Wednesday, 20 January, 2021 I 6 Jamadi-ul-Sani, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 202 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
ECP rEsPonds to PdM’s allEgations, says fully awarE of its Constitutional rEsPonsibilitiEs g
Opp leaders claim ecp 'held back' electiOns results in 2018 tO ensure their defeat
ISLAMABAD
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staff report
he election commission of pakistan (ecp) on tuesday, while responding to a protest demonstration staged by the pdm outside its office, said that the election body was fully aware of its constitutional responsibilities. “we are committed to fulfilling our responsibilities without succumbing to any pressures,” the ecp said in a handout issued on tuesday as opposition parties gathered outside its islamabad office to protest against a delay in the investigations of the foreign funding case against the ruling party. it said that the election commission is ready to hold free and fair polls at any time. the election commission further rejected the allegations of slow progress in the foreign funding case and said that it had made considerable progress in the case.
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
523,011
LAST UPDATED AT 7:52 AM ON JANUARY 19, 2021
58
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
1,800 DEATHS:
476,471 11,055 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
236,530 150,316 KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
63,825
special cOntrOl rOOm mOnitOrs grOund situatiOn
“we have further directed the scrutiny committee to hold its proceedings into the case thrice in a week,” the handout read. earlier, pakistan muslim leaguenawaz (pml-n) vice president maryam nawaz, while addressing a protest outside the ecp, that is pursuing a sevenyear-old petition accusing pakistan tehreek-e-insaf (pti) of receiving foreign funding during years leading to and after the 2013 election, said that the opposition parties had gathered to remind the regulatory body of its “constitutional obligations.” Questioning the “unacceptable” delay in the trial, which is set to resume tomorrow (wednesday), maryam sought to remind the chief election commissioner, sikandar sultan raja, of the “constitutional” position of his office. “this [ecp] is the institution that the constitution has made responsible for honoruing the public vote and this is the institution that had to get respect for the public vote,” she added.
Coronavirus in
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
g
18,622
8,654/4,887 40,177
her address is part of the protest, organised by the pakistan democratic movement (pdm), being held outside the offices of the election commission to question the delay in the probe that has dragged on throughout the tenure of deposed prime minister nawaz sharif and the two-and-a-half years of the incumbent setup without a verdict. as the trial gained pace, the scrutiny committee of the commission last week summoned both the pakistan people’s party (ppp) and the pml-n, directing them to submit their respective records of funds collected through foreign sources. maryam, in a passionate speech, termed the trial the “biggest fraud in pakistan’s history.” she claimed while the graft cases against her father were expedited and decided within days, the commission had “only held 70 hearings” of the pti case since 2014. “today the pdm and public ask you,” maryam questioned, addressing prime minister imran khan, “if you did not steal, then why did you try to stop the case 30 times.” she further claimed the prime minister had submitted six requests in the court, saying the ecp could not decide this case. “ecp formed a committee called the scrutiny committee whose job was to investigate and place results in front of the people but when the probe was started, the list of crimes was so long that it was told to be lenient on [the pti] and the committee then became obedient of imran khan and ecp,” she said. the pml-n leader said that the case against the pti could be decided within three days, “but they have been sitting like a snake on top of it for seven years.”
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Committee to probe Broadsheet scandal, report in 45 days: Faraz g
infOrmatiOn minister says gOvernment will take actiOn against thOse respOnsible ISLAMABAD Mian abrar
the federal cabinet on tuesday constituted a committee to be headed by a former judge of the supreme or high court to investigate the scandal of broadsheet llc, fix the responsibility on illegal beneficiaries and submit its report within 45 days. the committee was constituted after a heated debate over the report of a ministerial committee into the case. the three-member ministerial committee, led by minister for information and broadcasting senator shibli faraz and comprising minister for science and technology fawad chaudhry and minister for human resource dr shireen mazari, had recommended that the case should be probed thoroughly by a judicial committee. sources told pakistan today that during the meeting, prime minister imran khan not only approved the ministerial committee’s recommendations but also directed the committee to make public the facts in the scandal, involving the london-based asset recovery fund and the national accountability bureau (nab).
PM directs to accelerate measures for Covid-19 vaccine rollout ISLAMABAD staff report
prime minister imran khan on tuesday chaired a meeting on the coronavirus situation in pakistan and procurement of covid-19 vaccines. the cabinet committee, formed on the procurement of covid-19 vaccines, briefed the prime minister about the recently-approved coronavirus vaccines in the country. the committee briefed the meeting that the drug regulatory authority of pakistan (drap) had approved two covid-19 vaccines – china’s sinopharm and Oxford-astraZeneca covid19 vaccine for emergency use in pakistan. the committee told pm imran that steps are being taken to procure doses of two approved covid-19 vaccines as soon as possible. coronavirus vaccines will be available in the country by the first quarter of the ongoing year, the committee told the premier. speaking on the occasion, pm imran directed the committee to accelerate measures for the early provision of two coronavirus vaccines recently approved by drap.
later, addressing a press conference flanked by fawad and mazari, faraz said that the new committee would comprise one representative each of federal investigation agency (fia) and attorney general of pakistan (agp), besides a senior advocate to be nominated by the prime minister. faraz said that the government will probe all the names that surfaced in the london high court judgment and once the investigation is completed, it will take action against those responsible. “accountability cannot be onesided. it is not a choice,” he said. “corruption investigations are underway against ppp leadership.” he added that the broadsheet verdict was based on facts about the corruption stories of the previous rulers. it contain the details of corruption committed before 2,000 and another inquiry is required to look into the wrongdoings done after 2,000. faraz further said that the former rulers fully benefitted from the nrO (national reconciliation Ordinance) and again went on the looting spree of national wealth without any remorse and shame.
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more inside
PDM failed to show power due to hollow narrative: Rasheed STORY ON PAGE 03
the meeting was attended by ncOc head asad umar, sapm on health dr faisal sultan, federal minister for industries hammad azhar and sapm on social protection and poverty alleviation dr sania nishtar. separately, the sindh health department on tuesday recommended an allocation of rs1.5 billion for procurement of anticoronavirus vaccine. a spokesperson for the provincial health department said a draft will be prepared to seek the approval of chief minister syed murad ali shah. the provincial government is negotiating the import of covid-19 vaccines with two private companies. meanwhile, special assistant to the prime minister on health dr faisal sultan said that pakistan
will receive its first batch of the coronavirus vaccine directly from manufacturers as well as the global platform of cOvaX in the first quarter of the year. talking to a private television channel, dr faisal sultan said that the government will be ordering doses from more than one international suppliers within this quarter. he said that pakistan will only procure vaccines that have been approved by the drug regulatory authority of pakistan (drap) after evaluation of its quality vis a vis efficacy data. he said that in near future, more vaccines will also be given a go-ahead by the regulatory body.
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washington prepares for Joe biden’s inauguration day STORY ON BACK PAGE
NAB seizes Nawaz's properties in Mir Shakil case STORY ON PAGE 02
‘established’ from broadsheet verdict nawaz ‘lied to parliament, sc, nation’: asad STORY ON BACK PAGE
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Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
NEWS
NAB SeIzeS NAwAz'S ProPertIeS IN MIr ShAkIl cASe LAHORE
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HE National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday informed an accountability court it has seized all properties of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan in a purportedly illegal plot allotment case involving Jang Group chief Mir Shakilur Rehman. A NAB investigation officer, Abid Hussain, informed the court orders given earlier have been executed and the property in question has been seized. Subsequently, the court announced to
In March 2020, ShakIl waS arreSted In a three-decade-old caSe InvolvIng a land deal SaId to be dubIouS indict Shakil on January 28 and summoned former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director-general Humayun Faiz Rasool, a co-accused in the hearing, at the next hearing. So far, the court has found four accused -- Rehman, Nawaz, Rasool and Bashir Ahmed -- guilty. The graft agency arrested Shakil over the land transaction dating back to 1986, accusing him of scoring illegal concessions
in the purchase of plots in Lahore's Johar Town neighbourhood. According to the watchdog, the Jang Group chief had illegally acquired 54 plots, each measuring one kanal, at Canal Bank in H-Block in 1986 in connivance with then Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif. Under the LDA rules, the exemption could be granted for 15 plots only. However, 54 plots were exempted in a single block on
Nawaz's approval. Under the exemption policy, 70 per cent of the land was supposed to remain with the LDA but it was never transferred. Shakil, in a petition, said the reopening of a 34-year-old case relating to exemption of plots with respect to which neither the LDA nor any other authority or owner of the land had raised any grievance inevitably involved consideration extraneous to law.
Naval chief in Saudi to meet govt, military leadership ISLAMABAD/RIYADH: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi arrived in Riyadh late on Monday night on his first official visit to Saudi Arabia after assuming the charge in October. Admiral Niazi, who arrived in Riyadh on the "special invitation of Commander Royal Saudi Naval Forces," will remain in the Kingdom “from 18-23 January 2021,” the navy said through a statement. “Upon arrival at Riyadh, he was received by Raja Ali Ejaz, Ambassador of Pakistan to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and high ranking military officers of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the statement added. The naval chief will call on top government and senior military leaders during the five-day visit which is “expected to further enhance the brotherly relationship between two countries in general and navies in specific.” Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed close relations for decades. Pakistan Navy provided training to Saudi officers and sailors during the latter navy’s formative years in the '70s and '80s. TLTP
It further said the factum of ingrained mala fides involved in the initiation and continuance of proceedings against the petitioner under the NAO 1999 in the threedecade-old mat¬¬ter of exemption of land could be well gauged by the manner in which the NAB chairman at Islam-abad and the bureau officials at La¬¬hore acted at tandem with each other on March 12 to bring about his arrest. It alleged that each and every allegation forming the basis of grounds of arrest was maliciously false and concocted and the arre¬¬st of the petitioner had been procured by NAB with ulterior motives and for reasons extraneous to law.
Bilawal for joint efforts to send govt packing UMERKOT: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that all stakeholders will have to make joint efforts to send the 'ineligible' government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) home. Addressing a rally in Umerkot, the PPP chairman said that everyone will have to make an effort to dismiss this “non-democratic” government so that the masses could be served. He alleged that the government has made the lives of the masses miserable, adding, "If it isn't done, who will stop the ongoing injustices with the people.” Regarding the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), he said, "Every Pakistani is asking as to why the ECP has been unable to respond regarding PTI's being funded from abroad.” "Who is the citizen of Israel or India that's aiding [Prime Minister] Imran Khan, this government was formed on the basis of foreign funding." Bilawal further alleged. He alleged that the entire [ruling] party is corrupt, saying Prime Minister Imran Khan has also been unable to respond regarding his sister's assets in the United States. The PPP chief noted a government only serves the people when it comes with their support and votes. TLTP
Former BISP chief, others to be indicted in NAB case
LAHORE: A view of birds silhouetted by the setting sun. ZUBaIR MeHfooZ
nab files corruption reference against Sindh cM ISLAMABAD TLTP
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a corruption reference against Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah over alleged misuse of power in provincial power projects. The anti-corruption watchdog filed the corruption reference against Sindh CM Murad in an accountability court of Islamabad. The chief minister is facing charges of misusing the power in the disbursement of funds for energy-related projects in Sindh, according to the reference filed by NAB. It stated that public funds worth billions have been
embezzled for Nooriabad Power Company and Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company. Murad Ali Shah and Abdul Ghani Majeed are among 17 persons who are nominated in the corruption reference by the anti-graft watchdog. In October last year, it emerged that CM Murad and over 12 provincial cabinet members are on the radar of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) under corruption charges in separate cases. Some of the cabinet members had been issued call-up notices in embezzlement cases by the bureau besides summoning the record of income and assets of others from concerned institutions and departments. An inquiry had been launched against CM Murad over
embezzlement in Roshan Sindh Programme and benami accounts cases, whereas former Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Nisar Khuhro were also wanted by NAB in cases. Moreover, the bureau had also initiated an investigation against provincial minister Taimur Talpur and Jam Khan Shoro. Provincial Minister for Transport Syed Awais Shah and Sharjeel Inam Memon are currently on bail in NAB cases. The NAB had also summoned details of funds utilised by the province to deal with coronavirus recently in order to determine the misuse of funds by the concerned authorities. Three major arrests including a secretary of the local government department had also been made over corruption in the department. The NAB is also probing around 20 matters relating to irregularities in information, commerce, labour and board of revenue departments.
nusrat Shehbaz moves lhc against arrest warrants, rejection of exemption plea LAHORE TLTP
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif’s wife, Nusrat Shehbaz, has moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) to challenge the issuance of her arrest warrants as well as rejection of her plea for permanent exemption from court appearance in the money laundering case by an accountability court. Nusrat on Tuesday, challenging the accountability court’s verdict in the Lahore High Court (LHC), stated that the petition was filed to nullify the ruling for rejection of
her exemption plea and issuance of arrest warrants. It may be noted here that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a corruption reference against Shehbaz’s family members. She stated in her petition that NAB court had rejected both of her pleas. Nusrat added that she was residing in a foreign country for medical treatment for a long time prior to the approval of the NAB’s investigation and filing of the reference. It further stated that the petitioner is suffering from different diseases and is currently receiving medical treatment abroad which stops her to arrive in the country
for appearing in the hearings. Nusrat pleaded the high court to nullify the verdict of the NAB court besides overturning the decision of the issuance of arrest warrants against her. Earlier on November 2 last year, an accountability court had rejected Nusrat’s plea, seeking permanent exemption from the court appearance in the money laundering case after hearing arguments from both sides. The court had also directed to initiate the process of declaring Nusrat as a proclaimed offender and the directorgeneral of NAB Rawalpindi chapter was asked to submit asset details of the accused.
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Tuesday announced to indict former Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) chairperson Farzana Raja and eighteen other suspects over alleged corruption in issuing advertisements without adhering to relevant laws. The court ordered suspects to appear in the next hearing on February 15 for indictment. During the hearing, the National Accountability Court (NAB) provided the death certificate of an accused, Khurrum Humayun, to the court. Two accused, Iffat Zehra and Shoaib Khan, have been declared proclaimed offenders over their prolonged absence. The court issued perpetual warrants of arrest for both Zehra and Khan besides ordering to confiscate their properties and block national identity cards. In the reference, the agency alleged the BISP awarded contracts to advertising agencies in the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 in violation of the Public Procurement Rules, 2004. It was further alleged that Rs1.657 billion was awarded to one advertising agency namely M/s Midas (Private) Limited. The competent authority authorised an inquiry on May 23, 2014, which was subsequently upgraded into an investigation. It further said that the evidence collected during the investigation has established that Raja and others being public office holders, by misusing their respective authorities, pre-qualified advertising agencies in the year 2009 and awarded the media campaign of the BISP in violation of the PPR, 2004 as well as PID guidelines and released media payments against the alleged exaggerated fake bills submitted by the suspects and committed the offense of corruption and corrupt practices.
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
NEWS
03
PDM FAIleD to Show Power Due to hollow NArrAtIve: rASheeD InterIor MInISter SayS govt wIll now welcoMe opp’S long March ISLAMABAD
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NTERIOR Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that after Tuesday's failed show of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the government will also welcome their long march that could end the opposition's power-driven campaign. Addressing a news conference on Tuesday evening, the interior minister said that even without any hurdle, PDM failed to show their power just because of their hollow narrative.
