Miracle 586-December 16, 2022

Society must decide where the ‘line is going to be’ on assault-style firearms: Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is trying to find the dividing line between guns suitable for hunting and ones that have no place in society because they pose significant dangers in the wrong hands. While the effort is sparking debate, it’s up to society to figure out “where that line is going to be,” Trudeau said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press.

“There isn’t a single Canadian anywhere out there that doesn’t want to see less gun crime, that doesn’t want to see safer communities. We’re all united on that,” he said. “There are disagreements on how to go about it the best possible way.”

The government wants to reinforce a May 2020 regulatory ban on an array of guns it considers assault-style firearms by enshrining a comprehensive definition in a bill being studied by the House of Commons public safety committee.

Indian,

People coming to Canada on a parents and grandparents super visa can now pay for medical insurance monthly.

Thousands of foreign nationals hoping to live in Canada are elated after Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced changes to how people coming to the country on a super visa can pay for their medical insurance.

Launched in 2011, the super visa program allows permanent residents (PR) and citizens to invite their non-resident parents and grandparents to stay with them in Canada for up to five years at a time.

But to do so, they have been required to pay for medical insurance up-front annually — a sometimes prohibitive price tag which varies depending on age and coverage but is an average of $1,500 for a 65-year-old and potentially higher as applicants get older. While applicants could previously pay in

MPs are going over the latest list of firearms that would fall under the proposed definition, which runs to hundreds of pages. There is confusion over exactly what is included and what is not, because the definition applies only to some variations of certain models that meet the criteria — guns the government considers inappropriate for civilian use.

The planned amendment has prompted applause from gun-control advocates as a step forward, but howls of protest from Conservative MPs and gun rights groups who say it targets commonly used hunting rifles and shotguns.

Trudeau said he intends to follow through on his promise to outlaw firearms designed to kill as many people as quickly as possible while respecting the legitimate needs of

clash at border in fresh faceoff

NEW DELHI - Soldiers from India and China clashed last week along their disputed border, India’s defence minister said Tuesday, in the latest violence along the contested frontier since June 2020, when troops from both countries engaged in a deadly brawl.

Rajnath Singh, who addressed lawmakers in Parliament, said the Friday’s encounter along the Tawang sector of eastern Arunachal Pradesh state started when Chinese troops “encroached into Indian territory” and “unilaterally tried to change the status quo” along the disputed border near the Yangtze River area.

Singh said no Indian soldiers were seriously hurt and troops from both sides withdrew

from the area soon afterward. A statement from the Indian army on Monday said troops on both sides suffered minor injuries.

Singh said that local military commanders met Sunday to discuss the dispute and the Indian government spoke to China through diplomatic channels.

Col. Long Shaohua, the spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theater responsible for the area, said that Chinese border guards organized “a routine patrol on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control” but were “blocked by the Indian army illegally crossing the line.

“We ask the Indian side to strictly control and restrain front-line troops, and work

with China to maintain peace and tranquility on the border,” Long said in a statement posted on his official social media.

At a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said “the present situation on the China-India border is peaceful and stable overall.”

For decades, India and China have fiercely contested the Line of Actual Control, a loose demarcation that separates Chinese and Indian held territories from Ladakh in the west to India’s eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety.

India and China fought a war over the bor-

monthly instalments, that changed in August when the department announced it would require annual up-front payments.

That prompted a backlash, including an online petition arguing the new payment system was punitive toward families seeking to be reunited and was resulting in fewer applications being granted.

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail Tuesday claimed that chances of Pakistan heading towards default have increased, urging the incumbent government to take steps to avert the looming threat.

Speaking during Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, Ismail said: “Pakistan should not default, however, I definitely believe that the path we are on might take us towards default as the risk has increased. We should take steps to avoid the danger [of default].”

He said the threat of default will keep looming over Pakistan until the government completes the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the ninth re-

view.

“Pakistan is in jeopardy; it has gone back in jeopardy and as long as the IMF is not back on the table, the threat of default will remain high,” Ismail — who held the post of finance minister for over five months — said.

lawmakers considering TikTok ban Lawsuit accuses Meta in Ethiopian Conflict 400 people sentenced in Iran over unrest

Trudeau visits BC

hosts Minister Anand

raised for Chilliwack Mosque

Path Pakistan is on might take towards default: Miftah Ismail

Chinese troops

Canada reverses immigration decision to make it easier for families to reunite

Among other technical specifications concerning bore diameter and muzzle energy, the proposed definition includes a centrefire

semi-automatic rifle or shotgun designed with a detachable magazine that can hold more than five cartridges.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Malik b. Anas with the same chain of transmitters but with this addition: “ Don’t buy that even if he gives you for one dirham.Sahih Muslim 1620b

Discovering Jesus’ Message of God’s Oneness in Islam

Ask the Imam (Q&A) Did Muhammed perform Miracles?

By: Abdah Al-Huzhriyyah

HOW MANY CONVERTS,?

Iwonder, have stumbled upon Islam and couldn’t look away? “It just felt right?”

I suspect that many have taken a path similar to mine, some more consciously, and more able to articulate it, than others.

I had been committed to the call of Prophet Jesus (A.S). For years I assumed that Christendom and the Church had a monopoly on Jesus (A.S), and—as one might conclude from listening to its spokesmen—even an exclusive direct line to God.

I made excuses for the Church being stuck in untenable, philosophically motivated doctrines, which once hammered out could not be withdrawn. Such beliefs were thus eternal truths, according to the established system: The supposed God-nature of Jesus (A.S), in time said to be God’s junior partner—fully human and fully God—the first created by God and the one through whom God had created the world! Astaghfirullah, I ask Allah’s forgiveness.

Jesus (A.S) taught his followers to trust God alone for their daily needs, for guidance, and for earthly salvation from their oppressors, if only they would return to God’s Law. But the story of Jesus (A.S) would be stolen by the very institution that would put Jesus (A.S) at the center of its new religion.

The Romanization of Christianity How was this pulled off? I’ll tell you. An ambitious opponent of Jewish reform— later to become the nemesis of the Companions of Jesus, the famed Paul, the hero of the second stage of the New Testament epic saga—when failing to stamp out the Jewish reform movement of Jesus (A.S), resorted to subversive tactics, feigned a conversion (I would argue) to the Way of Jesus (A.S) and rewrote the message of Jesus (A.S) as a bigger and better Roman mystery cult drama: A

spiritual high, an escape from the penalty for sin, and the conquest of death by a bloody sacrificial act of deity to match the competing and trendy Serapian and Mithraic secret societies then taking hold all over Romanoccupied territory.

It is not my intention to offend the multitude of decent, God-fearing Christian people who have been kept, over the centuries, from embracing any choice other than this passionate version of God’s grace—especially the waves of those who have lived and died in their quest to purify the Church’s doctrine and in their commitment to imitate the godly example of their prophet, Jesus (A.S).

But truth once discovered is a non-negotiable commodity: God is One. Such is unmistakably stated in the canonized story of Jesus (A.S): A teacher of the [Jewish] Law…came to [Jesus] with a question: “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Jesus replied: “The most important one is this: ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength….

The teacher of the Law said to Jesus: “Well done, Teacher! It is true, as you say, that only the Lord is God and that there is no other god but He. And a man must love God…. (Bible, Mark 12:28-32)

The Quran Vindicates Jesus’ Message

While the Christian scripture clearly affirms tawîd, the Oneness of God, it is the Quran that takes this A-#1-startingpoint for all understanding of our place in this world—and for receiving our right guidance—and places it front and center, where it can never be lost to view: And your God is the One God: There is no deity save Him…(Sûrat Al-Baqarah, 2:163)This concept is repeated and elab-

Question 3: Hi there, Did Muhammed perform miracles like those which were performed by Jesus?

Answer

Greetings of peace Gene: Sorry to pickup your question late, as I was in a conference out of state.

The answer is yes! Muhammad performed too many miracles in his time witnessed by thousands of people then. There are books on this topic in Arabic, Urdu, Persian, etc.., not many were translated to English yet. Most Miracles of the Prophets were for their time,

orated upon hundreds of times in the Quran. In Sûrat Al-Mu’minûn, for example, we find the same insistence:

And, indeed, We sent forth Noah unto his people, and he said: “O my people! Worship God [alone]; you have no deity other than Him. Will you not then become conscious of Him?” (Sûrat AlMu’minûn, 23:23)

And after those [people of old], We gave rise to new generations; and [every time] we sent unto them a prophet from among themselves, [he told them:] “Worship God [alone]; you have no deity other than Him. Will you not, then, become conscious of Him?” (Sûrat AlMu’minûn, 23:31-32)

Never did God take unto Himself any offspring, nor has there ever been any deity side by side with Him: [For, had there been any,] lo! each deity would surely have stood apart [from the others] in whatever it had created, and they would surely have [tried to] overcome

hard to prove today that they have really happened. Muhammad’s Greatest living miracle till today is the Qura’n! It is 100% unchanged since it was revealed from Allah (God) to Prophet Muhammad. The Qura’n has many scientific miracles, it is difficult to list here. If you’re interested to know some of them, please send me a question to the same address you sent this one. Thank you for your interest. (Source: IslamiCity) Classified in Prophet > Mohammad -Miracles (Source: islamicity.org/qa

one another!…and, hence, sublimely exalted is He above anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity! (Sûrat Al-Mu’minûn, 23:91-92)

[Know,] then, [that] God is sublimely exalted, the Ultimate Sovereign, the Ultimate Truth: There is no deity save Him….Hence, he who invokes, side by side with God, any other deity—[a deity] for whose existence he has no evidence—shall but find his reckoning with his Sustainer: [And,] verily, such deniers of the truth will never attain to a happy state! (Sûrat Al-Mu’minûn, 23:116-117)

How many have come to Islam because they realized that the starting point of all true religion is putting oneself exclusively and trustingly in the Hands of the One and Only Independent Actor! Just as Jesus (A.S) himself taught.

