Sindh chief minister in Nooriabad power plant case deferred ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
An accountability court in Islamabad on Monday deferred until November 17 the indictment of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and 16 other suspects in the Nooriabad Power Plant reference. The indictment was delayed after one of the accused, Ali Sheikh, challenged the reference under the National Accountability Bureau (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 while a report of another accused suffering from Covid-19 was also
submitted before Judge Asghar Ali. The court issued notices to the dirty money watchdog on the petition and adjourned the hearing. The project was launched in 2014 under a public-private partnership at a cost of Rs13 billion in which the Sindh government holds 49 percent shares and a private company owns the remaining 51 percent shares. Under the project, around 95kilometre-long 132kV double-circuit transmission lines were laid from Nooriabad to Karachi at
a cost of Rs1.95 billion. Shah has been accused of misuse of authority and award of contracts without feasibility of the projects causing Rs8 billion loss to the national exchequer. In the reference, which is an offshoot of the fake accounts case, the chief minister is accused of using his influence and releasing funds for the plant in violation of the rules. The bureau has charged Shah under sections 9(a) 1, 4, 6, 11 and 12 of the National Accountability Ordinance. It is also alleged that the chief minister concealed the material facts from the Sindh cabinet and even misled it to benefit the Omni Group of companies. Shah also managed to release an Rs3 billion loan to the companies, it is alleged.
LHC acquits Czech model jailed for trafficking heroin NewS DeSk The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday approved acquittal of a Czech model jailed in 2019 for smuggling heroin from Pakistan to Abu Dhabi. A sessions court in March 2019 had sentenced the Czech model, Tereza Hluskova to eight years and eight months in prison. Later that year, in April she challenged her conviction in the case. She insisted that someone else had placed the drugs in her suitcase, without her knowing. The case was pleaded on the basis that the court has given the conviction without
basing on merits, and there is a lack of concrete evidence against the accused. The plea was further based on the argument that the charges were placed on the appellant basing on a concocted story of the prosecution, while the facts of the case were ignored. In light of the argument, the appellant prayed to the court to set aside the conviction and acquit her of the charges. During today’s hearing, Hluskova’s lawyer Saiful Malook argued that it could not be proven that the supposed narcotics were safely transported to the laboratory for testing. He further added that the investigation failed to provide details about who
transported the samples to the lab, therefore there remained the possibility that they were exchanged or forged. After listening to the arguments, the court ended up in acquitting Hluskova. The sessions court had also acquitted a co-suspect, Shoaib, for lack of evidence. Following the acquittal, the Czech foreign ministry stated that Hluskova’s release should follow “within days after the verdict is processed”. It is pertinent to note that on January 10, 2018, custom officials had apprehended the model after recovering nine kilogrammes of heroin hidden in her luggage.
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Gilgit-Baltistan celebrates Independence Day ISLAMABAD INp
The 73rd Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan is being celebrated today with traditional zeal and fervour. On November 1, 1947, the people of the mountainous region revolted against the rule of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu state, and liberated 72,000 square kilometres of land. The region now connects Pakistan with China, Afghanistan and India. The GB government observes an official holiday on the occasion. Social, political, and literary circles organised various events to celebrate the historic event in a befitting manner. The main function was held at Chinar Garden, where the chief guest hoisted the national flag, laid floral wreaths on the graves and offered prayers at the Yaadgar-e-Shuhada. In his message, Minister for Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur said it was only after immense sacrifices, the people of the region got independence from Dogra Raj. He said the PTI government has initiated development projects worth billions of rupees in Gilgit-Baltistan which will usher in a new era of progress and development in the region. Gandapur said progress has been made on granting provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan saying this will fulfil the longstanding demand of the local people. GB chief minister, in his message on the occasion, said we should not forget our martyrs who had rendered unprecedented sacrifices to liberate the region from a reign of oppression and cruelty. He said unity and tolerance are inevitable for swift development and prosperity of the area.
ASAP launches anti-smoking drive ISLAMABAD app
Expressing grave concern over the increasing number of smokers in the country, a nation-wide drive has been launched to educate Pakistanis on the need to quit cigarettes. The campaign, launched by Association for Smoking Alternatives Pakistan (ASAP), plans to use digital platforms to provide smokers in Pakistan with counselling and support that can help remove cigarettes from the lives of one million smokers. Inspired by UK Government’s long running STOPtober Campaign focused on making smokers in United Kingdom to quit smoking during the month of October, the ASAP aims to replicate the learning and results of the campaign in Pakistan for the benefit of public health. “Almost all smokers today understand the risks associated with cigarettes but continue to use them until they fall prey to cardiovascular diseases, cancer or other diseases associated with cigarette use. It is the role of organizations like ASAP and regulatory authorities to make people quit cigarettes, right now,” Abeer Mirza, founder and CEO of ASAP, told media here. He added that ASAP supports tobacco control policies and measures taken by the government, however, cigarette use statistics over the past decade show these have not achieved the desired result. Fresh data reveals that despite a reduction in global smoking rates, the absolute number of smokers is still beyond one billion, with over 80 per cent found in low and middle income countries, owing to greater public health costs. In a country with over 15.6 million cigarette smokers, Pakistan is in dire need of innovative solutions to help curb the public health impact of cigarettes. ASAP through this campaign aims to create awareness on better solutions that have been successful in other countries like UK, Europe and Japan. ASAP is a coalition of likeminded individuals, advocating the adoption of scientifically substantiated smoking alternatives amongst existing adult smokers and policy makers to help significantly reduce smoking rates in Pakistan.
04 NEWS 2nd November 2021 (isb)_Layout 1 11/2/2021 12:18 AM Page 1
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
04 NEWS
LahoRe Ranks seconD amonG toP FIve most PoLLuteD cItIes In woRLD: RePoRt
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NEws DEsk
AHORE, the city of gardens, is ranked second in a list of top five cities in the world with dirty air, reports said. The city recorded a Particulate Matter rating of 188, placing it under the “unhealthy” category of air quality. The United States Environmental Protection Agency regards air quality as satisfactory if the Air Quality Index is under 50. The environmental experts have blamed the transportation sector and industries, besides the burning of crops, for the pollution. A resident tweeted: “Air quality in Lahore is the worst. It’s becoming in-
creasingly difficult to be healthy in this pollution. All those planning to settle in
Police committed to curb drug trafficking: DIG ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have arrested 505 drug-peddlers/suppliers during last 04 months, a police spokesman said on Monday. He said as per the vision of Government of Pakistan and in compliance with the orders of IGP Islamabad Qazi Jamil Ur Rehman, a massive anti-drug campaign in the city is already in progress. During this campaign, he said that Islamabad police have arrested 505 drug-peddlers/suppliers in last four month after registering 618 cases. The police have also recovered huge cache of drugs including 184.010 grams hashish, 83.171 grams heroin, 30.023 kilograms ketamine,1.665 kilogram opium,5.474 kilograms ICE and 3743 bottles wine. DIG Operations Afzaal Ahmad Kausar said that, Islamabad Police is committed to eliminate the drug menace from the city. “We are also trying to cut the demand to thrash the supply chain which is possible with the help of citizens” DIG maintained. PR
FBR extends deadline for digital payments ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline for digital payments by corporate sector stipulated in Section 21 (la) of Income Tax Ordinance-2001 up to 30th November, 2021. FBR has exercised this power conferred under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance-2001 after receipt of various representations filed by the taxpayers. PR
Lahore should rethink their decision and settle elsewhere.”
“We should also consider to change Lahore as a capital city. It’s too populated.” More than half of Pakistan cities are still plagued by dirty air, new data shows, despite a reduction in traffic emissions and other pollutants during last year’s lockdowns. The three cleanest cities were Umeå in Sweden, Tampere in Finland and Funchal in Portugal. Cities in eastern Europe, where coal is still a major source of energy, fared worst of all, with Nowy Sącz in Poland having the most polluted air, followed by Cremona in Italy where industry and geography tend to concentrate air pollution and Slavonski Brod in Croatia.
PPA urges govt to allow poultry supply to Afghanistan LAHORE Shahab OmeR
The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) North Region has suggested to the government that the poultry sector should be improved and a conducive environment should be provided so that poultry farmers can be protected from harm. The PPA believed that the poultry sector was facing the worst business environment, largely due to the irrational activities of competitive commissions, the attitude of livestock and other government departments to control so-called prices, the ban on exports and the imposition of import tax on raw materials. According to Chairman PPA (North Region) Dr. Abdul Karim, a meeting was held on the direction of Peshawar High Court to resolve these issues in which Secretary Agriculture Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Secretary Food KPK, representatives of the Peshawar High Court, stakeholders of the poultry and livestock sector were present. The meeting also discussed a ban on exports of poultry and livestock products to Afghanistan. “In this meeting we gave a pres-
entation on Poultry Update and highlighting the importance of the poultry sector, we said that poultry, on the one hand, uses raw materials from the agricultural industries and uses it to make high-quality food, such as meat and eggs and on the other hand, it acts as a price regulator for other foods such as mutton, beef, lentils, and to some extent vegetables,” chairman said. Dr. Karim cited the factors that led to the increase in the cost of poultry products and termed the ‘cost of production’ in agriculture as a wrong analogy. “In Agriculture ‘In Put Cost’ is to be referred to when discussing cost increases. In the last 7 years there has been 210 per cent increase in the poultry input cost. We can see the example of Soybean Meal, which is of import base and there has been more than 300 per cent increase in cost during this time owing to increase in international price, rupee devaluation and on top of it increase of import duties and sales tax which did not exist up till year 2013. Taxes and duties on imports of raw materials, which are not produced in the country, are counterproductive and will only increase the Input
cost,” he said. He urged market forces to operate and the government to understand this phenomenon rather than to disturb it. “Exports cannot be put On and Off, subject to local pricing, as it takes quite an effort to start and maintain exports. Any discontinuation will give chances to competitors, which may get very hard to regain. The exports do not factor the local price increase instead it encourages the farmers to produce more. To ban the national exports on the basis of DOC price limits or retail price of chicken in one town will send negative sentiments to farmers and will discourage them, resulting in reduction in production. As a result of this meeting it was encouraging to know as the government lifted the ban on all livestock and poultry exports except DOC, which remained conditional to maximum DOC price of RS 70 and retail price RS 230 of Broiler in Peshawar and any increase in these rates will automatically stop exports to Afghanistan. Since at present the Broiler prices in Peshawar are higher than the mentioned rates, thus the export of DOC to Afghanistan remains closed,” he concluded.