The minister congratulated the police, Rangers and law enforcement institutions for maintaining law and order without creating hurdles in the way of PDM protest. He also thanked the religious scholars and seminary students from Islamabad who did not participate in PDM's protest. Commenting on Broadsheet matter, he said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz should read it carefully as it will prove another Panama Papers case for her family. Earlier during the day, the interior
minister visited the control room established at the Interior Ministry to monitor the law and order in the federal capital. He said that it is the first time that such a demonstration has been allowed on the Constitution Avenue. He said that the opposition parties were allowed to hold a peaceful protest. The interior minister also visited the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and reviewed the security arrangements there. During the protest rally, PML-N VP Maryam said that the opposition parties had gathered to remind the regulatory body of its
“constitutional obligations.” Later, the ECP, while responding to a protest demonstration staged by the PDM outside its office, said that the election body was fully
LWMC reveals financial irregularities in contracts with Turkish companies LAHORE SHaHaB oMeR
The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has revealed serious financial irregularities in contracts with Turkish companies, Albayrak and Ozpak, declaring the contracts as flawed and claiming that they were only in favour of the international contractors. LWMC Chairman Malik Amjad Noon believed that the agreements with the contractors were fundamentally wrong and detrimental to the company. “If the points of the agreements with the Turkish companies are observed, it will be found that they were wrong, untrue and vague. These were poorly designed contracts that stipulate the procurement of services at inflated rates, favouring the international contractors. Additional terms and conditions were also cleverly designed for the persons of choice. The bidding process itself was rigged by non-transparency of prequalification. Even the issuance of the tender documents to the international contractors in 2011 was without the approval of the Board of Directors. The executed contract delivered over payments to the international contractors
by allowing higher import duties and caused losses of Rs236.735 million to the organisation,” he said. Speaking to the reporters, Noon revealed that according to the forensic report, the accounts were misused and exaggeration was done, ignoring the amount and structure of waste stipulated in the agreement. He said that Turkish companies claimed the disposal of 4,700 tonnes of garbage on a daily basis while the actual volume was around 3,800 tonnes, which was delivered to the landfill site on a daily basis. “The international contractors were allowed to submit performance guarantees worth $4 million in two and three-year installments in case of breach of the terms and conditions. Additionally a mobilization advance of Rs3 billion was given to the contractors, whereas such a facility was not disclosed at the time of invitation of prequalification for other potential bidders. The contracts were also sustained on inflated cost with incorrect calculations of $2.5 million. Transfer stations that were to be built as a part of the contract were not made. Even the income tax that was to be contractually and legally paid by the
tahir rai appointed Balochistan IGP ISLAMABAD TLTP
The federal government on Tuesday transferred Balochistan inspector general of police (IGP) Mohsin Hassan Butt and replaced him with Muhammad Tahir Rai. A notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat of the Establishment Division read that Rai has been transferred and posted as the Provincial Police Officer (PPO) Balochistan with immediate effect and until further orders. Rai is a BS-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan. He was previously the additional IG of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Punjab before this new appointment. Separately, in order to bring the provincial police system in line with modern policing methods, the outgoing IGP on Tuesday digitised the outdated and traditional system of the police force. As per details, the computerised Data Command and Communication Centre (DCCC) has been set up in the IG’s office. Under the new system, the first information report (FIR) will be registered online, while mobile service center and human resource management records will be collected in the DCCC. Effective monitoring of police officers’ performances and police stations through digital data collection will be made in order to provide the best service to people. Speaking on the occasion, Mohsin Butt said that from now on computerized FIRs will be registered across all police stations of the province, adding that Gawalmandi police station is totally digitalbased equipped with all facilities. He further said that hotels and bus stops will be digitally monitored under the new system. The use of technology will not only increase the efficiency of the police but will also directly benefit the general public, he concluded.
contractors was thrust upon the LWMC to bear, which was against the principles of normal course of business in Pakistan. These are not just allegations, as evidence from hundreds of videos and images prove that unauthorised waste of construction and demolition material was lifted. Estimated losses over the period of the contract are around Rs6 billion, which is a gargantuan sum of money for a country that cannot afford to waste even one rupee,” he added. He also revealed that as per the contract with the foreign companies, $16 per tonne was the contractually agreed rate to be paid and multiple evidence were found, where muds were ported into the waste to increase the total tonnage. "Additional evidence also points towards tampered calibration of the weigh station. To meet a falsified number of the daily tonnage, the weights of the carrier trucks were not deducted from the total gross tonnage. Unprofessional corrupt practices was standard. Albayrak (for construction of the Metro Bus) was required to clear debris from the side areas, whereas it illegally charged the LWMC more than Rs100 million for the work. Similarly, the contractors collected unauthorised debris from the Orange
Line Train and charged the LWMC more than Rs400 million. The Lahore Ring Road's janitorial services contract was issued for Rs110 million and outsourced to Albayrak for Rs150 million per year. These are a few allegations in the long list of grievances. The rectification of the past mistakes and administrative embezzlements and misuse is not an easy task,” Noon further said. He added that even the machinery was very old and reduced at its book value cost. “A lesser performance guarantee of $1.2 million was submitted much later. Again the contracts were extended up to December 31, 2020, for which performance guarantees were not submitted. These are the elements that need public accountability and the LWMC should recover the illegitimate payments and also take disciplinary actions against all those responsible. The LWMC Board of Directors would look into charging financial claims for noncompliance of the performance of the contractors. The government can even initiate the black listing process against the contractors to safeguard other business entities and prevent their future participation for public procurement,” Noon concluded.
Pakistan wants to enhance trade, defence ties with friendly countries: President Alvi ISLAMABAD STaff RePoRT
President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan wants to further enhance bilateral trade, investment, defence and cultural ties with all friendly countries. The president said this while talking to resident ambassadors-designate of Korea, Nepal, Belarus and nonresidents ambassadors-designate of Ireland, Kosovo, Mali and Sierra Leone, who separately called on him on Tuesday. Alvi said that Pakistan's ranking in the Ease of Doing Business Index has improved tremendously and foreign investors need to take advantage of the investment friendly environment of the country. He said that Pakistan is taking all possible measures to promote relations with African countries under its "Engage Africa" policy. The president said that Pakistan is home to some of the world's most revered Buddhist sites and expressed the hope that tourists from friendly countries would
increasingly visit these sites. He also briefed the envoys about the atrocities and gross human rights violations being committed by India against the innocent people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He urged the international community to play its rightful role to stop India from committing such blatant violations of international law. Those who called on the president included Resident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Korea Suh Sangpyo, Resident Ambassador-designate of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Tapas Adhikari, Resident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Belarus Andrei Metelitsa, Non-Resident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Ireland Sonya McGuinness, Non-Resident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Kosovo Ilir Dugolli, Non-Resident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Mali Dianguinadit Yaya Doucoure and NonResident Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Sierra Leone Alie Badara Kamara.
Violation of Covid-19 restrictions to result in school's closure: minister LAHORE STaff RePoRT
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Tuesday warned to shut down schools that opened a day earlier on violation of health restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus outbreak. The government earlier this month announced to open all schools across the country from January 18, after remaining closed for nearly two months due to the second wave of the pandemic. In a media talk, Dr Rashid, who is leading the provincial anti-coronavirus drive, said the government will be compelled to close down the institutions in the standard operating procedures (SOPs) are "not followed religiously".
She lamented the transmission rate was the highest in Lahore compared to other cities of the province. In November, the government shut the schools and postponed exams to try to arrest the wave of fresh infections and a rise in the number of coronavirus-related hospitalisations. Students, including those at higher educational institutions as well as in private schools, continued classes through distance learning until December 24, when schools went on winter break until January 11. The decision to close schools was based on an increase in the rate of positive test results in the country. The rate of people testing positive in June was as high as 23 per cent but dropped to a low of 1.7 per cent by September. It has since begun to increase again, reaching 7.41 per cent this week.
aware of its constitutional responsibilities. “We are committed to fulfilling our responsibilities without succumbing to any pressures,” it said in a handout issued on Tuesday.
columnist Munnu Bhai remembered on death anniversary ISLAMABAD: The third death anniversary of renowned columnist, playwright and poet Muneer Ahmed Qureshi -- popularly known as Munnu Bhai -- was observed on Tuesday. Born in 1933 in the Wazirabad district of British India, Qureshi started his career as a journalist with an Urdu newspaper but soon turned to drama writing. He wrote numerous plays for Pakistan Television (PTV) and was awarded the Pride of Performance Award in 2007 for his services to the nation. Some of his dramas included Sona Chandi, Dasht, Tammanna, Gumshuda, Aashiyana and Khoobsurat. Apart from his work as a playwright and poet, he also stressed the need for free media. He said that terrorism, poverty and social degradation could be eliminated by means of truthful journalism. He strongly believed that with time, journalism in Pakistan would mature and perform a constructive role in society. In 2014, he donated his entire literary collection to Government College University, Lahore as a token of appreciation for its contribution to the promotion of drama and literature. He passed away on January 19, 2018, in Lahore at the age of 84. STaff RePoRT
Prime suspect in khairpur rape and murder case arrested KHAIRPUR: The local police have arrested the prime suspect in the rape and murder case of a seven-year-old girl on Tuesday. The arrest was announced in a press conference by Sukkur AIG Dr Kamran Fazal, Sukkur DIG Fida Hussain Mastoi and Khairpur SSP Captain (r) Ameer Saud Magsi. The accused has been identified as Abdullah Larik. AIG Fazal said they conducted geo-fencing of tens of hundreds of cell phones apart from taking DNA samples. The police officer said that the accused has confessed to the murder and has said that he victimised the child to avenge her sister's death, who was killed by the victim’s uncle Khadim Larik on karo kari. The arrested man identified and disclosed the whereabouts of the other co-accused, including Salim and Mansoor Shar, the police said. Later, Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmad Mahar visited the victim's family to condole with her parents. The Sukkur AIG and DIG and Khairpur SSP accompanied him. The IGP expressed his shock and anguish over the tragedy and informed them about the arrest of the prime accused and search for co-accused. He also announced rewards for officers of the Khairpur police who arrested the culprits. Earlier on Monday, police said that DNA of a suspect in the Khairpur rape and murder case matched the victim's sample. The seven-year-old was strangled after being raped on January 11. The DNA tests were conducted on more than 365 suspects and a match was found with the victim's relative. Teams have been made to arrest the suspect, police said. Last week, police arrested five suspects in the case. A case has been registered against three unidentified persons on the complaint of the child's father, the police had said. The seven-year-old girl was raped and murdered after being abducted in Pir Jo Goth city of Khairpur district. Police had told media that the minor girl had been subjected to rape before being murdered. The body of the girl was found from a forest by the police officials. The incident created panic and fear among the locals, who protested the latest gruesome incident of child abuse and demanded that the rapist be arrested. TLTP
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
04 NEWS SHC asks NAB to complete assets probe against Sharjeel till Feb 23
ORDERS FOR PROMOTING LECTURERS WITHIN 20 DAYS
IHC HINtS At ACtIoN AgAINSt PMS over eNForCed dISAPPeArANCe CASe ISLAMABAD
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to complete the inquiry against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon in the assets case till February 23. At the outset of the hearing on Tuesday, the SHC bench hearing the case asked about the status of the inquiry against the PPP stalwart. The NAB prosecutor told the court that they are investigating Memon in the illegal appointments made in the Sindh Information department and added that more time is required in its completion. The court after extending the bail of Memon in the case directed the NAB to complete its inquiry till February 23 and summoned a progress report. Memon is accused of hiring people illegally while serving as the Sindh information minister. Memon has also been accused of owning more assets than his sources of income. NAB has filed a Rs2.2 billion corruption reference against him. His wife and mother have been named in the case too. NAB has also accused him of embezzling Rs5.7 billion which the information ministry had paid to advertising agencies for awareness campaigns between 2013 and 2015. He was serving as Sindh’s information minister at the time. Separately, the SHC has once again hinted to take contempt of court action against the provincial government and ordered the relevant authorities to give promotions to lecturers across the province within 20 days. The Sindh High Court’s Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the petition filed by Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) against the Sindh government for not granting time scales and promotions to more than 12,000 professors and lecturers. The court issued orders to grant promotions to lecturers of Grade 17 and 18 across Sindh within 20 days and warned to take contempt of court action against provincial chief secretary and secretary colleges. During the hearing, the secretary colleges told the court that a policy regarding promotions and time scale has been prepared by the government. The secretary sought 15 days from the court to complete paperwork for data of lecturers working in grade 17 to 18. Justice Amjad Ali Sahito remarked that lecturers are demanding promotions, but what they would say about the standards of education. Justice Sahito continued that the standards of education will be known after witnessing the situation of Sindh colleges and their academic results. He maintained that the standard of education has declined and lecturers are not ready to educate the people. The lecturers admitted that the education standards are not up to the mark. The secretary colleges said that the government is ready to promote the lecturers but they must also perform their duties with honesty and responsibility. Later, the court ordered the government to grant promotions to the educators within 20 days and adjourned the hearing. TLTP
NAB court summons Mandviwalla in corruption references on Feb 4
SENATE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN IS ACCUSED OF FACILITATING EJAZ HAROON IN SELLING GOVERNMENT LANDS TO OMNI GROUP CEO ABDUL GHANI MAJEED ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Tuesday has summoned Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla on February 4 in corruption references. During the proceedings, the court has approved fake bank accounts and illegal allotment of plots cases for hearing. According to the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) kidney hill plots allotment case, Mandviwalla had facilitated Ejaz Haroon in selling government lands to Omni Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdul Ghani Majeed. NAB stated that Haroon had prepared backdated files of the plots and got hefty amount in exchange for the plots. The anticorruption watchdog alleged that Mandviwalla and Haroon had received Rs140 million through fake bank accounts. INP
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ONSIDERING the agony of a mother whose son was abducted five years ago from Islamabad and the happening was declared a subject matter of enforced disappearance, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday hinted to hold all the prime ministers and federal cabinet members responsible who have been in office since 2015. Missing Imran Khan, whose mother sought a safe release of her son, was a computer engineer working in the UAE. In 2015, he came on leave from the UAE
to attend a marriage ceremony of his relative when police officials arrested him from his residence at Islamabad on May 5, 2015. The parents have run from pillar to post to get the whereabouts of their son but found no clue so far. Seeking assistance of Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan in the matter, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said in a 4-page written order that the top principal law officer of the country is expected to submit a list of the prime ministers and members of the federal cabinet who have held the offices from 2015 till now. The IHC chief justice also sought the AGP’s assistance over a proposition that
as to why exemplary costs may not be imposed on those who may be declared responsible for the failure of the state to give a satisfactory explanation for disappearance of the petitioner’s son. “The buck stops at the top - why the federal government - the worthy prime minister and members of the federal cabinet may not be declared to be responsible for alleged ‘enforced disappearances’ from the Islamabad Capital Territory? Why in the instant case this court should not declare every prime minister and member of the cabinet responsible who have held the respective public offices from the date when the petitioner’s son went missing till his whereabouts have
Students in Punjab won’t be promoted without exams this year
LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas on Tuesday said that coronavirus pandemic has affected studies of students, however, no one will be promoted to next grade without exams this year. Talking to media persons, Raas said that schools were closed for six months during first wave and for two months during second wave and government started online classes to minimalise loss of students. The provincial minister further said that schools have been allowed
only 50 per cent strength and strict implementation of coronavirus related standard operating procedures (SOPs) will also be ensured. It is worth mentioning here that educational institutions from grade IX to XII reopened on Monday across the country after a two-month break under strict compliance with coronavirus SOPs. The institutions were shut in the wake of the second wave of Covid19 in November. Last week, the federal government approved a plan to resume on-campus learning to avoid further loss of education. The Punjab education minister
sent his best wishes to students and teachers on the first day of school after a two-month break amid the coronavirus pandemic. Raas urged everyone to keep their masks on at all times. He asked everyone to keep their distance from each other. "By following SOPs, we are protecting each other from COVID-19. Be safe. My best wishes are with you," he wrote. Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood took to Twitter late Sunday evening and sent his best wishes to students. "Tomorrow classes 9 to 12, O and A level go back to school/ college. Wish them the very best," the minister wrote. "Their future is our main priority," he added. In the next phase, grade I to VIII and higher educational institutions will reopen on 1st of February. The educational institutions have been directed to ensure compliance with the SOPs to avoid the spread of the pandemic. A one-week extension was granted to start the classes for students of grades 1-8. They were earlier supposed to start by January 25. It was decided that primary schools will reopen from February 1, while higher education institutes will also reopen from February 1 as decided earlier. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) will re-evaluate data in a week and decide whether or not primary schools and higher education institutes will reopen on February 1 in cities where infections rates are high.
