Wednesday, 25 August, 2021 I 16 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 55 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Taliban Tell US To compleTe evacUaTionS by aUg 31 deadline g
ZABIhUllAh MUJAhId SAyS US ShoUld SToP evACUATInG SKIlled AFGhAnS
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Taliban spokesman says the United States must complete its evacuation of people from Afghanistan by the August 31 date the Biden administration set for the withdrawal of all American troops. Addressing a press conference, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that his group would accept no extensions to the deadline. he said life was returning to normal in the country but chaos at the airport remained a problem. Many Afghans are desperate to flee the Taliban takeover of the country. The spokesman said that the US should stop evacuating skilled Afghans, and warned Western forces against extending the Aug 31 deadline for airlifts out of the country. The group said that Americans were taking “Afghan experts” such as engineers out of the country. “They have planes, they have the airport, they should get their citizens and contractors out of here,” said Mujahid. he said that he was not aware of any meeting between the Taliban and the CIA, but he did not deny that such a meeting took place.
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G7 agreed Taliban must allow people to leave after August 31, says Johnson STORY ON BACK PAGE
1,131,659
LAST UPDATED AT 7:18 AM ON AUGUST 24, 2021
4,075
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
1,015,519 25,094 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
422,418
382,332
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
157,721 AJK/GB: 30,865/9,687
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AUS Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns held a secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed US officials. The Monday meeting, which if confirmed will have been the highest-level encounter between the Taliban and the Biden administration since the group’s return to power, came as efforts to evacuate thousands of people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan became increasingly urgent. Burns is one of US President Joe Biden’s most experienced diplomats while Baradar, who headed the Taliban’s political office in Qatar, is one of the top leaders in the regime that has taken power in Kabul. A spokesperson for the CIA would not confirm the meeting to AFP, saying that the agency “never discusses the director’s travels”. The Washington Post, which cited anonymous US sources for the meeting, did not describe the content of the discussions between the Taliban co-founder and the CIA boss. afp
CONFIRMED CASES:
91
have been the highest-level encounter between the Taliban and the Biden administration since the group’s return to power, came as efforts to evacuate thousands of people from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan became increasingly urgent. Burns is one of US President Joe Biden’s most experienced diplomats, while Baradar, who headed the Taliban’s political office in Qatar, is one of the top leaders in the regime that has taken power in Kabul. A spokesperson for the CIA would not confirm the meeting to AFP, saying that the agency “never discusses the director’s travels”. The Washington Post, which cited anonymous US sources for the meeting, did not describe the content of the discussions between the Taliban co-founder and the CIA boss. Separately, speaking about the prospects of peace in an interview with Geo news, he said that it is only possible with punishments handed out to people in line with Sharia law. News Desk
CIA chief held secret meeting with Taliban leader in Kabul: report
pakiSTan
NEW CASES:
SAyS he ISn'T AWAre oF Any MeeTInG BeTWeen TAlIBAn And CIA ChIeF
earlier in the day, the Washington Post reported that CIA chief William Burns held a secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Monday. The meeting, which if confirmed will
coronavirUS in
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
g
31,865 ISLAMABAD:
96,771
No venue access, air travel for unvaccinated in raft of hard-line measures ISLAMABAD staff report
The government approved on Tuesday a new set of coronavirus restrictions limiting venue access and air travel — both domestic and international — for unvaccinated people, as it tries out a range of policies to push reluctant people into receiving jabs. A meeting of the national Command and operation Centre held under the chairmanship of Minister of Planning and development Asad Umar, who also heads the response to the health crisis, decided to deny access to incoming and outgoing travel to everyone without a Covid-19 vaccine certificate from September 30. The body had announced on July 25 to ban air travel for anyone without a vaccine certificate. however, according to its latest order, a complete twodose vaccination has been made compulsory for passengers by the end of September. Addressing a press briefing following the meeting, Umar, who was flanked by
Pakistan receives additional $2.7 billion in Covid-19 support funds from IMF ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON staff report
The government received $2.75 billion from the International Monetary Fund under a Special drawing rights programme to support low-income countries hit by the coronavirus, the State Bank of Pakistan said Tuesday. The funds, part of a multi-billion-dollar global programme, will shore up foreign reserves, under pressure from a rise in the current account deficit. Pakistan will get an additional $2.7 billion in funding as the International Monetary Fund will distribute about $650 billion in new Special drawing rights to its members, Managing director Kristalina Georgieva said late on Monday. Kristalina Georgieva, the agency’s managing director, had announced a day earlier to distribute about $650 billion to its members, providing a “significant shot in the arm” for global efforts to combat the pandemic. Under the programme, the member countries will receive
Minister of State for national health Services dr Faisal Sultan, said unvaccinated school teachers and staffers won’t be allowed to enter workspaces after october 15. Teachers and students above 18, public transport and retail staff are already required to get vaccinated. he said the centre has also made vaccination obligatory for those employed in various sectors, saying the first vaccine dose should be taken by August 31 and the second by September 30. The nCoC also decided to prevent unvaccinated people from being able to attend hospitality venues such as hotels and restaurants and shopping malls from August 31. It further decided to begin vaccination for people aged between 17 and 18 from September 1 though the risk of death among children verges on statistical insignificance. Immunocompromised people aged above 12 will get a “specific vaccine” at certain centres starting from September 1.
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more inside
Govt decides to debate issues trending on social media to frame policies: Fawad STORY ON PAGE 03
PMl-n infighting intensifies as Shehbaz replaces Maryam to address PdM rally in Karachi STORY ON PAGE 02 Sdrs — the fund’s unit of exchange backed by dollars, euros, yen, sterling and yuan — in proportion with their existing quota shareholdings in the fund. To spend their Sdrs, countries would first have to exchange them for underlying hard currencies, requiring them to find a willing exchange partner country. Countries can use the Sdr allocation to support their economies and step up their fight against the coronavirus crisis, but should not use the fiscal space to delay needed eco-
nomic reforms or debt restructuring, the IMF said in a separate guidance document. The move is aimed at providing a “significant shot in the arm” for global efforts to combat the Covid-19 crisis, Georgieva said. In december 2019, the Fund approved a three-year, $6 billion loan package for Pakistan to rein in mounting debts and stave off a looming balance of payments crisis, in exchange for tough austerity measures.
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‘Indigenously developed’ Fatah-1 guided MLRS undergoes successful testing: ISPR STORY ON BACK PAGE
Pakistan-Afghanistan odI series postponed until next year STORY ON BACK PAGE
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Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
ISLAMABAD
NEWS
PML-N INFIghTINg INTeNsIFIes As shehbAz RePLACes MARyAM To ADDRess PDM RALLy IN KARAChI ISLAMABAD
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NDER a new strategy, the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif will attend the key public meeting of the opposition alliance of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on August 29 in Karachi. Sharif would replace party’s vice president Maryam Nawaz who has been representing the party at such PDM sittings. Sources in the PML-N say that the decision had been taken by party’s top leader Nawaz
Sharif to sideline Maryam Nawaz and give center stage to Shehbaz Sharif after Maryam’s failed strategy in the recent elections held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well as party’s stronghold of Sialkot. According to the party sources, Shehbaz Sharif will also go to the public gathering leading a party rally in Karachi. To make the rally successful, the PML-N chief has directed the Sindh and Karachi organizations to make preparations. However, the party has suffered a major blow as the party’s general secretary of Sindh chapter and former finance minister, Miftah Ismail has resigned from the party.
Technology transfer, opportunities for youth top priorities: Imran ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said technology transfer, strong partnerships among educational institutions, industrial sector and government, and creating a suitable growth environment for the young people were the top priorities of his government. He was chairing a high-level meeting to discuss the setting up of special technology zones across the country. The prime minister directed to provide facilities available to tech entrepreneurs in other countries to the investors and business community in those special zones. He further instructed to ensure the establishment of one-window operation initiatives to facilitate the business community. Imran also directed the provincial governments to exploit the opportunities available in the international exhibition scheduled to be held in Dubai in October. Pakistan should inform the world of the opportunities available in its technology zones, he stressed. Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab ministers for information technology and other officials attended the meeting. While Kashmir prime minister, Punjab and Balochistan chief ministers participated through the video link. Special Technology Zones Authority head Amir Hashmi gave a detailed briefing about these zones and the facilities and incentives available to investors there. The participants were told the aim of those special zones was to encourage technology transfer, foreign investment and promote human capital, research and development, employment creation, exports and import substitution. Hashmi also told about the incentives given by the federal government to the investors in the special technology zones. APP
FIA arrests two NADRA staffers for preparing forged CNIC KARACHI: Federal Investigation Agency on Tuesday arrested two officers of the National Database and Registration Authority on charges of preparing a computerised national identity card for a foreign national. A case has also been registered against Hamad Hussain and Rizwan Hameed Khan. With the connivance of Hussain, a 46-year-old foreigner managed to get a CNIC. INP
IMF chief thanks Pakistan on staff’s ‘safe & swift evacuation’ from Kabul ISLAMABAD: Managing Director International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has sent a note of thanks to Prime Minister Imran Khan, expressing gratitude over the “safe and swift evacuation” of its staff from Afghanistan “I wish to offer my deep and sincere gratitude on behalf of the International Monetary Fund and its staff for Pakistan’s assistance, in the safe and swift evacuation of Fund personnel and their families from Afghanistan,” reads the letter dated 23 August 2020, as shared by the PM Office on Tuesday. The IMF head especially appreciated the “instrumental roles” played by Pakistan’s ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Defence, as well as the Governor State Bank of Pakistan. “Pakistan’s efforts at the highest levels, amid immensely difficult and complex circumstances, to help the Fund by securing a corridor to the airport and arranging the convoy that included our staff, were absolutely critical to this successful evacuation,” she said. The letter written by the IMF head to Prime Minister Imran Khan “Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart,” she added. Georgieva said IMF was grateful for the partnership with Pakistan and looked forward to continuing the cooperation. She also extended best wishes to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the people of Pakistan. APP
According to the sources, the resignation of Miftah was a major blow to the party’s Sindh chapter who was not only a political heavyweight but also is a known business tycoon of Karachi. According to the sources, Miftah has resigned in protest to inaction by the party’s top leadership against some party workers who had an argument with Miftah and also used abusive language against him. “This looked like start of infighting between Maryam and Shehbaz groups. Miftah was loyal to Maryam Nawaz. His ouster would be a big blow to the party and especially Maryam’s group,” the sources
said. Miftah Ismail had lost by-election held for NA-249 with a thin margin a few months back. He is considered the only PML-N leader capable of winning election from Sindh province. According to PML-N sources, Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to arrive in Karachi on August 27 where PML-N leaders will receive him at Karachi airport. He will later leave for the venue in the form of a rally. During his visit, the PML-N president will also meet various political and business personalities in Karachi. It may be recalled that the Pakistan Democratic Movement has once again
rejected the electoral reforms and announced to issue a white paper on the performance of the government. Recommendations in this regard should be presented to the PDM summit on August 28 for final approval. In this regard, a meeting of the Steering Committee of the PDM was held at the PML-N Secretariat under the chairmanship of PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal. The first meeting will be held in Karachi on August 29. A committee has been set up to discuss in detail the future stages of the antigovernment movement and nationwide meetings and to finalize the Charter of Pakistan agenda.
Universities are supposed to be centres of quality conventional: Shafqat ISLAMABAD APP
Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Tuesday said universities were supposed to be the centers of quality conventional and virtual education with highly qualified faculty. Addressing the launching ceremony of Phase-II of the Digital Learning and Skills Enrichment Initiative (DLSEI), he said it was an initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan in partnership with Coursera. The ceremony was also attended by Dr. Shaista Sohail, Executive Director, HEC, Mr. Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO Coursera, Vice Chancellors, Senior
faculty members and students After the successful completion of the DLSEI Phase-I project, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has signed a contract with Coursera and officially launched the Program at a largely discounted pricing model. HEC through its initiative “Digital Learning and Skills Enrichment Initiative” (DLSEI) intended to enhance online learning and skills development among passionate students with 1000+ Courses and 28 Learning tracks, said a news release issued here. Addressing the ceremony, the Minister said Pakistan’s education system was facing a plethora of challenges, particularly lack of quality and relevance, amidst rising demand for
universities. He underlined the importance of interventions like Coursera for students and faculty. “There is a massive need for skill development in the country, and the courses offered through Coursera is a remarkable intervention especially at a time when Covid-19 has greatly enhanced the importance of online learning.” He also appreciated the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE) for offering training to university leadership, faculty, and administrative staff to enhance their capacity. Mahmood said many gaps were identified in the education system during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the digital divide in the country, faculty’s inability to teach online, and students facing difficulty understanding online
classes. He hoped that the online courses under DLSEI would make a huge difference by honing in the talent of Pakistani students and improving their employbility, enabling them to contribute to the country’s socioeconomic development. In her remarks, Executive Director HEC Dr. Shaista Sohail said DLSEI was launched in 2018 under an agreement between HEC and Coursera to enhance online learning and skills development among passionate students. The students, who benefit from the courses, would be able to access courses and certifications from top universities of the world and get an opportunity to enroll themselves into the highest ranked and most expensive online courses.
President asks varsities to up quantum of online education No venue access, ISLAMABAD APP
President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday urged the universities to increase the quantum of online education and focus on research and innovation to promote quality education in the country. He said that the universities needed to shape their vision in a way to prepare students to cope with challenges of the fast changing world. The President gave these remarks during a briefing on National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. Rector NUML Major General (retd) Muhammad Jaffer gave a presentation about the role of university in promotion of education in the country.
The Rector NUML highlighted that 22,000 students were enrolled in various programmes of the university and over 77,000 had graduated from it. He informed that the university had awarded scholarships to students, including the persons with disabilities, amounting to Rs. 340 million during the fiscal year 2020-21. Appreciating the role of universities in the educational development of the country, the President emphasized that higher education institutions required to produce intellectually supreme graduates to meet the challenges of the 21st century. He asked the management of the university to establish an IT Department to provide the youth with employable skills so that they could contribute to the nation’s economic development.
Taliban tell US to complete evacuations by Aug 31 deadline ContInueD froM pAge 01 Mujahid claimed that “this time, a robust investigation will be carried out prior to awarding any punishments”, in reference to the Taliban’s earlier rule, from 1996-2001, the return of which is feared by Afghan residents. Sheikh-ul-Hadees Haibatullah Akhunzada is alive, is the emir (leader) of the Taliban and will be an integral part of the new system of governance in Afghanistan, the spokesperson said. Speaking of Panjshir valley, where members of the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front (NRF) are mounting a resistance led by “Lion of Panjshir” Ahmad Massoud, Mujahid said that the Taliban wish to proceed in Afghanistan with peace and reconciliation. “I am 80 percent confident matters in Panjshir can be resolved through dialogue,” he said. He said that the people of the valley are war-weary and influential people there have sent the Taliban multiple
messages, indicating that they do not wish to see any more fighting. Meanwhile, the Taliban have already begun appointing people to key government posts, Afghan media reported. According to Pajhwok Afghan News, Najibullah has been appointed as Afghanistan’s intelligence chief, Gul Agha has been appointed as the finance minister, Sadr Ibrahim has been named the acting interior minister, Sakhaullah has been appointed as the acting head of education, Abdul Baqi will be the acting head of higher education, Mullah Shirin will be the new Kabul governor and Hamdullah Nomani has been appointed as Kabul mayor. The Taliban seized control of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Sunday, August 15, 2021, after which several key government officials, including Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, fled the country. Later, they announced a general amnesty and sent a message to the international community to work with them.