ItP resolves 80pc complaints ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) resolved more than 80.7 percent complaints by taking prompt action on them which were received on Prime Minister Portal during last three months. According to details, IGP Islamabad Qazi Jamil ur Rehman directed to immediately resolve the traffic related complaints received on PM portal and SP (Traffic) Muhammad Sarfraz Virk promptly resolved them. SP (Traffic) said that a total of 677 complaints related to traffic police were received on PM portal during last six months of which 639 were immediately resolved while feedback has been received on 385 complaints and these would be addressed soon. Overall, 76.9percent citizens got satisfied after redressal of the issues highlighted by them while people have appreciated the prompt action of the traffic police. Moreover, ITP also resolved the complaints received to it through social media tools including twitter, facebook an Instagram SP (Traffic) Muhammad Sarfraz Virk directed all officials to focus on resolving the public complaints on merit and conduct meetings with those who are not satisfied after action of police. PR
amin calls for joint efforts to prevent flooding in asia ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said that lives and livelihoods in the Asia region are acutely exposed to exacerbating risk of flooding caused due to climate change. However, concerted and joint action is urgently needed to address this common challenge flood risk, he stressed while addressing the participants at an international event ‘Accelerating Adaptation in Asia through large-scale Nature-based Solutions’ held on November 1 on the sidelines of the two-week global climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, that began from October 31. The Asian Development Bank in its latest studies has ranked Pakistan, Bhutan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uzbekistan and Vietnam the most vulnerable countries in Asian region. “There’s a consistency in the global climate models, showing that the climate breakdown is all set to translate into more floods because of more intense rainy seasons in the vulnerable Asia in coming years,” emphasised Malik Amin, adding, “As a result, millions are most likely to see their homes, all their belongings and livelihoods destroyed when floods sweep, chiefly during summer wet seasons.” The PM’s aide expressed his worry over inadequate allocations of mere 25 percent of the total global climate finance for adaptation needs of the climate-vulnerable developing countries including Pakistan He, thus, urged rich countries, blamed for the global climate crisis, to increase global climate finances up to 60 percent for adaptation needs of the poor countries, that is critical for them to be able to adjust to the fallouts of the global climate crisis. He also expressed his deep concern that the nature has been pushed out of its comfort zone due to surging emissions of the heat-trapping carbon gases and invasion of habitats of the wildlife for economic gains, saying that it has dangerously crippled the nature’s ability to continue to provide ecosystem services for the human’s sustainability. “More visibly, now nature is brutally revenging upon the lives and livelihoods of us all through unstoppable colossal floods, suffocating heat waves, surging wildfires, devouring sea intrusions and vanishing groundwater,” he highlighted. Referring to Covid-19 pandemic, a massive human disaster that proved the worst in recent human history, Malik Amin Aslam said that the disease’s outbreak is nature’s seething revenge upon humans for encroaching upon the habitats of wild animals. PR
Istanbul ‘dazzled’ by Pakistan’s big screen award ceremony ANkARRA agencieS
Big names in the film industry dazzled the audience Sunday evening at a mega ceremony in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul to honour its best. The fourth edition of the star-studded International Pakistan Prestige Awards (IPPA) was held with the participation of Pakistani and Turkish officials, actors, directors and producers. Actors Adnan Siddiqui, Iqra Aziz, Meera, Hania Amir and Sonya Hussyn were among the celebrities who attended the awards in addition to producers and other film industry staff from the nation. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said Pakistan and Turkey are “working to bridge the gap” in the film industry. “Pakistan and Turkey started this journey of love and solidarity ever since the Khilafat Movement,” Ismail told the audience, referring to help extended by Muslims of South Asia to Turkey during its war of independence after World War-I. “Istanbul is close to our hearts,” he said to a rousing reception from the audience as the hall glittered with red and green colours while the national anthems of the two countries were played. “We take love from Istanbul when we return to our homes […] We take inspiration from each other’s culture, and now we are
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trying joint projects in the film industry.” “This is the biggest, star-studded and only independent Pakistani international awards event that recognizes Pakistani talent in the fields of music, fashion, television and films and celebrates them overseas, in order to improve the image of Pakistan on a global platform,” the IPPA Awards notes on its website. ‘Govt to provIDe GooD pLAtforM to fILM StArS’: Ismail, a senior member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said the “stars of the industry need a good platform.” “It is the responsibility of the government to provide such a platform for this honourable profession,” he said, adding “Pakistan and Turkey will together provide a good platform to our stars who are no less than anyone else in the world’s film industry.” He said exchange programs and joint projects in the film industry between the two countries “will help us learn, exchange experiences, surge viewership and reinforce our industry.” Held on the banks of the Golden Horn, a major urban waterway in Istanbul, with “sweet” Urdu songs playing in the background, droves of Turkish and Pakistani bigscreen fans and Pakistan expatriates living in Turkey and their families were seen making their way to meet the visiting Pakistani actors and taking selfies and family photos with them. Ahmet Misbah Demircan, Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism,
while addressing the participants spoke on the historic relations between the two countries. Shanaz Ramzi, Public Relations Officer for IPPA, told Anadolu Agency that the event was held twice in the United Kingdom and once in Norway. The inaugural edition was held in London in 2017. “Because of our close cultural and historic ties with Turkey, the IPPA Awards had been scheduling the Istanbul edition for the past two years,” she said, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the event until today. Ramzi said the Pakistani people have “developed a love for Istanbul, especially because of the Ertugrul Ghazi drama series.” The Turkish production of Ertugrul Ghazi earned a heroic status in Pakistan after the Pakistan Television broadcast a version in Urdu. Within days of the first broadcast, the fan following for the series and its actors surged, especially for Engin Altan Duzyatan. Often described as a Turkish Game of Thrones, the series tells the story before the establishment of the Ottoman Empire in 13th century Anatolia. It illustrates the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, the father of the empire’s first leader. “The IPPA Awards showcases the positive side of Pakistan, and we would like our Turkish friends and counterparts to visit Pakistan like we are doing,” she said. The IPPA Awards on the occasion also honoured successful Pakistan national businessmen in Turkey.
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
PAk envoy To AFGhAnIsTAn Announces reoPenInG oF chAMAn-sPIn BoLdAk Border FroM TodAy
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AKISTAN’S envoy to Afghanistan Mansoor Khan stated on Monday that an agreement had been submitted to the Afghan authorities calling for reopening of the Chaman-Spin Boldak gate from today onwards. The decision has been taken nearly a month after Taliban closed the border crossing for trade and pedestrians. “As a result of a meeting between border authorities, Afghanistan and Pakistan have decided to open [the] ChamanBoldak crossing from tomorrow for pedestrians as well as trade. The two sides will now look forward to ensuring smooth operations of the important border crossing,” Ambassador Khan stated. The ambassador added that he had called on Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and they had discussed the significance of opening the BoldakChaman crossing. The reopening is important in order to facilitate cross-border movement of people and trade vehicles on both sides, especially because it was the fruit harvest season in Afghanistan. “We also had discussions about following up on the recent visit of the foreign minister of Pakistan to Kabul, which was extremely productive. We remain closely engaged with Afghan authorities for facilitating the movement of people at all border crossings,” he added. A senior member of the Chaman Chamber of Commerce, Usman Achakzai stated that the decision to reopen the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing was taken on Monday morning, at a meeting held on the Afghan side of the border. Achakzai added that the meeting was held in the wake of discussions between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Taliban officials in Kabul last month. He went on to add that the meeting had the members of the Chaman Chamber of Commerce and security officials in attendance, while adding that the Taliban had removed blockades placed on their side of the border. Similarly, the Taliban government’s deputy spokesman Bilal Karimi also stated that both sides had reached an understanding that passengers should not face difficulties. “Similarly, imports and exports via Chaman-Spin Boldak should continue without any hurdles. Both sides have also agreed that there should be no problem
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IMF pact for $1bn tranche to be signed this week: Tarin CoNtINueD froM pAge 01 He expected that the single window would provide a comparative advantage to Pakistan businesses and trading community to enter new markets to enhance exports. The adviser said, PSW would further boost regional connectivity by effective use of technologies, ensuring enhanced facilitation of trade across borders. Besides, he said it would also help counter financial crimes and trade based money laundering through integration of international shipping and databases and eventually enable seamless connection in dissemination of information to Customs, State Bank of Pakistan and other relevant agencies. He lauded the efforts of development partners including World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID and IFC for providing technical assistance and support to PSW. He said the business community is also an active partner of PSW, expressing the hope that it would continue support to make PSW more robust and help in its evolution to cater to the needs of the businesses.
TLP didn’t demand French ambassador’s expulsion: Mufti Muneeb CoNtINueD froM pAge 01
in the transit trade. We have held discussions on the issue and I am confident that a permanent solution will be found out,” Karimi stated. It is pertinent to note that the Taliban had closed border crossing along the frontier with Afghanistan in Balochistan on October 5, claiming that “traders, patients and passengers were facing difficulties [at the border]”, but Pakistan was unwilling to resolve problems despite their efforts. In this regard, Pakistani border authorities stated that the Taliban officials had not officially informed them about the reason for closing the border at Chaman. At least four meetings were held between Pakistani and Afghan border authorities to address the issue but no result was yielded until now. As per reports, Taliban were demanding that people from Afghanistan should be allowed to cross into Pakistan by showing their Afghan identity cards instead of being asked to show other travel documents. Additonally, a committee comprising senior civil and military officials in Balochistan was last month to address
key issues related to cross-border movement at the Chaman-Spin Boldak border. It merits mention that the closure of the crossing had an adverse effect on the pomegranate farmers of Afghanistan as it hindered in the export of the fruit. While Pakistan has slashed the duty on fresh vegetables and fruit coming from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the trader community and farmers in Pakistan were happy at the decision to reopen the border, highlighting that the closure of the Chaman-Spin Boldak gate had caused them major financial losses and mental distress whose production had been ruined this export season. “Taliban border security has removed the barriers from zero point on November 1, and gates will be opened for trade, cargo and pedestrian movement from November 2,” Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) Co-chairperson Khan Jan Alokozai said in a statement issued by the forum. As per the statement, PAJCCI Chair-
person Zubair Motiwala appreciated Alokozai’s efforts pertaining to the reopening of the crossing while stating that both Pakistan and Afghanistan “must keep communication channels open to ensure that [the] border remains open”. Motiwala stressed at the the need for the Afghan government to engage in dialogue with the business community of Pakistan by stating that “as there are still many pending problems such as the rationalisation of custom duties, usage of banking instruments and ensuring security for Pakistani businesses [while accessing] Central Asian republics”. Motiwala also urged for immediate developing of a framework to address issues raising out of the routine and force majeure border closure, while adding that this would make up to the losses of traders, safeguard the socioeconomic needs of the general public and strengthen ties between two countries. “Issues and differences should be sorted out via table talks and border closures should be avoided at all costs,” he concluded.
Asad reviews progress of GB development plan ISLAMABAD TLTP
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar reviewed the progress of Gilgit-Baltistan Development Plan at a meeting on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Asad Umar said that the aim of the GB development package is not only to produce energy but also to build the right institutional and regulatory framework, and generation, transmission and distribution of capacity as well. He directed the GB government to expedite work on the transaction structure and feasibility studies of the P3 Power projects. For promotion and development of the tourism sector, he stresses that accessibility, tourist facilitation, and information about sites should be improved. He instructed the Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) to assist the GB government in strengthening GB PPP Unit and also help identify private sector partners. The minister emphasised the need of establishing primary schools for girls in different districts of upper Hunza. Earlier, the additional chief secretary Gilgit-Baltistan briefed the minister on the projects. It was informed that 19 new projects are already included in the GB Plan and nine projects are under preparation for PSDP 2022-23 and 11 non-PSDP projects at various stages of implementation.
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Earlier, the members of the negotiating team from the government side claimed that they had reached an agreement with the proscribed group in order to end the nearly three-week-long impasse, but refused to reveal the details. Mufti Muneeb, who along with some other clerics facilitated the talks, said the agreement had the backing of jailed TLP chief Saad Rizvi. Refusing to share contents of the deal, the cleric said its details would be made public at an “appropriate time”. He, however, said its “positive result” would be visible to the nation next week or during the next 10 days. He then used an English proverb “action speaks louder than words” to justify the move to keep details of the deal secret. Earlier, a team of 19 senior clerics had met Prime Minister Imran Khan at his Banigala residence on Saturday. The delegation was led by Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri. However, the senior clerics, all of whom were Barelvis, had objected to the presence of Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi in the meeting, after which he left. The information minister, who was on his way to Banigala, was also told not to come as the delegation had objected to his presence as well. The minister’s announced press talk was also cancelled. Both Tahir Ashrafi and Fawad Chaudhry were not visible in the official footage released by the PM secretariat after the meeting. When contacted, Fawad Chaudhry said he was not even invited to the meeting. He said the announcement made by the PID regarding his news conference was mistakenly released as the presser was in fact scheduled by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, but was later done by the religious affairs minister. On the contrary, Tahir Ashrafi responded to media queries through a tweet, claiming that he and Fawad Chaudhry were not there because they had to go to some other meeting.
