E-Paper PDF 22th November (LHR)

CMYK

Friday, 22 November, 2019 I 24 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1441 I Rs 20.00 I Vol X No 142 I 16 Pages I Lahore Edition

Imran meets Bajwa, says army chIef’s term extensIon Is fInal g

pm SayS noTIFICaTIon perTaInInG To army ChIeF’S exTenSIon In Tenure waS ISSued on auG 19

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Imran, Trump discuss Kashmir once again

Imran appoInTS LT Gen nadeem aS ChaIrman JoInT ChIeFS oF STaFF CommITTee w.e.F. nov 27

File photo

STORY ON PAGE 03

ECP orders daily hearing of PTI foreign funding case ISLAMABAD

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staff report

rime minister imran Khan’s office on Wednesday confirmed the three-year extension given to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa recently, saying a notification pertaining to the extension in the general’s tenure has already been issued on Aug 19.

The statement came after a meeting between Pm imran and Gen Bajwa amid reports of an alleged rift between the civilian government and the military establishment. This was the second meeting of the two bigwigs in a week.

During this meeting, the civil and military top leaders discussed matters pertaining to national security, said the statement issued by the Pm House. in the earlier meeting, Gen Bajwa met Pm imran in an apparent attempt to allay the latter’s concerns over the recent political developments in the country. The statement issued after the meeting had said that the two sides discussed the prevailing situation in indian-occupied Kashmir and at the western border, and internal security issues were discussed.

The Pm’s meeting with the army chief was followed by a meeting with inter-Services intelligence (iSi) chief Lt Gen Faiz

Hameed on Tuesday.

However, media reports dub these meeting as an attempt to assuage imran’s concerns by the military. “The government and army are not on the same page due to disagreement on certain points, especially the exit of former Pm Nawaz Sharif from the country on health grounds,” reports stated.

Such claims were also made by Najam Sethi, a senior journalist, in his column in The Friday Times, who had questioned the delay in making the notification of the extension public.

“On the one hand, he [imran] has signed away the extension [of General Bajwa]; on the other, he hasn’t put it in the public domain; on the one hand, he is constantly at pains to insist that the government and establishment are on the same page; on the other, he is clearly not on the same page as the establishment in so far as dealing with the political opposition is concerned,” Sethi wrote, questioning the narrative of the civil and military set-up on one page.

These statements made chief military spokesperson major General Asif Ghafoor swing into action. The iSPr director general refuted claims of an alleged divide between the country’s civilian and military leadership, reiterating that both sides are on the same page.

“This is baseless gossip. There is absolutely nothing of the sort,” said Gen Ghafoor as he dis-

IHC disposes of contempt cases against Firdous

missed speculations. “The army is supporting a democratically elected government as per the constitution. There will be no let-up in this [support] as it is a must for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.”

Gen Ghafoor also shot down assertions that the prime minister and army chief were not communicating as often as they were in the early days of the government. meanwhile, the Pm House has also appointed Lieutenant General Nadeem raza the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, according to the spokesman of the Prime minister House. According to an official press statement from the Pm House, the appointment will take effect from November 27, 2019.

Currently, General Zubair mahmood Hayat is serving as the CJCSC and is set to retire on November 28, 2019. Lt Gen raza has earlier served as the Commandant of the Pakistan military Academy (PmA) Kakul and Corps Commander rawalpindi.

‘An end to rumour mills’ STORY ON PAGE 03

pmL-n challenges pm to reveal money trail

STORIES ON BACK PAGE & 02

Govt jacks up power price by Rs1.83 per unit STORY ON PAGE 12

Smog forces govt to close schools in Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala again

STORY ON BACK PAGE

Fazl says govt offered him Senate chairmanship STORY ON BACK PAGE

picture: zubair mehFooz

STORIES ON PAGES 04 & 05

Govt fails to include special education schools in its notification for holiday due to smog

CMYK Friday, 22 November, 2019

02 NEWS

ECP ordErs daily hEaring of PTi forEign funding CasE JOint OPP hAd sOught dAily hEAring Of CAsE Citing End Of tErm Of CEC JustiCE (r) sArdAr rAzA in dECEmbEr ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

HE Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday decided to conduct day-to-day hearing of the foreign funding case against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The order came after the opposition’s Rehbar Committee on Wednesday submitted an application, asking the ECP to decide the case before the expiry of Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Sardar Muhammad Raza’s term next month.

In the application submitted to ECP Secretary Babar Yaqub, the representatives of eight opposition parties urged the commission to hear the case on a daily basis. The application pointed out that the foreign funding case against the PTI had been pending with the ECP for the past five years.

“We urge that in the interest of jus-

tice the case may be heard on a daily basis and decided at the earliest during the term of the Commission [CEC],” it stated. When contacted, the ECP secretary confirmed that an application from the opposition had been received and the commission had issued directives for a day-to-day hearing of the case.

Another ECP official said the directives had been issued by the CEC and ECP members from Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa. He said the ECP member from Punjab was not present. He said the foreign funding case against the PTI was fixed for hearing before the scrutiny committee on Nov 26.

He disclosed that notices had also been issued to the counsel for the PML-N and PPP, asking them to appear before the committee on the same date [Nov 26]. Foreign funding cases against the PML-N and PPP had been filed by PTI lawmakers.

The ECP official said the notices to the PML-N and PPP lawyers had been issued around a week ago.

The case was filed by PTI’s founding member Akbar S. Babar back in 2014, alleging that nearly $3 million in illegal foreign funds were collected through two offshore companies and that money was sent through illegal ‘hundi’ channels from the Middle East to accounts of ‘PTI employees’.

He had also alleged that the foreign accounts used to collect funds were concealed from the annual audit reports submitted to the ECP. A scrutiny committee was formed in March last year to complete an audit of PTI’s funding sources in one month. Its mandate was later extended for an indefinite period.

Awan condemns Opp's effort to 'influence' ECP in foreign funding case ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister ’s Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday strongly condemned the opposition’s “despicable effort” to influence the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by taking it “hostage”.

Awan’s remarks come after the ECP ordered day-to-day hearing of the foreign funding case against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). A day earlier, the opposition’s Rehbar Committee had submitted an application asking the election commission to decide the case before the expiry of the chief election commissioner’s term next month.

In a tweet, Awan said: “The Rehbar Committee themselves requires rehbari (guidance). They are constantly presenting the ‘chor machae shor’ flop film show.”

She said the government was standing firm on its stance, adding: “Unlike others, we are not the ones to find an escape route from accountability.”

In a subsequent tweet, Awan said that Prime Minister Imran Khan advocates accountability on the basis of the supremacy of the rule of the Constitution and without any discrimination.

“The whole country is witness to whom the country’s highest court declared to be ‘sadiq’ and ‘ameen’ (honest and

Akram Durrani moves IHC for bail extension ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Akram Khan Durrani on Thursday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking extension in his bail plea in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) case which expired today.

The high court had extended his interim bail during his last appearance on Nov 4. A two-member bench of the high court comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan will lead the bench hearing the proceedings. NAB officials submitted a report in the case, not opposing bail plea of the former KP chief minister in assets beyond means and illegal allotment cases. Sources quoting the NAB report said that it was submitted with the IHC that the bureau has only issued warrants for the personal secretary of Durrani. “No warrants are issued for the arrest of Akram Durrani and his family members,” said the report adding that the NAB issues warrant of a person only if it wants to arrest him. They said that the NAB authorities were directed from the high court to submit a report on the matter before Thursday’s proceedings but after a delay, it was finally submitted today. STAFF REPORT

CMYK

righteous) and who was declared to be dishonest,” she added, referring to the Supreme Court judgement in 2017 in which Nawaz Sharif was declared ineligible to hold the office of prime minister. In the opposition’s application submitted to ECP Secretary Babar Yaqub Fateh Mohammad on Wednesday, the representatives of eight opposition parties urged the commission to hear the PTI foreign funding case on a daily basis.

The application pointed out that the foreign funding case against PTI had been pending with the ECP for the past five years.

Also on Wednesday, an ECP official said the foreign funding case against PTI was fixed for hearing before the scrutiny committee on November 26.

Additionally, the ECP official disclosed that notices had also been issued to the counsel for the PML-N and PPP, asking them to appear before the committee on the same date.

Foreign funding cases against PML-N and PPP had been filed by PTI lawmakers.

The ECP official said the notices to the PML-N and PPP lawyers had been issued around a week ago.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan asked party leaders not to worry about the foreign funding case, saying the PTI had already got audit of the party funds conducted and its proof had been submitted to the courts and relevant forums.

CMYK Friday, 22 November, 2019

imran, TrumP disCuss kashmir onCE again ISLAMABAD

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Pm urgEs EArly rEsOlutiOn Of kAshmir disPutE, rEitErAtEs COmmitmEnt tO AfghAn PEACE PrOCEss

STAFF REPORT

RIME Minister Imran Khan on Thursday appraised United States President Donald Trump about the crisis in Kashmir and urged him to speed up efforts for peace in the disputed territory.

The premier held a telephonic conversation with the US president, wherein both leaders discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation. The prime min-

ister apprised US President Trump of the current situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), underscoring that over 8 million people have been under siege for over 100 days now.

Appreciating Trump’s continued engagement as well as mediation offer, Imran stressed that the US president must

continue his efforts for facilitation of a peaceful solution of the Kashmir dispute.

The premier said that the release of hostages by the Taliban in Afghanistan was a positive development and Pakistan was happy that they were safe and free. US President Trump thanked the prime minister for his efforts in facili-

tating this positive outcome. Imran reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the advancement of Afghan peace and reconciliation process for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

Recalling their conversations in Washington and New York, the two leaders agreed to deepen bilateral collaboration, including in relevant multilateral fora. Both leaders thus further agreed to remain in close contact.

On September 23, Imran pressed Trump to restart talks with

LAHORE Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Farrukh Habib on Thursday said that the foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) is an attempt made by the opposition to divert attention from corruption.

Addressing a press conference at DGPR, Habib said that political parties had set up their ‘private limited companies’ in Britain, America and other countries to collect funds from foreigners.

He accused the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of laundering money through their party accounts, adding that as per the rules of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), an external audit of political parties is necessary.

“They have not submitted details of their accounts despite being summoned by the ECP time and again because these parties utilise these accounts for money laundering. They do not get their audits conducted from any well-reputed audit firm either,” he said.

He also said that the all foreign funding cases should be heard on daily basis, adding that no political party can receive foreign funding as per the Political Parties Order. He further said that a few opportunist political parties are levelling baseless allegations of foreign funding on PTI to divert attention of people “from their own corruption and inefficiency”.

“The PTI government believes in transparency and we have submitted record of whole party accounts in ECP. The people of Pakistan have rejected these parties

and the tales of their corruption are being heard far and wide as they fabricated stories in Panama Papers case through a Qatari letter,” he added.

Habib said that the hearing of all political parties regarding financial accounts should be held on the same criteria. The PTI government, he added, would not allow the PPP and PML-N to get away with corruption.

He also said that that Prime Minister Imran Khan was the only leader who had presented details of his finances as he submitted over 60 documents in the court to justify his money trail. “We do not take shelter of health condition for fleeing the country,” he added.

The secretary said that Jamiat Ulema-eIslam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman did not achieve anything, but embarrassment through his Azadi March.

Nawaz Sharif ’s health situation was critical as per his medical reports; therefore, the government, on humanitarian grounds, allowed him to travel abroad for his medical treatment, he said and added, “PML-N was doing politics on Nawaz Sharif ’s health.”

PM Imran has also sought lists of those prisoners suffering from severe medical conditions, he added.

To a question regarding Pakistan Railways, he said that under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the process of railways track dualisation at a cost of Rs8 billion was being started. The Railways was working hard to resolve issues including level crossing, line derailment, and others, he said adding that Pakistan Railways was in the process of being transformed into an efficient organisation.

03

Afghanistan’s Taliban and said that Washington had a “duty” to calm the Kashmir standoff with India.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Imran told the Trump that stability in Afghanistan means stability in Pakistan.

He also urged the US to play its role in ending the Kashmiri crisis. “The most powerful country in the world has a responsibility,” he said, calling India’s clampdown “a siege” and warning that the “crisis is going to get much bigger.”

Trump responded that he would “certainly” help mediate between Pakistan and India as long as both governments asked for this.

On July 23, the Imran met the Trump at the White House on his maiden US visit since becoming the premier.

Trump welcomed Imran’s visit and offered to broker peace in Kashmir besides lauding Pakistan’s increased cooperation in bringing peace to Afghanistan.

four, including father, booked for raping minor

Pti foreign funding case an attempt to divert attention from corruption: habib STAFF REPORT

NEWS

fir sAys thrEE rObbErs lAtEr girl tElls POliCE hEr fAthEr hAs bEEn rAPing brOkE intO hOusE And rAPEd mOthEr And dAughtEr hEr fOr fOur yEArs

LHC issues notice to ANF in Rana Sanaullah’s bail petition LAHORE STAFF REPORT

A bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued notices to the AntiNarcotics Force (ANF) and other parties while hearing the bail petition of PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan. Justice Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmed heard bail plea of the former minister who is detained in a narcotics smuggling case. In his bail petition, Sanaullah said that he was implicated in a false case of drug smuggling as he belongs to an opposition party and is a vocal critic of the incumbent PTI government. The delay in the registration of FIR of the case creates suspicion of malicious intent, read the bail petition. Sanaullah said he was booked for smuggling of 21kg heroin, according to the FIR while later the weight of the captured narcotics was declared 15kg. “I had expressed apprehension about my arrest prior to the arrest. I have been arrested in a baseless case,” the PML-N leader said. He pleaded to the court for his release on bail in the case. The bench issued notices to the ANF and other parties and adjourned the hearing till Dec 4.

Police have booked four people, including a father, for raping a minor girl in Multan.

According to an FIR [First Information Report] filed by the victim, her father had been forcing himself on her for the past four years, but she was told by her mother not to complain of it.

According to the complainant, the accused raped her again on the night of November 21. When the girl reported the matter to her mother, she scolded her and directed her to remain silent.

Soon after the rape, the girl said that three dacoits entered their house and held them on gunpoint.

Later, they went on to rape the girl and her mother before robbing the family of Rs20,000.

However, Zahida, the mother of the girl, in her statement to police, tried to shield her husband and said that four men had raped her and her daughter.

Asked about rape of the girl by her father, Zahida tried to allegedly manipulate the facts. Initial medical report confirmed the mother and daughter were raped.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Singhar Malik, has said that one suspect, the father of the girl, has been arrested and would be produced before the court.

CPO Mohammad Zubair Darehsak has formed a special investigation team and on his direction, samples have been sent to Lahore for DNA tests. NEWS DESK

Zardari's sibling, Sindh health minister say former president not feeling good in jail Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) cochairman Asif Ali Zardari’s health is not good and is showing no signs of improvement, it was reported by Zardari’s sibling and Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra on Thursday. The due said that the former president’s platelet count was increasing but his spinal cord has also started hurting.

Further, a few reports stated that Zardari’s blood pressure and blood sugar level are also low

whereas additionally, the former president is suffering severe physical weakness and has been diagnosed with abnormal swelling of glands in his bladder. Moreover, the medical board of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has asked Asif Ali Zardari to take complete bed rest, increased his he dose of insulin and have prescribed him a number of medical examinations. NEWS DESK

Ratification of Gen Bajwa's extension brings rumour mills to halt ISLAMABAD MIAN ABRAR

The official ratification of the decision of a three-year extension in service of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and elevation of General Nadeem Raza as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has brought the rumour mills active in the federal capital to a halt, at least for the time being.

However, as most of the commentators are raising hale and hearty slogans in appeasement to the army chief, there are a few critics who view the extension to the chief as a negative tradition. Political pundits also allege that the sit-in by Maulana Fazlur Rehman had something to do with the latest developments.

Some commentators dub the sit-in as an arm-twisting tactic to build pressure on the prime minister to grant safe passage to former premier Nawaz Sharif, while others think it was an entirely different story.

Moreover, story-tellers also indicate towards the body language of the prime

minister in two consecutive meetings with army chief in a week’s time and another meeting with DG of the ISI. Noted defence analyst General (r) Amjad Shoaib says that General Bajwa was reluctant to accept the extension and was ready to pack his bags, but the friendly countries had played a key role in convincing the prime minister and the

army chief to continue with the job.

“During the recent visits to friendly countries, prime minister and army chief were convinced to continue with the military chief who has played a key role in improvement of relations with the friendly countries,” he said.

The veteran officer said that not only Gen Bajwa had played a pivotal role in

CMYK

revival of cordial ties between the US and Pakistan, the general was also instrumental in warming up to the key gulf players, like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran.

“Pakistan’s gulf policy has literally been rewritten by Gen Bajwa. Moreover, the general has also played a linchpin role in developing peace overture between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Keeping in view the progress in the Afghan peace process, the need to improve relations with the US, Middle East unrest and internationalization of the Kashmir issue, the government felt the necessity of granting 3 years extension to Gen Bajwa. Amjad Shoaib further said that the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir and India’s failure at the United Nations was also an important factor for the prime minister to carry forward the military command.

Asked whether or not the promotions in army’s top brass would be affected due to the extension to Gen Bajwa, Amjad Shoaib claimed that “no army officer

would be affected by the decision”.

However, rights activist and PPP’s senior leader Senator Farhatullah Babar thinks the decision would badly affect the morale of the senior army officers.

Babar said that the decision to give a three-year extension to the army chief was an unwise decision. The tradition of giving extensions to the serving army chief is unhealthy as it hinders the promotion of senior officers to command the institutions.

“No one is indispensable and any individual’s indispensability is not helpful to the morale of the senior officers of the force,” he added.

Asked if the extension to Gen Bajwa was not a healthy sign, why the PPP government had granted an extension to the then army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Babar said that the decision by his own party’s government was also not right. “One may wish that extension had not been given (by PPP government),” he said, adding two wrongs don’t make a right.