Pakistan in no rush to recognise Taliban: Akram neW YorK APP
Pakistan will recognise a Taliban government in Afghanistan only after consultation with its international partners, its ambassador to the United Nations said. “Pakistan will walk in lockstep with the international community,” Munir Akram told BBC in response to a question if Islamabad would recognise the new government in Kabul unilaterally or with a consent of regional and international players. Akram expressed hope the Taliban would form an inclusive government and that they will respect human rights and the commitments they have made to the world
after their takeover of Kabul last week. “We are working with both the regional countries as well as the international community to ensure the next phase in Afghanistan can bring back peace and stability,” he said. Pakistan was also helping the evacuation of diplomats, employees of international organisations and journalists from Afghanistan, he said. Pakistan International Airlines was flying three flights a day to evacuate the stranded and has to date rescued more than 1,500 people. Also, strict security arrangements have been enforced at Pakistan’s borders with Afghanistan to prevent any movement of terrorists there, Akram said.
air travel for unvaccinated in raft of hard-line measures ContInueD froM pAge 01
THREE MILLION PFIZER DOSES TO ARRIVE: Meanwhile, three million doses of Pfizer vaccine will arrive from the United States under the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access programme later this week, the Ministry of National Health Services said. The national vaccination campaign has largely relied on Chinese vaccines, but the expatriate workers and students are required to receive European or US vaccines so they can resume their lives abroad, where many governments have not yet approved China-developed vaccines. In June, the US signed an agreement with the drug producer to buy 500 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine to distribute to nearly 100 countries around the world, as the centrepiece of Joe Biden’s initiative to help vaccinate the world against the health crisis. The vaccines are donated through Covax, the global initiative to help developing countries face the pandemic, and going to 92 developing countries and the African Union. The global vaccine initiative is part of Biden’s broader strategy of restoring America’s global influence and soft power, which he believed has been eroded by Donald Trump’s four years in office and the increasingly assertive foreign policies of China and Russia. In July, Washington sent three million doses of the Moderna vaccine in addition to an earlier batch of 2.5 million doses of the same manufacturer — both under the Covax facility. Pakistan is due to receive 13 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer, under a deal reached in June. The government faced initial vaccination hesitancy and a shortage of vaccine supply but it started a mass vaccination campaign late last month that is now open to all adults. It has relied heavily on China for vaccine supplies. The government faced initial vaccination hesitancy and a shortage of vaccine supply but it started a mass vaccination campaign in May that is now open to all adults. Nearly 46 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered so far, with about 13.4 million people fully vaccinated, according to the National Command Operation Centre, which is overseeing the pandemic response.
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
ISLAMABAD
Govt deCIdes to deBAte Issues trendInG on soCIAl MedIA to FrAMe PolICIes: FAwAd
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INISTER for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain on Tuesday said that the government has decided to form a high-level committee, comprising religious scholars, intellectuals and civil society representatives, to examine issues trending on social media and guide the government on the matters for formation of policies. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after a meeting of the federal cabinet, Fawad said the cabinet held a discussion on the recent violent incidents
against women and “while addressing the session, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that incidents like the one at Minari-Pakistan are very concerning for every segment of the society.” The minister said the government has decided to hold a grand debate where people from different sectors will be invited to have a discussion on social media trends so we can have some guidance on where we want to go and what regulations should be brought. TTP IN DISARRAY: Talking about the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Fawad said that the group is in disarray after stoppage of Indian funding. “We should be satisfied to know with regards to the TTP that for the first time
PM, Belgian counterpart discuss Afghanistan situation, evacuation efforts ISLAMABAD INP
Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo in a telephonic conversation on Monday discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan. The prime minister, who had a telephone call from Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, underscored the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for Pakistan and for regional stability. He stressed that safety and security of Afghans and stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan were vitally important. The prime minister added that peace and reconciliation and an inclusive political solution would contribute to the stabilization efforts. He further underscored the importance of engagement by the international community in support of the people of Afghanistan, both to address humanitarian needs and help in economic sustenance. The two prime ministers exchanged views on ongoing evacuation efforts. The Belgian prime minister conveyed thanks for Pakistan’s support and facilitation for their evacuation endeavours. The Belgian prime minister also extended invitation to the prime minister to visit Belgium. Both the leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Pakistan receives additional $2.7 billion in Covid-19 support funds from IMF ContInueD froM pAge 01 Past IMF programmes, also requiring Pakistan to agree to austerity measures, were deeply unpopular with the public. The regime of President Pervez Musharraf had trumpeted its break from this source of finance. The agency’s largest-ever distribution of monetary reserves will provide additional liquidity for the global economy, supplementing member countries’ foreign exchange reserves and reducing their reliance on more expensive domestic or external debt, Georgieva said. “The allocation is a significant shot in the arm for the world and, if used wisely, a unique opportunity to combat this unprecedented crisis,” she said. The IMF underscored its concerns about diverging trends in the global economy and said the new SDR allocation would allow richer countries to help those hit hard by the pandemic while improving the outlook for the global economy. GEORGIEVA THANKS IMRAN FOR EVACUATING IMF’S AFGHANISTAN OFFICIALS: Meanwhile, Georgieva thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday for the safe evacuation of the agency’s officials from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. She said Pakistan’s efforts at the highest levels amid a complex situation in the war-torn country to help the Fund staffers by securing a safe passage to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul were “absolutely critical” to the evacuation. “I especially appreciate the instrumental roles played by Pakistan’s ministers for Foreign Affairs, Finance and Defense as well as Governor of State Bank of Pakistan,” she said. Georgieva further said the lender was grateful for its partnership with Pakistan and looked forward to “continuing our cooperation”. “We extend our very best wishes to you and your people,” she added. — With additional input from Reuters
the process of Indian funding [to them] — which had been going on for a long time — has ended and at this time they are in disarray,” he said. About TTP’s actions inside Pakistan, he said Islamabad possesses the capability to overcome such challenges. “These internal challenges are not a problem for us. Our [belief] is that once they stop having a funding stream from abroad then it will be a big blow for them and the rest we will handle ourselves,” he added. AFGHANISTAN SITUATION: Talking about the situation in Afghanistan, Fawad said that the announcement by Taliban that Afghanistan would not be used for
terrorism against any country is a very “positive” one. “We think Taliban will act on this. [….] Pakistan’s top terrorists from the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army) and TTP are sitting in Afghanistan and we want them. We hope we will have cooperation from Afghanistan on this. Inside the country we will look at these matters ourselves,” he said. He said that Islamabad is continuing its contacts with Afghanistan authorities and foreign countries. “We have close contact with Turkey, China and other countries […] so on one hand we are continuing our contact with Afghan authorities and on the other, with foreign countries,” he said.
China hopes Pakistan will act against culprits behind Dasu, Gwadar attacks ISLAMABAD MIaN abRaR
China on Tuesday hoped that Pakistan will hold accountable the criminals behind the Gwadar and Dasu attacks and enhance security measures to ensure protection of all the Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. During a virtual meeting with National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi praised the efforts made by Pakistan in the investigation on the Dasu terrorist attack, which has gained significant progress in a few days, and also hoped that Pakistan will continue the investigation based on facts and evidence to find the truth of the attack and hold criminals accountable. On July 14, an attack on a bus in northern Pakistan had killed nine Chinese nationals while on Friday last, a
motorcade carrying Chinese workers was attacked by a suicide bomber in Gwadar. On Tuesday, Zhao urged Pakistan to find out the causes of the incidents, strike down the terrorist forces in accordance with the law, re-examine the security loopholes and evaluate the potential risks. Zhao said China and Pakistan should cooperate to enhance the protection mechanism and ensure all the Chinese nationals and projects are safe in Pakistan, adding that China is willing to enhance anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan and keep a close communication and coordination on the situation in Afghanistan to play a constructive role in safeguarding regional and national security and stability. Moeed Yusuf said that Pakistan and China are ironclad brothers and Islamabad attaches great importance to concerns from China and will make all efforts in holding the criminals of the Dasu terror attack accountable.
CIA chief held secret meeting with Taliban leader in Kabul: report ContInueD froM pAge 01 But it said it was likely they revolved around any delay in the deadline for the United States to finish evacuations at the airport of the Afghan capital, where thousands of Afghans, terrified by the return of the Taliban, are still massed with the hope of fleeing the country. CHAOTIC EVACUATION EFFORTS: According to a report published in the New York Times earlier this week, although Biden White House officials held more than 50 meetings on embassy security and evacuations, “all the planning failed to prevent the mayhem when the Taliban took over Kabul in a matter of days.” The report claimed that President Biden’s top intelligence officers privately offered concerns about the Afghan abilities but “predicted that a complete Taliban takeover was not likely for at least 18 months”. Biden has set an August 31 deadline to finish the chaotic airlift organised by thousands of temporarily deployed US and UK troops, but has left the door open to an extension if needed. However, a spokesman for the Taliban warned on Monday the group would not agree to any extension, calling the issue a “red line”, with any delay viewed as “extending occupation”. “If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations — the answer is no. Or there would be consequences,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Sky News. The Post said the meeting took place on Monday. A virtual G7 summit is scheduled to review the evacuations on Tuesday. The Associated Press Seven Afghans killed in chaos at Kabul airport: British military On Sunday, the British military acknowledged the seven deaths of civilians in the crowds in Kabul. There have been stampedes and crushing injuries in the crowds, especially as Taliban fighters fire into the air to drive away those desperate to get on any flight out of the country. “Conditions on the ground remain extremely challenging but we are doing everything we can to manage the situation as safely and securely as possible,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. On Saturday, British and Western troops in full combat gear tried to control the crowds pressing in. They carried away some who were sweating and pale. With temperatures reaching 34 degree Celsius (93 degrees
Fahrenheit), the soldiers sprayed water from a hose on those gathered or gave them bottled water to pour over their heads. “Listen, sir, you need to calm down,” one soldier told a man lying in the dirt, as another gave him an orange liquid. “Calm down.” It wasn’t immediately clear whether those killed had been physically crushed, suffocated or suffered a fatal heart attack in the crowds. Soldiers covered several corpses in white clothes to hide them from view. Other troops stood atop concrete barriers or shipping containers, trying to calm the crowd. Gunshots occasionally rang out. Speaking to an Iranian state television channel late Saturday night in a video call, Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem blamed the deaths at the airport on the Americans in what quickly became a combative interview. “The Americans announced that we would take you to America with us and people gathered at Kabul airport,” Naeem said. “If it was announced right now in any country in the world, would people not go?” The host on Iranian state TV, which long has criticised America since the 1979 revolution, quickly said: “It won’t happen in Iran.” Naeem responded: “Be sure this will happen anywhere.” Thousands rushed the airport last Monday in the chaos that saw the US try to clear off the runway with low-flying attack helicopters. Several Afghans plunged to their deaths while hanging off the side of a US military cargo plane. It’s been difficult to know the full scale of the deaths and injuries from the chaos. The Biden administration is considering calling on US commercial airlines to provide planes and crews to assist in transporting Afghan refugees once they are evacuated from their country by military aircraft. Under the voluntary Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, civilian airlines add to military aircraft capability during a crisis related to national defense. That program was born in the wake of the Berlin airlift. The US Transportation Command said Saturday it had issued a warning order to US carriers Friday night on the possible activation of the program. If called upon, commercial airlines would transport evacuees from way stations outside Afghanistan to another country or from Virginia’s Dulles International Airport to US military bases.
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Four CoAl MIners Gunned down In QuettA ISLAMABAD: Four coal miners were killed by unknown gunmen in the city of Quetta in Balochistan on Tuesday, a rescue official said. The incident happened in a coal range of the Marwar town, located 43 kilometres away from the downtown city, and the bodies have been shifted to a nearby hospital, Muhammad Zeeshan, manager of operations of the rescue department of the Edhi Foundation in Quetta, said. He said that the miners were missing at about 11:00 pm Monday, and their bodies were found by paramilitary troops Frontier Corps (FC) on Tuesday afternoon. The official said that two of the bodies have been identified as the labourers who came from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the other two are in the process of identification. The FC personnel have kicked off a search operation in the area to find the traces of the gunmen involved in the incident. No group has claimed the attack yet, but in the past, such incidents were either attributed to or claimed by militant groups of the province who are against working of labourers coming from other provinces in coal mines. Staff RePoRt
tiktokers aren’t banned from parks, clarifies Punjab government A day after reports surfaced of a ban being imposed on TikTokers from entering parks across the province, the Punjab government on Tuesday issued a rebuttal, saying no such restrictions were in place. Punjab Chief Minister’s Focal Person for Digital Media Azhar Mashwani, in a tweet, said, “Fake News. No such decision taken so far by government. Currently, TikTok is banned in Pakistan.” The Punjab Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Director General (DG) Jawad Ahmad Qureshi also issued a denial. In a statement, Qureshi said that the authority denied all rumours pertaining to the ban on TikTokers in parks across Lahore. He said that no written notification to bar TikTokers and YouTubers from entering parks had been issued. It is woth mentioning here that the news reports surfaced after videos emerged of a female TikToker and her companions being harassed and assaulted at Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park on Independence Day. The videos went viral on social media, sparking public outrage and drawing police attention. On Monday, police arrested 34 more suspects in connection with case, taking the total number of suspects in custody to 126. NewS DeSk
nCoC daily update: 4,075 new cases, 91 deaths from Covid-19 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported 4,075 new cases of Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Centre said on Tuesday. Amid the serious fourth wave of the disease, the overall tally of the infected people climbed to 1,131,659 across the country, the NCOC, the department leading the campaign against the pandemic, said in updated figures on its dashboard. Sindh has been the worst hit, with a total of 422,418 cases, followed by Punjab where the disease was detected in 382,332 people. A total of 25,094 people died of the Covid-19, including 91 patients who lost their lives to the pandemic over the last 24 hours, the NCOC said. The country currently has 91,046 active cases while 1,015,519 others have recovered. The vaccination drive in the country has also picked up the pace with some 37,043,561 partially vaccinated and 13,434,605 fully inoculated people, according to the latest official data. Staff RePoRt
Qureshi jets off to central Asian countries, Iran to discuss Afghanistan ISLAMABAD Staff RePoRt
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi embarked on a three-day official visit to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. During the visit, the foreign minister will have highlevel interactions to exchange views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and on enhancing bilateral
relations, a statement issued by MoFA said. “Pakistan believes that the neighbouring countries have a vital stake in the peace, security and stability of Afghanistan and the region,” said the statement. It is important to coordinate closely with the neighbours to address common challenges and advance shared goals of peace, security, stability and regional connectivity, it said. Qureshi’s visit would also help promote a coordinated regional approach as well as strengthen Pakistan’s
engagement with Central and West Asia, said the ministry. QURESHI, PAYNE DISCUSS AFGHANISTAN: Earlier in the day, Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart to discuss the security situation in Afghanistan. During the call, Qureshi shared with Marise Payne Pakistan’s perspective on the inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan. He stressed it was essential for the world to support the people of Afghanistan to address the humanitarian crisis in that country.
