tives for the privatisation of 12 organizations in the power sector
M alaysian envoy meets new foreign secretar y
Dato’ Mohammad Azhar Mazlan, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Pakistan paid a courtesy call on Pakistan s newly appointed Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch who assumed her post on September 11, 2024 During the meeting, Dato Azhar extended his warmest congratulations to Ambassador Baloch on her appointment Noting her extensive diplomatic experience including her tenure as Pakistan s High Commissioner to Malaysia from 2019 to 2023, he expressed confidence that bilateral relations between the two nations would reach new heights according to a press release issued on Saturday
Both sides engaged in extensive discussions aimed at advancing their strategic partnership They explored new opportunities for collaboration in emerging sectors such as the automotive industry, blue economy, education, energy production and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for skilled and semi-skilled workers
Dato Azhar emphasised that despite the highest recorded bilateral trade of $1 8 billion, there remains significant potential for growth He encouraged both countries to increase efforts toward new trade and investment initiatives In the regional context the Malaysian high commissioner highlighted the opportunities presented by ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), particularly Malaysia’s
engagement in the region, especially as Malaysia is set to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025 Both sides also touched on issues of mutual concern including the situations in Palestine and Afghanistan As they prepared for the upcoming visit of Malaysia s prime minister to Pakistan, Dato Azhar
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has unveiled the National Economic Think Tank (NETT) to address Pakistan s pressing economic challenges and spearhead long-term growth initiatives The think tank was introduced at a press conference led by former caretaker Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz United Business Group (UBG) head S M Tanveer and FPCCI Senior Vice President Saqib Fayyaz Magoon According to Ejaz, the NETT will be chaired by former caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, with former caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar serving as CEO and Bashir Jan Muhammad as the chairman Comprising 40 experts from diverse
fields the think tank aims to drive the implementation of Vision 2030 which includes an ambitious goal of achieving a 10% annual growth rate and increasing Pakistan’s exports to $100 billion Ejaz highlighted the inconsistent policy landscape as a major impediment to Pakistan s economic progress noting that
Oil India targets major refiner y expansion by 2027
ISLAMABAD
PUNJAB GEARS UP TO SET UP MODERN VEGETABLE AND FRUIT MARKET: PUNJAB CM
way forward She underscored, “Democracy is the guarantee of social justice and means of public prosperity ”
Great work being done for religious minorities in Punjab; says Indian Minister
Students rally against ‘faulty’ Intermediate results, demand probe against BISE Swat
Hundreds of students from various educational institutions from across Swat district on Sunday rejected the intermediate part-II results recently by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Siadu Sharif Swat urging the provincial government to order an inquiry against the board administration The students of Government Postgraduate College Saidu Sharif and other educational institutions took out a rally on Saidu Sharif Road, raising slogans against the BISE Swat administration They also staged a sit-in in front of Swat Press Club in Mingora to press the demand for a probe against the board administration
Addressing the protesting student in front of the Swat Press Club, Insaf Students Federation (ISF) President Sheraz Khan, General Secretary Malik Farhan Ali Shahzad and other student activists alleged that due to nepotism in the Swat Board the rights of hardworking and capable students usurped As a result of cheating and nepotism, incapable and weak students were declared pass in the examination at the cost of the hardworking students ” they claimed They said that for promotion and rechecking fees were being collected from the students which was completely cruel and unfair with the poor
students “Therefore, we demand that the fees charged for promotion and rechecking of papers should be abolished immediately they emphasized
We completely reject the annual results of FA and FSC (Intermediate) because due to nepotism, the rights of meritorious students have been infringed upon and they have been given very low marks ” They demanded that an investigation committee should be established in this regard to explore the facts
If our demands are not considered, we will go to the streets instead of colleges and widen the scope of the protest ” they announced
Commenting on the students protest and demand BISE Swat Controller Muhammad Ishaq w said that the pa-
pers of the intermediate exams had been checked by competent and senior teachers and professors “That’s why our paper marking has been praised for cross-validation at the provincial level he added He said that the impression was wrong that the board had usurped the right of any educational institution or student and given them low marks “In the preparation of the result great care has been taken to ensure that no child is deprived of his due right he emphasized However, the children and educational institutions who have reservations about the result can visit the board and get their papers rechecked In this regard the board administration will fully cooperate with them he concluded
Pastor Shaukat Fazal Pastor Peter Imran and other prominent religious figures The ceremony also saw the presence of former Federal Minister Khalil George, foreign pastors, and a large number of members from various churches within the Christian community
Hi-tech attacks before elections in IIOJK stun Indian forces, reveals Guardian
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
