E-Paper PDF 23th November (LHR)

CMYK

Saturday, 23 November, 2019 I 25 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1441 I Rs 20.00 I Vol X No 143 I 16 Pages I Lahore Edition

US bringS China Trade war To PakiSTan g

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Imran thinks Nawaz was faking illness

aliCe wellS SayS PakiStan faCeS SayS China relieS Primarily long-term eConomiC damage on ChineSe workerS and if China keePS PurSuing itS SuPPlieS even amid riSing giant infraStruCture PuSh unemPloyment in PakiStan ChineSe envoy yao SayS CPeC ProjeCtS ‘Clean and tranSParent’, warnS uS againSt ‘ProPaganda’ g

STORY ON BACK PAGE

nawaz may take few months to recover, says personal doctor ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing addresses 5th China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Media Forum. INP

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD

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STAFF REPORT

he United States has warned Pakistan that it faced long-term economic damage with little return if China keeps pursuing its giant infrastructure push, prompting the Chinese envoy to Islamabad to warn Washington over causing aspersions over something “they don’t have accurate information on”.

The top US diplomat for South Asia, Alice Wells, said on Thursday that the China-Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) — heralded as a game-changer by both Asian countries — would profit only Beijing, adding that the United States offered a better model.

“It’s clear, or it needs to be clear, that CPeC is not about aid,” said Alice Wells, the acting assistant secretary of state for South Asia.

She noted that the multibillion-dollar initiative was driven by non-concessionary loans, with Chinese companies sending their own

labour and material.

“CPeC relies primarily on Chinese workers and supplies, even amid rising unemployment in Pakistan,” Wells said at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

The corridor “is going to take a growing toll on the Pakistan economy, especially when the bulk of payments start to come due in the next four to six years,” she said. “even if loan payments are deferred, they are going to continue to hang over Pakistan’s economic development potential, hamstringing Prime Minister (Imran) Khan’s reform agenda,” she said.

The United States has gone on the offensive against China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a signature project of President Xi Jinping which aims to build ports, highways and railways around the world.

But Wells’ speech was unusually specific in warning of risks to Pakistan, a historic ally of the United States which has had a turbulent relationship with Washington in recent years over

Islamabad’s alleged ties with Afghan Taliban.

While acknowledging that the United States could not come to Pakistan with offers from state-run companies, Wells said private US investment, coupled with US grants, would improve the troubled economy’s fundamentals.

“There is a different model,” she said.

“Worldwide we see that US companies bring more than just capital; they bring values, processes and expertise that build the capacities of local economies.”

She pointed to interest in Pakistan by US companies including Uber, exxon Mobil, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, with the soft-drink makers together investing $1.3 billion in the country.

CPEC PROJECTS ‘CLEAN AND TRANSPARENT: Responding to Alice Wells’ remarks, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Friday said that China-Pakistan economic Corridor (CPeC) had brought phenomenal economic success to Pakistan and produced tangible economic benefits for the people.

Nawaz, Maryam granted exemption from court appearance in CSM case

CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE

STORIES ON BACK PAGE & 02

US backs sustained Indian role in Afghanistan

Gen (r) Asim Bajwa to head CPEC Authority STORY ON PAGE 03

STORIES ON BACK PAGE

taliban release 10 afghan soldiers from captivity

STORY ON PAGE 11

SBP keeps policy rate unchanged at 13.25pc

CMYK Saturday, 23 November, 2019

02 NEWS pti under scrutiny over ‘banned funding’, says Babar Awan ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Babar Awan on Friday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Bani Gala and discussed the party funding case.

During the meeting, PM Imran Khan said that efforts to derail economic stability in the country were being foiled, adding that the corrupt mafia who looted the country’s national exchequer will not be forgiven. “neither the corrupt mafia would be given relaxation nor there will be a compromise on the rule of law,” he said. After meeting the prime minister, Babar Awan said that the PTI wasn’t facing allegations of foreign funding but facing false accusations of banned funding, adding that all accounts of the ruling party are audited. “Those raising the issue of banned funding should answer regarding fake accounts and money laundering,” Babar Awan said. Meanwhile, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Friday. During the meeting, the minister assured the prime minister that he will fully utilize the best of his energies in discharging new responsibilities to promote and implement the vision of the present government.

Members of national Assembly Raza nasarullah Ghuman and Khurram Shahzad also called on the PM Imran and discussed various matters.

pakistan today staffer bags cpec award ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Five Pakistani journalists on Friday won exclusive CPEC Golden Communication Award 2019, which were given to the winning journalists here at the fifth CPEC Media Forum.These awards have been given to any foreign journalists for the first time.The winners included Mian Abrar Hussain, Resident Editor of Pakistan Today; Javed Akhtar of InP; Saleem Safi of Geo TV; Mehtab Haider of The news; and Yasir Habib Khan.Mian Abrar Hussain is among a few journalists who have covered CPEC intensively. Since 2009, Abrar has been writing pieces on China, Pakistan relations.The launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 and CPEC in 2015 brought about a new dimension in his reporting, as the journalist covered almost all angles of both economic initiatives.

NAwAz, MAryAM grANted exeMptioN froM court AppeArANce iN cSM cASe LAHORE

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n accountability court on Friday granted Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-n) Vice President Maryam nawaz and former prime minister nawaz Sharif an exemption from court appearance in the ongoing Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case.

While nawaz has been granted an exemption for four weeks, his daughter has been granted an exemption from court appearances until a reference in the case is filed. A number of PML-n workers were gath-

ered as Maryam arrived at the court accompanied by her husband, Captain retired Muhammad Safdar.

During the proceedings, accountability court judge Chaudhry Ameer Mohammad Khan asked the nAB prosecutor Hafiz Asadullah Awan regarding the status of the reference in the CSM case, in response to which he said that the investigation was underway and as soon as it is completed, a reference will be filed. Maryam, who appeared in court, submitted an application to be given exemption from court appearances until the filing of the reference. Another application was submitted seeking an exemption for

nawaz’s attendance in the proceedings. Maryam’s lawyer Advocate Amjad Pervez added that whenever his client has to appear before the court, the roads have to be closed.

Opposing the application, the nAB prosecutor said that Maryam has to appear in court as per law, adding that the bureau would submit a written response to the application. Pervez said nAB had not even filed a supplementary reference and inquired why the suspects needed to be summoned. He said as per criminal law, until a chalaan is not received, suspects do not need to appear before the court.

Earlier this month, the Lahore

Nawaz’s aide Irfan Siddiqui acquitted in tenancy law violation case ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday acquitted Irfan Siddiqui, a columnist and close aide to former prime minister nawaz Sharif, in a case pertaining to the violation of tenancy law. Justice Aamer Farooq issued the ruling after reviewing a written order from Assistant Commissioner Shalimar on nov 20. The AC’s order was submitted in court by the police today. In the order, the AC had cleared Irfan and had said that perusal of the documents submitted by the police revealed that the house belonged to his son, Imran Khawar Siddiqui. The order further said that the lease agreement was between Imran and his tenant Jawed Iqbal. “Both these facts suggest that Irfanul Haq Siddiqui had no onus to disclose the name of the tenant to the officerin-charge [of the] police station,” the AC’s written order said. “It would be a futile exercise to proceed further,” it said.

On July 26, Irfan was arrested by the Islamabad police during a late-night raid on his residence for not informing the police who he was allegedly renting out his house to, a requirement under the tenancy law An FIR (no 243/19) was registered under Section 188 at

the Ramna police station in Islamabad. The following day, he was presented before a magistrate who sent him to Adiala jail on a 14-day judicial remand on a request from the police.

The same magistrate granted him bail the next day. At the time, Irfan had said that the house in question belonged to his son and was rented out a few days before the police’s raid. Later in August, Irfan filed a petition in IHC for the withdrawal of the case lodged against him.

During today’s hearing of his petition, his lawyer urged the court to order that action be taken against the administration. “This is your right. You can [file a case] separately,” Justice Farooq responded to the request for action against the administration. A written verdict of the IHC on the matter is yet to be issued. Speaking to media representatives outside the court, Irfan said he was consulting with his legal team and two separate cases were being prepared.

“We plan to lodge a case against the abolition of rights and another pertaining to cheating,” he said, adding: “By issuing a fraudulent notification and then an order against me, my basic rights were snatched. […] After jailing and handcuffing me, today they said ‘he is not at fault’. “This case should now reach its logical conclusion.”

9 more arrested in Kurram Agency for rape and murder of minor girl KOHAT INP

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has arrested nine more suspects in a case pertaining to the alleged murder-after-rape of the five-yearold girl, Gul Ali, in Peewar village of Kurram District, District Police Officer (DPO) Rahim Shah said on Friday.

Shah added that police have sent DnA samples to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency in Lahore and expressed hope that the case will be solved soon. The recent arrests bring the number of people arrested in connection with the case up to 11. Police had arrested two suspects earlier this week.

Meanwhile, two army officials, Brig najaf Abbas and Col Mohammad Javed Ilyas, also visited the area and talked to the victim’s family as well as the staff of the government school where she studied. They said

that the culprits would not be able to escape punishment and added that measures were being taken to prevent such incidents.

Earlier this week, Ali was found dead in a pond in the Peewar village by her family.

According to the victim’s grandfather, the family started to look for the minor girl when she did not return from school.

The body was taken to the district headquarters hospital Parachinar for autopsy and, later, a medical examination revealed that the minor girl was subjected to sexual assault before she was killed.

Later, the DPO had said that two watchmen of the school had been taken into custody for investigation. Following the incident, students and members of the local bar association held a protest on Wednesday against the incident. The protesters demanded the local authorities to investigate the case and ensure early arrest of the culprit.

CMYK

High Court (LHC) had granted Maryam bail in the case. Ordering nAB to speedily submit a reference in the case, the court adjourned proceedings until December 6. Additionally, the judicial remand for Maryam’s cousin, Yousuf Abbas Sharif, was also extended until the next hearing. nAB suspects Maryam of involvement in money laundering through investments of variable heavy amounts being the main shareholder of the Mills. It has been alleged that she was involved in money laundering with the help of some foreigners during the period of 1992-93 when her father was the prime minister.

VioleNt clASh leAVeS 3 deAd, 6 iNjured iN rAwAlpiNdi

RAWALPINDI: Three persons were killed and six others injured in a gun battle between two rival groups in Rawalpindi district on Thursday night. The incident occurred near Dhok Kala Khan area of the district, police officials said. The firing, which continued for over an hour, gripped the area in panic. Rescue officials rushed to the place of the incident and shifted dead bodies and the injured to the nearby hospital, police said. Three injured were said to be in a precarious condition. Police have made some arrests and further investigating the matter, officials said. It was alleged that the two groups traded fire when the police was present in the area. STAFF REPORT

CMYK Saturday, 23 November, 2019

NEWS

ANKArA coNfereNce cAllS for Security pAct to AVoid KAShMir-liKe SituAtioN ANKARA

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AGENCIES

PEAKERS at a two-day international conference on Kashmir in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Thursday, called for evolving a joint security architecture between Turkey, Malaysia, Iran and Pakistan, to avoid recurrence of Kashmir like situations.

On Aug 5, India dissolved the state of Jammu and Kashmir and also stripped its autonomous character, it held for the past 70-years. Speakers said the security alliance would help them to raise their issues of concern, more forcefully at the world forums.

They also rejected the idea of maintaining the status quo on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and called for a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan for the resolution of the dispute, which is eating vitals of South Asia. Organized jointly by Pakistan’s

Lahore Center for Peace Research and Turkey’s Institute of Strategic Thinking, participants demanded an end to the communication blockade and permission to international human rights organizations and observers to visit Kashmir.

Shamshad Ahmad Khan, former foreign secretary of Pakistan, said Kashmir was not a territorial dispute but involved the future of millions of people inhabiting the region. He rejected the idea put out by a Sri Lankan speaker, to make Line of Control (LoC) a permanent border between India and Pakistan.

Status quo cannot be a solution; we have to go beyond the status quo,” he said. Many speakers said the Un and nATO have failed to provide peace and security in the world. Both Khan and a retired Turkish military officer Ihsan Basbozkurt called for evolving alternate security architecture. Retired Brigadier Basbozkurt suggested that to avoid Kashmir like situations, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran and Pakistan, should join

commission formed to investigate human rights violations in jails NEWS DESK A commission was formed by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday to investigate the mistreatment of prisoners languishing in jails across the country and to provide assistant to the needy. Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari will head the commission, which will investigate the factors which prevented the government from enforcing the Prison Rules and Code of Criminal Procedure, and subsequently deprived the prisoners suffering from illnesses in jails from their due rights.The commission was formed after IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard a complaint filed by an Adiala Jail inmate named Khadim Hussain, who said that owing to the authorities’ negligence, he had lost his eyesight, and could not file a case against the authorities because of the lack of financial resources. His complaint was converted into a petition. The commission will include the secretaries of the interior and health ministries, the chief secretaries of the four provinces, former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Zohra Yousaf, journalist Ghazi Shahabuddin, Supreme Court lawyer and philanthropist Zia Awan and former FIA director General Tariq Khosa. The human rights secretary will serve the as the commission’s secretary. The body will prepare proposals to deal with the human rights violations in prisons and suggest amendments to the existing law and rules. It will also come up with proposals for appropriate governance and management systems and ensuring individual and institutional accountability. The commission will hold its first meeting within seven days after receiving a copy of the court verdict and submit a compliance report.

KARACHI AGENCIES

Early this year Muhammad Haider Sajjad, a thin bespectacled boy of 15, was hospitalized in country’s commercial capital, Karachi.

Doctors suspected typhoid, but when the most common antibiotics failed to work, the boy’s family began to panic.

Sajjad is one of more than 11,000 people, mostly children, to have contracted a drug-resistant strain of the infection in the country since 2016, and which experts say risks spreading internationally. He survived, but hundreds have died, predominantly in the southern province of Sindh.

In response government, already battling outbreaks of polio and dengue, has launched a huge foreign-funded vaccina-

hands to ensure peace and security in their regions. “Un was supposed to maintain peace and security but, as our leader President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says, the security of the world depends on the lips of P-5 leaders,” he said.

NATO NOT HELPING: Arguing for alternate security set up, he added that when it comes to Kashmir and Palestine, the Un and nATO just do not care.

“That is how we will achieve a greater say in Kashmir,” he emphasized.

Turkish security expert Sezer Akarcali said besides security alliance, there is a need to build a communication strategy as well. He said nATO has failed to provide security to Palestine and Kashmir. “A narrative is being fed to people that only nATO can solve security issues. If this is the case then why do we have issues of Kashmir and Jerusalem?” he asked Akarcali, who is a professor by profession, repeatedly emphasized that Kashmir is not a Muslim issue. He said

the issue should be projected as a concern for humanity and international society. Retired Maj. Gen Guay Alpar, also complained about the failure of the nATO. He said even the German Chancellor Angelina Markel was talking about building a European Army.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also called nATO a “brain dead” organization.

Retired admiral from Sri Lanka Jayamath Colombage, had earlier create a furor, by suggesting converting the LoC into a permanent border between India and Pakistan and recognizing the status quo on Kashmir. Pakistan envoy to Turkey, Ambassador Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, said his country was ready for a meaningful conversation with India on Kashmir. “There are 11 Un resolutions on Kashmir. But India believes there is no problem of Kashmir. How do you start the process of conversation, when one partner says, there is no issue at all?” he asked.

Gen (r) Asim Bajwa to head CPEC Authority The federal government has decided to appoint former Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa as the head of the China-Pakistan Economic

Corridor Authority (CPECA) for a period of four years.

A summary has been sent to the federal cabinet for approval, which will be accepted in the next meeting.

in a first, pAf installs anti-stealth radar LAHORE: Weeks after India received its first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, open-source satellite imagery revealed the presence of a high-tech radar system – the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation’s (CETC) JY-27A – at the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) M. M. Alam airbase in Mianwali.

According to CETC, the JY-27A radar has the ability to detect low-observable (LO) or ‘stealth’ aircraft, including the French Dassault Rafale jets, at long-range.

While its range is not yet revealed, military observers

President Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated an ordinance for the establishment of the CPECA in Oct. The authority is aimed at accelerating the pace of CPEC-related activities, will find new drives of growth, unlock the potential of the interlinked production network and global value chains through regional and global connectivity.

In Aug, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that the government was forming a ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (CPECA)’ to ensure timely completion of corridor’s projects.

Presiding over a meeting at the Prime Minister Office, PM Imran had said: “To ensure uninterrupted progress on CPEC projects, CPEC Authority is being formed.”

He said the CEPCA would help ensure coordination among the departments concerned. “The completion of CPEC will not only benefit Pakistan and China but also the entire region,” the prime minister had said. NEWS DESK

pegged its capability at roughly 500 km (310 miles). In addition, the JY-27A is resistant to jamming and also provides situational awareness of incoming ballistic missiles. Jane’s reported that imagery examination indicates the radar arrived between Jun 5 and Aug 29 and was not yet fully erected as of Sept 2. Revealed at the 2016 Zhuhai Air Show, the system was advertised as VHF (very high frequency) radar, which offers 3-D electronic-scanning in azimuth and elevation. Given the long-range detection capabilities of the radar, it would follow that Pakistan could procure a long-range surfaceto-air missile (SAM) from its all-weather ally. Pakistan had, reportedly, expressed interest in three or four FD2000 (i.e., the export variant of the HQ-9) long-range SAM systems from China. STAFF REPORT

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resolution condemning indian atrocities in ioK presented in uS house WASHINGTON: Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has presented a bill in the United States House of Representatives against the statebacked atrocities and human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir. According to the bill, the members of parliament criticized the Indian government for scrapping the special status of the occupied valley and demanded the international community to play its role in this matter. Indian army is using force against innocent people of Kashmir, the bill read. The authorities should ensure contact between America Kashmiris with their family living in the disputed region, the bill added. The resolution further called on the Indian government to refrain from using the pellet gun on innocent Kashmiris. The curfew has continued on the 110th day as there is no change in the ground situation in the territory. AGENCIES

Marriyum says imran should be tried for ‘hateful speeches’ ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim Leaguenawaz (PML-n) Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should be tried in court for his hateful speeches.Responding to the premier’s speech, the former information minister said that he has lost his mind in his prejudice against the Sharif family. “Regardless of the venue, he is always obsessed with the PML-n leaders,” she said, adding that Imran should have some respect for the office of the prime minister because the entire world sees his “rambling comments” as Pakistan’s official narrative.She said that the premier has stooped so low that he is now doubting and ridiculing former premier nawaz Sharif’s critical health situation. “A selected and incompetent prime minister said this because he knows nothing about true leadership traits,” she said, adding that nawaz refused a wheelchair because he wants to send a message of hope to his millions of followers who are concerned over his health.She further said that Imran’s mental stability should be tested before he speaks in the public because he is repeatedly committing incomprehensible blunders and disseminating misleading information.

