Miracle 616-February 9, 2024 by Mohammad Naseer Pirzada

Volume 23- Issue 616- February 9, 2024- Rajab 28, 1445 H, $1 www.miraclenews.com BC, CANADA First Muslim

Biweekly & Bilingual

THE

Isra wal Miraj was cel-

Women, Men, and Intel-

03 lectual Deficiency

06 Liberal,

Green MPs probe universities’ free

14 ebrated at

Isra wal Miraj was cel15 ebrated at Canadian Muslim Me15 dia Club (CMMC)

10 Drug overdoses now

the leading cause of 16 Closing the toilet seat before you flush has

06 Trump argument he’s immune from 2020 06 10 cops martyred, 6 injured in attack on

House of Commons passes new Ukraine free What happens when a monarch falls ill? trade deal over Conservative opposition The plan for royal health issues explained

he House of Commons passed an updated free trade agreement with Ukraine on Tuesday over the objections of Con-

servative MPs, who have attacked the bill for containing a reference to “carbon pricing.” The legislation passed with support from the Liberals, Bloc Québécois and NDP. It will now go to the Senate for review. The trade deal has become a political flashpoint in recent months after Conservatives accused the Liberal government of forcing “carbon pricing” Cont. @ page 5

King Charles forgoing public duties while undergoing cancer treatment.

hen King Charles’s cancer diagnosis was made public on Monday, Buckingham Palace also laid out in broad strokes how the monarch’s royal business is expected to unfold while he undergoes treatment. Charles, 75, is “wholly positive” about his treatment for the undisclosed form of cancer, the palace said. But he is forgoing public duties while undergoing treatment. He is expected, however, to continue

with the formal constitutional affairs of state, the paperwork and private meetings such as his regular weekly session with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.“Clearly his mediCont. @ page 5

Jailed Imran Khan declares ‘win’ in AI video after Nawaz Sharif claims lead

akistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed victory in the country’s general election, hours after rival Nawaz Sharif did so. In an audio-visual message created using artificial intelligence and shared on his social media account, Khan called on supporters to celebrate a win achieved despite what he calls a crackdown on his party. Independent candidates backed by Khan won the most seats in the

National Assembly, despite his being in jail and his party being barred from the polls. Earlier,

Nawaz Sharif claims victory in national elections

Sharif said he would seek to form a coalition government after his party trailed the independents. He initially claimed victory on Friday, but soon afterwards said: “We don’t have enough of a majority to form a government without the support of others and we invite allies

Parties Posion in Election

ARY NEWS: Feb 10

Feb 8th

to join the coalition so we can make joint efforts to pull Pakistan out of its problems.” The lead of candidates backed by Khan came as a surprise given claims by his supporters and a national rights body that balloting was manipulated to favour Sharif. Any party needs 133 seats in parliament for a simple majority. Source: independent.co.uk/

seats in Pakistan election

Islamabad CNN Independent candidates affiliated with jailed Pakistani political leader Imran Khan’s party won the most National Assembly seats in Pakistan’s general election, delivering a surprise victory in a vote marred by a slow count and rigging allegations. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent canIn shock result, allies of jailed didates won 98 seats so far, with 22

ex-leader Khan win most

Cont. @ page 5

Message for the Miracle at its 23rd Anniversary on Feb 23, 2024

FEB 2001-2024

Alhamdulillah, we are proud that the Miracle is the only newspaper in the BC Muslim Print Media which has continuously published on a biweekly basis, even during the pandemic and up till now. The Miracle is BC’s first Muslim bilingual and biweekly newspaper, and is now completing its 23 years in publication. We have undoubtedly record numbers of regular local Writers and have. continued publishing for the past 23 years despite personal and community challenges. To make this occasion memorable, a Special edition will be published on Friday, Feb 23, 2024. If you have any message, well wishes or feedback for the 23rd anniversary that you wish to be published, please send as an email reply, in Word Document, InPage, or JPG by Feb 15, 2024 at miraclenews@telus.net. Please also send your picture (if preferred). Thanks

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

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Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

f aith The one who recites the Quran and the one who listens to it have an equal share in the reward. (Bukhari)

Women, Men, and Intellectual Deficiency

“Women Are Deficient in intellect.”

hese words, quoted from a famous ḥadîth, have been gleefully used by many Muslim men to demean and belittle women, implying that they are, by nature, inferior. It is sad that the majority of English translations and explanations (especially the latter) regarding this ḥadîth convey an overtly negative attitude, even aggressive in some cases, toward women. Yet when one reads the original Arabic Text, and searches for other classical explanations—such as that of the renowned Mâlikî jurist of Cueta (Sabta, in Arabic), Qâḍî ʿIyâḍ (d. 544/1149)—a different picture is painted, one which reflects not negativity, but positivity. The key phrase that we will look at here is the following: • One can see for oneself the differences of translation—and by extension, interpretation—clearly in the following four citations: “In spite of your lacking in wisdom and failing in religion, you are depriving the wisest of men of their intelligence.” (sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/20/11) • “I have seen none lacking in common sense and failing in religion but (at the same time) robbing the wisdom of the wise, besides you.” (sunnah. com/muslim/1/147) • “I have not seen anyone more deficient in intellect or dîn (religion). Yet the mind of even a resolute man might be swept away by one of you.” (sunnipath.com/library/hadith/ H0002P0006.aspx) • “I have never seen among those who have a deficiency in their intellect and their religion anyone more capable than women of swaying the intellect of the most determined of men.” (http://www.answering-christianity. com/karim/Rebuttal_to_Wiki_Islam_on___Are_Women_Deficient_ in_Intelligence__.htm) • The first two are quite harsh, and a jumping board for those explanations which go into detail about how women are weak, lacking, and inferior in intelligence. • The second two are slightly more ambivalent, less condemning, as it were. Even so, in English—and, I would suspect, most languages—there is very little explanation of this phrase (and, indeed, the entire ḥadîth itself) that doesn’t come off as an excuse or justification for misogyny. • Are the Knowing and Unknowing Equal? • What is a better explanation for this ḥadîth, then? • In Ikmâl Al-Muʿlim bi Fawâ’id Muslim (a commentary on Ṣaḥîḥ Muslim) by Qâḍî ʿIyâḍ, he discusses this ḥadîth carefully. To begin with, he notes a small but significant detail in the ḥadîth has been glossed over by many. When the Messenger of Allah approached the believing women to

•

• •

•

impress upon them the importance of giving ṣadaqah (charity) and repeating istighfâr (the asking of divine forgiveness), one of those women spoke up. • ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar narrated that the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬ said: “O womenfolk, you should give charity and ask much forgiveness, for I saw you in bulk amongst the dwellers of Hell.” A wise lady among them said: “Why is it, Messenger of Allah, that our kind is in bulk in Hell?” Qâḍî ʿIyâḍ takes the time to speak about this woman. In the Arabic Text, she is described as “imra’atun jazlatun.” What does ‘jazlah’ mean? Another analysis of the ḥadîth[1] defines ‘jazlah’ as “dhât al-ʿaql, ra’iyy waqâr,” meaning, someone with intelligence, with an opinion based upon reason and rationale, and commanding respect. This “imra’atun jazlah” was not merely content to hear this statement, but wanted to understand the reasoning behind it—and as Qâḍî ʿIyâḍ states, she demonstrates her intelligence in that she did not challenge the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬in a disrespectful manner, but spoke up in a firm yet appropriate way. Nor does her question criticize the statement of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, but instead, she seeks to further her own understanding of his statement. In fact, her behavior embodies the ayah: It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. (Surat Al-A ḥzâb, 33:36) Be Mindful of ‘Aql Another interesting point that Qâḍî ʿIyâḍ makes is how the word ʿaql is defined and understood, especially in the context of this ḥadîth. Only one definition equates with the widely translated and assumed one of “intellect,” whereas he also mentions it as certain, specific types of knowledge, and also as one in possession of a surpassing, deep insight and the acumen to distinguish the true reality and nature of things. The writer Azeez Muhammad Abu Khalaf further discusses the concept of “nâqis ʿaql,” and how it is taken out of context in this ḥadîth and infused with a implication that has no evidence whatsoever either in the Quran or Sunnah, namely, the claim that women are intellectually inferior to men. In the Quran, the use of the word ‘ʿaql’ is generally related not to intellect in and of itself, but rather, it is employed as a device to push people to achieve a realization about Allah, the purpose of life, and so forth, to motivate them to work for their Hereafter, which is akin to how it is used in the context of this ḥadîth: To emphasize the severity of the matter at hand. Thus, it is a mechanism to galvanize the acknowledged faith of these women in the meritorious actions of giving ṣadaqah, voluntary charity, and increasing their petitions

for God’s forgiveness, or istighfâr.

Ability vs. Responsibility

Furthermore, Allah’s Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬clarifies the ’naqsân’ (deficiencies) to which he refers and their causes, which turn out to be related solely to rules of Divine Law ( ḥukm sharʿî) as apply to women, specifically, regarding the issues of testimony and ṭa ḥârah, ritual purity, as the latter relates to ṣalâh, ritual prayer, and ṣawm, fasting. The matter of testimony falls under ʿaql, as it is not a ritual act of worship, whereas ṣalâh (ritual prayer) and ṣawm (fasting) are acts of worship and therefore dînî, religious observances, that is to say, they are specific to the conditions stipulated for performing acts of ritual worship. Even those who try to argue that women are inferior because their testimony equals only half that of a man’s are ignoring the fact that the Quranic ayah says simply so that one can remind the other (Al-Baqarah, 2:282), which is, properly, a matter (a commentary?) that speaks to the common societal need of social support for women (who are more likely to be vulnerable to duress), and also to the potential of societal deficiency in facilitating female social experience in the economic sphere. The point is these stipulations in no way comment on female intellect. There is no mention whatsoever of inferiority in any other way, especially with regard to intelligence, either in the Quran or the Sunnah. As to the details of a woman’s testimony, it must be known that it is not a blanket ruling applicable to any and all situations. There are cases where a man’s testimony is rejected completely; for example, in matters of childbirth, nursing, and the like. In other cases, a woman’s testimony is considered equal to that of a man’s. The details of these situations are subjects for a discussion of fiqh. Abu Khalaf also points out that those who try to use this ḥadîth to demean women are actually missing a significant aspect of the ḥadîth itself. How could the woman mentioned be described as “jazlah” if the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was actually telling women that they are not intelligent?