However the session could not be held even at the revised time as meetings between the govt and political parties continued and finally got underway a little after 11pm Meanwhile, the Senate session was originally scheduled for 4pm but was first delayed to 7pm and then 10pm After the revised timing was missed for a second time no new timing was disclosed The hectic political wheeling and dealing on Sunday continued from morning to late into the night although there seemingly is no deadline which needs the bill rushed through the parliament Among the pre-session dialogues was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s meeting with his elder sibling Nawaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz The PML-N leadership also met MQM-P leaders as well as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, but more importantly, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who again became a sought-after personality for the government as his party could hold the key in the bill sailing through the parliament
After the government delegation visited Fazl, the PTI sent a delegation of their own to his residence, comprising of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser and the Sunni Ittehad Council s Sahibzada Hamid Raza The delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf arrived at the residence of JUI Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the JUI-F wrote on X, attaching a video of the delegation meeting party members and talking to them After meeting both the delegations JUI-F s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri complained that his party had still not received a copy of the draft bill, adding that the government was trying to rush the proposed amendments “We still have not received the draft bill When we can’t read it how can we vote for it?” he asked He suggested that the government should delay the process and not present the amendments so that we and the members of other parties can read it “We discussed this with our friends of the PTI, and we’ve talked to the government and asked them not to rush these amendments he said
I-F
Later, JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza said that the government has sent proposals with regard to the constitutional amendment under consideration We have required time to consult over the proposals from the government the JUI-F leader said while talking to media
Maulana Fazlur Rehman will consider the proposals and will discuss it with the party colleagues, Senator Murtaza said Consultations will be held within the JUI-F working council, Shura and with the legal team of the party ” he said “May be we like some government proposals and dislike others what will be good we will give good response will give adverse response what we deem bad, JUI senator said We will take the PTI and other parties into confidence over the constitutional amendment,” Kamran Murtaza said “We don’t know the constitutional amendment being introduced in the assembly today or not JUI leader answered to a question We are applying our mind over the proposed bill, he added Pakistan People s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss the constitutional amendment bill
Barrister Aqeel Malik, the federal government’s spokesperson on legal affairs linked the delay in the sessions to the government s attempt to develop a consensus
In my understanding all the major parties are being taken onboard and the special committee has been expanded, he told a private TV channel “Maulana sb (Fazl) is a senior member and he is being kept in the loop We’re developing a consensus and once all parties are on board we will present these amendments Responding to a question about lawmakers not receiving draft bills, Barrister Aqeel said that the law ministry had briefed parliamentarians on the proposed amendments “Maybe the bill in its actual copy was not in Mr Ghafoor s hand but the law minister has briefed lawmakers on the proposed amendments Aqeel said We are bringing lawmakers into the loop and we want to reflect their valuable input When asked if the PML-N had enough votes, Aqeel responded in the affirmative saying: “I can categorically tell you the government has full numbers in both NA and Senate BACK TO BACK MEETINGS WITH MAULANA FAZL In their efforts to win the support of the JUIF ahead of voting on amendments in the parliament delegations of both the PML-N and the PPP visited Maulana Fazl s residence in Islamabad on Sunday and late Saturday night A PTI delegation too went to the JUI-F chief s home to request him not to throw his weight behind the government On Saturday, it has been announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had called a meeting of the federal cabinet on
Sunday to approve the draft of constitutional amendments After which it will be presented at the NA session Earlier, Leader of the House in the Senate and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had informed the Upper House that the constitutional amendments were in line with the provisions of the Charter of Democracy (COD) endorsed by all the political parties including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ishaq Dar underlined that there was a disconnection between the Leader of the Opposition’s party leadership in the Senate and the National Assembly N AWA Z S H A R
K E LY TO M E E T FA Z L U R R E H M A N’
The government has once again initiated contact with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, with a possible meeting between Nawaz Sharif and the JUI-F leader in the night between Sunday and Monday for some time on Monday according to PML-N sources
The sources revealed that the PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif is expected to meet Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence, along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar
“This meeting could take place at any time in the night or tomorrow (Monday) they asserted PML-N insiders suggest that Nawaz Sharif intends to take Maulana Fazlur Rehman into confidence regarding several important issues related to constitutional amendments The sources claimed that it seemed the matters between Maulana Fazl and the government could not be settled on the constitutional amendments while PTI has also contacted the JUI-F chief
AMENDMENTS UNDER PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE
The federal government is set to approve amendments under the constitutional package from National Assembly and Senate including that Judges of the Islamabad High Court will be sent to the High Courts of other provinces under rotation and transfer The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will selected from a panel of five senior judges According to the Charter of Democracy a constitutional court will be established, which will monitor constitutional affairs This court will hear petitions related to Articles 184, 185, 186, and its chief justice will be appointed by the government from among the judges of the Supreme Court The government will also appoint the remaining four judges of the Constitutional Court The constitutional amendment will bring together the Judicial Commission and the Parliamentary Committee for the appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges The government also wants to increase the representation of Balochistan
Fazlur Rehman
According to sources the government delegation including Dar and Tarar, is expected to meet with Maulana Fazlur Rehman shortly to present the constitutional amendment draft Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentary party led by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto
Shylockian interest
TH E R E is one rather negative silver lining to Pakistan s having to pay six percent on the $600 million commercial loan it has obtained from the Standard Chartered Bank If it had not obtained a ratings upgrade from Moody’s at the end of last month it might have had to pay an even higher rate $300 million will be used to buy Liquefied Natural Gas and $300 million will be used for syndicate financing This Pakistan had to do after China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had agreed to the roll over of $12 billion in cash deposits and loans Pakistan is being made to jump through all of these hoops so that it could obtain the much-desired IMF Extended Structural Adjustment Facility of $7 billion Only if it obtains this loan would the game be worth the candle The commercial loan means that Pakistan is paying above SOFR, which is about 5 3 percent and far above SARON, which was 1 21 percent at the close on Thursday This Shylockian rate was rendered all the more necessary after the bilateral creditors who had already pitched in as far as possible left that hole of $600 million in the country s finances, which the IMF insisted be filled before it agreed to hold the Board of Directors meeting, now summoned for the 28th of this month Where the staff-level agreement already reached, will be given formal approval It should be noted that this loan does not mean money for development It will go on consumption (being literally burned away) and in repaying old loans It should be noted that the painfully high interest rate means that Pakistan s foreign debt servicing burden, which must be paid in foreign exchange, will increase accordingly While the Pakistani taxpayer may well be squeezed to pay up, this loan does not include a component which might explain where the foreign exchange might come from
The IMF may be very particular about where the money is coming from, but it seems to offer little or no guidance on how the country is supposed to raise the foreign exchange to repay its loans, except refinancing and rollovers That seems to be the new IMF strategy of dealing with Pakistan: get it to roll over past loans or else refinance them The obtaining of the commercial loan at such a punitive rate of interest is merely another step in that direction
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M
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Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
TIndia may not be at
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Hwith the world, but Hindut va is
and the Hindu
concepts; the
is a po-
ideology while the latter is a belief or religion with around a billion believers and like most religions is not inherently political According to Dr Niranjan Sahoo Senior Fellow with Observer Research Foundation s Governance and Politics Initiative, Hindu nationalism is a majoritarian project which is based on Hindu supremacist ideology It attacks the very idea of a diverse and multicultural India ” The roots of Hindu nationalism can be traced back to the early 19th century However it gained prominence in the early 20th century as Indian Nationalism during the struggle for independence from the British Raj It is also known as Hindutva, a term coined in 1923 by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his epigraph titled ‘Who is a Hindu?’ The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar presents itself as a cultural not a political organization that nevertheless advocates a Hindu nationalistic agenda under the banner of Hindutva, or Hinduness ” The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is widely viewed as a political wing of the RSS Their ideology is based on the exclusionary ideology of Hindutva Hindu nationalism has always remained a part of Indian politics; nevertheless since the BJP came into power in 2014, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hindu nationalism has come to dominate the Indian political landscape entirely
According to the Indian Constitution 1950, India is a secular democratic state However the BJP has been cited for passing laws and policies that seek to make India a Hindu State and have led to an increase in intolerance and communal violence in India including the killing and targeting of religious minorities, journalists, and civil society
The establishment of Hindutva politics has led to some unfounded narratives that ‘Hinduism’ in India is constantly under threat from external powers of Islam Sikhism Christianity and secularism They justify the violence against these groups as a form of self-defence
In December 2021, Al Jazeera reported 42 occurrences of attacks against Christians in the Indian state of Karnataka In February 2020, brutal Hindu groups rampaged through Muslim neighbourhoods in Delhi after being incited by a BJP activist Fifty-three people were killed: 38 Muslims and 15 Hindus
As a political ideology Hindutva advocates the supremacy of Hindus and the re-establishment of Akhand Bharat, in Hindustan Akhand Bharat (Greater India) is a mythological nation-state exclusively for Hindus which spanned over land presently in Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India Maldives Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka and Tibet
