E-Paper PDF 22 October (LHR)

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Tuesday, 22 October, 2019 I 22 Safar-ul-Muzaffar, 1441 I Rs 20.00 I Vol X No 112 I 16 Pages I Lahore Edition

Imran InvItes joInt Investments under CPeC KARACHI

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Pm tells PtI, mQm lawmakers Federal Govt Is wIllInG to helP ProvInces For PUblIc Good

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staff report

rime minister imran Khan on monday expressed support for joint investments in various sectors under the China-Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC), as he inaugurated the 1,320megawatt China Hub Power Generation Plant in Balochistan.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, imran said that this is the first joint project under CPeC and the government wants to see the pattern evolve in the future. “i am happy that under CPeC, the first joint project [is being inaugurated]. We want to see the pattern con-

Pakistan to expose India’s false claims today STORY ON BACK PAGE

Nawaz shifted to hospital as his health worsens

STORY ON PAGE 03

Govt bans JUI-F’s 'militant wing' Police arrest two JUI-F leaders in Islamabad ahead of Azadi March STORIES ON PAGES 02 & 03

Full bench hearing of Justice Isa case deferred over ‘non-availability’ of judge STORY ON BACK PAGE

NAB forms six-member committee to address businessmen’s ‘valid complaints’ STORY ON PAGE 02

tinue,” the premier said, adding that big Chinese companies want to come to Pakistan.

“The joint projects are welcome; the government will fully support [such projects],” he said, requesting the managers of the newly built power plant to consume at least 20 per cent coal from the Thar coal reserves. The project “will help us reduce the Current Account Deficit (CAD),” he added.

The premier also said that the government is moving towards the second phase of CPeC and it has established CPeC Authority to facilitate projects under the programme.

“During my recent visit to China, the president and prime minister expressed interest in boosting CPeC projects,” he said.

The prime minister said that Chinese companies are better than their Pakistani counterparts in terms of productivity and the country would like to benefit from their skills. He added that the government will introduce new techniques in farming sector in collaboration with Chinese enterprises.

The prime minister congratulated Hubco Chairman Habibullah Khan on the project and asked him to use more indigenous coal for power generation. He also asked him to work on water projects for Karachi. imran expressed disappointment over the “inability” of the previous governments to utilise the rich hydropower resources available in Pakistan.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 02

CMYK Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

02 NEWS

naB forms six-memBer committee to address Businessmen’s ‘valid complaints’ ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday formed a six-member committee for the improvement of the economy and to address the reservations of the business community and their “valid complaints”.

The committee includes SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President Iftikhar Ali Malik, Pakistan Federation of Chamber and Industry President Daro Khan Achakzai, Bank Al-Falah former president Atif Bajwa, Lahore Chamber and Industry President Anjum Nisar, Millat Tractors Chairman Sikandar Mustafa Khan and Citizens-Police Liaison Committee Karachi’s former chief Jamil Yousuf.

In a press release, the accountability watchdog said that the committee has been formed after consultation with

NAB’s executive board using the powers granted to it by Section 33(C) of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999. The committee will forward recommendations for the solution of traders’ issues to NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal after thorough review. These recommendations will be thoroughly reviewed by a three-member committee — consisting of the NAB deputy chairman, NAB prosecutor general of accountability and DG operations NAB — which will then present its final recommendations to the NAB chairman.

A decision will be taken on the proposals “without any delay and in accordance with the law”, the NAB press release said. The business community committee will also be able to present its requests directly to the NAB chairman and “a legal solution will be devised for every issue through mutual understanding”, it added.

However, the handout stated that the decision taken by the NAB chairman will be “final” during the process and complaints regarding the references that have already been filed will not be admissible.

“The status of the aforesaid committee of the business community will only be consultative and there will be no prohibition on the use of authority legally granted to NAB,” the press release added as a proviso.

It said that NAB “immensely respects” the business community and every step possible will be taken for the country’s prosperity and improvement of the economy.

“NAB’s first and last association is only with the state of Pakistan and its prosperity,” the statement concluded.

Earlier on October 6, the NAB chairman had categorically rebutted some of the reservations of the business community during a press conference

held in Islamabad. “Not merely a single institution responsible for the economic crisis. We are neither without reins nor wholly independent, it will be difficult to remain silent under the fire of criticism. We will not let businessmen get demoralise as we aim for eradication of corruption only,” the bureau’s chief said. “Some of the traders’ impressions regarding NAB are unreasonable and I negate some of the business community’s concerns about the bureau,” he stated, adding that the bureau instead has been striving to facilitate the business community with better environment to operate in.

“Traders expressed reservations over NAB during their meeting with the Prime Minister [Imran Khan] and Chief of the Army Staff [General Qamar Javed Bajwa],” he said. “The bureau will never take unfriendly steps for businessmen. NAB does not formulate business policies,” he added.

Blast near police van in Quetta wounds four QUETTA: A blast targeted a police van on Monday, injuring four people, including three policemen. Police said that explosive material was planted in a motorcycle on Quetta’s Spinny Road. Balochistan’s provincial capital is observing a series of blasts, in which, the prime target is security officials. Last week, at least one person died in an explosion at the city’s Double Road. Officials said that 10 others were injured in the same blast. Apart from attacks targeting police vehicles, on September 28, a blast on Chaman’s Taj Road killed three people, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl leader Maulana Mohammad Hanif.

According to police, the blast took place in front of the JUI-F leader’s office, wounding 17 others. STAFF REPORT

india to sign Kartarpur corridor agreement on oct 23 India on Monday conveyed its willingness to sign the Kartarpur Corridor agreement on October 23 – three weeks ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Sahib. In a statement on Monday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi took initiatives to “put in place the state of art infrastructure” and open the corridor for Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

“In view of the long pending demand of the pilgrims to have visa free access to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib … [the Indian] Government has today conveyed that we would be ready to sign the Agreement on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on 23 October 2019,” read the statement. New Delhi has, however, maintained its reservations over the $20 per pilgrim fee proposed by Pakistan. “[The Indian] Government has consistently urged Pakistan that in deference to the wishes of the pilgrims, it should not levy such a fee,” read the MEA statement. India urged Pakistan to reconsider “its insistence to levy service fee on pilgrims” and said it would be “ready to amend the agreement accordingly at any time.” Pakistan handed the final draft of the proposed bilateral agreement to India on October 11. Islamabad has also accepted New Delhi’s demand to allow devotees of other faiths – Hindus, Christians, Zoroastrians etc – to visit Baba Guru Nanak Devji’s final resting place. The agreement, according to sources, will be signed either at Zero Point of Lahore’s Wagah border or the Kartarpur border. NEWS DESK

Imran invites joint investments under CPEC contInueD froM pAge 01 Talking about his government’s economic reforms, he said that the government is committed to facilitating ease of doing business in the country to attract foreign investments. He added that red tapism and undue hurdles in the way of business are being removed. “Balochistan has rich mineral deposits. During my visit to the US, the chairman of the company previously working with Rekodik project informed me that Pakistan has one of the largest and finest gold reserves in the world,” he said, adding that the chairman of the said company was still interested in working with Pakistan as they are confident of the incumbent “corruption-free government”.

The prime minister said that apart from mineral resources, Balochistan has vast fisheries resources and development in this sector can help bring valuable foreign exchange to the country. He said that the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) government inherited a record debt which led to more inflation, devaluation of rupee and other challenges. However, difficult decisions were made which have started yielding positive results, he added. The prime minister said that for the sake of prosperity in the future, the country should opt for honest and dedicated governance. “We are committed to the development of our youth,” he said, adding that youngsters are the biggest asset of Pakistan and the government will give

them skill training to work in various sectors. He said that centers of artificial intelligence, robotics and other modern fields are being opened to prepare the youth for the modern work requirements.

Earlier, in his address, Balochistan Chief Minister Jamal Kamal Khan said that investment worth billions of dollars in the province will change the outlook of Balochistan. He said that the province will become a hub of investment in the coming days. Jam Kamal further said that PM Imran is taking special interest in development of Balochistan. The chief minister said that Balochistan is an unexploited province and is the only place in Pakistan that can boost the economic frontiers of the country in the coming years.

He said that the province is endowed with rich mineral resources that are largely untapped and investors can take advantage of these assets. Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing, federal ministers and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.

PREMIER’S KARACHI VISIT: During his visit to Karachi earlier in the day, the premier told his party’s provincial lawmakers that resolution of Karachi’s problems is responsibility of the Sindh government, but the federal government is also contributing from its own resources to resolve these issues in view of public welfare.

Imran said that federal government is fully aware of water, transport, waste

Police arrest two JUI-F leaders in Islamabad ahead of Azadi March ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Two leaders of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) were arrested from Islamabad on Monday and a case was lodged against them by the police.

According to reports, Maulana Shafiqur Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Arshad were arrested from Shams Colony along with banners for the JUI-F sit-in in their possession. Police allege that the duo were urging people to participate in the

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management and other issues being faced by the residents of Karachi.

He said that Karachi is economic hub of Pakistan, but it is unfortunate that the people and issues of the metropolis were ignored in the past. The prime minister said that local government system will be helpful in resolution of Karachi’s problems. He said that poor economic condition of Sindh is a result of corruption. He directed the federal ministers to intensify their interactions with lawmakers hailing from Karachi. Planning Minister Khusro Bakhtiyar also briefed members of the Sindh Assembly about the development projects being completed and to be accomplished by the federal government.

Sindh governor, on behalf of the federation, assured that K-4 project will be completed at all costs.

The lawmakers also apprised the prime minister about various problems of their respective constituencies.

Separately, the premier also met a delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) who called on him during his visit. The delegation apprised him about the various problems being faced by the people of the provincial capital. The premier was accompanied by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati, Minister for Planning and Development Makhdom Khusro Bakht Yar, Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar and Asad Umar.

Azadi March being organised by the JUI-F against the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Police officials said that a few people were spotted putting up banners for the JUI-F sit-in, but fled as soon as the police force started chasing them.

Police said the suspects had challenged the administration by putting up banners despite the fact that Section 144 had been imposed in the area. Meanwhile, a case has been filed against JUI-F representatives over allegedly asking extortion from the people of Karachi for Azadi March. According to police personnel, JUI-F’s local leaders Sabir Ashrafi, Hanif and Saleem have been named in the case lodged by PTI leader Kashif Nizami. STAFF REPORT

CMYK Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

nawaz shifted to hospital as his health worsens f LAHore

STAFF REPORT

ORMER premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif was shifted to the Services Hospital on Monday night after his health worsened.Party workers reached the NAB office in Lahore and started protesting outside the main gate for the provision of better health facilities to the former premier.At the hospital, the PML-N supremo was tested for dengue fever but the test returned negative.

Earlier in the day, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said that the government's reluctance to shift the former premier to a hospital for medical care was the worst example of "political vengeance and insensitivity"."If anything happens to Nawaz, we will blame Prime Minister Imran Khan for it," he said.

Nawaz's physician Dr Adnan Malik also said that his platelet count was critically low which could be due to multiple pathologies. "Former PM #NawazSharif is detected to have critically low Platelet Count (16*10^9/L) that could be due to multiple pathologies & requires immediate in-hospital care. I’ve requested the concerned authorities to act in

urgency please," he said. He said that Nawaz required immediate in-hospital care. “Former PM

#NawazSharif is detected to have critically low Platelet Count (16*10^9/L) that could be due to multiple pathologies & requires immediate in-hospital care. I’ve requested the concerned authorities to act in urgency please,” he said.

Meanwhile, PML-N leader and Nawaz's son-inlaw Captain (r) Safdar was arrested by the police over his "provocative speeches".

Nawaz, who has thrice been the prime minister of Pakistan, was incarcerated at the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore before being shifted to NAB's detention centre in Lahore for interrogation in Chaudhary Sugar Mills corruption reference earlier this month. Last year, he was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted by an accountability court in the Al Azizia Steel Mills case.Despite the criticism from opposition and party workers, NAB officials have repeatedly said that Nawaz has been given proper medical facilities at the detention centre.

This is not the first time Nawaz has been shifted to the hospital. Earlier this year, he was shifted there for medical treatment after he suffered cardiac pain.

Before that he had been examined by a special team of doctors belonging to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).

Govt bans JUI-F’s ‘militant wing’ neWS DeSK The federal government on Monday decided to formally ban Ansar-ul-Islam, the “militant wing” of Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JUI-F), according to media reports. As the date for joint opposition’s Azadi March draws closer, the federal government is taking visible steps to thwart the protesters’ strategy, and the recent development appears to be a part of its efforts.

Reportedly, a three-page summary was moved by the Interior Ministry in this regard on October 18 and on Monday, the federal cabinet formally accorded approval to it just a day before it is set to meet. In its summary sent to the cabinet, the ministry had said, “Various source reports shared by our intelligence agencies and provincial governments with the Ministry of Interior [have] revealed that the JUI-F has established a militant wing, a private militia/Razakar force named ‘Ansar-ul-Islam’ to provide security to marchers for the Azadi March scheduled for October 27, 2019 and proposed sit-in in Islamabad from October 31, 2019.”

It had also said that Ansar-ul-Islam is capable of functioning as a military organisation, which is a violation of Article 256 of the Constitution.

“Ansar-ul-Islam was organised, trained and equipped and it was capable of being used to display physical force

in promoting Azadi March and objectives of the JUI-F,” the ministry further stated.

The summary highlighted that the uniformed force, carrying batons and sticks with wrapped barbed wire under a politico-religious party, apparently aims at challenging the writ of the government.

It also said that the rehearsals and march pasts carried out by the said force during a workers convention recently held in Peshawar, pledging allegiance to the top JUI-F leadership, has stirred fear among the general public and it is being seen as a private armed militia/combating force to confront the law enforcement agencies.

Explaining the possible danger posed by the militant wing of JUI-F, the ministry father said, “It is feared that the said private militant force, reportedly around 80,000 all over Pakistan, may sabotage public peace and create disorder and anarchy across the country during the planned Azadi March and other political activities by JUI-F.” The interior ministry had also expressed concerns that the private militia could be equipped with other objects, including arms and ammunition. Ansar-ul-Islam posed a real, present and severe threat to the peace and tranquillity of Islamabad and the four provinces, it added. Referring to the National Action Plan (NAP) and Article 146(1) of the Constitution, it had asked the federal cabinet to authorise it

to seek consent from the provinces so that the process of abolishing / banning Ansar-ul-Islam could be initiated.

According to reports, this decision was taken earnestly to avoid discussing the issue in Tuesday’s meeting. Last week, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said that the federal cabinet would take up the matter in its next meeting.

Usually, a summary is sent to all cabinet members who sign the copy to give their approval, but the summary is also deemed approved after a stipulated

period of time even if some members of the cabinet haven’t signed it.

It is worth mentioning here that on Sunday, the federal government had decided in principle to prevent the JUIF sit-in by taking various steps, which included the possibility of detaining the top leadership of JUI-F. A local news outlet had reported that if the negotiations between the party and the government failed, the law enforcement agencies might detain JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman along with the key leadership of the party.

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no talks unless opp allowed to take out azadi march on oct 27, says Jui-f leader ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamFazl (JUI-F) leader Akram Durrani on Monday said that the opposition will not hold any dialogue with the government unless they are allowed to take out their peaceful Azadi March on October 27.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting of opposition’s Rahbar Committee, the JUI-F leader said that it was decided in the meeting that the option of talks with the government would remain open only if the latter allows them to take out a peaceful Azadi March on October 27. Although he reiterated the opposition’s demand of the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said that the joint opposition was still open for a meeting with the committee constituted by the government for holding talks with the opposition. He also said that the statements of the premier and his minister imply that the government is not serious about holding dialogue with the opposition. The JUI-F leader denied reports that the opposition would step back from its decision of holding the march on October 27. “There would be no compromise on the march and it will be taken out as per schedule on October 27. Our march will remain peaceful,” he added. He further said that the opposition will stick to the conditions agreed upon in the All Parties Conference and no dialogue would take place in the absence of even a single member of the Rahbar Committee, therefore, the government should not approach the opposition parties separately.

The meeting of the Rahbar Committee was attended by the representatives of nine opposition parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Awami National Party (ANP). It is pertinent to mention here that the opposition’s decision follows federal cabinet’s approval to a summary seeking ban on the “militant wing” of the JUI-F. STAFF REPORT

opp’s rehber committee being controlled from jails: firdous

three new polio cases emerge as tally reaches Three new polio cases have been reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, taking the tally to 76 since January 1, 2019. The cases were detected in the districts of Lakki Marwat and Harnai, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre. One of the patients has died, it added. The first case is of an 11-month-old from Shahrag Tehsil in Balochistan’s Harnai area. It was reported that the family had moved to Harnai from Ziarat 20 days ago. The second victim is a seven-month-old infant girl from Serai Naurang Tehsil in Lakki Marwat. She died before a stool sample could be collected for test. The third polio case was also detected in the same area. The victim is a 21-month-old infant with a history of travel to South Waziristan and had received only one dose of routine vaccination during his stay in Afghanistan. NEWS DESK

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Monday that the Rehber Committee’s strings are being pulled from inside the jails.