“Today he said that Pakistan’s current account deficit has been entirely eliminated, which is a blatant lie. He has no idea of the consequences of such irresponsible statements,” she added.“The real reason behind this crass and raging fury is the premier’s incompetence linked with the poor performance he has shown in the past one year. Every time he inaugurates a PMLn project, his glaring incompetence and prejudice infuriates him even more,” she concluded. STAFF REPORT

Pakistan grapples with drug-resistant typhoid outbreak tion drive that began on nov 15.

Some 3.4 million children have been vaccinated in the last four days in Karachi and the neighboring city of Hyderabad where the outbreak was first reported, said James Fulker, a spokesperson for GAVI, a Geneva-based partnership funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that is administering the vaccine. Kept out of school for three months, Sajjad passed the time by tallying the daily rounds of shots given during his treatment – 84 in all.

“I had not much to do during my illness. I used to keep count of injections I was being given,” he said.

The latest strain is resistant to all but

one antibiotic used to treat typhoid, a bacterial infection transmitted by human faeces. If it develops resistance to this final antibiotic treatment, disease experts say, death rates among those infected could rise dramatically to as much as 20%.

HYGIENE CRISIS: Sanitation is a major issue in Pakistan, especially in Karachi, a sprawling port city of more than 15 million on the Arabian Sea. Here, political infighting between two regional parties over refuse collection has seen huge mounds of garbage pile up in the street. Reuters visited several areas where the vaccine was being administered, predominantly in low income areas with poor quality, illegal housing.

CMYK

“Typhoid is a nightmare in countries like Pakistan because the hygienic situation is not good,” said Muhammad Khalid Shafi, a pediatrician and associate professor at Dow Medical College in Karachi.

Resistance to immunization programs has hampered attempts to stamp out other diseases. In July, officials working on polio prevention told Reuters that parents suspicious of mass immunization campaigns have been getting hold of special markers, used by health workers to put a colored spot on the little fingers of children who have been vaccinated.

They said in some areas, as many as 8% of families may be refusing or avoiding vaccination, a level which would

mean the disease is not eradicated.

In several areas of Karachi, local mosques make announcements urging parents to get their children vaccinated against typhoid, especially in low-income neighborhoods.

The costs of refusing vaccination can be steep. The only antibiotic treatment to the latest strain of typhoid is expensive.

Sajjad’s father, Syed Ahmed Jafer, estimates the cost of his treatment at 400,000 Pakistani rupees ($2,584) – a huge sum for almost any family in the country.

“People should not be afraid of this campaign,” he said.

“There is no cheap treatment, it cannot be ignored.”

04 LAHORE

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

WEATHER UPDATES SATURDAY

lhC bars media coverage of protests on mall road The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday released interim written order in a case pertaining to protests and sit-ins at The Mall. LHC judge Justice Jawad while issuing a 12-page written order summoned draft legislation regarding declaring red zone in the provincial capital on November 25. The court directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to impose a ban on the coverage of protests and sitins at The Mall and also to inform all the television channels.

During the hearing, the LHC also ordered the protesting employees of PLRA to end their sit-in. NEWS DESK

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irked by prolonged sit-in, mall road traders assault plra Workers LAHORE

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STAFF REPORT

NNOYED businessmen of Mall Road on Friday attacked the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) workers blockading the road at Charing Cross for over 12 days now.

Traders Association members attacked PLRA workers with batons and pelted the protesters with corncobs and other trash items from roadside dumpsters. The confrontation turned violent when traders asked the protesters to end the blockade.

Police reached the scene but couldn’t restore order for some time.

The agitating traders dispersed the protesting PLRA workers and cleared the road for traffic.

“These protesters are destroying our business as the road is blocked every other day,” said trader Naeem Mir. “Protests on Mall are illegal and traders will not allow them any longer as they are impacting our already dormant businesses,” he added.

On the other hand, the protesting PLRA workers said that staging peaceful protest is their constitutional right.

The protesters, who were holding a sit-in at Charing Cross, were demanding the establishment of a proper service structure and an increase in their salaries. As a result of the protest, over 152 Arazi Record Centres (ARC) across the province have been shut down, rendering the land authority virtually dysfunctional.

Speaking to Pakistan Today, the officials of the land authority voiced their grievances against

PHP reviews provincial traffic regulations LAHORE STAFF REPORT

As per directions of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, a plenary session at the central police office (CPO) was held to prevent traffic accidents on roads and highways.

Causes of road accidents were examined and steps were taken for stopping these accidents at the session in which all RPOs (Regional Police Offices) of the province participated through video links.

The session was chaired by Addl IG PHP (Punjab Highway Patrol) Captain (r) Zafar Iqbal while Addl IG Traffic Muhammad Farooq Mazhar was also present at the occasion.

Capt Zafar Iqbal said that special teams of PHP, traffic police, and district police should be formed to check overspeeding and fitness of vehicles on roads.

He further directed to ensure compliance of traffic rules by all vehicles especially public service vehicles plying on roads at any cost.

Woman murdered three days before marriage in gulberg LAHORE: Unidentified assailants on Friday shot a woman in the city’s Gulberg after dragging her from her house to a nearby field, according to police sources. Lahore police confirmed that one of the suspects has been arrested after a first information report (FIR) over the murder was lodged. According to details, assailants were on a motorcycle and rang the doorbell of the 24-year-old woman’s house after which they attacked her and her father, Riaz Hussain, before dragging her to a nearby field where they committed the murder. Police said that the suspect was arrested after tracing his number from the victim’s call records. The FIR, which was registered on behalf of the father, named at least two suspects and included the murder clause. Hussain, the father, told police that the assailants dragged his daughter to a nearby field where they opened fire and shot her dead. He tried to catch the suspects himself but failed to do so, he added, explaining that they started firing as they fled and took her jewelry with them. Police in the meanwhile is conducting investigation and is questioning the victim’s relatives and neighbours. The woman was reportedly going to get married in three days. STAFF REPORT

MTI Act to be game changer: Dr Yasmin LAHORE: Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid delivereing a lecture to senior officers at the NIPA said the MTI Act to be proved a game changer. She informed the senior officers regarding targets set by the government in the health sector, its challenges and their solutions. She said the government had allocated the maximum budget in the health sector, adding that measures would have to be taken on an emergent basis for improving the situation.

"We will have to achieve sustainable development targets at every cost. Public sector hospitals are being upgraded first time in Punjab," she said. Yasmin Rashid maintained that from December school health and nutrition programme was being launched. An effective campaign would be run in public schools to create an awareness regarding growth of children, she added. APP

the administration and the provincial government.

“The administration seems to ignore the fact that it was our tireless efforts that led to the establishment of PLRA in the first place. We were the ones who had earlier worked at the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Land Record Information System (LRIS), which was later transformed into PLRA,” a protesting employee said.

In January, PLRA employees went on strike after the administration failed to meet their demands.

“That strike was called off when Punjab Revenue Minister Colonel (r) Anwar Khan assured the employees that a service structure would be set up within three months,” an ARC official said, adding that the government failed to fulfil its promise, leading to the employees rising up for their rights once again

Sunday, 23 November, 2019

NEWS

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One dead as Karachi pOlice Open fire at ‘parKed’ vehicle KARACHI

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STAFF REPORT

NE man died and another injured when policemen opened fire on a vehicle in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) neighborhood on Friday morning.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South Sheeraz Nazeer, Gizri police officers were chasing the victims and fired upon their vehicle while it was parked. The firing led to the death of one of the two, Nabil Hoodbhoy, whereas the other one, later identified as Raza Imam, was injured.

SSP Nazeer added further investigation is underway and three policemen have been arrested so far.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the policemen at the Artillery Maidan police station under Section 302 (punishment for murder), 324 (attempted murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and the 7-ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act).

According to the FIR registered on the complaint of Imam, the two were stopped by the police at Khayaban-eMuhafiz.

Imam said they had a can of beer in

the car and added that they told the police that they lived in the Cantt area of the city when asked where they resided.

He said when the police asked them to open the light inside the car, Hoodbhoy drove off. Imam added that he asked Hoodbhoy why he had done so, to which the latter said: “This is how you deal with the police”.

After this, the police started following us, Imam said in the FIR, adding that the police also fired shots in the air. He further said that as the car went from Cantt Road toward Fatima Jinnah Road near Pakistan American Cultural Center (PACC), the police fired at them. The same bullet struck Imam and Hoodbhoy.

As per the FIR, Imam said the police then came, saw what had happened and then sped away. He said he remembered the faces of the policemen and would be able to identify them.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Sharjeel Kharal added that Sub-Inspector Abdul Ghaffar, Head Constable Aftab, and Constable Mohammad Ali Shah had been taken into custody.

The DIG said policemen had chased the victims from near the Saudi Consulate as they did not stop despite being asked to. When their vehicle slowed down near PACC, one policeman opened fire which hit Imam. The same bullet struck Hoodbhoy’s shoulder,

proving to be fatal. The DIG said so far only one bullet casing has been found.

He said that the incident was being looked into and a team had been formed under the supervision of SSP Investigation (South) Rai Ijaz. DIG Kharal said the team was obtaining records from CCTV cameras.

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Kaleem Imam has also sought details of the incident from DIG South.

Meanwhile, Senator Murtaza Wahab, advisor to Sindh chief minister, termed the incident as unfortunate while recalling that the use of “excessive force [and] indiscriminate firing” has “led to many such deaths since August last year”.

Govt believes in empowering institutions, says Sarwar

LAHORE STAFF REPORT

Punjab Governor Mohammad Sarwar presided over a mass wedding ceremony wherein over 200 couples reportedly tied the knot.

Each couple was given a dowry of Rs200, 000 while the governor also presented couples with cash ‘Salamis’ and copies of the Quran as gifts.

Addressing the ceremony, Governor Sarwar said that history will not remember people who failed to serve humanity.

Rivals shoot dead murder accused in Jaranwala court JARANWALA: An accused murderer was shot dead by his rival in the premises of a court in the Faisalabad district city during an ongoing hearing, police said Friday. Police presented the murder accused, Tara Gujjar in the court of Additional Session Judge Muhammad Naeem Saleem. The accused, who was in handcuffs, died on the spot whereas two of the assailants were arrested on the scene, police sources said. After the shootout, the officials who brought Gujjar to the court also fled from the scene. Apparently, the deceased had been targeted over old personal enmity by his rivals. Police, after taking the two shooters into their custody, started legal action in this regard. S TA F F R E P O RT

“We are adhering to the policy of one Pakistan, not two. We are ready to make any sacrifice for the constitution and the rule of law,” the governor said.

According to details, the governor attended the mass wedding ceremony in the suburban area of Goth Shah Muhammad, Tehsil Khairpur Tameynwali, District Bahawalpur, while PTI Provincial Deputy General Secretary Chaudhry Naeemuddin Warraich, Aleemudin Warraich, Kaleemuddin Warraich, provincial minister Sami Ullah Chaudhry, MNA Malik Farooq Azam, Ex MNA Zhanzaib Warran, Chaudhry Mohammad Usman, Zeeshan Khilji and others were also present.

The mass-wedding was celebrated with pomp and show. Clad in bridle dresses, the brides were brought to the main ceremony in traditional manner by their respective families. Governor Sarwar and Chaudhry Naeemuddin Warraich welcomed the guests.

In his address, the governor said, “I am very happy that today 200 daughters and sons have entered their marital lives.

Surely, parents get very happy in completing their Farz (responsibility) of getting their daughters married.”

Woman drowns her children, attempts suicide LAHORE: A woman drowned her two minor children in a water tank and injured herself in a suicide attempt at Basti Salamatpura, Raiwind area, on Friday. Police said that Naheed was married to Nasir of Swabi district. She had been living with her parents after developing differences with her husband. On Thursday night, parents of Nasir came to take her along.

However, she did not want to go with them. At night when all members of her family went to bed, she drowned her children, identified as Ehtisham (4) and Mehroba (5) in a water tank.

After that she attempted suicide by cutting her wrist with a knife. Police reached the spot after being informed and took the bodies into custody. Naheed was shifted to a hospital. Further investigation was under way. APP

Amnesty International says every person in Lahore is at risk due to smog BAHAWALPUR APP

Amnesty International on Friday issued “urgent action” for the people of Lahore in a bid to gather support to campaign on behalf of the population of “Pakistan’s second-largest city which is suffering from hazardous smog.”

This is the first time that the rights group has issued urgent action for the “entire population of a major city.”

“The government’s inadequate response to the smog in Lahore raises significant human rights concerns. The hazardous air is putting everyone’s right to health at risk,” said Rimmel Mohydin, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International.

“The issue is so serious that we are calling on our members around the world to write to the Pakistani authorities to tell them to stop downplaying the crisis and take urgent action to protect people’s health and lives,” she added.

Lahore air’s quality was recorded by Air Visual to be 385 on Friday morning, which is classified as unhealthy. Punjab government, for the third time this month ordered the closure of all schools due to dense smog in

three districts including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala on Friday. Earlier, on Thursday the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the provincial government to take immediate measures to control environment pollution which was adding to higher smog levels.

Smog has also engulfed other parts of the province including Bahawalpur and surrounding areas, as air quality in the south Punjab region was reported to be severe. According to the Air Quality Index, air quality in the region, ranking between 400 to 425 is unhealthy.

Doctors at Bahawal Victoria Hospital said that patients, especially, children suffering from asthma and respiratory problems were being brought to hospital emergency and outdoor wards.

“Doctors and paramedics are providing medical treatment to patients suffering from diseases caused by thick smog,“ said, Dr Aamir Bukhari, a representative of BVH Bahawalpur.

Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner Shozab Saeed said that the government had ordered closure of brick kilns in the district. “District management is taking measures to control activities which provide fuel to smog,” he said.

At UN, Pakistan renews commitment to protect children's rights at home, abroad UITED NATIONS APP

Children were both seen and heard in the United Nations General Assembly on the World Children’s Day, during a celebration to commemorate 30 years since the adoption of a milestone treaty that protects their rights.

Pakistan was represented by Alyana Akram, daughter of Ambassador Munir Akram, at the ceremony that was among numerous events this year taking stock of progress achieved under the landmark Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"I feel extremely proud that my country, Pakistan, was one of the original signatories of the Convention on the Rights of the Child", Alyana Akram, the Pakistani youth delegate, told the large and distinguished gathering in the iconic hall of the 193-member Assembly.

Pakistan, she said, also co-facilitated the adoption of the modalities resolution for the commemoration of this 30th anniversary of the Convention.

"I am confident that Pakistan will continue to fully promote and protect the rights of all children at home and abroad," Alyana Akram added.

In her remarks, she noted that considerable progress has been made over the last 30 years, including more children going to school, more widely available safe and effective vaccines, improved sanitation standards and a 60 per cent drop in infant mortality across the globe.

But significant challenges remain, the Pakistani youth delegate said, with 1 billion children still living in poverty, suffering from hunger and malnutrition that stunts their physical and mental growth as well as potential. Food was insufficient, and often polluted by chemicals.

Education was not yet universal; nor were opportunities equal. There was growing dangers of exposure to infectious diseases against the backdrop of climate change.

"Technology has improved our lives – better nutrition, education, access to knowledge and information", she said, adding that it had also created problems

as the internet can be a dangerous place for children. "The speed of life could rob us of our youth."

Addressing such challenges, Alyana Akram said, were essential for full realization of 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and protection of the rights of all children.

On the Convention’s anniversary, she said the world must look ahead to the next 30 years.

The international community must also listen to young voices on the issues of greatest concern and begin working on twenty-first century solutions to twenty-first century problems, Alyana Akram added.

Earlier, well-known actress Millie Bobby Brown, star of the hit Netflix series ‘Stranger Things’ and the youngestever Goodwill Ambassador with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said, “In world capitals and buildings like this, adults talk about children’s rights. But today, young people don’t want to be talked about. We want to do the talking”.

CMYK

Although important markers have been achieved since its adoption, including the fact that more children are now in school, millions of the world’s poorest children are still being left behind, she said.

Though no longer a child, football legend David Beckham recalled his youth in the East End of London, where family, teachers and later, coaches, supported his dream of becoming a soccer player.

As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005, Beckham has seen how scores of children worldwide have not been as fortunate.

“Children hungry and sick. Children living through wars. Children who lost their parents in earthquakes and floods.

Girls and boys with different stories and backgrounds from my own, but like all children they have one thing in common: they have ambitions and they have dreams for a better future,” he told the gathering.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said that the anniversary of the child rights convention provides an opportunity for adults and children to

work together to build that brighter future.

And while three decades of technological developments have empowered children, Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reported in Geneva, how the Internet has been used to bully, intimidate and exploit children.

"We need to take action to protect children from exploitation and harm", she said. "We need action to ensure that children are empowered to raise their voices - and to protect from physical attacks and other forms of abuse the children who stand up to defend human rights and the rights of the child."

Henrietta Fore, the head of UNICEF, said at the event in New York that the "best pathway to a better, more sustainable future for all is to invest in all children today. As we look ahead to the next 30 years of progress, let’s recommit to children’s rights. And let’s make these rights real in programmes, policies and services in every community, in every country, around the world."