Bilawal says ‘final knockout blow’ essential to overthrow PTI govt NewS DeSk Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has showed his support for continuing the ongoing mass protests against the “imposed” federal government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) against soaring inflation across the country. While addressing separate meetings of dignitaries and PPP activists in Larkana on Monday, Bilawal stated that his party is “fully determined to send this PTI-led government back home”.” “The PPP is going to take the masses on board soon for a final knockout blow to the oppressive and tyrant government of PTI that has done nothing for the people but given them blows of skyrocketing prices of basic commodities,” he added. He went on to add that people across the country are suffering because of inflation and poverty which the current PTI-led federal government has imposed. “This incapable government destroyed the economy of the country and its policies wreaked havoc on both the country and the people. The foolishness of this government has jeopardised the future of the nation.” Bilawal went on to add that every house is facing unrest due to inflation, and the com-
mon man is suffering because economy crunch. “The people want a government that builds houses, while the inefficient government of PTI is taking measures to finish the already ruined economy.” While talking about his own party’s economic policies, he stated that his “party always comes forward with unique and people-friendly programmes”. “The U-turn specialist Prime Minister Imran Khan has deceived the youth of the country with false promises of 10 million jobs while the fact is that the youth had been rendered jobless. The PPP is the only party in the country that always creates jobs and boosts employment when it has its government in the country and the PPP will keep this glowing tradition alive,” he said. Bilawal also went on to laud the party workers for staging “historic countrywide” protests on October 29 in condemnation of the unjust inflation. The PPP leader concluded by stating that the inflation and poverty has compelled parents to take their children out of schools as they can’t afford their educational expenses, adding that Pakistan suffering because of inept policies of PTI government. “It is the PPP alone that has the guts and capacity to pull the country out of this devastating situation,” he asserted.
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Tuesday, 2 November, 2021
06 COMMENT
In praise of exercise
PTI and the ECP Another needless confrontation
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LECTIONs in Pakistan are rarely without controversy and irregularities, given the variety of illegal activities associated with the entire process, starting from pre-poll rigging whereby electable candidates are ‘convinced’ to shift parties to ballot boxes being stuffed on election day or in some cases even disappearing, not to mention technological gaffes that provide undue advantage to one particular party. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is constitutionally mandated to ensure that all elections are conducted in a free and fair manner, which is a tall order, considering the inherent deficiencies in the electoral system and political interference in the running of the ECP as well. While many governments of the past have had their problems with the ECP for simply doing its job, the PTI is perhaps the most recalcitrant. While its foreign funding case dates back to before it came to power, the PTI has been at loggerheads with the EP throughout its three years in power, be it over the latter’s legitimate concerns and questions over the introduction of electronic voting machines (VMs) in the next general elections, calling a reelection in Daska’s by-election for blatant and obvious rigging and more recently with federal cabinet ministers alleging without proof that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was on the take and that the ECP should be ‘burnt to the ground’. Its latest squabble relates to the upcoming NA-133 by-election where the ECP has rejected the PTI candidate’s nomination papers for having proposers belonging to a different constituency. The candidate, Jamshed Iqbal Chema has accused the ECP of intentionally making these changes to disqualify him from contesting the by-election whereas documentation that has come to light clearly shows that the same persons were registered at a different constituency, NA-130, in the 2013 general election as well and are yet to rectify this, that is if they want to. That the mistake is so rudimentary in nature, one that a novice politician would be expected to make rather than a seasoned one like Mr Cheema, has led to speculation, some of which is from within the PT itself, that it is intentional, as prospects of winning the by-election are so thin, it’s just not worth the trouble and more importantly the money, to contest. Whatever the case may be, the entire episode comes across as another attempt by the PT to malign the ECP without having sufficient proof to back up its claims. Like all other parties, the ruling party must also learn to cooperate and work with the ECP while adhering to its stipulated rules and regulations.
More on weight management
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
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s a not-so-young man who has lost quite a bit of weight (and has yet to gain it back – touch wood!), I am often asked by acquaintances how they can replicate the feat. When I suggest that they can do it by controlling their calorie intake, the response invariably is this: ‘In other words, it cannot be done.’ Of course, the remark is meant to be facetious, but it is one of those light-hearted comments that have a lot of sad truth behind them. That in weight loss, as in weight gain, it is food that is the predominant factor is hardly a state secret – everybody already knows that it is the key to losing weight. But everybody also knows it is much easier said than done. Or easier advised than implemented. Going easy on food is indeed sensible advice, whether one is looking to lose weight or not. The thing about sensible advice however is that it is either outright uncomfortable or intolerably boring. Words are notoriously easily. It is all very well to know which foods to avoid and how much (or little) to eat each day, but there is usually a wide gulf between theory and practice. The best laid plans of mice and men are notoriously precarious.
Smog alert
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s the temperature has started to drop with winter around the corner, the air quality in Punjab has also dropped precipitously, with the more densely populated capital of Lahore registering an AQI of 397 yesterday, currently the highest in the world, followed by New Delhi at a distant second with a reading of 174. One could argue that these numbers are perhaps inflated as they are being recorded by devices placed at various locations in the city and their accuracy can be questioned, yet no one can deny what is visible to the naked eye; a thick layer of smog in the air that reduces visibility and confirms that the air is unhealthy to breathe. That this is an annual occurrence with no reduction over the years, rather an increase in its intensity, suggests that the Punjab government has accepted smog as an unsolvable problem. Rather than developing a comprehensive strategy on how to deal with this dangerous health hazard, it seems the government expects the people of Lahore to simply accept this as something they have to learn to live with. This is an unacceptable attitude towards a serious problem that requires experts to work in tandem with relevant governmental departments and come up with solutions. While some measures, such as controlling road emissions by shifting to electric vehicles seem like a pipedream given the various challenges it poses, there are other more implementable restrictions that the government seems to be simply unaware of. Crop burning is rampant across the province this time of year and while it has been banned since 2018, there has been no letup, with farmers setting ablaze crop waste after the end of harvest with impunity to avoid high cost of getting rid of that waste through costly environmentally friendly methods. Pakistan is currently facing multiple health crises. With the delta variant of the Covid-19 variant easing off, dengue has wreaked havoc in Punjab, with hospitals full of patients and daily deaths rising. smog is a toxic blend of smoke and fog entering ones lungs throughout the day causing severe respiratory problems. Investment in better equipment to detect hotspots is only a small element of the challenge; unless there is willingness and determination in the government to address the problem and eliminate it, smog will continue to haunt Lahore for years to come.
MuHAMMAD AMir SAlEEM
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ENAIssANCE, revivalism and enlightenment emanate from the education imparted to an individual or a nation. Most of the nations’ state policy has been to equip the masses with contemporary knowledge. However, a specific proclivity of brainstorming the people to satiate a certain political agenda has also been in practice for centuries. In the sub-continent, the history of education passed through various phases: pre-colonial, colonial era and post-colonial. But, this piece of writing encircles the education policy of the East India Company from 1750 to 1850. Before the political ascendency of EIC in India, Hindus had “Pathasalas” and Muslims owned “Madrassahas” for education. In particular, vocational education was for girls at home and in general, they were excluded from schooling. separate schools buildings did not build for students, the available worship places were utilized for education – Mandir and Mosques respectively. The main objective of education was to produce religious preachers. Arabic, Persian and sanskrit languages were the medium of instruction. However, education was even a distant dream for the destitute then! In the mid of 18th century, the territorial expansion of the East India Company began, and soon a broad swathe of Indians went under its control. Now, the company did not have trading interests
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The wonders that exercise does for one’s stamina, joints, and agility are not my subject today. What I am concerned with here is what it does to one’s mind. For like anything human, weight management starts in the mind.
The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed
Establishing schools and universities in the subcontinent under East India Company Rule from 1750 to 1850
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
M. A. Niazi
will decide that the five-minutes pleasure is probably not worth it. Though exercise does gradually become easier as one gets used to it, it never ceases to be hard work. One always remains conscious of this hard work, and this consciousness sees to it that one is careful with what and how much one eats. In this way exercise affects the way one eats too. This is where the 80-20 story stops being so straightforward. Because the 20% indirectly helps the other 80% as well. Without the 20% there is rarely the remaining 80% either. The wonders that exercise does for one’s stamina, joints, and agility are not my subject today. What I am concerned with here is what it does to one’s mind. For like anything human, weight management starts in the mind. Talking of the mind, what is of immense help is having a genuine interest in something (other than food, of course). It need not be anything as grand and noble as a purpose of life (although there is no harm if one has a purpose of life). A genuine interest in something life has to offer is quite enough. Without such a vocation or avocation, no health program or fitness regime can sustain for long. It must be something that keeps one not only busy but also genuinely satisfied and feeling good about oneself and life in general. It cannot be pretence, of course, which is likely to exacerbate matters if anything. Without such an interest, it is only a matter of time before food will become one’s major entertainment, for unlike most of the other common vices there is no social stigma attached with eating.
Influence free education
Punjab government nowhere to be seen
Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
Especially so when the ‘plan’ is merely a passive one of not eating excessively. There must be some active ingredient if one is to successfully resist the temptation of becoming a food junkie with innumerable delicacies and delights on offer everywhere. One such plan, which again is no secret, includes a regular workout regimen. After food control, regular exercise has traditionally been considered the most important element in any weight management program; and it undoubtedly is. However, I doubt many people believe this for the right reasons. Theoretically speaking, it is true that so long as somebody burns through exercise all the calories he consumes, he should not have any weight gain issues. However, it is also true that barring professional athletes and sportsmen, the direct contribution of exercise in weight management is no more than 20% at best. By direct contribution, I mean burning of calories consumed during the day. If one is careless in one’s diet, no amount of exercise can neutralize the calorie intake. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! The good news however is that there is more to exercise than the burning of calories and the percentage mentioned above. Working out is hardly ever a piece of cake. It requires a great deal of effort and determination, not to mention giving up on other activities that are easier and infinitely more exciting. When you huff, puff, and sweat in the park or on a treadmill, a consciousness develops that all this effort must not go down the drain in exchange for momentary pleasure. When one does the simple math that getting outside a cheeseburger is equivalent to more than two hours of hard exercise and more, the chances are that he
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alone! For establishing the effective rule, the East India Company required huge administrative machinery that might acquaint with vernacular languages, knowledge and traditions. For instance, the European judges required assessors to expound Hindu and Muslim laws from Arabic, Persian and sanskrit books. The revenue and commerce departments relied on the service of Indians to converse with uneducated masses for the collection and maintenance of land records. The diplomatic ties with local rulers hinged on the Persian language. All these encouraged British officials like Warren Hastings to set up Madrasa in Calcutta for learning Arabic and Persian in 1781. similarly, Jonathan Duncan, British Resident Officer at Banaras, established sanskrit College in 1791 as well. With the Indian Charter Act 1813, a new debate of implementing the local and western learning started between Orientalists and Anglicists. The allocation of 1 lakh rupees under clause 43 of the Act demonstrated British engagement in education matters in India. Although, this amount did not spend till as late as 1823. The Indian Charter Act of 1813 officially allowed the Christian missionaries to set up mission schools across India. In Bengal Precedency, the Central or General Committee of Public Instruction of 10 members was formed on July 17, 1823. Most of the members initially had an orientalist tendency! The 1813 Act also empowered this committee to utilize the sum of one hundred thousand rupees. It had a duty to guide East India Company in the subject of Education in India as well. In 1833, East India Company faced a financial crisis and could not incur high administrative expenditures. Two suggestions surfaced: one was to cut down the expenses of European / British employees, and the second was to induct educated Indians at the lower levels of administration. Consequently, the Indian Charter Act 1833 granted Indians the right to appear in civil services. In 1835, the dissent between Anglicists and Orientalists again resurfaced on the issue of imposing Western or Local education as the Anglicists dominated the General Committee of Public Instructions. The confusing state allowed Lord William Bentinck intervention as Governor-General of India. He made a committee under Lord Macaulay to resolve the issue. Lord Macaulay just arrived in India in 1834 as a first law member of the Governor-General executive council. Here was the presentation of the famous Macaulay Minutes on 2 February 1835.
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The recommendation of Macaulay shaped the education system of India for years to come. He supported the English language, European literature and modern science. He was also in support of giving education first to the upper section of Indian society and its effects would trickle down to the lower levels. This theory became famous with the title “Downward Filtration Theory”. His recommendation after one month in March 1835 provided the mainstay to the educational policy resolution of Lord William Bentinck. The time came when the British virtually abandoned the Oriental knowledge and languages! In 1844, Lord Hardinge (new Governor-General of India) vividly demonstrated the choice of British in government jobs to those hailing from British English Medium Institutions. It was another blow to the local education system! In 1854, sir Charles Wood (President of the Board of Control) drew up the education policy for India, popularly known as Wood’s Despatch 1854. His recommendations are considered as the Magna Carta of Modern Education system of sub-continent. He recommended that an education department should be set up in each province and an elementary school in every district- in a way an outright rejection of the previous Downward Filtration Theory of Macaulay. He suggested building universities on the pattern of England in India. His suggestion materialized when the universities of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras were established in 1857. However, the prime function of these universities was to provide affiliations to schools and colleges across India. For girls, he recommended well-organized institutions under government control. According to Wood’s Despatch, the medium of instruction should be in English and Vernacular languages. He supported local languages at the primary level as well. In 1857, the British government withdrew all educational policy upon the breaking out of the war of independence. But, later, sir Charles Wood’s recommendations again started to implement as a principal educational policy of the sub-continent. Education should be free of all influences, in particular, political. It should be instrumental in creating evaluative and analytical skills. It should also lay the foundation of research culture in all domains. The writer is an ‘IGCSE’ & ‘O’ Level, Pakistan Studies Teacher.
