Treating ‘M aritime Numbness
with calls for improved safety measures and accountability from university officials The incident has sparked considerable discussion on social media,
IF Anura Kumara Disayanake had been elected President of Sri Lanka any time before the collapse of the USSR, the win by a Marxist would have caused a minor earthquake However now it has been something of an anticlimax especially after President Dasayanake used his inauguration to reiterate his commitment to keep in with the world That means he does not want to defy the IMF which is putting together a $25 billion debt restructuring that will keep Sri Lanka from another default The default last year led to the fleeing of the incumbent President, rioting and the rise of President Disanayake’s JVP which presently has only three seats in the country’s 120-member Parliament He has thus dissolved Parliament and called elections for November 14, a year ahead of time
The entire region watched very closely to see Sri Lanka in its descent into default-driven chaos Pakistan in particular saw repeated warnings by ousted PM Imran Khan that Pakistan too would default unless he was brought back to power Pakistan has seen the businessman’s solution under Shehbaz Sharif, which is to work with the IMF, no matter what the cost Bangladesh has just begun under Dr Muammad Younas what might be described as a microfinance solution Now Sri Lanka is trying a Marxist solution It should also be noted that this is the only solution that has resulted from an undisputed election One of the more interesting moves is President Disayanake’s appointment of Hardini Amarasuriya as Prime Minister From one point of view, this is nothing new, as she is the third Sri Lankan woman to become PM, and the seventh in South Asia However she is the first not to be the widow or daughter of a previous PM Of great interest to India and China is which the new government favours Sri Lanka s position, just below India in the Indian Ocean has always made it of great importance in this area which has
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar
TDissanayake has marked the beginning of a new chapter in the country s political landscape There are many questions surrounding how the nation’s political vision and progress will unfold under his leadership His role in addressing the country’s economic crisis debt unemployment and foreign relations has become crucial His leftist stance and past political ideals necessitate deep analysis to determine the direction the country might take under his presidency Under Anura Dissanayake s leadership, the coalition of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the National People’s Power (NPP) secured a dramatic victory Rising from a party with only three seats in the 225-member parliament he now holds the country s highest office This election reflected the longstanding frustrations of Sri Lanka s common people with social and economic discontent During his campaign, Dissanayake promised to dismantle Sri Lanka’s established political system and eradicate corruption He came into power as a representative of the people against the long-standing political families that had ruled the country through dynastic politics and economic power The people of Sri Lanka were seeking an alternative to the two traditional parties, and they reached out for this new hope under Dissanayake’s leadership For the first time in Sri Lanka’s electoral history the presidential election went into a second count In the first count Dissanayake secured 42 31 percent of the vote while his main opponent Sajith Premadasa garnered 32 76 percent According to Sri Lanka s electoral laws, if no candidate achieves 50 percent of the vote in the first count, a second count is conducted using a preferential ballot system, where voters can rank their top three preferred candidates Dissanayake emerged victorious in the second count marking an unprecedented event in the country s political history Sri Lanka s economy has faced extreme turmoil over the past few years In 2022, the country defaulted on its debt, foreign reserves were exhausted, and the national debt soared to over $83 billion, with more than half owed to foreign creditors Inflation surged to nearly 70 percent and the economy collapsed In
Passpor t backlog holding the countr y back
the wake of this crisis the people of Sri Lanka expressed their anger resulting in a popular uprising Dissanayake s biggest challenge will be to overcome this economic disaster The current government has accepted a $2 9 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund, with plans to start repaying the debt from 2028 Dissanayake stated during his campaign that he would continue the debt repayment process and renegotiate the country’s economic policies with the IMF However there remains uncertainty over how he will handle this burden and lead the country toward economic recovery With only three seats in Parliament, Dissanayake s JVP cannot independently govern One of his first tasks will be to call for a general election If his party and coalition gain more seats in Parliament he will be able to form a stronger government Currently there are 222 members from other parties in Parliament raising questions about how
arises: Could the passport delay be intentional? With increasing numbers of people leaving Pakistan and relocating abroad is it possible that the government is deliberately slowing the passport process to prevent emigration? Regardless these delays are damaging Pakistan s international reputation and presenting a negative image on the global stage The economic and social consequences of passport delays in Pakistan are significant and far-reaching Economically the backlog affects overseas workers who rely on timely passport renewals to secure jobs abroad particularly in the Middle East Many of these workers send remittances back home, a critical source of income for their families and a vital contribution to the national economy Delays in passport issuance lead to missed job opportunities resulting in financial strain for both the individuals affected and their families