People are fed up with Maryam Nawaz's stories: Firdous LAHORE INP
Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that people are fed up with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-president Maryam Nawaz’s same old stories. The SACM took to Twitter on Tuesday, saying Pakistan Democratic
SACM SAYS THERE FAZL WILL CONTINUE TO STAY OUT OF POWER Movement (PDM) would stage a political circus outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after flopping across the country. Firdous said Jamiat Ulema-e-
Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) President Fazalur Rehman would once again remain deprived of power despite using students of religious seminaries as political fuel. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader further added that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will enjoy the drama based on hollow claims sitting in front of his television screen.
been traced or at least a satisfactory explanation is given for the latter’s absence,” the order said. It is pertinent to mention that ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif was chief executive of the country from June 5, 2013, to July 28, 2017, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was in office from August 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018, former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk was caretaker Prime Minister from June 1, 2018, to August 18, 2018, and incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan become chief executive of the country on August 18, 2018. The AGP has been asked to turn up with all the responses after a month on February 18.
Father kills threeyear old son to seek revenge from wife GHOTKI INP
A father killed his three-year old son in Ghotki to take revenge from wife, police said on Tuesday. According to preliminary investigation, the accused was disappointed with his wife following a domestic dispute and killed his own son to seek revenge from her. He later threw the dead body in sugarcane field and fled. The dead body was shifted to nearby hospital for postmortem. Police is conducting search operations to arrest the accused.
Fair elections to promote, strengthen democracy: President Alvi
SAYS 52 FIRE-ENGINES WILL IMPROVE KARACHI’S FIREFIGHTING APPARATUS ISLAMABAD TLTP
President Dr Arif Alvi has said that transparent elections will promote and strengthen democracy in the country. The president said this while talking to Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Saifullah Khan Niazi who called on him on Tuesday. Emphasising the importance of free and fair election, President Alvi said that it promoted continuity of a successful democratic system in the country. The overall political situation in the country and the upcoming elections came under discussion. The governor briefed the president on the ongoing development projects in Karachi and the political situation in Sindh. While congratulating the governor Sindh on the provision of new firefighters to Karachi, the president said that this step will help make the city's fire emergency system more efficient and faster. He said that the gift of 52 modern fireengines from the federal government to Karachi would effectively improve the efficiency of the city’s firefighting apparatus. He stressed the need for steps for the development of Jamshed and Pakistan Quarters in Karachi.
Chinese children's performance touches Pakistan envoy's heart ISLAMABAD TLTP
Pakistan Ambassador to China Moinul Haque has lauded the performance of Chinese children on Pakistani song ‘Sohni Dharti’ to welcome him, saying it touched his heart. Haque took to Twitter to share a snippet of the "heart warming" performance upon his arrival at the Qingdao TV station. "A colourful and heart warming performance by young
PAK-CHINA CENTRE INAUGURATED TO DEEPEN PAKISTAN’S TIES WITH SCO Chinese children on 'Sohni Dharti' song at Qingdao TV to welcome the new Pakistani Ambassador," tweeted Haque. He added that the performance "really touched" his heart. Meanwhile, Pakistan-China Centre aimed at deepening Pakistan’s linkages with
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, especially China, in diverse fields of cooperation was inaugurated in Jiaozhou District, Qingdao, China. Haque and Party Secretary of Jaiozhou District and Director General of Shanghai
Cooperation Organization Demonstration Area (SCODA), Liu Jianjun, jointly inaugurated the centre on Tuesday, said a statement. Speaking on the occasion, the ambassador highlighted that since becoming SCO’s member in June 2017, Pakistan has been closely coordinating with all SCO member countries for the attainment of common objectives. He underscored that establishment of Pakistan-China Centre at the SCODA marked a major step towards Pakistan’s closer integra-
tion with the member countries in multifaceted areas of cooperation including bilateral trade, investment, sports, people-to-people exchanges and two-way tourism. Haque also expressed optimism that Pakistan-China heralded the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between Pakistan and Qingdao in areas of common interests. He thanked the Government of Qingdao for its continued support for the establishment of the Centre.
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
NEWS Pm directs to accelerate measures for Covid-19 vaccine roll out ContInueD froM pAge 01 he said that besides procuring the drug directly, Pakistan will also receive its first tranche of vaccines from COVAX, a World health Organisation-led initiative that aims to provide Covid-19 vaccines to poor countries, in the first quarter of the year. Pakistan is already putting modalities in place to receive and distribute the vaccine. “All necessary preparations are being done to start a mass inoculation campaign within Q1,” Dr Sultan said, “This includes infrastructure, framework, training and capacity.” In the first phase, the vaccine will only be administered to healthcare workers dealing directly with coronavirus infected and those over the age of 65 years, he further said. The national tally of total active coronavirus cases in the country on Tuesday reached 35,485 with 1,900 more people testing positive for the deadly virus and 1,243 people recovering from the disease during the last 24 hours. Out of 58 Covid-19 deceased patients, 52 were under treatment in hospital and six in their respective homes, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). During the last 24 hours, most of the deaths had occurred in Punjab followed by Sindh. Out of the total 58 deaths during last 24 hours, 37 patients died on ventilators. The maximum ventilators were occupied in four major areas: 49 per cent in Multan, 32 per cent in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 31 per cent in Peshawar and 38 per cent in Lahore. The maximum oxygen beds (alternate oxygen providing facility other than ventilator administered as per medical requirement of coronavirus patient) was also occupied in four major areas: 45 per cent in Peshawar, 38 per cent in Multan, 40 per cent in Karachi and 26 per cent in Rawalpindi. Around 321 ventilators were occupied elsewhere in the country while no coronavirus–affected person was on ventilator in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Balochistan. Some 36,513 tests were conducted across the country on Monday, with 10,600 in Sindh, 13,151 in Punjab, 6,075 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 5,826 in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), 259 in Balochistan, 350 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and 252 in AJK. Around 476,471 people have recovered from the disease so far across Pakistan making it a significant count with over 90 per cent recovery ratio of the affected patients. Since the pandemic outbreak, a total of 523,011 cases have been detected so far, including the deceased, recovered and under treatment Covid-19 patients so far, with 8,654 in AJK, 18,622 in Balochistan, 4,887 in GB, 40,177in ICT, 63,825 in KP, 150,316 in Punjab and 236,530 in Sindh. About 11,055 deaths have recorded in country since the eruption of the contagion. Around 3,813 have died in Sindh, and among 20 of them died on Monday. 17 of them died in hospital and three out of the hospital. 4,460 in Punjab have died with 28 deaths in past 24 hours. 25 of them died in the hospital and three out of the hospital. 1,791 in died KP, with eight dying in hospital on Monday, 457 in ICT, 190 in Balochistan, 101 in GB and 243 in AJK, and among two succumbed to the deadly virus in hospital on Monday.
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ECC askEd to form CommittEE to addrEss ChallEngEs faCEd by Pia's roosEvElt hotEl ISLAMABAD
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he Aviation Division has asked the economic Coordination Committee to constitute a highpowered committee, under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, to deliberate additional funding of $35.577 million to Pakistan International Airlines-owned Roosevelt hotel in Manhattan, New York. The finance minister will chair the meeting of eCC
on Wednesday to discuss 14 agenda items, including matters related to PIA’s Roosevelt hotel. According to sources, the Aviation Division has proposed the eCC to reestablish a high-powered committee, comprising secretaries of finance, aviation and law and justice divisions, to chalk out a strategy to overcome financial constraints faced by Roosevelt hotel. It may be noted the eCC, on the recommendation of the same committee in September 2020, had approved $142 million funding for PIA; however, the mode of financing was not mentioned by the committee.
Meanwhile, other items on eCC’s agenda included Ministry of Religious Affairs’ proposal for scaling up of the ‘Road to Makkah’ Project; Commerce Division’s Textiles and Apparel Policy 2020-25; Communication Ministry’s National Freight and Logistics Policy (NFLP); and conversion of National highway Authority (NhA) loans into government grant. The forum would also discuss the draft policy on equity investment abroad by residents, besides the Ministry of Industries’ proposal for waiver of taxes on import of sugar.
MARKET DAILY
Stocks recover 176 points in see-saw trade KArACHI STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Stock exchange (PSX) ensured a volatile session on Tuesday, with the benchmark index recovering all losses accumulated in early trade to close in green. The KSe-100 Index traded within a narrow range of 381.33 points, registering its intraday low at 45,596.81 (-129.87 points) and high at 45,978.14 (+251.46 points). It finally settled higher by 176 points at 45,903. Among other indices, the KSe All Share Index gained 102.91 points to end at 31,811.74, while
the All Share Islamic Index added 80.45 points, closing at 22,455.99 points. Of the total traded scrips, 196 closed positive, 210 negative while the value of 19 remained unchanged. The overall market volumes decreased 51.86 million to 491.79 million shares, whereas market capitalisation increased Rs37.46 billion. The value of traded shares decreased by Rs1.73 billion to Rs19.93 billion as compared to the previous session. Among the scrips, TRG topped the volumes with 29.4 million shares exchanging hands, followed by PRL (28.8 million) and FFL (22.2 million).
Sectors that kept the benchmark index afloat included power generation & distribution (+79 points), oil & gas exploration (+71 points) and technology & communication (+40 points). Among the companies, hUBC remained the top contributor with 74 points, followed by MARI with 62 points, TRG with 54 points, BAhL with 30 points and OGDC with 23 points. According to the closing note by Topline Securities, the e&P sector saw renewed investors’ interest amid news reports that Power Division has forwarded its proposal to eCC for allowing MARI to remove the cap for dividend distribution after which the stock closed at its upper circuit. The market also gained impetus from the news that hUBC will receive Rs70 billion out of the first tranche of Rs150 billion which lifted the stock, it added.
ECP responds to PDM’s allegations, says fully aware of its constitutional responsibilities ContInueD froM pAge 01 “If you were so innocent why did you give applications to keep the proceedings secret?” she said, referring to the PTI. “This means theft took place, and massive theft was done.” She alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan had received funding from Israel and India. Addressing the rally, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the incumbent rulers will not find a way to escape when the PDM will launch its long march against them. “Those in power selected an ineligible person for the top slot and imposed him on the masses,” he al-
leged. “Those elements had the sole agenda of appointing him so they could progress with their plans.” This government doesn’t know how to run the country or its economy, and it is completely devoid of such abilities, he alleged. Fazl further said, “the incumbent rulers took foreign funds to come into power,” adding, “Today’s protest is only a glimpse of what will be happening later.” The JUI-F chief also announced a ‘large protest’ at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on February 5 against the PTI-led government on the sidelines of the rallies in support of Kashmiris. “If the eCP still decides to support an ineligible government and its team, then we cannot have faith in the authority in the fu-
ture.” “We will continue to protest against this government until its dismissed,” he remarked. Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal, a former ally of the PTI-led government, said that the nation wants supremacy of the Constitution. “The people want the supremacy of the Constitution — which this country stands on,” Mengal said. The BNP-M chief, talking about the country’s progress, said that Pakistan would not be able to move forward unless equal rights are ensured to the people. ECP ‘HELD BACK’ ELECTION RESULTS: Addressing the protestors, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUI-P) leader Owais
Noorani said the entire nation was “anxious” the case was not being decided even after seven years. The participants of the protest, he said, were demanding “accountability” from the commission, which he accused of “holding back” election results in 2018 after the end of polling to allegedly ensure the opposition’s defeat. PROTEST: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) held a protest outside the office of the eCP. The case, filed in November 2014 by a founding member of the PTI party, Akbar S Babar, claims the party received funds from dubious, prohibited, illegal, and undeclared sources.
Committee to probe Broadsheet scandal, report in 45 days: Faraz ContInueD froM pAge 01 The leaders of opposition parties, while in power, misappropriated the national exchequer time and again, he said, adding they were unfortunately gathered under the umbrella of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to seek another NRO. The inquiry committee has been mandated to share its findings within 45 days, he added. Speaking at the press conference, Fawad said that Broadsheet LLC was responsible for tracing assets owned by politicians in the United States, United Kingdom and Asian countries. he said that initially the accountability bureau gave a list of 200 individuals that need to be probed. “The tale of corruption in Pakistan is incomplete without Ishaq Dar. he was obviously among the 200 in-
CPEC heading in the right direction, says envoy ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong said on Tuesday that the projects under China-Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) were heading in the right direction and would continue to progress at an expedited pace. Talking to Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Secretary Mathar Niaz Rana, the ambassador said that CPeC is the flagship project that manifested the longstanding friendship between the two friendly countries and would bring prosperity and progress for Pakistan. “CPeC is a product of vision of two brotherly countries that goes beyond traditional business dealings reflecting decades-old strong bonds of bilateral cooperation and shared goals with a win-win situation for all,” he added. During the meeting, matters related to bilateral relations projects under CPeC and progress of the upcoming 10th Joint Coordination Committee on CPeC (JCC) came under discussion. The planning secretary said that CPeC, as stated by Prime Minister Imran Khan, is a project of great national significance for Pakistan, which would be a harbinger of development and prosperity for Pakistan and the region.
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dividuals,” he said and added that Dar’s name was later removed as Broadsheet was told that he was cooperating with NAB. “Assets worth $114 million owned by the ‘Sharif family’ have been traced,” he also said, adding that the Sharif family owned properties in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UK and the United Arab emirates. The human rights minister said that TORs of the committee have been finalised for the investigation in the scandal. earlier, the premier had taken notice of the scandal after the court documents had revealed that the NAB had made a deliberate decision to disregard financial damages, which might be caused to Broadsheet, by entering into a settlement with an unauthorised individual and paid around $1.5 million to a fake firm. The arbitration court that heard the case — Broadsheet LLC vs The Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the NAB — was chaired by Sir Anthony evans. The court’s
ruling titled “Part Final Award” was handed down in August 2016. The case details the whole saga from establishing NAB to signing and then three years later rescinding the agreement between the NAB and Broadsheet LLC, breach of the contract, illegal payments from Pakistan to wrong entities, and all that led the court to ascertain that NAB was involved in intentional wrongdoings. The judgment documents had revealed what the arbitration court had concluded that the claimant [Broadsheet LLC] was entitled to recover damages from the respondents [the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the National Accountability Bureau] for the “tort of conspiring to cause unlawful economic loss to the claimant by entering into the settlement agreement in May 20, 2008, with James and companies controlled by him and/or in making payments to him or them thereunder”.
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
06 COMMENT
RSS should be designated a terrorist outfit?
Life after the long march Testing the maturity and stamina of the opposition
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HE opposition has lodged a peaceful protest outside the headquarters of the ECP. Despite the January 31 deadline approaching and still no sign of the Pti government quitting anytime soon, the large gathering indicated that there is no hint of weariness yet in the opposition’s ranks after three months of hectic agitational activity. the foreign funding case against the Pti was filed in november 2014, not by an opposition party but by a founding member of the Pti. there were allegations of financial irregularities that included illegal sources of funding, concealment of bank accounts in the country and abroad, money laundering, and using private bank accounts of Pti employees as a front to receive illegal donations. the Prime Minister had earlier maintained that his party did not raise funds from any prohibited source and possessed all the required documents. What raised suspicions however was the Pti’s latest stance that if any funds were collected illegally through the two companies registered in the Usa, the responsibility would lie solely on the companies and not on the Pti. in their speeches in front of the ECP’s central office, opposition leaders termed the foreign funding case “the biggest fraud in Pakistan's history” and compared the six-year-long delay in delivering the verdict with the expeditiousness shown in concluding the cases against former PM nawaz sharif. a leader from Balochistan questioned what would have happened if a party from a smaller province had been found to be involved in illegal funding from abroad. it remains to be seen how the ECP responds to the opposition’s demand to fulfill its constitutional obligations efficiently. Meanwhile, to maintain the momentum of the ongoing agitation, the alliance has announced more rallies in the provinces till February 27 after which it would launch a countrywide long march to islamabad. the government gave a free hand to the PDM to hold a public meeting in the Red Zone. the opposition put up a peaceful show. it remains to be seen if the opposition displays enough maturity in days to come to resolve differences over resignations, the forthcoming by-elections and the senate elections. also on what to do next if the long march also fails to deliver the results desired by the PDM.
The mother of all evils?