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06-07 Comments - 2nd November 2021_Layout 1 11/1/2021 10:04 PM Page 2
Tuesday, 2 November, 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
Growing acid attacks in Pakistan
Minar-e-Pakistan sexual assault case Alleged extortion racquet will compromise credibility of genuine cases
MEHMil KHAliD KuNwAr
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uRING the investigation of the Minar-e-Pakistan incident where a woman named Ayesha Akram was allegedly assaulted by hundreds of men on Independence Day, an audio recording between Ayesha and suspect Amir sohail aka Rambo has surfaced in which the police has discovered some mysterious elements. As per the details of the conversation, the police have reported to the news outlet that they both were planning to take money from the suspects who have been arrested in the case. The call revealed that they discussed with each other the number of total suspects and the amount that should be taken from them considering that they belong to an impoverished background. Rambo has confessed that Ayesha wanted to take Rs500,000 from each arrested suspect for which he has tried to convince her. But with a bitter rejoinder, she threatened to send him to jail if he refused. As soon as the news hit the media, the victim received a public outrage with protests and demands to punish the culprits. Observers have noticed that those who were vehemently fighting in her cause have decided to back down given the misgivings about the incident. some have also opined that the Minar-e-Pakistan incident was deftly planned by Ayesha Akram conniving with her friend in a bid to come under spotlight and gain empathy from the public. Right activists have inferred that such kind of incidents usually weaken the authenticity and progress of other cases where women are sexually assaulted in a brutal manner. They claim that amid the victim blaming mindset and social
stigma attached with reporting the case to the police, it has been so far difficult to bring justice to the victims. such negative incidents only add insult to the injury as police, taking the matter lightly; do not investigate the matter with just intentions. Instead, they hold the victim accountable and responsible for the crime let alone bring justice to them. Analysts maintain that whenever a case is reported or goes viral on social media, a group of people including the police indulge in forming opinions that readily make the victim culprit. After this incident surfaced, a handful of people who previously were blaming Ayesha for the assault, now gained veracity in their words, hence giving rise to the culture of victim-blaming and making it more difficult for the victimised women to come forward and speak up against the offence. “Victim blaming and shaming do not only cause trauma to be retriggered or made more acute, they also prevent other victims from speaking up,” said Jasmyn Rana, a psychologist and psychotherapist based in Lahore. “The rape survivors’ families are no different from the rest of society; they discourage victims from registering or pursuing cases, in an attempt to sweep everything under the carpet. society looks at the sufferer as if (getting raped) was her own fault”, says Mukhtara Mai about the cultural attitude regarding rape who is a survivor of gang-rape and now a women’s rights activist. Experts suggest that the cases linked with women are sensitive and it takes only one incident in a case to destroy the progress of other cases. When an incident is found to be misquoted or misreported, the police and other authorities seem to lose their faith in rest of the victims and take their statements casually. Observers maintain that in our country the police are not well-equipped with the technical and advanced knowledge based on rational approach and easily believe in whatever they hear
Experts suggest that the cases linked with women are sensitive and it takes only one incident in a case to destroy the progress of other cases.
from mainstream public. There is a lack of sensitisation to gender-based violence issues among the police and they show a disregard to women’s issues in general. The process of investigation is also quite unprofessional, inauthentic and unguided that eventually produces distorted results. On the other hand, the conviction rate is depressingly low while the suspects of the crimes usually get acquittal after having remand of one or two months. Experts claim that amid the faulty law and justice system, such cases diminish the chances of arresting the culprits and defending the victims. Right activists have found that the negative developments pertaining to a certain case also affect the magnitude of reporting the case. When the police observe that women take pride in being reported in fake incidents, or involve themselves in false planning of the crime, the former will show reluctance in reporting the case and gain confidence in making them responsible for the occurrence of the crime. This contributes negatively in the proper reporting and investigation of the crimes especially of rape and sexual harassments. According to a report by advocacy group sustainable social Development Organisation (ssDO) based in the country, cases of women’s violence are going under reported in the media. The low reporting of incidents makes women feel more vulnerable about their social security and protection. According to the ssDO, 6,754 women were kidnapped and 1,890 raped in the first six months of 2021 in the Punjab province alone but the reporting rate remained low. For instance, out of 3721 cases of gender-based violence, only 938 made it to media reports. Observers have noticed that the cases of rape and sexual assault also go unnoticed as it is still considered a taboo topic in our society. “unfortunately, rape and sexual assault is still a taboo subject in Pakistan,” shehraz Ahmed,a program coordinator at the non-governmental organisation WAR, said. “Cases of rape are underreported and conviction is even lower, under 3%, across the country.”
Unfortunately, rape and sexual assault is still a taboo subject in Pakistan,” Shehraz Ahmed,a program coordinator at the non-governmental organisation WAR, said. “Cases of rape are underreported and conviction is even lower, under 3%, across the country.
The writer is a polymer engineer with a profound interest in politics. She works on social issues and gender bias. She can be reached on Twitter @mehmilkhalid
THROWING acid is considered worse than murder. However, unfortunately throwing acid is getting much common in Pakistan. Recently, a woman in Lahore was attacked with acid because she refused a proposal of marriage. According to an independent estimate, between 1994 and 2018 some 9,340 people fell victim to acid attacks in Pakistan. such attacks in the country will continue unless the state takes stringent measures to finish the evil-doer. The atrocious act of attacking human beings with acid is, tragically, a common threat that women face in Pakistan. According to the Acid survivors Trust International, 80% of acid attack victims are women, making it part of gender-based violence. Although men are also targeted by attackers, the issue affects women disproportionately and is more likely to occur in societies with pronounced gender inequality. This practice perpetuates gender inequality and reflects the poor position of women in the Pakistani society, who are at serious risk of attacks at any moment, not only from strangers but often also from their own husbands and family members. Acid attacks were outlawed in 2011 in the Pakistani criminal justice system and the punishment for such an attack was set to life imprisonment. The sale of acid and other corrosive substances was also made illegal, in the same attempt to eliminate this form of violence. Even though these measures were implemented by the government of Pakistan, they are not effectively enforced. The attacks continue and the ease with which the chemical is available in most parts of the country is surprising. An investigation carried out by Pakistani private news channel sAMAA TV revealed that bottles of acid were freely available at a local chemical shop for a mere 150 Rupees, even though the minimum fine for an acid attack is set to 1 million Rupees. Frequent reasons that perpetrators cite for attacking a woman with acid include suspicions of cheating in a marriage, disputes over land ownership or general family disputes. Fathers will attack their daughters with acid for “looking at boys”, and potential suitors will attack women for denying their marriage proposals. They are often an expression of the worst form of domestic violence, stemming from the patriarchal culture of the Pakistani society, in which women are seen as commodities and are continuously objectified. Not only that, but survivors of attacks live in fear of reporting to the police, since the rule of law in the country is weak and perpetrators often go unpunished. This may also be due to the fear of reprisal by the perpetrators. Even if the estimated attacks that go unreported are still more than the ones that make it to a police station, the official numbers of reported acid attacks dropped after 2014. In 2017 Pakistan became the only country in the world in which violence against women decreased in any capacity, due to the decrease in the number of acid attacks reported after the year 2014. Between 2014 and 2016 a 52% reduction in the number of acid attacks was reported, which led many to believe that positive change in the advancement of minority rights was being recorded in Pakistan. Imran Sattar nIgwarI BalnIgwar
Global warming in Pakistan GLOBAL warming has been introduced by the scientific population. It arises owing to more and more deforestation. Due to which it will elicit far more genuine climatic changes than simply a rise in global temperature. Nowadays, the earth’s climate is the result of extremely complex interactions among the atmosphere and oceans the land abundances and living organisms which are all warmed daily by the sun’s energy. As a result, when global climate worsens, it means its more affected by conservatory gases. The main reason for that is cutting trees.Therefore, the public must avoid cutting the trees and government must take a serious step regarding this issue. Although Pakistan itself contributes very little to the overall emissions of the Greenhouse Gases, yet it remains one of the most severely hit countries of the world by the process of Global warming. Global warming has affected the climate of Pakistan in the following manners. Pakistan ranks 16th on the Climate Change Vulnerability Index(CCVI) by Maple Croft, jumping up 13 positions in one year. German watch also places Pakistan as the “most affected” country for 2010 and in top 10 for 1990-2010 by climatic changes. Climate changes are costing the economy $14 billion a year, which is almost 5% of the GDP. According to the Asian Development Bank, more than 10 million people have been displaced in Pakistan over the last 2 years due to these climate related disasters. Pakistan‟s economy has been crippled heavily by devastating and repetitive floods during the last decade. In the past 10 years, Pakistan has been hit by floods almost every year. However, the floods of 2010 and 2011 have emerged as the biggest catastrophes in the country‟s history such as 2010 floods, melting of glaciers and recuurent floodings. The flood of 2010 remains as one of the biggest tragedies in the world‟s history, with 20 million people affected by it. The floods resulted in approximately 1,781 deaths, injured 2,966 people and destroyed more than 1.89 million homes. Although nowhere near the 2010 floods, the 2011 floods also wrecked havoc , and affected 5.3 million people and 1.2 million homes in sind, as well as inundating 1.7 million acres of arable land. A distressed woman clutches her children as she wades through shoulder high water in the flood affected areas of sind. A Drought is a period of abnormally dry weather due to the lack of rainfall. The chief characteristic of a drought is a decrease of water availability in a particular period and over a particular area. Pakistan‟s economy has been punched heavily by the continuous spell of droughts for the last many years, particularly in the provinces of Baluchistan and sind. The drought in these areas has reduced the river flows, resulting in drying up of the irrigation canals, leading to a severe agricultural deprivation. It has also been responsible for causing immense losses to poultry and other animals, causing a general deficiency of food and water for people. The increased temperatures because of the increased GHGs as well as a mismanagement of the water reservoirs need to be blamed for the condition. Tropical cyclones are also a dreaded characteristic of the climate in various parts of Pakistan. As a result of global warming, the frequency of Cyclones has increased over the Arabian sea during the last 50 years. Moreover, the intensity of these cyclones has also increased during the last quarter of the 20th century. strong tropical activity in the Arabian sea in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2011 shows an increasing trend towards more cyclones, indicating that there are bright chances that future cyclones can directly strike mega metropolis cities like Karachi and kill thousands of people and may change the way these cities used to live. FarIS KhalIq turBat, Kech
08 WORLD VIEW 2nd November 21_Layout 1 11/1/2021 9:59 PM Page 1
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021
08 WORLD VIEW
The pATh To A livAble fuTure OR WILL RICH CORPORATIONS TRASH THE PLANET?
