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Friday, 10 September, 2021 I 2 Safar, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 71 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition

Top civil, miliTary huddle agrees To fasT Track governance reforms, Tackle securiTy challenges g

Judicial, civil reForms to be implemented on priority

ISLAMABAD

Mian abrar

he top decision-making body on national action plan on thursday decided to fast track implementation of various measures to meet emergent security and governance challenges including cyber security, espionage, judicial and civil reforms, capacity building of law-enforcement agencies, counter violent extremism and other issues that have a direct bearing on national security. the decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting of the apex committee of national action plan held with prime minister imran Khan in the chair. the meeting was attended by federal ministers for for-

pakisTan

CONFIRMED CASES:

1,194,198

LAST UPDATED AT 10:09 AM ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2021

DAY'S DEATH TOLL:

NEW CASES:

4,062 DEATHS:

1,076,112 26,497 SINDH:

PUNJAB:

441,410

408,758

KPK:

BALOCHISTAN:

166,564 AJK/GB:

32,480 ISLAMABAD:

33,037/10,109

Fool-prooF security to be provided to Foreigners – especially the chinese nationals

eign affairs, defence, finance, interior, information as well as the chief of army staff, inter-services intelligence director general, the national security advisor, chief ministers of the provinces, including gilgit-baltistan, aJ&K pm, federal secretaries, chief secretaries, inspector generals and other senior civil and military officials. the meeting was held to take into account the latest developments especially the situation in neighbouring afghanistan and its possible implications for the country. the meeting reviewed the progress made so far on various components of the nap. “it was decided to fast track implementation of various measures to meet emergent security challenges including cyber security, espionage, judicial and civil

coronavirus in

RECOVERED:

101,840

reforms, capacity building of law-enforcement agencies, counter violent extremism and other issues having a direct bearing on national security,” an official handout issued following the meeting said. the meeting also reviewed various steps that have been put in place to ensure fool-proof security of the foreigners especially the chinese nationals working on china, pakistan economic corridor, and non-cpec projects in the country. the committee reviewed short-term, medium and long-term targets of the revised national action plan and deliberated upon the role and responsibilities of all stakeholders including federation, provinces and law-enforcement agencies. it was decided that tangible key performance indicators would be set for each target with delineated timelines. in order to ensure timely, correct and smooth flow of information about internal security issues, it was decided to set up a national crisis information management cell with ministries of interior and information as lead bodies. the meeting also reviewed internal situations especially some recent incidents involving law and order. it was resolved that all measures would be taken to ensure internal security and miscreants would be dealt with the full force of the law. the premier stated that the nation has paid a huge price in fighting the menace of terrorism. he paid glowing tributes to the armed forces, police, intelligence agencies and other law-enforcement agencies for their invaluable contributions and sacrifices towards ensuring internal security. the pm emphasized the need for enhanced coordination and effective measures to achieve the various short, medium and long-term targets set under the revised national action plan.

Army chief and CIA boss discuss Afghanistan situation ISLAMABAD staff report

central intelligence agency director William burns called on army chief gen Qamar Javed bajwa thursday to discuss the situation in afghanistan, radio pakistan reported. burns, whose arrival was kept confidential also met with his pakistan counterpart, lt gen Faiz hameed who has just returned from a visit to Kabul. in a statement, the inter-services public relations said regional security and developments in afghanistan were discussed during the meeting. the agency did not elaborate further. “pakistan remains committed to cooperating with its international partners for peace in the region and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for the afghan people,” the statement said. burns also made an unannounced visit to islamabad in June to meet with gen bajwa and the head of the interservices intelligence agency. new york times that broke the story said talks between burns and pakistan’s security establishment focused on broader counterterrorism cooperation between Washington and islamabad and, more importantly, efforts to secure bases close to afghanistan for future operations

In meeting with Qatar’s deputy PM, Imran urges solidarity with Afghan people ISLAMABAD staff report

prime minister imran Khan on thursday called upon the international community to stand in solidarity with the afghan people, engage positively, and create incentives to ensure sustainable peace, stability and economic development in afghanistan. he said that pakistan had and would continue to play its role for the economic uplift, humanitarian relief and assistance to afghanistan. the prime minister was talking to deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the state of Qatar, sheikh mohammed bin abdulrahman althani, who called on him in the federal capital. during the meeting, views were exchanged on the developments in afghanistan and diversifying pakistan-Qatar relations. the prime minister conveyed warm regards to emir of Qatar, a press release issued by the prime minister media Wing said. he emphasised that it was vital to stabilise the security situ-

inside that country. however, the government suggested he was informed that pakistan would not host drone bases on its territory for the cia. during his latest visit, burns thanked pakistan for its role in the evacuation operations from afghanistan and pledged further improvements in diplomatic cooperation with pakistan. during weeks following the fall of Kabul to the taliban, pakistan emerged as the “biggest base” for the urgent evacuation of foreigners from afghanistan. “right now, the biggest base in the immediate vicinity of afghanistan for evacuation of foreigners is in pakistan,” ispr chief maj gen babar iftikhar told a press briefing last month. pakistan has also allowed foreign military and commercial flights to use its airspace for airlift operations from Kabul. in august alone, more than 113 military and commercial flights have landed in pakistan. islamabad also opened its major border crossings — torkham and chaman — for trade and travel mainly on humanitarian grounds. late last month, the boss of mi6 — united Kingdom foreign intelligence service — sir richard moore also met gen bajwa to discuss intelligence and defence collaboration after the withdrawal from afghanistan.

more inside

Fazl accuses Bilawal of being a ‘pawn’ of the establishment STORY ON BACK PAGE

bilawal chides sharifs for ‘duplicitous policy’ towards respect to peoples’ vote STORY ON PAGE 02

ation, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and stabilise the economy in afghanistan. highlighting that pakistan had suffered enormously due to protracted conflict in afghanistan, he underscored the importance of a peaceful, secure and stable afghanistan for pakistan and the region. the prime minister lauded Qatar’s role in support of the afghan peace process. in the bilateral context, he reaffirmed pakistan’s desire to strengthen mutually beneficial ties with Qatar.

the prime minister stressed the importance of enhanced collaboration in diverse areas, including trade and investment, energy, and enhancing people-to-people linkages. the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar acknowledged pakistan’s important role as well as efforts for regional peace and stability. he also underscored Qatar’s commitment to maintain close contact with pakistan on bilateral and regional matters.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 05

Trade with Afghanistan will be carried out in Pakistani currency, says finance minister STORY ON PAGE 02

pakistan dispatches humanitarian aid to afghanistan STORY ON PAGE 03

Friday, 10 September, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

TrAde wiTh AfghANiSTAN wiLL Be cArried ouT iN PAkiSTANi curreNcy, SAyS fiNANce miNiSTer

News Desk

INANCE Minister Shaukat Tarin Thursday announced during a session of the Senate Standing Committee that Pakistan would conduct trade with Afghanistan in PKR as Kabul is currently facing a shortage of dollars. During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Senator Talha Mehmood, Tarin

stated that the government has decided to trade with Afghanistan in Pakistani currency, instead of dollars. He maintained that Afghanistan is facing shortage of dollars as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have seized its reserves after the Taliban’s takeover of the country. He maintained that they were monitoring the situation on a daily basis. Speaking on the occasion, the finance minister said, “People could be sent from

Pakistan to run various affairs in Afghanistan.” Tarin termed food prices the biggest issue of Pakistan and said that the current account deficit has been increasing since April. The finance minister told the senators that Pakistan received $450 million from the Asian Development for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. He vowed to take the country’s GDP growth to 4.8 percent during the current fiscal year. The finance minister also revealed on the

occasion that Indian hackers had targeted the database of the Federal Board of Revenue a few days back. Shaukat Tarin told the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that FBR’s system was also hacked by the Indians in 2019. The finance minister said that the FBR’s system is being updated. Earlier on August 17, a US administration official Monday had said that the Taliban will be denied access to any Afghan reserves held in US accounts. “Any Central Bank assets the Afghan

Bilawal chides Sharifs for ‘duplicitous olicy’ towards respect to peoples’ vote IsLAMABAD MIaN abrar

Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Thursday lashed out at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for being hypocritical, saying that Sharif’s “duplicitous policy” can no longer work. “Your duplicitous policy will no longer work. Either you should play your role as an Opposition party or accept that you are the government’s facilitators,” the PPP chairman said while addressing a workers’ convention in Rahim Yar Khan. Bilawal also asked the PML-N leadership to “respect the vote” and use

it against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. “We would force PML-N to play its role as an Opposition party and oust Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar. You cannot back out from your promise of using your vote to oust [ the Punjab government] after seeking respect for [people’s] vote,” said the PPP’s young Chairman as he ended his visit to Southern Punjab districts. The PPP chairman said the Opposition should unite and struggle against the government, as he predicted that Buzdar was a mere “puppet” and he would be sent packing soon. “The people will never forgive you [PML-N] if you back out now … you

Nawaz Sharif returning back to Pakistan this year: Javed Latif

will have to do something now, otherwise your hypocrisy will be exposed before the people of Punjab,” Bilawal said making another attack on the PML-N leadership which has decided not to oust Buzdar whose weak governance was auguring well for the PML-N. Bilawal urged the PML-N to join forces with PPP to oust Buzdar and Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying, “When the ‘puppet’s puppet’ falls, so will the prime minister” — implying that the chief minister is the premier’s “puppet”. ‘RESIGN OR USE YOUR VOTE’: The PPP chairman said only together can the Opposition save Punjab, as he told PML-N that Buzdar could only continue his reign as the chief minister if the

Challan submitted in Noor Mukadam murder case News Desk

LAHORe INP

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Javed Latif on Thursday said that Nawaz Sharif coming back to Pakistan and he will return this year. Latif, a PML-N MNA, was talking to media after visiting to the Joint Investigation Team of the NAB for a graft inquiry. “Those who had brought him third time, will allow Nawaz Sharif to be elected prime minister for the fourth time,” Javed Latif said. “Those who had expelled him from government knowing that only he can guide the country out of the dire straits,” PML-N leader said. Talking about his two-hour long visit for the National Accountability Bureau investigation, Latif said that his family has been in business since 1950. “Mian Flour Mills was being run by my family before my election as a member of the district council,” he said. “How I misused my authority as a member,” he questioned. “Same questions being asked today that were inquired earlier in year 2000,” he said. “Didn’t commit any wrongdoing. Facing this inquiry for last three years,” he said. “An impression has been created that the Pakistan People’s Party being brought (to the corridors of power). We won’t object if Bilawal comes into power with popular vote,” Javed Latif said.

Shahbaz Sharif-led party had its own interests behind his rule. “You have to do one of two things — either resign or use your vote (to oust Buzdar).” Bilawal warned that the PPP would take revenge from prime minister Imran Khan sooner or later and mentioned that when the time comes, PM Imran Khan “would be standing alone with no one by his side”. The PPP chairman said his party would form a government in the Centre and the provinces, as Pakistan was aspiring for a “people’s government”. “The incumbent government has not fulfilled any promises […] all of Imran Khan’s promises turned out to be false.”

An Islamabad court resumed on Thursday the hearing of the high-profile Noor Mukadam murder case wherein the police submitted the challan relating to the case. Prime suspect Zahir Jaffer, his parents and three others appeared before District and Sessions Judge Atta Rabbani. Rabbani had the case transferred to him from Sessions Judge Kamran Basharat Mufti. The court directed all the suspects, including Zahir Jaffer and his parents as well as Therapy Works CEO and five his employees, who are out on bail, to appear on next hearing on Sept 23 when they will provided copies of the case challan. The judge ruled that copies of the charge sheet will be provided once all the suspects are in attendance. Advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi, the counsel for Zahir’s parents, informed the court that he would move a plea seeking in-camera hearing of the case, to which the judge remarked that he would decide it as per law after it is filed. Abbasi also said that the six Therapyworks employees were given bail and the court should

issue a summons notice to them. He also said a request for an in-camera hearing would be submitted to which the judge responded: “The application will be looked at in accordance with the law once it is submitted.” Zahir Jaffer has been found guilty in the case challan with his parents and Therapy Works CEO and employees as accomplices. On July 20, in a grisly murder, Noor Mukadam had been put to death allegedly by her friend Zahir Jaffer, in the vicinity of Islamabad’s Kohsar police station. Thursday’s challan submission came after a considerable delay, with the deadline having already expired in mid-August. Police officers involved in the investigation had told Dawn on condition of anonymity that under the law, the challan of a case should be submitted to the court within 14 days after the suspect is sent on judicial remand. The main suspect in the murder case, Zahir, was sent on judicial remand on Aug 2. When contacted, investigating officer of the case, Inspector Abdul Sattar, had confirmed to Dawn that neither a complete nor an incomplete challan had been submitted to the court.

Border towns’ residents wish for stable Afghanistan IsLAMABAD XINhua

The Torkham crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen many people entering and exiting the border town since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul last month. During a recent visit to the border, Xinhua’s reporters witnessed the return of normalcy in travel and trade between the two countries, with border guards allowing travellers with valid documents to enter and exit from the border, at both sides. Speaking with Xinhua, people entering Pakistan and residents settled along the borderland stretch, hoped that peace will prevail in Afghanistan with no foreign interference. They also hoped that the Taliban will continue with a positive approach to lay the foundation of a stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Riaz Shah, a cab driver in the town of Landi Kotal, believes that peace in Afghanistan is vital for the prosperity of both Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the general public of Afghanistan wants to see the country progressing in a peaceful environment as the country has been battered by war and terrorism over the last two decades. “I hope that things will return back to normal after Taliban’s takeover, and all the promises which they have made about education and economic opportunities will be fulfilled,” Shah told Xinhua. Shah among other border residents is of the view that the U.S. invasion not only led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan but also made the people living along the border in Pakistan suffer from increasing terrorist activities in the region. Since entering Afghanistan, U.S. troops had caused more than 40,000 civilian deaths and turned around 11 million people into refugees. He said that the Afghan Taliban have taken several positive steps. “Afghans now want a breath of fresh air, after all their sufferings they deserve to live in peace. Common Afghans just want to earn their bread and butter in peace, without any threat of getting shot by a bullet or hit by a bomb,” Wahid Ullah, a 38-yearold shopkeeper in Landi Kotal, told Xinhua. Yaaraaz Shinwari, a border town resident in Pakistan who has many friends and relatives living in Afghanistan, is optimistic that the Taliban will bring a positive change in the country by adopting a progressive approach. “From the speeches and statements of the Taliban, it seems that they are off to a positive start, and people of Afghanistan and we living closest to them want it to continue,” said Shinwari. “We are very happy with the steps taken by the Taliban. They have allowed women to do business, work in a hospital, or do whatever they want to do within the boundaries of their law. We want them to keep the good things going.”