Addressing a press conference, Firdous said that Jamiat-e-Ulema-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman is using young students for his own political gain and everyone is well aware of his tactics and won’t be fooled by him. “Rehber Committee itself needs guidance,” she added. “In Sindh, the law and order situation is at the lowest and people are dying due to starvation and different diseases,” she said. Opposition leaders’ children did not want to come to Pakistan but they were using others’ children for politics, she added. “The entire nation will observe ‘Black Day’ in solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren. They are part of Pakistan and won’t be left alone,” Firdous said. STAFF REPORT

PMDC employees hold protest against council’s dissolution ISLAMABAD APP

The employees of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Monday staged a protest against the dissolution of the council and establishment of Pakistan Medical Commission.

The protest was arranged on a call of PMDC Employees Movement, which also arranged a sit-in in front of the Council’s headquarters to raise their voice against the decision of dissolving the body. The speakers said that they would continue their protest till fulfilment of

their demands and urged the government to reserve back its decision of dissolution of PMDC. It is pertinent to mention here that the federal government had dissolved the existing body of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and established a new organization of Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) to regulate medical profession in the country.

According to an official of the Ministry of National Health Services, a new ordinance titled Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance 2019 had been signed in order to regulate and control of the

medical profession by establishing a uniform minimum standard of medical education and training and recognition of qualifications in medicine and dentistry.

He added the current PMDC had to dissolve for implementation of the new ordinance and the government had directed the temporary shutting down of the offices of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.

This would ensure the protection of the essential records and assets of PMDC while the offices would remain closed for one week, he added.

He said that the PMC would be a

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body corporate consisting of the Medical and Dental Council, the National Medical and Dental Academic Board and the National Medical Authority, which would act as a Secretariat of the Commission.

The government had acted immediately to protect the extremely important records relating to licensing and registration of the all medical and dental practitioners in Pakistan as well as the records of medical and dental educational institutions in view of the approval of the new Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance. The new Medical Commission is expected to start operations within a

week. He regretted on the inconvenience caused to practitioners and made it clear that it was essential to protect the original records and assets of PMDC which was the priority and responsibility of the government.

In order to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to ongoing medical and dental admissions, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination would be taking necessary steps immediately for the supervision and overseeing of the admissions process to ensure it was properly completed, he added.

04 LAHORE igp commends police for providing best security on arba’een LAHORE: Inspector-General (IG) of Police Punjab Captain (R) Arif Nawaz Khan commended Punjab Police for providing best security arrangements on the event of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain A.S and Urs of Hazrat Data Ali Hajveri r.a.

IG while praising officers and officials of Punjab Police for providing foolproof security arrangements said that Punjab Police deserve applause for doing security duties with full commitment and dutifulness.

These views were expressed by him when he communicated his wireless message to CCPO Lahore, all RPOs, CPOs and DPOs including all force.

He further said that I congratulate to all police force including district police, Elite Punjab, Punjab Highway Patrol, Dolphin, PRU, Wireless Staff, Traffic Staff, Control Room staff, Special Branch, Punjab Constabulary, CTD and Ministerial staff whose dutifulness and professionalism successfully maintained the environment of law and order across the province.

He advised the officials that they should continue their duties with the same zeal and determination in the future too.

First priority should always be to ensure coordination between the police and the public, he concluded. PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

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anOther child abducted as pOlice fail tO curb crimes in lahOre SHAHDArA police fAilS to trAce WomAn AnD Her teenAge SiSter WHo Were KiDnAppeD tWo montHS Ago LAHORE

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FIDA HUSSNAIN

ESPITE the public’s protests against the recent increase in crimes in the provincial capital and nearby cities, including Kasur, where children were abducted, raped and murdered, the police have failed miserably performing their fundamental duty.

On Monday, five-year-old Muhammad Yahya was kidnapped from the Liaqatabad area of Lahore when he went to a nearby shop to buy some food.

After waiting for hours for him to return, the boy’s family looked everywhere, including the local mosque where he studied, but he was nowhere

to be found.

The child’s family said that when it occurred to them that their son might have been kidnapped, they went to the Liaqatabad police station to lodge a formal complaint against their son’s “abduction”. However, the police, instead of taking action on the complaint, demanded money from the worried parents. “We have searched every corner of our vicinity and have been running from pillar to post but in vain and the police is not helping us either,” Muhammad Makki, the father of the missing child.

Azhar Mehmood, the child’s uncle, told this scribe that the police asked them to bring tea and cigarettes while they patiently waited instead of taking any action. “When we pressed

them to act quickly, they asked us for money,” he added.

This particular case is among many cases of violence against children and the state’s failure to protect them from harm. Last month, multiple bodies of children were found in the suburbs of Kasur, who had been subjected to sexual abuse before murder. After much hue and cry from the public, the police finally arrested a man named Sohail Shehzad after his DNA matched with the samples taken from the bodies of the children, and presented him before the court, which granted them the suspect’s physical remand.

While more cases of abductions continue to surface, police and other law enforcement agencies have also failed in retrieving those who had been abducted months ago.

A woman, along with her teenage sister, was abducted by unknown persons from the Shahdara area of Lahore but the police is still clueless about their whereabouts. Although one of the suspects in the case was taken into custody, the Lahore High Court (LHC) soon

granted him bail.

Shehnaz Bibi, ther mother of the kidnapped women, told this scribe that despite her constant appeals, the police had failed to properly assist her in finding her abducted daughters.

“My daughters have been kidnapped and my husband is helpless and too poor to do anything about it.

My home gives a deserted look. I cannot sleep. I cannot do anything,” the teary-eyed woman said, crying for security and justice.

She also said that she suspects the involvement of her daughter-in-law in the case because she had “strong connections” with some people.

After hearing the version of the victims’ families, Pakistan Today contacted Liaqatabad and Shahdara Town police stations. A similar response was received from both police stations as they said that they had been trying to trace the culprits and hoped they would be arrested soon. Regardless of visible inaction, the investigators of both police stations remained optimistic about finding the victims.

WASA officials under probe over multiple allegations of corruption WASA Director AbDul KAreem, Sub-engineer HAmzA, icHrA SDo zAHiD HuSSAin, icHrA Xen SufiyAn HAbib, Sub-engineer Amir tufAil AnD Sub engineer uSAmA unDer inveStigAtion LAHORE SHAHAB OMER

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Lahore has initiated an inquiry against Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) officials upon the allegations of misuse of powers by allotting work to blue-eyed vendors, Pakistan Today learnt on Monday.

According to sources privy to the matter, an applicant Mushtaq Chaudhary has lodged an application with the ACE director against the Allama Iqbal Town WASA Director Abdul Kareem and sub-engineer Hamza.

“Both of these officials are looting the public money and awarding work to their blue-eyed vendors for personal benefits.

The officers take vendors on board with the understanding that the vendors, after getting work orders, would give quotes to officers who would then carry out the work on their own whereas the vendors do not work despite taking money,” the complainant alleged in his application.

The applicant also alleged that only the vendors who pay handsome amounts to officers get work whereas all the work is limited to paperwork and nothing is done on ground.

He added that the concerned sub-divisional officer (SDO) and XEN are helpless as they are involved in the filing procedure and thus the officers get their signs done on the files and important paper.

The applicant also claimed that the corruption of the two WASA officers would be revealed if their progress from January 2019 to August 2019 was checked.

The applicant while providing references about vendors from whom Abdul Ka-

reem and Hamza had taken money, named Ahmed Enterprises from whom cash against 31 slips has been taken and MMI Traders from whom cash against 55 slips was taken without any slip being issued.

Further, the applicant also revealed that cash was taken for a building’s whitewash from NB builders but no such work was carried out.

Similarly, a huge amount was taken in cash from MMI Traders for repairing a tube well pump of Mustafa Town whereas the pump was already functioning properly.

Another similar application is against Ichra WASA’s staff officials who have been accused of taking money for repairing of sewerage systems in many areas while they remained in the same debilitating condition they were in before the repair work.

Similarly, substandard material was used in sewerage work also carried out in Data Ganj Buksh Road, Rasool Park, Shah Kamal Street, Ahmed Street, Sher Afghan Street and Yousaf Street.

The applicant claimed that Ichra WASA SDO Zahid Hussain and Ichra XEN Sufiyan Habib, sub-engineer Amir Tufail and subengineer Usama are actively involved in corruption and causing regular losses to the national exchequer.

Meanwhile, ACE Assistant Director (AD) Rana Asif Noor has started an inquiry against all accused including Zahid Hussain, Sufiyan Habib, Amir Tufail, Usama, Abdul Kareem and Hamza.

On the other hand, WASA Director Abdul Kareem denied the allegations against him and his colleagues. “All these allegations are baseless and they are not involved in any kind of corruption,” he said when contacted by this scribe.

Over 424 dengue cases repOrted in city LAHORE: Over 424 confirmed dengue cases were reported from hospitals in the provincial capital. A spokesman for the health department revealed that 10 new dengue cases were reported from all hospitals in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

“We are working to overcome the situation on an emergency basis,” he said and added that a special cell set up by the Punjab chief minister (CM) was working round the clock to deal with the situation.

Further, dengue isolation wards have been set up in all hospitals, whereas anti-dengue teams have been formed to eliminate dengue larva.

Meanwhile, DC Lahore Asghar Joyia visited Tehsil Headquarters Raiwind to review antidengue arrangements as well. APP

CMYK Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

NEWS

ANF’s deNiAl oF video evideNce iN RANA sANAullAh cAse leAves egg oN AFRidi’s FAce

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NEWS DESK

INISTEr of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi’s tall claims regarding the recovery of heroin from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab President rana Sanaullah Khan’s possession seem to have put the PTI lawmaker in a tight spot as the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has denied that it made videos or took photographs at the time of the raid, according to a media report.

The ANF’s denial has made all other claims made by Afridi during pressers and in TV interviews dubious

while he continues to insist that Sanaullah was monitored for three weeks and all the video evidence is available.

“The video of heroin recovery from rana Sanaullah was also shown to the prime minister,” Afridi claimed in a recent interview on Geo News, adding that the evidence will be produced before the court once the trial begins.

He has also claimed that four judges have refused to hear the case against Sanaullah as “he is El Chapo of Pakistan and threatens people”.

Interestingly, the anti-narcotics judge hearing the case was repatriated to the Lahore High Court in the midst of the proceedings against Sanaullah and the duty judge has refused to conduct the indictment proceedings against the PML-N leader till the appointment of a regular judge.

CMYK

05

NAB opens another case against Khursheed Shah ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has opened another case against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah. According to the details, NAB is investigating a case against Khursheed Shah regarding steel mills and officially requested the Establishment Division to provide the record. In the request, NAB also asked for data of employees ranging from grade 1 to grade 15 and the recruitment method that was followed. In the letter, NAB requested data concerning decisions taken during the cabinet meetings.

During the hearing in court on Monday, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) head Dr Nadeem Qamar

presented a medical report that mentioned that Shah has been suffering from a heart ailment for the last 20 years. It was further stated in the medical report that along with heart ailment Shah is also suffering from blood pressure and breathing problems.

The court was requested that through an order, Shah should be immediately shifted to a hospital for medical attention.

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

Trudeau has faIled. VoTers should Toss hIm ouT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS SUCH A WEAK RECORD, IT HAS TRIED TO SELL ITS OPPRESSIVE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AS A BEATIFIC AURA THAT IS ITSELF A DISTINGUISHED NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

NatioNal Post

I

Conrad BlaCk

f Stephen Harper had retired five years ago, as many advised, he would be regarded as one of the country’s outstanding prime ministers and would have been spared the ultimate defeat that has needlessly ended the careers of many other leaders, including such distinguished statesmen as Laurier, St. Laurent, Adenauer, de Gaulle, Thatcher and Helmut Kohl. But he went for a fourth straight election without some of his best ministers, including the late Jim flaherty, John Baird and Peter MacKay, was more dictatorial than ever, conducted a completely incompetent campaign based on women’s headgear in public places and a conjured threat of mass migration from the Middle East, and was sent to the showers.

As I wrote here in the past two weeks, for four years we have had image government from his successor; pandering to voting sub-groups in a politically atomized country. All emphasis has been on unlimited pursuit of a pristine environment and the ma-

nipulation of gender issues and native policy. The government has declared the objective of “phasing out” fossil fuels (Alberta’s), with no regard to the resulting impoverishment of that province, and with the unnecessary continuation of Canada as an oil-importing country. The Canadian environment is not deteriorating, and climate alarm is being propagated for discreditable motives and with undesirable consequences.

Gender is a political red herring, as there is not a significant number of Canadians who harbour prejudices against people on the basis of sex or sexual orientation, and apart from reinforcing that freedom, the Trudeau government has massively overstressed these issues, which are not contentious, productive or even relevant. Native peoples’ questions have been focused on as part of the hunt for abuses to oppose, but no discernible material progress has been made to resolve their many problems. What has occurred is an improvement on the Harper policy of building more prisons to house native offenders, but that is damning with the faintest of praise. The lively diversion of marijuana legalization has been a fiasco because those licensed to produce and sell are constrained by rules that make it impossible for them to compete with the illegal providers.

Capital flows out of Canada are catastrophically large, a grim and inescapable omen for the near future, as money votes with its feet over where it chooses to generate economic growth — the only possible source of increased prosperity. Unemployment is low

because of the coattails of the Trump economic boom and an expanding public sector (paid for with deficit-spending).

Trudeau’s father was reelected because of a comprehensive plan to defeat Quebec separatism and some significant social reforms. Brian Mulroney was re-elected advocating free trade with the United States and reduced income tax with revenue replaced by a Goods and Service Tax, a partially voluntary tax system. Jean Chrétien faced an opposition so divided that he was under no threat of defeat, apart from within his own party (which evicted him eventually), but he and Stephen Harper governed prudently, if not with great imagination, and were rewarded at the polls for being sensible.

This government has such a weak record, it has tried to sell its oppressive political correctness as a beatific aura that is itself a distinguished national achievement.

This is what made the blackface incidents so embarrassing. It has resorted to an increasingly irritating assault on the Conservatives as primitive, harsh, stingy and un-Canadian. The Liberals have tried to frighten the country with the spectre of a bigoted and reactionary Tory regime, greasing the palms of the rich, trampling over the working and middle-income people, and imposing an antiabortion regression into Victorian hypocrisy, while the environment is handed over to coal-belching factories emitting diluvian inundations of effluent. This is so fatuous a caricature, Liberal advertising is reduced to trying to induce the country to forget these

four wasted years by invoking Harper’s stolid personality and hammering Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier Doug ford like a piñata as he cleans up after four terms of horrifying Liberal incompetence.

The Liberals’ complacency has caught up with them in Quebec. They have won the federal elections in Quebec over the Conservatives since the rise of Laurier 123 years ago, except for the two elections of Conservative Quebecer Brian Mulroney, and Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis’ delivery of 50 Quebec MPs to the Progressive Conservatives under John Diefenbaker in 1958 (in revenge for the federal Liberals’ successful intervention against him in the 1939 provincial election). But Quebec will only give practically its entire block of MPs to a federal Liberal leader whom the province respects to represent it in the world: Laurier, Ernest Lapointe as Mackenzie King’s virtual co-premier, Louis St. Laurent, Pierre Trudeau. It never gave heavy support to Jean Chrétien,

and it is becoming clear that it will not give an unambiguous endorsement to Justin Trudeau. In these circumstances, the separatist Bloc Québécois (an absurd party in a federal election but potentially important), appears to be cutting seriously into the Liberal Quebec vote, as Réal Couette’s Creditistes did in the Sixties, and Jack Layton’s NDP did in 2011. The Bloc may take enough Quebec MPs to make the Conservatives the largest party overall and enable them to form a government and enact at least some of the sensible program they have presented as the only plausible alternative to Liberal flimflam. It is indicative of the panic in Liberal headquarters that they solicited and received the very inappropriate endorsement of former U.S. president Barack Obama (another suave image but unsuccessful leader, and a Canadian election is no business of his).

The most important factor to consider before voting, which the government has desperately ignored, is its own conduct. This

regime has banned Liberal candidates of pro-life views even if they believe in the right to an abortion. (This is the personal view of Andrew Scheer.) They made pro-abortion views a precondition to some categories of government-sponsored summer employment. The prime minister lied to Canadians over the SNCLavalin affair and was excoriated by the non-partisan ethics commissioner Mario Dion (traditionally a cause of ineligibility to continue in office). And this government falsely prosecuted the former vice chief of the defence staff, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, over a policy difference. It is the time-honoured practice to retire or move senior military personnel with whom the government has a deep disagreement. It is unheard-of in this country to prosecute such a person for a crime the government had no reason to believe was committed, and to attempt to prevail by denying the defendant the means assured to members of the military to pay for proper counsel pending adjudication. It was the most disgraceful single abuse of power by the federal government at least since Diefenbaker falsely implied that the governor of the Bank of Canada, James E. Coyne, had wrongfully increased his pension (in 1959).

A government that would reject candidates and refuse to hire summer job applicants because of their conscientious views of moral issues, lie to the public and deliberately level false criminal charges against a distinguished senior naval officer over policy matters, should not be re-elected. The Liberals had a clear mandate in 2015 and did not fulfill it. “They have been weighed in the balance and they have been found wanting.”

It’s time for regime change.

Will the Lebanese end Hariri’s era of corruption?

THE MASSES CAME OUT AFTER THEY LOST FAITH IN ALL PARTIES, AND DECIDED TO GET THEIR RIGHT TO THE LOOTED WEALTH OF THEIR COUNTRY

Middle east MoNitor dr amira aBo el-Fetouh

We may be too optimistic to hope that the massive demonstrations that have spread in all the cities of Lebanon will lead to the collapse of Hariri’s regime that has ruled the country for about 30 years. This regime was established when businessman Rafik Hariri, close to Saudi Arabia, became Prime Minister in 1992 following the “Taif Agreement” that ended the country’s civil war. This era, which has obscured the old epochs with all its political symbols and excluded political parties that have arisen since the age of independence such as Karami, Al-Hoss, Shehab, Shimon, El-Khoury, franjieh, Edde, etc. Indeed, the leadership of communities in Lebanon is inherited, and the Lebanese political regime, in general, is based on a quota system between the communities. Such a system was further established by the “Taif Agreement”.

Accordingly, the president, the army chief, the head of the Central Bank belong to the Maronite community, the Prime Minister is from the Sunni community, and the speaker of the parliament comes from the Shiite community. Besides, the “Taif Agreement” stipulated that there should be a Senate headed by a Druze chairman, but it has not yet been established. The ministries shall be distributed among all 18 religious commu-

nities, and their members shall be represented in the Chamber of Deputies. It is this repugnant sectarian system that divides the Lebanese and provokes sensitivities and grudges. Instead of being enriching, this religious, cultural and civilization diversity, has become a burden on the Lebanese people, provoking many of the problems and crises that Lebanon is going through, especially with the Shiite sect dominating the other sects due to possessing weapons, despite Hezbollah’s claims that its weapons were only directed against Israel.

Contrarily, in May 2008, Hezbollah directed its weapons against the Lebanese in Beirut, which turned this organisation into a state within the Lebanese state.

Hezbollah is the party that chooses the president and easily manipulates it, directing him as it wishes. Moreover, it is Hezbollah that runs the affairs of the state and disrupts the situation whenever the organisation wishes, by sticking to the one-third of the government under their control. Thus, Hezbollah passes whatever laws it finds favourable and stops decisions that the organisation considers unappealing or against its interests.

This does not matter. Let us return to the demonstrations that filled the streets of Lebanese cities. These demonstrations were initially in protest against imposing taxes on (WhatsApp) and then developed rapidly to demand the overthrow of the regime and were consequently met by the government’s violence.

The situation escalated, and the army descended to break up the sit-ins, and there have been clashes between the security forces and demonstrators which resulted in injuries and arrests, and setting fires in

some public and private properties.

The State Council building in the centre of Beirut was burned, increasing tension between protesters and security forces, leading to hit-and-run cases and the situation became out of control. This led the government to issue the decision to close schools and universities and suspend work in the courts as public protests escalated.

President of the Republic, Michel Aoun said that he understands the demands of the demonstrators and that they have begun measures to repair the situation in the country while Hariri gave his partners in the government 72 hours to support the reforms, asking them to submit a solution to the economic crisis if they have any.

Hassan Nasrallah went out to address

demonstrators, saying that he understands the anger of the masses, yet stressing that there must be no overthrow of the ministry, early parliamentary or presidential elections. Therefore, Nasrallah stood against the masses and rejected their demands, which led the demonstrators to chant against him, describing him as a corrupt among corrupts leading the country.

In reality, the economic crisis in Lebanon is not new, but it began many years ago, as a result of the accumulation of debts borrowed by the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which amounted to 86.2 billion dollars, and this number is likely to rise, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese Ministry of finance.

Lebanon is considered as one of the highest indebted countries in the world, in addition to the rampant corruption in the country since the beginning of the Hariri era, which was extended from father to son. The family and those close to them took over all the country’s wealth and occupied all investment projects in

the country, which created a “parasite class”, Known as “Hariri class”, turning Lebanon into a country ruled by a gang.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese citizen is suffering from the hardship of life, struggling to make ends meet while heavy taxes are being imposed on him.

International newspapers, most notably the New York Times, have published news about Saad Hariri offering $16 million to Candice van der Murray, a South African supermodel who specialises in bikini and lingerie shows, and with whom he has a relationship!

The masses came out after they lost faith in all parties, and decided to get their right to the looted wealth of their country.

They wish to overthrow the “rotten” political system, the system of sects and quotas. They, in short, want to overthrow the Hariri corrupt era. This move does not resemble “the rice revolution” of 2005. It is not the “empty stomachs revolution”, either. It is indeed the revolution of the disadvantaged and the destitute.

The vast majority of protestors come from the middle class or its remnants.

This social class falls very quickly to poverty, making this uprising spectacular in its inclusiveness, breadth and strength.

This social class is hazardous because it is the backbone of societies and is the change maker and people belonging to this class are highly conscientious, and this is what shocked everyone.

The fact that people went out all at once and rose against the grip of sectarianism as well as the destruction of the idols of the leaders in such a manner that shakes the corrupt political crew hiding behind bigotry, which is its only weapon to power and continuity. This state has failed in fulfilling its duties and granting the rights of its citizens. The conflict will not end until the people have a non-failing state, a state of justice governed by law rather than families and gangs. Lebanon is undergoing a historic metamorphosis and will never be the same again…

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

No Syria-TyPe PullouT PlaNNed for afghaNiSTaN: PeNTagoN Chief KABUL

a

AGENCIES

FgHANS should not misconstrue America’s sudden, contentious and near-total withdrawal from parts of Syria as a precursor to a similar move in Afghanistan, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday.

The US last week announced the withdrawal of 1,000 American troops from northeast Syria, days after Turkey launched an offensive against the previously US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPg), which Ankara considers a terrorist group. The move provoked outrage from observers and even members of President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, who saw the sudden withdrawal as a betrayal of the same Kurdish fighters the US had been training and arming for years to fight Islamic State jihadists in Syria.

Speaking at NATO’s Resolute Sup-

port mission headquarters in Kabul, Esper said America maintains a “longstanding commitment” to Afghanistan, which it invaded in 2001 to oust the Taliban, and noted US policy direction for the country is completely different. “All these things should reassure our Afghan allies and others that they should not misinterpret our actions in the recent week or so with regard to Syria and contrast that with Afghanistan,” he said. Underscoring America’s will to stay in Afghanistan, Esper said, was that it still faces a “virulent terrorist threat that originated in the form of Al-Qaeda and now finds itself in the Taliban and ISIS-K and other groups”.

ISIS-K is the abbreviation for the Afghan Islamic State affiliate. The US and the Taliban were last month on the brink of signing a deal that would have seen some American forces begin to withdraw from Afghanistan in return for various insurgent security commitments.

But negotiations collapsed at the last

Canada elects Parliament in vote seen as threat to Trudeau TORONTO: Canadians are electing a new Parliament on Monday after a tight election campaign that has raised the threat of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being knocked from power after one term. The 47year-old Trudeau channeled the star power of his father, the liberal icon and late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, when he won in 2015 but a combination of scandal and high expectations have damaged his prospects. Polls indicate Trudeau’s Liberal Party could lose to the rival Conservatives, or perhaps win but still fail to get a majority of seats in Parliament and have to rely on an opposition party to remain in power. Not in 84 years has a first-term Canadian prime minister with a parliamentary majority lost a bid for re-election. Trudeau reasserted liberalism in 2015 after almost 10 years of Conservative Party government in Canada, but he is one of the few remaining progressive leaders in the world. He has been viewed as a beacon for liberals in the Trump era, even appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine under the headline “Why Can’t He Be Our President?” Perhaps sensing Trudeau is in trouble, Barack Obama made an unprecedented endorsement by a former American president in urging Canadians to re-elect Trudeau and saying the world needs his progressive leadership now. But old photos of Trudeau in blackface and brownface surfaced last month, casting doubt on his judgment. Trudeau also was hurt by a scandal that erupted this year when his former attorney general said he pressured her to halt the prosecution of a Quebec company. Trudeau has said he was standing up for jobs, but the damage gave a boost to the Conservative Party led by Andrew Scheer. AGENCIES

minute when Trump declared talks “dead” following Taliban attacks including one that killed a US soldier. general Scott Miller, who leads US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said over the past year the US has reduced its military footprint by about 2,000 troops.

“As we work in Afghanistan with our partners, we are always looking to optimise the force,” Miller said, speaking at the same press conference as Esper. “Unbeknownst to the public, as part of our optimisation over the last year we have reduced our authorised strength by 2,000 here.” That force reduction is unrelated to any prospective deal with the Taliban.

US HOUSE SPEAKER PELOSI MAKES UNANNOUNCED VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN: Meanwhile, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior members of Congress made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, her office said.

Pelosi, who traveled to Afghanistan

FOREIGN NEWS 07

after a stop in Jordan on Saturday, met President Ashraf ghani and visiting US Defence Secretary Mark Esper as well as top US military commanders and some of their troops, according to a statement released after the conclusion of the visit by the bipartisan delegation.

The lawmakers’ trip to the Middle East and South Asia occurred amid questions about the United States’ commitment to its allies after President Donald Trump’s sudden withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria over his longtime desire to unwind from foreign military engagements. Pelosi’s relations with Trump are at a low point as she leads an impeachment inquiry against him.

Trump last month broke off negotia-

american ambassador defends rules for Chinese diplomats

AKCAKALE AGENCIES

Angry over the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, residents of a Kurdish-dominated city pelted departing American military vehicles with potatoes Monday as they drove through. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that U.S. troops will stay in eastern Turkey to protect Kurdishheld oil fields for at least the coming weeks and that he was discussing options to keep them there.

A video by the Kurdish news agency showed a convoy of armoured vehicles driving through the northeastern city of Qamishli. People in the street hurled potatoes at the vehicles, shouting, “No America,” and “America liar,” in English. “Like rats, America is running away,” one man shouted in Arabic.

Another shouted obscenities and talked of babies in Kurdish-held who have died in the Turkish offensive.

The scene encapsulated the Kurds’ feelings of betrayal and added a new indignity to an American withdrawal that has been rushed and saw several close brushes with Turkish-backed forces. The Kurds were stunned when President Donald Trump two weeks ago abruptly decided to pull U.S. troops out of border areas, abandoning their allied

tions with Afghan Taliban militants aimed at ending the United States’ longest war, a move that critics say highlighted a confused US approach to Afghanistan.

The congressional visit coincided with one by Esper, who told reporters “the aim is to still get a peace agreement at some point, a political agreement”.

Pelosi said her delegation was briefed

by US diplomats on reconciliation efforts with the Taliban and also met Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and civil society leaders, including Afghan women. She said in a statement that they also “heard more about the still-pending status of results from the Afghanistan presidential election in September, which we all hope will be available soon”.

cratic Forces (SDF) to help deny oil to Islamic State militants, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to Afghanistan, Esper said that, while the U.S. withdrawal was underway, some troops were still with partner forces near oilfields and there had been discussions about keeping some of them there. He said that was one option and no decision had been made “with regard to numbers or anything like that”. The Pentagon’s job was to look at different options, he added.

BEIJING: The U.S. ambassador to China defended plans to require Beijing’s diplomats to report contacts with some Americans and said Monday that Washington is considering additional rules for employees of entities controlled by the ruling Communist Party.

The change comes as the United States, Australia and some other governments are looking at possible Chinese efforts to spy or gain influence in their countries. It follows years of complaints from American and other diplomats about controls on their ability to move around China and to meet with officials and members of the public.

Ambassador Terry Branstad said the rule is “very modest” and intended to win more access for American diplomats in China’s “closed system.” He rejected Chinese criticism that the measure violates a global treaty on conditions for diplomats as “very outrageous.”

The rule change comes amid a deteriorating U.S.-Chinese relationship and a tariff war over American complaints about Beijing’s trade surplus and technology ambitions.

Chinese diplomats would be required to report contacts with American educators, researchers and local and state governments under the rule announced Wednesday.

Branstad said by contrast, American diplomats face a more restrictive system that requires them to apply for permission for such contacts, which he said often is refused. A spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing has a “positive attitude” toward cooperation with the United States and expressed hope Branstad could clarify what restrictions he was talking about. AGENCIES

Prince Harry admits he and Prince William are ‘on different paths’

Spanish leader Sánchez visits embattled Barcelona

year, with the tabloids luxuriating in stories about her fractured American family and the rumours of palace rifts. The couple launched legal action this month against British tabloid the Mail on Sunday for invasion of privacy. The US-born former actress said she had tried to cope by putting on a “stiff upper lip” but she was not prepared for the intensity of tabloid interest.

Meghan said: “When I first met my now-husband my friends were really happy because I was so happy, but my British friends said to me, ‘I’m sure he’s great but you shouldn’t do it because the British tabloids will destroy your life’.”

Asked whether she can cope, Meghan said: “In all honesty, I have said for a long time to H — that is what I call him — it’s not enough to just survive something, that’s not the point of life. You have got to thrive.”

BARCELONA: Spanish leader Pedro Sánchez is travelling to Barcelona, the protest-struck capital of the northeastern Catalonia region, to visit with injured police officers and talks with officials in charge of security. Clashes between separatists and police waned over the weekend after five successive nights of riots in Barcelona and other Catalan cities. They followed huge peaceful protests by people in Catalonia who were angered by a Supreme Court ruling that sentenced nine separatist leaders to prison for the region’s failed 2017 secession attempt. Regional health authorities say 593 have been injured in the protests, nearly half of them police, and 14 remain hospitalized. In all, 194 people were arrested. Sánchez is trying to stay in power as Spain holds a national election on Nov 10. AGENCIES

LONDON AGENCIES

Prince Harry has admitted he and his brother are now “on different paths” and have “good days” and “bad days” in their relationship.

The Duke of Sussex has been plagued by rumours in recent months of a rift between him and Prince William, and in an interview with ITV he acknowledged that “inevitably stuff happens” given their high-profile role and the pressure the family faces. Speaking during his recent tour of southern Africa with his wife Meghan Markle, he said: “We are brothers. We will always be brothers. “We are certainly on different paths at the moment but I will always be there for him as I know he will always be there for me.

“We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we are

so busy but I love him dearly. “The majority of the stuff is created out of nothing but as brothers, you know, you have good days, you have bad days.” Meghan, who has also been rumoured to have feuded with Kate

Residents of northeast Syria city pelt departing US troops Kurdish-backed fighters ahead of Turkey’s invasion.

After the assault began Oct. 9, Trump ordered a general withdrawal from Syria. At another location, near the town of Tal Tamr, a group of protesters raised banners to departing US troops late Sunday, according to an Associated Press video.

US MULLS LEAVING SOME TROOPS IN SYRIA TO GUARD OIL: Meanwhile, the Pentagon is considering keeping some U.S. troops near oilfields in northeastern Syria alongside Kurdish-led Syrian Demo-

Middleton, described the past year as “hard” and said her British friends warned her not to marry Harry.

Meghan, 38, has had to face an increasingly hostile press since she married into the Royal Family last

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

08 COMMENT

On istikharah

Climbing the escalation ladder A tit for every tat can be disastrous

And the misconceptions surrounding it

D

espite the 29 May 2018 agreement between pakistan and india to fully implement the 2003 ceasefire and control cross-border firing, this year has seen an unprecedented surge in deadly attacks of the sort leading to many more civilian casualties, mass displacements and destruction of property. What has helped the escalation is a rise in hostility between the two countries marked by several incidents beginning with pulwama suicide attack and followed by the Balakot strike, the downing of two indian jets and the capture of an indian pilot and to top them all New Delhi revoking the special status of iOK. sunday was one of the deadliest days in the long series of the cross LoC firing and artillery shelling leading to the killing of several civilians and soldiers on both sides.

While indian army chief claimed that his troops used larger-round artillery fire to hit terrorist camps across the border, the pictures show dead bodies of civilian victims placed in the open surrounded by unarmed mourners.

While armies on both sides are expected to provide security to the civilian population, most of the victims in LoC violations are common people working in the fields, tending their flocks and in the case of children playing in the open or going to school. After every tragic killing both sides promise to avenge the deaths by retaliatory attacks that again kill more innocent men, women and children.

An autocratic pM Modi is adamantly pursuing his agenda of persecution in Kashmir ignoring demands from all over the world to lift restrictions on the citizens’ movement, restore mobile phones and internet services and release the detained political activists and leaders. this strengthens the perception that the violations of the LoC by india are aimed at diverting the world’s attention from the burning issue of the atrocities in iOK. it is time pM Modi sits down with pakistan and the Kashmiri separatists to settle the issue. pM imran Khan needs to take the matter to the parliament to evolve a consensus on talks with india on Kashmir. this would further convince the world of the need to put pressure on india for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.

No positions available Who should the unemployed look towards?

t

he automotive industry is expecting at least 1015 per cent more direct jobs to be lost in the coming months as a result of a record fall in sales requiring it to reduce output as demand falls and inventory piles up. Businesses dependent on the industry such as vendors of auto parts who supply directly to automobile assemblers have had to let go of around 40,000 workers. Latest figures for large-scale manufacturing show a contraction of 3.28 per cent which has meant sectors such as textile, pharmaceuticals and food, just to name a few, have also made layoffs. the sBp’s monetary policy tightening has caused record inflation and hiked the discount rate to 13.25%, squeezing domestic demand as people save more and slowing down business activity as private sector credit has become too expensive. While the rupee, depreciating around 27 per cent against the dollar since August of 2018, has increased cost of production it has also discouraged imports of raw materials and semi-finished products that has in turn necessitated factory closures, further contributing to unemployment. the government, for obvious reasons, will not look at the falling import figure through this perspective as it doesn’t fit into their narrative of the so-called ‘economic turnaround’. pakistan is set to experience the lowest growth rate in the region this fiscal year at 2.4 per cent according to the iMF so any reprieve is unlikely in the short-term. prime Minister imran Khan has congratulated his economic team for a ‘turnaround’ on the basis of improvement in macroeconomic indicators chief among which is the reduction in the fiscal deficit but he has failed to address the crippling unemployment across most industries. the government is supposed to create an economic environment where jobs are created; it has done the opposite. it can provide government jobs but it has refused to do this as well and is rather closing down 400 departments. the government must reassess its policies in order to reduce the hardship of the working class that has been left to fend for itself.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

I

haSaN aFTaB SaEED

T

he other day, Mufti Kifayatullah of JUi-F let it slip on live tV, during an altercation with anchor Yashfeen Jamal, that as per his istikharah Maulana Fazlur Rehman was about to become prime minister. Now, whether the irate mufti made that up in the heat of the moment or he really meant it – it’s a scary thought either way. At any rate, he has broken new ground because though politicians, businessmen and parents of eligible bachelors have been known to resort to istikharah to help them make profitable decisions, this is the first time that istikharah has been presented as a political forecasting tool. Well, politicians will be politicians, even if they double as muftis.

With that said, it may be a good idea to review what istikharah really is because even among the general public there are more misconceptions regarding it than there need to be. thanks to which, it is very much an industry now, with istikharah professionals and istikharah centres, and what not. it can now be ‘done’ on the phone, on tV and online as well. the early practitioners of the art needed to sleep in order to get the ‘result’. Now they are so proficient that they only need to close their eyes for a moment to tell you whether something is advisable. the answer to the frequently asked question of how to perform and interpret istikharah is that there’s no ‘procedure’ for it. Istikharah simply means to seek khair; that is, to pray to God for a beneficial outcome. it’s simply a supplication (dua). it’s not sortition (faal), by any means. the famous sequence of your performing a certain ritual, going to sleep, having a dream, and waking up with your mind nicely made up one way or the other is all a figment of some creative soul’s imagination. the words for istikharah were taught by the prophet (peace be upon him) himself. Like all

supplications taught by him, it’s an exceedingly elegant composition. Acknowledgment of God’s supremacy and Omniscience and an admission of one’s own limitations are expressed beautifully, followed by a request to enable one to choose the best course of action based on his infinite Wisdom. supplication itself is, of course, a form of worship, because it reminds one that it’s God that’s ultimately in charge. since it’s a supplication, one should have a fair idea regarding what the words mean (and one must genuinely believe in what one is saying); or else it would be some sort of an incantation. there’s none of that in islam. the words can be found in sahih Bukhari. in english, they translate to: O Allah! I seek what is better through Your knowledge, and through Your might I seek strength, and I beg from You Your great blessings, because You have the power, and I do not have the power.

And You know everything, and I do not know, and You have knowledge of the unseen. O Allah! If in Your knowledge this action [which I intend to do] is better for my religion, my life and my fate then destine it for me and make it easy for me and then add blessings to it for me. And O Allah! In Your knowledge if this action is bad for me, for my religion and for my fate, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and whatever is better for me, ordain that for me wherever it is, and then make me satisfied with it.

Like any other supplication, there’s no subsequent dream or mysterious telepathic signalling in

istikharah, and none should be anticipated. there are any number of ways in which God can help man make the best decision. he may be struck by a point that he was hitherto overlooking; relevant new information may become available; an expert on the matter may chip in with decisive input. Doors leading to certain avenues will therefore start opening or closing. thus, an outcome will either be facilitated or made difficult. Not through visions or dreams, but by means of normal, everyday events. And for good reason too; for those who are familiar with human psychology and with the power of autosuggestion know that it’s rather easy to convince oneself of something one wants to be convinced of. in islam one is exhorted to rely on one’s knowledge and reasoning in all circumstances, instead of falling back on superstition of any sort. the general islamic requirement of doing one’s best and leaving the rest to God is therefore in no way invalidated or overruled by istikharah. in fact, it is reinforced.

For one is still supposed to choose one’s course of action based on the available evidence and employing one’s mental faculties to the fullest; and (since one is still prone to err despite one’s best and most sincere efforts) accompany it with a plea to God for help in the process. Istikharah is nothing more, and nothing less, than this entreaty to God.

The early practitioners of the art needed to sleep in order to get the ‘result’. Now they are so proficient that they only need to close their eyes for a moment to tell you whether something is advisable

Hasan Aftab Saeed is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks). He can be reached at www.facebook.com/hasanaftabsaeed

A holiday in other people’s misery And why journalism needs a thorough overhaul the world over

Shah Nawaz Mohal

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, like a million other journalists, enjoy my brief forays into other people’s misery.

Also, i am in the business of making you miserable under the guise of informing, updating and telling you about the world. Although i just told you the truth and nothing but the truth and it won’t change a single thing. You will be hooked on the never-ending sham novelty me and my brothers feed you. You are addicts. We are the producers, paddlers and dealers. We both are dependent on each other.

We, the ‘journos’ are little better than thieves, slightly reliable than con men, marginally good than propagandists, and utterly unreliable if you count us as your friend.

We deeply seek our satisfaction in all things gory, all happenings bloody, all events that are exceptions and never the norm. We loathe dull, drab, routine, day-to-day lives that billions of people live. Our motto is; it isn’t news if it is about something good. inversely, we tell Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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you all that is bad for the greater good of God-knows-whom-whereand-what.

We, dear reader, were storytellers who have turned into heralds of anarchy. We pick and choose, edit and alter, deface and mar, cut and taint the world as we want you to see it and never as it actually is.

Fear of the unknown, of untold, of something terribly wrong is our weapon of choice.

We’ll tell you that economy is in shambles, God has forsaken mankind in entirety, the world is at the brink of a complete collapse, two global powers will lock horns and once they are done fighting nothing will remain, there isn’t enough food to feed us, there aren’t enough resources to go around, and society is nothing but a den of evil inundated sad, depraved individuals who do infernal things like rape, murder, slaughter, corruption, nepotism and hundred other pathetic deeds to others who are weak and powerless.

We, the journalists are trained to highlight what is neither normal nor regular. We thrive on scandals, scams, irregularities, corruption, abuse of power, illegalities, murder, gore, filth, and sensationalism.

You, dear reader, should pay us heed but not your whole head. You must know the demands of our job.

And please, as clichéd as it may sound should read good books and watch well-researched documentaries and seek solace in words of ancient sages.

And for those who really want to

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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know what media is all about, the following dialogue from the film Network (1976) may be of some help.

Arthur Jensen: You have meddled with the primal forces of nature, Mr Beale, and i won’t have it! is that clear? You think you’ve merely stopped a business deal. that is not the case! the Arabs have taken billions of dollars out of this country, and now they must put it back! it is ebb and flow, tidal gravity! it is ecological balance!

You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and peoples. there are no nations. there are no peoples. there are no Russians. there are no Arabs. there are no third worlds. there is no West. there is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and immane, interwoven, interacting, multivariate, multinational dominion of dollars; petrodollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, reichsmarks, rins, rubles, pounds, and shekels. it is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. that is the natural order of things today. that is the atomic and subatomic and galactic structure of things today! And YOU have meddled with the primal forces of nature, and YOU...

WiLL... AtONe! Am i getting through to you, Mr Beale? You get up on your little twenty-one-inch screen and howl about America and democracy. there is no America. there is no democracy. there is only iBM, and itt, and At&t, and Dupont, Dow, Union Carbide, and exxon. those are the nations of the

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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world today. What do you think the Russians talk about in their councils of state, Karl Marx? they get out their linear programming charts, statistical decision theories, minimax solutions, and compute the price-cost probabilities of their transactions and investments, just like we do. We no longer live in a world of nations and ideologies, Mr Beale. the world is a college of corporations, inexorably determined by the immutable bylaws of business. the world is a business, Mr Beale. it has been since man crawled out of the slime. And our children will live, Mr Beale, to see that... perfect world... in which there’s no war or famine, oppression or brutality. One vast and ecumenical holding company, for whom all men will work to serve a common profit, in which all men will hold a share of stock. All necessities provided, all anxieties tranquilised, all boredom amused.

And i have chosen you, Mr Beale, to preach this evangel. howard Beale: Why me?

Arthur Jensen: Because you’re on television, dummy. sixty million people watch you every night of the week, Monday through Friday.

After Apocalypse Now, enlightenment Now, what is direly needed is to cultivate a little bit of Anti-Journalism Now in our worldviews.

Shah Nawaz Mohal is a law graduate and journalist based in Islamabad. He can be reached at mshahnawazmohal@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

COMMENT 09 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

Kashmir: A simmering cauldron

Trump’s disgraceful letter to Erdoğan The work of a mentally disturbed individual

Dr aloN BEN-MEir

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heRe is no wonder that every person and news outlet that saw trump’s letter to turkey’s president erdoğan thought it was a joke. When it was confirmed that the letter was indeed authentic, bewilderment and disbelief struck everyone who read it, as no Us president has ever written such a disgraceful letter which will be remembered in infamy. trump starts the letter by stating, “Let’s work out a good deal!” Yes, a good deal, just like another shady real estate transaction based on a wicked quid pro quo. Only a psychopath would forget that he gave erdoğan the green light to invade syria to kill, destroy, and pillage the same syrian Kurds who were America’s most trusted allies in the fight against isis and suffered more than 10,000 casualties. throughout the war they remained steadfast as an ally, believing that the Us would always watch their back, but they were crushingly disappointed.

“You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people,” trump goes on to say in his infamous letter. since when has erdoğan ever been concerned about slaughtering anyone that stood in his way, especially the Kurds whom he hates with a vengeance and has been planning for more than two years to attack and massacre—men, women, and children. then trump stated that “i don’t want to be responsible for destroying the turkish economy – and i will. i’ve already given you a little sample with respect to pastor Brunson”. First, trump tells erdoğan to go ahead and wreak havoc on our allies, but then warns erdoğan that he will destroy the turkish economy if erdoğan does not heed his demand.

Well, if this isn’t the nature of a mentally disturb individual, then i don’t know what is. trump then proceeds by saying that “i have worked hard to solve some of your problems”. the question is, what has trump worked so hard on with erdoğan when the two hardly ever see eye-to-eye? there is one exception though. trump envies the turkish dictator who has been ruling his country with an iron fist; subjugating, jailing, pillaging, and purging his own people with absolutely no

qualms and no misgivings. Yes, trump would love to rule over the Us and terrorise the Democrats to submission just like erdoğan, if he only had his way.

“Don’t let the world down”, trump continues. What is that supposed to mean? erdoğan has let down the Us, all NAtO member states, and every institution turkey is a member of or has any affiliation with. erdoğan is a criminal and has committed crimes against humanity. But then, what is there to say? erdoğan, after all, is a by-product of the Ottoman empire, which committed genocide against the Armenians as well as against the Greeks, but he conveniently denies that, albeit the historic records are irrefutable. trump goes on to say that “General Mazloum is willing to negotiate with you, and he is willing to make concessions that they would never have made in the past”. What is there to negotiate? erdoğan has been given a free hand all along. he has been killing his own Kurds for decades; he defied trump previously by buying the Russian s-400 air defence system; he is interfering in the internal affairs of many countries, especially in the Balkans and the Middle east; and he is ignoring his Western allies, showing them his middle finger with a smirk on his face.

Now trump dispatches his secretary of state pompeo and Vice president pence to cajole erdoğan and beg him to agree to a ceasefire while granting him everything he wished for. With the green light given by trump, turkey invaded northeastern syria with the purpose of establishing a “safe zone” for displaced syrians, but more importantly to push out the Kurdish fighters who are viewed by Ankara as a security threat. in the main, however, Ankara’s goal is to prevent the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in syria that could evoke a renewed drive by turkey’s Kurdish minority to seek independence.

Just think about what actually happened. here you have the president of the Us, no less, pleading for cessation of hostilities instead of demanding, in no uncertain terms, that erdoğan pulls out his forces immediately

from Syria or face dire consequences. erdoğan, however, seems to take trump for granted, feeling assured that the straw man in the White house will not take any punitive action not only because he lacks strategic thinking but because of his cowardice. trump stated that pence and pompeo scored a victory, when in fact it was erdoğan who emerged victorious. erdoğan succeeded in outmanoeuvring trump at every turn, with the Us caving into everything erdoğan wanted. trump ceded ground in syria, including Us military bases, and also agreed to lift the sanctions. the ceasefire may have stopped the killing of the Kurds, but no ceasefire will erase the Us’ betrayal of them. the price that the Us will end up paying will be hard to imagine.

Next trump goes on to say that “history will look upon you favourably if you get this done the right and humane way. it will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen”.

Will history ever look at erdoğan favourably? the so-called man whose despicable personality supersedes only his ruthlessness and brutality? erdoğan, who took pleasure in the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds, personifies the devil itself and is simply incapable of doing anything, as trump puts it, “the right and humane way”.

Finally, trump preaches to erdoğan, saying “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool!” Well, trump is simply looking at himself in the mirror. he is the one who tries to play the tough guy, and he is the real fool who occupies the White house. “i will call you later.” this is how trump ends the letter. Call erdoğan for what, just to tell him ‘Don’t worry, i still believe that my decision to pull out our troops from syria was the right decision. You, erdoğan, just go ahead and do what you need to; just don’t make too much noise and don’t brag about it.

Leave the bragging to me’.

In the main, however, Ankara’s goal is to prevent the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in Syria that could evoke a renewed drive by Turkey’s Kurdish minority to seek independence.

Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Centre for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. alon@alonben-meir.com

Rss-BJp and their offshoots dish out stark lies as historical facts. Gandhi did not care a fig for Rss leaders in his life-time. so was the case with Ambedkar also. tragically, the BJp-Rss combine is now trying to co-opt Gandhi and pitch him against the Congress. What a wonder it is hard to find Rsss’ founding father, hedgewar’s mention in the 21 volumes of the writings and speeches of Ambedkar.

Both Gandhi and Ambedkar envisioned india as a modern country with due place for minorities. But, hedgewar thought of hindu raj, _ Rule by hindu Rashtra. Chiplunkar, tilak and their disciple hedgewar abhorred Gandhi ‘a Bania leading the freedom movement’. After tilak’s death, hedgewar left the Congress-led freedom struggle and began struggle to regain past glory of Aryawarta. Ambedkar explicitly rejected idea of the hindu Rashtra. he stressed, ‘No matter what the hindus say, hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity.

On that account it is incompatible with democracy. hindu Raj must be prevented at any cost.’ V D savarkar’s essay ‘Hindutva’ published in 1925 is Rss’s bible, is... he called Muslims’ hissing Yavana snakes’. But, current Rss’s chief Bhagwat disowned savarkar to avert ire of foreign journalists he addressed en camera.

An immutable lesson of history is that Kashmiris never reconciled with foreign rule. if they could no longer fight an invader with arms, they pelted stones on invaders (Mughal). the stone throwers were called dilawars, and the Mughal, were addressed as shikas mogle. this Kashmiri-language expression, akin to French C’est dommage (it’s too bad), is spoken when something is lost. the Mughal were Muslim. Yet, the Kashmiri hated them. Shikas mogle affords a peek into the Kashmiri heart and mind. they cursed foreigners, be they be Muslim.

Kashmiris hate cheating and consider Akbar ‘the Great’ an epitome of treachery. Akbar invited Kashmir ruler Yusuf Chak (1579 – 1586) for talks. But, treacherously imprisoned and killed him in Bihar state. Be it noted that Akbar had failed to subjugate Kashmir in his earlier two expeditions. After takeover, the Mughal lived in a walled nagri (city), later called Sri nagar. the helpless Kashmir used to throw stones at walled city to express their anguish. the general feeling of hatred, kashmiriat, was akin to what ibn-e-Khuldoon calls asabiya (national cohesion). it ran across all sects (shia-sunni), religions, castes and creed. india cheated sheikh Abdullah and his posterity. indian forces fire pellets (called ‘birdshots’) with pump-action shotguns against unarmed protesters or stone throwers, even women, and children five to eight years’ old. A New York Time report portrays a gruesome picture (“An Epidemic of ‘Dead Eyes’ in Kashmir as India Uses Pellet Guns on Protesters”, New York Times, Aug 28, 2016’) it says the patients have mutilated retinas, severed optic nerves, irises seeping out like puddles of ink’. Doctors call them ‘dead eyes’. A similar report in Washington post (December 12, 2017) is no less poignant.

Let india realise it can’t stifle Kashmiris’ dissent. to stifle the Kashmiri’s fighting spirit, the Dogra (1846-1947) punished even Kashmiri children who played with fork-slings (ghulail in Urdu) and stones (Muhammad Yousaf saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, vol 1, p 50). struggle for freedom goes on despite indian forces’ reign of terror (abductions, custodial deaths, rapes, arson, and pellet shelling). ‘the security Council should make clear that it opposes Mr Modi’s brutal tightening of india’s control on Kashmir. While Mr Modi may think he can control this volatile conflict on his own, he almost certainly cannot’ (The UN Can’t Ignore Kashmir Anymore, New York Times, Oct 2, 2019), AMJED JAAvED Rawalpindi

Campaign against democracy theRe is a systematic campaign in electronic media by few anchors and selected analysts who blame democracy for ills that afflict this country, thereby negating Quaid’s vision. pakistan was created through democratic constitutional struggle waged by politicians with calibre of Quaid-e-Azam and many others who rose up through political process and were not implanted by British Raj. it were men like sikandar hayat, a bureaucrat on payroll of hM Government, serving as Member Reserve Bank of india, who was implanted by Raj to take over Unionist party in punjab after untimely death of sir Fazal-i-hussain, a politician in his own right, on 29 June 1936. the British Raj excelled in “Divide and Rule” through intrigues using paid civil and uniformed bureaucracy as tools. they controlled both hindus and Muslim, through civil bureaucracy run by DC and Commissioners (there is no post of DC etc in UK), a uniformed security service to quell local population through intrigues and use of brute force such as Jallianwala brutality. it is unfortunate that MAJ vision of a modern democratic welfare was deliberately derailed, the Constitution delayed and country became hostage to vested interests.

Quaid succeeded in the words of Wolpert - modify the map of world- creating a nation-state; but within a year of his death his vision was derailed. if Quaid’s democratic pakistan was allowed to function, Kashmir would have been liberated in 1948 or latest by 1962, there would have been no military action in east pakistan and this country would not have been engaged in proxy war under Zia. pakistan would have emerged as an economically powerful state, with its people enjoying fruits of development instead of miseries that they face today.

MALIK TARIq ALI Lahore

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS

EU SAyS It’S ConSIdErIng UK BrExIt dELAy rEqUESt LONDON

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AGENCIES

HE European Commission says the fact that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not sign a letter requesting a three-month extension of the Brexit deadline has no impact on whether it is valid and that the European Union is considering the demand. With British politicians squabbling over the U.K.’s departure from the EU, Johnson was forced by parliament to ask for a three-month delay to the Oct. 31 Brexit date.

Johnson sent the unsigned letter to EU Council President Donald Tusk late Saturday with a second note saying that he opposes any delay.

Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said Monday that “President Tusk acknowledged receipt of the extension request on Saturday and, as he stated, he’s now consulting with the EU 27.” Andreeva says the EU has already begun ratifying the Brexit agreement it reached with Johnson last week. Germany’s foreign minister says he does not want to exclude the option that there will be a “short, technical extension” for Britain’s departure from the European Union if there are problems with ratifying the latest Brexit divorce agreement. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson grudgingly sent a letter seeking an extension of the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline after Parliament slammed the brakes on his effort to push through a new divorce deal.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters in Berlin on Monday that the question

of “whether there can be an extension as a whole, if there is no majority in the House of Commons, has to be looked at within the European Union and can only then be decided.” Maas said Germany and the EU don’t want Britain to crash out of the bloc with a no deal Brexit. He stressed that the current Brexit deal between the bloc and the U.K. about Britain’s departure “is balanced and fair.” The prime minister of Montenegro — a small Balkan nation that is the next in line to join the European Union — has expressed hope that once Brexit is finalized the EU’s enlargement policy would regain importance.

Dusko Markovic tells The Associated Press that once the issue of Britain’s departure from the bloc is wrapped up it would “free the EU from a major problem” and herald “new opportunities for candidate countries” such as Montenegro. The Adriatic nation of 600,000 that is seeking EU membership after joining NATO in 2017 amid strong opposition from Russia. But Markovic warns that the EU decision not to open membership negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania sends a negative signal to the volatile Western Balkan region, where Russia has stepped up efforts to regain historic influence.

A French official has not ruled out granting a new delay to Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc on condition that the U.K. clarifies its reasons for wanting a Brexit delay. The deputy minister for European affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, told French news broadcaster BFM TV that “there is no new delay without any conditions, without justifications” like a parliamentary elec-

tion or a new referendum on Brexit. She said France doesn’t want the situation “to last forever” beyond the current Oct. 31 Brexit deadline.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who had a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the weekend, called for a quick clarification of the U.K.’s position. In a statement, he said a delay “would not be in any party’s interest.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to push for a vote on his European Union divorce deal as Parliament prepares for a week of guerrilla warfare over Brexit.

Johnson plans to kick things off by asking for a “straight up-and-down vote” on the EU divorce agreement on Monday, two days after lawmakers voted to delay approving the deal, according to his office. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow could refuse to allow such a vote because parliamentary rules generally bar the same measure from being considered a second time during the same session of Parliament unless something has changed. Johnson’s Conservative government will also introduce the legislation necessary to implement the Brexit agreement, opening the door to potentially lengthy debates and amendments that could scuttle the deal.

Germany’s economy minister is suggesting it will be a few days before the European Union decides whether to grant a delay to Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson grudgingly sent a letter seeking an extension of the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline after Parliament slammed the brakes on his effort to push through a new divorce deal.

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier noted on Deutschlandfunk radio Monday that Johnson’s government will attempt to get a vote on the deal this week. He added “we will have somewhat more clarity in the coming days, and we will then exercise our responsibility and quickly make a decision.” He said he wouldn’t have a problem with an extension by “a few days or a few weeks” if that rules out a no-deal Brexit.

WikiLeaks founder Assange in UK court to fight extradition LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared in court Monday to fight extradition to the United States on charges of espionage, saying he needed more time to prepare his case. Assange and his legal team failed to convince District Judge Vanessa Baraitser that a slowdown was justified. The full extradition is still set for a five-day hearing in late February, with brief interim hearings in November and December. Assange defiantly raised a fist to supporters who jammed the public gallery in Westminster Magistrates Court. He appears to have lost weight but looked healthy. Assange wore a blue sweater and a blue sports jacket for the hearing, and wore his silvery-gray hair slicked back.

After the judge turned down his bid for a three-month delay, Assange — speaking very softly and at times appearing to be near tears — said he didn’t understand the proceedings. He said the case is not “equitable” because the U.S. government has “unlimited resources” while he doesn’t have easy access to his lawyers or to documents needed to prepare his battle against extradition while his is confined to Belmarsh Prison on the outskirts of London. “They have all the advantages,” the 48-year-old Assange said. Lawyer Mark Summers, representing Assange, told the judge that more time was needed to prepare Assange’s defense against “unprecedented” use of espionage charges against a journalist. Summers said the case has many facets and will require a “mammoth” amount of planning and preparation. AGENCIES

BRITISH PM JOHNSON PREPARES FRESH BREXIT PUSH LONDON AGENCIES

Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepared to Monday make a second attempt to ram his EU divorce deal through parliament and avoid the political damage of delaying Brexit next week.

Another momentous week in the tortuous saga could end with Johnson engineering a divorce from Brussels that breaks many of the island nation’s economic relations with Europe after 46 years. British lawmakers dealt a dramatic blow to Johnson’s Brexit plan at the weekend by refusing to give their backing to his revised withdrawal agreement until the legislation needed to ratify it has passed. His foes are now forging new alliances and trying to attach amendments that could either force Johnson to accept closer trade ties — or abandon the deal and accept a third delay this year.

The option of extending the threeand-a-half year crisis past the October 31 deadline is now in the hands of the 27 remaining EU member states. Johnson, who took office vowing to deliver Brexit

on schedule, was mandated by UK lawmakers Saturday to send a letter to Brussels asking for more time. The British leader ended up sending three letters on Saturday night. The only one he actually signed said an “extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners” and that he was firmly against it.

The manoeuvre is designed to minimise the political damage of Johnson going back on his word and seeking an extension ahead of an early general election most expect in the coming months.

The top civil court in Scotland will hear a challenge Monday on whether Johnson’s half-hearted request broke the law. But EU officials were still making preparations for Britain to leave in 10 days’ time. “The EU is keeping all options open and has therefore initiated the ratification process so that it can be handed over to the European Parliament on Monday,” an EU diplomat told AFP. Johnson’s first effort to get parliamentary backing for the deal he sealed against heavy odds last Thursday in Brussels was scuttled at a very rare Saturday sitting of MPs.

Chile extends state of emergency as protest death toll hits seven SANTIAGO: Chile is “at war”, President Sebastian Pinera said Sunday, as the country reels from three days of violent demonstrations and looting that have left seven dead and almost 1,500 detained in the worst outbreak of social unrest in decades. “We are at war against a powerful, implacable enemy, who does not respect anything or anyone and is willing to use violence and crime without any limits,” Pinera told reporters after an emergency meeting with army general Javier Iturriaga, who has been placed in charge of order and security in the capital. Santiago and nine other of Chile’s 16 regions were under a state of emergency, Pinera confirmed late Sunday, with troops deployed onto the streets for the first time since Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship between 1973-1990. The clashes, which have seen some 9,500 police and military fire tear gas and water cannon against protesters who have set fire to buses, smashed up metro stations and ransacked shops, were sparked by anger over price hikes and social inequality.

Despite a growth rate that should reach 2.5 percent of GDP this year, several social indicators — such as health, education and pensions — show very high inequalities.

“Many latent requests have not been answered, tension has built up, frustration has increased daily in daily life,” said Octavio Avendano, a sociologist and political scientist at the University of Chile. This anger boiled over earlier in the week as a protest against a rise in metro fares escalated dramatically on Friday. On Sunday, five people died when a garment factory was torched by rioters in a Santiago suburb, despite right-wing Pinera’s Saturday announcement that he was suspending the fare increase. AGENCIES

Senior Israeli official attends Bahrain security meeting focusing on Iran MANAMA: A senior Israeli official attended a maritime security conference in Bahrain on Monday in another sign of Gulf Arab nations and Israel transcending longtime enmities to focus on a perceived common threat from Iran.

Israel, which regards Sunni Muslim Gulf states as natural allies against Shi’ite Muslim Iran, has formal diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, neighbouring Egypt and Jordan, established in 1979 and 1994 respectively. The maritime workshop being held in Manama stems from a Middle East conference held in Warsaw in February that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the time called a “historical turning point” for an alliance against Tehran. The United States is trying to build a global maritime coalition to secure vital trade channels following attacks on tankers in Gulf waters in May and June that Washington has blamed on Iran, a charge Tehran denies.

Tensions have risen since President Donald Trump last year withdrew the United States from a 2015 deal between world powers and Iran under which it agreed to curbs on its disputed nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions. Washington has since reimposed a panoply of sanctions meant to strangle Iran’s vital oil exports, and Tehran in turn has scaled back on commitments under the deal to restrict its uranium enrichment program. AGENCIES

Australian papers redact front pages to expose govt secrecy CANBERRA AGENCIES

Australia’s major newspapers published redacted front pages on Monday in a coordinated campaign to highlight government secrecy that is often justified on national security grounds.

Rival media businesses first banded together to fight for press freedom in June after police raided the Canberra home of a News Corp. journalist and the Sydney headquarters of Australian Broadcasting Corp. in search of leaked government documents that had formed the basis of news reports embarrassing to the government. A former army lawyer has been charged over the leaks and several journalists could also be charged. The newspaper front pages ask: When the government keeps the truth

from you, what are they covering?

Examples of secrecy include the government’s refusal to disclose which nursing homes have been found to abuse and neglect elderly residents. The government also will not disclose how much agricultural land has been sold to foreign entities. “Australians should always be suspicious of governments that want to restrict their right to know what’s going on,” News Corp. Australia’s executive chairman Michael Miller said. The media campaign began on the day the new Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw testified for the first time before a Senator committee that is holding an ongoing inquiry into police issues.

Kershaw, who has been in charge of police for less than three weeks, said he planned to meet news editors soon to dis-

cuss their concerns on press freedom.

“Police independence and freedom of the press are both fundamental pillars that coexist in our democracy,” Kershaw said.

“I strongly believe in these two pillars.”

Police had finalized new guidelines for investigating unauthorized disclosures by government officials that take into account a recent government direction to acknowledge the importance of a free and open press, Kershaw said. Questioned in Parliament, Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday would not give assurances that journalists targeted in the June raids would avoid being charged. “There is no one in this country who is above the law,” Morrison said. “People should not be prosecuted for their profession. They should only be prosecuted if indeed they have been found to be falling foul of the law,” he added.

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

business 11

CORPORATE CORNER Sehat Kahani to provide healthcare solutions to Adamjee Life's customers Adamjee Life Assurance Company Limited and Sehat Kahani have recently signed an agreement to provide home-based healthcare solutions to Adamjee Life's customers. The sign off and launch ceremony was held at Adamjee Life’s Head Office and was attended by senior officials of both the organizations. Adamjee life was represented by its Deputy Managing Director Jalal Meghani, Business Distribution General Manager Ali Haider and Head of ADC and Product Development Khalid Qureshi, while Sehat Kahani was represented by its Chief Executive Officer & Chief Operating Officer/Co-Founder Sara Saeed Khurram and Head of Sales Atif Ali. . press release

LAHORE: As part of a joint initiative on tackling plastic waste pollution in Pakistan, Coca-Cola and WWF-Pakistan collaborated with Pakistan’s first ever TEDx green event, which was organised at Ali Institute. p r e s s r e l e a s e

LAHORE: Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd (GO) recently inaugurated its state-of-the-art terminal in the vicinity of PARCO MidCountry Refinery at Mahmoodkot. press release

GovT fAiLS To dEviSE rEvivAL STrATEGiES for PSM, USC ISLAMABAD

A

GHUlaM aBBas

lTHOugH the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) leaders have been criticising the previous governments for "failing to devise a strategy to revive the loss-making entities", the incumbent government has also failed to give any plan for the revival of state-owned organisations, especially the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and utility Stores Corporation (uSC).

Members of the Senate's Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Monday expressed serious concerns over the government's failure in formulating the revival plans for PSM and uSC even after the passage of one year.

The committee also noted that one cabinet member was even "facilitating the smuggling of steel scrap from Iran" (to be used by rerolling mills).

"Although the incumbent government has been discussing serious issues at every available forum, including the standing committees, there is no futuristic approach," Committee Chairman Senator Ahmed Khan lamented. "It is unfortunate that the lethargic approach is not only benefiting the steel mafias in the country but the delays in the revival plan are also increasing the liabilities of PSM, making it further less attractive for the investors."

A group of PSM stakeholders informed the committee that the Ministry of Industries & Production and the Federal Board of Revenue were not interested in resolving the matter.

Advisor to PM on Commerce, Industries & Production Abdul Razzak Dawood and Advisor on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar on the occasion seemed complacent as they faced a barrage of queries over ways to improve the per-

PSM LIABILITIES RISE TO RS510BN; RS40BN ACCUMULATED IN LAST 14 MONTHS formance of respective government entities.

The committee chairman stated that the issue should be highlighted whenever future policy was discussed at the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

"We know mafia-like groups are importing steel scrap through under-invoicing; one solution is to take a policy decision and allow all imports through PSM only. This will regulate import figures and even the business of re-rolling mills will become documented," the committee chairman stated. "The PSM will at least earn something."

However, there was no reply from the government side over the suggestion and the committee was instead informed that a PSM financial advisor would be appointed soon to suggest modes to invite strategic investors.

Currently, PSM's deficit stood at Rs510 billion with Rs40 billion accumulated in the last 14 months, the PSM officials informed, adding that the total liabilities in terms of pension and gratuity of retired employees were around Rs15.8 billion.

The committee members criticised the financial management of the Ministry of Industries and Production as well as the Ministry of Finance.

"You can raise Rs5 billion through banking sector or by pledging the steel products and scrap already present in PSM," the committee chairman suggested. "This way, the government can at least resolve the pension-related issues. The plan of the finance ministry to clear the pensioners' dues in 3-5 years is like waiting to see them

FBR establishes sales tax monitoring cell in Karachi Shanghai Electric to invest $4bn in Thar power plants

ISLAMABAD aHMaD aHMaDaNI

LAHORE: The Institute of Management Sciences (PAK AIMS) arranged a luncheon in the honour of the newlyenrolled students. PAK AIMS Dean Dr Nisar was also present on the occasion. p r e s s r e l e a s e

LAHORE: In continuation with the efforts for social uplift and welfare of the people of rural and less privileged areas, a one-day free medical camp was arranged recently by Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Limited at Village Koradi, near Khushab. p r e s s r e l e a s e

leave this world."

Committee member Senator Kalsoom Parveen stated that things were revolving in circles ever since the privatisation of PSM in 2005.

"Now in 2019, we are still discussing the uncertain future of PSM; at least this government should come up with any idea."

The committee also discussed the proposal of developing coordination between the Benazir Income Support Fund (BISP) interventions and the utility stores.

Dr Sania Nishtar told the committee that BISP's had 5.2 million registered women, who were paid Rs5,000 per quarter. The committee had suggested that out of Rs5,000, Rs2,000 worth of vouchers may be distributed to the registered persons, which could be used to purchase items from the utility stores only.

"This will prevent any misuse of cash (smoking etc.) and will also help another state-owned venture with higher sales," the committee chairman said. However, Dr Nishtar said that different households have different expenditure requirements and fixing grocery purchases through uSC was not viable.

"After working of around 10 months, BISP has adopted a work plan that involves payments through banks and now after adopting this framework, it is difficult to backtrack and do it with the utility stores," she added.

However, the committee members stressed that the mechanisms could be revised for the good.

The meeting was attended by Senators Aurangzeb Khan, Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Asif Kirmani, Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) Chairman Aamir Mumtaz, Industries Secretary Aamir Khwaja, Finance Special Secretary Qamar Hamid Khan and Poverty Alleviation Secretary Shaista Sohail.

Keeping in view the declining trend in sales tax payments during the first quarter of the Financial Year 2019-20, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has established a regional sales tax monitoring cell in Karachi, Pakistan Today has learnt.

According to an office order dated 14th October 2019, FBR has established a regional sales tax monitoring cell in Karachi under the supervision of Commissioner (Inland Revenue) Karachi Jafar Raza Kazmi in order to identify the cases pertaining to fake invoices, fake transactions, sales suppression and streamlining of tax mechanism.

"A regional sales tax monitoring cell under the supervision of the Karachi IR commissioner is hereby established in Corporate Regional Tax Office (CRTO), Karachi, with immediate effect and till further orders," the FBR order read.

As per the order, the monitoring cell will analyse/monitor monthly sales tax returns to identify cases where action under section 38 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, is required to be taken on the basis of abnormalities causing hugs decline in sales tax payments etc.

"Similarly, the cell will prepare desk audit reports showing details of record/scrutinised dis-

BUSINESS DESK

crepancies observed and potential revenue involved," it said. "After due diligence, the cell will take action under section 38 of the Sales Tax Act 1990, against the person and submit a detailed report to the Chief Commissioner-IR, Karachi."

The FBR has strictly advised that action in specific cases should be taken within a reasonable interval of time and that the exercise should not be made frequently and be restricted to cases involving sizeable revenue leakage.

A copy of another letter of FBR dated 14th October 2019, disclosed that eight officers of FBR have been placed/posted under the administrative control of IR Commissioner Jafar Raza Kazmi.

It is pertinent to mention that FBR's revenue collection target for the first quarter (July-September) of 2019-20 was Rs1,071 billion. However, it managed to collect around Rs960 billion during the said period.

Shanghai Electric, a Chinese company, will invest $4 billion for the establishment of two more 1,320MW power plants at Thar Coal Block-I, Radio Pakistan reported. As per details, a seven-member delegation of Shanghai Electric called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the Chief Minister's House on Monday to discuss the projects. Speaking on the occasion, CM Murad Ali Shah said the financial close of the project would be undertaken by the end of this year, adding that the projects would significantly generate employment opportunities in the province. In April, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had inaugurated the Thar Coal Power Project. The project has a capacity to generate 660 megawatts and consists of two power generation units of 330MW each. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other PPP leaders, along with Sindh cabinet members, had attended the inauguration ceremony. The project was completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through public-private partnership. For this project, the Sindh government had given a sovereign guarantee of $700 million.

Govt’s efforts to ensure long-term benefits for businesses: MoF ISLAMABAD INp

The Ministry of Finance has said that the government’s macroeconomic adjustment and demand management policies for stabilization have started making an impact, as visible in the moderate growth of 3.3pc in the FY2019.

In a statement issued on Monday, the ministry stated that the result of what has been achieved so far needs to be seen and contextualised in the backdrop of a very difficult situation of the economy inherited by the government and how the measures taken by the government during the last one year have not only effectively checked the economic slide but have also turned the wheel in various sectors of the economy to ensure their long-term benefits for businesses and the common man.

The Finance Division rejected the news reports published on the basis of a news article in an online international newspaper, which claimed that the “voters and traders were feeling pain of the government’s economic plan due to rising inflation and wrong policies”.

The Finance Division maintained that at the very outset, it is important to mention that when the present government assumed the office, the economy was facing multiple challenges relating to fiscal, external and real sector of the economy. The unaddressed macroeconomic imbalances and long awaited structural reforms needed urgent policy actions.

To address these issues, the present government thus introduced a comprehensive set of economic and structural reforms and the impact of macroeconomic adjustment and demand manage-

ment policies for stabilization were now visible as FY2019 witnessed moderate growth of 3.3pc.

The Finance Division pointed out that the media reports, while referring to increase in prices, did not take into consideration the major causes behind this rise and instead stated the figures, whereas major reasons for the rise in inflation included (i) sustained pressures on twin deficits which induced the government to adjust administered prices upwards and also impose regulatory duties on imported items; (ii) supply constraints of certain food items and imposition of FED on cigarettes; (iii) and the impact of rise in fuel prices and exchange rate depreciations.

The division further stated that the rise in inflation was mainly due to delay in policy adjustments required during

FY2018 as the present government had to make difficult decisions of upward adjustment in overdue gas and electricity prices, market-based exchange rate adjustments, increase in interest rates etc. to correct the macroeconomic imbalances. The government also adopted prudent expenditure management and contractionary monetary policy to compress the aggregate demand. To this effect, the State Bank of Pakistan raised the policy rate to 13.25pc to arrest inflationary pressures.

The Finance Division further clarified that the government was making all efforts to control inflation by ensuring smooth supply of commodities, checking undue profiteering & hoarding and vigilant monitoring of prices both at federal and provincial level. To address the issue of severe macroeconomic instability and

to put the economy on the path of sustained growth and stability, some tough immediate steps were required. The present government thus introduced a comprehensive set of economic and structural reforms. In this regard, Finance Division has worked out a strategy to control inflationary pressures in the economy.

Explaining the measures to control inflationary pressures on the economy, the Finance Division said the government had discontinued borrowing from the State Bank of Pakistan which had an inflationary impact, and switched to commercial banks for borrowing which was less inflationary in nature. Similarly, National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) in consultation with the provinces was regularly monitoring the prices and supply of essential food and non-food items.

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

12 business

iMf, WorLd BAnK ASSUrE PAKiSTAn of ConTinUEd SUPPorT

MARKET DAILY

Stocks bleed as KSE-100 plummets 785 points KARACHI sTaFF repOrT

Bears kept a tight grip on the Pakistan Stock Exchanged (PSX) on Monday, as the indices, which opened on a positive note, soon their lost their ground and bled for the entire session. Foreign Investors turned out as net sellers for the outgoing week (October 14–18) with a net outflow of $2.13 million. On the economic front, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to address its longstanding issues through structural reforms and improve its institutions through a stringent legal framework, as that would make the economy more competitive. Meanwhile, State Bank of Pakistan governor Dr Reza Baqir, while addressing an international forum, said that the primary reason behind troublesome economy was the current account deficit, which jumped from less than $500 million in 2016 to $1.5-$2 billion per month by mid-2017 owing to a fixed exchange rate. He, however, stated that the incumbent government’s adjusted exchange rate has helped reduce CAD to $260 million. gaining 15.32 points, the KSE-100 Index marked its intraday high at 33,885.47 minutes after the commencement of the session. The index then tripped, sliding down by 795.29 points to record its intraday low at 33,074.86. It ended lower by 785.42 points at 33,084.73. The KMI-30 Index declined by 1,314.83 points to end at 53,274.64 points, while the KSE All Share Index fell by 469.32 points, closing at 23,984.51. Out of the total scripts traded in the 100-index, 82 declined while only 7 scripts managed to register gains, cumulatively contributing 25.44 points to the index. The commercial bank sector (-226.57 points), oil and gas exploration sector (-106.50 points) and cement sector (-91.36 points) dented the index the most. The Bank of Punjab (BOP -6.84pv) announced an earnings per share of Rs0.82 for the third quarter of FY19 (Rs0.63 in 3QFY18), Fauji Cement Company limited (FCCl -4.88pc) declared an EPS of Rs0.21 for the first quarter of FY20 (Rs0.58 in 1QFY19) while Sitara Peroxide (SPl -5.85pc) posted an EPS of Rs0.10 for 3QFY19 (Rs2.54 in 3QFY18).

BoP’s pre-tax profit surges 18pc to rs10.5bn NEWS DESK The Bank of Punjab (BOP) Board of Directors recently approved the unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The Net Interest Margin (NIM) of the bank improved significantly to Rs19.8 billion as against Rs14.1 billion earned during the corresponding period of last year, registering a rise of 40pc. The bank’s non-markup/interest income remained at Rs2.8 billion.

Accordingly, BOP earned highest ever profit before tax of Rs10.5 billion as against Rs8.9 billion for corresponding period of last year, thereby registering a massive growth of 18pc. Further, earnings per share (EPS) of the bank remained at Rs2.34 per share. As on September 30, deposits of the bank reached Rs640.5 billion as against Rs595.6 billion as on December 31, 2018. BOP’s total assets touched new height of Rs844.1 billion. Similarly, investments and advances remained at Rs362.5 billion and Rs.416.6 billion, respectively. The bank’s Tier-I equity improved to Rs38.7 billion as against Rs34.5 billion. As on September 30, the bank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) substantially improved to 14.66pc. Accordingly, the bank stands fully compliant with SBP’s prescribed capital requirements. The bank has been assigned long term entity rating of “AA” by The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) with short term rating being at highest rank of “A1+”.

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BUSINESS DESK

HE International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank provided assurances of their continued support to Pakistan in meetings with Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

According to the press release issued by the Finance Division on Monday, the adviser, along with a delegation — including State Bank governor Reza Baqir, Finance Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch and Economic Affairs Division Secretary Noor Ahmed — had back-to-back meetings with the managing directors of the IMF and World Bank to apprise them of institutional reforms as well as steps undertaken during the last year to put the country's economy on the path to progress and stability.

The meetings took place in Washington DC, where the Pakistani delegation has gone to attend

the annual round of meetings of the World BankIMF group.

In the meeting with World Bank Managing Director (Operations) Axel Van Trotsenburg and other senior officials, the Shaikh congratulated Trotsenburg on his appointment and appreciated the support the bank had provided to Pakistan.

According to the press release, the adviser highlighted the government's focus on expediting the speedy roll-out of World Bank pipeline projects as well as the steps taken in this regard.

The World Bank managing director noted that Pakistan was among the bank's largest partners and beneficiaries of the International Development Association (IDA), adding that Pakistan should make "optimal use" of the WB's resources.

He also assured the Pakistani delegation of the bank's continued support to Pakistan's development effort.

Steel manufacturers demand ban on import via land routes ISLAMABAD GHUlaM aBBas

As the smuggling of steel items continues at Iran and Afghan borders under the garb of some "certain rules", the steel industry has demanded the government to allow the import of steel "only via seat ports".

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Advisor to PM on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi and Senate Standing Committee on Commerce Chairman Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, the steel manufacturers have informed that the Pakistani markets were being flooded with the import of brand new/prime steel from Iran "under the garb of rerollable scrap".

Through the letter, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today, the Pakistan Association of large Steel Procurers (PAlSP) informed the Senate's Standing Committee on Commerce, which is going to take up the matter in its meeting tomorrow (Tuesday), that the unlawful practice of bringing steel bars/girders from Iran has resulted in incalculable loss to the local, revenue-generating steel industry of the country.

PAlSP, along with Pakistan Steel Melters Association and Pakistan Ship Breakers Association, has been appealing the government to halt this practice of abusage of rules/SROs which was destroying the local steel industry.

It is pertinent to mention that the FBR, while taking notice of smuggling from Afghan and Iranian borders, had recently taken steps to curb the menace of illegal trade. However, the industry, which welcomed the move, has now demanded a complete ban on the import via land routes.

According to the association, Iran "does not allow the export of meltable or re-rollable scrap but 'prime material' is exported without any proof of payment".

"This practice amounts to money laundering and illegal exports of currency. This is dangerous in view of the FATF regime that Pakistan is struggling to comply with," the PAlSP letter stated.

It suggested that in order to curb this menace, steel items should only be allowed to be imported from Iran/Afghanistan via seaports, as this would not only ensure fair market price and documentation of economy, but would also provide a level playing field to the country's steel sector.

"At the time of the federal budget 2018-19, re-rollable scrap (PCT 7204-4910) was inserted in schedule 1 by mistake. It should be reverted back to Custom Duty.

"Keeping in view of the very low price of imported re-rollable scrap, it is suggested that RD on re-rollable scrap should be increased from 5pc to 35pc so as to bring it in parity with the steel billets and ship plates. By doing this, the government's revenue will increase and the steel sector will be provided with a level playing field," it added.

Textile exports up 3pc in Q1 FY20 ISLAMABAD: Textile exports from the country increased by 2.95pc during the first quarter of the current fiscal year (July-Sept FY20) compared with the corresponding period of the last fiscal year. The textile exports during the period under review were recorded at $3,371.974 million as against the exports of $3,275.303 million during July-September 2018-19, according to latest data by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The textile commodities that contributed to the positive growth included raw cotton, exports of which grew by 53.65pc, from $7.047 million to $10.828 million.

Similarly, the exports of yarn (other than cot-

ton yarn) increased by 21.95pc, from $7.759 million last year to $9.462 million, while that of knitwear surged by 11.14pc, from $701.393 million to $779.548 million.

Bed wear exports increased 2.84pc, from $583.949 million to $600.562 million; exports of readymade garments registered 11.49pc growth, from $598.612 million to $667.361 million; exports of art, silk and synthetic textile increased by 8.37pc, from $72.568 million to $78.641 million; while the exports of cotton (carded or combed) witnessed a cent per cent increase and amounted $0.032 million during the period under review. app

Meanwhile, in an "extensive session" with IMF Managing Director Kristalina georgieva and other senior IMF officials, Shaikh, along with the Pakistani delegation, provided an overview of the implementation of the IMF programme in Pakistan.

He also congratulated georgieva on her recent appointment as the IMF managing director.

During the meeting, the adviser said that the results of the first quarter (of the financial year) had indicated that Pakistan's economy was on the path to stabilisation, adding that the reforms initiated under the IMF programme were "demonstrating positive outcomes".

As per the press release, georgieva recognised the "tough decisions" that were being made and implemented to stabilise Pakistan's economy.

While appreciating the commitment of the government, she assured IMF's continued support to the reform process.

‘dutch companies keen to invest in Pakistan’s maritime, agri sectors’ ISLAMABAD sTaFF repOrT

Dutch Human Rights Ambassador Dr Bahia Tahzib-lie, along with Ambassador of the Netherlands to Pakistan Wouter Plomp, called on Advisor to Prime Minister Abdul Razzaq Dawood on Monday. Commerce Secretary Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera and senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce were also among the attendees. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bahia Tahzib-lie expressed satisfaction over the progress made by Pakistan to stabilise the economy and assured of her full cooperation to enhance bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries. Envoy Wouter Plomp said that Dutch companies were interested in the maritime and agriculture sectors of Pakistan, noting that recently, a Dutch (dairy) company, FrieslandCampina, invested $446 million in Pakistan's Engro Corporation.

"Bringing international companies in Pakistan will help attract more foreign direct investment in the country," he remarked. The PM's advisor informed the delegates that Pakistan has made considerable progress on 27 conventions of the European union.

"Implementation of 27 conventions is in Pakistan's own interest and the government is putting all its efforts to implement all Eu conventions,” he added. The advisor also highlighted the importance of the Eu's development support initiatives, particularly the 'growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress' (gRASP) programme that aims to strengthen small & medium enterprises in the country. "The project came at a time when the government was focusing on the development of the SMEs sector," he added. Dawood said the incumbent government was striving hard to reduce the cost of doing business in Pakistan. He invited the Dutch companies to invest in various sectors of Pakistan's economy, as the government was offering attractive incentives to foreign investors.

China seeks $2.4bn in sanctions against US in Obama-era case: WTO GENEVA aGeNCIes

China is seeking $2.4 billion (£1.9 billion) in retaliatory sanctions against the united States for non-compliance with a WTO ruling in a tariffs case dating to the Obama era, a document published on Monday showed.

WTO appeals judges said in July that the united States did not fully comply with a WTO ruling and could face Chinese sanctions if it does not remove certain tariffs that break the watchdog’s rules.

The WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body effectively gave Beijing a green light to

seek compensatory sanctions in mid-August. The united States said at the time that it did not view the WTO findings as valid and that the judges had applied “the wrong legal interpretation in this dispute”.

China continued to be the “serial offender” of the WTO’s subsidies agreement, the uS delegation said. Contacted

by Reuters on Monday, the uS mission in geneva had no immediate comment.

China, in its request posted by WTO, said, “In response to the united States’ continued non-compliance with the (WTO Dispute Settlement Body’s) recommendations and rulings, China requests authorization from the DSB to

suspend concessions and related obligations at an annual amount of $2.4 billion.”

The united States had failed to comply with the DSB recommendations and rulings within the specified period and no agreement on compensation had been reached, it said.

China went to the WTO in 2012 to challenge uS anti-subsidy tariffs, known as countervailing duties, on Chinese exports including solar panels, wind towers, steel cylinders and aluminium extrusions, exports that China valued at $7.3 billion at the time.

The duties were imposed as the result of 17 investigations begun by the

uS Department of Commerce between 2007 and 2012.

China’s request appears on the agenda of the DSB set for Oct 28. The united States could challenge the amount of retaliatory sanctions sought, which could send the long-running dispute to arbitration.

The office of uS Trade Representative (uSTR) Robert lighthizer has said the WTO ruling recognised that the united States had proved that China used state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to subsidise and distort its economy.

But the ruling also said the united States must accept Chinese prices to

measure subsidies, even though uSTR viewed those prices as “distorted”.

China and the Trump administration are locked in a tit-for-tat trade war. White House economic adviser larry Kudlow said on Thursday that China’s “serious commitment” to buy up to $50 billion worth of uS agricultural goods as part of a phase 1 trade deal would depend in part on private companies and market conditions. uS President Donald Trump said on Friday he thinks a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies will be signed by the time the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings take place in Chile on Nov 16 and 17.

DisTincT from all; Kalash is a BeauTy in iTself their waists.

Who else can manage to look absolutely flawless in big slack cloaks but these women?

Braids are never out of fashion in this part of the world because for these kalashi women, this is the ultimate and only hairstyle statement. every hair is plaited in long braids both in front and back to support shushut on their heads and they are so much pro in making these braids that even a 5 years old kid knows how to transform you into a typical kalashi goddess in 2 minutes. how exceptionally distinct they look while wearing the same dresses and having a single fashion sense.

Yes, that is where we see the beauty in harmony and oneness. having a distinct culture, tradition, class and religion from ours, these people still win at living the best life full of love, kindness and hospitality.

By Rohama Riaz

T

hose graceful divas dressed up in identical loose robes supported by adorned belts and head covered with heavy crown-like caps spilling their charm all around the valley are a real treat for the eys. This is not the fashion of Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad. This style narration is about one of the most beautiful places in Pakistan; the Kalash valley. They do not just

Blue whales eat half a million calories in one mouthful These random facts are mindblowing! Those 457,000 calories are more than 240 times the energy the whale uses to scoop those krill into its mouth.

That tiny pocket in jeans was designed to store pocket watches The original jeans only had four pockets: that tiny one, plus two more on the front and just one in the back.

adopt the unity in their lifestyle but also in their culture as well.

Do you imagine wearing the same dresses with different colors yet not look boring or monotonous without giving an impression of a uniform? Yes, this is the place where fashion has its own sense and definition. You will see gorgeous people roaming around with a quirky-cool fashion statement, wearing no make-up yet looking radiant in those classic baggy dresses with heavy caps called “shushut” and a belt or “patti” wrapped around

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

Turkeys can blush When turkeys are scared or excited—like when the males see a female they’re interested in—the pale skin on their head and neck turns bright red, blue, or white. The flap of skin over their beaks, called a “snood,” also reddens.

Robert Pattinson Starting To Buff Up Jared Leto Done As Joker; Tried To Kill For The Batman Joaquin Phoenix Movie With filming set to begin at the start of the year, Robert Pattinson is asked if he is starting to get buffed up for his role in The Batman which sees him play the titular character, Bruce Wayne.

"I'm in the early stages," Pattinson laughs. "Very, very early."

It's remarked that he doesn't like to exercise, but Pattinson says, "I didn't when I was younger, but now as I have kind of gotten older, I'm slowly getting aware of aging. so I'm kind of like, 'I got to put in some effort otherwise I'm going to get hip replacement.'"

The trainer for Zachary Levi in shazam! also previously said he is in talks to train Robert Pattinson for The Batman.

I put it forth not to expect Robert Pattinson to be a jacked Batman, but on the slimmer side of things, more comparable to how Zachary Levi isn't as jacked as shazam compared to henry Cavill as superman and Jason Momoa as Aquaman.

Pattinson will be wearing the new Batsuit, so there is that, which can attempt to fill out the muscles, but I'm more interested in what style of fighting they are going to go with.

Following the release of the Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie, it is now being said that Jared Leto tried to kill the flick and is likely done as his version of the Clown Prince of Crime.

Previously it was said that Jared Leto was alienated and upset by the decision to go with the Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie, but now it is learned that Leto went so far as to try and get it stopped from getting made.

ThR claims that sources in the know offer Leto early on "tried to throttle the rival Joker in its cradle."

It's claimed that Leto even went above Warner Bros. to its parent company AT&T in an attempt to kill the Todd Phillips movie by asking his music manager, Irving Azoff, to make a call to top AT&T execs.

It's also said that Leto complained "bitterly" to his agents at CAA, as the company also represents Phillips.

The article does note that people in Leto's camp deny he made the request to kill the Joker movie, and also that Azoff declined to comment.

CMYK

Ahead of Pagalpanti trailer, John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, Kriti Kharbanda and Urvashi Rautela team up in new posters The makers of John Abraham’s Pagalpanti have shared fresh posters from the upcoming film and also revealed the date when the film’s trailer will be launched. Apart from new posters of the male lead cast, the fresh posters also showcase the female stars of the movie - Urvashi Rautela, Kriti Kharbanda and Ileana D’Cruz.While the female actors had already shared individual posters earlier, the new one has the three of them together.

Kriti shared the poster on Twitter and wrote, “I mean masti bhi hai #Pagalpanti bhi... Trailer out tomorrow! @AnilKapoor @ArshadWarsi@Pulkitsamrat @Ileana_official @UrvashiRautela @saurabhshukla_s@TheJohnAbraham@BazmeeAnees@itsBhushanKumar @KumarMangat @AbhishekPathakk @Tseries @PanoramaMovies.” Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Kumar Mangat and Abhishek Pathak, Pagalpanti will hit the screens on November 22.

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

14 SPORTS

IntEr kEEp pacE wItH JuvE, pIolI HEld on ac MIlan dEBut MILAN

I

AGENCIES

NTER Milan survived a late Sassuolo scare and a bizarre intervention by a parachutist to win 4-3 and keep in touch with leaders Juventus in Serie A on Sunday as Stefano Pioli's first game in charge of AC Milan ended in a 2-2 draw against lowly Lecce.

RomeluLukaku and Lautaro Martinez each bagged a brace in a seven-goal thriller to keep Antonio Conte's side second, a point behind Juventus who beat Bologna 2-1 on Saturday. Inter Milan had led 4-1 with 20 minutes to go after Martinez had opened the scoring after two minutes in Sassuolo, adding a second from the penalty spot after 71 minutes.

Belgian forward Lukaku found the net after 38 minutes and converted a penalty just before the break despite a parachutist inexplicably landing on the pitch just as he was about to kick the ball. The man was quickly led off by security agents as players and fans looked on bewildered. Then the former Manchester United striker slotted in to give Inter a 3-1 lead. With the game under control Conte brought on winger Matteo Politano and midfielder

Valentino Lazaro for their first appearances this season.

Then Filip Djuricic (74) and Jeremie Boga (81) hit back for the hosts, who are struggling in 17th position, to add to Domenic Berardi's first-half goal.

Inter held on for a win after consecutive defeats against Barcelona in the Champions League and Juventus in Serie A. "Once it goes to 3-1 and 4-1, it should be over," said Lukaku who has now scored five Serie A goals in eight games. "In the first half, we did everything well. However, we should have scored in the first 15 minutes after the

restart to really kill off the match.

"The positive we take is that we got the three points, but we need to defend better than that. "It was very important to get this win."

Meanwhile, Pioli's debut as Milan coach was spoiled by two players he previously coached -- KhoumaBabacar and Marco Calderoni.

Babacar cancelled out Turkish winger HakanCalhanoglu's first-half goal, when the Senegalese forward missed a penalty but turned in the rebound after an hour in the San Siro.

Krzysztof Piatek came off the

bench and scored with nine minutes to go after a Calhanoglu pull back, but Calderoni rifled in the equaliser in stoppage time. "Tonight I suffered because of my exes," said Pioli.

"I had hoped for a gift this evening for my birthday, but I saw some good things, the team deserved a win, but it was our own fault we didn't," added the former Fiorentina coach, who turned 54 on Sunday. Milan are in 12th with ten points from eight games. Lecce are one point above the relegation zone.

Claudio Ranieri's first game in charge of basement club Sampdoria also ended in a goalless draw in Genoa against his former club Roma on his 68th birthday. The visitors lost Bryan Cristante and Nikola Kalinic to injury early, with coach Paulo Fonseca sitting out a touchline ban.

EdinDzeko came on for Kalinic with his face protected by a mask after breaking a cheekbone two weeks ago.

The Romans played the final five minutes a man down after Justin Kluivert was sent off for a second yellow card. The match was also overshadowed by monkey chants directed at Sampdoria midfielder Ronaldo Vieira for which the Roman club apologised and vowed to identify and ban those involved.

New-look Bayern out to prove Spurs drubbing was no fluke

LONDON: Former world number one Andy Murray was rewarded for his victory in Antwerp at the weekend, with another dramatic rise in the ATP rankings which were released on Monday. The Scotsman, who is on the comeback trail after career-saving hip surgery, climbed 116 places to 127 following his 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Stan Wawrinka -his first title in two years. Murray, who has won three Grand Slam titles and spent 41 weeks at number one from November 2016 to August 2017, saw his ranking slip as low as 839 in July 2018 as his injured hip threatened to end his career. At the end of September he was ranked down at 503, meaning he has climbed 376 places in three weeks. He is now expected to take a break as his wife waits for the birth of their third child. Novak Djokovic remains at number one, the 273rd week in his career that he holds the top spot, with Rafael Nadal just 320 points behind. The only change in the top 10 sees the Japanese Kei Nishikori climbing one place from nine to eight with the Russian Karen Khachanov slipping down in the other direction. AGENCIES

Suele injury will keep him out until after Euros says Hoeness

AGENCIES Bayern Munich face Olympiakos away in the Champions League on Tuesday with key defender NiklasSuele sidelined as Niko Kovac's side seek to prove their demolition of Tottenham was no fluke.

The summer overhaul of Bayern's squad bore spectacular fruit a fortnight ago in a 7-2 thrashing of Spurs as winger Serge Gnabry scored four second-half goals. "The 7-2 was a great match, a statement, but nothing more," insisted Bayern head coach Kovac after last season's finalists were routed.

Now Bayern must back up the Spurs trouncing in Athens on the back of below-par performances in the Bundesliga and the loss of Germany centre-back Suele. Bayern suffered their first defeat this season 10 days ago by crashing 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim, then leaked a 91st-minute equaliser in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Augsburg to stay third in the Bundesliga.

The point at Augsburg carried a high price as torn knee ligaments means Suele should be sidelined for the next six months. "We didn't pass the character test," admitted Gnabry after the Augsburg draw.

"We didn't put our chances away at the end, if we had converted one, it would have been all over. That's how we blew it. "Sometimes you have games like against Tottenham where everything runs smoothly - then you have days like today or against Hoffenheim. "We simply have to do better with our chances."

CLEAN OUT: Gnabry scored in Augsburg as did Robert Lewandowski who equalled the Bundesliga record with goals in each of the first eight games this season. With 16 goals in 12 games in all competitions so far, Lewandowski is in the form of his career, but the 31-year-old is running out of time to win the

Murray rise continues after Belgian triumph

Champions League trophy with Bayern.

His pre-season demands for reinforcements were answered with Ivan Perisic, 30, signed from Juventus and Philippe Countinho, 27, opted for Munich to reboot his career after an unhappy spell at Barcelona.

Countinho's silky passing provides Lewandowski with plenty of chances and the pair have forged a key partnership at the heart of Bayern's attack in the wake

of Kovac's squad clean out.

Senior veterans Franck Ribery, 36, Arjen Robben, 35, and Rafinha, 34, who helped win the 2013 Champions League title, have all been moved on.

Despite having only recently turned 30, club stalwart Thomas Mueller has also been deemed surplus to requirements, starting on the bench in Bayern's last seven games as Countinho's back-up.

BERLIN: Germany central defender NiklasSuele will miss the rest of the season and Euro-2020 after injuring his knee playing for Bayern at the weekend, club president UliHoeness said on Monday. "Apparently, the season is over for him, he can forget about the Euros," Hoeness said. The 24-year-old tore his left knee anterior cruciate ligament on Saturday in Bayern's 2-2 Bundesliga draw in Augsburg. He had surgery on Monday.

Joachim Loew, the national coach, said it was "very bad news" and called Suele was "a pillar" in his reconstruction project for the Euros. Loew put his faith in Suele when he said in March that he would no longer pick veterans Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels, who between them had won 146 caps and started together in the 2014 World Cup final.

The German team's displays since then suggest that Loew had not yet found the right partner for the 6ft 5in Suele at the heart of his defence. Bayern coach Niko Kovac has other, non-German, options in central defence, including French internationals Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez, and Spaniard Javi Martinez. When asked if he could look for an additional defender during the winter transfer window Hoeness said: "We won't go looking for anyone". AGENCIES

In a career of landmarks, Federer set for 1,500th match MĂœNCHENSTEIN AGENCIES

Roger Federer will check off another landmark on Monday when he starts his bid for a 10th Basel title by playing the 1,500th match of his career.

The 38-year-old begins his bid for his 103rd title against German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk. The 20-time Grand Slam champion has beaten the German twice - including at Indian Wells last March.

"My preparation had to be a little faster than usual since I have to start Monday," said Federer ahead of the Swiss Indoors tournament, which he first attended as a ballboy.

"I've already practiced Friday and Saturday in Basel. I hope to really start strong and have a great indoor season."

Federer, who has made the Basel final on all of his last 12 visits, owns ATP titles this season in Dubai, Miami and Halle. Despite not adding to his tally of

majors, he still stands at 47-8 for the year, a record bettered only by eternal rival Rafael Nadal, whose triumphs at Roland Garros and the US Open have taken the Spaniard to 19 Grand Slams.