TomdiSpATch.com StaN CoX
Stan Cox: Most of the nations that will be meeting in Glasgow for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference on October 31-November 12, 2021, have made emissions-reduction pledges. For the most part, those pledges are wholly inadequate. What principles do you think should guide the effort to prevent climate catastrophe? Noam Chomsky: The initiators of the Paris Agreement intended to have a binding treaty, not voluntary agreements, but there was an impediment. It’s called the Republican Party. It was clear that the Republican Party would never accept any binding commitments. The Republican organization, which has lost any pretense of being a normal political party, is almost solely dedicated to the welfare of the super-rich and the corporate sector, and cares absolutely nothing about the population or the future of the world. The Republican organization would never have accepted a treaty. In response, the organizers reduced their goal to a voluntary agreement, which has all the difficulties that you mentioned. We’ve lost six years, four under the Trump administration which was openly dedicated to maximizing the use of fossil fuels and dismantling the regulatory apparatus that, to some extent, had limited their lethal effects. To some extent, these regulations protected sectors of the population from pollution, mostly the poor and people of color. But they’re the ones who, of course, face the main burden of pollution. It’s the poor people of the world who live in what Trump called “shithole countries” that suffer the most; they have contributed the least to the disaster, and they suffer the worst. It doesn’t have to be this way. As you write in your new book, The Path to a Liveable Future, there is indeed a path to a livable future. There are ways to have responsible, sane, and racially just policies. It’s up to all of us to demand them, something young people around the world are already doing. Other countries have their own things to answer for, but the United states has one of the worst records in the world. The United states blocked the Paris Agreement before Trump eventually got into office. But it was under Trump’s instructions that the United states pulled out of the agreement altogether. If you look over at the more sane Democrats, who are far from guiltless, there are people called moderates like senator Joe Manchin (D–WV), the leading recipient of fossil-fuel funding, whose position is that of the fossil-fuel companies, which is, as he put it, no elimination, just innovation. That’s Exxon Mobil’s view, too: “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you,” they say. “We’re a soulful corporation. We’re investing in some futuristic ways to remove from the atmosphere the pollution that we’re pouring into it. Everything’s fine, just trust us.” No elimination, just innovation, which may or may not come and if it does, it will probably be too late and too limited. Take the IPCC report that just appeared. It was much more dire than previous ones and said we must eliminate fossil fuels step by step, every year, and be
free of them completely within a few decades. A few days after the report was released, Joe Biden issued a plea to the OPEC oil cartel to increase production, which would lower gas prices in the United states and improve his position with the population. There was immediate euphoria in the petroleum journals. There’s lots of profit to be made, but at what expense? It was nice to have the human species for a couple of hundred thousand years, but evidently that’s long enough. After all, the average lifespan of a species on Earth is apparently around 100,000 years. so why should we break the record? Why organize for a just future for all when we can trash the planet helping rich corporations get richer? SC: Ecological catastrophe is closing in on us largely because, as you once put it, “the entire socioeconomic system is based on production for profit and a growth imperative that cannot be sustained.” However, it seems that only state authority can implement the necessary changes in ways that are equitable, fair, and just. Given the emergency we face, do you think that the U.S. government would be able to justify imposing national-resource constraints like rules for resource allocation or fair-shares rationing, policies that would necessarily limit the freedom of local communities and individuals in their material lives? NC: Well, we have to face some realities. I would like to see a move towards a more free and just society—production for need rather than production for profit, working people able to control their own lives instead of subordinating themselves to masters for almost their entire waking life. The time required for succeeding at such efforts is simply too great for addressing this crisis. That means we need to solve this within the framework of existing institutions, which can be ameliorated. The economic system of the last 40 years has been particularly destructive. It’s inflicted a major assault on most of the population, resulting in a huge growth in inequality and attacks on democracy and the environment. A livable future is possible. We don’t have to live in a system in which the tax rules have been changed so that billionaires pay lower rates than working people. We don’t have to live in a form of state capitalism in which the lower 90% of income earners have been robbed of approximately $50 trillion, for the benefit of a fraction of 1%. That’s the estimate of the RAND Corporation, a serious underestimate if we look at other devices that have been used. There are ways of reforming the existing system within basically the same framework of institutions. I think they ought to change, but it would have to be over a longer timescale. The question is: Can we prevent climate catastrophe within the framework of less savage state capitalist institutions? I think there’s a reason to believe that we can, and there are very careful, detailed proposals as to how to do it, including ones in your new book, as well as the proposals of my friend and co-author, economist Robert Pollin, who’s worked many of these things out in great detail. Jeffrey sachs, another fine economist, using somewhat different models, has come to pretty much the same conclusions. These are pretty much along lines of proposals of the International Energy Association, by no means a radical organization, one that grew out of the energy corporations. But they all have essentially
the same picture. There’s, in fact, even a congressional resolution by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ed Markey which outlines proposals that are pretty close to this. And I think it’s all within the range of feasibility. Their cost estimates of 2% to 3% of GDP, with feasible efforts, would not only address the crisis, but would create a more livable future, one without pollution, without traffic jams, and with more constructive, productive work, better jobs. All of this is possible. But there are serious barriers—the fossil-fuel industries, the banks, the other major institutions, which are designed to maximize profit and not care about anything else. After all, that was the announced slogan of the neoliberal period—the economic guru Milton Friedman’s pronouncement that corporations have no responsibility to the public or to the workforce, that their total responsibility is to maximize profit for the few. For public-relations reasons, fossil-fuel corporations like ExxonMobil often portray themselves as soulful and benevolent, working day and night for the benefit of the common good. It’s called greenwashing. SC: Some of the most widely discussed methods for capturing and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would consume vast quantities of biomass produced on hundreds of millions or billions of acres, thereby threatening ecosystems and food production, largely in low-income, low-emissions nations. A group of ethicists and other scholars recently wrote that a “core principle” of climate justice is that “the urgent, basic needs of poor people and poor countries ought to be secured against the effects of climate change and of measures taken to limit” climate change. That would seem to clearly rule out these “emit carbon now, capture it later” plans, and there are other examples of what we might call “climate-mitigation imperialism.” Do you think that the world may be faced with more and more of this sort of exploitation as temperatures rise? And what do you think about these proposals for bioenergy and carbon capture? NC: It’s totally immoral, but it’s standard practice. Where does waste go? It doesn’t go in your backyard, it goes to places like somalia that can’t protect themselves. The European Union, for example, has been dumping its atomic wastes and other pollution off the coast of somalia, harming the fishing areas and local industries. It’s horrendous. The latest IPCC report calls for an end to fossil fuels. The hope is that we can avert the worst and reach a sustainable economy within a couple of decades. If we don’t do that, we will reach irreversible tipping points and the people most vulnerable—those least responsible for the crisis—will suffer first and most severely from the consequences. People living in the plains of Bangladesh, for example, where powerful cyclones cause extraordinary damage. People living in India, where the temperature can go over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. Many may witness parts of the world becoming unlivable. There were recent reports by Israeli geoscientists condemning its government for not taking account of the effect of the policies they are pursuing, including developing new gas fields in the Mediterranean. They developed an analysis that indicated that, within a couple of decades, over the summer, the Mediterranean would be reaching the heat of a Jacuzzi, and the low-
Chomsky is Institute Professor (retired) at MIT. He is the author of many books and articles on international affairs and social-political issues, and a long-time participant in activist movements.
lying plains would be inundated. People would still live in Jerusalem and Ramallah, but flooding would impact much of the population. Why not change course to prevent this? SC: The neoclassical economics underlying these injustices lives on in economic climate models known as “integrated assessment models,” which come down to cost-benefit analyses based on the so-called social cost of carbon. With these projections, are economists seeking to gamble away the right of future generations to a decent life? NC: We have no right to gamble with the lives of the people in south Asia, in Africa, or people in vulnerable communities in the United states. You want to do analyses like that in your academic seminar? OK, go ahead. But don’t dare translate it into policy. Don’t dare to do that. There’s a striking difference between physicists and economists. Physicists don’t say, hey, let’s try an experiment that might destroy the world, because it would be interesting to see what would happen. But economists do that. On the basis of neoclassical theories, they instituted a major revolution in world affairs in the early 1980s that took off with Carter, and accelerated with Reagan and Thatcher. Given the power of the United states compared with the rest of the world, the neoliberal assault, a major experiment in economic theory, had a devastating result. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out. Their motto has been, “Government is the problem.” That doesn’t mean you eliminate decisions; it just means you transfer them. Decisions still have to be made. If they’re not made by government, which is, in a limited way, under popular influence, they will be made by concentrations of private power, which have no accountability to the public. And following the Friedman instructions, have no responsibility to the society that gave them the gift of incorporation. They have only the imperative of self-enrichment. SC: Where do you see hope? NC: Young people. In september, there was an international climate strike; hundreds of thousands of young people came out to demand an end to environmental destruction Stan Cox, along with and Paul Cox, is the author of How the World Breaks: Life in Catastrophe’s Path, From the Caribbean to Siberia.
At Glasgow climate summit, it’s clear talk is no longer cheap ONE IN 3 PEOPLE WOULD SUFFER SEVERE HEAT RATHER THAN, AS TODAY, 1 IN 7 USA TodAy
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Editorial
s nations gather in Glasgow, scotland, to answer for a warming planet, natural calamities are now so common and the science so sharpened over what needs be done about climate change that one thing has become emphatically clear: Talk is no longer cheap. At the dawn of arguably the most crucial decade of quelling rising temperatures, Americans and others around the world have endured a year marked by heatdome misery in the Pacific Northwest linked to hundreds of deaths; floods that displaced thousands in Germany and Belgium and millions in China; modern history’s first climate-induced famine in Madagascar; and out-ofcontrol wildfires from Turkey to siberia, including one in California so massive it generated its own weather. Earth’s thermometer keeps rising because of growing amounts of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the air from the burning of fossil fuels. An international panel of scientists recently issued a “code red for humanity.” And they’ve gauged with precision how emission-reducing promises of the 2015 Paris
climate agreement are not being met. At the same time, Americans and people around the world no longer want empty promises from leaders gathering for yet another United Nations climate change summit. If anything, the Earth is getting hotter faster than expected. DROUGHTS, WILDFIRES, FLOODS: Yes, the world’s tentative embrace of wind and solar renewable energy has bent the arc of a sizzling planet from apocalyptic by century’s end (a 4 degrees Celsius increase over pre-industrial levels, or 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) to merely catastrophic (3 degrees Celsius by 2100). And promises on paper by nations to further cut emissions, if actually kept, could reduce temperature increases to maybe 2 to 2.4 Celsius. But even that would be terrifying. Disasters the planet is already experiencing in the form of droughts, wildfires, floods and intense storms would become more common and even more intense. One in 3 people would suffer severe heat rather than, as today, 1 in 7. Fresh water would grow more scarce, crop yields more meagre and ocean ecosystems more distraught with the loss of coral reefs.
That’s why the Paris accords urged every effort be taken to hold rising temperature from the pre-industrial era to 1.5 Celsius. It has already risen 1.1 degrees. Any hope of holding it to a 1.5-degree increase or even an unhealthy 2 degrees requires cutting fossil fuel emissions worldwide to net zero by 2050, and that means dramatic action this decade. It is an extraordinarily heavy lift given the fossil fuel dependency of such countries as China (30% of the world’s emissions), the United states (15%), Europe (9%), India (7%) and Russia (5%) – and the barely addressed needs of less developed countries that must decarbonize and adapt to a warming climate. scientists have made the math very easy. According to a Reuters analysis of the findings, Earth can absorb only an additional 500 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions without warming beyond 1.5 Celsius. The nations of the world, led by China and America, now emit 50 billion tons per year. PROMISES BEFORE GLASGOW SUMMIT: It feels insurmountable, and that’s why the climate summit in Glasgow, hosted by the United Nations and the United Kingdom, will be so closely watched. President Joe Biden, to his credit, has reversed the
reckless apathy of the Trump administration and pledged to cut U.s. emissions by half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, with dramatic plans to transform reliance on fossil fuels in generating power and fueling vehicles. He’ll preach this in scotland, but with the sad reality that Congress is struggling to approve his plans to reach those goals. Promises by the other key polluters is a mixed bag as the conference begins: ► Europe is pledging a 55% reduction in emissions by 2030. ► China, whose President Xi Jinping will not attend the climate summit, is talking about only beginning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this decade. ► India is shunning a net-zero promise. ► And Russia is aiming to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, and rely on its vast forests to do the job. The world’s citizens have already seen and felt too much of climate change to tolerate further platitudes or empty promises. Glasgow, if nothing else, must be a forum for the hard truth the Earth faces going forward and whether nations are truly equipped to do something about it.