Explainer: Beyond Delta, scientists are watching new coronavirus variants CHICAGO reuters

The continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has spawned a Greek alphabet of variants — a naming system used by the World Health Organisation to track concerning new mutations of the virus that causes Covid-19. Some have equipped the virus with better ways of infecting humans or evading vaccine protection. Scientists remain focused on Delta, now the dominant variant around the world, but are tracking others to see what may one day take its place. DELTA — STILL DOMINANT: The Delta variant first detected in India remains the most worrisome. It is striking unvaccinated populations in many countries

and has proven capable of infecting a higher proportion of vaccinated people than its predecessors. The WHO classifies Delta as a variant of concern, meaning it has been shown capable of increasing transmissibility, causing more severe disease or reducing the benefit of vaccines and treatments. According to Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego, Delta’s “superpower” is its transmissibility. Chinese researchers found that people infected with Delta carry 1,260 times more virus in their noses compared with the original version of the coronavirus. Some US research suggests that the viral load in vaccinated individuals who become infected with Delta is on par with those who are unvaccinated, but more research is needed. While the original coronavirus took up

to seven days to cause symptoms, Delta can cause symptoms two to three days faster, giving the immune system less time to respond and mount a defense. LAMBDA — ON THE WANE: The Lambda variant had attracted attention as a potential new threat, but this version of the coronavirus, first identified in Peru in December, appears to be receding. Although cases involving Lambda were rising in July, reports of this variant have been falling globally for the past four weeks, according to data by GISAID, a database that tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants. The WHO classifies Lambda as a variant of interest, meaning it carries mutations suspected of causing a change in transmissibility or causing more severe disease, but it is still under investigation. Lab studies show it has mutations that resist

government has in the United States will not be made available to the Taliban,” the US official told AFP, adding that the US forces were evacuating Afghanistan’s capital after the Taliban’s swift takeover. According to the IMF, the central bank’s gross reserves totaled $9.4 billion at the end of April. But most of those funds are held outside of Afghanistan, according to a person familiar with the matter. It was not immediately clear what share of the assets are held in the United States.

vaccine-induced antibodies. MU — ONE TO WATCH: Mu, the variant formerly known as B.1.621, was first identified in Colombia in January. On Aug. 30, the WHO designated it as a variant of interest due to several concerning mutations, and assigned a Greek letter name to it. Mu carries key mutations, including E484K, N501Y and D614G, that have been linked with increased transmissibility and reduced immune protection. According to the WHO’s Bulletin published last week, Mu has caused some larger outbreaks in South America and Europe. While the number of genetic sequences identified as Mu have fallen below 0.1 percent globally, Mu represents 39 percent of variants sequenced in Colombia and 13 percent in Ecuador, places where its prevalence has “consistently increased,”

WHO reported. The global health agency said it continues to monitor Mu for changes in South America, especially in areas where it is co-circulating with the Delta variant. Maria van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s emerging diseases unit, said circulation of the variant is decreasing globally but needs to be observed closely. In a press briefing last week, White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said US officials are watching it, but so far Mu is not considered an immediate threat. MORE ON THE WAY? Getting more people vaccinated against Covid-19 is critical as large groups of unvaccinated people give the virus more opportunity to spread and mutate into new variants. That effort must be stepped up internationally to keep variants from emerging unchecked among the populations of poor nations where very few people have been inoculated, experts say. Even so, while the current vaccines prevent severe disease and death, they do not block infection. The virus is still capable of replicating in the nose, even among vaccinated people, who can then transmit the disease through tiny, aerosolised droplets.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

KARACHI

PAkiSTAN diSPATcheS humANiTAriAN Aid To AfghANiSTAN kABUL

staFF rePort

first consignment of immediate humanitarian aid comprising food and medicines dispatched to Afghanistan by Pakistan reached Kabul Thursday, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Under the directive of Prime Minister Imram Khan, One C-130 aircraft of Pakistan Air Force carrying relief goods/humanitarian Assistance for the people of Afghanistan

landed today at Hamid Karzai International Airport. pic.twitter.com/zkZ71e1xNV — External Publicity Wing (@epwing_official) September 9, 2021 Three planes were dispatched to Kabul as the first tranche, said a separate statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry had announced Wednesday that after the first immediate consignment through the air, further supplies would continue through land routes. “Pakistan would continue to do its best to help Afghan brethren during the prevalent

challenging environment,” the statement added. Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, received the consignment at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul and handed it over to the government officials. Talking to the media, Khan said the goods included 10 tons of flour, 1.5 tons of cooking oil and emergency medicines. “More flights containing medical equipment and edible items would arrive in the coming days,” he said.

Two more C-130 flights carrying relief goods have been arranged for the Kandahar and Khost cities of Afghanistan for Friday and Saturday, respectively, the ambassador said. He said Islamabad would continue sending the goods and Pakistan’s public and private sectors, as well as the charity organisations, would contribute “in a systematic way”. In addition, the aid would also be transported through land routes including Torkham and Chaman border crossings. Pakistan “will continue to do its best to

Court bins petition to book TikTok actor, partner on ‘conspiracy’ charges LAHORe INP

A district and sessions court in Lahore on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking registration of a police case against a female TikTok actor and her partner who were purportedly assaulted by a crowd at Greater Iqbal Park on the eve of Independence Day. The application — filed by a local — was dismissed

Afghans working in public sector uncertain about their future kABUL azIz buNerI

Since the Taliban seized control of Kabul on August 15, many Afghans working in the public sector have been concerned about their employment and their future under the new regime. Speaking to Pakistan Today, some government employees said that in such a situation, it would be difficult for an ordinary Afghan to survive. According to sources in the Afghan government, around 650,000 government employees in the country have been worried about getting their salaries amid the chaos following the collapse of the government. Among them, around 300,000 were employed as security and law enforcement personnel. Roohullah Khad, a teacher at Kabul University, said that 200 teachers at the varsity had gone abroad because they thought after the Taliban’s seizure of power, they could face financial and security problems. “I was getting 36,000 Afghans salary per month which was sufficient to support my family,” he said. “But after the Taliban’s seizure, all banks were closed and salaries to the government servants were also suspended. We do not know when it will resume.” “I feel restless and confused in my thoughts, especially regarding my career,” Khad said. Similarly, tens of thousands of people working with hundreds of non-government organisations and civil society initiatives are also concerned about their future. Khan, who requested anonymity for security reasons, works for a child rights NGO in Kabul. “Our salaries have also been stopped because of the closure of banks,” he said. “The ATM machines are completely out of service. We need cash for our daily needs.”

over the complainant’s failure to pursue it. The request claimed the duo went to the site with a pre-decided plan to engage in a public brawl to attract coverage. The complainant said when he approached the police station to register a case against the two, the police refused to do so, pleading with the court to order the registration of the case. Last month, police opened cases against hundreds

JCP ends in tie on Justice Ayesha’s elevation to SC IsLAMABAD tLtP

A session of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) regarding the appointment of Justice Ayesha Malik of the Lahore High Court to the Supreme Court ended in a tie on Thursday. A meeting of commission was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, in which the issue of Justice Malik’s elevation to the SC was considered, with the emerging verdict ending in a tie. According to a media report, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan and Minister for Law Farogh Naseem supported the appointment of Justice Malik to the apex court, while Justice Maqbool Baqir, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, a Pakistan Bar Council representative and former SC

aPP

Pakistan told the United Nations Security Council its peacekeeping contingents serving the agency have played a key role in the most successful of transitions from conflict to peace including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Timor-Leste. “Our peacekeepers have also supported host authorities in holding peaceful elections, disarmament of rebels, de-mining operations and protection of civilians including through capacity building and training of local police and other law enforcement agencies,” Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, said in a statement submitted to

judge, retired Justice Dost Mohammad, voted against the appointment. The sources said that legal experts say that under the Constitution of Pakistan, the name cannot be finalised unless the majority approves it, so technically Justice Ayesha Malik’s name has been “rejected”. If her name had been approved by a majority, she would have been the first woman judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The sources added that the AGP suggested that the judgements and record of women judges of other high courts should also be reviewed and the matter should be referred for the next meeting, but no agreement was reached on this issue either. It should be noted that the appointment of Justice Malik to the Supreme Court was protested by lawyers in the day. Various bar councils are of the view that the seniority principle must be taken into account in the appointment of judges.

Lawyers boycott courts to protest elevation of junior judges IsLAMABAD tLtP

Lawyers across Pakistan went on strike on Thursday and boycotted court proceedings against the proposed appointment of junior judges to the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). Members of various lawyers associations protested outside the Supreme Court’s building. The protesting bar councils and associations maintained that the

Akram highlights Pakistan’s peacekeeping role at UN New YORk

of unidentified men after Ayesha Akram was assaulted and purportedly groped by a crowd of more than 400 men in the park as she made a TikTok video. The shocking assault was captured on several videos, which went viral and showed a mob descend on the woman. Akram registered a case against 300 to 400 unidentified persons with Lahore police, according to the case report.

the 15-member body that examined support for the transition towards lasting peace. The ambassador said the transition in a conflict-affected country was a step toward the goal of self-sustaining peace, stability and economic prosperity. In 2019, Pakistan deployed its first allfemale community engagement team in Congo undertaking several successful peacebuilding initiatives — including vocational training for students, teachers and women — and conducted psychological workshops for the police. Following the drawdown of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, an officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, Helena Iqbal, was appointed as police commissioner in UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan.

“principle of seniority was disregarded” while appointing the apex court judges. A large police contingent and personnel of other law enforcement agencies were deployed outside the SC in order to keep the situation in control. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Latif Afridi informed Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed of the protest through a letter sent on August 21. The lawyers boycotted the court on the call of various bar

organisations including the Sindh High Court Bar Association, Pakistan Bar Council, SCBA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council. In Lahore, lawyers boycotted the hearings in line with the protest in the capital city. Lahore High Court (LHC) Bar Association President Riaz-ul-Hassan Gillani said that the Pakistan Bar Council had given a call to boycott the courts under which the lawyers will not attend hearings in LHC, district courts, and LHC Multan bench.

NEWS

help Afghan brethren during the prevalent challenging environment”, the Foreign Office said in a statement. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the international community to play its role in helping the people of Afghanistan to avert a possible humanitarian crisis. Only Wednesday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of a “humanitarian catastrophe.” “We have all seen the reports of famine, food shortages, and soaring inflation in Afghanistan,” he said while addressing the Ministerial Coordination Session jointly hosted by the US and Germany. Pakistan was one of only three countries — others being Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — that had recognised the first Taliban government in 1996. Islamabad is believed to have at least some degree of influence over the Taliban, which announced their interim government on Tuesday.

Navy promotes three to vice admiral rank kARACHI staFF rePort

Three rear commodores of the Pakistan Navy were promoted to the rank of vice admiral, a spokesperson said on Thursday. According to the statement, the officers included Imran Ahmad, Naveed Ashraf and Awais Ahmad Bilgrami. “All three officers have extensive experience of performing at various command and staff positions in the Pakistan Navy,” it added. Ahmed has previously served as deputy chief of naval staff (material), Pakistan Navy Engineering College commandant and Maritime Technology Complex director general. Whereas Ashraf’s previously responsibilities include Pakistan Naval Academy commandant, National Defence University deputy president and deputy chief of naval staff (administration).

Ncoc daily update: 4,062 new cases, 84 deaths from covid-19 IsLAMABAD staFF rePort

Pakistan reported 4,062 new Covid-19 cases and 84 more deaths over the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre said on Thursday. The NCOC, the department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said the number of overall confirmed cases had risen to 1,194,198, including 1,076,112 recoveries.The number of active cases has dropped to 91,589 who are under treatment across the country, including 5,383 patients under critical conditions. According to the NCOC, the pandemic killed 84 people on Wednesday, increasing the overall death toll to 26,497.

kamran Ali Afzal assumes charge as Punjab chief secretary News Desk: Kamran Ali Afzal has assumed charge as the the chief secretary of Punjab. On Tuesday, The federal cabinet approved his appointment alongside Sardar Ali Khan’s appointment as the Punjab inspector general of police. Afzal is the fifth Punjab chief secretary and belongs to the 21st Common of the District Management Group. Reportedly, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had recommended names of Afzal, Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera and Babar Hayat Tarrar for the slot.

What the world’s most accurate clock can tell us about Earth and the cosmos wAsHINGTON aFP

It would take 15 billion years for the clock that occupies Jun Ye’s basement lab at the University of Colorado to lose a second — about how long the universe has existed. For this invention, the Chinese-American scientist, along with Hidetoshi Katori of Japan, will split $3 million as co-winners of the 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. Working independently, the two developed techniques using lasers to trap and cool atoms, then harness their vibrations to drive what are known as “optical lattice clocks,” the most precise timekeeping pieces ever built. By comparison, current atomic clocks

lose a second once every 100 million years. But what is gained by greater accuracy? “It’s really an instrument to allow you to probe the basic fabric of space-time in the universe,” Ye told AFP. In Ye’s lab, researchers have shown that time moves slower when the clock is moved closer to the ground by a matter of centimeters, in line with Einstein’s predictions of relativity. Applied to current technology, these clocks could improve GPS navigation accuracy by a factor of a thousand, or help smoothly land an unmanned spaceplane on Mars. A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME: Improving the precision and accuracy of timekeeping has been a goal since ancient Egyptians and Chinese made sundials. A key breakthrough

came with the invention of the pendulum clock in 1656, which relies on a swinging weight to keep time, and a few decades later chronometers were accurate enough to determine a ship’s longitude at sea. The early 20th century saw the advent of quartz clocks, which when jolted with electricity resonate at very specific, high frequencies, or number of ticks in a second. Quartz clocks are ubiquitous in modern electronics, but are still somewhat susceptible to variations caused by the manufacturing process, or conditions like temperature. The next great leap in timekeeping came from harnessing the movements of energized atoms to develop atomic clocks, which are immune the effects of such environmental variations.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

04 NEWS Govt to launch bidding for M6 in Oct MonItoRIng RepoRt Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said on Wednesday that the federal government will open the financial bids for the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M6) in October. The construction of the Hyderabad- Sukkur motorway at the revised PC-1 cost of Rs191.471 billion has been approved by The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The 6-lane motorway project would be constructed on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis, covering 306 Kilometers. Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin announced during the ECNEC meeting in Islamabad that the project was expected to be completed in 30 months.

NEPRA clarifies overbilling accusation MonItoRIng RepoRt The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) after observing reports circulating in the media regarding complaints of overbilling clarified that no consumer has filed such a complaint before NEPRA’s Consumer Affairs Division. According to media reports NEPRA was involved in overbilling in terms of raising bills beyond the approved billing period by various power distribution companies, (DISCOs). NEPEA also issued a statement that all such complaints should be registered to its Consumer Affairs Division with proper evidence so that the Authority can take timely action.

Finance Minister, President BOP Inaugurate Amin Hall at Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry pReSS ReLeASe A ceremony was held at Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) to inaugurate the newly renovated, historic “Amin Hall”. Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht (Finance Minister – Government of Punjab), inaugurated the newly renovated hall. The renovation of the hall was made possible due to sponsorship by the BOP. Addressing the gathering, Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht said, “LCCI serves as a bridge between government and business community. We always look forward to LCCI’s valuable feedback on our policies.

FrieslandCampina celebrates 150 years of providing nutritional excellence from ‘grass to glass’ pReSS ReLeASe FrieslandCampina recently celebrated its milestone 150year anniversary of providing superlative dairy products and nutritional excellence. The global powerhouse is one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the world and commemorated the occasion at several key locations globally and locally. The company’s plant in Sahiwal hosted the celebrations as it is the convergence point of its farming, manufacturing, and distribution practices. The flag hoisting ceremony was followed by a plant visit and presentations, including the company’s agri-business orientation during which guests learnt about FrieslandCampina’s signature journey and heritage.

Haleeb Foods partners with University of Central Punjab for "Faculty Industry Placement Program"

KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

Haleeb Foods Limited the pioneer dairy and beverages processor in Pakistan has recently joined hands with the University of Central Punjab (UCP) for their “Faculty Industry Placement Program”. This collaboration aims to share the knowledge and understanding of the industry work, business and process-driven strategies for a better future for the students. In this regard, an MoU signing ceremony was held at UCP which was graced by Haleeb Foods and the University Management.

KARACHI

Five CBD plots auCtioneD For rs21.8Bn By punjaB govt ISLAMAbAd

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PECIAL Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Dr Shahbaz Gill on Thursday said the Punjab government generated Rs21.8 billion revenue from the auction of only five plots of Central Business District (CBD) Lahore through bidding. Addressing a press conference along with Ravi Urban Development Authority Chief Imran Ameen, he said on the pattern of developed countries, the first CBD was being set up in Lahore. The project was being launched without any loan and it

would generate Rs 1500 billion revenue for the Punjab government, he added. He said the project would also help generate at least 250,000 new job opportunities. Shahbaz Gill said CBD and Ravi River Project were welfare projects of the incumbent government. Prime Minister Imran Khan was personally monitoring it, he added. He said physical work has already been started on it and stretched over 1600 Kanal prime land of Lahore. As many as five International companies including Turkey's biggest company Big Arter participated in the bidding process, he added. He said in the past prime state land in

Lahore was auctioned at only Rs100 million per Kanal but now it was auctioned at Rs 420 million per Kanal. Gill mentioned that the authority set up for CBD would approve maps within 21 days. In past, projects like Metro Bus and Orange Line Train were set up for which Rs12bn per year subsidy was being given besides paying its loan instalment. He said CBD would also be set up in Faisalabad, Multan and Rawalpindi. The amount generated through these projects would be spent on the welfare of the masses, he said. Regarding the provision of loans for the housing sector, the SAPM said a sum

Cap on EV charging tariﬀ: NEPRA MonItoRIng RepoRt The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has suggested that a price cap of Rs45 per unit should be placed on the tariff for electric vehicle charging stations. Stakeholders of the power station business, at a public hearing conducted by the Nepra headquarters, proposed that market forces could determine the rates of tariffs. They also requested a subsidy on electricity prices to attract investors to engage in the business. Representatives of the Ministry of

Industries, oil marketing companies, electric vehicle charging stations, distribution companies and prospective investors were also present at the hearing. Nepra presented three pricing options. The first option was that the private sector would determine its own prices. The second option was that a ceiling would be imposed. The third option was that Nepra would determine customer charges and tariffs. Nepra calculated to set the price ceiling at Rs45 per unit as electric vehicles would break even at Rs47.7 per kWh.