In terms of the danger of Hindu nationalism in the Indian diaspora there is extremism radicalization and targeted killing of critics of Hindutva ideology Pro-RSS groups are promoting their Hindutva ideology through Indian diaspora communities, resulting in unrest, conflicts, and civil issues between ethnic or religious groups in different parts of the world
Dhirendra K Jha a renowned Indian author has underscored Under Mr Modi the RSS has become increasingly active overseas in countries with large Indian Diasporas The President of the Toronto-based Canadian Organization for Hindu Heritage Education, Ms Ragini Sharma, stated, “There is this bogey of Hindu nationalism that is being applied to innocent people ” The leader of the most important Sikh temple in British Columbia Hardeep Singh Nijjar criticized Narendra Modi s hegemonic Hindu policies India labeled him a terrorist in 2020 After his criticism of the Modi-led Indian government, he was gunned down outside a gurdwara in British Columbia on 18 June 2023 The US Department of Justice released an indictment vividly detailing how an Indian agent had attempted to recruit a hitman in New York to kill another Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Hindutva is an extremist ideology, and the suppression of religious minorities is indicative of its extremism Modi-led India is hypocritical India was a secular democratic state , but Hindutva ideology is swaying its secularism and fueling the marginalization of minorities and communal hatred India needs to implement its secularistic policies for the betterment of the globe H i n d u n a t
The Hindutva ideology claims Muslim invaders caused tremendous destruction, destroyed religious places and built Islamic monuments on some of those sites such as the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya which was violently razed by a Hindu mob led by BJP seniors In 2022 conservative groups attempted to halt Muslim prayers at Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi Prime Minister Modi justified it by claiming that Muslim rulers captured hidden Hindu relics
h e H a r r i s f a c t o r
abortion Her popularity on this topic may garner support from both Republican and Democratic women perhaps impacting the election outcome Ms Harris has demonstrated early indications of gaining substantial support among Black voters and other minority groups A recent video chat organized by Black women in her favour attracted over 1 million participants and raised $500 000 in just three hours This impressive mobilization highlights the strong engagement and financial backing from a crucial Democratic demographic Such significant support underscores the growing influence of these groups in her political campaign and reflects their pivotal role in shaping Democratic electoral strategies Besides, her experience as a prosecutor and attorney general gives her a unique perspective on crime and safety Her advocacy for criminal justice reform may appeal to both progressive and centrist voters Her track record on progressive causes, notably the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, demonstrates her commitment to emerging issues and her preparedness for reform These ideas might appeal to people who are concerned about crucial matters such as climate change Nevertheless Ms Harris candidature represents both a challenge and a chance to redefine American leadership and create a more inclusive vision for the country Alongside her foreign policy opinions on the US’ ties with China Ukraine and Israel Ms
Harris’s position on the crisis in Gaza will also come under intense scrutiny This aspect of her policy is anticipated to polarize public opinion and spark significant debate further highlighting the complexities and challenges of her foreign policy stance Jeremy Scahill, an American activist, author, and journalist, has stated that Ms Harris’ attitude on Israel and Gaza issues was well-established long before she and Mr Biden took office During her time in the Senate she established a solid reputation as an Israel supporter However she has recently shown concern for the Palestinian crisis, a development that could significantly alter her political positioning and influence in the upcoming elections Additionally her Indian heritage and strong ties to the Indian-American community might result in a cautious stance toward Pakistan potentially leading to reduced military funding and increased pressure on Pakistan regarding terrorism and human rights While Harris may emphasize human rights and democracy, this could lead to more scrutiny of Pakistan’s record while overlooking similar issues in India Her administration is expected to strengthen US-India relations through enhanced military and defence cooperation including the sale of advanced weaponry This could upset the regional strategic balance, heighten Pakistan s security concerns, and prompt it to seek new alliances Thereby, Pakistan should bolster its own security measures diversify its international alliances and enhance its diplomatic engagement to counterbalance the shifting dynamics and address heightened scrutiny from the USA
Samreen Shahbaz is a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore She can be reached at info@casslhr com
Additionally, her Indian heritag e and strong ties to the Indian-American community might result in a cautious stance toward Pakistan, potentially leading to reduced militar y funding and increased pressure on Pakistan regarding terrorism and human rights While Harris may emphasiz e human rights and democracy, this could lead to more scrutiny of PakistanÊs record while overlooking similar issues in India
paign for reproductive rights, including access to
Misconduct in the Police Force
Failing to protect
How Kamala Harris’s Candidac y Could Reshape the 2024 US elec tion
Samreen Shahbaz
the elections of the Lok Sabha held between April 19 and June 1 The government amended the rules for selecting members of the Election Commission removed the chief justice from the committee and replaced him with a minister to be appointed by the PM What is then left to say about the impartiality of the Election Commission?