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
04 NEWS
ISLAMABAD
ReGulatoRy fRamewoRk foR Islamabad beInG developed: sapm ISLAMABAD
s
TLTP
PECIAL Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ali Nawaz Khan has said that a regulatory framework for Islamabad is being developed to better run its affairs.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Ali Nawaz said the move envisages merger of various organisations including the CDA, cooperative departments, companies acts and others into one. He said the approval of the regulatory framework will be taken from the Cabinet. The special assistant said that an inquiry was conducted into the recent flooding in the
E-11 sector of the capital. He said it has been found that the society showed slackness in clearing nullah. He said the response of the rescue service was also evaluated. He said it has been decided to remove encroachments along the nullah in E-11 sector. He said the initiative is being taken to avoid urban flooding as one such occurred in the sector E-11 of Islamabad that took
lives of a mother and her child recently. Awan said it would be inappropriate for the city, if different agencies are overseeing
PSX sheds 283 points as investors book profit KARACHI TLTP
After accumulating over 1,150 points in the last three sessions, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed profittaking amid rollover week, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding 283.5 points (-0.59 percent) to close at 47,828 points. The market remained in the red zone almost throughout the session. The KSE-100 Index moved in a range of 375.4 points, showing an intraday high of 48,114.9 points and an intraday low of 47,739.5 points. Among other indices, the KSE All Share Index shed 157.04 points (-0.48 percent) to close at 32,659.55 points, while All Share Islamic Index shed 142.97 points (-0.60 percent) to close at 23,547.35 points. A total of 390 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, out of them shares of 150 closed up, shares of 226 closed down while shares of 14 companies remained unchanged. Of the 95 traded companies in the KSE-100 Index, 30 closed up, 62 closed down, while three remained unchanged. The overall market volumes decreased by 2.74 million to 394.95 million
shares. Total volume traded for the KSE100 Index was 129.48 million shares. The number of total trades decreased by 16,618 to 132,709; and the value traded decreased by Rs1.18 billion to Rs13.68 billion. Likewise, the market capitalisation decreased by Rs40.19 billion. Among scrips, WTL led the volumes with 43.6 million shares, followed by TELE (30.9 million) and GGL (25.5 million). Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include WTL, TELE, GGL, BOP and ANL, which
formed 36 percent of total volumes. Sector wise, the index was let down by cement with 64 points, fertilizer with 60 points, commercial banks with 60 points, oil & gas marketing companies with 52 points and oil & gas exploration companies with 36 points. The most points taken off the index were by ENGRO which stripped the index of 50 points followed by PSO with 41 points, MEBL with 33 points, PPL with 29 points and LUCK with 28 points. The sectors propping up the index
were miscellaneous with 37 points, power generation & distribution with 17 points, chemical with 12 points, transport with 5 points and automobile assembler with 3 points. The most points added to the index were by PSEL which contributed 37 points followed by HUBC with 22 points, MTL with 7 points, ARPL with 6 points and PIBTL with 5 points. According to experts, investors preferred to remain sidelined despite several positive news on economic front including Pakistan received $2.75 billion from IMF under new SDR allocation, which took the country’s total foreign exchange reserves to above $27 billion for the first time, and Pakistan’s Business Confidence Index rose dramatically from -50 percent to 9 percent. They said that the profit taking in the session was observed owing to geopolitical uncertainty over the Afghan issue as the Taliban warned that there would be consequences if the United States and its allies try to remain in Afghanistan beyond next week. Moreover, the dollar also continued its upward trajectory and traded above Rs165, a level last seen in September 2020, also kept investors’ sentiments in check.
Bitcoin slips below $50,000 mark amid profit taking NEWS DESK The cryptocurrency market turned to profit taking activity on Tuesday, with the market capitalisation decreasing by 1.4 percent to $2.2 trillion as of 1250 hours GMT. $2.2 Trillion, a -1.4% The price of bitcoin (BTC), which topped the $50,000 level for the first time in three months a day earlier, shed 2.18 percent to reach $49,211. With this fall in price, the market capitalisation of the biggest cryptocurrency has slipped to $924.5 billion. Likewise, ethereum (ETH) price shed 1.04 percent to reach $3,309. With this decrease in price, the market capitalisation of ETH has reached $387.5 billion. On the other hand, XRP shed 3.53 percent to reach $1.23. The market capitalisation of XRP stands at $123.3 billion after this decrease. However, the price of Cardano (ADA) reached $2.85 with a 0.96 percent increase. Its market capitalisation has reached $92 billion after this increase. On the other hand, Dogecoin (Doge) price went down by 4.26 percent to reach $0.310. With this de-
crease in price, the market capitalisation of Doge has reached $40.5 billion. Meanwhile, Online payment platform PayPal said it will allow British users to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrencies as the company expands its digital money offering outside the US for the first time. The US firm said the new services allow UK customers “to explore cryptocurrency” with the platform offering a choice of four to transact on: bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and bitcoin cash. In its latest expansion of its services, the company said a new cryptocurrency tab will be added to its platform, showing real-time currency prices with digital currencies available both via the PayPal app and its website. The expansion will start this week with the service available to all eligible customers within the next few weeks. The California-based company’s net profit in the three months to June 30 slumped to $1.2 billion, about $346 million less than the same period a year earlier. However, the revenue during the quarter increased 19 percent on an annual basis to $6.24 billion.
its regulatory framework. He said efforts are afoot to carry out hydrological survey of different societies including sector E-11.
dollaR jumps to Rs165.2 as Rupee weIGhed by afGhan sItuatIon NEWS DESK Pakistan rupee weakened by 77 paisa (-0.47 percent) against the US dollar in the interbank on Tuesday despite the country receiving $2.75 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the US dollar opened at Rs164.43 and closed at Rs165.20. This is the lowest level of Pakistani rupee against the US dollar since September 30, 2020. Within the open market, the rupee was traded at Rs164.80/165.60 per dollar. Overall, Pakistani rupee shed Rs1.02 against the US dollar during the last two days, while depreciation during the fiscal year 2021-22 has been Rs7.84. The local unit has shed Rs5.01 against the US dollar in the current year 2021. According to currency dealers, the rupee witnessed sharp decline in the interbank owing to the situation in Afghanistan and higher import bill. They said that the IMF allocation of $2.75 billion is conditional money to support the coronavirus crisis and it cannot be used for the fiscal space. They said that delay in payments from Afghanistan against Pakistan’s export has created pressure on the rupee. They pointed out that Afghan traders are opening import LCs from Pakistan as they cannot open from their own country due to ongoing turbulence which has also weighed on the rupee.
Gold price jumps to Rs95,400 per 10gm NEWS DESK Gold prices edged up in the international market on Tuesday due to weakened US dollar and were seen oscillating in a narrow trading band, near two-and-halfweek tops touched a day earlier. At 1330 hours GMT, gold in the international market was available at $1,807.60 per ounce after gaining $1.10. Meanwhile, the price of 10 grams of yellow metal in Pakistan increased to Rs95,400 after gaining Rs900. The closing prices of the yellow metal in the country remained Rs94,500 on Monday last. According to experts, gold seems to have entered a bullish consolidation phase. They said the risk-on impulse in the markets turned out to be a key factor that acted as a headwind for the traditional safe-haven gold. They said a three-month-old descending trend line challenges shortterm gold upside around $1,806. However, sustained trading beyond the horizontal area comprising the late June lows, around $1,752-55, coupled with the bullish MACD signals, keep gold buyers hopeful. In addition to the stated resistance line, 100 and 200-DMAs around $1,81012 also challenge the gold bulls, a break of which will underpin the rally to the mid-July highs close to $1,835, they opined. Meanwhile, the $1,800 threshold and the latest swing lows around $1,775 can entertain gold sellers during further weakness, ahead of $1,755-52 support.
Covid hits Asia’s progress on SDGs with 80m more poor: ADB MANILA TLTP
The coronavirus pandemic is threatening Asia and the Pacific’s progress toward critical targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The pandemic pushed an estimated 75 million to 80 million more people in developing Asia into extreme poverty as of last year, compared with what would have happened without Covid-19, according to Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2021, released on Tuesday. Assuming that the pandemic has increased inequality, the relative rise in extreme poverty—defined as living on less than $1.90 a day—may be even greater. Progress has also stalled in areas such as hunger, health, and education, where earlier
achievements across the region had been significant, albeit uneven. Key Indicators present comprehensive economic, financial, social, and environmental statistics for ADB’s 49 regional members. According to the report, about 203 million people or 5.2% of developing Asia’s population lived in extreme poverty as of 2017. Without Covid-19, that number would have declined to an estimated 2.6% in 2020. ADB Chief Economist Yasuyuki Sawada said that Asia and the Pacific has made impressive strides, but Covid-19 has revealed social and economic fault lines that may weaken the region’s sustainable and inclusive development. To achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, decision makers need to harness high-quality and timely data as a guide for actions to ensure that the recovery leaves no one behind—especially the poor and vul-
nerable, he further said. Asia and the Pacific’s economy has grown at a robust pace in recent years and contributed as much as 35% to global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019. But Covid19 took a toll just when weaker domestic investment and slowing global trade and economic activity were starting to challenge this momentum. Among reporting economies in Asia and the Pacific, only about 1 in 4 posted GDP growth last year. The region lost about 8% of work hours due to mobility restrictions, deeply affecting poorer households and workers in the informal economy. The Key Indicators report includes a special supplement introducing a practical framework for measuring the digital economy and its growing role in modern life, which has been particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic.
CMYK
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
ISLAMABAD
KP Govt urGed to aboliSH ProPerty tax on PeSHawar induStrial eStateS PESHAWAR
i
sTaFF rePOrT
nDUsTRIAlIsTs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have demanded that the provincial government immediately abolish while expressing property tax from two industrial estates in Peshawar, which they lamented was double taxation. They raised reservations and issues in a meeting chaired by Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) President, Malik Imran Ishaq, during the visit of special Assistant to Chief Minister on Industries, Abdul Karim Khan, to the Industrial Estate Hayatabad Peshawar here on Tuesday. KPEZD&MC CEO Javed Khattak, IAP Vice President Ghulam Mohiyaddin, sCCI Vice President Junaid Altaf, FPCCI former president Ghazanfar Bilour, IAP executive members Malik niaz Ahmad and sajjad Zaheer, IAP Chairman standing Committee on legal Affairs Riaz Arshad, IAP Chairman standing Committee on Finance Haris Mufti, KPEZDMC CFP shahid, Hayatabad Industrial Estate Peshawar Estate Manager sajid nawaz Khattak, IAP secretary General Wasiullah Khan and Deputy secretary Musatiq Ahsan
were present during the meeting. The participants of the meeting also urged the KP government to review its decision regarding fixation of minimum wage for industrial workers and revise it as per available resources and capacity in the province and expressed anguish over the increase of ground rent in industrial estates by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KPEZD&MC), saying that the area was not used for commercial purposes rather for production activities, therefore the increase should be revised. Despite the payment of demand note for bifurcation of electricity feeders to PEsCO, industrialists voiced concern over the slow pace on work and changes in clauses of the provincial finance bill 202122 (FY22), asking the KP government to immediately address their reservations in this regard. “The incentives announced by the provincial government in the industrial policy, 2016, should be given to us now,” they said, demanding the issuance of an no-objection certificate (nOC) to the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) through Pakistan Railways for allowing construction to entrance roads to Hayatabad Industrial Estate which adjacent to
Hush Puppies introduces sustainable ‘Good Shoe’ KARACHI: Hush Puppies has introduced the first ever “Good Shoe” in their range – an eco-friendly, stylish shoe that doesn’t compromise on comfort. “The Good Shoe” uses bounce technology in the sole which helps one stay comfortable with sustained cushioning even up to 250,000 steps. The shoe is made from algae harvested from water bodies where it is causing harm, and has 100% recycled uppers made from ocean landfills plastic (from approximately 500,000 plastic bottles) helping improve the environment by giving a second life to those plastics and reducing trash in our landfills. All round, it is their most sustainable shoe. Their mission is to innovate their core Body Shoe category (which is also made from Bounce footbed technology, with bio-Dewix and bioDerix, the antimicrobial inner and upper being made of these natural and sustainable dry fabrics which are good for moisture management, among many other benefits) and provide the wearer with unmatched comfort. And that isn’t all: Hush Puppies is planning to plant a tree for every Good Shoe sold, meaning each pair is a direct step towards climate resilience. Managing Director Mohammad Qasim said, “At Hush Puppies, we try to take every step we can to ensure a sustainable future. From our products all the way down to the hand sanitizers we use, we try to emphasize on eco-friendliness.” Press release
amir S. Chinoy Group, urban Forest Coalition sign Mou to promote urban forestation KARACHI: The Amir S. Chinoy Group, represented by the Chairperson Pakistan Cables Ltd, Mustapha A. Chinoy and the Urban Forest Coalition represented by Chief Coordinator Shahzad Qureshi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recently. This MoU is a form of mutual commitment in complimenting each other`s duties and function in the perspective of promoting tree coverage in Karachi, particularly in urban forest development and management. “The Amir S. Chinoy Group has actively promoted green initiative through its companies. Pakistan Cables Urban Forest, which is the largest Miyawaki based Urban Forest in Pakistan, is one such example. We are proud to partner with the Urban Forest Coalition to further the cause of a greener Karachi”, said Mustapha A. Chinoy. Press release
ISLAMABAD: The Bank of Punjab has signed an MoU with Pakistan Post Office Department (PPOD) for the provision of subsidised loans for Digital Franchised Post Office (DFPO) under the Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme to applicants shortlisted and referred by PMKJ-YES. The MoU was formally signed at the Postal Staff College Auditorium in Islamabad by Khawar Ansari (Group Head, Treasury & FI - BOP) and Rana Hassan Akhtar (Additional Director General Operations) of PPOD. BOP President & CEO Zafar Masud, SAPM Youth Affairs Usman Dar & Minister for Communication & Postal Services Murad Saeed were also present at the event to grace the occasion. Pr
Kharkhano Market. They also stressed the need of maintaining old tube wells and construction of new tube wells in industrial estates and existing tube wells should be converted to solar systems. They demanded the renewal lease of commercial plazas and payment of outstanding dues against different relevant government departments. Further, they condemned the collection of heavy taxes by the town municipality despite having stickers and companies’ names on vehicles. special Assistant to CM, Abdul Karim, while speaking on the occasion assured that the issue of property tax will be raised with the provincial excise and taxation department. He promised the industrialists would be consulted regarding the increase in minimum wage of industrial workers and the current increase in wage of Rs21, 000 would be revised. Furthermore, he assured that issues pertaining to collection of heavy taxes by town municipality, property tax and others would be addressed amicably. later, the CM’s special aide inaugurated a tree plantation drive by planting a sapling in a ground of the Hayatabad Industrial Estate.
ADIB launches world’s first Islamic digital bank ABU DHABI aGeNCIes
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has launched “Amwali” — the world’s first Islamic digital proposition targeting youth between the age of 8 to 18. “Amwali is a ground-breaking proposition that brings together an entire suite of banking products and innovative technology to enable young customers to enjoy a whole new way of banking that is paperless, signatureless, and branchless,” the bank said in a statement, according to a report by Khaleej Times. Co-created with the Founders Club the all-inone banking solution is designed to empower young customers with a dedicated digital banking experience, access to financial knowledge, and personalised offers that fit their lifestyle, all under parental control, the statement said. “ADIB has been building up its youth banking segment over the last decade,” Global Head of Retail Banking at ADIB, Philip King, said. The bank has over 100,000 customers under
the age of 24 banking with us and our goal is to expand youth access to personalised and safe financial products and services as well as to empower them to establish a disciplined culture with regards to managing their finances, the King said. Account-opening can be done easily and effortlessly. Parents can open an Amwali account from their mobile phones through the ADIB mobile app. Upon activation, the child will simply download the Amwali app and activate their access to their bank account. They will also pick a debit card design that can be used for regular and online shopping as well as through Apple Pay and other mobile wallets. Through Amwali, the child will be able to receive regular allowances, send money to friends and family. The child will be able to create his or her saving goals and have access to a wide range of financial tools and knowledge resources. In addition, parents will have the ability to have full access to their child’s account as well as manage and set controls on spending and cash withdrawals through real-time notifications.