However, the investors argued that this suggestion was unfeasible as the per unit cost of commercial electricity was Rs30 per unit after including taxes. Nepra Chairman Tauseef H Farooqi also responded that a subsidy could not be granted as the circular debt has reached Rs2.4 trillion because of the subsidies. Farooqi said that he would hold a follow-up session soon and a separate meeting would be held for the standards of electric vehicle charging stations and the relationship of charging stations with the distribution companies.

EBM nurturing the youth by supporting SoL’s Young Leaders Conference for 20 years KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

English Biscuit Manufacturer (EBM), Pakistan's leading producer of biscuits, consolidated its partnership with the School of Leadership (SoL) and stepped up once again to sponsor the 20th Young Leaders Conference (YLC) 2021. EBM has always encouraged the youth of Pakistan to enhance their leadership capabilities, enabling them to overcome life’s challenges and emerge as leaders through the YLC for over 20 years. The 20th Young Leaders Conference was recently hosted in Karachi, with strict compliance to Covid-19 SOPs by all the attendees and organizers. The theme for this year was

'Alif – Ibtidaa', a beginning of life. During this year's forum, the speakers discussed various solutions, new ideas, and initiatives that have the potential to allow our society to live better in a fast-evolving world. The third day of the conference ended with a captivating EBM-sponsored musical night featuring the renowned Sufi and folk singer, Sanam Marvi. The musical night further enhanced the experience of cultural exposure, going in line with the theme of the day; Arts, Culture, and Society - Aiwaan. Throughout the conference, participants were inspired to work hard and achieve beyond their ambitions. To unleash their true potential, they were encouraged to challenge their physical and mental capabilities.

PIBT Is a National Infrastructure Project with Capacity to Meet National Coal Demand KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) has contributed Rs 5.8 billion in FY2020-21 to the national exchequer of which around Rs. 3.7 billion was a royalty payment of $2.27 for every ton of cargo handled while around Rs. 2.1 billion was for other duties and taxes. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) PIBT, Arslan Iftikhar Khan said in a statement that Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) is a fully mechanized bulk cargo handling terminal in the country built on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis as per the international standards. “PIBT is a national infrastructure project which has been providing

state-of-the-art terminal services since the commencement of its commercial operations in April 2017," said Arslan. “It is unfortunate that despite contributing heavily to the national exchequer and playing an effective role in curtailing environmental pollution, PIBT has continuously been victimized,” he added. “He said that some quarters are raising questions over the capacity of the terminal whereas the fact is that such infrastructure projects are built to have a capacity which is enough for many years and can be enhanced when needed. However, the current situation is not a capacity issue but merely mismanagement of imports as the terminal is designed to handle 12 million tonnes of coal annually but the imports have touched the peak last year with 10.07 million tonnes,” he added.

of Rs10bn loans was disbursed among the people during the last three months. Earlier, the ratio of loan approval was a mere 3.17 per cent which has now jumped to 40pc, he added. Similarly, the ratio of loan disbursement was only 2pc which now has increased to 20pc, he said. Shahbaz Gill said a new policy about highrise buildings would soon be introduced in the country in order to curtail the unplanned expansion of cities. Responding to a question, he said infrastructure would be developed within 12 months. Ravi Urban Development Authority Chief shared the details of the project.

Get ready to ‘Be Light’, Infinix INBook X1 series announced in Pakistan KARACHI PRESS RELEASE

Infinix a leading smartphone brand of Pakistan has today announced the launch of its new laptop series – INBook X1. Infinix is entering into a new category with the launch of its all-new laptop INBook X1 in Pakistan. Combining a stylish, thin, and lightweight design with ultimate performance, the launch represents Infinix’s foray into a new product category, as it joins forces with Intel and Microsoft. The premium laptop comes with Intel 10th gen CPUs and 1080p IPS display. INBook X1 comes in 3 variants: Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 with the price starting from 79,900 PKR. “Leveraging our deep understanding of consumers in the smartphone space, we are thrilled to enter a new era with Intel and Microsoft by launching our first laptop series. This not only marks a significant milestone for the brand but also signifies our commitment to our global customers,” said Joe Hu, CEO of Infinix Pakistan. By leveraging a deep understanding of consumers, Infinix is proudly entering a new era by launching its first laptop series. Its debutant INBook X1 is already looking like a much stronger contender initially as anticipated. The Infinix INBook X1 is the company's first-ever laptop which it has launched in Pakistan after gaining massive love and trust from its customers globally. INBook will be available in three variants, one with the Core i3-1005G1 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, second with Core i5, and third the Core i7-1065G7, 16 GB RAM, and 512 GB SSD Pro. Infinix INBook X1 will debut in the coming days and it will be available for pre-order. The customers will be able to use this premium quality product soon. The laptop will be available in 3 variants priced at Rs. 79,900 for Core i3, Rs. 99,900 for Core i5, and 137,999 for the X1 Pro Core i7. The Infinix fans can pre-order it from its retailer website Daraz.pk at exclusive and discounted rates soon.

CARE International in Pakistan and Mastercard launch ‘Ignite’ program to support millions of entrepreneurs

TPL Trakker and Dukan.pk Come Together to Serve Pakistan KARACHI

ISLAMAbAd

PRESS RELEASE

TPL Trakker, Pakistan’s leading IoT Company for Tracking, Telematics, Mapping, and Location Based Services, has recently partnered with Dukan.pk in a bid to optimize the operations of e-commerce platforms in Pakistan. Dukan.pk is an e-commerce platform that lets anyone with a smart mobile phone open their e-commerce business within 29 seconds. It represents a dynamic shift in how businesses are run in Pakistan. Recent times have seen a surge in online business with new ecommerce platforms launching their operations to facilitate people for their daily shopping needs from the comfort of their homes. To leverage this growing demand for ecommerce platforms, Dukan.pk, offers sellers and entrepreneurs an easy option to open an online store in just a few steps. This initiative will inspire, educate, and connect the growing community of emerging ecommerce entrepreneurs. TPL Trakker’s Location Based Services (LBS) will ensure that Dukan.pk has complete local knowledge of Pakistan

In support of the Pakistan Government’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), CARE International in Pakistan (CIP) and Mastercard today launched the ‘Ignite’ small business program during a ceremony presided by Dr Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, in Islamabad. The program is part of a global collaboration between CARE and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The program will be rolled out with several local partners including U-Bank – its financial service provider, White Rice – a behavioural design firm and Mera Maan – a social enterprise focused on capacity building and enterprise development. Over three years, ‘Ignite’ will: Impact 397,000 entrepreneurs, their employees, and family members with capacity and skills building. Accelerate the growth of 45,000 entrepreneurs by unlocking access to credit.

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maps thanks to its largest dataset covering 400 cities, over 5 million geocoded addresses, and 600,000 kilometres of the road network. Dukan sellers & buyers will be able to share locations with updated information that international location-based service providers fail to give. Such collaboration between two Pakistani companies will ultimately give a boost to the inception of small businesses in Pakistan, leading to an enhanced economy of the country.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

KARACHI

NEWS

SyEd Ali GEElANi’S mArtyrdOm A COlOSSAl lOSS fOr KASHmiri frEEdOm StruGGlE, SAyS Afridi ISLAmABAd

Mian abrar

HAIRMAN of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi on Thursday said that the Syed Ali Geelani’s martyrdom is a colossal loss for the Kashmiri nation and the way Syed Ali Geelani led the Kashmiri resistance movement is unmatched in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. He expressed these views while addressing the participants of a webinar titled ‘The End of an Era: The Legacy of Syed Ali Shah Geelani’, at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), to pay tribute to the father of Kashmiri freedom struggle Mr. Syed Ali Geelani Shaheed. He said that the firm resolve shown by Syed Ali Geelani is an exemplary chapter in the history of Kashmiri resistance struggle. He said that neither Hindutva regime in India could subdue Syed Ali Geelani, nor India could lure through temptations. He said that Syed

Ali Geelani employed all options – from electoral politics to public agitation – and made sure that friends or foes could not point fingers at his commitment and dedication to the cause of freedom of Jammu and Kashmir from illegal Indian occupation. “Syed Ali Geelani taught us a lesson that one must not give up in any circumstances and remain committed to the cause. Syed Ali Geelani single-handedly changed the course of history by instilling a spirit of freedom in every Kashmiri,” he remarked. Shehryar Afridi said that Indian genocide plan in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir cannot kill the free spirit of the Kashmiri nation. “India may have killed Syed Ali Geelani in custody and might have buried him without his family attending his funeral but India couldn’t bury his soul. Today, every single Kashmiri is Geelani. This struggle is continuous and would continue till Kashmir gets freedom from illegal Indian occupation,” he said.

WHO wants moratorium on Covid booster shots extended till year-end GENEVA TLTP

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for an extension of a global moratorium on coronavirus booster doses to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population. “A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses at least until the end of September, to prioritise vaccinating the most at-risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a news briefing in Geneva. “There has been little change in the global situation since then, so today I am calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year, to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population,” he added. Tedros acknowledged that third doses might be necessary for at-risk groups, but said: “We do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated.” Tedros also said he was “appalled” after hearing comments Tuesday from a top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers that vaccine supplies are high enough to allow for both booster shots for people in well-supplied countries and first jabs in poorer countries that face shortages. He said that’s already been the case. “I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers,” he told a news conference. “Because manufacturers have prioritized or been legally obliged to fulfil bilateral deals with rich countries willing to pay top dollar, low income countries have been deprived of the tools to protect their people.” However, the latest forecast from COVAX, the WHO-led international Covid-19 vaccine campaign, has pointed to a 25 percent reduction in the number of doses going through COVAX if without urgent action from G20 countries and vaccine manufacturers, according to Bruce Aylward, senior advisor to the WHO director-general, at the briefing. “We are in a situation where there’s an incredible outcry across the world about the huge equity gap on vaccines that’s only gotten worse since May,” he said. “We don’t want any more promises. We just want the vaccines,” Tedros said. He reiterated that third doses may be necessary for the most at-risk populations, but for now, “we do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated.” He vowed not to stay silent when the companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers. According to WHO’s statistics, globally 5.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered, but 80 percent have been administered in high- and uppermiddle income countries.

He added that the recent triumph of Afghan Taliban has once again proved that no invading power, even the sole super power of the world, can hold a nation slave if the invaded nation is committed to fight for freedom till the end. He said that global dynamics are changing and the day is not far when Kashmiris would be free from illegal Indian occupation. “Pakistan stands by Kashmiris through thick and thin. Pakistan would employ all diplomatic and political tools to help the Kashmiris’ cause of freedom,” asserted the Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir. Kashmiri activist Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai said that Syed Ali Geelani was steadfast in his devotion to Kashmir cause and he was highly impressed by the dedication and commitment of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He alleged that the Modi’s might could neither intimidate nor purchase Geelani Sahab. Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai said that Mr. Geelani was an uncompromising

Kashmiri leader which added a new chapter to the Kashmiri history. Quoting various articles published in the leading Western media outlets, Dr Fai said that the international media highlighted the sacrifices made by Syed Ali Geelani and also articulated the clear vision of Mr. Geelani about Kashmiri freedom movement. He emphasized his faith that the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir would always stay committed to the path led by Syed Ali Geelani. Glowing tributes to Syed Ali Geelani were paid by IRS President Ambassador Nadeem Riyaz to Syed Ali Geelani. Ambassador Nadeem added that Ali Geelani used to live a simple life but he was a beacon of resistance for Kashmiri resistance leaders. He said that Kashmir is the longest unfinished agenda at the UNSC and it has to be settled. Ambassador Afrasiab, Iftikhar Gilani, the son in law of Syed Ali Geelani, Fauzia Yaqoob and Dr Shaheen Akhtar also addressed the webinar.

Afghan journalists tell of Taliban beatings after covering protests Two Afghan journalists were left with ugly welts and bruises after being beaten and detained for hours by Taliban enforcers for covering a protest in the Afghan capital. The pair were picked up at a demonstration on Wednesday and taken to a police station in the capital, where they say they were punched and beaten with batons, electrical cables and whips after being accused of organising the protest. “One of the Taliban put his foot on my head, crushed my face against the concrete. They kicked me in the head […] I thought they were going to kill me,” photographer Nematullah Naqdi told AFP. Taliban officials have not responded to repeated requests for comment from AFP. Despite promises of a more inclusive regime, the Taliban have moved to snuff out mushrooming opposition against their rule. On Wednesday night, they declared demonstrations illegal unless permission had been granted by the justice ministry. Naqdi and his colleague Taqi Daryabi, a reporter, who both work for Etilaat Roz (Information Daily) had been assigned to cover a small protest in front of a police station in Kabul by women demanding the right to work and education. Naqdi said he was accosted by a

Taliban fighter as soon as he started taking pictures. “They told me ‘You cannot film’,” he said. “They arrested all those who were filming and took their phones,” he told AFP. Naqdi said the Taliban tried to grab his camera, but he managed to hand it to someone in the crowd. Three Taliban fighters caught him, however, and took him to the police station where the beatings started. ‘THEY SEE US AS ENEMIES’: “The Taliban started insulting me, kicking me,” said Naqdi, adding that he was accused of being the organiser of the rally. He asked why he was being beaten, only to be told: “You are lucky you weren’t beheaded”. Naqdi was eventually taken to a crowded cell where he found his colleague, Daryabi, who had also been arrested and beaten. “We were in so much pain that we couldn’t move,” Daryabi said. A few hours later the pair were released without explanation — sent on their way with a string of insults. “They see us as enemies,” Taqi said. The Taliban have claimed they will uphold press freedoms — in line with unspecified Islamic principles — although journalists are increasingly being harassed covering protests across the country.

In recent days, dozens of journalists have reported being beaten, detained or prevented from covering the protests, a show of resistance unthinkable under the Taliban’s last regime in the 1990s. Most are Afghan journalists, whom the Taliban harass more than the foreign media. The protests are proving an early test for the Taliban, who after taking power on August 15 promised a more tolerant rule and to work for “the peace and prosperity of the country”. Zaki Daryabi, chief of the Etilaat Roz newspaper, said the Taliban’s words rang hollow. “This official speech is totally different from the reality that can be observed on the ground,” he told AFP. CPJ CALLS ON TALIBAN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS: Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the Taliban to immediately cease detaining journalists in Afghanistan, end the use of violence against them, and allow the media to operate freely and without fear of reprisal. In a statement, the CPJ said that the Taliban had detained and later released at least 14 journalists covering protests in Kabul. “At least six of these journalists were subject to violence during their arrests or detention,” the CPJ said citing sources. afP

Punjab Ombudsperson Nabila Hakim Khan called on President Arif Ali at the Presidency in Islamabad. The Punjab Ombudsperson briefed the President on the steps being taken by the Punjab government with regard to women.. Pr

Pakistan keen to increase trade with China, ASEAN states: Haque NANNING TLTP

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Moin-ul-Haque has said that Pakistan wants to promote trade ties with China and other ASEAN countries. Haque said this on Thursday while formally inaugurating the Pakistan Pavilion established at the China-Singapore Nanning International Logistic Park to promote Pakistani products in China and the ASEAN countries, said a statement issued on Thursday. Speaking at the plaque unveiling ceremony, the ambassador said the pavilion would play a key role in promoting Pakistan’s trade ties with China and other ASEAN countries. He said Pakistan is participating in China-Asean Expo as a special partner country for the second time, which is indeed an honour. “Pakistan and China are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year and both countries are organising different events to further promote their bilateral relations and friendship,” he added. About the China-ASEAN Expo scheduled to start on Friday, Haque said that it has a great importance, as it is one of the three premier expos in China. He said President Dr Arif Alvi will address the opening ceremony via a video message. “We are also organising a very important trade and investment seminar on Saturday to invite local traders and entrepreneurs for investment in Pakistan.” The participation of Pakistan at the China-ASEAN Expo has a great significance, he said, adding that approximately 20 Pakistani traders are showcasing the Pakistani products. “We would like to establish a stronger relationship with the traders in Guangxi Zhuang region and I have discussed ways and means with the vice governor of [the] Guangxi Autonomous Region of China,” the ambassador added. Pakistan also intends to have sister cities and sister provinces with Guangxi in the near future, he said. “We will encourage the investors from Guangxi to invest in Pakistan, and we hope that we’ll be able to develop more people-to-people and cultural ties,” he added. Meanwhile, talking to the state-run news agency, Haque expressed satisfaction over Pakistan’s participation in the 18th edition of ChinaASEAN Expo and said, “This is the second time that Pakistan has been invited to participate as a guest country and this is very important because this year China and Pakistan are also celebrating 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations.” “We have dedicated our participation in the China-Asean Expo this year to our 70 years journey with China,” he added.