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

06 WORLD VIEW

InsIde the world of mIsInformatIon POMERANTSEV’S THESIS IS SIMPLE: IN AN AGE OF INFORMATION ABUNDANCE, THE BELIEF THAT THE BEST IDEAS WILL TRIUMPH HAS BEEN DISCREDITED. MALIGN ACTORS ENSURE THAT BAD INFORMATION NOW PUSHES OUT THE GOOD New Republic

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DAVID PATRIKARAKOS

or centuries information was scarce. The math was simple: The higher up the societal food chain you were, the better the information you had. And it could be explosive. Information made Microsoft and it brought down richard Nixon. It helped us navigate the globe and it feeds the Facebook algorithm. But what happens to society when information ceases to be scarce? This is the question Peter Pomerantsev explores in his finely written and deeply intelligent This is Not Propaganda.

Pomerantsev, a writer who also lectures on online propaganda at the London School of Economics, is well placed to provide an answer. Early on in the book he sets out the information dilemma facing us.

More information, he argues, was supposed to mean more freedom to stand up to the powerful, but it’s also given them new ways to crush dissent. More information was supposed to mean a more informed debate, but it has led to more confrontation and enabled “new and more subtle forms of conflict and subversion.” For Pomerantsev the logical endpoint is both depressing and dangerous: “a world of dark ads, psy-ops, hacks, bots, soft facts, fake news, deep fakes, brainwashing, trolls, ISIS, Putin, Trump.”

The book’s landscape is, accordingly, one of “Twitter revolutionaries and pop-up populists, trolls, info-war charlatans” and “behavioral change” visionaries, and the reader is taken on a picaresque gallop through it. We meet, among others, a social media manipulator in Manila who helped get rodrigo Duterte elected, a troll in St. Petersburg who peddled fake realities for the russian state, and a Serbian expert on non-violent—and vertiginously humorous—protest.

Pomerantsev’s thesis is simple: In an age of information abundance, the belief that the best ideas will triumph has been discredited. Malign actors ensure that bad information now pushes out the good. Politicians lie not furtively but with pride; falsehoods are rewarded with virality; and anger and hysteria are the highways to attention. In the meantime, we wall ourselves up in echo chambers, busily constructing our own realities. This is dangerous because if there is no shared, evidence-based reality upon which we can all agree, then the very idea of democracy falls apart.

The book begins in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, with its “gusts of rotting fish and popcorn smells, sewage, and deep-fry oil.” Here, Pomerantsev meets “P,” who has been “controlling” people online since he was 15. P started out small—and personal; getting people to share stories of their love life on forums he created. Eventually, he wound up in

politics after agreeing to work for rodrigo Duterte, an outsider in the presidential elections “who looked to social media as a new, cheap route to victory.”

Duterte, who had been a regional mayor, didn’t have much going for him except claims of being good at busting drug crime—so P went to work. First, he created a series of Facebook groups in different cities, ensuring they were in the local dialect (of which there are hundreds in the Philippines). Six months and hundreds of thousands of members later he began instructing his group administrators to post one local crime story per day, at peak times. He then made sure these crimes were connected to drugs: “‘They say the killer was a drug dealer,’ or ‘This one was a victim of a pusher,” they would post. After a month they increased it to two stories per day; a month later, three per day.”

Drug crime became a hot topic and Duterte won.

Three years later it is clear that the Philippines lost.

From Manila the narrative eventually moves on to Mexico City and Alberto Escorcia, an activist who sees the “Internet in metaphysical terms” as a “war between love and fear.” Escorcia fights “against routine police beatings, drug-related shootings, stuffed ballot boxes and rigged deals.” In this fight, data has become almost divine. Escorcia started by examining Google searches in the periods leading up to protests and found that “interest in certain topics—gas prices, police shootings—would start to be visible online months before they became articulated reasons for protest.” He began to realize that he could anticipate the issues that would unite people in advance.

Each wave of protests contained clusters of words “that made the lattice of communication between protestors thicker.” By knowing in advance which subjects brought people together, and which words strengthened the interconnections, Escorcia realized that ultimately he could “summon up” protests. He worked the information—and it paid off.

Pomerantsev then returns to London to meet with Nigel oakes, founder of Strategic Communication Laboratories, out of which the company Cambridge Analytica eventually emerged. oakes is a former advertising executive who became convinced that traditional ad campaigns and influence operations were ineffective. He believed that they succeeded only in changing attitudes, when the key to influencing people was to change behavior. And the way to do this was of course data.

Cambridge Analytica, the “global election management” firm, was started with this belief. In its heyday it claimed to have gathered 5,000 data points on every American voter online: “what you liked and what you shared on social media; how and where you shopped; who your friends were.” With an understanding of users’ deepest drives and desires, it could then change voting behavior, which seems like mere boasting until

one considers the results. Cambridge Analytica worked on the presidential campaign of Donald Trump as well as successful campaigns for U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (twice); and many others across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. oakes was right, and the lesson is clear: If you know how to use the information you can do almost anything, perhaps even help make someone the most powerful person on earth.

As successful as P and Escorcia and Cambridge Analytica were they are just individuals or private companies. What happens when information is weaponized by nation states? Unsurprisingly, the answer lies in russia. The Kremlin understands, better than any other player in the information battle what happens when torrents of information pour into our lives 24/7 from our phones and TVs and laptops. We shut down. Log off.

Which is the point. The Kremlin desires to sow confusion and stifle dissent not by denying people information but by bombarding them with it. And if the information we are besieged by largely consists of nonsense and lies then all the better. A model of this tactic remains the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine by separatist militia armed with a russian-supplied missile in July 2014. I was in Ukraine at the time and within minutes the online narratives began. It was the Ukrainians that had shot down the plane; no, it was the Americans; ah, it was the Ukrainians and the Americans; actually, it was Dutch intelligence (the plane had taken off from the Netherlands).

The point of each of these contradictory and self-evidently ludicrous narratives was not to convince. rather it was to swamp Twitter, Facebook and our other primary sources of online knowledge with so much information that anyone curious to find out about a plane shot down would turn off in disgust. Log off; shut down.

Thus does mistrust turn to outright disgust and then apathy. If everything we can hope to know is in the end unreliable why bother to find out anything out at all? Why not just sit back and watch X-Factor, or Vladimir Putin?

We now have access to more information than ever but facts are losing their power. Politicians have always lied but now they take pride in it. When Trump is caught lying all he does is double down and lie some more. When russian soldiers without insignia marched into Crimea and seized it from Ukraine Vladimir Putin went on national TV and, with a smirk, announced that there were in fact no russian soldiers there, knowing of course that everyone knew he was lying. Months later he just as casually admitted that they were russian soldiers all along. He wasn’t lying in the traditional sense; he was doing something far worse: He was saying that facts just don’t matter.

Yet Pomerantsev decries the idea of censoring

What comes after the end of history FOR THE INDIAN WRITER AMITAV GHOSH, CLIMATE CHANGE REPRESENTS THE END OF HISTORY IN A MORE FUNDAMENTAL WAY THAN FUKUYAMA COULD HAVE DREAMED OF New StateSmaN JAMES MARRIOTT

My first memory of a historic event is from 2001. I was nine years old and just home from school. Sitting in front of the TV in my mum’s living room I watched an aeroplane fly out of a cloudless blue sky and into the side of a tall building in New York. Then another aeroplane did the same thing. It looked like the end of the world.

The terror attacks on 9/11 were a fittingly apocalyptic introduction to current affairs. The politics of the 21st century is haunted by intimations of looming world-historic crisis. That memory of two apparently invulnerable skyscrapers (the archetypal image of capitalism) collapsing into clouds of dust set the tone for the next two decades of financial disaster, populist demagogues and, most frighteningly, climate crisis.

We all have a sense, however vague, of our position within history: a set of assumptions about how the past, present and future join together. our understanding of the world’s direction of travel – decline, progress, cycle, apocalypse – is shaped by the events we see happening around us, but also by politics.

“As gravity bends light so power bends time,” writes the historian Christopher Clark in his 2018 book Time and Power. In it, he examines how four

major figures from German history – Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg-Prussia, Frederick the Great, otto von Bismarck and Adolf Hitler – used “cultural choices, public rituals, or the deployment of arguments or of metaphors and other figurative language” to influence perceptions of history. “Chronopolitics” is the voguish term used to describe this process. The chronopolitics of the modern West is defined against a prevailing mood of historical terminus.

In the 50 years following the end of the Second World War one idea dominated the chronopolitics of the liberal West: progress. As early as the 1950s, the sociologist Daniel Bell observed that “economic growth has become the secular religion of advancing industrial societies”. For Francis Fukuyama, writing in the early 1990s, the vaunted triumph of liberal capitalist democracy represented the “end of history”.

I had never heard of the “end of history” when I watched the World Trade Center collapse. But in newspapers across the world, columnists pointed out that Fukuyama’s idea looked shaky. Today, narratives of liberal progress could hardly be less fashionable.

There is a chronopolitical void to fill. While the idea of liberal progress has its defenders, such as the psychologist Steven Pinker, they are sailing against the wind. Scan the bookshelves: How Democracies Die, How Democracy Ends, How Will Capitalism End?, The End of the American Century – the pre-

vailing mood is one of democratic crisis and liberal denouement. on the left, “late capitalism” is perhaps the most popular diagnosis of our historical condition. The term has been used by left-wing thinkers for almost a century but in the past few years new radical publications such as Jacobin and n+1 have helped push it into wider consciousness. Today it has reached the status of a meme. on Twitter, “late capitalism” describes the perceived absurdities or excesses of a decadent economic system, from pumpkin spice lattes to mistreated Uber drivers.

Used pessimistically, the term conjures a dystopian feeling that we are stuck in a political nightmare that will never end. In Capitalist realism Mark Fisher evoked a “sense of exhaustion, of cultural and political sterility”. optimists, on the other hand, look forward to “post-capitalism”. The socialmedia pundit Aaron Bastani imagines an age of “fully automated luxury communism” where technological advances will free us from work.

In his book PostCapitalism Paul Mason predicts “the emergence of a new kind of human being”. It is a surprisingly popular view. Inventing the Future by Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek proposes that postcapitalism will “unveil the space to create new modes of being”. Like Christianity, the post-capitalist left promises a paradisal future and spiritual transformation lying in wait just beyond the end of his-

the web. To lie is after all, not illegal—and nor should it be. This logic, he argues, rolls back the gains made by those who fought for freedom of expression—he tells the story of his dissident parents, who, as artists and journalists, faced repeated persecution from the Soviet authorities. He concedes that regulation does have a role but is often inadequate or wrong—a panicked response from governments still unable to properly understand the Internet.

What is needed is transparency. We are all in the dark about the precise nature of, say, Facebook’s algorithm, which presents information to us in ways we cannot understand and for reasons we cannot discern, and which Pomerantsev correctly observes is therefore a form of censorship in itself. Break open the Facebook algorithm, he says, and let us know who exactly is trying to influence us. He understands the need to retain online anonymity and to allow even those who disagree a voice. It’s the fraud he won’t accept. Simply put: We don’t have the right to force Auntie Doris from Minnesota to take down her erroneous post on Barack obama, but we do have a right to know if Auntie Doris from Minnesota is really Uncle Sergei from Minsk.

Information, given form through data, has changed everything from politics to societal mores.

But most of all it has forced us to reconsider, and reconfigure, our relationship with reality. And it is here the reader finally understands the scale of what we are facing. If we do now live in a world where nothing is true and everything is possible, then the fight is not digital or political but ontological, and, therefore, existential.

THIS IS NOT PROPAGANDA: ADVENTURES IN THE WAR AGAINST REALITY by Peter Pomerantsev, Public Affairs, 231 pp., $28.00 tory.

Many movements of the populist right are motivated by the idea that history is cyclical. Christopher Clark points out that Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon subscribes to the view expounded in William Strauss and Neil Howe’s book The Fourth Turning (1996) that history operates in 80- to 100year cycles. It is an idea that Trump grasps intuitively: “Make America great again.” on this side of the Atlantic, Brexiteers dream of “taking back control” while Boris Johnson thinks of the EU as a resurrected roman empire (in The Dream of rome) and casts himself as Winston Churchill reincarnate (in The Churchill Factor).

Much further to the right, extremists such as Anders Behring Breivik believe themselves to belong to the Knights Templar, the historical foes of Islam.

For Western societies, the political myth of a return to a vanished age of heroes is an ancient one – it is two millennia since Virgil announced Augustus would bring a golden age to rome.

Perhaps none of our contemporary historical myths will fill Fukuyama’s vacuum. History faces a new and existential threat: climate change. Liberals must adapt to the idea that unlimited economic progress may be destroying civilisation. Conservatives will struggle to find a place for an unprecedented event such as a global climate crisis in a cyclical view of history. And is it really possible to dream of a socialist utopia on the other side of a climate apocalypse?

For the Indian writer Amitav Ghosh, climate change represents the end of history in a more fundamental way than Fukuyama could have dreamed of. If all human actions have eventually contributed to climate crisis then it represents “the terminus of history. For if the entirety of our past is contained within the present, then temporality is drained of significance.” It is a historical idea our politics has barely begun to grapple with.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

iraqi forces kill Three proTesTers, cleric warns of crisis BAGHDAD

i

AGENCIES

RAqI security forces killed three protesters in Baghdad on Friday and forcibly dispersed protesters blocking the country’s main port near Basra, as the country’s top cleric warned nothing but speedy electoral reforms would resolve unrest.

Security forces opened fire and launched tear gas at protesters on a central Baghdad bridge, police sources said. Two people died from bullet wounds and one from a tear gas canister launched directly at the head. At least 27 more were injured.

In the south, security forces reopened the entrance to Iraq’s main port, Umm qasr, which protesters had blocked since Monday, port sources said, but normal operations had not yet resumed.

At least 329 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.

Protesters are demanding the overthrow of a political class seen as corrupt and serving foreign powers while many Iraqis languish in poverty without jobs, healthcare or education.

Iraq’s top Shi’ite Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, called on Friday for politicians to hurry up in reforming electoral laws because the changes would be the only way to resolve weeks of deadly unrest.

“We affirm the importance of speeding

up the passing of the electoral law and the electoral commission law because this represents the country moving past the big crisis,” his representative said during a sermon in the holy city of Kerbala.

Sistani, who rarely weighs in on politics except in times of crisis, holds massive influence over public opinion in Shi’itemajority Iraq. He also repeated his view that the protesters had legitimate demands and should not be met with violence.

Unsatisfied by government reform promises they see as meager, many protesters have turned to civil disobedience tactics in recent weeks.

They had previously blocked Umm

qasr from oct. 29-Nov. 9, apart from a brief resumption of operations for three days. It receives imports of grain, vegetable oils and sugar shipments that feed a country largely dependent on imported food.

The initial blockage cost Iraq more than $6 billion during just the first week of the closure, a government spokesman said at the time.

Protesters in Baghdad are also disrupting traffic, and are still holding ground, controlling parts of three major bridges which lead to the capital’s fortified Green Zone, where government buildings and foreign embassies are located.

FOREIGN NEWS 07

Hong Kong election a referendum on anti-govt protests HONG KONG: Cathy Yau remembers the first time she was called a “dirty cop” by Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters, days after police deployed tear gas to repel tens of thousands of black-clad demonstrators blocking the legislature. The former officer, exasperated at the increasing use of force to quell the unrest, quit in July after 11 years. Now she is among scores of new faces vying for office Sunday in citywide elections that have become a referendum on public support for the protests, which have disrupted life for more than five months. “Some residents still call me a rogue cop but there are others who tell me to keep it up as they want a change this year,” said the 36-year-old Yau, who faces a tough battle against an incumbent who has served the constituency for years. The election for the 452 seats on the city’s 18 district councils usually gets little attention but this year has shaped up as a pivotal battleground for protesters anxious to seize the ballot box to legitimize their cause. For the first time, all the seats are contested in Hong Kong’s only fully democratic elections. The pro-democracy opposition hopes to win a decisive victory on the back of public anger against the government and police. “The election this time serves as a political barometer. The pro-democracy camp certainly wants the results to demonstrate that its cause enjoys the support of the people to show to the world and to the Chinese leadership,” said Joseph Cheng, a pro-democracy political commentator. Those under 36, the backbone of protesters, account for about a quarter of 4.1 million voters — nearly 60% of the city’s population. A drubbing for the pro-establishment camp that dominates the councils would embarrass the city’s government and nullify Beijing’s narrative that a minority of radical separatists colluded with foreign “black hands” and don’t enjoy majority support, he said. Pro-government candidates concede they are the underdogs but are urging voters to choose stability over violence.

Calvin Sze To, 29, said citizens will need to choose if they “want a stable government or continue to make a mess in Hong Kong.” No matter the outcome, he said the government has to look into ways to heal society wounds.

Cheung Ka Yan, a 26-year-old accountant, said she jumped into the fray because many young people who support free elections for the city’s leader and legislature — one of the protesters’ key demands — decry violence.

“You cannot win universal suffrage by committing arson, killing people and hurling bricks and gas bombs. We must be rational and take one step at a time to realize this goal,” she said. The poll has ripple effects in higher-level elections. The winning camp gets to elect 117 representatives to the 1,200member panel that picks the city’s leader. The pro-democracy camp has some 300 supporters on the panel, so another 117 seats would greatly expand its influence, though still be far short of a majority. AGENCIES

Israel braces for bitter fight after Netanyahu indictment JERUSALEM AGENCIES

Kazakhstan to host Syria talks on December 10-11 NUR-SULTAN: Kazakhstan will host a fresh round of Syria peace talks sponsored by Russia, Turkey and Iran on December 10-11, Kazakh foreign minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi told reporters on Friday. Tleuberdi provided no details about the agenda or participants in the talks. AGENCIES

US calls for Iran crackdown videos as internet slowly returns DUBAI: Iranian authorities slowly eased up their sweeping blockage of internet access on Friday, as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for Iranians to send the U.S. videos “documenting the regime’s crackdown” on protesters. “The U.S. will expose and sanction the abuses,” Pompeo tweeted early Friday, as pockets of Iran saw internet over landlines restored. Authorities have said the internet may be entirely restored soon, suggesting Iran’s government put down the demonstrations that began Nov. 15 over government-set gasoline prices rising. Amnesty International said Tuesday that protest unrest and a subsequent security crackdown killed at least 106 people. Iran disputes that figure without offering its own. A U.N. office earlier said it feared the unrest may have killed “a significant number of people.”