Welcome, then, to all who have taken up the ultimate DIY project of discovering God’s Guidance for their own souls.

Source: aljumuah.com

Sabr – More Than Patience

By: Ammar Habib

For many Muslims, the term sabr has become synonymous with the word “patience.” However, the beauty of the Arabic language is that many Arabic words, such as sabr, ihsan, taqwa, and more, have such a vast scope that there is no single word in the English language that equates to them. Focusing on the concept of sabr, the term has a much broader meaning than patience.

As Muslims we understand the importance of displaying the attribute of sabr in our lives. Along with being a part of one of Allah’s 99 names (Al-Sabūr), Allah has commanded the believers to embody this characteristic. This is shown in the following verse from the Qur’an: “O you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance (sabr) and prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere.”

(2:153)

In the English language, the word “patience” is seen as a reactive word with a negative connotation, meaning that you are patient after a trial or test strikes. Some people go as far as to say that patience means sitting back and praying while hoping for a miracle to fix the situation. However, this is simply not true Islamic patience. True sabr (just like tawwakul) is an active and positive attribute...

(Source: backtojannah.com

icBc files for no increase to basic insurance rates for two more years

Columbians,” said Premier David Eby. “Holding firm on ICBC’s basic insurance rate for two more years will help millions of drivers with their monthly bills amid global inflation.”

more affordable and to keep them that way, and this rate application continues to deliver on that,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

auto insurance for our customers,” said Nicolas Jimenez, president and CEO, ICBC.

Government reforms to ICBC are paying off with affordable, steady rates and fiscal stability for people.

ICBC is filing an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for no in-

crease to basic insurance rates for the next two years, which marks five years of no increases to basic insurance rates.

“Our government is committed to keeping costs down for all British

With the introduction of Enhanced Care in May 2021, auto insurance rates in British Columbia have gone from some of the most expensive in Canada to being among the most affordable. A Canada-wide rate comparison report by Ernst & Young looked at 30 different driver profiles and compared how much auto insurance would cost in nine provinces across Canada. The report found that British Columbians pay among the lowest auto insurance rates in Canada.

“A key priority with Enhanced Care was to make insurance rates

“We are pleased that, during this time of rising inflation and the cost of everyday life increasing, ICBC is able to keep Basic insurance rates stable for British Columbians for another two years.”

If the BCUC approves the application, British Columbians will continue to benefit from stable and more affordable basic auto insurance rates for another two years.

“This filing means British Columbians will have seen no increase to basic insurance rates for five years.

We’re very pleased to see Enhanced Care continues to deliver on one of its key principles: more affordable

In support of ICBC’s basic insurance rate application, government has provided direction to BCUC to ensure ICBC builds sufficient capital reserves, which paves the way for a two-year rate filing.

Along with more affordable and stable insurance rates, Enhanced Care is providing British Columbians with some of the best care, recovery and income-replacement benefits available in Canada. Under Enhanced Care, British Columbians injured in crashes can have peace of mind knowing they will be supported with benefits when they need them for as long as they need them.

Source: news.gov.bc.ca/

The Canadian government is rolling out a one-time payment of $500 to eligible lower-income renters struggling to afford housing.

On Monday, Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, and Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, announced that applications for the new one-time top-up of the Canadian Housing Benefit are now open to those who are eligible.

According to the news release, Canadians must have an adjusted family net income of $20,000 or less for individuals, or $35,000 or less for families and have paid at least 30 per cent of their 2021 adjusted family net

British Columbia health officials say a weekend influenza vaccine “blitz” has helped edge the percentage of children immunized against the flu upward, but nearly threequarters of young kids remain unvaccinated. In a Monday media release, the Ministry of Health said 77,500 people had received the vaccine between Dec. 5 and 11. About 30 per

income on rent, among other qualifications.

“By delivering targeted financial support to those who need it most, the one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit represents just one of the many ways that the Government of Canada is working to make life more affordable for Canadians,” the news release said. The announcement comes after Ottawa doubled the goods and services tax credit for six months as of Sept. 20 and introduced the Canada Dental Benefit as a part of a government plan to help families combat a rising cost of living.

Source: Financial Post

cent of British Columbians aged six months and older have now been vaccinated.

Just over 9,000 of those vaccinated over the past week were kids aged six months to four years. That raises the percentage of kids in the age bracket who are vaccinated to 26.3 per cent, up from 21.2 per cent last Monday. Officials were less successful at vaccinating other youth. The portion of immunized kids aged five to 11 years climbed by climbed by 3.1 per cent, and the portion of immunized youth aged 12 to 17 years climbed by 2.3 per cent.

Dr. Bonnie Henry provides update on B.C.’s flu vaccine blitz

During the weekend blitz, which included walk-in clinics, the ministry said it immu-

nized 5,581 kids aged six months to four years, 7,075 kids aged five to 11 years, 3,181 tweens and teens aged 12 to 17 years and 26,745 people aged 18 years and older.

Data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control for the week ending Dec. 3 showed that children aged five to nine years were the largest group of people with flu symptoms presenting to health-care facilities (2.3 per cent of visits), followed by youth aged 10 to 14 years (1.4 per cent), children younger than four years old (1.3 per cent) and teens aged 15 to 19 years (0.8 per cent of visits).

Ongoing concerns over respiratory infections in B.C. children

Vaccinating children and youth has become a key priority after the government

acknowledged six flu-related deaths among the age bracket so far this season. Some of the deaths are believed to have been caused by related bacterial infections.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said last week that none of the youth who died were believed to have received the vaccine.

The province said last week that it was closely monitoring severe flu cases among children and youth, and that it would begin reporting fatalities weekly.

Officials are urging anyone who is sick to stay home, and to wear masks if they are experiencing mild symptoms.

Source: globalnews.ca

One-time $500 rent subsidy offered to low-income families New Westminster family gets reprieve from deportation — for

Federal Court Justice Russel W. Zinn ordered a stay of deportation on Dec. 7 for the family, who were to be sent back to Mexico on Dec. 19.

Zamorano, a housekeeper at Royal Columbian Hospital, lives in New Westminster with her husband, Andres Liberato Bazan, and nine-year-old daughter Evangeline. They came to Canada as refugees in 2017 along with with Andres’ brother, Isaias Liberato Bazan, and mother, Leticia Bazan Porto.

In 2021, the family applied for permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, but the Canada Border Services Agency ordered the family to be deported before that application could be heard.

In November, the family’s lawyer submitted

a 945-page request to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) asking that their deportation be deferred until a decision is made on their application for permanent residency — but Sanctuary Health, a migrant justice organization that’s working on behalf of the family, said the CBSA refused the request in less than 24 hours.

They then appealed to the federal court for an interim stay of deportation, which was granted last week. Now, according to the order, the family can remain “until such time as the applicants’ application for leave and judicial review of a negative decision refusing to defer their removal is considered and finally determined.”

Zinn, in his decision, noted the law requires that a stay of deportation can only be granted if the applicant “is likely to suffer irrepa-

rable harm if the stay is not granted,” and the onus is on the applicant to prove that. His order said he is satisfied the family has met that test and that it’s in the “interests of justice” to issue an interim stay of deportation.

“We are thrilled to know that the family can now celebrate Christmas with their friends, family and community,” Omar Chu of Sanctuary Health said in a press release. “We are so grateful for the immense solidarity shown by the community over the past six months; the letters and emails that continue to pour in are still so important in supporting the family’s ongoing applications for permanent residence.”

A letter-writing campaign in support of the family has seen more than 2,000 letters and cards sent to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

Source: vancouverisawesome.com

The Hospital Employees’ Union has thrown its support behind the family, arguing that the federal government should ensure status for workers such as Zamorano, who are necessary for the health-care system.

now

B.c. flu vaccination rate for kids edges upward after weekend blitz, but most still not immunized

I FEEL guilty when standing under a hot shower in the morning because the gas which is heating the water, even though paid for by me, is causing a 20 per cent loss to the gas company due to UFG (unaccounted for gas). Additionally, each shower depletes Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves because there is not enough local gas left.

I feel guilty sleeping in an airconditioned room, even though I pay my bills, because each night’s comfortable sleep is adding to my country’s circular debt which has reached Rs2.5 trillion, or 40pc of our total tax collection.

I feel guilty driving at 129 kilometres an hour (9 km above the speed limit but within the tolerance threshold of the Motorway Police) on our highways in my reasonably powerful, air-conditioned car, enjoying the beauty of the landscape and crops, grown by mostly struggling farmers, from tinted windows. That is because I know this infrastructural luxury, though having made life very easy for the elite, is not something the country can afford on borrowed money. Hardly any other country with a modest per capita income of $1,798 can boast of an extensive and expensive road infrastructure like ours.