04 LAHORE Government orders closure of brick kilns causing pollution LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the Punjab government to take concrete measures for eradication of environmental pollution.

Justice Jawad Hassan expressed strong displeasure over the increase in pollution and directed the provincial government to take stern action against factories that are polluting the environment. “The rise in environmental pollution is alarming,” he remarked. Meanwhile, the Punjab government submitted its response that action against 567 factories has been taken across the province, and effective measures to curb the effects of pollution are underway. Earlier, the Environment Protection Department (EPD) of Punjab ordered closure of brick kilns which were using “old technology” on Wednesday. In a notification dated Nov 19, EPD said: “Consequent upon approval of the competent authority, no old technology brick kilns shall operate” in select cities from Nov 20 till Dec 20. The notification, however, stated that brick kilns using “zigzag technology”, a design change that makes more efficient use of fuel, would be allowed to operate. STAFF REPORT

Friday, 22 November, 2019

WEATHER UPDATES FRIDAY

220C

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SATURDAY

230C

130C

SUNDAY

240C

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230C

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SmoG forceS Govt to cloSe SchoolS in lahore, faiSalabad and Gujranwala aGain LAHORE

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ShAhAb OmER

HE Punjab School Education Department on Thursday issued a notification announcing a holiday in all schools within Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala districts on November 22, 2019, due to hazardous smog.

The decision has been taken to save the school children from any decease or bad effects of smog, which is now the worst in the world.

This is the second time that schools have been shut down due to extreme pollution. A similar notification was issued earlier in the month announcing November 15 and 16 as holidays due to the extreme pollution.

It may be mentioned here that children run the highest risks from exposure to smog, as children spend a lot of time playing outside. As a group, children are also more prone to asthma— the most common chronic disease for

Photo by: Zubair Mehfooz

children—and other respiratory ailments than adults.

Further, children exposed to smog

are also very likely to develop infections like pneumonia, wheezing, coughs, and lung cancer when they’re older.

On November 14, Punjab Minister for Schools Education Dr Murad Raas in a tweet said, “The Punjab government is taking all necessary steps to improve air quality.”

However, no such steps, except a ban on crop burning, have been announced as yet.

Although a handful of schools have made anti-pollution masks compulsory for all students, barely any child is seen wearing one while out in the evenings as parents turn a blind eye towards the seriousness of the situation.

Earlier in the month, Lahore was ranked as the most polluted city in the world with an air quality ranking of 447, according to Air Visual’s Air Quality Index (AQI). Waking up to the sight of a dense haze covering the city has become a dangerous routine for the residents of Pakistan’s most populous province, especially in Lahore. Each and every person is smoking up to 40 cigarettes without having to buy nicotine yet ignorance continues to prevail.

Punjab Assembly approves three bills of Labour & Human Resource Department LAHORE INP

Dedicated efforts and hard work of the provincial minister for Labour and Human Resource Ansar Majeed Khan have borne fruit. Punjab Assembly has approved three bills of Punjab Employees Social Security Institutions Amendment Bill, Punjab Workers Welfare Fund Bill and Punjab Minimum Wages Bill. Workers Profit Participation Bill has also been sent to the standing committee for approval.

Speaking on the occasion, Ansar Majeed Khan said that today is a historic day for the Labour and Human Resource Department. Punjab Secretary Labour Sarah Aslam and Commissioner PESSI Saqib Manan played a pivotal role right from preparation of aforesaid bills up to their approval.

Many problems of officials have been resolved after the approval of Punjab Employees Social Security Institutions Amendment Bill, he added.

He said that with the approval of Punjab Workers Welfare Fund Bill, the dependence of the federal government for adopting welfare measures for workers has ended for good. With the approval of Punjab Minimum Wages Bill the wages of labourers allocated for them has increased manifold, he added.

The provincial minister further said that Labour and Human Resource Department has done historic legislation for protecting rights of labourers and uplifting their standard of life. All officers are performing invaluable services for ensuring welfare of labourers, he commended. Our respect is tied up with the respect of labourers today.

Concrete measures will be taken to provide more ease to the labourer community in Punjab, he stated.

Decrease in dengue cases due to govt’s efforts: minister LAHORE: A meeting of cabinet committee was held under the chair of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid at Civil Secretariat, which reviewed different health issues particularly tackling of dengue.

Provincial Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun, Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman, Commissioner Lahore Division Asif Bilal Lodhi and all commissioners and deputy commissioners participated in the meeting through video link. APP

CMYK

Ansar Majeed also paid rich tributes and commended the efforts of Provincial Secretary Labour Sarah Aslam and PESSI commissioner Saqib Manan for playing a fundamental role for the preparation up to the approval of these three bills.

Friday, 22 November, 2019

Govt fAils to iNclude speciAl educAtioN schools iN its NotificAtioN for holidAy due to smoG PUNJAB GOVT NOTIFICATION ALSO LEAVES OUT SCHOOLS IN CITIES LOCATED BETWEEN LAHORE AND FAISALABAD LAHORE STAFF REPORT

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OOR air quality in Punjab has forced the provincial education department to close all public and private schools in districts Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad on November 22.

According to a notification issued by Punjab government on Thursday, schools will remain closed on Friday due to “dense smog” in the three districts.

However, it was learnt that the notification does not call for closure of all schools in Lahore division, as Nankana district is also facing similar levels of smog but schools there were not

ordered to be closed. Moreover, the notification also failed to order the closure of schools of children with special needs.

As of yet, several “special education schools” in Lahore district will remain open.

A source speaking on condition of anonymity told to Pakistan Today that a similar situation was observed when schools were closed due to rising smog levels, earlier this month.

“Two institutions in Nankana district located side by side painted a bleak picture of authorities’ apathy where the school for ‘special children’ operating under the ‘Special Education Department’ was open while the school for normal children was closed,” he said.

“Schools in cities located between Lahore and Faisalabad were also not included in the notification, which gives the impression that children from bigger cities are receiving preferential treatment,” said a concerned parent.The government had directed all students to wear air filter masks during school hours and ordered schools to hold awareness sessions on environment.

It is pertinent to mention here that this is the third time this month that the government has

decided to keep schools closed due to smog.

Aptly being called the fifth season of Lahore, smog, for the last four years, has deprived people of sunshine and dusk-hour charm as layers of toxic smoke engulf the horizon from November to February. The situation seems to have deteriorated even further this year.

It is reported that Lahore was ranked the second most polluted city in the world with an air quality ranking of 447, according to Air Visual’s Air Quality Index (AQI) published last week.

An AQI ranking between 301-500 (or above) is classified as ‘hazardous’ and would “trigger a health warning of emergency conditions.”

Govt focusing on provision of quality, affordable healthcare to masses: PM ISLAMABAD APP

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that the present government was focusing significantly on the provision of quality and affordable healthcare to all the segments of society.

He was talking to a delegation of Executives from the Global Fund, which led by the Fund’s Executive Director Peter Sands called on him here. The Global Fund is working in the healthcare sector of different developing countries for eradicating communicable diseases.

Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Dr. Zafar Mirza was also present during the meeting.

The delegation while apprising the Prime Minister about company's portfolio and various commitments in the health sector stated that Global Fund was investing in the healthcare system of

Pakistan particularly towards eradication of tuberculosis, HIV and malaria.

They also informed about their previous investment in the country for the eradication of TB in Punjab that included establishment of 400 diagnostic units.

The delegation also discussed possibility of increasing its commitment in the country which could be enhanced up to US $ 300 million in the near future.

Highlighting that a significant number of TB cases remain undetected due to ineffective screening mechanism, the delegation shared proposals related to the onground execution plan with National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Division for effective screening and eradication of TB. The Prime Minister said that the company might explore linking of the proposed detection and eradication of TB initiative with the pre-

vention and control of other diseases including malaria.

He said that under the "Ehsas" flagship program, some private hospitals had been empanelled, and the proposed initiative could be shared with these hospitals to address the incidence of TB in Balochistan, interior Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Punjab.

Dr. Allah Bakhsh Malik Secretary Health explained the current status of the Global Fund initiatives in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister assured the delegation of all possible cooperation from the government towards effective implementation of the proposed initiative.

The delegation included Ms. Lucia DITIU, Executive Director Stop TB, Urban Weber, Head of High Impact Asia Deptt. Global Fund, Werner Buehler, Sr. Fund Portfolio Manager Pakistan and Ms. Jessica Patera, Portfolio Officer Pakistan.

Pakistan voices deep concern over UNSC’s inaction to end HR abuses in IOK UNITED NATIONS APP

Underlining that the central purpose of the UN Security Council was to settle conflicts, Pakistan has said it is “deeply concerned” at the absence of action by the 15-member body to halt India’s violations of human rights and its resolutions in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Unfortunately, the Security Council has had uneven success in resolving threats to and breaches of international peace and security, which is its primary mandate,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the Security Council while participating in its debate on ‘The Role of Reconciliation in Maintaining International Peace and Security’.

India annexed Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 in violation of the UN resolutions and placed the disputed state under a repressive lockdown with internet and phone communications cutoff and arrests of thousand of Kashmiris, especially young men.

Ambassador Akram, who speaking in the Security Council for the first time since assuming charge, said its efforts to prevent and

resolve conflicts had been inconsistent and saw prolonged inaction and silence in some cases.

“In particular, Pakistan is deeply concerned at absence of action by the Security Council to halt India’s violations of human rights and Security Council resolutions in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

“In contrast, the Council has been propelled in other instances towards a rapid resort to sanctions and enforcement action.” the Pakistani envoy added.

In his remarks, Ambassador Akram reaffirmed the importance of national reconciliation in post-conflict situations, and pointed out that the United Nations itself is a symbol of reconciliation, formed so that nations could rise above their differences to cooperate following devastating conflict.

The UN has indeed been effective in helping to consolidate peace in some situations, such as Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone in which Pakistani peacekeepers have contributed, he said. “Such efforts should be maintained, avoiding, however, a one-size fits all approach.”

CMYK

NEWS

05

NAB court extends judicial remand of Khawaja brothers till Nov 29 LAHORE: Accountability court on Thursday extended judicial remand of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member of National Assembly Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique till November 29 in Paragon City scandal. During the hearing, the court has also allowed Khawaja Saad Rafique to leave for Islamabad on production order to attend NA session. On the occasion, strict security arrangements were taken to avoid any untoward incident. Earlier, accountability court had rejected Khawaja brothers’ acquittal pleas and extended their judicial remand till October 30 in Paragon Housing Society reference. On April 26, the NAB Lahore had approved filing of a reference against the Khawaja brothers and Nadeem Zia for the alleged corruption. Qaiser Amin Butt, the director of Paragon Housing Society, was also included in the inquiry initiated by the NAB, and he was also arrested in November last year. Later, he agreed to turn approver against the Khawaja brothers and Zia. Butt and Zia established a company “Air Avenue” in the year 2003; however, the name was later changed to Paragon City private (Pvt) Limited. On December 11, 2018, Khawaja brothers were detained by the accountability watchdog after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected their bail plea. The NAB had launched an investigation into the alleged scam in November last year after a number of victims staged protests and held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club against what they termed the housing society’s fraud. STAFF REPORT

Friday, 22 November, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

British troops must Be held accountaBle for aBuses in iraq and afghanistan middle easT eYe

f

riChard norton-taylor

RESH evidence of abuses, including allegations of torture and murder, by British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan should come as no surprise. Though few British soldiers have faced accountability for such crimes, many cases have emerged of alleged abuse of detainees by ill-disciplined British troops, poorly trained by their complacent commanders.

BBC’s Panorama programme, in a joint investigation with the Sunday Times newspaper, interviewed witnesses who said they saw soldiers of the Black Watch regiment in Iraq and SAS special forces in Afghanistan kill and torture unarmed civilians, including children. One death was later described as the result of a “heart attack”.

In the show, it was alleged that, in other incidents, a pistol was planted on a prisoner and also that Afghan troops were blamed for shooting by British troops.

DEVASTATING IMPACT The first British soldier to be convicted of a war crime, Corporal Donald

NEW INVESTIGATION ALLEGES THAT SOLDIERS KILLED AND TORTURED UNARMED CIVILIANS, ADDING TO THE UK'S DISASTROUS WARTIME HISTORY Payne, was jailed in 2007 over his role in the death of Iraqi hotel worker Baha Mousa, who was killed while in the custody of British troops in September 2003.

The 2013 murder conviction of Alexander Blackman, a Royal Marine sergeant who killed a wounded Taliban prisoner in Afghanistan, was quashed and replaced with manslaughter. In another case, four British soldiers who forced a 15-year-old Iraqi boy into a canal and watched him drown were cleared of manslaughter at a court martial in 2006.

The Iraq and Afghanistan military adventures are now widely believed among senior British security and intelligence figures to have been disastrous - encouraging, rather than defeating, religious extremism and terrorism. They have had a devastating impact on military self-esteem and public support for the armed forces.

The UK Ministry of Defence has, in classic British tradition, tried to explain away such incidents as the product of “bad apples”. Yet many cases - some in-

volving court hearings - have exposed abuses, even while there has been insufficient evidence to charge British troops.

One former SAS trooper, Ben Griffin, was served with a gag order after he began to disclose how British forces handed over detainees to US forces, knowing that they would likely be tortured.

COMPENSATION CLAIMS By 2016, the Ministry of Defence had paid out more than £20m ($25.9m) in compensation to alleged victims of abuse in Iraq in 326 cases. Evidence to the Baha Mousa public inquiry, which the government was forced to establish, revealed that British soldiers in Iraq used interrogation techniques - including hooding, sleep deprivation and painful stress positions - that had been outlawed by the UK government in 1972.

So many credible cases of abuse by British soldiers were reported that the government in 2010 established the Iraqi Historic Allegations Team (IHAT).

Then, following allegations of the

abuse and murder of Iraqis after the 2004 Battle of Danny Boy, named after a British checkpoint, the government set up the al-Sweady inquiry, named after one of the dead men. But after the inquiry determined that the claims were “wholly baseless”, human rights lawyer Phil Shiner, who had pursued the case, was struck off from practising law amid allegations that he had paid Iraqis to find clients.

It was a gift to the British government. The lawyer leading the charge in pursuing the ministry over the abuse of detainees had been caught out. IHAT, which had itself been criticised for a lack of professionalism, was abandoned.

BREACHING INTERNATIONAL LAW The inquiries and court hearings have clearly shown that British troops have breached international law, including the Geneva Conventions. They have done so because they were ill-equipped and illtrained, and because of the attitude of their commanders in the field, apparently taken by surprise by the violent insurgen-

cies they had provoked in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, back in London, the Ministry of Defence has insisted, wrongly, that British soldiers were not covered by European human rights law. Conservative MPs have also complained about “lawfare” - the notion that military commanders would be bound by so many laws that they would be prevented from fighting enemies effectively.

Former IHAT investigators were among those interviewed by the Panorama/Sunday Times journalists.

While the Ministry of Defence has tried to brush off these latest allegations, interestingly, it says it has passed them on to military police. The International Criminal Court in The Hague may also probe the allegations.

It is general election time in Britain, and attention is on who will form a new government. But it may be hard to ignore a scandal that is unlikely to go away, whatever the colour of the new government in London, and regardless of the complaints about “lawfare”.

Richard Norton-Taylor is a former security and defence editor at the Guardian.

We need the full truth about New coalition in Gulf may not fare as well as old the CIA’s torture programme

hina ShaMSi

CONGRESS MUST ENSURE FULL DISCLOSURE OF THE SENATE INVESTIGATION REPORT AND HOLD THE PERPETRATORS ACCOUNTABLE, INSTEAD OF CONFIRMING THEM TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE ADMINISTRATION

The new movie “The Report” is a powerful telling of the story of the Senate investigation into the horrors of the CIA’s torture programme and the fight to allow the public to see what the government had done in its name.

Yet to this day, the full 6,700-page report produced by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence detailing the CIA’s post-Sept. 11 programme of detention, torture, and other abuse of detainees remains secret after years of litigation.

The CIA called its methods “enhanced interrogation,” a euphemism for torture used to break minds and bodies to induce fear and despair. The techniques included waterboarding and other simulated drowning, physical violence, sleep deprivation from continuously blaring music, nudity, and forced standing in painful positions for hours.

None of this is legal, but the CIA sought to justify its cruelty by claiming it resulted in accurate information. Our country then engaged in a debased debate about the effectiveness of torture, which the executive summary of the report subsequently put to rest. It concluded the program did not yield any meaningful intelligence.

The Obama administration succeeded in preventing the full report from being made public, but at least the executive summary was released in 2014.

Because of that disclosure, two survivors of torture and the family of a third torture victim were able to sue two psychologists who collaborated with the CIA on the torture program, resulting in a settlement. The case set an important precedent, showing that the courts can handle lawsuits challenging intelligence community abuses committed in the name of national security. Still, the stories of most other victims and survivors of torture — mainly Muslim black and brown men who bore the brunt of these government abuses of power — remain largely untold.

The public needs to see the full report to know the extent of the harms done, as well as the details of the CIA’s misrepresentations to Congress, the courts and the media about its abuses. The executive branch needs to have and read the report

and learn its lessons, as Congress intended.

Full transparency is immensely important for public accountability and for torture victims and their families, who are still suffering. One man depicted in “The Report,” Gul Rahman, was tortured and killed in a CIA prison in Afghanistan in 2002. His family is suing the CIA, which is still refusing to reveal what it did with his body. Seventeen years after Gul Rahman was killed, his family yearns to give him a decent burial. As for other survivors and their families? The U.S. government has never provided an apology or official recognition of the physical and mental harm people endured, let alone reparations or rehabilitation services.