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
NEWS
EffoRts undERway to tackLE Gas cRisis in countRy: Hammad ISLAMABAD
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News Desk
nERGy Minister Hammad Azhar on Monday stated that the government is doing all possible efforts to combat gas crisis in the country. The minister stated that for the month of november, the government has arranged 11 LnG cargoes. He added that two LnG trading companies have unofficially informed the authorities about the non-provision of two LnG cargoes for this month. Azhar went on to state that if the companies excused themselves from the provision of the cargoes, the country will then have 9 LnG cargoes. While shedding light on the upcoming LnG crisis, the minister stated that gas crisis is being faced globally. However, still the government is making all possible efforts to combat the crisis. It is pertinent to note that two LnG trading companies have backed out of an agreement made with Pakistan LnG Limited (PLL) for the provision of two cargoes for the month of november, for mammoth monetary gains of up to 200% profit in the international spot market. As per the details, the two LnG trading companies had made an agreement with PLL, with Italy-based EnI promising to deliver the LnG cargo on november 26-27 and Singapore-based GUnVOR promising delivery on november 19-20. This action of backing out and not ful-
filling the agreement by the LnG companies may expose the PTI government to a severe political backlash from people in the month of november.
It has been reported that the PLL has inked the term agreements with both companies to avoid purchase of LnG cargoes at higher prices, but both companies have
backed out and defaulted on the agreements at a time when the spot LnG prices are hovering at $30-35 per MMBTU. It merits mention that EnI is in a 15-year term agreement
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with PLL under which it is bound to provide an LnG cargo every month at 11.95% of the Brent and GUnVOR is also in a five-year term agreement and bound to provide a cargo at 11.6247% of the Brent. Under the contract, in case of default, PLL can impose a penalty of 30% of the contractual price of one cargo to each LnG company and both companies are ready to pay the penalty as profit in the spot market is huge, prompting them to sell Pakistan’s term cargo to the international market. As per sources, on October 30, EnI informed PLL that it won’t deliver the term cargo on november 26-27. Interestingly, EnI has committed default three times, including the latest one. It first defaulted in January 2021 by providing half of the term cargo and then it did not provide a full-term cargo in August and now it has backed out of its term cargo due in november. The LnG trading company has reportedly told PLL that its supplier has cancelled the cargo in the wake of commercial considerations and logistic issues, so it is not possible for it to deliver the term cargo in november. The company said that there was a system breakdown at the loading port, which is why it may not deliver the term LnG cargo on november 19-20. EnI has become a “habitual defaulter for monetary gains” by repeatedly selling the term cargoes of Pakistan in the spot market wherein LnG prices have jacked up to 200%, sources concluded.
Rupee extends recovery against US dollar NEWS DESK
LPG price increased by Rs13.2 per kg NEWS DESK The poor consumers are going to face another setback as Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has increased prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Rs13.2 per kilogram (kg). The prices of domestic LPG cylinders have gone up by Rs155.8 after the price of the commodity reached Rs216.8 and the cylinder will be available now at Rs2559.35. The OGRA notification has shared the breakup of the new prices which means a domestic cylinder of 11.8-kg will now cost consumers Rs2,559 starting Monday. It was available for Rs2,404. Similarly the commercial cylinder of 46 kilogram has been hiked by Rs599 to now sell at Rs9,847, OGRA notified. Last month too the consumers conceded similar bad news as OGRA had jacked up LPG prices after petrol by Rs29.10 per kg. For the month of October the 11.8 kg domestic cylinder of LPG had gone up by Rs343.38.
ISLAMABAD TLTP
The cryptocurrency market turned bullish on Monday, with the market capitalisation gaining 2.8 percent to reach $2.77 trillion as of 1255 hours GMT. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, gained 2.72 percent to reach $61,921. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of the biggest cryptocurrency has reached 1.166 trillion. Similarly, ether (ETH) price gained 3.83 percent to reach $4,354. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of ETH has reached $511 billion. Similarly, XRP price increased by 0.91 percent to reach $1.09. The market capitali-
Pakistani rupee extended gains against the US dollar in the inter-bank market for the fourth straight session on Monday with the local unit gaining 36 paisas (+0.21 percent) on the back of the recently announced Saudi package. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the US dollar opened at Rs171.65 and closed at Rs171.29. Within the open market, the rupee was traded at 172/ 173 per dollar. Currency experts said that Pakistan needs more inflows to stabilise the local currency. They said that the exchange rates are facing immense external payment pressure. They said the foreign currency market witnessed positive sentiment throughout the day and at one point, the Pakistani rupee gained 70 paisas. They were of the view that the local unit may gain appreciation in the
coming days as there is strong likelihood of resumption of $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). They said that the positive trend in rupee against the dollar after announcement of Saudi support confirms that there was speculation in local currency, adding speculation in currency and dollar hoarding are against national interest. The Pakistani rupee made an all-time low of Rs175.27 on Tuesday last and since then, the local currency recovered Rs3.98 against the greenback during the last four sessions. Overall, the rupee appreciated by Rs2.35 during the last week. The rupee depreciation during the fiscal year 2021-22 has been Rs13.87. The local unit has shed Rs11.02 against the US dollar in the current year 2021. The local currency has maintained a downtrend after it touched 22-month high of Rs152.48 in May 2021,
losing a cumulative Rs19 in the past five months to date. Saudi Arabia announced additional support of $3 billion to Pakistan for building its
and the subsequent fall on Friday suggests that the recent positive move has run out of steam. This might have already set the stage for a slide towards testing the $1,762 support area. The corrective pullback from multiweek tops could further get extended towards October monthly swing lows, around the $1,745 area. On the flip side, any meaningful recovery now seems to confront stiff resistance near the $1,790-92 region (100/200-day SMAs confluence) and remain capped near
the $1,800 mark. A sustained strength beyond could allow bulls to make a fresh attempt to clear the $1,810-12 barrier and push gold prices towards the $1,832-34 heavy supply zone. Gold is struggling to remain above the 1,800 handle and has been hovering within a consolidation area of 1,723-1,834 since June 16. The short-term outlook for gold remains neutral and within a broad range of 1,723-1,834. The simple moving averages are generally flat and converging, implying a more neutral price behaviour. The RSI is flattening around the neutral threshold of 50, while the stochastic is heading south towards the oversold region
ously expected. Meanwhile, bond traders and interest rates futures have ramped up bets on early rate hikes. The experts were of the view that bitcoin is a “risk-on inflation hedge”. The cryptocur-
rency’s gold-like store of value appeal mainly attracts buyers when global financial markets see strong demand for growth-sensitive assets. However, bitcoin mostly takes a beating when global markets wilt.
Gold price inches up to Rs98,900 per 10gm ISLAMABAD TLTP
Gold price inched up on Monday and moved away from over one-week lows amid a strong US dollar. Gold in the international market was available at $1,790.50 per ounce after gaining $5.20 at 1530 hours GMT. Worries about the risk of stagflation turned out to be a key factor that benefited the yellow metal. Meanwhile, the price of 10 grams of yellow metal in Pakistan increased to Rs98,900
on Monday with an increase of Rs200. Gold in the local market was available at Rs98,700 per 10 grams on Saturday last. According to experts, the gold price is moving back and forth within a $10 range, lacking any clear directional bias. Gold edged higher during the early part of the trading action on Monday and moved away from over one-week lows touched in the previous session, albeit lacked any followthrough. From a technical perspective, repeated failures near the $1,810-12 resistance zone
foreign exchange reserves. The financial support is in addition to a $1.2 billion deferred oil facility to Pakistan to help its balance of payment issues.
Bitcoin nears $62,000 sation of XRP stands at $109 billion after this increase. On the other hand, cardano (ADA) price jumped by 2.04 percent to reach $1.97. Its market capitalisation has reached $63.9 billion with this increase. Following the market sentiment, dogecoin (DOGE) gained 5.09 percent to reach $0.273. With this increase in price, the market capitalisation of doge has reached $35.8 billion. According to experts, bitcoin’s October rally appears to have put the cryptocurrency on a firm footing ahead of central banks’ meetings to assess the stickiness of
inflation and determine policy response. The top cryptocurrency rallied nearly 40 percent in October, hitting a fresh record high of $66,975 as investors cheered positive seasonality and the launch of futuresbased bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US, which was the biggest single-month percentage rally since December 2020. While key indicators favour a positive follow-through in the coming months, it may not be a smooth ride if the impending scaling back of stimulus rocks equity markets. The policy-makers have recently said that inflation is proving to be more sticky than previ-
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
10 FOREIGN NEWS
FraNce’S MacroN SayS auStralia PM lied over SuBMariNe deal SYDNEY
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reuTers
RENCH President Emmanuel Macron said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison lied to him over the cancellation of a submarine building contract in September and indicated more efforts were required to rebuild trust between the two allies. In Rome for the G20 summit, the two leaders were meeting for the first time since Australia scrapped the multi-billion dollar deal with France as part of a new security alliance with Britain and the United States unveiled in September. The alliance, dubbed AUKUS, which could give Australia access to nuclear-powered submarines, caught Paris off guard,
Bollywood superstar Nawazuddin Siddiqui to quit streaming shows NEW DELHI AFP
Bollywood superstar Nawazuddin Siddiqui said he will stop working in productions made for India’s booming streaming market, calling online platforms a “dumping ground for redundant shows”. India’s population of 1.3 billion people has attracted streaming giants Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney’s Hotstar, all keen to tap into a vast and fast-growing market. Siddiqui, a celebrated film actor, starred in Netflix’s first Indian original series “Sacred Games“, released in 2018 to international acclaim. But the 47-year-old told entertainment site Bollywood Hungama in an interview published on the weekend that “quantity has killed quality” on the socalled over-the-top (OTT) web platforms. “The platform has become a dumping ground for redundant shows. We either have shows that don’t deserve to be seen in the first place. Or sequels to shows that have nothing more to say,” he said. “It’s become dhanda (racket) for big production houses and actors […] Major film producers in Bollywood have cut lucrative deals with all the big players in the OTT field. Producers get whopping amounts to create unlimited content.” He added that the “excitement and challenge around the digital medium” that he experienced while working on “Sacred Games” was gone. “When I can’t bear to watch them how can I bear to be in them?” he added. Siddiqui has been described as one of Hindi cinema’s great success stories. He came from humble beginnings in a village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and made it big in Bollywood after moving to India’s film capital Mumbai in 2000.
prompting it to recall ambassadors from Washington and Canberra amid accusations that France had been betrayed. “I don’t think, I know,” Macron said in response to a question whether he thought that Morrison had lied to him “I have a lot of respect for your country,” he said in comments on Sunday to a group of Australian reporters who had travelled to Italy for the summit of leaders of the top 20 economies. “I have a lot of respect and a lot of friendship for your people. I just say when we have respect, you have to be true and you have to behave in line, and consistently, with this value.” Morrison told a media conference later the same day that he had not lied, and had previously explained to Macron that conven-
tional submarines would no longer meet Australia’s needs. The process of repairing ties had begun, he added. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce urged France to view the matter in perspective. “We didn’t steal an island, we didn’t deface the Eiffel Tower. It was a contract,” Joyce told reporters in Moree, 644 km(400 miles) northwest of Sydney. “Contracts have terms and conditions, and one of those terms and conditions and propositions is that you might get out of the contract.” On Friday, US President Joe Biden said the handling of the new pact had been clumsy, adding that he had thought France had been informed of the contract cancellation before the pact was announced.
In Afghan hospital, unpaid doctors and rigid Taliban clash KABUL The AssociATed Press
The Taliban-appointed supervisor of a small district hospital outside the Afghan capital has big plans for the place — to the dismay of the doctors who work there. Mohammed Javid Ahmadi, 22, was asked by his superiors, fresh off the fields of battle from a war that has spanned most of his life, what kind of jobs he could do. On offer were positions in an array of ministries and institutions now under the Taliban’s power following their August takeover and the collapse of the former government. It was Ahmadi’s dream to be a doctor; poverty had kept him from gaining admission to medical school, he said. He chose the health sector. Soon after, the Mirbacha Kot district hospital just outside of Kabul became his responsibility. “If someone with more experience can take this position it would be better, but unfortunately if someone (like that) gets this position, after some time you’ll see that he might be a thief or corrupt,” he said, highlighting a perennial problem of the former government. It’s a job Ahmadi takes very seriously, but he and the other health workers in the 20-bed hospital rarely see eye-to-eye. Doctors are demanding overdue salary payments amid critical shortages of medicine, fuel and food. Ahmadi’s first priority is to build a mosque inside the hospital quarters, segregate staff by gender and encourage them to pray. The rest will follow according to the will of God, he tells them. The drama in Mirbacha Kot is playing out across Afghanistan’s health sector since the Taliban takeover. With power changing hands overnight, health workers have had to contend with a difficult adjustment. The host of problems that preceded the Taliban’s rise were exacerbated.