The jump in gasoline prices represents yet another burden on Iranians who have suffered through a painful currency collapse. That’s a result of the reimposition of crippling U.S. economic sanctions as part of President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, following his unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Iran’s relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani has promised the fuel price increase will fund new subsidies for poor families. Rouhani declared victory Wednesday in the unrest, blaming “the Zionists and Americans” for the violence.

Abolhassan Firoozabadi, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme Cyberspace Council, told journalists Thursday that he believed the internet would be turned on “within the next two days.” AGENCIES

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s indictment is expected to sharpen the battle lines in Israel’s already deadlocked political system and could test the loyalty of his right-wing allies, Israeli commentators said Friday.

The serious corruption charges announced Thursday appear to have dashed already slim hopes for a unity government following September’s elections, paving the way for an unprecedented repeat vote in March, which will be the third in less than a year. In an angry speech late Thursday, Netanyahu lashed out at investigators and vowed to fight on in the face of an “attempted coup.”

His main opponent, the centrist Blue and White party, called on him to “immediately resign” from all his Cabinet posts, citing a Supreme Court ruling that says indicted ministers cannot continue to hold office. Netanyahu also serves as minister of health, labor and Diaspora affairs, as well as acting

minister of agriculture.

He is not legally required to step down as prime minister, but Netanyahu faces heavy pressure to do so, and it is unclear whether an indicted politician could be given the mandate to form a new government. Netanyahu has already failed to form a majority coalition of 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset after two hard-fought elections this year.

“This will not be an election, it will be a civil war without arms,” columnist Amit Segal wrote in Israel’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper.

“There is a broad constituency that believes what Netanyahu said yesterday, but it is far from being enough for anything close to victory.”

Writing in the same newspaper, Sima Kadmon compared Netanyahu to the Roman emperor Nero, saying “he will stand and watch as the country burns.”

Netanyahu was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust stemming from three long-running corruption cases. He has denied any wrongdoing and accused the media, courts and law enforcement of waging

a “witch hunt” against him.

The corruption charges will weigh heavily on Netanyahu’s likud party in future elections, but it’s unclear if any senior member has the support or willingness to replace him.

Hours before the indictment was announced, Gideon Saar, a senior likud member, said a party primary should be held ahead of any future elections and that he would compete. But there are several other leading members of the party, and it’s unclear if any one of them can gain enough support to topple its longtime leader.

Some likud members expressed support for Netanyahu after the indictment was announced, but most have remained mum.

“If the attorney general should indeed announce that Netanyahu can no longer form a government, will (likud members) stand up openly and work to form an alternative government? For that to happen, they will have to sit together in one room and trust each other, which is something that has not happened for the past decade,” Segal wrote.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

08 COMMENT The PTI government be-smogged Do nothing, blame the other

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hAT the PTI government failed to take remedial measures prior to the onset of the smog season in Punjab indicates sheer incompetence. It was widely known that since 2016 smog had become a cyclical phenomenon in the province from November to January with some calling it the fifth season of Punjab.

Thanks, the negligence on the part of the government a dangerous situation has emerged this time where a suffocating smog has broken past records of harmful effects on people’s health including breathing problems, burning eyes, lungs feeling heavy and coughing. Currently three major cities of the province are facing the brunt. early this month when Amnesty International raised an alarm over smog, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul called upon the people not to heed the “unauthenticated sources” that are trying to stir uproar for their own vested interests. She maintained that India is responsible for the phenomenon and Pakistan will continue to raise the matter at international forums. In other words, smog being an international conspiracy, what could poor Climate Change Ministry do other than exposing the perpetrators? Under the circumstances there was no utility of preventive measures by the ministry headed by her. Minister for Science Fawad Ch also exposed the sinister designs of India and supported the stand taken by Minister Gul. Another minister called the smog a weapon of “unconventional war” unleashed by India against Pakistan The PTI ministers have not presumably read the 2018 Fog Commission Report prepared on the directives of the Lahore high Court. The report underlines domestic causes including vehicular emissions, industrial emissions and waste burning, giving them precedence over trans-boundary waste burning.

On Friday Amnesty International issued a second warning in a month asking for urgent action as every resident of Lahore is at risk due to the increasingly #poor air quality. earlier a minister had blamed foreign firms were raising false alarm as they allegedly wanted to sell their air control equipment. Amnesty International is a human rights body with no business interests. This is yet another example of the government’s do nothing, blame others policy.

ECP and foreign funding The PTI’s reluctance sends wrong signals

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he decision of the election Commission of Pakistan to hold daily hearings in the PTI foreign funding case is laudable, and its decision to take up the cases of foreign funding received by the PPP and PML-N appear only fair. If individual candidates are expected to show obedience to the eCP’s code of conduct, collections of candidates in parties should be expected to account for any monies they might receive, if the money comes from abroad, there is all the more reason to explain, because that is a classical method by which foreign intelligence agencies transfer money to agents of influence. In view of the dim view taken by the judiciary even of dual nationals, any party receiving funds from abroad should expect to have to account for donations from abroad.

With that in mind, it seems odd that the PTI should have put so much effort into delaying the current case. It is even odder that the PTI has placed itself in the forefront of the fight against corruption, and the sort of accusations of corruption that it is laid open to, would go away if the cases were dealt with, and no wrongdoing proven against the ruling party. The PTI’s reluctance to let the case go ahead indicates a guilty conscience, either about poor accounting or dubious donors, which might cause the party serious embarrassment if made public.

While the PM has assured jittery Cabinet colleagues that auditors have seen the accounts and the party has nothing to worry about, the possibility of a mix-up of donations for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust cancer hospital and for the PTI will only be ruled out if the PTI shows transparency. PM’s Information Special Assistant Firdous Ashiq Awan was being fanciful when she accused the opposition of pressurising the eCP. Instead of looking at the eCP hearings as a challenge, the PTI should look on them as an opportunity, if of course it has nothing to hide. This is also an opportunity to mend fences with the eCP, with which it has such problems as fillings its vacancies. It can also play tit-fortat with other parties on the issue.

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami Editor Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad

Umar Aziz

Asher John

Joint Editor

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

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Will Lahoris survive another smoggy winter?

AbdullAh MAlik

Smog seems out of control

OR a few days now, Lahore has generated headlines worldwide owing to its weather conditions. Residents of Lahore has been forced to breathe the most polluted air in any city of the world. This has marked the beginning of ‘fifth season’ in Pakistan also referred to as ‘smog season’. The Punjab government has been claiming it has adopted adequate measures like closing coalfired brick kilns, banning burning of the crop residue and prohibiting the burning of substandard fuel to combat smog. It has also thrice closed schools, the latest time in three cities.

There have been many important steps taken by the government to combat smog this year. Although the government has adopted many measures to combat smog, the measures it has taken were not drastic enough. There are many measures in the right direction that government has taken. For example, the government has ordered brick kilns to be closed for the next four months except for those with Zig Zag technology.

Zig Zag is a fuel-efficient technology that brick kilns had failed to completely adopt. The government has been asking the brick kiln association to adopt this technology for some time now, but rapid progress in the adoption of this technology requires subsidy from the government. Less than ten per cent of brick kilns have adopted this, despite being asked by the government.

There is another important measure adopted by the government, and that is to do with the burning of crop residue. One of the reasons for the air turning toxic in the recent past is the burning of crop residue. The burning of crop residue is the third largest contributor by emission to smog. Burning of crop residue, and of plastic and trash, has been banned by the Government for the next three months. This burning is also one of the main contributor to-

wards smog besides emissions from vehicles and from factories.

The government has also issued notices to 200 factories and Section 144 has also been imposed. The traffic police can also be seen active taking action against smoke-generating vehicles.

During the last winter season, the Punjab government was asked by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to help farmers in purchasing machinery that can harvest with low residue.

The Government’s stance on the matter of smog is that smog cannot be eliminated in a matter of a few days. Of the steps that can lead to the reduction of smog, only some can be taken at this point now, and these have been taken.

At this point, the cities most effected by smog are Lahore, Gujranwala and Sheikhupura. In Lahore alone, there are 2.2 million vehicles emitting smoke and also there are 800 steel mills also operating in the heart of Punjab which are constantly producing smoke.

There are roughly 10,000 factories that are contributing towards air pollution in the province. These factories are not only contributing towards air pollution by producing smoke, but plastic is also being burnt in these factories that is also proving very harmful for human health.

The government also has plans of launch-

F

ing awareness campaigns. In fact, an awareness programme will be launched by the Punjab government in schools and colleges.

Despite claiming to have done enough to deal with the menace of smog. The Punjab Government has yet again failed in protecting people from smog. The single biggest piece of evidence is that private and public schools were closed on the orders of Chief Minister of Punjab owing to prevailing smog condition in the last few days. As the locals have been forced to breathe the smoggy air, they want answers from their representatives on the prevalent smoggy conditions. The tendency of people, as always, is to put complete blame of this on the government.

The ‘smog weather’ in Lahore usually ends in December-January. Just like in the last few years, Lahoris and others can only pray for rain as this seems to be the only solution to combat smog. Only the government knows how many more mistakes it will need to commit to learn to care for the people it is bound to serve. elderly people and young children, who are most vulnerable groups, are once again paying the cost of incompetency of the government in dealing with smog this time around.

Although, Lahoris will be able to survive the smoggy conditions this time but breathing this polluted air will have lasting effects on their health.

Although, Lahoris will be able to survive the smoggy conditions this time but breathing this polluted air will have lasting effects on their health

Encouraging economic indicators MuhAMMAd ZAhid RifAt

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Ny country’s progress, development and prosperity is linked with the national growth rate both directly and indirectly. If the economic growth rate is good, then there is lot of relief for the people at large.

Pakistan is a developing country and its economic growth rate is not so high and keeps going up and down due to various factors every now and then.

When the incumbent government took over in August 2018 as a result of free, fair, impartial general elections, it had inherited a not-so-good economic situation although the previous government claimed to the contrary. however, the peoples elected government accepted the challenge boldly and set on taking all possible measures for setting the house in order, particularly the economic situation as without a better economic growth rate, there could be no progress nor development of the country, and no prosperity as well as no relief measures for the people at large.

Accordingly, the economic managers’ team embarked on taking some hard decisions and working on economic reforms. and without keeping the people in the dark, kept asking them to be ready to face the difficult situation with courage and boldness for some time, and things would certainly start improving in due course of time.

After the passage of little more than year, Prime Minister Imran Khan and his economic managers have at last started talking about promising economic inKarachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9

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The signs augur well dicators as a result of economic reforms and harsh, unpleasant and difficult but unavoidable decisions which the incumbent government has been taking ever since it assumed the reins.

Unmindful of what the opposition parties and their leaders have been saying, the government has been keeping the people updated and duly informed about the achievements which are being made to improve the economic situation and set the house on the whole in order.

It is good and quite appreciable to note that red economic sector figures have steadily and slowly started turning green as a result of persistent economic sector reforms. It is also worth mentioning here that the government is keeping the people duly informed about whatever major or minor achievements are being made in the economic sector on almost monthly basis.

International financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank were also giving positive statements about Pakistan’s economy growing slowly and steadily.

Not only the economic managers’ team, but the Prime Minister himself, who also holds the portfolio of Finance, are putting these economic improvement facts and figures before the nation regularly.

Owing to the tough economic reforms introduced, and persisted in, by the government in a determined manner in the face of harsh criticism from the opposition, the twin deficits of the current account

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

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and the fiscal were reported to have decreased significantly during the first quarter of the current financial year, July to September. During the period, exports have increased and imports have decreased. exports somehow were stagnant for the last five years, but have also started showing signs of growth.

The current account deficit had shrunk by as much as 35 per cent as it had come down from $9 billion to $5.7 billion. Likewise, the fiscal deficit had also come down from Rs738 billion to Rs436 billion.

According to the latest figures available, the current account during October has gone into a surplus, by $99 million, for the first time in four years. Comparatively, the current account was in deficit by $1.28 billion in October 2018.

Revenue collection had witnessed about 16 per cent growth during the period under review and the government had not borrowed any supplementary grant from the State Bank of Pakistan, ensuring adherence to strict fiscal discipline.

The non-revenue income also registered about 40 per cent growth compared the corresponding period of first quarter of last year and is likely to reach Rs1,600 billion against target of Rs1,200 billion.

The net portfolio investment also increased by $340 million which also helped in restoring confidence of foreign investors.

Pakistani workers working and settled in a number of foreign countries around the world are also playing important role in the growth of national economic growth by sending their home remittances through proper and offi-

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

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cial channels. Their number is also increasing with the passage of time. During last fiscal year, 224,000 Pakistanis had gone abroad while this year, this number has already surged to 373.000.

Non-tax collection is expected to increase Rs400 billion to as much as Rs1.6 trillion during the current financial year by June 2020. The government had collected Rs406 billion during the period under review. Additionally, Rs338 billion are most likely to be collected from Telecommunication Sector, Rs200 billion from profit of the State Bank of Pakistan, Rs300 billion from the privatisation of two Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)-based power plants, Rs 120 billion from dividends and interest and Rs 250 billion from the Petroleum Development Levy.

All these indicators augur well. With the improved economic growth rate, the government will obviously be in a much better and comfortable position to take more measures and initiatives for the welfare and well-being of the people and elimination of unemployment and poverty to a great extent.

The improved economic situation of the country will also greatly help in bringing the prices of essential daily use articles down considerably and checking their price hike in line with the government’s commitment and determination to serve the people and improve their standard of living. This would also help in changing the mind-set of the people and working individually and collectively for putting the country on the path of progress, development and prosperity.

Muhammad Zahid Rifat can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

COMMENT 09 Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan.

E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Fake accounts case

The world under protest Protests are rocking governments in all continents Abdul RAsool syed

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he world is simmering with a spree of protests that have engulfed the world from Middle east to Asia and South America to the Caribbean. The Middle east has convulsed with so much dissent that some are calling it a second wave of the Arab Spring.

The reasons of these on-going protests are myriad. Most of these agitations have been triggered by socio-economic and political factors. On the top of these stimulants, inducing protests are economic disparities. According to Oxfam, the world’s 26 richest individuals own as much wealth as the poorest half of the global population. Billionaires grew their combined fortunes by $2.5bn a day in 2018, while the relative wealth of the world’s poorest 3.8 billion people declined by $500m a day. In addition, Jacquelien van Stekelenburg, a professor who studies social change and conflict at Vrije University in Amsterdam, says that the data shows that the amount of protests is increasing and is as high as the roaring 1960s, and has been since about 2009.

“Not all the protests are driven by economic complaints, but widening gulfs between the haves and have-nots are radicalising many young people in particular”.

Therefore, it can safely be deduced that income inequalities leading to ever widening gap between haves and have-nots is the prime reason behind most ongoing uprisings against different governments of the world. Apart from this, it is also a general perception that behind these demonstrations is an invisible hand– that is, of the IMF and World Bank, other landing institutions and those who pull their strings.

An analysis of the ongoing conflicts shows they have engendered an extremely precarious situation in most parts of the world.

In Lebanon, protest is represented by cross-section of society, spanning the religious and political divides that sparked 15 years of civil war in Lebanon starting in 1975.

Around 1.3 million people, or 20 per cent of the population, are thought to have attended the largest demonstration so far.

The government, an unsteady coalition, is divided and dysfunctional, unwilling or unable to invest in the country’s crumbling roads, upgrade its electricity grid (power cuts are still a daily problem), overhaul the waste collection system or address ballooning youth unemployment, among a litany of other issues.

One of the triggers for the latest protests was a 20-cent tax on WhatsApp calls that the government announced as part of a suite of austerity policies to bring the country’s extremely high public debt burden under control.

Under these unwarranted circumstances, Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Saad Al-harriri, had to resign saying that he had hit a “dead end” in trying to resolve the crisis.

In Chile, “Chile despertó!” (Chile

awoke!) is the main slogan chanted by as many as one million Chilean protesters that thronged the capital Santiago, from all backgrounds and cities. Initially, the demonstrators were led by young people including students from across the city, but eventually people belonging to all sections of society from all over the country joined in.

The Chilean protests started in mid-October, triggered by a hike in public transport fares, but later snowballed into riots, arson and looting which has resulted in heavy casualties so far.

In Catalonia, the reason for the protests is more political than anything else. There are two separate camps of people protesting in Catalonia — People angered over the conviction of several Catalan independence leaders, and those opposing Catalonia seceding from Spain.

The current protests were sparked over a Supreme Court ruling that gave nine leading separatist politicians and activists lengthy prison sentences, following an illegal and unsuccessful attempt to secede from Spain in 2017. More than 500 people have been hurt, nearly half of them police officers, in clashes since the October 14 verdict. hong Kong too is witnessing very strong protests. The people flooded to roads and streets against a proposed extradition bill that would allow suspects to be transferred to mainland China and tried there. That bill has been withdrawn and now protesters are demonstrating against alleged police brutality and against the government for its handling of the crisis. They also oppose growing Chinese influence over the city.

In Iraq, unemployed youth is at the core of the ongoing anti-government protests. The protests have rocked Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces, with protesters demanding reforms to fight corruption and unemployment, and calling for a total overhaul of the country’s political system.

Critics say one of the country’s biggest challenges is to calm the conflict before security in the region spirals out of control. experts are concerned that there is no clear alternative to the current political leadership in Iraq– if they stepped down, the vacuum could lead to an even worse situation. extinction Rebellion is also one of the most potent movements that have shaken most part of the world. It is a worldwide movement that describes its protests as non-violent civil disobedience. The protest movement, also known as XR, has members in over 60 cities worldwide; the protests are against inadequate

action on climate change.

Protests first began in April 2018 in London after a small group met in Bristol to discuss how to achieve what one early member called “radical social change”. It started as part of the Rising Up network, which describes itself as being born out of the Occupy movement, and includes among its aims, “a rapid change in wealth distribution and power structures”. The movement’s aim is to mobilise 3.5 per cent of the population, which it says is all that’s needed to achieve change.

Political analysts have started commenting on this ongoing wave of protests. Thierry de Montbrial, of the French Institute of International Relations, says: “The traditional system of enforcing power from top to bottom is increasingly being challenged, there is a social revolution with a growing demand for participatory democracy.”