Text and Context

As for the second part of the ḥadîth,which has been translated in varying degrees of similar negative connotations, it is an example which highlights the power of words. The word ‘ghalaba’ in Arabic means ‘to defeat, to prevail, overpower, to overcome, to subdue’—basically, to have power over

someone, the connotaions being of superiority and influence. Translations such as “robbing the wisdom of the wise,” “swaying the intellect of the most resolute of men,” and the like degrade women by implying that they are uniquely deceptive, cunning, and manipulative. Yet—just as easily, and perhaps much more accurately—it can be translated as women being able to outwit and outsmart men, which, in turn, highlights that women are not, in fact, lacking in or inferior when it comes to the intellect. After all, how could someone stupid be able to outsmart “dhî lubbin”—a very intelligent, or wise, or resolute man? Amusingly enough, there is a similar saying in Arabic, the victor’s evil belongs to the vanquished, which implies that it is the one who is defeated who is blameworthy, not the victor. Some explanations of this ḥadîth, including that of Qâḍî ʿIyâḍ, mention that the Prophet uttered this statement as a compliment, an expression of admiration and affirmation of a character quality. He also makes the interesting observation that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬spoke these words in a special address to the women of the Anṣâr, who were known for their outspokenness, intelligence, and their generally equal footing with their men. This is in contrast to the people of Makkah, whose men were domineering over their womenfolk. The Prophet is thus, in a sense, acknowledging these women for the ease with which they are able to match wits with men, despite the latter’s general physical advantage. It is important in studying this ḥadîth—especially in light of how it has been incorrectly translated and explained—to know that this incident took place on Eid morning, an occasion for joy and celebration. It is inconceivable that the Prophet would say something deeply offensive, meant to hurt, or harmful to the psychology of those whom he was addressing (in this case, the believing women). Rather, it is known that the Messenger of Allah spoke in the best of ways and most eloquently, and that when he spoke to the believers, he did so always in a manner inpsiring them to grow closer to Allah, not more distant. Yet this point is rarely even given consideration in English explanations of this ḥadîth, misrepresenting it as all the more negative toward Muslim women... Source: aljumuah.com

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver Feb 9- 23, 2024 -Rajab 28- Shabhan 13 ,1445H Isl. Dt. Day Date Fajar

28 Fri 29 Sat 1 Sun 2 Mon 3 Tue 4 Wed 5 Thus 6 Fri 7 Sat 8 Sun 9 Mon 10 Tue 11 Wed 12 Thus 13 Fri

Sunr

Zawal

Dhuhr

Asar

Maghrib

Isha

For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

n A T I O N A L / B C N e ws

Surrey Action Plan aims to increase new housing by 27.8%

The City is implementing significant advancements in streamlining development approval processes to increase the delivery of new housing Surrey, BC – The City of Surrey is launching a three-year Action Plan to address the delivery of housing and support affordable housing projects that aims to increase the number of new housing units delivered by 27.8%, to an average 4,283 issued dwellings per year. Supported by $95.6M through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, the Action Plan includes a number of

A decision awarding $150,000 in damages for discrimination to an Indigenous mom whose children were taken from her and put in foster care has been overturned by a B.C. judge. Justice Geoffrey Gomery said the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal’s decision should be set aside due to “legal errors and procedural unfairness.” He also found that the tribunal did have jurisdiction to decide the complaint and ordered a new hearing. “(The mother) may yet be entitled to a rem-

initiatives to increase housing supply, including helping support below-market and affordable rental housing projects. “The federal government’s support for Surrey’s Action Plan will help eliminate barriers to building the housing that the City needs,” said the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “By working with cities, mayors, and all levels of government, we are helping to get more homes built for Canadians at prices they can afford.” “Surrey continues to be a favoured destination for people seeking a new home, which is why it is vital that we support the development of completed communities that are sustainable and inclusive,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “Thanks to this investment through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund and our streamlined land development approval process, Surrey will be able to deliver affordable housing faster. As

a leader in the region in supplying affordable housing, Surrey will now expand on this success by creating more safe, stable, and accessible housing for our ever-growing population.” Surrey’s Action Plan allows for faster development of higher density, multi-unit housing projects through the improvement of development approval processes. The City is also adjusting zoning to increase housing density, especially around rapid transit lines. Initiatives include policy changes to expedite development of below‐market housing, expanding the use of professional reliance for faster approvals, expanding the guaranteed permitting timelines program, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate faster development and permit approvals. Work is already underway, including development of the Building Inquiry Chatbot, Digital Compliance Project, continued expansion of

end‐to‐end Digital Permitting capabilities, and policy work to respond to the new Provincial housing legislation and targets. Staff are prioritizing several actions, including: Hiring of additional staff to support implementation of the Action Plan and continued application processing; Drafting the terms of the Development Incentive Program for Council consideration; Developing AI-powered tools to assist improved communication and quality of development and building permit submissions; and Refining the Spending Plan to ensure that investments are focused on unlocking housing supply. Learn more about Surrey’s Action Plan at surrey.ca/housingaccelerator.

precedented complaint.” The mother, referred to only as R.R., brought the complaint against Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society after her four children were apprehended and put into foster care, where they remained for more than two years. Ultimately, the tribunal found that VACFSS “did not have a reasonable basis to conclude that R.R.’s children were in need of protection.” Tribunal member Devin Cousineau ruled that the apprehension of the woman’s children and the subsequent limits on her access to them – which included months-long The tribunal’s decision B.C.’s Human Rights Tribunal decided the periods of no contact whatsoever – was discase in December of 2022, calling it an “un- criminatory, rooted in stereotypes about and

prejudice against her as an Indigenous mom who had experienced mental health issues. “It exposes systemic forces of discrimination and their profound impacts on an Indigenous mother,” Cousineau wrote. “The discrimination in this case is the effect of a wider web of laws, policies, and practices which interact to create a system stacked against Indigenous families, especially single mothers living in poverty, with disabilities, and with children with disabilities.” VACFSS appealed the decision in January of 2023 on the grounds that the tribunal overstepped its authority and ruled on a matter outside of its jurisdiction... Source: bc.ctvnews.ca/

From: Amy Jugpal

Communications & Media Relations Lead Office of the Mayor

B.C. judge overturns ‘unprecedented’ human rights decision

edy based on a correct legal analysis,” he concluded in Monday’s ruling. But Jonathan Blair, a lawyer representing the mother in the judicial review, said the decision is not only “unfortunate and disappointing,” but that there are “many grounds for appeal.” Blair, who is with the Community Legal Assistance Society, did not say if the mother plans to appeal or on what grounds, but did outline a number of issues with the judge’s decision, including what he described as a “regressive understanding of human rights and equality.”

After pausing funding to UNRWA, Canada will send another $40M in aid for Gaza

UNRWA bill not due till spring, long-term funding may not be affected. Canada is sending another $40 million in aid to organizations that are helping people in the Gaza Strip after pausing funding to the UN’s relief agency for Palestinians — even as one MP warns the UN agency is the only one capable of delivering the aid Gaza needs. The funding top-up, bringing the total commitment to $100 million, comes as Ottawa condemns what it calls “inflammatory rhetoric” from Israeli government officials about the forced displacement of those who live in the besieged territory.

“Throughout this conflict, we have centred our decisions on the lives of innocent civilians in this conflict,” International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said Tuesday. “This is a demonstration of Canada’s commitment.” The bulk of the new funding will go to the World Food Program, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the UN Population Fund, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Roughly $5 million has been set aside for Canadian non-governmental organizations.

ast week, Canada suspended “additional funding” to a UN agency that supports Palestinians in Gaza and employs about 13,000 people there, as well as another 17,000 in Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, Lebanon and other places.The move was in response to allegations that some staff of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) played a role in the Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7.

SANTIAGO, CHILE - Volunteers in central Chile tried to remove charred metal, broken glass and other debris Monday from neighbourhoods devastated by wildfires over the past several days, as officials raised the death toll to 123. Hundreds of people remain missing. The fires appeared to have diminished by Monday morning after burning intensely since Friday on the eastern edge of the city of Vina del Mar. Two other towns in the Valparaiso region, Quilpe and Villa Alemana, also have been hit hard, and President

Gabriel Boric said Sunday that at least 3,000 homes had been burnt down in the area. An additional 10 victims were added to the death toll on Monday afternoon, bringing it to 122, said Marisol Prado, the director of Chile’s Forensic Medical Service. Prado said that many bodies were in bad condition and difficult to identify, but added that forensic workers would be taking samples of genetic. material from people who have reported missing relatives. Vina del Mar’s Mayor Macarena Ripamonti

News Coninued from Page 8

Hundreds of people are missing as the death toll from Chile’s wildfires reaches 123 said that at least 370 people have been reported missing in the city of about 300,000 residents.The fires ravaged several neighbourhoods that had been precariously built on the mountains that loom to the east of Vina del Mar, which is also a popular beach resort. Officials have suggested that some of the wildfires around the city could have been intentionally provoked. Dry weather, strong winds and low humidity helped the fires spread faster, Boric said.Priscila Rivero,

News Coninued from Page 5

Pierre Poilievre defends Alberta Premier Smith on transgender policies Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre defended Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her approach to transgender issues Tuesday, saying the Liberal government and the media have demonized her for policies that would give parents more say over their kids. Speaking to reporters at a press conference on car theft in Montreal, Poilievre said the Liberal government is “spreading disinformation” about what Smith has proposed. “If you keep it vague and you actually

refrain from describing the policies Premier Smith is putting in place, you think you can misrepresent them and misrepresent conservatives,” he said. “This is exactly what Justin Trudeau has done. You notice Trudeau has not given a single example of any of the policies that Premier Smith has brought forward that he individually disagrees with because he doesn’t want to be specific about it. He and you want to peddle disinformation in order to demonize Premier Smith and parents,”

Poilievre added, addressing his comments to the reporter who asked the question. Poilievre said Trudeau and his ministers need to “butt out.” “He should let parents raise kids and let provinces run schools and hospitals,” he said. When asked by a reporter if the policies could actually limit the rights of parents who support their child’s pursuit of a gender transition, Poilievre said, “No.” Source: cbc.ca/news

Rajab 28, 1445H

February 9, 2024

LECTIONS can re-

opinion

Poll manifestos

them to form informed views. If the larger parties lack strong juvenate nations if they are fair, parties present crackdown it faces. strategy that can remove the ideas, what is the alternative? strong ideas and teams to the The shortest is the PML-N’s, threat of default and high in- The manifestos of small leftist masses competitively and the much of it wasted on large flation to attain sustainable outfits like the Awami Workwinners have a strong man- Sharif photos. It is bereft of and equitable progress. All ers Party, National Democratdate to take the country for- any in-depth analysis of the three lack strong economic ic Movement and Haqooq-iward. Thursday’s polls may be root causes of our long-term teams to translate ideas into Khalq party provide detailed among our most rigged, more or current problems, jumping successful strategies. The PTI analysis of the root causes of so after Imran Khan’s dubious straight into sectoral promises. has lost its capacity due to deprivation due to inequities convictions last week. Opinion The PTI’s and PPP’s contain the crackdown it faces, while embedded in capitalism. But polls suggest a hung assembly. preambles that mention in- PML-N has alienated talent by as small and new parties with limited resources, they need Thus, we may have a rigged equities as a root cause of our its family-centric politics. more time to develop concrete and weak new government. problems and reflect on our Ideas play a limited role ideas and field large numbers This leaves the issue of wheth- economic and security probin the manifestos of the of candidates who can win. So, er parties have strong ideas lems. As expected, the PTI’s their impact on these polls will and teams. reflects heavy religious ideol- three main parties. To convince discerning voters, ogy, but without linking it to The three say little on our sec- be minimal, though I will still party manifestos must present concrete policies. The PPP’s ond biggest threat, insecurity vote for them. Readers are enan in-depth analysis of why reflects no ideology despite its due to terrorism by TTP and couraged to look more closely people suffer on account of pro-poor rhetoric, its socialist Baloch militants, or their root at such parties. causes such as societal ex- Thus, we may get a weak and major issues and the best way origins nixed long ago. of addressing them perma- The PPP’s is the weakest on tremism and genuine Baloch rigged new regime that lacks nently. In the current scenario, concrete economic ideas. It complaints. The PPP talks of strong ideas and teams and is where we face huge economic promises the sky on increas- its Balochistan package that heavily dependent on the seand security challenges and, ing income, social services proved inadequate even the curity establishment and other with the rest of the world, and housing, and aims to in- last time. But there is little elites. It will lack the strong the impact of climate change, crease investment and tax rev- talk by the parties on solving links to or mandate from the there must be a special focus enues for this purpose. But it Baloch complaints or talking masses to challenge elites and on these areas. I reviewed the hardly contains any concrete to Baloch groups or ending make fundamental changes in 2024 manifestos of the PTI, ideas on how it would do so. societal extremism. On the our elite-dominated political PML-N and PPP on such key The other two present more mother of all our problems and economic order. So, we points. All three were issued meso-level concrete ideas in — civilian supremacy — the may go from one weak and days before the elections, re- some economic areas. The PML-N has removed the mild rigged hybrid regime to anflecting the limited role ideas PML-N talks rightly of merg- talk of its 2018 manifesto but other that adds to our mountplay in our polls as against ing investment, industries and now PTI includes it mildly. ing problems and kicks the can catchy slogans and patronage commerce to create a ministry Our Constitution needs an further into the future. This flows. But all are better than of economy, which must also overhaul as many anomalies cannot go on forever and ultheir 2018 iterations in terms include planning and IT. The have been unearthed in it in timately there may be a crash of length, presentation and PTI and PML-N both have recent years. But the three landing. coverage. This is especially some concrete proposals for only mention limited changes. Courtesy By: Dr Niaz Murtaza credible for the PTI, which has exports, investment, industry, Lack of space does not let me the longest and most compre- etc. However, they fall short of review the other areas in their hensive one, despite the state a new and coherent economic manifestos. Readers must read

House of Commons passes new Ukraine free trade deal over Conservative opposition

News Coninued from Page 1 When the agency’s director fired into Israel, one took part in a kid- dently confirmed. That day, militants killed about 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage, provoking a massive military response by Israel in Gaza. It’s believed that about 100 hostages are still alive and being held there. The Hamas-controlled health ministry in the territory says more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed, including militants.

nine staff members suspected of being involved in the Hamas attack, there was an immediate international outcry. The UN condemned what it called the “abhorrent alleged acts” and the United States suspended its own funding. An Israeli document detailing the allegations was obtained Monday by The Associated Press. It said seven UNRWA employees stormed

napping and another helped steal a soldier’s body. Three others are also accused of taking part in the attacks. Ten were listed as having ties to Hamas while one was linked with the Islamic Jihad militant group, AP reported. Two of the 12 have been killed, according to the document. The UN previously said one was still being identified. The allegations could not be indepen-

Canada contributes about $25 million a year to UNRWA’s normal operating budget under a fouryear arrangement. It also gave an additional $20 million to UNRWA in emergency aid in December to help the agency deal with the humanitarian crisis caused by the war...Source: cbc.ca/news wrote... Source: cbc.ca/news

Hundreds of people are missing as the death toll from Chile’s wildfires reaches 123

News Coninued from Page 4 her home. She said she rushed her with licks of flame emerging from tos, the pictures from my parents’ a chef from the neighbourhood of Alto Miraflores, said that it took about 15 minutes for the flames to travel from a neighbouring hill to

children to safety when she saw the fire approaching, but by the time she returned to salvage some of her posessions her house was burning,

the windows. “It’s the place where wedding, but some of that will rewe have lived all our lives” Rivero main in our hearts. said. “It’s so sad to see it destroyed, ”Source: ctvnews.ca and to lose our memories, our pho-

What happens when a monarch falls ill? The plan for royal health issues explained

News Coninued from Page 1

cal team is advising against public-facing engagements and

so by making this announcement, it avoids speculation as to why the King will not be seen in public during this course of treatment,” Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris said in an interview.While there are formal

provisions for how official duties can be handled if the monarch cannot carry them out on a temporary basis because of illness or being overseas—through the appointment of counsellors of state — there is no indication they will be adopted at this time. Charles’s cancer diagnosis comes as his daughter-inlaw, Catherine, Princess of Wales,

continues to recover at home after abdominal surgery last month. She isn’t expected to resume public duties until after Easter. As the two are out of the public eye, other senior members are expected to have a higher profile. “It’s clear the public face of the monarchy at this time is very dependent on three very hard-working royal women,

Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh,” said Harris. ‘”Although the direct line of succession is King Charles III, his son Prince William, the Prince of Wales, and then Prince George, it’s going to be the senior royal women who are the most visible in the coming weeks.” Source: cbc.ca/news

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Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

NAT&INT.NEWS

Liberal, Green MPs probe universities’ free speech policies as Israel-Hamas war grinds on

how they’re protecting faculty, staff and students from blowback over advocacy for Palestinians or Israelis. “We have seen a rise in antisemitism, anti-Arab discrimination, anti-Palestinian discrimination and Islamophobia,” said Liberal MP for Brampton-Centre Shafqat Ali, who initiated the letter. It was sent to the universities on February 4. “We thought we should have a conversation with university presidents about how they’re dealing with this situation.” As the conflict in the Middle East rages Ali was one of the five MPs who travelled on, 13 Liberal and Green MPs are ask- to the Occupied West Bank and Jordan ing 27 Canadian universities to explain Source: cbc.ca/

UN chief sets up body to probe Israeli allegations

UNITED NATIONS: UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres established an independent body on Monday to scrutinise allegations regarding neutrality of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Guterres, in consultation with UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, has assigned the leadership of this crucial review to Catherine Colonna, a former foreign affairs minister of France. The panel will collaborate with three reputable research organizations — the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. In a statement released in New York, the

UN chief emphasised the importance of this review, stating, “The Review Group’s mandate is to assess whether the Agency is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality and to respond to allegations of serious breaches when they are made.” Source: dawn.com/

A district court will hear the Mughal-era mosque’s case on February 6 after a local court allowed Hindu prayers inside. Varanasi/Bengaluru, India – A festive atmosphere engulfed Varanasi, one of Hinduism’s holiest cities situated on the banks of the river Ganga. It was the week Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the

new temple to the Hindu deity Ram where the 16th century Babri Masjid once stood in the city of Ayodhya, 200km (124 miles) to the north. In Varanasi, the streets and boats on the river were decked up with saffron flags bearing illustrations of Ram. Outside Varanasi’s famous and historic Kashi Vishwanath temple, the smell of burning camphor and the sound of Indian classical music drifted through the air as pilgrims flocked in large numbers to the temple to offer their prayers. But next door, towards the west of the temple, the carnival-like spirit was replaced with a strict and sombre atmosphere, with barricades and police officers greeting crowds. The officers were guarding the Gyanvapi Mosque – which is widely believed to have been built on the ruins of a 16th-century Kashi Vishwanath temple demolished by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1669... Source: aljazeera.com

Ten cops were martyred while six were injured in a late-night attack on the Chodwan police station in Dera Ismail Khan on Monday, police said. The attack comes three days before the general elections are scheduled to take place on February 8 Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasir Mehmood confirmed the casualties to Dawn. com.“More than 30 terrorists launched an attack from three directions. There was an exchange of fire for over two-and-a-half hours,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief

Akhtar Hayat Gandapur told AFP. Gandapur told AFP the attackers briefly seized control of the police station during the assault in the early hours of Monday. Malik Aneesul Hassan, the deputy superintendent of police in Draban, told Reuters that after entering the building, the militants “used hand grenades which caused more casualties to the police”. In the evening, funeral prayers of the martyred cops were offered at the Dera Ismail Khan Police Lines. Caretaker KP Chief Minister Justice (rtd) Arshad Hussain Shah, Chief Secretary Nadeen Aslam Chaudhry, KP police chief and other senior civil and military officials attended the funeral. Talking to the media afterwards, IG Akhtar paid tribute to the police for fighting terrorists with courage and bravery. He promised that the sacrifices of those who fought for the security of the country would not go in vain..S.dawn.com/

Iran will ‘respond firmly’ to US attack: President Raisi

In Modi’s constituency Varanasi, India’s next temple-mosque spat explodes

TEHRAN/BEIRUT: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi issued a stern warning on Friday against any possible attack by the United States in retaliation for a strike that killed three American troops in Jordan. The warning came as Israeli strikes killed three fighters, including an official of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, in Syria. “We have said many times that we will not be the initiator of any war, but if a country, a cruel force wants to bully, the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond firmly,” Raisi said during a visit to a Gulf naval base operated by the Revolutionary Guards. Iran’s “military power in the region was not and is not a threat to any country,” but a source of security that countries in the region can rely on and trust, he said as he toured the base in Bandar Abbas. “Today, the enemy has no ability to do anything against us; because they know that our forces are powerful and capable.” The death of the American

soldiers in a drone strike at a base in Jordan on Sunday marked the first US military losses to hostile fire in the region since the Gaza conflict on October 7.Meanwhile, three pro-Iran fighters were killed in Israeli strikes south of Damascus on Friday, a war monitor said, with Iranian media reporting an adviser from the Revolutionary Guards was among the dead.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “three members of pro-Iran groups, including an Iranian and an Iraqi” were killed in “Israeli air strikes”. .dawn.com/

Qatar says Hamas response to truce proposal ‘generally positive’

Mediator Qatar says Hamas has given a “generally positive” response to a proposed truce deal with Israel, as the Palestinian group reiterated its demand for an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza. During a press conference on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Anfrom a three-judge panel marks the second tony Blinken, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh time in as many months that judges have Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim

U.S. federal court panel rejects Trump argument he’s immune from 2020 election prosecution

A federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump can face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election, rejecting the former U.S. president’s claims that he is immune from prosecution. The highly anticipated, unanimous decision

10 cops martyred, 6 injured in attack on police station in DI Khan

Al Thani described Hamas’s reaction to the proposal as “generally positive”, without providing more details. Blinken said Hamas’s response to the proposal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States has been shared with Israeli officials. Blinken is on a lightning tour of the Middle East, and said that he would discuss the response with Israel’s officials when he visits the country on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in Doha on Tuesday, Blinken said the deal is “essential”. “There’s still a lot of work to be done. But we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and indeed essential, and we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve it,” he said... Source:aljazeera.com

spurned Trump’s immunity arguments and Israeli officials say 31 hostages dead held that he can be prosecuted for actions as ceasefire negotiations continue undertaken while in the White House and Israel’s chief military spokesperson Rear Ad- Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony in the run-up to Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of miral Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday that 31 Blinken has been pushing for progress on a his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. of the remaining hostages held in Gaza were ceasefire-for-hostages deal . “We cannot accept that the office of the PresSource: https://www.cbc.ca/ pronounced dead. idency places its former occupants above the “We have informed 31 families that their law for all time thereafter,” the judges wrote. captured loved ones are no longer among the The panel rejected the argument that presi- living and that we have pronounced them dents in the future would face an increased dead,” he told a regular media briefing.Israel risk of prosecution. previously said 136 hostages were still being The trial date in Trump’s federal election held in Gaza after 110 were released during interference case carries enormous political the only pause in fighting agreed so far in the ramifications, with the Republican primary current war against Hamas; that exchange front-runner hoping to delay it until after happened in November, when Israel in turn released 240 Palestinians from Israeli pristhe Nov. 5 election. ons. Source: thedailystar.net/

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

On February 1, 2024 Minister Robinson stated that prior to the settlement of Jewish people in Palestine, Palestine was “a crappy piece of land with nothing on it” and that it “didn’t produce an economy”. This is a racist, islamophobic and anti-Palestinian worldview. This is a common white settler colonialist trope used to disenfranchise Indigenous people. It denies the existence of Palestinians and their legitimate connection to the land of Palestine. A member of your cabinet, Selina Robinson, has continually repeated islamophobic stereotypes, vilified Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians. She has spread misinformation by aligning herself with the IDF and right-wing media like Fox News. She is cheering on a genocide in Gaza. Here is a folder of some of her tweets, retweets and likes. I am horrified and outraged that a Minister in your government can engage in such vile behaviour. At a time when British Columbians need to come together and support one another, she has chosen to stroke the flames of hate and quite literally put a target on the backs of so many people of color and students who are on the streets demanding an end to a genocide.

Stop Car Theft

POLITICS

Racist Selina Robinson Must Resign On December 3rd, a car drove into pro-Palestine protesters right outside your office in Victoria. Luckily, no one was hurt. Premier Eby, I need you to show leadership here that goes beyond announcements and words. Selina Robinson is not fit to be a leader. She has lost the confidence of British Columbians. She must resign. Source: actionnetwork.org B.C. minister agrees to step down after ’crappy piece of land’ comment offends pro-Palestinian groups

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s Post-

Secondary Education Minister Selina Robinson is stepping down amid an outcry over her remarks that modern Israel was founded on “a crappy piece of land.” Premier David Eby says Robinson’s “belittling” remarks were incompatible with her remaining in cabinet, although she will stay in the NDP caucus. “The depth of the work that Minister Robinson needs to do, in order to address the harms that she’s caused, February 5, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of Canada’s Common Sense Conservatives, is demanding that Justin Trudeau ends his reckless catch-and-release policies that have led to a massive increase in car thefts.

The Problem:

Today, many people will wake up, and one of the first things they’ll do is look out of the window. Not to check the weather, but to check if their car is still sitting in their driveway. Car thefts are up 300% in Toronto and 100% in Ottawa and Montreal. It wasn’t like this before Trudeau, as he admitted in one of his own press releases last week. Since his Liberal Government was elected in 2015, there has been a 34% surge in car thefts across Canada. In New Brunswick, car thefts have spiked by 120%, while Ontario and Quebec have seen rises of 122% and 59%, respectively. The explosion of car theft is making life even more unaffordable for Canadians. In 2022, for the first time ever, car theft cost the insurConservatives are calling on Justin Trudeau ance industry more than $1 billion, meaning to reverse his reckless policies that have everyone has to pay more each month. In caused an explosion of car thefts and made Ontario, car theft claims were up 329% in our neighbourhoods dangerous the first half of 2023, adding up to more than

is significant,” Eby told an impromptu news conference in Vancouver on Monday. Eby had faced mounting calls for the removal of Robinson since the remarks last week that infuriated pro-Palestinian groups and other critics who called them racist and Islamophobic. Robinson called pre1948 Palestine “a crappy piece of land with nothing on it,” on Jan. 30 during an online panel with other Jewish politicians, hosted by B’nai B’rith Canada. She said Israel was offered to Jews who were misplaced and displaced from their homes.“They don’t understand that it was a crappy piece of land with nothing on it. You know, there were several hundred thousand people but other than that, it didn’t produce an economy. It couldn’t grow things it didn’t have anything on it, and that it was the folks that were displaced that came and had been living there for generations and together they worked hard and they had their own battles,” she said. The news that Robinson would step down has

left the B.C. Jewish community “offended and hurt,” one leader said. “In the past, when BC NDP politicians and staff have made antisemitic comments, the Jewish community has been asked to accept their apologies and – on every occasion – we have. As a show of goodwill, we never publicly demanded their resignations,” Nico Slobinsky of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement...Source: nationalpost.com/

$700 million in losses. The Insurance Bureau months to three years for a third offence of of Canada estimates this costs every driver motor vehicle theft. in Ontario an extra $130 a year. Remove eligibility for house arrest if convicted of motor vehicle theft by way of inThe Cause: This is happening because Justin Trudeau’s dictment. Create a new, specific aggravating dangerous catch-and-release policies have factor where the offence of motor vehicle unleashed crime and chaos in our commu- theft is committed for the benefit of organnities. Bill C-75 allows repeat offenders to be ized crime. released on bail within hours of arrest, who Repeal catch-and-release rules in Trudeau’s then often go and promptly re-offend. Police Bill C-75 to ensure that repeat offenders get are powerless to stop career car thieves. Af- jail, not bail. ter offenders have been convicted, Trudeau’s A Pierre Poilievre government will hit the reckless Bill C-5 allows house arrest for these brakes on car theft, protect your property criminals, even those with a long rap sheet. and bring home safe streets. It’s just comThis means that they can just walk out their mon sense. front door, and be on the streets again im- Poilievre said: mediately, stealing cars and terrorizing our “Justin Trudeau’s reckless policies have alneighbourhoods. lowed car thefts to explode in our communiAnd his mismanagement has allowed or- ties, and his only action to fix the mess he ganized crime to turn our federal ports into created is to hold a summit. Canadians don’t parking lots for stolen vehicles that are then need another summit, they need a comshipped overseas. mon sense plan to stop the theft and end the crime. “Justin Trudeau has allowed career The Solution: A Pierre Poilievre government will go after car thieves back onto our streets to continthe real criminals by restoring jail, not bail, ue spreading chaos and disorder. Common increasing mandatory jail time and ending sense Conservatives will ensure these crimihouse arrest for car thieves, while also in- nals stay where they belong: in jail. creasing sentences for gang-associated car “Let’s put a stop to auto theft, protect our property and bring home safer streets. That’s thieves. We will: Increase the mandatory prison time from six common sense.” Source: mail.google.com

‘Shocking’: Air Canada CEO blasted over accessibility services at House committee

A number of Canadians with disabilities have reported mistreatment by Air Canada staff in the past year. Lawmakers took Air Canada’s CEO to task on Monday over “shocking” and “scandalous” failures to accommodate passengers living with disabilities. At a House of Commons committee hearing on services for Canadians with disabilities, chief executive Michael Rousseau faced a barrage of questions over reports of passenger mistreatment during the past year. Vice-chair Tracy Gray cited several “shocking” incidents from 2023: “An Air Canada passenger had a lift fall on her head and her ventilator was disconnected; Air Canada leaving Canada’s own chief accessibility officer’s wheelchair behind on a cross-Canada

flight ... and a man was dropped and injured when Air Canada staff didn’t use a lift as requested.” In August, a man with spastic cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off an airplane due to a lack of help, a situation that Bloc Quebecois MP Louise Chabot called “scandalous.” Asked how Air Canada would improve its services, Rousseau replied, “We do make mistakes.” But he pointed to an expedited accessibility scheme announced in November, along with new measures to improve the travel experience for hundreds of thousands of passengers living with a disability. Last week, the carrier formed an advisory committee made up of customers with disabilities and laid out a program where a lanyard worn by travellers indicates to staff they may need assistance. “The vast major-

ity of customers requesting accessibility help from Air Canada are having a good experience. There are exceptions. We take responsibility for those exceptions,” Rousseau said. Last fall, he apologized for the airline’s failures. NDP disability inclusion critic Bonita Zarrillo suggested the shortcomings run deeper than occasional missteps, saying Air Canada’s corporate culture and a lack of federal enforcement are to blame for mistreatment, even after regulatory reforms over the past five years. “I just don’t think that it should take egregious and gross negligence stories and the harm to persons with disabilities, whether to their physical being or to their dignity. The be the spearhead,” she said in an interview violation of their human rights should not ahead of the hearing.Source:Sou.cbc.ca/news

Jailed Imran Khan declares ‘win’ in AI video after Nawaz Sharif claims lead

party (PMLN), which had been fa- be enough to give PMLN, headed by have a majority in parliament and, vored to sweep the polls, has so far former Prime Minister Nawaz Sha- therefore, will be unable to form seats still unclaimed. The majority of won the second-most seats with 69. rif, or PPP the lead, even if they were government on their own, leaving it the independents are affiliated with The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to win all of them. Still, none of the unclear who will be picked to be the Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-ehas the third-most with 51 seats. three major parties of the country country’s next prime minister. Insaf (PTI). The 22 remaining seats would not will win the necessary 169 seats to Source: cnn.com The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz

News Coninued from Page 1

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

ga z a & N e ws

Since the earthquake, these northwest Syrian villagers camp out every night

Idlib, Syria – At the foot of the Orontes River, in the northern countryside of Idlib, lies the village of al-Hamziyah, once known for its lush, fertile lands. Now, as the sun sets every day, it turns into a refugee camp for the villagers. Although it has been a year since the February 6 earthquake, the temblor’s effects are still evident on the village’s homes, where you can find cracked walls, and on the fields collapsing with the weight of the water that flooded them. And, near every house, there is a tent for a family too frightened to sleep inside their house.

No longer habitable

“I fear that the earth will shake and that the Orontes will swallow us,” Yasmine Misto, who is in her 30s, said. Yasmine, her husband Khaled, their 10 children and her mother-in-law all sleep in a leaky tent with rainwater constantly trickling in near their house, which collapsed partially in the earthquake. “I was six months pregnant, and at first I thought I was feeling dizzy. I didn’t realise it was an earthquake,” Yasmine said, describing the panic of one year ago as she scrambled to save her children and mother-in-law, terrified the whole time and thinking that the house would fall on their heads. Yasmine

Just days after announcing controversial changes to Alberta’s transgender policies, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith admitted Monday that the proposed measures around gender-affirming surgeries are not based on current evidence of a problem, but rather a “concern of what will happen.” In an interview with CTV’s Power Play on Monday, host Vassy Kapelos asked Smith whether she was aware of anyone in Alberta under the age of 18 who has received gender-affirming surgery without parental consent, and Smith said “not bottom surgery.”

one place(opens in a new tab) Albertans under the age of 18 are already ineligible for bottom surgery funding through the Gender Surgery Program, and the required age for masculinization of the torso or “top” surgery (mastectomy) is 16 years of age. The premier could not point to any incidence of “top” surgery performed on an Albertan under the age of 18 without parental consent. “There has been some organizations advocating for those treatments to be done younger and younger, and I guess I’m uncomfortable with that,” Smith told Kapelos. Last Wednesday, Smith unveiled sweeping policy changes that included a ban for all gender-affirming surgeries for minors aged 17 and under. According to Alberta Health, 23 Albertans younger than 18 years of age received top surgery in 2023. But the health organization does not track whether those surgeries are related to gender identity or for medical reasons, such as cancer or breast reduction due to pain. When pressed again by Kapelos on

gave birth a month later, in her seventh month, to a premature baby boy who has thrived and grown since those stressful early days and keeps them very busy in the tent. The family’s house is no longer habitable, and it was only a few days ago that Yasmine was finally able to dig out some utensils from under the ruins of the kitchen to start using them again in the tent. Yasmine and her husband were agricultural labourers, but when the Orontes overflowed its banks in the earthquake and permanently expanded its basin, many fields were inundated and work opportunities became very hard to come by. Source:.cbc.ca/news/

Race to find dozens trapped in southwest China landslide Top headlines on Canadian politics, all in whether there is evidence to inform the pro- the policies “will lead to significant negative posed policy, Smith admitted it is based on a “concern of what will happen.” “I don’t want any child to feel regret for their decision or feel that they made it prematurely. That’s why we want to make sure that we take the extra time so that those kids are making the decisions and they can live with the consequences,” Smith said. Smith was in Ottawa Monday to open a new Alberta office in the nation’s capital, and faced heavy criticism from the federal government over the proposed changes. Employment Minister and Alberta Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault urged Smith to rethink the policy. “I think the bigger question to ask, is what and who is she solving for? What’s the problem she’s trying to fix, right? Queer kids don’t need to be fixed. They’re fine the way they are and so this bill should never see the floor of the legislature,” Boissonnault told reporters on Monday. The medical community has also voiced disapproval. After the announcement, the Canadian Paediatric Society said it is concerned

health outcomes, including increased risk of suicide and self-harm.” The Alberta Medical Association has also condemned the measures, saying: “We strongly urge the Premier to reconsider the proposed policies and offer her the opportunity to collaborate with experienced professionals.” But when asked by Kapelos whether she is open to any changes, Smith would only say “I’ve been consulting widely on this issue for a long time.” “We’ve got to make sure that trans adults are supported with their health care for the rest of their lives. If there are other ways in which trans individuals can feel supported in their health care decisions, and of course, I’ll be open to those ideas,” Smith said. Other proposed restrictions on transgender and non-binary youth include requiring parental consent for students aged 15 and under who want to change their names or pronouns at school, and a ban on hormone therapy for gender assignment purposes for those aged 15 and under unless their treatment has already begun..Source: ctvnews.ca

Freeland announces $199 million in support for low-income renters, shelters’ Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the federal government is putting nearly $200 million in new money toward supporting low-income renters and shelters. Ottawa is pouring an additional $99 million into the Canada Housing Benefit, which offers financial support to low-income renters in partnership with provinces and territories. Freeland said Tuesday another $100 million will go toward emergency winter funding to help shelters create more spaces for people without housing.

The measures come as the government faces increasing pressure to address skyrocketing rent prices and help communities struggling with homelessness. Freeland made the announcement alongside other cabinet members at a weekly news conference in Ottawa. Ministers with portfolios that touch on the economy have been holding news conferences almost weekly since the fall as part of the Liberal government’s effort to sell policies that address cost-of-living issues.“We all know that housing is the cen-

tral challenge in Canada right now,” Freeland said Tuesday. “It’s a central challenge in people’s lives, and this is especially true for Canadians who are struggling with the high cost of rent.” Data from Rentals.ca and the market research firm Urbanation showed the average asking rent for December in Canada jumped 8.6 per cent year-over-year to a record high of $2,178 per month. Source: cbc.ca/news

Michigan school shooter’s mother guilty of involuntary manslaughter, jury finds A jury has found Jennifer Crumbley, mother of a Michigan school shooter, guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors said Crumbley was grossly negligent and could have foreseen the violence before her son opened fire at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021. The guilty verdicts — one for each student slain — were returned on Tuesday after roughly 11 hours of jury deliberations. Prosecutors say Crumbley had a duty under Michigan law to prevent her son, Ethan, who was 15 at the time, from harming

others. She’s accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help for her son’s mental health. The weapon — a 9mm handgun — had been purchased just four days earlier on Black Friday by the boy’s father, James Crumbley. Jennifer Crumbley took her son to a shooting range that same weekend. “You’re the last adult to have possession of that gun,” assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said while cross-examining Jennifer Crumbley last week. “You saw your son shoot the

last practice round before the [school] shooting on Nov. 30. You saw how he stood … He knew how to use the gun.” The teen’s mother replied, “Yes, he did.” The jury of six men and six women included people who own guns or grew up with them in their home. They said they could put their opinions about guns aside and serve fairly. Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews thanked the jurors and said: “We all know that this was one of the hardest things you’ve ever done.” Source: cbc.ca/news

After pausing funding to UNRWA, Canada will send another $40M in aid for Gaza

the document. The UN previously said one News Coninued from Page 4 It’s believed that about 100 hostages are still funding. alive and being held there. The Hamas-con- An Israeli document detailing the allega- was still being identified. The allegations places.The move was in response to trolled health ministry in the territory says tions was obtained Monday by The Associ- could not be independently confirmed.

allegations that some staff of the

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) played a role in the Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7. That day, militants killed about 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage, provoking a massive military response by Israel in Gaza.

more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed, including militants. When the agency’s director fired nine staff members suspected of being involved in the Hamas attack, there was an immediate international outcry. The UN condemned what it called the “abhorrent alleged acts” and the United States suspended its own

ated Press. It said seven UNRWA employees stormed into Israel, one took part in a kidnapping and another helped steal a soldier’s body. Three others are also accused of taking part in the attacks. Ten were listed as having ties to Hamas while one was linked with the Islamic Jihad militant group, AP reported. Two of the 12 have been killed, according to

Canada contributes about $25 million a year to UNRWA’s normal operating budget under a four-year arrangement. It also gave an additional $20 million to UNRWA in emergency aid in December to help the agency deal with the humanitarian crisis caused by the war...Source: cbc.ca/news

9 in f o / t e ch Scientists are calling for a new Category 6 for hurricanes because they already exist Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

With storms growing more powerful, researchers say we’re underestimating the risk As climate change supercharges some hurricanes, scientists are exploring how to better communicate their force to the public — including adding an extra category to reflect their power. The current maximum on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is Category 5, which is open-ended to any storm with wind speeds greater than 252 km/h. A new peer-reviewed study, published Monday in Environmental Sciences, examined storm data between 1980 and 2021 and found five storms that would have been classified as Category 6 — all of them occurring in the final nine years of the study

period. “Our intent was to draw attention to the fact that climate change is expected to make the strongest storms more intense,” said Michael Wehner, climate scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. As the world warms, hotter ocean temperatures and more moisture in the air, both of which fuel hurricanes, are likely to lead to a greater proportion of intense storms, experts say. Research also suggests storms are getting more powerful more quickly. Another study published last fall found that tropical storms or a Category 1 hurricane were increasingly likely to develop into a Category 3 or 4 within a 24-hour period. Climate change, warming oceans causing more rapid intensification in hurricanes So far, one of the worst storms that would qualify as a Category 6 was Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, “which caused death and destruction at a massive scale,” Wehner said. Hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones are the same type of storm,

only differing in where that storm develops in the world. Officially, Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people, although the true toll is believed to be much higher. It made landfall at wind speeds of 314 km/h, according to the U.S. Navy Joint Typhoon Warning Center. While most recorded storms that would fit this hypothetical category were in the western Pacific, the ingredients — hot ocean temperatures, high humidity, warm atmosphere and low wind shear — all exist in the Atlantic, too. “So far, there haven’t been any in the Gulf of Mexico,” Wehner said, “although that’s certainly a place where our analysis suggests they could happen.” Beyond past storms, the study modelled and simulated the potential futures to find a “statistically significant” trend of storms that could reach this hypothetical Category 6.

the importance of regular disinfection of toilets to reduce contamination and prevent the spread of viruses,” Charles P. Gerba, professor of virology at the University of Arizona and senior author of this study, said in a press release. He added that the findings are most concerning for health-care settings, where potential pathogens pose a higher risk to immunocompromised patients who might be immunocompromised. It’s important to note that this study did not look at airborne particles, only those that settle on surfaces. In order to measure the toilet lid’s effect, researchers took a surrogate for the kind of gastrointestinal bacteria that might end up in a toilet during the average visit and added that to the toilet water. Then, they tested how far it could spread when the toilet

was flushed with the lid up or down. Two different types of toilet sold in the U.S. were used, including a public toilet located in the public restroom of an office building and a toilet in a residential home. The surrogate was not a human or animal pathogen, so no protective clothing was required, the study says. Researchers recorded the amount of bacteria that settled on surfaces in the bathroom around one minute after each test flush. Whether the toilet was flushed with the lid up or down, there was no statistical difference between the amount of viral material found on the floor or toilet seat, researchers found.There was minimal contamination of the walls in all scenarios. However, a second analysis, in which researchers looked at how effective it was to

Describing the danger

The idea has been proposed before. But experts question whether adding another hurricane category would help get across the risks of such storms. For Tsietsi Monare, a weather presenter with Japanese broadcaster NHK World, using the Saffir-Simpson scale

is only a small part of communicating the risks of these giant storms. “We rely a lot on pictures, videos and just simplifying the message as best as we can,” Monare said, adding that he uses information on a storm’s pathway, how and when it will hit certain communities and what previous typhoons have done. To him, the current scale is sufficient because the hypothetical Category 6 wind speeds mean the same level of extreme risk to the public. “I think the Simpson scale right now is just perfect because 350- [versus] 310-kilometre wind speeds, they all come with the same destruction,” Monare told CBC News from Tokyo. “What are we going to say? This storm has the capacity to destroy seven buildings at the same time?” Jaclyn Whittal, a meteorologist with The Weather Network, says destruction can’t be determined from wind speeds alone. As a storm chaser, she saw Hurricane Harvey’s effect over Texas in 2017. “It made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with really strong winds,” she said. “But it was the flooding and the stalling nature of that hurricane that made it most memorable — and actually caused $125 billion in damage.”.. Source: cbc.ca/news

Closing the toilet seat before you flush has ‘no meaningful impact’ on surface particle spread: study When it comes to ensuring the toilet doesn’t leave tiny particles of fecal matter all over your bathroom every time you go number two, one piece of advice has held strong: just make sure you put down the toilet lid before you flush. However, a new study suggests closing the toilet seat may not have as big of an impact as we thought in cutting down the risk of pathogens getting on our bathroom surfaces. The study, published last week in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), found that the amount of viral contamination of bathroom surfaces did not change whether the toilet seat was up or down during flushing. “With results showing that closing toilet lids has no meaningful impact on preventing the spread of viral particles, our study highlights

clean the toilet with or without disinfectant, showed that cleaning the toilet bowl with disinfectant and a toilet brush significantly reduced the amount of virus present in the toilet...Source: ctvnews.ca

How Canada’s grocery stores get you to spend more?

You’ve arrived at the store for a quick postwork grocery run, hoping to pick up a cheap, ready-made meal for dinner. After finding a discounted pre-cooked chicken, you toss a bag of rice and veggies in your shopping cart too, even though neither were on your list. Oh, and a six-pack of tis-

sue boxes, since you notice they’re on sale. That behaviour plays into a strategy that grocery chains have long relied on to get customers through their doors, even if it means selling a certain popular item below cost, experts say. And with food prices continuing to rise even as overall inflation(opens in a new tab) has slowed, shoppers could be even more vulnerable to overspending after finding a good deal. Known in the industry as “loss leaders,” those bargains are designed to appeal to the customer’s desire for savings and convenience, while simultaneously piquing their interest in other products. “It can entice a large number of customers to change their shopping behaviour once

they’ve entered the store. With that saving in mind, they might be less price sensitive towards other items,” said Andreas Boecker, who chairs the University of Guelph’s food, agricultural and resource economics department.“The overall strategy behind the loss leader is that the loss ... is more than compensated by the higher margins and the sales of the other products that are generated by attracting the customer to the store.” At $7.99, Costco’s pre-cooked rotisserie chicken serves as one of the more recognizable loss leaders at grocery stores in Canada, while other chains often prioritize discounts on dairy or bread. Subscription membership programs as-

Customers are currently enjoying the benefits of a domestic price war among airlines. Now may be the best time for Canadians to buy airline tickets because fares are set to soar this summer, according to an industry expert. John Gradek, faculty lecturer, supply networks, at Montreal’s McGill University, says Canada’s domestic fares will be significantly higher in July and August than they are today. “Deals are now,” he said in a recent interview with the Financial Post’s Larysa Harapyn. “They won’t be there in the summer.” Gradek said Canadians are currently enjoy-

ing the benefits of a domestic price war as airlines try to generate business in what’s typically a quiet quarter for air travel. He said Canada’s two ultra-low cost carriers, Flair Airlines and Lynx Air, are leading the price cuts with other airlines following not too far behind. “Flair and Lynx are the price leaders in Canada,” said Gradek. “Air Canada, WestJet, Porter are kind of playing along.” The problem is that’s not likely to be sustainable. Gradek said the ultra-low cost airlines are not making any profit off the current fares and it’s likely one of them will be sub-

ject to either bankruptcy or takeover. Fuel pricing could also impact air fares. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a new fuel that’s being developed to reduce the industry’s emissions. Gradek said the industry is looking at different ways to minimize their costs, including hedging and advanced purchases of fuel.“Fuel pricing will in fact very much impact the price of air fares,” he said. The strong demand for travel and profitability for carriers seen last summer should repeat itself this year, said Gradek, with the “It’s going to be busy,” Gradek said. “Fares only possible dampers being a recession and will definitely be up there.” lower disposable income. Source: financialpost.com

sociated with various chains also increasingly offer deal pricing or points on certain items tailored to the consumer’s purchasing trends. With shoppers vulnerable to temptations, loss leaders are typically placed strategically “to guide the consumers through the store so that they have to pass by as many aisles as possible,” said Boecker. He said not just any product can serve as a hook to reel the customer into the store. One of the most important prerequisites for a loss leader is that it’s perishable. “If you can store it, then of course you would buy an awful lot of the product and then the company would incur a really big loss,” he said... Source: ctvnews.ca/

Canadians should book their flights now as airline fares set to soar this summer, says expert

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

H e alth

Drug overdoses now the leading cause of death among B.C. youth ages 10 to 18, data show

atal overdoses from opioids and other illicit drugs are now the leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 18 in British Columbia, a development that underscores the urgency of the province’s toxic drug crisis. Data released recently by the BC Centre for Disease Control show that 2022 was the first year overdoses overtook other causes of death among this age group, after two years as the second-most-common cause. The vast majority of drug-related deaths among young people involved fentanyl, a highly potent opioid that is often added to other street drugs without users’ knowledge. Tiny amounts of it can be fatal. Illicit drugs have been the leading cause of death among people aged 19 to 39 in B.C. since 2016, when the province declared opioid overdoses a public-health emergency. That same year, illicit drugs became the second-most-common cause of death among people aged 40 to 59. Last year, illicit drug toxicity also became the leading cause of death among 40-to-59year-olds, marking the first time the substances were the leading cause in all three age groups. More than 12,260 people have died in the province as a result of toxic drugs since the public-health emergency was declared, the centre said in a June news release. Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, said in a statement that the government has more work to do in order to address the continuing crisis. “The toxic drug crisis continues to have a devastating impact on families and communities in B.C., and the impact on children, youth is heartbreaking,” Ms. Whiteside said. “Since the onset of the pandemic and the disruption it had caused, illicit drugs are be-

coming more toxic and more people are at risk of dying.” The next most common causes of death among youth in 2022 were accidents and suicide, according to the data. The centre did not release the number of youth who died of overdoses last year. But in a report published earlier this year, the BC Coroners Service reported that 142 people under 19 had died as a result of toxic drugs from Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2022. Of those who died, 54 per cent were male and 62 per cent were between 17 and 18. Victoria, Vancouver and Surrey had the highest numbers of deaths, with more than 70 per cent occurring at private residences. More than half of those who died were using drugs alone at the time, and about threequarters were receiving services from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or had in the past. Fentanyl was detected in nearly 80 per cent of toxic drug deaths in young people, according to the report. Matthew Carwana, a pediatrician and University of British Columbia researcher who studies substance use disorders in young people, said the numbers represent the most severe outcomes. The true number of young people who are struggling with addiction is likely much higher, he said.gains. Many young people start experimenting with drugs in their teen years, Dr. Carwana said. The rise in overdoses in this age group, he added, is a reflection of how dangerous the drug supply has become, and demonstrates why much more needs to be done to help at-risk youth. “All of these losses are due to societal gaps,” he said. Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes, the Canada Research Chair in person-centred care in ad-

diction and public health at the University of British Columbia, said the rise in childhood and teen drug deaths is like a “punch in the stomach.” “It is a total disaster,” she said. “We really, really need to make a radical change in how we deal with the problem of substances in British Columbia.” In her statement, Ms. Whiteside said the province has taken several steps to curb the problem, including expanding youth addiction care and substance use programs, but that more work needs to be done. Dr. Carwana said data indicate that opioid overdoses are more common among young people in B.C. than elsewhere in the country, while sedative and stimulant overdoses are more common in eastern parts of Canada. The rise in youth overdose deaths prompted Dr. Carwana to conduct a national survey last year, to gain a better understanding of how common overdoses are in people aged 18 and younger. The results were released Wednesday in the Canadian Paediatric So-

ciety Surveillance Program annual report. Of the 934 respondents who reported providing care to children or youth, 128, or 14 per cent, said they had cared for at least one patient aged 12 to 18 experiencing a serious or life-threatening overdose in the previous two years. More than 80 per cent of overdoses in that age group occurred in cities, the survey found, although cases were also reported in suburban, rural and remote settings. There were nearly 600 severe or life-threatening overdoses reported among young people by the doctors who said they had treated at least one of them in the previous two years. Dr. Oviedo-Joekes said that for too long the response to drug use has been punishment, which keeps young people from accessing the help they need. “These are the people we are supposed to protect at any cost,” she said. “If we continue with this stigmatizing, punishing drug environment, they will not open up and they will continue dying.””Source:theglobeandmail.com/

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Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

local

e v e nts

Isra wal Miraj was celebrated at Bullay Shah Academy

Miraj un Nabi (saw) Celebrated At Masjid Anwar e Madina in Surrey

These three pictures from last event.

Association of Islamic Charitable Projects celebrates Isra’ & Mi^raj-un-Nabi

Canadian Muslim Media Club (CMMC) AGM 2024

he Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Canadian Muslim Media Club (CMMC) was held on January 31, 2024 at President CMMC’s residence in Surrey, BC. The purpose of the AGM was to collectively review the achievements and advancements made by the Canadian Muslim Media Club during the past year. The President, General Sec, Treasurer, and Media liaison presented their reports, and then the floor was opened for discussions, questions, and suggestions. It was an opportunity to discuss, evaluate, and plan club initiatives.

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

local e v e nts r e ports

Isra wal Miraj was celebrated at Bullay Shah Academy

n Jan 27, The Holy Prophet PBUH’s Nightly Journey and Heavenly Ascension (Isra wal Miraj) was celebrated by Bullay Shah Academy and Anjuman Khudam-e-Sufiya. The event was attended by the local community, including Sikhs and Hindus, who had gathered to pay their respects to the Holy Prophet PBUH. The program started after Magrib Prayers

with the recitations of the Holy Quran by Imam Sheikh Malik and was followed by recitation of nasheeds young Naat Khwans such as Rayan Ahmed as well as brother Muzamil Ahmed, Br, Shaheryar, Br, Ijaz Ahmed, Br, Amir, and Br, Naseer Pirzada. The keynote speaker, Pir Afzal Ahmed Naqshbandi narrated the events of Mirajul-Nabi SAW, in the light of the Quran and

Sunnah and then attracted the youth and Non-Muslims in the Academy and the online viewers. He explained the journey of Miraj E Mustafa (SAW) how Allah (SWT) honored His Beloved Prophet PBUH by inviting Him to the heavens and how Holy Prophet PBUH’s thoughts were ever on the salvation and forgiveness of His blessed ummah. He said the strong message to Um-

mah was for five times prayers. In the end, he thanked all the non-Muslims for their interest in knowing about the history of the beloved Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and then he made Duaa for the Ummah. The Program Ended With A Delicious Dinner.

n Feb 3, the annual Meraj un Nabi (SAW) program was held at Masjid Anwar e Madina, Surrey. The program started with a beautiful recitation of the Quran followed by the youngsters read Naats with Zikr. The MC Saiyad Afroze said a few words regarding tonight’s spiritual program about Miraj un-Nabi(saw). He invited Sayiad Firaz

Dean for his spiritual speech at the meaning of Isra wal Miraj. After his beautiful speech, MC Afroze requested the Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Anwar e Madina. Sayiad Maulana Saiyad Imroz Dean Naqshbandi Saify presented his bayan on the topic of “Prophet Mohammad’s “Spiritual Journey of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and explained it clearly from the Quran and Hadiths. The Holy

Prophet was riding on a ride and his name was Baraq. It is the substance of the night. The meaning of Baraq is electricity, and the Qur’an is an exaggeration. By combining the boundary and high speed of lightning and the lightning that is a collection of lightning sent to our Prophet to ride. He also talked about Prophet Mohammad’s(saw) incident of Meraj e Mustafa (SAW) in a

detail’s conversation between the Prophet and of Hzt. Jibraeil. After that, all Prophets met Him at each step towards Sidratul Muntaha. After his bayaan, salaam, and durood presentation were led by all guest members, Duaa for all the Muslims in the world was done. Everyone left after having a very delicious and satisfying dinner.

presence of a diverse crowd the speakers needed to emphasize the greatness and the purpose of this journey Miracle. His Prominence Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Sulayman, Imam of Masjid Ahulus-Sunnah wal Jama^ah –New Westminster- made clear that Allaah granted His Messenger this great miracle of Isra’ and Mi^raj to honor him sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam by showing him the wonders that Allaah created as stated clearly in the Glorious Qur’an in Surat alIsra’, Verse# 1 that means “To show him of Our wonders”. Since the belief of the Muslims is that Allaah exists without a place; therefore, it is but natural that the Ascension

of the Prophet to the heavens. The Imam also raised the subject about the significance of the Aqsa mosque and its dear place in the hearts of the Muslims, we ask Allaah to remove the hardships for the Muslims in that blessed land. In fact, many prophets were in the land of Palestine. [The Mi^raj] never meant that Allaah is there or above it or sitting on the Throne. Allaah created places so He does not need any (subhanahu wa ta^ala). Shaykh Sulayman also refuted several false claims that some relate to this miracle and supported his argument with evidence from the Qur’an, the Hadith and the sayings of the reliable

scholars. He confirmed that Al-Isra’ and AlMi^raj took place during one night with his [the Prophet’s] body and soul and while being awake; and it was angel Jibril who came close to the Prophet and not Allaah ta^ala. On this great occasion, the AICP asks Allaah to grant Muslims peace and tranquility, unity and adherence to the rules of the religion. We ask Allah to bestow on us the bounty of entering Paradise without torture and being with Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. Reported By: Imad Nouri(AICP)

Miraj un Nabi (saw) Celebrated At Masjid Anwar e Madina in Surrey

AICP Annual celebration of Isra’ & Mi^raj-un-Nabiyy, peace be upon him, in British Columbia.

Sunday February 4, 2024 he Association of Islamic Charitable Projects commemorated the miracle of Isra’ & Mi^raj, one of the greatest miracles Allaah ta^ala has granted our master Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬and blessed his nation with, under the banner of “The Messenger of Allaah said the Truth” at Surrey Arts Centre. The program was well attended by Muslim from all over the region. The event included recitation from the Holy Qur’an followed by touching Islamic chants praising Allaah and His Messenger sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam. In such a glorious occasion and in the

Developing life skills through sports

By: Asma Ayyaz

What life skills are associated with sport? Sport isn’t just a good way to keep children’s bodies healthy, but it also has psychological benefits and teaches them important life skills too. Organised sport has many psychological and social benefits for children – even more than the physical activity during play. Researchers think this is because children benefit from the social aspects of being in a team, and from the involvement of other children and adults.

How will my child’s development benefit from sport? The benefits of participating in sport go beyond learning new physical skills. Sport helps children develop better ways to cope with the highs and lows of life. When they’re playing sport, sometimes they will win, while at other times they will lose. Being a good loser takes maturity and practice. Losing teaches children to overcome disappointment, cope with unpleasant experiences and is an important part of becoming resilient. Playing sport helps children learn to control their emotions and channel negative feelings in a healthy way. It also helps children develop patience and understand that it can take a lot of practice to improve their skills. Children can

then apply skills like perseverance and resilience in other areas of their life, including in the classroom at school and with other non-sporting hobbies. What are the social benefits of participating in team sports? Playing in a team helps children develop many of the social skills they will need throughout life. It teaches them to cooperate, be less selfish, and to listen to other children. It also gives children a sense of belonging. It helps them make new friends and builds their social circle outside school. An important part of playing in a team is accepting discipline. Playing sport means children are expected to follow rules, accept decisions and understand that they could be penalised for bad behav-

iour. It teaches them to take directions from the coach, referees and other adults. Sport also teaches them about teamwork. Are there other benefits to participating in sport? Physical activity has been shown to stimulate brain chemicals (called neurotransmitters) that make you feel better. Playing sport regularly improves children’s overall emotional wellbeing. Research shows a link between playing sport and self-esteem in children. The support of the team, a kind word from a coach, or achieving their personal best will all help children feel more confident. What role do parents play in children’s sports? To keep your child interested and enjoying sport, try to make it a

positive experience for them. Focus on having fun, giving it a try and being active, rather than winning or losing. You can help your child develop a positive sporting attitude by praising the team’s or other children’s efforts, even if they don’t win. Point out to your child how important it is to try and do their best. Make sure comments from the sidelines are positive, and don’t criticise children who make mistakes. Never abuse a team, umpire or other player. Email: asmashums@gmail.com

Rajab 28, 1445H February 9, 2024

PAKISTAN ELEC

Police raids on PTI offices, leaders’ houses continue across Punjab

LAHORE/GUJRAT: The Punjab police on Monday continued raiding the PTI election offices, as well as houses of the party leaders and supporters, besides allegedly harassing women workers. The PTI alleged that police, as well as some masked men, sealed the election office of its incarcerated NA-118 nominee Aaliya Hamza and PP-148 aspirant Saba Dewan. A PTI spokesman alleged that the police and unknown masked men harassed

women workers sitting in the party’s election office in NA-118 and warned them that police would not be responsible for their security if they campaigned against PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz. “Will the Election Commission of Pakistan take notice of this fascism?” the spokesman asked and added that the nation would take revenge and defeat the “mafia” with the power of their vote on Feb 8. He said law enforcement personnel

abducted a high court lawyer, Khalid Ranjha, and his 70-year-old ailing father by breaking the door of their house in Sargodha on Sunday night. The raiding officials ransacked the furniture, broke the doors and vandalised the house, he said, adding that the lawyer’s only crime was campaigning for PTI-affiliated candidate Usama Mela in NA-83. In Gujrat, PTI nominee for NA-64 Chaudhary Qaisara Elahi, wife of party president Parvez Elahi, and her sister Sameera Elahi, also a party candidate from PP-34, have accused the police of raiding the Zahoor Elahi House on Sunday night. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, they said the police broke into a portion of the house and asked the servants to produce the documents of nominations of polling agents as well as the list of polling agents. However, after failing to get such documents, the police took away a servant, as well as a computer, laptop, and voter lists from a room, they alleged. They said the police had entered the house on a truck and damaged the doors and furniture of the house, whereas some staff members of Shafay Hussain, the scion of

PML-Q chief Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain, were also present there to guide the police during the raid. Sameera Elahi Chohan, the youngest daughter of Zahoor Elahi, said she and her sister Qaisara Elahi had visited the city’s main commercial hub Muslim Bazaar on Sunday where traders accorded them a rousing reception and in reaction police conducted the raid late in the night. She blamed the police for pressurising the PTI supporters, particularly former elected representatives of local bodies, not to organise the election meetings of PML-Q candidates. “Let me tell our rivals that they could not get votes in Gujrat by adopting such tactics.” She alleged that people were not being allowed to meet Qaisara Elahi even at her house. “Such tactics cannot stop the victory of PTI candidates in Gujrat.” In Multan, veteran politician Javed Hashmi said police had raided his house in Makhdoom Rasheed area and picked up his sonin-law, grandson and a servant. His son-inlaw Shahid Bahar Hashmi is a PTI-backed candidate...Source: dawn.com/

Tall claims or astute plans? Big promises made No govt directives yet to suspend mobile, by political parties in their election manifestos internet services on polling day: info minister Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi has said that there have been no instructions from the government so far to suspend mobile or internet services on February 8. According to Radio Pakistan, speaking to a private news channel, he said if any law and order situation arises anywhere in the country on polling day, the local administration will take a decision accordingly. He urged the public to judiciously exercise their democratic right to vote as “it shows their patriotism and their love for democratic continuity in the country”. Source: dawn.com With just two days to go for the February 8 general elections, mainstream political parties have finally unveiled their rather ambitious election manifestos — a list of mostly empty promises. An election manifesto is a list of policies that a political party vows to enact if it is voted into office. To put it simply, in the five-year marriage of the ‘hukamraan’ and the ‘awaam’, manifestos are the wedding vows. If crafted smartly, they can bridge the gap between political parties and voters, particularly young ones who comprise over 45 per cent of the total registered voters in the country. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, election manifestos have become more of a strict ritual than a meaningful exercise. According to Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (Pildat) President Ahmed Bilal Mehmood, political parties feel that a large segment of voters do not bother much about reading election manifestos to make up their mind on voting

or not voting for a party. “They may have been right until a few elections ago when a growing middle class, the rise of social media and the youth bulge in the voters’ list started changing poll dynamics. At least an emerging class of voters is no longer content with the traditional politics ISLAMABAD: Another attempt by accountof slogans, tall promises, opponent-bash- ability court judge Mohammad Bashir to go ing and communicating with voters on is- on leave has hit a snag, as his application has sues only during elections. Voters demand been withheld for the time being.The judge, greater engagement,” he writes in an op-ed who recently convicted former prime minisfor Dawn. It is not surprising that major po- ter Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi litical parties including the PML-N, PPP and in the Toshakhana case, filed for a Leave PTI only recently unveiled their manifesto, a Preparatory to Retirement (LPR). His fourth few days before the elections. And, as usual, term as the accountability court judge will they lack an action plan. expire on March 14 and he will reach the age Therefore, before you pronounce ‘I do’ on of superannuation in April. Feb 8, Dawn.com takes a look at and analy- On January 20, while he was hearing the case ses the plausibility of some of the ‘will dos’ against Mr Khan and his spouse, Mr Bashir and ‘won’t dos’ promised. applied for medical leave till retirement. Source: dawn.com Source: dawn.com

Another leave request by accountability judge Mohammad Bashir hits snag

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Shoaib Rauf

Notary Public Immigration Consultant Mohamed Salim Contractor Unit #219-7928, 128 St.

(York Business Centre) Surrey. BC V3W 4E8 C: 604.817.3022 O: 604.503.5025 Fax: 604.503.5045

http://www.salimnotary.com/ http://cwics.ca/ www.cwics.team

Emails:salim@salimnotary.com

&:cwics.team@yahoo.ca

Details at Page 21

Message for the Miracle at its 23rd Anniversary on Feb 23, 2024

FEB 2001-2024

Alhamdulillah, we are proud that the Miracle is the only newspaper in the BC Muslim Print Media which has continuously published on a biweekly basis, even during the pandemic and up till now.The Miracle is BC’s first Muslim bilingual and biweekly newspaper, and is now completing its 23 years in publication. We have undoubtedly record numbers of regular local Writers and have. continued publishing for the past 23 years despite personal and community challenges. To make this occasion memorable, a Special edition will be published on Friday, Feb 23, 2024. If you have any message, well wishes or feedback for the 23rd anniversary that you wish to be published, please send as an email reply, in Word Document, InPage, or JPG by Feb 15, 2024 at miraclenews@telus.net. Please also send your picture (if preferred). Thanks