Amjed jAAved
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akistan has urged the United nations security Council to designate india’s Rashtriya swayamsevak sangh (Rss), the parent organization of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as a terror group. the Pakistani representative demanded that the Rss should also be included within the ambit of the 1267 sanctions Committee. it is unfortunate that declaring an individual or entity a terrorist has become a political ploy. the freedom fighters of yesteryear, like the taliban could become terrorists today. Cuban and Latin american terrorists were displayed as freedom fighters in the Us gallery of portraits. that’s the crux of the problem. india calls kashmiri freedom fighters ‘terrorists’. it called Bengali insurgents ‘mukti bahini’, freedom fighters’. Unlike kashmir, erstwhile East Pakistan was not disputed, but an integral part of Pakistan. But, india harboured, trained and armed so-called Bengali ‘freedom fighters’. the White House welcomed Jalaluddin Haqqani (founder of the Haqqani network) as a guest. india has a convenient way to exercise its diplomatic clout to get declared any entity ‘terrorist’ through linking it with ‘freedom movement’ (euphemistically called ‘terrorism’ by india) in the occupied kashmir. Congress leader Digvijaya singh, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, has alleged that “all arrested ‘Hindu terrorists’ have had Rss link.” He claimed, “all Hindu terrorists who have ever been caught have association with Rss in some way or the other. nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, was also part of Rss; bomb blasts were executed by people influenced by sangh ideology. so, this ideology is spreading hatred, hatred breeds violence, and from violence is bred terrorism.” He said, "Bomb blasts were executed by people influenced by sangh ideology, be it Malegaon blast, Mecca Masjid blast, blast in samjhauta express or Dargah sharif." speaking at the Houston City Council against the city's participation in the "Howdy
Fixing blame Those who originally hired Broadsheet LLC must be brought to book
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HERE are layers of irony if one considers how the Broadsheet LLC scandal has panned out, costing the exchequer upwards of $21.5 million. For one, this is a purely a case of unchecked and arrogant abuse of power and the only institution that can prosecute those responsible is the national accountability Bureau (naB), which itself shares the primary blame for the entire fiasco. secondly, that the fine is 80 percent of the possible amount that could have been recovered by Broadsheet LLC from nawaz sharif (not a single Dollar was actually recovered), means that not only did the company not deliver on what it had promised, it got paid to do absolutely nothing, while the whole exercise, whose purpose was to ‘bring Pakistan’s looted wealth back to the country’, was a complete and utter failure. Musharraf and his juniors who took turns at running naB had no intention of genuinely going after corrupt politicians to make recoveries, as whoever joined the king’s party in those days was given a clean chit and had his name removed from the list of over 200 individuals that were to be pursued. Later, the figures central to the accountability drive, nawaz sharif and Benazir Bhutto, were let off the hook through an nRO and allowed to return to the country as Musharraf neared his sell-by date. Broadsheet LLC’s CEO kaveh Moussavi, who has reemerged onto the scene and is making startling revelations while appearing on various prime time talk shows, is a dubious character who should not have been trusted in the first place, yet, a contract skewed heavily in his favour was signed by the Musharraf regime, evidently without giving the matter much thought. according to documents that have surfaced recently, the Pti was about to make the same mistake and hire Broadsheet LLC for its pursuit of nawaz sharif’s assets and it was only when the same documents alleged that members of the government’s negotiation team asked for kickbacks to finalise the fresh contract that it was abandoned. the Pti, instead of fixing blame on those who are genuinely responsible for this mess that has cost the taxpayer millions of dollars, terms the fine as a “cost” of “nRO deals” offered to the sharif family, even though it has so far been unable to recover any of those alleged ‘billions’ stashed abroad in its two and half years in office. it is shameful how a decades-old practice of sham accountability for the purpose of political victimization continues unabated, causing financial damage and embarrassment to the country.
Disconnected brains Anatomy of a growing challenge to society Amjed jAAved
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RiME and tragedies without any control, tormenting souls and disintegrating families as the personalities mutate, darkness that sucks like a leech; it is a story we have all come across. We all float down here. the diligent students start skipping school; letting their grades slip, a trustworthy and honest friend might get caught doing something immoral and sometimes the immaculate beauty queen stops caring about her appearance. these out-of-ordinary behavioral changes can be directly linked to the changes within the brain. Many people confuse bad habits with addiction but these two are totally different. We build our habits, but addictions are forged. Both demand different commitments from us. Habits find their way around, and we mostly forget about them. Whereas, when an addiction finds it way around, it starts to control our life. We all are vulnerable to addiction. addiction is a master of an evil kind that controls one's body and mind. addiction has been described as a global humanitarian crisis. it has been the subject of numerous media depictions and is potentially one of the most stigmatized conditions. What happens neurologically when we become addicted to something? scientists first began to seriously study addictive behaviour back in the 1930s. Before that, it was widely assumed that people with addictions were in some way morally flawed or lacked the willpower and mental strength to overcome their problems. all addicts are puppets to the devil. addicts
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Modi" rally, Pieter Friedrich expounded the Rss's nexus with worldwide terrorism'. in norway, terrorist anders Breivik left a manifesto that describes how he was inspired by other extremist and nationalist groups around the globe. Breivik pointed to the Rss in india. He praised the Rss for how “they dominate the streets… and often riot and attack Muslims.” He said the goals of white supremacists and the Rss are “identical.” the Rss is a fascist paramilitary founded in 1925 — the year Hitler published Mein kampf. the Rss developed with inspiration from the nazis. and produced narendra Modi. in 2002, Modi presided over Gujerat as Rss soldiers massacred 2000 Muslims, with leaders of the pogrom later confessin on camera that Modi sanctioned their violence. thus Modi was banned from entering the Usa for over 10 years. today, under Modi, Christians, Dalits, Muslims, sikhs, and every Hindu disagreeing with the Rss lives in fear of their lives. Modi’s hands are stained with blood. narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister, like so many other BJ stalwarts, makes no bones about having been a member of the Rss. it has ubiquitous influence in all states and union territories. Without its consent, no-one can get a party ticket or contest elections. the Rss is a conglomerate of disguised terrorists. indian media dare not focus its violent activities, but it is sometimes exposed by viral images of violence by its workers. images show Rss members participating in Delhi riots, lynching suspected beef eaters, or Muslim prayer goers. Rss militants have been identified chanting religious slogans. it was the Rss that had spearheaded the 192 demolition of the Babri mosque. in a work expressing admiration for nazi Germany’s purge of Jews, Golwalkar wrote in 1939, “… the foreign races in Hindusthan must either adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu race and culture, i.e., of the Hindu nation and must lose their separate existence to merge in the Hindu race, or may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation, claiming nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment not even citizen’s rights.”. Golwalkar made it clear that in the Rss view, Hindu majoritarian identity politics is the only acceptable nationalism, and any asserting an identity separate from the Hindu identity is ‘anti-national’ and ‘divisive.’ He wrote: “Let us remember that this oneness is ingrained in our blood from our very birth because we are all born as Hindus.” Golwalkar referred to Christians and Muslims as “internal threats”. He praised nazi Germany as an example of “race pride” from which india could learn. neerja Chowdhury, a political commentator and columnist reported: ‘the party advocates that to be a true indian one has to be a Hindu. it describes other religious minorities, sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, as part of india, because their faiths originated there. they believe that even india’s Muslims are actually Hindu because their Hindu ancestors were forced to convert to islam’. the anti-conversion laws, ban on cow slaughter, annexation of the disputed Jammu and
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think it is due to their lack of willpower, their pain, their Dna or a multitude of other reasons. the real truth is that they are possessed. We live in a world that is designed to stimulate our emotions. Every advertisement, every food product and social media post is geared to give us a short rush of pleasure which is followed by an emptiness and a craving for more. Big companies are able to leverage our cravings and make trillions of dollars off of keeping us addicted. if you do not have a plan for yourself, you will be at the mercy of companies who will play on your impulses to control you like a puppet. You will sacrifice your free will, searching for happiness in a maze that is designed to keep you lost. addiction is a global epidemic; whether it is drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, food or even shopping. addiction can destroy careers, families and even individuals. Each one, each example of addiction, from the innocuous tV or instagram addiction to sniffing cocaine or gambling, is an attempt to free oneself from the present moment. People are lost in so many unreal and untrue fantasies, fanciful ideas, hallucinations, imaginations, beliefs, theories, philosophies, ideologies and traditions. in addition to this, they are also struck in a lot of fixations, stereotypical behaviour, prejudices, generalizations, patternizations, categorizations, ego and much more. With all these things, people build boundaries around themselves, their life becomes challenging. in such a bedlam, instead of realizing the clear life, they mess up with everything. in this process, there is a high chance that they look for and approach something that they think is a solution for all this bedlam. slowly, such a solution overtakes their life and becomes an addiction.
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kashmir state, and a combined civil code are Rss’s demands. the Rss wants to convert non-Hindu to Hinduism under its homecoming (ghar wapsi) policy. C.P. Bhishikar’s biography of Hedgewar, keshav sanghnirmata tells how tae Rss founder equated Muslims to yavana (snakes). the Rss spurns indian Constitution and believes india is a place for Hindu nation (rashtra) exclusively. the Rss’s genocidal role is a caricature of the indian constitution, visualizing a `sovereign socialist secular democratic republic’ and its article prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. since 2006, there had been several terror attacks at locations with a majority Muslim population. the deadliest attack was February 2007 bomb explosions on the samjhauta Express, killing 68, including 43 Pakistani nationals. in the same year, there were two more blasts at Muslim places of worship. the investigations revealed the attacks were carried out by Hindu nationalist organizations. For instance, swami aseemanand was accused of conspiracy in the samjauta attack, the 2007 ajmer dargah, and the 2007 Mecca Masjid blasts. Pragya singh thakur, also known as sadhvi Pragya, is currently a BJP MP, accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast. six people died and over 100 others were y an explosion on a motorcycle near a mosque Malegaon. no court could dare punish the terrorist. the Rss founded the Jan sangh, the BJP’s ancestor, in 1951. it has been an umpire in times of BJP crisis within and provide indispensable cadres during election campaigns. Driving force for Hedgewar to form Rss was Vinayak Damodar (Veer) savarkar’s ideas on Hindutva and motherland. savarkar had spelled out that only those who considered india as their fatherland and a holy land could be considered patriots. He ruled out Muslims, suggesting that their patriotism should always be suspected. On 27 april 1948, Vallabhbhai Patel wrote to Jawaharlal nehru: “i need hardly emphasise that an efficient, disciplined and contented service … is a sine qua non of sound administration under a democratic regime even more than under an authoritarian rule. the service must be above party and we should ensure that political consider¬ations either in its recruitment or in its discipline and control, are reduced to the minimum, if not eliminated altogether.” an Rss-ridden civil service cannot work a secular constitution. For, “it is perfectly possible to pervert the constitution, without changing its form, by merely changing the form of the administration and to [sic] make it inconsistent and opposed to the spirit of the constitution”. the parliamentary system is based on a politically neutral civil service. Put political favourites in crucial positions and the entire system is perverted. Yet, hordes of Rss members were recruited into civil service. shashi tharoor, the Congress nominee for Un secretary-general, said, “We are living in a country where on the one hand the Prime Minister says the Constitution is his holy book and on the other hand, he extols as a hero and instructs his Ministers to study the works, writings, and teachings of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, who explicitly rejects the Constitution.” When shall the world wake to recognise the hydra-headed monster that Rss is? Amjed Jaaved is a freelance journalist, has served in the Pakistan government for 39 years and holds degrees in economics, business administration, and law. He can be reached at amjedjaaved@gmail.com.
addiction is a hard thing. People think that it is a choice whereas it is more of a disease. it is a fight for the addicted person. to walk a mile in an addict's shoes would go a long way. the stigma against people with addictions can sometimes do more damage than the addiction itself. addiction stigma is a complex phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviour to addicts. addicts are socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. the humiliating blacklisting and ostracism experienced by those who are disparaged for their addictions, compel them to continue and perhaps inflame their addictive and obsessive behaviour. no legislation can help addicts. it is not something to be done in papers. it is only the realization among the population about the destructive potential of addiction that can crush the addictions. Different nongovernmental organisations (nGOs) are coming up with alarming proportions of the addicts, most of whom are young. the process and road to recovery is complex. addiction makes addicts put their needs before everyone and everything else. their sense of empathy somehow goes missing which creates problems in their personal and professional lives. Recovery from an addiction means starting a new life; a life with greater challenges and intense emotional situations. an addict drops his hope and his spirit, his soul cries out but we just cannot hear. it is important to realise that addicts will only seek help when they are ready. Giving them ultimatums would not help. Judging them would not help. Encouraging and counseling them would help. Offering them verbal help cannot do wonders. accepting them would help us as a society to grow and prosper. We all should turn their shame from a barrier into a bridge. sweeping the addiction issue under the rug can be damaging to everyone. as long as the addict is alive, we should keep our hope alive. The writer is a freelance columnist
Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
Wednesday, 20 January, 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
Tourism potential DOUBtlessly, Pakistan has alot of potential in every regard but more importantly in the aspect of tourism. Currently, Lahore is honored by newYork times as the world's dream destination for 2021. apart from this, the world magazine had ranked Pakistan as the world's most beautiful spot for tourists in it's research in the last few months of 2020. Besides, the attraction of the historical and religious places located in the country cannot be denied. the natural diversity and adventurous high ranges of mountains are absolutely amazing that Pakistan is blessed with. additionally, Pakistan can earn money and name both if it improves it's tourism industry. it can also create unbreakable brotherly relationships with other countries through tourism. Pakistan consists incredible potential due to tourism and it can get numerous advantages of it if the government promotes the tourism sector. Farahnaz TurbaT
Maal-e-Muft Dil-e-Berahm
Debate at westminster is time that our Government encouraged authorities to grant access to all EU and Un independthe change to property law, to try to change the ent experts and international human rights facts on the ground in kashmir, fundamentally monitoring mechanisms to kashmir.” stephen kinnock MP, of the opposition by changing the population and therefore trying to secure a different outcome from a possible ref- Labour Party, asserted “the Labour Party strongly supports the conclusions of the simla erendum.” sara Britcliffe MP, of the ruling Conserva- agreement and agrees that issues involving tive Party, said “We went to the LoC and wit- india, Pakistan and Jammu and kashmir should nessed heartbreakin images. it was one of the be negotiated between the parties. kashmir is most sobering experiences of my life, espe- the longest unresolved conflict in a heavily milcially when we visited the refugee camp. the itarized zone of the world. We see that the situcitizens of the region have been living in the ation on the ground in kashmir is bleak. some world’s most militarized zone, with the fallout account states that over 95,000 have been killed damaging the lives of the men, women and in kashmir in the last 30 years alone. the children of kashmir with curfews, a ban on Labour Party will always speak up vociferously communications access, the closing of media in defence of the human rights of the people of outlets, and widespread arrest of politicians and kashmir. Our position on kashmir has not human rights activists. We need to understand changed. We support and recognize previous that there are two nuclear power involved in the Un resolutions on the rights of the kashmiri tension, we must ensure that we do all we can to people.” nigel adams, minister for asia and Conervprotect the fundamental human rights of the ative MP, said, “We enjoyed relations with both kashmiri people.” naz shah MP, of the opposition Labour Pakistan and india. We still believe that it is on Party, said, “in kashmir occupied by 600,000 in- india and Pakistan to find political solution for dian soldiers, women are raped, political activists lasting peace according to the wishes of kashmiri are in prisons, indian government is changing de- people. since 2019 we have been closely watchmography and thousands of non-kashmiris are ing the detentions in indian administered kashgetting domicile. From 2015-2020 Britain sold mir. any allegations of human rights violations more than half a billion pounds worth of arms to must be investigated promptly. We are requesting india, which will contribute to shedding the permission for officials from our high commission to visit kashmir as soon as the situation perblood of the kashmiri people”. Robbie Moore MP, of the opposition Labour mits. We strongly believe that everyone Party, claimed “no foreign journalists are being everywhere should enjoy equal rights and proallowed into kashmir by the indian Government, tections”. Reportedly Uk secretary of state for Justice Robert Buckcommunication is heavland, replying to a quesily controlled by indian tion about the debate, authorities. thousands said that the Uk has of people have been arasked india to lift all rerested and face harassThis represents a triumph of strictions and allow a ment and imprisonment team from the British without due cause inthe diplomatic offensive High Commission to cluding lawyers, small visit the occupied terribusiness owners, jourlaunched by Pakistan to tory for a first hand asnalists, students and of sensitize the world about the sessment of the course human rights acsituation. tivists. Over 300 kashillegal action of India in the Particularly intrigumiris have been killed occupied Kashmir and the ing is the remark of since special status was John spellar that india revoked. Uk’s fundabrazen violation of human was probably trying to mental values are freechange the demodom and democracy. rights by the Indian security graphic realities in inthat applies not only to forces. It also is a vindication dian-Occupied kashmir the situation in kashto secure a different mir, but around the of Pakistan’s stance on the outcome from a possiworld”. Kashmir issue ble referendum. the rePaul Bristow MP, mark makes sense. the of the ruling Conservaindian leaders probably tive Party, reiterated, have it at the back of “We would urge ministheir mind that they ters to raise with their indian counterparts the arbitrary detention of could not hold on to kashmir for an indefinite kashmiri political leaders, enforced lockdown, period and a time might come when they would ban on communication and massive human have to agree to a plebiscite as enunciated in the rights violations. india is a friend so i would urge Un resolutions. it was therefore necessary to to discuss with indians on kashmir. a resolution change the demographic contours of the state. the foregoing represent a triumph of the to this problem is bilateral approach by Pakistan and india but self-determination is a universal diplomatic offensive launched by Pakistan to sensitize the world about the illegal action of right”. Jim shannon MP, of the Democratic Union- india in the occupied kashmir and the brazen viist Party, observed, “there are still more 400 peo- olation of human rights by the indian security ple who remain in custody under the draconian forces. it also is a vindication of Pakistan’s stance Jammu and kashmir Public safety act, 1978. on the kashmir issue. there is also a freedom of religion or belief eleMalik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic. ment to the human rights violations of kashmir, such as the shutting down of many mosques. it He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com