In meeting with Qatar’s deputy PM, Imran urges solidarity with Afghan people coNtINuEd from pAGE 01 The visiting dignitary also held a meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Later, while addressing a joint press conference, Qureshi said that Pakistan and Qatar have agreed to continue playing a constructive role to avoid any humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Qureshi said both countries share joint vision of peace, stability, and prosperity in Afghanistan. He said that the world community should come forward to extend financial and humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. He added that spoilers should not be given an opportu-

nity to play with the global efforts for peace in Afghanistan. Earlier, before the arrival of the visiting dignitary, the Foreign Office issued a press release, wherein it said that the “two countries closely collaborate on regional and global issues of common interest.” “Qatar is home to more than 200,000 hardworking Pakistani expatriates contributing to national development and economic progress of both countries,” it added. Qatar played an outsized role in US efforts to evacuate tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan. Now the tiny Gulf Arab state is being asked to help shape what is next for Afghanistan be-

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cause of its ties with both Washington and the Taliban, who are in charge in Kabul. Since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the world’s top diplomats have been beating a path to Doha, long the gateway to the Taliban and now the essential go-between as the West tries to deal with the new Kabul government. Analysts describe Qatar’s emergence as a broker in Afghanistan as a part of a carefully nurtured strategy by the tiny but rich state to bolster its own security, by becoming indispensable as a venue for international mediation. In the weeks since the insurgents swept into power, more than 58,000 of the 124,000 Western nationals and at-risk lo-

cals who were airlifted out of Afghanistan flew through Qatar. And now, as a temporary home to the evacuated Afghanistan embassies of the United States and several European allies, it is serving as the main mediator for Western efforts to engage. An official said that as an impartial mediator, Qatar has engaged with all sides to provide freedom of movement for those in Afghanistan, and “fight terrorism to prevent any future instability in the region”. Working with its close ally Turkey, it has also helped the Taliban reopen Kabul airport, allowing humanitarian and domestic flights to resume.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

06 COMMENT

A two-pronged strategy

The moment of truth for Taliban Testing the group’s capacity

he six countries that share borders with Afghanistan have reasons to be most concerned about developments under the Taliban. Pakistan and China have worries about the terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan. Iran fears that sectarian preferences could lead the Taliban to neglect or even persecute the Shia community in Afghanistan. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan feel concerned about the future of the nonPashtun ethnic communities living in Afghanistan. After a virtual meeting of their foreign ministers, the six Afghan neighbours unanimously called on the Taliban to speed up an inclusive and broadly representative government that resolutely combats all forms of terrorist forces. China and Pakistan also announced humanitarian assistance for the hard-pressed Afghans. None of the six countries was however willing to recognize the Afghan government at this stage which, besides elevating some of the internationally sanctioned Taliban leaders to the rank of cabinet ministers, also remained non-inclusive. Pakistan’s call to make Afghanistan a part of the group of six went unheeded. The Taliban leadership is reportedly divided into rival groups which explains why forming the interim cabinet took more time than expected. There is reportedly more flexibility among some of the Taliban leaders than most of the Taliban commanders. It is for the Taliban leadership to resolve these differences at the earliest so as to be able tackle the grave economic situation in Afghanistan. even before the Taliban took over the war-torn country, its economy was demand-driven and supply-constrained, with an enormous fiscal gap and very weak government revenues. With its assets frozen by the USA and the World Bank and IMF discontinuing their programmes, Afghanistan is staring down the abyss of complete economic and financial collapse. The end of development activities, the closure of several private sector concerns, a ban on women working and the failure of the government to make payments to its employees can lead to unprecedented urban unrest which can go out of control if ethnic and sectarian fault lines also get activated. The Taliban have to put their act together, pronto. With an inclusive government in place following a moderate policy and taking out terrorist networks, it would be easier for the international community and international financial institutions to help out the country.

There is a deeper link between electronic voting and the PDMA that seems apparent At Penpoint M A NIAZI

here has been a movement by the PTI government to take two steps towards making sure that the elections due by 2023 yield the sort of positive results that were yielded in 2018. First is the introduction of electronic voting machines (eVMs), but linked is the establishment of the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), which would allow for regulation of cybermedia, and would be very useful in making sure that reports of malfeasance during elections do not make it to the social media, which is where people increasingly get not only their news but their views. If one accepts even partially the opposition narrative, that the 2018 election resulted in the selected candidates being put into power, so that the PPP and the PML(N) could be left out, then it becomes all that much more necessary to ensure that the good work continues by making sure that the PTI is re-elected. The government narrative, which is premised on the 2018 elections having been fair and free of manipulation, is that both measures are necessary to achieve separate goals. There is a need for eVMs because the present system of paper ballots leads to the loser challenging the election result. The challenge becomes even more invidious when no legal challenge is mounted, and merely becomes a stick to beat the winner, and to malign national institutions. I-voting is the only way feasible of giving overseas Pakistanis the vote, which the PTI committed in its election campaign. (It also expects overseas votes to fall mainly to its share.) The PMDA is not linked to this, except insofar as there should be no reporting, on traditional or social media, that propagates any fake news about anything, but especially national institutions or elections or any link between the two. The problem for the government is that both electoral reform and the PMDA are opposed by important stakeholders without whose cooperation the reforms will not work. The electoral reforms will not prevent doubt being thrown on the result if the opposition parties are not on board. The PDMA will not be accepted by any section of the media, now that all leading organisations have expressed opposition. The objections being made, make it obvious that the objections are to do with trust. The objections to using eVMs are about the security of the ballot. If it had been suggested that a particular eVM be used, for

Land record digitization Completion of cadastral mapping in Islamabad shows the way

he completion of the cadastral mapping of Islamabad, which was marked by a ceremony on Wednesday attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan personally, is a landmark not just for Islamabad but for the whole country. This frees the land record from the grip of the patwari and other land revenue officials. While this digitization of land record is going on throughout the country, cadastral mapping is particularly important for Islamabad and other big cities, like Lahore and Karachi, where the project is to go next. It will help establish ownership rights, which is especially a concern for overseas Pakistanis, who find that their absence abroad means that the property they have purchased is grabbed. One of their worst problems has been to provide the record necessary to establish ownership. For this problem to be solved in Islamabad means that a city which is a hotbed of illegal possession will probably see a decrease in the malfeasances of the qabza mafias, carried out in connivance with the CDA. There should not only be greater security of ownership, but a reduction in the amount of litigation which takes place. It should also help promote foreign direct investment. Foreign investors are too often scared away by the prospect of having title problems with the land on which they will erect their project; while this will probably not end, it should be greatly reduced. There is the prospect of this being applied to the whole country, where again the clearing up of ownership rights would help reduce the amount of litigation that goes on over agricultural land. It should be recognized that cadastral mapping is not really revolutionary. It merely means the application of modern technology to existing methods. however, since the previous technology, and system used, date back almost six centuries, it represents a modernization that was overdue. It should be introduced in rural areas as well, which the present government can easily do in at least three provinces. The tyranny of the patwari is best broken this way, something which is felt much more in the rural areas.

MuhAMMAd ZAhId RIfAt

here is adire need to look into the drivers of poverty in the country. The existing literature documents several factors that adversely impact the poverty situation, such as natural disasters, health shocks, crop failures, on one han. Factors on the other hand affecting poverty positively include cash transfers, better crop returns owing to better pricing or volume, remittances back home from Overseas Pakistanis. Poverty is estimated by using household Integrated economic Survey (hIeS) data. National Accounts data also provides consumption trends of private households. National accounts consumption is estimated using Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data and thus, is not comparable exactly with the consumption estimates based on household survey data. however, according to the information available from official sources, for analyzing the impact of the covid-18 pandemic on poverty, it is assumed that contraction in private consumption is the mirror image of a fall in household consumption. As per the National Accounts Committee assessment, private consumption had contracted by 4.14 percent in real terms in 2019-20. Mapping the impact of this contraction on the resultant incidence of poverty, the headcount was estimated to have in-

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Yousaf Nizami Umar Aziz

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

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The PMDA idea has behind it a three-fold proposition: first, it would help damp down any noise against electronic voting results, it would curb criticism of the government’s performance, and finally it would help achieve control over the social media

Without Ehasaas, Covid-19 would have been much worse

Arif Nizami (Late)

M. A. Niazi

Whether the economic theory is wrong, or whether the leadership is as corrupt as its predecessors (and the theory still valid), there are two conclusions. First, the economy is in bad shape, and there has been backbreaking inflation and low growth. Second, the PTI cannot say to the electorate that it has made some progress, and it should be re-elected so that it can continue the good work. There is the question of perception as well. The PTI feels that it has got bad press. This is not just print media, but also electronic and even digital social media. That perhaps shows how poorly the government is doing, because it had come to power in a campaign that owed much to social media. It does seem that that experience taught it the value of social media in governing as well. As before with the press, and then with electronic media, the government wants to control digital media as well. This has become all the more important because reports of electoral malfeasance appear on social media first. The traditional media often quote the social media in their reports. It is worth noting that the 1977 general election was made possible without social media, but the rigging alleged then cannot be carried out today. The attempt in the Daska by-election to use traditional methods seems to have failed, and the eCP tried to exert itself. One problem with the eVM idea is that it would lay open the election result to being changed by an opposing power. If the USA has had difficulties in its elections, Pakistan could too. That is an objection that has not been sufficiently discussed. Perhaps worse, the possibility of such an accusation being made against a government should give pause to a country where a Prime Minister was once called a ‘security risk.’ The PMDA idea has behind it a three-fold proposition: first, it would help damp down any noise against electronic voting results, it would curb criticism of the government’s performance, and finally it would help achieve control over the social media.

The writer is a member of staff.

Covid-19’s impact on poverty incidence

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

example, it could be guessed that the real issue was the vast sums needed for the conversion: if polls are held on the same day, it would cost about rs 25 billion. With the IMF breathing down our necks, with the government hard-pressed to meet the salary bill, with the country hurtling towards a situation where it would have to borrow not just to meet the costs of debt-servicing (as present), is it not likely that systems were acquired without adequate safety features? The money might well be found, but would such an expenditure ensure that election results are accepted? No loser likes to admit defeat, but the real test is whether the general public buys into this claim. even now, the 1970 elections are supposed to have been fairly conducted. The same is not said about the 1977 elections. The PTI might be paying the price of a 2018 election campaign in which it promised too much. ‘Naya Pakistan’ is looking too much like Purana Pakistan to do much good, while the promises of job creation and building a large number of housing units have not been fulfilled. Whether enough progress has been made to justify a renewal of the mandate will be determined by the electorate, but so far it doesn’t look good. Worse, the PTI’s promise of an honest government has not been fulfilled, not with petrol, wheat and sugar crises being caused by mafias within the ranks of government. That also feeds into another broken promise of the government, that of freeing the country of loans, with the IMF package hanging like an albatross around the country’s neck. One of the most problematic issues for the PTI had actually seemed a no-brainer during the election campaign, that corruption was behind most of Pakistan’s economic problems: The government has failed to bring back any of the vast sums it had alleged were flowing out of the country, or make any recoveries from its political opponents. The corruption of the leadership had led to poor economic decision-making and thus had caused economic woes. The PTI has failed to recover anything, and to make an example of past corruption.

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creased from actual 21.9 to 25.36 at the national level. Analysis of the data from 2004-05 to 2018-19 showed that growth in consumption expenditure estimated from household Integrated economic Survey (hIeS) data and that estimated from the National Accounts Committee were quite significantly correlated Further, incorporating the possible impact of the covic-19 pandemic by subtracting rs 750 from the consumption of Ist and 2nd deciles, the stimulated poverty headcount reached 25.36 per cent, using hIeS 2018-19 data. This was due to a decline in consumption of households who were already below the poverty line of rs 3757.85 per month, which would increase the poverty gap but had little impact on the incidence of poverty. Now, to estimate the impact of the federal government response of cash transfers to keep consumption afloat for lowest deciles of the household, an amount of rs 1000 per month was added to the consumption expenditure of each household in 3rd and 4th and again in the 5th decile. The estimates thus showed that poverty headcount was reduced to 20 percent as compared to the actual number 21.9 percent. The eshaas led several initiatives were expected to have reduced poverty headcount by almost 2 percentage points. COST OF BASIC NEEDS (CBN) based Poverty Headcounts Year..................National % ... Region (%) ...................................................Urban ....Rural 2005-06 ...........50.4.................36.6...........57.4 2007-08 ............44.1.................32.7...........49.7 2010-11.............36.8.................26.2...........42.1 2013-14 ............29.5.................18.2...........35.6 2015-16 ............24.3.................12.5...........30.7 2018-19 ............21.9.................11.0...........28.2 At this moment, a number of positive factors support the notion of decrease in poverty incidence in the country. The huge transfer of money to rural areas in the shape of higher prices of crop output was expected to make quite a significant impact on the poverty situation. A similar episode of higher prices of wheat had happened in 2008-10 which brought an unprecedented increase in

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consumption expenditure and reduction in poverty. The Federal Government’s response to the covid19 pandemic and the eshaas-led initiatives have positively impacted the incidence of poverty and inequality and as such reversed the negative impact of covid-19 in terms of decline in overall consumption. In principle, the cash transfers under eshaas-led initiatives are effective in reducing poverty or inequality because around three-quarters of the population surrounded the poverty line (termed as transitory poor or transitory vulnerable). even a small cash injection can make a significant difference by reducing poverty or a shock like crop failure, which otherwise can lead to rise in poverty. Covid-19 could have had a disastrous effect on the poverty situation in the absence of rapid cash support provided and extended by the Federal Government through several eshsaas-led initiatives both in the urban and rural areas of the country without any discrimination particularly targeting the poor segments of the society, daily wage earners and resource-less people. It is worth mentioning here that ehsaas was launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan on 27 March 2019 as Pakistan’s largest ever social protection and poverty eradication initiative. ehsaas aims at creation of a welfare state by countering elite capture and leveraging 21st century tools, such as using information and digital payment systems, to create modern safety net programmes; promoting financial inclusion and access to digital services; supporting the economic empowerment of women; focusing on the central role of human capital formation for poverty eradication, economic growth and sustainable development, and overcoming financial barriers to accessing health and post-secondary education. This programme is quite unique because of its scale, multi-sectoral character, coverage, design process, management and governance, institutional arrangements and funding. The ehsaas programme is especially designed for the ultra-poor, orphans, widows, the homeless, the disabled, those who are at the risk of health shocks, jobless, poor farmers, labourers, sick and undernourished, students from low-income backgrounds, poor women and elderly citizens. This programme is also supporting geographical areas where poverty is high. The writer can zajhidriffat@gmail.com

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Friday, 10 September, 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

Freshwater scarcity DeAr SIr, freshwater scarcity is a reality which is threatening the sustainable development of human society. earth’s hydrological (water) cycle has been interrupted by the climate change that makes water-scarce regions of the world drier, and makes the other already-wet regions wetter. recent reports show that two-thirds of the global population is already experiencing water scarcity for at least one month of the year. however, I believe that it is never too late to take small steps and make a huge difference. every drop will count when you try! The good news is that these alarming facts are being considered, and stakeholders and the general public around the world are all agreeing to take action. Various agencies are putting together policies relevant to sustainable development. equally important, the international scientific community is working to bring more solutions. Finally, and most importantly, increased public awareness and pressure means that there is still hope for a sustainable future. AzmEEnA SirAj KArAchi