The US froze Afghan assets in American accounts shortly after the takeover, in line with international sanctions, crippling Afghanistan’s banking sector. International monetary organizations that once funded 75% of state expenditures paused disbursements, precipitating an economic crisis in the aid-dependent nation. Health is acutely affected. World Bank allocations funded 2,330 out of Afghanistan’s 3,800 medical facilities, including the salaries of health workers, said the Taliban’s Deputy Health Minister Abdulbari Umer. Wages had been unpaid for months before the government collapsed. “This is the biggest challenge for us. When we came here there was no money left,” said Umer. “There is no salary for staff, no food, no fuel for ambulances and other machines. There is no medicine for hospitals; we tried to find some from Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, but it’s not enough.” In Mirbacha Kot, doctors have not been paid in five months. Disheartened staff continue to attend to up to 400
patients a day, who come from the neighboring six districts. Some have general complaints or a heart condition. Others bring sick babies. What can we do? If we don’t want to come here there’s no other job for us. If there was another job, nobody can pay us. It’s better to stay here,” said Dr. Gul Nazar. Every morning, Ahmadi makes his rounds. His small frame, topped by a black turban, is a sharp contrast to the sea of white coats that routinely rush in and out of the facility to tend to patients. The first order of the day is the registration book. Ahmadi wants every doctor to sign in and out. It’s a formality most health workers are too busy to remember, but neglecting it is enough to inspire Ahmadi’s ire. seCond, tHe mosque: Workers come to the hospital to take measurements for the project and Ahmadi gives them orders. “We are Muslims, and we have 32 staff members, and for them, we need a mosque,” he said. There are many benefits, he added. Relatives can stay with sick patients overnight, sleeping in the mosque, as the hospital lacks extra beds especially during the winter months. “And this is what is needed the most,” he said. dr. najla quami looked on, bewildered: She, too, has not been paid in months and routinely complains of medicine shortages in the maternity ward. They have no pain medication for expectant mothers. The pharmacy is stocked only with analgesic and some antibiotics. Is this the time for a mosque, she asked. But Ahmadi said it was the responsibility of nongovernmental organizations to resume their aid programs to finance these shortages. The money for the mosque will come from local donations. His arrival ushered in other sweeping changes.
Leaders can ‘make or break hope’ for climate salvation GLASGOW AFP
Across 25 UN climate conferences since 1995, only twice have more than 110 world leaders joined the fray to confront the spectre of global warming. As they do so again today in Glasgow, an unspoken question looms: Copenhagen or Paris? Will COP26, in other words, more closely resemble the Danish diplomatic debacle of 2009, or the triumph that six years later led to the first climate treaty in which all nations vowed to shrink their carbon footprint and collectively cap Earth’s rising temperature? Either way, few would doubt that the hope of keeping the planet livable for future generations rests squarely in their hands. Something else is certain, according to a mountain of scientific evidence: the world has dithered for so long that half-measures will not do. Only transformative action — slashing global emissions in half by 2030, and to netzero by mid-century — will stave off impacts far more cataclysmic that the deadly heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires already ravaging communities across the globe. “It’s one minute to midnight and we need to act now,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to say early Monday. “If we don’t get serious about climate change today, it will be too late for our chil-
dren to do so tomorrow.” In a stark reminder of what is at stake, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said Sunday the years 2015 to 2021 were the seven hottest on record, if trends for 2021 hold firm. Adding to the pressure are gathering global protests, led in part by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was mobbed on Saturday by a scrum of media photographers as she arrived by train. Hopes unfulfilled: And yet, the signals on what to expect from COP26 remain decidedly mixed, starting with who’s coming to the two-day summit and who’s not. President Xi Jinping of China, the world’s largest emitter, has not left his country during the pandemic and there is no indication he will attend. Vladimir Putin of Russia, another major polluter, will also be a no-show. US President Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, India’s Narendra Modi and Australia’s Scott Morrison will all be present. It was hoped that a G20 summit of major economies ending Sunday in Rome would boost momentum at the 13-day talks. But on key issues — notably deepening commitment to slash carbon pollution and mobilise climate finance for poor nations — the two-day meet failed to deliver. “The G20 should have provided the lightning bolt that the COP26 climate talks so desperately need, but they responded
with vague promises and platitudes,” said Oxfam senior advisory Jorn Kalinksi, reflecting widespread disappointment. G20 nations account for 80 percent of global GDP and nearly the same proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Even UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was not impressed: “While I welcome the G20’s recommitment to global so-
lutions, I leave Rome with my hopes unfulfilled,” he tweeted on Sunday. ConfidenCe undermined: COP26 President and British minister Alok Sharma said that G20 nations — including China, the US, India, the EU and Russia — “can make or indeed break the hope of keeping 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.” The cornerstone goal of the Paris
Agreement is limiting global warming at “well below 2C” compared to preindustrial levels. But as devastating impacts and new science have accumulated, the treaty’s aspirational cap of 1.5C has become the de facto target. An August bombshell report from the UN’s climate science body warned that Earth’s average temperature will hit that threshold around 2030 — a decade earlier than projected only three years ago. In a joint communique, G20 nations endorsed the collective goal of limiting warming to 1.5C, but a tally of newly revised carbon-cutting pledges would still lead to “catastrophic” warming of 2.7C, according to a UN report last week. Only India has yet to submit a revised “nationally determined contribution,” and hopeful rumours suggest Modi may announce new efforts on Monday to curb carbon emissions. “If he feels confident enough that there’s going to be financing and technology assistance from Europe, the US, Japan and others, he might signal that India is willing to update its NDC,” said Alden Meyer, a senior associate at climate and energy think tank E3G. But the failure of rich countries to cough up $100 billion a year starting in 2020 to help developing nations lower emissions and adapt — a pledge first made in 2009 — had undermined the confidence of the Global South and will complicate the already fraught talks, expert say.
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021 | ISLAMABAD
SPORTS 11
ShoaiB Malik SayS Morale ‘high’ ahead of NaMiBia T20 DUBAI
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ETERAN all-rounder Shoaib Malik said on Monday Pakistan’s morale was “high” from last month’s win over India ahead of this week’s T20 World Cup match against Namibia in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan have raced to three wins in as many games starting with a resounding tenwicket opening fixture victory over arch-rivals India followed by New Zealand and Afghanistan. They need another win to qualify for the semi-finals from Group 2 of the Super 12 stage. “The morale in the camp is high,” said 39-year-old Malik before Tuesday’s meeting. “When you win games, the confidence level is quite high in the dressing room. Everyone is looking forward to playing the rest of the games we have left in the tournament. “When you start your tournament against a big team (India) and then you win that game, then everything comes in your dressing room.” Malik, whose tennis star wife Sania Mirza is from India, refused to comment on their arch-rival’s abysmal show in the
event, saying “we are focused on our own performance and not looking around.” Malik praised the intensity in the setup. “Obviously when you start the tournament, the goal is to give your best shot as a team,” he said. “But since I’ve joined the team, I’ve seen Pakistan teams practise sessions and the way they have been dealing with pressure from the world until now, it’s been exceptionally well,” he added. Pakistan have never played a T20 international against Namibia while they won the only ODI between the two sides in the 2003 World Cup (50 overs) with a 171-run margin in South Africa. But Malik said Namibia, who qualified from the first round and have beaten Scotland, will not be taken lightly. “To be honest, we are not thinking any different because T20 format is where you can’t take the opposition lightly,” he said. “And we are fully confident, so we are looking forward to the game.” Pakistan have played the same eleven in all three games but considering a relatively easier opponent, ranked 15th in the world in the format, they could rotate their side. Malik admitted bio-secure confinement for the players in the Covid-19 restric-
tion is a challenge. “Bubble life, it’s a tough thing, especially when you’re like playing a lot of back-to-back series,” he said. “And being in a bubble, it’s not an easy
thing to go through. But the good thing is that our families are with us. We’ve been spending a lot of time together as families, as teammates. So it’s a good thing. “But when your goal is to achieve
something in life, then you have to go through hard yards, and we have that in our mind. And we are only focused on this particular tournament. And some have started enjoying the bubble life as well.”
Kohli optimistic despite India’s ‘bizarre’ surrender DUBAI ReuteRs
Messi keen on Barcelona return after hanging up his boots MADRID ReuteRs
Lionel Messi said he will return to live in Barcelona with his family when his time at Paris St Germain is over and would like to help the LaLiga club in the role of a technical director. Messi ended a two-decade stay at the cash-strapped Spanish club, where he is their record scorer with 672 goals, in the off-season and joined PSG on a free transfer on a twoyear deal. “What is almost confirmed […] is that we are going to live in Barcelona again and that our life will be there,” the 34-year-old Argentine said in an interview with Spanish outlet Sport. “It’s what my wife wants and what I want. I don’t know when my contract with PSG ends but we’ll go back to Barcelona to live. “I always said that I would love to be able to help the club […] I would love to be a technical director at some point. I don’t know if it will be at Barcelona or not. “If there is a possibility, I would like to contribute again because it’s the club that I love and I would love for it to continue doing well, to continue growing and to continue being one of the best in the world.” Barca, who are ninth in LaLiga, sacked coach Ronald Koeman last week. Messi limped off injured in PSG’s 2-1 win over champions Lille on Friday but coach Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful he will be available for this week’s Champions League game at RB Leipzig.
India captain Virat Kohli blamed his team’s timid approach for their “bizarre” defeat in Sunday night’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand but has not given up hopes of making the semi-finals of the tournament. India slumped to fifth place in Group II after their second successive defeat in the Super 12 stage and even winning the remaining three matches would not guarantee a place in the last four. “Quite bizarre,” a dejected Kohli said after New Zealand thrashed them by eight
wickets at the Dubai International Stadium. “I thought we were to be very brutal upfront. I don’t think we were brave enough with the bat or ball.” Put into bat, India managed a belowpar 110-7, and New Zealand romped home with 33 balls to spare losing only two wickets. “With the ball obviously we didn’t have much to play with. But we were just not brave enough in our body language when we entered the field,” Kohli said. “New Zealand had that intensity in their body language and they created pressure on us from the first over onwards and
continued that through the innings.” India rejigged their top order for the match with Ishan Kishan joining KL Rahul in a left-right opening combination, while Rohit Sharma dropped to number three. India still slumped to 48-4 in the 11th over and could never really recover from there. “Every time we felt like we want to take a chance, we lost a wicket,” Kohli, who managed nine, said. “That happens in T20 cricket but that’s most often the result of hesitation with the bat when you feel like should you go for the short or no.” Kohli will step down as India’s 20-
overs captain after the tournament and the 32-year-old said he was still optimistic of their chances. “There’s only one way to play T20 cricket — you have to be optimistic, you have to be positive, and take calculated risks. That’s what this format is all about.” “I think we’ll be fine. There’s a lot of cricket in this tournament and something that we all must look forward to. “Certainly the team must look forward to and go with a positive frame of mind.” While India’s batting has not clicked in the tournament, their bowling unit has done hardly any better managing two wickets from two matches.