Cross-party recognition in the UK of what India is doing
mAlik muhAmmAd AshrAf
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ast Wednesday the situation in indian-Occupied Jammu and kashmir in the backdrop of the scrapping of article 370 of the indian Constitution ending special status of the state and the blatant abuse of human rights, was the focus of a debate held at the Westminster Hall of the Uk Parliament in which ten MPs belonging to different parties and a minister participated. What was said there constituted the strongest repudiation of india’s narrative of the situation in indianOccupied Jammu and kashmir being its internal matter and her indictment as a violator of human rights in the state besides advocacy for the need to settle the issue according to the wishes of the people of kashmir. it would probably be pertinent to briefly mention the observations made by the MPs and the British minister who participated in the debate. sarah Owen MP, of the opposition Labour Party, said, “Lockdown in occupied kashmir was not for the protection of the people but for coercion. More than 500,000 indian troops have held the people of occupied kashmir captive. kashmiri Muslims were also being prevented from going to hospitals. indian women were being harassed and raped on their doorsteps.” James Barry Daly MP, of the ruling Conservative Party, observed, “tragic incidents of rape and sexual violence are taking place in occupied kashmir. the lockdown is not like our lockdown. this lockdown attacks the very fundamental human rights. there are people detained in kashmir who have been waiting for 15 years for a trial and there is not a single word from the international community in their support. torture, disappearing is common in kashmir, yet we do not see this on the screens of Western world media. i have heard appalling stories of rape and sexual violence against women.” John spellar MP, of the opposition Labour Party, said, “We are not against india but that does not mean that we should not hold indian authorities accountable for their abusive behavior, especially in kashmir. We also reject any argument in relation to kashmir and Punjab that these are internal matters and of no concern to those outside. “Human rights are a universal matter. the current crisis has been deliberately instigated by indian authorities with their rewriting of the long-standing constitution. there has also been
a brief reading of agreement signed by naB with Broadsheet for recovery of black money will reveal the incompetence of those at helm of affairs in 2000 and thereafter in 2003 when they thought they could get out of the cobweb which they got this country into. as long as there is no Rule 0f Law and supremacy of the constitution, Pakistan will suffer. Can someone question those appointed by Musharraf as Chairman naB from 2000 onwards? no individual in power, irrespective of whether he holds power through the ballot, or the bullet, has the right to pardon any person who has robbed the nation’s wealth through corrupt practices or proceeds of crime. selective accountability with ulterior motives for arm twisting to force individuals to join any political party or support a government has promoted corruption. What else could be expected from a man who raised his fist to rejoice the killing of over 50 innocent citizens in karachi on 12 May 2007 by armed thugs of altaf Hussain. Pakistan suffers, while those who robbed this country through abuse of power (be they Musharraf, nawaz, Mansoor-ul-Haq, Zardari) and scores from the paid civil or uniformed paid elite, enjoy the fruits of institutionalized corruption. it is an irony that a country created through a political struggle to be a modern democratic welfare state and led by men of integrity and commitment like Quaid-e-azam, allama iqbal etc would be hijacked by self-serving opportunists like iskandar Mirza and ayub khan who banned all politicians and created a controlled perverted system of governance. the foundations of political gerrymandering to form king’s party were laid by ayub and the politicians that his junta created were men without vision, having one thing in common, total disregard to the vision of Quaid-eazam. Pakistan suffers while few Make Hay While sun shines and only a façade of accountability. Malik Tariq ali lahorE
Gas shortage siR, gas shortage in the winter season is a bitter reality that consumers have been braving over the last many years. it is unfortunate that there is no respite in sight as the situation is worsening with each passing year due to complete neglect on part of successive governments and decline in local production. Gas crisis has brought life to a standstill. it is not only effecting domestic consumers but also industrial production. Residents raise their voices for gas shortage but none of authorities pay any attention to this matter. so, the government requires to play a drastic role for supplying the gas in coming seasons otherwise residents can be in trouble more. iMTaiz Javid awaran
Saving Quetta ManY attacks have ruined Quetta thoroughly. One another attack occured to worsen Quetta's image. the attack was also in mosque. However, another 20 were injured as powerful explosions ripped through front row of worshippers after the Maghrib prayer began. after seeing this, army, police launched joint search operation in provincial capital agencies. i am really shocked to see the ongoing accidents are becoming more dangerous for Pakistan. it is a challenge for our country regarding terrorism. since nowadays these cruel terrorists have not left mosques which are holy places and allah's most favorite places. a suicide bombers targeted a mosque killing at least 15 people and wounding 20 others. the blast took place in satellite town. this scenery was really bad for the worshippers. Even now we can't bear any rebels in the country. What is this? the worshippers are humans. i myself have for many years in Pakistan. i have not observed a little peace really. Every cities, towns, regions are targeted and occupied by terrorists. the government of Pakistan is just focusing on economy. He is doing very bad for the country. in many ways, his policies are worst and bad politics and just playing with Pakistan's community's emotions. this is a country named Pakistan after 1947 and based on allah's beliefs. if we see the conditions, it is not a Muslim country. since the Muslim's religion ( islam) is based on justice. But just help me where i see justice. such powerful blasts in Pakistan continued, i promise it would leave nothing secured and in good condition. People do scream and run here and there in Pakistan for maintaining peace in the country. But the politicians are still busy in getting chances to be on high positions or superior people. Here mostly superiority is valued in Pakistan's laws. there are such words these laws do share. But reality rule is not for all. Yet now 29 people are getting treatment and some of them are in bad conditions too. according to the sitE intelligent group, the islamic state claimed responsibility for the attack. Do you know if such accidents occured further, Pakistan will be in bad positions. i only want to say these Muslims worshippers have no bad signs of their lives rather those who are doing this are not having humanity at all. and i appeal the government of Pakistan to ignore other things this year. and be fully ensured regarding terrorism challenge, that's the biggest challenge for Pakistan. barkaTullah TurbaT
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
08 WORLD VIEW
How AmericA’s politicAl decAy AccelerAted during tHe trump erA ROTTEN TO THE CORE?
Foreign AFFAirs
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Francis Fukuyama
riting in Foreign Affairs in 2014, i lamented the political decay that had taken root in the United States, where governing institutions had become increasingly dysfunctional. “A combination of intellectual rigidity and the power of entrenched political actors is preventing those institutions from being reformed,” i wrote. “And there is no guarantee that the situation will change much without a major shock to the political order.” in the years that immediately followed, it seemed possible that the rise of Bernie Sanders and Donald trump might present a shock of that sort. revisiting the question of political decay in these pages during the presidential campaign of 2016, i was encouraged to see that “voters on both sides of the spectrum have risen up against what they see as a corrupt, self-dealing Establishment, turning to radical outsiders in the hopes of a purifying cleanse.” i also warned, however, that “the nostrums being hawked by the populist crusaders are nearly entirely unhelpful, and if embraced, they would stifle growth, exacerbate malaise, and make the situation worse rather than better.” those nostrums were, in fact, embraced by Americans—or at least by enough of them to send trump to the White House. And the situation has indeed gotten worse. the process of deterioration has continued at a startling pace and on a scale that was hard to anticipate back then, culminating in developments such as the January 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol—an act of insurrection encouraged by the president of the United States. Meanwhile, the underlying conditions
that brought on this crisis remain unchanged. the U.S. government is still captured by powerful elite groups that distort policy to their own benefit and undermine the legitimacy of the regime as a whole. And the system is still too rigid to reform itself. these conditions, however, have morphed in unexpected ways. two emerging phenomena have worsened the situation enormously: new communications technologies have contributed to the disappearance of a common factual basis for democratic deliberation, and what were once policy differences between “blue” and “red” factions have hardened into divisions over cultural identity. IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES: in theory, the capture of the U.S. government by elites could be a source of unity, since it angers both sides of the political divide. Unfortunately, the targets of this animus are different in each case. For people on the left, the elites in question are corporations and capitalist interest groups—fossil fuel companies, Wall Street banks, hedge fund billionaires, and republican mega-donors—whose lobbyists and money have worked to protect their interests against any sort of democratic reckoning. For those on the right, the malignant elites are the cultural power brokers in Hollywood, the mainstream media, universities, and major corporations that espouse a “woke” secular ideology at odds with what conservative Americans regard as traditional or Christian values. Even in areas where one might think these two views would overlap, such as growing worries over the power of giant technology companies, the concerns of the two sides are incompatible. Blue America charges twitter and Facebook with promoting conspiracy theories and trumpist propaganda, whereas red America sees these same companies as hopelessly biased against conservatives. the rigidity of the U.S. system of government has become more and more obvious and problematic, but it also has its virtues. Overall, constitutional checks and balances have worked: despite trump’s relentless efforts to weaken the country’s institutional foundations, he was prevented from doing his worst by courts, bureaucracies, and locallevel officials. the clearest case of this was trump’s effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. the judicial system—often in the form of trump-appointed judges—refused to condone the dozens of nonsense lawsuits the trump side brought before courts. And republican officials such as georgia Secretary of State Brad raffensperger and others overseeing elections in georgia stood up heroically against the president, who pressured them to illegally reverse his historic loss of the state. But the same checks that constrained
trump will also limit any future effort to reform the system’s fundamental dysfunctions. One of the most important institutional defects is the crucial advantage held by republicans due to the Electoral College and the makeup of the Senate, which allows them to hold power despite winning fewer popular votes at both national and state levels. Changes to the U.S. Constitution, such as elimination of the Electoral College, are simply off the table, given the incredibly high bar set for passing and ratifying amendments. the Democrats’ bare majority in the Senate takes away the republican veto over mundane issues such as cabinet appointments, but bigger reforms—such as statehood for the District of Columbia or a new Voting rights Act to counter republican efforts at disenfranchisement—will run up against republican filibusters. Presidentelect Joe Biden will need luck and skill to push through even relatively unambitious legislation, such as a new stimulus package and infrastructure spending. the transformational structural changes envisioned in the reform package that Democrats in the House of representatives recently proposed will remain for the most part out of reach. FROM PARTY TO CULT: As i noted in my 2016 article, the fundamental dysfunction in U.S. politics is the way that the nation’s checks-and-balances institutions have interacted with political polarization to produce stasis and perpetual partisan combat. this polarization has grown much deeper and more dangerous since then. One driver has been technology, which has undercut the ability of established institutions such as the mainstream media or the government itself to shape what the public believes. today, 77 percent of republicans believe that there was major fraud in the 2020 election, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll. there has been talk of growing authoritarian tendencies on the right, which is certainly true of trump and many of his enablers. But there are tens of millions of people who voted for him and continue to support him not because they dislike the idea of democracy but because, in their minds, they are defending democracy against a Democratic Party that stole a presidential election. Solving this technology-induced problem will be one of the great challenges of the coming period. twitter and Facebook did the right thing by de-platforming trump in the wake of the January 6 attack on the Capitol; that decision was defensible as a short-term response to a national emergency. inciting violence is different from exercising protected free speech rights. But in the long run, it is not legitimate for privately owned companies to make such publicly consequential decisions on their own. indeed, it was a huge
mistake for the country to have allowed these platforms to grow so powerful in the first place. A solution that two co-authors and i proposed recently in Foreign Affairs is to promote a competitive layer of “middleware” companies to which the platforms would outsource the task of content moderation, thereby reducing the platforms’ power and allowing users much greater control over the information they encounter. this will not eliminate conspiracy theories, but it will reduce the platforms’ power to amplify fringe voices and silence others that fall into disfavor. the second development that has immeasurably deepened the country’s polarization is the shift from arguments over policy issues into fights over identity. in the 1990s, when polarization was just getting off the ground, the two Americas disagreed on matters such as tax rates, health insurance, abortion, guns, and the use of military force overseas. these issues have not gone away but have been supplanted by questions of identity and membership in fixed groups defined by race, ethnicity, gender, and other broad social markers. Political parties have been overtaken by political tribes. the rise of tribalism has been most pronounced in the gOP. trump easily managed to get the party and its voters to abandon core principles such as a belief in free trade, support for global democracy, and hostility to dictatorships. As trump’s own neuroses and self-absorption deepened, the party became increasingly personalistic. Over the course of the trump presidency, what made you a republican was your degree of loyalty to him: if you deviated in the slightest by criticizing anything he said or did, you were cast out. this culminated in the party refusing to present a platform at the 2020 republican national convention, choosing instead to simply affirm that it would support whatever trump wanted. that is how mask wearing and the simple act of taking the COViD-19 pandemic seriously became bitterly partisan issues. All of this built on a starkly geographic and demographic social divide that emerged after 2016. As the political scientist Jonathan rodden has shown, the single biggest correlate of pro- and anti-trump sentiment is population density. the country is divided into blue cities and suburbs and red exurbs and rural areas, reflecting a huge cultural split over values—a split that is replicated in many countries other than the United States. But what is happening now cannot be fully explained by structural factors. An nPr/ipsos poll conducted last fall found that nearly a quarter of republicans believed the outlandish core claim of the QAnon conspiracy theory—namely, as the pollsters put it,
that “a group of Satan-worshipping elites who run a child sex ring are trying to control our politics and media.” the gOP is no longer a party based on ideas or policies but something more akin to a cult. tribalism is also present on the left, but in a somewhat less pronounced form. identity politics was born on the left in the wake of the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s. identity-based mobilizations against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or gender orientation have evolved for some on the left into demands for group recognition and positive affirmation of a group’s differentness. But on the whole, blue America is much more diverse than its red counterpart. the Biden presidency will see a major divide over these issues emerge between factions within the Democratic Party, something that never happened to the republicans under trump. A HOUSE DIVIDED: Where the country goes after Biden’s inauguration is anyone’s guess. the major uncertainty is what will happen within the republican Party. trump and his followers seriously overreached with the violent storming of the Capitol, and a number of republicans have finally broken publicly with him. Politically, trump’s presidency has not put the gOP in a strong position: the party went from holding the presidency and both houses of Congress in 2017 to holding none of those institutions today. But the trump cult of personality has come to dominate the party to such an extent that even this turn to violence may not put people off. it is possible to imagine a slow but steady recapture of authority by former mainstream republicans as they adjust to the reality of being out of power and the need to expand the party’s coalition so as to win future elections. Alternatively, trump could retain his hold on the party by portraying himself as a martyr who sacrificed everything for his country. At one extreme, one could imagine trump and his hardcore supporters morphing into a terrorist underground, using violence to strike back at what they regard as an illegitimate Biden administration. How this ultimately plays out will have significant consequences for global democracy in the coming years. trump has handed authoritarians such as russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping a huge gift: a United States divided, internally preoccupied, and contradicting its own democratic ideals. Biden winning the White House with a bare Democratic majority in Congress won’t be enough for the United States to recover its international standing: trumpism must be repudiated and delegitimized root and branch, much as McCarthyism was in the 1950s. the elites who establish normative guardrails around national institutions must regain their nerve and reestablish their moral authority. Whether they rise to the challenge will determine the fate of U.S. institutions—and, more important, the American people. FRANCIS FUKUYAMA is Mosbacher Director of Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law and the author of Political Order and Political Decay.