Socially the impact is equally severe Students seeking to study abroad often face strict deadlines for visa applications and admissions Passport delays can cause them to miss out on scholarships, academic programmes, or even entire academic years Families needing to travel for emergencies such as visiting sick relatives or attending important family events are left helpless when faced with prolonged waiting times This creates logistical and emotional stress, straining personal relationships The passport delays have also sparked protests most notably in Chaman where workers have been demonstrating for over seven months The protests began after authorities mandated that only individuals with valid passports could cross the Durand Line between Pak-
istan and Afghanistan This decision disproportionately impacted workers who relied on daily cross-border movement for their livelihoods Overall, these delays are more than just administrative inconveniences; they disrupt lives, hinder economic mobility, and exacerbate the sense of uncertainty among Pakistanis looking to improve their futures abroad It is understandable that passport offices face numerous challenges including severe staff shortages that hamper their ability to process applications efficiently Technical issues with outdated systems also contribute to the delays, as manual procedures slow down the application and issuance processes Additionally bureaucratic red tape complicates and prolongs the handling of applications These persistent issues reflect broader systemic problems that require comprehensive reform to effectively resolve the backlog To address the passport backlog in Pakistan, a multifaceted approach is needed Upgrading technology by implementing modern digital systems and automating the application process can significantly enhance efficiency as demonstrated by countries like Estonia and Singapore Increasing the number of staff at passport offices would help manage the high volume of applications and ensure faster processing Simplifying the application process by reducing bureaucratic red tape and streamlining document requirements can make the system more user-friendly and efficient Learning from international models such as the fast-track services and efficient e-passport systems used in Germany, could provide valuable insights and practical solutions for improving Pakistan s passport issuance system Integrating these measures would not only alleviate the current backlog but also improve overall service delivery for citizens
Sadia Zahra is a Research Intern at Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN) Quetta She is a graduate of Public Administration, BUITEMS She can be contacted at Sadiaalianjum@gmail com and Sadia zahra@ bttn org pk She tweets @Sadia Anjumm
C h
Bay Expressway was officially opened in June 2022, creating a transportation link between Gwadar Port and the southern key city of Karachi enhancing connectivity between Gwadar Port
and the economic heartland of Pakistan The new Gwadar International Airport completed its test flights in June, and when completed, it will form a modern three-dimensional transport network by sea land and air together with the maritime route of Gwadar Port and the East Bay Expressway
The construction of the new port road and airport has transformed the Gwadar region from a remote fishing village into an important regional logistics hub and industrial base The number of local shops, communication base stations cold storage facilities and restaurants has doubled in recent years and the number of tourists has also doubled leading to a significant increase in local people s income, and as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats This demonstrates that the traction effect of infrastructure development on improving people’s livelihoods will be substantial and continuous to be released
In promoting the construction of the CPEC, China focuses on large-scale infrastructure projects that support the long-term development of Balochistan while also carrying out numerous “small yet smart” livelihood assistance projects:
We are committed to providing timely assistance During the pandemic the Chinese government provided essential supplies such as rice, flour, and cooking oil to fishermen in Gwadar, effectively alleviating their difficulties After the floods in 2022 the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan promptly distributed relief supplies to 3 000 affected households in the Bugti tribal area helping them to get through the difficult times When Balochistan was hit by floods again this year, the Chinese government
quickly provided $100,000 in emergency cash assistance and 10,000 pieces of solarpowered lighting equipment endeavouring to alleviate difficulties We care about the development of women and children The Chinese government s project to donate 20,000 women s health kits to Balochistan was launched in July, aiming to improve the quality of life and health awareness of local women The Chinese-aided Gwadar Faqeer School was expanded from a primary school to a primary and middle school with modern teaching facilities including multi-purpose classrooms, and the original enrolment of 150 students has increased to more than 1,000, and is known as “the school that grows up” by the local people The PakChina Technical and Vocational Institute at Gwadar focuses on short-term professional training for local workers, with 366 trainees already graduated and 145 currently enrolled Students from Gwadar can attend for free and have
„Of all the things that matter, peopleÊs livelihood comes first‰. In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the most impor tant value orientation of the Chinese governmentÊs governance is to fur ther safeguard, improve , and develop peopleÊs livelihood, striving to realiz e the peopleÊs aspirations for a better life .