Inflation is being exploited

The demise of the last man: The USA fallout in Afghanistan The USA made a number of miscalculations ARslAN AshIq

rANCIS Fukuyama, an American political scientist, economist, and writer, presented a thesis and later published a book The End of the History and the Last Man in 1992, explaining the end of the Cold War (1945-1990) which reached its climax after a hefty politics of words. Fukuyama, while supporting his argument, said the worldwide spread of liberal democracies might signal the endpoint of humanity’s sociocultural evolution and become the final form of human government. Though his views were harshly criticized by Samuel P. huntington in A Clash of Civilizations, there needs be a new thesis to prove both wrong. Because the people of Afghanistan rejected the idea of liberal democracy and fought with them until the USA was fractured internally by the QaNon and by the Populist fractions, and the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan externally. US President Joe Biden’s decision to pull out US troops and civilians from Afghanistan helped the Taliban to control Kabul. According to the CSIS research, when the USA invaded Afghanistan the Taliban was displaced from their key positions and was too weak to withhold their Islamic government formed in 1996. Four American presidents, the CIA, and the NATO forces made clouds of mistakes in invading, resisting, attacking, and making Al-Qaeda surrender to the forces. The so-called liberal democracy (according to Fukuyama) was not able to guide its people about the real situation in Afghanistan. It spends billions of dollars along witfh using Artificial Intelligence specialist drones and lethal weapons but goes in livain. Initially, the population of Afghanistan was considerably larger than that of any other country involved in a post–World War II US intervention: in 2001, Afghanistan had almost twice as many people as wartime South Vietnam. Typically, the troop-to-population ratio is an important determinant of the success of a stabilization operation. The USA deployed almost 800,000 troops in Afghanistan for about 39 million people. The ratio was too low to withstand the new decade’s challenges. The Bush Administration intentionally did not intend peacekeeping and state-building in Afghanistan. It was more prone to eliminate the Al-Qaeda terrorists presenting and plotting against the West. So, the miscalculation of troop levels meant the facade of a filthy pro-US democracy and a failed system to win the war in the 21st century. Secondly, Afghanistan’s terrain was more complicated than Vietnam and Iraq. As said by the late Lt Gen (retd) hameed Gul, the USA and NATO forces are cake and burger eating forces, which could only fight in the West, and would be crushed in the difficult terrain and mountains of Afghanistan. So, the inability of the sole superpower to fight a guerilla war was more prominent than in the Vietnam War. Thirdly, the USA went into the wrong hands when it found itself isolated in the Afghan War and lost the trust of the Pakistani intelligence agency, the ISI. From 2003 onwards, it was

speculated that the ISI was playing a dual role when the USA pushed the Pakistan civil and military agencies to Do More. Then it depended on the West-led AF President hamid Karzai, the AF warlords, hand mostly on India to find and target the offshoots of the Taliban . It depicts the failed strategy to catch terrorists residing in Afghanistan. Moreover, the world’s last surviving political and economic system’s failure to trust others and deep-diving into the wrong hands due to its flawed steps led them to lose the war. Fourthly, according to the Brooking Institution, military-led organizations are not equipped or trained to engage effectively in civilian-centered missions, such as fostering national identity, forming political institutions, and installing democratic practices of accountability. It followed the same strategy as the USSr in the 1980s. even the USSr’s installed government stayed in power for almost three years after the USSr’s withdrawal. But the puppet government of the USA presided by Ashraf Ghani only stayed in power for a week. So, the thesis by Francis Fukuyama that, “there can be no progression from liberal democracy to an alternative system”, seems proven invalid. Fifth, the truth of the matter is that the end of the American era had come much earlier. As the US State Department responded to the fall of Kabul, there were three major miscalculations, Time, the trust put in the US forces to halt the Taliban. Because the time of the withdrawal was not suitable, as it was noticed that the USA lost the war a long ago. The USA, after neutralizing Al-Qaeda should have returned to their country and left the fate of the AF on the Afghan people, it didn’t embrace this. From 2002 to 2004 was the accurate time to leave Afghanistan after completing the mission. Additionally, when the USA saw no progress, that the Taliban were increasing their numbers, attacking security forces more, and the production of opium was more than it was in the Taliban’s regime. Then the USA placed themselves in this deep quagmire and the will was not supported by the time. As stated earlier, trust was the utmost thing needed to win the unwinnable war, and the Pentagon has lost it in 2004 and onwards. Liberal democracy, which is said to be better able to provide humans their rights, promote lib-

eral values, and free media and the will to speak, was not aimed to externally extrapolate these objectives. The USA always tried to serve and save their interests in installing governments, plotting coups d’état outside the West. This hypocrisy was useful in 19th and 20th-century wars, not in the 21st century when everyone lives in a globalized world. The flow of knowledge, information, and national or international interests are within everyone’s reach. The USA’s top military and civil bureaucracy spread false news and propaganda in the USA that it was winning the war. This was one side of the coin; the other side was darker and bleaker. The military missions were losing their support from the public. The 1400-page report on Afghanistan created a public mess. Because for Americans, the journalists, military commanders, civilian leadership, and policymakers all lied for themselves and for face-saving on an international level. A plethora of reports were published on a weekly and monthly basis to portray a positive image of war and reconstructions, and it was failing and dropping down the hill as past powers like europe and the USSr did. Finally, societies evolve at a rapid speed, and presenting one thesis as accurate and precise would be neglected and flawed in this wellinformed world. The human’s quest for power increases with time. But a diverse and polarized world would not accept the rule of one power. According to a Muslim sociologist, Ibn e Khaldun, Societies or States and Civilizations have a 100-year period to evolve from establishment to expansion and then to Decline. Therefore, the state’s relations must be fluctuating and flexible over time. europe from 1492 to 1914 colonized and expanded itself to more than 80 percent of the world. But 1it lost its control after WW II and more than 60 countries got independence after 1960. The USSr’s heyday lasted for 69 years from 1922 to 1991 but it was torn apart by the West. Then, as lamented by Fukuyama, the sole superpower USA started dominating the world by stick and carrot diplomacy. But it lasted for almost two and a half decades before China challenged its hegemony by surpassing it in Purchasing Power Parity, and in terms of exports. Therefore, ideological powers must realize the nature of the world and avoid any mess like the three superpowers did in Afghanistan and termed this country as the “Graveyard of empires”.

The sole superpower USA started dominating the world by stick and carrot diplomacy. But it lasted for almost two and a half decades before China challenged its hegemony by surpassing it in Purchasing Power Parity, and in terms of exports. Therefore, ideological powers must realize the nature of the world and avoid any mess like the three superpowers did in Afghanistan and termed this country as the “Graveyard of Empires”

The writer is a freelance columnist

INFLATION, another benefit of the incumbent government, has made wretched every individual. Understandably, government had to impose such taxes and was left with no other option. however, this has increased the prices of basic commodities and has been worst borne by the poor. Furthermore, I feel that the business community including shopkeepers and retailers are availing undue advantage of this by charging more than the actual price in the name of inflation. Therefore, it’s difficult for a common man to meet his needs. The state and concerned authorities should take immediate action against these overcharging shopkeepers and ensure that no one misuses tax policies to their own profit. AwAiS AhmEd ShiKArpur

Disordered minds in power BOTh Trump and Johnson have what the Irish physicist and psychologist Ian hughes calls “disordered minds”. Trump is a chronic liar, a purveyor of racism, and a large-scale tax cheat. US Special Counsel robert Mueller’s report on his 22-month investigation of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign described repeated cases of Trump’s obstruction of justice. Trump stands accused by more than 20 women of sexual predation, a behavior he bragged about on tape, and directed his attorney to make illegal payments of hush money that constituted campaign finance violations. Johnson’s personal behavior is similarly incontinent. he is widely regarded as a chronic liar and as unkempt in personal life, including two failed marriages and an apparent domestic altercation on the eve of becoming the prime minister. he has been repeatedly fired from jobs for lying and other disreputable behavior. he led the Brexit campaign in 2016 on claims that have been proven false. As British Foreign Secretary, he twice leaked secret intelligence – in one case, French intelligence about Libya, and in another case British intelligence about Iran. Like Trump, he has a high disapproval rating among all age groups, and his approval ratings rise with voter age. nAvEEd AbbAS mAitlo iSlAmAbAd

Health problems in Pakistan UNDOUBTeDLy, with better health alone, one can perform, contribute, and play their part in the socio-economic progress and advancement of the country. On the contrary, in a condition of poor health one cannot contribute well to the country’s development. It is disheartening that quality healthcare in Pakistan is a distant dream. Almost all public hospitals lack the very basic facilities. every health center is facing an acute shortage of beds, experienced doctors, quality medicines, and kind support Pakistan, being a developing country, is facing a number of flaws in the health sector.Although the medical field has been targeted as a means of quick earning from the sick blood of poor patients. Through all the channels of social life, from government to the private hospitals ,we find health being sold on amount of money. The government is spending billions of rupees yearly on the health sector yet we only get poor infrastructure in hospitals led by poor management. One may occasionally and fortunately find cleanliness, punctuality, and a proper use of equipment in the so-called government hospitals. All these flaws are caused because of private clinics which provide a better environment and healthy medication only to those who can afford it. In first world countries the first step that a doctor takes in treatment is getting to know first hand the patient’s family background as well as their medical history. Moreover, they bring patients in a psychologically strong situation that he/she may fight the disease boldly. In Pakistan there is no rule of law for so-called better health. Doctors do not even comprehend the nature of patient and advise overdose to a psychologically weak patient that makes them more sick. Moreover, doctors are highly paid to provide selected expensive medicine on which they are paid heavy amount of percentage and various so-called gifts. At a larger scale the doctors keep an inexperienced nursing staff which takes charge in their absence.Similarly, unspecialised doctors who do not possess a valid medical degree, operate illegal clinics that lead to an unhealthy life. Due to all these flaws including poverty and high fees of private clinics the patient indulges in self-medication which results in a harmful situation later. It also may be because of common selling of medicine without the approval of a doctor. Concluding the message, the medical authorities and the health sector should ensure fair accountability through proper selection of an experienced staff, well-formed structure of hospitals, breakdown of private clinics, and proper selling of legal medicines. uzAir bin jAlil ShiKArpur

Friday, 10 September, 2021

08 WORLD VIEW

DER SPIEGEL

René PfisteR and ChRistoPh ReuteR

t the very last moment – after the German paratroopers had already left the Kabul airport, the Americans had cleared their last plane for takeoff, and everyone was fearful that another suicide attack was imminent – a final group of evacuees almost failed to get out because two numbers of a license plate had been written down incorrectly. the more than 100 Afghans in question had worked for Germany and for an American company and were on the list for an emergency evacuation to Germany. All the names had been approved and a way had even been found to print all the documents sent from Berlin. then, a week-and-a-half ago, on Saturday evening, the buses were finally lined up at the final checkpoint at the south gate of the airport. With bureaucratic zeal, the taliban began checking every single detail relating to the passengers, along with the bus driver’s name. But they hit a snag: Someone had reversed a 5 and a 6 when writing down the license plate number of one of the buses. the organizers of the evacuation noticed it themselves and redistributed the passengers of that bus to the others. But that wasn’t enough for Qari Omar, the notoriously temperamental taliban commander in charge of the south gate. He demanded a new list of all passengers, certified by both Washington and Berlin. Following a few hectic telephone calls between Kabul, Berlin and the military officers at the airport, the new lists arrived. Omar nodded condescendingly and the buses were allowed through. A mixture of ignorance and hubris led the U.S. and its allies to become reliant on the mercy of the taliban during their precipitous departure from Afghanistan. And the Islamists savored their newfound power. Can the U.S. really rely on such a group in the future? Among the most unexpected ironies of this conflict is the fact that the taliban, which U.S. President George W. Bush accused of murder in 2001, is now supposed to become a U.S. partner in the fight against Islamist terror. As bearded extremists were inspecting helicopters at the Kabul airport that had been left behind by the Americans, U.S. Secretary of State tony Blinken stepped before the cameras in Washington and said: "the taliban has made a commitment to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghanistan as a base for external operations that could threaten the United States or our allies.” U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Milley said last Wednesday that he believes cooperation with the taliban is possible. "In war, you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do,” he said. CASTLE MADE OF SAND: But how much faith can be placed in promises from the taliban? the desire to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for terror attacks was the first and last justification for the war Bush launched after the 9/11 assault on America. It went on to become the longest military conflict in U.S. history, resulting in the deaths of more than 170,000 people, the vast majority of them Afghans. It ultimately cost $2 trillion – and lasted as long as it did in part because the U.S. and its allies kept moving goalposts. the hunt for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, his terror network, a conflict initially branded "War on terror,” transformed at times into a half-hearted attempt at nation building. the Afghan state, though, was always little more than a castle made of sand, something the U.S. and its allies, including the German government, refused to admit for almost two decades. Joe Biden was the one to finally destroy the illusion, but the price was high. Just a month and a half ago, the U.S. president promised that Kabul would not produce images reminiscent of Saigon in 1975, when hopeless Vietnamese tried desperately to board the last American helicopter. then, after the Kabul airport had been surrounded by the taliban and Afghans tried to cling to U.S. airplanes as they were taking off, Biden promised to evacuate every American citizen from the country. this, promise, too, proved impossible to fulfil. Now, the Americans are left to hope that the taliban learned their lesson from 2001. Back then, they made the mistake of allowing al-Qaida to stay, says Vali Nasr, who worked for the State Department during the Obama administration and now teaches at Johns Hopkins University. But he doesn't think they will repeat it. "the taliban know that the Americans won’t return because of Shariah or women’s rights. that would only happen if Americans were to die in New York because of a terrorist plan hatched in Afghanistan," he says. that, though, presupposes that the taliban are a unified group that acts rationally. And that they can exert their control over all of Afghanistan, a country of 40 million people spread across a territory almost twice as large as Germany. Indeed, the chaos at the airport in Kabul could merely be a precursor of what lies in store for the entire country. Already, Biden has been harshly criticized for placing the safety of the U.S. in the hands of Islamist extremists. H.R. McMaster, Donald trump’s former security adviser who had a falling out with the president in 2018 and went on to become a sharp critic of the president’s Afghanistan policies, told DER SPIEGEL: "A victory for the taliban is a victory for al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations." the suicide attack just under two weeks ago, which killed almost 200 people, was a clear demonstration to the taliban and the rest of the world of the strength of "Is-

The US allieS wiTh The Taliban againST Terror AMONG THE MOST UNEXPECTED IRONIES OF THIS CONFLICT IS THE FACT THAT THE TALIBAN, WHICH U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ACCUSED OF MURDER IN 2001, IS NOW SUPPOSED TO BECOME A U.S. PARTNER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ISLAMIST TERROR lamic State Khorasan” (IS-K). the terror group had to that point primarily been active in eastern Afghanistan, but in the confusion created by the collapse of the state, around 200 fighters are thought to have infiltrated Kabul. that, at least, is what the taliban’s secret service believes. FILLING THE POWER VACUUM: For the West, the only important question surrounding this ominous and extremely violent Islamic State offshoot is: How great is the danger that it could also carry out attacks abroad? But the group is also an important factor in the fragile balance of power in Afghanistan itself. Joe Biden isn’t entirely wrong when he says that IS-K is the "sworn enemy” of the taliban. the two organizations are fierce competitors for power and are pursuing diametrically opposed aims. Whereas the taliban would like to govern the entire country and keep it together, IS-K is hoping to benefit from the disappointment arising out of taliban rule. the taliban proved deft at filling the power vacuum that loomed once the Americans announced their approaching withdrawal. Especially in northern Afghanistan, they began early on to discretely win over influential local leaders, which is why one district after the other simply fell into their hands. the north is primarily populated by minorities, like Uzbeks and tajiks, who felt they were being ignored by the former Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani. Ghani is a member of the majority Pashtun ethnicity, as are the founders of the taliban. But the humility shown by the taliban as they prepared their takeover has given way to the arrogance of power – and that could prove a danger to their rule. Across the north, Pashtun taliban commanders have arrived from the south and are ignoring all the fragile deals that were negotiated in the hopes of keeping the peace.

catering company in Kabul was coerced into feeding a group of taliban fighters for free. IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE: though these are but small anecdotes, they are a dangerous indication that the victors in Afghanistan aren’t even able to provide food for their own foot soldiers. the state that they would like to take control of is disintegrating: technicians, public officials, financial experts – people, in other words, without whom no polity can function – left long before the taliban even started recruiting personnel. On top of that, the remaining doctors, teachers and nurses are no longer being paid. Banks are only disbursing tiny amounts. Businesspeople are unable to import foodstuffs. Everything is in danger of collapse. A civil war, meanwhile, is exactly what IS-K is waiting for. "Not long ago, we were all afraid the taliban would take power,” says Koehler, the political scientist. "Now, we need to be worried about them losing power.” It’s not about soft-pedaling the taliban, he says, but they are the last ones who can still hold the country together. Last tuesday, in remarks at the White House, the U.S. president made it clear that the withdrawal from Afghanistan is more than just the end of a war. Biden presented a whole new era in foreign policy. "the world is changing,” he said, adding that "endless military deployments” are not the right approach to promote human rights and democracy on the other side of the world. America’s rivals, Biden said, are in Beijing and Moscow, and that will be his focus. "there’s nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition, than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan.” But what if Afghanistan returns to being a play-

particularly difficult because the collapse of the government in Kabul has led to a loss of intelligence contacts. Furthermore, neighboring countries like China and Iran have no interest in helping the U.S., says Wechsler. THE POWER TO OVERRIDE THE PENTAGON: Biden, it must be said, did not make the decision to withdraw in a fit of momentary pique. ten years ago, as vice president, he tried to convince Obama to bring the war to an end. Obama listened to the advice of his military leaders instead. this time around, Biden had the power to override the Pentagon, which again warned against pulling out. In his recent remarks at the White House, Biden said that he had to decide between sending thousands more troops to Afghanistan or pulling out completely. "I cannot and I will not ask our troops to fight on endlessly in another country’s civil war,” he said. It proved helpful to Biden that his predecessor signed a deal with the taliban back in February 2020 – essentially a capitulation foreseeing the withdrawal of all U.S. troops by May 1, 2021. that makes the shrill criticism coming from the ranks of the Republicans ring rather hollow. Biden, a Democrat, was essentially carrying out trump’s plan. But the images from the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul are on Biden. they are damaging to the image of America – and of all the West -- which wanted to demonstrate in Afghanistan that it could defend its values. Following his election, Biden repeatedly insisted that the U.S. had returned to the global stage and intended to resume its leadership position of the Western world. But the last several months have raised the question in Europe as to whether that’s true. Biden did not