I feel guilty at buying imported cooking oil for my kitchen when I know that my country has to spend $4 billion every year on

r acked with guilt

it, while we are made to rub our noses in the dirt by the IMF for a paltry $1.2bn. I wonder why, being an agricultural country, we cannot grow more oil-producing crops, though we do grow bananas, strawberries, etc — products we did not grow traditionally before independence. Is it a mafia that does not allow it to happen?

I feel guilty when I drive into my house, part of a new real estate development project with broad roads, palm trees, embedded electric wires, parks and shopping malls — in short as good as any in the world — when I know my comfort and style is gobbling up precious agricultural and orchard land and encouraging everyone and his uncle to speculate in plots, rather than putting money in alternative businesses such as manufacturing. Investing in the latter would have generated employment and reduced our dependence on the dollar.

I feel guilty driving my Japanese car, knowing fully well that even through there are pretensions of it being locally made, more than 70pc of its components are imported, on which the country spends $2.9bn every year. I wonder why it has not been possible in the 76 years of our existence to make our own car. Simply because we need brand new models every few years and like international specifications or, again,

is it an interest group that does not let it happen?

I feel disgusted when I see the opulent offices of senior civil and military officers of a poor country. All of what I have written here shows I feel guilty that I have misguided the next generation (my children) to have faith in the future of this country and not emigrate. To work honestly and work hard so that this country could become great.

I wonder why we did not get a leader in our 76 years who told us not to consume natural gas at the speed we did and made policies to ensure that the depleting gas fields were replaced by new discoveries, by making gas and oil prospecting attractive for the investor.

I wonder why we did not get a leader who stopped power theft, even if his actions were politically unpopular; who made sure that our transmission capacity would be added simultaneously to production capacity even though perhaps kickbacks are less attractive in transmission projects; who carried out a proper cost-benefit analysis before investing heavily in new plants, which became white elephants because of the wrong location or the wrong choice of fuel.

I wonder why we did not get a leader who prioritised education and health and told us that we will build motorways when our

News Cont from Pg 1

But this week, the department confirmed its decision has been reversed, and families can once again make monthly payments. The move has been welcomed by applicants, as well as insurance and immigration experts, as a way to make it easier for families to reunite.

An important tool for multigenerational families

That’s a relief for Amritpal Singh, who lives in Surrey, B.C. and is hoping to invite his parents, who are in India, to come live with him next summer.

He says the prospect of paying for a full year of medical insurance for each of them was daunting, and he welcomes the chance to break it down into smaller payments.

News Cont from Pg 1

educated and healthy workforce earns enough to pay for it rather than constructing them on borrowed money.

I have similar regrets for us having become used to living beyond our means as individuals and as a nation. I wish I was living in my ‘purana’ Pakistan where I was comfortable heating my bathwater in a drum, sweating it out under a fan, driving my beatup car on a single road without a divider, eating food cooked in local mustard oil and visiting senior officers, both military and civil in Spartan offices.

At least I would not be getting butterflies in my stomach at the collapsing economy and consequent social upheaval. At least I would not be humiliated seeing Bangladesh and India forging way ahead of us. At least I would not be scared of having to trade my nuclear deterrence for money to repay my loans.

I would be a happier man sleeping in a hot sweaty room but being able to hold my head high the next morning.

The writer is a former commerce secretary and member of the PTI advisory committee.

Courtesy By: Tasneem Noorani

What do you think?

Laysa Lil Insana illa ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

Canada reverses immigration decision

“I am very excited to invite my parents to Canada. While they can get an opportunity to explore Canada with me, I will be emotionally benefited from their presence,” he said in an interview conducted in Punjabi.

Raghbir Singh Bharowal, an immigration consultant based in Surrey, says the super visa plays a vital role in the reunification of families. But, he said the high price prevented many people from applying for the program.

“As per the tradition and culture in many South Asian countries, people tend to stay together. This program reunites them in Canada. Now, more people will apply for the visa,” he said in a Punjabi-language interview.

Jaskaran Singh Benipal, an insurance advisor

in Surrey, said he has already had more people enquiring about applying for the program after hearing about the more flexible payments.

“Many of my clients changed their mind after the rules changed. Now they can apply and invite their parents and grandparents to Canada as they can pay in instalments,” said Benipal in Punjabi.

In an email, a spokesperson for Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada said the new rule was implemented to recognize the importance of families being together. They also said that around 17,000 super visas are being issued every year.

Source: cbc.ca

Photo Credit: (India Picture / Shutterstock)

Path Pakistan is on might take towards default

‘PTI pushed Pakistan towards default’ The former finance minister refused to accept Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s narrative of early elections and said that the previous government had pushed the country towards default.

“Khan is responsible for pushing Pakistan towards default; he is the one who broke his promise with the IMF; Khan is the one who wanted to derail the IMF programme when we tried to revive it under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s

leadership.”

Pakistan ended its immediate default risk earlier this month when the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) made the payment of $1 billion for the sukuk bond.

But since then, the foreign exchange reserves have hit a critical level after falling 10.45% to $6,714.9 million — a four-year low — as of December 2.

The fiscal deficit has already touched 1% of the GDP in the first quarter of the current financial year against 0.7% of the GDP agreed with the IMF.

However, Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Ishaq Dar — who is of the same party as Miftah — said that Pakistan would not default as it was headed in the right direction.

In a bid to shore up its forex reserves as the country’s ninth review of a $7 billion IMF bailout ran into snags, Pakistan is expected to secure a multibillion-dollar financial support package from longtime ally Saudi Arabia this month, two sources said.. Source: Dawn.com

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Lawsuit accuses Meta of enabling hateful posts in Ethiopia conflict

help us find and remove this content,” McPike added. “We employ staff with local knowledge and expertise and continue to develop our capabilities to catch violating content in the most widely spoken languages in” Ethiopia.

Meta’s independent Oversight Board last year recommended a review of how Facebook and Instagram have been used to spread content that heightens the risk of violence in Ethiopia.

PM Shehbaz vows M-6 motorway project to wrap up in 30 months

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed on Tuesday that the newly inaugurated SukkurHyderabad (M-6) motorway project will be completed within the next 30 months. He was addressing a ceremony after he laid the foundation stone of the 306-kilometrelong M-6 motorway project.

A new lawsuit has accused Meta Platforms of enabling violent and hateful posts from Ethiopia to flourish on Facebook, inflaming the country’s bloody civil war.

The lawsuit, filed in Kenya on Tuesday, was brought by two Ethiopian researchers and Kenyan rights group the Katiba Institute. It alleges Facebook’s recommendations systems amplified violent posts in Ethiopia, including several that preceded the murder of the father of one of the researchers.

The lawsuit also said the company failed to exercise reasonable care in training its algorithms to identify dangerous posts and in hiring staff to police content for the languages covered by its regional moderation hub in Nairobi.

Meta spokesperson Erin McPike said that hate speech and incitement to violence were against the rules of Facebook and Instagram. “We invest heavily in teams and technology to

The plaintiffs are asking the court to order Meta to take emergency steps to demote violent content, increase moderation staff in Nairobi and create restitution funds of about $2 billion for victims of violence incited on Facebook.

The lawsuit described Facebook posts published in October 2021 that used ethnic slurs to refer to the father of plaintiff Abrham Meareg. The posts shared the elder man’s address and called for his death. Abrham Mearag reported them to Facebook, but the company declined to remove them promptly or in some cases at all, the lawsuit alleged.

The case carries echoes of accusations Meta has faced for years involving atrocities stoked on its platforms, including in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Cambodia. The company has acknowledged being “too slow” to act in Myanmar and other conflicts.

Thousands have died and millions have been displaced in the conflict that erupted in 2020 between the Ethiopian government and rebellious forces from the northern Tigray region.

Source: Reuters

Morocco shirts sell out as World Cup fever grows

Doha, Qatar – Morocco’s unprecedented success at the World Cup has caused a welcome headache for shopkeepers in Doha’s Souq Waqif.

Replica shirts of the North African team have sold out and there is a growing demand for more.

In the days leading up to the tournament, shops lining the narrow alleys of the iconic market in the city centre changed their displays from everyday Arab clothes and accessories to colourful shirts, scarves and flags of the countries playing in the World Cup.

Argentina, Brazil and hosts Qatar had been the most popular teams among football fans thronging the tourist hub in the first few weeks of the World Cup.

Now, Morocco – who face France in the World Cup semifinal on Wednesday evening – has left every other team in its wake.

“In November, we used to sell a handful of Morocco shirts every day from the dozens we had ordered,” shopkeeper Muhammad Sadiq told Al Jazeera hours after Morocco beat Portugal to become the first African and first Arab semifinalists in the history of the tournament.

As soon as Morocco started piling on points in the group stage, demand for the team’s shirt and merchandise skyrocketed. Demand soared even higher after the Atlas Lions beat Spain and Portugal in the knockout stages.