Cabinet extends tenure of WAPDA chief The federal cabinet has on Tuesday confirmed the continuation of lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain’s tenure as the chairman of WAPDA by 5 more years. A notification in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Water Resources according to which the appointment took effect from August 24, 2021. Hussain was posted as the water and power development authority’s chairman back in 2016 by former Prime Minister (PM) nawaz sharif. It is pertinent to note that in a letter earlier in June to PM Imran Khan, the WAPDA chairman stated that he will conclude his term on August 24, and hence. “deemed it appropriate to request the timely initiation of a process for selection of his successor”. “To that end, I would like to recommend that the process of choosing my successor be initiated in a manner to provide for a smooth and dignified transition,.NeWs DesK
PSo announces historic financial results KARACHI: In a fast changing, pandemic, lockdown world, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) beat all odds. A record breaking performance that demonstrates PSOs resilience and strength as it continues to transform and evolve into an agile organization. PSO announced a record breaking gross revenue of Rs1.4 trillion and highest ever profit after tax of Rs29.1 billion for the financial year 2020-21 (FY21) after a loss after tax of Rs6.5 billion in the preceding year. The net profit translated into a healthy earning per share of Rs62.07 vs. loss per share of Rs13.77 in FY20. The announcement came after PSO’s Board of Management (BoM) reviewed the performance of the company together with its subsidiary Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) for the financial year 2020-21, ended on June 30, 2021, during the meeting held on August 23, 2021 in Islamabad. Based on the outstanding financial and operational performance of the company, the Board of Management has announced a final dividend of Rs10/- per share (100%) which is in addition to the interim cash dividend of Rs5/- per share (50%) for financial year 2020-21. The dividend for the financial year stands at Rs15/- per share (150%). PRL, a subsidiary of PSO, also reported a profit after tax of Rs0.94 billion during the year compared to a loss of Rs7.6 billion in the previous year. On a consolidated basis, the group achieved a profit after tax of Rs29.6 billion in FY21 compared to loss after tax of Rs14.8 billion in FY20. PSO set an all-time high record in Motor Gasoline (MoGas) achieving volumes of 3.5 million tons, an increase of 21.2% from FY20, translating into market share of 41.3% vs. 38.7% last year - an increase of 260 bps Press release
CMYK
NEWS
05
corporate corner Soneri bank limited announces Half yearly results for 2021 KARACHI: The Board of Directors of Soneri Bank Limited, in their 186th meeting held in Lahore on 24th August 2021, approved the Bank’s condensed interim financial statements for the half year ended 30 June 2021. The bank posted profit before tax (PBT) of Rs3,027 million and profit after tax (PAT) of Rs1,822 million for the half year ended June 2021, as compared to Rs1,931 million and Rs1,129 million respectively in the same period last year. The bank’s EPS was recorded at Rs1.65 per share for the current reporting half year, as compared to Rs1.02 for the comparative prior period, indicating an impressive growth of 61.36 percent. The bank’s net interest income for the half year was reported at Rs5,705 million, improving by 6.54 percent against Rs5,355 million reported for the same period last year. Growth in expenses was restricted at 12.19 percent as compared to the prior period with non-markup expenses reported at Rs5,000 million for the half year ended 30 June 2021. Total deposits registered a slight decline of 2.51 percent when compared to 31 December 2020, ending at Rs336,819 million at 30 June 2021, as certain high cost deposits were strategically shed with a focus on CASA mix improvement. As a result, period end CASA mix improved to 74.73 percent as against 68.65 percent at December 2020, while total CASA improved to Rs251,721 million from Rs.237, 198 million at December 2020. More importantly, the bank’s CA mix improved to 31.48 percent as against 26.56 percent at December 2020, with period end Current Accounts at Rs106,038 million as against Rs91,770 million at December 2020. Press release
20 finalists announced for 2021 Shell tameer awards KARACHI: Shell Tameer is Shell’s flagship social investment programme, aimed at developing and strengthening young Pakistani entrepreneurs and driving innovation and enterprise development in the country. This year Tameer launched its 8th Shell Tameer Awards, with young entrepreneurs from across Pakistan competing to win and be recognised for their ideas and innovative businesses. The competition rewards and recognises Pakistan’s youth building innovative businesses that power sustainable development and create job opportunities in the country. 20 finalists have been shortlisted across six award categories from 125 applicants received from all over the country. These 20 finalists will receive mentoring and coaching from Shell’s international consultants DAI, after which they will have an opportunity to pitch their business to an expert jury for final winner selection. The winners will be announced at the awards event scheduled for September 18, 2021. Start-ups and innovators in their prototype stage were eligible to participate under six categories. ‘Clean Energy Solutions’ (CES) category includes disruptive technologies for access to energy, offgrid solutions, energy-efficiency etc. ‘Empowering Women’ (EW) category recognises innovative tech solutions that enable gender equality and new livelihood opportunities. Technology Innovation’ (TI) category fosters e-commerce, FinTech & smart solutions for Health, Education & Business. Other categories include; ‘Circular Economy’ (CE), ‘Transportation & Mobility’ (T&M) and ‘Bright Ideas Award’ (BIA). Press release
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
06 COMMENT
The impact of Afghanistan
The fourth wave Vaccination should have been speeded up earlier
O
vEr the last two months Pakistan has faced the wrath of the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The number of infections as well as fatalities has jumped up steadily across the country. The number of active cases in the country crossed the 91,046 mark on Tuesday while critical cases surged to 5,513. By Monday, the pandemic caused death toll in Pakistan to peak past 25,000. ninety-one people passed away due to the infection over the next 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 25,094. During the last three waves of the pandemic the country lagged behind in vaccination because orders for vaccines were placed late. Had China not come to Pakistan’s rescue with vaccine donations, the people would have suffered much more. The CnOC’s strategy centered around SOPs that included wearing facemasks in pubic, frequent hand washing and social distancing. The government however failed to make the majority of the population comply with the SOPs. Public gatherings during ramzan, Eid festivals and Muharram majalis and processions invariably multiplied infections. Political rivalries between the PTi and PPP led to rival strategies, the first opting for smart lockdowns and the latter going for total lockdown whenever cases began to climb. Fears are now being expressed by the scientific community that the slow pace of vaccination might lead to the emergence of some sort of vaccine-resistant virus. This has led to a belated realization of the urgency of highspeed vaccination. The Sind government closed down schools till parents and teachers were fully vaccinated and government employees were told they would not get their pay without a vaccination certificate. it was also announced that the SiMs of the smart phones used by unvaccinated people would be blocked islamabad remains the only city among 25 others with a population of over a million to have surpassed the 40 percent vaccinated population. To accelerate the vaccination campaign, a complete two-dose vaccination has been made compulsory for air travelers by the end of September. The nCOC has meanwhile lowered the age for Covid-19 jabs to 15 years. Had the government acquired a sufficient number of vaccines soon after the Covid-19 spread, most of the population would have been vaccinated by now and there would have been fewer pandemic-caused deaths and far lesser economic losses.
Washington Watch
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uring the past week, reporters representing foreign and domestic news outlets have asked me about the Biden Administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Foreign journalists asked what i think the impact of the abandonment of the Afghan government would have on uS prestige and on the trust allies could have in uS commitments. uS reporters, on the other hand, focused on the impact that the scenes at the Hamid Karzai international airport in Kabul would have on President Biden’s favorable ratings and Democratic prospects in the 2022 midterm elections. The answers to the first set of questions were easy. America’s prestige and trust had already suffered a fatal blow at the hands of the george W. Bush administration’s reckless and ideologically driven wars in Afghanistan and iraq and his equally feckless democracy crusade. george W. Bush squandered his father’s commitment to diplomacy and cautious use of American power with his foolish belief that he could remake the Middle East according to the vision of his neoconservative advisers. Discounting the more sober assessments of the intelligence community who said it would be a mistake to ignore the powerful centrifugal forces of Afghanistan’s tribal, sectarian, and ethnic divisions, Bush set out to create, out of whole cloth, a moderate pro-American democracy in that country (as well as in iraq). The two succeeding administrations understood that this was a fool’s errand, but for domestic political reasons, they continued to prop up the government in Kabul. Twenty years later, the job of pulling the plug on this disastrous war fell to Biden. While it is fair to suggest that the execution of the withdrawal has been
Unchecked regulatory powers Plans for the PMDA should be scrapped
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WO months back Federal information Minister Fawad Chaudhry outrightly disowned and distanced his ministry and the PTi government from a leaked draft of the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) Ordinance, terming it “fake news”. if reports of a bill being tabled in the national Assembly very soon, drawn along more or less the same line as that of the original PMDA ordinance, are to be believed, then Mr Chaudhry was straight-up lying. That he has since spelled out how media house s would be fined millions of rupees and further penalized for reporting news deemed unacceptably overcritical, should be clarity enough of where things are headed: a space for journalism that is suffocated by fear of penalization, fueled by arbitrary and draconian laws that all media will be afraid to do moral justice to their job. Prime Minister imran Khan and his ministers have stated on multiple occasions that Pakistan’s media is one of the freest in the world. These comments have been repeated with unwavering confidence during foreign media interviews as well. However, the reality is much different and the methods through which print and electronic media has been made to self-censor since the PTi took over is simply unprecedented. in its latest barrage against dissent and valid criticism, the government is planning to push through the PMDA ordinance that aims to regulate all forms of media and is being advertised as “independent, efficient, effective and transparent”. upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the PMDA is a horrifically draconian collection of rules and regulations that would all but abolish whatever modicum press freedom is left in the country. To begin with, it would repeal all existing media related laws and make the new authority a single entity through which all licensing, registration and other necessary legal requirements would be processed. in its current form, such a law would be difficult to get through parliament, which is why it will be bulldozed through as a presidential ordinance and eventually lapse. But it would still remain in place for at least eight months. it is therefore imperative that all media representative bodies and progressive media outlets oppose and reject the PMDA collectively and outrightly.
Administrative challenges need reform ZeesHaN aHmaD KHaN
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HE effective and efficient performance of governing bodies is a prerequisite for good governance. Effective governance ensures the smooth delivery of services to people. However, institutions in Pakistan have become dysfunctional. A plethora of governance issues— redtapism, political polarization, politicization of institutions, discretionary power being in the hands of a few people, arbitrary distribution of authority— has made the system lame-duck. genuine grievances of the citizens are not being addressed forthwith. in addition, services are not being delivered to the masses. Socio-economic rights of the people are being trampled on relentlessly. given the shambolic state of affairs of governance, it would be helpful to carry out the following to get rid of the formidable administrative challenges for good. reforms in the electoral process are the need of the hour. So, in this regard, following steps should be taken urgently: first and foremost is the delimitation of assembly constituencies according to the garnered data of the recently conducted census. The second point is the formation of new voter lists based on the census. The third step is the complete autonomy of the Election Commission of Pakistan according to the Constitution so that they can conduct free and transparent elections without any influence from even caretaker governments. Besides the autonomous status, the ECP should be conferred the administrative power for the time in order to hold smooth elections. The fourth strategy to ward off election rigging is the application of electronic voting machines. Last but not least is the whole-hearted implementation of Articles 62 and 63. using these constitutional clauses, contenders who do not fulfill the criteria, should be barred from contesting elections. Democracy is the name of consultation and consensus among members of a group rather than the imposition of one man’s decision. regrettably, it seems that political parties in Pakistan have been wriggling out of conducting intra-party elections for party officebearers. in contrast, they rely on a one-man show. Decades ago, intra-party elections were conducted at
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in any case, the scenes at the airport are now emblazoned on the minds of people worldwide. The disastrous Bush-led, and Obama- and Trump-sustained war in Afghanistan is now over. in a sense, it may seem unfair that the lasting images of that failure will be visited on Biden, but politics are never fair. if he had continued to prop up the government, the gOP would have attacked him, just as they are now attacking him for betraying an ally. And if he hadn’t offered to evacuate Afghans who worked with the uSA, he would have been attacked by republicans for abandoning them, just as he is now being attacked for offering to bring many to the uSA. That said, the domestic fall-out of the chaotic nature of the uS departure from Afghanistan will be a problem for Biden’s legacy, though it will not necessarily be a problem for Democrats in 2022. While most Americans wanted to end what have been called the “forever wars” in Afghanistan and iraq, the scenes from the Kabul airport have been both heart-rending and deeply embarrassing. republicans may seek to exploit this disaster, but it will not serve them well to do so. They have no foreign policy successes to tout and by the time november 2022 arrives, the focus of voters will likely be on domestic concerns like the economy, the lingering pandemic, and issues of racial and political inequities. Despite republican efforts to make the election a referendum on Biden, he is not as polarizing a figure as his predecessor. Hanging over the heads of the gOP, like a dark ominous cloud, is the diminishing but still potent legacy of Donald Trump and Trumpism. This will remain a decisive factor both within the republican Party as well as in contests between republicans and Democrats. By the fall of 2022, if the pandemic is under control, the economy is growing, and the expenditures on infrastructure have passed Congress and are being implemented and creating jobs across the uS, the election will be about these issues. For American voters, Afghanistan will remain only as a bitter but fading memory.
By the fall of 2022, if the pandemic is under control, the economy is growing, and the expenditures on infrastructure have passed Congress and are being implemented and creating jobs across the US, the election will be about these issues.
Restructuring key institutions
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Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
Dr James J Zogby
a disaster, it’s unfair to blame Biden for finally acknowledging the failure of this long war and putting an end to it. Where fault can be found is in the execution of the withdrawal. i have long argued that the success of a president is determined less by his ability to accomplish the agenda he set for himself, than by his success in responding to the unexpected agenda that is set for him by the events of the day. in this regard, Biden’s first 100 days were a success. Despite a precariously narrow Democratic majority in the House and Senate, he was able to enact some of his campaign promises. Then reality kicked in. The surge of undocumented immigrants on the southern border, the resurgence of the pandemic, and now Afghanistan have all served as hard reminders that the agenda set by reality always supersedes your own agenda. Despite initially being caught unprepared, the Biden Administration has struggled to find its footing in addressing both the situation at the border and the pandemic resurgence, though the jury is still out on how ultimately successful their handling of both will be. Of the three crises, these first two will be more critical in shaping voters’ confidence in the administration. Afghanistan is another matter. The collapse of the Kabul government and the victory of the Taliban should have been expected, and therefore the withdrawal should have been better prepared. When President Obama was elected and was facing the 2011 deadline for the expiration of the Status of Forces Agreement negotiated between the Bush administration and the iraqi government headed by Prime Minister al Maliki, i cautioned that “it’s not the date you set for withdrawal that matters as much as what you do between now and that date.” The same held true for Afghanistan. With the departure date set by the Trump administration approaching, the question must be asked why we weren’t better prepared for it? Why the preemptive withdrawal of uS troops and then the sudden announcement to send reinforcements? Why wasn’t there a plan for a more orderly phased evacuation? What was or was not involved in discussions (negotiations?) with the Taliban in Qatar over the past several years?
the grassroot level. However, such practices have hardly been found in political parties since the 1970s. now, a party supremo has absolute power in all matters of the party, including selection of office-bearers. As a result, party members use unfair means to make their position within the party ranks. in other words, meritocracy and democratic selection and promotion of members of the party have faded away completely. The Eighteenth Amendment and the Seventh nFC Award are considered landmark events in the history of Pakistan because these have ensured the complete autonomy of provinces. This historic development has empowered the federating units in terms of legal, administrative and financial matters. Along with making the provinces autonomous, the Amendment also obligates provinces to devolve power and resources to the lower tier of government. However, despite knowing the influential role of local government in terms of services delivery, provinces seem reluctant in the devolution of administrative and financial powers to them. Therefore, the ultimate purpose of the devolution process has not been accomplished yet. The institutional deterioration and the paucity of effective governance are the major causes of ever escalating socio-economic and political problems in the country. The entire bureaucratic apparatus has been dysfunctional. it seems that all the administrative units have been lukewarm and indifferent to people’s concerns. Against this background, the state must streamline all administrative cadres including the police service, revenue administration, land management and judiciary, expediently in accordance with the recommendations suggested by the national Commission for government reforms. These recommendations should be implemented in letter and spirit so that services delivery to masses can be ensured and
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the work performance can be improved. The legal maxim ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ is applicable in the context of Pakistan because of its complex system of judiciary. The judicial process moves at a snail’s pace and is also expensive. A victim passes a rigorous course of judicial process to achieve justice. Therefore, victims avoid approaching courts. Moreover, there are many cases which have not been prosecuted for decades due to outdated investigative techniques. in many cases, perpetrators manage to escape from punishment because of the lack of evidence in court. Along with criminal and civil cases, the provision of justice in commercial cases is also dire. Tax violators are immune from accountability, bank loan defaulters are not paying their debts by using unending stay orders granted by the courts. resultantly, the overwhelming unresolved cases and the lack of expeditious provision of justice make the judicial system a lame duck. its glacial work is losing the true essence of justice. Excessive authority in the hands of a few people is considered a stumblingblock in the way of effective management practices. The concentration of power at the central level, both in the federal and provincial governments, is the cause of delay in the approval and execution of policies. A convoluted managerial process takes a lot of time in doing any piece of work. On the other hand, an even distribution of work among ministries and departments not only relieves work burdens but also improves efficiency of work. Along with the concentration of power at the centre, arbitrary distribution of authority among administrative units, sometimes, creates ambiguity in the execution of any projects. The above-mentioned fault lines in the administrative system need to be addressed on a priority basis. So to solve this issue, work should be categorically assigned to each administrative cadre in such a way that erases confusion. To ensure coordination and for oversight of affairs among ministries, an inter-ministerial organization should be established.