Why Israel can’t win in Lebanon
Lebanon today, Jordan tomorrow?
AAT this stage of Israel’s war in the north a ground invasion will not occur The reason is straightforward: Israel simply cannot launch one A combination of manpower and equipment shortages, a depletion of aerial munitions after 11 months of relentless bombings in Gaza and the absence of clear attainable strategic goals ensures that the Israeli military will continue its standard approach This involves extensive aerial bombardments of densely populated civilian areas, accompanied by a push for victory through information operations
Despite Israel s information operations resistance groups in Gaza though significantly degraded continue to conduct combat operations and are expected to do so for the foreseeable future If the IDF has been unable to defeat Hamas a group that has operated trained and fought within the confines of an open-air prison with limited supply lines after a year of conflict, the idea of taking on a far larger, betterequipped, and more sophisticated military force is simply unrealistic
Therefore Israel is likely to continue its long-standing strategy of conducting mass bombings and unconventional attacks aimed at deterring Hezbollah from invading an event that remains highly improbable and coercing the group into submission by using the lives of Lebanese civilians as leverage In the past 24 hours the Israeli Air Force has launched a series of aggressive and indiscriminate kinetic strikes on towns and villages in southern Lebanon
The
house in southern Lebanon is eerily reminiscent of the lead-up to the first bombing of Al-Shifa hospital last November At that time CGI videos were used to depict an intricate Hamas tunnel system beneath the hospital, which served as the justification for its destruction and the subsequent targeting of other hospitals in Gaza However the supposed sophisticated command center in
International Humanitarian Law is likely to be repeated in southern Lebanon, targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure once again Furthermore based on this unsubstantiated military propaganda the IDF has ordered mass evacuations of Lebanese civilians from the Beqaa Valley, mirroring the catastrophe seen in Gaza After the heavy blows dealt to Hezbollah by Israeli intelligence services last week beginning with the pager attacks and culminating in targeted
and
resolute
and will not cease its operations against an increasingly aggressive Israeli military Greg Stoker is a former US Army Ranger with a background in human intelligence collection and analysis After serving four combat deployments in Afghanistan he studied anthropology and International Relations at Columbia University He is currently a military and geopolitical analyst and a social media influencer
N Israeli businessman close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said, “What we see in Lebanon today will happen in Jordan next ” Roni Mizrahi made his belligerent comment on an Israeli TV channel His words are reminiscent of what Netanyahu himself has said as well as other politicians military personnel and rabbis Many have talked about the Jordanian solution, the alternative homeland, the forced displacement of the Palestinians from the West Bank and the Palestinian Kingdom in Jordan We can t say that we haven t been warned On Monday Netanyahu appeared on the Jordan/Palestine border on a field visit to follow up on the project to build a barrier along the border with the Hashemite Kingdom Between Netanyahu’s field visit and his businessman friend’s words about Jordan doesn’t it look as if the kingdom is the missing front in the Gaza war? After the killing of three Israeli soldiers by Jordanian truck driver Maher Al-Jazi at the King Hussein Bridge Border Crossing on 8 September, there was open talk about the seventh front in the Gaza war, to be added to the resistance fronts in Iraq Yemen Gaza Lebanon Syria and the West Bank Jordan is a difficult and unmanageable front though as the Jordanians are rooted in their land and their dignity does not allow compromise and bargaining They have an underlying energy for sacrifice in defence of Palestine, Jordan, their existence and their destiny WHAT DOES ISRAEL HAVE IN STORE FOR JORDAN? Netanyahu and his friend are not just ordinary people in the occupation state The prime minister has already received the green light from the extreme right lobbies and forces in Israel and beyond to implement his project for so-called “Greater
have significantly promoted Sri Lanka’s economic development and
standards facilitating the country s
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rection in
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and
are
approach is
be built on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefits Just as Chinese President Xi Jinping said when congratulating Dissanayake on assuming the presidency of Sri Lanka on Monday China and Sri Lanka have set a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes Attempts to hinder
South Asian countries from collaborating with others through smear tactics are unhealthy, impractical and unlikely to succeed,” said Long Since the British Empire’s withdrawal from South Asia after World War II South Asian nations have developed into modern nation-states with the concept of sovereign equality taking root No country wishes
Zhang hao
The rising tide that lifts all boats
GLOBAL TIMES