India’s victory against divisive politics will come when everyday Hindus say enough “HINDU CONSOLIDATION” AGAINST MUSLIMS IS THE POLITICAL EQUIVALENT IN INDIA FOR THE AMERICAN CALL, OPEN OR SUBTLE, FOR WHITE SUPREMACY
indiAn express
i
rajmohan Gandhi
MPOrtAnt American events were pushed off stage by videos of the hideous January 6 bid to prevent the US Congress from certifying Biden’s victory. America’s response will be watched with interest, but a focus on what was removed from view is also called for. Only an hour or so before the trump-incited attack occurred, Democrats had wrested control of the US Senate: their nominee, Jon Ossoff, was projected as the winner in the final georgia runoff. then, a few hours after the attack, top republicans in the Senate openly broke with trump. Enlisting most of their party colleagues, they ensured certification. Both Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell, the
Senate’s veteran leader, and South Carolina’s Lindsey graham, until that moment trump’s most persuasive ally, told the Senate that the Congress was obligated, by law and the facts, to certify Biden’s win. Frontally addressing trump’s repeated falsehood that “thousands of dead men” and “thousands of felons” had voted for Biden, graham said he had asked to see just 10 Biden votes from dead men or criminals. He hadn’t been shown even one. “Enough is enough,” graham shouted in videos anyone can access, “Joe Biden will be the president and Kamala Harris the vicepresident.” Possessing no role in auditing the vote, the Senate did not need this assertion. But, bombarded by trump’s falsehoods, everyday republicans across America required it. For true believers in trump’s infallibility, men like graham and McConnell no longer matter. they merely join those who should be “hanged”, a list that already includes vice-president Pence. However, frank reiteration of electoral facts helps others who voted republican to accept the result and move on. Some republicans are starting to express another political fact: their party can-
not expect to win future nationwide elections with only the white vote, which in percentage terms is steadily shrinking. in many individual constituencies, on the other hand, as also in several states taken as a whole, white supremacy remains an appealing message, and one which can be conveyed without using precise words. Like most other states of the American south, georgia thus far was reliably “red” (the republican colour). Currently, the state’s electorate is 52 per cent white, 32 per cent Black, 10 percent Latino and 4.4 percent Asian. Jon Ossoff, a Jew, and rev. raphael Warnock, a Black preacher, defeated their republican rivals because a crucial slice of the white vote plus an overwhelming share of the Black vote came to them. Black percentages are distinctly larger in the American South, which means that their political future should be bright if, while retaining Black support, Democrats can modestly widen their appeal among Whites and Latinos. Such a goal may not be beyond reach for people like Warnock, Ossoff and Stacey Abrams, the remarkable woman who has steadily bolstered Black voting and the
Democratic Party in georgia. the state has other strengths. For 33 years until his death last July, John Lewis, the civil rights hero possessing numerous white fans, represented a georgia constituency in Washington. His autobiography reveals that Lewis had closely studied gandhi and satyagraha in the 1950s and 1960s. Also closely connected to georgia and its largest city, Atlanta, were Martin Luther King Jr. and his father. in fact, Warnock, the new senator, is the pastor at the Atlanta church where “Daddy” King and his more famous son had both served. in any long-term contest in the US between white supremacy and what King saw as his “beloved”, multiracial America, most observers would pick the latter to win. Still, the attack on the Capitol exposed an ugly reality, which is that some or many of the 74 million who voted for trump (as against the 81 million for Biden) believe that whites own America. “this is our house,” attackers told the police as they forced their way into the Capitol with Confederate flags, trump banners, guns, explosives, at least one noose, and “Jesus” placards. Without their permission, Blacks and other non-Whites should not enter or inhabit this house of theirs. Persons like Speaker nancy Pelosi were trespassers. in india, Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis, taken together, form the equivalent of America’s Blacks. Counting Dalits and Adivasis in the Hindu fold, Hindu radicals reserve their public ire for Muslims. “Hindu consol-
idation” against Muslims is the political equivalent in india for the American call, open or subtle, for white supremacy. Who are the Hindu leaders who will speak frankly to india’s cow vigilantes or “love jihad” militants the way Pence, McConnell and graham finally spoke on January 6 to America’s trump backers? if “enough is enough” will not escape the lips of a narendra Modi, an Amit Shah, an Adityanath or any principal colleague, everyday Hindus must utter the words, in their homes to kith and kin, outside their homes to fellow citizens. “india belongs as much to her Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Jews, atheists or others as to her Hindus.” With such words, gandhi, nehru and Ambedkar inspired free india to commence an impressive journey. Hindus unable or unwilling today to utter these words are india’s counterparts of the enablers of the January 6 attack on America’s core and constitutional meaning. But Kamala Harris, raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff and Stacey Abrams too have their indian counterparts: Leaders from minority communities, and weaker castes, who feel connected also to other indians, including caste Hindus and high-caste Hindus. When their voices ring out without fear, as also the voices of everyday Hindus offended by the coerciveness of Hindu supremacy, indian trumpism will find its nemesis. Gandhi is currently teaching at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
BUSINESS 09
corporate corner Meezan Bank announces direct integration with Visa KARACHI: Meezan Bank has recently announced direct integration with global digital payments leader, Visa, for routing settlement of Visa card transactions. The shift comes in continuation with its direct integration with Mastercard last year, bringing the bank a step closer to its goal of transforming its customers payment experience, enabling faster and more seamless transactions. “Meezan Bank always endeavors to provide the best transaction experience to its customers. Direct integration with global payment schemes not only allows us to remove an additional hop in transaction processing but it also makes detailed view of each transaction available to the bank for more efficient management of cards portfolio. We are excited with this development and look forward to various others significant improvements in our IT infrastructure and platforms to support the growing business of the Bank,” said Shariq Mubeen – Head of Alternate Distribution Channels, Meezan Bank. PrESS rElEaSE
Zameen.com, Bank Alfalah sign MoU for construction of affordable housing units LAHORE: Zameen.com and Bank Alfalah have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the construction of affordable housing units as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The contract was signed during a ceremony where Zameen.com Chief Operating Officer Zeeshan Ali Khan, Country Head Ahmed Bhatti, Senior Director Shujaullah Khan, along with Bank Alfalah CEO Atif Bajwa, Group Head Retail Banking Mehreen Ahmed and Head of Consumer Finance Syed Muhammad Asif, were also present. As per the agreement, Zameen.com will help the visitors explore the available home finance options through Bank Alfalah as well as its easy home finance scheme. Zameen.com will also educate potential property buyers and developers regarding mortgage consumer finance and developer finance options offered by the bank. PrESS rElEaSE
PAkIstAn UP 31 PlAces on Border trAdIng Index: FBr P
AKISTAN has moved up 31 positions, from 142nd to 111th, in the rankings of Trading Across Border Index, a statement issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday read. “Trading across border has been made easier by Pakistani government’s reform efforts focusing on three crucial areas, including enhancing the integration of various agencies in the Web-Based One Customs (WEBOC) electronic system, reducing the number of documents required for import and export clearances, and enhancing the capacities of Pakistani Customs officials in smoothly regulating border trade,” the FBR stated. The statement said that the border-related facilitations are among the top priority areas as per the com-
Petroleum imports shrink 22.3pc in 1st half of FY21
Infinix Hot 10 Play is up for pre-orders LAHORE: Infinix has announced the latest addition to its celebrated Hot Series, the Hot 10 Play. Infinix has started the pre-orders from 18th January on Xpark and PriceOye that will last till 24th January 2021. During pre-orders, customers will be able to get a free Wireless Bluetooth Headset XE08 on buying the Infinix Hot 10 Play at Rs16,999. The outstanding range of Hot series from Infinix has harvested a lot of positive feedback from the consumers, making it one of the best sellers from the smartphone brand. Keeping the legacy of the Hot series, Infinix Hot 10 Play is backed by 6000 mAh with a power marathon, customers can enjoy a non-stop playing experience with full-day battery life and an amazing talk time of 53hrs. It also sports a MediaTek Helio G25 octacore chipset to enjoy smooth gaming. PrESS rElEaSE
prehensive policy laid down by the federal government, adding that concerted efforts by Pakistan Customs, under the FBR, led to impressive performance in terms of compliance with the provisions of World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement. “Pakistan Customs has pursued implementation of effective customs controls so that compliant trade is thoroughly facilitated, while lesser or non-compliant trade is diverted to detailed scrutiny,” it added. In order to further improve Pakistan’s position in ease of doing business, the FBR has been pursuing simultaneous completion of the Regional Improvement of Border Services (RIBS) project and the Pakistan Single Window system, according to the statement. RIBS is being implemented at Torkham, Chaman and Wagah borders. It is a flagship programme aimed at
ISLAMABAD aPP
The country's oil import bill witnessed a reduction of 22.32pc during the first half (July-Dec) of the current fiscal year (FY21) as compared to the corresponding period of FY20, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Tuesday. The overall oil imports were recorded at $4.77 billion in 1HFY21, as against the imports of $6.14 billion in 1HFY20, the data showed. Commodities that contributed to the decline in oil import bill included petroleum products, the imports of which decreased by 16.30pc, from $2.59 billion last year to $2.16 billion during the period under review. As per the data, the import of petroleum
crude decreased from $1.77 billion to $1.32 billion (-25.31pc), while that of natural gas (liquefied) dropped from $1.62 billion to $1.05 billion (-35.33pc). On the other hand, the imports of petroleum gas (liquefied) jumped from $153 million to $227.643 million (+48.79pc), while the import of all other oil products increased from $0.067 million to 0.078 million (+16.42pc). Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the country oil import bill shrunk 20.04pc to $824.872 million in December 2020 when compared to the imports of $1.03 billion in December 2019. However, on a month-on-month basis, oil imports increased 6.03pc in December 2020 when compared to the imports of $777.977 million in November 2020. It is pertinent to mention that the country’s merchandize exports increased 4.98pc during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The exports from the country during July-December FY21 were recorded at $12.098 billion against the exports of $11.524 billion during JulyDecember FY20. Likewise, imports into the country during the period under review also increased 5.72pc, from $23.195 billion last year to $24.521 billion during the first half of FY21. Based on the figures, the country’s trade deficit increased by 6.44pc during the first half of FY21 compared to the corresponding period of last year. The country's trade deficit was recorded at $12.423 billion in 1HFY21 as against the deficit of $11.671 billion last year.
Bazaar Technologies secures $6.5m in seed funding to digitise mom-and-pop stores KARACHI TaIMOOr HaSSaN
Bazaar, an eight-month old business-tobusiness e-commerce marketplace that aims to digitise traditional retail in Pakistan, has raised $6.5 million in seed funding, bringing the total raised by the startup to $7.8 million in two funding rounds. The announcement from the startup comes a few months after an earlier denial by the company that they were raising new investment in seed funding after Profit published a news report in August last year that Bazaar was seeking as much as $15 million in seed funding from investors. A senior official from Bazaar’s management team had reached out to Profit after the publication of the aforementioned news report, flatly denying that Bazaar was in the active process of raising its now disclosed seed round. Profit had then learnt from sources that the startup had planned to keep the round undisclosed for a few months even if the round was successful. Bazaar’s $6.5 million seed round was co-led by Germany-based Global Founders Capital, and US-based Indus Valley Capital, which had led the startup's previously pre-seed round. Other investors in the round included several renowned global investors such as S7V, Wavemaker Partners, Derayah Venture Capital, and Next Billion Ven-
tures, all of whom are making their first investments in Pakistan, according to a statement by Bazaar. Existing investor Alter Global also participated in the seed round. According to the startup, the recent round is one of the largest seed rounds raised by a startup in the Middle-East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP) region. Bazaar had earlier raised $1.3 million in pre-seed funding in June last year. Moreover, angel investors, including current and former leaders of Careem, a partner at DST Global, and founders of other prominent B2B startups including Maxab (Egypt), Ula (Indonesia) and Sokowatch (Africa) have also joined Bazaar’s board. According to the startup, their mission is to digitise traditional retail in Pakistan. Using the country’s rising mobile adoption, Bazaar aims to empower the millions of SMEs that dominate the market by providing significant value and convenience through various digital products. "We are excited to back an extraordinary team in their journey to help millions of small shops in Pakistan digitise their retail business,” said Tito Costa, partner at Global Founders Capital. As their first product, Bazaar has created a mobile-based B2B e-commerce marketplace that enables momand-pop grocery stores (called kiryana stores) to purchase directly from manufacturers, wholesalers and suppliers.
The Bazaar App provides kiryana owners a large assortment of branded and unbranded products, which can be ordered at any time, any day with free next-day delivery. On one end of the marketplace, kiryana owners can benefit from Bazaar App's convenient ordering, reliable delivery and competitive prices. Suppliers, on the other end, through Bazaar get a direct-to-retail channel and are provided actionable insights on purchase patterns and trends. “When we invested in Bazaar in May, they set ambitious targets for 2020. They went on to crush those goals by 10x. Indus Valley Capital is thrilled to double down on Bazaar and strengthen our partnership to revolutionize the $150B retail industry in Pakistan,” said Aatif Awan, Managing Partner at Indus Valley Capital. Bazaar was co-founded by Saad Jangda and Hamza Jawaid, whose personal mission is to bring together and cultivate talent both in Pakistan and the diaspora to ultimately create a platform that further enables entrepreneurship in the country. Prior to Bazaar, Jangda was a product manager for ride-hailing and food delivery products at Careem, while Jawaid was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, based in Dubai. “As the fifth largest country in the world with rising digital adoption, we have an incredible opportunity to empower micro businesses through technol-
CMYK
ogy. Over 80% of our customers own and operate smartphones, yet their way of running business has not changed, til now. By bringing them online, we can meaningfully improve their business and their lives, freeing up time to focus on the most important tasks, eventually enabling greater returns,” said Jawaid. Within just eight months of launch, Bazaar claims to have served over 10,000 retailers in Karachi and has a catalogue of over 500 SKUs on its platform. In this short time, the company says they have managed to assemble a team of skilful individuals from some of the top local and global companies such as Careem, Swvl, Kitopi, Daraz, and Unilever. “At Bazaar, we believe that building the technology layer for traditional commerce is a massive opportunity. With the sheer size of the Pakistani market, a new narrative and spotlight on our ecosystem and an abundance of Pakistanis moving back home, we finally have all the right fundamentals to build massive tech institutions. We have been blown away by our early team andhumbled by the roster of investors who are supporting us on this journey. It is further validation of the sheer yet untapped potential of tech in our country,” said Jangda. With this fresh round of funding, Bazaar plans to expand its footprint across Pakistan, build its product capabilities, and deepen its relationship with customers by offering more value-added services.
improving border-crossing facilities at key transit points to Afghanistan and India, said the FBR, adding that Pakistan Single Window, on the other hand, will integrate online at least 46 departments and agencies in Pakistan, and further promote trading activities across border. Climbing up the ladder in Trading Across Border Index has enabled Pakistan in jumping up 28 places – from 136th to 108th – in World Bank’s (WB)’s ‘Ease of Doing Business 2020’ and securing a place among the top 10 countries have done the most in the corresponding/past year to improve the ease of doing business in their countries. This milestone has led Pakistan to be the sixth global reformer and first in South Asia that has brought ease in doing business for the national/international trade, said the statement. NEWS DESK
Monetary policy on 22nd The Monetary Policy Committee of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) would meet on Friday to decide about the country policy rate. According to a statement issued on Tuesday, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir will address a press conference on the same day after the MPC meeting. Earlier in November 2020, the central bank had kept the main policy rate unchanged at 7 per cent, as "risks to the outlook for both growth and inflation appeared balanced". It may be noted that the SBP in June last year had decided to slash the country's policy rate by 100 points to 7pc, the fifth time since the coronavirus pandemic hit the global economy, with the total reduction being 625 basis points. NEWS DESK
LAHORE: Italian Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese on Tuesday paid a visit to Italy-Pakistan Footwear Technological Centre (IPFTC). PFMA Chairman Imran Malik welcomed the Italian ambassador and briefed him on the centre’s progress. Pr
ISLAMABAD: AWJ Marketing (Pvt) Ltd recently inaugurated “Pearl Mall and Residency” in the ideal location of Bahria Town phase 8. The project is expected to be completed in three years. Pr
LAHORE: Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd (SNGPL) on Tuesday organized an ‘e-Kachehri’ at its head office as per the directions of Prime Minister’s Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU). SNGPL Managing Director Ali J. Hamdani listened to public grievances during the kachehri and directed relevant executives for immediate redressal of complaints. Pr
KARACHI: Haier, a market leader in home appliances, holds ‘Haier Brand Seminar 2021’ to celebrate 20 years of its phenomenal success in Pakistan. This year’s theme for the seminar is “Co-Build Ecosystem Brand”. Pr
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
10 FOREIGN NEWS
Biden planS to reverSe trUmp poliCieS dUring firSt dayS in offiCe
U
AGENCIES
NITED States President-elect Joe Biden plans to sign dozens of executive orders and send sweeping bills to Congress in his first days in office, aiming to roll back some of Donald Trump’s signature policies on immigration and climate change while taking action to ramp up the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis. Here is a list of what to expect, according to interviews with several of Biden’s advisers, a review of campaign promises and a recent memo by the president-elect’s incoming chief of staff Ron Klain. COVID-19 CRISIS: * Seek a $1.9 trillion spending proposal aimed at accelerating the distribution of coronavirus vaccines while providing economic relief to millions of Americans hurt by the pandemic. * Impose a mask-wearing requirement on all federal property, planes and buses. * Extend relief on federal student loan payments and extend an eviction moratorium.