“Every time Morocco won, we would place an order for hundreds more [shirts] and sell out by mid-afternoon on the day of the next game,” Sadiq said.

ince the team qualified for the semifinals, thousands of fans have been flying into Doha from various parts of the world. Upon arrival in Doha, their first stop is Souq Waqif, and the first item on their shopping list is either a Morocco shirt, or flag, and in some cases, both.

Anas El Karim flew in from Berlin a day after Morocco’s win over Portugal.

“I was told I would be able to find my team’s shirt here but it seems to have been sold out,” he said with a look of disappointment.

Sadiq, who had been digging through a pile of team shirts as his newest customer looked on, pulled one out to El Karim’s delight.

There are also many Doha-based fans who began supporting Morocco after their giantkilling spree in the latter stages of the tournament.

“I wasn’t a Morocco fan until I saw them beat the big European teams,” Yousuf Ahmed, a football fan from India, said while searching for a Morocco shirt in Sadiq’s shop. “I have been looking for their shirt for days now but every time I come here it is sold out, so now I will make do with a flag.”

The bright red flag with a green star at its centre has taken over the host country. Fans from across the Arab world carry and wave it proudly in stadiums and fan zones. It is draped over skyscrapers, hung from apartment balconies and waved from cars beeping their horns after every Moroccan win.

Shops have enjoyed great business over the past few weeks, and are now out to make the most in the last remaining days before the football frenzy makes way for regular business.

If Morocco ends up beating France in the semifinal, Sadiq will have to come up with a solution to meet the demands of even more Moroccan fans who will be out to paint the country red.

Source: aljazeera.com

The Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway is the last part of the Peshawar-Karachi motorway after which all major and important cities of Pakistan will be connected by a motorway. The project is expected to be completed in 30 months under a public private partnership.

The six-lane motorway will comprise 15 interchanges, a large bridge over the Sindh river, 82 bridges over canals, 19 underpass bridges, six flyovers, and 10 service areas.

The M-6 will pass through the districts of Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Matiari, Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze, Khairpur, and Sukkur. Service areas and rest areas will be provided at every 50km on both sides of the highway.

Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb had called the ground breaking of the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway “an important development” towards the fulfilment of former premier Nawaz Sharif’s “dream of connecting the entire coun-

try through motorways”.

In a statement on Tuesday, she said the completion of this project will provide modern, comfortable and fast travelling facilities to the people. Besides avoiding accidents, the traffic pressure on the GT road will reduce as a result of this project, she said.

She said the completion of the project will accelerate economic activities in the country and greatly facilitate traders, industrialists and farmers to transport their products.

Aurangzeb said the construction of excellent road infrastructure will increase the speed of development, which will have a positive impact on the country’s economy Source: dawn.com

TikTok ban: U.S. lawmakers look to block app over China spying concerns

The bill comes as scrutiny of TikTok has grown in Washington in recent weeks, after a failed bid by the Trump administration to ban the video-sharing app.

t a hearing last month, FBI Director Chris Wray said TikTok’s U.S. operations raise national security concerns, flagging the risk that the Chinese government could harness it to influence users or control their devices.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio on Tuesday announced bipartisan legislation to ban China’s popular social media app TikTok, ratcheting up pressure on owner ByteDance Ltd amid U.S. fears the app could be used to spy on Americans and censure content.

The legislation would block all transactions from any social media company in or under the influence of China and Russia, Rubio’s office said in a news release, adding that a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives was sponsored by Republican congressman Mike Gallagher and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi.

ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In 2020, then-President Donald Trump attempted to block new users from downloading TikTok and ban other transactions that would have effectively blocked the apps’ use in the United States but lost a series of court battles over the measure.

The U.S. government’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a powerful national security body, in 2020 ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok because of fears that U.S. user data could be passed on to China’s communist government.

CFIUS and TikTok have been in talks for months aiming to reach a national security agreement to protect the data of TikTok’s more than 100 million users.

Source: globalnews.ca

Indian, Chinese troops clash at border in fresh faceoff

der in 1962.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the government was keeping an eye on the clash.

“We do strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by incursions, military or civilian, across the border at the established Line of Actual Control and we encourage India and China to utilize existing bilateral channels to discuss disputed boundaries,” Price told reporters Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

In recent years, soldiers from both sides have patrolled areas along the disputed border. Opposing soldiers often come into contact and the two Asian giants have accused each other of sending troops into the other’s territory.

In June 2020, a clash in the Karakoram

mountains in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh sparked tensions after soldiers fought with stones, fists and clubs. At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died. The countries both stationed tens of thousands of troops backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets along their de facto border.

After multiple meetings between military commanders, some Indian and Chinese soldiers have pulled back from a key friction point in Ladakh, but tensions between the two Asian giants remain.

In November, Indian army chief Manoj Pande said there had been “no significant reduction” in Chinese troop strength in Ladakh. He said the border situation was “stable but unpredictable.”

Source: ctvnews.ca/

South Fraser MLAs appointed to key roles in new government

Premier David Eby announced a cabinet and leadership team that will be focused on tackling the problems people are facing, and working to make life better for British Columbians. Several Surrey and Delta MLAs were appointed to key roles in the new government.

Delta North MLA Ravi Kahlon was appointed to the senior role of Minister of Housing and Government House Leader. The new, standalone Housing Ministry will be focused on implementing an ambitious agenda to tackle the housing crisis and provide affordable, attainable homes for British

Columbians.

Surrey-Green Timbers MLA Rachna Singh was promoted to Minister of Education.

Surrey-Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar was promoted to Minister of State for Trade.

Surrey-Guildford MLA Garry Begg will continue to serve as Caucus Whip.

Surrey-Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston was appointed to the role of Minister of Forests and Minister responsible for Consular Corps.

Surrey-Newton MLA Harry Bains was reappointed as Minister of Labour.

Photo Credit: thelinkpaper.ca

Surrey Council approves plan to retain RCMP as Police of Jurisdiction Staying with the RCMP will save $235M over the next 5 years

Surrey, B.C. – Surrey Council approved a plan to retain Surrey RCMP as Police of Jurisdiction during its Regular Council Meeting tonight. The final report which details how the RCMP will staff up and ensure safety for all residents in Surrey through excellence in policing and well-established crime prevention programs will be sent to the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety by Dec. 15 for his review.

“Now that we know the true cost, it is clear just how much this policing transition will cost Surrey taxpayers,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “Even accounting for the funds that have already been spent, retaining the Sur-

rey RCMP will still save Surrey taxpayers more than $235 million over the next five years, and this figure does not include capital expenditures. Council has now received the long overdue financial analysis that I have called for since the beginning. To prevent any further unnecessary spending of our taxpayer’s dollars, a prompt decision on policing in Surrey is essential. I look forward to hearing from the Solicitor General once he has had an opportunity to review the plan.”

By keeping the RCMP, a total cost savings of $235.4M would be realized over the next five years. Council approved the plan after

reviewing a five-year financial analysis of the transition to the Surrey Police Service (SPS) versus retaining the Surrey RCMP. The full transition to SPS would cost $1,160.2M while retaining the Surrey RCMP would cost $924.8M over five years.

The key element of the ‘Policing Surrey’ Plan involves HR strategies to reach, and maintain, 734 operational RCMP members in Surrey. The Plan takes a people-centric approach and the City and the RCMP will work with interested staff to find career enhancement opportunities.

Source: Surrey.ca/

Trade minister apologizes for breaking conflict of interest rules

International Trade Minister Mary Ng has apologized after Canada’s conflict of interest and ethics commissioner concluded she placed herself in a conflict of interest through her involvement in a decision by her office to award contracts to a friend’s company.

Ng’s office signed contracts for media and communications training with public relations agency Pomp & Circumstance, cofounded and run by Amanda Alvaro.

The commissioner stated in his report, released Tuesday, that Ng and Alvaro are friends according to the definition in the Conflict of Interest Act. Alvaro is a regular panellist on CBC’s Power & Politics.

The contracts were signed on behalf of the minister in March 2019 and April 2020.

“Minister Ng twice failed to recognize a potential conflict of interest involving a friend, an oversight of her obligations under the Conflict of Interest Act,” Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion said in a news release.

“There is simply no excuse for contracting with a friend’s company.”

In a statement posted to Twitter Tuesday, Ng apologized.

“I take full responsibility for my actions. I should have recused myself and apologize to all for not having done so,” Ng said in the statement.

“At no time was there an issue of any personal benefit for me, nor any intention for anyone to benefit inappropriately.”

Conservative MP James Bezan asked the commissioner in May 2022 to examine the April 2020 contract.

Dion’s report says Ng told the commissioner the training was needed to deal with an increased number of requests for information to her office from media and businesses following the start of the pandemic. The report says Ng called Alvaro in late March 2020 to talk about the situation.

Ng’s office signed a contract worth $16,950

with Pomp & Circumstance on April 8, 2020.

Ng told the commissioner she did not discuss a contract in her phone call with Alvaro.

“The decision to trigger the steps that resulted in obtaining services from a company owned by one of her friends placed Minister Ng in a conflict of interest,” Dion said in the report.

“She should have known to instead withdraw from the process that led to the awarding of the contracts and obtain similar services from another provider.”

Ng told the commissioner she had no recollection of the earlier contract between her department and Alvaro’s company, dated March 26, 2019 and worth $5,840.