Jacquelien Van Stekelenburg says, “It is also easier, in a digital, globalised world, to know how the other half (or the One Per cent) live. There are not just new streams of information, but streams of people.

Those youngsters in the Arab Spring in all likelihood knew at least one person living overseas, and it creates a kind of relative deprivation– ‘I want to have that too’.”

The proliferation of protests is no guarantee that things will change. “Staging [demonstrations] is no longer the difficult part,” says youssef Cherif, a political analyst and one of the authors of new Carnegie endowment research on the success of protest movements.

“The problem is what to do after the protests, how to make your point and achieve the goals you’re protesting for.”

Protests and revolutions are defined by idealised slogans, he says, but systematic change is harder work. “you can break off part of a system, but it’s very hard to break the whole structure, which is formed of institutions and networks that are difficult to break.”

“The leaderless nature of many of the protests makes them harder for authoritarian governments to quash, but it may also make the movements more difficult to sustain,” says Sanjoy Chakravorty, of Temple University.

“The movements that actually led to change or that were more sustained, they had a basis, a leadership structure, people articulating, organisation, going door-to-door to get people to show up to a rally,” he says. “The leadership question is central and that is the thing we haven’t figured out yet: how do we actually find leadership in these inchoate displays of anger…@

Protests and revolutions are defined by idealised slogans, he says, but systematic change is harder work

ThIS is reference to report that NAB has arrested key suspect Ijaz haroon, in fake accounts and money laundering case. Ijaz haroon was Chairman Overseas Cooperative housing Society, who has previously served as MD PIA from 2008 to 2010 and has a history of being involved in controversies, yet managed to get clearance for such executive assignments.

What were the qualifications of this controversial individual that he was allowed to become Chairman of Overseas Cooperative housing Society? Those responsible for appointing him to head national airline PIA, in spite of never having got education beyond school i.e., O-Level are as much responsible for irregularities committed and assets beyond means that he owns in Pakistan and UK etc. From his involvement in Kidney hill scam to investigation ordered by Ministry of Defence and conducted by Late AM Mushaf Ali Mir for gross financial misappropriation in recruitment of pilots, to allegations involving him in the case of smuggling rare artifacts abroad PIA cargo allegedly destined for Surrey Palace. All state institutions and agencies responsible for background checks need to be probed who gave his security clearance to become MD of PIA. The national airline, which was once a profitable stateowned enterprise has been driven to technical insolvency by appointment of cronies over the years by successive political and dictatorial governments. When the State chooses to overlook glaring conflicts of interest of individuals appointed to head key state-owned enterprises, then they share responsibility for losses incurred. A Catering company located in europe owned by family of Ijaz haroon was designated as sole vendor for all flights that transit or terminate in europe. No wonder PIA aircraft are searched for smuggling drugs at major airports.

GuLL ZaMan Peshawar

Curse of unemployment UNeMPLOyMeNT due grave economic recession and poor governance has caused frustration and anger among educated youth. Successive government policies, instead of addressing these issues have been captive to vested interests, rehiring retired civil or uniformed officers and judges making matters worse. Can anybody justify hiring retired paid state employees receiving pension and other benefits like allotment of real estate plots etc, including free medical coverage, on contract whilst more qualified and educated youth, with specialised professional qualifications and skills, remain unemployed.

This has contributed to brain drain, growing discontent and frustration. The acute economic crisis that Pakistan faces is testimony, if any is required, that unless state employs highly qualified individuals who have specialised in economics, technology, medicine and science this country will not recover from the mess. British Raj trained civil and unformed bureaucracy was to run an occupied country, for the sole benefit of hM government. In the UK, USA etc the state employs best qualified specialists at key assignments where policies are made, whilst civil service officers are confined to administrative posts only.

If Pakistan wants to develop, it must invest in development and optimum utilisation of talent to keep at pace with fast technological changes. Our Civil Service is outdated and not trained to serve people as public servants but have decadent mindset for which they were trained by the Raj to serve as agents of occupation forces. They continue to live on islands of prosperity in gated housing societies in palatial villas spread over acres, instead of modest houses at state expense, surrounded by a sea of people living in misery, denied even basic necessities like clean drinking water, with garbage dumps serving as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and an outdated sanitation system infected with polio virus, typhoid and blocked gutters. This is certainly not Jinnah’s Pakistan. aLi MaLik TaRiq Lahore

Ayub Park TODAy I visited Ayub Park in Rawalpindi after about 20 years and was very pleasantly surprised. I had expected things to be run down like most things that people complain about, but it was neat and clean; the staff was polite and respectful and knew what to do; the foliage looked well cared for. All in all, it was a very nice experience. The only thing maring the serenity of this lovely park was the constant noise from the highway. What I’ve noticed in other parts of the world with similar problems is that they build ramparts around the place where they wish to have some noise insulation. If one had a lot of money to spend, one could use industrially produced ramparts with special noise insulation properties. however I’ve seen quite a few places where the insulation is provided with a simple dirt wall, which works wonders. Considering that labour is cheap in Pakistan, I would think building a dirt hillock along the wall that borders the grand trunk road should be cheap and sufficient to provide the much-needed insulation. I’m sure better minds than mine can investigate the possibilities here, but not knowing who to mention this to, I thought I could write it in a letter to the editor, and hope that it reaches someone who has the will and the power to investigate what is possible.

OMER qadiR Rawalpindi

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

10 FOREIGN NEWS

Trump conducT worse Than nixon's, says democraTic impeachmenT head WASHINGTON

d In reversal, Seoul to keep Japan military intelligence pact SEOUL AGENCIES

In a major policy reversal, South Korea said Friday it has decided to continue, at least temporarily, a 2016 military intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan that it previously said it would terminate amid ongoing tensions over wartime history and trade. The announcement, made just six hours before the agreement was to expire, followed a strong U.S. push to save the pact, which has been a major symbol of the countries’ three-way security cooperation in the face of North Korea’s nuclear threat and China’s growing influence. The office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in said it decided to suspend the effect of the three months’ notice it gave in August to terminate the agreement after Tokyo agreed to reopen talks on settling their trade dispute. But Kim You-geun, deputy director of South Korea’s presidential national security office, said the move was based on the premise that South Korea could end the arrangement at any time, tying it to the outcome of future negotiations with Japan. Kim also said South Korea decided to halt a complaint it filed with the World Trade organization over Japan’s tightened controls on exports of key chemicals that South Korean companies use to make computer chips and displays. Japan’s trade ministry said it decided to resume discussions with South Korea on their dispute over the export controls after Seoul informed it of its plan to halt its WTo action. Yoichi Iida, a Japanese trade official, said Tokyo has no immediate plan to ease the controls. “Coordination and cooperation between Japan and South Korea, and trilateral cooperation among Japan, the U.S. and South Korea, are extremely important in our response to North Korea,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. “That’s the point we have made repeatedly. I believe South Korea made its decision from such a strategic perspective.” South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Seoul considered its relations and cooperation with the United States before deciding to extend the agreement with Japan. She said the decision “buys some more time” to settle the trade dispute. A senior South Korean presidential official, who refused to be named during a background briefing, said he expects the talks with Japanese officials to also include discussions on Tokyo’s decision to remove South Korea from a list of favored trading partners, which Seoul wants reversed. The military agreement is automatically extended every year unless either country notifies the other 90 days in advance of its intention to terminate it, a deadline that fell in August. Washington had no immediate reaction to Seoul’s announcement. Most South Korean analysts had anticipated that the Moon government would let the agreement expire, saying there was no clear way for Seoul to renew it without losing face. Some saw the Trump administration’s public demands for South Korea to reverse the key diplomatic decision as a profound lack of respect for an ally.

AGENCIES

oNAlD Trump’s conduct with Ukraine was far worse than the behavior that led to Richard Nixon’s downfall, the head of the congressional impeachment probe said Thursday as he summed up the case for the US president’s removal. lawmakers investigating whether Trump abused his office by bullying Ukraine into assisting his reelection efforts have spent three days hearing the most explosive witness testimony since the scandal broke. Democrats accuse Trump of demanding Ukraine’s assistance in a July 25 phone call and via a circle of accomplices, mainly senior figures in his administration.

He stalled almost $400 million in military aid and a White House visit for new Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, allegedly to coerce Kiev — which is at war with Russia — into helping. The plot would have worked, say Democrats, if not for a whistleblower whose complaint about the July call reached Congress on September 9, ensuring the aid was handed over two days later.

“What we’ve seen here is far more serious than a third-rate burglary of the Democratic headquarters,” said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, referring to the infamous 1972 Watergate break-in that Nixon ordered, eventually leading to his resignation.

STRONG EVIDENCE: Schiff spoke at the close of marathon testimony by nine witnesses over three days — on top of two days

of hearings last week — that produced an avalanche of corroboration for the allegations against Trump.

Democrats are expected to prepare formal articles accusing Trump of abusing his presidential powers, bribery and obstruction of justice. The investigation threatens to make him the third US president to be impeached, although the Republican-controlled Senate would need to convict him to remove him from office. In bombshell testimony

Wednesday, Washington’s envoy to the European Union testified that Trump tied the White House meeting to the investigation of Democratic 2020 frontrunner Joe Biden.

Ambassador Gordon Sondland told the panel Trump ordered him and other diplomats to answer to the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, a private citizen with no public office, on Ukraine policy.

UKRAINE ‘FICTIONS’: on Thursday a former top White House Russia expert pub-

licly rejected a Kremlin conspiracy theory pushed by Trump and his Republican allies that Ukraine helped the Democrats in the 2016 election.

The supposed plot, which Trump also asked Zelensky to investigate, was designed to stir havoc in US politics, said Fiona Hill, a senior official on Trump’s National Security Council until July.

“This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves,” she told lawmakers.

“These fictions are harmful even if they are deployed for purely domestic political purposes.”

‘SICK HATRED’: Trump backers in Congress and the media have increasingly struggled to defend the president, mostly complaining about the process and impugning the motives of a roll call of nonpartisan witnesses rather than offering evidence to counter the accusations against him.

“What is happening is not good for our culture, not good for our nation, and yet the Democrats do not care,” said Republican Representative Jim Jordan.

“The facts are on the president’s side.

The truth is on the president’s side.”

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley in a statement urged Democrats to drop the probe while saying “President Trump wants to have a trial in the Senate because it’s clearly the only chamber where he can expect fairness and receive due process under the Constitution.”

Man found guilty of murdering British tourist in New Zealand WELLINGTON AGENCIES

A New Zealand jury on Friday found a man guilty of murder in the death of 22-year-old British backpacker Grace Millane.

Millane died last December on her birthday after meeting the man through the dating app Tinder, going out for drinks with him, and then returning to his hotel apartment in central Auckland.

Prosecutors said the man strangled Millane to death. Defense lawyers claimed the death was accidental after the pair engaged in consensual erotic choking that went too far.

But the jury didn’t buy the de-

fense. After the three-week trial, they deliberated for about five hours on Friday afternoon before returning the guilty verdict.

The name of the 27-year-old man is being kept secret for now by court order, a restriction that is sometimes imposed in the New Zealand judicial system. The man will likely face a mandatory life sentence, which comes with a minimum 10-year non-parole period. He is due to be sentenced Feb. 21. After the trial, Millane’s parents Gillian and David tearfully told media the verdict was welcomed by friends and family alike.

“It will not reduce the pain and suffering we have had to endure over the past year,” David

Millane said. “Grace was taken in the most brutal fashion a year ago and our lives have been ripped apart.” He said that “Grace was our sunshine and she will be missed forever.”

Millane had been traveling through New Zealand as part of a planned yearlong trip abroad after graduating from university.

After the man killed Millane, he stuffed her body into a suitcase, drove to the Waitakere Ranges forest and buried her in a shallow grave, where police found her body a week later.

Her death shocked many in New Zealand, which prides itself on welcoming tourists and where many people travel

abroad as well. Hundreds of people attended candlelight vigils after she died, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke about New Zealanders feeling “hurt and shame” that she was killed in their country.

Tourism is also one of New Zealand’s largest industries, accounting for more than 20% of foreign exchange earnings and about 6% of the overall economy.

The case has been closely followed in Britain as well. Among the key pieces of evidence for prosecutors was testimony from pathologists about the length of time, about five to 10 minutes, and amount of force it would take to kill somebody by strangling them.

France grapples with high domestic violence rate LES MUREAUX AGENCIES

Sylvia. Dalila. Aminata. Céline. Julie.

Their names are plastered on buildings and headlines across France, calling attention to their shared fate: Each was killed, allegedly by a current or former partner this year.

More than 130 women have died from domestic violence this year alone in France, according to activists who track the deaths.

European Union studies show France has a higher rate of domestic violence than most of its European peers. And frustrated activists have drawn national attention to a problem President Emmanuel Macron has called “France’s shame.”

Under cover of night, activists have glued posters with the names of the dead and calls to action to French city walls.

“Complaints ignored, women killed,”

read the black block letters on one such sign. By the hundreds, women have walked silently through city streets after each new death.

Two years after Macron made a campaign pledge to tackle the problem, the government has begun to act.

A Justice Ministry report released earlier this month acknowledged authorities’ systematic failure to intervene to prevent domestic violence murders. on Monday, the government will announce measures that are expected to include seizing firearms from people suspected of domestic violence, prioritizing police training and formally recognizing “psychological violence” as a form of domestic violence.

Women are not the only victims of domestic violence, but French officials say they make up the vast majority. lawyers and victims’ advocates say women are too often disbelieved or turned away by law enforcement. But

they’re encouraged by the new national conversation, which they say marks a departure from decades of denial.

“In France, we always have the impression that we are perfect,” feminist activist Caroline de Haas told The Associated Press.

A 2014 EU survey of 42,000 women across all 28 member states found that 26% of French women respondents said they been abused by a partner since age 15, either physically or sexually. That’s below the global average of 30%, according to UN Women. But it’s 4 percentage points above the EU average and the sixth highest among EU countries.

Half that number reported experiencing such abuse in Spain, which implemented a series of legal and educational measures in 2004 that slashed its domestic violence rates.

Conversations about domestic violence have also ratcheted up in neighbor-

ing Germany, where activists are demanding the term “femicide” be used to describe such killings.

In France, victims and advocates

say government action is overdue — and that more training is needed for police who are often ill-prepared to protect women in danger.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

BUSINESS 11

SBP KEEPS Policy ratE unchangEd at 13.25Pc

CORPORATE CORNER

KARACHI KARACHI: Interactive Research & Development (IRD) Pakistan hosted 10,000 adolescent girls from 58 schools at the second Kiran Sitara Event - Ab Meri Bari Hai! (Now, It’s My Turn!) in collaboration with the Sindh government and Indus Health Network. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was also present on the occasion. press release

ISLAMABAD: Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited Govt Affairs Manager Rashid Rahim receives an award from Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari. p r e s s r e l e a s e

ISLAMABAD: Edotco Pakistan Managing Director Arif Hussain and Special Communications Organization (SCO) Deputy Director General Khalid Hassan Butt sign an agreement for development of telecom infrastructure in AJK and GB. press release

KARACHI: Bahria Adventureland, Pakistan’s first international Standard theme park, has been receiving an overwhelming response from the public. press release

MeIrYUM alI

t

HE State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has decided to maintain the policy rate at 13.25pc for the next two months. In a statement issued on Friday, the SBP's Monetary Policy Committee stated the monetary policy stance was appropriate in order to control inflation, which had remained high in the first four months (Jul-Oct) of the current fiscal year (FY20).

Inflation was recorded at 11.04pc in October 2019 compared to 11.4pc in September.

The SBP has also projected average inflation for FY20 to remain broadly unchanged at 11-12pc.

"Recent developments have had offsetting implications for the inflation outlook," the statement said. "Inflation outturns have been on the higher side primarily because of an increase in food prices, which are expected to be temporary."

As per the statement, the current stance of monetary policy and real interest rates were appropriate to bring inflation down to the target range of 5 – 7pc over the next 24 months.

The statement, however, did note that market sentiments have begun to gradually improve on the back of sustained improvements in the current account and continued fiscal prudence.

In reaching this decision, the MPC considered key economic developments since the last meeting, in the real, external and fiscal sectors.

The MPC said despite the recent rise in food prices, the inflation outlook would improve. It pointed to the fact that the current account balance recorded a surplus in October 2019 after a gap of four years, and that the government's primary balance is estimated to record a surplus in the first quarter of FY20.

"In light of the temporary nature of these [food price] increases, continued softness in domestic demand, and recent appreciation of the currency on the back of improving market sentiment, the MPC is of the view that inflationary pressures are expected to recede in the second half of the fiscal year," the committee added.

Reviewing the real sector, the MPC said the export-oriented and import-competing sectors were strengthening, while inward-oriented sectors continue to experience a slowdown in activity.

The SBP kept its projection for GDP growth for FY20 unchanged at around 3.5pc.

On the external front, the MPC noted that the current account deficit had contracted by 73.5pc to $1.5 billion. "Most of this improvement is due to a reduction in imports, a modest growth in exports and steady workers' remittances."

The statement also pointed to the rupee ap-

CPEC to focus on welfare of masses: Asad Umar BUSINESS DESK Planning Minister Asad Umar has said that ongoing phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring about socio-economic benefits for the welfare of the people, noting that the bilateral framework agreements have now entered the second phase with a focus on poverty alleviation, agriculture and industrial cooperation.

The minister was talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing in Islam-

abad on Friday. Both dignitaries discussed future projects which would be included under CPEC. Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing congratulated the minister on assuming the office of the planning minister. He expressed satisfaction over the progress of CPEC, saying that the pace of the CPEC projects has accelerated after the incumbent government came into power and hoped that bilateral partnership between the two friendly countries would further strengthen in the future.

PayPal not ready to introduce services in Pakistan LAHORE: Zameen.com Director Shujahullah Khan briefs the audience during an event titled ‘Plot Finder’. press release

KARACHI: Indus Motor Company (IMC) celebrated its 30th anniversary at an impressive ceremony which was held at the company’s Toyota plant in Port Qasim Industrial Area. press r e l e a s e

BUSINESS DESK: A delegation from the Ministry of Information Technology visited the United States last month to convince international online payment company, PayPal, to bring its business to Pakistan, a private media outlet reported. The company officials told the delegation that Pakistan was not included in PayPal’s three-year roadmap, as it does not offer business opportunities that could attract the firm. Sabahat Ali Shah, a senior official of the National Institute of Technology Board, said that the ministry was hoping to bring the service to Pakistan in order to facilitate those citizens who earn from abroad and find it difficult to transfer their money. However, he added, PayPal reviews its roadmap every year and there is still a possibility of it entering the Pakistani market in the future. In February, former finance minister Asad Umar had announced that the government was committed to bringing PayPal to Pakistan. PayPal allows people in over 200 countries to send and receive money and acts as an international bank account.

Big industry contracts 5.9pc in 3MFY20 ISLAMABAD GHUlaM aBBas

Despite positive economic indicators like reduction in current account deficit and jump in the stock exchange, the fall in Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) remains the major concern for the country.

The overall output of the LSM Index decreased by 5.91pc during the first quarter (July-Sept) of FY20, as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year.

However, the LSMI witnessed an increase of 1.92pc during the month of September 2019 as compared to August 2019.

On a year-on-year basis, the LSMI

shrank by 5.63pc in Sept 2019 as compared to Sept 2018.

The decrease in LSM was mainly led by a 24.61pc dip in electronic products, followed by 8.3pc in chemicals, 6.19pc in petroleum products and 0.83pc in iron and steel products, respectively.

The production data of 11 items under the Oil Companies Advisory Committee registered a decrease of 0.51pc, whereas 36 items under the Ministry of Industries and Production shrank by 3.48pc, while 65 items under Provincial Bureaus of Statistics fell by 1.63pc.

The lacklustre performance of the industrial sector reflects the overall economic slowdown across various sectors

in the ongoing fiscal year.

LSM constitutes 80pc of manufacturing and 10.7pc of the overall GDP. In comparison, small-scale manufacturing accounts for just 1.8pc of GDP and 13.7pc of manufacturing.

Various factors that led to a slowdown including lower Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) expenditures compared to last year, deceleration in the private construction activities and consumer spending on durable goods.

Automobile prices witnessed multiple upward revisions due to currency depreciation, which kept the potential buyers at bay. On a yearly basis, the auto sector reg-

preciating 5.6pc since June 2019, and that since the beginning of the fiscal year, gross reserves have risen by $1.16 billion (as on November 15).

The news of the policy rate is in line with market expectations, as almost all major investment banks predicted that the policy rate would remain unchanged at 13.25pc.

In a survey about policy rate expectations compiled by Intermarket Securities, 27 out of 28 research houses predicted that the SBP would maintain the status quo on the policy rate. Only one - BMA Capital - predicted the SBP would cut the policy rate by 50bps to 12.75pc.

Earlier this week, SBP Governor Reza Baqir had hinted at status quo in interest rate.

In addition, the auction of treasury bills on Wednesday saw yields remain close to the policy rate of 13.25pc, which dashed hopes for any reduction in the key policy rate.

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

The central bank kept the policy rate unchanged in its review on September 16.

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

MARKET DAILY

Bulls stage comeback as KSE-100 gains 824 points KARACHI sTaFF repOrT

Bulls staged a comeback at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday, as the indices recovered the losses made in the previous session. Foreign investors bought shares worth $1.81 million on Thursday. On the economic front, the State Bank of Pakistan kept the interest rates unchanged at 13.25pc for the next two months.

The decision, which was in line with market expectations, was taken to control inflation, which had remained high in the first four months (Jul-Oct) of the current fiscal year (FY20). Meanwhile, Pakistan’s liquid foreign exchange reserves decline by $40 million to $15,462 million as on Nov 15. The KSE-100 Index touched its intraday high at 37,948.37 after gaining 847 points. It settled higher by 824.48 points at 37,925.79. The KMI-30 Index accumulated 1,540.45 points to settle at 61,513.51, while the KSE All Share Index gained 488.55 points, closing at 26,858.99. The overall trading volumes were recorded at 243.04 million. TRG Pakistan Limited (TRG +0.46pc), Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL +4.91pc) and The Bank of Punjab (BOP +6.30pc) remained the volume leaders for the day. The scripts had exchanged 24.47 million, 20.63 million and 15.42 million shares, respectively.

Sectors that helped the KSE-100 Index accumulate gains included banking (+202.97 points), fertiliser (+134.35 points) and oil and gas exploration (+129.51 points). Among the companies, Engro Corporation Limited (ENGRO +56.68 points), Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC +54.35 points) and Habib Bank Limited (HBL 50.45 points) contributed maximum points to the index. The cement sector added +3.74pc to its cumulative market capitalization. Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK +4.27pc), D G Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC +4.70pc) and Bestway Cement Limited (BWCL +2.07pc) all closed with decent gains.

Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIAA 1.05pc) declared its financial performance for year ending 31st December 2018. The company’s revenue was up by 14.28pc.

However, it reported a net loss of Rs67.33 billion for FY18 as compared to Rs-51.01 billion in FY17.

istered sales decline in almost all variants.

The production of tractor dipped by 20.32pc, trucks 64.75pc, buses 52.70pc, jeeps and cars 92.98p, LCVs 25.37pc and motorcycles 25.69pc.

The pharmaceutical sector also suffered due to a considerable lag in regulatory adjustments in prices, which in addition to the weakening of local currency added to the distress of an importdependent sector. As a result, the production of syrups declined by 20.21pc, tablets 0.48pc, and injections 6.15pc. However, the production of capsules increased 3.6pc during Sept 2019.

Similarly, lower sugarcane production and carry forward from last year’s inventories further dampened the prospects of the sugar industry. In the non-metallic mineral products, cement production was up by 5.28pc in September. The revival in cement production showed more de-

mands as construction activities were picking up momentum in the country.

Moreover, the production of cooking oil and tea blended fell by 0.40pc and 14.37pc, respectively. However, vegetable ghee production increased by 0.97pc YoY in September FY19.

The sector that showed an increase during the period from July-September FY20 included textile by 0.17pc, fertilizers 15.94pc, leather products 4.24pc, electronics 5.51pc engineering products 12.54pc and rubber products 2.29pc, respectively.

Meanwhile, food, beverages and tobacco decreased 8pc, coke and petroleum products 14.48pc, pharmaceutical products 11.95pc, chemicals 8.93pc, nonmetallic mineral products 0.96pc, automobiles 34.13pc, iron and steel production 17.04pc, paper and board 2.01pc and wood products 28.76pc.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

12 BUSINESS

govt launchES aEo ProgrammE to FacilitatE BuSinESS community ISLAMABAD

‘Furniture city to be set up near chiniot’ LAHORE INp

Punjab Industries & Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that a furniture city would be established on 200 acres of land near Chiniot, adding that the initiative would create more than 50,000 job opportunities, besides stabilising the furniture industry. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the ‘11th Interior Expo’ at the Expo Centre on Friday, Aslam Iqbal said that the furniture manufacturers would be given plots on subsidised rates to set up furniture manufacturing units in this city. “Furniture export is among our top agendas and the government will provide all possible support in this regard,” he said. He encouraged the furniture manufacturers to come up with new proposals that could help the government enhance the volume of furniture export. Answering the media questions, the provincial minister said that some changes may occur in the federal cabinet but “no such thing would happen in the provincial cabinet”. He claimed that the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) government has taken solid steps to provide relief to the masses, adding that all price control magistrates in the province were working efficiently, imposing Rs380 fines on illegal profiteers. Later, the provincial minister also inaugurated ‘Print Park 2019’ exhibition where he visited various stalls.

Bitcoin plummets to six-month low on china crackdown LONDON aGeNCIes

Bitcoin slumped to a six-month low on Friday after China’s central bank launched a fresh crackdown on cryptocurrencies, warning of the risks entailed in issuing or trading them. Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, fell 9pc to $6,929, its lowest since May, and was last down 7pc at $7,107. The People’s Bank of China’s Shanghai headquarters said it would tackle growing cases of illegality involving virtual currencies. It also cautioned investors not to confuse crypto with blockchain technology, the digital ledger that underpins many cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.

The move came a day after regulators in Shenzhen launched a similar campaign, and came as the PBOC prepares to launch its own digital currency. Chinese President Xi Jinping said last month that the world’s second-biggest economy should accelerate the development of blockchain technology. Bitcoin, known for its wild price swings, soared over 40pc in two days after Xi’s remarks, with investors betting that Beijing’s backing of blockchain and plans for a digital renminbi would accelerate the mainstream embrace of cryptocurrencies. But since late October bitcoin has slumped by nearly a third. Jamie Farquhar, portfolio manager at London-based crypto firm NKB Group, said the PBOC statement crystallized a growing sense among crypto investors that China’s embrace of blockchain would be unlikely to include cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. “It’s the realization that the positivity over Xi’s blockchain announcement was exaggerated,” he said. “It may not include bitcoin at this point.”

t

sTaFF repOrT

HE federal government has launched the first trade facilitation programme of its kind under the name and banner of "Authorised Economic Operators" (AEO).

The programme has been chalked out in line with best international practices and in accordance with WCO security standards.

Under the said programme, the government would certify trustworthy business entities which could demonstrate that they are credible, secure and have a clean history of compliance with national laws and, in return, a policy of maximum facilitation would be adopted by all

government departments toward such trusted entities so that they could concentrate on the growth of their businesses.

To highlight the spirit of AEO Programme, Federal Board of Revenue chairman convened a meeting of all government departments and border agencies who were taken on board on the said programme.

FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi informed the participants that the AEO Programme was a great step towards traders' facilitation and ease of doing business as "redtapism" of government departments would be replaced with "red carpet" for trustworthy business entities.

"The programme will provide an enabling environment for the business community to achieve their

maximum potential."

Customs Member (Policy) Muhammad Javed Ghani requested the participants from all government departments to come forward for feedback to chalk out an attractive AEO Program that could meet maximum aspirations of the trade and industry.

The representatives from government departments i.e., Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AntiNarcotics Force (ANF), Engineering Development Board (EDB), Ministry of Industries, Home Department Sind & KP, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Pakistan Quality Standards & Quality Certification Authority (PSQCA), Climate Change and PEMRA appreciated the AEO ini-

DISCOs caused Rs78bn losses in FY19 ISLAMABAD aHMaD aHMaDaNI

Power distributing companies (DISCOs) have caused around Rs78,418 million worth heavy loss to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), as approximately 4,975 units of electricity were wasted in 2018-19.

As per details, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) had purchased 14,427 units of electricity while it sold 9.074 units to its consumers, registering a loss of 5,354 units (37pc), as against NEPRA's target of technical loss of 20.95pc for 2018-19.

Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) purchased 24,338 units of electricity in 2018-19 while it

sold 21,132 units to its consumers, registering a loss of 3,206 units (13.2pc). Gujranwala Electric Supply Company (GEPCO) purchased 11,100 units while it sold 10,004 units to its consumers, a loss of 1,096 units (9.9pc).

Similarly, Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) purchased 14,970 units while it sold 13,500 units, recording a loss of 1,470 units (9.8pc); Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) purchased 11,838 units and sold 10,789 units, recording a loss of 1,049 unit (8.9pc); Multan Electric Supply Company (MEPCO) purchased 19,367 units and sold 16,310 units, a loss of 3,057 unit (15.8pc); Tribal Areas Electricity Supply Company (TESCO) purchased 1,820.73 units and

sold 1,603 units, posting a loss of 218 units (12pc); Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (HESCO) purchased 5,557 units of electricity and sold 3,916 units (29.5pc losses); Sukkur Electricity Supply Company (SEPCO) purchased 4,412 units and sold 2,781 units (37pc losses) and Quetta Electricity Supply Company (QESCO) purchased 6.257 units while sold 4,779 units to its consumers, recording a loss of 1,476 units (23.6pc).

It is relevant to note that NEPRA had targeted the technical losses for LESCO at 11.76pc, GEPCO 10.03pc, FESCO 10.24pc, IESCO 8.65pc, MEPCO 15pc, PESCO 20.95pc, TESCO 12.47pc, HESCO 17.09pc, SEPCO 16.75pc, and QESCO 15pc.

Futuristic design questioned after Tesla Cybertruck launch DETROIT/TOKYO: Tesla Inc's launch of its futuristic Cybertruck pickup suffered a setback when its “armoured glass” windows shattered, but it was the overall look of the car that worried Wall Street on Friday, and the company’s shares fell more than 6pc. In the much-anticipated unveiling to cheering fans late on Thursday, Tesla boss Elon Musk had taken aim at the design, power and durability of mainstream trucks, only to be shaken when his boast about his new vehicle’s windows backfired.

“Oh my God, well, maybe that was a little too hard,” Musk said, when his head of

design, Franz von Holzhausen, cracked the driver’s side window with a metal ball in a series of tests for the crowd at the event in Los Angeles. He allowed von Holzhausen another throw to the rear passenger window, only to see that crack as well. “It didn’t go through, so that’s a plus side,” Musk said, adding: “Room for improvement.”

Musk singled out the Ford F-150, the top-selling vehicle in the United States, to highlight the capabilities of the Cybertruck, showing an edited video of the two trucks in a back-to-back “tug-of-war” in which the Tesla truck wins. aGeNCIes

tiative and agreed that it was the first initiative of its kind which aims at recognition of trusted business partners at government level and entails benefits from all government departments.

Such a unique initiative, the participants said, has great potential to boost businesses which were the backbone of the national economy.

The FBR chairman briefed the participants that initially, the AEO Programme would be implemented on export stage that would not only boost national exports but would also play a vital role in job creation. Subsequently, the ambit of AEO Program would be extended to other sectors of the economy for maximum facilitation of businesses, he added.

oil holds near twomonth high on oPEc+ extension expectations LONDON aGeNCIes

Oil prices held near two-month highs on Friday and were set for a third consecutive week of gains, boosted by expectations of an extension to OPEC+ production cuts although doubts over US and China trade talks capped gains. Brent crude futures dropped $0.06 to $63.91 a barrel by 0908 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $0.21 to $58.37 per barrel. Prices touched their highest since late September on Thursday after Reuters reported that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia are likely to extend existing production cuts by another three months to mid-2020 when they meet on December 5 and 6. The group will also emphasise the need for stricter compliance with the cuts from members like Iraq and Nigeria. “A disciplined approach from Iraq and Nigeria should shave off another 300-400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the group’s production level leading to a balanced market in the first half of 2020 and to a possible supply deficit in the second half of 2020,” oil brokerage PVM said. The current agreement is for a production cut of 1.2 million bpd until the end of March. Uncertainty over whether the United States and China will be able to reach a partial trade deal that would lift some pressure on the global economy kept a lid on prices. China has invited top US trade negotiators for a new round of face-to-face talks in Beijing as efforts continue to strike at least a limited deal, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday citing unidentified sources.

“The key factor for the demand outlook for oil is the trade negotiations currently going on,” said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets and Stockbroking in Sydney. “With oil near the top of recent trading ranges, it’s no surprise to see a bit of selling pressure during the session today.” China’s commerce ministry on Thursday said that it will strive to reach an initial agreement with the United States to end the longrunning trade war but the completion of a so-called phase one deal could slide into next year.

Power Division refutes Sindh govt's allegations on ARE Policy ISLAMABAD sTaFF repOrT

The Power Division has categorically refuted the Sindh energy minister's statements in which he alleged that the draft Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy (ARE Policy) 2019 was formulated "without consultation of Sindh".

In response to the Sindh minister, the Power Division stated that all provinces, including Sindh, were not only consulted at every step during the formulation of this policy, but it was also ensured that the role of all provinces in future approvals and implementation of renewable energy projects was prominent and pivotal.

The Power Division spokesperson, while providing the background of the process of the ARE Policy 2019 formulation, said that the government was emphasizing on the utilization of indigenous

'CONSULTATION ON THE DRAFT ARE POLICY WAS DONE WITH ALL RELEVANT PUBLIC SECTOR ENTITIES, PROVINCIAL ENERGY DEPARTMENTS, MAJOR MULTILATERALS AND DFIS' and environmentally clean energy generation resources.

"Development of alternative and renewable energy technologies is now among the top priorities of the government. Consequent to expiry of RE Policy 2006 in March, 2018, AEDB initiated the formulation of a new Alternative & Renewable Energy Policy (ARE Policy 2019) in view of government’s decision to come up with a policy aimed at creating a conducive environment supported by a robust framework for the sustainable growth of ARE Sector in Pakistan.

"The government has targeted

achieving 20pc capacity from ARE technologies by 2025 and 30pc capacity by 2030," he said.

"The first draft of the ARE Policy 2019 was circulated among relevant stakeholders by the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on 12th April 2019 for views/comments. AEDB also carried out a two-day consultative stakeholder workshop on the draft ARE Policy 2019 on 2223 August 2019 in Islamabad.

Consultation on the draft ARE Policy 2019 was done with all relevant public sector entities, provincial energy departments, all major multilateral and DFIs

(World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID, KfW, IFC, UNIDO, GIZ), major trade associations in the solar, wind and biomass business, academia, well known professionals like law firms, bankers and advisors in power sector," he maintained.

The spokesperson said that the draft ARE Policy 2019 was revised on the basis of inputs and suggestions received from the stakeholders and was placed before the AEDB Board in its 45th Board Meeting held on 13th September 2019 for approval.

It is worth mentioning that the AEDB Board included representation of all four provinces as board members.

"Based on the detailed deliberations on the draft policy held during the 45th AEDB Board meeting held on 13th September 2019 and the request of the members, the board agreed to provide additional two weeks for further review

of the draft policy by the members and submission of suggestions/recommendations aimed towards improving the policy framework as envisaged in the draft placed before the board. Certain queries/clarifications sought by the Sindh Energy Department were also responded to by AEDB. "The draft ARE policy 2019 along with the comments/recommendations received from the board members including all provincial governments were again placed before the AEDB Board in its 46th AEDB Board meeting held on 10th October 2019. The AEDB Board approved the draft ARE Policy 2019 with the incorporation of majority of the recommendations suggested by the board members specifically by Sindh and Punjab. The minutes were subsequently confirmed in AEDB Board meeting held on October 31st, 2019," the spokesman stated.

Rani Emaan has always been a name of antiquity and regalia We got a chance to have a short conversation with one of the pioneering founders of “Rani Emaan”; Farzeen Irtizaz and it was great catching up on celestial fusion of old time charm and contemporary silhouettes. Such profound fashion designers know how to keep the sassy oomph of tradition while translating into modern day tale. This is what she had to share.

1

Considering there are two founders of the brand, how did “Rani Emaan” come into existence?

My childhood friend & copartner Deeba Haider first pitched in the idea to name the brand after our first borns, my daughter “Emaan” and “Raniya” shortened to “Rani” being Deeba’s, put together, we thought it’d be a first of its kind.

2 3

What is your personal style statement in wedding\formal wear?

I’d say, a modest sense of styling and trying to be elegant while doing so, whatever the occasion may be!

Who handles what out of both?

I handle the design & production end locally since I’m based here , where as Deeba handles all the foreign clientele since she’s based in the states .

4

If there is any conflict in designing or executing how do you deal with this?

Oh never! It’s unusual in business but we never have conflicts since our job description is pre- set and pre-decided. I do not interfere in her department and she doesn’t speak in my domain since we respect & trust each other’s decisions in the respective departments which is why we’ve been successful business partners for 12 years now.

By Rohama Riaz

5

What do you think is lacking in today’s fashion industry?

Fashion industry is evolving quickly especially with technological innovations but the direction may be questionable . I think we still miss the awareness about what actually fashion is and it’s impact on the environment. Also, I think the industry lacks a variety of options for the plus size women since most apparel comes in small or medium sized clothing which needs to be focused on.

6

Do you like the idea of showstopping with an actor\actress rather than a renowned model?

Honestly, it can’t be generalised, every brand has a unique aesthetic & if it goes well with a specific brand image then I’d say go for it!

7 8 9

How do you think bridal trends have changed over time?

Over the last few years, we’ve seen an inclination towards old school cuts coming back into fashion.

In Winter wedding, what will be your hot favorite Barat color?

My favourite is Scarlet red & Gold since it’s our signature winning colour combination!

Have you ever sensed any kind of monopoly in the fashion industry?

I think every industry has monopolistic competition irrespective of the industry be it telecommunications & not just fashion apparel since every one wants to be the best in the business which can be unfair at times but this is business! It’s a fight of the fittest!

10 11

Any budding designer that you praise a lot?

Menahel & Mehreen are doing a good job among so many others.

The most expensive coin in the world was sold for more than $7 million: The 1933 Double Eagle was a $20 U.S. coin made of gold that never went into circulation. A few of the coins were made, but most were destroyed—save for nine that were presumed stolen by U.S. mint workers.

The world's largest man-made oyster reef was created in Maryland: Due to overfishing and disease, the oyster population in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay was seriously suffering. But thanks to dedicated work by scientists at the Horn Point Laboratory, the Army Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Nature Conservancy, the state is now the location of the world's largest man-made oyster reef.

What are your next plans?

We’re introducing a menswear line soon for the year 2020 along with an exciting new luxury wear line! So stay tuned!

HOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

A record-breaking 92 countries competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics: Every four years, the Olympic games bring together the most competitive athletes from around the world. And when the PyeongChang Winter Games were held in 2018, 2,952 athletes were expected to show up from a total of 92 countries.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Ending Leaks: 'Worse Than Thought' Potential massive spoilers have landed online for Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker which offers the movie may be worse than previously thought. The Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker spoilers follow the recent rumors of test screenings with George Lucas said to have attempted his own cut of the film to fix things.

This new information is said to be from the latest cut of the flick, which apparently does not incorporate the George Lucas cut -- if that even exists.

Rey arrives on the planet Exogol where The Emperor (Sheev) is attached to his life support chair.

Sheev talks to Rey, citing the same speech he used when talking to Luke in Return of the Jedi.

The Emperor tells Rey that she is his granddaughter, but doesn't go into who her parents are (my note: In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, J.J. Abrams hinted there is a reason why Rey can learn things quicker than Luke Skywalker).

Rey asks Sheev how he is still alive as Darth Vader killed him 31 years ago (in Return of the Jedi).

'Release The Snyder Cut' Coming To HBO Max Fatima Sana Shaikh says after Dangal and Thugs of Hindostan, doing Anurag The "Release The Snyder Cut" campaign looks to have been a success as it is being reported that the Zack Snyder version of Basu’s next ‘was a breeze’ Justice League will be released on WarnerMedia's new HBO Max streaming service that launches next May. While an official announcement hasn't been made, numerous sources are offering that "Release The Snyder Cut" is happening on HBO Max. Further evidence it's happening also comes from the fact that the Justice League actors, including Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher and Joe Manganiello, in addition to Zack Snyder and members of his production crew, promoted #ReleaseTheSnyderCut on social media, which appears to have been a planned marketing campaign in conjunction with the two year anniversary of the theatrical release of Justice League.

New images have been released from the Snyder cut of Justice League, with Jason Momoa also confirming that Zack Snyder finished his version of the film.

The Lords of the Long Box YouTube channel also offers that "Release The Snyder Cut" will get an HBO Max release.

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Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh hit the limelight with Dangal, playing a wrestler from rural India. Then came Thugs of Hindostan, which tanked badly. Fatima remains nonchalant about it. In a new interview, she has spoken about winning awards for her action sequences in ‘Thugs...’ and her upcoming projects with Raj Kummar Rao and Saif Ali Khan.

Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, she said Thugs of Hindostan’s failure may have cost her a film, but won her awards for her action sequences. She said, “After collecting my award, I went to Jackie Chan’s room, where many top actors from the Chinese film industry were present. They immediately recognised me as the Dangal girl and were excited to meet me. It was surreal.”

Fatima will be seen in Anurag Basu’s next, a crime anthology of four stories, in which is she paired with Rajkummar Rao. “For the first time, I play a normal woman in a sari on screen.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

14 SPORTS

MouRinho RetuRnS to the fRAy AS MAn City fACe tough ChelSeA teSt LONDON

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AGENCIES

OSE Mourinho will inevitably be the centre of attention as he takes charge of Tottenham for the first time this weekend while Manchester City look to get their Premier League title challenge back on track against Chelsea.

The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has been charged with rescuing Spurs’ season after this week’s sacking of Mauricio Pochettino, with the club desperate to claw their way back into the top four.

At the top of the table, runaway leaders Liverpool have a winnablelooking fixture away to Crystal Palace but the chasing pack cannot afford to allow the gap to widen further. City, licking their wounds after their 3-1 defeat by Liverpool earlier this month, host Frank Lampard’s Chelsea, who are one point above them in the table, eight points behind Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Leicester, in second place, ahead of Chelsea on goal difference, travel to England’s south coast to take on Brighton.

AFP Sport picks out some of the talking points ahead of the weekend’s matches: THE MOURINHO FACTOR: Mourinho’s first match in charge of Tottenham will be away to West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday but he will not have the luxury of a honeymoon period. The Portuguese boss has a number of issues to sort out, including addressing the woeful away form — Spurs

have not won on the road in the Premier League since January.

Last season’s Champions League finalists have had a shocking start to the season, languishing in 14th place in the Premier League after just three wins in their opening 12 games. With their new stadium to pay for, Tottenham are reliant on Champions League revenue but the outlook is not bright.

No team with as low a tally as Spurs have after 12 games — 14 points — has ever gone on to record a top-four finish.

Mourinho, often labelled a cheque-book manager, has made the right noises so far, saying at his first press conference he will not demand millions to spend in the transfer market.

“I don’t need players, I am so happy with the players I have, I just need time to understand them better, to know everything about them,” he said. “My gift is this squad, the squad is very, very

good.”

LIvERpOOL’s MENTAL sTRENgTH: Over their past 38 league games, Liverpool have tallied 101 points and lost just once, overcoming champions Manchester City in their most recent outing.

Manager Klopp last season labelled his players “mentality monsters” and captain Jordan Henderson says that is a crucial factor in their success. “Our mentality is just as important as the technical ability of the team,” Henderson told the club’s website.

“I think everybody sees how talented the squad is, how many good players we’ve got in the team, but mentality is huge in football.”

LAMpARD RETURNs: Lampard, who spent a season playing for Manchester City after leaving Chelsea, takes his young side to the Etihad for his first visit as a manager. Pep Guardiola’s side host Chelsea in the unusual position of being fourth in the table, a point

and place below the visitors, who have had six successive league wins. Chelsea will also be eager to gain revenge for their 6-0 mauling

by City last season — their biggestever Premier League defeat.

LEICEsTER RIDINg HIgH: Former Leicester and Tottenham forward Gary Lineker believes Brendan Rodgers’ side are better than the team that lifted the Premier League title in 2016.

The club have already played all the members of the “Big Six” apart from Manchester City and sit in second spot in the Premier League with a winnable set of matches to come.

Academy graduate Harvey Barnes, who has played in 11 of Leicester’s 12 Premier League fixtures, said confidence was key.

“It’s a great place to be at the minute,” he told the club’s website.

“You can see the buzz around the club and as a player, being involved in it is great. “We’re going into most games at the minute thinking we’re going to win. It’s a great feeling to be as confident as we are as a team and as individuals as well.”

FIXTUREs (1500 gMT UNLEss sTATED): Saturday West Ham v Tottenham (1230), Bournemouth v Wolves, Arsenal v Southampton, Brighton v Leicester, Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Everton v Norwich, Watford v Burnley, Manchester City v Chelsea (1730) Sunday Sheffield United v Manchester United (1630) Monday Aston Villa v Newcastle (2000)

Canada reach Davis Cup semi-finals after ousting Australia MADRID AGENCIES

Canada became the first team to make the semifinals of the new Davis Cup as they clinched a tense and decisive doubles rubber to defeat Australia in Madrid.

Nick Kyrgios had declared Australia capable of winning the tournament earlier this week but he played no part against Canada, perhaps due to injury, and his country crashed out in the quarters. Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, ranked 150th in the world, was the star of the show as he beat John Millman 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 in the singles and then formed a winning team with Denis Shapovalov in the doubles, the pair beating Jordan Thompson and John Peers 6-4, 6-4.

In between, Alex de Minaur had given Aus-

tralia hope of a comeback as he battled from a set down to outlast Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

“We just went out there and from the first point, we were just going maximum intensity, energy, focus,” Pospisil said. “Denis and I played extremely well. I think we clicked perfectly.”

A first victory in 10 meetings with Australia means Canada will face either Serbia and Novak Djokovic or Russia in the last four on Saturday, for a place in Sunday’s final. “We’re just playing really well,” added Pospisil. “We’re in form.”

Serbia and Russia will face off on Friday morning before the other two last-eight ties featuring Great Britain against Germany and Spain versus Argentina. Britain rested Andy Murray and squeezed out of Group E earlier on Thursday after winning an all-or-nothing doubles rubber to beat Kazakhstan.

The British team knew defeat would ensure an early exit just as France, the tournament’s top seeds, had already crashed out a few hours before at the hands of Serbia and Djokovic.

It made the gamble to leave Murray out of the singles all the more bold, even if the Scot appears to be struggling for fitness after his lengthy duel with Holland’s Tallon Griekspoor on Wednesday. Instead, the three-time grand slam champion was cheering from the side as Kyle Edmund played brilliantly to see off Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 6-3 before Dan Evans was beaten 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 by Alexander Bublik to leave the tie in the balance. But Jamie Murray and his partner Neal Skupski, making his Davis Cup debut, held their nerve to prevail 6-1, 6-4 over Bublik and Kukushkin, who might have felt the strain after returning to the court following their singles.

Ronaldo ready to make amends as injury-hit Juve take on Atalanta in Serie A MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo conceded he is not ‘100 percent’ despite his goal spree for Portugal but always ready to play as injury-hit Juventus head to Atalanta on Saturday looking to extend their unbeaten run this season to stay top of Serie A. Juventus visit fifth-placed Atalanta before hosting Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next week. Maurizio Sarri’s side are just one point ahead of Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan after 12 matches, with Lazio and Cagliari eight points adrift of the leaders in joint third.

Atalanta have gone three league games without a win and will be eager to get back into the Champions League berths, as they sit two points off fourth place, before next week’s trip to Shakhtar Donetsk. Atalanta’s fortunes have slipped following the thigh injury suffered to Colombian star Duvan Zapata, who scored six goals in six Serie A matches before being sidelined for their last five league games. As Atalanta sweat on Zapata’s return, Juventus will be without full-back Alex Sandro, who picked up a thigh problem playing for Brazil, with Blaise Matuidi recovering from a rib injury.

Ronaldo had said he was not be at his best physical form, with Sarri saying the Portuguese star has a “little knee problem”. But the 34-year-old wants to make amends after storming off when he was substituted in Juventus’s last game against AC Milan. “In the last three weeks, I have played at a slightly reduced capacity,” Ronaldo conceded after his goal spree for Portugal. “I don’t like to be replaced, no one does,” added Ronaldo. “I tried to help Juve even when injured.” Full-back Danilo, who scored his first goal for Brazil during the international break, warned: “The games after the international break are never easy, let alone against Atalanta, a team who are doing well. “We can’t make mistakes or underestimate them.” Inter will be looking to make it a perfect seven league games on the road this season as they travel to Torino, before their European trip to Slavia Prague. Conte’s side face a tough task against the Andrea Belotti-powered Torino, who ended their six-match winless run against Brescia last time out, and are in 11th position. Serie A runners-up Napoli are in crisis, having slipped to seventh, and desperately need a result at 14thplaced AC Milan, who are themselves floundering. Cagliari and Lazio will look to continue their strong form at lowly Lecce and Sassuolo respectively. Roma have a chance to move into the Champions League places as the look to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Parma at home against tailenders Brescia.

ONE TO WATCH: Carlo Ancelotti’s Serie A runners-up last season head for AC Milan amid reports he has two games left to save his job. Napoli have gone four games without a win in Serie A to sit seventh. The southerners have 19 points — 13 behind leaders Juventus — their worst tally after 12 games since the 2011-2012 season when they finished fifth. After being held 1-1 by Salzburg in the Champions League, they travel to Liverpool next week in a key game for the former Chelsea, AC Milan and Real Madrid boss. AGENCIES

Mourinho to sign Ibrahimovic for Tottenham?

MILAN AGENCIES

Olivier Giroud isn’t happy with his bitpart role at Chelsea, where the emergence of Tammy Abraham as first-choice striker means the Frenchman has featured in just four Premier League matches this season. Crystal Palace, Internazionale, Borussia Dortmund and several top-flight French clubs are all believed to be interested in acquiring his services, but the 33-year-old’s demands for a two-year deal worth £14m in wages are reported to be a bit too saucy.

With his contract with Chelsea due to expire in June, Stamford Bridge beancounters are also planning to ask for a £5m transfer fee from any club that tries to sign their man in January. While their priority is to lure Giroud to Selhurst Park, Palace are also interested in bringing Celtic striker Odsonne Édouard or his Rangers counterpart Alfredo Morelos down the road from Glasgow to London.

Fed up with life at Arsenal where he remains a bit-part player, Lucas Torreira may cut his losses and agitate for a return to Italy from whence he came. British tabloid reports suggest both Milan are in-

terested in rescuing the former Sampdoria and Pescara player from his current Emirates purgatory.

Is José Mourinho plotting a move to bring Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Tottenham Hotspur? Yes he is, claims the Telegraph, although your humble Rumour Mill is tak-

ing the news with a shovel-full of salt. The 38-year-old has been strongly linked with Milan, but has an ardent admirer in Mourinho, who the broadsheet claims is “considering highjacking” any potential deal.

Out of contract with MLS side Chicago Fire and available on a free

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transfer at the end of December, Argentina midfielder Nicolás Gaitán has got antennae twitching at Sheffield United, Aston Villa and West Ham. The Guardian says “initial talks are understood to have taken place” between West Ham and the player’s agent, which is

good enough for us.

Nemanja Matic’s days at Manchester United look numbered, what with the midfielder having made just five appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjær so far this season. A firm favourite of José Mourinho’s, he has already been linked with a move to Tottenham, although Milan or Atlético Madrid look more likely destinations.

On loan at Italian side Parma from Atalanta, 19-year-old Swedish midfielder Dejan Kulusevski has addressed speculation linking him with Arsenal and Manchester United, fuelled by his contribution of five assists and one goal in 12 Serie A appearances this season. “‘I’m fine at Parma, I’m happy to be here, I’ve found the perfect club,” said the young whippersnapper. “The market? I’m playing well, so it’s normal to write about other clubs, but I don’t think about [a move] because I have an annual deal with Parma.”

And finally, expect no end of schoolboy sniggering from headline writers on newspaper sports desks the length and breadth of the UK if Leicester City are successful in their bid to sign 23-year-old centre-back Robin Koch from Freiberg.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

teen BlundeR CoStS PAkiStAn AS AuStRAliA'S wARneR CASheS in

SYDNEY

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AGENCIES

AKISTAN were left to rue a basic error from 16-year-old debutant Naseem Shah as Australia opener David Warner plundered the visitors’ attack with a brilliant 151 not out on the second day of the first Test at the Gabba on Friday.

Australia finished the day on 312 for the loss of just one wicket, 72 runs ahead of Pakistan’s first innings total of 240 and already in the driving seat.

Marnus Labuschagne was alongside Warner on 55, with the only wicket to fall that of Joe Burns, who made 97 before sweeping a Yasir Shah (1-101) delivery onto his stumps.

Warner scored his first Test century since a year-long ban for ball-tampering,

but only after a huge let-off when he was caught behind off a Naseem no-ball.

The mercurial opener was on 56 at the time, and he then survived a near runout on 93 before ending a century drought stretching back nearly two years.

The 33-year-old, who managed just 95 runs in 10 innings during this year’s Ashes series against England, reached his 22nd Test ton when he turned Yasir around the corner for a single in the second over after tea.

Before the Ashes, he spent a year in the wilderness over the ball-tampering scandal and there were questions as to whether his days as an automatic choice at the top of the order were over.

However, in home conditions and against an attack that struggled for sideways movement, Warner was in imperious form as he brought up his fourth Test

century at the Gabba. “For me it’s about going out there and backing my ability,” he said, insisting he never felt any pressure about his place in the side.

“At the end of the day you get selected or you don’t get selected and you’ve just got to accept that.”