* Sign an executive order that helps schools and businesses reopen safely, expands coronavirus testing and establishes clearer public health standards. * Direct federal agencies to take immediate action to deliver economic relief
China says opposes US suppressing Chinese companies
to working families bearing the brunt of the crisis. * Return the US to the World Health Organization. Trump withdrew from the agency, saying it failed to properly oversee the Covid-19 pandemic.
legal permission. * Reinstate the program allowing “Dreamers,” people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, to remain in the country. * Reverse Trump’s policy that separated immigrant parents from their children at the border, including ending the prosecution of parents for minor immigration violations, and prioritize the reunification of any children still separated from their families. * Reverse Trump’s more restrictive asylum policies, such as imposing additional restrictions on anyone traveling through Mexico or Guatemala and attempting to prevent victims of gang and domestic violence from receiving asylum. * End Trump’s National Emergency declaration that allowed him to shift federal funds from the Department of Defense to build a wall along the US border with Mexico. * Order an immediate review of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries ripped apart by violence or disaster.
Young Tunisians clash with police days after revolution anniversary TUNIS AGENCIES
BEIJING AGENCIES
A spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Beijing opposes the United States suppressing Chinese companies after US President Donald Trump ordered an assessment of security risks from Chinese drones. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying was speaking at a regular briefing. Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing US agencies to assess any security risks from Chinese-made drones in American government fleets and to prioritize removing them.
Hundreds of youths clashed with police in cities across Tunisia late on Monday, throwing stones and gasoline bombs in the capital as security forces used tear gas and water cannons to try to quell the unrest. Up to 300 young men clashed with police in the capital’s Ettadamon district, Reuters journalists there said, while residents of Kasserine, Gafsa, Sousse and Monastir described street violence in those cities. Rioting and protests have followed the 10th anniversary of a revolution that brought democracy but few material gains for most Tunisians, with
anger growing at chronic joblessness and poor state services. However, with no clear agenda, political leadership or backing from major parties, it is not clear whether the demonstrations will gain momentum or die down, as many previous rounds of protests have since 2011. The crowd in Ettadamon on Monday chanted no slogans during their clashes with police who wore body armour and carried batons. Security forces patrolled the area in militarystyle vehicles. London-based Amnesty International called for restraint. It cited footage showing officers beating and dragging people they had detained and said authorities should immediately release Hamza Nassri Jeridi, a
Analysis: Saudi overtures to wary Biden team driven by worries over Iran, economy RIYADH/LONDON AGENCIES
After months out of the global spotlight, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has swept back to centre stage with eye-catching diplomatic and economic moves aimed at showing the new US president he is a valuable partner who can get things done. Within the span of a few weeks, the kingdom announced an Arab deal to reconcile with Qatar, voluntary cuts to Saudi crude output to help stabilise markets and new momentum on an economic diversification plan that stumbled due to political controversy, low oil prices and Covid-19. Whether behind the scenes or front and centre chairing a Gulf summit for the first time, the brazen young prince, known as MbS, is moving to present an image as a reliable statesman and set a pragmatic tone with a less accommodating Biden administration, especially on foe Iran, three foreign diplomats said. Prince Mohammed’s initial image as a bold reformer was battered by the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi agents seen as close to MbS, and moves to crush dissent and sideline royal rivals. He denies ordering Khashoggi’s killing while saying he ultimately bore responsibility as it happened under his watch. The kingdom’s de facto ruler knows “a new era has started” without the buffer granted by President Donald Trump and that Riyadh needs to make some concessions on
CLIMATE * Bring the US back into the Paris Climate Agreement, the global pact forged five years ago among nearly 200 nations to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Trump vowed in 2016 to pull the United States out of the agreement, making good on that promise in November 2020. * Reimpose methane pollution limits for new and existing oil and gas operations repealed by Trump. * Using the federal government procurement system – which spends $500 billion every year – to make facilities more reliant on clean energy and purchase zero-emissions vehicles. * Ban new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. * Cancel the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to the United States. IMMIGRATION * Repeal the ban on almost all travel from some Muslim-majority countries. * Send to Congress a sweeping immigration bill that could legalize millions of immigrants living in the United States without
contentious issues like human rights in order to push for regional priorities like the Iran nuclear accord, a Western diplomat in the region said. “They don’t want the 2015 deal back on the table,” the diplomat said, adding that recent positive gestures by Riyadh were in some way “all related to the change in Washington”. He said that included recent sentences handed by Saudi courts for a prominent women’s rights activist and a U.-Saudi physician, with the convictions signalling
Riyadh would brook no dissent while reduced jail terms served as a nod to Washington. President-elect Joe Biden, who is expected to re-engage with Iran, has said he would take a firmer stand on Saudi’s human rights record and the devastating Yemen war. “For the Saudis, the calculus is clear. They have to adapt to a new world ... and present themselves in a more positive light ahead of Biden taking office,” said Shadi Hamid from Washington-based Brookings Institution.
rights activist arrested on Monday. A decade after throwing off the shackles of autocratic rule, Tunisia was heading towards an economic crisis even before the global coronavirus pandemic struck last year, wrecking the tourism industry and locking down other businesses. An Interior Ministry spokesman said on Monday that police had detained 632 people on Sunday alone after what it called rioting across the country that included looting and attacks on property. Most of the detainees were aged 15-20, it said. In Tunis’ central Bourguiba Avenue, a tree-lined boulevard flanked by government offices and colonial-era buildings where the biggest protests in 2011 took place, demonstrators on
RULES OF THE GAME: Another foreign diplomat said Riyadh’s “nervousness” over Biden’s Iran policy was one reason it lobbied the Trump administration to blacklist Yemen’s Houthi group, which has launched cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia. Prince Mohammed was keen to “impose some rules for the game” regarding Iran and Yemen while also presenting Saudi Arabia as a “high profile member of the international community and economy” that should be defended, the diplomat said. Warning the Houthi designation as a foreign terrorist group may push Yemen into a large-scale famine, UN officials have urged Biden to revoke the decision that takes effect on Jan 19. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies including the United Arab Emirates, concerned about Iran’s ballistic missiles and regional network of proxies, supported Trump’s maximum pressure campaign on Tehran and basked in his decision in 2018 to quit “a flawed” international nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran. They have stressed that this time around they should be included in any potential negotiations between the Biden administration and Iran on a new nuclear deal to ensure it addresses Iran’s missile capabilities and “malign activity”. The Sunni Muslim kingdom has been locked in a decades long rivalry with Shia Iran for regional influence that has shaped conflicts in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. In 2019, Saudi Arabia was shaken by missile and drone attacks on its energy installations. Trump boosted defence support for the kingdom, a major US arms buyer, after the strike, which Riyadh and Washington blame on Iran, something Tehran denies. CURRYING FAVOUR: Security, vital for regional economic prospects, is also a key consideration for other Gulf leaders who have also been preparing for a Biden presidency by positioning themselves as a moderating force in a turbulent region and
Monday said they wanted people arrested in recent days to be released. “They call everyone who protests against the system a thief...We have come with exposed faces by day and not by night to say we want jobs...We want dignity,” said Sonia, an unemployed graduate who did not want to give her family name. Demonstrators with her chanted “no fear, no fear! The street belongs to the people!” In his home Mnihla district of Tunis, President Kais Saied addressed a crowd of dozens of people affirming their right to “jobs, freedom and dignity”. He warned that some political forces sought to manipulate the protesters to “sow chaos”.
hedging their bets. The United Arab Emirates, wary of Iran and the perceived threat posed by militant movements, struck a US-brokered deal to establish ties with Israel that created a new anti-Iran dynamic and opened the door for Abu Dhabi to new US arms and bipartisan goodwill. Bahrain followed suit. Although the UAE’s divisions with Qatar run deep, it fell in line with a US and Saudi push to end a more than three-year row and restore ties severed over issues including Qatar’s ties with Iran and Turkey and its support of the Muslim Brotherhood. “The Qatar deal is a way to have the Gulf states aligned with Israel to oppose the nuclear deal in particular and Iran in general,” the Western diplomat said. Qatar’s foreign minister recently said it was the right time for talks with Iran and that Doha, home to the region’s largest U.S. military base, could facilitate discussions. DISTRACTIONS: Saudi Arabia also wants to make up for lost time, and money, a fourth diplomat said, as coronavirus frustrated plans in 2020 to refocus attention on MbS’ ambitious diversification drive after some foreign investors were spooked by the Khashoggi murder and a secretive anti-corruption purge. MbS made a rare TV appearance on Jan 13. to unveil a zero-carbon city as the first major construction project for NEOM, the $500 billion flagship business zone that has seen little progress since it was announced to fanfare in 2017. A few days later he was shown alone in his private desert camp announcing investment opportunities worth $6 trillion in a virtual speech at the World Economic Forum. “Saudi Arabia faces an enormous challenge in transforming its domestic economy and after Covid-19 the path is much more perilous. They need money and partners and they need global engagement,” said Kristin Smith Diwan, senior resident scholar at the Washington-based Arab Gulf States Institute.
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
SPORTS 11
INDIA ShOcK AuSTrAlIA TO clINch fINAl TeST, TAKe SerIeS 2-1 AGENCIES India pulled off a record run-chase in a thrilling final session to hand Australia their first defeat at Brisbane's Gabba ground since 1988 and clinch the four-Test series 2-1 on Tuesday. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant starred with a swashbuckling 89 not out as the injury-depleted visitors overhauled the 328-run target with three overs to go, winning by three wickets. Australia had not been beaten at the Gabba since falling to Viv Richards' all-conquering West Indies side by nine wickets in November 1988. India's 329 for seven also smashed the 69-yearold record for the biggest run-chase at the Gabba, set by Australia who scored 236 for seven to beat the West Indies in 1951. The series win was a remarkable achievement considering India were bowled out for their lowest Test score of 36 to lose the first Test in Adelaide, before bouncing back to win the second in Melbourne. The visitors, ravaged by injuries and captain Virat Kohli's absence for paternity leave, then batted throughout the final day to draw the third Test in Sydney. “It really means a lot to us. I don't know how to describe this victory but I'm really proud of all the boys,” said India's interim skipper Ajinkya Rahane. “They showed character, attitude, especially after the Adelaide Test match. We decided we're going to fight really hard [...] and we just wanted to give our best.” Man-of-the-match Pant, who played a similar innings in the drawn Sydney Test, blasted his 89 from 138 balls with nine fours and a six. His innings followed an equally impressive knock from 21-year-old Shubman Gill, who made 91 at the top
of the order earlier in the day. 'COMPLETELY OUTPLAYED': Cheteshwar Pujara's 56 was also vital, the gritty number three hit 10 times by Australia's quicks, taking blows to the fingers, arm, ribs and head as he was subjected to a searching examination by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Cummins with 4-55 was easily the pick of the Australian attack, sending down 24 overs of pace and hostility, but the rest of the bowlers looked fatigued after bowling all day in Sydney just eight days ago. “I'm absolutely disappointed, no doubt about that. We've come here to win the Test and win the series,” said Australia captain Tim Paine.
“It's probably a little bit of a trend the whole series — I think in the key moments we were found wanting and completely outplayed by a really disciplined, really tough Indian side who fully deserved the series win.” Despite Australia's fearsome record at the Gabba, the Indian batsmen showed no fear and never looked interested in playing for a draw, even after losing the wickets of Pujara and Mayank Agarwal after tea. Pant took advantage of any loose ball, but also played some outrageous strokes, showing the influence T20 cricket has had on Tests. HIGH INJURY TOLL: India started the morning on four for no loss after bowling Australia out for 294 just
before rain stopped play late on the fourth day. Australia's hopes of a series-clinching victory were raised early when Cummins drew Rohit Sharma forward to a ball that caught the outside edge, Tim Paine taking a fine diving catch. But as India have shown since their capitulation in Adelaide, when they were bowled out for 36, they are never out of the contest. Their effort in the fourth Test is even more admirable considering the high injury toll on tour. Their bowling attack was led by Mohammad Siraj, who debuted in Melbourne, supported by Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, T. Natarajan and Washington Sundar, who had two Tests between them heading into Brisbane. The tourists were without the services of front-line seamers Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav and Japrit Bumrah and regular spin bowlers Ravi Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin. After just one wicket in the first session, Australia could only manage two after lunch, with Gill falling for his superb 91 and skipper Rahane a quickfire 24. Gill was magnificent on a fifth-day wicket, smashing the Australian bowlers to all corners of the ground. He hit eight fours and two towering sixes in his 146-ball innings before he became Nathan Lyon's 398th Test victim, edging an arm ball to first slip where Steve Smith took a sharp catch. With Pujara putting down the anchor at one end, Rahane raced to 24 from just 22 balls before he edged Cummins to Australian 'keeper Paine to leave India 167 for three. India looked in control through the final session and despite losing three wickets in the last hour, they cruised home with three overs to spare when Pant hit the winning four off Hazlewood.
‘Vast majority of players back hard quarantine’ LAHORE: Tetra Pak Pakistan partners with Islamabad United as its Official Nutrition Partner in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021. The signing ceremony for the partnership took place at the Tetra Pak Head Office on Tuesday while keeping strict Covid-19 SOPs in place.