On March 21 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal the leader of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party was arrested by India s financial crime agency, as well as other ministers and various entities of the opposition parties India’s main opposition party Congress on May 16, condemned Premier Modi for antiMuslim comments in election campaign speeches which has heightened concerns over sectarian tensions Modi had claimed that the main opposition Congress party would redistribute the nation s wealth to Muslims if it won He accused Congress of planning to commit “vote jihad”, and accused that his opponents were rallying Muslims to vote against him BBC reported on May 7: “Opposition leaders and political commentators say PM Modi who s seeking a rare third term other leaders from his Hindu nationalist party are resorting to blatant Islamophobia Implementing the same strategy, India is applying the same moves in its worst form in Indian-Occupied Kashmir
Indian-Occupied Kashmir failure of fake drama to host G-20 summit on May 22-24
2023 there from time to time violations of the Line of Control by shelling inside the Pakistani side in violation of the ceasefire agreement of 2003 might be cited as nstance Regarding the upcoming election, Voice of America on September 2 Associated Press on August 13 August 24 and August 30
who are being violently targeted by radical Hindus RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had stated on record: Bharat is Hindu Rashtra and all Bharatiyas are Hindus The BJP won the Indian general elections of 2014 and 2019 on the basis of antiMuslim and anti-Pakistan slogans Since Modi became PM he started implementing the ideology of Hindutva (Hindu Nationalism) Again, during the election campaign of 2024, Hindu majority had been mobilized especially on ‘hate Muslim’ slogans Modi’s BJP launched its large-scale state-funded election campaign long before
On August 5 2019 Modi-led government abrogated articles 35A and 370 of the Constitution which gave a special status to Indian-Occupied Kashmir New Delhi bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to be ruled by the federal government On the same day strict military lockdown was imposed in Indian-Occupied Kashmir which continues unabated In this respect, the deployment of more than 900,000 military troops in Indian-Occupied Kashmir, who have martyred tens of thousands of Kashmiris including women and children through brutal tactics-fake encounters while closure of mosques shortage of food and medicines for patients have further increased the plight of the Kashmiris Besides, under a well-planned hidden agenda, the Modi regime has intensified ethnodemographic changes in Indian-Occupied Kashmir In this context various Indian moves such as issuance of domicile certificates to more than 800 000 non-Kashmiris registration of almost 2 5 million new non-local voters in
wrote: Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi s rule since 1989, while India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, a charge Islamabad denies Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels [Freedom fighters] and government forces have been killed in the conflict which most Kashmiri Muslims consider a legitimate struggle for freedom It further said: Indian-administered Kashmir has been without a local government since 2018 when India s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ended its support to the local Kashmiri People’s Democratic Party bringing down the coalition government and causing the assembly to dissolve Indian-held Kashmir lost its flag criminal code, constitution and inherited protections on land and jobs a slew of legal and administrative changes have been installed without public input, much to the anger of the region’s people whose civil liberties have also been curbed and media intimidated Indian officials have repeatedly said that the moves to shape what it calls Naya Kashmir, or a new Kashmir was necessary fully integrate the region into the country VoA pointed out: “In theory, the polls will see a transition of power from New Delhi to a newly elected local assembly with a chief minister serving as the region s top elected official with a council of ministers But the new polls will hardly give the new
government any legislative powers as Indian-controlled Kashmir will continue to be a Union Territory a region directly controlled by the federal government with India s parliament remaining as the region s legislator The elected assembly will only have nominal control” It added: “Many are indifferent while some believe their vote could be a way to express deep resentment of Modi s party Most Muslim residents of the region want independence from India or unification with Pakistan Kashmir s pro-India political elite, many of whom have been jailed for allegedly disrupting peace and slapped with corruption cases in 2019 see an opportunity in these elections to politically oppose the changes by India s ruling party Previous elections have seen Kashmiri Muslim separatist leaders who challenge India s sovereignty over the region call for a boycott of the vote, calling it an illegitimate exercise under military occupation” Associated
PakistanÊs civil and military leaders have repeatedly indicated that India is planning another false flag operation against Pakistan in order to diver t attention from its internal issues and from failure of its external policy with the real aim of winning general elections 2024.
years
ON 31 July, three Guantanamo defendants, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Walid Bin’ Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi signed a plea deal with the convening authority for military commissions Brigadier General Susan Escallier Under the terms of the agreement, the defendants would plead guilty to conspiracy and murder charges for their alleged roles in the 9/11 attacks in exchange for removing the death penalty as a possible sentence Although the defendants would be facing life imprisonment top government officials did not seem to think the punishment went far enough
Two days later US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin issued a memo revoking the plea deal He informed Escallier of her removal from the case and insisted that the decision “should rest with [him] as the superior convening authority”
Both US Democratic and Republican lawmakers criticised the plea deal including Senator Richard Blumenthal who stated that the Biden administration owed Americans an explanation , and Senator Lindsey Graham, who claimed that the plea agreement sends a horribly bad signal at a very dangerous time” Congressman Mike Rogers, who published an open letter to the Pentagon chief also lamented the news as “a ‘gut punch’ to many of the victims families
Still a number of rights groups and even some of the families who lost loved ones in the 11 September 2001 attacks welcomed the plea deal, which came after 16 years of pre-trial proceedings with low prospects of a resolution to the case
The American Civil Liberties Union described Austin’s revocation of the agreement as a “rash act [that] also violates the law and vowed to challenge it in court Meanwhile organisations like September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows issued a statement criticising the defence secretary s decision as a move that ultimately betrays 9/11 family members”
The group echoed many families’ frustration that the case has lingered for so long emphasising that the deal would have offered a path to finality and a modicum of justice and accountability for the crimes of 9/11 while blaming the government s torture of the accused men as the reason it was unable to prosecute the case
The discourse on justice that solely pertains to victims of the 9/11 attacks continues to serve as a critical linguistic frame that privileges one group of people over another
In one swift move prosecutors’ long-sought guilty verdicts were invalidated and reduced to a case study in the long-standing historical debate over capital punishment
Senator Dick Durbin, who has long advocated for closing Guantanamo, joined in criticising Austin s decision to withdraw the plea deal “We have a legal and moral obligation to deliver justice for these family members rather than false promises that these commissions will ever deliver more he wrote in a statement
Twenty-three years after 9/11 and nearly 22 years after the opening of Guantanamo the discourse on justice that solely pertains to victims of the attack continues to serve as a critical linguistic frame that has privileged one group of people over another Indeed what Muslims
9/11, Muslim victims of US violence deser ve justice
much less any narrative or rhetorical frame that meaningfully acknowledges their victimisation and suffering
‘JUSTICE’ FOR WHOM? Nine days after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 then-President George W Bush gave a speech to a joint session of Congress announcing the launch of the war on terror He emphatically delivered his speech, asserting that whether we bring our enemies to justice, or justice to our enemies, justice will be done” Careful to convey a narrative of the US as a blameless victim Bush left the notion of “justice” undefined
Despite the ambiguity and nonsensical declaration of a war on terror legal scholar Frederic Megret notes that the concept has provided a consistent discursive anchor for a range of violent practices across time and space” And instead of marking a specific period in history, it became “a way of understanding the world”
The world that Muslims have come to understand under the guise of the war on terror is one marked by unabated and unaccountable state violence propelled by entrenched and rampant Islamophobia
The actions that the US took in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to combat terrorism - from legislating unfettered warfare across the globe through the Authorisation of the Use of Military Force joint resolution and passing the Patriot Act to giving broad surveillance powers to the government launching a war on Afghanistan and signing a military order that authorised military commissions with different standards of rules for those detained in brutal prisons from Guantanamo to Abu Ghraib and CIA black sites
These violent measures have only escalated in the last 23 years of the war on terror From militarism and warfare to draconian immigration policies surveillance federal terrorism prosecutions and detention and torture this war has almost exclusively targeted Muslims
In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemenfour Muslim-majority countries - the war on terror has led to a death toll of between 4 5 and 4 7 million people
As horrifying as this level of violence has been it doesn’t even begin to account for the violence that has otherwise been buried deeper than the victims of the US empire
The New Yorker s In the Dark podcast for example recently assembled a database of the largest known collection of war crimes investigations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 11 September 2001 The database includes nearly 800 incidents, with the reporting concluding that “the military delivers neither transparency nor justice”
NO REMEDIES: Unsurprisingly the US government has offered no meaningful remedies to the catastrophic violence that Muslims have endured at its hands, nor put any systems or mechanisms of accountability in place to acknowledge and reckon with a war whose entire foundation was built on the demonisation and criminalisation of a religious community
Last year on the sixth annual International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism the State Department released a statement claiming that the
US stands with the global community of victims, families, survivors, and communities who have been impacted by the scourge of terrorism” and “will never forget the victims of terrorism or stop our pursuit of justice and peace”
The US however has not only forgotten the victims of its catastrophic and unabashed state violence but swept them so far under the rug that there is almost no possibility of justice for Muslims