Work should be categorically assigned to each administrative cadre in such a way that erases confusion. To ensure coordination and for oversight of affairs among ministries, an inter-ministerial organization should be established
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Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
COMMENT 07 Editor’s mail Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Problems faced by the Karachiites
India: Spoiler of peace in Afghanistan India’s investment may go waste
maliK muHammaD asHraf
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T is gratifying to note positive vibes emanating from the stakeholders in peace in Afghanistan regarding negotiations for an inclusive political set-up in the country. The conciliatory posture by the Taliban and the general amnesty announced by them for all the former adversaries, including President Ashraf ghani, vice President Amrullah Saleh and national security advisor Hamdullah Mohib, can surely help in removing obstacles in finding a way to end conflict in Afghanistan. The readiness expressed by the Taliban to remove the reservations of the international community about them also suggests a positive change in their world view and the realization that they need international recognition of the Afghan regime installed as result of the dialogue between different stakeholders and also its assistance in rebuilding the country. All eyes, for now, are focused on the developing situation and supporting the Afghan efforts in forming an inclusive government. There is general consensus among the international community on the need for an inclusive government in Afghanistan, the protection of rights of women and denying space to any terrorist entity to use Afghan soil for terrorist acts. in view of the new situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan has unequivocally reiterated that it would welcome an inclusive government there. it has also been interacting with the regional and international partners and rightly contended that at this juncture the people of Afghanistan required sustained international engagement, solidarity and support. Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has spoken to a number of his international counterparts and also visited some regional countries to garner support for ensuring stability and peace in Afghanistan; a much desired outcome by the regional countries who have been profoundly affected by the turmoil in Afghanistan. While the foregoing developments do suggest the commencement of the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan and ultimately peace and stability in that country, the possibility of some countries continuing their efforts to sabotage this process cannot be ruled out. india has been playing the role of a spoiler of peace in Afghanistan. it supported the northern Alliance when they were fighting against the Taliban in the past. After the uS and nATO blitzkrieg in Afghanistan and the installation of the Afghan government, it has been supporting it economi-
cally and militarily. indian rAW in collaboration with Afghan intelligence DnS has been supporting the terrorist outfits on the Afghan soil, particularly the TTP, to carry out acts of terrorism in Pakistan. india also used its clout to influence the Afghan government in adopting a hostile posture towards Pakistan, designed to scuttle peace efforts. india reportedly has made investments amounting to $3 billion in Afghanistan. With the advent of the Taliban, that effort now looks in jeopardy as the Taliban consider india as an avowed enemy. india would surely try to persist with her efforts to ensure that the fire keeps burning in Afghanistan. Such an effort also fits well into her role to sabotage CPEC as the turmoil in Afghanistan would undermine the regional connectivity on which the success of this mega project hinges so much. The uS-india nexus in this regard as part of the ‘Contain China’ policy of the uSA is a well-known fact. What greater proof of indian interference in Afghanistan can be cited than the statement of former Prime Minister of Afghanistan and Chief of Hezb-e-islami gulbadin Hikmatyar who, speaking to radio Pakistan, said, “india should refrain from using Afghan soil against Pakistan to take revenge for Kashmiris’ struggle in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and instead focus on its international issues. Hostile agencies of foreign countries are busy instigating the Afghan people to revolt.” The revolt against the Taliban by Ahmed Massoud from Panjshir and his asking the uSA for military support indicates that the process of establishing peace in Afghanistan could be an arduous undertaking. The enemies of peace could exploit the situation by extending clandestine support to the resistance movement. My hunch is that the uSA, though surprised by the sudden fall of the
Afghan government, had announced the plan to pull out after due calculation of the situation. The best way after her failure to achieve military victory against the Taliban was to seek revenge from them by keeping the conflict going between them and the Afghan forces whom they had trained and provided with all kinds of equipment. it was probably also considered a better way to sabotage CPEC. That plan also fell apart because of the abject surrender by the Afghan forces. The resistance against the Taliban announced by Ahmed Massoud presents the uSA and india yet with another opportunity to achieve their nefarious designs to foment instability in Afghanistan and the region. There are already reports of clashes between the Taliban and supporters of Ahmed Massoud. in this situation there is an imperative need for Taliban and all other stakeholders in peace in Afghanistan to join hands to thwart the conspiracies of the forces who are out to destroy peace in that country. instead of fighting they should collectively try to persuade Massoud to support and join the future inclusive government of Afghanistan, because further bloodshed in the country would not in any way help in securing peace. instead it might reignite old enmities with disastrous consequences. Afghanistan has witnessed enough bloodshed and devastation over the last four decades. The people of Afghanistan want and deserve peace. The Afghan leaders, representing all shades of political creed, owe it to them. A historic opportunity has come their way after the exit of the foreign occupying forces. They should not let it go down the drain. History will never forgive them for their failure to consolidate the gains of that development.
Afghanistan has witnessed enough bloodshed and devastation over the last four decades. The people of Afghanistan want and deserve peace. The Afghan leaders, representing all shades of political creed, owe it to them. A historic opportunity has come their way after the exit of the foreign occupying forces. They should not let it go down the drain. History will never forgive them for their failure to consolidate the gains of that development
Malik Muhammad Ashraf is an academic. He can be contacted at: ashpak10@gmail.com.
KArACHi, the largest city of Pakistan both in area and population. Once, it was the province of Pakistan but now it is the province of Sindh. The city has economical as well as geographical importance having two largest seaports and its location on Arabian Sea. generating the most of the revenue (70%) for the country and paying the highest tax to the government of Pakistan. Karachi is one of the world’s fastest growing cities but its problems are also growing with the same manner. Pollution, traffic, water, electricity are the major issues faced by the Karachites. The bad conditions of the roads cause a lot of inconvenience to the people, causing traffic jams and frequent accidents. in the recent times of 2020, Karachi faced huge destruction due to the heavy monsoon rains. There was no proper system of sewerage, roads were flooded terribly. The authorities proved to be a total failure for the residents of Karachi. The awful conditions of public transport make the journey more exhausting. They are often operated by the reckless drivers who don’t even follow the traffic rules of the roads. With such a big population there is no proper means of transportation. garbage and rubbish can be seen everywhere, making the environment polluted. The massive electricity crisis has crippled life in Karachi. The power breakdown of 10-12 hours is faced mostly without being announced to the residents. Especially in summers and in the month of ramzan Kareem load shedding is to be considered as a habitual issue. Water is also not provided properly to every citizen. There are a lot of water mafias, who charge so much money for the water which is directed to be supplied to the citizens without payment. The concerned authorities are therefore requested to look into these matters without any further delay and take suitable steps to solve these problems. Numaira mir Karachi
Stray dogs AS we all know stray dogs are one of the major issues in the city of Karachi. The increase in the number of dogs is now becoming a problem as they start to terrorize locals and sometimes even bite them. i am a resident of a posh area behind Saifee hospital and the whole street is ledden with stray dogs which bark at passer bys. Our government doesn’t have enough vaccination to treat the patients, which endangers the life of innocent citizens. This problem should be solved as it could lead to emergence of different other problems in future too. SyEdA EMAn FATIMA KArAcHI
Different kinds of racism THrOugH the column of your esteemed newspaper, i would like to talk about racism in Pakistan. Even in islamic countries like Pakistan, racism has become commonplace. There are many levels of racism in Pakistan, including racial, religious, sectarian, tribal, provincial and ethnic prejudices. Every year in Moharram, Shia-Sunni contradictions are seen. Christians, who make up only 2% of the Pakistani population, are mostly seen working as sweepers or maids. Facial skin whitening creams and seeing them promoted in the media also demonstrates racism. This is a very disturbing mentality in Pakistan, but many people do not consider it racism. why not? racism is a historical issue as well as a current issue not just in Pakistan but around the world. We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that racism exists in mild, subtle forms that play with people’s mental health and make them unacceptable through society. We can only hope that this will end in the future and that one day we will finally find peace with other people’s skins, races and religions. hafSa KhaN Karachi
Fashion revolution in Pakistan i want to draw your attention towards fashion revolution in pakistan. in Pakistan, fashion has a profound impact on social, cultural and political factors. Let me take you back on history where fashion actually started. Before seperation of Pakistan,ghagra and lucknow kurta pajama suit continued from 1947-1960. Leading roles like Quaid-e-Azam and Fatima jinah used it as a matter of proud. in late 60's; after years of seperation, London and American culture popped up in Pakistan. in 80's era, political stability provides codes with aimed to cover all body like kurta, Shalwar and dupatta. During 90-2000, because of tv commercials and movies the period was again stormed with indian style which include chunri, saris and maxis. And 2000, was all about stylish indian-American outfits. With passage of time, Pakistan adopt many fashions. Still, you can see the reflection of ethnicity of Pakistan culture in every era until now. YamEENa JavEd Karachi
Heat stroke KArACHi may suffer the heat strokes again as it is bearing from the last few years. Heat strokes may cause severe health issues and sometimes it takes life. Symptoms of heat stroke include high body temperature, altered behaviour, excess sweating, nausea and vomiting, flushed skin, rapid breathing, racing heartbeat and headache. in these conditions proper precautions are to be taken such as drinking a lot of water to keep the body hydrated, not to sit in a car when it is parked, avoid involvement in the crowd, wear loose fit and light clothes, avoid exposure to sun and consult a doctor if necessary. Talbia SYEd Karachi
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
08 WORLD VIEW
AdApTing To A neW reAliTy in AfghAnisTAn inTernaTional insTiTuTe for sTraTegic sTudies CHINA: UNWELCOME SHIFT IN US MILITARY FOCUS: China is likely more concerned about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan than it has publicly let on. it will be cautiously watching what taliban rule means for Chinese security, political and Meia Nouwens economic interests. Beijing has maintained communication with the taliban over the years – though it has yet to formalise relations. Since the announcement of the US’ planned withdrawal from Afghanistan, Beijing has sought assurances in meetings with taliban delegations on security matters, as well as offered to assist with rebuilding the country economically. Despite the potential for economic gains through Belt and Road initiative (BRi) investments or mining, the security risk within the country might be a stumbling block, as it has been in the past. China’s leadership will be squarely focused on the risk that recent developments will impact regional security. Beijing continues to seek guarantees from the taliban that Afghanistan will not become a safe haven for terrorist organisations – such as the East turkmenistan islamic Movement. An acute fear for China is that Afghanistan could be used as a launchpad for attacks on its western province of Xinjiang. how China’s treatment of the Uighurs in Xinjiang factors into the taliban’s relationship with Beijing is also a point to watch. Beijing is unlikely to step in with the PLA to fill a security deficit or protect its interests there. Previous attacks on BRi projects or Chinese personnel abroad have not yet resulted in Chinese boots on the ground. the experience of Western militaries in Afghanistan provides a powerful cautionary tale of the dangers of becoming embroiled in prolonged conflict. But more importantly, Beijing’s military priority lies to its east. Recent developments in Afghanistan thus also touch on a much larger concern for China – the shift in Washington’s military focus from the Middle East to the indo-Pacific, and to China itself. Meia Nouwens is the Senior Fellow for Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation. IRAN: STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT WITH THE TALIBAN, FOR NOW: iran and the taliban were adversaries in 2001: iran supported the taliban’s nemesis, the Northern Alliance; the taliban murdered iran’s diplomats in herat; and iran connived in the taliban’s John Raine overthrow. Now the taliban is back, and that’s better news than it might once have been for tehran. in the intervening two decades, the iranian regime has steadily and stealthily moved into strategic alignment with the taliban. they may not share the same creed, but for the moment they share strategic interests. At the very least, neither side has an interest now in alienating the other. First, they share a passionate rejection of US influence in the region. iran has made its strategic objective the eviction of the US from iraq on its western border, the taliban has done just that in Afghanistan on its eastern border. As well as this shared objective, there will be reciprocal admiration and possibly emulation. the taliban is looking for an example of how, this time round, to ensure the islamic Emirate survives: iran, still here despite everything, will be a good source of inspiration. Secondly, iran and the taliban both need strategic depth. iran needs an ally in herat and western Afghanistan, while the taliban needs strategic depth on all sides to compensate for what will, it knows, be at best limited support in the international community. it already has Pakistan. iran balances it up nicely and brings reach into the Arab Levant. Alignment doesn’t spare the two countries bilateral
HOW WILL REGIONAL STATES RESPOND TO THE TALIBAN’S VICTORY IN AFGHANISTAN? THE IISS RESEARCH TEAM OFFERS THEIR INSIGHTS INTO HOW GOVERNMENTS WILL BE CAREFULLY RECALIBRATING RELATIONSHIPS AFTER A TUMULTUOUS WEEK FOR THE REGION problems such as water sharing, narcotics or refugees. they also have to work out what to do with al-Qaeda, which iran has been sheltering, although, conveniently, both sides want rid of islamic State Khorasan Province. Sectarian differences, while buried beneath a strategic partnership, are a potential powder keg, in particular over the hazara community from whom iran’s iRGC–Quds Force recruited its ‘Fatimiyoun’ division. tehran may conclude that these issues are better handled within a working relationship with the taliban rather than as adversaries. Expect cooperation to be more pragmatic than visionary. iran now has a neighbour that has humiliated the US and with which it can work. to the new hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, that will look like a result. John Raine is the Senior Adviser for Geopolitical Due Diligence. PAKISTAN: SOME RESERVATIONS DESPITE THE CLEAR DIVIDENDS: Pakistan has expressed no regret at the demise of the US-backed regime in Kabul. Bilateral relations had been strained, at best, with Prime Minister imran Khan characterising Antoine Levesques the taliban takeover as a moment when Afghans had ‘broken the shackles of slavery’. But islamabad’s reaction, while the least pessimistic of Afghanistan’s neighbours, is also tempered by concerns about what a taliban government will mean for Pakistan’s internal security. Pakistan stands to gain considerable influence at the expense of its arch-rival, india, in a taliban-led Afghanistan. But its influence is unlikely to be boundless, as the taliban could well diversify its international partners now that it is in power. islamabad is unlikely to mind competition from other powers there, unless it might somehow result in a strengthening of india’s position. therefore, Pakistan’s call for an ‘inclusive political settlement’ is unlikely to be a constraint on the taliban’s activities. Pakistan is widely expected to provide official recognition to the next taliban-dominated government in Kabul, just as it did so in 1996. however, it will likely grant this recognition in coordination with other countries, including possibly turkey, to avoid standing out or falling out with the West. But Pakistan does have security concerns and it will require assurances on these from the taliban, in exchange for its official recognition of the new regime. these are focused on the need to constrain the flow of refugees across the Durand Line, the 2,600km-long de facto border, which Pakistan has almost entirely reinforced with fencing. Ensuring the sanctity of the border will be vital if the movements of anti-state Pakistani taliban are to be limited and Pakistan’s domestic counter-terrorism gains to be preserved. it will also help to avoid fresh tensions with China, which has over US$25.4 billion of Belt and Road initiative investments in Pakistan, under the banner of the high-profile China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. Antoine Levesques is the Research Fellow for South Asia. RUSSIA: OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLOIT WEAKENED WESTERN RESOLVE? Russia’s official public mood is one of calm equanimity. the ability of its Kabul embassy – under apparent taliban protection – to work largely unhindered is a stark counterpoint to the Nigel Gould-Davies evacuations of Western missions. Although the taliban remains a banned organisation in Russia, the Kremlin appears ready to engage with
it, and has not issued its usual protests at the overthrow of a recognised government. the failure of America and its allies, a source of intrinsic satisfaction, has further domestic uses ahead of next month’s Duma elections. But recent history gives Moscow more reason than most to worry. in the 1990s, islamic extremism from Afghanistan sought to undermine not only Central Asia but Russia itself. Partly for this reason, President Vladimir Putin welcomed the US intervention in Afghanistan in 2001. For a time, Russia and the US shared a commitment to fighting international terrorism. Even before the taliban’s seizure of Kabul, Moscow had begun to anticipate the resurgence of risks familiar from its last period of rule, notably by conducting military exercises with Uzbekistan and tajikistan, which border Afghanistan. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council, has since highlighted the threat of destabilising flows of drugs and militants. Like others, Russia is watching closely to see how the taliban’s intentions evolve. if Afghanistan again radiates extremism beyond its borders, Russia may seek limited cooperation with the West in an otherwise largely zero-sum relationship. But it may also seek to exploit perceptions that Western resolve has weakened. Patrushev has already drawn a parallel between the US withdrawal and its relationship with Ukraine. the implication is that Russia may step up its pressure there and elsewhere. Nigel Gould-Davies is the Editor, Strategic Survey; Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia. SAUDI ARABIA: EYEING ANY NEW ADVANTAGE FOR IRAN: the taliban takeover of Afghanistan is being met with a sense of déjà-vu, but also ambivalence and trepidation, in Riyadh. the Saudi kingdom was one of only three countries to Emile Hokayem recognise taliban rule before 2001. though rooted in ideological proximity and despite significant private Saudi funding to the fundamentalist group, the relationship was never congenial and Saudi influence was always limited. But 2021 Saudi Arabia is vastly different from 2001 Saudi Arabia. Sponsoring taliban rule is not a tempting proposition. the current leadership is far less inclined to embrace distant causes out of islamic solidarity, and is more focused on building a modern image and limiting religious influence at home. Saudi Arabia has even less influence on the taliban today than before. Qatar, seen as an annoying rival, has maintained better relations with the taliban, which is already courting recognition from China, Russia, Pakistan and turkey. As in the past, Riyadh will likely rely on islamabad to shape the taliban’s regional relations. Of concern to Riyadh will be the nature of taliban– iranian relations. in Saudi eyes, the taliban’s redeeming feature was that it forced iran to worry about its eastern flank. having reached its goal of seeing the US ousted in a humiliating manner, tehran is now interested in reaching a pragmatic if uneasy accommodation with the taliban. Riyadh will also worry about whether the taliban success will revive the fortunes of al-Qaeda and other jihadi groups. Al-Qaeda militants are already celebrating a historic defeat of the US and its allies, in the hope that it will generate momentum and inspiration for their cause after years of decline. the taliban will have to decide whether to allow al-Qaeda to conduct anti-Saudi activities from Afghan territory. Emile Hokayem is the Senior Fellow for Middle East Security.