Khaykhamphithoune, Ding noted that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the ChinaLaos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and China is willing to work with Laos under the guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries to strengthen economic trade and investment cooperation, accelerate the construction of major projects, set a new benchmark for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and work together to advance the process of national modernization Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune said Laos attaches great importance to the building of a Laos-China community with a shared future, and is willing to strengthen high-level interactions with China deepen practical cooperation and push for long-lasting Laos-China friendly relations
urges continuously promoting ethnic unity across generations
Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of continuing the endeavors to promote ethnic unity from generation to generation Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission made the remarks in a reply letter to descendants of the representatives from diverse ethnic groups who erected a monument in
role of young people in promoting peace and countering extremism The event held at the female campus of the International Islamic University (IIU) in collaboration with the Department of Psychology and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), brought together academics and experts to discuss strategies for em-
providing Kissan Package electric bikes “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” program and scholarships to the students in Punjab Meanwhile colleges and universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are closing due to lack of funds A new NSIT is being established in Punjab Development is ongoing in every sector of Punjab while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is rapidly declining CM Maryam Nawaz is not inclined to name terrorists CM Punjab does not even find it appropriate to name your corrupt leader Names are mentioned in speeches for those who deserve it Neither you nor your leaders deserve to be named If they feel so hurt by being shown the reality then why do they not feel ashamed when they indulge into using foul language about others? she concluded
Beralus Deputy Minister disc usses possibility of cooperation in transpor t sec tor during visits to CDA
s ta f f r e p o r t
The Belarusian Deputy Minister for Industries Aleksei Kushnarenko visited the Capital Development Authority (CDA) headquarters in Islamabad where he was warmly received by Member Administration, Talat Mehmood Gondal while Deputy Director General Islamabad Public Transport Wing of CDA was also present The meeting focused on fostering mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus particularly in the areas of transport system in Islamabad During the discussions the Belarusian Deputy Min-
ister for Industries Aleksei Kushnarenko offered to provide its full support regarding the electric buses in Islamabad, marking a step towards sustainable and eco-friendly public transport Member Administration and Environment Talat Mehmood Gondal expressed his keen interest in the cooperation with Belarus regarding public transport system in Islamabad He emphasized that it is aligned with CDA s vision for a cleaner more efficient transportation system In this connection, CDA has already launched electric buses in the city covering different areas
JJANP c alls for Juvenile Justice Ac t 2018 implementation to ensure child-friendly justice dispensation
To mark the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Juvenile Justice Advocacy Network (JJANP) called on decision-makers to implement Juvenile Justice Act 2018 in true sense to provide a separate and effective justice system for children in conflict with the law
The Juvenile Justice Act 2018 is supposed to provide a child friendly justice system, focusing on reintegration of juvenile offenders into society, JJANP Convenor Barrister Sarmad Ali pointed out at a media briefing held under the umbrella of Legal Awareness Watch (LAW) Introduced in 2018 after the Universal Periodic Review on Pakistan in 2017 the Juvenile Justice System Act mandates that children when they get apprehended, cannot be kept in ordinary police stations nor prisons instead observation homes and rehabilitation centres He emphasized that the authorities concerned, without any further delay should notify rules of business under section 24 of the Act 2018 for implementation in letter and spirit to give conductivity to children in courtroom as well as elsewhere The JJANP Convenor informed that a lack of ade-
quate and effective age determination procedure led numerous children to gallows and mass incarceration that meant improvements to be made in the justice system of Pakistan Moreover the investigation of criminal cases should be made fair and transparent in accordance with Criminal Code of Procedure to make sure that children in conflict with the law without any shadow of doubt are declared as juveniles and in absence of any material evidence on age of arrested child through medical evidence i e , ossification test It said this procedure must be adopted by the police and law
12 countries participated in global sustainable transport forum
ISLAMABAD
(JUI-F) refused to lend its support to the ruling coalition, short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate as the said legislation, aimed at amending the Constitution, requires a two-thirds majority in both houses In the National Assembly the ruling coalition needs 224 votes to pass the constitutional amendments whereas in the Senate the number stands at 64 Currently, as per reports, treasury benches have 211 members against the opposition’s 101 MNAs
Although JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has so far remained seemingly unwilling to back the amendments which