Where any remedies do exist - for example, if someone is killed by the US in a combat zone - US laws effectively preclude noncitizens from the eligibility to make a claim or receive any compensation for wrongful deaths that occur outside of the country
In rare cases where the US military kills civilians a commander can opt to pay what are called solatia or condolence payments These payments are not only minuscule - ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars - but they are also expressly made without the military acknowledging any wrongdoing
One exception to this rule was when the US killed an Afghan family of 10 members including seven children The Pentagon eventually issued an apology with Austin insisting that no military works harder than ours to avoid civilian casualties When we have reason to believe we have taken innocent life, we investigate it and, if true we admit it ” However not only does the USthe military in this case - have limited accountability measures to address civilian deaths but Austin s statement perpetuates the facade that there are mechanisms in place and that the killing of these Afghan civilians was an exception to otherwise careful military operations
Moreover, what the war on terror has consistently demonstrated is that the US only acknowledges wrongdoing when it cannot plausibly deny its violence (the war crimes at Abu Ghraib are emblematic of this rule)
While survivors among the Afghan family were relocated to the US the government has yet to provide any monetary compensation despite pledging to In contrast, the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund provides monetary compensation to individuals with illnesses related to the attacks or a relative of an individual who died in the attacks
The Fund was initially established in 2001 by Congress and was closed in 2004 It has since been reinstated, first through the Zadroga Act and then The Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorisation of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which extended claims to 2090
DISCURSIVE BATTLE: The exclusion of Muslims from any justice framework after 9/11 is a direct result of the US s unabashed commitment to state violence that has been justified through the criminalisation, demonisation, and dehumanisation of Muslims Constructions of Muslims as inherently predisposed to violence irrationally angry and barbaric among others have specifically served to position Muslims solely as perpetrators and never as victims deserving of any sympathy Coupled with these often harmful representa-
tions, another barrier to leveraging victim claims is the
Sajjad Shaukat
President Xi urges continuous effor ts to uphold, improve people’s
congresses on political system’s 70th anniversar y
perative to uphold the CPC s leadership and adhere to using institutions to ensure that the country is run by the people He stressed the need to give full play to the role of people’s congresses in ensuring full and effective implementation of the Constitution and laws
Efforts must be made to ensure people s congresses play a leading role in legislation, Xi said, calling for more legislation in key, emerging and foreign-related fields
NPC was convened in September 1954
T
has demonstrated its clear political strength, providing an important institutional guarantee for creating miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability Xi noted It is a sound system that embodies the country s socialist nature, he said Noting that the system of people’s congresses is an important institutional vehicle for realizing whole-process people s democracy in China Xi said it is im-
He emphasized the key role of people s congresses in the oversight of both the Party and the country to ensure that all state organs exercise their powers in accordance with the law and that the legitimate rights and interests of the people are safeguarded and realized People’s congresses should play an exemplary role in maintaining close ties with the people and serve as the bridge that links the Party and the state with the people, he said Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice President Han Zheng attended the meeting
The meeting was presided over by Zhao Leji, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the NPC Standing Committee
From terrorism to tourism: Xinjiang’s star tling shif t
MIAN ABRAR
It is shocking for most of the foreign visitors who have only heard of Xinjiang before to step out of Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport and see a completely transformed and bustling city waiting
Visits at
Ürümqi indicate
the
jiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is
of
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ern
However the
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was completely different about 15 years ago My first visit to the Xinjiang Autonomous Regions occurred in August of 2010 Ürümqi a moderately developed area, was catching up with the rapid development of China s Northern provinces The city was a reasonably developed city at the time, while Kashgar and other sections of Xinjiang were struggling to overcome widespread poverty In 2016-17 I visited Xinjiang again Ürümqi was also booming but it was Kashgar that piqued our interest since the centuries-old city bordering Pakistan s northern territories had evolved into a new economic hub when China constructed a new city near Kashgar known as Kashi New Area
However Chinese government spent billions of dollars to build a new metropolis in ancient Kashgar to serve as a base for China s Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015
Despite the fact that the development process in Xinjiang had begun the area experienced an increase in terrorist attacks as opponents of development may have attempted to hinder progress in the Xinjiang
Autonomous Regions For the following few years the terrorists made every effort to maintain the region in instability However the resolute people of Xinjiang vanquished the radical mindset with the advice and aid of the central government, and the area quickly returned to normalcy by 2017
A visit to the Xinjiang Counterterrorism and Counter-extremism Exhibition highlighted that Xinjiang has emerged as a significant battlefield in China s struggle against terrorism and extremism