Federer made the final at Wimbledon in July where he had two match points before losing to Novak Djokovic in a five-set epic. He revealed on Sunday that his philosophy about those losses has become "forget them and move on".

However, he added: "I try to keep the highest possible level always. Sometimes it's the opponent, sometimes it's your own mind or game that goes off the boil.

"And, of course, you work with the right work ethic in practice, with the right concentration and everything.

"Only a few (matches this season) stand out to me that maybe I could have won that I didn't.

"If I look back at my whole career I've had a lot of matches that I could have won that I lost. But also I won much more

than I should have or could have."

After Basel, Federer is likely to make his usual last-minute decision on whether to carry on for the Paris Masters, the concluding Masters 1000 event of the season which starts a week on Monday.

He has already qualified for the ATP Finals in London from November 10 in what will be his 17th appearance at the money-spinning season finale.

"It's been a solid season. It started well for me. I hope to pick it up for the year-end," he added.

Meanwhile, Federer briefly paused his preparation for Basel to send best wishes to newly-married rival Nadal.

Explaining that he was not part of the festivities, the father of four said: "I was not invited by Rafa, but I had not expected to be. "I congratulated him and hope he had the best day of his life."

Nadal and longtime girlfriend XiscaPerello were married on Saturday on their home island of Mallorca.

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Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

SPORTS 15

FrESH look to tESt and t20I SIdES aS pakIStan BEgIn lIFE aFtEr SarFaraz aHMEd PAKISTAN SQUAD FOR AUSTRALIA: RIZWAN REPLACES SARFARAZ AS KEEPER, IRFAN MAKES COMEBACK LAHORE

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AGENCIES

OT only is Sarfaraz Ahmed absent in the Pakistan Test and T20I squads bound for Australia, in a major shake-up, head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq has named a host of new faces in both the touring groups.

Muhammad Musa Khan, the 19-yearold seamer, was included in both the squads. Khushdil Shah, the 24-year-old middle-order batsman, and Abdul Qadir's son Usman Qadir, the 26-year-old legspinner, were the new faces in the T20I squad, to be captained by Babar Azam, while Azhar Ali's Test side included Kashif Bhatti, the domestic veteran who bowls left-arm spin and Nasim Shah, the young fast bowler.

Misbah-ulHaq said message is clear for Sarfaraz Ahmed and all the players that performance is key to be in the team.

Announcing Pakistan squad for Australia series on Monday, Misbah attempted to clear the air regarding the controversial decision of removing the cricketer from the captaincy and said

there’s no conspiracy against him.

The former skipper was also not considered for the wicket-keeping slot as Rizwan was selected in his place for the crucial series.

The head coach pointed out that chairman PCB also mentioned in the press release that the only criteria for the team selection was merit and drop in Sarfaraz’s recent form was the only reason behind him being not given the task of leading the team.

Former Pakistan greats have also critisced the Pakistan Cricket Board for the way Sarfaraz was treated. Misbah said he and Chairman Ehsan Mani and MD Waseem Khan discussed in detail regard-

ing Pakistan’s furure plan of action.

The doors are open for Sarfaraz and everyone else to regain form in the domestic cricket and comeback, said Misbah. ‘We have always backed Sarfaraz and he is a good enough player and has performed for the country.’

In Pakistan's post-World Cup shakeup, Sarfaraz had been sacked as captain of the Test and T20I sides and a decision on the ODI captaincy was put on hold, as Pakistan's next 50-over assignment isn't until July next year. Also out of the Test side were Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, who is nursing an injury, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Amir, who had announced his retirement from

Bangladesh players announce boycott plan, India tour under threat

DHAKA AGENCIES

Bangladesh's cricketers have decided not to participate in any cricket activity for the foreseeable future until their demands for the improvement of cricket in the country are met.

The immediate impact of their action will be on the National Cricket League, currently in progress, the training camp for next month's tour of India, and possibly the tour itself.

The players released a list of 11 demands, including a reversal of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's decision last month to abandon the Bangladesh Premier League's franchise-based model. Those present at the press conference, at the National Cricket Academy in Dhaka, included Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah.

"Everything is included," said Shakib.

"Apart from the Under-19s and the other agegroup teams, all first-class and national teams are included. From today. From the National Cricket League to first-class, national team preparations, internationals… everything is included."

The BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said they would react only once the demands are presented to them formally and they know the details.

Asked what response they anticipated

from the board, Shakib said solutions would be found when the demands were met or discussed. "When the demands are met, normal service will resume. All of us want cricket to improve. Some of us will play for another ten years, some for four-five years, but we want to create a good environment for the players who will come after us, so Bangladesh cricket can move forward."

Shakib clarified that women cricketers were not included in today's developments but added that they were welcome to join.

"We haven't been able to include the women cricketers here, because it was done in a rush. If they have any demands, they are most welcome to join us. I am sure they have grievances too. If they come to us and join us, we will be able to put forward their demands too."

The state of cricket in the country had led to simmering discontent among the players.

The trigger seems to be the decision on the BPL, which reduced the average professional cricketer's earning to an all-time low. The players' woes were furthered after the BCB didn't raise the match fees in the first-class competition that began earlier this month.

These, in addition to the salary cap applied to the Dhaka Premier League, although it used to be an open market for club-to-club transfer for players, for the last several years.

the longest format earlier this year.

In T20Is, there was no place for Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal, who were selected in controversial circumstances for the series at home against Sri Lanka recently, while Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz were also left out.

There have been a number of surprises in the squad, but the call-up of Usman Qadir perhaps tops them all. Just last year, Qadir had declared he "didn't want to play for Pakistan", and wanted to represent Australia instead when he became a citizen, disillusioned by the lack of opportunity in Pakistan.

Less than a fortnight ago, Misbah rhetorically asked a packed press conference which legspinners he was ignoring in Pakistan cricket, indicating there was no one coming through to select besides Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan.

When a journalist murmured Usman Qadir's name, there was a ripple of laughter, with even Misbah joining in, and saying he hadn't been playing domestic cricket in Pakistan. To see him named in a squad just ten days later represents a remarkable change of heart from the PCB, and indeed Qadir himself.

In another notable recall, Mohammad Irfan was named in a Pakistan squad for the first time since September 2016, with the previous coach Mickey Arthur deeming him incompatible with the high-performance culture he believed was necessary to make Pakistan a modern-day limited-overs force. The 37-year-old paceman will be the oldest player in a side that's otherwise notable for its youth.

One of the less surprising - but still

notable for its significance - changes was the introduction of Mohammad Rizwan to Pakistan's T20I and Test squads as the first-choice wicketkeeper after a long wait on the sidelines. He didn't play a single international game for over two years while Sarfaraz was captain, but with him out of the fray, the path for Rizwan to come back was cleared. He has, however, only ever played a single Test match, which came nearly three years ago in New Zealand.

Imran Khan, meanwhile, is also back in the side for the first time since Pakistan's last tour of Australia in January 2017. He may only have played nine Tests, but three have come in two separate series against Australia, the opposition he now has an opportunity to take on next month.

As mentioned earlier, Azhar and Babar will captain the Test and T20I squads respectively, with the T20I series a chance for Pakistan to bounce back from the 3-0 home defeat to Sri Lanka and press their claim as favourites for next year's men's T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia, further. The Test series will be the first assignment for Pakistan in the World Test Championship, and it could not have been a more challenging start; Pakistan have lost each of their last four series in Australia 3-0, representing 12 consecutive Test losses.

The action in Australia begins with the first T20I on November 3 in Sydney, followed by games in Canberra (November 5) and Perth (November 8), before the Test matches take place in Brisbane (November 21-25) and Adelaide (November 29 to December 3).

South Africa rocked after Rohit Sharma 212, AjinkyaRahane 115 RANCHI AGENCIES

It's difficult to see this Test match developing any differently to the previous two in this series. India have done what they did in Visakhapatnam and Pune, piling on the runs, although they declared when the total was under 500 in Ranchi. South Africa have done what they did at those venues too, by bowling inconsistently, conceding heavily and then being handicapped in response. At 8 for 2, this is their worst South AFrIcA start yet and, barring 9 For 2 (ShAmI 1-0, something truly speby surprise. cial, it appears only umeSh 1-4) trAIl INdIA Kock Both gloved bea matter of time be497 (rohIt 212, rAhANe hind, Elgar off a fore they are whiteShami delivery that washed.

115, lINde 4-133) found extra bounce Rohit Sharma, By 488 ruNS and de Kock to an the star of India's inUmeshsnorter that nings, enhanced his repuclimbed on him steeply. tation further after scoring And those losses might well be two centuries in his first Test as an opener in Visakhapatnam. Rohit dou- the least of South Africa's problems.

On a dry surface, debutant Shahbled up in Ranchi, to become the third double-centurion in the series for baz Nadeem has already extracted India, surpassing 500 runs for the se- more turn in two overs than South ries. He also took his batting average Africa's spinners did in almost two at home up to 99.84, just above Don days, and R Ashwin has yet to get going. The upside is that there's an Bradman's 98.22.

Shining alongside him were opportunity for some of South AjinkyaRahane, who brought up his Africa's bench to come good. Zubayr first hundred at home since 2016, Hamza is batting at No. 3 and HeinRavindraJadeja, who added a second rich Klaasen at No. 6, and we don't half-century at No.6 and Umesh need to go over how important it is Yadav, whose 31 off 10 balls allowed for Faf du Plessis and Temba Bavuma ViratKohli to declare in time to let to score runs.

If they're looking for an example India's quicks loose on South of how to do it, they need look no Africa's openers.

Mohammed Shami and Umesh further than the opposition. Rohit only got an over each in fading light paced his innings perfectly, seeing off but bounced out South Africa's open- the more testing spells from Kagers to put the visitors under pressure isoRabada, and then cashed in on South Africa's weaknesses. Lungi immediately.

India had the luxury of allowing Ngidi, playing his first Test in the setheir quicks to go full tilt for a short ries, struggled with his lines and spell, having declared with a session often strayed on to the pads, while in the day, but knowing the weather Dane Piedt, brought back into the XI, would allow for much less. Shami and bore the brunt of Rohit's aggression.

Umesh hit the deck hard and seemed Piedt has now conceded the most to catch Dean Elgar and Quinton de sixes in a series, a grand total of 20,

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and appears nowhere near the bowler that dominated the domestic franchise system at home.

At the other end, Rahane barely put a foot wrong, scoring runs all around the field, particularly in the oft-vacant third-man region, and put right a home record that was crying for some beefing up. The Rohit-Rahane partnership swelled to 267, by far the highest fourth-wicket stand for India against South Africa.

The trouble for South Africa is that India's attack doesn't offer the freebies Ngidi and Piedt did, so they will have to grind a lot more, which may not be possible on a surface that will deteriorate.

None of the Indian batsmen will be too unhappy, especially not Jadeja, who has handled the promotion to No. 6 well. He shared in a 64-run fifthwicket stand with Rohit and 47-run fifth-wicket partnership with WriddhimanSaha. But the fun came after Jadeja was dismissed and Umesh arrived with a license to thrill. He hit five sixes off Linde in a 10-ball 31, and fast-forwarded the declaration.

It came after India scored 273 runs in 58.3 overs on day two, at a run rate of 4.67, and their willingness to call time on their innings early shows just how dominant they have been. They have outplayed South Africa in all departments and can sniff a strong finish.

Tuesday, 22 October, 2019

NEWS

Full bench hearing oF Justice isa case deFerred over ‘non-availability’ oF Judge COURT ORDER STATES JUSTICE MIANKHEL HAS PROCEEDED ON LEAVE TO HIS HOMETOWN FOLLOWING A DEATH IN THE FAMILY; COURT TO RESUME HEARING ON OCT 28 ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

UPREME Court’s (SC) full bench hearing of a set of petitions challenging the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa has been deferred till October 28 as one of the judges has proceeded on leave to his hometown following a death in the family.

“One of the members of this bench, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, has had a demise in his family and is not available today for hearing of the part-heard constitutional petition,” stated a court order issued in this regard. “In these circumstances, hearing of the said petition cannot continue today. However, we are informed that Justice Miankhel shall resume his duties next week. Accordingly, the said petition along with connected matters is adjourned to October 28,” the court order added.

Earlier in the day, the 10-member full bench was dissolved after one of the judges became “unavailable”. Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who was heading the bench, had said that the judges congregated that the bench had been dissolved due to the nonavailability of Justice Miankhel. “The matter of constituting a new bench is being sent to the chief justice,” Justice Bandial said.

Justice Isa’s counsel, Munir A Malik, requested again that a full court bench be formed to hear the case, to which Justice Bandial reminded him that it is up to the

chief justice to constitute a bench however he sees fit. This would have been the second time that the chief justice would have been requested to reconstitute the bench hearing the petitions regarding presidential references against Justice Isa. Initially, a seven-member bench was constituted to hear the petitions but, following the recusal of Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, a request had been sent to the chief justice to reconstitute a bench to hear the case. The top judge had then constituted the current 10-member bench.

PBC QUESTIONS URGENCY: Meanwhile, members of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) expressed reservations over the development, saying that they “cannot see justice being delivered”.

Talking to the media after the court’s proceedings, PBC lawyers said that the bench had been dissolved because of the absence of one judge. They added that there was no ground to reconstitute the bench as, according to a Supreme Court order, a

bench that begins hearing a petition is supposed to hear the entire case. They said that all petitioners were present in the court and no one had expressed reservations over the current bench. The lawyers announced that they will raise objections over the bench that will be constituted next. “[We] don’t understand the urgency [being shown] in this case,” senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd said outside the court.

Another senior lawyer, Hamid Khan, said the proceedings can wait if a judge is unavailable. He added that the 10-member bench had already been formed and the chief justice “does not have the authority” to constitute another bench. “If this happens, it will be an unconstitutional step,” Khan said. Talking to reports, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Rasheed Rizvi said: “From the first day, it seems like these judges cannot wait to pass a verdict within two hours.

Do they want to issue a verdict before someone’s retirement? “There is a judgement [which says] that once a bench is formed, it cannot be dissolved. The conduct of these judges clearly shows that there will be no justice,” he accused. PBC Vice President Amjad Ali Shah said that all petitioners who have filed appeals in connection with the presidential references against Justice Isa were present in court today for the hearing, yet the bench was dissolved due to the absence of one judge. “We will have objections to any other bench except this one,” he declared. “We want this bench to hear the case.

[It] has [already] held two hearings,” he said.

Pakistan to expose India’s false claims today ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Asif Ghafoor has said that Indians have no grounds to support the false claims made by their army chief and Pakistan will take foreign diplomats and media persons today on those given locations to reveal the facts before the world.

His comments come a day after Pakistan rebuffed New Delhi’s claims of destroying alleged terror camps in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and invited an Indian delegation to see the truth with their own eyes. On Monday, Dr Faisal tweeted, “Indian Embassy has yet not responded to offer made by DG ISPR. It indicates that they have no grounds to support false claim by their COAS. We expect them to respond soon.”

To this, Major General Ghafoor replied, “Indians have no grounds to support false claim made by their COAS. If they don’t want to go they have the option to share claimed targeted locations with our foreign office. We will take foreign diplomats & media tomorrow on those given locations. Let all see facts on ground.”

Earlier in the day, reports claimed that Pakistan has invited Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia for a visit to areas along the Line of Control (LoC) to dispel New Delhi’s claims of destroying alleged terror camps in AJK. According to the reports, Ahluwalia has been invited along with other heads of diplomatic missions to give them a first-hand account of the ground situation at the LoC. Pakistan inviting an Indian envoy

Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

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to tour its side of the LoC would always be a major development but the move holds even greater significance at a time when tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors are at a peak, the report said.

The move comes a day after nine Indian soldiers were killed and several others injured after Pakistan Army “effectively responded” to India’s unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC in which five innocent civilians were martyred.

Following Sunday’s violent exchange, the Foreign Office had categorically rejected Indian media reports regarding “so-called launchpads” being targeted by Indian forces along the LoC. SA & SAARC Director General Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Ahluwalia to register a protest over the unprovoked ceasefire violations.

“The Indian occupation forces, along the LoC and Working Boundary, have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy calibre mortars, and automatic weapons,” read an FO statement. “Heinous Indian targeting of civilians is a typical attempt by India to divert international attention from the humanitarian nightmare in IOJ&K [Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir],” it added.

As for the targeting of “so-called launchpads”, Pakistan called upon the five permanent United Nations members, or P5, to press New Delhi for proof and concrete information. Islamabad also conveyed its willingness to arrange a visit of P5 diplomats to the alleged locations “to expose Indian falsehood”. Late on Sunday night, ISPR DG Major General Asif Ghafoor had also issued a statement rejecting India’s assertions.