In the Balkh Province, not far from Mazar-i-Sharif, where the German military maintained its final base until abandoning it in June, two military commanders were arrested, one of them an Uzbek. the two are to be sentenced to death for their loyalty to the former government. In the Warduj district of Badakhshan, several local commanders belonging to the Arbaki were kidnapped, with four of them later found dead on the banks of a river. they, too, had been loyal to the government in Kabul. In the district of Yaftal, a militia leader changed sides along with his fighters and raised the IS flag. IS-K has one strategic advantage that is especially helpful among the minorities in the north: the group’s inclusiveness. the idea of a caliphate, as pursued by IS, isn’t interested in nationalities. All Sunni Muslims are more than welcome, with the Uzbeks valued just as highly as the Pashtuns. those who defect to IS-K aren’t doing so primarily for ideological reasons, says Jan Koehler, a Berlin-based political scientist who has been studying northern Afghanistan for several years. He says they are much more interested in tangible things, like respect and power. "Many are now rebelling against the taliban for the same reasons they rebelled against the government in Kabul: the arrogance of the Pashtuns, who act like they are the masters of the country.” A week and a half ago, not long after they took control of the capital, eyewitnesses in Kabul reported seeing taliban stop drivers with drawn weapons to demand snacks. there are stories of taliban marching into villages and forcing residents to cook them a hot meal. A

ground for terrorists and Biden is once again pulled into the region’s chaos? His government has made clear that it may continue drone strikes in Afghanistan. A week and a half ago, an airstrike carried out by the U.S. struck a vehicle in Kabul that was allegedly carrying IS-K terrorists. According to reporting by The New York Times, the strike killed at least 10 civilians, seven of them reportedly children. there are many in Washington who think it was a mistake that Biden didn’t at least leave a small Special Forces unit in Afghanistan. "It is now painfully clear that the results of surrendering to the taliban for the purposes of withdrawing from the so-called 'endless war' in Afghanistan will prove to be far worse than a sustained, small-scale commitment under a sound strategy," says H.R. McMaster. It should be mentioned that the approach described by McMaster - that of sending a small-scale commitment under a sound strategy - was the one pursued by the U.S. government in 2001. It didn't work then, and ultimately spawned a 20-year war. Still, his viewpoint is shared by some on the other side of the political spectrum. "I think that it's almost inevitable that these terrorists will carve out a degree of sanctuary from which they believe they can operate with impunity," says William Wechsler, who was deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and combating terrorism during the tenure of Barack Obama. It is, of course, possible to fend off terrorists without boots on the ground, says Wechsler, who now works at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank. But in the case of Afghanistan, doing so is

coordinate his decision to withdraw with the Germans, who went to war at America’s side 20 years ago after then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder pledged Germany’s "unlimited solidarity” after 9/11. German parliament extended the Afghanistan mission as recently as March 2021, only to learn a short time later that Biden had ordered U.S. troops to pull out. taken together, it has strengthened the impression that, despite Biden’s vows of loyalty to the trans-Atlantic relationship, his administration may actually be pursuing a brand of isolationism that isn’t all that different from trump’s. "I understand completely if our partners in Europe and Asia are now wondering: How far will the U.S. withdrawal still go?” says Wechsler. He hopes that the country won’t completely disengage. But Biden’s priorities, as has by now become totally clear, are at home. the rapid withdrawal was also a product of the midterm elections approaching in fall 2022, and the desire to get the issue of Afghanistan off the table before then. Wechsler says he can only encourage Europe to prepare to stand on their own in the future. "Even if you like Joe Biden, we just experienced four years of Donald trump.” And there are plenty of voices within the Democratic party that are fundamentally opposed to international engagement, he says. "If I were Europe, I would ask the following crucial questions: Where do our strategic interests lie? And how will we achieve them?” Finding the answers are not easy. But Wechsler is quite certain on one point: the answers will no longer be coming from Washington.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

BUSINESS 09

KARACHI

ECC OkAyS iMPORt Of 120,000Mt whEAt tO BuiLd StRAtEGiC RESERvES ISLAMABAD

Govt appoints Muhammad Amin as LESCO CEO The government has finally finalised the appointment of Lahore Electric Supply Company’s (LESCO) chief executive officer, appointing Muhammad Amin to the post. The post was advertised on January 24, and was later re-advertised on June 12, in pursuance of orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC). A total of 80 candidates applied for the post. The nomination committee of the board evaluated the applications and shortlisted 41 candidates. In further shortlisting, seven candidates were selected. The board held interviews of the seven candidates and after detailed deliberations recommended to the Power Division a panel of three candidates in the order of preference for appointment on the post of LESCO CEO. The Power Division put Muhammad Amin at the top of the list in line with the merit order, Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan at the second and Adnan Riaz Mir at the third position. The Power Division proposed that the candidate at the first place might be considered for appointment for a period of three years and sought approval of the Cabinet last week which was duly given on Wednesday. MONITORING REPORT

Banks approve Rs59bn loans under govt’s housing scheme: SBP Banks approved over Rs59 billion till the end of August under the government’s flagship markup subsidy scheme Mera PakistanMera Ghar. The SBP issued details regarding the scheme from its Twitter handle, sharing that till August 31, the banks have approved loans worth Rs59 billion and already disbursed Rs11.5 billion. “Disbursements increased by Rs3.8bn or 49% during Aug21,” the central bank said adding that pace of disbursement under Mera Pakistan Mera Ghar (MPMG) was initially slow because of a number of factors, including the availability of housing units, however, it has now picked up. It said that on the instructions of SBP, banks are accepting MPMG applications from over 8,000 dedicated branches across the country. Further, SBP has also allocated targets to each bank under MPMG. An e-tracking system within each bank and a dedicated joint call center for the facilitation of the applicants have also been established. A report by Dawn stated that the central bank expects that with the ongoing efforts by it, government and banks, bank finance for the scheme will gain further momentum in the days to come. However, the construction industry is highly skeptical about the success of the housing scheme on a large scale as per the government’s wishes, as the cost of construction has sharply increased due to inflation and devaluation of local currency. NEWS DESK

Brent oil may test resistance at $73.69 SINGAPORE AGENCIES

Brent oil may test a resistance at $73.69 per barrel, a break above which could lead to a gain to $77.84. The consolidation triggered by this resistance has been confined within the narrow range of $71.13-$73.69. The sideways move over the past few days is regarded as a preparation of bulls to retest the resistance. A break below $71.13, however, could be followed by a drop into $66.98-$69.06 range. A further fall below $66.98 would signal a continuation of the downtrend from $77.84. The uptrend from $70.43 adopted an impulsive wave mode, consisting of five small waves. This mode suggests an extension of the uptrend above the Sept. 3 high of $73.69. Immediate support is at $71.76, a break below which will not only cause a fall to $71.07, but also make the current wave count invalid. Each reader should consult his or her own professional or other advisers for business, financial or legal advice regarding the products mentioned in the analyses.

STAFF REPORT

HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has approved the tender for importing 120,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat for maintaining strategic reserves and price stability in the domestic market. A meeting of ECC was held under the chair of the Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Thursday in this regard. On the recommendations of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the ECC approved the tender for procurement of wheat in compliance with the Cabinet's directive of to procure 4 million metric tonnes of wheat to build reserves during the current financial year (FY22). The ECC asked the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) chairman to expedite efforts for importing and to present a detailed report to the Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood regarding the timeline of import and other requisite details at the earliest. The ECC also approved a summary moved by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman to strengthen the Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) to combat tax evasion and leakages of duties payable on specified goods through enforcement of the Track & Trace system. The meeting was informed that the IREN will also check the goods supplied out of erstwhile FATA/PATA areas for ascertaining validity and conformity. The finance minister stressed that the FBR must avoid harassment in collection of taxes and duties but take firm action to prevent tax evasion. "A proper system of check and balance will be followed," he said, urging FBR to use the latest technology based solutions for tax collection to reduce reliance on traditional enforcement methodology.

Further, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs moved another summary regarding relaxation to 19 subsidiary companies of PNSC under Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance) rules. The ECC approved relaxation in rules till June, 2022 with a direction to explore the option of formulating independent boards for the subsidiaries to be headed by CEO as per the principles of corporate governance. The ECC was told that the Cabinet Committee on Ports & Shipping had decided that a separate company be established for each of PNSC ships. This being a policy decision of the federal government, 19 private limited subsidiary companies were formed. PNSC being a holding company is responsible to manage all the commercial, technical administrative and financial matters of these companies via a service agreement signed between PNSC and the subsidiary companies. This decision was part of the overall reforms which were undertaken by the federal government for the profitable revival of PNSC and merchant shipping in Pakistan and was in line with the international shipping practices. The primary purpose to create separate subsidiaries for each ship was to limit the liability of each vessel, especially in case of arrest of a vessel by any port, such as in case of a marine pollution incident or any other claims lodged by third-parties as such liabilities may sometimes exceed the value of the vessel, leading to disruption in commercial operations of other vessels owned by the same company due to act of a single vessel. Since the 19 subsidiaries were formed with the objective to limit liability of PNSC for each ship rather than to form independent companies with diverse operations, PNSC applied to SECP for exemption for each of its 19 subsidiary companies. The request of considered by SECP and granted two times exemption for a period of three years each from 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019.

Pakistan keen to boost economic, commerce ties with Egypt

CAIRO AGENCIES

In a bid to boost its engagement with the African region, Pakistan is keen to consolidate ties with Egypt in areas of mutual interest particularly in economics and commerce as well as politics and defence. Pakistan’s ambassador to Egypt Ambassador Sajid Bilal expressed these views at a seminar titled ‘Pakistan’s Engagement with Africa – the Continent of the Future’, held in the Egypt’s capital Cairo. The event organised by embassy of Pakistan in Cairo marked the ‘Pakistan-Egypt Friendship Day’ that gathered speakers from the Egyptian government, the Egyptian Federation of Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC) and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Cairo and the think-tank community.

A cross-section of Egyptian society representing the government, think tanks, academia, journalists, businessmen, civil society and the diplomats attended the event. Ambassador Bilal underlined the progress made in strengthening Pakistan’s bilateral relations with Egypt as part of the government’s Engage Africa policy. He highlighted Pakistan’s shift of focus from geo-politics to geo-economics. “The new Pakistan offers itself as a melting pot for positive global interests by providing enhanced connectivity and economic bases as development strategy,” he stressed. A video message by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi dilating upon the ‘Engage Africa Policy’ was screened at the occasion. The embassy’s trade and in-

vestment attaché, in her presentation, highlighted trade and investment potential of Pakistan as well as the business-friendly initiatives and reforms undertaken by the present government. The panelists shared their perspectives about the policy and Pakistan-Egypt bilateral relations with particular focus on the available win-win trade and investment opportunities. The assistant foreign minister for African Organisations and Communities, in her remarks welcomed the timely initiative of the Embassy to hold the seminar on Africa, as the continent is poised to provide opportunities for economic cooperation and investment. Later, students of the Pakistan International School (PIS) in Cairo performed on Pakistani and Egyptian music, followed by a luncheon.

Aluminium at more than 13-year high on supply concerns LONDON AGENCIES

Aluminium prices rose to their highest in more than 13 years on supply worries in top consumer China and fears of disruptions from major bauxite producer Guinea. Three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange advanced as much as

1.6% to $2,837.50 a tonne, the highest since August 2008. The most-traded October aluminium contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange jumped as much as 2.7% to 22,425 yuan ($3,471.25) a tonne, a level unseen since March 2008. Output curbs in China, the world’s biggest aluminium producer, have weighed

on stockpile availability, while political turmoil in Guinea, China’s top provider of bauxite, added to the nervousness. ShFE nickel hit a record 150,400 yuan a tonne, while LME nickel touched its highest since Feb. 22 at $19,980 a tonne, buoyed by low inventories and demand hopes from the stainless steel sector. LME copper advanced 0.7% to $9,312

a tonne at 0334 GMT, LME tin increased 0.9% to $32,505 a tonne, while ShFE copper fell 0.3% to 68,780 yuan a tonne and ShFE tin climbed 2% to 249,990 yuan a tonne. Indonesian tin miner PT Timah expects global tin prices to stay above $30,000 per tonne for the rest of the year amid low inventory condition of the metal, finance director Wibisono said on Thursday.

After the expiry of the latest exemption on June 30, 2019, PNSC again applied to SECP for further relaxation. However, in view of the changes made in PSCCG 2013 via SRO dated July, 2019, the federal government is now the competent forum to grant relaxation. Therefore, SECP forwarded the request of PNSC to the Finance Division for approval of the federal government. The Finance Division directed SECP that Pakistan National Shipping Corporation may approach the federal government for requesting relaxation from public sector companies. The ECC was further informed that since there is a single mission of PNSC, and the subsidiaries were also formed under the umbrella of these objectives, if significant issues are placed before 19 different independent boards of subsidiaries for decision making then there would be no common vision and there would be a lack of unity of command. The Maritime Affairs Minister stated that the primary purpose behind forming subsidiaries is to limit liability through individually incorporated entities by managing one vessel each owned by the subsidiaries. In case the required relaxation from PSCCG for subsidiaries is not granted, PNSC would have no option but to revert back to the structure of a single company for all vessels, which would expose the entire PNSC fleet to commercial and operational risks. The ECC also approved a summary presented by the Ministry of National Health Services regarding exemption from taxes and duties on import of auto disable syringes and raw materials for local manufacturing of auto disable syringes enabling transformation from conventional to auto disable syringes. Moreover, the ECC constituted a sub-committee comprising representatives of M/o Petroleum, OGRA, PSO, A.F Ferguson, and Maritime Affairs and Finance Division to be headed by deputy chairman Planning to decide about tariff differential accumulated between 2012 to 2020.

Cotton prices fall in Punjab, Sindh Cotton prices have fallen by Rs200 to 300 per maund in Pakistan, local media reported on Thursday. According to the quoting the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), the prices of cotton have dropped in both Punjab and Sindh and is currently being sold at Rs13,900 per maund and Rs13,700 per maund, respectively. The PCGA chairman said that the downward trend is being witnessed due to recession in the international markets. Earlier in February, the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) in a report had warned of a shortage, saying that the country’s cotton production fell by 34.35 per cent to 5.571 million bales up to Jan 31 against 8.487m bales produced in the same period of last year. Commenting on the shortfall of 2.9 million bales and the dire situation, textile industry representatives said poor productivity could erode viability of the export-oriented textile sector, which has 55 to 60pc contribution in overall exports of the country as figures showed that it was the lowest cotton production in 30 years. Low cotton productivity and ban on cross-border cotton import has pushed up prices of cotton yarn and textile exporters are forced to pay higher prices for raw material. In April, the federal government had decided against allowing the import of cotton and sugar from India. “We will not trade with India till India restores the pre-August 5, 2019 status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Our principled position is that there will be no trade with India without resolving the Kashmir issue,” Prime Minister Imran Khan had said. Then minister for finance, Hammad Azhar, had said that there are alternative options for sugar and cotton imports. Soon after, Bloomberg in a report had pointed out that the shortage could push up import bills and further hurt the fragile economy of Pakistan which is one of the world’s largest cotton producers but finding it increasingly hard to meet its own needs. Years of bad weather, pest outbreaks and better margins on other crops have hurt the quality and quantity of harvest. And the scale of damage is accelerating: production in the current fiscal year is set to tumble to the lowest level in about three decades. As a result, the country is spending billions of dollars to import record amounts of cotton to feed its textile industry, something it can ill afford to do. Its current account -- which posted a rare surplus between July and December -- has recently flipped back into a deficit amid higher imports. The move also threatens to boost cotton prices, which have already hit a seven-year high. MONITORING REPORT

Friday, 10 September, 2021

10 FOREIGN NEWS

KARACHI

SocIaL medIa campaIgn HITS neW counTrIeS, BLameS uS for covId-19 SAN FRANCISCO

REUTERS

MISINFORMATION campaign on social media in support of Chinese government interests has expanded to new languages and platforms, and it even tried to get people to show up to protests in the United States, researchers said on Wednesday. Experts at security company FireEye and Alphabet’s Google said the operation was identified in 2019 as running hundreds of accounts in English and Chinese aimed at discrediting the Hong Kong democracy movement. The effort has broadened its mission and spread from Twitter, Facebook and Google to thousands of handles on dozens of sites around the world. This expansion suggests Chinese interests have made a deeper commitment to the sort of international propaganda techniques Russia has used for several years, experts said. Some of the new accounts are on networks used predominantly in countries that have not previously been significant Chinese propaganda targets, such as Argentina. Other networks have users around the world but with a large proportion in Russia or Germany. False information about Covid-19 has been a major focus. For example, accounts on social networking sites vKontakte, LiveJournal and elsewhere in Russian, German, Spanish and other languages have asserted that the novel coronavirus emerged in the

United States before China and that it was developed by the U.S. military. Multiple Russian-language LiveJournal accounts used identical wording: "U.S. Ft. Detrick was the source of Covid-19," referring to the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick installation in Maryland. In addition to promoting false information on the virus, researchers said priorities for the group include criticizing fugitive Chinese propagandist Guo Wengui and his ally, former Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon, and exploiting concerns about antiAsian racism. “We have observed extensive promotion of Russian, German, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese-language content on U.S. and nonU.S.-based platforms, in addition to the typical English and Chinese-language activity that has been widely reported on,” FireEye said in a report published Wednesday. Many of the accounts link to each other or use the same photos, helping the researchers see connections among them. Many of the posts echo claims in statecontrolled Chinese media, and they are consistent with other government propaganda efforts. The researchers do not have proof of involvement by a specific arm or ally of Beijing. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. So far, the accounts on the main U.S. platforms and major networks elsewhere such as Russia-based vKontakte have gained little interaction with authentic users, the researchers said. "A lot of it is tweeting into the void," said John Hultquist, vice president of intel-

Thailand hopes to welcome tourists to Bangkok, top cities next month BANGKOK REUTERS

Thailand plans to reopen Bangkok and other key destinations to foreign tourists next month, officials said on Thursday, aiming to revive its battered travel industry after indications the number of new coronavirus infections may have peaked. Bangkok, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Chiang Mai will be added to a programme in which fully vaccinated visitors who commit to a series of tests can enter, under certain criteria, said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchan. The scheme is underway on the islands of Samui and Phuket, where about 70% of the local population were required to be fully inoculated. The plan to allow quarantinefree entry initially announced in June was questioned after new daily infections soared in August to as high as 23,000, with record fatalities on many days. On Thursday Thailand reported 16,031 new infections, among more than 1.3 million overall, the majority since April.

ligence analysis at FireEye. Some of the posts urged protesters to demonstrate against racism in the United States. In addition, they called on protesters to rally in April outside what the accounts said was the New York home of wealthy expatriate Guo, but there was little evidence that people showed up.

The coordinated fake accounts took that in stride, instead distributing doctored photos of a different protest in a different place. "It's almost like they are being paid by volume," instead of engagement, said Shane Huntley, director of the threat analysis group at Google. Alphabet's YouTube has been removing

School term delayed in Nigerian capital zone amid kidnapping crisis ABUJA REUTERS

The start of the school term has been pushed back to an unusually late date in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) without explanation, after schools in nearby states were targeted by kidnappers seeking ransoms. More than 1,100 pupils have been abducted from their schools across northwest Nigeria since December, including in the states of Kaduna and Niger, which border the FCT to the north and west. Several parents in the FCT told Reuters their children had turned up at their schools this week expecting lessons to start only to be told the new term would not commence until Sept. 19. A document issued by the FCT's Education Secretariat, obtained by Reuters on Tuesday, showed that the new date applied to all schools, whether state-run or pri-

vate, Christian, Muslim, boarding or day. It was unusual for public authorities to mandate a start date for private schools. Reuters has asked the ministry for the FCT for comment. Several northwestern states have tried to curb the spate of abductions by banning the sale of fuel in jerry cans and the transport of firewood in trucks in order to disrupt gangs who travel by motorbike and camp in remote places. In a sign that the federal authorities may be stepping up their response, a phone and internet blackout was imposed on badly hit Zamfara State in the far northwest at the weekend to allow the security forces to tackle the kidnap gangs. It was unclear whether any special security measures were being taken in the FCT. The capital city Abuja and surrounding area, which have better roads and infrastructure than most of Nigeria, are usually considered among the safest parts of the country.

Inflationary pressures force Lebanese to make tough choices BEIRUT REUTERS

Ibrahim Jaber was laid off when the fast food restaurant where he worked as a chef in Beirut shut down. Unable to find another job, he had to take his daughter out of school to put food on the table at home. He is one of many Lebanese who have found themselves facing staggering inflation just as their employers, also hit by the country's spiralling financial crisis, cut back or close. "I will not register my daughter in school, I can't afford it," Jaber said. "The owners (of the restaurant) used to give us a fund for school, now we don't get it." Those who kept their jobs have seen the real value of their salaries dramatically reduced as the currency has lost around 90% of its value against the dollar in the past two years. "I would rather work anywhere in the world, even just picking up garbage, than

stay in this country," Jaber said. Experts are warning of hyperinflation if Lebanon's deeply divided politicians do not form a government soon to tackle a financial crisis which began in 2019 and threatens to destabilise a country torn by civil war in 1975-90. The World Food Programme (WFP) says food inflation has risen by as much as 557% since Oct. 2019. "We are talking one in five people or families struggling to put food on the table," WFP spokeswoman Rasha Abou Dargham said. Many families she visits on a regular basis are choosing to skip meals to feed their children while others are relying on the goodwill of nearby bakeries to send them free food every once in a while in order to cope. VICIOUS CYCLE: With the cost of living rising steeply, the caretaker government has promised employees various bonuses, including an increase in their

transport allowance by 16,000 Lebanese pounds a day, less than a dollar at the current market rate. Some economists argue this will only add to the inflationary cycle and eventually lead to hyperinflation if sustainable reforms are not implemented. "As soon as you get into that cycle whereby you have cost of living adjustments ... but you don't have any more revenue to fund them, you're just printing money, then that creates a vicious cycle," Nasser Saidi, a leading economist and former minister, said. Officials from the caretaker government were not immediately available to comment. Inflation was one of the main reasons behind Ali Hammoud's decision to shut down his popular Classic Sandwich restaurant where Jaber used to work cooking in-house and takeaway orders. With fewer and fewer customers as prices went up, Hammoud had to pay more and more for fuel to keep his pri-

vate generators running in the absence of state electricity and to keep his delivery bikes on the road. He now plans to move his business somewhere out of Lebanon, saying he had delayed the decision despite mounting problems because he was worried about how his 230 employees would manage. "That's 230 families without income now, and I don't think they can find another job," he said. Food importers warn shortages could hit soon as they are increasingly unable to afford the stock. Some supermarket aisles already have large empty spaces. Hani Bohsali who heads the Syndicate of Importers of Foodstuffs, said he was pretty sure many companies had already reduced imports although it would take a while to show up in official data. "There is no master plan," he said. In one Beirut supermarket, customers were returning many items to the shelves after checking the price.

about a thousand channels a month tied to the campaign, though most promote Chinese entertainment more than political views or misinformation. The production quality is improving, with higher-resolution video and better subtitles, suggesting an investment for the long haul.

Louisiana death toll from Hurricane Ida rises to 26 REUTERS Louisiana's death toll from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 on Wednesday after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans. Of those deaths, eight were males and three were females, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The causes of the additional deaths ranged from excessive heat during an extended power outage to carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said, with excessive heat being responsible for nine of those fatalities. The 11 deaths occurred or were reported to the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office between Aug. 30 and Sept. 6, the department said. Ida, one of the most powerful hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. Gulf Coast, hit Louisiana more than a week ago before moving northeast and causing intense flooding that killed dozens. The hurricane had led to widespread power outages earlier this month, with over a million people being left in the dark in Louisiana. As of late Wednesday, over 270,000 people in the state still faced power outages, according to the PowerOutage.us website. Louisiana is rescheduling its fall elections because of Ida's far-reaching damage, with Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin saying that the state's governor, John Bel Edwards, had agreed to push back the election dates by five weeks, local media reported.

Wildfire in Southern Spain forces 500 to flee ESTEPONA REUTERS

A wildfire has forced the evacuation of some 500 people from the southern Spanish resort of Estepona, local authorities said on Thursday. The blaze started on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m., according to the emergency services, who received 140 calls. About 250 firefighters are operating to extinguish the fire, Andalusia's regional government said in a statement. "The geography of the area is difficult, with steep slopes, and the strong west wind is making the work harder," the statement said. Residents of the Abejeras, Forest Hills and Monte Mayor communities have been evacuated. A spokesperson for Andalusia's civil defence said she was not aware of any more communities at risk. Several roads were closed because of the blaze. Estepona, near Malaga, is popular with British retirees and holidaymakers. As of late August, wildfires had ravaged 74,260 hectares in Spain, above the average of the last 10 years but still some way off the 190,000 hectares destroyed in 2012, the worst year in the past decade. Environment Ministry data show seven of the 10 hottest years on record in Spain occurred in the last decade.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

SPoRtS 11

kaRaCHi

QuarTararo hoping To TaME hiS 'WorST TraCk' aT aragon MoTogp ALCAÑIZ AFP

OTO GP championship leader Fabio Quartararo heads to a MotorLand track that has never been good to him as he seeks a victory at the Aragon GP that will move him one step closer to becoming the first Frenchman to take the crown. The Yamaha rider already has five wins under his belt this season and now stands 65 points ahead of champion Joan Mir (Suzuki). But Aragon is the home race for the Spanish riders, not least the six-time world champion Marc Marquez. "Aragon is probably the worst track on the calendar, not for the Yamaha bike but for me," said Quartararo. "I have been fast there before –- I got pole position last year –- but I have never really been consistent. "So this would be a great thing to fix. I want to learn at that track and be consistent there too." With six races remaining, a decent showing by the 22-year-old, even if it does not result in victory on Sunday, would go a long

way towards delivering the title. Behind Mir lies another Frenchman Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac) and the Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) who are 69 and 70 points respectively behind Quartararo. Neither Zarco nor Bagnaia has won yet in MotoGP and their Ducatis usually strug-

gle on the Spanish track with their last winning coming in 2010. The Suzukis of Mir and his teammate Alex Rins pose a greater threat, as Rins' victory last year showed. Suzuki, though, have yet to find their stride this season and still have not won a race.

THE MARQUEZ MOMENT? Marquez was born not far from the Aragon circuit and considers it is his home track. That comfort with the surroundings has been borne out with five wins there in MotoGP but he has struggled to reimpose himself since fracturing his right arm in the first Grand Prix of the 2020 season. The Honda rider required three bouts of surgery and his arm is still causing him pain. He holds the sad record for the most crashes since the start of the season. Currently 12th in the championship, 147 points behind Quartararo, his hopes for a seventh title are zero but he will be fired up to prove to himself -- and to the MotoGP world -- that he still belongs within the elite of the sport. He may have an important ally in his home circuit which is one of the few that runs counterclockwise which means less stress on Marquez's injured arm. It was the same lay-out at the Sachsenring in Germany in June where Marquez picked up his only victory of the season. "It's great to be back racing at MotorLand after missing the rounds in 2020 and

Robinson, Pepi, US flip WCup qualifier, beat Honduras 4-1 SAN PEDRO SULA AP

The United States was skidding to another World Cup qualifying failure when Antonee Robinson entered, quickly tied the score and celebrated with a backward somersault. The entire game soon flipped. Ricardo Pepi put the U.S. ahead in the 75th minute, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget added late goals and the U.S. rolled past Honduras 4-1 Wednesday night. “I think it’s really important that we did that just to show everyone that at times it’s going to be a hard qualifying process, but we’re ready for the challenges that’ll come ahead,” Robinson said. “We can respond to anything.” Pepi had a goal and two assists in his debut, and the Americans exhaled after a tumultuous week of injuries, positive Covid-19 tests and a huge disciplinary issue. They won for just the second time in 41 qualifiers in which they trailed at halftime (six draws). Coach Gregg Berhalter held a team meeting before the match and told players that opening draws at El Salvador and at home against Canada “wouldn’t have doomed the qualifying.” U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen, defender Sergiño Dest and midfielder Gio Reyna had gotten hurt, Steffen tested positive for Covid and midfielder Weston McKennie was sent home by Berhalter for violating team Covid protocols. Berhalter thought the talk helped players begin to relax.

“Despite all this crap that happened in these last couple days, the guys’ spirits were extremely high,” he said. Still, Brayan Moya put 63rd-ranked Honduras ahead in the 27th minute, breaking free of George Bello and heading a cross from Diego Rodríguez past goalkeeper Matt Turner after John Brooks lost the ball. That put the 10th-ranked Americans in a daunting position: They had given up the first goal in 33 previous road World Cup qualifiers, winning two, losing 26 and tying five. Berhalter told players at halftime they had to change more than formation. “We need to compete, and that was something I was disappointed with,” he recalled saying. “When they scored, instead of seeing that reaction that we’re used to, I think their heads went down a little bit.” And to make the challenge greater, Christian Pulisic injured his left ankle early in the second half, tried to continue and fell in a heap during a sprint a few minutes later. He was replaced in the 62nd minute. “When Christian goes down, it’s always like, mmm, you take like a deep breath because he’s our best player,“Aaronson said. Pepi, who scored the winning penalty kick in last month’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game against Liga MX, at 18 years, 242 days became the secondyoungest American to appear in a qualifier behind Pulisic at 17 years, 193 days in March 2016. The Dallas forward chose to

play for the U.S. over Mexico, the 65th player to appear for the Americans since the October 2017 loss at Trinidad and Tobago ended a streak of seven straight World Cup appearances. He was the 42nd since Berhalter was hired in December 2018. “I feel like he had confidence in me,” Pepi said, “so I just went out there and do my thing.” Berhalter made five lineup changes, inserting Pepi, Bello, Mark McKenzie and James Sands for their qualifying debuts and bringing back Josh Sargent, who started the opener. They were part of a lineup that averaged the youngest ever for the U.S. in a qualifier at 23 years, 85 days, one that had Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Kellyn Acosta in a 3-5-2 formation, with Adams playing wide on the right rather than defensive midfield. At halftime, the U.S. went back to its normal 4-3-3. “We needed to push up much quicker,” Berhalter said, “give our midfielders smaller space to be able to win balls. We wanted to be more aggressive high pressing them, and we thought that would lead to some turnovers.” Criticized for waiting too long to insert substitutes on Sunday, Berhalter injected Robinson, Lletget and Aaronson to start the second half for Brooks, Bello and Sargent. The horn-blowing full house of about 31,000 at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano quickly was silenced. Robinson tied it in the 48th with his first international goal. Pulisic took a pass from Pepi at midfield, dribbled and dished

wide to Lletget, who crossed. Pepi made a backheel drop in the 6-yard box to Robinson, who scored with a right-footed volley from 8 yards. Pepi put the U.S. ahead in the 75th. Two minutes after replacing Sands, DeAndre Yedlin crossed and Pepi outjumped Marcelo Pereira to loop a header to the left of goalkeeper Luis López. Pepi burst into the penalty area in the 86th and squared for Aaronson, whose right-footed shot from 12 yards was his fifth international goal and second of qualifying. “I was so fired up today, I don’t know what kind of took over me, but I was just ready to go, and you could see it with all the subs. It was a spark,” Aaronson said Luis López got a hand on Pepi’s shot in the third minute of stoppage time. Lletget, following up on the play, banged the ball into the open net for his eighth international goal. The U.S. scored four goals in a qualifier in Central America for the first time. “We just fought,” Lletget said. “We knew we just had to match their intensity. That was the biggest change in the second half.” Mexico leads the North and Central American and Caribbean region with seven points, followed by Canada and the U.S. with five points each and identical goals for and against. Panama has five points and trails on goals, while Costa Rica and Honduras have two points apiece and Jamaica none. The top three nations qualify.

hopefully we can put on a good show for the fans," said Marquez. "In recent races we have been closer to the front so the aim is to continue this and see what's possible on Sunday." VINALES AT APRILIA: Around 20,000 people will be admitted to the circuit and will no doubt be keeping a close eye on another Spaniard, Maverick Vinales who will make his debut for Aprilia after leaving Yamaha under a cloud. Yamaha suspended Vinales in August on suspicion of attempting to damage his bike at the Styrian GP. Vinales, who has won nine races in his career, joins an Aprilia team that showed signs of climbing from mid-pack mediocrity with Aleix Espargaro's third place finish at the British GP. In the other categories, Australian Remy Gardner will try to increase his lead over the Spaniard Raul Fernandez in Moto2. In Moto3, the phenomenon 17-year-old Pedro Acosta, already a five-time winner for his first season in the category, is looking to bounce back from a poor performance in Silverstone and stretch his lead at the top of the standings.

Stokes not in England T20 World Cup squad, fast bowler Mills recalled LONDON REUTERS

All-rounder Ben Stokes on Thursday was not included in England’s 15-man preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup as he continues to take a break from cricket to focus on his mental health, the England and Wales Cricket Board said. The ECB added that the 30-year-old, who was a key player for the side in their 50-over World Cup triumph two years ago, was unavailable for selection for the tournament that kicks off next month in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The selectors recalled fast bowler Tymal Mills for the first time since February 2017 following his impressive performances in the Vitality T20 Blast and The Hundred. “Tymal Mills deserves his inclusion and has demonstrated over the past couple of years that he has all the skills […] his exceptional pace is a standout […] he will add variety to our bowling unit,” said England coach Chris Silverwood. There was no place for Test skipper Joe Root, who earlier this year expressed a desire to make a comeback in the shortest format. Injured paceman Jofra Archer was also not included.“I believe we have selected a squad that covers all bases and has the depth to be successful in what is expected to be a very competitive tournament featuring the best players in the world,” added Silverwood. England take on West Indies in their opener on Oct. 23 in Dubai. Squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood Reserves: Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, James Vince.

After all the hype, Ronaldo set for 1st game back at Man U AP The public relations push has been relentless at Manchester United these past few days, detailing everything about Cristiano Ronaldo from his movements in training, his greatest goals, his reclaiming of the “iconic” No. 7 jersey, to the inside story of his goal celebration. Ronaldo, of course, was immediately added to the giant mural emblazoned outside Old Trafford. United jerseys with his name on the back are flying off the shelves in the club’s megastore. “Cristiano is in the house,” United midfielder Bruno Fernandes said. As if anyone wasn’t aware. One of the best players in the history of soccer is making an emotional return for a second spell at

one of the world’s biggest teams, so it’s understandable that Ronaldo has been the talk of the town since his stunning transfer from Juventus was completed last week. His first appearance back at United is likely to be against Newcastle on Saturday and it is one of the most anticipated occasions in the history of the Premier League, even if the match will not be televised live in Britain because of previously agreed broadcasting arrangements. But away from all the glitz, the hype and the marketing, what can the soccer world expect of the 36year-old Ronaldo in what could be the last big move of his club career? Does his presence virtually ensure United will be “closer to winning” trophies, as Fernandes has said. Certainly, Ronaldo is a still a

guarantee of goals. He has a staggering 785 goals in 1,075 appearances for club and country, after all. He has just become the record scorer of all time in men’s international soccer, with 111 goals, and is coming off a European Championship where he won the Golden Boot with five goals in four games. The top scorer in Champions League history with 134, Ronaldo has delivered the following number of league goals in his last five seasons at club level: 29 in 33 games (2020-21), 31 in 33 games (201920), 21 in 31 games (2018-19), 26 in 27 games (2017-18), and 25 in 29 games (2016-17). However, even if he was top scorer in Serie A last season and had 101 goals and 22 assists in a total of 134 appearances for Juven-

tus, his three years in Turin should perhaps act as a warning for United. Juve steadily declined with Ronaldo there, to the extent that the team only just scraped a fourth-place finish last season to qualify for the Champions League. In the Champions League, Juve reached the quarterfinals just once with Ronaldo — before he arrived, it got to the final in two of the previous four seasons. That maybe was not all his doing — it was a turbulent period for Juve, which had three coaches in Massimiliano Allegri, Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo, all of whom had different approaches — yet his presence did wind up being divisive purely for the fact it meant the team seemed to exist as a function to get the best out of him as opposed to working as a unit.

Friday, 10 September, 2021

PrAyer TiMings

NEWS

FAzl AccusEs BilAWAl oF BEinG A ‘pAWn’ oF ThE EsTABlishmEnT ISLAMABAD

MiAn AbrAr

N a fresh outburst against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman accused Bilawal of being a ‘pawn’ of the establishment as well as the federal government who destroyed the PDM’s cause. In an interview with a local media outlet, Fazl lashed out at Bilawal and said that the PDM’s mission was destroyed due to the presence of ‘Mir Jaffer and Mir Sadiq’ in the PDM ranks. “Bilawal had bracketed himself with the federal government and the establishment. The option of (en-mass) resignations was a part of the PDM manifesto. Had the PPP leadership agreed to the PDM decision, the federal government would have fallen and elections would have been held by now,” he said while commenting over

the failure of the PDM to topple the federal government. Fazl did not stop and her and went on to accuse the PPP chairman further. “The offer made to Bilawal was also made to us but Bilawal accepted the offer and we rejected that offer,” he said apparently referring to the backchannel contacts with the establishment. The JUI-F chief said that it is a pity that 74 years since Pakistan came into being have passed. “At this stage, countries are put on the path of development and economic prosperity but Pakistan is moving back to square one,” he added. Commenting about the recent developments taking place in Afghanistan, Fazl said that the United States, Europe and NATO have all been defeated in Afghanistan and America is no more a sole superpower of the world and it should no more try to change the geography of the world. He said that after 9/11 attacks, the Taliban were saying offering the US to

Explainer: What was, and is, al-Qaeda? DUBAI: Born out of the 1980s war against the Soviet Union’s occupation of Afghanistan, the group al-Qaeda under Osama bin Laden grew into a generational threat to America that culminated in its September 11, 2001, attack that brought down the World Trade Center in New York. The 9/11 attacks, which also saw the Pentagon struck by the commercial airliners hijacked by the group’s militants, led to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan and the start of America’s longest war that just ended with the military’s frantic airlift from Kabul. It also represented a new kind of danger, a war not against a nation per se but a shadowy network of financiers, acolytes and suicide bombers that continues even after bin Laden’s killing at the hands of the US Navy SEALs in 2011. Others have followed their model to even more horrific results. ORIGINS: Al-Qaeda, or “the Base” in Arabic, organised as the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan. Hoping to capitalize on the support the mujahedeen, or the holy warriors, received during their war against Moscow, bin Laden formed al-Qaeda and became its leader. The son of a construction magnate in Saudi Arabia, bin Laden also enjoyed familial wealth as well. He demanded US forces withdraw from Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam. America deployed troops there in the lead-up to the 1991 Gulf War over Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. THE PEAK: In 1996, bin Laden issued a formal declaration of war. But it wasn’t until trucks loaded with explosives detonated outside of US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killing more than 200 people on August 7, 1998, that the threat became real. The AssociATed Press

resolve issues through dialogue but the arrogant US decided not to talk to the Taliban. “However, 20 years down the lane, the US has been holding talks to the Taliban in Doha for the past two years,” he asserted. The JUI-F chief said that the change that has taken place in Afghanistan is not limited to Afghanistan but it’s a change in the region. “After the Kabul conquest, the Taliban showed magnanimity and announced a general amnesty despite 20 years of war. Taliban’s generosity should be welcomed by the world. China, Russia and neighboring countries should adopt a positive attitude towards Taliban,” he asserted. Criticising the federal government for not recognizing Taliban government, Fazl said that ‘wait and see’ policy reflects confusion. “The signals coming from Russia and China are positive. Peaceful Afghanistan can guarantee a peaceful

Asia. A stable Afghanistan would ensure stability in Pakistan,” he added. Fazl said that the purpose for which Pakistan came into being is still a distant dream. “Where nations are moving forward, we are retreating. Instead of going upwards, we are rolling downwards. Our elders passed a unanimous constitution through parliamentary politics but today, plans are being hatched to turn these successes into failures,” he alleged. The PDM chief said that today’s generation is watching the decay of the country’s economy and the common man is getting nothing but hunger and thirst. ‘The government that came for a change brought about such a change that even six percent economic growth has become a distant dream and the annual production has gone below zero. The rulers should tell us why that the increase in the exchange rate is actually increasing debt. We have to thwart the ruling party’s agenda,” he concluded.

Remote learning is setting back millions of children: UNICEF ISLAMABAD reuTers

Hundreds of millions of children in South Asia are suffering because their schools have been closed because of the coronavirus but they lack online devices and connections for remote learning, UNICEF said on Thursday. Authorities should prioritise the safe reopening of schools because even before the pandemic, almost 60 percent of children in the densely populated region were unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10, the UN children’s agency said. “School closures in South Asia have forced hundreds of millions of children and their teachers to transition to remote learning in a region with low connectivity and device affordability,”

said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF’s regional director for South Asia. “Even when a family has access to technology, children are not always able to access it. As a result, children have suffered enormous setbacks in their learning journey.” The repeated school closures since last year had affected 434 million children in South Asia and a substantial proportion of them were learning significantly less compared with pre-pandemic levels, UNICEF said in a report based on research in India, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In India, 80 percent of children aged 14-18 reported lower levels of learning than when physically at school. In Sri Lanka, 69 percent of parents of primary school children said that their children

were learning less or a lot less. In Pakistan, 23 percent of younger children did not have access to any device for remote learning. In India, 42 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 13 reported no remote learning during school closures. “The safe reopening of schools must be considered an utmost priority for all governments,” said George Laryea-Adjei. Indian epidemiologists and social scientists have asked authorities to reopen classes for all children, saying the benefits outweigh the risks, especially as poor, rural children are missing out on online education. South Asia, with nearly 2 billion people, has reported more than 37 million coronavirus infections and more than 523,000 deaths.

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Taliban interim government agrees to let foreigners leave Afghanistan Two hundred foreigners in Afghanistan, Americans among them, are set to depart on charter flights from Kabul on Thursday after the new Taliban government agreed to their evacuation, a U.S. official said. The departures will be among the first international flights to take off from Kabul airport since the Islamist militia seized the capital in midAugust, triggering the chaotic U.S.-led evacuation of 124,000 foreigners and at-risk Afghans. The flights come two days after the Taliban announced an interim government made up of mainly ethnic Pashtun men, including wanted terror suspects and Islamist hardliners, dashing international hopes for a more moderate administration. The Taliban were pressed to allow the departures by U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. official said, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The official could not say whether the American civilians and other foreign nationals were among people stranded for days in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif because their private charters had not been allowed to depart. The announcement of a new government on Tuesday was widely seen as a signal the Taliban were not looking to broaden their base and present a more tolerant face to the world, as they had earlier suggested they would do. All of the ministers are men, and nearly all are Pashtuns, the ethnic group that predominates in the Taliban’s southern Afgan heartland but accounts for less than half the country’s population. Foreign countries greeted the interim government with caution and dismay on Wednesday. In Kabul, dozens of women took to the streets in protest and several journalists covering the demonstration said Taliban fighters detained and beat them. The new Taliban Interior Ministry later said that to avoid disturbances and security problems, anyone holding a demonstration should apply for permission 24 hours in advance. Protests by both women and men were being curtailed because there was a security threat from Islamic State fighters, said a Taliban minister who declined to be identified. Any attack on journalists would be investigated, he said. reuTers

Former Afghanistan ambassador blames Ghani regime for Taliban takeover WASHINGTON: Roya Rahmani, Afghanistan’s first female ambassador to the United States who left her post in July, is clearly horrified by the Taliban takeover of her country. But she is not surprised. In an interview, Rahmani accused the former US-backed government in Kabul of a failure to lead the country and of widespread corruption that ultimately paved the way for the Taliban’s victory last month. She also warned the United States, still smarting from its defeat, that the rise of the Taliban would have farreaching geopolitical consequences. “I, as an Afghan, was not surprised by the fact that the Taliban took over Afghanistan the way they did and how quickly they did, partly because of the lack of leadership by the Afghan government that was in place at the time,” Rahmani said. President Joe Biden acknowledged he and other officials were aware of the risk that the Afghan government could collapse following the US military withdrawal. But they say they were caught off-guard by the speed of the Taliban victory, a miscalculation that helped lead to a chaotic US military airlift of US citizens and vulnerable Afghans. Thirteen US troops and scores of Afghans were killed in a suicide bombing during the operation. reuTers

Death of an Afghan icon: 20 years since the assassination of Ahmad Shah Massoud Two days before 9/11, an Al-Qaeda suicide squad posing as journalists sat down for an interview with Ahmad Shah Massoud, the last major commander resisting the jihadist group’s Taliban allies in northern Afghanistan. Before he could answer a question, they detonated explosives that investigators later said had been cunningly disguised in their camera equipment. Twenty years on, Massoud’s assassination and the September 11 attacks on the United States are for many Afghans the twin cataclysms that started yet another era of uncertainty and bloodshed — and which continue to reverberate following the Taliban’s return. The charismatic Massoud, known as the Lion of Panjshir after his native valley, built his name during the 1980s as a brilliant guerrilla commander repelling Soviet forces. By the late 1990s, he was fighting the Taliban — and their Al-Qaeda allies. Both wanted him gone. The audacious hit was ordered by Osama bin Laden himself. The assassins pretended to be filming a documentary, and secured the Massoud interview by presenting a concocted back story printed on a letterhead from an Islamic centre in Britain. They used stolen Belgian passports to travel. Then they hit a wall — Massoud was too busy to sit down with them when they arrived in August 2001 at his base in Khwaja Bahauddin village.

“They spent 10 days with us calmly and patiently waiting, and never unnecessarily insisting on the interview,” Fahim Dashti, a journalist and close Massoud aide, told AFP a few weeks after the assassination. Dashti was setting up his own camera to record the interview as the two Al-Qaeda operatives relayed their questions in Arabic to the commander’s close aide, Masood Khalili, for translation.

“We were not feeling comfortable,” Khalili told AFP in October 2001, especially because they had asked questions about bin Laden. “The ‘cameraman’ had a nasty smile. The ‘journalist’ was very calm,” he said. Just as Massoud heard the translation, the explosives went off. ‘YOUR LEADER IS DEAD’: The killing sent shockwaves across Afghanistan and the world.

Massoud was seen as the last big hope by anti-Taliban Afghans at the time, and by Western governments as a potent ally against even more hardline militants. With his Northern Alliance resistance already on the back foot against the Taliban, his aides hid his death for days. A week after he was killed, Massoud was buried in his home district of Bazarak — his body shrouded in the colours of the Afghan flag and with thousands of followers in the funeral procession. A marble tomb was built attracting huge numbers of devotees. “When (Massoud) was killed, I was in Panjshir. The resistance forces were…surrounded from all sides,” a 47-year-old resident of the area told AFP on Monday, requesting anonymity because of security fears. “The Taliban even announced on the radio: your leader is dead and you’re done. But… the death of the leader gave the people another reason to fight harder.” The tables were turned within weeks as the United States, looking to punish the Taliban for harbouring the 9/11 perpetrators, invaded Afghanistan. The Taliban regime fell by the end of 2001, pummelled by American bombers guided by Northern Alliance fighters. Al-Qaeda, hoping to get the upper hand both against the United States and in Afghanistan with their two major attacks, was on the run.

PANJSHIR FALLS: The Taliban launched a lightning offensive as the last US-led troops left Afghanistan this year, capping their 20-year insurgency with the capture of Kabul on August 15. Once again, the main opposition emerged in Panjshir — led this time by Ahmad Massoud, who was 12 years old when Al-Qaeda killed his father. But the Taliban swiftly sent fighters to surround the area, claiming eventually on Monday that they had captured Panjshir. Among the resistance dead in the heavy fighting was Fahim Dashti, the journalist who survived the Massoud bombing 20 years ago. One Taliban account posted a picture of fighters in Panjshir standing in front of a vandalised Ahmad Shah Massoud poster. Ahmad Shah Massoud’s brother Ahmad Wali said in Geneva Tuesday that while their National Resistance Front was “wounded”, thousands of fighters can come back at any time. It is a difficult scenario for Mohammad Sana Safa, a 63-year-old who worked with Massoud in the 1980s when there were daily attacks by the Soviets. “Ahmad Massoud is a young man, patriotic, but he has no military experience like his father,” Safa said Monday. “Had (his father) been alive today, we would have not witnessed this… the fall of Panjshir to the Taliban. AFP

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