In the name of ethnicity and religion, the religious extremists deceitfully used people’s ethnic identity and religious beliefs to instigate religious fanaticism spread extremism and incite the common public to join violent and terrorist activities a government official told the team that was visiting He stated that the Chinese government responded forcefully by addressing both these symptoms, root causes, and implementing preventative measures establishing vocational education and training centres in accordance with the law to prevent the breeding and spread of terrorism and religious extremism, effectively reducing the frequency of terrorist attacks
Since then, the people of Xinjiang have followed a path of economic restoration and development never looking back A visit to the Xinjiang Islamic Institute (XII) highlighted how religious principles and Islamic teachings were imparted to seminary students, while young religious scholars were provided with the necessary facilities
Prof Qamar Din Ahmed the Institute’s director stated that the institute and its eight sub-campuses can house 1000 students at a
time and bachelor degrees are granted to students who would subsequently take up duties at local mosques
8th ISEM Pakistan Solar Exhibition inaugurated
BISP Chief thanks Sindh CM, cabinet for abolition of bir th cer tificate fee
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Senator Rubina Khalid Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Minister of Sindh and the cabinet members for approving the abolition of the birth certificate fee for children in Sindh She welcomed
LAHORE
s ta f f r e p o r t
Senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and mother of Attaullah Tarar, Ms Sajida Farooq Tarar, organized a spiritually uplifting Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) gathering for women at her office in NA-127 in accordance with the occasion of Rabi-ul-Awwal A large number of devoted women from the constituency participated and the blessed birth of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was celebrated with great religious fervor
The special guests included former MPA Ghazala Saad Rafique, MPA Bibi Wadheri, MPA Rushda Lodhi, Rabia Afzal Coordinator of the Women’s Wing NA127 Farah Diba Coordinator of the Federal Minister for Information Culture and National Heritage along with renowned Naat reciters Faizyab Kishwar Bajwa Tahira Aziz, Shamim Mustafa, Rukhsana Taj, Shamim Akhtar, Samar Ijaz, Naseem Bano, Mehwish Arshad, Saadia Malik, Shehbaz Talib (Personal Staff Officer to the Federal Minister), Hamza Malik (Coordinator NA127) and others
The gathering commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by a Naat session where wellknown female Naat reciters expressed their devotion to the Prophet (PBUH) and shed light on his blessed life
The participants collectively sent Durood and Salam upon the Prophet (PBUH)
Addressing the gathering Sajida Farooq Tarar emphasized that the day of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) reminds us to follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and spread the message of love and peace
launched its two latest AI-powered second-generation flip and foldable smartphones from the Phantom V
PHANTOM V Fold2 5G With an expansive foldable display and a fun fashionable yet functional flip experience, these second-generation foldable and flip smartphones, enhanced by cutting-edge AI, are designed to boost efficiency for business professionals and creatives alike These paragons come packed with TECNO
Chaudhry Salik Hussain, has appointed Pakistan Muslim League’s central leader and Additional Secretary Chaudhry Eizam as his Coordinator The notification of this appointment was issued by the party s central president and former Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Chaudhry Eizam, known for his commitment to public service and his vast political experience, will now work closely with the Federal Minister to facilitate key initiatives concerning overseas Pakistanis and human resource development This appointment underscores the importance of ensuring strong coordination within the party and enhancing service delivery for the overseas community Chaudhry Salik Hussain expressed his confidence in Chaudhry Eizam's abilities, stating that this move will strengthen the ministry s objectives and improve the overall performance in addressing the needs of Pakistanis abroad
ISLAMABAD s ta
The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masatsugu Asakawa visited the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to observe its initiatives aimed at providing cash assistance, supporting enrolment in schools and maternal and child health in Pakistan During the visit to the BISP Tehsil Office in Taxila and the Benazir Nashonuma Centre at Wah General Hospital, the ADB President was briefed on BISP’s programs and their impact on the education, health and wellbeing of the poorest households Accompanied by an ADB delegation including Haruto Takimura Chief Advisor to the President Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director General, Yong Ye, Country Director PRM, Ms Azusa Sato, Senior Advisor to the President and others President Asakawa received a briefing from BISP Director General Naveed Akbar The briefing covered BISP s key initiatives, such as Benazir
Kafaalat Taleemi Wazaif Nashonuma and the Undergraduate Scholarship Program DG Akbar also discussed new measures being implemented, including the New Payment Model, Mobile Registration Vans Digital and Financial Literacy programs and the extension of the Nashonuma Program to include adolescent girls
At the Tehsil office Taxila and Nashonuma Facilitation Center in Wah General Hospital, the ADB del-
egation interacted with beneficiaries and observed the registration process for the National Socio Economic Registry, the Taleemi Wazaif and Nashunuma Programs The visit also provided insight into the operational procedures of the BISP office and the facilitation center BISP s Director General acknowledged the role of international partners including the ADB in supporting various social protection programs in Pakistan
He urged for continued global cooperation in line with this year s theme Montreal Protocol
Advancing Climate Actions to ensure a safer and more sustainable planet for future generations
ECP has no other option but to implement apex court order: Kanwar Dilshad
Room for talks between PTI, establishment developing: Raoof Hassan
stood with the judiciary and would not allow any step towards restriction of judicial freedom He further criticised the Election Commission for its role in the country’s current turmoil alleging that it had done nothing to mitigate the situation PTI leaders voice concerns over threats to its members, their families Donald