Alvaro told the commissioner a member of Ng’s office contacted her to obtain media training services. The report said Ng was not copied on any of the email exchanges relating to the 2019 contract, but members of Ng’s office were aware of the friendship between Ng and Alvaro.

“In light of the evidence gathered during this examination, I find that Ms. Ng participated in making a decision (in March 2019) and made a decision (in April 2020) to hire Pomp & Circumstance for media training,” Dion said in his report.

Section 4 of the Conflict of Interest Act states that “a public office holder is in a conflict of interest when he or she exercises an official power, duty or function that provides an opportunity to further his or her private interests or those of his or her relatives or friends.”

A spokesperson for the commissioner’s office said Ng is not facing any fines for breaching the act.

“While the Conflict of Interest Act does not provide for any sanctions for contraventions found following an examination, a report is provided to the Prime Minister,” the spokesperson said in an email.

“As set out in section 19 of the Conflict of

Interest Act, compliance with the Act is a condition of a person’s appointment and employment as a public office holder.”

Michael Barrett, the Conservative ethics and accountable government critic, said Ng should resign in light of the commissioner’s findings.

“We have a tradition in this country of ministerial accountability,” Barrett said in a media scrum Tuesday.

“And while it often seems to be absent in this government bench, under these Liberals, it is of course cause, with this finding of guilt, for the international trade minister, Ms. Ng, to resign.”

Barrett pointed to other conflict of interest breaches by members of the Trudeau government, including former finance minister Bill Morneau, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Trudeau

News Cont from Pg 1

hunters and others who rely on rifles and shotguns.

“Obviously there are people who will have, right now, guns that are on the line, that are probably more powerful or more convenient than you’d really need for hunting,” he said.

“And as a society, we have to figure out where that line is going to be. And no matter where you draw that line, there’s going to be people on one side or the other who feel it should have been one way or the other.”

The government’s approach was the right

himself.

“The trend continues now with their trade minister,” Barrett said.

In question period Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre asked whether Ng will be required to pay back the money awarded in the contracts.

Trudeau did not answer the question. Instead, he talked about the Liberals’ victory in Monday’s Mississauga-Lakeshore byelection.

one to take, he said. “But I’m always open to tweaks.”

Trudeau acknowledged there is more work to do on refining the definition, as his minority government requires the support of at least one other party to ensure passage of the measures.

The public safety committee planned to meet Tuesday to discuss a proposal to hear witnesses on the matter, an idea suggested by Kristina Michaud of the Bloc Quebecois.

Source: CBC news

Society must decide where the ‘line is going to be’ on assault-style firearms: Trudeau

Iran protests: 400 people sentenced to prison over Tehran unrest

lethal force.

So far, at least 490 protesters, including 68 children and 62 security personnel have been killed during the unrest, according to the Human Rights Activists’ News Agency (HRANA).

It has also reported the arrest of more than 18,200 people in connection with the protests, of whom 3,780 have been identified.

Authorities have not revealed how many have been arrested nationwide.

Bangladesh arrests head of largest Muslim party amid crackdown

The leader of Jamaat-e-Islami (Bangladesh Islamic Assembly), Bangladesh’s largest Muslim party, has been arrested days after he announced the party would join opposition-led protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Shafiqur Rahman was arrested from his residence at around 1 am on 13th December,” a statement from the party’s acting secretary general, Maulana ATM Masum, said on Tuesday.

Courts in Iran’s capital have handed prison terms of up to 10 years to 400 people arrested at anti-government protests, a judiciary official says.

Tehran’s prosecutor-general said 160 “rioters” were sentenced to between five and 10 years, 80 to between two and five years, and 160 to two years or less, the Mizan news agency reported.

Another 70 were fined, Ali Alqasimehr added, without providing any details.

It comes a day after authorities hanged a second man convicted over the unrest.

The judiciary announced on Monday morning that Majidreza Rahnavard, 23, had been executed in public in the north-eastern city of Mashhad.

A Revolutionary Court convicted him less than two weeks ago of the charge of “enmity against God” after finding he had stabbed to death two members of the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force.

Amnesty International said he was subjected to a sham trial and that the judiciary was “a tool of repression sending individuals to the gallows to spread fear and exacting revenge on protesters daring to stand up to the status quo”.

Iran has been engulfed by protests against the country’s clerical establishment for almost three months.

They erupted following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by morality police in Tehran on 13 September for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf, “improperly”.

Authorities have portrayed the protests as foreign-backed “riots” and responded with

However, judiciary officials announced in early November that 1,024 people had been charged in connection with the protests in Tehran. They said the suspects were accused of “acts of sabotage”, including “assaulting or martyring security guards” and “setting fire to public property”.

Last Thursday, authorities in Tehran executed a 23-year-old man convicted of “enmity against God” following what activists said was a grossly unfair trial. Mohsen Shekari was accused of stabbing and wounding a Basij member and blocking a street in the capital in September.

After Majidreza Rahnavard was hanged on Monday, Amnesty International said it had identified at least 20 other people at risk of execution.

According to the group, 11 individuals have been sentenced to death, three have undergone trials on capital charges and are either at risk of being sentenced to death or may have already been sentenced, and six may be awaiting or undergoing trial on capital charges.

The final category includes 26-year-old professional footballer Amir Reza Nasr Azadani, who a judiciary official in Isfahan province said on Sunday had been charged with “baghi”, or “armed revolt”.

Mr Nasr Azadani is accused of killing three security personnel in the city of Isfahan during protests on 16 November.

On Monday night, the global football players’ union FIFPRO said it was “shocked and sickened” that he was facing a possible death sentence “after campaigning for women’s rights and basic freedom in his country”

Source: www.bbc.com

IMF agrees to Ghana $3bn debt bailout

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to a $3bn loan to Ghana to get the West African nation’s debt under control, restore financial stability and help people most at risk from rising prices and other economic problems.

Ghana is facing more than 40 percent inflation, growing debt and a sharp decline in its cedi currency since the start of the year.

IMF officials have been in the capital Accra this month, where they discussed support for the country’s policy and reform plans with authorities.

At a news conference on Tuesday, finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta said Ghana was “committed to the programme and will work towards meeting the demands”. He said the agreement will help restore economic stability, tackle price spikes and strengthen the currency.

IMF board approval of the proposed threeyear loan is expected “early next year”, OforiAtta said.

“We pray that this will be the last [support needed]. That is why the programme will be that strong,” he said.

Stephane Roudet, IMF’s mission chief to Ghana, said in a statement on Monday: “The Ghanaian authorities have committed to a wide-ranging economic reform programme, which builds on the government’s

Post-COVID-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG) and tackles the deep challenges facing the country.”

Ghana’s reforms are focused on shoring up public finances while protecting the vulnerable, he said. The changes include creating a medium-term plan to bring in revenue, increasing tax compliance, making the country’s finances more transparent and improving how public industries are handled.

Ghana also announced it will restructure its debt and “committed to strengthening social safety nets, including reinforcing the existing targeted cash-transfer programme for vulnerable households and improving the coverage and efficiency of social spending”, Roudet said.

Source: aljazeera.com

“We are vehemently condemning and protesting his arrest,” Masum said, calling the authorities for his immediate and unconditional release.

For years, Jamaat, the country’s third-largest political party, which has been banned from contesting elections since 2012, was a major ally of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and their coalition ruled the country between 2001-2006. But after Hasina came to power in 2009, Jamaat’s entire leadership was arrested and tried for war crimes dating back to the country’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan.

Five of its top leaders were hanged between 2013 and 2016 after they were found guilty by a war crimes court. Hundreds of party activists were shot dead and tens of thousands were detained after they staged violent protests against the executions. The party called the trials politically motivated and part of a wider vendetta against its leaders.

“Ill efforts are going on to destroy the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami,” read the Jamaat statement. “On one hand, they are talking of democracy and election, while on the other they are oppressing … the opposition lead-

ers and activists. Practically, they do not believe in democracy.”

Police last month also arrested Rahman’s son, Rafat Sadik Saifullah, on extremism charges and remanded him in custody under the country’s harsh “anti-terrorism” laws.

The opposition has been demanding Hasina step down and let a caretaker government hold free and fair elections as the South Asian garment manufacturing hub battled an emerging economic crisis.

The BNP has also demanded the release of Begum Khaleda Zia, the 76-year-old party head and two-time prime minister who has been in jail since being convicted on two counts of corruption in 2018.

The government’s crackdown has seen more than 2,000 BNP politicians and supporters –including the party’s de facto chief and general secretary, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir – arrested on charges of inciting violence during the rally, in which at least one person was killed and dozens, including several police officers, injured.

Source: aljazeera.com

PM

Justin Trudeau attends liberal Party fundraiser in Surrey

The Prime Minister said at a local fundraiser that Canada has come out of the pandemic “financially better” than other G-7 countries. He also acknowledged, however, the struggle families continue to face with inflation and the rising cost of living.

Trudeau then pointed to the federal government’s agreement with B.C. to cut child-care costs in half.

Trudeau was in town to meet with Premier David Eby and announce that parents will get a discounted rate for every child they have in a licensed child-care facility.

This Government initiative is expected to save parents as much as $550 per month, per child.

Many B.C. families, however, feel this should have happened sooner.

Source: citynews.ca

PcWS hosts defence Minister anita anand

On December 5, Defence Minister Honorable Anita Anand was invited by Pakistani Canadian Women Society for a dialogue with women from local non-profit organizations and community at large. The discussion was facilitated by Shazia Jafry and began with an introduction of PCWS to the Minister by its President Dr. Babra Rana. Women representing various professions and nonprofit organizations were in attendance and asked some tough questions. The Minister discussed important issues including racism and sexual misconduct in the Armed Forces and the power of representation as a woman of color leading in politics. MP John Aldag and community activist Bilal Cheema were also in attendance and played a role in facilitating the visit.

BCMA President Muhamad Asad Gondal and VP Malik Irfan came to Chilliwack and raised $74,500 donation for the renovation of mosque in coordination with Chilliwack community. The president announced $42,600 engaging surrey delta community which is home branch and has always been very supportive. Inshallah BCMA is looking forward to open the mosque before Ramadaan.

Islamic Relief Canada Welcomes Afghan

Newcomers

Islamic Relief Canada’s Fraser Valley Team was at Archway’s Multicultural and Immigrant Integration Services department’s Open House event last week, welcoming Afghan newcomers. They presented their and local partner organization’s services in the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver, including Islamic Centers, Muslim Organizations, MSA’s, social services within the Muslim community, and youth activities.

Credit: Hassaan Ghani Shaykh

in Fraser Valley

$74,500 raised for the renovation of mosque in coordination with Chilliwack community

Immigrant women underrepresented in Canadian boardrooms: Report

By Fabian Dawson

“Culture is a way of coping with the world by Immigrant women are the least likely Canadians to be found in boardrooms and in high-level executive roles, according to a new study by Statistics Canada.

The study provides the first socio-economic profile of immigrant women at admission who have reached management positions in their careers once employed in Canada, said the report authors.

“Recent findings showed that immigrant women were underrepresented in decisionmaking roles, as 18 per cent of executive women were immigrants, while immigrant women accounted for one in four Canadian women workers,” the report said.

According to Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s latest diversity report, women held 26 per cent of a total of 5,112 board seats among Canadian companies.

“After eight years, the change to board composition in Canada is now obvious and widespread as Canadian boards have surpassed several important diversity milestones on their journey to include more diverse perspectives in decision-making at senior levels within the organization,” noted the report.

However, just 10 per cent of board positions were held by directors who are members of visible minorities, Indigenous peoples or persons with a disability.

“Eight years is a long time to achieve the milestones that have been reached to date,” the report says.

“And it will take considerable, sustained effort to achieve gender parity and representation by other diverse groups that approximates the demographics of the population in Canada.”

Other key findings in the Statistics Canada study include:

•

Among all executives, immigrant women were the least likely to contribute on a board of directors. Canadian-born men, immigrant men and Canadian-born women were all more likely to work as board directors.

• Immigrant women were less likely to occupy top-level roles in corporations. For example, immigrant women hold per cent of the top jobs compared to 22 per cent of immigrant men.

• Among directors and officers, immigrant women executives were much less likely than immigrant men executives to arrive in Canada as principal applicants. Women were more likely to be admitted as spouses or dependent economic applicants compared to immigrant men executives.

• The United States ranked first as the birth country of immigrant women executives (12 per cent), followed by the Unit-

ed Kingdom (11 per cent), China (8 per cent), Hong Kong (6 per cent) and France (5 per cent).

• By contrast, the top five countries of birth among the overall population of immigrant women were China (11.1 per cent), the Philippines (10.6 per cent), India (10 per cent), the United States (2.7 per cent) and the United Kingdom (2.6 per cent).

• Almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of the immigrant women executives worked in Ontario-based enterprises compared to 48 per cent of Canadian-born women executives.

• Chinese women executives were the least likely to work in large firms, whereas women executives born in the U.S. were the most likely to do so. 40 per cent of Canadian-born women executives worked in large companies.

SOURCE: New Canadian Media

By CYNTHIA MCQUEEN

Gender-based violence isn’t something that’s often spoken of at work.

But with one-third of women worldwide affected by gender-based violence and an increase in reported domestic or intimate partner abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an issue that can’t be ignored, says Paulette Senior, president and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation.

“We all know someone that has experienced gender-based violence at home,” Ms. Senior says. “They exist in our workplaces.”

Incidents of gender-based violence increased by as much as 30 per cent during COVID-19 lockdowns in Canada, with racialized women disproportionately affected. Women’s organizations, shelters and support groups received more calls for help at the height of the pandemic.

The increase in gender-based violence resulted in advocates and the UN calling the issue a shadow pandemic. According to UN Women, increased domestic violence intensifies concerns about victims’ security, health and finances.

Perhaps the most profound impact is that victims have untreated trauma and cannot live up to their potential, says Sue Bookchin, executive director of Nova Scotia-based Be the Peace, a non-profit that works to end gender-based violence.

The effects of abuse can show up at work, Ms. Bookchin says.

“Lost productivity is only part of the picture. The victims lose potential promotions. Think of the lost leadership of women [because of gender-based violence],” she says.

‘We haven’t made a dent in decades’

By: Mariyah Saleem, Gr 7, Lahore, Pak.

“Culture is a way of coping with the world by defining it in detail.” by Malcolm Bradbury.

Culture has been described as “a whole society’s way of existence.” As the world is growing and moving towards success. A new civilization is being born. However, the sad reality is that traditional traditions are vanishing. Humans are increasingly ashamed of their history and culture, rather than being celebrated for it. Because new trends are appealing to younger

According to Dr. Audra Bowlus, professor of economics at Western University, victims of gender-based violence lose one month of work a year.

Her study found victims of gender-based violence do not perform well on the job due to absenteeism, lateness, inattentiveness and an inability to concentrate due to the distractions of their current or prior victimization.

Due to a lack of income and resources, those who experience domestic or intimate partner violence have fewer options to leave violent relationships, according to UN Women. Victims of gender-based violence change jobs at a much higher rate and are more often employed in precarious work.

“We know that women are the great caretakers of our society,” Ms. Senior says. “However, experiencing gender-based violence can affect one’s ability to keep a job and take care of themselves and others.”

Currently, Ms. Bookchin says, support falls on the shoulders of women and activists, who are low paid, exhausted and who may also have their own trauma.

“We haven’t made a dent in gender-based violence in decades,” she says. “It is time for us to pay more attention. We cannot leave this to the justice system and police because they are woefully inadequate.”

POWER OF A HAND SIGNAL

For employers concerned about retaining employees, Ms. Senior suggests creating the kind of culture where having uncommon conversations makes them more accessible.

“Just like you would not want someone to come to work sick, you don’t want someone coming to work having to hide what’s hap-

pening to them,” she says. “Then something unspeakable happens, and we say we wish we had known.”

In response to the increase in violence, the Canadian Women’s Foundation developed the hand signal for help which gained media coverage when one US teen was saved from a kidnapping. The signal is performed by folding your thumb into your hand and wrapping your fingers around your thumb. Ms. Senior says the hand signal was originally designed to silently convey a person was experiencing violence virtually over a video call. The instructions have been translated into 20 languages and the signal has spread to more than 45 countries.

“We thought it had limitations. Today, I stand corrected,” Ms. Senior says. “This tool can transform us from a culture of silence to a culture of support.”

After the hand signal spread through social media, the organization went on to create a website called Signal Responder where people can learn how to help. The CWF Action Guide provides helpful information about how to support victims of abuse and includes links to organizations and support groups across Canada. More than 27,000 people have signed up to receive the Action Guide since the resources were created.

“Most people don’t know how to respond and respond in a way that doesn’t put the person in greater danger,” Ms. Senior says.

Creating confidential spaces Dr. Nancy Ross, assistant professor at Dalhousie University’s School of Social Work, believes that employers could do their part by making a public commitment to gender equality in the workplace. “We know that

ThE fading cUlTUrES

generations, the gen-z generation mindlessly follows them without knowing the difference between good and wrong. Even some of our living grandparents are becoming involved; it is their responsibility to advise them, but they are shamefully participating. TikTok and reels have a special form of fever among all. such horrible things are becoming viral nowadays, kids and adults alike are entertained by it, but some rational people are against it, and those who dare to stand up to it are labelled as ignorant. It’s not wrong to be colored in the shades of time, but traditions are more significant; they add flavor to life and have a big influence on individuals so

we can’t forget them. A tree without roots is dead, and a person without culture is not living. Our cultures are so picturesque. People that visit our country constantly appreciate our culture, yet we are the unluckiest people in the world because we do not value it.as a nation we should save it and do something for its exaltation.

You have to maintain a culture of transformation and stay true to your values. Jeff Weiner

The easiest approach is to watch videos that include information about our past; this will expand our knowledge and be so much fun. The strongest way to disseminate our culture

wages are not equal, and that’s a place to start,” Dr. Ross says.

Workplaces need to acknowledge the issue by identifying the potential risks, she says. People who experience gender-based violence often feel like they have to quit their job or go on leave to deal with the effect on their mental state and their motivation to work.

“[The trauma of violence] influences your outlook in terms of what you see as important,” she says. “This limits a person’s ability to flourish, and the whole issue is shrouded by stigma.”

Creating confidential spaces where victims can share their experiences in the workplace could make change, Dr. Ross says.

Ms. Bookchin’s advice to employers looking to make a difference in the lives of people who have suffered from domestic or intimate partner violence is to learn to notice the signs. Every workplace should have policies, education and training in place to protect employees, she adds.

“Create safe spaces,” Ms. Bookchin says, “and understand that this is very common.”

SOURCE: New Canadian Media

is to spend time with our grandparents and ask them to share tales and notable events from the past as well as the rituals. Instead of using technology negatively, it is preferable to use it productively.

Gender-based violence increased during the pandemic, and it’s robbing women of their potential

Fall of Dhaka and our past, present and the future

By: Hidayat Ullah

On December 16, 1971, Pakistan disintegrated. East Pakistan emerged as an autonomous and independent State. Bengali Muslims had played a significant role in the Pakistan Movement and even the Muslim League was founded in Dhaka, Bengal. The Pakistan Movement commenced from Dhaka, the majority of the leaders of the Muslim League were Bengalis and the presenter of the Pakistan Resolution was also a Bengali. Great leaders from Bengal 0ncluded Nawab Sir Saleemullah Bahdur (first interim president of all India Muslim league), Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy (prime minister of Pakistan 1956-1957) A. K Fazlul Haq Sher- e Bengal, presenter of Lahore resolution, played crucial roles in the creation of Pakistan.

During the Pakistan movement in 1937 ‘Quaid-I-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah appealed to the Muslims of Bengal to organize and establish solidarity and unity amongst the Muslims of India as they represented more than one-third of the Muslims all over the country and it was up to them to give an earnest lead to the rest of the Muslims. Muslims of Bengal proved the expectations of the Quaid and played the lead role for the Muslims. After introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Registration of Citizen’s Act by Modi regime in 2019, relations between Bangladesh and India are not good because the CAA has affected many Indian resident Bengalis and the Bangladeshi government has shown its grievances over it, while large scale protests

What is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis refers to advanced periodontal disease. With periodontitis, the gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, creating pockets where additional bacteria can build up and cause an infection. Treatment of advanced periodontal disease is a multi-step process. Sometimes a periodontist will recommend medications as a firstline treatment for advanced periodontal disease before resorting to surgery, depending on the severity of your gum disease.

Periodontitis Symptoms and Causes

Whereas gingivitis symptoms such as sore gums and bleeding gums are bothersome, the early signs of periodontitis include receding gums and the formation of pockets between the gums and the teeth. Once the infection gets beneath your gum line, periodontitis can cause tooth loss and can destroy tissues, ligaments, and bones in the mouth.

Signs of periodontitis include:

• Pain when chewing

• Poor tooth alignment

• Receding gums

• Pockets between the teeth and gums

• Persistent bad breath

• Sores on the inside of the mouth

• Loose or sensitive teeth

•

Periodontitis Treatment

When gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, treatment becomes much more complicated. Only your dentist and hygienist can perform periodontal treatment, which involves special dental procedures, and can require oral surgery. If your dentist determines that you have periodontitis, the treatment will depend on the severity of the infection.

have also occurred in Bangladesh against the Modi regime. Pakistan should take advantage and fill the space by conducting cordial relations with Bangladesh. Simultaneously, Pakistan should recognize and manifest the sacrifices of Bengali Muslims in the creation of Pakistan. The current government is endeavoring to develop these friendly relations, but in a very slow and insignificant manner. This needs to be expedited, while the internal policies should be made with clear lessons from history.

BengAL had a major role in creating Pakistan Ironically, after the partition of India circumstances rapidly changed due to various harsh and irrational policies which eventually led to the fall of Dhaka. Interestingly, it was the first time in the history of the world that a majority got separated from a minority. There were several reasons behind the disintegration of Pakistan and no single institution or person can be held responsible for this irremediably tragic event. Every year military and civilian Institutions remember this tragic event and shed some crocodile tears. Intellectuals write and speak about it, and lamentable and woeful songs are sung over it.

Civilized and visionary leaders and nations do not just keep such tragic events in songs for specific days, but learn from such incidents and mark weaknesses by revisiting both sides of their history, in order to make better future strategies and to never repeat the mistakes again. Unfortunately, our stance on the 1971 national disaster is very vague and ambiguous, and till today, we have failed to explain the facts of this incident before the nation. Our policy-makers do not identify and address the reasons of the East Pakistan Crisis, and our youth can only wonder in mind or settle for guesses on this issue. Why have our policy makers not been able to unveil the facts before the nation till today? Are we not going to repeat the same mistakes?

Some options include:

Tooth Scaling and Root Planing: During this two-step procedure to treat periodontitis, your dental professional will scrape off the tartar that has built up on teeth both above and below the gum line (tooth scaling). Next, your dental professional will smooth rough spots on the tooth roots, making it more difficult for bacteria to collect and cause more plaque and tartar buildup.

Flap Surgery: If the gum inflammation and pockets next to the teeth persist after a deep tooth-cleaning procedure, your dentist may recommend flap surgery. Flap surgery is a common dental procedure to treat periodontitis that is performed by a specialist called a periodontist. During flap surgery, the tartar is removed from the pockets that have formed alongside the teeth. The pockets are then closed with stitches, so the gum tissue once again hugs the teeth. Reducing the pockets makes it easier and more comfortable to brush and floss your teeth.

Grafts: In severe cases of periodontitis in which bone and tissue have been destroyed, you may need bone or tissue grafts to replace the infected tissue. Your graft may involve a technique called guided tissue regeneration, in which a small piece of mesh is placed between the jaw bone and gums to allow both bone and tissue to re-grow. Guided tissue regeneration helps keep the gum tissue from expanding into the area where the bone should be, so both bone and tissue grafts have room to grow.

Doxycycline Gel: Gel that contains doxycycline (an antibiotic) provides periodontal disease treatment by killing bacteria and

Today one can look around and find that all the causes which East Pakistan was facing prior to 1971 are still existing today as well with varying intensities: identity, language and racial crises, deprivation of basic citizen and other rights, abductions, mistreatments, extra-judicial killings, influence-peddling, frauds, neglection and sidelining, embezzlement and nepotism, the consequent separatist movements, Indian interventions, political repression and unethical and insane politics. Mismanagement, exploitation of resources and sidelining of local people are the elements which had produced the separation movement of Bengalis. Masses are not satisfied with civil-military policies, and almost all policies are elite-centric. People are deprived of basic human needs, corruption and nepotism has been penetrated in our political system, and the extrajudicial killings and missing persons’ issues are on peak, and there is no voice for marginalized communities. Keeping this dismal continuation of the state of affairs in view, the ultimate message of the Fall of Dhaka is to ultimately eradicate these issues, promote national unity and harmony, and to save Pakistan from any further damage or disintegration.

Along with this, our policy makers must also recognize the emerging status of Bangladesh particularly in the context of the economy. Economically, Bangladesh is not the same country as it was 20 or 30 years back. It is the second largest economy in South Asia, ranks as the world’s 33rd largest economy in nominal terms and 31st largest by purchasing power. It is the need of the hour that Pakistan should decrease her relational anxiety with Bangladesh, improve and normalize diplomatic relations, promote bilateral trade and sign trade and strategic agreements. As Pakistan is facing serious economic crises

shrinking the pockets that periodontal disease can cause around planing procedure. This antibiotic is released gradually over a period of about a week.

Chlorhexidine Chip: Another periodontal disease treatment involves placing a small, antimicrobial gelatin chip in a tissue pocket around the gum line after tooth scaling/root planing, and the antimicrobial is released gradually over time.

Minocycline Microspheres: For this type of periodontal disease treatment, the periodontist places tiny particles containing minocycline as an antibiotic in the tissue pockets after a tooth scaling/root planing procedure.

Doxycycline Pill: Your periodontist may prescribe an antibiotic pill for periodontal disease treatment in addition to tooth scaling and root planing. A low-dose doxycycline pill can help prevent overactive enzymesfrom breaking down gum tissue after periodontal disease treatment.

Prevent Periodontitis:

Stop Gingivitis Before It Starts Prevention is the best way to avoid the need for painful, costly, and time-consuming periodontal treatment. By focusing on preventive health and oral hygiene through the use of an effective oral hygiene regimen, you can keep your gums and teeth healthy.

To help prevent and reverse gingivitis, an early form of periodontal disease, try a Crest Pro-Health regimen. A Crest Pro-Health Advanced regimen helps protect your teeth and gums. This Crest Pro-Health Advanced regimen includes:

which are getting worse day by day, if not resolved Pakistan would be in a complete disaster in upcoming years. The only way to improve and strengthen the economy is trade. In the context of our neighbours, Pakistan has trade relations with China,but despite multiple calls by Pakistan, India has not been convinced to conduct trade relations with Pakistan. The only state in the region competing with India is Bangladesh. Our policy-makers must keep in consideration formulating long-term trade policies with Bangladesh, which would help Pakistan to uplift its economy.

After introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Registration of Citizen’s Act by Modi regime in 2019, relations between Bangladesh and India are not good because the CAA has affected many Indian resident Bengalis and the Bangladeshi government has shown its grievances over it, while large scale protests have also occurred in Bangladesh against the Modi regime. Pakistan should take advantage and fill the space by conducting cordial relations with Bangladesh. Simultaneously, Pakistan should recognize and manifest the sacrifices of Bengali Muslims in the creation of Pakistan. The current government is endeavoring to develop these friendly relations, but in a very slow and insignificant manner. This needs to be expedited, while the internal policies should be made with clear lessons from history.

Source: pakistantoday.com.pk

Toothpaste:

Detoxify Deep Clean can play a key role in at-home treatment of gingivitis, an early form of periodontal disease, by preventing issues before they start. Crest Gum Detoxify can help neutralize the bacteria found in plaque that builds up below the gum line. By using this as your daily toothpaste, it can help reverse early signs of gum disease and give you healthier gums.

Mouthwash: Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Mouthwash helps reduce gingivitis, an early form of periodontal disease by killing germs. Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Mouthwash provides 24-hour protection against gingivitis and plaque when used twice a day and it freshens your breath without the burning sensation of alcohol.

Brush: To round out the Crest Pro-Health Advanced Regimen, choose a soft-bristled toothbrush that fits your mouth, such as the Oral-B Cross-Action Pro-Health Toothbrush, which features soft gum stimulators and a tongue cleaner.

Floss: Twice-daily flossing is an important part of any oral care regimen. If your teeth and gums are sensitive, try Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Comfort Plus Floss.

Source: ca.crest.com/en-ca Miracle’s Note: Please check ingredients of paste

Toothpaste like Crest Gum

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the AllIndia Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, and then as the Dominion of Pakistan’s first governor-general until his death. Wikipedia

Born:December 25, 1876, Karachi, Pakistan

Died: September 11, 1948, Karachi, Pakistan

Siblings: Fatima Jinnah, Shireen Jinnah, Ahmad Ali Jinnah, Maryam Bai Jinnah, Bunde Ali Jinnah, Rahmat Ali Jinnah

Spouse: Rattanbai Jinnah (m. 1918–1929), Emibai Jinnah (m. 1892–1893)

Children: Dina Wadia Party: Muslim League Height: 1.78 m

American historian Stanley Wolpert summarises the profound effect father of the Pakistani nation had on the world as follows: Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.

His great freedom struggle spanning over four decades climaxing in to 1947 with Pakistan creation could be perceived in four distinct interlinked dimensions i.e. -uniting and leading oppressed Indian Muslims, -brilliantly negotiating with the imperialist brits, -tactfully countering tricky Hindu politics; and -ultimately ushering through a new state in the shape of Pakistan.

Pakistan owes its very existence to Quaid’s drive, tenacity, and intuitive judgment ---he was monumental and immeasurable in creation of Pakistan.

British Cabinet minister Edwin Montagu recalled him in his memoirs as “perfectly mannered, impressive-looking, armed to the teeth with dialectics, and insistent on the whole of his scheme”

He knew to exquisitely pick the well-worded

By: Nafisa siddiqui

n the history of every nation there are days days which are celebrated with joy and great enthusiasm,on other hand in every nations history there are days of horrible tragedies or set backs which are days of mourned.

In Pakistan’s history 16th December is that unfortunate Black day, two unforgettable incidents happened on same date one is “Down fall of Dhaka” and second is deadly terrorist attack on Army Public school Peshawar which killed 140 peoples including hundred innocent children.

The separation of east Pakistan from west Pakistan, now called Bangladesh is the most tragic chapter in our history. The whole nation was shocked and heart broken when Pakistan Army laid down their arms. Pakistan and India got independence in 1947 from British rulers.Pakistan formed for muslims, had two parts east Pakistan and west Pakistan both wings were separated by about 1,000 miles, this physical separation of east

an

The great leader

sharp pitch to lead through logically with slow delivery in a candid style towards the fruition of his case.

To give bit of Indian Muslims backdrop: Fragmented and regionalized into sects and self regional interests, an easy prey to congress with secular appeal though with predominant Hindu leadership.

1937 Muslim league under performance in Indian election, winning only 23% Muslim seats and congress’s refusal to share power mobilized Qaid’s drive towards Pakistan, with Allama Iqbal being the key influence / mentor having relayed the concept of separate Muslim homeland in 1930. Thus, idealizing Islamic model with minority protection moving away from congress driven secular traits.

Quaid gathered the Muslims under Lailaha-il-lal-Lah banner, to rise above the quantically disallowed sects to unite towards common destiny, as Allah doesn’t improve people’s lot till, they gear up to it. His appeal for unity, faith and discipline was heeded by the majority, thus, to deserve his kind of sincere devoted leadership

Quaid had against him not only the Hindu wealth and brains and the British officialdom, but even Muslim politicians also who under-rated his Pakistan vision. (Sir Francis Mudie)

He fought through relentlessly against all the odds for the inherent rights of the Muslims for an honourable existence in the subcontinent. In 1945 Indian central assembly elections league won all the Muslim seats with Quaid emerging as the undisputed leader of the Indian Muslims to force through Pakistan creation ending British Raj.

Indeed, his life story constitutes, as it were, the story of the rebirth of the Muslims of the subcontinent and their spectacular phoenixlike rise to nationhood

The survival of nascent state however was an equally great challenge with no establishment, lacking funds and self-commanded army in the wake of 1947-48 war in India for the strategic Kashmir state.

The predicament had compounded with influx of 8 million immigrant refugees flooding through the borders, whilst a million perished into the riots having broken through India at the partition time which saddened the Quaid gravely.

As the first governor general, Quaid gave the political and constitutional guidelines for Pakistan and started developing various

:

institutions of the state with his resolve that Pakistan had come into existence to remain forever.

He strived to lay the foundation of an ideological state with modern scientific and technical education, imperative for economic and industrial development, and attempted to build bridges of understanding with the international community.

Unity, Faith, and Discipline are the cannons Quaid propounded for Pakistan to flourish its social, political, and economic fiber. The country vitally needs to foster these values to strengthen its nationhood with just socioeconomics order in the wake of the daunting challenges it faces.

Quaid’s iron will contained in a feeble diseased body however could not stretch beyond 11 September 1948, as he breathed his last.

Now lying in peace at his mausoleum which dominates Karachi skyline as the prominent landmark known as Mazare Quaid.

However, heroes never die because their powerful remembrance remains alive in hearts.

“Hail, ye heroes! the heaven-born band!” Who fought and bled for freedom’s cause. Pakistan painda-baad!

Writer’s Profile

Internationally trained PWC CA and seasoned C level corporate executive having operated globally with the large conglomerates covering wide geographical territories cross-functionally in multitude of business sectors.

Currently functioning as the global business and strategic finance advisor. Has been on Surrey Board of Trade’s Industry and International Trade Committee.

Key expertise is in the operational finance domain, whilst the greater focus through the accomplishing career has been with the private equity, business model turnaround and financial engineering.

Has also involved with venture capital, M&A, asset management, financial market portfolios, spin offs / divestitures, private placements, IPOs, reverse mergers, LBOs, Sukuk, bonds, debt restructure, project finance and business capitalization.

Has put together successful business, finance, market, and product strategies, besides being on the execution end to drive the strategic results through stakeholder value enhancement.

Majeed.lakhani@gmail.com Ph. 604 445 6792

Black Day 16th December

Iand west exerted pressure on two side although they had common ideology and joint struggle for independence, the only binding force between the peoples of both side was Islam.Religion was the force which kept both east and west Pakistan together in-spite of some unfair decision by government, like west used more resources than east.Seventy percent of all of Pakistan export was made by East Pakistan while they received only 25% of imported money. Although East Pakistan has largest population among all five provinces it has less political power.This unfair situation created unrest among the people of east Pakistani,the leader of Awami national party of east pakistan Sheikh mujibur Rehman demanded more economic and political power. In December 1970 East Pakistani Awami league, led by Mujibur Rehman won the elections but west Pakistani peoples party (PPP)refused to hand over power. Meanwhile the settlers from west Pakistan and Biharis the urdu speaking communities that had moved there after partition who are pro-West Pakistan started

building tension with Bengali. After a while tension between Bengali and Bihari started rising and Bengali started attacked on some Bihari communities.Using the violence an excuse the Pakistan army intervened, but as violence escalated the people escape to Indian territories, India took this as an opportunity to intervene militarily in early December 1971.The conflict and fight between armies lasted for nine months huge loss of lives, sad part was the dispute and grievances of Dhaka were political and should be solved politically.The whole nation was crying with grief when they saw the surrender ceremony of our ninety thousand Soldiers who made world history. The second tragedy occur on 16,December 2014 seven gunmen attack Army public school Peshawar. The day holds a special place in hearts of every Pakistani every one crying with the parents and relatives of the children. On this black day more than 144 people including innocent children of all ages and teachers were gun-down by the monsters disguised in human attire. We

cannot even fathom the feeling the mothers must be going through.No doubt that it was one of the most horrific days in the history of Pakistan when the terrorists opened fire on the defenseless little angles who would have never, even in their wildest imaginations, would have thought that they would be victims to such an attack. Many years passed but still the catastrophe was unforgettable. Even though today whenever we watch those clips and glimpses of that atrocious attack on television, we still get goosebumps as we cannot even imagine or begin to understand the depressed conditions of the mothers of those martyred children, though we don’t know them but our prayers are with them.

a humble tribute by Majeed lakhani