Many U.S. government torture architects, perpetrators, and proponents continue to shape policy and practice in the administration. Gina Haspel, who oversaw secret torture and detention sites, now heads the CIA. Marshall Billingslea, who advocated the use of torture in the Bush administration, is now assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the Treasury Department and a nominee for a crucial human rights position at the State Department.

And of course, there’s Donald Trump, who made a campaign pledge to bring back torture. He has not succeeded in reviving those practices, but has granted pardons to military service members accused or convicted of war crimes.

Congress must ensure full disclosure of the Senate investigation report and hold the perpetrators accountable, instead of confirming them to leadership positions in the administration. Impunity for government officials who commit crimes means this country’s oversight and justice systems will be further weakened and seen as inept. The victims and survivors deserve recompense and rehabilitation for their shattered lives. How this story ends is a test for how we recover the moral and legal principles destroyed by the officials who created and supported the torture program.

Hina Shamsi is director of the ACLU’s National Security Project and a steering committee member of Open the Government.

l a Times

YaleGlobal GreGory ClouGh and MorGan d Bazilian

Renewed conflict in the Strait of Hormuz pushed the United States to establish an international coalition for maritime security to ensure safe passage of shipping traffic and guarding against further disruption in oil supplies. While such security coalitions have been successful in the past, applying the same approach in the Middle East may not improve conditions and may even exacerbate tensions.

The Strait of Hormuz is the primary shipping route for one-sixth of global oil production and one-third of the world’s liquefied natural gas. On June 13, two international shipping vessels came under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran. The United States was quick to accuse Iran of perpetrating the attacks and offered compelling evidence. The incident was followed by a number of other maritime incidents which escalated tensions between the United States and Iran.

In recent years, the primary concern for the global shipping industry was over threats to vessels in the Red Sea transiting the Bab Al-Mandeb due to the conflict in Yemen.

Houthi militants supported by Iran have claimed responsibility for several attacks on shipping vessels including an attack on two Saudi oil tankers in July 2018. That incident led Saudi Aramco officials to suspend all oil shipments through the Bab al-Mandeb.

While the Saudi’s resumed oil shipments in the Red Sea, the Iranians and Houthis have continued to threaten Saudi Arabian assets in the region, most recently with a drone attack on Saudi oil facilities that reduced the country’s production by 50 percent.

Despite the recent incidents and rhetoric from Iran about shutting down the Strait of Hormuz to global oil shipping, there has not been a corresponding increase in oil prices, other than a short-term blip. However, other parts of the capital/risk calculus have changed dramatically. There has already been tenfold increases in insurance rates for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to industry representatives. War risk premiums – paid every time a ship enters the region – have swelled from $30,000 in early 2019 to current rates of $300,000 to $400,000. Additionally, shipping rates for oil and natural gas have also surged as the conflict and related US sanctions, are requiring oil and gas companies to pay record amounts for transporting their product.

To address maritime insecurity in the

Gulf region, the United States has worked to establish a collaborative maritime security operation. The success of the international coalition that emerged in 2010 to confront the piracy crisis off the Coast of Somalia has been cited as precedent.

While that international collaboration was largely a success, Hormuz poses other challenges. Four key differences between the 2010 and current coalitions include: Geography: In the Indian Ocean off the Coast of Somalia, the shipping vessels transit the coast relatively far from the territorial waters, which reaches out to 12 nautical miles off the coast. This is important, as the 12 nautical miles territorial water designation is established in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. As many of the attacks were happening beyond territorial waters, deep in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, the international community was not violating the territorial waters of Somalia when it initiated its efforts.

In contrast, in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway is 21 nautical miles at its narrowest point meaning that operations in the Strait of Hormuz would potentially occur in the territorial waters of Iran or the UAE or Oman.

Role of governments: Somalia welcomed international actors to the region through an appeal to the United Nations. In 2008, the United Nations passed the first resolution to respond to piracy and robbery by non-state actors against ships in the region. This led to the first unanimous decision of the UN Security Council since World War II. It also created the conditions to establish one of the most successful examples of international collaboration as global powers came together in the Indian Ocean and provided a powerful deterrent to acts of piracy in the region.

In contrast, the Strait of Hormuz is under the sovereignty of Iran and Oman.

According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, states bordering straits may adopt laws and regulation relating to transit passage through straits regarding the safety of navigation and regulation of maritime traffic. Neither country has welcomed the presence of an international coalition. In fact, Iran has been explicit in its rejection of an international coalition. Iran’s VicePresident Eshaq Jahangirisence said, “There is no need to form a coalition because these kinds of coalitions and the presence of foreigners in the region by itself creates insecurity.”

Nature of the attacks: In Somalia, pirates were hijacking vessels and holding them off the coast for extended periods.

During this time, the pirates negotiated for ransoms with the shipping companies that owned the vessels. The presence of international navies were effective in disrupting these activities.

In contrast, military actors executing technically advanced attacks in Hormuz introduced a complexity that was not present in Somalia. Maritime threats are com-

ing from landmines, remote controlled vessels, and jamming GPS according to US officials. Speaking to this, US CENTCOM noted, “Due to the heightened regional tensions, the potential for miscalculation or misidentification could lead to aggressive actions against vessels belonging to U.S., allied and coalition partners operating in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.”

Role of key international actors supporting the mission: Despite the challenges, the United States has established Operation Sentinel to increase surveillance and security in the Gulf region. According to reports, the United States has asked more than 60 countries to provide assistance. So far, several countries have agreed to support the mission, including several Middle East nations.

France and Germany have both so far declined approaches from the United States to join the mission, and Russia has explicitly rejected the operation. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted: “We can see once again that the situation is not just explosive. It is fraught with an outbreak of conflict.”

Additionally, China’s role in the coalition is not entirely clear. While China relies heavily on oil from the Strait of Hormuz – and the country played a key role in ensuring security off the coast of Somalia – it is also sensitive to concerns from Iran. China’s head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Song Tao stated; “There are complicated and rapid developments happening on the international stage that have created challenges for the countries of China and Iran, but our resolve and determination is to support Iran’s legal and legitimate rights to development and progress.”

Further complicating the operation is the participation of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. These countries each have complicated regional rivalries in the Middle East, and create risk for further escalation of the conflict.

The September drone attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities highlighted the risk, demonstrating that the tensions and vulnerabilities in the maritime space extend to more high prolife targets on land.

The lack of international support for Operation Sentinel offers a glimpse into the challenges of establishing an effective international maritime security coalition in the region. While it is tempting to transfer the successful model used to counter piracy off the Coast of Somalia, the two environments and time periods differ and understanding the stark differences will be key to avoid further escalation of conflict.

Gregory Clough is strategy and operations manager with the Payne Institute, Colorado School of Mines. Morgan Bazilian is professor of public policy and director of the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines. He is author of Analytical Methods for Energy Diversity and Security (Elsevier Science).

Friday, 22 November, 2019

FOREIGN NEWS 07

saudi king blames iran for 'chaos', calls for global response KING SALMAN SAYS MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS IT BLAMES ON TEHRAN FAILED TO HALT HIS KINGDOM’S DEVELOPMENT RIYADH

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AGENCIES

AUDI Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud struck a defiant note against the kingdom’s enemies, saying missile and drone attacks it blames on Iran failed to halt economic development and he reiterated that Riyadh will not hesitate to defend itself.

In an annual address to the appointed Shura Council on Wednesday, King Salman, in an eight-minute speech, said that the international community must stop Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its regional intervention.

The king said it was time to stop the “chaos and destruction” generated by Iran. “Though the kingdom has been subjected to attacks by 286 ballistic missiles and 289 drones, in a way that has not

been seen in any other country, that has not affected the kingdom’s development process or the lives of its citizens and residents,” he told council members, royals and foreign diplomats.

“We hope the Iranian regime chooses the side of wisdom and realises there is no way to overcome the international position that rejects its practises without abandoning its expansionist and destructive thinking that has harmed its own people.”

King Salman also said the oil policy of the kingdom, the world’s top oil exporter, is aimed at promoting market stability.

He praised the ability of state oil giant Saudi Aramco to quickly restore oil production capacity after attacks on its facilities in September, which initially cut more than five percent of global supply.

The king said Aramco’s response had proven the kingdom’s ability to meet global demand in any shortage and

praised the company’s initial public offering, which began this week, saying it would attract foreign investment and create thousands of jobs.

BATTLE FOR INFLUENCE: SunniMuslim Saudi Arabia and Shia-Muslim

2 killed, 38 wounded in baghdad protests BAGHDAD

UN Security Council members rebuke US on Israel settlements WASHINGTON AGENCIES

In a sharp rebuke to the Trump administration, the 14 other UN Security Council members have strongly opposed the US announcement that it no longer considers Israeli settlements to be a violation of international law.

They warned that the new American policy undermines a two-state solution to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

The council’s monthly Mideast meeting on Wednesday, just two days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement, was dominated by the negative reaction to the new American policy from countries representing all regions of the world who said all Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.

Only Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, who is not a council member, spoke in support of the US action, saying it “rights a historical wrong”. He also called the criticism an “obstacle to peace” that is “preventing direct negotiations” between Israelis and Palestinians.

“When the international community tries to force its solutions, it achieves the opposite effect,” Danon said. “When Palestinians see that their battles are being fought for them, why would they agree to come to the negotiating table where they would have to compromise?”

Before the meeting began, five European allies of the United States — Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland — reiterated in a joint statement that “all settlement activity is illegal under international law.”

The Europeans called on Israel “to end all settlement activity, in line with its obligations as an occupying power”, saying such activity “erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace”.

They also reiterated concern “about the calls for a possible annexation of areas in the West Bank”.

Nickolay Mladenov, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, opened the meeting expressing “regret” at the US action and reiterating the UN position that settlements under a December 2016 council resolution “are a flagrant violation under international law”.

He also warned that the situation in Gaza remains “highly volatile” after “the most serious recent escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants” that followed Israel’s targeted killing of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander.

Cherith Norman Chalet, a deputy US ambassador, repeated Pompeo’s announcement on settlements, which repudiated a 1978 State Department legal opinion holding that civilian settlement in the occupied territories are “inconsistent with international law”.

Iran are locked in a decades-long struggle for influence across the region, supporting opposing sides in conflicts from Syria to Yemen.

Tensions have risen since US President Donald Trump pulled the United

Hong Kong campus stalemate persists as US bill sets up China clash HONG KONG

AGENCIES

AGENCIES

Two people were killed and 38 wounded early on Thursday when Iraqi security forces fired tear gas canisters at protesters near two key bridges in Baghdad, security and medical sources said. The cause of death in both cases was tear gas canisters aimed directly at the head, the sources said. One protester was killed near Sinak bridge and the other near the adjacent Ahrar bridge, police said. Hospital sources said some of the wounded protesters had injuries sustained from live ammunition and others were wounded by rubber bullets and tears gas canisters. More than 300 people have been killed since the start of mass unrest in Baghdad and southern Iraq in early October, the largest demonstrations since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The protests are an eruption of public anger against a ruling elite seen as enriching itself off the state and serving foreign powers, especially Iran, as many Iraqis languish in poverty without jobs, healthcare or education. The unrest has shattered the relative calm that followed the defeat of the militant Islamic State group in 2017.

Hardline Hong Kong protesters held their ground on Thursday in a university besieged for days by police as the US passed a bill lauding the city’s pro-democracy movement, setting up a likely clash between Washington and Beijing. Beijing did not immediately respond to the passage in Washington of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which voices strong support for the “democratic aspirations of the Hong Kong people”.

But China had already threatened retaliation if the bill is signed into law by President Donald Trump, and state-run media warned on Thursday the legislation would not prevent Beijing from intervening forcefully to stop the “mess” gripping the financial hub.

“Some may expect this to deter Beijing. Such thinking is naive,” the Global Times said.

“If we take this US bill seriously and shrink from tackling riots, Hong Kong will suffer from an accelerated collapse of the rule of law and be erased from the modern world.”

Hong Kong’s benchmark stock index fell 1.56 per cent in morning trade and other Asian markets also slid over fears that Congress’s move could throw a spanner into the delicate US-China effort to reach a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies.

There was a noticeable reduction in the police presence at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), which entered the day fifth day of a stalemate that has emerged as the axis of the city’s increasingly angry democracy movement.

Fiery clashes between police and protest-

Netanyahu challenger Gantz fails to form new Israeli government JERUSALEM AGENCIES

Benny Gantz, the main political challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has failed to form a new government by the deadline set after he tied with the incumbent in a September election, his centrist party said on Wednesday.

The Blue and White party made the announcement before a midnight deadline set by Israel’s president for Gantz, following a similar failed bid by Netanyahu to build a coalition.

States out of an historic nuclear deal with Iran and world powers last year and reimposed punishing economic sanctions on Tehran.

Washington and Riyadh blame Iran for the September attacks and earlier ones against oil tankers in Gulf waters and other Saudi oil installations. Tehran denies any involvement.

In Yemen, where Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition battling the Iranaligned Houthis in a nearly five-year war that has killed tens of thousands, King Salman said the kingdom seeks a political settlement.

PALESTINE: While reiterating longstanding support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, the king did not refer to a US decision this week in effect to back Israel’s building of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Neither did he speak about a twoand-a-half-year boycott of neighbouring Qatar by Saudi Arabia and other Arab states amid recent speculation about a potential easing of that policy.

ers armed with bows, arrows and Molotov cocktails had caused injuries on both sides in previous days and led hundreds of the campus occupants to flee, with most of them quickly arrested by police. They included two protesters held on Wednesday as they tried to emerge from a sewer around half a kilometre outside the campus. But a diehard cohort remained entrenched on Thursday, cooking up meals in a canteen from their dwindling supplies.

Makeshift signs at the campus warned people not to smoke near areas where Molotov cocktails were stockpiled.

Hong Kong’s nearly six months of turmoil began with a now-shelved bill to allow extraditions to China, which revived fears that Beijing was slicing into the city’s freedoms.

Millions of angry citizens have taken to the streets or disrupted the transport network in a movement that snowballed into wider calls for free elections and an inquiry into alleged police brutality, demands that Hong Kong’s Beijing-appointed leaders have rebuffed. The troubles have already tipped Hong Kong’s economy into recession and the threat of change in trade status brought fresh gloom.

Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous Chinese region and US policy treats its economy as separate from the rest of China.

That has been a key factor in the city’s rise as an international financial hub, and left it exempt from the crippling tariffs imposed by Trump’s administration. The new US bill would require an annual review of that status, which could be revoked if the city’s unique freedoms are quashed. “If the bill becomes law, investors will be hesitant to take on the risk,” Hao Hong, head of research at Bocom International, told Bloomberg News.

Friday, 22 November, 2019

08 COMMENT

The get-well-soon card

Moment of truth for Imran Khan How to complete tenure?

T

he PTI rank and file was disturbed at former PM Nawaz Sharif’s departure for treatment abroad after repeated assertions by Imran Khan not to give an NRO to anyone. The self-righteous PM put the responsibility on the court and blamed the judiciary for maintaining dual standards of justice, one for the powerful and the other for the powerless. he demanded that the judiciary restore public trust in itself. The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, did well to set the record straight, saying the permission to Mr Sharif to travel abroad was given by the PTI government itself rather than any court. The PM needs to make amends for his remarks.

Mr Khan gave undertakings to alliance partners which were difficult to fulfil. Now each one is asking for its pound of flesh. The MQM wants the fulfilment of huge financial commitments beside taking it into confidence in policymaking. The PML-Q leadership sought a humane treatment for Mr Sharif. The Chaudhries also expressed reservations about the ruling party’s performance, maintaining that if the government failed to undertake course rectification, none would be willing to become Prime Minister within a few months. The GDA complained that the PM was ignoring Sindh. The allies are reminding Mr Khan that he is running the country with a wafer thin majority.

Distresses in the case of the PTI are coming not as single spies but in battalions. The NAB has suddenly felt the need to ensure that accountability is not seen to be one-sided and that this requires looking into the cases of leaders who had been in power for the last 12 months. The eCP, which had allowed the PTI’s foreign assets case linger on for years, has decided to hear it on day-to-day basis.

The only way for the PTI to complete its tenure is to seek the opposition’s support. The mainstream opposition wants Mr Khan not because it likes him, but because it needs him to keep the system on rails. They want electoral reforms, NAB reforms and a third tenure for an elected government leading to a smooth transition of power. For this Imran Khan will have to tone down his rhetoric, treat opposition leaders decently and develop working relations with the opposition.

PML-N without a Sharif Shehbaz should have stayed home

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ITh PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif accompanying his brother Nawaz to London to help in his treatment, the PML-N stands deprived both of its founder and its chief. Under these trying circumstances for the party, it probably would have been better for Shehbaz to have stayed behind to mind the store. With politics not entirely recovered from the JUIF’s Azadi March, the political situation would have needed a firm hand to guide it, the immediate challenge being answering the election Commission of Pakistan notice over foreign funding, a consequence of the PTI foreign funding case. There is no lack of firm hands within the party, but none can compare in authoritativeness with Shehbaz, who became PML-N President and National Assembly Opposition Leader not because of his tenure as Punjab Chief Minister, but because he is Nawaz’s brother. Shehbaz is all the more important to the party because the other options, the next generation of Sharifs, is also in jail, and thus not available to lead the party.

The Sharif brothers’ solution, setting up a fivemember committee, designated an executive committee, has the merit of not putting one person in charge. Making Javed hashmi President during the Musharraf years was not a success. The committee is at the outer limit of size, for too big a committee would not really achieve anything. One problem is that the PML-N has not really worked on developing alternate leadership. As a matter of fact, no party has, tending to turn into vehicles for individuals, and ultimately family preserves after the original leader passes. The PML-N has more experience than other parties because its leader had to go into exile with his entire family.

An ancillary issue is the lavish welcome given to Nawaz on arrival in London. While it might suit his temperament and life experience, especially after his stint in jail, it also provided needless opportunity to the PTI, including at its highest level of leadership, to wonder whether Nawaz was ill at all, or whether he had faked his illness to make good his escape. The party supporters in the UK, as well as his sons, must control their most exhibitionist instincts, and remember that Nawaz has not been freed, merely allowed to seek treatment for an illness.

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Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

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The PTI wanted to keep Nawaz back At Penpoint

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M.A. niAZi

IAN Nawaz Sharif has become the first convict to get bail and permission to go abroad for medical treatment. has there been an NRO? Or has he merely gone abroad for treatment, as his supporters say? What was the whole bond thing? The episode might show that the government has a high figure in mind for taking a name off the exit Control List, but presumably that is a figure that can be negotiated. Are there going to be many applications by people on the eCL? One of the interesting features of the decision was that it was not presumed to be what it seemed to be. It is not being presumed that it was simply a court decision. At the same time, it is not a deal. Or rather, that is the other assumption.

There have been repeated denials by both the PTI and the PML-N of any deal. The PTI would never agree that it had made any sort of compromise on accountability, and the PML-N that it had asked for a deal.

The possibility of a deal will be confirmed or rebutted by how Mian Nawaz acts when he goes abroad. If he returns when his bail is over, having received his treatment and gotten well, it will be confirmed that there was no deal. however, the bail conditions are such that there is room for doubt. he is not obliged to return on a certain date. The judges granting him bail in the Islamabad and Lahore high Courts have specified that his bail would be extended if he needed to remain abroad for treatment longer than he had been given bail.

That implies that if he asks for an extension in bail, on the ground that he needs more time for treatment, the deal outcries will burst out afresh. It should be noted that the request will be more an intimation, because it has already been granted. One way he could avoid absconding while taking more time than needed would be to have his treatment (which might merely be nugatory) certified by a doctor. The court would be obliged to honour the certification.

The PTI core may be represented by PM’s Accountability Adviser Shehzad Akbar who, along with the Attorney General, claimed a

vindication of the government, saying that Mian Nawaz’s name had not been taken off the eCL, but that he had merely been issued a onetime waiver. he is probably speaking for that section of the party which wants accountability in general, but which sees Mian Nawaz as a symbol of that accountability. Letting him go abroad would be taken by this core of the party as a betrayal, of letting the privileged escape their due punishment.

Punishment of the guilty is a seductive concept, though it might be a misleading one. An earlier Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was punished by execution for a murder. That has not stopped PPP supporters from claiming that his execution was a judicial murder. While the PTI has accused Mian Nawaz of many sins, murder is not one of them. he has thus escaped execution. however, it cannot have escaped notice that Bhutto was an obstacle in the political path of General Ziaul haq, just as much as Nawaz is in the path of Imran Khan.

The PTI may well be coming up with a few of the drawbacks that accountability has: it is inhuman. In principle, there should be no consideration of the act that Mian Nawaz is a former PM, or that he is dangerously ill. The PTI is also finding that it needs to temper justice, if not with mercy, then with realpolitik. Mian Nawaz’s health is precarious. If anything were to happen to him, while he was in NAB custody, in a government hospital, the PTI could end up carrying the can.

One result has been the conflict between the natural impulse to succour the sick, reinforced by cultural and religious values, clashing with the need to punish corruption. That has led to the claim that Mian Nawaz was faking his illness. That would resolve the conflict. however, it almost seems as if the motive is not a coldblooded desire for accountability, which is akin to the emotion that pervades an auditor’s desire to balance the books, but the sort of bloodlust that motivates revenge.

It is almost as if the corrupt have to get the punishment for all the woes that members of the PTI have suffered by the absence of a welfare state, or the lack of respect for Pakistanis abroad.

This is at the root of the support for the PTI, the view that corruption was at the root of all those woes. There was also the view that if only an

honest man could be given the government, that corruption could be ended only by punishing those who had got away with it in the past. Imran Khan not only sold this view, but sold the view that he was that man. Therefore, getting Mian Nawaz in jail was essential, and letting him go such a big issue. It does not merely mean letting the source, the symbol, get away, but it also means that the woes of the country will continue.

Apart from PTI inner-party angst, Mian Nawaz’s departure has other implications. It means that the PML-N will be deprived even of the guidance it got from Mian Nawaz through those who retailed his pronouncements after visiting him in jail. Now those pronouncements will come through those who speak to him on the phone. It also remains to be see how the going abroad affects the fortunes of Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Going by the last time Mian Nawaz went abroad for treatment, when in 2017 he had a quadruple bypass in the UK, Maryam took charge of PM house, and perhaps more importantly, took charge of communication with him. As Mian Nawaz is out on bail, subject to checks by embassy staffers, more space will be created for Mian Shehbaz to lead the party in the direction he wants.

There is not enough significance given to the fact that the bail came the day after Prime Minister Imran Khan met COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. As Imran was still making noises which indicated he favoured a hard line, his decision to let Nawaz go may have had to do with the meeting. At least that is how it will be pitched by Shehbaz supporters who oppose any confrontation with the military. And it will be driven home to Mian Nawaz that confrontation was not how the Sharifs got into politics. It will also be pointed out to him that his departure took place the same day Imran met the DG ISI. Whether this appeals to Mian Nawaz will be seen in who gets more power within the party. however, it should be remembered that Mian Nawaz has options Mian Shehbaz and Maryam do not. While both are committed to their respective stances, Mian Nawaz retains flexibility. If he inclines to confrontation, he is seen as following his daughter; to reconciliation, his brother. A demonstration was the way that his party took part in the JUI(F)’s Azadi March. his first priority is to recover, but after that it will be back to politics as usual.

M.A. Niazi is a member of the staff.

Charity begins at home

are burning the midnight oil to clinch a position in any sector for their survival. But their whims, desires and hopes end in fiasco when they witness corruption, jobbery and favoritism in all public and government departments. Not only this, there are many test conducting agencies operational today like Allied testing service (ATS), national planned a temblor in the Islamabad and are chalk- testing service (NTS) open testing service (OTS) ing out their planus to de-seat the Prime Minister. and many more, which are engaged in severe corMaulana Fazulur Rehman, mainstream political rupt practices . Why can’t the PM take a firm parties and leading religious political parties stance on upholding merit and creating a meritocjoined hands and the launched Azadi March. This racy by reforming the Federal Public Service situation had to be dealt with deft political wis- Commission and provincial test conducting agencies, taking them under his dom to ward off any danger own aegis? This problem has to the ongoing democratic more intensity and gravity, process, until it came to an end.

It is therefore, high time for and needs to be resolved bemediating in the Gulf.

Moreover, and more the government in charge foreFurthermore, our society importantly, the soaring prices of items of daily use to streamline the troubling has become home to several social problems only due to a and double-digit inflation waves through dearth of government attenhave increased societal Doctors have boycotted stress where people are incorporating numerous tion. their hospitals and are on committing suicide to avoid hunger. Imran Khan had change-oriented measures strike for a month or so. People are dying from dengue raised the slogan of change and promised for raising the (in the true sense) to yield and rabies. Street crimes are standard of living along a certain level of relief to at a record high in every city of Pakistan. Illegal police with societal development the suffering public. torture cells are being dis.however; things went even covered and people are dying worse in the current era.

Overhauling the in the hands of the police The notion of change requiring time is believable, dilapidated state of affairs through torture. hundreds of have died in train acbut putting the entire onus in Pakistan should be the people cidents but not even a single on the already fragile and frail public would surely choice of the incumbent safety measures has been adopted. Now, could any bring resentment and hue and cry. In order to move government rather solving prudent person would mediate in others affairs when his forward the wheel of govanother’s issue own house is in complete ernment, Imran should take disorder, shambles and flux? meticulous and painstaking It is therefore, high time measures to bring relief for the middle and poor classes of Pakistan. The bur- for the government in charge to streamline the den of change should be put on the shoulders of troubling waves through incorporating numerous the elite class which has been indulged in tax change-oriented measures (in the true sense) to yield a certain level of relief to the suffering pubevasion for many years.

Moving the needle on another issue which lic. Overhauling the dilapidated state of affairs in needs serious attention and prompt resolution is Pakistan should be the choice of the incumbent the murder of merit in our society which has be- government rather solving another’s issue. come a usual phenomenon. There is a youth Asad Hussain can be reached at bulge, and the youth are getting degrees in a large number from public and private universities and Asadhussainma@yahoo.com

Imran should focus on problems at home rather than on Saudi-Iran peace AsAd HussAin

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he people of Pakistan have been through a long saga of sufferings. They witnessed sporadic waves of acute agony and excruciation ranging from terrorist attack, religious extremism, poverty, class differences, unavailability of justice, to double digit inflation political instability. These unbearable circumstances have pushed people to reinvigorate their last hopes by choosing Imran Khan to steer their national ship from troubled waters to safe shores and disentangle Pakistan from the snare of numerous dilemmas. however, the Pakistani public and youth have been disappointed at the performance of the incumbent government. One and a half year has passed, but not an iota of change is visible. No doubt changes take time, but clarity of objectives, policies and vision must be known to the hoi polloi.

It is very strange that when your own home is in complete disorder, topsy-turvy and bedlam and you set off on an expedition to solve the problem of your neighbours. This is what our Prime Minister is doing. Imran Khan is showing heroic qualities by mediating between the cross Gulf rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. he undertook extensive visits to both countries and asked them to resolve their Gordian knot through peace talks. he further told them that eruption of war would be disastrous for not only for both the countries but also for Pakistan and the entire region and the world at large.

There is no denying the impression that this mediation would surely enhance Pakistan’s stature in the region, but at this critical juncture when Pakistan is surrounded with a plethora of problems bringing their own house in order would be the prime focus of Imran Khan and his team.

Imran Khan is reminded to turn his face towards the grave internal crisis emanating due to his callous behavior.

The first and the foremost issue is the political instability. Different political parties had

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Friday, 22 November, 2019

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

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Ethics of Public Office Holders

Exposé of Indian intransigence on IOK India’s image abroad is taking a beating because of Kashmir

sultAn MeHMood HAli

D

eSPITe the tireless efforts of Indian spin doctors to declare India’s illegal annexation of Kashmir as its internal issue, the world is taking cognizance of its intransigence. In an attempt to belie Pakistan’s strong and logical stance that India continues to subjugate the citizens of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), on October 29, a delegation of selected members of european Parliament was taken to Srinagar to ‘see the ground situation’ in Kashmir. It was a sanitized trip, which proceeded to IOK after receiving briefings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

The Indian media was touting that Pakistan’s lies have been exposed as the chaperones of the eU Delegation were given a selective glimpse of the conflict-ridden Valley through a presentation by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. The police also briefed the delegation about the security situation in the Valley. The lockdown remains enforced, attempts were made to keep the market open, as well as make some students attend school, but it has not worked. Public transport was off the roads and because of the curfew, private vehicles were also not plying.

India, which is known for its Bollywood style of dramas, failed to make the desired impression despite its choreographed script. It is heartening that the Finish Foreign Minister Pekka haavisto has asked New Delhi to allow UN observers and experts in the region and human rights to visit Kashmir. The minister has opined that the selected eU MPs’ delegation that recently visited the region at the behest of the Indian government, was neither multi-party nor politically balanced. The Finnish minister has reiterated that there must be a final settlement of the Kashmir issue. he believes that the tensions between India and Pakistan are unsustainable, and they must find a way to sit down and find a solution, but this has to be an initiative of the region. Interestingly, Finland, which has traditionally never been diplomatically active in South Asia has also chosen to take up the cudgel for the rights of Kashmiris. India must awaken to the fact that the voice of Kashmiris is reaching every nook and cranny of the world.

The delay in lifting the curfew in IOK will keep India entangled in providing false justifications to all the criticizing groups. India has made a mockery of herself in front of the world, which now knows that secular India is dead, and from its ashes a radical India is emerging.

If Finland’s rap on India’s knuckles was not democratic country and the essence of a demenough, there’s George Galloway, a straight- ocratic state is that minorities count, and their talking British politician. Galloway, who was rights are guaranteed. Turn away from a path in Karachi to attend a seminar on human rights that will only lead you to destruction,” Galabuses in the occupied territory, categorically loway cautioned.

The Indian fake news factory continues to stated that “Modi is a threat to India’s survival.”

Galloway predicted that nations around the churn out lies to malign Pakistan. The Indian world would eventually reconfigure their ties Express published a fictitious news on Novemwith India. “They are not moving towards ber 13, titled ‘Militant from Pakistan killed in Modi’s India out of love but out of interest. And encounter in J&K’. It has been claimed that when a nation loses love, it loses soft power in a militant from Pakistan was killed in an encounter with security forces in Central Kashthe world,” he warned in a media interview.

The outspoken former member of British mir’s Ganderbal district. It was asserted that this Parliament opined that Modi’s unilateral deci- was the second encounter which has taken place sion to revoke Kashmir’s limited autonomy, and in the Valley in 48 hours. According to a police the blatant violation of human rights, had tar- official, an encounter started in the Gund area nished his reputation in the world, and by ex- of Ganderbal district. Quoting an update posted tension India’s. Galloway drew attention by Kashmir zone police the daily claimed that towards the repressive Modi’s regime’s treat- one militant had been killed and arms and amment of religious minorities as a whole, the munition were recovered. At the drop of a hat, Sikhs, Christians and national minorities within it was alleged that the slain militant was identiIndia, and the shocking footage that frequently fied as Khalid, a Pakistani national, affiliated with the proscribed emerges on social media L a s h k a r - e - Ta y y e b a of people being lynched, (LeT). Reporting without effectively by RSS militants, which are an exposé One aspect that has never any investigation or proof, the Indian media is in the of Indian intransigence.

Commending Pakistan’s deterred Pakistan is Indian habitual of blaming Pakistan for anything going leadership, the British military might. Indian bad in its territory. politician, who once ran India is also carrying for the office of London’s designs of exercising her out extended military mamayor, said the world military at this time near noeuvres to keep its powder needs to know more about dry and browbeat Pakistan the atrocities in (Indian) her Western border despite its debacle on FebKashmir. “Pakistan needs to help the Kashmiri peoexpects Pakistan to shift ruary 27, in which its air lost two fighter aircraft ple to get the information focus to a looming threat. force and had one pilot shot down out of the occupied terriand captured alive. Pakistan tory.” “We have to step up However, Pakistan has has put on display a statue of the information campaign never in history changed the Indian pilot, whose that establishes that Modi plane was shot down over is a firm believer in the its stance on mutual Kashmir, invoking the ire of ethno-religious supremacist ideology. We need to conflicts. Kashmir shall India’s media. The life-sized statue of Wing Commander show the world what is stay the focus of Abhinandan Varthaman, happening in Kashmir.” he said the only way to Pakistan’s foreign policy complete with his signature moustache, has been inhelp Kashmir is, by telling stalled as an exhibit in the the stories of ordinary PAF museum in Karachi.

Kashmiri people who are Now according to Indian media reports, suffering at the hands of Indian forces. “We need to reach out to people in the Western au- The Indian Army carried out a major exercise dience who still think Kashmir is a scarf or a comprising more than 40,000 troops, besides shawl, and we need to fight India’s propaganda several tanks, artillery guns and attack helicopters, on India’s western front with Pakistan. The war with real information,” he said.

Saving his harshest comments for the Indian exercise, called Sindu Sudarshan VII, tested the Prime Minister, Galloway stated that “Modi ‘battle readiness’ of the Indian 21 Corps, a seems to him as “an arrogant person, who ‘strike formation’, in an integrated air land batspeaks on behalf of an ideological trend, which tle scenario. This is the second phase of the is extremely arrogant, xenophobic, and poten- ‘corps level’ exercise, which took place from tially isolationist.” For its gains, India, he said, November 13 to 18 between Barmer and is in the process of altering the demographics of Jaisalmer. The Indian army reportedly carried the occupied territory. “And that is a dangerous out its military manoeuvres during this time.

One aspect that has never deterred Pakistan trend. everyone knows India took this trick out of Israel’s play book,” he said. he warned that is Indian military might. Indian designs of exif India continued with its policy of modifying ercising her military at this time near her Westthe demographics of Kashmir, it would lead to ern border expects Pakistan to shift focus to a an armed conflict with Pakistan. “It will only looming threat. however, Pakistan has never in provide more bodies to be in conflict with each history changed its stance on mutual conflicts. other.” “This will escalate the situation more Kashmir shall stay the focus of Pakistan’s fordramatically and only make more likely the dan- eign policy. ger of war between India and Pakistan.”

Sultan Mehmood Hali is a retired Group Galloway’s message to Modi was: “Turn back, turn back from a course which can only Captain and author of the book Defence & lead you to a downward path.” “Respect what Diplomacy. Currently he is a columnist, most people believed about India, that it was a analyst and TV talk show host.

The recent resignation of Steve easterbrook, CeO McDonalds, following reports that he had an inappropriate consensual relationship with an employee, highlights the importance of ethics and morality, in corporate working. In the USA, consensual relationship between adults is legal and not considered a crime. McDonalds and numerous other private and public corporations forbid managers from having romantic relationships with an employee.

General Petraeus, a decorated war hero, who served as CeNTCOM commander and after his retirement in August 2011, was appointed as Director CIA was forced to retire on November 2012 by President Obama after FBI reports that he had an extra marital affair consensual affair with principal author of his biography. It is an accepted norm that individuals who hold any public office, elected or paid, must adhere to more conservative and stricter code of ethics than that applicable to common citizens.

It is unfortunate that while we claim to be Islamic republic, and our laws forbid extra marital relationships, yet individuals holding important public offices in executive or state-owned corporations and even those serving in sensitive organisations like NAB etc have never been proceeded against, even though video proof of their involvement exists. This reflects on moral degradation that engulfs ruling paid or elected public office holders.

Conflicts of interest of serving public office holders are overlooked. Almost half our foreign service officers have acquired foreign immigration for either self or family while they were in service. Former President Musharraf has admitted that he was gifted almost $20 Million by a Saudi royal, yet the state has not proceeded against him. A State that fails to protect its jungles, amenity plots etc., from illegal occupation by powerful land mafia, is considered to be Banana Republic.

MALIk TArIq ALI Lahore

How many election petitions? eVeR since the PTI government has come into power in Islamabad, the opposition parties and their leaders called PM Imran Khan and his government with all sorts of names and labels like it is fake and has come into power through massive rigging etc.

Without going into further allegations which the opposition leaders keep on harping day and night, this is ask the election Commission of Pakistan to apprize the nation as to how many election petitions on rigging and other charges were filed by opposition parties loser candidates after July 25, 2018 with the election Tribunals throughout the country, how many of them have decided in favour or against the complaining losing candidates and how many are still pending at different forums. This information naturally will be available with the election Commission and if made public will greatly help in setting the records straight and making it clear to the people as to who is right and who is wrong in this regard, please. This scribe still remembers that in 1977 also, MMA led opposition had also levelled massive rigging charges against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s PPP which had won the early called polls. Against all such hallah gullah, leading to violent protest, rigging charges were not proved even in 10 constituencies but the opposition had achieved its ulterior objective of toppling of the people’s elected government through imposition of martial law on July 5, 1977. The opposition parties and their leaders, who have not somehow accepted their defeats in last year’s general election may continue opposing and criticising the prime minister and PTI government. But in doing so they should at least keep the national interests as well as the interests of the country and the nation uppermost, please.

M Z rIFAT Lahore

Kashmir solidarity IT seems that tensions between Pakistan and India may keep on escalating until the Kashmir issue is resolved. The dispute has come under International light and is being discussed and struggling to resolve the problem and reduce tensions between Pakistan and India.

No one can deny the fact that India is taking no any steps to bring peace in the region. As India on August 5 unilaterally decided to revoke Article 370 of its constitution which granted special autonomy to occupied Kashmir.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan has been struggling to make the region peaceful, but due to the lack of support the region has yet not been peaceful. As newly on Tuesday Combined Opposition leaders from the capital announced that they would observe October 27 as black day in protest against the ongoing repression in India-held Kashmir.

Actually, the decision was taken at a multi-party conference held to discuss matters related to Kashmir Solidarity Day and the upcoming Azadi March. The conference decided that a protest demonstration would be staged outside the National Press Club on Oct 27 against the India attempts to jeopardise regional peace and stability, and express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris.

IMrAN rASHEEd kech

Friday, 22 November, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Trump’s ex-adviser To Tell us lawmakers To sTop promoTing ‘falsehood’

WASHINGTON

p

AGENCIES

RESIDENT Donald Trump’s former Russia adviser Fiona Hill will warn lawmakers in the House of Representatives impeachment inquiry on Thursday against promoting falsehoods that minimize Russia’s attempts to interfere in U.S. elections.

According to her prepared testimony, Hill said she has heard questions and statements from some members of the Democratic-led House Intelligence Committee that show they appear to believe Russia did not conduct a campaign against the United

States during the 2016 presidential race.

“This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves,” Hill, who was until July the director for European and Russian Affairs at the White House National Security Council, will say.

Some Republican members of the committee have advanced a discredited conspiracy theory, embraced by Republican President Trump, that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the last presidential election.

“In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” she will say.

Thursday’s hearing marks the last scheduled day of marathon sessions by the House Intelligence Committee focused on whether Trump wrongfully pressured Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat bidding to face Trump in 2020. Lawmakers also will question David Holmes, a staffer from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, as they seek to learn more about a phone call in which he says he overheard Trump ask about the status of the investigation.

Hill also will warn lawmakers that Russia is gearing up to repeat its election interference activities in 2020. “We are running out of time to stop them,” she will say.

Like a number of career government officials who have already testified, Hill prides herself as a nonpartisan foreign policy expert who has served Republican and Democratic presidents. A naturalized U.S. citizen, Hill describes herself as an “American by choice,” tracing her poor family’s roots to the same area of England as George Washington. In prior testimony on Oct. 14, Hill recounted a July 10 meeting at the White House that she attended with senior Ukrainian and U.S. officials at which the investigation was discussed.

Hill recalled a meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials that national security adviser John Bolton cut short after Gordon Sondland, Trump’s ambassador to the European Union, blurted out that there was an agreement for a White House meeting if Ukraine started certain investigations.

Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa sworn in Sri Lanka’s new PM COLOMBO AGENCIES

Sri Lanka’s newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sworn in as prime minister on Thursday by his brother and the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, capping a victorious return to power for the brothers.

Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped down as prime minister earlier on Thursday to clear the way for the president to form his government. Wickremesinghe said in a statement that he was quitting despite having a parliamentary majority, respecting the mandate Gotabaya Rajapaksa received in last Saturday’s presidential election.

Soon after the swearing in ceremony, Prime Minister Imran Khan extended his “heartiest congratulations” to the new president, saying: “I am looking forward to working closely with you and your government to further develop our historical friendship and partnership and find avenues for deepening cooperation between the two nations.”

House Hitler was born in will become a police station, Austria says VIENNA AGENCIES

The house where Adolf Hitler was born will be turned into a police station, Austria’s interior minister said, after years of debate over how best to prevent it becoming a pilgrimage site for neo-Nazis.

Having recently carried out a compulsory purchase of the house in Braunau am Inn, a town on the border with Germany, Austria will invite architects to submit plans for a redesign of the building. It will house the local police force’s offices, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The house’s future use by the police should send an unmistakable signal that this building will never again evoke the memory of National Socialism,” Interior Minister Wolfgang Peschorn, who serves in a provisional government of civil servants, said.

Local resident Rotraut Staiger said the house still attracted plenty of attention.

“Before, on his (Hitler’s) birthday on April 20, lots of people used

Britain's Prince Andrew halts public duties over sex scandal LONDON AGENCIES

In a telephone call, Prime Minister Imran expressed the desire to work closely with the Sri Lankan premier to further strengthen Pakistan-Sri Lanka bilateral relations in all dimensions.

He also extended an invitation to his Sri Lankan counterpart to visit Pakistan and

lauded the progress made by Sri Lanka during Gotabaya’s two terms as president.

The Sri Lankan premier thanked Prime Minister Imran for his felicitations and said that he looks forward to working together to further strengthen Sri Lanka-Pakistan relations.

to come and light candles and place flowers. All of that stopped. Now people come to take pictures,” Staiger, who has lived in Braunau for 53 years, said.

Johann Wolf said he would prefer the house to become a community center.

“Lebenshilfe takes care of disabled people and it would have been the best of messages, in light of the fact that these people were wiped out at the time, to turn the birthplace into something which values human lives,” he said.

Architects from across the European Union will submit plans this month and a jury of experts and public officials will pick the winning design in the first half of next year, the Interior Ministry said. Although Hitler was born in Braunau in 1889, Austria argued for decades that it was the first victim of National Socialism, having been annexed by Hitler’s Germany in 1938.

Recent governments have, however, recognized that Austrians were also perpetrators of Nazi crimes and that there was little resistance to Hitler’s rule.

Britain’s Prince Andrew stepped down from public duties on Wednesday, saying the controversy surrounding his ill-judged association with late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein had caused major disruption to the royal family’s work.

Andrew, Queen Elizabeth’s second son, denies an allegation that he had sex with a 17-year-old girl procured for him by his friend Epstein, who killed himself in a U.S. prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

The scandal has escalated since Andrew’s rambling explanations in a disastrous TV interview aired on Saturday left many viewers incredulous, and his apparent lack of com-

passion for Epstein’s victims drew widespread condemnation.

As the story dominated news headlines for a fourth day and a slew of businesses distanced themselves from organizations and charities associated with the prince, he said he would step down from public life for the time being and speak to police about Epstein.

“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work,” he said in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace.

“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission,” he said.

UK's Labour unveils 'radical and ambitious' plan to remake Britain BIRMINGHAM AGENCIES

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveiled his party’s election manifesto on Thursday, setting out radical plans to transform Britain with public sector pay rises, higher taxes on companies and a sweeping nationalisation of infrastructure. Voters face a stark choice at the country’s Dec. 12 election: opposition leader Corbyn’s socialist vision, including widespread nationalisation and free public services, or Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s drive to deliver Brexit within months and build a “dynamic market economy”.

Speaking in the central English city of Birmingham, Corbyn set out his crowd-pleasing plans, offering something for almost everyone in Britain - from help to parents with young children to free university education and more money for elderly care.

In a speech punctuated by applause and standing ovations from supporters, he promised to stand up

for ordinary people against the “bankers, billionaires and the establishment” who was fighting to keep a system that was “rigged in their favour”.

“Labour’s manifesto is a manifesto for hope, that is what this document is - a manifesto that will bring real change,” Corbyn said, describing his plan as the most “radical and ambitious plan” in decades.

“A manifesto full of popular policies that the political establishment has blocked for a generation.”

Lagging in the polls, Corbyn hopes his message of change will drown out criticism of his Brexit stance, which even some in his party say lacks the clarity of Johnson’s vow to “get Brexit done”. Instead, the Labour leader says he will get Brexit “sorted” in six months, with a new exit deal put to a second referendum as a way to bring the country together. Hoping to avoid comparisons with Labour’s 1983 socialist-inspired manifesto described later by a then Labour lawmaker as “the longest suicide note in history”, Corbyn rejected suggestions he was harping back to the 1970s.

He was instead offering “a green industrial revolution”, an ambitious plan that, he said, could be paid for in part by taxing the richest in Britain.

The manifesto showed an extra 82.9 billion pounds of spending, matched by 82.9 billion pounds of revenue-raising measures.

SPEND, SPEND, SPEND: Both parties have promised to end economic austerity and spend more money on public services before the election, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain’s departure from the European Union happens. Brandon Lewis, a Conservative minister, said Labour would go on “a reckless spending spree which would take a sledgehammer to the British economy”.

Most polls put the Conservative Party in front, but few are able or willing to predict a victor in the election. Labour could be in a position to form a minority government if Johnson’s Conservatives fall short of an outright majority in parliament and rivals are prepared to support Corbyn as prime minister.

But to implement its manifesto in full the party

would likely need an even bigger turnaround in the election race to claim a majority of its own. One polling expert described the chances of this as “close to zero” based on current evidence.

Held after three years of negotiations to leave the EU, the December election for the first time will show how far Brexit has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting.

Labour has put at the forefront of its campaign its attack on “vested interests”, taking aim at Johnson, who was educated at England’s elite Eton public school, has considerable personal wealth and whose party has wealthy backers.

Among the proposals, Labour said it would bring in a windfall tax on oil companies, de-list companies that do not contribute to tackling climate change and increase public sector pay by 5%.

“They know we will go after the tax dodgers, the bad bosses and the big polluters so that everybody in our country gets a fair chance in life,” Corbyn said.

Friday, 22 November, 2019

BUSINESS 11

PAkIStAn urgED tO hOnOur Int’l COnvEntIOnS bEfOrE gSP+ rEvIEw

CORPORATE CORNER

ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD: Jubilee Life Insurance and Roche Pakistan collaborate to introduce Pakistan’s first ever cancer protection plan. prESS r E l E A S E

KARACHI: A K-Electric delegation, headed by CEO Moonis Alvi, met with the Federal B Area Association of Trade & Industry (FBATI) as part of the power utility’s drive to further improve industry facilitation through closer coordination. prE S S r E l E A S E

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STAFF rEpOrT

HE civil society has urged the government to ensure compliance of all international conventions on climate change, human and labour rights before the next report on GSP-Plus was presented before the European Parliament.

It may be noted that in 2014, the European Union had provided a 10-year trade incentive scheme to Pakistan in the form of a Generalised Scheme of Preference (GSP)-Plus for duty-free exports to European countries.

In return, Pakistan was required to implement 27 UN conventions regarding human rights, labour rights, climate change and good governance.

On Thursday, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) Executive Director Karamat Ali, while raising the GSP+ issue at the National Press Club, said implementation on the domestic laws regarding human rights and labour rights was the most serious challenge that the country was confronted with.

Shahzad Ahmed of 'Bytes for All' was also present on the occasion.

ACTIVISTS SAY LITTLE EFFORTS WERE MADE IN THE LAST SIX YEARS TO IMPLEMENT LABOUR AND HUMAN RIGHTS' LAWS The activists highlighted the wide gulf between the promulgated laws, which ensure protection to the society, and their implementation.

They deplored that little progress has been made during the last six years, saying that there was a need to take serious measures to implement the relevant labour and human rights' laws.

The PILER official informed that the next report on Pakistan's performance would be presented in the EU Parliament in January 2020.

"Two previous reports had indicated gaps, but there was little progress in this regard."

He called upon the EU countries to provide a benchmark for the implementation of 27 international treaties for the next four years.

Ali also spoke about the condition of labour rights in Pakistan, saying that trade unions in the

Govt striving hard to revolutionise power sector: minister ‘ALTERNATE RESOURCES BEING UTILISED TO MAKE THE SECTOR SUSTAINABLE, SECURE, AFFORDABLE AND COMPETITIVE’

ISLAMABAD STAFF rEpOrT KARACHI: Pakistan Cables recently co-sponsored the construction of a newly built training centre for disabled people at the office premises of Network of Organizations Working with People with Disabilities Pakistan (NOWPDP).

Pakistan Cables CEO Fahd K Chinoy was present during the inauguration ceremony. prESS rElEASE

LAHORE: Karandaaz Pakistan, under its third round of Innovation Challenge Fund (ICF), has signed an agreement with a consortium of Bank Alfalah Limited and DigiServ, to develop an innovative, cashflow-based, credit scoring model for small and medium enterprises. prESS rElEASE

KARACHI: Faysal Bank Limited (FBL) has partnered with Majestic Lounge to provide quality facilities to its credit cardholders at Karachi and Peshawar airports. prESS rElEASE

Power Minister Omar Ayub Khan said on Thursday that the government was bringing a revolution in the power sector in order to make it efficient, sustainable, secure, affordable and competitive.

Chairing the 126th meeting of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB), the minister said the government was promoting the use of hydro and coal along with wind and solar resources to lower the power tariff.

"We are focused on removing the bottlenecks and ensuring ease of doing business in the country so that the investors are encouraged to initiate new projects and expand their operations," he maintained.

During the meeting, the board approved the execution of an Implementation Agreement (IA) with Pakistan's largest coal-based power generation project and allowed extension in the financial closing date of the project as proposed by the PPIB. The 1,320MW coal-based power project by Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company (Pvt) Limited (TCB1) holds significant standing among the fleet of China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects. The project was at an advanced stage of development,

as critical milestones, including the issuance of Letter of Support (LOS) and signing of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), have already been achieved.

The meeting was informed that the project would most likely start power generation by March 2021. "It will be connected with the Matiri-Lahore Transmission Line, which is currently under construction and scheduled to be operational by the start of 2021."

PPIB Managing Director Shah Jahan Mirza briefed the board that under the government's vision, PPIB has started issuing LoS under the Tripartite Letter of Support (TLoS) Regime of Power Generation Policy 2015, adding that PPIB

has so far issued TLOS to 7.08MW Riali and 8MW Kathai hydropower projects.

"This demonstrates PPIB's aggressive approach towards harnessing the country's hydro potential," he said. “The tariff of these projects has been fixed

by NEPRA as Rs8.1811 and Rs8.0868, respectively.”

He informed that the 700MW Azad Pattan Hydropower Project has recently been included in the CPEC framework, adding that the project would be completed by June 2026.

NEPRA has already determined tariff of Rs7.4064 for the project, he added.

The board was apprised that PPIB was already processing Pakistan's first private sector 'Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line' project and would be able to facilitate future transmission line projects in the private sector under the Transmission Line Policy, 2015.

country were facing difficulties in exercising their rights.

"At the same time, there are severe restrictions on human rights' organisations as they are unable to exercise their fundamental right i.e. freedom of speech," the PILER chief said.

He said that according to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) report, only 5pc of the labour force was organised under trade unions in Pakistan; this was a gross violation of the fundamental right of an association.

It was also announced on the occasion that a national level convention would be held on January 11 and 12 in Islamabad to formalise the “labour confederation”. The civil society also prepared a memorandum, to be presented to the government, for improvements in the human and labour rights' situation in Pakistan.

The key points of the memorandum included raising the minimum age for work in all federal/provincial laws to 18 years, devising specific laws in compliance with the ILO convention to ensure equal pay for work of equal value, and an increase in minimum wage in accordance with the rising cost of living due to inflation and other factors.

Saudi Aramco IPO's institutional tranche oversubscribed RIYADH/DUBAI AGENCIES

The institutional tranche of Saudi Aramco’s initial public offering (IPO) has been oversubscribed while the retail portion has received a little more than 10 billion riyals ($2.67 billion) in orders so far, a banking source told Reuters. Earlier on Thursday, Saudi-owned news channel Al-Arabiya, citing a banking source, said the institutional tranche of the deal had received more than 64 billion riyals, while the retail portion received 10 billion riyals. Aramco, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, plans to sell 1.5pc of the company, or about 3 billion shares, at an indicative price range of 30 riyals to 32 riyals, valuing the IPO at as much as 96 billion riyals and giving the company a potential market value of between $1.6 trillion and $1.7 trillion.

Representatives of the state-owned oil giant plan meetings with investors in Dubai next week, sources have said, for what is expected to be the world’s biggest share sale. Aramco has said at least one-third of the sale is expected to be covered by retail investors, who have until Nov 28 to sign up for the IPO. Institutional investors can subscribe until Dec 4. Aramco kicked off the sale process on Nov 3 after a series of false starts. The deal is crucial for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to raise billions of dollars to invest in non-oil industries, create employment and diversify the world’s top crude exporter away from oil.

OECD sees global growth at decade low, blames govts' indecision PARIS

Punjab excise department undergoes overhaul LAHORE SHAHAB OMEr

Punjab Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control (ET&NC) Director General (DG) Zahid Hussain has transferred and posted 21 officers of the department on important posts, which were previously vacated or filled by people on an additional charge due to various reasons.

According to an order notified on Thursday, Excise Taxation Officer (ETO) Tahira (BS-17), who was waiting for posting in the Punjab ET Directorate General, has been posted as Sargodha Motor Registering Authority (MRA) ETO against an existing vacancy.

As per the order, "Jhang ETO-I Muhammad Javed (BS-17) has been transferred and posted as Kasur ETO-I against an existing vacancy, Sahiwal Property Tax ETO Abdul Rehman Masood (BS-17) has been transferred and posted as Lahore Region-C MRA-III, ETO Muhammad Asad Ullah (BS-17) has

been posted as Rajanpur ETO, ETO Khizer Zahoor (BS-17) has been posted as Sialkot ETO-II, while ETO Nadia Perveen (BS-17) has been posted as Chakwal ETO-I/MRA. The order continued, "ETO Hakim Khan (BS-17) has been posted as Rawalpindi (Property III) ETO, ETO Danyal Safdar BS-17 has been posted as Jhang ETO-1, ETO Kulsoom Zuhra (BS-17) has been posted as Sahiwal (Property Tax) ETO, Jhang ETOII Sheikh Arshad Hameed (BS-17) has been posted as Faisalabad MRA-II, Faisalabad MRA-II Sajjad Asghar (BS-17) has been posted as Jhang ETO-II, Faisalabad ETO-III Sheikh Saeed Ahmad (BS-17) has been posted as Toba Tak Singh ETO, TT Singh ETO Rana Khalid Pervaiz (BS-17) has been posted as Faisalabad ETO-III. "Similarly, Gujrat Assistant ETO Muhammad Munir (BS-16) has been posted as Gujranwala Assistant ETO, Region-B Lahore Assistant ETO Bilal Nazeer (BS-16) has been posted as Gujrat Assistant

ETO, Vehari AETO Bashir Ahmad Kharral (BS-16) has been posted as Lodhran AETO, Region-C Lahore Baghbanpura Service Center MRA/ETO Rao Hammad Ali Khan (BS-16) has been posted as Lahore Ali Complex MRA." Orders further stated, "Rawalpindi Murree Brewery AETO (BS-16) Ahmad Shahbaz Wattoo has been posted as Region-C Lahore AETO, Chiniot ET Inspector Shakeel Ahmad (BS-16) has been posted as Sargodha ETI, Hafizabad Motor Branch ETI Zahid Mubashar (BS-16) has been posted as Region-C Lahore ETI, while ETI Shahid Amin (BS-16) has been posted as Region-B Lahore ETI." While speaking to Pakistan Today, DG Zahid Hussain said, "These transfers and postings have been made to overcome the challenge of tax recoveries. We were facing a shortage of staff in the field. Most of the officials were working in important cities on additional charge so, now we have appointed the officers in all the cities."

AGENCIES

The global economy is growing at the slowest pace since the financial crisis as governments leave it to central banks to revive investment, the OECD said on Thursday in an update of its forecasts. The world economy is projected to grow by a decade-low 2.9pc this year and next, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said in its Economic Outlook, trimming its 2020 forecast from an estimate of 3pc in September. Offering meagre consolation, the Paris-based policy forum forecast growth would edge up to 3pc in 2021, but only if a myriad of risks ranging from trade wars to an unexpectedly sharp Chinese slowdown are contained. A bigger concern, however, is that governments are failing to get to grips with global challenges such as climate change, the digitalisation of their economies and the crumbling of the multilateral order that emerged after the fall of Communism.

Friday, 22 November, 2019

12 BUSINESS

PAkIStAn tO rECOvEr $800m OutStAnDIng DuES frOm uAE'S EtISAlAt ISLAMABAD

A

SbP reserves up $45m to $8.44bn The foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank rose 0.5pc on a weekly basis, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday. On November 15, the foreign currency reserves held by the SBP were recorded at $8,442.1 million, up $45 million compared with $8,397.3 million in the previous week. The SBP, in its report, cited no reason for the increase in reserves. The overall liquid foreign currency reserves held by the country, including net reserves held by banks other than the SBP, stood at $15,462.3 million. Net reserves held by banks amounted to $7,020.2 million. BUSINESS DESK

govt jacks up power price by rs1.83 per unit The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Thursday notified Rs1.83 per unit increase in electricity tariff under monthly fuel price adjustment for electricity consumed in September. The decision to approve the tariff increase was taken at a public hearing on November 5 presided over by the regulator’s member Punjab Saifullah Chattha and attended by member Balochistan Rehmatullah Baloch. The additional fuel cost will be charged to consumers in December. The increase is not applicable to K-Electric and lifeline consumers using less than 50 units of other distribution companies. The price adjustment “shall be shown separately in the consumers’ bills on the basis of units billed to the consumers in the month of September 2019”, NEPRA said in its notification.

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) had sought an increase of Rs2.97 per unit under fuel price adjustment for the month of September for Ex-WAPDA Discos. The CPPA said that since the actual generation cost amounted to Rs5.81 per unit against a reference price of Rs2.84 per unit, the Discos should be allowed to recover another Rs2.97 per unit from consumers in the coming month. BUSINESS DESK

Iran keen to enhance trade ties with Pakistan: envoy ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Iran Mehdi Honardoost on Thursday met Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood in Islamabad to discuss matters pertaining to bilateral trade and investment. Speaking on the occasion, Dawood noted that the two brotherly countries have cordial relations, saying that "Pakistan highly values its fraternal ties with Iran and considers it a close friend". However, he added, there was a lot of potential for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. "Pak-Iran trade volume must reflect the cordial relations between the two countries," the adviser said. Outgoing envoy Mehdi Honardoost reciprocated the sentiments, saying that Iran was keen to strengthen its relations with Pakistan. "Iran intends to expand trade and economic cooperation with Pakistan, along with increasing regional cooperation," he stated. The adviser assured the envoy of complete cooperation in efforts to enhance bilateral trade relations with the two countries. STAFF rEpOrT

GHUlAM ABBAS

S Pakistan has been waiting for the resolution of an issue related to "pending dues ($800 million) on account of privatisation of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL)" for the last 14 years, the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) government has decided to expedite efforts in recovering the said amount from United Arab Emirates' telecom giant Etisalat.

According to officials, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, while chairing a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, directed the concerned ministries and departments to speed up the process

FINANCE ADVISER CALLS FOR EARLY RESOLUTION OF ISSUES PERTAINING TO PTCL PRIVATISATION, PENDING FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS of resolving all issues that are hindering the recovery of $800 million.

Privatisation Minister Muhammadmian Soomro and IT Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui were also present on the occasion.

During the meeting, the adviser was briefed on issues concerning the transfer of properties to Etisalat and the pending payments to be made by the company. The adviser directed the officials concerned to resolve all outstanding issues in a smooth and amicable manner, asking the government team to contact

the senior management of Etisalat and listen to their viewpoint.

"The issue should be resolved at the earliest as any further delay will not be in the interest of both parties," he said. "All stakeholders must finalise proposals on the subject within the next two weeks."

In July 2005, Etisalat had bought 26pc shares as well as managerial controls of PTCL at a price of $2.6 billion. After knowing that the second-lowest bid was $1.4 billion, the UAE-based firm tried to backtrack from the offer.

'CPeC an important milestone towards Pakistan's development' BUSINESS DESK President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday termed China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as an important milestone in the journey towards development, as it would create new avenues for trade and investment in the country.

He was addressing the opening ceremony of the 5th China Agro Chemical Pakistan Summit at the Expo Centre in Lahore, Radio Pakistan reported.

The president hoped that the execution of the CPEC projects and the accomplishment of 'one-belt, one-road' plan would open new vistas of investment, trade and technology in Pakistan.

He said the Chinese investment in Pakistan would multiply the volume of trade and investment, pave way for prosperity and create employment opportunities.

'REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY': Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said the completion of CPEC projects would ensure regional development.

Talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing in Islamabad on Thursday, he said a CPEC Authority has been established for timely completion of corridor related projects.

The second phase of CPEC would focus on industrialization and socio-economic development, he stated, adding that special

economic zones would be established soon to facilitate the investors.

The foreign minister maintained that China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) would improve regional connectivity and bring people closer.

Qureshi noted that the cordiality and understanding that exists between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Imran Khan was a guarantor of development not only for the two countries but also for the region. The Chinese envoy on the occasion said that Pakistan was a trusted friend of China, providing routes to important regions.

He added that improved connectivity was the hallmark of the CPEC framework.

PIA adds new aircraft to its fleet Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has added a new aircraft – Airbus A320 – to its fleet, the national flag-carrier confirmed on Thursday.

The announcement was made through PIA's official Twitter handle. A picture of the aircraft, grounded at the Karachi airport, was also attached to the tweet.

According to the reports, the aeroplane departed from Istanbul and reached Karachi at 7:00 AM (Thursday morning).

An official told media that the airbus has been bought on a dry lease – leasing arrangement whereby an aircraft financing entity provides an aircraft without a crew – for a period of six years. He said that the plane will be added to the fleet in the first week of December after the completion of technical re-

quirements.

Following the addition of the aircraft, PIA now has 12 A320 planes. The total number of planes in the airline's fleet now reached 33.

A similar-model airbus is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan next month. Both planes were previously employed by Saudi Arabian Airlines between 2010 and 2018.

"The addition of these new aeroplanes will facilitate the airline's operations," said a PIA official. "Travellers will also be provided with better services during flights."

Bleeding massive cash until a year ago, PIA, in September this year, announced a 41pc increment in its revenue, attributing it to "corrective measures" taken by the all-new management. BUSINESS DESK

In March 2006, the Pakistani government had signed an agreement with Etisalat under which 3,384 properties of the PTCL were to be handed over to the company. However, the properties on the ground were less and the remaining 34 properties could not be transferred.

The pending process on the part of Pakistan included the transfer of the remaining properties to the UAE-based company as part of PTCL's sale.

Earlier this year, Etisalat had agreed with Pakistan's point of view of deducting the amount of 34 properties (from the total $800 million).

As per Pakistan's assessment, the value of the pending 34 properties was not more than $88 million. However, Etisalat had refused to accept the quote, terming the prices to be "very low".

MArket DAIly

Stocks bleed as kSE-100 plunges 900 points KARACHI STAFF rEpOrT

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) took a pounding on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index dropping by over 1,000 points intraday. Foreign investors, on the other hand, remained net buyers for the third consecutive session on Wednesday with a net inflow of $3.28 million. Major buying was witnessed in the banking sector ($1.30 million). The KSE-100 index opened the day at 38,046.34 but soon dropped over 1,000 points to record its intraday low at 37,033.45. The index settled lower by 936.37 points at 37,101.31. The KMI-30 Index lost 1,717.45 points to end at 59,973.06, while the KSE All Share Index closed lower by 526.36 points at 26,370.44.

Out of the total traded shares, 66 advanced, 272 declined while the value of 214 remained unchanged.

The overall trading volumes declined by 29pc to 232.57 million. K-Electric Limited (KEL -3.61pc), Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL -4.76pc) and TRG Pakistan Limited (TRG -5.00pc) led the volume chart. The scripts had exchanged 12.13 million, 10.32 million and 9.51 million shares, respectively. Sectors that drove the index south included banking (-207.51 points), fertiliser (-113.84 points) and oil and gas exploration (-99.87 points). Among the companies, Hub Power Company Limited (HUBC -68.87 points), Engro Corporation Limited (ENGRO -58.72 points) and Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK -53.33 points) dented the index the most. The cement sector witnessed a decline of -3.89pc in its cumulative market capitalisation. D G Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC -5.00pc) touched its lower lock, while Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK -4.62pc), Bestway Cement Limited (BWCL -2.91pc) and Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF 4.88pc) also closed in the red zone. In a notification to the exchange, Avanceon Limited (AVN -0.66pc) announced that the company has been awarded a contract for the up-gradation of Emergency Shutdown (ESD) System at Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited (LOTCHEM -2.48pc) plant situated at Port Qasim, Karachi.

As others predict unchanged monetary policy, BMA expects 50bps rate cut MEIRYUM ALI As the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is all set to announce its monetary policy for the months of November and December tomorrow (Friday), almost all major investment banks and analysts have predicted that the policy rate will remain unchanged, at 13.25pc.

All, except one: BMA Capital.

The investment bank has instead predicted a new policy rate of 12.75pc, or a reduction of 50 basis points.

This makes the investment bank an outlier amongst its peers, which have almost all predicted an otherwise unchanged rate.

Speaking to Profit, Saad Hashmi, the Executive Director of research and business development at BMA Capital, said

there are three main reasons for BMA Capital's unusual stance.

"First, since the last policy review, secondary market yields have come down.

In effect, the fixed income market is expecting inflation to come down. Secondly, inflation in Pakistan will come down in 2020. This has also been indicated by recent statements by the SBP governor.

"Thirdly, I would say the central bank's monetary policy is forward-looking. [They] are looking at the prices in the coming 12 months, not what happened in the previous few months."

This stance has been echoed in BMA Capital's research reports to clients. In its weekly (November 11-15) review for clients, BMA Capital stated, "Most investors will keep an eye on the upcoming Monetary Policy Statement (MPS) as Pak-

istan's economy is presently in a position to afford a cut in interest rates; we believe our view of a 50bps reduction in MPS, in line with the government's stance of promoting growth in Pakistan's economy. Moreover, the drowning of the political noise will further keep investors' interest upbeat."

In a separate report on Pakistan's banking sector, analyst Syed Masroor Hussain Zaidi wrote, "We are of the view that interest rate has now peaked and is heading towards a cut. This scenario will require banks to calibrate themselves as per the upcoming interest rate regime."

BMA's prediction of a lower policy rate is because of its positive take on the Pakistani economy.

The same report goes on to say, "Improving macroeconomic indicators along with the stabilization of taxation and ac-

countability drive are likely to ease off stress for businesses. We believe that economic recovery has already started."

Many are cautious than BMA Capital and believe that the SBP will keep the policy rate unchanged until more significant positive economic indicators appear, such as a more concrete fall in inflation, or a rise in foriegn currency reserves.

Hashmi said this might be because others are looking more at the 'short-run'.

"The inflation number for October 2019 recently came out, and it was higher than expected. So maybe that’s why people are concerned. But inflation is a volatile number, and one should look at the average inflation rate."

Just this Monday, in an address to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Governor SBP Reza Baqir said the

economy was improving. “Rest assured and trust us, we are moving gradually. We will cut down interest rate when inflation drops,” he said. “Economic situation of the country is improving and some segments are showing double-digit growth in terms of quantity.”

The SBP last changed the policy rate on July 16, to 13.25%, a rise of 100 basis points. At the time, it cited increased potential inflation, owing to a rise in utility costs.

The SBP keep the policy rate unchanged in its review on September 16, saying that the inflation outcomes were largely as expected.

At the start of the year 2019, the policy rate was 10%. Subsequent policy reviews - in January, March, May and July - increased the policy rate by a total of 325 basis points.

LaaL KabooTar Wins aT VancouVer inTernaTionaL souTh asian FiLm FesTiVaL

KETOSLIM LAUNCHES “LOSE 10 KGS IN 45 DAYS -WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM”

By Rohama Riaz

F

T

By KauKaB Jahan

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

He highly critically acclaimed Pakistani feature film, LAAL KABooTAr won the Best Feature Film Award at the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival 2019. Director Kamal Khan received the award on the Closing Night & Awards Ceremony held at Surrey City Hall in Surrey, British Columbia on 17th November 2019. Laal Kabootar is Nehr Ghar Films’ debut production.

The highly critically acclaimed Pakistani feature film, LAAL KABooTAr won the Best Feature Film Award at the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival 2019. Director Kamal Khan received the award on the Closing Night & Awards Ceremony held at Surrey City Hall in Surrey, British Columbia on 17th November 2019. Laal Kabootar is Nehr Ghar Films’ debut production.

The film, which is also the official submission of Pakistan for the 92nd Academy Awards in the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category, have also grabbed the Archana Soy Audience Award for ‘Best Feature Film’ at the Tasveer South Asian Film Festival 2019 in Seattle earlier this year.

Previously, Laal Kabootar was an official selection at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival 2019 and also at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival

2019. In Washington DC the lead actor of Laal Kabootar Ahmed Ali Akbar, won the ‘Best Actor Male’ Award for his performance.

Laal Kabootar was released in March 2019 in Pakistan and so far, critiques have credited it as the best Pakistani movie of this year.

The film is a rollercoaster ride featuring Ahmed Ali Akbar as Adeel Nawaz – a hustling taxi-driver, looking for a way out of Karachi. But with his back against the wall, Adeel has some hard choices to make.

Aliya Malik, played by the alluring Mansha Pasha, is strong-headed to the point of being stubborn, however when her world turns upside down in a series of incidents, she chooses to put up a fight even though her life is on the line.

With its action-packed sequences and blinding pace, the flick also stars multi-talent actors such as rashid Farooqui, Saleem Meraj, Ali Kazmi, Shamim Hilali, Akbar Islam, Syed Arsalan, Saad Fareedi, Hammad Siddiq, Ishtiaq omar, Meesum Naqvi, Faiza Gillani, Mohammed Ahmed and Kaleem Ghour to name a few.

Laal Kabootar has been directed by the award-winning Kamal Khan with Harvard graduates Hania Chima and Kamil Chima as the executive Producers.

So far no Pakistani film has ever made it to final nominations at oscars, however with Laal Kabootar, Pakistani Cinema lovers are keeping their fingers crossed.

or the first time in Pakistan, a chain of weight loss clinics are opening their doors today across Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. KetoSlim innovates and combines world-famous tried and tested American and Japanese methodologies for weight loss and launches its signature “Weight Loss Program” that claims to “Lose 10 kgs in 45 days”. Unlike the other options that are marketed across Pakistan, this program is by far the easiest to follow in terms of effort by the participants, and clearly the most cost effective.

KetoSlim’s signature Weight Loss Program has been developed by its Founder, Dr Ibraheem Naeem, who collaborated with some of the top health and nutrition coaches present in the country. Dr Ibraheem is an MBBS Doctor trained from the Services Institute of Medical Sciences and also attained the MD (USA) degree while spending a few years in USA. He came back to Pakistan and collaborated with an ambitious team to launch 3D Lifestyle, which over 2 years has grown into Pakistan’s largest chain of aesthetic clinics with 30 clinics across 10 cities. After dealing with hundreds of thousands of clients who have spent lacs of rupees for 3D Lifestyle’s fat loss procedures (Cavitation and Cryolipolysis) which targets fat removal and body sculpting, there was a need to offer a weight loss program to these clients which could fulfill their weight loss requirements. This was ini-

tially the basis for developing the KetoSlim program, which opens its doors today to offer the following services to the people of Pakistan; Weight Loss Program, Diet Food Delivery at the doorstep, Weight Gain & Medical Diet Consultation and Fit3D HealthAnalysis Scan.

The KetoSlim Weight Loss Program offers 4 consultation sessions with a Lifestyle Consultant, who is a registered dietitian with the Pakistan Nutrition and Dietetic Society. The 1st Consultation starts off by filling a questionnaire form in order to collect the client’s medical history as well as eating, sleeping, stress and other habits.

Next, a bodyanalysis test is done on Silicon Valley USA’s Fit3D Body Scanner to check the client’s baseline metrics of fitness and health. once all baseline information is collected, the Consultant prepares a tailor-made diet plan, installs a Fitness Application in the client’s phone and trains the client on how to use it as a food diary and calorie counter, then shows the client how to watch exercise videos in the App and follow them for 30 minutes every day in the comfort of their homes (no need to go to the gym), and hands over a 30 day supply of weight loss supplement pills to be taken every day along with following the prescribed diet and exercise program.

What makes KetoSlim unique and by far the most advanced and well-researched program in Pakistan is as follows:World-renowned, tried and tested and clinically endorsed diet plans from across the world are offered.

No Rian Johnson Star Wars Movie For 2022

Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni Likely Taking Over Star Wars

Fueling the rumors of rian Johnson getting the boot from Disney and LucasFilm, it is being reported that a planned Star Wars movie to be released in 2022 won't be by the director behind The Last Jedi.

THr offers up that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy presently has a new Star Wars movie set for a 2022 release date, with the article offering: "but not the one being developed by The Last Jedi filmmaker rian Johnson." It's further said an announcement looks to be forthcoming in January.

There is even question if the 2022 Star Wars movie is happening at all as in a recent conference call, Disney Ceo Bob Iger confirmed what I have been stating since the release of The Last Jedi, that no new Star Wars movies are happening following episode IX. Iger said the Disney Star Wars movies are on hiatus and instead they are concentrating on the Disney Plus shows. regarding rian Johnson, I also said an announcement about his departure from Star Wars will probably come after the release of rise of the Skywalker, which as noted above, may come with that January 2020 announcement.

I was going to write an article about this last night, as I just finished watching the second episode of The Mandalorian, but THr beat me to it as they are reporting Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni will likely take over the creative direction of Disney Star Wars.

It's noted with the question of LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy exiting Disney, that Kennedy might be setting up her "ideal team" to take over which includes Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Michelle rejwan, who was just named LucasFilm Senior Vice President and who will oversee the liveaction development and production of new Star Wars movies and TV shows, with rejwan also serving as producer on The rise of Skywalker. regarding Jon Favreau, the article notes at a Nov. 13 screening for The Mandalorian, Favreau "was the star of the night" and received lots of praise from eccentric filmmaker and Mandalorian actor Werner Herzog.

Favreau and Filoni are behind the Disney Plus series The Mandalorian which is getting rave reviews from fans.

CMYK

Muhammad is thought to be the most popular name in the world: Step aside John, James, Mary, and Jane— the most popular name in the world is believed to be Muhammad. According to the Independent, an estimated 150 million men and boys around the world share this name. The popularity is thanks to a Muslim tradition of naming each first-born son after the Islamic prophet.

Only two countries use purple in their national flags: Looking for some more interesting facts? Well, here's one: The flag of Nicaragua features a rainbow in the center that includes a band of purple, while the flag of Dominica boasts a picture of a sisserou parrot, a bird with purple feathers. These elements make them the only two flags in the world that use the color purple.

Africa and Asia are home to nearly 90 percent of the world's rural population: Not everyone lives in a booming city or sprawling suburb. Many people still make their homes outside of bustling locations— especially in India, which has the largest number of people living in rural areas (approximately 893 million people live outside of the city), according to Reuters.

Kriti Sanon dances to Luka Chuppi song Coca Cola as a ‘Marathi Mulgi’ in her Parvatibai attire from Panipat Actor Kriti Sanon, whose film Housefull 4 has turned out to be a mega hit of the year, will be seen next in Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama, Panipat. The actor, on Thursday, shared a funny throwback video from the film’s shoot.

Sharing the video that was shot inside her vanity van, she wrote: “#Throwback to some #BehindTheScene vanity van fun while i waited to be called on set! (wait for the marathi touch..).” In the clip, Kriti is wearing a Maharashtrian-style yellow Nauvari sari, lightweight classic Indian jewellery and wears her hair in a neat bun. She is also wearing jewellery in her hair with the traditional Marathi nose pin showing prominently. However, the song playing in the background is from her film, Luka Chuppi and she is dancing to the hit remix, Coca Cola. Quite clearly, she is having a lot of fun.

Her last release, Housefull 4, was heavily panned by critics but went on to win the box office.

Friday, 22 November, 2019

14 SPORTS

murray leads BriTain To opening davis cup Win, spain reach lasT eighT PaRiS

T

Agencies

HE Davis Cup has a new format but Andy Murray's love of a comeback remains intact after the Scot battled from behind to beat Tallon Griekspoor on Wednesday as Great Britain edged past Holland.

Murray came from a set down and then trailed 4-1 in the decider in Madrid before beating the spirited Griekspoor, ranked 179 in the world, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 7-6 (7/5). "I've found a way to win matches many times in my career when I've not been playing well," Murray said. "You can draw on that a little bit."

A scrappy victory gave Great Britain the lead in their opening Group E tie and while Dan Evans lost the second singles rubber to Robin Haase, Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski finished the job in the doubles.

Rafael Nadal won his 26th consecutive Davis Cup singles match later on Wednesday as Spain booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory over defending champions Croatia.

Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, cruised past Yoshihito Nishioka to help Serbia beat Japan by the same scoreline. Murray had given short shrift on Tuesday to those he believes have been too quick to criticise the revamped Davis Cup, which for the first time is featuring all 18 World Group countries competing for the trophy across a single week in one venue.

And in what will be music to the ears of the organisers, among them Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, Murray was full of praise for the atmosphere inside the Caja Magica's cosy Stadium 3. "The atmosphere was brilliant," Murray said afterwards. "That was the one concern I had about the event, about it being on neutral ground, but it was great."

British fans have been second only to Spanish in terms of tickets sold so far and the strong attendance for Murray's opener inside the tournament's smallest

court, with a capacity of 2,500, has not been consistent across other morning matches. Murray, along with Nadal and Djokovic, is one of the competition's biggest attractions this week and Britain's prospects of progressing to the quater-finals look good ahead of Thursday's tie against Kazakhstan.

It remains to be seen whether Murray plays or is rested against the Kazakhs but he was given a stiff workout by the 23-year-old Griekspoor, who was a surprise pick in the Dutch team ahead of Botic Van de Zandschlup.

"About an hour before the match it changed," said Murray. "I didn't know much about his game." But Murray again dug deep, his experience and resilience proving the difference as Griekspoor lost his nerve and then the match. Haase outlasted Evans 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 while Jamie Murray and Skupski held on for a 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) win over Wesley Koolhof and JeanJulien Rojer.

Djokovic enjoyed a more comfortable start as he cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Nishioka in a straightforward win for Serbia against Japan.

Serbia will play France on Thursday to decide who goes through as winners of Group A. "It's probably one of the biggest challenges we can have in this competition, playing against France, one of the most successful nations in Davis Cup, and definitely one of the strongest teams," Djokovic said.

Nadal saw off Croatia's Borna Gojo 6-4, 6-3 and then helped Spain win the doubles rubber alongside Marcel Granollers. Argentina could have secured progress by beating Germany but lost all three matches as Philipp Kohlschreiber beat Guido Pella and Jan-Lennard Struff overcame Diego Schwartzman to establish an unassailable advantage. Germany will advance if they beat Chile on Thursday.

Canada are already through and will meet Australia in the last eight on Thursday, after Leyton Hewitt's team beat Belgium 2-1.

Boxer Amir Khan says PM Imran 'did nothing for sports' SPORTS DESK British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan has alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan has done ‘nothing for sports in Pakistan’ after coming to power, adding that he would himself like to become the sports minister in Pakistan to promote sports.

In an interview, the boxer praised PM Imran Khan as a ‘great sports player and a great politician’, however, adding that he has ‘not done much for sports’.

The boxing star said: “So you know even though he is a great person but for sports he has not done nothing. Being a sportsman, he has not done anything for sports”. Amir Khan, who is a friend of PM Imran Khan, said that “all the people in Pakistan are crying”.

In the same interview, Khan credited himself for being “the only person that does anything for sports”.

Boxer Khan said that he was taking Pakistani boxers ‘around the world to put them in fights’.

Amir Khan has said on several occasions he wanted to establish more boxing academies in Pakistan, but he was not getting the assistance to do so.

The boxer alleged that a government minister visited his boxing academy, made some pictures and left, and nothing was done after that. “There should be at least 10-15 boxing academies in Pakistan because there are so many boxers in Pakistan but nothing’s happening so that’s why I said that Imran khan, being a sports man, he is not really backing sports”.

Amir Khan feared that sports are “probably going down even more than before because Nawaz Sharif is the one who got the Sports Council of Pakistan to give

me the boxing academy, then I spent my own money around $100,000 on it to build it up but all I say is that Imran Khan is less supporting boxing”.

Amir Khan expressed desire to enter in Pakistani politics, saying that he will do something for people

if he became sports minister.

Amir Khan often attended fundraising events with PM Imran Khan in Manchester in the past. The prime minister had at one event promised to take people like Amir Khan to Pakistan.

Tokyo 2020 unveils 15,000-seaT olympic aquaTics cenTre Tokyo: Tokyo 2020 organisers on Thursday unveiled the $523 million venue for swimming, diving and artistic swimming that will seat 15,000 fans for the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.

Construction is 90 percent complete at the four-storey Aquatics Centre and is due to be finished on schedule by the end of February, officials said. "We are aiming to construct a swimming venue to the world's highest standards equipped with the latest facilities," Tokyo 2020 venue official Daishuu Tone told reporters. The main pool features a movable wall allowing the 50m facility to be converted into two 25m pools.

The depth of the bottom can also be adjusted. The building cost 56.7 billion yen but Tokyo hopes to make the most of the facility after the 2020 Games, aiming to attract one million users a year -- 850,000 through swimming competitions and another 150,000 casual users. Organisers also unveiled the Ariake Arena on Thursday, a 37-billion-yen site for Olympic volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

Construction on the main venue, the 159 billion yen National Stadium, has been completed and will be unveiled in a gala opening on December 21. Agencies

muhammad Waseem To face mexican opponenT of pro career Today Boxer Muhammad Waseem will be up against a Mexican opponent for the first time in his professional career when he takes the ring opposite Ganigan Lopez on Friday at Caesars Palace, Dubai. Waseem, 32, has so far fought 10 fights in his pro career, winning all but one — a unanimous decision loss to South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane in a world title bout. A bulk of his opponents have been from Asia but in Lopez he would have a Mexican pugilist standing in front of him for the first time.

Mexico, it is worth noting, is one of the top boxing nations in the world and has produced more world champion than anyone in the last 30 years. At 37, Lopez, nicknamed El Maravilla (the wonder), is far more experienced and boasts 46 career pro fights, of which he has 36 and lost 10.

He is also a former world champions, having held the World Boxing Council’s light flyweight title earlier in his career.

The fight comes roughly two months after Waseem’s last outing. In the September 13 fight against Philippines’ Conrado Tanamor, the Quetta-born had won via a knock out in the very first round. Waseem and Lopez had their weigh in today, following which the two held a press conference as well. sporst Desk

India and Pakistan's Davis Cup clash to be held in Kazakhstan PaRiS Agencies

India and Pakistan's Davis Cup tie originally scheduled to take place in Islamabad will now be played in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced on Wednesday.

The Asia/Oceania Group I match had initially been planned for September, but was pushed back to November 29-30 after safety fears were raised by India amid tensions between the neighbouring nations over Kashmir. The move comes after the ITF's Davis Cup Committee rejected on Tuesday the Pakistan Tennis Federation´s appeal against the decision to move the match from Islamabad.

"The Davis Cup Committee has voted in favour of the tie being hosted by the ITF on neutral ground at the National

Tennis Centre in Nur-Sultan (previously Astana) on 29-30 November," The ITF said in a statement.

The match was moved from Islamabad on November 4 following a review

by ITF's independent security advisors.

An Indian tennis team last played a Davis Cup tie in Pakistan in 1964, when they beat the hosts 4-0. Pakistan lost 3-2 when they played in Mumbai in 2006.

Earlier this week, Pakistan tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi announced that he will boycott the upcoming Davis Cup tie against India as his protest against the ITF's decision to deprive Pakistan of the tie's hosting right. Terming the decision "deplorable", Aisam said that he was "saddened to learn that the ITF, under the Indian influence, continues to take away Pakistan’s right of holding Davis Cup tie against India at our home venue".

“The attitude of both the All Indian

Tennis Association (AITA) and ITF towards Pakistan is highly deplorable, to say it the least,” Aisam said in a letter addressed to Salim Saifullah, the president of Pakistan Tennis Federation.

“There is absolutely no threat foreseen for the Indian tennis team in Pakistan. As you very well know that hundreds of Indians are regularly visiting Pakistan to perform their religious activities in various places like Kartarpur, Nankana Sahib and Taxila. There has not been a single incident of violence or mishandling with any Indian national ever in Pakistan and for sure not at all in recent years,” he mentioned in the letter, of which Geo News has obtained a copy.

Aisam further said that if the excuse is the tension between India and Pakistan due to what Indians have done in occupied Kashmir then why we should be penalised for their wrongdoing.

CMYK

He said that he has always maintained that politics and religion should not be mixed up with sports. “This is my

point even now that neither AITA nor ITF should snatch away our right in this case,” he said.

Friday, 22 November, 2019

SPORTS 15

BRiSBanE

a

Agencies

uSTRALIA finished the opening day of their Test summer in a strong position on one of their happiest hunting grounds, although for periods either side of a five-wicket surge in the afternoon they were made to work hard by Pakistan.

Whether Pakistan's 240 - boosted by Asad Shafiq's 76 - will be enough to keep them in the contest remains to be seen and rests with their bowling attack. At nine for 75, they would have hoped for much better; at 5 for 94, they probably feared much worse, before Yasir Shah helped Shafiq add 84 for the seventh wicket. For Australia, the feelings might have been reversed.

Mitchell Starc, on his return to the Test side, finished with 4 for 52 - cleaning up the tail as he can do so well - and was on a hat-trick late in the day when 16year-old debutant Naseem Shah faced up to the first delivery of his career and somehow squeezed the ball to the leg side.

After not quite getting their lengths right in the opening session, Australia's three quicks were excellent after the interval as Pakistan's impressive morning's work unravelled. That was compounded by the controversial dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan, who edged behind off Pat Cummins only for replays to suggest Cummins had no part of his foot behind the line, but third umpire Michael Gough gave him the benefit of some very slim doubt.

That left Pakistan 6 for 143 and still in danger of folding for under 200. However, Shafiq, who scored 137 at the ground on his previous visit, continued his excellent form from the warm-up matches where he made hundreds against Australia A and a Cricket Australia XI. He was eventually cleaned up by a beauty from Cummins with the new ball during Australia's strong finish as they claimed 4 for 13 to end the innings.

Captain Azhar Ali had won the toss and despite a green tinge to the surface,

miTchell sTarc and paT cummins hand ausTralia opening-day honours

PAKIStAn 240 (ShAfIq 76, AZhAr 39, rIZwAn 37, StArC 4-52, CuMMInS 360, hAZlEwooD 2-46) v AuStrAlIA was not lulled into bowling. He and Shan Masood then played superbly during the opening session, happy to give the two hours to the bowlers unless there was a loose delivery to attack in a session that brought just five boundaries. The pair left well, helped by the back-of-a-length approach from the quicks, and a lunch score of none for 57 - by the standards of visiting teams at the Gabba - was a fine start.

To show how tough a place it is for visiting sides, their final partnership of 75 was the highest for a visiting team in the first

innings of a Test at the ground.

Then, however, things started to change. In the sixth over after the break, Cummins, bowling around the wicket, squared up Masood to take his outside edge. Three balls later, Hazlewood drew a nick from Azhar which carried low to first slip where Joe Burns held on. All of a sudden, two new batsmen were at the crease.

One of them was Haris Sohail, who struggled in the warm-up matches, and he did not last long when he flashed at Starc.

The fear that Pakistan were about to

completely lose their way increased when Babar Azam played a horridly wild drive at Hazlewood to provide another slip catch. After such a build-up for Azam - including runs in the T20Is and the Australia A match - it was a hugely deflating shot.