Problems mount for faltering India at T20 World Cup DUBAI AFP
Virat Kohli’s India started the T20 World Cup as favourites but their semi-final hopes are hanging by a thread after two losses, the latest an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand. AFP Sport looks at where it is all going wrong for India, who suffered a 10-wicket humiliation to arch-rivals Pakistan in their first match. Batting flop India’s famed batting line-up limped to a modest 110-7 against New Zealand on Sunday, a week after they managed 151-7 while facing an equally lethal Pakistan attack. Top Indian batsmen including KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have shown little application after being invited to bat first in both their outings and even though Kohli made a fighting 57 against Pakistan, the total proved insufficient. Against New Zealand, Rahul fell to Tim Southee for 18 and Sharma — who was dropped on nought — was out to Ish Sodhi after making 14. Kohli managed nine off 17 balls before being caught off Sodhi’s leg-spin. “Tentative with the bat, their shot selection was questionable,” batting great VVS Laxman wrote on Twitter. “New Zealand bowled superbly, but India made their task easier.” Bad trend
India made two changes from their opening loss, including one forced, and flipped the batting line-up to accommodate Ishan Kishan as an opener against New Zealand. But the left-hander fell to left-arm quick Trent Boult’s accurate line and length while trying to go for a big shot and got caught at deep square leg. It was the double blow by Sodhi to take down Sharma and then Kohli that set India back in their ploy to get some crucial and quick runs inside the six overs of pow-
erplay. Tottering at 48-4, the Indian batting survived their 20 overs but came back with an apparently fallen spirit as New Zealand overhauled the modest target with 33 balls to spare. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said: “I don’t know if it is a fear of failure but I know that whatever changes they made to the batting order today did not work.” Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah said “bubble fatigue, mental fatigue” creeps in after days on the road, but former players re-
main unforgiving, with Gautam Gambhir saying India lacked “mental toughness”. “Talent is one thing […] You can do really well in bilateral [series] but when it comes to these kinds of tournaments, this is when you have to stand up and perform,” he told the ESPNCricinfo website. “It’s been a trend, it’s been happening at most ICC [International Cricket Council] tournaments.” Weight of expectation? MS Dhoni, now with the team as a mentor, led India to the T20 World Cup crown in 2007 and then lifted the 50-over World Cup four years later. Kohli, who will step down as T20 captain after this tournament, has taken the team to historic Test triumphs in Australia and England. But he has failed to win India a World Cup title and India lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup. They also bowed out in the final four of the previous T20 World Cup, in 2016, under Dhoni. There is a growing belief that India falter in big-ticket tournaments, a charge that Kohli vehemently denies. “So there’s always going to be more pressure with our games and we’ve embraced it over the years,” Kohli said. “Everyone who plays for India has to embrace it. “And when you cope together as a team, you overcome it, and we haven’t done it these two games.”
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021
PRAyeR timiNgS
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President secures authority to sack naB chairman in new ordinance IsLAMABAD
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HE government took back from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) the authority to remove the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and awarded it to the president through a new ordinance. The procedural change was enforced through National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which President Dr Arif Alvi signed on Mon-
day, bringing further changes to the recently promulgated National Accountability Bureau (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021. The National Accountability (Second Amendment) Ordinance allowed incumbent NAB chief retired Justice Javed Iqbal to continue in office until his successor is appointed. It also enabled the president to reappoint the incumbent chairman or extend their tenure. But the latest ordinance reiterated that the NAB chairman’s tenure span will be four years. The criteria for the removal of a chairman will be the same as the one
for the removal of a Supreme Court judge, it announced. The Ministry of Law and Justice issued the ordinance following the approval from President Alvi. Through the latest ordinance, cases pertaining to deceit have been handed over to the dirty money watchdog. The ordinance further mentioned that until the installation of electronic devices, the incumbent regime of recording of evidence shall remain in practice. The fresh law shall come into force at once and the amendments shall be deemed to have taken effect on and from
October 6, the draft further read. In July, the Supreme Judicial Council asked the federal government to come up with a solution to a legal lacuna about the procedure for removal of the NAB chairman. It suggested that Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan should seek instructions and clarity from the federal government about the removal procedure, as Section 6 of the NAB Ordinance, 1999, was apparently silent about powers of the SJC-like forums to remove the anti-graft boss. Section 6 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, which deals with the appointment procedure of the NAB chairman, says that the president in consultation with the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly appoints the agency’s chairman for a non-extendable period of four years. The ordinance links his removal to the grounds set for the removal of a Supreme Court judge. The condition of removal of a superior court judge under Article 209 of the Constitution has been mentioned for becoming incapable of properly performing the duties of his office by reason of physical or mental incapacity or have been guilty of misconduct. But Prime Minister Imran Khan, before the signing of the second NAB-related ordinance, had made evident his distaste for any dialogue with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on the matter, deeming it a conflict of interest because the latter is facing NAB cases.
FM urges envoys to engage with overseas Pakistanis to achieve foreign policy objectives News Desk Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday urged the ambassadors of Pakistan, residing in different countries to regain the “lost touch” with overseas Pakistanis to lobby for Pakistan in order for it to be beneficial for the the country’s image, globally. At the launching ceremony of the Foreign Minister’s Portal in Islamabad, the minister stated that “Ambassadors have a responsibility to lobby for the country. You can find many skilled, well connected and influential people. They have their own professional expertise. Why don’t we use them to lobby for Pakistan and to improve the image of the country.” FM Qureshi urged the ambassadors to be well connected with overseas Pakistanis, especially the younger generation. “We have to effectively utilize this excellent diaspora to improve Pakistan’s image and achieve Pakistan’s foreign policy objectives” he stated. It is pertinent to note that earlier in April, because of allegations of improper treatment of Pakistanis living in the Kingdom, Pakistan had suspended the outgoing ambassador to Saudi Arabia and recalled six of the diplomats posted at the embassy in Riyadh. The ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Raja Ali Ejaz was suspended and called back to Islamabad at a short notice. Ejaz personally met Prime Minister Imran Khan on
his return, where the PM censured him. The Foreign Office later released a statement stating that Pakistan have a policy of “zero tolerance, whatsoever, for any lapse in the public service delivery”. FM Qureshi in his address today stated that the ambassadors are expected to improve their behaviour with the overseas Pakistanis and “focus on resolving their complaints” in order to stay well connected with them by improving access and outreach through technology. FM Qureshi revealed that around nine million Pakistanis were based abroad, noting that “they remit money to the country more than that of our exports.” The minister stated that the overseas Pakistanis must feel welcomed, as they are the “best assets” of the country. “We need to review our approach and behaviour in dealing with our Pakistanis abroad,” he told the gathering. He said millions of overseas Pakistanis could be facilitated “if we change our mindset”. As per the objectives of foreign policy, FM Qureshi said it was among the government’s top priorities to gain access to all Pakistanis, including successful businessmen, bankers, lawyers who were living abroad. “Ambassadors often arrange our meetings with people. But there are millions who are left out. We have to effectively utilise them,” stated the minister. Earlier on Monday, the FM expressed Pakistan’s desire to strengthen bilateral ties with Australia in the
fields of economy, trade, education, defence, agriculture and science and technology. In a telephonic conversation with Australian counterpart Marise Payne, FM Qureshi stated that Pakistan gives importance to its relations with Australia. While discussing the situation in Afghanistan, the FM stated that the international community must take concrete steps for the humanitarian and economic assistance of the Afghanis. “The world community will have to take decisions regarding Afghanistan keeping in view the challenges and prospects there,” he stated. Qureshi stated that Pakistan extended help for the safe evacuation of about 21,000 people of 37 countries from Afghanistan. He added that Pakistan had been most affected because of violence in Afghanistan as it is a close neighbour. Earlier in October, during a meeting with visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Islamabad, the foreign minister said that Pakistan desired a broad-based, long term and sustainable relationship with the United States (US) for the promotion of economic cooperation and regional peace. “A regular and organised dialogue between the two countries is important to promote bilateral relations as well as to achieve shared regional objectives,” the foreign minister stated.
APP
Seven senior US military officers, who heard graphic descriptions last week of the brutal treatment of a Pakistan detainee at the Guantanamo Bay at the hands of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), recommended in a letter addressed to the officer who will review the case that he be granted clemency, New York Times reported. The officers, all but one member of an eight-member military jury, condemned the American government’s conduct in the letter on behalf of Majid Khan, a suburban Baltimore high school graduate-turned-al-Qaeda courier. “Mr Khan was subjected to physical
and psychological abuse well-beyond approved enhanced interrogation techniques, instead of being closer to torture performed by the most abusive regimes in modern history,” the jury members wrote in a letter addressed to the Arkansas National Guard’s Colonel Jeffrey Wood, the convening authority of the military commission. “This abuse was of no practical value in terms of intelligence, or any other tangible benefit to US interests. Instead, it is a stain on the moral fibre of America; the treatment of Mr. Khan in the hands of US personnel should be a source of shame for the US government,” they continued, according to The Times. The harsh rebuke comes after the detainee testified last Thursday on the abuse he suffered
while in the prison between 2003 and 2006. He said he had been subjected to waterboarding, forced enemas and feedings, as well as other forms of sexual and physical abuse. Khan said that even while he cooperated with officials, he continued to endure more abuse. “Instead, the more I cooperated, the more I was tortured,” he said. The seven jury members wrote that Khan had been a “vulnerable target for extremist recruiting” because he had been reeling from the death of his mother at the time. They argued that he was no longer an extremism threat and was remorseful of his past actions. The jury sentenced Khan to 26 years, the lowest allowed according to the
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exports rise 17.5pc to $2.47bn in october IsLAMABAD tLtP
Exports posted a 17.5 percent growth in October on a year-on-year basis, surging to $2.471 billion as compared to $2.104 billion in October 2020. “This is the highest-ever export [figure] in any October in our history,” a statement issued by the ministry of commerce said on Monday. It added that the export target for October 2021 was $2.6 billion. During the July-October 2021 period, national exports grew by 25 percent to $9.468 billion, compared to $7.576 billion during the same period last year. The ministry’s target for JulyOct 2021 was $9.6 billion. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood also expressed satisfaction over the development in a tweet. Meanwhile, during the July-October 2021 period, imports rose by 64 percent to $24.99 billion as compared to $15.19 billion during the same period in 2020. “About 40pc of this increase is investment-driven (capital goods, raw material and intermediates), which indicates [an] expansion of industry and enhanced activity by industry,” the ministry said. The remaining 60 percent of the imports were made up of petroleum, coal and gas (34 percent); vaccines (11 percent); food (8 percent); consumer goods (2 percent), and all others (5 percent). “Most of this is inelastic in nature,” the commerce ministry noted in its press release. In absolute terms, the net increase in imports over the four-month period was $9.801 billion. This comprised consumer goods worth $239 million, food $823 million, capital goods $1.620 billion, raw material and intermediates $2.209 billion, petroleum, coal and gas $3.364 billion, vaccines $1.068 billion, and all others $478 million.
army wins 7th national airgun shooting championship: isPr kARACHI NewS DeSk
A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated on Monday that the Pakistan Army have won the 7th National Airgun Shooting Championship. The army managed to bag six gold medals in a total of eight events while the navy clinched two gold medals during the competition. “Overall the Pakistan Army got six gold medals, two silvers and one bronze medal while the Pakistan Navy secured two gold medals, six silver and seven bronze medals,” the military’s media wing added. It merits mention that last month, more than 50 participants including 41 international shooters from Russia, France, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Kenya participated in the 53rd World Military Shooting Championship at Lahore Garrison Shooting Gallery. The motto of the event was ‘Friendship Through Sports’. In men’s category of Skeet Shooting, Leading Marine Asif Mehmood of Pakistan won the gold medal, while officer Waheed Alam and Marine Zeeshan of Pakistan secured second and third positions respectively. In the women category, Anastassiou of France had clinched the gold medal. Warrant officer Anastasia Krakhmaleva of Russia came second and Lieutenant Komal Shahzadi of Pakistan secured the third slot, bagging bronze medal, the military media wing revealed. In the mixed category, the Russian team comprising Major Aleski Skorovogatov and warrant officer Anastasia Karakhmaleva won the gold medal with Leading Marine Asif Mehmood and Lieutenant Komal Shahzadi of Pakistan securing the silver medal. Marine Zeeshan and Captain Narina Kosar of Pakistan won the bronze medal.
US military jury slams treatment of Pakistani detainee, urges clemency New YORk
FAJR SUNRISE 5:03
court’s instructions. Sentencing was delayed for nearly a decade after his guilty plea to give Khan time and opportunity to cooperate with federal and military prosecutors, so far behind the scenes, in federal and military terrorism cases. In the intervening years, prosecutors and defense lawyers clashed in court filings over who would be called to testify about Khan’s abuse in C.I.A. custody, and how. The panel was provided with nine letters of support for Khan from family members, including his father and several siblings — American citizens who live in the United States — as well as his wife, Rabia, and daughter, Manal, who was born in Pakistan and live there.
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