Kyrgios slams Djokovic as Australian Open tensions run high MELBOURNE AGENCIES
Australia's Nick Kyrgios dismissed world number one Novak Djokovic as a "tool" as a backlash grew against tennis players flown in for the Australian Open during a raging pandemic. Kyrgios joined a wave of criticism of the Serb for reportedly issuing a list of demands for quarantined players who have arrived in Melbourne and Adelaide on chartered flights. The arrival of more than 1,000 players and staff, including four people who tested positive, has raised hackles in a country which is largely coronavirus-free, and especially in Melbourne which came out of a fourmonth lockdown in October. "Djokovic is a tool," Kyrgios tweeted, after the Serb led a chorus of player complaints about conditions in locked-down hotel rooms. At least 72 players have been barred from leaving their rooms for two weeks after coronavirus cases were detected on their charter flights into the country. Others are allowed out of their rooms for up to five hours a day to train under strictlycontrolled conditions. The 33-year-old Serb and reigning Australian Open champion is among several stars -- others include Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal -who were allowed to fly into Adelaide where they enjoy better facilities such as balconies on their hotel rooms, unlike the majority in Melbourne, the Australian Open's host city. But Djokovic reportedly issued a list of demands in a letter to Tennis Australia that included moving quarantined players into private homes with tennis courts and getting them better meals. Australian media zeroed in on the demands, portraying them as petulant and selfish, while showing images of Djokovic not wearing a mask in a players' minibus, which would be required in most taxis and rideshares in Australia.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN BOSS TILEY SAYS THEY WILL TURN THE CORNER ON THOSE FEW WHO DON’T HAVE ‘RIGHT APPROACH’TO IT MELBOURNE AGENCIES
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley said on Tuesday most players supported being locked down in hard quarantine as a government official reported three new cases of Covid-19 might be linked to participants of the Grand Slam. More than 70 players and their entourage are confined to their hotel rooms for 14 days and unable to train for the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open after passengers on three charter flights returned positive tests for the novel coronavirus. Some players have complained about the conditions, and men's world number one Novak Djokovic sent governing body Tennis Australia requests for quarantine restrictions to be eased, drawing a backlash from Australians. Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said he would not make changes and the measures were essential to stop the spread of the virus. Tiley said he had a call with 500 players to address concerns and the "vast majority" had been supportive of Australia's strict protocols. "The vast majority, most of them
have been fantastic and been supportive," Tiley told the Nine Network. "(They) know that this is the contribution that they have to make in order to get the privilege of when they do come out to compete for A$80 million ($61.46 million) in prize money. "So we will turn the corner on those few that don't have the right approach to this. But the rest have been really good." Tiley, however, conceded that the 72 players in hard quarantine were at a disadvantage to rivals who arrived on other flights and can train up to five hours a day. "Yes, it's not an even playing field as far as preparation goes but we're going to play our part to try to even it up as much as possible," he said. Organisers found support from former world number one Victoria Azarenka, who urged her fellow players to "accept and adapt" to the health regulations in Melbourne and show empathy towards the local community. Former French Open champion Albert Costa said it was not easy for the players to be stuck in their rooms ahead of a major but they have no option but to stay strong and get through it.
"I think that at least the Australian Open are making the effort to give the opportunity to the players to compete," Spaniard Costa, who is the tournament director for the Davis Cup Finals, told Reuters. "They are doing everything for the players, they are doing it in good faith and the players I think understand that. If it was me, for sure I would be playing there." Costa's countryman Roberto Bautista Agut, however, described the situation as a "complete disaster". "It's like (being) in a jail," Bautista Agut, ranked 13th, told Israeli television channel Sport 5. "It's the same (as being in prison), but with Wifi." Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews reported four new cases of Covid-19 in hotel quarantine on Tuesday and said three may be linked to Australian Open personnel. The infections added to four linked to the tournament cohort on Monday. Andrews told reporters some of the cases might be reclassified as "viral shedding" from historical infections, which could allow some players and officials to be released from hard quarantine.
Struggling Torino appoint ex-player Nicola as new coach AGENCIES Davide Nicola, who spent a season as a player for Torino, was named by the Serie A club on Tuesday as the successor to Marco Giampolo who was sacked as coach on Monday. Torino are struggling third from bottom of the league with just two wins this campaign and none at home. Nicola, 47, played for the club in Serie B in 2005/06, his goal in the play-off final helping them into the top flight. He began his coaching career in 2010. "Unforgettable is the challenge he accomplished (in 2016/17) with Crotone, with 20 points obtained in the last nine matches, helping the club remain in Serie A. "Another big accomplishment was made last season, helping Genoa avoid relegation," Torino's statement highlighted. That did not stop Genoa from sacking Nicola last August after eight months in charge. He previously coached Bari, Crotone and Udinese. Nicola will begin his latest rescue mission with a trip to Benevento on Friday.
Wenger lauds 'genius' of Fenerbahce-bound Ozil AGENCIES Arsene Wenger has hailed the "genius" of Mesut Ozil after the Arsenal outcast confirmed he was leaving the Premier League club to join Turkish giants Fenerbahce. The former Arsenal boss signed the German playmaker in 2013 but the relationship has turned sour under current manager Mikel Arteta. The 32-yearold, who is the club's highest earner, on a reported weekly salary of £350,000 ($475,000), has not played since March
CMYK
2020. But Wenger said the former Germany international, who won the World Cup in 2014, was a rare talent. "Mesut is like if you imagine an orchestra in music," the Frenchman told beIN Sports Turkey. "He's a guy who plays the ball at the right time. The timing of his pass is exceptional, but the creativity of his pass is as well. "In every situation he confronts, he gives the right answer and that is genius." Ozil has claimed he is in good physical condition despite his lengthy period on the side-
lines but Wenger said his former player would take a few games to build up his "competitive fitness". "If his basic fitness in training is good, it will only take him three or four games to be at his best," said Wenger. "The quality that he has is… vision in depth. He sees quickly, he decides quickly and he realises quickly what he sees. That is a quality you don’t find too often in our game." Wenger said Ozil would strengthen Fenerbahce's bid to win the Turkish league for the first time since 2013/14.
"I'm sure that he’s frustrated at not having played," he said. "His hunger must be absolutely (enormous) to play football again. "Mesut is a guy who needs a warm environment and I believe he will find that more than anywhere else in Turkey." Ozil, who is of Turkish origin, was a key member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning side but after what he labelled "racist" attacks following the holders' firstround exit at the 2018 tournament, he ended his international career.
Wednesday, 20 January, 2021
NEWS
Washington PrePares for Joe BiDen’s inauguration Day wAShIngton
a
AGENCIES
MERICA will mark the inauguration of the 46th president on Wednesday, two weeks after the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol. Some 25,000 armed National Guard members will be on high alert as Joe Biden takes the oath, becoming the oldest president in history at 78. Kamala Harris will make history as the first female, Black and South Asian vice president. The inauguration comes as the Senate prepares to try President Donald Trump on one article of impeachment for urging thousands of supporters to march on the Capitol on January 6. The National Mall, historically filled with onlookers, will be closed to the public and dotted with 200,000 flags to represent the crowd that might have assembled. A small area in front of the Capitol has been reserved for socially distanced guests in a nod to the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken more than 400,000 lives in the US. On Tuesday evening, Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will speak at a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to commemorate the nearly 400,000 Americans who have died from Covid-19. In a major departure from previous inaugurations, most of the events were already planned to take place virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a sign of the anxiety gripping Washington following the riot at the Capitol by
BIDEN AND HARRIS WILL TAKE PART IN A CEREMONY AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL TO COMMEMORATE THOSE WHO HAVE PERISHED FROM COVID-19 a pro-Trump mob earlier this month, the building was briefly on lockdown and its west front, where a rehearsal for Wednesday's inaugural ceremony was taking place, was evacuated Monday after a "small fire" under a nearby bridge prompted an announcement of a security threat. After weeks of Republican infighting over President-elect Joe Biden's victory, which culminated in the deadly siege of the Capitol two weeks ago by supporters of President Donald Trump, Democrats are now racing to help Biden get to work on day one. Biden plans to unveil a sweeping immigration bill on day one of his administration, hoping to provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the US without legal status, a massive reversal from the Trump administration’s harsh immigration policies. The legislation puts Biden on track to deliver on a major campaign promise important to Latino voters and other immigrant communities after four years of President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies and mass deportations. It provides one of the fastest pathways to citizenship for those living without legal status of any measure in recent years, but it fails to include the traditional trade-off of enhanced border security favoured by
many Republicans, putting passage in a narrowly divided Congress in doubt. Expected to run hundreds of pages, the bill is set to be introduced after Biden takes the oath of office on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the legislation and granted anonymity to discuss it. As a candidate, Biden called Trump’s actions on immigration an “unrelenting assault” on American values and said he would “undo the damage” while continuing to maintain border enforcement. Under the legislation, those living in the US as of January 1, 2021, without legal status would have a five-year path to temporary legal status, or a green card, if they pass background checks, pay taxes and fulfill other basic requirements. From there, it’s a three-year path to naturalisation, if they decide to pursue citizenship. For some immigrants, the process would be quicker. So-called Dreamers, the young people who arrived in the US illegally as children, as well as agricultural workers and people under temporary protective status could qualify more immediately for green cards if they are working, are in school or meet other requirements. The bill is not as comprehensive as the last major immigration overhaul proposed when Biden was vice president
during the Obama administration. For example, it does not include a robust border security element, but rather calls for coming up with strategies. Nor does it create any new guest worker or other visa programs. It does address some of the root causes of migration from Central America to the United States and provides grants for workforce development and English language learning. Biden is expected to take swift executive actions to reverse other Trump immigration actions, including an end to the prohibition on arrivals from several predominantly Muslim countries. During the Democratic primary, Biden consistently named immigration action as one of his first-day priorities, pointing to the range of executive powers he could invoke to reverse Trump’s policies. Biden allies and even some Republicans have identified immigration as a major issue where the new administration could find common ground with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and enough other GOP senators to avoid the stalemate that has vexed administrations of both parties for decades. That kind of major win — even if it involves compromise — could be critical as Biden looks for legislative victories in a closely divided Congress, where Republicans are certain to oppose other Biden priorities that involve rolling back some of the GOP’s 2017 tax cuts and increasing federal spending. As a candidate, Biden said the Obama administration went too far in its aggressive deportations.
‘Established’ from Broadsheet verdict Nawaz ‘lied to parliament, SC, nation’: Asad ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
A day after the government released the judgement of a United Kingdom court against Pakistan in the Broadsheet case, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Tuesday said the detailed verdict “established” that deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif “lied to the parliament, the Supreme Court [and] the nation”. In a tweet, the minister said the judgement has “stated clearly” the Sharif family was in possession of the Avenfield House apartments “as far back as 2000 at least”. His tweet comes a day after Shahzad Akbar, special assistant to the prime minister on accountability and interior, shared copies of the judgments against Pakistan, saying it was in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s view of no accountability without transparency. In 2000, Broadsheet LLC — a company registered in the Isle of Man, tax heaven in the UK, and engaged by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) — helped the government and the newly-established accountability
THE TWEET COMES A DAY AFTER THE GOVERNMENT RELEASED THE JUDGEMENT OF A UNITED KINGDOM COURT AGAINST PAKISTAN IN THE BROADSHEET CASE agency track down foreign assets of some 150 Pakistan nationals including members of the Sharif family acquired through ill-gotten wealth. The agreement was terminated by the bureau in 2003, after which Broadsheet filed a claim with the High Court of Justice, London against Pakistan, seeking the award of $28.7 million. In 2019, a separate claim filed with the high court showed the company has applied for permission to enforce its judgement that it be paid $22 million by the government of Pakistan in compensation.
The firm had also asked for an interest rate of $4,758 a day to be applied, jacking up the amount to $28.7 million. After the bureau failed to make the payment, the amount was reported to be debited from the accounts of the Pakistan High Commission in London. In the Monday’s press conference, Akbar also confirmed the payment of $21.5 million to the firm in damage compensation and termed the development as a “cost” of “NRO deals” offered to the Sharif family during the regime of former president Pervez Musharraf. However, Akbar said that the government “cleared the dues” on December 31. “Of the $21.5m paid to broadsheet,” he said, “$20.5m was paid because of the Sharif family — of this $1.5m was paid against the Avenfield House apartments and $19m against assets of [deposed prime minister] Nawaz Sharif.” He further said the quantum order mentioned details regarding Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shahbaz Sharif, such as that he paid $7.3m to NAB and elsewhere, he took kickbacks of $160m in highway taxes.
Defence lawyer claims prosecution failed to prove case in Pearl’s murder ISLAMABAD TLTP
While representing the accused of beheading Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl, the defence counsel on Tuesday claimed that prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. A three-member bench of Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Yahya Afridi is hearing appeals of the Sindh government and parents of Daniel Pearl seeking suspension of the Sindh High Court (SHC) verdict regarding acquittal of the accused in the Pearl murder case. Appearing before the bench Mahmood Shaikh, counsel for the accused persons defended his clients, saying recovery which the police have shown in the record is totally fake and full of lies in the matter. Shaikh further said that confession of accused persons was the result of torture and pressure as prosecution failed to corroborate the facts. Substantiating his arguments, Shaikh submitted that according to the prosecution, buying a printer and scanner is part of a murder conspiracy saying the question is that the printer and scanner were bought from a shopkeeper who did not issue any receipt. Claiming the prosecution story was in question, Shaikh further apprised the bench that the date of purchase of the printer and scanner was mentioned in the recovery report was the same period while accused persons were in custody of the police. A member of the bench Justice Yahya Afridi observed that there are strong possibilities that when criminals buy material for a crime, he would not tell the shopkeeper his real name. To which Shaikh made a point that accused persons were in custody of the police at the time of purchase of printer and scanner, however, there was a contradiction in the statements of the shopkeeper saying the one of the major accused persons, Ahmed Omar Sheikh, did not record any confessional statement. Shaikh apprised the bench that Ahmed Omar Sheikh had only asked the police to not hand him over to the United States because everyone is shocked to see what is happening with the prisoners in the US. Shaikh alleged that during adjudication of the Daniel Pearl murder matter in the court international lobby becomes active saying that there is a concern that if Ahmed Omar Sheikh is acquitted, he will be extradited to the US. Later, the bench adjourned hearing of the matter till January 20.
‘Spoilers’ can thwart Afghan peace dialogue, Qureshi warns FM REITERATES ISLAMABAD'S DESIRE FOR PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE REGION SLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday warned the international community against the damaging role of “spoilers” within and outside Afghanistan trying to derail the ongoing peace process, Radio Pakistan reported. In a statement, the foreign minister reiterated Islamabad’s desire for peace and stability in the region, including in the war-torn neighbouring country. “We [the government] want the intraAfghan dialogue to be successful and reach its logical conclusion. [But] there are some elements inside and outside Afghanistan playing the role of spoilers,” he said. “If the spoilers succeed [in derailing the dialogue]”, he said, “besides peace and stability, the progress and prosperity of the
Afghans could also be undermined”. Qureshi, however, did not name any country or group which could sabotage the Islamabad-brokered intra-Afghan dialogue that is underway in Doha, Qatar between Kabul and the Taliban to end the 20-yearlong conflict in Afghanistan. Pakistan is Afghanistan’s top trading partner and is seen as a key regional player in helping facilitate a February troop withdrawal deal between the United States and the Taliban to begin the process of ending the war. Pakistan’s role in the peace negotiations is a delicate one, with Islamabad seeking to avoid demonstrating the kind of broad influence over the Taliban that Washington has long accused it of having. The Taliban also do not want to appear beholden to Islamabad, experts believe. Reportedly, the Taliban have said that Pakistan’s role in bringing the militant group
to the negotiating table was instrumental. In one instance, Islamabad sent a message to the militants through religious leaders that they had to talk to Washington or risk a cutoff in ties. Referring to the 2019 Pulwama attack, Qureshi said that there was an irresponsible government [in power] in New Delhi that
could do anything for petty political gains. He said that Pakistan has continuously been exposing India’s “real face” to the world. “In the November 14 dossier, we presented to the world irrefutable evidence of India’s support for terrorists,” Qureshi said, recalling that an investigation by the EU Dis-
infoLab has confirmed Pakistan’s concerns about India’s false propaganda campaign to discredit Islamabad globally. He further said that the international community has a responsibility to hold India accountable for the lack of peace in the region. “The world has come to know that India, which they considered a secular state, is ruled by a fascist, Hindutva government,” he added. The foreign minister underscored that the federal government has repeatedly clarified its stance on the Israel-Palestine dispute. “Banners denouncing Israel are being put up in Karachi for political purposes,” he said. “When the government has clarified its policy on Palestine issue, then there is no question of recognising Israel,” he stated. He said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a multiparty opposition alliance, wanted to hide the growing chaos within its ranks and save its declining reputation, whereas, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was “playing on both sides of the wicket and using PDM to achieve its own goals”. He further said that the PDM’s stance was consistent with that of the country’s enemies.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk