Thursday, 26 August, 2021 I 17 Muharram, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 56 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
Imran ‘ashamed’, ‘paIned’ by assault on tIktokers g
PM says eco-friendly ravi Urban Project to generate $40 billion revenUe
LAHORE
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staff report
riMe Minister imran Khan on Wednesday said that he was “ashamed” and “pained” when he saw the assault the female tiktoker, referring to the independence day incident. “the Minar-e-Pakistan incident, when i saw it, i was ashamed, it pained me to see it. no one could have imagined such an incident taking place [in Pakistan] when i was growing up,” PM imran Khan said, during an event in lahore. this was the first time the premier had made any public remarks on the matter since the incident took place. on the occasion, he stated that this sort of harassment was not part of the culture of Pakistan. the premier said he has travelled across the world, and while he was growing up, he had observed that Pakistanis respected women much more than the Western world. “the downfall that we are witnessing is because our children are not being edu-
cated in the right manner. this is not a part of our culture and neither of our religion,” he said, referring to the behaviour that was displayed by the mob, at the greater iqbal Park in lahore on august 14. the prime minister said “sex crimes” in Pakistan were on the rise, and blamed it on the negative side of the use of mobile phones. “in human history, we never witnessed the kind of exposure to things that children have nowadays,” he said. He noted that to curb such incidents, “there is only one way”. “children must be taught about the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him),” he said, adding that he was the “greatest human being, the likes of which will never again be seen”. the prime minister said people read about successful people to learn of the secrets of their success — and no one in history is as successful as Prophet Muhammad (PbUH). “Which is why we have been told in the Holy Quran to learn from his life.” “[the children must be taught] how he brought about a historic revolution. What his qualities were. How he was honest and trust-
CoronavIrus In
pakIstan
CONFIRMED CASES:
1,135,858
LAST UPDATED AT 6:43 AM ON AUGUST 25, 2021
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
141
4,199
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
1,019,434 25,220 SINDH:
PUNJAB:
424,139
383,742
KPK:
BALOCHISTAN:
158,243 AJK/GB: 31,087/9,739
31,928 ISLAMABAD:
96,980
worthy — and how no person has become a great leader without these qualities,” the prime minister said. the premier said Quaid-e-azam Muhammad ali jinnah and former president of the south african republic nelson Mandela were regarded as honest and trustworthy even by their rivals. “so these qualities, which made him so great, should be taught to our children in schools. “and so alongside being taught about the latest technology — what we have envisioned for grades 8, 9 and 10 — this also has to be enforced. both these things have to be enforced in the school curriculum,” the prime minister said. the prime minister lauded Punjab Minister for education Murad ras for his “passion” for the field of education and for starting the implementation of the single national curriculum in the province. He said passion is something that trumps talent in many areas. “and when we see passion in a chief minister or [other minister], we back the ministry. because we can see the person is working wholeheartedly.” He hoped that in the next two years, ras will be able to fully implement the new curriculum and “lift the standards of government schools”. PM imran Khan noted that private schools “were doing an excellent job”, but a family only sends their children there if they have money. “in Pakistan, our real talent is mostly found in government schools,” he added. referring to the english medium education system as the remnants of british classism, he recalled that when he graduated from aitchison college and went to england for further studies, he felt like “i was made an english public-school boy, not a Pakistani. i was distanced from my culture and my religion through that educational system.”
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Isa questions wisdom of larger bench formation in journalists’ harassment case ISLAMABAD staff report
days after the supreme court temporarily restrained implementation on a decision of a bench in a case pertaining to the purported harassment of journalists, justice Qazi faez isa questioned the wisdom behind the decision, terming it a transgression of the constitution. last friday, a two-judge bench — consisting of justice isa and justice jamal Khan Mandokhel — took notice of an application moved by the Press association of the supreme court, highlighting the purported incidents of harassment of journalists. in an order issued the same day, the judges said since the application had raised matters of public importance with reference to the enforcement of fundamental rights, it met the criteria for invoking the suo motu jurisdiction under article 184(3) of the constitution. However, the following the court of justice Umar ata ban-
Pakistan sees highest single-day Covid deaths in over 100 days the country reported 141 more deaths from covid-19, the highest number of fatalities recorded in one day since 161 deaths were recorded on May 4, according to the data released by the national command and operations centre (ncoc) on Wednesday. With these 141 fatalities, the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the country now stands at 25,220. another 4,199 people tested positive for covid-19 after 61,410 tests were taken, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 1,135,858. the positivity rate now stands at 6.83 percent. in the last 24 hours, 3,915 patients have recovered from covid-19 across the country, after which the total number of those who have recovered has reached 1,019,434 while the number of active cases is 91,204. sindh reported at least 1,404 new covid-19 cases during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 425,476. according to chief Minister syed Murad ali shah, 29 more people fell prey to the deadly disease as the death toll surged to 6,742. He further said that 915 more patients recovered
dial, who is acting as chief justice since justice gulzar ahmed is on leave, proceeded to constitute a five-judge larger bench in a bid to provide clarity on the issue of invoking the jurisdiction of suo motu notice by a bench. the new bench on Monday put the friday order in abeyance, observing that its implementation may obscure and unsettle the practice of invoking suo motu jurisdiction. in his letter addressed to justice bandial on august 24, justice isa responded to the development by saying the constitution detailed the different jurisdictions of the top court and they could also be conferred by law. “no jurisdiction is conferred which permits one bench to monitor the working of another bench, let alone to hold its orders in abeyance,” he said. the judge added the constitution did not permit “monitoring jurisdiction” and, therefore, the new bench did not have the jurisdiction to hear the case.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 02
more inside
India’s outcry over Afghanistan situation shows disgraceful defeat: Rasheed STORY ON PAGE 02
overnight, lifting the total to 369,639. at least 721 new coronavirus cases emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the past 24 hours, lifting the tally to 158,964. the health officials said that 20 more people died from the deadly virus in the province as the death toll jumped to 4,859. they further said that 825 more patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 146,629. at least 80 more people contracted coronavirus in balochistan during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 31,070. according to health officials, no deaths were reported in the province. so far 338 patients have succumbed to the
deadly virus. as many as 30,245 patients have recovered from the disease in the province so far. despite the daily increase in cases, a reuters report indicates that covid-19 infections are decreasing in Pakistan, with 3,765 new infections reported on average each day. that is 64% of the peak — the highest daily average reported on june 17. Pakistan has administered at least 47,802,106 doses of covid vaccines so far. assuming every person needs two doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 10.7% of the country’s population. News Desk
CONTINUED ON PAGE 02
fM pushes diplomatic overture to develop joint regional strategy for afghan peace STORY ON PAGE 03
Western nations race to complete Afghan evacuation as deadline looms STORY ON BACK PAGE
HrW claim of proposed regulator aimed at curbing press freedom rejected STORY ON BACK PAGE
02
Thursday, 26 august, 2021
karaCHi
news
IndIA’S ouTCry over AfghAnISTAn SITuATIon ShowS dISgrACeful defeAT: rASheed isLamaBad
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INISTER for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Wednesday said evacuation from Afghanistan and shutting up its consulates was ample proof of depressed India’s shameful defeat there. “India’s hue and cry on prevailing Afghanistan situation was natural outcome as they faced a shameful defeat there and the whole world was well aware of India’s such bemoaning condition,” the minister said while talking to media. He added that India’s consulates in Afghanistan were working against Pakistan.
They were involved in terrorism in Pakistan through Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and they were involved in making conspiracies against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he added. Dispelling the impression, he made it clear that Pakistan was not involved in a prevailing political situation in Afghanistan. He thanked Allah Almighty that there was no report of any massacre or bloodshed in Afghanistan as Afghanis were handling their country’s matters in an impeccable way, he added. He said that Afghanis themselves were resolving their outstanding issues with mutual consensus. “They had respected and implemented the demand of international world of general amnesty and opening of
educational institutions.” He further stated that they had also promised that the land of Afghanistan would not be allowed to be used by anyone against Pakistan, in any case. He repeated the commitment of Prime Minister Imran Khan that Pakistan would not be allowed to use its land against Afghanistan and that TTP would not be given permission to operate against Pakistan from Afghanistan. Sheikh Rasheed reiterated 1100 people had returned back to Afghanistan from the Torkham border. “Our responsibility was just to assist them and help them reach border safely.” He maintained that there was no burden of Afghan refugees on Pakistan, adding that
BHC seeks report about registration of thalassaemia patients Quetta tLtP
The Balochistan High Court (BHC) has sought a report from Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta (SPHQ) pertaining to registration of thalassaemia patients in the hospital to ascertain what measures have been taken for prevention and cure of the disease. According to a research report, there are an estimated 2,000 children with Bthalassemia in Balochistan. These children are at high risk of acquiring transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) due to their need of regular blood transfusions for survival. Taking up a plea of Barrister Amir Muhammad Lehri, seeking the court’s directives to the concerned authorities for
tangible measure to treat the patients in the province, a divisional bench of Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Abdul Hameed Baloch also sought report from secretary Communication and Works Department over causes of delay in construction of a multi-storey building in the hospital. Issuing a three-page order in the matter, the bench said that during the last date of hearing, the representative of Regional Blood Centre (RBC), Quetta, stated that the centre is providing blood to the thalassaemia patients but ratio of collection of blood is slow. The representative of the RBC had given suggestions of a campaign to be launched on a regular basis to convince the general public for blood donation. During course proceedings on
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia ease travel restrictions for Pakistan’s fully vaccinated citizens news desk Kuwait has allowed commercial flights from Pakistan and six other countries while adhering to Covid-19 measures set by the government. Similarly, Saudi Arabia has also allowed vaccinated people to come back to the country directly. According to Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry, Saudi nationals will have to get both jabs of the vaccine before leaving the country so that they can come back directly. Meanwhile Saudi Civil Aviation Authority has mandated coronavirus vaccination certificate for Umrah pilgrims. Currently, the countries facing the travel ban are India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Lebanon, a report by Saudi Gazette said. The Pakistan embassy in Riyadh welcomed the decision by the Saudi authorities. Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf leader Zulfi Bukhari called it a “welcome step” and said that Pakistan was grateful for the support. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia had decided to allow entry to foreign travellers fully vaccinated with the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, provided that they also receive a booster shot of either of the four vaccines approved by the Kingdom. The decision followed the country reopening its doors to international visitors on August 1, conditional to them being inoculated by one of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
Saudi Arabia approves Sinovac, Sinopharm vaccines isLamaBad News Desk
Saudi Arabia has expanded the list of vaccines against Covid-19 to include two Chinese-made vaccines Sinovac and Sinopharm, Gulf News reported. According to its Ministry of Health, the vaccines now recognised in the Kingdom are OxfordAstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. The ministry said those fully inoculated with the Chinese-manufactured vaccines could be accepted in the Kingdom provided they have obtained a booster dose of one of the other vaccines approved in Saudi Arabia. The step is set to benefit Pakistani workers who have received shots of Chinese vaccines back home.The Saudi Ministry of Interior also allowed direct entry of fully vaccinated expatriates to return to the Kingdom from countries with which flights had earlier been suspended. The expatriate returnees must have obtained two doses of vaccine against Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia before they left it. The countries with which Saudi Arabia had earlier suspended flights due to the crisis are India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, the UAE, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Lebanon.
Wednesday, responding to the bench query, the medical superintendent of SPHQ submitted that according to his information, no such campaign has yet been launched by the RBC. To which the bench directed the office to issue notice to Dr Hanif Mengal, RBC in-charge, to appear before the court on the next date with complete details. Appearing before the bench, the provincial chief law officer informed that about two months ago, health department was bifurcated in two different departments i.e. Secondary Health Care and Medical Education. He submitted that the department has to deal with tertiary care hospitals as well as teaching hospitals, saying Noorul Haq Baloch the department it is headed as Secretary. He informed that the second department is
the Chaman border was opened for trade and as per past practice, and that routine movement remained continued and the business activities had increased up to 60 percent in the last 15 days at Torkham and Chaman borders. He added that long-lasting peace in Afghanistan was important for the region as well as for the international world. He said Pakistan would continue playing its role in maintaining peace in Afghanistan and for a stable government. The minister said peace in Afghanistan was a must for peace in Pakistan and in the entire region, adding, Pakistan was always in the favor of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Primary & Secondary Health Care which is to deal with all basic health units, rural health units, different health programs including vaccination programs saying it is headed by Azizullah Jamaldini as Secretary. The bench issued directives to Noorul Haq Baloch and Azizullah Jamaldini to appear before the court on the next date with relevant updates of their departments whereas the court asked Advocate General to ensure attendance of both the officers before court on the next date with relevant detail. During last date of hearing, Secretary SHC&ME has informed the court that in the current PSDP, the government has included construction of multi storey building for SPHQ and in this regard a detailed feasibility study is yet to be conducted and the project will be started on the basis of suggestion /recommendation of the consultant. The bench also appointed Advocate Ewaz Zehri as amicus curiae by this court in the matter to larger public interest. Later, the bench adjourned hearing till September 09.
Pakistan-Kazakhstan joint military drill begins isLamaBad staff RePoRt
A joint military exercise between special forces of Pakistan and Kazakhstan began in Khyber Pakhtunkwa on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations said. Dostarym III is being held at National Counter Terrorism Center, the counterterrorism training school of the army located in the town of Pabbi, said the statement. It added that the exercise aims to “develop and bolster coordination between the two
armies” in the domain of counter-terrorism. Special forces from both countries will take part in hostage rescue, compound clearance, helicopter rappelling, and close-quarters battle drills and procedures. The exercise, the statement said, will focus on integrated synergy, interoperability, quick decision making and swift action at a tactical level. Military officials of both countries were present at the occasion. The first joint exercise was held in 2017 in Pakistan, while the second was in 2019 in Kazakhstan, the statement added.
Isa questions wisdom of larger bench formation Continued from page 01 “If they continue hearing it they will transgress the Constitution. Consequently, any purported order passed by the purported larger bench would be a constitutional
nullity, void and of no legal effect,” said the disgruntled judge. He also lamented the two-member bench — comprising him and Justice Mandokhel — was not informed about the formation of the larger bench either.
He said that the CPEC project would not become a target of any external conspiracy. He added, “No one can become a hurdle in the relations between Pakistan and China”. He assured that the government would take further measures to ensure security to Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. Rasheed said foolproof security would be ensured to all major and small Chinese companies functioning in Pakistan. The interior minister said a facilitation centre had been established at the Ministry of Interior to facilitate those coming from Afghanistan. He said that security forces were on high alert to avert any terrorist activity against Pakistan from any part of the country especially from Balochistan.
Two cops martyred, four injured in Thatta firing tHatta INP
Two policemen were martyred and four injured due to the firing of armed men over a property dispute on Wednesday. According to details, police reached Babra Road of Thatta where two groups were clashing over a property dispute. Upon the arrival of police, armed men of one group started firing killing sepoy Ali Nawaz and ASI Muhammad Bux while injured four policemen. Thatta Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Imran Ahmed said that a suspect and his accomplices, nominated in a first information report, opened fire at a police party led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Ghulam Rasool Sial and Gharo Station House Officer Mumtaz Brohi during an operation to arrest the suspects at Babra near Gharo. The bodies and injured were shifted to the hospital for medico-legal formalities and police after registering a case into the incident started raids to arrest the culprits.
Pakistan sees highest single-day Covid deaths in over 100 days Continued from page 01 During the last week reported, Pakistan averaged about 594,775 doses administered each day. At that rate, it will take a further 73 days to administer enough doses for another 10% of the population. Pakistan announced Tuesday vaccinations will be required of teachers, professors, school staff and students older than 17 and unvaccinated people will be barred from entering educational institutions starting October 15. Unvaccinated people also will not be allowed to use public transport or enter shopping malls from October 15. Pakistan, with a population of about 220 million, has reported more than 1,134,000 infections and 25,220 deaths in the pandemic.
Imran ‘ashamed’, ‘pained’ by assault on TikTokers Continued from page 01 The premier said after independence from the British, Pakistan should have turned its focus on correcting the education system and developing a system to “create the nation”. Instead, three different education systems were formed: madressahs, Urdu-medium schools and Englishmedium schools for a select class, he added. “The English medium [system] evolved in such a way that there was less emphasis on education and more emphasis on creating desi vilayati (local foreigners). The attitudes and mental slavery of another culture were absorbed.” He also lashed out at his predecessors for not thinking about the future generations and damaging the country’s progress with “shortterm planning”. “Even the forests that the British left behind have been destroyed.”
Speaking on the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project, he stated that in addition to its climate benefits, was expected to generate $40 billion in annual revenues. “The project will not only prove beneficial for Lahore but for the entire country in addressing the environmental and financial problems,” he said, addressing the launch of Pakistan’s first-ever “smart forest” near Sheikhupura under the scheme. The prime minister said the project would stop the flow of sewage water seep into River Ravi which ultimately flowed up to the River Indus passing through Sindh. Under the Ravi project, about 10 million trees would be planted beside the construction of three barrages at the river. Filtration plants will ensure the provision of clean water to the public, he said. Imran asked Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to remain undeterred amidst challenges and
work towards the timely completion of the project. He termed water scarcity, deforestation and glacier melting the biggest challenge for Pakistan — a country among the ten most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The prime minister said massive forestation was vital to save the country for the coming generations. “If we want to hand over a green and clean Pakistan to our next generation, the plantation is the foremost solution,” he said. The prime minister regretted deforestation in the country over time, terming it disastrous in terms of climate change. He recalled that Lahore, once called City of Gardens, had turned into a polluted metropolis with pollutants touching hazardous levels. “Therefore, the Ravi project is not only important for Lahore but for the entire country,” he stressed. The prime minister, who earlier inaugurated the smart forest, said the
growth of every plant would be monitored in collaboration with Huawei, the Chinese tech giant. He said sensors would keep a vigil on the ruthless cutting of trees and expressed confidence that the project would be replicated in other parts of the country. He recalled that in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, one billion trees had been planted and highlighted the ongoing nationwide campaign of planting ten billion trees to make the country green. Earlier, the prime minister planted a sapling in the forest, which is the first of its kind being equipped with technology sensors and surveillance systems. Buzdar and senior officials of the Punjab government were present on the occasion. The Rakh Jhok Forest in Sheikhupura is a project of Ravi Urban Development Authority covering 24,000 kanals of land. Huawei is the technology partner in the project.
Thursday, 26 august, 2021
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fM PuSheS dIPloMATIC overTure To develoP joInT regIonAl STrATegy for AfghAn PeACe isLamaBad
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OREIGN Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday pushed for the country’s first diplomatic overture to help develop a joint regional strategy to help stabilise Afghanistan so as it could play a key role in connecting central Asia for trade and exchanges. Qureshi has been on a diplomatic tour, visiting Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, in order to share Pakistan’s perspective on the latest developments in the war-torn neighbouring
country and help develop a joint regional strategy for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. During his meetings with his Uzbek and Tajik counterparts, the FM emphasised the need for “close coordination” on the situation in Afghanistan as he began a four-nation regional diplomacy tour. In his meeting with Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Tashkent, Qureshi discussed the regional security situation, particularly the evolving Afghanistan situation. Emphasising Pakistan’s support for an inclusive political setup, the foreign minister remarked that peace in Afghanistan would bring stability in the region, promote trade
and facilitate people to people linkages. “It was therefore important that neighbours of Afghanistan coordinate closely on the situation in Afghanistan,” an official handout says. The two also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, which they said had transformed into a “strategic partnership” due to recent frequent highlevel exchanges. They agreed to follow up on the implementation of decisions taken during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent trip to Uzbekistan. “The two foreign ministers agreed to continue consultations to advance shared objectives of a peaceful, prosperous and connected region,” the handout said.
Later in the day, Qureshi also met Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during which he conveyed Prime Minister Imran’s warm greetings and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to enhance bilateral ties in all areas of mutual interests. President Mirziyoyev termed his country’s relations with Pakistan “important”. He stressed that Uzbekistan was keen to develop ties with Pakistan, especially in the areas of transport and connectivity, according to an FO statement. He agreed with Qureshi that “regional connectivity, trade and economy will be further enhanced with the peace in Afghanistan.” The president was looking
some afghans flee to Pakistan, some return to homeland in hope of peace pesHawar aNaDoLU ageNcy
As the Taliban hunker down for tense negotiations to form an inclusive Afghan government, thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan keep returning to their country with a hope to find peace there. During the last week, nearly 10,000 Afghans returned to their homeland through the Torkham border despite Islamabad barring its citizens from entering Kabul after the former Afghan government collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani fled. The Torkham border is one of the major crossing points to Afghanistan from Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Over 1,500 Afghan nationals, including women andchildren, are going back to their country through this crossing point daily,” a military officer at Torkham told Anadolu Agency.
Around 150 to 200 Afghans are also entering Pakistan daily, mostly for treatment in hospitals, he added. On August 15, Pakistan closed the border for hours shortly after the Nangarhar province fell to the Taliban followed by a quick grab of the capital Kabul. However, later they reopened the major crossing point for bilateral trade after reaching an understanding with the Taliban local leaders as hundreds of trucks loaded with fresh fruits and other food items were stranded at the border. “Now the border is open 24 hours for bilateral trade,” the officer said. Islamabad has already announced that Pakistan would not take in more refugees from Afghanistan due to the economic situation, but on humanitarian grounds, ailing people are still allowed to enter the country for treatment in hospitals. “We are still facilitating those Afghans who are
coming for treatment in Pakistan’s hospitals,” he added. Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars during the last two decades in the health sector, many in Afghanistan still complain of a lack of health facilities in their hospitals. “My wife is not feeling well and now I am taking her to Peshawar for treatment because there [in Afghanistan] are no facilities and good doctors in our hospitals,” Abdul Haq, a resident of Jalalabad, complained. AFGHANISTAN FLAG REPLACES WITH TALIBAN’S: Following the bloodless takeover of Kabul, the Taliban removed Afghanistan’s tricolour flags from the government buildings, police stations, military facilities, and even at border points with neighbouring countries. At the Torkham and Chaman borders, the major crossing points with Afghanistan, the Taliban have hoisted their white flag.
wB lauds Pakistan’s support in staff evacuation from Kabul
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has said that its operations to Kabul have been “temporarily” suspended as the new Afghan Taliban regime is restricting its nationals from leaving the country. “We have requests from international agencies to transport their support staff, mostly of Afghanistan nationality, however, the new Afghan [Taliban] regime is not allowing nationals to travel at this point,” PIA
news desk President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday acknowledged the unparalleled contribution and sacrifices rendered by the Pakistan Army towards external and internal security of Pakistan, according to a statement of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). The president expressed these remarks during a visit to General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Upon arrival, Dr Alvi was received by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the statement added. The president was presented Guard of Honour and he also laid floral wreath at Martyrs Monument and offered Fateha. The military’s media wing said that the president and the army chief discussed regional developments and matters of national security. Dr Alvi was also apprised on operational preparedness of Pakistan Army, it added. ISPR said that a briefing on cyber security was also given by the military’s communication and Information Technology (IT) branch. On the occasion, according to the statement, the president acknowledged unparalleled contribution and sacrifices rendered by Pakistan Army towards external and internal security of Pakistan.
isLamaBad MIaN aBRaR
LAHORE: An old man sells face masks outside Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore. ZUBaIR MeHfooZ
Pia suspends kabul operation as afghans urged not to flee
news desk
President acknowledges army’s contribution and sacrifices in visit to ghQ
Putin phones Imran Khan, discuss evolving situation in Afghanistan
news desk President of the World Bank Group, David Malpass has commended the support extended by the government of Pakistan in evacuating and temporarily relocating their staff along with families from Kabul despite the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan. The World Bank appreciated the support for rapid visa processing, safe passage in Kabul to the airport, and chartering the aeroplane of Pakistan International Airlines which moved the staff and families to safety, said a statement issued on Wednesday. The World Bank thanked the prime minister and finance minister along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Interior and other departments for the hospitality and courtesy extended to the World Bank Group staff and families. Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday thanked Pakistan for swiftly evacuating its staff members and their families from Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul on August 15.
forward to meeting Prime Minister Imran on the sidelines of the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Dushanbe next month to discuss issues of mutual interest, the FO statement added. In his meeting with Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, FM Qureshi underscored the importance of continued international engagement in Afghanistan as a shared responsibility. He briefed his Tajik counterpart on Pakistan’s policy to support an inclusive political solution in Afghanistan and expressed hope that Afghan leaders would achieve a workable solution, the FO statement said.
Spokesperson Abdullah Khan said, adding that the airline would resume operations once the restrictions are relaxed, reported Arab News. “Almost all aspiring Pakistani nationals have reached Pakistan either by air or through road,” Khan said. “The PIA has evacuated 1460 people, including Pakistanis and nationals of different countries.” The United States and its allies have evacuated more than 70,000 people, including their citizens, NATO personnel and Afghans at risk, since August 14, a day before the Taliban swept into Kabul. Pakistan, which has refused to admit Afghan refugees, has so far helped evacuate almost 1,500 people, most of them diplomats and staff at international organisations and media outlets working in Afghanistan. The Taliban have said all foreign evacuations must be completed by August 31 and asked the United States to stop urging talented Afghans to leave, while also trying to persuade people camped at Kabul airport to go home, assuring them they had nothing to fear.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan — as well as discussing the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Russia. Prime Minister Khan, during the telephonic conversation, stressed that a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan was vitally important for Pakistan and regional stability. Besides ensuring safety, security and protection of rights of Afghans, an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward, he added. The PM underscored that the international community must stay positively engaged in support of the people of Afghanistan, to help address humanitarian needs and ensure economic sustenance. Imran Khan underscored the importance of coordinated approaches in addressing the evolving situation and noted that Pakistan attached high importance to the role of the Troika Plus format.
Thursday, 26 August, 2021
04 NEWS
KARACHI
WoRk on muCh-DELayED kCR PRojECT To sTaRT nExT monTh ISLAMABAD
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GHULAM ABBAS
FTER over 20 years of closure, the work for revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project is going to start by next month as arrangements for the same have almost been finalized. According to officials at the Ministry of Planning and Development, a groundbreaking of KCR will take place in September 2021 as the ministry has directed all departments/ministries to complete codal formalities by the end of this month. Federal Minister for Planning, Develop-
ment, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has directed the concerned officials to ensure the groundbreaking in next month. During a meeting held at the ministry on Wednesday to review progress on KCR project, it was informed that the feasibility study of the project was on track as per the timelines will be completed by the end of August. Keeping in view the importance of the KCR flagship initiative of the government, which should be a modern urban rail-based mass transit project, the meeting presided over by Planning and Development Minister Asad Umer, decided that a separate project be prepared for the civil structure of KCR for completing the project on a fast track basis.
Country’s exports to reach record levels by 2023: Dawood
The PC-1 for civil structures must be brought for approval and subsequent funding through the Public Sector Development Programme at the earliest. It was observed that simultaneous work on both the components of KCR will result in months of time saving and completion of the project. The meeting on Wednesday was informed that the KCR envisages construction of a 43-km long world-class affordable mass transit system using environmentfriendly electric trains. Secretary Railway informed that the Karachi Circular Railway project is on track as per the timelines given by the Ministry. Asad Umar said that simultaneous work
MoST reforming its ‘corrupt’ organization PSQCA
ISLAMABAD APP
Adviser to Prime Minister’s for Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood on Wednesday said the government would take exports to record levels by 2023 with providing a better business environment for the industrial sector in the country. “Improving Pakistan’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) ranking will boost foreign investment in the country” he said. “Pakistan’s rise in the last two years from 148 points to 108 points in the World Bank’s EoDB rankings report is a milestone in the growth of foreign investment in the country,” he said while addressing a launching ceremony of 7th Reform Action Plan organised by BOI here. He said that one of our main areas is to work on improving the country’s ranking to provide a better business environment for foreign and local investment in the country. “Besides this the government is also committed to decrease the cost of doing business in the country.” He said that the country has moved from de-industrialisation to industrial growth and now all industrial units are moving ahead in manufacturing, adding that the government has given more priority to exports and for this every possible facility will be provided to the industry to increase production. The adviser said the government has prioritised bringing in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and wants to provide a better business environment to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Dawood said that in the financial year 2019-20 (FY20), the country’s Information Technology (IT) exports increased by 47 per cent and textile value addition products by 23 per cent. “At present, we are facing a lot of challenges at economy and trade fronts and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is confident to manage the Current Account Deficits (CAD) and fiscal deficit. He said that the monetary and fiscal coordination committee is fully active to observe all issues related to the monetary and fiscal side. Adviser said the government has followed the policy of tariff rationalisation to provide competitiveness to the local industry in the country and government has lowered the huge tariff lines and zero tariff duties on the raw material of potential industries. Meanwhile, addressing the forum, BOI Federal Secretary Fareena Mazhar said the DB Report for 2021 and 2022 is likely to be announced by end December this year. “I am very much confident that Pakistan will improve its position further, adding that enabling a business environment plays a pivotal role in attracting domestic and foreign investment. She said that all over the world, the emphasis is on improving the business climate. “An environment where new entrants with drive and innovative ideas can get started in business and where productive firms can invest, expand, and create new jobs,” she said. The secretary said that EoDB ranking is instrumental to improve the size of the formal sector, to curb corruption through transparency and accountability whereas short improvements in the ranking reduces the time, cost and processes involved in starting and operating a business. Fareena said that it is very encouraging to say that during the last two years company registrations have shown a 63 per cent growth and 99 per cent of these registrations were done online while 45 per cent applicants were issued registration certificates on the same day. She said that for every DB cycle has an action plan containing more than 50 reforms actions across all 10 indicators is prepared in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. So far, Pakistan had implemented six reforms action plans and is now launching the 7th action plan. She informed the 7th plan is mainly focusing on improvements in firm entry regulations, reliability of electricity, tax regulations, trade regulations, creditors’ rights, better property rights, and court efficiency etc. and reforms in these areas play a major role in the process of economic development.
on PPP components of KCR will result in months of time saving and completion of the project. So, the Railway shall expedite the consultation with P3A. The Karachi Circular Railway revival project includes the transformation of the old KCR into a mass transit system for addressing the traffic congestion of the mega city of Pakistan. Opened in 1964, the route of the old KCR started from Drigh Road and ended in Karachi. The railway ceased operations in 1999 after it suffered huge losses. In 2005, however, revival plans for the railway were initiated to fulfil the growing transportation needs of Karachi. During the meeting, important issues re-
OVER 400,000 EVMS MAY NEED TO HOLD NEXT GENERAL ELECTION: FARAZ ISLAMABAD GHULAM ABBAS
As there are many complaints and issues related to corruption, irregularities and poor performance in Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), an attached department of Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), the ministry is going to reform the organization. This was said by Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz, while talking to this scribe after a program related to Electronic Voting Machine here on Wednesday. The minister said that PSQCA was one of the most important organizations under his ministry. Unfortunately it has many issues to address. “This is why we are going to transform the whole organization,” he said. In reply to a query the minister said that all laborites of PSQCA, licenses of which were suspended by Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) for two years, would soon be reaccredited. According to an insider, the ministry has decided to shift the headquarter of PSQCA from Karachi to Islamabad to address issues related to management and performance of the authority, which is the only standard body of the country. PSQCA’s performance has not been up to mark since its inception in 1996, it has only developed mandatory standards of 42 food products, and there are question marks on their implementation. Meanwhile, briefing the media about the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) being introduced by the incumbent government, the minister said over 400000 machines may be needed to conduct the next general election.
He said EVM is the only way forward for ensuring free and fair elections in the country. Shibli Faraz said the Ministry of Science and Technology is determined to improve the Electronic Voting Machine to the maximum level as per requirements of the Election Commission of Pakistan. The Minister said it is the need of time to use technology for improving our electoral system. He said the government aims to take all stakeholders including opposition on board. He urged the opposition members to join hands with the government in improving the electoral process to make it more credible and reliable. According to him, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) and Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) were also briefed about the newly-developed electronic voting machines (EVMs). The EVMs have been developed in accordance with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision and directives of the federal cabinet in a bid to make elections in Pakistan transparent. PM Imran Khan, President Dr Arif Alvi, parliamentarians, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have already inspected the EVMs. “Now we would brief every provincial assembly, Chambers of commerce, trade bodies and associations to inform and convince them about the new technology,” he said. Earlier this month, the Science and Technology Minister had announced the development of the electronic voting machine at a press conference, where he said that the machine is ready to use. Later, PM Imran Khan cast a mock vote to test the performance of the EVM during a detailed briefing by Faraz. Faraz declared the EVMs as the “best” solution to rigging, saying that the machines cannot be tampered with, so their use could make the elections transparent. Faraz had also asked other political parties to come and test the EVMs and satisfy themselves.
lated to the freight corridor were discussed and reviewed. While discussing Freight Corridor project from Keamari / KPT to Pipri Marshalling Yard which envisages construction/ dualization/ up-gradation of 50-km dedicated freight corridor from Karachi Port to Pipri and includes the development of an Inland Container Depot/ Marshalling Yard at Pipri. It was briefed that the Project is expected to facilitate 40% of the cargo meant to be transported upcountry. Further, the plan has been submitted to the PPP Authority for its approval. Asad Umar directed that the corridor must be designed to optimize the level-ofservice outcome, and in addition to the financial costs, the destination time has to be reduced as well. He also directed all concerned officials to ensure the completion of the projects within the timelines, as these projects are crucial for the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of Karachi. Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati, secretaries of Planning and Railways, the Chief Executive Officer of the Public-Private Partnership Authority and senior officials of the two ministries attended the meeting.
Govt releases Rs6bn under DLTL schemes for industries ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has announced that the release of Rs6 billion under Drawback on Local Taxes and Levies (DLTL) schemes. “This includes Rs5.6 billion for the textile sector and Rs400 million for non-textile sector,” the adviser said this on his official twitter account. “I hope this will contribute to improving the liquidity issues of our exporters and enable them to enhance Pakistan’s exports” he added. He further said that he had visited the GCCI where he held an interactive session with members last Friday. The adviser said that GCCI is a very progressive chamber having a diversified product range and substantial exports. “Gujranwala has all the potential to become a major engineering hub of Pakistan, and play a prominent role in Pakistan’s economic development,” he had said at the occasion. APP
Pakistan, Egypt agree to form joint business council ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Egypt have agreed to work on the idea of establishing a Pakistan-Egypt Business Council and forging closer collaboration between the ministries of finance of both the countries. The agreement was made during a call on meeting of Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Tarek Mohamed Dahroug with Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin here at the Finance Division on Tuesday. They also explored the possibility of enhancing bilateral trade, with initial focus on rice and cotton, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, according to press statement issued by the finance ministry. Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interests and agreed that the level of bilateral trade was not satisfactory and there was a need to work together to enhance it substantially. While extending a warm welcome to the ambassador, the Finance Minister stated that Pakistan and Egypt enjoyed brotherly relations and expressed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen economic and business cooperation between the two countries. The minister further stated that Pakistan’s close relationship with the Arab World warrants higher trade levels. He requested the ambassador to convey his best wishes to the Egyptian Finance Minister and to convey his sentiments that both countries should work together on economic front for mutual progress and prosperity. APP
Pakistan to lag behind in smartphone usage, 5G coverage until 2025 ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Although smartphone users in Pakistan are expected to increase 23 per cent by 2025, the country would still be at the lowest end in terms of phone usage and 5G internet in Asia Pacific. This was stated in the GSMA report titled “The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2021’ has highlighted the 5G status in the region. As per the report up to 74 per cent of Pakistanis will use smart-phones in the next four years up from 51pc. It may be recalled that South Korea was the first country to roll out 5G in 2018, followed by Australia, Maldives and New Zealand in 2019. This was followed by 5G rollout in 2020 by Guam, Japan, Laos, Northern Mariana Islands, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, whereas Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia achieved it in 2021. In the second wave Brunei Darussalam, India and Cambodia are set for 5G rollouts in 2022, whereas Pakistan, Bangladesh and Samoa are set to launch 5G in 2023. The report, which does not include China, has added that more than 80pc of connections in Asia Pacific will be smart-phones by 2025 up from 68pc in
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2020. But among the list of selected 12 key countries, Pakistan was close to the tail end, just above Bangladesh and it has been projected that these two countries will not reach the 80pc benchmark. In terms of smartphone usage, the smart-phone users in Bangladesh are likely to be 62pc against 41pc in 2020. At the same time by the end of 2025, around 42pc of the population in Pakistan will be broadband users compared to 27pc in 2020, whereas 10pc of the population of the country will be under telecom coverage. The GSMA has said that Pakistan’s mobile market has significant potential, but current levels of mobile internet adoption, smartphone take-up and usage of digital services lag behind those of other countries in the region. Certain policy decisions may have hindered Pakistan’s digital development and hampered growth of the online economy. “This is reflected by decisions in 2021 to initiate mobile-sector tax reforms and introduce right-of-way policies for infrastructure deployments,” the report said, adding that the GSMA will also collaborate with the universal service fund (USF) to reduce the digital divide and usage gap. The GSMA has lauded the USF, highlighting that
it played an important role in expanding network coverage in remote areas of Pakistan including mountainous terrains and sparsely populated areas, by awarding contracts worth around Rs85 billion during the last decade. The report also added that by 2023, the projected economic contribution of the mobile industry in Pakistan could reach $24 billion, accounting for 6.6pc of GDP. The GSMA has said that these efforts will help strengthen Pakistan’s economy and contribute to the realisation of SDG-9. “Efficient and affordable ICT infrastructure and services allow citizens to participate in the digital economy, with significant impact in the areas of financial inclusion, poverty reduction and improved health,” the report said. It said that affordable mobile internet allows more people to start realising the benefits of connectivity while also allowing existing users to utilise advanced, data-intensive technologies and innovative use cases. “Despite this, governments in many countries are increasingly imposing taxes, both general and sectorspecific, on consumers, devices and mobile operators,” the report concluded.
Thursday, 26 August, 2021
KARACHI
PSX ShedS 192 PointS moRe Amid RuPee dePReciAtion, RolloveR Week KARACHI
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HE Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained bearish for the second straight day on Wednesday due to rupee depreciation against the US dollar, ongoing rollover week and situation in Afghanistan, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding 192.81 points (-0.4 percent) to close at 47,635.9 points. The market opened on a positive note and gained 88 points in the early hours; however, it switched towards the red zone later on and remained there till the end of the session. The KSE-100 Index moved in a range of 298.8 points, showing an intraday high of 47,916.7 points and an intraday low of 47,617.9 points. Among other indices, the KSE All Share Index shed 89.31 points (-0.27 percent) to close at 32,570.24 points, while All Share Islamic Index shed 73.4 points (-0.31 percent) to close at 23,473.95 points. A total of 391 companies traded shares in the stock
exchange, out of them shares of 157 closed up, shares of 217 closed down while shares of 17 companies remained unchanged. Of the 94 traded companies in the KSE-100 Index, 29 closed up, 63 closed down, while two remained unchanged. The overall market volumes decreased by 10.33 million to 384.63 million shares. Total volume traded for the KSE-100 Index was 128.94 million shares. The number of total trades decreased by 4,119 to 128,590; and the value traded decreased by Rs2.16 billion to Rs11.51 billion. Likewise, the market capitalisation decreased by Rs17.52 billion. Among scrips, WTL led the volumes with 38.04 million shares, followed by ANL (33.39 million) and GGL (22.05 million). Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include WTL, ANL, GGL, FNEL and KOSM, which formed 32 percent of total volumes. Sector-wise, the index was let down by cement with 68 points, miscellaneous with 35 points, technology & communication with 26 points, oil & gas marketing companies with 23 points and oil & gas exploration companies with 16 points. The most points taken off the
index were by PSEL which stripped the index of 35 points followed by LUCK with 22 points, TRG with 15 points, DGKC with 15 points and MLCF with 13 points. The sectors propping up the index were engineering with 10 points, automobile assembler with 8 points, fertilizer with 4 points, investment banks/ investment companies/ securities companies with 3 points and textile weaving with 2 points. The most points added to the index were by MCB which contributed 11 points followed by ISL with 7 points, FFC with 7 points, MTL with 5 points and BAFL with 5 points. According to experts, rupee closed at 166.28 against the US dollar, the lowest close since September 21, 2020, which created uncertainty at the local bourse. The cement sector emerged as the worst performer as it dragged the index down by 68 points, in spite of full support and facilitation to the cement industry by the finance minister a day earlier. The minister urged representatives of cement manufacturers to reduce the prices of cement due to its backward and forward integration with the construction sector as a whole.
SBP revises instructions on thirdparty sales to bring transparency KARACHI TLTP
Pakistan hails Saudi decision for direct travel from Pakistan Pakistan has welcomed the decision of the Saudi Arabia government to allow direct travel from Pakistan to the kingdom. Turning to Twitter, the Pakistan embassy in Riyadh welcomed the development. "The Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh welcomes the decision of the Government of the KSA to allow direct travel from Pakistan to KSA, for those having valid Saudi residency permits, and who have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine inside KSA, before their departure from the Kingdom," said the embassy. Recently, Saudi Arabia eased Covid-19related restrictions for fully vaccinated expatriates, allowing them to enter the kingdom directly from countries with travel bans, such as Pakistan. However, the new shift in KSA's coronavirus policy will apply only to the foreigners who have a valid residency permit (Iqama) and left the kingdom on an exit and re-entry visa after receiving two shots of a coronavirus vaccine from Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Gazette. India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Lebanon are currently subject to a travel ban by KSA. Saudi Arabia relaxed its restriction earlier this month when it granted conditional entry to travellers who had been fully vaccinated with China's Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines and those who had received a booster shot too. “Guests who have completed two doses of the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines will be accepted if they have received an additional dose of one of the four vaccines approved in the Kingdom,” the KSA government said on its official visa website. The Saudi health authorities have only approved AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines so far. All visitors arriving in the country are required to show proof of vaccination as well as a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure. Saudi Arabia no longer requires a fully vaccinated passenger to quarantine. Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis visit Saudi Arabia annually, mostly for pilgrimage. The kingdom is also home to over 2.5 Pakistani overseas Pakistanis who make the largest contribution to the country’s incoming remittances each year. NEWS DESK
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued revised instructions on sale of third-party products in order to bring transparency. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the central bank said that in addition to the typical banking products or services, banks often offer or sell other financial products that are provided by other financial institutions, generally referred to as bancassurance or third party products. Such offers are often prone to misdeclaration about the quality or pricing of products. Further, banks also don’t assume any responsibility after the sale of products, which leads to difficulties for customers and disputes. To address such concerns and bring transparency to such transactions, SBP has issued a comprehensively revised set of instructions on the sale of third party products. In addition, these instructions will also facilitate the sale of products through digital channels and promote financial inclusion. Explaining key features, the central bank said it will be mandatory for the banks to assess the suitability of the customers for the sale of the third-party products. In addition, they will take extra care, while
selling such products to vulnerable consumer segments such as widows, senior citizens, etc. All Islamic banks along with Islamic branches of conventional banks will strictly ensure that the sale of the third-party products is in compliance with the Shariah law and the SBP regulations, while their agreements with the third parties should also be approved by their Shariah boards. The banks are directed to use their audit and compliance function to ensure compliance of the SBP’s regulations in their business practices related to the sale of the thirdparty products. The senior management and the board of directors will ensure that the risks to consumers in the sale of the third-party products are identified and addressed in a proficient manner. With the added disclosure requirements, the banks have been required to mention explicitly that the product is being sold as an agent or distributor of a third-party. To further increase accountability of the bank employees involved in selling the third-party products, the banks have been advised to develop and enforce a code of conduct. The banks will also ensure collection/registration/analysis of consumer complaints and feedback for continuous improvements in the
sale of the third-party products by the banks. The banks will introduce proportionate controls to foster consumer convenience and financial inclusion, especially for less risky/small size/low value products being sold through the Alternate Delivery Channels. They have been directed to ensure the provision of special training to their staff for the sale of the third -party products and take disciplinary action against the employee(s) concerned in case of fraud. The direct debit facility can only be used if the consent of the customers is obtained in writing or through electronic means in case the Alternate Delivery Channels are used for distribution. The central bank has also directed the banks to design and implement a Call Back Confirmation (CBC) mechanism to ensure and verify the identity of consumers and the genuineness of the transaction. To confirm the information provided by the customer, the Call Back Confirmation mechanism based on a predefined script should be used for suitability assessment and his/her understanding of the product. The instructions will be applicable from November 1, 2021, and will supersede the previous instructions, it added.
Smart forest a step to tackle climate change: Farrukh The first-ever smart forest inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Sheikhupura is a crucial milestone in tackling climate change in the country under the ‘Clean and Green Pakistan Initiative.’ State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib said this in a tweet on Wednesday. He said the Rakh Jhok Forest is part of the Ravi Riverfront City and under the initiative, 10 million trees would be planted on 24,000 kanals of land. He said that Huawei’s modern technology and sensors would be used to develop the forest, which would eventually help in biodiversity conservation and ensuring tree growth. It is worth mentioning that Huawei Pakistan and Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to join hands to revive the dying Ravi river into Safe/Smart Green City with all the latest safe/smart city technologies. The memorandum reaffirms an existing one-year healthy relationship between both entities. To develop the world’s largest riverfront safe/smart city, the parties will work together on the key projects known as “smart forests and others under River Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA)” in Pakistan, where RUDA Pakistan is the developer and Huawei is the lead technology partner. NEWS DESK
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WB halts aid to Afghanistan amid concerns on prospects for women The World Bank (WB) has suspended disbursements to its projects in Afghanistan, citing concerns about the potential impact the Taliban government will have on development prospects, the financial body stated following a board meeting on the issue. “We are deeply concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and the impact on the country’s development prospects, especially for women,” the spokesperson said, adding that the World Bank is closely monitoring the situation in the country. At the same time, the WB said it is exploring ways to remain engaged in Afghanistan and preserve development gains, and would continue to support the people of the country. “We are closely monitoring and assessing the situation in line with our internal policies and procedures,” the spokesperson said. “As we do so, we will continue to consult closely with the international community and development partners.” The World Bank has committed more than $5.3 billion to development projects in the nation since April 2002. As of February, it had 12 active projects belonging solely to the International Development Association for the world’s poorest nations, with $940 million in commitments. The bank had another 15 projects jointly with the donor-funded Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund that the bank administers, with about $1.2bn in IDA funds committed. The fund has raised about $12.9 billion from 34 donors, making it the largest contributor to Afghanistan’s budget, the World Bank said in April. Last week, the US Treasury Department said it would block the Taliban’s access to $460 million in reserve assets that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was planning to send to Afghanistan. Washington also suspended bulk shipments of US dollars that were to be transferred to the country in order to keep the funds out of the hands of the Taliban. Afghanistan’s central bank has around $9 billion in reserves, nearly all of which are stored outside the country. According to the country’s former central bank governor, Ajmal Ahmady, the Taliban have access to almost none of those funds. The Taliban seized the Afghan capital Kabul shortly after the US announced a withdrawal of all American forces from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of combat presence. The events sent the country’s currency tumbling to record lows, posing a high risk of runaway inflation. NEWS DESK
Gold price jumps to Rs95,500 per 10gm Gold prices slipped over half a percent in the international market on Wednesday amid profit taking ahead of the US Federal Reserves’ annual economic policy conference. At 1330 hours GMT, gold in the international market was available at $1,794.30 per ounce after shedding $9.70. However, the price of 10 grams of yellow metal in Pakistan increased to Rs95,500 after gaining Rs100. The closing prices of the yellow metal in the country remained Rs95,400 on Tuesday last. The increase in prices in the local market was due to depreciation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar. Gold has been on an explosive run throughout August, with the precious metal notching up a third consecutive week of gains. Gold prices surged back above the key $1,800 an ounce mark on Tuesday after briefly dipping below $1,680 an ounce earlier this month. According to experts, the traders are closely monitoring the Fed's annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium. Traders expect Fed policymakers could use this event as a platform to announce plans around the highly-anticipated wind down of their massive quantitative program as well as interest rate hikes. They said, however, there is huge potential that the Fed could surprise the markets by making a U-turn on their decision to tighten monetary policy too quickly. The rapidly spreading Covid-19 variant now has many traders thinking the Fed will have to wait longer to reel in its easy-money policies to avoid any negative repercussions on the US economy, they added. NEWS DESK
Delayed vaccination to cost Asia $1.7tn: report A new report by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) outlines economic, political, and geopolitical consequences of vaccine inequity, warning that Asia will be the continent most affected by delayed vaccination timelines with cumulative losses of $1.7 trillion approximately. A model built by the EIU shows that those countries that will not have vaccinated 60 percent of their population by mid-2022 will register GDP losses totalling $2.3 trillion in 2022-25. Emerging countries will shoulder around two-thirds of these losses, further delaying their eco-
nomic convergence towards advanced economies and fuelling poverty, said the report. In absolute terms, Asia will be the continent most affected by delayed vaccination timelines with cumulative losses of $1.7 trillion. As a share of GDP, countries in sub-Saharan Africa register the highest losses, totalling 3 percent of the region’s forecast GDP in 2022-25. Since the start of 2021, China and Russia have sent hundreds of millions of coronavirus jabs to emerging countries as part of a “vaccine diplomacy” operation. Eight
months after they started, the results of these operations have been mixed. By contrast, China’s vaccine diplomacy has been a success. Despite its huge population, the country has managed to vaccinate residents at a fast pace (China is on track to reach 70% immunisation by end 2021), while becoming the world’s largest exporter of vaccines. But the lower efficacy rate of Chinese vaccines poses risks as most Western countries do not recognise inoculation with Chinese jabs. This will hinder travel, further widening the divide between richer and
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poorer economies, said the report. It warned the delayed rollout of vaccines could fuel resentment, increasing the risk of social unrest in developing economies. Around 60 percent of the population of higher-income countries received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of late August, compared to just one percent in poorer nations, according to the study. Two doses are required to be fully vaccinated for most shots. “Vaccination campaigns are progressing at a glacial pace in lower-income economies,” it said. The report's author,
Agathe Demarais, said the international effort to provide coronavirus vaccines to poor nations, Covax, has failed to live up to its even modest expectations. “There is little chance that the divide over access to vaccines will ever be bridged” with rich countries providing only a fraction of what is needed, she said in a statement. “Finally, the focus in developed economies is shifting towards administering booster doses of coronavirus vaccines, which will compound shortages of raw materials and production bottlenecks,” she added. NEWS DESK
Thursday, 26 August, 2021
06 COMMENT
The reality of pre-poll rigging
The Great Betrayal Limitations of a superpower
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FTER the Taliban refused to extend the date for the withdrawal of foreign citizens from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden decided to abandon to their fate the vast majority of the Afghans who had worked for US agencies and had been promised admission to the USA. The USA was also expected to airlift citizens from European countries. Thousands of Afghans who were afraid of reprisals by the Taliban or were inspired by the American dream thronged the Kabul airport day after day but were not admitted to departure lounge. This generated a feeling of betrayal not only among some of the Afghans but also in Europe where officials reacted with a mix of disbelief and a sense of being let down. Some of the G7 leaders were reportedly frustrated over President Joe Biden’s failure to get the deadline extended. These countries are now left only with measures like freezing the $9.5 billion assets of the Afghan government, getting halted the World Bank aid and stoppage of IMF funds to Afghanistan. The problem with the West is that it cannot afford to let the Taliban government fail, as this would lead to lawlessness in the country with repercussions in the region and beyond. The Taliban maintain that they want to stop the exodus of doctors, engineers, teachers and IT experts from the country to avoid a brain drain. While the argument makes sense, few professionals would like to live in the type of repressive system the Taliban had enforced during their earlier rule. Unless they are convinced that this time there would be no regimentation characterizing totalitarian systems, they may not succeed in stopping the mass migration of trained manpower. The situation provides an opportunity for cooperation between China, EU and the Gulf Sheikhdoms to help Afghanistan emerge as a stable country. A peaceful Afghanistan would promote stability and development in the region. For Pakistan the situation offers both challenges and benefits. There is a dispute left by history over the border between the two countries. Instead of jumping the gun contentious issues should be resolved with patience. Pakistani officials need to learn to treat the Afghans as equals. Instead of a muscular approach, what is required is a projection of a soft image. Once this is done there are enough opportunities for mutual trade and investment between the two countries.
Files are feared by politicians
Dr FariD a Malik
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vERy electoral contest since 1970 has been disputed. Some scholars maintain that it was free and fair only in the Western Wing of the country while Awami League was given a free hand in the Eastern part. While East Pakistan became Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) took control of what was left of Pakistan. While the democratic journey was fast-paced, ZAB decided to create a ‘Political Cell’ in the ISI (Inter Services Intelligence). Until then the agency had kept away from the civilians. Ayub Khan relied on CID (Central Intelligence Department) for intelligence gathering to torment the opposition. In the words of the most upright politician of his times, the one and only Air Marshal Asghar Khan, “The agencies know more about us than we do ourselves.” Files are kept and regularily updated by the agencies. It has been alleged that during ZAB’s term, if a minister or a party worker tried to cross the line, he was invited to the Prime Minister Secretariat to review the file. Record of the misdeeds had a silencing effect on the individual, forcing him to tow the party line. Even after the fall of the elected government, the cell continued with its surveillance work of the unscrupulous politicians who multiplied manifold after the 1985 parlyless elections. These files are used at the appropriate time as determined by the establishment. The speed at which the Joint Investigation Team was able to present a five-volume report in the famous ‘Panamagate’ case that disqualified Mian Nawaz Sharif, the sitting PM, baffled his party. Rana Sanaullah termed it a ‘Jinn Investigation Report’. The recent happenings in the Senate and the National Assembly clearly indicates
Chinese under attack Government must catch perpetrators, ensure safety
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It’s as bad as the Covid-19 pandemic
Mishal-e-Noor
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woman was assaulted by 400 men at Minar-e-Pakistan, a 30-year-old woman was raped and then stabbed in front of her 14-month-old son in Rawalpindi, Noor Mukaddam was brutally murdered in Islamabad, a mother of four was beaten to death in Hyderabad, a man and a woman were sexually assaulted and stripped on gunpoint in Islamabad, two brothers hit their sister and mother with helmet and hammer in Peshawar, a 22-year-old bride was gang-raped in front of her husband on her wedding night in Shujabad in Multan district, a man kept sleeping with his wife for days after killing her in Naseerabad, the gang-rape of a woman in front of her kids on the Gujranwala motorway, a father raped his eight-year-old daughter in Karachi are all the newspaper headlines that give us shivers. Women’s Peace and Security Index recently declared Pakistan the world’s fourth most dangerous country for women and that is strongly believed to negatively impact Pakistan’s global image and tourism industry. In a country like Pakistan where women are striving for basic human rights such as the right to safety and the right to live peacefully, speaking up for other rights, such as the right to education and the right to equal economic opportunity, will merely be synonymous to making noise. It is extremely distressing to know that 93 percent of Pakistani women experience sexual violence, street harassment or a bad unwanted
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by the PML(N) in Punjab and PPP in Sindh. Recently Atta Tarrar, grandson of ex-President and party loyalist Rafiq Tarrar, has asked the government to open the recent election held in Sialkot. He has also demanded a forensic audit of the votes. In the recent loss in AJK, the party has accused PTI of buying votes. I am all for a free and fair electoral contest, but nations must learn from their mistakes and misdeeds. After the 2013 elections, the PTI demanded opening of only four constituencies, which was denied resulting in the August 2014 Dharna. My friend Hamid Zaman applied to NADRA for a forensic audit of the votes of his constituency. He even deposited the fee which was around Rs 5.5 million. When Tariq Malik, the then Chairman NADRA, started the audit, he was summoned to Lahore and asked for Haula Hath (Soft Handling). On his refusal he was removed from office. Though the Islamabad High Court restored him, he was harassed out of office. Pelting of stones by residents of glass houses will get them nowhere. Major electoral reforms are needed for a credible electoral contest. Till then this blame game and manipulation will continue. Political parties like the PML(N), who have managed absolute majorities multiple times through unexplained Angel Interventions, will not find it easy to come around. Eventually the ‘Political Cell’ within ISI will have to be disbanded but only when the politicians regain their credibility. Unscrupulous, compromised individuals will continue to be softened unless they come clean and clear their names. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat have managed through subservience while the Sharifs of Lahore are trying to save their loot by playing on both sides of the wicket, but for long term political survival they will either have to call it a day or return the money which belongs to the nation. Well documented and preserved past will continue to haunt the unscrupulous in the form of pre- or post-poll rigging while honest upright contestants like my friend Hamid Zaman have nothing to fear. When Chaudhry Nasir, the then Interior Minister, threatened Comrade Aitzaz Ahsan saying, ‘ I will take you to the courts “, prompt came the reply, “ I will take you to the cleaners “ ending the conflict there and then.
Unscrupulous, compromised individuals will continue to be softened unless they come clean and clear their names.
The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: fmaliks@hotmail.com.
Epidemic of abuse against women
HE recent suicide attack in Gwadar on a motorcade carrying Chinese nationals in addition to the horrific Dasu bus incident that claimed the lives of nine Chinese engineers leaves little doubt that terrorist groups have added China’s citizens in Pakistan to their hit list. China is a crucial ally for Pakistan and clearly efforts are being made by our enemies to derail this long standing relationship, which must be thwarted at all costs. However, so far, Pakistan’s response, both diplomatic and in terms of action taken to track down and capture the perpetrators of these attacks has left much to be desired. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi trying to sell the theory that the bus exploding was the result of a fault in the vehicle rather than a bomb, only to concede later that it was in fact an act of terrorism was an easily avoidable faux pas. China however is naturally taking the matter much more seriously, its embassy in Islamabad issuing a strongly worded statement asking Pakistan to take “practical and effective measure”. Moreover, it has deputed their State Councilor and Minister of Public Security to continue the investigation based on ‘fact and evidence’. It is therefore clear that not only is China quite upset over its citizens falling victim to terrorism on Pakistani but the lax attitude shown by the PTI government, has irked them further. An uptick in terrorism in the country owning to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan that has escalated the threat level posed by groups such as the TTP coupled with elements such as the Baloch Liberation Army poses serious national security challenges. More attacks would surely jeopardize CPEC, a crucial economic activity generator whose success is of paramount importance to both countries. Intelligence based operations must therefore be carried out to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens. Pakistan must remain a peaceful country where foreign nationals feel safe. Otherwise, it will become increasingly difficult to maintain healthy strategic ties with useful allies, not to mention the economic impact if countries such as China start pulling out their investments.
Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad
the power of these files. The famous proverb, “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others” appropriately applies here. There is no defence against the record of the misdeeds committed. Like the heavenly angels on our shoulders that keep record of our journey from cradle to grave, the ISI performs its duties during the term of office only. Defiance in the land of the pure calls for purity of body and soul, those who are dispossessed of this virtue should quietly gather their bounties and go home, as they are vulnerable. It is an admitted fact that the country has been plundered in the last 40 years. The resources of the nation have been squandered by a few, causing the collapse of most civilian institutions. Those who have held public offices are required to submit money trails of their assets, both home and abroad. Hiding behind the weaknesses of common law cannot redeem their honour. While no major convictions have taken place yet no one has been exonerated, except for the infamous Chaudhrys of Gujrat who now own almost all of the properties on Zahoor Elahi Road, named after the founder of this ‘Rogue Political Dynasty’. Because of their silence and co-operation, they manage to retain power at all times as they are purged of their past misconduct. Imran Khan, after resisting the entry into the cabinet of their third generation, finally sucumbed to their blackmail. Pakistan has a history of both pre- and post-poll rigging. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the stalwart of the PML(N) has openly admitted to this phenomenon as they have been the major beneficiary of this approach. ZAB, the most popular leader of his times, in order to get an absolute majority tried to manipulate the electoral process in 1977, but failed badly. He not only lost power but also his life. By contrast Mian Nawaz Sharif of Gowalmandi has been able to attain a two-thirds majority twice in the National Assembly of Pakistan and once in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a feat that remains unexplained and unmatched. According to my friend Comrade Aitzaz Ahsan, Mian Sahib will return only when he gets a nod from the powers that matter. Hopefully his Platelets will come back into place when he starts his journey back home. It is through these files that pre-poll rigging takes place while post-poll rigging happens through the administrative individuals recruited in the last 40 years
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touch at some point in their life. However, it is because of the cultural barriers and communication gap between male and female members of a household that restricts women to rarely share their personal experience of harassment with the male members of the household. Lately, a Sindh MPA proposed to make marriage compulsory over 18 years through the Compulsory Marriage Act, 2021as a remedial measure to control sexual abuse. However, the behaviour of these 400 abusers (who were a mix of married and unmarried men) at Minar-e-Pakistan is a clear indication that for these men, a woman’s body is merely a public invitation for a lavish feast that they can hardly say no to. The major contributing factor behind this rising sexual frustration in Pakistan is the lack of character. There are two main institutions that play a substantial role in building character: 1) strong accountability and; 2) education. When it comes to strong accountability, a total of 22,000 rape cases have been reported in Pakistan during last six years, out of which only 77 accused men have been convicted. This presents evidence of low probability (i.e. 0.3%) of rapists getting legal punishment under the Pakistan Penal Code. Consequently, the reporting rate of rape or harassment cases is also low. It is such an irony at institutional level that the predators are bailed or rescued and the fingers are pointed at victims instead. In Pakistan, at least 10 rape cases are reported daily and this number is only 10 percent of the actual number of cases. The remaining 90 percent remain unreported. In our country, the victim experiences two major traumatizing phases: the physical abuse itself and death by murder in extreme cases or emotional trauma which is the consequence of victim blaming. In severe cases, the victims are either seen committing suicide because of the emotional trauma or they further become the victims of honour killing. A recent survey revealed that majority of women in Lahore who seeks psychological help are those who find difficulty in dealing with the emotional trauma associated with their personal experience of sexual harassment or abuse. Even in this incident that took place at Minar-e-Pakistan, there are people who are blaming the victim instead of condemning the sexual greed and frustration these 400 men demonstrated. Secondly, when it comes to the role of education in building character, either the education system of Pakistan has failed in building character or we as a nation have failed to let education change our mind-
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set. The only difference between uneducated sexual abusers/harassers and educated ones is that the uneducated abusers are the ones who are observed involved in activities like street harassment, gang rape, paedophilia or domestic violence whereas, the educated ones are those behind workplace harassment. The abuser of Noor Muqaddam is an example of the educated abuser who was devoid of basic human values. The social media reverberated with an uproar against this brutal conduct but a few weeks after this incident, the media only mentions this case as a tragic incident with no update being provided to the masses on the legal proceedings of the case. Minar-e-Pakistan is a national monument built where the All- India Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution on 23 March 1940. That was the first official call for a separate independent Islamic state for the Muslims of British India where Muslims could practice their religion without any fear and where the lives of the people would be safe. However, 400 sexually desperate men assaulting a woman at the same patriotically consecrated place on such a patriotically meaningful day, Independence Day, not only molests the sanctity of Minar-e-Pakistan and assassinates the struggle behind Independence Day but also brings us embarrassment for not being able to become an exemplary state that was created in the name of Islam. Unfortunately, the country has become a state where the respect, body and life of women are continuously under threat. Indeed, Pakistan is not only struggling with the covid-19 pandemic but also from a sexual abuse epidemic. Abuse and violence tracks women of the country not only outside their homes but inside their homes as well. The law enforcement authorities must put an end to abuse against women, be it domestic, sexual, public or private. It is time that a domestic violence bill is passed. It is time to punish rapists and harassers publicly. Pakistan has been a country that has successfully minimized the number of terrorist attacks and street crimes in the last two decades by taking concrete actions at national and provincial level. Street crimes have also been put under control in different regions of the country. If Pakistan can fight against these crimes, making the environment safer for women is also not an impossible task. But for that, law enforcement authorities need to prioritize women’s safety. The writer is a freelance columnist
Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
Thursday, 26 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
Bags not tools
India’s Afghan policy unmasked India is afraid of the ‘strategic depth’ Pakistan might get
aMjeD jaaveD
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NDO-AFGHAN bonhomie has seen many ups and downs. India’s friendship with Afghanistan is ostensibly actuated by altruism. But, deep down, it is the upshot of antipathy to the Taliban and Pakistan that India regards as the Taliban’s mentor. Through diplomatic maneuvering and machinations, India did its best to isolate Afghanistan from Pakistan. It is eerie that India has no common border with Afghanistan, yet it has always tried tooth and nail to create a foothold in Afghan affairs. Like India, the USA, too, had been constantly changing its foreign policy towards Afghanistan. Initially, the US Air Force used to rush quickly to rescue the Afghan forces it trained. But they then began to ignore the Afghan SOS calls. The situation took such a grim turn that the Taliban used to “breakfast” with 20 to 40 casualties of the Afghan forces each day. The USA ignored faults with the Afghan army. They knew that the actual strength of the Afghan army was never more than 200,000, but the government inflated it to 300,000. The figures were inflated to devour funds and rations. There was no coordination plan or battle strategy to defeat the Taliban foot soldiers numbering about 25,000 to 30,000. The Afghan troops owed their allegiance to the governors or political figures in their homeland rather than their senior commanders. Once the governors capitulated, the Afghan troops lost the will to fight. Some retired Indian officers, including Maj Gen (retd) SP Sinha, even allege that it is well nigh impossible that the Afghan forces surrendered without US connivance. Sinha alleges that the USA “instructed” the Afghan forces to surrender. It did so to drag China in the Afghan imbroglio. The USA wants to bleed China in “the graveyard of empires”. Following the East Pakistan debacle (1971), `Pakistan developed a doctrine of “strategic depth.” The idea is`to have a secure refuge in the case of a future war with India. The porous border offers a route by which Pakistani leaders, troops and other assets, including its nuclear weapons, could retreat to the northwest in the case of an Indian invasion’ (William Dalrymple, A Deadly Triangle: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India) India believes the myth that it is cornerstone of Pakistan’s military strategy to keep the Taliban under its sway. That is how Pakistan’s “strategic depth” could be maintained in case of a military conflict with India regards the Taliban of all shades as Pakistani stooges. India’s antipathy to the Taliban is obvious from India never recognising the Taliban’s short-lived government of 1996. It had earlier been the only South Asian country to recognise the Sovietbacked Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. When the Northern Alliance took over the Afghan government, after the collapse of the Taliban, India quickly recognised it. India then
boasted that the “strategic depth” Pakistan had yearned for, had evaporated overnight. After the Taliban’s ouster, India began to bolster its cooperation with successive Afghan governments. India provided Afghanistan $650750 million in “humanitarian” and economic aid. India became the largest regional aid donor In the guise of infrastructural projects, India kept trying to deepen its influence in the Afghan government. It initiated a mining project while recruiting Afghans to carry out sabotage inside Pakistan. The scale of India’s investment in Afghanistan’s development is stupendous. It built over 200 public and private schools, sponsored over 1000 scholarships, besides building many bridges, roads and small dams. In 2011, India signed a strategic–partnership agreement with Afghanistan to further boost mutual relations. The second Strategic Partnership Council meeting was held in New Delhi on 11 September 2017. Making use of the fresh $1 billion development assistance announced India, the vwo launched a ‘New Development Partnership’. India agreed to implement important new projects such as the Shahtoot Dam and drinking water project for Kabul that would also facilitate irrigation; water supply for Charikar City; road connectivity to Band-e-Amir in Bamyan Province to promote tourism; low-cost housing for returning refugees in Nangarhar Province; a gypsum board manufacturing plant in Kabul; and a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif among others. Besides, India outlined 116 High Impact Community Development Projects in 34 provinces. These projects were in a broad range including education, health, agriculture, irrigation, drinking water, renewable energy, flood control, micro-hydro power, sports and administrative infrastructure. India also announced that on-going assistance programmes for education, capacity building, skills and human resource development of Afghanistan, would continue for five more years to 2022. Since its 2017 inauguration, the IndiaAfghanistan Air-Freight Corridor has witnessed close to 1000 flights, carrying goods valued at over $216 million. It provided a boost to Afghan exports to India and has benefited Afghan farmers and small traders and exporters. India and Afghanistan now aim to expand the Corridor to other cities in both countries. Another important initiative was the operationalization of the Chabahar Port in December 2017, followed by a commercial port management agreement in February 2018. The Port has so far handled over 5,000 containers ferrying over 110,000 tons of wheat and over 2,000 tons of pulses sent by India as assistance to Afghanistan via Chabahar. These were delivered to various parts of Afghanistan and average transportation time was under two weeks. In 2019, Afghanistan shipped around 700 tons of agricultural and mineral products to India through Chabahar. An average of over 3,500 Afghan nationals underwent training/education in India every year. More than 15,000 Afghan students went to India on self-financing basis. India helped Afghanistan rebuild power infrastructure including the 220Kv DC-transmission line from Pul-e-Khumri, capital of Baghlan province. Telecommunications infrastructure in many Afghan provinces were also been restored by India. India has also gifted Afghanistan 400 buses and 200 mini-buses for urban transportation. This is in addition to 105 utility vehicles of municipal operations and 285 military vehicles. India also donated military helicopters and other aircraft. Most of the above-mentioned assets have been captured by the Taliban. However, the possibility of losing a key strategic ally in South Asia may surpass concerns for its $3 billion investment. India plumes itself for having cooperated in
Afghanistan’s development, but also tries to vilify the Taliban by alleging that Pakistani militant groups have infiltrated its rank and file. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishanker made many veiled attacks on the Taliban and Pakistan in his speech before the UN Security Council. He pointed to the delay in designating terrorist individuals, entities. Without directly identifying Pakistan, he also referred to states “clearly guilty of aiding and supporting terrorism, and willfully provide financial assistance and safe havens”. “Counter Terrorism is a priority area for India during this term and [it] looks forward to contributing to the meeting that seeks not only to identify emerging trends but to also laying the groundwork for common priorities that would shape the future multilateral action in the domain of Counter Terrorism,” sources said, explaining the context of the speech. India was offered to chair three important committees including the Taliban sanctions committee, the counter-terrorism committee and the Libya sanctions committee during its tenure at the UNSC. By accepting the Taliban-sanctions committee’s chairmanship, India made it clear it would continue to make mischiefs against the Taliban. Its hostility is conspicuous from the FIRs filed against persons expressing jubilation at the Taliban’s victory. Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rehman Barq was booked for sedition for defending the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and equating it with India’s own freedom struggle. He was charged following a complaint from BJP leader Rajesh Singhal . The MP has been also booked under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). Barq had called the Taliban a force that did not allow Russia or the USA to establish themselves in Afghanistan, “and now they want to run their own country”. The MP had said that when India was under British Rule, the entire country fought for independence. “They want to be free. This is their personal matter. How can we interfere?” the SP legislator had said on developments in Afghanistan. Endorsing the Taliban takeover, Barq had said the Afghans want to run their own country in the manner they wanted.” The remarks drew sharp criticism from UP CM yogi Adityanath. In the state legislative council, he on Tuesday slammed the opposition MP. The chief minister said, ‘He was shamelessly supporting the Taliban. It means supporting their barbaric act.’. India has no border with Afghanistan. yet it created its own brand of mujahideen belonging to the Northern Alliance. India not only provided multi-faceted aid to the Alliance but even trained Northern Alliance fighters. The support involved helicopters, ordnance, mortars, small armaments, refurbished Kalashnikovs seized in Kashmir, combat and winter clothes, packaged food, medicines, and funds. These supplies were delivered circuitously with the help of other countries (like Tajikistan) or through Massoud’s brother Wali in London. India opened four consulates at Kandahar, Jalalabad, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif, besides its embassy at Kabul. It pampered Ahmad Shah Massoud as its protégé for use on the Afghan chessboard as and when circumstances allowed. India is still using these consulates to stoke up secessionist movements in Balochistan and the volatile tribal belt. The way India hastily vacated its consulates in Afghanistan portends that India would take such steps as would offend the nascent Taliban 2.0 government.
ACCORDING to Wikipedia,“Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful.” Knowing the consequences of child labour, UNICEF declared 12 June as “World day against child labour” Still, in our country child labour is quite common. Children, who are the future of Pakistan, are holding tools instead of bags. According to a survey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics and the National Child Labour, approximately 19 million children below 14 years of age are working as child labourers in Pakistan due to poverty. They are deprived of their due rights along with education. If our youth is going to be uneducated and engaged in work, how will the country progress? The government must make sure that every child must be a student rather than a labour. Afroz MJ TurbAT
WHO warning IT’S an horrifying fact that the sheesha smokers are not well perceived about the damaging effects of “sheesha” to the health.It is proved that smoking of sheesha is worse than cigrattes. In a hour long session of smoking sheesha contain 200 puffs while cigrattes contain only 20. When one smokes it, it not only effect him but also the people around him gets terribly effected without even smoking it.The world health organisation (WHO) had published a report in 2005 mentioning that smoking of sheesha is hazardous for health. Sheesha cafes must have been banned but still there’s no action took regarding this. But now one must understand that a health is above all and sheesha is a silent killer. fizA NASir TurbAT
What a day in Karachi AFTER meeting and touching situation of Karachi, A sudden accident or natural disaster wreaked havoc the whole joints of Karachi. There is a multitude of people who faced the music. Especially those penury people who unable to survive their live in this hot and heavy issue. I may say, a natural disaster is a benediction from Almught Allah, but to sort out this dilemma is responsibility of All people, whether they are in the government sector or private sector.. The whole political leaders as well as ministers of Sindh have carte blanche to overcome this hit potato which has been hocked a person of Karachi. This terrifying gloom is not only faces of middle-class neighbourhood, but also elite class. Furthermore, This monstrous world already as been faced the music DUE TO COvID-19, A DOZEN OF PEOPLE has LOST THEIR LIvES AT THE DROP OF HAT. It was a setback to this world. Most of the sudden, an incident can be occurred to you at any time. SAME AS Natural disaster which is an inevitable. Recently, I have seen the whole enchidela of the of cities where Rainwater was stagnant on road of each city of Pakistan especially, Lahore and Karachi. Regarding this natural occurrence, Everyone has arisen heap of cinders regarding CM Sahab. Some of them, defamed his reputation in writing words servely. We know that, CM is final and absolute authority to wipe out all daunting tasks from the city, but It is a not only dilemma of Karachi to spick and span the water from the roads but also the others cities are still remaining. This monstrous society is plenary of pompous ass people. We always see our interests and benefits. We take up-turned and some time, we depart from our right principles. So We’re being selfish and rapacious regarding our monetary interest and other one. . A hallmark mark quoted can be stated here. this maxim can be infallible at some angles, but not completely top-notch to sigh. So to mock at others, or musterjocular expression, or your facial expression toward personality personality which feels a vestige of degrading our authority concerned who fought with this pandemic situation and tried to prevent us from this baneful disease. Who took such miraculous and effective steps to desist this disease from occurring again and again, but this society still opposed against him in lieu of extolling. In the nutshell. There is a sophist who depicts that. Same situation happens above given sweeping statement; Try to Change, TRy TO use creativity to your life, Try to be mature, do not change your paths, where you feel under the weather, try to stand at one’s feet, Try to love choose loved ones leader and proponent him inwardly and outwardly. Because of Public. They are nothing, but you must take action or protest regarding any illicit act and you do not allow to defame charming personality at any cost. NirMAl oAd ShikArpur
Punishment and discipline DISCIPLINE is the practice of training to obey rules or using punishments to correct disobedience. It is the teaching of the boundaries. The teaching of what is right and what is wrong. Discipline can be both “positive and negative” For example the positive discipline is admiring children for doing something “Good”, or stopping them for doing wrong by counseling. Negatives can be like smacking and threatening them for doing something inappropriate. Some Parents and most of the Teachers in school believe that they do well by punishing them or “safe smacking”, Whereas the actual discipline is helping them to understand why certain behaviour is unacceptable. Sometimes after getting smacked children (students) get impinge and start to think that it is alright to beat others. Punishment is not the way to motivate them in order to behave more properly. yes! Sometimes somewhere it is right to punish but many times the best way is to understand what was the reason behind the aggressive reaction, behaving in an inappropriate way or doing an offence . After this if they are wrong, the better way is admonishing them to make them stop from doing something unacceptable! Not using corporal punishments. ArifA SAEEd lArkANA
Thursday, 26 August, 2021
08 WORLD VIEW
The erA of dePendIng on US mIlITAry mIghT for SecUrITy hAS PASSed
Japan timEs
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daVid HoWEll
OW will both London and Washington listen? For more than three decades there have been warnings — in books, articles, speeches, columns on this page — about over-dependence by the democracies on American military might as being the sure way to solve the world’s problems. America as a continued partner and friend — yes. But as a boss-figure, policydecider, direction-setter, unipolar superpower, to whose coat-tails nations must cling at all costs for their security, and much else — no. that era has passed. in a networked world, in a digitally revolutionized world, old relationships have long since changed. the big battalions and the mightiest defense budgets no longer decide. the battlefield has largely shifted. the Afghan withdrawal is certainly a botched and tragic
muddle, but the first strategic mistake was to believe that occupying armed forces, once they had completed their specific task — in this case, the hunting down of the masskiller Osama bin Laden — could somehow stay on and change the national culture by their presence. instead, the vital war zone has shifted to realms of psychology, communications dominance, cyber ingenuity and superiority, unmanned weaponry, sustained demoralization and discrediting of rival causes and stories, cunning diplomacy, promoting internal dissent within enemy formations, camps and alliances. technologies, not tanks and boots, are now the spearhead. Over a decade ago one British Foreign secretary, William Hague, warned his colleagues that British relations with the U.s., long labeled “the special relationship” from the World War ii years, needed overhauling in the oncoming world (that of course was long before Brexit). the future U.K.-U.s. relationship should be, he said, “solid but not slavish.” But his warning fell on deaf ears. in fact, when then-U.s. President Barack Obama, visited the U.K. in 2011, zealous officials insisted that the Hague phrase be dropped during the visit for fear of offense. so overwhelming was the prevailing wisdom that America was the number one ally, the absolute special relation to which the U.K. was bound by unbreakable ties of defense support, intelligence, technology and coordination, as well as history and experience, that any doubts were unacceptable.
Biden’s credibility crisis spreads far past Afghanistan
AMERICA’S VAST MILITARY CAN NO LONGER SOLVE THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS this came hard on the heels of the total U.K. commitment in support of American intervention, first in Afghanistan and then in iraq. the British prime minister at the time, tony Blair, had assured the then-U.s. president, George W. Bush, that “we will be with you to the end,” and took the U.K. full tilt into Afghanistan and iraq to prove it. now, all these years later, the same tony Blair, a bit wiser, has swung to the other extreme and calls President Joe Biden’s withdrawal decision “imbecilic.” Perhaps this is going too far, but Blair also derides Biden’s phrase deploring “forever wars,” and here he is right. the new warfare is continuous and unending. the techniques used by the West’s foes fully appreciate that. they are ceaseless and intrusive. so must be the efforts of its defenders. the other message that needs to get through is that the Afghan crisis is not part of another Cold War, this time with China. For one thing, an ascending, high-tech China is very different from the crumbling soviet Union of the last century. For another the clear-cut difference between doctrines — capitalism and communism — is now blurred as the West socializes and China embraces new forms of capitalism.
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Editorial
resident Joe Biden hopes people will soon forget the unfolding disaster he created in Afghanistan so he can turn back to issues such as COVid, the economy, and climate change. But he and his White House don’t realize just how damaging Afghanistan has been to the president’s credibility, undermining his ability to govern on every other issue. the fundamental problem for Biden is that his claims about the situation in Afghanistan are clearly untrue, indeed, frankly incredible. On Friday, Biden claimed during a White House press conference that al Qaeda had been completely driven out of Afghanistan. Hours later, defense department press secretary John Kirby could do nothing but admit that this was false. Al Qaeda is not only operating throughout Afghanistan, but according to a Pentagon inspector general report released earlier in the week, the taliban continue to maintain their “relationship with Al Qaeda, providing safe haven for the terrorist group in Afghanistan.” Biden also claimed during that same press conference that there was “no indication” that Americans stuck in Kabul “haven’t been able to get” to the airport. the press conference hadn’t been over for more than half an hour before Cnn’s Clarrisa Ward made clear the exact opposite. “it is extremely difficult, and it is dangerous,” she reported on American efforts to reach the airport in Kabul. Biden even claimed that he had “seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world.” either Biden is forgetting what he reads or else his briefers left out the leader of Germany’s conservative party calling Biden’s handling of Afghanistan “the greatest debacle that nAtO has seen.” Biden also must have missed British Member of Parliament
tom tugendhat saying it was “the biggest foreign policy disaster since suez.” the average American doesn’t know who tom tugendhat is, but he does know our allies are not happy with Biden’s handling of Afghanistan. And anyone can see on television that the situation is much more chaotic and violent than Biden promised it would be just a month ago. Biden’s false statements and empty promises are undermining him on every other issue. A recent CBs poll found Biden’s overall approval rating had fallen 8 points since April to an even 50%-50% split. But the percentage of respondents who described Biden as “competent” fell from 56% to 49%, the percentage who described him as “focused” fell from 56% to 48%, and the percentage who described their leader as “effective” fell from 55% to 47%. An echelon insights poll found that Biden’s approval rating had also fallen on every issue tested, including COVid, the economy, foreign policy, and immigration. Worse for Biden, the latest reuters poll found he had the first negative overall approval rating (46% approve/49% disapprove) of his presidency. Meanwhile, the share who believe the country is heading in the wrong direction rose to 59%. it is no coincidence that centrist House democrats are refusing to go along with Biden’s radical $3.5 trillion spending plan now that he has been weakened by Afghanistan. Voters don’t trust Biden on any issue other than COVid, so why should centrist democrats tie themselves to Biden’s far-left legislative agenda? Biden has only himself to blame for the political disaster that is enveloping him. if he always knew pulling out of Afghanistan was going to be chaotic, then he shouldn’t have said just a month earlier that it was going to go smoothly. He can’t fix that now. What he can do, however, is change the bragging, blustering, dishonest habits of a lifetime, learn some humility, take criticism seriously, and stop talking nonsense about everything being OK in Kabul.