he, in fact, has termed a bid to protect the coalition government, Adviser on Political and Public Affairs and PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah had hinted at evolving “minimum consensus” among political parties on controversial judiciary-centric constitutional amendments that also included the proposal to establish constitutional court which PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has said would be introduced “come what may” The PM’s aide also said that the consultation process with other political par-
Constitutional amends ‘insult’ to Constitution, democracy: Barrister Saif
Negotiations are an attempt to legitimise an unelected and illegitimate government [ ] since February 8 the opposition has maintained that the [incumbent] government is an unelected one
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has so far remained seemingly unwilling to back the amendments which he in fact has termed a bid to protect the coalition government Adviser on Political and Public Affairs and PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah had hinted at evolving minimum consensus” among political parties on controversial judiciary-centric constitutional amendments that also included the proposal to establish consti-
tutional court which PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has said would be introduced come what may The PM s aide also said that the consultation process with other political parties on the judicial package has not stalled as the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led PPP and Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led JUI-F were working on their draft amendments
Cour t reser ves verdic t in Toshak hana vehicle reference against Zardari, Nawaz
The Islamabad Accountability Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the question as to whether refer the Toshakhana reference against President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani back to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Accountability Court Judge Abida Sajjad is likely to announce the reserved verdict on October 14 the verdict on the Toshakhana vehicle reference involving former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif Yousuf Raza Gilani, and President Asif Ali Zardari, among others After hearing the arguments from all parties, Judge Abida Sajjad reserved the verdict to be pronounced later During the hearing Nawaz Sharif ’s counsel Qazi Misbahul Hassan and pleader Rana Irfan along with Asif Ali Zardari s counsel Farooq H Naek presented their arguments Farooq Naek read out the new NAB Amendment Law in the court, arguing that under the amended law, the case no longer falls under the jurisdiction of the accountability court
conduct has already caused damage However, the removal of a judge for causing damage is not a legitimate reason Our petitions regarding elections and the Election Tribunal remain unresolved He further claimed that several judges who were previously appointed to the Election Tribunal were removed following objections from the Election Commission despite no solid reasons being presented Raja challenged the government, saying, If fraud occurred during the elections, prove it! But who will we prove it to? Judges loyal to the government? Those in power want to keep cases lingering based on Form 47 He concluded that the establishment of a constitutional court at this time is highly unfortunate and seems to be part of a broader strategy to suppress PTI “If this constitutional court is such a great idea why not wait two months? This is clearly a tactic to strike a blow against PTI under the pretext of judicial reform ” Raja also warned that this amendment would give the government control over the judicial process allowing the Prime Minister to appoint the Chief Justice and influence the composition of the court “The constitutional court amendment is aimed at fundamentally altering the legal structure and it s clear that it is being designed to target PTI specifically PESHAWAR S ta f f R e p o R t The Peshawar High Court has called for a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati to remove his name from the Pakistan No Fly List (PNIL) During the hearing presided over by Chief Justice Ashiq Ibrahim Swati expressed his desire to travel to Afghanistan but claimed that his passport has been withheld by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar I want to travel on a blue passport, but I am not being allowed to do so Ishaq Dar is sitting there like a clown, preventing my trip to Afghanistan ” he stated Chief Justice Ibrahim cautioned Swati against
He pointed out that the total value involved in the case is Rs80 5 million only, which is below the threshold of Rs500 million, and hence, it should be referred back to the NAB chairman Judge Abida Sajjad questioned whether all parties agreed that the court lacked jurisdiction in the case Farooq H Naek responded by highlighting that Zardari had not been granted presidential immunity when the case was initially brought forward In response, the NAB prosecutor stated that if a case is outside the court’s jurisdiction, the merits cannot be discussed and the court must decide on the referral The prosecutor said that the case against Zardari cannot proceed due to presidential immunity and suggested that it be referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Meanwhile, Qazi Misbahul Hassan reminded the court that a similar case had previously been returned to NAB and later came back to the same court following a decision by former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial
The NAB prosecutor added that the court had already granted presidential immunity to Zardari and that the case should remain on hold for Zardari while being sent back for Nawaz Sharif
A zam Swati challenges no -fly list inclusion, seeks permission to travel to Afghanistan