TURKEY: AN UNCERTAIN AND DANGEROUS BALANCING ACT: turkey faces a highly volatile future in its relations with talibanruled Afghanistan, marked by high risk and few tangible rewards. it sees an opportunity to recover some of the legitimacy and soft power Burcu Ozcelik that it has lost as a result of its foreign-policy blunders over recent years. As the only Muslim-majority member of NAtO, it is likely to seek to balance competing interests and allies. Ankara will seek to shore up credibility with the Biden administration and other Western partners, and use its close relations with Qatar and Pakistan (both of which have cultivated close ties with senior taliban commanders) to position itself as a mediator between the taliban administration and the outside world. But in the absence of a clear legal framework, and the cover of a NAtO mission, turkey faces an uncertain and dangerous outlook in Afghanistan unless the terms of its political and diplomatic engagement are clearly spelt out. Additional pressure from Russia, iran and, to a lesser extent, alQaeda, which all play significant roles in Afghanistan, will add to the precarious nature of turkey’s position. Moreover, turkey faces a fresh refugee crisis: even in the weeks before the fall of Kabul, between 500 and 2,000 Afghans were estimated to be arriving on its soil each day. Ankara lacks a comprehensive settlement policy and is struggling to limit irregular migration into the country. it cannot cope indefinitely with a new surge in its refugee population and sees the uptick in conflict-related refugee flows as a global crisis that is being delegated to neighbouring countries. Burcu Ozcelik is the Associate Fellow; Research Fellow, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: HEDGING ITS BETS: having led an onslaught against transnational islamist groups over the past decade, the UAE may initially appear to be one of the players most likely to lament the taliban’s swift victory in Afghanistan. A staunch US Hasan Alhasan ally and reliable partner on counter-terrorism, the UAE was at one stage the only Arab country to dispatch special forces alongside American Green Berets fighting the taliban. Yet, Abu Dhabi and the taliban are no strangers. During the 1990s, the UAE was one of only three countries that recognised the islamic Emirate of Afghanistan under taliban rule. in 2018, Abu Dhabi hosted a round of US–taliban peace talks, suggesting that it retained the group’s trust. Abu Dhabi has proscribed the group’s Pakistani offshoot – the tehrik-i-taliban Pakistan – and imposed sanctions on individual taliban members, but has refrained from formally designating the Afghan taliban as a terrorist entity. Since the taliban’s take-over of Kabul, the UAE has welcomed the group’s ‘emphasis on amnesty and tolerance’. And Emirates is one of the few carriers currently running flights out of Kabul. At the moment, the UAE is under pressure. its rivals, turkey and iran, are making inroads with the taliban. But the UAE enjoys an advantage: its closer relations with China and Russia, the two great powers most interested in Afghanistan. however much the UAE might wish to cultivate influence with the victors, its policy will be constrained by that of the US. Abu Dhabi is, therefore, hedging its bets. it has granted asylum to Ashraf Ghani, the ousted Afghan president, and has refrained from indicating whether it intends to recognise taliban rule. For the UAE, home to about 150,000 Afghans, clarity may be a luxury that it cannot yet afford. Hasan Alhasan is the Research Fellow for Middle East Policy.
The Kremlin is coming for media one by one — and society is helpless to stop it BY LABELLING THE INDEPENDENT DOZHD BROADCASTER A ‘FOREIGN AGENT,’ THE KREMLIN ONCE AGAIN SHOWED IT DOESN’T PLAY BY THE RULES
Moscow TiMes
W
Ilya KlIshIn
ith less than one month before State Duma elections, the authorities are subjecting Russia’s few remaining independent media outlets to successive waves of repression, labeling some as foreign agents and others as undesirable organizations.
to make matters worse, there seems to be no logic as to why or when an outlet is labeled a foreign agent. Even before the current crackdown, and especially during the last 510 years, the number of independent outlets was already dwindling, with the exception of a small, flourishing niche of online projects — particularly those dealing with investigations. On the other hand, the authorities now seem to be playing “eenie-meenie-mineymo” as they decide whom to target next. For example, few expected that the Dozhd tV channel would be included on the list of foreign agents. Although Dozhd has a very liberal editorial policy and provided complete coverage of opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s supporters this year, it has never been radical in its approach. it gives airtime to opposition politicians as well as to deputies
from the ruling party, government officials and even hardcore Kremlin propagandists. in fact, Dozhd has been a sort of standard-bearer of moderate Russian journalism. the fact that the authorities “came for” Dozhd once again upset the rules of the game — or more precisely, served as a reminder that there are no rules, and that everyone can fall victim, and probably will eventually. And even if they didn’t come for you today, you should definitely fear that they might tomorrow — even if you thought you were safe because you attend official receptions and rub elbows with influential Kremlin insiders. Of course, the moment Dozhd was unexpectedly labeled a foreign agent, the burning question became: Who’s next? it’s an interesting question. the names of
at least a dozen different national and regional media outlets come to mind, as well as popular bloggers — especially those on Youtube. You could even name a number of famous people who might wind up on the list. Although only time will tell who was right and who was wrong with their guesses, it is definitely interesting to discuss. What’s more, such speculation relieves a bit of anxiety and distracts us from the increasingly unpleasant reality. But i would like to direct your attention to the phenomenon of the question itself. About once a week in Russia, a repressive monster points its finger at whomever it has decided to eat. And the only thing Russian society discusses is who the monster might eat next. true, people sometimes mention the need to leave Russia, but with decreasing frequency because most of those who
wanted to leave have already gone, and those who still plan to go, prefer not to talk about it. they just leave. in fact, we discuss whom this monster will swallow up next as though repression were a given, like bad weather or fate. Maybe this is what is referred to as “learned helplessness.” During Stalin’s reign, people probably whispered in their kitchens in the same way about who would be taken away next. Some might think it’s a good thing we have social networks and not just kitchens, but as it turns out, social networks don’t protect us much from repression. And it doesn’t even seem awkward or farfetched anymore to draw parallels with the Stalinist terror of the 1930s. After all, with whom and with what else can we compare victims discussing who will be next? Ilya Klishin is the former Digital Director of the New York-based Russianlanguage RTVI channel. He is the founder of KFConsulting.
Wednesday, 25August, 2021
BUSINESS 09
ISLAMABAD corporate corner Engro Corporation announces 1HFY21 results KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier conglomerate, Engro Corporation has announced its financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 (1HFY21). Engro delivered a strong operational performance in 1HFY21 as its consolidated revenue grew by 30% from Rs107, 163 million in 1HFY20 to Rs139, 319 million in 1HFY21. The company recorded a consolidated PAT of Rs29, 111 million compared to Rs15, 529 million for the similar period last year. Profit attributable to the owners stood at Rs17, 053 million compared to Rs9, 059 million for the prior period, resulting in an EPS of Rs29.60 compared to Rs15.73. The growth in bottom line is primarily attributable to increased profits posted by Engro Fertilizers and Engro Polymer & Chemicals. On a standalone basis, the company posted a PAT of Rs9, 683 million against Rs4, 858 million for the same period last year, translating into an EPS of s16.81 per share. The Company announced an interim cash dividend of Rs7 per share for the second quarter. EFert recorded half yearly urea sales of 1,115 KT vs. 847 KT and phosphate sales of 105 KT vs. 119 KT during the same period last year. As a result, the PAT for EFert stood at Rs10, 509 million for 1H 2021 as compared to Rs4, 457 million in the same period last year. The first half of the year experienced substantially higher international PVC prices, which rose to an unprecedented level of $1,670/T in Q1FY21 due to global supply limitations and increased freight costs. Subsequently, in Q2, the price reduced to $1,345/T and was still significantly higher from the historical price levels. In 1HFY21, EPCL recorded revenue of Rs30, 496 million as compared to Rs12, 874 million in the same period last year. EPCL witnessed its highest ever 6month profit on account of increased volumetric sales, efficient operations, and higher international prices; Engro Polymer posted a PAT of Rs7,265 million compared to a PAT of Rs223 million for the same period last year. As of June 2021, Enfrashare held a portfolio size of 1,817 operational sites and 1,963 tenancies, translating into a tenancy ratio of 1.08x, with a market share of 46%; an increase of 5% from 41% share maintained in 2020. Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) supplied 2 million tons of coal to Engro Powergen Thar (EPTL) during initial half of the year. EPTL remained fully operational and achieved 81% availability with a load factor of 78% and a dispatch of 2,052 GwH to the national grid during the first half of the year. The business posted a PAT of Rs905 million for the current period as compared to Rs1,310 million for Q1 2020, which is mainly attributable to the retirement of debt component. Engro’s Terminal businesses recorded healthy profits in the first half of the year. The LNG terminal handled 35 cargoes, delivering 106 billion cubic feet (bcf) re-gasified LNG to the SSGC network. The chemicals terminal had an actual throughput of 638 KT vs. 583 KT during the similar period last year. The increase was primarily observed in chemical volumes, offset by lower LPG handling. PRESS RElEASE
SBP digitises forex regulatory approval system The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has completed digitisation of the regulatory approval system for foreign exchange cases aiming to support ease of doing business. “The SBP initiated the project of ‘End-to-End Digitalisation of FX Cases’ with an objective to enhance ease of doing business by providing a fully digitalised platform to business community and individuals approaching banks for their foreign exchange related requests to SBP,” said the central bank on Monday. The project was divided into two phases. In the first phase, banks were linked with ‘SBP FX Regulatory Approval System (RAS)’ on March 24, 2020; which enabled banks to submit FX related cases electronically for regulatory approval of SBP and SBP-Banking Services Corporation (BSC). In the second, the central bank further extended the facilitation to the business community, whereby the banks developed portals to digitally receive forex cases from their clients for processing. “This initiative significantly enhanced operational efficiency and resulted in cost reduction, improved transparency and led to faster decision making at SBP and banks,” it added. “Since the launch of the system, a total of 59,176 forex cases have been submitted digitally by the banks —instead of paper-based submission — through RAS till July 31, 2021,” it added. MONITORING REPORT
SECP ordErEd To ConduCT ForEnSiC AudiT oF HASCoL ovEr ALLEgEd CorruPTion ISLAMABAD
T
SHAHZAD PARACHA
HE Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday directed the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to conduct a forensic audit of Hascol Petroleum Ltd. A meeting of committee was held under the chair of Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood in this regard wherein SECP officials briefed about the company's financial reporting matters. It was informed that HASCOL's liabilities increased from Rs24 billion to Rs48 billion in 2019 as compared to 2018. On the other hand, the company went into a massive loss from profit in just a few months. “A company which was operating with a profit of Rs956 million suddenly suffered a loss of Rs116 billion,” SECP apprised the committee. The commision informed that two investigations against HASCOL are currently underway and will be completed in three months after which criminal or civil proceedings against the company will be initiated under the SECP Act. Committee member Senator Saleem Mandviwala commented that it seemed like that the fraud had been planned for years while Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that such a fraud is not possible if auditing companies fulfill their responsibilities. Senator Musaddiq Masood Malik asked why the SECP did not take action as the company had taken illegal steps on such a large scale, adding that the stock exchange should protect the capital of shareholders. The committee chairman, in consultation with the senators, gave suggestions regarding forensic audit of the company besides directing the SECP to also
COMMITTEE REJECTS CHARGES ON BANK TRANSACTIONS ABOVE RS25, 000; CALLS FOR INCREASING LIMIT TO RS50, 000 take action against the audit firm that conducted HASCOL's audit. He also directed the State bank of Pakistan (SBP) to furnish details of 18 banks which gave loans to HASCOL and ordered it to submit a list of those who gave guarantees to these banks against the said loans in three weeks times. Meanwhile, the committee rejected the charges on transaction of above Rs25,000 by the central bank and directed SBP to submit a report in this regard within a month. Senator Mandviwala said that the proposal to transfer money from banks was rejected in the budget; however, the government imposed a fee on transactions above Rs25,000. The central bank's deputy governor underlined that charges of 0.1 per cent or Rs200 were levied on transactions above Rs25,000, or whichever is less. He said that 82 per cent of the transactions took place in July without any charges while only 18 per cent of the people were charged. Committee Chairman Senator Talha Mahmood objected to the levied charges on the transaction and recommended that either the limit of this amount should be increased to Rs50,000 or it should be abolished at once, terming the charges unjustified. He warned of increasing problems if the instructions of the committee are not followed.
Hugo Boss enters Pakistan ICCI FOR INCENTIVISING GLOBAL BRANDS TO ATTRACT MORE FDI
AGENCIES
Crude oil prices remained on an upward slide for the second straight day on Tuesday and jumped over one-and-a-half percent due to increase in demand amid Covid-19 vaccine optimisms. At 1345 hours GMT, Brent, the international benchmark for two-thirds of the world's oil, gained $1.25 (+1.82 percent) to reach $70 a barrel. Similarly, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reached $66.73 a barrel, up by $1.09 (+1.66 percent).