Lord David Howell, Baron Howell of Guildford, is a member of the House of Lords and a Conservative politician, journalist and economic consultant.
Britain’s military will want to ignore its failure in Afghanistan. It must face reality
WHAT HE CAN DO, HOWEVER, IS CHANGE THE BRAGGING, BLUSTERING, DISHONEST HABITS OF A LIFETIME, LEARN SOME HUMILITY, TAKE CRITICISM SERIOUSLY, AND STOP TALKING NONSENSE ABOUT EVERYTHING BEING OK IN KABUL Washington ExaminEr
interpreting the Afghanistan debacle in an ideological context is a mistake. China and russia may exhibit a bit of glee at American discomfort. But they will soon see that an Afghanistan which becomes a poisonous fount of vicious terrorism helps them not at all. On the contrary, on this front, as with climate issues, all nations, big and small, are on the same side and have no choice but to work together. Major nations may disagree about many other things, but all who want a stable civil order and progress for their citizens have a common interest against medieval barbarism and lawless inhumanity. it may be difficult for old-time ideological warriors to swallow, but with the combined cooperation of russia and China the horror of the taliban government can, if necessary, be swiftly brought to its knees financially and administratively. the cellphone that every gun-toting taliban carries can be neutralized. their commandand-control systems can be deadened. But without that cooperation the West’s sanctioning efforts will always be undermined and the taliban’s hideous form of governance will prosper. is that what China or russia want? is that what any nation with pretensions to ci-
vility and a wish for some degree of international respect desires? Of course not. so forget ideology for the moment. this is a central Asian battle for common humanity. even to call the taliban “terrorists” elevates them, given the ambiguity that sometimes creeps into that term. On their record, and until they prove conclusively otherwise, they are nihilist butchers, steeped in hatred of women, whom humankind cannot allow to succeed. if the crucial central Asian region falls to this kind of blood-soaked fanaticism, or if it gets caught up in a self-defeating eastWest great power rivalry, that will threaten stability and security across the globe. this is not a hegemonic battleground and must not become so. When world leaders gather, whether at the virtual G7 that recently took place or at the forthcoming U.n. security Council event, this is the reality that must from now on be grasped. For some of them, including the Americans, that may prove difficult. Perhaps the message of hope and unity from last month’s Olympic Games, or the current Paralympic Games, all conducted with great success to the eternal credit of Japan, can provide better and wiser guidance than these great international assemblies as this sorrowful saga unfolds.
guardian
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Simon akam
t was an extraordinary volte-face. On 7 August Gen sir nick Carter, the chief of the defence staff and professional head of Britain’s military, wrote an op-ed on Afghanistan in the times stating that it was too soon “to write off the country”. “there are increasing signs that the population is rallying in defiance,” he added. eleven days later, after the taliban had taken Afghanistan’s provincial capitals, followed by Kabul, and the Afghan army – raised by the west at a cost of $83bn – had melted away, Carter appeared on television. “You have to be very careful using the word enemy,” he told sky news. “People need to understand who the taliban actually are … they are bound together by a common purpose which is they don’t like corrupt governance … i do think that they have changed.” the general deserves some compassion. Like the rest of the leadership of Britain’s army, the post-9/11 wars defined his professional life. Carter commanded a brigade in iraq in 2003-04 and later led a “regional command” in Afghanistan. His recent public pronouncements suggest an understandable desire not to undercut the sacrifices of his troops. nonetheless, Carter’s dramatic pivot, combined – more bluntly – with the fact that he is still in post, underlines an important point. there is an urgent need within the British military now for a root and branch appraisal of why this has all happened. Yet, due to a variety of factors, both inside and outside the military, a full postmortem is unlikely. A proper evaluation of the Afghanistan campaign needs three prerequisites. First, an acknowledgment that what has taken place is a defeat. there is no room for parsing semantics now; any lesser admission would allow the matter to be dodged. second, failure in Afghanistan needs to be seen as an issue for British defence as a whole, including the Ministry of defence (Mod), rather than just the army. there is a parallel “forever war” in Whitehall between the navy, the army and the air force for resources, and
though it was the army that was most engaged in Helmand, a single-service focus would derail a wash-up. Finally, there needs to be an institutional preparedness to be truthful, and a willingness to prioritise genuine investigation over short-term reputation management. Unfortunately, none of this is likely to happen. Writing the Changing of the Guard, my book on the British army since 2001, i became entangled in an extraordinary series of events, the end result being the cancellation of the book by its original publishers. But this is not really about me. My book was the third that the British military had tried to interfere with in the past decade, after toby Harnden’s dead Men risen in 2011 and Mike Martin’s An intimate War in 2014. each of these circumstances was different: Harnden’s was an “authorised book”, meaning the Mod got to see it pre-publication in exchange for access to serving troops. Martin was a reservist commissioned by the army to study the Helmand campaign; mine was a fully external work. But the overall message is clear. the British military is an institution that struggles to engage with external criticism. the instinct to deflect rather than engage takes place internally too. Promotion depends on assessments from direct line superiors, disincentivising officers from flagging things that go wrong. the institutional culture often views problems through the narrowest of prisms, as with the “single rotten apple” assessment of Alexander Blackman, the marine who shot dead a wounded Afghan fighter in 2011. After film of the incident surfaced and Blackman was initially convicted of murder, the deputy commandant general of the royal Marines stated: “What we have heard over the last two weeks is not consistent with the ethos, values and standards of the royal Marines. it was a truly shocking and appalling aberration.” However, in reality there had been an earlier complaint about excessively aggressive behaviour from 42 Commando, Blackman’s unit. A decade on and the full report of Operation telemeter, the navy’s official probe into the wider circumstances of the incident, has never been released. More widely, official lessons-learned reports are watered down or suppressed, while public sentimentality tends to “indemnify” the military. As one serving officer wrote to me earlier this week: “in the House of Commons debate today you are seeing much support for the military and criticism of the politics/strategy; somewhat inevitable. But this also makes it easy for the military to convince themselves of a narrative that they did all they could. that would
be disingenuous and mask the point that many tactical and operational mistakes were made and must be learned from to avoid a repeat elsewhere.” some now call for a public inquiry into the Afghanistan campaign. iraq generated wide-ranging inquiries into events such as the killing of the Basra hotel receptionist, Baha Mousa, and the al-sweady probe into purported mistreatment of other prisoners. the Chilcot inquiry was also a huge exercise. in some ways these probes were impressive. But in iraq they dodged the central legal question of the war – the decision to invade – and their glacial pace meant that by the time they reported, key events were receding into the past. A proper investigation of Afghanistan now needs to be faster, and harder hitting. A better model would be the recent Brereton report into misconduct by Australian special forces. Concluding that the Australian sAs murdered 39 civilians, Brereton was willing to take on shibboleths in a way Britain traditionally is not. the recent images of Kabul, with helicopters taking off from the Us embassy, reminded many of the fall of saigon in 1975. Yet after Vietnam the Us military changed. the draft went in 1973. new equipment came into service – notably the “big five” of the Abrams main battle tank, the Bradley fighting vehicle, the Apache attack helicopter, the Black Hawk utility helicopter and the Patriot missile system. the new Weinberger doctrine determined that Us troops should only be committed if the country was prepared to commit enough forces to win, and clear political and military objectives had been established. in 1991 an overhauled Us army went to war in the Gulf and won swiftly and decisively. some say the Us was too quick, post-Vietnam, to jettison its experience in counter-insurgency, which left it disadvantaged come the iraq war in 2003. But the first step to dealing with any problem is to acknowledge its existence. the Us did that after Vietnam. We need to do that now. Simon Akam is the author of The Changing of the Guard – the British Army since 9/11.
Thursday, 26August, 2021
BUSINESS 09
KARACHI corporate corner Engro Corp to inject Rs21.5bn in Telecom Infrastructure Vertical KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier conglomerate, Engro Corporation (PSX: ENGRO), has announced that it would enhance its total equity investment in the Telecom Infrastructure vertical to Rs21.5 billion. Engro has also formed a dedicated platform for connectivity and telecom infrastructure related initiatives by the name of Engro Connect (Pvt.) Limited (EConnect). EConnect is a wholly owned subsidiary of Engro and will hold complete ownership of Engro Enfrashare (Pvt.) Limited (Enfrashare), which is now Pakistan’s largest independent telecom tower company in terms of operationalized and active towers. The total equity injection of Rs21.5 billion in EConnect will be mainly utilized to expand the Build-to-Suite (BTS) tower business under Enfrashare including but not limited to provision of efficient energy solutions, modernization of operations, installation of state-of-the-art network monitoring solutions and exploration of other investment avenues within the connectivity value chain. Press release
Winners of DarazMall Awards 2021 KARACHI: DarazMall has just announced the winners of the 2021 DarazMall Awards, being the leading consumer voted online store, Daraz celebrated this achievement by bringing high achieving brands to light. The Awards cover major consumer product categories like Food & Beverage, Electronics, Beauty & Personal Care, and Household. Here are the winners that stood out! Brand of the Year People’s Choice – Realme, Emerging Brand of the Year Award – Dawlance, Enterprise Brand of the Year Award - Kidz N Kidz, Customer Satisfation Award – Olivia, Best Value for Money - Nestle Everyday, Best Launch of the Year Award- Generation, Fashion Brand of the Year – Female – Limelight, Fashion Brand of the Year – Male – Oxford, International Brand of the Year Award – Wiresto, Best Store Front – TCL, Most Innovative Brand – Dettol, Tech Brand of the Year – Xiaomi, Glam Award – Maybelline, Best Brand Campaign Award - Surf Excel, Most Reviewed Brand – Ariel, Most Searched Brand – Haier, Best Exclusive Launch of the Year Award – Candy, Best Performance Marketeer - Reckitt. Press release
SugAR, WHEAT IMpoRT okAYED To MAInTAIn SToCkS ISLAMABAD
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sHaHZaD ParaCHa
HE Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet on Wednesday gave approval to import 200,000 metric tonnes of sugar as well as 400,000 MT of wheat, stressing the importance of building strategic reserves in wake of the evolving situation in Afghanistan which may affect prices in the domestic market. The meeting which was held under the chair of Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin also approved the corresponding financial arrangement for the import. The meeting approved the summary tabled by the M/o Industries and Production for import of 200,000MT of sugar for maintaining strategic reserves. Secretary, M/o Industries and Production briefed the committee about previous tenders floated for the purchase of sugar in the international market. He also apprised about cancellation of previous tenders due to volatility in the prices of commodities in the international market particularly due to ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He further apprised that rising transportation cost
and petroleum prices have contributed significantly into international price hike in food commodities. The ECC approved the import of sugar with immediate effect through TCP and directed to workout arrangements for another 300,000MT through government to government mode of procurement at the earliest possible to build strategic reserves and ensure smooth supply of sugar across the country before the arrival of the fresh crop. On the recommendation of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (NFS&R), the meeting also accorded approval to importing 400,000MT of wheat and directed to explore and expedite the option for importing the remaining amount of wheat through government to government arrangement. In his remarks, the finance minister took notice of price fluctuations in international market of commodities and directed to constitute a sub-committee for holding a consultative session and work out modalities for placing tenders in international market in a timely manner to get a most affordable price for importing food items to save precious foreign exchange reserves of the country. He also directed to present recommendations for improving the overall estimation process by provinces through forecasting on a scientific basis for commodities where price risk
KP to provide IT training to 25,000 women Rupee hits 11-month low to cross Rs165
Bank Alfalah profit up by 24pc KARACHI: The Board of Directors of Bank Alfalah Limited in its meeting held on August 25, 2021, approved the bank’s unaudited condensed interim financial statements for the half year ended June 30, 2021. The first half of 2021 has been a period of remarkable growth for the Bank. Profit after taxation increased by 24.2% and stood at Rs6.934 billion while Earning Per Share (EPS) was Rs3.90 (June 2020: Rs3.14). Net mark-up income was marginally down from last year, the primary reason being a sharp decline of 625 bps in the discount rate. However, increase in earning assets and deposits supported revenue. Nonmarkup income increased by 15.9%, with strong contribution from capital gains and fee income. Fees and commissions also demonstrated robust increase of 33.5% over last year. Non-markup expenses were higher by 11.2% compared to the same period last year, driven largely by higher compensation costs, the full year impact of new branches opened last year, IT related costs, Roshan Digital Account communications and marketing costs, and inflation related effects. The bank has achieved the historic milestone and crossed the Rs1 trillion landmark deposit level; deposits reached Rs1.026 trillion, growing by 26.9% over June 2020 level; a net absolute increase of Rs217.672 billion. This was led by 27.7% growth in current deposits while the CA mix improved to 46.5% as at June 30, 2021. The BoD has declared an interim cash dividend of Rs2.0 (20%) per share. At the close of the first half, the bank remains adequately capitalised with CAR at 15.40%. Press release
Standard Chartered announces H1FY21 results KARACHI: Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited has announced its H1 Results for 2021. The bank has delivered a resilient financial performance with a profit before tax of Rs12.0 billion. Revenue was lower as compared to last year primarily due to sharp reduction in interest rates in Q2’20, subdued economic activity and market volatility which impacted foreign exchange income, revaluation income on derivatives and gain on sale of securities. Administrative costs continue to be well managed through operational efficiencies and disciplined spending with a reduction of 1% compared to same period last year. Moreover, strong recoveries of bad debts, coupled with lower impairments as a result of prudent risk approach led to a net release of Rs0.7 billion in H’21. The bank continues to pay dividends and Board of Directors has declared an interim cash dividend of 12.50% (Rs1.25/per share) in respect of the half year ended June 30, 2021. Press release
is involved. "Proper estimates should be presented for import of particular food items to fulfil all codal formalities in a timely manner," he stressed. Meanwhile, the ECC approved a TSG amounting to Rs24,555 million to NDMA for the procurement of vaccine for Covid-19 including transportation and handling charges in order to meet the target of 85 million population to be vaccinated by the end of year. Another TSG was approved in favour of M/o National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination amounting to Rs2376.266 million for the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) for FY22 as EPI is a high-priority initiative of the government which aims to immunise more than seven million children under 1-year of age against ten vaccine preventable diseases (VPD). The ECC alos considered and approved a request for a TSG by the NDMA for extending humanitarian assistance to Syria and allowed procurement of edible items i.e. 200 tonnes each of rice and flour amounting to approx Rs44.24 million through MOFA. Moreover, the committee approved the summary for exemption of all applicable taxes on the import of 12 drones donated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), China for controlling desert locust in Pakistan.
PESHAWAR sTaFF rePOrT
The Khyber Paktunkhwa Science and Information Technology (KPSIT) department has launched a new startup project to impart IT trainings to 25,000 people in the province for generating more employment opportunities. According to details, the provincial government with the support of World Bank (WB) has spent Rs840 million to train 3,000 women which will help them start their own businesses in the province under the startup project. Minister for Science and Technology, Atif Khan, said that practical steps are being taken to empower women economically. Khan said the provincial government has so far completed training for 15 compa-
nies under the startup programme in which ten companies have been registered with the Security and Exchange Commission Pakistan (SECP). He said the science and technology department will train 25,000 more men and women in advanced digital scale in the next two years at a cost of Rs3 billion. As per the KPSIT, 15 companies have completed training so far. Furthermore, the provincial government will also create three special technology zones (STZs) to create employment opportunities in science and technology. The zones will be constructed in Mardan, Haripur and Peshawar districts. Atif Khan said that in order to solve the problems of internet connectivity in tourist destinations, internet facility
will be provided from universal service funds in collaboration with the federal government. Karishma Zakaullah, owner of the Uni Desk Company, said that the training provided by the provincial government to women in IT sectors has created employment opportunities for other women. “Currently, women here have a 1 per cent share in business. After training, we have received Rs1.5 million in career scale training for school children,” he added. Similarly, the owners of other companies have received total revenue of Rs20 million after completing training. Atif Khan said that the digital training project will be launched in tribal districts at a cost of Rs1 billion as soon as security concerns and internet connectivity issues are solved.
Instagram rolls out ads on Shop tab globally MIAMI: Instagram will launch advertising on its Shop feature globally, the Facebook Incowned app said on Wednesday, as it seeks to earn more money from brands hoping to reach new customers. Instagram Shop is a tab on the photo and video sharing app that lets users browse items such as clothes and beauty products and in some cases purchase the items directly within the Instagram app. Users can click on an Instagram Shop ad to view more details about the product, browse additional items from the brand or save the product to a wishlist.
The company began testing the ads earlier this month with a few select advertisers, but the feature is now open to brands globally wherever Instagram Shop is available. aGeNCIes
Pakistan’s currency hit an 11-month low at Rs165.20 against the US dollar in the inter-bank market despite the receipt of a significant amount of foreign funds from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday. On Monday, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has received $2.75 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as part of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation announced by the fund recently. On the same day, the Pakistani rupee depreciated 0.15 percent and reached from Rs164.18 to Rs 164.43 at the closing time of the inter-bank closing rate. Latest SBP data shows the forex reserves of the central bank are at $17.626bn; including $2.75bn of IMF that would take the total to $20.4bn. The dollar is on its upward journey for quite some sessions. It started appreciating since May 7 and has increased by 8.5 per cent, gaining about Rs12.92. Dawn reported that the steep rise will hit exports as the exportable products are prepared with the imported constituents in the range of 30pc to 35pc. The local daily also reported that the 8.5pc depreciation of local currency would also be translated into the prices of petroleum products including LNG, thereby escalating inflation and increasing the cost of production. MONITOrING rePOrT
Realme kicks-off Fan Fest 2021 with discounts, new products
LAHORE: The entire month of August is quite happening at realme. Firstly, it commemorated its 3rd anniversary with a global sales milestone of 100M devices – fastest ever in the entire smartphone industry. More so, in Pakistan, realme sold two million smartphones coinciding perfectly with the launch of its realme Fan Fest 2021. The Fan Fest not only brings exciting discounts on tons of realme products, but also introduces realme C25s, the most powerful C-Series smartphone ever, realme Book – the company’s first-ever laptop and the realme GT Master Edition, the best-designed flagship smartphone of 2021. The realme Fan Fest went live Monday on both Daraz.pk and Saamaan.pk featuring scores of realme favorites on discounted prices. Here’s a look at what is up for grabs. The event also witnessed the launch of realme Book, the company’s first laptop encased in a super-slim 14.9mm metal body, available in blue and grey color schemes. Press release
Thursday, 26 August, 2021
10 FOREIGN NEWS
KARACHI
Iraq SeekS to eaSe SaUdI-Iran hoStIlIty at Baghdad SUmmIt BAGHDAD
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REUTERS
RAQ has invited Iran and Tehran's Gulf Arab foes to a summit in Baghdad with the aim of calming tensions which have brought them close to open conflict in recent years. Officials say the meeting, which will also discuss the war in Yemen, Lebanon's collapse and a regional water crisis, could take a step towards Saudi-Iranian rapprochement even though they have yet to say what representation they will send. Strains between long-term foes Saudi
Arabia and Iran worsened after a 2019 assault on Saudi oil plants that briefly knocked out half of the Saudi oil production. Riyadh blamed the attack on Iran, a charge Tehran denies. The two countries are aligned with rival forces fighting a war in Yemen and severed ties in 2016 -- although they resumed direct talks in Iraq in April this year. Saudi Arabia, concerned that the Biden administration has revived nuclear talks which could lead to an easing of sanctions on Tehran, sees engagement as a way to contain tensions without abandoning its security concerns over attacks that it blames on Iran
and its allies. Iraqi officials hope that Iran's new hardline President Ebrahim Raisi will attend the meeting, planned for Saturday, and expect ministers from the Gulf States including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will also come. "Even if we bring the foreign ministers together at one table this could be considered a breakthrough to end the tensions between Iranians and the Gulf Arabs," an official close to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa alKadhimi said. A politician close to the premier said Iraq, which hosted the private meetings ear-
lier this year between Saudi and Iranian officials, had received "positive signals" from Tehran and Gulf Arab countries that they were ready for more direct talks. So far, Kuwait has been the only Gulf state to confirm its participation, sending its prime minister. Egypt and Jordan, both allies of the Gulf Arab monarchies, have been invited to the Baghdad meeting along with Turkey and French President Emmanuel Macron. DIRECT TALKS: Riyadh and Tehran began direct talks in April to contain tensions while global powers held negotiations on reviving a 2015 nuclear pact with Iran, which
Saudi Arabia and its allies opposed for not addressing Tehran’s ballistic missile programme and regional proxies. Saudi Arabia has said it wants to see "verifiable deeds" from Iran. Earlier this month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said an "emboldened" Iran was acting in a negative manner around the Middle East, including in Yemen and Lebanon and in regional waters. The UAE, an ally of Riyadh, has been in regular contact with Iran trying to de-escalate tensions since 2019 following tanker attacks in Gulf waters. Those efforts could be stepped up as Gulf Arab states, which have long leaned on Washington to guarantee their security, view with concern its renewed nuclear talks with Tehran and the chaotic end to its two-decade war in Afghanistan. "The prospect of regional conflict, coupled with their perception of Washington as unreliable, have [...] prompted the Saudis and Emiratis to pursue a limited, tactical, bilateral de-escalation with Tehran," the International Crisis Group said in a report published on Tuesday.
US review of Covid’s China origin unlikely to solve vexing questions WASHINGTON REUTERS
The mother of Palestinian Osama Deeij, who died of a wound he sustained during an anti-Israel protest at the Israel-Gaza border fence on Saturday, mourns during his funeral in the northern G
Covid-19 vaccine protection wanes within six months: UK researchers WITHIN 5-6 MONTHS, EFFECTIVENESS OF PFIZER SHOT FELL TO 74PC: STUDY LONDON REUTERS
Protection against Covid-19 offered by two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines begins to fade within six months, underscoring the need for booster shots, according to researchers in Britain. After five to six months, the effectiveness of the Pfizer jab at preventing Covid19 infection in the month after the second dose fell from 88% to 74%, an analysis of data collected in Britain's ZOE COVID study showed. For the AstraZeneca vaccine, effec-
tiveness fell from 77% to 67% after four to five months. The study was based on data from more than a million app users, comparing self-reported infections in vaccinated participants with cases in an unvaccinated control group. More data is needed in younger people because participants who had their shots up to six months ago tended to be elderly as that age group was prioritised when the shots were first approved, the study authors said. ZOE Ltd was founded three years ago to offer customised nutritional advice based on test kits. The company's ZOE
COVID Symptom Study app is a not-forprofit initiative in collaboration with King’s College London and funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Under a worst-case future scenario, protection could fall below 50% for older people and healthcare workers by the winter, Tim Spector, ZOE Ltd co-founder and principal investigator for the study, said. "It's bringing into focus this need for some action. We can't just sit by and see the protectiveness slowly waning whilst cases are still high and the chance of infection still high as well," Spector told BBC television. Britain and other European nations
are planning for a Covid-19 vaccine booster campaign later this year after top vaccine advisers said it might be necessary to give third shots to the elderly and most vulnerable from September. The U.S. government is preparing to provide third booster doses starting in mid-September to Americans who had their initial course more than eight months ago. "This is a reminder that we cannot rely on vaccines alone to prevent the spread of Covid," said Simon Clarke, Associate Professor in Cellular Microbiology at the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study. He cautioned that the results may have been distorted by the surge in overall cases in Britain in July.
President Joe Biden is set to be briefed on the U.S. intelligence community's investigation into how Covid-19 started, with the report likely to disappoint in delivering clear answers about the deadly pandemic's origin in China. Biden in May ordered aides to work to resolve disputes among intelligence agencies examining rival theories about how the novel coronavirus started, including a once-dismissed theory about the possibility of a laboratory accident in China, as well as that the virus originated naturally with animals, such as bats or birds. A 90-day intelligence review the president ordered is due on Tuesday, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, with the release of unclassified portions likely to take a few days longer. Yet three U.S. government officials and a fourth person familiar with the scope of the investigation said they did not expect the review to lead to firm conclusions after China stymied earlier international efforts to gather key information on the ground. Instead, one official said the report would likely point to additional lines of inquiry that officials could pursue, including demands of China that are likely to further ratchet up tensions with Beijing at a time when the country's ties with Washington are at their lowest point in decades. "It's basically impossible to have a proper investigation if one of the main parties doesn't want to cooperate," said Thomas Wright, Brookings Institution senior fellow and co-author of "Aftershocks," a book about the pandemic with Biden's Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl. "We need to proceed as if both hypotheses are true." The report also comes as the U.S. intelligence agencies have come under pressure from within the administration and Congress over issues related to the handling of Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban came faster than many U.S. intelligence, defense and diplomatic analysts predicted. Covid-19 has killed 4.6 million people worldwide, according to a Reuters tally, but its precise origins remain shrouded in mystery. The first known cases emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 and U.S. agencies started looking into the origins shortly afterwards. U.S. spy agencies initially strongly favored the explanation that the virus originated in nature. A team led by the World Health Organization (WHO) that spent four weeks in and around Wuhan in January and February said the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal. But their March report, which was written jointly with Chinese scientists and concluded that the lab theory was "extremely unlikely," did not satisfy Washington.
Who is who in Taliban's Haqqani network? ISLAMABAD ANADOLU AGENCY
Once the most wanted by the US, the powerful Haqqani network is calling the shots on both military and political fronts to set up a new governance structure in Afghanistan, following the Taliban's capture of Kabul earlier this month. The Taliban have entrusted the security of the Afghan capital to the Haqqani network, which was listed by the US as a terror group in 2012 and has long been blamed for several brazen attacks on foreign forces across the war-infested country, particularly in Kabul. Founded by a veteran commander, Jalaluddin Haqqani, the network was one of the first to raise arms against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, with the
backing of the US. Following the Taliban's rise in 1996, Haqqani merged his group into the "students' militia," while still maintaining a degree of independence. Haqqani, who had also served as chief commander of the Hizb-e-Islami faction of Moulvi Yunus Khalid against Soviet forces, was appointed as minister for border affairs in the first Taliban government. He died in September 2018 in his home province of Paktia at the age of early 80s. Haqqanis are members of the Pashtun ethnic group from the Zadran clan. The network has long been accused by the West of having links with foreign militants, particularly Al-Qaeda. Here are the key network members involved in the Taliban's ongoing efforts to install an inclusive government and maintain
security in Afghanistan. SIRAJUDDIN HAQQANI: Years before the death of his father Jalaluddin Haqqani, Siraj had taken over the network. Under his command, the group carried out numerous high-profile attacks, mainly in Kabul, against foreign forces, prompting Washington to designate the network as a terrorist outfit in Sep. 2012. He is also known as Khalifa sahib among his followers. After the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, the Taliban's second supreme leader, Siraj was appointed as one of the three deputies to the current leader Mullah Haibitullah Akundzada in 2016. Jalaluddin Haqqani had set up a seminary in the town of Ghulam Khan in North Waziristan in the 1980s, which is still in operation.
The US State Department has offered a bounty of up to $5 million for information leading directly to Siraj's arrest. He is believed to have been in Paktia and overseeing the security of eastern Afghanistan, a stronghold of the Taliban. KHALILUR RAHMAN HAQQANI: Khalilur Rahman Haqqani, an uncle of Sirajuddin, has been tasked with overseeing security in Kabul, where things are gradually returning to normal. Rahman, Jalaluddin Haqqani's stepbrother, is suspected as the mastermind of some of Afghanistan's deadliest attacks on foreign forces. Washington designated Rahman a global terrorist in February 2011, offering a $5 million bounty for information leading to his arrest, as well. He has also been added to the UN's list
of terrorists. ANAS HAQQANI: Anas, the youngest of Jalaluddin Haqqani sons, is leading efforts to form a governance system in Kabul following the collapse of the Afghan government by the recent Taliban blitz. As a chief Taliban negotiator, he has met with various groups and leaders, including former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, former top peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah, and former veteran Mujahideen commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. According to journalist Hamid Mir, Anas is one of the Taliban's most-lettered figures. Anas, a poet and author, rose to prominence after being sentenced to death by an Afghan court in 2016. However, he was released by the Kabul government in exchange for the Taliban's release of Western captives in 2019.
Thursday, 26 August, 2021
SPORTS 11
KARACHI
EurOPEAn Clubs And FIFA AT Odds OvEr WOrld CuP quAlIFIErs LONDON
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REUTERS
UROPEAN clubs have accused world soccer's governing body FIFA of abusing its regulatory function in a growing row over the extended release of players for World Cup qualifiers in September and October. The Premier league and Spain's LaLiga both said they backed clubs refusing to make players available for matches in South America. Premier League sides will be particularly hard hit by FIFA's decision to extend a mandatory release period from nine to 11 days, to enable triple-headers to take place in South America. England's strict quarantine rules have also added to the headache, with the Premier League saying no exemption had been grantedby government for soccer players. Liverpool had already refused to allow forward Mohamed Salah to travel to Africa for World Cup qualifiers with Egypt next month because he would be forced to quarantine on his return to England.
The same measures could affect Liverpool’s Brazilian trio of Roberto Firmino, Alisson Becker and Fabinho, who have been called up for next month’s qualifiers against Chile, Argentina and Peru. Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Peru are all on the British government's 'red list' of countries that trigger a 10-day hotel quarantine to guard against the spread of COVID-19. "Premier League clubs have today reluctantly but unanimously decided not to release players for international matches played in red-list countries next month," the league said in a statement. Premier League players would potentially miss two matches if they quarantined on their return. LALIGA SUPPORT: Spain's LaLiga said in a statement it would support clubs refusing to release their players for the South American qualifiers. "At the moment there are 25 players from 13 different clubs (affected), a number that could be expanded when the calls of Ecuador and Venezuela are announced," it said. "The Spanish association understands that the world calendar cannot and should
not be changed in this way, especially if there are alternative solutions." It said affected clubs would be summoned to a meeting in coming days. With World Cup qualifiers also in Africa, Asia, the CONCACAF region and Europe, the clubs are on a potential collision course with FIFA. The European Club Association (ECA) wrote to members, in a Q&A document seen by Reuters, saying FIFA had taken decisions unilaterally and "against the explicit objection of ECA and the rest of the stakeholders. "ECA has firmly expressed its objection to FIFA’s decision and has urged FIFA to review its position," it said. "ECA will not accept that a governing body like FIFA abuses its regulatory function in order to place its commercial interests and those of its member associations above the physical wellbeing of players and legitimate sporting interests of clubs." The ECA said FIFA had decided this month, at the request of South American confederation CONMEBOL, to extend the mandatory release period "in complete disregard to the clubs’ interests".
Fawad, Shaheen attain career-best Test rankings ALAM’S UNBEATEN 124 IN THE FIRST INNINGS HAS HELPED HIM SHOOT UP 34 PLACES TO 21ST POSITION SPORTS DESK Left-handed batter Fawad Alam and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi have achieved career-best positions in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings after helping Pakistan win the second Test against the West Indies in Kingston to draw their two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-1. Alam’s unbeaten 124 in the first innings has helped
him shoot up 34 places to 21st position. Shaheen has gained 10 slots to reach eighth position after a 10-wicket match haul that helped seal a 109-run victory and won him the Player of the Match award. Fawad, who has struck four centuries since his return to Test cricket in August last year, had a previous best of 47th position attained in May this year
England's Archer aims to return for Windies tests after injury LONDON REUTERS
England's Jofra Archer said he hopes to be fit for the test series against the West Indies in March after the fast bowler was ruled out of this year's T20 World Cup and the Ashes due to a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow. Archer underwent an operation in May to remove a bone fragment from his elbow and missed England's two-test series in June against New Zealand, which they lost 1-0. The 26-year-old was also ruled out of the ongoing five-test series against India, which England are trailing 1-0, with the third test set to begin later on Wednesday. "The reason I had an operation in May was because I wanted to sort out the problem once and for all. I don't want this thing hanging over me," Archer told the Daily Mail. "If I do end up with another stress fracture, I may have a different view on things as regards to my future. But for the moment, I'm still only 26 and I think my best years as a test cricketer are ahead of me. I'm trying to be cautious about when I make my comeback, but I guess there's a chance I'll be ready in time for England's three-test series against West Indies in the Caribbean in March. But I can't make any promises." Barbados-born Archer has been plagued by the injury since early 2020 and it kept him out of this year's Indian Premier League.
FIFA to receive over $201 million in compensation from corruption probe REUTERS FIFA, world soccer's governing body, will receive $201 million in compensation for losses sustained in global soccer corruption schemes, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), said on Tuesday. The money was seized from the bank accounts of former officials who were involved in the schemes and then prosecuted following a probe into years of corruption within world soccer. Since the DOJ unveiled the corruption probe in 2015, more than 50 defendants have been criminally charged. Twenty seven people and four corporate entities have pleaded guilty, and two people were convicted at trial. "Today’s announcement confirms that money stolen by corrupt soccer officials and sports marketing executives through fraud and greed will be returned to where it belongs and used to benefit the sport,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis for the Eastern District of New York in a statement. “From the start, this investigation and prosecution have been focused on bringing wrongdoers to justice and restoring ill-gotten gains to those who work for the benefit of the beautiful game." The DOJ said $32.3 million in forfeited funds has been approved for an initial distribution to FIFA, CONCACAF, the confederation responsible for soccer in North and Central America, CONMEBOL, which represents soccer in South America, and various constituent national soccer federations. The funds will go into a new World Football Remission Fund to help finance football-related projects across the globe.
while Afridi’s 18th position before this Test was his highest. Shaheen, who also finished as the Player of the Series with 18 wickets, had started the series in 22nd position. Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the two Pakistan players ahead of Fawad in the batters’ list, have also gained. Babar’s scores of 75 and 33 have helped him advance one slot to seventh position, two below his career-best fifth position in August last year, while Rizwan is back in the top 20 with scores of 31 and 10 not out. Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali is another one to gain in the latest weekly update to the men’s rankings that is carried out across formats on Wednesdays. His threewicket haul in the second innings has helped him progress from 48th to 44th position. For the West Indies, all-rounder Jason Holder has advanced six places to 37th among batters with scores of 26 and 47. Fast bowler Jayden Seales, the most successful after Shaheen with 11 wickets in the series, has moved up four slots to 54th after his three first innings wickets.
Serena Williams withdraws from US Open due to torn hamstring REUTERS Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week's U.S. Open after the American said on Wednesday that her torn hamstring had not completely healed ahead of the final Grand Slam of the year. Williams, a six-times winner at Flushing Meadows, has had an injury-marred season and limped out of her first-round match at Wimbledon in tears due to the leg injury. The 39-yearold, who has been on the hunt for an elusive 24th major, skipped the Olympics in Tokyo and also opted out of the Cincinnati Masters, a tune-up event to the U.S. Open. "After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the U.S. Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring," Williams wrote in a statement on Instagram. "New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favourite places to play -- I'll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone from afar." Williams is the latest big name to pull out of
the tournament after reigning men's champion Dominic Thiem and four-times winner Rafa Nadal ended their 2021 season due to injuries. Her withdrawal from the tournament casts further doubt over whether she can match Margaret Court's record of 24 major titles, as she turns 40 next month. Williams has reached the finals in four Grand Slams since giving birth to daughter Olympia four years ago but has not triumphed in a major since picking up her 23rd title at the 2017 Australian Open, losing in straight sets on each occasion. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer Pam Shriver said she was uncertain whether Williams could break through, given the depth of talent in women's tennis. "Unfortunately time is really running out," said Shriver. "Since she came back from maternity leave she did get to four major finals, unfortunately was never in one of them really... She certainly had opportunities." The main draw of the U.S. Open gets underway in New York on Monday.
Formula One announces new award for overtaking LONDON REUTERS
Formula One announced a new sponsored award on Tuesday for the driver who completes the most overtakes during the course of a season. The award, carrying the name of cryptocurrency partner crypto.com, lines up alongside those offered for the fastest lap and fastest pitstop. Formula One said in a statement that it was "designed to celebrate the bravery exhibited by drivers who make bold moves in pursuit of success." Some social media critics suggested it could also be a reward for poor qualifying, with top drivers who started out of position more likely to make a significant number of overtakes during the race.
Pakistan’s Haniya wins silver medal in Asian Tennis Championship in Kazakhstan SPORTS DESK Haniya Minhas, Pakistan’s rising tennis star, has achieved another victory by winning a silver medal in the Asian Tennis Championship Grade A tournament held in Kazakhstan. Haniya is a dedicated and passionate individual who is consistent in pursuing her dreams while establishing her country’s name internationally. She has once again proven that nothing is impossible by competing in the U-14 level international tournaments, aged just 10. Haniya participated in the Asian Tennis Championship in Kazakhstan and secured the silver medal, despite all odds. Haniya is a symbol of strength and utmost resilience for many young talented individuals who wants to achieve something in life. She was supported by BARD Foundation and DESCON on this glorious journey towards success.
Ehsan Mani likely to stay on as PCB chairman, Ramiz Raja set to join BoG MANI CONVINCED THE PREMIER THAT HIS PRESENCE IS INDISPENSABLE AT THE MOMENT SPORTS DESK The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani is likely to continue in his role, despite rumours about former captain Ramiz Raja replacing him. Mani, whose three-year tenure is set to end today, is likely to get an extension after he convinced Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also PCB’s Patron-in-Chief, that his presence is indispensable, at the moment, inorder to ensure that upcoming tours of Pakistan by top
sides, such as England and New Zealand, process of hosting ICC events, implementation of new domestic structure and revising the financial model for the Pakistan Super League stays on track. Mani also met PM Imran, for a second successive day, inorder to brief the premier about his future plans. Sources added that people close to Mani also raised voice in the PCB chairman’s favour as they believe that, after widespread speculation in media about his future in the past few days, it will be embarrassing for the
76-year-old to exit in such a manner. They added that it will also give the impression that Mani was not able to do his job properly. Meanwhile, Raja is likely to be nominated for the Board of Governors by PM Imran. It is also possible that Mani might resign, after a brief period of time, and give Raja the opportunity to run the board’s affairs in the future. It must be noted that many former cricketers had advised PM Imran to appoint a cricketer as PCB chairman.
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ESTERN nations rushed to complete the evacuation of thousands of people from Afghanistan on Wednesday as the Aug. 31 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops drew closer with no sign that the country’s new Taliban rulers might allow an extension. In one of the biggest such airlifts ever, the United States and its allies have evacuated more than 70,000 people, including their citizens, NATO personnel and Afghans at risk, since Aug. 14, the day before the Taliban swept into the capital Kabul to bring to an end a 20-year foreign military presence. U.S. President Joe Biden said U.S. troops in Afghanistan faced mounting danger and aid agencies warned of an impending humanitarian crisis for the population left behind. Biden said they were on pace to meet the deadline, set under an agreement struck with the Islamist group last year to end America’s longest war. “The sooner we can finish, the better,” Biden said on Tuesday. “Each day of operations brings added risk to our troops.” Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was growing concern about the risk of suicide bombings by Islamic State at the airport. British foreign minister Dominic Raab said the deadline for evacuating people was up to the last minute of the month. Tens of thousands of Afghans fearing persecution have thronged Kabul’s airport since the Taliban takeover, the lucky ones securing seats on flights. Many people milled about outside the airport – where soldiers from the United States, Britain and
other nations were trying to maintain order amid the dust and heat – hoping to get out. They carried bags and suitcases stuffed with possessions, and waved documents at soldiers in the hope of gaining entry. One man, standing knee-deep in a flooded ditch, passed a child to man above. “I learned from an email from London that the Americans are taking people out, that’s why I’ve come so I can go abroad,” said one man, Aizaz Ullah. While the focus is now on those trying to flee, the risk of starvation, disease and persecution is rising for the rest of the population, aid agencies say. “There’s a perfect storm coming because of several years of drought, conflict, economic deterioration, compounded by COVID,” David Beasley, executive director of the U.N. World Food Programme, told Reuters in Doha, calling for the international community to donate $200 million in food aid. “The number of people marching towards starvation has spiked to now 14 million.” The EU said this week it was planning to quadruple aid and was seeking coordination with the United Nations on delivery as well as safety guarantees on the ground. The U.N. human rights chief said she had received credible reports of serious violations by the Taliban, including “summary executions” of civilians and Afghan security forces who had surrendered. The Taliban have said they will investigate reports of atrocities. The Taliban’s 1996-2001 rule was marked by harsh sharia law, with many political rights and basic freedoms curtailed and women severely oppressed. Afghanistan was also a hub for anti-Western mili-
tants, and Washington, London and others fear it might become so again. LAND ROUTES: A NATO country diplomat in Kabul, who declined to be identified, said several international aid groups were desperate to get Afghan staff out and neighbouring countries should open their land borders to allow more people to leave. “Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan should be pulling out far more people using either air or land routes. It’s vital air and land routes are used at a very fast pace,” the diplomat told Reuters. The Taliban said all foreign evacuations must be completed by Aug. 31, and asked the United States to stop urging talented Afghans to leave, while also trying to persuade people at the airport to go home, saying they had nothing to fear. “Foreign troops should withdraw by the deadline. It will pave the way for the resumption of civilian flights,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter. “People with legal documents can travel through commercial flights after Aug. 31.” The Dutch government, echoing some other governments, said it was all but certain that many people eligible for asylum would not be taken out in time. Dutch troops had managed to get more than 100 people to Kabul airport, Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag said, but hundreds of others risked being left behind. The U.S.-backed government collapsed as the United States and its allies withdrew troops two decades after they ousted the Taliban in the weeks after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States by al Qaeda, whose leaders had found safe haven in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Taliban leaders have begun talks on forming a government. reuters
Pakistan Army and Taliban personnel guard the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing. inp
HRW claim of proposed regulator aimed at curbing press freedom rejected WASHINGTON staff report
Pakistan has rejected a report of the Human Rights Watch concerning the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority that claimed the establishment of the body was part of the government’s “crackdown on freedom of expression”. In May, the government, in a bid to converge multiple media regulatory bodies and expand the ambit of regulation for digital media, proposed the formation of the authority — a move
which met with fierce opposition from press freedom activists. Representative media bodies — including the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Broadcasters Association and factions of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists — declared the proposed ordinance “an unconstitutional and draconian law”. The New York-based rights body claimed that the proposed watchdog will replace the incumbent Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in intensifying the “campaign of re-
pression of the media” in the country. Responding to the report, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s embassy in Washington said the claim was “factually incorrect” and that there was “no plan to introduce the regulatory body through an ordinance”, instead of a bill first tabled before the National Assembly, as feared. In a letter addressed to Patricia Grossman, author of the report, Press Attaché Maliha Shahid regretted the former “did not even bother” to crosscheck the information with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
“Presently, over a half dozen outdated laws and set of rules are being implemented through multiple bodies to regulate media which do not match with the modern-day requirements of ‘converged media’,” Shahid recalled. She observed there was a need to introduce holistic policy responses to the challenges of rampant fake news and disinformation targeting Pakistan, hate speech, abusive content, privacy issues, copyright violations in the emerging information communication technologies.
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Misbah-ul-Haq tests positive for Covid-19, to quarantine in Jamaica Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan head coach, has tested positive for Covid-19 in Kingston, where Pakistan completed their series of four T20Is and two Tests against West Indies. Misbah will now stay on and complete his 10-day quarantine before travelling home, even as the rest of the Pakistan contingent leaves for Lahore late on Wednesday. In a statement, the PCB said that Misbah, who is asymptomatic, “was the only Pakistan squad member who failed two pre-departure PCR tests”. “The PCB is constantly in touch with Cricket West Indies who have confirmed that Misbah will be shifted to another hotel for the 10-day quarantine with a medical specialist assigned to look after his health and well-being,” the statement said. It was a rainmarred but largely successful tour for Pakistan. Their four-match T20I series had three games that ended in noresults because of the weather, but they won the only completed game, the second, by seven runs to take the series. Then came the Test series, where West Indies clinched a thriller by one wicket to go 1-0 up, but Shaheen Afridi and Fawad Alam headlined Pakistan’s bounceback in the second Test to give them a 109-run series-squaring win on Tuesday. Pakistan are now scheduled to host New Zealand for three ODIs (in Rawalpindi) and five T20Is (in Lahore) from September 17, with the visitors going across to Pakistan – after their tour of Bangladesh – for the first time in nearly 18 years. As part of the home season, Pakistan are also expected to host England for two T20Is (before the Men’s T20 World Cup, in October), and Australia early next year. news desk
US, China accuse each other of ‘bullying’ nations HANOI/SHANGHAI: US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday again charged China with bullying its Southeast Asian neighbours, the second time in two days she has attacked Beijing during a regional visit aimed at countering China’s growing influence. Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese state media accused Harris of seeking to drive a wedge between China and Southeast Asian nations with comments in Singapore that Beijing used coercion and intimidation to back its South China Sea claims. Speaking in Hanoi on Wednesday, Harris said there was a need to increase pressure on Beijing over its maritime claims. “We need to find ways to pressure, raise the pressure […] on Beijing to abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to challenge, its bullying and excessive maritime claims,” said Harris during a meeting with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan, lay claim to parts of the South China Sea, which is crossed by vital shipping lanes and contains gas fields and rich fishing grounds. China has established military outposts on artificial islands in the South China Sea and objects to foreign warships sailing through what it claims is its sovereign waters. 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. In 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against China’s claim, but Beijing has rejected the ruling. “While pointing a finger at China and accusing it of ‘coercion’ and ‘intimidation’, Harris willfully ignored her own hypocrisy in attempting to coerce and intimidate regional countries to join Washington in its scheme to contain China,” the state-run China Daily said in an editorial responding to Harris’s comments in Singapore. Harris’s Singapore speech was a baseless attack on China, the editorial said. “It seems that the United States’ only commitment to Southeast Asia is its dedicated efforts to drive a wedge between the Southeast Asian nations and China,” it added. 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 Defense Lloyd Austin, who visited Hanoi in late July. Harris’s arrival in Hanoi was delayed on Tuesday after the US Embassy in Vietnam said it had detected an “anomalous health incident”, potentially related to the mysterious Havana Syndrome. During the delay, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and China’s ambassador to Vietnam held a previously unannounced meeting, during which China said Vietnam does not take sides in foreign policy. The Chinese ambassador promised a donation of 2 million Covid-19 vaccines during the meeting. China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner and Vietnam is heavily reliant on materials and equipment from China for its manufacturing activities. Their ruling Communist Parties maintain close ties, but Vietnam and China have been embroiled in a longstanding dispute over maritime claims in the South China Sea, known as the East Sea in Vietnam. reuters
Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan brings opportunities, challenges for Pakistan ISLAMABAD anadolu agency
As the Taliban scramble to put up a new governance structure in Afghanistan, analysts reckon that Pakistan will carry a mixed bag of advantages and challenges under the upcoming regime in the war-torn country. They also caution that things could not be as smooth as Islamabad is expecting from a “friendly” government in Kabul as the Taliban’s “medieval ideology” may turn out to
be a stalemate, not only for Pakistan but for the regional countries as well. “The first and foremost advantage for Pakistan is that it will have a government in Kabul after decades, which is not inimical to it. It is indeed a great sigh of relief for Islamabad,” retired Gen Talat Masood, an Islamabad-based security analyst, said. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Masood foresaw a significant decline in anti-Pakistan activities allegedly carried out from the Afghan soil during the previous regimes.
Pakistan has long been pointing to a “nexus” of intelligence agencies of India and Afghanistan patronising the groups involved in cross-border attacks on its security forces. Another positive change, according to Masood who served in the Pakistan army from 1952 to 1990, will be strict border control. “Given a strict discipline within the Taliban ranks, it is quite possible that drugs and smuggling activities through Afghanistan border will decline,” he maintained. Retired Brig Mahmood Shah, a Peshawar-
based expert on Afghan affairs, opined that the end of the war in the neighborhood is the core event to celebrate for Islamabad. “The end of the war in Afghanistan is the biggest advantage for Pakistan. This war had inflicted terrorism on Pakistan. Peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan,” Shah told Anadolu Agency, referring to over 70,000 casualties, and a colossal loss of more than $150 billion the country suffered since the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Also, he added, a significant reduction in
Indian influence in Kabul, following the Taliban takeover, is another gift for Islamabad. “Nearly $3 billion Indian investment is in clear jeopardy. It does not mean the doors of Afghanistan have been shut for New Delhi but it would certainly not have the leverage to operate as it did during the previous regime,” he argued. KABUL’S INCLUSION IN CPEC: Although, Islamabad contends it has no favorites in Afghanistan, its influence over the Taliban is viewed as crucial.
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