Nathan Lyon then returned to the attack for his second spell and struck first ball when a hard-handed Iftikhar Ahmed inside-edged to short leg and it had the feel of a full-blown collapse that could decide the Test by tea on the opening day.

That did not transpire, thanks to a

India's Kohli hopes day-night test is 'one-o'

England build foundation through fifties from Burns, Denly and Stokes MOunT Maunganui Agencies

England's Test team came to New Zealand seeking a fresh start after the angst and drama of the Bayliss era. There are few more tranquil locales in which the longest format can unfold and, on a sedate opening to life as a Test venue at Mount Maunganui, a succession of English batsmen gave notice that they were prepared to adhere to the traditional disciplines favoured by the new head coach, Chris Silverwood.

While England's innings was perhaps lacking in definitive statements, there were encouraging signs aplenty from a revamped top order. In keeping with the team's new mantra, Rory Burns and Joe Denly both compiled watchful half-centuries, from 135 and EnglAnD 241 Denly took some time to re136 balls respectively, while 4 (StoKES 67*, trench before swelling their for Dom Sibley, the debutant fourth-wicket stand to 83. opener, was party to a 52-run PoPE 18*) v nEw Denly reached his fourth fifty opening stand as England ZEAlAnD in as many Tests with a crisp made a useful start in benign cover drive off Trent Boult, then conditions. That none was able to began to open up as he attacked the go on will give New Zealand satisfaction after a day of manful toil from their under-utilised spin of Mitchell Santner, four seamers. Pre-match suggestions were lofting over extra cover and then depositing that this pitch would be accommodating to a straight-driven six down the ground.

His previous Test innings, opening the batsmen and it looks as the Bay of Plenty will live up to its name; Kane Williamson batting at The Oval in September, saw is foremost among the home XI unlikely to Denly fall six runs short of a maiden hundred; he did not get that close this time, but miss out given similar opportunity.

And while the English rank and file did may again rue a chance missed after falling their level best, there was disappointment to the second new ball for 74, fencing at for the captain, Joe Root, who was only Tim Southee as he angled a delivery in from able to muster 2 from a laboured 22-ball wide of the crease. While New Zealand stay. A typically punchy fifty from his were admirably persistent, their bowlers' efdeputy, Ben Stokes, ensured England forts were undermined by several notable would retain hope of building a match- lapses in the field - the most glaring of which came a few overs before the close, as defining position on day two.

Recent white-ball encounters between Stokes was gifted a life having thrashed these two sides have been marked by their Boult for fours down the ground, through explosive potential, but Test rhythms midwicket and then cover. The next delivquickly asserted themselves at the Bay ery found his outside edge, only to burst Oval. Colin de Grandhomme's medium through Ross Taylor's hands at slip and dispace applied an effective tourniquet as appear for a fourth consecutive boundary.

New Zealand might also have reEngland were kept to a scoring rate well below three an over, and only while Stokes moved Burns before he had established was at the crease and flexing his tattooed himself, failing to review for caught bebiceps during the evening session did hind after a half-hearted appeal in the fifth over. Burns put that behind him to help see pulses go much above resting rate.

Having lost two wickets in quick suc- off the new ball and take England to a cession shortly before tea, Stokes and promising position at 113 for 1, despite

mixture of punchy and pugnacious batting. Rizwan, playing just his second Test, counterpunched strongly either side of tea to score at better than a run-a-ball before the nick off Cummins prompted significant amount of slow-mo replays of the front foot. When it comes to calling noballs on replays, the benefit of any doubt goes to the bowler. Cummins, though, may still have got lucky.

There was no great expectation that Shafiq would now have much support, but Yasir proved otherwise in a stand that spanned 26 overs. The pair took advantage of a period where Tim Paine sat back a touch, using Lyon and Marnus Labuschagne ahead of the second new ball - Australia's over rate was poor for much of the day, which can now lead to points deductions in the Test Championship.

Shafiq's fifty came from 99 balls and when the pair made it to the 80-over mark there was a chance that if they survived to the close Pakistan could yet eye 300. However, those hopes were dashed in the amount of time it took Starc to get loose as he speared a yorker through Yasir then found Shaheen Afridi's edge first ball, although it needed a review which Paine, perhaps still haunted by his DRS errors in the Ashes, was reluctant to take. When Shafiq's fine innings was ended by Cummins, it looked as though Australia would bat before the close, but Naseem - who generated one of the biggest cheers of the day when he on-drove Starc for his first boundary - and Imran Khan took the innings deep enough that when Naseem lobbed a short delivery in the air, Australia's openers would not have to contemplate batting until the morning.

rarely looking fluent. However, Root was unable to take advantage of coming in with the shine long gone, taking 21 balls to get off the mark and then falling tamely to Neil Wagner's next delivery, steering an edge to second slip. Wagner pounded the pitch manfully, engaging in an entertaining tussle with Denly and striking Burns a blow on the helmet that seemed to contribute to the opener losing his composure.

Twice Denly pulled Wagner for two fours in an over, but in between times the bowler had the better of things, seeing edges fall short of gully and slip.

Burns also edged Southee between first and second slip on 37, with Taylor and Tom Latham unmoving, and then survived a marginal lbw appeal on umpire's call when New Zealand did turn to the DRS. He went to his fifty in Boult's following over, clipping off his legs for a sixth boundary, before finally succumbing to de Grandhomme via a thin edge to the keeper.

It was also de Grandhomme who made New Zealand's initial breakthrough, a teasing away-nibbler finding Sibley's outside edge after the new man had compiled 22 from 63 balls in his maiden outing. If it was a regulation dismissal for an opener, drawn into an off-stump push and well held by Taylor at first slip, Sibley had at least made New Zealand work hard for it, leaving the ball well and giving England an ideal start after Root had won the toss and chosen to bat.

Having come into the game with a reputation for obduracy, Sibley promptly clipped his first ball in Test cricket to the midwicket boundary; but he was soon living up to his billing, absorbing another 22 deliveries before producing his second scoring shot. The Burns-Sibley axis soon settled into an unhurried groove, in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere on the grass banks for those fans attending Bay Oval's Test debut. Both captains took the view that the pitch would be good for run-scoring, despite a greenish tinge, and that was borne out. Burns had an escape on 10, HotSpot confirming a thin outside edge to a regulation Boult outswinger, while Sibley was forced to dive for his ground to complete a quick single but otherwise the openers were untroubled, as New Zealand found some gentle swing but little pace from a docile surface.

CMYK

SPORTS DESK Skipper Virat Kohli said Thursday he welcomed the "buzz" around India's grand day-night Test debut but said pink-ball matches should not become a regular occurrence.

India begin their pink-ball journey against Bangladesh on Friday in Kolkata, with the first four days sold out, contrasting with daytime Tests in India when crowds are often sparse.

"This can be a one-off thing. It should not in my opinion become a regular scenario, because then you are losing out on that nervousness of the first session in the morning," Kohli told reporters at Eden Gardens.

"The entertainment of Test cricket lies in the fact that the batsman is trying to survive a session and the bowler trying to get a batsman out." But he added: "It's great to create more buzz around Test cricket." Day-night Tests, aimed at increasing crowds and TV audiences for the longer format, were successfully introduced in 2015 when Australia played New Zealand in Adelaide.

England, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies have all played at least one day-night Test. But until now, India have kept away, with its cricket board last year refusing to play a day-night Test in Adelaide.

"Obviously, we wanted to get a feel of pink-ball cricket. Eventually it had to happen," said Kohli.

India lead the two-match series 1-0 after thrashing Bangladesh at Indore inside three days -- to largely empty stands.

A striking spectacle is planned for the start of the Test on Friday -it is also Bangladesh's pink-ball debut -- with Bangladesh's prime minister and the local state chief minister set to begin proceedings by ringing the stadium bell.

Kohli said the occasion reminded him of the 2016 World Twenty20 clash with arch-rivals Pakistan at Eden Gardens, which witnessed a host of big names in attendance including Imran Khan, former cricketer and now Pakistan's prime minister.

India's star batsman said that he found a few challenges facing the pink ball compared with the red ball used in regular daytime Tests.

"The one thing that surprised me was the fielding sessions. How in the slips the ball hit your hand so hard, it almost felt like a heavy hockey ball," Kohli said.

"It really felt like that on the hand and it's definitely because of the extra glaze of the ball. It's definitely much harder, and it felt a little heavier."

Kohli also said evening moisture will play a big part in Indian conditions despite the game scheduled to run from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm (0700 to 1430 GMT).

"Spoke to the match referee yesterday. It's something we'll have to speak about and discuss as we go along in the game. You can't really predict how much mopping or how much cleaning of the dew is required at which stage."

Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque said the biggest challenge would be to play the pink ball under lights. "The glaze of the ball under the light may make it tricky for the batsmen," Mominul told reporters.

"Fielders will also find it challenging. Skill-wise, batsmen must be focused 100 percent each and every ball."

Friday, 22 November, 2019

NEWS

PMl-N CHAlleNGeS PM IMrAN tO reveAl MONey trAIl OF PtI'S FOreIGN FuNDING AHSAN IQBAL SAYS PTI CHIEF SHOULD REVEAL WHO ASKS WHY 23 BENAMI ACCOUNTS OF PTI WERE FUNDED HIS PARTY FROM INDIA, MIDDLE EAST AND US CONCEALED FROM PUBLIC ISLAMABAD

P

STAFF REPORT

AKISTAN Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday asked Prime Minister Imran Khan why he was not disclosing the money trail of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI foreign funding.

“I challenge PM Imran to reveal who funded the PTI from within India, the Middle East and the United States,” the PML-N leader said while addressing a press conference here.

“Now the time has come when the nation is asking for receipts,” he said, alleging that the ruling PTI concealed 23 party accounts from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the public.

He alleged that millions of dollars

were transacted through these unreported accounts. Innocent overseas Pakistanis were tricked into donating funds for the party while painting a fake and bleak picture of the state of affairs in Pakistan, Iqbal alleged, adding that these donations were not disclosed anywhere and plundered through private accounts.

“It was the worst robbery in the history of Pakistan’s democracy,” he added.

The PML-N leader criticised the PTI’s conduct with respect to the foreign funding case, saying it is involved in corruption although it accuses other parties of being corrupt and declares itself “Mr Clean”. He alleged that the PTI has been using delaying tactics to keep the foreign funding case pending before the ECP. Countering government spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan’s allegation that the PML-N was attempting to influence

the ECP, he said: “We are only demanding that the matter be resolved.”

The PML-N asked the ECP to decide the matter as soon as possible, Iqbal said, instead accusing the PTI of hindering the ECP from functioning freely under a strategy. “Now we have understood why the PTI created obstacles in agreement on two ECP members’ [appointment] and now they are waiting for the chief election commissioner to retire so they can raise the point that in the absence of three of its members, the ECP cannot run its business.

“I, being the secretary general of the PML-N, am saying on the record that we have no unreported account,” he said.

Iqbal said Prime Minister Imran claims that the PTI has nothing to worry about in the foreign funding case but if that was so “why is secrecy being created around the case? Why pleas in courts and

the ECP to keep details of the case away from the public and the media?”

“We demand an open trial of the case,” he said, alleging that the premier, “the man who thinks he is a symbol of honesty” wants to maintain secrecy in the case. “You accuse others of [having] benami accounts, now 23 benami accounts of the PTI have been unearthed. Why did you conceal these 23 accounts from the public? Where were the donations used and why is the money concealed from the public?” he asked.

Coming to the subject of economy, he said the PTI government during the last 15 months has brought the country to the “verge of total destruction”.

He accused the government of having “crushed” the economy, and cited the hike in electricity tariff, rising inflation, declining purchasing power of people and

unrest among traders and farmers. Industries are on the course of downsizing, he claimed. Iqbal said that the government has halved the funding for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and shelved its new projects.

Despite the bleak scenario, he added, the prime minister said that the economy was picking up. He told the government that “the reality on the ground cannot be concealed with fake figures presented on social media.”

According to Iqbal, while the government had recently announced record Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country, the reality was that the government had issued treasury bills against a record ratio of interest.

IHC disposes of contempt cases against Firdous

Israeli PM indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday disposed of two contempt notices against Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict in two contempt cases against her. The PM’s aide was served two contempt of court notices earlier this month – one for tweeting on a government notification that had been challenged in court and second for “attempting to influence” court proceedings. Justice Hassan said the verdict in the first notice had been made under the axle load law. The Ministry of Housing and Works had suspended the law for a year and its notification had been challenged in court. Awan tweeted about the matter after it had already landed in court. The court said that the court will give a detailed order in this case. It also disposed of a separate petition challenging the axle load law and said that neither the government nor the court had the power to suspend the law. The second contempt notice was sent to Awan after the court accepted her apology in the first contempt case. The court had observed that Awan had commented on a case involving former premier Nawaz Sharif and had said that a “special court” had been convened in the evening to provide him “relief”. AGENCIES

JERUSALEM: Israel's attorney general indicted Benjamin Netanyahu on a range of corruption charges Thursday, the justice ministry announced, potentially spelling an end to the prime minister´s decades-long political career. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit "decided to file charges against the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for offences of receiving a bribe, fraud, and breach of trust," a ministry statement said. It said a note of the decision and a copy of the charges had been provided to the premier´s lawyers. Netanyahu, who strongly denies all the charges, becomes the first Israeli prime minister to be indicted while in office. Mandelblit is due to give a public statement at 1730 GMT, with Netanyahu expected to respond. Netanyahu is not legally required to resign, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted, but political pressure is likely to be intense. Netanyahu may now ask the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, to grant him immunity from prosecution. Rightwinger Netanyahu, who has been in power since 2009, is Israel´s longest-serving prime minister and dominates the country´s political scene.

The decision comes as Netanayhu, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, is fighting for his political life. Israeli been without a government for nearly a year, with neither Netanyahu nor his centrist rival Benny Gantz able to form a coalition government following deadlocked elections in April and September. AGENCIES

894 CHIlDreN KIlleD IN OCCuPIeD KASHMIr IN 30 yeArS: rePOrt

LAHORE: Girls walk to their school in zero visibility as smog engulfed the provincial capital once again on Thursday. It is worth mentioning here that the polluted air can cause or aggravate health problems such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory problems as well as eye irritation and reduced resistance to colds and lung infections. ONLINE

Fazl says govt offered him Senate chairmanship

NEWS DESK Indian security forces have killed at least 894 children in occupied Kashmir over the past 30 years, the Kashmir Media Service said in a report Thursday.

According to the report, over 95,000 civilians have been killed by Indian forces since January 1, 1989. The killings have left more than 100,000 children orphaned.

Human rights activists have accused Indian troops of using force against minors in the valley.

At least 144 minors, including a nine-year-old, have been arrested after India revoked Kashmir’s special status in August 2019.

Sixty of these minors are under the age of 15 years, according to a document submitted to a committee constituted by the Indian Supreme Court to look into allegations of illegal detentions.

Reasons given by the police for detaining the minors include stone pelting, rioting and causing damage to public and private property, the committee said in its report.

The police, however, denied that any child was taken into “illegal detention” and said that juveniles are “dealt [with] strictly as per the prescribed law”.

NEWS DESK Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) asked him to call off his Azadi March in return for the post of Senate chairman.

“You don’t know what offers they made me,” he said, referring to the government. “I was told to leave my seat and I could get re-elected to the assembly from Dera Ismail Khan,” he claimed.

He claimed that the government attempted to buy him off by offering him form a government in Balochistan. “I was also offered the post of Senate chairman,” he claimed. “I thought all the offers being made to me were belittling.”

He called on the election commissioner to decide the PTI’s foreign funding

case before his retirement and called on the terms of all chief election commissioners to be extended.

AZADI MARCH: Thousands of protesters have converged on Pakistan’s federal capital, under the banner of ‘Azadi March’, seeking to de-seat Prime Minister Imran Khan. The caravan, which set off from Sindh on October 27, reached Islamabad on October 31.

During the sit-in, opposition leaders delivered fiery speeches against the ruling PTI government. On November 1, Fazl gave the prime minister a 48-hour ultimatum to resign. However, the so-called deadline was later extended. It has been extended multiple times now. Till now, despite several meetings, negotiations between the protesters and the government have failed to reach any result.

NAB arrests former PIA MD Ijaz Haroon in fake accounts case KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday arrested former managing director of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Overseas Cooperative Society Chairman Ijaz Haroon in the fake bank accounts case. He has been arrested on charges that he sold 12 plots to fake allottees, which were then used to launder Rs144 million for the Omni Group via two fake bank accounts. In May this year, NAB submitted details of its investigation against former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and established his role in at least 8 cases pertaining to money laundering through fictitious bank accounts. The development was revealed in a report submitted by NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzzaffar Ahmed Khan and was also sent to Zardari’s defence team. The anti-graft watchdog is conducting investigations in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references. PPP lawmaker Faryal Talpur, Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed and his sons, and former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson Hussain Lawai are among others being investigated in the case. In the report, NAB has submitted are at least 22 inquiries and three investigations underway while three references have been filed in the fake accounts case. STAFF REPORT

Indian couple faces espionage charges in Germany for snooping on Kashmiris, Sikhs BERLIN: An Indian couple accused of spying on Sikh and Kashmiri communities in Germany went on trial Thursday on charges that carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The suspects were charged in March and have been named only as Manmohan S., 50, and his wife Kanwal Jit K., 51, in keeping with German privacy rules for defendants. Their trial was being held in a court in Frankfurt. “Manmohan S. agreed… to provide information about Germany’s Sikh community and Kashmir movement and their relatives to an employee of the Indian foreign intelligence service Research & Analysis Wing,” prosecutors said in a statement earlier this year. His wife joined him in monthly meetings with the Indian intelligence officer between July and December 2017, and in total the couple were paid 7,200 euros ($8,100). Sikhs in Germany number between 10,000 and 20,000 — their third biggest community in Europe after Britain and Italy, according to the religious rights group REMID. AGENCIES

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