SAPM Waqar Masood resigns over alleged differences with Tarin ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The first Hugo Boss store in the country was inaugurated in Centaurus Mall here on Tuesday. The international clothing line Hugo Boss sells clothing, accessories, footwear and fragrances, and is best known for its men’s suits and other formal wear. Hugo Boss is one of the largest German clothing companies, with global sales of as much as €2.9 billion in 2019. Hugo Boss has claimed that their products will be locally produced in Pakistan. This will make Hugo Boss a part of many other international brands that sell products locally produced by Pakistan. Adidas, H&M, Zara and Mango are amongst the top international brands that sell products ‘made in Pakistan’. Speaking on the occasion, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan urged the government to incentivise interna-
tional brands in the country by reducing duties on their imports for a healthy competition in the domestic market. He said that the labour cost in Pakistan is quite cheap and provides a great advantage to international investors for penetration in Pakistan and urged that the government should also provide good incentives to the manufacturers of international brands in order to attract them for joint ventures (JVs) and investment in Pakistan. It would help the country to increase exports of international brands and further strengthen its forex reserves. He said that the larger presence of international brands in Pakistan would increase the confidence of foreign investors in the Pakistani market and attract more FDI to the country. He said that the entry of more international brands and their manufacturers in Pakistan would
also bring more competition in the domestic market and motivate the local industry to upgrade itself for producing world class products that would give a boost to Pakistani exports as well. The ICCI president said that Pakistan is a huge market of over 220 million consumers and international brands including retailers and food chains have great potential for JVs and investment in Pakistan. However, they need good incentives and consistent policies from the government side to penetrate the Pakistani market. He further emphasised that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) should focus on further simplification of the taxation system that would encourage more international brands towards Pakistan. He congratulated the franchisee of Hugo Boss and wished him great success in business. NEWS DESK
Brent back to $70 a barrel as crude prices surge for 2nd day ISLAMABAD
Members also raised politically exposed persons’ bank accounts with SBP with Senator Musaddiq Masood Malik demanding that SBP submit a report regarding money laundering and terror financing. He stressed that the committee should know how many bureaucrats, politicians, and other entities are involved in financial crimes. The committee chairman gave SBP officials one month's time to resolve the issue. Similarly, the issue of FBR's data hack was also reviewed in the meeting wherein a reply was sought from the FBR within three days. The committee has directed the Senate Secretariat to write a letter to the FBR chairman in this regard. A detailed discussion on the resolution moved by Senator Faisal Sabzwari recommending the government to give special tax exemption to the small traders and salaried class of Karachi and Hyderabad was also discussed. Members were divided over the matter with some suggesting a one-year exemption, a one-time relief, and relief to only those earning less than Rs0.1 million. The FBR was directed to furnish a report the total exposure and how many people would benefit from the scheme within 15 days. Moreover, Committee Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood asked the Acting Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Ghulam Muhammad Memon which government agencies do not conduct audits with the auditor general to which he replied that the auditor general audits all the institutions of Pakistan's government as well as the aid received from abroad whereas the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has to deposit the government's money in the SBP within a day in accordance with the law. The committee sought details of those entities which conduct independent audits.
The price for Opec Basket was recorded at $66.13 a barrel with 0.08 percent increase, Arab Light was available at $70.22 a barrel with 3.75 percent increase, while the price of Russian Sokol jumped to $69.06 after gaining 3.96 percent. Both Brent and WTI lost 10 percent of their values earlier this month as new lockdowns to contain the more virulent delta variant curbed demand. Oil prices recovered after falling to their lowest level since May last week. Commodities, including oil, fell last week after the minutes of the US Federal Reserve's July meet-
ing, which indicated a reversal of the US central bank's quantitative easing policy has been in place to support the economy since the onset of the pandemic. The strengthening of the US dollar amid global risk-off sentiment was also a factor affecting commodity prices. Oil markets also await the next move of Opec+, the group controlling a significant portion of oil market supply. The alliance is set to meet on September 1. Opec+, which is led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, has come under pressure from the White House to bring more supply back to the markets.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Finance and Revenue, Dr Waqar Masood, on Tuesday tendered his resignation on alleged differences with Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin. Sources said that Masood has forwarded his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the premier will decide whether to accept or reject his resignation. In a tweet, anchorperson Kamran Khan revealed that Dr Waqar Masood resigned from the position owing to differences with Shaukat Tarin over FBR reforms as well as the Kamyam Pakistan Programme. He added that the resignation was not related to the recent hacking disaster at FBR finally making waves at PMO as the system has not fully recovered so far. Tarin was not informed about the disaster for the first 48 hrs besides Khan wrote that Dr Ashfaq Tariq as well as Tariq Huda is favourite for the Chairman FBR slot as heads will also roll. However, local media outlets reported that differences between the two emerged over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. Masood wanted the government to implement the IMF conditions as per the money lender’s programme whereas the finance minister was of the view that Pakistan will not be able to implement these conditions. Earlier, it was reported that Dr Waqar Masood wanted powers of secretary Finance due to which Kamran Afzal transferred him from the Finance division to the Ministry of Industries and Production. Dr Masood was appointed SAPM on Finance and Revenue in October last year. Before his appointment to the post, he was assisting the Ministry of Finance in different informal capacities and was then made in-charge of a high-powered committee working to create a targeted subsidies mechanism for different sectors of the national economy.
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
10 FOREIGN NEWS
ISLAMABAD
ISrael bombS HamaS SITeS In Gaza over fIre balloonS, mIlITary SayS GAZA
I
REUTERS
SRAELI warplanes bombed Hamas sites in Gaza in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave that caused brush fires in southern Israel, its military said early on Tuesday. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the air strikes that targeted what the military said was a weapons production facility and a rocket launch site belonging to Hamas, the group that rules Gaza. Since an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire halted 11 days of Israel-
Hamas fighting in May, Gaza activists have sporadically sent balloons carrying incendiary material
into Israel, drawing Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities. Palestinians say the balloons are
aimed at pressing Israel to ease restrictions on Gaza and allow aid to reach the territory. Balloons launched on Monday set off fires in Israeli fields along the Gaza border, Israel's Fire and Rescue Service said. Cross-border violence has spiked despite an Israeli announcement last week of a resumption of Qatari aid to Gaza, a decision that had been seen as bolstering the fragile truce. Confronting Gaza protesters burning tyres and throwing explosives along the border on Saturday, Israeli troops shot and wounded 41 Palestinians, critically injuring two, medics said. Palestinian gunfire se-
riously wounded an Israeli soldier, the military said. Days before Saturday's violence, Gaza activists launched a rocket towards Israel that was shot down by its Iron Dome anti-missile system, in the first such attack since the May 21 ceasefire. More than 250 Palestinians and 13 in Israel were killed in the May conflict, during which Gaza activists fired rockets towards Israeli cities and Israel carried out air strikes across the coastal enclave. Israel keeps Gaza under blockade, tightly restricting movement out of the territory that is home to 2 million Palestinians. Egypt also main-
tains restrictions on the enclave. Both cite threats from Hamas for the restrictions. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a 15-year-old was killed overnight in a clash with Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military said its troops came under fire during an arrest raid near the city of Nablus. A soldier opened fire on a suspect who was about to throw a large object at the forces from a rooftop, the military said, and "identified a hit". The health ministry said a 15year-old Palestinian was killed in the confrontation.
Tunisian President Saied indefinitely extends suspension of parliament TUNIS REUTERS
Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday extended the suspension of parliament until further notice, the presidency said, after last month dismissing his prime minister and assuming executive authority in a move opponents branded a coup. Saied also extended the suspension of the immunity of members of parliament, the presidency said, adding Saied will give a speech to the nation in coming days, without giving more details. A month after Saied’s sudden intervention, he has not yet appointed a new prime minister or announced a roadmap demanded by Western allies and key players in Tunisia, including the powerful UGTT Union. Saied has said his intervention was needed to save the country from collapse. He appears to have widespread popular support in Tunisia, where years of misgovernance, corruption and political paralysis have been aggravated by a deadly surge in COVID-19 cases. But the president’s moves have raised concerns among some Tunisians about the future of the democratic system that the country adopted after its 2011 revolution that triggered the Arab Spring. Authorities have since placed several officials, including former ministers, under house arrest and prevented politicians and businessmen from traveling. Saied was elected in a landslide in 2019 vowing to stand up against corruption.
A US Air Force aircrew prepare for qualified evacuees to board a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan. REUTERS
US VP Harris says China intimidates to back South China Sea claims WASHINGTON REUTERS
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday accused China of coercion and intimidation to back unlawful claims in the South China Sea, in her most pointed comments on China on a visit to Southeast Asia, a region she said was critical to US security. Harris's seven-day trip to Singapore and Vietnam is aimed at standing up to China's growing security and economic influence globally and addressing concerns about China's claims to disputed parts of the South China Sea. Diverting attention and resources to the region has become a centrepiece of President Joe Biden's administration, as it turns away from old security preoccupations with the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. The US administration has called rivalry with China "the biggest geopolitical test" of the century and Southeast Asia has seen a series of high-profile visits by top administration officials, including Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. "We know that Beijing continues to coerce, to intim-
idate and to make claims to the vast majority of the South China Sea," Harris said in a speech in Singapore. "These unlawful claims have been rejected by the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision, and Beijing's actions continue to undermine the rules-based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations," she said, referring to an international tribunal's ruling over China's claims in The Hague.
China rejected the ruling and has stood by its claim to most of the waters within a so-called Nine Dash Line on its maps, parts of which Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also claim. China has established military outposts on artificial islands in the waters, which are crossed by vital shipping lanes and also contain gas fields and rich fishing grounds. The US Navy regularly conducts "freedom of navigation" operations through the disputed waters, which China objects to, saying they do not help promote peace or stability. On board the USS Tulsa, a US combat ship at the Changi Naval base in Singapore on Monday, Harris told US sailors "a big part of the history of the 21st century will be written about this very region" and their work defending it was pivotal. On Monday, Harris began her trip by meeting Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. They discussed the importance of upholding a rulesbased international order and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region, expanded cybersecurity cooperation and efforts to shore up critical supply chains be-
tween their countries. "Our partnerships in Singapore, in Southeast Asia and throughout the Indo-Pacific are a top priority for the United States," Harris said on Tuesday, adding the region was "critically important to our nation's security and prosperity". A top Chinese diplomat last month accused the United States of creating an "imaginary enemy" to divert attention from domestic problems and to suppress China. Part of her task during the trip will be convincing leaders in the region that the US commitment to Southeast Asia is firm and not a parallel to Afghanistan. Biden has faced criticism over his handling of the withdrawal of US forces and the chaotic evacuation after the lightning takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. Harris said the United States was "laser focused" on the task of "safely evacuating American citizens, international partners, Afghans who worked side by side with us, and other Afghans at risk". She also said that the United States had put itself forward to host a meeting of the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC in 2023, which includes the United States, China and Japan.
Amid Covid surge, some Sri Lankans opt for cardboard coffins COLOMBO REUTERS
At a factory in Sri Lanka's Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia city, workers use staples and glue to assemble long cardboard boxes, which will be used as coffins for some of the country's coronavirus victims. The coffin is made out of recycled paper and costs a sixth of the cheapest wooden casket, according to 51year old PriyanthaSahabandu, the local government official who first came up with the idea. As Sri Lanka's death toll from Covid-19 surges, some are opting for these cardboard coffins when they cremate their loved ones. The country recorded its high-
est daily death toll of 198 on Friday, with total fatalities reaching 7,560. Currently, about 400 people die per day on average in Sri Lanka of various causes, including Covid-19, said Sahabandu, a member of the municipal council for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, a city in Colombo district. "To make 400 coffins you have to cut some 250 to 300 trees. To prevent that environmental destruction I proposed this concept to the health committee of the council," he said. "With the spread of the coronavirus, people found it difficult to pay for expensive wooden coffins," he said. Each coffin costs around 4,500 Sri Lankan rupees ($22.56), compared with 30,000 rupees for a cheap
wooden coffin, Sahabandu said. It can hold up to 100 kilograms. The coffins were initially used mostly for Covid-19 victims, but have become more popular among those concerned about the environment. Some 350 cardboard coffins have been delivered since early 2020, and the factory is working on another 150 ordered by the council. "The majority of the people in the country support this. The issue today is supplying it. We are working on that," Sahabandu said. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced a total lockdown on Friday for ten days to curb a renewed surge in Covid-19 cases driven by the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant.
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
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Pakistan on toP in sEcond WEst indiEs tEst KINGSTON
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AKISTAN threw down the gauntlet to the West Indies on the penultimate day of the two-match Test series on Monday, setting the hosts 329 to win as the visitors chase a series-levelling victory at Jamaica's Sabina Park. West Indies finished the day’s play at 49 for one, 280 runs away from the target. A fourth day's play almost completely dominated by the visitors saw Shaheen Shah Afridi claim Test-best innings figures of six for 51 as the West WEST Indies were routed for 150 in the INDIES 150 AND 49 first innings 1 (BRATHWAITE 17 FOR just after the lunch interval. NOT OUT, JOSEPH 8 NOT OUT) Building TRAIL PAKISTAN 302 FOR 9 on a healthy DEC & 176 FOR 6 DEC (BUTT advantage of 152, Pakistanis 37, BABAR 33, JOSEPH 2threw caution to 24) BY 280 RUNS the wind in racing to 176 for six at better than a run-a-ball through the afternoon, declaring for the second time in the match when captain negotiating that potentially tricky Babar Azam was dismissed to give period comfortably until Powell was bowlers more than 90 minutes to at- a run-out victim of his own carelesstack the home side's top order. ness in completing a third run. However, the West Indies openIt left Brathwaite and Alzarri ing pair of skipper Kraigg Brath- Joseph, night watchman for the secwaite and Kieran Powell was ond day in a row, to reach the close.
Resuming at the overnight position of 39 for three in reply to the tourists' first innings effort of 302 for nine declared, the home side lost their last six wickets for 45 runs to be dismissed shortly after lunch as 21-year-old Afridi reinforced his
domination of the Caribbean batsmen to take his wicket tally in the series to 14. “For me, it was about keeping a good line throughout because with the support of the other bowlers we always felt we had a chance,” he said.
As impressively as Afridi bowled, it was Mohammad Abbas who triggered the pivotal collapse with a three-wicket burst in the last half-hour of the morning session as the West Indies crashed from 105 for four to 116 for eight.
Venus Williams ousted in opening match at Chicago Women's Open CHICAGO AFP
Former world number one Venus Williams crashed out of the WTA Chicago Women's Open on Monday, losing in straight sets to Taiwan's Hsieh Su-Wei, 6-2, 6-3. The seven-time Grand Slam winner Williams, who is the oldest player in the draw at 41, spent just 67 minutes on the court in a one-sided opening round match at the Washington Park tennis facility on Chicago's South Side. Williams is now just 3-9 on the season and has seen her ranking drop to 147 in the world. Of those nine losses this season, two have been against the 125th-ranked Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. It was one of the biggest wins of the 81st-ranked Hsieh's career as she
improved to 11-12 on the season. She made it to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year, los-
ing to Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-2. In 2018, she upset world number one Simona Halep in the third round
of Wimbledon. The 35-year-old Hsieh kept Williams on her back foot with a strong service game and precision cross court and down the line forehands. She won 71 percent of her first serve points and had just one double fault, while Williams double faulted five times. Williams, who has 49 career WTA titles, had her serve broken four times and won just 35 percent of her second serve points. In other matches Monday, top seed and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Elina Svitolina was ahead 20 in the deciding third set when France's Clara Burel retired from their match. Kristina Mladenovic defeated ZarinaDiyas 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), and Czech TerezaMartincova surprised third seed SoranaCirstea 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Abbas, who had gone wicketless before that spell, made amends with the wickets of topscorer Nkrumah Bonner (37) and Kyle Mayers off successive balls before adding Joshua da Silva in the penultimate over before lunch. Afridi, who disposed of night watchman Joseph swiftly at the start of the day, joined in the midday clatter of wickets by having Jermaine Blackwood taken for 33 by a diving FawadAlam at gully. Bonner and Blackwood put on 60 for the fifth wicket in the only period of play when Pakistan's bowlers appeared to be growing in frustration. Their effort could not be sustained though, and having taken the first two wickets of the innings late on the third day, Afridi terminated the bold hitting of Jason Holder and had Kemar Roach taken at mid-on to complete an effective mopping up job in the early afternoon. Emboldened by their dominant position in starting the second innings with a lead of 152 runs, Abid Ali and Imran Butt cut loose to put on 70 by just the 10th over of the second innings. Both fell before tea but Pakistan continued to press the accelerator, even promoting Hasan Ali to provide some hefty blows although the efforts were frustrated by negative West Indies tactics which earned Brathwaite a sharp lecture from umpire Joel Wilson.
Hard to see Rafiq ‘hurting’, says England skipper Root LONDON ReuteRs
England captain Joe Root has expressed sympathy for Azeem Rafiq after the former Yorkshire spinner alleged that he had been a victim of institutional racism at the club. Yorkshire said on Thursday they had apologised to Rafiq after an independent investigation found that historically he was the “victim of inappropriate behaviour”. Rafiq, a player of Pakistan origin who captained the England Under-19 side, had alleged racist abuse at Yorkshire stretching back to 2008. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Root called for English cricket to end all forms of discrimination and said it was hard to see his former Yorkshire team mate “hurting”. “I can’t really speculate or comment too much on a report I have not seen. But, as a former team mate and friend, it’s hard to see Azeem hurting as he is,” said Root. “More than anything, it just shows that there is a lot of work we have to do in the game […] it’s a societal issue in my opinion […] as a sport, we have got to keep trying to find ways of making sure this isn’t a conversation that keeps happening.” Root added that the England team will wear anti-discrimination tshirts and observe “a moment of unity” ahead of the third test against India at Headingley. “We have to keep showing the sport is for everyone and that we are desperate to make everyone feel welcome to it. It’s such a brilliant sport and should be open to everyone,” he said. The third test starts on Wednesday, with the hosts trailing 1-0 in the five-match series.
Premier League: West Ham extend perfect start with dominant win over Leicester LONDON AFP
West Ham extended their perfect start to the season as Michail Antonio became the club’s record Premier League goalscorer with a double in their 4-1 win against 10-man Leicester on Monday. David Moyes’ side took the lead through Pablo Fornals’ first half goal at the London Stadium. Leicester’s Ayoze Perez was sent off for a dangerous stamp on Fornals just before half-time. Said Benrahma bagged West Ham’s second after the break before YouriTielemans got one back for Leicester. Antonio went into the game tied with Paolo Di Canio on a joint-record 47 goals for West Ham in the Premier League era. The 31-year-old took sole possession of the record with a brace in the closing stages as West Ham followed up last weekend’s 4-2 win at Newcastle with another four-goal blitz. “I’m really pleased for him. I was disappointed with the way he played in the first half but he did enough to shut the manager up after what I said to him at halftime,” Moyes said of Antonio. Despite a quiet summer in the transfer market, West Ham sit top of the table and look capable of emulating last season’s sixth place finish. The Hammers have won their opening two fixtures of a Premier League campaign for only the second time. “It’s a super night for us. The team played really
well. The sending-off changes the game a little bit we did a lot of good things,” Moyes said. “I’ve challenged the players to find that extra few points that could have been enough to get us in the Champions League. “I could be asking far too much but what else am I going to do? Stand here and say we want to avoid relegation!” MEMORABLE MOMENT: West Ham were the only team to beat Leicester twice in the league last season and they maintained that hold over Brendan Rodgers’ men as the FA Cup holders slumped to their first defeat of the new campaign. Allowed a capacity crowd for the first time since February 2020 after the easing of coronavirus restrictions, West Ham fed off the fans’ energy in a fast start that saw Benrahma’s 20-yard curler saved by Kasper Schmeichel. Containing Leicester effectively and launching counter-attacks at will, West Ham’s confident display was rewarded in the 26th minute. A sweeping move ended with Fornals finding Benrahma wide on the left before racing into the area to meet the cross with a clipped finish into the far corner from 12 yards. Leicester suffered a self-inflicted wound in the 40th minute when Michael Oliver sent off Perez after consulting the pitchside monitor to review the forward’s reckless stamp on Fornals’ ankle. In the 56th minute, CaglarSoyuncu played a woeful backpass towards Schmeichel without looking and An-
tonio intercepted. Antonio slipped the ball to the unmarked Benrahma and the Algerian smashed in his first goal at the London Stadium since signing from Brentford last season. Against the run of play, Tielemans stabbed home from close-range after West Ham failed to clear James Maddison’s 69th minute cross. But Antonio wrapped up the points with 10 minutes remaining when he took De-
clan Rice’s cross, held off Soyuncu and swivelled to blast past Schmeichel. After celebrating his goal by holding up a large cardboard cut-out of himself on the touchline, Antonio produced another memorable moment in the 84th minute. Cleverly flicking the ball over his head, Antonio got between two defenders before poking home from close-range.
Wednesday, 25 August, 2021
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‘InDIGenOusly DevelOPeD’ FATAH-1 GuIDeD MlRs unDeRGOes successFul TesT: IsPR
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AKISTAN Army on Tuesday conducted a successful test of indigenously developed “Fatah-1” guided Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS), according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military’s media wing, in a statement, said the extended-range rocket system was capable of delivering a conventional warhead. “The weapon system will give Pakistan Army capability of precision target engagement deep in enemy territory,” the ISPR added. The president, prime minister, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee and the chief of army staff congratulated the participating troops and scientists on the successful launch. The guided MLRS was primarily developed to hit targets without leaving behind unexploded ordnance. The extended range guided MLRS is a developed variant of the guided MLRS family, usually with an extended range of up to 150km. The development of a conventional system by Pakistan seems to be a response to the Indian focus on the development of its conventional capabilities, besides improving response options to India’s Cold Start Doctrine. NEWS DESK
Pakistan-Afghanistan ODI series postponed until next year
Anti-Taliban fighters dig in to defend Panjshir Valley Atop a craggy mountain that has withstood foreign invaders for decades, anti-Taliban fighters fire a mounted heavy machine gun into a deep valley. They are members of the National Resistance Front (NRF) – the most prominent Afghan opposition group to emerge since the Taliban captured Kabul nine days ago. With militia fighters and former government soldiers in its ranks, the NRF has set up machine gun nests, mortars and surveillance posts fortified with sandbags in anticipation of a Taliban assault on their bastion, the Panjshir Valley. Its fighters, many in military camouflage fatigues, patrol the area in USmade Humvees and technicals – pickup trucks with machine guns mounted on the back. Many carry assault rifles, rocketpropelled grenades and walkie-talkies. Some pose on their vehicles against a dramatic background of snow-covered peaks in the valley, which begins about an hour north of Kabul.
“We are going to rub their faces in the ground,” said one fighter at a position in the Panjshir heights, listing past victories against the Taliban. His comrades then raise their fists and chanted “God is great”. The strategic valley – populated
primarily by ethnic Tajiks – offers natural defence points, with narrow entrances in the shadow of high mountains. “If Taliban warlords launch an assault, they will of course face staunch resistance from us,” Ahmad Massoud,
Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley — last holdout against Taliban Among the pockets of resistance against the Taliban following their takeover of Afghanistan, the biggest is in the Panjshir Valley. Comprising anti-Taliban militia fighters and former Afghan security forces, they vowed to resist as the Taliban sends fighters to surround the area. Both sides have said they want to resolve the standoff through talks but there has been no breakthrough on the fate of the strategic area. Why is the Panjshir Valley imPortant? Panjshir is a narrow valley deep in the Hindu Kush mountains, with its southern tip around 80 kilometres north of the capital Kabul. The valley has limited entry points and its geography offers a natural military advantage — defending units can use high positions to effectively target attacking forces. afp
G7 agreed Taliban must allow people to leave after August 31, says Johnson British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday the G7 had agreed a plan to deal with the Taliban, with their number one condition being that militants must allow safe passage to Afghans wanting to leave the country even after an Aug. 31 deadline. “What we’ve done today, the G7, is we’ve… agreed not just a joint approach to dealing with the evacuation, but also a roadmap for the way in which we’re going to engage with the Taliban,” Mr. Johnson said after an emergency virtual meeting of the leaders of the Group of Seven rich nations. “The number one condition we’re setting as G7 is that they’ve got to guarantee right the way through, through August 31 and beyond, safe passage for those who want to come out. “Some of them will say that they don’t accept that, some of them I hope will see the sense of that, because the G7 has very considerable leverage, economic, diplomatic and political.” Mr. Johnson said the “huge leverage” which the G7 could wield over the Taliban after it seized control of the country just over a week ago included withholding substantial funds. “What we’re saying is Afghanistan can’t lurch back into becoming a breeding ground of terror, Afghanistan can’t become a narco state, girls have got to be educated up to the age of 18,” he said. Mr. Johnson sidestepped a question about whether other G7 leaders had expressed frustration at U.S. President Joe Biden over his handling of the crisis and refusal to extend the deadline for U.S. troops remaining in Afghanistan. “Let’s be clear the immediate phase of the evacuation is actually … a very considerable success by the military,” he said. REutERS
one of the NRF leaders, said in a Washington Post op-ed last week. He is the son of the late Tajik commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, revered for turning the Panjshir Valley into an anti-Soviet and anti-Taliban bastion. The defensive preparations are familiar for Panjshir residents who saw Massoud Senior thwart multiple Soviet assaults in the 1980s and Taliban attempts to take the area in the late 1990s. An NRF spokesman told AFP on the weekend that it is ready to resist any Taliban aggression but wants to negotiate with the group about an inclusive government. Reporting from Kabul, Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford said that the valley has become a historical point of reference for Afghans that fought against Soviets in 1980s. “It is now under the control of a group called the National Resistance Front. There are at least two members of the former government there including the defence minister and vice president,” said Stratford. agENciES
Mani likely to continue as PCB chairman: report Ehsan Mani is likely to continue as the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a second term, Geo News reported on Tuesday. A day ago, Prime Minister Imran Khan had held separate meetings with Ehsan Mani and former cricketer Ramiz Raja amid speculations over the appointment of the next PCB chairman. However, according to the report, Mani is likely to continue as a member of the PCB Governing Board and contest election for the chairman slot for second term in office. The report said Raja would serve as the deputy to the chairman for a specific period, and then again a change would come. It is expected that Mani and
Ramiz would get the prime minister’s approval as the PCB Governing Board members for the next three years. “There are good chances that Mani would continue to be a Governing Board member and ultimately contest election for chairman slot for the second term in office. However, would he be able to complete his second term in office is another question,” the report quoted a source as saying. Moreover, the report also stated that Mani, while talking to The News, did not reveal the outcome of his meeting with the premier. “I am not in a position to share anything with you. It is PM House that will be making any statement on the meeting,” Mani told the newspaper. NEWS DESK
islamaBaD: A one-day series between Pakistan and Afghanistan, scheduled for next month in Sri Lanka, has been postponed until 2022 following the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan. The two countries were due to play three ODI matches in early September in Sri Lanka, but the Pakistan Cricket Board said late on Monday that the Afghanistan Cricket Board had requested the series be postponed. “PCB has accepted ACB’s request to postpone next month’s ODI series due to players’ mental health issues, disruption in flight operations in Kabul, lack of broadcast facilities and increased COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka,” the PCB tweeted. “Both boards will try to reschedule the series in 2022.” With commercial flights from Kabul airport yet to resume, media reports said the Afghanistan team had been looking to travel to Pakistan by road and fly to Colombo via Dubai. But the logistical challenges increased after Sri Lanka last week announced a 10-day lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, as surging infections and deaths overwhelm the island’s health system. The Taliban have said they would not interfere with men’s cricket in the country, Afghanistan’s biggest sporting success of recent years. The fate of the women’s programme, however, remains unclear. REutERS
WHO says only has week of medical supplies left in Afghanistan The World Health Organisation warned on Tuesday that it has enough medical supplies to last it “one week”, following the blistering Taliban takeover of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul 10 days ago. “WHO now only has enough supplies incountry to last for one week,” said Ahmed al-Mandhari, the head of WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean region — stretching from Morocco to Afghanistan. “Yesterday, 70 per cent of these supplies were released to health facilities,” he added. Mandhari said that 500 metric tonnes of medicines and supplies stored in Dubai were unable to be delivered due to the chaotic evacuation efforts at Kabul airport which does not have the capacity to receive commercial flights. “Countries sending in empty planes to pick up evacuees do not feel they are able to help,” Mandhari said. testinG, VaCCinations DroP: The UN agency was also concerned the current upheaval in Afghanistan could push up Covid-19 infections, with testing dropping by 77pc in the past week and vaccinations also down, officials from the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean office said. The WHO officials, in an online briefing, said 95pc of health facilities in Afghanistan remained operational but that some female staff had not returned to their posts and some female patients were now afraid to leave their homes. After a major scaling back the WHO was stabilising its operations, said Richard Brennan, the WHO’s regional emergency director. “We have had some encouraging signs and encouraging communications, that the Taliban authorities have made it clear that they want the United Nations to stay, that they want the continuity of health services,” he said. “We remain cautiously optimistic that we will be able to get our operation back at increasing scale over the coming weeks.” On Sunday, the WHO and Unicef jointly called for an “immediate establishment of a reliable and robust humanitarian air-bridge to send in supplies”. “Even prior to the events of the past weeks, Afghanistan represented the world’s third-largest humanitarian operation, with over 18 million people requiring assistance,” the Sunday statement added. US-led troops have ramped up operations to get thousands of people out of Kabul, after the Taliban warned they would not allow the United States to extend an August 31 deadline for a complete withdrawal. About 50,000 foreigners and Afghans have fled the country from Kabul’s airport since the Taliban swept into power 10 days ago, according to the US government. Many Afghans fear a repeat of the brutal law that the Taliban implemented when first in power from 1996-2001, or retribution for working with the US-backed government over the past two decades. afp
What does full approval of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine mean? WASHINGTON thE aSSociatED pRESS
The Food and Drug Administration of the United States on Monday fully approved the Covid-19 vaccine of Pfizer, a move expected to trigger a new wave of vaccine mandates as the Delta variant batters the world. But what does a full approval mean? It means Pfizer’s shot for people 16 and older has now undergone the same rigorous testing and regulatory review as dozens of other
long-established vaccines. Covid-19 vaccines in the US were initially rolled out under the FDA’s emergency use authorisation, which allows the agency to speed the availability of medical products during public health emergencies. Under the process, the agency waived some of its normal data requirements and procedures to make the Covid-19 vaccines available months earlier than would have been possible under normal circumstances.
Pfizer’s vaccine — along with those from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — still underwent testing in tens of thousands of people to establish safety and effectiveness against Covid-19. But the FDA initially required the companies to submit about only two months of safety monitoring data on study participants, the period when side effects are most likely to occur. For full approval, the FDA required six months of follow-up data. FDA inspectors also visited the plants where the vaccines are
made and reviewed each step of the production process for extra assurance that the shots are made under safe, sterile conditions. Because vaccines are typically given to otherwise healthy individuals, they are generally subject to more regulatory scrutiny than other medical products, including prescription drugs. Full approval means the Pfizer vaccine now carries the FDA’s strongest endorsement of safety and effectiveness. Public health experts hope the change
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will convince more unvaccinated people to get the shot and spur more employers to require vaccinations. Moderna has also applied for full approval, and Johnson & Johnson has said it hopes to apply later in the year. Pfizer’s shot still is available for 12- to 15-year-olds under emergency use authorisation. The full approval also doesn’t apply to boosters. The agency will decide separately whether an extra shot is necessary for healthy people.