In the second last over of the day, Warner had another close shave when he was beaten by an Imran Khan delivery that brushed the off stump without disturbing the bails. “Today I was on the receiving end of a bit of luck, which is what you need in a game — over there (in England) I didn’t get any luck at all,” he said. ‘sUpERsTAR’ NAsEEM: Naseem looked impressive on debut and regularly bowled at over 145 kilometres (90 miles) per hour, but he was guilty of overstepping the mark on a number of occasions, despite not being called by the umpire.

In the second over after lunch, he enticed an expansive drive from Warner, who nicked the ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.

But Warner had barely left the crease when he was called back after TV umpire Michael Gough picked up that Naseem had again misplaced his front foot.

Naseem looked like he belonged on the big stage with a number of bristling spells before leaving the field late in the day with an apparent leg injury.

“He won’t get a harder Test debut, bowling at the Gabba,” Warner said.

“He kept his speed up the whole day — he charged in all day, there’s a (future) superstar there.” The lack of movement meant Warner and Burns were able to play Naseem with relative ease, although he smashed Burns on the elbow two balls before the lunch break.

PCB Coo ReSignS AMid ‘dePARtMentAl tuSSle’ SPORTS DESK Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Operation Officer (COO) Subhan Ahmed tendered his resignation on Friday after 25 years of service. Reportedly, Ahmed had been unhappy with PCB officials over the decrease in his powers and there was also a tussle going on between him and PCB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wasim Khan which gave rise to speculations that Ahmed would be fired from his post. On November 19, a local news outlet reported that the differences between the two could not be resolved and Ahmed’s leave was extended for another week. The report further added that the daily affairs of the PCB had come to a standstill, with three top PCB officials not present at the headquarters. The report stated that PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani was on a private visit to England while Subhan was not coming to the office due to differences.

SPORTS 15 new teSt venue undeR SCRutiny AS williAMSon, niChollS fAll foul

LONDON: The manner of Kane Williamson’s dismissal and a blow to the head of Henry Nicholls put the maiden Test wicket at Mount Maunganui under scrutiny with three days to play in the first Test between New Zealand and England on Friday. In the first Test at the ground, the Bay Oval wicket showed signs of becoming unpredictable late on day two. Although honours appeared even after the first two days, England believe if the wicket continues to deteriorate then they are in the box seat. New Zealand go into day three on Saturday at 144 for four in reply to England’s first innings 353, but with senior batsmen Williamson and Ross Taylor already dismissed.

Williamson had cruised to 51, reaching his half-century with a boundary off Sam Curran, but fell on the next delivery which unexpectedly reared sharply, forcing the New Zealand skipper to take evasive action and the ball was gloved to second slip. The dismissal even took Curran by surprise, but he saw it as a good omen. “It probably took off a little bit more than the usual length but that’s a really good sign for us knowing we have runs on the board,” he said. “The wicket may start being a bit uneven and fingers crossed that suits us and there can be a few more (wickets) and it gets worse as the game goes on, because most likely we’ll be bowling last.” New Zealand’s senior bowler Tim Southee, who ignited the demise of the England middle and lower order when the pitch was playing true, said Williamson’s dismissal raised questions. “That’s the unknown about playing a first Test match on this ground. He was looking reasonably comfortable and he got one that reared off a length which can happen,” Southee said, wary of having to bat last. “If it does continue to deteriorate and we do start to see a bit more of it going up and down we’d like to get as many as we can in this innings.” sIgNINg AUTOgRApHs: Nicholls, who was not out 26 at stumps, was felled by a sharp bouncer from Jofra Archer but a medical check showed no immediate sign of concussion, although he will undergo a further examination before resuming on Saturday. The unpredictable wicket was not the only source of drama with New Zealand ruing a missed review and nearly being made to pay for signing too many autographs. Opener Tom Latham, given out leg before wicket on eight, walked without seeking a review, unaware of an inside edge that was detected by Hot Spot. Earlier the exit of Jos Buttler for 43 had cricket watchers scrambling through the rule book as he was caught by Mitchell Santner, who had been off the field of play when Neil Wagner prepared to bowl.

Santner had to stop signing autographs, leap the advertising hoardings and enter the playing area to take the catch, which appeared to contradict rules about player movement and a batter’s right to know field placements. Buttler, though, had no objections as he walked off immediately. After England resumed the day at 241 for four, Stokes and Ollie Pope advanced the total to 277 when Southee struck with three wickets in 11 balls including the prized scalp of Stokes for 91.

Stokes was eyeing his ninth Test century when he was caught one-handed at first slip by a diving Taylor, who had dropped the all-rounder before stumps the previous day. Buttler and Leach forged a late 52-run stand but otherwise there was little England resistance at the bottom of the order. Southee finished with four for 88 and Wagner took three for 90, while Curran was the pick of England’s bowlers with two for 28. AGENCIES

Russian athletics officials suspended over anti-doping violations TOKYO AGENCIES

The president of Russian athletics and senior officials have been suspended for “serious breaches” of anti-doping rules, putting Russian track and field athletes’ participation at next year’s Tokyo Olympics in further danger.

The suspensions came after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Thursday accused the Russian athletics federation (RUSAF) of obstructing an investigation into high-jumper Danil Lysenko, a silver medallist at the 2017 World Championships in London.

RUSAF president Dmitry Shlyakhtin and the federation’s executive director Alexander Parkin have been provisionally suspended. Lysenko and his coach have also been suspended.

Russia has been banned from competing as a country in athletics since 2015, after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found evidence of widespread doping in the sport. Some Russian athletes, including Lysenko, have been allowed to compete under a neutral flag. Last year Lysenko had that status removed by athletics world governing body IAAF after he failed to provide the whereabouts information he is required to give to submit to doping tests.

AIU said Thursday a 15-month inves-

tigation had found that Shlyakhtin and Parkin had been involved in the “provision of false explanations and forged documents to the AIU in order to explain whereabouts failures by the athlete”.

The AIU had already said Lysenko was guilty of three “no-shows” in 12 months. Any combination of three missed

tests or filing failures within a 12-month period is considered a violation of antidoping rules. The AIU has given the accused until December 12 to respond to the accusations. Shlyakhtin said senior RUSAF officials would meet to discuss their response to the case and who would take over as interim president while he

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was suspended. pOsITIvE TEsTs: RUSAF spokesperson Natalia Yukhareva said lawyers were examining the accusations.

“We only received the documents today (Thursday). Our lawyers are studying the circumstances of the matter and the charges that have been brought. The

ban is provisional, the inquiry is ongoing and the details are confidential,” Yukhareva told TASS news agency.

The IAAF, now renamed World Athletics, will discuss Russia’s continuing suspension from the sport in a meeting of its decision-making Council in Monaco on Friday and Saturday.

In September, World Athletics maintained its ban on Russia competing as a country pending analysis of data from Moscow’s anti-doping laboratory.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reinstated Russia in September 2018, on condition that it handed over a huge cache of electronic data from the laboratory. Russia has been forced to deny allegations that it had doctored the data after WADA said evidence of some positive tests handed over by a whistleblower does not show up in the data.

WADA is due to make an official recommendation on what sanctions to take against Russia and the issue will top the agenda at a meeting of the body’s Executive Committee on December 9.

WADA failed to prevent Russian competitors from taking part in the 2016 Rio Olympics, with the exception of athletics. Under new rules, WADA has the power to ban countries from major sporting events including the Tokyo Olympics although its decision can be appealed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Saturday, 23 November, 2019

NEWS Parliamentary committee formed to discuss PAC chairmanship ISLAMABAD sTAFF RePORT

The federal government on Friday constituted a seven-member parliamentary committee, headed

by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, to discuss the matter of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairmanship – a seat which fell vacant after the resignation of the previous chief Shehbaz Sharif. According to details, the team will review the demands of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for their return to standing committees from where they resigned earlier this week. The development came after Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar accepted the resignation of National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif from the post of chairman of PAC. The PML-N president said his party had decided to appoint Rana Tanveer Hussain as his successor.

Justice Gulzar to replace Khosa as new CJP ISLAMABAD sTAFF RePORT

The Ministry of Law and Justice on Friday forwarded a summary to the Prime Minister’s Office for the appointment of Justice Gulzar Ahmed as the new chief justice of Pakistan (CJP). Incumbent Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who became the country’s top judge in January last year, is retiring on December 20 this year. Following his retirement Justice Gulzar will take oath as the 27th CJP and serve until February 1st, 2022. Born in Karachi on February 2, 1957 Justice Gulzar. after completing his education in law, pursued his career as a lawyer and initially served at the Sindh High Court (SHC) in 1986. Subsequently, in 1988 he elevated to the Supreme Court of Pakistan as advocate. Justice Gulzar was sworn in as SHC judge on August 27, 2002 and became the apex court’s judge on November 16, 2011. He was part of the bench which heard the famous Panama case and disqualified the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a historic judgement.

Imran thInks nawaz was fakIng Illness MIANWALI

a

sTAFF RePORT

S former prime minister Nawaz Sharif undergoes treatment in London, Prime Minister Imran Khan continues to assail him for exiting the country on account of failing health, claiming that Nawaz duped the government to go to London.

Addressing a gathering after performing the groundbreaking of a maternity hospital and other welfare projects in Mianwali, the PM said the matter needed to be investigated.

According to the PM, Nawaz looked fine when boarding the special plane, wondering whether it was the plane that made him well an instant or it was the anticipation of London’s climate. “Maybe he looked at the plane and got healed since it was such a magnificent plane,” he said.

He said that in the reports it was written that “the patient had heart problems, kidney problems, high sugar, and if the patient is not allowed to go abroad then he will be ‘gone’ [forever].”

“After seeing him climb the stairs of the airplane, I once again looked at the medical reports. The reports said that his heart was also in a bad con-

COLOMBO Agencies

Sri Lanka’s newly-elected leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, the current Prime Minister, as the interim government’s new finance minister, state television showed in a live telecast on Friday. Mahinda, a former Sri Lankan president, took the oath as the Minister of Finance and Economic Policy Development. He was also put in charge of Buddhist, Cultural and Religious Affairs, as well as Urban Development and Water Supply and Housing, the swearing-in ceremony telecast from the presidential secretariat showed. Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s eldest brother Chamal, a legislator, was sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Internal Trade, and Consumer Welfare.

dition, his kidneys were also not well and he had diabetes,” the PM said, questioning the veracity of the claims. However, it may be noted here that the prime minister had claimed that Nawaz Sharif was very ill and he had gotten the reports verified independently.

According to Naeemul Haque, Prime Minister Imran had seen Nawaz’s medical reports, which showed that the former prime minister was “very ill”. “It is the right of every Pakistani to have themselves treated as they see fit,” he had said, adding that the government has no reservations over Nawaz seeking treatment abroad.

Furthermore, the PM also launched a tirade against former finance minister Ishaq Dar and Nawaz’s son Hasan Nawaz. “Hasan Nawaz lives in a house worth Rs8 billion in London,” he said. “Where did that money come from?”

He said that Dar’s father owned a bicycle shop but his son had become a billionaire.

“Musharraf gave the Sharifs an NRO,” he said. “I am not here to save my seat. If I give these people an NRO, the country will have no future.” Imran said that when he was called to the court about his property, he gave 60 documents in 10 months’ time.

LOCAL GOVT SYSTEM: He said the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are going to introduce the new municipal system in the provinces which will open avenue of progress.

PM Imran Khan stressed that foreign countries made progress owing to an effective municipal system, whereas power has still not been transferred at the municipal level in Pakistan. He vowed to grant funds to villages under the new system as local body elections are scheduled after a few months.

‘PROUD OF ECONOMIC TEAM’: He said the previous administration had been spending reserve dollars to stabilise and maintain the value of the local currency against the dollar. The PTI government had

Nawaz may take few months to recover, says personal doctor LONDON Agencies

Sri Lanka’s new leader appoints his PM brother as finance minister

PM ASSAILS OPPOSITION LEADERS, SHARIF FAMILY, SAYS THERE WILL BE NO NRO IN ANY CASE

Dr Adnan Khan, the personal physician of Nawaz Sharif, on Friday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo may take few months to recover from his illness.

Speaking to media outside the Harley Street Clinic in London, Dr Adnan said that Nawaz’s treatment would resume from where it was stopped before his departure on Wednesday. He said that Nawaz’s appointments for the coming days had been booked before his arrival.

As per Dr Adnan, the former prime minister’s PED scan will be conducted next week. He said that doctors were of the view that the dose of steroids being given to the former prime minister should be reduced immediately and

gradually stopped.

He said that Nawaz had gone through the process of cardiac intervention seven times as arteries carrying blood to his brain were 80 per cent blocked. “He was monitored by a doctor from Switzerland,” he added. “Nawaz’s health is the same for now, it will take some time for him to recover,” he said, adding: “He can’t heal overnight.”

Dr Adnan said that Nawaz was being provided all medical facilities at Hussain Nawaz’s abode where he was staying last year before coming to Pakistan.

On Wednesday, Nawaz underwent a detailed medical check-up at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust at Harley Street. The sons of PML-N supreme leader, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, and his personal physician Dr Adnan had ac-

companied him to the hospital.

Nawaz’s various medical tests – including blood, sugar levels, heart, and kidneys were conducted.

A Sharif family spokesperson had said that they would be consulting doctors in London and then take a decision.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had reached London on Tuesday night for medical treatment in a “highend air ambulance” which was equipped with an intensive care unit and an operation theatre a day after his name was removed from the no-fly list on the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Dr Adnan had said that the condition of Nawaz Sharif has improved. “After we get his reports, it will be decided whether Nawaz Sharif should be transferred to the United States for treatment or not,” he had added.

not found enough dollars to follow suit so a correction strategy followed, he added.As a result, the value of the rupee against the dollar depreciated by 35 per cent. Prime Minister Imran said he was grateful that the rupee devalued by “only 35pc” as it could depreciate to Rs250 against the greenback due to the external accounts’ situation.

It was the rupee devaluation that opened the floodgates for inflation, the premier said. “We didn’t increase the inflation,” he stressed, holding the former regimes of the PML-N and PPP responsible for the prevailing situation.

The prime minister, however, announced that the country’s economy is on a correction course and the measures taken by the PTI government have now started yielding results.

“I am proud of my economic team. During the last four months, our CAD came to an end. As a result, the rupee’s value increased by Rs4,” the PM added.

He said that the economy has now adopted the right direction and as a result, the confidence of foreign investors is restoring in the local economy, businesses are returning to the country and the Pakistan stock market is picking up.

US brings China trade war to Pakistan CONtINueD frOM pAge 01 Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the fifth CPEC Media Forum hosted jointly by the Chinese embassy, Pakistan-China Institute and China Economic Net, the ambassador said CPEC is fulfilling the country’s energy needs, providing 30 percent of total electricity generation and providing energy security for economic development in the country. “If the US is really concerned about the lack of electricity in Pakistan, why didn’t American companies come to build power stations before 2014,” Ambassador Yao said. The Chinese ambassador said he was ‘shocked and surprised’ at Wells’ remarks over CPEC which he said ‘fully exposed’ her ignorance of Pakistan-China relations. He said that both Pakistan and China agreed that all projects related to CPEC are “clean and transparent”. “We welcome American investments in Pakistan and we don’t have a problem with it. But the US should not cause aspersions over something they don’t have accurate information on,” said Ambassador Jing. He said 75,000 Pakistanis are directly employed in CPEC projects while there are 200,000 indirect beneficiaries and that over 100 Pakistani companies are involved in CPEC projects, which will generate 2.3 million jobs till 2030 and will contribute 22.5% to Pakistan’s GDP.

US backs sustained Indian role in Afghanistan WASHIgNtON

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Agencies

NITED States said that it supported continued Indian involvement in Afghanistan, even as President Donald Trump looks to withdraw troops. India is one of the most enthusiastic backers of Afghanistan’s government, contributing more than $3 billion since the 2001 US-led invasion toppled the Taliban, who harboured virulently anti-Indian militants. “The United States welcomes India’s substantial investment in and assistance to Afghanistan,” said Nancy Izzo Jackson, a State Department official in charge of Afghanistan.

“And we will continue to support efforts to achieve an honourable and enduring outcome in Afghanistan that preserves our investment in Afghanistan’s future,” she told a conference on India’s role in Afghanistan at the Hudson Institute.

Taliban release 10 Afghan soldiers from captivity KABUL: At least 10 Afghan soldiers, who were kept captive by the Taliban for up to six years, were released by the insurgents as a “goodwill gesture”, a government official said on Friday.

Mohammad Yaseen Khan, the governor of southern Helmand province, said the International Committee of Red Cross facilitated the release of the Afghan soldiers from

India constructed Afghanistan’s new parliament building and has also wooed Afghans with its soft power, including Bollywood films.But India’s involvement in Afghanistan has been a cause of consternation for Pakistan.

The US earlier this year reached a deal with the Taliban to pull troops from Afghanistan and wind down America’s longest war.

the Taliban captivity. Speaking to reporters alongside the released soldiers in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, Khan said the Afghan government hails such positive steps.

“Efforts are also underway to ensure safe release of many civilians from Taliban’s custody,” he added. Islam Uddin, one of the released captives, said he spent more than two harsh

But Trump said in September that he was withdrawing an invitation to the insurgents to meet near Washington due to the killing of a US soldier.The US-Taliban talks were facilitated by Pakistan, and Prime Minister Imran Khan had earlier this year regretted that the peace deal that was about to be signed had collapsed.

On Thursday, President Trump in a telephone conversation had thanked Prime

years under Taliban’s captivity, adding that he is pleased to get his liberty back. On Friday, Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington’s top peace negotiator for Afghanistan, hailed the release of 10 Afghan soldiers by the Taliban as a positive step towards peace in the country. The release came days after a prisoner swap of three key Taliban commanders for two foreign professors at the American University of Afghanistan. The U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the prison swap. Agencies

Minister Imran for Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating the release of two Western hostages by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Indian ambassador in Washington, said that any settlement in Afghanistan needed to ensure that “there is no room for any terrorist elements to create a foothold”.

“It is also important to deliver the message to terrorists that democra-

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

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cies do not surrender to terrorism and in the ideological battle of the ’emirate’ versus the ‘republic,’ the latter prevails,” he said.